This was such a sweet read. I am not often one for seasonal romance novels, but I think this one does a really good job of character development, both ways the main characters and with the supporting characters. I really loved learning about the main character's mother in the past and seeing how those threads came together in present time to weave. These really brilliant relationships. Also, friends to family is one of my favorite life tropes and realities.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the flashbacks, and I loved that they were not all throughout the book, but just at pivotal times. I loved Iris and Gio and Bella and Gio's whole family. Highly recommend!

Many many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and the author for an ARC of this title.

I have loved every Josie Silver book I’ve read, and this is no exception. A Winter in New York is such a heartwarming story about love and loss, grief and healing, family and gelato.

Everyone needs people in their lives like the Belotti family and Bobby & Robin. I highly highly recommend this book.

Publication date: October 3, 2023

My review will be posted on Goodreads on July 16, 2023 as well as on my instagram story and added to my book highlight.

From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "One Day in December" comes "A Winter in New York," the story of a young chef who stumbles upon a secret family recipe that just might lead to the love and life she's been looking for.

After the death of her beloved mother, Vivien, and the end of an abusive relationship, Iris leaves her life in London behind for a fresh start in New York City, the setting of all the nostalgic movies she used to watch with her mom while eating their special secret-recipe gelato. When her new best friend Bobby takes her to a street fair in Little Italy, she notices a small family-run gelateria that happens to be the same shop in one of her mom's old photos. Iris returns to the shop the next day and meets Gio, who tells her that the gelateria is in danger of closing because his uncle, the only person who knows the secret family recipe, had a stroke and no longer remembers it. When Iris samples the last remaining batch, she discovers that their gelato tastes exactly the same as her mother's. Iris can't tell him that she knows their secret recipe when she isn't sure why Gio's uncle gave it to her mother, so instead she offers her services as a chef to help Gio's family recreate the flavor. As they work together on the recipe, Iris finds herself falling for Gio. But when Gio's uncle finally wakes up, all of the secrets that Iris has been keeping threaten to ruin the new life she has been building in New York all winter.

This was a cute romantic comedy that reminded me a lot of a Lifetime Christmas movie. The story is told mainly from Iris's perspective with flashbacks to the 1980s told from Vivien's point of view, which I really enjoyed. The first half of the novel was a bit slow with so much of the plot focusing on the gelato recipe, but I enjoyed the second half a lot more. Overall, a heartwarming story about found family, love, and loss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book!

Even if it's July and it's very hot, the book made me come back in the Christmas period with hot chocolate, snow and small enchanted villages!

The characters are really great, well characterised, real and funny!

I also really liked the narrator of the audio book and got me involved in the story!

Highly recommended book for the winter season!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC!

I didn't love this book as much as I hoped. The ending was not as realistic as I feel that it could have been but I enjoyed the writer's style and the plot was cute.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review.

So here's the thing: I hated the premise of this book (or at least how Iris handles said premise) with the seething fire of a thousand dying suns. If you have a piece of information that would literally save the livelihood of an entire family, you just offer that information to them. There is no moral high ground to leaking a secret slowly especially after having made a decision about complete strangers on their behalf. That said, something had to propel the plot and Iris being a damaged manic pixie dream girl with "quirks" was vital to the narrative, so I swallowed it down and carried on.

Once you get past all that, this book is a stunning story about grief, second chance love and found families. Iris behaves the way she does because she is grieving her mom and will do anything to expand the time spent with part of her mom's past, even if she knows it is going to blow up in her face. Gio and his whole family are working through their own grief and struggles while trying to blend the future of a family with honoring the past. The romance serves as the perfect foil for Iris' healing and Gio maturing out of his set role in the family. The supporting cast, while tropey, help push the plot along even when the chemistry between Iris and GIO feels lacking. I think the story could have lived without SPOILER AHEAD! the big showdown with the abusive ex. The fact that she had escaped domestic violence could have been a central tenet of her story without him coming back to wreak havoc. Plus one man enacting violence in order to "save" her from violence gives me the big ick, but YMMV. Granted this would have required the characters talk and mature instead of playing the Grand Gesture Olympics, but we were already up to eyeballs in a Romance of Miscommunication, so why not?

