Do you have any idea how you would build a life sized gingerbread house? No, me neither, and nor does Essie, despite her promising at the town meeting that something like a life sized gingerbread house could be just what is needed to turn around the fortunes of Mistletoe Gardens and potentially save her family legacy.

The problem is local builder Joss, is initially refusing to help, reckons that its impossible and is adamant that he hates the town, Christmas, and whole lot more besides.

Thankfully he can't resist a challenge, and so he and Essie start spending a lot of time together.

As the story went on I couldn't help but fall further and further in love with Joss, as we learn more about the man. He develops and changes before our very eyes. I do like a festive transformation.

I'm sure I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again but Jaimie Admans writes the most perfect Christmas books.

This is a story that had me both craving gingerbread but also really wanting to visit the giant gingerbread house.

I loved how each chapter opened with a fact about gingerbread. And I really loved how this slightly barmy at times local community started to come together.

I felt wrapped up in the festive gorgeousness of this novel and didn't want the feeling to end. I loved this book.

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

Jamie Adam’s books are just magical. This is about a town which is going to lose its special mistletoe gardens unless some body does some thing. There are lots of fab characters and an ace bakery. An over protective mother. A slow burn love story and lots of yummy gingerbread . You just get drawn in and want to read it.

What a sweet little treat of a book! A must read if you like Hallmark Christmas movies (I can totally picture it being adapted).

This book follows Essie, a thirty-something woman who lives in a small town in Wales and works at the family bakery. The town’s claim to fame is a the charming town center called Mistletoe Gardens, which, unfortunately, is slated to be torn down after the new year. Essie decides to drum up some publicity for the town by creating a life sized gingerbread house.

All the candy, cookies, and gingerbread were making me hungry and I liked that each chapter has a fact about gingerbread. It was a nice touch. I also loved all the Christmas vibes and the small town feels. I would love to see a life sized gingerbread house!

Unfortunately, I thought the book got slightly bogged down with the interactions with the characters and the romance. It also seemed somewhat repetitive, between Essie’s mother trying to set her up on random dates, to Joss complaining about the small town, to the weird fortune teller lady peddling her wares. Most of the cast of characters were a bit too quirky for my taste.

I also learned some Welsh slang which was interesting. “Cwtch” is apparently a Welsh term for a hug or snuggle with someone that you feel safe with (there’s no direct English translation) and the first time I saw the word I thought it was a typo! I like learning new things in the books I read and seeing new places as well so that was cool.

A gorgeous festive story with some fabulous characters! Loved it! . . .

Fast becoming a favourite author of mine. I really enjoyed this book. Loved all of the characters, it made me feel a range of emotions. Just loved it!

This was a beautiful and uplifting Christmas read full of romance and community cheer and a really nice feel good read that was perfect escapism and was like receiving a warm hug while
Reading.

This would be
The perfect festive read while curled up in front of the fire with a mug of cocoa
And some festive treats and would make a fabulous hallmark movie.

I can’t wait to read what this author writes next as love all their books and this one certainly didn’t disappoint.

Between a 4 and 5. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this Jaimie Admans book I've been dying to read! This book definitely had a lot of Christmas feels and references that I loved. I will have to read it again over Christmas one year to make it feel even more magical. I loved all the gingerbread facts at the beginning of each chapter. I felt it was a nice touch and loved learning more about gingerbread! The book was a bit more sad at times than some of her others and a little bit slower at times as well compared to some of her other books but still a great read! Jaimie Admans has definitely become an instant read author for me!

I loved the holiday vibes and the romance was so sweet and fun. The setting and characters were perfect and cozy and I loved the light-heartedness of the story.

This was a sweet and cozy Christmas romance that includes dinosaurs! You'll have to read it to find out why.

While I wanted to strangle Essie's mom for most of the book, that relationship does have a happy ending.

There's lots of lightness and coziness -- in addition to the swoony romance -- in this book but heads up that there is some real grief that is dealt with. Trigger warning for a parent dealing with dementia.

Jaimie's books are always a delight and while I received a complimentary e-copy of this book, I'll also be buying a copy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Boldwood Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Boldwood Books!

This was such a cute read. Full of festive cheer, small-town vibes, and likeable characters.

When Essie and Joss are forced together in an effort to save the town’s much-cherished landscape, they discover that sometimes, opposites really do attract.

A sweet Christmas romance easily finished in an hour.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review. This review will also be posted to my Instagram account (@kathleenryderauthor), as well as to my blog (daydreamsinthedesert.com) closer to the release date.

A sweet Christmas romance around trying to save a special place in a small village. Great characters and a lovely story truly in the spirit or Christmas.

The Gingerbread House in Mistletoe Gardens by Jaimie Admans is an entertaining, festive, and fun contemporary romance that I enjoyed.

This was an opposites-attract, being brought together through external circumstances, and “enemies” to lovers contemporary romance. Essie and Joss go through all these classic romance tropes surrounded by feelings, gingerbread, and the greater good of saving a town’s much-cherished landscape.

I definitely finished this book smiling ( and wanting gingerbread!).

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Boldwood Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/12/23.

The gingerbread house in mistletoe gardens. When two broken souls meet and heal the hurt that the world has done to them