I recently finished Love, Holly, my first novel by Emily Stone, and I truly enjoyed her writing style. This book was an emotional rollercoaster that had me in tears from the start. The story begins with a tragic twist of fate that left me clutching my heart, and it sets the tone for the rest of the novel. Love, Holly is a beautifully crafted tale that follows the lives of two families and their struggles with love, loss, grief, and healing. The relationships and emotions in this book are so raw and honest. I fell in love with Holly, Emma, Jack, and the rest of the side characters. While this isn't the run-of-the-mill holiday story full of sunshine and rainbows, it was the perfect holiday read for me. The down-to-earth realness made for a touching story that will stick with me for a long time. The intricately written characters and masterfully woven story created a captivating, relatable, and heart-wrenching storyline. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a genuinely moving and unforgettable reading experience.

Thank you, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, for and ARC of this fantastic book!

Emily Stone has become an auto buy author for me and I love anything that she writes. Love, Holly was no exception.

After experiencing a tragic holiday a few years prior Holly decides to start writing letters to others who are part of the "lonely hearts writing club" for the holidays. After herself receiving a cryptic letter from a person who sounded like they need some comfort this season, Holly decides to show up to the home of the letter writer. The author of the letter just happens to live in the town which the tragedy years prior happened.

This book is best read without too many details but as the title suggests, this book is about love. Not just the falling in love kind but also found family love, the love missing from your current family, and the love you need to also show to yourself. Emily Stone had me so immersed in the characters’ lives that I know I will never forget this book.

Emily Stone's work always moves me. Her books always have the backdrop of the Christmas season and it's always dedicated around the subject of grief but it always done so respectfully, it has helped me understand it better.

This book not only dealt with the subject of grief but it dealt with the subject of fate and if fate really exists. This book deals with blame, loss, and as usual grief. Usually grief and blame go hand in hand.

I really enjoyed the story I felt as if it was happening in real time and that's what makes her stories so realistic. There's no quick happy ending just for the sake of it.

I received and ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, as always all words are my own.

this book. so sweet. would read it again and recommend. Characters are excellently written, as is the story line. Love a good little holiday book, but this is so much more.

Short synopsis: After meeting Jack in a coffee shop of a small town, Holly and her sister Lily get in a car crash. 3 years later, Holly is mourning and writes a letter to Dear Stranger, she ends up realizing her stranger lives in the small town the coffee shop was in and goes to meet her.

My thoughts: Oh my heart, I definitely shed some tears in this book. And the ending was just so sweet and tender!

I loved the serendipity and fate in this one was everything. I loved how circumstances brought Holly and Jack together, and how their romance wasn’t rushed. I could see the organic growth of their relationship.

I’m a huge sucker for elderly in books, and Emma was witty and a bit grumpy, with such a huge heart. I loved the relationship she forged with Holly, and how she let her in to the most sacred spots in her history and her heart.

Read if you love:
- Romance sub plot
- Forgiveness and grief
- Sad books
- Unlikely friendships
- UK settings
- Holiday settings, that don’t feel like holiday reads

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘼 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙖 𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙖𝙡’𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨, 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚—𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮.

📍 Read if you like:
• Second Chance Romance
• Found Family
• One Bed Trope
• Friendships
• Letters & Emotions

This book was so heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I instantly got attached to these characters and the story. I knew this book was going to have an emotional side, but I truly was not prepared for what was coming.

This author has such a beautiful way of storytelling that deals with difficult topics. I think the book handled the themes of grief, healing, and fate so well. This is a Christmas book, but it has such a different and unique take that differentiates it from other books.

I absolutely loved the letters in this book, it was absolutely heartwarming reading them. Also, the found family trope in this book was extremely intriguing. After reading about grief, it was uplifting to get these characters and the bond they had with one another.

If you’re looking for a wonderful second-chance romance with a Christmas feeling that deals with topics such as grief, healing, and fate, then I would highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Car Accident, Cancer, Miscarriage, Death, Infertility, Grief

This one was bittersweet. But it was still a good Christmas read. It was fairly quick. I honestly thought I was going to mostly spend the time reading crying. But instead I spend just as much time laughing.

LOVE, HOLLY, the most recent novel from Emily Stone, tells a story of grief, family, friendship, love and second chances.

As a big fan of Stone's first novel, I was thrilled to receive this ARC in exchange for my honest review - thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell!!

