A Christmas Truce by Emma Bennet Published by Joffe Books on October 25, 2023
Genres: Christmas Read, Christmas Romance
Pages: 219
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
Buy on Amazon/Barnes & Noble/Bookshop.org
Photographer Libby just got fired. Again. Then she gets home early to find her boyfriend in bed with another woman. And just like that, her dreams of a Christmas Day proposal are shattered.
Libby lands a new job as a personal assistant to enigmatic businessman Seth Coleman. He’s terse and demanding — it’s no wonder Libby keeps messing up.
Then one day an adorable Golden Retriever puppy is delivered to the house. As Libby helps Seth train Barney, she realizes that there’s a surprisingly sweet side to this CEO . . .
But everything goes wrong when Libby finds out that Seth’s company just bought the community centre where they’ve been training Barney. It’s not only puppy classes, it’s a lifeline for the whole village. Libby is devastated when Seth says it’s ‘just business’. So she packs her bags.
Until disaster strikes and Libby is forced to spend her favourite time of the year with a man who doesn’t even own tinsel. It’s up to Libby to bring some much-needed Christmas spirit. Starting with a truce, since they’re going to be stuck together whether they like it or not.
But Libby might just find magic under the mistletoe after all if she can encourage Seth to open his heart to Christmas . . .
My Thoughts
I was impressed with how Seth’s and Libby’s characters were brought to life in the story. The author did an excellent job crafting their personalities and making them feel genuine. In particular, I found Libby incredibly relatable, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the story.
On the other hand, Seth’s character was a fascinating contrast to Libby’s. He strongly preferred structure and predictability, which made him a foil to Libby’s more chaotic nature. This dynamic created an exciting tension between the two characters and kept me engrossed in their interactions.
However, everything changed when Libby landed the Seth’s girl Friday position. These unexpected events added a new layer of excitement to the story. It was fascinating to see how Libby’s life and relationship with Seth evolved.
Overall, this was an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers story. It’s a quick and enjoyable read that will make you feel joyful and festive. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys this type of trope.
Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for allowing me to read and review this book.
About Emma Bennet
Emma grew up and lived in London, before falling in love and moving to Wales to marry her own hero. Emma now lives with her husband, 4 children, and many animals a few miles outside of a small Welsh market town. She can often be found in rivers attempting to control two overexcited chocolate labradors.
Seven charming romances are currently available from the Amazon bestselling authoress:
Number 1 Australian kindle bestseller, ‘His Secret Daughter’, is the heart-rending story of Iris, a woman falling in love with the father of her child. The only problem is she never told him they had a daughter.
The beautiful landscape around her home gave Emma the inspiration for ‘The Green Hills of Home’, a tale of love and duty in which country girl Gwen struggles to save her family home and avoid her feelings for her handsome, suave new boss. Is he quite all he seems?
‘Snowed in for her Wedding Day’ is a novella picking up Gwen’s story as her wedding day approaches, but with terrible weather, and an absent groom, will she have the happy ending she so deserves?
‘Just Desserts’ is a novella about confused chef Leah, who’s falling for her handsome French co-worker Jean-Claude, but meant to be marrying to Dan in just a few weeks! Who will she choose?
‘Her Perfect Hero’ was released in July 2015 as ‘I Need a Hero’, it’s a lovely comic romantic read for anyone who’s ever searched for Mr Right (and failed to find him!). Despair of Bronte, a romance writer, incapable of spotting when the perfect man is right next door! Full of horses, country houses and dentists, just beware of the foul-tempered cat Mr Darcy!
‘Starstruck’, proves that falling in love with a rock star is harder than you’d think! When newly divorced Kate finds school friend, now super famous rock star Joseph Wild, on her doorstep, her whole quiet, ordinary life is thrown into disarray. Is the attraction between them enough to make up for all the hurdles they have to cross if they want to be together?
Latest release, ‘Her Sister’s Baby’ is a beautiful and emotional story about grief, the promises we make and finding love in the most unexpected of places.
Emma likes (in no particular order): cake, books, Cary Grant films, prosecco, chocolate, guinea pigs, knitting, quilting and happily ever afters!
