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Tanglewood Village

The Tanglewood Bookshop

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A rural book shop. A chance to start over. But can she make her dream a reality? Kazz used to love the excitement of her London life, but lately her passion for expensive city living has begun to wane. So when she's given the opportunity to open a bookshop in picturesque Tanglewood, she jumps at the chance.

But village life is much quieter than she anticipated – is she actually suited for rural living? Resigned to a boring and uneventful Christmas, when she meets gorgeous Saul she is more than ready to have some fun and enjoy the festivities. If only Saul didn't have a reputation for being a player...

Will Kazz become the heroine in her own Christmas romance, or will he love her and leave her under the mistletoe?

This gorgeous festive romance is perfect for fans of Kiley Dunbar, Rachel Lucas and Sue Moorcroft.

336 pages, Paperback

Published September 12, 2024

101 people are currently reading
544 people want to read

About the author

Lilac Mills

84 books232 followers
Lilac lives on a Welsh hillside with her very patient husband and incredibly sweet dog, where she grows veggies (if the slugs don't get them), bakes (badly) and loves making things out of glitter and glue (a mess, usually).
 
She's been an avid reader ever since she got her hands on a copy of Noddy Goes to Toytown when she was five, and she once tried to read everything in her local library starting with A and working her way through the alphabet.

She loves long, hot summer days in the garden, and cold winter ones snuggled in front of the fire, but whatever the weather she's usually writing, or thinking about writing, with heartwarming romance and happy-ever-afters always on her mind. 

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5 stars
319 (32%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 139 reviews
Profile Image for Helen Leecy.
1,092 reviews24 followers
September 7, 2024
It was such a treat to return to Tanglewood with The Tanglewood Bookshop by Lilac Mills. As always, it felt like a warm embrace being reunited with all the familiar characters from previous stories. This time, we had the added bonus of meeting Kazz, Stevie’s friend, who brought some fresh energy to the mix. The book had a lovely progression, and I enjoyed the build-up to the sweet romance at its core.
That said, I couldn’t help but feel the ending was a bit rushed. After investing in the characters and their journeys, I was hoping for a bit more depth in how things wrapped up. Some of the key moments, particularly the conversation between Kazz and Saul towards the end, felt glossed over. Yes, we could infer the outcome, but I still longed to witness that moment firsthand.
Additionally, a few plot points felt a bit unresolved—what happened with the cosmetics company? Did they move into the old pet shop? I was left with a few niggling questions, which isn’t something I usually expect from a Lilac Mills novel.
All in all, it was a good read, and it delivered on many fronts, but it just didn’t quite have that extra spark that I’ve come to associate with her work. Still, I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next one, because Tanglewood always has a special place in my heart!
Profile Image for ☆Laura☆.
5,129 reviews59 followers
August 13, 2024
Kazz es sous chef, es buena en su trabajo y aunque en apariencia tiene todo para ser feliz, siente que le falta algo.
Cuando se queda sin trabajo cuando su jefe es acusado de cometer un delito, sus amigas la invitan a Tanglewood, en lo que piensa que hará, decide aprovechar para vender los libros que dejó su abuelo y pone una librería.


Saul trabaja para la granja de su familia, tiene 33 años, se siente un fracasado porque vive con sus padres, no puede manter una relación por miedo a que le vuelvan a romper el corazón y la granja la dirige su hermano. Siente que no tiene algo suyo, entonces decide aceptar trabajos extras para empezar a juntar y comprar su granja.
El primer trabajo consiste en ayudar a Kazz a mover sus cosas a la librería. Desde la primera vez que se ven hay chispas, pero ninguno de los dos está listo ni quiere estar en una relación por el momento.


Hay mucha falta de comunicación, los dos sacaban conclusiones precipitadas y actuaban en consecuencia en lugar de preguntar y escuchar.


Me cansó lo de Joelle, la metían hasta en la sopa.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Bethreads.
268 reviews9 followers
December 2, 2025
This was a cute cosy Christmas romance I loved the bookshop and also so jealous 🤣

This was so fun and easy to read a light and fluffy cute romance
197 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2025
Enjoyable escapism! And another ideal Christmas read. Following a series of unfortunate events (I did think it unlikely that one day could bring so many!), Kazz finds herself in a picturesque Welsh village running a bookshop stocked with her late grandfather’s extensive book collection. She meets and falls for local farmer Saul who has a reputation for playing the field, usually dumping girlfriends after a maximum of 5 dates. As it says on the front cover ‘Will there be a fairytale ending this Christmas?’

