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A Merry Little Christmas: (Little Duck Pond Café, Book 43)

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Festive excitement is in the air at the Little Duck Pond Café and Katja is looking forward to her first Christmas snuggled by the fire with boyfriend Caleb. But now she's started having terrifying nightmares and worse, Caleb is acting out of character, making her doubt everything she thought she knew. Is it really destined to be a merry little Christmas? Or will the festive cheer Katja has been longing for turn out to be nothing but a damp squib?

229 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 29, 2025

27 people are currently reading
11 people want to read

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Rosie Green

61 books350 followers

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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for ItaPixie.
1,281 reviews151 followers
December 11, 2025

A Merry Little Christmas was a nice quick read. I loved revisiting all the characters of the Little Duck Pond Café.

Between snowy days and Christmas market planning the holidays are approaching, but Katja isn't too happy because her relationship isn't growing and she thinks Caleb is keeping some secrets.

Katja is a good character. She is kind and lovable, even if she has a lot of doubts about her boyfriend and she doesn't know where they stand in the relationship, she still helps Caleb's nephew overcome his shyness.
I liked to follow her journey, through highs and lows, and the suspense at the end was overwhelming.

As always I've enjoyed Rosie Green writing and her story telling.
I absolutely recommend to read this book.


Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.

Profile Image for Bookworm86 .
2,017 reviews140 followers
December 11, 2025
BLOG TOUR REVIEW 


Review for 'A Merry Little Christmas' by Rosie Green.


This book is the 43rd book in Rosie's 'Little Duck Pond Café' series but each book in this beautiful series can be read as a standalone. 


This book is yet another absolutely gorgeous addition to the stunning 'Little Duck Pond Café' series. I have absolutely loved every single book that I have read in this gorgeous series and this beauty is definitely no exception!! This gorgeous series tells us the stories of the different people who come to and live in Sunnybrook and I love getting to know each and every one of them!!! Grab your copy of this stunning page turner yourself and I promise that you will not regret it. If you have never read any other books by this amazing author before now I can guarantee you will also add a new favourite author to your list!!! With a stunning storyline filled with emotional turmoil, heartache, love, action, drama,  romance, second chances, mystery, friendship, secrets, community, bliss, twists and turns, loss, second chances and so, so much more you could not ask for a better book to turn a frown upside down so what are you waiting for? I genuinely have loved each book that I have read in this beautiful series and I cannot wait to go back and devour all the ones that I have missed. I just could not put this absolutely gorgeous book down as each and every time I was meant to be doing something other than reading something happened where I just had to read the famous "one more chapter", which as we all know when it comes to a book this good it just does not exist. Therefore, several hours after I had picked it up I had completely devoured the whole book in one sitting. These books are the absolutely brilliant and rare type that it really does not matter if you are curled up under a blanket next to a fire with a hot chocolate or sprawled on a beach catching the sun as Rosie's stunning evocative descriptions will pick you up and whisk you off to Sunnybrook at the turn of a page where, in this case, you will wonder what is really going on with Caleb, how much danger Katja is in and feel the love in the air!! It really is another gorgeous book in the series and the rest of the books in this series are just guaranteed to be just as stunning!! This book is a fantastic read that I just could not put down!!! A gorgeous, unputdownable storyline that I fell in love with and I can guarantee you will too!!! I cannot wait to meet them all again in the next book in the series which is called 'The Other Lizzie Bennet' which will be published on the 31st January but you can pre-order your copy now!! 


Clear your schedules, get comfy and get ready to escape mundane life fall in love with this gorgeous page turner!!!


