Warm, witty and enchanting, Kitty Johnson’s Five Winters is a wonderful book you cannot help but fall in love with.

Beth Bailey cannot remember a time when she wasn’t head over heels in love with Mark, her best friend’s older brother. Beth had always hoped that one day Mark would reciprocate her feelings for him, but waking up on the day of his wedding to another woman, Beth realises that the time has come for her to face facts, move on and try to forge another path that does not include her long-time crush. Marrying Mark might no longer be an option, but Beth is not about to give up on her other most cherished dream: to become a mother.

Beth had lost her parents very young and she has always yearned to have a child of her own. Determined that nothing and nobody is going to get in her way of holding her baby in her arms, Beth goes on an unforgettable journey over the course of five winters that will open her eyes, broaden her horizons and teach her the true meaning of love, family, friendship and motherhood.

Kitty Johnson’s Five Winters is a magical, hopeful and heartwarming read that effortlessly tickles the funny bone and brings a tear to the eye. Beth is a wonderful heroine you are rooting for from the very first page and her journey to fulfillment and happiness is one that tugs at the heartstrings and will leave you with a massive grin on your face.

A lovely read perfect for a cold wintry afternoon, Kitty Johnson’s Five Winters is a delightful tale that ticks all the right boxes.

From the very first page, the reader is sucked into the lovable main character of Beth, a woman whose unrequited love is at the heart of this story. Author Kitty Johnson writes in such a warm and entertaining way that truly has the reader feeling all the highs and lows of the unconventional family Beth is a part of, as we get a glimpse of their lives over five winters. An absolute perfect read for the holiday season, you will find yourself turning the pages quickly to find out whether Beth will get her happily ever after. A gorgeous, gorgeous read!

Ever since she was in her teens Beth Bailey has been in love with her best friends older brother Mark. However now that Mark is married she needs to move on and also make her life her own.

This book was amazing! Such a great read for around Christmas time. Told over a five year period I picked this book up and I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters, the plot and just everything about this read. I found it very funny in places but also that Christmas is not always happy for everyone - but that this can also change and how one year it could be bad and the next year so magical. I loved how it ended - I don’t want to spoil it but in was perfect! I just couldn’t put this book down at all. This was my first book by the author but it won’t be the last - I can’t wait to read more. This book is also on the Amazon first selection for the month so if you haven’t picked yours yet this would be a great pick.

I need to open this review by saying Wow! The premise of the book focuses on five winters in the life of Beth Bailey. Orphaned as a youngster, she was briefly raised by her aunt in conjunction with her best friend’s family. When her aunt died, the family stepped in, and Beth was raised as though she was one of them.
When the story opens, Beth is attending the wedding of Mark to his fiancée Grace. Despite being like a brother to her, Mark has held Beth’s heart since school. Her best friend, Rosie, is completely unaware that Beth has a crush on her brother, and in turn is rather cynical about relationships herself. Beth’s emotions are all in a mess when she meets Jaimie Faulkner, another wedding guest, and good friend of Grace. That’s all I’m going to share about the plot as I would hate to include any spoilers.
I absolutely adored Beth and could completely identify with her. Not the brother element, but the pain and devastation that you can feel when a crush is unrequited. Thank goodness I found my lovely husband!
I had a few favourite characters but Richard who was Rosie and Mark’s Dad, was everything that I would wish for in a father figure. He was kind and certainly saw and understood more than he let on. His wife, Sylvia was equally lovely, but in different ways. They accepted Beth into their home and hearts without so much as a second guess.
Of course, the main character is Beth, and we follow her life over the changes that five winters bring. We see her highs, lows, and determination to recover with each passing season. I felt deeply moved by her story and can happily confess to shedding a couple of tears.
If you’re looking for a book that will take your emotions on a wild ride, then this is an excellent recommendation.

