I have enjoyed all books I have read by Tilly Tennant, and this one did not disappoint. There was more to this book that I expected by reading the blurb. Cathy was pretty much isolated, with no friends and very little family that she cared to spend time with. She had nursed her mother for most of her life, and with her recent death, Cathy is at loose ends. She finds her way to a coffee fundraiser at a local church and meets a woman, Erica, that she hopes to become friends with. When the others try the treats she has brought to share, they all tell her what a wonderful baker she is. After a few weeks, she is convinced to begin a cooking class at the church and it changes her life.

I don't want to say much more than that about this story, because it is important that you read the story to learn about Cathy and her awakening to her new life after her mother's death. I really liked Cathy. She is very vulnerable and doesn't have much self-esteem. Others see what a great person she is, but it takes her awhile to believe it. When she meets a young man walking his dog, there is a connection and I enjoyed reading about the relationship as it develops. Of course no romance can go smoothly, so throw in her ex-fiance who has returned to Linnetford from Scotland with his wife. When he and Cathy bump into each other, there seems to be a few lingering emotions. Can their feelings be rekindled after all this time? I enjoyed the camaraderie of the members of the cookery classes. There was some humour in their interactions, but also some fireworks. Will cooking bring Cathy into the life she deserves? A well plotted, uplifting story with wonderful characters and Christmas charm. I definitely recommend this one.

I love Christmas novels once the fall hits. I love to cuddle up on my reading chair with one of my puppies and put the fire on and read. This was on of those cute wintery novels, it isn't full of Christmas so it can be read anytime. I enjoyed the characters and the story line, romance, baking and Christmas. I did find that the story took awhile to evolve but then I felt the ending was rushed. Other than that I enjoyed following Cathy's journey to making friends and finding romance after losing her mother to illness. I look forward to reading other novels by TIlly Tennant.

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Cathy has lost her mother and needs to find new friends so she goes to the church cafe and everyone is wowed by her wonderful cakes and Cathy has to be persuaded to share her recipes, although she is very self effacing with all the compliments that she's never received before. Then she's persuaded to set up a cookery club. A sweet romance and I normally love Tilly Tenant but I have to admit I did find Cathy a bit unsympathetic. Especially when Tansy, a teenager, comes to her group and she comments that she won't make friends because she is so toxic. Yet Cathy's whole aim is to make new friends so you'd think she'd be more emphatic. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

I enjoy cosy Christmas romances during the autumn/winter time and "Cathy's Christmas Kitchen" sounded like the perfect book for this.

I liked the beginning of the book as the scenery and setting was built up really nicely. The little town was really cosy, also getting a little christmassy later in the book, and the people were really nice and sticking together.

Still I couldn't really connect with the characters and for me they remained very shallow and distant. I understood Cathy's troubles and insecurities but she was getting on my nerves putting herself down all the time.
I enjoyed the cooking circle with the women of the town, especially the elder ladies were really fun.

The romance was cute but also remained a little distant to me and I couldn't really enjoy it.

The book was a nice read but could have needed a few more sparks in romance as well as the Christmas setting.

This was pleasant enough but it didn't blow me away.

Cathy has spent the last few years looking after her terminally ill mother, it cost her practically everything, her friends, her career, and her fiancé. Now her mother has died, Cathy is facing her first Christmas alone, her only solace the baking she used to do with her mother. Then a chance meeting leads to her agreeing to host baking classes at the local Church hall. Her students are a motley crew of OAPs, single men, married women and one truculent teenager, Tansy, who seems determined to antagonise everyone else.

Cathy meets a man walking his dog along the path she takes to her part-time job assisting the local florist and they hit it off straight away, but then her ex-fiancé starts hanging around the florist's stall, buying flowers for his wife - what will she choose old love or new?

I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of the shy, retiring heroine with zero life-experience and no friends who somehow suddenly becomes popular, its a little too twee and cosy for me. If you like cosy romances then I guess you would love this. Also I thought Cathy was a little clueless and unsympathetic about Tansy - has she never met a teenage girl before? Most of them are toxic.

Anyway, pleasant enough but a bit gingerbread when I'm more banana bread.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is the perfect book for those cold autumn and winter nights when all you want to do is curl up on the couch with a blanket and your favourite drink (a boozy hot chocolate, in my case).

