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A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall: The most gorgeously heartwarming Cornish Christmas romance of the year!
St a cosy Cornish village where friendships are made for life and it’s always cocktail hour somewhere… The perfect cosy read for fans of Phillipa Ashley, Trisha Ashley and Holly Martin! Christmas in a Cornish castle? Sign Ivy Starforth up! Hired to kit out the holiday rental as the world’s most Instagramable festive dreamland, there’s only one thing standing in the way of her hefty paycheque – the lord of the manor. Bill Markham could give Scrooge a run for his money but Ivy is firmly #TeamChristmas…even if her handsome host seems to be doing everything he can to sabotage her staging. Maybe she shouldn’t have stumbled in on him starkers in the hot tub? As the temperature outside cools, things inside the castle heat up. It’s been a long time since Ivy allowed herself to give in to temptation…surely one little kiss under the mistletoe won’t hurt?
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
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1108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
October 30, 2019
Deck the castle with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
Don we now our #TeamChristmas apparel
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
Troll the donkey sanctuary in a wheelbarrow
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Jane Linfoot has written a fun and festive story full of whimsy, cheer, and yummy goodies! This book is Christmas strong! It is a sweet and cozy (with a Z) story that is built around the holiday. Ivy is excited to spend Christmas in a castle helping her boss photograph the “perfect“ Instagram worthy Christmas. When she arrives at the castle two weeks before the family gets there to put on the finishing touches she finds a stark castle and a brooding man. Ivy however is not deterred, she is determined to turn this bleak castle into a festive palace. Christmas trees are brought in, decorations are ordered, A bunch of silver surfers arrive to help spruce the place up, and the castle begins to look a little like Christmas. What follows is mishaps, miscommunications, folly, whimsy, spoiled children, and donkeys.
Ivy was a great character and I liked the banter between Bill and her. Bill came with the castle Ivy had met him previously, there was chemistry between them but the timing was not right. The timing appears still not to be right both characters have a lot of baggage and some walls, not to mention that Ivy is all about Christmas and Bill is a bit of a Scrooge. When the family starts arriving things got a little chaotic and frantic there are a lot of family members, but I soon figured out who they all were and I thought the author did a good job of giving everyone a unique voice. Also one family had children with names that started with a T and another with a S. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments in this book especially one involving donkeys and a wheelbarrow. And the yummy goodies! So many delicious treats, my sweet tooth was going crazy! This was a delightful story that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of a festive Christmas book.
This book in emojis: 🎄 🐶 🏄🏻♂️ 🧁 🌟 ❄️
*** thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book ***
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
'Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
Don we now our #TeamChristmas apparel
Fa la la la la, la la la la (fa la la la la, la la la la)
Troll the donkey sanctuary in a wheelbarrow
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Jane Linfoot has written a fun and festive story full of whimsy, cheer, and yummy goodies! This book is Christmas strong! It is a sweet and cozy (with a Z) story that is built around the holiday. Ivy is excited to spend Christmas in a castle helping her boss photograph the “perfect“ Instagram worthy Christmas. When she arrives at the castle two weeks before the family gets there to put on the finishing touches she finds a stark castle and a brooding man. Ivy however is not deterred, she is determined to turn this bleak castle into a festive palace. Christmas trees are brought in, decorations are ordered, A bunch of silver surfers arrive to help spruce the place up, and the castle begins to look a little like Christmas. What follows is mishaps, miscommunications, folly, whimsy, spoiled children, and donkeys.
Ivy was a great character and I liked the banter between Bill and her. Bill came with the castle Ivy had met him previously, there was chemistry between them but the timing was not right. The timing appears still not to be right both characters have a lot of baggage and some walls, not to mention that Ivy is all about Christmas and Bill is a bit of a Scrooge. When the family starts arriving things got a little chaotic and frantic there are a lot of family members, but I soon figured out who they all were and I thought the author did a good job of giving everyone a unique voice. Also one family had children with names that started with a T and another with a S. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments in this book especially one involving donkeys and a wheelbarrow. And the yummy goodies! So many delicious treats, my sweet tooth was going crazy! This was a delightful story that I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of a festive Christmas book.
This book in emojis: 🎄 🐶 🏄🏻♂️ 🧁 🌟 ❄️
*** thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book ***
October 30, 2019
5☆ A Feel Good Read, Jam packed full of Christmas Charm, Will leave you Feeling Warm inside.
A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is a heart warming, festive, fun, flirty, rom com set in a gorgeous setting.
Oh and just have to say... how gorgeous is this book cover 😍
Ivy has arrived at the gorgeous Cornish Cockle Shell Castle with one thing on her mind....to help create the most beautifully Festive setting that is Instagram worthy.
But what Ivy doesn't realise that waiting for her is a blast from her past.... Bill....Hot, Sexy, Swoon Worthy, weak at the knees..... Bill... who she nearly had a fling with a while back.
But now she's single, his irritating her, being Grumpy, his Christmas Charm is virtually zero and to make matters worse ..... All the castle is fit for is Stag Dos!
What has she let herself in for!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Gorgeous Book. The title pretty much sums this book up perfectly. It's warm, cosy, jam packed full of Christmas Charms, it definitely will leave you smiling, laughing, giggling and feeling warm inside.
There are alot of quirky, interesting characters, but they just fit together perfectly.
Oh and I mustn't forget to mention Merwyn the adorable Fur Baby.
So if you are looking for a festive read, that has plenty of drama, mishaps, a lil bit of mayhem, a sprinkle of romance, lots of laugh out loud moments, plenty of Christmas Charm, then A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is definitely the book for you!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/1...
A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is a heart warming, festive, fun, flirty, rom com set in a gorgeous setting.
Oh and just have to say... how gorgeous is this book cover 😍
Ivy has arrived at the gorgeous Cornish Cockle Shell Castle with one thing on her mind....to help create the most beautifully Festive setting that is Instagram worthy.
But what Ivy doesn't realise that waiting for her is a blast from her past.... Bill....Hot, Sexy, Swoon Worthy, weak at the knees..... Bill... who she nearly had a fling with a while back.
But now she's single, his irritating her, being Grumpy, his Christmas Charm is virtually zero and to make matters worse ..... All the castle is fit for is Stag Dos!
What has she let herself in for!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Gorgeous Book. The title pretty much sums this book up perfectly. It's warm, cosy, jam packed full of Christmas Charms, it definitely will leave you smiling, laughing, giggling and feeling warm inside.
There are alot of quirky, interesting characters, but they just fit together perfectly.
Oh and I mustn't forget to mention Merwyn the adorable Fur Baby.
So if you are looking for a festive read, that has plenty of drama, mishaps, a lil bit of mayhem, a sprinkle of romance, lots of laugh out loud moments, plenty of Christmas Charm, then A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall is definitely the book for you!
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/1...
November 3, 2019
My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
… buying your own present might mean you forfeit those two seconds of amazement when it arrives. But the plus side is you get exactly what you want and you’re never disappointed.
And then there was a clatter of the phone being dropped, Fliss was telling Oscar not to lick his mango yogurt off the TV screen, and we got cut off. I must admit, conversations like this make me view the super-cute baby clothes in Daniels in a whole different light – the kind that has me whooshing off to Pet’s Corner. Five seconds listening to life on Fliss’s sofa is enough to remind me crooning over the tartan velvet coats and diamanté dog collars is a whole lot safer. Even if they cost ten times more than the human versions they’re cheap at the price when you consider what they’re saving you from.
It’s what my dad would call a FISH moment – frig it, shit happens.
Let’s face it, given the choice between teensy trousers or buttercream, in theory it’s great to say you’d go without and be skinny. But get a hundred percent real and squishy cupcake in your hand and it’s a whole other story. You’re mostly left with an empty bun case and a bad case of guilty regret before you even get around to thinking about your choice. I mean, who wants to be strong willed and skinny anyway, it’s hideous and boring and everyone despises you for it.
Tansy has a go at our eyebrows, and we all end up looking like we had an accident in the dark with a Sharpie and have to go and scrub them off.
I’m going to take a second to relive the last ten minutes, wrap them very carefully in tissue paper, and tuck them away in my safest memory box.
My Review:
This is my third time reading this clever and insightful author and have just realized what a witty and cunning minx she truly is. Her characters tend to be complicated and multi-faceted and not always likable, yet there are always numerous reasons behind that and quite a few layers to go through to get there, so patience and forbearance were required but trust me, the HEA reward was well worth the effort. The busy, lively, and highly amusing storylines were well-balanced in tone, cast with an unusually peculiar yet intriguing and quirky slate of characters, and hit all the feels with agile levity as well as vividly described and shrewdly detailed observations.
