Bella is a primary school teacher who's boyfriend has left her just before Christmas and she wonders how she is going to carry on when she comes up with the idea of a gifting tree so the people in the village can ask for something they really need or nominate someone who needs something. A tag will be hung from the tree and someone can take the tag and buy the gift but it would all be anonymous so no-one would feel embarrassed
Nick who is a single dad after his wife left him and his son Freddie live next door. Freddie is in the class below Bella's but is being bullied by a child in her class which brings her closer to Nick
A lovely story of friendship and the spirit of Christmas

I love holiday stories, so I really wanted to like this one. I didn't. I did not understand some of the phrases, put the tin lid on it? thanks to Net Galley for the ARC, but this was not a favorite.

I received this book as an ARC. What can I say...... it is a lovely feel good Christmas story. Yes is it typical and similar to most romance fiction, however what I enjoyed most was the way the community came together through this book at the magical yet ever difficult time of the year. We all know how much we all try for that perfect picture book movie scene Christmas, but how much struggling going on behind doors we as humans hide so well the sub story in this book addresses this very issue and the wonderful feeling of community. Wonderful read.

I received an ARC of The Perfect Christmas Gift, by Katie Ginger. This is a sweet holiday love story. Bella and Nick have great chemistry.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advance of publication.
A wonderful Christmas romance, perfect to escape into with the aroma of mulled wine and a roaring fire. Two neighbours who both have their own heartache, support each other through the build up to Christmas. Different family experiences are relayed in a beautiful way which really evokes the season of goodwill and leaves you excited for the 1st December when the festive decorations can finally make an appearance. The story has a wonderful humour, with nods to school plays, village characters and the emotional pull of a young boy struggling to present a brave face.
The Perfect Christmas Gift is a heartwarming treat, and I've pinched the idea in the book for our own village!

This is ideal to read in front of an open fire with Carols playing in the back ground.

Although predictable this is a lovely Christmas romance.

A very easy read.

Bella is blindsided when she is dumped just before Christmas. She decides to put all her energies in to setting up a wishing tree to help out the less fortunate in the area which she lives and teaches.

Her next door neighbour Nick is struggling in the run up to the first Christmas as a single parent. He volunteers with his son to help out with the wishing tree and soon is falling for Bella, but when his ex suddenly reappears what will happen?

A great festive read.

So, I read another Christmas chick lit this week from netgalley. I can’t get enough of them! This was another sweet easy read, where we meet recently single Bella who decides to create a Christmas giving tree for the local community - and in the process becomes closer to single dad Nick and his son Freddie who volunteer to help out. Yes, this was predictable but that’s part of its charm. That’s why you pick up a book like this. It was heartwarming with characters you root for. I’ve never read a book by Katie Ginger before but I’ll definitely be looking out for other books by her from now on!

This novel is like a warm hug on a winter's day - heart warming if a bit predictable, but I loved it and read it in 2 sittings.

Bella and her long term boyfriend break up just before Christmas. Coincidentally there is a gorgeous single man (Nick) next door who has split up with his wife. Bella has a wonderful idea to involve the whole village giving gifts to those in need. When Nick and his son begin to help, things change between them.

The book may be even more comforting by the predicability, and I couldn't put it down.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4325750937

I only started reading Katie Ginger’s books in the last two years and was pretty much a fan from the off of the mix of descriptions that put you right there, coupled with lovely characters and nice spots of comedy. So colour me thrilled when I spotted this, not only was this a Christmas book by said author, but it had a giving tree? Best premise and idea for a Christmas book ever!!!

I was straight in there, knowing this would be feel good perfection, as it was, making me want to stay up late and get up early as I was so invested in this treat of a book. Definitely recommended for anyone looking for absolute feel good Christmas escapism!! Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review.

Beyond recommended,

Rating:5/5

Bella Moore is excited for Christmas that is until her boyfriend of five years breaks up with her. Utterly heart broken, she comes up with the idea for a giving tree to help others. Bellas' next door neighbor Nick is going through a similar heart break (his wife left him and his son). The two seem to really hit it off and have the beginnings of a budding romance. Only one problem, his wife comes back hoping to resume things as normal.

I really enjoyed reading this story and it certainly put me in the Christmas spirit.

