The start was extremely exposition heavy. I found myself skimming even the first two paragraphs. I only made it to 3% before I gave up. Not a great start. I'm disappointed because it seems to be rated highly and well-received.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Love, Holly by Emily Stone is a heart warming story that begins and ends with a letter to a stranger. How emptying your heart to a stranger, can bring hope and comfort, to not only their heart,, but also to your heart.

Thoughtful and sentimental book, beautiful setting, had me very invested, beautiful story and love the characters and plot

I fell in LOVE with "Love, Holly". This is a romance story that explores the power of fate and reminds you about the power of forgiveness. Holly is driving with her sister and stops at a small cafe to get a coffee. While there she randomly meets a handsome stranger. Little does she know that her life is going to change dramatically in the next few hours. This story had an emotional impact to me as I had a loved one in the same situation as Emma. I did shed a few tears along the way but I really enjoyed this story. It was a wonderful novel that had so many wonderful connections and I loved how the characters were all intertwined in ways I couldn't imagine. A great read for anyone looking for a book that will touch your heart strings especially one set during Christmas.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine, Dell Books for this advanced copy.

This book was my first ARC and I was pleasantly surprised by it. It starts off like a classic cozy Hallmark movie and then suddenly gets very deep. This story is filled with raw emotions, death & loss, guilt, and forgiveness. The writing was done well and it didn’t feel cheesy. It felt just slightly too long but overall I liked it.

This book is more than a love story of 2 people. It's a story of hope, chance and forgiveness as well. We are able to follow along with two storylines and see how everything comes together. It seemed a little long and wordy at first but I realize I was trying to skip over such a beautiful story between two people who have a lot in common. Would definitely recommend this to all.

Did you really read Emily Stone if you didn’t have at least two me tear slip out? The answer is no, probably not. Love, Holly is no different than Always, In December and One Last Gift in that regard. I’m not usually a crier, but this one got me mostly teary-eyed & choked up with a few escapees.

What a beautifully written story about grief and facing it. About how everyone handles it and how it can even cause an immediate divide between people who are so close. How the path for healing from grief varies for each and every person. Alone, together, tears, no tears, held together, or falling apart. This book speaks to how there is no right way.

It was beautiful. That’s all I got really.

My nit-picky things: there were a couple spots where I had to go back and reread because the flow was off and/or the section just didn’t make much sense. Usually this takes about .5 to 1 off of a rating. But ultimately, the story and themes win out on this one because I’m still rating it a 5.

There are definitely some triggers. So keep that in mind.

Rating: 5
Crying: 3
Laughing: 0

Ok, so this my be my favorite Emma Stone book - yet!

I have been in such a slump, and was looking for a book that swept me away and this one did. I binged it, loved it, there were tears, and in the end I just kept thinking - what a beautiful story.

This story touches on grief, finding your way back, and fate or kismet - whatever you want to call it! It’s sad, but in the way that life is sometimes naturally a bit hard and sad. It’s not forced, the people in the story are good people, and I just loved them all. This story is pure, it’s moving, and I just found myself sucked into this world. I thought it was beautiful that the characters in this story, go through these hard life events, and at different stages and ages find their *people*. Life is crazy and beautiful and I think this story perfectly captured that.

I finished " Love, Holly" over the weekend, and I must say that it is a great Christmas novel. Jake and Emma's story is all about serendipity and the magic of fate.

These two met on Christmas Eve one year and never forgot each other. A tragedy struck Emma immediately after meeting Jake, but she never forgot him. Now three years later, alone during Christmas, she writes a letter to a stranger and mails it so that neither of them feels alone for the holidays. The stranger writes back, and now Serendipy is at play because the cancerous older woman, her correspondent, is Jake's grandmother.

I liked the idea of fate and destiny in the novel. It touches well on grief, loss, redemption, and finding love. It wasn't kitschy or morse.

I recommend this novel to any that love Christmas novels.

Thank you, Random House Publishing and NetGalley, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be out in September.
#LoveHolly #NetGalley
https://www.netgalley.com/

As always with Emily Stone books, I smiled & cried A LOT! I loved this story, though. Very heartwarming, bittersweet, endearing, and yes a little sad at times. The romance felt like a side dish to the familial stories going on here, as Holly works to help reunite Emma with her family, while also trying to reconnect with her own family after a tragic accident. I love books showcasing how imperfect families can be, how love & forgiveness can mend some, but not all, wounds. I really rooted for Holly in this book, I especially connect with lonely souls so I wanted desperately for the happy ending in this story.
I loved this book so much thank you for the arc!

Emily does sad romances very well! Christmas book in May? I’m down. She does heavy topics very well (check TWs, some themes are likely triggering for certain people). There’s a meet cute, there a little bit of fate, there’s a loveable grandma. And if you love crying, this one is definitely for you!

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review. This one will be out in Sept.

This book was so, so beautiful.

Short Synopsis:
After having an adorable meet-cute with a guy in a coffee shop, Holly and her sister get into a car accident that tears her family apart. And ever since then Holly has been apart of a Dear Stranger letter campaign to bring lonely people letters to make them feel not so lonely. But one Christmas she receives a letter that she eerily connects to and tracks down the sender.

