Welcome to Day 1 of #12booksofchristmas. During December I am sharing 12 festive reads. The idea came from the wonderful Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod where a book is given on Christmas Eve and read together. My husband and I started this tradition a few years back with each other. #12booksof christmas will hopefully give you some ideas of books to pick. This is my 5th year doing this and you can check out a whole host of books on my books for Christmas page at the bottom of this post.

I had a right laugh assembling this post as it contains a message from my previous self.

We had a lovely time this weekend as it was finally the panto performance There was a lot of cheering, booing and hissing and 'Oh no she didn't/oh yes she did' going on. Everyone went to the pub after and we had a celebratory meal last night with quizzes and awards. Lovely Chris won an award when our flying Peter Pan failed to make it across the stage during rehearsals. It was a wonderful thing to be part of.

The Plot

Chloe can’t wait for Christmas…to be over!

Her son Ruben is staying with his Dad and Chloe is planning to ignore the holidays altogether. Her only festive touch is the advent calendar Ruben left her, to help count down the days till he’s home again.

But a surprise call changes everything. Chloe might be the unexpected owner of some land in canada! Surely it’s a scam? Or could it be just the escape she needs right now? Ruben’s latest note in the advent calendar tells her to ‘say yes’!

In a flash, Chloe’s new countdown to Christmas involves a log cabin in the middle of a snowy forest, a community that’s worried for its future - a gruff lumberjack who gives her butterflies and a lot of pancakes with maple syrup

Caroline of the future, this is January Caroline writing to you! Yes folks I am blogging to you from January 2024, we’ve just experienced the coldest night so far and I am missing Christmas 2023. But I have here a lovely book to furnish you with plenty of Christmas spirit! As you probably know, I read for #12booksofchristmas all through the year.and I received this as my Jolabokaflod and promptly read starting on Christmas eve.

The book is delightful. Chloe is contacted by heir hunters who explain that a relative she knew nothing about has passed away, she is the next heir and it looks like he has left her land and a cabin….in Canada. At the same time, Chloe’s son Reuben is spending his first Christmas away from her. She has resolved not to celebrate Christmas as she is missing him too much, but he has thoughtfully left her a wonderful, homemade advent calendar. The doors (or little packages) open to reveal a sweet, or a note, or a gift, and it is this which inspires Chloe to say yes and visit Canada.

There she encounters a town that is founded on the wonderful maple syrup they harvest from the local trees, a heavily pregnant cafe-owner and a gruff lumberjack who also happens to own the local store. Not to mention a moose and over-friendly turkey!

As Chloe gets to learn more about the town and its maple syrup, she starts to fall in love with life there. Like a lot of parents, Chloe questions how she is living her life, prompted by the thoughtful challenges and notes from Reuben who is an absolute sweetie-pie. And his notes inspire others in the town until Chloe feels very welcome and dare I say it….home.

As with other Jo Thomas novels, Jo has provided some rather lip-smacking recipes at the back of the bookall involving maple syrup. The maple syrup bread and butter pudding sounds delicious!

And so folks, if you are looking for a romantic, sweet story set in snowy country, then I believe I have found the book for you. Even better, if you fancy doing  a spot of baking after it, just remember to send a piece my way!

I'll be back tomorrow with Day 2 of #12booksofchristmas. We are underway people!