The eventful story occurred over a two-week span in preparations for a wealthy and extremely driven and exacting client’s family Christmas holiday and was written from the first-person POV of Ivy, whose name should have been Rose or Thorn, as she was rather prickly. She was stridently bossy, rude, snappish, judgmental, and demanding towards the yummy Bill, the unfortunate man providing the venue which happened to be a castle. Ivy seemed to have a rather large yardstick wedged in an uncomfortable place, and there were several regrettable reasons for that, but until those causalities were fully enumerated, I had a difficult time appreciating Ivy, but I got there, as did she.
I gained a fun new entry for my Brit Word List with wodge, which is British informal for a large or bulky amount. Bill must have had a wodge of money to splash out for Dior Fahrenheit cologne as after Ivy’s obsessive mentions of his delicious scent I looked it up thinking of a possible gift for my husband. Regrettably, my wallet seized and my credit card melted at the cost. ;)
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
… buying your own present might mean you forfeit those two seconds of amazement when it arrives. But the plus side is you get exactly what you want and you’re never disappointed.
And then there was a clatter of the phone being dropped, Fliss was telling Oscar not to lick his mango yogurt off the TV screen, and we got cut off. I must admit, conversations like this make me view the super-cute baby clothes in Daniels in a whole different light – the kind that has me whooshing off to Pet’s Corner. Five seconds listening to life on Fliss’s sofa is enough to remind me crooning over the tartan velvet coats and diamanté dog collars is a whole lot safer. Even if they cost ten times more than the human versions they’re cheap at the price when you consider what they’re saving you from.
It’s what my dad would call a FISH moment – frig it, shit happens.
Let’s face it, given the choice between teensy trousers or buttercream, in theory it’s great to say you’d go without and be skinny. But get a hundred percent real and squishy cupcake in your hand and it’s a whole other story. You’re mostly left with an empty bun case and a bad case of guilty regret before you even get around to thinking about your choice. I mean, who wants to be strong willed and skinny anyway, it’s hideous and boring and everyone despises you for it.
Tansy has a go at our eyebrows, and we all end up looking like we had an accident in the dark with a Sharpie and have to go and scrub them off.
I’m going to take a second to relive the last ten minutes, wrap them very carefully in tissue paper, and tuck them away in my safest memory box.
My Review:
This is my third time reading this clever and insightful author and have just realized what a witty and cunning minx she truly is. Her characters tend to be complicated and multi-faceted and not always likable, yet there are always numerous reasons behind that and quite a few layers to go through to get there, so patience and forbearance were required but trust me, the HEA reward was well worth the effort. The busy, lively, and highly amusing storylines were well-balanced in tone, cast with an unusually peculiar yet intriguing and quirky slate of characters, and hit all the feels with agile levity as well as vividly described and shrewdly detailed observations.
The eventful story occurred over a two-week span in preparations for a wealthy and extremely driven and exacting client’s family Christmas holiday and was written from the first-person POV of Ivy, whose name should have been Rose or Thorn, as she was rather prickly. She was stridently bossy, rude, snappish, judgmental, and demanding towards the yummy Bill, the unfortunate man providing the venue which happened to be a castle. Ivy seemed to have a rather large yardstick wedged in an uncomfortable place, and there were several regrettable reasons for that, but until those causalities were fully enumerated, I had a difficult time appreciating Ivy, but I got there, as did she.
I gained a fun new entry for my Brit Word List with wodge, which is British informal for a large or bulky amount. Bill must have had a wodge of money to splash out for Dior Fahrenheit cologne as after Ivy’s obsessive mentions of his delicious scent I looked it up thinking of a possible gift for my husband. Regrettably, my wallet seized and my credit card melted at the cost. ;)
October 23, 2019
OMG! Can anyone pass up this cute read after seeing that stunning cover? Ya, you got it right folks, I was hooked the moment I saw it. And as for the story . . . let's just say I gained a few pounds after reading. Well, that's my advice to you. If you are on a diet, then keep away.
There is a whole bunch of characters to confuse you in the beginning and you get to know how frustrated Ivy feels at the start. But optimism and determination always win the day. Considering the way she is wounded on last Christmas, this is a truly remarkable feat. With the kids' gang behaving more like grownups even with all the stubbornness, this Christmas in a Cornish castle brings healing to all.
Linfoot is known to make wonders with words and she has done it again. Reading this book was like being part of the festivities in the castle. And the banter and wit was quite something to go by. The wry humour that pops up from each page had me snorting with laughter. The fact that Ivy is accident-prone must have contributed to this a lot.
A miraculous love, a dog that is almost human, shopping with friends and some mouth-watering dishes to savour . . . what is more to wish? This is a cosy Christmas indeed.
There is a whole bunch of characters to confuse you in the beginning and you get to know how frustrated Ivy feels at the start. But optimism and determination always win the day. Considering the way she is wounded on last Christmas, this is a truly remarkable feat. With the kids' gang behaving more like grownups even with all the stubbornness, this Christmas in a Cornish castle brings healing to all.
Linfoot is known to make wonders with words and she has done it again. Reading this book was like being part of the festivities in the castle. And the banter and wit was quite something to go by. The wry humour that pops up from each page had me snorting with laughter. The fact that Ivy is accident-prone must have contributed to this a lot.
A miraculous love, a dog that is almost human, shopping with friends and some mouth-watering dishes to savour . . . what is more to wish? This is a cosy Christmas indeed.
October 19, 2019
I love Christmas stories, I enjoy romance, I enjoy humour and I like to have characters I can connect to, so, this book was a winner all the way around. This is the first book I have read by Jane Linfoot, but it will definitely not be my last.
When I first started the story, I felt like I was dropped in the middle of something, but very quickly it all sorted itself out. Ivy was hired to help Libby with her Christmas Instagram presence. She headed off to the castle Libby rented for two weeks to prepare the last minute touches. What she was not prepared for was a rather small, unadorned, sparsely furnished castle, with no wifi, minimal phone reception and the man she had pined over for years. Bill was just as shocked to see Ivy. What follows is a flurry of decorating and preparing for Christmas celebrations for 20 plus.
I enjoyed this Christmas story with all its bumps. The characters are all flawed and/or dealing with something. We have spoiled children, marriages falling apart, a woman in her sixties who is desperate to get married, a bunch of happy go luck senior surfers, overachievers, and two main characters with a lot of baggage. They spend two whirlwind weeks togethers and find out that there is so much more to life than vlogs, instagram, videogames and shopping. Ivy and Bill two-step around each other, neither wanting to take the first step to begin a relationship. They both have baggage to overcome first and they eventually help each other to do that. I love Bill's father. He is so easygoing and smart too. The kids even chilled out and began to enjoy this no-technology holiday. I will say there were a lot of characters and I often had to stop and figure out which child was speaking, but that didn't deter my enjoyment of this story.
This was a good Christmas story with the spirit of Christmas shining through. There were a lot of humorous moments where I laughed out loud, particularly the incident at the donkey sanctuary. I particularly enjoyed the ending of the story as it wrapped up all the various situations and storylines nicely. A Christmas story that I recommend to anyone who loves Christmas, romance, family relationships and second chances. I received a copy of this book from the publisher upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
When I first started the story, I felt like I was dropped in the middle of something, but very quickly it all sorted itself out. Ivy was hired to help Libby with her Christmas Instagram presence. She headed off to the castle Libby rented for two weeks to prepare the last minute touches. What she was not prepared for was a rather small, unadorned, sparsely furnished castle, with no wifi, minimal phone reception and the man she had pined over for years. Bill was just as shocked to see Ivy. What follows is a flurry of decorating and preparing for Christmas celebrations for 20 plus.
I enjoyed this Christmas story with all its bumps. The characters are all flawed and/or dealing with something. We have spoiled children, marriages falling apart, a woman in her sixties who is desperate to get married, a bunch of happy go luck senior surfers, overachievers, and two main characters with a lot of baggage. They spend two whirlwind weeks togethers and find out that there is so much more to life than vlogs, instagram, videogames and shopping. Ivy and Bill two-step around each other, neither wanting to take the first step to begin a relationship. They both have baggage to overcome first and they eventually help each other to do that. I love Bill's father. He is so easygoing and smart too. The kids even chilled out and began to enjoy this no-technology holiday. I will say there were a lot of characters and I often had to stop and figure out which child was speaking, but that didn't deter my enjoyment of this story.
