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Christmas #1
Last Christmas
It's the most wonderful time of year. Isn't it? Discover the true spirit of Christmas with this seasonal treat for fans of Love, Actually and The Holiday. Discover the true spirit of Christmas! Catherine Tinsall is dreading Christmas. As the 'Happy Homemaker' she is an online sensation, but the reality couldn't be more different. With Catherine's marriage in tatters, her children running wild and her mother increasingly forgetful, seasonal cheer is running low. Husband Noel also hides a he's facing the axe at work. Until he chances upon the village of Hope Christmas, deep in the Shropshire countryside, which could be the second chance he's searching for. If he can save it from the developers! In Hope Christmas itself, schoolteacher Marianne Moore is trying to heal her battered heart. But Christmas is a time for families, and memories of what she's lost haunt her at every turn. Meanwhile, Gabriel North faces a lonely Christmas but hides his sadness for the sake of his son. Will his wife ever come home? Or does love lie elsewhere? All four need a Christmas miracle. And it might just happen - courtesy of a mysterious guardian angel ! Forced to reassess their lives, will Catherine, Noel, Marianne and Gabriel discover what the meaning of Christmas really is? An irresistible gift of a tale that will warm the hearts of Christmas-lovers and Scrooges alike!
380 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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1858 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
December 23, 2017
I enjoyed my time with the residents of the small English village Hope Christmas. There are basically 4 protagonists and I connected with all 4 of them. I found Cat and Noel (a couple living in London), Gabriel and Marianne (a sheep herder separated from his wife and a school teacher, respectively) to be very real, making it easy to invest in them. I was expecting a traditional Christmas book, and though the story covers two Christmases, one in flashback, it actually encompasses over a year in the lives of these people. I had no problem with that.
The main characters all have their issues and we are taken along on their individual journeys as they navigate the best they can. Along the way we meet a number of the villagers, including the almost larger-than-life Ralph Nicholas whose mission seems to be to help the floundering. I loved the village setting and felt absorbed into its fabric. I wonder if places like this still exist in Britain (and America). I can only hope so.
Though much of the story takes place between January and November, the Christmas season is not ignored. The emphasis is on the true nature of Christmas and how simple and traditional is so much more than what Christmas how now become. Many people dread the Christmas holiday season. That’s really sad. I wish we could all go back to what Christmas once was long long ago. This little book gives us a taste of that.
I was sad to leave Hope Christmas at the end of the book, but was pleased to see there are 3 novels and a novella in the Hope Christmas series. I was captivated enough by Last Christmas to want to immediately move on to book 2, A Merry Little Christmas. I can’t wait to see what is in store for the villagers next!
The main characters all have their issues and we are taken along on their individual journeys as they navigate the best they can. Along the way we meet a number of the villagers, including the almost larger-than-life Ralph Nicholas whose mission seems to be to help the floundering. I loved the village setting and felt absorbed into its fabric. I wonder if places like this still exist in Britain (and America). I can only hope so.
Though much of the story takes place between January and November, the Christmas season is not ignored. The emphasis is on the true nature of Christmas and how simple and traditional is so much more than what Christmas how now become. Many people dread the Christmas holiday season. That’s really sad. I wish we could all go back to what Christmas once was long long ago. This little book gives us a taste of that.
I was sad to leave Hope Christmas at the end of the book, but was pleased to see there are 3 novels and a novella in the Hope Christmas series. I was captivated enough by Last Christmas to want to immediately move on to book 2, A Merry Little Christmas. I can’t wait to see what is in store for the villagers next!
December 14, 2011
Last Christmas is the kind of Christmas story that gets to the heart of Christmas and what it’s really all about. This isn’t a book about having the perfect Christmas, instead Julia Williams strips away the big fancy tree, expensive presents, extravagant Christmas dinner and all those other unnecessary trimmings that Christmas seems to have become and gets into the true spirit of the season with a story about the power of community, family, friendships and love.
The book centres around four characters. Catherine and her husband Noel, Marianne who’s fresh from a nasty break-up, and Gabriel who is staring single fatherhood in the face after his wife abandons both him and their young son. All four characters are linked in some way or another but the main thing they all have in common is that they had a rather rubbish Christmas last year and so the book alternates between the messy events that happened last Christmas and the present day. The present storyline runs from New Year through to the next Christmas making it not just a Christmas book but a book that can be enjoyed year round.
Although this book isn’t always told during the festive period Last Christmas is still sprinkled with Christmas Magic throughout. I loved the play with Christmassy names that Julia Williams used for her characters there’s a Noel Tinsall and Gabriel North to name a few as well as the village of Hope Christmas itself! That along with the events that happened last Christmas being key to what takes place in the present time not to mention the strange occurrences thanks to Hope Christmas’s very own guardian angel there are constant Christmas themes throughout.
The characters in this book have all had a tough time of it and you can’t help hope as the year goes on that this Christmas will be a better one for them. Last Christmas deals with sensitive issues such as mental illness, depression and dementia and so some parts are definitely a bit weepy. All four characters have lost their faith in the world and are understandably less than excited for Christmas thanks to their own personal problems. But as the book goes on you see them each re-gain their hope thanks to their friends, family and the lovely community of Hope Christmas itself. Love, hope and those special people who pick you up when your down being not only what Christmas is all about but important all year round is the overall moral to this story making this such a heart-warming read.
