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The Christmas Retreat
Ginny Spain usually loves Christmas. Not this year, though. After witnessing a traumatic accident and breaking up with her ex, she plans to spend it alone. But her formidable art historian mother, Evie, has other ideas.
Determined to drag her daughter out of isolation, Evie persuades Ginny to spend Christmas with her at an artist and writer’s retreat at Triskelion, a remote old house in the tiny coastal village of Little Star.
But Evie’s plans aren’t without an ulterior motive – having discovered that her grandmother was an artist and spent time at Triskelion house, she wants to unlock the secrets surrounding her and Ginny’s ancestor.
Rugged Rhys Tarn lives at Triskelion with his ten year old daughter, having lost his wife in mysterious and distressing circumstances – and Ginny is in for a shock when she discovers she and Rhys share an unexpected connection.
Between Winter Solstice and Twelfth Night, and with the help of Rhys, can Ginny unlock her past and make this Christmas her happiest one yet?
Determined to drag her daughter out of isolation, Evie persuades Ginny to spend Christmas with her at an artist and writer’s retreat at Triskelion, a remote old house in the tiny coastal village of Little Star.
But Evie’s plans aren’t without an ulterior motive – having discovered that her grandmother was an artist and spent time at Triskelion house, she wants to unlock the secrets surrounding her and Ginny’s ancestor.
Rugged Rhys Tarn lives at Triskelion with his ten year old daughter, having lost his wife in mysterious and distressing circumstances – and Ginny is in for a shock when she discovers she and Rhys share an unexpected connection.
Between Winter Solstice and Twelfth Night, and with the help of Rhys, can Ginny unlock her past and make this Christmas her happiest one yet?
490 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 6, 2025
496 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
About the author
Trisha Ashley
39 books1,099 followersTrisha Ashley is now a full-time novelist, but she has been known to work for stained glass makers and/or plumbers. She likes to paint, eat, drink, and read literary biographies. Her previous hobbies included getting divorced and packing to move. She claims to have once actually eaten Bronte burgers at the Branwell café, but her publisher declines to verify this. She lives in North Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
December 26, 2025
In a new departure this has two time lines, I quite enjoyed this concept, especially being reminded about the reality of life for women in 1919 Britain, even if that was grim. The modern day story was at times so tense, I felt like we were drifting into Agatha Christie worldview. I really enjoyed the exploration of everyone’s different creative approach at the retreat and also the retreats structure. Lots of celebration of traditional Welsh festivities, including a Druid, which were fun, including the recipes at the end.
November 20, 2025
Heart warming Christmas Read
A really lovely story full of a range of characters to get to know. It's always a delight to get a small mention of another character from a previous book, although if you had not read the previous book this would not matter. I look forward to reading these books each year as a start to Christmas. Especially love the recipes which match the ones in the book.
A really lovely story full of a range of characters to get to know. It's always a delight to get a small mention of another character from a previous book, although if you had not read the previous book this would not matter. I look forward to reading these books each year as a start to Christmas. Especially love the recipes which match the ones in the book.
November 6, 2025
4.5*
Triskelion is a big house in a remote part of North Wales which provides retreats for artists and writers. Having had a rather traumatic year, Ginny is planning to avoid Christmas altogether but her mother, Evie, has other ideas and signs both of them up to a retreat running from just before the Winter Solstice to Twelfth Night. This isn’t totally altruistic as Evie wants to find out more about her grandmother Arwen, who had spent some time at Triskelion when she was a young artist.
There were so many things I enjoyed about this book. It was so interesting getting to know the group of people at Triskelion whether that was the people taking part in the retreat, the owners of the house or people from the local community. I really liked the portrayal of the community and how they came together for various traditional aspects of Christmas. It sounded great fun to have traditions relating not just to Christmas but to the winter solstice and Twelfth Night too. It felt like a connection with history. There was plenty of food associated with the various special days during the retreat and if they leave you feeling hungry, you’ll be pleased to find some recipes at the back of the book for some of the food and drink you’ve been reading about.
I enjoy a dual timeline novel and while this wasn’t perhaps written in a traditional way, I throughly enjoyed the historical part of the story particularly since we find out Arwen’s story through her many letters to her friend Milly.
