I really enjoyed this story as a warm and cosy, curl up with some fairy lights kind of story. It's a light read but well written and entertaining.

Today I am pleased to be a stop on the Christmas at Mistletoe Cottage by Lucy Daniels blog tour. As a child I read a number of the popular Animal Ark books and I have also bought a couple for my daughter when she was younger. Lucy Daniels is also the author of the Animal Ark series.


Christmas at Mistletoe Cottage is the second book in this series of books which is set at Hope Meadows, a rescue centre, set up by our main characters, Mandy, who has returned to live with her parents and help out in their vetinary surgery, while also fulfilling her dreams and setting up a rescue centre for all those animals that need to be rehomed or rescued from unsuitable owners or surroundings (including two fluffy donkeys in this book). If I am totally honest, I read the first book in this series, Summer at Hope Meadows, and was not immediately loving the story. I really liked the characters and the settings and the storyline within the book but I wasn't sure about the actual book, I felt that it was rather slow in places, however I have definitely changed my mind since reading Christmas at Mistletoe Cottage. I really enjoyed the story, great to meet up again with Mandy and her parents and also Jimmy, the hunky bloke who has also returned to the village and has just opened a rope adventure centre within the local woodland. The storyline seemed to move quicker and I found myself wanting to read just one more chapter before sleep (one of my signs of a great book).

The title suggests that the book is Christmas focused and there is a note to Christmas within the book however it is not a book solely about the Christmas period, rather the winter months (first book called Summer, second book Christmas (Winter) and the third book, out next year, is Spring) and therefore it is not only for the festive period. It is great to read about the changes in season and the related changes that occur in nature. There is lots of talk about the surroundings and all the fields and woodland and also the wildlife that lives within. It is great to get lost within the book, imagining the scenery and all the animals in the surroundings.

Although this book is the second book in the series, it could be read as a standalone very easily, however reading Summer at Hope Meadows first gives the background of why and how Mandy returned to her parents home and her reasons behind opening up the rescue centre.

A great book to loose yourself in over the autumn/winter months which transports you to the middle of the English countryside. I am already looking forward to spring and our next visit to Hope Meadows.

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for inviting me to join the tour.

Review: I was so glad when I read the first in this series revisiting the character's from my childhood, the characters from Animal Ark. This is the second in the series following the month of the year. This one being set at Christmas. It is an easy read, well written and great descriptions of the setting.

I'd recommend this as a feel good winter read!

This is a well-written and relaxing book focused on a small country village in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, and particularly on a rural vet school and rescue centre. The animals and their stories in the book are what make this so enjoyable, so it's a must-read for animal lovers!

I haven't read any of the other books in this series, or by this author, but I'll certainly be catching up on the rest of the story now!

I enjoyed this book; simple, cosy, curl up reading. I particularly enjoyed the informed and detailed animal behaviour/care/husbandry features, which is similar to Lucy Dillon's writing and if, like me, you are a fan of her books this will definitely appeal.

Really enjoyable. Liked the plot. Looking forward to the next one.

With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Mandy, the central character, was nice enough, but I didn't get her reasons for holding back from Jimmy. Mandy and Jimmy don't spend much time together, and Jimmy's the "strong but silent" type and doesn't say how he feels enough in my opinion. I did enjoy the stories about the animals and there were lots of Christmas references, so it was a pleasant enough read, but lacking in the romance department. Part of the problem is no doubt the fact it's part of a series, so the romance has to be "spread out" so to speak.

A lovely easy read, a vet who is also running an animal sanctuary, and trying to buy a house. Someone starts a whispering vendetta against the animal sanctuary, and this causes a few problems in the village. However, all get sorted out in time for Christmas, the animals and humans all have a good Christmas. A lovely story, I enjoyed it.