Last Christmas is packed full of very real down to earth characters that I could really connect with and reading about their lives was like being a fly on the wall in the homes of so many people I know. This is a book about Christmas in the form that so many of us have come to know it by as this stressful, expensive time of year. This book is about taking Christmas back to its roots making it a book that will appeal to both Christmas lovers and Scrooges alike. Overall this is a lovely and different Christmas tale that explores the season in its truest form.
The book centres around four characters. Catherine and her husband Noel, Marianne who’s fresh from a nasty break-up, and Gabriel who is staring single fatherhood in the face after his wife abandons both him and their young son. All four characters are linked in some way or another but the main thing they all have in common is that they had a rather rubbish Christmas last year and so the book alternates between the messy events that happened last Christmas and the present day. The present storyline runs from New Year through to the next Christmas making it not just a Christmas book but a book that can be enjoyed year round.
Although this book isn’t always told during the festive period Last Christmas is still sprinkled with Christmas Magic throughout. I loved the play with Christmassy names that Julia Williams used for her characters there’s a Noel Tinsall and Gabriel North to name a few as well as the village of Hope Christmas itself! That along with the events that happened last Christmas being key to what takes place in the present time not to mention the strange occurrences thanks to Hope Christmas’s very own guardian angel there are constant Christmas themes throughout.
The characters in this book have all had a tough time of it and you can’t help hope as the year goes on that this Christmas will be a better one for them. Last Christmas deals with sensitive issues such as mental illness, depression and dementia and so some parts are definitely a bit weepy. All four characters have lost their faith in the world and are understandably less than excited for Christmas thanks to their own personal problems. But as the book goes on you see them each re-gain their hope thanks to their friends, family and the lovely community of Hope Christmas itself. Love, hope and those special people who pick you up when your down being not only what Christmas is all about but important all year round is the overall moral to this story making this such a heart-warming read.
Last Christmas is packed full of very real down to earth characters that I could really connect with and reading about their lives was like being a fly on the wall in the homes of so many people I know. This is a book about Christmas in the form that so many of us have come to know it by as this stressful, expensive time of year. This book is about taking Christmas back to its roots making it a book that will appeal to both Christmas lovers and Scrooges alike. Overall this is a lovely and different Christmas tale that explores the season in its truest form.
December 13, 2016
Whilst the story is rather cheesy and predictable I enjoyed it. I thought the characters were likeable and the story moved along at a good pace. There was a nice reference to the film Its a Wonderful Life with the character of Ralph Nicholas perhaps being Clarence, which reminds me I must watch the film before Christmas.
Whilst some of the storyline is a bit depressing it has an upbeat Christmassy ending.
Whilst some of the storyline is a bit depressing it has an upbeat Christmassy ending.
November 16, 2009
Cat Tinsall is worried her marriage is in tatters. Not only that but her alter-ego “Happy Homemaker” is driving her insane, her children are a bit wild and her mother is becoming forgetful. Noel Tinsall, Cat’s husband, is also concerned about the state of his marriage and is also incredibly worried that he’s going to lose his job. Over in Hope Christmas, Marianne Moore is reeling from being dumped and is trying to overcome her broken heart. Gabriel North is also harbouring a broken heart after his wife upped and left. Can he and his son Stephen pull through? Can all four come through the year unscathed? And just who is Ralph Nicholas and what binds him to our four main characters?\
Julia Williams is a fantastic author and I loved her first two books Pastures New and Strictly Love. Julia is very good at weaving together the lives of 3 or 4 main characters who at first seem to be unrelated but as the book progresses it turns out they are all connected in some way. Julia also manages to keep lots of plots up in the air and never seems to drop the ball. Last Christmas is no different and I enjoyed it immensely. It’s probably her best, and most complex, book to date.
The book starts with a prologue which features Marianne and her new boyfriend Luke as they’re driving towards Hope Christmas and Luke’s family home. On arriving, they happen upon Luke’s grandfather, Ralph. The book is then split into four parts and each of the parts begins with what happened during last year’s Christmas to all four characters from December 22nd to December 25th. It was an interesting way to divide the book but one that worked incredibly well. I’m usually not a huge fan of books set in parts but for Last Christmas it works well.
After having our first flashback of what happened on December 22nd last year, we come back to the present and find there have been a few changes; Marianne is now single, Cat is much more harrassed, Gabriel is still lonely but is slowly healing and Noel is worried about his job. As the story unfolds we find out what happened between Marianne and Luke and what happened to the others during the previous Christmas. It’s a slow reveal but that just makes the book so much better.
The present day storylines are plentiful with the main one, I would say, being the threat to Hope Christmas from Marianne’s ex, Luke. I thought it was a very clever storyline and it carried the book well. Julia’s writing meant that I felt for both the town itself as well as all of its residents. There are many other subplots woven into the story which all add to the readability of the book as I was kept guessing about everything throughout. My favourite storyline, and one of the most poignant I’ve read, was one concerning Cat’s mother, Louise. It was a very interesting plot and one I thoroughly enjoyed reading of. The ubiquitous Ralph Nicholas makes regular appearances throughout the book and I rather enjoyed seeing him popping up every now and again.
