Josie Sikver has dine it again! I loved One Day in December and this one was even better. Heartwarming. Fun. And made me really want some gelato.

Yet again, I find myself putty in Josie Silver’s capable hands. Not only can she write some of the best banter, but she can make me cry like a baby with her sentimentality. I should know this by now, that reading one of her books will make me crack wide open, feeling all the feelings of her characters. Thank goodness she also knows how to write a happily-for-now, because the emotional turmoil would flatten me otherwise.

A Winter in New York encapsulates so many things: loneliness (especially at the holidays), what it’s like to lose a parent, life after an emotionally abusive relationship, falling in love when you least expect it, and the bonds of found family. I loved every minute of it from the highs to the lows. I’m not sure how she does it, but Josie Silver can write one sentence and have it speak volumes about what a character is thinking or feeling; her writing is that effortless.

It’s so easy to fall in love with the Belottis. They surround Iris with their love and affection and welcome her into their world. I would almost recommend going into this book blind (being aware of content warnings mentioned above). Iris has lost her mother to cancer at a young age and is a little bit lost, attempting to seek solace in the city her mother loved as a transplant from London. An encounter with a painted door at an outdoor festival seems familiar and has Iris flipping through her mother’s old photo album where she finds a picture with the same door. As many questions arise, Iris finds herself trekking back to that door and to the people inside, seeking answers about her mom, the secretive gelato recipe she loved, and the man she met whose life has been lived behind that door. She doesn’t except to meet Gio Belotti or to realize she’s met him before and can’t seem to stay away.
I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn’t mind being out through the wringer in order to get to their HEA. If you love a full cast of fleshed out characters, single POV (with the exception of 3 chapters written from Vivien’s POV), and lots of swoony as well as teary moments, this book is for you. I know this story will stay with me for quite awhile after reading. I received an advanced copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

And she’s back, folks! This Josie Silver novel reminded me so much of One Day In December… I think that’s the point. Silver does Christmas and romance so well but the best part of A Winter Time in New York is its settings: the romance of the city, the gelateria, the Bellotti household, etc. Every detail was perfection! I loved Iris and Gino too…. And the time jump plot was a nice surprise. I do think the ending was a little rushed. But other than that, I loved loved loved it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of A Winter in New York for an honest review.

This is my favorite Josie Silver read. I liked One Day In December, but didn’t like One Night on the Island. I think Josie’s stride lives in Holiday romances. This was a perfectly light hearted and heartfelt winter read and makes an excellent addition to your Holiday TBR.

After her mom’s death and escaping an emotionally abusive relationship in London, Iris is starting over in New York. Gio is a hot, Italian, single dad struggling to keep his papa’s gelateria functioning without their families 100+ year old secret recipe. A secret recipe Iris may or may not have.

This was a really sweet and moving romance. I didn’t expect the heavier aspects of grief and loss but I think they were done really beautifully.

Read if you like: New York, gelato, found family, Gilmore Girls-esque mother/daughter relationships, fade to black spice, Schitt’s Creek references galore, and non-cheesy holiday romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Gelato? SAY NO MORE! I adored this book - it was so much fun to read about the NYC setting, the chef/cooking scene, and of course, the romance!! I've been a big fan of Josie Silver in the past and this book only confirmed that! Definitely would recommend reading this (and maybe also booking a flight to NYC asap to visit during the winter) :)

I buddy read this and we both thought it was a bit on the slow slide. The story begins over two lies that just get bigger as time goes on and I found that to be a bit frustrating to navigate the entire book. I really did enjoy both characters' journey to falling in love and Josie can sure write a great kissing scene! The way the family falls in love with the main character too reminded me a lot of While You Were Sleeping.

Another fabulous Josie Silver novel! I love her books and this is no exception. The story is beautifully told about Iris and Gio and their love story. Iris has moved from England to New York City. She meets Gio in a bookstore and then they later meet again. Iris is a likable character who is struggling with some secrets that she has kept from Gio. Gio is a lonely widower with a 15 year old daughter, Bella. Their attraction is undeniable, but will Iris’ secrets ruin a possible future? All the characters were so likable and fun. The story is wrapped up and tied with a beautiful ribbon at the end! I loved it! Thank you to Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

“A Winter in New York" by Josie Silver is a beautifully heartwarming and delightful read, perfect for those looking to escape into the breathtaking worlds of family, a gelateria, and New York City. Silver's storytelling skills shine through as she weaves a captivating tale of love, loss, self-discovery, and second chances.

"A Winter in New York" follows the intersecting lives of Iris and Gio, as they find themselves after life-altering losses. Brought together by the whims of fate in the bustling city of New York, their chemistry is slow-growing yet deeply passionate, and Silver masterfully crafts their connection with a mix of humor, charm, and tender moments.

What sets this book apart is its vivid portrayal of the backdrop of New York City. The descriptions of snow-covered streets, cozy restaurants, and holiday festivities create a magical atmosphere that will make you want to book a trip to the city immediately.

