Such a fun and festive read that is perfect for the Christmas season, or when I need some festive feelings in the middle of summer!

I’ve been working through my Netgalley backlog and I came across this little gem. The only thing I ma sad about is that I didn’t read it sooner. It’s the perfect Christmas read and I adored everything about it.
Evie is such a sweet character. I loved everything about her – including how real she was. I am also a walking disaster at times so could completely identify with her. She was so sweet and I got really upset and angry on her behalf at certain parts of the book. I was happy when Jake stood up for her but more so, I wanted her to do it for herself so much. I had a really strong picture in my head of her shop and it was so vibrant. Her passion for her craft and the pace she lived shone through.
Jake is an interesting character. Despite being grumpy and mean in the beginning, it was hard not to like him. His story is heartbreaking and Evie was so patient and understanding about it all. She never once became angry with him for his choices/reasons.
The Christmas Holiday is a perfect, snuggly, Christmas read and I cannot recommend it enough.
My only complaint was that Tim didn’t get his full comeuppance!

If you want to spend some quiet time in front of the fire on a cold dark winter’s day, this could be your book of choice.

Set in the countryside over the Christmas period, this gentle romance gives off all the right seasonal vibes to put you in the mood for the festive season.

Both lead characters have had some sort of upset in love and though both say they are not ready for another relationship, they are drawn towards each other.

Claire takes you through all the reasons behind their reticence and draws you into their relationship so you are invested in them, and you find yourself wishing them luck in love this time.

I requested this from netgalley in winter 2019 and didn’t get around to reading it. Roll on winter 2020 and I am finally reading it (I can only read Christmas books at Christmas). Well, I loved it! I wish I read it last year! It was a really sweet story with characters you care about (including a dog called Smoke). Don’t be out off by the description of it being about a holiday in France if you like your Christmas chick lit to be super Christmassy - that only happens towards the end. It’s mainly set in a snowy English village. I finished it and immediately bought Sophie Claire’s winter 2020 release which I am pleased to see is set in the same fictional village. I intend to read all of this authors’ books in time.

I really struggled with this. I hated the male lead which made it really hard for me to enjoy the book at all unfortunately

Unfortunately I had to purchase a new Kindle device and could no longer access this book. I will come back and review if I read this in the future.

Absolutely loved this story.
Love Sophie's way of writng, with such believable characters, she draws the reader right in.
I love the fact that her stories are about a certain p!ace and the people that live there.
As usual couldn't wait to get to the end but didn't want the story to finish.

Unfortunately I was unable to get in to this story and had to put it down, however, I'm sure it is a highly loved book and appreciated by the right readers.

I'm an absolute sucker for a Christmas novel, so I requested this quite a while ago but I've only just got round to it. I'm sad I waited now, as I absolutely loved it.

From the gorgeous descriptions of Willowbrook and seeing Evie flourish from her old past, the book was super charming and I will definitely re-read when it gets to winter!

I really enjoyed this book and felt a real warmth and likeness to the main characters, Evie and Jake (plus I always love it when there is a dog in the story!)

The first chapter was brilliant and set things up in the story for clumsy Evie as she tries to make a go of her craft shop despite discouragement from her parents.

Jake is struggling to cope after the loss of his wife and reading the friendship eventually develop with Evie was a joy to read.

Really enjoyable and cosy read.

Please note that this book is not for me - I have read the book, However I had to DNF and because i do not like to give negative reviews I will not review this book fully - there is no specific reason for not liking this book. I found it a struggle to read and did not enjoy trying to force myself to read this book.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused and thank you for the opportunity to read this book

A long way from Christmas, or maybe a bit too early, but it's never not the right time to read a book that brings in the Christmas cheer along with a romance that has all the right elements. Jake, deliciously handsome, drowns himself in alcohol every night because he cannot handle his tragedies when sober. Evie, our cheery seamstress has big dreams in a quaint town but is severely demotivated, overtly critical and completely heartbroken over her last relationship.

As they meet on an unfortunate night, their chemistry sizzles and burns, but with an undertone of hate. As they get to know each other, they find out how complementary they are to each other. But there are hurdles and insecurities, as is in every love story we stumble upon.