I absolutely loved all of the characters in Last Christmas. From Cat and Noel in London to all of those in Hope Christmas. Cat was your typically frazzled mother of four but I liked her immensely. The way she coped with her mother’s situation was incredibly true-to-life and I found it incredibly sad reading. I felt for Noel, Cat’s husband, because I could see how he felt left out – however I could also see Cat’s point of view also. Their love did seem to shine through but I rather wondered if love was enough? I liked Marianne immediately and her opening present day chapter sees her throw up on a strange man’s shoes, so I was immediately sucked into her story. I loved how her and Gabriel’s friendship came about and they just seemed so relaxed with each other. Gabriel was by far my favourite character. He, like Cat, had to deal with a loved one being ill as well as a young son, Stephen, and I just loved him. I knew his ex-wife, Eve, would pop up eventually and I found her to be more likeable than I thought. There were many other characters integral to the story, Cat’s mum Louise whom I loved, and felt incredibly sorry for, when I realised what was happening to her; Noel’s mum is a regular, as well as all of the folk from Hope Christmas who are desperate to stop Luke wrecking their small town. Ralph was rather mysterious but I absolutely loved him; her certainly made the book better as far as I was concerned.
Hope Christmas sounds like a fantastic place to live. Julia’s description of the small town were fantastic and I wanted to move there immediately. It seemed like quite a community and all of the townsfolk looked out for each other. I certainly didn’t want to see the eco-town come to fruition and hated Luke with a vengeance. It was the homely feel to Hope Christmas that made the book for me. I could see why Noel fell in love with the town. It sounded truly magical.
The writing as always was fantastic. It’s told in the third-person, like all of Julia’s books, and alternates from Cat to Noel, from Gabriel to Marianne. It’s easy to make the switch between all of the characters and I felt that four was the perfect number of main characters for the book. By the way, for all you Wham! fans, each “part” page has a lyric from Last Christmas. I truly enjoyed Last Christmas and wholly recommend you give it a read. It does deal with some difficult issues but Julia deals with them in such a way it makes me easier to understand I have to say. Last Christmas is a perfect book to read this Christmas!
Julia Williams is a fantastic author and I loved her first two books Pastures New and Strictly Love. Julia is very good at weaving together the lives of 3 or 4 main characters who at first seem to be unrelated but as the book progresses it turns out they are all connected in some way. Julia also manages to keep lots of plots up in the air and never seems to drop the ball. Last Christmas is no different and I enjoyed it immensely. It’s probably her best, and most complex, book to date.
The book starts with a prologue which features Marianne and her new boyfriend Luke as they’re driving towards Hope Christmas and Luke’s family home. On arriving, they happen upon Luke’s grandfather, Ralph. The book is then split into four parts and each of the parts begins with what happened during last year’s Christmas to all four characters from December 22nd to December 25th. It was an interesting way to divide the book but one that worked incredibly well. I’m usually not a huge fan of books set in parts but for Last Christmas it works well.
After having our first flashback of what happened on December 22nd last year, we come back to the present and find there have been a few changes; Marianne is now single, Cat is much more harrassed, Gabriel is still lonely but is slowly healing and Noel is worried about his job. As the story unfolds we find out what happened between Marianne and Luke and what happened to the others during the previous Christmas. It’s a slow reveal but that just makes the book so much better.
The present day storylines are plentiful with the main one, I would say, being the threat to Hope Christmas from Marianne’s ex, Luke. I thought it was a very clever storyline and it carried the book well. Julia’s writing meant that I felt for both the town itself as well as all of its residents. There are many other subplots woven into the story which all add to the readability of the book as I was kept guessing about everything throughout. My favourite storyline, and one of the most poignant I’ve read, was one concerning Cat’s mother, Louise. It was a very interesting plot and one I thoroughly enjoyed reading of. The ubiquitous Ralph Nicholas makes regular appearances throughout the book and I rather enjoyed seeing him popping up every now and again.
I absolutely loved all of the characters in Last Christmas. From Cat and Noel in London to all of those in Hope Christmas. Cat was your typically frazzled mother of four but I liked her immensely. The way she coped with her mother’s situation was incredibly true-to-life and I found it incredibly sad reading. I felt for Noel, Cat’s husband, because I could see how he felt left out – however I could also see Cat’s point of view also. Their love did seem to shine through but I rather wondered if love was enough? I liked Marianne immediately and her opening present day chapter sees her throw up on a strange man’s shoes, so I was immediately sucked into her story. I loved how her and Gabriel’s friendship came about and they just seemed so relaxed with each other. Gabriel was by far my favourite character. He, like Cat, had to deal with a loved one being ill as well as a young son, Stephen, and I just loved him. I knew his ex-wife, Eve, would pop up eventually and I found her to be more likeable than I thought. There were many other characters integral to the story, Cat’s mum Louise whom I loved, and felt incredibly sorry for, when I realised what was happening to her; Noel’s mum is a regular, as well as all of the folk from Hope Christmas who are desperate to stop Luke wrecking their small town. Ralph was rather mysterious but I absolutely loved him; her certainly made the book better as far as I was concerned.
