Christmas at Emmerdale

Emmerdale #1

by Pamela Bell

A wonderful Christmas gift for fans of ITV's Emmerdale and readers who love heartwarming and heartbreaking stories set in wartime. August 1914, and a terrible war begins, one that will affect the lives of everyone in the village of Beckindale. For Maggie Sugden, left to run Emmerdale Farm on her own while her husband, Joe, is at the front, it will bring grief and loss but also independence and the chance to find a place to belong - and perhaps even to love again. Christmas At Emmerdale is the first in a sweeping new saga series, exploring the lives of Emmerdale's much-loved families during the run up to the Great War. What readers are saying about Christmas at
'An enjoyable read with well written and well-developed characters' 'Had a fantastic Christmas and Emmerdale feel to it. Really enjoyed it!' 'A fantastic book!'

Genres: Christmas, Fiction, Historical Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Pen name of Jessica Hart

Reviews

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When war breaks out in August 1914, Maggie Sugden was left to run Emmerdale Farm while her husband, Joe, is away fighting for his country.

Fans of Emmerdale would probably enjoy this first book in the new saga series that explores the lives of Emmerdale's much-loved families. I remember when the TV programme I was called Emmerdale Farm and was on in the afternoon rather than the prime time spot it has now. This is an easy book to read. There is a fee characters names that I recognised. This book would make a good Christmas stocking filler, for the recipient to snuggle up and read once the kids have gone to bed and your visitors have gone home. Hopefully the second book will tie up the loose ends this books leaves.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author Pamela Bell for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit to being a bit of a soap addict with Emmerdale, East Enders and Coronation Street being my firm favourites. When I saw that there was a book coming out set in and near Emmerdale Farm, well I couldn't resist. 

The story is mainly set in 1914 with the start of the world war. Even living in the country, you could still feel the fear and despair of what was happening. Maggie I took to instantly. She is a strong, proud woman who does what she needs to. She certainly doesn't win many friends with her outlook but I liked that she remains true to herself. 

Rose is another great character. She doesn't seem to have much luck in her love life but she is a young lady with a good heart and head. I could feel her frustrations as she wants to get involved in the war effort of which her father especially, is totally against. 

The story is one of community. We get to see the good and not so good side of a small village where your business is everyone's business. Through Maggie we see the struggles of running a farm and living in a marriage of convenience. There are certainly a lot of highs and lows a long the way.

Christmas At Emmerdale is the perfect read for fans of the television series as well as readers who enjoy the likes of Pam Howes and Sandy Taylor. It is a captivating read that I was truly sad to get to the end of. I am of course delighted to see that this is the first book in a new saga with the second book being out next year. An emotional roller coaster of a read and one I really enjoyed.

My thanks to NetGalley and Trapeze for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Rheannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a massive fan of English soaps, it was only a matter of time that I would read this one. Thankfully, this was given as a Christmas gift! I loved the setting of this book which was on a Yorkshire farm in the Berkshire dales, it was set during the war and involved various characters/families with various backgrounds but they all eventually come together to celebrate Christmas. In parts, it was very sad hearing, how the war had effected a lot of the characters. I’m disappointed we didn’t get to see what happened to Maggie and her child, with joe returning from war and a Aggie seemingly becoming drawn to another man who was helping her on the farm, How Rose’ relationship with Mike blossomed , but maybe that’s because the author is looking to carry on the story into another addition? I must say, overall I really enjoyed this book and hopefully there’s another one in the pipeline.

[Ria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie Sugden is trapped in an unhappy marriage with Joe and she longs to be with her love, Ralph Verney.
But when Ralph is killed in war every avenue of escape is blocked, especially when Joe goes off to war and leaves her to fend for herself running Emmerdale farm alone.
Hated and rejected in the village can Maggie make the farm work for her and find any kind of acceptance in her home?
This was a great story and a wonderful tie in to the tv series.
Didn't like the scenes with Toby the dog so marking it down on that, all down to personal taste but overall I did enjoy the story.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

It's 1914 in Beckindale Yorkshire Maggie Oldroyd and her pa Albert have to leave High Moor, and move into Emmerdale Farm With Joe Sugden, he needs a wife. Maggie's not use to cooking and cleaning and has a lot to learn. Her heart still belongs to Ralph Verney and war is declared and both men go away to do their duties leaving Maggie alone after her fathers passing to run the farm. She's not very well liked by the locals and Joe on leave treats her so bad after a beaten she wish Ralph could take her away from it all. It's a hard struggle for all the characters in this book, that I enjoyed reading every page. It's a worthy read for saga readers as well as soap fans.

