Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher and more importantly the author. This is a story of loss, grief, secrets, lies, guilt, family, ambition, but most of all, that of love and hope

This book was getting some excellent reviews and since I was looking for a quick, cozy read, I decided to see for myself what all the raves were about.

Well, I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter and I don't think I have ever cried so much (both happy and sad tears) before. For a short time, I was a part of the Little Rock Marina family. I could picture Nell's houseboat, the Nollie, docked in the marina. I went to work with her at Bea's deli, The Melting Pot. I became immersed in Nell's life over the course of a year as she struggled to overcome tragedy and reclaim a life she deserved.

It's a story of relationships: between friends and sisters, mothers and daughters, and blossoming romances. Even though life can hit us in unbearable ways, time does help to heal all wounds. A quaint cast of memorable characters that will make you reignite your dreams. Truly enjoyable to the last page.

Loved the cover of this book. Was so pleased it lived up to what i hoped it would be. fantastic read. great to just lose yourself in this feel good read. its a great book packed with lots of emotions and you will need to read and see for y ourself

Nell has still not got over the death of her husband Ollie two years before - she has lost her soulmate - and is really just going through the motions living on their canal boat The Nollie and working for her best friend Bea.....that is until a gorgeous Irishman called Guy appears in her life, suddenly she is starting to have feelings that she thought she would never have again

Guy has come over from Ireland with his lovely Irish Setter Sam to help his brother out at the boatyard while he is recovering from an operation.......but is he all he seems or is he keeping back secrets......but he definitely has the eye for Nell!

When Nell gets involved with a project of buying up the old cinema and bringing it back to life Guy is there to help her but her mother is against it from the beginning.....what is her problem.....has she got secrets of her own?

A lovely warm book with great characters that you fall in love with an a few mysteries along the way. Definitely a light beach read that I would recommend

I absolutely adored this book. It instantly wrapped me within its pages, enjoying time spent at the Little Rock Marina with a gorgeous sounding cafe near by. The characters were wonderful- including Nollie, the canal boat. Guy
sounds the perfect love interest- but is he hiding a secret? I loved meeting all the new friends at the Marina. Nell's friends and family are great- helping her through the heartbreak of losing her young husband.
Guy's dog led them to find a fascinating man on a new canal boat who had links to the film world. He was an interesting character.
Nell is looking to take over the local cinema and restore it to being the centre of the community again. You could feel her excitement over her plans for the place- but would she be able to afford to take it on.
There are secrets being kept by several people and it is lovely to see them unfold.
I was so sad to leave the marina and all my new friends there!!!!!!

Enjoyable and well told story of Nell and her friends on the marina. Quite detailed and lots happening for the different characters, but easy to read and keep track of.

A really interesting book with interesting, believable characters. I have read lots of beach type books this summer so it was lovely to have a different setting. I would love to see a follow up story focusing on some of the other characters and the old cinema.

I really enjoyed this book and was really sad when it was over!

I thoroughly enjoyed delving into the world of Bell living on her longboat, the Nollie and her best friend Bea who owned the local deli. Add in a handsome Irish man and you have the beginnings of a great book.

The storyline kept me captivated and added in spanners in the works as in real life, things don't always run smoothly or how you expect them to go.

I really hope there is a sequel to this book as I feel there are some other characters that can definitely be explored a bit further.

A lovely warm book with characters that you quickly fall in love with.

Highly recommended from me!

Nell Andrews had it all: great husband who happened to be the love of her life, a best friend in Bea, a supportive Mum and a lovely canal boat, lovingly decorated, always cosy and in the middle of the little marina community, But her husband is gone after a tragic accident, and now two years on, Nell is still searching for something to fil the Ollie-sized hole in her heart and life. Being run down by the large red setter wasn’t in her game plan at all, let alone the man being walked by the dog, here to help out his brother. Irish accent, sparkling eyes and a ready smile.

Guy Cornish is here to help out his brother Ed at the marina, while Ed recovers from an operation. He’s brought along Sam, a setter ful of the goofy good-natured bonhomie that the breed is known for, and a penchant for checking out a new arrival in the harbor – another canal boat moored at the outer edges. Taking a break from his office job, Guy is reconnecting with his brother and his love of being outdoors, building and using his hands, following in the footsteps of his grandfather.

When you add in Bea, Nell’s best friend and supporter to the mix, one who knows Nell so well and is anxious to see her friend move forward toward happiness in her life. The café may help to keep both Bea and Nell busy, and the constant flow of locals and tourists have made it the centerpiece of the little community, but Nell and her husband always dreamt of a space that would bring all of the community together – and it’s for sale.

