a hug in a book is how i would describe this book, it has everything you want and you could read it laid on a beach or smuggled up for christmas.
i adored the characters and hope there is a sequel as i would love to know what happens next
a great read

Well I just finished this book!! It was my first Sue Moorcroft read, and certainly won’t be my last! What a beautiful book to read, and a real festive treat.

Thankyou NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!! My full review will be posted on goodreads when I have managed to compile my thoughts a little more ♥️

A touching & poignant storyline that spans decades for one couple and ignites the start of something for another.
I enjoyed reading this book filled with interesting characters with a storyline that held my interest from beginning to end. A lovely cosy Christmas read, perfect for over the festive period.

It's been almost seven years since Maddie Cracey's husband Adey disappeared and with no trace of him Maddie has made a home for herself and her daughter living with Maddie's great aunt Ruthie. This close bonded trio live a peaceful life in the pretty village of Nelson's Bar on the Norfolk coast but when a handsome stranger turns up with some devastating news for Ruthie, Maddie must do all she can to protect the woman who has been such a comfort to her. What then follows is a story about a long hidden secret which Ruthie has carried with her for forty years and when revealed it will change all of their lives forever.

The Christmas Love Letters is a lovely story with two romantic elements running through it both of which kept my attention as I was intrigued to discover more about Ruthie's secret but also fell completely for Maddie's relationship with the handsome Raff who I must say really steals the show with his kind hearted nature and genuine desire to make right the wrongs of the past. However, it's not all hearts and roses as there are some darker elements to the story with a definite sense of friction when the secret is discovered and both Maddie and Ruthie must learn to live with the consequences of their secrets being revealed.

Whilst the story has a definitely festive feel to it it is also one of those lovely stories which can be read at any time of year as this talented author always brings such warmth, love and empathy to her lovely stories that they are a delight to read all year round.

This was such a lovely book to read. Mandy is a fantastic character, her relationship with Ruthie is heartwarming, as much as she tries to shelter Ruthie from the things going on, Maddy is also aware that Ruthie is a tough cookie after what she has been through. Their lives become intertwined with Raff and Ffion and the letters.
I really enjoyed this book and although centred around Christmas time, it was a lovely cosy book, that can be read at any time of the year!

The Christmas Love Letters is a sweet book, just not particularly the most memorable book I've read. Ruthie and Nigel's story was quite heartbreaking. The injustice of it was just terrible. Some characters annoyed me. Heloise came across as a bit of a user at times and Raff behaved like a spoilt child. Maddy's love for Ruthie was just heartwarming and she was the sweetest character. A decent festive read.

4.5 stars, really liked this story. Epilogue felt a little too much too soon for me personally but overall had a great time with it.

Maddy Austen lives on the Norfolk coast in a place called Nelson’s Bar. Maddy has lived in this area all of her life, as had her husband Adey, until one-night years ago when he left and never returned. Maddy is biding her time until the seven-year mark arrives, when she can put her past behind her and continue to move forward.

Maddy lives a comfortable life with her daughter Lyla and her Great Aunt Ruthie, that is until Raff shows up at Ruthie’s door with a handful of love letters which unearth secrets from the past. Raff and Maddy start to get to know one another, and love starts to blossom. Then Maddy receives a message that is either a cruel joke or Adey has surfaced after all these years.

I really enjoyed this novel. Maddy reading the love letters to Ruthie, reminded me of reading portions of my grandmother’s diary to her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel. #NetGalley #TheChristmasLoveLetters

Love her books and this is no exception. She excels at character development and for a good festive read it really pulls it all in. Really recommend this read for a festive gift.

Publication - 26th October 2023. ❤️A beautiful Christmas hug of a book!!❤️. Funny, sad, surprising and a little bit of Xmas Magic …… 💖 ✨📝💌.
Just a gorgeous book. Definitely add this to your Xmas book list!!✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ #books #bookstagram #bookshelf #bookstagrammer #bookstore #booksofinstagram #bookstagramfeature #bookshop #bookshelves #bookslover #booksigning #booksandcoffee #booksale #booksbooksbooks #booksph #bookstagramfeatures #bookstack #bookstagramer #booksforkids #bookseries #booksarelife #booksandbeans #bookshelfie #bookstagrampl #bookstagramespa #BooksforSale #booksofIG #bookstagrammers #Booksy #bookslover #suemoorcroft

This was a great read and I really enjoyed it – the ending even gave me goosebumps! Not only are there dumpings of snow as Christmas Day draws nearer, but I loved reading about the characters and the mystery surrounding Maddy’s husband.

