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Christmas by the Coast
A Christmas romance set in the Hamptons. Can love letters from the past pave the way to a brand-new future between Harriet and ex-soldier Mack?
As snowflakes fall, romance blossoms across open fires, ice skating rinks, and a tiki bar. Harriet Cookson knows exactly what she wants from life. She has a plan, she has ambition and she knows she has to keep busy. But when her beloved Nana Lorna passes away, Harriet has to put everything on hold as she flies out to the Hamptons to say goodbye and be with her Grandfather. Whilst across the Atlantic, over a plate of canapes, Harriet’s eyes connect with ex-soldier Mack's – the one that got away, the person she least expected to see – and everything begins to change. Mack is determined to win back Harriet’s heart, and prove to her that Christmas, and a future, in the Hamptons could be just what she’s looking for. He'll show her that the plan she’s so carefully cultivated might not be what she wants. This Christmas, find out if love letters from the past can pave the way to a brand-new future…
As snowflakes fall, romance blossoms across open fires, ice skating rinks, and a tiki bar. Harriet Cookson knows exactly what she wants from life. She has a plan, she has ambition and she knows she has to keep busy. But when her beloved Nana Lorna passes away, Harriet has to put everything on hold as she flies out to the Hamptons to say goodbye and be with her Grandfather. Whilst across the Atlantic, over a plate of canapes, Harriet’s eyes connect with ex-soldier Mack's – the one that got away, the person she least expected to see – and everything begins to change. Mack is determined to win back Harriet’s heart, and prove to her that Christmas, and a future, in the Hamptons could be just what she’s looking for. He'll show her that the plan she’s so carefully cultivated might not be what she wants. This Christmas, find out if love letters from the past can pave the way to a brand-new future…
464 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2021
153 people are currently reading
621 people want to read
About the author
Mandy Baggot
61 books750 followersMandy Baggot is an international bestselling and award-winning romance writer represented by Tanera Simons of Greenstone Literary.
Mandy is best-known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, gorgeous heroes and always that happy-ever-after!
The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian and Italian.
Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, wine, cheese, Netflix, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Most recently, Mandy took part in BBC1's Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.
Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK and Corfu, Greece.
Visit Mandy's website at www.mandybaggot.com
Mandy is best-known for her laugh-out-loud romantic comedies featuring strong heroines, gorgeous heroes and always that happy-ever-after!
The winner of the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK's Festival of Romance, her novel, One Wish in Manhattan, was also shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year award in 2016. Mandy's books have so far been translated into Bulgarian, Czech, German, Hungarian and Italian.
Mandy loves the Greek island of Corfu, wine, cheese, Netflix, country music and handbags. Also a singer, she has taken part in ITV1's Who Dares Sings and The X-Factor. Most recently, Mandy took part in BBC1's Ready Steady Cook with Greek celebrity chef, Akis Petretzikis.
Mandy is a member of the Society of Authors and splits her time between Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK and Corfu, Greece.
Visit Mandy's website at www.mandybaggot.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
September 4, 2021
I couldn’t wait to get to the end of this book, and it wasn’t because I was enjoying it. Sadly, this one just didn’t do it for me. I like romance, I like reading about happy endings and sometimes I enjoy reading things because they are predictable and will end up exactly how I was expecting, but, for me, this wasn’t the case with Christmas by the Coast.
I found the story boring and a bit all over the place. This was targeted as the one who got away – and don’t get me wrong, it actually ends up being about it – yet I couldn’t see the appeal of Harriet and Mack’s relationship because we had close to none backstory on how they met, other than they used to write to each other, for the majority of the book and it was all mostly focused on the now instead of what brought them to the present situation.
One thing that I did not really understand was if this was written to be set in a pandemic scenario or not? Because it was mentioned twice when they were wearing masks at the airport and when Harriet said she went “through that last year” and then it was never mentioned again.
Harriet was annoying and a very uninteresting character. I think the most exciting thing about her were her grandparents and friends Ruby, Lester, and her UK friend. I can’t even remember her name. Or her father’s name when he came up a few chapters after, that’s how invested I was in all this.
Keep in mind that I know pretty much nothing about PTSD, let alone PTSD in veterans, but I feel like the issue was very glossed over and it was like love healed all wounds and it would all be okay in the future because you have someone who loves you. Yeah, unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. I don’t know if the author researched this, but it felt like a disservice to people going through traumatic events/dealing with trauma.
Speaking of veterans, Mack wasn’t all that bad, but it seriously irked me when he would distance himself from Harriet because she was in a relationship, bringing her boyfriend up all the time in his thoughts and conversation with other people, until it benefited him, and he didn’t care she was with someone else.
I won’t even bother talking about Harriet’s boyfriend. It was nice he was there for her when she needed it, but if the author were to rewrite the whole book and portray Harriet as a single person, I swear it wouldn’t change a single thing about the story.
I wouldn’t mind reading more about Ruby or Madame Scarlett, though, as I found them the only captivating characters.
I received an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Aria & Aries and Netgalley!
I found the story boring and a bit all over the place. This was targeted as the one who got away – and don’t get me wrong, it actually ends up being about it – yet I couldn’t see the appeal of Harriet and Mack’s relationship because we had close to none backstory on how they met, other than they used to write to each other, for the majority of the book and it was all mostly focused on the now instead of what brought them to the present situation.
One thing that I did not really understand was if this was written to be set in a pandemic scenario or not? Because it was mentioned twice when they were wearing masks at the airport and when Harriet said she went “through that last year” and then it was never mentioned again.
Harriet was annoying and a very uninteresting character. I think the most exciting thing about her were her grandparents and friends Ruby, Lester, and her UK friend. I can’t even remember her name. Or her father’s name when he came up a few chapters after, that’s how invested I was in all this.
Keep in mind that I know pretty much nothing about PTSD, let alone PTSD in veterans, but I feel like the issue was very glossed over and it was like love healed all wounds and it would all be okay in the future because you have someone who loves you. Yeah, unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. I don’t know if the author researched this, but it felt like a disservice to people going through traumatic events/dealing with trauma.
Speaking of veterans, Mack wasn’t all that bad, but it seriously irked me when he would distance himself from Harriet because she was in a relationship, bringing her boyfriend up all the time in his thoughts and conversation with other people, until it benefited him, and he didn’t care she was with someone else.
I won’t even bother talking about Harriet’s boyfriend. It was nice he was there for her when she needed it, but if the author were to rewrite the whole book and portray Harriet as a single person, I swear it wouldn’t change a single thing about the story.
I wouldn’t mind reading more about Ruby or Madame Scarlett, though, as I found them the only captivating characters.
I received an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Aria & Aries and Netgalley!
November 16, 2021
Favorite Quotes:
Harriet felt as if someone had pressed halt on life’s stopwatch as her dad’s words rained down on her like the hardest, skin-jabbing, cricket -ball-sized hailstones.
New York was Jude’s reference for the USA as a whole. Harriet was convinced her friend thought the whole of the United States was as small as the Isle of Man and basically only contained one dirty blues bar, an all-day diner and a man selling hot dogs out of a cart next to the Empire State.
Today’s hair arrangement was Medusa meets Daenerys from Game of Thrones.
…you were always the star of your own show… Don’t let anyone make you drop back into the chorus line.
She looked sour, like someone had rubbed a lemon all over her face and then made her swallow it whole.
