This year, for my Christmas feature, I've invited several authors and book bloggers for a fun Christmas Interview. My next guest is author Bella Osborne:

Hi Bella and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First of all, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi Alba, Thank you for having me on your blog today, it’s lovely to be here. I live in Warwickshire, England with my husband, daughter and a cat who thinks she’s a dog and I write romantic comedy novels that have a bit of a gritty side too.

You have a new story, Ottercombe Bay, out later this month of December. I see it's the first part of a serialised novel. Tell us a bit about what it'll be about.

My fourth novel ‘Ottercombe Bay’ is set in a fictional Devon seaside town. It’s the story of Daisy who is forced to return to Ottercombe Bay when a relative leaves her something unusual in their will. As the place where her mother died the town holds sad memories as well as a number of questions for Daisy, so she must come to terms with her past before she can make something of her future. With a cast of quirky locals, a few gin cocktails and a black pug with lots of attitude, there’s more to the sleepy town than Daisy remembers.

Ottercombe Bay is being released as a four part e-book serial. Part one is out 28th December with the others following at six week intervals and the paperback of the whole story will be published summer 2018.

Now that Christmas is fast approaching, let's talk Christmas presents. Have you bought all your presents already or you'll have to squeeze a last minute shopping trip on Christmas' Eve?

I’m a big forward planner so my Christmas shopping is all done, there’s just the wrapping to do which is the part I really love. There’s nothing more festive than sitting down by the fire with a glass of Baileys and a Christmas film whilst being knee-deep in wrapping paper and bows! And I usually have a the cat to ‘help’ me too!

Which book is on top of your wish list this year? 

There’s a few on my list this Christmas but I think the one I’ve been itching to read is Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, because everyone’s been talking about it this year.

Is there a movie or a book you always revisit during the holidays? 

Yes! I always watch Love Actually (I’m a huge Richard Curtis fan) and Home Alone on the run up to Christmas. I also love to dig out the Royle Family Christmas Specials because they are so funny and I really miss the series.

Who's your Favourite Christmas Villain from these? 

- The Grinch

- The angry elf in Elf

- Old Man Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life

- Scrooge in a Christmas Carol

That’s a tricky one but I’ll go with Scrooge because he’s such a Christmas icon and it’s a story I enjoy whether it’s reading the book, watching the black and white Alastair Sim film or the Muppets musical version.

And finally, if you could spend Christmas with a fictional character, who would you pick?

That would have to be Harry Potter, who wouldn’t want to spend Christmas at Hogwarts and have a jumper knitted by Mrs Weasley?

Many thanks for having me on the blog. Here’s wishing you and all your followers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thank you so much Bella for stopping by and sharing some Christmas cheer with us! 

Connect with Bella Osborne:

Twitter: @osborne_bella

Facebook: Bella Osborne

About the Book:

Title: 

Author: Bella Osborne

Published: December 28th 2017 by Avon

Amazon | Amazon UK 

Blurb: Escape to the Devon coast, with Part One of a brand-new four-part serial from the author of Willow Cottage.

Daisy Wickens has returned to Ottercombe Bay, the picturesque Devon town where her mother died when she was a girl. She plans to leave as soon as her great uncle’s funeral is over, but Great Uncle Reg had other ideas. He’s left Daisy a significant inheritance – an old building in a state of disrepair, which could offer exciting possibilities, but to get it she must stay in Ottercombe Bay for twelve whole months.

With the help of a cast of quirky locals, a few gin cocktails and a black pug with plenty of attitude, Daisy might just turn this into something special. But can she ever hope to be happy among the ghosts of her past?

This year, for my Christmas feature, I've invited several authors and book bloggers for a fun Christmas Interview. My next guest is book blogger Emma, from Star Crossed Reviews:

Hi Emma and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First of all, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hello!!! For those of you that don’t know my name is Emma and I love reading. You may have previously known me as Chicklit vs Fantasy. My favourite genres if you hadn’t already guessed are Chicklit and Fantasy, I also love the sub genre paranormal and I read a lot of YA fantasy. have recently got into crime books too. I’m 28 but still pretending I’m 23. I live with my boyfriend and our Frenchie Basil. I have 5 brothers and growing up being the only girl taught me a lot about the other sex and exactly how to get them to see things your way. I’m a chocoholic and a bit of foodie. I love to eat but only enjoy cooking when I have a lot of time. I’ve always been a girly girl who loves make up and nails but I’m not the best at either lol. I’ve been a book blogger for 4 years now and it’s hands down the best decision I ever made.

Now that Christmas is fast approaching, let's talk about Christmas presents. Which book is on top of your wish list?

Ooo definitely Karen Swan’s new book The Christmas Secret. I love Karen Swans books.

If you could only get ONE Christmas present, what would you ask for?

I found this such a toughie! Probably PJ’s. I love new PJ’s for christmas! 

If you had to choose a book for an adult who's not a big reader as a Christmas present, which book would you choose? 

