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Mistletoe Mansion
Kimmy Jones has three loves: cupcakes, gossip magazines and dreaming of getting fit just by owning celeb workouts.
When Kimmy's Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn't approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.
So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn't need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…
Kimmy is finally living the life she’s always wanted. But will her glimpse into the glittering lifestyle of the rich and famous be as glamorous as she’s always imagined?
When Kimmy's Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn't approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.
So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn't need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…
Kimmy is finally living the life she’s always wanted. But will her glimpse into the glittering lifestyle of the rich and famous be as glamorous as she’s always imagined?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 10, 2014
49 people are currently reading
858 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Tonge
33 books336 followersSamantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK with her husband and children. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.
When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.
She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women's fiction with publisher Canelo and in 2020 her novel Knowing You won the RNA's Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award.
http://samanthatonge.co.uk/
When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.
She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women's fiction with publisher Canelo and in 2020 her novel Knowing You won the RNA's Jackie Collins Romantic Thriller Award.
http://samanthatonge.co.uk/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
November 9, 2014
I absolutely adored this read. It is a book stuffed with surprises, not least a heroine, Kimmy, who is great fun to read about. Kimmy is desperate to build up her own cupcaking business Kimcakes, and oh my word can she bake! This is not a book to read if you are on a diet, as every few pages Kimmy is whipping up the most amazing sounding cupcakes. I could almost smell them baking, they were that delicious sounding. I ate the best part of a large chocolate cake whilst reading this book and I blame any extra pounds entirely on the author. Apart from baking, Kimmy is obsessed with the celebrity lifestyle that she reads about in her magazines. I loved the little headlines she made up in her head as she goes through life, imagining what the paparazzi would say about what she is up to. She would adore being a celebrity, thinking it would be a breeze but in the story we see she will find out that the lifestyle she craves is not a bundle of fun every single second of the day.
When Kimmy and best friend Jess find themselves homeless, they take on jobs as housesitters at Mistletoe Mansion, the house of their dreams in a millionaires row, with all the luxuries you could wish for. But, is there a reason they got the job so easily and is the estate agent who arranged it hiding something from them? Could the things that go bump in the night be the reason that no other housesitters seem to last in the job?
It is a great read with some wonderful colourful, fun to read about characters with so many different aspects to it; friendships both old and new, romance old and new, celebrities, paparazzi, a cute dog and a micropig, as well as the ghostly happenings at Mistletoe Mansion. What is causing them? Is the previous deceased owner trying to send a message to them? All this in addition to those awesome cakes! It is a story that really does twist and turn to keep you guessing and was a lot less predictable than I was expecting. Many, many thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
When Kimmy and best friend Jess find themselves homeless, they take on jobs as housesitters at Mistletoe Mansion, the house of their dreams in a millionaires row, with all the luxuries you could wish for. But, is there a reason they got the job so easily and is the estate agent who arranged it hiding something from them? Could the things that go bump in the night be the reason that no other housesitters seem to last in the job?
It is a great read with some wonderful colourful, fun to read about characters with so many different aspects to it; friendships both old and new, romance old and new, celebrities, paparazzi, a cute dog and a micropig, as well as the ghostly happenings at Mistletoe Mansion. What is causing them? Is the previous deceased owner trying to send a message to them? All this in addition to those awesome cakes! It is a story that really does twist and turn to keep you guessing and was a lot less predictable than I was expecting. Many, many thanks to the publishers for the review copy.
November 30, 2015
5 Words: Christmas, love, relationships, celebrity, spirits.
Ok, so I wasn't expecting that at all when I started this book.
I picked this book up for two reasons:
1) It looked deliciously Christmas-sy
2) I loved Doubting Abbey
Now, Samantha Tonge has a very definite style and if you've ever read one of her books it's something you'll pick up on straight away. It's slightly excitable, very modern, and it's almost like the book equivalent of a girls night in.
Also, this book made me very, very hungry. I want to gorge myself on cup-cakes and fizz. Mmm...
The thing I liked most about this book was the way it played with the idea of celebrity and how it feels to be under the limelight all the time.
Ok, so I wasn't expecting that at all when I started this book.
I picked this book up for two reasons:
1) It looked deliciously Christmas-sy
2) I loved Doubting Abbey
Now, Samantha Tonge has a very definite style and if you've ever read one of her books it's something you'll pick up on straight away. It's slightly excitable, very modern, and it's almost like the book equivalent of a girls night in.
Also, this book made me very, very hungry. I want to gorge myself on cup-cakes and fizz. Mmm...
The thing I liked most about this book was the way it played with the idea of celebrity and how it feels to be under the limelight all the time.
July 19, 2015
(review copy)
Posted in full http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk/2015...
Mistletoe Mansion is a hard book for me to review because there were certain aspects I did like and Samantha’s style of writing was bubbly and stood out amongst a whole crop of other chick-lit reads. But mostly, everything I enjoyed was overruled by things that I found annoying which sadly increased the longer this book went on. I wasn’t expecting to have as many issues with the story as I did and I don’t want to be one of those people who look to be criticising for the sake of criticising but really, me and this book did not get along. Mistletoe Mansion introduces us to Kimmy; cupcake baker, celebrity idoliser, head in the clouds Kimmy. When Adam, Kimmy’s boyfriend, shows a distinct lack of respect towards Kimmy and her ambitions, enough is enough and they split up. As both Kimmy and her best friend Jess find themselves in need of a home, stumbling across Mistletoe Mansion is a nice twist of fate for them as it’s looking for a house sitter and with a bit of luck, would provide them with a temporary home and the chance to start rebuilding their lives. This book, to me, felt messy right from the start. It felt like quite a chaotic opening and I was just waiting for that moment where I could settle into the read but that moment never really came.
Kimmy was a very excitable, over-the-top character. She loves celebrities and the gossip that comes with them. She’s always thinking of her next Facebook status and how her life would be portrayed in the press if she was famous herself. I found some of her thoughts to be funny but at the same time, struggled to connect with her character. She seemed to see celebrities as something mighty and much bigger and more important than everything else. I just didn’t get that. Kimmy was a loyal and caring friend, always looking out for the people that mattered to her and she was happy to share her opinions and advice which I liked. What I didn’t understand was how she failed to use any common sense in her own life. I do know that most people are much better at handing out advice than taking it themselves but seriously, how was Adam still a part of this book towards the end? Kimmy should have ditched him within about two minutes of this book starting. He was rude and condescending – looking down on her because of her dreams and ambitions. There was only so much of Kimmy seeing the best in him that I could cope with. Plus, she still had his photo up on display and that just annoyed me! Why couldn’t she see how he wasn’t even worth her time? I rolled my eyes every time the name Adam was mentioned. Every single time.