I was absolutely smitten by Beth Bailey and Five Winters from the outset. The writing just wrapped me into a warm, cosy cocoon and I really didn’t want to leave – Beth is definitely a character that could be part of a series and I could read about her all day long.
Beth lost her parents at a young age and was taken under the wing of her best friend’s family (although legally was under guardianship of her aunt). Beth fell in love with her friend’s brother but never could bring herself to tell him so whilst he is beginning his new, married life, she sets out on a journey to find her own path.
I’m a huge sucker for lovable characters and I adored that we got to spend 5 winters with Beth. It was 5 years to watch her change, grow and go on her journey to find the things that she really wanted in life – a husband and children. This concept really leant itself to fantastic character development and allows the reader to completely fall in love with Beth. I felt as though I knew her so well, like a close friend.
Kitty Johnsons has such a fluid and engaging writing style. She draws the reader in and takes them on the same journey as her character – forcing them to experience the same emotions of love, loss, grief and joy.
Five Winters is such a heartwarming, joyous book to read and is perfect for curling up on the sofa with this Winter. I cannot recommend it enough.

❄️ The story follows Beth Bailey who has been in love with her best friend’s older brother Mark since she was a child. But now Beth is thirty five years old and Mark is getting married leaving Beth with no other option but to move on. Get ready to follow Beth on her journey through five consecutive winters as she learns to move on and find love.

❄️ Pick this up if you like/are looking for:
📌 a perfect winter read
📌 cosy and christmassy vibes 🎄( this book gave me the perfect winter vibes and made me crave for some hot chocolate 🍫)
📌 friends to lovers trope
📌 relatable characters
📌 cute funny banters
📌 closed door romance
📌 emotional roller coaster
📌 MC who loves animals, having a hard time getting over her first crush, wants to be a mother and is dating some stupid men
📌 family dynamics
📌 rom coms that tackle some serious issues too like infertility, loss of a family member, grieve and parenting.
📌 books that feel like a warm hug


❄️ This was such an easy read that kept me hooked till the end. I loved the fact how Beth’s life story was told over a period of five years. Talking about the characters I found Beth’s character quite relatable. Though I may not agree with some of her stupid decisions but I loved how her character developed throughout the story. Overall it was an entertaining read. Thanks 🙏 to the author and NetGalley for the ebook in exchange of an honest review.

The story takes us on a journey through 5 winters of Beth’s life. Beth was a really well fleshed out character and you really felt like you were on the journey alongside her, for all the ‘don’t do that’ moments as well as the ones where you just wanted to give her a hug.

All the characters were so well written and interesting (even Jaimie and his naturist ways 🙃). It made for a compelling and addictive read. The plot and writing style were lovely and it had me devouring the whole book in no time at all.

The plot, characters and emotions they gave you all felt very raw and real, especially Beth’s struggles of knowing what she wants and not being able to/knowing how to get it. After reading the acknowledgements at the end, it’s easy to see why. Johnson has bravely used her own emotions and experiences in such a beautiful way and it came across so well.

For a deep and emotional read with lots of feel good vibes and laugh out loud bits - where you’re rooting for the character all the way through - this is the one for you. A proper little winter warmer which I’d definitely recommend!

I adored this book and read it quickly and with ease. The way the story unfolded and the way the characters were revisited was well structured and I liked this. It was lovely to see how the relationship between Beth and Marc altered and changed each year, and I was willing for things to work out for them in the end. The setting of christmas put me in a very festive mood, definately one to read over the holiday period.

Title: Five Winters
Author: Kitty Johnson
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Pages: 319
Genre: Contemporary/Romantic/Humour Fiction
Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:
For as long as she can remember, Beth Bailey has been in love with Mark, her best friend’s older brother. Beth has always hoped that one day Mark will realise that he loves her too. But now Beth is thirty-five, she is about to receive the wake up call she needs, Mark is getting married to another women and she has to accept that they were never destined to be.

Beth’s dream of marrying her first love is over, but she has another desire and that is to be a mother. Beth lost her own parents young and she has always dreamt of having her own family and she is determined that this wish she will make true.

We follow Beth over the course of five winters, where life throws unexpected twists her way and over these five years Beth faces realisations about family and friendships, she discovers the meaning of love and most importantly, she learns more about herself and her happiness and hopefully soon she will begin to learn about motherhood.

