The cover just demands that you choose this book for your christmas read. It is a lovey warm book, perfect for the festive season.
Lila books a festive break for her friends and chooses a fantastic place offering luxury lodge accommodation. They are extremely disappointed to find that they are actually very run down but decide to make the best of it.
After chatting to the owner, Lila wants to help her sort everything out. But will that be possible?
The characters are wonderfully drawn, you feel like you are amongst new friends. The local coffee shop is run by a very grumpy owner- will they be able to that him out?
This gives you such a lovely warm cosy feeling and a yearning to take a trip with your friends. Wouldn't it be lovely to be able to socialise again!

I'd like to move to Fireside Cabins please!!
Its been a long time since I got excited about, and totally stuck into a book.
You know the kind I mean... the ones where you want to read slowly so that it doesnt end quickly, yet when you aren't reading it your still thinking about it!!
Christmas at Fireside Cabins did just that for me.

We meet Lila and her friends planning their annual Christmas break, unfortunately on arrival its not all its cracked up to be.
The place is run down and the coffee shop owner is more scrooge than santa!

But Lila has had it tough and determined to make this work for her and her three friends.
The four of them are instantly drawn to Eleanor who runs the cabins and Lila takes on the challenging of getting Theo to bring some festive cheer to the coffee shop.

As the week goes by we learn more about Lila and her utterly compassionate side... she has a real warmth about her and havibg never really had a place to call home, there's something about Pinewood Hills that just feels right.

So when Lila's friends have to cut their break short, Lila decides to stay on - she gets to know Eleanor better and starts to see another side to Theo.

But Theo's past is a secret and as the pair get closer, his past troubles catch him up and make him run.

Lila wants to, and tries to, help everyone she meets.. she pours her savings into helping spruce up the cabins and allows her heart to open up, but as events follow she is left wondering if it is all worth taking the risk for?

Pinewood Hills is a gorgeous setting, Jenny Hale writes so descriptively that you cant help but feel you are there.
Without giving the ending away, reading the last chapter or so of the book was like receiving a warm hug... it just made me feel cozy and smile.

The charatcers are all a joy to read about - Lila and her friends are a mix of personalities that blend and compliment each other..
Eleanor is like everyone's surrogate Gran
Theo... Theo is intriguing and mysterious but with a softer center!
Oh and there's little Rex... just adorable 🤩

This was a perfect cosy read at Christmas

This is a heartwarming, feel good, easy read, fantastic characters and a story about friendships both old and new, community and dreams. I really enjoyed it and would recommend this book
Thanks to Netgalley, Bookoutre and Jenny Hale for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Lila organises a Christmas getaway for her friends to a cabin in small-town Pinewood Hills. When they arrive they discover that the cabin is not what they were expecting and owner Eleanor is struggling to keep the old cabins open. Lila decides to stay to see if she can save the cabins and learn more about the mysterious coffee shop owner Theo.

This book was a quick easy read although sadly I did not love it. I liked the setting and the plot however, I felt that the story felt quite rushed. This book is quite short and there is a lot happening. The romance element of this book felt particularly rushed and I would have liked to have this to have been developed at a slower pace. I think that this would have also worked without the romance as the friendship between Lila and Eleanor was interesting to read and the plot of saving the cabins would have worked well without the added romance.

Overall this was an ok read but I do think I will check out more from this author in the future.

A sweet Christmas romance with likable characters and a really great story will pull you in and keep you there right up until the last page. A girlfriend getaway for Christmas takes them to a place that is less than what it was advertised as, but the girls endeavor to make it the best Christmas anyway. Enter a very grumpy and unfriendly barista who immediately gets the interest of one of the women. He's mysterious which intrigues her. He also does not want to be bothered, but there are sides of him that show that tells a different story.

This is a story about learning to trust and finding love and helping others in the spirit of Christmas. It is a story that will leave you feeling happy and satisfied. I will be reading more from this author.

Lila and her friends are planning a festive trip to spend some important time together, but they haven’t bargained for all their cabin trip will throw at them. Lila in particular ends up getting far more out of this vacation than she planned!

