Christmas at the Chalet is a delicious love story about a bridal designer showing her new collection in the Alps during the magical week of Christmas where hijinx of the heart ensue.It's the day after Christmas, and Felicity Grant is at a gorgeous ski chalet in St. Moritz for the biggest fashion show of her career. Felicity is a rising star on the bridal design scene, and this is her best collection yet. But when her boyfriend gives her a spa day instead of a diamond ring for Christmas, she has to face the possibility that she may never walk down the aisle in one of her own stunning designs.And then there's Nell, the top model headlining Felicity's show. Nell is planning her dream wedding to her wonderful fiancé with one her divorced parents can't stand each other and threaten to no-show if the other is there.Add to that Felicity's race against the clock to create a special gown for a prestigious bridal salon, and what both girls need is a Christmas miracle. What better place to find one than in the Swiss Alps with its dark forests and sparkling vistas?But for Felicity it's hard to recognize a miracle even when it's right in front of her, and for Nell one miracle might not be enough to fix the past. Can dreams really come true or is that the stuff of Swiss fairytales?Anita Hughes's Christmas at the Chalet is full of romance, gorgeous gowns, and the stunning scenery of the Swiss Alps. It's about love and forgiveness, and creating one's own miracles during the most festive time of year.
Anita Hughes was born in Sydney, Australia. She attended UC Berkeley's Masters in Creative Writing program. She is the author of MONARCH BEACH, MARKET STREET, LAKE COMO, FRENCH COAST, ROME IN LOVE, ISLAND IN THE SEA, SANTORINI SUNSETS, CHRISTMAS IN PARIS, WHITE SAND, BLUE SEA, EMERALD COAST, CHRISTMAS IN LONDON and CALIFORNIA SUMMER, and CHRISTMAS IN VERMONT published by St. Martin's Press. ROME IN LOVE is coming to the HALLMARK channel in July, 2019!
Christmas at the Chalet by Anita Hughes is a 2018 St. Martin’s Griffin publication.
Felicity has arrived at the beautiful chalet in St. Moritz for the biggest fashion show of her career, thus far.
But Felicity is a bit distracted by the disappointing developments in her personal life. Adam, the man she has been seeing for six years, fails to give her a ring for Christmas, giving her the gift of a spa day instead. When she confronts him, he once again puts her off, prompting her to take stock of the relationship.
Complicating matters even further, Felicity has little accident, which brings her face to face with a gorgeous doctor, named Gabriel.
Meanwhile, Felicity’s model, Nell, is planning her dream wedding, but her divorced parents, who despise one another threaten to ruin her big day.
For me, this story is a mixed bag. First, if you are going strictly by the title, be aware that this story doesn’t begin until the day after Christmas.
Secondly, for such a short book, the author has several storylines going at once. There is a load of drama in this story, the kind of, sort of, love triangle with Felicity, Adam, and Gabriel, along with Nell’s family and the saga behind her parent’s contentiousness.
Lastly, the romance in the story is very flat. I don’t mind low steam romance novels at all. In fact, these days I find them quite refreshing. But this one didn’t have enough romance or chemistry, especially with the good doctor. The bulk of the book was more focused on Adam and Felicity and Nell and her parents.
That said, the drama was absorbing enough to hold my attention and the fashions were fun to read about, too. But the scenery is the star of the show!!
Overall, this story may not be especially memorable, but it was an enjoyable enough way to spend an afternoon curled up with a cup of tea.
Christmas at the Chalet by Anita Hughes is a contemporary romance story that of course takes place at the time of the Christmas holiday. Having read several of Anita Hughes books already I somewhat knew what to expect out of the story which for me is normally an amazing setting but a so-so romance and this one wasn’t an exception to my feelings in that regard.
As someone that loves to virtually travel through the books I read I cannot ever go wrong picking up one by Anita Hughes. Her settings are done so wonderfully that it feels as if you are seeing and experiencing the exotic locales right along with the characters and this one was no exception to that.
However, again I found the romance in this book to be a little too overly angsty and not really one that I believe to be a true happily ever after. Instead I find myself craving a bit of popcorn to watch the drama unfold while reading. With this particular story you have three different areas to follow along and I questioned whether it was more a hot mess than anything.
