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.

A Winter in New York is another cute rom com from Josie Silver. It was not my favorite of her novels, but it's cute so if you liked her other books then pick this one up. The best part of the book is the New York setting. It definitely made me want to be there. The main character was frustrating and while "miscommunication" is a common romance trope, it just made me angry here rather than feeling like a plot point.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and Netgalley for the electronic copy.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 @𝘗𝘙𝘏𝘈𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬!

Welcome to my first holiday read of the 2023 season! This one picks up after the prologue at the end of September and takes us all the way through New Year’s Eve. So while it’s not a holiday book per se, it was the perfect segue for me this early November.

This is my very first @josiesilverauthor novel, and I can see why she’s such a well-loved author. This one really got me in my feels (I needed a Kleenex a few times) while also providing plenty of giggles and leaving me with a smile. Definitely a cozy winter comfort read.

What I Loved 💙
❄️The NYC in winter setting
🍨All the vanilla gelato (Vanilla Forever! IYKYK)
🫶The found family element
☺️The lovable cast of supporting characters. I need Bobby and Sophie in my life immediately please.
❤️‍🩹The growth of the main character and her budding sense of self
💋The slow burn foodie romance
🤷🏻The Schitt’s Creek references (Eat glass!)
🪞This quote: “I promise the girl in the mirror that I’ll watch her back.”

What Could Have Been Better💙

❌The dreaded miscommunication trope

I paired the audiobook and e-book versions with this read, and I have to say I really enjoyed the narration by @emmajappleton. Her voice has this feminine husky quality that was very satisfying to listen to.

How would you paint the background of your life? This book would have vibrant colors like Bellotti’s gelato shop door. With crisp leaves in a park featuring impromptu concerts. With the comforting smells of a neighborhood noodle spot, With the love of your mom and with new found love. It is that good, ya’ll.

Our story follows Iris as she embarks on her new life in New York, carrying the grief of losing her mom and the trauma of a bad relationship back in London. She also brings her the gelato recipe from her mom that has been a source of comfort throughout her life. When she stumbles upon a familiar door she recognizes from her mom’s photo album she meets Gio Belloti and they embark on a star-crossed journey of love, loss, secrets, and family togetherness.

This books is full of heart — both the happy kind and the kind that makes you ache inside. This was my first Josie Silver book and I absolutely loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

So so so cozy and adorable! I loved One Day In December and knew this one wouldn’t disappoint 😍 perfect winter read

I enjoyed this book but it wasn’t quite what I was expecting from a Christmas romance. I have thoroughly enjoyed other work by this author, this one just didn’t hit as high for me.

This book was like curling up with a cup of pure joy! I couldn't get enough! Iris was such a delight to get to know, and I was rooting for her as she overcame her abusive relationship with Adam. I, too, have been in a similar relationship and felt myself in Iris at times. As she rediscovered herself and reclaimed herself, and was questioning whether she was worthy of a relationship with those around her, it all hit so close to home. I found myself smiling, crying, and feeling all of the emotions! The added dimension of Iris' mother, Santo, Felipe, and the band, discovering things about Iris' mother, and then bringing those to the surface with her situation ship with Gio, were all so intriguing. I couldn't wait to see how that played out, and I found myself really rooting for her, and my heart breaking for her as things went all over the place and she continued to question herself and what she should do.
This book was a solid 5 stars for me, and my only wish is that I could read it again for the first time, curled up in my warm bed, totally immersed! But since I can't, I'll have to settle for reading it a second time!

I received this as an ARC through NetGally and let me just say this was an adorable book. The plot was so good, there’s a little bit of spice which was perfect. Overall the writing allowed you to understand the characters really well. There were also some moments that pulled on your heartstrings a little bit.

Josie Silver's One Day in December was a favorite of mine when it came out. A Winter in New York felt a return to form -- I really enjoyed it and thought it was lovely. It feels a bit like Rebecca Serle mixed with Jenny Bayliss. This is a wholesome read, focused on family, love, loss, and finding yourself.

TW: abusive relationships

I recommend this one as a cozy winter read!

its a very cute cozy read for the winter. I live in brooklyn ny so I naturally love reading books that take place in nyc since its easier for me to visualize.

This is a beautiful, heart-warming love story. I enjoyed the setting and the characters. Big loving Italian families are near and dear to my heart as a fellow Italian! The pacing was on the slower side and was very relaxing to read. I enjoyed the dual time-lines as we get scenes from the FMC's mom when she had been in NYC decades prior.

I also loved that this book had more depth than a typical rom-com, and was not all just "fluff" but dealt with some heavier themes.

The only reason this was not 5-star for me was the deception that began the book which could have been cleared up easily if done right away, and would have by any mature adult. It felt really weird for the FMC to hide it until the end and cause such a dramatic misunderstanding.

The audiobook version of this was delightful with the British accent!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC of the ebook! All opinions are my own.

Iris moves to New York to start over and retrace the footsteps of her deceased mother who spent time touring through the US with her band (and Iris' father) when she was young. As a chef, she picks up a job at a noodle restaurant and becomes best friends with the owner, Bobby. She mostly keeps to herself after work, until Bobby brings her to a street festival in Little Italy and she stumbles upon a gelateria that was pictured in her mother's photo album. She discovers that her mother's gelato recipe is actually their secret family recipe, which was recently lost after the owner had a medical emergency and can no longer remember the recipe.

She offers to help Gio, the owner's son, recreate the recipe through trial and error while not revealing that she actually has the real recipe herself. In the process she starts to come out of her shell and build a strong connection with Gio and his family.

This book is so cute, the love story that develops between Iris and Gio is so genuine. The characters in the book are all lovable and relatable and I found myself unable to put it down.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC.

I can’t remember the last time I cried in a book. Like legit shed tears! But you guys…I DID while reading this one. 𝘼 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙔𝙤𝙧𝙠 is such a beautiful story, and is now my FAV Josie Silver book!

This story follows two timelines - one of Iris in present day, her struggles, love interest, finding out more about her mom who passed a few years ago, and a secret she feels she needs to keep from Gio. Her love interest. The other is of Iris’ mom in her own present day… and how Iris came to be.

This story has it ALL! A lost love, a dangerous relationship, hidden feelings, what-if’s, secrets and redemption! This book has witty humor, pulled at my heart strings, made me righteously angry over complete an udder gaslighting and manipulation, and then scream for joy and shed tears when the story came full circle!

This book is out now, and I suggest you try to get your hands on whatever copy fits you best!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced listeners copy of this book! I ADORED it!!

Iris comes to New York because her late mother loved the city. What she didn't expect to find was a found family. The moment Iris saw the glass door of the gelateria, she knew that it was a piece of her mother's history. What she didn't know, is that it was also her destiny.

The story of Iris and Gio was a great one. I loved their love story! This book has great messages about found family, telling the truth, and letting go. Highly recommend!