Keeping a Christmas Promise

A perfect Christmas read. Freya and her three best friends make a trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights, in memory of another friend who had this experience on her bucket list. A fun read, but with more substance than most Christmassy stories, highlighting the importance of keeping local communities intact and unspoilt, despite commercial pressure to have tourists flooding in. There's also a budding romance.

Another fantastic read by Jo, I so adore her books her attention to detail re the area and the local delectable edibles is amazing especially at Christmas time and keeping a Christmas promise is no exemption!
Four female friends make a bucket list when they are young and carefree, sadly one dies and her three remaining friends are determined to fulfil her wish to see the northern lights, so they embark on a trip to Iceland in her memory, life has changed dramatically for all of them since they made the bucket list 25 years previously but they are all determined to complete this wish!
A quick break away turns into a much longer stay due to an avalanche cutting them off and leaving them stranded in the middle of nowhere! Saved by the charismatic petur and taken to his farm, the friends have no choice but to embrace the wintery landscape and in doing so find out so much about themselves but more importantly the value of friendship, community and kindness as the remote village pulls together to ensure the local community are provided for and kept warm and fed all ably assisted by the stranded tourists!
Icelandic traditions, foods and customs abound with a smattering of romance making for a delectable read just perfect for Christmas time.
Thank you netgalley for this early read.

This was an unusual but thoughtful read with a lot or warmth (amongst the ice), good food and genuine escapism. What should have been a three night stay in Iceland to see the northern lights on what would have been their friends 40th birthday goes very wrong when, whilst out trying to find the lights, an avalanche leaves then stranded in an isolated community which has very much learnt to look out and care for its residents over the years. What I loved most was the way the situation made the friends have to take time to stop and look at their lives and despite the difficulties of real life in rural Iceland and the hard work that supporting each other took it makes you think about true priorities in life. This is far from your average winter holiday read but it’s very uplifting and certainly makes you think about what truly matters. 9/10

I always enjoy books by this author but I really enjoyed this latest one. How wonderful to be stuck in Iceland in an area with no tourists and get to experience local life for a few days. The main character was interesting and I couldn’t put the book down, wanting to find out where each of the characters would end up after taking some time out to actually think about what was important to each of them. I’ve always wanted to to travel to that part of the world and after the author took me there in this wonderful story I’m even more eager to go there. Thank you netgalley

I absolutely love Jo Thomas and have read all her books several times. This is lovely story of three friends who go to Iceland to celebrate one of their friends 40th birthday - a promise was made to Laura before she died as she always wanted to see the Northern Lights. Freya, Meg and Joanna find themselves on a weekend break just before Christmas. But the best laid plans so to speak don’t go to plan ! when trapped by an avalanche in a very remote part of Iceland, and with little or no hope of getting back home in time for Christmas.
So they have to come to terms with having a different Christmas to the one they planned, ! And of course enter the handsome hero !
Loved the read but did find it a little different to the other stories but still loved it
As always my thanks to NetGalley and to Random House UK , Transworld Publishers and Penguin for the early read

Another delectable read . The atmosphere , food and traditions of Iceland ooze from each page capturing the senses and imagination in this feel good saga. Three friends fulfil their promise to the friend they lost 2 years previously and go to visit the Northern Lights . Their journey and experiences there are life changing . An excellent blend of atmosphere , traditions, self realisation , food and romance for added flavour

A heartfelt Christmas story of a group of friends who made a bucket list 25 years earlier. After the loss of one of them they decide to honour her wishes and end up in Iceland. Not everything goes to plan and they end up helping the Icelandic people. A great 5 star book.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

Jo Thomas never fails to bring a smile to my face and once again she delivers. This book is warm heartfelt funny breath holdingly amazing. I cannot recommend it enough.

Jo Thomas is the queen of escapism.
Every time I pick up one of her books I cannot put it down.
This book was possibly one of her best and I can't wait for the next ha!

Wow. I loved every page of this book, friendship, community, salmon and the northern lights to name just a few of the parts I enjoyed. It’s a book that will stay with me and one I’m sure I will read again at some point. The three women who set off for a few days in Iceland are changed forever. The safe house women, Knutur and Petur feel like old friends by the end of the book. I’ve always enjoyed Jo Thomas books but I think this is my favourite.

Another great book from Jo. I loved the plot, the characters and definitely the setting. A lovely book full of real warmth for the festive season.

From the moment I picked up this book and read of the friends fulfilling a promise in Iceland I was totally hooked. The descriptive writing made me long to visit Iceland whilst the discovery of the Icelandic food had my taste buds longing to just taste. The struggles of a young chef seeking the true path for her life and talents was also very compelling.
I would not hesitate to highly recommend this book. A delightful read……but be prepared….you too may find this strong longing to visit Iceland!

I absolutely love this authors books so was looking forward to this Christmas read. This was so much more than a Christmas book and was a journey of self discovery and dealing with Grief and loss and making life affirming decisions.

