A Midwinter Match

by Jane Lovering

Ruby Oldbridge needs to learn to take her own advice. 

A brilliant counsellor at work in York, she is however floundering in her own life. Her romantic track record is woeful, her finances are in a pickle, and she’s back in a house-share after splitting up with her useless ex.

But one thing Ruby is brilliant at, is helping other people find a way through their problems, and she excels at the job she loves, doing just that. 

Happy-go-lucky, Mr Positivity, Zac Drewe also loves his job – the trouble is, it’s the same as Ruby’s, and the management have decided to ‘rationalise’ their department. There’s only room for one of them.

As the snow and winter close in on York, Ruby and Zac have everything to lose, and Ruby starts to wonder if the happy face Zac shows the world, might be disguising a sadder secret. 

Set against one another, they are unlikely friends. But perhaps, if they could take the time to understand each other, they might discover that rather than rivals, they could be the best thing that ever happened to one another… 

Genres: Christmas, Contemporary, Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Womens Fiction

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 19, 2021

About the author

Jane Lovering was born in Devon, England but, following extradition procedures, now lives in Yorkshire. She has five children, four cats, two dogs and doesn't believe in housework so the bacteria and dust are approaching sentience and now rank among the pets. Incidentally, she doesn’t believe in ironing either, and the children all learned self-defensive cookery at early ages. She works in a local school and also teaches creative writing, which are extreme ways of avoiding the washing up.

Published since 2008, she writes romantic comedies which are often described as ‘quirky’. One day she's going to find out what that means. Jane is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and has a first class honours degree in creative writing. In 2012, her novel Please Don't Stop the Music won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award by the RNA.

Reviews

[Sally Hanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story about two coworkers who go out of their way to not connect until circumstances force them to "see" each other and take the time to get to know each other properly. Lovering is a fantastic writer. She understands how to write a story that is perfectly paced and has all the sights and smells in place, and she doesn't step outside reality to make her characters unreal, which helps the reader keep reading.

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

The meeting room was a swirl of people, all milling about on the static-filled carpet like restless wild ponies before the roping started.

Although office gossip has it that Zac is fancied by over half the female staff, and his going may cause a backwash of oestrogen and eyeliner that carries us to the brink of destruction.

‘I hope he gets syphilis and his willy rots off!’ Sophie called back cheerily, and went back to her phone call.

It gave me a chilly feeling in the pit of my stomach. As though we were being picked off, one by one, vanishing one day never to be seen again. It was either a ruthless management style at work or ritual sacrifice.

Unresolved sexual tension. The air was so thick with it in here that I could only get in with scissors.

You disappoint me. I thought I was going to have to fight off hordes of disappointed women, I was going to buy a special stick.


My Review:

I adored this cleverly perceptive and wittily written tale. I guffawed and chortled as I dove between the pages laced with Ms. Lovering’s smirk-worthy levity, sharp comedic visuals, and head-nod inducing snark. I was totally engaged and fully present with them in the midst of their office chaos, clearly hearing the shuffling of papers and squeaking of office chairs over the drone of Christmas carols. The characters were endearingly quirky and struggling to do their best while in a difficult squeeze whilst in competition with each other for the same desperately needed job. The storylines were relatable as well as entertaining while striking all the feels and eventually igniting an unexpected fledgling romance. I reveled in the perfection of the epilogue.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving,feels realistic book. Though festive it dealt with anxiety. Fresh,fun,heartwarming. Quick,easy read.

Pub Date: 19 Aug 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Rachel Gilbey · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been at least a few years since I last read a Jane Lovering book, and having just finished A Midwinter Match, I can't for the life of me work out why I left it so long to read another! For this is fabulous.

The characters are incredibly real, they really do jump off the page and into your hearts, their struggles become yours and I found myself hoping things would improve for them.

There is a huge mental health theme in this book, which is dealt with sensitively and that is just one of a few trickier topics that are covered, adding to the grit and realism of this story.

