The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane

by Jaimie Admans

It’s the most magical time of year, and anything can happen…

Nia Maddison has always believed that wishes come true on Nutcracker Lane. So, when she gets the opportunity to run her own Christmas gift shop on the most magical street in town, it feels like her wishes have been finally granted.

But working late one night, Nia discovers yet another boyfriend has cheated on her. As she trudges home – alone, again – she passes the (supposedly) magical nutcracker and half-joking thinks a wish can’t hurt. Cracking a nut in its mouth, she wishes to find Prince Charming.

The next day Nia gets to work to find another decoration shop has opened directly across the lane from her own, and she can’t resist having a nose around.

Whilst there, she accidentally backs into a human-sized Nutcracker, knocking it over and breaking it. Mortified, she flees from the store but when she gathers her resolve to go back and apologise, she stumbles across the gorgeous shop owner James, who looks exactly like Prince Charming…

Could her Christmas wish from the night before really be coming true?

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

326 pages, Paperback

First published October 16, 2020

About the author

Jaimie is a 32-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots.
She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.

She is the author of chick-lit romantic comedies The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters and Kismetology, and she has also written young-adult romantic comedies Afterlife Academy, Not Pretty Enough, and North Pole Reform School.

Reviews

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane by Jaimie Admans is a contemporary romance standalone novel. This one is of course set during the Christmas holiday season in a quaint little village setting.

Nia Maddison has always dreamed of running her own shop on Nutcracker Lane since she was a little girl and had visited the enchanting village. Now that Nia’s application has finally been accepted she’s excited to be a part of the magical lane although it’s not quite what it once had been.

Unfortunately for the shopkeepers of Nutcracker Lane the new owner seems to be Scrooge himself with so many budget cuts and changes. When Nia runs into a new store owner who seems just as Grinchy she can’t help but want to show him the magic of what Nutcracker Lane used to be.

The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane is not the first book I’ve read from author Jaimie Admans and it certainly won’t be the last either. I always enjoy these contemporary romance stories from the author and the first thing that I always take notice of is how she brings her settings to life where I feel I’m right there with the characters. This book was a nice Christmas treat that put the magic back in the holiday to warm those Grinchy hearts during the season.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I've ever been immersed in as much Christmas fun in a book before I read this one.
This book has Christmas dripping from every page, seriously.
Nutcracker Lane is a bunch of shops that sell stuff pertaining to Christmas obviously and it's been a life long tradition for Nia to visit the shops every Christmas season with family and now on her own/ There are so many shops selling toys,decorations,jewelry,flowers,baker goods,confections and much more. Nia makes hand made ornaments and has tried to get a spot at one of the shops for years and she feels so fortunate that a spot has finally opened up for her this year.
After opening her shop with her best friend she realizes this year is different. no one knows who the owner is this year but they call him Scrooge and he's tightened the budget and is trying to get rid of the traditions including the magical nut cracker wish tradition.
Shop keepers that were best friends in the past now don't talk to each other as they feel the other shop keepers are in competition with them.
Nia just wants things to go back to the way they were when she was younger,everyone got along and the Christmas magic was kept alive.
Meeting the shop keeper the next shop over well he seems like her prince charming but she is in for a big surprise that blindsides her.
Very Christmassy. I enjoyed this one a lot!

Pub Date 16 Oct 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Tahera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me such festive, magical, Christmasy vibes while reading it and that too in the month of February! Nutcrackers of all shapes and sizes, a modern day Scrooge, a Christmas shopping village situated in the wonderful and magical Nutcracker Lane whose future is at stake if the said modern day Scrooge has his way and two really cute leading characters Nia and James who decide to try and save the Lane and who just love grinning at each other at every given moment made this a treat to read. The author puts her own touch to the stories of the Nutcracker prince and Ebenezer Scrooge to create a sweet, magical and heartwarming Christmas story.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher HQ/HQ Digital and the author Jaimie Admans for the e-Arc of the book.

The book was published on 16th October 2020.

