Sunday, December 27, 2020

A Surprise Christmas Wedding by Phillipa Ashley

 

I enjoy Phillipa Ashley’s novels.  She writes great character driven stories set in England that are typically filled with family drama.  I read a Christmas novel by her last year and knew I needed to read once again this year.  Ashley did not disappoint with another great Christmas novel.

 Last year at Christmas, Lottie became engaged to her boyfriend Conner after he swept her off her feet on a Cornwall vacation.  Unfortunately, back at home, Conner got cold feet and broke off the engagement.  Lottie didn’t have time to fully morn that loss as she discovered her sister, Steph, had cervical cancer and needed her help caring for her two daughters.  Lottie accepted a new job at a Lake District grand estate, Firholme, as an event planner.  Her first big event is a surprise Christmas wedding for Conner and his new fiancée.  Lottie has to get over the shock and get this event planned for this estate to be successful.  Will she be able to move on from her feelings for Conner?  Will she be able to move on with handsome estate groundskeeper, Jay?  What is the mystery behind Jay’s sadness?

 I enjoyed all of the characters in this novel and the planning of a Christmas wedding.  I also liked how the book dove into love and loss at the holidays and how to move on from that sadness to celebrate the season again.  If you are estranged from your family – how can you go back?  I really enjoyed the side characters as well.  I really want Steph to have her own spin off novel.  It’s set up well for a good one.  It was a good romance and story.

 Favorite Quotes:

“It’s easy to think everyone’s having an amazing time, surrounded by family.  The truth is that almost everyone is struggling with something:  bad memories, the tensions simmering.”

 “No matter what had happened, he loved them.  He always had even if that love had laid buried under and avalanche of disappointment and bitterness.”

 Overall, A Surprise Christmas Wedding is a delightful romance set in the Lake District of England that is filled with great characters and rumination on how to get back on your feet after a great heart break.

 Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

2 comments:

  1. Love the sound of this one. Especially the setting! :)

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    Replies
    1. I LOVED the setting as well. I really want to get to England one of these days!

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