Ruby and Zac are basically up against each other for the same job after a merger in their companies, and have very different ways of doing their job. They are counsellors to help people work out how go get themselves back into the workplace. And I loved Ruby's huge compassion throughout the book.

And their big "problem" client I really liked, and loved seeing how Ruby tried to help her.

Set to a Yorkshire winter backdrop, this was a great snapshot at Ruby and Zac's lives, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them both. This really was a book with heart and grit, and had me smiling for the conclusion.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

[Sudesna Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel good sweet romance with an important message. I could relate to Ruby’s anxiety. It was very real.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not get on with this book: it was too bleak, the characters rather miserable and, despite the dumpings of snow, it did not feel at all festive.

When Ruby and Zac are pitted head-to-head at work, suddenly it all becomes rather toxic. Both Ruby and Zac are essentially doing the same job: counselling those who cannot find work to ensure they are able to progress in their employment applications. Forced to share a tiny, dingy office, it soon becomes clear that management are deliberately putting them up against each other to see who comes out on top. Deliberately sending emails at unsociable hours, conveniently making sure one of the two are unprepared for meetings, and wanting the other to find out 'dirt' to slander the other's character... well, it was a toxic and unethical working environment that I have witnessed too many times. In fact, I could not understand how Ruby and Zac tolerated for it as long as they did and this just emphasised how miserable they were inside.

Ruby suffers from anxiety and panic attacks. Although taking medication, it is still a condition that dominates her life. It isn't helped by the threat of redundancy and intensified by her closet of a bedroom. A claustrophobic illness at the best of times, I appreciated how Lovering made connections to Ruby's anxiety, especially as her work office is also incredibly small. On the other hand, Zac is also harbouring an equally saddening past and, inevitably, the characters are drawn to each other. Seeking solace and support from the work crisis soon becomes an emotional prop when Ruby and Zac are honest about what is truly bothering them.

Despite being set at Christmas, I don't think this was a very festive read. It was a sobering story because of the work situation and then the character revelations. I liked the descriptions of the high street at Christmas time and how much snow falls in the story. However, it did not really make me feel warm inside, but only added to how sad and depressing so much of the novel had become. To be honest, I wanted to run away from York and the characters, hoping that they would find their own happy ending.

This book did not deliver in the festive cheer as I had anticipated. It was quite slow and saddening and this was not helped by the incredibly long chapters. It felt as dense as Ruby and Zac's work situation and I think I was expecting something that was more light-hearted for a Christmas read.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Federica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving and funny at the same time. That's how A Midwinter Match is. Makes you laugh out loud one moment and makes you well up moments later.
I love Jane Lovering's style, it's always so easy to read, poignant, yet funny.
There were a couple of hard themes for a rom-com (anxiety, depression, dementia) and were touched gently and skillfully and added a lot of depth to the story. My heart went out to Zac and his mum, their relationship really touched me and Zac's too little jumpers will stay with me for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jane Shambler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just a really nice feel good book. Hey it's snowing what can go wrong right?

This is my first novel by this author and I have to admit she is an excellent story teller. Her writing is fluent and written at a good pace. The type of book for a wintry afternoon with a warm blanket and a hot chocolate.

I really enjoyed the book. I know its fiction but hey, we can all dream.

Yes, I'd recommend this to all who wants to dream.

Enjoy!

[Camy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 20%

This main character is so unnecessarily churlish, mean, and negative toward the male character that I can’t bear listening anymore. It’s bothering me, her nastiness, so I’m done.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the promise of a familiar York setting (and in the snow – how perfect!), I will admit that the premise of this book did worry me a little. I’m just not particularly enthusiastic about books set in the workplace (somewhere I’ve long left behind) and I rather hoped the focus would be on the characters rather than the day-to-day detail of their working days. But of course, I really needn’t have worried at all – I entirely loved this book, including all the office-based shenanigans (oh, those team building exercises…), and really should have known that the author was incapable of disappointing me in any possible way.

