Holly is a doctor from England who comes to Norway to stay with her brother over Christmas to escape an issue at work. She meets Tor, a grumpy, bearded man living a reclusive life with his sidekick FrØy, a large semi-feral cat. This is a big cat with a big personality and, in my opinion, one of the best characters in the book!

I had high hopes for Christmas Island, it ticked all of my boxes for a romantic, festive read set in a beautiful winter wonderland. Sadly it didn’t work that well for me, I found the setting too dark and bleak and lacked the magical Christmas ambiance. I did enjoy the descriptions of food and Norwegian culture, which are described so well and in gorgeous detail and the recipes at the back of the book are an added bonus. There are some lovely wholesome characters and there is a feeling of family togetherness and close friendship bonds present throughout the novel. The romance between Holly and Tor is sadly a little underwhelming, it lacked chemistry and felt flat and was much too ‘squeaky-clean’ in my opinion, it definitely needed much more intensity and drama.

Christmas Island is easy to read, the dialogue is perhaps a little too simplistic for my liking, however I did feel sufficiently engaged in the storyline to keep reading to the end. A gentle book, which is low on drama and romance but rich in Norwegian culture and culinary delights, which are an absolute joy to read about.

I gave this book until about 30% before I DNF'd it. I really tried to get into this one as it's exactly the season and mood I think so many of us are in right now, but unfortunately so much of the plot development and character development didn't make sense.

I feel like this one fell flat for me. I love the premise of the city girl falling for a “Viking” hermit. It just didn’t seem like there was a lot going on in the book. There wasn’t a lot of substance/umph to the story. It left me wanting more. Especially the ending. The end was so short and felt like it was cut so short.

If you are bored and can’t find anything else to read, you could pick this one up up but other than that, I would skip this one.

The Christmas season has been a nightmare so far for Holly Greene. One stupid mistake means that she might be about to lose the medical career that she has been working towards for the last eight years. When brother Jack invites her to join him and his family on the remote Norwegian island that they call home it sounds like the perfect escape. Leaving London behind and the stress of waiting for a decision on her future seems like the best choice.

Arriving on the island on a dark and cold December evening Holly gets lost following Jack’s directions and is saved from tumbling off the edge of the cliff by a huge fluffy cat called Frøy and his grumpy bearded owner Tor. Since he arrived on the island Tor has been keeping to himself and earned the nickname “The Hermit” from the islanders as he avoids all human contact. Frøy has been the only friend he has needed.

Tor has his own problems but there is something about Holly that starts to melt the ice around his heart and leaves him wanting to leave bags of gingerbread men hanging in her front door. Christmas Island is a gentle, beautifully described, portrayal of a small island community celebrating a traditional Nordic Christmas. Drawing in these two strangers to share in the festivities the islanders make you want to brave the wind, rain and the cold to go and join them although there is far too much marzipan involved to truly tempt me away! Although if all the cats were like Frøy I’d be there in a heartbeat.

And if the idea of recreating a Nordic christmas truly appeals to you the author has even included some recipes to help you get in the mood – a traditional Christmas cake, the very odd sounding Delfia Cake (more marzipan!) and a Norwegian Wort Cake.

Set aside an evening in the run up to Christmas and enjoy this very sweet Nordic romance just watch out for the nisse-brownies!

Supplied by Net Galley and One More Chapter in exchange for an honest review.

This story was a cute and festive romance. I enjoy all the mentions of lore and Norwegian treats. Also, while I did like the ending, I do wish there was more “meat” to its “bones” as it felt very abrupt and short.

Christmas Island Natalie Normann

A festive read which makes you feel warm and cosy.

Where do you go when your life is crumbling around you? A Norwegian island of course.

What you might not expect is a near-death experience, a chance meeting giant Viking and his cat with more character and attitude than most teenagers, after dark, it would be enough to send most visitors running for the boat but not Holly

Holly has a backbone, but she has been scarred. Tor (never to be called Thor, or you will be in for a lecture) is also licking his wounds, the island’s hermit, and Frøy his faithful, if not constant companion, is a safe haven for him until Holly’s arrival and then things get interesting.

This book at times is hilarious, the line about psychopathic cats led me to message a friend to pre-order the book as this is our kind of humour.