This was a good Christmas story with the spirit of Christmas shining through. There were a lot of humorous moments where I laughed out loud, particularly the incident at the donkey sanctuary. I particularly enjoyed the ending of the story as it wrapped up all the various situations and storylines nicely. A Christmas story that I recommend to anyone who loves Christmas, romance, family relationships and second chances. I received a copy of this book from the publisher upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
October 12, 2019
This title couldn't be more apt if it tried. It's certainly a cosy read, it's full of Christmas fun and it's set in a castle in Cornwall.
We have Ivy who feels she needs to make Christmas perfect for everyone else after the previous year ended in disaster.
And Bill who Ivy has met years ago as the grumpy not overly festive at all. But he was the one that let out his castle for a massive family of 20 for 2 weeks.
And Ivy somehow needs to turn this sparse castle more suited to stag parties into a homely space full of festive feeling before her best friend, her best friends sister, and that sisters sort of frenemy and all their kids descend.
To say there are many characters would be an understatement. But they all have such distinct personalities that I never felt lost.
I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this story. All the Christmas activities really got me into the mood.
So many fabulous little touches, secrets to uncover, Instagram worthy picture perfect moments to be had. Was Jane Linfoot at her very best.
And I loved the mentions of nearby St Aidan the setting of many other of the as authors fab books.
There is even a cute dog, some donkeys and the most adorable pony too at points in the book.
What more could a Christmas book lover want. This was a winter wonderland of festive goodness. I loved it!!
Thank you to One More Chapter on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
We have Ivy who feels she needs to make Christmas perfect for everyone else after the previous year ended in disaster.
And Bill who Ivy has met years ago as the grumpy not overly festive at all. But he was the one that let out his castle for a massive family of 20 for 2 weeks.
And Ivy somehow needs to turn this sparse castle more suited to stag parties into a homely space full of festive feeling before her best friend, her best friends sister, and that sisters sort of frenemy and all their kids descend.
To say there are many characters would be an understatement. But they all have such distinct personalities that I never felt lost.
I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this story. All the Christmas activities really got me into the mood.
So many fabulous little touches, secrets to uncover, Instagram worthy picture perfect moments to be had. Was Jane Linfoot at her very best.
And I loved the mentions of nearby St Aidan the setting of many other of the as authors fab books.
There is even a cute dog, some donkeys and the most adorable pony too at points in the book.
What more could a Christmas book lover want. This was a winter wonderland of festive goodness. I loved it!!
Thank you to One More Chapter on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,
October 12, 2019
This was a cute story where the characters were enthusiastic in the beginning of the book, a bit too jolly for my liking. It felt as if everyone was clamoring for my interest. Luckily for me, they settled down after the initial flurry when the cold days started.
Ivy was given the task to give a makeover to a rental at the Cockle Shell Castle and make it Instagram ready for Christmas. Only the owner seemed to be uncooperative, and he turned out to be her long-ago panty melting, bust heaving crush. I liked their clashes in the present time, made me smile. Ivy had to work with different people to make it all come together. The newcomers too seemed to be in different stages of their relationships. Things went deep and crip in the book.
My first book by author Jane Linfoot, the story was cute in some aspects and in some, I was overwhelmed with the number of characters. The book soon settled in the second half, and I could enjoy their journey down the book.
This was a good Christmas read, the spirit of it was well captured in the vibes the chapters gave off. There were a lot of humorous moments that had me smiling, donkey sanctuary was one of them. Written in only Ivy's point of view, it was fun to see her scampering about trying to douse the relationship fires, including her own which she wanted to increase.
Overall, a cute, completely over the top Christmassy read. The chapter headings too reflected the merry cheer.
Ivy was given the task to give a makeover to a rental at the Cockle Shell Castle and make it Instagram ready for Christmas. Only the owner seemed to be uncooperative, and he turned out to be her long-ago panty melting, bust heaving crush. I liked their clashes in the present time, made me smile. Ivy had to work with different people to make it all come together. The newcomers too seemed to be in different stages of their relationships. Things went deep and crip in the book.
My first book by author Jane Linfoot, the story was cute in some aspects and in some, I was overwhelmed with the number of characters. The book soon settled in the second half, and I could enjoy their journey down the book.
This was a good Christmas read, the spirit of it was well captured in the vibes the chapters gave off. There were a lot of humorous moments that had me smiling, donkey sanctuary was one of them. Written in only Ivy's point of view, it was fun to see her scampering about trying to douse the relationship fires, including her own which she wanted to increase.
Overall, a cute, completely over the top Christmassy read. The chapter headings too reflected the merry cheer.
October 8, 2019
It took me until about a quarter of the way in to get into this festive offering but then I quickly found my stride.
Ivy is tasked with making Cockle Shell Castle look instagram-ready in time for Christmas. The castle owner just happens to be someone (Bill) that she shared a Chamonix holiday with previously (with other friends including Bill's girlfriend) and who she clearly has a crush on. There is a lot of playful banter between them that I adored!
The castle is starkly bare of any decorations and this is definitely a Christmas read as there is a lot of talk about trees and decorations to spruce (see what I did there...) up the rooms so I definitely feel like this is one to be read in the final lead up to Christmas to help get you in the festive mood!
There are a whole host of characters that turn up at the castle and I got confused at times but overall it was a really solid read that kept the pages turning and really does lighten the mood.
My many thanks to Harper Impulse and Killer Reads (One More Chapter) via NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Ivy is tasked with making Cockle Shell Castle look instagram-ready in time for Christmas. The castle owner just happens to be someone (Bill) that she shared a Chamonix holiday with previously (with other friends including Bill's girlfriend) and who she clearly has a crush on. There is a lot of playful banter between them that I adored!
The castle is starkly bare of any decorations and this is definitely a Christmas read as there is a lot of talk about trees and decorations to spruce (see what I did there...) up the rooms so I definitely feel like this is one to be read in the final lead up to Christmas to help get you in the festive mood!
There are a whole host of characters that turn up at the castle and I got confused at times but overall it was a really solid read that kept the pages turning and really does lighten the mood.
My many thanks to Harper Impulse and Killer Reads (One More Chapter) via NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2020
You can read all my review on Blog - Books Teacup and Reviews
A Cozy Christmas in Cornwall was sweet and delicious Chick-Lit that revolved around Ivy and her very dramatic but cozy Christmas in a Cornish castle. It was about living life at fullest no matter how many times life throws you down, standing up and kicking the troubles in back, take control of life and move on; not to settle for something or someone that makes you unhappy and turn into something that you’re not comfortable with; about Christmas, a holiday of good thing and good luck; and of course romance.
Writing was amazing, smooth, and detailed. The setting was extra amazing. This was perfect Christmas read and I’m kicking myself for not reading it in December. But I love Christmas books I can read them any time of the year. Story was first person narrative in Ivy’s lovely and cheering voice.
It started with Ivy arriving at castle in Cornwall two days earlier her boss arrives. She was given a job by her best friend’s sister, Libby who rented castle for fortnight. Her job was to decorate castle for Christmas and make it Instagram worthy. But when she arrived last thing she was expecting was a hot and gorgeous Bill, the caretaker of castle, skinny dipping in hot tub. Moreover, she knew him and was day dreaming about him since they met 7 years ago. To make things even worse castle was nothing like advert Libby had seen. Clearly Bill duped them and he was so stingy with money he would make uncle scrooge look a lot better. Only thing that could save Ivy’s job and herself from Libby’s apoplectic wrath was take things in her hand and make castle worthy enough to Libby’s standard and her Instagram pictures. For that she needed to work with Bill who was being hard and uncooperative.
I was curious to see how Ivy was going to make castle beautiful and Christmassy, how she would bend Bill to her will, make him spend some money for decorations, and if she would let go her past and give herself and love a second chance.
Ivy was amazing character and I could feel her cheery and exuberant nature exuding out of kindle into atmosphere. Nobody could say how much broken and low she felt inside. It was terrible what she had gone though in past year. Even though what she felt, she lived for others and for Christmas. It was her nature but after what happened to her, it turned into her need. I loved how she came out of her grief and sadness and healed over this two week and the way she found peace and happiness in Christmas. But of course that didn’t come easily.
