Member Reviews

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Holy hell. I loved this book. It captivated me, I cried at the end. Loved loved loved.

Was this review helpful?

This latest by Josie Silver is a lovely romantic winter story set in New York. I found this is a perfect light-hearted love story to cosy up with.
When Iris’s relationship with her fiancé ends, she realises just how toxic it was so she decides to upsticks and start a new life in New York. She is fortunate to meet her boss and property owner and his partner who welcome her warmly and soon become firm friends. She decides to retrace her late Mothers footsteps, which takes her to a local Gelateria. Secrets get in the way of a new relationship with the gorgeous owner Gio Belotti and his family but this love story has a great ending that left me with a warm cosy feeling.
My thanks to Net Galley and Penguin for the digital advance copy.

Was this review helpful?

Heartwarming story on love, family devotion and the secrets that we carry. Iris and Gio are brought together by a family connection across generations... and a quest for an elusive gelato flavour. Each carry past traumas which keep them from opening up to the other completely. Their struggles speak to those who have felt the true vulnerability that new love brings. Warm and relatable characters and well written story. An enjoyable read.

Thanks you NetGalley for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

I unexpectedly loved this novel and couldn't wait to keep reading.

Most of the Christmas romances that I read (and also love) are lovely, straight-forward stories about two strangers meeting over the holidays and falling in love by the end of it. This book for me had more depth to it, and explores larger issues such as grief, abusive relationships, family and secrets alongside the heart-melting romance.

It had everything I wanted: a relatable main character, a wonderful couple to root for, and the lovely Christmassy backdrop of New York, which made me want to visit for the first time ever!

I can't believe it's my first time reading Josie Silver, but from now on I'll definitely be adding her to my Christmas books list.

Was this review helpful?

Iris has left the UK to start a new life in New York. She is escaping from the past which contains an abusive relationship with a boyfriend, Adam Bronson, and she needs a fresh start. Her mother, Vivien, died a few years earlier so she has no ties in the UK, but she does want to retrace her mother’s footsteps. Her mother had been a singer in New York and this is the draw for Iris. Iris has now been befriended by Bobby and Robin who have provided her with somewhere to live and a job. When Iris discovers the gelateria belonging to her late mother’s lover, Santo Belotti, she is aware that she has a copy of the recipe for their vanilla gelato and because Santo is in a coma nobody else has access to the recipe, Iris has a dilemma. Does she reveal she has the recipe and make it common knowledge that Santo had an affair with her mother many years ago or does she just keep quiet and hope that Santo makes a full recovery. On top of this Iris has lied about Adam, saying he had died. Santo’s nephew, Gio Belotti is running the gelateria but when Iris falls for him she knows her lies will prevent any relationship with Gio from developing. All of this sounds extremely far fetched but somehow Josie Silver makes it all sound very plausible. Added to this are great characters, the Italian Belotti family welcome Iris into their family with warmth and along with Bobby and Robin, turn out to be all the family Iris needs. Her relationship with Gio Belotti is delightful, Josie Silver’s books go from strength to strength and she really draws you in. Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for allowing me to read and review this delightful book.

Was this review helpful?

I can’t see through my glasses because they are covered in tear splash. Happy tears, sad tears, scared tears, laughing tears. I’m full of snotty tears.

At about 5% in I had tingles on tingles. I reached out to some of my best reading buddies and told them that this book will be one of the best books of the year. Honestly, if you can cope with tear splash, best book.

It isn’t just the romanticism of a world famous gelato recipe that is lost to the world, it’s the woman alone in the world escaping an abusive relationship, it’s the orphan finding their place in the world and a family of their own, it’s the rediscovery of the parent you lost. I felt every emotion with Iris and I was absolutely smitten with the delicious Gino Belotti.

I just can’t cope with all of the feelings I have in my heart right now. I need vanilla gelato made from a secret Italian family recipe that has been handed down through generations.

This book is so special and so beautiful and so perfect.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book and Iris and Geo’s story!
The book is beautifully written and had me on an emotional rollercoaster, bringing me to tears a couple of times.
It was heartbreaking to see the effects of ptsd on Iris from being in an abusive relationship being explored here but also empowering to see Iris face her ex in the end.
I did find it frustrating how long Iris kept the secrets from Geo but this didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the book.

Was this review helpful?

A Winter in New York’ has everything you come to expect from a Josie Silver novel; emotional pulls, characters striving to be the best they can be after life hands them some tough blows and a heap of heartwarming love.

After running from an abusive relationship and dealing with the death of her mother, Iris ends up in New York, looking at places that will help her feel more connected to her mom. And boy does she get more than she’d bargained for, in the best possible way.

This book will leave you feeling the warmth of being enveloped in a big Italian family, the determination to pick yourself up and carry on in the hardest of times and craving noodles and vanilla ice cream.