While the plot is engaging and filled with heartwarming moments, there were a few predictable elements that kept me from giving it a full 5-star rating. Nevertheless, Silver's writing style is engaging and easy to immerse oneself in, making it an enjoyable read.

"A Winter in New York" is a perfect choice for curling up by the fireplace with a cup of coffee (or cup of gelato) on a chilly winter evening. It's a charming and romantic story that will leave you with tears in your eyes and a warm feeling in your heart. If you're a fan of feel-good contemporary romance novels, this one is definitely worth adding to your reading list.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine, Dell for granting me access to this book in exchange for my authentic review.

If I didn't already want to spend a winter in New York, this book really sealed the deal!!! New York brought the FMCs mother much joy, and she hopes it will do the same for her.
Reading this made me want to ice skate in Rockefeller Center, See the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Rockettes, browse charming window displays lighting up Macy's, and, now, eat lots of vanilla gelato!!

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver is another hit by this author! This story of love, heartbreak, secrets, family, and second chances will warm your heart this winter, and if that's not enough, the *steamy* romantic scenes will definitely heat you up! Fans of the movie Moonstruck will absolutely love the references to Nic Cage and Cher. The emotional chords struck by Silver in this novel were pitch-perfect; an impulsive white lie to a stranger has never had more devastating emotional impact! The stories from past and present are a wonderful tie-in, and the flaws of each character are believable. Grief plays a role in the story as well. The final chapters were a fantastic culmination of the tension in the story from the beginning. Strongly recommended reading for this holiday season!

A Winter in New York is a sweet holiday romance with likable characters and surprising depth. Iris is recovering from a toxic, abusive relationship in a new city, hoping for a fresh start. She stumbles upon a gelateria serving her mother’s secret-recipe gelato, and suddenly finds herself falling for Gio, and his family.

Even the best of families have their complicated dynamics, and these are explored throughout the story, until finally, secrets are revealed and new understandings formed. Through it all, Iris comes into her own- and finds a family she’s longed to have.

It’s impossible not to root for Iris, and for her much-deserved happy ending, in this lovely, heartwarming holiday story. Perfect enjoyed with a cup of vanilla gelato.

Thank you Josie Silver, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley and publisher for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

Iris, on a quest to escape her toxic relationship and the loss of her mother, decided to take on the bustling world of New York. Armed with a new job, a cozy apartment, and a newfound BFF in Bobby, she was ready to conquer the city that never sleeps.

One fateful day, while hanging out with her trusty sidekick, they stumbled upon a Gelato shop that seemed strangely familiar. Little did she know, the secret to her beloved vanilla gelato recipe was, in fact, the closely guarded Belotti family secret recipe.

As the pages unfolded, we delved into Iris' blossoming romance with Gio Belotti. The story also took us on a nostalgic journey through the past, exploring the love story between her mother and Santo Belotti, Gio's charismatic uncle.

This delightful read was like a warm hug on a chilly winter day. Sure, there were some communication mishaps and a dash of secret-keeping, but let's be honest, secrets in books always find a way to sneak out. What truly shone was Iris' personal growth and her journey of healing from the scars of her past.

"A Winter In New York" is the kind of light romance that'll kickstart your holiday book season with a sprinkle of sweetness and a dollop of charm. So cozy up with a hot cocoa, because this book is your perfect winter companion!

I loved so much about this book: the setting, the premise, the meet-cute, the gelato, and the family history, but the lying and miscommunication really didn't do it for me. In the prologue, Iris and a stranger fight over the last book at a bookstore, and she angrily says her husband is dead. She doesn't have a husband, although for some reason she wears her mom's ring on her wedding finger. Later, of course, this stranger becomes the love interest. He's also the nephew of her mother's former lover, and Iris feels like she can't tell him that she actually knows the secret recipe that will save his family's gelato store.

Okay, I understand not telling Gio about her abusive ex. I guess I can understand hiding her mom's connection to the store and not wanting to expose Santo's secret. But to continue the lie about the dead husband to a widower? What the heck? Why didn't she just say "I'm so sorry, I spoke in anger to what I thought was a stranger, I don't actually have a husband."???

And then the rest of the book constantly talks about how much Gio values honesty and hates lies. Her lies were all so unnecessary! Instead of being able to enjoy the romance, I spent the whole book wondering how in the world Iris was going to crawl out of the massive hole she dug for herself.

You know how she did?

Spoilers ahead...

Gio just magically forgave her because he loved her. They didn't even TALK about her pathological need to lie, or the fact that they bonded over their dead spouses. Zero conflict resolution whatsoever.

There were other things that irked me too, like Santo being an ass to Iris when he finally came home from the hospital and deciding what Maria would want for her. Maria seemed like a lovely down-to-earth character and was happy to welcome Iris into their family. I don't think she would have been too fussed about her husband's former lover WHO HE ONLY KNEW FOR TWO DAYS. It's not like Iris was his lovechild...

Don't get me wrong, a lot about this book was lovely. If not for all of Iris's lies, her and Gio's love story could have been great. I loved Gio's loud Italian family and Iris's found family in her roommates. I loved the gelato shop setting (although seriously, how much gelato can these people eat??). I loved the movie references all over New York.

