Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage

by Kate Ginger

If you enjoy a book that starts with personal disaster and ends in triumph, a tale with sadness underlying humor, and a story that emphasizes the good in people, you will have an enjoyable read with Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage. Esme Kendrick is a food technologist; she creates the delectable dishes shown on the famous Felicity Fenchurch’s cooking show. Esme’s life is headed for disaster, however, when she stands up against the theft of her beloved grandmother’s recipes and her long time boyfriend has a less than pleasant surprise for her—all in the same day.

She heads home to Sandchester in defeat, but regroups determined to find success. Fortunately, her lovable and crazy (in a fun way) parents are supportive as are a small group of quirky friends who drive in from London periodically. Esme is a likable character, but you may find yourself yelling at her periodically to stop as she heads for catastrophe.

Will she return to her controlling ex-boyfriend? Can she help her teenage crush recover from a past that haunts him? Is it possible to create a successful blog and find happiness outside of bustling London? Can Esme layer up enough clothes to survive the winter in quaint, but unheated Mistletoe Cottage? Join a cadre of happy readers as you immerse yourself in this Christmasy read that is perfect for any season of the year.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to HQ Digital for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult), Romance

Notes: Contains some bad language, including British vulgarisms

Publication: October 11, 2019—HQ Digital

Memorable Lines:

This was why Esme loved cooking so much. It was history, their history. It meant her grandma who had helped her through so much, whose loss she had felt so deeply, would never be forgotten if her recipes were still being cooked, and the love that went into them still existed.

“If I lived near him I’d key his car—” “He doesn’t own a car, Mum. No one does in London.” “Well then, I’d put itching powder in his underpants and cut the arms and legs off all his suits.” Esme suppressed a smile. “Has Dad only stayed married to you all these years because he’s too scared to leave?”

Life was a large dark hole that she was falling deeper and deeper into, and at the moment there didn’t seem to be a bottom, or a way back to the top. She was just tumbling endlessly downwards.

A cute festive read. I love Christmas books and this one was a nice addition to the Christmas list pile.

A bit late reading this one but the romance propelled me through this cold blistery February so it felt like Christmas and the book added the magic. Starting from rock bottom Esme finds her way back. Loved the strength of the character and rooted for her throughout. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

Felicity Fenchurch the star of Felicity Fenchurch’s Fabulous Feasts primped, preened and delivered the food that Esme Kendrick lovingly created. Esme made the decision to pitch her Grandmother’s favourite recipe but Felicity had stolen the unique recipe and was trying to pass it off as her own Grandmother’s creation. This was one step too far for Esme, she couldn’t help herself and accused the star of overhearing a private conversation about her own Grandmothers Double lawyer Chocolate Chestnut Cake. Felicity overacted as usual, this time Esme refused to apologise so she was sacked for Gross Misconduct and instantly dismissed.
She struggled through the London streets with tears rolling out of her eyes back to her and Leo’s place. She cooked his favourite meal, cooking always made her feel better, she braced herself for breaking the news that she got fired to him. He often accused her of being dramatic. He beckoned her to sit down, he knelt down next to their dining table “This is it” she thought, he’s going to ask me to marry him...
A wonderfully written story, what happens in the next chapter of Leo and Esme’s lives. Thoroughly read this book and Katie Ginger has now made it onto my ever increasing list of favourite Authors.

This book was a brilliant read and one that is perfect to escape for a few hours and loose yourself.
A great read.

Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage is about a woman named Esme who has to move back to her sleepy home town of Sandchester and although very quaint, Esme feels nothing but despair. She finds her old crush and begins to fall in love again. Unfortunately, her old crush has some issues that Esme isn’t aware of. Esme is determined to make a go with her new way of life and wondering if she’ll find a new love. This is a great cozy mystery. The characters are warm and friendly. The story had a lot of twists and turns and some interesting recipies. I’ll definitely be reading her next book. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

On a grey London day, Esme’s world crumbles around her when she loses her glitzy job on a top TV programme, her gorgeous, city-slicker boyfriend and her stunning apartment, all in one fell swoop just before Christmas. Esme is forced suddenly to move back to her sleepy hometown of Sandchester, and despite the snow blanketing the roof and the fairy lights that twinkle in her rustic little cottage, everything is looking bleak. That is until she reconnects with an old crush and finds herself unexpectedly getting swept away.
This was a good book. The story was well paced and perfect for the holiday season. I really liked Esme and enjoyed following her in her story. It felt like a story I’d watch on the hallmark channel! I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

This was a quick, holiday read and overall was enjoyable but didn't excite me. It was the classic holiday romance with little substance. The main character was a little too sacarine for my taste and the formula for the book was very obvious.

I also found it not very believable that she went from 0 followers to enough for a job which isnt how the industry of vlogging works at all.

There were some fun characters in the form of her friends but I dont think I'd be reaching out for another book by the author.

Thank you for providing me with an arc.

Loved this Christmas novel. Great, well developed storyline that was exceptionally warm. The characters were well developed and I was invested in them.

This is such a lovely cosy, Christmas read. Esme sets up a food blog when her life falls apart when she loses her job and her boyfriend. She moves back home and into Mistletoe cottage. She decides to film herself cooking her grandma's recipes with comedic results. I loved the characters, including her friends and her parents.

“Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage” played like a Hallmark Christmas movie in my mind! I enjoyed reading it. It was festive with a hint of humor and a dash of romance! I absolutely adored Esme. Very cozy read that left me wanting to check out more from this author soon! Guaranteed to make even the grumpiest Scrooge reader get into the holiday spirit!

* I received a digital copy of this book via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

A lighthearted and cosy read, perfect for a night in by the fire. Full of likeable characters and an enjoyable, current storyline. Fantastic descriptions that transport you to another place. The cosy cottage sounded lovely and the writing was smooth and engaging.

A great read for those who love a Christmas Hallmark movie!

This was a truly adorable book! It was a little slow at first but really well written and the character development was top notch. I loved the internal back and forth Esme went through.... it's something a lot of people can relate to: the heartbreak of losing your love and your career, and not knowing where to turn to from there.

I adored the setting of the cottage, the English backdrop and the coziness of this book. It was delightful and the perfect December read!

The ending was my favorite though: how Esme got her sea legs and everything was worth it in the end.

If you need a cozy book to get through the winter, you will not regret Snowflakes at Misletoe Cottage!

A fab tale of Esme, forced to retreat to her home town after a disastrous day. This is her story of how she picks herself up, and pursues her cooking career despite being left homeless and jobless. Surrounded by beautiful countryside and with the help of friends - both local and in London - she picks herself up and gets on with life. Cue some funny scenes and warm encounters. A tad predictable but a lovely cosy Christmassy-ish read.

When Esme’s life implodes she moves back to the countryside to regroup and rebuild. With the support of her friends, family and a very handsome estate agent she begins to reinvent herself as a blogger. This is a very enjoyable read from Katie Ginger with very likeable characters and genuine laugh out loud moments. Highly recommended.

Esme’s Cooking Laughs and Romance

When Esme loses her job as a food stylist to a famous TV personality, as well as her boyfriend and home, she’s in a world of trouble. Good thing Joe has just what she needs.

I absolutely loved this romance. Told from several different points of view, I found this novel both laugh-out-loud entertaining as well as quite touching. This was Bridget Jones mixed with Hallmark Christmas movies. All my favorites!

From the first pages, I was totally hooked. Between the main plot and the subplots, there was enough variety to keep my interest, and the dialogue was pure entertainment. I laughed so hard at some scenes, I had to reread them over again, sometimes out loud to my hubby. As an American, I had a difficult time with some of the expressions but managed just fine between context and the internet. 😊 Can’t wait to read the next one from this author.

My copy was provided in advance from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A typical storyline but elevated. This was the perfect read while stuck in a snowstorm. It reminded me of holiday movies I love to binge.

First sentence: Felicity Fenchurch primped and preened in front of the camera, brushing her honey-blonde curls back from her face. The director shouted, ‘Action,’ and she gave a longing smile, dipped down to pull a tray from the oven, and gazing at the camera from under false eyelashes, pouted.

Premise/plot: Esme has it all...until she doesn't. She loses her job, her boyfriend, and her apartment all in one day! She returns to her hometown but not her parents' home. She rents a tiny cottage and starts making plans for her future. Encouraged by her friends, she starts a food blog. Can she make the blog a huge success in just three or four weeks in times to make all her holiday dreams and wishes come true?!

My thoughts: WHY did this one have to be about blogging?!?! I can gladly accept formulaic holiday-themed romances light on intelligence. But I cannot accept stories of bloggers that go from zero views to thousands of views in just a week or two. Enough views to land her a new job. Seriously. Everytime she COMPLAINED about how slow the process was for getting page views, I wanted to SCREAM at her. I actually spent most of the book angry at the main character. That being said, the romance elements were mostly enjoyable. I think if she had been doing anything else with her life instead of blogging, I would have been fine with the writing.

This is a heartwarming, festive read with great characters and lots of laugh out loud moments – I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! Esme is a food technician working behind the scenes on a top television cookery show. However, when she discovers that the presenter is claiming one of Esme’s family recipes as her own, Esme confronts her. Unfortunately, this results in Esme being sacked! Not only that, but on her return to her home her boyfriend informs her that he wants to split up with her and she’s to move out of their flat asap. All this happens just before Christmas…. Esme moves back to her hometown of Sandchester, initially staying with her parents until she rents Mistletoe cottage. The estate agent who finds it for her is her old school crush, Joe, and although he’s as handsome and attractive as ever, he’s obviously struggling to cope with something from his past.

As Esme is encouraged by her crazy parents and fantastic friends, she makes a fresh start by creating an online cooking blog and vblog on which to share her recipes and ideas. What with tea towels catching fire, frantic fun, disastrous drinking, swearing and confessions, this certainly isn’t your usual, polished professional chef in action! Instead it is a heartwarming tale of being human, being kind to yourself and others, delicious food and helping others to heal as well as romance. This is a fantastic second chance romance, just right for putting you in the mood for Christmas! I requested and was gifted a copy of this book and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

A lovely cosy book set around the Christmas period with some well written characters.

Esme is a lovely narrator and you are hoping beyond hope that she manages to turn things around having lost her job and her flat. Her boyfriend, she is definitely better off without!

Her cooking shows are hilarious and I found myself wanting more.

Her friends and family are really her saviours and I finished the book with a lovely cosy feel. Will definitely look for more books by Katie Ginger.