I love my visits to the board game cafe, and this time, its Christmas. I love everything about this book and will be one to add to the shelf and reread every festive year

This book starts out with the main character sleeping with her friends boyfriend and saying she feels bad about it but it will be ok. Then throughout the book she says here I am again with my friends ex boyfriend over and over. At one point she says but now that she knows she's ok with it. That part is woven throughout her plan to help her town make money with a walking Advent calendar. Getting everyone to agree to the Advent and then the reveals as we slowly go through the book chapters was interesting. The Advent "windows " that people made were fun and unique and surprising to the towns people. By then end of the book she's on to a different guy as the final window is revealed. I know some people loved this book but that wasn't me. It was good but a slow book along with this girl who is obsessed with her best friends ex was tiring.

If you are looking for a fun Christmas book that doesn't necessarily have to do with Board Games you just might enjoy this book. A lot of people did.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

I give it this rating because of the ending because it was what saved the whole book, it's what is expected from a Christmas book and much more. But I will say that I didn't like Kate as a protagonist very much, first and I think this is more about me than anything else, the girl code of not going out with your best friend's ex and by the way having her in mind when you go out with the guy was a no for me (even when your friend said it was okay), why she ended up with Xander although understandable a little out of touch, but as I read and saw how she tried hard so that the town could get out of trouble by doing the whole living advent calendar thing made me like it a little.

📌I received an e-arc through netgalley, and this is my honest opinion/review of it.

The Christmas at the Board Game Cafe is the perfect cozy holiday rom com book to read this season! Kate is the perfect female lead who is strong and seemingly has her life together but feels like she is missing something. This is the perfect book to snuggle up with and drink coco while enjoying a second chance romance.

A festive instalment of the Little Board Game Cafe series. This story is based on Kate, who has been introduced in previous books - this book works as a stand-alone, but I would recommend reading the others, they are all wonderful!

Kate has a good life, but she is lonely and missing one thing - love. Can she find what she feels is missing, as well as help the Board Game Cafe and other local businesses to survive?

I loved the living advent calendar idea, there were some fabulous descriptions of participating windows. It was nice to catch up with characters from previous books, and I look forward to another story soon.

This is a great read, bursting with humour, romance and festive details. I was rooting for Kate from the very beginning and desperate for her to achieve her happy ending. The descriptions of the living advent calendar were wonderful! Thoroughly recommended.

I loved this book and its cast of characters. The rekindling of an old flame, understanding family and helping to bring Christmas cheer into a town. With the Board Game Cafe featuring front and center in this book. I could not read this fast enough!

Having previously read all of Jennifer Page’s books I was so excited to be reading this book. It was the turn of Kate, Em from the Board Cafés best friend.
Beautiful perfect Kate has a good life, a lot to be thankful for but she hasn’t got the one thing she longs for, love. Will Kate meet the man of her dreams?

