My thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Publishers for a copy of “ It Always Snows On Mistletoe Square” for an honest review.
I’ve always read Ali McNamara’s books and enjoyed them,although at times, I’ve found the fantasy elements a bit hard to swallow BUT in this delightful Christmas story it fits perfectly..
I was completely charmed by the storyline, and characters and I’m only sad I read it ahead of Christmas because I doubt anything else I read this winter will be able to match the enjoyment I got from this book
A definite read to get you into the seasonal mood.

I absolutely love Ali McNamara’s books. However, until now, they’ve always been a treat I’ve looked forward to in summer. This year, I was so excited to find out that she was bringing out a Christmas book – her first one – and what a treat it was!

With echoes of It’s A Wonderful Life, we meet writer Elle at a very low ebb in her life, sitting by a bridge contemplating how things have gone so wrong. Just as for George in It’s A Wonderful Life, a mysterious stranger turns up at just the right time. The advert she notices in the newspaper he leaves behind offers the perfect solution to her problems – a live in job for someone who loves Christmas (not really Elle) writing the story of the house.

First of all, I loved the idea of writing a history of the beautiful, old house on Mistletoe Square. Mistletoe Square is just exactly the kind of place you imagine when you think of the Victorian idea of Christmas, made popular by Charles Dickens who, funnily enough, makes an appearance in this book. So many significant events seemed to happen in Christmas House at Christmas time. The elderly owner Estelle and her housekeeper told the story of the former occupants by focussing on vintage Christmas tree decorations. Estelle had a unique way of storytelling which made everything seem very real to Elle and to Ben, the young lawyer who was renting Holly House next door.

I have to mention the characters who we met through the different eras. I realised quite early on in the book that almost all the characters had Christmas related names. I had fun spotting these and also looking up some to see the origin of the name and its connection to Christmas if it was one I wasn’t familiar with. As we discover much later in the book, the characters are often connected to each other too. I mentioned before that the book has similarities to It’s A Wonderful Life but it also reminded me a lot of A Christmas Carol with all the vignettes from bygone days being like the visions of the Ghost of Christmas Past.

As with all Ali McNamara books. there is a sprinkling of magic in this book, something I love about her writing. Who cares if it’s something that can’t really happen? If you can’t believe in magic at Christmas time, when can you? I adored every page of this book. It couldn’t be more Christmassy if it tried. It Always Snows on Mistletoe Square is an enchanting, heart-warming, romantic story and I highly recommend you don’t miss this one this Christmas time.

I have read a few books by this author and really enjoyed them. I am sorry to say I did not enjoy this as much.

This contained various stories going bac to the 1700's. I will not say more as I do not want to spoil anything

It took me a good time to get into and try to understand what is going on.

I can’t even begin to explain how enchanting this book is. I fell in love with it straight from the first page and struggled to put it down as I couldn’t wait to read what happened next!

It was absolutely incredible and I loved Estelle’s storytelling ways and the magic around both Estelle and Angela. By far my favourite book by Ali McNamara.

Absolutely magical.

It Always Snows on Mistletoe Square by @alimcnamara and a NetGalley read. Elle is lost, she’s lost her job, a boyfriend has been cheating with her best friend and she’s starting to realise how controlling he was and she homeless. She’s not a lover of Christmas at the best of times but this isn’t helping. Until she spots an advert which could be the answer to everything. The job is on Mistletoe Square working for an elderly lady and her housekeeper but there’s more to this pair then you first think!
Wow, wow, wow! Christmas captured perfectly between the pages of a book and one of the best Christmas books I’ve read this year. There wasn’t a bit of this book I didn’t enjoy and every spare moment I could find I was reading it, yet at the same time I never wanted it ti end. One of the many great things about this boom was that it was never at any point predictable like so many Christmas books are, it kept you guessing. I was instantly hooked from the beginning and incredibly intrigued as I have never read anything like this and with this story concept before. I loved that there was stories happening within the story for example the story about Charles Dickens and his inspiration for a Christmas Carol, although fictional it felt like such a beautiful idea and it was touches like this, that felt well thought out and believable that made this book a winner for me or should I say one of the reasons. The characters were also what made this book special especially Estelle and Angela bot eccentric in there own way, throughout the book you know without a doubt that there is something incredibly special about these two and the friendship they have but I was blown away when the truth was revealed. These two have the biggest and kindest hearts and they share this over and over again. The relationship been Ben and Elle kept me guessing you could sense that they were falling for each other but I was never sure weather this would be the case. I also loved that without saying it directly it came across that Estelle’s mum seemed to have ME, like the author and like myself. I can’t recommend this book enough, it was amazing ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book right from the start. Full of magic, love and festive cheer and I really felt absorbed and invested in the characters and their development.

