The Beachside Christmas

Beachside Bay #3

by Karen Clarke

Tinsel, fairy lights and mistletoe... Everything you need for a perfect Beachside Christmas.

When Lily Ambrose needs a fresh start, she remembers her happy childhood holidays in the seaside town of Shipley, and decides it’s the perfect place for a cosy Christmas hideaway.

Keen to make new friends, Lily promises to source a celebrity to turn on the Christmas lights. But when reality star Ollie turns up with his cameraman Craig, with plans to make a TV show out of his stay, things quickly go awry.

Ollie is gorgeous but unruly, and soon decides that staging a romance with a normal girl – a girl like Lily – is exactly what he needs to save his fading reputation…

With new neighbours to impress, and Ollie’s over-enthusiastic attentions to fend off, can Lily bring the Christmas cheer back to Shipley – and find herself a real kiss under the mistletoe?

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

311 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 26, 2017

About the author

I live in Buckinghamshire with my husband and three grown-up children where I write psychological thrillers for HQDigital/HarperCollins and romantic comedy novels published by Bookouture.

Over the years I've been a secretary/bookkeeper, a wedding photographer, a pub manager, I've worked in a supermarket, a newsagent's and as a librarian - all good for story ideas.

I now write full-time and when I'm not writing, I read a lot, enjoy walking - which is good for plot-wrangling and ideas - photography, watching Netflix, baking and eating cakes. And then more walking to work off the cakes.

Reviews

[Melisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hilariously wonderful, festive Christmas tale!

This is my favorite Christmas book that I’ve read this year, and trust me, I've read a lot! It has all the elements of what I’m looking for in a Christmas book: festive atmosphere, a little romance and a healthy dose of hilarity. There are mince pies galore, Christmas light competitions, snowfall, and a very funny reality star.

I have already added the other two books in the series and I can’t wait to read them.

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookcouture and Karen Clarke for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay, I’ve now read book three of the Beachside Bay series. I’ve been looking forward to this since finishing book two. The Beachside Christmas is also my first festive read of 2017, woohoo! I normally ban myself from reading Christmas books until at least November, but as I’m involved in some blog tours, that rule has gone out the window this year. Not that I’m complaining, as it means I now have time to read even more Christmas books this year. Something to get excited about.

The Beachside Christmas, as implied in the title, has a festive feel to it. However, it’s not so festive that it can only be read at Christmastime. Set in the same location as the previous two novels, and including some of the same characters, this book is about newcomer, Lily who decides to try and get in with the locals of this close-knit community by helping to find a celebrity to turn on the Christmas lights.

This is an entertaining story with an overall light-hearted feel to it. There are some fun characters, romance, mischief and a bit of festive competition. Some parts made me giggle while others made me cringe with embarrassment.

I really liked Lily. Some of her swear word alternatives had me chuckling away to myself. I might have to take up using some of them. My favourites were “What the flamingos????”, “Holy shirtsleeves!” and “Oh, mother-of-pearl”.

Even Shakin’ Stevens got a little mention. He’s one of my favourite people in the whole wide world. I got front row tickets to see him live on 10th May this year. How cool am I? Not very! Yes, I get that, but I don’t really care, as I’ve loved him since I could walk.

You can read these books as standalone novels, but they’re all wonderful reads, so I happily recommend all three. If I had to choose a favourite, I did particularly love The Beachside Flower Stall.

This was another wonderful story by Karen Clarke. I really hope there’s another book to look forward to in this series.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in a series, I read and loved the first two, The Beachside Sweetshop and The Beachside Flower Stall and while you can easily read them each as standalones, I wouldn’t recommend doing so. Each book is set in Shipley and features new central characters but every book is such a fun, feel good read that you would be seriously missing out!

This one focuses on Lily, a new resident to town who is so excited to be moving somewhere new until she realizes that the town isn’t quite as welcoming as she had hoped and she somehow finds herself offering to let a reality star and his cameraman stay with her. Things quickly get out of hand as Ollie is almost as quirky as her new neighbors and she realizes her new simple life will be anything but.

One of my favorite things about this series is that though each book features new characters you still get to check in on the ones from previous books which is always fun and a bit like catching up with old friends. Two of my old favorites, Jane and Doris Day are back and both are as hilarious as ever. These books are laugh out loud funny, there are countless hilarious scenarios that make me giggle just thinking about them now.

Lily was a lovely lady and just as relatable and lovable as all of the characters that Clarke creates. Once again, I felt like I took a mini vacation to Shipley, one full of plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments. There was definitely romance here as well, but none of that annoying instant love, it was gradual and felt so realistic and genuine. I just love Christmas books and as the weather here is finally cooling down it was the perfect read to get me thinking about the holidays, I’m like a little kid I get so excited just planning for Christmas!

All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about this authors books is that the Beachside books are part of a series but are all standalone stories. Each book introduces us to new characters with the odd reappearance from characters in previous novels but as their roles in this one are so low key, it really doesn’t matter if you haven’t had the chance to read the others, but I do highly recommend doing so as they are fabulous books.

I was quite envious of Lily uping sticks and moving to the fabulous little community. Winter is always a magical time and the street that she moves into with all the Christmas lights really stood out in my head.