Although this was an undemanding read, I did find it amusing (I liked the writers style) and there were some great characters in Tanglewood, a place where news travels fast. There’s even a sheep with a good deal of personality! I also liked the descriptions of the countryside in winter. Tanglewood sounds like a lovely place to live with its tea shop (with delicious food of course), pubs and the book shop.

All in all just the thing to cheer up a gloomy January!!


Profile Image for Chloe Stone.
256 reviews3 followers
December 30, 2024
What a brilliant festive read! Kazz was an instantly likeable protagonist and Saul was definitely a knight-in-shining-armour type. Which I loved. Very good for this time of year! I’m really intrigued to read the other books in this series and see if Betty is an aid to their love stories!
Profile Image for Jennifer.
1,145 reviews42 followers
September 30, 2024
Really enjoyed it and would give the book 3.5 stars. This was definitely a fun read and perfect for the holidays. It's been awhile since I have been back to Tanglewood. I really didn't remember much about the previous characters, but as I read the book, stuff started to come back. Stevie, Leanne, Tia and Edie were all familiar but their husbands/partners were a blank in my memory. The women welcomed Kazz with open arms and immediately befriended her. Donald was the star of the book, Now I need a sheep. For being best friends with Kazz, Stevie didn't make much of an effort to hang out with her. Of course, Kazz and Saul had the same problem as the other couples in Tanglewood (there must be something in the water or fresh air), communication. They each overreacted at times and jumped to conclusions without fully knowing the truth. Fortunately, they had Betty to set them straight. The book is all about friendship, helping each other out, plus a little romance and so much more.

Definitely recommend the book and the previous ones in the series. Love the characters, story and writing style. Tanglewood sounds like a beautiful place to live. I want to be friends with everyone there, even Betty. You can't keep secrets there, everyone knows each other's business. They seem to know stuff even before it happens. Hopefully, there will be more books in the series. I need to catch up with all the couples. Look forward to reading more books by the author. Love the cover of the book!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Canelo through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
8 reviews
Read
February 18, 2025
Loved it. Predictable ‘girl gets boy’ but thoroughly enjoyed the storyline. Characters pull you in right from the start. Not my usual style of book but will be recommending it/passing it round my family & friends!! Going, give it a go….!
Profile Image for Lozza.
388 reviews4 followers
December 23, 2024
A lovely christmassy read. Only rated 3 stars as the ending was rushed and was predictable. Good easy read though.
Profile Image for Scarlett.
160 reviews
December 26, 2024
Cute premise. It was fine, but wasn’t anything special. I don’t feel the need to read any others in the series. 3.5
Profile Image for Holly.
37 reviews2 followers
December 31, 2024
It was my last Christmassy read of the year and it hit the spot. Cute.
Profile Image for Anastasiia.
38 reviews
January 5, 2025
Досить захоплива книга. Я б не сказала, що вона різдвяна, але менше з тим вона цікава та читається легко. Такий собі cozy ромком)
Profile Image for Lorna Marchant.
64 reviews
December 27, 2024
This book was okay - would have liked a bit more of a Christmas atmosphere and drama, however for a cosy, comfort read this was overall what I expected from this book!
Profile Image for Johanna Cogbill.
Author 3 books10 followers
December 13, 2024
Absolutely loved this book.
Lovely story and characters.
Can't wait to explore the rest of Tanglewood.
Profile Image for Eilidh Reads.
223 reviews69 followers
September 23, 2024
This was my first Christmas read of the Year and it was a great one to kick off with. Once I was hooked I couldn't stop reading and ending up binging almost 200 pages in one day. I loved so many of the characters and the setting was so cosy, and ideal for a book lover.

The Tanglewood Bookshop follows Kazz who on the same day learns she has lost her job, is being evicted and her mum is moving to Spain so she decides to visit her best friend who owns a Tea Shop in the small Welsh village of Tanglewood. Where she is given the chance to open a Bookshop and meets Saul who is happy to show her around but she has been told doesn't have the best reputation.

