A wonderful Christmas read." Victoria Connelly, bestselling author of The Rose Girls. As the anticipation of Christmas builds in the Nielsen family’s cosy farmhouse, Jo, Magnus and their grown-up children begin to congregate for a hybrid Danish-Jersey festive season, each with a surprise of their own – though the surprise that arrives over Christmas is the most life-changing of all. Fifty years earlier, in 1969, Susan Jones finds herself being pursued by Mr Jenners, her former English teacher, and at the age of seventeen is packed off to a Home for Unmarried Mothers in London by her uncompromising father. As Christmas approaches, all she can do is desperately hope to be rescued, but will anyone be able to reach her in time?The two timelines of this festive story gradually weave together in a tale that examines whether love and hope can eventually triumph over even the deepest sadness.Rebecca Boxall is the award-nominated author of five bestselling novels – Christmas at the Vicarage, Home for Winter, Christmas on the Coast, The Christmas Forest and Christmas by the Lighthouse.

    After running away to London, she never expected to see her cantankerous mother, Faye, again. But when Faye has a fall, the two women are thrown together once more.The years apart have not made their hearts grow fonder and the ground between them is unsteady. Then Robin finds an unopened scroll – the last of the treasure hunts her much-missed father used to take them on every Sunday. A hunt he believed might change everything. Yet, not even this gift from her beloved father can smooth the way until Robin’s daughter, Amber, arrives to meet her grandmother for the first time. Amber is determined that the decades-old mystery be solved.Can a 30-year-old treasure hunt really 'change everything'?

    

    For the first time in ten years, Freya is back in the little village of Middlemass for Christmas. The streets might be twinkling with fairy lights, but after the recent loss of her mother, she's never felt less festive.Forced to sleep under the same roof as her handsome neighbour Finn, Freya realises she's going to need a distraction—fast! So she sets herself a challenge: to cook the '12 Days of Christmas'. Her delicious food soon brings the villagers together, and as each day passes, old friendships are renewed, memories stirred and there's even the flickering of romance...She was only meant to stay for the holidays, but could Middlemass—and Finn—steal her heart forever?

    

    But having kicked out her adulterous ex-husband, her house is filled with nothing but echoes and Nat yearns for the coziness and bustle of seaside living. In particular, the rundown Lavender Cottage that has gone up for sale.But when her mother has a fall, Nat's dream of a quiet new life crumbles as she instantly brings her into her home to care for her. With her two energetic nieces then dumped on her doorstep and her recently heartbroken daughter moving back into the nest, Nat can't possibly abandon her family... Lavender cottage will just have to wait.That is until Irishman Connor enters Nat's life and makes her realize that it's okay to put herself first, and she's allowed to wish for more.

    . .Antonia prefers a quiet Christmas. She's happy to spend it on her own, watching Hallmark holiday movies in her pyjamas, eating what she wants, when she wants.Antonia's friend Jules, on the other hand, loves a big Christmas celebration and plans on travelling to the Yorkshire Dales for a festive break. But when Jules breaks her leg, she persuades Antonia to make the trip on her behalf. Arriving at the little cottage, Antonia meets the handsome property agent Oliver. But she can't escape the weird locals--or avoid embarrassing situations like mistaking a cow for a burglar.As Christmas approaches, the attraction between Oliver and Antonia grows. She could choose to return to the bustling city and spend it alone. Or she could choose love and have a not so quiet Christmas . . .

    Adjusting to her recent divorce, she’s ready to spend some time getting back on her feet amidst the glorious snow-dusted countryside.Yet, life in Middledip is far from straightforward. Coming to the aid of her sister, Rea, as she navigates her own troubles, Laurel barely has a moment to think about where her own life is going.However, time stands still when she sees her old flame, Grady Cassidy – and it’s soon as if they’ve never been apart. But through her happiness, Laurel remembers why she left the village all those years ago, as she recalls a dark night and Grady’s once-wayward brother, Mac…Can Laurel learn to forgive and forget? Or will her chances of Christmas under the mistletoe with Grady remain a dream?

    It doesn't take long for Chloe to ditch her studies in favour of all-night parties at Zadie's huge house off campus.But when something goes badly wrong one night and Zadie disappears in the aftermath, Chloe knows she should have done more to help her friend. It's something she'll always regret.Fifteen years later, Chloe finally gets the chance to make it right. But in order to do so, she'll have to put everything at stake . . .

