I suspect this would be better appreciated by younger readers, possibly the 20-30 age group the same as the characters. I do social media so I get this, but many my age may well be puzzled by the extent of Bo and Zac's instagram fame. There is plenty of suspense, especially relating to Bo's troll, and who is Anders? Why does Anna recognise him? I enjoyed the story, the romance, the suspense and the beautiful backdrop, integral to the story. I found the characters a little weak and lacking in depth. I had guessed the troll before the end, and felt it tied in a bit too neatly, but there were options so it wasn't glaringly obvious. And you never know when you'll be wrong. The atmospheric description of Norway made me want to go! #netgalley #thechristmaslights

What a different book....well unusual for me anyway. Set in present times this novel is a story about a three some who are internet bloggers, on Instagram. This is a medium I have little experience with but trust that the way these young people earn their living is a realistic phenomenon. The main narrative is set in a small Norwegian place where the young people have arrived to help promote sports ware via their unusual extreme living lifestyle. The setting also allows the story telling to take us back in time 80 years and hear about the early life of a now elderly woman brought up on the Norwegian Fjord. Fascinating....I loved the whole book although I wanted to know a bit more about Signy and so the book would be improved in my opinion if we had a slightly higher percentage overall of her Norwegian story.

A surprisingly different Christmas Romance book.

Great read.

The story follows Bo and Zac, wanderlusters travelling the globe Instragaming their lives. They travel to Norway to experience Christmas in the fjords. This is where the rent a cabin from Signy and meet her grandson Anders.

Bo seems to question her lifestyle and how they protect their privacy, but gets taken in by the place and all that it offers. We also have the contrast of Signy, who we following in 1936 when she is just 14.

Signy and Bo are strong women and are similar and they strike an unusual friendship.

Would definitely recommend and thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan, Karen Swan and NetGalley for the opportunity to read THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
This latest novel from Karen Swan is a tale of love found in the most unusual places, and about being brave enough to grab it when it presents to us. The Christmas Lights is two novels in one, set in the same place with romance through love and loss at the heart of both.
In 1936, Signy goes to the summer pastures with her sisters and their friends, to tend the goats and make enough hay to feed the herd during the harshest months in the Norwegian fjords. However, Signy acknowledges she is away from the security of her family, and believes danger lurks in the mountains that overlook their temporary summer home.

Forward to 2018, and Bo Loxley, her partner, Zac, and their photographic director travel to the fjords in the quest to be online travelling influencers, sharing their sometimes dangerous adventures with their nine million followers. They spend the harshest weeks on winter at a remote farm where Signy still lives, cared for by her grandson, Anders. Bo is tiring of the constant media interest in their lives, and realises their is never a moment for her and Zac where they can be private and alone. When she notices a previously unknown image of herself in the bath, she begins to think there is something very wrong with the life they are living and seeks to put it right. Will the pull of the mountains and the inscrutable Anders answer her concerns?

I loved this novel and thought the plot and subject matter very timely in this world we live in which is seemingly constantly on show and under scrutiny. The person Bo referred to as 'Him' did not come as a surprise, nor the ending, however it did not detract from my enjoyment. I love where it's set and the characterisation is very good. Another best seller I think!

I was sent a copy of this book for my independent honest review. The premise of this book really grabbed me. I still feel that the ideas and plot were very good,however sadly the characterisation spoilt this for me.
Social media stars are very current and generally are very likeable and charismatic.. I didn't feel that the main protagonists had any charisma and therefore I couldn't warm to them or care about them. It made me realise as a reader that feeling something for a character is an important part of the reading experience for me. Whether they are likeable,unlikable or unreliable, there has to be something special about how they are written.
Having said that to be fair that is my personal opinion and if you are a reader that is mainly interested in plot and not characters then I think you will get more enjoyment from this book.
I liked the split time narratives in the plot and looking at the lives of people that have lived decades ago in the region.

Not my usual genre but this book had me gripped throughout. Will be looking out for more of the same!

