Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this lovely Christmas tale. The perfect book to cosy up with on a cold wintry day. Meredith, the main character is not a lover of Christmas, but when she meets Finn, he soon changes her mind & her life

Meredith isn't a fan of Christmas, but with the help of newcomer Finn, and a determination to see the company she works for thrive, she starts to deal with her feelings.
Finn, of course, isn't perfect, he too has his own secrets.
Slow to start but I ended up really enjoying this festive treat.

This was a disappointing read. I expected more, and I just don’t think it was delivered. I thought this was extremely slow to start with, and it put me in a bit of a slum, towards the end I was practically forcing myself to read.

I didn’t like Finn at all, he hid so much from Meredith, and I wonder whether she would’ve found out half the things she discovered if they weren’t exposed. It also didn’t make sense how quickly they fell in love- they knew each other for almost two months, and somehow fell in love? Bearing in mind the fact that so much of their time was spent with Finn being dishonest. I just didn’t like how unrealistic the romance was.

However, I did like how they had been kinda in contact for 10 years with Meredith finding the paintings on the beach and Finn painting and placing them. I liked how they had that connection of time and being close to meeting, but never actually meeting. That did feel quite magical.

This is the probably one of the shortest reviews I have done, mostly because I don’t have much to say, this book didn’t give much. And if I’m honest most of what I do have to say is pretty negative.

Meredith isn't the biggest fan of Christmas but her job in a gift shop in a beautiful Cornish town means that she has to paste on festive cheer every day. Then beautiful, mysterious Finn arrives and he becomes determined to spread seasonal joy to everyone -including Meredith. Although this is the fifth book in the Cornish Cream Tea series, it works fantastically well as a festive stand-alone. Glittery and warm, there are plenty of warm Christmassy cuddles throughout the book and some beautiful, immersive descriptions of Cornwall. Being by the sea at Christmas was also a lovely break from bustling cities and small mountain towns, which are so common in festive romances. There are also some wonderful side characters and it did really well at getting me in the festive mood.

This was the fifth in the Cornish Cream Tea Bus series and just like the others, it was lovely. Light yet engaging, fun and enjoyable, this was a perfect Christmas read.
With grateful thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK and Cressida McLaughlin for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Meredith hates Christmas but needs to put her own feelings aside in order to make the gift shop she manages be successful.. Can a chance meeting on her favourite Cornish beach with Finn change her mind? A feel good book for those cold winter nights, well written ,with characters who come alive.

Christmas Carols and a Cornish Cream Tea by Cressida McLaughlin
Meredith Verren is 27 and works in a gift shop called Cornish Keepsakes in Port Karadow, Cornwall. She lives alone with her dog and cat and enjoys an outdoor swim in the sea every morning in a place she calls Charmed Cove.
She has a good life, enjoys her job and has lovely friends like her best pal Anisha, but Christmas is coming and it’s her least favourite time of the year. But when a stranger called Finn turns up on the beach, will things change for her? Will this Christmas finally be one she can enjoy?
I really enjoyed the characters in this and that it felt like I knew the whole community. I could easily picture Port Karadow and all its little shops and the places that were special to Meredith. It really came to life. I always enjoy reading about pets too and Smudge and Crumble were happy additions to the warmth of the story.
The festive feel to the book is lovely and I enjoyed reading how Anisha’s plans for making the town look ready for Christmas were coming along. Again, I felt like I was walking around the streets, looking at all the decorations and drinking in all the seasonal smells.
It’s a fun read, easy to get into and an enjoyable story.
8 out of 10

My thanks to #Netgally and #HarperCollins publishing for the chance to review this heartwarming romantic story.
An ideal cosy read for the Christmas season. Gave me all the festive feels.

Having suffered major trauma in her life, Meredith hates Christmas and anything to do with it. Until she meets Finn, who opens her horizons and helps her see her capabilities, as well as helps her build her confidence to use them. Both characters allow the reader to instantly fall in love with them.
#ChristmasCarolsandCornishCreamTea is a perfect read for this season with the added bonus of the book being set in the beautiful Cornwall. As always, grateful to #netgalley for this lovely read.

I loved this book and its setting. I could easily picture the village and all its characters duende the authors fantastic descriptions. A wonderful festive read that I would happily have read anytime of the year

Ahhhhh, if you are looking for a book to fill you with happiness then this is it! It made me want to move to Cornwall and take up open water swimming too. This book has Christmas cheer bursting from it along with some romantic twists, recognisable stupid relations mistakes and challenging neighbours who really just want to be won over. Perfect escapism is waiting for you in the pages of this novel.

If a trip to Cornwall at Christmas time is just what you are looking for to get in the Christmas spirit, then look no further than Christmas Carols and a Cornish Cream Tea. Cressida’s book is overflowing with all things Christmas and humbugs and grinches sure to find themselves swaying to all the festive cheer.

‘Her problem with Christmas was that there was so much of it. So many gifts and trinkets, sparkles and embellishments, that the meaning, the thoughtfulness, got lost amongst the sheer excess of it all. It was a celebration that Meredith thought had lost its soul, and over the years her dislike had turned into a genuine aversion.’

This tale surely has it all - carols, cooking, decorations, hampers, lights, parades, baking and celebrations for one and all! Cressida delivers bucket loads of everything we need to fire up and be ready for the big day. Add in some romance, village love with family and friends and this is a tale that can do no wrong.

‘I panicked! This is what Christmas does to you! There’s all this expectation, this stupid need to be bright and sparkly, to help people out and not have any weak moments, to say yes to everything because you know everyone’s stressed and you have to be as stressed as them or you’re not good enough.’

