Blythe is an estate agent in the village of Holly Cross and one of the best, she is one sale away from the Agent of the Month. She needs to maintain this standing and she gets that sale from Sam.

Sam is from the city and has specific ideas from what he wants and needs from a property. Blythe thinks she can deliver and win the competition, trouble is the house isn’t technically for sale. Plus she forgets to mention that the village of Holly Cross, is rather famous for being the most Christmassy village. A title which relies on everyone to participate, including Sam who is not that keen on Christmas.

What could go wrong?

Well the former owner of the property has left a cat that requires looking after and Blythe is quite used to that. Sam is not so keen.

Then there is the Christmas lights, the community coming together, Blythe plays a major part in that. Sam is not so keen.

And so the battle of getting Sam to like Christmas begins and Blythe is determined.

This book is full of festive cheer and community spirit to warm the coldest of hearts. The secondary characters are just as important and interesting and it projects the love of the community which I feel this book is all about. The romance is perhaps a by product of this. Not afraid to deal with secrets and lies it uses Christmas as a time to bring everyone together and celebrate.

What more do you want from a book, than simple escapism, joy and a bit of Christmas cheer? It ticked all those boxes for me and shows that sometimes you can have a perfect Christmas.

what an easy book to read you get into the story from start and become one of the locals enjoying there days and activities up to christmas along with all the mishaps but it all turns out too be a merry christmas after all

I’ll be very honest, this is the book that has made me want to do what some people do with Netflix- just sit down and fanatically make my way through all of Bella Osborne’s books! But I digress (slows to get thoughts together).

This is the story of Blythe, who is in a bit of a competitive bind- she needs to quickly sell a house so that she can prove herself in her job. Straight away I gelled with Blythe and found I was willing her on. On meeting Sam she makes the decision to push a sale that really shouldn’t have happened. As a result, Sam is now a sitting, Christmas hating, duck, in a place where he is expected to be the centrepiece in the country’s most Christmassy village.

I loved how Sam stuck to his ‘no Christmas’ narrative, and how the locals and Blythe were so perplexed and tried so hard to change it! The setting was fab, sparkly, vibrant and picture perfect, the chemistry was great, the situations and the comedy- I mean I actually laughed out loud a number of times (my holy grail), and there was some heartwarming loveliness with the old owner of the house. I’ll admit the storyline with Vicky wasn’t for me but it definitely do anything to dampen a book that I’ll remember and nod about for some time. All in all I will systematically be making my way through this author’s books!

Thanks so much to the publishers for the book in return for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book!

The authors writing style is amazing!

I look forward to reading more from them!

I was invited to review The Perfect Christmas village, thanks for the copy provided.
.
Although this is a very straight forward story, with flawed an interesting characters, it has surprising and heartwarming moments. We get a very well rounded female mc, but I could not say the same about our male mc; even if I understood his motivation for the conflict, I felt it was a bit underdeveloped (or maybe I was justed to know more). The same thing with Blythe relationship with her father, there was a lot to explore and we're just left with a shallow approach to it. The side characters were interesting and added a lot of dynamism. As a whole, it was a fun and entertaining read, but I would have like a bit more depth.
.

A lovely Christmas story, you can’t go wrong with a Bella Osborne read to make you feel festive.

This book felt different to a typical Christmas story because it takes place over several months. With summer temperatures, it is difficult to imagine prepping for Christmas decorations, but the residents of Holly Cross think differently. Christmas has put the little village of Holly Cross on the map and the local community take decorating the village incredibly seriously. And it’s expected that any new-comers will jump on board too.

Except that Sam has other ideas. Moving to the area, he is the Grinch personified. It doesn’t matter what Blythe seems to do, Sam resolutely refuses to get involved with the HCCC (that’s Holly Cross Christmas Committee to you and me). The conflict between Blythe and Sam is entertaining; each equally frustrated by the other’s stubbornness to appreciate their love or hate of Christmas is justified. I loved watching these characters battle it out and the cheekiness of the miserable cat, Turpin, added fun to this festive read.

