Ah this was one of those books that you can totally see playing out in front of you like a movie-this would make such a fabulous film. Terribly British and hilariously funny-everything that could go wrong with this Christmas, every soap opera cliches that could happen happened in this book and I loved every moment of it. I picked this novel up on Monday morning and didn't put it down again until I had finished it on Monday night!

Lottie was such a great character to spend this novel with because she is so easy to relate to and you will find yourself on her side 100% right from the word go. I love that she is trying so hard to make Christmas perfect for everyone but as the synopsis says, everybody in this family has secrets and so poor Lottie has a really hard time of it. I also really related to Emily. have been the new person at a table at a bigger family Christmas than I am used so and so I could really sympathise with her and the position that she found herself in. I loved getting to know these women and I loved the bond that they formed.

There are some absolutely hilarious moments in this novel. If you can think of something that could go awry whilst cooking or decorating for Christmas you will probably find it here. You want some ghostly presences? You got it! A cute relationship between a dog and a cat? Check! A blast from the past suddenly appearing again? Bella Osborne has got you sorted.

There is some serious family drama in this book, some romantic moments and some good old fashioned family bonding. Overall though this book has a lot of heart in the relationships it explores and the humour found in every situation. I love that these characters take everything this authors throws at them and more and I am sure you will too!

Thank you to Netgalley, Bella Osborne, and Avon for sending me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I fell for this book hard and fast. I was drawn in by the family dynamics, and couldn’t get enough of the shenanigans! Lottie is a very likeable character and fun to follow. I value her uncertainty in life, and her insecurities about some things, and her strength and determination, even in times where things are not going the way she had hoped. Her character development even within the short span of this book is fun to watch!

This story had a Family Stone kind of feel to it, which is one of my favourite Christmas movies. Dealing with extended family instead of just immediate, it certainly has an eclectic cast, and the adults sometimes act more like the children!

The authors writing style is great and allowed me to immerse myself in the characters, the setting, and the events taking place in the book. I love how she brought the family together in the beginning and seeing how the dynamics were at the end. I could easily picture what the words reflected and would love to find myself in a small English village such as this one!!!

A fantastic Christmas story, I can see myself reading this one year after year. A 2020 Christmas must-read!!

This is a story about Lottie and her family. Lottie is determined to have one last family Christmas in he house where she grew up before it is sold. Drama unfolds as the mismatched family gather for one last time. Secrets are revealed and hearts are broken and repaired with the magic of Christmas.

I absolutely LOVED this book. I have read and loved all of Bella Osborne’s books and this is one of my favourites. The whole story is believable and relatable and draws you on from the very beginning. There are twists and turns throughout and you can never second guess what will happen next. Even though the story only covers about 3 days there is just the right amount of detail in each day so that you feel as if you are there in real life as part of the family.

I loved the fact that characters from previous books make an appearance. This is one of the best Christmas books I have read.

Lottie is has moved back to her granmothers house to lick her wounds after she caught her boyfriend cheating on her. Its the run up to christmas and the extended family always come for christmas. This year may be the last christmas in the house and so lets make it a good one. Lottie pull out all the stops and tries so hard! mishaps, mis-steps and miscommunication its a very busy christmas for Lottie.

So much going on and alot to hold the interest there were plot points i didnt see coming and others i did.

Totally wonderful a farcical family christmas.

This book was provided to me by Netgalley and Avon Publishers. I thank them both but the stars i award are my own to give

A heart-warming, lovely Christmas story of loss, love, forgiveness and fun. Lottie is determined to bring her family together one last time, before her beloved home is sold.
She is shocked when old flame Joe returns to the village after years abroad, both holding secrets from each other.
Tears of laughter and sadness in equal measures, as Lottie tries to recreate her Nana's traditional family Christmas. An abundance of different characters, both quirky and fun, including abandoned dog Dave and snooty cat Duchess.
A wonderful story of family fueds, misunderstandings and forgiveness, I struggled to put it down.

I needed a good mental covid destresser read and got this holiday festive book from NetGalley. So, Im a few months ahead of getting in the Christmas mood.Well,this is the book to get a good feeling and one can relate to preparing for the holidays with nothing going perfect.
Nana Rose's house is the annual gathering at her 5 bedroom Manor House.. Her granddaughter Lottie , lives with Nana and has learned the importance of family gatherings especially during the holidays and altho family members die, their traditions live on forever...if one continues them painstakingly.
Lottie is the perfect host , No matter what life is throwing at her as she prepares for a week's worth of family tradition with food and games and everything that makes the holidays memorable, she has Nana's strong geer to get it done.
I started to love Nana too and the way she keeps her adult granddaughter's life stable throughout her growing yrs. Yes Lottie has a mom....ANgie, who is too busy trying to live her life like she was still single and Nana, who is ANgie's mother, takes Lottie in as a child. Sad we didn't keep Nana too long in the book but she is alive and well throughout Lottie's memories and bringing what Nana hoped would continue another Christmas memory and thereafter. Nana leaves Christmas cards with a letter to each family member too.
I enjoyed this book and couldnt put it down. Especially the details that have some turmoil and laughs, of preparing for each day before the big Christmas Day event, the neighbors and a lost love who shows up 9 years later.
The secrets this family unfolds,and a dog and a cat who are also main characters,beleive it or not!
You will not be disappointed and I look forward to reading more books by this author.
Thank you NetGalley for presenting me another good read for me to review.





