This was the story of an ex-model and her son. After a separating from her manipulative, cold and controlling husband after a terrible Christmas, Melissa makes a life for her and her son. All Melissa wants is a warm family Christmas for her son, but after the bad experience of Christmas with his father, William doesn't even believe in Father Christmas any longer. Hunky tennis coach Daniel is upset to hear William's views on Christmas and sets out to change them, but when he walks into William's life, he also walks into Melissa's but can she trust a man again?

It's a gentle breezy story with plenty of festive references. The characters are likeable and the story well written. Personally, I would have liked a little bit more depth in a few parts, as Melissa was obviously tormented by her feelings and experiences but it wasn't always shown. Overall, a lovely cosy read - great for the Christmas period.

"A Second Christmas Wish" by Kathryn Freeman. A definite 5-star read.. more stars if allowed. I loved the story in every way possible. Since my English is just a wee bit different than English English there were a few phrases that took me a moment to square away in my mind. But that just added to the story, at least for me. I am writing this review within moments of reading the last page of the story, AND, I am still flying high with happy joyous emotions. I will be looking for other works by this author. As you can tell I felt the emotions of the three stars in this story. Melissa the mom, William the son, and Daniel the third side of the love triangle. Their fears and joys, hurts and healings were laid bare for the reader to feel. What a wonderful romance novel. I am sure you will enjoy this story as much as I did. Oh, I did read a free copy from the publisher ChocLit via NetGalley and this is my honest review. Yes, this is a light fun contemporary romance (must read) story.

To the outside world, Melissa seemed to have the perfect life - married to Lawrence, a world renowned fashion designer, a successful modelling career and a young son called William. Behind closed doors - her life was far from happy and when Lawrence spoilt Christmas for five year old William, she made the decision that her marriage was over.... and she would never make the mistake of getting married again. A couple of years down the line whilst trying to boost William's confidence - she signs him up for tennis lessons with an ex-pro tennis player that she had a crush on in her younger years. Seeing Daniel again, and those feelings returned and grew with each meeting. Daniel was smitten from the start and set his sights on winning her heart - much to her panic and fear. The story follows his attempts to win her over..... and her reluctance and panic at another man showing her affection. A definite heart warming Christmas love story and you feel the frustrations of Daniel at the battle to melt Melissa's heart.

I enjoyed this story about a young boy and his mother both regaining their belief in Father Christmas. Set in England, Melissa divorces her cold remote husband when he crushes his young son's belief in Christmas. William is a shy timid 7 year old who is afraid of just about everything until he starts tennis lessons and becomes friend with Danial, the teacher at the local club. A lovely Christmas romance that's easy to read with a satisfying outcome.

A good holiday read with lovely characters and a good pace to it.

This book won't change the world but does give you an escape from the real one for a few hours.

A charming story of a divorcee who gets her shy son involved in tennis lessons. The coach just happens to be a former tennis champion, the brother of her friend and eligible. A good Christmas tale.

This was good not great. I’m giving it a 3.5 for its wonderful hero (the heroine not so much...for some reason I was not as sympathetic to her character as I was probably supposed to be). It’s really a so-so for me as it’s a bit too fluffy and stereotypical. Beautiful ex-model turned designer with son divorces her controlling hubby, falls for ex tennis star but is afraid to trust...until she’s not. 😊 Maybe I’m being just a bit bah humbug-ey... the writing was fine, just not a very original plot. Thanks #NetGalley.

A Second Christmas Wish by Kathryn Freeman is just one of those heartwarming and absolutely endearing Christmas stories. A story full of many Christmas possibilities, hope, cheer, and romance. A perfectly feel good Christmas novel. It is truly a wonderful read one I would not hesitate to read again. The characters are well developed and you find yourself cheering them on as the story progresses. The quality of the writing was enough to bring me into this wonderful story relatively easily. It contains much of the well needed magic of Christmas. Does Father Christmas exist for a small nine year old boy? This is the perfect novel to sit on the window seat, drink a mug of hot chocolate and get lost in the Christmas feeling.

This is my first book by Kathryn Freeman. I will definitely be looking up her other books. I was sad to come to the end of this delightful story which brought me a tremendous amount of reading enjoyment.

This book has such a beautiful cover that it makes one feel the story inviting. I could definitely see the Hallmark Channel picking this book up for the Christmas lineup.

Thank you so much to Choc Lit, Kathryn Freeman and Netgalley for my ARC copy of this book. This was my honest opinion.

An ARC of this book as been provided by the author/ publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

An absolutely delightful and heart warming story which I read in one sitting.

