Molly & Andrew are trying to get home to Ireland for the holidays, just like they have for yhe last 10 years, when a freak snowstorm grounds their flight. And so begins a wonderful story......

A moment (or an hour) of silence because of how great this book was. I certainly didn't expect to be this involved or/and shred a tear while reading it.

Hear me when I say this, friends-to-lovers isn't my go-to trope but Molly & Andrew's story is a bit of that but with a twist. Like I'd sell my soul if every friends-to-lovers romance were like theirs.

This story had All.The.Feels! From flashbacks to present day, it was one heck of a lovestory! I loved how the flight encounters were presented & how with each passing year, Molly & Andrew grew closer.
The humor, conversations, intimacy, vulnerability, everything was on point.

I have to especially mention the last few chapters whether it be Andrew's confession, Molly & Christian's eye opening car conversation or the even the lack of unnecessary conflict; these elements were realistic & wholesome.
Definitely recommend this perfection of a holiday read!

<i>Thank you Netgalley & Publisher for the arc in exchange of an honest review.<i>

4.75/5
I cannot get over how fun this read was! It's only September but after finishing this book I cannot wait to get into the holiday spirit.
For the past ten years Molly and Andrew have taken the same flight from Chicago to Dublin to see their families over the holidays. This is one of the few times a year they get to see eachother so they always cherish the plane ride over. However, this year a big winter storm derails their plans and they have to race against the odds and time to make it home for Christmas.
If you liked Emily Henry's People We Meet on Vacation, you will adore this! This is a story of decade-old friends coming to the realization that the person they've been looking for has been right in front of them since the beginning. The ROM is believable and heartwarming, the COM is subtle yet effective.
I really enjoyed reading this book and could truly see it being an amazing movie. The plot was surprisingly complex and we got a look into both of their family's dynamics and personalities. Andrew was adorable and so smitten from the beginning. The best part? There's no third act breakup! They handle the "situation" as mature adults and it doesn't last for more than a chapter.
Everyone needs to check this book out, its the perfect read for the upcoming holidays!

Catherine Walsh is quickly becoming one of my tippy top favorite authors. One thing I absolutely love about her books is that she writes authentic dialogue, which is not the case for most rom coms! (This is true for her other novels, The Rebound and One Night Only, as well.) I can actually imagine two humans saying the words to one another. She has this capability of creating characters who are so genuine and authentic to reality, they feel like an extension of my friends, family, coworkers, etc. I also love that she puts a little piece of her home (Ireland) in every book. Holiday Romance was festive, funny, swoon-worthy, and I loved every word of it.

So enjoyable and exactly what I needed right now! Definitely recommend for the holiday season! This is the first novel by this author for me and I will definitely be looking into more of her works.

This is my first holiday romance of the year and I’m so glad I picked it up! This is my first book by this author but I’m already itching to read her others.

Things I loved:
- A+ banter! There were entire pages of conversations that I highlighted. It was just amazing
- Amazing supporting cast of characters who provide enough substance and heart without stealing the show. (Side note: can Christian get a book? Pretty please?)
- The way the author handled the hero’s sobriety was done extremely well

I’m not always a fan of single POV romance. Especially in a friends-to-lovers situation. I want to see it through his eyes too. Up until the last 15% or so that was my only complaint - I really wanted Andrew’s perspective! But he does such an amazing, swoony summary of everything in the end that it makes up for it.

They’re both such real, relatable characters with real flaws that they work through together. And unlike some holiday books, the Christmas aspect doesn’t overwhelm the plot.

Definitely pick this one up!

Molly and Andrew have taken the same flight together from Boston to Ireland every year for 10 years - the annual expat trek home for Christmas. Only this year, a freak storm has grounded them in Boston with little hope of getting to Ireland before Christmas Day. Over the years Molly and Andrew's friendship has grown, they've become more a part in each other's lives but this yearly ritual is something they both look forward to more and more. Molly can't bear the thought of Andrew missing Christmas with his holiday-loving family and she does the impossible, figuring out a way to get to Ireland just in time for Christmas morning. The epic journey involves multiple flights, sleepless nights, lost luggage, a stopover in Paris and realizations of what they mean to each other.