The author really brings the setting of this book to life with their descriptions of the sights and sounds and smells so that you feel like you have been transported on a journey to the depths of Iceland from
The comfort of your arm chair.

This is a story of friendship and of
Community coming together and of the importance of seizing every opportunity
That comes your way and living each day as though it’s your last.

This is a beautiful read which will stay with me for a long time and has made me want to see the northern lights even more.

I believe Jo Thomas may have surpassed herself with this new book. It's phenomenal, and completely and utterly transported my head and heart into a remote part of Iceland, far away from the normal tourist locations, and getting to know a real community.

It's a community that pulls together in times of need, like when an avalanche blocks the only safe way in and out of the village. I really loved how they went out of their way to help each. And after some initial reluctance, how our stranded heroines, also were able to help too.

For best friends, Freya, Meg and Joanne all promised their fourth, Laura, that they would fulfil her bucket list, even once she was no longer here. And they were determined to view the Northern Lights, on what would have been Laura's 40th birthday.

They are only meant to be in Iceland for 3 days, for some relaxation, Northern Lights gazing all before going back to their incredibly busy lives.

But the elves and trolls of Iceland clear had other ideas, after they went off the beaten track in search of lights, didn't heed the weather warnings and were incredibly lucky that they were near to Petur's farm.

The descriptions of the landscape, the wildness of this remote Icelandic location were all so vivid, you felt as though you were alongside the characters. And since Freya is a chef, there is, as you may expect from a Jo Thomas novel, a strong foodie focus in this story, and of food being able to evoke memories.

I was completely enchanted by this book, and completely and utterly devoured it. I couldn't get enough of the writing, and the story, the characters, and even as I'm writing this, I'm wondering just what is happening in their lives, a few hours after finishing the book.

There is also an important message about sustainable farming practices, and how important it is not to pollute the water, as well as how it can be good to every now and then take a pause on your life and reflect and re-discover just what it is that will make you truly happy.

A triumphant book that I am already missing being able to read more of. Simply wonderful.

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

“The Lights will show themselves when they’re ready to. Hunting them down won’t make them appear. Some things can’t be rushed.”

This will be remembered as my most unique Christmas read! I love that Jo Thomas has brought us something different than the regular ‘fall in love at Christmas’ book offering.

Thomas takes readers to Iceland where four friends are spending three days celebrating Laura’s 40th birthday by watching the Northern Lights. What makes this one different is that Laura has passed away and they are fulfilling a bucket list wish of hers. A few unforeseen events have the potential to turn this quick trip into a disaster, but it ends up being a Christmas to remember for a friend they’ll never forget.

It’s a foodie delight! Freya, the protagonist, is a chef and we see Iceland through her eyes. Thomas also focuses on environmental issues, sustainability, and elder care, while drawing our attention to the folklore of this island. She’ll have you believing in elves, longing for buried bread and putrid shark, and wishing you’d spent your childhood Christmases experiencing the Yule lads!

On a more serious note, I appreciated Thomas dealing with grief at Christmas as it’s not always a happy time for everyone. The time together highlighted arguments between the friends as they struggled to deal with their grief. The unplanned extended vacation meant that they had time and opportunity to see what was really important. I loved what it revealed in Freya’s life as I’ve recently appreciated the same lessons.

“Believe me, everyone in Iceland knows everyone else. It’s hard to change direction if everything around you is familiar. This place is somewhere for the women to take time out and get their lives back on track.” We all need a little red house and time to enjoy it, right?!

This book is stuffed with important lessons, nordic culture, great food and authentic characters. My favourite was Peter Snorrison!

The most important message for me was to learn to seize the day.

“We didn’t need to see the Lights to celebrate her life. We just needed to stop living ‘our best lives’ and take some time out to listen to our hearts.”

I was gifted this advance copy by Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Penguin and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

This is one of the most beautiful stories I have read in a long time. What appears to be a group of women going on a very expensive trip, goes so wrong - but so right! Decisions are made in a completely unexpected space that changes everyone's lives, individually and together.

This is an inspiring read about history and community and working together. I would recommend this to anyone!

Yet another great read from Jo Thomas .

Set in Winter in Iceland, Freya, Meg and Joanna go in search of the Northern Lights in memory of their friend Laura, the goal is to see the lights on what would have been her 40th birthday . Iceland's weather had other ideas and they are involved in a small accident in the middle of a snow storm... which culminates in an avalanche resulting in being stuck in a farmhouse with their host Petur. The village pulls together and the friends help out, learning quite a bit about each other despite being friends for over 20 years.


Great read... I'm hoping when I go to Iceland in October I will have an incident free trip...

Thank you for letting me read this book early. It is the first one I have read by Jo. The book was both sad and happy delving into the characters lives. It makes me want to go to Iceland even more. Will definitely be reading more from Jo Thomas.

