As sparkly as freshly fallen snow. A holiday romance that will stay with me long after the last page is turned.I loved how each character is obscure about who they are and as the story unfolds we learn more about who they are. It is a slow unfolding but it propels the storyline nicely. Ian and Sabrina captured my heart. They each came to the plaza for different reasons and believe they are there under “false” pretenses based on assumptions garnered from their first encounter. Grayson’s part in the novel was fascinating. If you are a lover of the Eloise books you will quickly become absorbed in this storyline. A longtime childrens favorite book collection. I was fascinated by the tidbits thrown in about the author Kay Thompson. It appears much that was written in AH book coincides with what I’ve read about KT. The setting, NYC, The Plaza and a Royal Family will have you turning the pages furiously. Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC #AMagicalNewYorkChristmas. All opinions are my own.

Every once in a while you find a book that takes you on a magical holiday adventure in one of your favorite places. For me, this was A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes. It is the week of Christmas in NYC and struggling journalist Sabrina Post has arrived at The Plaza Hotel for her newest assignment. She is going to interview the famous art dealer Grayson Westcott and be the ghost writer for his memoir. On her first night there, she meets Ian who is from Britain and who she believes to be royalty. They share some caviar and filtration before going on their separate ways. The hotel is only so big through and as they continue to run into each other, the attraction between them grows stronger.

I really liked the set up of this romance. Sabrina thinks Ian is British royalty when in reality he is the secretary and gate keeper of his best friend, Spencer who is from a royal family. Meanwhile, Ian thinks Sabrina is a wealthy business woman and that is why she is staying at The Plaza. Although both character have multiple times to tell each other the trust, something always seems to interrupt them. This adds a sense of mystery and comedy to the story as you wonder how things are going to turn out.

This story is actually told with two different time lines. The first is present day with Ian and Sabrina and the second is Greyson's life in the 1960s. You don't realize it at first but these two timelines are actually connected and in a very cute way. I love the descriptions of past and present NYC and the various locations which these characters visited. I have been to some of these places and loved the background of the holidays on them. Plus, I really enjoyed all the insight to The Plaza Hotel. I have walked past it multiple times and now after reading this story, I want to stay there to.

I adore NYC but have never been there during the holiday season. It was nice to imagine everything decorated and sparkling and see it through the eyes of these characters. The story takes place the week before Christmas and then continues into the week after Christmas with New Years. The timeline allowed me to get to know the characters and want all them to get their happily ever after's amidst the sparkle. It was all just so festive and beautiful to imagine.

A Magical New York Christmas really is a beautiful adventure from beginning to end. I found myself becoming so engaged with the characters and their stories. The scenery was beautifully described and all of the relationships were built on strong foundations throughout. Some of these foundations were in flirtation, some were in admiration, and some were in friendship and devotion. Regardless of where they started all of them ended up being something to celebrate and find beauty in. It is such a sweet story. I'm sure it will brighten up any body's day.

I needed a heartwarming story to disappear into. This was perfect. It had Christmas magic, The Plaza, British Aristocracy, Eloise, and really likeable characters. I loved the glimpses into the past for Grayson. Besides their constant reminders of how broke they are, (It's literally mentioned 50x, we get it, you can only afford a hot dog.) the Plaza through their eyes was a fun read. If you like book endings tied up neatly in a bow; this is for you.

**Disclaimer** I was given a free copy of this book for an honest review from NetGalley.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as I expected. I thought it was a little over the top at times. New York is a perfect setting for Christmas book. I enjoyed the secondary characters way more than the main characters.

Thank you NetGalley! This story was straight out of the best Hallmark movies I have seen. I loved the dual timelines and Sabrinas character is funny and so lovable! The plot is a tad Pretty Woman but I thought it was a cute enough Christmas read. .

This is a cute Christmas love story. The name dropping and many name brand references got to be a bit much at times, but I enjoyed the story. I loved the setting at the NY Plaza Hotel. The author really made you see it. I especially recommend this novel to Eloise fans and those who love NY, The Plaza Hotel, or who wish they could stay there. Christmas at the Plaza in NY really did sound magical!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