As soon as Ollie comes on the scene the story turns into quite a comical one. The poor guy gets quite a hard time from being on a reality show and it certainly isn’t long before he wins us readers over.

The Beachside Christmas is a fun and heartwarming read that had me feeling all toasty inside. With another great cast of characters, without a doubt, Karen Clarke has become one of my must read authors and is one I can rely on to cheer me up and chase those bad old blues away.

My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Lisa Baillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw the cover of this book and just had to find out more. i loved it. The description made it sound like the perfect Christmas read. Im glad to say i was not disappointed in the slightest. I loved the book. It was a lovely seasonal feel good book. The characters were all unique in there own way. Lily just sounded lovely. One of these lovely people you would just love in real life. When she arranges for a reality star to come and switch on the christmas lights in her new town things dont run smoothly. There are ups and downs and few laughs along the way. It was really enjoyable to read.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know about you but I love a good Christmas light display. I know its getting towards Christmas properly when driving about, you see neighbours and strangers houses all lit up for Christmas.

So when you give me a book that features a Christmas lights competition (and I'm talking outdoor lights and decorations), by an author that I love, set in Shipley, which I have enjoyed from two other books earlier this year, and you have a sure fire winner of a book for me.

This was a book that had me smiling early on in the book, and had me properly laughing once Ollie had been introduced. He is s shamed reality TV star, who has been persuaded to come to Shipley to judge the lights competition. He brings along Craig the camera man in the hope he can get a new one man show commissioned.

Lily on the other hand has just moved to Shipley, is trying to make friends with her new neighbours, and attempting to embark on a new career as a novelist. Previously a primary school teacher, her attempts at starting to write a novel, when she hasn't even decided a genre or direction will probably make established authors either cringe or laugh in recognition.

I loved being back in Shipley and felt right at home with the book and author's writing style from the opening chapters. Yet you don't have to have read the two previous books as this easily works as a standalone novel.

Ollie's madcap antics were a fabulous tonic, completely believable but at the same time, I was rolling my eyes at him being a smooth talker, while being seduced by his charm! Craig his cameraman is completely different, a lot quieter, but brings a more down to earth quality to the story. He is constantly there and seems to act as Ollie's babysitter at times!

The Beachside Christmas is a light hearted, fun, easy to read story that will have you giggling, while also wishing your own house has far more Christmas lights!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read book 1 and book 2 to the Beachside Bay series, and enjoyed both of them immensely, and then hearing that book 3 was going to be a Christmas themed one, well I just knew that I had to read it. I absolutely adore Christmas books, always full of Christmas traditions, and festive things and this one certainly didn’t disappoint.

It was a truly delightful and enjoyable read from start to finish, there were a fair few funny moments throughout the story which had me giggling out loud, especially the scene where Lily and Ollie meet for the first time and also the various antics that little Marmite got up too, he is certainly a unique character.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of the characters, but especially seeing how Lily dealt with the changes and obstacles that she had to contend with and how she developed as a character throughout the story.

This can be read as a standalone book, so no worries if you haven’t read book 1 or book 2 if you happen to pick this one up first, which is truly perfect as a Christmas read. However with that said, don’t forget to read books 1 and 2 at some point as they are wonderful reads in their own very special way and you wouldn’t want to miss out, trust me on that.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely book- full of Christmas magic and great characters.
Lily wants to escape over Christmas and stays in Shipley where she enjoyed special holidays as a child. She's keen to mix with the locals and finds herself promising to find a celebrity to judge the village Christmas lights. Then she has Olly, a reality star looking to revive his career turn up on her doorstep with his cameraman Craig. Olly is a loose cannon and a bit of a livewire to keep on the neighbours good side.
There are some really amusing scenes and also some lovely Christmas settings to start your Christmas festivities in the best way. The ideal book to curl up with after some Christmas shopping with a cup of steaming Hot Chocolate full of marshmallows- spoil yourself!

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

First meeting the people of Shipley in The Beachside Sweet Shop, I couldn’t wait to get back. Now meet Lily, she’s just (on a whim fueled by a relationship loss that spilled over into her work) who has impulse-bought the cottage on Maple Hill that was previously owned by a former model-turned activist who caused no end of strife. Desperate to fit in and become part of the neighborhood, she’s attended the Christmas Decoration and Lighting Committee meeting, and soon finds herself offering up one of her best friend’s famous clients light the tree in a couple of weeks.

Enter Ollie, shamed posh reality bad-boy who happens to be full of flash and not much substance, and his cameraman/best friend Craig. With plenty of charm and even more warnings, Lily is worried about impressions, fitting in, Ollie’s happiness so the lighting will go over well, and withstanding some intriguing moments with Craig. From the return of Doris Day, to her mother’s sharing of Lily’s trauma: a ‘separated’ man who went back to his wife, and wife showing up to berate her in front of a classroom full of 5 year olds, to her subsequent firing, and her nebulous desire to write a ‘novel’ Lily has plenty to deal with. But, suspicions over a neighbor’s infidelity, Ollie’s erratic behavior, her own inability to pen anything more than trite garbage and an offer from the local primary school for a position, she’s truly got plenty to sort out.

