I have read most of Jessica Redlands books and in my opinion this is the best one yet. The story starts eight years ago on bonfire night. Hollie is helping her mum and Angie decorate the Starfish café for Christmas - a tradition set by her mum many years before, family and friends soon join to watch the fireworks over the bay and enjoy treats provided by the café, a truly magical way to start the countdown to Christmas. At the same time Jake is with his Nanna and her friend at a photography talk. Jake has had a very difficult past which has definitely had a huge impact on the way in which he has grown up - hence him spending his night off with his Nanna and her friend.
The story continues to seven years ago and then June five years ago where both Jake and Hollie's life has changed completely. The details are slowly told as the story unfolds to present day where a small Shih tzu dog helps both them to heal, learn to trust and maybe fall in love.
The letters to Hollie from her mum made me cry and as the traumatic events unfold I worried at how anyone could carry on after what they had both endured. I found both Hollie and Jake's story inspiring and loved the ending. Brilliant.

Thanks #NetGalley @bookandtonic @boldwoodbooks for a complimentary eARC of #SnowflakesOverTheStarfishCafe upon my request. All opinions are my own.

“Mum had built a legacy around warmth and friendship and I was determined to keep that going.”

Hollie has inherited the Starfish Cafe and works hard at retaining the traditional warmth and friendliness of the small, family-owned, community cafe where everyone knows your name. A fluffy, cute dog causes Hollie and Jake to meet. Both Hollie and Jake are dealing with loss and grief and are hesitant to risk love again. Will they find the courage to trust each other, build a strong friendship, move past loneliness and fear, and find love?

I love the confidence that I have in certain authors who consistently deliver a story that matches my reading tastes. This is especially true in light women’s fiction where I tread carefully for many reasons! Yes….I’m picky! I don’t want to read stories with an F-bomb in every sentence (lazy writing in my opinion). I will read stories that include profanity when it’s used for specific reasons….for example, Code Name Helene included a great deal of profanity but it was understandable in the circumstances and accurately depicts the real person. I once reviewed a book and cited excessive profanity and one person commented that she never noticed the profanity…..so I realize that all my concerns identified here are personal preferences that I know do not affect all readers. I don’t want to read stories that include graphic violence, explicit open door romance, or heavy-handed political agendas. I do enjoy an occassional light women’s fiction read that includes thoughtful and substantial themes with a side of romance. I can depend on Jessica Redland to write stories I enjoy that match my reading tastes!

In the romance genre, we expect HEA and certain predictable tropes. We can identify fairly early in the story that two grieving people who have huge personal losses to overcome and are afraid to risk falling in love will eventually find love in this strangers to friends to lovers trope.

I think the degree of loss in the story is a bit overwhelming and overdone, and I wish that had been toned down a bit. Each instance of loss was realistic; however, it seems unrealistic that two people might experience so much loss. While I do appreciate the theme of loss and grief, it felt heavy.

I enjoyed experiencing Snowflakes Over the Starfish Café from two points of view (Hollie’s and Jake’s). Even though the story has a straight forward timeline, we are given many, many flashbacks which shed light on the types of losses that have been suffered and the history (meet-cute) between the main characters.

Substantial themes include grief, loss (a great deal of loss), family, risk in loving again, death of a parent, tragic accidents, childhood trauma, friendship, overcoming emotional abuse, the dedication of rescue organizations (Royal National Lifeboat Institution), loneliness, the process of recovery, and courage.

“There was something in his eyes that I recognized so well: pain, loss, heartache.”

“With courage, nothing is impossible.”

I’m recommending Snowflakes Over the Starfish Café for readers who enjoy romance and heartfelt women’s fiction, and for fans of Jessica Redland’s.

Content Consideration: death of a parent, grief, loss, emotionally abusive older sister

Snowflakes over the Starfish Cafe is an emotional and exceptional book which will really pull at your heartstrings. Set in a beautiful location the stories of Hollie and Jake are told over several years and start proper to them meeting in the present day. Each have suffered trauma, loss, pain and need to find a way to trust again.

When Jake finds abandoned dog Mr Pickles it is almost fate that brings him into the Starfish Cafe.

Beautifully written story which had me in tears of happiness and sadness in equal measure. The characters of Hollie and Jake were well considered and their stories although devastating and extreme were believable and poignant. The way the story builds the tension is lovely and the descriptions of the coastal area and particularly the RNLI and their work was well set within the book.