To be fair to Kimmy, though, I didn’t feel like she had the greatest choice in love interest. Luke, the other guy on her radar, did not exactly win me over the way I felt he was meant to. He went hot and cold so many times it just bored me. Sure, Adam was meant to be the boring one but at least you knew to expect him to be an arse. Luke was so changeable. Actually, my favourite relationship explored in this book was between Kimmy and Melissa, who was famous for being a golf WAG and looked urgently in need of bringing down to earth if you ask me. I thought the growing friendship between Kimmy and Melissa was beneficial for both and it really brought out their better sides. The development of Melissa’s character was done really well I felt and it wasn’t so over-done to be laughable, neither was it made to be to perfect. Instead we get a more realistic edge to Melissa’s development as a person and her fall was what I hoped would be a good lesson to Kimmy – being famous is not all it’s cracked up to be.
There are lots of different elements to this book, to varying degrees of success. Kimmy has set up her own cupcake business and Samantha’s foodie descriptions are a little taste of heaven. Each time the cupcakes were mentioned I wanted to dive straight into this book and eat every last one of them. Instead of being the typical straight-forward chick lit novel, there’s also a more ghostly element to this book. Kimmy is sure she’s experiencing some pretty weird happenings at Mistletoe Mansion. There are some spooky little aspects to life there but this didn’t really work for me either. It all seemed a bit clumsy and a bit all over the place. There’s something a little spooky and then there’s something so ridiculously unbelievable, I found myself skim-reading the more supernatural parts at times. Mistletoe Mansion was only set over a couple of weeks yet Samantha did manage to pack loads of content into this story. Though it was fast-paced, it also felt like the book was set over a much longer period of time because so much was happening. Generally, this was a funny story and a book with so many mentions of cupcakes you could put on a stone just by glancing in its direction – but it wasn’t for me.
November 13, 2014
I would like to first begin by thanking Samantha Tonge, the author of this amazing funny holiday read, for giving me an advanced copy to review!
Such a fun read from beginning to end! Kimmy begins the novel in a very sticky situation, not working (except the odd part-time job here and there), her boyfriend Adam is getting upset with her for not taking the initiative to get a full time job so they can start a happy stable life together and then he drops a bomb on her - HE WANTS HER OUT.
She tells him to give her time and she is sure that her cupcake business is going to work out and he wants to hear nothing of it.
So, now we move on to newly single and newly homeless Kimmy - she along with her friend Jess who is also now homeless after being kicked out by her brother, pretend to be house sitters and move into this amazing mansion, Mistletoe Mansion.
These two have so many ups and downs - this story is faced paced and ever changing. They meet exciting neighbors, friendly neighbors, the works!
And to top it all off, they are wild and crazy things happening at night - is the house haunted?
Find out what happens in this amazing holiday novel, and you will be wanting more from this amazing author!
Such a fun read from beginning to end! Kimmy begins the novel in a very sticky situation, not working (except the odd part-time job here and there), her boyfriend Adam is getting upset with her for not taking the initiative to get a full time job so they can start a happy stable life together and then he drops a bomb on her - HE WANTS HER OUT.
She tells him to give her time and she is sure that her cupcake business is going to work out and he wants to hear nothing of it.
So, now we move on to newly single and newly homeless Kimmy - she along with her friend Jess who is also now homeless after being kicked out by her brother, pretend to be house sitters and move into this amazing mansion, Mistletoe Mansion.
These two have so many ups and downs - this story is faced paced and ever changing. They meet exciting neighbors, friendly neighbors, the works!
And to top it all off, they are wild and crazy things happening at night - is the house haunted?
Find out what happens in this amazing holiday novel, and you will be wanting more from this amazing author!
December 23, 2014
Originally posted on Becca's Books ~ http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/
Firstly, a huge thank you to the wonderful publishers Carina UK for providing me with a digital copy of Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge in exchange for an honest review, and an even bigger thank you to Samantha Tonge! Mistletoe Mansion was a delightful read, full of sugar, and spice, and all things nice (and all things quite spooky, too!).
So, a number of things attracted me to Samantha's Mistletoe Mansion, and I'm not going to lie, the cover was probably one of the biggest pulls for me. I know, it's terrible, but when a cover like Samantha's smacks you in the face and utterly dazzles you with it's gorgeous colours, Christmas trees and lights, it's pretty hard to say no (well, it's not hard for a lot of people, but it is for me). I fell completely head over heels in love with it from the very first moment I saw it. It's incredibly festive, and you can even spot Mistletoe Mansion in the background, which just brings Kimmy's story to life!
Another thing that caught my attention with Mistletoe Mansion was the obvious theme of baking and cupcakes. Now, as you know, I rate the books that I read with cupcakes, so I guess it was only right that I read and reviewed Mistletoe Mansion, right?! Also, who doesn't love to read about baking and cupcakes? I feel like this theme has been pretty big this year, with a lot of releases being based around Christmas baking and adorable cupcakes, so Mistletoe Mansion fitted in perfectly! That's not to say that it doesn't stand out though, because with a cover like that and the story within, it most definitely does!
The plot within Mistletoe Mansion was absolutely delightful. Kimmy, Samantha's heroine, was ambitious and funny and loved nothing more than opening up the nearest glossy magazine and divulging in the life of the rich, famous and glamorous! Kimmy had high hopes and dreams for herself. She wanted to begin her own cupcake business, creating all manner of delicious, sugary delights, and I believed that Kimmy had what it takes, unlike her safe and reliable boyfriend Adam, who was thinking more along the lines of mortgages, regular incomes and setting their future together in concrete. When Adam feels like he can put up with Kimmy and her cupcake ways no longer, he breaks up with her, and Kimmy is left to fend for herself. As luck would have it, Kimmy, and Jess, her best-friend who has always been kicked out, happen to stumble upon a house-sitting job at none other than the stunning Mistletoe Mansion! What begins is a crazy, thrilling adventure alongside Kimmy and Jess, involving all sorts of mishaps, problems and even spooky goings-on!
There was truly so damn much to look forward to within Samantha's book! Not only is Mistletoe Mansion in Samantha and Jess's hands, but they're introduced to the celebrity neighbours, an evil spirit, and even a confidently cocky handyman called Luke, who will no doubt have you swooning all over the place!