There's quite a bit of heartache in this book, it's not just romance and Christmas spirit, but there are also plenty of sweet moments that make the heartache easier to deal with. The friendships are done really well, whether it's the new friendship between Cathy and Erica or the gossiping and bickering older ladies from the church.

The story was a bit slow-paced and felt very uneven, with the majority of events happening in the last half of the book. At times it was a bit tedious to read another chapter about how Cathy was insecure about a thing she was actually really good at, or about Cathy constantly thinking up the worst-case scenario in any social setting. There were quite a few heavy topics to deal with and so many complications that at times it seemed like the author had a hard time keeping all the plates spinning.

Ultimately, I would've liked a bit more Christmas and romance and a little less drama, but I still had a nice time reading this book.

Cathy spent most of her life caring for her mother. She finds herself somewhat lost, and with time on her hands.

A story of baking, of friendships, of love and of discovering who you are.

Lovely!

A book filled with Christmas thoughts, baking that you can almost smell while reading and an atmosphere that makes you as ready for Christmas as Buddy the Elf.

I think we all need some light hearted Christmas cheer. I have to say though, there was much more to this book than what I thought from the blurb,

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in return for my honest opinion.

Ah I really needed this uplifting and inspiring book last week and it was perfect for beating away the blues.

Cathy has spent all her teenage and adult life caring and now her mum has passed away, and Cathy is lost. Having given up friendships, social engagements, a career and a love life to give every waking minute to her mother, Cathy is at a loose end and finding it hard to fill her days until she takes a step and nrings along some baking to a local coffee morning. From there, Cathy’s confidence flourishes as her baking become more popular and she forges new relationships – including a possible romantic one. Can Cathy finally find happiness for herself?

My heart went straight out to Cathy from the very beginning of this book and I cheered on every little step she took to move forward and took great joy watching her succeed. She was such an adorable character who had selflessly sacrificed her life and I just wanted to take her under my wing and introduce her to the world. My mouth was watering at every bake Cathy made and I could almost smell Christmas in the air whilst I read.

I found warmth in the way she was enveloped into the heart of the community and gently nudged to find and use her strengths. Her new friends were amusing and full of character and brought depth to the plot.

The village of Linnetford seems so quaint and picturesque, particulalrly at Christmas time. The church hall sounded cosy, the coffe shop seemed perfect and the cottage itself where Cathy lived just sounded like an absolute gem.

This is such a cosy and heartwarming book to wrap youself up and read. Highly recommended to read on a rubbish day. You’ll feel warmth in no time at all.

Cathy is a lovely lady, lost after the death of her mother. This book tells the story of Cathy as she comes back to living, baking of course, but also friends and romance. A well written, gentle book.

Loved reading this novel, very well written and a pleasure to be able to curl up with it. There are plenty of twists and turns going on with the lives of the characters. I know that I will be reading this again. 5 stars and a good recommendation.

Thanks to Netgaley and publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review.

An entertaining and well written romance. Good plot and character development. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

We are introduced to the main character of Cathy straight away in the story. Cathy is trying her best to manage the grief and loneliness she now feels after her beloved Mum passed away. After caring for her throughout her illness, Cathy has given up a lot in her life, including friends and relationships. One of the only things that keeps Cathy going is her love for baking. So when the local Church organise a Coffee Morning to help raise money for cancer research, she decides to go along. After enjoying the Coffee Morning, Cathy decides she will go back again.

CAN CATHY TURN HER LIFE AROUND?

Getting to know more and more people at the coffee mornings, some of the ladies who attend suggest that Cathy starts a weekly baking class at the Church. Reluctantly, Cathy agrees as she wants to share her love of baking with others. The cookery classes go really well and everyone loves them, apart from moody teenager Tansy – who is the niece of Cathy’s new friend, Erica. Life seems to be getting better and better for Cathy. New friends, the cookery classes and the mystery man she keeps bumping into on her way to work. Cathy later discovers the mystery man is Matt, the brother of her friend Erica. They spend more and more time together, getting to know each other and falling for each other.

As their relationship gathers pace, Cathy is feeling happier than she has in years. The last thing she expects is her ex to turn up out of the blue after all these years! Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen is a lovely, heat-warming story about life, loneliness, friendship and love. A perfect read to get you in the festive mood.

This was a fun, light-hearted Christmas book featuring a grieving daughter, who is an excellent baker, her ex fiance and a local church group. It was a sweet, easy going story, albeit a bit predictable. Thank you to Netgalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

It’s never too soon to start reading Christmas novels, even though the sun is shining as I write this!

I’ve read all Tilly Tennant’s books, and this one is in her usual well-written, warm, and humorous style.

Cathy has been her mother’s carer for a long time and, now that she’s passed away, Cathy is feeling lost and not quite sure what to do. There is also an ex in the background, and Cathy’s mother’s health and reliance on Cathy contributed to their split. She sees an advert for a church coffee morning and, as she loves baking, goes along with several boxes of baked goodies.

Cathy is made to feel very welcome and starts to make friends, who then suggest she runs some baking classes. The niece of Matt, a physiotherapist, causes trouble in the classes and Matt begs Cathy to give her a chance. Just as Matt and Cathy are starting to be more than just friends, her ex reappears.

A lovely book to get you in the mood for Christmas, and I’d highly recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cathy's Christmas Kitchen was a wonderful read from the beginning to the end! I have been binge reading Christmas/winter themed books for the last few days, and this book was the perfect addition to my cozy reading shelf :') The book featured the sweetest friendships, a heart-warming romance and cozy, baking lessons!

Feel-good books are my jam, and Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen has definitely taken one of the top positions in that genre! I really enjoyed knowing about Cathy’s life. Seeing her find the best version of herself by helping people through her love for baking made me feel so happy. I’m really impressed with Tilly Tennant’s writing style! She made the story flow beautifully, with plenty of twists and turns. The book isn’t all about rainbows and butterflies though, it talks about grief and healing in a great manner as well.

Food and books make the best combination according to me, and this book was a total treat in that sense. All the talk/discussions about cakes and other baked goodies made me long to be in Cathy’s cozy cottage with a cup of coffee in my hand.  Many comedic scenes were included in the book as well, which made reading it more delightful!

Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen bought me immense joy, and I can’t recommend it enough! Grab your cozy-reading gears, people!

I love books about people who cook or bake, which makes me think I should be baking more often than I do! Cathy is like many caregivers whose charge dies. She has put so much energy and effort into caring for her mother that she is a loss when her mother is gone. She has time to fill now and finds a new way to incorporate her love of baking (a love that was encouraged by her mother). Sweet story of life after loss and a wonderful way to pass time. I absolutely love the author's writing style and creation of characters.

This is a heartwarming story about Cathy, who is lonely & still grieving for her mum.
Her love of baking helps her to meet new friends when she gets pushed into running cookery classes, and also into meeting a love interest.
The story follows her as she deals with many emotions and is a lovely heartwarming story for any time not just Christmas.

Cathy recently lost her mum after a long fought disease, and is not looking forward to being alone this holiday season. She sees an advertisement for a Charity coffee meeting at a local church, and even though she’s not a member, attends thinking they would welcome anyone. The group gives her a warm welcome and before long they realize Cathy is quite the baker! Cathy starts to host a weekly cookery class teaching a varied group of townsfolk. Through this group, Cathy makes friends and even finds a love interest. Maybe this won’t be such a lonely holiday after all for Cathy!

Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen is a charming, sweet holiday tale perfect for getting in the mood for the coming months. The endearing and quirky cast of townsfolk, along with the funny situations they find themselves in, made this novel enjoyable and entertaining to me.

This is my third novel by Tilly Tennant, having previously read The Garden on Sparrow Street and The Waffle House on the Pier and I’ve yet to find a book by this author which didn't make me smile.

Cathy's Christmas Kitchen was a wonderful tale, and Cathy was a lovely character. Following the death of her mum, she goes to a coffee morning where the accomplished baker is persuaded to start up a weekly baking class in the local church hall. Cathy soon makes new friends in the little village of Linnetford and enjoys teaching her late mum's recipes though the prospect of facing her first Christmas alone looms...

There is a love interest for the principal character and a choice of beaux to choose from and I had a fun time selecting my favourite. Tilly Tennant continued to wow me with her fabulous writing, and I read this in double-quick time as I didn't want to put my Kindle down! Cathy's Christmas Kitchen was a heartwarming, inspirational, story about new friendships with lots of love and laughs. A fabulous holiday read, with a few really strong themes, which is festive without being overly done, that I will certainly be recommending to friends and family.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.