A lovely, emotional read. Festive and sad all wrapped up together. I loved this one. I always enjoy Sue's books and look forward to reading them. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Sue Moorcroft has the ability to bring locations to life and this is no exception. She captured the wild nature of the coastal village of Nelsons Bar making me feel I was there. Add in the seasonal descriptions, and I began to feel the tingle of the Christmas spirit as the story progressed and the characters visited market stalls and drank hot chocolate. This alone made me enjoy this book but Maddy, Ruthie, Layla and Raff made it memorable with their depth of character and entwining storylines.

Though the Christmas love letters written by Ruthie triggered the events, they featured less than I expected. Only snippets were shared but they provided a clever way for other characters lives to come together and pull apart. The intergenerational relationship between Ruthie and Maddy and Layla were a joy to read and their closeness was heart-warming but realistic. Ruth proved older characters can have intriguing backstories that family are unaware of, just as in real life, and nothing is as straight forward it seems.

Maddy was an instantly likeable protagonist with her protective and determined nature showing in many of her actions. Having her world rocked by events made me keep turning the page to discover how her future would change. The chemistry between her and Raff was clear from the start. He was a love interest that was easy for any reader to fall in love with. He was equally as protective as Maddy towards people he cared about. His emotions as he dealt with the consequences of the letters made me reach for the tissues. It was also insightful to see into his life as a writer and the pitfalls and benefits the career has.

The Christmas Love Letters is a powerful, heart-warming festive tale with many characters to love and explores the complexities of families, loss, resilience and love. Ideal for these cooler nights and rainy days when all you need to do is escape.

In the story, Maddy faces the challenges of raising her daughter Lyla while caring for her grand aunt Ruthie, all while trying to keep her life stable despite haunting memories from the past. When Raff, a handsome stranger with a bundle of letters and numerous questions, enters their lives, it sets in motion a series of changes for everyone involved.

Maddy’s resilience and unwavering dedication to her family make her a strong and admirable character. Raff’s sweet and somewhat lost nature endears him to readers, and his gentlemanly demeanor adds a layer of charm to the story.

I’m always amazed when an author can create such engaging characters. Sue Moorcroft skillfully brings these characters together, making them relatable and occasionally frustrating, but ultimately creating a special blend that resonates with readers. The festive atmosphere in the book captures the magic and excitement of the season, adding to the story’s charm and warmth.

“The Christmas Love Letters” is a sweet, touching, and romantic read that draws readers in from the very beginning. It’s a feel-good, festive family drama that leaves you feeling a little sad when it’s over because you don’t want to part ways with these endearing characters.

Kudos to Sue Moorcroft for portraying a character with a visual impairment realistically, adding authenticity to the narrative. It’s a heartwarming holiday story that’s sure to delight readers.

The Christmas Love Letters is a heart-warming and poignant read in equal measure.
Full of secrets and passions, this tale is utterly compelling. The family dynamics, relationships between different generations, parallel love stories, evocative setting - all these elements create an engaging romance story.

Full review is published on my blog (link below) as part of the #BlogTour with Rachel's Random Resources.

Moorcroft is an author whose name I always remember for being a writer of gorgeous, heartfelt fiction and I for one absolutely adore her books.

Set around the festive period - which is always a winner for me - The Christmas Love Letters was an absolute joy to read, full of emotion with wonderful characters and a story designed to melt even the coldest of hearts.

Lyla was my absolute favourite character, she's so adorable and like me she's mega excited for Christmas. As a carer I found myself being able to relate to Maddy and was soon emotionally invested into her story and life as her aunts live in carer.

This was one of those books that went straight to my heart and I really didn't want it to end. Is this the last we'll hear from Maddie and Raff, or is this just the beginning of something special?

Definitely the pick me up I needed through some darker days.

Highly enjoyable and entertaining.

Maddy has had to be strong most of her life, with parents that are not actively involved in her life and a husband who tragically disappeared on a snowy night several years ago, leaving her in a mess of financial difficulties. Maddy lives with her Aunt Ruthie who is visually impaired and requires her care and her young daughter Lyla. She can handle anything that life throws at her but when Raff turns up on their doorstep with a bag of old love letters, the secret life that Ruthie once lived comes back and shakes the foundations of the quiet idyllic life that she had built for herself.
This story was wonderfully complicated and heart wrenching but enabled the reader to follow carefully without getting lost along the way.
The relationship between Maddy and her Aunt was incredibly written and their heartfelt conversations were so meaningful and emotional to read.
I am a huge fan of Sue Moorcroft anyway but this story was in a league of its own-outstanding.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was an overall feel good holiday story. Some of the lingo was new to me as the story is set in the UK, but I loved figuring out what everyone was saying and seeing the traditions of the main character Maddy and her family. She is a single mom (not by choice) living with her daughter Lyla and her Aunt "Ruthie" trying to do be the best caregiver for both.

Within the chapters two mysteries begin to unravel starting with her Aunt's decades long love affair documented in love letters. Ruthie's secrets spill out when a mystery man arrives with the other half of letters and info that shocks Maddy. Meanwhile Maddy has her own ghost of the past lingering around that causes her to think about how everything will affect her and Lyla.