This is the perfect holiday read. As an expat I could relate to so much of Molly and Andrew's situations. What makes living in a different country bearable at times is the idea that home is only a flight away, and you can get home anytime you want; until you can't, and the desperation and hopelessness you feel is intense. I could totally understand the lengths that one would go to to get home and I could feel the anxiety in the pit of my stomach. Molly and Andrew are wonderful characters and I loved watching Molly realise her feelings for Andrew, though he has clearly adored her for a long time. "He falls first" is one of my favourite tropes 😍

If you're looking for brilliantly witty and loveable characters, hilarious banter, a delicious slow burn romance and some real get-you-in-the-feels moments, this is the perfect book for you for the holiday season! Catherine has cemented herself as one of my favourite romance writers and she's as adorably hilarious as the characters she writes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC - Holiday Romance is out October 4th and you need to pre-ordered this immediately 😉

I absolutely loved this book, pure escapism at its finest! While this is just the sweetest Christmas read it’s not so Christmassy that you couldn’t pick it up at any other time of year (I read this in summer and that seemed totally acceptable!) I loved both Molly and Andrew and was rooting for them the whole way through, the chemistry was just undeniable and written so well! Also, Andrew Fitzpatrick, new book boyfriend material, what a total sweetheart! This book included my favourite trope- friends to lovers, I find this much more believable than enemies to lovers.
Overall I would definitely recommend this book it just had all the feels, and I will definitely be picking up another Catherine Walsh book after this one!

A fun, funny, sweet romance that had me laughing. It reminded me a bit of the best works by one of my other favorite rom-com authors Sophie Kinsella (and the main character, Molly, shares her last name).

Pick it up if you enjoy any kind of romance, and you'd like a laugh alongside.

I very much enjoyed this book, Molly and Andrew met 10 years ago when Andrew was dating Molly’s friend. Subsequently they have found themselves on the same flight back home, several times…once per year, right before Christmas. While celebrating their 10 year flight-aversary, they find their flight is cancelled. How will they get home? Through their travels home, we get to know the pair and discover that they have romantic feelings for one another. Very good HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Catherine Walsh for allowing me an advance copy of this lovely eBook.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

In all honesty, I was very pleasantly surprised by Holiday Romance. This is my first Catherine Walsh book, so I didn’t know what I was heading into. But to my surprise, she delivered beyond what I was expecting!

Holiday Romance is a hallmark in the cheesiest way possible. It is the middle of September, yet while reading the book, I felt like I was getting into the ups and downs of the holiday spirit along with Andrew and Molly! I firmly believe that the characters and the story make or break the book, and this book certainly delivered well. Molly and Andrew were very likable, and very human as well. I related to them, Molly in particular, about navigating adult life and a job that may not be the best fit for you. I love her seriousness and dedication to her family, and how similar we are in our views towards Christmas! (I’m not prone to excessive holiday cheer, but who can’t get swept up in the carols and hallmarks once in a while right?) I really liked Andrew, as well. His charm and cheer managed to win me over.

Above all, I loved the dynamic between Molly and Andrew. Their rocky start melded into friendship in the best way possible, and of course who doesn’t love a good friends to lovers romance? I will say that it felt as though the buildup to their relationship unraveled too quickly, however, I will let that slide since this it is easy to get swept up in the magic of Christmas and the holiday spirit.

I will forever be mad that this won’t be released in December. It’s practically made for the season! I guess I’ll just have to pick up this book again a few days before Christmas Day…

Molly and Andrew return home to Ireland from Chicago every Christmas to visit their families and have been on the same flight together for the last 10 years. This year their flight is cancelled but they are determined to get home to their families! Will they manage it?

We are told the story in the present day and also in flashbacks to all their journeys from the 10 previous years. As their friendship grows and they come to rely on each other……could there be something more there?

An enjoyable feel good, easy read story. A perfect Christmas read!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61401417-holiday-romance

My rating: 5 stars!

This book was simply DELIGHTFUL!

I never imagined I could enjoy a Christmas romantic comedy in early September this much (I mean, it's not even fall yet)! But I swear, as soon as I was finished devouring Holiday Romance, I was ready to go put up the Christmas tree!

Molly and Andrew have traveled home together to Ireland every year for Christmas for the past 10 years. Molly is a little indifferent about the Holidays but Andrew and his family LOVE Christmas. So when a heavy snowstorm grounds their flight, Molly decides she will do anything to get her friend home to his family in time for Christmas.

So first of all, air travel around Christmas time still gives me anxiety, even if I no longer work for an airline company. Yikes. Avoid at all cost.

Also, I've read the author's other two books and I really enjoyed them but this one takes the cake!

It's a sweet, funny, adorable rom-com set around the Holidays. I loved the glimpses back in time to their previous flights home and how their friendship grew over the years.

This a Friends-to-Lovers romance you do NOT want to miss and I would recommend to read it ANYTIME of the year, it will just make you happy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is such a fun and uplifting book. Each chapter made me smile and gave me that warm fuzzy feeling. I enjoy how the characters I'm eating on a flight nearly every year. I like how it is continuous and we can see the progress of the characters over all the years. Andrew and Molly have such as tradition going on. I would highly recommend this book as a feel-good book to read during the holiday period. Andrew and Molly has a great connection and amazing banter throughout their plane journeys. A must read.

This is the first book I have ever read by Catherine Walsh and I will say she has a new dedicated reader on her hands. I couldn't get ENOUGH of this book. The dialogue, the banter, the realistic conversations, and just the slow-burn swoon worthy story made this a book I couldn't put down.

What I liked: I swear Walsh sat in a cafe somewhere and just wrote what she heard. The conversation between her characters was so realistic, you felt like you were eavesdropping. The reactions mid sentence, the interruption in thought, it was simply true to form. Think about it - when two people are going back and forth, especially if facial expressions are present or an argument is heated - there are interruptions. In most books, the characters speak in complete sentences but with Walsh, I LOVED how her characters would be mid rant and completely break train of thought to acknowledge the reaction of the person they were speaking with.

The slow burn of the romance just made you fall in love with the characters as they fell in love with each other. You grew with them, you changed with them, and you saw how they fit together - even when they couldn’t. The excitement of the possibilities flourished with each page and the way she described each interaction just made you heart flutter. Even her steamy scenes were beautifully written with so much feeling, so much heart that you couldn’t be more happy with two people coming together if you tried.

What I didn’t like: Honestly I really can’t give you anything I didn’t like about this book. Even going back and forth between past and present, you were able to follow the time jump. When she brought it all together through Andrew’s declaration, it made it clear why those were necessary, to see things in that moment from his perspective instead of just Molly’s. I do wish she dove a little more into Andrew's struggle with alcohol. but I really don't think it was pertinent to the story and if she did, it may have taken away from it rather than added to it. She gave you just enough to show Andrew's vulnerability and how he leaned on Molly as much as Molly leaned on him.

Walsh did a fantastic job with this holiday romance. You felt like you were a part of the ride every step of the way. You will laugh, you will cheer, and you heart will swell all throughout the book and burst with joy when you get to the last page.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Trigger warning: alcohol abuse.

I received an ARC from Netgalley (thank you!) so here is my unbiased, spoiler-free review…

Synopsis

Molly is a successful lawyer, taking the normally non-eventful flight Chicago with her friend Andrew, to get home to their respective families in time for Christmas. Only this year, a storm does its best to keep the pair grounded. Self-professed Scrooge, Molly, pulls every string in the book to try and get Buddy the Elf, Andrew, home in time for the festivities. Throw in some added complications of some pesky mistletoe, Andrew’s new sobriety and Molly’s very pregnant twin sister, it’s a sweet friends-to-lovers romance set over the Christmas period.

