Member Reviews
Josie Silver delivers a story with all the ingredients for a cosy, winter romance, I adored her previous novel, ‘One Day in December’. A Winter in New York is filled with well described characters and emotional moments. Travelling myself to New York within the month, I enjoyed the references to key location sites. I did find it difficult to really feel invested in the love story however. I never truely felt the spark between Gio and Iris and also couldn’t get over the lies that came between their relationship. Despite this, I did feel stirred by the emotions when Iris is confronted on Christmas Day.
Thank you netgalley and to the publish for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this book, it was a heartwarming and cozy story and I loved the setting in new York.
Give this book a go if you like:
- slow burn
- dual timeline
- foodie romance
- found family
Really enjoyed this book, where I was drawn in right from the beginning. A great setting - lovely to relive my trip to New York last year, including going to Katz's Deli which the author described so well! - and such lovely characters. Iris is amazing - such a strong person, especially given all she has been through. And who wouldn't fall in love with such a wonderful, caring (and Italian to boot!) person like Gio! And when the whole story is set around a gelateria......well, what more could you want?! A long ago love story, an amazing Italian family I want to be a part of and a magical setting like New York.
A highly recommended book - I have read others by this author and really enjoyed them too.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review, which is what I have given.
A delightful read filled with all of the best things. New York, Christmas, Snow, Gelato and a beautiful love story that gave me all the snuggly feels.
Definitely one to add to your Christmas reading list
A delight. I was unashamedly crying at the end. I would love to be part of the big, noisy, loving Belotti family. Iris flees from England to New York on Christmas Day, escaping her controlling, abusive boyfriend, Adam. She chooses New York to follow in her mother's footsteps- and where Iris was born. AN encounter with Gio Belotti gradually draws her to the heart of the family, but with a huge secret over their gelato recipe, Iris becomes caught up in her lies. A web of coincidences, the past connecting with the present, love, family and humour. Simply beautiful. #netgalley #AWinterInNewYork
What a great love story!
I never heard of Josie Silver before seeing this book but man I'm so happy I read this book. It's a cozy read, perfect for the colder days ahead. The characters were well written and it was a very cute story. If you're looking for a romantic christmas read, this is definitely the right book for you.
Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Iris comes to New York to revisit her mothers past, since loosing her she hasn’t had the best f experiences when he falls for a manipulative bully Adam who strips her off her identity. After getting up the courage to run away from him, she finds herself in front of the ice cream shop her mother had frequently spoken of. Due to a past romance between Santos and her mother Iris now has the recipe to help save the day, but she doesn’t feel strong enough to reveal all, instead she helps to recreate the ice cream. Cue her romance with Gio developing. A very well written story perfect for holiday reading.
A delicious winter family tale set in New York. Iris is escaping an abusive relationship and ends up working as a noodle chef and living above the restaurant. As a girl her mum would tell her bout when she was in a band and places she had been. When she died she left a scrapbook. One day, Iris sees a door to an ice cream shop that she's sure she's seen before in the book. What connection does her mum have to this shop?
Believable, likeable characters, flavour of New York along with a swirl of romance and family dilemma on top. Definitely one for a winter evening.
"A Winter in New York" is a lovely, seasonal romance from Josie Silver. Iris, a trained chef, has escaped an abusive relationship and travelled to New York, where she knows she spent time with her mother when she was a child, but was too young to remember it. Iris was feeling alone after her mother died but found a wonderful friend and employer when she met Bobby.
The story is about Iris making new friends and finding new interests as she slowly comes out of her shell. At the heart of the tale is a secret family recipe for gelato, which had somehow got into the hands of Iris's mother, and she eventually finds out how.
A great story of love, friendship, families and food. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.
This story is beautiful, magical, heart-warming and atmospheric. Having never been to New York this book made me feel like I had. The way Silver weaves the location into the plot is like it is another character.
There is a strong sense of fate and serendipity throughout which could have felt too co-incidental or convenient for the sake of the plot but to me just felt whimsical and just swept me up in the journey even more.
