4*
If you love the idea of spending Christmas in the UK as much as I do, reading this wonderful story is the next best thing to being there. I really enjoyed Langdon’s 2023 Christmas offering, Christmas with the Lords, so I was excited to read this one. Although there isn’t as much humor, it’s still another heartwarming romance between the lord of the manor and a Londoner who desperately needs the escape and joy that a celebration of the holiday in the English countryside can provide.
Fallon is a highly successful, workaholic event planner who’s burned out and in need of a restful vacation. Instead, she accompanies her self-absorbed, neglectful soap opera mother to her soon-to-be stepfather’s country estate for three weeks around Christmas. There she meets his gorgeous son, Alexander and precocious grandson, Theo, who are both dealing with their own issues. Rather than taking it easy, Fallon agrees to plan her mother’s engagement party and work with Alexander to help launch his artisanal gin business at the annual village Christmas Fayre. As the days pass, Fallon begins to fall for this father and son but doesn’t see a future since she doesn’t want children, believing she’ll be as bad a mother as hers was. However, the appealing beauty of the Yorkshire moors, the warmth of the quirky extended Knight family (including eccentric Aunt Constance and effervescent sister Coco), and her mother’s apologies and efforts to heal their relationship help ease her loneliness and make her question if the frenetic pace of London is sustainable or even desirable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story which checks all the boxes for a cozy, clean Christmas romance. The only problem I had was Fallon’s negativity and hurtful decisions she made out of fear. All’s well that ends well, though, so I definitely recommend this charming holiday offering.
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.