Flora Phillips has always lacked confidence and felt unwanted since discovering at the age of seven that she was an abandoned baby. Who would be interested in her when her mother wasn’t? One Christmas eve she impulsively decided to drive to the village where it all began and see for herself, the doorstep where she was found 30 years ago. She goes looking for answers in the hope that maybe she will finally find out who her mother was and why she rejected her so many years ago.

We follow her journey of self-discovery in the village of Pooley where everyone knows everyone else’s business. Will the villagers give up the secret of Flora’s origins? I enjoyed this sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic tale that keeps you guessing as the story unfolds.

What a fantastic debut novel! It’s hard to believe that this is a debut, it’s such a pleasure to read.

The book is set at Christmas time, but there’s so much more to the story. Flora’s search for her birth mother is so spellbinding. She gets everyone in the village involved and the stories are so interesting.

I liked Flora as a character, she’s both funny and interesting. The book is told from several viewpoints, each character’s name appears at the top of the chapter if they are the narrator. I liked this style and found it easy to follow.

I was dying to find out if Flora finds out anything about her birth mother. It keeps this story so engrossing and readable. I won’t spoil it by telling you if she does or not, just read this wonderful book, you won’t be disappointed.

A sparkling debut, can’t wait to read more from this author.

Told in alternating first person points of view from several characters: this is the story of Flora Phillips and her need to find out just who she is, and why she was left on a doorstep as a newborn. At the start, Flora is a bit of a pity-me girl – and doesn’t engender much empathy as she has blamed all of her failings on her history. Can’t keep a job? She was abandoned as an infant. Can’t find a man? Abandoned – why would anyone want her? It was a struggle for me to not want to slap her and turn her to look forward rather than excusing her own lack of motivation and drive because of her history. And then, things started to turn for her (and me).

An impulsive decision to head to the doorstep on which she was found, and hopefully discover more about her own parentage turns into life changing moments for her and the people of the town. From an inglorious head butt to a policeman who will later become a love interest, to the wonderful pub owner Annie offering her support, comfort and friendship: the long buried secret of the “Baby Bede” causes tumult, turmoil and several upsets.

The concept behind this story is glorious, and Green shows a facility with description, characterization and drama that is evident, if occasionally bordering on too much information to process. But, nearer the end of the story, it becomes clear that this is Flora’s path through the questions she’s had, the people she encounters and the secrets and suspicions they have: liberally peppered with insets from the townsfolk and their own memories of 1986. With relationships starting, ending and experiencing tumult, Flora’s search is at the center of it all: from the sublime to the messy. With the little village where everyone knows your name, your history and even your family, she is an anomaly: all knew of her, none knew how she came to be.

If you are willing to surrender to the story as it unfolds, building a picture of the town and the people, you will search along with Flora: finding clues and information, seeing her grow and revert to old habits, and watch as her relationship with the town and Joel grows, and answers come to light. A wonderful debut that puts Erin Green on my authors to watch list.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”http://wp.me/p3OmRo-9eX/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

4 Star review of A Christmas Wish by Erin Green

I love any story that is cantered around my favourite holiday of the year, Christmas; a time for family and friends to get together.

This was a new author to me and as I was intrigued by the premise of this book and looked forward to reading it. Ms. Green’s description of the sleepy little village of St. Bede's Mews, Pooley drew me in.

I could imagine Flora as she searched for clues to answer the questions she has been seeking all her life. Flora not only finds the answers to her questions, but along the way, finds a new love, makes new friends and finally finds a place where she can settle and create a family.

I enjoyed this story but at times was frustrated by it. Not only was there was romance, but there was drama, suspense, humor and sadness. I believe that this is the first book from Erin Green and although it is a good debut, I did feel that it was a tad drawn out, but then that is just my opinion. However, having said that, I will however ensure to read follow up books as her writing career develops.

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review through the publisher and Netgalley

Amazingly confusing, mind-boggling and heart-stopping.