#NetGalley #AMagicalNewYorkChristmas

A Magical New York Christmas, by Anita Hughes, is one of my favorite Christmas books from 2021. Sabrina, a young ghostwriter, is given a week's stay at the Plaza Hotel to write the memoir of a famous art dealer. A longtime fan of the Eloise books, Sabrina is beyond excited to discover that Grayson, the art dealer, was actually a butler at the Plaza hotel for Kay Thompson-writer of the famed Eloise series. One night in the bar at the Plaza, Sabrina enounters a handsome British stranger-Ian. Ian assumes Sabrina must be a wealthy socialite-how else could she afford a suite at the Plaza during Christmas? Sabring lets him assume this as she discovers he's part of the British aristocracy. Or is he? While Sabrina and Ian enjoy a magical week in New York things are not what they appear. With absolute Christmas magic in New York, the Plaza serves as the backdrop for this beautiful holiday novel. Told with Hughe's trademark style, fans will not be disappointed. This is one to enjoy this season!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Well, it was cute, and it took place in New York, but there's something about Hughes's writing style that I can't quite put my finger on. It just reads so...amateur and almost childish. It's very straightforward without any nuance and mystery.

I can always handle dispelling some reality, and I understand some doubt and self-question that happens when two people are falling in love, but this just got to be almost too...borderline ridiculous.

This was my second Hughes book, and dang those titles and covers get me. It was fine. It was similar to a Hallmark movie, which I love, but I just feel like this one left me wanting--even though the ending here was very rewarding!

A Magical New York Christmas is the perfect read for Christmastime and for New York lovers all around.
The story is warm and cozy and the characters are interesting and lovely. From Sabrina to Ian and even Grayson in between, we get to see their stories and their struggles too.
I liked learning more about The Plaza and about Eloise and of course imagining all the places filled with Christmas spirit in NY.
The ending was perfect and it made the story very enjoyable and heartwarming. Anita Hughes does not disappoint.

Good christmas themed books are hard to find. This one was an easy quick read for me which are usually my favorites. So honored to have read this.

This was the perfect read for the holidays! Christmas in New York is on my bucket list, so the setting of Christmas at the Plaza was so perfect! It was a light, fun love story at the Plaza of two people who happen to meet randomly and end up hiding their backgrounds and who they really are from each other, but my favourite parts were Grayson's flashbacks as a butler when he worked there as his first job. I loved the magical, festive atmosphere of New York in the book and definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fun romcom set during the holidays!

Nice, clean contemporary romance set at Christmas with a lot of history added. I really liked this book. I have already recommended it to friends and patrons at the library. And I loved the setting in New York and all the mention of places the characters visited. Made me want to travel there!

Super Christmassy, cute storyline, likable characters and a wonderful setting: the Plaza at Christmastime.

Sabrina is staying at the Plaza, working on ghostwriting a book for a man named Grayson. Part of her contract included the hotel stay and meals are included too. How amazing would that be?

On her first day, she meets Ian.

Ian is staying with his best friend who happens to be royalty. He is his friend’s personal secretary.

There’s a touch of mistaken identity here because Ian assumes Sabrina is wealthy and Sabrina thinks Ian is royalty. Neither wants to tell the other the truth, so they just get in deeper and deeper.

I’ve read a good deal of Christmas books but I doubt I’ve read many set at the Plaza. I thought that location was a beautiful touch. This author always picks a beautiful place to set her stories and then describes the place in such vivid detail that it makes the reader want to take a trip there

There was also the side story that Grayson was telling for his book. Part of it was based on the author of the Eloise books and it made me want to go out and get my niece the book series.

I enjoyed this. It was exactly what I wanted this story to be. It also had a sweet little twist late into the story that I enjoyed as well.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley and saved it so I could enjoy it right before Christmas. Thank you!

This is a very fun, Hallmark style book, perfect for the holidays or any time of year. The characters are entertaining, the story is fresh and interesting, and New York is always a great setting. There were fun little details throughout, like the Eloise facts, that help keep the story moving and interesting.

Well, isn’t this just a warm, fuzzy New York Christmas blanket. A Magical New York Christmas, the title says it all, especially being that two of my favorite things are New York and Christmas.

First of all, it’s set in the Plaza Hotel. Who doesn’t dream of just one night getting to experience that. Sabrina, a struggling journalist down on her luck, gets an unbelievable opportunity. She is hired to be a ghostwriter for Grayson, a famous art dealer. And this job comes with six nights at the Plaza in her own suite. While she’s there she meets Ian complete with a classic mistaken identity storyline.

There’s romance, alternating time periods, lots of New York references, comedy, and heart. I definitely recommend this to lovers of all those things. It’s very PG, so it’s a great Christmas read for any age.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the advanced copy.

