Skip to main content

Festive Reads - Mince Pies and Mistletoe at the Christmas Market

My second Festive Read, yes I know it's still technically September, was Heidi Swain's Mince Pies and Mistletoe at the Christmas Market.   Released in October 2016, this book is part of the Wynbridge series, in this story we are introduced to Ruby who has recently dropped out of university and is heading home to run a market stall for the Cherry Tree Cafe in order to save some money to go travelling.




Her dad is not happy that his daughter whom he seems to want to live vicariously through is working as a market trader.  It soon turns out there maybe more to his concerns about her working on the market than it first seemed.  Not only is Ruby faced with dealing with her dad and his strange behaviour but she is working on the stall next to her childhood sweet heart who after three years she still hasn't got over.  Throwing herself in to making this the best Christmas market ever Ruby is determined to being back the community feeling and turn Wynbridge's Christmas market in to a hallmark Christmas Movie.


I love Heidi's books, they always leave me with a warm feeling.  Wynbridge is an aspirational village, there's so much to celebrate that it's faults pale in comparison for the community spirit that each book evokes.

Each book ties in to the other but no so much that you have to read in a specific order, I first discovered Heidi's work last year when I purchased Sleigh Rides and Silver Bells at the Christmas Fair and I've been working my way through her collection ever since.

This is a perfect build up book to the Festive Season and I enjoyed getting to know more of the Wynbridge residents and catching up with some more familiar favourites.  While I think Sleigh Bells is a little more Christmassy I would still put this on my annual Christmas reads list to get me in to the festive spirit.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Get Ready With Me - Pamper Routine

Life is hectic, stressful and chaotic, it can play havoc with your skin, your health and your general wellbeing.  Sometimes you just have to say stop and take a little time for yourself to give your body a treat and recharge your batteries for the days/weeks ahead. After going through periods of stress and anxiety I found that taking some time to have a mini pamper session could lift my mood, help my skin and lower my stress levels.  I try at least once a week to give myself a mini pamper session to relax and refocus my mind. This is currently my pamper routine; As we move in to Spring I'm exfoliating my skin with Calcot Manor Body salts, this is refreshing my skin and leaving it feeling smooth after months of being hidden under long sleeves and jumpers. I apply to damp skin using a circular motion starting at the feet and working my way up. CALCOT MANOR SCRUB I then shower off the salts which do leave a bit of oil on the skin, I tend to follow up with Treacle Moon

10 Things I Love about "It's Okay to Not be Okay"

It's Okay to not be Okay, started this past weekend on Netflix and TVN, produced by Studio Dragon, Story TV and Goldmedalist, it is a Romantic Drama a a whimsical fairy tale twist, staring Kim Soo Hyun in his first TV drama since returning from military service and Seo Ye Ji of Lawless Lawyer. This is a show I've been looking forward to since it was announced and I have to say the pre show hype did not disappoint. So two episodes in, here are the ten things I love about this show so far; 1.  Burton esq Whimsey The show begins with a Tim Burton esq animation, reminiscent of the Corpse Bride and Nightmare before Christmas, with a twisted tale to match.  The dark fairy tale and graphic characters of the animation are carried through in to the illustrations of Ko Moon-young's (Seo Ye Ji) children's books I love how the animation isn't dark which makes some of its darker themes all the more impactful. It also sets up Ko Moon-young as a character bea