Sarah Morgan’s The Holiday Cottage is a festive, feel-good novel about self-discovery, family, and new beginnings set in the idyllic Cotswolds. This book is known as “The Christmas Cottage” in the U.K.
Length: 352 pages.
Genre: Holidays
Summary:
Imogen, a successful marketing professional, hides behind a polished exterior, masking the truth of her difficult childhood and her disdain for Christmas. Her usual coping mechanism—burying herself in work—fails when burnout leads to a major mistake, forcing her into mandatory time off. She receives an unexpected invitation from her favorite client, Dorothy, to stay at her guest cottage in the Cotswolds. Holly Cottage, with its cozy charm, promises to be a sanctuary for Imogen as she seeks a fresh start. Meanwhile, Dorothy sees this as an opportunity to atone for her past, despite her daughter Sara’s concerns. With courage and healing, both women may find that this Christmas brings unexpected gifts of renewal and hope.
My Thoughts:
Sarah Morgan has delivered another heart-warming read with The Holiday Cottage, easily one of my favourite books from her in recent years. Set against the charming, festive backdrop of the Cotswolds, the story follows Imogen, a successful marketing professional whose seemingly perfect life conceals a much more complicated reality.
Imogen is the quintessential career woman. She’s proud of her accomplishments, especially given the difficult childhood she endured with a self-absorbed single mother. But while her professional image is polished, her personal life is anything but. Her colleagues don’t know that her glowing stories of family holidays are fabrications—she’s always escaped Christmas by burying herself in work. That is, until her inevitable burnout forces her boss to give her an unwelcome gift: a month off work.
Enter Dorothy, Imogen’s favourite client, who offers her a stay at her guest cottage, Holly Cottage, in the picture-perfect Cotswolds. Little does Imogen know that this enforced holiday will change her life in ways she never expected.
What I loved most about this book was how Morgan crafted Imogen’s character. It’s easy to empathise with her, and as the story unfolds, you can’t help but root for her. Her transformation—from a woman who relies solely on herself to someone open to the possibility of love and belonging—is deeply satisfying. The relationship between Imogen and Dorothy, too, is full of depth, as both women try to make peace with their pasts in different ways.
Morgan expertly blends the cosy, feel-good elements of Christmas with themes of family, self-discovery, and healing. The vivid descriptions of Holly Cottage—complete with a thatched roof and a roaring fireplace—set the perfect holiday atmosphere, making it an ideal read for the festive season.
Final Thoughts:
If you’re looking for a story that will warm your heart and leave you smiling, The Holiday Cottage is a must-read. It’s a lovely reminder of the power of connection and the magic that can happen when we least expect it.
Some Of The Other Christmas Books I’ve Reviewed Written by Sarah Morgan:
Rebecca (the Farm Wife)
Oh yay, glad to hear this one is a good read – the cover + premise keep catching my eye 🙂 I may have to try and sneak it into the pile, hehe
thathappyreader
I hope that you enjoy it Rebecca! It’s a great story.
Jonetta | Blue Mood Café
Lovely review, Jodie💜 Sarah Morgan is normally a slam dunk for me.
thathappyreader
She is for me as well Jonetta!
Molly | Transatlantic Notes
I used to live in and around the Cotswolds and it really is the perfect setting for something cozy and Christmas-themed. This sounds delightful.
thathappyreader
It does sound like a lovely setting! I must visit one day. ☺️
Carla@CarlaLovesToRead
Wonderful review, Jodie. I want to listen to this one, but I couldn’t get anymore books from Hoopla until November 1st. I’m ready to click that button tomorrow. It sounds exactly like what I love about her books, as well as Christmas stories.
thathappyreader
I hope that you love it as much as I did Carla.