I felt that Samantha did a cracking job when it came to her characters. Kimmy in particular was seamlessly built, her dreams and ambitions pushing her forwards as the story progressed. Her personality was incredible likeable, and she was just obsessed with the lives of the rich and famous! At certain points in the book, Kimmy would imagine her Facebook status' being updated, or a headline in a newspaper, that revolved around whatever was going on in the plot and this highlighted her dreams of being noticed in the world of the famous! Little did she know that a certain WAG was living just down the road from Mistletoe Mansion, and this just added even more excitement to the plot! Kimmy had a lot of drive and she was obviously determined to succeed, even though Adam (her ex) had no faith in her whatsoever. Kimmy's cupcakes were to die for, and they even had me salivating at certain points within the story. The flavours and descriptions that Samantha used were just stunning! Jess, Kimmy's best-friend, was also fabulous! The story only really included Jess now and again, but you could feel her presence within it, and that made a whole load of difference. As the story progresses, Jess actually had some news and it adds a whole new level of important to the fact that they succeed in getting the house sold! Luke? Oh, he was gorgeous, with the sexy smirk and twinkly look in his eye! When he is first introduced to us, he's moody and not every helpful to Kimmy, but he really begins to loosen up and it wasn't long before I took a really, really big liking to him! And I mean really, who can blame me?! The guy was a hunk!!!
I cannot put into words how much there is to look forward to in Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge. It is such an exciting read, full of fun characters, yummy creations and even paparazzi! The characters were all incredible likeable, and Samantha's passion for food really shone through her writing. I loved everything about this book. Everything! And I cannot believe that this is the first that I've read by Samantha! I'll definitely be reading more from this fabulous author in the future!
Becca's Books is rating Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge with five cupcakes! Not only was it a gorgeous chick-lit, but there was intrigue included too, and a little bit of mystery, as well as romance and the foodie theme! Honestly readers, it had everything and then some! Thanks to Carina and Samantha Tonge! I loved it!
Firstly, a huge thank you to the wonderful publishers Carina UK for providing me with a digital copy of Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge in exchange for an honest review, and an even bigger thank you to Samantha Tonge! Mistletoe Mansion was a delightful read, full of sugar, and spice, and all things nice (and all things quite spooky, too!).
So, a number of things attracted me to Samantha's Mistletoe Mansion, and I'm not going to lie, the cover was probably one of the biggest pulls for me. I know, it's terrible, but when a cover like Samantha's smacks you in the face and utterly dazzles you with it's gorgeous colours, Christmas trees and lights, it's pretty hard to say no (well, it's not hard for a lot of people, but it is for me). I fell completely head over heels in love with it from the very first moment I saw it. It's incredibly festive, and you can even spot Mistletoe Mansion in the background, which just brings Kimmy's story to life!
Another thing that caught my attention with Mistletoe Mansion was the obvious theme of baking and cupcakes. Now, as you know, I rate the books that I read with cupcakes, so I guess it was only right that I read and reviewed Mistletoe Mansion, right?! Also, who doesn't love to read about baking and cupcakes? I feel like this theme has been pretty big this year, with a lot of releases being based around Christmas baking and adorable cupcakes, so Mistletoe Mansion fitted in perfectly! That's not to say that it doesn't stand out though, because with a cover like that and the story within, it most definitely does!
The plot within Mistletoe Mansion was absolutely delightful. Kimmy, Samantha's heroine, was ambitious and funny and loved nothing more than opening up the nearest glossy magazine and divulging in the life of the rich, famous and glamorous! Kimmy had high hopes and dreams for herself. She wanted to begin her own cupcake business, creating all manner of delicious, sugary delights, and I believed that Kimmy had what it takes, unlike her safe and reliable boyfriend Adam, who was thinking more along the lines of mortgages, regular incomes and setting their future together in concrete. When Adam feels like he can put up with Kimmy and her cupcake ways no longer, he breaks up with her, and Kimmy is left to fend for herself. As luck would have it, Kimmy, and Jess, her best-friend who has always been kicked out, happen to stumble upon a house-sitting job at none other than the stunning Mistletoe Mansion! What begins is a crazy, thrilling adventure alongside Kimmy and Jess, involving all sorts of mishaps, problems and even spooky goings-on!
There was truly so damn much to look forward to within Samantha's book! Not only is Mistletoe Mansion in Samantha and Jess's hands, but they're introduced to the celebrity neighbours, an evil spirit, and even a confidently cocky handyman called Luke, who will no doubt have you swooning all over the place!
I felt that Samantha did a cracking job when it came to her characters. Kimmy in particular was seamlessly built, her dreams and ambitions pushing her forwards as the story progressed. Her personality was incredible likeable, and she was just obsessed with the lives of the rich and famous! At certain points in the book, Kimmy would imagine her Facebook status' being updated, or a headline in a newspaper, that revolved around whatever was going on in the plot and this highlighted her dreams of being noticed in the world of the famous! Little did she know that a certain WAG was living just down the road from Mistletoe Mansion, and this just added even more excitement to the plot! Kimmy had a lot of drive and she was obviously determined to succeed, even though Adam (her ex) had no faith in her whatsoever. Kimmy's cupcakes were to die for, and they even had me salivating at certain points within the story. The flavours and descriptions that Samantha used were just stunning! Jess, Kimmy's best-friend, was also fabulous! The story only really included Jess now and again, but you could feel her presence within it, and that made a whole load of difference. As the story progresses, Jess actually had some news and it adds a whole new level of important to the fact that they succeed in getting the house sold! Luke? Oh, he was gorgeous, with the sexy smirk and twinkly look in his eye! When he is first introduced to us, he's moody and not every helpful to Kimmy, but he really begins to loosen up and it wasn't long before I took a really, really big liking to him! And I mean really, who can blame me?! The guy was a hunk!!!
I cannot put into words how much there is to look forward to in Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge. It is such an exciting read, full of fun characters, yummy creations and even paparazzi! The characters were all incredible likeable, and Samantha's passion for food really shone through her writing. I loved everything about this book. Everything! And I cannot believe that this is the first that I've read by Samantha! I'll definitely be reading more from this fabulous author in the future!
Becca's Books is rating Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge with five cupcakes! Not only was it a gorgeous chick-lit, but there was intrigue included too, and a little bit of mystery, as well as romance and the foodie theme! Honestly readers, it had everything and then some! Thanks to Carina and Samantha Tonge! I loved it!
January 27, 2015
It was just ok for me. It took way too long to read, because I kept needing to put it down and take a break, not a good sign. It also rambled and meandered on small details for too many pages. It was also overall too long (too many pages) for such a fluffy story. See the pattern? It was time consuming (for me) without the payoff, there was little to no intrigue or romance, just fluff.
I feel bad to give it such a bad review, I really wanted to get into it, I just couldn't.
*And publishers, get with the program, and put page numbers on your Kindle editions, please!
I feel bad to give it such a bad review, I really wanted to get into it, I just couldn't.
*And publishers, get with the program, and put page numbers on your Kindle editions, please!
