Nice to have a main character in a snowmance novel that is not super girly girl but a bit of a tomboy. Rare to find. Really enjoyed the story overall, 3.5 stars.

This was a feel-good, warm and sweet romance with everything necessary for wonderful family Christmas celebrations: large, loving family all involved in the family business, cute kids, expectant mothers, etc. I did have some difficulty reconciling the setting for the book....had to keep reminding myself that the story was set in the UK, and not in the USA.

I enjoyed parts of this story and felt empathetic with the heroine because I too have suffered with endometriosis. The descriptions of warm, noisy celebrations with her large family were lovely and the family shop is one I would definitely want to visit if it were real. Where I struggled though was with the idea that she was going to give up her high powered (literally) job as an F1 mechanic to come home and work in the shop , I just didn't feel it gave the right message , breaking boundaries as a woman but then a backwards step to domesticity for the sake of love. Maybe I'm just too cynical and should have suspended disbelief more but not one of my favourite festive reads so far.

Loved this book. The story of Lexi and Cal, centred around a festive shop at Christmas time. Likable characters who you want to have a happy ending, the story draws you in and keeps you interested till the end of the book. Looking forward to more books from this author.

A lovely story of Lexi who has returned home from her glamorous F1 life with her tail between her legs. I particularly enjoyed her descriptions of Lexi's family life, and her interactions with her best friend Xander and his wife Giselle. Oh and little gorgeous George, who stole my heart!!

Maxine Morrey has a great writing style with an ability to conjure oodles of warmth. She has the ability to demonstrate smouldering affection between characters and to make you fall in love with them all.

This is the second book I've written by this author and I will be looking out for more from her.

What a fantastic read full of romance, family and the magic of Christmas. This story was wonderful from start to finish focusing on the relationship building between Cal and Lexi. Will they or won’t they get together, will they have a happy Christmas?
Loved this book and was so happy with the ending, although it was somewhat predictable. Thanks for allowing me to read and review this book.

Lexi used to work in formula one as an engineer. She headed home to be with a friend in need and consequently lost her job and career and is now working in “Four Seasons” the family shop selling, at this time of year, all things Christmas. Cal and his son George pop in for some decorations. Cal is a friend of one of Lexi’s friends and so they get talking. Lexi has a past as has Cal. Can they make things work or are there just too many insurmountable obstacles? This is a heartwarming book from the start that makes you want to curl up in front of a roaring fire with a hot chocolate and enjoy the ride comfortably. I’m not usually into romance but I do enjoy a lighthearted read. Families and their loves, likes and differences, each a part of a tableaux. What some have and others have never experienced and never will. This is brilliantly descriptive so you can picture the shop and the decorations, the people and scenes as well as the emotions and thoughts along the way. A perfect present and a highly enjoyable read.I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
(rest of links as part of blogtour 14th Nov)

Having read a few Christmas books this year – actually, by the beginning of November I’ve probably read more than I usually do by Christmas Eve – I thought I knew it all and then along comes Maxine Morrey with this amazingly warm, feel good read.

Lexi is used to working and surviving in a man’s world. With only brothers for siblings she can more than hold her own and could not only survive but thrive in the world of Formula One. Returning home to her large, noisy family she realises how much she has missed over the years, but she frets for her chosen career too. And then, as if she wasn’t in enough of a quandary, in walks drop-dead gorgeous Cal Martin with his equally adorable five year old son, George.

This is a wonderful read. It has all the Christmas elements you could wish for along with a well thought out structure which has the reader wondering to the end. As with all good noel novels, there is indecision, unhappiness and a wealth of good cheer. I want to live in Lexi’s village, and I want to shop in Four Seasons! Meeting Cal would be a bonus of course .. but not sure my husband would be too happy about that! There is no doubt that I closed this book with a sigh of contentment and satisfaction – and what more can any reader ask? A truly delicious read which will undoubtedly leave every bookworm with a warm and fuzzy festive glow, and I recommend you add it to your Christmas list right now!

My grateful thanks to publisher HQ Digital for providing an arc via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

Hand on heart, I could read a Maxine Morrey novel every day of the week without getting bored. Selfishly I wish the author would produce 365 books in one year, but unless the author is an octopus and has book ideas coming out of her like a stampede of people on the Boxing Day sales, I may have to resign myself to the fact it will never happen. Sniff.

Anywhooooo! Maxine Morrey is back with yet another toasty warm novel - the perfect excuse to ignore everyone in your household with. Not that I am speaking from experience or anything...

Lexi, just like her life, is a tad broken. She's back in her family home working in the family business. Her own career put on the back burner for the immediate future. What happened? Lexi doesn't like to talk about a situation which broke her heart, yet to move forward with her life, she needs to approach and put it to bed. Speaking of putting to bed...there's a 'new' man in town. A man whose son was 0.5 seconds away from hearing some extremely colourful words. A man who has had his heart-broken in the past and only wants to do right by his son. A man who would find any excuse to frequent a shop...just because.

Lexi is my kinda gal. She is hilarious. Sassy. Beyonce type independent. And of course, feisty. She's the type of person I want to be when I grow up! -ignores the fact that I'll be 28 soon-.