Over the course of the couple of weeks so much happened which transformed the lives of many of the characters. There was more than one romance which was so lovely to read about and certainly left a warm glow inside. Many of the characters really discovered a lot about themselves. I had a particular soft spot for young Cariad, novelist Rhys’s daughter. Her bright, enthusisatic and enquiring nature made her a joy to read about.
Although this book is set over the Christmas period, you could easily enjoy it at any time. There’s enough festive goings-on to satisfy those looking for a Christmas read whilst at the same time, Christmas itself isn’t the main focus. Love is central to the story and, as Ginny finds, ‘love can change so many things.‘ Find yourself your own quiet corner to retreat to and curl up with this heart-warming Christmas read.
Triskelion is a big house in a remote part of North Wales which provides retreats for artists and writers. Having had a rather traumatic year, Ginny is planning to avoid Christmas altogether but her mother, Evie, has other ideas and signs both of them up to a retreat running from just before the Winter Solstice to Twelfth Night. This isn’t totally altruistic as Evie wants to find out more about her grandmother Arwen, who had spent some time at Triskelion when she was a young artist.
There were so many things I enjoyed about this book. It was so interesting getting to know the group of people at Triskelion whether that was the people taking part in the retreat, the owners of the house or people from the local community. I really liked the portrayal of the community and how they came together for various traditional aspects of Christmas. It sounded great fun to have traditions relating not just to Christmas but to the winter solstice and Twelfth Night too. It felt like a connection with history. There was plenty of food associated with the various special days during the retreat and if they leave you feeling hungry, you’ll be pleased to find some recipes at the back of the book for some of the food and drink you’ve been reading about.
I enjoy a dual timeline novel and while this wasn’t perhaps written in a traditional way, I throughly enjoyed the historical part of the story particularly since we find out Arwen’s story through her many letters to her friend Milly.
Over the course of the couple of weeks so much happened which transformed the lives of many of the characters. There was more than one romance which was so lovely to read about and certainly left a warm glow inside. Many of the characters really discovered a lot about themselves. I had a particular soft spot for young Cariad, novelist Rhys’s daughter. Her bright, enthusisatic and enquiring nature made her a joy to read about.
Although this book is set over the Christmas period, you could easily enjoy it at any time. There’s enough festive goings-on to satisfy those looking for a Christmas read whilst at the same time, Christmas itself isn’t the main focus. Love is central to the story and, as Ginny finds, ‘love can change so many things.‘ Find yourself your own quiet corner to retreat to and curl up with this heart-warming Christmas read.
January 11, 2026
I very much enjoyed this 'comfort read' which was exactly what I needed in the low period after Christmas and into January. I have read and enjoyed books by this author before, and I think this is one of her best. There's a mystery, and switches between past and present - well executed - as well as a bit of Christmas romance. The characters are likeable and well drawn.
Five stars, and recommended for a bit of escapism. Would I read it again? Yes!
Five stars, and recommended for a bit of escapism. Would I read it again? Yes!
January 4, 2026
light hearted but several twists that didn't come until later in the book
December 28, 2025
A really lovely read by Trisha Ashley . I loved the letter writing between the two characters.
December 17, 2025
That was one of the worst books I’ve ever read.
December 26, 2025
Although I found the story quite engaging with the dual timeline, I really didn't like everyone getting married after two weeks together, and I found the constant references to how much the 'bad' character was eating to be pretty offensive, it's 2025, I thought we were past those stereotypes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2025
Trisha Ashley’s books are always such cosy, fluffy, low-stakes reads, and The Christmas Retreat was no different (indeed, her Christmas books are the cosiest of the lot!). Nothing much happens, you get lots of descriptions of food and cosy activities, there’s a low-key romance, and it’s exactly the kind of book I enjoy reading at this time of year.
In this instance we’re following Ginny Spain, children’s book illustrator, who for reasons has to sell her cottage unexpectedly, and ends up being persuaded by her mother to attend an artist’s/writer’s retreat over Christmas (there’s always a reason the heroine of Ashley’s books has to make a fresh start, often one where the reader has to suspend their disbelief a little, but it’s not really the point of the books, so it’s easiest just to go with the flow, I find!). Her mother, Evie, is researching a biography of a female relative and artist, Arwen Madoc, who stayed at the house where the retreat is taking place for a few months in 1919, but left in mysterious circumstances, and therefore the customary family mystery/secrets element is very much present in The Christmas Retreat. I will say that probably the two main secrets were transparently obvious from pretty early on, so the revelations at the end of the book - which come in a bit of an info-dump, despite the inclusion of Arwen’s letters throughout - weren't quite as revelatory as they might have been, but that’s not really what I read Trisha Ashley books for at the end of the day.