This was a really fun read, a little far fetched I guess but that’s half the fun. It left me with all the right festive feels - guaranteed smile and warm and fuzzy feelings at the end. One to add to your list for next Christmas for sure!

Everyone is a fan of a good hallmark movie, right? Well this is just that but in book form. The perfect book for the holidays.

A beautiful Christmas tale! It really was perfect for the Christmas period, to get me in the spirit of Christmas

I really do love Jenny Hale's writing style and the way in which it really brings a story to life.
This book follows the story of four friends, who, despite finding themselves going through the busiest time of their own individual lives, still follow their long standing tradition of escaping for a week over Christmas to celebrate together.

Lila Evans, our leading lady in this book is such a lovely woman with a heart of gold. She see's the good in everybody, even people who don't necessarily deserve it. As the story progresses, and she finds herself settling in to the little village more, this story becomes completely and utterly charming.

This was a truly gorgeous, heart warming read that really gave off all the festive feelings. The storyline was so perfectly written it was impossible to put this book down at all!. I got through it within a day as I simply had to see what would happen at the end.
An absolute must read!

Absolutely adorable read for the holidays! It has everything you need to just relax and enjoy. There isn't anything in it that's difficult and it of course has a HEA.

What a perfect cozy holiday read. Christmas at Fireside Cabins was so sweet and charming!! I loved the characters so much! I would absolutely recommend for a easy holiday read!

This was your typical mushy, cosy fireside Christmas read. It was a little predictable in places but it was a nice enough story which was fun and easy to read. Would recommend.

A cosy Christmas read.
Christmas-time, friendship & romance - the perfect combination.
I enjoyed this book and the storyline. I often struggle to fully enjoy books set outside the UK as I’m not keen on Americanisms, spellings etc and find it can momentarily distract me from the story. However, on the whole I enjoyed reading this book and following the ups & downs of the Christmas-period for the main character and her friends.
A good book to snuggle up with in front of the fire on a cold evening.

Christmas at Fireside Cabins by Jenny Hale is a sweet little festive story, set in the dreamy town of Pinewood Hills, this book centres around friendship, romance and finding ones true place in the world.

Christmas is a tough time of year for Lila Evans, a stark reminder of losing her father and just how lonely she is. Her three closest friends are her only family, every year the foursome have a girly getaway together and enjoy all that Christmas has to offer. But with her friends now maturing and moving on with relationships and careers, Lila fears this may be their last year away together, leaving her unsure of what her own future holds.

For their Christmas getaway this year, Lila has booked them into a cabin in the idyllic Pinewood Hills, only the cabin and town aren't quite what they expected. After meeting Eleanor, the owner of the cabins, a lonely widow who is facing financial difficulties, Lila feels a kindred spirit and the girls decide to stay at the cabin, spreading the Christmas cheer wherever they go.
Spending time with coffee shop owner Theo, Lila is determined to work her way past his guards to the kind soul she knows is hiding beneath his grumpy exterior.

Full of fun festive activities, finding ones own family, healing and a sweet budding romance, this is a lovely book to chase away those winter blues.

This christmas-y amazing book was JUST what I needed in this season! It’s cozy, romantic, and full of holiday spirit! Just what I want in a Christmas book!

Jenny’s books never fail to disappoint and this one was no exception! I just absolutely loved it. I was transported into the most comfortingly festive world. It gave me all the feels of Christmas and I truly felt part of that world. For me it described an idyllic picture that I have in my mind of how I would love to spend this time of year.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and reading about the friendships, not only the old ones between the girls which were my favourite but the new ones forged between Lila and Eleanor and other characters in the book. I also loved the relationship that was built between Lila and Theo. I loved how there were layers to Theo’s character and they were explored and explained and you could feel the deepening of the characters feelings.

The story reflected the realities faced in friendships too. I genuinely felt I had a connection with Lila in terms of her friendships. Life always gets busy and the demands from work, family and other outside forces means that sometimes friends and friendships can fall by the wayside. I love how this was captured in a way when the trip they were on was disrupted as one by one the girls have to return home for one reason or another. I also loved the way the friendship between Lila and Eleanor progresses and works out. The way friendship transcends age and the connection that you feel between them is a testament to how well Jenny writes.

