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A Cotswold Christmas
(Willoughby Close #1)
by
Welcome to Wychwood-on-Lea… a not-too-quaint village where frosty evenings, welcoming fires, and second chances will make this a Christmas you’ll never forget.
Anna Vere has escaped to the Cotswolds for Christmas to try to heal from her broken engagement and, far worse, her broken dreams. When her reserved room at a bed & breakfast is flooded, she takes up the offer of camp ...more
Anna Vere has escaped to the Cotswolds for Christmas to try to heal from her broken engagement and, far worse, her broken dreams. When her reserved room at a bed & breakfast is flooded, she takes up the offer of camp ...more
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Kindle Edition, 162 pages
Published
October 17th 2016
by Tule Publishing
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Start your review of A Cotswold Christmas (Willoughby Close, #1)
Anna Vere (35-year-old heroine from New York City) goes to the Cotswolds to spend Christmas, and to get over her broken engagement. She has booked a room at a lovely bed and breakfast, but when she arrives the innkeeper (Frances) informs Anna that her room is flooded and she can't stay there. Frances tells Anna that in the next village her cousin (36-year-old hero and carpenter Colin Heath) was finishing renovating some cottages named Willoughby Close and offered to let her stay there, after che ...more
Actual rating: 2,5 stars
I always judge books by their covers.
I know I shouldn't do it, but I can't help myself.
If the book has pretty cover, I expect pretty story on it's pages.
This novella wasn't exception!
This is from where it all went down. Pretty cover seduced me, and my expectations were high as London Eye. I blame the cover, but I also blame some great festive books I read recently.
A Cotswold Christmas follows the story of Anna, a 35 years old woman who had some trouble in her life and ne ...more
I always judge books by their covers.
I know I shouldn't do it, but I can't help myself.
If the book has pretty cover, I expect pretty story on it's pages.
This novella wasn't exception!
This is from where it all went down. Pretty cover seduced me, and my expectations were high as London Eye. I blame the cover, but I also blame some great festive books I read recently.
A Cotswold Christmas follows the story of Anna, a 35 years old woman who had some trouble in her life and ne ...more
I don't read much contemporary romance. Heck, I don't read much romance at all. But, I wanted to participate in this book blitz, and then I saw that I also had agreed to read the book. But, since it's just 168 page long did I don't see it a big problem. I was more concern over how I would feel about the story. But, strangely and happily this novella worked for me.
I have a feeling I have a weakness for books with a winter/Christmas theme. Just set the story around Christmas and I'm sold. Also, t ...more
I have a feeling I have a weakness for books with a winter/Christmas theme. Just set the story around Christmas and I'm sold. Also, t ...more
2.5 stars.
There's not really a great deal I can say about A Cotswold Christmas because it is fairly short, and, if I'm honest, didn't really give me that much time to become invested in the characters. But it is romantic and sweet.
"It’s just… this has all happened so quickly."
Anna and Colin were likeable and Kate Hewitt does a great job of bringing the small village feel to the book and introducing you to characters that I'm sure we'll see in the future books, but it was lacking a little in ...more
There's not really a great deal I can say about A Cotswold Christmas because it is fairly short, and, if I'm honest, didn't really give me that much time to become invested in the characters. But it is romantic and sweet.
"It’s just… this has all happened so quickly."
Anna and Colin were likeable and Kate Hewitt does a great job of bringing the small village feel to the book and introducing you to characters that I'm sure we'll see in the future books, but it was lacking a little in ...more
Anna Vere has been having some tough times in her life so she has decided to make an escape to the Cotswolds for Christmas. When Anna's reserved room at a bed & breakfast is flooded though she's not quite sure what to do until she gets an offer from sexy local carpenter Colin Heath to camp out in Willoughby Close.
What started out as merely helping someone stranded turns into a lot more as Colin and Anna grow closer the more time they spend together. Anna has a secret though that she thinks will ...more
What started out as merely helping someone stranded turns into a lot more as Colin and Anna grow closer the more time they spend together. Anna has a secret though that she thinks will ...more
4 - "This is a much better Christmas than I ever envisioned having." Stars!
