Second book. Second cottage. And Sarah Morgan is quickly becoming my favorite classic romance author!

Didn’t think I would enjoy it so much given it’s only October but boy was I wrong.

The Holly(day) Cottage is a soul-stirring story of estranged family being brought together right in time for Christmas. The characters are so endearing and their dynamic so quirky, adding to the charm and charisma of this can’t go wrong festive read. Even Ralph, Bailey and all the animals complete the uplifting touch!
Absolutely enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Imogen doing all the christmassy activities and get togethers in the magical atmosphere of the village - felt like I was right alongside them!

Looking for a heartwarming romantic book with spellbinding vibes that makes you long for your family and ready for Christmas? This is it!

PS. I want same silver Robin earrings as Sara for this Christmas :)

Thanking Harlequin Trade Publishing for gifting me this ARC through NetGalley for my honest review.

Sarah Morgan has me again! 🎄

This heartwarming and thoughtful holiday book had me from the beginning till the end.

The story is told through Sara, Imogen and Dorothy's POV.

Imogen is a successful event planner but has to make up a life outside of work to fit in. When burnout sets in, along with a tumultuous relationship with her mother (who demands she call her by her first name) she finds herself with time off during Christmas.

Dorothy a business owner and client of Imogen's thinks very highly of her and offers her a cottage on her country estate for the holiday.

Sara who is Dorothy's daughter thinks that's going a step too far offering the cottage, considering the past.

Imogen overcomes past trauma and a life she thought she wanted to find her true path to love and family.

A real message in treasure those who love you back and move on for those not capable of it.

This is a heartwarming, found-family read that I very much enjoyed! I loved the Christmas-y feel throughout the book, the cottage seemed so cozy and wonderful; I wish I could visit. This book felt like crawling into a hallmark movie, it would be a great holiday read for anyone!

The first half of this book was a bit slow for me, but it really picked up in the second half. It was a great story about second chances. I loved the Christmas vibe - it made me excited for the holiday season -picking out a tree, spending time with family and visiting Christmas markets which is my favorite thing to do.

The Holiday Cottage is a heartwarming tale set in the picturesque Cotswolds, perfect for anyone who loves stories about second chances and the magic of a cozy holiday retreat. Imogen, a workaholic struggling with burnout, finds herself reluctantly taking time off at Holly Cottage, where her favorite client, Dorothy, offers a space for rest and renewal. The cottage, with its charming thatched roof and inviting fireplace, becomes a haven not only for Imogen but also a place for Dorothy to confront her past and heal old wounds. The story’s themes of self-reflection, family, and the courage to embrace change make it a perfect read for the holiday season.

The Holiday Cottage
This novel has cozy Christmas vibes written all throughout. If you are looking for a sweet Christmas story about family, friends, and love all wrapped with a bow, this might be the book for you. Adorable read.

Another smash by Sarah Morgan.

I always get hungry for a little holiday sparkle this time a year, and Sarah never disappoints! Imogen is soul-searching, and decides (as you do) to take refuge in a sweet, English village. I ate up every page of this and I'm already ready for her next release!!

4.5/5.0

The Holiday cottage Book will give you hope. Imogen is a girl who has difficulty with many things in her personal life but is wonderful at her job. She discovers some things about her personal life which changes her viewpoint of life and Christmas! You will fall in love with Imogen and the rest of the characters in this heart lifting Christmas story.

Reading this felt like crawling into a cozy blanket fort with a steaming cup of hot cocoa. (Sadly, it was 90 degrees, so the cozy vibes were mental and not actual.) Morgan is one of my favorites for Christmas stories and I loved this from the start. It will definitely fall on my reread shelf.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. And Sarah Morgan is one of my favorite holiday writers. This book is perfect for Christmas.

This is a delightful found family story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's set at Christmastime and centers around a central character that is in want of the Hallmark movie Christmas. The story is an easy read, with all the emotion and sentimentality that you would expect. There are no great surprises here, but its a satisfying read.

I love Christmas stories! This story tops the charts. The whole time you are rooting for Imogen and for a Christmas miracle. I would love for Hallmark to pick this up for their Christmas collection. It would make an awesome addition to their collection.

Imogen tries to find a fresh start after a burnout at work and a catastrophic blunder. She receives an unexpected invitation to stay at her client’s cottage in the Cotswolds. This may be the Christmas miracle that she needs.

unexpected twists in sweet Christmas story

I really liked The Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan. It is the first book of hers that I have read but certainly won't be the last. I found the story started a bit slow but then really picked up speed and twisted to the point that I stayed up very late to finish it! Definitely a feel-good Christmassy story with a lot of thoughtful messages. Don't it!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

I love when books have a twist in it when you least expect. It keeps me engaged and enjoy the book so much. I loved this Christmas. It was so christmasy.

This was such a charming and heartwarming Christmas story. It definitely had Christmas Hallmark movie vibes, and would be perfect read to curl up by the fireplace with. It covers a lot of topics including friendship, personal growth and healing, and some complex family relationships and drama. The characters are flawed, but likable. I like that this was primarily women’s fiction, with a romance subplot. You get to see Christmas traditions like buying a Christmas tree, and Christmas cheer, which I enjoyed. Overall, this was a cozy holiday read and I would recommend it.

Read if you enjoy:
✔️Christmas Hallmark movies
✔️Complex family relationships
✔️Redemption
✔️Family drama
✔️Strong, hardworking women
✔️Multiple POVs

Thank you @htp_hive for my copy!

I enjoyed readingThe Holiday Cottage by Sarah Morgan. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Thank you to the author/publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.

The story was really hard to get into as I didn't find the characters to be all that likeable. It didn't really seem to go anywhere until about 50% into the book which is probably why it took so long to read for me personally. I have seen reviews that the authors other stories are more interesting so I may try another by her as this had the vibe I was hoping for but the characters and storyline didn't seem to grab me all that much.

Forced (Yet Needed) Christmas Break. Another year, another Sarah Morgan Christmas tale. And yet again, if you like Hallmark Christmas movies - and so very many people very clearly do - you're going to like this one. Perhaps more drama than many of those movies here, Imogen is truly broken - and with good reason, when we get her full backstory. She's coping - she thinks - but even then, she *barely* has her ducks in a row. They're more like cats than ducks, and they *really* don't like walking in rows. Of course, much of this - she admits - she brought on herself.

Let's face it, this is 2024, and it almost doesn't matter your generation, from Boomer all the way down to Zoomer, far too many of us can identify *all too well* with Imogen.

But really, it is the *rest* of the tale - where Imogen is forced into exile and ultimately comes face to face with her past and all of its traumas that created the version of herself she now knows - that is where the true heart of this story is, the true magic - yes, with a bit of Christmas "magic" thrown in to boot. It is this part of the tale that gives it both its gravitas and its wonder, even as it also makes its characters ever more *real*.

Christmas has few Santas, but also few Scrooges. Few Grinches. Just a lot of Whos living their who-lives in their little who-world, doing the best they can.

And here, Morgan hits that particular message out of the ballpark. Kudos to Morgan, and, since I'm writing this review on the day my beloved Atlanta Braves begin their extremely unlikely 7th straight Major League Baseball postseason run, let me just toss in a "Go Braves" and a #ChopOn as well - even though it has *nothing* to do with the book at all. :D May they get a bit of the magic of this book and make a *truly* unexpected season.

Very much recommended.

An easy read story about Imogen who works crazy hours at her marketing job until her boss tells her to take a month off so she goes off and finds more than she bargained for.

This was really emotional, more than I expected. I enjoyed it, but definitely didn’t think it was be this heavy. The conflict not involving a love interest was really refreshing!