Karen Clarke again brings laughter, real situations and some over the top conflict to the story, as she directs us through Shipley and the characters take over. Finding some peace for Lily in her choices, and her finding roots, happiness and a new start are the goals, but along the way she finds more direction, purpose and some solid friends who accept her and the craziness that came with Ollie, and a sense of peace that comes from having a place in this world. A wonderful story in this series, funny, heartfelt and even a bit outrageous (or maybe not so considering some relations) perfect for the holidays!

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at I am, Indeed

[Susan Hampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I love this series as my jaw literally aches from laughing, not chuckling but proper laugh out, make my eyes run laughing. I listen to my books while I walk to work so now I have gone from being the book lady to the one that looks like she has lost the plot! I couldn’t help it and I couldn’t control it or hold it back. What looks I got. The bonus was it is the first time that I got a table to myself in the canteen.
This is a feel good Christmas story and the seaside town of Shipley is buzzing. It isn’t just the children that are excited, each year the people of Maple Hill have a competition for the best decorated house and let me tell you from the seriousness of these competitors I am sure that Shipley would be able to be seen from any orbiting space ship. But for every competition it requires a judge, not an easy task with so many keen participants that are eager to win. Hence the departure of last year’s judge as he makes a swift exit on a slow boat to anywhere that heads away from the maddening crowd as quickly as possible.
Enter new resident Lily Ambrose desperate to make a good impression on her new neighbours so quickly uses her connections to acquire someone famous to judge the competition.  I loved Lily from the start especially as she was often the direct cause of a lot of my laughing. Being accepted into this community means such a lot to the emotionally battered 30-year-old Lily. Just loved the writing scenes by Lily, Just brilliant.
Karen Clarke has created a series that literally keeps you going through from spring to summer to winter, a book for most of the seasons and I hope that a fourth can just fill that niche. It was lovely to find some of the characters crossing over between the other books too. Brilliant story and one that happens in many towns at Christmas time with characters that remind you of people you know. There are some lovely visual scenes described that just stick round in your mind way after you finish reading too. Loved it! 

[Nicola Clough · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really fun filled book and full of Christmas and all that goes with it. Perfect Christmas read and you just wanted to read more. Lily needs a fresh start and she had has happy memories of seaside village Shipley so perfect place for a cost Christmas getaway. She wants to make friends with everyone so promises to find a celebrity to turn the Christmas lights on. Does this work out as she planned when Olly and his cameraman turn up and stay with Lily. This is a perfect Christmas read very enjoyable.

[Bron · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just as cheesy and fun as it sounds, and I really loved it! The characters were silly in a good way, and there were some bits that made me laugh out loud. It is part of a series but I felt like it stood alone well too, and it made me want to read the others in the series.
I gave it 3 stars

[Steffi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to another festive read and started with "The Beachside Christmas".

The book started with Lily arriving in Shipley and soon gets involved with the community's Christmas planing.
Although most things deal with Christmas, I found it very un-festive and the book didn't really carry a cosy Christmas spirit. I found the story very hectic and sometimes a bit over the top.
The love story couldn't really catch me either and I expected a bit more romance as well.

What I really enjoyed was the humour in the story. There were some hilarious scenes which really made me laugh a lot.

As I said the atmosphere lacked in Christmas feeling but also the beachside scenery had a lot more potential. So unfortunately the book was only an average entertainment for me.

[Sana Zameer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun book by Karen Clarke- Set in Shipley, where everyone has their noses in other peoples business. Lily is a new resident and in trying to please her new neighbors she promised them a celebrity to judge the Christmas decorations. Ollie Matheson shows up on her door steps with his cameraman Craig and chaos and hilarity ensues. Old characters from the other two books also made a few appearances but the best part of all these books is Doris Day. She is the most lively character and I will gladly read a whole book on her. That would be so much fun.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers, Bookouture for this review copy which was provided in exchange for an honest review. Also thanks to Kim for organising the Blog Blitz Tour and allowing me to be part of this.

This is the 3rd book in the Beachside series. You don’t need to have read the other books before this one, and it can be read as a standalone.

We meet Lily Ambrose. She needs a fresh start from her job as a teacher after unknowingly dating the dad of one of her pupils and being ‘outed’ by his, what she thought, ex-wife! She decides to move to the seaside town of Shipley, the setting for the other two books. She moves into the house that was previously occupied by Isabel Sinclair – if you’ve read the other books, you’ll remember her as the one who tried to get the local sweet shop closed down! Trying to integrate herself into the local community, she offers to find a local celebrity to judge the best Christmas decorations competition and to turn on Christmas tree lights. Luckily, thanks to her Celebrity Agent friend, she manages to get Ollie Matheson, an ex-reality show star, to do the honours! He turns up with his cameraman Craig in tow, planning on staying at Lily’s house and also planning to film his time there for a new show! Unfortunately, things don’t go to plan, and Ollie ends up annoying the vast majority of the town. He also thinks that if he gets himself a ‘normal’ girlfriend, it will make great viewing! Can Lily fend of his advances and keep his mind on the job he came for??

