I was a bit hesitant to read this book, as I wasn’t I would get into the story, but figured since I liked the two previous books (One Night on an Island & One Day in December) I read by this author that I would give it a chance. I’m so glad I did because I absolutely fell in love with all the characters.

A chef named Iris has moved to New York fleeing a horrible ex-boyfriend while still mourning the loss of her mother. She chose NYC because her mother loved this city and she wanted to have similar experiences in order to keep her memory alive.

Upon attending a local food festival, she stumbles upon a closed shop, Belotti’s, whose door sparks a memory from her mother’s scrapbook. In this book, there is also a secret gelato recipe that her mother promised she can never share. She returns to Belotti’s the next day and discovers they are unable to remember their famous gelato recipe, so Iris offers to help Gio recreate it.

The secret recipe belongs to Belotti’s but how can she betray a promise to her mother? As Iris helps the Belotti’s daily, she slowly falls in the family and especially Gio. Her mother story unfolds and she finds out how she got the recipe but revealing those secrets could ruin the Belotti family and their legacy. As her heart is torn, then she gets a text from her abusive ex-boyfriend taunting her about a visit.

This a heartwarming story about family, love, loss, secrets, starting over, forgiveness…you name it! Definitely worth a read! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an advanced review digital copy of this book.

A Winter In New York is my first novel by Josie Silver. I enjoyed it but it wasn’t what I was expecting. I thought it would be a typical romance novel. It was really a story about family, grief, and finding yourself. It is a character-driven novel that takes you through Iris’ journey. I absolutely loved her relationship with her mother. The flash backs of her mother’s life that intertwined with the present helped to bring the story full circle. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced reading copy.

This has all the cozy feelings of a great holiday romance and so much more. This is about grief, family, loyalty and redemption. I couldn't put this down because I was having such a good time reading and following Iris and Gio.

This is great for anyone who loves a good holiday romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

A Winter in New York is so much more than a holiday romance! It is about love, loss, grief, family, loyalty, hope, redemption and healing. I loved all the witty banter, secret dates and amazing chemistry between Iris and Gio. Do not even get my started on Gio because he is everything you could possibly want and more in a man, swooning🫠🥰! The way the Belotti family fully embraced Iris was so touching and just so lovely. All of the secondary characters were amazing!

I really was sucked into this book from the very beginning!!!

A Winter in New York is a delightful wintertime romance that exudes charm and warmth. The romance between the characters feels fated, adding a sweet and lighthearted touch to the narrative. Getting to know the characters becomes a fun and enjoyable adventure, creating a connection that resonates with readers. The story's setting and atmosphere contribute to its cozy appeal, making it the perfect holiday-time romance read. With its adorable romance and the festive backdrop, A Winter in New York is a heartwarming tale that captures the magic of the season and leaves readers with a satisfied and joyful feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. I was really looking forward to this read but it didn’t quite meet expectations. The miscommunication / lies trope is one of my least favourites and after a promising start, the story just seemed to fall into a repetitive circle. There was abit of a dual timeline, but not enough of past storyline, which I wanted to know more about. I did like the descriptions of New York though - really transported me there. I have enjoyed all of Josie Silver’s other books so will be looking out for her next.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Adorable and heartwarming ❤️
I was so excited to read this book because I absolutely adored One Day in December. This was just as good!

Iris, a struggling chef, leaves London for New York after losing her mom and ending an emotionally abusive relationship. Her mom lived in New York before she was born, and she wants to feel that connection to her. Upon arriving she comes upon a gelato shop that she recognizes from her mom’s pictures and gelato recipe. There she meets Gio, a single dad trying to save his family’s business. They have an amazing connection, but when secrets are revealed, will they be able to overcome them?


This was just the most charming holiday read! I would love for this to be made into a movie! The characters were so lovable, and you can’t help but fall in love with them! I absolutely adored this book and look forward to see what Josie Silver writes next!

📘: A Winter in New York by Josie Silver
🗓️: August 18, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Josie Silver, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads.

3.5, rounding up. Josie Silver is just my favorite! Truly, nothing makes me more excited than finding out she has a new release on the calendar. And Net Galley gave me an early copy - Christmas came early!

This one took me awhile to get into and Iris frustrated me as a character, but the last third of the book really sucked me in and I was sad that it ended.

I ended up buying this book when I saw it in stores even though I had it on my NetGalley shelf. I loved it. I love Josie silver. The way she writes allows you to make a personal connection with the characters. The main characters emotions as she grieves the loss of her mom is so palpable and relatable. Also, the gelato?!

I highly recommend this book.

Thanks for the opportunity NetGalley.

For whatever resson (probably me not being in the right mood), I have never been able to finish reading a Josie Silver book until this one. This is a cute story to start the holiday season.

I cried and should have had gelato. Josie Silver's A Winter in New York was the reading experience I needed after reading a couple heavy books.

This has everything I love: A perfectly paced winter romance. An ode to rom coms, New York City and found family.

As a lover of food writing and romance, this one combined the two for such a heartfelt read. I don’t know what it is about me and books about grief this year, but here’s another book that handles it well and did it for me!

I was immersed in this story from the beginning. It has a fantastic plot and characters.
Many thanks to Random House and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! Josie Silver is an auto-buy author for me, and that was just further solidified with this release!

I just found the entire premise of this book magical. I was captivated by Iris and her gumption. She moved to a city where she knew nobody just to feel closer to her mother, and the way the story showed how she not only fell in love but also fell in love with the city was so moving. I also loved her connection with Gio, their little enemies moment at the beginning, and the moral ambiguity of her all her half-truths with a pure-hearted intent. Plus, who can say no to a big, wonderful, Italian family Gio's? I certainly couldn't!