Give me Christmas, give me a burnt out corporate high-flyer (pun absolutely intended), give me friends-to-lovers, I am ALL IN. Holiday Romance was a super sweet story – Molly and Andrew’s adventures around the world as they try to make it home for Christmas had me gripped – I read most of the book in two sittings (the last ten percent had to wait as life got in the way unfortunately).

One of very few negatives for me (and it’s hard to explain without spoilers) is that I didn’t feel Andrew’s sobriety had much purpose in the plot. It was just inserted as one of those things – but then again, maybe it’s good to normalise people re-evaluating their relationship with alcohol and choosing sobriety.

It was reminiscent of People We Meet On Vacation (another friends-to-lovers I adored) with the tales of their previous flights. I liked Molly and Andrew as characters, and their various siblings. A nice, joyful story I’m sure everyone will enjoy in the run up to the festive season.

❄️
This book was such a cute friends-to-lovers romance that made you smile from the very beginning. I really liked that we could follow their previous years in the flashback chapters. Their friendship over the past ten years, slowly building up to something more... It was so entertaining to follow their adventure through different countries to manage to get home in time for Christmas. I felt that I really needed to read a cute holiday romance already in september, and this book didn't dissapoint me at all.
✈️
Read if you like:
❄️ Friends-to-lovers
✈️ Adventurous journey
❄️ Festive vibes
✈️ Romantic comedy

I was very happy to be accepted for an ARC for ‘holiday romance’, since I need to clean my palate after reading thrillers. I was lucky enough to find a rom-com I liked.

The book follows Molly and Andrew, who meet at the airport every year to go home for Christmas. The book dives right into the tenth flight. Instead of flying home like they usually do, there is a storm and their flight is cancelled. Instead of giving up, Molly decides she will get them home, even if it means traveling for days.

it doesn’t take long before sparks starts to fly. Molly and Andrew are both funny and likable characters and their dialogues reflects it. Their effortless banter cheered me up. There were lots of sweet moments, but it didn’t get too syrupy. It also took some time to get to the action, but I enjoyed it more when I knew them.

In some rom-coms there are too many ‘nooooo, why??’ situations, where the characters don’t say what they mean or hide their feelings. That can be frustrating, so it was refreshing with a couple where they talked more openly about their feelings, even if it took some time. And when Molly almost chickened out, there were some lovely people around her to give her some perspective.

Summed up this is a heartwarming, funny and cozy novel. A perfect pre-Christmas read to remember what matters in life .

Thanks to netgally and the publisher for the arc

4⭐️

This is a Hallmark Christmas movie in the form of a book. It has friendship and potential for love, problems to overcome and the holidays to tie it all together.

The book is fun and flirty and easy to read and makes you just want to cozy up in a blanket, by a fire with hot chocolate as you binge the book.

Am I ready for Christmas after reading this book? Yes, I am!

Thank you Catherine Walsh and netgalley for the ARC!

In Catherine Walsh's HOLIDAY ROMANCE, Molly and Andrew are long-time friends who have bonded over their yearly flight home to Ireland, which they now intentionally plan each year. On the tenth anniversary of their flight, however, a storm grounds their plane and they're forced to find a creative way to get home. As their plans change, the time spent together beings to change their dynamic too.

This novel is aptly named and everything you would want in a holiday romance. Festive without being too kitschy, with some colorful and lovable side characters who really enhance the narrative. Some points do feel somewhat contrived to continue the plot, making it feel a bit inorganic, but that's par for the course and in romance books sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do.

A quick read and fun diversion, I'd recommend this to anyone who (like me) loves Hallmark Christmas movies and sweet, cozy love stories.

Thanks netgalley for letting me read this one I really got into the holiday spirit with this one and I can't say enough about the story and how much fun it was to read a friends to lovers book I laughed cause it was so much fun to read