November 14, 2014
Kimmy Jones loves backing and dreams of starting her own business backing cupcakes. Unfortunately, her boyfriend Adam doesn't believe in Kimmy's dreams and he sees her in the potatos - sorting factory, where he works himself. Well, for him life is plans, pensions, plans again and money. So, after a very heated discussion, Kimmy finds herself homeless - yes, Adam just broke up with her and told her she must move out and start to provide for herself. And what a pity, Kimmy's best friend finds herself homeless, too (after being kicked out by her brother), and the two of them set out on a quest to find a living place. Fast forward a little, and they take a job as housesitters at Mistletoe Mansion - Kimmy always dreamed of living in such amazing house, with all the luxuries and celebrity neighbours. But it seems that the woman who has given them the job forgot to mention that there is something strange going on in the house... Something that scared out all the previous housesitters... Well, add the lovely dog Graucho, handyman Luke to the story, micro - pig and some lovely neighbours and feel welcome to the "Mistletoe Mansion".
Kimmy's obsession with celebrities, living their lives, seeing her name in the magazines, her daydreaming reminded me a little of Becky Bloomwood, and there is only one and only Becky Bloomwood! Because yes, apart from baking, Kimmy is really obsessed with all things celebrity and gossip magazines are her favourite reading. She thinks being a celebrity, being papped is the best thing that could happen to a girl but well, she's soon going to change her mind, after getting to know Melissa and seeing how being in the spotlight can affect your life. But despite being sometimes an air - head, Kimmy is the loveliest person in the world and has a heart made of gold. She would do anything for her friends and often put their interest ahead of herself, she's not egoistical at all and I adored how she followed her dream - way to go Kimmy. But when I could forgive her her fascination with celebrities, I couldn't understand why it took her so long to realise that Adam is mean, uptight, not at all easygoing guy and that she's, in fact, better without him.
And oh my, can Kimmy bake! The cupcakes were one of the highlights in the book, and actually, I can totally understand Kimmy and her dreams because I've also fallen in love with those magic, little cakes, with beautiful frosting and decorations, and I myself love making them. Unfortunately, am not as advanced as Kimmy but I use to bake for friends and family.
All the other characters were also brilliantly written. Kimmy's friend, Jess, garden mad, must fight with her own problems and ghosts are really not on top of her list right now. Terry, the wonderful gossip - obsessed neighbour in his colourful clothes and with micro - pig on the leash was a highlight of every scene he entered. Melissa, a celebrity wife of the very on top golf - player, who proves that being rich, beautiful and having a big house doesn't mean that life is a bed of roses. There is also the handyman Luke, who believes in Kimmy's dream perhaps more than she herself, but who is also a very secretive person. At the beginning he seems to be very arrogant but slowly he and our Kimmy find a way of agreement. Can it be that Kimmy has a little crush on him? Or is Adam going to rehabilitate himself? Not going to tell you, check out for yourself.
And what is with the golfers? Are they all so sex - obsessed???
I've lately read Ruth Saberton's book "Dead Romantic" with ghosts being a big part of the plot, and I adored this book. Samantha here also tries to add some mystery to the story by giving us ghosts and I was really curious if it's going to work its magic on me. Well, the ghosts in Mistletoe Mansion were a little amateurish in comparison to Ruth's, but nevertheless, they suited the story and I - yes - enjoyed all this spookiness. There is no other way, either the author hit the jackpot or not, either they can write some paranormal or not, and I am happy to report that Samantha Tonge has passed this difficult test in my eyes :) And a Mansion without a ghost is not a Mansion, no?
I would say that the characters, the whole story seem to be a little overdrawn, a little over the top, what with the ghosts and the whole dramaturgy of the affairs, bickering and mending fences, the celebrity lifestyle but nevertheless, this time it really worked out, it just suited the book and on the whole it made a great, entertaining read.
So altogether, it is a funny, festive read with a - yes! - some morals. Kimmy learns a lot during those two weeks, and she for sure won't be judging people by the appearances anymore. It was a fast - paced, fun read with some twists and turns. It was colourful, vivid and it contained elements of humour and sadness, lightness and seriousness, romance and betrayal, love and friendship, to top it up with few ghosts. It's for sure a light - hearted read with a feel - good factor and it left me feeling really better and optimistic.
Copy received in exchange from the author in exchange for a review.
Kimmy's obsession with celebrities, living their lives, seeing her name in the magazines, her daydreaming reminded me a little of Becky Bloomwood, and there is only one and only Becky Bloomwood! Because yes, apart from baking, Kimmy is really obsessed with all things celebrity and gossip magazines are her favourite reading. She thinks being a celebrity, being papped is the best thing that could happen to a girl but well, she's soon going to change her mind, after getting to know Melissa and seeing how being in the spotlight can affect your life. But despite being sometimes an air - head, Kimmy is the loveliest person in the world and has a heart made of gold. She would do anything for her friends and often put their interest ahead of herself, she's not egoistical at all and I adored how she followed her dream - way to go Kimmy. But when I could forgive her her fascination with celebrities, I couldn't understand why it took her so long to realise that Adam is mean, uptight, not at all easygoing guy and that she's, in fact, better without him.
And oh my, can Kimmy bake! The cupcakes were one of the highlights in the book, and actually, I can totally understand Kimmy and her dreams because I've also fallen in love with those magic, little cakes, with beautiful frosting and decorations, and I myself love making them. Unfortunately, am not as advanced as Kimmy but I use to bake for friends and family.
All the other characters were also brilliantly written. Kimmy's friend, Jess, garden mad, must fight with her own problems and ghosts are really not on top of her list right now. Terry, the wonderful gossip - obsessed neighbour in his colourful clothes and with micro - pig on the leash was a highlight of every scene he entered. Melissa, a celebrity wife of the very on top golf - player, who proves that being rich, beautiful and having a big house doesn't mean that life is a bed of roses. There is also the handyman Luke, who believes in Kimmy's dream perhaps more than she herself, but who is also a very secretive person. At the beginning he seems to be very arrogant but slowly he and our Kimmy find a way of agreement. Can it be that Kimmy has a little crush on him? Or is Adam going to rehabilitate himself? Not going to tell you, check out for yourself.
And what is with the golfers? Are they all so sex - obsessed???
I've lately read Ruth Saberton's book "Dead Romantic" with ghosts being a big part of the plot, and I adored this book. Samantha here also tries to add some mystery to the story by giving us ghosts and I was really curious if it's going to work its magic on me. Well, the ghosts in Mistletoe Mansion were a little amateurish in comparison to Ruth's, but nevertheless, they suited the story and I - yes - enjoyed all this spookiness. There is no other way, either the author hit the jackpot or not, either they can write some paranormal or not, and I am happy to report that Samantha Tonge has passed this difficult test in my eyes :) And a Mansion without a ghost is not a Mansion, no?
