I hadn’t realised this was a sequel so I had a quick recap of the first book which gave me enough background to become involved with the characters and the story, without actually having read the previous book. Despite being an octogenarian and having been persuaded to move into Oakley West retirement facility by her son after a minor stroke, Olive Turner is determined to live life to the full. Olive’s original ‘gin shack’ was her beloved beach hut where she and her two friends and kindred spirits, Veronica and Randy, met to drink their favourite tipple, becoming known as the Oakley West Trio. The quest to find the perfect gin and tonic began with Olive and her late husband, and Olive has no intention of giving up on their dream. And it makes her feel closer to her husband and daughter when she toasts them at the end of each day.

Olive’s Gin Shack idea escalated and is now a bar in larger premises, run by her beach hut neighbour and good friend, Tony, with the help of the original trio and the beach hut community. Christmas is coming which is Olive’s favourite season, and the Gin Shack members are trying out various delicious sounding cocktail recipes to enter into the Best Christmas Cocktail competition.

I love the concept of this story; the idea of a beach hut community (I’ve always fancied owning a beach hut) and the Gin Shack. And there’s much more to the story than you might at first assume, including lots of Christmas spirit (of both kinds), seeing off pranksters and saboteurs and a touch of romance. It’s far removed from the typical Christmas themed romance however, with the gang of older characters intent on family and friends, maintaining the Christmas spirit and keeping their enterprise going. Olive is a likeable and realistic character with genuine age related issues and tragic events in her past. She has a great attitude to life with a larger than life personality and I love the way she embraces her new purchase as she overcomes the steep climb up from the beach. It’s a refreshing change to have the more mature characters in the forefront of the story.

Catherine Miller has crafted a delightful cast of characters of all ages with an engaging, feel good story full of emotion and humour, a perfect read for the season.

a festive fun book for gin lovers and a heroine that everyone would love to have as a granny, the old still know how to have fun. An easy read and fun stocking filler.

If you have run out of gin, now is the time to stock up in time for Christmas. Nothing better than settling down to a great read and a great tipple.

But have you ever thought of having a festive G&T ?

Olive has.

Still residing at Oakley West retirement home but living life to the full, she is still very much part of the Gin Shack which was created out of her own simple idea and is featured in the first novel, The Gin Shack on the Beach.

Creating a Gin themed weekend and a G&T competition is enough to keep Olive, her son Richard, the managers, Tony and Esme as well as Randy and Veronica, Skylar and Lucas and many more familiar faces.

However, everything seems to be going against them. Tony is taken ill suddenly, and a rival bar sets up business. Their promoting skills seem to be directed at bringing the Gin Shack's name to shame and affecting their business. 

Add to this, returning fathers, disappearing children, grottos, food, mince pies and of course plenty of gin. 

This really is a joyful novel to read. It is full of warmth and humour. Family relationships are strengthened and it has such a wonderful sense of community that it is a shame that life perhaps is not quite like that. What I also love is the cross-section of ages, covered with the characters this is not simply a book about a group of people all of a certain age. This is a book which shows you age is no barrier to friendship and bringing everyone together is so beneficial; everyone has a part to play and experience to bring.  

It is a Christmas book and you can read it without having read the first and still enjoy it. But frankly why would you want to do that when you can read the first and completely immerse yourself in gin. I need to try a Christmas gin. 

I think the storyline in this book and the characters, show there is scope for a third book, well I hope so!

A great read!
I thought that Olive had great character and I thought that the author had great empathy for the octogenarian.
The setting was delightful, I would love to find a place like that for a holiday. I particularly liked the retirement home that Olive lived in that featured more in the first book, which I have still to buy.
I decided that the characters were all needed in one way or another for the story to develop and they all had a place.
Great read.
Thanks to NetGalley, Catherine Miller and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I think I missed some of the background to this book as i have not read the first book in the series.
The story is set around a small community in Kent where life revolves around their beach huts and the Gin Shack. It was a fairly fast based book with a lot going on, but was easy to keep up with.

Even though “Christmas at the Gin Shack” is a sequel to “The Gin Shack on the Beach”, it can easily be read as a standalone. I got to know the characters very quickly and the story flowed, although it has piqued my interest to go back and read the first book!

Olive is back again and, at eight-four years old, still loves her gin cocktails. A lovely lady who values her friends, and fights to get to the bottom of the puzzle of who is trying to cause trouble for those involved with the Gin Shack. It was great to have a book with an elderly lady as the central character, and it really worked.

I love Christmas books and this was no exception – if you like Christmas and you like gin, then this is the one for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQDigital for an ARC in return for a fair and honest review.

