Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. If you are looking for a festive feel good novel then look no further. This is a beautifully written story which follows the lives of two women and their families and how an old photograph changes the course of their futures. I particularly loved how the character Emily interacts with her father who suffers from dementia. An absolute must.

I started this book when I was really stressed and it worked for me like a tonic. It is fun, it is enjoyable and it is well written. Sometimes we want to read something that leaves us smiling and where things work out. Other times we want more complex material. I would highly recommend this book, it is the first Cathy Bramley I have read and I shall read more. I thought the characters were interesting and although it is definitely a light book the plot was strong enough to completely engage me.

Merrily Ever After is the latest novel from Cathy Bramley and I loved every page. It’s a wonderful heartwarming story following the tale of two strangers; Merry and Emily. Merry has always wanted a family to spend Christmas with and this year her wish has come true. But as she juggles her rapidly expanding business with planning a wedding, her dreams begin to unravel.
Meanwhile Emily is desperate for the New Year to arrive so she can have a fresh start. She’s always out family first but when her dad moves into a residential home, she discovers a photo that changed everything. As last secrets come to light, will this be a Christmas for Merry and Emily to remember? A beautifully written festive read, the characters will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page. Thank you to NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author for the chance to review.

A warm, cosy christmassy rom-com that will give you all the feels. The story is primarily told through the two main characters of Merry and Emily with an alternating narrative. A couple of things made me love this book: one - the importance of women's friendships and two - the insight into Emily's dad's struggle with dementia was sensitively dealt with.
The ending and the entwining of the two main characters was definitely a given but I still 100% enjoyed reading how this developed, and also how Merry adjusts to being a stepmum too. Spot on as are all Cathy Bramley books!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

Well I had happy tears in my eyes by the end of this one, it's just so joyous and I loved every word of this wonderful book.

Because Cathy Bramley is an auto read author for me, I never really look at her blurbs, so imagine my surprise and delight fairly early into the story when I realised it was a sequel to last year's Christmas release. It's no wonder I felt right at home with Merry, as I already knew her and Cole, and I am so happy to have been able to read the continuation of their story.

And then the second character this book focuses on is Emily, who is brand new, and she was a complete and utter delight to meet too. She's involved in some key storylines, and deals with everything thrown at her so so well.

I guessed fairly early as to how the stories might intersect and it didn't remotely detract from my enjoyment and seeing if I was right, as I was enjoying all of the characters so much, I just was engrossed in their stories.

It's a story full of love, romance, some adorable children, a couple of utterly fantastic men, while at the same time shines a light on dementia too with Ray. Some of Ray's lines had me laughing out loud while also feeling for Emily, as she clearly is struggling with him.

All set around a wedding being arranged within a few months, as well as Merry struggling with work-life balance, and also trying to work out just how she should be with Freya and Harley her about to be step children. There is a sprinkling of Christmas too - and a romantic gesture that made me swoon too.

It's just everything you could want in a Cathy Bramley novel. Another triumph from a totally fantastic author.

Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I love Cathy Bramley’s books and this latest Christmas book lived up to all my expectations.

Set in a small town in Derbyshire in the weeks before Christmas, this is a lovely warm-hearted story. Merry is newly engaged but beginning to find it difficult to juggle running a thriving business, planning a Christmas Eve wedding and being a step-mother to Harley and Freya. Meanwhile Emily is finding that coping with her father’s worsening dementia is becoming too much and is having to consider moving him into a home.

The chapters are written alternately from Merry’s and Emily’s point of view and we get to know both of them as their lives gradually become intertwined. I loved all of the characters and the family relationships are really well written. I especially loved Emily’s relationship with her mum Tina.

This is a great festive read, warm and cosy without being too sweet.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers, Orion, for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC via NetGalley. Merrily Ever After is a sweet, festive story that brings the two central characters together seamlessly. It was a light, and refreshing read also, nice not to have the usual love split/ getting over heartbreak storylines instead, there’s a sensitivity to this family tale,, and I’m grateful for it.

Cathy bramley writes the most warm hearted books you could ever dream of, this is no different. It was so lovely to catch up with Merry and all her friends and new family and such a sweet story which had me in tears with its wonderful ending. The struggle with coping with a father with dementia on her own was a view into Emily’s life that struck such a cord.

