This is a warm, inviting book that I was so hooked to I ended up finishing it in the early hours of the morning
588084
When Danish Clara arrived in the little village of Yulethorpe she never expected to be staying, nor running a toy shop, but thats exactly what she ends up doing after the toy shop owner, Louise, ups and leaves for Spain and Clara offers to house/shop and animal sit for her.

The village has seen a decline in visitors and a lot of the shops are now empty, but Clara has a vision to make the toy shop wonderful again, and to bring in more customers and tourists to the area using the Danish way of life  Hygge.

When stressed out Joe, Louises son, finds out that his mum has left and there is a stranger looking after the shop, he believes that Clara is only after his mothers money and takes time away from his busy London office (not his job though as hes glued to his phone), to see what is going on.

The two don't exactly see eye to eye, but Clara decides to take on another mission, help Joe learn to relax the hygge way. Will she be successful on both accounts?

First off, I must say that I love the cover. Not very often that I mention the cover in my reviews, but it is so inviting I couldn't resist reading The Hygge Holiday.

Clara is a sweet young woman who is carrying a lot of guilt with her, thus making her want to help others out, and always sees the best in people. Joe is a workaholic. He lives, breathes and sleeps (or not), his city job, dealing with billions of pounds contracts. He does have a soft, but he is forever pushing it deep inside, him not wanting to show it.

The story has a lovely array of secondary characters too, including, Gavin and Craig from the village pub, Claras new tired friend, mum Lauren, and even battleaxe Roz  the character youll love to hate.

However, there was one character that had me laughing though out, Lady CaCa, Louises parrot. Imagine a parrot that comes out with movie quotes all the time, especially ones at inappropriate moments.

This is a warm, inviting book that I was so hooked to I ended up finishing it in the early hours of the morning, not realising how long I had been reading for. It will make you feel all warm and cosy. It is a book that from the beginning you have an idea where the author is going to take you, but the journey to get there is just wonderful.

Reviewed on Whispering Stories Book Blog
*I received a free copy of this book, which I voluntarily reviewed
1758587
This book was a winner to me.  I couldn't wait to read more.  The characters were warm and personal and it wasn't long before I felt like I knew them and was traveling with them each day.  The story was interesting and I love the way she added the children in the story.  Can't wait to read her next books.  I hope she continues to write.  This was a winner for her first novel.  Good job Carol.
2739748
What first intrigued me about this book was the fact that it featured a strong female friendship. I was so excited to see a contemporary not based completely on romance!

And, for the most part, I got my wish. Reagan and Delilah are the best of friends; ones who support each other through thick and thin, even when one or both of them may be wrong. They had this special connection that just seemed to fly off the pages.

When Matt Finch comes into the scene, I was afraid that a weird love triangle would come out of it, but Im happy that it wasn't the case at all! Matt was such a joy! Very swoony and charming and just all around great. The romance between him and Reagan was adorable.

Reagan on her own was a kind of self-destructive and a bit naive so liking her took some work. Heck, I think I started to like her by the end of the book. But thats okay, because seeing her evolve throughout the book was worth it.

Theres an absolutely wonderful summer atmosphere going on. Its full of tour buses, concerts, heat, and country music. I loved everything about it. I know a lot of bloggers have been saying it, but it's true, it felt sort of like a Taylor Swift concert tour.

I loved the way the book ended, it was funny, swoony, and happy all around. It really brough summer to life.

This is definitely a book you'll want to have on your summer books list. It has a powerful friendship, swoony romance, and goofy moments all around. The music aspect is really well thought out, and entertaining as well.
2820854
Firstly Id like to thank the publisher for sending me this book to read and share my opinion. It had been sat on my to read pile for such a long time and I had always been curious about it so I was glad to finally get round to reading it.

The prologue set the mysterious scene well, already I was imagining all sorts!

Reading from Ambers point of view and learning about her family and life at Black Rabbit Hall really made me smile  the author created a wonderful atmosphere of happy days-gone-by. That was until things took a dark turn which left me holding my breath, wondering what had actually happened.

The modern-day perspective came from Lorna who was planning her wedding. I got chills when she found herself at Black Rabbit Hall although, at that point, I couldn't figure out why.

For me, there was an overwhelming feeling of fate weaving its way through the storyline. It kind of felt like everything was happening for a reason, I just couldn't work out what that reason was until the end.

A thread of romance lifted things and brought about a sense of anticipation which I particularly enjoyed.

The authors descriptions made each scene so easy to visualise. As I progressed through the book I was captivated by all the goings on at the house, both past and present.