I could tell almost straight away that Cal and Lexi were going to hit it off. Whether that was because she doted on Cal's little boy, George, or whether she was actually attracted to the man himself, I'm still not entirely sure. Either way, there was certainly something in the air.

I loved how naive both of the main characters came across, despite being well into their adulthood and aware of certain meaningful feelings. Sometimes it was as though Cal and Lexi were in high school as love-sick teenagers! Of course I just wanted to bang their heads together and tell them to get on with it, but it was super cute watching their relationship blossom, especially with a child in the equation. Often people forget the child in new friendships and relationships, or rule single parents out completely as being 'too much of a challenge' or 'damaged goods'. Lexi however, was the complete opposite. I could give the author a hug for the way that she has portrayed a single parent in this book, whilst also keeping the heart of the child at the forefront of any decision making, ensuring that little George was involved every single time. As daft as this sounds, it did make me a little bit emotional read it, I must admit.

Now, I absolutely flipping loved this book. I loved the surprises in the storyline regarding Lexi's family. I loved Lexi's family full stop! I felt like I was being wrapped up in a blanket the entire time I was reading 'The Best Little Christmas Shop'. I was afraid that when I closed the book the cosiness would diminish and I would end up feeling cold*.

*Reader, it did.

Seeing as I pride myself on being honest and writing honest reviews every time, I feel like I would be going against that if I didn't mention something which, in my eyes, disappointed me a smidge. Sigh. The ending. If there was another book following this one then I would have no problem at all with the ending as it piqued my interest and left me hanging. But, because there isn't a sequel in the pipeline at the moment, the ending kept me hanging and made me feel like there was more to the storyline. Don't get me wrong, the entire novel was beautifully written and it's not a negative thing that I wanted a sequel to the book. I am just a bit disappointed at how it was left wide open with an abrupt finish. I really do hope that the author does write a sequel to this book as I feel that Lexi's family have so much more to give and I want to follow their journey with them.

Aside from that, this book blew me away and, as you can tell, left me wanting more, more, MORE!!

To say that 'The Best Little Christmas Shop' was a magical read would be an understatement of the year. Being perfectly honest, the magic and warmth in this book ranked as high as good ol' Santa Claus, and you can't get anymore magical than that old dude!

Sometimes you can read a book which can make you feel loved from the tip of your toes, to the top of your head. Sometimes you can read a book which warms your heart like the biggest duvet. Sometimes you can read a book which leaves you feeling a sense of loss when the book comes to an end. Sometimes you can read a book that you would love to read for the first time, every time. Sometimes that 'sometimes' changes to every time, and that 'every time' would be my response to 'would you recommend a Maxine Morrey novel?'.

Every.Single.Time.

Thanks HQDigitalUK.

Cute story though another one that left me wondering if I miss previous books about this family. I enjoyed the 2 Alexanders. Lexi and Xander. That was a nice touch. Some of the English words were hard to translate in to American English. I will look for more from this author.

I enjoy Maxine Morrey's writing and was excited to discover that there were two new books available this autumn/winter. The Best Little Christmas Shop is the second of these and I think perhaps it shows. Whilst I completely enjoyed reading it, I don't think it has the depth of her previous titles. Lexi has returned to her parents' home after a series of difficult life events. She's filling in time working in their shop and meets Cal, new to the village and with troubles of his own. In the blink of an eye they each realise they have strong feelings for the other but their pasts cause them to respond to these feelings in different ways. So far, so romance novel and from some authors I'd shrug my shoulders and accept it. But Maxine Morrey is better than this. So, I think other readers will enjoy the novel but I'd encourage them to read an earlier one (maybe Winter's Fairytale) before they make a judgement.

After her engagement goes up in flames, Lexi returns home to help out in her family's Christmas shop. Little does she know that she'll find something much better than tinsel and gingerbread cookies in those aisles. When she meets Cal Martin, single parent to the most adorable boy in existence, Lexi has to decide whether to follow her heart or her head as her past comes knocking - in the form of a great job offer.
This was such a lovely read that definitely got me in the Christmas spirit! I loved the atmosphere this book created with all things Christmas - decorating, baking, walking in the snow, and so much more. Lexi's part of a big family and it felt so cozy to read about their close-knit relationships.
The only thing that really irked me were the frequent remarks about being a 'tomboy' and how being feminine was associated with wearing frilly dresses and crying. They were such unneccesary comments and aided to perpetuate the stereotypes people still have about women. One example: "she hollered in a voice that belied her delicate stature and build. It still amazed me that this slight and very feminine woman had produced men the size of my brothers."
Or: "I’m just not all feminine and girly like Giselle. She cries and looks beautiful."
I do understand that girls and women come in all shapes and sizes and that everyone is different in the way the express and dress themselves; still, it felt forced to keep referring to Lexi's best friend Giselle as the gorgeous, girly one, while Lexi was the tomboyish, tough one.
Other than that, I really enjoyed this magical, festive story and can't wait to dive into Maxine Morrey's other stories!
I would recommend this to anyone ready for Christmas, in need for some fluffly romance, and a whole lot of family fun!