Hope Christmas sounds like a fantastic place to live. Julia’s description of the small town were fantastic and I wanted to move there immediately. It seemed like quite a community and all of the townsfolk looked out for each other. I certainly didn’t want to see the eco-town come to fruition and hated Luke with a vengeance. It was the homely feel to Hope Christmas that made the book for me. I could see why Noel fell in love with the town. It sounded truly magical.
The writing as always was fantastic. It’s told in the third-person, like all of Julia’s books, and alternates from Cat to Noel, from Gabriel to Marianne. It’s easy to make the switch between all of the characters and I felt that four was the perfect number of main characters for the book. By the way, for all you Wham! fans, each “part” page has a lyric from Last Christmas. I truly enjoyed Last Christmas and wholly recommend you give it a read. It does deal with some difficult issues but Julia deals with them in such a way it makes me easier to understand I have to say. Last Christmas is a perfect book to read this Christmas!
February 29, 2020
Ein wirklich sehr schönes Buch! Es hat was von dem Film "Tatsächlich Liebe", 4 Menschen, 4 Schicksale, 4 Leben, die ein Wunder benötigen und am Ende zusammengeführt werden. Würde ich jeden für die Weihnachtszeit empfehlen! Und es ist eben nicht nur Kitsch, sondern wirklich aus dem Alltag gegriffen.
December 27, 2019
I was hoping for an enjoyable pre Christmas read but was left a little disappointed. The repetition of characters thoughts was slightly irritating and the ending was fairly predictable.
May 31, 2011
In my hunt to find a Christmas book to try and get me into the Christmas spirit I found Last Christmas. Last Christmas shouts out at you from the shelf when you are looking for a Christmas themed book as the front cover is a snowy village scene with a glittery Christmas tree in the middle. I thought by looking at the cover of this book this is finally going to be the book I have been searching for!
**PLOT**
Last Christmas starts off the first chapter the previous year when we meet Marianne and Luke who have just got engaged and are enjoying spending time together. Marianne is getting ready to meet Luke's family for the first time at Christmas. We also meet another couple Catherine and Noel who have been happily married for 4 years, and also we meet Gabriel who has a son called Stephen but just before Christmas his wife and mother to Stephen walks out on them breaking both of their hearts.
The story then jumps to the current time which is a year later. The changes are instantly visible poor Marianne is heartbroken after her split with Luke, Gabriel is still waiting to see if his wife will ever come home and Catherine and Noel's marriage is on the rocks when Catherine finds the pressure of juggling home life with her work and looking after her mum she doesn't have time to fit Noel in. Noel doesn't help matters by keeping a secret from Catherine which is also putting pressure on their relationship.
The rest of the story moves to each character as we start to see changes in their lives. Could an Angel be helping them along the way?
**CHARACTERS**
There were quite a few main characters in this book as the story kept jumping forward and back in time and also jumping to different couples.
Marianne Moore is the first character we meet and instantly we take a liking to her. She has a warm, friendly, soft nature, a character you only want the best for.
Catherine and Noel were the least favourite characters in this book. I didn't warm to them during this book which is a shame as they were a big part of the book and had the most things going on but I don't feel there characters came across to well.
**MY OPINION**
The book starts off the year before and then jumps to the present time. Although this sounds confusing it still made the story flow well and was quite a nice change of style of book to see the changes in all the characters lives in the space of a year. I was unsure of how well the story was going to flow in this book as the style of writing reminded me a little of love actually were there are so many different couples with different stories jumping back and forth but this didn't seem to be a problem in this book as each of the characters had a strong different back ground. Marianne's and Gabriel's characters were both in the country and had a warmer feel to their characters where as Noel and Catherine was both city workers and had a completely different feel to their characters.
I did enjoy this story there was alot going on all through the book. I wouldn't say there was any element of suspense to this book but it was a enjoyable easy read. I was hoping this book would get me into the Christmas spirit but unfortunately this was not the case as in my opinion very little of the book had anything to do with Christmas. So when it comes to recommending this book I would say it was a great enjoyable easy read but it has not got the Christmas feel to it unless you just sit and stare at the beautiful front cover!
If anyone can recommend a good Christmas book for me please pm me!
**PLOT**
Last Christmas starts off the first chapter the previous year when we meet Marianne and Luke who have just got engaged and are enjoying spending time together. Marianne is getting ready to meet Luke's family for the first time at Christmas. We also meet another couple Catherine and Noel who have been happily married for 4 years, and also we meet Gabriel who has a son called Stephen but just before Christmas his wife and mother to Stephen walks out on them breaking both of their hearts.
The story then jumps to the current time which is a year later. The changes are instantly visible poor Marianne is heartbroken after her split with Luke, Gabriel is still waiting to see if his wife will ever come home and Catherine and Noel's marriage is on the rocks when Catherine finds the pressure of juggling home life with her work and looking after her mum she doesn't have time to fit Noel in. Noel doesn't help matters by keeping a secret from Catherine which is also putting pressure on their relationship.
The rest of the story moves to each character as we start to see changes in their lives. Could an Angel be helping them along the way?
**CHARACTERS**
There were quite a few main characters in this book as the story kept jumping forward and back in time and also jumping to different couples.
Marianne Moore is the first character we meet and instantly we take a liking to her. She has a warm, friendly, soft nature, a character you only want the best for.
