Daisy is the artist-in-residence at Fox Farm when the owner, Jean, falls ill. The farm has its issues and Alex, Jean's nephew, does his best to sort it all out. Enter Sebastian, Alex's cousin, the most obnoxious character I have read in a book in a while! Yikes, he was a bad egg!

The author of this book is clearly a skilled storyteller, because I got completely emotionally involved in this story. I felt the emotional pain of Daisy, Alex and Jean; I could picture Lisa and her attitude, I was cheering on Nicky and I was visualising the Yorkshire Dales (somewhere I have never been). I now want to go to Yorkshire (if COVID ever lets us travel again, that is), pretty badly.

A lovely story, but not short of drama either, just like in real life. Not a light and fluffy tale but a really nice love story, nevertheless. Not just romantic love but familial love and the love of community, as well.

4.5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.

Daisy always felt as if Fox Farm was home and when she decided to return and spend Christmas there, her expectations were high. But when the unexpected happens, it will take everything she has to make sure Christmas continues on. Jean, the owner of Fox Farm, and the residents of the village, are the closest family Daisy has ever had. When Jean becomes ill, Daisy jumps at the opportunity to help her and makes sure all the holiday festivities continue on. Jean’s nephew Alex, is roped into helping Daisy. Alex hates Christmas and Daisy is the complete opposite and loves Christmas. I really enjoyed the banter back and forth between Alex and Daisy. This story was a charming read and I enjoyed the flow of the story. I liked the build-up to the Christmas season and how the story unfolded. The auth pulls you into the story and doesn’t let you go. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Helen Pollard for such a wonderful story. I absolutely loved the feisty characters. The well developed characters made the story come alive, while the plot kept me completely engrossed in the book. I loved it, and I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Bookouture, Netgalley, and Helen Pollard for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!

What a lovely story! Almost from the first page, I was enveloped in this wintery wonderland and just mesmerized by the plot and its characters. Daisy is a wonderful underdog who you can’t help rooting for. She has a heart of gold and truly loves Fox Farm.

Alex is definitely her opposite in a lot of ways. He does not trust, he is rash, he is quick to judge, and quite frankly, there are times I do not like him very much. I think he complements Daisy well and the two together really add to this story.

I love Jean! I think she is a bit of a sneaky character, and she is just the type of woman that you want to throw your arms around and do whatever you can for her. After her episode you can see just how much she is cared for and how much she is relied upon.

While I would not say this is a Christmas story per se, it is a fantastic winter story set in the time leading up to Christmas. I could see myself reading this one again, and encourage you to give it a try!!!

Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I love reading Christmas books so when I saw this one I just had to read it.

I really loved the setting of this book. Fox Farm is the perfect place to set a festive story. It’s full of atmosphere, cosy rooms and snow topped views. I felt so easily transported there.

Daisy has never felt like she fit anywhere but Fox Farm really has felt like home. I really liked Daisy. She has a sensible head and cares about the important things in life. Doing the things you love and enjoying every day. Daisy is not a materialistic person at all. I loved her whimsy style too.

Alex oh Alex. This hunky gardener truly has a heart of gold. This guy goes above and beyond in this book for his family. He clearly loves Aunt Jean and will do his very best to fulfil her wishes. I did feel rather sorry for him at times. He was being pulled in so many directions I wanted to just tell him to take 5.

This is a great book to put you in the festive mood. There are lots of funny scenes that you can easily relate to. I loved all the Christmas touches. I can’t wait to really dig my teeth into more Christmas books now!

This is the first book that I have read by Helen Pollard, although I have read and enjoyed some of her short stories that featured in the fantastic Miss Moonshine's Emporium Anthologies.
I was drawn to the very festive cover of this book. It turns out that this book is not quite as festive as I imagined it to be. The book starts in October, for Halloween and then builds up to the festive season. I enjoy Autumnal book, it wasn't what I expected though from the cover of the book. This is a good book to read in the lead up to Christmas.
I enjoyed reading this book, Jean was a lovely Character. Alex and Daisy had not had easy childhoods, and I was hoping that they would find their HEA.
The setting of Fox Farm was lovely, it definitely sounds like somewhere that I would love to visit. The writing was very detailed, and it was easy to picture the Farm.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

Every Christmas reading list needs a good English Christmas story. And it doesn't get much better than a Yorkshire Christmas in the country.

Fox Farm is an artist oasis. There's a gallery featuring local artists with a cafe plus there's a studio with an artist in residence. It's very idyllic and just how I like my snowy Christmases. I'm getting too old and enjoy warm weather too much to actually enjoy the cold temps that accompany such a picturesque setting.

The story starts with the farm's owner Jean having a stroke. Her nephew, who owns a garden center and nursery nearby, has to take over running the Farm in her absence. Alex loves Jean dearly and will do anything to help her keep the farm operational. But the task may be too great and the opposition from family and employees just adds to the headache. The one bright spot - he's gotten to know the resident artist Daisy and in the midst of all the chaos he may have found his one.

I enjoyed all the characters. Daisy and Alex didn't have the happiest of childhoods and the scars it inflicted have them walling themselves from meaningful relationships.