Your eyes are not deceiving you, Maxine Morrey has this season blessed us with not one, but two festive books; hallelujah!

Firstly, I think this is both my favourite cover AND book of Maxine’s yet, which considering how fabulous her other works are is high praise! There is so much to love about this book. I am a huge F1 fan so to have that featured was awesome, and a female engineer too so all of the YAAAAASSSSS for that. The setting, the wonderful family that Lexi has, the shop, the beautiful soul that is George and the festive feels all combine in a recipe to make the perfect Christmas pudding.

I am 100% inspired by the Four Seasons shop to open one in real life, what an amazing idea, stocking seasonal home decorations and treats throughout the year; I can definitely feel that seasonal stories could be written to fit each shop fitting and this isn’t the only feature that screams saga to me, the supporting characters all have their own unique stories and personalities that leave you wanting to read more (please tell me there’s more?!)

Cal and Lexi’s romance was wonderfully portrayed with tender care but all the heartbreak and challenges that two people would bring to an unexpected encounter such as theirs what with their past histories; this was full of realism that was relatable, heart heavy and endearing. I completely fell in love with George, he’s such a sweetheart and he encapsulates everything that Christmas is all about in this book, as does Lexi’s family and how they reach out to those who need them.

Uplifting escapism at its best this book is guaranteed peace, love and joy, like being told it is DEFINITELY going to be a White Christmas, see you get it!

After Lexi's broken engagement, she's looking for anything to keep her mind off romance. She finds it in the Christmas shop. This doesn't last long, however, because she meets Cal and his sweet 5-year-old son. Are they enough to convince Lexi to give love another shot?

Review will be up on my blog 19/11 - thecosiestcorner.blogspot.com

I was really looking forward to reading this novel and I can honestly say that it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed Maxine Morrey's other Christmas novel: The Christmas Holiday - so I was eager to read this one as well. First off, Maxine's covers are absolutely stunning. The bold colours really catches the eye and draws you in. The font is so pretty and swirly and Christmassy and I love the thick snow that is nestled on top of the houses. It just looks stunning.

It's packed with festive cheer - from wreath making to watching the Christmas parade and walking around the Christmas markets. This is the type of thing I just love to read about at Christmas time because I enjoy doing them things too. I loved the part about the icing of the gingerbread - so festive! The story follows Lexi who used to work for Formula One for quite some time until unfortunately she was let go ... She moves back home and starts working in her family shop to help get her back on her feet.

One day at work, after a Holly leaf pierced her skin - Lexi looks up and meets little George who is Cal's little boy. The pair hit it off after Lexi mends his teddy - earning a friend for life in George and a smirk from George's father Cal - whom Lexi is immediately attracted too. The story then progresses as we get to know each of the two characters (Cal and Lexi) and we find out more about why they act like they do. Like how Lexi is hesitant about finding love and why Cal is so protective over his son, George.

It really is a beautifully festive and romantic and very heart-warming. I'm loving all these Christmas books that make you feel so warm and fuzzy inside as you read them! This book is full of snow, festive treats, and lots of romance. Perfect for those cold, winter days! If you're a fan of Chick Lit - then you'll love this too, it's the perfect book to get you in the Christmas spirit!

Overall, such an enjoyable Christmas book. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel, which I have reviewed honestly.

Another fantastic read from Maxine! A really great festive read full of drama and laughter

I loved this brilliant festive read with a very special ending! It is packed with all the delights of the season and wrapped up beautifully in love. Ex-F1 mechanic Lexi has returned from her globe trotting, fast paced job to her family home and business and is endeavouring to review her options whilst helping by working in the family's Christmas shop. She was involved in wreath making when a sharp holly leaf almost - but not quite - made her use profanities in front of George, the adorable five year old son of Cal Martin! After such an innocuous introduction George and Cal both prove detrimental to her previous dreams as she starts re-considering her options and her dreams . . . .

This is a truly heart-warming story from the very beginning. I thoroughly enjoyed escaping into the close knit community and the families who live there. It is a fantastic book to snuggle up with, a cosy read to keep you enthralled regardless of the weather outside. Get ready to meet some fantastic characters - especially Lexi's older brothers and her ex-fiancé - as well as Apollo, who merits his own special mention. The family dynamics, the melting of barriers, festive fun and developing romance are integral components in this story. Lexi may have decided to put off settling down but fate and love have other plans for her!

This author has a brilliant way of bringing her characters and scenarios to life with her vivid descriptions. I feel like I've actually been there exploring the Little Christmas Shop, meeting the characters and seeing the sights therein. If you're looking for an engaging and highly entertaining Christmas read, grab yourself a copy of this fantastic book!

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

Home is the place where they have to take you in, or so the saying goes, and Lexi has retreated back to her family after her engagement goes down in flames. Yes, she’ll help out at the family Christmas shop,even if she’s far from feeling the Christmas spirit. But seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child, specifically a five-year old little boy with a single father, awakens feelings Lexi thought were buried years ago. The last thing she planned on was a new relationship, but maybe some things are just meant to be. A charming, warm Christmas story about second chances