This is a must read Christmas book full of the sights and tastes of Norway. A book I wanted to go on and on so I could read more about Tor and Holly and of course Froy, the beautiful cat who brings the two together

It was easy to imagine the island, the Christmas market and the fishing boat so good was the writing style. As was the descriptions of the Norwegian food.

This is a great feel good book enjoyable from the first page to the last.

Christmas Island by Natalie Norman is an excellent Christmas romance that was wonderful in every way.

I loved the location of the small, isolated island off the Nordic coast that was close enough (a ferry ride away) to the mainland, but yet far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the cities to feel cute, quirky, homey, and romantic.

I loved the use of the traditional concept of two lost souls trying to overcome current obstacles, at a crossroads within their own lives, trying to decide what their true purpose should be-finding one another on neutral territory, and in the process, finding themselves.

Holly and Tor are prefect options for this story. Holly, a Doctor from London in limbo, and Tor, the architect with a personal loss from Oslo. Both have escaped their current circumstances and have come to be on the island for different reasons (yet are they really so different after all?). Both keep running into each other, both help one another to work through their respective problems as romance blooms. Their attraction and chemistry is obvious, and they seem perfectly matched. I liked both as personable, realistic, and like able characters. They are flawed, but perfect for one another.

I also loved the full character cast. The town has unique and quirky characters, their own personal traits and customs unique to their own culture and upbringings. They rounded out the story quite well.

The two things I loved even more then Tor, Holly, and the perfect ending:

1. All the wonderful, delectable, and mouth-watering pastry, desert, breakfast, bread, and Nordic recipes. There were so many times I found myself looking up recipes and wanting to know more. I was so excited to see the added recipes in the back. I am most definitely going to make the Christmas cake, but now I need to find recipes for the gingerbread men and the soft gingerbread heart cakes that have the chocolate icing on top. Holy moly!

2. One word: Froy. He is the best feline character I have read in a very long time!!! Love him!

This festive Nordic romance hit the spot and has placed me in holiday spirit. This needs to be made into a Christmas movie. I loved it!

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and OneMoreChapter for this excellent ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Instagram, and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 11/30/20.

Put another log on the fire, pour a yule latte and grab a slice of Delfia cake because you are going to want to get your Norwegian Christmas spirit going as you delve into Natalie Normann’s ‘Christmas Island’ to be published November 30, 2020. To misquote Will Smith and add a Norwegian flair to it …”Get Hygge wit it!”

For the past 8 months we’ve been inundated with Covid-19 terms. Everywhere we look we are reminded about 'social distancing', 'flattening the curve', and 'pandemic', so it’s for that very reason that it’s so lovely to read about something that takes our mind away from it all and offers hope – hygge!

Pronounced “hoo-gah,” this Norwegian word for well-being also means togetherness, fun, and safely/shielding from the world. Isn’t it lovely to be reminded to take things slow and enjoy the simple pleasures during such a traditionally busy season? This book will do just that.

Not only has Dr. Holly Greene just broken up with her boyfriend, but she has also just been suspended for a month from the hospital where she practices. Thankfully, her brother, Jack, has suggested that a change of scenery might help her recharge and destress, so he’s invited her to spend Christmas with his family on Christmas Island. Holly eagerly accepts his offer and agrees to house sit for a couple of weeks while they are in Spain. Ill equipped for the weather in Norway, Holly arrives in the winter darkness and gets lost looking for her brother’s home. A trollish looking, bearded man and his Norwegian Forest Cat rescue her and she spends the night with them before heading out during daylight to search for Jack’s home.

Tor Ruud, a recluse, has come to an Air B&B on Christmas Island to heal his heart and enjoy some solitude while he works remotely. Not expecting to see Holly again after sheltering her for the night, he discovers that he’s eager to see her again and surprises himself at finding ways to meet up with her. How ironic that they’ve both come to this island off the coast of Norway for a retreat because it’s when they get out and meet people and enjoy the rich, Nordic traditions of Christmas, that they feel most alive.

