What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wedding on Mistletoe Island
Welcome to Mistletoe Island, where dreams can come true...
The snow is falling and Fliss's friends have arrived to celebrate her wedding for a week at Holly Cottage. It's the perfect way to kick off her brand-new life, isn't it?
Except Ruth wishes she was anywhere other than a remote Scottish island, Caitlin is keeping a secret from her friends, Lara is suddenly facing her ex a decade after turning down his proposal and even the bride has something to hide...
But as the friends prepare for a week to remember, will Fliss's dream wedding go off without a hitch, or will the secrets they've been hiding change everything?
384 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2019
7 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Pembroke
241 books127 followersSophie Pembroke writes very British romances for Orion, Mills & Boon / Harlequin Romance, Avon and HQ. She has been dreaming, reading and writing romance ever since she read her first Mills & Boon as part of her English Literature degree at Lancaster University, so getting to write romantic fiction for a living really is a dream come true!
She lives in a little English market town with her scientist husband, wildly imaginative ten year old daughter, and adorable four year old son. She spends her days writing, drinking tea and curling up with a good book. (Oh, and planning. There is a lot of planning.)
In Sophie’s world, happy is for ever after, everything stops for tea, and there’s always time for just one more page…
She lives in a little English market town with her scientist husband, wildly imaginative ten year old daughter, and adorable four year old son. She spends her days writing, drinking tea and curling up with a good book. (Oh, and planning. There is a lot of planning.)
In Sophie’s world, happy is for ever after, everything stops for tea, and there’s always time for just one more page…
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 25, 2019
The snow is rapidly falling, the children are busy making snowmen, as the snow starts to fall, there is magic, love and romance in the air and people are ready and willing to fall in love and fall into their happily ever after a.
December 2, 2021
This was my first book by this author and won't be the last so well written Gill of Christmas magic and plenty about friendship along with secrets and plenty of romance in a perfect setting. The characters are amazing and you just want to keep reading.
Fliss is getting married and invites her friends she's been friendly with since uni to her home Holly cottage and they want to kick off the time of her life for her new life that is about to start. Problem is different friends have different issues Ruth wishes she was somewhere else Caitlin is keeping a secret from her friends and Lara is faced with her ex as she turned him down years ago. The friends want to have a week to remember and get fliss wedding off to a good start but secrets start to come out friends split up and does the wedding happen and who's keeping secrets and will there be plenty of romance about.
Fliss is getting married and invites her friends she's been friendly with since uni to her home Holly cottage and they want to kick off the time of her life for her new life that is about to start. Problem is different friends have different issues Ruth wishes she was somewhere else Caitlin is keeping a secret from her friends and Lara is faced with her ex as she turned him down years ago. The friends want to have a week to remember and get fliss wedding off to a good start but secrets start to come out friends split up and does the wedding happen and who's keeping secrets and will there be plenty of romance about.
December 22, 2021
Bei diesem Weihnachtsroman hat mich der Anblick des wunderschönen Covers sofort verzaubert. Und dann entführt uns die Autorin auch noch nach Schottland, und zwar auf Mistletoe Island. Und hier sollen wir an einer perfekten Hochzeit teilnehmen.
Der Inhalt: Der Schnee fällt vom Winterhimmel, als Fliss und ihre Freunde kurz vor Heiligabend im Holly Cottage auf einer kleinen schottischen Insel treffen. Fliss heiratet, der große Tag ist für den 23. Dezember geplant. Eine perfekte Winter-Wunderland-Heirat soll es werden, doch alle haben neben warmen Jacken auch ihre eigenen Sorgen im Gepäck. Während all der Hochzeitvorbereitungen kommen immer mehr Geheimnisse ans Licht, und es zeigt sich, dass sich die Freunde doch nicht so gut kennen. Ein Happy End scheint plötzlich in weiter Ferne. Fliss glaubt an ein Weihnachtswunder – wird am Ende jeder sein Glück finden.
Voller Begeisterung habe ich mich auf diese Geschichte, die total unterhaltsam begann, gestürzt. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist eigentlich klasse. Man befindet sich sofort mitten in der Geschichte und durch die herrlichen Beschreibungen habe ich traumhafte Bilder von Mistletoe Island vor meinem inneren Auge. Man lernt Elli und ihre Freunde kennen, die eine Woche gemeinsam auf Mistletoe Island ihren Schulabschluss feiern. Genau zehn Jahre später treffen sie sich wieder. Grund dafür ist die bevorstehende Hochzeit von Fliss. Fliss, die mir anfangs sehr sympathisch war – übrigens das Nesthäkchen der Gruppe - wird im Laufe der Zeit etwas unsympathisch. Denn nicht nur sie hat ein Geheimnis, auch ihre Freunde haben viel zu erzählen. Eigentlich ist dies ja kein typischer Winter-Weihnachtsroman, denn das weihnachtliche Flair hat mir etwas gefehlt. Vom Ende war ich dann auch etwas überrascht, gab es doch die eine oder andere Überraschung.
Eine nette Lektüre, die mir unterhaltsame Lesestunden beschert hat und für die ich 4 Sterne vergebe.
Der Inhalt: Der Schnee fällt vom Winterhimmel, als Fliss und ihre Freunde kurz vor Heiligabend im Holly Cottage auf einer kleinen schottischen Insel treffen. Fliss heiratet, der große Tag ist für den 23. Dezember geplant. Eine perfekte Winter-Wunderland-Heirat soll es werden, doch alle haben neben warmen Jacken auch ihre eigenen Sorgen im Gepäck. Während all der Hochzeitvorbereitungen kommen immer mehr Geheimnisse ans Licht, und es zeigt sich, dass sich die Freunde doch nicht so gut kennen. Ein Happy End scheint plötzlich in weiter Ferne. Fliss glaubt an ein Weihnachtswunder – wird am Ende jeder sein Glück finden.
