I so enjoy Jennifer Faye’s writing, I can just relax in to her bright, lively characters’ company and the close-knit settings. Kate Taylor lives on Bayberry, a small town in Vermont. She works in the family firm but doesn’t have any outside experience, so for all her keenness to prove herself, she’s not a red-hot businesswoman. Trouble lies ahead of CHRISTMAS IN BAYBERRY.

Wesley Adams is sent to town as an impartial financial consultant. His notoriously Scrooge-like boss thinks nothing of sending him away from Manhattan in the winter weather, and if he’s going to make assistant vice president, Wes has to look eager. But it’s no fun poring over the books – literally paper books, not databases – of a failing old-time candle firm, knowing that almost every job done by hand is one that can be automated.  Wes doesn’t know the candle business, but he knows business, and Christmas is a hectic time of year. Kate kind of resents his presence, but he keeps his findings confidential, so she gets to like him for who he is, not to dislike him for the bad news he’ll bring in the New Year.

Oh, what a rocky situation. Kate is convinced her future lies in Bayberry, but yes, she’d have learned a lot by working elsewhere first. And the candle firm is the biggest local employer. The cheer around town is quite magical with hearty food offerings, a festival, a giant fresh-cut Christmas tree, and the seasonal snow. As he’s not averse to entertainment, we get to see Wes participating in quite a lot of Yuletide activities and meeting everyone around and about. I liked both of these young people but it did seem that everyone was throwing them together although they had just met. Maybe they get so few newcomers that it’s the local pastime.

I had fun visiting and I’d recommend the romantic read to anyone whose spirits need a lift. Once a necessity for daily and nightly life, candles have now crossed into the realm of gifts or luxuries, with many added colours, scents and shapes. This story CHRISTMAS IN BAYBERRY might even get you thinking of your gift list, and who would appreciate a scented gift basket or the other items such as tree decorations which embellish the scenes. We have all become aware of the need to purchase goods produced locally, reducing imports and keeping jobs alive. Jennifer Faye has tapped into the zeitgeist with her latest offering.