Think Groundhog Day — but Christmas For newly single Gwen, Christmas never ends. Yes, that’s the plot. But the book is warm hearted with a great message about family. The book was both laugh out loud funny and touching at the same time. My only gripe is that as a British book I had to look up a word or phrase about every page or so. Usually I don’t find British books quite so hard to understand! Now I plan to look up the author’s back stock and see what I have been missing. This book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars // Eventually ended up cute, but it started so chaotic and awkward I almost didn't make it to the part when the plot even started!

But I pushed through and was rewarded. I was a bit scared of the groundhog day premise, but each Christmas day Gwen experienced was different enough that it made for a fun story and kept the story moving.

It was definitely less of a romcom, and more of a family dramedy. The tiny bit of romance was cute, though, Dev was a sweet guy. Tons of pop culture references, good side characters, good main character growth!

Thanks NetGalley for an arc!

So cozy, perfect Christmas escape! I loved it. Loved the uk setting (most I’ve been reading have been in the US) and enjoyed the pop culture references!

I admittedly don’t usually like the groundhogs day concept in books and movies but this one was done pretty well. The beginning dragged a bit and I found myself getting a little bored but the end made up for it! I loved the character development throughout the book and that it wasn’t solely focused on the romance. I would have liked a little more interaction between Dev and Gwen to make it more believable though. If you enjoy plots that involve time loops and getting stuck reliving the same day, I’d recommend this for a light holiday read.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam Level: 🔥🔥 (kissing and closed door sex scenes mentioned)
Trigger Warning: brief mentions of cheating (side character) and death of a loved one

Gwen Baker usually loves Christmas, but this year she just can't muster up any holiday cheer. Not only has she been put on leave from work after attacking an awful client, but she's also still recovering from a painful break-up. On top of that, spending Christmas with her family isn't very appealing. So when Gwen wakes up the day after Christmas to find that she's forced to relive the same day over again, she's unsure what to do. As Christmas repeats on an endless loop, she's determined to fulfill her family members' holiday wishes until the timeline is set right. And maybe along the way she'll also figure out how to turn her own life around as well.

I'm so glad I took a chance on this book, and I'll definitely be reading more by Lindsey Kelk in the future! This book was like a mix of Groundhog's Day and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and I enjoyed every minute of heart and humor. I really liked how Gwen became closer with her family with each repeat of Christmas and learned that everyone has issues they're struggling with despite how perfect their lives may seem. While this definitely falls into the women's fiction category, there was a bit of romance included as Gwen reconnected with her childhood crush Dev. I really loved their chemistry in the few moments they shared. As the book got near the end it did drag just a bit for me, but I was still just as eager to see how everything would be resolved. And the epilogue did a great job of wrapping things up while giving plenty of detail about how the Baker family fared after the seemingly neverending Christmas. If you like women's fiction and are looking for a fun, holiday read with a great lesson, then I'd definitely recommend checking this one out!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins 360 for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a 5 star read for me, I loved it and it was the perfect book to get me in the holiday spirit.

I really enjoyed the author's sense of humor and really enjoyed the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC .

I typically do not love the groundhog day trope but this one was very very well done!

I couldn't stop reading once I got into it and all of the characters had stories I wanted to hear more about while Gwen learned about herself and what she truly needed to be happy and fulfilled.

Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

So while this took me a minute to get into, once I got
Into the book, I couldn’t stop. This book made me
Laugh and cry and have an all around good time. Having to relieve Christmas day over and over would be completely exhausting but learning what you truly need and want most in life is the best lesson. I highly recommend adding this one to your Christmas reads! Enjoy friends!

This was the first Christmas romance I've ever read and it did not disappoint! I absolutely loved the Christmas-every-day theme, especially the hijinks that take place as Gwen is still sorting things out. The book was laugh-out-loud funny on many occasions and just overall heart-warming. I appreciated the focus on Gwen's personal growth and family dynamics. Those, especially, were very well written and genuine. While the romance was more of a secondary theme, the build-up was really well done! I truly enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading others by the author!

This was a fun holiday read. It took me a bit to warm to the main character and it felt like this story had a slow start. Ultimately this book is introspective. Gwen relives Christmas Day on a loop while exploring what is important in life and what really makes her happy. The quirky family dynamics and festive holiday atmosphere make this book a light enjoyable read.

This book is everything you need to is holiday season! Get the fire place going because you def want to snuggle up with this holiday read. Humor. Feel good. A love interest. A Groundhog Day mystery. Character development and growth.

This writing was so fresh with lots of funny references. It also felt real, when reading about the family dynamic and what’s going on in everyone’s lives. Wow. Five Santa cookies approved. Loved it so much!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.* This book was PERFECTION. I feel like the Christmas/Groundhog Day trope has been done a lot, and sometimes not very well. But this was done so so well. I immediately loved all of the characters and the writing was so easy to read. I loved that this book was more focused on Gwen’s personal growth than on the romance (although that part of the story was also sweet). There were zero cringe-worthy moments, which I truly appreciated. I will absolutely be recommending this book to every reader I know and I will for sure be reading more books written by Lindsey Kelk.

Gwen Baker is A Lawyer in London who has hit a pretty big rough patch in her life. She sets off with her cousin Manny to her parents house on Christmas Eve. Gwen has been suspended from her job, dumped, and living in a very small flat holding on to hope that her ex will take her back.
After a not-so-fun Christmas Day, Gwen wakes up to realize she is reliving Christmas over again.... and again.

A Christmas Rom-Com Groundhog Day story.