[Helen Stead · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy to read book, even if you've never watched the programme. It tells the story of the villagers left behind and how they rallied together when all the men went off to war.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love a good saga and that's what Christmas at Emmerdale is. Although there's obviously a link to the famous soap, this is also just a cracking good story in its own right, so if you're a fan of the soap then great and if not then that's also great.

The story revolves mainly around two women: Maggie Sugden and Rose Haywood. In 1914 Maggie has just married Joe Sugden. A brute of a man, she only married him because her father was ill and, having sold their family home, they needed somewhere to go. That somewhere is Emmerdale Farm. Rose is the vicar's daughter, 18 and desperate to have a life away from the overbearing ways of her father.

There are many other characters too, some with recognisable names such as Dingle and Skilbeck. All help to convey that village feel, where everyone knows each other and all the gossip. There's a busybody in Ava Bainbridge, wife of the landlord of the Woolpack Inn and then there's Lord and Lady Miffield of Miffield Hall, whose house is requisitioned as a hospital, not forgetting the other colourful people whose individual stories make up the whole.

The book concentrates around the first year or so of World War One and so many of the menfolk from the village go off to war. It was heartbreaking to read of the casualties - small villages did suffer so badly. Maggie is left to run the farm by herself, a task that nobody thinks she is up to, but they haven't bargained for her tenacity and her hard working nature. I loved Maggie and was absolutely rooting for her all the way through. I also really took to Rose and think she's going to enjoy the next part of her life.

There's a real sense of community, although Maggie has to work to be a part of it. I was moved by the terrible consequences of the war but yet the Yorkshire grit came through and everyone rallied round. Pamela Bell has a lovely warmth to her writing and I didn't want to put this book down. It really was a pleasure to read.

The title of the book mentions Christmas and we do experience an Emmerdale Christmas but it's by no means a book that can only be read at Christmas (just saying in case you want to put it on your Christmas list!). It's a warm, spirited, moving story of the effects of war, life in a small village, friendship, love and loss. Perfect for lovers of the well-known soap and those who have never watched it, I highly recommend having Christmas at Emmerdale this year. Oh, and it's book one in a trilogy and I absolutely can't wait to get my hands on book two, Spring Comes to Emmerdale, to find out what happens to Maggie and Rose next.

[Dennis Alexis Hellström · Rating 4 out of 5]

For as long as I can remember, I have loved soap operas. The crazier the better. The iconic British soap "Emmerdale" first started airing in 1972 and is still going strong. I first started watching it in the 2010s and got hooked right away. Who would have guessed that so much drama and action could go down in such a small village?

"Christmas At Emmerdale" (2018), written by Pamela Bell, takes place between 1914 and 1915, when the village of Emmerdale was still called Beckindale. We follow Maggie Sugden who has been forced to marry the violent farmer Joe. She dreams of being with her true love Ralph, but his parents have forbidden him to marry someone of Maggie's class.

We also meet Rose Haywood, the daughter of the village priest. She too is in love with Ralph and therefor dislikes Maggie. However, after getting to know her rival, she starts to change her mind and they become friends. Rose also meets Mick Dingle – an Irish soldier who is in Beckindale with his two brothers Nat and Levi – and sparks start to fly.

Levi Dingle is the third and final main character. He has followed his older brothers to England to join the army. He is only seventeen so his brothers try to keep him from having to fight in the war against Germany. Levi falls in love with Rose but when he finds out that his brother is pursuing her too, he vows to come between them.

I really enjoyed "Christmas At Emmerdale" with it's cosy settings, innocent romance and tear-inducing tragedy. It's well-written and you don't have to know anything about the TV series to enjoy it, since it takes place so many years ago. But it's a nice treat for fans of the show to recognise certain names and locations.

The only negative I can think of is that the ending feels a little rushed and it's clear that they wanted to leave some storylines open in order to tease the sequel. But other than that, this is a great read for anyone who loves period dramas. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

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This review was also published on my blog:
https://plasticretro.blogspot.com/202...

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

These appear to be quite the series at the moment - we've had similar books for Christmas on Coronation Street, and also Mothers Day on Coronation Street, which I have not yet read.

I haven't watched Emmerdale in years, but this attracted me, as it was a Christmas book, so I decided to get it, for something to read. I did eventually forget that the only names I recognised were the Sugdens and the Dingles, plus this was a couple of generations before the Sugdens/Dingles that I knew of.