I was looking for something light-hearted to read and this fitted the bill perfectly. I was drawn to the story when I read that the main characters were ‘influencers’. I was intrigued to find out more. I liked the main character of Bo Loxley, although I wasn’t so keen on her partner Zac or their photographer friend. I really enjoyed the story, especially the way it moved between present day and the 1930s.

The ending was a little predictable but I still enjoyed reading it. It makes a great festive read and I would totally recommend it if you are looking for something festive to read. I admit to googling Norwegian shelf farms as they sound so intriguing. I’m not sure I’d want to stay in one but I was happy to read about them!

I always look forward to Karen Swan's novels and can highly recommend them all.

This one was a real treat - a fantastic dual timeline story set in the present day world of an Instagram couple and also the story Signy, a teenage daughter of a farmer set in 1936.

This book has it all - a cracking storyline, well written characters, a gorgeous, well described location in a frozen winter wilderness in Norway and the fantastic northern lights. I would so love to go to Norway and experience the ffjords and the mysterious northern lights.

This is a story full of intrigue, secrets, heartbreak, love, and new beginnings. It has a Christmas theme but is not overly Christmassy so could be read at any time of the year.

Completely enthralling, I was hooked into the story from the start. Beautifully descriptive, an ideal book for a cosy afternoon on the sofa on a wet cold day. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

An atmospheric story, that is deeper than it first appears, following Bo and Zac, two Instagram social influencers to the beautiful but forbidding Norwegian fjords in wintertime. There they meet Anders their mysterious guide and his fiercely independent grandmother, Signy.

The story is told from Bo's point of view as she faces up to her demons, and questions whether she really is living the dream with Zac, or just running away. Signy's story told in flashbacks to 1936 is simple, but devastating, and helps understand her fighting spirit and her willingness to face physical hardship to achieve the solitude she needs.

The contrast between the virtual world Bo lives in and the grounded world Signy inhabits is the lynchpin of this story, which explores relationships, the power of social media and the many secrets the story's characters' are keeping.

There is an underlying menace in both timelines, reinforced by the danger ever present in the mountainous region. There is poignant romance brought to life by believable characters and situations.

Out of tragedy comes hope and an understanding of love and the true meaning of sacrifice.

An unusual festive story with many layers to engage the reader and a hopeful ending.

I received a copy of this book from Pan Macmillan - Pan via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The Christmas Lights is the story of Bo and Zac, they are living the dream life touring around the world creating an endless portfolio of instagram pictures for their followers. It isn't until they reach the snowy fjords of Norway in the middle of nowhere does Bo begin to question how happy she really is.

This is a lovely story focused around the lovely Bo staying in the remote and basic farm and also crosses back to the 1930's when Signy spent her first summer on the very same farm.

As the story unfolds Bo starts a new journey of self discovery and starts to reflect on what she really wants from life, whilst Signy is revisiting her memories from all those years ago and starts to relay snapshots to Bo.

I really enjoyed this idyllic location and loved the descriptions and research that had gone into creating the perfect remote location in the Norwegian mountains.

Bo Huxley and her boyfriend Zac are living what many would deem the dream life - travelling the world whilst in love, and getting paid by big brands to do it due to their massive social media following. When the couple, and their photographer/manager Lenny decide to stay in a remote farm in Norway for Christmas, Bo suddenly begins to doubt the life she’s leading, and the people and traumas she’s been trying to leave behind. Suddenly the feeling of ‘home’ begins to mean brand new things to Bo.

This was a really interesting read, and I really enjoyed seeing how Karen Swan played around with the relatively new phenomenon of social media influencers on a massive scale. There’s been many books in the past focusing on bloggers but I feel like the topic of influencers is still something that’s only starting to creep into novels (another example would be Holly Bourne’s How Do You Like Me Now?), and Karen Swan did it in a great way.

