This author has created her own version or aroma vision in this delectable festive romantic comedy. It opens with descriptions of the heroine, Kirstie Harrison, presenting the first in a planned series of live television broadcasts of festive foods being cooked in Kirstie’s Kitchen. The mouth watering descriptions and visual images created by the author’s skilled wordcraft paint pictures and delightful aromas in the reader’s imagination. That’s just before everything starts to go wrong! Kirstie no longer loves the festive aromas as they evoke painful memories and tragedy. When she admits this to the guest chef after the show has been filmed she is vociferous in her condemnation of all things Christmas and this is, unknown to her. transmitted to the viewers. She is promptly replaced and travels to her family home, The Dancing Duck in Cranbury, where her sister and family live and work.

Needless to say, fate is about to intervene again and Kirstie ends up helping to run the many festive events planned for the village that are being hosted in The Dancing Duck . . . . alongside her first love and ex-boyfriend, Josh Turner, who is the manager of the Pub. This will be the last time her family will have such a key role as financial difficulties mean they are selling The Dancing Duck, with the contracts being exchanged in the New Year. The person purchasing the establishment is Miles Morgan, a rich lawyer from London. As the two men connect with her life, deciding which one to favour will have a significant impact on her future. Should she reconnect with her first love or move on to a new one?

The story is packed with great characters, humour, festive food, village fun and romance. It is a thoroughly enjoyable read and I loved escaping into the charming community of Cranberry, where people work together to help each other and create a fantastic festive season for all. This is another winner from one of my favourite authors - I can never wait to read her books so when a new one comes available it jumps straight to the top of my to be read pile! If you haven’t tried any of her books yet and, like me, love well written romantic comedies to brighten your life, I recommend you grab this or any of her earlier books. I’ll certainly continue to look out for more by this author in future and advise you to do so, too!

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

So there's Christmas. And then there's Christmas at a tavern that was previously run by people every so slightly obsessed with collecting trinkets. Christmas trinkets included. Sound perfect? Then you should definitely read Daisy James' Christmas at the Dancing Duck!



Quick disclaimer: I got the chance to read this book via Netgalley. All opinions are completely my own, though!

Story

"The most wonderful time of the year!

Kirstie Harrison is finally coming home for the holidays. Ever since tragedy struck a few years ago, Christmas hasn’t felt the same – but she’s determined that this year will be different…

And staying at the family pub, The Dancing Duck, means it’s impossible not to get caught up in the little village of Cranbury’s festive traditions. And it’s equally impossible to avoid her ex, Josh Turner!

Kirstie is torn between making this the best Christmas yet and knowing that she can’t stay forever. Maybe it’s time to make a holiday wish of her own…?"

Now here's an added note for Goodreads: the reason Kirstie Harrison is going home? Because she *happened* to state on national tv that she dislikes (at the least) Christmas. After presenting her own Christmas cooking show.

Basically: she's become not quite believable and is sent off to "lay low". And also isn't entirely sure her replacement won't actually do exactly that - replace her for the new year.

Characters

Kirstie Harrison loves food, her job (I think) and her sister - all three of those things are pretty obvious from fairly early on in the book. Apart from that however, she felt almost like a secondary character.

Even though there's a fair amount of background given on why she acts as she act - and I actually totally get why she does. Somehow she just seemed fairly bland to me.

The actual secondary characters though? I loved them. I want to know more about Leon, and Emma, and Rachel. About what Josh did on his world travels. I need to know more about Olivia, Kirstie's sister, and her husband.

Kirstie? eeh

(Quick note: there was one point where I went: "When something like this comes just over halfway the book and you just know it's all going to go horribly wrong." It did. Just so you know.

Narration

Now, I mentioned this at the top as well - there's a lot of food in here. We have a foodie that got to be on television through her passion. There's a French chef (with matching temper!) who is just amazing. And there's this amount of food:

Leon and Michel had spent the morning elbow high in flour to produce not only the classic chocolate roulade, but also a kaleidoscope of colourful macarons and a spectacular croquembouche dripping with caramel and decorated with sugared almonds. There was also going to be a huge vat of mulled wine and the inevitable pyramid of mince pies and mini Christmas-themed cupcakes.
But actually, the narration was pretty good, apart from one thing. As far as I can figure out, this is probably the reason why I feel so *meeh* about Kirstie.

Basically, it could have done with like 50-100 pages less. The plot was solid (as a matter of fact, I liked it enough that I decided to watch Every Christmas has a Story, which starts out fairly similarly. However, it was just too stretched out.

Overall: 2.75/5

I almost gave this 3/5, I did. Because, even if I thought it was stretched too long, it did make me want to watch my first Christmas movie of the season. And I definitely got hungry (and craving Christmas even more) from reading all the descriptions. I mean, there's not anything wrong with this book. I just found myself... A bit bored with it. I basically had to struggle my way through the middle 50% (I read this on Kindle, so no idea what pages those are).

I'll give the book this one though: that ending? It threw me. And I loved that.

Did you already read this book? Be sure to let me know below what you thought!

