Cover Image: Covent Garden in the Snow

Covent Garden in the Snow

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Member Reviews

Talented make-up artist Tilly is a a technophobe and this causes a major problem when she unwittingly downloads a computer virus at the theatre where she works. Marcus, the new IT director, arrives to resolve these issues but gets a frosty reception from Tilly. I enjoyed reading the humorous dynamic between these two lovely characters as well as learning some of the intricacies of what goes on behind the scenes at the theatre. A feel good, Christmassy romance. Thank you to Net galley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

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Tilly Hunter has it all - fabulous friends, job of her dreams and a caring fiance. However one thing she doesn't have is much computer sense. Instead of sending her friends and family Christmas wishes she gifts them with a computer virus. Her penance is working alongside the new officious head of IT. Surely spreadsheets have no place in the make up department.

I have embarrassed to say I have had this book on my kindle for a number of years and always meant to get round to it. This year when I saw it pop up a few times of booksta I bumped it up my Christmas tbr list. I am glad I did as it was a delightful read. My one gripe was that there was very little snow or Christmas really however I did love the glimpse behind the scenes of a successful Covent Garden Opera company. Tilly had a number of storylines all going on at once to keep my interest and eventhough I predicted the outcome of one or two it didn't spoil my enjoyment. The friends and family she is surrounded by were all as likable and I would love to revisit this corner of Covent Garden. If you are put off this book because Christmas has been and gone don't be as it is a lovely read to cosy up and lose yourself in.

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Somewhat festive and a bit boring. Couldn't really get into it. Was quite predictable. I usually love Christmas story but this just didn't do it for me.

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Lovely heartwarming story by Jules Wake. Really well written, brilliantly plotted. Highly recommend.

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Another great story from Jules Wake. I loved Tilly, Marcus and Jeanie. I instantly had a feeling that what happened was happening, it was just a little niggling feeling. Anyway, this book was well written, it kept me gripped and entertained. I loved the little emails between Tilly and ‘Redsman’. Great story, great writing and great characters.

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Review: A great book full of unusual characters due to its setting of an Opera Company. It is set in a area that I have not read a story based in but the cover and blurb intriguing me. I was glad it did as it was very interesting. It is well written and I am glad a choice to review this book.

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Thoroughly enjoyed this read, and although I read this during the Christmas period.. I would say that it could definitely be read all year round! Great!
I really intriguing storyline that kept me wanting to carry on reading throughout the late hours. I also felt like I could relate closely to the main character, Tilly. Her positive outlooks, love for life and the problems she comes across!

I would highly recommend giving this a read and might re-read it again, myself!

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enjoyed reading this book. was an easy read, always enjoy reading jules wake books

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I really loved this book, and ended up gulping it down in just over a day!

It's well written with engaging characters and several plot lines alongside the main romance story. I really enjoyed the opera theatre setting as well as the festive trips around London and Chatsworth.

I hadn't read anything by Jules Wake before, but I'll certainly now be searching out and stock-piling her other books!

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This is my first read by Jules Wake. I especially liked main character Tilly Hunter. She has a dream job as a make-up artist with a prestigious opera company and is engaged to Felix. This is a quick read and a laugh a page. You're going to love reading about fiasco's Tilly gets herself into starting with the accidental email getting sent. Romantic book with just the right amount of Christmas atmosphere,mince pies and tea included.
Pub Date 20 Oct 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperImpulse for a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Fantastic Christmas romance read. I really enjoyed this book. Well written with characters I immediately warmed to. Lovely christmas setting in Covent Garden. I enjoyed finding out about opera and about how the wigs are made. It is a story with romance and misunderstandings with a lovely festive ending.

A lovely cosy read, perfect for a lazy afternoon on the sofa. An easy untaxing book, ideal for Christmas-time.

Highly recommended. This is the first book I have read from Jules Wake, and I will now be looking for her others.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I must admit the cover of this book had a lot with me wanting to read it, I just wanted to step right inside that scene! Once I was inside I wasn't disappointed either.

We meet Tilly just as she opens an email which it turns out has a virus attached to it - being a complete technophobe she manages to get into quite a scrape over it all. Plus a new IT Director, Marcus Walker, just happens to have taken up his new post and is not happy with her at all.

Despite not really understanding people like Till that can make such a hash of techy things I did love her. We get to find out in some detail about her job at the Opera House, and the tour and backstage insight was fantastic, really felt like I was there. I learnt a few things too.

This book was a little bit of escapism and a perfect read for this time of year. Yes it is a romance novel and you can see where it is all going - but I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm giving it 5 out of 5 stars.

BTW the kindle version is only 99p! I read it in two days so perfect for over the festive season.

My thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for a copy of the book for review.

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Wonderful book! Have read it twice and will no doubt read it again!