Pros:
-Bella really powered through the heart break by focusing on something that would help others. This is exactly what the Christmas season is meant for: the giving to others. I appreciate that the author took the time to show what it is like to help others in need.
-Bella's family is such a funny, loving, and close knit bunch. I highly enjoyed their banter back and forth and their jokes. It made the story light and upbeat.
-Bella and Nick certainly had a lot of chemistry. I felt that they really understood each other since both had been left by their partners and all the feelings that come with it.
-The village setting was so quaint and set such a charming atmosphere for the story.
-Lots of adorable children due to the fact that Bella is a school teacher.

Cons:
-What did the letter say? I kept waiting for the author to explain, but it never was said what Evan's last words were.
-A very slow romance. I mean super slow and nothing really starts to happen until chapter twenty. That I am sure is due to Bella trying to get over her break up.
-Although the romance was a sweet one, there really wasn't much of it. Don't get me wrong I thought it was very nice. I think I am just use to reading novels where there is a lot of romantic moments between the couple.
-Bella and Nick have a couple of conversations and share one kiss and by the end of the novel they know that they are in love with one another. I'm not sure how realistic that is.
-A lot and I mean a lot of emphasis was put on the children at the school and situations involving them. I loved that there were adorable children in the book, but I feel like the main focus was mostly on them.

All in all, this was a very sweet and festive story with all the charm of a Hallmark movie. I thought the book moved at a good pace and that it was very well written. A delight to read! I would definitely give this author another try and read one of her other books.

Thank you Netgalley for the ebook copy of The Perfect Christmas Gift by Katie Ginger in exchange for my honest review.

A lovely festive read and the characters are great. Romance is in the air and on the pages of this well written novel. Reading this makes you realize that Christmas is just around the corner with a reminder of things to come. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC

Bella returns home from work early one day to find her boyfriend moving out and she is devastated. Next door is Nick who is a newly single dad to Freddie and is trying to make Christmas the best it can be. Bella is heartbroken but knows she needs to find her Christmas spirit and she comes up with an idea that will give her a distraction from the pain whilst also helping out her community and bringing people together. This book was an okay read but for me the Christmas feels didn’t really come through, it felt like it was missing a spark. I did enjoy it, and I loved the ideas in the novel but it didn’t give me the festive feel I was hoping for.

Returning to the quaint village of Meadowbank, we follow Bella as she pursues her dream of giving more back to the community at Christmas. This is a lovely story, full of festive cheer and warming characters, making it a perfect read for December.

The opening chapter quickly establishes that Bella is a loving, generous and self-less character. As a local primary school teacher, Ginger accurately depicts the constant pressures of keeping the children on task, learning and promoting kindness. There were some funny moments during the book and I think the writer definitely captures the innocence of children, especially at this time of year. However, despite me warming to Bella, I was dismayed for her when she is unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend of five years. Trying to escape the house before she returns home from work, Bella catches Evan in the act: given a letter full of excuses and a house that looks like it has been burgled, Bella cannot believe how her life has quickly been turned upside down. Everything she thought she knew about her boyfriend has collapsed but, Bella is determined to not let this ruin her Christmas. This leads her inspirational idea of the village giving tree.

This is such a lovely, charitable idea. Members of the community can anonymously request items they are in need for at Christmas and people can purchase these gifts, for them to be handed out just before the big day. It’s a fantastic and inspiring way of promoting charity at Christmas, but without the pride that people experience when they cannot manage independently. This idea dominates the narrative and I think it summarises everything we all try to remember about Christmas: it’s not about the gifts, but the giving and love. Furthermore, I liked how realistic Ginger makes this situation as Bella encounters some requests that are oblivious to the charitable theme and try to take advantage. Whilst Bella does not allow this to dominate her enjoyment of the tree, I appreciated how the writer makes this just that more realistic in such a heart-warming story.

Sub-plots include Bella’s developing relationship with her neighbour, Nick, and his son, Freddie. Furthermore, when it becomes clear that Freddie is being bullied at school by a member of Bella’s class, Bella cannot help but be involved. The portrayal of Freddie’s bullying is saddening and again, rather realistic, but I think this reminds readers that not everything at Christmas is warm and rosy. Indeed, the fact that this bullying spreads between the fathers of the two boys makes this sub-plot have an additional, authentic element to the story. Ginger writes not just a Christmas narrative, but one that is true to life.

I enjoyed this Christmas offering and had a soft spot for Meadowbank in Ginger’s previous novel. This all sounded very idyllic and cosy with essential Christmas ingredients: decorations, snow, and plenty of hot chocolate!

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

Katie Ginger’s latest novel The Perfect Christmas Gift is a gorgeous Yuletide romance full of warmth, humour and plenty of heart.

