it was a pleasure to journey back to micklewick bay during the holiday season! ed, florrie, and their group of treasured friends are celebrating the holidays in a most special way - injecting fun and whimsey into as many days as possible leading up to christmas. the happy hartes bookshop is a top priority and they'd like to make some changes to their beloved shop. what do they have in mind?

you can read eliza j. scott's latest release (fourth in the series) as a stand alone book, but i would recommend reading the first three in the micklewick bay series first so that you understand and appreciate the cast of characters even more. two big life changes happen in this fourth book and i'm glad i had the background information going in.

the micklewick bay series feels as warm and cozy as a hot cup of tea. i hope readers feel as content as i did when i reached the final page of the latest book.

3.5 stars rounded up.

thank you to storm publishing for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

A story based around Christmas and a village bookshop.
What is there not to like?
I loved this novel and read it until the early hours .
Couldn't put it down.

A sweet, cozy read. I do think this will be a big hit around the christmas season. I felt Hallmark Christmas movie vibes from this one.

Such a cute and cozy read. If you are looking for a book to curl up with by a fire or trying to get in the Christmas mood here is your book.

I should start by saying i really loved this story telling, the writing was good the characters were great, and i think there was good promise in the plot. However, i missed a main plot line, kinda. I was expecting the book to be building up to a big secret or something really big happening, so the ending was a bit anticlimactic. Nevertheless still a cute little christmas read.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

I’d actually rate a 3.5 ⭐️

I’m always here for any story that revolves around books and heartwarming female friendships, and Christmas at the Little Bookshop by the Sea brings plenty of that cozy charm! The seaside setting and the adorable little bookshop are like a warm hug, especially with all the festive touches and bookish decor that Florrie and Ed put together.

However, the middle part of the book slowed down more than I expected. Florrie’s worry over Ed’s secret started to drag, although a little mystery kept my interest to keep reading. But if you can push through the lull, the ending does bring things back to that cozy, feel-good holiday spirit.

What I loved most were the friendships and sense of community—women supporting and lifting each other up, which reminds me of the power of female bonds (just like the lasses!). The charming bookshop setting and festive atmosphere made it an enjoyable, light read.

If you’re in the mood for a sweet Christmas story with a focus on books, friendship, and small-town charm, this one will give you all the cozy feels.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author & publisher for the ARC.

This is an absolutely delightful and cozy festive story, perfect for anyone who loves heartwarming Christmas reads. Although it’s the fourth book in Eliza J. Scott’s series, it stands well on its own. I still found their journey as a couple to be truly endearing. If you’re less focused on intricate character development, this book is an ideal, feel-good read for a snowy day. The charming setting of Micklewick Bay and the Happy Hartes Bookstore adds even more magic to the festive atmosphere.

Florrie and Ed are a lovable couple, and the strong sense of community and friendship surrounding them only enhances the story’s warmth. Filled with humor, sweetness, romance, and festive spirit, the book is a true Christmas treat. While the plot is light and pleasant, the enchanting holiday details—like Christmas lights, mulled wine, and ice skating—make it an immersive and heartwarming read. It fully captures the essence of Christmas, offering a perfect blend of romance, family, and community that’s sure to leave you smiling.

unfortunately this book wasn’t for me!! i think this genre of romance has a very specific demographic, and i’m not the target audience. the beginning was well written, but it seemed to really drag on unnecessarily. i was expecting Ed to disappear at around halfway through the book and then read an exciting christmasy investigation, but that was not the case. i still love this author, but this was a miss for my taste!

I should start by saying i really loved this story telling, the writing was good the characters were great, and i think there was good promise in the plot. However, i missed a main plot line, kinda. I was expecting the book to be building up to a big secret or something really big happening, so the ending was a bit anticlimactic. Nevertheless still a cute little christmas read.

This story will definitely put you in the mood for Christmas. Florrie Appleton and her beau Ed Harte are the co-owners of The Happy Hartes Bookshop in a small English village of Micklewick. Flossie wants to give Ed a taste of what Christmas is really about and so sets about creating The Happy Christmas Memory Project. With the help of her girl pack, she is able to show that Christmas is really about the small things as she plans things like skating, sledding, making a snowman and going on a sleigh ride. At the same time Ed keeps disappearing and being secretive, a shady couple wants to buy the bookstore and using bullying ways to try to convince them to sell.