As mentioned above, the romance here was pretty low-key, although more present than in some of Ashley’s other books, and a bit better developed too, even with the fact that, as is often the case, the whole thing goes from zero to sixty in about two weeks flat - although the efforts to introduce a bit of jeopardy into the ‘will they, won’t they’ was a bit of a non-starter for me. I did appreciate that one particular character did eventually get called out for their behaviour in relation to Ginny and Rhys’s developing relationship, though - I’d been wondering whether everyone was just going to ignore it right to the end of the book!
Trisha Ashley’s books are never going to be 5-star reads for me - the writing is rather workmanlike, and the dialogue in particular often comes across as a bit stilted, and like nothing anyone would ever say in real life, but they always deliver the pleasant, cosy - and this case seasonal - reads I’m looking for.
In this instance we’re following Ginny Spain, children’s book illustrator, who for reasons has to sell her cottage unexpectedly, and ends up being persuaded by her mother to attend an artist’s/writer’s retreat over Christmas (there’s always a reason the heroine of Ashley’s books has to make a fresh start, often one where the reader has to suspend their disbelief a little, but it’s not really the point of the books, so it’s easiest just to go with the flow, I find!). Her mother, Evie, is researching a biography of a female relative and artist, Arwen Madoc, who stayed at the house where the retreat is taking place for a few months in 1919, but left in mysterious circumstances, and therefore the customary family mystery/secrets element is very much present in The Christmas Retreat. I will say that probably the two main secrets were transparently obvious from pretty early on, so the revelations at the end of the book - which come in a bit of an info-dump, despite the inclusion of Arwen’s letters throughout - weren't quite as revelatory as they might have been, but that’s not really what I read Trisha Ashley books for at the end of the day.
As mentioned above, the romance here was pretty low-key, although more present than in some of Ashley’s other books, and a bit better developed too, even with the fact that, as is often the case, the whole thing goes from zero to sixty in about two weeks flat - although the efforts to introduce a bit of jeopardy into the ‘will they, won’t they’ was a bit of a non-starter for me. I did appreciate that one particular character did eventually get called out for their behaviour in relation to Ginny and Rhys’s developing relationship, though - I’d been wondering whether everyone was just going to ignore it right to the end of the book!
Trisha Ashley’s books are never going to be 5-star reads for me - the writing is rather workmanlike, and the dialogue in particular often comes across as a bit stilted, and like nothing anyone would ever say in real life, but they always deliver the pleasant, cosy - and this case seasonal - reads I’m looking for.
January 2, 2026
5 stars because I loved this. Children's author Ginny has been having a tough time, witnessing a horror crash close to her remote cottage, cheated on by her boyfriend and dealing with being forced out of the home she loves. When her indomitable art historian mother Evie books the two of them into a writers retreat in rural North Wales, Ginny baulks at the idea of being thrown into a group of strangers and a family Christmas, having become a virtual recluse. Things are not made easier when a face from her past turns up at the retreat. However, it's not long before Ginny's creative spark is reinvigorated and she finds herself falling for the place, the people and the one she thought had got away. With a parallel storyline from 1919 providing a backdrop to Evie's latest investigative project and a host of fully-formed side characters with their own plot lines, there's lots to enjoy in The Christmas Retreat. Sure, there are some accelerated storylines and conveniently tied off loose ends but I chose to suspend my disbelief and I loved it. Rhys was pretty vanilla but still managed to be totally dreamy and the only thing I didn't fall for was the unnecessary fat shaming of the unpleasant crime writer! But I can forgive that for what was otherwise a lovely, cosy read.
November 9, 2025
You are invested in the characters from the beginning in this great festive read. There are plenty of references to writing and books in this story set on an artists and writer's retreat and Claire's reactions to the other writers illuminates the text. Her relationship with her unconventional mother is complicated and far from straightforward.
