Wonderful Christmas book from the fantastic Jo Thomas. Take a trip to Iceland and you may never want to leave.

Five stars!

A great fun Christmas read.

3 friends travel to Iceland to see the Northern lights. I loved the setting, good characters
easy read

Loved it

I really enjoyed this novel by Jo Thomas. It’s heartwarming from start to finish and made me feel quite emotional in places.

I liked Freya the most out of the 3 friends but then I absolutely loved the relationship between Freya and Petur (if that’s how you spell it 😂),

Jo Thomas books are always lovely to read at Christmas time. This one made me feel so festive. Can’t wait for the next one!

Keeping a Christmas Promise is a lovely, warm story that steers away from the normal Christmas reads. It tells of 3 friends who travel to Iceland to see the Northern Lights in memory of a friend recently passed. It’s a tale of friendship, love and hope. A simple but heartwarming read.
I did find it a little slow to get going and it took me some time to familiarise myself with the characters. I enjoyed the story more half way though.

Absolutely loved this book; it was so interesting. Yes, it is a romance but so much more than that. I learnt so much about Icelandic culture which is where the book is set. Three friends travel to see the Northern lights in memory of their friend who died. They get stranded in a snowstorm after going in search of the lights and are taken in by Petr. The descriptions are beautiful and the characters in the book, both local and visitors, have hidden depths. It also deals with sustainability and ecosystems of local inhabitants and how 'progress' affects peoples' lives. A great book, very absorbing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

As young women, friends Freya, Meg, Joanna and Laura all create a bucket list. At the time, life was carefree and their futures were bright and promising.

Fast forward a few years, Freya is a chef at a Michelin starred restaurant, Meg is about to re-marry, and Laura is living the dream with her husband and step family. On what would have been Laura's 40th birthday, the friends head to Iceland to carry out her wish -to experience the Northern Lights.

They were expecting spa treatments, luxury and the auroras flickering over the night sky, but what they didn't expect was to be stranded out in the countryside due a prang in their hire car and then an avalanche. Seeking safety and solace with local farmer Petur who comes to their rescue, he shows them how a rural village all pull together during their harsh winters.

With Christmas approaching, Freya and her friends throw themselves into the festivities, decorating and cooking for the villagers using delicious local ingredients.

I have read most, if not all of Jo Thomas' books and it's safe to say that this is her best one yet. Jo throws herself into the research of her books, and food is also a big factor in them and this one is no exception and your mouth will be watering.

I didn't feel like I was reading this book- I was watching a movie in my head - it was pure brilliance and I loved every single word.

My favourite book of 2022!!

Romance, friendship, a promise and a girl's trip to Iceland. A perfect mixture of friendship and love set at Christmas. An enjoyable festive read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

Having read nearly all of the books that Jo Thomas has written, I had high expectations for this book. It did not disappoint! It captured my interest straight away and I felt a connection with the characters for their authenticity. A truly great book which I would absolutely recommend.

It is rare during these uncertain times that I would purchase a book in more than one format, let alone e-book- paperback and audiobook! Something hit me in the chest when I read the story of Freya, Meg and Joanna as they navigate the emotional roller-coaster of keeping a promise.
Their promise lands them in deep snow, in a foreign country in the dark and only a grumpy local to offer them shelter. But what could end in disaster has the potential to change all their lives.
I am an emotional reader, and it is a sure sign of a good story when I laugh, cry, get frustrated and fall in love along with the characters. At a time of year when the market is flooded with festive romances, Keeping a Christmas Promise stood out as something different, yes there is romance, the will they won't they, but the is more, a sense of self-discovery for the friends who lost their way when they lost a part of their hearts.
My thanks, as always to #Transworld #Penguin #RandomHouse #Netgalley and Jo, herself, for giving me the opportunity to review #KeepingAChristmasPromise

Purchase Links:
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09XQ55C66/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_dl_8SVHJ651M82MFB83P3RS
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/keeping-a-christmas-promise-jo-thomas/1141568017?ean=9781473596856
Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/keeping-a-christmas-promise/jo-thomas/9780552178679

Go check out my review of Jo Thomas latest release, Keeping a Christmas Promise @ https://sloantate-mckate.blogspot.com/2022/10/keeping-christmas-promise-by-jo-thomas.html Purchase links in review

I really loved this original and unusual novel. It showed another side to Iceland that was off the beaten track that tourists would not see.

I particularly appreciated the romantic plot line and the way the novel addressed the topics of environment, community and heritage: some great messages. Highly recommended for a lovely winter read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of Keeping a Christmas Promise in exchange for an honest review.

What an absolute joy of a book by this magnificent author, who never fails to deliver a compelling storyline set in an amazing backdrop.

In this Christmas tale we are with three friends, looking for the Northern Lights on a holiday in remembrance of a friend lost to cancer. Along the way they experience the joy of the barren way of life and the joy of a community helping each other. The surprise of this after being snowed in there changes all of their lives and that of those who live there too.

Hugely enjoyable book which was read so quickly I was disappointed that it had come to an end.

Highly recommend and many thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read an early copy of Jo Thomas’s book.
It’s not Christmas without a Jo Thomas book full of fun, friendship and scrumptious food.

Freya and her three friends do everything they can together, until one is no longer with them, leaving a legacy to fulfill of going to Iceland and seeing the Northern Lights.
Risks are taken, emotions become taut, secrets are revealed, friendship and love blossom in a backdrop of a beautiful stark, snowy backdrop of Iceland, and not forgetting the traditional comforting food.
A very different Christmas but everyone pulls together to create a Christmas no one will forget!
Fully immersive, I finished this in a day, left me feeling warm and content.

