My Christmas Darling, from the Snowdrop Valley Series, by Vivien Mayfair is a heartwarming and thought-provoking romance story with real-life situations that are moving and credible. Lucy Carpenter is a manuscript reviewer at an up and coming publishing company. She has written a holiday romance novel and dreams of having it published and made into a movie. That kind of success would make her feel validated and it would also pay for the surgery her mother, Mary, needs. Surgery made necessary by Lucy's mistake. Forbidden to submit her own work to the company where she works, Lucy invents Bibi Roquette and submits the book to her boss using a pen name. She never dreamed he would like it, let alone want to publish it.

William Harcourt, Lucy's boss, is a handsome, successful man with dreams of his own. He needs acceptance from his mega-successful father and longs for a loving and lasting relationship. When William receives Bibi's book, he hopes it could be the big break he needs. William works closely with Lucy and can't deny the attraction he feels toward her. He has also become enamored with Bibi through numerous emails they have exchanged. He feels comfortable sharing his innermost feelings with her. He is attracted to both women for different reasons. What will happen when he finds out they are one woman, not two? Will the deception destroy any hope of a future? If discovered, will Lucy's secret destroy her dreams of success and of helping restore her mother's sight? Should she stop it before it goes too far, or is it already too late?

Vivien Mayfair has invited us into the lives of Lucy and William and allows us to witness the growth of love and the healing of old wounds that have manipulated the lives of her characters. One touching moment is when William ponders, "What would it feel like to be good enough?" Powerful. Two wounded people, both driven and longing for acceptance and redemption, find each other. Vivien Mayfair delivers a tender romance with characters that are flawed, have insecurities and guilt, characters that are real. Vivien has written a story that feels familiar but is fresh and new. This story is about love, hate, resentment, forgiveness and being comfortable with who you are. An enjoyable romance filled with powerful life lessons, all blended perfectly into a book that is hard to put down. A lot of people will relate to the different facets of this complex, yet simple love story. Well done, Vivien Mayfair.

My Christmas Darling is a great read! The settings deftly capture Manhattan during the Holiday Season! The story is engaging and the characters real.

Loved reading this early copy in July, really making it a Christmas in July. Every chapter had my mouth watering, my senses spinning, and my mind drifting to my own family holiday traditions, longing for it to come sooner than later. I loved reading about the publishing industry in Manhattan and getting into the lives of high-end Fifth Avenue publishers, seeing what they do for holiday books. I honestly loved the secondary character, Lucy's daft blond friend pretending to be the author of Lucy's book, who made me laugh in all of her scenes as she got everything wrong. Every character was well-rounded and unique. This book is worth every bit of your time to read all year around.

This is Book 1 in the Snowdrop Valley Series and it certainly makes you want to read all the books to follow. The story has a Hallmark Christmas movie feel to it, but Viven Mayfair adds extra layers that take it to the next level. Hallmark stories are typically overly simplified with stereotypical characters (which I still love haha!), but this book's characters are multi-dimensional with relatable struggles. The story takes you through an emotional journey with plenty of laughs, Oh-Nos, and feel-good moments.

If you are a book lover like myself, you will particularly like this series because it is based around a book town... that's right, a town designed around books! The books have lots of classic and modern book references and even some movie references that make it extra enjoyable. I recommend this book to anyone looking for the perfect weekend or holiday read!

"Vivien Mayfair delivers a wholesome and heartfelt holiday gift with her new book, My Christmas Darling, a classic tale of unlikely lovers tumbling together. Laden with quaint charm and holiday cheer, this slightly predictable story is cozy and quick, with clever writing that will amuse throughout and enough heartstring-tugging to keep romance readers hooked. With Manhattan as a lively backdrop and a penchant for memorable narration, Mayfair's book offers an innocent escape."

Looking forward to featuring this book on my Twitter and my mailing list. Truly a sweet and entertaining read from beginning to end. What a genius concept, a premiere book that explains a backstory how a quaint book town found its beginning that Vivien later shows in her next book. I found myself chuckling under my breath in many of these scenes and can already see it happening in a holiday romantic comedy movie. Completely delightful.