This was a sweet story. I loved the girl pack and they're always having each other's backs. I really enjoyed a lot of the secondary characters, especially local author Jack and his friend Jennifer who is also an author. This story tells us that the best Christmas memories do not need expensive presents and trips, but time spent with people you love. If I have a complaint is that Ed and Flossie really need to work on their communications skills with one another.

I did not know that his was the second book. Obviously my not reading the first one did not detract from my enjoyment of this book. This book is like a warm, cozy cup of hot chocolate. Enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A quick, cozy holiday read perfect for a crisp, snowy day and a hot cup of cocoa. This is the fourth installment of a series, but the first I’ve read. This didn’t interfere with my ability to follow the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

A cute and cozy read! Perfect to get even the grumpiest of grinches into the holiday spirit! Full of friendship family and love but wrapped in a cozy mystery set at Christmas time this story is packed with beautiful character dynamics!

I thought this book was very cute and Christmasy. I didn't know it was a part of a series, but I'm looking forward to checking out the other books. Great mixture of friendship, romance, and a bit of mystery. Florrie was super cute.

Sadly this book wasn't for me. I am a huge Jessica Redland fan so reading the information thought I would love it. It had a bookshop, the sea, Christmas... All things that I love and love to read about. But, the book fell flat for me.
I didn't connect with any of the characters and found Florrie quite annoying and immature - communicate with your boyfriend please!
The 'villain' seemed somewhat of a caricature and not believable. Unfortunately, the story just wasn't there.

The book was an easy read and I know it'll be the perfect cosy Christmas read with a blanket and hot chocolate - this person just wasn't me.

A good festive and escapist story that made smile and turning pages
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher of this ARC for allowing me to read it in exchange for my honest review.

I usually try to push through, but I DNF’d. I couldn’t get into this book unfortunately. I did read that this is a book in a series, and it’s the first one I’ve read, so this could be why. I wasn’t crazy about the style of writing, and I couldn’t connect to the characters and I found their lack of communication frustrating. It fell flat for me but I’m sure there are plenty of people who enjoy this as a cozy Christmas read!

Could not cope with the insistence of the author to narrate every single action the character (or the character's dog) took. This had a severe need for an editor, or just better writing.

This is book #4 of the Micklewick Bay series. Whilst it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone book, although I would recommend reading the books in series order. It was lovely to return to Micklewick Bay. I've read the previous books and have enjoyed them all. We are back at the Happy Hartes Bookshop with Florrie and Ed who we've met in previous books. It's running up to Christmas and we get to join the villagers with the festivities around the village. However, not all is going so well for Florrie and Ed when Ed begins to act strangely...

This was a lovely read! I remember Florrie and Ed from the previous books and liked both their characters. They seemed absolutely perfect together so I did wonder what was going on when Ed's behaviour began to change. However, their relationship worries aren't the only thing going on in this book, and we also find out that someone wants to buy the bookshop! The bookshop is an amazing place, and is the centre of Micklewick Bay's community, so I read through with bated breath hoping that Florrie and Ed didn't lose it. It was wonderful to also see all the other residents of the village, most of whom I'd met in the other books, and to see how some of their stories work out!

The book flowed along really well! It gave me lots of great visual images as I read - I could picture the shops, coastline and, of course, the amazing window displays in the bookshop!! The storyline held my attention throughout and I was held in suspense waiting to see what was going to happen! It's a delightful Christmassy read, and is perfect to read for those cold winter days under a blanket!! This was another fun and festive trip to the Micklewick Bay series! Would recommend!

This was a fun holiday story from an author which I had not read before. I love reading books set in bookshops and this one did not disappoint. Even though I had not read the previous books in the series, I did not feel like I had missed out since the author's descriptions are so well done. I do plan to take the time to read the previous books. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

A lovely return to Micklewick and a chance to catch up with characters from the first book!
The bookshop again sounds idyllic and the characters are great fun, from Dodgy Dick- the archetypal villain with his brash wife to the romantic male lead and the eccentric friends and family.
Great scenery, great characters and hits all the right feels for a Christmassy romance!