Flora Eloise Philips experienced every kind of rejection all her life. Feeling unloved and unwanted like everything happened to her by default — she lost her job with a pile of unopened posts and bills, got dumped by her boyfriend and worse was, her mother abandoned her at a doorstep one Friday morning on the 10th of October, 1986.

She never got a sense of normality ever since she knew about it or a peace of mind for thirty years. There's one question she wanted an answer: “Who is my birth mom?”.

Wanting to know the truth and finding the missing jigsaw puzzle of her life, she went to St. Bede's Mews, Pooley on a Christmas Eve in search for the answers of her who's and why's. After a fateful night in jail, she reunited with an overly excited newspaper boy and met the money-grubber cheating crackpot, the bitter gourd gold digger and the bloody gossip queen sisters. Will Flora finally be able to be a whole person or she'll end up being as broken as she was before?

Erin Green was able to equate feelings of longing with the suspense of revealing the truth to her readers. She made sure that the story is not far from a snowy winter eve, twinkling lights and love under the mistletoe.

Assumptions, gossips and secrets.

Everyone in the village of Pooley have their own memories to share like they are walking down on memory lane. They helped Flora in every way they can and it gave me a sense of belongingness like I was her, craving for the truth.

Each characters have their own secrets to tell from Dr. Fowler, Veronica, Annie and Mick to Scott and Joel, I couldn't helped myself rooting for all of them. They made an essential appearances in the story that formed an array of tangled web. The story was engaging and the author has the succinct talent of making her readers felt like they were inside the world of Flora or one of the village people of Pooley, just watching and waiting for the next gossip.

Joel's frustrations and a broken heart on the other hand gave a positive energy that formed an unspoken friendship and love for Flora. She may or may not be able to know the truth about her birth mom but more the less Joel fills that missing piece of her heart that will never ever be done by anyone or anything.

A Christmas Wish is not your average meet-cute romance read. It's actually a jam-packed mystery novel about love and friendship where you get misleading clues yet will consistently surprise you because the ending is a clean sweep of utterly shock and wonder.

“In real life things aren’t said, lies aren’t uncovered and families don’t address the issues they should. Instead they ignore the sensitive subjects, swallow the lies and look past the secrets, promising to deal with them one day.”

***"Thank you Yasemin Turan of Aria Fiction for including me on this blog tour, to Netgalley and Erin Green for providing me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review!

A fabulous read with a very realistic and actually quite emotional story. From the moment I began reading I was hooked and found it hard to put down.

Flora wants to find out the mystery of her birth. she wants to know who she is and where she came from. It has mystery and romance which I love!

I will admit I didn't guess any of the outcomes correctly (I'm not very tuned in at the best of times!) which left me very satisfied with the whole story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Flora arrives in the village she thinks she was born in one Christmas eve after deciding it is one of those things she should do rather than get just drunk with her friends. She was found on a doorstep just a few days old and most of the village remember the event but have never known who her mother is. One of those lovely comfortable reads that you can curl up with a coffee and enjoy. Characters that come to life through the pages and descriptions so you can see the scenes in your imagination. Although a Christmas title this is a book that could be read anytime as it’s only the start and end that are seasonally related. An uplifting thoroughly enjoyable read.I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.

It's early for a Christmas book but this isn't really about Christmas- it's about Flora returning to Pooley where she was left as an infant and finding herself. This isn't a new story but Green has done a good job with her debut novel. She made me care- which is the most important thing a novelist can do when writing this sort of emotional tale. It's well crafted, with good characters (starting with Flora and continuing through the village). I read this after reading several thrillers and it was just right to relax. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. I'm looking forward to more from Green.

A great solid read with a really well thought out story line and so many components: family, romance, a mystery from thirty years ago, a new location, a whole village population and that's without mentioning Christmas!

