A Christmas Celebration: the cosiest, most joyful novel you'll read this Christmas

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Music was a massive focus for this book, showing the different holds that it can have on people - both positively and negatively, but I think we can all agree that it definitely provokes memories and brings feelings right to the surface. Music really can be a complete mood changer can’t it and both Beth and Eli see this throughout the book. All three of them have a secret, and a desire to hide away from the world. But with Christmas on the horizon, is that really the best way to celebrate the season? About the Author I think the fact that this novel has the message of slowing down and taking a moment to smell the rose does mean that it moves at a slower pace to previous Heidi Swain books. I feel like it took me longer to get to the crescendo and the ending than in some of the Wynbridge novels where there is always a hive of activity and multiple characters are living their own drama filled storylines. I don't think there was an issue with the pacing, it is just slower than I have come to expect from a Heidi Swain book. The wonderful descriptions of Weymouth made me feel nostalgic for past family holidays on the beach. I’ve always loved the idea of moving somewhere new and starting again, so you can imagine how much this book appealed to me. The descriptions were very vivid and made me feel that I was actually there experiencing everything alongside them. I can’t wait to go to the beach when all of this is over.

Sharing with neat freak Eli isn’t all plain sailing, but as their friendship grows they may just be exactly what the other needs to put ghosts to rest and move forward with life. I was so disappointed with this book! I had heard so many good things about Heidi Swain books and about this one in particular so I thought I’d give it a go... Nightingale Square provides plenty of opportunities for Beth to step out of her comfort zone. One of the reasons I love this community is their willingness to nurture and care without even knowing what the issues are. It’s so non-judgemental. Beth holds her secrets close but in this environment, her conscience won’t let her for long. Tess is renting a cottage from the owner of the pub Sam and is instantly attracted to him but shelves the idea because it looks like he has a girlfriendBeth loves her job at a local care home for the elderly. She isn’t so keen on her living arrangements, so when a house share on Nightingale Square becomes available Beth jumps at the chance.

Beth has her issues, banning music from her life because it’s too painful to allow it in. You really feel her emotions and are desperate for things to improve for her. So when she has the opportunity to not only to improve her career, the chance to move away from her despicable housemates into a shared house on Nightingale Square suddenly arrives. One of the things that the cafe owner says to her is whatever happens make sure you have all the facts. Does Tess listen, she goes on to make one assumption after another and makes a mighty mess of her own making burgeoning on the irritated side and makes one faux pas after another. The biggest faux pas is the assumption she makes about her father…. we find out at the end of the book I guessed half of it but got more than I thought.

About the Author

I always look forward to a Heidi Swain novel and this one was high up on my reading list! The sunshiney cover screamed summer and the location looked so picturesque that I couldn't wait to delve in and read all about Tess and Sam! So we have our main girl Tess, who is very much the over achieving worker, trying her best to please a distant father. You soon get the sense that the relationship she has with him is fractured, and this is one of the issues that Tess needs to work through as the story goes on. At the beginning of the book she's working long hours, not taken a holiday in far too long, and is generally just at the end of her tether. She's deciding whether to take a holiday when she finds a bunch of letters from her deceased mum which convinces her that yes, she needs to get out of town for a while. And so she does!