I absolutely adored this! Andrew and Molly are just the cutest
The flashback scenes were perfect, and added to the story enough without overpowering it.
It's the perfect friends to lovers Christmas book 🥰
The chemistry, the plotline and the writing is an instant 5 stars. 🤍
Definitely worth the read, thankyou for the ARC NetGalley and Bookouture

I loved the concept of this story so much. Acquaintances and then friends, who made a commitment to always fly home for Christmas together. 10 years of flights later and FINALLY they both admit to each other that there might be more than friendship going on here… this was such a fabulously written story, I loved their relationship with each other and their friends and family. There was plenty of humour and other stories going on- from their London escapades to a new nephew on Christmas Day, and it was generally a lovely festive read.

First Christmas book of the season read - and what a book it was! I was so not ready for it to be over but at the same time I couldn't put it down. Catherine Walsh has such a wonderful way of writing and she is so good at creating real, lovable characters that you can't help getting swept away by the story. I laughed out loud many times and reading the book felt like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket by the fireplace drinking a cup of hot chocolate with Christmas carols playing in the background. Absolute bliss.

Molly and Andrew are trying to get home to Ireland for Christmas, just like they have done for the past ten years. They both live in Chicago and have become good friends, nothing romantic has ever happened between them. Andrew is really into Christmas whereas Molly is not a Christmas person at all and couldn't care less about the holidays - but when a huge snowstorm ends up cancelling their flight Molly is determined to do anything she can to get Andrew home for the holidays.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Bookouture and Catherine Walsh for the chance to read this gem of a novel in advance!

Holiday Romance is a delightful, open door rom-com that kept me engaged until the very end. I loved the main characters, Molly and Andrew, and really enjoyed how the author told their story both in the present and also year by year through their past flights. I didn't feel the typical tension in a romance with the characters, wondering if they will or will not get together, it felt pretty certain from the first few chapters. There were, however, plenty of twists throughout their travels with all of the delays and obstacles, so even without that romantic tension, it still kept me interested the entire time. All of that aside, the characters and the setting are wonderful, it's the perfect holiday romantic read!

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good friends to lovers story so this book was right up my alley. There are some books that I can tell very early on that I’m going to absolutely love and that was the case for Holiday Romance. I liked Molly and Andrew and their dynamic very early on and that stayed true until the end. This book was everything I hoped it would be and I will definitely be recommending it to my friends!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me access to this book!

Molly and Andrew are friends that have spent the past 10 years taking the last flight home to Ireland for Christmas. The story alternates from the past flights to the present year where a storm cancels their flight home and Molly promises to get Andrew home, and what an adventure it is!

This was the CUTEST story. I ate up every single second of this book! I loved the main characters, I loved the complete disaster of their travels, and completely adored their families and relationships. This book has me in the full Christmas spirit in September, and will definitely be added to my collection to reread for the holidays. It gave me “People we meet on vacation” vibes with the full Christmas spirit added in.

Thank you NetGalley and bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest feedback!

"When this man became my weakness, I do not know."

A festive rom-com that was a surprise 5 star read for me! I liked the concept of the book but the flow and writing throughout the book kept me hooked the entire way through and the characters, I loved them.

I liked how this story didn't follow the very common tropes of a rom-com, and I found the flashbacks in the books fun and that they added to the present story.

Both of the main leads were enjoyable to follow along. I liked how we saw glimpses of their journeys together and their choices leading to where they are today. Overall, I really liked the personalities of the main leads. I enjoyed the humour between the two but I also liked the scenes of them not getting along and how they dealt with their emotions. The build up of romance was a satisfying development and all their scenes flowed quite naturally.

Overall, a festive fun rom-com!

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the eARC, I am voluntarily leaving a review.

3+

A delightful holiday friends-to-lovers romance, a little too loose in structure and light on plot.

Molly and Andrew have been friends for 10 years, and always take the same flight home from Chicago to Dublin each Christmas. But this year a storm throws a spanner in the works and they have to improvise.

The story jumps back and forth between previous flights and the now timeline, as we see their friendship begin, and gradually deepen. I thought this was a cute, slightly WHMS-esque format, and enjoyed the flashbacks, though I wish they'd been a little longer. Since they were so short it contributed to the story feeling choppy.

The book lost me a little in the second half. I feel like the first half was building up towards a climax, and then that came (no pun intended...) and then we got half a book of "this is what happened after", which was still kind of nice, but it lost the drive and structure it had in the first half. It was still a sweet story though, and definitely worth a read if you want a festive pick-me-up.

A writer overusing the word "smirk" is a pet peeve of mine, and this book was no exception. Off the top of my head, here are some alternatives: smiled (just like there's nothing wrong with using "said" there's also nothing wrong with using "smiled" once in a while), chuckled, grinned, laughed.... I know they don't denote the exact same expression, but honestly if these characters smirked as much as was indicated, that seems to be the main expression anybody had. OK, I'm done now.

Overall the writing was decent, though it didn't feel particularly Irish to me. That's not really a complaint, more of an observation. Compared to say, Marian Keyes or OMGWACA. There were maybe 3 times in the entire book that someone used what I'd call an Irish expression or turn of phrase (except for using "mam" for "mum"). Walsh is Irish, so maybe it was a conscious choice to not go down that road.