Claire in 'The Christmas Holiday' builds an adorable romance but through characters who are not mysterious. While it threw me off the wagon and made me wonder if I would like the book, I realized it actually worked wonders for the story. I mean, we already know everything that happens in a typical romance, might as well start knowing the in and outs of the characters right from the start.

The Chrismas bit isn't overdone and serves as a cushion for a budding romance. 'The Christmas Holiday' is fun in a way that its quirky, charming and very entertaining.

The Christmas Holiday was a great festive read. Set in a cosy village I felt I had stepped inside the book and had been transformed there. Loved this book, couldn’t put it down.

I loved this! It is the perfect festive read! Fabulous characters! Beautiful storyline. Really magical! Will definitely be reading more from this author.

A really lovely easy reading book When Evie and Jake first meet it's a disaster and they instantly dislike each other but as they are both recovering from past relationships they are somehow drawn together Evie is quirky and accident prone but can she and Jake get over the heartache of their past and find happiness together as they come together for the holidays great read

This book was a brilliant read and one that is perfect to escape for a few hours and loose yourself.
Characters that fall out of the pages of the book and make you fell apart of the story, the setting is lovely and captured well with words.
A great read. that I would highly recommend.

A lovely festive book which is set in the lovely village of Willowbrook, I really enjoyed this easy, cosy read. This book left me with a feel good, happy feeling. A story of an emotional rollercoaster as both of the main characters are trying to escape Christmas. Well written, well paced with engaging characters The Christmas Holiday is perfect for a cold winter's day with a roaring fire.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

This book is a bit different from your normal Christmas romance but it was still a great read with the outcome that I wanted. I did struggle to put this book down.

With thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Staughton for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.I

Evie Miller had fled London after discovering Tim her fiance was having an affair. She moved to the village of Willowbrook where she had opened a craft shop called The Button Hole. However Evie`s shop was in dire straits and she was making curtains to survive. Luckily she had received a big order to make curtains for the new owner of Old Hall.

One night she went to Old Hall to hang some curtains. She was shocked that the new owner Jake Hartman and his dog Smokey were there. Smokey was instantly drawn to Evie, but Jake was drunk and angrily threw her out of his house. However it was snowing outside and she crashed her car into a ditch. Jake reluctantly let her stay the night, he mentioned he used to be a doctor but was now a wine importer.

With the help of Smokey, Evie and Jake became friends. Evie explained how Tim used to belittle her and chipped away at her self asteem. Jake told her he was still grieving for his wife Maria who had died two years earlier. When Jake is offered a villa in Provence for christmas, he invites Evie so they can get away from relatives and Christmas traditions. With Evie`s love of life he discovers he realises he is falling in love. , However he feels guilty because he still loves Maria.

I enjoyed this story and could of read it in one evening. Despite the cover The Christmas Holiday had some serious topics such as grief and mental abuse. The story was told from the POV of Evie and Jake which I enjoyed.

Despite her low self esteem I admired Evie for being brave enough to leave London and open her own shop. I was annoyed when her parents dismissed her achievements. Although Jake initially came across as cold, I grew to like him as his story came out.

This was a delightful story which left me with a warm glow of happiness. I would love another story about Evie and Jake s life in Willowbrook.

I highly recommend this book.









I

Evie is an optimist, despite the lack of support from her parents, the tragedy she has suffered, and the abusive relationship she is still trying to escape. Jake has lost the love of his life and finds going on without her difficult. The village of Willowbrook gives Evie a chance of a new independent life, and Jake the chance to hide away until he feels strong enough to carry on. The only problem is Christmas, which brings back painful memories for both.

Evie and Jake’s relationship has a less than auspicious start, but a friendship builds out of their mutual suffering, and escaping together for Christmas offers a solution to both their problems, but is friendship what they want? Or is a holiday romance inevitable?

Heartwarming romance and emotional conflict with a festive twist, set in a lovely English village, and fabulous Provence. The intensity of grief and loss is explored during Christmastime, sensitively, whilst keeping a positive, uplifting ethos. The characters are believable and individual and the settings bring the story to life. A lovely wintery story is written in an easy to read style by a consummate storyteller,

I received a copy of this book from Hodder and Stoughton via NetGalley in return for an honest review.