I love this series, and have read the other two books. Karen Clarke has such a knack for writing hilariously funny one-liners. I have lost track whilst reading this how many times I’ve laughed out loud, and on a couple of occasions I’ve nearly spat out the drink I was having at the time! Familiar characters are back – I just love Doris Day! – and Lily’s character is lovely, although the vision of her drunk, topless and trying to wrestle a chicken leg from a cat’s mouth is one I need to forget quickly! I also love how Lily, being a teacher, will not swear but substitutes swear words with something else – “crabsticks”, “son of a banana” and “holy shirtsleeves” being a few examples!

This is a fabulous book!! It has more innuendos than a Carry On film!! If you are looking for a light hearted, funny, easy Christmassy read, then this is definitely the book you need! Saying that, just because it’s a Christmas book doesn’t mean you can’t read throughout the whole year!

Five Stars!

[Gem ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolute joy to read; uplifting, engaging and with hilarious characters to guarantee a smile on your face throughout.
This book, though set with some of the same characters and setting as the previous Beachside books, can be read as a stand alone novel without any confusion.
There were perhaps, at the beginning of the book, the odd conflicting/confusing sequence issues that I think could have done with better editing but the second half of the book especially was spot on romcom magic.
A fun, uplifting festive read!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a little break from reality on Christmas break!

[MetLineReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another trip to the village of Shipley. Whilst this book was fun, it was a little more predictable than other books in the series. With a good cast of characters - including the Christmas Lights gang and the visitors - Ollie, Erin and Craig - the story revolves around Lily who has fled to Shipley for a fresh start.

Humorous and realistic, this is a warm and cosy tale to snuggle up with. My only disappointment was that the previous characters from Shipley didn't have bigger roles in this book.

An enjoyable read 4*

[Joanne D'Arcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the final part of the Beachside Trilogy and it started with a sweet ship went over to a flower stall and now we are in the middle of Christmas and the debate rages about who has the best Christmas lights and who should turn them on in the town of Shipley.

Enter Lily Ambrose, who buys a house in Shipley because she remembers the lovely summer holidays she had there when she was a child. Buying it and moving in winter in the run up to Christmas might not be the best of moves, but Lily is leaving everything behind.

When she arrives she is thrown into the Christmas lights display and rashly makes a promise that she can get a celebrity to turn on the lights, thanks to her contacts from her past.

Trouble is the celebrity is not who or what everyone is expecting. Ollie is a failed reality TV star with a chip on both shoulders and a man not afraid to hurt anyone when it comes to giving an opinion.

He needs to reinvent himself after some rather untimely PR disasters and so he agrees to turn on the lights, but he has other ideas at the same time.

Bringing Craig his long time friend and a cameraman with him to boot, it looks like the Shipley residents and the turning on of the lights is going to be the next reality show and it seems that Lily will be at the centre of it all.

Trouble is the residents have other ideas and Lily simply wants to fit in and write her novel.

This is a really lovely read and I have to confess for me the best of the three novels in this trilogy. You do not have to have read the previous two, they all work as standalone but of course some characters crossover, not so much that you cannot enjoy each book individually.

The friendships are all portrayed as genuine, the characters believable even if their actions might be unbelievably crass, you felt you part of the story. Of course there is romance, but what will become of Lily and the choices she makes? Well you will have to read the book to find out!

[Justkeepreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beachside Christmas is the perfect book to curl up with in these long cold evenings and it will leave you smiling from ear to ear and really feeling the Christmas spirit. I simply loved it. It was so lovely to catchy up with the characters who have previously been important characters in the beachside series. This really is a lovely little series and if you haven't read any of the books. I highly recommend them to you as they will leave you smiling from ear to ear, and wishing that you could go and live in Shipley yourself.

