Fighting the winter blues, difficult memories and sadness of could-have-beens, I ended up reading most of the book in audio as I found this easier to take in the story and fall into its escapism and festive feelings.

Despite struggling to read and finish it, I found myself smiling as the story ended and imagining myself in Bella’s festive and hopeless romantic shoes myself

This read was just lovely, all fluffy and cute and festive I really enjoyed it over the Christmas period. Huge 5 stars for me 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I do love the setting of Wynbridge which Heidi Swain has visited in several of her earlier books. It sounds such a brilliant place to live and the community really goes all out for Christmas which suits our main character Bella down to the ground! I enjoyed catching up with characters who I recognised from earlier books. It’s always lovely to see what people have been up to. Lots of Bella’s friends felt like old friends to me too! However, the book is totally standalone so don’t be put off if you haven’t read any of the earlier books. You will enjoy your visit to Wynbridge whether this is your first visit, your tenth visit or anything in between.

Bella’s business Away With the Fairies sounded such fun and I loved hearing about all the love she poured into her creations. I’d definitely go along to one of her workshops and perhaps make a fairy to go on the Christmas tree. Her wee dog Tink was quite a character too and it was fun reading about Tink’s canine chums.

As Heidi is known for her romantic, feel-good fiction, there is of course a love interest and this comes in the form of Jude. Bella lets out part of her home during most of the year but usually stops over Christmas. She has been persuaded by her friend to let author Jude stay during what should be her off-season and she finds herself growing rather attracted to him. Until she finds out he hates Christmas with a passion… I was so intrigued to find out the reason for this as well as of course eagerly hoping Jude and Bella could overcome their opposing festive views and get together.

Home for Christmas is a wonderful book full of warmth, friendship and Christmas spirit, a perfect book to settle down with, particularly in the lead up to the big day. Another warm hug of a book from Heidi Swain!

I find myself conflicted with this book, one the one hand I loved the characters, setting and plot but on the other hand the writing was not great and it ruined my enjoyment and the flow of the book.
Unfortunately, there were times I was cringing at the goings on or how something was written.
On the positive side, this is a nice festive read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy.

Once again, Heidi has penned a truly magical book. A heartwarming, christmassy story which has a lovely festive setting.

It’s not Christmas without a Heidi Swain. Escape back to Wynbridge and catch up with familiar faces. Imagine being a person who loves Christmas and then finds she’s rented the apartment to a Christmas hater.

Will it be a merry Christmas for everyone?

3.75 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster UK for this eARC

A real mixed bag for me, this one. On the one hand, the Christmas vibes in this book are exemplary, absolutely top notch, no notes, but I do feel some of the romance let’s it down. In a story all about miscommunications and overthinking, I personally felt there wasn’t enough to keep it sustained throughout the entire length - this could be just a me thing - and I’ll be honest, Bella’s crazy Christmas schedule and workload stressed me out for the majority of the book - so I might find this more a problem than others, but it never hit quite right. It was still a fun, quick read, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for perfect Christmas vibes.

I always really enjoy the Heidi Swain books set in Wynbridge and this was another lovely story to add to the collection.

As I have read the others books in this series, it was like being reunited with friends that you perhaps only see at Christmas but the warmth and love is there in abundance and this is what Home for Christmas was like for me. As Bella is friends with Catherine Connelly of Wynthorpe Hall, we are thown straight back into the warmth of the lovely inhabitants once again - it was lovely to catch up with them again and see how things have moved on for them.

When Bella is asked if she could possibly house a writer writing about the hall, she isn't sure what to expect from Jude who just wants a bit of peace to finish his book and is definitely not going to get that with Angus about! Bella is looking forward to Christmas whereas Jude would like to forget all about it - a match made in heaven surely!

Another lovely and cosy book by Heidi Swain that I enjoyed dipping into especially during the run up to Christmas.

My first Heidi Swain book, and it won’t be my last. The cover is just gorgeous, and the story inside was like a big warm hug. Cosy and warm-hearted and just a delightful book to read as we lead up to Christmas. I loved that Bella was a Christmas fan (as am I) and how all out she went for it. Decorating the whole house and following so many cute traditions. I also loved her career. It was refreshing to read about a creative character following her heart and dreams and making things that bring her joy. Yay for following your passion. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for this festive read.

