Christmas at Red Robin Cottage by Sue Roberts

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

Blurb

Snow is falling on Little Newdale; decorations are being hung and joy is in the air. But at Red Robin Cottage, Sarah is feeling far from merry and bright…

Since her marriage went up in flames like a Christmas pudding, there’s nothing Sarah Dunne wants more than a peaceful festive season filled with carols and mince pies. But Sarah’s teenage daughter Ellie is feeling the winter blues, faced with spending the holiday without her father.

Desperate to bring home some seasonal cheer and make this a Christmas to remember for Ellie, Sarah follows the trail of fairy lights into the snow-covered village. Among the holiday crowds she finds herself gazing into the soft brown eyes of a handsome stranger whose smile is startlingly familiar. It couldn’t really be her childhood sweetheart, Luke, could it?

My Opinion

A lovely festive hug in a book. An uplifting book about friendships, family and second chances. There is quite a lot going on in this book to hold the readers attention. A lovely holiday escape to read curled up with a nice festive drink.

Rating 4/5

Christmas at Red Robin Cottage is the perfectly cozy and festive read that you would expect from the wonderful Sue Roberts.

Sarah is struggling to find the holiday spirit, but a chance encounter with an old love could soon have her searching for the mistletoe. Could Luke be the one to make Sarah's Christmas merry and bright?

This is a heartwarming read that will have you believing, once again, in the magic of Christmas. Find a place by the fire, make a mug of hot chocolate, and indulge in the holiday spirit at Red Robin.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC.

This is a lovely warm festive read. It has a real sense of village community, friendship and family. Sarah works in a lovely old cinema and they are thinking of ways to keep it current. You feel a part of the story and it's a great book to curl up with a christmas hot chocolate with a candy cane and wrapped in a comfy fleece blanket. The perfect read for Christmas.

Another lovely book by Sue Roberts!!! I am so happy I read it! THere is quite a lot going in on in this book and you won't be bored! It's actually a page-turner! However this story is taking place around chritmas time, this book can be read anytime! It's all about village friendship, relationship with your teenager that can be a bit stressful sometimes and of course romance!!! 4 stars out of 5 for me!

Another perfect festive read from Sue Roberts. This is the story of Sarah, a single mum who is hoping for a peaceful Christmas with her teenage daughter. However a chance meeting with her own teenage crush shakes up her peaceful life.

A perfectly lovely book, that I can't really fault in it's writing - but for me it was missing that certain sparkle that I normally have in this author's books that stopped me from completely enjoying it, and as a result it took me so long to read I was starting to lose interest towards the end.

Was almost certainly me at fault not the author, was suffering a major bookhangover from my previous read at the time. and kept being disappointed it wasn't those characters.

I really wanted to love this book, but I think I'll keep to this author;s books set in gorgeous sunny destinations that I feel are them writing the their very best.

I really enjoyed this story. It is a wonderful warm well written Christmas story. Great characters and interesting story line. The perfect read for the long dark nights. Recommend

This is a 'lovely' christmas book but that was the problem for me,. Sarah is a lovely lady, who lives in a charming cottage with a lovely daughter in a lovely village. She has lovely friends, a job she loves and meets the lovely Luke. She makes everything for Chistmas herself and has a lovely day with her lovely family. There are no twists or hooks and nothing to keep you captivated.
I feel bad not giving this book a more positive review, but unless you have the perfect life and are one of those people who has everything organised for christmas, with lots of time for homemade baking and cosy drinks in your local pub with a real fire blazing, then this book will just seem totally unrealistic and make you feel like a Christmas failure. Or maybe thats just me!

