Member Reviews
5☆ Enchanting in every sense, it's Irresistibly Warm and Romantic, A Must Read!
I adore T.A Williams books and when I see his latest book Dreaming of Christmas I just had to read it.
Dreaming of Christmas Of A Heartwarming and cosy festive read, that can be read anytime. Just be warned give yourself plenty of time as once you indulge you won't want to put it down.
This time round we meet Zoë.
When Zoë gets an invite to an old Uni friends lavish 5☆ hotel for a meet up. She is very apprehensive about going, as her Ex boyfriend Grant is bound to be there and she's not sure whether she can face him yet.
But her best friend Jules persuades her to take the plunge, after all it's an all expense paid for, in a gorgeous ski location in Austria. What more could you want at Christmas.
There is only one snag, Zoë's boss has found out that her Uni friend happens to be the elusive Mr Billy Fischer, reclusive multi Millionaire and founder of WF Computers. He wants her to dish the dirt on Billy, by getting an exclusive interview in order to gain a promotion.
Can Zoë risk her friendship and the privacy of her friend, or will she let her career and the idea of promotion take over?
Will Zoë and Grant rekindle their love after 10years together or Will Zoë's heart belong to someone new?
As always T.A Williams books wouldn't be complete without a gorgeous Fur Baby 🐶 and Arnie the adorable black Lab stole my heart with his loveable and cheeky ways.
Dreaming of Christmas is a beautiful story about Friendship, relationships, second chances, finding oneself, secrets, fun, humour, wit and drama. What more could you want!
William's has beautifully descriptive writing, which always enables the reader to fully immerse themselves into the heart of the story, which I love. He writes the most mesmerising and amazing stories,
With beautifully relatable and observed characters that spring to life on the page.
Dreaming of Christmas is Enchanting in every sense, it's irresistibly warm and Romantic, a real festive treat that
will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
The perfect read for lifting your spirits!
Once again Williams has written another Gem of a Book I couldn't put down.
T.A Williams is an incredibly talented Author and one of my favourite Authors.
If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading one of his books, I definitely recommend reading this Gorgeous Book!
I would like to thank Netgalley & Canelo for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I somehow missed downloading this book but would still love to read and review it. I actually knew I had another Christmas book and just found it in the not downloaded category. Is it possible to resend??
It’s the dream Christmas: snow, mountains… and, er, an ex-boyfriend. But can Zoe still find love in the Alps?
Dumped on Christmas Eve by her long-term boyfriend, it's been a rough year for Zoe Lumsley. But then she gets an invitation she can’t refuse: an all expenses paid skiing holiday with old university friends.
The bad news: her ex, Grant, will be there with his new girlfriend. But so will her former flatmate Billy, the organiser, and in the meantime he’s done rather well for himself. As Christmas in the Alps approaches, it'll be great to see the old gang. Some more than others...
This is a lovely romantic story which includes a couple of surprises that I wasn't expecting, but they just added to the charm of this book. 4.5*
This is the first book I have read from this author and I really enjoyed it. It is a festive treat set in the beautiful location of the Austrian Alps and a five star luxury hotel. Well written with a well rounded cast of characters who I immediately engaged with. I always love a story with a doggy character and this one has a lovely black labrador called Bella.
A warm, cosy festive story of friendship, relationships and romance, I loved it and will definately be reading more by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Zoe was dumped on Christmas eve and is finally moving on when she is invited to spend Christmas with her uni housemates in Austria. The problem is her ex will be there but Zoe can handle it she hopes. Can Zoe figure out what she wants and whether her ex is still a part of it.
This was such a wonderful story. It begins with heartbreak and ends with love. The setting is incredible and really adds to the magic of the story. The plot is very good. It's not an overly dramatic story but theres enough going on to keep people entertained. The ending is perfect and exactly how it should end. I did figure out some of the twists but one or two caught me out. A wonderful festive read.
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Dreaming of Christmas – T.A.Williams
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In this latest novel, Dreaming of Christmas, Williams sweeps us away to a wintery paradise where the snow is falling, the accommodations are luxurious, the food is scrumptious, the skiing is magnificent, and love might actually be in the air.