It's not Christmas without reading the latest book from Heidi Swain. She is one of my go-to authors for Christmas fiction and this book definitely didn't disappoint.

Cosy, heart warming and festive, it is the perfect winter read.

What a fab book read ina day I was hooked
I enjoyed Jude and Bellas Characters, although I did find the initial conversations around Bellas livelihood irritating purely because.. well… you’re a grownass woman, doing what you love. Just own it but it was so great to see her triumphing there and becoming more confident!

There were a couple of points where I wasn’t expecting how the story changed, and that made it even more enjoyable. Seeing Bellas enthusiasm for Christmas made me smile because I LOVE Christmas.

I love that the characters have misunderstandings and they’re fair ones, but they talk about it and sort it out.

Overall, the story was a wonderful book I love all her books

Home for Christmas

Thanking Heidi Swain for a wonderful character in Bella, who rewrites the woman who is self described as away with the fairies. A woman with success and independence sorted and whole heartedly embraces being away with the fairies.
Jude is a complete prat… that hates Christmas! Hmmm he grew on me. A beautiful book with all the festive vibes a reader needs to get the Christmas countdown started, a must read for Christmas and entering the new power woman away with the fairies genre!

#netgalley #homeforchristmas #top10christmasreads #Books2024 #thebookcaseofkay

I love Heidi Swain's writing, her novels are always so cozy and comforting and this new one was no exception. This one follows Bella in the run up to Christmas where, as a favour, she agrees to let Jude move into her house for a few weeks as he's researching his book. They initially don't really get on and there are some misunderstandings but they get to know each other more and things begin to change. This novel didn't feel the most Christmassy but it did give me the build-up to Christmas feelings where I'm excited to start thinking about the festive period. I loved the romance and catching up with previous characters who still live in Wynbridge. This is a gorgeous, cosy read and I definitely recommend it.

Don’t you just want to grab this, switch off the phone and curl up on the sofa
By far one of my favourite books I've read this month… I loved every minute… I laughed out loud so many times!!… All of the Christmas feels and then some. Just adored this story So heart-warming…

How lovely to be back in Wynbridge, Wynthorpe hall and amongst old friends and familiar names for a wonderfully atmospheric wintery Christmas read!
Full of seasonal cheer,,a wonderful community, traditional Christmas activities, great friends and a burgeoning romance what more could you possibly want in the lead up to Christmas to put you in the festive mood?
Fabulous characters both new and familiar favourites from previous books add such a depth and sprinkling of magic to this book!
Bella and her fairies was my absolute favourite, her uniqueness and tenacity for Christmas, traditions and life in general was so refreshing! Jude on the other hand appeared to be almost her opposite initially but was quickly absorbed into the community and touched by the magic of Christmas he flourished and thrived!
A wonderfully feel good enchanting read perfect for this time of year!
Thank you NetGalley for this early read

A great read from Heidi. Her books always deliver happiness and warmth and in this one had Christmas and snow. Christmas is about families and this one had it all. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Home for Christmas by Heidi Swain a NetGalley review. Bella is Christmas obsessed living in Wynbridge in the house she inherited from her grandparents, whose Christmas traditions she continues. However Bella closes her heart off to love following her father and step dad leaving. Bella is happy and contented with life or so she thinks!
I am a huge fan of this author and couldn’t wait to read this book, but I will be honest that even though I enjoy the book, for me it wasn’t her best. It was great to be reintroduced to familiar characters and Wynthorpe and the setting gave me the Christmas feels. It felt on more than one occasion like I had read this book before (which I obviously hadn’t), parts feeling over familiar if that makes sense and although when I picked this book I expected it to be predictable it was a bit to predictable for me, no small twists or turns or surprises. Having said all that it is without a doubt a delightful festive read that will make you smile and I did get behind Bella’s character. Bella is head strong and independent, her ever expanding business ‘away with the Fairies’ sounds like something I would buy and such a wonderful idea on the authors part and it’s these little touches and eye for detail that makes this book a good read and show cases the authors talents for writing. Bella also has a vulnerable side which is endearing and she has the kindest heart often putting herself before others. Even though I don’t necessarily think this is the authors best book, as a fan there’s no denying that it’s a must for any TBR pile for new readers of this authors or already fans of @heidi_swain and will definitely get you in the Christmas spirit. I will be recommending this to family and friends and it’s a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me 📚📚

I absolutely loved this book. Its so Christmasy and gets you all excited for the festive season. The characters are literally the best I love them so much!

