This is a brilliant take on a romantic festive read, as it does not simply follow the typical 'happy' Christmas books I have read before.
The storyline has so much more depth and emotion than I had anticipated, and this really did captivate me all the more.
The leading character Maggie was relatable and truly believable which made her easier to connect with. Full of drama, romance, and learning to deal with things being far from perfect, this is a truly beautiful read.

A quick read that I powered through in one sitting, this was a lovely book.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced review copy of An Imperfect Christmas. This book is wonderfully Christmassy and I loved reading about Maggie especially seeing her tale unfold and her defences come down. There’s so much to love about this story and a perfect cosy read to snuggle up to with a hot chocolate.

Such a great feel good book. I really enjoyed it, a lovely and sweet romance! The kind of beautiful escapism I dream about so much lately. Cute plot, lovely community and characters. Perfect for reading at any time if the year. Beautifully written and thoroughly recommended

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Unfortunately, I had to put this book down quite quickly, however, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and believe many other will love this story, when put in the right hands.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sapere Books for my eARC copy of "An Imperfect Christmas" in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for that cheesy feel good happy Christmasy romance, this is NOT it. Which doesn't mean it isn't fantastic, and romantic, and Christmasy in it's own way - but I think it should be noted before you dive in! This one gets a little emotional, because the holidays aren't rainbows and butterflies for everyone.

Under 300 pages, this one is a quick read with a relatable main character. Maggie's job has become redundant, and she returns home with awaiting a looming call from her doctor. The story approaches a childhood crush, her unresolved feelings, her medical news, and what it's like spending time with family over the holidays.

It's cute, it's real, and I laughed and cried - so I gave it 4 stars. Enjoy!

I really enjoyed this book, it was a great winter romance, just what I needed to read. I loved the setting and thought it was a perfect Christmas story.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Lovely feel good seasonal book. It was just lovely. Romantic book you dream about. Great plot and characters. Perfect for reading over the festive period. Or at any time if the year. Christmas books can be enjoyed anytime anywhere. Very well written and flowed well.

A very well written romance. Good plot, believable characters and a nice setting. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

I love a coming home story, and Maggie is coming home with a lot of sadness along with having to deal with seeing the boy who took her heart so long ago. Maggie hides her bad news from her family as she tries to be there to celebrate with her sister's upcoming wedding. You just know that she won't be able to hide from the one that broke her heart for long.

They were best friends through childhood until Nathan pushed her away. I loved that they they both made assumptions about the other and contributed to the awkwardness. Nathan decides that this is it for him Maggie is what has been missing these years from his life, but Maggie's heart doesnt feel that she will ever be enough if she wasn't all those years ago.

Your heart will just hurt for them both as they navigate adulthood trying to find love and and what's been missing from their lives. You just wait and have a little faith in Nathan to prove himself with a grand gesture worthy of our girl. Great HEA!

Am I a Scrooge this year? Maybe I am - but I normally love Christmas books. This one hit me with a hard "bah humbug" vibe, though.

Meet Maggie, a successful 25 year old financial analyst living in London, England. Maggie is heading home for the holidays for the first time in two years, though her Christmas cheer is dampered by a tough break-up, a job loss, and a worrying medical call. When Maggie gets home, the reader follows her reconnection with family and friends that she hasn't seen in ages - including her sister, her 10-year-old niece, and her childhood best friend with whom she left off on bad terms.

Will Maggie end up enjoying her holidays at home? Or will she be counting down the days until she heads back to London?

cw: parental death, cancer, isolation, infidelity

Thank you to Tanya Jean Russell, Sapere Books and Netgalley for allowing me a copy of this eARC in exchange for this honest review!

This book, Russell's first Christmas novella, is a fairly light read that wraps itself up with a happy ending. The story premise is fun and festive, but unfortunately, I felt as though the novel fell a bit flat for my liking. I had a feeling this book wouldn't suit my fancy from the beginning. The first few chapters felt rushed and focused little on character development. Having finished reading, I still feel as though I know more about the main love interest than I do the protagonist. I appreciate the efforts made to include some more serious topics in the plot, though I feel as though they were blown up to be almost unrealistic at times. The "Imperfection" mentioned in the title almost overshadowed the "Christmas" theme. In summary - I just didn't connect with this one, but that could have come from my expectations hoping for a winter wonderland.

I may just have been the Grinch this Christmas season, but I can't bring myself to give this book more than two stars. I think the premise and plot had a lot of promise, but there were many times that I felt the main character was whiny and unrealistic - a sentiment that may have been altered with some deeper character development early on in the novel. With that being said, if you are looking for a light and quick winter-y novel, this one has a sweet plot and a cute ending - just be prepared for most of the "Christmas vibes" to be found solely on the cover.

This book was a great Christmas romance read. It was sweet and loved the second chance romance between childhood best friends. The writing is fantastic and the characters were great!

Thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read any books by this author before but it won’t be the last. A heart warming story that was well written, a story about Maggie and Nathan mainly.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for a review. I will be putting this review on Amazon.

Lovely Christmas story. I love the setting, the characters and the plot!
It was a cute read for the holiday season with a beautiful message of hope.

This was a delightful read for the Christmas season. A sweet plot, likeable characters, and a reminder that even when we think all hope is lost Christmas magic can still find a way. Highly recommend this book for anyone looking for an easy read, a little romance, and lighthearted fun.

The story of Maggie who is back in town for her sisters wedding. She has just been made redundant and been dumped, along with having had potentially life changing health news. She is forced to see Nathan again, the reason she has avoided returning home before now. Will they get a second chance?

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a quick and cosy read- I really enjoyed Maggie as a character, and I was definitely rooting for her. However, this wasn't really about Christmas, which is what I was expecting from the title. (I probably would have given it more of a winter title myself.)

Here's another sweet, heartwarming Christmas read of you're still reading them.🎄💕

Maggie goes home after losing her job, and being dumped by her boyfriend all before Christmas. How was she going to go home and see her old childhood best friend, Nathan who she loves and he rejected her when they were young. Plus she is dealing with a health scare, that she is keeping from her family.

I enjoyed reading this book. Loved the relationship between Maggie and Nathan, loved how they had known each other since childhood. Although I had moments where I was annoyed with Maggie and wish she would just give in to her feelings of Nathan. It was a feel good Christmas story, could be Hallmark movie.

An Imperfect Christmas
By Tanya Jean Russell
⭐⭐⭐

I absolutely LOVED this book and I was so invested in the love story. This is probably one of the best romances I've read this year. I really enjoyed every character AAnd I really enjoyed Maggies support system especially her bond with her sister and I really enjoyed her Maggies character development throughout the book and her realizations throughout the novel. The story was easy to follow and the writing was incredible. It was a quick but a fantastic read nevertheless.

I cannot wait to see what this author will bring in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sapere Books for providing me with this ARC.

A Wonderful, charming second-chance Christmas romance! Maggie and Nathan are like family. Their relationship has a past and they work together to recreate what it was when they were younger. Maggie has to learn to trust Nathan again as he helps her to learn that she doesn't have to do hard things alone and that love doesn't always walk away. This is the perfect read for experiencing that warm fuzzy Christmas spirit!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sapere Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a sweet festive story which touched on some difficult issues. I like that the characters were all flawed, but we were able to empathise and love them as they were. The storyline was good and the writing style fantastic. I didn't get as much of a Christmas feel as I would have liked, but it was a great story.