Welcome to 12 Books of Christmas!

Over the month of December I'm going to be posting some of my favourite Christmassy reads across a number of different genres. I hope you enjoy it and that it puts you in the Christmas spirit and leaves you feeling all aglow.

The first book I am kicking off with is Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand. This is the first in the Winter series of books of which there are 3 more. I have not come across this author before but I follow a number of US based bloggers and they all LOVE her. Elin seems to spend a lot of time at the top of the American Book charts, so I was looking forward to reading her novels.

Kelley Quinn, the owner of the Winter Street Inn in Nantucket literally catches his wife Mitzi kissing Santa Claus on 23rd December. Except it is not the real Santa Claus but George, a rather portly gentleman who for the last 12 years has been playing Santa and has been having an affair with MItzi on each of his annual visits to the Inn.

Kelley's 4 children, with the help of their mother and Kelley's ex-wife Margaret, all rally round Kelley to keep the Christmas celebrations going. But they are all going through quite a few dramas of their own. Will it be a happy Christmas for the whole family?

This year, I imagine, Christmas is going to look a little different for a lot of people. Used to the busy towns, the whirl of Christmas markets and parties and massive Christmas dinners with about 25 people around the table, suddenly Christmas is going to be quieter. I'm trying to 'lean into' it this new type of Christmas and find new ways of making Christmas work (spoiler alert - there will be a lot of zoom calling and I already am clocking the best times to queue at the Post office). One constant is always my Christmas books. Reading this was a lovely pause in a busy day.

The novel is gentle and funny, the characters are great. I was especially fond of Margaret who was very warm and sensible. I now want to visit Nantucket Island so very badly and seeing Elin Hilderbrand's gorgeous Instagram feed on the island has certainly encouraged that!

This has everything you could ever want from a Christmas novel; mulled wine, family drama, plum pudding, Christmas carols and snow. Well stick a fork in me I am done!

A very enjoyable read, perfect when you need a little time out.