Philippa Ashley books never disappoint and this one is no different.
if you are looking for an easy relaxing read to lose yourself in then this is a good choice.
I read it over Christmas and it was nice to be able to lose myself in the story between periods of being busy.
Yes you know it's going to end well and there are going to be rocky bits on the way, but a well written story I it's non the less enjoyable for that.
Thanks to Net Gallery for an advance review copy

After the first chapter, which sets the scene, I did enjoy the story of Lottie as she is building her new life as a wedding planner. She is thrown into organising her ex’s wedding at her workplace, and emotions follow. Jay turns out to be a crush who has a crush on her, and he’s dealing with his own family and ex betrayals. The two come together for planning a wedding just before Christmas. The book has a very Christmassy mood to it. .

Absolutely brilliant book helped that it was set in the Lake District as it brought back wonderful memories. Loved the main character, it was very descriptive and felt like I was there.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This is the 3rd book by Phillipa Ashley I have read. It was a great read over the festive period. This one was based in the Lake District. Lottie is devastated when her fiance walks out on her and she has to rebuild her life. The story was lovely and tells how she overcomes her sadness to find happiness.

I always get drawn into Phillipa's books and the characters as she writes such lovely stories. This was a much needed escape this year as we were unable to travel as usual.. I hope there is another book with Lottie and Jay.

Look forward to the next book as they never disappoint.

Lovely feel good seasonal book. It was just lovely. Romantic book you dream about. Great plot and characters. Perfect for reading over the festive period. Or at any time if the year. Christmas books can be enjoyed anytime anywhere. Very well written and flowed well. This author outdoes herself everytime. Her books just get better and better. Charming read

This was a fun, light, Christmas romance, which was enjoyable to read. As someone who lives in the Lake District, I greatly appreciated the knowledge that this author obviously has of the Lake District, so that she could portray it accurately. Having a good sense of place is always a bonus in a well written novel. Too many authors do minimal research and write incorrectly about somewhere they do not know, which was certainly not the case in this book!

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this title.

This was a cute, clean, and quick holiday read.

I usually love most Christmas novels but a Surprise Christmas Wedding by Phillipa Ashley was not one of my favorites, It is a novel about love and second chances but i struggled getting through it.

I liked this book - the underlying premise was a bit week but the main body of the story was good and it all came together.

I read this book over the Christmas week, and although I wasn’t blown away, it was an enjoyable holiday read that was a great backdrop to the Christmas season.

I found Lottie, the main character, a bit frustrating. She reminded me a little of Jane Austen’s Emma; likeable but sometimes you just want to give her a good talking to. She got herself into a few situations that could have been avoided, if only she communicated with the people around her.

Jay, the love interest, was similar, and I felt like I was constantly rooting for the two of them to actually talk to each other and straighten out the problems they were having, and I found I couldn’t really connect to their romance. He also had occasional point of view chapters, but I did feel these were a little unnecessary and his backstory (which was actually really interesting) something we could have learned later through Lottie.

Lottie’s sister Steph was my favourite though, I loved her witty sense of humour and sarcastic comments. She brought most of the humour to the book, and I would have happily read a novel from her point of view.

I have never been to the Lake District, but you could really picture it through Phillipa’s writing, and it sounds like a really wonderful place to go. Over the Christmas period I had watched a couple of shows about stately homes getting ready for the festive season. Lottie both lives and works in a stately home, and Phillipa’s writing really captured the essence of what it takes to keep visitors coming to the house throughout that time (despite the weather).

I found the plot a little too slow at first, it was meandering, and felt like it wasn’t going anywhere. However I did really enjoy reading the secondary plot of Steph’s recovery from cervical cancer, it was heart wrenching and sad, but it added another layer to this book that I was grateful for, giving it a more depth. It did feel a little like the plot was mostly concentrated in the end of the book, but I did enjoy all of the twists and turns we received once we got there. Some of the twists surprised me, but ultimately the end was a little predictable.

I did really enjoy how spectacularly awkward some of the situations in this book were. It was a little Bridget Jones, with Lottie’s (very recent) ex turning up and asking her to plan his wedding to his new fiancé. It was so awkward and I loved it. However I was hoping for her ex to get what he deserved, especially for how he treated Lottie, and I was left sorely disappointed.

I loved the setting of this book! The author did a great job describing it so it really felt like you were there with Lottie. This was a quick holiday read and would recommend it for same.

Lottie has moved to Firhomme estate to be their in-house events planner. It's her chance to continue following her dreams and to start her life over after a broken engagement and broken heart. With a Christmas wedding plan push from her boss Lottie is set to work alongside the estate's newest groundskeeper, a handsome fellow named Jay. Only, the wedding turns out to be for her ex-fiance and his new fiance doesn't know about her. Hoping to keep it a secret, Lottie sets out to plan the perfect holiday wedding, only along the way she falls for Jay, a man who doesn't do secret.