Rating:🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

[ItaPixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve only read two stories written by Jaimie Admans but those stories talked about my most favourite things in the World, books and nutcrackers. She speaks to my soul.
I like to taste her words slowly because it’s like a movie in my head.
I want to tell you that The Little Christmas Shop On Nutcracker Lane had to be made into a movie like yesterday.

Nia, after so many attempts, got accepted to open her Christmas shop on Nutcracker Lane. She is really excited because she has got so many beautiful memories of the place visiting it every year since she was a kid. This year however, after one too many cut at budget, the shops lane in not what it used to be. Nia tries to get Nutcracker Lane its former glory helped by all the shopkeepers and one shop assistant who is in need to find some love for Christmas.
Will she save Nutcracker Lane or this magic place will shut off forever?

I loved the characters and I appreciated the slow growth and little changes you can see they make page after page.
Nia’s enthusiasm for Christmas won me over as much as James.

This story is about Magic and Hope two things that cannot miss at Christmas, I highly recommend to read it if you, like me, aren’t feeling the Christmas spirit this year.

Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.

[Samantha Tonge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been cheated on time and time again, the last thing Nia is looking for is love. Well, that's not strictly true - she does wish for her very own Prince Charming and secretly hopes the huge nutcracker on Nutcracker Lane will make this dream come true.
Nutcracker Lane used to be legendary locally, selling all things Christmas, with carollers strolling past and chestnuts being sold... but it looks as if the miserly owner is going to get rid and a factory will be built in its place.
Can one last Christmas's trading save the day? And can Nia bear working opposite a shop occupied by anti-festive Grinch, James?

Oh, I did love this novel. Festive to the extreme with the focus on a lane of shops selling all things Christmas, like peppermint hot chocolates and seasonal sweets, cute decorations and Christmas bouquets. Nia is adorable and I was rooting for her from the beginning, she has such a big heart. And mysterious James and his vulnerability pulled me in too. There was a little nutcracker magic going on that I wasn't completely sure about and it brought a smile to my face - I'm saying no more!

A completely gorgeous read that will have you impatiently ticking off the days until December. Heartwarming, funny, intriguing - just wonderful.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect, cosy, magical, heartwarming read and I could not have enjoyed it more!
Jaimie Admans has created a wonderful festive ambience with her excellent writing and descriptions. The setting was perfect.
I honestly felt that I was wandering down Nutcracker Lane and that I was by Nia's side throughout the whole story - I felt her emotions and my heart really went out to her.
Nia's love of Christmas and her determination to save Nutcracker Lane, not only for herself, but also for the other peoples businesses is so palpable and I felt myself wanting it to be saved just as much as she did.
Nia always picks herself up and gets on with life, caring for everyone around her, and I wished for some happiness for her as she really deserved it and hoped that her wish would come true.
I wish that I could go down a real Nutcracker Lane with Chocolate, Candle and Christmas gift shops. I think that handmade gifts are much more special, made with love and not mass produced in a factory.
This story is full of warmth and is funny but also sad in parts and brought both happy and sad tears to my eyes.
An absolute, mouth watering and uplifting experience.
I 100% recommend this book.

This is my honest and unbiased review.

[Cynthia (Bingeing On Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this was such a cute and fun Christmas read! It will definitely help get you in the Christmas spirit.

Nia has just opened a Christmas shop at her dream location, Nutcracker Lane. These shops sell decorations, Christmas treats, ornaments, Christmas jumpers and pretty much anything you need for a fantastic holiday. Unfortunately, Nutcracker Lane has been going downhill over the past few years and Nia is devastated at the thought of losing a place that holds such nostalgic memories for her. Enter James, the guy who has the Christmas shop across from hers and who actually hates Christmas. They had such a sweet relationship and I had fun watching Nia trying to "un-Grinch" him with holiday movies and food. And all of her Christmas movies just happened to be mine. Ha. In the middle of her determination to make James love Christmas, they also hatch a plan to save Nutcracker Lane. I loved how this relationship was slowly built over time and that it wasn't rushed.