My only criticism is that it was so sugary sweet towards the end that I found myself speed reading as it wasn’t adding to the story for me…I’m a cynical old bird!

Thank you to Netgalley the author and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review

A lovely easy read. Explores themes of what family means and blended families.

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book

This is such a great book, written with tenderness and compassion. It’s full of hope but also shows how hard life can be at times. It left me feeling better than when I started it which for me is the sign of a well told story.

What a lovely joyful story for Christmas!! Emily is struggling to juggle a father with early dementia and a full time job while Merry is struggling to run a rapidly expanding business with too little staff while planning a Christmas eve wedding!!. Emily discovers a photograph that has a huge impact in her life....
You will love this book as I did. There were lots of "aaah" moments and the people within the story felt like friends and I love it when that happens!. I laughed and cried and wished it hadn't ended as soon as it had!.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #orionbooks, #cathybramley.

I received this book via NetGalley and give it my honest opinion

Well Cathy Bramley does it again! I just love the way she writes all her books!

You will definitely need a box of tissues for this one, it will also warm your heart. The characters are lovable and the storyline has all the emotions. I enjoyed it from cover to cover. The perfect Christmas read.

📚BOOK REVIEW📚

Merrily Ever After @cathybramley

Publication Date 13th October 2022

Thank you to @netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy of this lovely festive read. Firstly I didn't realise that there was already a book out called The Merry Christmas Project featuring our main character Merry. But thankfully I purchased this yesterday @theworks

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed the festive read with some also serious issues woven in. There's a real sense of family dynamics in the book along with loneliness and coming together with love and friendship. It was a heartwarming read with lots of nods to the festive season.

The book starts with Merry being proposed to by the man of her dreams. He also has two children and she has always dreamed of having a family. Life seems to be falling into place for Merry but as she tries to juggle the demands of her candle business at the busiest time of the year and plan a wedding life is far from plain sailing.

Emily is secretary in school trying to juggle the demands of her father who has dementia. When she makes a startling discovery these two ladies lives will collide.

Whilst I did guess what would happen it didn't spoil my enjoent of the book. And I still wanted to read to see how it would all unfold. Lovely festive read that I would recommend. And not too long to wait til it comes out officially.

#merrilyeverafter #netgalley #kindleread #festiveread #christmastime #lovelybook #enjoyableread #readingismyhappyplace
#readingisgreat #readingismyescape #booksmakemehappy #bookstagram #friendship #love #sister #marriage #wedding #dementia

Merry says I do to father of 2 Cole making her dream come true of having a family to spend Christmas with. But juggling her growing business, wedding planning and the 2 new children in her life, her dream begins to come undone.

Emily is a school secretary who always puts her family first so when her dad Ray moves into a residential home she finally can put herself first. Emily finds a photograph in her dads belongings that could change everything. 


Having read books by this author before that I thoroughly enjoyed I had high expectations for this book and it didn’t disappoint. I loved the characters and the way that the chapters were written alternating between Merry and Emily. I guessed the connection but at no point did it spoil the book for me. A sweet, warm Christmassy read.

This was brilliant. Very sad for me as it covered a very difficult subject bit it was a fabulous story, you can read alone or read the first one first . Step children are interesting. They can hurt with one sentence . You had a Christmas wedding , an old peoples home, secrets and love and candles . Fantastic . Read it. Cathy gets better and better. Loved it

I read the previous Merry book and really enjoyed but couldn’t remember the details however it did come back to me as the story progressed. This starts on a very positive note with Cole, who now lives with Merry, proposing to her and the story takes place in the run up to their Christmas Eve wedding. As well as Merry’s story continuing there’s another great character introduced - Emily who is struggling to cope with her everyday life whilst juggling to manage the care of her father who has dementia. Although there’s a certain predictability to this it’s still a very warm and uplifting read with a lot of emotion and plenty of cheer both festive and otherwise, there’s also some great humour and all the characters are just lovely. 9/10

Merry and Cole are living together and blending together his kids from previous marriage. Relationships have their up and downs. A new sibling and an unknown parent bring new characters that I hope to follow in future books.
Enjoy the journey and new developments, I did.

If you've read already read any other recent book reviews by yours truly, you're already aware of how I start them all off, right? This one ain't any different. For new review readers, I start my book reviews off by saying that every book starts off with the full 5 stars and that I'm always hopeful that they will all still be firmly in place by the time I finish it off.