Highly recommended and I understand that there will be a follow up which I look forward to reading.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another wonderful book from Jessica Redland. I’ve loved all her books I’ve read so far and this one was just as good. It started off quite sad and downbeat but, as I got through the pages it started to get happier and better and I ended up enjoying this sweet tale. The descriptions were right up there with her other books in this series and I could picture the town with the seafront and the cold winds. I’m certainly going to read Jessica’s other books when I can. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I didn't DNF this book, but I did start skimming at 54%. This book was honestly just way too darn depressing and heavy, and it didn't lighten up, ever. I was expecting a Hallmark Movie story, cheesy and making me smile, and instead it's trauma after trauma and death after death! Not to mention, the characters were overtly black and white. The good characters could do nothing wrong, but the bad characters/antagonists were so overtly evil it felt elementary and weak. Larissa, Serena, Craig, they were honestly unrealistically heinous. I could take the description of the family deaths, even though they were one right after the other, but I drew the line at the lengthy explanation of the dog's death. I'm happy that there was a happy ending, and the story did seem moving, but it was just too much for me. And way too long. The pacing felt very off, and it was hard to connect to the characters. I empathized for their pain, but that was it. There's no way for me as a reader to relate to that much trauma on top of the hyperbolic, toxic people in both Hollie and Jake's lives, so it was a real struggle.

However, this book has countless of 5-star reviews, so I just think it wasn't *my* cup of tea, but that won't stop it from being someone else's new favorite read. The descriptive language was fantastic, the imagery amazing. Hollie and Jake are both real in their emotional availability and vulnerability. So don't get me wrong, this book wasn't all bad, it just wasn't my favorite. I still urge everyone to give it a try, because they might connect to it in a way that I wasn't able to.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Leave it to Jessica Redland to whisk me away into this story. Hollie and Jake both captured my heart. I cried for them… sad tears and happy tears. I cheered for them as they faced trials and I finished the story with a smile. Definitely a must read for the early holiday season.

These holiday stories are a VIBE! Giving me allllll the good feelings and I am here for it. Loved this one!!!

Another warm and uplifting read by Jessica that I found plenty of escapism in. Jessica's books just seem to get better and better and this one I really enjoyed. Hollie has inherited her mother's cafe but Hollie is not happy herself and wants to find her happiness can a chance meeting bring someone special in to her life? Jake doesn't like to talk especially about something that happened in the past, but when he goes in to the starfish cafe, little does he realise the impact that meeting will have on his life. I think people will be able to relate to this story too. It is a story about love and life and finding happiness, I felt a warmth in my heart reading this story and I wanted Jake and Hollie to find their happy ever after, especially after all they have both been through. Such a wonderful read and one I would recommend, If you haven't read any books by Jessica, I would thoroughly recommend reading them as they are just so uplifting.

Fabulous festive read.
Such an enjoyable book, I loved watching Hollie build up her new life and connecting with Jake. It was an interesting story that kept me entertained throughout.

The wonderful Jessica Redland has yet again written another fantastic read.
This is a touching story about family relationships and friendships. It is a heart-warming love story of two damaged people who both have tragedies that they need to overcome. This is more than your average Christmas book.
Hollies life revolves around her mums cafe, her families values and ensuring that she makes her customers happy. She goes above and beyond for everyone but herself. Her heart has been hurt so much she protects it fiercely.
Jake dotes on his nanna and loves his job, helping others but something or someone is missing.
Enter one cold November evening when Jake finds Pickles a neglected dog on-the beach next to Hollies cafe He needs a safe haven with the dog and her cafe is this. Hollie loves dogs and immediately loves Pickles and Jakes easy on the eye too.
Pickles brings them together as friends but will there be more?.

What a beautiful story!!. I laughed, cried and cheered for Holly and Jake!. Having Pickle in there too just made the story complete!.
Jessica is a new author to me but boy is she as good as I was told!!!. To tell a tale so well that you are right there in that story takes a great author who can write it in such a way that you feel involved and are thinking about the decisions that we all have to make from time to time and sets you thinking about the story even after you've reluctantly put it down to sleep or work!!. It's a definite winner!!!!!.

Whitsborough Bay you will always have my heart.

I love Jessica's books. All the characters are like old friends and you just want to give them a big hug.

This is a beautiful love story tinged with incredible sadness and tragedy to two young people. My heart broke for both Hollie and Jake but it also skipped plenty of beats at all the beautiful moments within this book.

A well deserved ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hollie puts her all into the Starfish Café, trying to keep her mother's spirit alive as she grieves for her family.

Jake has never let anyone get close to him, especially since his tragic childhood left him without his parents.

