The Little Christmas Teashop of Second Chances by Donna Ashcroft @Donnashc @bookouture #bookreview

Happy weekend book lovers!

81 days until Christmas! And today I have another Christmas book review for you all! Huge thanks to Noelle for my invitation and to Donna Ashcroft for her lovely story!💚

My Thoughts

Dreams do come true, especially at Christmas time!🎄

This is a sweet romance all about believing in yourself… it does take place at Christmas time, however I wouldn’t call it a Christmas romance, more of a romance that takes place during Christmas…. I felt this was a wonderful balance and will really appeal to those who aren’t crazy about Christmas books… this also is the second book in the Castle Cove series, but it can be read as a standalone… although the first book in the series is quite fabulous!

Lily is content working in the Castle Teashop, however her dream is to be a chef… The only thing stopping her is herself! Josh is doing what he loves, he is a photographer, but his parents are still trying to persuade him to be a doctor…. two people who aren’t quite comfortable in their own skin thrown together to plan a wedding… Lilly’s BFF is marrying Josh’s big brother, the thing is they are not in the country so it is up to Lily and Josh to plan the perfect Christmas wedding…. it was sweet watching Josh and Lily trying to build each other up, and in doing so they both became more comfortable with themselves…. their flirting was very sweet and occasionally a little awkward, but still sweet…

Something I really liked about this book and the previous book in the series is how prominent a part family played… Lily was raised by her father and older brothers… her estranged mother has re-entered her life, making things a little complicated…. josh’s parents have a different idea about his future than he does, and he has also felt second-best to big brother Paul…. as most familial relationships are these were complicated, but there still was tremendous love and a tremendous sense of family… also loved the family that all the villagers really were to one another, blood or no blood! As they say friends are family that you get to pick!

Recommend to those of you that are fans of clean romance with fabulous characters and a beautiful setting💕

*** many thanks to Bookouture for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

Snow is beginning to fall around the cosy Castle Teashop, with its toasty log fire, scrumptious mince pies and delicious hot chocolates. Romance is in the air and Lily King is hoping some winter magic will help to make her dreams come true…

Twenty-five-year-old Lily King is wondering when her life is going to start. She adores working at the much-loved Castle Teashop, surrounded by familiar faces and delicious cakes. But she’s stuck in a rut. She’s just been dumped by her boyfriend and her dream job seems to be slipping through her fingers.

When her best friend Emily Campbell needs urgent help to organise her enchanting Christmas wedding, Lily realises it’s finally her moment to shine and reach for the opportunities she’s been wishing for. Can she pull off the biggest celebration Castle Cove has ever seen or will something – or someone – make things more complicated than she imagined?

Rebellious and handsome photographer Josh Havellin-Scott has always felt like an outsider, especially next to his perfect older brother, who is about to get married. At the last minute, Josh finds himself roped into plans for the Big Day, the very last thing he wants to do, until he is meets creative and quirky Lily King…

When Lily and Josh are thrown together, it’s clear they couldn’t be more different. But they begin to realise that opposites can attract – and sometimes when you’re not looking for love, it comes and finds you when you least expect it. With some festive magic, will they manage to work together and save the day?

And could they discover a winter romance of their very own along the way?

An utterly scrumptious festive romance about the importance of being true to yourself, following your dreams and opening your heart to second chances. Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Milly Johnson and Debbie Macomber.

About the Author

Donna Ashcroft was born in London and grew up in Buckinghamshire. She went to university in Lancashire and, among other things, worked as a copywriter, buyer, waitress, secretary and marketing manager.

Donna wrote novels for over ten years before being published. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and was a joint winner of the Katie Fforde Bursary in 2017.
Donna loves a happy ending and is never happier than when she’s escaping into a romance novel or movie. When she’s not reading or writing she’ll probably be found hoovering … or negotiating with her teenagers about who is doing the washing up.

Author Social Media Links:

Website: www.donna-writes.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonnaAshcroftAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Donnashc