Holly is grieving her relationship with her estranged sister and recovering from a break-up, Emma is dealing with a cancer diagnosis and missing her estranged grandson. Holly and Emma become unlikely pen pals and Holly unknowingly meets Jack, Emma's estranged grandson. These three characters are so lovingly written and this book really shines with heartfelt emotion and lovely writing. I would highly recommend this as a great holiday read - particularly to fans of Stone's other work, and fans of Josie Silver, Jojo Moyes and others.

Such a beautifully written, heartbreaking but yet healing at the same time story.
Our main characters each have heartbreaking things going on in their own family. In both cases there is estrangement due to misunderstandings and fear of what could be.
Though holiday books seem to mostly be cheerful this one dealt with some heavy and sad issues and that's okay. Though we don't want sad or distressing things happening at Christmas time sometimes they do. And this book is more realistic for showing this, that it does instead of some of the other Christmas books with too much cheer and unrealistic.
I enjoyed seeing how our main characters met, that was funny. Our main characters are not present in each other's life after first meeting, but circumstances bring them back together again in an unexpected way. Though each main character carries baggage and once again fears of what could happen and of rejection the characters are good for each other, and emotional healing takes place.
This story is so beautifully written and emotional, and I will read it again.

Pub Date 26 Sep 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Sadly this book was not for me. It took me way too long to finish it. I just felt like the characters were all pretty unlikable, the tragedies the characters had to overcome were just so drawn out and repetitive, and the growth from those tragedies was way too slow moving for this book. The last 10% was the most enjoyable part for me- it was sweet and moving and I wish there were more of those parts earlier on in the book.

Love, Holly is a holiday book that explores grief, healing, and fate. The holidays are a joyous time of year, but it's important not to forget those who are alone or suffering from grief / depression. I appreciate how the author wove these themes into this story. If you want to read a sentimental holiday book that discusses heavy topics and has a little bit of romance, then this book is for you!

I read a lot of holiday books this year, and this one probably made me feel the most. It's a really emotional story, and it was tough to get through at some points. It felt more like fiction than a romance book. Overall, there were some parts that were enjoyable, but it made me feel sad. I like to feel happy when I read a romance, especially a holiday one.

Cute ⭐️⭐️⭐️ It was a cute, quick holiday read. I was a bit miffed at the whole sister plotline but was pleasantly surprised about the rest of the character development. Didn’t love but definitely liked.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. What a great book to end 2023! This is my third book by Emily Stone and I’m happy to say that all three have been 5 stars!!! She is quickly becoming a new favorite author. This book had just the right amount happiness and sadness. It made you smile and yet it also ripped your heart out at times. I also loved all the characters. Of course some of the book was predictable but I didn’t mind at all. It was very well written and there were also a few little shockers in there that were unexpected. I look forward to what’s next for Emily Stone. I highly suggest this one. And it doesn’t matter if you read it after Christmas, it’s not necessarily just a holiday book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing (Dell) for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see other reviews I’ve left, check out my Instagram and Goodreads pages:
*Instagram - bookworm_traveler808
*Goodreads - Cherihy808

Love, Holly by Emily Stone is the perfect holiday read I needed. I’m a huge fan of Stone’s writing - they are full of heart, oozing with kindness and compassion that just endears. These books are wonderful comfort reads I can read over and over again, and always with a box of tissues nearby! I adored it!

Emily Stone really can do no wrong. I adore every one of her books and I just can’t get over how incredible and unique each story is. She writes incredible and captivating characters with a beautifully cozy plot that just sucks me in and makes me fall in love with her writing more and more.

Emily Stone writes emotion so incredibly well. It’s pure talent on her part where she can manipulate my emotions the way she does throughout the story. I love when that happens because it means I’m so caught up in the book.

Overall, I adored this story and continue to be a big Emily Stone fan and will highly recommend this book!

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars

A lovely, but sad, story about love, family, illness and forgiveness that will test your views on fate and if it exists. It's not your typical light and fluffy Christmas novel. It's an emotional tear jerker that will have you wanting to hold your loved ones a little closer.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this eARC.

I look forward to my yearly Emily Stone holiday read every year! She always delivers an emotional story that breaks up the cheesiness the holidays can bring. The heavy, but hopeful theme of forgiveness was present throughout the book and the way the stories wove together was beautiful. Emily Stone continues to be a must read author for me.

This book was exactly why Emily Stone is an automatic read for me. The plot was unique the characters were so interesting and I didn’t want to put it down

This is a introspection of grief, regret, familial estrangement and reconciliation. It was a lovely reflection on getting past grief and trauma.