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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...
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Rumours, Romance and Rhubarb Crumble by Rosie Green #Review #LittleDuckPondCafeBook45



 

Welcome to Book 45 in the Little Duck Pond Cafe series! Rumours, Romance and Rhubarb Crumble is the latest novella by Rosie Green and was published on March 29th.

 When Gertie buys a run-down house 'by accident', she considers it the latest fail in a series of disasters! Her job at the Little Duck Pond Café and the friends she's made there are a big comfort – especially as temporary boss Alice seems to be going out of her way to make her life difficult. But then Gertie meets the handsome Rafe – and her life takes a turn she definitely wasn't expecting . . .

My Thoughts

I enjoyed getting to know Gertie in this latest novella in the series and to catch up with some familiar characters who make up the Little Duck Pond community.  Not all the workers in the cafe are warm and welcoming at first, however, but you find out that there is more to the temporary Manager than meets the eye. Gertie finds herself living in a cottage in need of a lot of TLC but with a slightly mysterious neighbour. 

    There is a mystery at the heart of the story which is not obvious at first but slowly, Gertie realises that first impressions are sometimes misleading. She has to learn to make her own decisions and do what she knows is the best for her. I can see that she will be featuring in another episode with a new mystery to unravel which should be fun. This is an enjoyable and warm read, full of friendship and romance.

In short: lovely reading on a summer's day 

About the Author

Rosie Green is the author of the popular Little Duck Pond Café series, set in the fictional village of Sunnybrook. Watch out for lots more café drama and romance in 2026, including ‘A Cornish Escape’ (out in May) and ‘The Secrets of Midsummer Cottage’, which will be published in July 2026.

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


Spring at the Little Duck Pond Cafe   |  Summer at the Little Duck Pond Cafe |  Christmas at the Little Duck Pond Cafe | A Bakery at the Little Duck Pond Cafe   |  Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe  |  Lemon Drizzle Mondays at the Little Duck Pond Cafe  |  A Cornish Summer Holiday  |  Lucy's Great Escape  |  Sweet Pastries and Sourdough    |  A Summer of Surprises  |  The Wedding Cake Wish  |  Snow Falls over Sunnybrook  |  Chocolate Cake for Breakfast 
 |  Jingle Bells in June    |  Sun, Sea and Strawberry Shortcake
  |  Clara's Secret Garden  | Clara's Christmas Magic |  A Winter's Wish  |  Kind Hearts and Coronets |  The Lottery Win  |  A Kiss Under the Stars  |  A Cosy Cottage Escape  |  A Winter Wonderland  |  The Sunshine Sisters: Aurora | The Sunshine Sisters: Skye |  The Sunshine Sisters: Blossom  |  The Sticky Toffee Pudding Club  |  Cosy Nights and Snowball Fights  |  Maddie's Christmas Wedding  |  The Forever Home  |  The Pop - Up Cake Shop  |  Daydreams and Doughnut cake |  Teacakes and Tangos  |  Autumn Wishes and Fireside Kisses  |  A Merry Little Christmas  |  The Other Lizzie Bennett
 
You can follow Rosie here:   Twitter |  Instagram

Amazon UK |  Amazon US
 
 Thanks to Rosie Green and Rachel of Random Things Tours for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.
 
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