Felicity is a wedding dress designer who has traveled to a ski chalet in St. Moritz to put on a huge show but right before Felicity and her boyfriend get into a fight. Turning to a local doctor Felicity looks for relationship advice but instead starts to fall for the doc. Along with Felicity on the trip is Nell who is actually getting married but can’t get her divorced parents to cooperate and attend the wedding together so we are also following Nell in the present and looking into her parents past.
Now if I were to grade strictly on the beauty of St. Moritz this would get a 5 but instead I need to take into account the believability of a character being so in love with her six year relationship she thought they should marry but ends up tossing that aside for another man along with two mature (or immature) adults that would let their daughter down on her special day. So I ended up with 3 stars on this one in the end after wrapping all of it up into one package.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
I loved this book. I really didn't want to stop reading it except for the one part where the parents of Nell ticked me off that they would not BOTH go to her wedding because they could not exist in the same air. Oh my goodness, that just made me extremely angry.
I loved Felicity and Nell; Felicity being the main protagonist, but Nell right there with her with a great story line. It was fun getting to know these two and then the Nell trying to figure out why her parents divorced. I was able to enjoy the back story of the parents as you learn along with her what happened. It was a sad situation and you really hoped that it would turn out well for them. Felicity being Nell's best friend really pulls it off for her in the end and Nell gets her happily ever after.
Then you have Felicity's story. I know what I wanted for her right from the start and I am happy that she did get that in the end. Even though the book is a bit predictable, it is the predictable that I don't mind. It is wonderful to read a love story where everything you want to happen does. With great characters and a great story, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Now I'll wait for Hallmark to pick it up for its winter romance series! :)
4-Stars Grab a hot beverage, a cozy blanket, and maybe a box of tissues for this sweet and savory read.
Anita Hughes did an amazing job making St. Moritz, Switzerland come to life in every possible way, inside and outside. The cover brings a sense of peace and calm to the mind that no winter-lover can deny. I love every aspect she included: the thick feet of snow on the roofs, the glow of fireplaces inside the chalet, the blue hue of the mountains, the twinkling trees... it not only looks magical but sounds like it as well! I just want to be there, freezing or not.
Luxury and extreme wealth lie within the details of Christmas at the Chalet. Fashion, models, romance, cuisine, all things a girl can dream, am I right? The folklore included was a cute little gem. The details had me drooling, especially the food... That baked macaroni topped with bacon along with many other delicacies, yummmmmm. Everything in St. Moritz sounded absolutely delectable! Moving on to the attire...I'm one for fashion, so I loved imagining all the different gowns and materials described. There was a lot of love and vivid scenery, much to my appreciation. The scenery was breath-taking, not just the cover as I stated earlier, but the words describing St Moritz were absolutely stunning. The men were so freaking romantic I was swooning, crying happy tears, so heed those tissues. My mascara was a hot mess multiple times!
I relished how multiple stories were told within each other, flipping between past and present. This was done exceptionally well, so much, in fact, it was my favorite part! Navigating between past and present was a breeze because the chapters were named distinct character names, revealing whose story was being told. The characters were loveable, empathetic, and mostly believable. I loved the 'how we first met' stories. The romantic gestures melted my heart which gave this book a deep holiday richness.
All in all, I gave a 4-star rating because this book had multiple characters/back-stories to fall in love with, it radiates the holiday feels, and I cannot stop thinking about the scenery and food described in this book, as I've probably mentioned a million times now. It was a gorgeous modern-day fairy tale. I was on the fence about reading more by this author because I didn't like my first read by her, called "California Summer", but the recipes in the back were so good, I wanted to give her other titles a shot. Glad I did! After reading Christmas at the Chalet I've decided I will continue reading her stories because I truly feel like she is an author that is going to perfect her work and knows the type of audience she wants to draw in.
Much gratitude to St. Martin's Press, and Anita Hughes for this ARC I won via the Goodreads giveaway program. All reviews are my own and voluntary.
Glitz and glamor and sparkle. Name dropping of the most elite brands.
