If you have run out of gin, now is the time to stock up in time for Christmas. Nothing better than settling down to a great read and a great tipple.
But have you ever thought of having a festive G&T ?
Olive has.
Still residing at Oakley West retirement home but living life to the full, she is still very much part of the Gin Shack which was created out of her own simple idea and is featured in the first novel, The Gin Shack on the Beach.
Creating a Gin themed weekend and a G&T competition is enough to keep Olive, her son Richard, the managers, Tony and Esme as well as Randy and Veronica, Skylar and Lucas and many more familiar faces.
However, everything seems to be going against them. Tony is taken ill suddenly, and a rival bar sets up business. Their promoting skills seem to be directed at bringing the Gin Shack’s name to shame and affecting their business.
Add to this, returning fathers, disappearing children, grottos, food, mince pies and of course plenty of gin.
This really is a joyful novel to read. It is full of warmth and humour. Family relationships are strengthened and it has such a wonderful sense of community that it is a shame that life perhaps is not quite like that. What I also love is the cross-section of ages, covered with the characters this is not simply a book about a group of people all of a certain age. This is a book which shows you age is no barrier to friendship and bringing everyone together is so beneficial; everyone has a part to play and experience to bring.
It is a Christmas book and you can read it without having read the first and still enjoy it. But frankly why would you want to do that when you can read the first and completely immerse yourself in gin. I need to try a Christmas gin.
I think the storyline in this book and the characters, show there is scope for a third book, well I hope so!
Thank you to the publisher via netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Christmas at The Gin Shack is out now
The Book Jotter 