I struggled with this. I don’t want to read a book featuring grief and death at the moment as it is too close to home

I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get to this book. It certainly is a book that you won’t want to put down. I loved all the characters and where this book took me. A lovely read.

Snowflakes over Holly Cove

by Lucy Coleman

Tia is facing her first Christmas without her mother. She also has a painful distancing from her brother Will and his family. She is returning to her job as a journalist after a breakdown, but as we see her take on a feature assignment in isolated Holly Cove, she is depicted as a strong and resilient woman.

As Lucy Coleman’s Snowflakes over Holly Cove unfolds, Tia finds herself in the middle of other familial dysfunctional relationships that include Clarissa, her successful but manipulative boss, and Nic, the owner of the house she is renting. She also meets Max, a reticent retired Navy officer who is her temporary neighbor. Everyone has secrets, and some of those secrets might tie the characters together.

There are many interesting, vying, plot threads as Tia interviews couples for her feature articles and tries to sort through what makes a relationship sustainable. The story ends with some surprising action scenes and lots of genuine moments of compassion and reconciliation. This is a novel that rises above the typical Christmas feel-good story; readers will appreciate its depth.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Aria for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Publication: September 18, 2018—Aria

Memorable Lines:

Strangely, I find myself repeatedly drawn to the window to marvel at the hostility of the sea. It’s a top to bottom, wall-to-wall steely greyness, that is like a blanket and it’s hard to see where the water ends and the sky begins.

“Money and possessions, I came to appreciate, create mistrust and envy. They bring out the worst in people.”

I truly believe that the spirit of Christmas is embodied in this room, today. It’s not about the gifts, or the amount of money you have to lavish on the occasion. It’s about the desire to make it special for other people and in doing so, it makes it special for you, too.

This story is chock-full of emotion and drama, along with the feel-good factor at the end. Tia is trying to get her life back on track and the tone of the book reflects the issues she faced and is still facing. Not a light-hearted read, this is more of a serious romance, with some quite heavy themes, but it was a delight to see the main characters work through their problems, even if they weren't all resolved.

I would say that this book isn't just for Christmas, as the majority of it takes place outside of the festive season, but the climax occurs at Christmas as does the resolution, so it was definitely hot chocolate and mince pies for the last few chapters.

The setting is glorious (I do love wild and windswept Wales) and the descriptions of the cottage and the surrounding area are lovely.

I loved this book! It was a refreshing approach to the romance genre and I like the author’s use of description. You could really feel like you were there at the cottage. The main characters were well drawn and were interesting to read about. This book is an excellent get away!

*Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this ebook.

A fun festive read that you cannot put down with a craving of hot chocolate too.
A story of loss, heartache and how we change our lives. Its not the xmas festval read you woud normally expect but it is definetly poiginat. The story catapults you into Wales with the salty air and the new and old relationships are trying to be fixed and feel the love.
i couldnt out it down, a just read. with the exception of a hot chcoolate.

5☆ A Warm and Cosy read filled with Emotion and Love

Snowflakes Over Holly Cove is a heart warming story filled with emotion, relationships, love, grief and new beginnings.

Tia has just lost her mum, she thinks she is ready to face the world again, so heads back to work.

Tia's boss decides to send Tia on a mini work vacation to write about relationships, keeping relationships alive and fresh.
She's to interview several different couples for her next article.
But is this the right time for Tia to be setting off and delving into work?
Only time will tell!!!

Tia is about to embark on a heart warming adventure, as she meets new people, makes new friends, shares stories, learns to deal with grief, and finds potential romance. All the while staying in a beautifully charming Cottage in Holly Cove.

I really warmed to Tia, she has a big heart, dealing with her grief and juggling her work, I adored her determination and strength.

The characters were well written and engaging. The pace flowed along nicely and it was a breeze to read.
The storyline was warm, emotional, compassionate, A few lil twists, real issues, romance and a lil drama. The perfect mix.
I have to say I did get a lil choked up, it bought back powerful memories of my Nan as she was just as close to me as my Mum. So be warned you might want to keep a tissue handy just in case!

Although the cover and title suggest a real wintery feel, I definitely think you can read this anytime of the year. A perfectly warm and cosy read.
I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I had higher expectations for this book...I enjoyed it but found myself bored at times. I loved the descriptions of the beach and cabin etc, I felt like I was there.

Favorite Quotes:

‘We have a problem.’ Really?... Clarissa’s expression is always the same, probably because of the amount of Botox she’s had and I’m not being bitchy here. It’s a fact. There is never a huge smile, or a desolate frown, just an almost unbelievably perfect, wrinkle-free complexion that belies her age.

