I loved the sound of this book and well, Phillipa Ashley can write such humoorous and warm stories and I hoped this festive offering is just like thus.
The beginning was good. Really good, fast - paced, interesting, with many eye - rolling at the characters' antics moments. There was a georgeous setting, the characters had background and their own stories and I set for a brilliantly developing novel. However, after the break - up, the book just went downhills. Literally. It started to feel unbelievably slow, the actions were predictable and obvious and sometimes completely out of order, like the visit and the words of Erin's sister, I mean, WTF? It felt way too descriptive, every single moments and word were decsribed and tore apart and it was so slow, going to the ball took, like, thousand pages. It's a shame, the book lost its light for me and didn't keep my attention, it felt luke - warm, superficial and predictable, and while sometimes predictable is good, it was not the case this time. It'S a shame, because I really like this author and I hoped for something deeper, funnier, lighter and festive. Even the main characters being called Mrs. Christmas didn't make me feel festive.

This is such a warm hug of a book. The setting made me long to be in front of a roaring fire in the depths of the Lake District. I loved the fact that the author manages to educate us on the perils of being a mountain rescue volunteer, whilst telling a perfectly Christmas romance story. A must read for this Christmas!

Krystle, dreamed of a proper Christmas, with log fires, hot chocolate, real trees, beautiful decorations and the love of family and friends. Reality was far from all of this but slowly she built Christmas into her life.

Something was still missing and when the opportunity to rent a beautiful house in the Lake district for a festive getaway with all the elements of her dream it will be the perfect Christmas present. However things don’t go to plan.

A broken down car, flooded river, a moody rescuer, damaged clothes, precious decorations and hearts. It looks like this Christmas is going to be the same as any other.

That moody rescuer is Max, escaping from something that has haunted him for years. Living a hermit life in this Lake District village and certainly not embracing the possibility of what Christmas could bring. Krystle thinks she may be able to change that, because she is known as Mrs Christmas after all. However Krystle gets embroiled in village life and it seems that it will be difficult to tear herself away from this holiday respite when the time comes. But then if she has something to keep her there, it will mean her dreams have come true.

This is another classic Phillipa Ashley novel and is full of warmth, humour and bundles of spirit to get the most Grinch like person in the festive mood. If you cannot getaway for Christmas, then let this book take you instead.

This is a perfect, feel-good, cosy up with the fire and Christmas tree lit behind you kind of book. Perfect Christmas read, simple and easy! This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This is my first read of well known author, Phillipa Ashley, who writes feel good, escapist festive fare, set here in the beautiful and mesmerising location of the Lake District. It features Krystal, 'Krys' who is making her way for a much needed break, intending to spend time building on her relationship with boyfriend, Brett, driving to Thorndale in his Porsche. She has had a tough year, still grieving the loss of the most important person in her life, her Aunt Linda, with whom she lived as things got progressively more difficult when her mother decided to centre her life around a new partner, Gus. Krys has booked a 2 month stay at a place she first saw as a child, her dream Chrismas Card house, Holly Manor, where she hopes to recuperate and heal. She thinks she has much in common in Brett, both of whom have dragged themselves from tough, deprived backgrounds to forge successful careers in their chosen professions.

Krys has carved a career as a buyer, it centres on the Chrismas season, planning and organising both commercial and private home Christmas decorations and events. She loves and is so good at what she does that she is known as Mrs Christmas, her work beginning as soon as one Christmas ends to begin planning for the next one, picking up on new trends, having built up close relationships with suppliers in the business. However, as is often with the best laid plans, matters start to go awry right from the start when Brett's car gets stuck in a overflowing stream, and they are rescued by the taciturn and far from sociable Max, with his dog, Jake. As Brett fails to turn up for their holiday due to work crises, Krys slowly begins to develop a closer relationship with Max, a man with a tragic past, and finds herself at the heart of the small and supportive local community when she agrees to help decorate the Mountain Rescue Team premises for a Ball to raise funds and organise Santa's Grotto for deprived children at the Outdoor Centre.