This was a fantastic cosy Christmas read and it included so many things I love about festive books. The characters were the ideal book lovers to follow and as a book lover reading about book lovers is always a great experience. It was also nice that compared to many other book lovers whose lives revolve around books (which there is nothing wrong with) both Kazz and Saul had other parts of their lives that were just as if not more important to them and that up until this point reading purely had just been an hobby,
I liked slowly watching the relationship between these two develop as they both for separate reasons didn't want to rush into things instead things grew naturally and they knew where they were comfortable stopping to let them get to know each other. It was a nice gradual build.

Something else I loved about this book was the setting of Tanglewood, I have now learned a this is the latest instalment in a series so I will definitely be going back and picking up some of these earlier books because I just loved meeting everyone in the small town and getting to know both them and the dynamics that have grown within the town. The Welsh setting was also nice as it is an area I am familiar with so I knew what was around and roughly how things are situated along with being able to recognise places, I know well and mean something to me.

The ending sadly did feel a bit rushed but that didn't take too much away from the overall story as it was just the last 10% roughly, and I did enjoy it even if things felt slightly too convenient.

Overall this was an easy 4 star festive romance that I couldn't put down and am so glad to have read. I will definitely be recommending and look forward to getting a physical copy to come back to in future years.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Canelo, for a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Simone ❤️.
149 reviews2 followers
November 19, 2024
I could not contain my excitement when I found out a fourth book was coming out in the Tanglewood series I was absolutely heartbroken when I originally finished the series back in 2023 because I knew that no other books were coming so finding out that we were getting a chance to read Kazz & Saul’s story to fully finish the series filled me with so much joy that I SCREAMED 🤭

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish, once I started I didn’t want to stop not only did I adore the plot as a whole but getting to learn more about Saul and his personality outside of being a side character was my favourite thing about this read - I love getting to know more about him on a deeper level and being able to understand why he is the way that he is along with why his dating habits had become the way that they were. Getting to see Saul learn to stop living in the past and to become a better man for Kazz was so sweet to watch, I just loved watching them fall in love it was wholesome especially getting to watch them both realised that they were in love it’s my favourite part about any romance book but this one just hit me right in the feels 🥹

I also loved getting to see Kazz keep her grandads legacy alive as well as fulfilling a forgotten life long dream; as someone who adored all things books I would love nothing more than to have a job based around books whether that be owning a shop or my own or working in one who knows but getting to see Kazz remember how much she loved giving people the joys of owning a new book was the best and I loved seeing her come out her shell as she learned her ropes when it came to the shop and seeing the shop become her own was truly inspiring to watch it was a real reminder that sometimes while change is scary the best opportunities may come when least expected! 📖

Overall, I adored this book through & through but that doesn’t surprise me one bit! I am so sad that the series has come to an end and that I won’t get to go back to Tanglewood (until I reread the series of course 👀) but while I am sad that the series is officially closed I am so glad that we were given another to take a trip to the gorgeous Welsh town and that the final story in the set belongs to Kazz & Saul because they truly deserved their time in the spotlight 💜
Profile Image for Eva.
78 reviews
August 18, 2024
As someone who has always dreamt about opening a bookshop, this book brought me pretty close to living my dream! I absolutely adored this book and will definitely purchase a copy once it's published, because it's the type of story you can get lost in and it'll give you all the cosy festive vibes!

The story follows Kazz, a chef in London who finds herself at a crossroads just before Christmas when she abruptly loses her house and job. Wanting a reprieve and a change in scenery, she decides to visit her BFF Stevie who lives in Tanglewood; an adorable small town where life moves at a gentler pace and the holiday season is felt in every corner. But what starts as a temporary escape turns into something more when she's convinced to open a bookshop by her friends - something she had never dreamt she could do amidst the chaos of her life in the city! In order to embrace the new possibilities that the holiday season could bring, Kazz needs to learn to adjst to the slower, more intimate pace of slow-town living, while also trying not to fall head-over-heels for the town's Lothario, Saul!

