I have read enough of these authors' books to know that you should not start one as you go to bed! Around 2am I turned the final page, it was simply a case of "just more more chapter" followed by, "maybe just one more, before finally deciding that as I had the next day off it didn't matter if I was later up than usual :)

Years ago four friends make a bucket list of places they would like to see, things they would like to do and what they wanted to achieve in their lives. Over the years there have been marriages, divorces, promotions, children and the death of one of the four.

Deciding to fulfil one bucket list item, the three friends go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights. They are booked in for a weekend and in theory that should be enough time to see the lights and make it back home ready for a new Christmas menu to be rolled out at a restaurant, for making sure the arrangements are in place for a family Christmas and the last minute wedding plans.

It takes a lot for the women to get together so three days is all they can manage in their busy schedules.

The author has done a brilliant job with this story and it is one that really does epitomise lives in today's society. Busy with work, families, lives and non-stop lifestyles. The demand for their time seems to be constant, phone calls to check things, calls to keep the peace and to make sure everyone is happy. I know if it was me going to Iceland I would want to spend more than just a weekend.

Knowing time is of the essence before they all disappear back to their lives, the girls take a risk and get routes and spots where they might see the lights. Unfortunately, this goes terribly wrong after they are involved in a shunt. All the women are unharmed, but they are now stranded.

I adored this story and I really loved how the lives of the women had been built up to be busy, almost too busy for each other and also for their departed friend. As I mentioned, a weekend would not be enough for me, and I do think that something as important as achieving a close friend's bucket list wish is something that should take more time. It's a good job the author also thinks this way.

The author chose a wonderful way to show the real Iceland, the food, the people, the scenery and also the smaller communities away from the hotels and tourist spots. Being without things like electricity, a phone signal and a road back to the hotel encourages the women to look at their lives. The longer they stay cooped together the more they realise that they are not living their lives to the fullest. Yes, they may be achieving some of their goals, but is this making them happy?

A friend of mine told me a few years ago that "you should work to live and not live to work". I think this sums up this story very well.

The author once again spoils with mentions of hearty foods and also tantalising recipes. The community spirit of this remote Icelandic area is one of warmth and friendliness, but also of caution. Outsiders wanting to change things, hardships, depression and rising costs are also mentioned as part of the story. The world is changing and with it are people's thoughts and expectations.

This is a story that has a few moralistic scenarios, it did make me stop and think. This is a wonderful story that is fabulous reading and kept me up till ridiculous o'clock until I got to the end. If you like a contemporary fiction novel that has romance, friendship and is definitely addictive, then this is one I would definitely recommend.

When I started reading this book I wasn't really sure that it was for me, a story of four women on a visit to Iceland to see the lights sounded interesting but then the schedule of spa treatments arranged made my eyes glaze over. I needn't of worried, however, as the story quickly turned into more an adventure and a voyage of self-discovery for the women. I was particularly taken by Freya, a chef in a Michelin starred restaurant, who had buried herself in her career and lost her love of cooking food that people really enjoy, rather than just looking good on a plate. The Icelandic scenery sounds fantastic but harsh at the same time - you do have to watch out for the trolls and elves.
In summary a book that I became totally immersed in and can definitely recommend.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book and I have already pre-ordered it as I enjoyed reading it so much.

Freya and her friends take a short break to Iceland to keep a promise to their late friend. Whilst out searching for the Northern Lights, they are involved in an accident, and find themselves staying in a bunkhouse in the wilds and unable to get home for Christmas.
As they discover the local community, traditions and beautiful landscapes, their lives all begin to change for the better.
I really enjoyed this book. Not your usual Christmas fluff, but an evocative, enjoyable story.

Journey to Iceland with Freya and her friends, as keeping a Christmas promise reveals more than they expected!
I received a copy of ‘Keeping a Christmas Promise‘ for review purposes.

Jo Thomas writes gorgeous novels with characters who excel at turning bad situations into good. I really enjoyed Escape to the French Farmhouse (click here to read my review) and last year’s Christmas novel Finding Love at the Christmas Market (find my review here) which was set in a traditional German Christmas Market.

So I was really excited when an invitation to read Keeping a Christmas Promise popped into my inbox. Nothing gets me looking forward to the Christmas season like snuggling up with candles lit, a cosy blanket and an early Christmas read!

I absolutely loved this book. The main characters are all in their forties and their mid-life worries felt very relatable. I also loved the people that they meet from the village. Pétur is the main love interest for Freya and he is as gorgeous as you’d expect. But I also loved some of the minor characters in the book and learning about their traditions made the village feel very real.

The setting is, of course, absolutely fantastic and the book is filled with wonderful descriptions of the breathtaking Icelandic landscape. Keeping a Christmas Promise takes the reader away from the Iceland that they probably know from Instagram and into a small community that is beautifully in tune with its local surroundings. Without ever being preachy, Jo Thomas emphasises the importance of the relationship between the villagers and the local environment. She also hints at the damage that over-tourism and commercialism can do in these areas.

Ironically, it made me want to visit Iceland more than another photo of the Blue Lagoon!

