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The Christmas We Met

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About this listen

When Grace Manners takes up residence on Wittering Manor estate, she little realises working alongside eccentric Fraser Stratton will change her life.

Grace has struggled to make ends meet, and the little cottage on the estate is both a refuge and a workshop for her jewellery business. It's only when Grace uncovers the story behind a diamond brooch she inherited that she becomes drawn into a family secret that threatens to destroy what little she has left....

©2015 Kate Lord Brown (P)2015 W F Howes Ltd Fiction Romance Women's Fiction

Critic reviews

"Sweepingly romantic...heartbreaking at times; a vivid, gripping read." (Katherine Webb on The Perfume Garden)
"I found myself bewitched...a deliciously winding narrative that takes us into the heart of battle, the locked rooms of family secrets, and the alluring promise of finally finding true love." ( Good Housekeeping on The Perfume Garden)
All stars
Most relevant

Would you consider the audio edition of The Christmas We Met to be better than the print version?

Don't know

Who was your favorite character and why?

Fraser

Which character – as performed by Emma Gregory – was your favourite?

Fraser

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The moment Fraser thinks Gin is his sister

Any additional comments?

The three main characters, Grace, Jack and Fraser, dominate. It is Fraser's backstory which gives life to the plot. The narration is a definite asset to both characterisation and the main plot. The author has successfully interwoven all threads of the plot together to provide a good escapist read

Gentle but subtle page turner

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Lovely book and brilliantly narrated by Emma Gregory as usual. Looking for the next book.

Great reading

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Overall I enjoyed the book and it was narrated well. Whilst I'm of an age where I understood all references to the 1970's tv, games, fashions etc, I did feel that perhaps too much effort went into the descriptive 'scene setting'. More than any author would in describing current environments. Perhaps it may be because I did 'get it' it was more obvious for me than a younger audience who wouldn't actually notice. I did like the characters and pleased with the ending.

Entertaining fireside story...

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Is there anything you would change about this book?

Cut out the repetitive parts of the storylineImprove the quality of the narration

Would you recommend The Christmas We Met to your friends? Why or why not?

No. The storyline is poor and very repetitive. There were chapters I thought Inwas listening to a repeat!

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Added some variation in her voice
Emma's narration was not up to previous books of The Four Streets Saga which were superb

Did The Christmas We Met inspire you to do anything?

Yes, stop reading Kate Lord Brown's books for a while

Disappointing Book

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What made the experience of listening to The Christmas We Met the most enjoyable?

Very well written. The narrator was outstanding.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Christmas We Met?

As of late, I have made some poor audiobook choices (bizarrely based on good reviews?!...'The Rose Girls' - it was like pulling teeth - don't go there - dreadful experience) but to finally find a well written book that, more importantly, is well read, has been an absolute delight. Thank you to the author & reader.The whole book was a joy to listen to. The story is about a 29 year old woman who has a feckless husband who drowns himself, and leaves her to pick up the pieces financially & emotionally. It is about her life starting over again with her young daughter. She starts a new job working for a wonderfully eccentric Manor owner who has a handsome godson. The book weaves their stories together.

Which character – as performed by Emma Gregory – was your favourite?

Fraser. He was a delightful man & Ms Gregory did a wonderful job of making his twinkling personality come alive. I really looked forward to each time Fraser came into the conversation. One reviewer said that if there were ever a film version Bill Nighy might play Fraser. She was right, he is very Nighy-esque. Everyone should have a Fraser in their lives.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Towards the end when (not wanting to spoil anything) everything works out well for Fraser. I also liked the way the author drew Grace & Jack's intimate time together as just that, intimate (without having to go into gory details). Very classy.

Any additional comments?

I loved the book & I enjoyed listening to a very talented reader. It has made me realise just how rare it is to find not only a well-written book but also a narrator that does it justice. It is a book that I will definitely listen to again, as it was a delight. The 'Christmas' bit in its title nearly put me off but it isn't about Christmas. The gemstone theme was interesting & there were a few nuggets of factual information about the war that I didn't know about.Highly recommended.

Excellent book. Very enjoyable read

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