A Very English Christmas

by Jane Porter

She was only the temporary nanny…until love made her want to stay.

When American Catriona Blake agrees to spend December caring for the daughters of renowned London surgeon Dr. Rhys Harmon, she tells herself it’s just a temporary job—one month in a borrowed cottage on the edge of Langley Park, enough money to get home
to Michigan, and no complications.

But nothing about Rhys or his girls is simple. Divorced for four years, he’s rented the centuries-old cottage outside Bakewell to create new traditions and give his daughters new memories. Yet the girls miss their vivacious mother and find it difficult to feel festive without her—which only deepens Rhys’s quiet fear that he’s failing them.

Catriona never expected to fall for her impossible, brilliant employer—or his lovely, complicated family. But one promise to twelve-year-old Jillian changes everything, binding Catriona to a truth she can’t ignore and a vow she can’t break… even if keeping it means breaking her own heart when love comes too soon, and Christmas ends too fast.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

296 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 10, 2025

About the author

Born in Visalia, California, I'm a small town girl at heart. I love central California's golden foothills, oak trees, and the miles of farmland. In my mind, there's nothing sweeter in the world than the heady fragrance of orange blossoms on a sultry summer night.

As a little girl I spent hours on my bed, staring out the window, dreaming of far off places, fearless knights, and happy-ever-after endings. In my imagination I was never the geeky bookworm with the thick coke-bottle glasses, but a princess, a magical fairy, a Joan-of-Arc crusader.

My parents fed my imagination by taking our family to Europe for a year when I was thirteen. The year away changed me (I wasn't a geek for once!) and overseas I discovered a huge and wonderful world with different cultures and customs. I loved everything about Europe, but felt especially passionate about Italy and those gorgeous Italian men (no wonder my first very Presents hero was Italian).

I confess, after that incredible year in Europe, the travel bug bit, and bit hard. I spent much of my high school and college years abroad, studying in South Africa, Japan and Ireland. South Africa remains a country of my heart, the people, the land and politics complex and heart-wrenching.

After my years of traveling and studying I had to settle down and earn a living. With my Bachelors degree from UCLA in American Studies, a program that combines American literature and American history, I've worked in sales and marketing, as well as a director of a non-profit foundation. Later I earned my Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco and taught jr. high and high school English.

I now live in Seattle and Hawaii with my three sons. I never mind a rainy day, either, because that's when I sit at my desk and write stories about far-away places, fascinating people, and most importantly of all, love. I like a story with a happy ending. We all do.

Reviews

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeous Christmas story, beautiful setting and such wonderful characters, I fell into this one and it had me smiling throughout.

Catriona Blake is American but has been studying in England for a couple of years now, she has no family but knows that she must go back home to settle some things and get a job but not till after Christmas when her friend find a note for a nanny for a few weeks over the holidays she take a chance never realising how this chance will change her life.

Dr. Rhys Harmon is divorced with two beautiful daughters Jillian who is twelve and Oliva who is nine they usually spend Christmas together with his ex-wife for the girls but this year the ex is holidaying with her new partner, Rhys decides to make this holiday special and take the girls to Langley Park in Derbyshire the place he grew up but he will need a nanny the first one left after a few days his daughter Jillian can be a bit trying but when Catriona applies he feels she will fit and she does in more ways than one.

This holiday turns into one of the best Christmas’s Cat and Rhys have ever spent as the days go by Cat is having problems at times with Jillian, Olivia is so good but Jillian misses her mum but with Cat and Rhys falling for each other Cat makes a promise that will put a stop to opening up their hearts any further but she will do anything for the girls she has come to love even if it means breaking her own heart.

I loved this one from start to finish, the ending is just gorgeous love has a way making things right doesn’t and Jane Porter brings it all to life, this one is a story that I highly recommend, heart-warming, moving and just fabulous, a beautiful romance and one that I do highly recommend, very sigh worthy.

