I enjoyed this book. I was surprised since I'm not a huge fan of time loop books but this was cute. I love Holiday romances and this one didn't disappoint. Gwen and Dev were adorable together. I also liked how Gwen figured out what she wanted in her life. The ending was well done.
I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Have you ever had the pleasure of reading a book that made you laugh out loud? If not, make sure you check this one out. I was open mouth laughing throughout the entirety of this book. Full on guffaw. An intense cackle that swelled up from the depths of my stomach and startled those within earshot. I am willing to bet that those around me got a full view of all of my teeth, plus the empty spaces where teeth used to be, because I had my mouth open so wide. I even earned a few weird looks from people when I would sneak and read it in public places. Who need social interactions when you have books?

The Banter was A+ level. - The relationship between Gwen and Manny was the funniest, but there were gems in the entire book. The banter was bantering like I have never seen it banter before. When I read books with this level of hilarious back and forth, I can't help but wonder if the author is this witty in real life. If so, then we need to be best friends immediately. I go absolutely weak in the knees at books with an impressive amount of wit and cleverness because you don't see it often.


Less Rom. More Com. Thank God. - Okay see, I am usually quite apprehensive about reading romantic comedies because there is usually an uncomfortable amount of *whispers* smut involved that really makes me want to barf. I am not a smut fan. I love spicy foods, but I don't love spicy books. I was prepared to skip past scenes of "growling" and "eyes raking down their bodies" and "moaning" and whatever other representation of sex that these authors can think of, but I didn't have to with this one. Let us all breathe a sigh of relief together.

Family dynamics. - It wouldn't be a holiday themed book/movie if it didn't have some level of family drama involved. This is why people hate the holidays and avoid family gatherings like the plague. The Christmas Wish was no different. I enjoyed seeing the complicated relationships between Gwen and the rest of her family members as she tried desperate to find her way out of the time loop.

Christmas vibes. Duh. - It's a Christmas book, so it goes without saying, but I still wanted to mention it. It had the perfect amount of Christmas without being overbearing and corny. Honestly. Truly. I loved this book.

Newly single lawyer, Gwen Baker, travels to the countryside hoping that a good family Christmas will make her forget everything that is going wrong in her life. She has been feeling lost and doesn't quite know where her future is going to take her. Gwen lives through Christmas Day but when she wakes up, it is Christmas Day yet again. It's her family arguing, terrible Christmas dinner, and trying to change the events so that she stops waking up on Christmas Day. Dev is the only bright spot in her repeating Christmas over and over again but how do you fall in love with someone who might not remember the same events that you did from the day before?

I ended up giving this book 3 stars. I really did enjoy the groundhog day element which I wasn't sure I would as that is a common troupe in holiday romances. I do feel as though this book is more Women's Fiction than it is a romance though. I think that is why I had to knock off a few stars. I was expecting the romance to be more up front but the main focus of the book was Gwen trying to figure out her life and how to help her family get over their struggles while trying to get to Boxing Day. If you go into this book knowing that the romance isn't the main focus, I think you will enjoy it better. Overall, I would recommend for a easy Christmas read.

This is the story of Gwen reliving Christmas Day over and again until she can figure out a way to move on with her life. Gwen’s life is in total upheaval. Her boyfriend has broken up with her, she lost it at work and now must figure out a way to get through the holidays with her family without letting on that anything is wrong with her life.

I enjoyed Gwen’s crazy family and how she came to terms with each of them. I’ve never been a huge fan of the “Groundhog Day” trope, and I think it dragged just a little. I was also hoping for the “romance” part to start much earlier in the book. It was a sweet and quirky family story and totally worth adding to your holiday read list.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for the ARC of this book. #TheChristmasWish #NetGalley

Gwen is heading home for Christmas, but she's not looking forward to it. It's been a tough year - her boyfriend dumped her and she was suspended from her job - and she just wants to make it through the holiday. Well, Christmas Day is even more calamitous than she feared, and then she wakes up the next morning and has to repeat it all over again. Gwen realizes quickly that she's in a holiday time loop and sets herself to taking whatever action is needed to break it. She learns more about what's really going on in her parents' and siblings' lives and hearts, finds ways to help them move forward in life, and - eventually - applies those lessons to herself.

