Thank you to Emily Stone, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Is it only fall but yet I've already read a Christmas book? Yes. Do I regret it? Absolutely not! This book was so cute. But don't be fooled by the cover. This one is a rollercoaster of emotions and will tug at your heartstrings.

Holly loved helping people and giving them what they needed, but she didn't know what she needed or wanted. It was a little frustrating but I understood at the same time.

The letters that Emily put in throughout the book I absolutely loved. This is one I will recommend.

On Christmas Eve, Holly meets Jack. Sparks fly but then the unthinkable happens and Holly not only looses his number but so much more. Three years later, chance is pushing them back together again.

This book was a perfect holiday read! It is charming while utterly heartbreaking at times.

I adored Holly and felt for her the entire time. She is really struggling but still has that quirky ability to push herself to do things in life. At the same time, I loved Jack for the exact same thing. They are the cutest couple and you find yourself rooting for them the entire time.

I also really liked the formatting of this book. It jumps months to tell the story of these characters over the course of a year. This helps move the story along while allowing the characters to work through some really intense life situations.

All in all, this is a really good holiday read that pulls on your heartstrings.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. My reviews are always honest.

With a beautiful story and lovely characters, this read was a total delight! With themes of grief and loss as well as growth, we follow Holly and Jack who have an instant connection when they meet in a coffee shop. Serendipity runs throughout and I enjoyed this story of fate with the holiday cheer intertwined. Highly and enthusiastically recommend!



Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine/Dell for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This one didn't work out as well for me as I hoped it would. Love, Holly deals with some serious topics from the get-go: car accident, miscarriage, cancer, death, and abandonment. The book comes back to these subjects several times over the course of the story, which takes place over the span of a year. While these are very real topics, I really didn't enjoy being constantly reminded of them in a "holiday romance". When I open a holiday book, I want those warm and fuzzy feelings. The book was pretty long as well and I felt it dragged in places. I don't doubt that this book will work out well for others, so I still gave it three stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read the ARC. This is the first book that I've read by Emily Stone and I was not disappointed.

Love, Holly is a beautiful story, starting and Christmas time and spanning throughout the year, of love, friendship, family, second chances, forgiveness, and fate with some romance sprinkled in. I laughed, I cried and I fell in love with the characters and their relationships. They will stay with me for a long time to come.
(There are a few trigger warnings: cancer, death, miscarriage)

I highly recommend anyone to add this to their Christmas reading list, or any time of the year for that matter. Five stars from me.

Publication date: September 26, 2023.

I loved this so much! I enjoyed most of the characters, especially Emma, she’s grumpy but cares so much.

Holly and her sister were heading to see their parents for Christmas. They stopped at a cafe because Holly was tired and needed caffeine there she meets a guy and there is an instant connection. He gives her his phone number. Upon leaving the cafe Holly and her sister get into a car accident which alters their lives forever.

Flash forward three years, Holly’s best friend convinced her to join a Dear Stranger group. Holly receives a letter from a stranger named Emma. In this letter Emma describes a cafe that Holly has been to before, the night of her car accident. Emma shares that she’s sick and she’s alone after the passing of her son and husband. Holly decides she’s going to track down Emma.

Holly eventually meets and befriends Emma. She learns that Emma has an estranged grandson. Holly makes it her mission to find reunite Emma with her grandson. Along the way Holly builds new relationships and finds ways to repair old ones.

Emma and Holly’s relationship grows in such a beautiful way. Going from strangers, to friends, and eventually becoming each other’s family. I’m

Love, Holly is one of the most heartwarming books I've ever read! This is my first book by Emily Stone and I loved it so much that I will always read any book by her in the future. You will find yourselff cheering for the characters, feeling for them in awkward situations, feeling their sadness deeply, crying with them, feeling their joy, and not wanting the book to end!