Maddy’s husband disappeared one night nearly seven years ago, leaving her pregnant, with lots of debt and barely a house over her head. The trail has gone cold and Maddy has since been forced to move on, although she can never forget about her husband and what was behind his disappearance. However, caring for her great aunt Ruthie and raising her daughter, Maddy has no time to dwell on what might have been and has moved on with her life.

However, the main focus of the story is Ruthie being reunited with her long-lost daughter. This was an emotional aspect to the plot and I loved how sensitively Moorcroft handles this topic. The path to being reunited is never easy and this was reflected by Ffion’s conflicting emotions and her natural protectiveness towards her own daughter, Chloe. Indeed, Maddy gets a sense of displacement as she becomes aware of Ruthie’s new, extended family.

Yet, this would not be a true Christmas story without a touch of romance and I loved watching the developing connection between Maddy and Raff. There are quite a few parallels between the two characters and I liked seeing how they are drawn to each other, especially when Maddy starts to receive mysterious text messages. They are both clearly meant to be together but with Ruthie’s changing circumstances and Maddy’s absent husband, it was never going to be straightforward. Yet, Raff is like a knight in shining armour with how respectful he is to Maddy and considerate to her circumstances.

But, the character that steals the limelight in this story is undoubtedly Maddy’s daughter. She is such a cannonball of energy and I loved her honesty: sometimes you just need a child’s unfiltered perspective to set the world straight! Her innocence and enthusiasm is loveable; I warmed to her and enjoyed her reaction to particular adults later in the story.

This was a great festive read about families coming together and new relationships being established. The warmth of Christmas shines through and all those snowy scenes had me reaching for a cosy blanket. A brilliant book to snuggle up to.

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

This is the first book by this author I have read and I did enjoy it.

Several topics are covered, including an unhappy childhood, abandonment, single parenthood, acting as a carer, negotiating unexpected news and that's just for starters!

I loved the description of the relationships between Maddie and her little daughter, as well as the one with her best friend and her aunt who she lives with.

I enjoyed the setting as living in Norfolk myself I know this area very well. One thing I was slightly frustrated about though was the mythical village of Nelson's Bar when other places nearby are given their real location - Hunstanton, King's Lynn and Docking. Found this rather confusing!

This is my first Christmas book of 2023 and it did not disappoint. I have to admit this is a little early for me to be picking up a festive book but I couldn’t resist reading it! So what did I think…

Well, I really enjoyed my time with this book and the characters. There was a little bit of everything to keep me entertained and I loved the sprinkling of festiveness. It was just the right amount for me and definitely the perfect book to ease me into the Christmas spirit. All of the characters in this book were intriguing, engaging, made me smile and at times even a little emotional. There were secrets, romance and friendships woven into this book and it all combined to create a heartwarming story.

The family dynamics in this book were pretty compelling. It was a little tangled with revelations from the past but I was hoping it would all turn out okay in the end for them. The romance was sweet and I became fully invested in both Maddy and Raff especially as they had such a lovely connection. At times there was an emotional edge and this helped to give the the story even more depth.

The Christmas Love Letters is a story filled with romance, family and a gorgeous, festive charm!

Ahhh I do love it when you can pick up a book and just know you’re going to really enjoy it and this is exactly how I feel when I see a new Sue Moorcroft hitting my shelves! The Christmas Love Letters is her newest book and is set in gorgeous Nelson’s Bar, ‘a snow-dusted seaside village where time seems to stand still…’
Doesn’t it sound idyllic!

Our main characters are Maddy and Raff but the supporting cast make the book just as much as these two, little Lyla is just adorable and her childhood innocence is spot on!

With its Christmas fairs, endless amounts of snow and cosy heartfelt moments this book has got me so excited for Christmas - and thinking that I need to get baking some mince pies!

