Christmas for Beginners

I absolutely adore Carole Matthews my favourite Author ever, to receive an ARC from Little, Brown Book Group UK I jumped with joy.

It was so lovely to go back to Hope Farm, Molly now has Lucas living with her while the non animal lover Shelby is still between the two houses. Farm and caravan life is not for the soap star, and the celebrity lifestyle is not for Molly.

With Christmas around the corner and lots going at the Farm for the festivities will this be a merry one?

Carole's books are always so heartwarming and full of love and laughter, great characters stupid funny animals what's not to love.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I LOVE CAROLE MATTHEWS
This book has left me with a huge smile and wanting to put up my xmas tree. Absolutely loved it! So Worthy of all five stars.

With thanks to netgalley and carol Matthews for an early copy in return for an honest review.
Having read numerous books off this Author it was such a delight to get an arc of Christmas for Beginners.
Hope farm is trying to get ready for the festivities but the animals especially the very gorgeous and fluffy Alpacas seem to have other ideas this is a book about loss hope and what you can do to try and make things better in life.I loved it, it's funny its heartwarming but above all it's full of cheer.

Warm lovely story.Read it over the weekend put a smile on my face.Carol Matthews never fails to entertain .A pleasure to read highly recommend.#netgalley#little row books group

I love Carole Matthews and I really enjoyed the last book set at Hope Farm so I was absolutely delighted to receive a copy from Netgalley and Little Brown Books in exchange for a review.

Carole's books are like a nice warm hug and this was no exception. Molly and Shelby are now a couple but this isn't without it's challenges, he loves the celebrity lifestyle and being surrounded by adoring fans. Molly likes nothing more than being surrounded by adoring animals (and some not so adoring, alpacas I'm looking at you here!). Shelby and his son Lucas have a strained relationship and Lucas chooses to live with Molly at the farm in her caravan rather than the big fancy manor house.

I loved being back at Hope Farm with all of it's inhabitants and spending Christmas with them. Well, obviously it's not Christmas here yet, but it was lovely to escape to.

I absolutely love caroles books and have been a fan of hers for many years so was very excited to receive Christmas for beginners!
Being back at the wonderfully atmospheric Hope Farm felt like coming home ! catching up with the varied, eccentric animals, the students and molly, Lucas, Shelby , bev and Alan was a wonderful tonic and made even more special with the Christmas theme! Relationships, hope, love and genuine friendships are at the forefront of this read especially with the introduction of the devilishly good looking mayor! A brilliant,heartwarming, funny, comforting read that had me entertained from start to finish and will Definitely put you in the Christmas spirit!
Thank you net galley for this early read.

Christmas Escapism.....
Wonderful Christmas escapism from Carole Matthews and a sequel to ‘Happiness For Beginners’. Christmas is approaching at the farm, chaos abounds and Molly is overwhelmed. What next? Christmas cheer is definitely the order of the day. Heartwarming, gently humorous and with delightful characters this is guaranteed to make the reader smile. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I really enjoyed this book. I hadn't realised it was a follow on to Happiness for Beginners (but can also be read as a stand alone) so I was happy to be visiting old friends.

We're back to Hope Farm where it's in the time leading up to Christmas, Molly is trying to prepare the farm for the upcoming festivities.

This book looks into relationships in great detail, especially between Lucas and his Dad Shelby. I enjoyed this element a lot.

This is the perfect Christmas read, like an afternoon catching up with old pals Molly and Bev.

Unusually for a Carole Matthews book, I felt it got off to a slow start. I quickly forgave this when it became apparent how much Carole loves the animals she writes about. From there the story took off and I quickly became involved with the characters, most of whom featured in a previous book. A delightful book and well worth reading.