Of course, Keeping a Christmas Promise wraps up with the happy ending that the reader is hoping for. Each of the main characters learns something new about themselves during their Icelandic adventure. And in turn, that gave me pause for thought as well.

So if you’re looking for a Christmas romance that makes you stop and think a bit, this is definitely the book for you.

Full review can be read online at https://www.sallyakins.com/book-review-keeping-a-christmas-promise/

After the death of one of their friends Freya, Meg and Joanna head to Iceland on what would have been their friends 40th birthday to see the Northern lights
What should have been a relaxing holiday turns out to be anything but when they get caught up in a snow storm, bump their car and another car crashes into the back of them. Luckily they come across a farmhouse in a remote community whose owner takes them in where they realise they aren't going to be leaving before Christmas as the snow is too deep
A lovely story of friendship and how a community looks after each other

I love a Christmas romcom. Especially set somewhere Scandinavian with the promise of the merry dancers showing face! It's a dream of mine to go there and see them, I just hope that if it comes true it isn't with the same drama as Freya and friends experience.
The setting is beautiful, the characters all have such amazing backgrounds. I really loved all the folklore of the elves. Its always interesting to learn another countries culture.
A really fast paced number, I flew through it.
A great winter warmer.

If you want a gorgeous festive read this winter, this is the one! Set in beautiful Iceland in December, you taken to a quite magical place which you feel is is protected from the outside world by the elements. The community understand how vulnerable they are and come together to look after each other. Freya and her friends have come to Iceland to fulfil a promise to their friend, Laura. They bring with them their own particular issues and have been looking forward to seeing the Northern Lights, as tourists, staying in a luxury spa hotel. Circumstances lead then to Petur's farm and they discover some surprising things about themselves during their stay.
As the community works together, you see individual acts of kindness. There is a deliciously festive feel, with gorgeous descriptions of the local food and the natural phenomena. Freya in particular, re-assesses her life and comes to appreciate the values of the locals she meets. She sees the benefits of their sustainable lifestyle and the threats that can be found in the greed and self-centred interests of outsiders. The story swept me along. I found this character-driven story to be a perfect winter read.
In short: the story sparkles like the winter snow
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

I’ve read and enjoyed a few of Jo’s books now and find that they always transport you straight into the location of the book, this one is no exception so make sure you’ve got a warm beverage nearby to keep you toasty! There’s something about books set in Iceland that have a bit of an extra wintry feeling because of the sheer amount of snow, reindeers, warm clothing and those amazing Northern Lights. With this book though Jo has taken us to the ‘real Iceland’ and you get a clear picture of what it’s like to actually live somewhere like this - it’s not just hot chocolates, hot spas and luxurious massages!

There’s always a little bit of magic in Iceland with their approach to elves, trolls and history which takes a bit of getting use to as they are so serious about not upsetting them and keeping to the traditions that have always been respected and retold. One of my favourite Icelandic traditions is that they give each other a book on Christmas Eve so that they can sit down, snuggle up and have an early night with a book before Santa arrives the next morning.

Jo has created a World that is unlike any other and I could really picture myself there, although I don’t think I’d adjust quite as well as Freya or Joanna, I’d definitely be a bit more like Meg, wanting to get home to my hubby! The cosy cabin and community spirit really warms your soul and all of the food (with the exception of putrid shark) did sounds delicious, it’s especially given me a bit of a hankering for some smoked salmon although I can imagine it wouldn’t be a smidge on Petur’s!

Frankie was such a mysterious character to me for the majority of the book, I couldn’t help picturing her a bit like Frankie from Eastenders, very shy, timid, and a petit woman so I was curious to know what she was doing on the roads all by herself. It feels like the other main characters are more transparent but the more you read the more you find out about them and I really liked that. There are also a lot of other characters in the community that we meet a few times but you can easily keep track of who’s who and it just creates a real village feel while you are reading.

Despite the cold weather - and I’m talking extreme cold, this book gave me such a warming feeling and I loved getting to spend time with Freya and Petur, you could just see that spark waiting to be lit and I was waiting for something to happen every time I turned the page. Because of this I didn’t want to put my kindle down and was trying to read a few chapters at every moment - even almost throwing my kindle as I got off the train in a rush! It was worth it though as the ending of the book was lovely and fitting and has left me ready and raring for lunch time!

A really great story helping to consider priorities and how grief can impact people differently as well as a different viewpoint on Iceland and lots of Christmas fun thrown in.

A very typical Jo Thomas feel good book. I really enjoyed it and all the characters. Some lovely friendships between the girls. Plenty of references to nice food as usual with her books. Loved it. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review.

This novel has an interesting plot with unexpected twists, likeable characters, and a beautiful setting: Iceland. We can see Iceland as the tourists usually cannot and also see the life of a remote, close-knit community. The journey the three friends take is not only a trip to a beauiful place, but it is an inner journey for them as well. When they leave Iceland they have learnt a lot about themselves. And of course, there is romance in the story as well. I can recommend it to everyone.

