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Serenity Bay #2
Christmas at Serenity Bay
Christmas is never a peaceful affair in Serenity Bay . . .
Chloe and her boyfriend Andy are counting down the days until their first Christmas alone.
Until a film crew once again descends on the charming seaside village of Serenity Bay.
First it was reality TV. This time, it’s The Montgomery Mysteries — a popular series starring amateur sleuth Dominic Montgomery and his crime-solving dog, Agatha.
But nothing goes smoothly for Chloe and her little village.
A mysterious saboteur is stealing the show. Someone is determined to wreak havoc on the production, and Chloe finds herself in a race against time to uncover the culprit.
To make matters worse, filming needs to wrap up before the village’s sparkling Midwinter Festival. And she still doesn’t have a gift for her Christmas-obsessed boyfriend.
But can Chloe bring peace to Serenity Bay in time for her and her beau to celebrate the festivities under the mistletoe?
Chloe and her boyfriend Andy are counting down the days until their first Christmas alone.
Until a film crew once again descends on the charming seaside village of Serenity Bay.
First it was reality TV. This time, it’s The Montgomery Mysteries — a popular series starring amateur sleuth Dominic Montgomery and his crime-solving dog, Agatha.
But nothing goes smoothly for Chloe and her little village.
A mysterious saboteur is stealing the show. Someone is determined to wreak havoc on the production, and Chloe finds herself in a race against time to uncover the culprit.
To make matters worse, filming needs to wrap up before the village’s sparkling Midwinter Festival. And she still doesn’t have a gift for her Christmas-obsessed boyfriend.
But can Chloe bring peace to Serenity Bay in time for her and her beau to celebrate the festivities under the mistletoe?
- GenresChristmas
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 25, 2023
64 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Helen Bridgett
14 books25 followersHelen has always loved books and always loved writing. One year she decided her New Year’s resolution would be “Write a novel to give as a Christmas present”. She spent the year writing and The Mercury Travel Club was born.
Helen hails from the North East When not writing, Helen can usually be found walking or drinking wine – not usually at the same time.
Like many people, Helen believes that the music you grow up with as a teenager stays with you for the whole of your life. Being a child of 80’s rock, when she hears the opening riff to Sweet Child of Mine, she cannot be held responsible for her actions!
Helen hails from the North East When not writing, Helen can usually be found walking or drinking wine – not usually at the same time.
Like many people, Helen believes that the music you grow up with as a teenager stays with you for the whole of your life. Being a child of 80’s rock, when she hears the opening riff to Sweet Child of Mine, she cannot be held responsible for her actions!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
November 16, 2021
Chloe Walsh loved living in the small town of Serenity Bay, and with a film crew descending on the town in the weeks leading up to Christmas, she hoped it would all be over before the days leading to the holiday. All the accommodation was booked in the town, and Chloe’s position as location manager for the cosy mystery being filmed had her stressed. Dominic Montgomery was the star of the show, alongside Agatha, his dog who solved crimes.
As filming continued, there were hiccups as a saboteur did his best to wreck the scenes. Chloe was able to sort many of the problems, but they all wondered who was doing the deeds. Andy, Chloe’s boyfriend and surfer of Serenity Bay, was on the sidelines, quietly sorting out Christmas for after the film crew had left. Would everything fall into place in the end? Would their Christmas Festival go ahead and the tourists flood the Bay? And what would happen to Agatha?
Christmas at Serenity Bay is the 2nd in the Serenity Bay series, sequel to Summer at Serenity Bay which I enjoyed, and this one was no different. Written by Helen Bridgett, she paints vivid pictures of the town, the beaches and the people. Maggie is a great character, as is Roisin, and of course Agatha. Recommended.
With thanks to ChocLit Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
As filming continued, there were hiccups as a saboteur did his best to wreck the scenes. Chloe was able to sort many of the problems, but they all wondered who was doing the deeds. Andy, Chloe’s boyfriend and surfer of Serenity Bay, was on the sidelines, quietly sorting out Christmas for after the film crew had left. Would everything fall into place in the end? Would their Christmas Festival go ahead and the tourists flood the Bay? And what would happen to Agatha?
Christmas at Serenity Bay is the 2nd in the Serenity Bay series, sequel to Summer at Serenity Bay which I enjoyed, and this one was no different. Written by Helen Bridgett, she paints vivid pictures of the town, the beaches and the people. Maggie is a great character, as is Roisin, and of course Agatha. Recommended.
