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The Cotswolds Christmas Fair: A must-read heartwarming, cosy and utterly gorgeous Christmas romance for 2026!
Lizzie Lee is back with a brand-new gorgeous winter romance about fresh starts and discovering the true meaning of home! If you love Phillipa Ashley, Donna Ashcroft, Tilly Tennant and Sarah Morgan, you won't want to miss this heartwarming Christmas romance.
Grab your steaming mug of hot chocolate and curl up by a crackling log fire with this perfect festive treat!
Grab your steaming mug of hot chocolate and curl up by a crackling log fire with this perfect festive treat!
- GenresChristmas
297 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Excuse me studly, bookish, humorous, volunteering to sing to a small child, hunk? We need your name, please. Not me all hot and bothered by an intelligent man referencing classic literature....
This Christmas Rom-Com has equal parts humor and secrets, centering on the importance of community and emotional growth- it's excellent!!
In the tiny town of Babblebrook, Jen mets her college friends to celebrate yet another December birthday. The issue? Her estranged sister lives there, Jen doesn't have a significant other, and she's slightly embarrassed by her lack of career. Feeling less than and constantly on edge, Jen runs into the Train Man and he asks for her phone number! 💃🏻 Slightly hungover the next morning, the group realizes a blizzard is descending and they must get out of town ASAP... Except the trains aren't running and Jen can't return to the city. She's stuck. Can you already guess where she'll have to lodge?
Trying to stay out of the house and make the most of her impromptu vacation, Jen visits and makes new friends, texts and meets up with Train Man, and finds purpose serving those around her. That art show? My nightmare. 🤣 Same, Jen! But that kiss?? Same Jen! 🥰
I loved the drama, character arcs, and slow history reveal. My exact thoughts 50% in "Oh. Not Anthony?", 55% in "HIM?!? What?? Of course!" Y'all! And OH MY HEAVENS THE REVEAL! The drama! The heartbreak! The red flags! Leave, Jen! Leave!!
Before she can, we have the BIG reveal of what has kept Jen pigeonholed for so long- what lead to the big sister riff! Gah 😭💔
Jen is forced to face the past she's been hiding from for years now. A relief for her and readers! Lee lovingly coaches Jen through a healing journey while she tries to save the local Christmas Fair for this sweet town she's grown to love. Can she pull it off last minute or is this one more failure Jen will rack up?
Troupes: meet cute x2, small town, found family, holiday/birthday trip, nostalgia, big secrets, reveal and emotional growth, HEA
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Gore: 0/5 🩸
Language: 0/5 👀
Triggers:
Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for this ARC!
This Christmas Rom-Com has equal parts humor and secrets, centering on the importance of community and emotional growth- it's excellent!!
In the tiny town of Babblebrook, Jen mets her college friends to celebrate yet another December birthday. The issue? Her estranged sister lives there, Jen doesn't have a significant other, and she's slightly embarrassed by her lack of career. Feeling less than and constantly on edge, Jen runs into the Train Man and he asks for her phone number! 💃🏻 Slightly hungover the next morning, the group realizes a blizzard is descending and they must get out of town ASAP... Except the trains aren't running and Jen can't return to the city. She's stuck. Can you already guess where she'll have to lodge?
Trying to stay out of the house and make the most of her impromptu vacation, Jen visits and makes new friends, texts and meets up with Train Man, and finds purpose serving those around her. That art show? My nightmare. 🤣 Same, Jen! But that kiss?? Same Jen! 🥰
I loved the drama, character arcs, and slow history reveal. My exact thoughts 50% in "Oh. Not Anthony?", 55% in "HIM?!? What?? Of course!" Y'all! And OH MY HEAVENS THE REVEAL! The drama! The heartbreak! The red flags! Leave, Jen! Leave!!
Before she can, we have the BIG reveal of what has kept Jen pigeonholed for so long- what lead to the big sister riff! Gah 😭💔
Jen is forced to face the past she's been hiding from for years now. A relief for her and readers! Lee lovingly coaches Jen through a healing journey while she tries to save the local Christmas Fair for this sweet town she's grown to love. Can she pull it off last minute or is this one more failure Jen will rack up?
