Ahhhh here’s the Christmas book that I was looking forward to! I mean, were set in Christmas Village, the main character is called Merry and we have a Secret Santa… oh plus all the snow, cold weather, presents, cosy nights at the pub and mince pies…

This is definitely a mini Christmas bomb and I loved to be a part of it, I can’t wait for those crisp mornings where you can go out in the crunchy snow for a little walk - I’m definitely one of those who wants to be outside when the snow starts falling!

I absolutely loved this book, seeing how Merry grew during her time at Christmas Village, she definitely coped better than I would have done without those notes, although she does have a rather charming helper! Even the animals had characters and you could just picture them clearly in your head, especially Chewy and Henry, little trouble makers that they are!

While reading this you can spot the moment where things are going to go wrong - it was one of those where I read it and was like ‘no…. Don’t do that, it’s going to come across so wrong and you’ll fall out’. You want to just shake the character a little but I also had faith that the author was going to take me onto much happier pastures.

The final scenes around the Christmas Tree were lovely and it’s given me a proper festive buzz - and a desire to find a mince pie or two asap!!!

Merry and Noah are great additions to Christmas Village! I hope this “series” continues! I really enjoy the holiday stories set in the UK!

A very helpful vet and a young woman sort out Christmas but without her knowing. Great story, great characters and well recommended. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Another fabulous book by Donna Ashcroft.

Merry’s Aunt has gone on a trip in December so she is housesitting/pet sitting.

Her Aunt has left her a folder of information about the pets and how to look after them all, as well as a tradition, she’s the village's Secret Santa. But what Merry us supposed to do about this, she doesn’t know, because the pages are destroyed by Chewy, who’s a rabbit.

Recently come to the village, after his relationship ended, Theo, is a vet. He receives a telephone call for a rabbit, who is unwell, after which he is always looking for reasons to help Merry.

Merry’s family have always mollycoddled her and she wants to show them that she can look after herself. Theo doesn’t wish to get involved with an dependent woman, just like his ex was.

Merry’s love of writing is reawakened and slowly, she gets her confidence back. Both Theo and Merry begin to get close, as he “assists” to match the Secret Santa gifts to their receiver.

But, it’s not just Santa, who is hiding a secret…

I recommend this book.

Merry and Theo's story was so sweet and a perfect read to cozy up with some blankets and a fire with.

After being in a coma for two years Merry is determined to get out from under her brothers well meaning thumbs and attempt to move on with her life, so when the chance to care for Aunt Ava's animals comes up far from home she jumps on it.

Theo is a fixer by nature, he can't help but help out but after a failed engagement he is determined that the woman he wants is self sufficient and can care for him for once.

These two are brought together during a veterinary emergency and neither can help but being attracted to the other.

This read was sweet and would make for an excellent stocking stuffer this year for your rom com loving friends.

I really enjoyed this very cute Christmas read. It is romantic and full of Christmas spirit. It will really put you in the Christmas mood.

This book really hot my in my feels. As someone who has recently lost their father I could relate to Merry so much. I loved escaping to the the cozy Scottish Highlands where the novel takes place and her Aunt Ava and her eccentric variety of pets, I loved the character of Theo a cute local vet who comes to Merrys rescue after the secret Santa her Aunt asks her to organize gets a bit out of hand to say the least! Some of the situations Merry finds herself in has me rolling with laughter, I loved all the locals and how they along with Theo help keep Merry busy and distract her from her grief, When she is really forced to confront things that happened with her Dad I was hooked to find out if she would stay in the village and move onto her next chapter and find happiness once again, The story tied up beautifully and I had tears in my eyes at the end. Such a great read! Highly Highly recommend and can’t wait to acquire and share with others, The love between a father and daughter never ends even when life dies and this novel was a beautiful testaments to that and brought back wonderful memories of my own father,

I Loved this book, which is full of the Christmas spirit. The idea of a secret Santa giving presents to those villagers who have helped others was brilliant. I laughed at the scary turkey who would happily attack men, and I would have loved to sit with a gingerbread latte while the snow fell outside.

This book isn’t just about friendship, it’s about letting go of the past and finding your true worth Theo quietly helps Merry both with the animals she is caring for and in building her confidence and she realises the two of them work well as a team. A beautifully written book that I sure will be a Christmas winner

Donna writes another amazing sweet romance story. Merry and Theo are both new to Christmas Village. They each need to overcome their past hurt. Through the magic of Secret Santa, the two learn about themselves and each other.

I loved the plotline of the Secret Santa. It really embodies what the Giving Christmas spirit is all about!

This book was absolutely fantastic and definitely has me looking forward to all the Christmas books this year!