Kate Hewitt, starts her new Willoughby Close series with a Christmas Cracker, in the telling of Anna and Colin’s story.
This was a relatively quick novella to read, but it wasn’t lacking in story or development for me. Anna Vere has traveled from New York to spend two weeks in the peaceful surroundings of a B&B in the Cotswolds, unfortunately those plans go awry from the moment she arrives in that her room at the B&B has b ...more
Kate Hewitt, starts her new Willoughby Close series with a Christmas Cracker, in the telling of Anna and Colin’s story.
This was a relatively quick novella to read, but it wasn’t lacking in story or development for me. Anna Vere has traveled from New York to spend two weeks in the peaceful surroundings of a B&B in the Cotswolds, unfortunately those plans go awry from the moment she arrives in that her room at the B&B has b ...more
A Cotswold Christmas is quite a short read, being only about 154 pages and it’s also written in a very easy and readable manner, which means it’s quite easy to read it in one sitting as I did! The book is written in 3rd person, which chapters and scenes being split between the two leads, Anna and Colin. The book also isn't that explicit, there is kissing and arousal is described. But there is more vague references to things, rather than actually describing things.
The story centres on Anna Vere, ...more
The story centres on Anna Vere, ...more
From its gorgeous wintery cover, to the lovely title that sums up a cosy Christmas book, to the story itself, its a warm hearted story that is also a prequel to Kate Hewitt's new Willoughby Close series.
This is a relatively short novella that is very quick to read, and focuses on Anna and Colin, who meet for the first time when Colin finds Anna somewhere to stay, after the B&B she was booked into was flooded. She is offered the chance to camp out in one of the almost finished cottages of Willou ...more
This is the first novel in the Willoughby Close series. I say novel but it is more of a novella and didn't take me long to read it at all. More so because I didn't put it down until I'd finished it as I was so wrapped up in Anna and Colin's story.
Where better to set a story at Christmas than the Cotswolds? I had the most wonderful visions running through my head of Willoughby Manor, the homes to let in Willloughby Close as well as Colin's quaint little cottage. It was so idyllic and I was more t ...more
Where better to set a story at Christmas than the Cotswolds? I had the most wonderful visions running through my head of Willoughby Manor, the homes to let in Willloughby Close as well as Colin's quaint little cottage. It was so idyllic and I was more t ...more
This is a lovely little book, which is fairly short, so can be read pretty much cover to cover in one sitting. Anna arrives from America to find that her B&B is flooded, she accepts an offer of camping out in an empty cottage in Willoughby Close and there gets to meet a local handyman, Colin. When she suddenly has to leave the cottage, she accepts an offer from Colin to go and stay with him for the Christmas holiday. The two of them then embark on a close relationship which with the the long dis
...more
Nov 08, 2018
Alison
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
holiday,
2018-read,
english,
kindle-freebie,
disabilities,
insta-love,
annoying-siblings,
contemporary,
small-town,
novella
Anna is an American, she has come to the Cotswolds to spend Christmas alone in a bed and breakfast, only to find that there has been a flood and her room is uninhabitable - on 22 December! Her hapless landlady offers alternate accommodation staying at some cottages which are being renovated by her cousin Colin. Of course Colin turns out to be a gorgeous strapping man, just the antidote to all the bad things that have happened to Anna over the last three months.
I guess this is just what you expec ...more
I guess this is just what you expec ...more
Having only read one other Kate Hewitt novel ("Rainy day sisters") which I loved, I was keen to try another of her works. I purchased "A Cotswold Christmas" because it is the first installment in her Willoughby Close series - and it fits perfectly in this festive season.
The setting is as idyllic and 'chocolate box' as it could possibly be. Who wouldn't want to spend Christmas there?
"She'd come to England so she could curl up by herself, lick her wounds, and hopefully heal."
