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'Tis the (damn) Season by Fiona Gibson #Review

  Festive reads continue with Fiona Gibson's 'Tis the (damn) Season, published by Boldwood Books.   This year, their families can deck the bloody halls themselves... Old friends Shelley, Lena and Pearl have reached their limit with the festive preparation that has always fallen to them, and five days before Christmas, they’ve booked a mini break… without their families. Up until Christmas Eve, they’ll be sipping prosecco in the Highlands while their kids wrap bacon around 100 chipolatas and their partners brave the supermarkets. It’s exactly what they need… until they’re snowed in. Facing the prospect of Christmas 500 miles from home, each woman is forced to confront her real reasons for needing to escape: the fiance with the obnoxious family; the son’s new girlfriend who is taking over their home; the family who take their mother for granted all year round… Will the friends make it home before Christmas day? And if they do, can they really go back to their old lives?
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Elle's A to Z of Love by Claire Huston #Review

 

Today is Publication Day for Claire Huston's second novel, Elle's A to Z of Love. 


Haileybrook, a beautiful village in the peaceful Cotswolds countryside, is most people’s idea of heaven on earth. 

Born and raised in this small slice of paradise, Elle Bea can’t wait to leave.

It should be easy, but every time she packs her bags for exotic adventures, old loves and loyalties pull her back.

Will Elle be forced to forget her dreams of far-flung places and epic romance, or can she grab one last chance to have it all?

An uplifting, romantic story about friends, family and the relationships that make a place a home.


My Thoughts

This often feels like one of those stories you can sink into. It is warm and comforting and full of friendships and family. Not that everyone is a cosy, likeable character. There are several characters who are selfish and self centred and  quite a backstory about bullying. The novel does keep you on your toes. I couldn't quite work out how it was going to turn out for Elle until very near the end. There are quite a few possibilities for her. 

    Elle is a well drawn character. You find out quite a lot about her background and come to understand why she has certain feelings of vulnerability despite her obvious commonsense. Above all, she is kind and a loyal friend. There are plenty of inter-generational issues in the novel. You get a real feel of the community in Haileybrook.There are several story strands in the book so you feel that there is plenty to keep your interest. 

In short: Home is where the heart is.

About the Author


Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two children. Her debut, Art and Soul, a heart-warming contemporary romance, was published in 2020. Elle’s A to Z of Love is her second novel.

A keen amateur baker, she enjoys making cakes, biscuits and brownies almost as much as eating them. You can find recipes for over a hundred sweet treats at https://clairehuston.co.uk. This is also where she talks about and reviews books.

As well as her website, you can find her on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Goodreads: linktr.ee/clairehuston_author


 Book link: Amazon UK  |  Amazon US

Thanks to Claire Huston and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

Follow the rest of the tour!
 

 
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  1. Claire Huston6 July 2021 at 09:45

    Thank you so much for reading and reviewing Elle's A to Z of Love and taking part in the blog tour, I really appreciate it! x

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