Voller Begeisterung habe ich mich auf diese Geschichte, die total unterhaltsam begann, gestürzt. Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist eigentlich klasse. Man befindet sich sofort mitten in der Geschichte und durch die herrlichen Beschreibungen habe ich traumhafte Bilder von Mistletoe Island vor meinem inneren Auge. Man lernt Elli und ihre Freunde kennen, die eine Woche gemeinsam auf Mistletoe Island ihren Schulabschluss feiern. Genau zehn Jahre später treffen sie sich wieder. Grund dafür ist die bevorstehende Hochzeit von Fliss. Fliss, die mir anfangs sehr sympathisch war – übrigens das Nesthäkchen der Gruppe - wird im Laufe der Zeit etwas unsympathisch. Denn nicht nur sie hat ein Geheimnis, auch ihre Freunde haben viel zu erzählen. Eigentlich ist dies ja kein typischer Winter-Weihnachtsroman, denn das weihnachtliche Flair hat mir etwas gefehlt. Vom Ende war ich dann auch etwas überrascht, gab es doch die eine oder andere Überraschung.
Eine nette Lektüre, die mir unterhaltsame Lesestunden beschert hat und für die ich 4 Sterne vergebe.
December 17, 2020
I really enjoyed my time reading this, this was one of those books that kept me wanting to turn the page. I have to say this is one of the most melodramatic and scandal-filled books I have read in a long time. This book follows a group of university friends who are all meeting up where they celebrated their graduation for their friend's wedding. We follow the four girls of the group and we get to see the two timelines of the group right after finishing uni and ten years later for the wedding. These characters were seriously flawed I have to say but they were fascinating to read about because they just kept making mistakeses and being all-around bad people. I was gripped for this whole read and I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives we got to experience.
November 11, 2019
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.
THE WEDDING ON MISTLETOE ISLAND by Sophie Pembroke is an excellent story about being true to oneself and the ever-changing nature of friendship and feelings, and I could not put this book down, it was that compelling.
Ten years ago Fliss gathered her close group of University friends together at Holly Cottage which has always meant so much to her. This was their final time together before they entered adulthood and life started to take them in different directions but when a proposal got turned down and hearts got broken, the group dynamic was altered forever.
Now, ten years later, Fliss has finally found her prince and is getting married, and her close friends are gathering together once more at Holly Cottage, but this time for her wedding. But it isn't long before the tensions of the past rise to the surface again and shocking secrets come bubbling out. As each of the group tries to deal with their own personal dramas and emotional upheavals, hearts will be bruised, old truths will be faced head-on, and friendships will be broken, but maybe they will each find out who they really are and face the truth about what they want for the future.
I absolutely loved this book and this quirky group of friends who are so close but also hide so much of who they really are and what they really want from each other at the same time. Fliss is the nice one of the group - the one who looks after everyone and the one they feel they have to protect but they do not know the other side of Fliss, only one person knows the real her. Caitlin and Noel have always been the mum and dad of the group but it isn't long before everyone starts to notice the cracks beginning to show. Alec and Ruth are struggling with a very personal loss and this wedding trip is the last thing Ruth wants when she has always felt like an outsider but maybe this island can heal them a little and help them find their way back to each other. Ten years ago, Lara and Jon's lives went in opposite directions but how will they handle being back in each other's personal space and the fact that they still seem to have a connection? And then there is Harry, the messer of the group. But maybe Harry knows and understands more than they could possibly imagine. Throw in some interfering mothers and the wedding preparations from hell and this story is set to keep you hooked from beginning to end.
THE WEDDING ON MISTLETOE ISLAND by Sophie Pembroke is a compelling story about friendship and love and I highly recommend it to all womens fiction fans as well as fans of Christmas novels.
THE WEDDING ON MISTLETOE ISLAND by Sophie Pembroke is an excellent story about being true to oneself and the ever-changing nature of friendship and feelings, and I could not put this book down, it was that compelling.
Ten years ago Fliss gathered her close group of University friends together at Holly Cottage which has always meant so much to her. This was their final time together before they entered adulthood and life started to take them in different directions but when a proposal got turned down and hearts got broken, the group dynamic was altered forever.
Now, ten years later, Fliss has finally found her prince and is getting married, and her close friends are gathering together once more at Holly Cottage, but this time for her wedding. But it isn't long before the tensions of the past rise to the surface again and shocking secrets come bubbling out. As each of the group tries to deal with their own personal dramas and emotional upheavals, hearts will be bruised, old truths will be faced head-on, and friendships will be broken, but maybe they will each find out who they really are and face the truth about what they want for the future.
I absolutely loved this book and this quirky group of friends who are so close but also hide so much of who they really are and what they really want from each other at the same time. Fliss is the nice one of the group - the one who looks after everyone and the one they feel they have to protect but they do not know the other side of Fliss, only one person knows the real her. Caitlin and Noel have always been the mum and dad of the group but it isn't long before everyone starts to notice the cracks beginning to show. Alec and Ruth are struggling with a very personal loss and this wedding trip is the last thing Ruth wants when she has always felt like an outsider but maybe this island can heal them a little and help them find their way back to each other. Ten years ago, Lara and Jon's lives went in opposite directions but how will they handle being back in each other's personal space and the fact that they still seem to have a connection? And then there is Harry, the messer of the group. But maybe Harry knows and understands more than they could possibly imagine. Throw in some interfering mothers and the wedding preparations from hell and this story is set to keep you hooked from beginning to end.
THE WEDDING ON MISTLETOE ISLAND by Sophie Pembroke is a compelling story about friendship and love and I highly recommend it to all womens fiction fans as well as fans of Christmas novels.
January 29, 2022
Obwohl es noch ein bisschen weihnachtlicher hätte sein können, ist man mit "Weihnachten auf Mistletoe Island" genau richtig, wenn man eine schöne, authentische Geschichte sucht, in der es um Freundschaften, Lügen, Geheimnisse u. den Traum einer perfekten Winter-Wonderland-Hochzeit auf Mistletoe Island geht!
Herzlichen Dank an dieser Stelle an das Bloggerportal für die Bereitstellung eines kostenlosen Rezensionsexemplars!