She watched Mack again, picking up a soft toy the child in the buggy had dropped, dusting it off a little, then handing it back. She almost sensed her ovaries let out a groan…
My Review:
I adore Mandy Baggot’s delightfully clever humor and perceptive storytelling and covet her agile writing style and talent for stringing clever arrangements of words together. Her latest offering is yet another fun and lively tale that alternated between tickling my funny bone and squeezing my heart, and often managed to achieve both at the same time. She is a goddess of inventive yet realistic plot development as well as the creation of eccentric and unconventional characters. I adored these oddly beguiling yet fractured characters as much as their devilishly amusing yet insightfully penned storylines. I would love for her to return to this enticing collection of oddly tuned yet endearingly compelling residents for a sequel.
Harriet felt as if someone had pressed halt on life’s stopwatch as her dad’s words rained down on her like the hardest, skin-jabbing, cricket -ball-sized hailstones.
New York was Jude’s reference for the USA as a whole. Harriet was convinced her friend thought the whole of the United States was as small as the Isle of Man and basically only contained one dirty blues bar, an all-day diner and a man selling hot dogs out of a cart next to the Empire State.
Today’s hair arrangement was Medusa meets Daenerys from Game of Thrones.
…you were always the star of your own show… Don’t let anyone make you drop back into the chorus line.
She looked sour, like someone had rubbed a lemon all over her face and then made her swallow it whole.
She watched Mack again, picking up a soft toy the child in the buggy had dropped, dusting it off a little, then handing it back. She almost sensed her ovaries let out a groan…
My Review:
I adore Mandy Baggot’s delightfully clever humor and perceptive storytelling and covet her agile writing style and talent for stringing clever arrangements of words together. Her latest offering is yet another fun and lively tale that alternated between tickling my funny bone and squeezing my heart, and often managed to achieve both at the same time. She is a goddess of inventive yet realistic plot development as well as the creation of eccentric and unconventional characters. I adored these oddly beguiling yet fractured characters as much as their devilishly amusing yet insightfully penned storylines. I would love for her to return to this enticing collection of oddly tuned yet endearingly compelling residents for a sequel.
October 25, 2025
A lovely, heart breaking, second chance romance.
Lovable perfect imperfectly MCs.
Lovable and quirky secondary characters.
Family fallout.
Dealing with grief and pain.
Following your dreams.
Following your heart.
A tight-knit community.
Beautifully written.
My first by Mandy Baggot.
Long Island, The Hamptons, Montauk.
The Rum Coconut tiki bar.
The story starts in Bournemouth, Dorset, with Harriet Cookson (29) and her boyfriend Iain (30).
They have an investment business, buying houses, renovating them, and selling them again with profit.
When she's told by her divorced parents Marnie and Ralph that her grandmother (nana) Lorna died she's devastated.
She left everything behind, booking the first flight possible, and amazingly Iain, the not very emotional, but sensible, even, boyfriend goes with her.
She needs to be there.
Nana was her grandpa Joe everything.
How will he cope now that she's gone?
Mack (Mackenzie) Wyatt (31) a veteran, lives in his boat The Warrior with his little dog Scooter and has a prosthetic leg.
When someone jumps into the sea, he follows and with the help of his friend Lester he hauls him out of the water
It's Joe.
Harriet is known there as Joanna, kind of a nick name, has spent all her summers there while she was growing up, never in the winter, and hasn't been there in 3 years.
When Ruby who worked with her nana tells her what happened and she sees how her grandpa is so fragile, she promises herself to take care of him and do all the Christmas things her nana told her about.
But first they have to get through her funeral, helped by everyone but especially by Madame Scarlet, nana's best friend, who wants her to know Mack who saved grandpa, but he realizes she's Harri the girl who wrote him letters for 3 years when he was in Afghanistan and he saw in a brief video, both falling in love.
The one he lied to, asking people to tell her he died/returned to a previous girlfriend.
The one he shut and locked the door between them.
Maybe she'll leave but he really didn't want her to.
At the funeral, though Mack is at the back of the church, she sees him and thinks she must be hallucinating.
But there's no mistake.
The curls, the green eyes, his beautiful face.
She had loved him like she had loved no one else and he had ghosted her.
Had hurt her!
She's so angry!
Harriet finds the first letter nana left for her in the photo album of how Montauk Christmas was all about.
She decides to do all the events and maybe that will give a little part of her loved nana back to her.
Mack tries to help her the best he can
and her doing so is helping grandpa recovering from the grief of losing the love of his life.
When she goes to his boat to ask his help on an event where one is needed, he opens the door thinking it's Lester and she sees for the first time he's missing half of one leg.
He waits for the pity in her eyes, but she says in her defence she checked his abs first and then went down slowly.
And from that moment there's a banter related to that between the two and they start to have so much fun in the different events.
Sometimes a sound or whatever gets him back to the past and he gets out of control but she's there to help and shield him.
But he still didn't tell her what happened.
He hates Iain but Madame Scarlet tells him Harriet is not in love with him and he is not in love with her either, he doesn't move her soul and that Mack needs to be ready because he's the one who needs to catch her when she falls this time.
Iain went back to England. Problems with one of their properties.
Mack tells her he hates her being with Iain and Harriet him being with Wendy a local woman, saying she thinks of him every minute of the day and dreams about him too, and Mack, finally, sobbing hard, trembling, tells her what really happened.
He made a mistake and his friend Sanders was killed and he almost died. And it's like he killed Sanders himself, not the enemy.
Iain returns to Montauk and has 3 resolutions to end their affairs. He found the letters Mack wrote her and read them all too.
She was livid he invaded her private space but guilty also.
After kissing Mack for the first time in the Festive Parade she has no doubt, just the hope she'll be good for Mack's recovery.
The ending was the one expected, that I wanted it too, and so very emotional!
This was not a light Christmas novel, but an amazing story about how love can be lost and found again if you truly follow your heart no matter what!
Lovable perfect imperfectly MCs.
Lovable and quirky secondary characters.
Family fallout.
Dealing with grief and pain.
Following your dreams.
Following your heart.
A tight-knit community.
Beautifully written.
My first by Mandy Baggot.
Long Island, The Hamptons, Montauk.
The Rum Coconut tiki bar.
The story starts in Bournemouth, Dorset, with Harriet Cookson (29) and her boyfriend Iain (30).
They have an investment business, buying houses, renovating them, and selling them again with profit.
When she's told by her divorced parents Marnie and Ralph that her grandmother (nana) Lorna died she's devastated.
She left everything behind, booking the first flight possible, and amazingly Iain, the not very emotional, but sensible, even, boyfriend goes with her.
She needs to be there.
Nana was her grandpa Joe everything.
How will he cope now that she's gone?
Mack (Mackenzie) Wyatt (31) a veteran, lives in his boat The Warrior with his little dog Scooter and has a prosthetic leg.
When someone jumps into the sea, he follows and with the help of his friend Lester he hauls him out of the water
It's Joe.
Harriet is known there as Joanna, kind of a nick name, has spent all her summers there while she was growing up, never in the winter, and hasn't been there in 3 years.
When Ruby who worked with her nana tells her what happened and she sees how her grandpa is so fragile, she promises herself to take care of him and do all the Christmas things her nana told her about.
But first they have to get through her funeral, helped by everyone but especially by Madame Scarlet, nana's best friend, who wants her to know Mack who saved grandpa, but he realizes she's Harri the girl who wrote him letters for 3 years when he was in Afghanistan and he saw in a brief video, both falling in love.
