Thank you Netgalley, HQ and Sarah Morgan for the EARC copy of The Christmas Cottage in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!! Sarah Morgan is one of my auto-buy authors and always look forward to reading her newest festive story!

Dive into a heartwarming tale of love and discovery with *The Christmas Cottage*! Meet Imogen, who has spent her life chasing acceptance and has never truly celebrated Christmas. When her boss sends her on a much-needed break, she finds solace at Dorothy's charming cottage.

As secrets unfold, Imogen's journey intertwines with that of the delightful Miles, the local vet, and Ralph, the most adorable golden retriever. This enchanting story beautifully captures the essence of family and the magic of the holiday season. Perfect for cozying up with a cup of cocoa, *The Christmas Cottage* is a reminder that sometimes, the best gifts come from unexpected places.

If you’re looking for a festive read that warms the heart, this one’s a must!

This is a heartwarming Christmassy read and whilst it's only October, I can always get in the Christmas spirit with Sarah Morgan's books.
Imogen has been lying to her colleagues about her life outside of work just so she felt accepted by them but then something happens and she knows she needs to get away.
One of her clients, Dorothy, offers her a stay in her cottage which is in a remote, quiet location, so she accepts her offer.
Whilst there, we learn a few things about Imogen and Dorothy, and also her family.
This is a lovely Christmas book with a sprinkling of romance as well.
Thanks to HQ for the opportunity to read this book.

Fabulous story as always from this talented author and as a reader I was immediately drawn in to the story and the characters. Our protagonist, Imogen, at the start is a work driven character who seems to have little in her life. She has a toxic relationship with her mother and has resorted to embellishing her private life to her colleagues just to fit in. At the point of burn out Imogen takes a way out from a customer of her events company and this starts the mystery and romance.

Lovely characters and a well written storyline, I enjoyed each and every one of them. I stayed up late to finish the book and would highly recommend to lovers of the Christmas romance genre and those who enjoy a well written novel.

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book and was so disappointed when it ended, I could have carried on in thia wee world forever! Well written characters, gorgeous scenery and a Christnas time tale, what more could you ask for?!

I really enjoy a festive feel good story from Sarah Morgan at this time of year!! Wonderful!!
We follow the story of a workaholic called Imogen. She tries to fit in with her work mates, so she invents herself a life to make herself seem interesting, knowing she has no such thing!
As she’s so much of a workaholic, she keeps herself really busy to stop any feelings of desperation get in to her carefully constructed story. We also find out about her true relationships.
Suddenly her life begins to unravel, her lies seem to be rising to the surface. She is given the opportunity to stay in a client’s holiday house , and from then on her life begins to change. A five star read!!
Many thanks to HQ for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #HQ,#SarahMorganWrites.

After a bit of a slow start, this book turned out to be a wonderful read, which is just what I love about Sarah Morgan's books.

It had everything I wanted, romance, family dynamics, secrets, surprises and of course all set in the beautiful Cotswolds and Christmastime.

I recommend this for a fabulous, festive, cosy read!

I did feel for Imogen, she had the most dreadful mother and was really all alone. She had become a workaholic to combat her loneliness. Imogen was very good at her job and had a special client in Dorothy. They were both very likeable characters and the cottage that Imogen stayed in sounded delightful. There were so many family secrets that gradually unfold and would make a big difference to Imogen’s life. There was a possible romance as well. This was a really feel good, enjoyable read. Lovely images of family get-togethers and activities at Christmas. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just what everyone needs to make their festive season perfect!

Imogen is an events organiser, and boy, is she organised. She juggles many events at once, never taking her eye off the ball. Until, that is, she does. Her life isn't what her colleagues imagine it to be; she has secrets - is a bad day at work the unravelling of it all?

This is such a wonderful Christmas read; warm and festive all wrapped up together. With a fine cast of characters and an excellent storyline, I was hooked. It even prompted me to get on with my Christmas shopping! If you love a yuletide romance, this is not to be missed. 5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

Another fabulous book from this author, she never disappoints. We meet Imogen who has the most wonderful life, a fabulous caring family, beautiful home, gorgeous boyfriend and cute dog, well that's what she dreams of and wants people to believe. In reality, her life is so far removed from the one she portrays to her work colleagues and how much longer can she keep up the pretence of the life she lives. An absolute must read. Thanks netgalley and publishers for allowing me to read and review an early copy of this book.