Kurz zur Story:
Ein paar Tage vor Weihnachten bereitet sich Felicity, genannt Fliss, auf ihre bevorstehende Hochzeit am 23. Dezember auf Mistletoe Island an der schottischen Küste vor. Zur Feier dieses besonderen Tages lädt sie auch ihre College-Freunde ein, mit denen sie zehn Jahre zuvor dort eine traumhafte Woche erlebt hat. Doch seitdem ist viel passiert und jeder der Freunde hat mittlerweile ein eigenes Leben, viele Geheimnisse u. Sorgen im Gepäck. Fliss ist dennoch fest entschlossen, ihre Traumhochzeit zu feiern u. hofft sehr, dass alles gut werden wird, nicht zuletzt durch die Magie von Mistletoe Island.
Man steigt als Leser schnell in die Geschichte ein, die aus verschiedenen personalen Erzählerperspektiven (Fliss, Lara, Ruth, Jon) erzählt wird.
Dabei erhält man einen tiefen Einblick in die Gedanken u. Gefühle der Figuren u. als Leser wird einem schnell klar, dass jeder seine eigenen Sorgen u. Geheimnisse im Gepäck hat u. sich die Freunde wohl doch nicht so gut kennen, wie sie vorgeben.
Immer wieder erhält man als Leser dann einen Einblick in Fliss' Vergangenheit durch die Rückblenden ins Jahr 2009, was mir sehr gut gefallen hat.
Wir lernen Fliss als brave, sympathische u. optimistische junge Frau kennen, das Nesthäkchen der Gruppe. Je mehr man allerdings von ihr kennenlernt, desto mehr merkt man, dass auch sie ihre Geheimnisse kennt u. gar nicht so unschuldig ist, wie alle meinen.
Auch die Freunde von Fliss wurden liebevoll ausgestaltet u. nehmen im Prinzip in der Gruppe jeweils eine bestimme Rolle ein (was ein bisschen an "The Breakfast Club" erinnert): "Der Witzbold, der Verlässliche, der Workaholic, der Ernste und Mama und Papa. Und sie." (S. 11).
Je mehr man von der Geschichte liest, desto mehr Geheimnisse kommen ans Licht, rufen Zerwürfnisse hervor u. bringen die bevorstehende Hochzeit gefährlich ins Wanken.
Auch wenn es in erster Linie um die Beziehungen der Freunde geht, kommt auf jeden Fall etwas vorweihnachltiche Stimmung auf, bspw. beim Besuch des Weihnachtsmarktes oder dem Laternenumzug. Allerdings hätte es noch ein bisschen mehr Weihnachten für meinen Geschmack sein dürfen :-)
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist locker, lebendig u. flüssig, man fliegt förmlich durch die Seiten. Dabei machen die verschiedenen Sichtweisen u. aufzudeckenden Geheimnisse das Buch sehr fesselnd, man will dadurch unbedingt wissen, wie es weitergeht!
Insgesamt eine schöne, authentische Geschichte im Weihnachtsmantel, die einen schön auf das Weihnachtsfest einstimmt!
Ich gebe dem Buch 4 von 5 Sternen!
Zitat: Sophie Pembroke: Weihnachten auf Mistletoe Island, S. 257; Zitat oben: S. 11
Herzlichen Dank an dieser Stelle an das Bloggerportal für die Bereitstellung eines kostenlosen Rezensionsexemplars!
Kurz zur Story:
Ein paar Tage vor Weihnachten bereitet sich Felicity, genannt Fliss, auf ihre bevorstehende Hochzeit am 23. Dezember auf Mistletoe Island an der schottischen Küste vor. Zur Feier dieses besonderen Tages lädt sie auch ihre College-Freunde ein, mit denen sie zehn Jahre zuvor dort eine traumhafte Woche erlebt hat. Doch seitdem ist viel passiert und jeder der Freunde hat mittlerweile ein eigenes Leben, viele Geheimnisse u. Sorgen im Gepäck. Fliss ist dennoch fest entschlossen, ihre Traumhochzeit zu feiern u. hofft sehr, dass alles gut werden wird, nicht zuletzt durch die Magie von Mistletoe Island.
Man steigt als Leser schnell in die Geschichte ein, die aus verschiedenen personalen Erzählerperspektiven (Fliss, Lara, Ruth, Jon) erzählt wird.
Dabei erhält man einen tiefen Einblick in die Gedanken u. Gefühle der Figuren u. als Leser wird einem schnell klar, dass jeder seine eigenen Sorgen u. Geheimnisse im Gepäck hat u. sich die Freunde wohl doch nicht so gut kennen, wie sie vorgeben.
Immer wieder erhält man als Leser dann einen Einblick in Fliss' Vergangenheit durch die Rückblenden ins Jahr 2009, was mir sehr gut gefallen hat.
Wir lernen Fliss als brave, sympathische u. optimistische junge Frau kennen, das Nesthäkchen der Gruppe. Je mehr man allerdings von ihr kennenlernt, desto mehr merkt man, dass auch sie ihre Geheimnisse kennt u. gar nicht so unschuldig ist, wie alle meinen.
Auch die Freunde von Fliss wurden liebevoll ausgestaltet u. nehmen im Prinzip in der Gruppe jeweils eine bestimme Rolle ein (was ein bisschen an "The Breakfast Club" erinnert): "Der Witzbold, der Verlässliche, der Workaholic, der Ernste und Mama und Papa. Und sie." (S. 11).
Je mehr man von der Geschichte liest, desto mehr Geheimnisse kommen ans Licht, rufen Zerwürfnisse hervor u. bringen die bevorstehende Hochzeit gefährlich ins Wanken.
Auch wenn es in erster Linie um die Beziehungen der Freunde geht, kommt auf jeden Fall etwas vorweihnachltiche Stimmung auf, bspw. beim Besuch des Weihnachtsmarktes oder dem Laternenumzug. Allerdings hätte es noch ein bisschen mehr Weihnachten für meinen Geschmack sein dürfen :-)
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist locker, lebendig u. flüssig, man fliegt förmlich durch die Seiten. Dabei machen die verschiedenen Sichtweisen u. aufzudeckenden Geheimnisse das Buch sehr fesselnd, man will dadurch unbedingt wissen, wie es weitergeht!
Insgesamt eine schöne, authentische Geschichte im Weihnachtsmantel, die einen schön auf das Weihnachtsfest einstimmt!
