The book was very well written and flowed well. The plot was great. Everything I thought it would be from the description . Lovely feel good book. The location sounded idyllic. The author had great descriptive writing that had me right there with the characters

Lovely story set in Wishington Bay. I enjoyed the characters of Nate and Sophia and their slow burning romance, with plenty of humour and secrets it made a good light warmhearted story

This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A great holiday read!
When Nate arrives to Wishington Bay, Sophia can’t believe how different he is from his brother. As Nate and Sophia get to know each other more, they realize they may have more in common than they first thought.

Thank you to @netgalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Enjoyed this one for the 'easy' read feel of it. It did drag in places (especially the middle!), but I wanted to know what Sophia was running away from, and the reason we're given was actually really fresh and novel and it was a nice surprise, even if it didn't carry as much drama throughout. On the whole, this is a cute feel-good read and I did spend a nice moment with it. Oh, and Bryan totally stole the show for me - he was just so adorable and lovely!

It was so refreshing to see a Christmas romance with focus on a male character. I loved that shake up of the regular programming, and really enjoyed this story as a result.

I loved Sophia as well, and I really liked the dual narrative of this book.

A lovely Christmas romance which felt like a warm hug.

Origionally posted on Chicks, Rogues and Scandals blog 2020

Winter at Wishington Bay is wonderful escapism from the weirdness of the world, it’s a book you can completely dive into, you can fall into the sugar-coated, twinkly starred world that Maxine Morrey has gifted to us – and if the opportunity presents itself read in one go, it’s just perfect comfort reading!

This isn’t only my first trip to the wonderful Wishington Bay, but my first outing with Maxine Morrey. How on earth have I allowed Maxine’s beautiful books go march past me without reading one? Ah, well it’s another case of me walking around with my eyes shut, but I will definitely be stocking my kindle up with more of Maxine’s books.

This is all about second chances, about regaining trust is other, rebuilding your life and finding true happiness which is exactly what our two leads are looking for – even if they won’t admit it, we all know that Sophie and Nate are secretly wanting love. Both have come out the other side after difficult divorces, both have been burned and lost some of that much-needed care and when they are both given the opportunity to escape their own sadness and escape to the picturesque village of Wishington Bay, they can’t say no.

Sophie needs to escape her old life, while at the same time earn some money – as her divorce has sapped her of funds, plus I think it has stolen away from her trust and happiness in life, she needs a complete break so when offered a housekeepers job she grabs it both hands. Just what she needs breathing space, what she doesn’t count on is to meet a drop-dead gorgeous author – I mean, seriously this guy is so swoon-worthy, I may fall to my knee’s at his very feet…sigh!!

But, can they find new happiness, or will secrets from the past get in the way?

I thoroughly enjoyed this, it’s a really tender and heart-warming romance, but with secret’s lurking in the background this is much more than your stereotypical sweet love story, it captures the reader’s heart and keeps you transfixed to the page. I loved the character’s, from the residents of Wishington Bay to our love, lost couple, you will be backing Sophie and Nate right from page one, they are such an adorable couple. I love how everyone work so well together to create a realistic and charming little village, one I would love to visit – honestly, I have my bags and the dog packed ready to go 😉

Overall, this is the perfect book for curling up on this colder nights and being whisked away to a charming, star-sprinkled little village which will have you smiling longingly into your Hot Chocolate…..believe me, Hot Chocolate is a must-have while reading this.

A fun, sweet story! I loved this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

If you’re looking for a light, easy romance then you don’t need to look any further. This gorgeous, uplifting story has a wonderful community at its heart. With fantastic friendships and many a blossoming romance, the beautiful Wishington Bay seems to be the perfect place for a fresh start.

This is exactly what has happened to Sophia and Nate. Sophia stumbled upon Wishington Bay and found it a welcome reprive from her usual life with her cheating husband and controlling mother. Nate similarly is escaping heartbreak and his pending divorce by moving into his brother’s home in Wishington Bay for a writing retreat and all-round escape.

This is a great story to escape into with plenty of light-hearted drama and a slow-burn romance. I love this series and definitely need to read more by this author!

My thoughts



Narrative and Plot



Winter at Wishington Bay is told from the main character Sophia's perspective. The narrative is mostly her thoughts and reactions to her surroundings. The plot is basically a second chance love story between two heart broken people. They find their new beginning at Wishington Bay.

The plot is not too complicated. It is kind of predictable and a bit slow paced in the middle. None the less the cozy small town vibe and an ensemble of characters is definitely enjoyable.







Characters and Conflicts


Sophia and Nate are the main characters in the book. The book mainly shows Sophia and her view of Nate. Still from what we receive, he has been hurt a lot in the past.

I am not sure if I would go along with the antagonists or the so called "villains" in the story. Both Serena and Corrine felt two dimensional vile characters. It would have been interesting if there was a bit more conversation or layers to these characters who for the most didn't get much screen time as far as I am concerned.

That being said, the rest of the village had that charming characters who are strong and have the weight of experience on their side even if they don't get to say a lot. Holly was another passive character but I guess that is understandable.