I loved this book. Its my first by this author so i didnt know what to expect because i like a certain book and the synopsis read like it was my kind of book and i wasnt wrong. I will definetly read a book by this author again. It happens to be the second book in the series but it was easy to follow, you dont need to read book no1 to get the basics so each of these books can be a stand alone read.
This is a mix of scenic views, countryside, fury animals and christmas is just the best and lots more on offer. An animal shelter is included, so if you have a love of animals this is the read to curl up with over the festive period. you will not be dissapointed.
The characters were amazing and i really clicked with Mandy, the vet who is trying her best to help all the stryas that come into the animal shelter. Could i take them home? hahahahaha. However theres sadness in this when there is someone out to bother and hurt Mandy so the whole village rallies around to get to the bottom of it and find out how and who it is. and of course why.
The only negative i found was that the author would mention Mandys Mum and Dad but then would use their given names. I would rather like to read it as either their names or Mum and Dad in one sentence, soemtimes this can make you think other characters have appeared....
I cannot give this book anymore stars even though the sequence of sentences were a little odd sometimes... as mentioned above. However it was a satisfying happy read. I would like to thank Netgalley for allowing me to read this.

A great book that I was absorbed into very quickly and could not put down.
This is the second book in the series but if your like me and haven’t read the first don’t worry you can read it as a stand alone.
Mandy returns home to the family’s veterinary practice and soon realises that someone has a grudge against her new rescue centre, can she find out who it is before they do too much damage?
Have a read to find out I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

This was another wonderful book in the Hope Meadow Series. Mandy is getting her animal rescue centre up and running- but comes across some local opposition who are making things really difficult for her. You really feel for her- trying to keep all the animals safe until they find new forever homes but worrying that the spiteful events will cause her to have to close the centre.
I loved all the animals coming into the centre and the way they caught the hearts of the people visiting and even Mandy's dad, who is a vet.
The baby donkeys are really cute and you can imagine the children coming running to see them.
There are some really lovely magical scenes and romance blossoming, again with a few hitches. This is such a wonderfully warm and cosy read- you can curl up and lose yourself in a gorgeous story full of animals in a lovely village.

Mandy is cracking on with the setting up of the rescue centre at Hope Green, she loves working with her parents in the vet practice and she is trying to buy her own house to properly set down roots. Her love life is on track too although they never seem to see enough of each other with their busy lives.

A mysterious stranger however is trying to put a spoke in the wheels but with the help of the village will she be able to see them off and keep her life right on track?

Another lovely book and great to be back in Hope Green with all of the old characters....I thought enjoyed it.

Having read lots of animal ark books with my children years ago I enjoyed this grown up version of them. Once again the lives of the animal ark vets go on with some romance, some mystery and of course some lovely animal characters.

Christmas has arrived in Welford, and Mandy Hope is feeling good about the festive season. Her rescue centre, Hope Meadows, is up and running and she has an impending date with local hunk, Jimmy Marsh.

All is looking merry and bright until a mysterious local begins to put the future of Hope Meadows in jeopardy. 

Can Mandy, Jimmy and their fellow villagers put a stop to the strangers antics in time to ensure everyone has a Christmas to remember?

I had been keeping an eye out on NetGalley for this instalment, and was totally thrilled when my request for an ARC copy was approved. Even more so when upon starting to read, I realised part of my review had been used in the acknowledgements for the first book!

It’s that time of year where I am ready to dive into all the Christmassy, feel good titles I can get my hands on and the village of Welford was high on my list. 


Unfortunately, I felt a little let down by this book. I was expecting delicious descriptions of crackling fires and mince pies that could make my mouth water. What I actually got was a rather detached version of the village I know of old. It was as though Mandy’s character had completely changed, she was so ‘woe is me’ and at times quite pathetic. I was left wondering where the girl with the gumption to leave her boyfriend, and her life in the city, for a risky business adventure in the country had gone! 

Mandy’s odd character alteration aside the story itself was enjoyable, and as well written as always, if somewhat lacking in Christmas spirit. Apart from a sprinkling of snow and the last few chapters there wasn’t much festive fun to be found here.

I’m really disappointed that this part of the series just didn’t hit home for me, but I look forward to book 3, Springtime at Wildacre, reigniting my love for Welford and its occupants.

A sweet story which can be recommended to older readers of the Animal Ark series. Nicely drawn characters and good story line. Part of me wanted more descriptive prose but I settled for an easy read instead. .

