and take a magical carriage ride to watch the panto in the little town of Mistletoe, where Christmas wishes really do come true. Can Ella and her unlikely Prince Charming put aside their differences to live happily ever after?

Thirty-two-year-old Ella's life is busy enough running her evil stepmother's cleaning business, without adding Christmas into the mix. She doesn't have time to play Cinderella in her local festive pantomime, but she recently lost her father, who loved the show and helped out every year, so she finds herself being fitted for glass slippers anyway. Her life may be falling apart, but she won't let his memory down.

Then Ella meets brooding and handsome stranger, Alexander, who is playing Prince Charming, and her heart skips a beat. Might this knight-in-shining-armour inspire Mistletoe's best show yet? But Alexander quickly makes it clear that he doesn't want anything to do with her or their town's traditions. And as the night of the show draws near, it's one disaster after another, with the ugly stepbrothers falling suspiciously ill, and Alexander rolling his eyes at every chance he gets. Ella is exhausted and can't help but feel she's letting everyone - including her father - down.

But when an on-stage kiss gets a little too heated between Ella and Alexander, she's surprised when he offers his muscled shoulder to lean on. Under the spotlight, Alex's gentle encouragement of the child performers and his adorable pre-show nerves make Ella wonder if there may be more to her prince than she thought. As props go missing and scenery falls flat, can Ella and Alex bring the town to together for one last showstopper? And as the curtain falls on the performance of her life, will Ella find her fairytale ending?

Filled to the brim with Christmas magic, this utterly unputdownable festive read is perfect for cosy nights by the fire. If you love Cathy Bramley, Trisha Ashley and Debbie Macomber then you will love this addictive romance!

What readers are saying about Donna Ashcroft:

'Delightfully festive read!... I was well and truly hooked... I flew through the book faster than Ruldoph pulling Santa's sleigh!... Christmas wrapped up in a book... Fabulous!' Stardust Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I absolutely loved this... an absolute delight... a must-read.' Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Draws you into the story... One of the cutest, loveliest and funniest books that I have read in a long, long time... Literally had me laughing out loud.' Ginger Book Geek, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Loved this book... Brilliant, couldn't put it down. I nearly cried when it ended just because it was so good I didn't want it to end.' NetGalley Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Devoured this in one sitting... pulled me into the pages and made me desperate to see what was going to play out. I am a sucker for a love story and was rooting for the characters... Definitely a five star read.' Little Miss Book Lover 87, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I can't stop smiling... it was Christmassy, and cuddly, and cosy and I loved it... There were tears at the end, but I promise, they were happy tears.' sams_fireside, ⭐⭐⭐⭐