I so enjoyed reading this book and would go as far as to say I think it’s my favourite so far.
I loved Kate’s marketing idea to generate more winter business for the two local towns. It made me want to visit and share in the excitement. Written so well I could see it all in my minds eye, and also feel the feelings. It was lovely to read of other countries and how they celebrate Christmas, and the meaning of it all.
A very interesting and clever book with its informative snippets.
I am very much looking forward to the authors next book whenever that may be.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Christmas At The Board Game Café by Jennifer Page is a most delightful Christmas contemporary novel that will warm your heart and leave you smiling. It is the fourth book in The Board Game Café series but can be read as a stand-alone.
This is the perfect book to read in the lead up to Christmas. It will get you in the mood for the festive season. This really is Christmas in a book.
Two Yorkshire villages are the delightful setting. As summer has given way to autumn, the tourists have dropped off. Something needs to be done to attract the visitors back again – enter the Advent Calendar Trail. What is it? Read the book and immerse yourself in the action. It educates, it stirs memories and it is downright hilarious. The scene with the baubles makes me snigger even now!
All the characters were well drawn, likable and believable. They offer a warm welcome to all, including the reader.
We see how the loneliest place can be amongst friends who are all couples, when you are single. It feels like being on the outside looking in. Christmas is a time that some people dread.
A character has struggled with loneliness for years. “Staying busy… keeping the loneliness at bay.” Sooner or later the busyness has to stop or we risk burn-out. Being single has been a way of protecting a heart from hurt but it is a heart that isn’t cherished due to the walls that have been erected around it.
We see how even into adulthood a character has been trying to be perfect because “I wanted to make her [mother] love me.” As a child we never really know just how our parents feel as they try to shield us. A narrative that a character made up as a teen has been forever believed by her – but it was never the truth. “People often go through life believing the stories they tell themselves, often without questioning whether these stories are actually true.” What is the truth? Could now be a good time to find out?
There is much love within the story. Love doesn’t just happen at Christmas it blossoms all year around. Love is not just found within couples but between families and friends too.
I absolutely adored Christmas At The Board Game Café. It is a festive hug in a book that you do not want to miss.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

A delightful hug of a book.
It was fabulous to be back in Essendale in the company of the characters from the Board Game Cafe.
Centre stage this time is Kate. As she tries to increase footfall in the cold winter months with her walking Advent calendar she not only helps the town reach its full potential but she finds herself reaching her own too.
A wonderful catch-up with characters I've become invested in and I can't wait to revisit them again soon.

I loved this book...It was a heartwarming story that left me with a smile on my face! I liked the way the characters were developed, with their flaws and the feelings of loneliness although everything seems good..I really appreciate when I read about realistic behaviors and relationships and Jennifer Page really succeded it! This is the perfect read for everyone who wants to get into christmas spirit! So make a cup of hot chocolate, get comfortable on your couch and let this story fill you with warm and christmas vibes!

I enjoyed reading Christmas at the Board Game Cafe by Jennifer Page. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

I absolutely loved this book, but then I am loving the whole series and truly hope that Jennifer will keep writing books to the series. I just adore the board game theme but then that is because I am a big fan of modern board games, love them as much as I love reading.

Anyway, this is book 4 and this story focuses on Kate, whom we have met in the previous books but in this story we get to know the real Kate, her story, what she has been through. And she gets a second chance at love. The whole story was just wonderful and so heartfelt.

Another bonus to this story, is that it features Christmas, who doesn’t like a bit of festive spirit and activities in a book.

I also loved that we got reacquainted with some of the previous characters, Em, Jo, Taylor, Harry, Ras and Ludek. What I wouldn’t do to have friends like them, they seem like such a lovely bunch to be around.

The whole story was really well written, and the author has left me wanting more, I just didn’t want it to end. I loved that there was even more mention of different modern board games in this book, such as Wingspan, Forest Shuffle, Cold War, Azul, all of which are great games, although my favourite is Forest Shuffle.


So last words, if you haven’t experienced the joy and entertainment of Jennifer Page’s books yet, the don’t delay, as her books truly are gems. I already can’t wait for the next book, well I truly hope there will be a book 5.

Another great board games cafe book from Jennifer Page. Kate is centre stage with this book although Em, Jo and Taylor are also there as firm favourites. Kate is single and hates Christmas but takes on organs Christmas Advent trail in order to try and boost trade for the two villages. A great Christmas read even if it’s October. Thanks to Jennifer and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley

I was so excited to read this book! I adore the Board Game Café series and to have a Christmas theme included added another fantastic layer to the story.
It was brilliant to see Kate’s story unfold. A character in the other books, her gentle support and enthusiasm for her community already made her a character that I enjoyed reading about. I loved her fantastic idea for bringing people to the area with the living advent calendar and it was entertaining watching her pull it all together.
I also love seeing a second chance at love theme too, Xander was a wonderful character and I relished seeing them reconnecting as the story progressed.
So much festive fun, and a gorgeous community made this a really uplifting experience. I would love to create a living advent calendar in my community now! This book has inspired me to be more creative with my decorating and also to dig out some board games too! It’s everything I love in a festive book!

