Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery audiobook

This was a great book to read while snowed in over Christmas... light, cute, and festive. I often have trouble connecting with the characters when I don't start from the beginning of a series, but it wasn't really a problem here. Starting from the beginning may have added a little to my enjoyment, but I never felt lost or had to keep going back to remind myself who a character was. They're all quite unique. Of course, one of my favorite parts of the story is the pet puffin, Neil. I just can't resist a cute animal character, especially one so charming and unusual. Polly is the resident baker of Mount Polbearne, where everyone knows everyone. She's happy to own and run the Little Beach Street Bakery, even if she struggles with money. She lives in a ridiculously cold lighthouse with ridiculously handsome boyfriend Huckle and a ridiculously awesome pet puffin. She's looking forward to Christmas and maybe carving in some time off, but everyone seems to need want her help at once. Her best friend's husband insists she cater his Christmas festivities. She would love to say no, but gives in when she realizes what she can selflessly do with the money. Having drifted away a little from best friend Kerensa for a bit, she soon learns the reason why her bff is acting funny. She has a huge secret she must keep from her husband, and tells Polly but insists she keep it from Huckle, who is best friends with her husband. It makes everything awkward and tense... can all of these relationships survive past Christmas? So sweet at times it'll hurt your teeth, outlandish, but immensely readable and enjoyable. The characters are so much fun to read. I believe this is supposed to be the final book, but find myself hoping it continues. I can always go back and read the first two, however!

Rounding up from 3.5 stars.A sweet, enjoyable finish to the Little Beach Street Bakery trilogy. Polly, Huckle, and (of course) Neil the puffin are back for further adventures. There are secrets and drama along the way, but (no surprise) we get the HEA we've been expecting, and it's a treat to see it all come together. Plus, plenty more of Polly's excellent baking -- yum!

Dual review with Swedish first and then English! SWEDISH REVIEW Vilken härlig bok. Jag har inte läst de två tidigare böckerna om Polly Waterfords äventyr i Mount Polbearne, men jag längtar efter att göra det. Jag blev faktiskt förvånad över hur allvarlig bokens tema var, självklart fanns det en hel del roliga stunder, men boken tog upp allvarliga frågor som Kerensas STORA hemlighet, samt Pollys egna problem angående en person från hennes förflutna, eller rättare sagt hennes mammas förflutna.Men det är blandning av humor och allvar som gjorde att jag älskade att läsa boken. Det och de vackra omgivningarna i Mount Polbearne. Ärligt talat, en del av mig undrar varför i hela friden har jag inte läst någon av Jenny Colgan böcker innan?Jul i det lilla bageriet på strandpromenaden är en lätt bok att läsa, ena sekunden har du börjat läsa boken och helt plötsligt är du halvvägs igenom den. Men det är inte alls en bok man läser och sedan glömmer bort. Karaktärerna kommer till liv och berättelsen är rörande att läsa. Allvarligt, jag ville bara packa mina saker och resa till Mount Polbearne pronto! Förövrigt, jag bara avgudar lunnefågeln Neil. Han är en sådan underbar liten varelse. Jag vill ha en lunnefågel!Den bästa av allt är att min mamma har den första boken i serien, så jag antar att jag vet vad jag kommer att läsa snart...Tack till Massolit Förlag för recensionsexemplaret! ENGLISH REVIEW What a delightful book. I've not read the two previous book about Polly Waterford adventure in Mount Polbearne, but I'm dying to do so. I was surprised to discover how serious the book theme was, sure there was a lot of funny moments, but the book also had a lot of serious things going, like Kerensa's BIG secret, or things concerning a person from Polly's past or rather her mother's past. But, it's just the mix of humor and seriousness that made me love reading the book. That and the wonderful setting of Mount Polbearne. Honestly, a part of me wonders why on earth haven't I read any of Jenny Colgan's books before?Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery is an easy book to read, it's the kind that you just breeze through, but it's not at all an easy book to forget. The characters come alive, and the story is touching to read. Seriously, I just wanted to back my things and travel to Mount Polbearne pronto! Also, I just adore Neil, the puffin. He's such a darling. I want a puffin for my own.The best part of it all is that my mother has the first book in this series, so I guess I know what I will read soon...Thanks to Massolit Förlag for the review copy!4.5 stars

