🌊Putting some love & joy back into the 🎄Christmas season😍

I loved this! It's a moving story with great characters, including an adorable shih tzu named Mr. Pickles that inadvertently brings together two grieving and lonely thirty-something residents of small Whitsborough Bay.

Jessica Redland really writes wonderful characters who've coped with hard times. Cafe owner Hollie and nurse Jake have both suffered great loss and yet they're not bitter or selfish; they seem to embrace the positive and serve others even while they hide their grief. They are both lovely, complex characters and it was easy to get wrapped up in their romance.

It's ironic that Hollie, from a Christmas-crazy family, finds the season so depressing and traumatic. The story is told by alternating past years with the present to reveal bit by bit why Hollie so dislikes the Christmas season and why Jake can't let go of the tragic events that took his family.

An excellent, sweet romance with all the feels and a lovely cast of supporting characters, sprinkled with a few bad eggs like Jake's obsessed sister and Hollie's erstwhile fiance Craig.

I've been reading the author's romances for a few years now and never met one I did not like. Still, this is, IMO, one of her better ones.

Thanks to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

This is a lovely story of love and of loss and how it tempers our lives and our choices.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a wonderful tale this is. I couldn't put it down.

A story of two heartbroken, lost souls who have lived within just a short distance, their lives connected - although they weren't aware.

One of the very best things about 2021 for me has been discovering Jessica Redland's books and this is my favourite so far!

Thoroughly recommended.

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Another brilliant book from Jessica.

Hollie inherits The Starfish Cafe from her mom and has kept as many of her mom’s traditions as she can. She is still grieving the loss and of her family following a accident at sea and doesn’t want to let anyone get close.
Jake finds a dog wandering around on the beach and ends up in her cafe to see if she knows who the dogs owner is. The dogs owner has recently gone into a care home and can no longer look after him and her family decide they don’t want him either so Jake and Hollie decide to share ownership of the dog between Jake’s shifts as a nurse and the cafe.
There friendship blossoms slowly and they find themselves falling for each other. Can they put all the hurt from the past behind them and move forward together or will the past break them apart.

Firstly, before you read this book, have tissues avaliable. You will need them. Be prepared to fall in love with Jake and Hollie.

There are so many amazing things about this book that I'm honestly not sure where to start.

If you've ever lost someone, you'll relate to certain parts of this book and find yourself appreciating someone voicing feelings that perhaps you couldn't voice at the time.

I love the mention of the RNLI in the book, they are an organisation that mean alot to me and I'm glad they are getting the recognition they deserve in this book. If you are buying this book through amazon, perhaps use the smile feature and choose the RNLI as your charity to donate to when you purchase this book.

I posted in a Facebook group asking if anyone wondered how much of a story is based on an author's life and how much of it is really great story telling and research. This book had me asking that question because the book is so well written.

I was pleased to read in the acknowledgements that there will be a sequel to this book as I honestly believe it is Jessica Redland's best book yet!

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Jessica Redland for the ARC copy, I absolutely adored this book! A really emotional, but sensitive festive read.
Jake and Hollie meet through chance circumstances and form a friendship that helps them navigate through their grief and move forward with the help of the little teddy bear dog.
It’s a really gently done, lovely telling of two people moving through their grief process. I really could not put this down. It was so clever how we slowly learn the character’s stories, leaving you desperate to know more. I read into the early hours to uncover their pasts.
The addition of humor at the most perfect moments gave this a real lift. It is a heavy subject but is done in a way that leaves you not feeling sad, but refreshed.
I would love to visit this little cafe, through reading this, I found myself wrapped up in a warm Christmas cuddle and didn’t want it to end. I was delighted to find out there would be a follow up of these gorgeous characters. Mr Pickles was the perfect little addition to really make this sing, the little dog had the most adorable character and added that extra bit of sparkle to this excellent festive read!

