There were no surprises in this Christmas feelgood romance but that made it no less enjoyable. I chose it because of its Norwegian setting and that did not disappoint. What did irk me (and I do apologise for my linguistic sensibilities) is that's written in American and not English. I completely understand that it's written in the author's second (or possibly more) language and I know that most younger Norwegians' English is heavily influenced by US culture and so this is not so much a criticism of the author but more of the editor who should have picked this up.

The language apart, this was a fun and undemanding read with engaging and faceted characters. Holly and Tor were both keeping secrets which, in the end, didn't really matter much. I liked the fact that there was no big dramatic fall-out over something that in real-life wouldn't be an issue and that the characters behaved like average grown-ups.

If you're looking for a book to curl up with over Christmas, this might be well for you.

Holly and Tor are both avoiding their problems by spending time on a windswept snowy island off the coast of Norway. She's a physician who has been suspended from her job (the reason why won't come out for a while) and he's an architect dealing with sorrow (same thing). They meet when Holly almost falls off a cliff but is saved, more or less, by Tor's big cat Froy. From there, well, this is a nice romance and a tale of two people who come to appreciate themselves and others. Holly's brother is a chef and it's the Christmas season so be prepared for some yummy descriptions of food (there are recipes at the end). I learned a bit about Norwegian holiday customs-always a plus. I liked Holly, liked Tor, liked Froy, and rooted for all of them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This one will cheer you up.

This book was the perfect escape. It was lovely and fun. It was my first book by this author and I will definitely be on the look out for more!!

Unfortunately this book fell a bit flat for me.

I didn’t get on with the writing style and I just didn’t connect with any of the characters.

I found Holly to be extremely irritating and didn’t find the ‘romance’ at all believable or romantic. I can see what the author was trying to achieve, it just didn’t hit that target for me.

Such a fab premise for a novel at this time of year, just not very well executed in my opinion

I loved Ms Normann's novel, Summer Island, and I loved this one just as much. Maybe it was the description of all that delicious food, or maybe it was the wildness of the island and the cosiness of the community? Or maybe it was the slightly unnerving and far-too-knowing cat? The romance had something to do with it too, and who couldn't fail to love a Viking (not really, but close) like Tor?

Thank you for the ARC HarperCollins UK, one More Chapter and NetGalley. This is my first cosy book and I was not disappointed. Set on a picturesque island in Norway we get to follow Holly Greene as she navigates the holidays during a rough patch in her life.. This book is full of warm Christmas feelings, Norway holiday traditions and even provides recipes for some of the delicious treats Holly gets to discover. And we can’t forget about Froy, the loveliest black cat you’ll ever meet. I loved this story and it made me look forward to the holidays so much more. #omcreads #netgalley

Christmas Island is like a Hallmark movie set in Norway. Holly goes to Norway to lick her wounds and visit her brother. She gets lost in the dark and almost fall off a cliff. She is saved by Tor who is a bit of a hermit and his huge cat Froy. The book is full of Norwegian customs and food. Holly slowly brings Tor out of his shell while sampling the many Norwegian treats. If you like to read about other cultures and food, then this book is for you. A few recipes are even included at the end of the book.

Thanks to netgalley and One More Chapter for the arc.

Unofortunately, I didn’t really enjoy what I hoped would be a cosy, Christmas read.

The writing flows better afterwards, but my first impression was marred due to the writer’s writing. Each sentence at first seemed to be made up of maximum 4 words and it was so janky that I felt frustrated and didn’t care for the plot.

The scenery sounded fabulous, the people lovely and the giant cat adorable, but ultimately this just wasn’t the read for me!

After a fight with her boss (and ex) on how to best treat a patient, Holly is forced to take a month off. She decides to go to Norway to see her brother and his family even though they are in Spain and won’t be back until Christmas. On her first night there she almost falls off a cliff but is saved by Froy the cat and Tor the recluse.
Thank you to @netgalley and @onemorechapterhc for a copy to read and review. If you love Hallmark movies or have ever wanted to travel to Norway this is the book for you! This is a fluffy, cozy romance where you learn all about Norway including the food and language. It reminded me of the cozy mystery genre but without the mystery. The best character by far was Froy the cat! 🤣🤣🤣 I loved him!

his was a lovely cosy winter read which I really enjoyed. 
The story is about Holly who decided to go for a retreat to Norway to spend christmas with her brother. The story leaves you feeling all cosy, I love the descriptions of Norways and its traditions.  The romance element within the story left me with a smile on my face. 
The story is heartwarming and definitely but me in a festive mood. I loved reading this by the fire. Overall a great festive read which I would highly recommend. 
A big  thank you  to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to One More Chapter for my copy of this book via Netgalley.

I loved this book! Holly is told to take a month off from her hospital duties after she got in a big argument over care for a patient. She leaves London for a small island in Norway where her brother Jack lives. Tor wants to get away from his life in Oslo, so he rents a house on the same island and is known as the hermit since he insists on keeping to himself. All that changes when he finds Holly out in the dark and saves her from walking off a cliff. I felt like I was living in the cold and dark of the island and enjoyed the friendly, vibrant community. The Christmas traditions, activities, and food taught me a lot about Norway and added to the delight of the book. The special relationships between Holly and her brother and his family, Tor and Holly, and Jack’s neighbors contributed to a great book.