The contrast between bustling London life and the warm, relaxed atmosphere of Tanglewood is captured beautifully in this book, to the point where I am now convinced I want to move to a small town, too. And then we have romance! The attraction between Kazz and Saul is almost instant, but their contrasting priorities in life as well as some outside meddling causes tension between them, and a reluctance to fall in love. Despite this, they're still drawn to one another, and I love how they learn to grow as people while at the same time finding themselves.

The stars of the book are, hands down, Betty - a no-nonesense, get-it-done character, whose meddling ways and big heart I need in my life - and Donald, who I would adopt instantly if given the chance!!

Overall, this was one of my favourite reads of the year and I cannot wait until it's officially published! A huge and warm thank-you to NetGalley for this ARC.
Profile Image for RomanceByTheBook.
614 reviews14 followers
September 22, 2024
The Tanglewood Bookshop is a sweet and Christmas-y romance.

I love a good, charming Christmas romance, and this one checks off all those boxes for me. If you are like me and are new to this series, do not worry. Lilac does a wonderful job at bringing readers up to speed with what happened in the previous books. But I will tell you that I will go back and read the other books in this series. I adored, and I mean adore a romance that is set in a bookshop. There is something so magical about the two MCs being surrounded by books and by people who love books. In this book, Kazz gets to live out one of my fantasies, which is a chance to run a bookstore in a charming small town. I loved the little town of Tanglewood. Lilac perfectly captures all the small-town qualities I love and made me wish to move there. The festive Christmas vibes were perfect and had me wishing I could bust out my Christmas tree and favourite Christmas sweater.

This book was delightful and heartwarming to read. It was wonderful watching Kazz leave the big city and move to a much quieter small town. This is a huge change for Kazz, and of course, the transition from living in a busy big city to moving to a quiet small town isn’t without its bumps. But I adored those fish-out-water moments and watching as Kazz found her place in Tanglewood. I loved the romance in this story. There are definitely some sparks between Kazz and Saul, but also some friction. One of the downsides to living in a small town is other community members who meddle in other people’s business, which creates misunderstandings between our two love birds. But that’s ok because I loved watching Kazz and Saul go on this romantic journey and get their HEA.

The Tanglewood Bookshop is a festive and heartwarming read and I cannot wait to dive into more Lilac’s books.

Click on the link to read more of our reviews on our blog: https://romancebythebook.com/book-rev...
Profile Image for Hecate_Reads.
1 review
September 23, 2024
2.5 fall stars [rounded to 3 stars]

This would have been at least a 4 star but the romance felt a bit lacking to me. It was festive and cozy indeed, but the romance turned out to be kinda baffling. It started strong, but the ending was abrupt. Few important matters remained unresolved.

Saul still has way too many hang ups. First of all, his ex [his love that got away as we are reminded plenty of times, pah!] did kind of pushed him into meeting for lunch after their first encounter post breakup. But he sidestepped Kazz's questions about their interaction in the bookshop, knowing full well that he might meet his ex for lunch. He did not tell her about the lunch too- in fact he wanted to lie/lied about it through omission. Then, he did not tell Kazz that Joelle is his THAT Ex even after he professed his love. He did not even touch on the fact that he knew Joelle might be around town for at least few months!

He seemed to be furious with Kazz for the big miscommunication while not even thinking twice about how his own actions might have appeared to her. I understand he did not want to rock the boat. But they also said the L word to each other fast enough. Overall, Saul seemed like he was more into settling down than he was into Kazz who is the latest addition to the town. It was a bit of a letdown how things panned out with not much transparency or communication. The festivals, the quaint shops, Kazz's friends, hit the spot though. I would say this is a lukewarm HFN set in a small town with interesting locals and its own quirks and beauty. The relationship seemed to be rather urged forward more by Betty's interference and Saul's yearning for the picket fence, rather than a true romance. I have been searching for such cozy setups though, so I may check out some of the previous books as this was the first one of the series I came across.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Deanne Patterson.
2,409 reviews120 followers
September 12, 2024
When I see a Lilac Mills book, I just can't resist. Having read many of them already I excitedly started this one and got exactly what I was expecting, a Hea, happy heartwarming vibes and the cutest love story ever. As I've read Tanglewood books before I was most excited to revisit here, this time with a bookshop. No true reader can resist a bookshop whether on the pages of a book or an actual shop.
A cook, Kazz has had it with busy high powered city life in London. It used to invigorate her, now it's just too much and a change would be welcome.
Tasked with cleaned out her grandfather's house after his passing she thinks she's done until she realizes it's stuffed full to the rafters with books. Books of every type imaginable, a booklovers dream, that is if you like old musty smelling books. After giving her friends suggestion of opening a bookshop to get rid of them she thinks, why not. A popup rental space in Tanglewood for two months to sell the books is perfect and it's not too much of a commitment.
Tanglewood is such a change from what she's used to, are there any pubs open late around here? One welcome change is handsome Saul, but he has a playboy reputation that precedes him.
Try telling her heart not to fall is like trying to tell flowers not to bloom in the spring, not going to happen.
The bookshop is doing well and so is her relationship with Saul until it's not. When several; misunderstandings threaten to topple the apple cart can the couple sort this in time? A warm, festive and fuzzy feeling book that leaves me wanting to read even more by the author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Kelly Krebs Morse.
51 reviews1 follower
October 15, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, Lilac Mills, and Canelo for this ARC copy of The Tangled Bookshop, I really enjoyed this book. I gave this book 4 stars.

