Book Review: How to Stuff Up Christmas by Rosie Blake

Synopsis:

Eve is heartbroken after discovering her fiance is cheating on her. Being surrounded by the joys of Christmas is more than Eve can bear, so she chooses to avoid the festivities by spending Christmas alone on a houseboat in Pangbourne. Eve gets gets an unexpected seasonal surprise when handsome local vet Greg comes to her rescue one day, and continues to visit Eve's boat on a mission to transform her from Kitchen Disaster Zone to Culinary Queen. 

But where does Greg keep disappearing to? What does Eve's best friend Daisy know that she isn't telling? And why is there an angry goose stalking Eve's boat? 

My Review!

Ok, I know it's January, the Christmas music is no longer playing in all the shops and the Christmas decorations are down and packed away in the loft, (sob!) no more eating chocolate for breakfast and binge watching your favourite festive films but who says you cannot keep reading Christmas books!? I say festive reads are for life.. Not just for Christmas!

This is my first book for 2018 and also my first book by Rosie Blake. I really enjoyed this book and so happy knowing that I have a few of her books lined up in my 'to be read' pile.

This book focuses on two characters, Eve and Greg. Each chapter changes between them both which I really love in a book. I found that some scenes are repeated but I really like to read both the female and male point of view.

I really liked the character Eve, who works at an Estate Agents with her best friend Daisy. Eve is heartbroken after finding out that her fiancé (Liam) cheated on her. After a messy breakup, arguing over the parental rights to their dog (Marmite) and it nearing Christmas (a year ago since Liam proposed, them wearing matching Christmas jumpers in their love bubble) she decides to put herself on a pottery course and take herself and Marmite to stay on a houseboat in Pangbourne for a few weeks in December. 

You meet Greg who is the local Vet at Pangbourne, straight away he comes across as such a loveable male character. After coming to Eve's rescue on the boat they soon hit it off, I wanted to jump into the book give Eve a big hug and tell her to forget loser Liam and yay to Greg! Greg visits Eve many times on her boat, and after reading his side of a scene you know he deliberately goes her way on the off chance of running into her. (awwww!)

Eve is a terrible cook, usually letting Liam do all the cooking during dinner parties and after food poisoning her friends she decides to try again and learn how to cook on the houseboat, with Greg's help she becomes more confident, baking lots of Christmas goodies. I loved that some chapter's of the book started with a different recipe with all things Christmassy, Christmas cookies, fruit loaf and Christmas pudding! Yum!

Although some things aren't what they seem, Greg keeps having to disappear and Daisy is acting strange keeping something back from Eve. This book kept me guessing right until the end, I did try to guess a few times, convinced I knew the truth and getting it wrong, so the last few chapters I was gripped!

This is a must read whatever the season! I really hope Rosie Blake brings out a follow on from this one, would love to catch up with all the characters! 

Buy the Book!