I really enjoyed the concept of A Winter Wish - I enjoy books that center on travel, and enemies-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes. Emily Stone also did a great job of navigating the concept of grief, and especially the complications of grieving an estranged parent. I really liked that this romance had more depth to it and centered on more than just the budding relationship between Lexie and Theo.

Unfortunately, I found Lexie to be really unlikeable and that ultimately brought down the rest of my reading experience. Her immaturity grated on my nerves, and while she did eventually grow in this area, it was very sudden and didn't feel authentic. I also found the pacing in general to be similarly choppy - I liked that novel was able to progress through the year at a good speed, but the timing between events felt very disjointed - it felt like the reader was missing big chunks of time in between chapters and that made the story a bit harder to connect to as well.

I think A Winter's Wish has the bones of a really great holiday read, but I think it could use more time in the editing process before publication. It still feels a bit rough around the edges to me. Thank you very much to NetGalley and to Random House for allowing me preview this book! It is always an honor!

Lexie doesn’t stay in the same country or city for long. But when her estranged father passes away and names her co-owner of the travel agency that she never knew he owned, she’s forced back into a city that she’s worked for years to leave behind her. (Based throughout the UK and Europe.)

Lexie and Theo (a 5 year tenured employee that her dad took under his wing) are flung into running the company together, and are met with multiple contingencies around how and when they can sell the business. This is a very light enemies to lovers, so I don’t want to list that as a trope, as they move past enemies fairly quick.

TW: cancer, estranged families, off page death.
Grief is a big theme throughout this story, but it didn’t feel as heavy to me like in The Dead Romantics.

While a holiday themed cover, I wouldn’t say this is strictly a holiday themed book as it spans an entire year. (Aka: It can be read year round!)

I still don't know if you can purchase an airline ticket that doesn't have a departure date, but oh, well.

It's good- I enjoyed the banter between Lexie and Theo. A lot of their interactions were cute or funny or both. I was a little confused with Lexie's seemingly sudden fear of commitment - the abandonment issues I cottoned onto right away, the fear of commitment, not so much - but the more I thought about her character, the more I understood her fear of commitment. Why should she commit to things when they were going to leave her? Commitment then isn't that important to Lexie when it comes to being left again.

Theo didn't have too much of a character, unfortunately. He read a little flat and there wasn't much growth at all when it came to him and his backstory. I wish we had seen him grow with Lexie. We already (for some reason) got one random chapter in his point of view, so Stone could have added a few more chapters here and there to really flesh him out.

For a Christmassy romcom, it didn't feel like there was much of a Christmas element. Every once in a while a Christmas trip would be mentioned or traveled, but the most "Christmassy" part of the book was Lexie's constant mention of her wish jar.

I felt like there were some things that should have been expanded on, though I did like other elements of the book.

thank you Netgalley for the arc

I requested to read and review this book for free from Dell an Imprint of Random House Publishing Company. This story has many twists and turns and you'll want to keep reading until the end. Can an action prove to something that they are sorry and not forgot about someone. Lexie loves to travel and finds it hard to stay in spot. Can she commit when she needs to? Does her possible fear of commitment coming from something that happened to her or another reason? Theo has always been looking to fit in with a job and friends? He thinks he has found it but when that is threatened to be taken away, what will he do? Grief and loss are powerful emotions do they make us want to be better or no? Can someone you haven't seen in a long time or you haven't know very long know you better then yourself? This is for a mature reader and can be read anywhere!

Lexie is a "live out of your suitcase" kind of woman. She loves to travel, and she never stays in one place for long. This all changes when her father, from whom she is estranged, dies and she goes back to England for his funeral. Much to her surprise, and her horror, her father has left her his travel agency. To make matters worse, she has to share ownership of the travel agency with her father's young "right hand man" Theo. In his will, Lexie's father has stipulated that the agency cannot be sold unless it makes a profit in one year of Lexie and Theo running it. Both Lexie and Theo are resentful of this and drama ensues.

There were at least three instances when I was close to "DNFing" this book. Lexie and Theo were both extremely stubborn and neither was willing to listen to the other's point of view. Lexie had a lot of issues concerning her father's abandonment, and rightfully so, but the way she dealt with it was just immature and irritating. She seemed to solve everything by either not dealing with it at all, or just running away. Nevertheless, this is a romance, so Lexie does indeed "figure it out" and all is well in the end.

The parts of the book I did enjoy were the descriptions of the research trips that Lexie and Theo took for the travel agency.

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an e-copy of this book.

“I want to be sure you want it, just as much as I do."
•

Lexie is just minding her own business nannying for a rich family in Austria when she learns of her estranged father’s passing. she’s then told he left her half of his travel business. unfortunately, she can’t just sell it off like she hoped. instead, she must work with Theo — her dad’s grumpy colleague that seems to hate her — for a year before they can even consider other options.

as unhappy as she is about this situation, she finds herself being immersed in the company, traveling around Europe, and learning more about her father than she expected. Theo is by her side along the way, usually begrudgingly, and both of them begin to realize they have more in common than they thought.

as she takes on this temporary normal, perhaps she’ll find some magic in the unexpected and get the closure she didn’t know she needed.

