A Fairy Tale for Christmas

by Chrissie Manby

What could be more magical at Christmas than a fairy tale come true?

It's the festive season and the members of the Newbay Theatre Society, more commonly known as the NEWTS, are preparing to put on a show. Being cast as Cinderella is the realization of a dream for newcomer Kirsty, not least because she hopes starring in a panto under the direction of her boyfriend Jon will bring them closer together.

But Kirsty soon learns that it's not all glitter and good cheer behind the scenes at the amateur theatre as bitter rivalries nurtured through decades, wardrobe mishaps and suspicious near-fatal accidents threaten to derail the production. And then there's Prince Charming himself. Will working together with Jon bring Kirsty her happy ever after... or reveal their love to be nothing but a 'showmance'?

With Christmas just around the corner, it's going to take more than a Fairy Godmother to get Kirsty and her cast-mates to the ball.

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

432 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2016

About the author

This author has also released books under the name Chris Manby

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Won this book on first reads,lovely Christmas story lovely characters,worth the 5*rating.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desperately needed a light read to take me away from the stresses of work at this time of year—and this book did that and more. A lovely, feel-good holiday read. I now can't get the idea of going to see a panto out of my head...

[Jessica (Jess Hearts Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, festive fairytale!

[Tracy Larner-Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a Chris/Chrissie Manby for a few years and had forgotten how much I love her writing. This was such a lovely festive read, based around the amateur pantomime - perfect!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my last Christmas novel this year and I think I saved the best till last. Was a book that I actually smiled and laughed out loud at and I loved it. The characters worked really well and I loved the play part in it, was a bit worried it might be a bit pantomimy in places but I loved it and wasn't over the top. Was another book to again get me in the festive mood and will probably reread this again next year

[Hannie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik vind het leuk dat Chrissie Manby een boek heeft geschreven over een personage dat een bijrolletje had in een serie van haar. Toch heb ik minder genoten van dit boek dan het boek dat ik laatst las van haar (What I did on my holiday). Ik vind dit boek wat voorspelbaar. Vanaf vrijwel het begin wist ik al hoe het zou eindigen. En hoewel ik ook wel wilde dat het zo zou eindigen (omdat ik Kristy gelukkig wilde zien), maakte dat ook dat het verhaal niet heel verrassend was. Het theater speelt ook een grote rol in het boek. Dat was wel een leuk element. Het is ook een kerstverhaal. Een reden voor mij om dit boek nu te lezen. Toch had ik niet altijd dat kerstgevoel. Waarschijnlijk omdat Kirsty ook een ander soort kerst had dan ze had verwacht. Ondanks de minpunten is het verder wel leuk. Maar als je Chrissie Manby nog niet kent als schrijfster zou ik een ander boek van haar proberen. Deze geeft niet echt weer hoe ze normaal schrijft.

[Alina Cristea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern fairy tale with a twist. A funny, light and enjoyable read for the festive season. ❄

[Jules (Never enough time to read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5*

A cheesy, christmasy, romatic comedy, which was exactly what I was in the mood for.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a sucker for a pantomime, and have a real soft spot for Cinderella. I half wish I could borrow some children to watch the new massive production at the Palladium, but that would be weird, and clearly I need to get back to the a point!

The NEWTS are putting on Cinderella this year, and guess who is playing the lead? It's only Kirsty who Chrissie Manby fans may remember from A Proper Family Adventure, as she was also onboard the ship the Benson family were on. She has followed boyfriend Jon, to Newbay, in order to star in the am-dram panto that Jon has written and directed.

What can I say about Jon? Well he really is the baddie of the piece. He seems overly critical of Kirsty continually, and seemed to have running digs about the size of her feet and her weight, running continually. To the extent that I swear that if I heard him say its "fast day" to Kirsty one more time, I wanted to travel to Newbay to whack him over and over with a hard crusty baguette, the sort that he wouldn't let Kirsty eat.

Then there is the most heartwarming storyline of the book which involves Ben and Thea. Seeing how Thea comes out of herself after she meets Kirsty and decides to audition to be in the chorus is a joy to behold, and does wonders for showing how drama can improve a child's confidence. At the start of the book she feels a bit lanky and not sure of her own body, with not fabulous co-ordination, she doesn't really have any friends, and then she becomes a mouse and everything changes.

