Karácsonyi házikó

Hopley Village #2

by Tracy Rees, Eszter E. Molnár (Translator)

Hull a hó, kigyúlnak a csillogó fények a gyönyörű faluban, Hopley-ban, ám a harmincéves Holly Hanwell egyáltalán nincs karácsonyi hangulatban... Miután a barátja váratlanul szakított vele, Holly csendes karácsonyra készül meghitt kis házikójában.

Elhatározza, hogy messziről elkerüli az ilyenkor szokásos vidéki ünnepségeket, és minden olyat, ami a férfiakra emlékezteti. Egészen addig, amíg bele nem botlik az új jövevénybe, a vonzó Edwardba. A kettejük között kibontakozó vonzalom dacára Holly érzi, hogy sebzett szívét nem hagyhatja védelem nélkül, ezért elhatározza, hogy idén karácsonykor NEM lesz szerelmes.

Az ünnepi varázslat azonban működésbe lép, és kettejük útja folyton keresztezi egymást. Amikor Holly rájön, hogy érzései egyre mélyebbek a jóképű, de problémákkal küzdő Edward iránt, felfedez egy titkot a férfi múltjában, ami megkérdőjelez mindent, amit eddig tudni vélt róla.

Vajon Holly és Edward ünnepi románca véget ér, mielőtt még elkezdődött volna...?

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Holiday, Chick Lit

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 2021

About the author

Tracy Rees is a Cambridge graduate with a degree in Modern and Medieval Languages. After an eight-year career in nonfiction publishing, she worked as a counselor for people with cancer and their families. Amy Snow is her first novel. She lives in Swansea, Wales.

Reviews

[Debra- semi hiatus due to a loved ones health · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect winter read!

'Tis the season in Hopley village, the snow is falling, decorations are up, everyone is in a festive mood. Everyone that is except Holly Hanwell whose boyfriend has left her to have a baby with someone else.

Edward has recently purchased Christmas House for he and his eight-year-old daughter, Eliza. The home needs some TLC, but it is the perfect place for them to start over and call home.

Holly, as it turns out is Eliza's teacher at school and is planning the school Christmas play. When Holly runs into Eliza's single father, Edward in the village, they agree to enjoy some Hot Chocolate together. They discuss how Eliza is adjusting to school all the while a spark has been ignited between them.

For me it is all about the journey in Romance books. This book had a very heartwarming journey involving characters who will warm your heat and have you rooting for them. The story gripped me from the beginning, and I felt myself fully engaged in the story. Holly and Edward are both likeable people who have been dealt a rough hand but ultimately are able to move forward with their lives. Eliza was endearing and so sweet and quickly stole the show.

This is a cozy heartfelt romance that will appeal to most readers in this genre. There are no gratuitous scenes or harsh language. I enjoyed the secondary characters as well. The village is full of people who want to look out and help others. This really adds to the festive feel of the book.

I enjoyed how this book is told through the POV's of Holly, Edward and Eliza not only gave readers a glimpse into their feelings and emotions, but it also helped to move the book along at a nice pace. I enjoyed Rees’s writing and the journey the characters in this book took individually and together. This book was a delight from cover to cover!

This is my first book by this author, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Heartwarming, Hopeful and Hard to put down!


Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect for that christmassy feeling where you believe in the power of friendship and love. There were lovely characters that you had to root for, and a feeling like of community. It also tackled subjects like abandonment and self-esteem. A lovely read that ended too soon.

[Susan Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Christmas House is warm and cozy—the very best kind of story for the holidays! It is charming and heartwarming, with endearing characters that I truly cared about. Holly, Edward, and dear Eliza are all a bit heartbroken as the holiday approaches, and it was lovely to see them cast off those shadows and learn to love and trust again. There is such a sweet, kindhearted tone to this book, even as the characters must deal with others who try to upend the lives they’re rebuilding.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Christmas House by Tracy Rees is a wonderful, heartwarming, and sweet contemporary romance that left me uplifted and in the holiday spirit. I loved it!

This is the second book I have read from Ms. Rees, as well as the second book revolving around the same cute, quaint, and picturesque rural village, Hopley. One does not need to have read Hidden Secrets at the Little Village Church to truly enjoy this book, however if you enjoy this gem as much as I have, then you need to read that one as well.

I loved the stories of Holly, Eliza, and Edward told in alternating viewpoints and chapters. All have had their obstacles and troubles in their respective pasts. Edward and Eliza move to Christmas House in hopes of moving on and finding a new, happy, and healthy life and Holly is trying to find herself outside of her teaching position. All are hurting in different ways, all are in search of healing, acceptance, purpose, and love. Only in this wonderful village are these wandering souls able to find one another, and in the process, also find themselves.