My Thoughts:
I’m to the point where I will read Emily Stone’s grocery list. I’m a big fan girl here. (Hence why I read this holiday book when I got my hands on it …. In May. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂)

This book is so heartbreakingly but hopefully beautiful. Holly is sad, and lovely, and clumsy, and well-intended and I just love her and her journey so much. And her unlikely friendship with Emma. And the romance - best romance of Emily Stone’s yet.

I just adored everything about this book. Please preorder it, or add it to your Christmas wishlist.

Read if You Like:
🎄 Sad romances
🎄 Books that span a year
🎄 Fate
🎄 Lovable and snarky grandmas
🎄 Grief, acceptance and forgiveness

TW: infertility

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the copy of this ARC.

Emily Stone… you’ve done it again. If you like Christmas and crying, she’s the author for you!

But all funniness aside, Emily Stone writes beautifully touching stories that somehow relate back to Christmastime - but can really be read at any time of year. In Love, Holly, Emily touches on grief, loss, and how to face the end, but also provides us with heart-filling love story. The meet cute between Holly and Jack is funny, but they also work on coming to terms with their own company in the process of falling in love. They have to deal with devastating moments in their lives that have ruined relationships - and then learn how to forgive themselves and others and repair their relationships. I love the raw emotion and real-world scenarios that Emily brings into her stories - she does it so eloquently that it really just pulls at the heartstrings in the best way possible.

Read if you:
- love real and raw romance with lots of plot
- enjoy sad romance or need a cry
- appreciate tenacious and charming elderly characters
- want to explore grief, loneliness, and forgiveness

“Love, Holly” is the newest heart-warming tale by Emily Stone, author of the memorable “Always, in December.”

I grew up with pen pals, so I loved the premise of the book—writing to a lonely person during the holidays and then receiving a letter in return. Holly is such a person—spending her holidays in solitude after a tragic accident separated her from her family. Holly’s letter this year introduces her to a woman searching for her grandson. But as Holly joins the quest, she discovers the missing person is connected to the life-changing car accident.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. I didn’t connect to Holly the way I had to Stone’s previous protagonists. There were moments in the story that were quite tender, and I appreciate stories laced with hope, but I wanted to care more than I did.

Three stars.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley. My thanks also to the publisher and the author, Emily Stone.

The characters in the novel are endearing and relatable, drawing readers into their lives and struggles. Holly's resilience and compassion make her a compelling protagonist, while Jack's complexity and emotional journey add depth to the story. Emma's longing for reconciliation and the challenges she faces resonate deeply, evoking empathy and compassion from readers.

I just… this book is beautiful. I love the story and the characters. My heart melted, I cried, and everything ties together. I essentially read most of this is a few hours because I just had to keep reading.

Everything about this book is moving. It covers grief, loss, growth, and connection. I think some things get glossed over a little from the actions Holly makes but in the end it’s worth it with how the story is written and ends. I also have to say Emma is my favorite. She’s snarky and is set in her ways but Holly helps her to live her life. Likewise, Emma also helps Holly realize a few things in her own life to get her moving in the right direction.

The jumps between time don’t feel crazy or change how the story flows. The memories that the characters have mid conversation take you into how they are truly feeling.

If you like books that will get you into the feels while still being heartwarming, this is a book for you.

I was sent the NetGalley eARC by the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Dear Emily,
Do you believe in fate? I believe fate has a hand in everyone’s lives. I believe fate brings people into our lives for a reason. Maybe not everyone stays, but those that do often are there to teach us a lesson.

I believe fate brought your stories into the world to discover. Your books make me cry, not only sad tears but tears of happiness as well. There is always a lesson to learn as well amongst the sadness of grief, forgiveness while finding yourself.

Your stories are beautifully written. Though there is grief, there is always healing and always love.

The idea of the Dear Stranger Club was inspiring. Imagine the impact this would make on someone feeling less lonely. What a beautiful idea.

So to you Dear Emily, know that somewhere, someone, wherever they are, are feeling less lonely, feeling comfort, after reading your beautiful stories. So thank you for that.

Love,
Marian

A special thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. My review will be posted to Goodreads on 5/18/23. I will also post my review to Pinterest, BookBub, and Amazon on publication day.

Fate, Second Chances, and all the feels!

Love, Holly was beautifully blended emotions without leaving the reader forelorn. Taking a reader through a variety of emotions isn't easy as a writer and I think it is well done in this story. I found myself wiping away a few tears but didn't need to schedule a therapy session afterwards! As a romance junkie, I enjoyed the romantic aspect but love that it didn't over shadow other story lines of second chances, forgiveness, and friendship. I enjoyed the twists of fate and as a believer myself, believe things happen for a reason!

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Emily Stone, NetGalley, and Random House for an ARC of this book. These honest opinions are my own.

Another christmas love story by emily stone?! sign me up!! I was so excited about this title and it lived up to my hype. This was a beautifully written love story and was unlike anything I've even written The multiple timelines and relationships were easy to follow and kept me on my toes. everyone has to pick this up this Christmas season!

What a great holiday read full of both swoon worthy charm as well as the tackling of real life and hard topics. I knew I would love this one since I enjoyed her previous 2 books- definitely recommend if you're a fan of hers or looking for a deeper romance!