The characters are pretty well developed and their reactions are very spot on. However, since we have basically two stories in one, things got a little muddled and lost for me. The end however is perfect and gives all the warm and fuzzies that you look for in a holiday romance.

👉🏻This book has:
•Romance •Found Family •Mystery •Christmas/Holiday •Friendship •UK Setting

Thank you NetGalley and AvonBooks UK for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💕

Adding to Goodreads today. Will do an IG post this next week as my rating is under 4 stars.

I love a Christmas romance, and I'm a huge fan of Sue Moorcroft, so I was excited to be part of the book tour of her latest masterpiece. This was my first Christmas book of the year, and I'm now feeling suitably festive.

Full of lots of Christmas joy and cosiness, The Christmas Love Letters is a charming tale of love, family, and friendship, set in a beautiful small town in Norfolk. I enjoyed the romance between Maddy and Raff as well as the insight into Ruthie and Nigels' love story, told through letters. Overall, it is a heartwarming Christmas story

More than six years ago, after an argument, Maddy's husband ran,
She didn't know where, there was no plan.
The fact she was pregnant, he never knew,
Now she's also carer for her Great Aunt, with lots to do.

Their lovely daughter is delightful and smart
They're settled now, no longer needing a fresh start.
A handsome stranger, Raff, comes to call one day,
Upsetting her Great Aunt with what he has to say.

It seems her Great Aunt has secrets of her own
And a past about which Maddy has never known.
The revelations come as a huge surprise,
With more to come Maddy soon comes to realise.

Her Great Aunt has love letters she had exchanged for years
With Raff's Dad - will this end in tears?
Add in Christmas, friendships and surprises,
Shock discoveries, reactions and surmises.

A moving story with revelations and mystery
Locked up inside personal history.
Can Maddy and Raff find their way through
Or will others thwart what they'd like to come true?

A gorgeous read with Christmas and love, too,
That I thoroughly recommend highly to you.
For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you -
As I share with you my honest review.

Maddy Cracey’s husband, Ady, disappeared almost 7 years ago. It was a blizzard and most feared he dropped off a high cliff into the ocean. But, there’s never been any trace of him since then. Pregnant, Maddy carved out a life for she and her not-yet-born daughter after that fateful night. She dug herself out of terrible debt; debt that people attributed to Ady’s disappearance. The book opens as they approach the legal time period where she can move on and have Ady declared dead.

Maddy and her darling daughter live with great aunt Ruthie. The love letters of the title are part of Ruthie’s story to which Maddy is invited to share. Details of a long lost love are revealed in Ruthie’s past.

I simply love Christmas and therefore also love reading Christmas books so I was excited to see Sue had written a new Christmas story. It was a really nice and heartwarming story with some lovely characters.

I was especially touched by Ruthie's story. For the majority of the book I felt more invested and moved by her story than I did by Maddy's. That's not to say that I did not like Maddy, because I did and I loved her little daughter. She made me smile a lot! Maddy was a super strong character just getting on with life and caring for both her Aunt Ruthie and her daughter.

What had happened to Maddy's husband remained a mystery that after 7 years had still not been solved but now something seemed to be changing. I couldn't get through the story fast enough to get to the bottom of what had happened to him and how this would affect the relationship that had sort of started between Maddy and Raff. The story was very different from what I had expected, but I still really enjoyed it and I loved the epilogue.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am such a fan of festive feel good books and Sue Moorcroft never disappoints, so I wasn't surprised to read another 5* book by her.
I was hooked from the beginning and instantly invested in the characters - Maddy, Grant and Rafferty! I loved the interwoven magic of love and long lost secrets that still manage to turn into such a heartwarming story that makes you want to read it again and again.

Ruthie had a romance that they write books about. Unfortunately, it wasn't happily ever after. But could she finally find the happiness she deserves?
A very sweet love story that continues with Ruthie's niece, Maddy and Raff. Maddy was just trying to survive after her husband disappeared 7 years ago. With her Great Aunt's help, she made a home for her daughter.

I enjoyed the twist and turns of the story. I rejoiced at the ending as Christmas is the time for love.

The Christmas Love Letters by Sue Moorcroft

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A secret romance was only the start of the story…

Tucked into a crook of the Norfolk coast lies Nelson’s Bar – an idyllic village where time seems to stand still. Maddy Cracey has called this beautiful spot home all her life, as had her husband Adey – until an epic row sent him storming out into a blizzard, with no sign of him since that fateful night.

Six years on, and Maddy’s life in the village has settled into a gentle pattern with her young daughter and Great Aunt Ruthie. However, when handsome stranger Raff turns up with a handful of long-forgotten love letters, their quiet life is upended as family secrets from the past are unearthed.

As Raff and Maddy get to know each other, they grow closer and a love story of their own seems inevitable. But when Maddy receives a mysterious message, she can’t help but wonder whether her own past is as distant as she'd thought it was…

My Opinion

Another heart-warming festive tale from Sue Moorcroft. Having just finished this book I already get the feeling that this is a book that I am going to read again. From the first time we meet Raff, I had a dislike of him but as the book went on, he grew on me and I would love to know if knowing what I know now would change my idea of the character.

