Happy publication day, Tilly Tennant! I am so thrilled to be sharing my review of Tilly’s latest novel, ‘The Christmas Wish’, on publication day. Huge thanks to Bookouture for the blog tour invite and ARC – here is my review:
Christmas is coming but it doesn’t feel that way for Esme. Jilted by her cheating fiancée Warren and mourning the death of her beloved grandmother she’s determined not to let life beat her and books a trip to Lapland, on a holiday that her grandmother had always dreamed of taking.
Beneath the indigo skies of Lapland, love is the last thing on Esme’s mind but she can’t ignore a spark with Zach, a broodingly handsome actor, also nursing a broken heart. But when Esme is bombarded by messages from Warren promising he’s changed and she discovers that Zach is hiding something-will her head be turned? And when a trip to the northern lights reveals the full extent Zach’s own secret past is there any hope that Esme will get the happy ending that her grandmother wished for her?
What does TWG think?
I think I say whenever I review a Tilly Tennant novel, BUT I mean it every single time and this time is no exception – I have absolutely no idea how she does it, but once again she has written her best book yet. Oh my goodness!! There was no doubt in my mind before I started reading the book as to whether I would like it or not, because I knew I would enjoy it just like Tennant’s other novels. What I didn’t expect however, was just how much I ended up enjoying it. ‘The Christmas Wish’ isn’t just a special story, it’s more than that. It’s a captivating, magnetic, beautiful, powerful novel which made the word ‘special’ seem very tame.
Esme has so much love for her grandmother, Matilda, but after spending several years wrapped up in her relationship with Warren, Esme ended up not visiting Matilda as much as she would have liked. So, when the time comes for Esme to stand on Matilda’s doorstep, nobody could have expected lives to change as drastically as they were going to…
A lot of the storyline is governed by Esme’s relationship (if you can call it that) with Warren, and I have to admit that it was a little bit uncomfortable to read at times because of the relatable and raw element. I won’t delve into details due to spoilers, but where Warren is concerned, the storyline certainly lives up to its winter theme, that’s for sure.
With a trip of a lifetime close to Esme’s fingertips, I wanted to reach into the book and shake her shoulders, telling her to not be so stupid by not going on the trip! Her grandmother obviously wanted her to go, so why not do one last thing in memory? Obviously I could understand why Esme felt on the fence, but it was very hard to watch her teeter on that decision by giving the power to someone who didn’t deserve any ounce of it.
I adored every snowflake of ‘The Christmas Wish’, with the not so festive moments making the storyline such a powerful and poignant read which a lot of readers may end up resonating with. From start to finish, I held the characters in my heart – yes, they were flawed, complex and somewhat frustrating, yet those traits alongside their humour, tender hearts, and addictive personalities made them who they were. Personally, I couldn’t have asked for more – you only have to take a look at Herontese!!!
Tilly Tennant has blown me away once again with this phenomenal storyline. I ended up closing the book with a massive smile on my face, yet I couldn’t help but feel bereft at what I had just left behind. This is a truly magnificent, beautifully written, thought provoking and enchanting read – Tilly Tennant has done herself and her characters proud with this gem. Definitely her best book yet – wow, I loved it!
About the author.
Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest of the world gets them.
Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her next Tilly Tennant novel. She also writes as Sharon Sant, where she explores the darker side of life, and Poppy Galbraith, where things get a little crazier.
Author Social Media Links
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TillyTennant/
TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/tillytenwriter
WEBSITE: www.tillytennant.com
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