    Gazing at it now, decades later, the memories are flooding back, and not all of them are welcome…In a tumbledown cottage in Willoughby’s grounds, Dolly and Olive King lived with their eccentric explorer father. One of the last things he did was to lay a treasure hunt before he died, but when events took an unexpected turn, Dolly and Olive left Willoughby for good, never to complete it.But when Ruben uncovers a secret message, hidden for decades, he knows he needs Olive and Dolly’s help. Can the three of them solve the treasure hunt, and will piecing together the clues help them understand what happened to their families that summer, all those years ago?A glorious summer read with a delightful cast of characters from the bestselling author of The Summer We Ran Away.Praise for One Lucky Summer:‘A lovely read. A real journey, with wrong turns along the way and a delightful arrival at their destination. It's like a summer outing leaving you with a warm glow, and a smile your face’ Jo Thomas, author of Chasing the Italian Dream‘This is the perfect summer read. Full of fun, mystery and warmth. I loved everything about it!’ Bella Osborne, author of The Promise of Summer‘Fresh and original, haunting and evocative’ Jules Wake, author of The Spark‘A delicious ice-cream of a book. Loved it! Essential holiday reading’ Josie Lloyd, author of The Cancer Ladies' Running Club‘[A] must read’ Bella ‘A twisty, wistful novel perfect for long sunny afternoons’ New Praise for Jenny Oliver:‘You know you’re in for a treat when you open a Jenny Oliver book’ Debbie Johnson, bestselling author of Maybe One Day‘The perfect summer read’ Sarah Morgan, bestselling author of The Summer Seekers

    This enchanting and uplifting read will have you both laughing and crying as you rediscover the magic of Christmas. Scarlett Robins lives her life through the pages of the books she sells because her reality is no fairy tale. Then she saw an advert that changed everything. ***Escape to Holly Island and enjoy two weeks for the price of one*** It seemed too good to be true. It was. She imagined five-star luxury in a place where dreams come true. • Drinking creamy hot chocolate while toasting marshmallows on an open fire. • Bracing walks along the seashore to energise her mind. • Glorious food prepared lovingly by the Michelin starred chef, while she was tucked up in the library reading the latest bestseller. • No problems, no worries – just perfect. However, Holly Island turned out to be very different from the one described in the advert. She found herself stranded on an island with a group of strangers who certainly lived up to the name. The staff had left and they needed to pull together to make Christmas special. However, Scarlett soon discovered that they all had their secrets and nothing prepared her for what she was about to discover. Scarlett wanted the fairy tale but do they exist in this brave new world? Is it really possible to enjoy Christmas without the trappings of modern life and are the simple pleasures lost forever in a sea of commercialism? Escape to Holly Island they said. What they forgot to mention was that once you arrived, there was no way back. Just when you thought the magic of Christmas was lost forever, Holly Island proves that it does exist and finds you when you least expect it.

    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…

    What festive traditions will they make their own?Laurie and Jake are flat out running Laurie’s seafront café, packaging up orders of mince pies, sausage rolls and other delectable Christmas goodies, as well as finding time for Jake’s journalism. But when Jake’s mum offers them an unexpected gift, their plans are turned upside down.Alex can’t help but be charmed by beautiful and talented Ivy, but he’s still recovering from his ex-wife’s betrayal and has a secret life he’s not ready to share with anyone yet. But as the Christmas spirit starts weaving its magic, Alex may find himself ready for love sooner than he imagines.For Andrew, nothing is more important than family. As friends and family gather beneath his roof it’s a time for reflection about what the future might hold.As far as Nick is concerned, pop sensation Aurora Storm is the ‘one that got away’. After they shared a brief holiday fling, he has been thinking about her ever since. Is Christmas the perfect time to finally reach out to her, or is love at first sight just in fairy-tales?Sarah Bennett captures the joy of Christmas perfectly in these captivating vignettes. Christmas Surprises at Mermaids Point is a guaranteed joy for fans of Mermaids Point and new readers alike

    She has a job she adores, a devoted family, and friends she'd lay down her life for.So when tragedy strikes, bringing with it Bear - a rapidly-growing puppy in need of a home - it turns Alice's whole world upside down. She retreats inside her flat, and inside herself, with only her new companion for company. But one-bedroom London flats aren't made for mountain dogs, and so Alice lets Bear push her out of her comfort zone to his homeland: the mountains of Switzerland. Could a change of scene in snowy serenity be just the thing to help Alice fall in love with life again? A Season in the Snow is the perfect read this Christmas, promising snowy mountains , Christmas markets and heart-warming seasonal romance. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Heidi Swain.

    Mum was here. And while she was, something happened that changed the entire course of my life.  Perhaps, if I can summon the courage, the next eight weeks will help me finally figure out what that was . . .’   When Jessica, a young British woman, discovers a shocking secret about her birth she travels to Switzerland in search of answers. She knows her mother spent time in the country writing an article on the Swiss women’s rights movement, but what she doesn’t know is what happened to her while she was there. Can Jess summon the courage to face the truth about her family, or will her search only hurt herself and those around her even more?   Set across a stunning Swiss backdrop, The Other Daughter follows one woman in her search for the truth about her birth, and another desperately trying to succeed in a man’s world. Perfect for fans of Tracy Rees, Elizabeth Noble and Kathryn Hughes.