CHRISTMAS AT THE GIN SHACK WRITTEN BY CATHERINE MILLER

When I requested this gem of a book, I was unaware that it was a sequel. After learning all of the different character's, I realized that this novel can be read as a standalone and be thoroughly enjoyed. I will admit with the vast array of lovable characters to learn I needed to get well to the 50 percent point to get a good grasp of this tight knit beach community. The central character is Olive, an 84 year old spritely, feisty, much beloved character and I hope I am as creative and energetic as Olive is if I make it to her age. Olive gets around driving a segway. She goes skinny dipping in the sea with one of the trio Veronica, from Oakley West retirement homes.

Olive has a son named Richard who finds romance with Skylar, who Olive very much thinks of as a daughter. The Gin Shack is located on the beach and for Christmas Olive is launching a competition for the tastiest, best decorated Gin drink. I wasn't aware there were so many different ways to drink Gin, because I myself have never liked it. Some of the concoctions described in the novel are quite delicious by their descriptions.

If you like reading about a wide range age group of lovable character's then you will love this book. There is really a lot more going on with the plot because it doesn't just center on Christmas. There is much to appreciate such as family, friendship, mystery, community all taking place in a warm, beach themed town where their are a few pranksters. This is a feel good, warm. cozy narrative with Olive as such an inspiration. I am anxious to read the prequel and hope that the author continues writing a third book picking up from where this book leaves off. I felt like this was more of a beach themed book than a book about Christmas. I promise you that Olive will capture your heart and become one of your favorite protagonist to add to your bounty of well developed character's that you hold dear to your heart. Highly Recommended!

Thank you to Net Galley, Catherine Miller and HQ for providing me with my digital copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I was struck by the range of characters who form the community in Christmas at the Gin Shack. They set the book apart. Olive, the central character is in her 80's with all the life experience that that brings. Some of her challenges are age related and it was refreshing to see them set in a piece of contemporary fiction. There's lots of humour to be had at the Gin Shack and it was lovely to read about such a warm, inclusive community.
In addition to a bit of budding romance, there's also a mystery to be solved. It is not obvious how it pans out and some of the characters surprise you. I particularly liked the friendships which Olive has formed, and found her relationship with Lucas, the young son of Skylar, to be particularly touching. The plot flowed along nicely and although I was reading it in October, nevertheless, I got a warm, festive feeling- it's just right for those cold, dark nights.

In short: a fabulous cocktail of festive fun.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book.

When I first started reading ‘Christmas at the Gin Shack’, I never realised that it was the second book in a series. Though I agree that it can be read as a standalone, I believe, to have a better understanding of the characters, and how the Gin Shack came to be, book one really needs to be read first.

With the launch of a competition to find the ‘Best Christmas Cocktail’, Olive sets out to win. She has a lot of determination and knows a thing or two about gin, but when things start going wrong Olive isn’t sure whether she is being sabotaged, or is just losing her mind in her old age.

I enjoyed getting to know 84 year old Olive Turner and her friends Veronica and Randy – the Oakley Trio, (they all live at Oakley West Retirement Home), plus Olive’s son Richard too.

The book is filled to the brim with amusing scenes, mysterious goings on, and a few red herrings to throw you off the trail too. The was a lot of depth to the plot, which is beautifully realistic too, plus very addictive. You can almost smell and taste the cocktails, though I’m glad it was almost as I detest gin :-)

It was lovely to read a story where the cast are not young twenty-somethings finding their place in the world. Olive is a woman who knows her place already, she is fun and energetic for an octogenarian and doesn’t let anybody stand in her way (though her own body might!). If this story is anything to go by, there should be more books with older characters.

‘Christmas at the Gin Shack’, is the perfect festive book, and if you like gin too then you’re on to a winner.

5☆ I adored and devoured this book!

Christmas at the Gin Shack is the second book in the series. Although this could easily be read as a standalone.
I do think it's best to read the first book The Gin Shack on the Beach to get a real understanding of the back story and Characters.

I absolutely adored this book.
It was so good to be back with Olive, the gang and the Gin Shack.
It was like I never left.
All the fabulous Characters were there, The Oakley West Trio - Olive, Randy and Veronica, Richard (Olive's Son), Tony, Esme and their sons and Skylar and Lucas.

Olive, Randy and Veronica all live together in Oakley West retirement home. They are the golden oldies... who are incredibly young and full of life- I adored these 3 so much, so inspirational.
Oh and Randy and Veronica are now a couple... which proves you are never too old to find love! Beautiful!!

