I enjoyed ‘Tis the Damn Season and finished it in a weekend. The characters were well written and the story was fun to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This book follows three friends: Shelley, Pearl, and Lena as they basically say to hell with their lives/families and take a much needed vacation right before Christmas. They decide to visit the bed and breakfast belonging to Pearl’s cousin Michael whom she has not seen in years. Though when they arrive at the B&B, they decide Michael must take advantage of the sudden opportunity to travel and see his girlfriend. They can handle the B&B with no issues, or can’t they? Will Shelley find out what shenanigans her husband and children are up to while she’s gone? Will Lena’s fiancé, Tommy, survive a visit from his very particular parents? Will Pearl’s home remain in one piece as her son and his girlfriend basically take over the house in her absence? Things don’t go exactly according to the plan laid out by Michael before he leaves the B&B. This wasn’t my absolute favorite read as it seemed to drag on a bit and I found myself easily taking breaks while reading. However, it was pleasant read all the same and am thankful for the opportunity to read and review it.

Three friends escape the pre-Christmas hubbub to the Scottish Highlands where they question their relationships and choices that have led to this moment. The weather intervenes and all Christmas plans are derailed.

The story showed the different relationships of the three women in their 50’s without knocking the choices they’ve made throughout their lives. I absolutely loved the way the characters were introduced, especially Joel (I was fully on board with him being a six-year-old.

All three women had distinguishable personalities and traits, so the multiple perspectives were not confusing. The present tense was initially jarring, but after the first few chapters it was barely noticeable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
YESSS - as someone almost entering into my 30’s, this book felt way more like late 20’s vibe. I’ve been reading diff books that are more so college age etc and was starting to feel a bit old but this one was funny and had banter that I enjoyed. I mean this as a compliment but it felt like a trashy Hallmark holiday movie? Like enjoyable but also chill!

'Tis the Damn Season by Fiona Gibson is a story about three friends who leave for a (can I say must-have) holiday to Scotland just before Christmas leaving their closest ones in London. Each one of them is in a different situation but they all need some time away from the holiday chaos. The journey to the North shines a new light on their lives and problems. Charming story about friendship, and relationships. Perfect to cozy up on a cold day and take on a journey with our characters. I enjoyed it and the whole time I was reading I felt like it would be a perfect book-to-movie adaptation.

I love a Christmas read so this book was perfect, for me it was full of Christmas cheer and what it means,

A perfect read in the run up to Christmas. Very entertaining.

Many thanks to all concerned for letting me read and review this terrific novel.

I am dnfing this book beca I’m lit eat 50% and I don’t know where this book is going and I don’t really want to continue this rn. Maybe in future I’ll pick this up but dnf for now :(

This was interesting enough for me to finish it, but not groundbreaking or memorable in any way. At first, I was hoping for hateful in-laws (we have two sets of those, Tommy's and Joel's parents) to take center stage, but alas, nope.

All in all, not bad but there are better Christmas books out there.

Holiday read about three grown women and the issues they encounter around the holidays that leads to a quick escape to the Scottish highlands right before Christmas. Their family members aren't the best, and in some cases, almost seem like caricatures of the people the should be. With families like that, of course the women want to escape. I would to.
I did enjoy the overall story line. I found the main characters of Shelley, Lena, and Pearl likeable even though i don't think we got to know them all that well.
I had some trouble following point of view as it jumped regularly to the point where I had to double check who was speaking or who's thoughts I was reading.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the opportunity to read this egalley.

This author is new to me and I would like to check out other books she has written. The main protagonist’s have to face severe problems, among which one may identify cancer, grief, and infertility. I enjoyed Fiona’s style of writing and the level at which she developed her characters. This I can say is quite a book and I recommend anyone interested in reading it, to go for it.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I read this book while sitting in +30 degree heat reading about 4 friends that take off to the Scottish highlands the week before Christmas for a break. An enjoyable read with a good few laughs.

This is an unusual festive feel good novel following three girls trying to escape the festive season by travelling to Scotland.
Trying their best to be helpful, they find themselves snowed in and in charge of a B and B.
Unfortunately this was a book I did not really connect with and for no obvious reason. Maybe I need to return to it nearer Christmas .
3 1/2 stars from me.

Three friends Shelly, Lena, and Pearl have had Christmas prep up to their eyeballs they are sick of it. When Pearl mentions a relative who owns a b&b in the wilds of the Scottish highlands they dreamily decide to go for a few days leading up to Christmas Eve. Time to charge their batteries before the onslaught of the big day what could go wrong?
A hilariously funny and heartwarming tale that will leave you with that Christmas feel good feeling. Just the book to be read tucked up with a cuppa readying yourself for Christmas.

Entertaining jaunt into the Highlands to take a breather: have they really left their cares behind?🌨🎄

What an entertaining take on worries and pitfalls of the hectic run-up to Christmas. Fiona Gibson really has a deft hand at relating realistic issues like difficult prospective in-laws, unappreciative teens and straying spouses. I felt as frustrated and let down by the folks at home as the three women, especially Shelley. Divorcee Lena, widow Pearl and married mother of two Shelley are dealing with some difficult issues at home in the weeks before Christmas. They escape together to a remote B&B in the Scottish Highlands run by Pearl's cousin Michael and end up with a whole new set of challenges with the other guests at the B&B (especially young Theo, the wannabe Christmas pudding!) and the Scottish weather. These three women are resourceful and turn adversity into an adventure. I liked their storyline but my enjoyment was doubled by the alternating glimpses into how the familes they left behind are handling things without them.

And I loved the way the story ends up for the three women and Michael once their Highland adventure draws to a close.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Fiona Gibson for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Have you ever emotionally and physically just shut down before the holidays and said "get me the heck outta here?" Yeah, me too. Same for our three leading ladies, and guess what- they did it. They got the heck out. Good for them.

This book is not as lighthearted as the cover would make you believe. Each of our leading ladies deals with some heavy topics- cancer, grief, infertility, infidelity, classism, and more.

Being classified as a romance is technically true- but I'd lean more heavily on the women's fiction classification.

If you relate to these heavy topics and want to feel seen this holiday season, this book is for you.

Unfortunately I just could not get into the spirit of this book. I was thinking it would be light hearted, funny, entertaining but it was the opposite. Depressing so much so I could not finish it. It is labelled romance, it's not. I hate books with infedality so put it down at that point. So many POVs.

3 friends
Shelley, Pearl and Lena
All for various reasons want out this Christmas as it’s turning as always into more hassle than enjoyment
But there is no escape, nowhere for them to run to
Until there is

And once they are there their other halves and families have to get on and make do ( and make don’t )

Very funny, very Christmassy and a very good read, one of those you can read for 15 mins and come back to and immediately know where you are and are straight back into it

Loved all character’s good and not so, even Joel I couldn’t fully dislike at the end, toothpaste and all

A perfect read waiting to be had that will make every reader feel good, relaxed and happy to have chosen this book and all it brings 😊

The art cover for this book gave me the wrong impression that it was going to be light-hearted, but it was filled with messy families and too many POVs to keep up with too many dramatic events for a rom-com.


This felt more along the lines of the book Eat Pray Love, not Sophie Kinsella

This book is a perfect Christmas read, especially in the lead-up to the festive season. It follows three girlfriends who, in a spur-of-the-moment decision, escape the stress of holiday preparations by retreating to Scotland, only to find themselves snowed in. The story beautifully explores family dynamics, delivers heartwarming romance, and is filled with plenty of laughs. The only drawback is the rather brief ending, which leaves you wishing for a bit more closure. Despite that, it's an enjoyable and cosy holiday escape.