The one he lied to, asking people to tell her he died/returned to a previous girlfriend.
The one he shut and locked the door between them.
Maybe she'll leave but he really didn't want her to.
At the funeral, though Mack is at the back of the church, she sees him and thinks she must be hallucinating.
But there's no mistake.
The curls, the green eyes, his beautiful face.
She had loved him like she had loved no one else and he had ghosted her.
Had hurt her!
She's so angry!
Harriet finds the first letter nana left for her in the photo album of how Montauk Christmas was all about.
She decides to do all the events and maybe that will give a little part of her loved nana back to her.
Mack tries to help her the best he can
and her doing so is helping grandpa recovering from the grief of losing the love of his life.
When she goes to his boat to ask his help on an event where one is needed, he opens the door thinking it's Lester and she sees for the first time he's missing half of one leg.
He waits for the pity in her eyes, but she says in her defence she checked his abs first and then went down slowly.
And from that moment there's a banter related to that between the two and they start to have so much fun in the different events.
Sometimes a sound or whatever gets him back to the past and he gets out of control but she's there to help and shield him.
But he still didn't tell her what happened.
He hates Iain but Madame Scarlet tells him Harriet is not in love with him and he is not in love with her either, he doesn't move her soul and that Mack needs to be ready because he's the one who needs to catch her when she falls this time.
Iain went back to England. Problems with one of their properties.
Mack tells her he hates her being with Iain and Harriet him being with Wendy a local woman, saying she thinks of him every minute of the day and dreams about him too, and Mack, finally, sobbing hard, trembling, tells her what really happened.
He made a mistake and his friend Sanders was killed and he almost died. And it's like he killed Sanders himself, not the enemy.
Iain returns to Montauk and has 3 resolutions to end their affairs. He found the letters Mack wrote her and read them all too.
She was livid he invaded her private space but guilty also.
After kissing Mack for the first time in the Festive Parade she has no doubt, just the hope she'll be good for Mack's recovery.
The ending was the one expected, that I wanted it too, and so very emotional!
This was not a light Christmas novel, but an amazing story about how love can be lost and found again if you truly follow your heart no matter what!
August 11, 2021
It takes real skill to portray a character with a disability so realistically and well-rounded that the character’s personality becomes foremost and the disability part of that character, not the thing that defines them. Mandy did this fantastically with Hannah in One Christmas Kiss in Notting Hill, and she has done it again with Mack. We feel for Mack, empathise with him, root for him but we don’t pity him despite the loss of his lower leg. And neither does Harri. She loves Mack for the person he is, the person she fell in love with years ago, who pushed her away rather than share the trauma he had been through with her. Mack loves Harri too, but he is so desperate not to have her pity, terrified of tying her to him out of sympathy that he still pushes her away. Mix this with the loss of a beloved grandmother, a long-held family feud, Christmas traditions, a love triangle and a beautiful setting and you’ve got a winner. There’s a lot of humour in this story – as always with Mandy – but a lot of depth, tenderness and nostalgia too. This is such a heart-warming Christmas read and well deserves five stars.
December 23, 2022
„Winterzauber in den Hamptons“ ist bereits der 7. Teil der Winterzauber-Bücher von Mandy Baggott. Die Bücher können allerdings alle unabhängig voneinander gelesen werden, da sie in keinem Zusammenhang stehen. Was sie allerdings alle gemeinsam haben sind die wundervoll gestalteten Cover die definitiv Wiedererkennungswert besitzen. Während Band 1 bis 6 allerdings alle durch einen roten Regenschirm wiederzuerkennen waren, fehlt dieser hier nun gänzlich. Stattdessen gab es rote warmhaltende Accessoires für die Personen auf dem Cover. Tut dem ganzen allerdings meiner Meinung nach keinen Abbruch.
Seit Beginn der Reihe liebe ich die Bücher von der Autorin. Ihr Schreibstil ist flüssig und die Settings die sie schafft sind bildhaft. Dieses Mal nimmt sie den Leser mit in einen kleinen Ort in den Hamptons und obwohl ich noch nie persönlich da war, konnte ich mir ein sehr gutes Bild von dem Handlungsort machen.
Harriet, welche von London nach Montauk reist um ihrem Großvater nahe zu sein, nach dem Tod ihrer Großmutter, ist mir direkt ans Herz gewachsen. Ihr Verlust machte mich sentimental, was definitiv auch an der Jahreszeit liegen mag und ihr Art der Trauerbewältigung hat mich zutiefst bewegt. Ich war zunächst verwirrt, dass Harriet mit ihrem Partner angereist ist, denn der Klappentext verriet darüber nichts und ich hatte da wohl eher eine andere Erwartung. Mochte aber die Umsetzung total. Die Selbstreflexion von Harriets Seite die man als Leser durchaus miterleben kann, fand ich persönlich sehr schön.
Auch Mack mochte ich sehr. Diese etwas geheimnisvolle Art die er an sich hatte war für mich einfach magisch. Er war selten um einen Spruch verlegen und sein Humor lies mich öfter schmunzeln. Hier merkte man aber sehr gut dieses „harte Schale, weicher Kern“.
Insgesamt war es eine rundum schöne Geschichte mit einem traumhaften Kleinstadt-Setting in dem die Menschen zusammenhalten und sich gegenseitig helfen. Genau das was mein Herz zur Adventszeit braucht.
Fazit:
Schönes weihnachtliches Buch mit Tiefgang und sehr viel Gefühl aber auch Melancholie.
Seit Beginn der Reihe liebe ich die Bücher von der Autorin. Ihr Schreibstil ist flüssig und die Settings die sie schafft sind bildhaft. Dieses Mal nimmt sie den Leser mit in einen kleinen Ort in den Hamptons und obwohl ich noch nie persönlich da war, konnte ich mir ein sehr gutes Bild von dem Handlungsort machen.
Harriet, welche von London nach Montauk reist um ihrem Großvater nahe zu sein, nach dem Tod ihrer Großmutter, ist mir direkt ans Herz gewachsen. Ihr Verlust machte mich sentimental, was definitiv auch an der Jahreszeit liegen mag und ihr Art der Trauerbewältigung hat mich zutiefst bewegt. Ich war zunächst verwirrt, dass Harriet mit ihrem Partner angereist ist, denn der Klappentext verriet darüber nichts und ich hatte da wohl eher eine andere Erwartung. Mochte aber die Umsetzung total. Die Selbstreflexion von Harriets Seite die man als Leser durchaus miterleben kann, fand ich persönlich sehr schön.
Auch Mack mochte ich sehr. Diese etwas geheimnisvolle Art die er an sich hatte war für mich einfach magisch. Er war selten um einen Spruch verlegen und sein Humor lies mich öfter schmunzeln. Hier merkte man aber sehr gut dieses „harte Schale, weicher Kern“.
Insgesamt war es eine rundum schöne Geschichte mit einem traumhaften Kleinstadt-Setting in dem die Menschen zusammenhalten und sich gegenseitig helfen. Genau das was mein Herz zur Adventszeit braucht.
Fazit:
Schönes weihnachtliches Buch mit Tiefgang und sehr viel Gefühl aber auch Melancholie.
