WELCOME TO #12DAYSOFCHRISTMAS!!!!

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be sharing 12 Christmassy reads with you. Whether you are looking for a book to get you in the Christmas spirit, or are looking for a bookish gift for someone, then I've got 12 suggestions for you coming up.

The idea of #12booksofchristmas started with a Christmas tradition that my husband and I take part in. In Iceland, it is customary for a gift of a book to be given on Christmas Eve to friends and family. These books are then read usually curled up with a hot chocolate.

We thought it sounded such a fab idea, that a few years ago we decided to buy a book for each other to be given on Christmas Eve. The books were carefully wrapped up and left on our pillows. I received a Short Story collection of 1930's crime stories set at Christmas time and my husband was given a sci-fi novel. Our Jolabokaflod, as it is known in Iceland, and which translates to 'book flood' now includes my Sister and once again we will be exchanging our gifts on Christmas Eve. If you can't wait for the next 12 days, then below is a link to the 12 Christmas books I recommended last year. So let's get this year's #12booksofchristmas started shall we?!

Read all about last year's #12booksofchristmas

Plot

Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns. Kevin is about to tie the knot with Isabelle, there’s hopeful news about Bart who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan, and the family are coming back together for Christmas at Winter Street Inn.

But with love triangles and health scares to contend with, there are still some dark clouds on the horizon. And as they prepare to host Kevin and Isabell’s winter wedding at the Inn, a historic blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the people and the place they love the most.

My Thoughts

I first discovered the Winter Series by Elin Hildebrand last Christmas and I’m so pleased I did. Firstly, I would definitely recommend reading them in order. The order is:

• Winter Street
• Winter Stroll (also known as Christmas on Nantucket)
• Winter Storms
• Winter Solstice

A quick note on some of the websites it says that Winter Storms is the final book in the series. It isn’t! The author decided to follow up with one more tale. But back to our review.

This is a truly sweet series to read in the run-up to Christmas and is a gentle family saga, set in beautiful Nantucket and features the Winter Inn, a place I desperately want to stay at! Here they go all out for Christmas - think a million Christmas trees, hot chocolates, Santa and, in this novel, plenty of snow! Unfortunately the snow threatens to derail the wedding of Kevin and Isabelle.

I love the characters, my favourite being Margaret - an award winning news anchor, who has a great relationship with her ex-husband as well as a close and loving relationship with her children. She’s also practical and gets things done, with the help of her rather amazing assistant Darcy.

The island of Nantucket is truly showcased and I desperately want to visit it, in Summer and Winter for the myriad of events that seem to take place.

The plot is good and it is wonderful to follow this family throughout the series. This is a lovely book to curl up with and I would heartily recommend it.

I will be back on Monday 6th December with my next offering. In the meantime have a great weekend planned weather permitting. We are going to a Christmas market, back in our old village and seeing friends, going to the light switch on in our new village and putting up our Christmas tree. Yay!! I will be back on Monday 6th with a Children's classic which I am stamping my feet here, is most definitely a Christmas classic!