Thank you for letting me read this book for an honest review. Chicklit and romance fans do not miss out. Simply Wonderful.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please don’t hate me but this is the first of Karen Clarke’s books that I have read.  I have her other two Beachside books on my ever increasing ‘To Be Read’ pile but I just haven’t got round to reading them.  Well I now know just what I have been missing and reading the other two books in the series are one of my top reading priorities.
As I always say I don’t want to write too much about the storylines as I have an unintentional but nasty habit of giving away far too many details about books I have enjoyed.  Lily Ambrose suffers a break up in the relationship with her married boyfriend.  The break up gets messy and has consequences for Lily.  To escape the trauma of the break up and the ensuing drama, Lily decides that she needs to get away and go somewhere for a fresh start.  Lily fondly remembers childhood holidays in Shipley, so she decides to move there.  Spirits are low in Shipley because the local celebrity who was supposed to switch on the Christmas lights has gone on his holidays instead.  In an attempt to ingratiate herself with her new neighbours, Lily calls in a favour from a friend and promises that she will find them a celebrity.  The only celebrity that is available is a reality television star called Ollie.  Although the people of Shipley are initially thrilled to have secured a real star, opinions soon change.  Ollie just seems uncontrollable.  He offends everybody, forgets the name of the place and he declare that the lights are tacky.  The handsome but stubborn cameraman called Craig tries to help but even he can’t stop Ollie and his determination to stage a romance with Lily.  Can Lily bring Ollie back under control?  Will Lily have a Christmas kiss under the mistletoe?  Will Lily be able to bring back Christmas spirit to the residents of Shipley?  Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves as I am not going to tell you.
I have to say that I really took to Lily right from the start of the book.  Following the messy break up of her relationship with a married man, Lily has been humiliated in front of the children she teaches, she has lost her teaching career and she has lost the respect of those she worked with.  I completely understood the need for her to go somewhere to recover in private and to lick her wounds so to speak.  Lily has lost a lot of her self esteem too.  I so wanted to jump into the pages to defend Lily in the face of such hostility (mainly from the wife of the married man) and remind people that it takes two to tango.  Lily is rather nervous to be starting afresh somewhere where she knows nobody but the people she meets in Shipley soon put her at ease.  Lily thinks that she needs to impress her new neighbours which is why she promises to find them a elebrity to switch on the lights.  Lily is a friendly lady who is also very funny.  More than once, I found myself chuckling along at something that she had done.  Lily is keen to leave the world of teaching behind and become an author but I am not sure that her heart is really in writing.   By the time the book had finished I felt that Lily was almost real and that I almost considered her to be a friend.
In my opinion ‘The Beachside Christmas’ is beautifully and realistically written.  ‘The Beachside Christmas’ came along at the right time for me.  I was suffering a flare up in my chronic back pain and I needed a feel good tale, which would make me laugh and which would distract me from the pain I was in.  ‘The Beachside Christmas’ certainly ticks those boxes.  Reading this book became seriously addictive and I found that I just couldn’t put the book down.  It was almost as if the book had glued itself to my hand.  The pages were turning that quickly that it was almost as if they were turning themselves and before I knew it I had finished the book, which I was so disappointed about because I wanted the story to continue, as I was enjoying it so much.  The story was so well written that I felt I was an invisible bystander to all the action.  I wanted to leap into the pages of the book to remonstrate with certain people and to slap certain others around the face with a wet flip flop.
In short and if you haven’t already guessed, I absolutely LOVED ‘The Beachside Christmas’ and I can’t wait to read more books in this series.  Whilst waiting for the next instalment, I will just content myself with reading the first two books in the series.  To me, this series is a must read series and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  I award this book 5* out of 5* but I would have awarded it more stars if I could have because I really enjoyed it that much.

[Kaisha (The Writing Garnet) · Rating 5 out of 5]

All reviews can be found on my blog at https://thewritinggarnet.wordpress.com

Even though I am super happy to be back in Shipley, I am also quite sad that Karen Clarke's series has come to an end. I'll fully admit that I wasn't too sure on the series to begin with when it started with 'The Beachside Sweet Shop', but when the second book 'The Beachside Flower Stall' was released, I found myself falling head over heels in love with the magic of Shipley. Whilst all three books in this series can be read as standalone novels, I would recommend reading all of them in order, purely so that you don't miss out on any of Shipley's magic. Each storyline has its own central character which you may recognise from previous storylines and, luckily for us,  all three books are interlinked in some way or another which, in my opinion, makes the community spirit shout loud and proud. 

Lily is determined to create a new life for herself in Shipley after her old life went disastrously wrong. The only downside to her new beginning is that she doesn't know anyone, and all of her neighbours are extremely close-knit and involved in neighbourly duties. Will Lily be able to become 'one of them'? Lily is determined to make her new neighbours like her, so she decides to go above and beyond for her new village. Little does she know how much of a fine line she will be walking on, just to make the residents happy. As long as her gesture doesn't blow up in her face.....right?

I absolutely LOVED Ollie. I could tell from a mile off that when Lily's friend recommended Ollie to her, that the entire scenario wasn't going to be at all plain sailing and, as weird as this sounds, I was super excited to find out what trouble Ollie would bring to the village of Shipley. Put it this way, that man is absolutely bonkers! I found Ollie's friend (and cameraman), Craig, to be such a dark horse and, whilst Ollie seemed to steal the show as it were, I found myself leaning more towards Craig. It was though he kept his cards close to his chest. What was he hiding?

As the storyline unfolded, Lily's personality shined like a beacon, making her grow into herself and take charge of her life. I really did love how we were able to grow with the main character during the story, it was as though Lily became even more relatable as time went on. 

'The Beachside Christmas' wasn't just the Ollie show, the neighbours each had their own parts to play in this story, and my goodness what memorable characters they are! Such unique and fun individuals, there really is a neighbour who ticks every single box.

Even though Ollie wants to shine bright like a diamond and overpower everyone else, he had me in hysterics more times than I could count due to his antics! Hats off to Karen Clarke for being able to include so many vibrant and different characters in one book. I was surprised (in a good way) that the romance involved in this novel was gradual and more natural, as opposed to being straight away and unrealistic. Absolutely brilliant.


Karen Clarke's series, in my eyes, has gotten better with each book. 'The Beachside Christmas' has got to be my most favourite story from the series due to its relatable, loveable, and utterly bonkers nature which was destined to make me laugh from page one. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Beachside Christmas'. So many heart-warming, humorous, and loveable moments under one book cover. What more could you want? Personally, Karen Clarke's latest novel ticked every single box and I feel blessed to have been able to read such a huggable, festive treat. Just like the Christmas lights on all of Lily's neighbours houses, 'The Beachside Christmas' will forever light up my heart. Thank you for the memories, Shipley! It's been an absolutely pleasure.

