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.

“Find yourself a herd”

The Holiday Cottage is the perfect book to kick off the holiday season. A heartfelt story of a broken family, healing, forgiveness, acceptance, friendship and found family with a powerful message. Set in a cozy cottage in the Cotswolds during the Christmas season, with multigenerational characters and realistic conflicts that many people will be able to relate to.

I really enjoyed this book, like all the other Sarah Morgan books I have read. I loved the well developed likable characters, the festive cozy setting and the powerful message portrayed. As an animal lover, I loved the animal rescue stories that were incorporated into the story. Animals are so therapeutic and show unconditional love even when we are at our worst.

This book would make a perfect Hallmark Christmas movie, if it isn’t already in the works then it should be!
And can we take a moment to appreciate this gorgeous cover? It is absolutely stunning!

Thank you to @htp_hive, @canarystreetpress and @sarahmorganwrites for the advanced #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Christmas books and when I find a new author I have never read before, and they have a Christmas book I am eager to read it.
Imogene is excellent at her job in marketing but her life outside of work is not what it should be. When Imogen is forced to take time off and a invitation from one of her clients Dorothy to stay at her cottage is offered she takes the offer.
The characters in the story all fold together perfectly and Sarah Morgan gave me a story that will stay with me long after reading it.
Thank you Sarah Morgan and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the copy of The Holiday Cottage. This is my personal review.
I highly recommend this book to other readers and I look forward to reading more books by this author.

This was a lovely holiday tale, with plenty of real world drama mixed in. Imogen (a lovely not often seen name!) has built herself an independent life, though she feels she has to make up bits of it to fit in with her workmates. She works herself to the brink of burnout, wanting to assure herself of a livable income and basic success. It all felt very real and very modern day crushing. Her boss offers her a break to recover, and her favorite client offers her a free stay in a cottage in the Cotswolds. It certainly seems like a perfect place to recover and re-energize, so Imogen accepts. A surprise bit of family drama comes along, and then the story gets wonderfully intense. The local characters and setting add wonderfully to the holiday feel of it all. And there is also a dog who is important to the latter part of the story, which always adds to the fun for me. I hope to reread this in December, or perhaps revisit it in the audiobook version; Ms. Morgan delivers all the holiday redemption!

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and asked to provide a review, which I was happy to do.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for this advanced copy!!

A few years ago I went on a Sarah Morgan binge at Christmas time. I devoured the O’Neil Brothers trilogy, and thought they were the perfect Christmas reads. Once I saw The Holiday Cottage on NetGalley, I had to have it.

Quick synopsis:

“To the outside world, Imogen is a marketing dynamo. Her colleagues don’t know that while her high-achieving professional image is real, the happy childhood stories she spins are as fake as her pretend enthusiasm for Christmas. Working 24/7 has always been her solution to surviving the festive season—until burnout leads to a catastrophic blunder.

Suddenly, Imogen is handed a holiday gift she definitely doesn’t want: enforced time off work to recuperate. Then an invitation arrives from her favorite client, Dorothy, to stay at her guest cottage in the Cotswolds. From the thatched roof to the cozy open fireplace, Holly Cottage is a picture-perfect haven… Can it provide the fresh start Imogen so desperately needs?”

This book 1000% delivered, as I predicted it would. The main character, Imogen, was truly admirable. Regardless of everything that she endured throughout a horrible childhood, she encompassed strength and true positivity.

The Holiday Cottage really had it all- family, love, dogs, Christmas, kids, trees, sparkling lights, fireplaces (you get the idea.) The whole feel good Christmas magic was there. Now I want to put up my tree, and I’m a little confused about what season it is, but I don’t care because I loved this book 🎄🎃

Imogene is a marketing genius. She is great at her job because she has no family or home life. She works at all hours because she has no one. Well, except her mother who is verbally abusive and uses Imogene to support her misdeeds. Imogene has even gone so far as to lie to her co-workers. She even has fake photos on her desk of a dog and a family. So, when she makes a mistake one night at an event, her boss makes her take a vacation. This vacation changes her life.

Sarah Morgan has become a favorite for me, especially her Christmas novels. I loved last year’s book, The Book Club Hotel. And this book right is right up there with it!

I loved Imogene. She really has had a rough time. Her mother is a piece of work and Imogene struggles with self awareness and self esteem.

Enter Dorothy and her secret…you will have to read this to find out!

This story will take you through some emotional ups and downs and a family drama you won’t soon forget. Add in the sweet dog and the HOT veterinarian…and you have a magical, holiday story!

Need a good Christmas tale to get you in the spirit…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I have recently discovered Sarah Morgan's books and I always enjoy them! I enjoy how she develops her characters and the way she weaves their lives together. If you are looking for a warm holiday read The Holiday Cottage definitely fits the bill. The story did not have the holiday feels at the beginning but by the end it was all there.

Thank you Net Galley, Sarah Morgan and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.

This novel is now available for purchase.

“I’m always going to remember today.” “I don’t need a gift for that.”

This book is a perfect holiday read -- so sweet with such beautiful story-telling!

Set in both London and a cozy cottage in the Cotswolds, the story begins when Imogen, a hard working professional whose job is her whole world, is forced to take time off over the holidays. Faced with time to herself that she does not want, Imogen accepts an invitation from one of her favorite clients to stay at Holly Cottage. The quaint little cottage is a perfect refuge for Imogen who needs to come to terms with the imaginary life that she has created for herself yet she soon discovers more about her past than she could have ever imagined.

I am a huge fan of Sarah Morgan’s books, especially her Christmas stories and this one is no exception! I will say that The Holiday Cottage is a little light on the romance, so just know that going in, but regardless there are so many heartwarming moments. Multigenerational family stories are definitely Sarah’s specialty. This book is a perfect reminder of the importance of slowing down, appreciating all that life has to offer and cherishing the relationships you build with the people who mean the most.

The Holiday Cottage is filled with Christmas cheer and has the most perfect cozy setting. If you are looking for an emotional but sweet holiday read then this is the perfect fit!

The Holiday Cottage is available today!