Matthews' magic strikes again!
Carole Matthews has once again scattered her pixie dust and produced a touching, tender, heart-warming story. Be prepared to smile a lot and be emotionally moved.
We’re back to Hope Farm to find Molly in a relationship with Shelby, but this is only the beginning. No spoilers, but be prepared to be surprised! I was much surprised indeed! Who would have thought ... what a turn of the events!
As usual, the author’s deep knowledge of the human ( and may I dare, animal LOL ) soul provides us with deep (yet light) characters who are incredibly real. There are old acquaintances and new entries but the book can be read as a standalone.
I was very happy to be back at Hope farm ( and I truly hope to be able to visit Manor Farm, home of Animal Antiks – the real life Hope Farm in the future).
I re-read with great pleasure the poems by that amazing artist that is Paul Eccenric.
A heartfelt thank you to Little, Brown Group UK for granting me access to a review copy of this book via Netgalley and to the author for giving us yet another amazing story!
#ChristmasforBeginners #NetGalley

I am a fan of Carole Matthews and have read all her books so I was delighted to receive an advance copy of Christmas for Beginners!

I enjoyed the first book in this series – Happiness for Beginners– and feel like my reading experience was enhanced by this, since the characters from that book are developed here.

I loved all the animals and, as always, there were both sad and funny moments and I hope she writes another book in this series.

I loved Happiness for Beginners and had high expectations for this one and it doesn’t disappoint.

With Christmas just around the corner, Molly has to step outside her comfort zone to help raise much needed funds for Hope Farm. She is also hoping to spend the perfect family Christmas with Lucas and Shelby, but it seems like Shelby has other plans. What does the future hold for Molly and Lucas and will Shelby be part of it?

A lovely festive story. Heartwarming with great characters. This was an enjoyable and entertaining read.

I read and advanced copy of Christmas for Beginners, by Carole Matthews. I love reading books by, Carole Matthews, especially Christmas books. This is a lovely Christmas story, it is also the sequel to, Happiness for beginners. Molly, Shelby, and Lucas are back, alongside their animals. Such a great novel, I love the characters.

This is the sequel to Happiness for Beginners from this prolific author. It has all the hallmarks of her style, ie: easy to read, humorous and a strong feel good factor. Many of the same characters appear along with the new 'Hot Mayor' to who is almost too good to be true. If the reader enjoyed Happiness for Beginners they will love this continuing story of Hope Farm.

Christmas is fast approaching for Molly and Hope Farm, with festive preparations happening. Shelby, Molly's partner is busy working on Panto leaving Molly and his son Lucas living and working on Hope Farm. Molly and Lucas face some challenging times, many ups and downs, can a little bit of Christmas magic be sprinkled on Hope Farm?

There is nowhere better than Hope Farm at Christmas.

Loved this book from page . I love revisiting old characters and places and Hope Farm is one of my favorites of all time!

Praise to Carole Matthews such a gripping but easy to read book!

Be warned you wont want to put it down!

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Happiness for Beginners, so I jumped at the chance of a second visit to Hope Farm.

Molly is an unlikely heroine, more likely to be covered in manure than smelling of perfume, she lives in a caravan on the grounds of Hope Farm, a place which rescues both animals and children (albeit the children are only day-visitors). In the previous book she meets the TV actor Shelby and his recalcitrant son Lucas. Molly and Lucas get on well and he has come to live with her in the caravan, despite Shelby owning a large manor house nearby. Shelby and Lucas do not get on and there is a constant battle between them.

We join Hope Farm on the run up to Christmas. Shelby is about to leave his soap opera and has accepted the opportunity to play the villain in a Birmingham pantomime show and Molly's assistant Bev has persuaded the anti-social Molly to put on a Christmas open day to raise funds for the farm, a prospect that fills Molly with dread.

This is such a feel-good, cheery, holiday novel, despite some sadness and some big issues. Molly and her motley crew of animals, most of which have issues, her students, most of which have behavioural or family issues, and the characters around the farm will make you laugh and make you cry

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

This follow up to Carole Matthew's wonderful Happiness for Beginners is the perfect escape from our wretched world, become reacquainted and entranced with Tina Turner, Rod Stewart and Johnny Rotten, the obstreperous trio of alpacas, Anthony, the aggressive and anti-social sheep, one legged chickens, the pygmy goats and more, all animals rescued from traumatising circumstances or were unwanted, on the new Hope Farm in Buckinghamshire. Hope Farm is run by loner Molly Baker, in her late thirties, as a alternative school for struggling children with issues in mainstream education but is in constant need of funding. The children have behavioural and/or emotional issues, been excluded, or are on the autism spectrum, but respond well to what the farm offers, and whilst there are certainly extremely challenging days, for kids and animals, Molly could not love them, her misfits, more.

