The Gin Shack on the Beach


Catherine Miller - 2017
    But Olive isn’t one for mindless bingo with her fellow residents, and before the first day is over she's already hatching a plan to escape back to her beloved beach hut and indulge in her secret passion for a very good gin & tonic.Before long Olive’s secret is out and turning into something wonderful and new. Only a select few are invited, but word spreads quickly about the weekly meetings of The Gin Shack Club. Soon everybody on the beach wants to become a gin connoisseur and join Olive on her journey to never being forced to grow older than you feel. A journey of friendship, defiance and a quest for the perfect G&T.

If Every Day Was Christmas


Donna Ashcroft - 2020
    She runs a year-round Christmas shop in the little Scottish village, and is a fan of all things mulled, sparkly and festive. So when her warring family shows up on her doorstep, ready to spread discord and tension, Meg is determined not to let them ruin her favourite time of the year.Meanwhile, Christmas-hating Tom Riley-Clark has been called to the Highlands to help his old friend at The Apple Cross Inn. He’s ready to work hard and has no time for mince pies, tinsel or hanging a promise on the tree: the thought of every day being Christmas is his worst nightmare, and you wouldn’t catch him dead buying a bauble. So everyone is surprised when Christmas-loving Meg and grinch Tom start to get cozy under the mistletoe.But Tom has a big secret about his past, and in a small town like Lockton it’s hard to keep anything hidden for long. Will everything fall apart when Meg discovers who he really is? The pair are about to learn the hard way that some promises are impossible to keep…It’s time to curl up for an enchanting festive romance about learning to trust yourself, taking chances and not being afraid to fall in love. Perfect for fans of Nicola May, Debbie Macomber and Milly Johnson.

Write Before Christmas


Julie Hammerle - 2020
    The pressure is getting to me, and I. Can’t. Write.Cue: small town where people don’t recognize me.Cue: my assistant insisting on a personal chef to keep me fed and nothing more.Cue: finding the first bit of inspiration I’ve felt in months whenever she’s around…Am I a walking cliche now, or what?Dani Cooper seems to have her own hurdles to jump this holiday season. Newly divorced, looking for her next move. She’s the first person who’s seen me for me in way too long. And I see her, too--as way more than just an employee, a divorcee, a cook. She’s becoming my muse…But when my Christmas deadline hits, will it spell the end of us, too?

The Happiness List


Annie Lyons - 2018
    She hasn’t bumped into many neighbours yet but with her upcoming wedding to plan there’s plenty to keep her busy!Fran is still trying to get used to a life without her husband by her side. It’s hard enough raising two children on her own – she doesn’t have time to even think about dating…Pamela is fed up with being taken for granted by her grown-up children and grumbling husband. She’s ready to shake things up a little, but will her family even notice?So when the three women hear about a ‘happiness course’ starting on Hope Street, surely it’s the perfect opportunity to let their hair down, laugh with new friends and maybe even change their lives in ways they never expected…Don’t miss The Happiness List, a delightfully uplifting story from bestselling author Annie Lyons, coming soon!

The Island Girls


Noëlle Harrison - 2020
    I like to imagine you some days when I look out the window across the harbour, all those miles of sea and land between us. But, sister, we are always connected. When young nurse Emer loses her beloved sister, she is haunted by grief and desperate to escape her memories. Taking a job in Vinalhaven, a rocky outpost in the wild Atlantic, feels like the refuge she so badly needs. Her patient, Susannah, has lived in isolation for many years, since the tragic death of her sister Kate caused her to withdraw from island life. However, when Emer discovers a bundle of letters in a rainbow quilt in her bedroom and shares the story of her own loss, Susannah opens up. She begins to tell the story of Kate’s brutal and secret past, and her marriage to a man with a heart as cold as the ocean. But when Emer starts asking locals about Kate, the island air sizzles with hostility. There are people who would rather that Susannah kept quiet, who have no qualms about threatening Emer. But despite the warnings to stay away, Emer is determined to find out what really happened the night Kate died – and the final secret that is keeping Susannah a prisoner to the past. An unputdownable and unforgettable story of impossible choices and two sisters who would do anything for one another. Set on a bewitching sea-scented island, The Island Girls will burrow into your heart. Perfect for fans of Lisa Wingate, Anita Shreve and The Light Between Oceans. Readers are gripped by Noelle Harrison’s writing: ‘The Gravity of Love is, hand on heart, my most favourite book of 2018, and probably my most favourite book of all time. I wish I could bottle the feelings I revealed whilst reading this book, yet I don’t think anyone could ever afford the price of them. This book is such an incredible, life-affirming and heart-wrenching novel which made me feel, after 28 years of life on this planet, that I finally deserve to be here. I urge you all to get a copy of Noelle Harrison’s thought-provoking and ornamental read – you will NOT be disappointed.’ The Writing Garnet, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A life-affirming read with wonderful characters and beautiful writing. It is a compelling and engaging story that grips you from the start.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliant but emotional book which I couldn't put down once I started. Will definitely be reading it again and thoroughly recommend’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Wow a wonderful read I highly recommend this book. Noelle Harrison is a truly wonderful writer! A beautifully crafted, fascinating read’ Netgalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘From the arid desert of eighties Arizona to swinging sixties London, Noelle Harrison connects her beautifully drawn characters and weaves them into a story that entangled, enchanted and entranced this reader.’ Liz Nugent ‘So rich in love, loss, blame, misunderstanding, secrets and betrayals – this book has everything.’ Sinead Moriarty