There were a few issues I had with the plot, however. There was one twist that I pretty much saw coming from the very beginning and it was frustrating that Nia didn't see it. I also got frustrated with the fact that these two people had both been cheated on and then suddenly didn't see any reason to trust again. That just seemed over the top to me. And Nia had mentioned being cheated on after a few dates -- if you have only been out with a guy a few times, I don't think that could be considered cheating, but whatever.

Despite the two very minor issues, I thought this was a fantastic holiday read and I would love to read more by this author.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting your dream can be complicated, and I suspect Nia Maddison would agree. Fortunately, as co-proprietor of the newest shop on Nutcracker Lane specializing in all sorts of Christmassy crafts, Nia comes with a special brand of optimism.

Therein lies the charm of Jaimie Admans's The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane. Sure, Nia realizes the Lane had changed a bit since her childhood visits. Decorations have become sparse, shopfronts are looking empty, and when was the last time she actually saw anyone make a wish at the mysterious and possibly magic six-foot nutcracker from which the Lane takes its name? Yet to Nia, it's still a Christmas filled with possibilities. What could be better?

Admans has carefully structured the rest of the book around this idea in what becomes a complete love letter to the Christmas season. From the Scrooge-like accountant who hides behind the pseudonym E.B. Neazer while threatening the Lane's existence, to Nia explaining the magic of the season through a careful selection of Christmas films and songs, Admans has dropped in a series of Easter eggs—err, Christmas crackers?—fit to warm the grinchiest of hearts. It's almost impossible to read this without a carol or two getting stuck in your head.

Even with what could have been a Christmas overload, though, Admans understands the need for balance. After all, it is a romance, and Nia's first meeting with James, a shopkeeper from next door, is genuinely cute. Not content with just cute, though, Admans tosses in a dose of potential magic appropriate for the season with a mix of drama that keeps things from becoming overly saccharine. It's more candy cane than sugar cookie.

Still, above all, Nia is focused on the dream of a perfect Christmas. With her, and The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, it's hard not to have one.

Note: I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...

[Manon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an extremely cute book, one that is just perfect for the holiday season! I really loved the premise, but throughout the book there were really dull and meaningless moments, which made the book overall less enjoyable for me.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the most wonderfully Christmassy books I've read this year, and almost certainly Jaimie Admans best book so far (and her others have all been really wonderful too).

... in fact don't read this review, just go buy the book, sit back and enjoy being wrapped up in all things Christmas...

... seriously this book is just so good, trust me on this and read it for yourself. I really don't want to write anything else as well it would spoilt the festive magic...

... and this is a story that has festive magic in spades. It has the most fabulous male lead going, and such was Nia's belief, that at times I thought he was the impossible, Nia's first Christmas wish come true, others I had guessed at the truth, but above all he is a man who is nicknamed as Grinch and wants Nia to try to help in to understand the season and to find his Christmas spirit.

And Nia really is the perfect person for this task, given all her life she has wanted a shop on Nutcracker Lane and this year it became a reality.

Ah Nutcracker Lane, so so much I want to say about this setting, but I'm not the author, I can't do it justice, but let's just say its critical to the story and seeing how the lane develops over the story, and all the other shops on it, let's just say I wish it was a real place that I could go and visit.

This is a book that will have you believing in Christmas Spirt in spades, its full of just everything you could possibly want from the festive season and even more.

If you read just one Christmas book this season, then this should without a doubt be the contender for your attention, you won't regret it (so long as you love feel good, hallmark worthy Christmas romances).

And enjoy discovering whether James is really a Disney Prince, a nutcracker come to life, a real boy, or something even more special!

Thank you to HQ Digital and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Rose (BooksByRose) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Christmas Read Ever!!

Oh my heart! I couldn’t love a Christmas book anymore if I tried! This is the sweetest, cutest, most Christmassy love story centered around A Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane!! I loved everything about this book, the characters, especially James and Nia, Nutcracker Lane, the transformation of James, the feel good Christmas spirit in this book! This book just made my Christmas! It was like sunshine in a book! This is my first Jaimie Admans book but it certainly won’t be my last! I plan on reading all of her books!! Looking for a great Christmas read? Pick up this book!!!!!!!!