Death is a journey for both parties; those who pass over and those who are left behind.

My Review:

This lovely book was thoughtfully and poignantly penned. Written from a first-person POV, Ms. Coleman’s emotive and highly insightful prose was highly descriptive and lushly detailed; each scene was thoroughly set to engage and captivate all the senses while sparking vivid visuals in my mind’s eye. The storylines were relevant and intriguing and cast with curiously endearing yet highly flawed characters. It was heart-squeezing, exceptionally perceptive, and simply divine.

A beautiful, warm and cosy read that drew me in immediately. I couldn’t put in down. There is stunning, descriptive settings and wonderful characters who will keep you amused and take you on an emotional journey. Although a festive read it is much more and a book that would be well received at any time of year.

Our main character Tia is one that you see develop throughout, I can empathise with her situation and I liked her attitude and approach to life when settled in Holly Cove. I think she is a character any reader would fully support and want the best for – it’s obvious that she and Nic are destined to help each other through their different, but equally as troublesome personal and emotional issues and I thought it interesting how their relationship developed at a steady pace, with ups and downs and plenty of tension that kept me hooked. I genuinely wasn’t sure if this was a relationship that would ever go the distance.

I loved the array of other characters, each adding something extra to the book. Some you couldn’t stand and were wary of immediately but then some I adored like Max – I thought he added something special. I really did not figure out some of the revelations towards the end either.


A very addictive book that looks at a whole host of issues; grief, loss, families and relationships and all the varying challenges that someone can have to face. Although it does deal with some serious and emotional things, it is heart-warming and definitely one to cosy up with.

Festive reads come in all shapes and styles and you would be forgiven for thinking that this story was merely a cosy read filled with snowflakes and hot chocolate. What you get is so much more than this.

The holiday season for some is not all glitter and glowing smiles. Hearts still break and pain runs deep no matter what time of year it is, and our heroine Tia knows this only too well. Coming to terms with the death of a parent throws Christmas into uncertain territory.....age old traditions are no longer feasible and the joy and want to create new ones are far from view.

This story whisks you away on an emotional ride of grief and heartache with a writing style that captures your heart and soul. The story slowly unfurls bit by bit delivering magical moments that light the way on this ride to self discovery for more than one member of this cast.

Nic is a dreamboat with a tortured soul and a past that has known pain and heartbreak. His chemistry with Tia bounces off the page but in true festive style I was left second guessing right until the final moments of this book.

Snowflakes Over Holly Cove is an endearing and charming story that warmed my heart and made me smile. It's true and honest and not afraid to show the darker sides of the festive season.

This book was quite special for me, I remember the first Christmas without my mum and how difficult the months after her death were. So, this had been a bitter sweet story, with sad memories but at the same time happy tears for all the time I had with her.
Let’s focus on the story! Tia Armstrong is trying to cope with the death of her mother when her boss decides to give her a very special article for the magazine she works, couples and how they maintain the love after all their life together. It would not seem anything special until she is sent to a beautiful cottage house near the beach at the Holly Cove village. Her life will change completely after a couple of weeks living there; the people, the sea and the article she is writing will make it happen. Even finding love, can you believe it?
This had been a really interesting read; with family conflicts, interesting characters and love, a lot of love! I really liked all the characters of the story; Nic and Tia are “perfect” for each other, but they will have a lot of batches on their path if they really want to be together. But that’s why this story was special, it felt real, not a “perfect” love story but this is how real life works, nothing is perfect, simply perfect for us.
Snowflakes Over Holly Cove is the read you’ll need any day you need a warm hug; you just need some hot chocolate and a comfy duvet. 😉

Although Christmas themed, this wonderful novel is so much more than a Christmas book, and could be read at any time of the year. It is a beautiful story of love and life after loss, and I found it incredibly moving.

The characters were a wonderful mix of personalities, and I loved the connection that Tia and Nic had. I was also very fond of Max, who was a charming but mysterious addition to the community. The location sounded so idyllic that I really wanted to be in a coastal cottage curled up with a hot chocolate while I was reading the book.

The storyline was so gripping and pulled me in so comprehensively that I felt like I was in the midst of it and I really did not want the story to come to an end. There are highs and lows in this story that really keep you hooked to the very end, and it is such a beautiful heart-warming story, and a very strong 5 star book for me!