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I am a fan of Jules Wake’s books and this one is right up there with the best of them. Always up for a Christmas read this time of year, this one was loads of fun without being over the top in any area. I like that this book incorporated more of a holiday feel, especially the wonderful Covent Garden descriptions and traditions, rather than full on commercialism. It was very relatable with all the family traditions, looking for gifts and sharing a meal - comfort reading at this time of year.

“Christmas back then, when we were young had been fun, when lunch was a long-laid back affair, in which Mum insisted we all wore our cracker crowns.”

One of the unexpected surprises about this book is learning all about the behind-the-scenes action of the opera. The main lead, Tilly, works at the London Metropolitan Opera Company in the make-up department and loves her job except having to learn about updating stock etc on the computer. This makes for many an amusing situation. That aside, it was absolutely fascinating to learn about what goes on backstage for a production, things I had never really considered. A lot of research must have been done around everything from wig making, to costume design, to the frantic change overs - I learnt so much!

“Backstage we became shadows cocooned in a world between reality and fantasy. I loved these moments, tucked out of sight but so close to the action unfolding on stage. They held a special indefinable magic that I always wanted to hug close to me, a time when nothing else from the world intruded.”

Of course there is also some fun chick lit and the chemistry between the two leads was highly entertaining, frustrating, frivolous and rewarding. To match the creative Tilly with the IT savvy Marcus was always going to produce some amusing encounters. You will quietly smirk or giggle with what Tilly frustratingly does to technology and how gently Marcus tries to coach her. Typically, you know what’s coming, but good writers like Jules make you enjoy every step of the journey.

All up I can highly recommend this book as there are many facets to it, not being a one dimensional chick lit read. So snuggle up this Christmas as this book is sure to put a smile on your face.

“Christmas brings out the fanciful in me. I can’t help myself. I loved this time of year and the infectious attitude in the streets.”



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

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Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. A nice one afternoon cosy read. Really liked Tilly who works in the opera house and loves her job. Feel good read

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Most entertaining and funny festive book of all. I loved the charcter of all in this boook but mostly that of Tilly with her uselessness of computers, we can all grativate towards her for this. It was well wrote so i am guessing the author lives local to covent garden in London or did her reacr the maximum.
The majority of the story is set in the Opera house and it takes someone extra special to make the reader captivated and feel what it is like being there, it was so full of charcter and love. There are a few issues to be had but then theres also the catasprophic ones too. where we can all completly relate to, cant we?
Theres a conection between two people in this story and although it is a christmas book, its not based on xmas as such as the run up and the holiday season.... some christmas books are just ugh, but i really loved the writing style by Jules and i loved the charcters and the whole problem Tilly encountered, the setting was simply amazing too.
This is my first book by Jules and it wont be my last.

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I really enjoyed this gorgeous Christmas book. The Opera House, Covent Garden and snow all leading up to Christmas makes this a fabulous Christmas read. I loved Tilly and her total immersion in her world of opera, hair and make-up. She carries the book and storyline easily on her brightly coloured, velvet wearing shoulders. I loved Tilly and her story and would recommend this book to anyone wanting a happy, feel good read this Christmas.

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I read this book and really really enjoyed it!
I loved the setting, the falling snow, and the camaraderie between the characters.

My husband works in IT and I am a technophobe so I had every sympathy with Tilly.
Marcus has a definite Darcy-esque feel about him.

There were many bits and pieces in this book but it was all relevant and intriguing, the author has certainly done her research, this is not just a fluffy chic-lit story.

I would definitely recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Jules Wake and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book and review it.

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Tilly works as a make up artist for a London Opera company, and is great at her job, but unfortunately not so great at IT! When she had managed to send a personal email to the whole company and open an attachment with a virus the powers that be decided that she needs some IT lessons.... much to Tilly's disgust.... and the new IT manager Marcus is the man.

Tilly at the start is quite anti but gradually comes round and even begins to like Marcus so when she finds out her fiance Felix isn't the man she thought he was will Marcus be more than a shoulder to cry on?

A great book light hearted and fun in parts but emotional in others and Tilly was a great character I loved her. Definitely one for the Christmas list!

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A lovely, festive romantic comedy.

Tilly is a make-up artist whose creativity is often at odds with life's practicalities. The story starts with email disaster that is full of humour and necessitates a cute meet with Marcus the new super, efficient director of IT. The theatre setting is unusual and adds additional interest to a smooth plot. The outcome is not surprising but in this genre, working out what is going to happen before it does is part of the enjoyment.

Tilly is a likeable, quirky romantic heroine, very 'Bridget Jones' and Marcus rivals ' Mark Darcy' for his stuffy attitude, which masks his loyalty and love of Tilly. Tilly matures in this story and realises her parents and her sister really do want her to be happy.

There's sizzling romance, misunderstanding, deceit and a lovely, warm festive ending.
It's definitely a Christmasy story worth reading.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Impulse via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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