Not only a fantastic Christmas story, but also an advent calendar!
Lapinski can genuinely do no wrong. This was wonderful from start to finish, with the perfect balance of heart and festive joy.
Cannot wait for the sequel!

The concept of this was a lot of fun, and largely worked, but I really struggled with how badly the mum gaslit the kids. But on the surface level it is enjoyable and something that kids will love to do with the family in the run up to the holidays.

The book is wonderful written in 25 chapters which gives the reader a chance to enjoy a chapter a day running up to Christmas.
Harper and Will usually have Christmas with just their mum.
She loves the festive season and goes the extra mile to make it really special for them.
This year there is a slight change.... mum is bringing along her new boyfriend Nick to join in the festivities.
Extra christmassy things begin to happen in and around the house which gets Harper thinking.... could Nick really be Santa Claus?? Her brother is not quite sure so she has a lot of persuading to do!
There is magic and wonder throughout the book and also writes about different family dynamics really accessibly.

My #1 Christmas Children’s chapter book for 2023 (for ages 8+)!!
Yes!! I LOVE IT!!
Such a clever concept to create a literary adventure advent countdown to Christmas Day. Author, L.D. Lapinski skilfully builds + builds this fun + cheerful plot to such a crescendo the reader feels like shouting out the obvious in panto-style over-excitement.

10 year old Harper + her big brother are about to have a life changing experience… mum (a vet) has a new boyfriend. What’s more he’s coming to stay for the holidays. He’s called Nick, he works with animals + bears a striking resemblance to a certain famous seasonal child behaviour expert called Father Christmas!!

All sorts of fun + freaky things start happening, it’s a pure rollercoaster of near disasters that magically seem to sort themselves out with sparkles on top + the odd reindeer. Harper is suspicious form the start. Could he actually be that person that perhaps she is too old to believe in? Seriously? Then there’s the thing… the fact that her mum has a new boyfriend - that means a family of 3 (+ happy) might change into a family of 4.

You’ll laugh-out-loud, cringe a little, + have plenty of ‘awwww’ moments akin to watching the snow-filled heartwarming moments of ‘Bridget Jones’. I think I might have to read it every Christmas!!

LD is a highly rated + respected contemporary Children’s author, steaming ahead in terms of success. Their absolutely brilliant The Strangeworlds Travel Agency trilogy recently took bookshops by storm, then the 10+ novel/reference guide Jamie earlier this year became another bestseller + is now shortlisted for umpteen awards. L.D., themself a cosplay fanatic, David Tennant obsessive, + super fun social media account sharing many furrtastic pet antics. L.D.’s writing is as accessible, fun, meaningful + as relatable as it gets for kids today, also raising awareness about + writing for kids who have/feel a connection to the LGBTQ+ community.

Looking forward to LD's new Artezans MG series in 2024🎉

This was adorable. Like a warm hug it tells the story of a family of three introducing a potential step parent with a festive twist and I loved it. I was chuckling through most of this and I had a blast. Will read more from LD Lapinski in the future.

We’ve all merrily sang the lyrics to I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, but what if this actually happened. Mum getting a new boyfriend is one thing, mum deciding to date Father Christmas, well that is something else entirely.

Ten-year-old Harper, her brother Will and their mum are a tight-knit little family. It has been the three of them forever so when mum drops a Christmas bombshell and introduces her new boyfriend, the very saintly Nick, Harper and Will are shocked. But Nick isn’t your average fella. He’s exceedingly happy, an expert baker, fixes toys, looks after reindeer, receives an unusually large number of letters and bears a striking resemblance to Father Christmas. Could mum actually be dating Santa? Harper certainly thinks so and despite Will dismissing her suspicions as nonsense she is going to get to the bottom of this merry mystery…
​I love Christmas and I love, love, love diving into all of the new children’s books that will add magic, wonder and sparkle throughout the month of December. L. D. Lapinksi has filled up the Christmas spirit-o-meter and left me with that warm and fuzzy feeling inside.

Stepfather Christmas is a stocking full of magic, family, humour and heart where the greatest gifts are enjoying the holiday season with those that matter most, welcoming people into the home and embracing new possibilities. With goodwill and merry cheer in abundance, the festivities, Christmas conundrum and Santa shenanigans are sure to delight middle-grade readers.

The Halls are utterly delightful and the gentle exploration of accepting someone new will be relatable to any blended family. The concerns mum has with introducing Nick, and the feelings of Will and Harper about a new man in their life, him spending Christmas with them and becoming a more permanent fixture, unfold throughout the story with empathy, understanding and lots of tender moments. Unlike Father Christmas, who only appears in our homes for one fleeting moment, Nick has found his forever home (when he’s not living in Lapland that is) and will be back with the rest of the family in Stepfather Christmas 2.