[Karschtl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know the tale of the nutcracker, but Nia lets us in on the main facts and references to this fairytale repeatedly (and to other festive characters as well). No wonder then that the whole story feels quite magical. With two protagonists that get on very well from the very start, without any major crisis between them. Both are such kindhearted characters, and although one of them is supposedly a Christmas-Grinch - he is also extremely nice and handsome. Like a Prince Charming! Men like that only exist in fairytales, don't they?

This is what Nia thinks, and if I'm honest I also think that James sounds too good to be true. But on the other hand I appreciated it very much that he is not cast in a "bad boy" role, where he acts grumpy for half of the book - for some concocted reason.
Instead, Nia and James connect with each other immediately, but then take things veery slooow. Mind you, I did like the fact that they become good friends first instead of having a rushed ONS and then feeling all the more awkward for it. Their whole relationship just seemed a bit off from reality.

However, since I did like both characters very much, I also enjoyed their story together. I liked being on Nutcracker Lane, which apparently is like a Christmas market in Germany and Austria, only that the stalls are bigger and more like small wooden huts instead of booths with a front window sale. Nias ideas to save Nutcracker Lane are actually great! Not for the first time Jaimie Admans has proven that she could have made a career in marketing & sales (with her great ideas of saving a bookshop / a café and a whole high street / a Christmas tree farm) as well as a writer.

I'm glad she chose the latter option! And I know she has never written a sequel to one of her books so far, but I sincerely hope she will do so for the Nutcracker Lane. I would really like to know where all of them are one year later!

[Julia Sarene · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane is a really cute and fun read.

I liked the main character and her best friend immediately, and was happy following along in their adventure of sharing an actual shop space for the first time. The friendship and loyalty there was a joy to read!

The romance is very predictable, but in a book like this I find it actually adds to the comfort of the story. You want to have the happy sigh of satisfaction at the end and just feel better.

Some of the plot felt a little too much on the light side, people going from friends to rivals in the bat of an eye for example, so a little bit more depth and slower development would have made it feel more realistic.

However I loved the setting, the tone, the main characters and the idea behind the story, so I didn't mind it much.

I so want to visit Nutcracker Lane now, and I'm definitely more in the Christmas Spirit than I was before I read this! So definitely a recommendation from me.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaimie Admans’ holiday romance, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, is the epitome of joy, laughter, and Christmas magic.

Nia Maddison has always dreamed of running a shop on Nutcracker Lane. Now, her dream has finally come true, but it’s not turning out to be the experience she longed for. But things start to change when she makes a wish on the Lane’s famous magical nutcracker...

I adored Nia and her blend of perseverance, passion and desire to help. Her plan to rid James of his Grinch-like tendencies was incredibly entertaining to read about and certainly had the Christmas effect on me! I would love to visit Nutcracker Lane, especially Carmen's chocolate shop and it would be wonderful to have a Nia as a friend.

Jaimie Admans’ writing was dreamy and sublime, making this novel a rewarding reading experience and I was really impressed by her. The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, is my second book by this immensely talented author and I will be catching up with more of her back catalogue as well as keeping an eye out for her next novel. A captivating and delightful Yuletide read that I highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from HQ Digital via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Lucinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a perfectly cute Christmas story!

Nia loves Christmas and has a store with her best friend on Nutcracker Lane, a Christmas village of sorts, where they sell their handmade crafts.

Unfortunately, sales are not doing well for them and the other vendors, and the accountant for Nutcracker Lane sends a letter saying there will be changes in the new year, which makes for tensions among them.

James is temporarily working across from Nia's store and he tells her he hates Christmas. In exchange for helping them with marketing tips, Nia will help him grow a fondness for Christmas.

I really loved this one and how perfect Nia and James are for each other, their friendship, their chemistry, and their kindness to others. Super cute story.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

My first ever meh from Jaimie Admans. This story just seemed forced and unclear to me. Nia seemed like a smart person but acted quite dumb and devoid of common sense. The nutcracker bits were cute but ultimately the story fell flat on it's face for me.

