Welcome to Day 10 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. In case you’ve missed any titles below is a list of #12books so far this year….

• Day One - Countdown to Christmas by Jo Thomas
• Day Two - Who KIlled Father Christmas Edited by Martin Edwards
• Day Three - This Christmas in Paris by Sophie Claire
• Day Four - Tied up in Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh
• Day Five - Winter in New York by Josie Silver
• Day Six - A Shirley Hughes Christmas by Shirley Hughes
• Day Seven - How To Survive Christmas by Jilly Cooper
• Day Eight - The Christmas Book Club by Sarah Morgan
• Day Nine - The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Benedict

Today’s book is a book perfect for anyone who has been to Iceland, is fascinated by Iceland, wants to go to Iceland and fans of romance. By Iceland, I mean of course the beautiful country not the frozen food shop.

The Plot

Rachel Richards is stuck in a rut. Her boyfriend Adam barely notices her most of the time and her life in London isn’t as exciting as it should be. When the company she works for, Snug, asks her to oversee the opening of a new store in Iceland, she jumps at the chance for a change of scenery.

Exploring Reykjavik with the help of Icelandic tour guide Jonas, Rachel discovers that life is out there waiting to be lived. As she falls in love with Iceland, she begins to see what is important to her and wonders whether the life she left behind is what she wants after all…..

My Thoughts

Full disclosure here, I read this whilst on holiday in Dubrovnik. Again with the contrariness, As I sat in my swimming costume, the sun shining merrily down, I read this wonderful book about the land of ice and snow and I loved it.

Rachel Richards has the most awful boyfriend. He is an investment banker, and after moving in together, barely sees him as he wines and dines his clients, expects Rachel to to be at his beck and call when he does come home, and is generally just not likeable.

Rachel receives a fabulous opportunity to go to Iceland to help set up the latest beach of Snug, a cosy hygge store that I now want someone to create, and open so I can visit please. In the meantime, she explores Iceland with the help of handsome and kind Jonas taking in the wonderful sights that Iceland offers. Ice-climbing, geysers, breath-taking waterfalls, good coffee. Along the way, she rediscovers hobbies that Adam used to mock her for, knitting a beret to keep her warm. As the shop opening nears, Rachel realises she is starting to not wish to return to London, and that she is falling for Jonas. And then Adam turns up…..

As someone who has been to Iceland, and helped set up a bookshop, this was right up my street! The first thing to say about the shop opening, is that it is flipping hard work. We had a week to get a store from empty (no bookshelves, no fittings, no staff-room) to opening day ready and it is hard work but immensely rewarding seeing an empty shell go to a beautiful new bookstore for the town. You would arrive back home dirty, dusty and very tired but full of energy. Coffee was definitely needed. I loved though that Rachel had a number of weeks to prepare, and the displays of all the cosy items sounded wonderful. Like I say someone needs to open this shop!

Victoria Walker has captured Iceland beautifully. And I found myself wistfully wanting to go back, sit in the waters of the Blue Lagoon, see the amazing waterfalls and enjoy the freshest fish and strongest coffee.

Rachel and Jonas are delightful, Adam is an absolute rotter! And reading the end acknowledgements I almost dropped the book when the author indicated that the ending was almost very different. Thankfully a few of her friends ‘ ‘ad a word’ and we receive the ending we want.

Now, before you say to me this is not a Christmas book, can I counter and say, this is the land of snow and twinkly lights. Whilst it does not take place over Christmas, the story leaves you with a Christmassy glow. Pinched noses, hot chocolate and coffee, a cosy knitted jumper and a warm fuzzy feeling inside. See Christmas!

This is a fizzy romance set in a beautiful part of the world with 2 very sweet characters. If you are wanting a proper feel-good cosy, Christmas read then this is perfect for you.