I was also loving the backstory about Vivien, BUT I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of Santo and how he tried to bully Iris. I know eventually he comes around, but I was about to throw down when he tried to make her leave NYC. Come on man!

Gio and Iris have such a hot connection I found myself blushing at times! It's not that their sexy times are overtly open door (they are more or less open door, but also with fade to black elements, if that makes sense)...it was more the sensuality of their connection that had me swooning. And when Gio showed up big for Iris at the end? I was SOLD!

Such a good book, and another hit for Josie Silver!

Rating: 5⭐️

I seriously loved this book so much. If there's one Holiday Romance that you read, let it be this one.

"Life is just so damn complicated, isn't it, a series of random coincidences and chance meetings that add up to a lifetime."

Iris, a London chef, escapes to New York to start a new life. While there, she sees all the places that come to life with the romcoms she used to watch with her mom when she was still alive. While walking through Little Italy, she comes across a family-run gelataria that looks extremely familiar. Gio runs this gelataria alongside his sister and, selling gelato and baked goods. The problem is, his uncle is the only one who has the secret recipe for their gelato and he is in the hospital, so they are at a production standstill. When Iris visits to investigate the familiarity, she realizes that her gelato recipe tastes the same as theirs...could they be the same? Can Iris help them without overstepping her mother's and Gio's uncles wishes? What happens when the Uncle wakes up and all the love and relationships developed are at risk?

I'm not sure if that description did this any justice, so just go read it.</b>

"She spent the small hours of the morning turning over in her head, wondering which path to walk, which to leave untrodden and wild. To have either would be once-in-a-lifetime precious."

There's no way you can look at this and tell me it doesn't sound amazing:
https://sharkninja-cookingcircle.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/25191246/Vanilla-Bean-Gelato.jpg

Read this if you like:
- foodie romance
- set in New York
- close knit Italian family
- slow burn
- characters in their late 30s
- dual time line
- rom com references

100 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

Loved the characters within this book! The storyline of managing life post trauma was handled really well. I would definitely recommend reading this story of love, family ties, and healing.

I never read any of Silver's other books, but I will now. What a charming book! The plot tugs at the heartstrings. The romance is intoxicating, addictive, and sweet.

Reader beware, this book will make you crave gelato…

Set in NYC, A Winter in New York starts out with a “meet cute” over a book, then jumps to months later when Iris and Gio serendipitously meet again at Gio’s family’s gelateria. The gelateria’s future is in jeopardy, but Iris holds the secret key to saving the Belotti family's business. Will she or won't she?

Iris and Gio's relationship slowly evolves, but unfortunately is based on several secrets and lies by Iris that threaten to unravel everything. In the meantime, Iris also falls hard for the Belotti family, and who can blame her because they are warm, inviting, loving, and loud.

Josie Silver’s story has all the components of a good contemporary romance, but I did not always love the execution. The main issue I had was the relationship development. Early in the book, the relationship arc between Iris and Gio did not really develop on a timeline one would expect. Instead, they meet, then very quickly Iris is confessing (to herself) deep feelings and emotions for Gio, but there was not much of a foundation in the story for those feelings. Similarly, Iris’s past toxic relationship that haunted her was not developed in a manner where I could understand her fears. On a different issue, I was frustrated with some of Iris’s choices and thought the lies and secrets could have been revealed earlier.

Those criticisms aside, I did enjoy reading the book once I was past the somewhat awkward initial relationship development. I absolutely was swooning over Gio, and adored the friendship between Iris and her best guy friend Bobby. Silver also does such a great job describing the setting and food that the city and food are essentially characters themselves. This is right up your alley if you like a bookstore meet cute, a single dad trope, secret dating, food, family traditions, and a holiday NYC setting.

I gave it 3.5 stars, rounded up. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, Dell for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks for this ARC! I truly enjoyed the cozy holiday read, full of the sights and sounds of NYC during the holidays. The only negative was that the internal dialogue felt repetitive and some could have been shortened for more character dialogue or action. Thanks for this fun, warm read!

I thought this was a sweet romance novel! It really put me in the mood for the holidays. It sweetly brings too characters together and I loved the slow burn. My only gripe is that it was a touch long for me personally, but I loved the themes and tropes in this novel!

I have a complicated relationship with Josie Silver. One Day in December is still one of my favorite holiday romances. I DNF'd The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. I liked One Night on the Island, and while I enjoyed Winter in New York, it was missing a lot to make it a new favorite.

What I Liked
The setting. I love New York, but I have never been to New York in the winter. I have always wanted to be a part of the magic of NYC in the winter. I felt like I was right there with Gio and Iris. However, note that Christmas is not a huge theme, so don't expect a holiday romance.

The Side Characters
Many of the side characters brought this book to life. Gio's family is just what I would have imagined. They are honest, fun, bossy, and meddling, and their undying love for one another jumps off the page. The characters in the Iris' mother's timeline were

What Didn't Work for Me

The Romance
I don't know if I can intelligently explain how I feel about the romance. At times, I loved Iris and Gio together, especially when it was just the two of them getting to know each other. However, an omission/lie by Iris is a significant plot point, and this is just a trope I do not care for. It is the creepy cousin of miscommunication. For me, it soured the romance.

The Dual Timeline
My major issue with the dual timeline is that I wanted more of Iris' mother's timeline. The story could have benefited from a better balance between the two timelines, as much of the Iris/Gio storyline is repetitive. I found Iris's mother's timeline more compelling.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.