The Beachside Christmas: A hilarious feel good Christmas romance

Karen Clarke

Sep 2017 · Bookouture

About this ebook

Snow is falling and there’s romance in the air. Curl up for a cosy Christmas by the fire at Seaview Cottage…

When thirty-year-old Lily Ambrose’s latest relationship ends in disaster, she remembers happy childhood holidays in the seaside town of Shipley and decides it’s the perfect place for a fresh start.

But when Lily arrives, the town’s spirits are as low as her own: the local celebrity due to turn on the Christmas lights has gone on a cruise instead. Keen to prove herself, she calls in a favour and secures gorgeous reality star Ollie.

Lily’s neighbours are initially thrilled, but Ollie is as uncontrollable as he is good-looking. He can’t remember the town’s name, calls the Christmas decorations tacky, and manages to offend everyone. And whilst handsome but stubborn cameraman Craig tries to help, even he can’t stop Ollie’s madcap plans to stage a romance with Lily…

Will Lily be able to keep Ollie under control and bring the Christmas cheer back to Shipley – and find herself a real kiss under the mistletoe?

An addictive, heart-warming and uplifting read about friendship, romance, and Christmas spirit. Perfect for fans of Phillipa Ashley, Cathy Bramley and Debbie Johnson.

Read what people are saying about The Beachside Christmas:

‘Oh my goodness this was such a perfect Christmassy book!... The perfect Christmassy story that will have you smiling throughout!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Had me properly laughing… A light hearted, fun, easy to read story that will have you giggling, while also wishing your own house has far more Christmas lights!’ Rachel’s Random Reads, 5 stars

‘Karen Clarke has such a knack for writing hilariously funny one-liners. I have lost track whilst reading this how many times I’ve laughed out loud… This is a fabulous book!!... If you are looking for a light-hearted, funny, easy Christmassy read, then this is definitely the book you need! Saying that, just because it’s a Christmas book doesn’t mean you can’t read throughout the whole year!... Five Stars!’ Stardust Book Reviews, 5 stars

‘The Beachside Christmas is a fun and heart-warming read that had me feeling all toasty inside… Karen Clarke has become one of my must read authors and is one I can rely on to cheer me up and chase those bad old blues away.’ By the Letter Book Reviews, 4 stars

‘This book had me laughing from page one. The story was light, funny, warming and LOL all the way through. You can just imagine the town and the people in it being real and Lily is just too funny!!! I cannot recommend this book enough.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘This is a really fun-filled book and full of Christmas and all that goes with it… A perfect Christmas read and so enjoyable.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars

‘Another wonderful story by Karen Clarke.’ Little Miss No Sleep, 4 stars

‘Perfect to get you in the Christmas spirit!’ Read.Sleep.Knit, 4 stars

‘Humorous and realistic, this is a warm and cosy tale to snuggle up with.’ Met Line Reader, 4 stars

‘A funny story that will warm your heart and leave your belly hurting from laughter.’ Goodreads reviewer, 4 stars

‘I loved it… A lovely seasonal feel-good book.’ Goodreads reviewer, 4 stars

Ratings and reviews

First meeting the people of Shipley in The Beachside Sweet Shop, I couldn’t wait to get back. Now meet Lily, she’s just (on a whim fueled by a relationship loss that spilled over into her work) who has impulse-bought the cottage on Maple Hill that was previously owned by a former model-turned activist who caused no end of strife. Desperate to fit in and become part of the neighborhood, she’s attended the Christmas Decoration and Lighting Committee meeting, and soon finds herself offering up one of her best friend’s famous clients light the tree in a couple of weeks. Enter Ollie, shamed posh reality bad-boy who happens to be full of flash and not much substance, and his cameraman/best friend Craig. With plenty of charm and even more warnings, Lily is worried about impressions, fitting in, Ollie’s happiness so the lighting will go over well, and withstanding some intriguing moments with Craig. From the return of Doris Day, to her mother’s sharing of Lily’s trauma: a ‘separated’ man who went back to his wife, and wife showing up to berate her in front of a classroom full of 5 year olds, to her subsequent firing, and her nebulous desire to write a ‘novel’ Lily has plenty to deal with. But, suspicions over a neighbor’s infidelity, Ollie’s erratic behavior, her own inability to pen anything more than trite garbage and an offer from the local primary school for a position, she’s truly got plenty to sort out. Karen Clarke again brings laughter, real situations and some over the top conflict to the story, as she directs us through Shipley and the characters take over. Finding some peace for Lily in her choices, and her finding roots, happiness and a new start are the goals, but along the way she finds more direction, purpose and some solid friends who accept her and the craziness that came with Ollie, and a sense of peace that comes from having a place in this world. A wonderful story in this series, funny, heartfelt and even a bit outrageous (or maybe not so considering some relations) perfect for the holidays! I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.