One Christmas Morning drops you into the main character, Eva's, life at a very pivotal moment. We see how far Eva has gone to launch her shop and start to understand how far out of the hole she has to climb. And then Christmas hits and the Groundhog day theme starts, along with Eva embodying the other guests at Penhallow to hopefully learn her lesson in time to repair relationships.

Eva gets to literally walk in other people's shoes, feel how they feel, and glimpse herself they way they do. I love this take because it reminds us that we don't know the full story--we don't always know what people are going through, what they're hiding, and what they might need from us. It's always a good idea to check in, be present, slow down, and be a little selfless if others need it.

Greenlaw built a complete background and story for each of these characters and made them the mirror for Eva's own issues. The worldbuilding and characters were fantastic, as was the writing. I was in disbelief a few times, hoping that wasn't the end of the sequence. I think the message is relatable and this is a book that'll stick with me.

An original take on the novel "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens and the movie Groundhog's Day. The notion that we can be visited by our past, present, and future selves to review, reflect, and possibly change the decisions we have made throughout our lives, is probably something I personally would welcome.

The author did a good job in making this story work around that theme, but they also made sure to retain their own voice within the writing and the plot itself. I liked that it was a female protagonist's viewpoint that we got to experience.

The story does deal with pretty heavy topics, however, it was done in a way that was meaningful and significant to the character's journey.

I enjoyed the writing style and the story.

*ARC provided by Avon and Harper Voyager via Net Galley, and I have given my honest and voluntary review.*

Eva has a hard time with Christmas, due to the tragic events of a Christmas a few years ago. She reluctantly goes with her husband James to see friends one Christmas, and her friend's announcement of a baby on the way overwhelms her.

That night, n the stroke of midnight, she is visited by the ghost of her grandmother with some lessons Eva is reluctant to accept. She wakes up Christmas morning as one of her busy employees. The next day, she wakes up Christmas morning again, this time as her sister's friend. This continues, over and over again, with people she loves, people she works with, people she doesn't know very well.

This is a book I will think about for a long time. The lessons we learn by seeing things through another perspective. "Put yourself in someone else's shoes." A very poignant lesson that we need to deal with our problems and our traumas, big and small, in order to be capable of fully enjoying life. Beautiful story. ❤️❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

My first thought was Scrooge. But instead of past, present, future it was a rotation of inhabiting bodies of those women closest to her. So much to learn on how others view her. I happen to be someone that doesn't care what others think of me. But that comes with age.
The story was interesting. Eva had time to visit with her grandma and correct some choices she had made. I admit I had tears on my cheeks as I finished the book.

I was fascinated by this book and the efforts that were made for and in behalf of Eva in order for her to understand what was truly important in life. It was painful and joyful at the same time. I appreciate that the author didn't make it easy, and how Eva's angel grandmother had to teach her hard lessons about what are real-life problems. This will become a Christmas classic for me, and I highly recommend it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

One Christmas Morning has all the makings of a classic Dickens retelling. Eva repeats Christmas Day over and over, each day waking up in a different friend’s body. She has to live the day from their perspective and how they see the real her. What they think about the real her and the decisions she’s made over the past few years. In trying to run from loss and grief, Eva has pushed away every single person who cares for her, including her husband and best friend. But if she pays attention to the ghost of her Gran and is open to change, she might save her most cherished relationships after all.
Eva was very hard to like, especially in the beginning. And honestly, her husband James, was hard to like as well. I believe relationships are made and lost with the responsibility of both parties, However, the blame for Eva’s current situation was laid completely at her feet and hers alone. This caused the other characters to be static. They had no reason to change or grow or become empathetic, which in fiction makes characters a bit boring. The story is drowning in grief and sorrow from the first page to almost the last. Eva repetitively fixates on her loss, her pain, her complaints and blame against others, her business, and all the work she needs to complete. The repetition became boring and slowed down the story, expecting in the middle third. If you love “sad girl” women’s fiction, this is definitely a book for you. It just wasn’t my preferred plot or characters.
*spoilers ahead*
I wanted more understanding from her husband and friends about WHY she was acting this way and not just angry at her that she spent so much time on work. Eva was obviously in a very sad dark place for a very long time. She definitely needed mental health assistance, not just ultimatums. I really do think the idea and structure is great, but the character development and plot needed more depth, variety, and nuance.
Trigger warnings include miscarriages on the page and off, IVF, death of parental figures, car crash, anxiety attacks, verbal arguments and fights.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

An interesting book that caught my interest wondering where it was going. It took awhile to get going and couldn't hold my attention, so I gave up halfway through. I had trouble understanding what the author was talking about or what was going on.

