A perfect Christmas read. Main character wanted to escape Christmas and goes to Honeycombe Bay and you just get a light lovely read. The buying of the wellies and the boots will make you cry. Read in a night . You also get romance . I loved it .Good ending .

Lilac Mills is one of my favourite cosy authors! I loved this one so much and it was beautiful! Really got me in the Christmassy mood!

Another gorgeous read from Lilac Mills. I really enjoy Lilac's books, they are all relatable and with each one I can always picture myself within the pages.

I lovd a festive read and this book had all the feels. I loved the characters and the generosity and compassion from the characters is a reminder of the real meaning behind the festive period.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was just the perfect Christmas read from start to finish. It had everything from the perfect setting, fantastic characters and a beautiful storyline.

Eloise doesn’t enjoy Christmas so books a B&B 200 miles away in the stunning Honeycombe Bay to spend the season alone. What follows is the start of some beautiful friendships and the most perfect Christmas she has ever had.

The characters were all wonderful and the story just flowed beautifully as 4 damaged people found their joy for Christmas and life again. I loved how all the characters had their own back story’s which we slowly learned about and it was great to see how they all developed both alone and together as friendships grew. It was lovely to see the magic of Christmas for Toby but also for all of the adults and how the simple things are always the most magical.

I cannot wait for the next book in the stunning Honeycombe Bay and to see how all the characters are doing.

A fantastic 5 star Christmas read that you will not want to put down( except to have a hot chocolate or another mince pie)

Thanks to NetGalley, Lilac Mills and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Christmas read and found it covered so many different topics but they all flowed together and were written sensitively. Eloise Garrett does not like Christmas thinking that it is overrated, overpriced and overhyped. She decides this year to go away and contacts the Devon guest house she once stayed in thinking that an off season seaside town will be quiet. The owner is Bartholomew Knott and he hasn’t opened since his wife died and doesn’t want to celebrate the festive season. When Eloise gets in touch and shares how she wants to spend time away where is she’s unlikely to be bothered by anything Christmas themed he decides to reopen the guest house for like minded people who want to ‘get away’ from the festive season. However when neighbour Sarah needs help Eloise and Bart find their Christmas being very different from what they had expected!
Each character had depth and as the story develops we slowly find out more about the backgrounds of each character and how their experiences have shaped who they now are. There were some lighthearted moments that made me chuckle along with some that brought a tear to my eyes. This is such a lovely read that shows how compassion, looking out for others and working together can make a difference to everyone.
Thanks to Aria and Aries and Netgalley for the ARC

I read this while feeling under the weather, and it was such a tonic. A happy, warm and often funny story with adorable characters and a great premise, this will appeal to anyone who loves a cosy Christmas romance. It was easy to sympathise with the main characters and the gorgeous descriptions of the seaside setting made it an immersive read. Utterly charming and a recommended festive read, guaranteed to lift your spirits. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Such a gorgeous heartfelt read. It gave me all the feels and by the end my heart felt full of love. It's a festive season like no other and is a reminder that not everyone is having the happiest time of their lives. I related to the characters and could picture myself beside them telling them that it would be okay. With a little love, compassion and understanding you are set to fully immersive yourself in this Honeycombe Bay story.

Oh this was so totally and utterly heartwarming, and made so feel rather festive too. I feel this at it's heart really does show the true meaning of Christmas, and it's not the presents, lights etc.. but it's how you can make other people's lives a bit better for the festive period at least.

Eloise is determined to avoid Christmas this year, she is recently unemployed and was never a big fan of the season anyway, plus her best friend is in a new relationship and she doesn't want to intrude. so will be alone.

Impulsively she decides to book into a B&B in Honeycombe Bay, a place she has some fond memories of, and assumes that it will be quiet and not full on xmassy, given it's out of season. Something Bart the owner agrees with. Bart hasn't opened the B&B since his wife passed over a year ago, but needs the money, so not only agrees to Eloise but promptly decides to offer it as a non Christmas break to others.

I enjoyed getting to know Eloise, Bart and the other guest Mitch, even though it turns out Honeycombe Bay was putting on a week of Christmas activities. But it's when Bart takes in a young mum and child after they have no where else to go, that he decides the little boy needs to have good Christmas memories, even if the other guests leave.