Sometimes you just want a book that is light and does not require too much mental effort. This book fits that bill. It is a light and frothy feel good read, even though it still manages to cover some deeper issues. It was good to catch up with Polly, who is still running her bakery and living with Neil, the puffin, in the lighthouse she and Huckle have bought. Life is busy in Mount Polbearne and getting busier as Christmas draws nearer. Polly is happy, although she still is resistant to Huckle’s idea of marriage and keeps putting him off. All is going smoothly until her long-time friend Kerensa reveals the secret, she has been keeping from Polly. She is also keeping secrets from her husband. Kerensa and Reuben are just as brash and overpowering as they were in the first Little Beach Bakery book I read. And it is Kerensa’s secret that not only threatens her marriage with Reuben, but affects her friendship with Polly and Polly’s relationship with Huckle. Over the course of this story, Polly is forced to question where her loyalty lies, as well as deal with certain issues from her own upbringing and trying to save a puffin sanctuary. Through all of this Neil, is just as cute and endearing as he was in the first book and Kerensa and Reuben display another more likeable side of their characters, their generosity.I rarely read Christmas themed books at any time of the year, yet as soon as I saw this one I knew it would come home from the library with me. It is just the thing for those times you want something light and feel good to read. And I was not disappointed. Even though at times things seem a bit over the top, I was happy to go along with it. It was easy to be drawn into the stories and problems of these characters. There are three books in the Little Beach bakery series. I read the first but not the one in the middle. It didn’t matter as the author gives enough information to fill in the blank. If you are looking for a fun read this can be read as a standalone. But if you want a sweet series maybe start from the beginning and read them all. Unless that sounds like an overdose of sugar. I found this an entertaining and humorous read and was glad I read it.

Colgan's third trip to Mount Polbearne revisits Polly, Huckle, Neil and the rest of the gang. As always, the bakery goods are so delectably described that they will cause readers to want to bake, even if they've never tried before. At times, the drama is a tad overwrought, much of it avoidable with simple communication. Yet the ending brings a sigh of happiness, and things turn out well for all involved (as they typically do in these tales). Knowing there's a happily-ever-after just makes the book more enjoyable and is a fitting cap to the series.Polly and Huckle are happy living in their homey (yet freezing) lighthouse, but Huckle isn't content with the way things are. He wants them to get married and consider having a baby, but Polly is busy with the bakery and isn't sure she's quite ready for all of that. When Polly's best friend Kerensa reveals a huge secret and asks Polly to keep it strictly to herself, it puts Polly in a horrible situation that affects everything and everyone around her. As they move toward Christmas, different stressors bring Polly nearly to the breaking point.

Completely adorable Christmastime tale about dysfunctional families, romance, finding your passion in life & living with the consequences of your life choices. Polly's a thirty-something baker living in the back of beyond UK. She lives in an old lighthouse with her boyfriend, Huckle, and a puffin named Neil. She provides bread & pastry for the entire village. Everyone loves her. It wasn't always this way... She used to live in the city with a normal 9 to 5 job. Her mum is a bit of a recluse, never wanting to leave the house. Never talking about Polly's father. Polly tried her best not to dwell on him. Then one day she gets a phone call...Lots of twists, sub plots & craziness here! There's some filthy rich friends, Huckle the beekeeper (from the US), Mum herself, and a host of batty townsfolk. Love this story & the surprise ending!

I very rarely read contemporary romance novels, and I don't think I've ever read a Christmas book. My book bestie sent me this book for a Xmas book exchange this year, and since I'm on a beach vacation, I thought I'd give it a go. Well, I finished it in one day and could barely put it down.I loved the location, in Cornwall, and loved the people. And as it's set in a bakery, craved fresh bread all day.The ending was amazing! Definitely a feel good book and perfect to read at the beach in mid-December.

Oh, how I adore this series! This is book 3 and YES, you do have to read the first 2 to fully appreciate this one. If you start here, you rob yourself of the experience of savoring the whole Beach Street story! Loved this one just as much as the others, and the audio was absolute perfection. The accents were excellent and I cracked up every time Reuben talked. If you like sweet English happiness, Jenny Colgan is the author to read. LOVE her books!

Afgelopen week heb ik me ondergedompeld in winterse sferen, omdat ‘Winter in de kleine bakkerij’ al beschikbaar was als e-book! Nadat ik zo genoten had van de eerdere avonturen van Polly, wilde ik geen dag langer wachten om het slotdeel van deze fijne trilogie te lezen! Ik vermijd ze altijd zo veel mogelijk, maar omdat dit het derde deel is, is het onvermijdelijk dat hier een paar kleine spoilers over de vorige boeken in staan. 🙃Het is winter, alle toeristen zijn weer naar huis en Polly werkt nog altijd hard in haar kleine bakkerij op Mount Polbearne. Het is zonder alle extra inkomsten lastiger om het hoofd boven water te houden, maar de inwoners blijven de lekkerste broden bij haar kopen. Ze woont in de oude vuurtoren met Huckle en Neil, wat gezellig maar ijskoud is, ze is gelukkig en ze is ervan overtuigd dat het de beste kerst ooit gaat worden, maar zal dat lukken? Een gevoelig geheim dat haar vriendin Kerensa haar vertelt zet verschillende relaties onder druk, de veeleisende Reuben heeft wilde plannen en wanneer een bekend gezicht uit Polly’s verleden contact met haar opneemt, staat haar leven helemaal op z’n kop. Zal alles wel weer goedkomen?Door de fijne, vlotte, beeldende schrijfstijl van Jenny Colgan word je het verhaal ingetrokken, bevind je je op het getijdeneiland en kon ik niet meer stoppen met lezen. Polly krijgt in dit deel heel wat voor haar kiezen, en hoewel ik sommige ontwikkelingen vrij snel vond gaan en ik bepaalde keuzes van enkele personages niet goed begreep en daardoor af en toe de connectie met hen even kwijtraakte, maakt de sfeer in dit boek veel goed! Je voelt de kou, ruikt de heerlijke broodjes en watertandt bij het idee van de speciale chocolademelk. Je gunt Polly een gelukkig leven en hoopt dat alles uiteindelijk goedkomt. Er zitten veel mooie en grappige momenten in het boek en het einde is geweldig, liefdevol en hartverwarmend. Dit is een fijn verhaal over liefde, vriendschap, familie, moeilijke keuzes, twijfels over de toekomst, hard werken en je hart volgen. Ik heb genoten van deze serie en wil alleen nog maar meer lezen van Jenny Colgan!3.5-4⭐️

This is the third book in the Little Beach Street Bakery trilogy by Jenny Colgan. It can be read as a stand alone with no confusion but it's such a good series that I think you need to read them all!In this book, we go back to Mount Polbearne, a small isolated island in Cornwall, England just as the Christmas season is beginning. Polly is the town baker and is trying to keep up with demand from the townspeople plus spend enough time with her boyfriend Huckle and their pet Puffin Neil. Polly and Huckle are having problems with money after they bought a lighthouse to live in that won't stay warm in the winter and needs a lot of work done. To make extra work, Polly agrees to cater the Christmas celebration for her best friends very rich husband. Anything that can go wrong with her plans and her romance, goes wrong during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Will Polly be able to overcome the stresses on her life and live happily ever after? This is a great book to read full of love and family and the quirky and often very funny people of the town. I enjoyed the entire series and hate knowing that this is the end of our stories about Polly and Huckly and their pet puffin.Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

3.5 starsVery cute Christmas read!

Favorite Quotes:You smell of gingerbread… It’s awesome. It makes me horny and hungry all at the same time. They’re going to ban me from supermarkets. I’m going to turn into Fru T. Bunn, the pervy baker.Yes, I am racist. I hate everyone. Because at my school for advanced and gifted children I took a pounding on a regular basis by blacks, Chinese, Asians, Caucasians, Hispanics, Arabs, Jews, Catholics and Zoroastrians. So I just totally hate everybody.You know about food: what should a pregnant woman be eating? To make her glow. I want one of those hot, glowing pregnant wives with utterly gigantic breasts.You’re part of my life… The most important part.And Mrs. Bradley was standing there with a face like fizz. She had one of those monobosoms . . . you never see those any more, do you? I suppose she wore a corset. They’re a dying breed . . .Someone had made a gigantic star out of cardboard bedpans. It was kind of revolting and charming at the same time.My Review:I treasure this author and adore reading her work - it is like taking the perfect stress-free vacation. This rapturously delightful book was a joy to read and I was quick to fall into the story and fall for the author’s charming and enticing characters. I first met Polly, Huck, and their precious rescued Puffin when reading Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery, which was also my first brush with Ms. Colgan’s genius. I promptly added her entire listing to my TBR. Ms. Colgan’s writing is witty, crisp, breezy, and amusingly insightful. She has a knack for sliding in comedic asides and cleverly humorous observations even in the midst of tense scenes or distressing subject matter. I covet and cherish her deft and agile wordcraft.