Ich gebe dem Buch 4 von 5 Sternen!
Zitat: Sophie Pembroke: Weihnachten auf Mistletoe Island, S. 257; Zitat oben: S. 11
November 7, 2022
This was a good festive winter read .
December 1, 2020
Good book but kind of predictable. Good ending though 🙂
November 6, 2019
Today is my stop on The Wedding on Mistletoe Island blog tour and I would like to say a big thank you to Tracy Fenton at Compulsive Readers, Sophie Pembroke and Orion books.
This is a book that is about friendship, self-discovery and love.
Fliss and her university friends are all together for the first time in ten years on Mistletoe Island for her wedding. A lot has changed over those ten years but can they all face that truth.
I really enjoyed each of the characters and their differing personalities. I found it interesting to see how they interacted with each other in roles within their group that were created more than ten years ago and how they fell back into them once they were all back together again.
There are many secrets hiding underneath the surface no matter how much they all try and pretend otherwise.
I enjoyed following their self-discoveries, because as much as this was a romance/chick-lit novel I think this was the biggest factor of the book.
Mistletoe Island sounded divine, and picture perfect and was the perfect setting for this story to unfold.
For those who don’t enjoy full on Christmas novels, then this one is for you. It is set in the week leading up to Christmas, but the festivities aren’t a major factor in the story. I highly recommend it!
This is a book that is about friendship, self-discovery and love.
Fliss and her university friends are all together for the first time in ten years on Mistletoe Island for her wedding. A lot has changed over those ten years but can they all face that truth.
I really enjoyed each of the characters and their differing personalities. I found it interesting to see how they interacted with each other in roles within their group that were created more than ten years ago and how they fell back into them once they were all back together again.
There are many secrets hiding underneath the surface no matter how much they all try and pretend otherwise.
I enjoyed following their self-discoveries, because as much as this was a romance/chick-lit novel I think this was the biggest factor of the book.
Mistletoe Island sounded divine, and picture perfect and was the perfect setting for this story to unfold.
For those who don’t enjoy full on Christmas novels, then this one is for you. It is set in the week leading up to Christmas, but the festivities aren’t a major factor in the story. I highly recommend it!
October 24, 2021
"Weihnachten auf Mistletoe Island" klang nach einer wundervollen und romantischen Geschichte, denn Fliss und ihr Verlobter Ewan wollen einen Tag vor Heiligabend auf Mistletoe Island heiraten und alle ihre Freunde kommen zu Besuch.
Die Voraussetzungen für die Geschichte waren eigentlich perfekt, aber ich muss leider sagen, dass mich das Buch nicht ganz überzeugen konnte. Mir war die Geschichte in vielem zu negativ und es ging oft viel mehr um die Probleme und die Vergangenheit der Charaktere. Gefühlt hatte jeder irgendein ein dunkles Erlebnis durchgemacht und man sich manchmal fragt wie diese verschiedenen Personen überhaupt befreundet sein können.
Auch die weihnachtliche Stimmung kam leider viel zu selten durch und die Atmosphäre konnte mich leider nicht ganz überzeugen. Hier hätte ich mir viel mehr weihnachtliches und winterliches gewünscht.
Die Geschichte ließ sich dennoch flüssig lesen, aber ich hatte einfach andere Erwartungen an das Buch.
Die Voraussetzungen für die Geschichte waren eigentlich perfekt, aber ich muss leider sagen, dass mich das Buch nicht ganz überzeugen konnte. Mir war die Geschichte in vielem zu negativ und es ging oft viel mehr um die Probleme und die Vergangenheit der Charaktere. Gefühlt hatte jeder irgendein ein dunkles Erlebnis durchgemacht und man sich manchmal fragt wie diese verschiedenen Personen überhaupt befreundet sein können.
Auch die weihnachtliche Stimmung kam leider viel zu selten durch und die Atmosphäre konnte mich leider nicht ganz überzeugen. Hier hätte ich mir viel mehr weihnachtliches und winterliches gewünscht.
Die Geschichte ließ sich dennoch flüssig lesen, aber ich hatte einfach andere Erwartungen an das Buch.
November 13, 2019
The Wedding on Mistletoe Island certainly has a lovely Christmas cover to get you in the mood for the festive season. But between the covers of Sophie Pembroke's new book there is a lot more going on than just fun in the snow and enjoying all the festivities that go along with this magical time of the year. A group of friends have gathered off the Scottish coast on Mistletoe Island to celebrate the wedding of Fliss and her fiancée Ewan. It has been ten years since they have all gathered together on the island when they spent some time celebrating their graduation from university. Some major things happened during that stay and the affects of these still reverberate down through the group to this day.
The group as individuals or in pairs may all have met in the interim at various points but never before have the same people all been together in one place. In the week leading up to the big day will secrets and tensions long held beneath the surface come rushing to the fore? Will already strained relationships and friendships began to fracture even more or will it all be a bed of roses and fun and laughter uniting to celebrate a marriage? I thought the latter but a few chapters in to this story it soon became apparent that this wasn't going to be the fun and light read the cover suggests it to be and that the undercurrents running through the group will form the dominant themes throughout the book.
There are lots of characters to familiarise yourself with, and honestly it took me awhile to settle into the rhythm of the book, and to be able to easily identify who was who, how they were connected to other characters and what were their back stories. The story itself at various points moves between the present day and ten years previous in order to give us an insight into what exactly happened to make characters feel and act the way they do now. Each chapter is told from alternative characters viewpoints yet Fliss is a dominant focus given her wedding is the reason for everyone gathering together.
Fliss is a very complex character who is pretending to be someone she is not and has been for as long as she can remember. The mothers as they soon become known are taking over her wedding and already her hopes and dreams for her big day have been taken away from her. To my mind, Fliss needed to make some major decisions. She was too biddable and needed to find her voice and express really how she was feeling instead of letting others coral her into their way of thinking and acting. She was well able to express to the reader that she felt trapped and caged and that she put on this act for the group and her family. She was expected to be a certain way and always lived up to this performance whereas deep down there was a rebel Fliss waiting to break out. But had she the guts and determination to do this? Was she leaving things too late especially when it came to matters of the heart?