Another lovely read from Jo Thomas, with beautiful setting in Iceland - I loved this setting and the descriptions of the wild and unpredictable nature, they were gorgeous, bringing everything to life. What I also loved is the fact that the story is stuffed with so many important lessons about environment and about nordic culture - some great and important stuff there, that's for sure.

However, for me personally the characters were too superficila, I didn't have a feeling that I really know them, that I know what makes them tick and it's a pity. I think the background characters were better portrayed than the main ones. The story itself was very simple, nothing life - changing there. It also felt very repetitive, with the characters telling the same thing to others in what felt like thousand times over and over again. I also had a feeling that half of the story focused on the characters living in the icelandic village, telling their life stories and I eventually started to skip those moments - and there were many of them, what with bringing food to them every day.

Food was another thing in this book. It's actually a real delight. Don't go into this story when you're hungry.

So I know why the readers love this book. There is everything there: not only brilliant setting, but it'S also about love, friendship, loyalty, discovering yourself. For me though it misses this "something" that makes the book outstanding. It was too trivial for me liking, without truly getting into the heart of the things. Nevertheless, a lovely and festive read that you should read by a heater - it's really cold inside the story.

Jo Thomas strikes again with another dreamy winter escape that has a community that pulls you in and you never want to let go whilst you are tantalised with the most mouthwatering Icelandic cuisine.

Best friends Freya, Meg and Joanna head to Iceland to fulfil a promise to their late friend Laura, to complete her bucket list by seeing the Northern Lights on what would have been her 40th Birthday. They planned a 3 day stay but the elves and trolls of Iceland had other ideas for them when they find themselves trapped in a rural part of Iceland whilst chasing the lights. They find themselves unexpectedly thrown into the heart of the community as they see the real dangers and beauty of Iceland are rather than a tourists brief created view,

The novel explores how differently people deal with grief and the effects it can have on friendships and relationships around you, The girls friendship was already under slight pressure even just trying to get them all onboard with the trip but then the effects and events that occur during their time in Iceland test that friendship even more.

My husband and I always had it on our list to see the Northern Lights and sadly he is no longer here and this novel sparked something in me, a determination to fulfil this wish and this was helped by the authors incredibly descriptive writing style that made this such an atmospheric read. The scene and elements were set so vividly the culture and traditions of Iceland were explored and the food, oh the food, Jo gets me every time with her tantalising descriptions of food so any dieters out their approach this book with caution!

This was an exciting winter warmer that ticked all the boxes for me.

A fun read describing the adventures of friends embarking on the trip of a lifetime to see the Northern Lights in memory of another friend. Plenty descriptions of the scenery and a wide range of quirky characters and romance to keep the reader entertained.

Jo Thomas is amazing at transporting readers to beautiful locations and with this book she surpassed herself. How wonderful to have a Christmas book set off the beaten track in Iceland , way off the tourist trail. I loved the attention to detail in this book and the fact that it wasn't all snowflakes and glitter.
A superbly romantic Christmas story but one that makes you realise the important things in life.

When Freya, Laura, Meg and Joanna are in their early 20’s they go on Meg’s hen weekend. During the break they tell each other what they want to do in the future. Laura wants to see the Northern Lights.
Now, years later Freya, Meg and Joanna have travelled to Iceland to seek out the lights as a tribute to Laura who passed away from cancer 2 years ago.
Unfortunately, it’s snowing heavily which isn’t great for seeing the lights. Undeterred they decide to go off the beaten track in their search. When an avalanche leaves them stranded, they seek shelter in a nearby farmhouse. The owner, Petur, is welcoming and happy for the women to stay as long as the road is blocked. Over the next few days Petur shows them how the isolated community work together and with nature to look after each other and ensure no one is left cut off and unable to cope.
This story of friendship and hope set amongst the beautiful Icelandic scenery is mesmerising and perfect to snuggle up with on a cold Autumn night.

Brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant.
Jo Thomas is amazing with all her books and this one is no exception. A truly wonderful story about friendships and putting everything into perspective. It’s a lovely warm book set in a very cold climate with characters you just want to know more about. A great read which should not be missed.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure.

Set in the frozen beauty of an Icelandic December three friends set out to see the Northern Lights on what would have been their friend Laura's 40th birthday. This was their promise to Laura before she died. All three are dealing with their own worries and hope a nice spa break will do them good. However, being snowed in a tiny village is not in their plans. They are forced to re-evaluate everything - it's amazing how the might of nature can put everyday problems into perspective. The wonderful landscape is like an extra character. #netgalley #KeepingAChristmasPromise

What a heartwarming novel that is very heartbreaking at the same time.

It's lovely that a gfoup of friends should go to visit somewhere to remember a friend. I had tears in my eyes.
The landscape is lovely but very cold and the story reminds us to seize the day and tell those you love that you love them.

A totally captivating read by Jo Thomas. Food, fun, friends old and new, and an adventure of epic proportions that we get carried along on. This book will make you want to pack a bag and head for Iceland yourself, its a place I've always wanted to visit & after the beautifully written discriptions, I'm even more keen to go. An absolute must read.