I would say that the characters, the whole story seem to be a little overdrawn, a little over the top, what with the ghosts and the whole dramaturgy of the affairs, bickering and mending fences, the celebrity lifestyle but nevertheless, this time it really worked out, it just suited the book and on the whole it made a great, entertaining read.
So altogether, it is a funny, festive read with a - yes! - some morals. Kimmy learns a lot during those two weeks, and she for sure won't be judging people by the appearances anymore. It was a fast - paced, fun read with some twists and turns. It was colourful, vivid and it contained elements of humour and sadness, lightness and seriousness, romance and betrayal, love and friendship, to top it up with few ghosts. It's for sure a light - hearted read with a feel - good factor and it left me feeling really better and optimistic.
Copy received in exchange from the author in exchange for a review.
December 22, 2014
*Book provided by the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
First of all: What an amazing cover!
The story follows Kimmy, she wants to have her own business making cupcakes and more. Her boyfriend Adam doesn’t really approve of this and wants her to get a real job. At one point he has enough and throws her out. Let’s just say that I didn’t like him from the beginning.
Her best friend Jess lives with her brother Ryan, or should I rather say lived… The two friends are desperate for a place to live and so they apply for this housesitting job at Mistletoe Mansion. The owner died and his nephew is trying to sell the house now, in the meantime he needs housesitters.
Kimmy and Jess meet a lot of people through that: Terry, Melissa (the wife of a famous golfer) and gorgeous handyman Luke. Terry becomes their friend really fast and he is a real sweetheart. Kimmy gets the chance to cater for Melissa and the two women become good friends. And as for Luke?! He is hot and cold, really nice and helpful one minute and then the total difference the other minute.
Mistletoe Mansion is a spooky house. There is weird fog, creepy music and much more. This added the right spark of mystery to this story and the reveal?! Oh my… but I kind of guessed in that direction…
Kimmy finally goes for her dreams with Luke’s encouragement. There was definitely a chemistry there between them and their scenes had the perfect tension, passion and drama – I loved it.
Kimmy however, still wanted to impress her ex-boyfriend and I just couldn’t understand that. I liked the way the story developed and I just wanted Luke and Kimmy to be honest to each other. There had to be a misunderstanding as well of course ;) And the end suddenly came really fast, which I think was a pity, because I wanted to read more about Kimmy’s life.
I liked the way everything turned out to be though…
Melissa and Jess had their own story to tell through Kimmy, which was great. The characters seemed really authentic.
A lovely written story, with well lined out characters, the right amount of mystery, drama, friendship and love.
First of all: What an amazing cover!
The story follows Kimmy, she wants to have her own business making cupcakes and more. Her boyfriend Adam doesn’t really approve of this and wants her to get a real job. At one point he has enough and throws her out. Let’s just say that I didn’t like him from the beginning.
Her best friend Jess lives with her brother Ryan, or should I rather say lived… The two friends are desperate for a place to live and so they apply for this housesitting job at Mistletoe Mansion. The owner died and his nephew is trying to sell the house now, in the meantime he needs housesitters.
Kimmy and Jess meet a lot of people through that: Terry, Melissa (the wife of a famous golfer) and gorgeous handyman Luke. Terry becomes their friend really fast and he is a real sweetheart. Kimmy gets the chance to cater for Melissa and the two women become good friends. And as for Luke?! He is hot and cold, really nice and helpful one minute and then the total difference the other minute.
Mistletoe Mansion is a spooky house. There is weird fog, creepy music and much more. This added the right spark of mystery to this story and the reveal?! Oh my… but I kind of guessed in that direction…
Kimmy finally goes for her dreams with Luke’s encouragement. There was definitely a chemistry there between them and their scenes had the perfect tension, passion and drama – I loved it.
Kimmy however, still wanted to impress her ex-boyfriend and I just couldn’t understand that. I liked the way the story developed and I just wanted Luke and Kimmy to be honest to each other. There had to be a misunderstanding as well of course ;) And the end suddenly came really fast, which I think was a pity, because I wanted to read more about Kimmy’s life.
I liked the way everything turned out to be though…
Melissa and Jess had their own story to tell through Kimmy, which was great. The characters seemed really authentic.
A lovely written story, with well lined out characters, the right amount of mystery, drama, friendship and love.
December 20, 2017
Review also posted on my blog.
There's a cupcake store by my house that I may or may not have gone to twice while reading this book. I mean seriously, listen to this:
"Miniature dark chocolate logs cakes, filled with a rich chocolate cream and dusted with icing sugar."
"Succulent black cherry...topped with a generous buttercream icing swirl and dark chocolate shaving - my retro Black Forest Gateau cupcake."
"Madagascan vanilla cakes, with strawberry buttercream icing and marzipan ladybirds...or I make a mean peanut topping, decorated with toffee teddy bears."
There's no way to get through this book without wanting to eat some decadent Christmas sweets. You can definitely tell how passionate Kimmy is for her baking, which was one thing I really liked about this story. The cupcakes - yum. Everything else in the story, though, was just okay. It's not my favorite Christmas chick lit - there wasn't really anything that stood out in the sea of Christmas stories. I didn't finish it really excited for the upcoming holiday or feeling warm and fuzzy. I also didn't get sucked in and had to know what happened next - I read a little, put it down. Read a little more, put it down. It didn't captivate me. I just read it since it's a Christmas story and I wanted to get through as many as I could before Christmas in five days (holy crap - HOW is it already almost here?!).
There's a cupcake store by my house that I may or may not have gone to twice while reading this book. I mean seriously, listen to this:
"Miniature dark chocolate logs cakes, filled with a rich chocolate cream and dusted with icing sugar."
"Succulent black cherry...topped with a generous buttercream icing swirl and dark chocolate shaving - my retro Black Forest Gateau cupcake."
"Madagascan vanilla cakes, with strawberry buttercream icing and marzipan ladybirds...or I make a mean peanut topping, decorated with toffee teddy bears."
There's no way to get through this book without wanting to eat some decadent Christmas sweets. You can definitely tell how passionate Kimmy is for her baking, which was one thing I really liked about this story. The cupcakes - yum. Everything else in the story, though, was just okay. It's not my favorite Christmas chick lit - there wasn't really anything that stood out in the sea of Christmas stories. I didn't finish it really excited for the upcoming holiday or feeling warm and fuzzy. I also didn't get sucked in and had to know what happened next - I read a little, put it down. Read a little more, put it down. It didn't captivate me. I just read it since it's a Christmas story and I wanted to get through as many as I could before Christmas in five days (holy crap - HOW is it already almost here?!).