If the friends knew the real Fliss, she was worried would she be accepted given her supposed solid, steady nature. She wants to be a new person, a new woman and to have a new life starting over with Ewan. I felt there was an awful lot of repetition informing us of Fliss's state of mind and whether she was worrying over what others supposedly thought of her. Time and time again we were told the same things with regards to her emotional stance and whether she was going to act on any of the thoughts or feelings she was experiencing but once it had been mentioned for the fourth or fifth time I felt I had been told enough and would she just ever get on with it and make a decision as to what to do one way or the other. At times it made me turn against her and then at others I was surprised as to some of the revelations about her that came spilling forth and it made me think twice about her as a character. Was what she was engaging in now and also had various junctures in the past the right thing to do? Or if it truly became known amongst the friends would it create a permanent fracture in an already volatile and shaky group?
The other members of the group are Harry, Lara, Jon, Alec, married to Ruth, and Neal, married to Caitlin. Each are dealing with their own issues and given the small proximity of the island there is no place to run and hide when they are forced to confront their fears and secrets. Lara was once in a long term relationship with Jon whilst at university but that all changed the last time they were on the island. Lara has been running ever since but now maybe it is time to stop and take stock and finally admit what drove her to refuse a question so many would love to say yes to. Lara really needed to relax and stop worrying about a past she couldn't change. Yes she has a history with the island but many years have passed and she needs to look to the future and find some sort of happiness instead of always living with regret and at times fear. She is eaten up by the past and I hoped her reasons for decisions made over ten years ago were valid and worthwhile given they seemed to be shrouded in secrecy almost cloak and dagger like. When it emerged things made sense but in a way I thought it would have been something even more earth shattering. Lara clearly needed to figure will herself and Jon be friends again and move forward or is there something more that can be done about their situation?
Caitlin featured more on the periphery as Neal had a more major role to play but to say any more would give things away. Caitlin having married into the group assumed the role she had adopted and maintained and that was one of being the organiser, the one who thought of every little touch and never left anyone out. She thought of things none of the others would dream of. She was solid and reliable but maybe underneath it all she was far wiser than any of the others gave her credit for and she could see what was going on when others did not. The question was would she act immediately on her instincts and her observations or would she keep them close to her chest until the time was right?
As for poor Ruth she feels neglected by Alec. She has experienced trauma and suffering in recent months and cannot come to terms with it. It is eating her up inside and she feels no way of letting out or expressing how she feels. She thinks Alec doesn't understand her or will not comprehend how she is feeling but maybe she should give him more credit than she is at the moment? Ruth was just awash with pain and she hopes that given the island is renowned for its healing nature that maybe some small little miracle will work its magic on her and allow her to release everything so tightly bottled up inside her in order to move forward and come to some form of acceptance.
All of the characters featured in the story are multi-layered and complicated and its not easy to read into them. You really have to sit back and just let the story unfold and not make snap judgements about anyone given they are all hiding so much. It's almost like they are all playing parodies of themselves and are reluctant to let go of that summer ten years ago. But we can't cling to the past we can only keep pushing and moving forward to see what each new day will bring us. Of course we can determine that to some extent and the decisions we make to do this needed to be carefully selected.
The Wedding on Mistletoe Island was a good read but it didn't blow me away. I felt it could have been slightly shorter given the repetition surrounding one character especially. I did love all the mentions of Christmas and the days leading up to the wedding and showcasing all the activities and delights that were on offer. The mothers did provide humour but I felt there needed to be more to counter balance the serious tones of the book and the various issues the many characters were grappling with. Overall a good book, intense at times but with plenty of romance and some fun too.
The group as individuals or in pairs may all have met in the interim at various points but never before have the same people all been together in one place. In the week leading up to the big day will secrets and tensions long held beneath the surface come rushing to the fore? Will already strained relationships and friendships began to fracture even more or will it all be a bed of roses and fun and laughter uniting to celebrate a marriage? I thought the latter but a few chapters in to this story it soon became apparent that this wasn't going to be the fun and light read the cover suggests it to be and that the undercurrents running through the group will form the dominant themes throughout the book.
There are lots of characters to familiarise yourself with, and honestly it took me awhile to settle into the rhythm of the book, and to be able to easily identify who was who, how they were connected to other characters and what were their back stories. The story itself at various points moves between the present day and ten years previous in order to give us an insight into what exactly happened to make characters feel and act the way they do now. Each chapter is told from alternative characters viewpoints yet Fliss is a dominant focus given her wedding is the reason for everyone gathering together.
Fliss is a very complex character who is pretending to be someone she is not and has been for as long as she can remember. The mothers as they soon become known are taking over her wedding and already her hopes and dreams for her big day have been taken away from her. To my mind, Fliss needed to make some major decisions. She was too biddable and needed to find her voice and express really how she was feeling instead of letting others coral her into their way of thinking and acting. She was well able to express to the reader that she felt trapped and caged and that she put on this act for the group and her family. She was expected to be a certain way and always lived up to this performance whereas deep down there was a rebel Fliss waiting to break out. But had she the guts and determination to do this? Was she leaving things too late especially when it came to matters of the heart?
If the friends knew the real Fliss, she was worried would she be accepted given her supposed solid, steady nature. She wants to be a new person, a new woman and to have a new life starting over with Ewan. I felt there was an awful lot of repetition informing us of Fliss's state of mind and whether she was worrying over what others supposedly thought of her. Time and time again we were told the same things with regards to her emotional stance and whether she was going to act on any of the thoughts or feelings she was experiencing but once it had been mentioned for the fourth or fifth time I felt I had been told enough and would she just ever get on with it and make a decision as to what to do one way or the other. At times it made me turn against her and then at others I was surprised as to some of the revelations about her that came spilling forth and it made me think twice about her as a character. Was what she was engaging in now and also had various junctures in the past the right thing to do? Or if it truly became known amongst the friends would it create a permanent fracture in an already volatile and shaky group?
