Not all festive wishes come true right away – sometimes it takes five Christmases …
Folk singer Cerys Davies left Wales for the South Downs village of Padcock at Christmas, desperate for a new beginning. And she ends up having plenty of those: opening a new craft shop-tea room, helping set up the village’s first festive craft fair, and, of course, falling desperately in love with Lovely Sam, the owner of the local pub. It’s just too bad he’s firmly in the clutches of Awful Belinda …
Perhaps Cerys has to learn that some new beginnings take a while to … well, begin! But with a bit of patience, some mild espionage, a generous sprinkling of festive magic and a flock of pub-crashing sheep, could her fifth Christmas in Padcock lead to her best new beginning yet? Christmas of New Beginnings
Kirsty Ferry ´ 1 READ
There was a big question for Kirsty Ferry's usual readers: considering that all of her series already included a Christmas novella, would we not get any festive-themed story from her this year? And then this book was announced. First in a new series - problem solved (although I now wonder what will happen next year).
Anyway, this is a lovely introduction to a new location and cast of characters I'll be happy to see again in the next books. It's all in the heroine's point of view (hence the absence of the usual Choc Lit heart on the cover) and entirely contemporary (also, no ghost in sight this time), with the perfect mix of romance, humour and Christmas atmosphere that makes the best festive romantic comedies.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. English A sparkling holiday tale.
Leaving her old life behind in Wales after the final breakup with her boyfriend, Cerys moves to a small village on the English South Downs in time for Christmas. She is now the proud owner of her longed for craft shop/tea rooms.
All written from her point of view, Christmas of New Beginnings concentrates on events, many hilarious, that have affected Cerys during each of the past four Christmas periods, up until the present day.
Romance and humour, all set around Christmas. English After the final breakup with her boyfriend, and leaving her old life behind in Wales, Cerys moves just before Christmas to a small village on the English South Downs. She is now the proud owner of her longed for craft shop/tea rooms.
All written from her point of view, Christmas of New Beginnings concentrates on events, many hilarious, that have affected Cerys during each of the past four Christmas periods, up until the present day.
Romance, humour and Christmas festivities from Kirsty Ferry. English Cerys runs a local craft shop & tea room. She is in love with Sam the owner of the Spatchcock pub (aka Lovely Sam) but he is with the horrible & devious Belinda.
It starts with Cerys and her friend Edie sitting in the Spatchcock pub. A load of sheep suddenly burst through the doors causing chaos.
It then rewinds to four years earlier and explains how she ended up moving from Wales to the South Downs to start her “Christmas of New Beginnings”.
I loved this book so much. To be honest, I love pretty much anything that Kirsty Ferry releases. There are so many quirky characters such as Edie, Veronica, and Mrs Culpepper. English I loved this story from its sheep laden start to its very last page. I was sorry to leave this wonderful village of Padcock and it’s range of wonderful characters including, of course, the Lovely Sam, who sadly was already taken and Cerys, our leading lady. I laughed and sighed over their escapades- just a perfect read! English
Christmas of New Beginnings is the 1st in the Padcock Village series by Kirsty Ferry and it was a nice, light, entertaining read. Cerys Davies had left Wales and her horrible ex for Padcock, determined to have a new beginning. Cerys was a folk singer with a beautiful voice, harmonizing with magic in her group but Rhys, the ex, put her down continually until she sure her singing ability was gone. Now in Padcock, Cerys opened a craft shop/tea room which had been a dream for as long as she could remember. The first friend she made in Padcock, Edie, was working for/with her and they were as close as sisters. But Cerys loved Sam, owner of the pub not far from her craft shop, while he was still with Belinda, the person both Cerys and Edie could see was using Sam. Would they be able to remove Belinda from Padcock, or would she do a good job of it herself? With Cerys’ fifth Christmas since she’d arrived in Padcock not far away, she wondered if this would be the one… Recommended. English It’s not Christmas without a Kirsty Ferry book, is it? Yes, I know we are just into July and the Summer is well and truly here, but hey you can never have enough Christmas books, can you? and I am craving colder days instead of all the heat we have been enduring.
Whenever I read a Kirsty Ferry book it’s like receiving a massive hug, her stories aren’t just comforting and cheerful, but they always leave you feeling incredibly happy, this gorgeous book is no different and even better this is the first in a whole new series, yippee!!