December 25, 2022
Nach dem ich schon viel gutes über die Winter/Weihnachtsromane von Mandy Baggots gehört habe, wollte ich mir mein eigenes Bild machen. Gemeinsam mit @herzsprung_momente habe ich mich im Buddyread auf in die Hamptons gemacht.
Harriet und Mack sind zwei gelungene Protagonisten, welche durch ihre Echtheit überzeugen.
Auch die Nebencharaktere fügen sich toll in die Story ein, auch wenn man sie nicht immer alle mag. Bei mir war es Harriets Freund Iain, er war mir einfach zu kühl und berechnend.
In mein Herz geschlichen haben sich zwei besondere Protagonisten. Zum einen der Papagei aus der Strandbar und Macks Hund, beide schenken einem amüsante Momente.
Ich mochte die bildlichen Beschreibungen der kleinen Ortschaft Montauk sehr gerne. Das Cover zeigt das gemütliche Flair welches beim Lesen aufgekommen ist.
Leider zogen sich manche Passagen etwas und anderes war vorhersehbar, dennoch hat das Lesen durch den flüssigen Schreibstil Spaß gemacht.
„Winterzauber in den Hamptons“ ist ein warmherziger und emotionaler Roman, mit dem man es schafft in dem ganzen Vorbereitungswahnsinn rund um das Weihnachtsfest ein wenig abzuschalten.
Harriet und Mack sind zwei gelungene Protagonisten, welche durch ihre Echtheit überzeugen.
Auch die Nebencharaktere fügen sich toll in die Story ein, auch wenn man sie nicht immer alle mag. Bei mir war es Harriets Freund Iain, er war mir einfach zu kühl und berechnend.
In mein Herz geschlichen haben sich zwei besondere Protagonisten. Zum einen der Papagei aus der Strandbar und Macks Hund, beide schenken einem amüsante Momente.
Ich mochte die bildlichen Beschreibungen der kleinen Ortschaft Montauk sehr gerne. Das Cover zeigt das gemütliche Flair welches beim Lesen aufgekommen ist.
Leider zogen sich manche Passagen etwas und anderes war vorhersehbar, dennoch hat das Lesen durch den flüssigen Schreibstil Spaß gemacht.
„Winterzauber in den Hamptons“ ist ein warmherziger und emotionaler Roman, mit dem man es schafft in dem ganzen Vorbereitungswahnsinn rund um das Weihnachtsfest ein wenig abzuschalten.
November 30, 2021
Wonderful Christmas story
Harriet and Mack’s story ticks all the boxes of what I love in a Christmas romance! A wonderfully festive, cold and sandy setting; fantastic and quirky characters, including a couple of animal friends; a warm and cozy story; and most of all an endearing couple who wormed their way into my heart. Aside from the love story, the writer has also gifted us a story of second changes, forgiveness, and vulnerability, all wrapped up like a wonderful Christmas present.
Harriet and Mack’s story ticks all the boxes of what I love in a Christmas romance! A wonderfully festive, cold and sandy setting; fantastic and quirky characters, including a couple of animal friends; a warm and cozy story; and most of all an endearing couple who wormed their way into my heart. Aside from the love story, the writer has also gifted us a story of second changes, forgiveness, and vulnerability, all wrapped up like a wonderful Christmas present.
November 28, 2023
I haven't read this author before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Overall this one wasn't for me. This one was all about the romance. Not really my thing. I was hoping for a subplot or two because it was only about the one thing which started feeling a little tedious.
I was never pulled into this one. Harriet was likable and had a strong moral compass, but she seemed too perfect. So 2 stars.
I was never pulled into this one. Harriet was likable and had a strong moral compass, but she seemed too perfect. So 2 stars.
August 21, 2021
If someone would ask me to list my favorite holiday reads, I'll make sure Christmas by the Coast is on the list. This is by far the warmest holiday book I've read this year!
The cover would suggest that it's mainly romance, but personally, I think this book is really more than that. I was impressed at how the book managed to portray the essence of Christmas—love, family, community, festivities—without losing focus on the love story of the main characters. Even though the book started with Harriet losing her Nana (this is not a spoiler, I swear), my reading experience did not feel so sad at all. More than anything, I felt enthusiastic! That kind of feeling everyone gets when it's the holidays; that feeling of hope and eagerness to live life to the fullest. The characters are lovely and I adored them all... including Scooter and Meryl! There's just so much positivity in this book which makes it a perfect Christmas read!
Overall, Christmas by the Coast is a modern romance in all its sense. Reading this book gave me those butterflies you usually get with this genre – the love story, the trope... it's all there. But for me, this book is more than just your ordinary romance, it is packed with so much love coming from all directions you can't even imagine! I adored it, I would recommend it to everyone!
The cover would suggest that it's mainly romance, but personally, I think this book is really more than that. I was impressed at how the book managed to portray the essence of Christmas—love, family, community, festivities—without losing focus on the love story of the main characters. Even though the book started with Harriet losing her Nana (this is not a spoiler, I swear), my reading experience did not feel so sad at all. More than anything, I felt enthusiastic! That kind of feeling everyone gets when it's the holidays; that feeling of hope and eagerness to live life to the fullest. The characters are lovely and I adored them all... including Scooter and Meryl! There's just so much positivity in this book which makes it a perfect Christmas read!
Overall, Christmas by the Coast is a modern romance in all its sense. Reading this book gave me those butterflies you usually get with this genre – the love story, the trope... it's all there. But for me, this book is more than just your ordinary romance, it is packed with so much love coming from all directions you can't even imagine! I adored it, I would recommend it to everyone!
November 10, 2021
I have been a fan of Mandy’s work for a little while now. I haven’t quite caught up with everything that she has written to date but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘Christmas By The Coast’ and it certainly sounded like the sort of read I desperately needed at that moment in time- a fun and light hearted, escapist read. It was certainly all that and so much more.
I loved the character of Harriet Cookson and I warmed to her from the very start. In fact it didn’t take long for me to feel as though she had become a friend of mine and I felt all protective of her. When the story starts, she is in a relationship with Iain, who quite frankly needs a slap across the face with a wet flip flop for several different reasons. Harriet has a bit of a distant relationship with her own parents and whilst the conversation between them is civil, it isn’t exactly caring and warm. Harriet enjoyed a much closer relationship with her paternal grandparents, who adored her. Sadly Harriet’s grandma passes away and Harriet is determined to be there for her grandfather and help him with his grief as much as she can, whilst at the same time he will be helping her with her grief. When Harriet lands at her grandparents’ house, little does she know that she has a few surprises in store for her. What happens? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘Christmas By The Coast’. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first few pages, I knew that I was going to become addicted to the story. Part of the reason was because I had taken so well to the character of Harriet and I had to keep reading to see how the story panned out for her. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two to fill a spare ten minutes or so but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would still be sat there reading over half a dozen chapters and an hour later. The pages turned over increasingly quickly as I made my way through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of the book, which I had mixed feelings about. I don’t mean that to sound negative. Don’t get me wrong , I was pleased to find out how the story finished but I was enjoying the story that much that I didn’t want it to end. I found ‘Christmas By The Coast’ to be a fun and festive read, which held my attention from start to finish.