Another Ali McNamara Christmas delight! A book that isn't afraid to tackle difficult issues but is also like a hug in a book form, a great festive read.

A wonderfully festive read. I happily suspended disbelief for the glimpses of Christmas past and loved as our MC developed and we have our little taste of romance.

Perfect for getting in the Christmas spirit - even if the main protagonists claim to dislike Christmas (and I read it in October)

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Elle is jobless and soon to be homeless. She spies an advert in the local paper that seems too good to be true. That is for someone who loves Christmas, Elle hates Christmas. She arrives In Mistletoe Square and meets an eccentric old woman and her housekeeper. They have an enormous ox of Christmas decorations collected over the years of days gone by. Each decoration has a story of Christmas’s that have past and Elle finds he starting to find herself wanting to find out more. She discovers more about the history of the house and it’s families past and begins to find herself wondering how the story may end.

Brilliant read.

To be honest, I was expecting just the usual girl-meets-boy story with a sprinkling of Christmas trees, but I was so wrong. Yes, this book does have that, but also, with nods to A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life, the author weaves a magical tale which I just couldn’t put down.

Wow! Unbelievably believable!

Speechless... literally don't have the words to describe this

Christmas Magic at it's finest.

A must read festive book this year.

Immensely imaginative, and full of warmth.

Truly spectacular....

... and I'm still struggling to work out how to write in full sentences.

Would absolutely love to see this on the big screen. In fact I reckon it would work well on stage too there is a theatrical quality about it.

Everything was so vividly described, that I almost forgot I was reading a book, let alone a book that is featuing so many unexplainable circumstances.

It's magical realism, its festive, it has elements of history, of social commentary on various issues at various times in the house's life.

And two characters who you know aren't quite regular everyday run of the mill characters, but that I would absolutely struggle to find proper words to describe them .

My mind is blown (and in a good way).

Completely unlike any other Christmas book I've read (and I read ridiculous amounts each year of festive books) - all in a good way.

Was thinking about this even when I wasn't reading it, and I am sure it will play on my mind for days.

Just a festive masterpiece, and easily one of Ali McNamara's best books and probably my new favourite of hers.

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

This was an interesting read, and not at all what I was expecting. I found myself, like Elle and Ben simply going along with Estelle and Angela as I just had to know what was going to happen next. There were times throughout the book that I suspected that something wasn't quite right with the two older women, and I did suspect that there was a bit of magic going on.

I was fascinated by all the family names, and the traditions, and how all the characters wove together, it was so cleverly done and very touching.

The whole story really touched me and I found that it was an exceptional Christmas story and I really enjoyed it.

aww what a beautiful magical christmas book ali mcnamara never fails to deliver it is such a good book to read that i am giving no details of the story life as you have to read it for yourself to enjoy it merry christmas

This is Christmas magic wrapped up in a book ! I feel like I've been on a magical, mystical journey through Christmas past, present and future. When I read a book that captures my imagination, I want to enter the pages and inhabit the story. Also when I look at old houses, I find myself wondering about all the previous inhabitants through the years and picture them all living their lives with its walls. Well this magical book allows me to indulge my fantasies in full! When Elle is drawn to answer an advertisement for a writer to catalogue a house's history, she finds herself living in Christmas House, the home of the mysterious Estelle and her eccentric housekeeper and friend, Angela. She arrives just as the handsome neighbour is carrying in an enormous Christmas tree. Over the next few nights , Estelle takes Elle and the neighbour ,Ben, on a journey through the history of the house and her family, story by magical story. This is a modern day Christmas Carol and , dare I say it, just as worthy of a special place on our Christmas classics shelves! It transports the reader in a way few books achieve. The writing is assured, the storytelling mesmerising and leaves the reader feeling a warm glow of happiness. Thoroughly recommend as the ideal book when you need to escape into a magical world where all things are possible. I shall be buying this for my family and friends so they too can be touched by a little magic .