Undoubtedly, this book is all about community. Although the HCCC is quite intense about their Christmas decorations, the fervour they approach this time of year is reflected in the love they have for each other in the community. This is reflected in Blythe’s attempts to integrate Sam into the village, even though her efforts sometimes don’t hit the mark. There is no negativity, nothing malicious in the area and this is what helps to make it such a great Christmas read.

I liked how there were several sub-plots to the story. I was intrigued to read about the mystery behind Murray’s house, the relationship with Blythe and her father, and more about Blythe’s best friend Vicky. Vicky, a very lovable character for her straight-talking. She is struggling to keep her head above water with saving money, being a single mum to Eden and keeping her multiple jobs successful. Vicky was an interesting character and illustrates how not everyone has a perfect life in this warming story.

A great Christmas read full of decorations galore! The final switch on for Holly Cross sounded amazing and reminded me of the wonderful scenes you see in December. A novel filled with community-spirit and Blythe’s best laid plans that don’t always go her way…

With thanks to Aria and Aries and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I want, no I need to go and stay in Holly Cross! It sounds practically perfect in every way...the most Christmassy village EVER - wheres my invite?

I've absolutely adored every one of Osborne's books I've read and they've all been worthy of so much more than five stars.

Blythe certainly had a job on her hands converting Christmas hater Sam didn't she? How can you not like Christmas?

I loved all of the characters, with most of them soon feeling like old friends, who I would absolutely love to read more about tbh. Please tell me this isn't our only visit to Holly Cross?

Full of festive frivolity, romance and encapsulating everything Christmas, The Perfect Christmas Village is guaranteed to get you ready for the most wonderful time of the year...is it to early to put the tree up?

Estate agent Blythe lives in Holly Cross, and is just one sale away from being Agent of the Month, so when Sam comes to town looking for the perfect house in the perfect location she him his dream house which he promptly buys. The thing is, Sam hates Christmas and what Blythe hasn’t told him is that in December, Holly Cross transforms into the most festive village in the whole of the country!

This was a really fun, easy read and definitely one that should be enjoyed during the festive period, with the tree lights twinkling, a glass of mulled wine or a warming hot chocolate and so Carols playing in the background! This will leave you with a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart!

The Perfect Christmas Village is a very cute, cozy, Christmasy romance story. I thought it hit all the right notes for a holiday read. It absolutely had the makings of a Hallmark movie. Blythe and Sam are both lovable and stubborn characters. Their clashing personalities and banter make the story along with all of the other adorable and funny characters that are sprinkled in. I really enjoyed and recommend this fun holiday read.

Blythe is a fully involved member of the Holly Cross Christmas Committee and loves her job as a realtor. She has several ethical lapses in her bid to sell Sam a house, partly in a desire to please her father. Unfortunately, Sam has an aversion to all things Christmas and is not thrilled with Blythe’s somewhat underhanded methods to get him involved in the community’s over the top drive to be the winner in a national contest to find the most Christmassy town. Great book for fans of all-out Christmas stories!

Holly Cross is a village that is OBSESSED with Christmas, every year it’s transforms into the most Christmassy Village in the whole country and it raises money for charity.

Blythe works in an estate agent and she needs one more sale to win a competition so she sells Sam the perfect cottage he’s been looking for but unbeknownst to Sam it’s in Holly Cross and he absolutely despises Christmas!.

With Sam’s arrival he could put Holly Cross being crowned Britain’s Most Perfect Christmas Village at risk and the villagers want Blythe to fix it.

Both Blythe and Sam have issues they are both dealing with that makes them act in a certain way but through the book we see the barriers being broken down.

Blythe’s best friend Vicky plays a big part in this book too, she’s a single mum and trying to start a new dog walking business to earn more money and hopes it fits around childcare but she has her own set of troubles, I felt so sorry for her.

What a wonderful, heartwarming read this was, I couldn’t get enough of it.

The charming village and its residents had me captivated all the way through and the Christmas Spirit was very much kept alive.

"The Perfect Christmas Village" by Bella Osborne is a heartwarming holiday romance filled with charm and festive spirit. The characters' journeys to create a perfect Christmas village are endearing and joyous, making it a delightful read for the season.

The Perfect Christmas Village by Bella Osborne

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

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 Opinion

Now I am sure that those of you that have followed my reviews for a while will know that I really enjoy Bella Osborne's book, they are a definite read for me. This one was no exception. Holly Cross sounds like a great place to live with all of the festivities and community spirit.

This could easily be the plot to a Christmas movie, with the way that the town comes together. This is a sweet, heart-warming read that will leave you ready to put up your decorations. Another great festive read from Bella and I am already looking forward to seeing what she is working on for her next release.

Rating 4/5

I'm getting in my Christmas reading groove now! I loved this one. I know I say that about a lot of Christmas-themed books but what can I say I love Christmas!
And this is one of my favourite tropes to read enemies to lovers, though I don't think I'd go so far as to call them enemies. I think Sam and Blythe just got off on the wrong foot, which combined with a heck of a lot of misunderstandings is how they make their way through the book gradually getting to know each other better.
I really liked Blythe, and I felt for her every time she got insecure, and felt like she had to prove herself I really cheered for her when she finally stood up for herself with her dad, I had this huge grin on my face because I was so pleased for her! I actually really loved Sam, his grinchyness reminded me a little of my husband who is not as keen on Christmas as I am, but he's not Sam's level of Grinch lol But it did just endear him to me that little bit more.
Vicky and Owen's story just popping in every so often was really nice to read, and I liked how the question of Eden's parentage was resolved, it made me like Owen more because I did find him quite annoying at times.
In short, this is definitely one of those books that would make it into my Christmas reading stack every year, it's just a warm hug in a book!

Blythe has extended the truth a little with a sale, but it’s all for a good cause. However, when she sells a property to someone who dislikes Christmas in a village that celebrates it big every year.
With the two now clashing the viliage winning Britain's Most Christmassy Village in jeopardy Blythe will be the one to fix things, but it won’t be that easy.
This was a really fun read with great characters who I couldn’t get enough of. This narrative was constant with things happening and had small narratives running through it that simply added to the main storyline. This is a great book to read to get you in the mood for the Christmas season.

I love a good Christmas book and this one has a great cover too, so I was really looking forward to reading it.
Blythe Littlewood is an estate agent in Warwickshire, who is back living with her mum and stepdad after a relationship break-up. Needing a last-minute sale at work in the final days of May, she sells a house in Holly Cross to London lad Sam Ashton. There are a couple of issues – one being that the house isn’t technically on the market yet; the second being that Sam hates Christmas and Holly Cross is well-known for its enthusiasm for all things festive. Oops.
Blythe’s friend Vicky is a single mum to her daughter (Eden, 5). We also follow her story and see what happens to the villagers over a period of time. I enjoyed getting to know everyone in Holly Cross, especially the stray cat Turpin that Blythe feeds in Murray’s garden.
There’s a really good community feel to this book. It’s a great village to live in with its good range of amenities (Highway Inn pub, village green, bakers, etc.) and all the activities they arrange, with Christmas being the focal point of the year.
If you love a novel centred on community, or one with a lot of Christmas joy in it, or a grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract kind of romance, you can find it all in this book, all written in a lovely, witty, lightly comedic style that flows beautifully from Bella Osborne’s pen.