Running through the story is the tale of writers and artists from earlier generations and this is partly why Claire agrees to attend. She has been living a solitary life up to this and finds the company and the friends she makes exhausting but stimulating. It is as if she is waking up. The mystery of previous relations provides an added interest but it is Claire's relations with Rhys and his daughter which takes her by surprise. With second chances looming and secrets from the past to be uncovered, this is a delightful read with a festive flavour and plenty of characters
Thanks to the publisher
December 30, 2025
At the end of a difficult year Ginny is persuaded by her mother Evie to spend Christmas with her at an artist's retreat in the Welsh countryside. The house where it is held has a family connection as Evie's grandmother Arwen spent time there as a young artist and she is keen to learn more about her.
What follows is a dual timeline story as alongside joining the festivities getting to know everyone involved in the retreat, we learn more about Arwen through letters she wrote to a friend in 1919 - and family secrets are revealed.
This is very much a story about friendship and community - with both Christian and pagan traditions included. There is a side helping of romance (and two some might say rather hasty engagements) and lots of food, and even some recipes at the back of the book. As the family secrets are revealed there is a darker element to the story than I expected but overall it's the kind of easy festive read that is ideal to curl up with at this time of year.
What follows is a dual timeline story as alongside joining the festivities getting to know everyone involved in the retreat, we learn more about Arwen through letters she wrote to a friend in 1919 - and family secrets are revealed.
This is very much a story about friendship and community - with both Christian and pagan traditions included. There is a side helping of romance (and two some might say rather hasty engagements) and lots of food, and even some recipes at the back of the book. As the family secrets are revealed there is a darker element to the story than I expected but overall it's the kind of easy festive read that is ideal to curl up with at this time of year.
February 3, 2026
The Christmas retreat was the first Trisha Ashley book I have struggled to engage with, wether it was the dual timeline aspect I’m not sure but saying that I’m so glad I persevered as the further into the book I got the more I enjoyed it.
The book traverses between 1919 and present day with a common thread of letters from the past, these letters really illustrated how women’s lives have changed so much in the intervening years particularly the lack of freedom, restrictions and status.
Throughout the book we are treated to great descriptions of the lovely north wales landscapes, the history of the winter solstice, festive traditions and the wonderfully described local festive fair!
Loved the communal feel of a writers retreat and the varied characters, would love to read a sequel continuing Ginny and Rhys story
Thank you NetGalley for this early read
The book traverses between 1919 and present day with a common thread of letters from the past, these letters really illustrated how women’s lives have changed so much in the intervening years particularly the lack of freedom, restrictions and status.
Throughout the book we are treated to great descriptions of the lovely north wales landscapes, the history of the winter solstice, festive traditions and the wonderfully described local festive fair!
Loved the communal feel of a writers retreat and the varied characters, would love to read a sequel continuing Ginny and Rhys story
Thank you NetGalley for this early read
December 26, 2025
Quite grim for a Christmas book. Ginny feels depressed and sad throughout, and even the happy-ever-after parts later on are tainted by a horrific story of oppression, rape, and early death of a relative. Christmas feels almost like an afterthought, happening midway through the story rather than at the end. As usual with Ashley's books, the bitchy villainess is see-through from the minute she enters, but the MC insists on thinking kindly of her and viewing her barbs as unintentional clumsiness. Everyone falls in love and gets engaged after only knowing each other for about two weeks...it just doesn't satisfy the way her Christmas books usually do.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 22, 2025
I think I pre-purchased this book 18 months ago and was devasted when the release date was pushed back 12 months. But finally after having put my life on pause for the last day and have read the book - it was worth the wait. Much more the Trisha Ashley kind of story I've come to expect and love than the Wedding Dress Repair Shop. Already counting down to the next book which hopefully we don't need to wait so long for!
December 22, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and it wasn't what I expected. I thought I had bought another easy Christmas read to help me get my reading goal but it was actually so much more than that. This book had a lot of depth beyond the standard Christmas love story and I was invested from the start. Exploring relationships past and present but also hidden family secrets, definitely worth a read if you're looking for something good over the Christmas holidays.
December 22, 2025
I enjoy Trisha Ashley's holiday novels with their combination of cozy Christmas traditions, old houses, local traditions/crafts and (and least in the last two I've read) dual timeline drama. The old timeline was a touch slow (I certainly had figured out a bunch of the final "revelations" well before they were actually revealed).
As always, my reviews are a reflection of my experience reading the book and are not meant to be taken as true critique.
As always, my reviews are a reflection of my experience reading the book and are not meant to be taken as true critique.