What's not to love about this book, snow, Christmas and keeping a promise to a dying friend, loved everything about this book from the characters to the descriptive scenery and landscape of Iceland, we follow 3 friends each with their own problems in life who go to Iceland to fufill a promise they made to their friend Laura who sadly passed and that promise was to see the lights, after an avalanche stops them returning to their hotel after searching for the lights they find help and hope on a farm and end up helping in the community and making new friends along the way while they wait for the road to be clear again, it gives all 3 friends a time for reflection and they come to realise that the life they lead isn't the one they wanted or hoped for
Wonderfully written and so descriptive, I fell in love with the characters and the landscape, couldn't put this book down

Three friends make a pact to see the Northern lights when the 4th friend in the group dies. However things as in life don’t run smoothly which challenges the friends to reevaluate their lives. It’s a great storyline with wonderful characters who you can relate to as well as escape with. A book once you start you don’t want to put down. Don’t wait for Christmas.
Thanks to Jo Thomas for another great book and her publishers. Also thanks to NetGalley. An easy 5 stars.

I really enjoyed reading this book, the way the author brought both the characters and landscape to life made it incredibly easy to read and visualise the story as I went along. It's left me with a yearning to visit Iceland myself and see if I can find the village described as it sounds such a wonderful place to live with an idyllic Christmas where everyone came together to help each other and celebrate.
Seeing, through Freya's eyes, the way all the characters dealt with their issues and found their way to their own happy places made a lovely story as did seeing how each character's lives and choices made an impact on Freya in deciding her own fate.
This book has left me with a lot of warm fuzzy feelings, just what I want from a Christmas Romance!

I love Jo’s books and this one was no exception. I particularly enjoyed it as I am going to Iceland this December and it gave me a feel for what it could be like! Not the snowed in bit, but the gorgeous descriptions of the land and the food and traditions! The characters were well described and believable and I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

Another fabulous book by Jo Thomas.

To carry out the wish of their friend Laura, who wanted to see the Northern Lights, which she had on her bucket list, before she passed away, three friends are going to Iceland.

But, they didn’t expect to be involved in a crash whilst looking for the lights, and then having to stay in a village following an avalanche.

A really touching story, not too Christmassy, but one in which they each realise what’s really important to them.

Reading this, I felt that sometimes we need to step back sometimes, and think what’s important to us.

It was interesting reading about the Safe House, about a community looking out for each other.

I now really want to visit Iceland.

I recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance read of this wonderful book..
I felt like I was transported to Iceland from the first chapter, I was totally absorbed in the story and it was a quick read. A lovely read for this time of year to curl up with as the evenings start to get longer. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Who doesn’t love curling up with a good Christmas story once the nights start to pull in? This book ticks all the Christmas books. Great story, great characters and set to the back drop of Christmas. Recommend

If I could give this book 10 stars I would, it is one of my favourite books of the year !
A beautifully written story, that the reader doesn’t want to end .
The location comes alive to the reader, the strength of the Icelandic community and how they work to look after everyone is heartwarming. The stories of the three friends, the close bond between them and how they re found themselves was magical. I highly recommend this book,
A book which stays with you and you don’t want to end .
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House UK and Jo Thomas for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

Another wonderful treat of a book by the wonderful author Jo Thomas. As always it was uplifting, feel good and romantic. I loved being transported to Iceland and really felt like I was there along for the ride with all of the wonderful characters. Filled with Christmas Jo and spirit and fabulously uplifting. Don't miss this one.

I loved this book set in Iceland, there was such a wonderful feeling throughout it.

Friends Freya, Meg and Joanne are in Iceland to see the northern lights, which was on their friend Laura's bucket list, but sadly she died, so they are there on what would have been her 40th birthday to celebrate their friend. They are staying in a lovely Icelandic resort for a couple of days, but whilst driving out to try and find the northern lights they get stranded after a car accident and an avalance and end up staying with Petur, who ends up rescuing them, on his farm.

While they are stuck there they end up helping out the remote villagers by bringing them care packages of food, living in such a remote area everyone helps each other out in hard times, and Freya especially ends up helping Petur deliver items on horseback. There is also another person stranded, Frankie, and she is hiding a secret that eventually comes out.

This book was just so laid back and totally transported you to a village in the middle of nowhere, lots of snow and different customs. By the end of the book all the characters had reevaluated their lives, changing them for the better, some quite surprising!

A really wonderful book.

What a wonderful travel advertisement for Iceland (as long as you don't mint delays)..
This story carries an important message about Mother Nature, the eco system and following your heart.
The characters and scenery were vividly brought to life and I managed to deprive myself of sleep just so I could finish this entertaining story.

A definite case of following your heart over your head. Recommended.

I absolutely loved this book! It was the perfect Christmas read, i loved the sense of community and how everyone looked out for each other. A fantastic story of friendship and love which I would highly recommend to anyone looking for an uplifting festive read.