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Christmas at Hollybush Farm by Jo Thomas #Review

    Welcome to another festive read by Jo Thomas. Christmas at Hollybush Farm was published by Penguin on October 9th.   Jemima Jones is driving home to her family's magical hill-top farm for Christmas…  And on arrival, she soon learns that her dad has been keeping a secret – all is not as it seems, and Hollybush Farm is struggling to make ends meet! Worried about losing the childhood home she loves, Jemima must pull on her winter wellies and get stuck in. Amid the chaos of chasing after escaping sheep and organising the Christmas tractor run, Jemima begins documenting her slice of farming life on social media. As she builds a supportive online following, she also forms an offline connection in the shape of charming, retired rugby player Llew, her very own Santa's helper.  With a sprinkle of festive cheer and a dash of goodwill, might the community pull together to help save the farm in time for Christmas? My Thoughts Jemima returns home to find that her w...

My Map of You by Isabelle Broom

    My Map of You strikes me as the ultimate summer read. Mainly set on the Greek island of sun drenched Zakynthos, we follow Holly, a rather emotionally detached young woman, after she has found out that she inherited a house there, from an aunt who she had never met and was unaware of. We find out the reasons why Holly has built an invisible wall around herself and uncover family secrets along the way. 

    The supporting cast of characters are warm and varied. There is a romance to unravel but what is interesting is that all of the characters are flawed and completely human. You can see the principal characters grow and develop, especially Holly who gains a greater understanding of her place in life. For me, the settings steal the show. Metropolitan London is a good contrast to the shimmering island of Zakynthos which is described in such detail. The pace of the story never flags and for an escapist read, this fits the bill.

In short: a descriptive, evocative, heart warming summer read. 

My thanks to the publisher, Penguin Random House, for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
     

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