Holly and her sister Lily are headed to their parents house for Christmas. It's a bit of a long drive, so Holly decides to stop at a coffee shop to refuel. As she's in a hurry to get in and get caffeine, Holly plows right into a man carrying 2 coffees. The coffees spill on his shirt and fall to the ground. Holly is very embarrassed and apologizes to the man for knocking into him. Lily is sitting at a table waiting for Holly to bring her something. She's always hungry as she's pregnant with her first child

Holly tells the man, Jack, that she will buy him 2 more coffees and they get in line. When it's their turn to order, Jack gives his order and Holly gives hers. They're both eyeing a danish in the case, but there's only one. Jack tells Holly that she can have it, but she wants him to have it. When Holly gets the total she remembers that she left her bank card at home because she was in such a hurry to pick up her sister. She has no way to pay! When she tells Jack she'l be right back, he says he'll pay for it. Holly feels terrible all over again. She and Jack carry their orders back into the seating area. Jack starts cutting the danish in half so that they can both enjoy it. They've hit it off in line and chatted about many things, including the art work hanging in the shop. They both love the paintings and comment to each other about them. Jack looks at his watch and says he's got to go for a family thing. He writes his number on Holly's cup and says she should call him when she's back in London.

Holly and Lily leave the shop soon after Jack and go to their car. As they start driving again it's gotten darker and it's starting to sleet. Holly is following directions from a gps on her phone. When she and Lily start arguing about the quicker route and grabbing at the phone, a car is coming at them around a curve. The road is slick and even though Holly hits the brakes they are in an accident. When Holly wakes up in the hospital she is terrified about what happened. In the blink of an eye your entire life can change and it did this day for Holly. A tragedy occurs and Holly blames herself. The guilt eats her alive to the point that she no longer feels she can sculpt anymore. She's always considered herself an artist, but now she's just too sad to create.

Holly misses being with her family at Christmas, but it's just too hard. She joins a lonely hearts letter club where you write to a stranger at the holidays and say whatever you need to say. Everyone in the club is spending Christmas alone and usually the letters are anonymous. Holly receives a letter that is different. The letter is full of grief and written from the same coffee shop where Holly stopped on that fateful evening. The woman, Emma, describes the painting she is looking at as she writes the letter. It's the same one Holly commented on to Jack and they both discussed it in detail. Holly realizes that she may be able to find Emma as she actually gave her entire name. She knows she must live near that coffee shop and Holly wants to help her.

Emma is dealing with guilt over an accident just like Holly. She's lost her family because of it and she's an older woman with a recent health diagnosis. Holly wants to find her and help her. Holly stops at the coffee shop and asks if anyone knows Emma? The people working there know her and give her directions to her house. Emma is not happy to see Holly at first as she feels like she's invading her privacy. Emma keeps to herself for the most part and doesn't want help from a stranger! Holly ends up staying with Emma overnight as there are no hotels with rooms on Christmas Eve. She learns that Emma has a grandson named Jack that she wishes she was in touch with. Holly is now a woman with a mission: find Jack and reunite the two of them!

As Holly works hard to track Jack down, she realizes when she meets him, that they've met before. It's Jack from the coffee shop! The guy she had an instant connection and attraction to before the accident that changed her life. Jack has thought about Holly for 3 years. He recognizes her right away and wonders what she's doing at his workplace. Will Jack listen to Holly and reunite with his grandmother? Will Jack tell Holly that he's thought about her since their chance meeting at the coffee shop? Will Holly tell Jack why she never called? Will Holly be able to find the strength to trust Jack with what happened after they met? Jack has a painful past of his own and that's wrapped up in why he hasn't seen his grandmother since he was a kid. Will Holly convince him to see her now? Will Holly be able to bring Emma happiness now that she's sick? Will Emma undergo treatment to help her live longer? Will Holly find a way to forgive herself so that she can get her family back?

This book has all of the feels and once you start it you can't put it down! I read this book in one day and wished there was more! Love, Holly comes out on September 26. I rate Love, Holly 5 stars with my highest recommendation! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for an advanced copy of Love, Holly in exchange for a fair review. #LoveHolly

I am a well-known Ebeneezer Scrooge. My family lovingly calls me the grinch. But I am a sucker for Christmas romance! I’m so happy to have read this ARC and I definitely will read it in December to get into the Christmas spirit. Emily Stone wrote a beautiful story of romance, forgiveness, and self discovery.. The friendship and romance in this book is is wonderful. Holly and Jack just warmed my heart.

Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since a car accident tore her family apart, Holly writes to a stranger who is also spending Christmas alone and receives a letter from another lonely person in return. But this year, it's different. Not only does she tracks down the person behind the letter, but she also comes in contact with an almost "what could've been" guy.

"...some people, you only have to know for an instant, to know they will be part of you forever."

I've read & loved all the books by Emily, but this one tops them all. This book was intoxicating, mesmerizing & superior of them all. I can't say this enough but no amount of words can describe how good the book is.

Holly's journey with 3 phrases of her life (her family, Emma & Jack) felt wildly different but also quite similar at the same time. I've lost count of how much I've cried during this book.

Deeply impactful, this book tells a story of how complex & easy relationships can be if pursued rightly. But most importantly, I loved how it emphasizes connection the most.
Do yourselves a favor and read this.

Thank You Netgalley & Publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Love, Holly by Emily Stone is a heartwarming, second-chance holiday romance that delicately explores the complexities of grief. If you're in the mood for a book that will make you shed a tear or two this holiday season, Love, Holly is the perfect choice for you. The author has an ability to evoke genuine emotion while tackling tougher topics with sensitivity and grace. After reading this gem, I am eagerly looking forward to exploring more of Emily Stone's works. TAGS: fiction, romance, contemporary romance, holiday romance, christmas, second chance, pen pals, found family, grief *Thanks to NetGalley, the book's publisher & the book's author for providing a free eARC in exchange for my honest review #NetGalley #LoveHolly #EmilyStone

Two strangers, connected by bizarre circumstances. Can they both get past their hurt and pain?
Many people forget the holidays aren’t the most joyous time for some.
Holly writes letters about her pain and was on a mission to alleviate someone else’s.
I knew well in advancement before it was revealed the connection between Jack and Holly’s story.
The ending is uplifting and upbeat which is good because a lot of the book is depressing.

Holly, Emma, and Jack all lost someone in car accidents and an anonymous letter brings them, and their families, together. Holly and her sister Lily were on their way to a family Christmas celebration when they stopped at the cafe where Holly first meets Jack but shortly after, there's a horrible accident. Holly and Lily survive but their relationship is ruptured. Emma wants nothing more than to see her grandson again before she dies and as it turns out, Holly is the mechanism to do that. She's in the middle - building a romantic relationship with Jack and a friendship with Emma but then it all goes wrong with Jack. Fans of this genre know that there's more to the story of the accident that killed Jack's father and to Emma herself (she's got a lovely secret). While this is, agreed, pretty trope-y, Stone has a good way with characters (and small details) and she's an ace storyteller. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A very good read.

Absolutely loved! Stone's books tend to be quiet and gradual, like a snowy January morning, and they always draw me in from cover to cover.

Holly experiences a tragedy one Christmas Eve that tears her family apart. From that point on, she spends holidays alone. Holly joins a letter writing club in which other strangers spending the holidays alone exchange notes. While the pen pal is supposed to remain anonymous, Holly can't help tracking hers down after she mentions a cafe that she visited the night that tragedy struck. In the process, Holly gets to know her pen pal's own family drama and feels convinced that she can be the one to mend the broken ties.

Emily Stone is one of my favorite holiday authors -- her books are always cozy and lovely.

I adored Love, Holly. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Love,Holly-Emma Stone


If you are looking for more of an emotional holiday read then I recommend Love, Holly.


When Holly receives Emma’s “Dear Stranger” letter, she instantly feels a connection and knows she must find her.


Once the two meet and their stories are revealed, their connection runs deeper than thought.


Love, Holly shows the power of forgiveness, family and fate. Emma and Holly have each gone through horrible accidents. Through their developing friendship, they learn to heal.

The middle/end dragged a little for me but I enjoyed the ending.

There is also an interconnecting love story that adds another depth to the story.



Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for my advanced copy.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC! Emily Stone writes the best holiday books- filled with emotion, love, and family. She never disappoints! Love Holly was a tremendous story of loss, love, and forgiveness. It will be a book I’ll cherish and always think of.

First and foremost, while this book does have a few scenes set around Christmas time, I don't really consider this a Christmas book. Unless you want it to be. Then it definitely is.

