Emma (SCR)'s Review of Cathy's Christmas Kitchen

by Tilly Tennant

As the snow flutters down in the little village of Linnetford, escape to a cosy farmhouse kitchen, scented with the rich aromas of fruitcake and gingerbread, where a love of baking is about to unite two lonely hearts…

Cathy cooked at her mother’s side her whole life and could bake a fairy cake before she could ride a bike. Now she is facing her first Christmas without her beloved mother, she’s determined to use her memories for something positive. She decides to organise a weekly cooking class, sharing her mother’s precious recipes with other lonely souls.

There’s just one small spanner in the works: teenager Tansy, who attends Cathy’s classes even though she’s rude to everyone there and seems to hate every minute. Cathy is poised to ask Tansy to leave, but her uncle, physiotherapist Matt, begs her to give the teenager another chance. And Cathy can’t resist Matt’s sparkling hazel eyes and incredibly kind heart…

But just as Cathy is feeling she might find joy again, her ex returns to Linnetford, desperate for a second chance. With Matt becoming distant as his life gets more complicated, it seems so easy to return to the safe embrace of someone she knows so well. Can Cathy avoid the temptation of falling back in love with the man who broke her heart and let Christmas bring her the greatest gift – that of happiness?

Filled to the brim with sweet Christmas treats, Cathy’s Christmas Kitchen is the perfect book to enjoy curled up by the fire. An emotional feel-good read packed with heart and hope.

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of the book via Netgalley. I love Tilly’s work and I love Christmas so this was already a winner. This is my second Christmas book of the year and let me tell you it was a cracker! (I know too much)
Cathy’s Mum passed away recently after a long illness and Cathy is at a bit of a loss. She was a full-time carer for her mum and now doesn’t know what to do with herself. She has a part-time job but is going a little stir crazy in the other hours. Cathy is such an easy character to like. She doesn’t have a bad bone in her body. She is one of those people that everyone likes.
I really liked the weekly cooking class and I wish there was something similar local to me. It’s a great way to meet people and learn new skills. I love to bake. I’m a decent baker but I’m nowhere near Cathy’s level. I make a damn good Rocky Road and I made some addictive slow-cooked fudge during lockdown but Cathy seems to be good at everything she makes. It made me have a real craving for Christmas Cake (gotta love the marzipan).
There was, of course, the sweetest romance in this book. I really enjoyed seeing Cathy go on a couple of dates and I seriously want to go to the Tapas bar. I LOVE TAPAS. I think it's really underrated! You get to try lots of different dishes without committing to a full meal.
As well as being a fun festive story there were some real serious issues that Tilly introduced. Loneliness is a big part of this book and I think Tilly did this very tastefully.
I also really loved the little village this was set in. I could see us coming back here and maybe seeing a story from one of the other characters in the cooking class. I’d love to catch up and see how everyone is doing in a year or so.

Cathy's Christmas Kitchen

by Tilly Tennant

Reviewed by Emma (SCR) on Sep 30, 2020

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