With thanks to ChocLit Publishing for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2024
Serenity Bay este locul perfect pentru decorul unui film in stilul cărților scrise de Agatha Christie.
Chloe Walsh s-a pregătit intens pentru aceste filmari si l-a adus chiar și pe actorul ei preferat Dominic Montgomery si câinele sau Agatha, astfel încât totul sa iasă perfect.
Totul este într-o cursa contracronometru deoarece filmările trebuie sa se termine înainte de Festivalul Midwinter din sat, iar un sabotor misterios intenționează sa încetinească lucrurile.
Problemele lui Chloe nu se opresc aici.
Prietenul acesteia, Andy, doreste sa isi petreacă împreună Crăciunul, iar mama acesteia pare sa aibă o criză de vârstă mijlocie si încearcă sa se regăsesca in frumosul sat de pe litoral.
Maggie si mama lui Chloe sunt cele mai savuroase personaje create de autoare 🤩.
Christmas at Serenity Bay este o lectură cu un amestec bun de intrigi, provocări, momente amuzante, prietenie, romantism, dar si cu atmosferă de sărbătoare.
Chloe Walsh s-a pregătit intens pentru aceste filmari si l-a adus chiar și pe actorul ei preferat Dominic Montgomery si câinele sau Agatha, astfel încât totul sa iasă perfect.
Totul este într-o cursa contracronometru deoarece filmările trebuie sa se termine înainte de Festivalul Midwinter din sat, iar un sabotor misterios intenționează sa încetinească lucrurile.
Problemele lui Chloe nu se opresc aici.
Prietenul acesteia, Andy, doreste sa isi petreacă împreună Crăciunul, iar mama acesteia pare sa aibă o criză de vârstă mijlocie si încearcă sa se regăsesca in frumosul sat de pe litoral.
Maggie si mama lui Chloe sunt cele mai savuroase personaje create de autoare 🤩.
Christmas at Serenity Bay este o lectură cu un amestec bun de intrigi, provocări, momente amuzante, prietenie, romantism, dar si cu atmosferă de sărbătoare.
January 1, 2025
This book 📖 was good read for Christmas 🎄 & I did finish it quickly. Can be read as a stand-alone book. 3 ⭐️ for me.
January 4, 2024
This was actually a good story on its own and didn't need the "lower bar" of an Xmas feel-good story. Earlier on the relationship between Chloe and Andy grated a bit with the silliness of getting that upset about what to get him, but thankfully this aspect was dropped and their relationship was allowed to mature. I enjoyed the cute plot strands - the plot, the sabotage, the locals, her parents- good fun.
October 5, 2023
Nice cosy read.
Was supposed to wait until December to read my Christmas themed books, but needed something to cheer myself up and this did the job.
Was supposed to wait until December to read my Christmas themed books, but needed something to cheer myself up and this did the job.
December 27, 2021
A wonderful return to Serenity Bay!! This is set a year on from Summer in Serenity Bay - can easily be read as a standalone! - but it was lovely to be back amongst this fun community and the drama never seems to be too far away! Literally!!
A TV shows up to shoot a new series in the village and Chloe is in charge of making sure it all runs smoothly! Most of the locals are loving their brush with fame, but there's a mystery person out there trying to sabotage it all. Chloe has to turn into a detective to try and work out who is making mischief, along with keeping the TV folks happy and content!!
There's also the added drama of her mum turning up who is having a mid life crisis, and trying to find her other half the perfect Christmas present! There's such a wonderful a cast in this series that there's always something going on and I just loved the humour and inspiring attitude of Chloe throughout! Just when you think things would settle down for her, then more trouble arises but she faces up to it all with a smile on her face!
This is a book full of cheery fun and I loved it!!
A TV shows up to shoot a new series in the village and Chloe is in charge of making sure it all runs smoothly! Most of the locals are loving their brush with fame, but there's a mystery person out there trying to sabotage it all. Chloe has to turn into a detective to try and work out who is making mischief, along with keeping the TV folks happy and content!!
There's also the added drama of her mum turning up who is having a mid life crisis, and trying to find her other half the perfect Christmas present! There's such a wonderful a cast in this series that there's always something going on and I just loved the humour and inspiring attitude of Chloe throughout! Just when you think things would settle down for her, then more trouble arises but she faces up to it all with a smile on her face!
