What a sweet and uplifting book this is, with loveable characters Cathy, Matthias and Erica. Unfortunately, it has some annoying characters too. It is filled with warmth, love, baking and some will they, won't they moments.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tilly Tennant and Bookouture for an ARC of Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen. In exchange for the ARC I am giving my personal review.
Cathy's Christmas Kitchen is a story about Cathy and her love of baking she got from her Mother who recently had passed away.
The story had a little bit of everything in it from friendship- fun- baking- mystery and romance.
I normally start reading and within a few pages I am lost in the story and words but this one did not seem to hold my attention. I read it and said to myself--- it was OK but not one of the best Christmas based books I have read.

Another lovely easy read. The characters were relatable and the story flowed well. There was enough side story to make it feel different from all the other baking novels out there. Its a perfect cosy afternoon in front of the fire style book.
Many thanks to Tilly Tennant and Netgalley for the early e book copy.

Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen by Tilly Tennant

I love this time of year when all the Christmas books from my favourite authors are appearing on the shelves. I usually find a few by authors who are new to me as well. Tilly Tennant is one of those authors whose books I always look forward to with great anticipation, knowing I’m in for a treat. Alas, this one just didn’t do it for me. There were the usual strong and interesting characters I would expect from her but the storyline was lacking. I kept thinking that something was going to happen, but it really didn’t. I don’t even feel it lives up to its description of a heart-warming, feel-good romantic comedy. The story is, however, filled with references to cakes and baking, which had me itching to get into the kitchen and start mixing. Not a book I can recommend, but I’ll be looking out for Tilly’s next release nonetheless.

Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen - Tilly Tennant

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review thanks to BookOuture and Netgalley.

Cathy was taught how to bake by her mother. Following the death of her Mother, Cathy is learning how to deal with the prospect of spending her first Christmas alone. With the help of her new friend Erica, starts up a baking class for the residents of Linnetford.

This is not your typical Christmas romance novel but it is a very enjoyable read. This is the first book I have read by Tilly and I found her writing style very enjoyable.

Difficult topics such as ; death of a loved one, loneliness, isolation and caregiving are handled in a delicate manner.

Rating: 4/5
After reading this, I am looking forward to the home baked treats of the Christmas season.

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for granting me a copy of this book!

Thank You Netgalley and Bookouture for approving this ARC!

Cathy is moaning at the death of her mother and the only way she remembers her is through her mother's brilliant recipes which Cathy also uses. She gets an unexpected invitation from the church, she used to attend with her father many years ago for a coffee and so she decides at the last minute to attend the coffee. Before attending, she starts making some of her mother's delicious recipes and takes the baked goods to church. At church, the group was in awe at her baking and insists she starts cookery classes at the church. Despite the initial hesitance, Cathy give in and starts the cookery classes and while doing the classes, she makes many new friends and also finds a bit of romance...

I have read The Waffle House on the Pier and the plot line is a bit similar--along with the death of her mother, she was also heartbroken when Jonas, her ex-boyfriend ends things with her long time ago and marries someone else. However, the story itself talks about friendship, as well as about community uniting together and also supporting each other. The descriptions of the cakes like banana loaf and fruit cake, made my mouth water and made me want to have one as well. The writing was good as the author did a good job, bringing the reader into the story. The story was actually fun to read, cozy and enjoyable with some comedic scenes in the book.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book--I should say, this book is a perfect one to read for Christmas. Worth four stars!

Another wonderful book from Tilly! I don’t even read the blurb an6more I just know I’ll love it, and I wasn’t disappointed :)

This is a sweet book that I think readers will want to curl up with!
Cathy is dealing with the death of her mother and what to do now that she doesn't have to be her caregiver anymore. I liked Cathy and I liked all the baking! I wanted to be there in her kitchen and smell all the goodness she was making.
I like that we get a look at the lonely side of caregiving. I don't think everyone realizes what its like. I liked seeing Cathy grow into her new sort of self.

A cute, charming book!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I’m really becoming a fan of Tilly Tennant books, they’re great to read. This one was very enjoyable, the characters are developed well, they’re believable and relatable.

It was OK. I think I expected something different. It didn't feel much like a Christmas book. Nothing happened for the first 20% of the book and then a blender is stolen. Nothing much happens throughout the book. I would have liked to read more about the actual cooking classes. I found most of the characters unlikeable. Cathy didn't need to do everything for her mom, she could have had assistance. Although, I'm guessing they had a very co-dependant relationship with each other. I hated how everyone made excuses for Tansy. She was simply a brat. She chose to be rude to people and deliberately went out of her way to be mean. Everything she did was on purpose. I really didn't love Cathy. The whole Jonas storyline was a little unbelievable. It's been five years, would all of that really happen?

Give the book a try, it just wasn't for me. I look forward to reading more books by the author. I loved the cover of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cathy's Christmas Kitchen was a pleasant surprise of a book. The story revolves around Cathy who is still kind of trying to find her place after the death of her mother. She was her mom's caregiver so her life had really revolved around her. The story explores her new friendships, taking risks, and well, doing a lot of baking. It deals with some things we normally do not read a whole lot about like the loneliness of caregivers and trying to be social when you are a bit older. Great book.