Divorced, mum of one, former model turned designer, Melissa has sworn off men. Growing up with cold parents and married to a bully of a husband as left her disillusioned about Christmas and love. Her seven year old son, William, didn’t escape unscath from the relationship with his father. Belittled and told at the age of five that Father Christmas doesn’t exist, has left him shy and not a fan on Christmas.

Then comes Daniel. Charming Daniel is a grand slam tennis champion turned coach who runs a tennis academy. He is introduced to Melissa by his sister to enrol Williams in his tennis academy.

Melissa’s ‘No Men’ plan is faced off with ‘Play To Win’ tenacious pursuit by Daniel, leads to some angst, sprinkling of Christmas tidings, and second chance at love.

I fell in love (again) with Christmas and love.

I'm pretty much always in the mood for a Christmas read; especially ones like this one that remind me from the description of a cozy, Hallmark channel Christmas movie. This was my first experience with a Kathryn Freeman novel, and I was very pleased by this cozy, wintery themed story about an up and coming fashion designer (Melissa) who's recently come out of a bad marriage, and is worried about the strain her marriage has put on her shy and quiet seven year old son (William).

In a move to try and bring William out of his shell, and undo some of the damage that her ex-husband has caused, Melissa decides to sign William up for tennis lessons at the academy where his best friend Simon also attends. However, Melissa is unprepared for Simon's uncle Daniel, and the instantaneous chemistry that exists between them.

Thanks to her cold, caught up in their own lives parent's, and her manipulative and controlling ex-husband Lawrence, Melissa has never cared much for Christmas, and has always found it to be a huge letdown. Unfortunately for her, William has adapted this same attitude towards most children's all time favorite holiday, and doesn't even believe in Father Christmas. With Daniel's help, Melissa is determined to make her son believe in the magic of the season again, and in the process, she might just start to understand what all the fuss about Christmas is about herself. However, as her and Daniel start to grow closer, can she really open her heart to love once again, when she's been burned so badly in the past?

This book was exactly what I was expecting it to be, and it's the perfect read to get in the mood for the holiday season. Full of love, laughter, and the typical Christmas cheer I've come to expect from reading Christmas women's fiction, and I'm so glad I took a chance on this one. As well, I always love romance novels that have the addition of a child character, and William definitely contributed to my overall enjoyment of this story. I gave this one four our of five stars, and I definitely recommend picking it up this holiday season!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Choc Lit for the opportunity to have read this!

I chose to read this book because I thought that the storyline sounded different and reminded me a lot of Miracle on 34th Street. I really enjoyed the authors writing style. It was a nice easy read that didn’t take very much concentration.

The storyline is about Melissa a young model/fashion designer who has been in an unhappy marriage with a famous fashion designer called Lawrence. She has one son from the marriage who was quite scared of his father. In order to undo some of the damage that had been done to him by his father she enrolls her son into tennis lessons. The coach is ex professional player and heartthrob Daniel. Throw into the mix that her son was told that Father Christmas doesn’t exist by his dad and will only believe if he brings him two presents. Although this book was not a bad book it didn’t hold any surprises at all and played out exactly as I thought it would.

After leaving a manipulative husband all Melissa wants is a normal happy family Christmas for her and her son William. All William wants is loving Dad. But before either can happen they both need to learn to trust again.
Will ex professional tennis player turned coach Daniel be the one to help them both?
A warming seasonal novel that gets you into that Christmas spirit - even though it is only September.

A heartwarming festive romance! I love a chrismas movie any time of the year and saw this book and decided it was time to start getting festive ( I know its only September!!)
The story is about single mother Melissa and her 5 year old son Max - both of them scarred by the divorce from controlling Lawrence. Melissa meets ex tennis star Daniel and both her and Max trust and like him.
A lovely fluffy read that I read in a couple of days.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

Her husband didn't want her to have her son for fear it would ruin her model body. Her son, now 7 has been neglected by that same man and is told he is no good. Will this Christmas actually be different? Maybe with the help of Father Christmas and a handsome tennis star, this broken family can find a reason to be jolly.

This is a book that touches on lots of issues. From abortion, body type, and loving someone despite their baggage, It is well written with characters you hate in a good way and characters to love because they are loveable.

Kathryn Freeman is a new to me author. I saw this book on Netgalley and the book sounded interesting, so I thought I would give this a read. Christmas is a few months away, but hey I've watched Christmas films at other times of the year, so reading a Christmas novel in September is OK for me. This was a quick and easy, relaxing Sunday morning read that I read in one sitting. An enjoyable read, with a predictable storyline, but isn't that what romance novels are all about!

