Maddie's husband disappeared seven years ago and with no trace of him ever found is presumed dead. Maddie has moved on with her life along with her young daughter, born after her father disappeared, and her Great Aunt Ruthie. Out of the blue a stranger appears, Raff, bearing love letters from Aunt Ruthie's past which leads to the uncovering of a secret she has held for years. .Maddie and Raff start to become close until one day Maddie receives an anonymous text message which begins to turn her world upside down. A story full of secrets and lies, with a smattering of romance. A perfect Christmas read.

I received a free copy of, The Christmas Love Letters, by Sue Moorcroft, , from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Maddy Austen and her husband Adey lives in Nelson's Bar,in Norfolk. Until one winters day when Adey and Maddy had a really bad fight, and left. Six years later, Maddy moved on, and then Adey comes back, upending her whole life. Will she stay with Adey or begin a new relationship? I did not care for Adey at all, he was really selfish and self centered. Maddy and her daughter are lovely though.

4 stars

In Sue Moorcroft's enchanting holiday novel, The Christmas Love Letters, the idyllic setting of Nelson's Bar in Norfolk provides the backdrop for a heartwarming tale of love, family secrets, and unexpected twists. As Madeline 'Maddy' Cracey navigates life as a single mother and caretaker for her aunt Ruthie, the arrival of Rafferty Edmonds with long-forgotten love letters unravels the quiet existence she has built. Moorcroft's storytelling prowess shines through unexpected plot twists, creating a tapestry of characters, including the endearing Maddy and sweet Raff, whose genuine connection captivates readers. With a festive atmosphere, poignant love letters, and cleverly intertwined storylines, The Christmas Love Letters is a must-read that goes beyond the typical holiday romance, celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love against the backdrop of twinkling Christmas lights.

What a perfectly wonderful Christmas story. Full of joy sorrow and family. And all taking place in a perfect English village. A must read!

well what can I say about Sue Moorcroft's latest novel, The Christmas Love Letters.... I loved it!

Sue has such a descriptive style of writing that draws you in and keeps you engaged chapter after chapter; her characters are so down to earth and lifelike, you'd be forgiven for thinking they were your family and friends. It was magical to read a book set around 50 miles from my home town and a place I visit regularly. Don't walk, run to get your copy

Maddy's husband Adey disappeared seven years ago after they had an argument. Since then, she tried to rebuild her life with her daughter whom he didn't know about. She was also the primary caregiver for her great aunt Ruthie.

One day, a stranger Rafe came looking for Ruthie with letters from someone in her past. That stirred things up as times past were brought to light.

This was a great story about reconnecting with past memories and found family. I loved seeing relationships being mended and getting a new lease of life.

The mystery of Adey's disappearance was also intriguing and I loved getting all the answers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Who doesn't love a Christmas book by Sue Moorcroft!
Maddy lives in a tiny village on the Norfolk coast and her life should be wonderful, but seven years ago her husband walked out on her after a massive row and never returned, disappearing without a trace. She’s lived in limbo ever since, raising the daughter he didn’t know was on the way, and caring for her elderly great-aunt Ruthie. When handsome stranger Raff’s visit reveals deep secrets from Ruthie’s past, Maddy’s life is turned upside down, but will it be for good or bad?
Sue Moorcroft at her best & I look forward to the next book.

The Christmas Love Letters
by Sue Moorcroft



Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: romance, General Fiction (Adult)

I live in Norfolk, close to the setting this book exists in. And that north sea wind is just as cold as Sue writes!!
I loved this story, the gentle romance, the relationship between Maddy and Ruthie, the wonderful Lyla.
Maddy has some great friends too, she;s needed them after the disappearance of Adey, and the uselessness of her in laws after he went missing. She had a fight to save their home thanks to Adey's actions, at a time when she was dealing with unexpected pregnancy. Its been a tough few years for her but with the help of the wonderful Ruthie and her friends she's squeezed through.
Its not just Maddy's burgeoning romance her though, nor the missing husband, but another beautiful romance involving Ruthie, which brings out secrets long held, and Raff to her vicinity. That had me on the edge of tears, poor, poor Ruthie, who lost so much.
I was talking about this book with a friend yesterday, saying one of the things I always love about Sue's books and the myriad of plots, they're never just single plots books but ones where there are several running concurrently, just waiting to be woven together with some Sue magic. That's what turns a book from just OK to a re-reader for me. I need those extras, the drama, the background, all the different things happening.

