This story was sooo good. I truly fell in love with Lexie and Theo. I loved the fact that we were able see both Lexie and Theo start to open up to each other and have those hard conversations with each other which lead to them better understanding each other. It broke my heart for Lexie when she also had those tough conversations with Rachel and seeing how Richard could have tried harder to be in Lexie’s life. I would have loved for the story to be in dual pov because I would have loved to see when and how Theo started falling for Lexie. There were so many instances where I would have loved to know what was going through Theo’s head. All in all, I truly enjoyed this book and gosh I wish I had besties like Fran and Ange.

This was ok, but I had a hard time connecting with the characters and felt that the plot moved quite slowly.

I was looking forward to this one because I’ve been a big fan of Emily Stone’s previous work. This one went a different direction, and overall was enjoyable, but missed the spark her previous works held. I felt the heartfelt and tragic storyline that is the spine to her books was lacking an emotional punch, which allowed the romance to take a more prominent role. And the romance was incredibly well done, I do wish we’d gotten Theo’s POV throughout!
Overall it was a fun and sweet read, and I can see it being a big hit with my patrons closer to the holidays. Thank you for the opportunity to read this ahead of release.

This one gave me all of the Christmas in July vibes that I needed. What a great opportunity to be able to check this one out before it is released. I enjoyed it and hope that it becomes a holiday hit this year! Thank you for the opportunity.

Put forth as a Christmas / holiday book, this is more a story of second chances, letting go of the past and looking toward the future, finding yourself, and an enemies to friends romance. When Lexie's dad Richard dies leaving her half ownership of his travel company, she struggles to grieve the dad who deserted her when she was young for his new family. Lexie is a free spirit, a commitment phone, and has a wanderlust heart. But to receive any benefit from selling the company for the much needed cash, she must help to run it for one year along with Theo, the man who inherited the other half. Theo despises Lexie whom he thinks didn't care at all about Richard, thinking that she doesn't deserve the company from a man who was like a father to him. However, thrown together, warm feelings grow, things get steamy and each begin to rethink about first impressions. I love how Lexie and Theo both evolved in this story, embracing Richard's mantra of "you can't change the past but you can change the future". As Lexie learns more about the travel agency and Richard's motivation behind it, she begins to rethink about who her dad really was. Truly, this would be a great book to read anytime of the year, it's not just a holiday or winter book although it is about celebrating holidays. Slow in some places, lots of steamy parts, still the characters are delightful and multi-dimentionsal. A good read but a bit predictable too. Many thanks to #netgalley #emilystone #awinterwish #randomhouseballantine for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Emily Stone has quickly become one of my favorite authors in the last few years. I compare her books to Josie Silver and Emily Henry — full of emotion, which are my favorite. If it’s going to make me sad, I’m going to read it. Imagine my surprise when I was approved for her newest book, coming out in October. My very first eARC!

“I can find another job I love. But I won’t find another you.” SWOON

A Winter Wish is a slow burn, workplace, enemies-to-lovers romance, but it’s deeper than that. There’s a journey of self-discovery, struggles with self-worth, and grief. I loved Lexie and Theo — from their brokenness to getting to know one another to falling in love — the holiday destinations (and really the whole of R&L Travel), and the festive setting. This felt different from Stone’s other books. I can’t put my finger on what or why tho. Regardless, I still enjoyed my time stuck in this book.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group — Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley for this eARC.

The only thing better than a romcom is a romcom with substance. A Winter Wish is the first book I have read by Emily Stone. I was immediately drawn to Lexie and felt like I understood her. I felt like I was her friend, and the story was just her talking to me and telling me her feelings.