Bill/Will– Yup there was two name for same character, but I will call him Bill- was great in the story too. It was so easy to dislike him even with his good luck which were marred by that permanent scowl on his face. He wouldn’t spend a penny even though he tricked Libby by putting false advert and moreover he was putting so many rules for Ivy and other guests. But as Ivy took control over him and situation, I could see his different side. It was easy to guess something was wrong with this guy and when it was revealed, oh my, he was carrying so much burden and was drowning in sadness and heartache. That revelations was surprising turn. Totally unexpected and I felt so sorry for him. But Ivy star helped him gather his pieces, face his problems.
Both Bill and Ivy’s friendship was great. I enjoyed their banter, loved the way they found middle ground, put aside their differences and worked as perfect #TeamChristmas. I loved reading their slowly developing friendship and love. They both deserved happiness.
I loved Fliss (Ivy’s best friend) and Libby’s family. I must tell Miranda (their mother) was most amazing and attracted most attention. Theirs was quirky family and to top that quirkiness there was Twiglets (Libby’s friend Willow and her family). There were many characters and many kids but they were all introduced perfectly, I didn’t ever confused with who was who and I loved their characteristics. Each were different from other and had their own problems. At first I thought I wouldn’t want to spend Christmas with these lot but they all developed as Christmas arrived.
There was so much drama and hilarious moments. Falling with Christmas needles poking in face, ghostly orgasm, donkey dung shower, grumpy and wailing kids who refused to enjoy Wi-Fi-less Christmas, breakfast baking wars between Bill and Milo and some more… It was fun to read all disasters and amazing to see how much Ivy worked to make things better and Christmas a cheerful time.
Food alert- this book made me craving for cakes and pastries and whatever is called baked and sweet. I really wondered how characters could eat so many delicious baked sweets every day. Even I got imaginary diabetes and extra fats after reading this.
After many hilarious and some sad turns finally mistletoe and Christmas waved its magical charm on all the characters and they all found their happy ending. I felt the story was a bit slow but it was not a big issue for me and Ivy Star needs all stars.
Overall, it was sweet, lovely, entertaining and cozy chick-lit that I highly recommend.
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to publisher and Rachel. ***
A Cozy Christmas in Cornwall was sweet and delicious Chick-Lit that revolved around Ivy and her very dramatic but cozy Christmas in a Cornish castle. It was about living life at fullest no matter how many times life throws you down, standing up and kicking the troubles in back, take control of life and move on; not to settle for something or someone that makes you unhappy and turn into something that you’re not comfortable with; about Christmas, a holiday of good thing and good luck; and of course romance.
Writing was amazing, smooth, and detailed. The setting was extra amazing. This was perfect Christmas read and I’m kicking myself for not reading it in December. But I love Christmas books I can read them any time of the year. Story was first person narrative in Ivy’s lovely and cheering voice.
It started with Ivy arriving at castle in Cornwall two days earlier her boss arrives. She was given a job by her best friend’s sister, Libby who rented castle for fortnight. Her job was to decorate castle for Christmas and make it Instagram worthy. But when she arrived last thing she was expecting was a hot and gorgeous Bill, the caretaker of castle, skinny dipping in hot tub. Moreover, she knew him and was day dreaming about him since they met 7 years ago. To make things even worse castle was nothing like advert Libby had seen. Clearly Bill duped them and he was so stingy with money he would make uncle scrooge look a lot better. Only thing that could save Ivy’s job and herself from Libby’s apoplectic wrath was take things in her hand and make castle worthy enough to Libby’s standard and her Instagram pictures. For that she needed to work with Bill who was being hard and uncooperative.
I was curious to see how Ivy was going to make castle beautiful and Christmassy, how she would bend Bill to her will, make him spend some money for decorations, and if she would let go her past and give herself and love a second chance.
Ivy was amazing character and I could feel her cheery and exuberant nature exuding out of kindle into atmosphere. Nobody could say how much broken and low she felt inside. It was terrible what she had gone though in past year. Even though what she felt, she lived for others and for Christmas. It was her nature but after what happened to her, it turned into her need. I loved how she came out of her grief and sadness and healed over this two week and the way she found peace and happiness in Christmas. But of course that didn’t come easily.
Bill/Will– Yup there was two name for same character, but I will call him Bill- was great in the story too. It was so easy to dislike him even with his good luck which were marred by that permanent scowl on his face. He wouldn’t spend a penny even though he tricked Libby by putting false advert and moreover he was putting so many rules for Ivy and other guests. But as Ivy took control over him and situation, I could see his different side. It was easy to guess something was wrong with this guy and when it was revealed, oh my, he was carrying so much burden and was drowning in sadness and heartache. That revelations was surprising turn. Totally unexpected and I felt so sorry for him. But Ivy star helped him gather his pieces, face his problems.
Both Bill and Ivy’s friendship was great. I enjoyed their banter, loved the way they found middle ground, put aside their differences and worked as perfect #TeamChristmas. I loved reading their slowly developing friendship and love. They both deserved happiness.
I loved Fliss (Ivy’s best friend) and Libby’s family. I must tell Miranda (their mother) was most amazing and attracted most attention. Theirs was quirky family and to top that quirkiness there was Twiglets (Libby’s friend Willow and her family). There were many characters and many kids but they were all introduced perfectly, I didn’t ever confused with who was who and I loved their characteristics. Each were different from other and had their own problems. At first I thought I wouldn’t want to spend Christmas with these lot but they all developed as Christmas arrived.
There was so much drama and hilarious moments. Falling with Christmas needles poking in face, ghostly orgasm, donkey dung shower, grumpy and wailing kids who refused to enjoy Wi-Fi-less Christmas, breakfast baking wars between Bill and Milo and some more… It was fun to read all disasters and amazing to see how much Ivy worked to make things better and Christmas a cheerful time.
Food alert- this book made me craving for cakes and pastries and whatever is called baked and sweet. I really wondered how characters could eat so many delicious baked sweets every day. Even I got imaginary diabetes and extra fats after reading this.
After many hilarious and some sad turns finally mistletoe and Christmas waved its magical charm on all the characters and they all found their happy ending. I felt the story was a bit slow but it was not a big issue for me and Ivy Star needs all stars.
Overall, it was sweet, lovely, entertaining and cozy chick-lit that I highly recommend.
*** Note: I received e-copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to publisher and Rachel. ***
September 27, 2020
Was ich an dem Buch mochte?
Ich mochte an dem Buch das Cover, denn es stimmt einen auf Weihnachten wunderbar ein, allerdings hat es mich als Leserin auch in die Irre geführt. Ich habe einen idyllischen, langsamen Roman erwartet, indem ich versinken kann, aber dieses Buch ist auf Humor aufgebaut. Für mich also damit ein Fehlgriff geworden, weil ich einfach vom Cover etwas anderes erwartet hätte.
Was ich auch mochte war das Setting, denn das ist ein Schloss an den Klippen von Cornwall.
Was ich an dem Buch nicht mochte?
Wir hatten ja oben schon, dass ich schlicht etwas anderes erwartet hatte bei dem Cover und es daher ein Fehlgriff wurde. Die erhoffte Atmosphäre und der Zauber des Settings konnte sich bei dem Scheibstil für mich nicht entfalten.
Es ist ein humorvoller Frauenroman dessen Humor auf Missgeschicken, Peinlichkeiten und überzogenen Charakteren aufbaut. Ich fand es nicht lustig, aber Humor ist ja auch eine sehr persönliche Sachen.
Die Charaktere empfand ich als eher unsympathisch und sie wurden für mich aber auch einfach nicht zu realen Personen.
Fazit: Das Cover hat mich auf die falsche Fährte geführt. Diese Art von Romanen und Humor ist einfach nichts für mich. Leider konnte er mich nicht in weihnachtliche Stimmung versetzen.
Ich kann mir aber gut vorstellen, dass es jemanden gut gefallen könnte, der einen lustigen Frauenroman mit Weihnachtssetting sucht.
Ich mochte an dem Buch das Cover, denn es stimmt einen auf Weihnachten wunderbar ein, allerdings hat es mich als Leserin auch in die Irre geführt. Ich habe einen idyllischen, langsamen Roman erwartet, indem ich versinken kann, aber dieses Buch ist auf Humor aufgebaut. Für mich also damit ein Fehlgriff geworden, weil ich einfach vom Cover etwas anderes erwartet hätte.
Was ich auch mochte war das Setting, denn das ist ein Schloss an den Klippen von Cornwall.
Was ich an dem Buch nicht mochte?