This is beautiful, positive, uplifting, and I truly enjoyed it.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Bookouture for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts immediately upon publication.

From the Publisher:

Book Description:

In gorgeous Hopley Village twinkly lights are going up, snow is falling and the delicious smell of gingerbread is in the air. Will two broken hearts find their happily-ever-after this Christmas?

The most wonderful time of the year is approaching but thirty-year-old Holly Hanwell doesn’t really feel like celebrating… not after the bombshell news that her boyfriend was leaving her to have a baby with someone else. But she still has her adorable little house in Hopley Village with its bright yellow front door and her job teaching at the village school. And she’s planned a cosy, quiet Christmas, focusing on the little things in life that she loves.

Until she bumps into Edward, the handsome single father of her newest pupil. He’s moved to Christmas House, at the edge of pretty Hopley, to give his eight-year-old daughter Eliza a fresh start. Sheltering from the snowy weather in the warm village café, Holly and Edward start to bond over delicious mugs of hot chocolate, topped with cream and sprinkles.

Despite the spark between them, Holly knows she needs to protect her already fragile heart and she’s determined NOT to fall in love this Christmas. But holiday magic works in mysterious ways when a festive crisis at Christmas House brings them together. Yet just as Holly starts to realise her feelings are growing for kind but complicated Edward she discovers a secret from his past which makes her question everything she thought she knew…

Will Holly and Edward’s December romance be over before it’s begun? Or will this be a Christmas to remember?

Curl up with this magical, feel-good Christmas read! Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Sarah Morgan and Carole Matthews.

Author Bio:

Tracy Rees was the winner of the Richard and Judy 'Search for a Bestseller' Competition and her books are paperback, ebook and audio bestsellers. A Cambridge graduate, she had a successful eight-year career in nonfiction publishing and a second career practising and teaching humanistic counselling before becoming a writer. She lives in Wales.

https://twitter.com/AuthorTracyRees

Buy Link:
Amazon: https://bit.ly/3AAZbTM

[Tahera · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my review of 'Hidden Secrets at the Little Village Church' I said that reading that book was "pure, pure joy".

Well, reading 'The Little Christmas House' was "pure, pure joy"x2! We are back at Hopley Village and it even has a house called Christmas House! This book gave me all the Christmasy feels with the snow, twinkling lights, mugs of hot chocolate, cookies, a Christmas play about angels with a live reindeer making a special appearance and some wonderful, quirky and lovable characters including a fox. Eliza, the eight year daughter of the male protagonist Edward, was just an adorably huggable darling and definitely stole the show! A cute, heartwarming story about second chances in love with a bit of holiday magic.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Bookouture and the author Tracy Rees for the e-Arc of the book. I had already read this book months ago but just got around to writing a review for it so apologies for the delay.

[Robin Loves Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this endearing story by Tracy Rees, Holly Hanwell gets a second chance at love. Heartbroken due to a major betrayal from her boyfriend, the Christmas season seems bleak. She definitely does not have the Christmas spirit. However, as a teacher, part of her duties was to participate in a yearly Christmas pageant. Working with her young students always brought her joy. Despite her heartbreak, she wants her students to be happy.

Holly soon finds another reason to be happy. She soon meets Edward, the father of one of her students and the new owner of a place that ends up proving quite special for more than one reason, and it is called the Christmas House. Not only does Holly soon find Edward someone difficult to resist, his darling eight-year-old daughter Eliza tugs on her heartstrings as well. The holiday season starts to get brighter.

Despite Holly being quite sure being alone was in her future, chance meetings at a lovely local café bring the unlikely trio together in what just might be a fresh start to all of them. Holly always found Eliza to be more than a bit special. Then there is the picturesque village where Holly lives, Hopley, and it is a wonderful little village. In fact, after having read Ms. Rees' previous book, Hidden Secrets at Little Village Church, I was already enamored with the small village, so it was the perfect setting for this holiday romance.

Holly soon discovers that she was not alone with the baggage from a previous relationship. Edward and Eliza have their own story and are working past some difficult things. In this sweet story it was nice to see them work through these challenges, even if things proved rocky at times. In fact, in this endearing story, Eliza's point of view was quite touching and her role in this story was pivotal. The Little Christmas House was a wonderful story that brought hope, light and love.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

[Srivalli (Semi-Hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 Stars

One Liner: Good, but could’ve been better.

