The stunning cover of this book caught my attention immediately. I had pretty high expectations going into this book and it delivered in some but not all the ways I expected.

The author did a great job of capturing the scenery of the family business and Holly Cottage. It was the perfect place for a Christmas story, and I loved reading about the town as well. I’d spend Christmas there with all of the animals (especially the alpacas)!

Our knowledge of the characters was pretty surface level and I wasn’t really invested until about 70% through the book. Also, the romance fell flat and just didn’t deliver.. anything. I wish we could’ve read so much more and had way more detail earlier in the book!

The pacing of the story felt really off to me. The first 50% of the book moved very slowly. Then it moved so fast I had a hard time keeping up. This also contributed to some timeline confusion, and I found myself asking how we got this far with little happening in the plot around the 80% mark.

I did really enjoy Imogen finding a meaningful relationship with folks as the story progressed. I was rooting for her and hoping she’d find some connection somewhere. I enjoyed that she started the healing process toward the end. This type of story lends itself really well to Christmas!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Read if you love..
Found(ish) family
Quaint Christmas cottages
Small town charm
Brilliant scenery
The best doggo named Ralph

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I won't lie - it was tough for me to get excited about a Christmas-themed title in early May...UNTIL I saw it was set in the Cotswolds. This was literally giving Cameron Diaz in "The Holiday" down to the stony cottage and beautiful landscapes. I LOVED this book. Devoured it. Imogen was very relatable to me, navigating through "young" adulthood and finding out so much about herself through the process of an unconventional experience. I really loved her, and I loved that she took the time to slow down and find out what she wanted from her life. I think everyone will really enjoy this cute and cozy Christmas story once the season rolls around. Don't miss it!

The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan is a heartwarming story about the complexities of friendship, self discovery, and the unexpected bonds that unite us. Imogen, a driven professional with a facade of perfection, finds herself at a crossroads after a work related mistake forces her to take a much needed break. The invitation from her client, Dorothy, to stay at Holly Cottage in the Cotswolds, sets the stage for a transformative journey for both women. Together they navigate through challenges, ultimately finding healing and growth in each other's company.

Let me start by saying I am a huge Sarah Morgan fan. I was so excited to receive an advanced copy of The Holiday Cottage, as I love both the author & all things Christmas. The main character, Imogen, is one we can all identify with as she feels the need to be something she isn’t & is dealing with major burnout at her job. This book deals with family, friendship, and even a little romance. The flow of this story was very easy & one that kept me interested to the very end. I would definitely recommend this as a great holiday read. A solid 4-star read for me!

Thank you NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing|Canary Street Press for an ARC copy of this book.

A story about choices, family, and learning that although a lie may seem easier, the truth is always better in the long run. The pacing was a little slow for my taste, but the romance was sweet. The setting was beautiful. I want to spend Christmas at Holiday Cottage!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

I was in the Cotswolds last autumn, exactly where the girl on the cover is, I fell in love with those places, the quiet, the climate, the people, so when I saw that the legendary Sarah Morgan had written a book set there, especially , during Christmas time, i freak out.
It had to be mine, so first of all I want to thank Netgalley, the publishing house Harlequin Trade Publishing and Sarah Morgan, for this possibility.
Beyond the beautiful cover, the story is striking as usual, classic Sarah Morgan style, light, flowing story and perfect for the holidays.
Imogen is a workaholic, and when after a typical case of burnout, her boss sends her to rest for a month, she finds herself talking about it with one of her clients, Dorothy, who tries to help her.
Imogen's life becomes intertwined with Dorothy and her daughter Sara. A trio of strong women, typical Morgan style, to rediscover themselves and evolve, helping each other.
Highly recommended!

The Holiday Cottage is a sweet, sad, sentimental story of Imogen, a very smart, work driven, solitary woman. After Imogen takes on a huge workload trying to block out holiday memories her boss orders Immy to take an entire month off thinking Imogen is suffering from possible burnout.
This story is heart warming and a perfect holiday read. Ava and Ralph stole my heart.

Thanks to #NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to early read The Holiday Cottage.