Bella Moore is counting down the days until December 25th. She simply cannot wait to celebrate Christmas with her gorgeous boyfriend – until he drops a shocking bombshell that pulls the rug out from under her feet: he is leaving her for somebody else. Bella’s Christmas is ruined and she isn’t in the mood to celebrate – until she meets her new neighbour and his young son and comes up with the perfect solution to help fix the festive season and bring a smile to everyone’s face: a Christmas giving tree for the whole village where every one can secretly give each other the presents they truly need. Bella hopes that this event will provide her with some much-needed distraction, however, little does she realise that under the Christmas tree she is going to find everything she has been looking for for so long…

Bella’s neighbour Nick is struggling. This will be his first Christmas as a single dad and he wants to give his son Freddie the best holiday ever – even if it is looking more and more unlikely with each passing day. But just when Nick is about to give up all hope, his neighbour Bella walks into his life and turns it upside down. As they start spending more and more time together, Nick and Freddie begin helping Bella out with the village Christmas giving event and they start getting closer and closer. Will Nick and Bella end up kissing under the mistletoe? Or should they just stick to being good friends?

When Nick’s estranged wife waltzes back into his life, will her return spell the end of his burgeoning relationship with his beautiful neighbour? Or will a Christmas miracle give Nick and Bella everything they’ve always wanted?

A charming Christmas read that is absolutely adorable, Katie Ginger’s latest novel is an enchanting and heartfelt romantic tale readers are going to love. The Perfect Christmas Gift is a wonderful story sprinkled with romance, wit and magic that I couldn’t bear to put down. Katie Ginger never fails to create characters readers fall in love with, colorful communities full of loveable eccentrics and stories full of hope, sparkle and magic and in The Perfect Christmas Gift she has once again penned a feel-good page-turner that warms the heart and touches the soul.

Katie Ginger’s The Perfect Christmas Gift is an aptly-named Yuletide treat romantics everywhere will thoroughly enjoy.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Really got me in the Christmas spirit.

Such a lovely easy read, took me less than a day.

Absolutely loved this tale of Bella & how she was trying to get to grips with being on her own. All the characters were easy to get to know & the village where the story was set sounded idyllic.
An easy to read Christmas tale in the run up to Christmas

Just right for all those who love Christmas. A small village setting where everyone knows each other and their secrets, but some secrets are hidden. As a teacher at the local primary school does Bell see/hear things others don't. As she battles her own grief when her 5yr relationship breaks down she becomes aware that Nick, her next door neighbour, might also be struggling after his wife left him, especially when Freddie has trouble at school. Can romance blossom? Aware that not all is as it seems behind closed doors and that some families struggle to buy essential she starts a gift tree. Donations are made and given anonymously after taking a tag that says what is needed. All Bella has to do is become Santa's elf and co ordinate and deliver all the gifts.

This is one of my favourite Christmas reads so far. It is a warm, endearing story which totally embraces the festive season and makes you wish you could be in Meadowbank soaking it all up. I enjoyed the previous visit to Meadowbank in The Secrets of Meadow Farmhouse and appreciated the glimpse of Adam and Amelia. Bella is a lovely character who tries to look on the positive side of life despite her broken heart. Family, friendship and being kind to others come through loud and clear with bullying and selfishness shown up.
The romance is gentle but believable and you are invested in Bella and Nick's story. I also enjoyed all the 3parts of the story which featured Bella's school where she is an experienced and popular teacher. You get a real flavour of the excitement of the season and there is so much humour in the school play preparations, recognisable to anyone who has lived through them. With lashings of hot chocolate and festive treats, snowflakes and Christmas trees, the story is perfect for a cosy festive read.
In short: A Christmas treat of a book
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

The Perfect Christmas Gift was a wonderful heartwarming winter romance, which I closed with a big smile on my face.

The biggest plus points for me was the main characters acting like adults, and not like hormonal teens. They take other people's feelings into consideration instead of just going into a sulk, or produce drama out of nowhere. I really enjoyed spending time with them, and would love to be a neighbour of theirs!

The romance is a nice slow build and intertwines well with secondary plots. The whole village is kind of a character on it's own, and I loved how they all came together to help each other out. The whole idea of helping for the sake of making someone happy, without getting any reward or glory was well done. It just felt cozy and compassionate instead of like a moral hammered in.

It is a comforting and wintery story, like a hot chocolate on a freezing day!