It's the run up to Christmas, and Molly is hoping for a loving and unifying time with her new partner, Shelby, a famous soap star celebrity, and his son, 16 year old Lucas. Father and son are in a constant state of conflict, but Molly loves Lucas as a son, and he is living with her in the new, all mod cons, caravan. Shelby is not a regular visitor to the farm, allergic to the animals, and what with their different dreams for their lives, will Molly and Shelby's relationship survive the rocky path in front of them? To make matters more pressurising, Molly is being pushed out of her comfort zone by best friend Bev and is organising a festive open day with a nativity tableau for the farm to raise funds and introduce the farm, kids and animals, to the local community. On top of it all, Lucas, the angry poet, is in the throes of his first love relationship, and there's a new mayor who wants to help the farm project.

Matthews has a winner on her hands here, particularly with the unforgettable animals, all of whom have their own characters, many with issues, much like the children who attend the farm, and Lucas, now with an apprenticeship on the farm and studying Animal Management. There are a raft of serious issues that arise, including a nasty case of domestic abuse in the home of one of the children, not to mention the chaos, mayhem and madness that goes hand in hand with taking care of a wide range of animals. However, the festive season and planning for the open day also brings out the best in the children, and there is plenty of charm, warmth, and quirkiness in the storytelling to beguile the reader and perhaps, just perhaps, Molly is becoming less of a loner. A lovely read. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.

Carole Matthews has done it again!
I was so happy to be able to visit the gang at Hope Farm again, having truly enjoyed Happiness For Beginners, and Christmas For Beginners did not disappoint.
Molly is settled into Hope Farm's new home, complete with a state of the art mobile home for herself, her trusted friends Bev and Alan, a surrogate son, Lucas, living with her, and not forgetting the crazy animals who help to create the education she offers to the children who. come to visit the farm.
All that's missing is a more regular appearance from Shelby, her partner, who also happens to be Lucas's father, and a famous soap star.
From the off, I was feeling a sense of 'things aren't quite right' between Molly and Shelby, and I rooted for her to make the right decisions, on several occasions. (Which she does, eventually.)
There is laughter in this. book, thanks to unruly animal, heartache, loss, but also, an overwhelming amount of love, both romantic, and otherwise, and above all, hope.
Such a lovely read.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well what can I say! Christmas for beginners was another heartwarming funny book by Carole Mathews.
Following on from the previous one in the series Happiness For Beginners.
This story returns to Hope Farm and all its animals, taking up the life’s of Molly and her actor boyfriend Shelby’s son Lucas.
Hope farm is a safe haven for both rescue animals and children in need of a bit of of extra support. Molly has a big heart caring for everyone, Lucas has come to look on molly as a mother figure who supports him with the struggling relationship he has with his dad.
This book had me laughing and also made me sad with some big issues covered.
A lovely festive story made me feel like I wanted to put my tree up even although it’s only October.
Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK for my preview copy of Christmas for Beginners

Did I choose to read this book because it had Christmas in the title? Yes I did!

Carole Matthews is the author of my favourite Christmas book, Calling Mrs Christmas, so when the opportunity to review her latest festive offering came along I jumped at the chance.

Christmas for Beginners is a sequel and I haven’t read it’s predecessor so I did wonder if I would feel a connection to the characters but within a few chapters I felt that I knew who they were.

This is a lovely story, although I felt it could have been set at any time of year. I was rooting for the outcome the whole way through so wasn’t left disappointed.

It warms my heart that Hope Farm is based on actual place - what wonderful and rewarding work they must do. It’s just a shame that every Lucas doesn’t have a Molly.

I highly recommend this book, don’t think it’s just a Christmas book - you could happily read it on your summer hols!

Thank you to #Netgalley and Little Brown Book for proving me with this eARC for review.

Oh Carole...how you love to play with my emotions!

I spent most of the book wanting to bash the handsome actor about the head & shoulders with a tea towel.

