Always, in December by Emily Stone can be considered a Christmas story. We come upon Josie at Christmas, trying to reconcile a holiday alone by choice, instead of going home to spend time with her grandparents. She has recently broken up with her boyfriend due to his infidelity, and while completing an annual tradition at the postbox, she has a sudden encounter that changes the trajectory of the story.

Told in intervals, this story is an examination of grief, of hope, of finding ways forward in spite of what has come behind. It's an uneven glimpse into how, even in grief, love can be found. I hoped for a tighter narrative, but I'm sympathetic to the project, as at the close we learn Stone lost her mother at seven and hoped to demonstrate how grief never quite leaves.

(I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

Always, in December
by: Emily Stone
Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell

Always in December is a lovely story of loss, grief, reconciliation, and love. Author Emily Stone's story is original, poignant and moving, and will leave reader's in a whirlwind of emotions. This novel is everything a reader would love in a romantic book that tugs at the heartstrings. Lead characters Jose and Max are well developed characters, making it easy to be fully invested in their story. Whether read at Christmas, Winter, or in any season, Stone's beautiful writing will stay in the heart of her readers.
Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell
for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.

#AlwaysinDecember #NetGalley

As Stone's debut novel, I'm very impressed! I truly enjoyed her superb world-building and the fact that Josie had normal, healthy, relatable reactions to Max and the rest of the plot twists. I will say the ending was unexpected but handled really well. Overall, I really enjoyed the story, the plot pace, and the character lineup...I'm secretly hoping Aunt Helen and "Grumpy Guy" get a little novella or something.

I do want to note that while this is really well written and so worth the read, something about it feels like heavier reading...like it takes a little longer to read it but it sucks you in. Just not a light beach read style surface-level romance book.

NO!!!! Ok, so I needed a nice, predictable Christmas-y romance and this had all the makings of it. At some point the cynic in me started to get suspicious but I ignored it. Alas it was not quite what I wanted, but, for good or sad, it did indeed hit me right in the feels.

For Libraries: If you have patrons clamoring for more Christmas lovey-dovey books, you can't go wrong here.

Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I sometimes feel like I was the only person who enjoyed the movie "Last Christmas" with Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, but if you did too- you'll love this book.
Spoiler Alert: it's a heart-tugger of a read. The book takes place over the space of a year, so the Christmas portion is kept to a minimum. The big reveal really got me.

#alwaysindecember #emilystone #netgalleyreads #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreview #meetcute #tearjerker

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books Random House for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Emily Stone - 4.5 stars rounded up.

Josie is not a fan of Christmas after a family tragedy 20 years ago. Every year, she posts a letter that never reaches its destination. This Christmas, she literally runs into Max, who missed his flight home and is stranded in London. Max has his own issues to deal with that he keeps secret from Josie during a magical Christmas weekend.

I adored this book - a book that will pull at all your heartstrings. But it’s also a book that touches on a lot of subjects - grief, family, friends and second chances. This is a fabulous debut that I highly recommend- can’t wait to read more from this author!

Such a heartwarming story about love, loss and saying yes to the unknown. Josie, always mails a letter, to her parents, even though they passed away. This tradition makes her feel a little better during the holidays. On this particular day, Josie and a bicyclist run into each other and they are both shaken up. The accident, sends them on a trajectory of time together and love brewing. But it can’t last forever, Josie & Max enjoy this time together but they have to get back to their lives. Max moves to Manhattan and Josie gets back together with an old boyfriend. The two meet up again in NYC and they can not ignore the sparks, the connection but timing is off again.. The story is well written the characters are very endearing. Their chance meetings are so sweet. Can they finally get the time right? Can they become a couple? Does distance and time change their feelings? If a love story, set in London, during the holidays, this is the story for you!! I really enjoyed this one.

Delightfully heartwarming and full moments that make you stop and think, Always, in December is truly a wholesome read that captures your mind and soul.

It's a story of friendship, love, and mostly of a woman discovering that she is stronger than she believes. It will make you laugh, cry, and feel... like any great book, it captures your mind and soul.

This isn’t so much a rom-com as a book about a chance encounter between 2 people, their holiday fling, and how their paths crossed over the next year. But while that could have been cute and entertaining and romantic, it was only those things during the fling. Then it just felt sad and angry and frustrating. I didn’t love the ending either - it felt a bit clunky and random.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Always in December is set during Christmas in London and the author does an outstanding job setting the scene and describing the holiday spirit. Josie lost her parents on Christmas as a child, so Christmas time is always a melancholy time of year. When she runs into a handsome stranger, (like literally runs into him on her bike) the two strike up and unlikely friendship. Max was meant to travel to New York for the holidays, but his flight has been cancelled. Josie and Max find themselves spending a whirlwind holiday together. They go to Christmas markets together, they drink mulled wine, they go ice skating, they go to Christmas parties and they find themselves falling for each other. But, the day after Christmas, Max is gone and he doesn’t leave a note or phone number. Josie is hurt, she thought this would be more than a fling. As the year continues, Josie finds herself continually running into Max in the most unlikely places. Were Josie and Max meant to meet? And why did Max try to ghost Josie?