Eine nette, etwas kitischge und recht vorhersehbare Story. Aber man kommt so richtig in Weihnachtsstimmung. Für Fans von Jenny Colgan

Snowflakes and Secrets in the Scottish Highlands by Donna Ashcroft

I was instantly drawn to this book by the festive cover, which invites you into a winter wonderland. I liked the flow of writing by author, Donna Ashcroft and really enjoyed the story.

Twenty five year old budding author, Merry McKenzie from Hertfordshire, wants to reclaim her life back. She realises that she has relied on her three brothers for too long, it’s time to stand on her own two feet and get on with life.

Her Aunt Ava, who lives in “Christmas Village” in the Highlands, asks Merry to house sit and look after her many animals while she is abroad. Merry takes this as the opportunity to move on with her life plan.

On arrival Merry scans the many notes on animal care, detailing a secret festive mission she would like Merry to take care of for her. Unfortunately, the house rabbit has other ideas, destroying the notes and leaving Merry to work out the mission details for herself with the help and knowledge of the local vet called Theo.

I adore Christmas romances and this one is brilliant!

Merry is housesitting/pet sitting for her aunt, who is taking a trip for the month of December. Reading through the instructions her aunt left for her, Merry discovers her family has a long standing tradition of being the village's Secret Santa. Unfortunately, further details are destroyed by an aptly names rabbit, Chewy.

Theo is a newly relocated vet looking for a new start after a failed relationship. He answers the emergency call for a sick rabbit, then keeps finding reasons to offer his assistance.

Merry has an overprotective family and wants to prove she is capable of doing things for herself. Theo's ex was very needy, so he is determined not to fall for another dependent woman.

As Merry rediscovers her love of writing, she gains confidence in herself. She and Theo become closer as he "helps" her match the Secret Santa gifts to their recipients. However, Santa isn't the only one with a secret....

What a lovely festive treat! I so enjoyed trying to 'help' Merry match up the secret santa gifts that she was distributing to villagers on behalf of her aunt.

This had a mix of everything with Merry trying to find solace in her own company to recover from a serious accident. I really liked reading about how she coped with this and settled into village life...with perhaps a hint of romance along the way...

I always love reading about animals in stories too and there were plenty of characters in this one with Chewy who likes to play dead (and chew unsurprisingly!) and the turkey who had a soft spot for cranberries...but not men!

A great read overall.

Whilst at first I was annoyed with jittery Merry McKensie and her apparent helplessness, this annoyance quickly turned to admiration as the reasons for her attitudes became clear and her determination to succeed shone through. Theo, with demobs of his own to conquer was her perfect match. A great cast of villagers and some lovely animals, a secret Santa mystery and a gorgeous setting makes this a fabulous read.

Merry McKenzie is visiting her Aunt Ava’s cottage —Chestnut Cottage—in the Scottish highlands for the first time. She’s staying here for a month to take care of her aunt’s animals while her aunt is away in India.

She was here to finish her novel and finally send it off to a publisher.

Her brothers, Noah McKenzie – her eldest brother and a policeman; Liam, a pathologist, and Ollie McKenzie, a fireman are all worried about her considering she was in a coma for three months after a car accident. That was two years ago when she used to manage a clothes shop.

Theo Ellis-Lee works as a vet in Furry Friends veterinary surgery with his new partner Jared Dunbar. Two months earlier he escaped his life in London for a remote life in the wilderness.

When one of Merry’s aunt’s animals chews up the instructions her aunt left her, she has no clue how to manage the pets. By chance, she meets Theo and enlists his help.


This heartwarming story is a fresh mix of romance, friendship, love, and family. Overall a good read.

Thank you to Donna Ashcroft, NetGalley, and Bookouture for the arc of this book.

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book. Idyllic location that set the tone of the book to perfection. Perfect seasonal book to get you in the mood for the festive season.

This was a completely enjoyable holiday read. The story had everything a reader needs to feel good...romance, some holiday magic, and a quaint Scottish Town. Loved Merry, kept rooting for her throughout. A must read to put you in the holiday mood.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This novel emphasizes the friendliness of the Scottish people and how they enjoy a Secret Santa in their Christmas village. Merry escapes from her dominating brothers to begin a new life for herself. Also, the new vet moved to Christmas to escape from his previous life. Readers will enjoy learning about the people in this little village. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel prior to its publication date.

What a lovely festive treat. I really enjoyed this book, the characters were adorable Merry especially. The story was totally believable and flowed beautifully. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

A cosy Scottish setting, a Christmas theme and romance. Well what can I say but that this is one of those easy to read, heartwarming, cosy, sit by the fire reads and I really enjoyed it.

It had families, Christmas, a charming Scottish town. It is a read you can immerse yourself into, get to know the characters and feel like you are there with them.

Merry McKenzie is a great character and one we can all relate to. But I must say the other characters were great too and I enjoyed the parts they played in this book.

An very easy to read book that will give you the warm and fuzzies. Enjoyable, entertaining and charming.