Love, Holly is my first holiday novel/romance read of the season, and it set the bar high. It’s also one that can be enjoyed any time, not just during the holiday season.

The main character Holly experiences a tragic accident that causes her to lose someone very important to her. In dealing with her grief, she befriends a pen-pal stranger named Emma, and they develop an unlikely, cross-generational friendship that was so touching (despite Emma’s sour and cranky attitude) it brought tears to my eyes multiple times. Holly’s insistence on bringing happiness and joy back to Emma’s life leads her to revisit the instant connection she had just before the accident with Jack, a tall, dark-haired handsome stranger. The way Stone wrote about Jack - his looks, his voice, his personality - made it easy to understand why he could make Holly feel the way she did when she was around him. I loved all of these characters so much and looked forward to picking up this book any chance I had to see how their stories would unfold.

Emily Stone managed to write a feel-good, serendipitous story despite the loss and grief that is interwoven into the story line. This story is about second chances, but not just in romance. If the events binding Holly, Emma, and Jack together don’t make you believe in fate, I’m not sure what would.

I gave it 4.5 stars, rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Dell/Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars rounded down. Cute and predictable. Little slow, and more sentimental than I was hoping for. But loved the relationship between Emma and Holly.

While I thought this might be a holiday romance it turned out to be so much more.

It’s a sweet and heartfelt book that’s part romance and part about family and all the feelings that it can bring (love, loss, hope, happiness, belonging, etc.)

I really am a sucker for an older, cantankerous character and this one didn’t disappoint.

I loved this book so much. A wonderful story of estrangement and shame and making your way back. Definitely the best part is the friendship Holly makes with an octogenarian.

Heartwarming, endearing, cozy, and lovely. Not just a fluff piece though- this one offers staggering insights on grief and loss.

A quote from Love, Holly that is the overall encompassing theme of this wonderful story is this…

“Some people you know for a lifetime, but they never really make an imprint on your soul-and some people you only have to know for an instant to know they will be part of you forever.”

3 years after a horrific accident left Holly and her sister estranged, Holly comes across a “Dear Stranger” letter from an elderly woman who has lost so much just like Holly. She makes it her mission to find this woman, and help her. Along the way what starts as a strained and awkward forced encounter, blossoms into an unlikely and beautiful friendship. Not only does Holly help Emma, but she is able to heal and help herself through this journey as well. What she doesn’t realize at first is that the grandson Emma longs to have a relationship with, is a man she had a brief encounter with and never forgot it. This is a story about fate, healing, forgiving others and most importantly forgiving yourself. The characters you meet throughout this story are so lovely, and although there was sadness, this book also brings you comfort and joy! Thank you to netgalley for an ARC of Love, Holly in exchange for an honest review :)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. I wanted to like it, I really did. But the plot is so unnecessarily complex and heavy in the first third of the book, then it’s a slog to the end. Like many books, if everyone just went to therapy, there would be no book. What an awful premise for a romance (is the real relationship between Holly and Emma? Who can say for sure). This one didn’t do it for me. On to the next!

A Christmas story about second chances, grief, love and discovering it’s never too late to try.

Holly and her sister Lily are traveling on Christmas Eve three years ago. They stop in a quaint coffee shop in Devon, where they run into Jack, a handsome man who Holly accidentally spills her coffee all over. Lily believes its fate and Holly doesn’t believe in fate. That night a horrific accident involving Holly and Lily leaves Holly estranged from her family including her sister and best friend Lily. Holly is left to sort through the emotional turmoil of guilt, heartbreak, and loneliness. As a result, Holly partakes in a pen pal group called “Dear Stranger”. Holly receives her letter and it’s from a fellow writer who is also dealing with grief and loneliness during the holidays. When the writer mentions the coffee shop that Holly remembers from three years ago, Holly takes it upon herself to seek out the writer and go back to the coffee shop to find her. Unfortunately, this journey for Holly is a bumpy one but the story that unfolds is endearing and bittersweet up until the end. Grab the tissues and a nice cup of Earl Gray and snuggle into this Christmas story

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and Dell for the ARC copy of Love, Holly. This is my first Emma Stone book and I will definitely be reading the rest of the books she has written.

This was an easy read just like the other Emily stone novels I have read. Unfortunately, I didn’t connect with the characters as much as I wanted to. The story was ok, but overall not my favorite from her. I wanted to feel more of a connection between Holly and Jack, since the premise was that they shared a great connection previously. It just seemed to fall flat for me, which caused me to take a few weeks to read this. I will still continue to read Emily Stone books in the future, but this one is not going to a favorite. Bummed, but looking forward to what’s next for her!