I loved the way The Christmas Wish combined humor and zest with more serious subject matter. The characters have legitimate problems - bad marriages, deceased family members, loneliness - the story is light and positive without ever feeling dismissive. The time loop was nicely done, glossing over the details of the repetitions (on the assumption that we've all read a time loop holiday story or two) to keep Gwen's story moving forward even as the calendar stalled. And I felt like there was just enough romance to make the story feel festive and happily-ever-after without dominating the story, which was more about family and life choices. My only quibble was that the opening chapters were a bit slow.

Adorable Groundhog Day Christmas family dramedy, with a smidge of romance. 5 stars.

Time loop books can be really fun when done right, and I rather enjoyed Kelk’s take on this story structure. As with most time loop books, the character has to figure out why it happened and how to escape the loop. Gwen suspected one of her family members found the Christmas pudding sixpence and made a wish. She was determined to spend a re-do day with each member in order to try and make their wish come true.

Each day was filled with madcap antics, but also, lots of tender moments. It was lovely watching Gwen reconnect with her family, and as she learned about the burdens each person was carrying, she was also learning a lot about herself. Though the story focused more on Gwen’s personal journey, it also featured a wonderful romance. Dev was the beautiful boy next door, and he was a fantastic love interest. Each do-over day, he won another piece of my heart, and I was filled with glee that he was part of Gwen’s story.

Overall: A fun and festive Groundhog Day story which navigated some hefty topics with lots of warmth and humor.

This is a book about self-discovery and family relationships, set around Christmas time, with some romance mixed in.

I LOVED:
“People who said violence was never the answer didn’t have older siblings.”
“We all bruised more easily at Christmas.”
“I could fill a library with my memories of you.” (Died. THIS is my favorite quote)

-The parts where Dev and Gwen are together, were swoony, silly, and sexy. I NEEDED MORE.
-This kept me laughing and smiling.
-The relatable characters and their personalities were golden.
-The Holiday atmosphere was well done.
-The great character development.
-This was set in England. I think with the right narrator, this would be an awesome audio book.

DIDN’T LOVE:
-They said, “Merry Christmas.” I thought Brit’s said, “Happy Christmas.”

-Why is she always mentioning his forearms??? He must have more physical qualities than that. It was mentioned at least 5 times. We get it sweetie. He has nice arms.

-Some of the jokes were trying a little too hard to be funny.

-THE ROMANCE! It doesn't really happen until about 75% into the book. There are cute little moments in the beginning, but it all happens way too late. I WISH it had more romance throughout. The romance was a side story. If you love that, then you will adore it! If you want a more romantic book, I would pick something else.

-I’m not sure if it really NEEDED all the language but it was hilarious in the moment.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
CONTENT WARNING: Strong language, adult humor, and innuendo. One vague open-door scene.

Characters – 8
Atmosphere/Setting - 8
Writing Style – 7
Plot - 7
Intrigue - 8
Love/Relationships – 8
Enjoyment – 9
Total: 55

Divided by 7 = 7.8 (4 stars)
1.1-2.2 *
2.3-4.5 **
4.6-6.9 ***
7.0-8.9 ****
9.0-10 *****

I absolutely loved The Christmas Wish!

While I haven't read anything by Lindsey Kelk before, I will certainly read more in the future. The Christmas Wish is everything you can want in a good holiday story in 2022. It is self-aware, funny, heart-warming, and aware of its audience. Kelk does a wonderful job telling a wonderful holiday romance in a way that focuses on the protagonist, Gwen, and her journey.

Gwen is a lawyer who, until recently, seemed to have everything. When things seem to fall apart in her life, Gwen finds herself home for Christmas Day. In what could be everyone's worst nightmare, Gwen finds herself in a Groundhog Day situation where she gets to relive a dramatic Christmas Day over and over. The Christmas Wish is just as much about loving yourself, seeing your family for who they are, and putting things in the past as it is about falling in love.

I cannot recommend The Christmas Wish enough.

What a cleverly written contemporary romance with all the holiday trimmings!

Gwen Baker isn’t looking forward to Christmas. An attorney, she’s on leave from work after a disastrous incident at the law firm. It wasn’t the job that incited her reaction, but her frustration with a boyfriend that she thought would become her partner for life. More like her brother, Cousin Manny insists that once they leave London for the annual “home for the holidays” at her parents in the English countryside, all will be well with presents and holiday feasting.

