Winter's Wishfall

by Ceri Houlbrook

You're never too old to believe . . .

After losing her job, boyfriend and flat just a few weeks before Christmas, Ellie Lancaster makes some
1. Exact revenge on ex.
2. Be unboring.
3. Find a job.

With #1 complete, Ellie manages to tick off #2 and #3 simultaneously by accepting a mysterious archiving job on a tiny Scottish Island that doesn't seem to exist on any map.

In the new year, her equally new bosses - celebrity baker Clementine Jones and her straight-laced twin brother Cole - introduce Ellie to the a vast network of underground caverns, filled with scrolls dating back centuries, each addressed to the same person, in a multitude of Dear Father Christmas . . .

Despite the strangeness of it all, Ellie quickly falls in love with the island and her life there - but life is never simple, and just as she and Cole seem to be overcoming their mutual distrust, Ellie makes a fourth resolution - one that threatens everything she's come to hold dear. As the big day itself draws near, she has one chance to put things right and bring about her own Christmas miracle . . .

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction, Audiobook, Romantic

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 12, 2023

Reviews

[Jennifer (Jaye) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Long Winded*

In a short space of time Ellie looses her job, her boyfriend and her home. She is an archivist and nothing makes her more happy than delving into the archives and organising them and translating anything that is in foreign languages
She moves in with her brother and takes over the couch feeling sorry for herself.

Things change when she accepts a job which seems to be shrouded in secrecy and the job will mean living in, it’s a tiny Scottish island with no Wi-Fi and completely cut off. Her bosses are a celeb baker Clementine Jones and her lawyer twin brother Cole, who is uptight and completely serious a contrast to his flamboyant sister with bright pink hair.

The island is only accessible by boat from the mainland and the work place is unusual as it consists of many, many caverns and scrolls that go back years. At present they need help to get on top of the work. Ellie goes through the scrolls and they consist of Christmas wishes and her job is to translate the foreign language ones and form a system. They then have form a pile of the ones they see as worthy, this does not sit well with Ellie

Now the book goes downhill for me as the book includes what the wishes are that Ellie sees but we never get to know why they are going to the island, or what they do with the wishes and the secrecy around them does not make sense to me as why they are being archived and held onto for years.

There also seems to be an extremely slow possibility of a romance which for me was like watching paint dry and Ellie makes a stand to shake things up. All this happens towards the end of the book which took an awful long time, I liked the premise. The beginning was good and the rest was just ok. I was hoping for a cosy read.

[Nika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Десь 3.5🫶 дуже відпочивальна і легка історія на ніч 👌 не на всі запитання ми отримаємо відповідь, але краплина магії тут присутня

(п.с. і тут не так багато зими. тому читати можна будь-коли)

[Наташа Костиря · Rating 4 out of 5]

Це історія про нові починання, магію та пошук себе. Книга залишила змішані враження. Перші 70-80 сторінок були важкими: події розгорталися повільно, і динаміка була майже відсутня. Однак коли сюжет набрав обертів, він став цікавішим, хоча не повністю втримав мою увагу.😔

Еллі, головна героїня, переживає кризу: втрата роботи, стосунків і дому. Як архівістка, вона звикла до порядку, але її життя стало хаосом. Переїхавши до брата, вона отримує пропозицію роботи на ізольованому шотландському острові, що здається шансом втекти від проблем і знайти себе.

Острів із чудовою природою, тишею і магією створює атмосферу для внутрішніх змін. Авторка майстерно змалювала цей світ, де кожна деталь важлива. Однак через повільний розвиток подій частина магії втрачається, і сюжет починає буксувати.

Персонажі викликають різні емоції. Клементина, ексцентрична пекарка, додає тепла й легкості, її випічка буквально оживає на сторінках. Її брат-близнюк Коул — стриманий і серйозний, іноді занадто. 😬

Але навіть з такою підтримкою Еллі не стає по-справжньому цікавою. Її розвиток занадто повільний, і часто здається, що вона просто пливе за течією. Романтична лінія виглядає передбачуваною та місцями вимушеною.