Wir hatten ja oben schon, dass ich schlicht etwas anderes erwartet hatte bei dem Cover und es daher ein Fehlgriff wurde. Die erhoffte Atmosphäre und der Zauber des Settings konnte sich bei dem Scheibstil für mich nicht entfalten.
Es ist ein humorvoller Frauenroman dessen Humor auf Missgeschicken, Peinlichkeiten und überzogenen Charakteren aufbaut. Ich fand es nicht lustig, aber Humor ist ja auch eine sehr persönliche Sachen.
Die Charaktere empfand ich als eher unsympathisch und sie wurden für mich aber auch einfach nicht zu realen Personen.
Fazit: Das Cover hat mich auf die falsche Fährte geführt. Diese Art von Romanen und Humor ist einfach nichts für mich. Leider konnte er mich nicht in weihnachtliche Stimmung versetzen.
Ich kann mir aber gut vorstellen, dass es jemanden gut gefallen könnte, der einen lustigen Frauenroman mit Weihnachtssetting sucht.
December 15, 2023
Ich hoffe, die Freundin, von der ich das Hörbuch bekommen habe, hat das Buch nicht selbst gelesen. Denn wenn sie wirklich glaubt, dass mir so etwas gefallen könnte, dann hat sie ein ganz falsches Bild von mir ^^
Das Buch würde ich dem "humoristischen" ChickLit Genre - im schlechtesten Sinne - zuordnen. Ich möchte wenigstens ein Minimum an Glaubhaftigkeit, aber hier ist alles bis ins letzte Detail überzogen. Kinder, die die verzogesten Rotzgören sind, ein "lustiges" Hündchen, in dessen Leine man sich immer verheddert, eine sexbesessene Mutter, die komplette Palette an Geschlechterklischees... Ich hab wirklich jeden dieser pseudo-lustigen Momente gehasst!
Dann noch diese tragische Hintergrundgeschichte der Protagonistin, die dem Buch Tiefe geben sollte, aber in zwei Seiten abgefrühstückt wird..
Nach ca. 40 Prozent habe ich vorgespult und nur noch Auszüge gehört und das hat mir schon gereicht. Ich hab selten so einen Schrott gelesen.
Das Buch würde ich dem "humoristischen" ChickLit Genre - im schlechtesten Sinne - zuordnen. Ich möchte wenigstens ein Minimum an Glaubhaftigkeit, aber hier ist alles bis ins letzte Detail überzogen. Kinder, die die verzogesten Rotzgören sind, ein "lustiges" Hündchen, in dessen Leine man sich immer verheddert, eine sexbesessene Mutter, die komplette Palette an Geschlechterklischees... Ich hab wirklich jeden dieser pseudo-lustigen Momente gehasst!
Dann noch diese tragische Hintergrundgeschichte der Protagonistin, die dem Buch Tiefe geben sollte, aber in zwei Seiten abgefrühstückt wird..
Nach ca. 40 Prozent habe ich vorgespult und nur noch Auszüge gehört und das hat mir schon gereicht. Ich hab selten so einen Schrott gelesen.
October 21, 2019
What a delightful festive read which totally lives up to its title this story proved to be!
Ivy Starforth really is a star. She's been given the task of helping create the right setting for lots of Instagram festive shots by arriving early at the already flamboyant Cornish Castle that her friends and others will be staying at for two weeks of festivities. The only problem is they've accidentally hired a different castle - one that is more used to catering for minimalistic Stag parties rather than festive families. She's already got her hands full creating the required setting but when she discovers that the man in charge is someone she met years ago whilst on holiday with her now ex and that he is not exactly full of seasonal joy or anticipation, there are going to be problems!
Last Christmas was filled with unhappy memories and Ivy literally still has the scars to prove it. Despite that, she's eager to ensure all goes well for the twenty guests staying at the castle and, with help from the silver surfers, she's going to do her best to sort it out for everyone but doesn't expect anything for herself. They say never appear with children or animals and Ivy is about to have a Christmas with both!
This is a fun read, one where so many of the attitudes and behaviours of the characters are altered by their interactions. There are lots of laugh out loud moments, though the one at the donkey sanctuary has to be one of my favourites - though I'm really glad it happened to Ivy and not me. Bill is a reluctant hero so much of the story, though there are times when I had to wonder just what he was hiding. There are great revelations at the end which tie up all the lose ends and put that grin back on my face.
If you enjoy festive family stories, packed with humour, mishaps and romance, grab yourself a copy of this lovely story and have yourself a cosy Christmas read, wherever you may be.
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.
Ivy Starforth really is a star. She's been given the task of helping create the right setting for lots of Instagram festive shots by arriving early at the already flamboyant Cornish Castle that her friends and others will be staying at for two weeks of festivities. The only problem is they've accidentally hired a different castle - one that is more used to catering for minimalistic Stag parties rather than festive families. She's already got her hands full creating the required setting but when she discovers that the man in charge is someone she met years ago whilst on holiday with her now ex and that he is not exactly full of seasonal joy or anticipation, there are going to be problems!
Last Christmas was filled with unhappy memories and Ivy literally still has the scars to prove it. Despite that, she's eager to ensure all goes well for the twenty guests staying at the castle and, with help from the silver surfers, she's going to do her best to sort it out for everyone but doesn't expect anything for herself. They say never appear with children or animals and Ivy is about to have a Christmas with both!
This is a fun read, one where so many of the attitudes and behaviours of the characters are altered by their interactions. There are lots of laugh out loud moments, though the one at the donkey sanctuary has to be one of my favourites - though I'm really glad it happened to Ivy and not me. Bill is a reluctant hero so much of the story, though there are times when I had to wonder just what he was hiding. There are great revelations at the end which tie up all the lose ends and put that grin back on my face.
If you enjoy festive family stories, packed with humour, mishaps and romance, grab yourself a copy of this lovely story and have yourself a cosy Christmas read, wherever you may be.
I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.
October 21, 2020
Kein Buch für mich. Irgendwie bin ich gar nicht in dieses Buch reingekommen. Ivy kommt in Cornwall an, das gebuchte Traumschloss stellt sich als uneingerichtete Location heraus, die eigentlich für Jungesellenabschiede genutzt wird und statt Glamourfaktor mehr Jugendherbergsflair hat. Trotzdem beschließt Ivy daraus ein Winterwonderland zu machen. Für mich ohne Budget eher unrealistisch.
Dazu kommt die dauernde Schwärmerei für Bill / Will (dessen Namensänderung ich nicht verstanden habe), die Ivy in einen pubertierenden Teenager verwandelt. Dass sie nicht in der Lage ist über sich selbst und ihr Leben ehrlich zu sprechen, hat mich zunehmend genervt. Mir ist klar, dass die Geschichte es erfordert, dass man sich nach und nach kennenlernt, aber wenn man direkt nach dem ehemaligen Verlobten gefragt wird, kann man auch ehrlich antworten und muss sich nicht irgendwelche Dinge ausdenken. Und auch das “ ich rede nicht über meinen Autounfall“ Getue, fand ich nervend.
Vielleicht war es nicht der richtige Zeitpunkt für mich und das Buch, aber zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt kann ich leider nur sagen: Satz mit x, das war nix.
Dazu kommt die dauernde Schwärmerei für Bill / Will (dessen Namensänderung ich nicht verstanden habe), die Ivy in einen pubertierenden Teenager verwandelt. Dass sie nicht in der Lage ist über sich selbst und ihr Leben ehrlich zu sprechen, hat mich zunehmend genervt. Mir ist klar, dass die Geschichte es erfordert, dass man sich nach und nach kennenlernt, aber wenn man direkt nach dem ehemaligen Verlobten gefragt wird, kann man auch ehrlich antworten und muss sich nicht irgendwelche Dinge ausdenken. Und auch das “ ich rede nicht über meinen Autounfall“ Getue, fand ich nervend.
Vielleicht war es nicht der richtige Zeitpunkt für mich und das Buch, aber zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt kann ich leider nur sagen: Satz mit x, das war nix.
October 19, 2019
A charming Christmas read that left me with a warm glow.
Linfoot is fast becoming one of my goto authors she combines the perfect amount of funny, cringeworthy, serious and heartfelt moments to make the most wonderful feel-good reads.
Ivy is hired to make Instagram-worthy pictures in a castle in Cornwall at Christmas - frankly, she would have done if for free but is happy to have the added bonus of a paycheck! Of course, nothing is plain sailing and the owner Bill (Scrooge personified) is not helping matters at all.... can they turn it around and make this a Christmas for the memory books or will it be one they would rather forget?