Ruby was a character I simply adored. She’s had a pretty hard time at home, her hopes for a future with Gareth in the home of her dreams cruelly dashed, and she now finds herself sharing a house with enigmatic Ed, bike-obsessed Cav, and Lucy with her high levels of exuberance and penchant for tuneless high-volume singing. After falling apart for a while, work has always been the place where she’s been comfortable, good at what she does – counselling those struggling to return to the world of work – always able to summon and plaster on a convincing smile. News of a merger (and losing her parking place) is only the beginning of a whole new set of issues sent to try her – she finds herself sharing an office with the relentlessly cheerful Zac, and then learns that they are in competition for the one job that will remain available.

At first, she treads carefully around him, taking turns in the interviewing room, Ruby continuing to show her particularly special touch with the more difficult clients – and she can’t help growing to like Zac, friendly and smart, reminding her of a Border Collie. But Zac, of course, has much more depth than it at first appears – a particularly heartbreaking back story, summed up by the pile of small size hand-knitted jumpers on the back seat of his flashy 4×4. It becomes an entirely convincing enemies (or maybe “uneasy friends”) to lovers story, with more than a few twists and secrets revealed along the way – and I really loved every moment.

As always, one of the greatest strengths of this book is in the characterisation – the whole cast, at the office and at home, are just so superbly drawn. At work, I particularly loved Priya, Ruby’s “Gay Best Friend”, and so enjoyed their interactions – and then there’s out-of-his-depth manager Michael, and the threatening presence of the Grey Man and Beehive Woman and all that baffling and annoying work-speak jargon. Ruby’s home set-up is wonderfully drawn too – those lovely touches of kindness from a group of real eccentrics, every one of them never anything but entirely real and recognisable. And then there are those wonderful clients – Miriam is a particular tour-de-force, a challenge for any counsellor (she certainly frightened Zac…), but with an excellent and touching back story all of her own.

There is a particular focus on mental health issues throughout the book, along with their impact on job security and the problems of getting on with life – never heavy, and extremely well-handled. And “heavy” is never really a word you can use in relation to Jane Lovering’s books – the humour, of course, is as sparkling as ever, from the set pieces to the wonderful one-liners that always have me laughing out loud. And if you’ve ever read any of the author’s books before, you’ll already know she has the quite perfect touch with the emotional content – and there’s plenty of that, along with the developing romance I entirely believed in. The setting, of course, is simply perfect – the office in the shadow of the Minster, the familiar surrounding streets with their covering of snow, all beautifully described… as the author says, “like a Christmas card, pleasingly Dickensian but with proper plumbing and fewer urchins”.

I know I have the tendency to say “her best yet” about every one of Jane Lovering’s wonderful books – and I think I can only say it again. This book was wonderful, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment – I recommend it really highly.

[Ceri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I struggled to get into this at the beginning. But I stuck with it and I did enjoy it!

It was slightly predictable but it was done in such a way that it worked. I really enjoyed the banter between Zak and Ruby throughout the book.

For me, I would have liked a little more going on but overall it was a nice wintery read, perfect for the colder months when you just want to curl up with a book.

[Book Escapes Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
I make no secret of being a Jane Lovering fan, and this latest book just reaffirms my position. Set in the realms of coaching and counselling, A Midwinter Match introduces us to Ruby and Zac. We already know what is troubling Ruby, but slowly we learn about Zac’s problems.
For me, this book has added magic as it is set in York at Christmas. There is magic, just from those points alone. Jane is skilled at adding real depth to her stories, with descriptions of the surrounding areas. I could envisage the details of York Minster as I imagined staring through Ruby’s office window.
As is often the case in Jane’s books, her lead characters are slightly flawed as they battle through life carrying personal burdens. Whilst they are both wary of each other, there is a gentle connection that I found myself willing them to explore.
Of course, there’s more to the story than the lead characters, and it’s the other character’s stories which lead to some of the best twists. In particular, I loved Miriam and Bob, as well as Ruby’s office bestie, Priya, together they had some of the funniest lines in the book.
My takeaway from this book, is that no matter how bleak our personal circumstances may seem, there is often someone with much worse prospects. Finding a way to work through your troubles will help you see life improve.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruby Oldbridge works for an organisation that helps the long-term unemployed retrain and/or find employment, Ruby specialises in counselling her clients to really get to the bottom of what is holding them back. She walks into work one day to find that her company has merged with their arch rivals, a company with a more 'strident' approach to getting people back into gainful employment. Even worse, Ruby will have to compete with her counterpart from the other firm, Zac Drewe, for the single counselling role going forwards.