Що чудово — це різдвяна атмосфера. Хоч події тривають цілий рік, відчуття свята та затишку супроводжує кожну сторінку. Магія книги проявляється у деталях, створюючи ідеальну зимову історію для тих, хто шукає легке й атмосферне читання.❄️

Чарівна обкладинка, атмосфера шотландського острова та магія деталей роблять її гарним вибором для затишного вечора. Однак брак динаміки й передбачуваність залишають відчуття, що історії не вистачає чогось суттєвого.💕

[Світлана · Rating 4 out of 5]

Поставила 4 бали, але все ж таки тут можна і 4,5, якби на Goodreads так можна було :)

[Адріана Павлич-Гресько · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Чудова історія. Мабуть, найкраща різдвяна книжка із прочитаних цього сезону

[Vlada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Це та сама історія, від якої не очікуєш нічого, а отримуєш затишок та щось таке тепле, як обійми рідних. 

І як же вона мені сподобалася! Еллі складає список, щоб повернути собі справжню себе, і один із пунктів — стати ненудною. Саме з цього починається її пригода, наповнена загадковістю та емоціями. 

Одразу скажу, що обкладинка книги ввела мене в оману. Я подумала, що це щось підліткове або дитяче, тож мені знадобився цілий рік, щоб нарешті ознайомитися з історією. І десь до сотої сторінки текст ішов мені важко, але потім сюжет набрав обертів — і я вже не могла відірватися. 

Дуже важливим фактором мого захоплення було те, що я нічого не знала про сам сюжет. Якщо ви хочете отримати від цієї книги безліч емоцій, то не читайте анотацію та відгуки. Я так зробила і мені було дуже цікаво розбиратись, що ж там такого сталось і що ж то робиться, Господи дапамажи.

Я не створювала естетику книги й не переказую сюжет, щоб нічого не проспойлерити. Але це чудова історія з дещицею магії та різдвяного дива. 

Моя оцінка: 4,5/5⭐. Мені трішки не вистачало деталей і розкриття деяких моментів, проте для мене це була хороша казка для дорослих, яка додала трішки надії та тепла у важкі часи ✨

[Zara Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this one completely blind, just knowing it was a festive read, and what a lovely book it turned out to be! Wonderful characters and lots of Christmas magic.

[Анна Полегенько · Rating 4 out of 5]

Я не розумію чому цю книгу називають різдвяним ромкмом, якщо тут романтична лінія дууууже слоубьорн і дуже на другому плані, а комедії тут взагалі нема. Це різдвяна казка для дорослих, сповнена своїх сенсів і з досить затишною атмосферою.

Але от ця любовна лінія і незрозумілі мутки з нею мені не сподобалися

[Marie Sinadjan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a charming, magical read! This book had plenty of my favorite things - fantasy, mystery, quirky characters, a slowburn romance, found family, twins! Plus the Christmas bit wasn't overdone. It's THERE, but the story isn't only set around the holidays.

This book has a lot of heart, too. And I don't just mean the romance, which I'm sure will have plenty readers yearning for a Mr Jones. Many moments and relationships tugged at my heartstrings, some of which I can't talk about lest I spoil the mystery.

I also appreciated the representation and the societal issues being highlighted, as it was tastefully done and not preachy at all.

Definitely one of my favorite books this year!

[Liuda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Магічна різдвяна історія, яка зігріває серце.

За кілька днів до Різдва Еллі втрачає все: роботу, хлопця і навіть квартиру. Та вона - справжня майстриня планів, тож швидко складає новий список цілей. Серед них - знайти нову роботу. І ось удача: їй пропонують таємничу посаду архівістки на маленькому шотландському острові. Після довгих роздумів Еллі погоджується. А далі на неї чекають нові знайомства, несподівані пригоди й трішечки магії.

Мені книга дуже сподобалась. Вона така затишна, чарівна й атмосферна - справжня різдвяна казка. Ідеальний варіант для зимових вечорів.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know we’re past Christmas now but don’t let that put you off reading this book. Despite the Christmassy looking cover, it actually takes place over the course of a year.

