This is my fourth winter now that I’ve spent reading a Christmas novel by Emily Stone - and her stories touch a part of my heart and stay there every year.

When Lexie unexpectedly inherits half a business from her recently deceased, estranged father, she wants nothing to do with it. She wants to cut her losses and continue with her life. But as she is bound by the will her father left, she is half owner of the business for a year and must work with Theo to keep the company profitable if they ever hope to be able to sell come one years time. What unfolds is a beautiful story of grief - and how grief isn’t just for those who have died, but sometimes for the living too.

Emily Stone has always been able to capture the human condition and write it so beautifully and eloquently. I have never read a more endearing story that unpacks grief - and there were so many times where my heart would just break for Lexie while simultaneously feeling healed by the way the story was unfolding. This is a beautiful tale, and watching Lexie and Theo’s slow burn unfold while they both muddle through their relationship with her father, his death, and each other was incredible.

I will just say if you’re looking for a story that will fill your heart and you’re okay with crying, pick up this one next.

Thank you, Dell and NetGalley, for my eARC of A Winter Wish by Emily Stone.

I am a huge fan of Emily Stone, so when I saw she had a new Christmas story coming out, I was super excited and clicked that request button immediately. While I liked this story, I didn't like it as much as her previous novels.

I typically love the enemies-to-lovers trope, but I think this one was just missing *something*. I didn't feel like there was a connection between the two MCs, Lexie and Theo, so the romance element felt a bit forced.

Her writing didn't feel like it normally does. There was more out-of-place cursing than usual, and while I don't care about cursing in my books, in a rom-com Christmas book, some of it just felt jilting.

There was also a lot of family trauma surrounding her dad and it seemed to get muddled with the romance being a big component as well. I'm not sure both needed to be as big a part of the story as they were.

Besides all of that, I did find parts of this book interesting. I loved the premise of the travel business and experiencing different holiday traditions for different cultures. There were also well-written characters, like Rachel, for example.

I'll be on the lookout for Stone's next holiday book.

I enjoyed this lovely, holiday season story- I especially resonated with the theme around the scripts we live. About how we cling to the stories we tell ourselves about the past as opposed to accepting the truth that where family is concerned, the truth is rarely black and white.

Romance isn’t even in my top three of favored literary genres because they so often lack the depth that I look for in a good story. This, though, had a sort of depth that both surprised and moved me.

I’m giving it 3.5 stars because there were some glaring plot holes that I couldn’t ignore, and I felt like the rhythm faltered somewhat in the middle, but overall, I’d recommend this to anyone who loves stories about family, loss, and unconditional love.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for the advanced copy of this to read! Emily’s books are perfect for a large glass of tea on a winters day. Expect some of the same winter tropes you would in seasonal tales, but Emily has a way of weaving them together in a wonderful way that makes them feel fresh and enjoyable.

I enjoyed this book but there should be a warning for those who have recently lost a parent or loved one. A Winter Wish is not really a "Christmas" romance but more of a "it starts and ends at Christmas time - one year apart". I liked the the storyline but her dealing with the death of her estranged father throughout the entire book definitely takes the rom-com aspect out. It was a good book with lots of great interactions between all the characters, but don't expect a meet cute or a lot of funny situations.

Anything Emily Stone writes, I will read! Get some tissues and get comfortable! This novel brought so much more depth than I expected from a holiday read.

Lexie leads a nomadic lifestyle but finds out her estranged father has passed away, leaving her his travel business.

Before leaving his family for his mistress, Lexie’s family traveled quite a lot. It became a Christmas tradition to travel the world. The abandonment she felt left her feeling angry and confused. Not only did he leave her his travel business, but he also stipulated that she run the business with a co-owner, Theo. Despite some push back on Lexie’s part, she and Theo grow closer together through a lot of deep conversation and travel.

Definitely add this one to your list! Also, if you haven’t read Always, In December by Emily Stone you should also add that to your TBR this holiday season! Thank you to Dell Romance and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

I love Emily Stone's writing, but this one just did not do it for me. I LOVED the travel company idea - how unique? - but I did not feel the chemistry throughout the story.

I enjoyed this book! I loved that the main female character loved to travel and see the world, and how it stems from the abscence she felt when her father left. However, I think the style of the book wasn't for me, although I did enjoy it.

Emily Stone books just hit different. This would be my third one and the emotion in the writing is great! This one definitely was not my favorite because I couldn't get behind the plot, but it's full of great characters and settings.

Oh what a beautifully heartwarming story!
Lexie is always on the move. Taking odds and ends jobs just so she can travel and experience the world. Having had an estranged relationship with her father, she is surprised to hear she has inherited half her father’s company upon his death. The other half goes to his colleague Theo. Lexie was not involved with her father for several years and knows nothing about his company. Therefore, she wants to sell it. The contract has other stipulations. For the next year Lexie and Theo must work together in order to grow a profit. If they do so, Lexie will have full leverage to do as she likes. She must also learn to work with Theo an attractive man who she absolutely despises.
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I have read a loved all of Emily Stones books and every time I say “this on is my favorite.” Today this is absolutely true. I adored the story of found family and experience new things through the lens of another. Lexie and Theo were the perfect “enemies to lovers” This story came with all the tears and heartwarming moments you have come to expect from Stones writing. I absolutely loved this one.
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Thank you Netgalley and Dell books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Stone writes the best emotional and heartwarming Christmas reads!

Lexie is a ski instructor/nanny who travels and does various jobs throughout her adulthood. She gets a call right before Christmas that her dad has passed away. She hasn't been close with her father since she was 7 years old, when he left to start a new family. After his death, she finds out that he has left half of his travel business to her, and to Theo, a man who worked for him in the travel business for the past 5 years. Lexie is allowed to sell the business, after 1 year of working with Theo, but they must work together to run it.

Lexie doesn't like Theo and Theo doesn't like Lexie. Theo was close to Lexie's dad and didn't understand why Lexie wasn't close with her dad. Working together will be a challenge for both of them.

Will Lexie continue to own her father's business or will Theo drive her over the edge?

I'll read anything Emily Stone writes. These books aren't necessarily "Christmas" books, but books that tend to start and end at Christmas time. She talks about how people handle grief differently and we always see characters grow and develop through the year. I can't wait for her next one!

Thanks to Netgalley and the Dell for the advanced copy!

Ok let me honest I hated this. WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE DROPS DEAD. Thats actually fucking crazy and an awful way of making the main character realize she can be independent. BOO!

I really enjoyed Lexie and Theo’s story. Both are grieving the same person but for different reasons. This causes them to be instant enemies at the start.

They go VERY quickly from enemies to realizing the other isn’t so bad. It’s a little rushed but then they go back and forth between being friends or more. Usually I would find this annoying but it actually worked really well here.

This was a great book to start off my holiday reading.

This book was so cute but lacked something I needed! I love an unexpected inheritance plot, but instant love isn’t usually something I like, and some more time for tension to build would have moved this up a star rating for me. It’s a cute holiday read, but as a romance novel it didnt hit some marks for me!

Lexie has been mostly estranged from her father since he left her and her mother and started a second family. His death leaves her saddened--mainly because she knows they will never reconcile. She is shocked to learn he has left her 50% of the travel agency she didn't know he owned. But there are conditions. Grudgingly she agrees to try to run it with Theo, owner of the other 50%. Predictably, the two don't get along, but sparks fly nonetheless.

Lexie and Theo breathe life into this old trope, and Lexie's voyage of self-discovery follows her more literal trips. As she comes to term with her father's desertion, she finally builds the foundation for a relationship with her half-sister. #AWinterWish #NetGalley

An emotional holiday story with a side of closed door romance. She inherits half of her dad's travel company and the enemies to lovers is strong with the owner of the other half of the company. These two go on a JOURNEY. Emily can't write a book without including emotional heartbreak and tissues needed on multiple occasions. She is on the tip of being a romance book and honestly I would love to see a women's fiction story from her.

Thank you netgalley for this ARC!

A fun Christmas enemies to lovers romance about a young girl who inherits her estranged father’s business and has to work together with his young executive. Could have used a look more romance for my liking but over all a cute story.

3.5 - 4

Emily Stone always knows how to tug at the heartstrings.

The book starts with Lexie going to her father's funeral and avoiding her half sister, Rachel. This piece of the story I really loved - families are so incredibly complicated and Lexie's is no different. This is a father she barely knew and surprise, he left her half his travel agent business. WITH, some interesting restrictions.

Turns out he left the other half to Theo, who had been working there this entire time and is not that thrilled the absent daughter is suddenly in the picture. Can they turn a profit? Can they even be in the same room?

The travel aspect to this story was really interesting as well. The business is finding unique holiday experiences for travel so Lexie and Theo get to go on some pretty incredible trips as well.

Lexie, living a nomadic lifestyle doing short term jobs, is enjoying her nannying job in the Alps when her mom calls to tell her that her dad died. She has had a complicated relationship with her dad since he left her and her mom for another woman and created a whole new family. After the funeral, the solicitor told her that her dad left her half of his company, a travel company and she has to run it with Theo, a guy who already doesn't like Lexie based off the glares and cold stares he gives her. The will stipulates that if the company doesnt turn a profit, they cant tell it for five years forcing the two to work together long term and forcing Lexie to settle down in one spot.

This was a good read. While the main characters can be irksome at times, the author does a great job in understanding the grieving process.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

It wouldn’t be Christmas if I didn’t have an Emily Stone book to read. She has mastered the art of capturing the true Holiday spirit and the importance of love and family. The latest story centers around Theo and Lexie who are forced together after an inheritance forces them to run her late father’s company as co-owners. The combination of her unresolved feelings toward her father and Theo’s surly demeanor leave Lexie feeling angry, defensive and guarded. There are stipulations to the will that Theo and Lexie must abide by. They find themselves at odds until a work trip sparks an undeniable chemistry between them.

This is another great love story that stirs up so many emotions. The characters are dealing with so much in their lives as well as past regrets and unresolved feelings. This uses one of my favorite tropes, enemies to lovers. This may sound crazy but I wish there had been a little more friction between the two. I thought the relationship between Lexie and her father was heartbreaking. Overall a great read, not my favorite by the author but enjoyable nonetheless.

4 ⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.