Once Upon a December is a magical Christmas story that will fill your heart with holiday cheer.

Just when I think I couldn’t fall more in love with Christmas stories, a book like this comes along and proves me wrong. I have to applaud Amy for coming up with such a fun, charming, and unique Christmas romance story. What makes this book so unique, you ask? Well, it has a time travelling Christmas market in it, yes you read that right, a Christmas market that time travels. How cool is that!! Jack lives in the Julemarked, a time travelling Christmas market that only exists in our world for December. The Julemarked doesn’t pop up at the same Christmas market every year. For example, it may be at the Milwaukee market one year, but it could be at the Paris market the next, and once the market disappears, people forget being there. Amy did a great job with the whole time travelling aspect of her book; she just gave her readers the right amount of detail. When Astra asks many questions about the mechanics of time travelling, Jack just tells her she needs to trust/believe in the magic. Steering her readers to the concept of just trusting and believing in Christmas magic works and fits with this story. By not overloading her readers with too much detail about time travelling, she allowed us to focus on the story and its heartwarming relationships. I also really liked it because I sometimes think as adults, we forget just to trust that the universe/world knows what it’s doing and enjoy those magical moments (without overthinking them).

Astra has four great loves in this story. The first is with Jack, of course, and I will get to him later on. The other three loves are with her best friends Ronnie, Steph, and Cassie. One of the most charming things about rom-coms is the fabulous female friendship often portrayed in them. I really couldn’t get enough of these ladies and the bond that they shared. Their friendship was not perfect; there were ups and downs and periods when they grew apart. But at the end of the day, they knew that they had each other’s backs. Astra’s friendship with her besties plays a big part in her life and her decisions. I really enjoyed how Amy used their friendship to help decide what direction the story would go.

Astra and Jack really have a unique love story. They have had many first meet-cute moments, and I loved them all. These two meet every time the Julemarked is in Milwaukee, and I could just feel the chemistry leap off the pages when they would meet. The only problem is Astra forgets Jack exists when the market disappears. We get to watch their relationship unfold in two different timelines, the present-day one when they finally start to date and the past timeline that jumps to all their past encounters. I really couldn’t get enough of these two. Jack is such a sweetheart, and I just adored him. What I liked most about their love story was not knowing what would happen in the end. I figured they would get their happy ending, but I didn’t know if Astra would stay in the Julemarked or would Jack leave. I was curious about what direction Amy would take in their relationship. Really the whole time-travelling just added such an interesting twist to their romance.

Once Upon a December is the perfect book to read on a snowy Sunday in December.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book was not for me. By no means does that mean it’s an horrible book. It means it is not a book for me or one that I would recommend.

I like a holiday romance, but this one used the time/location travel troupe and I’m over that.

Astra Noel Snow (first clue this was not for me) just got through a divorce from her husband Trent, but is still hopeful that she will find love and a family. She meets Jack at a holiday market in Milwaukee. Jack runs the Kringle bakery. (If you want many, many descriptions of the Kringle, you won’t be disappointed.). Problem is, Astra can’t find Jack again because the market is some sort of magical thing that is only around from December 1 to Christmas morning. The market travels through time and space to other locations each year. I could not push through, but after 52 percent knew it was not for me.

The concept of this fantastical romance: Brigadoon, but a magickal Christmas village instead of an idyllic Scottish one (and the female lead is the one who stumbles into the land set apart from time) is sweet and well-developed. Astra Noel Snow thinks there is something vaguely familiar about the hottie that sells her the most delicious cherry almond kringle pastry and can’t quite place him… but Jack Clausen knows she has stopped by almost every time the Julemarked (Yule Market) appears in Milwaukee. When he finally gets up the nerve to ask her name, their chemistry is off the charts, but Jack isn’t able to communicate his time restrictions, and Astra is disappointed to return from Christmas in Florida with her parents to find a brick wall where the Julemarked used to be, and her friend’s memories of it are fuzzy at best.