I really enjoyed my time reading Christmas at Red Robin Cottage. It was a charming, fun Christmas read filled with family, friends, and romance. As Christmas is getting closer, Sarah and her daughter Ellie prepare for the holiday in Liverpool. Sarah is divorced from Robbie and Ellie would love nothing more than them to get back together. Sarah has fond memories of her childhood crush, Luke, who was her best friend's brother. The entire family moved to America when Sarah was a teenager. Sarah missed Kay terribly and of course, Luke. As she's thinking of these memories while waiting on a train, Sarah swears she sees Luke on the opposite train. They lock eyes and he smiles at her. Could it be?

One night Sarah is in town at the historic library to meet up with her friend who works there. As she's coming down the steps to meet her friend, a man is standing there. As she gets to the bottom of the stairs Sarah sees that it's Luke!! They chat a bit and she finds out he's in town to sell his uncle's house and settle his estate. Sarah is thrilled that Luke's going to be in town a bit. They exchange numbers and the fun begins! Will Sarah and Luke hit it off? Will Luke be going back to Florida soon? Should Sarah risk getting involved with Luke knowing that he will be leaving soon? She really likes Luke.

This book is like a warm hug. You will love your time with these characters, this village, and this story. I highly recommend reading it, especially as the holidays approach. I rated this book 4.5 stars. I'd like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for a fair review. #ChristmasRedRobinCottage #NetGalley

I absolutely loved this book. I loved it so much I struggled to put it down! I know what the other reviews mean when they comment on Sarah and Luke’s relationship however. Or shall I say, lack of. It was more about Sarah’s life in the village and with her friends and her daughter but to be honest I’m not complaining, I really enjoyed it!

Loved the quirky title. Another delightful book by Sue. This has been a refreshing and enjoyable read, which I found emotional in some parts.

With Christmas around the corner, Sarah Dunne should have snowflakes and fairy lights on her mind, but this year things are feeling off. After divorcing her ex-husband, she's helping her teen daughter, Ellie, navigate his absence during the festivities. And as a manager of a struggling local movie theater, she's straining to bring in new clientele. Yet all of her problems seem to fade away in the moment she spots Luke, her high school crush who left for America nineteen years ago, while waiting in a train station.

Some romances come out blazing, with passion and drama so immediately evident they practically burn up the page. Author Sue Roberts takes a different approach while still building her own cozy fire.

Christmas at Red Robin Cottage is the very essence of a slow-burn. Roberts takes her time introducing Sarah and the world she inhabits. She shows her at work, contemplating the issues that come from an institution in need of new relevancy. There's her home life, which is mostly positive, but comes with the challenge of raising a teenager while divorced. Then there are scenes of chatting with friends, basking in the oncoming holiday, and even simply enjoying the view of a red robin in her garden—an occasion that gives her home its nickname.

All of these scenes are deceptively simple. Roberts presents these slice-of-life vignettes in such a way that they almost appear random—Sarah's seemingly only bouncing around, showing off both the wild and mild parts of her life. However, this results in a full portrait of a woman you then can't help but want to see end up with a happy ending long before the romance starts heating up.

However, this is a romance, and when Luke finally does make an appearance on the train, Roberts has already provided the kindling that just needs a spark. Yet still, she takes her time. The logs are laid, so what's the rush? They both bring their reservations and a hint of drama—moments that feel genuine and unforced. Ultimately it's a testament to Roberts's writing skills that she's able to maintain a compelling story without the usual theatrical fireworks.

No, Christmas at Red Robin Cottage isn't a red alarm fire, and that's okay. It's a carefully maintained one in a grand fireplace—a cozy one perfect for the Christmas season.

I was excited to read this book, the description sounded just like the kind of book that I am unable to put down.

Whilst I enjoyed the premise of the plot I just found things a little too far fetched. There were things that happened in the book that made you think “Oh, I bet this is important to the overall story”, yet when I reached the end, these little bits of information had no bearing on the story whatsoever! It seems that they were just used to fill out the book and helped with nothing in the overall story! In fact the book would have been cut in half had these little bits not been in the book and the story would still be the same.

I also found that the conversations between the characters were unbelievable and didn’t flow smoothly at all.