Somehow despite the awful premise and unneeded subplot, I devoured this book in one sitting while shedding a tear for the HEA that results...if that isn't a good book, then I don't know what is!

Thank you to Netgalley, Josie Silver and Random House Publishing Group/Ballentine for the Arc. Opinions are my own.

Premise: after losing her mother and fleeing an abusive relationship, Iris finds herself leaving London and landing in New York City to feel closer to her mother. She befriends the Bobby, who gives her a job at his noodle house, an apartment to crash at and a built in best friend. One day the two pass what appears to be a closed gelati shoppe during what should be a busy day for them and it sticks with Iris. She goes back to her apartment and finds her mothers scrap book and realizes the beloved gelati recipe that her mother has sworn her to secrecy over is the famous gelati of this shoppe. However, upon further investigation, its discovered the recipe is lost after a family member - Santo- has a stroke and can’t remember. Iris decides to try to help the family without giving away the fact that she knows this family recipe.



I thought the idea of the book read great. But there were parts that I got really bored with and had to force myself to keep reading. I liked Gio and his sisters. Iris got better at the end. The ending warned my soul and made me tear up, for that alone I’ll give it 3/5

Amazingly cute, loved the found family cute vibes. Kind of wish Josie Silver stuck to closed door because the sex scene was sped up way too fast almost as if she was uncomfortable to be writing it and wanted it to be over with quickly. Overall an excellent heart warming read.

I love all of Josie Silver’s books, and this is no exception. Iris, Gio and the entire cast of characters were written to perfection. While some may have issues with ‘miscommunication’ in novels, I think every choice Iris made was purposeful. If you love found family, New York, and yummy gelato, you won’t be able to put this down! I can’t wait to reread this winter to experience all the feels again!

Thank you NetGalley for advance copy the opportunity to read this book early.

This book was a quick read about a woman from England and that decides to move to New York based on the stories of her mothers love for the city. Iris soon meets Gio and his loud Italian family. They take her in the fold and give her the family she’s never had. There are coincidental history with this family and her mothers past. These secrets she tries to keep hidden while forming friendships and family. She feels guilty for not sharing this information and is waiting for the other show to drop. There are insights into the past through her mothers thoughts from the time before she was born. Which are very helpful to the backstory. At first I thought these should have been shared through a diary etc to Iris but on second thought I think the author did a great job of going full circle. A very charming story although I feel the end was a bit rushed. I feel like Iris should’ve explained herself and have gotten the reactions from Gio and his family in person. In the end she got her true love and the big family she always wanted. I have a couple of Josie Silver books in my tbr pile which now will be bumped up to the top! A lighthearted read where you feel you could be sitting at the big and loud dinner table engaging with all the family.

Don't you just love when your next read is obvious? No clicking or sorting through your TBR file, you know exactly what's on deck.

Such was the case when I was approved for Josie Silver's next novel, A Winter in New York. While I loved One Day in December, I sobbed the whole way through The Two Lives of Lydia Bird - a sure sign of a successful read.

We meet our heroine, Iris, at the end of summer in New York but really delve into her adventures in the fall and winter, making it a cozy end-of-year read (publication date in October 2023).

There is so much I loved about his book - a look back at New York in the 80's, Iris' love of food, the closeness of the family she gets to know throughout - the Belottis. Iris happens upon their gelateria in Little Italy only to find they are not making their famous vanilla gelato. The head of the family and keeper of the recipe, Santos, has suffered a health scare and can no longer remember the ingredients. But Iris can - because her mother, who died a few years earlier, has it written on a napkin in a scrapbook.

Iris, a trained chef, offers to help the family try to recover the recipe. As she brings them closer to the exact one, she vows not to break her mother's trust. This means secrets and lies, even as she falls in love with Gio, Santo's nephew and the acting owner of the gelateria.

There is room for editing the galley that I read - there are a few too-long touristy scenes of NYC - Katz's Deli, Dyker Heights Christmas decorations, The San Gennaro Festival. Take that with a grain of salt, as this is coming from a seasoned New Yorker. We also have the backstory of why Iris left London - an abusive boyfriend, a story that could have been more flushed out.