A Winter Wish is a holiday novel filled with heartache, bravery, and adventure.
•

this and that:
♡ christmas
♡ closure
♡ found family
♡ getting caught in the rain
♡ loathe-to-love
♡ reconciliation
♡ she’s a runner
♡ traveling
♡ wanderlust
♡ will-they-won’t-they
♡ wishes
♡ workplace romance
•

triggers:
☞ characters with anti-LGBTQ beliefs
☞ death of a parent
☞ infidelity
☞ parental abandonment

If you are looking for a sweet holiday romance this is not the one, this one has so much more.
Enemies to lovers ✔️
Emotional baggage ✔️
Family drama ✔️

I went into this expecting a hallmark type Christmas book. I did not realize I would have tears in my eyes as much as I did. I really enjoyed the book though. The characters were really likeable and it was hard not to put yourself in their shoes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for a honest review.

I loved the traveling aspect of this book. I thought this was going to be a fun lighthearted Christmas book. It covered some heavier aspects and was still well done. I will definitely read more from this author.

I enjoyed this book like I have her others.
I thought the fight causing Lexie to leave was silly but really liked the letter from her dad.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC of this book. This is a sweet love story that highlights family bonds (including found family), forgiveness, and moving on. After a complicated loss, the FMC’s life takes an unexpected turn that makes her question what really matters.

The author does a great job building the story and adding enough detail to keep things interesting. The MMC and romance fell a little flat - although there’s a solid foundation there, both seemed underdeveloped, especially for the second half of the book. Overall, this is a cute and easy read that gives enough sentiment to bring a smile to your face without trying your brain or heart into knots.

A sweet holiday romance, perfect to get you in the holiday spirit!

Publishers Synopsis:
When Lexie learns of her father’s death, she doesn’t know how to feel; they’ve barely spoken in the last ten years. And she’s even more confused when she discovers he’s left her half of his holiday travel company, a successful niche business specializing in trips that explore the holiday traditions of cultures all over the world.

Meanwhile, the other half of the company has been left to her father’s handsome but bad-tempered young executive, Theo. And the will stipulates that the two of them must find a way to run the company together for a year before they decide its fate.

My review:
A Winter Wish is a fantastic romance with true heart and emotions. The conflict and vulnerability that Lexie feels after the death of her father gives her character great depth and a fantastic arc. The contrast between her and Theo's experiences - and the impact of those differences - makes for an excellent plot. And the chemistry between her and Theo is palpable. Easily ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!

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

I love Emily stones Christmas novels. A great mix of grief along with romance. This one had a great story of grief of someone who already seemingly exited your life. The beginning was a bit slow for me but the way the story ended was lovely with her coming to terms and loving her father through her grief.

I thought I would have trouble getting into a holiday book while it is steaming hot outside, but this story was sweet. It wasn’t only a romance but dealt with grief and dealt with it well.

Thanks for the review copy. The cover is pretty. I love a good enemies to lovers novel, even better with a holiday like Christmas.

Unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me. I very much dislike the “miscommunication” trope. This book also seemed to drag on and on with the same thing (miscommunication) happening between the two characters. I’m sorry there’s a target audience out there for this one, but it’s just not me.

There are two emotional stories being told in this latest story by Emily Stone. One is the relationship the FMC has with her father and the one with the grouchy co-worker of her father. Theo and Lexie have been left a business started by her father to co-manage with stipulations on what happens after certain time periods.
I found this premise a little weak in terms of the reason that they were meant to be thrown together.
I found the father's attempts at making up for his mistakes a little bit too late.
So much "miscommunication" throughout (I seriously detest that trope) and I didn't really connect with the business as a whole (to understand the point of it).

The book bogs down in the middle and I found myself skimming over in places to get "on with it". The connection between the main character felt forced.
Overall, just didn't find this book all that satisfying.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for an eARC. Lexie’s father just passed away and left her half of his travel business. He left her mother and her when she was a child and hasn’t spoken to him in years. Thrown into running a business with frustrating Theo has her questioning many things in her life. Does she want to continue her life of moving every 6 months or give running her father’s business a try. She starts to see there is more to Theo than she initially thought. There are cute comments with the romance and her traveling to different places for different holidays. Also there were hard moments with Lexie ignoring her trauma from her dad leaving. She was an unlikeable character many times and I was close to giving up on the story. Still feel more should have been spent on her appropriately dealing with her trauma since it’s such a big part of the book. Does have a cute ending but not a book I would read again.

Lovely story about Lexie and Theo who navigate work and life and all of their challenges. Strong character development. Happiness achieved for readers looking for a fresh story during the winter season.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Having taken her first big trip at 3 years old, Lexie finds comfort in traveling and never staying in one place for too long. Until one day, she gets a call that changes everything. Her dad, who she’s barely spoken with as of late, has died and left her half of his holiday travel company.

Now Lexie is stuck for at least a year with Theo, her father’s handsome but ill-tempered executive who got left the other half of the company. As they spend the year determining what will become of the company, something else begins to bloom outside of a business partnership.

Could this be different? Could she actually stay in one place and feel comfortable? Maybe all she needs is a wish.

Loved this one. It’s not the same premise at all but I kept thinking about the movie The Leap Year while I was reading this one. This is definitely a VERY cute holiday read.

This is the kind of “romance” story I really like- where there are several other dramas going on whether it’s family stuff, career stuff or a mix of it all. Lexie is a very likable character and a good representation of women her age who are at a crossroads in their lives. An interesting inheritance makes this a fun and easy read.