A Very Country Christmas | Zara Stoneley

Title | A Very Country Christmas 

Author | Zara Stoneley

Publisher | HarperImpulse, HarperCollins

Publication Date | 29th October 2015

Purchase | Amazon 

Source | Review Copy, NetGalley

A Page of Fictional Love Rating | 4/5



A short Christmas story of three courses.

Love is in the air in Tippermere as Lottie dreams of a white Christmas with no trimmings – other than her hot and hunky eventer, Rory. But things are never quite that simple on the Tipping House Estate.

Festive fervour takes over and it isn’t all seasonal peace and goodwill as expectations rise and it soon escalates from cosy dinner for two, to all the trimmings for ten!

With missing turkeys, loose horses, troublesome terriers and randy huntsmen, Lottie is hard pushed to find time for a kiss under the mistletoe, let alone find the opportunity to woo Rory with her sexy Santa costume.

But there is only one thing Lottie really wants for Christmas, and only one man can deliver it…

I'll be straight up with you here, I am not usually a fan of stories with horses or dogs in, I don't know why because it's not as if I don't like horses or dogs - I do. I was surrounded by dogs when I was young and I adore them.. even the Rotties - especially the Rotties, and I wasn't a stranger to horses growing up in the country although I never rode one. However I actually enjoyed this story. A lot. 

At first all the characters seem to bombard you with their names but Zara has kindly put a list of characters and who they are, who they are related to and whether they are human, horse or hound which is rather handy to reference back to if you get a little confused. Once you get into the flow of the story it's actually quite a riveting read. 

I felt that I was back in the country with friends at a country estate preparing for christmas. The entire story themes around a newly engaged couple who despite living in a fancy posh house are strapped for cash until Lottie's wedding business starts reaping in the cash. Also, it should be noted that Lottie is still without an engagement ring, and as we ladies can understand, waiting for that lush man in our life to pop the question and present us with a sparkling diamond is every girls dream. Add to that the fact that Lottie somehow offers to cook christmas dinner for not just herself and her fiance (which she hoped would be how they spent christmas) but for 10 people, in her tiny home. That's dramatic enough without adding in randy huntsmen and horses that get loose, and a man you just can't pin down. 

From doing the shopping, to cooking the turkey after it is wheelbarrowed across the forecourt into the main house kitchen aga, its fun, frolics and festivity all the way.

If you fancy indulging in a little christmas reading, and wouldn't mind seeing "how the other half live", this book will warm you to the bone and show you that life isn't perfect for anyone, but when you make the effort to be thankful for what you have, and do your best with what you have, sometimes, miracles can happen. And for me, that's the true message of christmas, perfectly captured by Zara.