Christmas at Tiffany's: A Novel

By Karen Swan

What do you do when the man you pledged your life to breaks your heart and shatters your dreams? You pack your bags and travel the big, wide world to find your destiny—and your true love . . .

Ten years ago, a young and naïve Cassie married her first serious boyfriend, believing he would be with her forever. Now her marriage is in tatters and Cassie has no career or home of her own. Though she feels betrayed and confused, Cassie isn't giving up. She's going to take control of her life. But first she has to find out where she belongs . . . and who she wants to be.

Over the course of one year, Cassie leaves her sheltered life in rural Scotland to stay with her best friends living in the most glamorous cities in the world: New York, Paris, and London. Exchanging comfort food and mousy hair for a low-carb diet and a gorgeous new look, Cassie tries each city on for size as she searches for the life she's meant to have . . . and the man she's meant to love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Oct 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9780062364111

Karen Swan

KAREN SWAN joined Michelle in partnership in 2011. Her recipes are hugely popular features in the MamaBake community, and she is a regular guest on ABC 666 Canberra. 

Reviews for Christmas at Tiffany's

[laurochka-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A quick light hearted read. Set in New York, Paris and London, standard issue chick litt but quite good fun.

[samaree_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Disillusioned after the end of her decade long marriage, Cassie plays globe trotter. After a few unlikely pairings, she winds up with the one you knew all along. Trite, over done plot, though funny and well written. I would only recommend this as a fluffy holiday read.

[circlestonesbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Nice and cosy reading; interesting is the description of the three different cities.

[heatherlinc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While the front cover of this book is gorgeous, the title is misleading - it is NOT a Christmas story. In fact, Christmas only has a brief mention a couple of times throughout the book. Instead it follows the life of Cassie after she discovers her husband of ten years has a son to another woman, Cassie's best friend. Despite this, "Christmas at Tiffany's" was an enjoyable holiday read although I wasn't always impressed with the various ways Cassie's friends tried to 'help' her move on.

[rhshelver · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I finished this one in about a day and a half. Then I handed it off to a friend who finished it in about as much time -- and this was in the couple of weeks right before Christmas. We both found it to be exactly what we needed at that time -- engaging, touching, light, and quick.A couple of quibbles: the book isn't enough about Christmas to have it in the title. I liked it more for it not trying to fill a holiday niche, but was definitely expecting more of the story to revolve around Christmas, given the title. Second, (and this may give some things away, so turn away if you're strictly no-spoilers) I really liked her eventual partner, but in the interest of forwarding the story (that the main character make choices without knowing how he feels about her), the author had to push him around a bit, making him suddenly sullen and child-like. Not only was he not like that through most of the book, but it was kind of a turn-off for their eventual reunion.

[gincam · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Written in an involving and captivating style, "Christmas at Tiffany's" is a charming celebration of friendship and self-discovery. Married at age twenty to a man ten years her senior, Cassie had lived a sheltered life of rural privilege in the moors of Scotland. After a grand society wedding, her husband, Gil, a successful barrister from a wealthy family, had more or less kept her and their marriage isolated from most of the outside world. He had even made her agree to wait ten years before having the child she very much wanted. Now it was their tenth anniversary, and a party just as elaborate as their wedding was being held in celebration of their decade together. However, during the party Cassie's life comes apart at the seams as she learns of Gil's long-standing affair with Wiz, the woman who had befriended her in her rural wifedom. Cassie's three friends from childhood, her boarding school mates, immediately retaliate to their friend's side. Giving her a year of a lifetime, they in turns initiate her into their lifestyles in New York, Paris, and London. At times breathtaking, and at other times heartbreaking, Cassie's year is an amazing journey, encompassing a lifetime of living in just twelve months. Through it all, there is one other friend sharing her reaffirmation--Henry, the brother of one of her boarding school chums. It is Henry, the world traveler, who guides her along with notes and lists of things to do and places to see. When their paths cross, their friendship grows as something more begins to take seed. It blooms with a passionate kiss which changes the course of both their lives--but are their lives meant to be spent with one another? Along with their discovery of attraction, each of them must deal with unresolved personal issues. Can happiness be the destination they each will reach? A lovely story, filled with wonderful characters and delightfully descriptive writing, "Christmas at Tiffany's" is a gift from author Karen Swan. Review Copy Gratis Library Thing

[lorimarie_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Hated this book so much I couldn't finish it. I am sorry that I requested it from the Early Reviewer program. The characters felt so fake and were made of versions of what people think rich classy people are that I hated each one in turn as they were introduced. In the author's defense - it's not you, it's me.