Oh I found this so tough. I think I would go for something funny. I recently read Tracy Bloom’s No one ever has sex series which really made me laugh. 

If you could sneak into a literary world during this holiday, then which one would you pick?

Ooooo I would sneak into Holly Martin’s A Town Called Christmas from her series of the same name. It’s so festive! 

Actually, talking about literary worlds, if you had to choose between Disney World and The Wizarding World of HP for a visit during Christmas, which one would you choose?

Ooooo Harry Potter for sure!!!! I have been to Warner Bros studio and I am dying to go to The Wizarding World in Orlando.

Do you have any recommendations for bookish gifts for bookworms (that are not books)?

I love mugs with bookish quotes! I have some which are related to Aven Ellis books and I adore them!

What's your favourite Christmas food? 

Oh that is so difficult. I think it has to be Christmas Cake but I do love all the food. I love the Christmas Day roast with cranberry sauce. I do love a good bit of mince pie and christmas pud with a lot of cold custard!

Any British specialities that you think should be available the whole year, not only during the festive season?

Costa’s christmas drinks!!!! I wait all year for those. Me and my friends always make a Christmas Costa date on the first friday after they come out. 

And finally, what's your favorite festive read?

Oh just one??? Erm ok this was a tough decision, Christmas at under a Cranberry Sky by Holly Martin.

Thank you so much Emma for stopping by and sharing some Christmas cheer with us! 

Connect with Emma:

Blog: Star Crossed Reviews

Twitter: @starcrossed89

Facebook: Star Crossed Reviews

This year, for my Christmas feature, I've invited several authors and book bloggers for a fun Christmas Interview. My next guest is author Sarah Bennett:

Hi Sarah and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First of all, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi! Firstly, let me thank you so much for inviting me to feature on your blog, I very much appreciate it. I’m a military spouse, writing full time from home. Home is wherever the RAF send us, currently Buckinghamshire, but we are hoping to find our forever home in 2018 so we have somewhere to finally put down some roots.

Your latest book, Christmas at Butterfly Cove, is your third book set in Butterfly Cove. Tell us a bit more about it.

The series focuses on three sisters. Each one is the main focus of a different book and Christmas at Butterfly Cove is about Nee, the youngest of the three. She’s an artist who’s hit rock bottom, both professionally and personally and the book follows her in the lead up to, and over the festive season as she tries to comes to terms with the chaos in her life.

Would you like to spend your own Christmas at Butterfly Cove?

Absolutely! I had so much fun creating the place, and it feels almost real to me now. My favourite thing about it is that each of the guest rooms are themed so you can stay in a cosy country cottage, the calming forest room, the bright sunny beach room or the opulent harem suite. I couldn’t just visit once though, I’d have to go back and try them all! The series revolves around family, and Mia, the eldest sister and owner of Butterfly House is a real nurturing spirit. I’d love to sit in front of the log fire with a cosy blanket on my knee and a plate of homemade mince pies. 

Actually, talking about where to spend Christmas. Would you rather spend it on a turquoise water beach with a cocktail in your hand or in the Polar circle surrounded by husky puppies? 

Both sound wonderful for different reasons. I think I’d go with the Polar adventure though as I absolutely love the snow and maybe I’d get lucky enough to see the Northern Lights.

Is there a movie or a book you always revisit during the holidays?

I’m a real sucker for a feelgood film, so I love the classics. Something that needs a hanky, but ends happily so things like It’s a Wonderful Life, or Little Women.

Do you cook during Christmas or let others cook for you? If you do, what's your star dish?

I’m more of the assistant cook than the main chef. Mum does all the hard stuff and I do the trimmings. My speciality (if you can call it that) is making tuna melts for Christmas Eve supper. It’s a quick and easy meal and not too heavy before the full blow-out of Christmas Day.

And finally, if you could spend Christmas with a fictional character, who would you pick?

Ooh, that’s a tough one. I’m not sure I’d enjoy the lack of modern conveniences, but I’d love to spend Christmas with Jo March and the other Little Women gathered in their cosy parlour and singing songs around the piano.

Thank you so much Sarah for stopping by and sharing some Christmas cheer with us! 

Sarah Bennett Author Bio

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK. You can also look forward to a new series coming in 2018, set in the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay.

Connect with Sarah:

Twitter: @Sarahlou_writes

Facebook: Sarah Benett Author 

About the Book:

Title: Christmas at Butterfly Cove

Author: Sarah Bennett

Published: October 6th 2017 by HQ Digital

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | iBooks

Blurb: All she wants for Christmas…

When talented artist Nee Sutherland returns to Butterfly Cove for her sister’s wedding, it’s only a matter of time before she has to face her own bridegroom – Luke Spenser – the man she impulsively married, then left in the middle of the night.

Nee hasn’t picked up her paintbrushes in months, a part of her is broken. She knows Luke might never forgive her, leaving him was the biggest mistake of her life – but could coming home for Christmas be the best decision she’s ever made?