Christmas at Fox Farm had a bit more angst than your typical feel-good Christmas romance. Daisy and Alex aren't kept apart just because they are scared of opening themselves up to another person, they make a number of assumptions about the other that leads to misunderstandings and harsh words. In addition to the stumbling blocks in Daisy and Alex's path, there is Alex's nephew Scrooge... I mean Sebastion. He is quite deplorable and I constantly went back and forth between hoping Jean would write him out of her will and hoping that the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future paid him a visit.

If you like your Christmas romance to have a hint of heat, there is definitely a wisp or two of steam. The scenes aren't too descriptive and "fade to black" pretty quickly but Daisy and Alex are definitely doing more than innocently kissing.

About halfway through I saw the perfect solution and I anxiously turned the pages waiting to see if the characters came to the same conclusion.

Christmas at Fox Farm is a full-length novel and while it is a pretty quick read, the things keeping Daisy and Alex apart are drawn out more than I like in my Christmas books. Overall, though it is an enjoyable book and maybe the angst and drama of this novel will keep me from going into a sweetness overload that a steady diet of Christmas romances tends to do each year.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Wednesday, Sept. 29 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/09/get-started-on-your-christmas-reading.html

This was a really good read. Old age is rubbish . I loved how everyone tried to work together even though they were wary of Alex. I loved the writer in the house and how he used Daisy. Poor Alex was run ragged. Glad he and his mum found a way forward . I would love to have brought some of Daisy’s cards. Considering Alex and Daisy had had such rubbish childhoods they turned out well. Poor Jean but her dream did succeed . A lovely love story . A must relaxing and enjoyable read

This story is mainly about how Alex and Daisy, both scarred from a troubled childhood, can leave behind their past and find a future together.
I liked the setting and most of the supporting characters. However, I would have been more interested in the comings and goings at Fox Farm. It might be my age, but I found the romance parts a bit too lengthy and too much. Also, I found the pace of the story a bit too slow. Luckily, it did gain momentum towards the end and from then on it was quite interesting.
I would recommend it to anyone who loves romances.

This is such a heart warming festive story that has left me pining for the Christmas season. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and felt very invested in the characters.

Highly recommend while sitting by a fire with a hot chocolate in hand!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this charming Christmas novel. I loved the characters and the plot was fantastic!

Christmas at Fox Farm by Helen Pollard
Published: September 29, 2021
Bookouture
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

As a child, Helen Pollard had a vivid imagination fuelled by her love of reading, so she started to create her own stories in a notebook. Now a bestselling author of contemporary romance, she believes that good characterization is the key to a successful book and loves infusing her writing with humor and heart. Helen is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Society of Authors.

“Christmas is a magical time of year.”

Jean Fox owns Fox Farm and is a big piece of her tiny village. Her holiday festivities are legendary, and her passion, talent, and heart are well known. When Jean suffers a sudden stroke, Daisy (this year's live-in artist) and Alex (Jean’s devoted great-nephew) are thrust together to try and keep Fox Farms going. Will the challenge be too great?

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… sigh. This was a very charming story. I enjoyed the characters, the scenery, and the love between dreams and reality.

Jean was such a feisty character. I enjoyed getting to know her. It was quite fantastic the role she played throughout this novel, and I love how every other character adored her. Alex was a sweet character. I love the bond he and Jean have. And that Fox Farms played such a big part in making Alex who he is. Daisy was every part the lovely leading lady. She was so sweet yet sassy, talented, and intelligent, but she also had such a vulnerability about her.

Fox Farm was also a prominent character in this novel, and the descriptions were beautiful. The descriptions are so detailed that the imagery leaps from the pages. Your imagination will have no trouble visualizing the beauty that is contained within the walls of Fox Farm.

I enjoyed the build-up and the way things played out. This wasn’t a fast-paced read, but it also wasn’t a slow burn. It moved along at a realistic pace; the emotions, stress, anxiety, fear were all so realistically written. This was such a sweet story, with so many moments that tug at your heart.

Christmas is coming early this year, and this novel is a brilliant gift! A heartwarming romance, and the power of forgiveness and acceptance, wrapped neatly with a happily ever after.

After a lifetime of uncertainty and constantly moving, it seems like Daisy has finally landed on her feet. Fox Farm is a beautiful place complete with a café, a pottery studio and even a gift shop. However when Jean, the owner, falls ill, things change drastically, starting with the arrival of her nephew. Turns out there's a lot to work on and Daisy and Alex can't agree on anything in the beginning - but eventually they become a team. All Daisy wanted was a place to call home for the year that was promised to her, but will Jean's nephew end up standing in the way of that?

This book was really sweet and a delight to read. The premise seemed promising, but it did take a while to get going. Perfect for anyone who dreams of a White Christmas, or enjoys festive books and movies, especially with a healthy dash of romance and drama. Multiple times throughout I thought how I could already picture this as a Hallmark or Lifetime movie for the holidays, I think it would do really well. The characters were a lot of fun and all had great chemistry. I really wish there was a place like Fox Farm near where I lived!