Melissa had told her husband Lawrence Raven that their marriage was over. She asked him, not to mention anything to anyone until after Christmas. However, being the controlling and pompous ass that he is, Lawrence blurted out everything to his parents and son William, when they were all in the middle of eating their Christmas lunch. Lawrence also told his son that there is no Father Christmas. William, being only 5 years old is absolutely devastated, but Lawrence has no affection at all for his son, so couldn't care less about his son's feelings .

Fast forward a couple of years. Melissa is now divorced and has a successful career as a fashion designer. Her and William are living quite solitary lives, but she is trying to encourage William out of his shyness. She decides to send William for tennis lessons at Daniel McCormick's tennis school. Daniel is a former Wimbledon tennis champion, so is highly qualified. He is also the uncle of Simon, William's school friend.

Alice, Daniel's sister, warns him not to behave himself with Melissa. She explains that Melissa, following her divorce, is now totally off men for good. However, as soon as Daniel sees Melissa he is instantly attracted and vice versa.

William, now 7 years old, very quickly starts to come out of his shell and forms a bond with Daniel. During a conversation about Father Christmas, Daniel suggests that William should send a letter to Father Christmas asking for the tennis racquet that he wants, but not to tell his mother Melissa. That way, if he gets the tennis racquet, William will know that Father Christmas is real. William sends the letter asking for two things, but will not disclose what the other thing is.

Christmas draws nearer and Daniel helps out with William's school nativity play. The relationship between Daniel and Melissa blossoms, but then comes crashing to an end. Lawrence is now putting pressure on Melissa for access to see his son, but William is still petrified of his father. Looks like Christmas is going to be a very miserable occasion for all concerned.........is it?

Many thanks to Netgalley and Choc Lit for the digital copy in return for the above review.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Kathryn Freeman, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

A Second Christmas Wish by Kathryn Freeman is a Christmas romantic comedy. Melissa thinks Christmas has always been overrated. From her cold, distant parents to her manipulative ex-husband, she's never experienced warmth during the holiday season. While she's accepted this, her feels guilty that her son, William, has had to live with it, too. Her bitterness has made William question if Father Christmas even exists. When Daniel comes into their lives, Melissa and William find their festive spirit.

This was a sweet, romantic winter read that anyone who likes Christmas-themed stories would enjoy.

A lovely story with relevant characters and scenarios. Read and enjoy.

Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. I will certainly be looking for other books by Kathryn Freeman because I like her writing style, just enough information dribbled in to keep you interested and help form a picture of the main characters.

Melissa and her son William have been damaged by the bullying attitude of her ex husband Lawrence. Melissa was also deprived of love by her cold parents so ultimately she has never enjoyed a family Christmas. While building a new life for herself and her son, William starts taking tennis lessons from Daniel an ex tennis champion. Although Daniel has also had pain and disappointment in the past, his friendship helps William to gain confidence and it is soon clear that not only is he attracted to Melissa but he loves being around William. Lawrence keeps cropping up to try and manipulate Melissa further.

Just when you thought their fate was sealed there was another twist and although I couldn't wait to reach the end of the book and see how the past would be resolved I was also sad to finish. This is an ideal book to read in front of a log fire with a glass of wine.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. A real feel good romance set in the run up to Christmas. Would recommend this book to any lover of chicklit. Definitely one to be added to your reading list.

A Second Christmas Wish is just one of those heart warming, and absolutely loveable Christmas stories. It clearly has taken a small influence from one specific Christmas film that I can think of, but I won't say which one, as it may give away one of the sweetest, most charming and emotional moments of the whole book.

In fact I could easily see this story on at the very least the small screen, as it is the sort of tale that I think can be enjoyed year on year and become a family favourite.

The quality of the writing and the way the prologue was written was enough for me to be hooked on this book. I loved every part of this story, with the obvious exception of Melissa's ex-husband who I really didn't take to, but he wasn't meant to be loved.

Melissa has come out of a controlling marriage, and lives with her 7 year old son William. William is painfully shy to start with, and is scared of his own father. Melissa persuades him to have tennis lessons in the run up to Christmas, alongside his best friend, Simon.

It just so happens Simon's uncle is the tennis instructor and is the gorgeous ex-grand slam winner Daniel McCormick, who had to retire due to injury. Daniel is warned against even flirting with Melissa but as they all get to know each other better, feelings develop.

The question is whether Melissa and William's past has hurt them to the extent to whether they can still enjoy Christmas and enjoy the magic of the season, and Daniel does his best to put a smile on both of their faces.

A Second Christmas Wish is a relatively easy going book to read, that brought me a huge amount of enjoyment.

Thank you so much to Choc Lit and Netgalley for my copy of this book. This was my honest opinion.