You’ll love this slow-burning romance complete with the hygge feel! Natalie Normann shares the warmth of the people, the rich traditions and language, the Nordic cooking and foods, and culminates with inviting readers to discover Christmas the Norwegian way. The author even includes the recipes of the festive foods most often enjoyed at this time of year. I promise you’ll be won over as much as Holly was and will dream about spending the holidays on such an apropos location .... Christmas Island.

Thank you to Natalie Normann, HarperCollinsUK/One More Chapter, and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was super cute!, I love the setting of Norway and the descriptions were so vivid I could almost see them clearly as I read. The characters were warm and fun to follow and the romance was perfect! I felt it ended quicker than I wanted but I enjoyed it so much!

Christmas Island by Natalie Normann will whisk you away for a Nordic holiday, with all of the associated traditions and delights awaiting your indulgence. This is a lovely escapist read that certainly put me in the festive mood.

Holly is an English doctor who has been suspended from her job in the UK, although the reason is not immediately clear. She opts to spend Christmas with her brother and his family on a remote Nordic island, and finds herself being saved from plunging off a cliff shortly after she arrives by local hermit Tor and his unusual cat, Froy. As she awaits her brother's return from a visit to Spain, Holly finds herself being thrown into Nordic tradition, learning the customs, and being embraced by the local residents as one of their own.

I loved the warm and cozy Christmas feeling of the island, and found myself fully embracing all of the unique celebrations of a truly Nordic Noel. I look forward to reading more from this author. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this ARC.

An easy read that is perfect for Christmas. Set on a small island off the coast of Norway, Christmas Island is full of Norwegian Christmas spirit. It was fun learning about the Christmas customs of specific foods and house decorations. The food sounds scrumptious with recipes included at the end of the book, goody! Ultimately the book is a romance between two people who have come to the island to escape situations in their lives. As always, love and fresh air are a marvelous cure.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

This was a lovely story. Some really good characters and an excellent background. A couple meet on a small Norwegian Island over Christmas. They fall in love , have a very enjoyable Christmas and then go their separate ways or do they. Great conclusion!.

This book was really lovely. So what did I take away from it you ask?
Darkness!!!!! No, not the bad kind of darkness but darkness as in pitch dark outside.
The book is set in winter when it's dark and cold most of the time .
But winter isn't dark and depressing it's also filled with light,love,warmth and happiness.
I don't read many books taking place in Norway so I really loved this one.
The Norwegian Christmas customs, the landscape descriptions and definitely the layering of clothing was informative. The Norwegian food descriptions sounded sumptuous.
The romance was fun, I enjoyed it. This is the type of book that's hard to put down and when you do you're wondering what type of mischief the main characters are getting up to in your absence.
As much as I loved the main characters I believe Froy has stolen the show, he's the male main character's Norwegian Forest cat. These cats are ancestors to the Main Coon cats.
Froy is more dog like than a cat, very intelligent and wants to be included in everything.
Another show stealer was baby Rosie, what a cutie her niece is.
Delicious authentic recipes included in the back of this book I know you'll want to try.
I recommend this heart warming holiday book be read with a steaming mug of tea.

Pub Date 30 Nov 2020 by HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

If you need something to get you in the festive mood then this is the book for you.

Christmas Island is immersive and the perfect Christmas accompaniment.

Fall in love (and laughter) with Holly and Tor as they find themselves and each other the December!

Full review to come on my blog.

Christmas Island is a lovely contemporary romance that proves that, even in the middle of a cold and dark winter, romance is alive. Set on an island off the coast of Norway, the story is immersive and rich in Nordic traditions and culture. I enjoyed learning more about how they celebrate the holidays and appreciated all the vivid imagery. The author really brought the island, the culture, and the holiday spirit to life. The food, in particular, is described in mouth-watering and vivid detail. I felt like I could smell the delicious pastries and cookies that were prepared and eaten throughout the story, and you can imagine how delighted I was to see some of the recipes at the end of the book!

