With a beautiful and tranquil setting of Gull Island in the Scilly Isles, this is a story that drew me in. With its fabulous cast of characters, and set over the winter months, this is much more than a Christmas book.

Yes Christmas plays a large part, but more as a setting, than to try to get the reader feeling festive, for what is important in this book are what the islanders are up to, what secrets are being hidden, over the course of the winter. This is a book that could easily be read at any time of year, although it was rather fitting that I was reading it on a rainy miserable day, as it fitted into some of the more atmospheric weather descriptions.

For on a remote island like Gull Island it is rather unusual for an Australian backpacker to decide to spend the off season there, even more so by taking a job in the Driftwood Inn. It is clear quite early on there is something he is hiding, but even my wildest guesses were way off mark when the secrets are revealed.

Patrick is a handsome Aussie and tries his hardest to fit in with life on Gull Island, and Maisie his boss tries to fight her growing attraction to him. Maisie runs the Inn and is just hoping Christmas this year is better than last year. She is also determined not to let the Inn and other properties on Gull be sold to Hugo.

I just really enjoyed every element of this story, there is the fight to keep the island how it is, there are many great islanders which we meet through Maisie's role in the pub, there is Patrick's troubled past, a great feeling of community not just on Gull Island but also the other Scilly Isles, and I loved seeing how the story between Patrick and Maisie developed.

Plenty of drama and action, some laughs, and this is just the first book in the Little Cornish Isles series, I can't help but feel this will get even stronger and more brilliant as the series progresses. Or at least I can't wait to find out!

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.