Catherine and Noel were the least favourite characters in this book. I didn't warm to them during this book which is a shame as they were a big part of the book and had the most things going on but I don't feel there characters came across to well.
**MY OPINION**
The book starts off the year before and then jumps to the present time. Although this sounds confusing it still made the story flow well and was quite a nice change of style of book to see the changes in all the characters lives in the space of a year. I was unsure of how well the story was going to flow in this book as the style of writing reminded me a little of love actually were there are so many different couples with different stories jumping back and forth but this didn't seem to be a problem in this book as each of the characters had a strong different back ground. Marianne's and Gabriel's characters were both in the country and had a warmer feel to their characters where as Noel and Catherine was both city workers and had a completely different feel to their characters.
I did enjoy this story there was alot going on all through the book. I wouldn't say there was any element of suspense to this book but it was a enjoyable easy read. I was hoping this book would get me into the Christmas spirit but unfortunately this was not the case as in my opinion very little of the book had anything to do with Christmas. So when it comes to recommending this book I would say it was a great enjoyable easy read but it has not got the Christmas feel to it unless you just sit and stare at the beautiful front cover!
If anyone can recommend a good Christmas book for me please pm me!
November 8, 2017
3.5 stars I think. At first my opinion of this book was super meh, it's a bit messy in the beginning.
The author tries to introduce too many new characters at once, all with teensy bits of backstories but not enough so that the reader can keep them straight. If the layout was better, say one chapter per character, I think this could have worked. But the POV changes from paragraph to paragraph within the same chapter, making for a messy read.
However, as the book went on I found myself enjoying most of the characters and looking forward to reading their stories. Lovely setting in the town of Hope Christmas and the story has an overall It's a Wonderful Life type feel.
Nice cosy read in the end.
The author tries to introduce too many new characters at once, all with teensy bits of backstories but not enough so that the reader can keep them straight. If the layout was better, say one chapter per character, I think this could have worked. But the POV changes from paragraph to paragraph within the same chapter, making for a messy read.
However, as the book went on I found myself enjoying most of the characters and looking forward to reading their stories. Lovely setting in the town of Hope Christmas and the story has an overall It's a Wonderful Life type feel.
Nice cosy read in the end.
December 22, 2014
Depressing
This is not the book to pick if you are looking for something cheerful to read during the holiday season. Seriously if you need a downer you can just check out international news and get depressed for free. (And by the way Love Actually is one of the only movies I own I love it so much. This is no Love Actually!)
****spoilers below***
Let's see,
A mother is stricken with very quickly advancing Alzheimer's
Her son-in-law loses his job
Then we have tiny baby lambs dying at birth
A mother with mental illness has manic episode and abandons small boy
That small boy's dog then gets his neck broken and dies
The dog died in a flood that destroyed homes and livelihoods
Flood caused by development that is destroying the local environment
All that was missing was some Ebola or bioterrorism. But hey, I hear there is a sequel, so maybe we'll get both!
This is not the book to pick if you are looking for something cheerful to read during the holiday season. Seriously if you need a downer you can just check out international news and get depressed for free. (And by the way Love Actually is one of the only movies I own I love it so much. This is no Love Actually!)
****spoilers below***
Let's see,
A mother is stricken with very quickly advancing Alzheimer's
Her son-in-law loses his job
Then we have tiny baby lambs dying at birth
A mother with mental illness has manic episode and abandons small boy
That small boy's dog then gets his neck broken and dies
The dog died in a flood that destroyed homes and livelihoods
Flood caused by development that is destroying the local environment
All that was missing was some Ebola or bioterrorism. But hey, I hear there is a sequel, so maybe we'll get both!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2013
Looking at the train ticket bookmark, I can see I started this before Christmas 2010 and abandoned after a chapter or two. Picking it up 3 years later and re-starting, I can see what annoyed me so much the first time round.
Williams is obsessed with giving every dull back-story, and explaining her characters at length every time they manage a 'hello', treating her readers as complete imbeciles who need everything spelt out and repeated. A scream of 'show' don't 'tell' was relentlessly cannoning round my brain. Bah humbug.
Still, it had an attractive seasonal cover.
Merry Christmas.
Williams is obsessed with giving every dull back-story, and explaining her characters at length every time they manage a 'hello', treating her readers as complete imbeciles who need everything spelt out and repeated. A scream of 'show' don't 'tell' was relentlessly cannoning round my brain. Bah humbug.
Still, it had an attractive seasonal cover.
Merry Christmas.
January 6, 2015
It's the most wonderful time of year. Isn't it? Discover the true spirit of Christmas with this seasonal treat for fans of Love, Actually and The Holiday.
I didn't feel like this book should be compared to The Holiday or Love Actually. Also, don't read this book to get you in the mood for Christmas. It's kinda depressing and did not make me jolly or walk around yelling "ho ho ho".
If you are still interested in reading this book, you don't have to wait for Christmas. Christmas is the last theme of this book. It could have been called Last December 27th or Last December 23rd and the story wouldn't have changed.
I didn't feel like this book should be compared to The Holiday or Love Actually. Also, don't read this book to get you in the mood for Christmas. It's kinda depressing and did not make me jolly or walk around yelling "ho ho ho".