A lovely book to keep you warm and cosy on a winters eve.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin General for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

A wonderful emotive tale of a woman seeking love and acceptance and a family in crisis. The flashbacks to the past to put context were great and also told a compelling story.

Depsite being able to guess at where some parts of the story were going, I was still egrossed and wanted to keep reading. A great holiday read.

Was this review helpful?

This author is setting herself up as one who produces beautiful, emotional, heart-warming masterpieces. This book was utterly perfect in every way.

The story is told from two perspectives. One first-person account from Iris. The second as a third-person flashback to Iris’s mum in the 1980s. This worked well and added depth and background to the story.

Iris and Gio are wonderful. I loved watching their friendship develop as they spent more time together. Iris is relatable, interesting and likeable. The loss of her mother was huge for her and this was handled sensitively throughout the book. I found this incredibly sad, but again, relatable. Gio was brilliant, the protectiveness, the love of his family and of course the sexy curse words!! My only small critique is how rapidly the chemistry appeared between the two characters - it felt like it went from acquaintance to ‘butterflies’ overnight. However, this did not impact the story or my engagement and love of the story in any way.

Supporting characters were well written and complimented the story rather than being distracting.

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

Was this review helpful?

I cried , I smiled & I adored this book! Christmas in New York is one of my favourite memories that I was lucky to experience in 2019 & this took me right back! Perfect setting for a beautiful Christmas story !

Was this review helpful?

A New York tear jerking feel good Christmas story! Absolutely love this book and has made me want to visit New York even more. Characters and story well written and I can just describe this book as warm and cosy.
I requested this as an ARC from Netgalley and so glad I did, thank you for letting me have the pleasure of feeling Christmas in a hot June here in the UK!

Was this review helpful?

A Winter in New York - Josie Silver

I loved the setting and the characters (especially Gio!), and did shed more than a few tears towards the end, I could not put it down - I just needed to finish it. I thought is was a beautifully written romance, perfect to read in the festive period and cannot wait to get stuck into more from this author, Thanks so much Netgalley and Penguin for this e-arc in return for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Was this review helpful?

This was a lovely feel good story, I liked it that the main character was reliving her mums past, the description of New York was excellent and made me want to go. Recommended

Was this review helpful?

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

Iris is from London but after her mum, Violet passed away Iris moved to New York as it was one of her mum’s favourite city’s when she travelled with her band over thirty years ago and Iris can feel her mums presents in New York. In New York, Iris stumbles upon Belotti’s Gelateria, which she saw in her mum’s memory Journal, and there she meets Gio Belotti.

I did not want to stop reading about Iris and Gio, how their romance blossomed. I loved all the Belotti family. I love the family atmosphere that the book portrayed, full of warmth and love.

I have read every one of Josie’s books and each one of them tugs on your heart and one box of tissues may not be enough to dry your tears.

I would like to thank Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Dell for a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

I’m a sucker for novels set in New York, and this is a cracker! Rather slow to start but bringing rich rewards. Full of emotion, it is an intense read, mostly narrated by the main character Iris There is a mystery too, with interjections from the previous generations relationship which help to explain. The characters are well written and utterly believable and the main romance beautifully done. It covers the gamut of love, abuse, loss, friendship and family: the latter whether by blood or by choice. It’s the real deal. A lovely winter read.

Was this review helpful?

Iris arrives in New York with but the memories her late mother told her. She wants a new start and bumps into Gio who she discovers is linked to her past. Wonderful and very emotional at times

Was this review helpful?

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. This was yet another fabulous book by Josie Silver, I loved it from the first page to the last and will be recommending it to everyone i know.

Was this review helpful?

Is it too early to start reading books about winter??

No! and especially not if it's a Josie Silver book, I love her books even though they make me cry, every time!!

Iris has fled an abusive relationship following the death of her mum and came to New York she's never been before but it's the place where her mum felt most at home and talked about often. On a day out with her friend Bobby she's drawn to the door of a gelateria which feels so familiar ..

Enter Gio and the rest of the Belotti's in the midst of a family crisis ...

This story takes you on a roller coaster of emotions with vibrant and likeable characters.

Another Josie Silver book you can't put down and a joy to read.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Books for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Fans of Jodie Silver will not be disappointed, A winter in New York is a story focusing on Iris and Gio and the historic story of Vivien and Santo.

Iris has fled London after an awful relationship and the death of her mother. New York is where her mother felt home so that’s where she’s landed. Iris finds herself working in a noodle shop and home is the flat above the shop. Bobby the owner of the shop is Iris's only friend, takes her out one evening and she stumbles upon Bottellis a Gelato shop. It’s familiar to her.

Iris meets Gio, the famous family gelato recipe is lost…or is it. Iris holds the secret, but it’s not hers to share. As the secrets people hold become too big, life gets difficult for Iris all whilst she is falling in love with Gio.

A lovely story and an emotional one.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a preview copy I’m exchange for a review.

Was this review helpful?