October 31, 2014
When Kimmy splits up with her boyfriend just before her Christmas- her best friend calls round and says that her brother has kicked her out of his home aswell. They both need to find somewhere to live THAT DAY! After enquiring in an Estate Agents- they find a house sitters job advertised to look after Mistletoe Mansion whilst it is being sold. Previous house sitters have left in a hurry- but the agent isn't revealing just how desperate she is for someone to take the job.
When they settle in- strange things happen, cold winds, music playing, faces at the window of one of the locked rooms. When people call to view the property previously clean rooms suddenly become disaster areas. Just what weren't they told about this house?
Luke is a handyman who looks after the maintenance and the garden- but they are not sure about him initially. But Kimmy soon falls for his hidden charms!
Kimmy finds out that she lives next door to a famous golfer and his publicity hungry wife and is thrilled to be invited round to cater for a 'Wags' get together. She wants to run her own catering business and is desperate to build some contacts.
Lots of romance, fun and a bit of spooky events combine to make a really lovely read.
Many thanks to the wonderful publisher Carina Uk and Net Galley for the chance to read this one.
When they settle in- strange things happen, cold winds, music playing, faces at the window of one of the locked rooms. When people call to view the property previously clean rooms suddenly become disaster areas. Just what weren't they told about this house?
Luke is a handyman who looks after the maintenance and the garden- but they are not sure about him initially. But Kimmy soon falls for his hidden charms!
Kimmy finds out that she lives next door to a famous golfer and his publicity hungry wife and is thrilled to be invited round to cater for a 'Wags' get together. She wants to run her own catering business and is desperate to build some contacts.
Lots of romance, fun and a bit of spooky events combine to make a really lovely read.
Many thanks to the wonderful publisher Carina Uk and Net Galley for the chance to read this one.
November 8, 2014
Mistletoe Mansion is supernatural Christmas house-sitting a la Bridget Jones, full of pop culture references romance that starts with a break-up. Intrigued? I was. This romance has many aspects that the average romance doesn’t have, including but not limited to a haunting.
A fun, easy read, full of messages many women and men shouldn’t ignore when it comes to dating.
1. There are usually signs that the person isn’t what they seem or that things aren’t working out, too often people choose to ignore them.
2. Too often the things that we find attractive in another person can become irritating, even infuriating, something you once found quirky or cute may later become grounds for divorce.
3. We hear things like there are silver linings to every cloud and when one door closes hopefully your foot isn’t in it, well, I might be mixing my metaphors or platitudes, but the point is, often, if you’re open, what you need shows up or was there all along.
“You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you just might find
You get what you need.” ~The Rolling Stones
Mistletoe can be potent stuff, use with caution.
A fun, easy read, full of messages many women and men shouldn’t ignore when it comes to dating.
1. There are usually signs that the person isn’t what they seem or that things aren’t working out, too often people choose to ignore them.
2. Too often the things that we find attractive in another person can become irritating, even infuriating, something you once found quirky or cute may later become grounds for divorce.
3. We hear things like there are silver linings to every cloud and when one door closes hopefully your foot isn’t in it, well, I might be mixing my metaphors or platitudes, but the point is, often, if you’re open, what you need shows up or was there all along.
“You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes well you just might find
You get what you need.” ~The Rolling Stones
Mistletoe can be potent stuff, use with caution.
December 24, 2014
This a wonderful Christmas read, just perfect for getting you either in the festive spirit or baking up a storm in the kitchen.
The book’s setting is very apt and the story is stuffed with kooky characters that suit main character Kimmy down to the ground. Kimmy herself is brimming with ideas, looking for more out of life and knows, deep in her bones, she’s meant for more. She has a dream and is determined to follow it, even if her boyfriend tries to dull her sparkle in favour of a more stable life. Her feisty nature not only leads to a plumb new temp job for both her and her bestie, Jess, but to the glam life she’s been craving. But things aren’t always as they seem.
Faced with a rather rude but very hunky handyman, spooky goings on and being papped a daily basis, Kimmy deals with more surprises in one Christmas than most get in a lifetime and it makes for brilliant fun. So forget the festive stress, open the wine and mince pies, snuggle up and let this fun, spooky story distract you for a few hours :)
The book’s setting is very apt and the story is stuffed with kooky characters that suit main character Kimmy down to the ground. Kimmy herself is brimming with ideas, looking for more out of life and knows, deep in her bones, she’s meant for more. She has a dream and is determined to follow it, even if her boyfriend tries to dull her sparkle in favour of a more stable life. Her feisty nature not only leads to a plumb new temp job for both her and her bestie, Jess, but to the glam life she’s been craving. But things aren’t always as they seem.
Faced with a rather rude but very hunky handyman, spooky goings on and being papped a daily basis, Kimmy deals with more surprises in one Christmas than most get in a lifetime and it makes for brilliant fun. So forget the festive stress, open the wine and mince pies, snuggle up and let this fun, spooky story distract you for a few hours :)
December 4, 2014
To say that this was entertaining, is putting it mildly! It was FUN FUN FUN and I love the wittiness of everyone! The gist is we have a girl who LOVES to make cupcakes but her boyfriend thinks its frivolous work and will get her nowhere and wants her to quit doing it and get a 'real' job. She doesn't want to do that, because cupcakes are her passion. So, they break-up. So now she finds herself homeless. Cue ... Mistletoe Mansion. She pretends to be a house-sitter and her and her also homeless (lol) friend move in! Cue ... holy laughter, good times, mystery, more laughter, friendly neighbors, not so friendly neighbors, night-time shenanigans, even MORE laughter .... I laughed A LOT reading this story! And I'm pretty sure I won't be alone in THAT! If you're looking for a humorous feel good book, you cant go wrong with this one!
ARC provided by Carina UK via NetGalley for an honest review.
ARC provided by Carina UK via NetGalley for an honest review.
November 24, 2018
This has got to be the worse book I have ever had the misfortune to read, I did not even get to half way in this book before I decided enough is enough! how come rubbish like this gets published?! It never ceases to astound me. The plot is bad, you know right from the start where this is going, the main character has no substance to her what so ever she is extremely shallow and so is the plot. Stay away from this book!
December 5, 2014
I'm settling on 4 stars as I really enjoyed reading it. I thought it was fun, mysterious and a bit quirky. I found when I wasn't reading it that I was thinking a lot about it and was antsy to get back to reading. I had to get a few cupcake recipe books from my local library as my mouth was watering reading about some of her creations.
January 9, 2016
I found this book a feel good Christmassy story .it was funny at times as Kimmy is very caring but scatty . It was a very easy to read book but I felt hungry at the mere mention of cupcakes . Loved it. I give this book 4 stars
January 18, 2015
A real gem, couldn't put it down, funny, light hearted, loved the characters and I know Harpenden & Luton so could relate.