The other members of the group are Harry, Lara, Jon, Alec, married to Ruth, and Neal, married to Caitlin. Each are dealing with their own issues and given the small proximity of the island there is no place to run and hide when they are forced to confront their fears and secrets. Lara was once in a long term relationship with Jon whilst at university but that all changed the last time they were on the island. Lara has been running ever since but now maybe it is time to stop and take stock and finally admit what drove her to refuse a question so many would love to say yes to. Lara really needed to relax and stop worrying about a past she couldn't change. Yes she has a history with the island but many years have passed and she needs to look to the future and find some sort of happiness instead of always living with regret and at times fear. She is eaten up by the past and I hoped her reasons for decisions made over ten years ago were valid and worthwhile given they seemed to be shrouded in secrecy almost cloak and dagger like. When it emerged things made sense but in a way I thought it would have been something even more earth shattering. Lara clearly needed to figure will herself and Jon be friends again and move forward or is there something more that can be done about their situation?
Caitlin featured more on the periphery as Neal had a more major role to play but to say any more would give things away. Caitlin having married into the group assumed the role she had adopted and maintained and that was one of being the organiser, the one who thought of every little touch and never left anyone out. She thought of things none of the others would dream of. She was solid and reliable but maybe underneath it all she was far wiser than any of the others gave her credit for and she could see what was going on when others did not. The question was would she act immediately on her instincts and her observations or would she keep them close to her chest until the time was right?
As for poor Ruth she feels neglected by Alec. She has experienced trauma and suffering in recent months and cannot come to terms with it. It is eating her up inside and she feels no way of letting out or expressing how she feels. She thinks Alec doesn't understand her or will not comprehend how she is feeling but maybe she should give him more credit than she is at the moment? Ruth was just awash with pain and she hopes that given the island is renowned for its healing nature that maybe some small little miracle will work its magic on her and allow her to release everything so tightly bottled up inside her in order to move forward and come to some form of acceptance.
All of the characters featured in the story are multi-layered and complicated and its not easy to read into them. You really have to sit back and just let the story unfold and not make snap judgements about anyone given they are all hiding so much. It's almost like they are all playing parodies of themselves and are reluctant to let go of that summer ten years ago. But we can't cling to the past we can only keep pushing and moving forward to see what each new day will bring us. Of course we can determine that to some extent and the decisions we make to do this needed to be carefully selected.
The Wedding on Mistletoe Island was a good read but it didn't blow me away. I felt it could have been slightly shorter given the repetition surrounding one character especially. I did love all the mentions of Christmas and the days leading up to the wedding and showcasing all the activities and delights that were on offer. The mothers did provide humour but I felt there needed to be more to counter balance the serious tones of the book and the various issues the many characters were grappling with. Overall a good book, intense at times but with plenty of romance and some fun too.
February 17, 2022
Nachdem ich an dem Tag, als ich das Buch zugeschickt bekommen habe, gleich mehr als die Hälfte gelesen habe, konnte ich mich in den darauffolgenden Tagen nicht wirklich dazu durchringen, mehr als ein paar Seiten am Tag zu lesen. Bevor ich näher darauf eingehen, werde ich jedoch erstmal wieder etwas zu den allgemeineren Dingen sagen.
Das Cover finde ich wirklich niedlich und vermittelt mir gleich den Eindruck einer winterlichen Atmosphäre. Die Farben passen wirklich gut zum Inhalt und auch die Misteln (sie sind ja sogar schon im Namen) spielen eine Rolle. Auf dieses Buch bin ich jedoch erst so richtig aufmerksam geworden nachdem ich den Klappentext gelesen habe, denn es spielt auf einer kleinen schottischen Insel! Ich MUSSTE das Buch also lesen!
Der Schreibstil ist einfach und flüssig zu lesen, wodurch man sehr schnell mit „Weihnachten auf Mistletoe Island“ fertig sein könnte. Es wurde alles mit viel Liebe zum Detail beschrieben, weshalb es mir möglich war, mir alles ganz genau vorzustellen.
Wie bereits erwähnt, habe ich mehr als die erste Hälfte des Buches gleich am Samstag verschlungen. Dies lag daran, das sich es wirklich gut und unterhaltsam fand und ich zu Beginn auch einfach unbedingt wissen musste, was es denn nun mit diesen Geheimnissen auf sich hat, die jeder der Freunde verbirgt. Nach der Hälfte war alles jedoch sehr vorhersagbar und die Charaktere konnten mich auch nicht überzeugen (gerade aus Fliss bin ich nicht schlau geworden, aber auch die anderen Charaktere haben mich eher verwirrt). Die Reaktionen waren meistens ziemlich verwirrend und ich verstehe auch immer noch nicht, weshalb so ein großes Ding aus bestimmten Dingen gemacht wurde. Da ich euch jedoch nicht spoilern möchte, werde ich mich nicht weiter darüber äußern.
Es gab aber auch einige Szenen, die mir echt gut gefallen haben! Diese haben die Handlung dann auch wahrscheinlich ein wenig für mich gerettet.
Das klingt jetzt wahrscheinlich alles viel schlimmer, als es eigentlich war, aber ich war letztendlich ein bisschen enttäuscht und musste dem Ganzen erstmal ein bisschen Luft machen :D
Insgesamt ein gutes Buch für zwischendurch, bei dem ich mir jedoch noch etwas mehr gewünscht hätte, da mir das gewisse etwas gefehlt hat. Trotzdem für alle empfehlenswert, die ein romantisch angehauchtes Buch suchen! 3/5 Sternen!
Das Cover finde ich wirklich niedlich und vermittelt mir gleich den Eindruck einer winterlichen Atmosphäre. Die Farben passen wirklich gut zum Inhalt und auch die Misteln (sie sind ja sogar schon im Namen) spielen eine Rolle. Auf dieses Buch bin ich jedoch erst so richtig aufmerksam geworden nachdem ich den Klappentext gelesen habe, denn es spielt auf einer kleinen schottischen Insel! Ich MUSSTE das Buch also lesen!
Der Schreibstil ist einfach und flüssig zu lesen, wodurch man sehr schnell mit „Weihnachten auf Mistletoe Island“ fertig sein könnte. Es wurde alles mit viel Liebe zum Detail beschrieben, weshalb es mir möglich war, mir alles ganz genau vorzustellen.