The whole book focuses around the auditions and subsequent production of Cinderella, and we get to know the whole cast incredibly well. I loved the mix of personalities in the show's company, and seeing how some of them are just like the roles they have been cast in. I loved the glimpses we got of the twins playing the ugly stepsisters, and it sounds as though they had the just the right level of knee-slapping humour and risque ad-libs.

I found the whole book flowed really well, and I can't believe that this is Chrissie Manby's 20th book already, as it means I am a lot older than I thought, having read all of her books. This is another shining example of a book that is a joy to read from Chrissie, its not overtly festive but has all the trimmings of the season, while focusing on the panto's run, rather than Christmas Day itself.

With some interesting sub plots, a very enjoyable set of main storylines, two focal points both of which provide plenty of entertainment, this is a story that will conjure up memories of your own trips to the local panto, making you want to scream out all those classic lines including "oh no he isn't" and "it's behind you" while seeing just what the whole cast really get up to behind the scenes.

[Justkeepreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely festive Christmas read. Sure to warm your cookies and have you feeling all Christmassy. So grab your favourite drink, get comfy in your favourite chair with your favourite blanket and settle down for a heartwarming read.

I love Christmas and I love the pantomime. I go every year without fail with my mum and always have done. It's one of those need to do things that always get me super excited for the festive period.

I absolutely love the name of this book. A fairy tale for Christmas how lovely. Who doesn't like a fairy tale. I know I do. Happily ever after and all that are right up my street.

I really enjoy read Chrissie Manby books. They are always heartwarming, fun and easy to read. I always get sucked in from the first page and this book was no exception.


Kirsty works on a cruise ship travelling around the med and singing and performing in the shows. Kirsty met Jon while working on the cruise ships and fell in love with him fast. The cruise liner wanted Kirsty to stay on and continue onto another trip with them. But Kirsty has decided to follow her heart and has decided to go with Jon to do a pantomime.

What Kirsty didn't realise was that as soon as Jon returns to the relay world. He turns into a rather nasty man. Always criticising Kirsty and putting her down. When Jon decides to take a job interview in Dubai without consulting Kirsty, kirsty starts wondering if she has made the right decision after all.

Kirsty doesn't really have very many friends in Devon and finds it hard at first to fit in. But the am darm society who are putting on the production of Cinderella help to change that around. While finding a place to print some flyers to raise awareness that they need children to be in the play. Kirsty comes across Bens shop and they soon become firm friends.

Ben is still trying to get over the death of his wife who has died from cancer and is trying to raise their children in his own in the best way he knows how. Some times it's hard to juggle everything all at once. When Thea Bens daughter joins the panto as one of the mice and their buttons leaves the pantomime Thea persuades Ben to take the part. Soon Ben and Kirsty's paths are crossing more and more regularly.

Is there a spark between them and are the destined for a happy ending?

This is a great festive read. It has lots of drama in it with what is going on with all of the characters lives. It is funny and sweet. It has lovely characters and a few that are really annoying like Jon I just really didn't like him. It has a great festive plot and I always enjoy curling up with a Crissie Manby book.

Happy reading and merry Christmas to you all

[Agi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Fairy Tale for Christmas" was one of my most anticipated reads this autumn - since reading the Proper Family series Chrissie Manby has catapulted herself to the very top of my favourite authors' list and while I'm probably never going to recover from the fact that there won't be any more books in this series (or maybe? Chrissie? Pretty, pretty pleaaaaaaase!), I've been impatiently waiting for any new book by this author. And when it arrived, in all it's shiny, sparkly glory, I literally put everything aside and started reading it.

As a consolation to all of us who loved the Proper family just as much as I do, "A Fairy Tale for Christmas" follows the story of Kirsty - Kirsty, that we've already got to know in "A Proper Family Adventure"! She was the one who went on the same cruise as the Bensons and co. with her best friend Jane - so for me it was as if the Bensons were there in the story in spirit, even though there was no mention of them. However, with or without them, the book is of course a stand - alone, and it is a gorgeous, funny and touching story - all in one, and I was hooked from the very first page.