Told over twenty-five chapters, it is a brilliant alternative advent calendar and an awesome way to build up to or count down to Christmas Day. This is a lovely idea in theory although ’tis difficult to prise yourself away from such a heartwarming, feel-good read. Best enjoyed with hot chocolate complete with marshmallows and whipped cream and freshly baked gingerbread.

A Christmas cracker!

Recommended for 8+.

If you're looking for something short, sweet and a little bit different then Step Father Christmas is a must read. Split into 25 chapters, to match the countdown to the big day, this is a concept that's so brilliant, it makes you wonder why it hasn't been done before...

Harper loves spending Christmas with her mum and brother. So when her mum announces that she's invited her new boyfriend to stay for the Christmas period, she's taken aback. She's even more taken aback when she discovers that Nick bears a striking resemblance to Santa. There more time she spends with him, the more Harper becomes convinced that he actually IS Santa. But can she prove it or will she be proven wrong?

This novel was such a joy to read that I struggled to put it down. It's has great characters, a fast-pace and the text is super accessible - never mind reading it over 25 days, my middle daughter read it in a weekend! Both of us loved the strange occurances, the Christmassy vibe and the constant musing of 'is he or isn't he'. Whatever the answer is, this is a great portrayal of family life which explores the challenges, emotions and postive elements of changing dynamics. Add in the magical elements like a random reindeer on the roof and snow in ONLY your garden and you've got something really special. The extra good news is that this might be returning next year...

It's the start of December, and mum has got something bracingly new to tell Will and Harper – she's shacking up with a new fella at last. But this guy, who proves immediately to be a very saintly Nick, only raises eyebrows with the kids. He's an ace at cooking seasonal bakes and making hot chocolate, he can mend toys like there's no tomorrow and seems to know a lot about reindeer – indeed he's looking after a select few at a petting zoo… How will the family of three adjust to being a foursome, and how will that be heightened by the firm belief in Harper at least that her potential new stepfather is Father Christmas?

This was briskly-read fun, but lacking a final bit of distinction. It seemed to very cleverly hit all the beats such a plot as done for a made-for-TV movie would feature, but in almost a mechanical fashion. The author clearly knows the genre well, and gets to include everything expected in tidy, regimented order, without really glossing anything over with enough personality or character.

Also to doubt the success of is the idea this should be read as an advent book – a chapter a day leading up to the big one. (a), this is too good to ration in such a way, and (b) when you start to name the days of the week – I think the 3rd here was a Saturday – that kind of makes it that this is only good for 2025, and not for any of the years around it.

Still, if you come to this with no great expectations, this is fine – it has a warming, cosy, 'yep, that was nice… yep, expected something like that...' feel I was not disappointed to encounter. A sequel is already on the books, perhaps further proving my thoughts that this is a bit rote, and done-to-order, but this being the spirit of goodwill I don't see a full four stars as too far from the truth.

Oh this book is gorgeous! I'm definitely older than the target age for this book but I still loved it and I know if I'd read it as a child I'd have loved it even more. It follows Harper and her older brother Will as they have to come to terms with their mum's new boyfriend becoming a bigger part of their lives. Nick looks like Father Christmas and he is great at baking, he has a job looking after reindeers and he gets a lot of post as it gets nearer to Christmas so Harper is immediately suspicious about whether this man could be THE Father Christmas. It's designed to be read one chapter a day throughout December and I think that would be a really lovely thing to do with younger children. This book is beautiful and I highly recommend it!

What a fabulous book to read together. I love that it is broken up into 25 chapters and could be used as the book version of an advent calendar. The characters are fabulous and feel so realistic in their attitudes to the numerous things that occur in the build up to the big day.
I can't wait to share this as part of our Christmas story time event.

Harper and Will’s mum has a new boyfriend called Nick, who looks a lot like... Santa Claus, except he can’t be, can he?

When Nick starts spending a lot mote time with the family, the children notice how good he is with animals, at baking Christmas cookies and fixing broken toys. They wonder whether these skills point towards his true identity or whether he’s just a nice guy.

The story explores the children’s feelings about their mum having a boyfriend and how the end of just the three of them being together isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

As a Christmas story for older children, this worked perfectly. It didn’t question whether there is a Santa Claus, or try to persuade the reader to believe. The fact that he exists was just taken for granted. The magic and wonder in the story came from the realisation that he could be masquerading as an ordinary bloke living next door for most of the year.

The story is written in 25 chapters so it could be read a chapter per day throughout December, but it was too engrossing a story to be spread out like that. I read it in 3 big chunks.

