Halley has been running from her problems for years.
On a courier trip to Tallfors, deep in Swedish Lapland, everything is going to plan. Halley has her bag, with two precious wedding rings inside for delivery... until she doesn't.
The only way to save the wedding is to team up with mysterious reindeer herder Bjorn, the one person who can lead her across the snowy tundra to be reunited with her bag.
On a journey of a lifetime beneath the stars, with only the reindeer and a bad-tempered stranger for company beside the fire, Halley realises that she will need to confront her past heartaches in order to let the warmth of love in once more...
Jo Thomas won me over with her debut novel The Oyster
Catcher four years ago and I have loved each of her novels that she has
released since then. The author has such a unique descriptive writing style
that manages to create such vivid settings that transport me to places I could
only ever dream of visiting. What I was looking forward to most when I saw the cover
and title of her new release A Winter Beneath the Stars was seeing the author
step away from the warmth of her summer settings and submerge us in the
chilliest of climates setting the idyllic scene in a true winter wonderland.
Our main character in A Winter Beneath the Stars is Halley who
is on her way to deliver a special package to the couple due to be wed in
Tallfors in North Sweden but luck is against her when she arrives to find she
has the wrong case! Desperate to relocate her bag containing the special
package as well as her travel journal she embarks on the trip of a life time
that will put her to the test when she helps the gorgeous but ill-tempered
Bjorn to move his reindeers down from the hills.
This was such an adventurous storyline that made me feel so
envious of the journey Halley was undertaking and the experiences she faced in
the wild. Discovering the traditions and the way of life of the Sami families
was a real pleasure and interest to me.
Halley was an instantly likeable character but it didn’t
take long to figure out that she had a heartbreaking secret that she keeps
buried from anyone not that she lets anyone close enough to risk exposing her
secret. I did know from the very early start what the secret she was hiding was
but I have spoken to someone else who read the book who didn’t realise what it
was until it was exposed so I won’t say anymore incase I give away and
spoilers!
Although there was no decorations, celebrations or
appearances from the big man in red I still thought this was a beautiful read perfect
for this time of year as the setting was representative of a Christmas card
scene and the inclusion of the reindeer and the snow with added helping of the
Northern Lights which I have always dreamed of seeing all comes together to
make a winter novel perfect.
I did find the storyline very predictable but this didn’t
stop my enjoyment as there was so much more to discover in the storyline that
held my interest the whole way through. There was some tender moments which
were portrayed well and a dashing of romance that warmed the heart. This will definitely
be making its way into a number of Christmas present packages from me this
year.
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