When you add in Nell’s decision to buy the old property, her mother’s strange behavior as she hides away secrets from Nell, the budding relationship that explodes in spectacular fashion between Nell and Guy, a reconciliation for Bea and her sister after a great loss, and the nomination of Bea’s café as one of the Best in Britain, the characters, charm and elements combine to provide a wonderful read. This is a story that tugs at heartstrings and brings so many emotions, and instantly you are drawn into the story and the marina: cheering, caring and even shedding more than a few tears as the story unfolds. A wonderful introduction to this author, and I can’t wait for more.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review. All conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” http://wp.me/p3OmRo-9hX/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Thank you to HarperImpulse for letting me be part of this tour. I’ve previously read one of Christie’s books and I loved it so, when I saw this one on Netgalley I had to request a copy. I was thrilled to also be asked to take part in the tour.

I won’t say too much on the story because when, I read the prologue I had so many feels and I don’t want to ruin that for anyone. I will give you a little warning that you may want some tissues nearby.

Christie does an excellent job of describing Little Rock Marina. I loved the Melting Pot, if had one in my local area I would definitely be there everyday, although that would probably not be good for my waistline.

There were many different elements to this story but Christie found a way to blend them seamlessly so that you did not feel like you were reading many different stories.

Nell has a good bunch of people around her and I really loved Bea. She is such a warm and upbeat person that you can’t help but want to be her friend. These two would do anything for each other. I think every one needs a Bea in their life.

While Nell does have a love interest in this book I would say this was part of the B story. The story was more about Nell and the project she knows will heal her.

There were quite a few twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. Christie enjoys throwing me off my game, I think.

Christie will make you laugh and cry with this book. When I finished it I had a big smile on my face.

Moored up at the Little Rock Marina, Nell Andrew's has her canal boat, Nollie. After losing her college sweetheart in a tragic accident, she has her mum and best friend Bea around to support her and then two years on, Irish man, Guy Cornish shows up at the marina, his dog Sam sweeps Nell off her feet and soon she's falling hard for Guy...

However, when Bea falls pregnant her deli where they work gets nominated for an award just as Nell takes on restoring the Old Picture House in honour of Ollie's memory with the assistance of Guy.

This book was a really sweet read and I loved it, perfect for a winter or autumnal read especially! The characters were so sweet and open in supporting each other no matter what came along in their way which is refreshing to read. I also really enjoyed when Guy met Nell initially with a hilarious scene taking place.

Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a pleasant, light read and just what I needed to read right now.

Nell Andrews has been through the wringer a bit; she lost the love of her life and her mother is acting strangely, but otherwise she is happy living on her narrow boat and working with her best friend Bea. Then Guy Cornish, a charming Irishman, comes into her life. He is lovely, and he makes her feel things she hasn't felt in a while but is he too good to be true? All will be revealed when you read this book!

I found that this book had a few extra twists and turns from the standard chick lit, but it is still a PG rated book, and that was really nice, actually. I felt like I was getting to know the characters who lived at the marina quite well by the end of the book, and the author did a great job of the characterisations.

This is a recommended read from me, 4.5 stars :)

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperImpulse.

Loved it. It really is a warm cosy read. Emotional, heartwarming, heart rending, loveable. I loved everything about it. A real hug in a book

Wow,this is a brilliant read,it's a must read,I couldn't put it down,It's about a women and husband dies,they lived in a narrow boat,and she didn't think she would ever love again,it's is a brilliant book,I love narrow boats so this book is a great read,I would give it 10 stars,if you read any book,you have to read this,loved it.

A nice book to read on a cosy night in with a glass of wine.
The story was busy, hectic but it all came together in the end.
Nell has had a tough few years and the beginning of the book reminded me of the movie 'Up' where the sad bit is at the beginning, but after the prologue it all took off from there.
I enjoyed it and read it with excitement to see how it worked out for Nell and her family and friends.
Thanks to NetGalley, Christie Barlow and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this ARC for a fair and unbiased review.

*Book provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I have read some of Christie Barlow’s previous book and was really excited for this one from the start. I loved the sound of the blurb and the cover is so dreamy. Don’t get fooled by the snowflakes on the cover. The story is set in winter, but it’s not about Christmas or other wintery elements. This is such a cosy and lovely read, you can read it any time of the year.

The book starts with something really sad. Nell Andrews loses her husband. The prologue is very captivating and takes you immediately into the heart of the story.

Now, two years later it’s still hard. Nell has one save place: her cosy canal boat Nollie. She is ready to move on and follow her dreams. There are a lot of people around her and they are all there for her and part of the story as well. Bea, her husband Nathan and son Jacob are absolutely adorable. Bea is the best friend a woman can wish for, Nathan is a loving and sweet husband and Jacob just adds some cute freshness. There is also Nell’s mother Gilly and other people, who live in Little Rock Marina. The highlight of course lovely Mr. Irish, called Guy. All these characters get their story told as well and this adds a lot of interesting drama to the story.