But instead they all agree and from then there is a real sense of found family between them all, and I'd say the second half of the book with all the characters in place is just a sheer pleasure to read.

It really gave me all the festive feels, and I loved all the various Christmas activities that were undertaken, including the local panto,

There are also some fledgling slow burn romances, if only the characters can actually learn to communicate and not just guess what the others are thinking, which was a bit frustrating but true to life.

This is another wonderful book from Lilac Mills, and it left me feeling warm and fuzzy.

Thank you to Aria and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Oh she is back. And I couldn't be more happy about that. I was genuinely sad at the end of the last book at the castle with this wonderful author. So when I saw her name, and then possibly a new series? I couldn’t wait to dive right in. oh and the added bonus? Another to add to my festive reads favourites!
I couldn’t get enough of the writing by Lilac, the world she has created in this book and the characters she has put there. Another place I desperately want to go live for a while. and what Lilac does so well is bring you right into the centre of the fold too. so you can not just yearn to be there, it actually feels like you could be, like you are in amongst the happening in her books.
Lilac knows how to write people. They leap from the pages and you really can picture their lives, location and even the way they behave.personalities and their mannerisms come to life.
I love in this one we have a twist from the get go. We have 2 characters who instead of giving us their festive cheer, actually would do anything to hide away from it. Bart and Eloise fro their own reasons do not want to let the tinsel into their lives this year.
What I look out for now in my reads is stories that feature those above the age most stick to. And no, that doesn’t even mean “old!” I feel harshly ignorant of the fact books usually having much younger characters in them as ive got older myself. So to see this book featuring those of a further along age was a gem from the start.
With that comes a life lived of course too. And these two have had their fair share of life and certainly its hurdles.
Bart is still grieving the loss of his wife. And he most certainly does NOT want to decorate his guest house or gather in the seasons sparkle. So this year he will do just that. A no room at the inn for Christmas thankyou very much.
And Eloise in herself feels like shes almost grieving to. Except it one of the loss of herself and even someone by her side to share it with be it family love or other love.
So right now Eloise wants anything BUT to celebrate and pretend she is into the fun and festive season. She does NOT want to Christmas this year.
Well life has other plans. When Bart has guests it might just be what changes and adds life to his life once again. And he right back.
You can feel the lightness and connection that the two bring each other. From those first moments of meeting I was filled with my own lightness and smiles. But I also knew they both carried something heavy. When they tentatively start getting to know each other and something between them growing I have to admit I was worried. Especially for Eloise as Bart is clearly still missing his wife. And so he should, she was taken from him not his choice. Therefore the loss and being able to move forward can feel a whole lot more tricky. But I sooooo didn’t want Eloise to get hurt! Its a huge trigger for all she fears.
Then there Is the guests we all fall to mush for. A single mum and her son have had their own heartbreak. And have potentially had their own Christmas stolen from them. This happens when there is a house fire. They now are staying at the guest house and this spurs both Bart and then Eloise to think above and around themselves and brings something good to these two lost souls. They want these two to have something special this years after their own loss.
We also have a school teacher to add the this wonderful group and together they all decide to give it their all. Especially the all in taking care of Sarah and her young mum.
I loved this book so much. Seeing our pair who have loved and lost, perhaps thinking all that had passed them by have another chance was something that made me go to mush in my own heart. I very quickly wanted this pair to be ok. And of course very soon wanted them to be ok together. The way their gentle understanding and walls came down for both was amazing. Lilac wrote the ups and downs of this ever so well. You feel it in your whole chest. Watching them come to life and those walls fall and the creeping in of something gorgeous into their world was yum.
There was no rushing here. Everything had its time and respect. Lilac always manages to write this kind of story from people, she writes the truth of people brilliantly. Whatever her character is going through good and bad, the highs and lows is something that comes to life off the page.
Found family is something I look for more and more in my books. There is something so comforting in that. Something I think more and more of us are looking for nowadays with our current real world situations is a place that feels like belonging. yes, for our characters but also somehow for us too. Found family Is all across this book. And where could we find it in a better place than somewhere by the sea and in this community.
Eloise and Bart not only found their hearts in eachother but also had mine.