I just couldn't get over the unnecessary lies.

I really enjoyed this cozy, found family holiday romance.
Iris has moved to New York City, her mother's favorite place, to get away from her horrible ex and to start over. While visiting Little Italy, she stumbles upon a gelato shop that she has seen before in her mother's scrapbook. When she musters up the courage to go inside, she meets Gio and wild family, but little does she know, that she has a connection to this family and possibly has their secret family gelato recipe. What is she going to do about the recipe, and what is she going to do about Gio, who she is falling for?
This is the second holiday romance I have read this year, so I am really getting into the spirit of the season. I loved the slow burn between Iris and Gio, and I loved how Gio's family embraced Iris as their own. This was really close to being a five star, but I thought the pacing, especially towards the end, was off. Overall though, this would be the perfect holiday romance to pick up to get you into the holiday spirit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the eARC.

Leaving a dysfunctional relationship, Iris relocates to NY to start over and follow in her mother’s footsteps. Because this is a romance, of course she finds the family and drama that link her to her mother’s past.
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I loved watching Iris get enveloped by her found family. The romance is a little bit spicy and it was so sweet to see these broken people find happiness with each other.
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There are lots of secrets throughout the book and some may find it icky or frustrating but apparently I didn’t mind.

Chef Iris moves to New York to try and find a new life after her Mom’s passing. She carries the memories and a secret gelato recipe that her Mom told her to never share.

Iris and her friend Bobby attend a street fair in Little Italy and that’s where Iris believes she recognizes a beautiful door from her Mom’s old photos.

Iris returns to the store and meets Gio and his family. She finds out his Uncle, the only person who knows the gelato recipe, has not recovered his memory after a medical incident. She offers to help Gio figure out the recipe, never telling him that she has the recipe.

Iris and Gio explore their relationship but when others interfere she must make choices that will affect everyone.

This is a well written book. I was hooked from the beginning. There was a lot of dimension to Iris and I enjoyed the journey.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher. This review is my own opinion.

Happy Publishing Week!
This is a very sweet story from Josie Silver, whose writing gets better and better. I won't spoil the plot because I think this is a book that is best going into without knowing the details (because in reality it took me awhile to dive into this ARC because of the description, and also because I thought it would be a holiday themed book.). This book is so romantic and gelato sweet. Don't let the cover and title sway you from waiting until December to read this book, this is not a holiday book. If you want to read about families (genetic and found), the sentimental joy of romcoms, and intricate process of gelato making, this book is for you.

Thank you Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.

After losing her mother to cancer and escaping an emotionally abusive partner back in London, Iris moves to NYC, the home to her mother's most cherished memories. With her, she brings the gelato recipe her mother made her entire life, but swore her to secrecy to protect. Iris knows little about how her mother came into the recipe's possession, but when she happens upon the shop it belongs to and the family that guards it so closely that only two family members know it at a time, she becomes intertwined in their lives. As she tries to steer them back to the recipe after the family patriarch falls ill and forgets the recipe, she bonds with Gio, the handsome widowed dad who is set to take over the shop from his aging uncle, who fate placed in her path once before.

This book was so incredible. It took me a bit to get into, but once I was, I was hooked and grew to love this story and these characters so much. This was a holiday story, but also so much more than that. It was a story of perseverance, strength, grace, hope, family - chosen and blood, and the power of love. There were so many tender moments in this story that I found myself moved to tears at multiple points. Josie Silver is a favorite of mine and this story will stay with me for a long time. The characters were all so complex and lovely, and Iris' journey really pulled at my heartstrings. Such a wonderful book!

TW: Emotional abuse, verbal abuse

A Winter in New York is a beautiful winter love story that reminds you just how important family is.

Iris is starting over in New York after escaping a tumultuous relationship and losing her mother. When she comes across a familiar door she recognizes from her late mother’s photo album, she can’t help but go in. Behind the door to the Belotti’s gelato shop, she meets Gio (for the second time) and soon discovers just how strong the invisible threads that tie her to the Belotti Family are. Gio tells her the shop is in danger of closing down because they’ve lost the secret family recipe for their iconic vanilla gelato. But it’s a recipe Iris has known and loved her whole life. She can’t risk exposing the secret her mother shared with her but she knows she has to help somehow. Throughout the book, Iris struggles with the secrets and deceit while she begins to fall for Gio and the rest of the Belotti family.

This story captivated me in the best way possible. I loved the connection Iris and Gio built as they learned how to work through their pasts and embrace their future. The Belotti Family came into Iris’ life when she needed them most, and it was beautiful to see how the family took her in and treated her as their own. I also especially loved the flashback scenes to Iris’ mother's time in New York and craved more from that POV. I was annoyed with Iris for not fessing up sooner and making things unnecessarily harder for herself. Overall, the story drew me in and made me feel for the characters, which is something I love when books do.

If you love tropes like single dad romance, found family, and fated mates, add this book to your Winter TBR! Josie Silver continually knocks it out of the park and AWINY is definitely a homerun.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for sharing an early digital copy with me to provide my honest feedback!

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