I'm here for winter and Christmas books right now. Living on a tropical island can make getting into seasonal changes challenging but books like this really help!!
Oh Iris. I wanted to wrap you up in a hug. I wanted to strangle you when I didn't understand why you were keeping such secrets. But I rooted for you the whole time. Gio, I was thrilled to see your walls come down. I loved watching you grow and make room in your life.
New York at Christmas. Little Italy of New York at Christmas! You were just as much a character in this book as all the other amazing characters. I loved Bobby and Robin and the whole Belotti family.
There is also a lovely backstory mixed in the book from Viv, Iris's mother's point of view. Definitely pick this up if you are looking for a feel good romance, found family and lots of amazing characters.

Josie Silver has a gift for words. I have loved everything she has written, and this was no exception.

Iris flees an abusive relationship in London and arrives in New York City, a place her beloved mother once lived and loved in. While finding herself, she finds herself on the doorstep of Belotti's, a place she recognizes in her mother's photo album. She soon realizes the gelato she makes - her family specialty - comes from the Belotti's and is supposed to be a family secret. The patriarch of the family is ill and the recipe may die out if he can't remember it. In comes Iris, with a plan to help the Belotti family, little by little. She falls for Gio, the eldest son, in the process, and in true Josie Silver fashion, that is where the magic happens.

I took one star off because the secret keeping was starting to get tiresome at the end, but I wholeheartedly recommend this to others.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.

Iris fled to NYC a year ago, escaping her troubled love life. Now, she's exploring how to live on her own while also going to all of the places her mother had loved in the city, chronicled through her mother's scrapbook. After finding one of the places her mother loved, she meets Gio and his loud Italian family. Gio it turns out is struggling to find the family vanilla gelato recipe that has kept his family in business for years--the recipe that Iris's mother might just have in her scrapbook.

This was such a good book!!!

I adored all of the characters. Iris has such a natural humor to her but also lots of heart as she navigates what her life if becoming on her own in NY. Gio...don't even get me started. Book Boyfriend for sure. He is kind and possessive, all while working towards a life for himself and with Iris. The rest of the side characters are also just perfect. From Iris's best friend Bobby to Gio's entire loud family, everyone is well developed and I LOVED them.

Along with Iris's story, Silver also jumps back in time to tell Iris's mother's story of lost love and not abandoning passions in life. This was one book that I did not want to end. I was so wrapped up in the warmth of these characters and their lives and loves.

This was a perfect holiday (or year round) read!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. My reviews are always honest.

Color me shocked that I loved this book! Iris and Gio were everything. This story was everything. Everything about this book was, well, everything. 😂 I just couldn’t get enough!

Iris packed up her life into two suitcases and fled to New York from London in this novel of found family- and gelato. She never expected to luck into a job cooking in Bobby's noodle shop or that he'd become her BFF. Most importantly, she never expected to meet Gio or that her mother's wonderful gelato recipe was actually the Belotti family's. The Belottis are the big exuberant family she never had and she's entranced (and intimidated) by them but she's in love with Gio. This might be totally trope-y (up to and including Gio's talented daughter Bella) but it's fun. Ansd there's a twist thrown in in the end. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A heartwarming novel that sent me to the freezer for treats!

This was a fun holiday romance that captures the magic of winter in New York City. I loved the backdrop of the recipe mystery and the cooking scenes definitely made me hungry!

Since I’m not a fan of slow burn romance, I did feel this dragged a bit, however the story was quite sweet.

There were some surprising deep themes included in this, especially in the beginning where an abusive partner is referenced in the past, and another partner’s death is mentioned. While this didn’t go so deep into those issues, they are still referenced a few times so readers should be aware.

The flashback chapters to Iris’ mom were unexpected and while they did add some ice flair and fill in the lines, I do feel it slowed the pace a bit. I would have preferred keeping this all present tense with Iris and Gio uncovering the fill mystery themselves.

Overall I think this was a fun enough read that holiday romance readers will devour!

WARNING you will tear up, A LOT throughout this book. Iris wants a new start, leaves, London after a horrible breakup, and she decided to come to a place her mom loved the most, NYC, forgot to add that she lost her mom 3 years ago. She took her mom’s scrapbooks and all of her stories of NYC and decided to visit the places she has been, and then some. Then she ends up at a gelato shop that was in her mom’s pictures, and they are in danger of losing it all. The owner lost his memory and the famous gelato family recipe as well, so when Iris comes back and meets with the son of the owner Gio, she realized that this secret family recipe and the future of this family business lays solely on her hands.

Not only do we get some dual POV’s between the main character and her mom and how this whole story ties together, this book was a perfect Meet-cute to beginning with, it’s like they were meant to be from the beginning. I loved Gio’s family and her best friends, this book gave me holiday spirit in every way. But one thing I didn’t like is how Iris held on to her secret and her lies for a little too long, I felt the book dragged only on that for Gio’s family to still love her and support her no matter what. Other than that I adored this read and LOVED Gio!!!!!