She spends the year fighting with her ex-husband about shared custody of Bernie (their dog) and dreaming of Jack. The next December first, Astra’s waiting to confront Jack when the Julemarked reappears, demanding an confirmation of her suspicions. They now have three and a half weeks to court while Astra has to decide if she wants to trade her library job, two parents, three best friends, and four seasons for a future and a family with Jack; it seems out of the question that he would leave the Julemarked when it’s so perfect and his work is so fulfilling.

It turns out the Julemarked has no currency, no WiFi, and a slow, peaceful pace. Hidden from sight like 12 Grimmauld Place and resembling a holiday Diagon Alley, the market appears from Dec 1-through midnight on Christmas Eve, popping up annually in a new spot each time, selling handmade items–toys, sweaters, pottery, baked goods–that the locals purchase as holiday gifts. The residents get a break through New Years… and then the Julemarked pops up somewhere else (a year later in real time but only a week later, for them) and it’s Christmas, again.

Strong in Danish culture and rooted in place, the library job details felt a little like pandering and unrealistic. The female friendships are strong but the relationships don’t pass the Bechdel test. The sexual tension is rich but the sex is behind closed doors. The worldbuilding is very complete and highly sensory: you can almost smell the hot cocoa and caramelized potatoes, and hear the clock striking. The structure is well-executed, with past encounters filling in the fifteen years of backstory from Jack’s point of view. Berkley has produced some stellar romance novels, and I appreciate the branching out into a fantasy holiday romance, but the narrative sometimes reflects from poor editing, with words or phrases repeated multiple times, sometimes within a few pages of one another, such as descriptions of Ronnie, Steph and Cassie which also suffer from the dreaded telling instead of showing. There are 14 religious holidays celebrated in December, and only Christmas gets a mention. The cast is not diverse. I didn’t find the public drinking or binge drinking or Astra’s tactics to get her dog above board. The ending was not entirely predictable; I might have even teared up a little! but I felt a little emotionally manipulated with Astra’ (Reichert’s?) choices.

I wavered between 2/12 and 3 stars. This was charming, but another pass by an editor might have made for a stronger book. Still, I could see it cinematically while I read, and Once Upon A December would make a great Hallmark movie. It will find its audience.

Bonus half star for the Hans Christian Anderson allusions and biographical details.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #OnceUponADecember from #NetGalley.

Astra lives in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Jack lives in a magical world called Julemarked. Every time he visits Milwaukee, he falls more in love with Astra. Astra never remembers meeting him. Until she does.

I don’t know how to describe this book without rambling on for ages. It’s a bit complicated. Julemarked is a magical universe that exists out of time. It essentially only exists in December and it shows up in different Christmas markets all over the world on December 1st. Sometimes it’s in a chronological order of years, other times it’s not. But one thing is consistent; no one ever remembers Julemarked after it’s gone.

What I truly appreciated about this story was the explanation about Julemarked and some of the rules. I think sometimes when you have these types of stories you’re left just having to ignore giant holes, in hopes of just enjoying the story for what it is. Reichert does a great job filling in those holes. When I was explaining this book to some of my friends, they obviously had a bunch of questions. I found that I was actually able to answer most of them with what had been provided for me in the book!

At the beginning, the book alternates with Astra’s present day life and Jack’s memories of the other time’s they’ve met. I loved being able to see him fall in love with her without her remembering who he is. They were cute together and I think it helped to get over the fact that they only got to “know” each other over the course of 24 days. In reality (well… in magical reality?), it had been 15 years.

Being a Midwestern girl, I adored that this book took place in Milwaukee. It felt very true to what I know of Wisconsin in winter, even though I’ve never been to their Christmas market. The friendships between Astra and her girlfriends was very well written. I loved reading about women supporting women and how they had been friends for so long.

My biggest issue with this book was trying to figure out how it was going to end. In order for them to end up together, either Astra was going to have to leave the real world and all of her family and friends to live in Julemarked, or Jack was going to have to leave his family, friends, and magic behind to live in the real world. Neither of these felt like good solutions to me, so in a way, I knew I was going to be disappointed no matter what. I will admit, that it didn’t turn out as badly as I worried that it would.