We have a few scenes at the end that may be a bit too grandiose for this reader, but they are definitely in line with the feel-good, over-the-moon love between Gio and Iris.

Get your hot cocoa and your blankets ready for when you're in the mood for a sweet read that will have you craving gelato - vanilla forever, of course.

Thank you Netgalley for this preview!

I absolutely love books by Josie Silver, so it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed this book as well. It was the perfect 'Christmas in July' read for me. This cozy, sweet book takes place in New York, with the holidays quickly approaching.

The story revolves around Iris (a woman who risked moving to New York because she wanted to experience the city that meant so much to her late mother) and Gio (a family owner of a local gelatoria). Iris is attending a local festival in Little Italy when she sees a familiar sight - a colorful window, that she later realizes is in a special photo that she's kept from her mother, along with a hand written gelato recipe. This recipe has been a constant in Iris's life - a special treat that she used to share with her single mother, as well as a comfort to her as an adult as she attempts to find her own way in this world. Iris decided to walk through the front door of the gelatoria, where she meets Gio.

This slow burn romance is a wonderful tribute to the magic of New York, to culture and traditions, and most of all the love of family. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this story unfold as the family connections played out. I believe some of my favorite parts were the flash backs to Vivien's (Iris's mother) life. There are little 'nuggets' of her past life that really tug at your heartstrings. I absolutely fell in love with the entire Belotti family, the magic of New York at Christmas, and definitely the thought of vanilla gelato in pink melamine bowls.

I've enjoyed author Josie Silver's books in the past & just couldn't resist her latest, which is a Christmas story, "A Winter in New York"! Really enjoyed this tale of Iris, moving from London to NYC after the death of her beloved mother and leaving an abusive relationship. Once there she finds a gelato shop in Little Italy with a connection to her Mom, and she meets hottie Gio and they quickly go from strangers to lovers. I really loved all the quirky side characters. I also enjoyed not only the Gelateria, but the RECIPES!! I was also a tad frustrated with the secrets Iris kept from Gio. Overall, heartwarming, charming & sweet. My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC, my sincere pleasure to review it.

There was something reminiscent of Adriana Trigiani in novel: Vivien, the British daughter of musician sensation Iris Raven, attends the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy and has just eaten her weight in zeppole when the photo she snaps of Bellotti’s Gelateria sparks a memory for her. Vivien came to New York almost a year ago to escape a bad relationship, find a new job, and connect to her roots. She’s still grieving the death of her wonderful, complex, secretive, perpetually single mother. A chef by trade, Viv scores a job at a noodle joint, renting the apartment above. Once she realizes her mother knew the Belottis, she can’t stop herself from popping by and is quickly pulled into the dynamics of widowed manager Gio and his family/staff. Only two people in the family are allowed to have the famed gelato recipe at one time; one is Gio’s father, in the hospital and recovering from a stroke that has left him unable to recall the perfect proportions of cream, milk sugar and vanilla for the recipe. The other is Gio’s uncle, a peer of Vivien’s, who is still roaming Europe and out of touch.

Miscommunication and dishonesty fuel the plot. Vivien could have confided that Gio’s dad gave the recipe to Iris when he was the love of her love and her touring with his brother’s band tour them apart, but Iris chooses not to disclose it, and in fact spends hours in the kitchen trying to recreate a recipe she actually knows by heart. The other lie is that her abusive ex who haunts her is not dead, but alive and threatening. Because it’s Josie Silver is an amazing writer, Iris’s longing, pain, discomfort, and remorse are tangible and believable, and she builds a complex character who makes less than ideal choices but agonizes over them.

The interpersonal relationships really make this a wonderful novel, from Viv’s befriending of Gio’s teenage daughter, to her friendship with her relationship with Bobby Han, proprietor of Very Tasty Noodle house where she works — her landlord and his partner are charming and quirky addition to the story, and a foil for Iris to relay plot points and unpack her emotional baggage with. I loved that the story focuses on romance later in life–Gio is mature, steady, and careful, but sweet kisses and a dirty mouth, and he and Viv sneak around like teenagers in love.