The story didn’t take the exact path I thought it would and did have me wondering at times if how I thought it would work out would actually be right. The whole story made me feel good and I didn’t want it to end, I was really torn between finishing the book and wanting to put it down just to make it last longer. Unfortunately I read it in just over a day but I am a slow reader. This is definitely one book I would love to be transported to this world and live in it!

It truly was a wonderfully festive read that wraps itself right around your heart! Festive escapism at its best!

Jenny Hale knows how to grab you with a holiday book! I read 2 of her books this holiday season and I loved them both so much. A warm and cozy holiday read- Christmas at Fireside Cabins was the perfect Christmas book. 4.5/5!

Four friends, during the busiest time in each of their lives, follow their tradition to escape for a week over Christmas to celebrate the holiday with their chosen family. Lila Evans has selected a nearby idyllic town of Pinewood Hills in Tennessee for their escape, but she had no clue the cabins listed online were nothing like the photos. Lila, though, has a kind heart and sees the good in everything, even the grumpy, gorgeous coffee shop owner they irk from day one and the crumbling cabins. Lila knows what loneliness is and she's sees it in the cabin owner, Eleanor, and she sees it in Theo, as he purposely keeps almond milk away from her coffee. While the holiday week slowly falls apart, Lila finds a place for herself in the small town, amongst the locals, in the cabins, and alongside Theo, despite his surly attitude and big secrets. Lila wonders if she has finally found her place, when Theo's secrets bring it all down around her.

This story was such a fun Christmas book, totally unique in a sea of holiday romance reads. Jenny Hale gives readers holiday cheer, romance, enemies-to-lovers, and even some stardom drama too. There's a lot happening in Christmas at Fireside Cabins, but it isn't overwhelming. With perfect pacing, plenty of details, and never a dull moment, Christmas at Fireside Cabins is a cheerful read that feels authentic, while still bursting with the clichés I love in my holiday romances.

My thoughts






Narrative and Plot







Christmas at Fireside Cabins starts off strong with Lila Evans wanting to have one final Christmas hurrah with her besties. That is until she reaches Fireside Cabins. Lilaongs for home and love and she finds her solace with the Christmas celebrations along with her friends – Edie, Charlotte and Piper. At times Lila feels like quite unrealistic but one can see where her heart is coming from. In an ideal world, one might be able to relate to Lila

The plot starts strong and is full of festivities and holiday cheers. The food and the atmosphere makes it a perfect cozy read. But keep in mind, that this is a cheesy holiday romance read and expect no more. The main character did have a compelling voice that kept me going till the end.




Characters and Conflicts







When it comes to characters, I enjoyed Eleanor and Lila’s friendship. It was two kindred souls meeting and sharing their warmth. However, Lila’s lifelong friends were not given much of that space to shine through. The story quickly shifted to a romance between Theo and Lila.

Now I am all in for a cozy holiday romance and I enjoyed quite a few romantic moments between Lila and Theo. But as I get older, I feel like romanticizing the emotionally closed off hero is a bit problematic. However, the Theo sort of made up for his mishaps in the end. But it just made my brain think – that happens only in fiction.

Another thing that bothered me was a lack of hero’s journey for Lila. Everything just fell into her lap in the end. You do not need your main character to just sit and whine when everyone around is working to solve her issues.

While, what I pointed out are only minor setbacks, it doesn’t not prevent me from enjoying the story as a whole. There is warmth and Christmas spirit filled in every turn of the page. And I loved all those elements.






Conclusion







Christmas at Fireside Cabins is a cozy holiday romance that you can escape right away to get some holiday cheer. It might be cheesy but if you’re looking for the seasonal festivities and food, the book wraps it all up in a great package.

I’m trying to read more romance books. Especially at Christmas time. And this one fit in just perfectly. It was such a cozy novel to snuggle up with.

If you are into romance or if not I still recommend you pick this one up and give it a read.