The blurb for this book led me to think that Ruby was some kind of psychologist rather than a private add-on to the Job Centre, I was imagining an English equivalent of Dr House, glamorous, gifted but with a car-crash private life. What I got was much more downbeat; a woman with anxiety disorder and huge debts, living in a box room house-share, working for unappreciative bosses and ungrateful clients.

I love Jane Lovering, but this time she gave me such a downbeat holiday romance I just didn't feel the love-factor. Maybe its because I had insomnia and finished this at 3:00am, who knows.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Bumped for release.

[Frenchorchidea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time for me to read a book by Jane Lovering and I am very I did! I absolutely enjoyed reading this one! The storyline is quite unique. This book is fun but there are also more serious or sad parts. It's very easy to read and it's very entertaining! This book is definitely a page-turner! If you buy it and read it, you won't regret it!

[Hannah Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this book has just made me so excited for winter and to hopefully visit a Christmas market. I’ve been to York at Christmas once and it really is magical so I loved being able to relate to the scenes that Jane had created in this book. Even if you haven't been to York yourself you could still picture the scenes as Jane paints them so clearly with her words, and thought of being snowed in at work and walking through the mounds to get there and back bought back vivid happy memories for me.

You really can picture yourself walking down the cobbled streets and seeing the Minster. I read this while sitting on a beach and I could still imagine it clearly - that’s how good this book is! I would definitely say though that despite mentioning Christmas a few times this is more of a winter book and isn't full on festive so if you're wanting to read about snow, Christmas shopping and getting wrapped up in all the layers and hat and scarf then this is just the cup of tea (or hot chocolate) that you need.

The characters in this are really strong to, when I started reading this it was Zac that I was most intrigued by. You can tell that there is a lot more to him and I couldn’t wait to find out what the truth really was. Ruby is such a realistic character, who definitely has her own demons to battle. But these are issues that so many of us face in real life so it was quite refreshing to read about these in a ‘normal’ kind of fashion. I loved seeing how their working relationship changed as the story progressed and how they were able to both keep true to themselves despite being pushed or nudged in unwanted directions by others

A lovely read that will transport you to a wintery York, walks along the cobbles, and a competitive pairing that is sure to give you more than you’d expect! The way this book ended was just perfect and I'd love to hear more from both Zac and Ruby in the future... you just know they're going to be part of something special!

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this on audiobook.

It’s almost December which means Christmas/festive themed books, saw this book, loved the cover and the title, both of which lured me in and having read a couple of this authors books before I decided to give this one a go. I’m really glad that I did too.

I absolutely loved this story, admittedly it’s not overly. Christmas nor festive as the story is set just before Christmas takes places, but the story itself was a delight, was entertaining, thought provoking, a little bit of romance and a whole lot of drama. The characters were really great and likeable too, well majority of them anyhow.

The plot was great, very well written and not one that you come across in other books very often, two people fighting/completing for the same job, but friendship and possible other feelings develop between those two people. I loved listening to this story on my way to and from work this week, was actually a little sad when the story came to an end.

The narrator did a superb job of reading the story, it flowed really nicely from one character to the next, and from one event to the next.

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read as many of Jane Lovering's books as I feel I should have, but not to worry I will soon be rectified this as I am slowly adding titles to my kindle.

I have to give a massive thumbs up to how mental health and the difficulties who live with it are dealt with in this book, this is a topic incredibly close to home for me as I do live with a person with mental health illness and I know how taxing and emotional and damn hard life can be for everyone concerned and the author has dealt with all of that with the utmost sensitivity.