I’m going to start this review off by saying I have not read the previous books in this series but I enjoyed this book so much that I have added them to my Christmas time TBR.

After losing her job and her home Kazz decides to visit her friend, Stevie, in a nearby small town in England. The friends’ of Stevie immediately let her into their circle and come up with a plan for her life. Kazz will open a bookshop in Tanglewood selling the books her grandfather left. But first, she needs help lugging all the books to town.

Enter Saul, a womanizer and farmer who acts tough but is secretly emotionally scarred from his only serious relationship. Saul helps Kazz bring the books to town and finds himself terribly attracted to her. Eventually, they begin a relationship and of course, there ends up being some miscommunication.

I loved all the quirky characters in the small-town Christmas romance book. They are unique and well-developed. Betty is one of my favorite side characters, and I wish we were friends in real life. Also, Donald the sheep holds a soft spot in my heart.

This is a perfect Christmas romance that will leave you feeling warm and cozy. It does rush the ending a bit but if you love a HEA book, this one will get you in a festive mood and leave you smiling. I did laugh out loud a few times while reading this book.

Lastly, the premise of this book will always fill my book lover’s heart because what reader doesn’t want to open up a bookshop in a small town?!
Profile Image for DayDreamer8912.
323 reviews11 followers
March 17, 2025
4/5

🚨TW: loss of love one, lost her job, lost her home
🚨CW: mild language, hot kisses, making out (closed door), mentions of being in a bathtub together (closed door)

These two are just adorable together. And Saul having a reputation of dating girls and then break up with them after the 5th date was definitely real however, Kazz still want to be with him though Stevie and Leanne warn her about him but she told them she is a big girl. While Saul, stop himself from flirting with her because he was definitely attracted to her and doesn't want to hurt her because he had a bad break up with the girl he loves and was putting his walls up so that he won't get hurt again.

And love that everyone encourage her to open a bookshop since she had a lot of old books that have value because her grandfather has a lot of old selections of books. And she had always love books and love to hang out in her grandfather's bookshop when she was younger. And Saul helped her to transport all the books to Tanglewood from London. So sweet of him. And then they started off as friends and then gradually became intimate and spend time together a lot.

Love the Christmas activities that they did together and also her getting her bookshop in a Christmas feel.

As usual when there is a love relationship happening, Betty is always the one that makes them realised their love for each other. haha... love Betty she just like a matchmaker hehe... can't spoil that much about the story, you will have to read to find out.

You can purchase this book on Amazon, Kobo and also it's available on Kobo Plus.
Profile Image for Anne.
2,200 reviews
September 15, 2024
Just about everything in Kazz’s life has gone wrong. Living in London, she’s lost her job as a chef, and has found out she’s about to be homeless too – and, once they’ve set in motion the clearance of her grandfather’s house, her mother’s moving to Spain, so she doesn’t feel able to share her awful news. And what on earth is she going to do with all those books – her grandfather had a bookshop, sold twelve years before – that the clearance company refuse to take away?

