Christmas at the Beach Hut by Veronica Henry is just a warm hug of a book that embraces you right from the opening chapter and doesn't relinquish its enjoyable hold right until you have satisfyingly turned the very last page. When I received a copy of the book it was October and although many would say that's way too early to read a Christmas book I dove straight in. Something was calling me and I knew I had to start this little gem of a story. It's a gorgeous, relaxing read, one in which I flew through the pages and really by the end even though I loved the conclusion I just didn't want it to finish because of the lovely atmosphere and sentiment it evoked. It's definitely the perfect Christmas read to curl up on the sofa with in front of a roaring fire and with a glass of whatever takes your fancy at hand. The sentiment behind the story is just perfect - the real magic of Christmas and how it is a time for reconnecting with your loved ones - and it's a timely message that we all should remember. Funnily enough, I was slightly apprehensive before reading as the setting for this book was Everdene Sands as previously featured in The Beach Hut and The Beach Hut Next Door, both of which I have yet to read, but thankfully this didn't matter in the slightest and instantly I was caught up in the pure magic of the story.

Lizzy lives in Astley-in-Arden in Pepperpot Cottage, isn't that such a cute name?, and as she sits down to write her annual round robin to go with her Christmas cards she starts to question many things. As another year draws to a close and the frantic preparations for Christmas ramp up yet another gear Lizzy, now that she has taken voluntary redundancy after 25 years as events organiser at a hotel, has time to sit back and contemplate her life. As she does this she comes to realise maybe she is not as happy as she should be at this juncture in her life? What exactly does she get out of making Christmas as perfect as it can be for her husband Simon and their teenagers Hattie and Luke when they give scant regard to all the effort she puts in? Clearly Lizzie is at a crossroads in her life where the next step/decision she makes will have an important bearing on her future. Right from the get go I warmed to Lizzie, she wanted to do everything she possibly could for her family and in the process she overlooked her own self care and mental well being. This is something that can easily happen to us all. We get so caught up in caring for everybody else that when we take a moment to stop and breath and take stock we wonder well who would do the same for us if we just halted what we were doing? I'm sure many many women will identify with Lizzie but how many of us would be brave enough to take the leap of faith that she does?

Lizzie is seeking Christmas perfection this year but has she bitten off more than she can chew and is it all really appreciated by those she loves so much? She feels everything is her responsibility and a sense of gloom, panic and uncertainty begins to invade her as if her life is falling apart, spiralling out of control and she is powerless to stop it happening. All she wants is the nice tree as decorated by the family, the tasty dinner and suitable presents for all and time where the family can be together. So when Simon fails to tell her that mother-in-law Cynthia will be coming for Christmas dinner that sets the cat among the pigeons and slowly but surely Lizzie starts to think. Hold on a minute I didn't want Cynthia there so why are my wishes being disregarded? Has anyone noticed all the time and effort I am putting in? Will anyone actually notice whether I am there or not? I sensed quite early on that all of this was a culmination of events with Lizzie and it just so happened at a vulnerable time of year for many. Her own personal well being was starting to suffer and although she was offered help from professionals she believes admitting it and taking something would be a failure. Lizzie was a wonderful wife and mother but most certainly she was taken for granted and overlooked by her family. One just presumes someone will always be there to lean on and will do everything but what happens when that person is no longer there what do we do?

Taking matters into her own hands and sick of being left to do everything with very little help Lizzie makes a decision to leave. She wants to become the woman she wants to be instead of the woman that suited everybody else. She flees to Everdene where her friend has a beach hut and where she thinks she can be alone to contemplate everything and to think what she is feeling about all of this and what can be done about it? On one hand admired her courage and bravery but on the other hand was it just a decision made on the spur of the moment and one she would deeply regret? Will her family sit up and take notice? If I had been Hattie I don't think I would have liked to arrive home and find my mum gone at Christmas time.

As she arrives at the beach hut in the darkness of winter Lizzie is surprised to find it already occupied by a young man called Harley. I loved how we had different chapters told from both Lizzie and Harley's viewpoints leading up to their introduction allowing the reader to learn more about their backgrounds and situations. We got inside their hearts and minds to view their thought process and how they came to be at the hut. Harley hadn't had things easy either although his story was radically different to Lizzie's, they decide to spend the time together at the hut. Yes some may say why stay with a stranger but that's the wonder of this book that special things happen to remind us of the Christmas message and the author didn't make me feel as if this was unnatural or out of place. In fact at times I wished I could have joined them in the beach hut msyelf, it just seemed so welcoming and cosy and a place where all your troubles are left at the door.

