The book is set in the 1860s, and begins when Daisy is cruelly jilted by her fiance Julian, and dismissed by his mother from her job as governess to a younger son.

Heartbroken, she returns home to live with her relations, and when they decide to retire to the countryside, in a village called Little Creek goes with them. The story unfolds at a steady pace, with her Aunt and Uncle, brother and his friend, Nicholas, a doctor. The characters are engaging, mainly friendly and amiable, with lots of interaction. However, several characters are autocratic, domineering and cruel, making an interesting, absorbing story with unexpected twists and turns.

Dilly Court paints a vivid picture of life for many at this time. Most of the people who live in Little Creek are living in harsh, squalid conditions, largely caused by the local Squire Tattersall who seeks to evict them. Daisy is determined to do whatever she can to help, and the story deals with poverty and relationships, both in London and the countryside in a gripping, compelling way.

It’s great that there are going to be other books in the series, as I feel that there will be more battles for these well-drawn, compelling characters in store. Highly recommended.

We first meet Disy when she's working as a Governess for a wealthy family in London. She is secretly engaged to their eldest son and is awaiting his return so that they can tell his family. But she receives a letter from him saying he has changed his mind and that he has taken up a position in Paris. She is then summoned by her employers and told she is no longer required as her charge will be attending boarding school. She returns home to her aunt and uncle only to be informed that they are oving to the country after Christmas. Little Creek is a small village that's overrun with poverty. The houses are barely habitable. They are owned by the Squire who is only interested in lining his own pockets. Daisy has to make up her mind whether she wants to stay in the Village or return to London.

When you pick up a Dilly Court book you know your going to enjoy it. This is the first book in a trilog and after reading the first one, I can't wait to read the next two books. There are a lot of likeable characters and lovable rogues. Theres also a couple of characters you won't like. The storyline is true to the era it's written in. Daisy has a lot of decisions to make, but will she make the right choices? I'm a big fan of Dilly Court. I have read and enjoyed all of her books. I highly recommend this promising start to the Village Girls trilogy. A Village Scandal is out in March 2020. The Country Bride is out in June 2020.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Dilly Court for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Always enjoy reading books by Dilly Court and this new book was no exception. A gentle story that made easy reading leading to the happy ending that you would expect in a book titled The Christmas Wedding but a few twists along the way kept me interested. I did find the story line a bit far fetched in places as I think it unlikely that a trainee nurse would have been given the flexibility to take time off work as often as in the storyline but set that aside and it was still a good read.

Yet another great story by Dilly Court. Daisy starts off as a governess for a wealthy family and is secretly engaged to the bosses son. But Daisy receives a letter from Jonathan to say he has changed his mind and he has a job offer in Paris.

Daisy is devastated and then is called into the Cunningham's parlour to be told she will no longer be needed as Timothy her charge will be going to boarding school, so within the process of an hour Daisy has had her engagement broken off and no longer is employed.

Daisy heads to her Aunt and Uncles house (with who she was brought up with) to be informed that after Christmas they would no longer be living in London and would be moving to Little Creek a quant country village.

Daisy must decide what to do with her life should she go with her Aunt and Uncle or make a life or career for herself in London??

This is a lovely story with a mixture of characters that come from London and Little Creek with their own stories to tell.

Well written with a storyline that keeps you guessing.

I requested an advanced copy of The Christmas Wedding as I love a good Christmas book at this time of year when the nights are drawing in and it’s getting frosty. I’m afraid that this book didn’t entirely work for me because it’s not a Christmas book but a romance which just happens to end with a wedding at Christmas in the last few pages.

There were lots of great but clichéd characters in the book. There was the dastardly squire of Little Creek who owed most of the property and was treat the villagers badly in whatever way he could. The main character, Daisy, was a good sort who had just been let down by her rich and upper class fiancé so had to go back to live with her aunt and uncle who’d taken her in when she was orphaned. Soon after Daisy’s aunt and uncle moved from London to a the small rural village of Little Creek so Daisy has little choice but to move with them. She quickly got involved in helping villagers in dire need and soon met a couple of men who caught her eye and vice versa. One being a kind-hearted, gentlemanly, young doctor, Nick, who has no money (due to the dastardly squire) and the other being local bad boy, Jay, who’s been in trouble with the law. It’s a good plot and well-written but not my favoured genre.

Another fantastic book written by this without ,so beautifully written and had fantastic characters look forward to the next book in this series .

Not my usual genre, thought I would have a change from my psychological thrillers. This was a good story with interesting characters and well written.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Impulse Publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Lovely story and looking forward to the next in the series. Enjoyed all the characters and the settings.

So what do you do if you are brought up as a Lady, and don’t have any skills other than keeping house? Or maybe, being a Governess.
The perennial problem facing young women back in the - well most centuries before women went out to anything other menial work.
And when you lose what little income you have, you fall back on your family - if you have one.
And this is the story that we follow here, but we have a dashing pirate - well smuggler, as so many were along the British southern coast (as my husband’s family can testify!) and a villainy lord of the manor - all good gothic elements for a romance story.
Nicely told with some good historical facts and descriptions of the poverty that so many villagers lived in where huts were basically mud floors and mostly mud walls and roofs.. with rents and work under the control of the local lord - even in the 19th century.
Gentle and cosy by the fire reading because it all works out in the end - as it must.

Another brilliant saga from this wonderful author who has a true gift of storytelling. I really enjoyed it.

Another delightful novel from Dilly. I loved following Daisy’s travels and how she cared for those less fortunate.

It's the first novel I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
I appreciated this book: it's well written and the cast of characters is realistic and well written.
An engrossing and entertaining read.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Dilly Court writes amazing sagas and this one tops them all for me. The first in what I hope is a series is brilliant. Easy to read with interesting, fun, courageous characters I couldn’t put it down. So follow the residents of Little Creak and their lives. A must read.

I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. Great characters and a great plot line. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.

Another fabulous book from dilly court i love her books as she is very entertaining with her stories this is another one for my bookshelf.Excellent 5*

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for more. Little creek village that I felt part of. Daisy torn between many things and Jay who was forced into being what he was,but it all worked out in the end. A must read.

Duly Court writes the most wonderful sagas Mathis is the beginning of a new series.This was a lovely read the setting the characters I enjoyed it from beginning to the last page.#netgalley#harpercollinsuk

Dilly Court brings the area of Little Creek to life. The people, sfrom the squire - nasty piece of work - to the poorest in the village, feel real and lived. A good book that is engaging and both light and dark.

I received a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.

Another good book by Dilly Court. I could not wait to start reading it and I was not disappointed. It has everything in it, right from the beginning to the end. I do recommend this book to be read.