Sarah Morgan is one of my favourite authors, I was looking forward to reading her latest book and wasn’t disappointed.

Imogen appears to be living the perfect life. She is in a strong relationship, has family who live in the countryside, and a gorgeous dog. However, none of it is true. She is on her own, living in a small flat in an appalling area of London, with neither friends nor family.

Through the years, Imogen has become friendly with Dorothy, a favoured client of the Events company she works for. The story is mainly written from the viewpoint of both women, adding depth and a giving a more rounded picture. Both women are strong and supportive, however Imogen’s abusive childhood has left her with low self esteem, which even with her successful career she is unable to shake off.

Sarah Morgan’s expertise at bringing characters to life makes you feel that you know them, and become emotively involved in their story. When Imogen – a workaholic becomes burnt out, Dorothy invites her to stay at Holly Cottage, set in beautiful rural countryside in the Cotswolds. All characters are well drawn and develop as the story unfolds. Snowy winter settings are described beautifully, with animals, families and children. All with a festive Christmas theme.

However, there is an intriguing totally unexpected twist in the story which adds extra dimension, adding pace and keeping you turning the pages. The addition of a handsome vet called Miles adds romantic interest. The book is packed with warmth and humour, and I found this to be a perfect festive read, and recommend.

I always enjoy a Christmas book by Sarah Morgan. The reader is presented with all the essential elements of a story set at Christmas on top of the usual high quality narrative from this author. This book has a very attractive cover depicting a snowy country scene indicative of the setting for this story.

Individual chapters of this book are voiced by one of three female characters. Imogen is an events planner living in London. She is highly skilled at her job and works hard to provide clients with their often exacting requirements. She has had a difficult past and is hiding the reality of her life outside work from her colleagues by inventing a fictitious existence. However, it is becoming difficult to keep up the pretence. Dorothy, Imogen’s favourite client, lives on a large estate in the Cotswolds, where she looks after animals in need of a home. Sara is Dorothy’s daughter, who lives near her mother with her husband and two young daughters. When overstretched Imogen eventually makes a dreadful mistake at work, she is given leave from her job and is grateful when Dorothy offers her use of a luxurious cottage on the estate over the Christmas period. She is soon enjoying spending time with the family and with the handsome local vet, Miles. That is when a secret that Dorothy and Sara have been keeping from Imogen comes to light. The implications of what they have been hiding are enormous for Imogen and she is thankful for support from Miles. Can she forgive the others or will she go running back to her life in London?

This was such a good story, containing a wide range of elements that had me hooked from start to finish. There is drama throughout the book and so many secrets, including one massive one that had me gasping with its enormity. To balance out all the drama, there is a gentle romance, a family Christmas with all the trimmings, a beautiful setting and some well-developed characters. Imogen was such a workaholic that I feared for her health, especially with pressures put on her outside work as well. Thank goodness for Miles; he was just what she needed to get her through. Although Dorothy and Sara were both strong characters, I’m not sure that I liked the way in which they behaved. I think this is another triumph for Sarah Morgan and a festive book that would make a welcome addition to anybody’s Christmas stocking.

After a recent diet of psychological thrillers, mixed in with some experimental works & an historical novel, it was an absolute delight to be given the opportunity to review Sarah Morgan's latest book.
I loved The Christmas Book Club last year, so my expectations were high. I didn't need to be concerned- I raced through the book, even putting in a 2am in the morning session to find out what choices the lovely Imogen decided to make.
It is very much a lovely story just right for curling up in front of the fire with a mince pie, ticking every box for an escapist Christmas book that you'd hope to find in your stocking:
Snow-tick

Inspirational food-tick

Handsome love interest-tick

Animals ( well, I like them!)- tick

But even though it is a romantic feel-good story, the characterisation is strong, with very credible characters, and I found the end of the book moving.

The Christmas Cottage is an enjoyable festive-themed family story from three female protagonist perspectives. It has drama, romance, secrets and an engaging mix of heartwarming and heartbreakingly poignant moments. Imogen is living a lie, trying to fit into a work world that takes the edge off her loneliness. Her relationship with her mother is challenging and devoid of love. She is forced to take a break when it causes her work life to implode. Dorothy is a client of Imogen's and a friend who senses the young woman is at breaking point and offers her country cottage to relax and recoup. Dorothy keeps secrets, too, and some of them are life-changing. I love the storytelling, the unfolding secrets, the family dynamic between Dorothy and Sara and the dreamy romance.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Sarah Morgan is gorgeously reliable for a festive novel that will help you spend a rainy day curled up on the sofa and this year's offering is no different!

