Ok, we know that Christmassy stories - whether in books or on the screen - are filled with tropes and 'advent calendar activities' is one of my favourites! I really thought this was a very sweet story - with a few steamy scenes too. I enjoyed the alternating perspectives - they switch between Holly and Finn. I also really enjoy quirky characters and a snowy setting, both of which this book definitely delivered on.

I think this one does a really good job with the 'background' characters - as well as enjoying Aunt Clara's and her WI friends, I liked seeing the relationships of some of Holly and Finn's friends grow.

I gave this three and a half shining Christmas stars, and a generous helping of Aunt Clara's homemade gin!

I'm struggling to get into this one, I have to say. I love the idea of it, the concept behind it, but I really am having a hard time just sitting down and powering through it. It just doesn't draw me in as quickly as most books do. I may have to set it aside for a rainy or snowy day and just curl up with it to finish it, but it's not keeping my attention.

I could read a Christmas story in Spring. I just love the genre of romance during the season of goodwill.
Fleeing from heartbreak, Holly Devine arrives on the doorstep of her Aunt Clara. Sunflower Island, in the English Channel is the setting for this tale and is where Aunt Clara has her home which comes complete with its own Gin Palace.
Holly has been devastated to learn that her twin sister, Lucinda has been cheating on Holly with her boyfriend Marcel. After discovering them kissing at the office Christmas party, Holly decides to get away and try and find herself.
Aunt Clara is the kind of Aunt that we’d all love, a giant heart and a wise mind. Together with her fellow members of the local WI, Aunt Clara creates an advent calendar with a difference. Each day, Holly will be challenged to perform a task which will help her rediscover her spark.
Of course, romance comes in the form of the grieving pub landlord, Finn Jackson. Finn can’t let go of the heartache of losing his girlfriend when she died suddenly. The timing isn’t right for either of them to embark on a relationship but, they are both ready for a bit of fun with no strings?
I read this book in two sessions and found it to be a lovely page-turner. All of the characters were likeable and, I found that I was rooting for Finn and Holly to overcome their pains and find a little happiness, no matter how brief.
I would certainly like an Aunt Clara of my own.

I've been picking this one up and putting it down for the past ten days. I am finally just going to call it a DNF. It simply wasn't holding my interest. That cover though, is very cute!

Delightful! Sometimes you just need a light, easy, breezy book to whisk you away, captivate and transport you and give you a break from all of the complex situations and people in your life. I love a good getaway story, and the concept of the holiday advent calendar with tasks to complete is so completely brilliant. Breaking out of a comfort zone is a smart plotline, and we always know we're getting wonderful characters in Ashcroft's book. I liked this one very much, and even though I received this as a NetGalley freebie in exchange for a review, I'll pick this one up in print form to enjoy throughout the winter.

Fun, flirty, and festive! This was a delightful Christmas romance with a bit of a unique twist. Holly is devastated after the two people she trusts the most betray her. Devastated she retreats to the home of her beloved Aunt Clara. Aunt Clara and her fab friends create an advent calendar for Holly to cheer her up and to build her confidence. One of the items on the calendar was to ask out a stranger...enter Finn. This book just put a huge smile on my face! It was so much more than just a Christmas romance. Holly was a great character and I loved seeing her character bloom throughout the course of this book. Aunt Clara was simply amazing, we all need an aunt Clara in our life! I love the friendships and how supportive and willing to help everyone was. This book was the true definition of a feel good holiday read! If you are anything like me and love Christmas stories this is a can’t miss!

This book in emojis: 💔 🎄 ⛄️

*** thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

This is the second book of Donna Ashcroft I’ve read and again it did not disappoint.

The Christmas countdown was perfect to get into the spirit of Christmas.

The story tells of a 27 year old lady called Holly Devine who after having her heart broken flees to see her aunt Clara who lives in sunflower island.

Feeling sad and not knowing who she is anymore, her aunt Clara and her friends decide to make a advent calendar with a task in for each day of December after a gin fulled night in her back garden gin bar.

On her first task Holly meets Finn a handsome landlord of the local pub and a friendship blossoms. But soon feelings start to change and Finn has secrets of his own which Holly needs to hear.

Will holly complete her daily advent tasks and will she fall in love at Christmas?

This book was an enjoyable read with great characters in the story and I couldn’t put the book down. I read at every opportunity and finished it in a few days.

I liked how the author Donna Ashcroft encorporated gin into her book as it hugely popular and made the book more interesting and not just a story of romance but about self discovery and friendship.

I would recommend this book and look forward to reading Donna Ashcroft next book.