I was drawn to this book not only because of the author and the cover - which is so pretty- but also the setting, yup I am biased and tend to grab hold of a book when it is based in my home county. but really is there any other place lovelier and more dramatic than Yorkshire? I think not! Again I am biased!

I loved the characters and how they deal with what's thrown their way and the drama which follows, their relationship feels real and solid and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them all.

This isn't your stereotypical fluffy romance there is darkness entwined which makes it grittier and full of emotion and it works perfectly for the story.

[Michelle Schriefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book in August but I wanted to wait until it was the season to read it. This book gave me The Hating Game vibes. It was the same basic plot, except I preferred the writing in this book to the other. This book also focuses heavily on mental health and I can appreciate that as well. I really enjoyed their relationship dynamic and how it evolved. It wasnt very Christmasy other than it was set at Christmas time but it was a quick easy read that held my attention and definitely deserves 4 stars.

[Laura Martínez · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 people with anxiety meet under horrible circumstances: competing for a job neither of them wants but both desperately need.

This is basicaly an office romance. Heavy on the "office", quite light on the "romance". Needless to say it is closed doors -.-

There is a ton of snow and white-covered scenery... but I kept hoping for a pinch of Christmas spirit that never came. Sure, there's some shopping and office decorations, but no spark.

It deals with topics of mental health, heartbreak, money problems, grief and elderly care... so not the light-hearted romcom I was aming for.

[Namrata Ganti · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Midwinter Match is a pleasure to read and enjoy on any evening. The book follows Ruby and Zac who unexpectedly end up vying for the same position. What starts off as dislike towards one another slowly moves into friendship the moment they start to find out more about the other. As the story progresses, we come across strong friendships, heartbreak and rivalry that exists among the characters.

Though the book felt quite long drawn, I did enjoy it and I felt bad for the situation our main characters were in. Imagine fighting to remain in a job that you've been in for a long time. Imagine having to always prove that you are better than the other and try to put the other down. The author has handled these issues quite delicately and thus draws us in to a race to the finish. Eventually, it just makes sense to maybe work together towards a common goal rather than against one another.

This is a romance that has its moments of fun, sadness and eventually love. That's what makes this a great read!

[Michelle Schriefer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book from the publishers from @netgalley as an ARC in August but I wanted to wait until it was the season to read it. This book gave me The Hating Game vibes. It was the same basic plot, except I preferred the writing in this book over the other. This book also focuses heavily on mental health, and I can appreciate that as well. I really enjoyed their relationship dynamic and how it evolved. It wasn’t very Christmasy, other than it was set at Christmas time but it was a quick easy read that held my attention and definitely deserves 4 stars.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Jane’s work for a little while now. I haven’t quite caught up with everything that she has written but I am getting there. I read the synopsis for ‘A Midwinter Match’ and it certainly sounded like my kind of story. So without further ado, I grabbed a cup of tea, grabbed my Kindle and settled down for a fun afternoon of reading. Overall I did enjoy reading ‘A Midwinter Match’ but more about that in a bit.
I have to admit that it took me a while to get into reading ‘A Midwinter Match’. I think that the subject matter had a lot to do with it. Having been through the unemployment system on more than one occasion myself, I found it a bit difficult to read about and enjoy a story that dealt with those in similar situations. I hope that makes sense. However, once I got into the story that was it and I was away. I wasn’t able to read the book in the space of a day but I did manage to read the book in binges over the space of about three days. I would become so wrapped up in the story that I would lose all track of time and just how quickly the pages were turning. I found ‘A Midwinter Match’ to be an interesting read.
‘A Midwinter Match’ is well written. Jane certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and reel you in much as a fisherman reels in a catch. I love the way in which Jane describes her characters so vividly and so realistically that they seem just as real as you and I. In fact I began to think of the characters as friends of mine. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Jane’s very vivid and realistic storytelling. There is a fair amount of humour in this story too.
In short and overall, I did enjoy reading ‘A Midwinter Match’ and I would recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Jane’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 4* out of 5*.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruby and Zac find themselves competing for the same job after a merger of their respective companies. They become friends rather than rivals. I could relate to them a little as a friend and I suddenly found ourselves suddenly competing for the same job. Luckily it ended well for us and we still remained very good friends. I won't give away the ending of this book though! It had some hard hitting themes with Mental Health and Dementia featuring heavily. There was plenty of humour and friendship though. There was plenty to smile about. This was a lovely enjoyable read. I liked the characters a lot. It was a nice festive read. Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for my ARC.

