This book was pretty cute even though it dealt with grief throughout. I liked that Lexie came full circle and didn't exactly forgive her dad, but did understand his side of the story better. Theo was a fabulous character and the one chapter from his POV left me wanting more!

Thanks Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley for providing the ARC!

4.5 ⭐️
such a cute grumpy/sunshine romance. this book was so easy to read and fall in love with the characters. when lexies estranged dad suddenly passes away he leaves her half of his traveling business. with one condition- it has to be run with theo his protege for one year and then they can either keep it together or sell the company. this book takes you through lexies struggles to forgive her dad meanwhile learning the ropes of the business and working with her mortal enemy theo and getting to know him and love him.

While I felt the pacing was a little slow, this was an enjoyable read. Both Theo and Lexie were well developed characters, and I definitely found myself rooting for them. This was the first book that I've read by Emily Stone, and I'm very likely to read more.

This was an emotional, heart-breaking yet heart-warming read, holiday read. This is not a cute & sweet Christmas romcom, the story and the characters go much deeper. We watch the MFC, Lexie, deal with the loss of her estranged father. as she is thrown into being co-owner of his traveling company with Theo, a man she immediately clashes with.

I loved watching Lexie grow in this story. She struggles while she learns details about her father's life, but it also helps her to see him in another light. As she deals with her hurt, grief and regret over her relationship with her father; she is also making decisions about what her future is going to look like. This future may or may not include a very hard working, dedicated to the travel company and doing right by Richard (Lexie's dad) and not to mention incredibly good-looking, Theo.

This is definitely a holiday must read but just expect Emily Stone to pull all your heart strings. This is the second of her books I've read, and I have enjoyed her writing style in each of them. Thank you, Net Galley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the ARC in return for my honest review!

If you have ever been bitten by the travel bug or love planning trips than I definitely think you should add A Winter Wish to your tbr. Be forewarned, based off the cover I thought there would be more Christmas vibes than there actually was in the book. There are a few scenes that take place around Christmas time but overall the majority of the book centers around the travel company and coming to grips with Lexie’s estranged relationship with her now deceased father.

Theo and Lexie definitely got off on the wrong foot, each assuming things about the other before getting to know them or the reasoning for certain actions, but once they got to know each other they found they had a lot in common. There’s a lot of heavy topics throughout this book and they were all handled well and realistically in terms of how one might react or deal with certain things.


Thank you publishers and netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

A Winter Wish is an emotional romance about forgiveness and new opportunities. I recommend this for fans of Emily Henry, specifically 'Beach Read.' This book will make you want to pack your bags and travel and give your parents a big hug.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All opinions are my own.

A sweet Christmas novel. Lexie inherits half her father’s travel company after his death. Lexie does not know why she inherited it as she was estranged from her father for many years. Theo has inherited the other half and they both must run the company for one year and then they can decide what to do with the company. They are certainly enemies to start with but maybe they won’t stay enemies? Read to find out!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Emily Stone is one of my very favorite authors. I adore her books - they are always emotional and tug at my heartstrings. This one dealt with a unique type of grief, and it was very well written. Both MCs had to do some work on themselves before they could commit to each other. I loved the backdrop of the travel agency, and how their workplace responsibilities forced them to get to know each other and communicate more effectively. All the side characters were perfect as well. For me, no book will ever top Always, in December, but I did love A Winter Wish. All the best on the upcoming release.
Thanks so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. It didn't follow a traditional troupe (although work adversaries is close). I loved the sweet moments as these characters evolved and began to better understand their past relationships and learn to truth again. The banter was fun between characters. Although the open door spice is low there is plenty behind doors. This is just a good book and I was thrilled to have come upon it.

The perfect holiday feel good!! Lexie finds out that her father has passed away and left her half of his business. She wasn't aware that he was even sick or that he would be leaving this to her. There's one condition, she must work with Theo, who owns the other half of the company. At first he judges her hardcore and vice versa. Finally they come to an agreement and find a way to work together and maybe even a little more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This did not feel like an Emily Stone novel. I found it so boring that I kept putting it down and gong back to it, hoping it would get better. It did not. Lexie and Theo hated each other for a good part of the book and had zero chemistry. There was absolutely nothing that drew me into the story. I'm not sure why I didn't DNF but I will say that the travel part of the story and the descriptions of the places interested me more than the narrative itself. I could picture them clearly. I wish there had been some depth to any of the characters but that was sadly lacking. Also, the title is a misnomer, only a small part of this takes place during Christmas/winter. Can't recommend.

I really enjoyed this story! Lexie and Theo were well developed though it was definitely Lexie’s story more than Theo’s. I loved all the travel detail and info on festivals and different cultures.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lexie's dad's sudden passing leaves her with some unresolved father issues, a half-sister relationship that needs some attention, and a new business partner in a company she didn't realize existed. A solid 3.75 stars

This HEA is a cute quick read about a woman who is faced with her past that she's become very good at running away from for her adult life. But when Theo expresses his obvious disappointment with her relationships with her dad and sister, Lexie doesn't know if she should run like she always does or prove him wrong. I really enjoyed this read and the MFC's development. I didn't mind that most of the story was focused on her journey and not the love story. It was light on the love and spice but I think that was more true to Lexie's story.

