Belle Stanhope had plans. Good plans. Practical plans.
None of them involved Hudson Carver.
The florist with the crooked smile had become a distraction she neither wanted nor could avoid. Which was inconvenient, considering the Pretty River Inn and the upcoming bachelor auction left little room for distractions.
For years, Hudson had been content with the life he'd built beneath Christmas Mountain. His flower shop, his workshop, and the friends who had become family were more than he'd ever expected. Then he met Belle Stanhope.
As Christmas approaches, the carousel's calliope sings off-key, and the old magic he'd left behind stirs once more. The life he'd built and the life he wants are no longer the same.
In Forest Falls, wishes have a way of finding the people who need them most.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Five-Star Review of The Midnight Carousel by Hanna Park
The Midnight Carousel by Hanna Park is a charming Christmas romance that brings together a small-town setting, a touch of fantasy and a love story that is allowed to develop at its own pace. Set in Forest Falls during the festive season, the novel centres on inn manager Belle Stanhope and local florist Hudson Carver.
One of the strongest aspects of the novel is the relationship between Belle and Hudson. There is already a familiarity between them when the story begins, and Park builds on this through conversations, shared moments and an attraction that neither of them is particularly good at hiding. It makes a refreshing change from romances that rely on an immediate declaration of love.
The fantasy element gives the novel an unexpected dimension. Forest Falls may be filled with all the familiar trappings of Christmas, but there are older and stranger things beneath the surface. The carousel plays an important part in this, as does Hudson himself, whose past is considerably more unusual than Belle could ever have imagined.
The secondary characters are also well used. They are part of Belle and Hudson's everyday lives rather than simply appearing when the plot requires them, which helps Forest Falls feel like an established community. There is also a good deal of humour, particularly when those around Belle and Hudson become increasingly aware of what is happening between them.
The novel is lighthearted in places, but the story also considers what it means to belong somewhere and whether home is necessarily the place you came from. This gives Hudson's story particular weight as the novel progresses.
Final thoughts: The Midnight Carousel is an imaginative take on the Christmas romance, with a sweet love story, an unusual fantasy element and a setting made for the festive season. It is an entertaining and original read that offers something a little different from the traditional small-town Christmas story.
Hanna Park
