Ughhhhh I loved this book! Which does not shock me at all because I loved both of her other books so i knew before going into this book that it would already be a 5 star read and it was!

Literally everyone go read this book! It’s giving me friends to lovers and I am HERE FOR IT!!!

I will never stop recommending Catherine Walsh’s books. They are ridiculously underrated and deserve all the love in the world <3

There aren’t many writers who would have me reading a Christmas story in August, but Cat Walsh pulled it off. Her third novel focuses on Molly and Andrew, two Irish emigrants who forge a friendship over the course of ten flights home to Ireland for Christmas. This is, without a doubt, the author’s swooniest and most compelling novel yet.

We first meet Molly and Andrew on the eve of their tenth flight together - which has just been cancelled due to a massive storm. And so begins a massively entertaining (and slightly stressful) jaunt across the world to get home for Christmas - think Catherine O’Hara’s odyssey in Home Alone. Over the course of the trip, Molly and Andrew’s close friendship begins to develop into something more… cue the fireworks.

I could not put this one down. Molly is a hugely relatable and warm character to have as a point-of-view - she’s a hotshot lawyer who is sick of the grind, and this thread of career frustration adds a compelling richness to the character. I found her hilarious; too often I find romantic comedy novels lean too far one way or another, but Walsh has cracked the blend of the two so that it’s equal parts hilarious and hot. Molly does a great job of bringing the humour, and, well, Andrew brings the spice.

Let’s be real here. Andrew Fitzpatrick is HOT - to the point that I wanted to yell at Molly for being so hung up on their friendship. He’s beautiful! He loves his family! He’s obsessed with you! Get it together!

But when they do get it together - spoiler alert, I guess? - it’s so satisfying, the culmination of ten years of close friendship becoming something new. It’s such a gorgeous romance to watch blossom, despite Molly’s own worries and overthinking patterns, it just works. You know when you meet someone in real life and you just click? Holiday Romance is a novel that allows you to immerse yourself in two people doing that exact same thing.

The romance is - obviously - the meat of this story - but the side characters are deeply enjoyable, too. I loved spiky Zoe, Molly’s twin sister, and would read a full length novel about Hannah, Andrew’s younger sister. What an icon. Credit, too, to Walsh for handling a tricky topic - recovery from alcoholism - with a light touch, never feeling heavy handed.

Catherine Walsh has released three books since 2020, and she just keeps getting better - Holiday Romance is her best yet, a fantastically cosy, surprisingly hot, Christmassy romance that I’ll be adding to a lot of stockings come December.

Loved this book!! I couldn’t put it down. It was sweet, funny, and charming! It gave me all the holiday feels! I loved the chemistry between Andrew and Molly! Definitely add this to your holiday tbr list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this arc!

Molly met Andrew Fitzpatrick nine years ago at Chicago airport. They were both headed home to the Emerald Isle for the holidays.
Here started a yearly tradition, they would fly home on the same day together each year sitting beside each other and catching up on the previous twelve months.

When they both reach the airport this year, having allowed time for delays of course. Molly and Andrew are hit by some awful luck and a terrible storm. Molly comes up with a plan to get the home, come hell or high water.

Told all from the perspective of Molly, high flying lawyer that met Andrew all those years ago when he was going out with her ‘friend’ Zoe. Having been dumped by text on Christmas Eve this sets in motion Molly and Andrew’s yearly tradition.

This is Walsh’s third novel and my new firm favourite. I loved the friends to lovers trope and the unique spin on it. I also adored the airport setting, it would make an amazing on screen adaptation.

From the start and throughout I got major One Day vibes. I loved the fact that they only had the flight home each year to catch up on each other’s previous twelve months.

To be aware before starting Holiday Romance there is a brief content warning for alcoholism.

Catherine Walsh simply never misses.

This was my first ever ARC and I can’t believe it’s Catherine Walsh’s new book. I am probably her biggest fan ever and I love everything she writes, Holiday Romance is no exception. This book was just SO MUCH FUN. It’s a feel good holiday rom com that hits all the right spots.

