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The Village Secrets #1
The Christmas Wedding
The first book in the dramatic new saga from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling authorHolding the letter in trembling hands, Daisy’s future crumbled before her – the words engraved on her heart forever. The village of Little Creek, the long winter of 1867 The first flakes of snow are falling when Daisy Marshall, secretly engaged to her master's son, finds herself jilted at the altar. Heartbroken, Daisy flees to the small village of Little Creek, nestled on the coast of Essex. There she is warmly welcomed – but the village is poverty-stricken, suffering under a cruel Lord of the manor. And when cholera hits, the villagers are truly in dire straits. Determined to help, Daisy makes new friends in earnest doctor Nicholas and dashing smuggler Jay – but also dangerous new enemies, who threaten to destroy everything she’s built.
Can Daisy save the village and find happiness in time for Christmas?
Can Daisy save the village and find happiness in time for Christmas?
495 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 17, 2019
295 people are currently reading
408 people want to read
About the author
Dilly Court
83 books417 followersDilly Court grew up in North-east London and began her career in television, writing scripts for commercials. She is married with two grown-up children and four grandchildren, and now lives in Dorset on the beautiful Jurassic Coast with her husband. She is the author of eighteen novels and also writes under the name of Lily Baxter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
October 11, 2019
We first meet Daisy when she is 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 the 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 no longer required for her charge as he will be attending boarding school. She returns home to her aunt and uncle only to be informed that they are moving 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 k ow your going to enjoy it. This is the first book in a trilogy, 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 wont 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 Countey 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.
When you pick up a Dilly Court book you k ow your going to enjoy it. This is the first book in a trilogy, 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 wont 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 Countey 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.
April 16, 2024
I've read quite a few Dilly court books,this was an enjoyable read.Daisy was getting married,she was jilted at the alter..she moved to little creek the place was full of people who are poor,the squire owned the properties and made then all suffer he threatened Daisy to marry him or her aunt and uncle will lose there home he owned.she wanted to own her own money and moves to London to train as a nurse..this is also a love story who would she fall in love with as she has a few suitors..another great read looking forward to reading more of her books...
October 26, 2019
★★★ 3.5 stars
I've not read Dilly Court before but I'm a huge fan of Catherine Cookson and while not in the same vein as one of Ms Cookson's rags to riches tales, THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING did promise something of a lovely historical read.
Daisy Marshall has been working as a governess for a wealthy family, the Carringtons, and is secretly engaged to their eldest son Julian. However, she receives a letter from Julian stating that he has a job offer as a diplomat in Paris and that unfortunately their union would not be one that would be accepted in society so therefore breaks it off with her. No sooner had she read these words than she was summoned by the master informing her that her charge, Timothy, is to be sent to boarding school and her services were no longer required. She was to leave immediately.
Daisy is devastated. She returns to the flat she lives in above the cobbler shop with her Aunt Eleanora, Uncle Sidney and brother Toby. But she has no time to settle back there as her aunt informs her that her uncle has sold the business and they are retiring to Little Creek in Essex. However, upon arrival it seems that Little Creek is far smaller than they expected - without even a carriage to take them to their new home! However, luck is at hand when Toby's friend Nick who studied medicine at the London Hospital arrives at the station to collect a parcel and offers to drive them to their new home of Creek Cottage.
Nick Neville has inherited both his father's medical practice in the village as well as the somewhat neglected Creek Hall. The cottage is not what Toby had envisaged as his new home and after a couple of nights with Nick up at Creek Hall, he decides to head back to London and take up a position he has been offered there at the London Hospital.
Poverty is rife in Little Creek, thanks to a most dastardly squire at Creek Manor who owns most of the country, including the village of Little Creek and the leasehold upon which Daisy's new home now stands. The squire Esmond Tattersall is a brute of a man who does nothing to maintain the damp-ridden cottages in the village while charging the tenants exorbitant rents for the privilege. However, Daisy also discovers that Nick's father was so far in debt to the squire that the repayments were beyond his ability to meet them...and now Nick is faced with the same adversity. If Nick does not come up with what's owing on the loan, plus an extortionate amount of interest, then Creek Hall will fall into the squire's hands. Daisy refuses to let that happen and devises a plan to ensure Nick keeps his ancestral home.