[Federica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moving and funny at the same time. That's how A Midwinter Match is. Makes you laugh out loud one moment and makes you well up moments later.
I love Jane Lovering's style, it's always so easy to read, poignant, yet funny.
There were a couple of hard themes for a rom-com (anxiety, depression, dementia) and were touched gently and skillfully and added a lot of depth to the story. My heart went out to Zac and his mum, their relationship really touched me and Zac's too little jumpers will stay with me for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

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The Two Fingered Gardener & Book Reviewer

Product Tester, Garden Writer and Professional Book Reviewer

Book Review “A Midwinter Match” by Jane Lovering

AUGUST 23, 2021 ~ NIKIPRESTON



Synopsis
A Midwinter Match

Ruby Oldbridge needs to learn to take her own advice.

A brilliant counsellor at work in York, she is however floundering in her own life. Her romantic track record is woeful, her finances are in a pickle, and she’s back in a house-share after splitting up with her useless ex.
Happy-go-lucky, Mr Positivity, Zac Drewe also loves his job – the trouble is, it’s the same as Ruby’s, and the management have decided to ‘rationalise’ their department. There’s only room for one of them.

As the snow and winter close in on York, Ruby and Zac have everything to lose, and Ruby starts to wonder if the happy face Zac shows the world, might be disguising a sadder secret.
But one thing Ruby is brilliant at, is helping other people find a way through their problems, and she excels at the job she loves, doing just that.
Set against one another, they are unlikely friends. But perhaps, if they could take the time to understand each other, they might discover that rather than rivals, they could be the best thing that ever happened to one another…
REVIEW BY NIKI PRESTON

4 stars
A Midwinter Match is a glorious read that starts out with the two protagonists, Ruby and Zac seemingly set to hate each other whilst they fight for the same job. A company merger forces them to work together and they certainly do not get off to a good start. Ruby lets her anxiety, which stems from her previous, horrendous break up get the better of her. She judges Zac by his handsome appearance, he seems a bit arrogant to her and she decides immediately that she doesn’t like him or his style of counselling. Zac comes across as somewhat stand offish yet whenever Ruby finds herself in need of help he is always there to offer her a helping hand.
I enjoyed how the relationship between Ruby and Zac grows and changes slowly throughout the book, as the reader you really urge them to see the good in each other. Topics touched upon like anxiety, dementia and loss are dealt with sympathetically and gives a view into how hard and at times heart-breaking these issues can be. These topics are dealt with in a sensitive manner that serves to bring you closer to each character.
Each of the main characters back stories are revealed gradually yet in a timely manner that only makes Ruby and Zac more likeable. The readers empathy slowly builds along with the plotline which definitely works well throughout the book.
I would highly recommend A Midwinter Match to anyone who enjoys a romantic slow build with plenty of hiccups along the way. Jane Lovering is a new author to me but she now has a new fan.
Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/34LSbpq
Author Bio –  
Jane Lovering is the bestselling and award-winning romantic comedy writer who won the RNA Novel of the Year Award in 2012 with Please Don’t Stop the Music. She lives in Yorkshire and has a cat and a bonkers terrier, as well as five children who have now left home.  Her first title for Boldwood will be published in September 2020.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Award-winning author Jane Lovering writes romantic comedies with plenty of warmth, heart and bite and she is on top form with her latest novel, A Midwinter Match.

