I knew I was a fan of Ms Moorcroft’s, but then was a bit blown away as I fell into this, a Christmas story that had so much heart as we read about Maddy, who is living with her daughter after the disappearance of her husband. Enter love letters from the past that took my breath away with their beauty and introduced some stunning moments that I was mesmerised by.

This book is the perfect Christmas read with the normal sparkle, but infused with the homeliness, beauty, comfort and community that made me glad I read (I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle any sadness).

So recommended.

This has all the ingredients for a lovely festive read. Set in a beautiful village in the depths of winter, there is plenty of glistening snow and snowman building. The countdown to Christmas Day takes you to some welcoming festive fairs and school events. Most of all, there is all the warmth that goes along with family gatherings. These families are not all related through blood, though some are. Deep supportive friendships reinforce a sense of belonging. Of course, not everyone in the story is so warm and fuzzy. There is jealousy, mean mindedness and abandonment along the way.

Maddy’s relationship with her great aunt and daughter is the most touching and you see how she tries so hard to be generous and welcoming to people she hopes will be positive in their lives. Running through the story is a rich seam of romance through Ruthie’s love letters. They seem as if from a different world compared to the modern text messages which can be so misinterpreted. However, you realise that people’s feelings are pretty much universal. Raff finds himself in the middle of a complicated situation, trying to please everyone. Both Raff and Maddy feel on the outside at times but both have a strong feeling of family. I enjoyed the different characters, especially Lyla, Maddy’s daughter, whose wide eyed wonder and ability to put the grown ups in an embarrassing position because of her ‘innocent ‘ remarks made me smile. You won’t be disappointed with this fabulous Christmas story.

In short: five twinkly star

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a Sue Moorcroft book and this ticked all the boxes for a heartwarming, snowy, Christmassy read.

My Top 5 things from this book:

•Christmas Read 🎅🏼
•Love Letters 💌
•Lots of Snow ❄️
•Blended Family 👩🏻‍🤝‍👨🏼
•Happily Ever After 🤍

Such a good and heartfelt book. The subject matter will pull at the heart strings completely. A beautiful pre christmas read and perfect as a gift too, I have the pb, kindle and audible versions of this book.

It took me awhile to get into this story. It was a little predictable. Maddie's husband disappeared several years ago. He went out for a walk and never returned. She and her daughter live with her Aunt in the small village where she grew up. When a stranger shows up with some letters it sets off a firestorm in their lives. I have read several books by Ms. Moorcroft and she has great characters, unusual settings and happy endings.

This is a lovely Christmas story, which I really enjoyed! The story is about Maddy, Lyla, Aunty Ruthie and Raff, and some love letters which lead to different stories being revealed. It's all about family, love, romance and passion, with a beautiful setting and Christmas delights. Such a heartwarming book which is perfect to read on a rainy cold day like today. Highly recommended!

A beautifully written book, very moving and heartwarming with realistic characters, a good plot and twists I didn’t expect .
Loved it and would recommend

Oh this was lovely in so many ways! I enjoyed the story and the characters were loveable and believable. The story centres around family and finding lost members. An easy read for a cold weekend!

Sue Moorcroft has pulled another cracker out of the bag!

Maddy Austen and her Great Aunt Ruthie live together with Maddy’s daughter Lyla in Nelson’s Bar, Norfolk, where her husband Adey upped and left six years prior, never to be seen again.

A handsome stranger, Raff, appears at their door with some long forgotten love letters that shake up their quiet lives and secrets are revealed.

Maddy and Raff get closer but can things ever be that simple? Obviously not…

Love the characters, even the not so nice ones, the location, idyllic by the coast and the storyline from the past to the present is equally heart wrenching and heart warming with a beautiful ending.

I enjoyed this holiday themed book. I love reading Christmas books in the holiday season. The atmosphere is perfect for some romance and second chances in life.

This is a captivating Christmas read filled with emotion, mystery, and family drama. Maddy, struggling financially and raising her unborn child alone after her husband's disappearance, moves in with her Aunt Ruthie in Norfolk, England. Little does she know, her quiet existence is about to be disrupted when a man named Rafferty shows up with secrets involving her aunt. The story beautifully explores themes of love, loss, and the complexities of family relationships. With well-developed characters and unexpected twists, including a touching exploration of lost letters, this novel is a heartwarming and engaging read that keeps readers hooked until the end.

This was a fun holiday romance. I liked the plot and the characters were a lot of fun. Very much recommend this book.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me. I would be more than happy to re-read and review if a download becomes available. If you would like me to re-review please feel free to contact me at thesecretbookreview@gmail.com or via social media The_secret_bookreview (Instagram) or Secret_bookblog (Twitter). Thank you.

A really lovely read. A story of family and friends and how families are all made up the same.
As you get to know the characters more you will become more engaged in their lives and the stories they have to tell.
I really enjoyed this book, but you will need the tissues ready at times!

This one was a sweet Christmas read, That ended up being a fairly quick read for me. But I think know I'm burnt out on Christmas reads.

I really enjoyed this story, the dynamic between Maddy and Ruthie was lovely and the setting is just gorgous.

This book is perfect for those cold winter nights when you just want to curl up and escape into a great read with lots of emotion and heart this is the perfect christmas read.

Why, as a woman, do you write such horrible MMC when real men already exist? Am I not supposed to root for this couple? Because that guy (what's his name already? something dumb, that's all I remember) was so selfish and insufferable, omg. The pacing was also weird, it dragged when it shouldn't and the interesting parts were way too short for my liking. the only redeeming grace to this book was the letters. Those two were simply the sweetest couple ever which balanced the other two idiots. A mid read on my part.

I really enjoyed The Christmas Love Letters and got caught up in the story and characters. I would definitely recommend adding it to you holiday reads! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I don't know if it was because it was an ebook ARC or what but the formatting was all messed up and weird. The story was honestly a little too boring for me and I ended up not finishing it. If you really love Christmas books, you may like it. But I just found it to be blah.

Wow, wow, wow, I loved this book so much. Blended families always make for such interesting reads and this was no exception. A missing father, love stories old and new and an unconventional family arrangement make for a lovely heart-warming story perfect for the festive season.