Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for providing me a free ARC for my unbiased review.

1 star. DNF. Soooo, yeah... I really, really tried to like this book. I kept reading a chapter, rolling my eyes, putting it down, reading something else, and then picking it up again to give it another chance. I'm not even sure I should review it as I only made it about 20% through before I just couldn't go any further.

Look, I like fluffy, rom-com stories with fairy tale characters. I read stories that are totally formula with great enjoyment. However, even if a story includes magic and no-way-could-this-happen-in-real life situations, it still has to be believable and, for me, I need to like the characters. I just couldn't relate to Sabrina or Ian. Also, Ian makes a decision about a third of the way through that had me rolling my eyes and putting the book down for good.

I found this delightful. It really put me in the mood for some snow (I am tired of rain!) and warm fires and hot chocolate. Hughes hit the right note of nostalgia in this book and had me rooting for the two love interests (Sabrina and Ian).

"A Magical New York Christmas" follows Sabrina (she's a ghostwriter) and Ian (he's an assistant/general get him out of trouble to a rich and moneyed British aristocrat). Sabrina is down to her last little bit of money when she gets an assignment to help a famous art dealer Grayson Westcott write his memoirs. We find out quickly that Grayson used to be a white gloved butler at The Plaza Hotel and he knew the author of the Eloise books, Kay Thompson. With flashbacks to how Grayson met the famous authoress and how she helped shape his life, we have Sabrina starting to make some changes to her life as well. And some of them include Ian.

I really enjoyed Sabrina and Ian. Nothing much to say here beyond that. I liked how the flashbacks were looped into the present and I honestly want to really really stay at The Plaza Hotel. It was a nice slow burn romance. I have never read the Eloise books, so it was an interesting look into Kay Thompson as well.

The story takes place at The Plaza Hotel which feels a little like The North Pole for adults.

This is definitely a solid Christmas romance for readers out there who want something to put them into the holiday mood.

I love a Christmas story and this one does not disappoint. No surprises but entertaining. I discovered that this author has written quite a few that I have never read.

If you love New York City at Christmas, holiday romances, and the mistaken identity trope, you will adore A Magical New York Christmas. Sabrina is a struggling journalist commissioned to ghost writer a biography and a major perk of the job is a suite at The Plaza. While enjoying her stay at the fabulous hotel she meets a charming British lord...or so she thinks. There are a few stories within the story, including Kay Thompson and the Eloise books. Set in the time between Christmas and New Years, this sweet book is predictable yet enjoyable with the occasional cheesy line that will make you groan. Overall a fun holiday read.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date September 28, 2021

I love reading the Christmas novels that Anita Hughes writes because they are always set in a beautiful location, in a luxurious hotel where I can only dream about staying. And dream I do, as I am reading. This one is set at the Plaza Hotel in New York, and contains the requisite luxury suites, fancy meals and room service, and holiday balls and events. I enjoyed the dual timeline stories that were included, and loved the resolution for both. I didn't like that much of the plot is based on the lack of communication between the main characters, but that's my preference for any romance novel, and not specific to this one. The setting and stories told in the book were well worth it, and I recommend this for anyone who enjoys Christmas romances. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the advance digital copy, in exchange for my honest opinion.

The magic of New York City and the Plaza Hotel at Christmas came to life as I read. Bringing back childhood memories.
A magical , joyous story with romance. Do you believe in Santa?
Sit back in front of the roaring fireplace with a mug of hot cocoa, and enjoy this memorable story.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stars
I am reading this in my big comfy reading chair in front of our fireplace. Only it is in the middle of August and we are having a major heat wave! Although there is no fire in our fireplace I can totally hear a fire crackling in one of the Plaza Hotel fireplaces and can see snowflakes floating down. (BTW: I live in Southern California ~ somewhat near Dana Point where Ms. Hughes lives ~ and haven’t seen snow in years!)
Story covers two timelines and two romances.
Present Day: Sabrina Post who is a ghostwriter and got a job during the Christmas Season working with 80 year old Grayson Prescott on his memoir. He is wealthy and staying in the Plaza Hotel and provides her with her own suite. The very night she gets the job she meets Ian Fleming from England and has never been to NYC. Turn out they are on the same floor and Sabrina agrees to show him the New York sights.
Then: Approximately fifty years ago Grayson was a butler at the Plaza Hotel and meets Kay Thompson the author of the ‘Eloise” series. In this case, she was experiencing writers block as she was trying to write, “Eloise Take a Bawth”