Cathy has lived her life devoted to her ill mother. When her mother passes away, Cathy spends her time exploring her mother’s recipes and making cakes for friends. When she joins a church group for charity, her life opens to new friendships and her devotion to baking is heightened when she teaches classes for the group. Cathy is a quiet and gentle character and this is a heart-warming book. Readers will want to join her in her cozy kitchen for a slice of cake and a cup of tea. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This truly is a wonderful feel good story. After the death of her mother, Cathy decides to attend a charity tea at a local church, and ends up meeting a few people. Since she had taken care of her mother for so many years, she was now lonely and isolated, so this was a good way to explore options. As someone who could bake, and bake well, she got talked into teaching basic baking skills at the church. When her friend Erica brings her troubled niece Tansy, it gets more complicated, and then meeting Matt, Erica's brother and Tansy's uncle, it gets more involved when they start dating. Characters and story kept my interest, and found this one hard to put down. Highly recommend this book and author. I have enjoyed other books by her, and this one is no exception. Fun story.

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and fun read. I am a sucker for books with food and romance, and this didn’t disappoint. It wasn’t your run-of-the-mill holiday romantic comedy book. It brushed around some rather dark themes which gave the book complexity without distracting from the romance.

What a brilliant heart warming read. The topics touched on in this book are very real and very relevant to lots of people and they really struck a chord with me. Every character introduced has something from their past or in their current situation that could have so easily pulled them down and been turned into a negative. I loved how they were all turned into positives in this book. Everyone’s imperfections were embraced making it beautiful and perfect in its own way. Cathy felt like she had nothing to offer, no purpose after seemingly giving up everything to nurse her sick mother, however her bravery brought her in contact with other similar minded people and friendships grew. Cathy had so much love to give and that showed in her interactions with Tansy, as she took the time to get to know her and try and find a common ground and not just dismiss her as a moody teenager.
This was a lovely story about friendship and love and self acceptance.

A Christmastime Recipe.....
A Christmastime recipe - throw together a sprinkling of snow, a tiny village, gingerbread, fruitcake and a cast of colourful characters for a festive and heartwarming read. Will there be love and happiness in the mix? Enjoyable, escapist reading.

This was just a feel-good, heart-warming, sweet story. Cathy had spent much of her life learning to cook from her mother. After her mother died, Cathy worked at a local floral stall and was always bringing in her home-baked goodies to share with her friend who owned the stall. Her friend encouraged her to open her own stall with her baked goods, but Cathy was hesitant. Instead she organizes a weekly cooking class at a church. Cathy's former finance reappears at the floral stall; Cathy also meets an interesting man while out for a walk and then keeps running into him. So, of course there is a love story here as well as a cooking story. What's not to like?

This was a light read, but it was well-done and I always enjoy books that involve someone successful with their talent. A little romance never hurts either. I enjoyed the church ladies' bickering and reading about the cooking class was fun.

Thanks to Bookouture through Netgalley for an advance copy.

I've currently been reading a lot of Christmas books. With everything going on in the world right now, diving into fun and festive themed books, have really helped my mood. We could all use a little Christmas spirit right now, right?

I recently finished Cathy's Christmas Kitchen by Tilly Tennant. Another new author for me. It's been fun reading many new authors these last few months. Cathy's Christmas Kitchen wasn't as light-hearted as I was expecting. Not that it wasn't funny, because there were several laugh out loud moments that took place during the cooking classes that Cathy taught. It was a mix of some pretty heavy topics sprinkled with Cathy experiencing new joys in her life. I liked how Tennant handled these topics, such as being a caregiver, feelings of isolation & loneliness, and difficult family dynamics.

I felt like Cathy's story was well rounded and I was happy to see the growth of the character through out the book. She had to get out of her comfort zone to experience life in this new stage of life and it made for a great story!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to @netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#CathysChristmasKitchen #NetGalley

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another great book from Tilly.

Cathy starts running a weekly cookery class following the death of her mom. She makes some good friends at the group including Erica. Erica tries to fix Cathy up a date with her brother but Cathy isn’t interested after she meets a man walking his dog on the way to work. Little does she know they are the same person Matt.

In an effort to help overcome her loneliness following the death of her mother Cathy starts running a weekly cooking class at her local church to try to share her love of baking. She makes a new friend, Erica, who brings along her niece Tansy, who is a stroppy teenager who is a negative influence on the class. Throw in a potential love interest, Matt, who she meets when walking into work in the mornings with a dash of uncertainty when her ex fiance Jason turns back up 5 years after moving to Scotland with his new wife.
An interesting mix of characters in the cookery class who have the potential to be the basis of further linked stories in a series. Some lighthearted moments are counterbalanced by the different issues that the various characters have. Cathy is very lonely after spending years looking after her mother who was sleep doing with a debilitating disease. Tansy struggles with her mother's succession of boyfriends and lack of love at home. So not a lighthearted read in my view, rather one that makes you think about those who are striving to overcome their own issues and, hopefully, how lucky you are yourself in your own life. Although set around Christmas time it is worth a read at any time of the year.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.