Christmas, Actually

Name: Christmas, Actually
Author: Donna Ashcroft

56 pages

Welcome to Hollythorpe, a quaint village in the Cotswolds, where the locals are stringing lights around their village tree. And meet Clara as she pulls her suitcase through the snow, hoping for a new start…

This isn’t the Christmas that Clara was hoping for. Twenty-four hours ago, she was engaged, a shiny diamond on her wedding finger and a gorgeous husband-to-be by her side. Only now, the ring is gone and so is he. She’s almost given up on Christmas magic completely – until she arrives in Hollythorpe.

Clara waits outside her kindly godmother Eleanor’s red front door, knowing that a warm welcome will help heal her aching heart. Snowflakes are falling gently on her long dark hair when a car sprays her with slush and then, unexpectedly, stops to help. Clara lays eyes on Liam stepping out of his car, six feet of gorgeousness. She realises maybe there could be upsides to a cosy Cotswolds Christmas…

Except Liam is closed off to everyone and Clara knows she should be protecting her heart too, so she tries to put him out of her mind. When the village’s usual Mrs Christmas calls in sick before Hollythorpe’s winter fair, Clara steps into the role to help her godmother. Only, she hasn’t realised who Mr Christmas is… none other than Liam himself.

As the two are thrown together to bring Christmas to Hollythorpe, Liam’s icy exterior starts to thaw. And Clara can’t deny she’s falling for him. But then the past comes back to haunt them, changing everything…

Will Clara and Liam end up lonely this Christmas? Or can the most wonderful time of the year bring them together, actually?

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