I want to mention how fantastic Catherine is at creating memorable characters that can have you laughing out loud one minute to melting your heart the next.
It's such a refreshing change to have the main characters as the older generation, but yet still so full of life, fun and plenty of mischief!!
They certainly gave the younger characters a run for their money!!
Love, love, love Olive, Randy and Veronica!

So back to the Story.....
Poor Olive turns up at the Gin Shack to find it has been Sabotaged, the Gin Shack sign has been turned into 'The Gin's Shite' followed by  rotund pink decoupage bum with brown streamers flowing out of it.
Someone is out to Sabotage The Gin Shack!
But Why!!

With Mysterious things happening all around Olive, she is starting to worry she is having memory problems.
Or is there something else going on!!

Who is breaking into Olive's Beach Hut or is it just Olive's imagination?!

Who is the mysterious prankster and why are they sabotaging everything that Olive loves!

So when Olive and Tony decide to enter the Gin Shack into the local papers Competition a Christmas Cocktail.
They decide that they will each make a Gin Inspired Christmas Cocktail and let the Customers decide which one to enter.

When Tony is taken seriously ill, Olive steps in to help Tony keep the Gin Shack going.
But with things going wrong and a potential threat to their business....can Olive and her friends save the Gin Shack and win the Competition?
Can they discover the mystery of the prankster, and who is breaking into Olives Beach Hut!

I guess you are going to have to read it to find out! You won't be disappointed!

Oh and did i mention.... Olive is my hero!!!..... She is now rocking it on her brand new Segway!!.....What a legend!!!
Forget mobility scooters, Olive has got a Segway!!!

Christmas at the Gin Shack, literally has something for everyone, Delicious Gin Inspired Cocktails, Love, Friendship, Family, Relationships, Rilvary, Mystery, Christmas, Action, Adventure, Laugh out Loud Moments, Crazy Antics, Loveable Characters, Warm and Cosy easy to read

Although this is a Christmas book and I adored all the Scrummy Gin Cocktails, this can be read at any time of the year. There was so much going on, Christmas wasn't the main focus. Yes there is lots of yummy alcohol but there is so many other little twists waiting to be discovered.
Enjoy!


Would I recommend this book ........
Without a doubt....... 100%.......... YES!!!!


I really hope this isn't the last visit to The Gin Shack! I can't wait to read more by Catherine.

Highly recommend to readers who love Chick Lit, Contemporary Comedy, Gin, Mystery, Christmas Reads, Drama, Romance, Family and Friendship!

This book really will leave you Gingling all through the pages!

How lovely to read a festive book that has a feisty old lady as the main character, when I get old I want to be just like Olive, eating what she likes, getting tiddly on gin cocktails and travelling around not on a scooter but on a Segway! A warm, cosy, light read with much to say about the importance of family and friends with a couple of delicious sounding cocktail recipes thrown in too, what’s not to like?!

Okay, okay, despite my love of deep and twisty thrillers sometimes I can’t resist a a campy holiday read. And Christmas at the Gin Shack fits that bill perfectly. Truth be told though, if this story had been written with anyone other than Olive as the protagonist I might have bailed. But our gin drinking, Segway riding, craft-fiti fighting pensioner made for a story that I couldn’t peel my eyes off of.

Now add in the fact that Miller used this novel as a platform to address some pretty serious issues and my little activist heart goes pitter-patter. Elder abuse, maltreatment in care facilities, and poor programming that fails to contribute to quality of life are issues that I have fought with in the care of my own grandparents. The presence of these elements made the story feel so damn real, and grounded it in a way that made me feel Olive and Matron were actual people and that advanced crochet was possibly the most boring experience on the planet. Other heavy hitting topics included the precarious situations of the self-employed, managing family relations after the loss of a loved one, absentee parents and navigating the aftermath of toxic relationships.

That’s not to say, however, that this was a heavy or overtly political read. Rather, the balance between these elements, Olive’s humour and infectious holiday cheer, and the cozy mystery of the craft-fiti bomber made for a light and enjoyable experience. I loved the tight-knit nature of Olive’s circle of friends, and truly felt as though I was being drawn into their circle the further the story progressed. Their unwavering support for one another was as heart warming as the holiday timing, as was the tidy nature of the ending. I won’t say too much as I hate handing out spoilers, but it really was the perfect fit for this feisty tale.

