Every Day in December by Kitty Wilson was a sweet book that I enjoyed reading. I like books surrounding Christmas and this one was no different. I enjoyed the build up of the main relationship between Belle and Rory and liked the Shakespeare tie in.

How I loved this book, its just gorgeous in its storytelling.

And there is even what all romances and Christmas books could do with a wonderful big gesture that makes you smile!

And there is Belle who is hoping to help Rory rediscover if not a love of Christmas, then less of a fear of the season, while Rory is back in the UK for his mum's health diagnosis, and isn't expecting to fall into Belle's orbit, who he knew at uni.

These are characters that it took me a few chapters to get an understanding of, and to be sure I did like them and gelled with the story. But once I did I was whizzing through the pages.

Each chapter focuses on a day in December, and it is such a great way of presenting this story and we get chapters or part chapters from the focal point of both Belle (with her Shakespeare and Christmas obsessions) and Rory (who is reputation manager and easily his most tricky at the moment is Belle's father).

Ah Belle's father, what a horrible, truly despicable man he is with rather outdated views when it comes to women and sex ('d rather not say more but rest assured he is only spouting opinions, rather than any graphic scenes of the nature he is referring to).

Whereas Marsha, Belle's little god-daughter is just amazing, I loved every scene she is in, her also enjoyed the dynamics between her mother Luisa and Belle, who seem so different but get on so well.

And then there is Rory's mum Alison who brings so much life to every scene she is in, and the pair of them shopping for nightwear is certainly a memorable scene, that is having my laugh just recalling it now.

This is just an all around feel good book for this Christmas reading season, and shows that the author is capable of writing more than just about my favourite Cornish Village School! I really look forward to seeing what other ideas she has for books going forwards.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Between you and me, I actually started reading this whilst wearing some Christmas socks. Hey, why not?! I thought I would need this boost to get me in the Christmas mood. After all, we are several weeks before the festive season really begins. But, fear not. Wilson has bucket loads of Christmas spirit in this book, having me reaching for eggnog and cutting up the yule log in preparation!

So, on a more serious note, this is a good Christmas read. I don’t think you can get a book any more Christmassy than this one. Covering every day of December (that’s 31, for those of you starting to count), this book follows the growing friendship between Belle and Rory. Although they have had a connection in the past, circumstances throw them together to realise that, actually, their initial impressions were far off-base. Acknowledging that there is more to the other person, Rory and Belle start to spend a lot of time together. With the month getting closer to Christmas Day, you cannot help but wonder whether Rory and Belle will remain in the friend zone or act on their true feelings at last?

I really liked this book because the characters of Rory and Belle are so likeable. They both have their own demons to cope with but I enjoyed the fact that each character is determined not to be defined by them. Be it in terms of employment, financial independence or even relationships, both Rory and Belle are grafters. The 31 chapters switch between Rory and Belle’s perspectives, so you do get a real connection with their feelings and attitudes. Furthermore, it was lovely to see the developing friendship from different angles and watching these emotions evolve over what is quite a short period of time.

Belle really stood out as a character for me because of my Shakespeare bias! Wilson has done her homework here because Belle is a proper Shakespeare buff. Not only does every chapter begin with a significant Shakespearean quote (relevant to the developing plot), but Belle herself is trying to get her Elizabethan project off the ground. Having studied every single play in minute detail, I applauded Belle’s work and her enthusiasm for a topic that is generally considered rather dull and difficult. Watching Belle share her knowledge and love with others was great to see and honestly, if she were a real person, I would definitely be hunting down her services!

Whilst it was clear how the story would end, it was lovely to watch the two characters come together and change over the story. I admit, I did find the ending a bit abrupt, anticipating a cheeky little Epilogue to fully close off the story. This was absent and I think I felt a bit bereft with not knowing what happened next to all the characters. This is my only criticism of the book and I think the story would have benefitted from this final conclusion to show for sure what happened next between Belle and Rory. Instead, I had to be satisfied with what my imagination could offer…

This is not a full romance story, but more of an exploration of how two characters come to rely on one another. Over the month, romantic feelings do develop yet, this does not dominate the plot. Instead, Wilson focuses on the influence of family, Belle’s career and Rory’s traumatic past. This, I think, makes the book even better as a festive read because, whilst the Christmas spirit is everywhere, the characters have to work for their happy ever after.