Harley is fleeing his own stresses and strains and as soon as he reaches the hut that he is caretaker for during the summer months he has time to reflect. Family life for Harley is not all that good and he wonders how he can get his mother and sister out the situation they find themselves in. Or have things gone too far? Lizzie and Harley opened up to each other and although Lizzie was avoiding motherly duties so to speak she took on this role with Harley. I don't think she was a person who could ever fully rest. She always wanted to help people but she had reached the point where she wanted appreciation and understanding from her family for the help, support and love she has given unconditionally for so long. Will her marriage and the family unit survive Lizzie leaving or will Simon, Hattie and Luke finally wake up and realise that people can't be taken for granted and do something to fix things before it's too late and Christmas will be tainted for ever more?

The final duo to join the little unit at the beach hut is Jack and his son Nat who arrive to stay next door. Jack is still reeling from his own trauma yet wants to make Christmas the best he can for his little boy. Really he wants to crawl under the covers and forget everything but that can't happen. He has to keep going for Nat who loves the wonder of Christmas and Jack can't let this be ruined forever. Jack knows he has to start a new chapter, to leave the past behind him and to open his heart to new possibilities and friendships. By accident he meets Lizzie and Harley and he is embraced into the fold.

The beach hut took on a place of sanctuary and refuge for those that needed it. It had the most stunning setting and it was small and had just what one needed. It meant that all the frivolities and extras went by the wayside and they went back to basics. The hut allowed everyone to forget about their worries and nothing bad could happen there. Problems were shared but the question remained could everyone's worries be solved? I did think the last quarter or so of the book was slightly rushed and I would have loved even more fleshing out of the resolution of everyone's issues. Saying that I did like how things were resolved it's just I was enjoying this book so much I wanted even more. That's me just being greedy I suppose. Regardless of this one minor issue I had with the book I loved every minute of Christmas at the Beach Hut. It was absorbing, captivating and sparkling and I just loved the message the author was trying to convey and I think she did this brilliantly with such sensitivity and honesty.

Veronica Henry has written the most heart warming, splendid Christmas book and one which I enjoyed very much from the first word until the last. Definitely recommended to be part of your Christmas reading pile this year.

Christmas at the Beach Hut

Veronica Henry is one of my go to reads when I am feeling a little anxious and stressed.
So I was so excited when I was lucky to receive a copy from Net Galley in return for an honest review.
I have read the other Beach Hut books by Veronica Henry but you can read this one without reading the others, it is set in Everdene in Devon. The story centres around Lizzy a woman who has just been made redundant, she is also facing her twins Hattie and Luke leaving home to go to university and wants to make their last Christmas all together extra special.
As many woman of Lizzy's age she is experiencing many changes and has been feeling out of sorts and goes to see her GP who prescribes her antidepressants. Lizzy's husband Simon is busy at work and an incident in a local department store and her family not being there for her,
Lizzy feels like no cares if she is around or not. Stressed by the expectations of Christmas and Simon's ex wife Amanda and her Mother in Law Cynthia,
Lizzy does what many woman feel like doing at some point and decides to leave them all to it and heads to her friend Caroline's Beach Hut for some peace and reflection.
It is there she meets Harley a young man who is running away from his own problems and his Mum Leanne and little brother River. Also Jack, who is there with his little boy Nat and are all seeking to escape from Christmas.
I loved how the book addressed how many women feel not only at Christmas but also as your family grows up and you don't feel as needed as you did when they are small.
It also shows how Lizzy takes ownership of her feelings and decides to do something so out of character her family are concerned for her wellbeing.
Veronica has a real gift of making her characters have a real warmth but also make some really odious. I will leave you to find out who these are.
I really liked and related to Lizzy as a woman of a certain age and Thank Veronica for writing about a subject that many avoid. I would love to visit Pepperpot Cottage and also Caroline's fantastic Beach Hut in Everdene. Pure Escapism with a Christmas feel.

Lizzy has just taken voluntary redundancy from her job as an Events Manager and is throwing herself into making Christmas special for her family. Unfortunately her family seem to be taking her for granted and when they all let her down over one of their family traditions Lizzy decides she has had enough. So she leaves them a note and heads to her friends beach hut.
Harley doesn't get on with his mum's boyfriend and decides not to spend Christmas at home so he doesn't spoil things for his mum and little brother and also heads to the beach hut.
Widower Jack and his young son Nat are facing an sad Christmas so Jack decides to head to the beach with Nat to get away from everything.
When the four strangers meet at the beach huts and share their stories can they help each other to face their problems and resume their lives.

This is a wonderfully festive and feel-good novel to get you in the Christmas spirit! It was lovely and heartwarming and very entertaining. I read this in a few days and I couldn't put it down!

I simply adored Christmas at the Beach Hut. I started it Saturday afternoon and finished it on Sunday. It’s a festive feel good book that warms your heart and you can really relate to the characters.

I found this book to be a delight from start to finish and would not hesitate to recommend this to friends and family.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author for the chance to review.