I don’t want to give a summary of the book because it easy is to find a synopsis. I will say that the writing and storytelling flowed well for me. I wasn’t left wondering at any point about something I thought was not described or explained enough. Lexie’s relationship with her dad was complicated to say the least. Anyone who has ever had a complicated relationship with a parent will definitely be able to feel the mixed emotions Lexie has about her dad. Not only do we get a fun enemies to lovers story, but we watch Lexie work towards finding direction in life. We get to see her heal the relationship with her half sister, and grow to understand her father a little better.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Winter Wish was a good enemies to lovers Christmas time novel. This book did resonate with me more than I thought it would because of the fact that Lexi's father had unexpectedly died of cancer. She hadn't spoken to her father in years as he left her mom and her for another woman and was not as present of a father as he should have been. My own father died of cancer and also passed away without me having seen him in a couple years. My relationship was better with my father but he also left my family for another woman. With all of this going on I could relate to some of the emotions Lexi felt in this novel. There were some parts when I was a little frustrated with Lexi and her inability to see the other side of things especially when it came to her half sister. I was rooting for her and hoping things would turn out well.

This is the third book I have read by Emily Stone and I always enjoy them. In this novel there was a lot of travel and I loved all of the different settings. The business mentioned in this book is a great idea and I wish it was real so I could travel with them. Overall, I enjoyed the different characters and the romance.

Thank you to Dell Books/Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I received a free copy of, A Winter Wish, by Emily Stone, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. When Lexie learns her estranged father has passed away, she does not know what to think or feel. Lexie is surprised she is left half of her dads travel business with the other half going to her dads coworker, Theo. Lexie and Theo have great chemistry, I liked how Lexie grew throughout this book.

Thank you to the author and publisher for this ARC.

I thought with the title, it would be a magical realism book, but I was pleasantly surprised it wasn’t. This was a slow and cozy book, even though the story takes place over a year or so and not necessarily only in the winter. I love books that take me to new places and through the writing I got to explore different places with the characters.

This enemies to lovers, slow burn touches on other topics as well: grief, forgiveness, family dynamics.

I find British writing to often be a breath of fresh air, just a bit slower and calmer than American authors and this book didn’t disappoint!

Emily Stone writes such touching and emotional holiday romances. Her books are perfect for anyone looking for a well written tear jerker that will tug and your heart strings and give you all the feels. Beautifully written and relatable characters.

Mein Leseerlebnis

Das ansprechend gestaltete Buchcover und der interessante Klappentext haben dafür gesorgt, dass ich zu dem romance Buch gegriffen habe. Nach dem Lesen des Liebesromans muss ich aber leider festhalten, dass er nicht so ganz meinen Geschmack getroffen hat.

Ich hatte von Anfang an so meine Probleme mich voll auf die Geschichte einzulassen und mir die Hauptcharaktere als echte Personen vorzustellen. Beim Lesen sind meine Gedanken immer mal wieder abgeschweift und auch emotional war ich leider nicht bei der Sache.

Das änderte sich auch nach gut zehn Kapiteln nicht. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt habe ich beschlossen, die Liebesgeschichte nicht zu beenden. Manchmal passt die Chemie zwischen einem Buch und mir einfach nicht.

Keine Bewertung, da abgebrochen.

Für wen?

Wer Liebesromane mag, in denen das Leben der Heldin komplett auf den Kopf gestellt wird, für den könnte das Buch eine schöne Sache sein.

Achtet beim Checken der Leseprobe vor allem darauf, ob euch die Hauptcharaktere wirklich interessieren und wie lebendig sie auf euch wirken.

I looooove a holiday romance and was so excited to read this, and am really appreciative of the ARC!

This is the first book I have read by Emily Stone, and there are a lot of things that I liked about it - I love an enemies to lovers trope, and the holiday setting was really charming. I think she writes characters very well, and gave them nice depth and they were relatable. That said, the travel agency plot was pretty hard to believe - that doesn't feel very fresh anymore, and the instant hate that Theo had for Lexie.

I want to thank NetGalley and Random House for letting me read this ARC.

Imagine you're starving, and then this book that is a whole MEAL drops into your lap. I ATE IT UP. I mean devoured. It was perfect. Everything I wanted out of a Christmas romance.