I loved this book, although the ending was shocking and did get me a little teary eyed!

Happy belated pub day to Always, in December! I love a holiday tearjerker, and this cover sold me. Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing my NetGalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In one sentence: Josie sends a Christmas letter to her deceased parents each year - but this year, stranger Max disrupts her letter delivery, as well as the next year of her life.

This book might seem like a romance - it has some romance elements, but I think Josie's personal development is more important. We follow her through the year as she struggles with her grief from her parents' death, seeing her mistakes and triumphs. I enjoyed seeing Max pop up throughout the year in random places, but I was more invested in Josie herself than in their relationship. The ending threw me for a loop and definitely made me a little emotional.

If you want a tearjerker a la Me Before You, I think you'll enjoy this one.

2.5 STARS (rounded up): I originally requested an advanced copy of this book because I was in the mood for a light Christmas romance. Tis almost the season, right?!

But that's not the book I got.

Always, in December has a quick and brief romance between Josie and Max, but this is more of a story about missed opportunities and grief - particularly how it stays with you, despite the years that pass. Not a light and fluffy read, to be sure.

The story heavily relies on the fact that readers accept the idea of a quick but lasting bond between two strangers. This couple are together for a few days and then spend most of the book apart, only meeting accidentally a couple of times over the following year. This first third of the book was sweet and their initial awkwardness was endearing, but readers are told rather than shown this chemistry between Josie and Max. The rest of the book felt overly drawn out, culminating in an ending that didn't sit well with me.

Here's a rundown of my feelings for this book:

What I liked:
- initial Christmas-y feel
- how the couple first meets
- the descriptions of the beautiful locations

What I didn't like:
- the story is told in the third person which made me feel disconnected from the characters and their emotions
- requires readers to believe in Insta-love
- the story relies heavily on the lack of communication trope with several near misses that could have easily been explained in 2 minutes if Josie and Max had just had a quick chat. Instead, things are drawn out and became frustrating
- the abrupt twist that didn't give readers time to digest it and bypassed the opportunity for some in-depth emotion. It felt like a contrived emotional Hail Mary than the tear-fest I think it was expected to be

I'm feeling particularly cranky about Always, in December and think my initial expectations for a lighter, Christmas romance impacted my feelings for it. I'm in the minority with my feelings for this book but I think others may find this book to be a better fit.

Disclaimer: My thanks to Random House Ballantine for my advanced copy provided in exchange for my honest review.

This was an enjoyable Christmas fictional romance book, that had such a good vibe throughout. The main character, Josie, was so likeable. This was an easy book to find comfort in and the slight humor added to the story as well. This would be a great book to read around the fire as we transition into the holiday season. 4 stars ⭐️. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

Always, in December is a special book. Even though it's initially set in December around the holidays, I wouldn't necessarily recommend it as your typical warm and fuzzy holiday story. However, it is a memorable and beautiful story of friendship, family and love. It is a heartfelt depiction of love and loss.

Josie and Max meet unexpectedly one December when he is stranded in London at the holidays. What starts as a simple and easy friendship turns quickly into a whirlwind romance. But things are never that easy and neither is their "story."

This novel will take hold of your heart and hold it hostage until the last page has been turned. Be prepared for an emotional read that will make you think more about valuing each day and living it to the fullest. Enjoy each page of this book and let it wash over you. Savor the words and open your heart to the message.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Wow. I am reeling after reading this! Am I even okay?! I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, so I'm going to keep it a little vague.

If you are looking for a holiday novel with a Hallmark movie storyline and a little grief and heartbreak along the way, this is for you. It's definitely a combination of women's fiction and romance.

"It's something I've learned to carry around with me, but in some ways I'm glad of that, because it means I loved them, and I remember them, you know?"

Josie's life is riddled in the grief of losing her parents that always returns in December and dealing with a cheating (ex-)boyfriend when she bikes right into Max Carter. He's visiting the area, and she buys him a drink as an apology. From there, they have a sweet, fleeting week of holiday romance that ends abruptly. But, fate can't keep them apart and their lives intertwine over the next year, though they're never in quite the right place to pick up where they left off. When December comes around again, will they finally find love for the holidays?

