It’s hardly a secret that I adore chick-lit, and I’m starting to find more romance that I love too. I’m always looking for opportunities to add these sorts of books to my TBR. When I saw The Country Village Winter Wedding tour was being organised by Compulsive Tours, I signed up right away.
October is a little bit early for this sort of book, in my opinion. But it was still a fun read to curl up under a blanket while enjoying a hot chocolate.
This book follows Hazel, who has just moved into Little Bramble. She’s trying to get her wedding business off the ground, and luckily Clare and Sam need her help. Elsewhere in the village, Jack has come to stay with his sister, Bella. And he’s trying to figure out what to do with his life.
I’ve not read Cathy Lake before, and as Jack isn’t mentioned in the official blurb, I wasn’t expecting his POV. It was a bit of a surprise, and I wasn’t sure it was necessary at first. Yet as I got to know him, I found his sections brought something serious to the story.
Jack is dealing with grief, secrets and feeling lost. He’s at a stage in his life where many are settling down, but he’s lost his wife. His sections could be painful but watching him move past that with the help of his family and Hazel was good.
I will say that it did feel like Jack admitted everything to Hazel a bit too close to the end. It almost felt like, oops, forgot to put that bit in the story so it can go here. I do understand why it took him a while. He was dealing with a lot, but as a reader, it did bug me.
Family, on the other hand, was one of the things I liked about this book. Bella was a great sister, and her kids were adorable. On top of that, Clare and her son Kyle were good too. There were some really sweet moments, and I think Lake does it well.
The wedding sounded like a dream, and I liked seeing Hazel work. It was definitely a fun part of the story, and it’s made me want to read more wedding planning books.
This is a very pastoral Christmas romance. If you’re looking for something cute that’ll have you wishing you lived in a small village, this is it.
It’s not my preferred kind of chick-lit, but it was perfect for the cosy winter season. And it’s definitely one that a lot of you will love.
3/5 Stars
Title: The Country Village Winter Wedding
Author: Cathy Lake
Genre: Romance
Age Range: Adult
Publisher: Zaffre
Release Date: 28/10/21
BUY LINKS
Lace and Dagger Books 