I’m not a big fan of miscommunication as a plot device so I found that frustrating as times, but I understood why Iris would find it easier to keep the truth to herself.
The side characters were a highlight for me, they were so vibrant and authentic, and I was just as eager to have them in the story as the MCs.
A wonderful, rollercoaster of a story that I did not want to put down.
Full of the effervecent charm of a Jo book, A Winter in New York warms your heart on a cold morning. Following her mum's death and the most toxic of relationships Iris up sticks and moves to New York, a city that her mother had great warmth and affection for. A chance view of a doorway opens up a window into her mum's past whilst very much driving Iris towards her future.
Did Iris drive me batshit crazy with her lies - yes. I wish that where the gelato was involved she had been more creative to get where they needed to be. Also, so much gelato tasting but no final one, felt like a wasted opportunity to make it round itself back full circle to where it should be.
Are these small niggles because the book was still a big hug to anyone a little big broken, who craves a found family to bring them into the fold - absolutely. And Iris ended up exactly where she needed to be with exactly who she needed in the end.
This was a lovely wintery read! I really enjoyed this story of Iris who moved to New York after a failed relationship and bereavement and was trying to find her feet again. She meets Gio who runs the family geletaria who have lost their famous receipe. I did enjoy this book but the lies that Iris tells and that build did start to grate on me. However it does really make me want some good icecream!
Chef Iris has moved from England to New York after a bad relationship. Attending a street fair with a friend, she notices a doorway to a gelateria that looks familiar, and later realises that it is connected to her late mother.
Drawn back to the shop, Iris finds a charming guy called Gio looking after the business while his uncle Santo – the holder of the Italian family’s recipe for their famous vanilla gelato - is in a coma in hospital.
Iris, realising that her mum passed on the top-secret recipe to her - tries to help Gio re-create the flavour, without letting on about her connections to his family.
With a foodie theme and a holiday romance, this was a sweet story that slowly reveals the characters’ secrets and family roots.
I enjoyed this story overall but did find the lead character, Iris, incredibly frustrating with her lie after lie.
I enjoyed the way her story was entwined with her mums years before and I loved the big Italian family descriptions - made me want to sit round that huge table!
Josie Silver is a favourite romance author of mine. Like all of her other books, her writing was rich, complex, heartwarming, and emotional. The larger world around the main characters was superb, and the found family vibes from the numerous cast of side characters was warm hugs perfection.
Unfortunately I couldn't get on board with our female main and all the damn lying. So many lies, on top of lies, and for such a long time! Despite my frustration, I did still really enjoy it (just not love it) and will continue to pick up Silver's future books.
I absolutely love Josie Silver’s writing. I read One Day in December every Christmas, so I had to add this to the list of my Christmas reads.
a story of a lady whose an only child, bereft when here mother dies and in here grief is seduced by a a man who exploit her vulnerability until one day she finds the strength to escape to NY to find a new a new life. Unfortunately she can't face dealing the baggage that she brings and things drag due to her perverse and indecisive nature before she can accept true love.
A lovely festive read, perfect for this time of year. Loved this one and was completely absorbed in it. Always guaranteed a good read from Josie. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
When you want to like a book more. Iris escapes to New York to fill in the missing pieces of her life. She needs a fresh start. Iris is a likeable lead character. Plenty of plot. Just just took me to over half way to get into which was a shame
It took me a short while to get into those one, and I didn't really find Iris relatable in the beginning if I am honest. I felt with a name like Iris Raven she would have a bit more substance.
As the story develops, it does become clear why she feels a little lacking in character. Seeing Iris grow and become a strong female lead despite her past experiences did keep me reading.
I did love the way Iris' story intertwined with her mother's history. It was a beautiful touch going back to the place her mother most felt she belonged.
Whilst there were some predictable elements, a couple of extra surprise encounters contributed to the growth.
I would say overall these elements didn't make it less enjoyable and A Winter in New York is still a heartwarming seasonal read.