When thirty-five year ...more
The setting is as idyllic and 'chocolate box' as it could possibly be. Who wouldn't want to spend Christmas there?
"She'd come to England so she could curl up by herself, lick her wounds, and hopefully heal."
When thirty-five year ...more
This is the first book in Kate Hewitt's Willoughby Close series, which is set in the Cotswolds. I was eager to read this after seeing the beautiful cover, i fell in love with it. Although this is a novella, i think it was perfect and set the scene brilliantly. kate Hewitt, fits a lot into this and it didnt feel rushed or empty.
In the first book we are introduced to Anna Vere and Colin Heath.
Anna arrives in the Cotswolds from New York for her 2 week holiday at the local B&B. Wanting to spend Chri ...more
In the first book we are introduced to Anna Vere and Colin Heath.
Anna arrives in the Cotswolds from New York for her 2 week holiday at the local B&B. Wanting to spend Chri ...more
A Cotswold Christmas is a cute, heartwarming story that introduces us to the Willoughby Close series.
I have to admit that it was a bit predictable, but in the way I wanted it to be so I wasn't upset. I loved reading about Anna who thought that she wanted to be alone for Christmas after a broken engagement and how she really celebrated Christmas.
I loved reading about the English Cotswold! I thought that the book was too short but was happy with how everything turned out. ...more
I have to admit that it was a bit predictable, but in the way I wanted it to be so I wasn't upset. I loved reading about Anna who thought that she wanted to be alone for Christmas after a broken engagement and how she really celebrated Christmas.
I loved reading about the English Cotswold! I thought that the book was too short but was happy with how everything turned out. ...more
Although this was a short story a lot was packed into it and didn't feel rushed at all was an excellent story line full of holidays and romance. Problem is can a holiday romance last or not. Can't wait to read more in this series now as such excellent characters and set in a beautiful village in the Cotswolds so beautiful for Christmas. Anna decides she wants to leave America for Christmas after a nasty split up with her partner and get away from everyone but when she arrives she finds her B&B r
...more
Excellent holiday story with great descriptive writing that painted a beautiful picture of the English countryside during the holiday season. American Anna Vere needed to get away. After a broken engagement a holiday vacation in the Cotswolds, far away from her messed up life seems perfect. It starts out well but when the B&B she is suppose to stay in is flooded, she's stuck looking for somewhere else to stay. She's grateful when a local carpenter, Colin Heath, offers up a manor house in nearby
...more
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
It was a nice read, but I would have liked it better if the plot had not been a rehash of "A Vicarage Christmas" (by the same author). Plus, the lenght. This is more a novella than a real novel. ...more
It was a nice read, but I would have liked it better if the plot had not been a rehash of "A Vicarage Christmas" (by the same author). Plus, the lenght. This is more a novella than a real novel. ...more
Meh. Not terrible but not really good. The story and characters just had something off putting about them.
3.5
This is a very atmospheric seasonal read but at the same time it is not overly Christmassy. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the little village and the Cotswold.
A Cotswold Christmas is the prequel to the Willoughby Close series and it made me really curious about the actual series.
Some things felt a little bit rushed, especially the relationship between Anna and Colin. They are both stating this throughout the story but I really would have liked to read more about the two and I hope we wi ...more
This is a very atmospheric seasonal read but at the same time it is not overly Christmassy. I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the little village and the Cotswold.
A Cotswold Christmas is the prequel to the Willoughby Close series and it made me really curious about the actual series.
