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The Cotswold Christmas Bookshop by Jill Steeples #Review

I am delighted to feature another novel by Jill Steeples set in the Cotswolds. The Cotswold Christmas Bookshop, a   festive story , was published on August 31st by Boldwood Books. Isla Stewart has a glittering publishing career in London, but when she’s unexpectedly made redundant, she faces an uncertain future. Licking her wounds, Isla heads home to the Cotswolds. Keeping her devastating redundancy a secret from her proud parents, she seeks refuge at Finch’s, the enchanting bookshop she worked in as a teenager. With the owners struggling with their health, Isla steps in to manage the shop hoping to convince them that the business has a future. Isla likes nothing more than chatting to people about books, but her safe haven is soon disturbed when she comes face-to-face with her first love, Charlie Brace, made worse by the arrival of Guy Madley, the incredibly handsome property consultant who has advice for owners Jon and Miriam. As Christmas approaches, Isla has decisions...

Autumn Wishes and Fireside Kisses by Rosie Green #Review #LittleDuckPondBookBook42

Welcome to Book 42 in the Little Duck Pond Cafe series! Autumn Wishes and Fireside Kisses  is the latest novella by Rosie Green.

 
A Hallowe'en wedding is taking place in Sunnybrook! One well-loved Little Duck Pond Café regular will be walking down the aisle at a reputedly haunted manor house miles from anywhere – and it's set to be the spookiest and most fun Big Day ever. But when the local river floods and the wedding party is stranded there overnight, weird things start to happen. Are ghostly antics at play here? Or is there something far more sinister going on? Will the wedding even go ahead?


My Thoughts
 
This seasonal story puts a different twist on a wedding with  a wedding between two of Sunnybrook's older residents who decide on a gothic, spooky theme.  Different generations come together to celebrate but when some ghostly happenings occur, it is obvious that all is not going as smoothly as it could. The Autumnal season is a fitting backdrop for the bride and groom who have lived full lives but found each other in later life.
 
    Alongside the wedding couple, we are introduced to Celia who has buried all her ambitions in her television career as a celebrity florist. As the story develops, you realise that Celia is still nursing a broken heart from her youth. When she meets up again with someone from her past, she finds herself reassessing all her priorities. There is humour, mystery and romance in this tale and a chance to catch up again with familiar faces from the Little Duck Pond Cafe. 
 
In short: Hallowe'en high jinks and romantic nights
 
About the Author
 

Rosie’s series of novellas is centred around life in a country village cafe. Look out for A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS, out in November 2025, and THE OTHER LIZZIE BENNET, which will be published in January 2026!

You can read my reviews of more of this series here:


 
You can follow Rosie here:   Twitter 

 
      

Check out the rest of the tour!


 

 


 
 

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