I didn’t think I could love Mandy Baggot more than i already do but she really outdid herself again. She has such an amazing talent as an author, to write so many characters that you love, to be attached too and develop a character with a disability so realistically and not a caricature like you usually read, I shouldn’t be saying that’s wonderful in this day and age but sadly representation means it’s still rare. Mandy as usual creates a story full of emotion, humour warmth, community and nostalgia too. This is such a wonderful Christmas read and it’s a definite 6 stars from me

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Harriet and Iain are partners in life and business and doing ok then Harriet finds out her Nana has died so she drops everything and prepares to fly to Montauk to be with her grandad Joe, Iain decides to go with her which Harriet wasn't expecting
Years before Harriet was pen pals with an American soldier Mack and they grew close but Mack suddenly stopped writing to her and she didn't know why and it broke her heart
Harriet arrives at her grandparents tiki bar and her life changes once again as Mack is there, he didn't know Harriet was the same person as her grandad used to call her Joanna and he used to call her Harri and Harriet didn't know he had gone to live there so it's a massive shock
I don't want to say anymore as it will ruin the book except to say it was brilliant, a definite must read

I really enjoyed the love story between Mack and Harriet. The disability of Mack was well written and truly told his story I felt. This was a feel good happy story of reconnecting a family amidst the grief of losing a family member. The characters are ones that will stay with me for a while!

If you're looking for a nice holiday story, this is a good choice.

Harriet finds out early in the story that her grandmother has died and she immediately makes plans to go to Long Island to attend the funeral and be with her grandfather. She gets there to find her grandfather is really struggling with the loss of her grandmother. In fact, he had jumped into the freezing ocean thankfully to be saved by a friend, Mack. They make it through the funeral and when Harriet goes to meet the good Samaritan who saved her dad, she realizes that she knows him.... well.

Mack is a veteran trying to recover from the mental and physical effects of his combat duty. And he's still in love with Harriet. He had no idea that Harriet was Joe's granddaughter and he wasn't ready to meet her again.

Harriet and Mack had a relationship and it ended with pain and now Harriet is with someone else. There are still feelings between then though and they try to make peace with those feelings as Harriet tries to keep up all the holiday traditions her grandmother had loved at their beloved tiki bar.

I liked the relationship between these two and the storyline was satisfying. In addition, there is a storyline between Harriet's dad and her grandfather who have been estranged for years. Through the relationship between Harriet and Mack, an object is discovered and it helps bring healing at last.

If you're looking for a nice holiday story, this is a good choice.

This was such a sweet and fun read. I really enjoyed the writing and the story. This was my first time reading anything by Mandy Baggot and I just feel in love with the characters so much. I can’t wait to read more of her books. It’s tricky to write a romance novel around Christmas and really incorporate Christmas into the story. I am not talking about ‘look at the lights on that house’ or ‘let’s bake cookies’ or anything that just touches on the surface of Christmas. I am talking about centering the story around the Christmas season and having it so much a part of the story, that if you would have the story at any other time of year it would not work at all. This story nailed it. Romance at Christmas. Done to perfection. Read it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This sweet holiday romance is the perfect festive read. Harri and Mack rediscover their love in a sweet and believable way. I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Harriet flies back to the Hamptons when her beloved nana dies. Her boyfriend Iain decides to join her as they also are jointly in a house restoring and selling venture. Mack is a veteran and was badly wounded. It turns out Harriet and Mack already knew one another. Love Mandy Baggot books and this is no exception

Nothing like a sweet story to start the holiday season off right. Grief, love, loss, friendship, and love are all wrapped up in this holiday book not to be missed.

I couldn’t wait to get to the end of this book, and it wasn’t because I was enjoying it. Sadly, this one just didn’t do it for me. I like romance, I like reading about happy endings and sometimes I enjoy reading things because they are predictable and will end up exactly how I was expecting, but, for me, this wasn’t the case with Christmas by the Coast.

I found the story boring and a bit all over the place. This was targeted as the one who got away – and don’t get me wrong, it actually ends up being about it – yet I couldn’t see the appeal of Harriet and Mack’s relationship because we had close to none backstory on how they met other than they used to write to each other for the majority of the book and it was all mostly focused on the now instead of what brought them to the present situation.