Just to give herself some breathing space, she goes to stay with best friend Stevie, who runs a tea shop in rural (and rather beautiful) Tanglewood, a small market town on the Welsh-English border – and ends up staying rather longer than she expected, when her new friends (well, it was mainly Betty really – you’re going to love her!) convince her to open a bookshop. Saul – considering his own future, now his father’s decided to retire from farming – is roped in to pick up all her stuff (including all those books…), and despite their very different lives and backgrounds (city girl, farmer’s boy) it’s clear there’s a real spark between them. But she’s been firmly warned about his reputation, and that she should steer clear – which proves rather more easily said than done.

I have to say that I loved everything about this book – and not only that gorgeous slow burn romance, with its many obstacles along the way. The story is told from both Kazz and Saul’s viewpoints, and I really enjoyed sharing their thoughts and fears and doubts, and getting to know them better. The character development is so excellent, the author’s emotional touch just perfect – I really fell for them both as they grew to understand what they both needed from their lives, so wanting them to have their unlikely happy ending.

Tanglewood itself is beautifully drawn, with its community filled with very real and quirky characters who play their parts in the story – with real warmth in their welcome for the newcomer in their midst (and I really must read the earlier books in this lovely series, that tell some of their stories). Getting the bookshop ready for opening, followed by the uncertainty of success (along with a few other uncertainties and missed steps along the way) made for such an engaging read – as did the ups and downs of Saul’s life back at the family farm. There’s plenty of humour too, always perfectly judged – I’ve already mentioned bossy Betty (with her heart of pure gold), but stroppy Donald (that’s him, on the cover…) certainly has his moments too. And, of course, it’s Christmas – with all the feels, and all the lights and tinsel I could possibly have asked for.

The whole book was an absolute delight – read in one sitting, and finally set aside with a smile on my face and a satisfied sigh at its perfect ending. I’ll be very much looking forward to returning to Tanglewood – and if you share my taste, this is a book I’d very highly recommend. I really loved it…
2 reviews2 followers
December 29, 2024
So, I’m on the fence with this one. As a Welsh person reading this book, at times, I took insult to the flippant disregard of the use of the Welsh forms of name places. I could have skimmed over this detail, if it wasn’t for one of the characters explicitly saying that ‘old habits die hard’ in reference to using Bannau Brycheiniog. As the author is somebody who lives in Wales, I feel that they should recognise the importance that heritage and culture has in the identity of the Welsh. There wasn’t even a single Welsh character name mentioned, despite this book being set in a very rural village in South Wales - border or not, surely there should be more people who value their roots.

That being said, I enjoyed the concept of the story. It gave me romantic ideas of leaving my job and opening up a bookshop myself. The sense of chaotic community made me smile, and the value placed on making the most of what you have shone through.

I do wish the main character had more layers to her, rather than frequently focusing on how ‘hot’ Saul was. She seemed like she could be an intelligent, self-sufficient woman, yet was reduced to her attraction of the beef-cake farmer from up the road. It would have been refreshing to see that she found herself a bit more in the little quaint village, rather than her love interest defining her future in Tanglewood.

I haven’t read the previous books in this series as I was looking for something festive. It is a nice read, and it’s an easy one to relax into.
Profile Image for Kirsty (BookBlogger).
2,037 reviews63 followers
September 15, 2024
The Tanglewood Bookshop by Lilac Mills

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

Blurb

A rural book shop. A chance to start over. But can she make her dream a reality? Kazz used to love the excitement of her London life, but lately her passion for expensive city living has begun to wane. So when she's given the opportunity to open a bookshop in picturesque Tanglewood, she jumps at the chance.

But village life is much quieter than she anticipated – is she actually suited for rural living? Resigned to a boring and uneventful Christmas, when she meets gorgeous Saul she is more than ready to have some fun and enjoy the festivities. If only Saul didn't have a reputation for being a player...

Will Kazz become the heroine in her own Christmas romance, or will he love her and leave her under the mistletoe?

My Opinion

It was lovely to be back with the residents of Tanglewood. Kazz is having a really bad day - she has lost her job, her accommodation and learned that her mother is leaving the country. For the start of a festive book it was a bit heavy but it was so nice seeing how Kazz overcame it all.

All of her friends have warned her to stay away from Saul but will she listen to them?

Filled with festivities, The Tanglewood Bookshop was a great read - I am instantly drawn to books that contain a bookshop. A heart-warming book that feels like a hug in book form.