It’s Christmas time in Hopley village, and what’s Christmas when wounded hearts don’t heal? Holly loves to teach little kids and is a drama teacher in the village school.

Edward and his eight-year-old daughter, Eliza, have recently moved into the Christmas House that’s a bit away from the village. Eliza is in the same class Holly teaches and is trying to adjust to the new place. Holly is nursing heartbreak after Alex ended their 10-year relationship.

Holly, Edward, and Eliza are struggling with issues from the past. When fate brings them together, will they manage to look past the wounds and find each other? How will the past affect their present and future?

The story is told in the limited third person from three perspectives- Holly, Edward, and Eliza. My favorite character in the book is Eliza. To say she’s the life of the story wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Holly and Edward are sweet people who want to do the best they can. The book is pretty much a Hallmark movie kind of story. While it was enjoyable, the overall impact wasn’t as good as I expected. I’ve read the author’s first book and was impressed by it.

This one, though sweet and inclusive, was more of a tell than show when it came to backstory. While it contained the length, it dimmed the effect on readers (at least me). Also, there wasn’t an epilogue! The last chapter has a decent, hopeful ending, but that’s not enough. I wanted something more concrete.

Three things I loved the most:
• Eliza is an absolute sweetheart, and so were the other kids at school.
• Holly is a wonderful teacher. Sensitive, attentive, and assertive.
• Edward is a great dad.

Things that could have been better:
• Cressida’s character. We never really get to understand her.
• A little more show than tell.
• A couple of more chapters from Eliza’s POV.
• More interaction between the lead characters.

To sum up, The Little Christmas House is a sweet book to pick up between heavy reads or on a lazy afternoon.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

#TheLittleChristmasHouse #NetGalley

*****

P.S:
Can we please not rely only on Fatima in so many books? There are some beautiful Arabic names for girls.

Indira Khan sounds a bit awkward, especially without the backstory, and I kept wondering if the parents were a fan of the late Indira Gandhi.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a perfect read to cosy up with at Christmas. I absolutely loved it.

[Linda Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly, Eliza and Edward all need a new start after a difficult year .

You know, The Little Christmas House is one of those ‘women’s fiction’ books that I wish those who deride the genre would read, because although it might have all the elements readers expect from a ‘happy ever after’ book, it also exemplifies how excellent writing is, indeed, excellent writing whatever the genre. Tracy Rees has such a fluid style that manages to have a literary quality as well as a light hearted deftness that draws in her reader, entertains them perfectly and makes them feel better about the world. I thought Tracy Rees’s descriptions, especially of the natural world and settings, were so evocative. There’s a poetic touch in The Little Christmas House that is equally as good as any literary fiction because it creates vivid images in the reader’s mind. I loved the way the story is positive and uplifting without contrived humour too. The Little Christmas House is glorious.

There’s a plot that engages the reader from the very first moment because Tracy Rees has the ability to show the perspectives of Edward, Holly and Eliza with sparkling clarity in a way that made me care about them completely. This is no mean feat as I’m not a lover of children, but Eliza feels so authentic and genuine that I would happily have her in my life. I loved the way Clarissa’s personality balances Holly’s too and provides a pitch perfect equilibrium so that all life is here in Hopley. The school term, the Christmas pageant, Edwards’s attempts to manage single parenthood, and Eliza’s development, give super interest and engaged me throughout.

Whilst The Little Christmas House is a positive read, that doesn’t mean Tracy Rees shies away from more difficult topics. Not all can be mentioned here for fear of spoiling the read for others, but her exploration of relationships, of genuine emotions and of different forms of love and support covers a wide range of experiences for her characters. Through both character and theme Tracy Rees conveys the concept that happiness isn’t about materialism, but rather is about developing our potential whilst accepting our flaws. I finished this book genuinely feeling inspired and happier than I have in a long time.

The Little Christmas House is the perfect winter read. It’s warm hearted, charming, uplifting and filled with positivity and cheer. The Little Christmas House seems written not just about love, but with it too. I thought it was wonderful.

[PuPilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tracy Reestől a Hidden Secrets at the Little Village Church című könyvet olvastam, ami a Hopley Village sorozat első része, és magyarul A vidéki templom titkaiként jelent meg. A Hopley sorozat következő kötete ez a karácsonyi könyv, amit már a templomos olvasásakor kinéztem magamnak az ünnepek idejére (és ami nem jelent meg karácsonyra magyarul is, ami egy óriási kihagyott ziccer szerintem). A részek önállóan is olvashatóak, csak a helyszín azonos, és esetleg néhány mellékszereplőbe belefuthatunk, de semmi egyéb.