I do love a second chance/ new beginnings romance and this is gorgeous, Carys has moved from Wales to a quaint village in the country, she wanted a fresh start a new beginning and by Jove did she get one! She has been a busy little bee; opening a craft shop and tea room, becoming embroiled in all of the drama of village life and secretly falling in love with gorgeous and super sensitive Sam (for some weird reason I keep picturing Hugh Grant from Four Weddings, no idea why maybe because I was watching the film while reading this book) he’s a bit bumbling but with a hugely good heart – plus very easy on the eye. Honestly, my imagination has gone a little out of control where our lovely Sam is concerned, he is a real sweetie.
Carys has worked so hard to start a fresh, to grab hold of her new beginning and finally after five years she may have just cracked it…only things happen! this is where Kirsty Ferry comes into her own, she takes what is already a fantastic love story and adds a surprising twist, a dash of intrigue and a good old dollop of will-they-won’t they’s and a very generous helping of festive glitter and cheer.
What more could you ask for?
I love how we initially meet the characters, I was laughing so much at the chaos, just imagine it, a pub full of regulars, a bumbling owner and a herd of sheep basically doing as they wish (as sheep do). It has Kirsty Ferry’s trademark feel-good humour stamped all over it!
There is a little twist with this one though, as unlike other Ferry’s books this one is told completely through the heroine's point of view, a nice little twist plus none of her customary time-slipping or ghosties, but it has so much to love, nothing more so then the pitch-perfect comedy and swoon-worthy romance, this is a real winner and well worth reading no matter what time of year.
I am really looking forward to seeing where this series is going to go, this village is full of stories, the characters are an eclectic bunch and I am looking forward to seeing who amongst them gets a story too.
This is a real gem, magical and delicious; the best chocolate from the box (in my case that would be the strawberry cream) Yum!! English I loved this Christmas novella from the very first page which made me giggle, with a stampede of sheep in a pub! It’s most definitely what you’d call a slow burn romance as the storyline takes place over five Christmases moving back and forward though those years, as we get to know Cerys, Sam and Edie. The book is funny, warm and highly entertaining. Even the chapter titles made me smile!
There are so many Christmassy things included in this book to have you feeling all cosy and fill you with Christmas cheer, from festive baking, to the Christmas craft fair, carol singers and of course, there is some snow though not always when you might expect it…
This is the first book in a series and I can’t wait to return to Padcock to catch up with Cerys and Lovely Sam again – he really did sound lovely! Christmas of New Beginnings is such a gorgeous romance, the joy of Christmas wrapped up in a book. English You know it's going to be a fun Christmas story when the local pub is invaded by sheep, and this was the perfect start to this wonderful novella that leaves you smiling and filled with so much joy as you follow the exploits of Cerys, a brilliant character who is sharing her memories of Christmas pasts after moving to the village of Padcock and falling in love with the local pub owner who, unfortunately, is with the horrible Belinda!
Cerys opened a craft shop/tea room when she moved into the area, and was welcomed with open arms by the local community, especially Sam who runs the local pub. He always seemed to be there at her time of need! If only she didn't always get so tongue tied around him!
The evil Belinda is the perfect villain! You just wonder what Sam sees in her! And it seems everyone else in the village can see past her antics except him so you're just eager for her to get her comeuppance! Meanwhile Cerys has more pressing matters to deal with when her love sick brother shows up!
I loved the way this story is told! Going back in time at looking at the events that lead up to the present, were a perfect way to see how her new beginnings in Padcock had evolved and brought her to the centre of the community! This was a story full of fun and great characters and I hope we get to revisit with them in the future to see what Christmas futures have in store for them all!! English I adored listening to this Christmas novella. Christmas of New Beginnings is packed full of giggles, gorgeous characters, festive fun, romance and sheep in a pub! It’s only short but it has everything you need from a festive read/listen.
Christmas just oozes from every pore of this novella from baking, crafts, singing and snow. It’s like a warm Christmas hug guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Padcock sounds like the perfect place to spend Christmas.
5 years ago, Cerys moved to Padfoot for a new start but although things didn’t quite go as planned, Cerys found a home and a community. The narrative moves between the present and the past 5 Christmases and tells us a story of how Cerys ended up in Padcock, and how each Christmas has gone each whilst introducing a variety of quirky and amusing characters, including Lovely Sam who is indeed very lovely!
I love the whole small community feel of this story as much as I love the romantic plot and I am really hoping this is the lead into a new series featuring the inhabitants of Padcock.
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