This book is extremely well written with vivid descriptions and Rosie's gorgeous and evocative writing skills setting the picture perfectly in the readers mind. The title, description and cover works perfectly with the storyline. It is an absolutely ideal read for anyone who is looking for an escape from reality that will have you hooked from beginning to end. I absolutely LOVED the realism of this storyline which made it so easy to picture everything that was going on which had been helped by Rosie's fantastic evocative writing skills. I cannot wait to get hooked into more of Rosie's books! This is definitely one of those books that will turn a frown upside down and make life seem a lot brighter. The characters were all an eclectic mix and each one of them were realistic and strong. I was completely invested in them all. It also makes them more realistic, believable and made me feel even more for them than I normally would. Rosie's fantastic and evocative writing skills makes you feel the same as the characters were. I love meeting the same faces along with new ones each and every time I pick up a book in this gorgeous series and finding out new things about the characters!! Each of the characters are memorable and unique in their own ways and they are a group of people that I wont be forgetting any time soon and cannot wait to meet time and time again!! I absolutely loved meeting many of the amazing characters from Sunnybrook again who have very quickly become to feel like friends that I enjoy meeting again and again and miss every time I come to the end of the book. The majority of them are absolutely amazing characters, each with their own strong and unique personalities, all well developed and the majority I absolutely love!! Grab your copy and get ready to discover Caleb and Katja's stories and much more today. 


Congratulations Rosie on yet another absolutely stunning read that I just could not put down!!! Another gorgeous book in this stunning series!! I cannot wait to read more of your previous and future books. I would absolutely love to see this book turned into a movie!!! This is the exact reason you are on my favourite author list and here's to your next success 🥂 


Overall an unputdownable, gorgeous, STUNNING page turning book filled with community, family, danger, romance, friendship and so much more!! 


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Profile Image for Rachel Gilbey.
3,372 reviews572 followers
December 12, 2025
Well I was not expecting that, which is one of the best things about this long running series. Rosie Green's constant ability to surprise her readers, with something that feels familiar but at the same time completely different to the rest of the series.

And especially the second half of this book, once we start to discover the truth behind why Caleb is acting so strange, well that turned into an epic climax for this story, complete with some adrenalin.

Even before that we have a storyline about some festive Chutney, which leads some of the Duck Pond Cafe girls to get up to all sorts of shenanigans.

This is predominately Katja's story, and her still fairly new relationship with Caleb, who we were introduced to earlier this year. But what I really loved was her interactions with Caleb's nephew Will. Will is having a tough time at school, and Katja becomes aware of it and determined to help him if at all possible.

There are all sorts of scary moments in this story, and it was lovely to catch up with various characters from earlier in the series.

I found this whole to book to be a rather fast and addictive story that I couldn't put down and read it in one sitting, when I was meant to be doing other things! I loved almost every aspect of it, apart from the title. This book just wasn't overly Christmassy to me, so feel it could easily be read at any time of year, as the festivities are not completely key to the story.

But other than that this is another totally brilliant book in this impressive long running series and I'm already very keen to discover what this always fabulous author has in store for us and her characters next. I'm positive I will love it.

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Profile Image for Book Escapes Babs.
668 reviews28 followers
December 8, 2025
It’s always a treat to return to The Little Duck Pond Café and catch up with the characters that I have met through this terrific series. This time, the focus is on Katja and her blossoming relationship with her boyfriend, Caleb.
Having been deeply hurt by the failure of her previous relationship. Katja is determined to take things slowly until she feels more confident, but perhaps Caleb isn’t as excited about picking up the pace as he initially led her to believe…

Once again, this is a mighty book in a smaller tome. Please don’t assume a novella is necessarily a lighter read, because this one had me guessing as the proverbial plot thickened. Of course, if you want to know more, you’ll need to read it, but I can promise you a page-turning read with more than a couple of twists to keep you on your toes.

Katja has long been a favourite character of mine, and I loved the fact that her grandmother, a fount of wisdom, featured in the book. She reminds me of my own lovely Nana; long gone now, but I still quote her regularly. I think most of us have had someone like that in our lives, even if they are no longer with us.

Light relief comes in the form of what I’ll refer to as ‘Chutneygate’, as there is usually a comedic aspect to Rosie’s stories, and this one didn’t disappoint. I loved how the two timelines threaded together, creating a truly satisfying book that left me smiling.

If you’re not familiar with these books, they are enjoyable as standalone reads, but definitely worth adding some of the back catalogue to your reading pile, to make sure you enjoy them to the fullest.
Profile Image for Just Read Jessie.
50 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2026
The main character we follow is Katja and all of the chapters are from her perspective. I enjoyed following Katja and learning more about her. We had already got a glimpse into her relationship in the previous book I’d read.

Although this is a short story, there was lots happening throughout. I personally would’ve liked to have a little more romance happening in the book between the two main characters… However, the plot itself was interesting enough to keep me intrigued. There was an air of mystery regarding the MMC from quite early on but I like how the story developed to finding out the root of it towards the end.