The perfect holiday read! Nestled in the snowy moors of England, a group of longtime friends come together at an old country estate to celebrate the holiday season and reconnect. For Eva, enjoying the holidays without internet and a reliable cell phone connection is something she is dreading. She needs to stay in London and focus on the new shop she has been working for months to launch. Forced to make an appearance at the estate, Eva's plans to pop in and leave quickly are upturned when she is visited by her grandmother's ghost and forced to repeat Christmas day over and over again. This modern day retelling of Dicken's A CHRISTMAS CAROL will have you rooting for Eva as she begins to realize the true meaning of Christmas and the value of friends and family.

Reminiscent of A Christmas Carol, Eva lives Christmas day over and over, seeing herself through the eyes of her assistant, and several friends. Dedicated almost single-mindedly to her career, and stuck in grief over the loss of her grandmother and a miscarriage, Eva has shut everyone and everything else out of her life.

Although I wanted to love this book, and the theme was good, there was too much focus on Eva's work and the launch of her new shop. Her worries and concerns were repetitive to the point of being off-putting and seemed to slow the flow of the book. Her late grandmother's appearances as a ghost were interesting but might have imparted more wisdom than they did. The warm glow of reading a holiday book was interrupted repeatedly by her quest to find wifi service, repeatedly looking at her phone, and wanting to or actually taking off in her car, whether it was in reality, or in her Christmas daydreams. While I understood the repetition of Christmas Day, it seemed each reincarnation focused too much on the sameness, and not enough on the lessons to be learned. The book left me more frustrated than satisfied, unfortunately.

One Christmas Morning is a heartwarming novel of second chances, forgiveness and grace. For three years Eva hasn't dealt with two devasting losses and her entire life is falling apart. She doesn't see her own culpability as she buries herself in expanding her business. Enter her dead grandmother and repeated Christmas Eve scenarios forcing Eva to see herself and her actions through the eyes of those closest to her.

This tale is well written and charming without the "everthing always works out perfectly" as Christmas novels tend to do. I enjoyed the theme of family that you make rather than family you are born into. It's more inclusive for those who no longer have blood ties for one reason or another. I enjoyed the book and found it a more serious read than expected.

I've always wished that I could read people's minds or know what's going on when I'm not around and that's exactly what Eva gets to do at Christmas time with her husband, colleague, and best friends. For three years she's wrapped herself up in work to get over the pain of losing loved ones that spun her life out of control and now she's forced to examine her life and figure out what she wants to happen next in the best possible way with her beloved Gran's ghost by her side. This book gives strong Dickens vibes with Gran visiting her multiple times at midnight when she wakes up in the bodies of other people. If she wants to move forward with her life she must come to terms with her past and make peace with those she loves the most. This book is going to be a treat to read at the holidays, or anytime. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for making it possible to preview this book.

Brilliantly adorable and relatable story about workaholics and complexities of relationships. The warm and fuzzy Christmas vibes will be perfect with the holiday publication.

DNF at 51%

I think the overall concept of this book is great. We have a friend group that used to be close but has been drifting apart because one of their friends has kind of buried herself in work. Her marriage is falling apart and she still grieving the loss of her grandmother and also the loss of a pregnancy (both happened around the same time). She’s visited by the ghost of her grandma and she wakes up the next day in the body of her assistant. Each day she wakes up in a new body and has to figure out how to help save these relationships before it’s too late.

I really have no major faults with the book itself, but there is one storyline that is really affecting me mentally because it revolves around the main character Eva’s pregnancy loss and the feelings surrounding her best friend’s pregnancy/IVF. This is just a topic that’s really hard for me to read about and I’m struggling to push through these parts.

Regardless, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the eARC of this book

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

What a beautiful and heartwarming story! I am so glad books like this exist. It makes you think about life and put things into perspective.

Eva has been grieving for the past three years. Deep in get own grief, she keeps pushing her loved ones away. She is not looking forward to Christmas, and her husband asks her to go to a party with him, thinking it will be good for her to get out and have some joy.
Next thing she knows, she is visited by her grandmothers ghost, who shows her what life will be like if she continues to live the way she is.
Now she wakes up each day as a new person. Seeing things about this person’s own life she had no clue about, and also the way they see her. She continues to live the same day over and over as a different friend of hers, seeing life through their eyes.

This book is so magical and I’m not sure I could love it any more than I do. This is a MUST read! It’s not just a Christmas read. It’s about second chances, self discovery, and love after heartbreak. Please add this to your tbr list! You will fall in love with this book! I’m look forward to reading more from Rachel Greenlaw!


📘: One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw
🗓️: October 17, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Greenlaw, and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads.

4 Stars One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw is an emotional and wholesome journey through grief and understanding. The premise of the novel reminded me of a mix of A Christmas Carol and Groundhog Day, with the main character reliving the same day over again, but as different people in her life. She‘s on the verge of losing these people until she gets to see their experiences of Christmas Day through their eyes. Each experience gives her a new perspective and helps her process the grief of the loss she experienced in the past and figure out what she wants from her future.