This is a very charming easy festive read which has everything needed to get you into the Christmas spirit.
Holly Cross is a village community which works together every year to raise funds for charity by decorating the village and hosting festive events.
Blythe has lived here her whole life, but when in her line of work as an estate agent she sells a footage to Sam, a Christmas Grinch, problems occur.
This book has some really funny moments and some delightful characters. With lots happening in the run up to Christmas you will not be bored in Holly Cross.

The Perfect Christmas Village is exactly what it says on the cover - PERFECT!!!

With the Summer we haven’t had and the wet dreary weather I was ready for a cheery read. The setting was PERFECT, Holly Cross and its inhabitants are Christmas mad. Think of the most magical Christmassy setting you can and dial it up ten notches.

Imagine someone moving into the village who doesn’t ‘DO’ Christmas in any way shape or form - meet Sam, who bought a cottage from Blythe who works at Happy Homes Estate Agents.

Blythe was on track to have secured the most sales month on month in the company’s 34 year history, a title she was desperate to win that was until the final month when her colleague Amir went ahead of her by one sale! Everything was on the line, Blythe was determined to win, for reasons we don’t find out about until later in the story.

This was an absolute delight of a book. From the get go we had sweet, gorgeous Blythe in one corner facing off with Amir in the other. I knew which opponent I was backing. If only that wasn’t her only sparring partner - in her quest for the ‘sales’ title she finds herself at odds with friends, family, newcomer Sam and the inevitable Leonora of chair of the Holly Cross Christmas Committee.

There are several mysteries and half told stories wrapped around both Blythe and newcomer Sam and as a reader it was funny, sad, endearing and frustrating watching their encounters unfold in equal measures. They say opposite attract and in this case they definitely did. Blythe loved Christmas and everything about it, Sam hated it and everything about it. The more Blythe pried and questioned, the more closed up and moody Sam got. Yet still they were drawn to each other, in madcap situations that inevitably ended up with one of them combusting and them going their separate ways again until one of them needed rescuing.

All in all this is a joyful, funny, festive read, that has several tender heartfelt storylines running below the surface that gave the characters depth and a more than an edge of realism. I loved it and Holy Cross brought back memories of visiting a village fairly local to me where all the houses decorate and light up their houses at Christmas too. Add to that a blossoming romance that was funny and endearing - what’s not to love about this book, it was an utter joy to read that had me drooling after mince pies, mulled wine and hot chocolate.

I genuinely look forward to each of Bella’s books as I know it will be quality, entertaining and a blooming great story. The Perfect Village Christmas is wonderful – I was enthralled with each page I sat and devoured. It is a Perfect Christmas book and will leave you feeling festive fuzzies.
The village of Holly Cross is my kind of place and yet again I wish I lived in such a brilliant community. I think each character was brilliant, even Leonora who was perhaps a bit full on (but for the right reasons really!) Reading about their efforts to become the ‘Perfect Christmas village’ had me laughing and feeling all sentimental.
Blythe is desperate to prove herself and sells a house in her local village to Sam, unaware that he is harbouring some secrets. Sam moves to Holly Cross and is not a fan of Christmas, in fact he hates it – which proves challenging in this village. Soon regretting his choices, he is determined to ignore everyone’s, especially Blythe’s, efforts this festive season.
Blythe is determined to make him see the good in Christmas no matter what. On many occasions she pushes her festive agenda and in my opinion really pushes her luck with him. I’m amazed he tolerated as much as he did! There is something about their connection though and it is clear to see the spark between them.

A story full of shenanigans, pumpkin picking, fireworks and festive fun at the sexy Santa dinner; a whole community pulling together and being there for each other. All have very different reasons for being so involved in the village activities but it’s clear everyone cares for one another too. Fun characters, heart warming moments, comedy and charm – what more do you need this time of year.

I cannot recommend this one enough. It’s a must read this Christmas, I suggest you ask Santa very nicely and get a copy!

A book written by Bella will always give you a good read. This is a lovely Seasonal story and a great one to curl up with on a cold winters night, but is just as good when read in the early autumn. Well worth 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC