Sarah Morgan is a go to read for me every winter. A sweet and heartbreaking at times story, The Holiday Cottage did not disappoint. The cover screamed The Holiday to me, and there were definitely The Holiday (the movie) vibes sprinkled throughout. Definitely made me want to pack my bags and head off to the English countryside for a few weeks.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

In The Holiday Cottage, Sarah Morgan weaves a heartwarming and reflective tale that expertly balances personal growth, second chances, and the magic of the holiday season. Imogen, a high-powered marketing executive, is living a life of professional success but emotional exhaustion. Her carefully crafted facade hides a woman struggling with burnout and a deep disconnection from her own feelings, especially when it comes to Christmas.

When Imogen is forced to take time off work, a much-needed break comes in the form of an invitation to Holly Cottage, a charming retreat nestled in the Cotswolds. There, amidst the tranquility of the countryside and the kindness of her client, Dorothy, Imogen begins to face the cracks in her life and slowly starts healing. Dorothy, who has her own complicated past, offers more than just a picturesque place to stay—she provides a space for emotional growth and the courage to make life-changing decisions.

The setting is beautifully described, with Holly Cottage offering a warm, inviting atmosphere that contrasts with Imogen’s chaotic city life. Morgan’s storytelling shines through her exploration of Imogen’s transformation, supported by the strong, nurturing relationships that evolve within the narrative. Dorothy’s wisdom and Sara’s reminders of family dynamics add depth to the plot, making this novel not just about Christmas cheer, but also about healing, forgiveness, and the importance of human connection.

The Holiday Cottage is an ideal read for fans of heartwarming holiday stories that delve into personal redemption, making it perfect for cozy winter nights. Sarah Morgan delivers a delightful story filled with love, self-discovery, and the promise of new beginnings.

I always look forward to Sarah Morgan’s Christmas books. I can count on an emotional journey in a vividly depicted winter setting with intriguing family dynamics and significant character growth. All of that holds true for The Holiday Cottage though this one, while good, falls a bit short of the 5-star read Morgan typically provides. At least it did for me.

I had a difficult time getting into the first half of the book or feeling a connection to Imogen. The pace dragged and I found myself putting the book aside several times. I just wasn’t being pulled in as I usually am with this author. I kept going however and eventually the pace picked up as did the interest. From the midpoint on the story takes off and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I’m glad I stuck with it because the second half was everything I enjoy about Morgan’s writing, including a picturesque setting, Christmas tree farms, adorable children, romance, complicated relationships, and discovering the joy of the holiday season.

I enjoyed the different perspectives of Imogen, her favorite client Dorothy, and Dorothy’s daughter Sara. There are complex family dynamics that play out over the course of the book as well as significant individual growth for all three women. There is also a romance for Imogen that, while a bit quick, still left me feeling confident in the long-term stability of the relationship. There’s also a significant story thread for Imogen that’s left open-ended. I was really hoping to see on-the-page closure. Other than that, however, I was happy with the way the book concluded. Even if it’s not among my favorites of this author’s books, a Sarah Morgan novel is still a good read and well worth my time.

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley

Each year, I look forward to Sarah Morgan's Christmas novel and I have to say this was another winner for me. Imogen is a workaholic, totally absorbed by her work. She has little else in her life, but to bond with her colleagues, she makes up a family, holiday celebrations and a dog. Trouble is brewing when her boss plans a bring your dog to work day, and Imogen has to figure out how to get out of this one. As she back pedals, things come crashing down around her and her boss makes her take time off to regroup after things happen to make her miss a work event and not contact anyone. She finds a cottage to rent through a client in the Costwolds, thus changing her life forever.

The Holiday Cottage is told from 3 POVs, Imogen, Dorothy and her daughter Sara. It is not until the last third of the book that these three storylines come together. Imogen is a character that broke my heart. She had no family except a mother who didn't want her, unless she could use her for money. She didn't even have a dog. Luckily for her, when she needed a place to go for Christmas, Dorothy, one of her longstanding clients, invites her to stay in Holly Cottage, her guest cottage. Once there, we meet Dorothy's family and her two delightful grandchildren. As family secrets and tensions arise, we see Imogen begin to change. This is a story of loss, grief, abandonment, but also friendship, forgiveness, family and reconciliation. There was enough festive activities to give me the Christmassy vibes, but this was a family drama, and a story of new beginnings that I very much enjoyed.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I adore Sarah Morgan books. They are filled with charm and great characters.

In The Holiday Cottage, our main character, Imogen, has it all together. Her work life is perfect, her family is filled with wonderful people and achingly picture perfect Christmas memories. She even has a wonderful dog.

It’s all smoke and mirrors- and the reason she works so hard is her home life is crap.

When everything blows up, Imogen begins to find out that there is more to life than work, that things she had believed her whole life were not correct, and that she deserves the happy Christmas she’s been pretending she’s been having.

What I liked:

The cover is pure holiday perfection! I could lick this cover, it is so delicious looking.

