October 26, 2017
Blurb: All singleton Isla wants for Christmas is to be left in peace, but a surprise trip to the Alps means there’s a chance for romance in every snowflake that falls…
It’s the week before Christmas and Isla McCoy has just received an unexpected gift: a letter announcing she is due a life-changing inheritance, but only if she’s willing to make amends with the father who abandoned her.
She has absolutely no intention of forgiving him, but who could resist an all-expenses-paid trip to the French resort of St Martin-de-Belleville?
There she meets smooth-talking Justin and nerdy glaciologist Sebastian; two very different men, with two very different agendas. Torn between her head and her heart, Isla finds herself utterly lost in a winter wonderland of her own feelings.
Surrounded by twinkling candles and roaring log-fires, Isla’s resolve finally begins to melt. But will she learn how to reconnect, not only with a whole new family, but with herself and her heart?
A gorgeously heart-warming festive read to help spark a little romance in those long winter nights. Perfect for fans of Jane Linfoot, Debbie Johnson and Jenny Colgan.
SASCHA DARLINGTON’S REVIEW
I’ve probably said this before, but maybe you’re lucky and didn’t read it the first time. One of the best gauges to see how I’m going to rate a book is how long it takes me to get through it. There are obviously exceptions here, but few.
This one took me ten days. Granted, I’ve read and reviewed other books during that time (which ought to give you a clue as to how I felt about A Cosy Candelit Christmas), but I had no desire to give this one more effort. Because, unfortunately, that’s what it felt like: effort.
First, for a good bit of the beginning, Isla was waspish and self-involved. She’d acknowledge her rudeness, which I suppose means that a reader is supposed to give her credit and ignore? Then she waffled. And waffled. Between her angst and drama queen antics (who panics when the lights go out?), Isla is not an admirable character. She’s basically immature despite her age, running out of a Christmas brunch with her father because she has feelings for a man. Really, she just reunited with her father and this is how she behaves? There is so much circuitous writing and storytelling and so much repetition that even reading a chapter felt like hard work.
A Cosy Candelit Christmas has instalove, which isn’t surprising.
The story is essentially one of dysfunctional people. There is much angst. There is little humor or warmth. Where the cosy candlelight was, I have no idea. There was candlelight when the lights went out, but no cosy.
I will tell you that my review/reaction is in the minority on Goodreads, so I’ll throw out my standby: your mileage may vary. I do know that I like my Christmas novels to have humor and good cheer and “feel good” (as the cover of this novel implies), hold the dysfunction (reality has enough of that).
Anyway.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
rating: 
2 butterflies and a ladybug out of 5 butterflies