As always Sue really captures you with her writing and I ended up binge reading the second half of this in one fail swoop as I just needed to know what was going to happen and how it would end - safe to say I loved it!

This was the first book I have read by Sue Moorcroft and it won't be the last. I always love books where someone finds a diary or letters. I couldn't put this book down. I loved the flow of this and the characters. Grab this book and sit next to a cozy fire to read it. This is the perfect holiday read. I highly recommend this book.


Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

I absolutely loved this book it gave me all the Christmassy feels! I was hooked from the prologue.

Both main characters Maddy and Raff were both great. I felt for Maddy being left by her husband one night almost seven years ago, still missing and presumed dead.

Maddy’s Great Aunt Ruthie, who she lives with and cares for was lovely. But I think my favourite character was Maddy’s six year old daughter Lyla. She was so bright, sweet and full of life.

This was my first read by this author and I’ll definitely be reading more this was such a beautiful story that had me gripped. It has romance, mystery and Christmas too. What more could you want?

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and the publisher for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.

Maddy Cracey and her husband, Adey had lived in the pretty village of Nelson’s Bar, Norfolk all their lives. They’d been going through a rough patch, due in no small part to Adey’s spending habits, when a huge row sent Adey storming out of the house in the middle of a blizzard, never to be seen again.

Maddy could believe Adey had felt trapped and taken an easy way out to escape the debts, leaving her to cope, but couldn’t think that he’d gone over the cliff as some believed. Now, nearly seven years later, Maddy and her young daughter were living with Maddy’s sight impaired Great Aunt Ruthie, Maddy acting as caregiver, while she rented out her home for the income. Having been in limbo for so long, it’s almost time for Maddy to draw a line under her marriage once and for all.

Maddy’s and Ruthie’s lives are turned upside down when when a stranger visits Ruthie. It seemed Rafferty Edmonds (Raff) wanted to know about his father and Ruthie.

The Christmas Love Letters is a lovely, and sometimes emotional, read. Raff dredges up the past for Ruthie, a secret and painful past she never quite came to terms with. Although Maddy doesn’t want Raff to cause any more upset and asks him not to contact Ruthie again, she can’t deny the spark of attraction she feels.

As the past and its secrets are revealed through letters, Raff’s family are also drawn in and the two families are brought together under rather unconventional circumstances. And the surprises keep coming as several realistic topics are explored in a very relatable and sympathetic way giving depth to the narrative. I love the descriptions of Nelson’s Bar and the characters are likeable and well defined.

Maddie's husband disappeared seven years ago and with no trace of him ever found is presumed dead. Maddie has moved on with her life along with her young daughter, born after her father disappeared, and her Great Aunt Ruthie. Out of the blue a stranger appears, Raff, bearing love letters from Aunt Ruthie's past which leads to the uncovering of a secret she has held for years. .Maddie and Raff start to become close until one day Maddie receives an anonymous text message which begins to turn her world upside down. A story full of secrets and lies, with a smattering of romance. A perfect Christmas read.

I received a free copy of, The Christmas Love Letters, by Sue Moorcroft, , from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Maddy Austen and her husband Adey lives in Nelson's Bar,in Norfolk. Until one winters day when Adey and Maddy had a really bad fight, and left. Six years later, Maddy moved on, and then Adey comes back, upending her whole life. Will she stay with Adey or begin a new relationship? I did not care for Adey at all, he was really selfish and self centered. Maddy and her daughter are lovely though.

4 stars

In Sue Moorcroft's enchanting holiday novel, The Christmas Love Letters, the idyllic setting of Nelson's Bar in Norfolk provides the backdrop for a heartwarming tale of love, family secrets, and unexpected twists. As Madeline 'Maddy' Cracey navigates life as a single mother and caretaker for her aunt Ruthie, the arrival of Rafferty Edmonds with long-forgotten love letters unravels the quiet existence she has built. Moorcroft's storytelling prowess shines through unexpected plot twists, creating a tapestry of characters, including the endearing Maddy and sweet Raff, whose genuine connection captivates readers. With a festive atmosphere, poignant love letters, and cleverly intertwined storylines, The Christmas Love Letters is a must-read that goes beyond the typical holiday romance, celebrating the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love against the backdrop of twinkling Christmas lights.