I love that it even digs a little deeper with Cressida addressing those that struggle at this time of year due perhaps to loss, grief or family separation. She allows both lead characters wonderful journeys where they are encouraged to pursue their dreams beyond this festive season. There is much more to this particular tale than just bright, shiny Christmas lights. This is, of course, part of The Cornish Cream Tea series, however, it is a complete new story in a different Cornish village - a definite standalone book.

‘… she’d had time to consider it this year, that you didn’t have to follow any rules for how you celebrated Christmas. You could have it exactly as you wanted.’

I adore books set in Cornwall and what could be better than to include Christmas! So make yourself a nice cuppa and settle in for all the festive feels! It even addresses a common discussion in our home:

‘What about your Dad and Die Hard? Is it a Christmas tradition that you try and make him watch it and he puts on It’s a Wonderful Life instead?’







This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Christmas Carols and A Cornish Cream Tea by @cressmclaughlin another NetGalley read. Meredith isn’t a fan of Xmas however she has a new job at a gift shop in a cozy Cornish village where she can’t avoid it and everyone it brings to the village. I’m a huge fan of this author so couldn’t wait to read this and I wasn’t disappointed. This is book 5 in the Cream Tea Series but you can definitely read it as a stand alone book. I loved everything about this book, it has Christmas in bucket loads, it has romance, it has heart and a warmth to it and underneath all the happiness of Xmas it deals with serious issues. It doesn’t wear rose coated glasses where Xmas is concerned, Meredith is dealing with grief, Finn is dealing with the pressure of being honest about who he is and other characters are dealing with family dynamics changing. All these issues make it feel real and relatable, that not everyone’s Christmases are perfect. I obviously love it because it’s set in Cornwall and the author really captures the heart of Cornwall in all the little details she provides , down to something as simple as St Eval Candels. The author captures the peace and tranquillity of a small Cornish village, which comes off the pages amazingly and makes you feel you are there with the characters. It’s just not the setting that jumps of the pages, the characters are written so well that they feel like friends and you get right behind them. I kept thinking about Finn and what his story could possibly be. There’s not a character you won’t love and they all have a passion and that’s there live and respect for each other and there live for the place they live in. This might sound silly but it felt like looking into someone’s window and seeing there Christmas rather than just experiencing your own. In my opinion this is the best book in the series so far and if you read one Xmas book this year make it this one, I will definitely be recommending it to family and friends. A perfect Christmas read🎄

This is THE perfect Christmas novel. The right level of cheesy lovey-dovey happily-ever-after that I love to read at this time of year but completely believable. The right amount of swearing to make Meredith seem completely real and exactly the sort of person I would love to hang around with. I had no idea when I requested this from Netgalley that it was part of a series. Now I'm off to buy the whole lot. Loved it!

After the death of her father 10 years ago on Christmas Eve, Meredith has dreaded Christmas and found ways to avoid joining in the celebrations. Living in the beautiful Port Karadow she loves to swim in the sea each morning. in the deserted cove. Over the years she has found small slate paintings on 'her' rock, depicting beautiful local scenes. Who painted them and why?
This insightful novel of second chances, self believe and taking a leap of faith maybe a little predictable but it is an absorbing Christmas cuddly read and is therefore forgiven!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily.
This is the first of this author's books I have read, and as a result I have signed up to follow her. She has taken the classic 'boy meets girl, one of them loathes Christmas' plot and created an interesting story. There are predictable elements, and I would have preferred to see less of some of the words chosen, but there are also some beautiful and clever descriptions, such as "the sky was overcast, different greys layering themselves one over the other like filo pastry" and falling "down a ... rabbit hole online". The build up to the celebrations in the town alongside the developing romance add to the festive feel of the book.
The occasional spelling mistake, repetition of the fact that her brother lives in Somerset and ommision that seems to leave Jasmine, a 5-year-old, alone in the bath are only irritating to eagle-eyed critics, and do not stop me recommending this book as a lovely festive romantic read.

Absolutely loved this festive, heart-warming book.

There are a few very funny situations, especially the one on Christmas day.

I really enjoyed the sense of Christmas by the sea and the fact that Meredith was a bit of a scrooge (for good reason) at the beginning and after meeting Finn she began to change.

When she get star struck, I think I would feel exactly the same in that situation.

My thanks to Netgalley for my copy of Christmas Carols and a Cornish Cream Tea. I think the title is the only thing I don't like about this book, it's a bit clunky and not that relevant. It's a real feel good story with two main characters you will love and a strong supporting cast. I read it in a day and I know I will continue to think about Meredith and Finn for some time.

Christmas Carols and a Cornish Cream Tea
By Cressida McLaughin

I enjoyed this book. I loved that the main character wasn’t to enthusiastic about Christmas at first.
Many struggle at Christmas and it’s made worst when it’s depicted that everyone else is having fun without a care in the world.
So, it was a refreshing read at this time. (December).

However, dont get me wrong…..
There was festive cheer and a good story throughout.

I read this as a stand-alone book although it’s part of a series. But you really don’t feel like you’ve missed anything.


A great Christmas read.

I would recommend.

This was a painfully slow read in which literally nothing happens. In order to disguise the total lack of events in the narrative, Cressida McLaughlin has her protagonist Meredith overreact to the most minor of events: some burned biscuits, her grumpy neighbour, a solo in the choir concert etc. It is excruciating. After two weeks of trying to plough through this novel, I have had to abandon it in the hope of finding something both more exciting and more Christmassy.