"The Little Christmas Kitchen" by Jenny Oliver

When sisters Ella and Maddy were young, their parents divorced and the girls were split up.  Ella grew up in London with their father and Maddy in Greece with their mother.  Over the years, the family grew apart, with the girls becoming two very different people.  But this Christmas, the family is going to be thrown back together.

When Ella finds out that her husband is cheating on her, she makes a quick escape to the only place she can think of, her mothers taverna in Greece.  Maddy is dreaming of a white Christmas and jets off to London to take a singing gig, but that leads her right into the path of her father.  It may seem like the sisters have done a life swap but it becomes much, much more.  As the girls each find themselves cooking up a storm in the others kitchen for Christmas, they find themselves coming to terms with the past.  And they both realize that the only thing missing this Christmas is each other.

The Little Christmas Kitchen by Jenny Oliver is a delightful novel about food, family, and the magic of both at Christmastime.  An absolutely delightful read, this book will get you right into the Christmas spirit.

I loved this sweet book.  I’m a sucker for a book that takes place in England at Christmas and discovering it all at the same time as Maddy is absolutely enjoyable.  But just in case you’re already tired of the cold and the snow, you also get the sun and sea of Greece.  It is two magical Christmas holidays in one.

The book alternates back and forth between Ella and Maddy, England and Greece.  I really enjoyed that method in this book.  With the girls being so different, you expect that you would like one more than the other, especially Ella who at first comes across as cold and distant. But both of these characters were wonderful as were all of the supporting characters.

The book does have a bit of a slow start but don’t let that put you off.  Once the girls are back in each others lives and then swapping lives, the book is very enjoyable.  If you’re looking for a sweet Christmas read, I definitely recommend this one.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publisher through Netgalley.  The opinions expressed above are my own.