Cover Image: Christmas by the Coast

Christmas by the Coast

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Thank you to Netgalley, Aria, And Mandy Baggot for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story! This is my perfect combination of story characteristics: sad event, underlying mood, and the most amazing characters! The entire way through I was rooting for Harriet, and at times yelling at her about what direction she should be taking her life lol. The cast of characters in this one is just too perfect, and the amputee representation was great! I love the feathered presence (I won’t ruin the joy of you getting to read what her name is for the first time lol), the small town community is present and wonderful, and of course there are many decisions to be made that leave the reader hopeful they will make the “right” choices!

While this story has some of the spirit of Christmas, I wouldn’t out and out call it a Christmas story. But so many great live stories occur at Christmas, so the timing was perfect (and it’s my favourite time of year so give me all of the Christmas!)

Full of love, laughter, grief, and surprises, Christmas by the Coast is a story that will make you want to revisit again and again. I know I will be!!!

Was this review helpful?

This has to be made into a movie!!!

It's a laugh out load story about finding yourself and family. It's also got all the romance which I loved.

I love this books so much and loved Harris and Mack. It's kind of like the Serendipity movie where the characters meet unexpectedly.

Start to finish I loved it and had all the feels

Was this review helpful?

Another fun romp from Mandy Baggot, this time on the American coast during the magic of Christmas.

Harriet has a successful job, boyfriend and a lovely flat mate, but when her American grandmother dies shortly before Christmas she travels to the other side of the Atlantic to help her grandfather.

Once there she does not expect to bump into Mack, her old pen pal and the love of her life…

This book brings all the Christmas feels, you can smell the cinnamon and spices as you’re reading it! It’s a great read with happy ever afters all round. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

What a beautiful book on family, festive traditions and finding yourself.
I loved finding out more about Mack and Harriet, the chemistry was perfect, the sweet story hit the spot.

Was this review helpful?

Really enjoyed this book. Its romantic and exciting and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters.

It's serendipity that Harri and Mack meet and unexpected. I love the banter they have between them. The tooting and froing of the relationship dramas and the anticipation of whether Mack will explain what happened or if Harri will be left thinking about it.

I love the festivities, one part I particularly loved was the description looking through a shop window near the end. The description made me feel so happy and festive.

A brilliantly romantic book with a bit of comedy and some super wise words from Harri's late Nana.

Was this review helpful?

Please make this book into a Christmas movie. It's so perfect. What a lovely Christmas read. I needed some spirit in my life and this book delivered in spades. The characters are lovely and make you fall in love with them and their story.

Was this review helpful?

Wonderful and heartwarming. A story about family, friends, love of all kinds and destiny. Absolutely delightful.
I enjoyed the trip to Montauk, the beach is perfect even at Christmas. Lovers finally brought together and family reunion that brought me to tears. This story filled my heart and left it singing.

Was this review helpful?

More women's fiction than romance. Because of the cover I expected more of a romance and I didn't get it. It was okay. I liked the story but it was disappointing.

Was this review helpful?

I’ve always been a fan of Mandy Baggot’s novels and her latest book, Christmas by the Coast is another fabulous five star read. This book certainly covers everything: love; loss; friendship; hope and community all set in beautiful Montauk. There book takes you on a wide range of emotions with some funny parts, sad parts, uplifting parts and purely wonderful characters, not forgetting the parrot! All in all a beautiful festive read that I can highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley, Aria and the author for the chance to review.

Was this review helpful?

I do love a Mandy Baggot book! Romance with a touch of ‘laugh out loud’ comedy thrown in, and her descriptions of places make you want to get on the next available airplane.
This one is based in Montauk….now on my bucket list of places to visit, and tells the story of Harriet who has flown there for her grandmothers funeral.
Whilst this subject initially sounds depressing, please don’t let it put you off as the story has so much more! Family, friendships, love, community spirit, second chances, a bonkers parrot named Meryl Cheep and a little Christmas spirit thrown in.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mandy Baggot and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

If someone would ask me to list my favorite holiday reads, I'll make sure Christmas by the Coast is on the list. This is by far the warmest holiday book I've read this year!