This is a very easy to read book, perfect for curling up with on a cold winter's afternoon, next to a roaring fire preferably, and I did lose myself in the story. Some of the formatting issues, and various typos did detract a little bit from the story, but I managed to skip past them easily enough.

The easy writing style reminded me of Lyn Andrews and Katie Flynn, who are both authors who write likeable characters, and draw you into the storyline.

I felt disappointed that Molly's storyline wasn't quite wrapped up as well as I'd hoped, she's left without a resolution really, but I'm hopeful that will be a future book in the series.

Overall, a good easy read that will put you in the mood for Christmas.

Thank you for Netgalley for the free download, in return for an honest review.

[Sandra Leivesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am old enough to remember when Emmerdale first started in 1972, when it was called Emmerdale Farm. I watched for a few years but haven't watched it regularly for about 20 years!

My usual genre of books is psychological thrillers and crime fiction but I had to go into hospital as a day patient for a minor op and decided I needed a lighter read.

The book begins just before the start of World War I, and as this year marks the centenary I thought it was the perfect thing to read. The book features two of the families who will be well known to watchers of Emmerdale - the Sugdens and the Dingles. It is the story of Maggie, who entered into a loveless marriage of convenience with Joe Sugden and moved into Emmerdale Farm. When Joe goes off to fight Maggie is left to run the farm alone.

This was a nice easy read, and was perfect for my hospital visit and I became so absorbed in the story that I almost forgot where I was. I liked the characters of Maggie and Rose, and the sense of community in wartime Yorkshire. The ending doesn't tie up all the loose ends so I am sure there will be more books in the series, and it would be good to see how the village of Beckindale changes through the years.

This book would make a great Christmas gift for an Emmerdale fan, or someone who likes family saga/historical romances.

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pamela Bell (2018) CHRISTMAS AT EMMERDALE

London. Trapeze 


🎅🎅🎅🎅 4 out of 5 Santas 


The sleeve reads, "A wonderful Christmas gift for fans of ITV's Emmerdale and readers who love heartwarming and heartbreaking stories set in wartime. August 1914, and a terrible war begins, one that will affect the lives of everyone in the village of Beckindale. For Maggie Sugden, left to run Emmerdale Farm on her own while her husband, Joe, is at the front, it will bring grief and loss but also independence and the chance to find a place to belong - and perhaps even to love again. Christmas At Emmerdale is the first in a sweeping new saga series, exploring the lives of Emmerdale's much-loved families during the run up to the Great War."     


I give this a 4 but technically it should be a 5 because this was really good. The deduction is not really the book's fault given the fact it is set in 1914 rather than 2019. Problem was that I was missing the likes of Charity, Aaron, Pollard, Marlon, Paddy, Cain, Moira, you know, the actual cast of characters in the soap opera itself. But because it is 1914, these characters aren't exactly going to feature are they LOL?! 


#PamelaBell #ChristmasAtEmmerdale #PamelaBellChristmasAtEmmerdale #Emmerdale #Book #Books #Read #Reads #Reading #BookShelf #Library #Christmas #Xmas #MerryChristmas #MerryXmas #HappyChristmas #HappyXmas #HappyHolidays

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an emotional and yet light Christmas read. I enjoyed it, but a couple of things detracted from this enjoyment. Firstly, I found several proof reading mistakes in the text and that made me more vigilant. I then discovered copywriting mistakes on the back and inner flap texts. None of this is the writer’s fault and I can’t find an error in her writing of the period. The front flap picture of a red phone box is typical of the lack of care with this book. These boxes did not exist at this time.
This makes it worse that her work should be diminished by very simple editing mistakes. This book is the first of a trilogy and a character called Rose Haywood is called Rose King in the overview, presumably giving us a preview from a later volume, the King family is also referred to in the front flap synopsis and they do not appear in the story. It is also stated to be about Christmas 1914, when it’s actually about Christmas 1915.
All this leads me to believe that this volume had been rushed into print to tie in with the Emmerdale 1918 TV series.
Shame on you Trapeze/Orion/ITV Studios. This story deserved so much better than you have delivered. I hope that Volume 2 will not suffer to the same degree.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The World War has just begun. Most of the men from Beckindale Village have gone off to fight it, including Maggie Sugden's husband Joe. That leaves Maggie to take care of and run Emmerdale Farm all by herself with the help of one young man who goes off to war himself though he is too young.

As various men from the village either die or come home damaged the whole community tries to pull together though Maggie feels like the outsider that she became when she fell in love with someone above her station. Maggie only married Joe because she couldn't have the man she really wanted and Joe treats her like she deserves the abuse he doles out. When Joe goes off to war she is quite relieved but still needs help with the farm.