To be honest also the nutcracker bits (real life nutcracker prince etc) reminded me of a terrible made for tv movie I saw in the last 5 years where a nutcracker came to life to romance a local store owner.

My copy was provided by NetGalley for review, all opinions are my own.

[Rachel McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love her books so much that my cheeks hurt from smiling. She makes me want to find love in unexpected places and just drape Christmas and hope around me and swim in it forever

Admans' books are everything wonderful and good in the world. They're modern-day fairytales undercut by wistfulness and vulnerability.

I will never NOT look at her story worlds as a dose of the medicine I need for optimism and love.

Here, Hallmark tropes abide in winsome, delectably unfurled ways when a Christmas loving heroine determined to save a charming Christmas utopia is pitted against a self-labeled grinch.


I savoured this book and spread two subsequent readings over a holiday filled with stress and uncertainty.

Jaimie Admans is the antidote to all that is wrong in the world and she proves that we NEED romance and HEA!


That we NEED to believe in love and hope. Her books this year are as important to me as any other recommended tome on mental health or coping or strategy. If not better : because in these pages you find hope. Goodwill. Peace on earth. A corner of the world I know we will find again.

bahhhh! I LOVE HER

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the trainwreck that has been 2020, I think we all need some joy, laughter, and magic in our lives. Jaimie Admans’ new holiday romance, The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane, embodies all those things and more. If you didn’t believe in Christmas magic before, you will after reading this book.

Christmas-loving Nia has dreamed of having her own shop on Nutcracker Lane forever. Her dream has finally come true, but with management cutting back on spending and pitting all the shops against each other in a ridiculous, short-sighted competition, it’s far from the experience she always longed for. Things start to turn around when she makes a wish on the Lane’s famous magical nutcracker and it seems to come true in the form of sweet, thoughtful, handsome James.

I loved Nia’s passion for her art, her perseverance, and her desire and willingness to help others. Her mission to un-Grinch James was so entertaining and put me in the Christmas spirit, despite it only being October. I loved Nia and James’s interactions - these two together were just so swoony. I swear, each of Jaimie’s heroes is more amazing than the last. I don’t know how she does it!

The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane is full of heart, whimsy, and romance. I want to visit (or work on) Nutcracker Lane, and I’d love to be friends with Nia. And can I have my own James, please? If you’re looking for an escape from real life (who isn’t these days?), look no further. This wonderful, feel-good book should be on all Christmas romance lovers’ TBRs this holiday season.



*I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.

[Angel (Bookn.All.Night) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nutcracker Lane has been a magical Christmas wonderland for decades but lately, with "Scrooge" cutting the budget, people have forgotten it's there.

When Nia finally gets her application approved to open her shop on Nutcracker Lane she hopes, somehow, the lane can be restored to its once former glory. Will this be the year for Christmas miracles?

I really loved this one. It is so packed full of the Christmas spirit and people coming together to share that spirit with no expectations in return. I laughed a lot and even teared up a few times. Another perfect Christmas read.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOVED the entire plot- the storyline, setting, and characters all made for a good cozy Christmas novel. I just felt like it dragged on a bit too much.

[Karen Kingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to HQ Digital for a copy of this gorgeous book via NetGalley. My thoughts are my own and not influenced by the gift. I enjoyed reading Jaimie Adman’s previous book, The Little Bookshop of Love stories back in July (see my 5 star review at https://mentoringmumof2bookreviews.ho...). The ebook is published this week (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GS33BG...) and the paperback on 10th December 2020.

I have to admit that after reading the first couple of chapters, that I thought I wouldn’t enjoy this book as much as the Little Bookshop of Love Stories. However, something magical happened and this quickly became my favourite Christmas book of 2020.

Nia and James are so different, one loves everything to do with Christmas, whilst the other loathes Christmas. However, after literally bumping into each other, they need to work together to bring back the magic of Christmas to Nutcracker Lane.