The cover would suggest that it's mainly romance, but personally, I think this book is really more than that. I was impressed at how the book managed to portray the essence of Christmas—love, family, community, festivities—without losing focus on the love story of the main characters. Even though the book started with Harriet losing her Nana (this is not a spoiler, I swear), my reading experience did not feel so sad at all. More than anything, I felt enthusiastic! That kind of feeling everyone gets when it's the holidays; that feeling of hope and eagerness to live life to the fullest. The characters are lovely and I adored them all... including Scooter and Meryl! There's just so much positivity in this book which makes it a perfect Christmas read!

Overall, Christmas by the Coast is a modern romance in all its sense. Reading this book gave me those butterflies you usually get with this genre – the love story, the trope... it's all there. But for me, this book is more than just your ordinary romance, it is packed with so much love coming from all directions you can't even imagine! I adored it, I would recommend it to everyone!

Was this review helpful?

Although a tiki bar is not the usual setting for a Christmas romance, this book is the perfect romance featuring some great characters, especially disabled vet Mack. Although Harriet has come with her boyfriend Iain, she and Mack are drawn to each other, as they had been once before. Told with warmth and humor, this is a satisfying read.

Was this review helpful?

Festive Romcom…
Tragedy, heartbreak and second chances in this enjoyable, warm festive romcom with a cast of colourful and credible characters and a lovely backdrop where ghosts of the past may well point to a promising future. A delightful read.

Was this review helpful?

A story of second chances, family feuds and Christmas. Harriet /Joanna finds out her beloved gran in America has died when she finds out her father (estranged from his family) isn't going she books herself on the first available flight. A really enjoyable book with a real Christmas feel, even with the thread of loss running though it. Well written great characters totally recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

“The Best Yet from Mandy”

The story is set in the Hamptons, USA with a beautiful setting.

The book is about a second chance at romance.

Following the news that her Grandmother has passed away, Harriet leaves to attend her funeral and be there for her Grandfather. But she’s also wondering why her dad doesn’t want to attend his mother’s funeral, is there something being hidden from her as to the reason why….

It was lovely to see the relationship between her Grandfather and Harriet, even though she’s not visited for a while.

Someone who she wasn’t expecting to see there was Mack. Throughout the story who get to see how Mack and Harriet know each other and them coming to realise what they both mean to each other now.

It also focused in part on her relationship with Iain, whom you could see was not right for her.

The other characters were lovely, Scarlet, Ruby and Lester adding to the story and I loved the dog Scooter and the bird 🦅 Meryl Cheep.

The story was not about the chemistry between Mack and Harriet, but more about the care they had for each other.

Of course, you had to have some Christmas fun thrown in, making this a warm and enjoyable read for the festive season.

Highly Recommend This Book

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely love a Christmas themed book. Makes you feel good! This was a lovely read........ .

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

Very lovely Christmas novel.

Was this review helpful?

A great Christmas Book. It really brings out the spirit of Christmas and community. I loved the theme of letters guiding Harriet both from her Grandmother and from her 'one that got away'. It will really warm your heart.

Was this review helpful?

WOW!

That's the best way of describing Christmas by the Coast, so I'll say it again..... WOW!!!

When her grandmother dies Lorraine drops everything and travels to America to support her grandfather and help with his famous tiki bar. In her past she had fallen in love with Mack, a soldier she wrote to while he was on tour, but he broke her heart.

On arrival she discovers Mack is a local.....

Do the reconcile? And how is her grandfather and the bar?

This is a very emotional read, tears and laughter throughout. Along with a few swear out loud moments!

All the characters are believable, as is the story line and you find yourself quickly invested in their inner turmoil.

A fantastic read, not to be missed.

Was this review helpful?

Christmas by the Coast is a little bit of Christmas magic and some feel good characters that is the perfect makings to a wonderful book. I loved the development of the characters and how they each individual handled their growth. It read like a Hallmark movie and it would be one I would love to watch!

Was this review helpful?