Due to so much happening throughout, the pace was good all the way through. I was happy with how the story ended and although it was predictable, it was a cute way to end this novel.

This book takes place during the lead-up to Christmas, and although it’s a festive read, I appreciated that it doesn’t shove the Christmas aspects down my throat. I enjoyed the wintery vibes I was getting from it whilst reading. I was glad though that it wasn’t too cheesy in terms of the Christmas elements.

Although this book is quite deep into an on-going series, it didn’t feel like you would have to read all the others before getting to this one. The author did a great job of mentioning who the characters were. If you are someone like me who hasn’t read all the other previous books, you still get an understanding of who everyone is.

I think this book was an enjoyable one to read for this time of year!
Profile Image for Sarah.
2,972 reviews232 followers
December 3, 2025
Katja has been having a bit of a hard time over the last couple of books and has been finding it hard to make a real go of things with her new boyfriend Caleb. Her previous break-up has left her much more cautious and she doesn’t want her heart to be broken again. Just as she is about to open her heart fully, Caleb starts acting differently which has poor Katja doubting their relationship.

I love Caleb so was certain something must be going on that was making him act like he was. But what? It certainly wasn’t anything that I had expected that’s for sure! Katja is trying to carry on as normal and put a good front on to all her friends but good friends can always tell if something is wrong. Whilst the story centres on their relationship, there is some humour with the friendships that had me chuckling away to myself. It also covers the topic of bullying which is a very important one.

A Merry Little Christmas was a gorgeous story set in the run up to Christmas. There were plenty of fabulous descriptions of mouthwatering cakes of which there are some recipes at the back of the book which I will definitely be giving a go. There is an air of mystery in the story which made for some tense reading at times and I found myself racing towards the end to see if the characters would all have a happy ending. A highly engaging festive read with all the feels!
Profile Image for Wall-to-wall books - wendy.
1,068 reviews22 followers
December 10, 2025
MY THOUGHTS -

I read a Little Duck Pond Cafe' book a while back and enjoyed it very much. It was cute and sweet. So when I saw that there was a Christmas one I jumped on it.
This one had great characters. Especially the two main characters, Katja and Caleb. Caleb was a bit shady at first and I wasn't sure I (or Katja) could trust him. I really liked Katja and connected to her right away. Also *** love the name Katja!

An unexpected twist! I did not expect this cute sweet little Christmas story to have such an edge to it. There were a few different things happening so that kept it interesting.

This one started out a tad slow for me. I was liking the characters and I was liking the vibe but I just wasn’t invested in it. But as I read on it just got better and better. This did soon became an unputdownable read with a great ending.

The Christmas vibe was about a 6 out of 10. A fun, sweet but exciting book for the holidays. I recommend it. I would definitely read another one by this author. :-)

I voluntarily posted this review after receiving a copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources - Thank You!!
Profile Image for Zoé-Lee O'Farrell.
Author 1 book244 followers
December 10, 2025
It's Rosie and it's the Little Duck Pond...so I knew it would be a winner!

I was extremely upset with Caleb, but I had a feeling we might go down the route we did with him and his secrets. I hated the way he behaved, but I got it...just a shame he didn't let Katja in on everything at the start. I mean, it's Christmas and her birthday - let the girl have a good time!! I was worried for a beat that we might have a repeat of history for Katja!

The "Chutney / Pickle" was hilarious and the much-needed relief in this story. Maddie in a tree 🤣🤣

These books always highlight that communication is key...but if we didn't have this drama what would we have?! Rosie always keeps the drama to a minimum, and she focuses on the most important thing - what I call my found family. These girls are always there for each other, old and new characters play a role, and each lends support when they are meant to. I loved Caleb's sister too!

Loved this story, always do. Generally a read in one-sitting book and gutted when it's over!!
Profile Image for Karen Mace.
2,412 reviews84 followers
December 2, 2025
All the festive feels for this one - the 43rd installment of the Little Duck Pond Cafe series! And it's another wonderful mix of drama, friendship and romance and a wonderful way to catch up with some favourite characters and find out what is going on in their life.