I got this book as an ARC for free from NetGalley with the publishers approval, in exchange for this honest review. I'm starting to read it on 7th October and I'm hoping that I'll be feeling all warm and fluffy and festive by the time I finish reading this book.

Let's get going with the reading and reviewing.

Oh boy. I reckon, from reading the Prologue alone, that I've got a tear-jerker and hot drinks that have gotten very cold kinda book here... written well, these are the best kinda books I reckon. Maybe I'm setting my expectations too high, too soon, but that prologue was really set up to do that for me, the reader, I reckon.

What's the protocol for using famous people's names in fiction, potentially without permission? I know that brand names are a no-no, but what about people?

Wow! The first chapter was full of information at well-thought-out speed... this is gonna be an absolute cracker of a book - especially given the speed that everything has to be arranged!

Yep, this is definitely gonna be a tear-jerker, I can already tell after only two chapters.

Up to chapter 10 now and I haven't found a single thing to whine about or knock a star off for yet... it takes a truly incredible book to achieve that!

That's me finished reading for the day now... I'm up to chapter 15 and it's been a very very good book so far.


Morning all. I've got a decaff coffee on the go right now... will I be able to finish it before it goes stone cold, like yesterday?

This is a fantastic book and I'm thinking that maybe I should stick to cold drinks until I've finished this book. I'm 60% of the way through and haven't allowed a tear to escape my eye yet... it's been a close call a few times, but I've blinked them back. This is definitely a must-read Chrimbo book for the warm feeling of comfort it gives me on most pages.

Oh dear, poor Harley lol It sounds like he's maybe got an understanding relationship there though.

I'm at 62% and the tears are officially streaming from my eyes now. You just have to get this book if you enjoy well-written, cosy, feel-good fiction that knows just how to hit you in the heart!

My coffee is stone cold and I've had literally two mouthfuls from it lol Definitely cold drinks for the rest of this gorgeous book.


I'm sooo glad the reaction to the letter was what I was hoping, but the tears are flooding out of my eyes again now so I hope there aren't any visitors to our little house and my hubby will have to answer the phone if it goes 'cos I'm a mess right now!

You'll definitely need tissues 'cos I'm crying again lol No spoilers, but empty the shelves of tissues of your shop of choice before you dive into this book!

I'm going to need another box of tissues soon - no spoilers, but this book is a definite must-read, feel-good novel that I'm so unbelievably glad I was approved to read... I'm at 74% and I don't want this book to end.

Where has this book *been* all my life??

Chapter 33 was great - no spoilers again, but everything is falling into place for all the characters so I'm really hoping this'll be a 'happily ever after' book. I'm thinking I'll need the comforting warmth of a drinking chocolate rather than the power of coffee or tea by the time I close the back cover. It's definitely the sorta book you could curl up with when there's deep snow outside, a warming, powerful-but-contained fire in the grate and a fully-loaded hot chocolate in your favourite mug in your hands. There weren't any tears in that chapter, but my heart is getting all warm and fluffy now. This is the best book I've read in a long time!

That was a touch unexpected and heightened my senses again... not all cosy after all eh?

There have been occasional uses of brand names throughout the book, so just like other books, this incredibly well-deserved 5 star book is now a 4 star book unfortunately :-(

Just finished reading and it's got an acknowledgements section right at the back, which hasn't been filled in, I'm assuming because I've read the ARC version, so thankfully that fifth star is being reinstated in the hope that the brand names that are used are included in the acknowledgements. I've never reinstated a star before, but I would never forgive myself if credit were given in the published version and I wouldn't know, soooo, the five star book became a four star book and is now back to five stars for the first time ever. A definite must-read if you fancy a feel-good read that'll have you shedding tears.

I really enjoyed this book. Its a well-written christmas romance that I would recommend to fans of Carole Matthews and Katie Fforde.

Lyla is a woman hell bent on getting her company back, when her boss Mason convinces her to return home with him to act as a buffer for him. Not only is this a magical tale, it is the tale of romance and is a delight to read.

I always love a Cathy Bramley novel but I think this the the best ever. Beautiful storyline and the part close to the end had tears pouring down my cheeks. Wonderful, that is the word for this book. Worth far more than 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC