This is the first Christmas book I have read this year and it did not disappoint! The story follows Jane who has just split with her awful ex and is feeling really down. The newspaper she works for sends her to Norway to capture the long standing ritual of choosing and cutting down the gift of a Christmas tree to bring back to London. Although Jane us hesitant at first she finds herself enjoying the beautiful landscapes and meets some wonderful characters along the way, including a fabulous old man named Thomas who has a delightful story to tell along with some hidden letters which Jane agrees to find. A lovely feel good story that's perfect for a cosy night in winter. Loved it

I loved the fact that this book was mainly set in Norway, the snow helping to get the seasonal feel. Enjoyed the fact that the plot was not straightforward at all, in fact there were a number of interesting sub plots. The characters were well described and all in all this was a well written book.

A very easy to read love story with an historical element to warm the heart.

I received a copy via net galley in exchange for an honest review. Jane is a journalist with an excellent reputation but a poor choice in men. Struggling after the break up of her most recent relationship she is sent on a trip to Norway where the annual tree cutting of the Christmas tree for London is to take place. Here she meets Thomas, an elderly man with a war story to make her journalistic sense tingle and also a very unsuitable love interest.

The narrative is well written and the characters very well drawn. It is a perfect christmas read with the added interest of a war story that I really didn't know all that well.

I quite liked this book but feel that more could have been done with it.

There were two storylines in this novel. One was a wartime 'romance' between Thomas and Marit in 1940s Norway where they smuggled the king of Norway out of the country.

The second storyline was about modern journalist Jane, who was assigned to go to Norway to cover the cutting down of the tree which is gifted to Trafalgar Square every year. Jane has just broken up with her boyfriend who was an unpleasant character and hopes Norway will help heal her broken heart. This aspect of the story dominates and was essentially 'Bridget Jones'. As far as winter-based romance stories go this was well done and a pleasant read but was totally predictable. .

However the story of Marit and Thomas was a lot more interesting and yet this was only told in summary and almost felt an unnecessary distraction from the Bridget Jones style romance plot.

Personally I would have preferred to have had more of the war story told from their perspective, at the time, than a couple of summary pages.

It is a totally readable book, and quite enjoyable but I think Marit and Thomas' story should have been developed more.

A lovely feelgood novel, perfect to cosy up on the settee on a cold wet afternoon. The setting was described beautifully and I would have liked to have left this to read closer to Christmas.

A lovely festive book for the dark nights and cold evening to sit and enjoy snuggled in my pj's.
This book is set in Norway and is based around Jane. She is having a bad time with love, having been dumped by her boyfriend who also works where she does.... awkward!
Then an opportunity comes up to go to Norway . then comes the fact that she starts to enjoy life again, a bit of romance and an unexpected ending
i will definitely will look out for future novels.

Really enjoyed this one, I saved it for nearer Christmas to get me in the mood. Loved the characters and loved the story, thank you Jenny

I was slightly concerned that I'd chosen to read a Christmassy book in October but my goodness, I'm so glad I did!

This book is more than just a Christmas book. The story spans multiple timelines & places and made me feel so many different emotions. I welled up at the sad parts, laughed out loud, gasped at some of the reveals and was genuinely ready to throttle some of the characters.

This was such a feel good book with an underlying message to follow your heart and to not be afraid of taking risks. I love anything to do with Christmas anyway, but this book truly was something special.

The novel told different stories about the characters experiencing first loves, last loves and a whole lot of life in between. It was told mainly from one perspective, which was really refreshing as we as the reader could live through the events as they happened. Definitely worth recommending and five stars.

A wonderfully cosy book to whisk you away to snowy Norway. Get your hot chocolate and snuggly blanket ready for this lovely feel good story. A perfect winter read.

I’m not sure how well-known the story of the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree is outside the UK, but it’s certainly a tale that’s familiar to Brits across what I believe to be quite a wide demographic. Presented every year since the Second World War by the people of Norway, the tree commemorates the parts the two nations played as allies, when the Norwegian Government-in-Exile was based in the UK, while Norway was under Nazi occupation. Both the past and present aspects of the story are key to this novel in which a ragtag of journalistic types travel out from London to witness the cutting down of that year’s tree and sample some traditional Norwegian hospitality.