The ups & downs...heartbreak & teen-angst...

Oh my this book was a lot!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I really enjoyed the motley crew in Happiness for Beginners so was pleased to know there was a sequel and now I’ve read it I think it was even better than the first. This is a genuinely uplifting book with some very relatable humour as well as some thoughtful moments regarding the kids they are helping, as a parent of a child who suffers from mental health issues some comments in here resonated deeply but I really did enjoy this tremendously and appreciate that humour is a great way of dealing with the bad days and Molly, the main character, has bucketloads of it which chimed so well with my own sense of humour. I think this is my favourite Carole Matthews book yet and wholeheartedly recommend this if you want an uplifting, feel good read.

Christmas is nearly here and Molly needs to raise funds for Hope Farm. So she agrees to hold an open day what could go wrong?

This left me feeing very christmasy and wishing I lived on a farm.

I haven’t read Happiness for Beginners, yet that didn’t hinder my enjoyment of this sequel.

I’ve read and enjoyed all of Carole Matthews books and Christmas for Beginners was no exception. The book gives us the chance to revisit Molly Baker and Hope Farm from Happiness for Beginners and is set a few months after we last met Molly. This book is set in the run up to Christmas as the title suggests and gives us chance to catch up with all of the characters from the first book including Shelby, Lucas, Bev and the kids that attend the farm on a daily basis as well as her menagerie of rescued farm animals. There are some new characters as well. The book is written in Carole’s usual style, including short chapters which meant I just kept reading thinking ‘oh just one more chapter before I go to sleep!’ as the story swept me along. The book is warm and funny and feels like a hug on a cold day. I loved Mollys story and found myself cheering her on as she faced some challenges. I particularly love Molly’s relationship with Lucas, her partners son, which feels real and genuine. It’s perfect for curling up in front of the fire with a mug of hot chocolate in front of the Christmas tree. I absolutely loved it!

I loved this delightful Christmas treat of a book. It made me smile, it made me laugh, it made me cry, and most of all it made me want to visit Hope Farm and meet all the characters, both human and animal.

I loved how this book carried on from Happiness for Beginners and showed that not all happy ever afters are straightforward, but that the messy mixed-up journey is the best part. And I know I'll be revisiting this book at Christmas time for years to come.

Really enjoyed this book, have read the rest of the Hope Farm series and this is an excellent addition. The story hits some tough subjects but in a well handled way.

A heartwarming festive-themed read, Carole Matthews proves herself yet again the master of the feel-good romance genre with Christmas for Beginners.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Happiness for Beginners, so I was excited to make a second visit to Hope Farm. Here we encounter Molly and her motley crew of farm animals as well as the staff who assist her daily to create a haven not just for unwanted animals with behavioural issues but for young people in the community who also struggle with learning and social difficulties.

A little time has passed since we last saw Molly - she is now the guardian and surrogate mother to teenager Lucas, who works and lives with her in a caravan on the farm. Lucas is the son of her boyfriend, soap star Shelby, who was quite the knight in shining armour in the first book and proves less so in this sequel. That was disappointing, but another romantic hero presents himself and you do find yourself rooting for Molly, even though she's a bit of a push-over at times, to find and claim the happiness she deserves.

Carole Matthews manages to make you laugh out loud on one page and have you in tears the next. It's a beautiful story about love, family, heartbreak, community, near misses, endings and new beginnings. And some Christmas cheer, and some horny llamas with no sense of decorum!

I truly enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone wanting an escapist read. I would say you do have to have read the first novel to get the full weight of the story and characters' backgrounds, but that book is also amazing and well worth a read as well.

I do hope Carole will take us on another visit to Hope Farm in the near future!

With thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

Warm, Witty, Wonderful
Molly Baker is organising a Christmas open day at Hope Farm to raise some much needed funding. As speaking to strangers is totally out of her comfort zone she is dreading it but realising her beloved animals need all the money she can raise she is doing her best to rise to the challenge.
With a lot of help from her best friend Bev, her partner's son Lucas and her students the event is slowly coming together. The one person she really needs support from however, her partner Shelby Dacre, is conspicuous by his absence. Pleading filming commitments and business meetings Shelby never seems to be around when Molly needs him.
Molly is hoping that spending Christmas together as a family will bring them closer together but as Christmas draws closer Molly and Shelby seem to be further apart than ever.

A beautifully written story which was a pleasure to read. It was lovely to catch up with the people at Hope Farm and meet some new characters as well. This is a heart warming and emotional read. I could have happily kept reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

I always enjoy reading books by Carole Matthews, and this book brings us up to date with all the characters and animals at Hope Farm. Molly and Bev run the farm, which tries to help children with problems, and an array of animals which she has rescued. Shelby is Molly’s partner and his son Lucas is living with her while Shelby continues with his celebrity lifestyle. Although it’s good to have read the first book in the series, this makes a great book to enjoy on its own.
Molly is trying to organise a Christmas charity event to raise funds to keep the farm open. I love the light-hearted humour of characters and descriptions of animals which she has rescued, especially the alpacas. The author skilfully brings them all to life in an entertaining and humorous way. The book’s strength is within its characters - Molly cheerfully trying to help everyone at the farm, along with Bev, Lucas and handsome newcomer Matt.
Although the book has a cheerful focus, the author also looks at the difficult problems some of the children at the farm have to face each day, which can be heart breaking.
I loved this book which is an entertaining festive, Christmas read, full of fun and laughter, but with a serious side as well. I didn’t want to leave the characters behind, and hope there is another book in the series.

Hope Farm is home to all sorts of people and animals. Animals who need a safe home and people who also need nurturing and help in life.
The owner Molly is planning a Christmas open day to raise funds but it is looking very challenging and she wonders if it will actually be ready in time.
Her relationship with the famous actor, Shelby, is becoming more and more difficult with his commitments and all she wants is a Christmas with the people she loves and her animals.
But will there be a surprise for her?!

I absolutely loved this book!! If I could give it more than five stars in a review then I would!!! It is by far the best festive novel I have read this season (and I’ve notched up quite a few!) but also, it’s one of my favourite books so far this year!

I hadn’t read the first book, Happiness For Beginners, but you don’t have to. Carole Matthews draws us in and explains the back story- bit like arriving late to a drinks party and someone is in the middle of a story, but a friend fills you in on what you’ve missed, so you don’t feel left out.

I loved most of the characters, Bev and Alan are wonderful, and I even found myself trying to guess which band t-shirt they would be wearing every day!! However…Lucas! Wow! What a spoilt brat he was – he never appreciated what anyone did for him, and sulked around everywhere and Mollie seemed to tolerate it which sometimes (often!) annoyed me.

I found myself waking up to read a little bit more in the middle of the night as I wanted the characters in my life, and now I’m a little sad that their story is wrapped up– although I’m really hoping there will be another one in the series.

Absolutely fantastic!!

I really enjoyed this sweet story, luckily I had read the first one in this series so, I knew the characters and the back story. This was a continuation of the first book with a Christmas theme. It was interesting to see how the characters developed and although I guessed what would happen in the end it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this wonderful story. I do hope that she writes more about the farm as I would love to find out more. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Loved this sequel to Happiness for Beginners. Lovely to go back to Hope Farm and find out how Molly, Lucas, Bev, Alan, Shelby and all the crazy but loveable animals are doing. Loved the new character, local Mayor Matt. A really emotional story, a great mix of happy and sad tears. Couldn't put it down.

I am a big fav of the authors books and absolutely loved this book, which I read in a day and couldn’t put this book down as its so good and will be recommend it to everyone .

I loved going back to Hope farm and meeting all the characters and animals , This book is the sequel to Happiness for Beginners , but you don’t read the other book to read this one as you will fall in love with the characters and emails.

I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars

with thanks to Netgalley & Little Brown Book Group Uk for the Arc of this book for my honest review.

Carole does not disappoint.. Two very different lifestyles, an angst ridden teenager who does not and cannot relate to his self centered parent. Set in the countryside which balances the human behaviour. Hoping there is a follow up, not just for the main character but the supporting characters.