Flora wants to solve the mystery of her birth as she was an abandoned baby. With her adopted parents off on a winter cruise she turns her back on a night out with her friends to start her quest. This is a book packed with detail which grabs your attention and doesn't let it go. It's one to really get your teeth into and happily, Erin Green follows through and ties up every thread with a nice neat bow before the final page. I love an author who doesn't leave me wondering what happened next. A real feel-good read, this is a Christmas novel which I would thoroughly recommend to readers - and the cover is gorgeous!

I received an arc via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

This book is not just a Christmas Story, yes it starts on Christmas Eve but there is so much more to it as we follow Flora's story through to Valentines Day, it's full of mystery and intrigue as well as being a love story. Erin Green has a way of describing the English countryside and what village life is really like in the UK. This book has its funny moments as well as some sadness but in the end we get the answers we needed and that for me made it a great read. I look forward to more from Erin Green.

A Christmas Wish by Erin Green

For those that know me, you know that you won’t hear too much about the actual story from my reviews. If you want those, then there are plenty of other reviewers and other sites that will tell you all you need to know about the story. No, I believe in telling you my thoughts on the style of the writing etc.

I have made it a habit, a joy of life to follow debut authors from the Romantic Novelists Association and it was with great joy that I came across this young lady’s’ first release. Getting published is a very difficult thing to accomplish, believe me, I know, however when you come across a story of this quality you know that all the hard effort that the author has put in is worth it as we, the reader, get to enjoy the fruits of her labour.

Briefly, this is a ‘Christmas’ story with a difference as despite the title, the story actually begins on Christmas Eve as our protagonist, Flora, is drawn back to the town in which she was abandoned as a new-born and the story is of her quest to find her mother. Aided by local copper, Joel, she finds more than she’d bargained for, and ultimately, the price she pays emotionally for the truth is more than made up for by what she gains from her spur-of-the-moment decision to leave a party to make the journey into the unknown.

For a debut author, I am very impressed by the skilful way this author weaves a tale of multiple characters, all with interlocking stories and motives that you swiftly get used to. It’s an unusual way of telling a story, though by no means less enjoyable for it and I’d be happy if I had half the skill to tell a tale so well. We switch from Flora, to Joel, to ex’s, landladies, doctors and well, you name it, we get it.

I’m very pleased to report that each character is well written, you can feel the love the author brings to each of her creations and this is a very, very accomplished first outing. I shall leave you with one final thought – keep an eye out for this author because after you have finished reading ‘A Christmas Wish’, the first thought that will go through your mind is when will her next book be out?

A Christmas Wish is an unbelievably good first book for author Erin Green. Although the story begins on Christmas Eve, it is a human story rather than a holiday story. Flora Phillips returns to the small village of St. Bede's Mews, Pooley, England, a place that has no memory for her but was her beginning. Flora was abandoned on the doorstep of the local physician on an early October morning thirty years earlier.

She has returned to her origin not because she has issues with her adoptive parents but because she has questions about her origin and her birth mother. Known locally as Baby Bede, her abandonment was the biggest story to hit this small town and is still an unsolved mystery.

As she looks at the doorstep on which she was found, local police officers Joel Kennedy and Scott Hamilton view her as a Christmas Eve reveler who has probably had too much to drink. Joel draws the short straw and goes out on the snowy evening to see to the odd acting lady. Unfortunately their meeting includes an accidental bumping of heads which sends him to the hospital with a broken nose and her to a holding cell.

By the time she is released it has become well known that she is Baby Bede as news travels fast in such a small town. Having only the red evening dress and a pair of strappy evening shoes, Flora seeks refuge in a small inn close to where she had been abandoned. She is taken in by inn owners Annie and Mick O'Neill, a childless couple. Nurtured by Annie, Flora begins an earnest search to find her parentage.

A delightful tale told using many voices, this book is a different tale showing the pain and yearning incurred in such an occurrence. The town rallies round Flora, as do her parents and best friends form Bushey, several hours away. The wealthiest man in town funds DNA testing, and the villagers participate. All the while, Flora and Joel, both recovering from dramatic break ups, cautiously find their way towards one another.