A lovely festive read. From hating Christmas to loving it, strangers to lovers. Love and the joy of Christmas can find you even in your 60s. Shows it’s never too late

This was a nice cosy christmas read- Heartwarming and funny in places.
Its about friendship/people looking out for each other, the implications of love after loss and how daunting and hard it can feel not just on the person but family as well and of course LOVE and FAMILY.
The characters are really well written and drag you in and the way the town is described it feels like you are there with them it all unfold infront of you.
I like that Eloise and Bart are of an older generation i feel you dont read about it as often and it gives hope.
i will be looking for more books from Lilac Mills.

This fiction book is a lovely cosy seasonal romance. There is human kindness, love and concern for family members when finding love again. It was also quite refreshing for a romance to feature older people at a different stage of life.
Honeycombe Bay feels like somewhere you would like to live as the community spirit is strong and maybe what the world could do with right now!

If you are looking for a Christmas read that isn't over the top Christmassy then this would be a great choice. I read this in September and it didn't feel odd to do so. Would I recommend it? Absolutely...if you are looking for a cosy Christmas romance then this book is definitely worth picking up!

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This was the perfect book to read to put you in the festive spirit.

We meet Eloise who doesn’t really like Christmas or enjoy the build up to it. So she decides to book a B&B in a place she visited a while back, where hopefully Christmas won’t be celebrated. It’s in a beautiful place called Honeycombe Bay.

She enjoys the walks, staying at the B&B and visiting different places. Soon another person arrives to stay at the B&B. But then, it seems Christmas is being celebrated in Honeycombe Bay, so was this a mistake to come here?

Then when a fire takes place nearby, Bart, the owner of the B&B asks the mother and son to stay with them, as they have nowhere else to go.

It seems Christmas will be celebrated at the B&B after all.

I loved the characters and they all made the story more beautiful. Four people with their own stories found the happiness that Christmas can bring.

We learn why Mitch came to the B&B and the reason why mother and son are on their Ian.

Friendships are made and feelings grow. I loved Toby and his enthusiasm for Christmas.

Sometimes doing or giving the simple things makes Christmas more magical.

I highly recommend this book.

Eloise wants to get away from everything Christmas. On the spur of the moment she decides to return to Honeycombe Bay where she’s sure nothing Christmasy will be going on.
This was an easy to read story with a dash of romance. Eloise was a little annoying at times but got better as the story progressed. It’s perfect for your holiday reading list.

I’ve read a couple of Lilac Mills books set in Scotland - this was the start of a new series but set in Devon

I’d expected a saccharinely sweet Christmas story - designed for snuggling in front of an open fire with hot chocolate, cream, marshmallows and sprinkles - and that’s exactly what we get but I hadn’t expected the tear in my eye at one point - well a couple of I’m honest - and the thought that had gone into the writing..

We meet Eloise - who it seems had felt unloved for a long while. She’s been made redundant and is at an age when finding another job isn’t proving easy. She also hates anything to do with Christmas.
So off she trots to Honeycombe Bay where she is sure there won’t be much in the way of Christmas cheer now the tourist season is over. Honeycombe Bay is having its own Christmas festival.
She stays in a guest house owned by Bart - fairly recently widowed with a grown up son. He’s unsure he can be bothered with a B&B without his wife but can’t quite bring himself to sell.
Mitch has his own reason for avoiding home and being at Honeycombe Bay and Sarah and her son Toby lose their home to a fire just before Christmas.

But Christmas spirit enters everyone and alls well in the end - in a very predictable way - with the necessary misunderstandings and crossed wires one would expect in a book like this
But that doesn’t allow for the way I felt when these wires crossed and Eloise and Bart went their own ways. Only to see the error of those ways and for Ross - Bart’s son - to realise that Bart was allowed to love his Mum and someone else.

A throughly satisfying read in the end and I look forward to many more adventures in Honeycombe Bay - through all the seasons.

Christmas at Honeycombe Bay is a delightful festive read. As the synopsis explains, two main characters fit the description of Scrooges. Neither wants to celebrate Christmas, but for different reasons.