I found this a really intriguing read. First of all, I really felt for poor Ellie losing her job, her flat and her boyfriend just before Christmas. A new start was just what she needed so the mysterious job on a mysterious remote Scottish island in the new year couldn’t have been more different and certainly ticked off her ‘be unboring’ resolution. I love books set on islands although this one with its population of just four and not even appearing on a map would be a bit too remote even for me!

The new job translating and archiving letters to Santa really caught my imagination. I loved finding out what the letters said and found many of them rather touching. Like Ellie though, I think I would have found it very hard to do this job without getting emotionally involved and wanting to act upon some of the requests. I maybe just missed this but I would like to have known a bit more about what actually happened to the letters which made the shortlist, or rather what happened for the writers. Perhaps that’s just part of the magic of the island and remains a mystery.

I really liked the characters in the book especially Clementine who was so exuberant and eccentric and became a real friend to Ellie. Her twin brother Cole could not have been more different but I gradually warmed to him, as did Ellie.

Ceri Houlbrook has done a great job of balancing the magical elements of the book with reality. Somehow despite the mystical and unexplainable, there is a sense of normality too. There is a lovely slow burn romance at the heart of the book and many other heart-warming elements. Winter’s Wishfall is a charming read, with quirky characters and an uplifting message.

[Alexandra Dav · Rating 3 out of 5]

Primele 70/80 de pagini au fost tare plictisitoare, apoi a reușit să-mi trezească interesul. Pe parcurs, am tot oscilat între cele două stări.

Ce mi-a plăcut:
- coperta adorabilă, fiind și motivul pentru care m-am oprit asupra ei
- o parte din poveste a fost fermecătoare
- și partea de mister a adus un plus
- vibe-ul crăciunistic, extrem de potrivit pentru perioada în care ne aflăm
- mesajul tare frumos.

Ce nu mi-a plăcut:
- că nu a reușit să-mi mențină interesul mai mult
- romance-ul a fost cam forțat
- finalul super previzibil
- am simțit că au lipsit niște detalii esențiale
- nu am reușit nici să mă atașez de personaje din păcate; au fost clișeice și uneori și enervante.

Deși nu a fost neapărat cum speram, mi-a oferit o stare bună în majoritatea timpului, deci pot să zic că ne-am nimerit perfect.

[lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

i actually don't think i expected to enjoy this as much as i did, but it was a lovely cosy winter read in the run up to christmas.

i like that it wasn't just cosy though, and talked about the complex nature of morals and who actually deserves (in this case) what they wish for.

i really like the concept of christmas wishlists having an archive, and the idea that there is a sort of short list, that christmas isn't wholly about gifts, but about family and coming together, being selfless.

i actually loved ellie as a main character too, as i started the book i half expected her to be a bit too cringy, but i think she was developed really well.

additionally, i appreciate that the romance was a side plot rather than the main story. with a lot of christmas books (and movies) this seems to be the trend but having a good main cast is so important, and i find it much more enjoyable than just a story about two people.

[Marc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winter’s Wishfall

By Ceri Houlbrook

I don’t know Ceri personally but should I chance to catch her eye over a crowded bar, or bump into her on a busy street, I should do all that is within my, admittedly low, charismatic ability to cadge an invite to a book club meeting she may ever be holding. For there is completely no doubt she shares my worshipful approach to matters Patisserieiral (SIC) and Cake! Also, Christmas! Also, she is a great storyteller!

Using too many exclamation marks and using also twice is - a sign of a bad writer, but sometimes throw caution to the wind I say. Take a risk. Let your editor get enraged.
Live dangerously.

And that is prezunctly what our heroine does here, in this here tale. Sorry, I did it again!

Winter’s Wishfall - is one of those books that is an extremely slippery thing, hard to capture and throw into those demanding cages of genre. It is a love story, an adventure story, a mystery, a magical tale, and the realisation for our vicarious self, that home is absolutely where we belong. Even though that home is far from our wildest imaginations of where we thought it ought to be.

And for our vicarious heroine, Ellie, and I suspect the author Ceri, Christmas is the best time of all times to be home. The home that we all long for, and those of us who have wished enough and worked hard enough… to have. And I don’t mean a house… I mean a home.