A lovely story for all seasons with rich characters, splendid winter settings, and a mystery with a very unexpected outcome. I do wholeheartedly recommend this book and very much look forward to Ms. Green's next novel.

I found this to be a quick read. I feel that this plot as been done before. The author does an amazing job at creating vivid descriptions of the settings and characters. However, I still feel like I have read this plot before and was not overly impressed.

Lovely magical book. Enjoyed the setting. Characters and storyline went well together. Nice book that captures your heart and you cant put it down

This book starts off funny and becomes sweeter as it goes along, which is a good combination. There are a lot of different people narrating, which can be a little jarring in the early part of the book, but you get used to it. Most of the narratives are either Flora or Joel, and the story centers around the two of them (Flora's search for her mother being the main plot, and Joel trying to get rid of his clutchy ex being the subplot). Flora is a good heroine - she's just enough of a lost soul that she's easy to sympathize with, but she has grit and integrity. Joel is a great hero, totally supportive of Flora. Their relationship begins as friends and develops slowly and naturally through time. This book will appeal to readers of chick lit and romance. Tear warning, the last two sections are all of the feels. My only advice is don't get too caught up trying to solve the mystery of who her mum is, because there aren't a lot of clues provided, and that's not really what the book is about. The who is less important than the journey Flora goes on to find out. Highly recommended!

Have not previously read anything by Erin Green, so thank you NetGalley for introducing her. Felt a bit strange starting to read what I thought was a Christmas book in July, but I quickly discovered that apart from the book starting at Christmas, it was not a seasonal book. The story was different and the characters were just that, real personalities. At one point I began to be a bit irritated by the heroine, but that passed as the story unfolded. This turned into one of those books that you just don't want to put down, the very thing for relaxing with today in the garden. Each chapter is however quite short, so would be suitable for putting down and picking up if reading time is limited I recommend this book to anyone looking for an enjoyable read, and personally, I look forward to reading more by this author.

Most people have at least one life defining moment and Flora Phillips’ moment is knowing that she was found abandoned on a doorstep as a new born baby. When everything in her life seems to have gone awry, she decides to revisit the scene of her abandonment and try to find out something about her mother.

This is a story told from multiple points of view. Erin Green has a fresh voice as she weaves this tale of discovery and romance. Who will be proved to be Flora’s mother? Is she still in the village and can any of the current inhabitants remember anything about the day Flora was left on the local doctor’s doorstep?

The meeting between Flora and the police, due to an accident, leads her to meet potential love interest, Joel. Can they overcome their unfortunate introduction and past histories?

You are carried along on the journey with Flora and the other characters who have a part to play in the unfolding mystery, praying for a successful resolution for Flora.

An accomplished debut. Looking forward to more from this author.

I think the premise for this book is great, but the execution is lacking. Flora, adopted as a baby, is determined to find out who her birth mother is and perhaps why she left Flora on a doorstep of the town doctor and his wife one winter morning. Thus, leaving a holiday celebration for no real reason other than her thought about who her birth mother is, Flora returns to Pooley, the village where she was found on the door step. Standing and staring at the door step of this house where she was found, Flora is stopped by the local police, who want to know what she is doing there. During their discussion, Flora drops a paper, and she and one of the cops, Joel, both bend to pick it up at the same time. They butt heads, and Joel ends up with two black eyes and a broken nose. His partner Scott immediately arrests Flora for assaulting an officer, though Flora and Joel try to protest that what happened was merely and accident. Joel is off to the hospital to have his nose looked at, while Scott takes Flora to the local station to book her. There, as the locals question Flora, they realize she is the once-famous abandoned baby from thirty years ago. Unfortunately, the mystery of who she is and where she came from were never solved, and life moved on. However, the town has never forgotten. After having charges dropped, Flora stays on at the local pub and inn, the Peacock, owned by the loving Annie and her husband Mick. Thence, Flora continues her search for her mother, wondering each time she sees a woman about the right age if this woman is the one who left her on the door step that day. Everyone in the small town remembers the incident and has a basic opinion, but no one seems to know many details. Still, Flora stays on, hoping to discover who her mother is and what exactly happened. At the same time, Flora and Joel begin a relationship, fraught with events, emotions and memories that may just prevent it from becoming a real thing, while Flora continues her search.