If you are still interested in reading this book, you don't have to wait for Christmas. Christmas is the last theme of this book. It could have been called Last December 27th or Last December 23rd and the story wouldn't have changed.
October 24, 2016
Zum Ende hin wurde es noch einmal richtig weihnachtlich und ganz besonders herzerwärmend! Vor allem auch durch den "Weihnachtsgeist", der mit einem Augenzwinkern alles ins Rechte rückt und die ganze Zeit ja schon die Finger im Spiel hat. Eine schöne Geschichte die ans Herz geht. Auch wenn das Buch sehr dick ist und man sehr viel zu Lesen hat, wird es nicht langatmig. Hat aber auch keine extremen Höhen. Trotzdem ein schönes Buch!
April 16, 2023
Last Christmas
PLOT SUMMARY
The book spans a year and tells the story of four protagonists: Cat Tinsall and her husband, who are concerned that their marriage is in shambles, Marianne Moore, a schoolteacher reeling from the pain of a breakup, and Gabriel North, who learns the hard way that love is not the solution to all problems. Not to mention ubiquitous Ralph Nicholas, whose presence appears to fix practically all difficulties. Their narrative is intertwined, taking place in both the town of Hope Christmas and the London suburbs.
The novel is then divided into four sections, beginning with what happened to all four protagonists over last year's Christmas from December 22nd to December 25th of the present year. Because of these divides, we understand the feelings and qualities of each protagonist quite well, as well as what happened in the past that moulded them into the people they are now.
MY THOUGHTS
The book was as warm and cozy as you'd expect from a Christmas novel. It perfectly caught the essence of Christmas. But there were two aspects of the novel that I particularly enjoyed.
To begin with, the characters were really relatable. Cat Tinsall is concerned that her alter ego, The Happy Homemaker, is taking over her life. She writes about her virtually perfect children, marriage, and house on her blog, despite the fact that her children are driving her nuts, her marriage is breaking apart (though she is not ready to admit this), and her mother may be forgetting. In the era of the internet and social media, haven't we all established an alter ego that we were really proud of at first but hated as time went on because it revealed the harsh reality that our lives are not perfect?
Then there's Noel Tinsall, who knows he'll be fired but can't tell his wife because it will reveal how much of a failure he is. I feel that everyone experiences moments in their lives when they are stirring the boat of their lives ahead but are unsure of the way they are heading. You're just moving because that's what the rest of the world, especially your family, expects of you. I was on winter vacation and had been at home for a month when I was reading this book. Even though I was interning, I wasn't sure what I wanted out of life at the time, and when Ralph Nicholas commented, "Everyone loses their path at some point. It's whether you can find it again that matters," it resonated with me.
Marianne Moore reminded me of moments when you were going through a terrible heartbreak. Julia Williams absolutely caught all of our feelings, and it was stunning. I liked how she didn't leave anything out, like how a location reminds Marianne of an experience she shared with Luke, her ex-fiancée.
Gabriel Moore is such a wonderful and compassionate man; he reminded me of Aakshee, my dear friend who gave me this book for my 19th birthday. And, of course, I must mention Louise, Cat's mother, who reminds me so much of my grandmother. My grandmother and Louise both spoil their grandchildren and prepare great meals, which reminds me of the times when my brother and I would rush to our grandparents' house because grandma had made something delicious and we always wanted to be the first to try it.
Second, I appreciated how the pieces were expertly woven together to produce a tale that encompassed all of the individuals, their problems, and their triumphs. Also, who doesn't enjoy a happy ending?
I thoroughly loved Last Christmas and wholeheartedly recommend that you read it. It does deal with some difficult subjects, but Julia handles them in such a way that I find it easy to grasp. Last Christmas is an excellent novel to read this holiday season!
"Sometimes if you loved someone, you just had to let them go"
PLOT SUMMARY
The book spans a year and tells the story of four protagonists: Cat Tinsall and her husband, who are concerned that their marriage is in shambles, Marianne Moore, a schoolteacher reeling from the pain of a breakup, and Gabriel North, who learns the hard way that love is not the solution to all problems. Not to mention ubiquitous Ralph Nicholas, whose presence appears to fix practically all difficulties. Their narrative is intertwined, taking place in both the town of Hope Christmas and the London suburbs.
The novel is then divided into four sections, beginning with what happened to all four protagonists over last year's Christmas from December 22nd to December 25th of the present year. Because of these divides, we understand the feelings and qualities of each protagonist quite well, as well as what happened in the past that moulded them into the people they are now.
MY THOUGHTS
The book was as warm and cozy as you'd expect from a Christmas novel. It perfectly caught the essence of Christmas. But there were two aspects of the novel that I particularly enjoyed.
To begin with, the characters were really relatable. Cat Tinsall is concerned that her alter ego, The Happy Homemaker, is taking over her life. She writes about her virtually perfect children, marriage, and house on her blog, despite the fact that her children are driving her nuts, her marriage is breaking apart (though she is not ready to admit this), and her mother may be forgetting. In the era of the internet and social media, haven't we all established an alter ego that we were really proud of at first but hated as time went on because it revealed the harsh reality that our lives are not perfect?
