Cathy Lake's story about protagonist Claire's life changing events and her moving back to her mother's house as a result is an interesting tale of familiar relationships and the strains they can have on a person. Claire and the other characters are believable and flawed individuals, which made the story more realistic and the setting of the small village was the perfect location to reflect their 'small' lives. While the title of the book screams Christmas, as does the cover, the festivities are more a subtle hint, and remain in the background for much of the novel. Sam, the village vet, is also a well rounded character and an extremely likeable one. Lake is the master of this kind of storytelling, her human interest aspects being key to her audience appeal and her contribution to the genre. This is her kind of tale, the story of everyday people, their decisions (both good and bad), and human interactions and relationships. The cover may look sugar-coated but the story isn't. Still, its a great read that makes you think, as well as allowing you to escape to a small village for a little while even if it just in your mind; something we all need right now.