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!

OK this is exactly what you want for a Christmas Rom Com! It's light and fun and Andrew and Molly are relatable and very likeable, their banter constantly was making me smile and I loved the grumpy/sunshine trope shining through here and there. Put this one on your Christmas TBR list and sit back and enjoy the read.

Catherine Walsh is quickly becoming one of my favorite romantic comedy authors. Her third book, Holiday Romance, made it to the top of my 5-star books of 2022! It was the perfect friends-to-lovers romance, AND it was a Christmas romance. You can not ask for more than that! I love Christmas romance!

Molly and Andrew had a perfect friendship. They shared witty banter, fun dialog, and loads of sweet and romantic moments. Andrew was totally swoon-worthy. Can a guy get any more in tune with a girl? I loved how the two completely understood each other, even though they had such different personalities. Their fear of the future and desire to figure out their love was the perfect recipe for a realistic and relatable love story.

Catherine's seamless transition between the dual timelines made the story flow effortlessly. I enjoyed the peek into the past and the back and forth between then and now. I loved seeing how their friendship evolved over time.

This book is the perfect feel-good read for this holiday season. It is full of family, fun, and lots of Christmas cheer! Keep an eye out and grab your copy of Holiday Romance when it is published on October 4, 2022.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Bookouture & NetGalley for the ARC. Holiday Romance comes out in October and you should add this to your holiday TBR.

If you love Christmas Hallmark movies, you would love this! In this friends- to- lovers follows, Andrew & Molly becoming two unexpected friends traveling from Chicago to Dublin for Christmas. Once a year for the last ten. The universe has it out for them when something changes on the tenth flight. A huge snowstorm hits cancelling all flights. As the storm hits and they scramble to get back home. The mistletoe above them finally starts to defrost while they explore spending the holiday together for a change.

Flying brings out the worst in people which is why, I believe the banter between Andrew & Molly worked so well. The story is told through Molly’s POV. Jumping back and forth from past to present. Showing the development of their relationship through the ten years. You can pick up hints that there is more than a platonic friendship here. The burn is slowwww and the spice is: 🫑
but it’s still a really cute Christmas read!

One of my top reads of 2022 (if not the top read!)! This is the PERFECT Holiday Romance story and gave me all the feels and actually has me excited about Christmas earlier than usual this year haha. Friends to lovers isn’t usually one of my favourite tropes, but it worked so well here and gave me feels that some of my favourite 90’s / 2000’s movies give (think Boys & Girls with Freddie Prince Jr and A Lot Like Love with Amanda Peet and Ashton Kutcher)!

Not much I can really say without giving away spoilers so I will just say read this if you’ve ever traveled during the holidays, sat in an airport bar, would like to travel to Ireland, had an awkward run-in with a friends ex, and regardless of whether you like or dislike Christmas!

I’ve had the amazing honour and opportunity to read all three of Catherine Walsh’s books through NetGalley and I count my lucky stars every time I’m approved!!! I will be biting my nails over here impatiently waiting for whatever Catherine writes next, and can officially say she is one of my favourite authors! All the stars!
♥️✨♥️✨♥️✨♥️✨♥️✨

I received this e-ARC from @netgalley and @bookouture in exchange for an honest review and I’m so appreciative because this was such a cute read!! (blurb in the next two pictures)

Although I haven’t read many, I love a good holiday rom-com and this really hit the spot! The characters were so loveable (all of them!), the plot was something I think we could all relate to (travel frustrations!), and the witty banter between the two main characters, Molly and Andrew was a wonderful addition to this story.

This book gave me In a Holidaze (the holiday, rom-com) and People We Meet on Vacation (if it can go wrong it will) vibes.

I definitely recommend this if you are looking for a cute, quick holiday rom-com!

TW: I really can’t think of any!