Stars: Five, another tear jerking read but which also had me laughing at times and rooting for Raff and Maddy.

ARC supplied by author

A Lovely feel good festive read. I enjoyed it. Initially quite a few characters are introduced but once you get used to who everyone is and how they are connected it’s a great read. I will be picking up more Sue Moorcroft definitely.

A perfect start to my Christmas reads. It definitely conjured up a Christmassy atmosphere, with Christmas concerts, fairs, mulled wine and hot chocolate. But don’t let that fool you into thinking this was a was a stereotypical Christmas romance. It dealt with real life losses, heartbreak and the nature of familial relationships.

The emergence of a set of long forgotten love letters reveals a hidden side of Great Aunt Ruthie’s past that will have major repercussions in the way the household will navigate not only the present, but the future. That’s a present that’s already been blighted for Maddy by the disappearance of her husband. What keeps her going, as well as caring for Ruthie, is her 6 year old daughter Lyla. What she doesn’t need is more chaos thrown into her life, but then we don’t always get what we want in life.

Secrets and lies, abound in both the past and the present so that it’s impossible to know exactly how things will play out for Maddy. I know what I wanted, but I’m a sucker for romance these days and I was happily rooting for Raff, but he wasn’t without his flaws.

If you love reading about small town/village life, broken families, relationships and possibilities then dive into this book as it’s perfect and comes with the added Christmas glitter to enhance it.

Review awaiting approval on Amazon. Will add link once approved

"The Christmas Love Letters" by Sue Moorcroft is a captivating tale that weaves together the charm of a picturesque village, the nostalgia of long-lost love letters, and the mystery of unresolved family secrets. Set in the tranquil embrace of Nelson’s Bar on the Norfolk coast, Maddy Austen's life takes an unexpected turn when the arrival of Raff brings with it a collection of love letters, unraveling the past and stirring the echoes of forgotten emotions.

Moorcroft skillfully crafts a narrative that tugs at the heartstrings, blending the warmth of family bonds with the excitement of newfound love. The characters, particularly Maddy and Raff, come alive with depth and authenticity, making their journey relatable and engaging. As the layers of the story unfold, so does a sense of anticipation, keeping the reader hooked until the final revelation. "The Christmas Love Letters" is a beautiful exploration of love, loss, and the enduring power of connections, making it a delightful read for anyone seeking a heartwarming escape into the magic of the holiday season.

I love a good Christmas book and this is exactly that. A lovely festive story about the highs and lows of an ordinary family and their journey to Christmas with all that entails.

Maddy and her young daughter live with her elderly aunt and Maddy is also her aunt’s caregiver. They have a lovely relationship but Maddy is haunted by the disappearance of her husband Addy, who went missing 7 years ago and does not know she was pregnant at the time.

Ruthie, the aunt, has just discovered the daughter that she gave up for adoption is living nearby with a daughter of her own. Will they be brought together or will their past keep them apart.

This is a well told story with great feeling and tenderness about the characters, which paints them in both good and bad lights, as with real life. The story can be felt from the perspective of most of the characters and as a reader I was hoping for a happy ending especially for Maddy and for Ruthie, her aunt.

Great writing keeps the interest and I would highly recommend this to lovers of this author and those looking for a great Christmassy book.