Heart-warming, cosy, festive and utterly divine, 'The Beachside Christmas' is perfect for getting you in the Christmas spirit...even in September.

Thanks Bookouture.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lily has moved to the small seaside town of Shipley. She had to leave her former position as an elementary teacher when her former lover's wife came into the classroom and had a fit. Being called all kinds of names in front of her class is not a way to teach by example.
Although things were not as they appeared, Lily decided to start her life over. She chose Shipley because of the wonderful memories of family visits there when she was a child.
She has purchased a small cottage and even met some neighbors.
The neighbors believe in two things. First, they need a celebrity who can turn on the lights on the town's Christmas tree. Second, the Christmas lighting contest is one of the most important things at this time of year. And the intense competition to win means that no holds are barred. Whoever lights the town's tree will also select the winner of the lighting contest. The town wants a celebrity who can do double duty.
Lily's best friend is an agent representing various celebrities. So, Lily volunteers to find a celebrity. How difficult could it be?
Since no money will change hands, it is not easy to find a celebrity willing to show up and turn on the tree lights.
But, then things all work out. Lily can have Ollie. He was on a reality show, but he got kicked off. He hit someone. He wants to show the world what he can do about starring in a new reality show. Ollie and his cameraman, Craig, will spend some time going around the village speaking to people and showing how very well loved Ollie is.
Lily is a funny woman. She has never really gotten over the death of her father and Shipley brings back memories of all his wonderful qualities. She has determined she will give up teaching permanently and start to write a novel. She has no idea how to do that. And she loved teaching. When she meets her new neighbors, she wants to fit in, so she goes along with nearly everything that anyone says. Only rarely does she actually speak up and say what she really thinks. But, when she does it is impressive.
When Ollie and Craig show up early, they find Lily half naked and very drunk. And things go down hill from there. They are staying at Lily's home although she does not even have an extra bed.
On the surface, Ollie seems to be a very handsome ego attached to a lovely body. But, things are not always as they seem. He goes off on tangents and says things that should never be voiced out loud. His sense of style seemed to have died a violent death a long time ago. But, he is generous and kind and very loyal. He simply gets easily carried away.
Craig is an unknown factor. He is a good friend to Ollie. He is a talented cameraman and able to build a fire. He also cooks. He seems to be the only person capable of pointing Ollie in the right direction when needed.
Ms Clarke has created another funny story in Shipley.
If you plan to move to Shipley, be prepared to deal with unusual people. The secondary characters are wonderful. Everyone has their own personal agenda. Some much more unusual than others. And all of them believe strongly in how the Christmas light contest should be handled. The longer I read moving to Shipley seemed like a really good idea.
There are moments when the reader will snicker or giggle or absolutely laugh out loud. Ms Clarke seems to be able to create moments that are so ridiculous there is no other option but to laugh.
Although this is part of a series, it easily stands alone. The plot is fun to follow, the characters are amusing and interesting. In short this is a fun read and just right for the Christmas season.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Beachside Christmas by Karen Clarke is the third visit I have made this year to the coastal town of Shipley. It has one of the best Christmas covers I have seen so far during this festive season. The question is does the content that awaits the reader match up to the festive feeling clearly evoked by the cover? For the first part I definitely felt it did but for the second half I think things slightly lost their way. There is nothing wrong with the book overall, it just felt to me that it was over before it had even begun. That it was a very quick read that for the later part slightly lacked some substance. The chemistry between the main characters needed to be more evident as it seemed that things panned out all too easily and there wasn't that element of back and forth and hesitation and frustration that adds a bit of spice to the overall story. So the book was as they say a game of two halves for me but is a nice story to pass a few hours if you have spare time at the time of year when the manic preparations for Christmas can take over everything.

Lily Ambrose is 30 and looking to buy a property in Shipley. She used to come on holiday with her family many years ago and she has fond memories of special times with her family. But now her life in London has blown up and she needs to escape, to go back to basics and decide what should her next step be. The decision will change the course of her life but will it be for the better or for worse? Lily Buys Seaview Cottage, thanks to an inheritance left to her by her grandmother. This is the perfect escape for her as she feels she can lock the doors and try and get on with writing the novel that has been a long held aspiration of hers. Given the events of what unfolded in London which led to the dominant reason for her escape, Lily hopes for a quite peaceful time in the run up to Christmas. When I read the reasons behind Lily fleeing her teaching job, honestly I was appalled. Ok no one wants the confrontation that befell her but at the same time all I could say was – what on earth were you thinking Lily? I myself am a teacher and if there was any whisper of what Lily was experiencing we would be out on our ears out of a job. It's a territory you don't dare venture down not that I think I would want to anyway in any way shape or form. So it begs the question was Lily just that little bit gullible or was she letting her head rule over hear heart? Was there something making her judgement totally off at the time?

