What a beautiful magical story of loss, betrayal, friendship and love!
Bella is left devastated by her partner when he announces he’s leaving, she doesn’t know how she’s going to live without him. With the love and support from her family Bella decides to bring the village together with her idea for The Giving Tree.
Next door to Bella lives Nick with his ten year old son Freddie! Nick has also had a terrible year when his wife Paige used and left.
Bella and Nick soon become friends and grow closer together when through Freddie they become closer.
Will the sudden return of Paige stop their friendship becoming more and will The Giving Tree stop any of the villagers not having gifts to open on Christmas Morning.
I loved this story from the first page. It was lovely returning to the Village of Meadowbank and residents popping up from previous books.
Made me want to put my Christmas Tree up and drink Mulled Wine! Roll on Christmas.
Thank you HQ and NetGalley for an ARC of The Perfect Christmas Gift.

This is the a perfect Christmas book for romance lovers! 

We meet Bella a 35 years old primary school teacher, who teaches in a small village school with only 15 or so children per class. Meadowbank the village is 'deep in the Kent countryside.

Bella loves her village so decides to set up a 'giving tree' where people can nominate people that need gift such as clothing or food or toys they just can't provide for their children. She also loves Christmas this is until she finds out her boyfriend has been cheating on her so this Christmas might be different.

We then meet Nick who is Bella's next door neighbour, he has a son Freedy attending Bella's school but his wife left him six months ago. Can he provide a perfect Christmas for him?

There are a lot of other characters in this book who help tie the story together including Bella's family, other school teachers and some other school children and parents. I loved them all.

I was happy to here there are other books set in Meadowbank which I will definitely be reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me a digital copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I eagerly await Katie's new books and this one is just as fabulous at the others she has written. It was a bit slow to begin with but soon took off for me and I was hooked.

What happens?
School teacher Bella is preparing for Christmas when she is dumped by her boyfriend. She puts her heartache aside and focus on making the best Christmas for the community. Events at school bringer her closer to next door neighbour Nick and his young son Freddie. As Nick and Bella realise they’re are drawn to each could their own feelings and circumstances pull them apart?

My thoughts
Full of Christmas spirit. I loved that this book captured the fun and festivities whilst highlighting some of the difficulties that families can face at this difficult time. Bella’s warmth and kindness drew me into the story and kept me reading. At its heart, the book built up a real sense of a community coming together at Christmastime. The romance was a slow burner with things picking up the pace later in the story, keeping me reading until the end. Thoughtful about school life and the topic of bullying. Overall, a sweet story that got me into the Christmassy mood. With thanks to NetGalley and HQ Digital for this ARC, I received in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent Katie ! Full of Christmas promise and romance. Beth is a primary school teacher, who becomes very aware that many people living her village sometime struggle to make ends meet and some are on their own at Christmas with no presents to open. She decides to set up a Giving tree with fantastic results as the whole village participates. Beth herself usually enjoys Christmas, but is not looking forward to it this year with no one to help her dress her tree. Little does she know romance is in the air and life improves again for her.

Bella’s Christmas’s are always special, she loves the build up and the time she gets to spend with those she loves, her boyfriend, her family and her friends. Except this Christmas is going to be very different.

Bella returns home to find a suitcase and her boyfriends trying to leave without telling her. Bella is heartbroken and wonders how this Christmas can be at all special when she feels so desolate.

Bella’s next door neighbour is Nick, single father to Freddie a boy at the school where Bella teaches. He has not really got to grips with managing life as a single father but is determined to put his son first when he is subjected to bullying at school.

When Bella comes up with the wonderful idea of a giving tree, so everyone gets some Christmas joy throughout the village she starts to see a future. Her interactions with Nick become more frequent and she find him very much different to her ex boyfriend. Add into the mix, the festive season, the snow falling and the expectation of what is to come and it all seems plain sailing.

Until a ghost of the past returns and it looks like Bella is back to square one and facing a very different Christmas than the one she hoped for.

This is a wonderful tale, it embraces the joy of giving, of being with family (no matter how mad!) and of enjoying a white Christmas from the comfort of your own home. Added to that was the wonderful picture that the author created with a lot of the book set in a village school, where the children are such vibrant little characters that you can’t help but laugh and enjoy their innocence.

A book to warm your heart and not afraid to shy away from tackling some not so warming subjects. Handled with care, makes this a wonderful book to escape in this Christmas.