This is the second book in the Sunflower Island series. It was nice to see some of the original characters, though this was a stand alone book.
It was a fun, festive read with characters the reader is drawn too.
Holly and Finn were a great pairing of characters, both broken , would they be able to help each other?
Loved the idea of an alternative Advent calendar! Buy this book !
Thank you to Netgalley, Bookoutre, and Donna Ashcroft for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

I'm aware that this makes me sound like a bit of a psycho, but I absolutely love it when a book starts and someone's just been beat down by life. After all, doesn't the greatest growth often come from a point of needing to improve one's self?
And that is exactly what The Christmas Countdown gave me. Having a twin sister leads to easy comparison, which can't always be easy. Especially if said twin has responded to grieve by claiming the limelight - both hers and yours.
The way Donna Ashcroft manages to portray that search of self, combined with the need to still love your sibling, no matter what they did (and let's be real, to some degree, we've all been there), made me fall in love with this story basically from page one. I was certainly rooting for Holly, and her lovely group of supporters and their crazy idea of anadvent calendar that'll help her rediscover herself.
What's more, I also really appreciated the slow burn (well, I mean, it's one month. But still - relatively slow burn) Holly's arch with Finn gave me. After all, letting go of a first "forever" - type of love, is hard. Combined with more snow than I've dared to hope for in years, some really fun secondary plot lines featuring Holly's support group,... And, basically I'm ready for a sequel. Or at least for a bunch of spin offs on each of the characters !

A lovely and sweet story that made wish it was already Christmas.
The excellent storytelling, the great cast of characters and the festive atmosphere makes it an engrossing and entertaining read.
You cannot help rooting for characters and sharing their feeling and emotions.
An excellent read, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Mrs Christmas has done it again!!!! Omg I LOVED it! What a festive, flirty, fun, and utterly fabulous read this is. I knew that Donna Ashcroft was talented, but honestly, she has exceeded my expectations with ‘The Christmas Countdown’.

I’m not sure if this was done on purpose or not, but the fact that the author set the book around Christmas was genius. I mean, at one point in the story I got a little bit hot under the collar and was thankful for cooler temperatures. Phwoar!

I think a lot of readers will be able to relate to Holly and her lack of self confidence, something which I am sure a lot of us have dealt with at some point. I am struggling with my own mental health at the moment, so i found myself becoming emotional at Holly’s situation. I wanted to tell her that I understood y’know?

Holly went on various journeys throughout the book, and watching her grow into her wings and flourish was definitely a highlight of mine.

I also thought Finn was one of those ‘perfectly flawed’ types, another character who had a lot to offer but was lacking in the confidence to be able to offer himself the vital gift of moving on.

You know, I try to savour every word of Donna Ashcroft’s novels and, as weird as this sounds, I sometimes dread reading them too because I know that they will come to an end – I hate it when that happens! As Jane Austen said, ‘if a book is well written, i always find it too short’. The same applies with ‘The Christmas Countdown – I really didn’t want it to end.

It may be beginning to look a lot like Christmas, however Donna Ashcroft has written the best gift of all in the shape of a book that just kept on giving. Mrs Christmas by name, Mrs Christmas by nature – a heartwarming, humourous, poignant, rromantic and beautifully written nove. Donna Ashcroft has kept her title of ‘Mrs Christmas of fiction’ for the second year running – LOVED IT!

I read Donna Ashcroft’s The Christmas Countdown in September and it made me crave mince pies and mulled wine. A wonderfully festive, uplifting and hugely enjoyable romantic read that is hard to put down, The Christmas Countdown is a feel-good read guaranteed to lift your spirits – regardless of the weather!

Holly Devine might only be twenty-seven years of age, but she has had her fair share of heartbreak. Having been let down and betrayed by the two people she loved and trusted most in the world, Holly cannot stand spending another moment surrounded by painful memories, so she flees to the only place she has ever felt safe and hopes to hide out in her sanctuary over the winter season. Holly thinks that hiding in her eccentric Aunt Clara’s cottage over winter will allow her to lick her wounds and keep heartache at bay, but her aunt is not about to let her wallow in self-pity. Clara is not about to let her niece throw her life away and hide behind the walls she erected around herself during the most wonderful time of year, so – with some help from her friends and industrial quantities of gin – she creates a handmade calendar for Holly that ends up changing not just her Christmas, but her entire life!

When Holly had left her life behind for her aunt’s cottage, she never imagined that she would end up throwing herself into a different challenge every day, but as she opens a new door in her calendar, she finds herself pushing herself out of her comfort zone and attempting things she had never previously imagined – like asking out cheeky pub landlord Finn Jackson. Like Holly, relationships are simply not on the agenda for stubbornly single Finn, but as he begins to spend more and more time with Holly and helping her out with her daily challenges, his resolve to remain unattached begins to melt away…

With each passing day, Holly not only begins to feel more confident and sure of herself, but she starts to slowly but surely fall madly in love with Finn. However, when the past rears its head again and threatens to jeopardise her fledgling relationship with Finn, Holly cannot help but wonder whether the last couple of weeks have been a lie. Is their romance worth saving? Can Finn and Holly find a way to be together when there are so many obstacles standing in their way?

Will Holly receive the best Christmas present ever? Or is she destined for more heartache and
disappointment?

The Christmas Countdown is a gorgeous festive romance that is as delicious as a pumpkin spice latte and as uplifting and joyous as your favourite Christmas jumper. Donna Ashcroft has written an enchanting and enjoyable tale that will bring a tear to your eye and have you laughing out loud.

