Just For Christmas

by Scarlett Bailey

[Leah]

I really love Scarlett Bailey’s novels. Every Christmas out comes a new Scarlett Bailey book and I’m always so excited to read it as she’s an excellent writer – and so she should be, since she’s Rowan Coleman! I was so excited to receive a copy of her newest novel Just For Christmas and the lure of the pretty cover, and promise of a dog sold me on the novel and I really enjoyed it.

Just For Christmas introduces us to Alex Munro, who in the opening chapters of the novel, has just rocked up in the Cornish town of Poldore, after two different events caused her to leave her home town in Scotland. In Poldore, she finds that she’s the first ever woman harbour master, much to the consternation of some of the villagers. She finds herself with a new dog companion, and a very sexy but filled-with-attitude neighbour in the shape of Ruan. She’s also invited to participate in the Christmas pageant and there’s only one thing Alex knows for sure – this is going to be a Christmas to remember, one way or another.

I really enjoyed Just For Christmas. The warmth that everyone in the town (or village? I don’t know…) shows Alex even though she’s a newbie is amazing! Also possibly overwhelming if you don’t like that sorta stuff, but it’s really sweet. I like towns like that where they’re friendly no matter what (well, unless you’re mean, obviously). Poldore sounded like a fantastic place to live, I’m not even joking, I just want to pack up and leave Tenerife for Cornwall. All the characters were so lovely and warm, I loved Alex immediately; she’s a tomboy after my own heart – it makes such a change to meet a character who doesn’t care how she looks. Ruan, despite his gruffness, was wonderful, too, I knew there was a soft centre in there somewhere and I wanted to go and live in his lighthouse. How cool would that be? To LIVE in a LIGHTHOUSE?!? Amazing.

Just For Christmas is the perfect Christmas read, and Scarlett Bailey has knocked it out of the park again. She’s such a talented storyteller, she manages to inject such warmth into her novels that you feel like you’re part of the book and I fell head over heels for Buoy. Any dog in any novel will always take my heart, but Buoy was super special, always looking out for Alex and coming to her rescue on more than one occasion. That’s a pretty darn special dog. Just For Christmas is wonderful, Scarlett/Rowan has done it again and it’s made me want to move to Cornwall and be part of life there because it just sounds like the most idyllic town ever, and I REALLY want to live in a lighthouse. That is my new dream.