Some things felt a little bit rushed, especially the relationship between Anna and Colin. They are both stating this throughout the story but I really would have liked to read more about the two and I hope we wi ...more
This novella is a perfect sweet and charming Christmas read. It has everything that I like when looking for a holiday read; a beautiful festive cover, a quaint setting, very likable characters, and a romance that seems realistic and not over the top. Anna heads to the Cotswolds for Christmas to escape her life in NYC. Local carpenter and handyman comes to her rescue. The place she intends to stay is flooded so the owner finds her a room in Willoughby Close. This is the first of 4 books in the Wi
...more
I enjoyed this book set in the Cotswolds - not too festive for those who do not like reading books with Christmas in the title before December. I was surprised to discover the author is American as I thought she captured the Cotswolds quite well. I enjoyed the love story between Anna and Colin and it left me wanting more - so it's a good job this is the first book in a new series. I would like to thank the author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review although I have to say my
...more
Not the quiet holiday she was expecting
I love visiting the Cotswolds through the storytelling talents of Kate Hewitt. Her characters have complicated emotional lives.
In this introduction to the Willoughby Close series, Anna is displaced when the room she booked at a B&B for the Christmas season is flooded. The proprietor believes her cousin Colin has the solution with a vacancy in a recent renovation project. Unexpectedly thrown together for Christmas, Anna and Colin are attracted to one anothe ...more
I love visiting the Cotswolds through the storytelling talents of Kate Hewitt. Her characters have complicated emotional lives.
In this introduction to the Willoughby Close series, Anna is displaced when the room she booked at a B&B for the Christmas season is flooded. The proprietor believes her cousin Colin has the solution with a vacancy in a recent renovation project. Unexpectedly thrown together for Christmas, Anna and Colin are attracted to one anothe ...more
This was the perfect, cozy read to stretch the Christmas season out just a little bit longer 😌 I have a special place in my heart for books about American and British relationships because of relationships in my own life, so this story hit close to home in a warm and fuzzy way. It was charming, funny, and brought to life endearingly. The characters felt real to me in a way where I could see them, bond with them in a way. Very cute and feel-good read. And I liked that it concluded with more of an
...more
3.5 stars. Cute, appropriately sappy "girl's life is a mess so she goes off on holiday to lick her wounds and meets hunky guy" trope. I liked the characters but felt the ending was rushed and tied up too quickly. You always know how these are going to end but I think the wrap-up was a little quick. Interested to see another in the series though.
...more
A good book. Predictable and a bit hokey but all the things you want from something titled A Cotswold Christmas. I liked Anna and Colin both and wanted it to work out.
I read the preview of the next book in the series and I’m already wanting to read it! Perfect for a light read.
I read the preview of the next book in the series and I’m already wanting to read it! Perfect for a light read.
A quick and charming read. The set up was quite believable and the interaction between the two main characters came off very nicely. I got a real sense of the location as well-- one of my favorite in England.
A Cotswold Christmas
It's an okay book. Beginning of a series. Read it for my Christmas 🎄 time 📚. Sweet story. Hurt 30 something crosses pond to spend Christmas alone. Meets hunky guy with 3 sisters and falls in love. Will they or won't they? ...more
It's an okay book. Beginning of a series. Read it for my Christmas 🎄 time 📚. Sweet story. Hurt 30 something crosses pond to spend Christmas alone. Meets hunky guy with 3 sisters and falls in love. Will they or won't they? ...more
3.5 stars
A cute, charming Christmas story!
A cute, charming Christmas story!
This is more of a novella, really cute story, overall just a nice warm Christmastime love story. Perfect for a light read
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Kate is the USA Today-bsetselling author of many books of both historical and contemporary fiction. Under the name Katharine Swartz, she is the author of the Tales from Goswell books, a series of time-slip novels set in the village of Goswell.
She likes to read women's fiction, mystery and thrillers, as well as historical novels. She particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoi ...more
She likes to read women's fiction, mystery and thrillers, as well as historical novels. She particularly enjoys reading about well-drawn characters and avoi ...more
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“But was it fine? The bed & breakfast where she’d booked her Christmas holiday, in this picturesque chocolate-box-worthy village in the English Cotswolds, was flooded. Or rather, her bedroom on”
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“Of course,” Anna murmured. She stood there staring, barely able to take in the disastrous turn her holiday had taken. She’d flown in from New York that morning, she hadn’t slept”
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