How far to go for a job and a promotion…

Synopsis

A Scottish castle, a fake marriage… and one very real Christmas romance?

After a window display goes disastrously viral – thanks to a malfunctioning animatronic Santa and an unfortunate encounter with Paddington Bear – Lula Haines finds herself without a job just weeks before Christmas. So she jumps at the chance to decorate Hollybrae Castle in Scotland for the holidays.

There’s just one complication: her handsome new boss, Oliver Bracewell, needs a fake wife for the festive season. To secure a promotion that could save his family’s castle, Ollie has been pretending to be a married father-of-two to impress the family-focused firm where he works. Now his bosses are coming to stay at Hollybrae over Christmas… expecting to meet his non-existent wife and children.

At first, playing along is easy as Lula is swept up in the magic of turning Hollybrae into the perfect festive escape with Ollie. But as Christmas draws nearer and she and Ollie grow closer, Lula begins to wonder if Hollybrae could become more than a temporary escape… and if the man she’s only pretending to love might actually be the one she’s been waiting for all along.

With heaps of tartan, tinsel and Christmas magic, this uplifting romance is perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Heidi Swain, Cressida McLaughlin, Ellie Henderson or Jessica Redland!

My review

Lula Haines never expected that her window display would end up being a scene from a horror film, as Santa and Paddington Bear are suddenly not showing the Christmas Love. And is there a worse timing to lose your job than weeks before Christmas? So when the opportunity rises to accept a temporarily job to decorate Hollybrae Castle in Scotland for the holidays, how can Lula refuse? And even when her new boss, Oliver Bracewell, explains to her that the job also means that she has to be his fake – wife in order to secure a promotion, Lula does accept it. Ollie needs the promotion to save his family’s castle, and he has been pretending to be a married father – of – two. And now that his bosses and colleagues are staying at Hollybrae Castle, Ollie needs a wife asap, and is already ‘renting’ two children. At the castle itself, Lula is not only mesmerized by the place, but also by handsome Ollie. And the closer Christmas comes, the closer Lula and Ollie are getting, with the attraction more and more difficult to ignore.

Even when it is summer, I can absolutely enjoy and devour a Christmas story. Especially during a heatwave, is there anything nicer than reading a book where there is not only an actual castle, but where snow is falling from the skies and you read about warm hoodies, hot drinks and even if I have never eaten them myself, mince pies (hoping to actual taste them one day)? And having a Christmas story from an author that is as talented as Jaimie Admans??? Could it get even better???

I don’t have an artistic vision myself, so I for sure would be the last person capable of creating a window display, or decorate a place that leaves everyone in awe. The fact I don’t have an inch of ability to put my imagination into reality, only makes me admire those who actually can, even more. So right from the start, I admired Lula, even if it is clear from the blurb that her window display would end in a complete disaster. Where my artistic vision lacks, my imagination in envisioning the Santa and Paddington Bear encounter for sure was up to the task. And I for sure could understand why would be crying and why that display would be trending, for all the wrong reasons.

While I could understand that Lula is terrified of the consequences, and I in a way could understand why she had to be let go, I also disagreed with the ‘how’. Her boss for sure could have been a bit nicer to Lula. And making Lula feel so little and disposable, is that something that is still being done??? 

But of course, all my sympathy went to Lula, because despite what happened to her window display, she is just a really nice and friendly woman. Yes, Lula has had some setbacks in life, and is currently staying with her sister and her family. But the fact that Lula feels as an intruder, wants to stand on her own feet, shows that she does not want to be a burden to anyone. Not that her sister ever makes her feel that way, but I could understand Lula’s feelings. We are all happy when family helps out, but we also don’t want to stretch that help and generosity, do we?

Now, when Lula sees the job offer at Hollybrae Castle, I was in a way happy and relieved to read that Lula isn’t going there as a gullible girl. Yes, the job interview goes smoothly and is at moments truly funny to read, but Lula also has her head straight on her shoulders. Despite the instant connection she has online with Oliver, she asks the right sort of questions and keeps a level of wariness. I liked it also how nothing shakes her, not even the weird request of pretending to be part of Oliver’s happy – but – non – existing family.

It also would be easy to label Oliver like a creep. But as this is a Christmas romance story, of course Oliver isn’t truly one. 

While it is perhaps wrong to tell his bosses and his colleagues that he is happily married and even has two children, the more I got to know Ollie, the more I could understand where he is coming from. Because let there one thing absolutely clear, what Ollie has been through in his life, is something that no one should go through. And reading how somehow he feels the burden to step into his father’s shoes, truly saddened me.

And it saddened me reading how at loss Ollie in fact truly is, how he is struggling to excel at his job, trying to save the castle. But at the same time, it also warmed my heart reading about his bond with Nancy and Hamish, and how he is an honorary Uncle to Rory and Maisie, Nancy’s and Hamish’s grandchildren who will pretend to be Ollie’s children.

Now that I have mentioned Rory and Maisie… how delightful are these two??? For sure they know how to use the situation for their own benefit, but they also are the ones ‘teaching’ Lu and Ollie to act like they truly are married and deeply in love. And how hilarious was it to read those bits! Not only the interfering, but the advice too! I don’t think there are more adorable children as Rory and Maisie! And in a way, i was ‘sad’ as they weren’t really Ollie’s and Lu’s kids. But of course the children are deeply loved by their real parents! 🙂

Back to Lula and Oliver, because just wowsy! 

Already from their first online meeting, the connection is palpable. And when they actually meet at the castle, things only intensify! I loved reading the moments Lu and Ollie are spending  together, getting to know each other and understand each other. Seeing that initial connection evolve into something deeper, while pretending to be already together for years, again, just wowsy.

And yes, perhaps while reading I was aching for Ollie’s hugs myself, because I could imagine how it would feel to be in those arms. Those moments where I was immensely jealous of Lula, I wanted to be her in those moments! Well, not only in those moments, but also the moments where the sparks are truly flying between them, but also the tender moments, the moments where they can just be the real Lula and Ollie.

This seems like an easy story, with easy characters, but like I already said with Ollie, there is so much more to each character. With each chapter you just get more and more to the essence of each character, understanding their actions, their dreams, but also their fears. And with each chapter you hope that the pretending will turn into the real thing. And with each chapter you hope that by the end of the assignment, that same assignment will be long forgotten.

If only it were that easy, right? Not only in books, but also in real life it never is just as easy task. There are always hurdles, struggles, demons of the past and in this case, lies to be kept yet at the risk of being uncovered… 

That is also the strength of the story, as both main characters are keeping up the façade, but at the same time also letting their guards down, showing their selves to each other. It’s also a journey for both Ollie and Lula, where they are trying to understand what they truly want from life, and which direction that life should take. It is about truly admitting what you want your future to look like and not being afraid to chase that exact future, no matter how hard that may be or even if the journey to it will cause some tears.

I laughed so much with this book, I also felt sad at moments, I felt every emotion deep in my heart. I have read several wonderful books of this ah-ma-zing author, but perhaps this Christmas story may be my favourite this far, because not only was I embraced by the warmth and love of Christmas, but also and especially the warmth and love of the characters.