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

In this simple rom-com, Josie Silver once again delivers a pleasant story that is feel-good and Hallmark movie worthy. Iris, a trained chef and mourning the loss of her mother and escaping an abusive ex-boyfriend, meets Gio of Bilotti's Gelateria. Not a stranger to loss as he is a widower, Gio and Iris form a friendship built on the mutual love of gelato. Gio is struggling to keep the family business open after his Papa (grandfather) has a stroke and is the only one with the secret gelato recipe. Iris however discovers, that she is connected to the Billoti family through her mother's past and that her mother's heart warming gelato recipe is the secret recipe given her by Santo many years ago. As Iris feels that she owes the family a debt but wants to keep her mother's secret, what is Iris to do? The more Iris discovers about her mothers past, the more she tries to make things right without compromising her mother's oath. The romance between Iris and Gio begins as a mutual need, then a friendship, then a slow burn as Iris begins to feel at home in New York. Not a lot of fireworks but just like a pleasant ride in the countryside. However, someone in Iris's past can ruin it all and destroy Iris and her new found confidence and threaten those she has come to love. This is a fast read, a very tame romance, but enjoyable for a cold winter day. I give it a 3.5 rounded to a 4 stars. Many thanks to #netgalley #josiesilver #awinterinnewyork for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is such a sweet romance! It is the perfect lighthearted, cozy wintery book! It is a dream of mine to visit NYC in winter, so naturally I loved everything about the setting of this book! Not only is it a magical setting, but it will bring out the foodie in you & make you crave gelato.

The story is about Iris, a chef by trade, and Gio Belotti, who runs & operates his family gelateria, Belotti's. Iris decides to escape her ex and move across the ocean from London to NYC, where her mom spent the happiest days of her life. Iris is also dealing with the grief of losing her mom, who just passed away. Her friend/landlord Bobby takes her to a festival in Little Italy, and while walking through the streets, she recognizes a door from her mom's photo album. After getting home, she decides to dig up the photo & also finds a secret handwritten recipe for the gelato that her mom had been making her for years, along with a photo of a handsome man.

Out of curiosity, Iris returns to the gelateria the next day and meets Gio. She finds out that the gelateria is struggling. His uncle, sole keeper of their family’s gelato recipe, is in a coma, so they can’t make more. Using her chef skills, she decides to help him try to recreate the family recipe from scratch. They end up spending every morning together working to create the perfect recipe, and Iris meets his huge Italian family members, little by little.

This book is a slow burn, it's very sweet & delicate, and I loved that about it. You really get the time to know and understand both Gio & Iris, and all the family drama & secrets. Their relationship progressed and even though it was slow, it felt natural and not forced. There are a lot of twists and turns that will keep you wondering just how the book will end. I wish that Iris hadn't kept so many secrets from Gio and told the truth sooner. This book is the perfect example of how when you lie about one thing, you lie about another thing to support that lie, and it becomes this domino effect of lies. It was tough watching Iris feel so much guilt, when the truth could have saved her from all of that & intensified her relationship.

The whole cast of side characters were wonderful, from her landlord/BFF Bobby & his husband Robin to the cat, Gio's massive family. I loved that you were able to get to know the relationship between Vivien (Iris's mom) & Santo through the flashbacks.

It's super sweet & I recommend it for anyone looking for a cozy romance this winter.

I really wanted to love this, but it kind of fell flat. The premise and the first 25% of the book had me hooked to find out what would happen next, then the rest of the story felt repetitive and unnecessarily long. The last 10 pages also weirdly felt rushed. It's a cozy winter filled romance with a lot of talk about gelato. This one just wasn't for me.

Thank you Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the advanced reader copy.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

I am a lover of everything Josie Silver and this book didn't change that but it did feel different from her previous works.

The love story of Iris and Gio was fate - their lives were already connected before they were born. However, it took time and struggles for fate to bring them together. Iris left London and ran to New York City to get away from a terrible man and a life where she felt stuck after her mom's passing.

Gio is keeping his family's gelateria open despite the secret family recipe being lost. Little does he know, Iris has carried that recipe with her since her mother died.

This was a cute read about fate.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for the advanced copy of A Winter In New York by Josie Silver.

I would call A Winter in New York a winter book and not necessarily a holiday book, while part of it takes place in December - I wouldn't; classify this as a holiday romance.

A Winter in New York is about found family, family secrets, food and starting over. I enjoyed this romance, but didn't really like Iris the main character.

Iris moved to NYC to restart her life but is finding it harder than she expected. When she realizes a family-owned gelateria in Little Italy matches up with an old photo of her mother's where there was a hand-written recipe for gelato she decides she needs to visit it. She meets up with Gio, the owner's nephew who shares that the shop is in danger of closing as his uncle is a in coma and he's the only one who knows the secret family recipe. After tasting the gelato, she realizes that her gelato is the same, but why did her mom have this secret family recipe? So she decides to help Gio recreate the recipe and falls for Gio and his family, but when his uncle gets better will this secret she's kept ruin the family?

I loved all of the gelato and food references in this book, the NYC setting and all of the wonderful side characters. I didn't like that Iris kept multiple secrets from Gio and at times was a little slow. and Iris was also a bit immature. Overall it was enjoyable and a cute romance.

Josie Silver does not disappoint in this beautiful romance that blends romance, serendipity, loyalty, friendship, and love all into one big, warm hug! I absolutely devoured this book! As always, bravo, Josie Silver 👏👏👏👏

Special thanks to NetGalley and Dell Books for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

“…but for most of us it’s the unexpected moments life occasionally gifts our way that make for the best memories.”

Such a sweet story. Josie Silver has become a favorite author of mine. Her books are so well written with the right amount of humor, emotion and romance. Her books consume me and totally sweep me away.

Iris has fled London after the loss of her mom and an emotionally abusive relationship. She finds herself in New York City looking to start over and learn why her mom once loved this city so much. Coming upon an actual door from the past (Iris recognizes the ornate door of Belotti’s gelateria from a picture in her mom’s scrapbook) will initiate an innocent curiosity that quickly becomes something special to Iris. Entering the gelateria and meeting Gio and his family will change Iris’s life. She has never felt happier, safer, confident and more included. But secrets jeopardize her new found happiness as the past threatens her future.

“I know better than anyone how wearing secrets are on your soul.”

This beautiful book explores loss and grief as well as love and family. It also shows the importance of found family as Iris learns that she is no longer alone in the world. Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, A Winter in New York is filled with everything to make you feel the cozy warmth of a good book.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt as seen, and it moves me beyond words…”

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Josie Silver is an author I always look for and I really enjoyed this book. Iris moves to NYC from her home in London when her mother dies. She discovers her mother's famous gelato recipe as she is cleaning out her house. This recipe leads her on an adventure to find out who her mother really was. She also finds love. This book was cute and I think Josie Silver fans will not be disappointed.

Oh…where do I start? Seriously! I can tell you this book has surprised me. Josie Silver has done it again. Even though I thoroughly enjoy this novel, A Day in December will always be my first love. Josie gets better with her characters and her storytelling. It has more in-depth with emotion. Did I mentioned that I forgot to bring a box of tissues? I’m telling you, you’ll need tissues for this book.

This novel has the main character, Iris escaping from a bad situation in London, determined to find herself and follow her mother’s footpath in New York City. She wanted to get a feel of her mother when she was young when she stumbled upon a familiar door of a gelatio store causing her to rush home and check our her mother’s photo album of that door she came across.

There are amazing relatable characters you’d absolutely want to hang out with. My favorite is Bobby and you’ll see why once you read this book.

This would be an absolute great read for this Christmas of this year! Get this book for that deep, warm, contented, snowed in, comfortable, hot chocolatey with whipped cream, snug as a bug, satisfying feels read! You’ll laugh, cheer, get frustrated, irritated, cry, smile, and swoon.

Thank you, NetGalley and Delacorte Press for a copy of eARC in an exchange of an honest review.

Gosh. I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. There was a charming backdrop, charming characters and a plot with a lot of potential. But I was just so frustrated the entire time reading this book. The whole book was based on the silliest lie that could and should have been cleared up early on. Does Iris have crippling anxiety? Because the amount of back and forth and hand wringing over what would have been an extremely simply conversation was too much. I spent the entire book wondering when everyone would be mad at the secret when it came out. Just give them the damn recipe, who cares?! I liked Iris and I liked Gio, but their romance was a bit flat. The steamy scenes were just so short! And while there were some great side characters, no one was fully fleshed out. This was a book that I really could have loved had it been written differently. I think this book will have an audience, but sadly it didn’t work for me. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy, and I wish everyone luck in it’s release!

The perfect end of autumn/beginning of winter book to kick-start all the holiday feels.

A Winter in New York follows our main character, Iris, on her journey of rediscovering herself (and trying to find little pieces of her mother who recently passed) in New York City after getting out of an abusive relationship. It is full of positive themes such as holiday vibes, found family, romance, and GELATO(!), but also hits you deep as it deals with emotional abuse, death of family members, and grief.

I found myself smiling, crying, and rolling my eyes multiple times throughout the book. The Belotti family truly warmed my heart and I can just imagine holidays with them through Silver's storytelling. There were several points where I grew frustrated with Iris, as I felt like the miscommunication, or pure lack of communication, in the book could have been dealt with SO much earlier (hence the reason for the slightly lower rating).

I really did enjoy this and flew through it, so would definitely recommend reading!

3.5/5

Thank you to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the eARC of A Winter in New York (out 10/3)!

Josie Silver captivated me from the very first page. The story was filled with intrigue, and once I started, I couldn’t put it down. I loved the time jumps/ between the mother and the daughter, their own unique story, but how it’s interwoven as well.

Having read all of Josie Silver’s books this one is one of her best. I highly recommend it, it’s cozy, comforting, and meaningful.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

In this novel, Irish is a British chef who is seeking solace in New York City while grieving the death of her mother. She's also running from an abusive relationship. She stumbles across a gelato restaurant that she recognizes from her mother's photo album, and begins to lie to the family that owns it. I was bothered by her deception, and for the entire novel, just felt that if she had only shared her knowledge (their family's super secret gelato recipe), that the entire situation could have been resolved. I really liked the characters, and I liked when the narrative switched to her mother's past.