What Ceri Houlbrook does so cleverly in this novel is to keep Christmas itself at bay. By doing so the emotions she experiences, and we share, do not at all become saccarineial (I know) and we are kept in the magical realism of the world she creates. If, dear reader, you are like me, and soon tire of the carols and the ho ho hos from early November onwards. Unless it is me shouting the latter of course, which has an entirely different dispensation. Then you will also love the bathos she includes, the reality of loneliness, the desire for love and belonging that we have all possessed at some stage – and so many of course still do.

Without going into plot, which reviewers oft fall back on for the bones of their review. And which are as welcome to me as a piece of coal for Christmas. I shall say this book is most certainly not just for Christmas. But it is perfect for Christmas. It is perfect for a book club read. It is perfect for a holiday read, a Sunday read, an ‘every spare moment’ read. A just ‘Jane you must read this!’ Or Jack of course. I know the vast majority of book buyers are women – but there are a few men with the sensitivity and romance in their souls to read this – and not worry about tearing up a little on the morning, Northwood to Baker street commute

It is essentially a journey of self-discovery, in believing in things that as an adult you really shouldn’t, and for Ellie the hardest thing for her to believe in - is herself, of course. It is not an easy journey for her, physically and metaphorically. There are a lot of obstacles for her to overcome, hard physical obstacles and even harder emotional ones. And by the end there are indeed tears in eyes for the reader and for her. And not just from the icy shards of storm-blown annihilation she must battle through to reach hearts desire at the end. I absolutely dare you not to be moved!

So, as the kids say, Winter’s Wishfall in short:

It’s just lovely. And it’s tough. And it is magical. And it reminds us all of the true joy of Christmas.

Christmas cake! And Christmas love! And Christmas Spirit!

It’s a full, five course Christmas roast of a book and God bless us everyone.

Marc Peirson
Sunday Times No 1 best selling novelist, screenwriter and wannabe songwriter.

[Georgia Catchpole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this book in three hours. Ceri you ate and left no crumbs.

It was absolutely everything I wanted from a winter read. In my family it’s tradition to only read/watch/listen/do Christmassy wintery things in December. So being gifted this book at the end of December last year meant having to wait until now to read it. It was definitely worth the wait.

It seemed like the perfect love letter, if you will, to folklore and traditions and insights to family life wrapped up in such a cozy sweet tale of friendship with a lovely dash of romance.

Thank you for writing a book that gives me everything I look for 🫶🏼

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I think I've read my favourite festive read along comes another one - Winter's Wishfall is the most magical story and you're never too old to believe!

Whike Osk is no Lapland, it still sounds absolutely amazing and so beautiful. And just when you think that's the highlight of the book, you find out the job that Ellie and Aiden have been tasked with doing, which is something special in itself.

'𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝐹𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐶ℎ𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑚𝑎𝑠' 📜🖊️

The characters are warm and wonderful, and I fell in love with each and every one of them in different ways.

Magical realism, found family, folklore and a touch of romance make Winter's Wishfall one of the most captivating and enchanting reads that was an absolute joy to read.

[Світлана Целуйко · Rating 4 out of 5]

Я точно не цільова аудиторія цієї книги, і, мабуть, крізь 300 сторінок я продиралась. Сюжет ніби й був, але до нього була купа запитань, які не можу озвучити без спойлерів. Та й не хочу. Поставила б 2 або 3, але буде нечесно, бо мені просто не треба було її починати читати. В цілому для любителів Різдва, сюрпризів і романтики ця книга мабуть здасться чарівною чи щось таке.

[Olesia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Не вдалося зловити вайбу цієї книги. Мені вона здалася дещо нуднуватою попри нестандартний сюжет. Але є чимало логічних порушень, недомовленості і не зрозумілих деталей. Герої пріснуваті. Не найкраща різдвяна книга.

[Minni · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5

[Kelly Hides · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wholesome, folklore-inspired winter tale full of found-family, self-discovery, and second chances.

