Lexie and Richard are thrown together to run her late father's travel company. However, they have met before and have very different perspectives on the life of her father Richard. Each is grieving in their own way and it seems like they are grieving two different people. To Lexie Richard was an absent father much of the time, often canceling at the last minute. To Theo he was a substitute father figure and encourager. How can they reconcile their views of him along with their grief? Lexie is also keeping distance from her half sister, Rachel, who she believes was always more important to their father. I loved the character, Ange, and can just see all her big dangly earrings. Harry is a bit of offbeat character but I believe Theo sees something in him similar to what Richard saw in Theo. Harry's holiday ties give him a nice personality quirk to ponder. All of the characters are dealing with some type of loss in their lives though the story is not dragged down by it; there is much hope and wishes for a happy future.

I really enjoyed this book. While a romcom it was also serious. I loved all the characters and the interaction. It was just an all around good book. Thank you for the opportunity.

My first book by Emily Stone and it certainly won’t be my last. Loved the European settings and the holiday story built around a travel agency. A bit deeper than the usual RomCom but still very uplifting. The pacing was great and I enjoyed the slow burn between Theo and Lexie. Great side characters too.

Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the ARC.

I wanted to love this book but it just wasn’t my favorite. I felt there was no spark between our FMC and MMC and I struggled to want to pick up my kindle to read this. It really all just felt a bit forced.

I wanted so much more from this book, especially as it's my first Emily Stone book. While I didn't hate it...I unfortunately didn't love it. It really boils down to the MC's both lacking substance. Lexie was "abandoned" by her dad when she was younger and has made it literally her entire personality. The amount of whining and complaining and blaming literally EVERYTHING on her dad not being there for her was annoying to the point that I almost stopped reading. Like...seriously. It made her come across very immature and bratty.

Theo was a little bit better, but not by much. I was so desperately hoping for a resolution with him and his parents - like, maybe his mom opening her eyes and leaving his dad but no such luck. I didn't really get the romance connection between him and Lexie, but here we are.

Overall, the book was quick and easy to read. I've heard great things about other Emily Stone books, so I'll give those a try and see what I think.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to review this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

First of all, I want to thank Dell for sending me an early copy to review! This one comes out tomorrow!

This was a lovely story! It's not as Christmassy as the cover makes it seem. The story begins around Christmas, but it takes place over a year. There are definitely some Christmas vibes in some parts, though!

Grief is such a hard thing to navigate, especially when you're grieving for someone you never really got to reconcile with. I enjoyed getting to see the process of Lexie moving through her grief and come out stronger on the other side. Initially, I thought Lexie was kind of entitled and annoying, so it was great to see her character growth and her own up to some of the things she could have handled better in the past.

On the romance side, I ate up all the tension between Theo & Lexie. It definitely felt more like a slow burn, but it was worth it when they finally got together!

Overall, this was a very cute book and I really enjoyed it! Thanks again, Dell!

4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️
Release date 10/15/2024
This story was absolutely beautiful! It is so much more than a romance novel. The topic of grief and complicated family relationships are talked about heavily throughout the book. And then we get this sweet and tender workplace romance happening in the middle of all the chaos 🥰 this book also had me itching to go to Europe with all the different holidays and festivals the characters experience!
This was my first Emily Stone book and it definitely won’t be the last!

Okay, this was another one not for me. I loved the premise of the travel company but I’m just over books where the entire plot could be solved if the main characters were mature and had conversations. Maybe I’m just old and grumpy but the childishness is old to read and not entertaining. Also, I’m over characters (and people) making their trauma their entire personality. Yes, your dad left, lots do, it doesn’t excuse your behavior or running away from literally everything. Let’s normalize in life and books, working through trauma and becoming stronger not in spite of but because of our experiences.

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

4.75 stars

This holiday enemies-to-lovers romance tackles dealing with the complicated grief of losing a parent you that wasn't there for you and also coming to terms with learning someone you respect wasn't that same person to everyone. I hurt for Lexie dealing with her grief while learning how others saw her late father in such a different way. I enjoyed both characters arcs in their own emotions as well as their relationship. Even with the angst during the enemies portion, I found the story to be beautiful and emotional throughout. My only qualm was how Theo with his own complicated relationship with his parents was not giving Lexie any benefit of the doubt that maybe he didn't have the whole story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

When Lexie finds out that her estranged father, who died recently, left half of his holiday travel company to her, she is shocked & surprised. And the other half of the company is left to the very handsome & rude young executive, Theo. 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.

