Bookouture Christmas Book Review & Giveaway: Coming Home for Christmas by Jenny Hale

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Review by Tanya

Allison, or better known as Allie, Has just finished her 11 year old job for the same family as a nanny and has had to move back in with her mum. She really wants to use her degree and return to teaching, so is applying for jobs. Her sister Megan is an estate agent and has an idea for a short term job where she will be the house manager of a large manor that is being sold. The current owner needs to work away whilst the house is on the market leaving her in charge of the running of the household and the staff as well as keeping an eye on his grandmother.

Allie decides to apply for the job on a flip of a coin something her and her sister have done since they were young. Allie attends an interview where she meets Robert Marley who is blunt and to the point. Robert Marley is described as being “irritatingly unfriendly” which is a great description. Her new role as the house manager means that she meets the rest of the family who are all very different to each other and are not happy about the sale going ahead. This adds a great element to the book as it’s great to see the interaction between them all. The book also shows how a boy never grows up and that they are perfectly happy to play with toys and join in children’s games.

I liked the bonds that she formed with each of the brothers of Robert and Kip and how honest she was in her approach to Robert asking him to return for the Christmas get together. She shows her caring and great teaching skills with Sloane And her two boys Paul And Sammy really enjoyed the activities that she organised, and I admit if I was still teaching or if my children were younger I would be participating in a few of them. Pippa, the grandmother, is a very intriguing character and she released some very interesting information about Robert and why he is so gruff. I enjoyed how the book is not always warm and cosy reading with the characters showing traits and the usual family rifts.

The twists and turns that happen between the characters kept you interested in the book as did the fact that you wanted to know the background story of the characters which was distributed in little snippets of information. You want the story to end in such a good way and you are never quite sure if that is going to happen.

Although this is a Christmas book you could read this at any time of the year but it does have that special Christmas sparkle if you want to read it during the build-up. 

Giveaway

One very lucky reader of my blog will receive a digital copy of Coming Home for Christmas together with a lucky coin necklace made by Expressionery Pendant.

 
Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I will contact the winner via e-mail. If I don't get a reply within 60 hours the prize will go to someone else. All of my giveaways are international, you can find the official rules here.