A very cute tale of putting others first, being kind, caring and considerate and appreciating how people are all going through different types of adversity but that some may not be so open in letting anyone know.
This story has true heart; I couldn’t stop myself feeling all warm and fuzzy just at the kindness shown by (most of) the people of this gorgeous community. The story really gives a wonderful sense of that community spirit you get from small villages made up of fabulous characters.
I loved Bella’s character. What an utterly nice person who demonstrates patience and understanding to others, even when she is struggling herself. She builds great relationships with everyone around her and supports everyone – even when they haven’t been at all nice. Her family sound amazing, I would love to join in some of their Christmas traditions, they sounded so much fun!
Nick and Freddie are adorable, and I immediately knew what (or should I say who) would make everything better for them both. Freddie has got that “aaah” factor; the sweetest sounding 10-year-old imaginable and Nick sounds like a great guy to have around, albeit in need of a bit of TLC.
This story isn’t plain sailing, nor a typical romance in many ways. There is drama and moments that will leave you feeling annoyed, angry and even a teensy bit sad but that being said, a feel-good festive book this is and by the end your heart will be singing with Christmas joy. The children’s school pantomime sounds epic – for all the reasons you could probably imagine, but it did bring a lovely comedic element to the story.
Katie Ginger has fast become one of my go-to authors, her books jump straight to the top of my TBR mountain. The Perfect Christmas Gift is an absolute must read this festive season.

The last on my current Christmas story list and this one kept up the high standard and didn't disappoint. It was lovely reading about a village that comes together to help each other out and the addition of Christmas makes it even better. I enjoyed the characters and the interactions and the inevitable, emotional storyline. .Very rewarding read.

Bella is looking forward to Christmas when she arrives home to find that her boyfriend was moving out to be with another woman. Meanwhile her neighbour Nick and his son Freddie are facing their first Christmas alone after his wife left them earlier in the year. Bella comes up with the idea of a Christmas gifting tree, where anonymous gifts are given to those in need in the village.
This is a story about modern relationships, with Bella starting to form a relationship with Nick. It also looks at the effects of marriage breakdown on the children and their different ways of dealing with it. What saves the story from being downbeat is the way that the people in the village in general and Bell's friends and family in particular pull together to make sure that everyone has the best Christmas possible. Bella comes across as being a lovely, friendly person and Nick is trying to be the best dad that he can be to Freddie. I was hoping that they could get together all the way through the book, however as in real life it isn't always that simple.
Although I haven't read any books by this author before she writes the type of books that I really enjoy and have realised that I actually have several of her books sitting in my TBR list, a situation that I must correct.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influence my review of the book.

The Perfect Christmas Gift by Katie Ginger is a lovely book, that will make you feel super cosy and so much in the Christmas spirit!

Bella is a primary school teacher whose boyfriend leaves her one day in November, completely unexpectedly.  Nick lives next door to Bella, and he's been trying to keep it all together for his son Freddie, after his wife, Paige, left them both 6 months ago. 

I really enjoyed this Christmas romance, set in a small village, where everyone knows everyone else's business, there is a lovely community spirit, a lot of Christmas, family and romance.  It is a really lovely read, and one that will make you feel ready for Christmas!

The Perfect Christmas Gift was published on 22nd October 2021, and is available from Amazon, Waterstones and Bookshop.org.

You can follow Katie Ginger on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and on her website.

You can read my reviews of other Katie Ginger books below

The Secrets of Meadow Farmhouse

The Little Theatre on the Seafront

I was given this book in return for an unbiased review, and so my thanks to NetGalley and to HQ.

This is a great festive book, really enjoyed the story and the characters. Liked the traditions too. Great setting.

This is such a lovely festive, feel-good and cosy read. I loved the idea of the wishing tree. The sense of community spirit is wonderful.
I liked Bella and Nick and Freddie is adorable. You can't help but hope that they have a happy ending.
This is an easy and heartwarming read, it was very enjoyable. Perfect for the countdown to Christmas.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC. I am looking forward to reading Katie Ginger's next book.

A lovely festive story with a theme of giving, Neighbours Bella, Nick and his son Freddie work through their heartbreak and loss to make Christmas memorable for everyone in the village. This is an emotional and uplifting story with relatable characters who draw the reader into their world. The village ethos is well-described, and there's an element of second chance romance for Bella and Nick.

The story isn't without conflicts, but friendship and trust overcome these. This is heartwarming and uplifting, the perfect festive read.

I received a copy of this book from HQ via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I have read and enjoyed a few books from Katie Ginger and so I was delighted to be offered a place on this HQ Digital Blog Tour. I am grateful for the ARC copy and to be included.
Returning to the village of Meadowbank where we met Amelia and Adam last Spring, review here, we now meet Junior school teacher Bella. As soon as I started reading about her, I found Bella to be truly lovely and the kind of teacher I would wish for all children. Once she was hit by her boyfriend’s bombshell, I was gutted for her and willing her to dust herself down and find a new focus.
When we first meet neighbour, Nick, I hoped that he would be one of the stars of the story. I was thrilled as their stories combined and, along with the adorable Freddie, they started to grow closer. That was until the shock return of Nick’s ex!
I loved the idea of the Giving Tree and have got involved in similar schemes which are aimed at children in my local community. Bella’s plan goes a lot further, and I found some of the requests to be either touching or heart-breaking. As the scheme takes shape, it’s impossible not to get caught up in the spirit of the coming season.
One of the joys of Katie Ginger’s writing is the beautiful way she constructs her characters. They are all thoroughly developed and completely believable. I always feel invested in the outcome of her stories. Of course, in any lovely story, there always seems to be a villain of the piece. I don’t include spoilers but watch out for a loathsome chap named Seymour!
I’m already looking forward to returning to Meadowbank and meeting some more of Katie’s gorgeous villagers.