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This was a warm, early Christmas book to read, I loved it. As I was reading it I could imagine the house at Christmas with all the family neighbours coming together over the festive holidays. I love Christmas time with ll my family together, hoping for the same this year if we are able. I loved the panic over whether the turkey would defrost, I’ve been there!!! and he panic over whether there will be enough food.
What a wonderful cheerful story. I love Bella Osbourneks books, more please.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Not my usual choice of genre but I felt in need of a light, uplifting read with a bit of romance and a lot of Christmas and this met all my requirements! Lottie is planning one last family Christmas in the home of Nana Rose who has recently died, but family gatherings never run smoothly - relationships are already under strain at the start of the book and the emergence of old family secrets threatens the peace. What surprised me most about this book is the sharply timed comedy - there are some real laugh out loud moments and some slapstick which I found hugely entertaining! There is so much to enjoy about this book - the family members we will all recognise - the reclusive teenager, the selective vegan, the over- amorous couple. I particularly liked the re-igniting romance between Lottie and Joe and the relationship between Emily and Zack. All the little details of Lottie’s preparations for the visit, juggling their conflicting requirements, trying to feed the growing numbers for extra meals as they acquire additional visitors and snow extends their visit, feel wonderfully and warmly familiar. This is a delightful, heart warming and very funny Christmas romance. With thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books U.K. for a digital copy of this book.

I don't care it's only September, I'm now getting into a Christmas mood. Why? I've just finished this book. Over the last few years, I've become something of a Christmas Romance lover and this one is up there with the best I've read in a long while.

We've mad dogs, cats being (well) cats, enough family arguments and conflicts to fill two or three other books, and an amount of food that would have sunk the Titanic! There are puns that wouldn't be amiss in a Carry On movie!

Buy and read this now - but first don't forget to put the sprouts on!

One Family Christmas - Bella Osbourne

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to Avon Books and Netgalley.

Lottie Collins feels that Henbourne Manor is home, having spent most of her childhood there. After the breakdown of her relationship she moves back home to stay with Nana Rose. Every year Rose has thrown a large family Christmas, where all family members are expected to attend. Following the death of Rose, Lottie is determined to ensure that the family have one last family Christmas at Henbourne Manor.

Bella Osbourne has managed to capture all of the drama of a family Christmas in this book. With every member of the family seeming to have a secret that will be revealed during the week of festivities.

This not the typical Christmas book, but it captures what Christmas is really like with family drama and cooking disasters.

After reading about the Collins family and Joe, I would love to learn more about the characters and hope that Bella writes more about the family and the rest of the residents of Henbourne.

Rating: 4/5
A perfect read for when the weather outside is miserable.

This was a lovely story of a family Christmas with all the ups and downs that this entails. Delightful characters and some great interactions. The animals were a big part of the story too. With a happy ending as all Christmases should, a very complete story.

Lottie is the keeper of secrets and since the death of her Nana Rose, the one who tries too keep the family together; especially for one last Christmas before the family home is sold.

I found this story both sad and funny and sometimes just too full of secrets and mishaps. The family dynamic was a mixture of selfish indulgence, individual faults , quirks and secrets; just like real families then! But maybe too much for one just one family?

This was an enjoyable prelude to the Christmas season and in spite of wanting to push some family members heads together I was quite sorry when I finished it. Maybe a sequel?

I have been reading Bella Osbourne books for a few years now and I always look forward to a new one coming out.
This story starts with Lottie baking in the kitchen with her Nana, who unfortunately dies just a few weeks before Christmas. It was a tradition, that every Christmas was spent at Nana's manor house and this year was suppose to be the same. Lottie's mum and uncle are keen to sell the manor house asap, so Lottie suggested one last family Christmas. She is expecting everyone to arrive on Christmas eve, so she is busy with cooking. During the holidays some family secrets come out, Lottie's old crush arrives back into the village. This book is a really good festive read.

What a fabulous story! So amusing, and I think everyone will be able to recognise either some of the situations that occur, or the family members from their own Christmases.

At times this reads like a comedy of disasters, it feels like anything you don't want happening at Christmas, in fact happens for Lottie's family.

There are year old secrets to be uncovered, treasure to be discovered, a proposal... well if they ever work out where the ring is, there is a porn star dating a family member, two adorable animals Duchess the cat, and Dave the dog.

There is an old flame back in the village, a pregnancy test, and a large amount of food which Lottie isn't sure how to cook, there are unexpected vegans, and well that hasn't even touched the surface of the brilliance of this family and their ability to amuse me!

Now I'm not saying the specifics of how any of that fit in, but the cast of characters at this family Christmas include a whole host of vastly different and highly entertaining people.

