Baby It's Cold Outside: The heartwarming and uplifting love story you need this winter

A truly lovely Christmas story, all about friendships and romance! In the midst of the December shopping crowds, Norah hears a song which takes her back a decade to when she made a pact with Andrew, a former boyfriend, that if they were both single in ten years time they would meet again under the clock in Grafton Street, in Dublin, on Christmas Eve. Perhaps that’s where the romance is that she’s been missing from her life? So, gathering her courage in both hands, she sets off for Dublin with hope in her heart. What a fabulous festive tale! This book is just bursting with feel-good pheromones which will put you in the mood for Christmas. There is so much more to this than romance though; I have never been to Dublin but I now know a bit about it and the must-not-miss sights along with the best things to see off the tourist trail. This is a beautifully written novel which sucked me in from the off and kept me hooked until the very last. I loved how the story unfolded; alongside Norah’s trip across the Irish Sea we also enjoy her reminiscences of Christmases past and learn all about her friendships through the years. Truly delightful, and one I’m happy to recommend. 4.5*.

An enjoyable Christmas themed story set in London and Dublin. I initially picked this up because of the Dublin reference, but there were also lots of Ealing references with places I knew, which I really enjoyed, as I have family in Dublin and Ealing and lived there myself for the majority of my life. Norah is a music teacher, and also a talented singer herself, but has never really followed her dreams of being a singer. She has a close group of friends, but when her mother changes her plans over Christmas to go to a retreat and leaves Norah on her own she acts on impulse and ends up in Dublin, dragging along long-time friend Joe, to see if the promise she made 10 years ago to a holiday romance is there. They both said they'd meet under the clock in Grafton Street, Dublin, in 10 years time if they are both still single. So this Christmas is 10 years since they met in Italy. During the course of the break away Norah's priorities change a bit, and her and Joe have a really good time, albeit with a few rocky times too, but she's still there to meet her holiday romance - isn't she? But what are the odds he will remember her or even turn up? A lovely light read that sent me back to Dublin and Ealing, with Christmas, snow and romance thrown in, very enjoyable.