‘Christmas By The Coast’ is superbly written but then that’s also true of all of Mandy’s books that I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. Mandy has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Mandy’s books is like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Mandy certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draws you into what proves to be a compelling story. Mandy clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the way in which she describes them. I love the way in which Mandy makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of all the action. This book was the perfect distraction for a cold and damp autumn afternoon. I started chuckling away at the start of the story and I didn’t stop until long after I had finished reading it.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Christmas By The Coast’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Mandy’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I loved the character of Harriet Cookson and I warmed to her from the very start. In fact it didn’t take long for me to feel as though she had become a friend of mine and I felt all protective of her. When the story starts, she is in a relationship with Iain, who quite frankly needs a slap across the face with a wet flip flop for several different reasons. Harriet has a bit of a distant relationship with her own parents and whilst the conversation between them is civil, it isn’t exactly caring and warm. Harriet enjoyed a much closer relationship with her paternal grandparents, who adored her. Sadly Harriet’s grandma passes away and Harriet is determined to be there for her grandfather and help him with his grief as much as she can, whilst at the same time he will be helping her with her grief. When Harriet lands at her grandparents’ house, little does she know that she has a few surprises in store for her. What happens? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me no time at all to get into ‘Christmas By The Coast’. In fact by the time I got to the end of the first few pages, I knew that I was going to become addicted to the story. Part of the reason was because I had taken so well to the character of Harriet and I had to keep reading to see how the story panned out for her. I would pick the book up only intending to read a chapter or two to fill a spare ten minutes or so but I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would still be sat there reading over half a dozen chapters and an hour later. The pages turned over increasingly quickly as I made my way through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of the book, which I had mixed feelings about. I don’t mean that to sound negative. Don’t get me wrong , I was pleased to find out how the story finished but I was enjoying the story that much that I didn’t want it to end. I found ‘Christmas By The Coast’ to be a fun and festive read, which held my attention from start to finish.
‘Christmas By The Coast’ is superbly written but then that’s also true of all of Mandy’s books that I have had the pleasure of reading and reviewing. Mandy has one of those easy going writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Mandy’s books is like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. Mandy certainly knows how to grab the reader’s attention and draws you into what proves to be a compelling story. Mandy clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the way in which she describes them. I love the way in which Mandy makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of all the action. This book was the perfect distraction for a cold and damp autumn afternoon. I started chuckling away at the start of the story and I didn’t stop until long after I had finished reading it.
In short, I thoroughly enjoyed reading ‘Christmas By The Coast’ and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Mandy’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
October 28, 2023
Wer einen gefühlvollen Roman zur perfekten Einstimmung auf die Weihnachtszeit sucht, ist mit "Winterzauber in den Hamptons" von Mandy Baggot genau richtig! Obwohl es schon der 7. Band der Winterzauber-Reihe der Autorin ist, kann das Buch völlig unabhängig von den anderen Teilen gelesen werden. Die Autorin überzeugt mit sympathischen Charakteren, einem tollen Setting u. einer Geschichte, die nicht nur auf die Liebe der Protagonisten beschränkt ist!
Herzlichen Dank an das Bloggerportal u. den Goldmann-Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!
Klappentext:
Als kurz vor Weihnachten ihre geliebte Großmutter stirbt, lässt Harriet in London alles stehen und liegen. Zutiefst traurig reist sie in die Hamptons, um ihrem Großvater in dieser schweren Zeit beizustehen. Und in Montauk entfaltet der Winter einen ganz besonderen Zauber. Die Küste funkelt im Schnee, die Häuser erstrahlen im Lichterglanz, und Harriet stürzt sich in die Vorbereitungen des Weihnachtsfests, das ihre Großeltern immer für die ganze Nachbarschaft ausrichteten. Dabei trifft sie auf Mack, in den sie einst verliebt war und der ohne eine Erklärung aus ihrem Leben verschwand. Nun ist der schweigsame Bootsbesitzer fest entschlossen, Harriets Herz zurückzuerobern …
Der Einstieg in den Weihnachtsroman fiel mir durch den lockeren, lebendigen Schreibstil der Autorin leicht, obwohl die Geschichte aus der personalen Er-/Sie-Erzählerperspektive erzählt wird u. ich mit Ich-Perspektiven normalerweise besser zurechtkomme.
Dabei mochte ich die einzelnen Figuren sehr gerne, weil sie alle miteinander authentisch sind u. endlich mal wie Erwachsene miteinander reden, statt – wie oft üblich – vor ihren Problemen u. Dramen davonlaufen!
Obwohl der Tod von Harriets Großmutter die gesamte Handlung negativ überschattet, schaffen es die Figuren trotzdem, dass Weihnachtsstimmung aufkommt, und das nicht nur im Rum Coconut, sondern auch beim Leser!
Dabei waren die Brief der Großmutter wunderschön zu lesen u. waren für mich persönlich ein Highlight, sodass auch Harriet lernt, ihr Leben weiterzuleben.
Schön fand ich dabei auch, dass der Fokus der Geschichte nicht allein auf Harriet u. Mack lag, sondern auch die anderen Figuren im Zentrum stehen. Nichtsdestotrotz blieben für mich am Ende ein paar Fragen offen, die gerne noch geklärt hätten werden dürfen, da es gerade gegen Ende hin sehr "entspannt" zugeht, ohne wirkliche Konflikte oder einen große Katastrophe, die man irgendwie trotzdem erwartet.
Ich gebe dem Buch 4 von 5 Sternen!
Herzlichen Dank an das Bloggerportal u. den Goldmann-Verlag für das Rezensionsexemplar!
Klappentext:
Als kurz vor Weihnachten ihre geliebte Großmutter stirbt, lässt Harriet in London alles stehen und liegen. Zutiefst traurig reist sie in die Hamptons, um ihrem Großvater in dieser schweren Zeit beizustehen. Und in Montauk entfaltet der Winter einen ganz besonderen Zauber. Die Küste funkelt im Schnee, die Häuser erstrahlen im Lichterglanz, und Harriet stürzt sich in die Vorbereitungen des Weihnachtsfests, das ihre Großeltern immer für die ganze Nachbarschaft ausrichteten. Dabei trifft sie auf Mack, in den sie einst verliebt war und der ohne eine Erklärung aus ihrem Leben verschwand. Nun ist der schweigsame Bootsbesitzer fest entschlossen, Harriets Herz zurückzuerobern …
Der Einstieg in den Weihnachtsroman fiel mir durch den lockeren, lebendigen Schreibstil der Autorin leicht, obwohl die Geschichte aus der personalen Er-/Sie-Erzählerperspektive erzählt wird u. ich mit Ich-Perspektiven normalerweise besser zurechtkomme.
Dabei mochte ich die einzelnen Figuren sehr gerne, weil sie alle miteinander authentisch sind u. endlich mal wie Erwachsene miteinander reden, statt – wie oft üblich – vor ihren Problemen u. Dramen davonlaufen!
Obwohl der Tod von Harriets Großmutter die gesamte Handlung negativ überschattet, schaffen es die Figuren trotzdem, dass Weihnachtsstimmung aufkommt, und das nicht nur im Rum Coconut, sondern auch beim Leser!
Dabei waren die Brief der Großmutter wunderschön zu lesen u. waren für mich persönlich ein Highlight, sodass auch Harriet lernt, ihr Leben weiterzuleben.
Schön fand ich dabei auch, dass der Fokus der Geschichte nicht allein auf Harriet u. Mack lag, sondern auch die anderen Figuren im Zentrum stehen. Nichtsdestotrotz blieben für mich am Ende ein paar Fragen offen, die gerne noch geklärt hätten werden dürfen, da es gerade gegen Ende hin sehr "entspannt" zugeht, ohne wirkliche Konflikte oder einen große Katastrophe, die man irgendwie trotzdem erwartet.