Some TW's including grief, cheating (her father) off book and parental death.

ARC received through NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cozy and delightful read perfect for the holiday season. I loved Lexie and Theo’s love story and the subplot with the travel was really fun and interesting too. Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced readers’ copy of A Winter’s Wish by Emily Stone. This is the first book I read by Emily Stone and was excited when she had a new book coming out, that being said, I was a little disappointed by this book. It took me a long time to get into this book. If I wasn’t reading it for a review, I might have put it down and walked away from it. I just felt like it took a long time to get to where the story was trying to go.

Stone did a wonderful job with her description of things, the holiday trips they were on, the places they saw and the way things looked which I was very impressed with. She did a wonderful job showing the struggle Lexie faced as she pieced together the father she barely knew. I also loved Theo and Lexie’s relationship.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy of “A Winter Wish” by Emily Stone. This enchanting holiday novel centers around Lexie, a free spirit with a deep-rooted love for travel, an affinity she inherited from her father. However, Lexie's constant desire to move from place to place also hints at her struggle with committing to one location. When she learns of her father's passing, she is surprised to discover that he has left her half of his beloved holiday travel company, with the other half going to Theo, a handsome yet stern young executive who worked closely with her father. Despite her initial reservations, Lexie decides to give the business a year before making any decisions about her future. As she navigates the challenges of running the company and working alongside Theo, unexpected twists and emotional hurdles emerge. Will Lexie choose to stay, or will her wanderlust pull her away once again? This heartwarming story is perfect for readers looking to embark on a festive and romantic holiday journey.

A Winter Wish was a story that brought out some deep emotions within me. It was very introspective of self, reflective of the connections around us, and a beautiful, healing journey to learn to say goodbye. My heart grew heavy reading throughout this narrative, but it ended feeing light and free. 3.5✨

I wouldn't say this is an overtly festive holiday novel, but I do think it features a sentiment that I'd argue we all feel throughout the winter season and its holidays: nostalgia.

A very heavy feeling of nostalgia, that brings a bit of blues. A wistful feeling that includes loss, grief, loneliness, and regrets. Lexie faces all these feelings as she loses her estrangered father. It's like grieving him twice over-- first as the man who was once a dad but abandoned her, and second as the the man who was simply her distant father who passed away. It's strange because I can't directly relate to Lexie's loss but I had such a difficult time reading through the heaviness wrought from her loss. It was a very emotional read, and I had to take several steps back at times. I am glad I always returned because by book's end there is also a cathartic sense it brings about, one of reconciliation and healing.

Perhaps, that is the true festive sentiment to be found during the holidays.

This is not always a happy read, but it's a healing read. It's a read letting you know you aren't alone in all those conflicting feelings that arise in consideration of the complexity of family and self. It's a story that allows us to redefine who we are, how we choose to remember our loved us, and how we chose to move forward. If you find comfort in this, this book will definitely be for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for this complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Enjoyed this book a lot ! However it was a little easy to catch on with the end of the book however over all good read

I enjoyed this enemies-to-lovers romance. The initial antagonism that Lexie and Theo feel for each other, largely because of misconceptions and misjudgments about each other, soon morphs into a wary acceptance and then friendship, and the exploration of Lexie's issues because of her father's abandonment, contrasting with Theo's experience of her father's acceptance and encouragement, brings a good tension to the development of their relationship. Lexie's relationship with her half-sister also provides depth to the story as Lexie struggles with the 'different dad' that Rachel experienced as she grew up. Mike makes a good antagonist who points up Theo's better nature, and Ange's character lends some humor to the story, too. The love story doesn't seem to precipitous but has a nice arc, and the happy ending provides a satisfactory conclusion to an engaging story.

Thank you to NetGalley and  Random House  for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Stone’s A Winter Wish is a heartwarming holiday romance that deftly blends the festive spirit with personal growth and emotional healing. When Lexie inherits half of her estranged father's holiday travel company, she finds herself reluctantly paired with Theo, the company's other half and her father’s young, brooding executive. The stipulation in the will forces Lexie and Theo to co-manage the business for a year, a period that promises to challenge their initial antagonism and ignite a deeper connection.

As Lexie grapples with her grief and the unexpected legacy left by her father, she starts to see the value in the travel company’s mission and in Theo himself. Their journey together, marked by travel to various holiday destinations, offers both romantic tension and opportunities for personal introspection. The story's exploration of family dynamics, healing, and self-discovery provides depth beyond the typical holiday romance.

Stone’s novel combines the charm of a holiday setting with a thoughtful narrative about dealing with past regrets and finding unexpected love. The book's blend of festive cheer and meaningful themes creates a cozy yet emotionally resonant read, ideal for fans of character-driven romance and those looking to escape into a world of travel and redemption.