Molly and Andrew have been friends for ten years, always traveling back to Ireland for Christmas together. This year, when a freak snowstorm hits, they’re forced to find alternative traveling methods, including but not limited to, trains, taxis, flights, and ferries. But as Molly figures out the odd combination of transportation to get them home, she just might also realize her own unique feelings for Andrew.

I fell in love with Molly and Andrew as they fell for each other, and watching them come to the same realization was just incredible. The chemistry and tension was off the charts and I was screaming “just kiss you guys” at several points of the book. I loved Andrew’s flirting and Molly’s internal panic and stressing out. They were perfect for each other and I’m honestly jealous of what they have.

I also loved all the side characters and family members, especially Zoe and Hannah, who are just the best sisters ever, and how loving and supportive they all were. The banter and dialogue was also top notch (as to be expected from Ms. Catherine Walsh). I was actually cackling at every chapter and wondering how they can be so funny and witty on the spot. Seriously, it’s a talent I wish I had.

This book was the best thing I could’ve read and just pure fun and escapism. My only problem with this book is that I wish I could have more of it. And that I want an Andrew for myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (my first one yet) and please do yourself a favor and read this when it comes out on October 4th to have the absolute best time. And get into an early Christmas spirit.

Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an ARC for free, in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so-so much, I'll definitely buy it upon publishing it. I think I've just read my new favorite Christmas story, it was such a cute read!
It immediately got me in the festive spirit, even though it's summer right now. It sure has just the good amount of feelgood vibes you need on Christmas, cuddling with it under a blanket with hot chocolate in the other hand.

This is a sunshine x grumpy trope, but with the twist of the FMC being the grumpy one! Finally someone took the courage to write this division of roles and it worked fantastic. Our FMC is sarcastic, cranky, grumpy - but all in a lovable way. It's a slowburn romance of friends who turn to be lovers.

The MC & FMC have such a strong bond which is hard to write, I think, so I really appreciate this duo we get in this Christmas read, appreciate how truly wonderful their dynamics is. In addition they have unique quirks which I adored, and they have very funny banters going on all the time. It was very refreshing to read about a non-clichéd couple.

To mention some negative aspects of the book as well, the structure of it reminded me a lot of Emily Henry's PWMOV book, which would basically be okay, but unfortunately it wasn't as smoothly executed when it came to jumping in time.
It missed the opportunity to introduce the very beginnings of their relationship, to meet the characters in their early phase, to discover how they became such good friends, or how their tradition formed exactly - which was a huge potential, so it is too bad we didn't get to know it.
When we jumped to past memories, although I very much enjoyed what I've read, it wasn't really clear to me as a reader, why I get that particular memory or happening from the past. As if it served no purpose connecting the past with the present, made no sense how it fits into the story. Because of that, all jumping in the past felt lashed together.

Nonetheless, overall it's a feelgood romance which has believable characters and the story itself feels honest and real together with the dialogues and banters (fortunately the Christmas related stuff in the book wasn't too overdoing, it was just the right amount for a lovely Christmas read).
This was my first time reading anything from Catherine Walsh but it definitely won't be the last.

I absolutely loved this book. It made me miss Christmas season even more and I just can't wait to reread it during winter. I found the story very interesting and the characters really likeable. The writing was good too. I will definitely be purchasing a physical copy of this novel

Molly and Andrew are friends that for the last 10 years and have traveled home for Christmas to Ireland from Chicago. The story goes back and forth from past to present on how their friendship has built up over time. This year there is a bad snowstorm that grounds all of the flights. She knows how important Christmas is to him, and tries to help get him home for the holidays. Will they make it in time?

