Book Review – A Surprise Christmas Wedding by Phillipa Ashley

We all know that sometimes surprises are good – those joyous moments when you meet up with a loved one that you haven’t seen in a while, a party that has been thrown in your honour, or a tasty treat that has ingredients that you weren’t expecting. Sometimes, however, the surprise isn’t quite so joyous. So is the case for Lottie, whose ex-fiancé Connor decides to get married to someone else one year later in the very Lake District estate where Lottie is the event planner.

The job itself is new and this is the first wedding that Lottie will be planning at the estate. Knowing she needs to shine in order to market the venue and impress her boss, she takes Connor’s lead and doesn’t let on that the two have a past. Lottie knows the importance of living each day to the fullest and not looking back. Her sister Steph’s past year has told her this. She’s looking forward now and the good-looking groundskeeper Jay has piqued her interest. Jay also notices Lottie, but has a past that holds him back. The two not only have become co-workers but friends as well. Can they learn to trust one another with their hearts?

I found this lovely book to be very entertaining. The setting of the estate at Christmas is described beautifully – the wedding planning was an added bonus. I loved the theme of moving on after life-changing events: something we all need to consider during this time in our own history. The characters are well developed and likeable. The story is believable and I felt engaged throughout.

I listened to the audiobook version of the book which was narrated by Laura Kirman. I enjoyed her performance and found her voice to be articulate and sweet- a great choice for the role of Lottie. I would not hesitate to recommend the audiobook version of the book to those that appreciate this format.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for the honest review provided here.

My rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5.