It’s a charming, magical, romantic holiday treat that delights in every way. It twinkles, it sparkles, it glows!

I highly recommend pre-ordering for your holiday reading list! And for all that love the movie classic (Hint: Different holiday) with Bill Murray, you’ll delight in this entertaining storyline.

I sincerely thank Lindsey Kelk and Harper 360, HarperCollins, for my complimentary digital copy of this title, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

#TheChristmasWish #NetGalley

I truly enjoyed this book. This book made me laugh and cry with how relatable it is. A lot of what the main character goes through seems like it could happen to anyone. It took me on a rollercoaster of emotions in the best way possible. There were times where I cried because what was happening felt so real, but there were also times where I was giggling and grinning. The growth the main character goes through is both amazing and inspiring. I enjoy a good, bubbly Christmas story, but it was a nice break to read a book where the main character is going through a rough patch during Christmas and ultimately coming out the other end a stronger, confident and happier person. Thanks NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book. I hope other readers can enjoy this book as much, if not more than I did

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC.

Would I want it to be Christmas everyday? No, but Gwen finds herself reliving Christmas in order to grant a family member’s wish. The only problem is that she doesn’t know whose wish it is or what the wish is, so every new Christmas she picks a new family member’s wish to grant. While granting the wishes, she tries to figure out her own life and along the way reconnects with each family member and her childhood neighbor, Dev. (*heart eyes*)

While I enjoyed this “Groundhog Day” style holiday, second-chance romance, it just didn’t stand out to me. I think it didn’t because the romance wasn’t the focus, and it is marketed as a romance. I loved the family dynamic and drama, but I wish Dev and Gwen’s reconnection and relationship were more of the focus. I would recommend this to someone looking for a character driven Christmas read this year.

If you’re looking for a book that will have you giggling on your couch like a school girl one second and then laughing out loud 3 pages later, this is the one for you. Gwen is such a relatable character in the fact that she is far from perfect. I think something we see in a lot of romance books is a sense of unrealistic perfection in the characters. In this story, we see just how imperfect all of the characters are as Gwen goes on her journey to grant all of their wishes so she can figure out why she’s stuck in this endless time-loop. As stated in the book description, this is a love story. But it’s not just a love story between and guy and a girl. It’s a love story between a family. I felt like I was going through this journey with Gwen, and I loved how each Christmas Day was spent with a different member of the family. The personalities and issues are all so different and it was a great dynamic that led to lots of laughs and a few tears. And of course, Dev Jones made me second guess my own marriage over his fictional perfection. I do wish there were more scenes with Dev, but that’s just me being a die hard romantic & swooning over every page he appeared on. Thank you, Lindsey Kelk for my newest fictional boyfriend.

A Christmas Groundhog Day. A fun story about a woman learning what is important, reconnecting with her family an old crush and herself after a hard breakup and a meltdown at her job. I didn't know much about the premise before I read and tye story was a sweet and happy surprise.

LOVED THIS! What a super fun, hilarious and adorable Christmas take on Groundhog’s Day! I had so much fun reading this one and I loved every page. It has that magical Christmas vibe and I couldn't get enough.

We meet Gwen who has had a bit of a rough time in the run up to Christmas, as she heads home for Christmas with cousin Manny by her side. She’s been cheated on and dumped by her long term boyfriend, and is on mandatory leave from her job. And if things couldn’t get any worse, after a Christmas dinner disaster and some pudding, Gwen finds herself reliving Christmas Day over and over again....

Gwen was extremely relatable, and I loved her comedic, screw-up moments as well as her honest, tender moments. In order to escape her never-ending Christmas loop, Gwen attempts to fulfill the Christmas wishes of each of her family members, and eventually realising that she, too, deserves love, fulfillment, and happiness. While on the loop, she re-discovers a lot about her family and especially herself. Her career. Her growth. Her repressed feelings. Add in adventures with her childhood crush and neighbour, Dev, who is ever present in all the loops, and who just happens to be her bright spot in every scenario.

