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!

I have been loving holiday reads lately, and this one is no exception. It’s a heartwarming mix of family drama, a cozy holiday setting, and just the right touch of romance - complete with a charming veterinarian, a sweet golden retriever, and of course, a picturesque holiday cottage.

While the family drama takes center stage more than the romance, it’s still a sweet and enjoyable story. I also really loved the theme of reminding us to slow down, open up, and appreciate the meaningful connections in our lives.

Another win for the holiday books out already this season.

Lost and found life

I adored this book. I felt so bad for Imogen, she struggles so hard to be the best at work, takes on so much work that she is overwhelmed and pretty much only sleeps a couple of hours a night. She makes up a fake boyfriend and a fake dog, just to fit in with her co-workers. All of this stems from having no family besides a mother who was not just neglectful, she was/is emotionally abusive every chance she gets.

When a work/life clash happens, Imogen's boss makes her take a month off. One of Imogen's clients offers her the use of a holiday cottage for the month, and that's where Imogen finds out many answers including how to find herself. Lovely book, emotional at times, highly recommend.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

i wasn’t sure what to expect from this story seeing as it was my first sarah morgan novel but it truly did not disappoint. what a heartwarming story that will get you right in the mood for the holiday season! thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc!

This book had a slow start, but once Imogen left her chaotic work life for a country Holiday cottage the story really took off. I enjoyed the finding family and romance storylines.
Imogen is close to burnout at work, but she doesn’t know it. She’s made up a fictitious boyfriend, dog and family because her story is too lonely to tell her work friends. When her real life catches up to her she backs away from what is important. Her boss tells her to take a month off work as Christmas is quickly approaching. Imogene doesn’t know what she’s going to do for the next month until one of her favorite clients offers up her holiday cottage in the small town she lives in. Once Imogene arrives things about her past quickly come to light and she doesn’t know what to do.

A perfect Christmas book, the story had everything: some family drama and secrets, a cozy village, snow, dogs and a love interest. Imogen always felt alone due to a troubled upbringing by a mother who was made it clear she was an inconvenience to her. Working hard at her job and taking on more than anyone else leads her boss to tell her she had to take a month off. When her favorite client offers her a cottage in the Cotswolds, Imogen accepts not knowing what was ahead for her. I enjoyed this one and recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a heartwarming holiday read that focused on family, second chances, and romance. There were parts that felt emotional and parts that made me feel joy for these characters. Imogen has a very successful career in marketing but she exaggerates to her colleagues about the happy childhood she had, and making them think she loves Christmas, even if that is not the case. After a mistake she makes at work, she's given some paid time off to recoup. One of her clients, Dorothy, offers to let her stay at her guest house in Cotswold. She takes her up on the offer. When she gets there, this cottage is perfect for some relaxation. I loved the descriptions of this cottage and all the Christmasy vibes throughout the book.

There are secrets revealed, deceit, and life stories that are shared and this happens about mid way. I loved seeing these characters bond over things that have happened in their lives. Although some parts can be heavy, the story still was full of hope. The ending was nice and I enjoyed that it was a positive outcome. A quick, and interesting holiday read!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was such a touching, heartwarming, emotional story that pleasantly surprised me in the best way. It seemed to be a small world when Imogen's boss made her take a month off and she was invited to stay at one of her clients in the Cotswolds. Dorothy owned the Winterbury Estate and she also owned the Holly Cottage on that property. It was the perfect place for Imogen to reflect, unwind, and deal with her life. I enjoyed the story and the characters. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

Holiday story about a woman who makes up a family and even a dog for her coworkers to cover up her lonely life. When her favorite client offers her a cottage for the holidays, she must decide whether to overcome her painful past and take a chance on letting people into her life.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Canary Press for the ARC of this novel.

I love Sarah Morgan’s holiday books and this was another good one. The setting was perfect and all the holiday touches made it feel cozy and ready for Christmas.

I will say this book started a little slow for me. It wasn’t until about 40% in that it started to pick up. When Imogen finally made it to the cottage and we got to find out the twist (which I didn’t see coming) I really got into the story.

I loved a found family troupe and this one really warmed my heart by the end.

3.75/5 rounded up to 4 for this review.

I love a good holiday novel and The Holiday Cottage may be Sara Morgan’s best holiday novel yet! A believable and compelling story dotted with plenty of Christmas touches makes this book a holiday must read!

“I’ve seen you fight for your clients. I’ve seen you handle obstacles and objections that would floor most people. You are a champion problem solver. Why aren’t you fighting for yourself?”

Last year I had the pleasure of reading Ms. Morgan’s The Book Club Hotel so I jumped at the chance at reading her new work. The fabulous cover drew me in and the cute Christmassy story sealed the deal.

Imogen is a London based marketing professional who is great at her job but terrible at putting up boundaries. She has fabricated a fictional personal life to manipulate her coworkers (and herself) into thinking she has it all, but she harbors some deep, sad secrets.

A forced vacation and a generous client lead her to the Cotswolds for the Christmas holidays where she is forced to confront her past. Adorable animals, cute kids, a hunky vet and the magic of the season smooth out the rough edges of her harsh reality in classic Sarah Morgan fashion.

If you are a fan of B.K. Borison’s Lovelight Farms or the movie The Holiday, I recommend adding this to your December TBR list.

Christmas stories always seem to tug at my heartstrings, no matter the time of year. I really liked Imogen and the family drama along the way. The setting makes me feel like I was there and there was humor throughout too as an added bonus.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

4.5 Stars

The Holiday Cottage is a complicated family drama with a side of reconciliation, romance, and Christmas cheer.

Imogen is a high achieving professional marketer and a workaholic. At work, she pretends to have a social life, to come from a loving, happy family, and to love Christmas. She makes a mistake at work that results in a paid leave of absence. Her favorite client, Dorothy, invites Imogen to stay at the guest cottage on her estate in the Cotswolds. Dorothy’s daughter, Sara, is not happy with the situation and is critical of her mother. Tension ensues. Things become complicated, and family secrets are revealed. Will Imogen be able to return to her high-power career? Can Dorothy hold the family together?

Complicated family dynamics are the most compelling part of the story, but I can’t say too much because of spoilers. I will say that Dorothy is the most relatable character in the story for me because of something that happened in my own family. A personal connection with a fictional character can turn an ordinary reading experience into something extra meaningful. So I was deeply invested in this story, the risks that Dorothy takes, and the outcome.

We might not appreciate Imogen at first, but when we fully understand her backstory, we begin to understand and care for her and her well being. Imogen, Dorothy, and Sarah are imperfect characters who are relatable and trying their best. Because this is marketed as a holiday, chick lit, romance, we can trust the genre for a HEA. The journey there for our three main characters is especially rewarding.

In addition to family drama, the author provides other thoughtful poignant themes including reconciliation, forgiveness, taking risks, and second chances. There is a small side of romance and festive Christmas moments for your enjoyment. No profanity (or if there was it was minimal and didn’t bother me). Closed-door romance.

In my reading experience, the story builds slowly and the secret unfolds gradually. I was intrigued so this didn’t bother me. The pace picks up nicely as the story progresses.

Content Consideration: abandonment, childhood neglect

The Holiday Cottage is one of my favorite women’s fiction reads of the year. I recommend it for fans of complicated family drama with a side of reconciliation, romance, and Christmas cheer.

Thanks #NetGalley @HTP_Books Canary Street Press for a complimentary e ARC of #TheHolidayCottage upon my request. All opinions are my own.