My favourite bits were the flashbacks and Christmas day.

This was the Rom-Com I needed in my life. It was SO good and SO funny. There are a few lines that I related with so hard and that made them even funnier. Thank you, thank you to @netgalley and the publisher @bookouture for my advanced e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Molly and Andrew are headed from Chicago to their homes in Ireland for the Holiday. Andrew was dating a friend of Molly’s, and he got dumped on their first flight. They became fast friends over the course of the 7hr flight. They reconnect each year at Christmas on their flight home, however they are currently on the tenth year they have done this flight, they find themselves delayed due to a big storm that has grounded all flights. Desperate to get Andrew home for his big family Christmas, Molly’s best friend books them a flight…that sends them on a multi day trip spanning continents, airplanes, ferry’s and finally a car. Along the way, exhausted and at the end of their rope, they discover that maybe they were destined to be more than friends.

This book features blips of the past, but is mainly focused on the now. I wish there was a little more of the past to give some more details and context for how good of friends they have become over the years. It just left me longing for more. I loved all the characters, but Zoe, Molly’s identical twin was probably my favorite. I really enjoyed the story overall and gave this one a strong 4 out of 5. Make sure to add this to your holiday romance reading list, out October 4th, you will not be disappointed.

This was the perfect friends to lovers book!! 10 years of flying back home to Ireland with these two friends. One small moment changes the course for these friends. I liked how we were along for the entire disaster that was getting Andrew home for Christmas. One small twist at the end has you question how will this will end but it was the perfect ending. I need another one year later chapter😍

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the advance reader’s copy of Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh. We meet Molly and Andrew as Irish friends with a tradition of flying home together each Christmas. This year, plans become complicated as a storm cancels their flight. As the story unfolds in the present, the author also gives flashbacks to the prior ten years of Molly and Andrew’s flights.


This was a sweet Christmas romcom that will appeal to readers who enjoyed Emily Henry’s The People We Meet on Vacation. The best part of the book takes place when the main characters are united with their families. It would have been a five star read for me if less time was spend on the travel nightmare / airport hustle. Regardless, it was well-written, clever, and entertaining. I look forward to widely recommending this heartwarming holiday read upon its release.

I don’t understand how I like holiday romances so much when I am not the least bit inclined to get in the festive spirit. Some may say I'm a grinch, and I would not disagree, but apparently, this grinch loves a Christmas love story.

Molly and Andrew have been taking the same flight home for Christmas for the past ten years. For that seven and a half hours, they update each other on their lives and what they haven’t spoken about during their calls or emails. This flight is the highlight of Molly’s year. It’s the one time she can escape her work's stress and just be herself with Andrew. Except for this year, her stress level is about to fly off the charts.

After their flight was delayed for several hours, it finally got cancelled because of a massive storm over the Atlantic, meaning there was no way for them to get from Chicago to Dublin in time for Christmas. Andrew is crushed, his disappointment palpable, and that’s all it takes for Molly to pull the rabbit out of the hat and arrange a solid three days of travel, multiple flights, a train ride, and a ferry, to get Andrew back to his family in time for the holiday.

Only as they leave the airport do they happen to walk under a spring of mistletoe, and not one to be seen as anything but a winner, Molly refuses to let anyone call her a grinch (even when she is) and kissed Andrew to the applause of the airport crowd. Only there was nothing friendly about the way that kiss made Molly feel. Queue the panic.

Holiday Romance is a wonderful book. I love the frantic pace and tension of Molly and Andrew travelling all over the place to try and make it home for Christmas. Molly’s pessimism is hilarious because I see so much of myself in her, but the way Andrew contacts that with his charm and his smiles is swoony. The transition from friends to more was, again, swoony, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

If you want a holiday romance to read this year to get you in the festive spirit, or purely because you love love, then pick this book up. You won't regret it.

Usually I end up disappointed by holiday books but this a fun one. It’s not perfect but it is unique and charming. I wasn’t sure about it at first because there’s far too much of Molly at work which annoyed me but thankfully once you get past that the story starts to take off. I always complain about flashbacks and for the most part I do think they stop the flow of the story. We alternate from the present to flashbacks of Molly and Andrew’s previous flights together. It can be confusing as you start reading and suddenly jump around before you have a feel for the characters. I would have preferred a sequential reading of their flights before the present day.

Molly is a workaholic who is not actually happy with her life but scared to make any changes. Andrew seems more well rounded and real which makes him easy to like but I think the author should have given us more about him. There’s not a lot of romance here, it’s more of friends and then suddenly sex. I would have preferred a middle where you have a chance to want them together and more fun dialogue than was found here. It’s an easy book to read with quick pacing if you need a lighter read over the stress of the holidays. Despite my criticisms, because I do prefer more rom-com type of books, this was still a fun and unique holiday read. If you travel for the holidays or want to enjoy a book about travel while not having to worry about the stress involved with flying than this book might amuse you. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

THANK YOUUU NETGALLEY & BOOKOUTURE for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

My reviews will 100% always be honest!!