Bella loves Christmas and everything that goes with it. Then her boyfriend decides to leave her for another woman and she is facing Christmas alone.
Nick, her next door neighbour is facing his first Christmas with just his son after his wife upped and left him.
Bella finds out that there is hardship in the village through her role as a school teacher and decides to involve the village by introducing a Giving Tree to the celebrations.
She is in charge and soon ropes in Nick and his son but then Nick's wife returns.
Is Bella facing a lonely Christmas and will her heart be broken all over again?

Wow what a read! I am an absolute sucker for a festive read and this one is right up on my favourites of the year so far. Ooozing with romance, Christmas traditions and of course hot chocolate it is the perfect story to get you in the Christmas spirit.

When we initially meet heartbroken Bella you wonder how this story is going to become a heartwarming story as she is totally desolate. However Katie Ginger has weaved her wonderful magic again with vivid descriptions to make the story jump off the pages. I have literally picked this book back up again everytime I've sat down as I've loved reading about Bella, Nick and Freddie and was desperate to see how it would all come together as the story progressed.

A heartwarming love story that made me laugh and left me feeling emotional as I neared the last pages. I truly love Christmas and the family time and traditions are so important and this is woven into the very fabric of this story and the compassion and kindness on these pages are a wonderful reminder to always remember we don't know what someone else is dealing with

Katie Ginger is a new author to me but after reading this I will be getting myself familiar with her other books as well, this struck me right to the core and hit my emotions hard!

I was absolutely loving this book, getting myself into the festive spirit with the preparations starting at the school, the cold weather and of course the Wishing Tree. Then about half way through I found myself in tears for Freddie, he’s the sweetest, kindest little boy and he really didn’t deserve what was happening, and then when Nick went to pick him up from school 🥺😢 that was me gone!

The relationship that Nick and Freddie have is absolutely adorable and it is clear how much they love each other and how recent events have probably made this bond even stronger.

After a very unexpected breakup Bella comes up with the idea for the Wishing Tree and this quickly starts to fill up all her free time, writing tags, wrapping presents and just getting everything organised. The grotto and Bella’s workshop both sound so magical and this book properly got me in the mood for wrapping up all my presents. And then the smell of real Christmas trees… I swear it came straight through the pages at me!

As Nick and Freddie volunteer to help with the wishing tree we start to see Nick and Bella developing a friendship. I loved watching this blossom and the way that Freddie took to her straight away was just the best. But then just as things start getting interesting Nick’s estranged wife turns up on the doorstep out of the blue…

The ending was just the perfect Christmas gift (see what I did there) and I finished this book with a massive smile on my face!

Heartwarming and brimming with hope and kindness, THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT by Katie Ginger is simply lovely from cover to cover.

Bella Moore loves her job as a teacher, loves living in her small community, and loves her life. But when she comes home from work to find her boyfriend fleeing the house with a suitcase because he has fallen in love with someone else, it throws Bella's life into disarray. With the help of her close family and friends, Bella throws herself into the Christmas spirit and comes up with an excellent idea of a giving tree, and with the help of her next-door-neighbour Nick and his adorable son Freddie, things start to look up as the community comes together to help those who need it. And as Nick and Bella spend more time together, could another chance at love be possible? Or will their past arrive back in the village at the worst possible time?

Warm and inviting, I completely fell in love with Bella and her family who demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas with their kindness and compassion. The giving tree is a beautiful idea and the story shows how vital these ideas are for so many people in so many communities.

As with all great stories, there are ups and downs, obstacles and mishaps, laughter and tears, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching Bella mend her broken heart and throw herself into life again.

THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT by Katie Ginger is a cracking festive read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I love a Christmas romance. This had all the ingredients for a wintry hug in a mug!
Great main characters, a wonderful community, lovely small town setting, beautiful Christmas trees and snow!
I loved all the smaller themes throughout, charity, helping others, bullying, the drama that is the school Christmas play.
Katie's writing is fantastic, she really gets you invested in her story.
I couldn't put it down, I stayed up far too late to finish it because I just couldn't say goodnight to Bella or Nick. Of course Freddie was such a sweetheart as well. I'd love Bella's parents to adopt me - Christmas fanatics, I'm here for that kind of love!
A great read.

I really enjoyed this book.

It wasn't overly schmaltzy. Some Christmas books are a bit much. But this was very real. For every single part of the book, you wanted to know what would happen with the characters. Every person had a back story which needed to be delved into, from the pupils in Bella's school and her neighbours. Nothing was how it seemed initially.

The concept of the giving tree was great and I hope someone picks up this book and puts it into place in their area.

I am so glad that I read this. It made me smile (and cringe at points with some of the characters such as the bullies). You need to conclude the book with one of the Hot Chocolates from the market, and lean in to the setting.