I know it’s a little early, but if you’re looking for a cute Christmas romance to get you in the season, this one might be it. It’s got the magic and romance as well as some lighthearted moments and some really good friendships. I loved the core group of friends that Astra had. The ending was a bit tough for me to swallow, but not in a dislikable way. I would definitely read more by Reichert and enjoyed this book. Even if I would’ve preferred reading it in December.

This holiday romance follows Jack who lives inside a magical Christmas market, and Astra who he pines over each time the market lands in Milwaukee.

I love the concept of a magical Christmas market but don't like an instant-love connection which is sort of what is forged after years of stolen glances and two lines of conversation. Since Astra lives in the outside world, she never remembers her interactions with Jack, forcing a lot of their romance development into short pockets of time.

I didn't quite buy into the love connection, but I would happily buy into the Kringle that Jack and his family bake. Kringle dreams were the highlight of this one for me.

Thanks Berkley for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Perfectly sweet and cozy holiday romance. Can’t fault the story, but I’m just not a fan of magical elements. I can’t suspend my reality enough.

I think Jack Clausen is a sweetheart,

First #Chistmasbook of the season! Don’t judge! Sometimes I just need a little magic in my life and this one was just that, magical.
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Astra is feeling down after her divorce but the one thing that can brighten her spirits is her annual visit to the Julemarked Christmas market with her college friends. It’s the perfect time to be Merry, have some drinks and Kringle and catch a glimpse at the handsome baker. Here’s where the book takes a turn…
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For Jack every single month is December. No, he’s not Christmas obsessed. He’s literally part of a time continuum situation where he is at the market December 1-25, with a break until New Years and then it starts all over again at a new place and it’s December 1st all over again! You need to suspend belief with this one but it was simply fun! I also loved the Outlander shout out, which is fun and also gives you a good idea of the time chaos here. Plus I just loved Astra and Jack, especially as they come to realize “Christmas wasn’t a place or a season or a time. Christmas was a state of mind”
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This book is out now!
Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert is best enjoyed on a dark and dreary winter weekend with a Danish pastry and a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

Thank you #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyBuddyReads for a complimentary e ARC of #OnceUponADecember upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Astra Noel Snow and her friends enjoy a traditional visit every December to the Milwaukee Christmas Market. This year she is recently divorced and is looking for some extra fun. Jack Clausen, a handsome man who works at his family’s bakery, saves her the best kringle. Their meeting is magical (no spoilers) and after a few dates, some Yuletide magic, and unbelievable complications, Astra and Jack must decide if their relationship can work. I hesitate to say more about the plot and circumstances because I think this one is best discovered for yourself.

What Works
* You’ll need to suspend disbelief to really enjoy this story! I knew going in that the story involved a great deal of magical realism which, honestly, isn’t my favorite. However, I needed a cute story at the exact moment this arc became available and I decided to take a chance. I’m happy I did because it was exactly the right, light read at the right time.
* I read this in October and not December and it still worked for me! I’d rather read a Christmas story in October than a spooky ghost story or thriller. I know I’m an outlier!
* I enjoyed thinking about Astra and Jack’s peculiar and complicated circumstances (no spoilers) and how it would all work out. I can’t say more about the plot because I enjoyed going into it blind and I think you will as well.
* I love the friendship themes! Astra is fortunate to have a small circle of supportive friends. Their relationships add extra layers of enjoyment and interest.
* Likable characters!
* Oh my! All the food assaults the senses! I’m ready to fly to Wisconsin this Christmas for a delicious Danish kringle (their official state pastry) and a steaming cup of hot chocolate. Have you ever enjoyed a Danish Kringle?

Lovely themes include second chances, romance, taking risks, friendship, and family.

Keeping in mind that suspension of disbelief is required, this magical and warmhearted Christmas story might be just the HEA rom-com you’re looking for on a dark and dreary winter weekend! Fans of light women’s fiction and (closed-door) romance will enjoy this charming story.

Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert is a whimsical story that takes the reader on a magical journey in a setting of snow, holiday spirit and romance. Imagine living in a world of baking and Christmas markets all year long, then meeting someone you have a connection with, only to be not able to date her or meet her outside in the world as we know it. Yes, definitely frustrating.

Astra has just gone through a divorce lowering her self-esteem and making her vulnerable. Fortunately, Astra has a caring friend group from her college days, who rally around her and help her through this tough time. Her friends are fun and supportive, adding some humor and help Astra grow after the divorce. Jack works in a Christmas market that magically moves around the world. He is happy being a baker and his Kringles sound delicious. He prefers to stay inside a market full of family and friends, never wanting to leave to visit the world outside of the market; until he does. Each of the shops in this market had humorous, pun-like names.

The story alternates between the past and present presenting the development of Jack and Astra’s relationship over the years. There was definitely a destiny or fate aspect going on, making it the easier to accept decisions that were made. I loved the nisse (gnome-like figures) that Jack carved and gifted to Astra. Jack and Astra’s journey to finding happiness was not an easy one.

Spiked hot cocoa and holiday hats are in abundance. A fun holiday read to get you in the mood for the holiday season. Explore a special Christmas market that exists outside of time, only appearing for three weeks prior to Christmas Day, at different Christmas markets around the world; disappearing on Christmas Day, and visitors don't remember it. It may or may not come back to the same location, and time passes differently for its residents. I highly recommend Once Upon a December to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

this was a perfectly cute christmasy novel. it gave me all the warm fuzzy christmas vibes but it wasn't anything, like, groundbreaking. it's one of those situations where it's like this was cute, but maybe i was expecting more from it. i do appreciate how the main character was in her late 30s since i never read about characters in that age bracket.

Set aside everything you know about holiday romance books and grab this one up because this is a whole new twist on it and I am here for it.
This follows Jack and Astra, and a magical Christmas market that repeats the month of December every four weeks in a different location. Astra and Jack meet every time the Julemarked comes to her city but because she’s an outsider, she doesn’t remember their interactions, but she does have a collection of the Neisse he makes her and she loves to collect. Every time they meet, Jack attempts to somehow make a memorable experience with Astra to guarantee she’ll want to return when they come back to town. I liked that they had insta-love but it really wasn’t because it was really spread over many years, but when they were together, they made the most of the time they had.
This was cute and cozy and Jack and his family were such a treasure and the Kringle’s-I’ve never heard of them before but they sound amazingly delicious and I want to have one in every flavor please!!
I could totally see this as a hallmark movie.
Thanks to Berkley Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review

Once Upon a December showcases the holiday spirit, and what it means to remember what brings you joy. This book celebrates many of our holiday traditions - baking, decorating and communities celebrating the season.

For this middle aged women, the romance was fantastic as it had a middle-aged couple. Please tell me the inspiration for this alley as Julemarked is exactly someplace I'd visit year-over-year for a hot chocolate, a Kringle sweet treat and a book from JulBooks.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the advance reader copy to read and review.

COZY VIBES!! I'm still not ready for Christmas 100% this year but wow this made me want to string up some lights around my house ASAP!! This was quirky and fun magical realism that didn't take itself too seriously. A magical Christmas market that reappears every year? *shrugs* sure, why not?

Jack and Astra were such a sweet couple. Their story was soft and delightful and full of Christmas magic - I'm calling it now that this will be a Hallmark-esque movie at some point.

This was an adorable holiday romance!

I wanted to jump inside the Milwaukee Christmas Market and live there.

This book will give you all the Christmas warm fuzzies with a little bit of magic and a whole lot of hallmark vibe.

What I loved most:
• The Julemarked/time warp/magic aspects were very well done.
• The alternating timelines made for a lot of great build up, as well as helping the reader understand how much time had gone by since the two MCs first met and how their feelings slowly came to be.
• The friendships between Astra and her group. I loved their bond.