Both time lines and stories take place in the Plaza Hotel.
Don’t want to give too much away but it is a Christmas story so not too difficult to figure out.

This is my first Anita Hughes story, as I look over the list of her other novels . . . .”Christmas in Vermont”, “Christmas in London”, “Christmas in Paris” as well as many others; my thoughts are there is no doubt that I will be reading another one of her stories!
Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press- Griffin, for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for my honest professional opinion.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 28, 2021

First of all, I LOVED Eloise at the Plaza, and I thought the tie in/hommage paid to that movie series was a special treat. Sabrina catches a big break and gets to go to the Plaza Hotel. While there, she meets royal aristocrat, Ian and they have a sweep-you-off-your-feet kind of romance story. One little catch... he thinks she is rich, and she thinks he is royal. BOTH of which are lies! Check out this book to see how everything catches fire! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book for an honest review.

"A Magical New York Christmas" by Anita Hughes
Truly a MUST READ story
Be very careful when you make assumptions, too often you just may be close, but still wrong. This story weaved two stories together to make one glorious whole, and so well done. A bit of a modern-day fairy tale.
I truly loved my time within this story. I hope you will too. Happy Reading ! !
NOTE: I received an ARC of this story from the publisher.
This posting is my honest opinion.

Sabrina is a 26 year old struggling writer who has been selected to ghost write the memoir for Grayson Westcott during Christmas week at the Plaza Hotel. Grayson is a famous art dealer, but also spent years working as a butler at the Plaza.  The story is set in dual time periods - now and Grayson’s time working at the hotel as a young man.  As a fan of the Eloise books at the Plaza, Sabrina is fascinated to learn the relationship Grayson had with Kay, the author of the books.

Sabrina can’t believe her luck when she learns she’s been allocated a suite.  When she meets the handsome British visitor Ian at the bar of the hotel, she doesn’t correct his assumption that she’s another wealthy guest.  She’s especially pleased about this decision when she learns that Ian is part of the British aristocracy.  The fact is, he’s not.

Over the next seven days, Sabrina and Ian spend time falling in love.  Will they still feel the same way about each other once their true identities are revealed?

I really enjoyed reading A Magical New York Christmas. The author vividly creates the setting of the hotel in all it’s wonder during Christmas week. The dual time periods tell a common theme of venturing outside your own comfort zone to achieve what you want in life.

The characters are well developed and very likeable.  Seeing the hotel and New York City through Sabrina’s eyes was captivating.  Grayson’s story provides a glimpse of a different time at the hotel where he also found romance with a young debutante. His relationship to Kay (the author of the Eloise stories) was one of an older woman imparting lessons she had learned in life.  I appreciated that Grayson then imparted these same words of wisdom to Sabrina.

The only part of the book that I found somewhat repetitive was Ian’s role in making sure his aristocratic buddy didn’t spontaneously propose while on holiday - something he had made a habit of doing in the past.  While this was a clever way to have Ian being mistaken for his royal buddy, the author carried this a bit too far for my liking.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this sweet Christmas story. Set at the famed Plaza Hotel at Christmas, this book tells the love story of two couples. One in the past and one in the present and how they surprisingly intersect. Like most Christmas stories, this one is sweet, romantic and of course there is a misunderstanding. I wish the main characters had been upfront with one another sooner, but it all comes together in the end providing a happy ending…which I think may be what we all look for in a story set during Christmastime.

