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During the spring Blythe finally finds the perfect house for Sam Ashton a customer who has been looking for a house in the village for some time. The house belonged to Murray, an elderly man and good friend of Blythe’s who died suddenly while away on a birdwatching trip and was buried in Manchester under mysterious circumstances. Although she misses her friend and is still feeding the cat who lives in his garden, she is happy to find the perfect buyer for his house. While talking to Sam during the sale, he tells her he hates Christmas and everything to do with it but she decides not to tell him about the village’s love of Christmas and that everyone is expected to get involved. The book is centered around the joy of Christmas and the importance of family, friends, and community spirit.
With a father involved in the property business who seems to find her a constant disappointment, it means a great deal to Blythe to be recognised as Estate Agent of the Year in the village of Holly Cross – even if it means selling a house that’s not even on the market, and hoping everything can be put right later. The house belonged to her friend Murray, recently passed away – and the (at first) delighted buyer is Sam, who had been a particularly difficult client to please until she showed him the house of his dreams.
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Blythe and Amir are in competition for most sales this month at the Happy Homes Estate Agency. The end of the month is near and Amir is one sale ahead of Blythe. She must sell one more place. At the heart of the story is a delightful cast of characters, each with their own quirks and challenges. As they come together to prepare for the annual Christmas festival, their friendships deepen, and romances blossom. Bella Osborne skillfully weaves these relationships, making it easy for readers to become emotionally invested in their journeys. First of all ~ the cover is cute and I liked the small town community vibe. It is in full force with year round events the residents are expected to participate in. They all seem to get along and have great rapport for the most part, even if they're Christmas crazy. Norman is the local baker and his treats sounded quite delightful, especially a passion fruit curd eclair and I wish I could try one. Phyllis was a hoot and seemed like she'd be fun to be around. 5 year old Eden seemed very mature and well behaved for her age, which I liked. Blythe's mother and step father were pretty great too. The plot takes off when Blythe, an ambitious real estate agent, sells Sam a cottage without disclosing the village's transformation into a Christmas wonderland every year. This sets the stage for a clash between Sam's dislike for Christmas and the village's fervent love for the holiday season. As Holly Cross vies for the title of Britain's Most Christmassy Village, Sam becomes an unexpected obstacle, leading to the villagers rallying against him.
The premise of Grumpy vs. Sunshine and Grinch vs. Christmas (or something like that) is fun. However, I’m not that convinced by the execution. While Blythe and Sam have a fine banter, I couldn’t feel any chemistry between them for most of the book. Ah, but Sam has a big dislike of Christmas which is not good because this village is really big on Christmas, plus the lights and other celebrations are numerous. But Sam continues to nix any plans of lights or decorations. But Blythe doesn’t let that stop her. When Christmas-hating Sam moves to Holly Cross, he thinks he's found the perfect home, until he discovers that, each year, Holly Cross transforms into the most Christmassy village in the whole country... Except that Sam has other ideas. Moving to the area, he is the Grinch personified. It doesn’t matter what Blythe seems to do, Sam resolutely refuses to get involved with the HCCC (that’s Holly Cross Christmas Committee to you and me). The conflict between Blythe and Sam is entertaining; each equally frustrated by the other’s stubbornness to appreciate their love or hate of Christmas is justified. I loved watching these characters battle it out and the cheekiness of the miserable cat, Turpin, added fun to this festive read.Speaking of holiday romance ~ it's very slow burn and I was not feeling their chemistry at all. They're frustrated with each other from May to December, but then all of the sudden they like each other. I wasn't buying it. Christmas hating Sam moves to Holly Cross, thinking that he found the perfect house. But little does he know that Holly Cross turns into the most Christmassy village in the country. Bella's books are always fun, light-hearted romances. I enjoyed reading Blythe and Sam's story. They have great banter and this delicious tension you cannot help but devour. If you like it when your romances take place in a small town full of quirky characters, then you will enjoy this book. The residents of Holly Cross are incredibly passionate about Christmas, and their love for the holiday season is infectious. I always enjoy a small-town romance because I love that feeling of community and togetherness. Beth does a wonderful job at bringing this tiny village to life, and I enjoyed spending time there. The Perfect Christmas Village is a seasonal heartwarmer. Full of interesting characters, stalwarts of the village that am sure anyone living in smaller communities might recognise.
Blythe is an estate agent who lives in Holly Cross, a small little village that wants to be known as the most amazing Christmas village ever. When Blythe sells Sam, who unbeknownst to everyone, is kind of a Grinch, the house at the center of the village’s display, Blythe takes it upon herself to befriend Sam and turn him into a Christmas loving villager filled with holiday spirit like the rest of them. How the village and Sam learn to understand each other as they go through the course of the year and the holidays approach was really heartwarming. This is full of festive charm and the joys of the season, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every word. Definitely one to put on your Christmas reading TBR this year.
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Yes, it’s only July but I love Christmas romance books and read them year round. I also love British authors and recently discovered Bella’s books. A must read for fans of romance, Christmas, and fans of Bella Osborne. I enjoyed reading the book. I love the sense of community it evokes. To be honest Blythe frustrated me a little with her competitive nature, naivety and determination to prove herself to her Dad but her honesty and kindness won me out in the end. Whether Blythe who sold him the house, can somehow make him change his mind though is another matter. Undoubtedly, this book is all about community. Although the HCCC is quite intense about their Christmas decorations, the fervour they approach this time of year is reflected in the love they have for each other in the community. This is reflected in Blythe’s attempts to integrate Sam into the village, even though her efforts sometimes don’t hit the mark. There is no negativity, nothing malicious in the area and this is what helps to make it such a great Christmas read. With the house being the center of the village’s Christmas activity (which they take very, very seriously), things get difficult for Sam and Blythe. Holly Cross Village has a chance to win the title of Britain's Most Perfect Christmas Village if not for Sam. The responsibility falls on Blythe to fix things. Maybe a Christmas Miracle can help her.
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