All three of the main characters face a good deal throughout the book. I wouldn't call this book "fluffy" by any means. There is a lot of grief and mourning and growth that takes place in these pages. It might be painful to read, or comforting, depending on your own life experiences.

Holly is such an intricate character. She has her flaws and her strengths and getting to watch her grow throughout the book was heartbreaking (because often times growth proceeds hardship).

Emma was probably my favorite character. I suppose older people in books are probably pretty fun to write. They can go through life at that point not caring how blunt or grouchy they are because they've lived long enough and have earned that right. Emma is just the right amount of grouchy old woman, wise friend, and flawed individual. Once you get to know Emma, I think you'll love her too.

And finally, Jack. He was living life a bit flat until Holly showed up and kind of imploded everything he knew. The thing I love most about Jack is that he is eventually willing to admit his mistakes and try to change his view once someone suggested it might be a wise idea.

The pacing was a bit off in a few places for me but overall this was a quick read and one that I think I'll think about beyond today.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine for the advanced reader copy.

Ever since a car accident tore her family apart, Holly has been part of a lonely-hearts holiday letter–writing club. Each December, she writes to a stranger who is also spending Christmas alone, and receives a letter from another lonely person in return. Usually, the letters go unanswered. That’s the point—the letters are anonymous, and the senders write whatever is in their heart. But this year, the letter Holly receives is different; not only is the letter full of a grief she knows all too well, but its writer, Emma, mentions a place that Holly has visited. When she realizes that she might actually be able to find the letter’s author, Holly becomes determined to reunite Emma with the estranged grandson, Jack, with whom Emma is desperate to reconnect. When Holly finally tracks him down, she remembers that she’s met Jack once before . . . and the connection was electric. The spark between the two of them is still there—until a misunderstanding risks their burgeoning romance and his strained relationship with Emma, too. But Holly is determined; if she can fix Emma’s family, she might also be able to fix her own. Though as it turns out, Holly might have less time to put things right than she thought.

Wow did I love this book! It is technically a Christmas book, but I'd really change that to say its a book that takes place on two christmases. It wasn't the main theme and I love that about a Christmas book. Christmas wasn't thrown in your face. I loved how these two families stories intertwined so well. It was also revealed piece by piece throughout the story. It has a heavy focus on fate and healing these complex family dynamics. It is a bit emotional so keep tissues on hand!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 9/26

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive this book for an honest review.

I decided to start reading Holiday books and I am so glad I decided to start with this book.

Holly's life has completely changed after her and her sister are in a car accident on Christmas Eve.
Holly decided to join a letter writing group called Dear Stranger. She is looking for happiness and to forget how lonely the holidays have become.

I felt so sad for Holly and all that she had gone through. But at the same time I loved reading her letters to help her have comfort.
I highly recommend this book but grab some tissues, you will need them.

Every year at Christmas, Holly writes a letter to a stranger, and gets a letter from a stranger in return. She's been doing this ever since her sister stopped speaking to her after a car accident three years ago. But this year, the letter she gets is full of grief--and mentions the cafe she and her sister stopped in just before the accident. On a whim, Holly decides to meet this stranger. And though the initial meeting doesn't go as smoothly as she'd hoped, it turns out she and the stranger, Emma, have a lot in common. The cafe, car accidents that tore their families apart... and Jack, the man she met in the cafe three years ago, who Emma has her own connection with.

Love, Holly is more about the complicated family dynamics and Holly's relationship with Emma than it is about Holly's relationship with Jack. I was expecting more of a romance-forward book but I loved the examination of grief--and finding joy--that I got instead. I'll definitely be thinking about this book for a long time.

trigger warnings for: fatal car accidents; pregnancy loss; cancer; and estranged families

The holidays can be extra challenging when you are alone and estranged from your family. Holly has started participating in a Dear Stranger letter-writing program to help others combat their loneliness. When she receives her latest letter, it offers just enough clues to convince her to find the sender Emma and re-unite her with her grandson Jack. Is it fate at work when Jack turns out to be the same Jack she met briefly right before the accident that brought about her own estrangement with family? This is the second book I've read from Emily Stone, both of which produced a combination of tears and goosebumps. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an advance copy to read and review.