This is a book that will definitely be number 1 this Christmas on the charts.

First of all can we please just have a round of applause for the gorgeousness of the cover, the paperback has shiny gold lettering and I guarantee would bring so much joy to anyone unwrapping this as a present on Christmas morning. Home for Christmas is the sixth of Heidi's books set in Wynbridge and I was excited to head back there for this Christmassy delight.

Bella loves everything about Christmas and every year she follows her family's tradition by starting the preparations on the first of December, each day she has a specific task to do whether it be decorating the whole house with festive fayre, (yes the whole house, even the bathroom) or making mince pies and sausage rolls. She is a creature of habit and is happy to carry on the ways of her grandparents keeping their memory alive as her house belonged to them before they both passed.

When she's asked by her friends Catherine and Angus if she will put up a lodger who is writing a book for them about the history of Wynthorpe Hall, she is reluctant but feels they've been so kind to her over the years so eventually agrees. Expecting an older gent to turn up she is more than a little excited to see a gorgeous hunk of a man appear on her doorstep by the name of Jude. The only thing is she quickly finds out he hates Christmas. Whilst Bella and Jude don't exactly hit it off at first, Jude is immediately enamoured by Bella's gorgeous little spaniel called Tink and I just know you will fall in love with her too.

Jude's dislike of anything remotely Christmassy creates an awkward situation for Bella who feels that she can't express herself properly in her own house which is very soon taken over by the mounds of paperwork involved in researching Wynthorpe Hall. She has to keep reminding herself that it's only temporary but as the time draws near for him to leave she begins to get to understand him a bit better and wants to get to know him more.

Jude turned out to make Scrooge look like Santa himself such was his dislike of the festive period and anything to do with it and Bella makes it her business to find out why.

I loved the little business that Bella worked very hard at, it was called Away with the Fairies, Bella made fairies and also dressed like one when she went to fairs etc to sell them. It was such a quirky idea for a business which sounded like hard work but satisfying and fun, I could just imagine how cute the fairies were and Bella gets a lovely request about her fairies which was amazing.

Home for Christmas is literally everything about Christmas all wrapped up in a book, the sort of story you need to read curled up in front of the fire when the weather is freezing outside as it is guaranteed to warm your heart.

Heading back to Wynbridge was lovely to see how lots of Heidi's previous characters were getting on, including Holly and Bear and the staff at The Cherry Tree Cafe which was the author's first book.

Fabulously festive and fun, you will struggle to find anything more Christmassy than this uplifting read from one of my favourite authors, Heidi Swain.

Firstly, I want to say a huge thank you to Heidi Swain, @netgalley and @simonschusteruk for giving me the opportunity to read my first arc book.

I am a huge fan of Heidi Swain and have read all of her published books, this means I now wait for each new title with baited breath. In this book, we're back in Wynbridge and at Christmas time no less. This automatically means that I have high expectations and I'm pleased to say that Home for Christmas does not disappoint.

The thing I love most about Heidi's books is you always know there will be a happy ending. The joy of each book is following the characters' journeys to get there and the hurdles they have to overcome along the way. Generally, in the Wynbridge series, the love affair is between two new comers to the little fenland town but alongside this, you have the wonderful mainstay characters of the eccentric Connelly family of Wynthorpe Hall, the lovely ladies of the Cherry Tree Café and landlord and landlady of the Mermaid pub.

In Home For Christmas, not only do we have the two new characters staying in the town, Jude and Bella, let's not forget Bella's little doggo Tink. In fact, Tink features quite prominently in this book, will be appealing to other animal lovers like myself. Particularly since she is well loved little pooch and plays a substantial role in the two characters coming together in the end.

I know I haven't spoiled anything by writing what I have, as I have already said, happily ever after is expected, it's the twists and turns along the way that we're here for.

In short, if you are a fan of Heidi's books already, you will love this. And, if you are not a fan of Heidi's already, you must have a heart of stone to not enjoy this festive love story.

#heidiswainauthor #heidiswainbooks #netgalley #simonshusteruk #arc #bookreview #HomeForChristmas #wynbridge #ebook