I liked this Christmas read and highly recommend it. I have already read several festive books this year and I think Wilson’s narrative is one of my favourites so far. So, if you are yet to plan which books to read this December, this novel should make it on your list. After all, with the month in the title, when else should you read it?!

With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Belle is just living through the motions, but when she gets fired right before the holiday's, her best friend urges her to start chasing her dreams. Even though things don't always turn out the way she wants to, I loved how positive and joyful Belle stayed.

It truly is a month-long celebration towards the holidays, which includes rekindling an old friendship with Rory. Their dynamic was simply wonderful. It definitely starts off just friendly, but of course, slowly feelings grow, and maybe a bit of drama ensues.

Though it isn't all snow and Christmas lights. Both are dealing with some heavy feelings. Rory still feels guilty about his girlfriend's death, and now his mom is dealing with cancer. While Belle's parents are a recipe for disaster, affecting pretty much everything.

Every Day in December is a great read to get in that holiday spirit. It's is a cute, fun, character-driven, Christmas romance novel.

*I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Thank you Net Galley for a copy of Every Day in December by Kitty Wilson. What a beautiful Christmas story. For all of you holiday readers, pick this one up, you'll love it. A surprising romance with many Christmas surprises. BEAUTIFUL!

this was the perfect book to get me started for the holiday season, which in my mind starts right after Halloween. Although it has plenty of heavy subjects (cancer, family issues, etc) but the story is told in a very light hearted fun way. This was the perfect read for me after reading some heavy books!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

A sweet holiday read that is typical of this genre. A little saccharine for my tastes in general but it flows well and the characters are likeable. If you love a happy Christmas easy read then this is for you!

I love Killy Wilson's stories because they're always heartwarming and features relatable and well written characters.
This one was no exception: it's heartwarming and sweet, made me smile and root for the characters.
I liked how the two MCs' character arc and like their POV and the story told day by day.
I love the Bristol/Bath area and this story made me visit places I already knew and see them through new eyes.
It was an entertaining and engrossing read.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

EVERY DAY IN DECEMBER is just sweet, swoony, Brit-Lit, perfection!

Rory returns to England for one month after spending 5 years avoiding his grief-filled past. He reconnects with his University friend, Belle, and their friendship grows as she fills his dats with Christmas cheer.

Belle is a wonderful female lead! She is sunny, feisty, and sweet, even though her life is a total wreck. Seeing her find her confidence and her voice during this story is a wonderful read!

Rory is so swoony! He shows Belle how she deserves to be treated and helps her grow, even as he continues to struggle with his own grief.

EVERY DAY IN DECEMBER is a very, very, slow burn. But it is so heart-meltingly sweet that I felt it was well worth it. This is a story of love, loss, grieving, following your passion and facing your fears. There are great friendships and complex family dynamics.

You will close this book with a dreamy sigh and a heart filled with Christmas cheer.

Loved this book! It was a perfect holiday read! This story is about Belle who just lost her job which will be rough, but she loves December when “magic”can happen. Rory hates December because of something that happened 5 years ago.. They have one month to fall in love..

Every Day in December is a delightful book. Well written with a good plot and believable characters. I recommend this book.

I found this a nice, pleasant, relaxing read. I definitely look forward to reading more of Wilson's writing going forward. I did order a couple copies for the collection and patrons have been loving it.

This book was soooo cute and I was smiling ear to ear at the interaction of Rory and Belle. (I love their names!). The two had such playful banter! They even had me giggling a bit here and there! While reading this story, it gave me a positive and warm feeling. I even had a cup of hot coco while reading.

Rory and Belle reconnect again as they do, they learn and teach each other many things. You can see their relationship grow but they do struggle with their feelings at times. They are good for each other. Rory brings out a sturdy side to Belle and Belle gives Rory a side of having fun and being in the moment! They are friends but it grows to them falling in love. It was a slow burn too. I always looked forward to seeing their text messages to each other

I have to point out that I loved this line mentioned in the story: "I'm your Christmas elf" - Belle says.

It's a slow, warm hearted holiday story! I am glad I took the time to read this wonderful gem. If you are looking for a holiday, cute, fast, slow burn, friends reconnecting to lovers, then this book is for you!

Psst...even Shakespeare is mentioned in this book. Belle hearts Shakespeare!