Bo is a rather complex character - she seems to have her head screwed on straight, and isn’t conceited or self-important in any way despite clearly being slightly famous, and extremely good-looking. She’s actually on the shy side, and it’s this that makes her more relatable to the reading my opinion. She knows how to pose for the camera but that doesn’t mean she’s happy posing for a million selfies when cornered at a Christmas market.

The Christmas Lights threw up some interesting questions around social media - the intensity and addiction of it, as well as the safety issues becoming famous on it can bring up. I think it serves some lessons in terms of geolocation and tagging oneself in places easily found, though I’m not sure if the readership of this book might learn some lessons from it, the way younger readers, who often need the stark reality of social media dangers displayed to them, would.

I will say that I guessed a lot of what was going to happen in this book, and I did feel like it was a bit long for a contemporary novel. The flashbacks to 1936 with Signe were interesting for a background to the Norwegian farm area Bo was staying in, and Signe’s older character though I’m not sure how much it brought to the story, as sometimes switching timelines like that jarred me out of the tale.

This was mostly a fun, entertaining read though and I do enjoy Karen Swan’s writing and characters.

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<p>This is a story with a moral for people who live by their instagram feeds - living a life defined and paid for, by social media exposure, can be more of a 'drudge' and be more limiting, than working in an office. you may think you are living a free life, but in fact you are not - you are bought and paid for by your advertisers. And in this story, this proves to be only to true for the couple that thought that they were giving into their wander lusting and living free of the consumer/money driven world.</p>
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<p>We read the disturbing story of the couple who whilst scuba diving off Samoa, mountain climbing in Norway and all their many other adventures, yet  they were always 'on', on an adventure, that was being photographed and videoed for the their followers. Being a digital influencer was not a job with many hours off. and where they went and where they stayed was always with an eye to how they could improve their ratings and followers.</p>
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<p>To counter this, with a story set on the same mountains but in 1936. This part of Norway is rather remote especially in 1936. roads hadn't yet reached across and through the mountains and the modern conveniences of skidoos and helicopters were not yet available. </p>
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<p>So the village still abided by pagan customs mixed with Christian and old ways of farming. And i was a little concerned that, if the village was that remote, wasn't there a good chance of too much in-breeding?</p>
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<p>I found myself getting more and more engrossed by both storylines as the book progressed. Initially, it was difficult to see where the two interlinked and some elements remained unresolved as the book ended - but we can always hope for the happiest of endings of course.</p>
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<p>I was concerned about a couple of things - okay they improved the story but even here in England no-one goes up a mountain, especially in winter, without a winter pack - including hot drinks, silver blankets for accidents and extra layers surely? At least that''s what our rescue guys always tell us. Yet in Chapter 9 we have an experienced guide doing just that.</p>
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<p>Having been to Gereinger myself, I enjoyed re-visiting, in my memory the fjord and its waterfalls and the little orchards down by the water's edge. And having spoken to natives, know just how easy it is to get cut-off there by snow in the winter - and funnily enough - to match the story - I arrived there on the cusp of pneumonia but with the antibiotics having just kicked in by 24 hours...!</p>
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<p>For me it's a 4.5 - rounded up.</p>
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I haven't read anything by Karen Swan before. Initially, I wondered if the over descriptive writing was going to stop me continuing, but before I knew it I was sucked in and the very thing I thought would be irritating had me putting Norway on the top of my list of places to visit.
The characters were completely believable, and I loved how Signy's story was interwoven, either Sygney or Bo could have another whole book dedicated to them and I would be first in line to read them.
The whodunnit theme was handled skillfully, as I changed my mind on several occasions... I shall say no more.
Thank you Karen and NetGalley for a truly wonderful read, I would highly recommend it to anyone, of any age. ( just be prepared to start saving for a Norweigan winter holiday!.

I became engrossed in this book pretty quickly and really enjoyed it. I loved the interweaving stories of Bo in the modern era and Signy in the past. The slow release of information was well-handled, although I did guess a big twist quite early on. The ambiguity as the novel came to its finale was cleverly done and I liked how the writer chose to end it (although I do still have questions!)