Review:
First things first, I have to comment on the beautiful front cover, it really did catch my eye. The book description hinted that this could be a heart warming read, just what is required at this time of year (Winter/December.) Five Winters was also different from my usual Thriller reads so I couldn’t wait to dive in, and let’s just say the story I uncovered was rather magical.
I love the instant Christmas feel this book gave me and I honestly think this book is what kick started my Christmas spirit this year. I connected with the writing style straight away, I simply fell in love with this book.

I adored the humorous parts in this book, I often found I was smiling to myself as I was reading. The humour also helped to pick the book up when things did get a little sad. I also loved the author’s descriptions, she really did create vivid imagery in my head, I could picture everything.
It was quite an emotional roller coaster reading this book, one minute it was funny and light hearted, the next minute, it could get rather emotional, especially because I was attached to and invested in some characters. Five Winters really is a book that makes you feel.

As for the characters, there were some I really cared about, especially Beth, despite being fictional I was rooting for her throughout. Then there were some characters that had me putting up my red flags, in fact I did want to reach in and slap them a couple of times. The author portrays a really important lesson in this read and it is that you shouldn’t change who you are for someone who says they love you, if they really did, they’d accept all of you.

I really did struggle to put this book back down once I had started and when I had to, I felt excited at the idea of when I could next pick it back up. This was such a beautiful Christmas read that definitely thawed out my heart!

A wonderful Christmas read, I raced through it, wanting to follow Beth through the years. It's definitely an emotional rollercoaster that will have you crying one minute, laughing the next.
Treat yourself to a copy for Christmas, I highly recommend it!

The author takes us on a five year journey through Beth’s life when she is in her 30’s. Beth is in love with Mark but alas, the connection has not happened for Mark. At Mark’s wedding Beth decides she needs to move on and meets a handsome man at the wedding reception. We get to follow Beth with major events centering around Christmas. Each Christmas Beth gathers with her second family, her best friend Rosie, Mark, and their parents. Beth is extremely close with this family as they have raised her since grade school. The feeling is mutual from the family. I loved the family dynamics and how the book centers on the holidays. There are highs and lows in the book so be ready to join Beth’s emotional roller-coaster.

During an event with the author I learned that a lot of the book was based on her personal experiences. It made the book much more personal knowing that. It also made some of the funny scenes even funnier knowing she actually went through them.

This is a perfect romcom/womens fiction book. It is perfect to read this time of year and leaving you feeling warm and fuzzy.

Oh this book! ❤️. I didn’t want it to end and I wished it was longer.

I completely fell for all the characters, the bonds that Beth shares with Rosie and her/their families, shows that friendships are equally as important as genetic bonds. I also enjoyed following the other characters, especially Grace, so sarky but oh so funny!

The authors writing flows, this is easily a one sitting book, it’s out on New Year’s Day, so downloaded it and snuggle up with a hot drink (or hair of the dog 😂) and start your year right, with this heartwarming read.

Five Winters is about friendship, family, grief and loss with a love story threading through the five years as we follow Beth’s journey. Beth was a character I wanted to root for: strong and certain despite the sadness in her life. I was pleasantly surprised by some of the decisions she made along the way, which kept my interest and at no point was I sure what the outcome might be by the end. I really enjoyed the structure of the novel that focused on a short timeframe in Beth’s life in the run-up to each of the five Christmases. Readers who loved One Day by David Nicholls will really connect with this book.

With a sassy main character and plenty of witty one-liners, this book is a true winter warmer. I loved the myriad ways in which Beth's character developed and she learned about herself on her journey, delving into her past as well as working out what she wants for her future. I loved how this book serves up plenty of wry humour and realism along with romance. Thanks for letting me review this Five Winters - it's a great read - and a book that's not just for Christmas. I can see it being enjoyed right through 2023.