Ich gebe dem Buch 4 von 5 Sternen!
December 6, 2022
Difficult
Shame about this book I found it a difficult read as was long winded. I like a book you can get lost in and read quickly. I will try other novels by this author.
Shame about this book I found it a difficult read as was long winded. I like a book you can get lost in and read quickly. I will try other novels by this author.
December 13, 2023
rep: amputee and PTSD
I mainly picked up this book because I thought it would be a great read for disability December, and because it takes place on Long Island!!
I first want to say, I think this booked did a really good job in the aspect of disability representation while I can’t speak on the accuracy of either disabilities portrayed I think the reality was written very well. Mack is an ex-solider who lost his leg while overseas. I think that author does a wonderful job of keeping Mack a well-rounded character, while his disability is very prevalent in the story it is not the thing that defines him. This also allows the readers to form a more emotional attachment to him and empathize with him as opposed to just pitying him for his loss of his lower leg. Harri also demonstrates this by proving that she loves Mack for who he is on the inside and to her he is still the same person that she fell in love with so many years ago. I do however feel like the PTSD aspect could’ve been addressed more. To me it felt a bit glossed over
I love a second chance romance and something about this was so intriguing- I love that they sent letters to each other and had such a deep connection without ever really meeting each other per se. I do wish that there was a few supplies going on. I honestly did just have a hard time connecting with the story. It kind of felt all over the place to me, and I just wasn’t able to get into it. I didn’t love Harriet that much, I feel like she honestly didn’t have that much depth. We didn’t really know that much about her aside from the fact that she was in a relationship-which also I didn’t love, I feel like we could’ve just left that part out and I would’ve been a lot happier. She honestly just read like an uninteresting character. I definitely did like Mack character way more, I feel like he actually showed character development and growth throughout the book which was enjoyable to read about.
Overall this definitely read like an old school hallmark Christmas book if that makes any sense. Maybe like something your mom or grandma would pick up from the grocery store- not necessarily in a bad way it just gave me that vibe which isn’t my particular favorite. I think if you’re looking for a romance Christmas book with really good amputee representation, I would recommend this, but again I would only recommend it for specific niche reasons.
I mainly picked up this book because I thought it would be a great read for disability December, and because it takes place on Long Island!!
I first want to say, I think this booked did a really good job in the aspect of disability representation while I can’t speak on the accuracy of either disabilities portrayed I think the reality was written very well. Mack is an ex-solider who lost his leg while overseas. I think that author does a wonderful job of keeping Mack a well-rounded character, while his disability is very prevalent in the story it is not the thing that defines him. This also allows the readers to form a more emotional attachment to him and empathize with him as opposed to just pitying him for his loss of his lower leg. Harri also demonstrates this by proving that she loves Mack for who he is on the inside and to her he is still the same person that she fell in love with so many years ago. I do however feel like the PTSD aspect could’ve been addressed more. To me it felt a bit glossed over
I love a second chance romance and something about this was so intriguing- I love that they sent letters to each other and had such a deep connection without ever really meeting each other per se. I do wish that there was a few supplies going on. I honestly did just have a hard time connecting with the story. It kind of felt all over the place to me, and I just wasn’t able to get into it. I didn’t love Harriet that much, I feel like she honestly didn’t have that much depth. We didn’t really know that much about her aside from the fact that she was in a relationship-which also I didn’t love, I feel like we could’ve just left that part out and I would’ve been a lot happier. She honestly just read like an uninteresting character. I definitely did like Mack character way more, I feel like he actually showed character development and growth throughout the book which was enjoyable to read about.
Overall this definitely read like an old school hallmark Christmas book if that makes any sense. Maybe like something your mom or grandma would pick up from the grocery store- not necessarily in a bad way it just gave me that vibe which isn’t my particular favorite. I think if you’re looking for a romance Christmas book with really good amputee representation, I would recommend this, but again I would only recommend it for specific niche reasons.
December 9, 2023
3.5 rounded up
This was a feel-good, heartfelt holiday romance between two former pen-pals that find themselves both in the Hamptons for Christmas after Harriet's grandmother passes away and she flies in to help settle the estate. Once there she is reunited with Mack, a veteran with a new leg amputee who is determined to prove that Harriet can be happy with him in the Hamptons. I loved the letter aspect of this story that was also good on audio too. Definitely worth a listen with good disability rep!
This was a feel-good, heartfelt holiday romance between two former pen-pals that find themselves both in the Hamptons for Christmas after Harriet's grandmother passes away and she flies in to help settle the estate. Once there she is reunited with Mack, a veteran with a new leg amputee who is determined to prove that Harriet can be happy with him in the Hamptons. I loved the letter aspect of this story that was also good on audio too. Definitely worth a listen with good disability rep!
November 29, 2025
I liked the spin of having this book set in the New York Hamptons. There was a lot going on here, and it tended to get a bit heavy at times. I listened to the audiobook and it felt long but overall I enjoyed the story.
August 1, 2021
CHRISTMAS BY THE COAST
Mandy Baggot
An Absolute Winner
Mandy has done it again, writing an absolute winner that her fans will devour over the Christmas period and beyond. It takes skill as a writer to handle and juggle a whole boxful of characters such as these, but Mandy has lovingly created and developed an array of different ones, and kept them all in order, giving them their turn in the spotlight when necessary. And how original to set the scene in The Hamptons in the USA!
As well as the usual humour one expects from a Mandy Baggot novel, one soon realises that this is a substantial story of relationships, with the usual regrets and misunderstandings often found in families, and one is soon rooting for Harriet, wanting a great outcome for her by the end of the story.
There’s humour, there’s a winter seasonal story, there’s travel and of course a healthy dash of romance. What else could you wish for at Christmas?
5 lovely sparklers from me!
Julie Houston author
Mandy Baggot
An Absolute Winner
Mandy has done it again, writing an absolute winner that her fans will devour over the Christmas period and beyond. It takes skill as a writer to handle and juggle a whole boxful of characters such as these, but Mandy has lovingly created and developed an array of different ones, and kept them all in order, giving them their turn in the spotlight when necessary. And how original to set the scene in The Hamptons in the USA!
As well as the usual humour one expects from a Mandy Baggot novel, one soon realises that this is a substantial story of relationships, with the usual regrets and misunderstandings often found in families, and one is soon rooting for Harriet, wanting a great outcome for her by the end of the story.
There’s humour, there’s a winter seasonal story, there’s travel and of course a healthy dash of romance. What else could you wish for at Christmas?
5 lovely sparklers from me!
