I bet you never thought that hamster could be the star of a Christmas novel, did you? I know I didn’t, and I honestly could not resist trying to be a part of this publication blitz. Thank you again so much to Rachel for including me in this blitz tour. Banner leads you to the schedule and more info, so let’s get going!

Cam’s career and romantic prospects take a nose dive once she becomes guardian to her young nephew. She leaves a bustling Dutch city to move to a small, dull country town in England, and where once she restored magnificent old paintings to their former glory, now she operates the paint-mixing machine at a soulless hardware store. As much as she adores little Rowan, life has lost some of its sparkle.

However, a handsome and charming customer causes her heart to flutter once more. Fate, alas, seems determined to hamper any possibility of them getting together. So what chance does a tiny, naughty hamster have of bringing happiness this Christmas?

This is a festive, light-hearted and uplifting romcom novella.

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I’m an English expat living in France, having moved here with my family in 2006 after fourteen years as an expat in Ireland. Taking on seventy-five acres with three lakes, two hovels and one cathedral-sized barn, not to mention an ever increasing menagerie, makes for exciting times. The current array of animals ranges from alpacas to zebra finches, with most letters of the alphabet represented. And of course there are hamsters!

I’m a traditionally-published author of many children’s books, and have been self-publishing fiction and non-fiction for adults for the last seven years. I combine freelance work as an editor with running carp fishing lakes with husband Chris. When time allows I enjoy cycling, geocaching, knitting and gardening.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and Stephanie Dagg for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

I swear cute little animals are going to be the death of me one day. I honestly would not have thought that I would have found a book staring a hamster to pull at my heartstrings like it did, and it was just an adorable Christmas themed novel. Sure, the hamster wasn’t the main star of the novel – although maybe it should have been! Break the barriers, fam – but it did have such a cute part to the story that I couldn’t help myself.

I can only imagine how much someone’s life can shift when they have an added responsibility of another person to care for. In Cam’s case, she now has to keep her nephew alive by assuming the role of his guardian. For someone that doesn’t have kids, and has never had that kind of responsibility thrust upon me, I don’t even know if I could handle it just like that. No wonder Cam just felt like things were turned upside down. I mean, imagine what Rowan is going through, having to live with someone that he probably isn’t used to and has to get used to this new life. On both sides, it’s going to be a challenge to get used to everything, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t do it. They just have to work together and learn how to live with and love one another, right?

Definitely sounds easier than it looks, but that’s the magic of getting to experience it in a book like this.

While this book does deal with some heavy theme at some points, I do feel like in the end, it was a really nice feel-good story that gives me hope for this holiday, and all the ones to come. This story about a new family, and new relationships was so warm and nice.