I cannot explain how much I adored this story, and I am so grateful to #Netgalley #OMCReads and @HarperCollinsUK, and especially @NatalieNormann for giving me the opportunity to read and review #ChristmasIsland

Check out my latest book review of #ChristmasIsland by @NatalieNormann @ https://sloantate-mckate.blogspot.com/2020/12/christmas-island-natalie-normann.html

My thanks to #Netgalley #OMCReads and @HarperCollinsUK, and especially @NatalieNormann for giving me the opportunity to read and review #ChristmasIsland

Purchase links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08691C9CK/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_iDD1Fb289R3TR
Barnes&Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-island-natalie-normann/1136710384?ean=9780008362720
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/search?query=Christmas+Island+Natalie+Normann
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/christmas-island/natalie-normann/9780008362744

And available from other retailers

A cute Christmas romance. I miss traveling, but Natalie Normann did such a wonderful job in her descriptions of the Island and the Christmas food that I felt transported. If you are looking for an escapist Christmas read then I highly recommend Christmas Island, just be warned that you will be craving Christmas cake afterwards!

I wanted to love this more than I did. I think my biggest issue was that I just didn’t feel the chemistry between Holly and Tor. They seemed to go back and forth between feeling awkward with each other to acting like good friends, and that unfortunately didn’t work for me.

I’ve read other reviews where people have said how much they loved Frøy, Tor’s cat,, and I totally agree! I loved how much of a personality he had, and how the islanders all had been visited by & knew Frøy more than Tor.

It took until about 70% into the book for Holly & Tor’s personal issues to be revealed, even though they were mentioned throughout the entire book. I wish it had been talked about earlier in the book, not just teased. Especially Tor, once he told Holly, it really wasn’t mentioned again even though it really was a big thing that happened to him.

The ending felt very rushed, which was surprising because I didn’t get a rushed feeling from any other parts of the book. I was hoping a strong ending with Holly & Tor would make me believe their romance more than I did reading the book, but it did not.

This was the first book I’ve read that was set in Norway, and it has made me intrigued to find more. Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review!

Thank you to #NetGalley #HarperCollinsUK and #OneMoreChapter for giving me an ARC of #ChristmasIsland by #Natalie Normann in exchange for my honest review.

3 Stars

Holly is suspended from her job pending investigation into an altercation with a colleague. She seeks refuge on an Island, that her brother calls home, off the coast of Norway. When she arrives on the Island it is pitch black, and her brother is in Spain visiting family but promises to be home to celebrate Christmas with her. Holly makes her way to her brother's house but takes a wrong turn and nearly ends up toppling off a cliff. She is rescued by Tor a recluse who is staying on the Island to forget his own problems back in Oslo. Tor finds himself inexplicably drawn to Holly, but they are only there for a holiday. Can they just have a holiday romance?

I found that this book was a bit slow to start with although it does get very good if you give it a chance. I loved the imagery of the Island and it sounds like a perfect piece of heaven. I also loved to learn about the Norwegian Christmas traditions. The characters are all very well written and likeable. The ending was a little abrupt which was a bit disappointing but overall it was a nice Christmassy read.

Loved it!! Being a nice Scandinavian Lutheran girl it was like reliving Christmas memories - ahh krumkake!!

The story kept my interest just waiting to see how it played out. Realized quite a ways in this is #2 in the series. Good - cause I liked being able to learn a little bit more about a culture and set somewhere other then USA or UK.

Thanks to Netgalley & Harper Collins UK for the ARC in preparation for this honest review.

🎒 Holly needs to escape from London, and her brother convinces her to stay with him during Christmas on a remote Norwegian island. Holly is dreaming of white snow, and hot chocolate by the fireplace, but she soon finds out that Norway in winter is not as idyllic as she pictured. At least this is what she thinks when she first arrives. But the more Holly learns about life and Nordic Christmas traditions, the more she falls in love with the island... and not only with that.

♥️ I liked:⁠
🗺️ The island. Norway is one of my dream destinations. It was actually one of the places I was supposed to visit in 2020, but, for obvious reasons, I couldn't go. That's why I couldn't resist reading about it. I loved the wilderness of nature: dark, quiet, scary at times, but also full of stars.
🎅 Christmas in Norway. Learning about other countries traditions is always fascinating, it makes you grow as a person and feel closer to them. This is what happens to both Holly and the reader, page after page.
🥐 The food. My mouth started watering at the soup that Tor cooked for Holly at the very beginning of the book and never stopped. All those delicious baked goods made me want to fly to Norway immediately. Imagine my joy when I found out all the recipes at the end of the book!
👨 👩 Tor and Holly. You get the vibe that something is going to happen since the beginning, but that's the beauty of it, isn't it? Both characters are interesting and enjoyable.
📕 It's not only about romance. There is more to this book: it's about learning to appreciate a new country, new people, traditions that you didn't know, and realize how much this can enrich - and sometimes save - you.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5⁠ A feel-good Christmas story, full of hygge vibes, that will make you dream about Norway. Enjoy it by the fireplace, with the Christmas lights on. Thanks to #netgalley and #omcreads⁠ for the book.