The characters are fabulous, they really jump off the page making you feel like you are sitting in the corner of the castle alongside them and their festive frolics. Brimming with, humour and hear this is the perfect holiday read.
Linfoot is fast becoming one of my goto authors she combines the perfect amount of funny, cringeworthy, serious and heartfelt moments to make the most wonderful feel-good reads.
Ivy is hired to make Instagram-worthy pictures in a castle in Cornwall at Christmas - frankly, she would have done if for free but is happy to have the added bonus of a paycheck! Of course, nothing is plain sailing and the owner Bill (Scrooge personified) is not helping matters at all.... can they turn it around and make this a Christmas for the memory books or will it be one they would rather forget?
The characters are fabulous, they really jump off the page making you feel like you are sitting in the corner of the castle alongside them and their festive frolics. Brimming with, humour and hear this is the perfect holiday read.
March 20, 2020
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
This was such a gorgeous story – and I LOVE that cover!!
I thought this was a lovely story, it was one that wrapped me up and gave me a big warm hug! The location was fantastic and the author has an excellent writing style that brought it all to life for me.
The author has created some superb characters and I really loved getting to know them as the book progressed, and they are definitely people I want to read more about!
I thought that this was a lovely right from cover to cover and it is 5 stars from me for this one, very highly recommended and it is another excellent story by this author – can’t wait to read what she releases next now!!
This was such a gorgeous story – and I LOVE that cover!!
I thought this was a lovely story, it was one that wrapped me up and gave me a big warm hug! The location was fantastic and the author has an excellent writing style that brought it all to life for me.
The author has created some superb characters and I really loved getting to know them as the book progressed, and they are definitely people I want to read more about!
I thought that this was a lovely right from cover to cover and it is 5 stars from me for this one, very highly recommended and it is another excellent story by this author – can’t wait to read what she releases next now!!
gave-up
November 25, 2020DNF @36%
"A cosy Christmas in Cornwall" really got me with its cover and the premise. I was really looking forward to join Invy in her job remodeling the castle and making it Christmassy.
Unfortunately from the beginning I didn't get into the story at all. I found everything very confusing and had a hard time following the story. I was hoping that this would change the more I got into the story but it didn't and that is why I decided to gave up on the book at 36%.
I couldn't find anything festive in the book, although there was so much potential with the plan of decorating the castle. Instead the author was describing unimportant things like the dog. For me there was a huge lack in world-building and atmosphere, as well as in the characters which remained very shallow to me.
"A cosy Christmas in Cornwall" really got me with its cover and the premise. I was really looking forward to join Invy in her job remodeling the castle and making it Christmassy.
Unfortunately from the beginning I didn't get into the story at all. I found everything very confusing and had a hard time following the story. I was hoping that this would change the more I got into the story but it didn't and that is why I decided to gave up on the book at 36%.
I couldn't find anything festive in the book, although there was so much potential with the plan of decorating the castle. Instead the author was describing unimportant things like the dog. For me there was a huge lack in world-building and atmosphere, as well as in the characters which remained very shallow to me.
September 19, 2020
Rezension
Buchname: Ein verschneites Weihnachtsfest in Cornwall
Autor: Jane Linfoot
Seiten: 464 (Print)
Fromat: als Print und Ebook erhältlich
Verlag: HarperCollins; 1. Auflage (25. August 2020)
Sterne: 5
Cover:
Das Cover ist richtig schön gestaltet worden. Der Buchtitel steht in roten Buchstaben im unteren Bereich. Man sieht ein verschneite bzw weihnachtlich dekorierte Straße auf dem Cover. .. Auf dem ersten Blick ist das schon mal sehr ansprechend.
Klappentext: (aus Amazon übernommen)
Ein Dezember, den man nie vergisst!
Weihnachten auf einem Schloss in Cornwall! Ivy ist begeistert, als sie gebeten wird, das Schloss bis zu den Weihnachtsfeiertagen instagramtauglich gemütlich zu dekorieren und in Szene zu setzen. Als Ivy dort ankommt, muss sie allerdings feststellen, dass noch viel Arbeit vor ihr liegt. Das Gebäude ist alles andere als weihnachtlich geschmückt und Bill, der Hausherr, nicht sonderlich erpicht darauf, dies zu ändern. Zu allem Überfluss kennt Ivy ihn. Seit sie Bill vor einigen Jahren im Skiurlaub begegnet ist, kann sie ihn nicht vergessen – und jetzt sollen sie die Weihnachtsfeiertage miteinander verbringen. Sofort ist Ivy klar, dass hier einige Komplikationen auf sie warten, die sie definitiv nicht eingeplant hatte.
Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist total flüssig, liest sich super und ist sehr leicht verständlich.
Charaktere:
Die Hauptprotagonistin ist Ivy
Der Hauptprotagonist ist Bill
Ich fande alle Charaktere von Anfang an total sympathisch und liebenswert. Des weiteren gibt es noch ein paar andere Charaktere. . Meiner Meinung nach sind alle Charakter sehr gelungen und haben einen sehr guten Platz im Buch bekommen.
Meinung:
!!!! Achtung !!! Könnte Spoiler erhalten!!!
Endlich geht es wieder los mit Weihnachtsbüchern :-)) Das freut sich mein kleines Herz.. Ich liebe einfach Weihnachten und Bücher mit weihnachtlichen bzw winterlichen Geschichten. „Ein verschneites Weihnachtsfest in Cornwall“ von Jane Linfoot hat deshalb auch sofort mein Herz erreicht. Ich habe es einfach geliebt, wie die Autorin Cornwall beschrieben hat. Mit dem ganzen Schnee und der Weihnachtsstimmung. Des weiteren fande ich auch die Idee hinter der Story total witzig. Musste ein paar Mal echt schmunzeln und lachen. Die Hauptprotagonisten Ivy und Bill haben auch zusammen gepasst wie die Faust aufs Auge.. Einfach nur herrlich kitschig und winterlich Romantisch. Genau mein Ding. Es hat so viel Spaß gemacht in Cornwall mit Bill und Ivy zu sein, deshalb bin ich nur so förmlich durch das Buch geflogen. Es hat mich total in seinen Bann gezogen. Deshalb bekommt es von mir auch sehr verdiente 5 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung.
Buchname: Ein verschneites Weihnachtsfest in Cornwall
Autor: Jane Linfoot
Seiten: 464 (Print)
Fromat: als Print und Ebook erhältlich
Verlag: HarperCollins; 1. Auflage (25. August 2020)
Sterne: 5
Cover:
Das Cover ist richtig schön gestaltet worden. Der Buchtitel steht in roten Buchstaben im unteren Bereich. Man sieht ein verschneite bzw weihnachtlich dekorierte Straße auf dem Cover. .. Auf dem ersten Blick ist das schon mal sehr ansprechend.
Klappentext: (aus Amazon übernommen)
Ein Dezember, den man nie vergisst!
Weihnachten auf einem Schloss in Cornwall! Ivy ist begeistert, als sie gebeten wird, das Schloss bis zu den Weihnachtsfeiertagen instagramtauglich gemütlich zu dekorieren und in Szene zu setzen. Als Ivy dort ankommt, muss sie allerdings feststellen, dass noch viel Arbeit vor ihr liegt. Das Gebäude ist alles andere als weihnachtlich geschmückt und Bill, der Hausherr, nicht sonderlich erpicht darauf, dies zu ändern. Zu allem Überfluss kennt Ivy ihn. Seit sie Bill vor einigen Jahren im Skiurlaub begegnet ist, kann sie ihn nicht vergessen – und jetzt sollen sie die Weihnachtsfeiertage miteinander verbringen. Sofort ist Ivy klar, dass hier einige Komplikationen auf sie warten, die sie definitiv nicht eingeplant hatte.
Schreibstil:
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist total flüssig, liest sich super und ist sehr leicht verständlich.
Charaktere:
Die Hauptprotagonistin ist Ivy
Der Hauptprotagonist ist Bill
Ich fande alle Charaktere von Anfang an total sympathisch und liebenswert. Des weiteren gibt es noch ein paar andere Charaktere. . Meiner Meinung nach sind alle Charakter sehr gelungen und haben einen sehr guten Platz im Buch bekommen.
Meinung:
!!!! Achtung !!! Könnte Spoiler erhalten!!!