[Kirstie Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book!
Not your normal Christmas romance book at all - it's so much more!
Magical, great characters, quite humbling at times - fantastic book and would highly recommend :)

[Hannah Lee Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cozy winter rom-com set in the North Pole archives. Full of epic dessert descriptions, banter, and feel good moments I really enjoyed this book. Only set back was that the magic system was non-existent and I wish they had expanded upon some of the relationships. Decent, but wouldn’t read again.

[Davita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Het midden was oke maar t begin en einde saai

[Ruth Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a lovely, whimsical book. It felt like reading a magical middle grade for grownups. The characters are delightful and well rounded with some great plus size and disability representation.

The setting was magical and cosy with just the right amount of Christmas cheesiness.

The intrigue had me turning pages quickly and wanting to find out what was going on. And the ending was exactly what I wanted it to be. A heartwarming festive read for sure.

[Ruth Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a lovely, whimsical book. It felt like reading a magical middle grade for grownups. The characters are delightful and well rounded with some great plus size and disability representation. The setting was magical and cosy with just the right amount of Christmas cheesiness. The intrigue had me turning pages quickly and wanting to find out what was going on. And the ending was exactly what I wanted it to be. A heartwarming festive read for sure.

[Angi Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fancied a change of pace from my usual fast paced reading and this book really caught my attention.
Part romance, part life change, part magical realism. It’s a book where I wasn’t sure if the elements would pull together, but I’m so glad I gave it a chance. Because it really worked. An island which isn’t on any map and lies off Scotland works in my opinion. So many mystical islands filled with myth and folklore that it got tick one.
Tick two was a woman who decided to take charge of her life and just see what happened. There’s mystery in there, too and I found it such a warm and heartfelt tale that for my first Christmas read of the year, it really ticked the boxes for me. I’m a sucker for myth, mystery and magic, but if it’s not convincing then it doesn’t get finished. This was a great tale and as a debut from Ceri Houlbrook I hope I read more. It’s a great Christmas read, but it could be read at any time of the year and enjoyed.
With thanks to Tracy Fenton, the publisher and the author for the advanced reading copy of this book.

[Jayne Greig · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book wasn’t for me unfortunately. I did not gel with the fantasy of magic, which to me was confusing as it was in realistic environment.
I was waiting for some dream to end and the story to continue, but it didn’t materialise.
The ending wasn’t finalised either.
I did love the characters and also the moral lesson to help others though.

[Cheryl Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical story. The story telling and characters drew you in, from early in the book. I loved all of it.

[Carol Standish-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was totally wasted on me. It was whimsical and totally unrealistic. Who the heck takes a job under those circumstances? Sorry but this one wasn't for me.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an utter treat and absolute delight Winter’s Wishfall, the debut novel from Ceri Houlbrook, turned out to be. I went into this one completely blind not knowing what to expect having not read the blurb as it was the gorgeous cover that first attracted my attention. I thought if the cover is like this than surely the story between the pages would be wonderful and I was very much proven correct. I had thought it would be the usual Christmas rom com – of which I can’t get enough of at this time of year but it’s not at all. In fact it’s so much better than that. Admitedly, if I had known about some aspects of the story I probably would have laughed and tossed my eyes to heaven and not bothered reading at all but that would have been my loss as the story that unfolded was truly magical and gave me all the feels.The author draws on her work as a folklorist and weaves a story that lives long in your mind once you have reached the final word. There are elements of magical realism which initially I did have to suspend my disbelief for but soon I was totally caught up in the story. Yes some things are incomprehensible or ungraspable but that all added to the enchanting atmosphere created throughout and I couldn’t get enough of everything and I was bitterly disappointed when it ended.

Ellie Lancaster is not having a good time of things. She has been dumped by her boyfriend for reasons she had never thought possible meaning she now has no place to live. Redundancies are being made in her job as an archivist which leaves her jobless and she has no idea what to do next. At the moment she is staying with her brother Toby, his partner Mike and her niece Izzy but she can’t go on like that forever. A job opportunity presents itself and she attends a café where she is met by the exuberant celebrity baker Clementine and her complete opposite her twin Cole. The interview is strange to say the least. It’s not like any interview Ellie has been at before and infact she doesn’t even really know what the job is for other than the pair need an archivist. The exact details surrounding the job are very hush hush and Cole doesn’t come across well at all.

