It’s nearly Christmas and it’s snowing, hard. Deep in the Yorkshire Moors nestles a tiny hamlet, with a pub at its heart. As the snow falls, the inn will become an unexpected haven for six people forced to seek shelter there…
Mary has been trying to get her boss Jack to notice her for four years, but he can only see the efficient PA she is at work. Will being holed up with him finally give her the chance she has been waiting for?
Bridge and Luke were meeting for five minutes to set their divorce in motion. But will getting trapped with each other reignite too many fond memories – and love?
Charlie and Robin were on their way to a luxury hotel in Scotland for a very special Christmas. But will the inn give them everything they were hoping to find – and much more besides?
A story of knowing when to hold on and when to let go, of pushing limits and acceptance, of friendship, love, laughter, mince pies and the magic of Christmas.
Review: I pre-ordered the audiobook of this title because it has a wonderful narrator and I really thought she did a great job of bringing this story to life. One of the things I love most about this book is the ensemble cast. It can be difficult to keep track of who is who when you first start listening but the synopsis is so well written that I referred back to that to ensure I had everyone memorised and could really settle into the story.
This was one of those books I saw playing out in front of me like a movie or a television show. I saw everyone on their own journey, make the detour to the inn and each character on their own journey of person discovery. This is almost like a mid-life coming of age story for most of these characters. This tiny inn and everything that surrounds it is the perfect setting for these characters to really take a look inward and have a think about where they are, where they've been and the next step they want to take.
I warmed to Bridge and Luke straight away. They have been on a journey together and they were very easy to relate to, I could see them slotting into my own life as neighbors or friends of friends. Their story is a little bitter sweet and I really loved the way they bonded together as they bonded with the other characters. Mary and Jack are that classic combination of a hard working woman and a man who doesn't see how hard working his assistant is just because she is so hard working. She is the swan and he is he passive recipient of all of her time saving efforts. I loved watching Mary step outside of her comfort zone and seeing if Jack would realise her worth.
Charlie and Robin were my favourite characters, the true hedonists of the group. I felt sorry for them that they had to detour on their way to Scotland but I loved that they got to interact with the other characters because I think they really brought out the best in everyone. Their story is definitely the most emotional but that because fo the passion that the two of them throw into their lives. I would definitely have found myself drawn to their pair if I was in that inn too.
Fans of Milly Johnson will know that he books often feature the newspaper The Daily Bugle and whilst that paper doesn't feature in this book, it has been replaced with another form of media to provide comedy interludes in this narrative. I loved tuning into Radio Brian and really would have enjoyed his festive musings myself I am sure. This book is just the right balance of festive, funny and introspective and I really enjoyed the audio. I did laugh and I did cry so you know you're in for a good time with Milly Johnson's latest.
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