My thanks to Tule Publishing for my digital copy to read and review.

[Fiona Marsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third in the series set at Langley Park. Catriona is the younger sister of the female protagonist of book 1. She’s spent the last couple of years studying in London but now she needs to earn enough money to go home to the US and start job hunting.
Rhys Harmon and his two daughters are spending Christmas at Langley Park. This is the first Christmas that the girl’s mother won’t be joining them for Christmas after the divorce several years ago.
The girls are being difficult and have already chased one nanny away so Rhys is desperate for someone to help while he finishes his book in time for Christmas.
This was a nice story very suitable for Christmas. The development of the relationship between Cat and the two girls is just as important as the one with Rhys.
The ending was lovely and satisfying. It was also nice to catch up with the people of Langley Park and the connection with Rhys.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Readsandeats · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to thank Jane Porter for the early copy of her latest Christmas book. This is book three in her Langley Park series but can be read as a standalone.
We meet Catriona (Cat), she is living in London but knows she has to return to Michigan to sort various things out. She agrees to take a job with renowned surgeon Dr Rhys Harmon, looking after his two girls.
Cat finds herself in a cosy cottage in Langley Park, near the town of Bakewell. She finds herself faced with a sullen and resentful Jillian and her younger sister Olivia, who wants to like Cat but doesn’t want to upset her sister. The more Cat gets to know the girls and engages them in making the cottage festive, the more she understands them.
Rhys is glad to have Cat with them and enjoys being able to spend time writing his paper and book. He does try to make time for his daughters and make this Christmas as festive as possible. He knows the girls miss their Mum and he feels he is not doing a good job of making Christmas memories but with the help of Cat he begins to make progress.
Cat didn’t expect or want to fall for Rhys or the girls but she does, However, a promise she makes to Jillian makes could break her heart and those of others? Will this festive season be the best she has ever had?
I loved the characters and the setting. I very much appreciated that Jane spelt Catriona the Scottish Gaelic way. Cat was a great character who was so kind and caring, even when Jillian was being so horrible. I could understand Jillian’s view point and hurt. Olivia was a cute character who only wanted everyone to be happy and full of festive cheer. Rhys was a strong quiet man who slowly came out of his shell with Cat’s encouragement. As a quartet they worked and they drew you into their story. It was good to catch up a wee bit with some of the characters from the previous books and or see Langley Park House decorated for Christmas.
This is a great book to curl up with on a snowy afternoon with the Christmas tree lights twinkling, a blanket wrapped round you and a mug of hot chocolate in your hand.

["Avonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always look forward to this series at Christmas!

Another wonderful heartwarming holiday contemporary romance set at Langley Park. Ms. Porter always delivers a realistic story full of family, romance, smart dialogue, and a beautiful HEA.

[Denise Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat takes a job as a nanny over Christmas break to earn money to return to the USA. She's been in London earning two Master's Degrees, while avoiding things back home after the loss of her grandmother, her last living relative. She's aware of the family's situation, but until she's in it, she doesn't fully know what to expect.

Rhys, a surgeon, has his girls alone for Christmas for the first time since his divorce four years ago. Instead of staying in London, he takes them to Langley Park, in Derbyshire, where he grew up. He's also finishing a book, and his girls already ran off the first nanny.

Cat is so intuitive and sees the hurt the girls have gone through, never fully accepting their parents divorce, and the older daughter is testing boundaries. Cat does her best to come to an understanding, things start going well, and she's promised to not fall for Rhys. But the sparks are there, and they're mutual.

Christmas is in the air, and the magic of the season is all around, they're loving the little cottage and having a lovely time, almost like a real family.

When the girls unexpectedly leave with their mother, Cat and Rhys are alone, and they agree to a fling. It's more than passion, there are real feelings, but Cat made a promise.

Can love cross the Atlantic and find its way back to the UK for a forever relationship? Full of quaint villages in the English countryside, old-fashioned Christmas traditions, and the hope and joy of the season, this story delivers on love, romance, and the possibility of more.

[DeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very English Christmas by Jane Porter
Release date December 9, 2025
Book #3 in the Langley Park series

I absolutely adored this story! If you’re looking for an amazing Christmas read then you definitely need to grab a copy of this one. Get yourself a cozy blanket and a nice warm drink because you’re not going to want to put it down.

Cat has two masters degree and neither one of them are in child minding! But she needs money to get back to Michigan so she takes on the job of a childminder to two little girls one is a little handful named Jillian and the other one is a sweetheart named Olivia. And the story unfolds from there. even though the handsome Dr. Rhys and his wife have been divorced for four years. They’ve always spent the holidays together for the girls sake. This is the first holiday that they are celebrating separately and it is hard on the girls. But they know they need to make their own traditions. Cat is hired to watch the girls while Rhys finishes, writing his medical book. Jillian gives Cat a run for her money and Olivia is just a little sweetheart trying to keep peace.

This is a very heartwarming story, and I don’t want to give away any spoilers. But I definitely recommend this book! Five stars does not do it justice.

I found this book be very emotional for personal reasons and just because of Jane‘s writing. I could relate to so many things. My granddaughter‘s name is Jillian, we live in Michigan, and my grandkids called my mother grandma Betty.
Catriona/Cat has a sweater that gives her comfort that was once her mothers. I have a robe that gives me comfort that was once my mother’s.

Thank you, Jane 💕

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series of cozy English country stories. The setting in a cottage on an historic estate is perfect for the Christmas atmosphere and old-fashioned fun and romance. This is a slow burn romance between a short-term nanny and a surgeon who needs his 2 daughters minded over the holidays. The know that she is leaving soon and that nothing can come of their attraction but they need each other so much to heal their pasts. The book is full of Christmas activities, food and warmth as they all find healing and love.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very English Christmas by Jane Porter is the third book in her wonderfully romantic series, Love at Langley Park. It is set at Christmas time in England. We are introduced to Catriona “Cat” Blake. She is from Michigan and has recently graduated with her second masters degree with a teaching certificate in medieval studies from the University in London. Her flatmate, Sarah has sent her information on a temporary job for a doctor at the hospital she works at. It is to be a child minder for his two preteen daughters. When she calls Dr. Rhys Harmon to ask about the job, she learns his daughters, Jillian and Olivia have been somewhat difficult to handle and he needs to finish a project. They will be staying at a rental cottage in Langley Park outside of London for the three weeks up to New Years. Rhys and his ex wife have been divorced for 4 years but up to this year had still spent the holidays together. He is hoping to create some new memories for his daughters.

Cat doesn’t have a lot of experience with children, as she is used to working with older students. She is met with rudeness and uncooperative behavior from Jillian especially. Olivia follows her sister’s example initially so as to not upset her. Rhys hired her so he could work on his research while Cat entertains the girls. He checks in on them and tries to help with Jilly’s attitude towards Cat. She teaches them crafts, they bake and go into town to visit the shops and enjoy some treats. They learn that Rhys grew up at Langley Park as the son of the stable master and the current Earl, Alec and the staff still remember him.

As Cat and Rhys spend time together he realizes he is very attracted to her. She also feels the same about him but knows nothing can come of it because she is returning to Michigan after the new year and her assignment ends. Both of the girls are sad that their mother isn’t with the family this Christmas and resent Cat. They still have hopes of their family being together again. After Jillian notices the looks exchanged between her dad and Cat, she forces Cat to promise that she isn’t interested in her dad. Even though it killed her, Cat stuck to her promise and wouldn’t pursue anything with Rhys. He doesn’t understand why she suddenly starts to distance herself from the family. She is heartbroken but will never go back on a promise.