This is the first Christmas book that I’ve read this year and has definitely ignited the Christmas spirit and yearning to read more festively themed reads. I haven’t yet found a replacement for the ‘Winter Street’ series by Elin Hilderbrand – and I don’t think I ever will. But after reading T.A.Williams Summer books I just knew that he wouldn’t disappoint with bringing the Christmas cheer with a touch of romance.
What did I love most about this book? The way it felt like it was predictable..and then it just went in completely the different direction. I felt a little despondent as I read…thinking that this would become another one of those books – but it didn’t! Williams creates some extremely likeable characters, builds a convincing movie set of scenery to bring everything to life and adds in a few touches that make it cosy and festive along the way. If you’re looking for a Winter read this season, this is definitely the book for you.
This book has to take the prize this year, so far, for having the most festive feel. It has an amazing setting, in the mountains in Austria and just glistens with sparkling snow and alpine scenes. It's a delight! I like the way it is structured as a countdown to Christmas. Zoe turns out to be a well-drawn and likeable person, who you are rooting for from the start. The story centres around her but there is also a great cast of other characters who are all having their own Christmas dramas. My favourite of all, of course, has to be Arnie, the black labrador, who gets on with life as all labs do- always hoping for the next walk or meal time.
All of the characters have secrets to hide and are pretending to be something they are not. It's not so much a story of second chances as one of coming to terms with who you are and valuing what is right before your eyes. You are left guessing as to where romance is going to strike for Zoe and with who- no clues here! You do know by the end of the story that it has been an amazing holiday for her when she has recognised within herself feelings she did not know were there. Well written and beautifully crafted- it's a great Christmas read.
In short: Alpine snow amid a setting to die for- enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.
Well, that wasn't the premise of the summary of the storyline but it was what actually happened in the end.
A rather nice story where a large group of university friends - all with personal issues that come to light over the course of their stay, are invited by heir university housemate for a Christmas week in Austria in a very fancy hotel. turns out he is a computer genius (nerd/geek at uni) and has made a large fortune over the last 10 years.
So we get a lot of skiing descriptions as the hotel is set in the Alps, and other discussions about Austrian food etc. And some personal issues getting solved and some romance.
Oh, and please if you go skiing, please wear silk underwear and salopettes, saves a lot of chill and wet snow slipping down your pants!
Sweet and light and happy endings all round
I have to say, I was really surprised by this book.
Surprised that I picked it up in September to read, surprised that I sped through it and just surprised by the book in general. I love a good girly book I really do, yet I haven’t read many in a while as I have been focusing on other genres. It was also the nice to be reading on a kindle again, which I have to say made it slightly more acceptable to be reading a festive book in September (not that it would have stopped me!)
I really enjoyed the pace of this book as there wasn’t a lot of time in between elements and soon we were in the mountains amongst the snow and amongst the festivities. I enjoyed the characters and like most books in this genre I was constantly trying to guess the ending. Although I cottoned on towards the end it wasn’t plainly obvious (to me) towards the beginning which unfortunately some books in this genre do.
The lead character Zoe was really likeable and relatable, however all of the characters throughout the book had their own quirks and reasons to become fond of them. I liked how they all had a voice so to speak and enjoyed reading about them and how Zoe linked them all together.
The setting was amazing and beautifully written, I was with them as they hit the slopes and it was like I was amongst them all. It was like all my dreams came true, who wouldn’t want to be whisked away to the mountains to ski and be treated to a life of luxury at Christmas?
All in all I highly recommend this book if your looking for a Christmas book to read this December. Put the fake fire on (or a real one if your lucky to own one) and you will be transported to a setting which quite frankly I would love to spend Christmas at. In fact, it really made me miss skiing. I do think though, Billy’s fortunes would have helped in making it even more spectacular. Can someone find and send me a Billy. Let’s not tell my newly fiancée shall we!
As I mentioned above I want to thank Netgalley and Ellie from Canelo for allowing me to read this and for asking me to be part of the book tour. Happy reading!
