Emma's Review: Mistletoe on 34th Street by Lisa Dickenson

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Olivia has never experienced a snow-covered, 'traditional' Christmas before. Having grown up in a family that chose winter sun over decking the halls, she's not sure what all the fuss is about. So when she and her colleagues are stranded in New York after a work trip, Olivia is perfectly happy spending the holiday season in the Big Apple.

Jon, Olivia's friend, on the other hand is desperate to get home in time for his big family get-together. Nevertheless, determined to make the best out of the situation, he sets out to show Olivia how enchanting Christmas in New York can be. And when handsome New Yorker Elijah is added to the mix, could the magic of the season finally be working its charm on Olivia? As 25 December draws closer, Olivia suddenly finds herself with a decision to make: who does she really want to kiss under the mistletoe this Christmas?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Author Interview: Lisa Dickenson

I can't believe that it was almost 2 years ago since I first featured Lisa Dickenson on the blog in a debut spotlight and interview.  With a further two serials under her belt Lisa's publishing journey comes full circle as this Thursday sees her debut serial The Twelve Dates of Christmas being published as a paperback.

Your first serial The Twelve Dates of Christmas is being published as a paperback on Thursday, can you tell us a little bit about it for anyone who hasn't read it yet?  
Sure!  It’s a festive love story that intertwines friendship, heartache, forgotten chemistry and happiness.  It’s as packed-full of Christmasyness as a box of Quality Street!

Were any of the dates featured in the book based on your own dating experience? 
Not quite, but I have been to most of the locations.  I had a ‘date’ to the Royal Opera House to see The Nutcracker with my sister-in-law, the festive wedding is kinda like my own wedding (though I married a man), and I have been known to knock back the mulled wine at Covent Garden…

All three of your books so far have been published in weekly installments, was it always your intention to publish them this way when you were writing them?  
It was – when I first made my Twelve Dates deal with Little, Brown they asked for me to write and publish it in installments, and the same went for You Had Me at Merlot and Catch Me If You Cannes.  It’s actually a great introduction into professional writing, because you have all these stages at which you can get feedback and suggestions for improvements, which is invaluable. 

Books Read: Lisa Dickenson - You Had me at Merlot

Elle and Laurie are the last ones standing: they're single, they're not having babies any time soon and their weekends aren't filled with joyful meetings about mortgages. For Elle, this is fine - she likes her independent life, she loves her job, and she has no desire to walk down the aisle anytime soon. But Laurie wants love and she wants it now.

So when Laurie begs Elle to come with her on a singles holiday to a beautiful vineyard in Tuscany, Elle is reluctant. You Had Me at Merlot Holidays promises crisp sunshine, fun and a chance to stir up some sizzling romance. Elle has no intention of swapping her perfectly lovely life for someone else's idea of her Mr Perfect, but ten days under the Italian sun with her best friend and lashings of wine? How bad could that be?

Amazon links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4

Countdown to Christmas Day 12: Festive Fun Q&A with Lisa Dickenson

This morning it's the turn of debut author Lisa Dickenson to answer a few festive questions in the first of today's Countdown to Christmas features.

What’s your earliest or favourite Christmas memory?
Just that absolutely magical feeling of being little and waking up at 4am, the house dark, but 
ohmygoooood, there’s a crunchy stocking at the end of the bed. I’d get up and creep into the living room and there were what seemed like MOUNTAINS more pressies under the tree. 

It was so too early to be up but I was so excited!

What are you looking forward to most this Christmas?
This Christmas we’re with my husband’s side of the family, and we’ll be with my neice and 
nephew who are early primary school and, if they’re anything like I was then, they’ll be waking up at 4am too, completely over excited and just desperate for the day to start. I’m looking forward to that, I’m totally joining in. I’m also gagging to start watching Christmas movies, and the pre-Christmas prep at my parents’ house.

Do you do the whole traditional Christmas dinner or have alternative? 
Tradition, tradition, tradition – I’m very set in my ways at Christmas and scoffing a bloody 
great turkey and forcing down some Christmas pudding when you’re full to the brim anyway is all part of it.

Books Read: Lisa Dickenson - The Twelve Dates of Christmas: Dates 7&8

Two more dates, one tough choice and a sprinkling of Christmas magic... 