Katja is at the heart of this story, as she's looking forward to her first Christmas loved up with Caleb but anxiety begins to kick in along with some rather disturbing nightmares she's having that are really affecting her day to day life.

She starts to sense Caleb pulling away from her too, keeping secrets, so her doubts about their relationship begin to affect her mood, and along with some other family drama she really isn't having the greatest of festive run ups.

i love the way the drama is built up nicely and seeing how people deal with situations out of their control, all played out against the Christmas backdrop which should be a happy time for all!! Highly recommend!
Profile Image for Deanne Patterson.
2,431 reviews121 followers
December 12, 2025
I'm loving seeing this series continue, we're on book 43 now.
At this point the characters all feel like family, and I love meeting the new ones we're introduced to in each book too.
Festive, warm, wonderful Christmas story.
Katja, unusual name and I love it and her newish boyfriend, Caleb are spending their first Christmas together.
I loved Katja's character and related to her right away. Couldn't quite figure out what Caleb's deal was at first. Katja tried so hard, she really did, but things just seemed off to her after a bit, not what she wanted at all especially during the holiday season.
The author throws a bit of mystery into the story, and I absolutely loved how it evolved, it really had me fooled.
Things aren't always how they seem to be and this story proved it. The more I read it the more I loved it.
Eagerly looking forward to the next book by the author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Pam Robertson.
1,457 reviews9 followers
December 10, 2025
We are back in Sunnybrook with some familiar faces. This festive story is centred on Katya who has been working to overcome the effects os a previous relationship and the feelings of rejection she experienced at its break up. Caleb, her latest boyfriend is not behaving towards her as he used to and she feels a growing distance between them. Just as she feels sje can trust Caleb, he starts to behave out of character. Added to that, she is unsure about his latest PA at work and generally is feeling insecure.

There is a mystery at the heart of the story which has to be unravelled to give Katya the answers she is looking for. Alongside this, we have life in Sunnybrook continuing as Christmas grows nearer and the friends all work together and help each other out.

In short: gorgeous festive read
Thanks to the publisher
Profile Image for Kirsty (BookBlogger).
2,074 reviews63 followers
December 10, 2025
A Merry Little Christmas by Rosie Green

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Festive excitement is in the air at the Little Duck Pond Café and Katja is looking forward to her first Christmas snuggled by the fire with boyfriend Caleb. But now she's started having terrifying nightmares and worse, Caleb is acting out of character, making her doubt everything she thought she knew. Is it really destined to be a merry little Christmas? Or will the festive cheer Katja has been longing for turn out to be nothing but a damp squib?

My Opinion

A Merry Little Christmas was a delightful addition to the series. It is always a pleasure to return to Sunnybrook. At just over 200 pages, this was a quick festive read but Rosie Green has packed so much into the pages.

Rating 4/5
429 reviews11 followers
December 9, 2025
A mix of fun and turmoil to keep you on tenterhooks.

Katja and her friends have a busy Christmas time but it's not as joyful as they'd like. The chutney issue was funny and the lengths they went to in order to sabotage was amusing given that it was misguided.

Caleb and Katja are serious but something's not right - if only they'd communicate! It seems like history is repeating for Katja but it isn't that simple and what unfolds is pretty stressful for all involved.

Ultimately, it ends well but you have to go on a bit of journey that makes usual Christmas stress seems like nothing at all. Fortunately there's some good relationships in this and a sense of community even if a couple of characters do create a bit of mischief sneaking in a garden 😂
Profile Image for theweebookworm .
426 reviews28 followers
December 21, 2025
It's always great to be back with the girls at The Little Duck Pond Cafe.  This time we concentrate on Katja’s story. She has been badly hurt in the past so is cautious in her new relationship with Caleb and is looking forward to spending her first Christmas with him.

I loved both these characters and felt they were perfect for each other, however, when Katja noticed Calebs mood changing she starts having her nightmares again.

What unfolds, I did not see coming. The author, as usual, incorporates hard topics and manages them in a sensitive way.  

It is not all drama as there are plenty of fun moments, the chutney one being an example that had me chuckling. 