5/5 stars.

i want to start this review by saying i'm very convinced that catherine walsh is the funniest person on this earth. and i'm being very serious. one night only, her debut romcom, was the first arc i ever reviewed, and to this day remains in my top 5 books list. i've had the pleasure of reviewing her sophomore book the rebound as well, and when i heard she was releasing a christmas romcom, i almost peed my pants.

molly and andrew are two friends who've been taking the same flight to ireland every christmas for the last 10 years. it started out as a coincidence, but morphed into a friendship that i long to experience. if you know me, you know that i absolutely adore the friends to lovers trope and catherine walsh carries it out so immaculately and with so much wit and humour that i couldn't hel adding it to my 'top tiers' list right around the halfway mark.

just like her other books, i immediately fell in love with the characters and the dynamic between them - it also helped that andrew is the definition of a comfort character and compliments so molly perfectly. it comes as no surprise that i rated this book 5 stars (i would rate it 100000 if i could) and will be recommending it to everyone i know. i'm half stuck between screaming from the rooftops about this book and gatekeeping it, like i do my very favourite pieces of fiction, but i really hope catherine walsh stays a hidden gem no longer.

if you read people we meet on vacation by emily henry you'll definitely love this book!

And as always, Catherine Walsh never fails. I absolutely lost myself in this book and loved it to bits. My favourite thing about her books is that you tend to connect to the book instantly. Be it with the FMC or the MMC or sometimes, even the side characters. And even though they’re fictional, in a way you can both lose yourself to the world and yet they feel real enough that you can still find fragments of yourself in it and just be completely and devastatingly in love with them.

Andrew - The Mr Christmasy (who instantly was on my book boyfriends list bc, hello, this heart of mine that listens to christmasy music all year long felt like it was being hugged) had me HOPING to find a real man half as cute as him because even though I couldn’t see him, his grin made ME grin and gave me multiple butterflies and are ya kidding?

Molly - Our in-house Grinch, who even though broke my heart at the no-christmasy-spirit segments, she felt like so real to me that when she panicked, I panicked and when her tears came, my heart just right about broke for her, even when they were happy tears. And she fit right in my heart with Sarah and Abby.

So, when these two came along for their annual trip to their home country, and also, their tenth anniversary of the same journey, discovering their story over the years while also watching them make a beautiful relationship of their friendship felt like one of the most precious things in the world.

The best thing though? I would keep the book down in between chapters to do something and when I’d go to pick it back, the connection was instant. I didn’t feel like I needed to be re-introduced to the moment, it would just click back, and that made the gushy feeling over them 10x times stronger and the butterflies in my belly multiplied with each chapter.

The plot was honestly just flat-out incredible. The chemistry between these two was flying so high, that I would have been able to charge my kindle in a snap (lol). The characters and their development throughout the book was an absolute chef’s kiss and of course, the banter, the HILARIOUS banter that made me giggle until my face hurt.

You know how sometimes there are books with friends-to-lovers that feel it was forced? This one was SOOOOO swoony and cute and, have I mentioned, HILARIOUS? and also incredibly wholesome that the fact it was also had the boy-falls-first and he takes care of her when she’s sick and she protects him with everything she’s got made this book more precious than anything!

And, that’s 3 for 3 from me. I can’t wait for the world to love this one just as much. If you want to get into the festive mood for the year in the right and wholesome way, I would totally recommend pre-ordering this!

This was so much fun, 10/10 would recommend. The love confession at the end was so good and I need a short story about their proposal.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This is the third book I've read by Catherine Walsh and I've enjoyed all of them quite a bit. She's becoming a must-read author for me. I wish Walsh's books were getting more attention.

Perfect reading for the holidays!

Christmas romance, friends to lovers, amazing characters and a perfect ending!

Totally recommend it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance reader copy. This book was received in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed are my own.

Molly is an overworked, stressed lawyer in the Windy City. For the past ten years she has met up with her friend, Andrew, at the airport so they can fly back home to their families in Ireland. Andrew is a devout Christmas enthusiast while Molly is indifferent to the festivities. When their flight is cancelled Molly makes a vow to get him home to his family for Christmas. Their strictly plutonic friendship begins to shift as the two have numerous adventures as they trek their way home.

This book has me excited for Christmas and the festivities that come with it! The story is very engaging and a page turner. The characters are very relatable and it’s easy to see yourself in their shoes. There is gradual character development for Molly as the story progresses. The quick banter between Molly and Andrew really adds to the story and gives insight into their relationship. This is a must read for the holidays!

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh is the perfect, heart-warming holiday story! Anyone who needs to fall in love with Christmas, or just be reminded of the joys, should absolutely read this novel! Walsh creates characters that have a complicated past, a complex current, and a hopeful future! I highly recommend Holiday Romance for adults looking for a light-hearted read!