When a dedicated and Christmas – loving real estate agent meets The Grinch…

Synopsis

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…

My review

Blythe is on a streak as she has been several months in a row Real Estate Agent of the Month. But when one of her colleagues has made one more sell than her, Blythe does whatever she can to beat him. Even if that means to omit a few details while selling a cottage to city boy Sam. Because what Sam doesn’t know when putting an offer on the place, is that he will be buying a house in the most Christmassy village. And if there is one thing Sam truly hates, it’s for sure Christmas.
But Holly Cross has entered the competition to win the title of Britain’s Most Perfect Christmas Village, and Sam’s new home has always been the centre of it. Sam now has the whole village against him, while everyone, Blythe included, is also trying to persuade him to take part of the festivities. And everyone is putting their trust in Blythe, to fix things. Yet Blythe knows she was in the wrong by not telling Sam the truth about Holly Cross, and she knows that Sam only has so many buttons she can push, and many has been already pushed.
The closer Christmas comes, the lesser it seems possible that Blythe will succeed in her mission. But the more she gets to know Sam, the more she starts to understand him and the more her initial dislike disappears… 

Bella Osborne is one of those authors you know always deliver. Once again I found myself drawn into this wonderful story, where Christmas is the theme that builds the whole story. 

Yet honesty also forces me to tell, even if I adore this author, at the start of the book, I didn’t completely liked Blythe.
I’m not saying that she was a bad person, but I saw her as the kind of person that didn’t like to be defeated and would go lengths to find a way to become victorious in the end after all.
And so she finds herself selling a house to Sam, that isn’t exactly according the rules, and she omits to tell Sam that Holly Cross is completely into Christmas. Now, it could be a detail, but not when she knows how much Sam hates that holiday.
That made me see Blythe a bit a selfish woman, only thinking about her own goals and not thinking about her buyers. 

But I also have to say, before you think truly bad about Blythe, slowly she shows her real character, and while her actions perhaps aren’t showing it, knowing the true reasons behind it, made me understand her and like her. 

Sam couldn’t be more different from Blythe. While Blythe just loves being part of Holly Cross’ community, Sam prefers to be left on his own, minding his own business and not having to take anything or anyone in account. Even the presence of Turpin The Cat is too much for him.
He for sure shows all the signs of being a real Grinch, but also in his case, once knowing his background, can you really blame him hating Christmas so much?
And having a whole community pushing and pressuring him, isn’t truly helping him, is it? 

Of course Blythe and Sam find themselves faced with drawn swords, as Blythe wants Sam to participate to all the preparations, and Sam is adamant to do anything but.
Yet the more time they are spending together, thanks (or ‘thanks’…) to Turpin too, Blythe starts to understand Sam. Knowing where he comes from, having had so many disappointments over Christmas, Blythe understands that Sam doesn’t need to be pressured into doing something he doesn’t want.
But Blythe also knows that she has to show Sam that Christmas can be indeed the most wonderful time of the year.  

And Blythe also understands that while Sam doesn’t want to be part of the whole shebang, Sam can be still part of the community with other activities. 

Seeing Sam ‘melting’ was sweet to see in a way. Obviously his dislike for Christmas doesn’t disappear overnight, but he sees how a whole community works together, how there are so many different activities organised he can also participate to.  

The community of Holly Cross for sure seems a wonderful community. Although I have to say, that even for my liking they were waaaaaay too much into Christmas! 😊
And I felt that they should cut Sam some slack. Just like Blythe is understanding, Sam isn’t obligated to take part into all of it, it is his free choice to or not to. 

But I found it funny on the other hand, seeing how somehow ways were found to the community get their own way! And the idea Blythe thought of, couldn’t be more apt, seeing Sam’s reluctance towards everything involving Christmas! 

While the focus is definitely on Blythe and Sam, and their clashing and later on growing closer, we also see the dynamics of families. In Blythe’s case we see a family where nurture beats nature, but also that blood is thicker than water, no matter how much someone disappoints us.
We also see that a mistake made in the past can get a second chance for a happy end, and that people can always keep on surprising us in the best ways, showing once again the great and kind hearts of people. 

This was a wonderful festive read, with the main characters clash at first, but slowly come to an understanding, and where the past can be not erased, but replaced by new lovely memories. And that even the greatest clash can turn into something beautiful, as long as we are prepared to listen and even forgive for made mistakes.