I really enjoyed reading this book a real feel good story with a few twists along the way. There were quite a few laugh out loud moments and kept me hooked until the end perfect for this time of year
Festive and charming was my reaction to this - the first book by T.A. Williams that I’ve read. I was looking for a light, engaging book to get me in the holiday spirit – and it did!
Along with multiple storylines and, as I understand it, the always present Labrador Retriever, the majority of <i>Dreaming of Christmas</i> takes place just outside the beautiful city of Salzberg, Austria. First, we meet Zoe who is still recovering from being dumped the previous Christmas and then losing her job. She accepts an invitation to an all-expenses-paid reunion with some of her old university friends including her ex. They spend the week in a glamorous hotel enjoying magnificent scenery and skiing in the Alps as they navigate their way through the ups and downs of their love interests. Oh, and did I mention the constant offerings of mouthwatering food and drink reflecting the local culture?? Just as you sit back to vicariously enjoy their holiday, the author throws a few surprises into the mix. So don’t get too comfortable thinking you have this one all figured out- simply enjoy.
This is yet another Christmas book that will well and truly get you in the perfect mood for Christmas. I was swept up and transported all the way to this glorious hotel in Austria, welcoming the snow with open arms. T. A. Williams has done a fantastic job of creating a book that, despite being set in the cold, brings with it that touch of warmth that reminds me of Christmas. With strong, wonderful and dynamic characters – this book is a read that you really don’t want to miss this year! I, for one, will also be making sure to go back and read more of the novels by T. A. Williams too.
Set in Austria, this book was a true delight to read. I’ve never been to Austria myself but I have been in the snowy rocky mountains in Canada during Christmas and this book reminded me of everything I loved about being there during that time – as well as adding something extra special too. Seriously, I want to know if Austria is quite that Christmassy and if it is – I want to go! But aside from the setting, the characters really bring this story to life. Set around a group of adults who reunite after ten years, it is a story where friendships are rekindled in the best way – which is, in a way, a nice change from new friendships and relationships being forged.
I will admit that I did have a few issues with our main protagonist throughout the book. Her constant worrying about food niggled in my brain a little bit but this was probably a very personal issue! Aside from that though, I really liked all of the characters. Zoe was still struggling after a year and it was so nice to watch her battle with her emotions and become stronger because of it. But ultimately, my favorite character by far was William. He was the kind of guy that I love reading about – the one that normally doesn’t get such a front-seat view in books and films which made me like him all the more! But I did also like Jules and Daniela as well. And Mandy, Martin and Bella were lovely additions. Let’s be honest, all of the characters were incredible to read about and all brought something different to the table.
In case you’re not sure, I very much enjoyed reading this book! It has a wonderful array of characters in it and has a lovely plot too which had me turning the pages quickly. I loved how the week before Christmas went for them all and how, as these things often do, it ended with a ball but how that wasn’t actually the summary of it all like it usually is. Needless to say, this book took me by surprise in the best way. It left me feeling warm and full of hope for the future. It is a true heart-warming book and the perfect Christmas read – because even if you’re alone, it’s still a wonderfully magic time of year.
A lovely story with an enjoyable storyline that keeps you involved. Definitely recommended. I would like to give this more than five stars but this is not possible!
Provided by NetGalley for an honest review.
This was an ok read. The story was predictable and the characters were just ok.
What I struggled with was the immaturity of the writing. The storytelling was not good.
I adore T.A. Williams’ books! The atmosphere and locations in each are all so incredibly detailed. I have reviewed Dreaming of Florence, Dreaming of St Tropez and now Dreaming of Christmas
In Dreaming of Christmas, .Zoe Lumsley was dumped on Christmas Eve by her long-term boyfriend, Grant. Will an-all expenses paid skiing holiday with old university friends help? But, the last person she wants to see is there…..
Skiing and snow, romance, a beautiful holiday location (a ski resort in Austria which is very vividly detailed) as well as humour realistic characters with struggles and happiness in their lives and of course Christmas is the perfect combination in T.A. Williams’ latest novel.
I identified with the feelings of having studied and lived with people during university and then wondering what became of them years later. And the slightly uncomfortable atmosphere upon seeing people again who had not been in your life for years.