Endlich geht es wieder los mit Weihnachtsbüchern :-)) Das freut sich mein kleines Herz.. Ich liebe einfach Weihnachten und Bücher mit weihnachtlichen bzw winterlichen Geschichten. „Ein verschneites Weihnachtsfest in Cornwall“ von Jane Linfoot hat deshalb auch sofort mein Herz erreicht. Ich habe es einfach geliebt, wie die Autorin Cornwall beschrieben hat. Mit dem ganzen Schnee und der Weihnachtsstimmung. Des weiteren fande ich auch die Idee hinter der Story total witzig. Musste ein paar Mal echt schmunzeln und lachen. Die Hauptprotagonisten Ivy und Bill haben auch zusammen gepasst wie die Faust aufs Auge.. Einfach nur herrlich kitschig und winterlich Romantisch. Genau mein Ding. Es hat so viel Spaß gemacht in Cornwall mit Bill und Ivy zu sein, deshalb bin ich nur so förmlich durch das Buch geflogen. Es hat mich total in seinen Bann gezogen. Deshalb bekommt es von mir auch sehr verdiente 5 Sterne und eine klare Leseempfehlung.
December 18, 2019
First sentence: ‘Could there be a better present for the woman who has everything?’ I’m smiling across at Merwyn in the front seat and, as I take in the words Cockle Shell Castle carved into the monumental gateposts, I’m so excited I’m finding it hard to breathe. Then I ease my car through the gateway and onto the winding approach, and as we round a bend and the pale walls and castellated towers come into view, washed in moonlight, I can’t help letting out a gasp.
Premise/plot: Ivy Starforth, our heroine, has been hired by her friend's sister to "kit out" the holiday rental--a castle in Cornwall. But there's been a slight mix-up. The rental is not the one fabulously pictured online, it's bare and decidedly un-Christmasy. And it comes with a grumpy landlord, Bill Markham. Can she fix up the rental before her super-picky-not-at-all-likeable employer arrives with ALL of her children and family?!
My thoughts: I had a hard time getting into this one. Do people really hire out other people to photograph every single moment of their holidays and post it on social media for them?!?!?! I suppose some of the super-elite might hire out a professional to decorate their own home, but a rental home?! Why introduce dozens of characters of this crazy-eccentric-quirky-dysfunctional family (not a single one likeable) when the main focus is obviously going to be on a romance between Ivy and Bill?!
Speaking of the romance, why do they have to happen to know each other previously. Why couldn't it be a super-predictable romance with a stranger? At least if it was a stranger, there wouldn't be the repetitive Will/Bill thing going on where she remembers their past vacation encounter and wonders why he is now calling himself Bill instead of Will. Seriously annoying.
This one is full of characters I just didn't care about at all, not even a little. And it's crude. I wouldn't classify it as smut-smut, just crudely written. I definitely would NOT recommend it to those who prefer/seek out clean fiction. The language alone--no matter the actual subject matter--would classify it as NOT clean.
Premise/plot: Ivy Starforth, our heroine, has been hired by her friend's sister to "kit out" the holiday rental--a castle in Cornwall. But there's been a slight mix-up. The rental is not the one fabulously pictured online, it's bare and decidedly un-Christmasy. And it comes with a grumpy landlord, Bill Markham. Can she fix up the rental before her super-picky-not-at-all-likeable employer arrives with ALL of her children and family?!
My thoughts: I had a hard time getting into this one. Do people really hire out other people to photograph every single moment of their holidays and post it on social media for them?!?!?! I suppose some of the super-elite might hire out a professional to decorate their own home, but a rental home?! Why introduce dozens of characters of this crazy-eccentric-quirky-dysfunctional family (not a single one likeable) when the main focus is obviously going to be on a romance between Ivy and Bill?!
Speaking of the romance, why do they have to happen to know each other previously. Why couldn't it be a super-predictable romance with a stranger? At least if it was a stranger, there wouldn't be the repetitive Will/Bill thing going on where she remembers their past vacation encounter and wonders why he is now calling himself Bill instead of Will. Seriously annoying.
This one is full of characters I just didn't care about at all, not even a little. And it's crude. I wouldn't classify it as smut-smut, just crudely written. I definitely would NOT recommend it to those who prefer/seek out clean fiction. The language alone--no matter the actual subject matter--would classify it as NOT clean.
October 28, 2019
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.
Warm, engaging, and everything you could want from a winter novel, A COSY CHRISTMAS IN CORNWALL by Jane Linfoot is a wonderful read.
Last Christmas was a disaster for Ivy but she has high hopes that this year it will be better. For starters, she is spending it in a beautiful castle so that's already a big improvement. Helping create the perfect festive atmosphere for her best friend's highly instagrammable sister, Ivy has arrived before the masses to set the tone and make everything perfect. The setting is stunning but she didn't expect the owner to be a very sexy blast from the past, who is a bit of a scrooge to boot and as the castle is overrun by family, friends, kids, and frenemies, the temperature starts to rise. But can Ivy overcome her insecurities and allow a little Christmas magic into her heart?
The setting is stunning, the characters (and there are quite a few) are all unique and wonderful in setting the scene and making this story really come to life. I cared about Ivy and wanted her to open up and find happiness after what had happened.
A COSY CHRISTMAS IN CORNWALL by Jane Linfoot is the kind of read that warms the soul and I enjoyed every moment of it. A must-read this Christmas!!!
Warm, engaging, and everything you could want from a winter novel, A COSY CHRISTMAS IN CORNWALL by Jane Linfoot is a wonderful read.
Last Christmas was a disaster for Ivy but she has high hopes that this year it will be better. For starters, she is spending it in a beautiful castle so that's already a big improvement. Helping create the perfect festive atmosphere for her best friend's highly instagrammable sister, Ivy has arrived before the masses to set the tone and make everything perfect. The setting is stunning but she didn't expect the owner to be a very sexy blast from the past, who is a bit of a scrooge to boot and as the castle is overrun by family, friends, kids, and frenemies, the temperature starts to rise. But can Ivy overcome her insecurities and allow a little Christmas magic into her heart?
The setting is stunning, the characters (and there are quite a few) are all unique and wonderful in setting the scene and making this story really come to life. I cared about Ivy and wanted her to open up and find happiness after what had happened.
A COSY CHRISTMAS IN CORNWALL by Jane Linfoot is the kind of read that warms the soul and I enjoyed every moment of it. A must-read this Christmas!!!
April 14, 2021
Jane Linfoot hat ein neues S. Aiden-Buch geschrieben. Allerdings keines um den berühmten Brautladen, sondern diesmal spielt sich die Geschichte im nahegelegenen Schloss ab, das von der reichen Unternehmerin Libby für ein tolles Instagram-Weihnachten gebucht wird. Damit auf den Bildern für ihre Follower auch alles so richtig toll aussieht engagiert sie ihre Freundin Ivy - von Beruf Schaufenstergestalterin. Und die hat auch richtig viel zu tun, denn das Schloss ist ziemlich leer, kühl und wenig einladend.
Ich bin ja immer noch nicht bei Instagram, und kann auch mit diesen Leuten, die ihr Leben nur noch inszenieren aber nicht mehr leben, wenig anfangen. Dennoch konnte ich mich für die Pimp-My-Castle-Geschichte anfangs erwärmen. Nur der Schreibstil fiel mir dann immer öfter negativ auf, vielleicht lag es auch an der Übersetzung. Dialoge waren teilweise zu bemüht lustig, und manchmal passten Frage-Antwort/Reaktion gar nicht so recht zueinander. Hinzu kam, dass mir die meisten Charaktere total unsympathisch waren, was sich am deutlichsten darin ausdrückte wie herablassend sie Ivy aber vor allem auch Bill rumkommandiert haben.
Das letzte Viertel des Buches konnte aber tatsächlich wieder etwas heraus reißen, das fand ich durchaus gut.
Ich bin ja immer noch nicht bei Instagram, und kann auch mit diesen Leuten, die ihr Leben nur noch inszenieren aber nicht mehr leben, wenig anfangen. Dennoch konnte ich mich für die Pimp-My-Castle-Geschichte anfangs erwärmen. Nur der Schreibstil fiel mir dann immer öfter negativ auf, vielleicht lag es auch an der Übersetzung. Dialoge waren teilweise zu bemüht lustig, und manchmal passten Frage-Antwort/Reaktion gar nicht so recht zueinander. Hinzu kam, dass mir die meisten Charaktere total unsympathisch waren, was sich am deutlichsten darin ausdrückte wie herablassend sie Ivy aber vor allem auch Bill rumkommandiert haben.