October 15, 2015
Very cute, light read. The characters were quirky and endearing and the romantic element was a slow burn that left me with a toothy grin. If you have a sweet tooth, keep a box of cupcakes close by!
November 30, 2022
Man I was NOT sure.
Kimmy was hard for me to gel with. I do not have a lot of in common with her character and at the beginning of the book I was more on the side of Adam (her ex) than her. I kept reading because I was interested in her character development. I felt like once she matured I would enjoy her. And I did. I really started rooting for Kimmy near the end.
Christmas is not a huge factor in the story except for the mansion's name and the season the novel takes place in. Otherwise it has very little bearing on the story. In fact the story ends before Christmas even happens. So if you are looking for something steeped in Christmas cheer I wouldn't suggest this one. I will also say that the romance is really low key, its happening and you know its happening but its not the focus so if you want something steamy this book isn't what you are looking for.
However, I did enjoy the story. The trappings; Adam kicking her out, faking being a house sitter, the haunting, and the low key romance all pushed Kimmy into becoming a better person. I liked that Kimmy never lost her dream (like Adam) and instead discovered how to make it work practically. She surrounded herself with people who believed in her and let go of those she didn't. As a personal growth story this one is very sweet (and delicious).
I am pretty happy that I read this one though. It was worth my time.
Kimmy was hard for me to gel with. I do not have a lot of in common with her character and at the beginning of the book I was more on the side of Adam (her ex) than her. I kept reading because I was interested in her character development. I felt like once she matured I would enjoy her. And I did. I really started rooting for Kimmy near the end.
Christmas is not a huge factor in the story except for the mansion's name and the season the novel takes place in. Otherwise it has very little bearing on the story. In fact the story ends before Christmas even happens. So if you are looking for something steeped in Christmas cheer I wouldn't suggest this one. I will also say that the romance is really low key, its happening and you know its happening but its not the focus so if you want something steamy this book isn't what you are looking for.
However, I did enjoy the story. The trappings; Adam kicking her out, faking being a house sitter, the haunting, and the low key romance all pushed Kimmy into becoming a better person. I liked that Kimmy never lost her dream (like Adam) and instead discovered how to make it work practically. She surrounded herself with people who believed in her and let go of those she didn't. As a personal growth story this one is very sweet (and delicious).
I am pretty happy that I read this one though. It was worth my time.
December 31, 2020
I liked most of this book but there were some parts that were too slow, the plot dragged out. I liked Kimmy, she was feisty, loyal, and sweet. Her best friend Jess was great, and they really supported each other no matter what. I felt Jess was more responsible where Kimmy was impulsive. I enjoyed all of the characters. Terry was hilarious and fun. Melissa at first was what I thought she would be like but she surprised me in the end. Luke was cocky, sarcastic, and loyal to his friends. Him and Kimmy had quite the relationship, one day they didn’t like each other but the next they seemed to really click. There was a mystery and drama component to the story that was good but like I said some of that just drug on. Towards the end I like how they all worked together to figure things out. The end was perfect for all characters involved sweet ending.
August 10, 2020
I’m marking this book as read but honestly, I couldn’t finish the last 90-100ish pages. It was extremely infuriating how she would remark throughout the book that Adam was a horrible ex-boyfriend for never believing in her or supporting her in following her dreams. Yet every time her and Luke seem to be getting on she refers back to how she’s waiting on Adam and at least Adam was a safe option. Also why on earth was Luke so hot and cold all the time, it wasn’t sexy, charming or endearing in the slightest. What a turn off book.
December 18, 2025
This was kind of a mess for me. The MC had just turned 20, and it felt like the author sometimes forgot how young 20 actually is. The life experiences she was meant to have in just the 2 years between graduating high school and the story were unrealistic. The pacing was MAD - there was SO much that happened and it was in the span of 2 weeks?? And it felt like there were just too many plotlines happening with all the side characters, she could have left out one or two of them for the pacing. Also there was a legit ghost, so 🤷♀️
August 31, 2018
It was an alright story. The pacing was reasonable and I liked a few of the characters, although the main character Kimmy annoyed me to no end. That being said I still found myself cheering her on but she was far too gullible at times. This is the first book I've read by this author and I'll be looking into what other books she has written.
January 12, 2022
A fun read, with a little of starry eyed celeb gazing, a friendly ghost, a not so friendly ghost, a practical boyfriend who serves an ultimatum, a practical best friend who stays by you, a new man, a dog and fun in the high lane. Suspend disbelief to get into a mad world.
December 22, 2024
I feel like this book should have a warning for people like me who spook easily, especially when you read before bed! Spoiler… a haunted house. It was a good story with the ending that everyone wants, it was a nice Christmas read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2019
A lovely heart warming story
I really enjoyed this book. I love Walter's story too. Makes me want to bake, although I'm more of a Melissa went it some.to baking, and not Kimmy!
I really enjoyed this book. I love Walter's story too. Makes me want to bake, although I'm more of a Melissa went it some.to baking, and not Kimmy!
May 24, 2020
A lovely easy going read, just right for the weekend.
December 18, 2024
Such a delightful, well written, romantic but above all, fun read. Full of human emotions and tender issues. Made me happy to read!
November 10, 2014
Firstly I would like to thank Samatha Tonge for sending me an advanced copy to review. I’d never read anything by her before but the cover of this book was so lovely I couldn’t resist. I have to say I think I’ve found another favourite author as this book was jam packed with lovely characters and I just loved the plot, it was hilarious.
The story begins with Kimmy being thrown out of her shared flat by boyfriend Adam because she won’t give up her dreams of a baking business and go and work in a potato factory with him. Kimmy is a baking whizz and is hoping to build her own cupcake business, she’s had a few jobs through friends but not enough to give Adam the confidence to believe in her. Kimmy begs him to give her more time to allow her to make her business work, but Adam’s having none of it and out she goes.
After meeting up with friend Jess, who has just been thrown out by her brother, they manage to blag themselves the position of house sitters for Mistletoe Mansion. The girls can’t believe their luck, set in a quiet cul de sac Mistletoe Mansion is everything Kimmy has dreamed of but is everything exactly as it seems? Hot handyman Luke seems initially very standoffish and neighbour Terry can’t wait to leave as soon as its gets dark, so what is going on?
Kimmy meets celebrity WAG Melissa from next door and gets her first job catering for one of her coffee mornings, as Kimmy makes a new friend she realises the celebrity lifestyle isn’t as glossy as the magazines make out.