Rating 4/5
Profile Image for Rachel Gilbey.
3,339 reviews572 followers
September 8, 2024
It has been a while since the last Tanglewood book, but in no time at all I felt right back at home in the small Welsh town, amongst some familiar faces.

Don't worry though as this is definitely a standalone, and it's Kezz's story.

Kezz discovers her mum is moving abroad, that she needs to clear out her grandfathers old house which includes what appears to be most of the remaining stock of his old book shop, that she is temporarily at the very least out of work and that she is being evicted all on the same day.

It's enough to make anyone's head spin, hence her agreeing to take a short break and visit her bestie in Tanglewood.

And before long not only has she agreed to run a book shop, she also spends a long journey there and back to London in the company of Saul, who even his own sister, has told Kezz to be wary of.

Saul is wonderful and its clear early on there is some chemistry between the two but whether it will be acted on is up to you to find out

I loved Betty and her predictions, I loved the Christmas festival, the face painting, and a whole lot more besides.

Its' festive, its cosy, and its a whole lot of fun too. A fabulous new addition to the series and I hope this won't be the last we see of his village.

Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Profile Image for Sharon Williams.
589 reviews9 followers
September 17, 2024
Thank you to @rachelsrandomresources for inviting us onto this book tour.

I really enjoyed this book it was perfect for a nice easy Christmas read.

Kazz was living in London working in a restaurant when she learns from her mum that she is moving to Spain to be with her partner on the same day kazz finds out she has lost her job and her home. Her best friend invites her to tanglewood to stay with her while she decides what to do she has to empty her mum and grandads old house since he has died it is filled with lots of old furniture and lots of books Betty one of the ladies from tanglewood suggests she opens a bookshop to start with kazz thinks this is silly except this is what her grandad used to do can she really change her life this much.

She has lots of help from people in tanglewood village and Saul a friends brother as soon as she meets him she starts to fall for him but after getting told he's a bit of a player should she go there or not.

I really got into this book very quickly and loved all the characters especially Betty and Donald I was hoping for Saul and kazz to get together even with all the obstacles getting in their way. And with the added Christmas themes it was a perfect read. I would love to live in a town like tanglewood.
Profile Image for Emm Zee.
15 reviews1 follower
August 21, 2024
The Tanglewood Bookshop by Lilac Mills was such a cozy and quick read, it made me look forward to the holidays! This book is part of the Tanglewood series but it can be read as a standalone and I’m looking forward to reading the rest! It is a miscommunication trope that ends with a HEA.

The universe aligns in Kazz’s favor after her life implodes. Kazz ends up finding love when she was not looking for it after she relocates to small town, Tanglewood. Saul is the typical player who cannot keep a girl past the 4th or 5th date and had sworn of dating UNTIL he meets Kazz. Mrs. Lilac Mills made me despise Joelle (the reason Saul turned into a player) with as little as one small interaction. This book made me feel giddy, made me laugh, and it gave me that “feel good” feeling. While I loved Kazz and Saul, I have to admit little old Betty was my absolute favorite character. I loved that she was bossy and intuitive, all for the greater good. We all need a Betty in our lives!

Thank you NetGalley and Canelo Digital Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Katherine Hartley.
29 reviews
January 28, 2025
I really felt for Kaz at the start of this novel. She lost her job, her home, and her mum (ok, she was only going to Spain, but still…) all on the same day. Plus, having recently gone through the process of clearing a house, I can totally sympathise with the mammoth task she was faced with when clearing her granddad’s place. Unlike her, though, I didn’t inherit over 100 boxes of books (I wish!). If I did, I’d be jumping on the chance to open a bookshop. It took her a while to come round to the idea, but she made the right decision in the end.

So much happened to Kaz in 2 months, but her journey felt authentic, and I was really rooting for her to succeed in her new venture. Opening a new business is tough - I can vouch for that. But she had such a strong support group around her in Tanglewood, I just knew she could do it. What a special group of friends those ladies are – everyone needs a Betty in their life! There was a moment when Joelle (cue pantomime boos) threatened to ruin it all, but true love and books most definitely won in the end. I’m so happy Kaz and Saul (and Donald the sheep) got their happy ending, and I hope we’ll get to hear more from the bookshop soon??
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