I didn't finish this book, I put it down at 25 percent I really wanted to like this book and on paper it's definitely my sort of book but o couldn't get into it at all. Definitely a case of its not you it's me.

First book is Isla’s I have read. And it was a good read to try! The writing and characters were lovely. Wonderful love girlie read. Nice to have with tea and biscuits and just immerse myself in

I was expecting a cosy Christmassy romance and I feel slightly mis-sold because the beginning of this book is emotionally devastating! My heart ached for protagonist Alice, who after a terrible loss becomes a hermit in her London flat, avoiding the outside world and anyone except for her dog. She goes to stay in a friend’s Swiss chalet to try to come to terms with what’s happened, and it is cosy and lovely but also very realistic and depicts Alice’s slow recovery very well.

A Season in the Snow was a great read. Set mostly in Switzerland we meet Alice and Bear who are thrown together after a tragic accident. Well written, I definitely lost several hours at a time being so engrossed in the book.

A light simple read with good characterisation, perfect to snuggle up with and loose yourself in when you just want to relax.

A cute story with good characters and a fun plot. It was a nice easy read. Sometimes you just need to read something nice and light and this was great. Just what I needed.

I loved this book! It is an absolutely perfect winter read! Great characters amazing setting and the best dialogue ever. I highly recommend you read it!

I adore this author and this book was a brilliant read and one that is perfect to escape for a few hours and loose yourself.
Characters that fall out of the pages of the book and make you fell apart of the story, the setting comes alive and captured is well with words.
A great read. that I would highly recommend.

Took me a while to get to this - could have done with less of the self indulgent, self pitying descriptions - seemed to go one forever.. When the actual story began I really liked it.

I requested this book to read over the festive period, thinking it was going to be one of the traditional festive reads.

I was so wrong

It was so much more!

This book had me filled with all different kinds of emotions. It was beautifully written and I loved meeting all of the characters.

This book is perfect any time of the year, not just for Christmas, when you want to curl up and lose yourselves for a few hours.

What caught my eye the most with this book was pretty much the cover, so I never knew how much I was going to end up absolutely LOVING this book all the way to the end!

The book started in the Summer and had so much promise for Alice and her friends, however, after a heart-breaking accident that occurred, Alice was left feeling lonely, devastated and completely out of her depths. I was about eight chapters in to the book, already attached to these characters, travelling by bus to work and on the brink of tears. A book hasn't had me feeling physical pain in a long, long time and my chest ACHED. However, like Alice, we embark on a journey of healing and I'm so glad I kept reading because it was every bit gorgeous.

Alice's move to Switzerland couldn't have been a better suited move for her and her new furry companion, Bear. I was in love with the bond they had grown with one another and only wanted the best for both. Bear has to be possibly the best dog I've read about in a book. He was absolutely gorgeous, loving, friendly, and a gigantic teddy bear, made for the snow. He had so much personality within him and probably stole the entire second half of the book. The way Alice and Bear came together was not the way anyone would have wanted, however, I believe it was meant to be and felt right from the very start.

Switzerland and the people Alice met were just all absolutely delightful and made a great impact on Alice's life. The scenery was idyllic and with Lisa's descriptions, it truly felt like you had been transported in to the book to tag along on all of their adventures. From the wooden lodges, ski slopes, mountain views to the delicious foods including; cheese fondue, buttery rosti potatoes and lots of chocolate - it was the perfect escapism to divulge in on a dark winters night.

I was so pleased by Alice's character development throughout this book, as she eventually begun to fall back in love with what she had once adored and it was an absolute pleasure to see her rebuild her life and make new beginnings for her future. She was an admirable character and I hope this isn't the last we see of her because I miss her dearly and didn't want this book to end!

An absolutely wonderfully festive feel good story that had me turning through the pages late into the night, smiling, laughing and generally having all the feels from start to very end, this is an easy reading type of story that is incredibly difficult to put down! I absolutely adored it from the beginning to the last page, the characters are fun and individual and the storyline is wonderful! Certainly one to snag for this season, and one to reread for many more yet to come!

Lovely cover. The book was slow to begin with but did pick up. I was slightly disappointed I had great expectations from the description but sadly it didn’t live up to that. Saying that it was well written and a wee emotional festive book good for this time of year

I love, love, LOVED this book. I chose to read it purely because I have read most of Lisa Dickenson's books so when I saw she had a new pen name, and the gorgeousness of the cover, well I knew I had to read it.

To say I hadn't read the blurb at all may not surprise you, so I literally had no idea what to expect and the opening section around 15-20% that I read on a tube journey, had me both smiling but also on the verge of tears.

I really felt for Alice and what she was going through and was completely hooked on seeing how everything would pan out.

Given how little I knew going into this, I would suggest it really is a book best read without any real advance info, it is so well written you will be drawn into the lives of the characters until you are gutted that you have finished the book.

Bear is without a doubt my favourite character, he was loving, so lost at one point, and utterly adorable, like a big fluffy teddy bear, but far more personality and just was a complete scene stealer the whole time. And the way Bear comes into Alice's life is just so emotional but also felt kind of right.