I thought that this book was a cute little romance novel. I enjoyed getting to see the main characters Hollie and Jake fall in love and work through their fears to let themselves love another person. I loved all the side characters as well. Overall i think this is a cute little christmas story.

This is my second book by Jessica Redland and, like the first one I read, I absolutely loved it. She writes her books beautifully, making me laugh and cry in equal measure. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

Absolutely loved loved loved this book, the setting and storyline were amazing, we follow Hollie and Jake through heartbreak and tragedy who meet after Jake rescues a dog running round the beach and he goes to her cafe to see if anyone has lost the poor pup, a friendship blossoms between them and they slowly start to fix each other, this book was close to my heart with the topics of the RNLI and cancer and I must admit I was in tears at points throughout this delightful book.
Wonderfully written from both Hollie and Jake's point of view, descriptive and just overall WOW
Loved it and would highly recommend this read, but you will need tissues

Jessica is my go to author when I need a wonderful story full of love, families and happy endings. I know I have a favourite author for life, I don’t even need to read the blurb to know I will love it.
Hollie and Jake meet after Jake finds a lost dog on the beach near the cafè and a friendship starts to bloom. Both have had traumatic pasts but will this new friendship be everything both of them need?
A perfect Christmas read.

Jessica Redland is my 'go to' author when I need something to read that I know will be wonderful. I don't even need to read the synopsis to know that I'll enjoy it. This was no exception. This lady's writing is superb. The characters really come alive and the prose is truly lovely. This is a romantic - often quite sad - story about two people, Hollie and Jake, who have both been dealt a really bad hand in life. From childhood to the present day they have faced more heartache than many face in a lifetime and it has coloured their attitude to love, holding them back from committing to other people. Holly runs the Starfish Cafe and I enjoyed reading about some of the customers who visit. Hollie is assisted in the Cafe by her late mum's best friend whose kindness and concern help Hollie through some heart breaking times. Into this picture comes a sweet rescue dog called Mr. PickIes who brings Hollie and Jake together but will their friendship stay platonic or could it develop into something more? I loved the alternative chapters from both Hollie's and Jake's point of view which gave details of both of their tragic pasts and how they see their future lives. As with every book of Jessica's that I've read I was moved to tears, of sadness and happiness and was sad to leave these characters behind as the book came to an end. However, the good news, revealed by the author at the end, was that there is to be a sequel!!! I am so looking forward to that. For a gentle, Christmassy, romantic and beautifully written book look no further than this (and hopefully the follow up). My thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood books for a pre release copy of this book in exchange for my review.

A lot more than a Christmas themed book, Snowflakes Over The Starfish Cafe is a story about how to overcome one's grief and fears and give the future a chance, how to "keep dancing in the rain". This book is both sad and happy. Heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time.
Jessica Redland's writing is beautiful, it flows easily and the two POV narration is mastered sublimely and you really feel inside Hollie and Jake's minds, and almost feel what they feel.
I loved this book immensely, but when I thought a couldn't love it more, I got to the the author's note and discovered there will be a sequel! YAY!! Can't wait for it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book really provides an excellent form of escapism, which I really needed.. This is a love story between Hollie and Jake,they both needed the courage to stop letting the past control their future,which could have gone in many different directions.. It is set in a beautiful seaside resort and it’s a perfect form of escapism. Hopefully there I’ll be a sequel and I will definitely want to read it.. This is my first book of Jessica’s and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I wasn't too excited to read this book in August as it's a Christmas book, but as Net Galley were kind enough to send me a copy to review, I got stuck in.

I was drawn into the book from the start. It has the usual central couple, their friends and family and the not so nice characters.

The central characters, Jake and and Hollie are both damaged people due to events in their early lives. With support from friends, family and each other they overcome these problem's.

In places the book brought a lump to my throat - and this rarely happens to me.

I have already read the Hedgehog Hollow books by this author, and will certainly be reading more of her books.