But she underestimates Esmond Tattersall. Having never met the squire, Daisy went in unprepared for his roving eye and wandering hands. When she confronted him, her disposition intrigued him...for no one had dared to do so before, lest they find themselves on the receiving end of his wrath or even homeless. But Daisy wasn't afraid of him and he found that attractive. So he pursued her, much to her disgust, but he was relentless in his attentions because when the squire wants something, he gets it. And he wants Daisy.
In his pursuit of Daisy, however fruitless, Tattersall invites them all to dine at Creek Manor. Aunt Eleanora was thrilled at the prospect and soon began hinting at what a wonderful catch the squire was. Daisy couldn't be more repulsed. But the squire has charmed her aunt and she wouldn't hear a bad word about him, believing Daisy to be unfair in her assessment of the man. Daisy soon realises to truly escape the repulsive squire, she must return to London and find work there.
Upon her return to London, Daisy sought out her brother Toby at his lodgings but was unable to raise him when she knocked. So she decided to call on him at work at the London Hospital but before she could do, the Sister on duty thought she was there to sign up as a probationary nurse and soon ushered her into an interview. Before long, Daisy found herself accepted as a probationary nurse at the London, to start Monday. She finds lodgings with another probationer at a nearby boarding house, where Toby finally tracks her down.
Then Nick finds he must return to London to obtain a proper paying job, for the village folk of Little Creek were so poor they could not pay him, and he needed money to be able to pay of Tattersall. He joins a practice in Harley Street as a private doctor to the more affluent in London. But he is not too busy that he can't take time out to see Daisy, and soon their friendship picks up from Little Creek and blossoms.
When a cholera outbreak in Little Creek calls Nick back to treat the sick and dying, Daisy soon questions if her loyalties lay with her village or her fledgling nursing career. And she also wonders about her growing feelings for Nick.
And then a stranger returns to Little Creek, bringing more trouble and excitement. And soon Daisy is caught between the kind-hearted and gentlemanly doctor, Nick, and the village bad boy, Jay, who was exiled from Little Creek some years before after a stint in prison. Not only that, but she also has the unwanted attentions of Tattersall to contend with.
Daisy must then decide if her life is in Little Creek or London?
A lovely story with a good mixture of characters - some of whom you love to hate and some you adore - THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING is the first in a new trilogy featuring Little Creek. Though I must say the title is a little misleading as it is not really a Christmas story as such...just a story that leads up and ends at Christmas.
Both compelling and heartwarming, THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING will draw you in and transcend you into 1867 that you won't want to leave. Personally, I would much rather the simple quiet life in Little Creek to the hustle and bustle of London.
Despite being drawn into the Victoria era both of village life and London, I found myself growing frustrated with Daisy on a number of occasions I could have happily throttled her myself. Then the tangent the story seemed to take towards the end which lead back to Little Creek once again (a somewhat long way around) which seemed to have come out of nowhere and so out of character of both Daisy and the story that I found it somewhat unbelievable. Added to that I was very disappointed in the surprising ending. I did not expect that at all and certainly didn't see that for Daisy.
However, despite my misgivings about the tangent which lead to the unexpected ending, I did enjoy THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING and I'm looking forward the follow up "A Village Scandal" (coming March 2020) and "The County Bride" (coming June 2020). At least we won't have to wait long for the trilogy to continue...though I do hope for a more satisfying outcome for those.
An enjoyable story perfect for historical fiction fans.
I would like to thank #DillyCourt, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #TheChristmasWedding in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I've not read Dilly Court before but I'm a huge fan of Catherine Cookson and while not in the same vein as one of Ms Cookson's rags to riches tales, THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING did promise something of a lovely historical read.
Daisy Marshall has been working as a governess for a wealthy family, the Carringtons, and is secretly engaged to their eldest son Julian. However, she receives a letter from Julian stating that he has a job offer as a diplomat in Paris and that unfortunately their union would not be one that would be accepted in society so therefore breaks it off with her. No sooner had she read these words than she was summoned by the master informing her that her charge, Timothy, is to be sent to boarding school and her services were no longer required. She was to leave immediately.
Daisy is devastated. She returns to the flat she lives in above the cobbler shop with her Aunt Eleanora, Uncle Sidney and brother Toby. But she has no time to settle back there as her aunt informs her that her uncle has sold the business and they are retiring to Little Creek in Essex. However, upon arrival it seems that Little Creek is far smaller than they expected - without even a carriage to take them to their new home! However, luck is at hand when Toby's friend Nick who studied medicine at the London Hospital arrives at the station to collect a parcel and offers to drive them to their new home of Creek Cottage.
Nick Neville has inherited both his father's medical practice in the village as well as the somewhat neglected Creek Hall. The cottage is not what Toby had envisaged as his new home and after a couple of nights with Nick up at Creek Hall, he decides to head back to London and take up a position he has been offered there at the London Hospital.
Poverty is rife in Little Creek, thanks to a most dastardly squire at Creek Manor who owns most of the country, including the village of Little Creek and the leasehold upon which Daisy's new home now stands. The squire Esmond Tattersall is a brute of a man who does nothing to maintain the damp-ridden cottages in the village while charging the tenants exorbitant rents for the privilege. However, Daisy also discovers that Nick's father was so far in debt to the squire that the repayments were beyond his ability to meet them...and now Nick is faced with the same adversity. If Nick does not come up with what's owing on the loan, plus an extortionate amount of interest, then Creek Hall will fall into the squire's hands. Daisy refuses to let that happen and devises a plan to ensure Nick keeps his ancestral home.
But she underestimates Esmond Tattersall. Having never met the squire, Daisy went in unprepared for his roving eye and wandering hands. When she confronted him, her disposition intrigued him...for no one had dared to do so before, lest they find themselves on the receiving end of his wrath or even homeless. But Daisy wasn't afraid of him and he found that attractive. So he pursued her, much to her disgust, but he was relentless in his attentions because when the squire wants something, he gets it. And he wants Daisy.
In his pursuit of Daisy, however fruitless, Tattersall invites them all to dine at Creek Manor. Aunt Eleanora was thrilled at the prospect and soon began hinting at what a wonderful catch the squire was. Daisy couldn't be more repulsed. But the squire has charmed her aunt and she wouldn't hear a bad word about him, believing Daisy to be unfair in her assessment of the man. Daisy soon realises to truly escape the repulsive squire, she must return to London and find work there.
Upon her return to London, Daisy sought out her brother Toby at his lodgings but was unable to raise him when she knocked. So she decided to call on him at work at the London Hospital but before she could do, the Sister on duty thought she was there to sign up as a probationary nurse and soon ushered her into an interview. Before long, Daisy found herself accepted as a probationary nurse at the London, to start Monday. She finds lodgings with another probationer at a nearby boarding house, where Toby finally tracks her down.
Then Nick finds he must return to London to obtain a proper paying job, for the village folk of Little Creek were so poor they could not pay him, and he needed money to be able to pay of Tattersall. He joins a practice in Harley Street as a private doctor to the more affluent in London. But he is not too busy that he can't take time out to see Daisy, and soon their friendship picks up from Little Creek and blossoms.
When a cholera outbreak in Little Creek calls Nick back to treat the sick and dying, Daisy soon questions if her loyalties lay with her village or her fledgling nursing career. And she also wonders about her growing feelings for Nick.
And then a stranger returns to Little Creek, bringing more trouble and excitement. And soon Daisy is caught between the kind-hearted and gentlemanly doctor, Nick, and the village bad boy, Jay, who was exiled from Little Creek some years before after a stint in prison. Not only that, but she also has the unwanted attentions of Tattersall to contend with.
Daisy must then decide if her life is in Little Creek or London?
A lovely story with a good mixture of characters - some of whom you love to hate and some you adore - THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING is the first in a new trilogy featuring Little Creek. Though I must say the title is a little misleading as it is not really a Christmas story as such...just a story that leads up and ends at Christmas.
Both compelling and heartwarming, THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING will draw you in and transcend you into 1867 that you won't want to leave. Personally, I would much rather the simple quiet life in Little Creek to the hustle and bustle of London.
Despite being drawn into the Victoria era both of village life and London, I found myself growing frustrated with Daisy on a number of occasions I could have happily throttled her myself. Then the tangent the story seemed to take towards the end which lead back to Little Creek once again (a somewhat long way around) which seemed to have come out of nowhere and so out of character of both Daisy and the story that I found it somewhat unbelievable. Added to that I was very disappointed in the surprising ending. I did not expect that at all and certainly didn't see that for Daisy.
However, despite my misgivings about the tangent which lead to the unexpected ending, I did enjoy THE CHRISTMAS WEDDING and I'm looking forward the follow up "A Village Scandal" (coming March 2020) and "The County Bride" (coming June 2020). At least we won't have to wait long for the trilogy to continue...though I do hope for a more satisfying outcome for those.
An enjoyable story perfect for historical fiction fans.
I would like to thank #DillyCourt, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #TheChristmasWedding in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
December 4, 2019
A beautiful read
London 1867 Daisy Marshall governess in the Carrington house is looking forward to her engagement announcement to Julian Carrington on Christmas eve but after receiving a letter from him saying he can't go through with it as he will be cut off without a penny. She is deviated especially as she has been dismissed and go back to live with her Aunt and uncle. Selling up the business and moving out to a village in essex daisy joins them in creek cottage. Nick Neville a doctor and friend to her brother lives in creek hall and finds he has to sell up and work is in London. Nobody's getting off to a good start, Esmond Tattersall the squire is freeholder of the village and wants as much money as he can from all the tenants he's a mean man that takes a shine to daisy but she turns him down. I loved this book so enchanting, feel good, Christmas book. Full of sorrow laughter and humour. People coming together in hard times. emotional story what's not to love about this book. I look forward to more to follow
London 1867 Daisy Marshall governess in the Carrington house is looking forward to her engagement announcement to Julian Carrington on Christmas eve but after receiving a letter from him saying he can't go through with it as he will be cut off without a penny. She is deviated especially as she has been dismissed and go back to live with her Aunt and uncle. Selling up the business and moving out to a village in essex daisy joins them in creek cottage. Nick Neville a doctor and friend to her brother lives in creek hall and finds he has to sell up and work is in London. Nobody's getting off to a good start, Esmond Tattersall the squire is freeholder of the village and wants as much money as he can from all the tenants he's a mean man that takes a shine to daisy but she turns him down. I loved this book so enchanting, feel good, Christmas book. Full of sorrow laughter and humour. People coming together in hard times. emotional story what's not to love about this book. I look forward to more to follow
December 6, 2020
Lovely warm Christmas read
December 12, 2019
Daisy is a governess for a family in London, secretly having a relationship with the (adult) son. When he breaks off their love affair she returns to her aunt and uncle who are in the process of moving to a little village in Essex. In Little Creek Daisy becomes close to doctor Nick and meets dashing smuggler Jay whilst fighting off the attentions of the middle aged lord of the manor. This is not something I'd normally pick up for myself but it was a gift so I gave it a chance. It wasn't as bad as the cover makes it appear to be but still not something I'd care to read in future.
January 8, 2020
Just when i think i cant read a better book from Dilly Court she brings out another even better that the last.
December 19, 2023
Read this as a pallet cleanser, but was left a bit disappointed. Firstly, not very Christmassy, secondly, I wanted to strangle the heroine on several occasions.
March 5, 2020
I have read all of Dilly Court's books but I must say I was a little disappointed in this one. I did not think it was up to her usual standard. Don't get me wrong in saying I was disappointed but I did enjoy the book it is a nice easy read.
November 25, 2024
I borrowed the audiobook from BorrowBox as it had no queue and looked Christmassy! I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this!
It’s a period drama which spans a year! It begins with Daisy being jilted by her fiancée and moving to the countryside - but the idealistic dream of country living is a cold, poor village in deep poverty!
The book explores Daisy’s journey of finding her purpose and place in the world, and finding love!
Sweet and Christmassy - with a fast paced story!
It’s a period drama which spans a year! It begins with Daisy being jilted by her fiancée and moving to the countryside - but the idealistic dream of country living is a cold, poor village in deep poverty!
The book explores Daisy’s journey of finding her purpose and place in the world, and finding love!
Sweet and Christmassy - with a fast paced story!
December 10, 2019
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
The story is very loosely connected to Christmas.
If you ignore the title of the story then the book is a nice cosy romance.
The story is very loosely connected to Christmas.
If you ignore the title of the story then the book is a nice cosy romance.
April 12, 2020
Lovely easy read
January 21, 2024
Really great story, well written characters, and the food sounded so good in many parts 😆😆😆
December 22, 2020
This was an ok read, but not the most exciting of books.
October 7, 2019
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.
With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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.
With thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2019
If you like Dilly Court, then you'll love this book, which is the first in a trilogy.
Firstly, the cover is beautiful, so Christmasy, as always with Dilly the characters are brought to life in a wonderful way. There is a clear plot with lots of comings and goings, a few villains that are easy to loathe and of course many loveable characters. I am looking forward to the next book in the Village Secrets series.
Firstly, the cover is beautiful, so Christmasy, as always with Dilly the characters are brought to life in a wonderful way. There is a clear plot with lots of comings and goings, a few villains that are easy to loathe and of course many loveable characters. I am looking forward to the next book in the Village Secrets series.
April 24, 2020
Loved this book. Love Dilly Court books, always a good read. I liked the majority of characters, which is always a massive incentive to want to keep reading.
Liked that it wasn't a forgone conclusion who Daisy would end up with, could have been any of them right till the end.
Really looking forward to reading the next in the series, as it involves Daisy and the rest of the familiar characters.
Liked that it wasn't a forgone conclusion who Daisy would end up with, could have been any of them right till the end.
Really looking forward to reading the next in the series, as it involves Daisy and the rest of the familiar characters.
December 12, 2019
1867...a time of true hardship for poor people who were so proud.
Love can be found 😍
Best quote for me
'But tonight I'm not going to share you with anyone, Daisy mine.'
I am already looking forward to 'A Village Scandal' 😃
Love can be found 😍
Best quote for me
'But tonight I'm not going to share you with anyone, Daisy mine.'
I am already looking forward to 'A Village Scandal' 😃
November 28, 2019
I liked this book
This is a very good book I liked so much that I have just pre ordered the two following books.
This is a very good book I liked so much that I have just pre ordered the two following books.
December 10, 2019
A good start to a new trilogy but not all about Christmas.
January 12, 2020
Daisy Marshall is secretly engaged to Julian Carrington, she is governess to his younger brother and he is the eldest son of the wealthy family she works for.
Daisy is beside herself when she receives a letter from Julian informing her that he can't be engaged to her anymore as he is going to become a British diplomat in Paris. Daisy is told her employment is terminated with immediate effect and she is to leave. She returns home to her Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Sidney. She learns that they have sold the cobbler shop they live above to move to Essex.
Arriving in the little Essex village tired and weary they discover to their horror that it is tiny in comparison to London and there is no way of getting to their new home only to walk a long distance. Just as they are about to start out a carriage comes along with Daisy's brother's friend Nick, who is the doctor of the village.
Esmond Tattersall is the local cruel squire who is freeholder to most of the properties, he keeps his tenants, living in squalor and their properties is a terrible state of disrepair. When Cholera hits the village Daisy works very closely with Nick resulting in a very close relationship starting.
Daisy meets Mary and her children when her husband becomes ill, he has treated her abysmally and their elder son Jay has been imprisoned by the squire, but is now free but has been told he is not welcome in the village.
This is such a lovely book filled with love, hardship, courage, frustration and colourful characters. The way Dilly describes everything makes you feel you know the village so well and it is easy to imagine it in your mind.
I really enjoyed this book which keeps you guessing to the end.
Daisy is beside herself when she receives a letter from Julian informing her that he can't be engaged to her anymore as he is going to become a British diplomat in Paris. Daisy is told her employment is terminated with immediate effect and she is to leave. She returns home to her Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Sidney. She learns that they have sold the cobbler shop they live above to move to Essex.
Arriving in the little Essex village tired and weary they discover to their horror that it is tiny in comparison to London and there is no way of getting to their new home only to walk a long distance. Just as they are about to start out a carriage comes along with Daisy's brother's friend Nick, who is the doctor of the village.
Esmond Tattersall is the local cruel squire who is freeholder to most of the properties, he keeps his tenants, living in squalor and their properties is a terrible state of disrepair. When Cholera hits the village Daisy works very closely with Nick resulting in a very close relationship starting.
Daisy meets Mary and her children when her husband becomes ill, he has treated her abysmally and their elder son Jay has been imprisoned by the squire, but is now free but has been told he is not welcome in the village.
This is such a lovely book filled with love, hardship, courage, frustration and colourful characters. The way Dilly describes everything makes you feel you know the village so well and it is easy to imagine it in your mind.