I loved this book and will be buying copies to give as Christmas presents.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

After reading much of Lapinski's other work, I knew this one was going to be fun. Characterized by their signature wit and charm, Harper and her family come to life in this Christmas trope in which mom's new boyfriend may indeed be Santa Claus. There are holiday sweets, animals and festive fun galore and I can't recommend this enough to both educators and parents alike looking for an updating Christmas story and an opportunity to spend time together! I will be selling this one galore.

I absolutely loved Stepfather Christmas!
Written in 25 chapters, with one to read each day, it makes the perfect countdown to Christmas.

I really liked the format and the story was wonderful. Stepfather Christmas is full of love, family, hope and festive magic. You'll look forward to sitting down each evening to read the next chapter!

It's a short review. L D Lapinski can do no wrong, and this book should be bought.

A longer answer is that Lapinski has a great ear for dialogue and writing children, aging down from Strangeworlds and Jamie appears effortless and there is much more than ususal in your younger children's fiction here.

Well rounded characters and a lot of fun make this an easy book to recommend this xmas.

Christmas is coming and Harper and her brother Will are preparing for their usual Christmas when their mum announces that her now boyfriend, Nick, will be joining them for the festive period. Things get off to a positive start and Nick seems nice; however, it isn't long before Harper starts wondering whether he is, in fact, Santa! She tries to talk to Will about it but he just shrugs it off so it's up to Harper to find proof to prove her theory.
I have a weakness for Christmas books so being privileged enough to read an early copy of Stepfather Christmas filled me with joy. Yesterday morning, I curled up with a hot chocolate (it would have been rude not to!) and dove in.

Harper and her family are clearly close and their family of three works well (although, Will seems to be a rather typical teenager!). Bringing Nick into the equation undoubtedly comes with some trepidation and is something I imagine many readers will be able to associate with.

I loved Harper who is an astute and incredibly observant, not only when it comes to Nick, but also with her brother. She's also determined and not put off by others. Not only does she continue her theories about Nick when Will dismisses her, but she also notices that Will is struggling with his best friend. The big question is: is Harper right? You'll just have to read the book to find out!

The book is the perfect mix of modern story-telling with a traditional Christmas feel. With themes of family, love and trusting yourself, Stepfather Christmas is split into 25 chapters and is a delightful read that would be perfect as a nightly family book in the run-up to Christmas. I genuinely wish my son was young enough for us to have enjoyed this together like that. We always used to enjoy family reading time after dinner and I could imagine us curling up every night in December and sharing the next chapter - it's the perfect way to build to the big day.

Full of magic, hope and love, Stepfather Christmas will leave you with a warm glow in your heart and a desire for gingerbread biscuits and hot chocolate! Publishing 12th October, this is a book that will make the perfect alternative to an advent calendar!

What a fabulous story LD Lapinski has written, full of festive fun and hope. Harper has her suspicions about Mum’s boyfriend, but feels silly thinking that he could be Santa. How could that be possible? But, every time she sees him, something else happens to deepen her suspicions. Her brother Will scoffs at her, until something magical happens that reveals the truth - Nick really is Father Christmas. Written in 25 chapters, so handy as an advent read, this story full of love and possibilities will have you reaching for gingerbread and hot chocolate and carols on repeat!

When your mum meets a new partner and she wants you to meet them, things are always going to get a bit complicated. But what if you begin to suspect that that partner might not be all they appear to be? This is the situation in which Harper and her brother, Will, find themselves. As well as this, Will has mysteriously fallen out with his best friend, Henry, and though Harper doesn’t know what has gone wrong, she knows her brother is hurting and just wants to help.
This is a perfect, heart-filled festive story. It has just the right balance of traditional Christmas magic and fresh modern touches, keeping it relevant for children today. I imagine it’s difficult to create a story about Father Christmas for this age range, but Lapinski has managed this expertly. There is plenty in this novel to appeal to a middle grade audience without them feeling patronised and I would thoroughly recommend it.
This gave me all the Christmassy feelings without me ever thinking that I’d heard it before. With 25 chapters, this will make a wonderful alternative advent tradition for bedtime, or provide a great novel for a class read on the lead up to Christmas

I just adored this. It is going to be the perfect Christmassy read and I’ll be buying copies for everyone I know! Gorgeous messages, wonderful characters and we always need more feel good books like this in the world. LD just keeps writing amazing story after amazing story!

I've just finished reading this on #NetGalley & *loved* it...will definitely be ordering this to read with Bea, but I don't think we'll be able to limit ourselves to one chapter a day for advent! @ldlapinski @HachetteKids

It’s like an advent calendar but in the form of a book. A chapter a night throughout December to help build the excitement. Looking forward to reading this again with my children on the run up to Christmas 🎅