Book Review: The Perfect Christmas Village by Bella Osborne

I’m so excited to be welcoming Bella Osborne back to Novel Kicks. She’s here with the blog tour for her novel, The Perfect Christmas Village.

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…

Blythe is just one sale away from being Real Estate Agent of the Month, so she twists the truth to sell a home to city boy Sam, who is looking for the perfect house in the perfect location. Little does he know he’s just bought a cottage in the middle of the most Christmassy village in the country. And if there’s one thing Sam loathes, it’s Christmas.

Sam’s arrival puts Holly Cross’s chance to win the title of Britain’s Most Perfect Christmas Village now in jeopardy, and the villagers are soon up in arms. Meanwhile, Sam is in his own personal hell surrounded by fairy lights and everyone is looking to Blythe to fix things.

But as the festive season looms, maybe there’s more than just Christmas in Holly Cross for Sam to fall in love with…

*****

Blythe is determined to make twelve months as the top estate agent but to make it and beat her annoying colleague, she must tell a small lie. It’s not going to come back to bite her…. right?

Sam hates Christmas but has unknowingly just moved to one of the most festive villages. He wants to avoid it as much as possible, but Blythe and the village of Holly Cross have other plans.

I’m always excited when a new book by Bella Osborne is released and it being Christmas themed just made it all the better. I was so pleased to be invited onto the blog tour for The Perfect Christmas Village and couldn’t wait to get reading.

It’s not hard to fall in love with Holly Cross and I’d love to visit whatever village inspired it. The description of the lights, the fayre and village green just sounded beautiful. I adore the build up to Christmas and this village sounds right up my street. It reminded me of Beaulieu in the New Forest.

Blythe is a lovely character. Yes, she has things from her past that are affecting her present, but she felt realistic, and I love how she throws herself into community life.

Vicky is also fighting what life is throwing at her, but she has her daughter, Eden and, for the most part, feels like the luckiest person in the world. If only life would cut her a break every now and then.

Sam is the most complicated of the characters and as the story develops and you find out why he doesn’t like Christmas, all I wanted to do was reach in and hug him.

The plot moved well and went in a direction I was not expecting. I fell quickly into the story and read well into the night. Who needs sleep when there is a festive Bella Osborne novel.

This book is a wonderful, heart-warming tale of love, friendship, family, and community in a beautiful festive village setting. It’s also a reminder to have faith and the courage to leave your past behind and leap toward the future.

Thanks to Aria, Rachel’s Random Resources and Netgalley for the advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

About Bella Osborne – 

Bella has been jotting down stories as far back as she can remember but decided that 2013 would be the year that she finished a full length novel. Since then she’s written nine best-selling romantic comedies, two best-selling bookclub reads and won the RNA Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year Award.

Bella’s stories are about friendship, love and coping with what life throws at you. She lives in Warwickshire, UK with her husband, daughter and a cat who thinks she’s a dog. When not writing Bella is usually eating custard creams and planning holidays.

Say hello to Bella via her website and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. 

The Perfect Christmas Village was released by Aria on 20th October 2023. Click to buy on Amazon UK, Waterstones, KoBo and Apple.

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.