Member Reviews
This was such a lovely charming festive story, full of the magic of Christmas.
Flora is something of a drifter, her eccentric love of Christmas and her tendency to speak before she thinks have led her to move from job to job, as well as from boyfriend to boyfriend, so when she loses yet another job and relationship at the same time, it's time to make a change. She embarks on an adventures to experience 'Van Life' as a festive pop-up shop in a Christmas Market, where she meets a community of characters, and a grumpy closed-off market manager. Regardless of any setbacks, Flora is determined to live her Hallmark movie dream.
I really loved the Christmassy atmosphere of this story and despite Flora's chaotic nature sometimes coming across as a little grating, it was impossible not to warm to her and her enthusiasm for Christmas and spreading the joy and love of the season. A lovely festive read.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
What a lovely read ahead of the festive season, it warms the heart and was an easy weekend book. The main character, Flora's love for Christmas is evident, and even when she experiences a painful breakup and retrenchment, I love her persistence and upbeat spirit that never gives up !!
Flora decides to purchase a campervan and travels to join van life and operate a Christmas shop, her long-distance friendship with her best friend adds to the warm cozy feel, especially how the both of them supported each other despite being so far away from each other.
If you love a cozy, delightful story, this is the one !!
Thank you Netgalley, HQ Digital and Rebecca Raisin for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This was a cute Christmas story. I liked the friendships throughout the book even more than the romance. Some parts were corny, but hey, we all need a little corny Christmas cheer. I'd say it was mostly a feel good book that made me want to curl up in a blanket and drink a good hot cup of cocoa!
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to review this advanced reader copy.
I couldn't get into this one. Flora was a whiny, dimwitted woman. Why not try to learn how to prepare something basic without harming your visitors after all this time wasting food and baked goods? I was disappointed because that's so wrong?? And driving around in Christmas onesies in the cold. They aren't particularly warm.
The romance was not at all believable. I'm not sure how someone as environmentally concerned as Connor could fall for a hawker selling cheap Christmas decorations. It's illogical. Flora should also be aware that, as someone who adores Christmas, Die Hard is unquestionably a Christmas film.
One of the things that struck me as weird about this book set in Finland is how everyone Flora meets speaks flawless slang-filled English everywhere she goes. Even the hospitalised children. It just seems strange to me. I understand that these escapist romances are set in foreign nations, but they typically explain the language barrier, which Flora didn't appear to have.
Flora telling Connor that god wouldn't have given him wide shoulders if it wasn't for lugging his future children around was the most irritating section of the novel. Yes, she did say that. What a slap in the face.
Flora’s Travelling Christmas Shop is a delightful Xmas read and I couldn’t put my e-book down. I enjoy reading Rebecca Raisin’s books and getting away from everyday life. I like how her characters in her books take a chance to change their existing life and career and go for what they are passionate about doing and in this case Flora’s is all about Christmas 🤶. She is willing to help everyone have a merry Christmas, whatever she has to do and develops good friends and ❤️. Rebecca Raisin has written a wonderful Christmas novel and I would highly recommend it .Great Christmas 🎁 present.👍📚🤗
Relationships, romance and Christmas- the perfect recipe for a good read in my mind. What more could I ask for
A delightful, quirky, festive read that will help you get into Christmas mode. The book is easy to read and just what would be required as a remedy to pre-Christmas stress.
Flora, the heroine, gets her happy ending and although it was predictable it's what you'd expect from this type of feel-good book.
Highly recommended for some festive cheer.
What a way to embrace the holiday spirit with this tale of Flora showing Conner the magic of Christmas and there isn't a dull moment in the book, from being a elf at the hospital to lighting a Christmas tree for the town what a great way to open ones heart to Christmas. And who can forget a Van full of Christmas goodies.
I loved that Flora after living a life like everyone else, made up her own mind to try something completely foreign to her and went for it. I also love the interplay between Flora and Conner and knew from the moment they met, on the side of the road, that they were meant for each other, but I didn't know how.
I like the approach that Rebecca Raisin takes to van life. Although, there are ups and downs to the van life it also seems a good place to deal with ones fears, because there are people who either have done it or who will push you until you deal with the problem on your own. I also like that most of the van people choose a different life then the rest of society, because they are unique and the world is to amazing to stay in one place.
The only thing that would make this better will be another story to wrap up everything in this one.
I want to thank HQ, HQ Digital and NetGalley for the advance copy of this traveling Christmas tale
This book was a different Christmas book.
This started with everything familiar being flipped upside down in Flora's world. She loses her job, her boyfriend and her best friend is moving to LA... so now what?
She ups and leaves London, and takes the biggest risk of her life.. and moves to Lapland in a van of all things. This seems so contrary to all she believes in and a series of (mis)adventures is on its way.
If you want a book of how to make people believe in Christmas, and have a new outlook on life, this is the one for you.
The characters are (mostly) lovable and I love how Van Life is described and how Flora is welcomed into the fold.
This also shows you how it is ok to be yourself!
Dig in and wear a Christmas onesie as you do so... be more Flora!
I recieved this book from NetGalley in exchage of an honest review...
Rebecca Raisin is becoming a favorite Author of mine!
After reading and loving Aria's Traveling Bookstore, I was extremely excited to
be able to read and review this book.
Flora's life is seemingly falling apart. After a bitter break-up, Losing her dream job,
and finding out her best friend is moving clear across the world, She hadd very few options to consider. When her best friend Mentions being her own boss, Flora, after much research(and sulking about her life) decides Van Life is the way for her to go.
Flora's life is about to be flipped upside down as she sets off on a new adventure.
Along the way there will be bumps, new friendships, a real taste of the joys of Christmas.
This book was the perfect amount of feel good and happiness, It felt like i was reading a hallmark movie. A book i could really curll up with and just smile.
I cannot wait for Rebecca's next book.
Oh Flora. She is such a loveable character. I have a friend just like her.
You can feel her Christmas love come right off the pages of the book!.
Conner is such a good soul and the relationship they build through the book is amazing.
I loved this Christmas story!
Flora is mad about all things Christmas! She found her perfect job in a Christmas Emporium even though the pay was poor she thought she had a job for life. Unfortunately soon after her relationship ended she was fired! After licking her wounds she decided to buy a camper van and go to a Lapland Christmas Market as her own boss. The story now becomes interesting as Flora attempts to make a grumpy man a believer in Christmas. A good Christmas read. As a bonus there are a couple of chapters of Rebecca's new book Escape to Honeysuckle Hall which has prompted me to make another purchase.
A good read. The tale takes a while to wind up, as Flora needs to get fired an dumped and look to lose her room in her friends flat before we can kick off. Once we get to Lapland there are some lovely character descriptions and developments. Flora calls her BFF for help all the time and makes a fool of herself as she falls for Connor. A mean girl makes an appearance and there is a feeling if being in High School all over again.
Once the story starts, it’s a goody.
I just couldn’t enjoy this one. Flora was whiny and dim witted. After all this time ruining food and baked goods why not at least try to learn how to cook something basic without poisoning your guests? It’s not cute Flora. Neither is driving around in the arctic wearing Christmas onesies. They are not warm.
The romance was not believable at all. I’m not sure how someone so eco conscious like Connor could be expected to fall for a vendor of cheap Christmas baubles. Makes no sense. Also for someone who loves Christmas so much Flora should know that Die Hard is certainly a Christmas film.
One of the things that struck me odd about this book set in Finland is how everyone everywhere that Flora encounters speaks perfect slang filled English. Even the kids at the hospital. Just seems a bit odd to me. I get that these escapist romances take place in other countries but they usually explain the language barrier, of which Flora seemed to have none
The most infuriating part of the book was Flora telling Connor that god wouldn’t have given him broad shoulders if it wasn’t for carrying his future children around. Yes she said that. How unbelievably tacky.
I love a Christmas book and was looking forward to reading this as I'd thoroughly enjoyed the travelling tea shop but I just couldn't warm to Flora at all, the childlike obsession with Christmas became really irritating after a while and I found her to be really pushy about what Connor should be feeling at Christmas, also given the price of campervans, I found it a bit of a stretch to belive selling some Christmas baubles, even Swarovski ones would fund the purchase of a van and a flight to Stockholm, I realise it is fiction but couldn't get my head round that, somewhat disappointing
I really enjoyed this book if not slightly predictable , i thought the ending was rather quick alot of unaswered questions. The cover is in keeping with the story.
I have read Rebecca Raisins other stories about van lifers and loved them. Plus- I’m obsessed with Christmas so I assumed that this would be an obvious five star love for me. Not the case. I absolutely hated flora. She was pushy and obnoxious and didn’t take anyone else into consideration with her plans. She lied, repeatedly, manipulated, whined, and was just down right unlikable.
Flora’s love and enthusiasm for all things Christmas, and her quirky personality, sometimes gets in the way. Keeping a job. Finding love. After she loses a job she loves at a Christmas shop, she must decide what to do next, where to go. A travelling Christmas shop may be the answer. Things don’t always go as planned for Flora, and she has her work cut out for her if she’s to succeed. I found myself rooting for Flora from the start. I loved how she’s different. I loved her personality and enthusiasm, and her love of Christmas. A delightful, adorable story for any time of year. It’s one of my favorites!
Really enjoyed this story, it was light hearted yet sentimental, fun but full of emotion. A must read for those that love a christmas story!
I happen to love holiday themed books and Flora's Travelling Christmas Shop fits the bill like nothing else.
Flora is all about Christmas. She has found her perfect job at a Christmas decorations shop but when she is fired for no fault of her own, she decided to take a risk and go to Lapland for a while of Van Life.
Connor is your perfect broody man. He's sulky but soft and Flora just brings out the cute in him. As Flora navigates her life through mean girls and new environment, she is also pulled closet to Connor.
Honestly, I found Flora to be just slightly, very slightly manipulative but it wasn't anything highly noticeable or even annoying. The narration bits of the book are not top notch but the real strength is the dialogues. Each one is beautiful and perfect especially if you love holiday romances.