A Winter's Dream: An incredibly heart-warming and feel-good cosy read for Christmas Paperback – December 7, 2021

This is my first book by Sophie Claire and it will not be my last. I loved It! This is a delightful romantic story set in a quaint English village where the heroine loves to quilt and works in a fabric shop. On her 30th birthday, Liberty realizes she must shake things up to get out of her rut to make her life more fulfilling. I loved how she challenged herself to face her fears and take on new adventures way out of her comfort zone. I loved how Alex rooted for and supported Liberty in her challenges before realizing he had his own fears to overcome. I loved all the characters, their background stories and how everyone looks out for each other. Great read, can’t wait to read more from this author.

I enjoyed getting to know Sophie in the story, and I cheered her on to the predictable ending. She did have a few twists and turns that left me wondering if it would end as I thought it would, so bonus points for this Christmas romance writer for that!

A very easy read. The chapters keep you interested so that you want to read more. Very enjoyable and lighthearted. A very good romance novel.

This is a feel good read. It gave me positive feelings. I liked the characters and how the layout of the story started in England and went to France. It made me want to learn how to quilt.

The story line was great and so were the characters. All the characters had input for this story and there was a mystery that was never revealed, but it didn't mater that it was not revealed.I thought I knew how it might end but was glad that I was wrong.

Being. Quilter I liked that aspect. This book made me want to visit France. The interplay between Liberty and Alex kept you wondering if they would ever get together for good.

I enjoyed the basic themes and the character development. The descriptions of nature were lovely. Some mystery, romance and adventure..

Cutesie, fun, romantic. But quite predictable. A fun read for the new year.Loved the friendship themes throughout the book. Also loved the depth of knowledge about quilting.

Unter gutem Zustand verstehe ich etwas anderes. Der Umschlag hat einen Knick und innen auf der ersten Seite steht etwas geschrieben.

Liberty has never been a risk-taker. She loves the routine of her quiet life in the charming village of Willowbrook, with her Labrador, Charlie. But the arrival of a mysterious gift prompts Liberty to make some changes: starting with a daily challenge to say yes to everything for the month of December...Fearless and independent, Alex could hardly be a less obvious fit for peaceful village life. But after an accident cuts short his promising motorcycling career, he finds himself in Willowbrook in search of new direction.When the pair become unlikely housemates, sparks fly at Damselfly Cottage. Will living together prove impossible - especially when the first snow falls?A lovely heart warming story and a book that would make you smile and feel happy.

I really enjoyed this book,it's story has feeling and honest thoughts to keep you wanting more. I hope there will be another book in the future as it would be great to continue the lives of the characters.

This is just the book to curl up with by the fire on a chilly autumn day! I instantly fell for Liberty, setting out on her quest to try a new thing each day and Alex, the intriguing Frenchman, who has his own demons to fight. And, while this is an enjoyable and easy read, there's real depth in there too. These are real people who have real issues to overcome.I don't think I've come across a hero who's a motorbike champion before, but I really fell for this one. The vivid descriptions of the racing world, with its thrills and dark sides, explained so much about Alex and the terrible dilemma he faces. I know less than nothing about motorbike racing, but I felt I really came to understand what drew him to it with such passion. (To be honest, the thought of him in all that tight leather didn't hurt either ...)I also loved that way that Liberty's quieter struggles are still shown as being giant challenges for her - in this book no-one's fears are in any way diminished or not taken seriously. It's accepted that it's as big a challenge for Liberty's agoraphobic friend to go into the back garden as it is for Alex to face a Grand Prix track.Quilting plays a big role in this book. I LOVED the way that Liberty's quilting work is clearly seen as being an art form, not merely a hobby she does to fill the time. There was loads of information about how quilts are made, all cleverly woven into the story so it never got dull. I can sense quilters all over the country shouting 'Yay!'This book is a really good read; somehow it manages to pull off the impossible in being both cosy and exotic at the same time, as the action moves from the familiar world of a small English village to explore the hilltop towns of Provence in the depths of winter. All in all, it provides those heart-warming moments we all need at the moment, but has enough shadow to stop it from ever becoming over-sweet.Strongly recommended!

I am a complete sucker for a lighthearted, lovely romance, and this book ticks every box. With the cosy setting, warm, familiar characters and will-they-won’t-they storyline, A Winter’s Dream is the perfect, heartwarming read by Sophie Claire.The book is not only a cute romance but equally about self-discovery, facing your fears and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. I read it within just a couple of days, as I was so invested in the characters.The book starts with Liberty, who has just turned 30 and realises that maybe she hasn’t met the man of her dreams yet because she is too set in her safe and comfortable ways. Liberty enjoys living in her cosy cottage with her dog, Charlie, quilting and following a set routine each week. She decides to try and make some changes throughout December by saying ‘yes’ to at least one thing a day that is out of her comfort zone. In doing so, she learns that she is far braver than she thinks. She also opens her home up to a lodger, Alex, who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his racing career has been cut short. He has a lot of frustration and anger, along with a fear of commitment and failure. The two characters are the others complete opposite and don’t get off to the best start.I had been putting off starting this book because I didn’t want to start too early on the Christmas books. However, the book wasn’t focused on Christmas at all, and in fact, it is the perfect autumn-winter cosy read. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre. As others have said, it is like a big warm hug.