Lexie and Theo had such great chemistry. The workplace rivals to lovers was executed so well. Their banter had me cackling and kicking me feet. I'm obsessed with them

The emotional development in this story was also perfect. All of the assumptions they made about each other in the beginning and how similar they ended being. The connection to Richard and how the relationships with him were healed after his death was beautiful.

I've read a couple other christmas romances by this author, but this one is by far my favorite!

🌟🌟🌟🌟 Emily Stone’s A Winter Wish is a heartwarming holiday novel that beautifully blends romance, self-discovery, and the magic of cultural traditions. The story centers on Lexie, who inherits half of her estranged father’s holiday travel company, forcing her to work with Theo, a handsome but bad-tempered executive who owns the other half.
Lexie’s journey is filled with emotional depth as she navigates her complicated feelings about her father and her unexpected inheritance. The company’s mission to explore holiday traditions around the world resonates with her wanderer’s spirit, adding a unique and compelling backdrop to the story.
Theo, initially perceived as difficult and unapproachable, reveals layers of complexity as he and Lexie are forced to collaborate. Their chemistry is undeniable, especially highlighted during a work trip to sizzling Spain, where their snap judgments about each other begin to unravel.
Stone’s writing is engaging and filled with festive charm. The characters are well-developed, and their evolving relationship is both realistic and heartwarming. The blend of business challenges and romantic tension keeps the plot lively and engaging, making it a perfect holiday read.
I found A Winter Wish to be a delightful and heartwarming story, with its festive setting and the slow-burn romance between Lexie and Theo. The cultural exploration of holiday traditions added a special touch, making the narrative rich and immersive.
Overall, A Winter Wish is a perfect read for the holiday season, offering a mix of romance, personal growth, and festive joy. I’d rate this book 4 stars for its engaging plot, well-drawn characters, and the warm, holiday spirit it captures.
Thank you to the NetGalley team for providing me with the ARC to review.

Okay, this was so cute! I am always in the mood for a light read and this one hit the spot! This did have some darker themes to it in terms of death and grief, but I also found those parts extremely relatable. Loved this one and can't wait to recommend to my friends. Thanks, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley, for the ARC!

Emily Stone always knocks if out of the park with a heartfelt Christmas novel. I do love that Christmas is a brief moment with some significant to the MC. It allows us to get more of the characters throughout time, to really develop relationships and whatever drama there might be.

I did love how Lexie handled her issues throughout the year. It was clear that Stone does a great job writing adult characters. While Lexie ran away a lot from her past she knew where her faults were. She knew what worked and what didn’t for her life style and acknowledged at times that she might have to change.

I loved her respect and relationship with her mom and friend. It felt real, not wanting to hurt her mom by asking about her dad. And I loved the different trips we got to go on with Lexie as she worked for her dad’s company.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for the my review.

I adore Emily Stone books because they involve Christmas and complex relationships that usually make me cry. This one felt different from her other books, and honestly I can't figure out if I really enjoyed it. Her writing as always is good, but the overall conflict had me rolling my eyes and not really believing it. Plus the Travel Agency module used in the book here felt very out of date. I did enjoy the wish jar element and the romance though so overall it was a good book!

This is exactly what you expect from a contemporary romance. This has a travel theme and is also loosely holiday themed.

An untethered young woman is brought back home (to Bath) in order to attend her estranged father's funeral and he leaves her something in his will, but there are conditions attached.

The story is told against the backdrop of swoon worthy travel locations. That might be my favorite part. I have been to some of the locations, but it is definitely enough to give you a travel bug. These are among my preferred themes for these types of books. There's the regular fluffy romance with drama, but also these great descriptions of things I want to do and places I would like to go. I found the entire book entertaining and I do not care that it was predictable, because that's sort of the point with this genre.

For me, "A Winter Wish" was amazing in the beauty and depth of the writing. Emily Stone has provided a lyrical resolution for her main characters' childhood trauma and how they eventually discover the place that love can take in that process. It is a beautiful book that I can recommend highly.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.