There are some flashbacks in the narrative, to previous meetings of Viv and Gio (who, spoiler alert, like each other) and to Iris’s life and career trajectory and Viv’s childhood. The Brooklyn location, passing of the season, close knit family ties, and restaurant backdrop serve to set the story firmly in a rich, tasty ethnic family box, hence the sense of familiarity with Adriana Trigiani. I really love the cartooned cover art, with it’s New York City skyline in snow-globe in the same arc as the gelato cones the characters are holding.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #AWinterInNewYork from #NetGalley.

This book goes between past and present with main character and her mother I don't enjoy reading tis style of book. DNF

********************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley*********************************************

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Josie is one of my very very favorite authors, I was excited to read her new book! What a great holiday love story with so much emotion.

After losing her mom and leaving an emotionally abusive relationship, Iris ends up in NYC with her suitcase and her gelato maker. Iris’s story is one of found friendship, new romance later in life, honoring her mother’s memory, and learning how to trust again.

A Heartwarming Journey Through Love and Gelato

“A Winter in New York” by Josie Silver takes readers on a delightful and heartwarming journey filled with love, secrets, and a delectable family recipe. Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, this novel captures the essence of the Big Apple while exploring themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the power of connection.

Iris, the protagonist, embarks on a fresh start in New York, only to realize that the city is far more immense and awe-inspiring than she had imagined. Guided by her best friend Bobby, she stumbles upon a hidden family gelateria that triggers a cascade of events that will change her life forever.

Silvers skillfully weaves together Iris’s quest to unlock the secret behind her mother’s connection to the gelateria with her own journey of self-discovery. As she befriends Gio and his family, and offers her culinary expertise to recreate the cherished gelato recipe, Iris finds herself falling in love with both the flavors and the people associated with the shop.

The author’s vivid descriptions bring the gelateria to life, making readers feel like they are walking alongside Iris through the bustling streets of Little Italy. The mouthwatering descriptions of gelato flavors tantalize the senses, adding an extra layer of charm to the story.

The characters in “A Winter in New York” are well-developed and relatable, drawing readers into their lives and emotions. The budding romance between Iris and Gio is portrayed with tenderness and warmth, capturing the excitement and vulnerability of new love. The supporting cast adds depth to the narrative, with Bobby’s unwavering support and Gio’s family dynamics providing a compelling backdrop for the story.

While the novel excels in creating a captivating atmosphere and heartwarming relationships, there are moments when the pacing feels a bit slow. Some readers may also find themselves wishing for further exploration of certain plot elements or character arcs. However, these minor flaws do not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the story.

“A Winter in New York” is a charming and uplifting read that combines the magic of New York City with the enchantment of a family recipe. Josie Silver has crafted a tale that will warm your heart and leave you craving a scoop of gelato. With its blend of romance, discovery, and mouthwatering descriptions, this novel is a delightful treat for fans of contemporary fiction and culinary delights.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Accidental meet cute turned bad at a book store between Iris and a man who goes for the same book. They trade barbs and she mentions her husband died (which is a lie).

Iris has moved her life to New York after leaving her ex and losing her mother to cancer. New York is where her mom had some incredible moments and Iris believes it’s a good spot to start over. She stumbles across a gelato store, and meets the owner, Gio. Come to find out, he’s not selling gelato now because they’ve lost the family secret recipe… which Iris happens to have, as her mother made her many bowls of this gelato. He’s also the handsome man she met at the bookstore so he thinks her husband died, and he’s lost his wife. As Iris gets in deeper with the family, she frets about what to do, while falling in love with Gio.

Josie Silver writes easy to read romances, though this one includes one of my least favorite tropes… communication. This woman is mid thirties. The man is late thirties. Communicate!!!!

This one was okay. It did feel a little repetitive in parts, and at one point I was like JUST TELL HIM! Her friends Bobby and Robin were so fun, and the Belotti family sounds like a blast. Of course it does still have a happy ending!

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

Silver writes such cute, heartfelt romances! Great dialogue, and loved all the family dynamics - the love between a daughter and her mom who died, a big extended Italian family, first loves from the past. It was adorable and perfect Christmas romance - like an elevated Hallmark movie. The ending felt a little too well scripted and would’ve liked some more real anger based on how many big secrets the main character kept. But I would recommend it to others