Christmas Island was cozy romance that revolved around Holly and Tor retreating from the drama of city life to an island off the coast of Norway and finding love and spirit of holiday. It was about Norwegian customs and traditions, holiday and food, community, friendship, family and love.

Writing was easy to follow, steady paced with festive feel. It was written in third person narrative from Holly and Tor’s alternative POV. Setting of the island off the coast of Norway was amazing.

It started with Holly getting away from the drama of her life in London and taking her brother’s offer to spend holiday at his house in Norwegian island. On arriving the island she didn’t expect it to be so dark, gray and icy. It was exactly opposite of festive getaway she was looking for. In trying to find her brother’s house without any street lights she took wrong turn and nearly stumbled off the cliff. Luckily, Frøy- black Norwegian forest cat and his grouchy, bearded, reclusive owner- Tor, saved her from falling off the cliff. Tor was on island to get away from his own life problem. Holly and Tor’s many unexpected encounters, slowly and gradually, made their stay on the bleak island interesting, uplifting, heart-warming, and what they least expected, romantic.

All characters were likable, realistic and relatable. I loved islanders and their friendship with each other and Holly’s brother, Jack, who was amazing chef. It was lovely close knit community and they took care of each other. They welcomed Holly with like their own. They also welcomed Tor, even though for most weeks he was reclusive and was living hermit life. It was interesting to read their life on Island and their view towards all things modern and old fashioned.

Holly was lively, chatty, and fun. Even with unpredictable future and not getting any news from hospital about her job, she lived in present and enjoyed holiday and her stay on Island fully. Festival, food, market before Christmas, and Tor kept her distracted from the hospital news and anxiety. It was lovely to read how her views towards island changed as she spent more time there.

Tor was lovely. He was rude and grumpy at first but we know there was more to him from the beginning. He was architect, working from his rented home on Island, living lonely hermit life with his cat. But when he met Holly, he started socializing more to spend more time with her. she made him get over with what made him reclusive in first place.

My most favourite character was Frøy who won everybody’s heart and even mine. He was adorable, more social than Tor, and really different from normal cat. He brought book to life. Jack’s family was lovely and It was great to know more about Holly and Tor’s family through their conversations.

Romance was slow and drama free. It was lovely to read their growing friendship and relationship in short period of time. Both Holly and Tor were developed characters and they knew their relationship was going to last till the end of the holiday and at the end they were going to go back to their city life. They both handled it maturely and without any drama. I was curious to know what they will do at the end.

What I loved most was Norwegian folklore, tradition, customs, food, Norwegian words for traditional food and their meaning, how they celebrate Christmas, and festive and atmospheric description of island. Holly and Tor’s fishing trips were interesting. I didn’t know how fishermen catch crabs and lobsters until I read it in this book. What happened to both Holly and Tor was a mystery and wasn’t revealed until near climax which made the story more intriguing.

Climax was predictable. I liked how characters reacted to it and handled it maturely. It was lovely to read beach party islanders hosted for Holly’s see off. End was great.

Why 4 stars-

The story was heart-warming but not as uplifting as I was hoping for and was a little slow in second half. Chemistry between Holly and Tor was okay.

Overall, Christmas Island was cozy, heart-warming Christmassy read with the hygge feel, rich in Norwegian setting, tradition and food. If you love less drama and slow romance you will like this.

More cozy family story than romance. Lacking a good hook early on, with a lackluster meet cute. Might appeal to chaste romance readers or fans of Hallmark movies. Not particularly well-written.

What a brilliant way to experience Christmas in Norway! I greatly enjoyed everything this book had to offer! The small town life, the Norwegian culture, and the heartwarming romance made for an awesome Christmas book.