I loved how Jaimie has crammed so many Christmas traditions into one story – the food, the sweets, the decorations, the board games, the Christmas Carols and the mistletoe. In 2020, when many of us will have to forgo our normal traditions due to the social distancing rules, this book brought the magic of a non Covid Christmas to life.

If you would love to escape for a few hours, then grab a copy of this fabulous festive and romantic read, a big mug of hot chocolate, some peppermint creams and a festive blanket as soon as possible

[Abi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think there could be more of a Christmas feeling book! This was SO adorable and fun!

The main character owns a store on Nutcracker Lane. She goes into the opposing store next door that sells similar items and knocks over a giant Nutcracker and breaks his arm. She runs away but comes back and the Nutcracker has been replaced by a man with a broken arm.

It’s basically the main character ungrinching the love interest and it was so cute!

Random things I liked:
-nutcracker mentions because I like the nutcracker
-the main character being obsessed with Christmas
-the mention of roses chocolate on her coffee tables because I was eating roses chocolate (the strawberry cream one)
-the atmosphere

[Donna Bryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jaimie has went and done it again, made me fall head over heels with fictional characters and melted my heart! This is definitely a book I would read each Christmas. The way Jaimie describes the scenes I know don't know if I read a book or watched a film!! It was amazing as always!

[Malin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nia besökte alltid julbutikerna vid Nutcracker Lane med sina morföräldrar när hon var liten. Hon älskade julsångerna, dekorationerna, de vänliga butiksägarna och den stora nötknäpparen som sas kunna uppfylla önskningar (även om det egentligen var anställda “nissar” som lyssnade och sedan hjälpte till). Och hennes stora önskan var att få ha en butik här.
I år har äntligen den önskan uppfyllts: hon och vännen Stacey delar en butik där de säljer sina hemmagjorda juldekorationer och smycken. Men det finns smolk i bägaren… Dels har ännu en pojkvän varit otrogen mot Nia, dels har E.B Neaser - som driver Nutcracker Lane åt den nye ägaren - kommit med ytterligare budgetneddragningar samt det värsta av allt: en slags tävling där den butik som drar in minst inte kommer att få vara kvar nästa år.
Samtidigt öppnar en helt ny butik som säljer juldekorationer. När Nia går in för att kolla läget råkar hon slå omkull en jättestor nötknäppare varvid den går sönder. Hon lämnar butiken i panik (hur ska hon ha råd att ersätta den?!), men tar tjuren vid hornen och går tillbaka.
På golvet ligger dock inte den stora trasiga trädockan, utan en man. Med samma mörka hår och gröna tröja som nötknäpparen. Och ett gips på den arm som hade gått sönder… 
Visserligen hade hon önskat att få träffa en Prince Charming när hon knäckte en nöt i den magiska nötknäpparen igår kväll, men har sagan blivit verklighet? Är det hennes nötknäppare som kommit till liv och ska hjälpa till att rädda julen?
***
De första två kapitlen var lite sega och jag var lite trött på Nia, men så lossnade det! Och jag kunde knappt sluta läsa! En underbart härlig historia om vikten av att bry sig och vad julen egentligen borde handla om. Och så nötknäppare, varm choklad och julfilmer med trevligt sällskap, så klart.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly expected more from this. Comparing this to Admans' other works, this fell short by a lot. I stuck through it, hoping that it will get better, but I just found a lot of situations that didn't make sense.

For example, the fact that Nutcracker Lane has been facing deficits for a long time is actually very simple: shopkeepers giving out free gifts, being so nice and festive. Obviously, the only way it could have been saved at the time was to cut budgets and only keep the shops that are profitable. Right? And thus the constant cycle. Even after the reformations, the constant giving freely just made me scratch my head.

But while there was a lot of complaining, I'm glad that Nia managed to lead a reform process. Many of her ideas were creative and unexpected. But she believes in too much Christmas magic that left me constantly thinking about how naive she can be. Her beliefs can be so far-fetched that I couldn't help rolling my eyes. And how she constantly hounded James because he didn't believe in Christmas magic was annoying, even if well-meant. I don't know. Perhaps I'm a Grinch too, but I don't get how that works in real life, because if I were James, I would have long avoided her.