This is a book full of cheery fun and I loved it!!
December 27, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyable
What are could you want in a Christmas read, mystery, relationships, characters , not to mention dogs, perfectly delightful book
What are could you want in a Christmas read, mystery, relationships, characters , not to mention dogs, perfectly delightful book
December 1, 2021
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
If you loved Summer at Serenity Bay (and if you haven’t read it – you should) then here’s an early Christmas present for us all — a sequel set in the holiday season with Christmas at Serenity Bay. I personally adore sequels or series for they let me linger just a bit longer in a world I enjoyed with new and returning characters in brand new situations. This time around Chloe has a few hectic tasks to complete before the holiday can be deemed a success. And we are in for a delightful Christmas romance full of everything I love about this time of year – plus a mystery to solve and lives to sort out.
Chloe is managing to put Serenity Bay on the map, or at least the tourist’s map as there is a new episode of a mystery series being filmed here which also brings an entitled star and his adorable co-star, Agatha, a crime-solving dog to the village to stir things up a bit. But someone is out to cause trouble for this production as a nasty saboteur tries their best to slow down filming – and what they did to Agatha had me boiling mad.
We’ll get to reunite with some beloved characters as the Christmas season is celebrated, the Midwinter Festival needs to get started on time, the perfect gift for Andy, Chloe’s boyfriend, must be found… and somehow the nasty culprit responsible for the slow down on filming must also be stopped and caught. Without giving away spoilers — I had a blast back in Serenity Bay with old friends, a few new challenges for the characters, and a simply lovely feel-good holiday setting. Christmas at Serenity Bay was entertaining and has me hoping for another trip back one day soon… time will tell if that will happen.
This is a sequel, but you don’t “have” to have read Summer at Serenity Bay to fully enjoy it – I’d recommend both, but don’t hesitate because you are discovering Serenity Bay at this point, you can always go back once you discover what a fun experience Christmas at Serenity Bay can be.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, ChocLit/Ruby Fiction. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
If you loved Summer at Serenity Bay (and if you haven’t read it – you should) then here’s an early Christmas present for us all — a sequel set in the holiday season with Christmas at Serenity Bay. I personally adore sequels or series for they let me linger just a bit longer in a world I enjoyed with new and returning characters in brand new situations. This time around Chloe has a few hectic tasks to complete before the holiday can be deemed a success. And we are in for a delightful Christmas romance full of everything I love about this time of year – plus a mystery to solve and lives to sort out.
Chloe is managing to put Serenity Bay on the map, or at least the tourist’s map as there is a new episode of a mystery series being filmed here which also brings an entitled star and his adorable co-star, Agatha, a crime-solving dog to the village to stir things up a bit. But someone is out to cause trouble for this production as a nasty saboteur tries their best to slow down filming – and what they did to Agatha had me boiling mad.
We’ll get to reunite with some beloved characters as the Christmas season is celebrated, the Midwinter Festival needs to get started on time, the perfect gift for Andy, Chloe’s boyfriend, must be found… and somehow the nasty culprit responsible for the slow down on filming must also be stopped and caught. Without giving away spoilers — I had a blast back in Serenity Bay with old friends, a few new challenges for the characters, and a simply lovely feel-good holiday setting. Christmas at Serenity Bay was entertaining and has me hoping for another trip back one day soon… time will tell if that will happen.
This is a sequel, but you don’t “have” to have read Summer at Serenity Bay to fully enjoy it – I’d recommend both, but don’t hesitate because you are discovering Serenity Bay at this point, you can always go back once you discover what a fun experience Christmas at Serenity Bay can be.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, ChocLit/Ruby Fiction. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
January 13, 2023
Oh Dear!
On the plus side the author can handle large casts. I was never at all lost among the many characters and she does do light comedy well. I also like that she has worked with quite low stakes to make a good narrative and some of the description of scenery was really good.
But while I am always happy to accept a bit of fantasy or reality twisting or coincidence to help a good story I felt that the author had never been on a film or TV set. An animal handler who did not come to set with his animal, a star who was left to find his way to the shoot and expected to appear through a door without any checks and set up, (let alone make up and costume checks)where were the clapperboards and the cameras, the shooting script, the daily timetables? OK so a detailed description of the tedium of a shoot may not have made good reading but perhaps a little more detail at the start and then the later gloss would feel better. Even on soap shoots it is expected to tale more than one take per scene and didn't the extras sign non-disclosure agreements which would make the betting scenario impossible?