Nick and Penny are Claudia's best friends in the entire world. There isn't anything she wouldn't do for them and she can't bear the thought of causing either of them any pain. Yet somehow Claudia has found herself caught in the middle and now one of them will get hurt - because of her. Claudia may want to bury her head in the sand (again) and distract herself with more dates but Christmas waits for no one. Time is marching on and there's a decision to be made... 

Amazon links: Dates 7&8

Books Read: Lisa Dickenson - The Twelve Dates of Christmas: Dates 3&4 and Dates 5&6

What is this huge secret Nick is planning to tell Claudia?

As the day of her 'date' with Nick arrives, Claudia can't help letting her imagination run away with her. And try as she might to stop them, Claudia's hopes for what the evening has in store are very high. So when Nick arrives to pick her up, there is a lot riding on what's going to happen next. It's a shame that Nick has no idea what Claudia is thinking...

Amazon link: Dates 3&4

Seth and Nick. Nick and Seth. Seth. Nick. Nick. Seth.

Nick and Seth have never warmed to each other but they've always made the effort for Claudia's sake - and now they don't have to. So when after a disastrous trip to Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland Claudia is suddenly faced with the two men at the same time in the same room she honestly doesn't know what to do. She's not ready to face up to what happened on her date with Nick but she's not that keen on seeing Seth either. Things are about to get very awkward...

Amazon link: Dates 5&6

Author Interview: Lisa Dickenson

Today I'm joined by the lovely Lisa Dickenson to tell us a little bit more about her debut 6-part romantic comedy novel The Twelve Dates of Christmas.  The second installment for Dates 3 & 4 is out today and my pre-ordered copy has already been downloaded this morning.

Can you tell us a little bit about the twelve dates of Christmas?
Where do I begin? This is one novel, squeezed full of festiveness, that’s been split into six parts. We follow Claudia as she explores dating in Christmassy London town. She has some oh-so-lovely dates, and some dates that make her throw up. But ultimately it’s a story of waking up your life, getting out of a rut, making adventures for yourself and following your heart. Oh, and drinking lots of gingerbread lattés. 

I love the idea of this being a 6-part series as opposed to a complete novel, where did the inspiration come from to do this? 
This was dreamed up by the genius that is my Editor at Little, Brown, Manpreet Grewal. She came up with the idea of a serialised novel, and the 'Twelve Dates' theme cut rather neatly into six parts! It also gave a me the discipline to try and make the ending to each part as compelling as possible, so our busy readers will keep wanting to read all about Claudia's whole December of dating! 

Books Read: Lisa Dickenson - The Twelve Dates of Christmas: Dates 1&2

Claudia is a girl in a rut. At 30, her life is stale and the romance in her relationship with long-term boyfriend, Seth, has disappeared. Determined to inject some Christmas spark back into their life, Claudia and Seth go on their first date in a very long time to the Royal Opera House. But when the night ends in disaster, Claudia suddenly finds herself facing life alone.

Life alone is exciting, scary and full of soon-forgotten exercise regimes and ill-advised DIY attempts at making sexy underwear. It's also full of men. Thank goodness for best friends Penny and Nick, otherwise Claudia would have no clue what to do about all these new choices. One thing's for certain, though: this year, Christmas is going to be very different...

Amazon link: Dates 1&2 

Debut Spotlight: Lisa Dickenson

Under the debut spotlight today is Lisa Dickenson and her debut novel The Twelve Dates of Christmas, a 6 part romantic comedy that will be published in weekly installments from today until 16 December.

Dates 1 & 2 

Claudia is a girl in a rut. At 30, her life is stale and the romance in her relationship with long-term boyfriend, Seth, has disappeared. Determined to inject some Christmas spark back into their life, Claudia and Seth go on their first date in a very long time to the Royal Opera House. But when the night ends in disaster, Claudia suddenly finds herself facing life alone.

Life alone is exciting, scary and full of soon-forgotten exercise regimes and ill-advised DIY attempts at making sexy underwear. It's also full of men. Thank goodness for best friends Penny and Nick, otherwise Claudia would have no clue what to do about all these new choices. One thing's for certain, though: this year, Christmas is going to be very different...

Hilarious, uplifting and romantic, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is a story about losing love, about finding love, and about discovering what's been there all along.