This is a great, quick festive read with all the feels.
612 reviews9 followers
December 7, 2025
Another superb addition to this brilliant series that is based in and around the Little Duck Pond Cafe. Katja believes that she has found love with Caleb but then he starts to act distant towards her. Having been in a relationship with someone previously who broke her heart she doesn’t think she can deal with that again. Does Caleb have a reason for being so distant though? This has so many different elements to it from friendship to family, drama to romance. I find the books in this series so easy to read and I love catching up with the characters and their lives. Looking forward to the next one!
Profile Image for Jane Hunt.
Author 3 books115 followers
December 11, 2025
As the festive period approaches, Katja is looking forward to a romantic time, but she is anxious, having worrying dreams, and her boyfriend seems to be hiding something from her. Solving this particular puzzle is an essential component of this immersive read, and you really want Katja to have a happy ending this time. There is a lovely festive setting, with amusing banter and incidents among the villagers and the friends at the Little Duck Pond Cafe. It has its dramatic moments and highlights some contemporary issues, but it's the sense of community and friendship that make this such a rewarding read.
I received a copy of this book from the author.
Profile Image for Vicki (chaptersofvicki).
656 reviews18 followers
December 11, 2025
Another return to the Little Duck Pond Café series. It’s the run up to Christmas and Katja is looking forward spending time with Caleb for her birthday and Christmas.

But things aren’t going quite as Katja planned with Caleb. As always with these books there is plenty going on. The drama with the chutney had me laughing so much.

I always get so hungry reading these books, there are so many delicious sounding cakes and treats throughout. I need a visit to the Little Duck Pond Café myself 😂

This was such a lovely read with all the festive feels too.
Profile Image for Sapphyria  .
2,271 reviews58 followers
December 12, 2025
A Merry Little Christmas is the 43rd book in the Little Duck Pond Café but the author does a fantastic job keeping each book fresh and interesting. This is Katja and Caleb's story. This is a cute romance that has its fair share of drama. The author also inserted a mystery into this book.

I love returning to this world, visiting with old characters, and meeting new ones. A Merry Little Christmas is a wonderful novel. The author crafted a wonderful world and continues to build it and grow the characters. I enjoyed the author's writing style, the pacing of the book, and the vivid imagery.
Profile Image for Leanne.
2,191 reviews45 followers
December 1, 2025
A quick festive read. This one follows a favourite character of mine Katja and her new boyfriend Caleb. Katja has had her heart broken before so it's no wonder she is guarding it with her life. I was desperate for her to find her true love in Caleb under the mistletoe but will she have her heart broken again? Full of plenty of love and Christmas cheer featuring the Little Duck Pond Cafe girls who feel like they are my best friends. This book is another high for me.
Profile Image for Wendy(Wendyreadsbooks) Robey.
1,504 reviews71 followers
December 11, 2025
I always love a trip to Sunnybrook with Rosie Green and the Little Duck Pond Cafe gang.
This story is all about Katja and although she’s been in a lot of the other stories, this one gives us the chance to really get to know her. I loved seeing her at home and work and interacting with her friends and Caleb. Hearing about Granny Olga again was lovely.
This story is an emotional one, Katja has been let down before and when Caleb started acting rather distant with her, my heart dropped as you could see how hard Katja was finding it to trust and believe in love again. She never stopped believing in love though and her support for Will and Penny was a lovely addition to the story.
Chutney-gate added a nice bit of fun and seeing the girls supporting eachother again was wonderful.
Profile Image for Lauren Flewett.
495 reviews15 followers
December 19, 2025
Wow things are getting a bit dark at the Little Duck Pond Cafe but I’m here for it!

I love this series so much and am very invested in the main characters. This one had a Christmassy feel to it which was lovely to read at this time of year.

Rosie Green tells us more of Katja’s story in this book and I really felt for Katja, she certainly hasn’t had it easy of late.

I cannot wait for the next instalment!
Profile Image for Staceywh_17.
3,726 reviews12 followers
December 17, 2025
Can you believe we're now forty three books into the Little Duck Pond series?

I love being back in Sunnybrook surrounded by familiar faces. It may sound silly but I feel like I'm going home to (extended) friends and family.

Katja and Caleb's story was one of uncertainty and emotion. We have met Katja previously just not on such a personal level.

There were serious moments but for me that was overshadowed by the chutney capers. Funny as...

Easily enjoyable.
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