“Every piece of tinsel, tree decoration and Santa/snowman/robin ornament they had had been dragged out of storage and used to adorn the rooms, private and public.” (Quotation page 229)

Content

Maisie Samson, forty years old on New Years Eve, which will be soon, is back at the family owned The Driftwood Inn on Gull Island, a small, quiet island, part of the Isles of Scilly. Used to work in a pub, she is now going to help her parents and taking over Driftwood inn. One year ago, everything had been very different, together with Keegan, their baby would be born in summer, but then she lost her baby and Keegan left her too. Business in winter is not easy at Gull Island, cold, rainy, all tourists have left and the staff to. Therefore, when charming Patrick McKinnon from Melbourne asks for a job until March, he seems the perfect solution, almost heaven-sent for Gull Island. Romance is in the air, but also a secret around Patrick.

Theme and Genre

A romantic, seasonal story that takes place on a small Cornish Island around Christmas. Book one of a series of three.

Characters

The characters are likeable, caring, and show a wide range of different persons living on such a small island, trying to make ends meet to earn a living.

Plot and Writing

The main character of the story is Maisie and this is a funny, cozy story about friendship, love, but also problems in a small community, living on a quiet island. Most of all it is a story about the magical Christmas time, and people who know how to come together and celebrate. Not all events are joyful because not everybody wants to keep a tourism that is related to nature and the beauty of this small Cornish island, but to go for modern, sophisticated, expanded tourism. Repeated hints about Patrick’s secret are obviously written to bring more suspense in the storyline, in my opinion not necessary in this kind of pleasant Christmassy story.

Conclusion

A cosy, enjoyable story, likeable characters, lots of Christmas spirit, perfect reading for dark winter evenings around Christmas time.