And Switzerland, what a stunning setting for the majority of the book, I felt as though I was there alongside Alice and the new friends she is gradually making. The scenery was idyllic, and everything they do there just felt so real and well thought out.

Although Christmas does have a small mention in the book this is not what I'd call a festive book, more a beautiful heartwarming story that is perfect to read all year around, or whenever you just want to curl up and lose yourself into a great book.

I really hope this isn't the last we see of these characters, even if the focus of another book is a different person from the friendship group. I really want and need more of all of these wonderful people.

A truly fabulous book, that I am so happy that I had the chance to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sphere for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Disappointed with this book, didn’t really live up to the hype in the summary of what it was meant to be about. Quite a boring read and didn’t it me in the mood for Christmas at all. Think I’ll stick with Debbie Macomber for my Christmas reads.

I enjoyed reading this book. Great writing brought believable characters to life & was written in a way that brought great warmth to the story. Bear completely stole the show and it was easily seen that the author has one of these gentle giants as her writing was filled with love for the breed & was obviously underpinned by a great knowledge of what it is like to have one of these dogs in your life.
After Alice experiences a dreadful and life-altering tragedy she becomes isolated & closed away due to depression, guilt and anxiety which are all part of her experience of grief. Bear, her best friend’s Bernese puppy, comes to live with her and helps her through her darkest days in London, but the story really comes alive once Alice & Bear move to Switzerland. As someone who found a dog’s paw when she needed a helping hand I completely believe in a dog’s ability to help a human to heal. However, I was rather worried that this book would be a dog-fixes-human story, which is what it appears to be for 75% of the book, so I was somewhat relieved to read towards the very end of the book that Alice accesses therapy - dogs are amazing creatures but even their help can only go so far!
All that said, I did really like this story and am already missing my nightly fill of Bear’s escapades.
I will definitely be looking for more books by Isla Gordon (especially any that feature Bernese dogs!)

A little slow to start, but once you get into it then it’s a lovely heartwarming read. It’s emotional and not what I was quite expecting , but it’s so well written , it’s not the seasonal read I was expecting but I got so much more.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This is a beautifully written book with a truly heartwarming story. The book centres around Alice, a fun, easy-going, adventurous person finding herself suddenly dealing with the grief of losing her best friend. She decides to go and spend the winter in an alpine village in Switzerland and throughout the book we see her journey through grief and her finding enjoyment in life again.
The first half of the book was a little slow for me, and I found myself wondering where it was going, but it picked up in pace and I found myself wanting more in the end! What I loved most about this book has to have been the beautiful descriptions of snowy Switzerland, it made me want to jump on a plane right then and there.
The characters were so relatable and I really enjoyed the sense of adventure each of them had.
Sometimes Christmas books can fall into the trap of being super cheesy and a little over the top, however for me, this book gets the balance just right!

This is a poignant and emotional book, not exactly what I was expecting but nonetheless it's an engrossing and enjoyable read.
I was a bit perplexed at the beginning because I didn't like the style of writing and the plot seemed a bit flat and the characters too monodimensional.
It's only when the more emotional part starts that I was able to appreciate how well Ms Gordon writes and how she was great at describing the relationship with the dog and the path to healing.
It's a good book but I recommend to be patient because it's a very good read.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Everyone needs a Bear! I loved that this book focused on the bond between a dog and their owner; how when a human is struggling their dog senses this and stays loyally and comfortingly by their side. Even at a young age puppies are intuitive creatures to the emotions and vibe of their pack and anyone who's ever owned a pet, but especially a dog, will understand the depth of that intuition and how they know to comfort you. It doesn't romanticise either the responsibilities of owning a large dog and the demands of a puppy. I was particularly happy to see The Dogs Trust puppy training classes mentioned as it emphasises the duty an owner has to commit to proper training and care. 

Alice and Bear have a tragic start together; traumatised and hurt their life takes a dramatic turn but they have each other to cling to. The isolating and crippling fear from grief and shock that envelops Alice and changes her life, was written in such a raw and tender way that was heartfelt and familiar. The overwhelming urge to hide away and retreat from any interaction because of such deep-rooted anxiety was treated sensitively and Alice's journey to recovery came across as authentic and not easily rushed.

As Alice and Bear depend on the other to find a way to grow and live again, they take small steps forward. This takes them all the way to a different country, Switzerland, to reconnect with an old friend and discover plenty of new ones.

The alpine backdrop of the village of Murren was described beautifully. I could imagine the wooden lodges, cabin style bars, ski slopes and mountain views. I enjoyed the food (cheese fondue, chocolate, buttery rosti potatoes), mulled wine, and experiences of being in Switzerland so much and this story has made me crave a visit of my own. Perfect escapism from rainy England!

You can understand why the quiet beauty of the mountains helps Alice to calm the noises within her head and how the relaxed, welcoming, comfort of the village is the foundation from which she can start to rebuild her life and her future. It becomes less about running away and more about facing up to her reality and how brave it can be to just be happy.