Not leaving too long a gap between reading the first and second books in the Hope Meadows series by Lucy Daniels, a mere matter of weeks, meant that the featured characters and their stories were fresh in my mind. For those that come across Christmas at Mistletoe Cottage and like the look of the cover or even the sound of the blurb they need not worry in the slightest not having read book one Summer at Hope Meadows. For in the first few chapters the author skilfully slips in pieces here and there as to what had happened in the first book and where certain characters are now at.

I had enjoyed Summer at Hope Meadows but was slightly fearful that this would just be a rehash of what I had read before. I read around 20% of the book and do admit to struggling with it so I left it overnight and when I picked it up the next day something just clicked with me and I didn't put it down until I had read the very last page. I think this book is far better than the first. The characters and setting feel far more established, like they are settling down. All the introductions and setting up are put of the way and the story moved forward a lot better. There was more depth and development to both the story lines and characters yet animals still feature very heavily but here I didn't feel the book was drowning in technical veterinary terms and explanations as it had somewhat in book one. Christmas does feature in the title and, again as with other Christmas books I have read so far, it was not the dominant theme but instead the lead up and the event itself featured more heavily in the second half of the book as the town of Welford and the surrounding fells become encased in snow.

Mandy Hope, our main female character, is slowly settling into life running the Hope Meadows rescue centre for all animals both big and small. This had been a lifelong dream of hers and with thanks to her parents Emily and Adam it had now come to fruition. She combines her time caring for the animals who have been left abandoned, unwanted or mistreated with her hours spent in the Animal Ark veterinary practice run by her parents. Helen Steer is the nurse who is dating Brandon a farmer. Rachel Farmer is the receptionist and altogether they make a great team. Mandy had done a lot of growing up and made some bold decisions in the first book but there was still plenty of room for more growth in this new story. I hoped she would grow in confidence and continue to always stand up for what she believed in when it came to animals and their care. Animals are at the centre of everything she does, so much so that sometimes people feel that she pushes them away. I did think the same and was glad when a character mentioned it. At times Mandy is so caught up in the dogs and in this case the adorable donkey foals which arrive at the centre that the personal side of her life gets short shrift. She misinterprets situations and then makes rash statements or impulsive decisions and regrets them. She then can't bring herself to admit oh maybe I was wrong and in a way buries her head in the sand.

Mandy's fledging relationship with Jimmy Marsh, who runs the recently opened outward bound centre is a case in point. I thought at the end of the first story that things were on the up for the pair. Yes they weren't rushing headlong into things for various reasons but surely Mandy was going to be a bit more open and not keeping pushing him away when things got more interesting especially from the reader's viewpoint. I know it would be boring to read of a lovey dovey relationship with no problems but I felt Mandy was just that bit abrupt with Jimmy when he really is a kind and caring person and would always be there to have her back and support if times got tough. I wanted Mandy to be more open with Jimmy and for most of the book she wasn't. Basically,I felt she needed a good talking to.

As well as relationship woes, Mandy has a battle on her hands at the rescue centre as evidence of a hate campaign is slowly starting to emerge. Is it against the centre and animals or Mandy herself? She doesn't know and as more and more mysterious and cruel things start to happen Mandy begins to doubt herself and whether the residents of Welford want the rescue centre in their village. Mandy feels torn in two, her loyalty to the animals in her care but also the fact that the people she believed were friends want the centre gone. The events described were cruel and frustrating for Mandy, everything seemed to be going against her but she has to be admired for keeping going in the face of adversity. The scenes where she takes the dogs out to train them shows how she bonds with each and every animal and I hoped she would realise that whoever had it in for here was sorely mistaken in their intentions. One scene in particular around the halfway mark confirmed for me as to who the actual culprit was and their reasons behind the vendetta. So the element of surprise was not there for me when the big reveal came, but the scenes were dramatic and my heart was in my mouth. Knowing who it was didn't detract from the overall story in a way it was nice to have my suspicions confirmed.