And it’s hysterical. It's laugh-out-loud funny. The situations that Gwen finds herself in are hilariously relatable, and the book is packed with brilliantly witty and amusing dialogue. The portrayal of a family Christmas resonated so much...it was all so quintessentially British! And I just adored the references to nostalgic items and every day life, and the pop culture references. It was such a delightful story and a breath of fresh air, and with a gorgeous message that it’s never too late to find lifetime happiness and to follow your dreams.

Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and downright hilarious hijinks, this heartwarming and uplifting read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays. This was an absolute Christmas delight, and I can’t recommend it enough.

In the way of truly great British comedy, this book deals with some serious themes via the medium of humour. We touch on loss, grief, unresolved anger, sibling rivalry and trust, to name just a few, all whilst laughing, sympathising, commiserating, or fist-pumping whilst muttering "you tell him, Gwen". The situations, the conversations, and the people are so very familiar and that is where the strength of the story lies. It's also why it is so incredibly funny. We've all been tempted to hide when an unwelcome visitor calls, or indeed have hidden - haven't we? It can't just be me 😂!
Normally I would have found the epilogue just a little too sweet, a little too perfect, for my tastes. But let's remember this is a Christmas romance and you can never have too much sugar coating in a holiday love story. I loved Gwen, I loved her crazy, ridiculously normal but troubled family and I adored Drew and Dev. If you read only one Christmas book this year make it this one - you won't regret it.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The Christmas Wish

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book pairs well with a cup of tea and a wool sweater!

Gwen is worn out from work and a recent breakup as she heads to be with her family for Christmas. The problem is she can’t get out of a Christmas loop. She helps others through their wishes but still seems stuck on her own.

I liked her interactions with Dev but found myself wanting a few more of them to believe it. The first loop didn’t start until 1/3 in, which gave a really good look at Gwen’s current state but it still felt a bit long.

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk is a magical and charming Christmas story that is perfect for the holiday season.

Story Recap:
Gwen Baker’s life is a bit of a mess. Her career as a lawyer at a top London Law firm is hanging by a thread and her fiance, Michael left her a few months ago. She’s hoping that a family Christmas holiday is all she needs to get back to where she was before and put her life back together again.

Christmas day is full of chaos with her parents, her cousin Manny who is like a brother, and her sister Cerys, and her family all drinking a bit too much and the family dinner ends up a disaster. Next, she embarrasses herself in front of her next-door neighbor, Dev, who she’s had a crush on for years, but finally, the day is over and she’ll soon be back in London trying to get her life back in order. However, the next day turns out to be Christmas morning once again. Gwen has to find a way out of the time loop as she can’t spend another disastrous Christmas day over again.

My Thoughts:
I love a bit of magical realism, especially in Holiday books. I usually enjoy a good time loop story, and The Christmas Wish did not disappoint. Although Gwen’s family is a big chaotic mess, there is love and support deep down underneath it all. So, it was just a matter of time for Gwen to find it and appreciate her family for what it is.

The romance was definitely a side plot, and the main story is all about Gwen and how she figures out what is important in her life. But, it was a sweet romance, and although we don’t see as much of Dev as I would have liked, he’s quite a wonderful hero. I enjoyed this light and hilarious book, it was everything I want in a Holiday book, with some magic, love, and self-reflection.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend The Christmas Wish to anyone who enjoys fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ + 1/2


Christmas + Groundhog Day + British Small Town

This was a very enjoyable read, Gwen and Manny are really great characters that I love! I may actually love Manny more than the main character, Gwen. A lovely book to get into the holiday mood!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper360 for the opportunity to get an advanced e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: GROUNDHOG DAY FOR CHRISTMAS LOVERS!

Kelk delivers a delightful and fun story of family, friendships, self-discovery and love all on repeat of Christmas Day. A person might believe that reliving Christmas Day - usually thought as the happiest, most joyous time of year - sounds pretty perfect but not for Gwen Baker. For Gwen, reliving Christmas Day over and over feels like her worse nightmare until she begins to see her family and friends in a different way. She begins spending time with them individually and discovering a true sense of them. She sees their frustrations, their challenges, their hopes and dreams. As each day passes she finds ways to help them and while doing so she discovers so much about who she has been, is and wants to be going forward. The topics and emotions are all relatable to the reader. The overall story is light-hearted and filled with laughter. Kelk has produced a very enjoyable read!

I loved the concept of this book, it was like Groundhog Day. I don’t want to give anything a way. But you need to read it! I loved it!!!