This book has two different stories running. Partially three. Nell is engaged and wants both of her parents at the wedding. Their divorce is bitter so they refuse to attend and if the other does. Flashback scenes tell of the romance and marriage of Patty and Todd, her parents.
Felicity wants to get engaged but Adam isn’t ready. She commiserated and gets advice from Gabriel, the local doctor in St Moritz. Without spoilers, Felicity finally gets a chance to talk with Adam, but refuses. Then turns around and asks for a Christmas miracle. She is convinced that Adam doesn’t love her but keeps putting off a discussion. She doesn’t know what she wants and I found this frustrating. And Nell’s parents? Obviously still in love, but shame on them for not putting her first for her wedding.
In the end it’s a romance. The wedding of Nell and Eliot was lovely.
The author employed an interesting (at least to me) storytelling technique in this story. There are basically 3 characters "lives" being told throughout this book. There is Felicity (the true main character); wedding dress designer, Nell, Felicity's top model for her designs; and Nell's parents, Patty and Todd. The current story setting is St Moritz during the week between Christmas and the New Year. Raj, Felicity's business partner, decided to have the fashion show in St Moritz on New Year's Eve, instead of N.Y.; and created hype around the upcoming event.
There is a lot of dialogue in the story. I felt that the characters were likable and believable; for the most part. It was an enjoyable story. Christmas wasn't really a character in this story; it's sort of a back-drop along with the skiing. All-in-all it's a cute, quick read and we get to see St Moritz thru the author's eyes in the week after Christmas.
I received an uncorrected digital galley from the publisher, through Net Galley, in exchange for an honest review.
Felicity Grant, an up and coming bridal designer, has booked a show in St. Moritz to launch her winter collection. Disappointed to not receive an engagement ring from her long time boyfriend for Christmas, Felicity is trying to not let it distract her from her show. Upon spraining her ankle she meets Dr. Gabriel who quickly becomes her go to guy for relationship advice. Her best friend Nel, a model in the show has problems of her own. Her parents have both come to St. Moritz to see Nel. Her parents though refuse to speak to one another since their divorce and Nel is determined they not run into one another. Her goal is to convince them to both attend her upcoming wedding as they have refused to go if the other is there. Felicity and Nel are both hoping for a Christmas miracle. A cute romance that made me dream of visiting the Swiss Alps. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
We are off to visit St. Moritz, Switzerland for the winter collection Bridal Show!! This is the where Felicity Grant has planned to introduce the Felicity Grant Bridal winter collection. She is accompanied by her top models and business partner. The show will take place during the week between Christmas and the New Year. Adam, Felicity’s boyfriend did not accompany them to Switzerland. They have been dating for six years but no engagement ring. So does he really want to settle down with her?? Amongst the glamorous gowns, the fabrics, the models, the cuisine, wealth, folklore and glitz of St Moritz, you will find sadness when another Christmas passes without an engagement ring. But this changes when Felicity meets Dr. Gabriel Innes who assists her after an twisted ankle after slipping on ice. Then takes her to dinner, And drama is taking place with one of her models and her estranged parents. The scenery is astoundingly described. You will feel as if you in the Chalet in front of the fireplace. You will see the snow covered village, the trees that twinkle but beware of slippery ice patches. Make sure you are bundled up warm for the cold seeps into the reader. Christmas magic abounds in this well written, double drama, interesting and ritzy romantic story. I volunteered to read Christmas at the Chalet. Thanks to Net Gallery and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity. My opinion is my own.
I think I mentioned this earlier this month when I reviewed another Christmasy novel…..I normally hold all of my holiday reading until after October.
October is all spooky, mystery novels for me and I normally don’t read or review any other holiday books until November. But there are a few authors who are known for Christmasy reads that I will gladly make an exception for and one of those is Anita Hughes.
I have read all of her Christmas novels and loved them! I know what I am getting whenever I review one of her Christmas novels—-a happily ever after set in one for the most romantic cities or places in the world. Sure she writes other contempo romances but for me I love her holiday books. Sometimes you just need a comforty, cozy read and her novels have that in spades.