My rating of Holiday Romance- 4.75 (rounded up to 5) out of 5 stars!!

Summary: 10 flights together in 10 years. Every year at Christmas time Molly & Andrew fly home to Ireland from Chicago to spend the holiday with their family. On their 10th flight home, a snow storm hits and Molly figures out a plan to get Andrew home for the holidays. They quickly realize they are falling for each other!!

This is such a sweet and festive novel! Molly and Andrew are so dang cute and I adored both of their personalities! The banter in this story had my actually laughing out loud!!

Pick this book up to get into the festive mood, or if your flight is delayed and you need a cute romance to pass the time!!

Holiday Romance is set to release on October 4th (my wedding anniversary 🥰) Don’t miss this festive, heartwarming, and totally hilarious book!!

Do not sleep on this book! The title is a little mundane, but this was my favorite book the year. I loved the flashbacks of Molly and Andrew from through the years, but I also think there were just enough of them - I liked that the book didn't dwell in the past. This was such a sweet love story. The characters were real, I didn't feel like the conflict was over the top, and there were tons of swoon-worthy moments! Catherine Walsh is added to my "always read" list for sure!

* I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Oh. My. Goodness. This joyful, sweet Christmas romantic comedy got me in the holiday spirit. I absolutely adored this sojourn from friends to lovers.

It was so unputdownable, from the overworked protagonist Molly, wanting to quit her job but unsure that what she truly wants will be able to support her, to the love interest Andrew, who is equal parts charming, hilarious, and sexy.

There were so many precious moments, so many snippets that showed how much Molly has grown, from someone who was indifferent to Christmas, to one who puts in so much love and effort. I just - *squeals with happiness*

This is exactly what I needed, exactly what I wanted. The perfect holiday read.

Every star, including the one on top of the Christmas tree. Perfectly executed, perfectly paced, one hundred percent soft and satisfying and wholesome.

Absolutely recommend to anyone in the holiday spirit or looking for a wholesome mood booster.

I absolutely loved this book, from the bright red cover to the last sentence of the epilogue. It made me laugh out loud, I could hear the Irish accent of the conversations in my head A fabulous festive read which I couldn't get enough of.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam Level: 🔥🔥🔥 (mildly descriptive sex scenes)
Trigger Warning: brief mentions of alcoholism

Molly and Andrew have been catching the same holiday flight from Chicago to Ireland for ten years now. What started with an awkward encounter resulted in a friendship that neither one of them could live without. But this year things are about to change. When a storm over the Atlantic results in their original flight being cancelled, they set off on a three day journey by plane, train, ferry, and taxi to get home in time for Christmas. And their route home isn't the only thing changing. A silly kiss under the airport mistletoe quickly leads to Molly realizing she might want more than friendship. And it soon seems that Andrew might feel the same. Has their yearly tradition been slowly building up to an epic romance?

This book was so heartwarming and delightful that I couldn't put it down! And I got major People We Meet on Vacation vibes, which only made me love it more. While the story focuses on their present day travel adventure, I loved that there were also flashbacks to all the prior flights these two went on together. It really showcased how their friendship evolved and led to them falling for each other. And it was easy to see that they both were head over heels for one another. The chemistry and banter was just excellent, and I was eagerly anticipating every touch, kiss, and moment of tension between Molly and Andrew. The conflict could have easily been blown out of proportion, but instead I felt that it played out well- even though I still got nervous and emotional in the moment. I love how everything wrapped up and will be thinking about this book for awhile. I highly recommend checking this one out this holiday season!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Holiday Romance is the story of Molly and Andrew, two Irish friends living in Chicago who fly home together every year for Christmas. But on the 10th anniversary of their first flight together, they find themselves unable to take off due to a snow storm. Molly isn't too big on Christmas, but Andrew and his family are - and knowing this, Molly takes it upon herself to ensure Andrew gets home to his family in time for Christmas. What ensues is a sequence events that will have you smiling, laughing and swooning, for these two friends, their families, their friendship and perhaps something more.

Reading this book felt like a warm hug. For most of it, the will-they-won't-they wasn't only about their romance, but also about whether Andrew would make it home, and I think that made for a very engaging story. Molly and Andrew are compelling, easy-to-root-for characters, whose banter will put a smile on your face. Their chemistry is believable, and I never questioned for one moment the feelings they had for each other.

I did find myself wishing that some characters arcs and some conflicts had been further explored, as some aspects of the story fell a little flat because of this, but I can't dive too much into that without giving too much away. Still, this was really compelling, extremely sweet and funny, and a really good holiday read. If you're already putting together you're holiday TBR and enjoy friends to lovers, characters with big families and he-falls-first, I would definitely recommend this one.

Thank you Catherine Walsh and Netgalley for this eARC! Holiday Romance is out Oct 4, 2022.

Thank you Bookouture for this ARC. This was a fun, get into the holiday spirit type of read. Andrew is funny and charming. Molly is easily relatable. I got so caught up in this book that even I was getting travel anxiety! I love the banter, i love their families. Such a lovely holiday read!