I quite liked Zoe and her friend Juliet and the story moves quickly. The book oozes Christmas atmosphere and is very true-to-life with ups and downs. Beautiful cover too, as with all the books by T.A. Williams,
Thanks to T.A. Williams and Canelo for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review and an opportunity to participate in the blog tour for the title.
This is about a ten year reunion hosted by a roommate. Zoe was the one everybody came to for advice and somethings do not change.
A lot has happened in ten years but Billy’s crush on Zoe hasn’t. Is the time right for romance to blossom?
The setting for Dreaming for Christmas is simply magical; the snow covered Austrian Alps, and a five star hotel the looks like it its from a fairytale with its Christmas trees and decorations. This idyllic setting is the backdrop for the old friends to reconnect and catch up on the last ten years. Zoe is worried at seeing her ex and being judged at being single in her thirties, but she soon finds out that the others are all hiding secrets and that their lives are not as perfect as they first seem. Zoe is the friend they all go to for advice, and soon finds herself the keeper of others secrets and trying to sort out marital problems. Her relationship with Billy, the multi millionaire tech company owner who has paid for the holiday, is endearing. Billy has shed his geeky look and is the one person that Zoe can confide in whilst the others are confiding in her. However, it is Billy’s puppy Archie who steals the show in this book for me, he brings humour and plenty of love to all the guests.
T.A Williams has the ability to transport you to the Alps and make you feel part of the story, the characters feel familiar who you invest in and want them all to be happy. He weaves all the different dynamics and relationships together with ease, and there is plenty of humour and surprises along the way that add to the readability of the book. It is testament to how much I loved this book that I read it in one evening.
Dreaming of Christmas is beautifully written, the prose flows seamlessly, the characters are well developed and their interaction is very natural and have everyday problems that makes them relatable. The narrative is engaging, and the attention to detail fills your senses with the sights and sounds of Austria, and has a fun and festive feel. This book is pure escapism, perfect for curling up in front of a fire with a mulled wine or hot chocolate; the perfect Christmas read.
There’s one thing being dumped by your partner, and there’s one thing being dumped by your partner at Christmas. Clearly both of those aren’t nice at all, but at Christmas? Really? Santa isn’t the only one emptying his sack; Zoe’s boyfriend has done exactly the same thing…with another woman, yet HE’S the one doing the dumping? Forgive me for coming across thick but how does he get to do that?! I shan’t lie, several expletives went through my head – ‘what an absolute tool’ is unfortunately the strongest insult i can do if i want Amazon to accept my review!
Anywhoo, with Zoe trying to come to terms with her recent heartbreak, an invitation to hit the ski slopes, erm, running, gives Zoe a well needed boost. Until she finds out that her ex-boyfriend will be there too. I will admit that when i found out that Grant would be there too, I thought Zoe would refuse to go despite the issue being with him and not her. Thankfully she did go and what a brilliant read ‘Dreaming of Christmas’ turned out to be because of it!
What an absolute darling, Bella, is! Children really do cement the magic of Christmas, don’t they? As for Billy’s dog – the word LEGEND sprang to mind more than once! I adored every morsel of ‘Dreaming of Christmas’ from the Christmas spirit at the ski resort, to the rekindling of friendships thanks to Zoe and her friends, and even the situation with Grant and watching karma come and bite him on the backside! I snorted, i belly laughed, I ‘awwwww’ed’ – and yes, i even was extremely bereft when the book finished as I was truly in my element.
‘Dreaming of Christmas’ is definitely a Christmas dream come true as it symbolises just how Christmas should be. I am always impressed by T.A.Williams’ novels, but the fact that he is able to write characters of the opposite sex in such an outstanding and relatable manner, really impresses me more than words can say. I’m not saying that because this author is a male he shouldn’t be able to write female lead characters, not at all.What I am saying is that he clearly understands females and their ways because if he didn’t, he certainly wouldn’t be able to write characters who ‘woman’ far better than i can ‘woman’, and I am one!