Clementine loves Ellie at first and is bubbling over with enthusiasm for her to join their team. Whereas Cole is strait laced and very professional, that’s the way he comes across for the majority of the story. Pedantic, pompus, brusque, intense, blunt and abrupt are just some of the adjectives that spring to mind when it comes to Cole but Ellie also finds him very handsome. Cole has very good reason to be the way he is as he has something major at the forefront of all that he says and does and when the reader becomes aware of this you do tend to warm much more to him as does Ellie. Ellie decides to take a risk and accept the job and she signs a confidentiality agreement which means no one not even her family can know where she is or what she is doing. This all sounded very intriguing and I was dying for the book to really get going in order to discover much more.

There is so much secrecy surrounding Ellie’s journey to her new work place. She travels the length of the British isles to the Shetland island of Unst but her journey doesn’t end there. She meets Aidan Haw who has also been employed by Cole and Clementine for his ability to digitally archive things. The duo are whisked away on a boat to a small island called Osk inhabited only by Clementine and her family. There is no internet or phone signal and they are completely cut off from the world. I was surprised by how quickly Ellie adapted to everything considering she had come from the hustle and bustle of the city. But the author had a brilliant way of describing the island, its isolation and ruggedness that it seemed like the perfect place to heal from the recent upheavals in her life whilst at the same she got to indulge her love of archiving as she loved getting a glimpse delving back into the past.

I really felt like I was transported to another time and place whilst reading Ellie’s story. I could visualise the island so clearly in my mind and wished that it was real so I could visit all the characters and get to experience what Ellie and Aidan did. There are endless mysteries and secrets that surround the island and they are not given up in a hurry. Usually I would be so impatient to discover exactly what was going on but here I was savouring every page and eking things out for as long as I possibly could because I didn’t want the magic, beauty and meaning of the story to end. The actually meaning behind everything was just so special, joyful and heart-warming when it was finally revealed but there were a few dark elements thrown in towards the end, but they only served to heighten the message behind the entire plot.

The plot itself was extremely well executed in the way there was such a clear beginning, middle and end and a few surprises thrown in along the way with lots of emotion and bit by bit I could see a much bigger picture starting to emerge. There aren’t many specific details that I can say about the plot as it would give too much away and ruin the magical realism element. It’s almost like the reader signs a confidentially agreement similar to Ellie. I am loving this magical realism element in Christmas books at the moment. This is the second book in a row where this is present but in both books it has worked so well that it feels really believable and not at all far fetched and that’s the sign of a truly great writer. Clementine reveals bit by bit why Ellie and Aidan have been chosen to work on the island and in between she bakes the most wonderful cakes and treats that will have your mouth-watering. So you definitely need to have something sweet and tasty by your side as you read this delectable story.

Ellie and Aidan are introduced to a vast cavern beneath the cottage on the island which is filled with scrolls addressed to a certain someone. There they meet Uncle Joe and his two ravens. At first it all seems very strange and sinister but I admired how Ellie just went with the flow and didn’t overly question anything. It was almost as if she knew that with time all would be revealed. She sets about archiving the scrolls but this is a mammoth task and strange things start to occur which does eventually lead to her questioning things. As for the wishfall of the title, at the risk of over using the word magical - I’ll use bewitching, mythical and otherworldly instead. Well that was what it truly was and just the most beautiful thing ever. As for some romance yes it was here but it wasn’t the dominate focus of the plot and nor did it need to be but I was happy to see its inclusion all the same.

I sincerely hope that Winter’s Wishfall finds its way to lots of readers. It’s a real gem of a book infused with such magic, warmth and human understanding.I was gutted to finish it and could have happily read on for several hours more but the ending was deeply satisfying and rewarding. Everything demonstrated that Cei Houlbrook is a talented author with a strong and vivid sense of imagination and I adored the historical and myths, legends and traditions that were scattered throughout. This is a fantastic and astonishing story that you will want to read in one go and I can’t recommend it enough. I hope Ceri is hard at work on her next book because I am eager to see where she will take us next.