Truly speaking, I'm not fond of book in the genre of modern and contemporary fiction.However, I pludged into this story because of two reasons: firstly, I wanted to read something about Christmas, secondly, the setting of this book is Cornwall, the place where I spent an amazing week with my British friend in summer 2019. This is the third book of the series but it's not obligatory to read the first books to understand the events in the third one.I thought all the happenings would be exhilarated, for this is Christmas time. Instead, lives of main characters started ruining step by step. The writer brilliantly described the contradiction of feeling of upcoming Christmas for main characters and the other people: excited anticipation of common people versus gradually spoiling lives of main characters, their desperation. Obviously, everyone is happy in the end and, to be honest, it is a huge drawback in the novel. We can believe when shit happens, this is our life, but when everything is solved without any losses... It just can't be true!Nevertheless, I liked the story. The language is plain but colourful. There is a bunch of funny situations where you do smile or even laugh a bit. Other scenes are quite contradictory, for example, when the main character hires his best friend to work on Christmas instead of just help with money. Perhaps, it's connected to other mentality.

So eine niedliche, schöne Geschichte für entspannte Lesestunden. Ich bin verzaubert. ❤️

In Winter in de kleine bakkerij neemt Jenny Colgan ons weer mee naar het pittoreske Mount Polbearne. Dit verhaal is perfect om alvast in de gezellige wintersfeer te komen, je kan haast de heerlijke geuren van Polly’s bakkerij ruilen door de pagina’s heen. Jenny Colgan zorgt voor de perfecte balans tussen drama en zoet (pun intended) sappigheid. Prachtige romantische momentjes om bij weg te dromen, drama waardoor je gewoon moet verder lezen en natuurlijk de schattige Neil die ook in dit boek de show een beetje steelt. Het einde zorgde ervoor dat ik toch met tranen in mijn ogen het boek dicht deed. Prachtig gedaan! Dit is zeker en vast mijn favoriete Jenny Colgan tot nu toe. Perfect om je helemaal aan op te warmen voor de komende koude dagen. Van mij krijgt dit boek een mooie 4/5⭐️. Bedankt @lsamsterdam voor het recensie-exemplaar

I listened to Christmas at the Little Beach Street Bakery on audio. The book was read by Anne-Marie Piazza, I enjoyed her voices for Polly and Kerenesa. However the voices she used for Huck and Reuben who were American and Southern were so terrible it was funny. I think Audible should of employed an actor for the male parts.That aside I did enjoy this book. For the past two Christmases I have listened to the Rosie Hopkin's Sweetshop series which I enjoyed immensely. Rosie's story ended last christmas with a most wanted baby. I do enjoy Jenny Colgan's books so I thought I would give the Little Beach Street Bakery a try. Although this was the third book in the series Jenny provided a quick overview of Polly and Huck so it was easy to understand.Polly Waterford owns the bakery in the village of Mount Polbearn. Polly and fiancee Huck live in a lighthouse with their pet Neil the puffin. Polly is a workaholic and Huck says his perfect christmas would be in bed all day watching movies. Their perfect christmas might slip away however when Lilly's best friend Karenza finds out she is pregnant. Six months before she had a one night with a Brazilian stripper. Now she is not sure who the father of the baby is, the stripper or husband Reuben, Huck's best friend.Polly decides not to tell Huck that Karenza's baby may not be Reuben's. When he finds out his is mad with Polly for keeping such a secret from him. I also found found it frustrating that Polly would not set a date for the wedding. Polly never knew her father and that her led her to commitment issues.I liked Mount Polbearn it reminded me of the village where Doc Martin is set. I loved Karenza and her loud husband Reuben. My star of the book was Neil the puffing who sleeps next to the aga.I have the other two books in the Beach Street Bakery series which I now look forward to reading. Unfortunately this was the last book of the series. I wonder who will star in Jenny's next Christmas book.

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan is the third book in the series, but can be read on it's own. It features the same established characters, but you'll easily slot in if you only want a holiday story. I only read the first and third and had no problems whatsoever.Christmas was just as cute as book one, though Huckle was annoying me this time around quite a bit. The way over the top richness of some of the characters still grated on me as much as in book one. Having lots of money is one thing. Having what feels like unlimited money is just too much, and had me rolling my eyes every so often.Apart from that I still liked the characters, and the story kept me well entertained! I was happy to see life move forward again. The characters still grow and change, both as individuals and couples.