As for James. Can I just say he's almost too perfect to be real? It's not human, so I couldn't connect with him too.

Insta-love didn't cut it for me. The constant questioning from Nia to herself of Why do I want to touch his hair? and Why do I want to hug him all the time? to a stranger is just weird and irritating. Er. Duh. It's because you're attracted to his smile and his looks, overall? And then the typical line of thinking that she shouldn't fall for him because she's been hurt one too many times, and ended up falling for him anyway. Same old. Same old.

Actually not too sure if I'll be giving Admans' books a chance again after this. This really got on my nerves, so I'm patting myself on the back now for even being able to finish it. (I did skim through the last part though. Nothing interesting.) Not too sure if I remember it correctly, but I think her last few books were also Christmas-related? So there's that too. To me, I now see Admans as the author who always writes Christmas books.

[Martina Commisso · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful and charming little book.
This is was so magical and absolutely dripping in Christmas in the best way. A very fun story with a lot of wacky characters.
I really rather enjoyed this, it was just so sweet.

[Leonie Hinch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley, HQ and Jaimie Admans for my arc of The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane in exchange for an honest review.

Published: 16th October 2020

This book for me, would sit well with people who are fans of the Hallmark style Christmas movies. It's got that super cheesy, Christmas feel which I find just a little too saccharine for my personal taste when it comes to books and movies.

The story sees Nia finally getting a little shop on Nutcracker Lane in Wiltshire after waiting for a slot for many years. Nia makes handmade Christmas decorations and is sharing the shop with her friend Sarah who makes Christmas jewellery. All of the shops on the Lane sell Christmas type items from jumpers, to trees, to snow globes, to hats, all handmade. It wasn't particularly clear what Nutcracker Lane was exactly I at first thought an outside area like a Christmas market but then a roof was mentioned so I think it was more like the shopping village type places?

Another thing was the Nutcracker the Lane was named for. I know I'm probably just taking this personally because I myself have an allergy to nuts and at first I was impressed that said nutcracker had a selection of 'fake nuts' for allergy sufferers but then it mentioned a) they all go in the nutcrackers mouth which is super dangerous for people with nut allergies to be touching areas where nuts have been and b) nut shells are then tossed at his feet and left to 'compost' I myself have an airborne allergy to nuts so this would be dangerous for me to even walk past!

Anyway, less about my allergy and back to the main content. I didn't find the relationship between Nia and James very sincere mainly because of how opposite they were in the beginning, he hates Christmas, she loves it. I'm not saying opposites don't attract but I think it would have felt more realistic if at first they seemed less into each other considering their completely different personalities and values.

This one just really didn't do it for me. It wasn't the cosy festive read I'd been hoping for sadly.

[Susan Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it from start to finish. In fact, I didn't want it to finish! Did not disappoint. I love Jaimie's books and this was no exception. A more Christmassy book is difficult to find.

[Priya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the kind of book everyone should read to feel good and smile! Such a sweet book with the same mix of vulnerability and strength that the author gives all her characters. This is the fourth book I have read by her and I love them all.
Not usually one to read/gush over romance in novels, here I was rooting for Grinch James and lover of all things Christmassy Nia, from the beginning.

But first, the setting in Nutcracker lane, a lane devoted to everything that spells Christmas.. Including a huge nutcracker believed to be magical and grant wishes! This is one of those places you read about and immediately wish you could get transported to! I definitely did. The atmosphere of the place, the friendship, the food, the way it's described, I just wanted to be a part of it myself.

The lane is however, in trouble because the accountant managing the shops has decided it is not worth keeping the businesses that have been there for years. Nia decides to fight to keep the place that's been her comfort and fantasy land from childhood. A task that she is helped in by James, who is renting the shop opposite her and feels like a Prince Charming in more ways than one even though he hates the festivities and says so all the time.