Hughes is an accomplished writer and reading her books are generally enjoyable and fun. You kind of know what you are getting as I mentioned before…..a happily ever after—and in this case—at Christmas time. But I will say that I don’t know that I liked this one as much as Christmas in London. Christmas in Paris was ok but to me Christmas in London was better and while this one was good, I still didn’t think that Christmas at the Chalet beat out Christmas in London.
There was a lot going on in this story for me which I found a little distracting…..two love stories, flash backs, and just an overall sense that the various plots were fighting for the spotlight in this novel. I personally would have preferred one central plot that was strong rather than a bunch of things happening that are connected etc.
What saved this book for me was the setting. I haven’t heard of St Motitz so I was eagerly Googling it and shortly there after, mentally planning a vacation there. Her descriptions of St Motitz and the fashion industry were definitely along the lines of Life Styles of the Rich and Famous and that absolutely saved the novel for me. There is nothing like a glamorous life to distract from a problematic plot but I didn’t mind that, as it’s fun to day dream about the rich and famous.
Hughes is accomplished at writing Christmas romances and I am totally ok with that. Sometimes you just need a happily ever after and a feel good love story set at Christmas time. I don’t care if that makes me basic—-I love Christmas and Christmas romances.
What I liked about this book is the way the author wrote about St. Moritz. She had me googling pictures and planning my vacation there.
Unfortunately what I did not like about the story is pretty much everything else. Immature characters with ridiculous problems they whined about relentlessly until I want to shake them, pointless flashbacks, some really bad love scenes and an ending for one of the characters that made me shake my head and wonder how I was supposed to believe it was a good idea considering everything she had said and done previously.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and honestly it was not for me.
I think I fell in love with the setting in this book. Taking place at a ski chalet in the Swiss Alps the descriptions are just breathtaking. Felicity is a bridal designer hosting the most important show of her career. A fairy tale,light romance in a beautiful location. Nell,one of the gown models is getting married and she invites both of her divorced parents. Can she keep them apart or do they still have feelings for each other? The author pulls you right into her story. Pub Date 16 Oct 2018 I was given a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.
What a mess. This author/editor/publishing house need to learn to use google for some basic fact checking before writing a book. Yes, it’s fiction. But a book about a fashion designer who refers to Elie Saab as a “her?” Or a bride from 1990 dropping Vera Wang’s name even though Vera Wang had only just started on her own that very year? The “doctor” tells his probably-has-a-concussion patient that she needs to sleep it off..... I thought this book would be charming but it was so awful. The constant inconsistencies and the fact that no one involved with this book seemed interested in getting things right just made it a huge waste of time.
Lindas Book Obsession Reviews “Christmas at the Chalet” by Anita Hughes St.Martins, October 16, 2018
Anita Hughes, author of “Christmas at the Chalet” has written an enjoyable, entertaining, heartwarming novel.The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Women’s Fiction and Romance. Anita Hughes vividly describes the food and landscape in St. Moritz. I love the descriptions of the food in St. Moritz, (especially how the chocolate is used in several desserts), and how the snowy mountains, skiing, and small shops are described.
The author describes her colorful characters as complex and complicated. Some of the characters have their own problems to work out. Felicity Grant designs bridal gowns, and intricate fashions using unique fabrics and accessories. Felicity and her partner have worked hard to have this fashion show in St. Moritz. Unfortunately, Felicity is very disappointed that her boyfriend didn’t propose and give her an engagement ring. Nell, one of the models is engaged, and is upset that both of her divorced parents won’t attend her wedding together. Unfortunately, Nell finds that both her parents are in St. Moritz, and want to visit. Both parents are unaware that they are both there.
It does seem with the excitement and festivities that Felicity is just a little accident prone, and is lucky that a handsome doctor is on the scene to help her. Felicity wonders if there is such a thing as a Christmas miracle?
I would recommend this delightful, fun-loving, story to readers that enjoy a story that is heartwarming. I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
Christmas at the Chalet by Anita Hughes. Felicity Grant has been in a relationship with Adam for about 6 years and was disappointed when he didn't propose. So Felicity leaves to go forward with working on her wedding dress designs. There she happens to meet a Dr who helps her when she falls. Pictures are taken of them along the way which Adam sees sparking his jealousy. Now choices are to be made for Felicity. Enjoyed this Christmas Romance.