Five stars

I am always excited to read a new novel by Sarah Morgan and The Holiday Cottage did not disappoint me. Imogen is working hard in London as an event planner until the point of near burn-out. Everything comes to a head when her alcoholic mother is hospitalized and Imogen misses a very important client even. Fortunately, her boss sees that she needs time off and sends her home for the month of December. She has one scheduled luncheon to attend, with her favorite client Dorothy, before heading back to her apartment to spend the holidays alone. When Dorothy learns that Imogen will be alone for the holidays, she invites Imogen to stay in a cottage that she owns in the country. Dorothy did this without checking with her daughter Sara or thinking about how this might impact Sara and her family. The readers might think that Sara is being selfish and unkind by not wanting Imogen to share the holidays with them. However, once we learn about the relationship among these characters, it is understandable. I was not able to put this novel down and read it in one day. I had to know if things worked out for Imogen who deserved happiness after having an unhappy and lonely childhood.

Imogen lives her life by working nonstop and making up stories about her personal life. When she faces burnout she is given a chance to find a real family. I loved this story and didn’t want it to end. I wanted to have more detail about her and her Mother. And I feel like some parts were skipped over like her relationship with Miles.

I loved this book initially. I found myself invested in Imogen's story wanting to know more about her back story and why she holds the world at a distance. I didn't see the twist coming and felt invested in the story. However, it feels like the story ended without a conclusion and maybe that's expected with a fluff holiday novel I was just disappointed.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

The Holiday Cottage is another wonderful Sara Morgan Christmas story. Attempting to fit in with her team at work Imogen shares an invented life, but things are about to become very real when her employer forces her to take an extended vacation and one of her clients invites her to visit during the holiday. This book is full of Christmas feels, character surprises, and emotional reawakening. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

I love Sarah Morgan books so I was pleased to see another available to be read and got to it right away. The family drama held at Christmas time was set in a perfect location. Sarah has a wonderful way of setting the scenes and giving a great description so that you can see yourself there. This story was no different!
This one felt a bit off for me though. I could not connect with the main character, Imogen, in the first half of the book. Nothing seemed to happen and it was not until 50% through that anything started to make sense and I could start to understand and, maybe, like her a bit more.
There were a few spots in the story that were not completely thought through and seemed unrealistic but nothing that ruined it.
The romantic relationship part of the story felt somewhat rushed. Things sure did move fast. It felt as if it was just days from meeting to being a couple. It's too bad that more time was not given to the 2nd half of the book and cut out some of what was at the beginning. Also, events/activities mentioned at one point were not included or written about and then suddenly had been completed. Days were jumped over so there was a rushed feeling in the timeline.
I was still wondering where the relationship between Imogen and her mom stood at the end. There could definitely have been more detail to this, which I thought was one of the main parts of the whole book.
Over all it was a great story and I would recommend it be read, but I still feel it was not one of SM's best books.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this arc!!

Thank you @canarystreetpress, @htpbooks, and @netgalley for the eARC of The Holiday Cottage by @sarahmorganwritesnin exchange for an honest review!

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 As Imogen approaches the holiday season, she is reminded that her life is not the dream she has made it out to be. While she has tried her hardest to create the image of the perfect family and home growing up, she is alone. Her client, Dorothy has a magical Christmas in the Cotswolds planned, complete with her beautiful estate and rescue alpacas. However, her daughter, Sara, maintains a quiet suspicion about Dorothy’s growing relationship with Imogen. Sarah Morgan writes these characters in such exquisite detail that the connection with them feels so deep, friends you have known for years and are genuinely invested in their happiness. When it seems as though Imogen’s already sparse world is crashing down around her, Dorothy extends the invitation for Imogen to stay at her cottage for the holiday season. The Holiday Cottage weaves together their stories in such a beautiful and heartfelt way, a truly modern Christmas classic.

5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review is posted on Goodreads and will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

I enjoyed this book. I loved the family feel to it It was heartwarming and romantic. The ending was good even though i thought it could have been a little more romantic. All in all It was good. I love the books that Sarah Morgan writes. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.