I was glad to get to the end of this book and I very rarely say that. I was not transported to the book setting nor could I imagine the characters.

I’ve found this review hard to write as the story was just blah!

Christmas is approaching Little Newdale and Sarah is wondering what the holidays will bring for her and her daughter, Ellie. On one of Sarah’s visits to the village she sees a handsome stranger whom she realizes looks somewhat familiar. Could it possibly be someone she had a crush on many years ago?
Reuniting with a crush from the past, worrying about the future of the theatre where she works and Ellie asking about her father joining them for Christmas dinner are all things on Sarah’s mind as Christmas is fast approaching.

A feel-good holiday romance that I would recommend to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #Bookouture #ChristmasatRedRobinCottage

Sarah wants to give her teenage daughter, Ellie, the best Christmas ever. She has been divorced for 2 years and it hasn't been easy on them.

While doing some Christmas shopping Sarah bumps into her old flame Luke. Is Sarah ready to trust another man and give him her heart?

A charming Christmas read.

Sarah is making plans for a special Christmas with her daughter Ellie when she meets her old childhood sweetheart, Luke, who is visiting from America, where he moved many years ago. After surviving a broken marriage, Sarah might be ready for love again. But Ellie has a surprise for her that might put a wrench in her plans.

This is a very slow-burn romance with a bit of Christmas. It was so slow to get into that I just never connected with it. I also did not feel transported to the Christmas season until possibly the very end of the book. In addition, it is written in present tense, which is not my favorite. It was short on plot and was just not an overall great reading experience.

I received a free copy of this book via Bookouture. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.

Snow is falling on Little Newdale. Decorations are being hung and joy is in the air. But at Red Robin Cottage, single mother Sarah is feeling far from merry and bright…

Since her marriage went up in flames, all Sarah Dunne wants is a cozy festive season. Just her and her teenage daughter Ellie in their little cottage, watching all the classic Christmas films under piles of blankets in front of a crackling fire. On-screen romances only. Sarah will not be falling in love again.

But Ellie is feeling the blues, facing the holiday without her father. Following the trail of fairy lights into the snowy village, Sarah is determined to find baubles, mince pies and stocking fillers galore to make this an extra-special family celebration. The last thing she expects is to find herself gazing into the soft brown eyes of her childhood sweetheart, Luke.

After so long apart, Sarah refuses to be swept off her feet by Luke’s easy laugh and kind smile, especially after her messy divorce. Even though her heart races every time they bump into each other at carol concerts, seasonal markets, and Christmas parties. And when Luke shows just how much he cares by picking out a gift guaranteed to put a smile on her daughter’s face, Sarah wonders if letting him into her life would make her wish for a perfect family Christmas come true…

But then Sarah discovers a shattering secret about Luke’s past that makes her question everything. Devastated, with her daughter in lower spirits than ever and Luke begging for a second chance, Sarah wonders if she was wrong to open her heart again? And will she ever be able to make this a Christmas to remember?

Oh my what an adorable Christmas read!! I want snuggle under a blanket with a boozy hot chocolate the fairy lights twinkling and the candles burning while I immerse myself in this wonderful book! It’s just wonderful 🎄

A great start to holiday reading. Such a sweet book with lovable characters that will have you not wanting to put the book down.

I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't get into it. It's not a bad book, it's not badly written, but it's a slow burner and I prefer a Christmas novel to throw me headfirst into a pile of snow and tinsel. After three attempts, I reluctantly had to put it down as a DNF.

Christmas at Red Robin Cottage is the story of Sarah who is divorced and trying to give her daughter Ellie a special Christmas. On a festive evening out, she accidentally bumps into Luke who just so happens to be her old flame. After nineteen years apart she finds that he is still the same charming man he always was.

This is such a gorgeous story with a bit of drama thrown in perfect for a cosy Christmassy evening! Don't forget the hot chocolate!