I felt that this delightful book got off to a bit of a slow start. Not having read the first book in the series I did not fully appreciate the characters and how they had developed. It turned into a charming romance but with the addition of a story line about all that can go wrong when trying to put on a nativity in a farm setting. The fact that Hope Farm is based on a real farm is heartwarming.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Little Brown Book Group for the advance copy of this book.

Yet another amazing book from a Carole! I don’t even bother reading the blurb anymore I always know I’m going to enjoy them. A great warm hug in a book. One to curl up with this winter.

Christmas for Beginners by Carol Mathews a five-star read that will put you perfectly in the Christmas spirit. I adored Happiness for Beginners so was so happy to see that we got to see more of new Hope farm, and catch up with Molly as she shapes many lives, including her own and without giving the game away I am so happy with the direction that she is taking and can only hope that we get to see more happiness. Carol Mathews is such an amazing story teller and has a way of weaving magical words that encapsulate you and make you care about even the grumpiest goat in the yard.

Another wonderful book written by Carole Matthews. We return to Hope Farm with Molly and her wonderful 'family', and enjoy the run up to Christmas. It was lovely again to be immersed in the life at the farm and see how they all enjoy Christmas. Molly and Lucas have their fair share of problems to deal with, and the animals antics leave us with smiles on our faces and laughing out loud at their behaviour - wonderful. We all need a Bev in our lives to make things run smoothly. I look forward to returning to Hope Farm in the near future.

Is there anything better than a new Carole Matthews? Yep. It's a Christmas Carole Matthews!

I love this author, and was really pleased to be given an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Yet again, Carole delivers warm, likeable characters, this time wrapped up in festivegift wrap and a sparkly bow.

The book is a follow up to her previous 'Happiness for Beginners', and continues the story of Molly, Lucas and Shelby, with a whole host of supporting characters and of course, animals with big personalities.

I really enjoyed this gentle, warm read and hope it's not the last we hear of this lovely bunch!

Perfect to get you in the mood for Christmas.

This was just a sweet read. I wasn't disapointed at all. This wasn't the first book from this author and I got it what I expected.
4.5 stars

Carole does not disappoint this was a lovely follow up to Happiness for Beginners and I am really hoping for a third .... the characters are so well written and you can really relate to them ...... certainly worth curling up with a hot chocolate and enjoy the read

With great characters and some slightly excentric animals, this was a really enjoyable story from Carole Matthews. It has some really funny moments as well as a few more poignant ones. This story is a follow on from Happiness for Beginners, which I hadn't read but I honestly didn't feel I had missed anything because of that.

Set on Hope farm where Molly looks after some crazy animals with big personalities and helps children who find it hard to fit into mainstream education, with the help of Bev, Alan and Lucas, her partner's son; plus the new mayor, Matt, who is happy to lend a hand. I did like Molly, she is ever the peacekeeper and I felt she deserved more than her partner Shelby was giving. She is stoical in the face what the farm and her life presents her with but still keeps smiling and helping others. I really liked all the characters. especially Matt and Lucas.

A real bonus was the poetry. There were some fantastic poems that Lucas writes and I did enjoy these. At times I felt the story was a little slow but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Overall though, it is a lovely, gentle read which deals with some tough realities in a quiet manner. definitely worth a read.

The farmyard frolics turn decidedly festive in Carole's latest offering, Christmas for Beginners. Owner of Hope Farm Molly Baker and her support network of Bev and Alan have settled in well following the farm's relocation to pastures new (literally) but the issue of funding is never far from their minds. Gregarious Bev is on the case as ever and soon has the troops rallied for a Christmas Fayre event to be held at the farm. I mean, after the success of previous events what could possibly go wrong?
Molly's new romantic partner Shelby is significant by his absence - it's a wonder they are a couple at all as they are poles apart personality-wise but they do say opposites attract. Shelby's teenage son Lucas, has moved in to the plush new caravan with Molly, the two of them having a more parent/child relationship than either of them could hope for Lucas to have with his father - but there must be something in the air as Lucas is spending less time at home with Molly and more time at the poetry club in the village. But that's a good thing, right?
We are introduced to a wonderful selection of characters from throughout the local community from the dishy Mayor, who Bev has commandeered to switch on their Christmas lights, to the troubled parents of one of the students who attend Molly's classes at the farm, plus many others besides. There are also new resident animals on the farm who provide some hilarious moments - the old favourites are still going strong too thank goodness but if they keep trying to eat the cast of the nativity scene there could well be trouble!
This is a proper feel-good festive read, just what we need after the awful year we've had in the real world of 2020. It's not all starry-eyed happiness though, as Molly is left wondering if she's bitten off more than she can chew in taking on the role of Lucas's guardian in Shelby's continued absence. Help comes from an unexpected source in more ways than one and once more Carole leaves us with a warm glow of contentment as we turn the last page. Christmas can't get more Fluffy than this - can it?
Huge thanks to the publisher for granting me the opportunity to read this lovely book ahead of publication.