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let me start by saying I love the cover of this book, I seem to have a think of cartoon like covers. I adore a Christmas book at any time of the year, especially now in late September when the nights start drawing in. It puts me in the mood for twinkling lights and mulled wine.

In the book we are introduced to Belle, she love December and believes that magic can happen if you just believe. Born into a wealthy family, she is like the black sheep and a disappointment to her parents as she seems to go from job to job, Having recently lost another job she is determined to keep up beat and keep her faith in the season. Rory is an old friend of Belles from colleague he hates December as he lost someone years ago and hasn't quite gotten over it. They bump into each other as he has returned from Australia to help care for his Mother, and the pair learn to get to know each other again as adults. The care and compassion they show to each other is really lovely. It is a slow plot and an even slow burn romance but to be honest for me Rory's inability to get over the events five years ago, and his sometimes grump attitude really grated on my nerves. I know its tragic and he is going through a lot but come on. It made me feel like the book was longer than it is. The story is cute, heartwarming and lovely but by the time to got to that part I was so sick of Rory and his moaning the romance didn't have the same impact on me as it usually would.

Whilst the romance part of the book didn't warm the cockles of my heart, the book definitely helped feel a bit of that Christmas spirit.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for allowing me the chance to read and review this. I really liked the pacing of this story and how each chapter took place. The main girl character was relatable too. This was a three star rating.

It's funny there is a part in the book that references, Love Actually, and I thought it was hilarious because if this book was ever made into a movie, I can totally see it being filmed in the same style as Love Actually. I would also buy this movie if it ever came to that too.*wink wink* lol Every Day in December is a slow burn romance, I would consider, revolving around Rory and Belle. Rory is too traumatized from love to give it another chance, and Belle seems to only like the guys that are no good, or as she calls "lost boys." They first meet in college and then fate brings them together once again years later. If you are looking for a fast romance book, this is not for you, the romance starts off by building a relationship and you really don't see the romance until it smacks you in the face, but it is a nice angsty emotional trip. Besides Belle's dysfunctional family, I loved all the characters. Especially Rory's mom, that woman had me cracking up. This would be the perfect book to cozy up next to a fire and just enjoy reading a nice story.

This was a very quick read. Once you get past the first few chapters the story flies by. I loved that each chapter was a single day of December and I actually think this structure is what made this book so easily readable. You could actually put the book down after a single chapter and feel like you’ve read a good amount of content.

The first line of the synopsis ‘two people. One month to fall in love’ doesn’t really fit the plot of the book. I thought there was going to be an element of challenge or urgency for the characters to get together, but there really wasn’t. I really don’t understand why that was included.

I really liked belle as the main character. She had her ups and downs throughout the book and at no point did I think she was annoying or overreacting - which you often see in this type of book.

One of my biggest pet peeves with festive romances is that the female main character can be a pushover and has zero backbone, but that was not the case here. At first, Belle was a pushover when it came to her family but she went through a realistic development throughout the book and she was a better person in the end because of it. She was definitely likeable from the start but by the end of the book, she was utterly lovable.

Over the course of the book, you really get to know Belle and Rory and notice the changes in their relationship. Their budding romance was very endearing to read and it was set at a fairly good pace. You could really see the relationship developing and these developments felt natural and believable. Which is often hard to come by in festive romances as everything has to happen within that one month. However, as the characters knew each other previously and had a lot of history it meant that nothing felt rushed or over the top.

If you are looking for a super cute festive romance that is a fun and well-paced read then you will love Every Day In December. From the get-go I loved all of the characters and as I got further and further into the book I wanted nothing more than to see them happy. I would highly recommend this book.

I am a sucker for a Christmas romance, and this did not diaappoint! A lovely tale about love, friendship, grief, and a little bit of Shakespeare! Highly recommended!

Such a beautiful story. The characters are so lovable and the setting is beautiful. Loved the story from beginning to end.

Belle Wilde and Rory Walters met in college shortly before Rory met his future wife Jessica. Years later, Rory comes back into town after moving to Australia following Jessica's untimely death.

Belle loves Christmas and Rory hates it because of the painful memories involved when his wife died during the holiday season. Belle and Rory cross paths and Belle makes it her personal mission to make Rory love Christmas again. But her plan may go awry when she starts to fall for Rory...

Recommended for fans of Hallmark Christmas movies, Love Actually, The Holiday, and other fun holiday romances.