When Mabel Clutterbuck left her home town 27 years ago, she never looked back. She left behind the grave of her husband who disappeared without a trace. She left behind her sister Clara, who she had a major falling out with and had never spoken to since and she left behind her mother, although she did at least speak to her relatively regularly. What she built in her new home was a new life building up a business as a vintage seller. She found interesting pieces wherever she could and sold them for a profit. Mabel never really fell in love again, although she did find company on occasion.
Mabel is shocked when she receives a phone call advising that she needed to come and see her mother immediately, as her sister, Clara, has disappeared. Mabel reluctantly agrees to return to Merrycombe Bay, but only until her sister can be located and returned home. When she arrives back in town she realises that not a lot has changed in the seaside town. Her mother and Clara live in the same house with the same nosy neighbours.
While Mabel visits her confused mother who often mistook her for Clara, Mabel beings to appreciate Clara's efforts. She also begins to appreciate Dave Bright, gardener at the care home and all round good guy. But Mabel isn't in town forever, so there is no point in beginning something...is there? And does she even deserve the chance to fall in love.
Initially Mabel is quite a prickly character. Can she thaw out enough to start to rebuild her life in Merrycombe Bay, what new insights can she gain into the events of 30 years previous, and could these insights help her to start a new stage of her life, both in her family, her love life and her business.
If you are looking for a festive read that will make you smile and maybe even tear up, look no further! This book has it all. I loved Mabel with all her quirks. I loved the Christmas shop that she started adn the way that she started to build and rebuild relationships with the people. I would love to visit Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium to see what treasures I could find!
I hadn't read Nicola May before but I feel like I have found a new author to keep an eye out for in the future!
I am sharing this review with New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog and with British Isles Friday hosted at Joy's Book Blog. Thanks to the publisher and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy. Be sure to check out other stops on the blog tour below. And if you are in the UK, don't forget to enter the giveaway below.
Rating 4/5
Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium
When Mabel Clutterbuck opens a Christmas shop in sleepy Merrycombe Bay, she has no idea how much her little emporium is about to change the hearts and minds of the people who live there.
Mabel Clutterbuck reluctantly returns to the seaside town she grew up in to be closer to her ailing mother. However, the old woman’s fading memories keep confusing Mabel with her sister Clara - the sister who sacrificed everything to care for their mother before recently disappearing without trace.
Determined to breathe new life into the old shop Clara used for her crafting endeavours, Mabel transforms it into Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium, a magical haven filled with vintage decorations, festive treasures, and a little bit of wonder.
The true magic, however, lies in Mabel's Lucky Dip Gift Boxes. Carefully chosen for the hidden heartaches of the customers who buy them, each one brings comfort, hope, and unexpected joy. Not everyone in Merrycombe Bay is convinced, though, especially the formidable ladies of the local WI!
As Christmas approaches, an unexpected romantic encounter gives Mabel a glimpse of a future she never thought possible. And while she helps others find happiness, she begins to heal the parts of herself she thought would remain broken.
But beneath the sparkle of fairy lights and festive cheer, old wounds refuse to stay buried. Why did Clara leave Merrycombe Bay? And if she returns, will Mabel lose everything she's finally found - including the future she never thought she deserved.
Heartwarming, uplifting and sprinkled with Christmas magic, Mrs Clutterbuck's Christmas Emporium is a story of family secrets, second chances, unexpected romance, and the power of kindness.
Purchase Link -
https://amzn.eu/d/0h1XusUq
About the Author
Nicola
May is a bestselling author renowned for her heartwarming and humorous romantic
comedies. With twenty-three books to her name, her work has captured readers'
hearts around the world, has been translated into fifteen languages and
consistently ranks in the top 100 of Amazon's Kindle bestseller charts. When
she’s not writing, she enjoys cream teas in her beloved Devon, hikes through
nature, and occasionally places a bet on the horses.
Social Media Links –
i: author_nicola
fb: Nicola May Romance Author | Facebook
Giveaway to Win a signed Copy of Mrs Clutterbuck’s Christmas Emporium
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