This was a mysterious and addictive 5 star read. A puzzle to be pieced together bit by bit.
2859091
I finished the book same night I got it, thank you for this delicious book
266830
This book gave me a warm feeling so much so I did not want to put it down.  I am going to miss the characters hopefully they will appear or similar characters will appear in another series.  Thank you Debbie Macomber
657497
If you're looking for a lovely warm read to put you in a Christmassy mood, then this is the one for you. Its light-hearted and full of that magical sparkle that means it will quickly become a Christmas favourite. Its not sugary sweet yet somehow its heartwarming and I loved the way that Susan Buchanan takes a group of characters, none of whom are particularly looking forward to Christmas for various reasons, and shows us how a little kindness from a stranger can change their lives. This is a book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
3572498
I adored this book so much that I stayed up all night to finish it while I was sick with a terrible cold--and then promptly started rereading it the next day. It's a bit slower than the fantasy novel I usually prefer, but I found it thoroughly engrossing from start to finish. I loved the characters, and especially appreciated the slow burn relationship between Nora and Aruendiel. It's quickly become one of my favorite books, and I believe it will continue to be for a long time to come.
279612
I haven't been blogging long and I think this is the first book I have seen that has been hyped up to an unbelievable level, so expectations were very high. Thankfully this book meets that expectation, it is so easy to read, I didn't notice the hours slipping away. The writing style is so friendly, it is definitely a book to read in one go

Lots of girls dreams of having an amazingly romantic proposal and this book certainly fulfills that, they were mostly so wonderful I wouldnt mind any one of them. I say mostly, as I don't think I would find the spider one funny either. My favourite one without a doubt is the fireflies, absolutely spectacular.

Suzie is so cute, she is hopelessly in love with Harry, but doesnt tell him, leading to a torturous few months as she has to answer no to every proposal. Her lack of confidence means she accepts the situation, but as the book progresses cracks start to show. She was so warm and loving there is never a second when you don't want her to end up with the man of her dreams. Harry was just as lovely, and I really wanted to bang Suzie and Harrys heads together for a good portion of the book!

Overall this book had it all, Romance, humour (for the record my favourite character in the whole book was Tiny Tim Timmings!), everything I want in a book, it was just amazing.
124603
This was a really delicious book in so many ways, I hated putting it down, the characters were warm and real, even the more difficult ones were a joy.
4800296
Oh, my goodness. SO MANY FEELS. This book is just wonderful on so many levels. There's a fresh, romantic love story, and so many secondary characters that are beautifully developed. I had about a thousand things going on this week, but despite all that, here I am, still in my pajamas on a Friday afternoon, because I was desperate to finish this book and know how it ended.

FLIRTING WITH FAME is about Elise, a college freshman with a huge secret: She's really Aubrey Lynch, the author of the popular Viking Moon series, except nobody knows it. Thanks to scars she bears as the result of a tragedy when she was young-- the same tragedy that left her Deaf-- she's afraid to show the world her true face. Instead, the author photo on her books is of a beautiful woman Elise found online. But when the Viking Moon books are to be made into a TV series and Aubrey Lynch is expected on set to give her input, Elise strikes up a deal with the girl on the back of the book and poses as her assistant. Elise thinks she can pull off her plan, but she doesn't bank on falling for Gavin, the actor playing the main character. Or on the fact that he just might like her back.

There are so many things I adored about this book. I immediately loved Elise- she's someone who has accomplished so much early in life, but she's vulnerable and insecure at the same time because of how she looks. There are some amazing friendships in the book. Jin, Reggie, and Clint are fantastic characters (I wish I had a Clint in my life)! Gavin is a really interesting character as well, one with secrets of his own, and the way he interacted with Elise was both sweet and swoonworthy.

This is the kind of writing that makes you keep turning pages, even though you should have been asleep hours ago and know you're going to be exhausted in the morning. This is the kind of story I love because the characters aren't perfect. They're flawed and make mistakes and that makes them real. That makes them human. One major thing I took away from this book is that how other people see us isn't our problem-- it's theirs, and isn't for us to worry about. I think it's an important lesson that everyone needs to be reminded of from time to time. All we can do is be ourselves, and what people do with that is up to them.

FLIRTING WITH FAME definitely deserves five stars, and Samantha Joyce has become an instabuy author for me! (Also, the fact that this is the first FLIRTING WITH FAME book makes me giddy. I want more of these characters!)
4060385
I adored this book. I was rooting for Olivia from the moment she caught the Emerson Club on fire. The book was cozy and full of warmth. It made me crave apple pie (which I don't even like that much!), and want to live in Vermont. As the author navigated through the seasons, developing bonds between Olivia and her new friends, I kept thinking I didn't want the book to end. Satisfying and delightful, I'll definitely look for Louise Miller's next novel!
2795674
This is my first of Laura Florand's books, and I'm now hooked. The prose is lovely -- rich, whimsical, warm and clever -- and the characters (including the chocolate shop and the pastry shop) are wonderfully interesting, complex and lovable. It's a smart, emotional and at points truly breathtaking book. It's also a love letter to Paris, and all the better for it. Furthermore, I am now craving a cup of magical hot chocolate. A delicious read.