As soon as I heard about this book I knew that I would absolutely love it and I was right. It's a gorgeous and wonderful book.
This is the second book in the Hope Farm series. It can be read as a standalone book though, as the main protagonist, Molly recaps the previous events of the first book at the start. I highly recommend reading the first book though, as it's fantastic.
Molly doesn't really celebrate Christmas, but this year her assistant Bev decided that there would be a nativity held at the farm.
There is a lot of Christmas cheer in this book, it's a lovely easygoing festive read. There are some poignant and emotional scenes in this book. Overall though it is funny and heartwarming. Once I had started reading it, I had to carry on until I had finished it.
The animals are the highlight of the book, you can picture them and their various foibles and characteristics. The scenes with the animals are very entertaining and amusing.
If you have read the first book, you will have met most of the children already. It was lovely to see how the characters had developed, especially Molly and Lucas. I hope that there is another book in the series. I really look forward to reading more books by Carole Matthews. I have read most of her previous books and the Hope Farm books are definitely my favourites. I highly recommend them.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC.

I really enjoyed this book all the way through. It had a really good plot, great main characters and really keeps you hooked on the plot. I would highly recommend this book.

What a lovely follow up to Happiness for Beginners, the first in the Hope Farm series with owner Molly, 'foster' son Lucas and the lovely Bev and Alan. Not forgetting the motley crew of dogs and some mischievous alpacas....!

This was the perfect book to read at this moment in time. Realistic but funny with down to earth characters and it cheered me up immensely.

I always love Carole Matthews books and her writing style which puts you at ease from the first page and this 2as no exception.

I really hope there is another in this series.

Christmas for Beginners is a gorgeous festive sequel to Happiness for Beginners. Once again we’re back at Hope Farm with Molly and Lucas and an abundance of animals.

With Christmas fast approaching, Milly has been talked into hosting an open day at the farm to raise some much needed funds. Alongside naughty alpacas, anti social sheep, one-legged chickens and a feral cat Molly needs all the festive help she can get. She’s also look in forward to spending Christmas with Lucas and Shelby, Lucas’ dad but while Molly is making plans, it appears Shelby is making plans of his own.

I loved this book and found it impossible to put down. Quite simply, Carole Matthews has done it again. It’s beautifully written with relatable characters. You are easily drawn into the book and totally immersed into it. It’s a fabulous festive read that I can highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and the author for the chance to review.

Carole Matthews has captured my heart and soul with her beautiful book, this book is gorgeous to read especially near Christmas
It follows the world of Molly and her wonderful Hope Farm which has been settling into its new place after the new railway network went through their old farm
This farm is on the grounds of the local Manor House owned by local acting star Shelby who happens to be in a relationship with Molly and Molly looks after his son Lucas who doesn’t want to live with his famous father but would rather live with Molly in her caravan on the farm
The novel follows their chaotic lives filled with children who come to the farm daily as they can’t adapt to life in school or normal educational setting. So there are lots of people on the farm everyday needing help and Molly has a heart of gold and wants to help everyone
The poems in the book are amazing I loved reading them too

It was lovely to visit Hope Farm again. I love all the characters, and find the animals very funny, although sometimes annoying.
The book was full of unexpected twists and although the outcome was a little predictable with some, it still made a very interesting and enjoyable read.
It is a great preparation for the Christmas mood. I can recommend it absolutely anyone who loves a tender romance.