Lily is seeking an oasis of calm and time to reflect but little does she bargain for the residents of Shipley and the fiercely contested Christmas lights competition. Soon she is swept in all things concerned with flashing lights, blown up Santa's and snowmen. It was great to see the return of old favourite characters from the previous two books whilst at the same time getting to know Lily. The girls from the flower stall and the sweet shop were there as was Doris who has always held a soft spot in my heart. Doris Day is the head of the neighbourhood watch and also a member of the Christmas lights committee. She is like a mother figure to all, but at the time is sharp and witty and doesn't suffer fools gladly or let anyone take advantage of her. Doris can be very nosy and partial to a bit of gossip but really she only ever has good intentions at the heart of everything she does. So the fact that someone 'special' or with some ounce of 'fame' can't be found for the big Christmas lights switch on is really playing on her mind. As Lily attends a meeting of the committee she foolishly volunteers to find that someone. Lily certainly put herself under pressure to deliver and given she was new in the town she didn't want to promise something and then not be able to deliver.

I thought Lily so desperately wanted to be liked, approved of, accepted and to find her place that she would have done anything the committee would have asked of her. Soon a random act of kindness snowballs out of control as she takes on the search for a star who will come and turn on the lights and this leads to the arrival of has been reality star Ollie Matheson and cameraman Craig who pitch up to stay in the cottage. Right from when we first encounter him Ollie was totally over the top, flamboyant and the female version of a dumb blonde. It was like he had walked straight off the set of something like Made in Chelsea. One thing that I will hand to the author is the fact she had me fooled regarding the romance element of the story. Given how hurt Lily was by recent events I felt it was best that she would tread wisely but at the same time as I have already said there was something missing that made me believe in all the chemistry but that's not to say I wasn't happy with the overall outcome.

The Beachside Christmas is a nice, pleasant read but it didn't blow me away. I think The Beachside Sweet Shop still remains my favourite in this series. although Lily was a likeable enough character who tried her best and wanted to satisfy everyone she met but I felt on real connection with her for most of the book.Yes she was a people pleaser and wanted to bring Christmas back to Shipley but there was a slight lack of sparkle in the later half of the book that would have made this one of my favourite Christmas reads this year. If you've read the first two books in the series like me you'll want to read the third just to read of the continuation of the stories set in the same town but for new readers I think starting with the sweet shop book would be best. Read this for the fun , frolics and comedy surrounding the Christmas lights of Shipley and enjoy it for a simple Christmas read but for me it won't be my most memorable book of the year.

[Jae Mod · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** ARC provided by the author for an honest review  ***

Heartbroken. Running away. A fresh new start.

A magical tale that brought Christmas cheer in September! Beachside Christmas by Karen Clarke is a lighthearted and enjoyable romance that will have your hands glued to your kindle every second of the day.  

The third book in her Beachside Bay series, but can be read as a standalone. Each book brings new characters to the little sweet town of Shipley but past characters do appear for more entertainment. 

Lily Ambrose returns to the small childhood holiday town of Shipley to take a breath of fresh air after a devastating turn of events. Such events were not her fault but now she makes it her mission to find something to do with her time and bring happiness and joy to the community. Calling upon Ollie, a celebrity to help turn the town's Christmas lights on, she discovers it won't be as easy as she thinks. His presence throws a lot of things off and the residents are not happy.

Ups and downs make it a rocky road for both Lily and Ollie, but working together non stop, Lily becomes attracted to Ollie and emotions arise with another. Can the holiday spirit bring good cheer? 

Lily is still reserved when it comes to moving forward into a new relationship, but her interest cannot be stopped. Secrets are revealed. The end results are witty, hilarious and downright remarkable. 

This book was delightful and 100% enjoyable! Ollie was adorable and hilarious and Lily and Curtis were a cute combination. I look forward to reading more work from the ever talented Karen Clarke!  

4 Stars

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading and enjoying previous books by Karen Clarke in the Beachside series set in Shipley I was delighted to see The Beachside at Christmas. Yes I know this is my second Christmas book already this year and it’s still September but hey there are so many excellent authors and a LOT of them produce festive treats.

This one has all you could want from a Christmassy story, love, passion, friendship, festivities and laughter. I was giggling through a lot of this, mainly at the antics or at the expense of Ollie!

Lily has moved to the area for a fresh start. It’s always difficult moving into a tight-knit community trying to fit in and be accepted. So she goes in all gung-ho offering to help with the Christmas light display by finding a celebrity to do the judging for the annual competition. The folk in Shipley must love winter the amount of effort they put in to win.

Now it would be too much to hope that things with a failing reality star would go smoothly, Ollie has a habit of co*cking things up but he was quite lovable, his cameraman Craig was more subdued but had ‘something’ about him that was endearing.

I absolutely loved this, the characters are fabulous, the setting gorgeous and anything that includes sparkly lights has to be admired. I’m like a big kid at Christmas and adore seeing all the colourful illuminations.

This is a light-hearted joy to read, although the third in a series it can easily be read alone. If you want something to cheer you up on a cold, dark day then this will surely suffice.

Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for my copy which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a throughly enjoyable Christmas novel. The cover for this book was enough to make me want to read it, well - that and the fact that I really love Karen Clarke's other books! The use of the presents, the Christmas tree and the snowman is beautiful and I just love it. There's something about them that just have the right amount of everything you're looking for.