I defy anyone not to feel festive having read this book with a healthy sprinkling of magic.

December definitely isn’t Elle’s favourite time of year and this year is no exception with no home and no job she doesn’t know where to turn until an amazing catalogue of events occur and she meets Estelle and Angela who live on Mistletoe Square.. Her Christmases will never be the same again.

Love this book

I have enjoyed all of Ms McNamara’s book that I have read and this is no exception. You would have to have a heart of stone not to be enjoy the tales within the story.. sitting alone on the bank of the Thames, Ella has lost everything, her home, job, boyfriend and best friend. A chance encounter with Ben leads her to Christmas House in Mistletoe Square. It would be a shame to reveal too much and spoil the joy of the unfolding tale. But this is another winner from Ali McNamara. A real Christmas treat for the reader.

Ali McNamara - It Always Snows On Mistletoe Square.

Oh my! Where do I start with a review for this one?
Wow wow wow!!!!
#ItAlwaysSnowsOnMistletoeSquare is Ali McNamara at her most glorious best.

Both at a low point in their lives and feeling a little lost, Elle and Ben find themselves in Mistletoe Square.
Estelle and Angela are the inhabitants of Christmas house. This pair of sassy, elderly ladies take Elle and Ben on quite a journey of magical discovery, where they learn all about the history of Christmas House and it’s residents.
Elle and Ben just need to work out why and what it all has to do with them.

The detail in this story is exquisite. Some of it true and some you will desperately want to be true.

#ItAlwaysSnowsOnMistleroeSquare is a sweeping story that will take you on a journey spanning hundreds of years.
It’s a bit of a lesson about our class system and our social history, but not in a heavy way. It’s all woven so expertly into the very fabric of thi, this is q festive read, and I loved how the Christmas tree was at the heart of every period in time.

#ItAlwaysSnowsOnMistletoeSquaredid put me in mind of a couple of Ali Macnamara’s previous books, but equally, it felt very unique and I certainly didn't feel like I’d read another Christmas book like it before.

If you love a book that has all the festive feels. A book that has magic and sparkle. A love story, friendships that last a lifetime and beyond. If you tick all those boxes, you have to add this beautiful and simply unforgettable book to your Christmas reading this year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

With thanks to Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group Uk for a digital arc of this title.

Storytelling at its absolute best!

18th December 2018 and Elle McKenzie finds herself sitting on a bench at Embankment London, staring sadly at the River Thames. They say things come in three’s, but Elle has found she has been hit with four massive things that have just happened in her life.
A stranger stops to chat. Will he hold the key to help her decide her future?

I have read some of the author Ali McNamara’s books before and each have been a joy to read. When I realised that she had a new book coming out I was so excited to read this.
From the opening chapters of the book I knew it was going to be such a special book. I have absolutely loved reading it, what a wonderful book. I cannot praise it enough!

The story of Elle, Estelle, Angela and Ben, amongst a host of other characters moves between timelines of 1750 and present year, 2023.
I won’t give anything away about the storyline, suffice to say it’s a Christmassy book, with a lot of interesting and different things happening. Such descriptive writing, a heartwarming story, kindness and good feelings generated by the book.
It does cover sensitive issues, but handled really well.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I loved this book. The stories of Elle, Ben, Estelle and Angela are all intertwined in this unusual festive tale. Brilliant.

I absolutely love Ali McNamara's books, especially her Christmas books. This book was a gorgeous, magical and very festive read. I really enjoyed reading it.
I found the tales behind the Christmas decorations enthralling and very interesting. There were lots of twists and turns along the way and I couldn't work out how the story would end.
This was a heartwarming, emotional and feel-good read with more than a sprinkle of magic and festivity. I really loved it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.