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book follows 2 stories the main is that of Bo and Zac; Instagrammers know as "The Wanderlusters" they travel and explore off the tourist track and their latest adventure takes them to the Norwegian Fjords. The second story is set in 1936 and follows Signy, Ander's Grandmother.

I must say I really enjoyed this book but I did figure out one twist very early on as the writing is clever and one character, in particular, I could not warm to Lenny. The reverse was true for Anders who I instantly engaged with even though he was written as a rather awkward character. This however did not spoil the book as I was still keen to see how the author would follow this through and I was not disappointed!
The writing of this book was great and I really loved the scene setting it felt like I was back in Norway and has made me crave another visit!

I really couldn’t get into this book this year. I read Karen Swan’s book most years but this one just seemed to be trying too hard. I was drawn in by the fact it was set in Norway but then put off by the fact the main characters are social media stars. Not the cosy romantic Christmas novel I was after I’m afraid

The story of Bo, Zack, and Lenny travelling the world as successful bloggers grips you from the start. It not only makes you realise the process behind these so-called picture perfect lives but you can see how fragile it makes for stable relationships. Their perfect life is interrupted by Anderrs and he has his own story well hidden in the Norwegian mountains. Signy’s story set in the past is riveting and you want to know what’s going to happen to her, her sister and the other girls the minute they head up the mountain. Highly recommend this story!!!

Another great book by Karen Swan. Set in 1936 and present day. Norway. Bo and Zac are wanderlusters and along with photographer Lenny they travel the world sharing their experiences with their followers. Bo keeps feeling she's being watched and she also feels that her life is just revolving round the followers but the others don't feel the same

I am fascinated by influencers and the crazy lives they must lead behind the scenes so I loved this tale of Instagrammer Bo, living the dream and travelling the world while trying to have a normal relationship in the process. Things come to a head when she and her fiance Zac try to spend Christmas on a Norwegian shelf farm. There's also an element of danger in the mix as an obsessive fan seems to have got too close to her. Romance and travel with a dash of thriller makes a winning winter page-turner.

A huge thank you to Karen Swan, NetGalley and Pan Macmillan publishing for a copy of this book in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Synopsis (taken from NetGalley)
December 2018, and free-spirited influencers Bo Loxley and her partner Zac are living a life of wanderlust, travelling the globe and sharing their adventures with their millions of fans.

Booked to spend Christmas in the Norwegian fjords, they set up home in a remote farm owned by enigmatic mountain guide Anders and his fierce grandmother Signy. Surrounded by snowy peaks and frozen falls, everything should be perfect. But the camera can lie and with every new post, the ‘perfect’ life Zac and Bo are portraying is diverging from the truth.

Something Bo can’t explain is wrong at the very heart of their lives and Anders is the only person who’ll listen.

June 1936, and fourteen-year old Signy is sent with her sister and village friends to the summer pastures to work as milkmaids, protecting the herd that will sustain the farm through the long, winter months. But miles from home and away from the safety of their families, threat begins to lurk in friendly faces . . .

The mountains keep secrets – Signy knows this better than anyone – and as Bo’s life begins to spiral she is forced, like the old woman before her, to question who is friend and who is foe.



Review
I absolutely loved this book!

Where to start………

The imagery in this book is simply stunning. I get immersed in most books that I read but I was actually there in Norway with the characters, feeling the cold and then the warmth of the log fires etc.

The dual narrative of the two eras was equally delightful and added an extra layer of depth to the main narrative of Bo and Zac, providing insight and a glimpse into the life of the lady who owns the cabins.

The characters are written really well and the additional bonus of a thriller/suspense storyline really takes this story beyond your everyday romance novel. Karen Swan does a fantastic job of telling the romance side of the story in a cosy way whilst keeping you addicted and on the edge of your seat with the suspense aspect – two difficult genres to bring together.

I highly recommend this book if you’re a fan of cosy Christmas reads but enjoy an additional surprise.