Let's get into the holiday spirit with this fun tale about Felicity, a bridal gown designer whose own boyfriend won't commit to marriage, and Nell, a top model whose own wedding plans seem headed for disaster. Set against the sparkling town of St. Moritz in the Swiss Alps, Christmas at the Chalet is the ultimate escapist read, filled with laughter and love.
Christmas at the Chalet is the perfect book to escape with...a romantic story set in a beautiful locale, filled with the sights, sounds and tastes of the season! Cozy up to this book and get swept away to St. Moritz! It’s decadent, delicious and delightful!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press. I received an advanced copy and am thrilled to share my review.
This book reminded me of why I first fell in love with reading. The breathtaking location, the charming characters, the gorgeous scenery, and scrumptious food, all set against the glamorous world of bridal fashion. At the very heart is a love story, well, actually, a few love stories, and if you haven't already fallen in love with Hughes' exquisite attention to detail: the snowflakes, the festive holiday lights, yards and yards of tulle, then you will most certainly fall in love with the idea that fairy tales do come true. Isn't that why we all choose books? Anita Hughes delivers a dazzling read.
🥂 f r o t h y 👰🏼 . Set in the rarefied world of St. Moritz, with the backdrop of a bridal fashion show and ski slopes and elite shops and the very very rich, Christmas at the Chalet is like reading cotton candy and champagne, if that were a possibility. Frothy, bubbly and so so sweet, it was delectable but then kind of started making me crave an apple and plain water (I know, bad analogy but it’s the best way I know to describe this one!). Oh, and it’s actually set during the week AFTER Christmas, so if you’re wanting to read this and can’t get to it by Christmas that’s totally fine! . Reminiscent of old school Danielle Steele, this story will definitely help you escape (and perhaps crave) reality. It was an enjoyable diversion! . NOTE: you all know I read a TON of romance and romantic comedy and “women’s fiction”, whatever that means. This one takes the froth and need to suspend disbelief of my favorite romances and quadruples them, while simultaneously turning the steam factor down to about a 1.5. If that’s your thing, definitely grab this one sometime soon!
I read one of Hughes's previous novels and enjoyed it - enough to where I happily dove into a Christmas novel in October. Unfortunately, I seem to be in the minority with this one. It was a beautiful setting and nothing more: there are three storylines here and I found myself annoyed with all three of them. Felicity's goal is to get engaged, despite all signs that Adam isn't interested AND when she finally seems to get her wish she brushes him off. Her chemistry with Gabriel wasn't there for me, they literally have a handful of scenes together, he tells her some folktales, and suddenly they're in love. Nell's parents hate each other to the point where they're practically forcing her to have two weddings just so they don't have to see each other. There's also some oddly stilted dialogue. Conversations between two women who are supposedly best friends come off as weirdly formal. At least this was a quick read.
Another Christmas read completed! I have quite the stack of Christmas reads and have been enjoying every one of them!
Christmas at the Chalet, set in beautiful St. Moritz, is the story wedding dress designer Felicity Grant and her model Nell, as they prepare for an upcoming runway show. Will Felicity convince Adam to propose to her or will she fall for the young, hot doctor. Will Nell get the wedding of her dreams, with both her parents in attendance?
In some ways I really enjoyed this story. It was well written and I felt swept away to the Alps at Christmas time. However, there were just a few too many stories going for me between Nell and Felicity, and the back story of Nell’s parents. And I just didn’t find the romance between Felicity and the doctor believable. Regardless it was a fun, cute story, and I read it in a matter of hours!
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!
This story had a lot going on. It had Felicity getting ready for her big bridal fashion show, fighting with her long time boyfriend and meeting a new gentleman. It had a story line of Nell and her parents, 2 more romance couples. I've read other books by Anita Hughes and I liked them a little more than this one. It switched from steamy to sweet and there was just too much going on. The setting was beautifully described and the characters were good. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
* I am changing my rating from 3 stars to 4 stars because I am still thinking about this book a month later. I am someone who lives for summer but this book makes the idea of a ski lodge at Christmastime seem like a wonderful idea. Thanks for making the idea of winter more appealing for me.*
I got to read an early copy of this book through Netgalley, which meant that I read this wintertime book in the summer. I am someone who loves summer and hates when the weather turns cold. So, the fact that this book makes winter time sound so appealing is saying something.