Then there were other disturbing elements, suddenly Chloe became a control freak, she tells us, shouldn't you have shown us rather than told, and the statement that it was lucky she had registered all the locals with an extras agency days after she had done so looks like a plot hole cover up and thus became clunky in its explanation. Why not go back and mention it when you are first talking about it? And suddenly Chloe reveals why she hates Christmas, maybe an earlier hint might help it feel less of a new fact dumped in to make a plot point work.
A union that can stop a shoot without any opposition by the production team or head office?
If this were a first novel I might forgive all of this but it is a third novel and the publisher says they work with the authors.
And where was the editor p. 264 "Jeremy was not in fact an ancestor of Walter Kingsley" no probably because he was a descendant.
On the plus side the author can handle large casts. I was never at all lost among the many characters and she does do light comedy well. I also like that she has worked with quite low stakes to make a good narrative and some of the description of scenery was really good.
But while I am always happy to accept a bit of fantasy or reality twisting or coincidence to help a good story I felt that the author had never been on a film or TV set. An animal handler who did not come to set with his animal, a star who was left to find his way to the shoot and expected to appear through a door without any checks and set up, (let alone make up and costume checks)where were the clapperboards and the cameras, the shooting script, the daily timetables? OK so a detailed description of the tedium of a shoot may not have made good reading but perhaps a little more detail at the start and then the later gloss would feel better. Even on soap shoots it is expected to tale more than one take per scene and didn't the extras sign non-disclosure agreements which would make the betting scenario impossible?
Then there were other disturbing elements, suddenly Chloe became a control freak, she tells us, shouldn't you have shown us rather than told, and the statement that it was lucky she had registered all the locals with an extras agency days after she had done so looks like a plot hole cover up and thus became clunky in its explanation. Why not go back and mention it when you are first talking about it? And suddenly Chloe reveals why she hates Christmas, maybe an earlier hint might help it feel less of a new fact dumped in to make a plot point work.
A union that can stop a shoot without any opposition by the production team or head office?
If this were a first novel I might forgive all of this but it is a third novel and the publisher says they work with the authors.
And where was the editor p. 264 "Jeremy was not in fact an ancestor of Walter Kingsley" no probably because he was a descendant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2021
I’m reviewing the second book in the Serenity Bay series by Helen Bridgett today. I really loved the first book and commented in my review that I would love to visit Serenity Bay if it was a real place. So how was my festive visit to Serenity Bay?
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was finding out what it’s like behind the scenes on a tv shoot for the cosy mystery series being filmed at Serenity Bay. I had to feel for Chloe as she had to deal with diva actors (just why did ‘Dominic’ insist on people using his character name all the time?), vital props mysteriously disappearing, extras not turning up and trying to make sure that things didn’t run over time which would mean the village Midwinter Festival being delayed.
There are some great characters in the books such as Chloe’s mum who seems to be having a midlife crisis and ‘finding herself’ at Serenity Bay and Maggie, the pub landlady who once again brought a lot of smiles to my face. Agatha, the crime-fighting dog on the tv show definitely deserves an honourable mention!
Chloe and Andy’s relationship was sharply in focus in this book and some jealousy and misunderstandings made for interesting reading. It was quite amusing to follow Chloe’s dilemma as she wondered not only what Andy was going to get her for Christmas and what would be a suitable gift to give him for their first Christmas together.
Christmas at Serenity Bay is a lovely festive read with a good blend of intrigue, community spirit, challenges, friendship and, of course, romance. Once again Serenity Bay sounds like a lovely place to live and with the Midwinter festival, it’s got plenty of Christmas atmosphere going on too!
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was finding out what it’s like behind the scenes on a tv shoot for the cosy mystery series being filmed at Serenity Bay. I had to feel for Chloe as she had to deal with diva actors (just why did ‘Dominic’ insist on people using his character name all the time?), vital props mysteriously disappearing, extras not turning up and trying to make sure that things didn’t run over time which would mean the village Midwinter Festival being delayed.
There are some great characters in the books such as Chloe’s mum who seems to be having a midlife crisis and ‘finding herself’ at Serenity Bay and Maggie, the pub landlady who once again brought a lot of smiles to my face. Agatha, the crime-fighting dog on the tv show definitely deserves an honourable mention!
