This is the first of Phillipa Ashley's novels that I've listened to as an audiobook. Set in Cumbria, one of my favourite places, I really enjoyed this story of betrayal, forgiveness and second chances with a surprising festive wedding. It is a wonderful romance story, a light, uplifting read that many people look for at Christmas time. The main characters were extremely likeable and Lottie's passion for her work as an Events Planner really shone through. The beautiful setting of Firholme added enchantment and allure, and I could easily picture how wonderful it would have looked with the crisp, sparkling snow, especially after the grounds-staff had worked their festive magic.

Having been dumped by her fiancé, Connor, Lottie is stunned when he and his new girlfriend, Keegan turn up at Firholme. Demanding bride-to-be Keegan insists on being married there and Lottie must arrange the Christmas wedding. It was interesting to read about Lottie's handling of the proceedings and wedding arrangements especially as Connor chose to be selective with the detail of their past relationship. I also liked Estate Manager and neighbour, Jay's story. Although there was some solemnity to aspects of the story, it was well-handled by Phillipa Ashley without straying too much from the Christmas theme. In a tale rich in emotion and confusion, I was engrossed in the sub-plot surrounding Steph, Lottie's sister. To complete the winning festive recipe, there was an added ingredient - a lovely doggy named Trevor!

My second read by Phillipa Ashley, the author's writing style is a good fit for me. An uplifting read with a comforting demeanour and a pleasing ending, the story had its twists and turns resulting in a thoroughly engrossing, charming novel. The audiobook was narrated by Laura Kirman and listening to it was a terrific decision. I thought it was narrated really well and she brought the perfect amount of festive verve to the proceedings, infusing the right emotions and character distinctions. Overall, A Surprise Christmas Wedding is a super, sparkly, Christmassy romance that I can highly recommend. 😊 ❄🎄🎅🏻

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Avon Books and HarperCollins Audio UK via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

"A Surprise Christmas Wedding" is the perfect book to curl up with and swoon over this Christmas! Jay and Lottie's storylines intersect in way that makes you sympathize and root for both of them. You really want these two characters to be together because of the pain that they've been through. The writing is wonderfully straightforward while still being extremely atmospheric. All of the side characters are well fleshed-out and I particularly enjoyed Ashley's depiction of family dynamics on both Jay and Lottie's sides. The audiobook narrator was able to depict the different characters very well!

Content warnings for terminal illness.

*I was given an advanced copy of the audiobook for A Surprise Christmas Wedding. Thank you to Harper Collins Audio UK and Phillipa Ashley*

A Surprise Christmas follows Lottie, who at the beginning of the book gets engaged to Connor. This engagement is very quickly called off and the two go their separate ways.

A year later Lottie is now the event planner for a prestigious estate in the Lake District, which just so happens to be the venue for her ex-fiances wedding to a different woman. His new fiancee has no idea who Lottie is or the past she shares with Connor. They both decide to hide their shared past.

This was my first book by Phillipa Ashley and it was also the first-ever audiobook I have listened to. I don’t think I’m a huge fan of audiobooks. The narration at times was quite cringey for me. I really did not like the put on the voices, especially the men. Absolutely no hate to the narrator, but it just was not to my liking.

I have found that I am having trouble remembering most parts of this book. I’m not saying that the story was forgettable however as I didn’t read the book myself I was as immersed in the story. I do remember that it has plenty of festive moments and the scenery sounded wonderful.

This book was actually quite melancholic at times, and it almost put me off, but I’m stubborn, and I like to finish what I start. I’m definitely the type of person who enjoys fluffy books about Christmas that have little to no conflict.

I also really did not enjoy the insta-love aspect, and if I’m being completely honest, it felt very juvenile to me. I want to believe in the whole ‘love at first sight’ trope but the execution of it here was somewhat poor. Although there was a while of ‘will they won’t they’ between Lottie and Jay (her neighbour who also works at the estate) when they do finally get together everything happens so quickly. This is probably something that a lot of people will love, but it just did not work for me.