Das letzte Viertel des Buches konnte aber tatsächlich wieder etwas heraus reißen, das fand ich durchaus gut.
October 17, 2019
Sadly, I was unable to finish this book because the plot dragged on a bit too much for my liking. This is not necessarily a problem if I love the main character(s) in question, but, sadly, that was not the case here. I found Libby and the other guests annoying beyond belief and not at all fun to read about, and the main male interest, while interesting at first, got real old, real fast.. As for the female lead, Ivy, I liked her at first, but as she spent most of her time obsessing about instagrammable moments for her bossy employer, I gradually got fed up with her, too. Based on the other reviews, I'm guessing she comes around in the end and grows as a person, but the transition is far too slow for me to be willing to stick around for. Also, most of the side characters seem too ridiculous to feel like real people, especially Miranda and Keef. A shame, really, because castle settings usually do wonders for my enjoyment of the story.
December 5, 2020
From the get go, I was completely enchanted with this story and loved my little escapes to the castle in Cornwall! It was such a wonderful book to read, with a big feel good factor and a great Christmas festive punch. It was an amazing Xmas read and I couldn’t put it down.
I loved getting to know the characters and watching the relationships blossom. Seeing the families come together and having a great time over their Christmas getaway was great and definitely had me wishing for my own getaway in a beautiful Christmassy Cornish castle! It was also great fun reading the main character prepare for the big day with plenty of surprises and cute moments along the way.
I also loved the way the chapters were segmented into days, with the countdown to Christmas. It was like spending a day in the castle with them and made for very easy reading. Very muchly enjoyed this festive book!
I loved getting to know the characters and watching the relationships blossom. Seeing the families come together and having a great time over their Christmas getaway was great and definitely had me wishing for my own getaway in a beautiful Christmassy Cornish castle! It was also great fun reading the main character prepare for the big day with plenty of surprises and cute moments along the way.
I also loved the way the chapters were segmented into days, with the countdown to Christmas. It was like spending a day in the castle with them and made for very easy reading. Very muchly enjoyed this festive book!
January 3, 2023
Der rote Faden der Geschichte war ansprechend. Der Rest leider nicht. Für meinen Geschmack wurde viel zu viel über die Nebencharaktere geschrieben, Gefühle wurden nicht wirklich transportiert und der Hund wurde so eingebettet in die Erzählung, dass ich anfangs nicht sicher war ob das eines von den Büchern mit sprechenden Haustieren ist..
Leider gar nicht mein Fall.
Leider gar nicht mein Fall.
December 17, 2022
3.75 stars
An enjoyable, cosy Christmas read - but a title such as 'Christmas at the Castle' would have definitely been more apt.
Though it was a little cheesy and over-dramatic, and definitely could have been at least a hundred pages shorter, I still enjoyed it for the most part.
An enjoyable, cosy Christmas read - but a title such as 'Christmas at the Castle' would have definitely been more apt.
Though it was a little cheesy and over-dramatic, and definitely could have been at least a hundred pages shorter, I still enjoyed it for the most part.
November 12, 2022
Cutie 🎄💚
December 6, 2024
It was cute. The doggo was by far the best part!
October 10, 2019
The cover initially drew my attention to 'A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall' which had me dreaming of Cornwall. I love Cornwall and have been there many times. I really enjoyed reading this book, which made a welcome change from some of the fast paced books that i often read. Loved the characters, especially Ivy. It's not often that a book can make me smile or laugh, but this book certainly did. A deserving 5 stars! Recommended.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review which i have voluntarily given.
My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review which i have voluntarily given.
January 24, 2020
You know the saying…..Christmas hasn’t started until you’ve seen the castle’s resident hunk naked in a hot tub.
Well it’s now official – Christmas has began!
Ivy is hired by a friend to dress a Cornish castle ready for a spectacular and social media worthy Christmas party. Upon arrival she is greeted by the hot tub hunk – Will (Bill) who happens to be a blast from the past. But a lot has changed since they last met. Ivy has been through a lot and isn’t really willing to share her heartbreak with anyone. Bill also seems to be keeping something back. As they both try to play it cool, will Christmas in the castle melt their hearts?
This novel is simple Christmassy goodness wrapped in sparkly paper and finished with a huge sparkling bow.
The main characters of Ivy and Bill are both frustratingly adorable and although at times I wanted to throttle them both, I was rooting for them all the way. My heart broke for Ivy in places but it was hard to stay that way when the plot was so heartwarming.
Because the novel is about Ivy (with Bill begrudgingly helping) transforming a run down and soulless building into a cosy festive home, it really put me in the mood. I loved being part of the transformation and moving form a dreary and drab environment into something magical.
With humour, animal antics, a swarm of highly entertaining characters and romance – this book has everything you need for a charming and cosy festive romance.
Well it’s now official – Christmas has began!
Ivy is hired by a friend to dress a Cornish castle ready for a spectacular and social media worthy Christmas party. Upon arrival she is greeted by the hot tub hunk – Will (Bill) who happens to be a blast from the past. But a lot has changed since they last met. Ivy has been through a lot and isn’t really willing to share her heartbreak with anyone. Bill also seems to be keeping something back. As they both try to play it cool, will Christmas in the castle melt their hearts?
This novel is simple Christmassy goodness wrapped in sparkly paper and finished with a huge sparkling bow.
The main characters of Ivy and Bill are both frustratingly adorable and although at times I wanted to throttle them both, I was rooting for them all the way. My heart broke for Ivy in places but it was hard to stay that way when the plot was so heartwarming.
Because the novel is about Ivy (with Bill begrudgingly helping) transforming a run down and soulless building into a cosy festive home, it really put me in the mood. I loved being part of the transformation and moving form a dreary and drab environment into something magical.
With humour, animal antics, a swarm of highly entertaining characters and romance – this book has everything you need for a charming and cosy festive romance.
November 23, 2020
4,5*
Accidentally, my three last Christmas books were incredibly similar. Not in the typical winter romance plot - that was to be expected - buy they had a lot more in common.
Most of all the way the main characters romance felt nicely "teenage drama" free! Yes, it took a while for them to get going, but the friction in the budding relationship felt realistic and reasonable and not contrived.
I love how I managed to find three books in a row where the main protagonists actually behave like adults and not storm off in a huff because of some perceived slight. Yes, not everything is going to plan, and wires get crossed, but the way the main characters handle things just had me hooked.
I never understood the "Do I or don't I love him? And which of these two do I love?" and the utter lack of communication. And so I definitely prefer books with a more pragmatic look on life.
This also was a weird mix of funny and humourous (like the mum of one of the women having her maybe 4th husband with her and spending a lot of the time naked) and serious topics (drunk driving, trauma, accident).
But it did work! The serious topics were handled quite well and not made light off. And the humour while a bit over teh top had me smiling and snorting at times. A good balance to not be too shallow but also not to heavy.
All in all definitely a good and fun Christmas read.
Accidentally, my three last Christmas books were incredibly similar. Not in the typical winter romance plot - that was to be expected - buy they had a lot more in common.
Most of all the way the main characters romance felt nicely "teenage drama" free! Yes, it took a while for them to get going, but the friction in the budding relationship felt realistic and reasonable and not contrived.
I love how I managed to find three books in a row where the main protagonists actually behave like adults and not storm off in a huff because of some perceived slight. Yes, not everything is going to plan, and wires get crossed, but the way the main characters handle things just had me hooked.
I never understood the "Do I or don't I love him? And which of these two do I love?" and the utter lack of communication. And so I definitely prefer books with a more pragmatic look on life.
This also was a weird mix of funny and humourous (like the mum of one of the women having her maybe 4th husband with her and spending a lot of the time naked) and serious topics (drunk driving, trauma, accident).
But it did work! The serious topics were handled quite well and not made light off. And the humour while a bit over teh top had me smiling and snorting at times. A good balance to not be too shallow but also not to heavy.
All in all definitely a good and fun Christmas read.
December 13, 2020
Leider konnte mich auch dieser Weihnachtsroman nicht so recht überzeugen, der Plot hat sich etwas gezogen, da waren - für mich - zu viele überflüssige Nebenhandlungsstränge dabei und das angedeutete Love Triangle hätte ich auch nicht gebraucht. Zudem fand ich es auch sprachlich etwas schwach, der Schreibstil hat mir nicht unbedingt zugesagt, obwohl ich nicht sagen kann, ob das nicht vielleicht auch an der Übersetzung gelegen hat. Alles in allem leider nur zwei Sterne von mir.
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