The story follows not only Kirsty and Jon but also all the characters that played in the panto "Cinderella". There were a lot of them but to be honest it didn't feel like this because they were so clearly drawn personalities, there was not a single confusion who is who and why, which doesn't happen often when there is such a group of characters on the pages, but the author pulled it off totally! Their stories were so, so engaging, guys, and even though we could say they weren't significant to the main subplot, I absolutely loved this diversion, they made the book even better in my eyes.
Now, the main characters, especially Kirsty. I think Kirsty is going to be a controversial character and when you read the book you'll understand what I mean. I think you could love her or hate her, and I loved her. She was straightforward and she had a heart made of gold, she was friendly and she took care about other people. She was also naive and yes, seeing this what she didn't see for so long annoyed me, but mostly I was annoyed with this second person for doing it and being so towards her. Kirsty was funny and I loved how sharp her replies were and how spot - on, in every situation she was able to throw a comment that had me in stitches.
And now to the male characters, Jon and Ben. They were like hot and cold, like summer and winter, like chalk and cheese and when Jon was introduced to us in a relatively positive way, the more I got to know him the more I disliked him, and believe me, rolling my eyes at him wasn't enough, I wanted to punch him. Repeatedly. Focused only on himself, the golden boy, aarrrgh, Chrissie Manby has done a brilliant job in creating such an annoying character! I really hated him more and more, with every "hint" about Kirsty's weight or her "big" feet, and yes, I wanted to shake Kirsty as well and tell her to wake up, but much, much more I wanted to shake Jon, no, take this back, I wanted to slap Jon or shush him somehow. Put a gag on this man. So self - obsessesed, egoistic, selfish guy - though he also had his moments, especially at the theatre and some of his comments were brilliant, especially his interaction with the children. Language, Jon!
And then we have Ben. Can I pretty please stop a moment at Ben to gush about him? It is this kind of guy that every mother would love to have as a son - in - law, you know, and probably every girl would love to have as a husband. He was a widower, raising his lovely and clumsy - but in a lovely, sweet way - daughter Thea and he did a great job, even if he himself doubted in his skills as a single father. He was laid - back, he worried so much about Thea but it turned out that Thea needed only a little push to unveil what it is that gives her a confidence, and I absolutely adored to watch this little girl coming out of her shell and grow confident and finding loyal friends. Really, the characters were imperfect, they were bickering, they had secrets, they also lied but it only made them so realistic in my eyes and I supported them all no matter what!

We have a kind of a love - triangle in the book, but not your typical one, when the characters know about it and enjoy it. It was a triangle that was not obvious but it was there and you've no idea how much I've kept my fingers crossed that it quickly turns out into a couple, but the other couple!
This book is full of friendship and community feeling and the author has so brilliantly captured all the nuances in the NEWTS group, the jibes, the likes and dislikes and the gossip, and it was just like in real life. The characters were jealous of each other but also supporting each other, especially Kirsty who really thought about everything and was concerned for everyone. The emotions run high in this story, with all the ups and downs and the characters' adventures, there are tons of misunderstandings and jumping to conclusions and this is bloody brilliant and entertaining! I loved how under this lovely humour there lay other layers, more serious and the author wasn't shy of writing about growing up, family misunderstandings, alcohol and weight problems, being insecure. The story was organized into very short chapters, which is my favourite way BTW, it makes the reading somehow easier and much more dynamic and quicker, the chapters don't feel as if they are dragging on, no, they're spot on, direct and well, yes, thanks to such chapters you can always say "only one chapter more" and actually read the book till the end without putting it down. And the storyline was not at all predictable. On the opposite, it was full of surprises, thanks to the lovely bunch of characters and their adventures, and it kept me on my toes, I couldn't wait to turn the page to see what is expecting me there. It was a bouncy, lovely, warm read with a little drama, a lot of humour, a few emotional moments, casting unforgettable characters - all what I need from a book and much more. Highly, highly recommended!

Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Abandoned on page 61 of 410. Dull. There was nothing technically wrong with it but just not interested enough to continue.

[Reyiel Ananke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through Goodreads giveaways'

All in all it is a very light and warm book, perfect for a cosy day under the blanket with a cup of tea and cookies.

You have all the elements for a classical love story: a nasty boyfriend, a young and optimistic woman, a charming and adorable widower, with the cutest daughter, all around the most stressful and demanding period of the year: Christmas.

Kirsty is a young woman who decided to follow her dream by leaving her desk job and joining the entertainment team in a cruise, finding love on board.