One thing that I did not really understand was if this was written to be set in a pandemic scenario or not? Because it was mentioned twice when they were wearing masks at the airport and when Harriet said she went “through that last year” and then it was never mentioned again.

Harriet was annoying and a very uninteresting character. I think the most excited thing about her were her grandparents and friends Ruby, Lester, and her UK friend. I can’t even remember her name. Or her father’s name when he came up a few chapters after, that’s how invested I was in all this.

Keep in mind that I know pretty much nothing about PTSD, let alone PTSD in veterans, but I feel like the issue was very glossed over and it was like love healed all wounds and it would all be okay in the future because you have someone who loves you. Yeah, unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. I don’t know if the author researched this, but it felt like a disservice to people going through traumatic events.

Speaking of veterans, Mack wasn’t all that bad, but it seriously irked me when he would distance himself from Harriet because she was in a relationship, bringing her boyfriend up all the time in his thoughts and conversation with other people, until it benefited him, and he didn’t care she was with someone else. Dude, back off.

I won’t even bother talking about Harriet’s boyfriend. It was nice he was there for her when she needed it, but if the author were to rewrite the whole book and portray Harriet as a single person, I swear it wouldn’t change a single thing about the story.

I wouldn’t mind reading more about Ruby or Madame Scarlett, though, as I found them the only captivating characters.

That said, I get why people like this book so if you think this one’s for you don’t hesitate to give it a try!

Christmas by the Coast is a delightfully festive story rich with Mandy Baggott’s signature charm, warmth and humour. I loved it! Five stars from me.

Mandy Baggot's 'Christmas by the Coast' is a cosy second chance Christmas romance. But its not sickly sweet, it has all the layers of heartbreak and loss. Its a delicate balance between more of life's serious side so as to not make it a completely unrealistic, while at the same time showing us the journey of two people who are clearly meant to be. Rug up on a comfy chair with a hot chocolate and enjoy.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another great book from Mandy.

Harriet’s grandmother passes away and she rushes to comfort her grandpa at the Hamptons. Mack was in the army and Harriet used to write to him many years ago, they fell in love with each other and then Mack just cut her off and she doesn’t know why. Little does she know Mack lives in the same village as her grandpa. Can Mack tell Harriet the truth as to why he cut her off and can they put the past behind them and move in with their lives either together or will it split them apart for good.

I do love the fact, that with a Mandy Baggot book, I’m guaranteed to laugh out loud, maybe shed a tear, but always find a romantic happy ever after!
Christmas by the Coast doesn’t disappoint, yet I felt that the tone was a little more serious as the story dealt with family conflict and the fallout of war. This is certainly not a negative view, I thoroughly enjoyed the story and loved learning more about Harriet and Mack, through their letters.
As always, Mandy delivers a wonderful cast of characters, from the inimitable Madame Scarlet to the lovable Lester, they all brought a feeling of home to Heather’s visit to Long Island. Even Harriet’s boyfriend, Iain, who added a serious balance to the frivolity of a beach bar with a talkative parrot.
Montauk, Long Island, is a gorgeous setting, and I loved following the cute, festive traditions that Harriet’s Nana had maintained throughout her ownership of the wonderfully named, Rum Coconut Bar.
It soon became clear, that our heroine had a few titles; Joanna, Harriet and, my favourite, Hari. This may seem strange, but it all makes sense as you realise that she means different things to different people. That said, she remained kind and true throughout the story.
This is a wonderful book about second chances and following dreams. Pack your virtual bags and escape to Montauk, you’re in for a treat.

I was originally excited to read this story, as I binge-watched 'The Affair' during lockdown, and fell in love with Montauk.

I found Mack and the tale of his ongoing trauma recovery particularly well-written and moving. His characterisation was well-rounded and believable.

Unfortunately I couldn't say the same for Harriet. While it was a sweet romance, ultimately it didn't really do it for me. I didn't find much comedy in the story (which this was specifically billed as having), and many chapters were instantly forgettable. My biggest issue? I just didn't care about Harriet. She felt very two-dimensional. I was honestly much more interested in her deceased Grandmother. Harriet is supposed to be 29 in the story, but reads at least two decades older in her mannerisms and speech, which ultimately made it even harder for me to believe her situation, meanwhile it was Lorna who came across much more youthful. That might have been an intentional choice by the author but it didn't work for me unfortunately.