Humour? Check. Romance? Check. Drama? Check. And in this case, a big lump of Christmas festivities. Check! When I knew this book was going to be set in Shipley like the rest, I was thrilled. I was even more happy to see some familiar faces peep up throughout the book as well. Although this book is set with the same characters as the last two, you do not need to read them before this one. The Beachside Christmas could easily be read as a standalone.

This particular Shipley novel follows Lily when she moves away to where she used to spend her childhood holidays after a really bad breakup and embarrassing moment with her ex's wife in her classroom... However, soon after she moves in she finds herself a part of The Christmas Lights Society and trying to find a celebrity to switch on the Christmas lights, as is tradition.

Lily soon finds reality TV star Ollie but thinks she's bit of more than she can chew when Ollie turns out to be a bit of a handful. As the days go on and Ollie unintentionally upsets more of Lily's neighbours, she fears that she'll have to move on again to a somewhere different as she thinks she's royally messed this up. However, Lily soon finds that everything around her is coming together and she starts falling in love with not just where she lives...

I loved every character - and although Craig comes across as grumpy, I was praying for Lily to notice him the same as everyone else was! I was very happy with the ending (and you probably will be too) and it left me feeling all warm and fuzzy and excited for Christmas! The story involves a Christmas Lights Competition so this story was right up my street - I love Christmas lights!

Overall, a really lovely and lighthearted Christmas story. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this novel which I have reviewed honestly.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first two in The Beachside series and so knew I would love this one too. It was great to return to the wonderful Shipley, the seaside town where we've previously met the owner of the sweet shop and the woman helping out at the flower stall.

This time we meet Lily Ambrose, a former primary school teacher in a level of disgrace who has moved to Shipley because of the fond memories she has of her childhood holidays there. She's no sooner moved in than she's involved in the Christmas Lights Society on her street and promising to find a 'celebrity' to switch them on and judge the best lights on the houses of Lily's neighbours. Enter Ollie, former reality show star, and his cameraman, Craig.

I thought Lily was such a lovely person, down to earth, sweet-natured, fun and kind. Her first meeting with Ollie had me in hysterics and the rest of the book kept me smiling. Karen Clarke has real comic timing and she creates such fantastic characters, with some quite eclectic ways.

The whole storyline is very entertaining. Ollie is a bit unpredictable, causing all sorts of trouble in Shipley and roping Lily in as well. Craig is the one who is Ollie's much needed calming influence. The three of them together make for a madcap, yet utterly heartwarming, beachside Christmas. This is a fabulous festive read and a fitting conclusion to this fabulous series of books.

Karen Clarke has become one of those highly anticipated authors for me. When I hear she has a new book coming out I do a little squeal of excitement. I'm sorry that this is the last trip to Shipley but I'm looking forward to her next book and to meeting a whole new set of characters.

[Jennifer Ritter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Beachside Christmas is the newest edition of Karen Clarke's Beachside series set in Shipley, Dorset, England. Thirty year old former primary teacher Lily Ambrose has decided to move to beachside Shipley to begin a new life after the embarrassing way she lost her job, and her love.

Her new home sits on the lovely street of Maple Hill, an area of Shipley well known for its competitive Christmas light displays. As a way to meet her new neighbors, Lily attends a Christmas light meeting and finds herself making offers she might not be able to achieve. What she must do to follow through is get at least a minor celebrity through her best friend Erin, a talent agent. This celebrity will turn on the Shipley Christmas tree in a ceremony and judge the Maple Hill displays.

Erin is able to get naughty playboy reality star Ollie Matheson, who will stay with Lily while in Shipley. When Ollie arrives a day early and with his photographer/videographer Craig Daniels , they catch Lily unaware as she dances provocatively, drinks red wine, and decorates a massive tree. As she sleeps it off it would seem the playboy and photographer complete the decorations and restore order. This is the beginning of a very interesting relationship!

Ollie alternates acting endearing and obnoxious, and the neighbors and townspeople would agree. In fact, there are those that might like to run him out of town. Craig, on the other hand, is open and friendly and the citizens take to him readily.

With many surprises for Lily, Erin, the neighbors, and the fellows, this is a fun, and funny, holiday romp. I did enjoy this book and do recommend it.
it

[Monica Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily needs a fresh start and she buys a house in Shipley, a town where she spent many happy holidays as a child, with her family. How do you get to know your neighbours? Get involved with as many activities as you can, including volunteering to find someone to turn on the Christmas lights.

Next thing we know, Ollie and his cameraman Craig turn up, thanks to Lily's friend Erin who is his agent (and Ollie has done a few dodgy things in the public sphere and needs some good publicity, pronto). Ollie is like an overenthusiastic puppy - he is just clueless, and Craig spends all his time trying to steer him in the right direction. The interactions between all of these characters, as well as the secondary ones, are funny, poignant sometimes and just spot on. I like that the author refers back to characters from her other books which are also set in Shipley, which is lovely when you have read them (although this book is definitely a standalone).

All in all, this novel is a fantastic light read which will make you laugh out loud and will give you you hours of reading pleasure.

I give it 4.5 stars, highly recommended :)

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.