Another winner from Emily Stone. I loved everything about this book.

Holly and Jack lives were changed dramatically after terrible car accidents, leaving them estranged from loved ones. In processing her grief, Holly pens her annual Dear Stranger letter only to be shocked to find the one she receives in return has ties to the area where her accident occurred. This discovery starts her on a path T that will lead her to Emma, Jack, and a second chance at happiness.

Holly and Jack’s route to each other, the connections between the characters, Emma’s gruffness masking her own heartbreak. The heartbreak, the healing, the deep care for others. I loved all of it.

Thank you for the advance copy Net Galley and Penguin Books.

This was such a beautifully written Christmas story (though I think it could be read year-round) that will pull at your heartstrings. If you are looking for a holiday book that has some deeper themes and topics, then this is a great pick for you! This is a story about accidents, blame, grief, fate, love, friendships, healing and finding yourself as you learn to accept and forgive. I found myself rooting for the characters, crying and feeling joy with them.

This was my first Emily Stone book, and it did not disappoint. She created a touching story with so much depth and characters with real life emotions and struggles. As I was reading, I couldn’t wait to see how Stone would bring everything together. I listened to the audio, and it was such a quick listen.

Overall, this was a 4.75 for me. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5

This book was so good. It was so well written. It did have me teary in the end. Your heart will break for Holly and Emma. You root for Holly and Jack the whole book.

Definitely worth the read!

Thank you NetGalley, Emily Stone & Random House Publishing Group for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was equally beautiful and heartbreaking and I loved every single page! It was a story of hope, second chances and reconciliation and I couldn't put it down. Emily Stone is a fantastic writer and I look forward to reading her other books!

4 star read for me!

This is a novel that incorporates second chances at important relationships with a dose of holiday time settings.
I found myself wanting to cheer at times and other times wishing I could talk sense into a character when they were being obstinant.

Overall, a fun read.

Emily Stone always delivers an emotional, heart wrenching read. This novel was well written, evenly paced, and has endearing, relatable characters. A solid read

Love, Holly was published a couple of weeks ago & it was my first holiday read of the year!

read if you enjoy:
🤍 fate-driven romance
🤍 a lot of detours on the way to finding love
🤍 emotional reads
🤍 friendship that is just as powerful and important as romantic love
🤍 forgiveness and second chances

thanks to @randomhouse & @netgalley for the ARC of this one! definitely ready for all the autumn & winter reads this year now ❄️

A beautiful tale of love and loss…. And of forgiveness. Forgiveness of others and forgiveness of self, for that is the only way in which we can become whole. Holly writes - it’s cathartic for her and in the process she helps others that have become close to her, but will she help herself in the end? Thanks to NetGalley for the wonderful story.

THIS BOOK WAS SO CUTE I CRIED.
I really enjoyed this book! My heart broke for Holly and it was so sweet seeing her form a relationship with Emma and Jack. I think Emma was my favorite character, her personality was so vibrant I felt like she was sitting next to me. All in all, a super cute book that is definitely worth a read!

One day Holly receives a “Dear Stranger” letter from the lonely hearts holiday club. An older woman called Emma finds herself distraught as the holidays approach. In addition to having lost her husband, son and grandson many years ago she has recently been given a grave diagnosis. Holly understands all too well how depressing loneliness can feel. It’s been three years since the accident that changed all that was meaningful in her life. As the anniversary of that fateful day approaches Holly cannot forget the Christmas Eve that stole away everyone she loved. Strangely, Emma resides in the very same small village where the accident occurred. Call it fate or chance - but Holly decides to find Emma and see if there is any way she can make this one person feel a little less sad on the holidays. Not only do they become fast friends but Holly learns that Emma’s very handsome grandson Jack is her one that got away. Holly decides she must track him down and reunite Jack and Emma even if it means risking her own heart to love again. Sad yet hopeful, this beautiful story is perfect for the holidays. Filled with one of life’s most important lessons, forgiveness.

This book had me ready for the holiday season to kick off! The Dear Stranger pen pals trope was surprisingly sweet and the intertwined plot showed just how small the world can be. The ending was especially heartwarming and I would recommend this as a fun holiday read for anyone looking for a unique story.