The best part about this book is probably the family dynamic between Lottie, her sister Steph and Steph’s two young daughters. This book really showcased what a normal family Christmas is like. The family dynamic was not perfect but it is definitely one that most can relate to.

Overall I am giving this book a 2.5/5. I do think that the low score is mostly down to it being an audiobook. I don’t feel like I really experienced the story properly this way and I probably would have given it a higher score if I had read the book myself.

Lottie is working her dream job at Firholme and has to arrange a wedding at very little notice and is shocked when the groom turns out to be her ex who walked out on her a year ago! Great story and actually very festive!

Having now listened to the audio version of this book I can now say this is one of my favourite festive story's this year. The narrator was wonderful and the time just flew by!

While I enjoyed the Christmas setting, I did feel that this book fell flat in regards to the characters, the plot and the pacing. It's incredibly predictable, which made it quite tedious to listen to. We know that the main antagonist is a wrong 'un, so when Lottie finally realises this I just wanted to shake her for not picking up one what every reader would have realised at the beginning. Some of the character motivations weren't well drawn and overall they are very bland.

I thought the narrator did a great job with bringing some of the characters to life.

#asurprisechristmaswedding by @phillipa.ashleyauthor was a Christmas read I was very excited to read and couldn't wait to download it from @netgalley however, I have also brought it in paperback, I mean how could I not look how pretty the cover is!

I adored the story starting off in beautiful Cornwall for a romantic proposal then moving up to the The Lake District where an interesting romance occurs. Lottie is quite literally stuck in the middle of an awkward situation, while trying to get over her ex and move on with her life she finds herself organising her ex's wedding!!

It's the perfect plot set in a breathtaking location which @phillipa.ashleyauthor describes perfectly. I could smell the pine trees, feel the fresh mountain air on my skin and picture the setting as I turned each page, devouring the story very quickly.

After reading #asurprisechristmaswedding I would love nothing better than to spend a snowy Christmas in a cosy cottage up in the lakes.

This is a perfect Christmas read for 2020! Out in paperback in all supermarkets and bookshops now.

#review #christmasbook #christmas #christmasreview #bookblogger #chellsandbooks #asurpriseweddingforchristmas #avonpublishing

Oh what a lovely book ! Listening to his audio book is like cuddling up in front of a cosy fire with a hot chocolate.
Is it predictable- yes, but who cares- this book just gives you a warm hug.

The narration was great, the narrator embraced the accents with aplomb and developed lot of easily distinguishable characters. The narration was bright and light and perfect for the story.

The story itself is a wonderful, "will they, won't they" seasonal love story. The characters and back drop help to lift it above the norm and I thoroughly enjoyed it as a piece of fun escapism.

I have read this author before, and will continue to read/listen to her stories in the future.

I adored listening to this audiobook.

The story isn't 'just' a festive read but also a very atmospheric and moving one too.

Set in the Lake District, this story resonated with me as it is a place I go to regularly. The author brings the area to life and describes it beautifully - from the little shops in Kendal to the rustic pubs in Keswick. Beautiful.

Lottie is a wedding planner at a beautiful hotel and she has a challenge - this is the first year they will be hosting a Christmassy one and they're hoping to get lots of great feedback from it and wow future brides to be... but the wedding that books it is only Lottie's ex!

I loved hearing how Lottie reacted, how kind and gentle she was and really supportive and lovely and I also liked how she stood up for herself at the end.

Sometimes when reading/listening to books I feel frustrated when characters criticise others and they just take it, but no, this story never once made me frustrated - Lottie stood up for herself but always in a very careful way.

I finished this yesterday and I miss it. It was perfect escapism.