A bit of a tough read because Maggie's husband is so abusive but interesting because some of the character's names are quite familiar from Emmerdale the soap opera.

[Sarah Somehagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Det här var en bok helt i min smak och jag ville verkligen inte att den skulle ta slut! Det är inte så mycket julkänsla i boken, förutom de sista kapitlen, men det är en mysig, sorglig och gripande bok om bylivet i England under första världskriget.

Trots att boken bara är 250 sidor lång händer mycket och karaktärerna går igenom en stor utveckling under historiens gång. Boken täcker krigets första år och jag ser otåligt fram emot att läsa fortsättningen! Det finns flera böcker i serien, som verkar täcka både första och andra världskriget.

Det här var en otroligt mysig bok att läsa med tända ljus och jag sveptes verkligen med till livet i den lilla byn. Om du gillar historiska romaner kan jag varmt rekommendera Vinter på Emmerdale!

[Linda Louch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about Christmas is always a magnet to me and also it was in Emmerdale. Have watched this programme so was intrigued. It was set many years before the programme which was first called Emmerdale Farm was set but had the same village feel. Set at the start of the First World War it tells of the struggles of Maggie Sugden left to run the farm on her own and the grief and heartache she suffers. But the warmth and kindness in the villagers prevails. A very light easy read.

[Mae Leveson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was attracted to this book by the cover design and the fact that it was a Christmas story. For the most part, I enjoyed it, though Molly’s story didn’t come to any real conclusion, so maybe it continues in a later book in the series.

What did detract from my enjoyment were the number of typos and formatting issues, including missing words and words in the wrong order. This book badly needed some proper editing.

[Greta Halliday · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely, easy to read novel that takes you back in time to the days prior to the start of the television series. Read in one sitting, I found it to be a thoroughly absorbing and enjoyable read and which I hope will turn into a series. Thanks to TBC and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

[Matthew Mclane · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a huge fan of ‘Emmerdale’, and having really enjoyed ‘Christmas on Coronation Street’ last year, I was looking forward to reading this. However, I found the writing to be very boring and the story quite slow to develop. It seems that a lot of other people have enjoyed it, though. Perhaps it just wasn’t to my tastes.

[Trina Hollis · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter bought me this for Christmas and it's not my usual genre but is a nice easy read for Christmastime. I really enjoyed it. Set in Emmerdale at the beginning of WW1 it tells the story of Maggie Sugden and also of the Dingle family arriving in the village, I see that there is a sequel coming and I look forward to reading that.

[Rob Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this war time drama set in 1915 Beckindale and Emmerdale Farm. The book is a tough read at times (main character Maggie suffers many times early in the book).
Like the first Coronation Street novel, this is slightly mis-titled with only the end of the novel taking place at Christmas 1915. The bulk of the novel takes place during the preceding year.

[Victoria Frow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good. Fans of the T. V show Emmerdale will enjoy seeing familiar names. Don't be fooled by the title as the only Christmas scene was the last chapter was a bit disappointed by this. It was a good story. Just a warning though as domestic violence as a theme does feature heavily and there is a rape scene as well. Thank you Netgalley for the free copy.

[Pam Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story for even non-Emmerdale fans like me. It's not particularly a Christmas story as such as it covers over a year of story but it's a good account of pre-WWI life in a rural setting. Recommended but not as a Christmas story really.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect

I really liked this charming story set in the village of Beckindale. The characters felt true to life so much so that I felt hatred for some of them and adored others. A poignant and heart breaking story of a village in war time. Loved every single page.

[Lorrraine Ayling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based around the soap fictional village of Beckindale which was renamed Emmerdale after a plane crash in 1994. An interesting insight into village life in the Yorkshire Dale at the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914 any read about this period of time is always thought provoking

[Janice Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Emmerdale since I was a child when my Mum watched. This was a Christmas present and I loved reading it. It was nice to recognise some of the family names in this story from the WW1 and todays episodes. I think anyone who is a fan will enjoy this book

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It sucked me in from the start and made me feel as if I was part of the soap. Can't wait to read the next one.

[Emma Stewart-Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well written, couldn't put down

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very easy read that kept me interested in the story. Looking forward to book 2!

[Karen Mcnicol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only put this book down once for approx. for a hour then picked it up and finished it. Yes it was that good. Can not wait for the next one.


✔ Yes, I recommend this Book!

[Gail Marchant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book at the start of WW1 the lives of the people of Emmerdale & Beckindale the hardships & deaths good story I want book 2 now