Wie bereits erwähnt, habe ich mehr als die erste Hälfte des Buches gleich am Samstag verschlungen. Dies lag daran, das sich es wirklich gut und unterhaltsam fand und ich zu Beginn auch einfach unbedingt wissen musste, was es denn nun mit diesen Geheimnissen auf sich hat, die jeder der Freunde verbirgt. Nach der Hälfte war alles jedoch sehr vorhersagbar und die Charaktere konnten mich auch nicht überzeugen (gerade aus Fliss bin ich nicht schlau geworden, aber auch die anderen Charaktere haben mich eher verwirrt). Die Reaktionen waren meistens ziemlich verwirrend und ich verstehe auch immer noch nicht, weshalb so ein großes Ding aus bestimmten Dingen gemacht wurde. Da ich euch jedoch nicht spoilern möchte, werde ich mich nicht weiter darüber äußern.
Es gab aber auch einige Szenen, die mir echt gut gefallen haben! Diese haben die Handlung dann auch wahrscheinlich ein wenig für mich gerettet.
Das klingt jetzt wahrscheinlich alles viel schlimmer, als es eigentlich war, aber ich war letztendlich ein bisschen enttäuscht und musste dem Ganzen erstmal ein bisschen Luft machen :D
Insgesamt ein gutes Buch für zwischendurch, bei dem ich mir jedoch noch etwas mehr gewünscht hätte, da mir das gewisse etwas gefehlt hat. Trotzdem für alle empfehlenswert, die ein romantisch angehauchtes Buch suchen! 3/5 Sternen!
December 1, 2020
I have to admit I did struggle with reading The Wedding on Mistletoe Island by Sophie Pembroke. For some reason I found it difficult to ‘get into’ this book, and I found some of the characters unlikeable and annoying. We follow the story of Fliss who is planning on getting married on Mistletoe Island. Her friends and family have gathered there a week before the wedding at Holly Cottage. Everything should be perfect but things are far from right. Ruth wishes she was anywhere but there, Caitlin is hiding a secret, Lara is seeing her ex Jon after a decade of turning down his proposal and Fliss herself is keeping a secret from everyone.
I didn’t really get a feel good factor with this book. I didn’t relate to a lot of the characters and although set at Christmas time, I didn’t get that warm fuzzy festive feeling. A little disappointed really.
I didn’t really get a feel good factor with this book. I didn’t relate to a lot of the characters and although set at Christmas time, I didn’t get that warm fuzzy festive feeling. A little disappointed really.
October 3, 2023
Fliss is getting married on Mistletoe Island. In the week leading up to the nuptials, she hosts a reunion of her University friends, 10 years after their first trip to the island. What follows are multiple revelations of long held secrets - can their friendships and relationships survive, and will the wedding actually take place?
A story told from multiple points of view, with glimpses into different timelines. Some of the characters are extremely flawed people, who continue to make mistakes. On the flip side, there are some amusing characters who add the lighter moments, along with "The Mothers", who are every bride's nightmare!
Not a lighthearted festive read, but certainly well written and entertaining.
A story told from multiple points of view, with glimpses into different timelines. Some of the characters are extremely flawed people, who continue to make mistakes. On the flip side, there are some amusing characters who add the lighter moments, along with "The Mothers", who are every bride's nightmare!
Not a lighthearted festive read, but certainly well written and entertaining.
January 13, 2021
This is my first book from this author and I must say I enjoyed the device she used looking at the story from the different protagonists point of view. I was invested in how the plot would play out and was really happy how it ended for each of the couples. There was enough drama to keep me interested but I did get a bit irritated with the lack of backbone of the bride with regards to the mothers taking over. However I cheered when she eventually got to see who she was and spoke up.
I would certainly search out other books by this author.
I would certainly search out other books by this author.
January 3, 2021
Really struggled to get into at first but the final third really picks up.
A pre warning to anyone reading the reviews before reading the book. One of the characters has recently had a miscarriage and is dealing with that throughout the story. Having just been through one myself, I nearly had to shelf the book for a bit but persevered.
A pre warning to anyone reading the reviews before reading the book. One of the characters has recently had a miscarriage and is dealing with that throughout the story. Having just been through one myself, I nearly had to shelf the book for a bit but persevered.
November 29, 2021
Fliss, Lara and friends have returned to Mistletoe Island to celebrate Fliss getting married on Christmas Eve Eve. Lara and Jon were the best part for me, them reuniting after she rejects his marriage proposal and him moving away but he’s back and I loved seeing their not over you journey. I thought that Fliss should have been with Neil though even though she ends up with her fiancée.
June 13, 2021
Between jumping time periods and jumping between different characters' pov, I found this story to be much more complicated than it needed to be. I did like the setting and most characters though which kept me reading, just not eagerly.
December 29, 2021
I loved this book, I did find it hard to get into for the first 100 pages, but from that point, I knew the characters and then got to enjoy seeing the storyline unfold and found it very gripping from then onwards, highly recommend!
November 27, 2020
Really enjoyed this book
November 7, 2021
Really enjoyed this light read. A few surprises along the way and an ending I didn’t predict. Worth a read.
December 16, 2021
Started this but couldn't get into it.
January 16, 2023
I could not put this book down, I've loved it from beginning to end 💗
August 6, 2023
Really a 3.5 ⭐️ book for me. It’s main theme is friendship. It was enjoyable and thought-provoking. I will try out another book by this author; this was the first one of hers I’ve read.
December 3, 2023
Lovely read, could be read when not Christmassy. I like getting to know the characters and the storyline was not too predictable, which was great. Will look out for more books by Sophie 🙂
December 29, 2023
3.25 rounded down
December 22, 2020
i did enjoy it in itself but found the main character a bit shallow
October 28, 2019
It's been ages since I was last able to settle down to a new Sophie Pembroke book, and it was definitely worth the wait. This one was fabulous.
It certainly has a fantastic setting of the remote Scottish Island of Mistletoe Island, which sounded incredibly picturesque, and there were some references to festive, but this is far more a Winter book set in the week before Christmas, than a full on festive feels sort of story.