I really enjoyed this book which keeps you guessing to the end.
November 14, 2019
The first flakes of snow are falling when Daisy Marshall, secretly engaged to her master's son Julian, finds herself jilted at the altar. Dismissed from her job as a governess she returns to London to live with her aunt and uncle but when they decide to retire to the small village of Little Creek, nestled on the coast of Essex, Daisy joins them. There she is warmly welcomed - but the village is poverty-stricken, most of the them are living in squalid conditions, suffering under a cruel landlord Squire Tattersall. And when cholera hits, the villagers are truly in dire straits. Determined to help, Daisy makes new friends in earnest doctor Nicholas and dashing smuggler Jay - but also dangerous new enemies, who threaten to destroy everything she's built.
I found the characters likeable and the story was compelling with lots of twists and turns, so much so that I often felt that the pages of the book turned themselves!
This was my first Dilly Court book, despite my sister (who is a massive fan) constantly recommending her books to me are great, and now I realise she was right – don’t tell my sister, but I wish I listened to her earlier!
I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the second instalment in the saga.
October 7, 2019
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.
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.
December 28, 2019
A well researched historical saga, of family drama, mystery, poverty and romance. The social divide apparent in Victorian England is explored here.
Daisy, a governess lives in no man’s land, somewhere between upstairs and downstairs. In love with the heir to the household, she hopes her position will be confirmed, but he lets her down, and she returns home, heartbroken and unemployed. Moving to a small Essex village with her family, she feels at home, but the cruelty of the ruling classes blights the villagers’ lives who live in fear, poverty and squalor.
Daisy finds friendship and a warm community, but evil lurks and threatens the life she builds. This is a detailed, passionate tale of Victorian life, which draws you in, as the descriptive writing and authentic characters bring this era of change to life.
A festive start, to what promises to be a riveting series for romantic saga devotees.
I received a copy of this book from Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Daisy, a governess lives in no man’s land, somewhere between upstairs and downstairs. In love with the heir to the household, she hopes her position will be confirmed, but he lets her down, and she returns home, heartbroken and unemployed. Moving to a small Essex village with her family, she feels at home, but the cruelty of the ruling classes blights the villagers’ lives who live in fear, poverty and squalor.
Daisy finds friendship and a warm community, but evil lurks and threatens the life she builds. This is a detailed, passionate tale of Victorian life, which draws you in, as the descriptive writing and authentic characters bring this era of change to life.
A festive start, to what promises to be a riveting series for romantic saga devotees.
I received a copy of this book from Harper Fiction via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
October 15, 2023
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.
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.
November 12, 2019
A fabulous read telling the story of Daisy Marshall and her family and friends. Daisy and Toby were brought up by their Aunt Eleanora and Uncle Sidney in London. Sidney decides to retire to Essex to a cottage left to his wife Eleanora. Toby is a Dr and stays in London, but Daisy loses her position as a governess and gets her heartbroken at the same time. Because of this Daisy goes to Essex with her Aunt and Uncle while she decides what to do with her life. Once in Essex things happen that change Daisy’s life forever. I’m glad that Dilly has two more books in this series coming out in 2020. I for one can’t wait to read them. I highly recommend this book
December 28, 2019
A lovely historical saga which I enjoyed. Set in 1867, this is a story of disappointment, new beginnings, family, relationships and community spirit. Well written with a lovely cast of characters. Easy to read, the story flowed perfectly. I always enjoy books by Dilly Court and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review
March 23, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable book. I read it somewhat accidentally. I had a copy of A Village Scandal which had been given to me by my late grandma, and I started to read that but quickly realised it was a sequel. So I got The Christmas Wedding for my kindle and read that instead so I could get the background to the story. It was a nice easy read and a story that kept my interest. It wasn't as gripping as some recent reads so took my a little longer but I still really enjoyed it.
March 3, 2022
I adore Dilly Court and this was no exception. I will say the title is misleading in that it isn’t a Christmas book at all with the exception of the final few pages. Daisy is such a wonderful character and it was amazing to follow her journey. If I could have just an ounce of her courage and bravery I’d be a happy girl. I don’t think I will read the rest of this triology however, as I’m so happy with where this book left off - to me it was the perfect ending.
September 1, 2019
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.
I received a free advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary, honest and my own opinion.
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