Chloe and Andy’s relationship was sharply in focus in this book and some jealousy and misunderstandings made for interesting reading. It was quite amusing to follow Chloe’s dilemma as she wondered not only what Andy was going to get her for Christmas and what would be a suitable gift to give him for their first Christmas together.
Christmas at Serenity Bay is a lovely festive read with a good blend of intrigue, community spirit, challenges, friendship and, of course, romance. Once again Serenity Bay sounds like a lovely place to live and with the Midwinter festival, it’s got plenty of Christmas atmosphere going on too!
December 18, 2023
To begin with I thought I knew exactly which way this storyline was going to go, but I was quite wrong. As well as being a Christmas themed rom com, we have a double mystery at play: the one which is being acted out in the murder mystery drama being filmed at Serenity Bay, which we're invited to try and solve as we go along, and the mystery of who is trying to disrupt the filming.
As if that wasn't enough, we have our heroine, Chloe, while trying to manage all of the above, also desperately trying to find an appropriate gift for her Christmas-obsessed boyfriend (that got on my nerves a bit, which is my main reason for giving 3 stars instead of 4), and facing the possibility that her parents’ relationship might be on its last legs.
The things that irritated me at first soon faded into insignificance as I got into the fun, sweet story, which was just what I needed to see me through a dreadful cold!
As if that wasn't enough, we have our heroine, Chloe, while trying to manage all of the above, also desperately trying to find an appropriate gift for her Christmas-obsessed boyfriend (that got on my nerves a bit, which is my main reason for giving 3 stars instead of 4), and facing the possibility that her parents’ relationship might be on its last legs.
The things that irritated me at first soon faded into insignificance as I got into the fun, sweet story, which was just what I needed to see me through a dreadful cold!
January 10, 2024
2.75 Stars -- The tale of how I came by this book is almost as convoluted as the story itself. Over the summer, I was visiting St. Andrews, Scotland. I was looking for a post office and stumbled upon a gentleman in front of a church with tables full of books. He was hosting a tag sale to raise money for his mother's cat rescue. Well! Who could pass that up? I picked up several books - this being one of them. I knew nothing about the author, the setting, or anything other than what the back cover said. I have never read a cozy mystery, but I am guessing this would fall into that category. The characters are all a little over the top, there are a lot of them, there is a lot that happens in a short amount of time, you can figure out the ending about halfway through, and everything gets wrapped up in the last 5 pages of the book. For people who like cozy mysteries, this might be one for you to enjoy with a nice cuppa.
September 3, 2024
This was a fun story. I felt that all the detail of the filming dragged a bit but it was necessary in order to tie up the loose ends of the plot. Great characters.
Amazon synopsis:
Chloe and her boyfriend Andy are counting down the days until their first Christmas alone.
Until a film crew once again descends on the charming seaside village of Serenity Bay.
First it was reality TV. This time, it’s The Montgomery Mysteries — a popular series starring amateur sleuth Dominic Montgomery and his crime-solving dog, Agatha.
But nothing goes smoothly for Chloe and her little village.
A mysterious saboteur is stealing the show. Someone is determined to wreak havoc on the production, and Chloe finds herself in a race against time to uncover the culprit.
To make matters worse, filming needs to wrap up before the village’s sparkling Midwinter Festival. And she still doesn’t have a gift for her Christmas-obsessed boyfriend.
But can Chloe bring peace to Serenity Bay in time for her and her beau to celebrate the festivities under the mistletoe?
Amazon synopsis:
Chloe and her boyfriend Andy are counting down the days until their first Christmas alone.
Until a film crew once again descends on the charming seaside village of Serenity Bay.
First it was reality TV. This time, it’s The Montgomery Mysteries — a popular series starring amateur sleuth Dominic Montgomery and his crime-solving dog, Agatha.
But nothing goes smoothly for Chloe and her little village.
A mysterious saboteur is stealing the show. Someone is determined to wreak havoc on the production, and Chloe finds herself in a race against time to uncover the culprit.
To make matters worse, filming needs to wrap up before the village’s sparkling Midwinter Festival. And she still doesn’t have a gift for her Christmas-obsessed boyfriend.
But can Chloe bring peace to Serenity Bay in time for her and her beau to celebrate the festivities under the mistletoe?