Equally its a book with romance, but it has so much more than that, specifically whether you can really be the same person you were 10 years ago. It looks at how when you have a long standing friendship group you end up cast in a role, and no matter how much you change as a person, the rest of the time, when you get together with that group, you revert back to your younger self.
It is a theme and sentiment I could get on board with as I have often felt like I'm a different sort of person amongst different groups of people, and like Fliss I'm not entirely sure which one is the true me as such.
10 years ago, Fliss and her 6 friends had a week away on Mistletoe Island after graduation and it changed the shape of the group forever. Now they are all back ahead of Fliss's wedding to Ethan.
Predominately we get chapters and sections focusing on three of the ladies in the group, Fliss, Lara and Ruth, and between them we get to know all of the friends, who are all easily separated once you know who they are, and as Ruth hasn't know them as long as the others, we see the group from her slightly distanced perspective too.
Almost all of the group are hiding things from at least some of the others and its great fun to see what will be revealed.
For extreme comic relief, or the feeling of wanting to throw things at someone, I'd introduce you to the mothers - who have taken over the wedding planning, and Fliss is struggling to stand up to them,
There is a gentleness to the writing, its s style I really enjoy and I really got to grips with the story very quickly. I was hooked and just thoroughly loving it It was definitely a book that kept me on my toes and I really wasn't entirely sure who it would end up. I would love to see a sequel, I want more from these friends!
Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
It certainly has a fantastic setting of the remote Scottish Island of Mistletoe Island, which sounded incredibly picturesque, and there were some references to festive, but this is far more a Winter book set in the week before Christmas, than a full on festive feels sort of story.
Equally its a book with romance, but it has so much more than that, specifically whether you can really be the same person you were 10 years ago. It looks at how when you have a long standing friendship group you end up cast in a role, and no matter how much you change as a person, the rest of the time, when you get together with that group, you revert back to your younger self.
It is a theme and sentiment I could get on board with as I have often felt like I'm a different sort of person amongst different groups of people, and like Fliss I'm not entirely sure which one is the true me as such.
10 years ago, Fliss and her 6 friends had a week away on Mistletoe Island after graduation and it changed the shape of the group forever. Now they are all back ahead of Fliss's wedding to Ethan.
Predominately we get chapters and sections focusing on three of the ladies in the group, Fliss, Lara and Ruth, and between them we get to know all of the friends, who are all easily separated once you know who they are, and as Ruth hasn't know them as long as the others, we see the group from her slightly distanced perspective too.
Almost all of the group are hiding things from at least some of the others and its great fun to see what will be revealed.
For extreme comic relief, or the feeling of wanting to throw things at someone, I'd introduce you to the mothers - who have taken over the wedding planning, and Fliss is struggling to stand up to them,
There is a gentleness to the writing, its s style I really enjoy and I really got to grips with the story very quickly. I was hooked and just thoroughly loving it It was definitely a book that kept me on my toes and I really wasn't entirely sure who it would end up. I would love to see a sequel, I want more from these friends!
Thank you to Orion and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
November 5, 2019
Much More than a Winter Warmer
I don't often get the chance to read a seasonally themed book, so when this one crossed my path, I was quite looking forward to the change of pace. With autumn finally nipping at our heels, it feels good to snuggle down on the sofa with a blanket, a hot chocolate and the drama-filled lives of fictional characters.
To that end, this lovely book was perfectly placed and a dream tonic during a week of personal drama. Because let's face it... it's always easier to revel in the pains of fictional families.
Pembroke has created a beautiful book full of complex characters and stunning scenery. The remote Scottish Island of Mistletoe is absolutely the perfect setting for Fliss and her band of friends to have one last 'hooray' before she gets married the day before Christmas Eve.
Only, weddings are known for attracting drama... and with two overbearing mothers with their own ideas of the 'perfect centrepiece', a group of friends hiding secrets and an island with 'mystical magical feels' - this book is perfectly placed to help you escape this winter.
Pembroke writes with effortless ease and creates characters you connect with and champion. The pace of the book meant it was easily devoured in a day and left a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart.
Much more than just a story about coming together, it's a story that examines how we change. With challenges and difficulties thrown at each of the friends over the last ten years, it is easy to slip into old habits, but with their futures at stake, will they reveal how the past has changed them all to be able to move forward?
Sophie Pembroke has written the perfect tonic to a crazy mad world outside. So, curl up, escape to the snowy banks of Mistletoe Island and enjoy the drama that surrounds the wedding of the year. It may not be the most complex book on the shelves, you may very well guess a few of the twists, but it is a book that will leave you with all the fabulous feels this Christmas season.
Many thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers and Orion for inviting us on this blog tour.
I don't often get the chance to read a seasonally themed book, so when this one crossed my path, I was quite looking forward to the change of pace. With autumn finally nipping at our heels, it feels good to snuggle down on the sofa with a blanket, a hot chocolate and the drama-filled lives of fictional characters.
To that end, this lovely book was perfectly placed and a dream tonic during a week of personal drama. Because let's face it... it's always easier to revel in the pains of fictional families.
Pembroke has created a beautiful book full of complex characters and stunning scenery. The remote Scottish Island of Mistletoe is absolutely the perfect setting for Fliss and her band of friends to have one last 'hooray' before she gets married the day before Christmas Eve.
Only, weddings are known for attracting drama... and with two overbearing mothers with their own ideas of the 'perfect centrepiece', a group of friends hiding secrets and an island with 'mystical magical feels' - this book is perfectly placed to help you escape this winter.
Pembroke writes with effortless ease and creates characters you connect with and champion. The pace of the book meant it was easily devoured in a day and left a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart.
Much more than just a story about coming together, it's a story that examines how we change. With challenges and difficulties thrown at each of the friends over the last ten years, it is easy to slip into old habits, but with their futures at stake, will they reveal how the past has changed them all to be able to move forward?
Sophie Pembroke has written the perfect tonic to a crazy mad world outside. So, curl up, escape to the snowy banks of Mistletoe Island and enjoy the drama that surrounds the wedding of the year. It may not be the most complex book on the shelves, you may very well guess a few of the twists, but it is a book that will leave you with all the fabulous feels this Christmas season.
Many thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers and Orion for inviting us on this blog tour.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews