Friday 1 November 2019

Guest Review: Starlight Over Bluebell Castle by Sarah Bennett

Starlight Over Bluebell Castle is the third book in the delightfully uplifting Bluebell Castle trilogy!
The most magical time of the year…
Jessica Ridley’s life has just been turned upside-down – and not in a good way! So when blast-from-the-past Tristan Ludworth invites her to stay at Bluebell Castle and transform it into a winter wonderland, it’s the perfect distraction for Jess and her two young children…
Jess is used to planning even the most elaborate events in her sleep, but she certainly didn’t expect to be working so closely with Tristan at the castle – or that she could still find him quite  so handsome after all this time!
And with a little holiday magic in the air, it’s becoming harder and harder to resist his charms. Can Tristan convince Jess to give love one more chance, just in time for Christmas?



Review: This is the third part of the Bluebell Castle trilogy from Sarah Bennett. The stories deal with the lives of the Ludworth family, whose ancestral Derbyshire home has been nicknamed Bluebell castle due to the stunning display of these flowers in the grounds each spring. Each part of this trilogy can be read as a stand-alone, but I would recommend reading each in turn, as they make a wonderful set. As I expected, having read several books by Sarah Bennett, once I began reading this current Bluebell Castle story I was hooked.

Each part of this series has centred on one member of the youngest generation of the Ludworth family, triplets Arthur, Igraine and Tristan. This time it’s the turn of Tristan to be in the limelight. In previous parts, readers have learned of the family’s struggle to secure the future of their home following the death of the triplets’ father and the financial difficulties he left behind. A year on finds Tristan using his events management experience to try to establish the castle as a luxury Christmas vacation venue and to turn the grounds into a winter wonderland. In need of an assistant, he turns to one-time colleague and romantic interest Jess, whose marriage has broken down and is facing an uncertain future. Jess and her two young sons soon find themselves ensconced in the castle where she uses her skills to help Tristan in his attempts to fulfil his dream. As she is drawn further and further into the family and nearer to Tristan, Jess wonders how she will be able to leave once the festivities are over and she has to find another job.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which is full of warmth and romance, to say nothing of Christmas magic. Having read the other parts of the trilogy, it was lovely to return to the familiar Ludworth family home and meet up with the inhabitants once more. They are all such likeable characters and so welcoming to everyone; I would certainly like to experience one of their luxury Christmas breaks where it seems every wish a guest could possibly have can be granted. I am really going to miss Bluebell Castle and will undoubtedly go back and read all the parts of the trilogy again. This part would make an excellent Christmas gift for a friend, or just for yourself!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US


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