October 22, 2021
If you enjoyed Summer at Serenity Bay, don't miss this sequel (and if you haven't read it yet, you could read this anyway without feeling lost, but then you'd surely want to know exactly how Chloe ended up living in Serenity Bay and how she met Andy, right?).
For me, catching up with Chloe, Andy and a few others was a real treat, and I also really enjoyed following the filming of a cosy mystery TV show, which created another mystery (fortunately without murders) as someone attempted to sabotage it. And then of course there's the whole Christmas atmosphere, especially near the end. Even read in October, its "magic" worked perfectly.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
For me, catching up with Chloe, Andy and a few others was a real treat, and I also really enjoyed following the filming of a cosy mystery TV show, which created another mystery (fortunately without murders) as someone attempted to sabotage it. And then of course there's the whole Christmas atmosphere, especially near the end. Even read in October, its "magic" worked perfectly.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2023
A heart-warming romance
A mixture of murder mystery and romance that brings a smile to your face.
Chloe is the location manager at Serenity Bay where they are shooting the latest episode of a tv murder mystery series.
Committed to getting the shoot done in time so that the town will be able to celebrate Christmas, she has her work cut out as someone tries to sabotage the project.
Whilst trying to keep things to schedule, Chloe has to keep the plot secret, stop her parents splitting up, manage her friend, Maggie’s over enthusiastic interference and work out the perfect gift for her boyfriend.
Lots of fun, humour and mystery in this story. And a fair bit of Christmas.
Very entertaining and liked the tv mystery plot alongside the other developments that kept me reading.
A mixture of murder mystery and romance that brings a smile to your face.
Chloe is the location manager at Serenity Bay where they are shooting the latest episode of a tv murder mystery series.
Committed to getting the shoot done in time so that the town will be able to celebrate Christmas, she has her work cut out as someone tries to sabotage the project.
Whilst trying to keep things to schedule, Chloe has to keep the plot secret, stop her parents splitting up, manage her friend, Maggie’s over enthusiastic interference and work out the perfect gift for her boyfriend.
Lots of fun, humour and mystery in this story. And a fair bit of Christmas.
Very entertaining and liked the tv mystery plot alongside the other developments that kept me reading.
November 16, 2021
A festive fun-packed cracker from Helen Bridgett
The story is set a year on from “Summer at Serenity Bay” (you don’t have to have read the previous book though). Chloe is looking after a crew who are filming the latest episode of The Montgomery Mysteries. She is under pressure to make this a success but also keep the locals happy. Maggie the landlady of the local pub makes it her mission to keep tabs on all the gossip.
Chloe’s mother makes a surprise appearance and adds an extra slice of stress which Chloe could do without. Plus, just to top things off, she is trying to find the perfect gift for her boyfriend Andy.
Loved this book from start to finish.
The story is set a year on from “Summer at Serenity Bay” (you don’t have to have read the previous book though). Chloe is looking after a crew who are filming the latest episode of The Montgomery Mysteries. She is under pressure to make this a success but also keep the locals happy. Maggie the landlady of the local pub makes it her mission to keep tabs on all the gossip.
Chloe’s mother makes a surprise appearance and adds an extra slice of stress which Chloe could do without. Plus, just to top things off, she is trying to find the perfect gift for her boyfriend Andy.
Loved this book from start to finish.
November 18, 2021
This is a sequel but stands alone very well. Our heroine, Chloe,and her boyfriend Andy, are looking forward to their first Christmas together but before that a lot of things happen! Chloe has brought a TV production to their village and filming must finish before the village can celebrate. There are problems thrown up to disrupt filming and everyone must come together to ensure the production is a success. The story rolls along and is an intriguing mix of romance, Christmas and whodunit! I loved all the characters and especially Agatha! A warm hearted story you'll enjoy and not just at Christmas.
December 27, 2023
It Was Okay
I feel a bit mean only giving this book 3 stars, but somehow I just didn't take to the characters. A TV company descend on Serenity Bay just before Christmas, to film another episode of the Montgomery Mysteries, but someone is trying to stop the series going ahead, and it seems mainly up to Chloe and the villagers to find out who is the culprit. I found Chloe quite irritating, and I wasn't sure if she really loved her boyfriend or if she was trying to convince herself or the reader that she did. she told us enough times! I thought it was a clever story, almost one book inside another, but it wasn't for me I'm afraid.