A mesebeli Hopley télen talán még szebb és varázsosabb, és az ünnepekre készülődve Holly és Edward története bontakozik ki előttünk. Nyiiiilván ez egy romantikus sztori, amiben egymásnak van kitalálva a két fél, és mégis, szerencsére sikerült úgy megírni, úgy megoldani, hogy ne csöpögjön a nyáltól, és hihető jelenetek legyenek benne, empátiával megírva. Mindkettejüknek megvan a kissé terhelt háttér, hiszen Edwardot és a lányát Elizát otthagyta a feleség, hogy színészi ambícióit beteljesítse, Holly pedig épp azt emésztgeti, hogy nem lehet gyermeke, miközben az exe épp gyereket vár az új párjával... A mellékszereplők, apróbb történések, az iskolai színházi darabra való készülés is mind-mind jól el voltak találva, tényleg élveztem ezt a regényt - akárcsak a templomosat. :) Rees erőlködés nélkül tud olyat írni, ami kis cuki, nem tűnik sablonosnak, és nem is gejl. Ez utóbbi pedig azért egy karácsonyos könyvnél extrán nehéz!

Valószínűleg nem lesz persze igazán maradandó élmény ez sem, de kategóriájában szuper, olvasmányos, és kicsit engem a Váratlan utazás hangulatára emlékeztet, csak persze modernebb időkkel.

https://pupillaolvas.blogspot.com/202...

[Amy (TheSouthernGirlReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy. All opinions are my own.

What a cute little story. If I’m being honest, it is a story we have all heard before. Wife leaves husband and daughter. They move to a new town. Meets the local teacher and the attraction is immediate.

Let me tell you what stood out for me.

•Three perspectives. The daughter is the third and ohmygosh…I loved it.
•Quaint little cottage in the English countryside. Ummm, yes please.
•There was no huge rush to the physical stuff. It was refreshingly pure. I would have recommended it to my grandma.

Overall. Sweet, sweet story. Glad it made it to my December reading ♥️.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gorgeous festive read this proved to be,
With an eight year old lass who's so cute, you'll see!
She's instrumental in healing two broken hearts
Whose first love for each have departs.
They've both suffered grief for lost hopes and chances
And neither were seeking future romances.

Edward and his daughter have recently moved home
Looking for a fresh start where they're not known,
Christmas House needs a lot of work but still
Getting is sorted to make it home is what they will.
A new school for Eliza, a new job for Edward
Both are hopeful of reaching a new accord.

Holly Hanwell is Eliza's new teacher at school.
She's fun, loves drama and Eliza thinks she's cool.
Get ready for festive fun and good cheer
As Christmas itself is drawing near.
There's festive crises, with surprises and dread
With family dramas also coming to a head.

With inspirational folks helping both to heal,
The sense of community and family feel so real.
The characters are easy to relate to, too,
Making this a delightful read I highly recommend to you.
I read a complementary copy of this read
And this is my honest review, hope it's what you need!

[Margrete Wangen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5🌟

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prefect easy read for Christmas holidays. Predictable but lovely and festive

[Nina He · Rating 4 out of 5]

Varm, sjarmerende og koselig juleroman. Feelgood fra start til slutt.

[Gio-Karmaversum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Als Weihnachtsbuch bekommt es 5 Sterne, als Romance Buch nur 3. Also 4 Sterne im Durchschnitt 😂 Mathe kann ich 😂

[Monica Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, you know a book is good when you get to the end and you just want it to continue! So it was with this story. I am really hoping there will be a follow-up to this book, just saying, lol.

Holly is a dedicated young teacher who is licking her wounds in Hopley after her long-term boyfriend dumps her. Edward is a single dad whose daughter is in Holly's class. Both Edward and his daughter Eliza are starting afresh in Hopley, with a lot of adjustments for both.

I loved the characters of Holly, Edward and Eliza! These three were just so lovely, I was cheering them all on, every step of the way. There were some shocks and emotional turmoil in store for all of them, but the way the author handled those scenarios, with empathy and realism, was what made me give this book 5 stars. I think that every child deserves a teacher like Eliza and Edward's role as a single parent trying to juggle everything but having his priorities so, so right, was the most endearing part of the book. Eliza was just gorgeous :)

5 stars from me, absolutely.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

[Sue Nieuwenburg]

nice story, but saccharine sweet and a little too Hallmark Christmas Movie for me

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant

It’s meant to be the most wonderful time of the year but thirty-year-old Holly Hanwell doesn’t really feel like celebrating… not after the bombshell news her boyfriend is leaving her to have a baby with someone else. So Holly’s organised a quiet Christmas in her cosy little house and plans to avoid the traditional village festivities, and anything resembling a man, at all costs.