Same love that will make her leave that boat to join an amateur theatre production in the little town of Newbury. Very far from all the glitter and glamour of the boat life, that little coastal town will be the sparks she needs to fight back against a manipulative boyfriend and find herself again.

The story circles around the Cinderella’s pantomime production, showing us all the steps from the writing of the play, to auditions processes, passing by costumes and rehearsal.

I really enjoyed that part, with all the different characters introduced to us, all of them with hidden secrets I was not expecting! With this kind of book, you always expect to find stereotypes, but in this book, they were so well written and conceived, I didn’t see them coming until the very end.

My only frustration was around the boyfriend. The author tried from the very first page to make us hate him, making him the most despicable person but I hate being forced like that, I like to make my own opinion at my own pace. However, in this book, to help the plot move along, the author pulled all the stops to make sure to represent him as a horrible man, with no depth, with all defaults, without any nuance.

Kirsty’s inner journey was very well written, her character development was a joy to follow and made you feel good and happy by the end. Good on your girl to follow your dreams! She had to learn by herself what she wanted in life, what made her happy or miserable, and dare to go for what she wanted.

I enjoyed the book for what it is, and recommend it if you are looking for charming love story with a Christmas background.

[Sarah Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read a few other books by Chrissie Manby so I was looking forward to reading A Fairy Tale for Christmas, which had been sitting on my book shelf since last year. I have to say I was slightly disappointed with the book.
The book follows the main character Kirsty as she plays Cinderella in an am dram production. The book is set at Christmas (or around the Christmas Period) but there wasn't enough Christmas for me. I didn't warm to Kirsty and found her relationship with her boyfriend Jon annoying. It was an ok read, but not a book I would read again.

[Jane Flynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m currently reading Christmas books as part of my job in a library and realised I’d had this on my Kindle for a while. It took me a couple of chapters to get into it, but it’s a funny, heart-warming festive novel, with an apt title given that the main setting is an am-dram group’s Cinderella pantomime. It’s an easy read, I finished it in a couple of days, but it will help to get the reader in a festive mood. One for the library recommendations list I think.

[jo freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are not enough stars ten stars for this tear jerking romance that I really enjoyed right from the first page. Loved the little girl Thea and was crying with delight at her achievement. The proverbial happy ending and a bitter disappointment that it had ended. Fist time I’ve read Chrissie Manby and I recommend her a real feel good factor romance.

[Tracy Lewis · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was bored stiff and gave up part way into the book. How many times can NEWTS be repeated on one page, never mind in one book? I couldn’t warm to the characters and decided to give it to someone I don’t particularly like. I’m glad it was only 50p from a charity shop and now completely understand why it was in immaculate condition and looked unread.

[Iona Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book, with a lot of marvellous set pieces. Three stars because I think the main character's dreadful boyfriend is beautifully drawn and extremely hateable, but the narrative falls short of acknowledging that as written, he's not just dreadful but abusive.

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute feel good story about falling in love around Christmas and a play. It had drama that comes with putting on a show. Bad boyfriends and the good guy waiting in the wing. Nothing ground breaking, but well written and a good over all story. A bit long but easy enough to get through.

[Amber Grenville-Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A warm cosy Christmas read with lots of great characters and full of amusement.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good Christmas read. Will be looking for other books by this author.

[natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice quick festive read.

[Rosina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty cute and funny. It was irritating to see the main character accept her boyfriend being a dick for the majority of the book though so a 3.5.

[Karen wadey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous easy read, funny, clever all consuming story. I could have read it in one sitting if work didn't get in the way. I didn't want to put it down.Look forward to reading more.

[Catherinehaine Haines · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book that is just right for the run up to Christmas . It made me smile as it had some great characters. It must be so much fun to be In Am Dram!

[Jodie Portugal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fairy Tale for Christmas
My honest review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO9bz...

[Janet Camilleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost worthy of 5 stars ... really enjoyed this. If there'd been a 4 and a half star option I would have picked that.

[Sall · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending was good until it ended abruptly and parts of the book had excellent qualities but overall it was the tedium in places that dragged and made the book feel never ending.

[Roz Radmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

very funny ! I raced through it in one go .

[Corinne Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lightweight, lighthearted (with a few deep issues) easy to read novel. the fairytale ending was pretty obvious by about a tenth of the way into the book, but ... still fun to read.