Julie Houston author
November 28, 2023
Das war mein erstes Buch der Autorin und ich bin zu 💯 % überzeugt. Sie hat einen wunderbaren Schreibstil der jede Emotion perfekt einfängt und transportiert. Auch das bildliche Schreiben hat sie voll drauf,denn ich konnte mir die Hamptons und jeden Ort an dem das Buch spielte super gut vorstellen und habe mich genauso zuhause gefühlt,wie die Protas. Es ist kein klassisches Weihnachtsbuch wie man vom Cover vielleicht erwarten würde,eher winterlich mit Weihnachten als Kleines extra,aber man spürte die Wärme,die heißer Kakao oder Eintopf in den passenden Situationen hinterlassen sollten. Meine einzigen Kritikpunkte: ich habe mir von der Auflösung,wieso der Kontakt abgebrochen wurde,viel mehr erhofft. Der Sohn wird komplett verstoßen und gemieden weil er angeblich eine Schatulle mit geld gestohlen haben soll ohne dass man ihn anhört und seine Aussage überprüft? Und der Sohn schaltet einfach auf Trotz? Nunja,so ist ja leider auch oft die Realität aber das ist irgendwie seltsam deswegen sein Leben zu verbauen. Zumal es der Nana ja auch das Herz gebrochen hatte. Genauso habe ich mir auch mehr von Macks Hintergrund erwartet. Wenn man von einem Soldaten der im Krieg diente und schlimmes erlebte erzählt,ist jeden klar,dass man da einen traumatisierten Menschen vor sich hat. Jedoch eine schuld auf sich zu nehmen,die eigentlich und offensichtlich nicht seine ist und deshalb alles kaputt gemacht zu haben konnte ich leider nicht ganz nachvollziehen. Dennoch bin ich sehr glücklich eine neue Autorin gefunden zu haben,deren Geschichten mich begeistern 🥰
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2023
Der Weihnachtszauber fängt mich
Seit 10 Jahren ist Weihnachten für mich mehr eine Oflicht denn irgendeine Freude. Ich brauch da kein Urlaub und auch die Stimmung bleibt mir seit dem fern. Da ich den Grund dafür kenne und eben weiß warum das so ist war ich so endlich überrascht als es dann im November schon so gekickt hat und ich ein Weihnachtsbuch lesen wollte.
Der einstieg mit dem Tod der Großmutter war hart da meine Oma schwer krank ist und nochdazu kurz vor Weihnachten Geburtstag hat. Nun gut dachte ich mir es muss ja für irgendwas gut sein mit sowas zu begionnen. Wir reisten also von England in die USA um unseren Großvater bei der Trauerbewältigung zu helfen.
Mit dem Setting war ich dann gefangen. Strand und Boote und eine total urig schöne Bar hatten mich direkt für sich gewonnen. Wie und woher sich Harriert und Mack bereits kannten finde ich besser wenn man das in dem Buch herrausfindet denn auch erst dadurch erklärt sich die Liebe der Beiden. Ich glaube meine Worte könnten das gefühl nicht einfangen welches die ganze Zeit über der "Beziehung" der beiden hängt. Das muss man echt erlebt haben.
Mit dem so festen und steifen Weihnachtsfest hatten wir hier nicht soviel zu tun und doch kam das Gefühl von Verbundenheit und Freude an. Ich mochte es erneut von der Autorin mit ihrer Liebe für die Feiertage überhäuft zu werden.
Seit 10 Jahren ist Weihnachten für mich mehr eine Oflicht denn irgendeine Freude. Ich brauch da kein Urlaub und auch die Stimmung bleibt mir seit dem fern. Da ich den Grund dafür kenne und eben weiß warum das so ist war ich so endlich überrascht als es dann im November schon so gekickt hat und ich ein Weihnachtsbuch lesen wollte.
Der einstieg mit dem Tod der Großmutter war hart da meine Oma schwer krank ist und nochdazu kurz vor Weihnachten Geburtstag hat. Nun gut dachte ich mir es muss ja für irgendwas gut sein mit sowas zu begionnen. Wir reisten also von England in die USA um unseren Großvater bei der Trauerbewältigung zu helfen.
Mit dem Setting war ich dann gefangen. Strand und Boote und eine total urig schöne Bar hatten mich direkt für sich gewonnen. Wie und woher sich Harriert und Mack bereits kannten finde ich besser wenn man das in dem Buch herrausfindet denn auch erst dadurch erklärt sich die Liebe der Beiden. Ich glaube meine Worte könnten das gefühl nicht einfangen welches die ganze Zeit über der "Beziehung" der beiden hängt. Das muss man echt erlebt haben.
Mit dem so festen und steifen Weihnachtsfest hatten wir hier nicht soviel zu tun und doch kam das Gefühl von Verbundenheit und Freude an. Ich mochte es erneut von der Autorin mit ihrer Liebe für die Feiertage überhäuft zu werden.
July 31, 2021
Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review
4 solid stars!
“Christmas by the Coast”, by Mandy Baggot (Aria), is an amazing and romantic story with wonderful characters, including a wounded hero who doesn’t take himself too seriously.
It was such a pleasure to watch the unraveling of Mack and Harriet’s relationship and shared past; I loved the fact it’s a very slow burn romance and the story is more about reconnecting and healing than sexual interaction (almost absent).
Mack is a delightful hero, with a refreshing sense of humor (and an endearing vulnerability) about his missing part and a funny tendency to lose the replacements.
He’s a man’s man, rugged and outdoorsy, but also very caring and attentive with everyone and devoted to the heroine.
I don't really like Harriet and Iain being a couple for most of the story; Iain was such a obnoxious, insensitive character, but by the end I was a bit curious about his emotional incompetence and personality.
The characters are very emotional and not afraid of showing affection, there are sweet and sappy moments, a group of quirky characters, a lovely costal town with a very special appeal and an interesting epistolary dimension that sheds light on many secrets.
4 solid stars!
“Christmas by the Coast”, by Mandy Baggot (Aria), is an amazing and romantic story with wonderful characters, including a wounded hero who doesn’t take himself too seriously.
It was such a pleasure to watch the unraveling of Mack and Harriet’s relationship and shared past; I loved the fact it’s a very slow burn romance and the story is more about reconnecting and healing than sexual interaction (almost absent).
Mack is a delightful hero, with a refreshing sense of humor (and an endearing vulnerability) about his missing part and a funny tendency to lose the replacements.
He’s a man’s man, rugged and outdoorsy, but also very caring and attentive with everyone and devoted to the heroine.
I don't really like Harriet and Iain being a couple for most of the story; Iain was such a obnoxious, insensitive character, but by the end I was a bit curious about his emotional incompetence and personality.
The characters are very emotional and not afraid of showing affection, there are sweet and sappy moments, a group of quirky characters, a lovely costal town with a very special appeal and an interesting epistolary dimension that sheds light on many secrets.
December 31, 2021
Christmas by the Coast by Mandy Baggot.
I was sent this book from a giveaway from the Motherload bookclub on Facebook.
This was a a very different kind of Christmas read, dealing with grief, loss, PTSD from active service and rekindling of a lost relationship, all along side breakups, finding yourself and paving the way to fixing relationships that have been strained for a long time.
This may seem like a depressing content for a festive read but in reality, the characters are lovable, relatable and Harriet's journey of learning about her family and the impact her Grandma Lorna's loss had on not only her family but the community, really shows how community spirit and friends are what makes life special.
This was heartwarming and I found myself rooting for all of them from early on.
Wouldn't everyone love to meet their match in such a unique and wholesome way. Solder boy forever!
I'm going out and giving this one 5* as there's nothing I didn't like about it. ❤️❤️
The Wee Book Lady. Xx
#mandybaggot #christmasbythecoast #christmasread #bookreviewer #bookreview #bookstgram #bookstagrammer #scottishbookstagram #instadaily #readersofinstagram #books
I was sent this book from a giveaway from the Motherload bookclub on Facebook.