At 35-years-old, Beth Bailey is still single – not because she is unlovable, but because as a teenager, she gave her heart to her best friend Rosie’s older brother Mark. The problem is, Mark has only ever seen her as a sister, especially since teenage Beth came to live his family after the tragic death of her parents.
Deciding it’s time to move on after Mark marries Grace, she hooks up with Jaimie Faulkner, divorced father of two young children, moving away from her friends and her job to embrace a new life in Cambridgeshire.
Will things work out, or is she doomed to spend all her Christmases longing for what she can’t have? Mark, babies of her own and a fairytale happy-ever-after.
Though the pivotal points of the narrative take place over five Christmases, this story was so much more than a festive romance, thanks to its strong themes of grief, loneliness and unrequited love. That makes it sound like it might be depressing, but it is not all downbeat, thanks to Beth’s courageous spirit.
Beth’s experience of step-parenting is explored frankly and honestly, and I found it a really moving part of the story. Little Emily and Olivia may not have welcomed her with open arms, but they’re delightful characters in their own right.
Mark's parents Richard and Sylvia, Rosie and Mark, and even Grace all add to the story’s strength. Grace is the “enemy” but she has her strengths, not least her perspicacity in sometimes seeing what Beth cannot, and offering her opportunities for reflection.
The narrative is emotional, funny and romantic, and the pace is great – Beth may not be living the life she truly wants, but there is always plenty going on as she forges ahead with her determination to find happiness, and a true sense of belonging with a family of her own.

Five Winters is the story of Beth told across five Christmas seasons of her life. This book was the perfect holiday romance and the only thing that would have made it more perfect was if I was reading it inside a cabin with snow falling out the window! I loved Beth's voice throughout the story. I think she was relatable as a modern woman who is "supposed" to lead a certain kind of life, but then always found it just out of reach. Additionally, her friend and coworkers were well written and full characters, demonstrating the many ways women are judged for not wanting children or for being a working mother, etc. The diversity in the book was a refreshing take!
Most interesting to me was when Beth goes on her journey to adoption and the reactions she encounters as a single woman trying to adopt. It was a fascinating perspective I've not seen a lot in women's fiction and especially not romance. I loved this book and the examination of what it means to be a family and want your own. Kitty Johnson has written a hopeful and truly heartwarming book and I can't wait to read what she does next!

Heartfelt and heartwarming, Five Winters is the story of Beth, a single thirty-something who has been in unrequited love with her best friend’s brother for most of her life. The book runs through the five winters in Beth’s life after her love marries another woman, exploring the topic of how we reclaim our dreams and lives when they don’t follow our own plans. It’s a lovely holiday story about becoming yourself, finding your own family, and all the different ways there are to look for “happily ever after.”

I love Johnson's writing, which has a really nice straightforward clarity, with convincing characters and proper examination of all kinds of emotions. This book deals, amongst other things, with all kinds of grief - new grief, old grief, grief for people and for places and for experiences, or the lack of, which maybe sounds grim, but it isn't, because it's also full of hope. A review on Goodread mentions that Beth is a person who 'knows what she wants but doesn't know how to get it', and that's very true. Watching her try to reach a conclusion or decision about what steps she needs to take is very realistic and touching.


I know that some of Beth's feelings, especially around parenthood, are taken from Johnson's life (no spoilers, she says so in the acknowledgements) and it's probably these truths that make this element of the book so effective, even though I am very definitely a Rosie, having always had less than no interest in being a parent. (Although maybe not as rude about it as Rosie. I like other people's children - if they're nice - because they're people, aren't they, and also some of them are quite funny. And however dull babies might be (no offence, babies!) they're soon comical small children and then entertaining teens.) Anyway, I wouldn't necessarily choose to read a book with this particular theme, but because I'm not a monster devoid of empathy, I found it very affecting and would recommend it to most people. (Not everyone, because I have friends who are even less interested in children and parenthood than I am, as well as some whose journey through this complex landscape has been traumatic.)

This book is a delight from start to finish. Beth is a relatable and oh-so-likable protagonist, and you can’t help but root for her at every step, even when she takes the wrong ones. Her longing to find love and become a mother are rendered with nuance throughout the story, and her moving back story adds an extra level of emotionality. Told over five Christmas seasons, Five Winters is the perfect read when you’re craving something cozy, comforting, and brimming with hope.