Ella is newly single and accepts a job at Halesmere House. But when she gets there she is not really welcomed by the owner. Can she win him over? A great festive read.

Snowfall Over Halesmere House by Suzanne Snow

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Canelo and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Welcome to Halesmere House, where romance might be just around the corner…

After years of living in the past, Ella is ready to start building a future. The perfect opportunity presents itself when she is offered a short-term role at Halesmere House in the Lake District, and tasked with kick-starting its artists' residence. She can't wait to start and explore a new career in an inspiring location.

But when Ella arrives at Halesmere, she wonders if she’s made a huge mistake after she clashes with Max, the new owner. Max has his own reasons to be unsettled by her presence, but despite his misgivings it seems everyone else loves having Ella around. As a single dad, it’s his children’s attachment to her that bothers him most. Who will pick up the pieces when Ella leaves?

My Opinion

I was with Ella wondering if she had made a mistake on arrival at Halesmere House, with the reception she receives from Max. This book has both grumpy characters and second-chance romance with a nice festive setting. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the house decorated for Christmas.

Overall this book is warm and cosy. An added benefit is that this is the first book in a new series by Suzanne Snow.

Rating 4/5

Loved this one!
Such a lovely story. This author knows just where to pitch her stories and the characters just melt your heart.
Absolutely gorgeous setting too xxx
I do hope there’s more to come🥰

This was a good read with all emotions and the Christmas season as well. Family and friends, new and old make this a book worth reading. 4 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

A really lovely feel good story where Max and Ella bond over their shared sense of loss. All the joys of a will they, won't they and some lovely feels of family and friendship,

This is a very good book and I say that despite having been given a review copy of a winter book in August by NetGalley. The story is very entertaining and perfect for anyone who likes to read of families with children and pets, their friends both old and new all intertwined with a hefty does of a slow burning romance. I’m sure you will not be disappointed if you read this book.

This Christmas story will warm your heart and leave you waiting for Christmas. This story truly shows that home is where the heart is.

At first Max comes across as very prickly, abrupt and rude but when he discovers that Ella and himself share something in common he softens up. His gruff facade fades and their heartbreaking pasts bring them closer together. They are so good for each other, healing each other and Ella' s relationship with Lily and Arlo is precious and exactly what the children needed. I was on edge hoping they'd get together from the start of the book.

The chef/foodie theme is always a win with me and I loved this sweet story and all the characters I 'met'. Except one character annoyed me with her constant trying to worm her way in and trying to put Ella off and scare her away.
Marta and her candles were so inspiring, I could almost smell the descriptive scents.
The emotionally charged ending was perfect!
I read this in almost one sitting and when I took a break from reading to make lunch I couldn't wait to get back to Halesmere house!

If you love Grumpy and sunshine, second chance romance, small town vibes and Christmas themed books you'll love this.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a sweet read perfect for copying up sith in winter.

This was a sweet book filled with love and whit! I enjoyed the lovely Christmas vibes throughout the story. Enjoyable characters!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Ella, wants to move past what’s happened before and plan a future.

She is offered a job, temporary, at Halesmere House in the Lake District. She has to start the artists' residence at the residence and she’s eager to begin doing so, hopefully a step towards a new career somewhere new.

But as she’s arrived at Halesmere, Ella’s now thinking if she’s agreed to this job too quickly, as Max, who owns the property, isn’t happy on seeing her.

Even though he has his own reasons for not wanting her there, every other person loves Ella, his mother Noelle and Stan, his handyman.

Max is a single Dad, his children Lily and Arlo were lovely, and their dog Prim. But as they grow closer to Ella, he’s worried as to what will happen when she leaves?

But Ella is starting to love more than just the area and its residents. Will something that started as her temporary become permanent and give them both a happy ending?

I loved the characters Arlo, Stan and Noelle, and especially Lily,

The description of the Lake District and the house all decked out for Christmas made me feel like I was there.

I recommend this book.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Canelo and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A romantic little story full of sweet characters and touching, heartfelt emotions.