Mistletoe mansion is full of great characters and I loved that they all seemed just slightly over the top. There’s Kimmy with her gold parka jacket that you just can’t help but like and who are longing to see succeed with her business, just to prove Adam wrong. Jess, her vegetarian best friend who is gardening mad, handsome handyman Luke with his sexy cords, who Kimmy might have a little crush on, Melissa the stylish but kind celebrity wife who’s longing for a baby and Terry the eccentric, celebrity gossip loving, next door neighbour with his micro-pig, yes you read that right PIG, Frazzle.
The thing I loved most about this book was the relationships. Especially the little love triangle between Kimmy, Adam and Luke. Kimmy’s so focused on proving to Adam that she’s worthy of his love and support by making her business a success. Initially she can’t stand how arrogant he is around her, but when she gets to know him she realises that he believes in her and gives her encouragement and support without question. Will she pick solid, reliable, sensible Adam or sexy, cheeky, risk-taking, Luke?
With the delicious descriptions of cupcakes, the slightly spooky goings on and the misbehaving celebrities this book is the perfect treat for a cozy Christmas read and I loved every single page. I give this book 5/5 and think everyone should add it to their reading list this year.
The story begins with Kimmy being thrown out of her shared flat by boyfriend Adam because she won’t give up her dreams of a baking business and go and work in a potato factory with him. Kimmy is a baking whizz and is hoping to build her own cupcake business, she’s had a few jobs through friends but not enough to give Adam the confidence to believe in her. Kimmy begs him to give her more time to allow her to make her business work, but Adam’s having none of it and out she goes.
After meeting up with friend Jess, who has just been thrown out by her brother, they manage to blag themselves the position of house sitters for Mistletoe Mansion. The girls can’t believe their luck, set in a quiet cul de sac Mistletoe Mansion is everything Kimmy has dreamed of but is everything exactly as it seems? Hot handyman Luke seems initially very standoffish and neighbour Terry can’t wait to leave as soon as its gets dark, so what is going on?
Kimmy meets celebrity WAG Melissa from next door and gets her first job catering for one of her coffee mornings, as Kimmy makes a new friend she realises the celebrity lifestyle isn’t as glossy as the magazines make out.
Mistletoe mansion is full of great characters and I loved that they all seemed just slightly over the top. There’s Kimmy with her gold parka jacket that you just can’t help but like and who are longing to see succeed with her business, just to prove Adam wrong. Jess, her vegetarian best friend who is gardening mad, handsome handyman Luke with his sexy cords, who Kimmy might have a little crush on, Melissa the stylish but kind celebrity wife who’s longing for a baby and Terry the eccentric, celebrity gossip loving, next door neighbour with his micro-pig, yes you read that right PIG, Frazzle.
The thing I loved most about this book was the relationships. Especially the little love triangle between Kimmy, Adam and Luke. Kimmy’s so focused on proving to Adam that she’s worthy of his love and support by making her business a success. Initially she can’t stand how arrogant he is around her, but when she gets to know him she realises that he believes in her and gives her encouragement and support without question. Will she pick solid, reliable, sensible Adam or sexy, cheeky, risk-taking, Luke?
With the delicious descriptions of cupcakes, the slightly spooky goings on and the misbehaving celebrities this book is the perfect treat for a cozy Christmas read and I loved every single page. I give this book 5/5 and think everyone should add it to their reading list this year.
September 7, 2015
MISTLETOE MANSION BY SAMANTHA TONGE
THE BLURB
Kimmy Jones has three loves: cupcakes, gossip magazines and dreaming of getting fit just by owning celeb workouts.
When Kimmy’s Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn’t approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.
So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn’t need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…
WHAT I SAY
What a fantastic christmas read it very fast paced it full of surprises and lots of cupcakes .
Kimmy a great character she works so hard at setting up her cupcake business . She got a heart of gold she a person that would always be there for you . I like her fascination with celebrities alot of people are just like her i think .
I did not like her boyfriend Adam he was so mean and a very uptight young man he was not a very nice boyfriend at all what did you think of him ?
Now they had fall
Out and she had gone to move out . She soon sort her self out she got a job at mistletoe mansion with her friend Jess who brother throw her out to
They seem to like this mansion it just like Kimmy dreamed of living in a glamour houses but what going on in this old mansion was it a ghost ?
You will just love all the characters they were so much fun
Jess is a garden mad i felt she got s few problems to sort out
Melissa got the life Kimmy Wants she very beautiful and rich her life is just perfect or is it ? What did you think?
Terry a gossip but you will love him he just so cool i love his micro pig i love that as a pet
But what was stopping terry from going to the mansion at night ? Why would he only go in day time ? What was wrong ?
Luke the handman he was very handsome a real lovely man i felt there seem to be a bit of love thing going on with Luke , Adam and Kimmy . Who will she pick ?
I just loved all the spooky encounters it made the book for me . All the character seem to come alive and jump out at you
The story just grips you it got love , friendship, a ghost ,cupcakes and a love triangle what more could you want ?
I just a wonderful read 5 stars
A great price at min
Publisher:Carin
release date:10 Nov 2014
Source net gallery
Link
Amazon
Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00O56X3HM...
THE BLURB
Kimmy Jones has three loves: cupcakes, gossip magazines and dreaming of getting fit just by owning celeb workouts.
When Kimmy’s Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn’t approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.
So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn’t need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…
WHAT I SAY
What a fantastic christmas read it very fast paced it full of surprises and lots of cupcakes .
Kimmy a great character she works so hard at setting up her cupcake business . She got a heart of gold she a person that would always be there for you . I like her fascination with celebrities alot of people are just like her i think .
I did not like her boyfriend Adam he was so mean and a very uptight young man he was not a very nice boyfriend at all what did you think of him ?
Now they had fall
Out and she had gone to move out . She soon sort her self out she got a job at mistletoe mansion with her friend Jess who brother throw her out to
They seem to like this mansion it just like Kimmy dreamed of living in a glamour houses but what going on in this old mansion was it a ghost ?
You will just love all the characters they were so much fun
Jess is a garden mad i felt she got s few problems to sort out
Melissa got the life Kimmy Wants she very beautiful and rich her life is just perfect or is it ? What did you think?
Terry a gossip but you will love him he just so cool i love his micro pig i love that as a pet
But what was stopping terry from going to the mansion at night ? Why would he only go in day time ? What was wrong ?
Luke the handman he was very handsome a real lovely man i felt there seem to be a bit of love thing going on with Luke , Adam and Kimmy . Who will she pick ?
I just loved all the spooky encounters it made the book for me . All the character seem to come alive and jump out at you
The story just grips you it got love , friendship, a ghost ,cupcakes and a love triangle what more could you want ?
I just a wonderful read 5 stars
A great price at min
Publisher:Carin
release date:10 Nov 2014
Source net gallery
Link
Amazon
Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00O56X3HM...
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