Firstly, we meet Eloise. Life has sucked the happiness from her, and she has no desire to witness the money machine that Christmas has become. Forced out of a job she was underwhelmed with, staring her sixties in the eye, she sees no joy in her future and simply needs to get away. Eloise’s outlook was anathema to me. I love the festive season, but I can understand how it must feel to be on the outside of the celebrations. It must be painful to have absolutely nobody to share with. I think her experience was the most satisfying, as she discovered an outlet for the kindness she had kept to herself for so long.

Scrooge number two was Bartholomew, Bart, a widower whose life had shrunk beyond all recognition since his wife’s death. He had family, but he struggled to cope with their interference. He wasn’t at a point where he was ready to move out of the B&B that had been his home and business for his entire marriage. It was clear to me that Bart only needed a nudge to embrace his festive memories and enjoy their warm comfort. His biggest issue was the guilt from outliving his wife.

The addition of a single mother and her son acts as a catalyst for this story. Made temporarily homeless by a house fire, they are offered refuge by Bart, and the ensuing metamorphosis of our two Scrooges begins. The story arcs for both Eloise and Bart are heartwarming. I loved the gentle way Lilac Mills introduced them to new perspectives and the joy of creating new memories. I don’t include spoilers, so if you want to find out how it all unfolds, the book is out now.

Loved the cover of this book. Yet another fabulous seasonal book by Lilac. All of her books have been comfortable, easy reading and this one is no exception.

Christmas at Honeycombe Bay by Lilac Mills

[AD PR] I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Two Scrooges come together for a festive-free holiday season by the sea and find all their anti-Christmas plans going up in smoke when they decide to play Santa for a single mom and her child.

Eloise Garrett thinks Christmas is overpriced, overhyped, and overrated, and without any family to share it with, she feels sad, lonely and isolated. The “season for giving” is just a constant reminder that she’s single, sixty(ish), and staring down retirement. But not this Christmas. Determined to avoid the most magical time of the year, Eloise decides to spend Christmas in Honeycombe Bay. Surely a seaside village in the middle of winter won’t be too festive?

Ever since his wife passed away, Bartholomew Knott hasn’t felt up to welcoming visitors to his guest house. With the prospect of another long, lonely winter, and having become more Scrooge than Santa over the years, Bart is dreading Christmas. However, when he’s contacted by someone who dislikes decking the halls just as much as he does, Bart has the brilliant idea of opening the guest house to people who want to escape all things festive.

Christmas isn’t easy to ignore, though, not even in off-season Honeycombe Bay. So when fate forces Bart to give shelter to a single mother and child whose holiday has been devastated by a terrible fire, Eloise finds herself playing Mrs. Claus to Bart’s Santa—dragging the house’s other guest, a heartbroken teacher looking for a break during the holidays, into the action as well. But holiday cheer isn’t the only thing sparking under the mistletoe. Will the guests at Honeycombe Bay realize that, sometimes, the best way to escape Christmas is to let it into your heart?

My Opinion

Christmas at Honeycombe Bay is a lovely, heart-warming festive novel. I enjoyed getting to know the characters in this delightful book. I read the majority of this book in one sitting as it was difficult to put down. Another stunning novel by Lilac Mills that I would highly recommend.

Rating 5/5

This is a perfect festive read, but it is so much more than that too. Think friendships, community, moving on and maybe a touch of romance too.

There are some really strong characters in this book and I loved the way the author portrayed them all.

The author has this wonderful way of bringing the settings to life, you really feel you are there in Honeycombe Bay, staying in the B & B and experiencing everything the characters are. I can see the scenery in my minds eye and loved the references to near by places.

I also loved how this didn’t jump straight into the love of Christmas festivities, it really showed the other side of Christmas. Having to deal with the merriment and cheer when it just isn’t your favourite time of the year, perhaps due to your past or maybe due to grief. What really comes across though is the sense of community, the ability to put aside some of your feelings to help others, but in turn maybe helping yourself too.

I’d absolutely want to visit this B & B! Firstly for the breakfast and other meals that are described, they will have you salivating just reading about them! It really made me reminisce of places I’ve been, where the breakfast has been so good, you really are filled up for the rest of the day and need to take advantage of the lovely coastal walks to walk the food off!!

I really enjoyed following all the different characters in this, not just the main two. This gave a great depth to the book. The storylines are sensitive and gentle, considerate and real.

So all is all a wonderful read, with a beautiful enticing cover too.