A Festive Fayre

Merrily Ever After by Cathy Bramley is the most charming contemporary Christmas novel that I loved.

The action alternates between the two lead females as their lives are similar but different. They are ships that pass in the night until they dock together. A long-held secret produces delightful results.

Grief throws up many different emotions. “I’m sad… but I’m angry. Angry… that you didn’t love me enough to stay alive.” There is no timeline for grief, the pain remains forever. “I missed her. After all these years, there still wasn’t a day passed by without me thinking about her.”

We see the difficult topic of dementia. It is hard for the relatives as they only get glimpses of the person they used to know. There is the healing power of music. “The man couldn’t remember what day it was knew every word, every note.” Relatives of the dementia patient have to be adaptable in their responses. “You find the funny side, otherwise your heart would break.”

There is a Christmas wedding to prepare for. The reader is caught up in the celebrations. We read what marriage is: “all it [marriage] takes is a capacity to love and to let yourself be loved.”

Family is important. Children are to be treasured. We witness the different relationships that teens form with different adults.

Everyone wants to belong. “Home doesn’t have to be a place… It can be a person.”

I thoroughly enjoyed Merrily Ever After. It was a beautiful festive read set in the glorious Derbyshire countryside.

JULIA WILSON