[arlenadean · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: Christmas at Tiffany'sAuthor: Karen SwanPublisher: Pan Books (UK)Reviewed By: Arlena DeanRating: 4.5Review:"Christmas at Tiffany's" by Karen SwanBook Description:"Three cities. Three seasons. One chance to find the life that fits.Cassie settled down too young, marrying her first serious boyfriend. Now, ten years later, she is betrayed and broken. With her marriage in tatters and no career or home of her own, she needs to work out where she belongs in the world and who she really is.So begins a year-long trial as Cassie leaves her sheltered life in rural Scotland to stay with each of her best friends in the most glamorous cities in the world: New York, Paris and London. Exchanging grouse moor and mousy hair for low-carb diets and high-end highlights, Cassie tries on each city for size as she attempts to track down the life she was supposed to have been leading, and with it, the man who was supposed to love her all along."What I liked about the novel....This was some real interesting story for Cassie. There will be a revelation that will come to Cassie after she learns of a affair which involves her husband, best friend...and the child she thought was hers wasn't hers at all. So, what will she do after learning all of this information? Cassie decides to travel to three cities...New York, London and Paris to visit with her friends which are strong and supportive. What will she find from the visits with her friend? Will she finally find out just who Cassie is and what she wants to be? I loved how this author describes each city as if bringing it to life. Well for Cassie there will be an adventure which will present some highs and lows and even some grief, however, all of this will help her to really discover just who she is and even who she wants to love. This journey was beautiful delivered story to the reader showing such self discovery as Cassie encounter other cultures on her trips. The characters are all well defined, front and center right up their with the heroine with each one having their own intriguing story. The author really knows how to give the reader a engaging read that will hold your attention with you not wanting to put down until the very end. Be ready for a good read of friendships, love, joys and sorrows on this adventurous journey. If you are into a novel of friendships, travel, fashion and romance then you may enjoy 'Christmas at Tiffany's' where you will find 'self discovery, making good and bad choices and in the end it will be what will truly defined Cassie. Would I recommend? YES!

[bookappeal · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cassie discovers her husband's secret at their 10th anniversary party in Scotland and her worldly friends, one each from New York, London, and Paris, quickly devise a plan to keep Cassie's mind off her failed marriage and onto discovering new adventures, beginning with a fashionable job in the Big Apple. Cassie is likable and the dialog is well-written for this genre but her accomplishments are extraordinary and slightly hard to believe. Swan focuses heavily on fashion detail and the luxuries money can buy and doesn't spend enough time or effort developing Cassie's most important relationship. Cassie becomes the typical "he must be pushing me away because he doesn't like me" idiot (even though the guy in question has very good reasons for denying his attraction to her, including the fact that she is not yet divorced) and the romantic tension culminates in a lackluster kiss. At least the ending is appropriately romantic. The Christmas aspect of the story is very minor.

[nvbookgirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's about Cassie who leaves her husband after she finds out he has betrayed her. While trying to heal, Cassie travels to 3 exciting cities for the first time: New York, Paris, and London. In each city, she lives with a different friend who try to reinvent her. As the book cover describes "Cassie tries each city on for size as she searches for the life she's meant to have . . . and the man she's meant to love." Although she has grown in many ways from her recent experiences, in the end she decides to be true to herself. On a side note: The author worked as a Fashion Editor before she became a writer so the fashion industry features prominently in Cassie's new career choices. It's interesting to learn some insider information about how the fashion industry works.

[cissa_5 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In many ways, this is a classic British chick lit novel. I think the people who were expecting American-style chick lit were impressed- but the Brit version tends to be somewhat more serious in tone, though still with a relatively light feel; we are not doing existential angst here!The characters were well-filled out, and very distinct. They don't grow and change much, but Cassie, our protagonist, does, and it all fits together very well. While Cassie's explorations of other lives are not at all realistic, they make good reading and in context are not as improbable as they would be in Real Life! But then- who reads chick lit for accuracy?My quibbles: this is a VERY conventional Brit chick lit novel, with all the VERY predictable plot points if one has read in this genre., all in their proper places. There is also too much reliance on the Great Misunderstanding- it gets annoying when something that's pretty simple and could be cleared up trivially is not, because it's useful for an extra 100 pages of Drama. OK, that's a part of the trope, but still- not all that satisfying.I do prefer Brit chick lit to the USA versions, and this was a quite engaging, well-written novel in that genre. Recommended for those who like Brit chick lit, or who find the American chick lit too silly.I got this via LibraryThing in exchange for doing an honest review.