Then there's Noel Tinsall, who knows he'll be fired but can't tell his wife because it will reveal how much of a failure he is. I feel that everyone experiences moments in their lives when they are stirring the boat of their lives ahead but are unsure of the way they are heading. You're just moving because that's what the rest of the world, especially your family, expects of you. I was on winter vacation and had been at home for a month when I was reading this book. Even though I was interning, I wasn't sure what I wanted out of life at the time, and when Ralph Nicholas commented, "Everyone loses their path at some point. It's whether you can find it again that matters," it resonated with me.
Marianne Moore reminded me of moments when you were going through a terrible heartbreak. Julia Williams absolutely caught all of our feelings, and it was stunning. I liked how she didn't leave anything out, like how a location reminds Marianne of an experience she shared with Luke, her ex-fiancée.
Gabriel Moore is such a wonderful and compassionate man; he reminded me of Aakshee, my dear friend who gave me this book for my 19th birthday. And, of course, I must mention Louise, Cat's mother, who reminds me so much of my grandmother. My grandmother and Louise both spoil their grandchildren and prepare great meals, which reminds me of the times when my brother and I would rush to our grandparents' house because grandma had made something delicious and we always wanted to be the first to try it.
Second, I appreciated how the pieces were expertly woven together to produce a tale that encompassed all of the individuals, their problems, and their triumphs. Also, who doesn't enjoy a happy ending?
I thoroughly loved Last Christmas and wholeheartedly recommend that you read it. It does deal with some difficult subjects, but Julia handles them in such a way that I find it easy to grasp. Last Christmas is an excellent novel to read this holiday season!
"You won't know if you don't try"
December 16, 2017
I have now read the final category of my 2017 Book Bingo!!!! A book set during Christmas - Last Christmas by Julia Williams
This book follows the lives of 4 people during the festive season and in the months that follow.
1. Marianne, a school teacher who is desperately trying to put herself back together after her engagement to a wealthy businessman suddenly ended on Christmas eve.
2. Catherine, the author of an online blog, where she is known as "Happy Homemaker". However Catherine's home life is far from being happy. She is a mother of 4, struggling to balance her career with family life.
3. Noel, Catherine's husband who is close to getting the sack at work. In order to save his job he must reluctantly commit to a project that could potentially ruin a whole town.
4. Gabriel, a now single father who's wife walked out on him and their son just days before Christmas.
It took me a while to immerse myself in this book as it is written in a seemingly chaotic manner. Each chapter consists of the storyline, told from the perspective of each of the characters. And then on 3 occasions, the story jumps back in time to explain what actually went wrong "Last Christmas" (again, from the perspective of each character). But once I settled into the writing style I actually started to enjoy the book. Likable characters, an interesting storyline and a heartwarming sense of community coming together to save their town.
All in all, I do think that this is a beautiful story and I may even reread it again next Christmas
This book follows the lives of 4 people during the festive season and in the months that follow.
1. Marianne, a school teacher who is desperately trying to put herself back together after her engagement to a wealthy businessman suddenly ended on Christmas eve.
2. Catherine, the author of an online blog, where she is known as "Happy Homemaker". However Catherine's home life is far from being happy. She is a mother of 4, struggling to balance her career with family life.
3. Noel, Catherine's husband who is close to getting the sack at work. In order to save his job he must reluctantly commit to a project that could potentially ruin a whole town.
4. Gabriel, a now single father who's wife walked out on him and their son just days before Christmas.
It took me a while to immerse myself in this book as it is written in a seemingly chaotic manner. Each chapter consists of the storyline, told from the perspective of each of the characters. And then on 3 occasions, the story jumps back in time to explain what actually went wrong "Last Christmas" (again, from the perspective of each character). But once I settled into the writing style I actually started to enjoy the book. Likable characters, an interesting storyline and a heartwarming sense of community coming together to save their town.
All in all, I do think that this is a beautiful story and I may even reread it again next Christmas
December 28, 2018
🎄 💫Last Christmas 💫 🎄 .
I bloody love this book!
Last Christmas is a heartwarming read which follows the lives of four main characters, you have Cat and her husband Noel in London, recently heartbroken Marianne, and newly single dad Gabe, in the perfectly named Hope Christmas. The four lives are all linked to the village, in a festive twist. 🎄 .
Cat is a Blogger, she is portraying a perfect life, hiding anything her true life shows. Marianne is a school teacher, and Gabe is struggling to raise his son by himself.A Christmas competition set by Cat, draws the lives together, and the true mystery of Ralph is soon uncovered. .
Last Christmas is packed with real people and real lives, it’s not rose tinted, it’s true. Reading chapter after chapter you feel like a fly on the wall, and soon realise that it’s the Christmas that we have all experienced, stressful and expensive. This book is set to take us all back to the root of Christmas making it perfect for Christmas lovers and Scrooge’s! .
It’s true to say, I was very sad to leave Hope Christmas 🎄❤️
I bloody love this book!
Last Christmas is a heartwarming read which follows the lives of four main characters, you have Cat and her husband Noel in London, recently heartbroken Marianne, and newly single dad Gabe, in the perfectly named Hope Christmas. The four lives are all linked to the village, in a festive twist. 🎄 .
Cat is a Blogger, she is portraying a perfect life, hiding anything her true life shows. Marianne is a school teacher, and Gabe is struggling to raise his son by himself.A Christmas competition set by Cat, draws the lives together, and the true mystery of Ralph is soon uncovered. .