I don’t where to start . This book was sad, happy and amazing. You need tissues. My son asked why I was crying. What respect for lifeboat men. Told by two people who had been so hurt and were so lost. Siblings can be so cruel. . It is a must must read. Jessica is an amazing author

I loved this book from the start and wanted to know what was going to happen with the characters. I really liked the way each chapter swapped between the characters. The characters have depth and you can feel the emotions of each of them, I’ve laughed and cried through this book,

I hope we revisit in the future

This is such a gorgeous festive story, with great characters and a lovely plot. I’ve been left pining for cosy wintery evenings and hot chocolate now after reading. Yet another perfect book from Jessica Redland.

Thank you @Netgalley and @Boldwoodbooks for providing with an ARC of “Snowflakes Over the Starfish Café” to read and honestly review!✨

This touching story follows Hollie and Jake, two characters that are both deeply troubled by events that crushed them in their past, both longing for a sense of love, belonging and familiarity. When they meet each other, both are struck with everything they had been looking for, and unlock the chance to heal each other, and fall in love with living once again.

Before I start this review, I ought to enclose that I did not manage to finish this book. I got through 70% of the story, before I decided that, after all, it was not for me.

First things first, I better get down to my favorite part of this book; the writing. The author managed to create two distinctly unique main characters, with two very different, yet closely entwined lives. The way she wrote managed to string up emotion, and get her readers familiar with both Jake and Hollie’s mental states. She handled the first person POV perfectly, and her writing truly flowed from the very first moment🙌🏻

On the other hand, it is indeed true that I struggled with this book. My main trouble throughout reading was the pacing. We spend a great deal of the book, getting incredibly detailed descriptions of both Jake and Hollie’s lives—in two and more timelines—which could honestly had been omitted, since, in my view, they did not add more to the story. On the contrary, sometimes the chapters dragged, and I got easily distracted; I usually ended up baffled by whether or not the scene I had just read actually contributed to the plot. That was, ultimately, what kept me from finishing this book.

Moreover, I struggled seeing the connection between Hollie and Jake. I was not entirely hooked by the way they were brought together or the development of their relationship. Maybe their trauma was what kept me from believing in the reality of their attraction towards each other—were they really in love? Was it too soon? Did it make sense (to me)?

All in all, I really loved the premise and idea of “Snowflakes over the Starfish Café” but personally left this book empty-handed. Is it a touching love story? Yes. Mostly depends on the reader. Would I recommend this to romance lovers? Yes. Absolutely. It’s only after one can read that they can judge a book. I would totally recommend this book to a friend, or a romance nerd that was looking for a cute romance holiday read.

And hey!! Just because it wasn’t MY cup of tea, does not mean it won’t be YOURS! After all, that is what makes us interesting; we do not always like the same things! And if we did, wouldn’t the world be rather boring?🤗

[2.5/⭐️]

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review.

What a lovely Christmas holiday read. Hollie and Jake are drawn together by Mr Pickles - they both have traumatic pasts and are avoiding love and relationships. I loved being back in Whitsborough Bay and also reading little glimpses of characters I've read about in previous books.

Another winner from Jessica Redland.

"With courage, nothing is impossible."

Snowflakes Over The Starfish Cafe is a beautiful love story of two people overcoming tragedies and determined to stay away from love. Well, they find each other and Mr Pickles, and the story takes an interesting turn.

The effects of our past, and the emotional turmoil to overcome it and move towards a better future is not as easy as we'd want it to be.

Hallie and Jake have been through a tough time and find it difficult to accept love, the story revolves around them falling in love and their lives before they met each other.

The book talks about family, love, loss of loved ones and the challenging process of recovery. I enjoyed reading Snowflakes Over The Starfish Cafe, though I do think the book is a bit slow and story seems dragged at some instances.

It's been a great read and readers who enjoy romance novels should give it a try.

Thank you Netgalley, publishers and author, Jessica Redland for the ARC.