Joined in 2023 
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They’re building a snowman , sharing a bottle of Prosecco, getting know each other, getting so close to share an intimate kiss: yes, we’re introduced to our MCs: Didi and Shane at the first chapter but then we move forward: 13 years later, Didi works at her family hotel in Cotswolds, getting engaged for the third time, bumping into her first love Shane who stays at the most expensive hotel suit: the same boy whose father was in prison, suffering from poverty, working at several jobs to keep roof over his head at his young age becomes a tech millionaire. So the plot is everything but a read like this needs characters to match and of course Mansell delivers. All of the characters have a role to play and all of them have a plot thread and their chance to shine. I always love Mansell's characters and this was no different, they are incredibly realistic and it takes no time at all for them to feel like old friends. They laugh, cry and fall in love and the reader gets to experience all of this alongside them. Don't get me wrong, it's not the first work she's pumped out that felt that way, but this had to be the most recycled piece she's done. It read like a book generated from an auto-generator that had previous works of hers input. Or like a ghostwriter taking her bits and bobs and putting it together to recreate a work of Jill Mansell's. Then there is Rosa, Layla's mum who has the most amazing job, even if she can be a bit too kind hearted at times. The business she set up for herself sounds rather unique, definitely bespoke and I wonder if anyone has ever come up with this in the real world.
From quite early on I felt drawn into the book and at the same time a warmth glowing from the words, such is my love of this author. It felt comforting but new simultaneously. From the beloved author of IT STARTED WITH A SECRET comes a fabulous new novel about love, friendship and finding the way to your best life. I waited too long for both parties to come to their senses! Just because of extra unnecessary angsty, heartbreaking, long chapters, I cut some points and I gave three still I truly enjoyed this book but I wish it could be less angsty more romantic stars. ( by the way I also enjoyed the side stories of residents of Elliscombe but I think I wanted to concentrate on Didi and Shane’s second chance love story) The old spark is still there, but Didi’s determined to ignore it. As manager of a stunning Cotswolds hotel, she’s happy at last, and soon to be married. Anyway, Shay isn’t staying. He’s made a promise to his father. He’s going to keep it. And then he’ll be gone. But Shay’s return stirs up long-forgotten emotions, and the scandal that led him to leave raises its head once again. It’s time for buried secrets to come to light. And it seems that this was someone’s intention all along . . .
Jill Mansell
There are many plots going on at the same time, all interwoven in some way. I was completed drawn into each one of them and was concerned & joyous along with the characters as they went about their lives. One specific sub plot is about how fragile life is and the author handled this subject with great care and even humor.
The old spark is still there, but Didi's determined to ignore it. As manager of a stunning Cotswolds hotel, she's happy at last, and soon to be married. Anyway, Shay isn't staying. He's made a promise to his father. He's going to keep it. And then he'll be gone. If you like flushed out reads with three-dimensional protagonists, and emotionally meaningful love stories w/ a dash of smut and spice: this book is not for you. Rekindling old flames, sweet second chance love stories are one of my favorites romance themes after enemies to lovers which always comes at the first place! The beginning of the book was truly a fairy tale, magical, extra sweet-swoon-soft kind of adorable! Two 18 years old teenagers in Venice, it’s cold, snowing.I enjoyed the story and the characters had depth, which I am always a fan of. Even the supporting characters were important to the building of the main characters story. And the setting was brilliant! I love Jill Mansell’s sweet, heartfelt romcoms and I’m looking forward to read more of her works in near future. Now both Didi and Shane have to face the problems from their pasts and find the truth about the incident which forced Shane move away and broke Didi’s heart! One magical night in Venice, Didi fell in love. But it ended – and he left without even saying goodbye.
Didi and Shay were friends who went on one last group trip abroad before they all went their separate ways for uni, etc. They had some magical moments while there and started their relationship and all was going well until an incident causes everything to change. It is always a fabulous feeling to be settling down with a new Jill Mansell book, and this one is certainly up there with her very best. Even though I knew exactly what was going to happen, who would end up with whom. I still was fully invested in the storyline and loved it. I wanted to see the journey through and enjoy how we get to the happy endings. Didi en Shay ontmoetten elkaar 13 jaar geleden in Venetië, waar ze de 18e verjaardag van hun gezamenlijke vriendin Layla vierden. Tijdens een sprookjesachtige sneeuwnacht waarin ze allebei het hotel uitglipten, bleken ze een speciale klik te hebben en ze waren al gauw onafscheidelijk. Totdat een schandaal ervoor zorgde dat Shay halsoverkop vertrok, hij haar hart brak en zij hem nooit meer zag. Tot nu. One magical night in Venice, Didi fell in love. But it ended - and he left without even saying goodbye.
Christmas Cards & Gift Wrap
The characters were all great, well apart from the odd one or two. You can't love them all, but these two were meant to be hated. Then there were the characters that I wanted to know more about, I felt I could have a book about each of these people's storyline and I would be happy. I absolutely loved this story from beginning to end. We are treated a few viewpoints which gave us some rather interesting threads. I’m not typically a romance reading kinda girl, but this sounded so cute I had to give it a shot and thankfully, it lived up to my expectations. Super cute and perfect for a sit down with a cup of tea. But Shay's return stirs up long-forgotten emotions, and the scandal that led him to leave raises its head once again. It's time for buried secrets to come to light. And it seems that this was someone's intention all along . . . Finally best friends since childhood Didi and Layla the two main characters of the book. I really enjoyed getting to know both of them, and spent a fair bit of the book hoping they would come to their senses about the various men in their lives!
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