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His Last Christmas Gift by Debra Borchert #Review

    His Last Christmas Gift by Debra Borchert will take you to a different country and season. It was published by Le Vin Press on 1st November 2025. Widowed, fired, and 50, Claire is one hot mess. This later in life romance hits like a snowball packed with grief and hope and mystery and the kind of second-chance that says, “I didn’t think I’d ever feel this again, and now I’m terrified, but… Hi.” Romance that’s frost melting off a windowpane. It’s “I forgot my heart could do this.” It’s love doesn’t have an expiration date. Twinkly lights, mulled wine and flaming crêpes so immerse you in Christmas markets—you’ll book a flight to France before the fares go up. A book club fiction favourite, Claire’s journey of self-discovery is perfect for fans of women’s fiction and stories about strong women over 50 navigating reinvention with inspiration, humour, with a delicious frosting of romance. “Give yourself the gift of a lush, romantic, French adventure and be swept away ...

The Llama Farm on New Moon Lane by Laura Briggs #Review #Giveaway

I am delighted to feature another story by Laura Briggs, The Llama Farm on New Moon Lane. There is also a great international giveaway and the chance to win an e-copy of the book. For details on how to enter, see the foot of this post.


Young and quiet, Lucy Granger leads an introverted life in Reading, living in a flat and working in design at a graphics company—until it is upended when she both sells her idea for a mobile game and suffers an unexpected medical diagnosis shortly afterwards.

Facing a mandated medical rest period, she decides to use her windfall earnings to take a year's holiday, renting a farm on New Moon Lane in a country village in Yorkshire. As Lucy settles into her holiday home for some tranquility, she soon learns that she is not the only tenant, when a llama named Llarry strolls out of the farm's supposedly-derelict barn. He is shortly followed by others in a menagerie of abandoned animals left behind—from a sickly donkey who likes eating crisps to a flirtatious cockerel sleeping in the back garden.

To Lucy's consternation, no one is willing or able to take them on, leaving her with a strange mix of furry and feathered friends to find homes for. Reluctantly adapting to her circumstances in order to deal with this problem, Lucy will discover other surprises about the animals in her care, and the place she is temporarily calling home. About herself, as well.

Will her ordinary life ever be the same after her experience on New Moon Lane? More importantly, should she really want it to be?


 My Thoughts

This is a good introduction to the farm on Half Moon lane and establishes a range of characters, some of whom happen to be animals. I enjoyed how Lucy’s IT work and her creativity grew as she looked at the environment around her rather tumbledown home. 

    Lucy is an interesting character who has an unspecified social anxiety and is never sure how to relate to the people she meets. She has learnt how to respond to people’s social cues, when she can interpret them and at other times, withdraws into her inner creative world. This is in contrast to the obvious disability of the little boy who visits the llamas which she has acquired. Some, such as the vet, seem to pick up on Lucy’s hidden disability. Others do not notice. This is a warm and gentle story which shows how Lucy adapts her life to her new surroundings and begins to flourish.

In short: gentle humour 



About the Author

Laura Briggs is the author of several feel-good romance reads, including the Top 100 Amazon UK seller 'A Wedding in Cornwall'. She has a fondness for vintage style dresses (especially ones with polka dots), and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern day mysteries. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, caring for her pets, gardening, and seeing the occasional movie or play.

You can follow Laura here: Facebook   |  Twitter 


Book links


Thanks to Laura Briggs and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources 
for a copy of the book and a place on the event. 

 


 Giveaway (International)


 

 

Win an e-copy of The Llama Farm on New Moon Lane (Open Internationally) To enter, follow the link below and good luck!

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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