A heartfelt Christmas story and a beautiful setting! Freya, a London chef, and two long-time friends arrive in Iceland for a short visit pre-Christmas to celebrate the life of their friend, Laura, on what would have been her 40th birthday. Laura had always dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights and before her death two years earlier the others had promised they would travel to Iceland to see them for her. Their trip goes sideways when an avalanche traps them in a remote part of the country for several days, however, they pitch in to help the locals and learn more about Iceland and the tight-knit community during their extended stay.

Keeping a Christmas Promise is an enjoyable holiday read with an uplifting message about friendship, dealing with grief, living life to the fullest and following one's heart to find happiness and romance. The setting is incredible - the story transports the reader to the land of fire and ice in December - the beautiful, rugged landscape, the darkness of the winter equinox, lagoons and hotsprings, waterfalls and snowstorms that last for days. I loved the nordic culture and folklore woven into the story and the inclusion of environmental and sustainability issues that Iceland is grappling with as well as the many mouthwatering descriptions of delicious Icelandic food. After reading, I'm looking forward both to Christmas and to planning a trip to Iceland!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a lovely read. It is about 3 friends who travel to Iceland near Christmas to see the northern lights, they are doing this as a wish/in memory of another friend lost to cancer.

It is during this trip they decide, unwisely, to try and find the best spot to see the lights and get stuck in a bad snow storm - luckily Petur comes to the rescue. This is a bad storm and it may take days for the roads to become accessible. Whilst waiting for the worst of the weather to clear in Petur’s camping cabins, they learn about the village and help members of the community.

Of course they learn a few things about themselves, their friendships and how they may not be happy in just living their current lives.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Another treasure, another treat! I devoured this as a one-sitting, fun, escape read. Anyone looking for a refreshing Christmas cheer and holiday season of joy, lift your spirits, feel good read, will enjoy this one.

I would like to thank Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for providing me with an advance readers copy via access to the galley for free through the NetGalley program.

<b>The Story</b>
Has all the elements and kept me going amongst all the festivities and turn of events.

Gorgeous Icelandic setting with both culturally important and magical stories as told from village viewpoint, serves as significant backstory with an engaging look into Icelandic peoples, lifestyle, beliefs, folklore, celebration, cuisine, nature, and unique geothermal land characteristics.

Best friends, creating memories, getaway, new experiences, new acquaintances, romance, community.

Cheer, laughter, joy. Dreams. Hopes. Plans.

Dilemma. Tears. Plans averted. Longing. Disappointment. Reflection.

Flapjacks, Icelandic tortillas, skyr, lamb and caramelized potatoes, merry drink, warm crusty buried bread steaming soft middles. Fish soup. Berry preserves and tasty wild caught smoked salmon.

Icelandic Christmas cake with plum filling and cardamom spice.

Oh the food!

<b>The Writing</b>
Thoroughly enjoyed the casual writing style as always which easily flows and feels conversational with integration of secondary language into dialogue and the dive into culture from both visitor and mainstay perspective.

Just enough description to build up the scene with all the glorious senses to capture this transportive, taking me places, holiday read.

<b>Characters</b>
The characters were just fun, they all had something unique to offer. There’s something for everyone to connect and glean to in the friend group and community.

Always looking forward to the next book, where to?

<a href="https://ericarobbin.com">Blog post</a>

Keeping A Christmas Promise
I have always loved Jo Thomas’s ability to whisk you away to another place. This book is no exception. I have always wanted to go to Iceland and this story has only cemented that desire. Freya and her friends have headed to Iceland to keep a promise to their late friend, a promise to see the northern lights. They are so set on keeping this promise they ignore their instincts and head out in heavy snow to find the lights. A snowstorm sweeps in and they find themselves trapped in a rural Icelandic village, with only the locals for company.
Freya wants to get back to work, to preparing the menu for the restaurant she works in.
Joanna wants to get back to her lavish lifestyle.
Meg has lots of preparation for her second wedding ahead of her.
Their time in Iceland starts to show them that what they want isn’t necessarily what they need.
As always the description of the beautiful scenery is wonderful. The Icelandic traditions and recipes were lovely to read about and made me want to visit even more. It shows a side of Iceland that’s more than the lights and hot springs. A beautiful story, a beautiful setting, a great read.

Three best friends travel to Iceland to complete the bucket list of their dead friend who wanted to see the northern lights. Due to an avalanche they get trapped in a little community but it somehow brings the friends even more together and teaches them things about themselves they didn’t know. A hunky local helps things along as well. Wonderful recipes are concocted and meals delivered in the harshest of conditions. It made me feel cold just reading about it

A bucket list created by three friends 25 years ago needs to be finished even though they are not all here to carry it out. In memory of their friend a visit to Iceland. Will the Northern Lights work their magic? A totally enchanting tale in a beautiful setting.

This is a wonderful read bringing the joys of Christmas and friendship together.

The characters were well developed and I certainly felt like I was in Iceland.

Well worth a read over the Christmas break.

A group set out to see the Northern Lights in honour of their friend only to end up stranded in a small village as a snow storm hits. They find themselves caught up in the lifestyle and finally start to question their own lives and if theyre truly happy.

This was a nice little festive read. The images created are stunning. Seeing the Northern lights is my dream too. The plot was steady and built to a clever, well written ending. I like how they all found their happiness. A sweet read perfect for Christmas.