A cute and cozy closed-door romance for the holiday season.

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

Kate has put forth a lot of effort to be seen as the successful career woman she is while hiding away her sadness and frustration that her personal life just isn’t as fulfilling as she wants it to be. As all the people around her are happily coupled, facing another holiday season alone is taking its toll.

The local businesses in the cute little town of Essendale, including her BFF’s Board Game Café, are struggling to make ends meet. The town is becoming a summer vacation town which is leaving the winter streets empty. Kate, using her marketing genius comes up with the idea to do a living Advent calendar window display to bring people to Essendale. Each day in December, the town will gather to unveil a new and beautiful window display.

Kate is thrown an unexpected twist when one of the windows she hopes to use is in a shop now owned by her ex-boyfriend. She will have to put all of her trust in him to come up with a display worthy of the final reveal.

All of the characters in Essendale make this series such a joy to read. I really enjoyed following Kate on her journey as she grows as a person, deals with some of her past trauma, and repairs relationships. The dual timeline aspects that show us what happened between Kate and Xander helped pull me into this story.

Another must read from Jennifer Page! I absolutely love all the references to some of my favorite board games in this series.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This is Kate’s story. She has always been there for her friends, whether it’s to offer advice, help to grow their business or offer a shoulder to dry on. But, what her friends aren’t aware of, is that she is feeling lovely.

She has been on dates, but as yet she’s not found her someone special, or is it a case of she’s already met him and let him go?

As Christmas approaches, Kate is feeling that being on her own is extra lonely.

In her town of Essendale, it’s really quiet, for her friends businesses, who also find that there’s not enough footfall through the doors. They ask Kate to find a solution, and comes up with doing a living advent calendar.

Hoping that if she organises it, she’ll find herself feeling festive too.

Then she meets Xander, he was the one that got away. Will meeting him after all this time change all the plans she’s made? And what does it mean for her newly started relationship?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, loved the setting and characters.

I highly recommend this book.

Christmas at the Board Game Café follows Kate, a skilled organizer who is tasked with reviving business in a struggling village during the holiday season. She devises the idea of a Living Advent Calendar, revealing one window each night leading up to Christmas. Despite her professional success, Kate feels lonely and unfulfilled, especially when it comes to finding love. However, this Christmas brings her a second chance at romance.

The book is a cozy, heartwarming read, perfect for fans of Christmas stories. The well-drawn characters, realistic friendships, and the charming English village setting make it feel like a Hallmark movie. Kate, an overachieving perfectionist, wrestles with feelings of inadequacy and the pressure to find a loving relationship. As she takes on the challenge of organizing the village-wide event, the story unfolds with warmth, humor, and a touch of romance, leaving readers both satisfied and longing for more.

Another cracking book from Jennifer Page! I absolutely love this series, I just want to live there be friends with all the characters.

This time it was Kate's turn to be the focus of the book. With the other three books, the main character had been someone new, with the cast of regulars in the background. This time, it was someone we already knew who was the main focus. Kate has been key in all the other books and it was so nice to see her shine through this one. She became a truly three dimensional character with a backstory that makes you want to give her a big hug.

I loved the Christmas theme of the book too, particularly as it was focussed on Advent, the period leading up to Christmas. Advent, and the expectation that season brings, is my favourite part of the Christmas period so this was perfect for me!

And this book also provided me with some more boardgame recommendations. Keep them coming, Jennifer!

This is a great addition to the series but could also be read as a standalone if you're in need of a sweet, wholesome Christmas book to read or gift to someone this festive season.

Jennifer has done it again!! I love the book and Kate's story. And above all that Christmas magic that makes all look full of cozyness.
Since the beginning I have love her books and how she writes. Just 10 out of 10