Maybe all she needs is a little Christmas miracle…

A delightfully feel-good festive romance, perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.

Today's book review is for the festive story Covent Garden in the Snow by Jules Wake. This is definitely the perfect story to read during these dates! Read my thoughts about it here:

Title: Covent Garden in the Snow

Author: Jules Wake

Published: November 16th 2017 by HarperImpulse

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: Tilly Hunter has fabulous friends, her dream job as a make-up artist with a prestigious opera company and Felix, her kind and caring husband to be. It looks set to be the most perfect Christmas yet!

But when a monumental blunder forces her to work closely with new IT director Marcus Walker, it's not only the roast chestnut stalls on the cobbles of her beloved Covent Garden that cause sparks to fly…

Super serious and brooding, Marcus hasn’t got a creative bone in his sharp-suited body. For technophobe Tilly, it's a match made in hell.

And yet, when Tilly discovers her fiancé isn’t at all what he seems, it's Marcus who's there for her with a hot chocolate and a surprisingly strong shoulder to cry on… He might just be the best Christmas present she’s ever had.

Review: Covent Garden in the Snow is a really fun and festive read. It it is set in an opera house in Convent Garden, which I found fascinating. I know nothing about opera but the author has clearly done a lot of research and she shares with us everything that goes on behind curtains. I found it especially interesting, to read about how everyone researches everything for the productions, and how attentive they are with the little details. Everything needs to be on point to make the audience believe in the magic of the opera. I am definitely booking a trip to the opera next time I'm in London.

And our main character, Tilly, fits just right in this world. She is a make up artist and she loves her job and everything it entails. It doesn't leave her much time for a private life but her fiancé doesn't seem to mind. He's quite the easy going type, but I have to say I didn't like him, especially how Tilly was when he was with him, more subdued. I much preferred her more passionate side, even if it got her into trouble more than once. Especially with the new IT guy. I was really curious about him since the beginning and I found it really fun to read how out of place he was surrounded by artists. 

The whole story is surrounded with Christmas magic, especially when it snows in Covent Garden and everyone goes a bit crazy. Even if some of the twists in the story are quite predictable and some of the drama going on is a bit over the top, it worked really well as a whole and I enjoyed reading it a lot. It is definitely a perfect story to escape to in this time of the year and get lost backstage of such a fascinating world. Also, it was also a really fun story, which made me smile and laugh more non-stop.

Rating: 4 stars

I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.

This year, for my Christmas feature, I've invited several authors and book bloggers for a fun Christmas Interview. My next guest is author Rachel Burton:

Hi Rachel and welcome. Your debut, The Many Colours of Us, is about Julia Simmonds who embarks on a journey of self-discovery when she finds out who her father is. Tell us a bit more about her and what sparked this idea.

The idea actually came when I was re-reading Bleak House by Charles Dickens. I was playing with the thought of writing a modern day version of the book and, in particular, the story of Esther - an orphan who finds out her parents are alive after all and her mother is very wealthy (well sort of, being Dickens it's a lot more tragic than that!). I wondered how such a story would play out in modern day London and so the first threads of the Many Colours of Us were woven together! Throw in a gorgeous solicitor and some mysterious letters and.....

And what can we expect from you next?

My second book, The Things We Need to Say, is out with HQ Digital on 11 May 2018 and is up for preorder now. It's the story of a marriage and of life not working out the way you want, it's about grief and hope and love and happiness and I have my fingers firmly crossed that you will all like it! 

Now that Christmas is fast approaching, let's talk about Christmas settings. Would you rather spend it on a turquoise water beach with a cocktail in your hand or in the Polar circle surrounded by husky puppies? 

Absolutely on the beach. My mum's side of the family live in Australia and the best Christmases have been spent in the sun on the beach. I'm not a fan of winter at all! 

If you could sneak into a literary world during this holiday, where would you go?

I do love a Christmas book and if it's a Christmas book set somewhere warm all the better - this year I've really enjoyed Maxine Morrey's The Christmas Holiday (which takes place in India, Malaysia and Florida so mostly nice and warm) and Victoria Cooke's The Holiday Cruise, which has a brilliant Christmas scene in the Caribbean. Either of those suits me just fine! 

Would you like to write a festive story yourself?

It's not something I've thought about to be honest although now I'm definitely thinking about a Christmas Down Under book! 

And finally, what's the 2018 new release you are most looking forward to?

There's two that I can highly recommend so far and have been lucky enough to have already read. Firstly, if you want a thriller with a difference then The Chalk Man by CJ Tudor is out in January. If historical fiction is more in your line then Island in the East by Jenny Ashcroft is a truly beautiful read. It's not out until June but the ebook is available on Amazon now. 

Title: The Many Colours of Us

Author: Rachel Burton

Published: April 27th 2017 by HQ Stories

Amazon | Amazon UK