Felicity is a wedding dress designer. She is in St Moritz for the fashion show release of her newest collection. She gets into a big fight with her longtime boyfriend on Christmas Day. She thinks he is going to propose but was really far off base. After such years together, she is devastated.
She won’t let her personal drama mess up her big moment in her job. So, she tries to work her hardest and make the best of her trip. She meets a handsome doctor and finds herself turning to him for advice.
The story alternates between Felicity’s story and Nell’s story. Nell is one of the models for Felicity’s show and she is dealing with her own drama: trying to get her parents to come to her wedding.
This author always mentions beautiful sites and delicious food in her books. But this might be the most beautiful details yet. You can picture yourself at a ski resort and you will dream about eating the foods she’s mentioned. I had to look up several recipes and I’m definitely going to be trying some out...just try to resist the macaroni and cheese dish she mentions.
Since I read this early, I want to mention a couple small things that I hope can be fixed before the book publishes: There is a scene we’re Felicity and the doctor have a meal at a restaurant. The story switched back and forth between saying he’s eating a hamburger and saying he’s having dessert. Also, the tv show Sex and the City is mistakenly called Sex in the City. Tiny little things but I figured if they can be fixed, then someone then want to know.
Another fun, book from this author. Beautiful setting, likable characters, strong self sufficient female character in the lead and the most delicious sounding foods.
Enjoyable to read in the summer and I’m sure it’ll be enjoyable to read in the winter.
Felicity is in St Moritz to show off her latest fashion collection. Her mind is occupied with the fact that her boyfriend did not propose at Christmas. She also has an accident and that brings a lovely doctor onto the scene. Their romance and chemistry was pretty bland. Actually, it was hard to find the romance between the two.
Then there is also Nell, a model, who is planning her dream wedding, but her divorced parents hate each other and that makes planning a wedding a nightmare.
I'm still not sure this is a romance novel. The book was crammed full with Nell's parents and her wedding planning and Felicity's relationship to her non-proposing boyfriend.
This is my first read by Anita Hughes, and whilst I liked it, I didn't love it.
I could almost hear that Robin guy who was the voice-over man for "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" as I was reading. It was kind of hard to connect when every single person was uber-successful and beautiful - no plain Jane office workers in this one - but this could just be me.
I loved the setting of St Moritz, and snow at Christmas time is just something we see on TV in this part of the world.
My main issue was that for the most part, the characters felt very immature. The parents of one lady - omg what a pair or selfish, well, you don't want to know the words I have for them. I have seen 3 years olds behaving better than them!
I also felt that maybe there was too much trying to happen? Too many storylines fighting for space in the one book. Sometimes less is more, and to me, it would have been the case in this one.
I know this sounds like I didn't like this book, but I did. When I wasn't wanting to reach into the book and hit people with my reader. I just had my issues with it that probably won't bother anyone else.
Christmas at the Chalet is the latest offering by author Anita Hughes. Bridal dress designer Felicity Grant, her business partner Raj Patel, and their stable of top models are spending Christmas week in St. Moritz in anticipation of the unveiling of the Felicity Grant Bridal winter collection. During the week Raj has set up events and photo opportunities. This premier would be a dream come true for Felicity had she not left New York on the heels of an argument with long time boyfriend Adam.
Once again an opportunity with Christmas had passed them by for an engagement. They had talked about their future, even to talking about how many children they would have, but after 6 years there was still no proposal. When Felicity FaceTimes with Adam after her arrival in St. Moritz, the conversation goes awry and ends with Adam saying maybe they need to take a break, perhaps even see other people. Felicity is broken hearted. As she wanders through the town, she takes a tumble twisting her ankle and Dr. Gabriel Innes comes to her rescue.