That is until she bumps into sexy newcomer Edward. He recently bought Christmas House, at the edge of Hopley, but the renovations on the crumbling building are more than he’d bargained for. Sheltering from the snowy weather in the warm village café, Edward makes Holly laugh over delicious mugs of hot chocolate, topped with cream and sprinkles. Despite the spark between them, Holly knows she needs to protect her already fragile heart and she’s determined NOT to fall in love this Christmas.

But holiday magic works in mysterious ways and they keep crossing paths – at the nativity show, the carols, gift shopping – and then a festive crisis at Christmas House unexpectedly brings them together. Yet just as Holly realises her feelings are growing for handsome but complicated Edward she discovers a secret from his past which makes her question everything she thought she knew about him…

This is a long book but very good.
Holly and Edward make a difference in this novel.
I haven't read a Tracy Rees book before but I will definitely be on the lookout for more.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Usually a crime/thriller reader, I was challenged by my Daughter to read something different and with my love of Christmas she handed me this book to read.

Unenthusiastically I made a start and struggled to just read, not hide clues in the back of my mind trying to workout what would happen or where the twist would come, just read. At one point I was in argument with Edwards Mother when she was trying to bring Eliza to Bexley as it offered so much more than ‘Hopley.’ As a Bexley resident who hates the area this really didn’t seem like this book would bode well.

It took a while to step into a new style of reading. At one point I really thought this would be a DNF but it wasn’t an awful read so didn’t warrant me leaving the story part-read so although my Daughter had said that if it really wasn’t enticing me, to leave it, I ploughed on actually admitting that I liked the characters. They were nice. Nice is such an awful word and always feels so inadequate but these people were believable and believably ‘nice.’

What can I say? I put the book down at 1am and at 5am had to pick it back up. It had gripped me and I couldn’t wait to get the the inevitable hook up!

Without giving anything away I do hope this story continues even if in bits in a new story about the lovely village that I’d move to in a heartbeat.

I loved it.

[Beáta Pálfi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nagyon vártam a szerző más könyveit is A vidéki templom titkai után, mai tavaly sok kategóriában győztes lett pl. a félévzáró értékelésben. Ez a könyv egy picivel kevésbé tetszett, nehezen tudom megfogalmazni, hogy miért. Edward egy álompasi, a háttér kellemes és hangulatos, talán Holly volt kevésbé szimpatikus és nem eléggé egyedi, olyan kis szürkének éreztem minden erőfeszítése ellenére Túl tökéletes tanár volt, egyszer sem akarta némelyik tanítványa nyakát kitekerni, legalább egy kicsit. :D Akármennyire is szereti őket, szerintem irreális, hogy sosem fárad el, vagy sosem lesz rájuk néha egy kicsit mérges. Az ember még a saját gyereke nyakát is szívesen kitekerné néha, még akkor is, ha mondjuk, egyke, nemhogy egy egész osztálynyi gyerekét! Mindenesetre jó élmény volt, jöhetnének más könyvek is a szerzőtől.

Az élfestett borító gyönyörű, igazán hangulatos. A fordítással egy bajom volt, három pont után vessző? Így: ..., Szerintem nem kell oda vessző.

[Marsi Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It's got a slower pace to it and it was very heartwarming. I will definitely read more of this author's work.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Bookouture.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book - 5 stars
Excellent, well written story with substance; likable, realistic characters you really care about. The romance is quiet, secondary to the plot, and the kind I prefer to read about--based on true mature emotion (not heat and basic physical attraction). Recommended.
Will definitely be reading more from this author.

Narration by Katherine Press - 5 stars

[mjs.readingnook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Varm, koselig og lettlest. Får julestemningen til å krype innpå. Likte spesielt å få lese om et barns perspektiv, veldig forfriskende. Savner mer romantikk, som er noe jeg oppsøker når jeg leser julebøker/ser julefilmer, som gjør at den ikke får full pott, men samtidig interessant med andre fokus.
Alt i alt en fin bok som varmt anbefales!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the literary equivalent of a cup of hot cocoa. Sweet (but not saccharin), warm, and comforting. Just what I needed.

[Gwennie ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect winter read! Fun and cute 🥰

[Juliane M · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s very predictable but a lovely feel good Christmas read.

[Oline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Koselig bok med koselig karakterer. Skulle gjerne hatt mye mer julestemning i handlingen.

[Eva Anita Nilsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Så fin og koselig førjulsbok ☺️