As is the case with everything I read by Jane Porter, this book was fabulous! The characters are well developed and all of them inspire some sympathy for their past histories. The pairing of Rhys and Cat is beautiful and very romantic. There is a lot of angst and some worry about what would happen. The ending is a sweet and heartwarming surprise. This story could be read as a standalone book but it is nice that the familiar staff, Alec and Cara were included. The descriptions of the estates as well as the town of Bakewell and its shops were well done so the reader could easily visualize it. The cover by Lee Hyatt is also gorgeous and fits well with the written story. It is a five star book that I am happy to recommend.

I was fortunate to receive this ARC from Tule Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very English Christmas by Jane Porter
Parts I like best are the hand me down mothers sweater as I have one from my mother that she made for me and never finished. So much food to explore and so many crafts and treats, can't decide which I want to do first to make new traditions. Love chivalry, romance, travel, honesty, mistakes, laughing and hugs.
This story starts out with Catriona who's been in England at university acquiring a few degrees. She is determined to go back to the US to sell her grandmother's houses. But first she needs a job. She gets one rather quickly as her friend Sarah saw an ad at the hospital where she works. Cat takes on the job of a childminder, there are two girls and a father who is writing his medical book to be published. He is not at the house except for the dinner meal and to sleep. She handles the girls fine til they escape one day... they are a handful to be sure.
She's learning about Dr. Rhys and how he grew up in Langley Park and about his father who tended to the horses. Love hearing about the area, the shops sound so festive and fun to go poking about each of them. They offer something for everyone. Love new traditions the family starts: reading a few pages of a book every night.
Love travel, romance, twists and turns and especially the crafts. Because they have no TV the girls have to make up their own fun. Lots of imaginative craft making. Cat is a big help to them. Love the big manor house where Rhys goes to work on his project daily.
The oldest girl Jilly gets a promise form Cat that she won't interfer with the family and that she won't go after her father. Jilly still wants her mother and father to reunite...
She finds it hard not to blend in with the family but act more like a servant. She knows it will be hard to leave them at the end of her time. She never thought she'd be leaving earlier than expected....
Never saw it ending as it did, WOW
Super fun read and so informative. Love baking and making meals.
Received this review copy from Tule Publishing via Booksprout and this is my honest opinion.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

How is it possible to love Jane Porter’s books more and more each time I read one, when I already have the previous book I read, listed as one of my favorites? Somehow, this keeps happening.

❄️Catriona Blake needs a job before she heads back to the States. She is in England, staying with a friend, and attending school. Her friend Sarah, is a nurse at a local hospital and sees a temporary nanny job for one of the doctors. Catriona takes the job. She is instantly immersed into the middle of a household that consists of a divorced dad and his two young daughters.

❄️Doctor Rhys Harmon works A LOT! His two daughters Olivia and Jillian, go back and forth between their mom and dad’s houses. While in his care, he needs a nanny for them. Catriona comes in a makes a huge impression on everyone from day one. Jillian is a handful. She is a precocious tween and Olivia is just a little gem. Jillian is going to give Catriona a run for her money.

❄️Time goes by and feelings between everyone begin to change. New friendships form in Langley Park. Catriona may be just what the girls need. If you have read the first two books in the series, you will love the returning characters at Langley Park. However, reading the first two books is not necessary, as this is an independent story. I would call it a standalone series with recurring minor characters and settings.

❄️There are so many tropes in this beautiful story: divorced dad, found family, forced proximity(toward the end), instant love, nanny, small age gap are just a few. In the beginning, the banter between Rhys and Cat is fabulous! Also, the banter between Cat and Jillian is important to this story. Porter really mastered the dialogue of Olivia and Jillian. Absolutely perfect! The conclusion is my favorite part! What a surprise! An unexpected minor character pops up and does something unique and heartwarming. This is a must read!

[Kerry Croucier · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a holiday read that is full of holiday traditions, a lovely English countryside setting, a family in need of holiday cheer, a character in need of family and tradition, and a heartwarming romance, Jane Porter’s A VERY ENGLISH CHRISTMAS is all that and more. I am in awe at how Porter is able to pack one novel with all of these elements and weave them together in such a way that will draw you into the story, make you wish you were there, and hope it never ends.
I love Cat, Rhys, and his girls, Jillian and Olivia. Cat’s empathy for the girls and their feelings combined with her determination to make Christmas for all of them the best she can is heartwarming. I loved the traditions she introduced and how she got the girls involved and won them over, even Jillian. Her frankness with Rhys also helped him understand what the girls needed and what he was missing in his own life. Cat’s unwavering belief she needed to do what was best for the girls, no matter the cost to her own feelings, had me in tears. Each character will find a special place in your heart, and you will be surprised to find Rhys’s ex Lindsay there, too.
A part of Porter’s Langley Park series of Christmas stories set at Langley Park near the English town of Bakewell, A VERY ENGLISH CHRISTMAS joins the first two as heartwarming Christmas stories will get you into the holiday spirit. I just wish I had a fire to curl up in front of while reading it!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

[Perrin Larton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. We're back at Langley Park and this is such a good read.

Catriona needs to get back to the US after a few years in London going to University. After acquiring 2 Master's Degrees, she realizes she has to go home and take care of unfinished business. With her bank account decreasing and her credit cards maxed, she needs a holiday job to help finance her return home. Finding a job is harder than she imagined until her roommate points her in the direction of a 'childminder' position for the holiday season.

Rys is desperate! His book is behind schedule and his ex-wife has decided to not have the holiday with he and their daughters. The daughters, disappointed and running amuck, have already chased off one childminder. He needs someone now! He hires Catriona after just a telephone interview and she is on her way out of London the next day.

Now we're at Langley Park and the excellent Christmas story begins. As Catriona and the girls begin to make peace, after an authorized excursion, and Rhys is able to get back on track, there are many evenings when they stay indoors together. Falling snow, walks in the cold, trips to the fabulous town of Bakewell make up their days. When an opportunity for the girls to spend time with their mother arrives, Cat and Rhys explore their feelings...but...she still goes home after the New Year.

Another great story with a wonderfully inventive happily ever after.

[Shelagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled that Jane Porter had brought me back to Langley Park near Bakewell in Derbyshire for this Christmas story. It’s an area I loved visiting and I felt right at home when I arrived. A Very English Christmas is a gorgeous Christmas story with plenty to make readers smile. I loved Rhys, the almost grumpy neurosurgeon who is the male protagonist in this story. He’s trying to write an academic paper (at Christmas, really???) as well as enjoy Christmas with his daughters, the older of whom is not at all amused that he’s chosen to spend Christmas away from the wife he divorced four years ago. Enter the learned, wise, kind and caring Catriona, who has a double masters in Renaissance Studies and Renaissance Literature, but who is broke and needs the three-week nanny job with Rhys to pay for her ticket home from London to Michigan. Cat bonds immediately with the girls and it is heartening to see them slowly relax into a Christmas tht is very different from any they've experienced before.
I loved the family dynamics at play throughout this story. We have the children—twelve year-old Jillian and ten year-old Olivia—who just want their family to be whole, though Olivia is more willing than Jillian to accept Cat’s love as she works to make this a Christmas to remember for not only the chidren but also their father. We have Rhys, who is driven to both complete his paper and give his daughters a Christmas that connects them to his childhood and the place he grew up.
There is so much emotion in this story: fear, grief, loss and love as the children work through the changes in their family, both between Cat and the girls and between Cat and Rhys. With the conflict of a promise made and kept, we see a relationship torn apart, but there just might be hope as well. This is such a gorgeous story, perfect for Christmas but really perfect for any time you want a story to fill you with joy.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cat Blake needs to get some cash to go home to America to sell her grandmother's home. So she takes a job as a nanny to young girls who's father is a doctor and she will be having Christmas in a small English village. It was the perfect solution to her dilemma. it seemed like it was going to be an easy job, but the oldest daughter was testing her and the younger girl was a sweetheart, but Cat was once young so she knew how to handle things.
Dr Rhys Harmon needed someone to spend the month at the cottage he rented to look after his two girl. Their mother was spending the month getting to know her boyfriends family. So when Cat Blake could help him out he was thrilled. He had a lot to do on the book he was writing and it seem it was going to work out. Except he did not see that he would be attracted to Cat or that his oldest daughter was not likening it at all. But they did the best to give the girls a good Christmas.
I liked this book. The characters were well written and the story is a lovely holiday one. It gives you a lot of holiday feels, some funny, some sad and some you will get a cozy warm feeling of a romantic Christmas.. A perfect book to curl up with on a snowy winter day, with a hot cup of your favourite beverage under a warm blanket.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in this series.
"She was only the temporary nanny…until love made her want to stay."

Catriona Blake is American. She has greed to spend December in London caring for the daughters of a renowned London surgeon. It is just supposed to be a temporary job. One month in a borrowed cottage on the edge of Langley Park. Long enough to make money to get home to Michigan. Simple enough with no complications.

Dr. Rhys Harmon nor his girls are simple.
He has been divorced for four years. He rents the centuries-old cottage to create new traditions. He wants to give his daughters some new memories. The girls miss their mother and are finding it difficult to feel festive without her.

Catriona falls for her employer and his lovely, complicated family. She makes a promise to twelve-year-old Jillian and it changes everything. Will it break her heart especially when Christmas ends too fast?

Love this book! Jane Porter writes well and her style captivates her readers. Beautiful Christmas story. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Elaine Coghlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very English Christmas ~ Love at Langley Park #3 by Jane Porter.

Another fantastic addition to this brilliant series from Jane Porter. I found A Very English Christmas to be beautifully written, with tremendous characters who feel genuinely real throughout the story. The storyline flows with heartfelt warmth, so much so that I truly felt as though I was right there with them.

A temporary house-sitter/nanny, Catriona, finds herself spending the holiday season in England caring for the children of London surgeon Dr. Rhys Harmon, father to two lovely girls. Rhys has booked an old country cottage in Bakewell, in the heart of the Peak District, creating the perfect setting for a magical Christmas. As the story unfolds, the question remains—can this temporary arrangement heal past hurts and lead to lasting love for these wonderful people?

This book is full of charm, emotion, and festive atmosphere, making it an absolute joy to read. I highly recommend it to everyone looking for a heartwarming Christmas romance.

[Rose Seals · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable story to curl up with. Well written, full of drama, family issues, feelings, emotions and intrigue. Cat is looking for a job to help her get some money so that she can return home to Michigan to be able to sell her Grandmother's home and get a job. She has been working on two different master degrees in London. Rhys is in need of a temporary nanny for his daughters for the Christmas season this year. His ex and their mother is planning to go with her boyfriend for the season , not taking the girls. Jillian and Olivia are very upset that their mother has changed their plans. Rhys accepts Cat and tells her how to get to the cottage where they will be staying. Both the girls have strong feelings about Cat being there and their mother not. Rhys wants to help the girls but needs to work on his book. A bad time to make and break promises. Feelings happen for both Cat and Rhys but Cat hates to break a promise. Would recommend to everyone.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a charming addition to the Love at Langley Park series. This is a sweet contemporary with Rhys, a divorced father of two pre-teens, Jillian and Olivia, and Catriona (Cat), the American who is a short term nanny for the girls. Langley Park and the village of Bakewell provide the setting for a traditional Christmas. Of course you can see where this is going. Rhys and Cat fall for each other, while maybe the girls aren't very happy about it (or are they?). Cat and Rhys are both sweet people that you cheer for. And even at their worst, Jillian and Olivia are good kids and not holy terrors. The setting is easy to imagine, from the pubs to the carolers to the village markets and area big houses. It's very low heat, the acknowledgement of any feelings doesn't come until at least the 50% mark, and intimacy is closed door/off page. The pace was a little slow and there aren't really any unexpected twists, but it was still hard not to be thoroughly charmed. It's a nice addition to the series. I think the whole series would make great Hallmark Christmas movies.

[Marlene Roberts-Vitale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catriona Blake has spent the last few years dedicating herself to her studies while avoiding going back to Michigan. After her grandmother passes, she’s left a house in the very state she has been avoiding. Due to her maxed-out credit cards, she lacks the money to get her there. When her friend tells her about a month-long position as a caregiver she figures it’s a temporary job that will get her the funds that she needs. So she decides to apply.

Dr. Rhys Harmon is a surgeon who is determined to give his two daughters an amazing Christmas and make new memories. But he’s already behind on a medical book he’s writing. After giving his regular nanny the holidays off, he is in need of a person to fill in while he gets this finished.

Catriona finds herself growing closer to Rhys and his girls. But will a promise she made to one of his daughters hold her back from the feelings she is developing?

[Johanna Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very English Christmas

Jane Porter strikes again with another fabulous book. A Very English Christmas is Book 3 in the Langley Park Series and is the story of Dr. Rhys Harmon and Catriona (Cat) Blake .
Cat has been going to school in London for the past two years and planning on heading back to Michigan to take care of selling her grandmother’s homes and belongings. She accepts a job as Babysitter for the two young daughters of a doctor during the Christmas break to earn some money for her trip back home.
It takes a little time for the oldest daughter to warm up to her but she is having the best Christmas in a long time. When chemistry develops between Cat and Rhys they are having difficulty with their feelings. Cat decides to head back home early. Will this put an end to a possible relationship? Can they manage to work things out? This was a most enjoyable book and definitely worth reading.

[Rosemary K · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very English Christmas is a wonderful holiday story. The characters are engaging and easy to relate to. I was pulled into the book immediately. Langley Park and the English countryside appealed to me. Catriona Blake and Dr Rhys Harmon make an amazing couple. Their chemistry is powerfully. He's been divorced for 4 years and has 2 children. His oldest daughter, Jillian, doesn't want life to change. Cat has her own emotional issues. Will their romance lead to a happy ever after? I wasn't sure. His daughters melted my heart. I understood their fear and uncertainty. His ex wife was a pleasant surprise. Jane Porter has written this beautiful love story for a holiday treat. The dialogue is fast paced and refreshing. The characters are well written and their emotions are real. I liked them and care about them. A Very English Christmas touched my heart. I couldn't put this book down. It's a very special story.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful return visit to Langley Park.

Catriona is in London completing advanced degrees. She has lost her parents as a child and her beloved grandmother has passed leaving a house back in Michigan to deal with. She is in need of funds to return to the US.

Rhys is behind on completing his book and is desperate for a child minder for his two children. Catriona answers his ad.

Jillian and Olivia are Rhys daughters. Upset at spending their first Christmas with their mother off to the Caribbean with a new boyfriend, they have come to Langley Park to spend the holiday away from London in a cottage with no Television.

Catriona struggles to establish a relationship with Jillian and deal with her attraction to Rhys.

This is a wonderful story full of English and American traditions.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt Christmas romance.