A Step In Time


Kerry Barrett - 2015
    But Amy has two left feet, and her hot dance partner Patrick seems to think that she's behaving like a superficial spoiled brat (also totally justified).At rock bottom, Amy is now living in a rented room when she encounters her upstairs neighbour, an elegant older lady with a mysterious, tragic air who knows more than a thing or two about the foxtrot.But it'll take more than a couple of dance lessons to get Amy back on the leaderboard and ready to cha cha cha her way to glitterball glory!

The Santa Suit


Mary Kay Andrews - 2021
    The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it. At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.

Dear Santa


Debbie Macomber - 2021
    The man she thought was "the one" has cheated on her with her best friend, and she feels completely devoid of creativity in her graphic-design job. Not even carolers or Christmas cookies can cheer her up--but Lindy's mother, Ellen, remembers an old tradition that might lift her daughter's spirits.Reading through a box of childhood letters to Santa and reminiscing about what she'd wished for as a young girl may be just the inspiration Lindy needs. With Ellen's encouragement, she decides to write a new letter to Santa, one that will encourage her to have faith and believe just as she'd done all those years ago. Little does Lindy know that this exercise in gratitude will cause her wishes to unfold before her in miraculous ways. And, thanks to some fateful twists of Christmas magic--especially an unexpected connection with a handsome former classmate--Lindy ultimately realizes that there is truly no place like home for the holidays.In Dear Santa, Debbie Macomber celebrates the joys of Christmas blessings, old and new.

The Christmas Tea Shop & Bakery


De-ann Black - 2013
    She moves to a lovely Scottish seaside town and opens up a vintage tea shop and bakery selling cakes, bread, scones and tea.It's Christmas time, and although Erith wants a quiet life, baking during the day and sewing her quilts in the evenings in her house above the shop, the local shopkeepers soon involve her in their festive plans.Stuart, who owns the shop that sells everything, flirts with her. Handsome interior designer, Muir, takes an interest in her, but is she interested in him? And what about Zack, the gorgeous bad boy?In this Christmassy romance, Erith bakes everything from chocolate bread to traditional Victoria sponge cakes. She blends her special selection of teas. She becomes friends with the local sewing bee women, Doreen, Millie and Belle. She also realises that when it comes to love, she has to trust her instincts rather than listen to local gossip.Set in a Scottish seaside town in a snowy December, there's baking, sewing, snogging and sexy men in this light-hearted romance novella. It's 22,000 words of Christmas cheer.Amid the chaos of Christmas, will Erith find time for love? Will there be a festive proposal? Who will be Santa and switch on the town's Christmas tree lights? In the busy little town there's only one thing for sure - no one wants to dress up as the reindeer's bum.