When pictures of Felicity and the good doctor appear on fashion blogs, the gossip mongers take off. At the same time as this unwanted attention is directed at Felicity her top model and good friend Nell Mason is trying hard to stay low key and keep her estranged parents apart, as they are both in St. Moritz and she is making it her top priority to ensure that they will both attend her wedding and, perhaps, she can determine why they split in the first place.
As the bloggers do their deeds and Adam does come to St. Moritz, there are many intertwining threads of the story that come to a head with, and after, the New Year’s Eve fashion show. The many outcomes will surprise and delight the reader. As with all Ms. Hughes’s books, I did enjoy this book and do recommend it.
Beautiful cover--and that's the best thing I can say about this book. OK, so I didn't actively dislike it, but I found the whole thing rather silly and very put-downable. I couldn't particularly relate to any of the characters. Although they were pleasant enough, and there wasn't any negative drama (a good thing in a Christmas romance), the whole story just didn't gel for me and felt contrived. And the characters! Don't get me started. Felicity is just plain silly. She is supposedly a professional--a strong and creative designer. But she seemed to have a very one-sided love relationship with her long-time boyfriend. And then she'd drop everything and keep seeking out Gabriel to "discuss her relationship with Adam"--dumb. Adam came to St. Moritz to see her, for Pete's sake, and she needs to get Gabriel's advice so she "doesn't make a mistake." It just all seemed so improbable. Gabriel is OK, but we don't really get to know him. He is described well enough and a history is built, but he still seemed fairly nebulous throughout and never really solidified as the romantic lead. Romance Part 2 has to do with Nell's parents, really, and this was better. Nell is one of the models in the show, and she wants her parents to both attend her upcoming wedding, but they are resisting. Really? Their animosity didn't seem all that huge, and to have it cause them both to miss their only daughter's wedding was unbelievable. Actually, it was quite entertaining to watch her scurrying around trying to keep her parents apart, but this plot line also came across as unrealistic. Not sure if this is a first attempt for Hughes, but I may look for more from her to see if she develops a more solid writing style.
Anita Hughes was a new author to me. As my favourite holiday of the year is Christmas, I was interested to read this story. There are several stories woven throughout this book. Firstly there is Felicity Grant, her best friend Nell and then there is the back story of Nell’s parents. After an intense few days building up to her Christmas bridal fashion show in St Moritz, Felicity expects that her boyfriend is about to propose. Imagine her shock when she gets a spa voucher instead. Nell is not only Felicity’s best friend but she is also the lead model in the fashion show. She is trying to plan her wedding, which has been made extremely difficult by her parents who are divorced and who refuse to be in the same room as one another and who are threatening to boycott her wedding. There was certainly some frustration whilst reading, aimed mainly at Nell’s parents who in my opinion were selfish and childish. However we did get to see behind the scenes as what caused their divorce so there was the added depth of another story line. I enjoyed reading Christmas At The Chalet but I did get a tad confused at times as there was so much going on. The writing was descriptive and I could see St Moritz through the eyes of the author which added enjoyment to the read. I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher through Netgalley.
CHRISTMAS AT THE CHALET by Anita Hughes is a solid Christmas read with a setting that will take your breath away.
Felicity Grant and her bridal designs are beginning to hit the big time and a star-studded fashion show in stunning St. Moritz the day after Christmas will be the rocket that launches her into greatness. Everything she ever wanted is at her fingertips but when her long-term boyfriend suggests that they take a break because he is unsure if he wants to get married, it throws Felicity into a tailspin. Injuring herself, she finds herself spending a lot of time with the local doctor who is beginning to make her realise that maybe her relationship wasn't the fairy tale she thought it was. Add in models who want to have some fun, and another model whose parents are causing her nothing but headaches, and there seems to be a lot of drama in this beautiful place. Can Felicity make her dreams come true in all aspects of her life?
The setting in this story is my favourite part and the author has a wonderful way of drawing you into the magic of St. Moritz. I enjoyed the characters and have to say that Nell is my favourite. There is a lot going on and some parts of the book were a little bit slower than I would have liked, but overall, I enjoyed CHRISTMAS AT THE CHALET by Anita Hughes.