This is a pretty good story. I did find it difficult to see the relationship between Joel and Flora, as, for a large part of the book, there was nothing between them except a basic friendship, though could see something hiding in the background and there was a basic chemistry. However, Joel had just left a relationship with and older woman, who later decided she probably should not have broken off with him and was thus trying desperately to rekindle what was once between them. Flora also has a history of bad relationships, and her current ex, like Joel’s, also wants to get back together. Neither of these makes things easier for the two. I think a lot of time in the book was spent going into background, with little of this adding much to the story, which made the story drag on and on—while there was no deepening of the Flora-Joel relationship. A missed opportunity. In addition, the author used a lot of British slang, which I was not familiar with, throughout, which only made it more difficult to plough through. I think the book would have been more enjoyable with less “Britishisms”. Not sure who the author intended as an audience, but, if it included American readers, she ought to keep that in mind for future books. Like other reviewers, I also skipped large parts of the book, as I found I could not bear to go through another chapter with little or no bearing on the ending, which I eagerly anticipated. This is a good story with a pretty good plot. I am just not sure of the execution. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Flora's life has been a series of disappointments. She believes it is because she was abandoned as an infant. She believes her entire life would have been better if she only knew who she was.
Although she was adopted by parents who love her very much, she still sees her life as being “less” than what it could have been.
On a whim, she drives to Pooley the village where she was found. It is Christmas Eve and in her party dress and high heels, she kneels at the locked gate to the church. Flora has been observed by two policemen who believe she must be drunk. Her car is parked in a no parking zone, she is behaving strangely and it is their duty to find out if she is in distress.
Pooley becomes her safe haven. In the village she is the Bede Baby. In the village, everyone knows of her but no one actually knows her. And in the village, she is welcomed with curiosity but also with open arms.
Annie and Mike run the pub and Flora is offered a room and food and friendship. Joel and Scott are the two policemen who found her. She accidentally head butts Joel and from that action Scott distrusts her. He believes it was an assault, he arrests her. Joel is fascinated by this young woman and in spite of his injury, he is curious about why she has come and what she wants.
Annie helps Flora create some plans to get people involved in helping her solve the mystery. Among other things there are interviews with people who may have memories of that morning when the naked baby wrapped in a towel was found on a door step.
One of the results of Flora's presence in the village is a closer look at personal histories. Relationships and reputations come under the microscope of memory. People who have been aware of the abandoned baby now look more closely at lives as they were in 1986 and how things have changed since then. They start looking at the village and themselves as an outsider would see everything and everyone.
Ms Green creates a Flora who sees the world through her own personal mirror. She is almost oblivious to anyone's feelings other than her own. Her parents and her two best friends have shared her life and she yet sees them as though they are minor planets in her universe. It takes her a very long time to come to grips with the way her actions are altering the lives of villagers, her parents and her friends. She could be a poster child for being someone who is self involved. Eventually the world around her and the people who populate that world seem to appear on her radar.
The villagers are a varied group of people with varied perspectives. Generally the generosity of spirit and the kindness is almost overwhelming. That generosity of character shown to Flora is what finally helps her find her way in the world.
Flora is definitely the main character, but Joel and Annie are two people who are important to the action. Both of them are very invested in village life and both of them have painful histories which have influenced their view of the world. Both of them are wonderful characters.
In fact, nearly every character in the book is a complete human being. Some of them are more likable than others, but all of them are interesting and it is easy to understand their motivation.
The plot is a good one, and as facts slowly emerge from the mist of the past, the reader is drawn into the guessing game. Ms Green has created a really good book.
I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.