I love Anita Hughes' books! Her books are always set in a magical location with interesting stories and characters. This book takes place at the famed Plaza Hotel in New York. Utilizing a dual timeline, we meet a ghostwriter arriving at the Plaza and the art dealer whose memoir she will be writing. Throughout the book, we see the art dealer's past experience as a butler at the Plaza when he worked for the author of the Eloise books. I enjoyed the dual timeline in this book, but I found the story fell a little flat compared to some of her previous books. This wasn't a bad story, but it definitely wasn't a favorite of hers.

This one fell a little flat for me. I found myself flipping through Grayson's part of the story and particularly invested in Sabrina's and Ian's relationship. I did love NYC at Christmas though!

A magical holiday love story set at the glamorous Plaza Hotel in New York City.

It’s Christmas week when 26-year-old Sabrina Post knocks on the door of the Vanderbilt suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, ready to accept the ghostwriting position for the memoir of Grayson Westcott—a famous art dealer.

A struggling journalist, Sabrina can't believe her luck: a paycheck and six nights in her own suite at the Plaza. She feels like Eloise, the heroine from her favorite children’s books. To make the job even more exciting, Grayson recounts how he worked as a butler at the Plaza sixty years ago for none other than the author of the Eloise books, Kay Thompson.

What promises to be a perfect week is complicated when Sabrina meets Ian Wentworth, a handsome British visitor, at the hotel bar. When Ian assumes Sabrina is another wealthy guest at the hotel, she doesn’t correct him —a decision she doesn’t regret after learning that Ian is a member of the British aristocracy. But, things are not what they seem. The truth is: Ian is not a wealthy lord; he’s actually the personal secretary of Lord Spencer Braxton.

As the week unfolds, will Sabrina and Ian learn the truth about one another?

Filled with the magic that can only be found at the Plaza Hotel during the holidays, and revealing facts about the author of the Eloise books, Anita Hughes's A Magical New York Christmas is both a holiday treat and a heartwarming story that reminds us that falling in love is the greatest miracle of all.

If you are looking for a sweet & romantic holiday love story (bonus: set in gorgeous New York City at Christmas time!), this is the book for you.
I picked up A MAGICAL NEW YORK CHRISTMAS by Anita Hughes as I needed something light and heartwarming with a touch of holiday spirit- this totally did the trick!
The story is not only set in NYC but the plot primarily takes place at the glamorous Plaza Hotel and peeks into the life of ELOISE author Kay Thompson and her time spent at the Plaza.
It’s a charming, feel-good romance that provides a perfect holiday escape.
Thank you, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Magical New York Christmas takes place in and around the glamorous Plaza Hotel with all of its rich histories during the week between Christmas and New Year’s. There is a split timeline between the modern-day romance between Sabrina and Ian as well as Grayson’s life (the man Sabrina is ghostwriting for) and his encounters in the past. The timelines melded well, I certainly knew where I was but by the story’s ending, there are lots of lovely connections to be discovered as well.

I adored the minute descriptions of all parts of the Plaza Hotel which really brought this gem of New York into the story as almost another character. I’ve never been there, but I now feel like I have been from the descriptions of the hotel and the surrounding area.

Most of what you’d want to know before picking this one up can be found in the Cover Description. While I enjoyed the romance that bloomed from the misunderstanding reality between Ian and Sabrina, I do feel (for my own enjoyment) that the lie went on, and on, a bit too long. Some people can forgive that type of “misunderstanding” when it’s cleared up rather quickly – others will be hurt beyond going back for forgiveness, in my own opinion.

Nonetheless, the sparks between this couple and the loving memories of the past made this a book that I didn’t want to put down for long. So, read it for the romance or read it for the history of a famous location – but read it, I’m certain you’ll enjoy the experience.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

A Magical New York Christmas
3/5 ⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley & @stmartinspress for the e-arc! This one released the end of September but I kept putting it off until I was in full Christmas mode.

Christmas, New York, the Plaza Hotel, and royalty, what could be more exciting?

Cute, Hallmark-ish read. Nothing too in depth or wild. But it reignited my want to visit the Plaza. The closest I got was in 2013 while it was under renovations I peeked from across the street. I’ve always wanted the full Kevin McAllister experience 😂

You’ll definitely like this if you’re a Hallmark movie fan!

#AnitaHughes #AMagicalNewYorkChristmas #Christmasreads #holidayreads #readinggoals #NewYork #thePlaza #netgalley #stmartinspress #Christmas #books #nsbookstagrammer #canadianbookstagrammer