December 27, 2025
I love Trishaworld Christmas book. This was a perfect Christmas read, Christian and Pagan traditions are explored and enjoyed. The main character, Ginny, is persuaded to join her Mother on an artist’s retreat in the beautiful Welsh countryside. Having preferred her own company and life in a remote cottage for the past few years she is surprised to begin to enjoy the company of others finding comfort, friendship and fun. There is a romantic element to the book and a strong theme on the importance of friendship in particular found family. The storyline includes a dual timeline story as a long lost family member’s life is explored via letters and diary entries. I was fully immersed in the book and was glad to join the festivities and peace at Triskelion house.
January 7, 2026
I have read quite a few Trisha Ashley books but don't think I have read many recently. The Christmas Retreat is her latest book. I enjoyed the ease in which I could read this book, I liked the duel timeline and the plot that interconnected them. The characters were good and the story moved along nicely. Well written and interesting, I would have liked maybe a little bit more Christmas included, but an enjoyable read nonetheless.
December 23, 2025
I loved both the past and present plots - discovering Arwen's story was exciting but bittersweet. The retreat setting was cosy, and the bits of Welsh traditions were really interesting. However, why are they getting married after knowing each other for so little time? Especially since the main couple gave off platonic good friends vibes rather than romance?
December 29, 2025
I have loved Trishas books for years now. This is one of her best books yet! The characters are relatable and I immediately became invested in them. As always the setting becomes one of the main characters as they are so we'll explored and easy to visualize. While sad in parts the story is uplifting and relatable
January 19, 2026
I love Trisha Ashley books at Christmas. She has a knack of creating a fictional world that you’d love to be part of. The stories are never taxing so if you’re looking for something deep and meaningful then this isn’t it but for a feel good, festive read, Trisha Ashley really has cornered the market.
November 10, 2025
I fell in love with Ashley's books with the release of The Twelve Days of Christmas, and it's been an annual Christmas countdown read ever since. The Christmas Retreat is hot on its heels!
Her books are always a delight to read, especially her Christmas ones. There's always more to them than just the usual Christmas and Boxing Days...Winter Solstice, Twelfth Night, Wassailing, and other pagan rituals.
The inclusion of Arwen's letters added a nice touch, transporting us back to life in the 1900's.
It's heartwarming, immensely enjoyable, and a countdown to Christmas MUST READ!
Her books are always a delight to read, especially her Christmas ones. There's always more to them than just the usual Christmas and Boxing Days...Winter Solstice, Twelfth Night, Wassailing, and other pagan rituals.
The inclusion of Arwen's letters added a nice touch, transporting us back to life in the 1900's.
It's heartwarming, immensely enjoyable, and a countdown to Christmas MUST READ!
December 11, 2025
Wear a tall hat like a Druid in the old days.
Solstice rituals and an ancestry to be discovered, but a closer past link brings Ginny and Rhys together by chance as they find their lives entwined more than they had bargained for.
Solstice rituals and an ancestry to be discovered, but a closer past link brings Ginny and Rhys together by chance as they find their lives entwined more than they had bargained for.
December 25, 2025
i wanted a easy going romance for the holiday and this exceeded all expectations!
slowburn, no spice, investing subplot.
my only issues were that the character we're supposed to dislike is solely characterised by the fact that she eats lots (it's basically mentioned in every chapter).
slowburn, no spice, investing subplot.
my only issues were that the character we're supposed to dislike is solely characterised by the fact that she eats lots (it's basically mentioned in every chapter).
December 26, 2025
3 1/2 stars. Interesting setting, in Wales and among artists, with an intriguingly tragic historical backstory. I did find it a bit long-winded at 490 pages and the romances, leading to marriage, seemed rather rushed in the timeframe of the Christmas retreat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2026
Gorgeous Read
I always love Trisha Ashley books and this one is no exception. A gorgeous story with great characters (not all lovable for sure!). The twists and turns with the characters are well woven into the storyline.
I always love Trisha Ashley books and this one is no exception. A gorgeous story with great characters (not all lovable for sure!). The twists and turns with the characters are well woven into the storyline.
January 20, 2026
Ah Trishaworld! Though not connected to other books this still has the sense of place & cast of great characters.
I'm never sure if I like the dual storyline idea but I did get caught up in Arwen's story as much as Ginny's.
I'm never sure if I like the dual storyline idea but I did get caught up in Arwen's story as much as Ginny's.
November 19, 2025
Another first class Christmas book from Trisha Ashley.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews