Really loved this holiday romance read!

It was a really cute, kind of second chance romance with a runaway bride and hometown vibes!
Meg is afraid to go home since she has not been back since the failed wedding and Christian has some daddy issues. They come up with a pact to fake date for the holidays and support one another.

Christian was SO good at being a pretend boyfriend even before the feelings, what a natural. Meg grey throughout the book at a great pace.

My favorite part was after the car scene and how fast it flipped around. Obviously the cabin was also amazing. Would have loved more smut, however, this was so cute and gave holiday so well I will let it slide!

Need to read Holiday Romance now!

I have to say this is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. I felt it was slow the first couple chapters but after that I couldn’t wait to pick it up again. The ending was predictable but it’s a romance novel so what do you expect. Wonderful book.

This book was cute. It was super easy to read and get through, and I really enjoyed it.

However, I was wishing the entire time for more of the 'snowed in' aspect of the plot. It felt like it took awhile to get to it, and once we did, it was come and gone so quickly.

But the world building and character development was well done. I even might pick up another book by the author I enjoyed the writing style a lot.

Megan and Christian are old acquaintances from the same small town. When they run into each other in Dublin, they make a pack to be a pretend couple to support each other over the holidays when they return home. Christian is tired of being the single guy in his family and Megan is tired of her reputation as the runaway bride. But when sparks fly, their pretend relationship will become real.

This is the second holiday rom com by Catherine Walsh that I've read, and I find her books to be a good balance of character driven and have propulsive plots. I get invested in her characters and I don't find them annoying (like I do in some other holiday themed books.) I would highly recommend her books as a nice read for the winter months.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

I loved this book! This wasn't my first book by Catherine Walsh and she has very quickly cemented herself a an auto buy author for me. Her books are always so good and this one was no exception!
This book was so cosy and so Christmassy ! if it isn't on your TBR yet it needs to be. The fake dating trope worked so well and was written brilliantly. I also really enjoyed the different friends and family members in the book that helped to develop the story. There were plenty of events in the story that kept it moving well without it feeling overwhelming.

I loved Megan's character traits, Particularly her love of knitting, and she knits in the car! Which lots of knitters know is one of the best places to knit!

This book linked to one of Catherine's previous books and the guest appearance from molly and Andrew was lovely- but don't worry you dint have to have read holiday romance to enjoy this book.

The ending was just beautiful and the perfect way to tie everythign together. It felt like a big warm Christmassy hug.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

• holiday rom-com
• fake dating
• the 👏 growth 👏

This book is funny and festive with a little spice for good measure. And such likable characters! I really enjoyed all of the holiday vibes! 🎄🎁❤️ Psst it's available on KU.

🗣️ Thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

I liked this! It had just the right amount of fake relationship/will-they, won't-they, holiday schmoop, and Christmas magic that I adore this time of year. Cozy & adorable! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this book - I'll definitely revisit it again each holiday season.

The banter in this book is so fun and realistic and as soon as I started reading the exchange between Christian and and Zoe in the bar I was hooked. Fake dating is probably my favorite trope in romances. This had that as well as a little forced proximity. Family drama and a runaway bride all add to the story and make it a fun holiday read. I had not read Holiday Romance before picking this book up and I don't think it was necessary. You didn't feel like you were missing anything. But because of how much I loved Snowed In Holiday Romance has been added to my TBR.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Megan is known in her home town as the "runaway bride" having ditched her childhood sweetheart at the altar to find her feet (and herself!) in Dublin. She is planning to go home again, after 5 years, for Christmas, but is dreading the talk and ire of the townsfolk. When she bumps into Christian, a former classmate, in a bar they hatch a crazy plan - to pretend to be in a relationship to get the gossips and their families off their backs.

This was a fun, cosy seasonal romance. Full of self deprecating humour, Irish charm and romance trapped in a secluded cabin. Told from the POV of both Megan and Christian in seamless switches (no rehashing the same even from a different viewpoint), the book also explores familial relationships, the traps of small towns and teenage romances , and the darker side of why Megan left her ex.

I really enjoyed this. It's a book very much about being true to one's self, and at the same time a fun, escapist, rom-com style seasonal romance. We have the guys squabbling over a girl, we have the posh family v the wholesome down-to-earth one, we have the "omg she's gorgeous" reveal, we have the slowburn romance. Everything was just spot on romcom perfect.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of Snowed In by Catherine Walsh. I absolutely absolutely loved this book. I binged it in one day. I literally could not put it down. This was my favorite Christmas book that I read this year.

Humor, heart, and a dash of heat on the holidays: “Snowed In” captures the magic of fresh new love with a familiar old face.
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“Snowed In” starts off running. Literally.

Megan O’Sullivan is a bride who has realized marrying her childhood sweetheart turned controlling jerkheart is a very bad idea – so before the “I Do,” Megan says “I Nope” and flees. On the way she sees the handsome bad boy next door, Christian Fitzgerald. Instead of persuading her to not commit social homicide in their small town, he points her in the direction of freedom.

Five years later Christian and Megan are living in Dublin when they meet again in a pub. Megan is now the village pariah and hasn’t been home for the holidays since the not-wedding. Christian has fought hard to overcome his rebel reputation. But both Christian and Megan understand small towns with big opinions. The two form an unlikely alliance to get through the awkwardness of a holiday at home, but quickly find their partnership is deeper than just pals from the past.

Fake dating is probably most believable as a trope during the holidays, with all that pressure to prove to even loving, well-meaning family that you are doing fine out there. Even if you’re single, tried, frustrated and yeah, a bit lonely but we don’t need to tell them that, right?

The sticky stuff in Fake Dating is the deception and cringey moment when everyone has to fess up for lying to their loved ones during The Most Wonderful Time of the Year™. In “Snowed In,” the awkward part is successfully subverted.

Despite Christian and Megan thinking they are oh-so-clever, their families largely just don’t believe they’re a real couple from the start. And it plays to great humor watching them realize they’re really in love slower than everybody else.

Walsh writes with such warmth and affection for her characters. The exploration of family dynamics, old friendships, misunderstandings, small-town gossip, and the dousing of old flames adds depth to the storyline, making it not just a romp but a heartwarming tale of self-discovery and second chances.

[Series Note] My favorite holiday romance read of 2022 was Catherine Walsh’s on-the-nose titled “Holiday Romance.” The story of Andrew and Molly, Irish ex-pats living in Chicago and trying to Plains, Trains, and Automobiles their way back to Ireland, was so funny and lovely that I practically shoved it into the hands of nearly everyone who asked for a holiday novel recommendation.

"Snowed In" is the next book after “Holiday Romance” and is the love story of Andrew’s brother Christian. However, “Snowed In” can be easily read as a standalone or, for mood readers, out of order with the first book. Yes, you will see Andrew and Molly moving forward in their Happily Ever After, but their origin story is not included and therefore not spoiled for readers.
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Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication Nov 1, 2023.

I loved this Christmas read. It was so cute and the plot kept my thoroughly engrossed. I liked that the book mentioned mental health and growth from high school into adulthood.

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

I love that I could see into her mindset and read exactly what she was feeling when she thought out situations. Her thoughts flowed well and moved the book along very quickly. Cassandra's narrative voice is wonderful. She is serious at times, but also very witty, which makes for an engaging read.

This was a super sweet Christmas read. It has all the elements I love, the golden boy who isn’t perfect for her, the other boy who brings the spice.

The writing was really easy to get on with and flowed so well. This was my first experience of the author but certainly won’t be my last!

This was an easy 5 star for me. I got that feeling that as soon as I picked it up I knew it was going to be good. The story flowed really well, I loved the book being set in Ireland. I loved the two families, Megan’s and Christian’s, I definitely had Weasley vibes for Christian’s family so many of them staying under one roof. This book was everything you need to get into or to enjoy the Christmas spirit, it was lovable and funny but also such a feel good book.

I adoooore this author and she’s definitely auto buy for me now! I will read anything she writes.

This was such a sweet holiday romcom with two totally relatable characters, fake dating scheming, swoony scenes and constant laughter. I did feel like the meat of the story took a bit to get to which made it harder to get really into the story right off the bat.

Megan is a runaway bride who has avoided going home to her Irish village since her wedding.
She bumps into Christian, is also going home. They strike up a deal to be each other's plus one to get through the holidays.

All the scenarios you'd expect with a fake relationship at Christmas are here.
With the addition of all those villagers who remember when Megan ditched her childhood sweetheart.
There's also plenty of spice for those who find Christmas books too sweet.

I didn't realize until the end of the book that I had read Holiday Romance last year which featured Christian's brother.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this.

Super cute Christmas book!

If you love a good fake dating you will definitely enjoy this! Megan runs into Christian literally and they go as far back as highschool! They both dont want to go home for the holidays so Christian comes up with a brilliant plan....or is it?

Grab this one! Thanks netgalley!

This is a fun holiday rom-com set in Ireland about two childhood friends who reconnect and decide to fake date in order to get through the holidays with their families.

Ahh this was really cute! The main characters were flirty and full of witty banter and the side characters made this book even more enjoyable!

Read if you like:
🎄Fake Dating
🎄Forced Proximity
🌲Runaway Bride
🎄Family drama

Holiday Romance by Walsh was my favorite holiday read last year and I didn’t realize that this has some of the same characters! If you you looking for a fun romance definitely pick this one up!

Thanks @netgalley and @bookouture for this #gifted copy

This book is so good. If you want all the feelings of returning back home for Christmas, grab this one! The fact that Megan hasn’t been home since running away from her own wedding, just adds to all the drama that unfolds during the holiday. This is the second in a series; however, you don’t need to read the first book to enjoy this one.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.