The Christmas Cottage centres on Imogen who is on the cusp of burnout at a job she loves when she is told to take a month off and is offered a cosy cottage by one of her clients. She settles into country life quickly but all is not as it seems and secrets are revealed that changes everything Imogen thinks she knows.

I will always read a Sarah Morgan novel in the run up to the festive season, cosy time truly begins when I pick up the latest book. I would recommend this to anyone who has enjoy Morgan's previous works or wants an afternoon of escapism.

I really enjoyed this book. A warm and comforting festive read. A story full of second chances, fresh starts, family, friends, love and romance with the perfect setting of snow and country village scenes.
A family drama that tugs at the heartstrings with a sweet love story all rolled into one. The perfect feel good escapism read.
I enjoy the authors writing style. It’s beautifully written and I liked how the characters are weaved together. It captures the true meaning of Christmas. The characters are easy to fall in love with and you root for Imogen. She’s a lovely relatable character.
A heartwarming story with an unexpected twist. It’s easy to read and is full of emotion and sentimentality.
Definitely recommend this one, especially if you enjoy this genre. It doesn’t disappoint.
With thanks to #NetGallery #HQ @hqstories for an arc of #TheChristmasCottage in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes on 24 October 2024.

Imogen is all about her work as an events planner; she's good at it and it helps distract her from her past. But one day she makes a mistake and it makes her realise that works isn't everything. Imogen is invited to spend Christmas with Dorothy, one of her clients, and it's the perfect escape for her. Could this be the fresh start that Imogen needs or will her past finally catch up with her?

Sarah Morgan is known as the Queen of Christmas, and for good reason. The Christmas Cottage continues her reign and is perfect for curling up with as the dark nights draw in!

After reading The Christmas Book Club last year I had very high hopes for this one and it did not disappoint!!

What a lovely read. At first I wasn’t too sure about our main character Imogen, rushing here and there, making up a life to tell her work colleagues about, but as the story progresses you learn so much more about her. There is such wonderful depth to the characters in this book.
A client of Imogen’s, Dorothy is very intriguing as is the behaviour of her daughter. She seems such a wonderful person, offering her cottage to Imogen at Christmas.
I don’t want to give much away, as this story has some big surprises in store for you, which will shock you, but overall this is such a tale of family and friendships. How despite anything life throws at you, they will be there, through thick and thin.
An absolute must read if you love tales of love, friendship, family and of course some festive spirit thrown in.
I love Sarah Morgan’s books and this one just fits right in with her other reads.

What an amazing book! I was captivated right from the start, Imogen was an intriguing character and her dilemma of making up a fake life at the office rally caught my attention. We all want to fit and never think an innocent white lie will come back to bite us. I wanted to know how she was going to get herself out of the situation.

Then a curve ball was thrown with a call from the hospital and learn some truths about Imogen and that painful scene with her mum. This added an extra dimension and I couldn’t stop reading.

Dorothy and Sara intrigued me as I suspected there was more to their story with the way Sara was trying to get her mum to not have so much contact with Imogen, but then the twist literally had me having to pick my jaw off the floor! But then it led to the best part, Miles!

I loved the insta attraction between Miles and Imogen and Ralph! Miles shows Imogen what friendship and support are really like and I loved his date with her, so Christmassy and romantic.

As the backstory unfolded I could put the book down. It was a fantastic read about family, friendship and Christmas.

My heart totally broke when I was reading about Imogen, pretending to her colleagues that she had a great home life - and a dog - when it all became too much. Her favourite client, Dorothy, invites her to stay in a cottage on her estate for Christmas where she has a totally unexpected surprise.
This is a very emotional story that I literally spent half the night reading as I became so involved. The Cotswolds is an amazing setting and that sense of community that so many of us wish we belonged to it's there. I can highly recommend reading this book, but be prepared for the emotions that it causes.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

I love a Christmas and the characters in this novel by Sarah Morgan does not disappoint.
It would be a lovely present .