Holly is hoping to start her new job, being a doctor is something she has worked so hard for so long for. Something has happened that is keeping her from starting and has to wait to find out whether she is able to continue in her career.

Whilst she is waiting her brother Jack has invited her to his home off the coast of Norway for a bit of time to herself. He is away in Spain visiting his in laws.

When she lands she is rescued by the island hermit Tor and his cat Froy, after she nearly falls off a cliff. Whilst everyone thinks Tor is a bit strange, he and Holly strike up a beautiful friendship with a few unexpected feelings added in for good measure. Neither want these extra feelings arising, having both been burned in the past.

Holly gets involved in the island life and settles into a routine. She helps out with Jack's stall at the Christmas market and becomes part of the island family.

This story is filled with love, friendship, families and lots of food. It made me hungry. I was kept wanting to know more and kept turning pages to find out if the romance blossomed (I wont tell you cos that will just be mean) but it is a beautiful read.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sometimes we forget what it means loving someone; it’s not only saying the word everyday but being there when needed, believe in the others dreams and never disrespect our partner.
This is a romance book, not with a high passion in it but with tenderness and friendship; Holly and Tor have never met before but their connection will change their lives forever. I have to say I really enjoyed this book; it was sweet, full of cosy moments and with some really delicious food!
The story felt real and beautiful, two people that the world had let down will heal each other with the help of a big cat and beautiful landscapes; what more can we ask? I liked how all the village accepted Holly, even if they haven’t met her before, knowing her brother is enough to trust her and welcome her; it’s not something that we see often, but I think we all should learn from it.
I’ll admit that the ending was a little bit rushed, maybe we will see more of these characters and we’ll know how they continue their lives? How the summer affects the life of all the villagers and the food in that season!
I have a complaint, there were no recipes in all the book, but there’s so much food detailed in the story that I need to know where I can find the recipes (or buy them). I finished this story famished, eager for sweet cakes and hot chocolate!
This is a great book to read on a cold day, in your favorite spot and with a warm drink in your hands, you’ll not want to leave Christmas Island, ever!
Ready?

An enjoyable story st on a remote Norwegian island. I loved the descriptions of all the Norwegian cakes. It was let down by a rather weak main character - she seemed rather dizzy for a supposedly high flying doctor! Otherwise an easy read.

This was a fun quick read, and I really enjoyed it. The characters were strong and the plot was interesting. I really liked the descriptions of all of the Norwegian food and Christmas traditions.
4 stars.

Thanks to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute book. It was a quick read and had the feel of a Hallmark movie. You know how it’s going to end, but you enjoy the ride nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for kindly providing me with a digital copy of this book for review.
Well this is a Christmas romance that stands out as something a little bit different from the usual. It’s set in Norway for a start, and it’s written by someone who lives there as well, so I think we can trust the references as authentic. I certainly wouldn’t know any different. I have enjoyed learning Norwegian Christmas traditions and all the different foods- I think this is a good book for all the foodies out there as there’s plenty of descriptions and recipes at the end.
I found the romance quiet and calm, and not too dramatic. I know some people want more passion and drama, but for me, I quite appreciate a bit of calm in amongst all the usual Christmas craziness. And like I say, I really liked the Norwegian setting for this quiet stillness.
There’s quite a bit of emotional back story for both of our romantic leads so there’s plenty to invest and connect with. I found that the writing flowed really easily as well. Overall I really enjoyed this sweet romance and would be interested in reading more from this author.

🌌 Hoping for more romance

3.5-4🌟 stars
This story held the promise of a good romantic plot but it got overwhelmed by the seemingly inexhaustible mountains of Norwegian Christmas treats.

I really wanted more of loner Tor and his feline sidekick. There's obviously a reason the fellow hides himself away but once his reason was finally revealed it was quickly back to the Christmas festivities. Holly's secret reason for abandoning London for a holiday on the island was also briefly explained well into the story and quickly passed over. Their slow build romance just had a lot of distractions and not much depth or focus on their developing relationship for me.

The author has provided a pretty detailed picture of Norwegian culinary traditions during the bleak, dark and cold lead up to Christmas. Educational, but it gave me a food hangover and a sugar rush just reading about the endless parade of pastries!

The loveliest parts of the book involved adorable toddler Rosie and the island kids; Tor revealing his feelings and thoughts; and the bittersweet end to their holiday with its aftermath. I would have enjoyed the book more with larger helpings of these and less food talk. I preferred Summer Island, the author's romance about Holly's brother Jack and Ninni although this finale did pack some good emotional content.

Thanks to publishers Harper Collins/One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

There was no real drama driving the story forward so it felt flat the whole way through. Also, Holly’s picky eating really got annoying after a while and it was hard to believe that someone was that picky. I mean to find think something could be weird with porridge or waffles? Yeah, I wasn’t buying that. DNF because I got bored and skimmed ahead to the end.

This was exactly what I needed leading up into the Christmas season! It had the perfect amount of Christmas cheer/ambience without being completely over the top. I enjoyed learning about another culture's Christmastime traditions, foods and celebrations. I enjoyed that our hero and heroine built up their friendship/relationship naturally, I enjoyed their banter and how they seemed to genuinely want to get to know one another. I also appreciated the supporting cast of characters - including the animals! The romance is clean, and very sweet and I really enjoyed it.