-Saar

This was a really lighthearted and easy Christmas read - just the type I love! Kirstie Harrison is live on her show Kirstie's Kitchen and accidentally lets the whole nation know that she hates Christmas treats! Of course, people are not happy and it soon ends up all over the internet. So Kirstie decides to lay low for a few weeks and spends Christmas at her family pub The Dancing Duck.

Having to run the pub whilst sister Olivia has to rush to Ireland isn't the only problem, she also has to work with ex-boyfriend Josh Turner and things are still quite frosty between them. Over the course of the two weeks, we get to learn more about the running of the pub and also the Christmas events that are being held there. As well as this, I could see Kirstie changing over her time at the pub, she becomes more relaxed and finds herself loving being back home in the village of Cranbury.

One thing I absolutely adored about this was the Christmas events that the pub held, I loved the baking event and the descriptions of the gingerbread men, the mince pies and puddings was making my mouth water and I suddenly had the urge to go and make some myself! There was also the more crafty event, where the villagers was decorating glass jars and a manner of other objects - these really made me feel like I was there as part of that village and enjoying the events with them.

One character I didn't like was Miles (who was buying the pub) and I disliked when him and Kirstie went out together, I found him slimy and secretive (which of course, you are meant to find him this way I suppose!) and I was so pleased with how things worked out in the end. I must admit that I was even a little disappointed with Kirstie and even debating her going out with him!

This book is just full of Christmas cheer and will certainly leave you feeling festive and all warm inside at the ending. It's full of descriptions about Christmas food that will leave your mouth watering and it will make you wish you lived in a village like Cranbury!

Overall, another really enjoyable novel by Daisy James. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

I started reading this in bed and the opening had me laughing out loud, it was brilliant, and the plot just got better and better from there.

It was a wonderfully festive opening scene, if you are a Christmas food lover you would have been in your element reading the various descriptions, and then like me opened mouthed when Kirstie who had been filing the first of her Christmas cookery specials, was caught live expressing her hatred of all things Christmas.

So she slinks back to her family's pub The Dancing Duck in Cranbury (what a fabulous village name), only to discover she not only has to run it for a few weeks, but that she has to oversee some big Christmas village events too, while knowing that the pub needs to be sold too.

There are multiple large Christmas events in the village, a party, a crafts competition and a cooking contest, and I loved the detailed descriptions of them, I really did feel like I was a fly on the wall watching the festivities.

Two very different men, one is the man buying the pub, the other is Kirstie's ex - the question in my thoughts for most of the book was which one will she end up with given they represent different parts of her life and directions she could go in.

Filled with festive food, fun and frolics, Christmas at the Dancing Duck is another fabulous book from Daisy James who is fast becoming an author I need to make a priority when a new book comes out, due to my sheer enjoyment of her work.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This is a gentle Christmas read. I recommend it to anyone trying to get in the Christmas mood. Set in an English village where the dancing duck pub is central to the story. Kristie the main character has to deal with many issues including the loss of her parents, her departure from the village she grew up in, and her feelings towards Josh her childhood boyfriend. Daisy James has created a gentle holiday read which leaves you with a feel good feeling .

A lovely British holiday read that makes you want to curl up under a warm blanket with a hot cup of cocoa and enjoy. Like many, the holidays are tough for Kirstie Harrison, especially after the death of her parents. After an unfortunate incident at her work, she is forced to retreat to her home village to help with the family pub until it is sold at the end of the year. But returning home means facing ghosts, and old friends, and finally Josh Turner—the one who got away. A festive season ensues with the entire village pulling together to make this the absolute best holiday the Dancing Duck pub has ever seen, regardless of it’s limited days. And in the midst, Kirstie must make peace with her loss, her community, and with Josh. Daisy James creates a wonderful holiday story with lovable characters who welcome readers into their village to the point they find they may not ever want to leave.

I received this advanced copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I have read several of Daisy James’ books and this one is the best yet.

Kristie is a presenter of a cooking segment on morning television and when she makes a on air mistake she is given time off and returns home to the village of Cranbury to help her sister who runs the family pub, the Dancing Duck. Since the death of their parents the pub has fallen on hard times and the sisters are having to sell it and decide which of their parents possessions to keep,

This is a great book with the story being set in the run up to Christmas, the Dancing Duck is the focal point of the book, the characters are easy to like and believable and the way the villagers helped to try to stop the pub being sold was heartwarming, add a touch of romance and Christmas and you have an wonderful engaging story about a community at its best.

A lovely Christmas themed snowmance story. When television presenter Kirstie is embarrassed by her own anti-Christmas sentiments heard by her live studio audience she high tails it out of London and back to her home village to help her sister and brother in law prepare the family pub business for sale.

In doing so Kirstie has to contend with being around her ex Josh while prepping the pub for sale and for the Christmas season. What follows is a lovely tale of family, friendship, and perseverance with a dash of romance and the spirit of the holidays.

Loved reading about the Dancing Duck and all the village characters.

This was a very enjoyable Christmas read. The plot had plenty of twists and turns, the characters were engaging and well rounded. The setting had a great community spirit to it and the feel good factor was high with the whole village getting behind the main characters. The romance was a slow burn but was not the focal point of the story, it simply added another layer to the plotlines.