This is an enjoyable, entertaining and engaging read although it took a little time before I became fully immersed in the narrative, with the romantic elements largely understated. There is a greater emphasis on the charms and menace of the brilliant location, the wonderful community, and the detailed character development of Krys, her experiences of a challenging childhood and having to handle the fact that things do not always turned out as planned, but all is not lost. This goes hand in hand with Max's background and emotional trauma that pushed him into living as a virtual hermit, he is slowly coming out of his shell helped by Krys, and his involvement with the Mountain Rescue Team and the invaluable work done by its volunteers. I think many readers will be drawn into the warmth of the story and enjoy this festive read. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Another fantastic read from Philippa Ashley, i was transported to the countryside, a bystander watching all the characters come to life on the pages.

I would recommend this to all my friends

5 stars ⭐️ from me

I was so excited to read Phillipa Ashley's new Christmas book (her festive novels are always on my yearly list of December reads so I was super pleased to have early access!)

As usual, this was a fabulously heart-warming read. The themes of loss, new love, grief and pain set against the backdrop of the restful festive period made this book a delight. I fell in love with Thorndale - the lakes in winter provided a stunning setting, and Krys' job as 'Mrs Christmas' was a great touch. The community feel, and the MRT volunteers, were the embodiment of the Christmas values of giving & love. I read this book in a day.

Perfect for curling up with on a cold Christmas evening.

Another stunning Christmas read from Phillipa Ashley!

The wintery location and the huge manor house, described as something from a Christmas postcard, really make this the most perfect holiday novel. All the characters are so well developed and likeable, each with their own quirks and flaws which make them very true to life. The plot moved at an ideal pace to keep me hooked right from the first page.

An absolute must-read to get you in the festive mood.

Really enjoyed this book. A nice easy read with a compelling story and just the right amount of romance.

You know when you pick up a Phillipa Ashley book you are in for a good read. The characters are relateable and become friends over the length of the story. You come to care for them and hope for a positive outcome to every issue along the way. A difficult childhood leads to a very determined adult but needing time off the every day treadmill after the death of a beloved Aunty Krys plans a two month escape for the festivitie season in the Lake District. Becoming involved with the local community and the Mountain Rescue Team gives an insight to the hardships and joy's of small community and rural living.
I hope there are more books following other characters development and lives

Just beautiful! Phillipa Ashley does it again. I’m yet to read a book of hers that I don’t instantly fall in love with. Krys and Max are both such lovely characters, so well written that you want to become friends with them. I was rooting for them from the moment they met and I wanted Brett out the picture, he was a horrible creature! Another 5 star story that I’d recommend to all my friends

"I'd no plans to go within a million miles of anything to do with Christmas ever again. I just wanted to...hide away... Until now."

Grab the mince pies and hot chocolate, and settle down with a fabulous festive treat from Phillipa Ashley in her latest release, The Christmas Holiday.

A spectacular Christmas romance that will fill you with joy and make you want to spend the holidays in the Lake District - as long as Max and Jake are there, too!

Londoner Krys is literally Mrs Christmas. A buyer for stores, she spends the year tracking down all the best decorations and displays for the festive season. But since she was a child, she's dreamt of one house in the Lake District: 'The Christmas card house'.

A tough upbringing saw Krys taken to the Lakes as a young girl on a break for underprivileged children; where she saw her dream home. Now, as an adult, she's come across the same house and has rented it for the holidays.

Hoping to reconnect with her boyfriend Brett, the pair set off on their festive retreat. However, Brett soon runs them into danger when he drives the wrong way.

Luckily they are rescued by the reclusive Max and his trusty companion, Border Collie Jake, a search and rescue dog dropout, and they are offered shelter for the night.

Krys quickly dives into the community when work takes Brett away, taking part in the local Mountain Rescue Team, as well as decorating the community Christmas events. But can Krys help Max to rediscover his Christmas spirit?

Max's story is an emotional one, and I loved their journey together as Krys helps him to rediscover his happiness and the magic of Christmas.