Conclusion



This is a slow paced romance with a beautiful village in the backdrop. There is this aspect of finding your true happiness which I enjoyed reading. The romance is built up and kind of laid back which seems genuine since it is a second chance for both the main characters.
Overall, this was a one time cozy read for me.

I wanted to love this story but it didn't keep my attention and it fell flat.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A fabulous follow up book to the original Wishington Bay novel (which I adored). I love Max's writing it always sweeps me away and this Christmassy read was exactly what I needed.

I really enjoyed this book. At first it was a little confusing because so many people are being introduced but once you start getting into it starts to all make sense on who is who. I literally could not stand Corinne!!!! Like seriously someone needs to put her in her place!!! How low do you have to be to treat people that way!

I'm glad it ended well for everyone. I almost thought Nate was going to go back to his horrific ex wife. If your looking for a cute read with a little bit of a twist I highly recommend this one!

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this!

Some of these holiday books, I expected to like more than I actually did. This one though? Was the exact opposite - the secret of Sophia's real identity is kept a secret in such a way that, while you may anticipate partially why she "went into hiding", so to say, the moment the reveal is made? Well, at the very least I didn't see it coming.

Beyond the fact, though, that this story actually intrigued me, that I found myself genuinely liking all of these characters - and wanting to know more about most of them. This is just a genuinely fun story to read. It had great pacing, an excellent narrative style, and just the right amount of holiday- and winter-vibes to make for a great cosy read. Now if only I could go on and read the story of all the other couples in this setting!

This was a cute winter story, it is definitely more of a winter read than a christmas read if that is what you are looking for. It was very sweet cosy and had some really good characters and relationships.

Overall nothing too new but very cute and well written.

It is great to return to Wishington Bay which is a lovely little community with such a range of characters. This time, we are focussing on Sophia and Nate, who have different reasons for being there, but issues in their past to resolve. You really get the feeling that this is a warm, healing place which enables people to find a sense of belonging. Nate has a close family but he is escaping a disastrous failure of a marriage. Sophia's background is a mystery but you realise that she has a lot of courage and determination.
Second chances, friendship and a sense of belonging all are threads which run through the storyline. It is a comforting read for those Winter evenings and a great escape. I do hope that Maxine Morrey visits Wishington Bay again. There is so much potential in this lovely place.
In short: Second chances- if you dare
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

I was so excited when I heard that Maxine Morrey was returning to Wishington Bay - I loved her first foray into the bay in Coming Home to Wishington Bay and I knew that Winter in Wishington Bay would be no different. I should however state that whilst we do revisit Wishington Bay, these are both standalone books. Whilst there is mention of previous characters, Winter in Wishington Bay is very much focussed on Sophia Jones and Nate McKinley.

Sophia and Nate have both escaped to Wishington Bay. Both are running from their marriages, attempting to rebuild themselves in the chilly but welcoming Bay. Sophia alludes to the secrets she keeps about her old life, and although we are able to make assumptions about her, the big reveal doesn't happen early on. She is escaping a life of unhappiness with a cheating ex.

Nate's wife has left him, and it is clear that their relationship has had a negative impact on his for quite some time. He feels worthless and certainly lacks in confidence. Despite a rocky start, Sophia's straight talking starts to bring him back to himself, and their friendship deepens.

This is a wintery story full of second chances and I loved it. Both Sophia and Nate are definitely flawed characters, but it makes them both all the more relatable. They are keen to protect themselves from more hurt, in Sophia's case by keeping secrets, but they are both ultimately seeking a happiness that they each once thought would not be possible. This is such a lovely novel, perfect for reading as our nights draw in. So grab yourself a hot chocolate (or glass of wine!), a cosy blanket and curl up in your armchair with a copy of Winter at Wishington Bay - you won't regret it.

Wishington Bay was lovely in summer and it's just as atmospheric at Christmastime. Sadly there's no return appearance for Holly and Gabe but Gabe's brother Nate makes an appearance. Another newcomer to the town is Sophia and, after a rocky start, the two become friends. Both are involved in acrimonious divorces and Sophia is hiding from her past life. As unhelpful colleagues intervene, secrets come out and the future looks uncertain.

Maxine Morrey always tells a good story and, although I might have wished for a bit more action, I enjoyed my second stay in the town and with the people there. This is another very enjoyable read from one of my new favourite authors.

Honestly, my track record with contemporary romances lately has been really spotty and I was wondering if my Grinchy heart was beyond hope. But along came this cozy romance set in an adorable small English seaside village, and my Grinchy heart grew at least two sizes! Wishington Bay gave me everything I was looking for in Moose Springs and didn’t find:

An utterly charming setting
Likeable characters
A “mostly-sausage dog” named Bryan
British accents
Holiday vibes
All the warm cozy feels

After starting the book, I did quickly realize that this was a sequel (Coming Home to Wishington Bay, set in the summer, is about another couple), but that didn’t stop me enjoying this warm hug of a book. With events taking place in December, the book has a wintery feel rather than a full-on Christmas theme, but there are some Yuletide touches such as a Christmas faire.

Bit dull.

I was in need of a book that would feel like a warm hug. This was not it for me.

It needed a bit more conflict between the two main characters.