Escape to Holly Island they said. What they forgot to mention was that once you arrived, there was no way back.

Scarlett Robins lives her life through the pages of the books she sells because her reality is no fairy tale. Then she saw an advert that changed everything.

It seemed too good to be true.

It was.

She imagined five-star luxury in a place where dreams come true.

• Drinking creamy hot chocolate while toasting marshmallows on an open fire.

• Bracing walks along the seashore to energise her mind.

• Glorious food prepared lovingly by the Michelin-starred chef, while she was tucked up in the library reading the latest bestseller.

• No problems, no worries – just perfect.

However, Holly Island turned out to be very different from the one described in the advert.

She found herself stranded on an island with a group of strangers who certainly lived up to the name.

The staff had left and they needed to pull together to make Christmas special.

Scarlett soon discovered they all had their secrets but nothing prepared her for what she was about to discover.

Is it really possible to enjoy Christmas without the trappings of modern life and head back to a time where friends and family counted more than anything?

Just when you thought the magic of Christmas was lost forever, Holly Island proves that it does exist and finds you when you least expect it.

Sign up now to get the most out of Books2Read

Discover something great at Books2Read.

Thanks for signing up for Books2Read notifications!