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

This is the first book by Sue Moorcroft that I’ve read, I liked it! An easy read with great characters, I enjoyed the premise of love letters being kept and read over the years, Ruthie & Nigel had a real true love story with a heartbreaking decision made by Ruthie.

Maddy having being walked out on by her husband nearly 7 years prior without any idea if he is alive of dead

Raff coming into both of their lives and making an impact!

My favourite part was the epilogue, loved it,

I will recommend this book.

The Christmas Love Letters by Sue Moorcroft was a quite amazing winter read, that leaves you warm and happy.

It has a good deal of serious and thought provoking topics to give it depth, and I found them handled really well. But it also has strong friendships and relationships that give you back some of your faith in humanity. I always love seeing people be more than happy to jump into the breech and help out when needed, and here most people are more than happy to lend a hand.

The main character is a carer for an elderly relation, who is still very clear in her head, but her sight is impaired and she needs an inhaler. Having two blind grandparents myself, I really enjoyed seeing this in a book! Especially how realistic the inner fight between trying to protect them, but also letting them be independent is.

She also has a husband who has vanished years ago, and a little bright sunshine of a daughter. In other books all those different topics for one character might have felt too much, but Moorcroft manages to make all of this blend seamlessly.

The second set of serious topics is a nice young man showing up one day, asking about the past - and thereby finding out about love letters and an affair that spanned decades. Again this was written so well, and we get to fully see the other side of being "the bit on the side". This was handled tactfully and shone a light on how society worked back in the day. Unloved exploring this mysterious past.

And because this isn't enough, our young man also comes with his own serious topics, mainly his sister being ill, and an operation looming in the near future.

So there's a bit of drama everywhere, but as the characters all mostly behave like grown ups, it didn't feel like drama for drama's sake, but was relatable all the way through.

For me this was a great blend of a cosy read that made me happy, but also opened my eyes a bit to a different view than in used to. Couldn't really ask for much better than this!

Lovely story about some letters that fill in the blanks about a romance that happened many years before. Characters were believeable and storyline easy to follow.

I really love reading Sue's books. Love her writing style.

I love eh character relationships and how the story progresses. I am a huge fan of both letter writing and Christmas and with this being a Sue Moorcroft book I knew I would like it. I absolutely loved it.

This is a heartwarming story that involves words and emotions and I am here for it all.

Full of nostalgia, romance, heartbreak and hope, this gorgeous book has it all. A cache of love letters bring to life a forbidden romance and an illegitimate baby at a time when this meant disgrace for the mum. Gorgeously interwoven stories of loss, loss and ultimately , happiness. This really put me in the festive spirit.

I am new to @suemoorcroftauthor books but I will definitely read more after reading this beautiful, heartwarming romance. I think this book is so wonderfully written with a perfect mix of love, secrets, heartbreak and a dash of Christmas spirit. I read this in one cosy afternoon as I got lost in the emotions of the story and you will be too.

This is another beautiful Christmas read by Sue Moorcroft.

I really liked the storyline to this book. Maddy's husband has been missing for nearly 7 years when a stranger arrives at her door with some old love letters. This sets off such an emotional read with some wonderful characters. I felt Maddy was such a strong character who was always there for everyone and I was hoping life would get better for her. There were plenty of twists which meant I had to keep reading.

It is such a lovely heartwarming story of love, friendship and family, showing that families are made up in many different ways.

This is only the second book I've read by this author but it certainly won't be the last.

Thank you Rachel's Random Resources for my gifted ARC copy and spot on the tour. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

This festive story intrigues from the first few lines and then keeps the reader interested with complex characters, family secrets and romance. Ruthie, Maddy and her daughter live together in a Norfolk coastal cottage. Ruthie is more of a mother to Maddy than her own, and in turn, she is happy to care for Ruthie now her health is failing. It's a heartwarming tale, but with the inevitable darkness, life sometimes delivers. The familial relationships are believable, and the story keeps its secrets well. I like the believable characters, the secrets and the immersive storytelling.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.