From the moment I started this book, I knew it was something special. I knew it was going to stick with me long after reading it. This book is an emotional journey of love between Cat and Rhys. Set in the beautiful English countryside at Christmas time, Cat takes on a temporary job as a nanny for Rhys’s two daughters. Once her job is over, Cat plans to go back home to Michigan to start her teaching career. Though the girls tap into Cat’s heart, it’s their father, Rhys, who really steals it. But how would their relationship work with one daughter against their union and Cat soon be heading back to America? This is the perfect book to get lost in. It is a magical memorable Christmas story.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, given to me by Tule Publishing via BookFunnel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
An enjoyable romance between two people marked by loneliness and grief, “A Very English Christmas”, by Jane Porter, is about love, family, parenting, growing up and new beginnings.
Rhys, Cat and the girls are lovable, relatable characters. The story is sweet and full of hope although the characters struggle with sadness, sense of loss and some regret.
I loved the initial friction between Rhys and Cat, is was fun to watch their interaction. The older Harmon girl’s animosity is also interesting to observe.
Rhys is the quintessential super busy neurosurgeon; but he’s also a super dad: I loved the interactions father/girls, the love and affection.
Cat is a wonderful heroine. Such a tragic, sad story. I liked how that sadness and grief was part of the character.
I liked the setting, the domestic scenes and the general feel good atmosphere

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat has put off going home to Michigan going through her family’s things long enough. But she needs to earn enough to for the flights from England and accepts a temporary position as a nanny for a divorced father who needs time to complete his medical journals. She doesn’t except to fall for Rhys and his troubled daughters. Jillian was determined to give Cat a hard time because she missed her mother and didn’t want Cat taking her place. Olivia was sweet but felt like she had to go along with her older sister’s antics. I enjoyed reading about all the activities they participated in, the places they went to, and the staff from the estate who made their temporary stay special. I was prepared to dislike Rhys’ ex and the girls mother but although she is impulsive she has a good heart.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of two lonely hearts set among the magic of Christmas in the English countryside. Cat takes on a position as a childminder for Rhys' two girls while he finishes a project. Over the short time Rhys and Cat start developing feelings for each other and the four feel like a real family. I love Cat's devotion to the girls and understand her predicament. Rhys is a wonderful, devoted father and I had an intense dislike for his ex-wife Lyndsey . However, I appreciated their interesting relationship and how Lyndsey surprised me towards the end. A heartwarming romance that reminds us that life is filled with loss but also filled with beauty, hope and love. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[SOMDReigel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young college graduate finds a Christmas to remember when she takes a holiday nanny job.
I enjoyed how Cat won over Rhys and his daughters, especially the eldest Jillian who was a handful. She cleverly brought the family together and created new holiday experiences. She was definitely what the family needed and she found a family to belong to. The Paris ending hit my heart – wonderful! I’ve stated it before, and it still stands true, Jane Porter has created a series that reminds me of a historical but really is set in modern times. A wonderful addition to your holiday reads. Jane’s Christmas romances are treasures to read year after year.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cat lost her parents years ago and then the only grandmother she knew now after finishing the college degrees in London she is sit to return to Michigan to sell her grandmothers property but she takes a temporary job as nanny to Jillian and Olivia who are daughters of divorced Dr.Rhys Harmon while his full time nanny has Christmas off. Cat gets attached to his girls and him but she has responsibility’s to take care of and his oldest Jillian made it known she does not want Cat to stay. This is a beautiful story with emotions.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lindy Dierks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a very fun Christmas read. Sweet and heartwarming. It was exactly what I was looking for this time of year. Cat and Rhys had a solid connection. I could see Cat’s affection of Rhys and his girls expand and grow throughout the book. I loved that Cat understood Jillian and her attitude at a deep level. Often times when kids act out, adults don’t think deeper and try and understand it. The writing was great! The emotion was deep and the conflict kept me glued to my kindle from start to finish. Jane Porter always delivers a wonderful story! I received a review copy from Tule Publishing, but all opinions are my own!

[Nan Reinhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat to be back in England at Langley Park with Jane Porter's newest holiday romance. Warm fuzzies abound as heroine Cat tries to bring Christmas magic to the two young daughters of a divorced busy doctor. I loved all the stories in Langley Park and this one is just as charming and lovely as Cat and Rhys try to resist falling in love while at the same time creating an old-fashioned Christmas for his daughters. Porter touched my heart most with Cat's deceased mom's sweater that she wears to feel her mom close. If you need a little Christmas, here you go...

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.