Troupes: meet cute x2, small town, found family, holiday/birthday trip, nostalgia, big secrets, reveal and emotional growth, HEA
Spice: 1/5 🌶️
Gore: 0/5 🩸
Language: 0/5 👀
Triggers:
Thank you to Embla Books and NetGalley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
We may only be in September, but as soon as I saw a title combining the Cotswolds and Christmas, I knew I needed to read it, and it certainly didn’t disappoint!
Jen is single, living in a small London flat with her housemate, working various jobs without a clear career path anymore and lacking self-confidence. Her situation immediately struck a chord with me, taking me back a few years to when I was living in London, feeling a bit lost myself. When her university friends surprise her with a birthday weekend away to the quaint Cotswolds village of Babblebrook, she is reluctant, especially as her estranged sister lives there, and she’s not a fan of festive fuss. But when the snow traps her there, fate takes over. At times, you just want to take Jen by the hand, open her eyes and guide her towards where her life ought to be, but that growth is all part of the story's charm.
I absolutely adored the atmosphere of this book; it felt so warm, cosy and genuinely feel-good, making it feel as if Christmas were just around the corner. One line perfectly captured the entire mood for me: "the lighting was cosy and the buzz of conversation low as they entered the cafe. The snowy scenes outside were just visible through the steamed-up windows with their colourful twinkle of fairy lights."
With snow, twinkling lights, joyful children, old friendships, sisterhood, family dynamics and a sweet romance, this book really has it all. It gave me a wonderful sense of community and left me longing for Christmas, dreaming of sitting in a warm coffee shop with a marshmallow-topped hot chocolate and my family, or booking a trip to the Cotswolds! By the final page, I found myself wanting even more of Jen’s new life and her adorable village. It is sweet, funny, relatable and deeply comforting. I’ve since discovered there is an earlier book set in the same village, The Cotswolds Christmas Café, which I haven't read yet but have immediately added to my TBR!
Jen is single, living in a small London flat with her housemate, working various jobs without a clear career path anymore and lacking self-confidence. Her situation immediately struck a chord with me, taking me back a few years to when I was living in London, feeling a bit lost myself. When her university friends surprise her with a birthday weekend away to the quaint Cotswolds village of Babblebrook, she is reluctant, especially as her estranged sister lives there, and she’s not a fan of festive fuss. But when the snow traps her there, fate takes over. At times, you just want to take Jen by the hand, open her eyes and guide her towards where her life ought to be, but that growth is all part of the story's charm.
I absolutely adored the atmosphere of this book; it felt so warm, cosy and genuinely feel-good, making it feel as if Christmas were just around the corner. One line perfectly captured the entire mood for me: "the lighting was cosy and the buzz of conversation low as they entered the cafe. The snowy scenes outside were just visible through the steamed-up windows with their colourful twinkle of fairy lights."
With snow, twinkling lights, joyful children, old friendships, sisterhood, family dynamics and a sweet romance, this book really has it all. It gave me a wonderful sense of community and left me longing for Christmas, dreaming of sitting in a warm coffee shop with a marshmallow-topped hot chocolate and my family, or booking a trip to the Cotswolds! By the final page, I found myself wanting even more of Jen’s new life and her adorable village. It is sweet, funny, relatable and deeply comforting. I’ve since discovered there is an earlier book set in the same village, The Cotswolds Christmas Café, which I haven't read yet but have immediately added to my TBR!
September 7, 2026
I wish you could have seen my face when I finished this book. It was the embodiment of ‘awww my heart *clutch book to chest*. It was adorable and man was I hooked to the story.
I love a cosy, small town community vibe and especially at Christmas! They bring their own extra special twinkle with a festive twist and I can never read enough of them in a year (maybe why I’m reading this one in September but shhh).
Jen is a reluctant returnee to Babblebrook (isn’t that just the best name ever) when her friends throw her a birthday party and arrange a get to together after all the years since college. They’ve all moved on, got jobs and families and Jen is still a fly away free spirit she’s always been - is it time for her to settle down? I really did enjoy getting to know Jen and seeing her grow throughout the book. She has flaws and may be a little self centred, but she has a large heart and is just learning what her life might look like if she commits.