My reading has been more varied this year; like so many I have sought instant distraction, guaranteed happy endings, romance, and CHRISTMAS! This book had it all in buckets! Lottie is dumped by Connor, the love of her life, just after he has proposed. A new job as events planner at a spectacular hotel in the Lake District brings her face to face with the gorgeous but circumspect Jay, and more unfortunately in contact with Connor and his next fiancé who want to book the hotel for their wedding. There’s so much Christmas here - reindeer, snow, Christmas trees, and a Christmas wedding which fulfils everyone’s dreams! I really enjoyed this light hearted romance. Lottie is genuinely big hearted and her romance with Jay is well observed and full of ‘will they, won’t they moments’. There’s some real poignancy and tear jerking moments with the plot incorporating story lines about cancer, stroke, meningitis and family reunion.
Laura Kirman is a very fluent and clear narrator who managed the different voices and accents capably and her voice adds a warmth to the heartwarming story. I was surprised at how enjoyable this was and how emotional I felt at various points! Lovely! With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Audio for a digital copy of this audiobook.

Unable to download so can’t listen unfortunately. I have got the book though so will review that once I’ve read it.

My first Phillipa Ashley book and it won't be my last!

I listened to this story and loved both the story and the narration of it. It gave me a really fuzzy warm feeling and put me even more in the mood for Christmas.

The story is about Lottie who has moved to Firhomme after a break-up the year before and as the event planner there ends up surprisingly planning the wedding of her ex. Meanwhile there is of course a lovely new colleague working there and some family drama adding into the mix.

Overall a really nice Christmassy chick-lit that I would highly recommend.

We all know that sometimes surprises are good - those joyous moments when you meet up with a loved one that you haven’t seen in a while, a party that has been thrown in your honour, or a tasty treat that has ingredients that you weren’t expecting. Sometimes, however, the surprise isn’t quite so joyous. So is the case for Lottie, whose ex-fiancé Connor decides to get married to someone else one year later in the very Lake District estate where Lottie is the event planner.

The job itself is new and this is the first wedding that Lottie will be planning at the estate. Knowing she needs to shine in order to market the venue and impress her boss, she takes Connor’s lead and doesn’t let on that the two have a past. Lottie knows the importance of living each day to the fullest and not looking back. Her sister Steph’s past year has told her this. She’s looking forward now and the good-looking groundskeeper Jay has piqued her interest. Jay also notices Lottie, but has a past that holds him back. The two not only have become co-workers but friends as well. Can they learn to trust one another with their hearts?

I found this lovely book to be very entertaining. The setting of the estate at Christmas is described beautifully - the wedding planning was an added bonus. I loved the theme of moving on after life-changing events: something we all need to consider during this time in our own history. The characters are well developed and likeable. The story is believable and I felt engaged throughout.

I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by Laura Kirman. I enjoyed her performance and found her voice to be articulate and sweet- a great choice for the role of Lottie. I would not hesitate to recommend the audiobook version of the book to those that appreciate this format.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for the honest review provided here.

I started this last week and it was okay, but haven't gone back to it in a week as it hasn't hooked me. Loved the narration by Laura Kirman, as she's a favourite narrator, but the story hasn't grabbed me, so I've given up.

I've read lots of this author's books, but this is the first I've listened to as an audiobook. Rather than Cornwall, the setting for this story is Cumbria one of my favourite places, so I couldn't wait to start listening. This is a story of betrayal, forgiveness and second chances with a surprising festive wedding. Not wanting to give away the plot suffice it to say not all surprises are welcome.

Lottie is working as an event planner at a Cumbrian country house. Planning her first wedding causes conflict in her personal and professional lives, ultimately it makes her realise, some truths about herself and her previous relationship. Jay appears unsocial, but he has trust issues when it comes to relationships, something that stands between his and Lottie's happiness.

The story has some lovely festive touches, and the romance is conflicted, but rewarding. There is also a poignantly relevant sub-plot about Lottie's sister, which shows the importance of their sisterly bond and is a particularly heartwarming part of the story.