Please note: I write few reviews and only for books that I can recommend thoroughly.
3045207
I adored this story! It warmed my insides like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter's day. Billy is sweet, caring, selfless and captivated by Shaz. Shaz is bright and outgoing, with a zest for life that shakes the world as Billy knows it to the core. In a classic case of opposites attracting, Billy and Shaz generate a natural chemistry together that lights up the page. Tara Lain paints an Americanesque landscape as the background of her captivating new series and nestles her imperfect characters into the story seamlessly. KNIGHT OF OCEAN AVENUE's entire cast of characters kept a smile to my face for days and I'm eagerly anticipating future stories from Laguana!

My OFFICiAL REVIEW written for Carly's Book Reviews
1392363
Im SO happy that I finally read MY LIFE NEXT DOOR! After promising to read it last summer and allowing other plans to come first, I knew I wanted to make the time to read it this year. When I heard about Penguin Teens The Blog Most Likely To promo, I knew the time was absolutely perfect to start it and yes, the stars aligned!

MY LIFE NEXT DOOR was actually really different than what I thought it would be  not in a bad way, but I was expecting it to be a light and fluffy contemporary, leaning more towards the feel of ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS or ON THE FENCE. Nothing really led me to believe this aside from the cover and blurb but it was a bit hard to shake when I first started reading! Im really glad I didn't let my preconceived notions get in the way because this was really a beautiful book. MY LIFE NEXT DOOR is less fluffy and more I wouldnt say serious, but I guess realistic. It showed positives and negatives in a more contemplative manner and it was so much more overall than just the romance. (I mean, ANNA and ON THE FENCE handle these things too but you know what I mean. Just totally different feel.)

I really loved the differences in families in this book. Samanthas mother is a senator, her family has always been well-off, and her mother is very much about maintaining appearances and status. Her mother is happy to finally have teenagers because as much as she loves her daughters, shes never been a fan of children. Their neighbors the Garretts are pretty much the opposite in every respect. The family is big, the house is messy, the atmosphere is warm, and everyone is free to be themselves, appearances be damned. It was really interesting to see what Samantha and Jase learned from each other and what their families learned from each other as well. Each family felt so real and true to themselves  even Mrs. Reed with her need for order and tidiness  and I loved how I could witness Samantha and Jase really discovering new things about each other and at the same time, growing themselves.

The romance was also so adorable. I wasn't sure how I felt about it at first because I was expecting the book to focus more on the development of the romance and the tension leading up to the two characters being together, but the focus was much different than that. MY LIFE NEXT DOOR reminded me what young love is like but it also gave me glimpses of true and unconditional love (which were not the same for me in my life but what I saw with Sam and Jase). It was so touching to see so many sides of their relationship develop and strengthen and it felt real and raw and true.

The friendships and family dynamics are pretty spectacular too, and not all of them turned out the way I though they would. I was so annoyed with Tim and ended up falling in love with him maybe even more than Jase?) and I really enjoyed watching Samanthas various degrees of friendships with Jases siblings. Not everything was a happy friendship or ended as best friends forever but it all felt so real and touched on something that I went through in my life as well. The families felt so real and I really enjoyed that not everything had a Full House finish. Sometimes families are messy too and things don't always wrap up neatly.

I guess you could say that I had an idea of how MY LIFE NEXT DOOR would go but it really took me by surprise and Im so happy that it made me feel so many different things! I would have been happy to read this as a stand alone but Im SO excited that it has a companion now and I cant wait to read THE BOY MOST LIKELY TO!
2017558
This book ia a winner, I'm looking forward to finishing it
386623
In the days when we all had time to read a good book, I would have loved to cuddle up with this one.
Today I had time only to listen to audio CDs in the car.  This one got so good that I sat in the driveway to wait for a chapter to finish.  I couldn't get enough. When the "book" was over, I still wanted more.
I felt like I knew these people.  The twists and turn in the plot were wonderful. The villain was nasty. The hero was really a good guy and in the end everything works out for the best.
I cheered, I cried, I wanted an invite to the wedding; I wanted to visit the houses and have dinner with the people I met.
The CD version was well read, the book well written.