Bella’s Countryside Christmas (Haileybrook Village) by Claire Huston.

Book Blurb
Fleeing her heartache and horrendous job, Bella stumbles upon a December wedding in the beautiful village of Haileybrook and the spirit of the season moves her to act as a fake date to handsome stranger Jack.

Jack and Bella hit it off, but Bella has to leave in a hurry and their magical evening soon becomes nothing more than a blissful memory.

A year later, Bella is returning to Haileybrook, seeking a fresh start and a quieter life. With a new job close to her cosy cottage home, a peaceful Christmas is surely only days away.

But it’s not long before family surprises, small-town feuds and romantic drama disrupt Bella’s plans, and she has to wonder if being alone is what she really wants for Christmas …

My Review
Having read and reviewed previous books by Claire Huston I decided to get in the festive spirit with her new Christmas book, Bella’s Countryside Christmas. This is part of Claire’s Haileybrook series but you do not have to read any of her previous books to enjoy this one; it is the village of Haileybrook that is the common denominator rather that the characters. Like a Cinderella story, Bella meets Jack at a church just before Christmas. Always wanting to help others she agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend at a wedding, and there is a definite spark between them. But Bella has to leave quickly to deal with a family problem and for Jack there is no glass slipper to use to find her. When Bella moves to Haileybrook a year later she is surprised that Jack treats her frostly rather than with the warm festive spirit.

What I love about Claire Huston’s books is her wonderful characters. She draws them with warmth and care, capturing their individual personalities, their predilictions and making them personable. I have read Claire’s other books so had met Bella briefley in Clues to You. Bella has split from her fiance, and is looking for a change and having falling in love with Haileybrook takes a job there. Bella is a the kind of person who goes out of her way to help others even, like getting involved with the Christmas Fayre and letting her sister stay when she just turns up out of the blue. What I loved most about her was her straight taking with no filter, which she uses on Jack. Jack himself is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome, if at times he cuts his nose off to spite his face.

This is not an over the top festive read, it is simply set at the lead up to Christmas over two years. I really enjoyed the setting and the Christmas holidays with the village and it’s residents busy with the Christmas Fayre which in it’s own gives the plot a twist as money and jewellery is going missing. We see Bella, Jack and the ladies from the retirement home become sleuths, trying to find the culprit bring a cosy crime layer to the plot. There are some wonderful witty moments in the book, from falling christmas trees to Santa suits and a heist to find another tree, that made me smile.

Bella’s Countryside Christmas is a wonderful festive read. Bella and Jack make for a great romantic duo, and I enjoyed watching how their relationship developed. With the added sleuthing to find the thief, the build up to the Christmas Fayre and the lovely ladies from the retirement home there were plenty of laughs and surprises along the way. If you are looking for a romantic festive read with warm, humour and spirit then treat yourself to this book this Christmas.