Last Christmas is packed with real people and real lives, it’s not rose tinted, it’s true. Reading chapter after chapter you feel like a fly on the wall, and soon realise that it’s the Christmas that we have all experienced, stressful and expensive. This book is set to take us all back to the root of Christmas making it perfect for Christmas lovers and Scrooge’s! .
It’s true to say, I was very sad to leave Hope Christmas 🎄❤️
February 9, 2020
I really like this story and the four main characters Cat and Noel Tinsall, Marianne Moore and Gabriel North. I hate not finishing books, so I had to finish it. But a couple of things really got on my nerves and mashed my head. The first being all four characters were in each chapter, but not integrated. It flirted from one to the other, which I found very confusing in the beginning trying to remember who they were. The other thing that frazzled my brain was that it was last year then here then and now. Flitting between both. Like Christmas, then now, then back to Christmas etc., So for that part it was badly set out. It’s the story that got 3 stars. If the authors others books are set out like this I won’t be reading any more 🤯
October 5, 2022
Catherine has a blog that has become bigger than she intended it to be. Meant to be a quick relief, a sanity check and a virtual support network, her blog has taken over her life. Added to it, her work on the magazine has her planning Christmas in summer. Around her, things are no longer as perfect as she portrays it to be. Children are not behaving as they are supposed to be, her husband is the victim of constant negligence, and even her mother is changing before her yes. This Christmas, Catharine's season is unlike any before.
June 24, 2023
I've just read this book in mid summer, it makes no difference to me the time of year really that I read a book.
I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. I loved hearing the stories of our four main characters and how they eventually intertwined. It was also good to hear the tale from their individual points of view.
Ralph was an interesting character, I did wonder if he was a spirit/ghost from the outset but he was obviously very real.
A lovely tale and I will certainly look out for other books by this author.
I thoroughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. I loved hearing the stories of our four main characters and how they eventually intertwined. It was also good to hear the tale from their individual points of view.
Ralph was an interesting character, I did wonder if he was a spirit/ghost from the outset but he was obviously very real.
A lovely tale and I will certainly look out for other books by this author.
October 18, 2017
Well, as you'd guess from the synopsis, this is a heart warming tale - just curl up in a comfy chair with a cup of tea (or coffee!) & a biscuit (or three!!) & you'll pass a very pleasurable few hours. It does just what it says on the cover -there's no great surprises, it's pretty clear how everything is going to end up & it even gets away the cheesy ending as you'll probably be expecting such a revelation :o)
May 7, 2017
Gah. This would have been a super book with a subtle Christmas message if it wasn't for the ridiculous angel character. Shame really as there was some other cracking characters, light humour and some real life issues (illness and job) that were dealt with brilliantly. All spoilt by an airy fairy fellow who kept appearing at opportune moments. Disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2018
I was so busy throughout December that it took me over a month to finish this book. I don't know if I'd have read it any faster had it not been a busy month though. It confused me a bit what with jumping around to different years on different chapters and it didn't really keep me hooked and wanting to turn the page.
It had a nice ending which is to be expected from this type of book!
It had a nice ending which is to be expected from this type of book!
December 20, 2017
This novel is jam packed with characters and their various hardships. Ralph Nicholas works his magic as he tries to direct the characters on to a path toward happiness during the Christmas season. The pro to a novel this dense is it keeps the story moving at a quick pace, the con is that you always feel unfulfilled with character development or resolutions.
February 12, 2021
The stories about four people in this book are about hope, sacrifice, forgiveness, love, grateful, being present, acceptance, finding courage to keep on going, never give up, etc while navigating the journey of life - mental illness, dementia, heartbreak, natural disaster, etc.
If you love the Christmas Carol, you might love this book too. A heart warming book about the spirit of Christmas.
If you love the Christmas Carol, you might love this book too. A heart warming book about the spirit of Christmas.
December 30, 2021
Late posting but ... this was exactly the light, Christmas fluff I was looking for this year. And it’s not your typical, cheesy Hallmark book (although we love them😉). It kept me intrigued the whole way. Last Christmas has it all. Romance, adventure, spirituality, family trials and tribulations and a whole lot of Christmas charm! A super cute, easy read I would definitely recommend.
January 4, 2026
Cozy , comforting and warmly filled with Christmas cheer and Hope - I loved this family saga involving so many families falling apart and then all being beautifully strung together with Christmas Hope and Love.I loved the way the story went according to the lyrics of the popular song by Wham -" Last Christmas ". This is part one of a Trilogy and eager to read the next in series.
December 28, 2017
Unfortunately I wasn’t invested in this story, which is a shame because I really wanted to love it. I just didn’t connect with it and found myself just wanting to finish it as I didn’t want to give up after reading almost half, so I pushed on.
February 10, 2022
A good read about what a differnce a year can make and how overwhelming life can become. I always like a Christmas themed book around the holidays and this one was my choice this year and I really enjoyed it.
December 21, 2025
This has been a comforting read throughout the busy build up to Christmas. I loved the characters and the way the book dotted between them in each chapter. I will read another Julia Williams next year.
January 10, 2019
Loved this book, great story with lots of interesting characters and slightly magical too. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
January 6, 2020
Really good read.
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