I do love Karen Swan’s books and this was a wonderful winter tale with a difference - a simple case of a missing but much loved toy which connects Natasha (and her daughter Mabel) with adventurer Duffy. I loved the simplicity of this lovely character read and both Natasha and Duffy had good backstories as well as a lot going on in their lives right now. There’s some good twists in this however in honesty I did work them out well in advance but still very much enjoyed the story which was fantastically written, 9/10

This was such a beautiful and thought provoking read of serendipity and fate and love and loss and life decisions. This was so much more than a festive read and a book that will stay with me for a long time.

This was a heartwarming and at times heartbreaking read but also uplifting at the same time. Every page I turned had me more drawn into the lives of Natasha and Duffy and theirs friends and events which joined them all together.

This book is for anyone who is looking for hope for the future and who believes everything happens for a reason.

I always look forward to reading a new Karen Swan book and thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this one. This book was quite different to previous ones and was a fantastic read. The story itself was absolutely gripping, with intertwined tales, past and present describing the main characters with their separate adventures and their interactions. This is definitely my favourite Karen Swan book so far.

A quick, easy and cosy read with a beautiful premise and perfect execution. The story gripped me right from the start and still hasn't let me go. I loved it.

A heart warming story full of depth and great characters. It's an easy read, perfect for the time of year with log fires and hot chocolate and snow twirling outside. The author leaves clues all through the book so that you have guessed what is going to happen before the characters do, so not exactly predictable but definitely no major surprises as you get to work them out first.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the e- advance review copy.

This beautiful story of hope in the face of adversity has left me smiling and glad to have read and shared in this story. Following Nat's past and present and then travelling with Duffy after he finds the errant Moolah leads us on a heart warming tale.
There are a lot of obvious hints as to where this story is leading but it's written in such a way that it's enjoyable seeing the characters find out what I already suspected. The characters themselves are well written and easy to care about and hope that they get the best possible outcome from all the smaller stories alongside the holidaying Moolah. I found all the mountaineering information fascinating and including it added an interesting level of peril to Duffy's storyline especially once we learned his truths.
I really enjoyed this read, I guess this is another author I'm going to have to look out for in future!

Tom and Natasha meet and connect but their lives take very different turns. Can they find love together when they both want different things. This book pulls at the heartstrings. Full of emotion and sweet moments about the importance of family. I enjoyed the climbing in Nepal and the descriptions. This book had everything. Another great book by Karen Swan. Would highly recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

I found Karen Swan's last two stand-alone novels, The Secret Path and Midnight in the Snow, somewhat disappointing, but she's back on form with The Christmas Postcards. This sweet if unlikely read follows two characters whose lives are linked together by a series of coincidences. Natasha is distraught when her small daughter's favourite soft toy cow goes missing. It turns out they left it in a holiday apartment in Vienna - but by the time they discover this, the toy has been picked up by mountain climber Duffy, who's on his way to the Himalayas to trek to Annapurna. Through the power of social media, Duffy finds out that Natasha is searching for the toy, and sends a series of photos - 'the Christmas postcards' to her daughter so she can see that the cow is having fun on her travels. But are there further connections between Natasha and Duffy that will draw them even closer together?

There's minimal luxurious travel in this one - although I was chuffed to see it's set in Frome, a town I visited often when growing up in Wiltshire and which I've never seen feature in a novel before. Sadly, the descriptions of Frome are not particularly evocative, and this could be set in any Cotswolds village or town. However, I enjoyed the sequences set in the Himalayas, which brought the snowy peril that I thought was missing from Midnight in the Snow. Thinking of Swan's back catalogue, this reminded me particularly of Together By Christmas and The Christmas Lights, so I'd especially recommend it to readers who enjoyed those two. A cozy holiday read.

What a beautiful story! Karen Swan never, ever disappoints and this is her best book yet, I simply couldn’t put it down. Full of “what ifs” and “will they?”, twists and turns, a bit of a shock reveal and hopes for a happy ending…a cliff hanger in so, so many ways. I really can’t recommend this book enough.

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

When Natasha is on her hen weekend with her friends, she meets Tom who tries to dissuade her from rushing into marriage with Rob. After three years of marriage Natasha, Rob and their daughter Mabel are coming back from holiday when they lose Mabel's favourite toy.
This is a combination of stories that come together with relationships and friendships that go through many strains. A really terrific read that takes you across the world into a world that few encounter. I loved this book and did not want to put it down.

I just loved this captivating story, I had a job to put it down. The characters of Natasha and Duffy were so likeable. I do enjoy the descriptions, especially of places I haven’t been to, it really brings the story to life. The story takes place mainly in the present day but also flashbacks to four years earlier. This story really pulled at my heart strings, it has great friendships as well as romantic relationships and the love of a mother and child. I always look forward to reading this author’s books and I’m not disappointed. I’m still thinking of the characters, long after finishing the book. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Absolutely loved this very unlikely tale of a hen night, one night in Vienna, a trek to the Himalayas, the painting of Artemis and a lost cow.... Completely gripped, not least by the beautiful descriptions of Nepal. Christmas is the least relevant part of story.

I am a big fan of Karen Swan, the story, the descriptions, the writing; a level up from the average romance. This one I found harder to get into than usual but well worth it coming to the Himalayan section which is incredibly powerful. The portrayal of the journey from the foothills to the ascending of Annapurna with all its privations and dangers. I was blown away . It will stay with me for a long time, along with Moolah. Set around the Christmas period but not so much a Christmas book but definitely a winter one to curl up with and enjoy.

Natasha is staying in an Airbnb in Vienna with her husband and young daughter Mabel, when they oversleep and nearly miss their plane. Too late they realise Mabel's precious toy cow, Moolah, has been left behind. Even when they return to their home in the Cotswolds, Mabel is distraught and refuses to sleep without it. Unable to find a substitute, Natasha puts out a request on social media that goes viral. It turns out Moolah was found by a climber named Duffy, who has now adopted it as a lucky mascot because it reminded him of a toy his sister had. Now hiking through the Himalayas, Duffy can occasionally get an Internet connection, but there are no post offices, so he can't send Moolah back. Instead, he sends electronic postcards to Mabel detailing all Moolah's adventures.

This story has Sleepless in Seattle vibes in that it is told from the point of view of two unhappy people in two very different countries. Natasha is desperately miserable in the Cotswolds, despite her supposedly prefect marriage to the handsome Rob, and Duffy is suffering his own demons, from a broken relationship in his past and his poor relationship with his father - hence his pilgrimage to the Himalayas. (I do love a 'tortured' hero!)

The story is set in the run-up to Christmas, but is not overly 'Christmassy'. It's a sweet story about facing your mistakes, grabbing second chances, and learning to live rather than just exist. Perfect escapism! One of my favourite reads this year!

Thank you to Karen Swan and Pan for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.