Book Review: Christmas At Claridges by Karen Swan

Title: Christmas At Claridges

Author: Karen Swan

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Publication Date: 7th November 2013

Blurb

This was where her dreams drifted to if she didn’t blot her nights out with drink; this was where her thoughts settled if she didn’t fill her days with chat. She remembered this tiny, remote foreign village on a molecular level and the sight of it soaked into her like water into sand, because this was where her old life had ended and her new one had begun.

’Portobello – home to the world-famous street market, Notting Hill Carnival and Clem Alderton. She’s the queen of the scene, the girl everyone wants to be or be with. But beneath the morning-after makeup, Clem is keeping a secret, and when she goes too far one reckless night she endangers everything – her home, her job and even her adored brother’s love.

Portofino – a place of wild beauty and old-school glamour, and where a neglected villa has been bought by a handsome stranger. He wants Clem to restore it for him and it seems like the answer to all her problems – except that Clem has been there once before and vowed, for her own protection, never to return . . .

Verdict
This was just fantastic, however the cover and the title is a little misleading as it starts in new year not Christmas. Something deep and secret happened in the little place Portofino that Clem wants to keep secret and will do anything not to go back there again.

Clem Alderton works for her brother Tom Alderton's company, but when she goes too far one reckless night she endangers everything - her home, her job and even her adored brother's love.
Clem will do anything to help her brother's company get back to its normal state even if when she comes up with a plan to do a fashion shop for one day only with the help of her crazy friend Stella who is a fashion designer... but even that won't help until a handsome stranger wants Clem to restore a neglected villa that he has just bought and it seems the best thing to do get away from everyone, however when she realises its to go back to Portofino...she vowed for her own protection she would never return....until now!

This really is a fantastic read, I have loved other books before by Karen Swan and I loved the cover first of, it looks all beautiful and snowy & cute.
The first couple of chapters start of slow but when you get about half way things are just about to heat up which makes you stop what your doing and just curl up and carry on reading.

I loved Stella, the crazy best friend of Clem's and the fashion designer, she reminded me of my friends and how she could be a bad influence to Clem at times but also would help her in anyway she could.
You easily warm to Clem and even feel sorry for her at times, especially her brother's girlfriend who is soo nasty to Clem trying to kick her out straight away. You just wish Clem to have lots of happiness in which she does by the end tehe!

I never could predict the ending, It really was perfect by the end It was Christmas hehe.
I loved reading about the little town Portofino, it just seemed ever so peaceful and would be glorious. Karen Swan definitely put plenty of passion into this book and plenty of secrets and heartbreak leaves you hooked right until the end.

Christmas at Claridges deserves the 5 star rating for its emotional, secretive, hooking story & for the most beautiful cover once again!