I feel a bit mean only giving this book 3 stars, but somehow I just didn't take to the characters. A TV company descend on Serenity Bay just before Christmas, to film another episode of the Montgomery Mysteries, but someone is trying to stop the series going ahead, and it seems mainly up to Chloe and the villagers to find out who is the culprit. I found Chloe quite irritating, and I wasn't sure if she really loved her boyfriend or if she was trying to convince herself or the reader that she did. she told us enough times! I thought it was a clever story, almost one book inside another, but it wasn't for me I'm afraid.
December 2, 2021
Chloe has managed to a get Serenity Bay as the film location for an episode of a prestigious crime series so in the run up to Christmas it is bedlam in the village, especially as someone is trying to derail the filming and cause havoc! Will she be able to get everything back on track in time for the Christmas Fair?
A lovely story with the murder mystery creating an extra story within the main one and with the colourful locals and film crew there is plenty of gossip and action taking place. Perfect Christmas feel
A lovely story with the murder mystery creating an extra story within the main one and with the colourful locals and film crew there is plenty of gossip and action taking place. Perfect Christmas feel
November 16, 2021
This is a very good story and I got really involved with the characters, even the annoying Maggie who keeps shoving her oar in. It did seem to improve too as the novel progressed – I was looking forward to finding out ‘whodunit’ both within the script and with the sabotage. (Though I had already decided what Andy’s Christmas present should be!) So I finished it in two sittings. I would have liked the saboteur to have received some kind of punishment!! How dare he do that to the dog??
December 26, 2025
A light holiday read. At first, I thought it would be just like a simple romantic Hallmark movie–kind of story (which I was in the mood for at the time), but I was delighted to discover that it also comes with some personal lessons to be learned and some mysteries to be solved. I was already in the middle of the book when I realized it was a sequel to another book, which I’ll be adding to my summer TBR.
May 7, 2024
Unfortunately I found the constant reiteration, e.g. her gorgeous boyfriend, and many others, irritating, as well as grammatical errors 'here, here' when it should be 'hear, hear', detracted from the plot, which was also rather silly. This book is very much a personal choice, I'm sure others would have adored it.
August 30, 2024
Christmas at Serenity Bay
This book was an adventure. The making of the TV show and all of the suspense of who the killer was kept me reading with questions. Chloe and Andy solving all of their feelings. Her mom and dad getting together. All of characters in the show being involved with the whole town. Look forward to the next book.
This book was an adventure. The making of the TV show and all of the suspense of who the killer was kept me reading with questions. Chloe and Andy solving all of their feelings. Her mom and dad getting together. All of characters in the show being involved with the whole town. Look forward to the next book.
December 13, 2025
A lovely little Christmas read with a twist. Although I did think it odd that the lead actor was always called by his character’s name ( it was said because he stays in role ) but the others all kept their own names. One error, when raising a glass to Bart and Poppy it actually read as Phoebe - oops!
Otherwise I enjoyed this book.
Otherwise I enjoyed this book.
January 3, 2023
I found this very easy to read with a simple but entertaining storyline and whipped through it in a couple of days.
Some parts were obvious but there were enough other elements to keep me engaged and I enjoyed the easy writing style.
Some parts were obvious but there were enough other elements to keep me engaged and I enjoyed the easy writing style.
December 26, 2023
The characters are two-dimensional, the plot is unrealistic and predictable and with numerous typos and spelling errors; the edit is poor.
That said, it's Christmas escapism, and as they say within the story, it's just a bit of harmless fun.
That said, it's Christmas escapism, and as they say within the story, it's just a bit of harmless fun.
January 18, 2024
Loved this book - very funny with a little mystery thrown in. The characters were eccentric, likeable and believable. Filming a tv series just before Christmas makes an unusual and enjoyable change from the norm.
February 18, 2024
This book wasn’t for me really - I lost interest very quickly and jumped pages.
The who done it with moving items on set was just to obvious and Chloe and Andy ending was lovely with surprises, but again obvious.
Very easy read, the descriptions of holy island the the village was lovely.
The who done it with moving items on set was just to obvious and Chloe and Andy ending was lovely with surprises, but again obvious.
Very easy read, the descriptions of holy island the the village was lovely.
December 18, 2023
Cute Christmas read- exactly what I wanted! And I didn't even work out all the surprises at the end, so that's a bonus 🙂
December 27, 2023
It was okk
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