Ruby Oldbridge is a counsellor who is an expert at solving other people’s problems – it’s just a shame that her own life is a complete disaster area! Her love life is a mess, her finances are a shambles and she lives in a house-share after splitting up with her ex. At least Ruby doesn’t have any worries on the job front – or so she thought! With management keen to restructure and save money, it turns out that even her job is in jeopardy as there is only one post available for a counsellor – and it’s between her and Mr Positivity himself, Zac Drewe. Ruby has already lost so much already and she is not prepared to lose her job as well. She will do whatever it takes to keep the post that means everything to her – except fall for her rival, Zac!

Zac is well known for his optimistic outlook and sunny disposition. But beneath the surface lies a man who has got his own host of demons, fears and insecurities. Zac is just as good as Ruby at his job and he is not about to let it slip through his fingers so easily. However, as the two find themselves pushed in close proximity by fate, they surprise themselves by the fact that they seem to be drawn to each other and as respect and attraction lead to something far deeper than either one of them ever imagined, Zac and Ruby wonder they might possibly ever have a future together – outside of working hours.

Zac and Ruby are the best thing that ever happened to one another, but will they fight for their future together? Will they allow their careers to get in the way of their happiness? Or is their burgeoning relationship simply not meant to be?

I am a huge fan of Jane Lovering and her quirky, whimsical and magical books. She effortlessly provides her readers with plenty of laughs and giggles, but her books always aim for the heart and never miss. She has this ability of tackling serious issues like mental health, job insecurity and anxiety with a light touch and this is beautifully brought to life in her latest novel, A Midwinter Match.

Funny, heart-warming, absorbing and moving, A Midwinter Match is a delightfully enjoyable tale full of humour and heart about life’s unexpected twists and turns, healing from the past, steeping out of your comfort zone and moving forward even when things go awry that is bound to strike a chord with readers everywhere.

Enjoyable, emotional and wonderfully witty, Jane Lovering has penned another winner with her latest novel, A Midwinter Match.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Serah Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Midwinter Match by Jane Lovering is a quaint, Christmastime romance about Ruby, an employment counsellor for those who are out of work, her struggle with mental illness, and her forced rivalry with her coworker, Zac, as they compete with one another for their job. Their journey together as they try to navigate this awkward situation ends up bringing them closer together than their employers bargained for.

I'm on the fence about this one. The plot is unique and entertaining, but I felt like the writing style was a bit lacking for my taste.

The author's descriptions of scenery and Ruby's internal thoughts were wonderfully written, but the dialog was hard to get through at times. A lot of the characters' conversations seemed to not only drag on much longer than they needed to, but they also seemed unrealistic and flat. Ruby's inner thoughts give her such a robust character that I grew to become attached to, but when she spoke it seemed like all her personality was gone right out the window. There's pages worth of straight dialog, with no depiction of their tone, facial expressions, or really anything else to give an idea of any sort of personality. Occasionally the author will include these descriptions, but with how much dialog there is in this book, I felt I needed more. All this plus a handful of mild typos throughout made it hard for me to really get into this one.

That being said, I really enjoyed the fact that this book, even though it is a romance, didn't have the main character swooning over her main love interest right out the gate. The relationship built up naturally and realistically. I enjoyed how independent she was, even though she was under tough financial stress. I also really appreciated the detailed look into mental health that, as I can personally vouch for, was quite realistic. Ruby's struggle with anxiety is a main theme and I thought it was handled well.

I did enjoy this, and I think this author has huge potential with some work on dialog. It's a good, casual read for those times when you don't want anything too heavy, unless detailed descriptions about panic attacks would upset you. In that case, steer clear of this one. Otherwise I give this one a solid 3 stars.

I WAS PROVIDED A COPY OF THIS BOOK VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

[Sarah Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens?
After a messy break-up that left her in debt, Ruby, an employment counsellor is shocked to find that her place of work is being merged with another company. Cue fellow Counsellor Zac Drewe arriving on the scene, trouble is there is only one counsellor job. Someone has to go by Christmas. Ruby should hate him, but Zac is a likeable guy with his own problems. Do this pair have a chance for romance and who will get to keep their job?

