Christmas at Strand House is a festive, feel-good story that gently deals with a variety of themes including friendships, loss, grief, marriage breakdowns and uncertainty but is a charming tale of four friends finding the courage to open up and share their innermost secrets.
When Lissy inherits a huge house and then spots 3 acquaintances (Xander, Bobbie and Janey) who seem as lost as she is – she opens her doors to her friends with an offer of spending Christmas together. Although they are all delighted to be together, each of them harbour a secret that is preventing them from living their lives. Can they move past this and begin a fresh?
I love the premise of friends in a time of need gathering and supporting each other. Each chapter is told from a different ‘friend’s’ perspective and as it gets closer to the big day – we learn more about each one. I grew to love and care for them all and really felt part of their friendship group.
I am not religious so for me, Christmas is about love, family and friendship and spending time with those I love. This was really embedded into the plot and it warmed my heart to see each character changing, opening up and growing closer to each other. It had such a festive feel to it.
My favourite character was definitely Bobbie and I loved her journey the best. She is feisty, honest and very wise and I was over the moon to read where her story arc went.
My only teeny criticism is that it was difficult to gauge the age of the characters and I was quite shocked as they were revealed because they seemed much older. This doesn’t change the story or the characters at all though – just something that took me by surprise.
I really enjoyed Christmas at Strand House. Full of festivities, friendships and Lissy’s delicious food – it’s a wonderful festive read to bring some joy into your day.

Since this isn't the Christmas season anymore, I'm hesitant to pick this up. I might try it later on when it's Christmas time again so I can properly get into it.

Warm and cosy read, perfect to get you into the Christmas spirit! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

This is a great holiday read. Set in Strand House near Dartmoor, Lissy has invited three friends to share Christmas with her. You follow their stories as their friendship deepens and you learn that they all have a different reason for coming to stay with secrets. They all have something different to offer the group and the festivities are woven throughout. It is filled with good things- relatable characters, Christmas fancies and the odd surprise. Recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book.

Lissy inherits Strand House from her Godmother and she invites her friends to spend Christmas with her. They each have a story to share and advice to impart for the future.

This was a feel good festive story which has great characters and was lovely.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This book has so many cute characters and small plots all embedded into one larger story! I loved how sweet this story is and the focus on inheriting something from your family that you later fall in love with. This story was so cute and quaint, and really perfect for the holiday season. I loved reading this one and look forward to more from this author!

There is something about holiday-themed books which often brighten your day while reading them, regardless of what time of year it is. Set it in England in a large manor-like home, and I'm all in for the adventure.

Christmas at Strand House shows how a gathering of people all alone for the holidays can lead to not only a wonderful time, but stronger relationships. The bit of romance thrown in for Lissy fit well with the story. I was ready to take my own visit to Strand House.

Even though I read it out of season I thought this was a good book about life’s ups and downs, friendships, honesty and happy ever afters. I thought the characters were realistic, I connected with the protagonist Lissy because she was kind and caring. I enjoyed reading about their Christmas traditions (even if it is currently spring) and the book was very heartwarming overall.

You know those books that make you a little warm, a little fuzzy inside? That's what Christmas at Strand House is all about. Four people that don't really know each other that well, but who have all experienced heart break in some way or form, come together to spend Christmas not-alone.
From the day the arrive, December 23rd, to the day after Christmas, they get to renew their friendships, start healing some wounds and find strength - and love - where they didn't expect to find it.
Combine that perfect-for-Christmas plot with descriptions of castles, nature, and beaches that made me absolutely dream away? And you're left with the perfect book to fill your Christmas-cravings!
Rating: 3.5/5

This is normally exactly the kind of story that I love and lap up in a day or two, but for some reason I just couldn't get in to Christmas at Strand House. The writing was great, the characters were relatable and easy to imagine - I just couldn't connect with it emotionally at all. However it was still an enjoyable read.

This book was a quick but fun read. I loved the characters and felt like I was in their world right away.

I love Christmas romances and read them regularly even when out of season, so to find one that can grip me and make me want to sing it’s praises from the rooftop is certainly a talent! And that is where I found myself with this gem of a story.

I had been in a bit of a reading slump when I got stuck in, but that certainly is at an end after this! I adored the Character development and the way the story flowed. This may easily become my go to wind down romance!

This book radiates love and friendship. It is perfect holiday story, but you can read it anytime and it will be still perfect. I really liked different POVs and their own voices, I enjoyed reading about each character development and how they grew. It was cute and light, and I definitely recommend to read it.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this story. Apologies that i took a long time to read and write a review.

I didn't mind reading this book especially for the cameraderie among the characters.
They all truly become friends in a tight support network even though they really don't know each other in the beginning.

At some points the characters did feel a little stiff and spoke a little too proper however I put it down to them being English and perhaps I'm just not used to that kind of spoken interaction between people!

Often i also got a bit drowned in some very long sentences.

All in all not a bad little holiday read
2.5/5

Christmas, friends and coming to grips to their life’s history. Rather than spend the holidays alone herself, Lissy invites old friends to join her at the house she inherited from her aunt. Each accept for their own reasons. A good enjoyable book.

Lovely season read for you here. Easy to read and a nice feel good storyline. Lovely characters you can relate to here. Perfect to read on these cold winter nights

When Lissy inherits her godmothers beach villa she is unsure whether to keep or or not, she does have some lovely memories of holidays there, but as Christmas is coming she decides to spend it there. Not wanting to spend the time alone she invites three friends, Bobby, Janey and Zander to stay with her, none of them close friends...... so how will that work out?

A good warm christmassy book which worked well with the story being told by the different characters so that we got to learn all of their stories

A lovely festive read.

It tells the story of a group of friends who would be alone at Christmastime but come to stay at Strand House.

I love stories based in Devon and Cornwall and this one definitely did not disappoint

3.5 Stars

Four friends come together for a holiday they'll never forget. It'll be the holiday that changes them, for better or for worse. There will be self reflection, romance, and a Christmas to brighten the spirits of the lonely individuals.

Lissy takes it upon herself to ensure the holiday spirit is alive and well in her three distant friends. Inviting Janey, Bobbie, and Xander to stay at her Grandmother's old beach house is both selfish and philanthropic, she believes she can bring joy and companionship to those she knows are lonely this season. It's chick lit mixed with Christmas at its finest, with Linda Mitchelmore weaving stories of love, loss, forgiveness, and growth. It is confusing at first and I did have difficulty connecting with the characters, but that is always the case with a story told from more than two perspectives. The characters, however, have unique voices, and the tribulations each is facing is very distinct. At Strand House the friends remove their protective layers, they open up, they exhale the things they've been holding onto and open their lungs for friendship. I really enjoyed the Christmas spirit layered into the story, but more than that I love the companionship these four friends offer to one another. Their walks of life have been very different, their tie together a sad one, and yet they uplift, encourage, and understand. They have compassion and truly care, enough to do whatever they can to help and positively impact, it's a message we all need especially during the stressful feeling that the holidays can bring.

Christmas at Strand House is a unique holiday story for the chick-lit market, one I think fans will love to revisit year after year. It's a genuine story of friendship, survival, and the people who make the hard days brighter.

This book was a sweet feel-good Christmassy novel. A total guilty pleasure of mine. However the writing style irked me, I love a trashy feel-good but I felt like it was being written and explained to a child. It moved slowly and the writing felt a little wooden and stiff which impacted the enjoyability of an easy fun read.