The kids in this book too made it so entertaining and with the fair centred at a school, there was a lot to arrange! It was a magical book from first page to last and provided the perfect hit of festive joy that I was hoping for!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
I love a cosy, small town community vibe and especially at Christmas! They bring their own extra special twinkle with a festive twist and I can never read enough of them in a year (maybe why I’m reading this one in September but shhh).
Jen is a reluctant returnee to Babblebrook (isn’t that just the best name ever) when her friends throw her a birthday party and arrange a get to together after all the years since college. They’ve all moved on, got jobs and families and Jen is still a fly away free spirit she’s always been - is it time for her to settle down? I really did enjoy getting to know Jen and seeing her grow throughout the book. She has flaws and may be a little self centred, but she has a large heart and is just learning what her life might look like if she commits.
The kids in this book too made it so entertaining and with the fair centred at a school, there was a lot to arrange! It was a magical book from first page to last and provided the perfect hit of festive joy that I was hoping for!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Fizzing with festivity!
Right from the ‘meet cute’ at the start of the book, The Cotswolds Christmas Fair had me hooked.
When the wintry weather forces Jen to stay in the quaint village of Babblebrook for longer than planned, she finds herself with the time and space to reevaluate her relationships with her family and friends and work out what’s important in life. Sometimes we all need those who love us to hold up a mirror, so we can see things more clearly.
Add into the mix some extremely cute children, snowy weather, Christmas preparations and food and of course The Cotswolds Christmas Fair and you have a wonderfully festive and heartwarming story.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this warm and cosy hug of a book!
Right from the ‘meet cute’ at the start of the book, The Cotswolds Christmas Fair had me hooked.
When the wintry weather forces Jen to stay in the quaint village of Babblebrook for longer than planned, she finds herself with the time and space to reevaluate her relationships with her family and friends and work out what’s important in life. Sometimes we all need those who love us to hold up a mirror, so we can see things more clearly.
Add into the mix some extremely cute children, snowy weather, Christmas preparations and food and of course The Cotswolds Christmas Fair and you have a wonderfully festive and heartwarming story.
I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this warm and cosy hug of a book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Really enjoyed this story about Jen who is headed to Babblesbrook for her birthday college reunion weekend. On the train she meets a guy she becomes obsessed with. See how that goes. Also her sister Julie lives there with her family but that haven't spoke for a while. Jen can't leave as planned because of snow so she stays with Julia . See if they start talking again . Jen loves being with the children and she helps her best friend Ted with the Christmas Fair. She does a lot of things in the community and makes friends. Also Julia tells her some things she didn't know which helps make a decision whether to go home or stay there. A VERY GOOD READ,
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I loved this sweet story that will give you the Christmas spirit but is about more than the holidays. Jen is one of the last of her friend group to settle down. She can’t find a job to hold her interest or a relationship. Although she trained as a teacher, she has been working odd jobs. She is angry at her sister, who has desperately apologized and tried to fix their relationship. When she is stranded in the small village of Babblebrook, she has to stay with her sister’s family during the holidays. It is a lovely time for repairing their relationship and finding a new relationship.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Cotswolds Christmas Fair by Lizzie Lee was the book I needed on a hot summer day.
The characters- location- romance- Christmas- sister drama- community get together, these all make for a perfect Christmas read. I now want to see this book as a Hallmark movie!
This is one of those books that I would buy and put in my friends stocking so they can get the joy of reading it as much I did.
Thank you NetGalley, Lizzie Lee and Embla Books for the copy of the book The Cotswolds Christmas Fair.
This is my personal review.
The characters- location- romance- Christmas- sister drama- community get together, these all make for a perfect Christmas read. I now want to see this book as a Hallmark movie!
This is one of those books that I would buy and put in my friends stocking so they can get the joy of reading it as much I did.
Thank you NetGalley, Lizzie Lee and Embla Books for the copy of the book The Cotswolds Christmas Fair.
This is my personal review.
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September 21, 2026Não me identifiquei com o livro. Não fiquei envolvida pela história, o que é raro para um livro de Natal.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews