When we meet Holly she is cold, wet, grumpy and almost plunges off a cliff into the sea! Not exactly the best start to the Christmas break but she is saved by a Norwegian Forest Cat of all things (I've looked them up they are a massive, regal looking beast of a cat).

Saved by Froy and Tor, Holly gets more than she bargains for when she journeys to her brothers home on an island off the coast of Norway, to escape her work troubles. What I loved most about this book was the Norwegian traditions you learn about on the way like the Nisse and big celebration that happens on Christmas eve. It painted a warm, inviting festive feast of a book, in direct contrast with it's blustery winter setting, and was the perfect backdrop for Holly and Tor. She is colourful, warm and loud, he is muted, standoffish and quieter but ultimately they both are kind hearts in need of a break and each other.

A perfect treat of a book that will get you in a festive mood, have you thinking about a winter break to Norway and one hundred percent leave you feeling hungry. ( I particularly liked the inclusion of recipes at the end).

This is a sweet love story and a great holiday read! Holly arrives at the Norwegian island home of her brother to recover after a professional set back. After a series of embarrassing but cute meetings with the local “hermit” Tor and his charming cat, the two develop a lovely relationship. The romance is a slow build and relatively low on drama. It’s a calming romance (if that is a thing).

One aspect of the book that really stood out to me was all of the descriptions of Norwegian holiday traditions and foods. Someday, when the world opens up again, I need to visit Norway! Overall this is a cozy, relaxing winter read. I will definitely read another book by the author in the future.

Thanks to Natalie Normann, Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A romance novel that is a cut above the norm. Holly and Tor are both taking time out on a remote island in Norway over Christmas. They start a holiday romance and help each other to lock their wounds and heal. Along the way we discover how a bleak dark island becomes full of warmth and colour and Christmas traditions and lots and lots of food. The real star of the story is the cat,a real character! No cringing conflicts or misunderstandings between our lovers, but a real dilemma about could this holiday romance turn into something more. Very enjoyable and makes me want to visit Norway at Christmas!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

I'd been having a bit of a romance binge and I love anything Scandinavian so the synopsis grabbed me.

Unfortunately the story did not deliver.

Holly is a newly qualified doctor who has been suspended for a month (for reasons unknown until near the end) and has subsequently gone to see her brother, Jack, in Norway.
However, her brother & his family are visiting his partner's parents in Spain at the same time.

Because Holly is, arguably a total moron, when she arrives on the island she nearly falls to her death from a cliff but is saved by Tor, the town hermit who has been staying there for a few months after some personal issues.

The two inevitably become close.

The romance was so bland.
Like an unflavoured cracker.
And I genuinely think the only reason Tor liked Holly was because he didn't speak to anyone else...

I don't like to slate books so I will say that I absolutely loved the Norwegian food, recipes, traditions and language but that's about it.

Miraculously, every single adult on the (secluded) Norwegian Island can speak perfect English. I know other countries tend to learn English more frequently than English speaking countries learn other languages but that just seemed a bit far fetched to me.

The writing style felt clunky and over simplified and I absolutely hated Holly.
She was unbelievably selfish. She always let's people do things for her and never once offers to help or return the favour. She stays in her brother's house, uses his partner's clothes, eats all their food, doesn't clean anything. And when her brother asks her to take his produce to the Christmas market to sell she makes SUCH a big deal about how she's doing him a huge favour when in reality she's not.

She's also irritatingly stupid.
She doesn't properly check her route to the house, she doesn't charge her phone and then drops it in the snow, doesn't have the appropriate clothing for the weather, doesn't even learn basic Norwegian etc.
Clearly all her brain power went on her medical studies because she has no common sense.

At one point, someone mentions 'nisse' which are spirits who guard the farms and Holly says they are like the English 'brownies' - I'm English and I've never heard of them, and when I googled it, it did not come up. I'm not saying it doesn't exist but the way Holly described it as if every person in the UK knows what they are irritated me.

She's also so obsessed with her weight and 'eating healthy' etc. The issue is not there for her to overcome the toxic thoughts, or to grow as a person - it's purely her fat shaming thoughts and it was tedious. Forever worrying about gaining weight or questioning how people can eat so much etc. In 2021 we don't need this attitude perpetuated in books.

CW: miscarriage

A delicious Christmas read that made me want to catch a plane to Norway! I loved the characters of Holly , a doctor escaping from London while she awaits a tribunal decision which might end her career before it's even started and Tor , the reclusive architect escaping his own demons , living in an isolated house with his adorable cat Froy. The islanders are painted with such love and empathy as are Norwegian customs, food and lifestyle that the reader is immediately drawn in to their world. The book was well paced and very engaging . A love story for our times.

This was a nice and easy festive read - the storyline is fairly simple and predictable but it was light, fluffy and enjoyable overall!

This book is exactly what you expect, and need, from a holiday romance.

Winter setting, lots of snow, lots of food, welcoming locals, grumpy locals, pets with personality and romance.

It’s the recipe for perfect festive fun.

Holly is fun and kind and thebkind if character you warm too immediately. Tor is grumpy and reclusive but obviously has a heart of gold and underneath the beard and many winter layers is obviously gorgeous.

This is a perfect read for winter evenings snuggled up with a blanket and the last of the Quality Street.

Thank you One More Chapter and Netgalley for the gifted copy in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and I was ducked into Holly's world after thr first page. A successful doctor about to embark on the next steps in her career when an incident occurs which sends her to a cold and lonely island for Christmas. An empty house and an empty heart. That is until she meets the islanders. This was a festive read and I loved it!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

After something happening at her hospital she comes to a little Norwegian Island to hang out with her brother, Jake. Thanks to Frøy the fuffly (shows stealing cat) Holly doesn't end up in the sea and she meet the local hermit, Tor. Since Jack is away Holly wanders and meets up with Tor again, they do some fishing and hit it off. Its a slow burn and closed door but this was super cute, loved all the Norwegian parts of it! (Made me miss Grandma's Christmas Eve dinner!) This was perfect to escape and travel right now! Cozy, Cute, and you just want to drink some tea (and eat some lefsa) while reading it!

4 stars
2 steam

This was the sweetest festive book! It's rare that I read something where the main character has the same name as me, but I did get used to it eventually.

This got off to a slow start, and it took me several tries to get through it. That said, it did pick up around the halfway point and went from just okay to fairly sweet.

It's a cute festive romance, but unfortunately won't be one that will stick in my mind for long. I did really like the setting though and found it so interesting learning about a Christmas culture that is so different to the UK's!

I really enjoyed this book.
The story of Holly a young doctor who's job is on the line visits her brother for Christmas.
Turning up on an Norwegian island late at night in the dark she meets Tor a Norwegian hermit that looks like a Viking.
The story follows Holly and how she helps Tor find happiness again.

Rachel Reads goodreads

Holly Greene is going to her brother's home in Norway after a terrible time in England. She doesn't realise that the weather there is different and by the time she gets there it's pitch black with no lights. She nearly falls off the edge of a cliff except she get saved by a weird cat called Froy and his even weirder owner Tor.

This is a very sweet Nordic Holiday Romance story involving Holly escaping from London for the holidays and Tor who has come to the island to hide from people and Christmas until he meets Holly and his life and his heart are suddenly changed. Perfect holiday read.

I was very excited to read Christmas Island, thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for the digital copy.

Holly goes through a bit of a crisis at work and decides she needs a getaway, and there’s no better place than her brother’s home on a Norwegian Island! While there she befriends the locals and another guest, Tor, who is escaping his own demons.

I was intrigued by the plot and thought that this would be a perfect holiday read. While it was interesting to learn more about Norwegian traditions, the storyline just feel a bit flat for me. It never really got beyond surface level—it took a lot of time to reveal the secrets of why Holly and Tor were in Norway; characters were introduced sporadically throughout the story but then not really elaborated on; the romance was prolonged and then rushed; I just didn’t root for the characters.

This had promise, and readers wanting a unique and charming holiday romance may very well enjoy it, but it wasn’t the festive book I was hoping for.

2.5 stars

First off, thank you to netgalley for the advanced copy of Christmas Island in exchange for an honest review.

What a sweet, cozy, slightly romantic novel. This one takes place on an island off the coast of Norway. Holly Greene decides to go visit her brother as her escape. While visiting her brother, she Mets Tor - the town “ hermit”. Slowly but surely Holly brings Tor to life.

Holly is a very relatable character. Just needed a little bit more character development with both Holly & Tor. I felt the romance between these two was lacking. Unfortunately, for me, I need my Christmay reads to have that romance factor and this one was in needed of more!

Another downfall for me was I felt the plot needed a little more development as well. But all in all, this was a very cute read and I can understand why people would love it.

A cosy and light festive read. I warmed to both the main characters instantly! Loved the food and countryside descriptions and of course the romance.

This book was featured in Pretty Books' '8 festive books to take you back to Christmas'. If reviewed, the publisher/author will be tagged!

Christmas Island by Natalie Normann
Londoner Holly Greene is retreating to her brother’s rustic home on an island off the coast of Norway. Only, it’s the middle of winter and icy slush plus endless darkness isn’t exactly the cheery, festive getaway she had imagined.

Nearly stumbling off the edge of a cliff in the dark, Holly is saved by Frøy, a yellow-eyed cat of fearsome but fluffy proportions, and his owner – grouchy, bearded recluse, Tor. Tor has his own problems to face but the inexplicable desire to leave a bag of freshly baked gingerbread men on Holly’s doorstep is seriously getting in the way of his hermit routine.

Call it kindness, call it Christmas, but Holly’s arrival means midwinter has never looked less bleak.

‘Christmas Island’ is the latest book by Natalie Normann.

After all the years of hard work it took Londoner Holly Greene to become a doctor, now it could all be taken away and she only has herself to blame. She’s retreating to her brother’s rustic home on an island off the coast of Norway to lick her wounds. Only, it’s the middle of winter and icy slush plus endless darkness isn’t exactly the cheery, festive getaway she had imagined. Nearly stumbling off the edge of a cliff in the dark, Holly is saved by Frøy, a yellow-eyed cat of fearsome but fluffy proportions, and his owner – grouchy, bearded recluse, Tor. Tor has his own problems to face but the inexplicable desire to leave a bag of freshly baked gingerbread men on Holly’s doorstep is seriously getting in the way of his hermit routine. Call it kindness, call it Christmas, but Holly’s arrival means midwinter has never looked less bleak.

If you’re a fan of Christmas and need a distraction, then I would wholeheartedly recommend this warm hearted Norwegian story.

The story is seen through the narrative of Holly and Tor who meet when Tor rescues Holly from almost falling off a cliff, when she first arrives on an island in Norway to visit her brother at Christmas. At first, the pair are tentative towards each other, they’re both at a crossroads in their lives and uncertain as to what will happen next so they decide to enjoy their time together, as they celebrate Christmas with the residents of the island.

I adored this book, life is grim right now with lockdowns and restrictions so it was wonderful to escape into this romantic and festive story that is brimming with delicious flavours, recipes and smells. Throughout the book, my mouth was literally salivating at the delicious food that was created and it was lovely to read the various traditions that are done each year.

The main characters are lovely, Holly is instantly likeable and relatable with her fun personality. Tor is quite a guarded character, who’s locally known as ‘the hermit of the island’ but Holly helps bring him out of the shell and embrace the locals. There’s an sense of underlying sadness with both characters, as they are both are going through hardships and they are drawn to each other for comfort. One of my favourite characters in the book was actually a cat called Frøy, I loved his personality and his mood swings, one minute he loved her owner Tor and the next he wouldn’t look at him. Even though, Tor is the hermit of the island, Frøy is notorious, going from various houses for food and comfort.

Beautifully written and wonderfully descriptive with heartwarming characters and flavours that will instantly brighten your day. ‘Christmas Island’ is a charming and engaging story about new friendships and new beginnings that read like a hug in a mug.

You can buy ‘Christmas Island’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

3.5 stars

Christmas Island follows Holly as she leaves her life in London to visit her brother in Norway. However, her brother is still in Spain visiting his family in law but he'll be back for Christmas. In the meantime, Holly meets the people there and especially the hermit of the town, Tor. He's never really spoke to anyone and he prefers it that way. Or at least, he used to.

Now, Christmas Island charmed me with its setting and the premise of this romance. Overall, this was a cute story I enjoyed reading. However, I can't help but feel like I could have loved it a bit more, especially in the romance department where I lost interest once they slept together (there was no descriptive sex in the book by the way) as the sparks were a bit lacking. My second issue was with the constant mentions of food. While it's nice at first to discover and read about new foods, here it was way too much!! Every page of the book, the characters were eating something while nothing much happened and that frustrated me after a while. I also found the last scene rushed. Other than that, it was still an enjoyable romance story. If you want to read a book set in Norway, this one should be on your list.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)