The characters are vibrant and wonderfully flawed, and they are brought to life, convincingly, by the excellent narrator. Not all the characters are easy to like, particularly Connor and his fiancee Keegan. The story has a good plot for an audiobook with lots of characters and dialects. The narrator is professional and copes well with the different accents and characters.

If you are looking for a festive read with family and forgiveness at its heart with ripples of romance, and humour this is a perfect read.

I received a copy of this audiobook from Harper Collins UK Audio via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This had a lot of potential but a lot of the choices made by Ashley just didn't work for me. I loved the characters, Ashley wrote compelling characters that I very quickly became interested in and I was engaged with their storylines. The family dynamics between Lottie, our protagonist, and her sister Steph were particularly well done and heart touching.

The key problem I had I can't talk about since it is kind of a spoiler but it involved the presentation of Jay; there were moments where my sympathies were with him rather than anybody else and I think his character changes too drastically too quickly. I did enjoy seeing the development of the romance but there were moments where it felt like insta- love or moments where the execution fell flat or just didn't work. Overall, the romance didn't work for me.

I also didn't like the way Ashley handled Jay's family situation. I understand why she chose to handle them in the way she did but again, near the end, there's this sudden change. It added to the insta-love feelings and I'm not the biggest fan of insta love.

Lottie was pretty likeable but there was a contradiction between how she felt in the first chapter regarding Conner, her ex-fiance, and how she feels about him afterwards. How she felt about him changed dramatically and quickly. It felt unrealistic and jarring. This is a huge con because the whole story is based around Lottie planning his wedding and it kept disengaging me as a reader from the story. Lottie's not my favourite character, I couldn't stand her in quite a few places but liking characters is very subjective.

Overall, what worked for me was the family dynamics between Steph and Lottie. Unfortunately, not much else did. There were sweet moments with the romance but overall the execution of the romance was poor. There were a lot of elements in this story; we're dealing with a lot of character relationships and sub-plots. I don't think they were handled well because there were inconsistencies with some of the characters or the presentation of certain characters. The pacing was also quite slow which might be a con fo some readers but I didn't mind the pacing that much because I felt like there was enough going on most of the time to keep hooked. I wouldn't recommend this unless you like insta-love and love Christmas wedding romances.

This is an audio book review for A Surprise Christmas Wedding by Phillipa Ashley.
This is a romantic, down-to-earth, cosy, pull your blanket round you kind of read!
Lotte gets a job at Firholme as events manager after Connor ends their relationship abruptly and this is where she meets the gorgeous Jay who is estate manager. They both have baggage from the past.
Then later, Connor turns up at Firholme, with his new fiancé and Lottie has to plan their wedding!! This is such a lovely festive book and is read to us by seasoned narrater Lara Kirman who delivers it to us brilliantly!!
Thank you for my gifted copy from Netgalley and Harper Collins Audio UK.

I actually really loved this!! The story was engaging and keep my interest the whole way through. I even tear up a little over the baby (won't be in my public review)
The narrator was amazing and did the best job with this.
First time I've heard of this author but will definitely be heading over to Amazon to see what other books are available

A thoroughly enjoyable Christmas themed book set in a beautiful part of the world - what more could you ask for at this time of year? I thought the narrator was great and did a fantastic job on the northern accents, really breathing life into the story. Some aspects of the story detracted slightly from the mostly uplifting storyline, but were handled fairly well.

I enjoyed this book, thank you for letting me read this.

The relationship between our leading characters (Lottie and Jay) is wonderful, comfortable and leads to very likeable characters.

The Narrator read well and allowed the reader to indulge themselves in the book easily.

Parts of the books became confusing, but explainable, and the issues that arose were handled well.

The narrator of this book is great, very likeable and delivers the story well.

The love story between Lottie and Jay is good - you go through the story of chemistry building and it makes them a very likeable couple.

There are a few things in the story line that I didn't like or understand but they do explain themselves later in the story and it that didn't stop me finishing the book in 3 sittings.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.