This is such a fantastic return to the Gin Shack. We come back heading towards Christmas and a cocktail competition between the characters to invent a festive drink to put forward to the competition to put the Gin Shack in the award winning arena.
Olive is struggling a bit and feeling her age- but comes up with a great way of beating the weary legs! It really made me smile- despite the fact that my husband broke his hip falling off one last year! The friendships between all the beach hut crew is really heartwarming and the scenes set there were full of imagery.
You feel the deep friendships, family relationships and even forgiveness in the most unlikely quarters. I absolutely love being drawn into the heart of the community and would love to try the gin club evenings- especially when the cocktails are on the menu.

Enjoyable follow up to the gin shack. I loved the characters and holiday theme!!

I wouldn't normally choose to read a Christmas book in October but the title 'Christmas at the Gin Shack' had me intrigued. I haven't read the first in the series, 'The Gin Shack at the Beach' but that didn't spoil my enjoyment of this one.

I was interested to find out how a trio of octogenarians had come up with the idea for a gin themed bar right next to the sea. The main character Olive is a force to be reckoned with.She travels around the coastline on a rather unique mode of transport and breaks every rule in the 'Elderly Person's Handbook'.  In addition to this, she knows everything there is to know about gin!

Olive has to turn into a sleuth when things start to go wrong at the gin shack and despite being eighty-four she won't rest until she finds out what is going on. She is aided by her son Richard, a lawyer who returns to Westbrook Bay to spend more time with his mum. Lovebirds Randy and Veronica from Oakley West Retirement Quarters are such a cute couple and Veronica's extensive knowledge of social media really made me chuckle. Friends from the beach hut community Skylar, Tony and Esme are on hand to help out and they all pull together to unravel the strange goings-on.

What really made this book different for me was the delicious sounding flavoured gin recipes. The customers of the gin shack are treated to some really imaginative concoctions and I licked my lips at the thought of some of them.

Packed full of mystery, mischief, and adorable characters, Christmas at the Gin Shack should be in everyone's Christmas stocking, to be enjoyed with a homemade mince pie and a drop of gin for good measure.

The book was sent to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great book, if you want to read about gin, cocktails and Christmas then give this book a read. I believe it’s the he second book in a series but is a stand alone book too, I haven’t read the first book and had no trouble picking this up and falling straight into it.
A great festive read that left me feeling all warm and cozy.

Awww I loved this book!!  I thought that the storyline was great and I loved how the book flowed so well.  The characters were brilliant and I thought that their interaction was great, the pace was spot on and I loved every page whilst I was reading it - it genuinely is a treat and it really did leave me feeling all warm and cosy - absolutely perfect for a cosy night in - 5 stars from me!!

Christmas at the Gin Shack was my first Catherine Miller book, but it certainly won’t be my last! Charming, heartwarming and simply irresistible, Christmas at the Gin Shack is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold autumn afternoon!

Olive Turner might be eighty-four years of age, but she shows no side of slowing down! Christmas has always been her favourite time of year and she is determined to make this year the best one yet. With this being the first Christmas for the Gin Shack, Olive is determined to pull out all the stops and ensure that this will be a Yuletide to remember. With a cocktail competition and a gin-themed weekend on the cards, Olive is determined that this year’s Christmas celebrations will go off without a hitch. However, beneath all the festive cheer and glittering fairy lights, Olive begins to sense an undercurrent of menace that could threaten and jeopardise not just the entire holiday celebration, but the Gin Shack as well!

As her beloved Gin Shack ends up under threat by reckless trespassers, not to mention a cruel joke being played upon her friends, it looks like Olive must use all of her resources at her disposal to ensure that the Christmas festivities go off without a hitch. But with so many obstacles standing in her way, will Olive manage to achieve all of her objectives? Or will disappointment and regret end up colouring the entire holiday?

Will a perfect gin cocktail before Christmas Eve end up saving the day? And will Olive succeed in her goal to have the best Christmas ever?

Christmas at the Gin Shack is such a wonderful read! I had a great big smile on my face from the moment I picked the book up. Olive is such a fantastic character. Irrepressible, fun-loving and truly inspirational, I hope I have half her energy when I get to her age.

Catherine Miller writes with great style and charm and I found myself unable to put Christmas at the Gin Shack down! Brimming with wonderful characters, mystery, humour and heart, Christmas at the Gin Shack is a fantastic read that should be on your must-buy list this holiday season!

I absolutely loved this fun festive read from Miller. Olive was definitely not what I expected of an 84 year old protagonist! Her preferred mode of transport was pure genius and the plot was as pacy as her set of wheels. My only regret is that I hadn't read the first in the series before diving into this, but that said Miller cleverly included details to keep the reader abreast of what had happened before. A great read, packed full of Christmas cocktails. Delicious!