Set a day aside to fly through this book, and also maybe grab a tissue box and chocolate.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine / Penguin Random House for the ARC!

What an endearing debut novel from Emily Stone.

Josie Morgan has found out that her boyfriend cheated on her, at Christmas time! It's already her least favorite holiday to begin with and this has become the icing on the cake. Especially since she will be seeing Oliver again at their work Christmas party.

Running a last minute errand, Josie literally runs into Max. Trying to apologize, Josie offers to buy Max a drink. It turns out that his flight to New York has been cancelled. Call it "luck" that Josie is now alone for the holidays. They spend the next 4 magical days together. They connect so soundly that it seems fated. Max's flight was rescheduled to Boxing Day (the day after Christmas for us americans ;) ), and he sneaks out without a proper goodbye.

But their serendipitous encounter has changed them both. Fate intervenes time and again as they run into each other a few more times through the span of a year. But Max hasn't been totally honest since their first encounter and now the hands of fate are winding down.

I adored this story. We see them both grow as people, with and without each other. Although, they were best together, in my opinion. You should definitely pick up this heartwarming book today.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Pub for the opportunity to review this.

Title: Always, in December
Author: Emily Stone
Publisher: Ballantine/Dell/Random House
Genre: Women’s Fiction

I know we all value honest reviews and opinions so here is my hot take: Always, in December is not a romantic holiday tale. I repeat . . . this is not a romatic holiday tale!!! While it starts that way, the middle gets a little slow and disjointed and really doesn’t have the serendipitous vibe that it’s billed as. Then the big reveal the author choose . . . No, no, no, no. Proceed with caution if you think this is a fun light cheerful holiday read! That’s all I’m saying! It’s by no means a bad read; I think it just may not be what people are anticipating.

Always, in December begins right before Christmas with Josie being heartbroken that her boyfriend was cheating on her and that she will be spending the holidays alone. On her way out to run some last minute errands, she crashes her bike right into Max. Literally. Max’s flight home to New York has been cancelled so the two of them spend a few magical days together doing festive things. Then Max just sneaks out of Josie’s bedroom and leaves. And that’s that.

But then they run into each other at an Art opening in New York. At a wedding in Edinburgh. And you can’t deny the sparks. Josie doesn’t want to like Max, but he is her biggest cheerleader supporting her new photography adventure. And Max doesn’t want to like Josie because it’s easier to hide behind his ex-girlfriend where things feel familiar.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Listen, I don’t mind a sad tale, but poor Josie couldn’t catch a break. She lost her parents when she was eight, had her boyfriend cheating on her, was lost in her career, and then Max. I did enjoy her bond with her grandparents and the game they played challenging each other with a movie quote at the end of each phone call. Super sweet.

This one is out today 10/12. Thank you @netgalley + the publisher for honoring my request to read and review this title.

Even though I knew this was a tearjerker before I started...
Even though I figured out what was going on long before it was revealed...
I still broke out into shaking sobs when all was said and done in the book.

This is mostly the story of a woman discovering that she is stronger than she thinks she is, and a message to all of us to live our lives to the fullest each day.
It's a romantic story, but it's also the story of friendship and love and family. It's the story of being there for each other in good times and in bad.

It's a bittersweet tale, at times funny and touching and at times heartbreaking, but it's definitely worth reading regardless. Be prepared because this isn't a light Christmas tale, it's much sadder than that, but it is also more than its sadness.

I … am really not sure what I just read. I suppose I should have paid more attention to the use of the word “devastating” in the promotional copy, and noted that this is now classified as women’s fiction in NetGalley when I thought it was a romance. But even aside from the fact that I expected something different from Always, In December, I’m just really confused by this book.

There are clear signs that something is going on in Max’s life, but the ultimate reveal of his secret is really abrupt and I’m not sure everything hinted at before adds up to the eventual truth. I never felt like I got a great read on Max; some of the threads from early in the story don’t get resolved, and he just floats through the book like some sort of Manic Pixie Dream Guy (which, when I found out what was going on I could sort of retcon, but not entirely). Josie is … fine … but yet another heroine who needs the hero to tell her how boring and predictable her life is before she feels permitted to try something new.

Always, In December is not a romance, which is misleading but not necessarily a problem. The problem is that I just didn’t connect with the characters and really don’t think the plot hangs together.

Also, I’m fairly certain Beth is pregnant for a year. Poor Beth. [Maybe that continuity error was caught in final proofs?]

This was cute but the cover could be better! I'd recommend this for a quick holiday read. Cute for a young adult.