This is such a sweet story that will make you hungry for a Kringle. Definitely add this to your holiday TBR!

I adored this Christmas romance with a magical premise. It’s all about a Christmas market and its residents who travel from town to town each Christmas. The baker, Jack loves to visit Milwaukee the most because he’s drawn to Astra, an average girl.

I loved hearing about each Christmas Jack and Astra met and how their loved formed. I also loved the magical elements of the market and how it played a crucial role in their story. This would be a great Christmas book for book clubs to discuss.

This was such a magical holiday story!
Not sure I've read a holiday book like this before.

The Julemarked is a magical holiday market that pops up in December. Everyone has such a magical time but once Christmas is over its gone and those that have come have little memory of it except that they had a good time.

The first time Jack saw Astra he felt something and he looked for her every time the Julemarked came to Milwaukee even though she didn't remember him. Over the course of years as she gets married and divorced he waits for her. With kringles from his bakery and little items she starts to feel like she knows him.

This was so sweet! A hidden magic world that would appear solely for Yuletide then disappear at midnight.

I don't know if I am doing a good job explaining how cute and fun and heartwarming this book was. But just add it to your December TBR!

Thank you berkleyromance and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert is a Christmas themed standalone romance. Astra Noel Snow, our heroine, attends with her close friends the annual Milwaukee Christmas market. Astrid is coming off a divorce, with her ex constantly bothering her, especially since they share their dog, Bernie. She is happy to spend time with her friends, enjoying her freedom, as they are drinking, eating, shopping and being merry.
Jack Clausen, is part of Julemarked, with its charming shops and lights, including his wonderful bakery. What is Julemarked? It is a small Christmas town, that magically leaps from one December to the next every four weeks. This time Julemarked is in Milwaukee, and Jack meets this beautiful girl who gets his attention, as she and her friends stop in the bakery to buy his family made kringle. On Christmas day, Julemarked will magically move to the next destination, and no one even remembers it. Each year that passes, at Christmas time, Jack sees the girl of his dreams, and she doesn’t remember him. After of few years, he finally asks her name, and ends up going with her and her friends to have fun at the bars. Astra and Jack become attracted to each other, but when she goes to meet him for a New Year’s Eve date, he never showed up; and when Christmas came again in Julemarked, Astrid did not remember him.
Finally, after a number of years, Astra begins to remember Jack, and soon they begin to fall in love, with Jack convincing Astra to join Julemarked, which will allow them to be together, enjoy life and even live longer; not to mention Astra’s dog Bernie will go with them. Just when Astra decides she wants to be with Jack, a tragedy happens in the last minute, forcing Astra to be there for her friends. Will Astra ever see Jack again?
I loved the addition of Astra’s wonderful friends, who were always there for each other. They were also there each Christmas holiday to visit Julemarked. I adored Bernie, the dog that Astra shared with her ex (he was a jerk), and loved how they girls all helped Astra get Bernie back totally. It was also fun to watch when Jack would go out with Astra and her friends to discover the outside world.

Once Upon a December was a magical, inspirational, heartwarming, lighthearted wonderful Christmas romance; filled with holiday spirit. All the characters in this story were great. Once Upon a December was so very well written by Amy E. Reichert.

I’m not usually a fan of fantasy books and nonlinear timelines, but this book was amazing!

The world building was so well done, I felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book. The Julemarked was such a magical place, I wish I could travel there myself!

I loved both Astra and Jack as a couple. To be honest, Astra is a bit of a doormat in the beginning, but I love the journey her life takes once she meets Jack.

This book gave me all the feels and I loved the ending! You will want to crack open your family cookbook and make some holiday treats after reading this one!

Sweet, magical Christmas story that includes a Christmas Market that pops up in a different location each year. This is a fun holiday read.

Review: This was a wonderful adult romance, with a unique twist! Jack and Astra were great main characters, and I loved their relationship. The supporting characters were also good. Overall, I would definitely recommend trying this whimsical holiday read!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.