Christmas at Mistletoe Cottage was a really enjoyable read once I got passed the first few chapters I felt things got going. The Christmas scenes were gorgeous, particulary the events at the nativity play. The author did a brilliant job of making Welford come to life in the festive season as the snow fell and a dramatic event unfolded for a younger character. Mandy grew up even more in this story, she is shouldering responsibility well and although she still jumps to conclusions way too quickly there was a bit more development on the romance front. I was glad to see the issue of her mother Emily's tiredness dealt with as this had been nagging away at me in book one. Mandy's best friend James, wasn't forgotten either but I would like to see more of him feature in the next book. I understand he is still battling through a tough time where he may wish to be alone to come to terms with things but I'd love for him to get more of a storyline in the future.

By the conclusion of this book I felt we were set up nicely for book three Springtime at Wildacre where I can't wait to see what happens next for Mandy. Will the rescue centre be able to keep going the financial costs and the fact Mandy now has her own cottage to refurbish and a mortgage to pay? One thing is for sure there will always be more animals in need of rescue, some tender loving care and attention and Mandy Hope with her kind nature will be the very person to offer it to them. Christmas at Mistletoe Cottage was a lovely addition to the series and a gorgeous book to curl up for a few peaceful hours of reading.

I LOVED this book!!  I am a massive animal lover having always had pets from a young age (we currently have three chinchillas) so any book having pets and Christmas was always going to tick the right boxes for me - and I just adore the cover!

I thought that the story was great and the writing style is spot on throughout the book. It really flows so well that I flew through the book in no time at all.  Mandy and Jimmy are fantastic characters and I loved their interaction. 

I always wanted to be a vet when I was younger so I think I harbour a secret longing to read any books that have vets in the main roles so I can live the job through them!  They are certainly one of the first books I will go to if I need a pick me up and this book did just the job - it is a book that I would re-read (and that doesn't happen that often)!

I couldn't give this book anything other than a 5 stars review - I really enjoyed the whole thing and very highly recommend it - a really lovely read!!

When you mix my favourite time of year with my dream job, you get a brilliant story - and that's just what Lucy Daniels has created. This novel is about a vet and Christmas time and for me it couldn't get any better. I love books about animals and adore stories set at Christmas so it's a win win in my book.

As well as these two things, I found there to be such a lovely close-knit community feel within this story and it was lovely to see everyone in the village coming together when one of the villagers (Mandy) needs their help. It's such a lovely thing to do and something that I love to read about. Everyone coming together at Christmas time makes for a lovely, charming read.

I hadn't read the first one in the series before reading this one but I don't feel as though I was missing bits of information. Everything was throughly thought out so not once was I sat there confused and wondering what was going on. The characters are all unique and I found myself really connecting with main character Mandy.

If the cover wasn't beautiful enough for you to be drawn in - then the blurb will certainly make you want to read it! 'The scent of hot roasted chestnuts is in the air' - it sounds delicious that's for sure - and so tempting! Going back to the cover though, I absolutely love it. The snow on the fields and the use of the mistletoe and robin's around the edges are just so beautiful.

I actually managed to read this book fairly quickly because I was just so absorbed in the story and was desperate to know what was happening. When someone tries to sabotage Mandy's new vet, the village comes together and I just thought it was so lovely I couldn't put it down! I loved that there was a lot of cooking and baking involved in the story as well - something which I also really enjoy reading about in books!

Overall, a really enjoyable Christmas story - lighthearted and easy read. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Unfortunately the book was not for me, no review was publicly posted on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads or Twitter etc, so no ratings were affected in relation to it.

I am so sad, I absolutely adored the first book in this series, it made me laugh, cry and feel everything in-between. I am not sure what has happened in the interim to make such a change to the whole writing style, but this book lacked the warmth, emotion, that you had in Spades in Summer at Hope Meadows, and at points read more like a manual, rather than what I was expecting to be a sweet and Christmassy story, after falling in love with all the characters in book one, I just feel this one lost the point of what it was trying to get across.

I love a Christmas story, I have been waiting impatiently to read this one as soon as I saw it go up for pre-order on Amazon, but on this occasion it was an absolute let down.