Jane Brook is used to being asked to cover much weightier news stories, but the last big scoop led to the demise of her short-lived relationship with an insecure colleague, who couldn’t stand to be involved with a woman more successful than him. Jane’s boss is convinced that a change of scenery and a different sort of investigation are just what Jane needs to mend her broken heart. Accompanying Jane are a freelance photographer, who often covers war stories for Jane’s paper, a washed-up explorer-cum-reality-TV-star, a tabloid journalist, a writer from a high-end food magazine, and three influencer-bloggers.

Right from the start, it’s obvious the group is going to be held to a tight schedule and their wrangler is determined to ensure they have fun partaking in all the organised activities and meals with no slacking or skiving. Jane is less than impressed at being told what to do, and neither it appears is Philip, the adventurer whose affair with a married co-presenter cost him his slot on a popular TV show. Philip is keen to reinvent himself as a serious writer – hence his presence on the trip – but agrees with Jane that there are better stories to be written than the one their host expects them to tell.

Encouraged by her friends back home, Jane embarks on an affair with Philip, and together the pair determine to help the old man, a Norwegian war hero, who is the special guest on their trip. As a young soldier, Thomas Erikson accompanied the King and his retinue on their escape through the woods and over the border into Sweden and then England. On route, Thomas had a fling with a local woman who helped the party, but remained behind on a remote island while Thomas journeyed onward. She wrote him a series of letters, to which he never replied. Now he wants Jane to retrieve them from their post-war hiding place and to finally tell his story.

I guessed several plot twists a good while before they happened, and I knew the secret of Thomas’ letters long before Jane worked it out, which was disappointing when she was supposedly a successful investigative reporter. I wasn’t particularly taken with any of the characters who accompanied Jane to Norway, although I’d have liked to see more of her two friends who communicated with her from London. Although the bloggers turned out to be less vain and shallow than Jane’s first impressions of them, everyone else seemed to be very much as they appeared on the surface even by the end of the story. I’d have liked to see more excerpts from the letters as well, since they were a big part of what drew me to the book in the first place. All in all, a rather disappointing book that promised far more than it managed to deliver.

The perfect, cosy read for a cold winter evening. Ideal for curling up with a mug of cocoa by the fire. An easy, heartwarming read to get you in the mood for Christmas. Set in London and Norway and combining threads of heartbreak, bravery and romance set against the background of WW2.

An easy read that will totally get you in the Christmas mood. The weather miserable? Then curl up with a hot drink and immerse yourself in this feel better story. Enjoyable!!

Enjoyed reading this book - the perfect cosy read for an autumn afternoon.

The story is set in London and Norway, and successfully intertwines several threads - heartbreak and romance, the glamorous world of the social media star, the story of the Christmas tree gifted to the UK by Norway each year - set against an intriguing backstory of bravery and romance in World War II.

Some great characters in here - I particularly liked Jane (our heroine) and Ben, Thomas, Natasha - and even Philip.

All in all a very enjoyable light read - the snowy setting is the perfect appetiser for Christmas!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.

This was an excellent read. It was very well written and the characters felt very real. The setting in Norway sounded beautiful. This book had me gripped to the end. Excellent.

An enjoyable christnas themed read. It focuses on Jane a journalist who has recently broken up with her boyfriend. Jane is sent to Norway to see the big London tree collected and to do a travel report on the journey.

The journey to the tree collection is fun and varied. There's a right mix of characters and the destinations and the hotels are described wonderfully.

Mingled into Janes journey is a could be romance and a story from WW2.

Plenty to keep you interested.

3.5 cosy read stars

Looking for a book to get you in the Christmassy mood? Well, grab a hot chocolate, a blanket, light the fire, and snuggle up with this - A Gift In December. A well written quick read, with characters you’ll actually like!

A lovely story with a bit of history and mystery that unwinds as the story goes on. Somewhat predictable but has left me smiling nonetheless with a keen desire to visit Norway in the winter!

A gentle easy to read story with a will they, won't they plot, definitely keeps you hooked to the very end

A lovely easy to read seasonal tale with a dose of mystery, romance and a good dusting of festive magic to give everything a lift and a glow! Great to cuddle up with in December .... but a little odd to read and review on the beach in August!

A modern day story with an old mystery to be solved. A bit of romance,betrayal and a lot of feel good. An easy read and a good mystery.