Digital Reads Reviews

Many thanks to Victoria Joss and publisher Aria for my spot on this Blog Tour.

I loved the cover. The purple tinge to it made it so attractive that I was immediately drawn to it and I had to read the story. Wouldn’t you do the same?

The Christmas themed book are weaving their magic on me. In this, in order to save the food bank, 3 best friends Fern, Carla, and Devina came up with a new plan of a live Christmas advent Calendar for 25 days. The entire community of Chesterwood worked together and contributed to the event.

My first book by Samantha Tonge drew me in slowly with the 3 women. Their friendship pulled me in, and I loved the way they supported each other. New to town, Kit added to the mystery when he kissed Fern and backed away. He was a good, kind man, and I was burned with curiosity to know his reasons. Some of his furtive actions made me very suspicious of him.

Characters were aplenty, each had their own problems and crisis. The author’s pen made them deal with it in strength, helping each other. Social issues were written sensitively.

I needed a book to divert my mind and this book clicked with me. Enjoyed it completely. A great Christmassy read filling me with warmth and spirit of a kind human heart.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and publisher, and this is my journey into its pages, straight from the heart!! STRICTLY HONEST AND UNBIASED.

All my reviews can be read here

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK with her husband and children. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.

When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.

She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.

In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women’s fiction with publisher Canelo. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association romantic comedy award.

This Christmas fall in love with the town of Chesterwood…
Christmas is meant to be a time of giving, so with Chesterwood food bank under risk of closure Fern knows just what to do to save it. She’s going to get the town to create a living advent calendar.

Fern, and her best friends, call for help from the local community to bring this calendar to life. When Kit, the new man in town, offers his assistance Fern’s heart can’t help but skip a beat (or two).

As they grow ever closer, Fern must admit that Kit’s breaking down the barriers she built after the death of her husband. But his past is holding him back and Fern doesn’t know how to reach him. No matter how hard she tries.

In this town, Kit’s not the only one with secrets. Domestic goddess Cara is behaving oddly, burning meals in the oven and clothes whilst ironing, and Davina’s perfect children are causing trouble at school leaving her son, Jasper, desperately unhappy.

Can the Christmas Calendar Girls find a way to bring the community together in time to save the food bank, while still supporting their families and each other? Can Fern find love again with Kit?

Publication Date: 3rd October 2019

Publisher: Aria