This was a really sweet and emotional book and I highly recommend. Thank you NetGalley and AvonHarper for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and author for this ARC!


Yes!! I need more!!! I loved everything about this book, it was cute and fun. The characters made the love story so enticing. I would read this book multiple time! Thanks again! I highly recommend! I will be reading this again during the holidays!

I really liked this book, the emotional journey of the MC and the wholesome ending were so good to read 😭

The MC is a workaholic, who's pushed away everyone in her life for work, because she's trying to distance herself from her immense grief at losing [redacted]. This book starts on a Christmas Eve where she is on the verge of losing everyone who matter to her.. and then on Christmas morning, she finds herself in a unique/twisted Groundhog Day situation. Every day when she wakes up (that is, on Dec 25 again and again), she wakes up in the body of a different friend or stranger. Each day gives her a new perspective on her current life, and on her failing relationships, and each day takes her further on the emotional journey to finding out what she truly wants out of life.

Her journey and growth through the book were written so well! I was flipping through the pages so fast 😭 I love loved the final ending (it's a hea, so don't worry 🥲)

I do want to mention though, that this book falls under the genre of women's fiction and not romance - the book does have a romantic subplot, but keep the genre in mind when you read it. If you liked Lindsey Kelk's "The Christmas Wish", you should definitely check this one out!

TWs - death of a parental figure (grandmother), miscarriages both past and present on-page and the grief that accompanies them (this is a heavy trigger, I'd say that atleast 30% of the book revolves around miscarriage in an explicit way), anxiety, depression, mild mention of cheating

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This debut novel is a compelling combination of magical realism, romance, and seasonal storytelling. It is emotionally intense for a Christmas story, but the redemptive conclusion made living with the protagonist’s angst worthwhile.

After suffering two devastating losses at Christmas three years ago, Eva Glass has let her unresolved grief fuel her desire/need to succeed in establishing and expanding her business. The price? She has withdrawn from those she deeply cares about, namely her husband, her best friends, and her loyal assistant. To appease her neglected husband, she reluctantly agrees to attend a weekend-long Christmas celebration being held at Penhallow, a magical place filled with childhood memories of the holiday spent with her beloved grandmother. As the story unfolds, Eva is visited at midnight on successive days by her grandmother’s ghost, whose purpose is to help Eva regain her balance and save her marriage. Each Christmas day begins with Eva “living” inside another person’s body and seeing herself through their perspective. The time loops continue as she struggles to admit that her obsession with business is consuming her life, leaving her isolated and exhausted.

This is a skillfully written novel that drew me in deeper and deeper with each chapter. The character of Eva, while extreme in her withdrawal, is relatable and believable as she begins to recognize her misplaced priorities and embrace her mistakes. The supporting characters are also well-developed; their perspectives are heart-felt and honest. This is not a light-hearted Christmas story, but it is a sensitive and realistic exploration of love, loss, friendship and second chances. I highly recommend it.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

This is a definite "put it on your list anytime" read! I adored it!
When Eva loses a big piece of her heart on a Christmas past three years ago, she can't help but to be bitter, angry, sad and heartbroken.
She handles it the only way she feels she can. She pushes everyone she cares about including her husband away and throws herself in to her new business venture.
However.... One Christmas, her special angel and beloved Gran decides to return from beyond to try to set Eva straight.
Can she? Will she?
So many lessons she must learn, and to see how her sadness has affected those around her! It's not good!

This story reminds me of "It's a Wonderful Life" and I loved that and this novel!
It is emotional, thought provoking and simply lovely.
OHHH... to be able to have a chance to redo and learn form our mistakes!
Thank you to @Netgalley and to @Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.
@Rachel Geenlaw has hit it out of the park.

At its core, One Christmas Morning is a story about a women’s self-discovery and second chances.

Eva has buried herself in her work over the past three years and is about to launch the opening of her new store, so the last thing she wants to do is attend her friend’s Christmas getaway with her husband and closest friends. Amidst all the stress with her job and not being present, she gets stuck in a time loop, and now spends each new Christmas day witnessing her life from the perspectives of those closest to her. With this new experience, Eva comes to realize how she has spent the past three years escaping from pain versus prioritizing what is most important and really living. However, is it too late to make amends?

This women’s fiction holiday read is truly a special book filled with many timely lessons, such as the importance of finding a work/ life balance, letting people in versus shutting those closest to you out, and figuring out what’s most important in life. It definitely took me a while to like the main character, but as the story developed, I started to see the world from her POV and understand and emphasize with her more. By the end, I felt uplifted and fulfilled as the story really came full circle. Also, while I know this is a small detail and not so important, I do wish we knew about more about Eva’s business and the shop she was opening. All the references were vague, yet it was such a big part of her life!

Read if you like:
-Groundhogs Day trope
-A Christmas Carol
-Stories about overcoming grief
-England countryside setting
-Found family

Thank you Avon for the ARC! Pub date: 10/17