I have to admit this was my first Lucy Coleman read and I feel awful admitting that as I should have read one sooner! I have flown threw this story in just a few days (with reading it on and off of course)

Meeting and getting to know Tia Armstrong has been a pleasure. She starts her story four weeks after losing her mother, she then goes back to work. Of course she doubts if she is ready but is determined to try anyway. Her boss sends her to the Gower Coast in Wales to write a series of articles on relationships. This in itself is interesting as she gathers very different perspectives (but I will let you find out more about that) As well as this Tia finds herself meeting the various locals including the lovely Nic, who is quite a mystery at first. We soon find out that there’s more to Nic that meets the eye! I won’t be the one to spoil that though.

I loved how strong the characters are in this beautifully written story. I admire Tia’s strength and determination. I was of course very intrigued by Nic and Max. The way Lucy integrates the various personalities of the characters is magical. She also had me trying to guess what was going to happen but with some unexpected drama I of course was way off the mark!

Lucy’s narrative is heartwarming and holds your attention from the beginning to the very last page 😊 ‘Snowflakes Over Holly Cove’ is a story that can be enjoyed any time of the year and will enable you to have that time to escape fully into Tia’s story. It’s about family, new starts, but also having the courage to face up to your insecurities ❤️ I give ‘Snowflakes Over Holly Cove’ 5*/5*

Wow Lucy Coleman has done it again and produced another fantastic novel, this time the setting is between London and Gower on the South wales coast. I'm not going to say any more about the storyline as it may spoil things for you the reader but I will say that it is well worth having this book in your hands and enjoy it as much as I have done. It is well worth the 5 stars that I am giving this, and I really recommend that you get hold of this for you and your friends

Lucy Coleman has done it again, written a book so filled with warmth amidst the biting cold of the snow that I could do nothing but follow the trails as pages turned.

Tia had lost her mother and her love for Christmas. But thanks to her boss, she had to interview couples in Holly Cove to know how they kept their romance alive. And Tia was struggling with life…

My second book by Lucy Coleman, I loved everything in this book. There were moments when I had a lump in my throat for Tia. She shared such a warm relationship with her mother. The writing showed the emotions between them, I could feel their bond.

Tia was everything I wanted in my main character. She was going through so much pain, yet she found her inner strength to deal with it. Her determination shone in the book along with her loving nature. All credit to the author for etching her.

Lucy Coleman’s strength was in her words. Every word was rightly placed. The imagery they produced transported me to the cottage and people of Holly Cove. The emotions they evoked caused me to feel everything that Tia did. The characters drafted in this plot were real and people I would want to meet.

The road of the story was not all straight. There was drama and twists, romance and friendship, all shades of life. All I was left with at the end of the read was – What a beautiful way to start my day.

I read the book over toast and tea which got done soon, but a tiny flame of hope sparked in my heart which stayed with me the whole day. Read a Lucy Coleman when the heart is heavy. It deals with real issues but leaves a warmth behind.

Heartwarming, emotional and realistic characters! The setting brought the story to life with sea breezes and a cottage. It was a well written story of heartbreak and loss that brings you through to love and family. Remember the past but grow into the future with new memories and loved ones. Great story of family and friendship.

This is the first book I have read from Lucy and it was a super holiday read. It was really well written with great characters. I enjoyed it and thought it dealt with a sensitive subject in a really good way. I am looking forward to reading more in the future from Lucy

I was so excited to be able to review this cracker from Lucy Coleman, who if she not careful will become a firm favourite of mine. Snowflakes Over Holly Cove is an amazing read and one I was sad to finish.
First off lets take a look at that amazing cover. How lovely is it. Its perfectly in keeping with the setting. Tia Armstrong is in need of some TLC and time to gather herself and decide exactly what she wants from life after a tragedy in the family. She arrives at Holy Cove and magical things begin to happen.
Lucy Coleman has a way with words that completely draws you in to her world. Her setting of the cottage by the sea with woodland and cliffs is something dreams are made off with add snow! The love story is simple lovely and with added twists that I did not expect I was filled with so many emotions.
I just love this book.

This is the first book which I have read by this author and it will not be the last as I really enjoyed it. A lovely heartwarming book which pulled at my heartstrings. Well written with lovely characters who I really liked. A story of love, romance, grief, community, friendships and new beginnings.

Beautifully written with a twist I didn't see coming. I loved the location of the book, set my the rugged coastline of Wales. Many years ago I was a student in Swansea and I spent many happy days at Caswell Bay.

A charming delight! I can't wait to read more from Lucy Coleman.

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