What I loved:
- The setting: Who wouldn't want a White Christmas in the English countryside?
- The farm: So many times I wanted to visit the farm. It would be the perfect seasonal escape for me with all the festive eats and activities offered.
- Daisy: I thought she was really relatable and I really understood where she was coming from.
- The supporting characters/best friends/colleagues. Especially Grace and Jules.

What I didn't love:
- Sebastian: Did he really have to be so annoying? I guess the story needed drama, but his character felt over the top.
- The arguments: Most felt fine/realistic, but a few towards the end just felt a bit unnecessary.

Overall this was a really lovely Christmas-y escape that I definitely would recommend to a friend. I just wish I ended up loving it a little more.

Christmas at Fox Farm - Helen Pollard

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Living at Fox Farm, with its cosy café, beautiful pottery studio and charming gift shop, is a dream come true for thirty-one-year-old Daisy. The kindly owner, Jean, and the close-knit village feel like the home and family Daisy has never had. She’s been looking forward to her first magical Christmas in the countryside.

When Jean suddenly falls ill, Daisy is the first to lend a hand. She ropes in Alex – Jean’s handsome but stubborn nephew – to help her. When the pair discover the farm is almost bankrupt, it seems like the annual Christmas celebrations will be cancelled. Alex and Daisy need a plan, and quickly, if they are to pull off Christmas against the odds and save Fox Farm.

This book starts at Halloween and ends at Christmas, so perfect for reading at the beginning of festive season. It is a heart-warming holiday read filled with community spirit. Set in a beautiful location with fantastic descriptions I could clearly picture Fox Farm.

I thought this was an enjoyable, easy read. A delightful read, perfect for anyone that enjoys uplifting and festive romances. Unusually for me this book managed to hold my attention even with the slow pace as it is was just so well-written.

Rating 4/5

"Because she lives you for who you are. She doesn't look for anyone else within you."

This book takes place from Halloween to Christmas (so it's not all about Christmas!) So it's perfect to read this holiday season. If you're looking for a heartwarming holiday read (or are a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies), I think you'll be a fan of this one. I liked Jean and Daisy, but I didn't immediately love the other characters. However, I really appreciated the wonderful descriptions of the beautiful farm and it made me want to visit Fox Farm ASAP. I also liked how this book revolved around friendship, family and traditions. I really admired Daisy, the main character, for all that she did for Fox Farm and for Jean. I will say this book had more stress (mainly annoying characters lol) than I usually like in my sweet romance books, but I did still enjoy it.

Thank you so much to Bookouture and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book is due for publication September 29, 2021.

3.5⭐ rounded up

Heartwarming at times, but amazing all throughout, this book is all about the power of love, family, friendship, and giving! I liked it, but didn't love it as much as i thought i would. I expected it to be more Christmass-y (as the title suggests) but was surprised when it wasn't as much as it seemed. Overall, a nice loving read!

The setting for this novel is great and not as you think it may be. Love the story plus the characters and settings were really brought to life. Curl up and relax, enjoy the book and everything about it. I recommend this and give it 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this eARC

Christmas at Fox Farm is a nice book But

When I saw the title, the cover and the descrption of Christmas at Fox Farm I had visions of a book version of the lovely Hallmark Christmas films that are shown on Christmas 24 and similar channels.

Unfortunately, Christmas at Fox Farm just didn’t live up to my expectations and I felt a bit cheated with how little Christmas was in the story.

It’s a nice book, with nice characters but I started reading it expecting a Christmassy story which never really materialized.

Sorry, had it not looked so much like a real Chrismassy book I may have enjoyed it more and rated it higher, but the fact I felt cheated a little left me a little dissapointed

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

The setting of this story is lovely, not your normal farm, this one has a cafe and an art gallery that supports local artists. The farm is run by Jean, who never tires of helping out and keeping busy herself, she’s has run the farm for many years since her husband passed away.

Suddenly, she gets taken ill, and her nephew Alex is left to keep things running in her absence, along with his own business. He wants to carry on as Jean wants him to, but at the same time keep her other nephew Sebastian away from the goings on. He’s not one to be trusted at all.

If he’s not got that to deal with, there’s also an artist staying at the farm, Daisy, whose not sure what to make of Alex and the way he’s handling running the farm in Jean’s absence.

The story is set with a winter theme, first Halloween 🎃 which then leads onto Christmas 🎄.

It’s not a Christmassy book as such but it is a book to get you into the mood for Christmas reading.

That is, apart from reading about Sebastian, for whom you’ll feel hate vibes instead of Christmas vibes.

After reading a particularly dark book I needed something light and Christmas at Fox Farm was just what I needed. It is described as a heart-warming and uplifting Christmas romance and that is just what it is. I really loved it and would love to visit Fox Farm.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.

A heart-warming festive read with plenty of drama sprinkled throughout.

I adored the setting of Fox Farm in the Yorkshire countryside and would love to go Christmas shopping there myself.

Here's hoping for a future return trip! It would be wonderful to discover what happens next.