This story was a quick, fun read. I normally am not the biggest fan of Groundhog Day stories considering they are pretty predicable. However, this story was so sweet and funny I enjoyed it until the very end.

Gwen was not the most likeable character, but that was the point. She just could not see her faults up until the very end.

All together a fun Christmas read.

I adored this fun holiday story but I would warn die-hard romance readers that this leans more women's fiction/chick-lit than full on romance. That being said, the romance aspect of the story was enough for me and the whole premise of a reliving Christmas over and over, à la Groundhog Day, made this a fun, lighthearted read.

The exploration of family dynamics and living your authentic life was written well and in a way that didn't drag the story down but didn't sugarcoat anything either.

This is my first read by Lindsey Kelk but it won't be my last.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review

A British Christmas rom-com is just what I needed apparently. It was one of the funniest books I’ve read.. with totally modern-day comedic elements that I very much appreciated. This was such a feel good holiday book that wasn’t necessarily heavy romance, but still checked all the other boxes for me.

The characters are all so fun and interesting.. the messy family dynamic was very well done. I’m also ready to plan my next trip to England. Even though there are lots of laughs, there are important life lessons too, which added to the overall depth of the story.

I would have liked a little more romance, but given the storyline it also made sense. I’ll definitely be looking into other books from this author.

While this christmas story held a lot of promise, it didn't really reach the mark for me. I didn't connect to the main characters at all and I got bored about halfway through.

I just love a holiday book. This was adorable. I’d like this one under my tree this year! Highly recommend around the holidays.

Loved the writing in this book, I laughed out loud more times than I can count. This was done very well for a trope I don't typically love (ground hog's day). I found myself unable to put this book down, I needed to know how

The characters leaped off the page, the relationships were so well crafted, and watching the developments on both a character level and between characters was beautiful.

Gwen is leaving the city for a holiday getaway in her family's small hometown. She lost her big-time lawyer job, her boyfriend cheated on her with his receptionist, and she had to move into a small apartment to nurse her feelings. Can the magic of Christmas help her find herself again?

It sounds like the beginning of every Hallmark Christmas movie but what makes this book standout is the comedy. This book was downright hilarious at times and tear-jerking emotional at others. Lindsey Kelk has a wonderful balance of honest feelings about grief and loneliness with humor that is raunchy at times and definitely not for readers younger than 18. The time loop of having to repeat Christmas day becomes a great vehicle for plot movement. It also gives Gwen a chance to reconnect with each member of her family from years of not making time for them due to her high-pressure career.

A few of my favorite quotes are:

<i>"Whatever else it might be, I do know loneliness can be very cruel. You can't pick and choose when it visits and it often overstays its welcome, sometimes it stays so long you get used to it and forget to ask it to leave. I would hate for you to fall into that trap.'"</i>

<i>"I couldn't think of anything more romantic than someone choosing you and you choosing them right back, every single day for the rest of your lives."</i>

Taking it down to 4 starts instead of 5 because I almost stopped reading the book after the first 50 pages. The pace was slow at that point and the animosity between Gwen and her sister, Cerys, was so vicious that it took away from the holiday optimism I was expecting in the beginning of this book. It is stressed so much in those few pages that I was worried it would be never-ending in the story. Thankfully, there was improvement once the time loop starts.

The Christmas Wish is a fun holiday story more about family dynamics and communication than a holiday romance. The romance doesn't really start until 3/4 of the book because of a (glaringly obvious) communication barrier where Gwen is so wrapped up in her own dismay that she doesn't pay attention to or even ask about how things are going with Dev and his love life. Also, if you are a romance reader looking for a lot of heat, this book may not be for you. There is pretty much only a couple of kissing scenes and that is about it. Everything else has more to do with character development that the romance is left out in the cold.

Please note: an electronic Advanced Reader Copy of this book was generously provided for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot say that I'm a huge fan of the "Groundhog Day" story concept in general, but this book did it well and I really enjoyed it!! If time loops are your jam, this is a good one.  If, like me, you don't always dig time loop tales --- give this one a try; you might be surprised by how much you enjoy it.  

Basic synopsis: Gwen's life isn't going so great as she and her cousin (who is like a brother) head home for the Christmas holidays. Although she loves her family, there are some rough edges, fragile relationships, and high expectations to deal with.  She just needs to make it through Christmas Day and then she can get back to sorting out her life. Right?  

My thoughts: 
* Relatable themes of grief, loneliness, questioning your life path, sibling rivalry, the search for "the one", and choosing between the expectations of others and what you truly want.  
* While I believe this book is classified as a holiday rom-com, it seemed to me to be more of a personal growth/family drama/women's fiction tale with romance sprinkled throughout.  Gwen had a lot more to sort out than just her love life. 
* But, speaking of romance, Dev is Chef's Kiss --- total boyfriend goals.  
* A wonderful and believable cast of characters --- quirky enough to be at home in a small English village, but real enough that the reader can probably relate or compare to someone in their own family or circle of friends.  
* So many laugh-out-loud moments 
* Gwen gains so much wisdom along her journey, and I felt like I was learning right along with her.  The story really resonated with me and I highlighted so many passages in my Kindle.  
* Since I knew going in that Gwen would be reliving the same day over and over until she learned what she was supposed to learn, I could just enjoy watching her try to get past the inevitable re-starting of Christmas Day --- what/who she chose to focus on and how she chose to go about healing that particular relationship or part of herself.  
* I read this book in one day!! 
Thanks to Net Galley and the Publisher for sharing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.