Author: by Rebecca Raisin
Publisher: 28th October 2021 by HQ
Pages: 315 pages
How I Read It: ARC book
Genre: contemporary, Christmas, romance, holiday, women’s fiction
My Rating: 4 cups
Synopsis:
‘Tis the season for mulled wine, mince pies, and magic under the mistletoe…
Flora loves Christmas more than anything else in the world, so she’s gutted when her Scrooge-alike boss fires her from Deck the Halls Christmas emporium. But now she finally has a chance to follow her dreams – and what better place to start than the home of Christmas?
Before she can say ‘sleigh bells’, Flora’s on her way to Lapland in a campervan-cum-Christmas-shop. She can’t wait to spend her days drinking hot chocolate and taking reindeer-drawn carriage rides, but something Flora didn’t expect was meeting Connor, a Norse god of a man who makes her heart flutter and snowflakes swirl in her stomach. There’s just one problem: Connor hates Christmas.
Can Flora convince Connor of the joys of Christmas – and will she find a festive romance along the way?
My Thoughts
‘I’m a self-confessed Christmas tragic and if I could live like it’s Christmas all year round, then I would.’
I am a big fan of Rebecca’s Van Lifers series - I have read the Tea Shop and Book Shop editions of course! So I was highly anticipating her latest offering at this time of year, a Christmas Shop van! So if you are in any way a fan of Christmas look no further for this book is full to the brim with good festive cheer!
‘It’s my interpretation of the true meaning of Christmas. It isn’t about gaudy festoon lights, or maxed-out credit cards, the forced proximity of family members who don’t get along. It’s about finding someone who makes you feel like it’s Christmas every day. Someone who finds joy in the simple things’
Flora's Travelling Christmas Shop is absolutely delightful and everything you could expect in Lapland! I loved the cultural inclusions and various customs (yes naked sauna trips were a LOL moment!) - not to forget the amazing Northern Lights. Rebecca’s wit and charm oozes like hot chocolate from all her vibrant characters. Poor ol’ Flora, searching for her Hallmark movie moment! The dialogue is fun and the friendships engaging. The requisitory romance is there but not front and centre … this book is all about Christmas in all its many shapes and forms. Flora is obviously an over-the-top Christmas fanatic and even those of us who love this time of year may find that too much as it sometimes comes across as childish - but then you tell yourself, this is what this time of year is all about. You can’t help but want things to flow for this flawed character.
‘So, it’s my love of all things Christmas you find so offensive?
This book is sure to bring a smile to your Christmas preparations this month as it will leave you feeling warm and happy inside. So fire up those Christmas lights, put that carol playlist on, grab yourself a hot drink (‘make yourself a pot of strong tea.’ ‘That’s your answer to this … this malady?’ ‘For now. We’re British, it’s what we do’) and spend some time in Lapland with Flora and her van.
‘Christmas or Hanukkah or any seasonal occasion at this time of year, it’s as though the world pauses for that infinitesimal amount of time - smiles get wider, hope abounds and joy is found in the simplest of things, like listening to carols, or popping a cracker and donning a paper crown. It’s an enchanting time of year’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
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