My thoughts
The story is set around Christmas and there’s plenty of Christmas spirit (mince pies, York in the snow check) but the novel also offered a lot more.
For starters, I believed in each character no matter how small a part they played in the novel. Especially the main character Ruby, who despite all she went through in the novel remained a very likeable character. I admired the strength and reliance the writer gave her and I really empathised for what she and her love interest Zac were going through. I could imagine meeting them on the street. I could also clearly picture their working environment and I felt like an observer in the room, watching all of the drama unfold.
The romance simmered away nicely as the story went on and their personal and professional lives became tangled. It never felt forced or contrived and instead developed naturally making them for me a totally believable couple. I was rooting all the way for them to get together. The writer kept me hooked with the will they won’t they theme going on right to the end. There were also so many brilliant twists and turns that kept coming.

I do think that readers will be able to relate to many of the themes within the novel. For example, as someone who suffers with her own mental ill health, I thought the writer had an excellent understanding of how these conditions affect a person’s daily life. This includes the pressure it can place upon a person’s working environment. Some of the other themes that I thought worked well was the treatment of the employees and the unemployed as portrayed through the character of Miriam.
All in all, a Christmas cracker of a read, I thoroughly recommend it and not just for Christmas. With thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this ARC which I received in exchange for an honest review.

[Books By Your Bedside · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn’t read any of Jane’s previous work so this was a brand new experience for me, and a positive one at that, her writing is beautiful.

There is something so warming and comforting about reading a wintery Christmas book in the height of summer.

All these happily-ever-after books are quite predictable - which is part of their appeal in my opinion - and this is no different. I could have written the ending within a chapter or two. Some may see this as a complaint but I actually think it allowed me to focus more on the characters themselves and the writing style, rather than worrying what was going to happen like you do with other genres such as thrillers. It means it is a warm, comforting book to curl up with when the rain is tumbling down outside (the joys of an English summer).

Having been made redundant at the end of last year, I could really sympathise with a lot of the secondary characters in this book, and Jane never made them pathetic, benefits-hungry characters just for entertainment value. They were given their own stories and personalities.

York - and York at Christmas time - is a gorgeous city, and Jane paints it in all its glory it’s like there, walking through the shambles, with carols coming from the cathedral and fairy lights twinkling above.

One thing I did like especially was the sensitivity in which Jane approaches depression, anxiety, and mental health in general, which can so often be attributed to villains in novels. So it was really lovely to see a “normal” character going through these struggles.

I will finish by quoting the final line for you, and I think it’s important we all remember it: “Life didn’t have to be perfect to be happy”.

[Henriette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first Jane Lovering book I have ever read, but it will definitely not be my last! I loved the style of writing. It only took a couple of pages before I was completely absorbed in Ruby’s story, told first person by Ruby. She was so easy to like and to follow in her ups and downs and challenges after a rough break up and then a surprise merger at work leaving her fighting with a new guy for their position as the new company only had room for one counselor. I was rooting for Ruby right from the start and couldn’t wait to see how it would all pan out.

This story also dealt with mental health, anxiety and dementia in a really moving and touching way, helping readers gain more understanding for what it can really be like to have to deal with something like that. These subject matters, despite being serious are dealt with as part of this sweet story which I feel helps you understand them better.

The story and the characters literally made med smile, laugh out loud and even well up a bit. I loved the message about what we see on the surface is not always the full picture. People everywhere are dealing with all sorts of stuff on a daily basis that we simply cannot know just by looking at them.

What to expect:

✅ lovely mainly character Ruby

✅ quirky housemates

✅ (female) gay best friend/ co-worker

✅ dealing with mental health issues, remembering to cut oneself some slack

✅ handsome Zac, in competition for Ruby’s job

✅ laugh out loud moments

✅ some romance

✅ emotions running high… smiles and tears, not only for the characters in the story 😉

I would like to thank Jane Lovering, Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.