This was my first book by Catherine Walsh and it won't be my last. If you like a sweet, funny romance, this is for you. I really liked both of these characters and loved the friends to lovers trope. Highly recommend for your holiday enjoyment!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

Honestly, as soon as I saw the title and cover of this book, I started wanting to read it immediately. It is so cute with such a cute story. I also love a travel story and friends-to-lovers trope! This book ticked almost all of my boxes for what makes a great cozy Christmas read. I literally read it in just a few hours, I could not put it down. I will definitely be buying a copy to put on myself to read this Christmas again.

Thank you for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh is a delightful read. Andrew and Molly have been flying to Ireland together for 10 years but their relationship has never gone beyond friendship. This year’s trip turns into a marathon of cancellations, plan changes and side excursions as they struggle to get to Dublin for Christmas with their respective families. This book is a keeper! Most highly recommend.

I got that warm fuzzy Christmas glow in August. This book is so cute. The friendship is gorgeous between the 2 main characters and the banter with the family members. I couldn't put this book down read it in 24 hours!! This is my first Catherine Walsh book but I will most certainly be picking up more of her work.

This was such a cute Christmas romance! I loved that I got to read it so early, it just put me in a huge Christmas mood. I love a good friends to lovers romance, and what I liked the most about this were the small flashbacks. I really enjoy getting to see the history behind relationships and friendships, especially when it comes to friends to lovers situations. It made their romance more believable and show their chemistry! I also thought the main characters were really likable, they were so cute as friends so I knew they’d be good together. While it didn’t blow me away, as it was pretty simple and predictable, I still had a fun time reading it! Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC!

Did I put Christmas PJs on in August?? Why yes I did. Why is that you ask?! Well I wanted to get into the festive spirit for my first Christmas read of 2022!

Molly and Andrew are friends...best friends in many ways. Although they only see each other once a year, at the airport where they share a journey home from Chicago to Ireland together. This has been their routine for years until their tenth anniversary flying home together when a freak snowstorm grounds all flights. As the two work on finding a way to get home and save Christmas, Molly starts to realise just how deep her feelings for Andrew run.

I'm not normally a massive fan of the friends to lovers trope but this was utterly adorable - I couldn't help but root for Molly and Andrew. I found myself smiling along to their witty banter and I chuckled to myself a good few times at the humour laced through the book (the suggestion of asking gluten intolerant uncle Kevin for advice being one of those moments 😂). It's a festive rom com - there's no major surprise as to what way the story's going to go - but as with my hallmark movies, that's what I want from a Christmas romance novel. A funny, heartwarming festive read that ticked all the boxes!

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for approving me for this arc!

Molly and Andrew are just trying to get home to Ireland for the holidays, when a freak snowstorm grounds their flight.
Nothing romantic has ever happened between them: they’re friends and that’s all. But once a year, for the last ten years, Molly has spent seven hours and fifteen minutes sitting next to Andrew on the last flight before Christmas from Chicago to Dublin, drinking terrible airplane wine and catching up on each other’s lives. In spite of all the ways the two friends are different, it’s the holiday tradition neither of them has ever wanted to give up.
Molly isn’t that bothered by Christmas, but in yet another way they’re total opposites Andrew is a full on fanatic for the festive season and she knows how much getting back to Ireland means to him. So, instead of doing the sane thing and just celebrating the holidays together in America, she does the stupid thing. The irrational thing. She vows to get him home. And in time for his mam’s famous Christmas dinner.
The clock is ticking. But Molly always has a plan. And as long as the highly-specific combination of taxis, planes, boats, and trains all run on time it can’t possibly go wrong.
What she doesn’t know is that, as the snow falls over the city and over the heads of two friends who are sure they’re not meant to be together, the universe might just have a plan of its own.
Couldn’t put it down really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture
I just reviewed Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh. #HolidayRomance #NetGalley

This is the first book of Catherine Walsh’s that I’ve read and I’ll now definitely read her others ASAP!

This was such a lovely, festive read. So many romantic novels are dual narrative just now and I actually found it refreshing to have only the one point of view in this.

Characters were all so likeable and believably developed, even minor ones!

Definitely recommend for a Christmas read 🎄