Following some workplace drama, Holly Greene takes a much needed Christmas holiday to Norway to visit her brother. While there, she’s thrust into the small-town life where everyone knows everyone....we’ll almost everyone. Leave it to Holly to befriend the semi-permanent town hermit, Tor, who is dealing with the pain of his own personal problems. After their chance meeting, Holly and Tor find comfort in each other’s presence and together they helped each other get through their problems and find happiness.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was a bit long, but I enjoyed every bit of it. I really loved seeing the small-town dynamic in Norway and all the cultural aspects of a Norwegian Christmas. I also really loved Holly and Tor’s interaction with each other. They pushed and pulled in the right ways to further their relationship and it was really heartwarming to watch Tor come out of his shell while Holly was able to finally enjoy a holiday. Their romance was sweet, lighthearted and uplifting! I would have loved to have seen a peek at their relationship a few months down the line. I would easily recommend this book to readers who are looking for some clean romance.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

When Holly ends up spending the Christmas period on a Norwegian island after she has been suspended from work, she doesn’t expect much happiness. She meets the local ‘hermit’, Tor, and his cat and soon she starts to see that Norway has more to offer than tasty Xmas food!
I really enjoyed this book. Despite being an avid thriller reader this was a genuinely great feel good book and lifts the Xmas spirit. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

After hearing so many of my fellow bloggers rave about this book I decided it was time to step into the Christmas book world and enjoy the festivities. It’s been a while since I’ve read a Christmas themed book and this was perfect!

The cold weather and dark nights are certainly here and I’ve enjoyed snuggling up with this book and my blanket getting lost in Norway and all the Christmas traditions that it holds. I’d expect a book of this genre to warm my heart and fill me with hope but I had not expected it to warm my tummy! Seriously I want to go to Norway just so I can try all the amazing food described. If I wasn’t smiling at the sweet characters and their antics I was salivating at all the delicious grub! Thankfully Natalie Norman has been kind enough to include some of the recipes but something tells me nothing beats an authentic Norway cook?

The characters were adorable and whilst I knew exactly where I would end up I loved every minute of it. Froy was one of my favourite characters and his role in bringing Holly and Tor together was endearing. Throughout I felt that Holly and Tor had a way of communicating without actually speaking which made them the perfect couple. They complimented each other beautifully and their awkward moments often made me smile.

This was a beautiful, cosy and heart warming read that definitely put me in the mood for Christmas!

An easy-breezy read of a romance set on an island in winter with the dark clouds and winds blowing. My first read by this author, I was taken in by the ambiance followed by the characters introduced to me, I loved that most had strong bonds with each other.
Holly left the bustle and problems of London to her brother's place on the island, it seemed like the ideal place as the weather was similar to her moods. On one such walks, she nearly tumbled off the cliffs and was saved by a cat and its owner, Tor. Romance ensued.
The strongest point of the book was the setting and Norwegians customs. I loved how the author could transport right from my kindle. I would have liked a bit more depth to the characters and added emotions.
Overall a fast read between my thrillers.

I read Summer Island at the start of summer, and I thought it was a sweet Hallmark-esque story. What I particularly liked was learning about Norwegian culture and traditions. I went into Christmas Island with the same expectations, and while it was also cute, it didn't have the same "sparkle" that Summer Island had. I did learn more about Norway, which was the goal, so overall I'm happy I picked it up. The issue with it for me was the language itself - it was very very simple, not many adjectives or descriptors. That said, I do think it's important to note I've read several holiday-themed books this year, so I think the comparison game might be why this one fell a little flat.

This was such a heartwarming, cute and funny read. It did have dark topics, but I felt that they were handled well with humor.

Tor is a gentle giant who loves his cat, while Holly is outspoken and super quirky. I really enjoyed both Tor and Holly's characters. I thought they balanced each other really well. They both communicated with each other and talked to one another about their feelings and pasts, and as a reader, I appreciated that. I also loved the closeness of the island and how welcoming they were to both Holly and Tor. I love reading about small villages who are completely family oriented.

Some of the pacing of this book was a little off and I felt like the ending happened way too fast. But overall, I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more books from this author!

CHRISTMAS ISLAND by Natalie Normann is a cute holiday romance! The main character, Holly, travels from London to a small island in Norway to spend Christmas with her brother and his family. While there she meets Tor and his adorable pet cat Frøy and romance ensues. I really enjoyed the setting in this book. All the Norwegian Christmas traditions and foods were so interesting. I liked the slow build up to their romance. Overall this was a really cute and festive read! I also loved how there are recipes at the end. I want to make a Delfia Cake now!