This was a a very different kind of Christmas read, dealing with grief, loss, PTSD from active service and rekindling of a lost relationship, all along side breakups, finding yourself and paving the way to fixing relationships that have been strained for a long time.
This may seem like a depressing content for a festive read but in reality, the characters are lovable, relatable and Harriet's journey of learning about her family and the impact her Grandma Lorna's loss had on not only her family but the community, really shows how community spirit and friends are what makes life special.
This was heartwarming and I found myself rooting for all of them from early on.
Wouldn't everyone love to meet their match in such a unique and wholesome way. Solder boy forever!
I'm going out and giving this one 5* as there's nothing I didn't like about it. ❤️❤️
The Wee Book Lady. Xx
#mandybaggot #christmasbythecoast #christmasread #bookreviewer #bookreview #bookstgram #bookstagrammer #scottishbookstagram #instadaily #readersofinstagram #books
November 5, 2021
Full review later however, it gave me all the feels and more. Absolutely loved it!
I absolutely loved this novel by Mandy Baggott, it gave me all the feels and more!
Mandy Baggott takes the reader to Long Island, just off the coast of New York, in this festive, fun read. Not only has the author injected so much festive jollity in the story making us feel so nostalgic but the author has also touched on some serious issues of grief, loss, PTSD all dealt with grace and sensitivity.
Harriet is devastated to learn of the sudden death of her beloved grandmother, who lives overseas in Long Island. A place that Harriet has spent many summers with her grandparents enjoying all that the area has to offer whilst wrapped in the comforting love of her family. Feelings of grief are mixed in with guilt and regret for having not visited in the last 3 years. Harriet’s life over the last few years has been difficult, her heart and dreams had been broken and she fell into a steady business/relationship with Iain. This new relationship helped a little in mending parts of her heart but there are still pieces of her heart that remain with a long distance love she had for an American soldier.
Arriving in Long Island with Iain to help her grandad at such a sad time brings back all the love she had for this wonderful place. The locked door to her dreams feel like they want to emerge once more but does she dare to dream again?
Mack has lived on his boat moored in Long Island for a few years now following his medical discharge from the army. He’d remembered this place of Montauk, off Long Island that had been so warmly spoken of by the penfriend he hoped would one day become more. but since his traumatic accident whilst on tour of duty overseas he’s left with both physical and mental scars. so when he sees a young woman that had plagued his dreams for so long he questions whether he is of right mind.
Harriet is shocked to discover Mack is living near her grandparents and is consumed with a myriad of emotions.
Christmas by the Coast is such a beautiful story leading up to the festivities of the season which bring a warmth back to the hearts of many that are dealing with life’s many emotional challenges.
I absolutely loved this novel by Mandy Baggott, it gave me all the feels and more!
Mandy Baggott takes the reader to Long Island, just off the coast of New York, in this festive, fun read. Not only has the author injected so much festive jollity in the story making us feel so nostalgic but the author has also touched on some serious issues of grief, loss, PTSD all dealt with grace and sensitivity.
Harriet is devastated to learn of the sudden death of her beloved grandmother, who lives overseas in Long Island. A place that Harriet has spent many summers with her grandparents enjoying all that the area has to offer whilst wrapped in the comforting love of her family. Feelings of grief are mixed in with guilt and regret for having not visited in the last 3 years. Harriet’s life over the last few years has been difficult, her heart and dreams had been broken and she fell into a steady business/relationship with Iain. This new relationship helped a little in mending parts of her heart but there are still pieces of her heart that remain with a long distance love she had for an American soldier.
Arriving in Long Island with Iain to help her grandad at such a sad time brings back all the love she had for this wonderful place. The locked door to her dreams feel like they want to emerge once more but does she dare to dream again?
Mack has lived on his boat moored in Long Island for a few years now following his medical discharge from the army. He’d remembered this place of Montauk, off Long Island that had been so warmly spoken of by the penfriend he hoped would one day become more. but since his traumatic accident whilst on tour of duty overseas he’s left with both physical and mental scars. so when he sees a young woman that had plagued his dreams for so long he questions whether he is of right mind.
Harriet is shocked to discover Mack is living near her grandparents and is consumed with a myriad of emotions.
Christmas by the Coast is such a beautiful story leading up to the festivities of the season which bring a warmth back to the hearts of many that are dealing with life’s many emotional challenges.
November 3, 2022
Book 198 of 2022
This one has a really solid story line idea, but I struggled to get into it because of the audio. The narrator’s accent requires you to really focus when listening. When I listen to audiobooks, I like light reads that are easy to listen to while I’m doing things around the house. This one required a slower listening speed & a lot more focus. I liked the story line, but I think it would’ve been a 4-star read if I’d read the physical copy or ebook.
Format: audiobook (Libby)
This one has a really solid story line idea, but I struggled to get into it because of the audio. The narrator’s accent requires you to really focus when listening. When I listen to audiobooks, I like light reads that are easy to listen to while I’m doing things around the house. This one required a slower listening speed & a lot more focus. I liked the story line, but I think it would’ve been a 4-star read if I’d read the physical copy or ebook.
Format: audiobook (Libby)
December 30, 2024
Just realized I hadn't actually typed out this review. This was a pretty predictable romance book, but I just couldn't connect with the characters. Plus there was so much going on - a death in the family, family that is no contact, an old love, disability, a current boyfriend who is an ass, saving a business, saving a grandparent, all in another country blah, blah, blah. It was like the kitchen sink of romance novels 😒
Was it okay? Yes. Would I recommend it or read it again? No.
Was it okay? Yes. Would I recommend it or read it again? No.
September 2, 2021
Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Another great book from Mandy.
Harriet’s grandmother passes away and she rushes to comfort her grandpa at the Hamptons. Mack was in the army and Harriet used to write to him many years ago, they fell in love with each other and then Mack just cut her off and she doesn’t know why. Little does she know Mack lives in the same village as her grandpa. Can Mack tell Harriet the truth as to why he cut her off and can they put the past behind them and move in with their lives either together or will it split them apart for good.
Another great book from Mandy.
Harriet’s grandmother passes away and she rushes to comfort her grandpa at the Hamptons. Mack was in the army and Harriet used to write to him many years ago, they fell in love with each other and then Mack just cut her off and she doesn’t know why. Little does she know Mack lives in the same village as her grandpa. Can Mack tell Harriet the truth as to why he cut her off and can they put the past behind them and move in with their lives either together or will it split them apart for good.
December 14, 2021
Wow!
Wow! There is nothing more to say. So, pick up a copy now and dive into this outstanding Christmas romance.
Wow! There is nothing more to say. So, pick up a copy now and dive into this outstanding Christmas romance.
July 18, 2023
I recommend reading a little Christmas in July!
May 20, 2025
Great book. Really like this author. Loved the characters and the parrot meryl cheep.
December 25, 2022
Der Inhalt wird dem klappentext nicht gereicht. Hat mich aufjedenfall überzeugt und ist echt gut geschrieben 💕
December 27, 2022
I would’ve liked this more if 1) it had been shorter, and 2) if it had developed more of the backstory with Harriet/Joanna and Mack. There are only so many times I can read about how different this beach town is during the winter. We get it! Also, it was never explained why the name Joanna was so important to Harriet’s grandparents and why they called her that. I wish there had been excerpts of the letters between Harriet and Mack instead of all the letters from her grandmother. Her letters didn’t really add much to the plot. Overall, I felt like I would never finish and get to the resolution we all knew was coming.
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