Holly is a wonderful heroine you will root for and grow to care for and Finn is just lovely! Sexy, charming and charismatic, he is someone you would love to kiss under the mistletoe.

Donna Ashcroft deftly blends warmth, humour and pathos in an unforgettable read you simply cannot afford to miss: The Christmas Countdown.

The Christmas Countdown by Donna Ashcroft
A delightful read to get you into the spirit of the season, with or without gin.
I adored this book, the characters and the plot, the subtle underlying message or forgiveness and understanding, of others and more importantly ourselves.

Both Finn and Holly arrived on Sunflower island looking to escape and fine direction in life, be that hiding or walking into every opportunity with their socks pulled up and a grin and bare it acceptance.

My favourite part is the scene when Holly returns home and the inevitable confrontation with her sister. I've experienced some of what Holly felt at different points in my life and this scene between sisters was so realistic.

Its definitely 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me.

As usual, my thanks to #Netgalley and #Bookouture for allowing me to read and review the wonderful #TheChristmasCountdown by Donna Ashcroft

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07WV4C5GS?pf_rd_p=330fbd82-d4fe-42e5-9c16-d4b886747c64&pf_rd_r=PG0WYXFFF679QEW04AD0
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WV4C5GS?pf_rd_p=330fbd82-d4fe-42e5-9c16-d4b886747c64&pf_rd_r=PG0WYXFFF679QEW04AD0
Also available on I-Books

What a fantastic story line, the writing is brilliant and I loved every word. The idea of this novel is great and different, Donna Ashcroft has really done herself proud and I congratulate her for doing so. 5 golden stars and a real recommendation that everybody gets their hands on this book and enjoy it as I have.

Holly arrives at her aunt Claras late at night after she found her twin sister kissing her boyfriend.
After drinking plenty of gin she leaves her aunt and her friends to keep drinking, the ladies come up with a plan, they make Holly a advent calender with daily challengers to help Holly find herself again.
Finn is the handsome landlord of the local pub, five years ago his partner died and since then hes never let himself fall in love again, not until Holly arrived.
Finn helps Holly with her advent challenges and she helps him come to terms with his loss.
This was a fun read, the challenges were great, and Holly made mistakes along the way.
A proper curl up cosy book for christmas.

It’s kind of hard to read a Christmas story when it’s nearly 100 degrees outside. Thinking cool, chilly thoughts kept me tuned in to this quick read.

Poor Holly, she’s heartbroken during the holiday but her favorite Aunt Clara isn’t going to let her sulk. Aunt Clara created an Advent Calendar for Holly so that she could go on an adventure every day and keep her from being gloomy. I enjoyed going on this journey with her.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Holly Devine is beside herself. She was at a Christmas party and when she saw her twin sister kissing her boyfriend, she all but lost it. Holly flew to her aunt Clara’s cottage planning to spend time with her in order to deal with the angst.

Not only is Holly’s aunt more than supportive, everyone else in the town is just as encouraging. One person in particular, Finn Jackson, might be just the man that Holly might need. She initially thinks that a single date with him, among other changes, might help her to feel better. Things start to look much brighter for both of them.

Holly sets up some challenges and Finn is right there for the journey. But there is something that is blocking their joy. Will Holly find the happiness that she thought was right there for the taking? Could it be that Holly and Finn have a future? Or will Holly have to give this relationship up too?

This is a delightful seasonal story. It is one filled with joy and second chances, but also one a self-examination and discovery that was handled quite well. I was touched by Holly and Finn and their story really warmed my heart. This is my third read by Donna Ashcroft and each time I pick up one of her books I know I am in for a treat. She certainly proved that to be true with The Christmas Countdown.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.

🎀 Cozy island retreat is the ticket to Holly reviving her real self🤗🎁
4-4.5🌟stars
🎄This story by Donna Ashcroft is inspiring, hopeful and moving as it transforms young Holly Devine's life in the span of one magical Advent on Sunshine Island, where the gin flows freely and the women of the Women's Institute are full of lively ideas. Their custom-designed Advent calendar shakes Holly out of the life she thought she wanted and works wonders on her self confidence and self knowledge. What a great idea!

👥The other main protagonist, bar owner Finn, gets a shove to stop hiding and resume living rather than just coasting through life protected from new hurt and commitment. He and Holly work well together as their budding relationship lends support to their personal transformations. Both show weakness, prevarication and a disinclination to change, at least initially. Their flaws make their journeys realistic and ultimately that much more rewarding..

🎁 This story had some deep, thought-provoking moments interspersed with some romantic clinches, including steam, and lovely descriptions of the island, the holiday-festooned town and its friendly, supportive denizens. The ending scene on Christmas Eve was oh, so right to cap off this inspirational holiday story.

Thanks to publisher Bookouture and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

A super fun story about figuring out who you are and what you need to get there. I loved the advent calendar concept and all the fun characters surrounding the pub and Clara's gin business. This is such a cute book and a perfect read to get you in the Christmas spirit. I really liked it!

The Christmas Countdown is a very entertaining Christmas romance. Loved the plot and the quirky cast of characters. A good quick relaxing read. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.