Dreaming of Christmas - T. A. Williams (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 12/09/2018

Author: T. A. Williams

Publisher: Canelo

Publication Year: 2018

Source: NetGalley 

Rating: 4.5/5

 

About the book:

 

It’s the dream Christmas: snow, mountains… and, er, an ex-boyfriend. But can Zoe still find love in the Alps? 

 

 Dumped on Christmas Eve by her long-term boyfriend, it's been a rough year for Zoe Lumsley. But then she gets an invitation she can’t refuse: an all-expenses paid skiing holiday with old university friends.

The bad news: her ex, Grant, will be there with his new girlfriend. But so will her former flatmate Billy, the organiser, and in the meantime, he’s done rather well for himself. As Christmas in the Alps approaches, it'll be great to see the old gang. Some more than others...

Perfect for readers of Tilly Tenant, Holly Martin and Philippa Ashley, this is the perfect magical Christmas getaway from the bestselling T.A. Williams. 

 

My Review:

 

          Not the first Christmas book I am reviewing this year, but the first one I read this year which has awakened in me an unquenchable thirst for more and more Christmas stories. The cover was not to my liking, but the blurb more than makes up for it. A reunion of uni friends in the snow-covered Austrian landscape, organised by a billionaire friend is the perfect background for the Christmas tale anyone can hope for.

        The direction of the story was quite obvious, or so I thought, until that small but relevant information is slipped to the readers: Billy is happily married to a beautiful wife. Well, you could imagine my shock at this revelation and the tension started to mount with each turn of the page. Finally, my poor little heart was not able to take it anymore, and let's just say it was not one of my proudest moments; yes, I did have a peek at the ending. Come on guys, don't make that nasty face at me. I am making this confession only to advise you not to make the same error of judgement. Trust the author. You will definitely love it however the story goes.

      Part of the charm of the novel lies with the amazing setting. One could feel the snow-topped Alps, thanks to the gripping narration, and Billy and Zoe's skiing expeditions only add to the adventure spirit. Zoe was easy to warm up to probably because of her clumsiness, something that I share with her. Her openness and wise advice persuade others to find a solid refuge in her and we couldn't resist loving her.  

       I don't know how much my review was able to do justice to this wonderful book. It seems I have rambled on quite long. Altogether a fabulous tale that I am going to cherish forever. 

 

Meet the author:

 

T.A. Williams lives in Devon with his Italian wife. He was born in England of a Scottish mother and Welsh father. After a degree in modern languages at Nottingham University, he lived and worked in Switzerland, France and Italy, before returning to run one of the best-known language schools in the UK. He’s taught Arab princes, Brazilian beauty queens and Italian billionaires. He speaks a number of languages and has travelled extensively. He has eaten snake, still-alive fish, and alligator. A Spanish dog, a Russian bug and a Korean parasite have done their best to eat him in return. His hobby is long-distance cycling, but his passion is writing.