With strong and intriguing characters this was an enjoyable read. I read the majority of this over two time restricted sessions or I could probably have finished this delight in one sitting.

If you haven't read a book by Sue Moorcroft yet, what are you waiting for?

Rating 4/5

Ever pick up a book and feel like your home? This is how Sue Moorcrofts writing makes me feel, like a warm cup of tea on a cold day. The Christmas Love Letters was no exception and was another beautifully crafted narrative packed with emotion, heart warming characters and a cozy small-town feel.

We meet Maddy, who has battled alot to make sure she is able to stay in Nelsons Bar the place she has always called home after her husband vanished nearly 7 years ago after a blazing argument. However, shes pulled through - got herself out of debt, is looking after her family and plodding quite happily through life now.

When one day a stranger turns up at theirs with love letters spanning decades and a hidden family secret. This is about to turn the world as Maddy knows it upside down. As the past comes to light, relationships change and the future starts to look very different.

This was a wonderful read, packed with festive feels, heart warming moments and delightful characters. Written in true Sue Moorcroft style, everytime you picked this up you felt content, at ease and invested in everyone involved. Sue Moorcroft writes characters with real emotions, complex feelings and real depth to them. I think i find thats what i enjoy the most, the feel like real people you could know.

Maddy's husband disappeared almost seven years ago leaving her with a lot of debt but a beautiful child. She's now living with her aunt when she learns her aunt has a secret that is about to change their whole lives. Texts from a mystery number add to the confusion and its time for the all to face their past.

Wow this was such a ride for a festive romance. It has drama, intrigue, mystery , romance and secrets. There's a lot going on as you have two stories running beside each other but it never gets confusing. The plot is a slow burn to the ending. Its a bit of thrill ride at times as we learn about Ruthie's past as well as Maddy's. Plus we have Raff and his issues. The ending was so well written and I love how it all came together. I like that this wasn't a simple romance but so much deeper. The characters all have their charms and faults adding to the story. As a Norfolk lass myself I love reading about locations I know and Hunstanton at christmas is very pretty especially in the snow, however rare that might be. A great festive read.

A great story which covers past romances as well as current romances. I loved the old romantic side of Auntie. We’ll paced and a lovely Christmassy feel too.

This is a great story! I enjoyed reading about Maddy and her Aunt. This story is about both Maddie and her Aunt "Grantie" and their past relationships. Maddy is a young mother who has moved in with her Aunt after her husband disappeared. While living with her Aunt she is given the opportunity to read old letters that her Aunt received many years ago from a man she was in love with. Through the letters, we gain insight into her Aunt's past and also learn more about Maddy and her daughter.

Thanks to Net Galley and Avon books for the reader's galley in return for an honest review of this book.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Six years ago on a stormy winters night Maddy’s husband Adey vanished after they had a row. No one has heard from him since. Mandy was pregnant at the time but she hadn’t told Adey. Maddy lives with her auntie Ruthie who was made to give up her child straight after her birth. Raff a handsome stranger turns up with a handful of love letters that were sent to his adopted father from Ruthie. Maddy and Raff’s relationship starts to flourish into something more than friendship. Maddy then receives a mysterious message. Will this message turn her world upside again?

Sue Moorcroft - The Christmas Love Letters.

It never ceases to amaze me, just how authors like Sue Moorcroft keep producing such wonderful books. Their minds must be an incredible place to inhabit!

#TheChristmasLoveLetters is a gorgeous story, all about love, friendship and the meaning of family.

Maddy is bringing up her young daughter Lyla alone, while also being a full time carer for her aunt Ruthie.
Their life is settled, but ghosts from the past are never too far away.
When a handsome stranger comes to their door, with a bunch of letters and a million questions, all their lives are changed one way or another.

Maddy is a tough cookie. Despite the uncertainty that hangs over her life, she strives to keep going and never gives less than 100% to her aunt Ruthie or Lyla.

I think I fell a little bit in love with Raff. He is such a sweet soul and in some ways he seemed a little lost. That aside he still manages to be a perfect gentleman. Well most of the time, if you know what I mean!!!

Once again Sue Moorcroft has brought together a group of characters who are likeable, occasionally they make you want to give them a shake, but ultimately they are relatable and blend together into something quite special.

I loved the festive feel in this book. Sue Moorcroft has captured the magical excitement of the season and woven it into a story that positively overflows with charm and warmth.

#TheChristmasLoveLetters is sweet and touching. It’s romantic, warm hearted and full of love.
I was completely drawn in from page one and thoroughly loved the journey that these wonderful characters went on. I felt a little sad at the end, because I just didn’t want to leave this lovely lot behind.

A big thumbs up to Sue Moorcroft aswell for writing a character with a visual impairment so realistically. You got it spot on Sue. And I say that as someone who lives with severe sight loss.

A feel good festive family drama… ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources, Netgalley and Avon Books for a digital arc of this title.