Nia and James are really cute.. and the humour that's always present in the author's stories is woven in here too. I love that her characters help each other and communicate as opposed to the usual brooding, silent types that I come across in other novels of the genre. This is a book that just feels festive and not just that, it gives the reader a respite from the real world and all its problems,and the hope that life could be the way it is portrayed here!

[Meenu Annadurai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this Advance Review Copy by Netgalley and HQ Digital (Harper Collins) in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you Netgalley, HQ Digital and Harper Collins!!

Review

The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane is the new upcoming novel of Jaimie Admans. This book is a breezy happy read which will bring Christmas and its magical vibes right into your life in a jiffy. The author had beautifully described essence of Christmas with all christmassy elements and aura. She has typically brought the Traditional Christmas in front of the readers eyes through her spectacular and jubilant writing style.

Jaimie Admans is the right person, if you want to read a happy, vibrant and mood-lifting kind of a book. She knows what she is doing and she spreads happiness that’s oozing out of her soul with her magnificent books. She has a wonderful writing and narrative style which is filled with humor and merry. The way in which she see a simple thing and how funnily she approaches it through her writing is the most sublimest thing which makes her books stand out. And that’s the secret behind the success of her books!!

The plot was simple yet a fulfilling one. The total idea of the book was so cool. Starting of the book was pretty much slow but within no time, the plot kick-started and turned completely arresting. What made this book really exciting was, there were a plethora of Christmas activities packed inside it, for example, things like Christmas Carols, baking, building Gingerbread house, watching Christmas movies, helping fellow humans beings, all these things made this book extraordinary and very Christmas-like and also there were lot of heart-moving scenarios. These things about this book will make even a skeptical person believe in the magic of Christmas.

The descriptions about the Nutcracker Lane, it’s history and the people who made Nutcracker Lane special were said in an elaborate manner and it was unbelievably engaging. The ideas pitched by Nia to make her favorite Nutcracker Lane better was brilliant and ingenious. The characterization of both the leads Nia and James was simply superb. How they both were so very different when it comes to the total idea of Christmas, was the best thing about this book. The way Nia carried herself throughout the book with full enthusiasm and energy was very refreshing and good to read. When it comes to the chemistry between Nia and James, it was highly charged and sensual. Reading them both gave a complete sense of true satisfaction.

My Views

Oh my god!! So I’m a biggest fan of Jaimie Admans. I was literally waiting for the very moment to receive this book ever since she announced the release of it. I was waiting for this book like a crazy person, when the publisher didn’t respond to my request for few days, I was very anxious and immediately texted Jaimie about the matter, even though I consciously know she has nothing to do the review copies provided by Netgalley and the Publisher. So, basically I was that eager to read it and thankfully I wasn’t disappointed at all. In fact I loved it so much, so much more than my favorite The Little Bookshop of Love Stories. If you’re someone who are following my blog regularly you would know how much I love TLBOLS. Now believe me when I say it, this book is all you need for this season or anytime you wanted to feel good, happy and Christmassy.

I’m someone who haven’t had a lot experience with celebrating Christmas traditionally, my idea of Christmas is to binge watching Christmas movies on Netflix the entire month. But this book made me experience the true essence of Christmas in all the senses. It’s not even second of October and I already can’t wait for Christmas and I’m sure this Christmas will be different and more fun for me altogether. This book brought Christmas early to me and I’m in the mood to read more Christmas Books.

I loved this book so very much!! What I liked the most about this book was at the end of the book, Jaimie made me believe in Christmas magic completely and I’m sure she will do that to every other reader. Yeah, I agree, Christmas is the most magical time of year, and anything can happen!!

My rating for this book would be 5 out of 5 stars

I would recommend this book to all romance and Christmas lovers and to the people who believe in the Christmas Magic. If you are someone who just want to read a happy and feel good book, you know which book to select right 😀 And if you’re someone who cannot understand what’s so special about Christmas and if you’re not very excited about Christmas. This book will totally Un-Grinch you, can’t understand what I am saying ? Translation —> Just read this book, you will fall in love with the book as well as Christmas.

Happy Reading Folks!!!
And Advance Merry Christmas!!
~ Meenu