The pacing suffered from being both too slow at times, yet having some chapters finish abruptly in the middle of a scene. Overall, it was just okay.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review*

I will upload my review to Amazon UK on publication day.

One final note for the author/editor, relating to chapter 35. The word 'Eskimo' is now considered outdated and derogatory. The joke wasn't particularly funny or dependent on the use of the word so could easily be omitted or changed.

A good read, I enjoyed the characters and the story, it just shows that plans are made to be broken Mandy is a great story teller and takes us on their love story, grab a hot chocolate curl up and enjoy

A gorgeous and unusual Christmas book. Absolutely lived the setting and a perfect ending. A feelgood Christmas read

A Christmas novel with a wonderful Christmas feel to it Mandy always gives us great books and this is no different, she describes everything so well that you can really feel for the characters and their story. 5 stars and I recommend this

When Harriet Cookson's beloved grandmother dies, Harriet flies out to Montauk in New York state to comfort her grandfather and hopefully mend family bridges between him and Harriet's father. As she becomes involved in helping run The Rum Cocount, her grandparents' popular Tiki shack, and keeping up with all her late grandmother's Christmas traditions, Harri begins to question the life she used to lead as a property developer, and the depth of her feelings for her partner Iain. For she has met an unexpected old love in Montauk - Mack, an Afghan vet she'd written to but yet to meet, who disappeared abruptly from her life years ago. Will the two be able to mend bridges or will Mack's former betrayal, Harriet's old life and the continuing presence of Iain get in the way of true love?
A non-traditional Christmas and an in-depth look at love, loss and family relationships make this a less-than-traditional Christmas romance despite its title and cover. Serious issues of post-war PTSD, life-changing injuries, and longstanding family estrangement are all dealt with here.
But the author manages to keep the tone light with atmospheric descriptions of seasonal shenanigans at the Rum Coconut - presided over by talking parrot Meryl Cheep - a lively cast of supporting characters, including mystic Madam Scarlett, and humorous anecdotes.
Christmas in Montauk is different to home - there are cocktail making competitions, clam bakes and pirate outings along with traditional tree-trimming. But together, plot, theme and characters make this a great read for cosying up with this winter.

Christmas by the Coast - Mandy Baggot

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries and I am leaving this review voluntarily

As snowflakes fall, romance blossoms across open fires, ice skating rinks, and a tiki bar. Harriet Cookson knows exactly what she wants from life. She has a plan, she has ambition and she knows she has to keep busy. But when her beloved Nana Lorna passes away, Harriet has to put everything on hold as she flies out to the Hamptons to say goodbye and be with her Grandfather. Whilst across the Atlantic, over a plate of canapes, Harriet’s eyes connect with ex-soldier Mack's – the one that got away, the person she least expected to see – and everything begins to change. Mack is determined to win back Harriet’s heart, and prove to her that Christmas, and a future, in the Hamptons could be just what she’s looking for. He'll show her that the plan she’s so carefully cultivated might not be what she wants. This Christmas, find out if love letters from the past can pave the way to a brand-new future

This book portrays the essence of Christmas; love, family, festivities and community. Even though the book starts with a sad event, the overall feel of the book is not sad. This is a brilliant story with fantastic and loveable characters.

A fun, entertaining and emotional read that I will be recommending this holiday season. I found it to be such a cosy, heart-warming, quick book to read.

Rating 4/5

Thank you to Netgalley, Aria, And Mandy Baggot for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story! This is my perfect combination of story characteristics: sad event, underlying mood, and the most amazing characters! The entire way through I was rooting for Harriet, and at times yelling at her about what direction she should be taking her life lol. The cast of characters in this one is just too perfect, and the amputee representation was great! I love the feathered presence (I won’t ruin the joy of you getting to read what her name is for the first time lol), the small town community is present and wonderful, and of course there are many decisions to be made that leave the reader hopeful they will make the “right” choices!

While this story has some of the spirit of Christmas, I wouldn’t out and out call it a Christmas story. But so many great live stories occur at Christmas, so the timing was perfect (and it’s my favourite time of year so give me all of the Christmas!)

Full of love, laughter, grief, and surprises, Christmas by the Coast is a story that will make you want to revisit again and again. I know I will be!!!