Everywhere we look we see the idea of the perfect Christmas – family all together- everyone having fun around the sumptuous Christmas dinner table- decorations glittering- snow fluttering – goodwill to all.
Sometimes the pressure to create this is too much and this year Lizzy has had her dreams broken once too often and has been taken for granted for the last time – this year she is having me time.
Lizzy feels the pressures of losing her job, impending empty nest, secrets and Christmas preparations all too much so she leaves a note for the family and looks to have some time alone at her friends beach hut where she once had an incredible summer. There she meets an array of waifs and strays who also find Christmas hard to celebrate.
Once again Veronica Henry has imagined a set of believable characters and a scenario which many readers can empathise with parts of. I try to read my books in the order which I receive them, but a Veronica Henry goes straight to the top of the pile and I was not disappointed.

How lovely to be back at Everdene and at Christmas. I really do love the setting and all the beach huts. and this time around it is a whole new cast of characters, so the book can be read easily as a standalone.

What frustrated me slightly was how long it took for all the different threads to come together in any way. The chapters flicked between different focal points, and one or two of the stories that sounded really interesting weren't focused on as much as I would like, and in the case of Jack and Nat, I was utterly confused the first two times they appeared as I couldn't get to grips with them.

However I was enjoying everything I was reading and once I felt everything joining up as you would expect in books like this, it all made complete sense and at that point I found the book was an even better story.

The blurb focuses on Lizzy and she is the lynchpin of the novel, all threads keep coming back to her. She runs away from her family home a couple of days before Christmas as she is sick of being taken for granted, and what struck me most was her family's reactions and how dealt with the situation.

Meanwhile at the beach huts, the others that have also decided on a different Christmas as arriving, and with their own baggage and reasoning.

I loved seeing just how much Lizzy cares not just about her family but about the other people she has only just met. She has a gift for bringing people together and for managing to create Christmas out of nothing.

Harley is the other main character in my eyes, he is also on the run but for different reasons and also finds himself in Everdene. He is a young adult, and just wants what is best for his mum, but is scared of the situation his family is in and knows staying away would be for the best for a bit.

As the book progressed it was Harley's personal growth was the best to see and I loved seeing him develop even over the short time frame of the book.

Although its a story set around Christmas it to me fell short of making me feel festive and so I think it could easily be read at any time of year.

This was an enjoyable book, but as a huge fan of the author, I know that I have enjoyed others a lot more than this one.

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

You can always rely on Veronica Henry when it comes to perfect heartwarming, escapist, festive reading fare, with stories and characters that will simply bowl you over. The central character here, Lizzy Kingham, is happily married to Simon, with twins, Hattie and Luke looking forward to leaving for university. Lizzy has recently been made redundant from her job as an events manager at a hotel, beginning to feel the empty nest syndrome, feeling out of sorts and desperately low. She lives in a small, offbeat and perfect home in Astley in Arden in Warwickshire called Pepperpot Cottage. However, she is looking forward to a Christmas to remember with her family, and is knee deep in preparations and planning. However, whilst her family are the focus of all her efforts and love, they are thoughtless, using and abusing her kind, thoughtful and accommodating nature.

Simon's first wife, high maintenance Amanda has continued through the years on burdening them with her selfish desires. Simon's mother, Cynthia, has been forced on Lizzy, Cynthia is keep secrets from Simon that Lizzy cannot forgive her for. Lizzy is upset that Amanda has foisted her mother in law on them when it was her turn to have Cynthia. Life is eternally compromised by all the baggage of marriage, but why is Lizzy the only one compromising? It seems that Lizzy fails to figure in her family's plans, is invisible to them, and makes the decision to run away to a beach hut in Everdene on the North Devon Coast. She is leaving her family free to do whatever they want for Christmas, having made all the arrangements for Christmas for them. In a blustery seaside, Lizzy encounters a group of diverse people at Everdene's beach huts, all running away from the festive season with their inner pain and despair. Her own compassionate personality has her playing the central organising role in ensuring that Harley, Leanne, River, Jack and Nat have a wonderful Christmas when it all seems so out of reach with all the bubbling drama that is blighting their lives.

Lizzy is a character that will resonate with so many women who carry the burden of the festive season with often little or no recognition from their nearest and dearest. Of course, their families are so often completely blind, selfishly disregarding the kindness and the burdens carried by women. Simon, Hattie and Luke miss Lizzy immediately, but it takes them a little while to become sufficiently self aware as to how they have taken her completely for granted, barely seeing her for so many years, making no effort to be there for decorating the Christmas tree, the only thing she has asked them of them. Veronica Henry creates a host of appealing characters, I loved Harley, Jack and the gorgeous Nat, but the star of the show is Lizzy as she finally finds the space to think about her future and pin down exactly what she wants. This is totally enthralling reading, brilliant and entertaining, all that you would expect from an author at the top of her game. Highly recommended! Many thanks to Orion for an ARC.