A chance encounter involving a lost dog brings these two together. Can they overcome their own grief and find a new life?

It was initially the cover of this book that drew me toward it. It conjures romance and so I couldn't wait to get started on the novel.

Told from the point of view of both Hollie and Jake, I immediately felt so much empathy and emotion for these two characters. They have both been through so much and I really just wanted to hug them.
These two are at the heart of this novel.

There is a real sense of community within this book. The supporting characters were all lovely although there was one I really wanted to scream at. If you read it (which I hope you will,) you'll soon know which one I mean.

The setting for this book was so beautifully written and I could imagine myself in this town, sat at the café, looking out over the water. It made me feel a little nostalgic for home (as I grew up on the south coast.)

There is a large theme of grief and loss through this book but it is tackled with care, warmth and humour.

Overall though, there's a promise of hope. There were moments where I laughed, cried and felt incredibly uplifted. I found it hard to leave Hollie and Jake to the point where I read it in pretty much one sitting.

Snowflakes over the Starfish Café was an uplifting, inspirational novel. It's a perfect escape. I loved it. This is the kind of book I'd love to be able to write one day. 

(Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.)

A heart-warming romance. Bouncing between the lives of the two main characters takes a little getting used to, but it is worth the effort. I am eager to read more by this author.

Snowflakes Over the Starfish Cafe - Jessica Redland

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Welcome to The Starfish Café - where you will find stunning views, delicious food and lifelong friendships.

Two broken hearts.

Since she inherited The Starfish Café, Hollie has poured her heart into the business, striving to keep her mother's traditions and warm-hearted spirit alive. But behind closed doors Hollie is searching for true happiness as she grieves the tragic loss of her family who were once the beating heart of the café...

This is a touching story about family relationships and friendships. It is a heart-warming love story of two damaged people who both have tragedies that they need to overcome. This is more than your average Christmas book.

A well-written slow paced book brimming with emotion, delightful characters and a wonderful community spirit. Jessica will take you on a rollercoaster ride with this book. Perfect for anyone that is in need of that uplifting read.

Rating 4/5

‘With courage, nothing is impossible’
Snowflakes over the Starfish cafe is a wonderful, warm, emotional story about family, grief and hope.
The dual point of view narrative for Jake and Hollie’s stories flow effortlessly and as always with Jessica Redland’s books, are written so sensitively.
The coastline and scenery is so vividly described and I’d love to join Hollie on one of her beach combing trips.
I was so pleased to read this is the start of a new series and can’t wait to read the next instalment.

Loved this book. Jessica Redland is such a fabulous author, I have loved every book I have read so far of hers.

This book made me smile, cry, gasp and swoon. It's a romantically funny book absolutely packed full of loveliness and if that's not enough there's Christmas thrown in too and oh my I love it all.

I absolutely loved the characters that visited the cafe, Hollie and Jack's stories were so incredible.

Pure escapism!!
A wonderful read, great story of loss, grief and finding yourself again. Fab characters and seaside town. Perfect for a cosy snuggle down this winter!
Hollie was born over Christmas so has her Christmas name as a result. She works in a cafe baking and is crafty when at home - she never seems to need lots of sleep!!
Jake was brought up by his grandmother, and is a nurse at the local hospital in A&E. No spoilers here!!
I did struggle with the first couple of chapters but was then hooked! Drawn into a land of scones and seals!
Recommended winter reading.
Thank you to NetGalley for the early read

🌊Putting some love & joy back into the 🎄Christmas season😍

I loved this! It's a moving story with great characters, including an adorable shih tzu named Mr. Pickles that inadvertently brings together two grieving and lonely thirty-something residents of small Whitsborough Bay.

Jessica Redland really writes wonderful characters who've coped with hard times. Cafe owner Hollie and nurse Jake have both suffered great loss and yet they're not bitter or selfish; they seem to embrace the positive and serve others even while they hide their grief. They are both lovely, complex characters and it was easy to get wrapped up in their romance.

It's ironic that Hollie, from a Christmas-crazy family, finds the season so depressing and traumatic. The story is told by alternating past years with the present to reveal bit by bit why Hollie so dislikes the Christmas season and why Jake can't let go of the tragic events that took his family.

An excellent, sweet romance with all the feels and a lovely cast of supporting characters, sprinkled with a few bad eggs like Jake's obsessed sister and Hollie's erstwhile fiance Craig.

I've been reading the author's romances for a few years now and never met one I did not like. Still, this is, IMO, one of her better ones.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is a lovely story of love and of loss and how it tempers our lives and our choices.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.