Can a relationship based on a set of lies resolve itself? It can if it’s during the holiday season, in New York City and at the Plaza. First, the papers I love most about this novel is the setting. I love NYC and that it takes place in the Plaza. I love all the references to books, movies, and other cultural clues. I came late to the Eloise books, having only read them a few years a ago. I loved that Hughes incorporated her story and her author into the novel. It’s a charming, enchanting read, one that can’t be missed.

Anyone who has had the opportunity to visit NYC at Christmas time knows of its magic. It has always been my favorite time to visit the city. Seeing the store windows, all the different Christmas trees and lights, Rockefeller Center ice skating rink are all my favorites. When Sabrina takes on a job as a ghostwriter that allows her to stay at the Plaza during the holiday, she finds the magic of romance. She has always loved the British family and believes she meets one who is also staying there. The novel has many twist and turns but romance wins. Thank you for Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes before it is published.

A Magical New York Christmas was such a good read! I have no doubt many will add it to their Christmas reading list and will enjoy it.

The majority of the book takes place in The Plaza, which was such a great setting to read about, especially since I've never been there. The characters are wonderful and the dual time line was easy to read and kept the story interesting.

I love that the author of the Eloise books was woven into the story and that there was so much hope, joy, love, and caring throughout the book. I will say that the middle dragged just a tad bit, but nothing terrible. I did find myself skimming a bit in that part, but that may have just been me.

I strongly recommend this delightful Christmas book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for providing an ARC at my request. All thoughts are my own and gladly shared.

A truly magical and lovely story from Anita Hughes with all her signature styles. A great escape that will make you smile and crave a visit to NY's Plaza hotel. I pulled out my old Eloise books and enjoyed them all over again - so that was a lovely bonus.

Christmas in New York; it doesn't get better than that! I loved this magical that allowed me to spend Christmas at the Plaza in NYC where Sabrina is ghostwriting a memior for a famous art dealer, Grayson. While at the hotel she meets Ian, and begins a complicated romance that has all the characters connected in a very unexpected way all while sharing the history of the Eloise picture books. It was a fun read that I could not put down.

I enjoyed reading this novel. There is just the magic of Christmas ti bring people together. Both main characters are hiding their true selves and were both afraid to disclose that they are not actually rich. Love that it is set at the famous Plaza hotel and has sporadic anecdotes of Eloise. An enjoyable read. Thanks NetGalley for ARC.

Sabrina is living a dream, spending the week between Christmas and New Year in a suite at the Plaza Hotel as she ghost writes a memoir for an art dealer that once was a butler at the Plaza Hotel. When Sabrina meets Ian they each assume something about the other based on circumstances. As they get closer will the truth change things between them? A holiday story that leaves the reader smiling.

From a true NY’er, Christmas in NYC is as magical as described in this book! There is nothing like a NYC Christmas!

From the very first page, the descriptive writing makes you feel like you are literally at the iconic Plaza Hotel.
Not only are we talking about NYC at Christmas time but the references to my favorite childhood stories of Eloise ! I can’t think of a better combination!

Sabrina Post is literally down to the last $600 in her bank account. She’s stretching every penny she has to pay her bills and keep her head above water. She’s a struggling journalist who lands a deal to be a ghostwriter for a famous art dealer named Grayson Westcott! She will not only collect a paycheck that she desperately needs, but she will get to spend the week at the Plaza in a luxurious suite!
Enter Ian Wentworth- a handsome gentleman from England.
They are both keeping secrets that must unfold...
I absolutely loved this book! This was my first read by this author and I highly recommend it!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

There's something magical about New York City at Christmastime. When Sabrina Post accepts a ghostwriting position, it ushers in celebrating the holiday at the iconic Plaza Hotel. Preparing to write Grayson Westcott's story, Sabrina doesn't realize it will change her life.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition in exchange for an honest review. Anita Hughes pens a tale that celebrates the city and the season. Readers, if you're seeking a letter of love to New York City, check out A Magical New York Christmas.