I think you may be able to tell I really loved this book, it is so refreshing to see a Christmas that isn't picture perfect, and is in fact far more realistic., I loved the reasonings why two people both really needed some batteries amongst many other highlights of the book!

There is just so much going on, there isn't a dull moment, and the whole book takes place pretty much over Christmas Eve until 27th December. So plenty of action, laughs and just a whole feel good book that I adored reading.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

A lovely, absorbing read about Lottie's family Christmas and how she was the powerhouse behind getting it all going - then (I, at least) began to wonder whether her family was worth the effort.

The book has everything - interesting storyline, constantly evolving secrets and a blast-from-the past love, along with the kind of family members we all love and love to hate.

Bella's become a must-read author for me.

This delightfully funny and romantic story was just the tonic as the darker nights started drawing in and thoughts turn to Christmas.
Lottie’s family are a caricature of every comedy of errors tale I have ever encountered. Anything and everything that can go wrong, does go wrong and with both hilarious and bittersweet results.
From Lottie’s Mum with her toy-boy, her brother, his adorable daughter and possibly pregnant girlfriend, there is enough to entertain anyone but, Bella Osborne does nothing by halves! We also meet the Aunt and Uncle with a dark secret, the cousin who has not been honest about his life at Uni and the Great Uncle and his romantic ties to his carer.
If all of the above isn’t enough, there’s a former boyfriend who is clearly still interested. Telling you anything else could be considered a spoiler so don’t tell anyone about Dave and the Duchess.
I really enjoyed the repeated failed proposals. It looked as though the question would never be popped but, hang in there, the happy ending is there.
This book packs a punch and I genuinely loved it. Bella has written a wonderful story which has the right levels of mayhem, comedy and heart-warming moments.

I only discovered Bella Osborne’s books this year, when I read Meet Me At Pebble Beach (which I heartily recommend). So I was pleased to be given an early opportunity to read and review her new festive novel.

The opening chapters are actually quite sad, as Lottie and her family say goodbye to Nana Rose. Lottie manages to persuade everyone to stay at the Manor House, for one last Christmas, before it is sold and the proceeds split between the family.

Lottie’s family are an eclectic mix, elderly Great Uncle Bernard and his carer, Lottie’s widowed brother, his young daughter Jessica and ‘new’ girlfriend Emily, her mum Angie and latest of many boyfriends, Scott, and her uncle Daniel and his family. As the ‘blurb’ states, everyone is nursing a secret, and these will be revealed over the Christmas period.

Lottie is trying to achieve a perfect family Christmas, which isn’t easy when her ex boyfriend, Joe and a stray dog arrive on Christmas Eve, she forgets to defrost the turkey and a surprise present goes missing from the tree.

I loved this book, so many laugh out loud moments, especially with Jessica, Dave the dog and Duchess the cat. After a stressful day, this was just what I needed – a book to escape into, full of festive fun, a dysfunctional family, romance and disasters waiting to happen. Lottie is a wonderful main character with a heart of gold.

Love Love Loved it!

We arrive at Henbourne Manor, where Lottie wants one last family christmas at the Manor, following her Nana passing away. We meet the Collins clan along with a surprise visitor or two. As much as Lottie wants to follow her Nana's wishes, Lottie is wondering if One Last Family Christmas at the Manor can run smoothly especially with some unexpected turns and glitches...... Can the Collins family be just that, a family for one day of the year?

Brilliant from start to finish, I couldnt put it down! Gripping but an easy read!

Praise to Bella Osborne - Absolutely wonderful Festive read.

You can always guarantee a Bella Osborne book to be full of drama and One Family Christmas is no exception. The book begins with Lottie wanting a big family Christmas that her nana Rose would have been proud of. There’s just one problem, Lottie can’t cook. But as her relatives descend on the Manor House, it appears they’ve brought not only presents but also plenty of secrets with them. Not only do we have a mischievous dog, burnt stuffing and a turkey that goes up in flames but we also have the love of Lottie’s life returning after leaving her nine years earlier.

This book is a delight to read and I devoured each page. It’s a story of family, new beginnings and love with plenty of lighthearted and poignant moments added in for good measure. A fabulous festive read that I would recommend to all.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

Wow! Reading this book was like a festive game of pass the parcel, each new layer adding to the excitement until you unwrap the prize.
I loved Nana Rose and I felt I grieved for her throughout the book just like Lottie and the family. Having family together for Christmas is stressful enough but throw in there a lot of big personalities and the threat of loosing your home, an ex boyfriend a bunch of secrets and you have the amazing ingredients of this book.
I loved the sibling bond between Lottie and Zach and I loved him and Emily, I felt they were just as important from a love story POV as Lottie and Joe, we saw a lot of their relationship develop throughout the book. I really enjoyed reading Scott, I thought he was a great character and his presence really helped Lottie and Angie bond.
This book had everything and flowed so beautifully, it really had me worn out reading about all the running around and meal prep Lottie had to do - I think everyone who’s hosted a Christmas before could totally relate to Lotties reaction to everyone being snowed in an extra day. LOL. I really hope to see these characters again in other books, however I do think Dave and the Duchess stole the show.