Another great aspect of the novel is the characters. Holly is a funny and quirky protagonist who is a bit out of her element on this isolated island. Tor, the hunky hermit and Holly’s love interest, is the strong, silent, and brooding type. The slow-building romance between Holly and Tor is also wonderful. They complement each other well, and they have great chemistry. I like that, though both seemed to be hiding from their realities back home, they found each other on the island. Other characters, like the local teacher and business owners, as well as Tor’s cat, have fantastic personalities and highlight the charm of the island.

Another aspect of the story that I really liked was the way in which the author told Holly and Tor’s backstories. We know that they are both on the island because they are trying to get away, but it is unclear what they are getting away from. An incident at work has out Holly’s career in jeopardy, and it appears that Tor is still healing from a romantic wound. Their stories slowly unfold as they get to know each other, which I enjoyed. Slowly revealing their lives created well-developed characters and an interesting story.

A great contemporary romance set on a secluded Norwegian island, Christmas Island is sure to get you in the holiday spirit! Thanks so much to One More Chapter and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

A beautiful atmospheric Christmassy read. It was interesting reading about Norwegian traditions and with food and romance thrown in it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

2.5 stars

The idea of Christmas Island hit all the seasonal buttons for me and in November, I find I’m primed ready for a Christmas read. I’m also a Norwegian descendant, so that all added into my buzz for this read.

Christmas Island was a very low-key, low-drama tale, set on a wet and somewhat uninspiring island off the coast of Norway. This was the story of Holly, an English doctor escaping a work issue and coming for the season to her brother’s house. The hero of this piece was Tor, a hermit-come-introvert with a wild cat. All the potential was there for this couple but I felt zero connection or chemistry to them or betweeen them and that made me super disappointed.

The meet-cute in this book happened immediately in the book and it was the best thing about the story, so once that element was over, everything afterwards felt anti-climatic. The plot was very meandering and lacking in excitement.

I felt disappointed by the setting for the book. There was a fair bit of emphasis about the bleakness of the setting and it didn’t inspire that lovely Norwegian Christmassy feel I was seeking.

So overall, you can see how this book didn’t work for me. I wanted more plot, more couple-connection and a more of a sense of seasonal warmth. Hopefully it’ll work more for others than for me.

Thank you to One More Chapter for the early review copy.

A sweet Christmas theme story about two very different characters . Iwish i coul visit Norway this Christmas .
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.

A very typical romantic novel set in Norway. Easy to read with a nice feel good factor. A good touch learning about Norwegian food at Christmastime.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for the advance copy of this book.

I received an advance copy of, Christmas Island by Natalie Normann. I really liked this book, I loved the interaction with Holly and Tor. I liked Froy a lot too. This is a great Christmas story, I loved the setting and the characters.

There is something about this book that was just incredibly more-ish. I found it to be really quick to read, and whenever I wasn't reading, I was wondering what Holly and Tor were getting up to in my absence.

And it all starts with a rather dramatic and atmospheric opening sequence, as Holly arrives on the island and promptly gets lost, but is saved by the local hermit and his yellow-eyed beast.

Ok for beast, I mean cat that I swear sounded more like a dog at times, but is utterly amazing. Froy is easily one of the best characters in the book by far, and being a cat he doesn't even say anything!

And the local hermit is the rather ruggedly good looking Tor, who has kept himself to himself since renting a cottage on the island and no one really knows much about him, but somehow Holly may be the one to change things.

Set in a Nordic winter, it was fascinating to learn about Norwegian Christmas traditions, and all manner of Nordic foods which especially their sweet treats sounded really yummy. We learn a bit about trolls (not the internet variety), and also see just why is is both Holly and Tor are trying to hide from real life in the wilds of Norway!

The descriptions were so good, I could really picture the island, and also the various locations and ferry crossings, boat trips, and Christmas activities that were happening.

This is the authors second book in English, and it is connected to Summer Island in that Holly is Jack's sister and Jack and Ninni do put in an appearance during the second half of the book - but other than that it is definitely readable as a standalone.

I am really enjoying Natalie Normann's writing style and I'm already very eager to see what she writes next, as I have loved both Summer and Winter Island. I'd love to see more from this Island if possible, as it's such a different setting, it feels like you really have been on a vacation while reading.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily