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btpbookclub's review against another edition
4.0
Another great Christmas read from Sue Moorcroft. I awarded four stars. The Little Village Christmas has everything drama, romance, christmas and chick-lit. I loved the setting of the cute little village Middledip and especially the character Ben with his pet owl and cosy little cottage. This story is easy to read and written well. I much prefer this story compared to The Christmas Promise I have previously reviewed. If you haven’t read it already I would recommend you give this story a try. It also has one of those perfect heartwarming endings.
portybelle's review against another edition
5.0
I always look forward to a new Sue Moorcroft book. Now that it's November, I feel I can really get stuck into the many Christmas books on my reading list so of course, Sue Moorcroft's was top of the list!
One of the reasons I love Sue's books is that she writes in a way that makes me feel that I am reading about real people, that I am among friends. Alexia, Ben, Gabe, Jodie and Carola are so realistically portrayed. They are just normal people with pretty ordinary things happening to them and reacting in a way that you could imagine yourself reacting. They are not perfect characters and are prone to moodiness, angry outbursts and making the wrong decisions. But they are also there when people need them, are able to make the best of bad situations and show love and care, just like any of us.
I do love a story about a troubled soul and in Ben and Alexia we have two troubled souls, though troubled for very different reasons. Would they be able to heal each other or would it be double trouble? I always seems to fall a little in love with Sue Moorcroft's leading men and Ben was no exception. As a woodsman I could imagine him to be the tall, dark, handsome and strong hero you find often in romantic fiction. And he was all these but also had a gentler side caring for injured owl Barney and showing such care and compassion for his Uncle Gabe. Alexia was a wonderful character too. Despite the rather huge setback in her professional life, she got stuck into making the best of a bad situation that wasn't of her doing. She was strong and determined not to let people down but she also did not let people walk all over her. I like a woman who knows her own mind and doesn't go all weak and giggly in the presence of the leading man!
Sue's books seems to me to be very true to life - life that can be messy, complicated and full of setbacks. Yet life that can also be full of surprises, love and happiness. The Little Village Christmas is another cracker of a read from an author I know I can rely on for a completely irresistible story.
One of the reasons I love Sue's books is that she writes in a way that makes me feel that I am reading about real people, that I am among friends. Alexia, Ben, Gabe, Jodie and Carola are so realistically portrayed. They are just normal people with pretty ordinary things happening to them and reacting in a way that you could imagine yourself reacting. They are not perfect characters and are prone to moodiness, angry outbursts and making the wrong decisions. But they are also there when people need them, are able to make the best of bad situations and show love and care, just like any of us.
I do love a story about a troubled soul and in Ben and Alexia we have two troubled souls, though troubled for very different reasons. Would they be able to heal each other or would it be double trouble? I always seems to fall a little in love with Sue Moorcroft's leading men and Ben was no exception. As a woodsman I could imagine him to be the tall, dark, handsome and strong hero you find often in romantic fiction. And he was all these but also had a gentler side caring for injured owl Barney and showing such care and compassion for his Uncle Gabe. Alexia was a wonderful character too. Despite the rather huge setback in her professional life, she got stuck into making the best of a bad situation that wasn't of her doing. She was strong and determined not to let people down but she also did not let people walk all over her. I like a woman who knows her own mind and doesn't go all weak and giggly in the presence of the leading man!
Sue's books seems to me to be very true to life - life that can be messy, complicated and full of setbacks. Yet life that can also be full of surprises, love and happiness. The Little Village Christmas is another cracker of a read from an author I know I can rely on for a completely irresistible story.
bookishnorth's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
novellenovels's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sonjaloviisa's review against another edition
2.0
Corny, cozy, cute— everything you would expect from this genre of literature.
However, my biggest disappointment was that this had very little to do with Christmas, despite the title. The Christmas theme seemed to be merely an afterthought and was only implemented fully in the last chapter of the book. In addition, I felt like the book had an excess of random, complex storylines that branched off and died almost instantly. These didn’t add much to the actual story or develop the characters and felt much more like just fluff.
However, my biggest disappointment was that this had very little to do with Christmas, despite the title. The Christmas theme seemed to be merely an afterthought and was only implemented fully in the last chapter of the book. In addition, I felt like the book had an excess of random, complex storylines that branched off and died almost instantly. These didn’t add much to the actual story or develop the characters and felt much more like just fluff.
harrietsbookcorner's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
niharikashetty's review
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
melindamoor's review against another edition
3.0
Arc received from the Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 stars
This has been my first book by author [a:Sue Moorcroft|862993|Sue Moorcroft|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1430833288p2/862993.jpg] and I found it very enjoyable.
It offers readers a valid, realistic, but positive storyline without dumping too much sugar on us.
The main characters, Alexia and Ben are solid, likeable characters with good/bad traits and you can relate to them easily.
What's more, contrary to the overused romantic tropes, they actually talk to each other and try to sort things out after the first misunderstanding or so and just I cannot tell you, how refreshing that is.
The motley crew of support characters is another strong point and I very much loved the "makeover" part of the book where the community join forces to renovate the dilapidated Victorian public house especially after the money set aside for this is stolen by conmen.
The story starts is more about events leading up to/culminating at Christmas than Christmas itself, but this is a minor issue. Loads of angelcakes/mince pies are eaten to honour the holidays. :)
3.75 stars
This has been my first book by author [a:Sue Moorcroft|862993|Sue Moorcroft|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1430833288p2/862993.jpg] and I found it very enjoyable.
It offers readers a valid, realistic, but positive storyline without dumping too much sugar on us.
The main characters, Alexia and Ben are solid, likeable characters with good/bad traits and you can relate to them easily.
What's more, contrary to the overused romantic tropes, they actually talk to each other and try to sort things out after the first misunderstanding or so and just I cannot tell you, how refreshing that is.
The motley crew of support characters is another strong point and I very much loved the "makeover" part of the book where the community join forces to renovate the dilapidated Victorian public house especially after the money set aside for this is stolen by conmen.
The story starts is more about events leading up to/culminating at Christmas than Christmas itself, but this is a minor issue. Loads of angelcakes/mince pies are eaten to honour the holidays. :)
softstarrynights's review against another edition
3.0
I so wanted to fall for this cute contemporary, but that really wasn't the case. The Little Village Christmas follows Alexia, though sometimes it follows Ben, an interior decorator who was converting the old pub into a community cafe when their funds are stolen. Despite having Christmas in the title, it doesn't necessarily take place over Christmas, not until the final few chapters, so this ended up feeling more like a book with Christmas in it, rather than a Christmas book. Also, the structure seemed all over the place, as though it just needed one extra round of revisions, just to straighten the plot, and the POVs out a little. All in all it was okay, but I'm not sure that I would read it again.
Come find me at www.cartonmanettedarnay.wordpress.com
Come find me at www.cartonmanettedarnay.wordpress.com
fromjuliereads's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This book was okay! I did enjoy it, but I am still forever confused why this is considered a Christmas book and it's in the title - the entire book is the lead up to an event that just happens to be around Christmas. And only the last 2 chapters and epilogue happen at Christmas. It's a good story though.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Car accident, Medical content, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, and Gaslighting
Minor: Drug use and Drug abuse
Hints of infidelity but no actual infidelity, pneumonia, hospitals