Okay, I will admit right now that I love a good romance full of all the cheesy clichés. Phillipa Ashley's A Surprise Christmas Wedding is one of those books that I could read over and over just like the Hallmark movies that they play for the holidays. It's predictable, but so darn light and enjoyable that you just don't care. I couldn't put this down, I loved the drama, the little love triangle, the wedding planning, and of course the budding romance. Ashley takes it a step further and puts in some somber moments that make the story both realistic and at times over the top. It's totally fun, fast-paced, romantic, and Christmas-y all at once. A hit for me and one I think others will certainly enjoy.

A really enjoyable read, i have found this to be a light hearted Christmas read which will make you feel festive

This sounded like it was going to be a really good story, unfortunately I was never really able to get interested in the story or in the characters. It was an okay read to me.

Lottie works as a events planner in the most perfect wintery estate in the Lake District. She loves being so close to nature, her colleagues that are more like family and the amazing events she gets to curate. More than anyone, Lottie deserves her happiness. Her ex-boyfriend dumped her a few days after proposing, her sister’s recovering from a cancer diagnosis and Lottie’s spent the last year rebuilding her life and her confidence ready to enter her new chapter with renewed vigour. A handsome but shy new groundskeeper moves in next door and she gets commissioned to plan a perfect winter wedding – things are finally looking up! But, when she discovers that the other half of that perfect wedding couple is her ex-boyfriend, how will she be able to continue?!

A snowy estate in the countryside, a brooding mysterious neighbour, a perky down to earth girl next door and an egotistical cocky ex – Philippa Ashley gives the reader exactly what they’d expect from a cosy Christmassy romance book. Although this book doesn’t reinvent the wheel – it does a perfect job of creating an easy to read, easy to enjoy storyline that gets you straight into the festive mood in time for Christmas. The predictability is perfect for switching off and snuggling down into the duvet to binge through a few chapters every night. I liked that the story had a few different elements to it – from Lottie’s relationship with her sister, to the event planning and her turmoil of having an ex turn up, it juggled each storyline well without getting too convoluted. At times, it did get a bit boring because it felt like there was a lot of detail and not enough oomph to the actual storylines, but overall it was a cute, enjoyable little read.

Phillipa Ashley created each character with their own personality and vibe – I liked that they were all a little bit different; showcasing both their flaws and their redeeming qualities. I wasn’t too keen on Lottie herself as a main character, finding her quite annoying with the decisions she made infuriating! It almost felt as though she was written by two different people – her choices and personality conflicting often throughout the narrative which at times, made the writing feel a bit disjointed.

Overall, this was an nice, simple seasonal read. It wasn’t my favourite Christmassy romance, but it was a nice switch up from the normal creepy thrillers and mysteries I’m obsessed with!

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for my advanced reader copy! 💕

The perfect Christmas romance - super quick & fun to read.

I loved the relationship between Lottie & her sister, it was really special.

Conner was irritating, as he should be!

I really enjoyed the writing style & it was exactly the sort of escapism I needed.

An easy to read festive novel. The perfect partner to a mulled wine and a cosy winter night. Set in the beautiful lake District, Ashley creates a vibrant world.

This was an absolute cracker of a festive treat! Often Christmas lit plots can fall into the habit of becoming a bit same-y. I can guarantee you won't have read one like this before! Lottie works at a beautiful sounding stately home replete with land and a Christmas tree farm. She has a lovely glam boss, an in remission sister, two adorable nieces - and a healing heart. So who is the first couple she has to organise a wedding for? The guy who broke her heart and his demanding bride to be. Throw in an incredibly touching and well handled sub plot with Lottie's love interest (who sounds delish!) and you have a wonderful warm and fuzzy read. I adored it!

I love Phillipa Ashley’s books, you’re absolutely guaranteed an absorbing and heart-warming read with them. This gorgeous festive book is no exception.

The setting absolutely makes this book. I’ve been to the Lake District quite a few times, and I could picture the scene perfectly.

Lottie is a very likeable character, and I really wanted her fresh start to work out well for her. She’s capable and admirable. It really throws her when Connor turns up at Firholme, but she does her best to be professional and organise the perfect wedding.

This book is a really enjoyable and pleasurable read, with authentic characters, a beautiful setting, and a storyline that both amuses and touches, with so much going on. It’s festive and romantic, but it feels realistic. Curl up with a warm drink and enjoy this gorgeous book.

I find with Phillipa Ashley books that recently I seem to really enjoy every second book that she publishes and the book proceeding it just to be ok. This new Christmas book A Surprise Christmas Wedding falls solidly into the first camp. I knew from the first few chapters that I was really going to enjoy this story and I really did, it’s packed full of all things Christmas and the story waiting to be told between the fabulous cover was a joy to read. It’s a nice, relaxing, quick and easy read with a good solid storyline with romance, some problems and twists and turns within all centred around the run up to Christmas Day. The blurb says 'will there be any festive magic left to bring our main character Lottie the perfect Christmas she deserves?' Well I couldn’t wait to find out and judging from the first few chapters that grabbed my attention I knew I was in for a very good read and one that is ideal for this time of year.

Lottie works an event organiser for a hotel and is dating Connor. They come to Porthmellow in Cornwall, a setting readers will be familiar with from Phillipa’s last few books, for a get away and before she knows it Lottie has accepted a proposal from Connor. Lottie envisages a long term future and a family as Connor is full of charm, energy and determined to go for what he wants. On arrival home to the village of Langmere Lottie believes her future to be secure and a happy one but her dreams are shattered when Connor walks in the door from a business trip and says he wants to call the whole thing off and that his proposal was a mistake that he couldn’t face a lifetime of commitment. Lottie is distraught and heartbroken and can’t fathom the abrupt change of mind. The rug has certainly been swept out from under her. Fast forward to a year later and Lottie has a new job at the Firholme estate near Langemere. She is living on site and her boss Shayla is determined to make the estate a success as she bought it when it was about to go bankrupt.

Lottie, has been through the mill in the past year and you can tell she is still bruised and hurting but she always puts her best foot forward especially when it comes to her family. Her parents are away living in New Zealand and her sister Steph and her twin girls only had Lottie for help when the darkest hour struck. Despite her own trauma and problems which she kept secret from her family, yes they knew Connor and herself split up but as for specifics she didn’t make those clear to anyone, Lottie has battled on and been there for those that needed her. In that way I thought she was so selfless and caring in particular with relation to Steph’s storyline. To be honest this storyline hit a bit too close for home for me so I skim read bits where it was mentioned. But not in any way because it was badly written or shouldn’t have been there just that in the frame of my mind I was in whilst reading I didn’t feel able to contemplate what she had been through. I pushed this aspect of the plot aside and focused on Lottie and how she was going to face the challenge to turn the estate into a must visit destination for events and weddings.

The new job for Lottie meant that she could leave old associations behind and have something to take her mind off her heartache and worries but she doesn’t bet on Jay, the new estate manager and her new neighbour, throwing a spanner in her plans to get her life and the estate back on track. She wanted smooth sailing but Jay was a challenge she didn’t see coming. You could feel the sparks between the pair when they first meet but Jay doesn’t reveal much about himself and more often than not he came across as abrupt, standoffish and sometimes rude. He was good at his job but was a closed book when it came to his personal life and the fact he didn’t really want to mix or interact with people outside of what was required with his job really wasn’t a good sign. I was desperate to know what made him this way, I knew he was drawn to Lottie. Their circumstances were different but they were both scarred and unwilling to let anyone pierce the shell around them. I hoped that with time and being forced to work together to pull off the surprise wedding of the year that Lottie would breakdown Jay’s barriers and he in turn would let her and they might both find some love and happiness in the process. She wondered was she able to judge his feelings at all given her disastrous experience with Connor? As really the reader could tell they were perfect for each other from the outset. But the will they/won’t they and the twists and turns was great to read about.

With Christmas being in the title I was hoping for lots of mentions of that special time of year that would help me feel more festive and thankfully there were. The estate sounded magical with reindeer, Santa’s grotto, the Christmas tree centre and not to mention the magnificent decorations in the big house. Langmere, itself and the surrounding areas were brilliantly described and with the cold weather and Christmas approaching it all added to the atmosphere not to mention the frantic preparations for what was one of the major points of the book.

Lottie wants to prove to Shayla that she is good at her job and that she can turns things around on the estate. One big successful event is all that is needed to do this. But Lottie certainly doesn’t count on a face from her recent past being the event that everyone relies on to secure the estates future. I thought it was so clever and would set the cat among the pigeons when Connor was reintroduced. It threw Lottie off kilter in that on one hand she wanted to pull off this big event but on the other she wanted to give Connor a piece of her mind and tell him where to shove his wedding to Keegan.

Lottie deserved nothing but admiration for the way she handled the entire situation, she put her job and the future of the estate before her own needs whereas I would have had it straight out with Connor. I couldn’t fathom at all how he had found a new woman so quickly and gone back on everything he had said to Lottie. I would have told him where to go and exactly what I thought of him and his behaviour. Instead Lottie becomes caught up in a web of lies that becomes very tangled. I don’t know how she kept things secret or forged ahead with wedding preparations and the endless demands from Keegan in such a short space of time. You wondered would the house of cards all come tumbling down and all the secrets, lies and some much needed truths would come out into the open? Would Lottie and Jay solve their own personal problems and find the security and happiness they both secretly craved? Would the surprise Christmas wedding be a success or an utter flop? Well I kept eagerly reading to find out and I know anyone who picks up this delightful book will do the exact same.