[willowone_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.I just finished this book and I loved it. The story is about a woman, Cassie, who finds out her marriage of 10 years was not what she thought it was. With the help of her best friends she begins a journey of putting her life back together and finding out who she is. Beginning in New York her friend Kelly shows her the world of fashion, something Cassie has never been that interested in. Cassie begins to come out of her shell when her friend Henry gives her a list, something of a bucket list to do while in the Big Apple. She works for Kelly, starts and relationship and makes friends and enemies. At the end of 4 months she is to go to Paris and live with Anouk, but things aren't so easy. She has made a life and she is not sure she wants to leave. She decides to go knowing she plans to return to New York one day. While in Paris she receives another mysterious list from Henry and begins to work through it. As she does, she meets Chef Claude who takes her under his wing. His life has been hard. Their friendship helps them both to start living again and have hope. While away on a honeymoon scouting trip with Henry (for Henry's wedding) things go horribly wrong and everything Cassie worked for is lost. Not knowing where to turn she leaves for London and her friend Suzy's. Suzy and her husband are getting ready to have their first child. Cassie begins to help Suzy with her wedding planning business to allow Suzy some rest. Suzy's younger brother, Henry, arrives and takes Cassie out to do the London list. Cassie has much to decide now. Who is she? Is she a mix of all the personalities she lived New York? Paris? London? She learns that there are many sides to her and she can have many likes. She can also find true love.I enjoyed the twists and turns of this book. I enjoyed the characters, the places and the lists. While the book is bigger than most that I read, it kept me interested from page 1 to page 580. If you enjoy romance this is your book.

[alanab_26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I just finished reading Christmas at Tiffany's and really enjoyed it. It was about Cassie following the break-up of her 10-year marriage spends time with her friends in different cities to help her learn more about herself and re-make her to fit in to the various cosmopolitan cities where they reside. Cassie lives in each city for approximately four months. There were also lists that one of her best friends brother's makes for her to learn more about the city and herself in each city--in addition to mystery seeds that grow into plants. The story was interesting and I read it in a few days because I wanted to see what would happen next. Some things were somewhat predictable, but other events I did not know were coming. I recommend the book.

[cyncie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Christmas at Tiffany's is the story of a betrayed wife, who leaves her Scotland home, to spend four months with each of her best friends, in locales of N.Y., Paris, and London. She experiences the character of each city in unique and fun ways, as she struggles to discover what she wants to make of her new life. This book is hard to put down, very entertaining, with rich characters.

[cats57_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

With the way this novel starts out, I had an idea that it was going to be along the lines of “The Devil Wore Prada” somewhat crossed vaguely with “Sex in the City”, but set in three cities. I obviously did not do enough research into this book. I only knew that it had to do with a married woman (Cassie) being jilted by her husband and taking some time to recover in three major cities. I was very, very wrong. This book was so much more than that. I thought that it would be a chick-lit, frothy; popcorn read suffused with fashion and sex…however, it was in turns - heartbreaking, funny, deep, shallow and very special. This book will forever be on my re-read shelf.This book is a voyage of self-discovery, of making good and bad choices and finally coming to see that no matter what you do to the outside, it is of course, what is inside that defines you. This is something that currently too many people forget.There is romance, several in fact, which are in turns frustrating and beautiful. The author has a wonderful way with metaphor’s and descriptions that make you feel as if you are in the city yourself; that you are the one living in Cassies shoes. Living her life.This was a beautiful story of growth and will bring tears to your eyes as well as laughter to your lips and hope to your heart.

[evaberry · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Good enough, predictable romance. The kind of chick-lit that's designed to make you feel crap about your own life.

[jolzyn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like the story plot very much.. one get to recover from a heartbreak by rediscovering herself via stops at various places and to find the place where she feel most suitable. In this book, Cassie who discovered his adultery with her best friend on the day of their 10th anniversary, fled their marriage home with her three best friends. Coincidently; the three friend; Anouk, Suzy and Kelly is living in three different parts of the world; Paris, London and New York. Cassie is going to spend with them individually. As one may guessed, at each places, Cassie experienced different things and this has helped her to gain more confident in herself; In New York, which is her first stop; she discovered betrayal yet again when she fell in love with Luke; In Paris, she feel despaired when her friend; Claude, killed himself and when she run away to London, she find herself to have to choose again between her previous love with her husband and her newly discovered love; Henry. In each of these places; Cassie learnt the hard way about discovering herself again. The story was told in a way that a reader get to feel and understand who Cassie truly are and at the same time; allowing the reader to see her transformation from a child bride of twenty; innocent to the outside grow to be someone who can make a decision for herself and no longer letting herself to be manipulated just as she was before. Overall, i enjoyed reading this book very much.

[moosenoose · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book took a little while to get into and I wasn’t immediately over enamoured, but then I found myself enjoying it. I think the idea of Cassie’s friends controlling every aspect of her life, such as hair style, clothes, food etc was a little extreme and I couldn’t quite understand why Cassie didn’t stand up to them. But then I guess that is part of what needs to happen to help Cassie determine who she really is. It was interesting to see how the fashion and beauty styles of each city (New York, Paris, London) differ. I definitely preferred Paris and London to New York! Out of all the female characters, Suzie was the best – but then she was English so maybe I am biased! But I also liked Henry, her brother. He was fun and you never knew what he would do next. Although this had its usual predictive settings, it still was a good read and a nice way to pass a weekend. Although don’t be fooled by the title, this is not a Christmas book! Maybe it was just a marketing ploy to get plenty of pre-Christmas sales?!