I loved seeing Guy and Nell getting closer and closer. Their scenes were wonderful and sweet. Of course there were some stones in their way as well.

The setting of this book is amazing and Christie Barlow captured it beautifully. Her writing makes you dive into the book from the start, never wanting to leave it again. I got hooked, especially towards the end and just wanted to be around this lovely bunch of characters. The book gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling and I absolutely adored the ending!

What a delightful and heartwarming novel by Christie Barlow. I've never read one of her novels before but was so glad that I got the opportunity to read this one. One that made me cry and laugh and feel all warm inside all in one. It's a perfect novel to snuggle up with a hot chocolate and just relaxing the day away with.

After reading several reviews of this book, I admitted I was slightly nervous about reading it! I never normally read books that would make me cry, I prefer happy novels with happy endings. But the prologue in this book (that definitely WILL make you cry FYI!) was written absolutely beautifully and tastefully. It moved me in such a way that I couldn't wait to read the rest of the book. I've never read a prologue so moving.

I was hooked onto Nell's story straight from the first page of the prologue and couldn't wait to read more to find out how Nell had dealt with such a heartbreaking blow. After finding out she has received a large sum of money, Nell uses this to her advantage and to help get her happiness back on track. Of course, along the way there is drama's and setbacks but I found the story to be overall rather magical.

One thing along the way that Nell does enjoy is hunky Irish man Guy. However, Guy is hiding something and it'll keep you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what it is! You'll definitely need tissues at the ready as you read this book.

Overall, a really touching, magical and heartwarming story. One I really enjoyed and was moved by. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for a chance to read this book, which I have reviewed honestly.

Unfortunately the book was not for me, no review was publicly posted on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads or Twitter etc, so no ratings were affected in relation to it.
I honestly feel like I read a book different to everyone else taking into account the high number of rave reviews. I found the authors writing style dry and stilted. The conversations between characters lacked flow or any level of familiarity, uncomfortable for want of a better description. If this had been a first book I could understand these issues but as a multi published author I really expected more.
Taking into account the characters are mainly lower thirties/late twenties their whole dialect and general mannerisms came across as a lot older. And I just don’t see a man and a woman who don’t know each other from Adam in this day and age, after knowing each other for an hour or so, sitting down and taking about their deceased loved ones over a cup of tea and a cream doughnut, reading it felt like you do when you are wearing a pair of shoes that are a size too small.
Sorry I cannot be more positive on this occasion.

It's safe to say that the prologue well and truly got me straight in my over emotional heart! It's a good job I was sat reading this book on my own let's just say that tears and a red blotchy face is not an attractive look. For just a few pages to have this effect on me shows that Christie Barlow can turn her words into something emotional and made me connect with Nell instantly. It really is an emotive start easily pulling me into Nell's story and rooting for her happy ever after. I loved her determination and strength that at times must have been hard to summon up and continue.

Some of my favourite parts of this story is the friendship between Nell and Bea they really are right there for each other. Whenever they are together you could feel the strength that they got from their friendship. I think we could all benefit from having someone on our side with Bea and Nell being a perfect example of this. I also have to admit that I wish The Melting Pot was a real place I'm pretty sure that I would be in there every day although it's safe to say I would definitely put on a few pounds.

I genuinely felt the love, emotion and hope that seemed to leap from the pages. There are moments of laughter, sadness and wonderful friendships that made me feel like I was on an emotional tight rope. Christie Barlow balanced these moments perfectly and it's one of the reasons I love her books so much. There is a wonderful warmth that felt so real especially whenever the Little Rock marina was described and by the end the place felt very real to me almost as if I had visited myself.

Each character played their part in this book creating a good mix of stories that gave an extra special heart warming and down to earth feel. There is a true sense of community spirit that made me connect with all of the characters and their different situations. There are a few surprises along the way that made me want to find out the answers and also made me read this story in just one evening. Then add in a romance that felt real and heartfelt it really was the perfect addition to an already gorgeous story.

A story that won't let you go providing a lovely comforting tale full of love, friendship and also a beautiful sense of hope. It's safe to say that The Cosy Canal Boat Dream left me smiling long after I had turned the last page.

Five wonderful stars!

With thanks to Samantha for the invite to join the blog tour, Christie Barlow and Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I really enjoyed The Cosy Canal Boat Dream by Christie Barlow. I've read books by his author before so knew this one would also be fantastic.

It follows the story of Nell, she's struggled the last few years and sought sanctuary in her canal boat the 'Nollie' and from her best friend Bea. Then she finds a way to follow her dream and also meets Guy Cornish. He has his own reasons for being at the marina but also has his own secrets.

This book is beautifully written and I was drawn in from the first page. Fantastic characters all add to this book and I look forward to reading more more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Impulse and the author for the chance to review.