A fantastic, cosy, and brilliantly written novel from the highly talented, T.A.Williams. I LOVED it, I really did. Thanks to T.A.Williams, the Mr Claus of Christmas books, I can safely say that ‘it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….’!
No T. A. Williams book could be complete without a black labrador, so I was delighted to meet Archie, our four legged friend for the book. In terms of cuteness hes is matched only by Bella, the 5 year old daughter of one of Zoe's old housemates.
For Zoe and the others that all lived together have been invited to a reunion in an all expenses paid holiday to Austria over Christmas, by the reclusive success story of the group.
This is a book filled with festive cheer, skiing, glorious Austrian settings, a grand romantic gesture, a few men that are bit great specimens of their species, this was a joy to read.
I loved the descriptions of the setting and felt as though I was there beside Zoe and her friends, Of course it isn't all plain sailing, there are some rather dramatic moments too which added to the appeal.
Then there are the others in this group on holiday with whom Zoe takes on a agony aunt sort of role. With the exception of her ex boyfriend, I really liked all the other characters, especially once they started to open up a bit, and we got to see their true selves.
I loved how everyone seemed to gain such a lot from this holiday. Billy the organiser and reason they are all together has apparently changed massively since they last knew him, but as a result he was easily one of my favourite characters and although I had sort of work out where sections of the book were going, my reasoning was completely out!
This is a fun festive read, that I read incredibly quickly and I really enjoyed my time spent in the Austrian Alps with Zoe and the gang.
Thank you to Netgalley and Canelo for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I have a huge confession to make. Yes, yet another one. Although I have heard of T.A. Williams, much to my shame I haven’t read one of his books before. After having finished ‘Dreaming Of Christmas’ I am left asking myself ‘why the hell haven’t I read one of his books before?’ It’s safe to say that I now realise just what I have been missing. I absolutely, totally and utterly flipping well loved ‘Dreaming Of Christmas’ but more about that in a bit.
I have to say that I took to Zoe Lumsley from the moment that I first met her. She is in a relationship with a fella called Grant and has been since they were both at university. She thinks that they are both happy but she is dealt the hammer blow that Grant has been playing away from home so to speak. Not only has she been dumped but the love rat only dumps her on Christmas Eve. Believe you, me if I could have jumped inside the pages of the book to give her a hug and then kick him very severely in his nuts. Zoe picks herself up with the help of close friends and family and she manages to carve out a new life for herself. She throws herself into her work as a journalist for a celebrity gossip magazine. She then receives an invitation to a reunion with those she shared a house with at university. The reunion is due to happen in Austria and is all paid for by one of the housemates who has done rather well for himself. This throws up all kinds of feelings in Zoe. She is pretty excited to see all of her university buddies except for the fact that she will be seeing her love rat ex and she thinks that he will bring his new partner. Will the reunion be a huge success? Will Zoe come face to face with her love rat ex? Has Grant brought his new girlfriend? Will Zoe get back with Grant or is she destined to be with somebody else? Will Zoe get the scoop on the reclusive Billy that her boss is demanding? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
I couldn’t help but become seriously addicted to reading ‘Dreaming Of Christmas’ from the moment I picked the book up and began to read. The page numbers flew past at speed and the first time I checked on how much I had read, I was stunned to discover that I had read over 40% of the book. I was so taken by the story, the characters, the author’s writing style and the setting for the story that I just had to keep on reading. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story. Indeed I felt as though I was ‘living’ the story so to speak. The author used such vivid descriptions that if I closed my eyes, I could easily imagine that I had been transported to Austria with all the sounds and smells. I also loved the fact that occasionally there was the odd German word which I had to read out loud to use the German degree I obtained but have never used. Another thing I liked was the fact that Billy had a delinquent black Labrador- he clearly has taste but then I am biased since I have two delinquent yellow Labradors myself.
‘Dreaming Of Christmas’ is a delightful, ultimately uplifting, light hearted romantic read guaranteed to get you in the festive mood. I absolutely loved it and I wholeheartedly recommend it to other readers. I can’t wait to read what T. A. Williams comes up with next but whilst I wait I will definitely be seeking out his other books and read them just as soon as I can. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.