Reviewed by Emma Crowley
Fashion designer Libby Carter has always loved weddings, so when her brother finds himself in a bind and asks her to step in and plan the perfect winter wonderland wedding for guests at his hotel, Starcross Manor, she happily takes on the challenge. But this is no ordinary Christmas wedding and when everything starts to go awry Libby asks gorgeous videographer Guy Hart for help.
This isn’t single dad Guy’s usual gig – and he is not a fan of weddings – but saying no to vivacious Libby isn’t an option … especially when saying yes leads to one very unforgettable kiss under the mistletoe!
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK via NetGalley for my copy of A Winter Wedding at Starcross Manor to review and to Sharon for having my review on the blog.
A Winter Wedding at Starcross Manor is the twelfth book in the Love Heart Lane series by Christie Barlow and I adore it as much as the day I read book one back when it was published in 2019. With the announcement of a new series in the not too distant future it makes me think that my visits to the wonderful village of Heartcross may soon come to an end so I better make the most of what is potentially left. This new book was another fabulous read, not specifically a Christmas book although part of the story does take place around the festive period. It’s set more in the winter season and the lead up to a special event. Again, as with all the Love Heart Lane books, this can be easily read as a standalone but the stories are so good and plant themselves firmly in your heart and mind that you’ll want to go back and read them all. I envy anyone who is only discovering this series of books now because to have the opportunity to go back and read them all in one go would be magical.
Returning to Love Heart Lane provides comfort and familiarity and you know a good read is always in store as Christie has the ability to write stories with some important issues being tackled. Alongside, the more serious issues is the perfect blend of escapism, fun and excitement which always makes the books real page turners. There are plenty of familiar characters who make a reappearance and that’s half the enjoyment of reading these books as you find out how people you had a connection with are getting on now but also there is the fun element of spotting potential new characters and storylines.
This time around I readily lost myself in Libby’s story as she faces a new and exciting chapter in her life but she is taking some time out before starting her dream job as a fashion designer in America. She plans to spend Christmas and New Year with her brother Flynn who runs Starcross Manor. Flynn is engaged to Julia who runs the local bed and breakfast in Heartcross. Julia would love nothing more than to have her dream winter wedding but they are so busy that they haven’t had time to plan anything or set a date. Libby has a painful past but has come to terms with it and is at a reasonably good place in her life and with a new stage in her successful career about to happen she feels nothing but excitement. Getting a chance to chill and relax at the wonderful space that Flynn has created at Starcross Manor will see Libby fully fuelled and ready to head away in the New Year. But little does she reckon on Flynn needing her help.
Flynn wants to promote the hotel as one of Scotland’s top wedding destination venues and to this end a competition has been run where a couple could win the wedding of their dreams. Libby agrees to be the wedding co-ordinator when the person in charge suddenly leaves the position. I loved how she stepped in to help out Flynn as it showed how loyal she was to her brother and wanted his business venture to continue to be a success. She plans on organising the winter wedding of the century and boy was I there for all the preparations as all things festive and Christmas came into play as the wedding was to be held on Christmas Eve. As Libby sets about planning everything it soon became apparent that this wasn’t going to be the usual dream wedding and that Libby was given a lot more than she bargained for. I loved how this strand of the story was developed as it added plenty of drama and twists and turns. It was only around the three quarter mark that I twigged what was going on and it could have just turned into something that petered out pretty quickly. Instead, Christie turned things full circle and it really did bring a smile to my face.
Yes, the wedding does form a significant part of the story but alongside this we get to know Libby much more and we get a glimpse into her heart and mind. She questions whether she will ever allow herself to be loved again which really made me wonder what had happened to her in the past to have her feeling this way? When the exact details are revealed I think a lot of readers will have great empathy for her and hope that her mindset can be changed. I loved how despite the way she feels deep down that she was able to push her insecurities, hurts and feelings aside and do a good job for Flynn with the wedding planning. You could see that she had so much to give to someone but what she feared most was meeting the man of her dreams and being rejected again and all because of a painful secret that she carried. You just want to be able to embrace her and say have faith in yourself and in the fact that there is someone out there that will accept you for who you are. When Flynn employs a filmmaker to document the planning of the competition winners wedding Libby is thrown into working with Guy and in doing so is taken on a journey that she hadn’t bargained for.
From their slightly uncomfortable first meeting, which really was quite funny for the reader, Guy and Libby do hit it off. Guy is dedicated to his work and very easy on the eye but yet there is a certain sadness behind his eyes. He has an adorable dachshund named Branston who has adds cuteness and comedic value and I mean who doesn’t love an adorable animal in a book? Guy doesn’t really want to be there doing the project and Libby overhears him saying he wasn’t looking forward to the next few weeks. Which made me question what was he doing there in the first place then? Libby decides she is going to make this the best job that Guy has ever worked on and bring a smile to his face. She feels comfortable in his presence and like she has known him for years and yes you can see a little spark ignite between the pair the further the story develops.
But Guy does come with baggage and it’s not his lovely little girl Sophie. He has a heavy mental load and he is eaten up by anger and bitterness and when he reveals the reasons for this you could fully understand and appreciate why he feels the way he does. It was an awful thing to happen to him and I think Libby was quite shocked aswell. Guy was a person who had spent his whole life avoiding confrontation and trying to keep the peace but in the end this was doing him no good at all. What had happened to him had meant that he had been broken to the core and anxiety and trust issues play a huge role in deeply affecting his mental and emotional state. Is Libby the one who can break through the barriers that he has erected around himself all because of such pain, hurt and anguish?
Libby knows that she only has a few weeks and then she will be away to New York so keeps her emotions in check and gets on with the job at hand. Yet, at the same time she wants to help Guy as they have become close through working on the wedding together. As the reality of moving to the other side of the world starts to sink in for Libby not to mention the unusual occurrences and strife that start to occur she comes under pressure and starts to grow scared. Can she navigate the bumpy waters ahead and at the same time help Guy? Read this captivating and entertaining read to discover all the answers. As long time readers will know Heartcross is a place to mend broken hearts and get lives back on track. But will it work for Guy and Libby and will the wedding be a successful or failure?
A Winter Wedding at Starcross Manor was a heart warming story and the most perfect Christmas and winter read. It was a joy to read and once again Christie has sprinkled her magic through the pages and made me desperately hope that the book wouldn’t end nor would the series as a whole. All her characters have such distinct voices and it feels as if they have become firm friends by now and the thoughts of the series ending is just heart wrenching. That sounds pathetic to say as Heartcross is a fictional place with fictional characters but Christie has been onto a winner from day one with this series and I know many other readers feel the exact same way. There is another book due to be published before the end of the year. The Library on Love Heart Lane, which was previously published as Evie’s Year of Taking Chances, which I have already read but it has been rewritten and improved so it will be interesting to see how Evie and her story fits into Heartcross.
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