Published By: Canelo
Pages: 302
Released On: 01/09/2022
Seren’s great aunt Nelly hates being in a care home, especially around Christmas when Seren learns that Nelly and the other residents can’t enjoy the simple pleasure of browsing for gifts in the shops. So what if Seren brings the shops to them?
Converting an ice cream van into a gift shop, Seren travels around Tinstone to help out the less mobile. On her journeys, she keeps bumping into a reluctant – and handsome – Father Christmas, who has been roped into helping out this festive season.
But running her own business comes with risks and surprises that Seren’s not sure she’s able to tackle. Has she bitten off more than she can chew, or will her travelling Christmas shop provide some much-needed festive cheer for the residents of Tinstone?
*****
Thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
Lilac Mills + Christmas = is there more of a perfect combination? Maybe throw in a glass of gin or a warming hot chocolate.
I instantly felt a kinship with Seren, our protagonist – I too would keep Christmas decorations up all year if I could; I mean, I am reading this in 30 degree August. I also found her a real delight, she comes across very well, she’s very human and feels like she could be a friend or a sister. And as for Daniel, he’s definitely a dish. I know there’s no pictures, and he’s just a figment of an imagination, but he sounds like a very lovely chap.
I really liked Seren’s aunt Nelly and Daniel’s grandad Edwin. They reminded me exactly of the elderly people in my late grandmother’s care home. They’re going through difficult times that come with ageing, but they’re having fun with it and they just seem so cute and I’d read a book all about them any day of the week.
I really loved the idea of having a mobile gift shop, it’s a fabulous idea. There’s so many people in care homes, residential homes, or otherwise housebound that would appreciate a real version. Online shopping is all well and good and serves a great purpose, but you can’t beat having a wander around the shops and physically seeing the items, so it’s the best of both worlds.
I find Christmas books just have the power to fill you with warmth, almost like a hug, and this is no difference. It contains all my favourite bits of the festive season: present buying, wreath making, Christmas markets, family, friends and love.
A real fun, sweet, entertaining, cosy read, perfect for any time of the year, but I expect it would hit even harder nearer the end of the year, filling you with ultimate Christmas cheer.
Books By Your Bedside 