The Christmas Holiday made me laugh (Max's quip about Elves FC vs Lapland City had me laughing out loud!), made me cry, and most definitely made me want to revisit the beautiful Lake District!

I absolutely loved The Christmas Holiday. It's a heartwarming and emotional tale that's easy-to-read and will get you into the festive spirit. 🎄❄️✨️

Get warm and cosy up with this book as Christmas approaches; you won't regret it!

A fabulously festive five stars!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, Avon / Harper Collins, for an ARC copy of this book.

The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley releases on November 10th.

This book took quite a bit of getting into, and for a while I wasn't sure whether I was going to carry on with it. Main character Krys and her boyfriend are going on holiday to a house Krys fell in love with as a child. The boyfriend was awful though; flakey, materialistic and I just did not like him although I guess that was the point.

Once the story got started properly though, and more characters were introduced, I was brought more into the setting and what was happening. Krys was a much better character without the boyfriend and I really enjoyed watching her change as things in her life did.

Although set quite a lot in a Christmassy house, and at Christmas, I thought the festive aspect of the book was tame but I didn't mind this.

Thank you NetGalley and AVON/Harper Collins Publishers for a copy of "The Christmas Holiday" in exchange for my honest review.

This is another heartwarming Christmas story by Phillipa Ashley. Krystle Jones dreams of living in the 'Christmas Card House' when she grows up. She has a hard childhood, she's unhappy with her mother's new boyfriend and his kids. She moves in with her Aunt who raises her and is more of a true mother to her.

24 years later, her beloved aunt has passed away and Krys is grieving. She rents Holly Manor, planning the perfect Christmas with her boyfriend Brett. She's come to the realization that Holly Manor is actually the Christmas Card House of her childhood. On their way to the Manor they are washed away in their car in a flooded stream because Brett claims to know where he's going. They're rescued by Max and his dog Jake.

Max has been hurt in the past and doesn't believe in the spirit of Christmas. As Krys fits in more and more with the community she realizes that there is more to her life than work. A fabulous story to start the holiday season with.

A lovely festive story of loss, romance and learning about what truly matters in life!

It is a heart warming read with a few twists and turns, all set in the gorgeous snowy Lake District, I highly recommend it!

A lovely cosy read that is brimming with festive spirit. Fantastic characters and a beautiful setting ensures winter night reading perfection.

I absolutely adored this gorgeous book! I was totally invested in Krys and Max’s story right from the start. Festive, feel good, romantic mixed in with some difficult back stories for both main characters. Highly recommended Christmas reading!

A fabulous festive read! Another great book from Phillips. Great setting a characters. A hard one to put down!

The Christmas Holiday by Phillipa Ashley

This is a brilliantly written description book which I couldn't put down once I started I read this in one sitting.

I like the characters, Krys and Max, I hated Brett he annoyed me and I didn't like his character at all.
Krys had a hard time recently after living with her Aunt Linda for years she's passed away so now she planned for the first Christmas to travel to Holly Manor with her boyfriend Brett. They come to some troubles in their travels and are saved by Max.

Again a few things happen and Krys helps Harriet one of the home town residents with some preparation for Christmas.

Max and Krys definitely have some chemistry and share some trues which each other.

I will be rereading this book as I found the writing excellent and I couldn't get enough of the story.

A huge thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the immense pleasure of reading the advance reader copy. My
review is my own opinion.

#NetGalley #bookstagram #bookreview #goodreads #Christmas #seasonalread @AvonBooksUK

I’m not normally a huge fan of Christmas themed books, though this one I really enjoyed. It was a nice balance between the festive parts and the rest of the story.

It follows the tale of Krys who is taking some time out from her hectic job and goes to stay up in the Lake District where she meets Max. Their first meeting is not a conventional one, and their relationship is not smooth sailing.

At the start, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy the setting, as mountain hikes are not really my thing. However, the way the story is written and as the plot unfolds, I couldn’t help but be drawn in. It was a book that I found hard to put down and I raced through it quickly.

Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for my free advanced copy. This is my own honest review.