Sweet romance between two cautious people - he's bringing up his children after being widowed a couple of years before, making a living as a Landscape Architect whilst trying to develop his large old house into an upmarket holiday place; his mother, a flamboyant artist, living with them. She's out of a job and still trying to gain her own life after losing a twin sister when she was 12, getting on for 20 years ago. She's employed to help get the holiday place off the ground, assist with getting the two young children to and from school and so on. A couple of slight spanners in the works of course but no-one especially nasty, just a bit jealous. Set in the Lake District but with a distinct dose of rose tinted spectacles - how many villages can you think of with artisan bread maker, 5* gourmet pub brewing its own beer, cakes and sweeties of the definite desirable type, candlemaker, and a village shop that sounds more like Fortnum and Mason's deli counter? Still, a sweet, light read with no real challenges - just right for a night in front of a log fire with a mug of chocalate, Belgian of course, in hand. Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is another wonderful story by Suzanne. Ella has recently lost her job as a Chef and has applied for a position in a totally new career direction. Halesmere House is very old with various outbuildings and used to be let as holiday accommodation. The employer lives in a more modern cottage next door. Her job is to Market the House and make it accessible once again. Max the new owner, has purchased this Estate as a new start for his young family following the death of his wife 2 years ago. Ella has also suffered loss and is able to empathise. Although having no previous experience Ella has great vision and soon has the local community involved renovating the properties and offering as studios to local artists. She opens the House hosting a Supper Club as a showcase inviting local proprietors to join forces to promote their businesses to future holidaymakers. Part of her job is to take the children to school and take care of them afterwards whilst Max is away and will be late home. Her friendship with Max and his children grows and she soon realises although she does not want to get hurt, she has fallen in love with all of them. What better time of year for this to happen than at Christmas time! I thoroughly recommend that you read this book at any time of year.

Lovely feel good festive read. It had the idyllic setting. The authors use of description was perfect. I wanted to be there . Enjoying the festive spirit in this community.

Enjoyable read. Very well written

A really lovely Christmas story. Full of Christmas, joy, sparkle, whit, whim, love and spirit. I really enjoyed it and it put me in the festive spirit.

Absolutely loved this light and at times funny read, lovely setting and very descriptive you feel like you are there among the characters, a new found family that slowly grows on the main character, she finds her self falling in love with the place as well as the people
Wonderfully storyline and beautifully written, would highly recommend

loved this story of ella who is offered a short term job in the Lake District. Loved the setting and the story. this is my first book by this author but definitely look for more

The only Suzanne Snow book I had read previously was also a festive one (no surprise there), so I know I like her Christmas stories so I had high hopes for this.

I really didn’t like Max at first. It’s rare I instantly take a dislike to someone but within the first few pages of his arrival, he really rubbed me up the wrong way and I started to feel embarrassed for Ella. I know he’s meant to be the handsome, swashbuckling, misunderstood hero and I so didn’t want him to become that because I didn’t like him, but of course he talked me round. Very quickly in fact, and he soon became one of my favourite characters. I definitely want a Max now. I mean, I do have a Max, but he’s ten years old, so not quite the same setup.

If I’m honest, my favourite characters were his children Lily and Arlo, I thought they were fantastic, especially Lily. I also liked the addition of Prim, the dog. There’s this naivety, innocence and magic about them that you only see in children, and it’s a shame more adults don’t take a leaf out of their book.

I do wish more was made of Max’s friend Ashley. I had my own opinions on her but they were never proved right or wrong, but that’s my only qualm. I really liked the handyman Stan and Max’s mum Noelle. I thought they were great and a fabulous backdrop to the Max/Ella friendship. The rest of the characters were background to me; perfectly fine in their own way but nothing could tear me from Max, Ella, Arlo and Lily.

I have always wanted to love in the Lake District, in a little cottage near a lake, and this gave me everything I wanted. The way the house was described when it was all decorated for Christmas…it all sounds simply stunning and I want to know when I can move in.

The description of the festivities and the community spirit felt absolutely gorgeous and I’m quite jealous that these fictional people got to live my dream.

It’s very much a happily-ever-after, warm, cosy, joyful book but it doesn’t shy away from difficult topics such as illness, death, grief and loneliness, but in a very real, not over-the-top way.

It really does give you that fizzy feeling that you experience when you witness the things and the people you love. I read this in the week we experienced the ridiculous heatwave and yet it still managed to warm me up.

This is the first in a new series and I am very excited about future instalments.

Snow by name and Snow by nature; Suzanne has managed to portray the magic that Christmas brings to children and reminds us as adults to find it again and learn to see the love and the magic in everything.

I like this authors books so was looking forward to reading this as part of my Christmas in July tradition. This was the perfect escapism read while trying to escape from the impromptu heatwave and I read it practically in one sitting.

This book was like curling up with your fingers wrapped around your favourite hot drink and gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

All of the characters were delightful even prim the dog and this was so much more than just a romantic read as was also a story of finding friendship and belonging and of love and loss and how with a little bit of help and community spirit from others everything will be ok.

This is the first book in the love in the lakes series and I am now eagerly anticipating more of this series and would love to have a sequel to catch up with max and Ella and where their road to new beginning takes them.