Imogen. Goodness, that girl could have turned out to be such a terrible person, feeling sorry for herself, etc. But she pulled herself up by her bootstraps, decided how she could cope with life, and made the best of situations.

Dorothy and Sara. I loved their relationship. Loved how they supported each other, even when they disagreed about things.



Bottom line: This book is everything a holiday read should be- great characters, a setting that is picture perfect, some sweet romance, snow, and family.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan was a must-read for me after Morgan’s release last year The Book Club Hotel. As it became one of my top reads of the year, I knew The Holiday Cottage would not disappoint. The story follows Imogen, a successful, hardworking young woman who seems to have it all. Soon, we come to know that the happy persona she shares with her coworkers is a facade, covering up loneliness and deep family strife. As we unravel Imogen’s heartbreaking past, she gets the opportunity to spend some time at the country cottage of a client, where she finds some truth, hope, and connection that she desperately needed. The Holiday Cottage was the perfect cozy holiday read, and will become one I read each December.

3.25 stars
This book follows Imogen, a workaholic and perfectionist who is finally forced to take some time off during the holidays. The first part of the book was very slow and felt completely different from the second part of the book, which I loved. The first part I struggled with as it was really slow but once she has her breakdown I was hooked to the story! Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC:)

Sarah Morgan has done it again. She is one of my favorite authors of my annual holiday reads.
It is a warm and uplifting story, set in London and Cotswolds England and that takes place during the Christmas season. I was rooting for most of the characters and engrossed in their stories.
It also touches upon serious issues such as mental illness and its rippling effect on all those around those that suffer from it. It is Hallmark movie but with a "realistic" happy ever after.
I am grateful to Canary Street Press and Netgalley for allow me an early read of this gem of a book.

I almost DNF’d The Holiday Cottage - I had a hard time getting into the story in the beginning and didn’t really vibe with Imogen at first. But I knew Sarah Morgan never disappoints, so I kept with it and I’m glad I did.

This wound up being a very sweet holiday read with found family, cute animals and crazy kiddos. It definitely made me want to spend time in small towns for the holidays.

Heartwarming, festive read with coziest vibes, super sweet romance with plenty holiday cheer. Perfect for curling up with by the fire—Sarah Morgan’s storytelling is pure holiday magic!

Imogen is a work-a-holic, running from her past. When things go skewampu at work, her boss insists she take a month vacation. Imogen has one last lunch with her favorite client before her vacation. She doesn't know what she will do for an entire month. Dorothy, the client, offers her guest house and Imogen takes her up on it. There is more going on with both women that you see at first glance.

It took me a while to get into the story. At first, Imogen was "in her head" a lot. I didn't like that. It's a writing style I don't enjoy. After I got past the first past of the story, I enjoyed the book. This is more than a romance. There are secrets and a past to unravel. I enjoyed the twists and eventually came to like the characters.

I am a fan of Sarah Morgan for sure. I was excited to read a holiday book and watch her character grow in this setting. While it didn’t disappoint, it wasn’t my favorite written by her. That being said, I will always look forward to books written by her and look forward to more!

I loved this book! The connection of the characters always surprises me with Sarah Morgan’s books. I will always recommend her as a must read author.

I am a Sarah Morgan fan and was looking forward to reading this. The story of her youth was heartbreaking and her mom, ugh. I loved the characters and enjoyed the seasonal warmth once she found love. I will continue to pick up Sarahs books and recommend.

I really enjoyed Morgan's The Book Club Hotel previously and I wanted to read another heartwarming holiday book from her. Unfortunately, though I didn't hate the book, I ended up DNFing at 29%. The characters were likeable but the trauma and themes of negligent parenting and child loss or estrangement were just too heavy for me in a holiday read. Not for me.

This is a super sweet and cozy holiday story! It was a little more emotional and sad than I had anticipated. I usually prefer my holiday reads to be more light and fluffy but I still really enjoyed it. And now I'm trying to figure out how I can plan to spend next Christmas in the Cotswolds. ☺️

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet read, but I really did have a time connecting with the characters for the first part of the story. But I am glad that I stuck with it!

The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan is a heartwarming story of friendship, finding oneself, and the surprising ties that bring people together. This is a modern holiday classic reminding us of the importance of slowing down, embracing susceptibility, and cherishing the bonds that enrich our lives. A reminder that there are towns that embrace the holidays with Christmas tree farms, holiday school plays, ice skating, a town that is decked out in everything Christmas, quaint bakeries/shops, beautiful snowy views.

Ms. Morgan's trademark warmth and humor shine through, making this novel a delightful read for the holiday season and beyond. Don’t miss out on this heartwarming tale of friendship and self-discovery.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #HarlequinTrade

Sarah Morgan is a brilliant writer. This was my first book by her and now I can’t wait to read her backlist! This was the perfect, beautiful holiday read

Such a cute holiday read! I loved it! It felt like a perfect holiday movie but in book form. I imagine reading it at the right time of the year helped me get into it quite a bit because I feel like it would be hard to read at other points of the year. But that’s a me problem!