Winter at West Sands Guest House


Maggie Conway - 2017
    Praise for Winter at West Sands Guest House… ‘A great Christmas read.’ Grace at Good’n’Ready-y‘Pick this wonderful book up’ Amazon Customer‘It was heartwarming’ BananaTricky

Dear Santa


Nancy Naigle - 2018
    They’ve weathered over sixty tourist seasons, major hurricanes, and urban sprawl, in their old decommissioned lighthouse. But the national chain that set up shop in their small North Carolina town of Pleasant Sands may be more than Heart of Christmas can survive.Encouraged by her niece to ask Santa for help, Angela gives in and lets the words fly in a way that, if Santa were real, would no doubt land her on the naughty list. What’s the harm when it’s just a computer-generated response?Geoff Paisley has been at his mother’s side running the mega-chain Christmas Galore for the last ten years. When his mother falls ill, Geoff promises to answer the town’s Dear Santa letters in her stead. Soon he realizes the woman he’s been corresponding with on Dear Santa is Angela. How could the woman that grates his every last nerve in person have intrigued him so deeply through those letters?When Geoff reveals that he’s her Dear Santa, will Angela be able to set aside their very public feud to embrace the magic of the holiday and possibly find true love?

A Second Christmas Wish


Kathryn Freeman - 2016
    From her cold, distant parents to her manipulative ex-husband, Lawrence, she’s never experienced the warmth and contentment of the festive season with a big, happy family sitting around the table.And Melissa has learned to live with it, but it breaks her heart that her seven-year-old son, William, has had to live with it too. Whilst most little boys wait with excitement for the big day, William finds it difficult to believe that Father Christmas even exists.But then Daniel McCormick comes into their lives. And with his help, Melissa and William might just be able to find their festive spirit, and finally have a Christmas where all of their wishes come true …

The Snow Globe


Sheila Roberts - 2010
    "There's a story behind that snow globe," the antique dealer tells her. The original owner, he explains, was a German toymaker who lost his wife and son right before Christmas. When the grieving widower received the handcrafted snow globe as a Christmas gift, he saw the image of a beautiful woman beneath the glass—a woman who would come into his life, mend his broken heart and bring him back to the world of the living. For years, the snow globe has passed from generation to generation, somehow always landing in the hands of a person in special need of a Christmas miracle.Kiley could use a miracle herself. This year, all she wants for Christmas is someone to love. A hopeful shake leads her on an adventure that makes a believer out of her. When Kylie shares the story of the snow globe with her best friends—two women with problems of their own—they don't believe it. But they're about to discover that at Christmastime, sometimes the impossible becomes possible and miracles really do come true.

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe


Abby Clements - 2012
    Laurie is living in London and dedicated to her career, keeping track of her friends on Facebook. Rachel is seemingly living the family idyll in a cottage in Yorkshire - except she worries her marriage is starting to show cracks. When Rachel's mother in law falls ill and needs treatment in London, and Laurie decides she needs to get away for a break, a house swap falls into place. Soon Rachel is braving the mean streets of London while trying to keep her family together, while Laurie tries to figure out how to work an Aga and befriend the locals - and forget the man who seems intent on breaking her heart. Will their relationships survive this test? And will they make it home in time for Christmas?

Brief Encounter at the Picture House by the Sea


Holly Hepburn - 2017
    Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley.   The picture house by the sea is the Palace at Polwhipple – a lovely art deco cinema, nestled in front of azure Cornish seas. But it is long past its heyday now, and its only saving grace is Ferrelli's, the family run ice-cream concession in the foyer, which is famed for selling the best ice cream for miles.   When Ferdie, the owner of Ferrelli's, falls ill, his granddaughter Gina drops everything to come and help out, leaving her boyfriend, Max, in London. But when she arrives she is dismayed by the state of the cinema, which she remembers fondly from summer holidays when she was a teenager,   Enchanted by Polwhipple's golden beaches and friendly faces, Gina sets about restoring the Palace to its former glory with a themed Brief Encounter night, roping in her old friend Ben to help. But can one night alter the fortunes of this beautiful old picture house by the sea...?If you enjoyed part one in the PICTURE HOUSE series, download part two - Singing in the Rain at the Picture House by the Sea – now!  'Fabulously feel-good, funny and fresh, it will sweep you off your feet' Rowan Coleman 'Pure pleasure, a delight from opening credits to closing reel' Julie Cohen 'Deliciously romantic and sprinkled with the magic of the movies – it's the perfect treat!' Miranda DickinsonWhat people are saying about the STAR AND SIXPENCE and the CASTLE COURT series:'Warm, witty and laced with intriguing secrets' Cathy Bramley 'The perfect book to start the new year' Rowan Coleman 'A treasure of a find and I was completely enveloped within this world from the very first page. 5 stars!' Becca's Books 'A thoroughly lovely and entertaining read!' Book Kaz 'A charming story with real characters and an idyllic setting' Fictionophile