This book was simply beautiful, raw, & full of all kinds of emotions. This is an Emily Stone book, so some tears will be shred. Be prepared for that!

I loved how complex yet wonderful Lexie's relationship was with her dad. The holiday travel company's theme & idea were absolutely fascinating & magical. Glad how her dad planned everything to make up for all the years for being not there. Especially bringing Lexie & Theo closer.

Theo & Lexie had a slow burn that worked perfectly in favor of their relationship. I adored their banter, and the relationship development.

The last letter from Lexie's dad, the reason behind the company's name, the Iceland trip years in making, and the last scene involving a certain magical element were the few amongst the many that made me sob.
This book reminded me so much of Just One Taste by Lizzy Dent and The Simple Wild by K A Tucker; 2 of my absolute favorites.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Emily Stone writes books which t tend to bring up strong emotions in me, Always, in December anyone? That was a cry-o-rama for me. So thankful for Kleenex, just saying. I enjoy her characters, how they are dealing with tough issues, and find comfort from those in their lives whether that be a longtime friend, family member, or someone they have just met. I was so excited to get a copy of A Winter Wish. I adore the cover. Seriously, how cute is that?

Lexie is shocked when her estranged father passes away and leaves her half of his holiday travel business. Even more shocking is that he leaves the other half of the company to Theo, a young executive who worked for him. You know there is going to be angst. I knew there was going to be chemistry and with a holiday travel company involved, I knew there were going to be fabulous trips mentioned. The trips mentioned in this book did in fact sound fantastic!

While I enjoyed the characters and the enemies to loves trope but sadly, I didn't love this one. I so wanted to do so. This is not a bad book by any means. I found it to be quite enjoyable, but there was a little bit of a spark that was missing which would have garnered a higher star rating from me.

What worked for me was how the author showed Lexie's feelings about her father, the estrangement, feeling abandoned, while wanting to learn the ropes. She had a way with people such as the woman traveling alone for the first time, which I appreciated.

While A Winter Wish was enjoyable and a worthwhile read, I didn't love it. We can't love them all, but I will still be on the lookout for any new books that Emily Stone writes as I have loved the other books, she wrote that I have read.

I've been positively wrecked by this author's previous books and so of course she has been an auto buy author for me since Always, in December And I couldn't wait to dive into A Winter Wish.

A fun, enemies to lovers premise - Lexie is left half of her estranged father's travel company, the other half going to his collegue turned friend Theo, the will indicating they have to run the company together for a year. The two get off on the wrong foot, but when forced proximity enters the chat on a work trip, can they deny their chemistry anymore?

All in all this book was fine. It didn't pull at my heartstrings and have all the feels that I was eexpecting from this author. There were a number of what felt like unresolved story lines (the half sister, both of their mothers, Theo's closeness with her father, her relationship with her father etc.) It felt like the book was fairly surface level all things considered, and I'm a little bummed i didn't need to break out the tissues.

The romance felt believable and I did love rooting for Lexie and Theo throughout the book but overall I was hoping for more. While this one overall missed the mark for me, that doesn't mean I won't be first in line for the next one!!


Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Lexie is working as a nanny in the Alps when she gets the news that her estranged father passed and she needs to return to the UK. Lexie has had a complicated relationship with her father for many years after he left her and her mother for the woman he had an affair and daughter with, starting a lifetime of letdown. Lexie is shocked when Richard's will is read and she has inherited half of his travel company, with the other half going to his employee Theo. Lexie and Theo must work together for one year in order to be able to sell off the company, and things aren't off to a great start when the two clash over their differing perceptions of the late Richard. However, as the year goes on and Theo and Lexie start to realize they're more alike than they realize, their partnership might just extend beyond business.

I really liked this book! Emily Stone writes such cozy stories that are centered around the festive season, with a splash of romance, but their central plot tends to be more about finding oneself and confronting difficult emotions, and this was no different! I loved Lexie's journey of acceptance towards her father, her sister, and herself as she navigated inheriting Richard's travel company and returning home from her far-flung adventures. I loved how Lexie and Theo's relationship grew and how they really came to understand each other. This was a sweet story and though it wasn't solely focused on the romance or Christmas itself, it's very cozy and I'd recommend it for the festive season!

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine/Dell for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a heartwarming holiday read! Lexie inherits half of her estranged father’s travel company and has to work with grumpy Theo to keep the company afloat. They are complete opposites with a shared love of travel. The tension comes right off the page and keeps you reading to find out when they finally give in to the chemistry. There are multiple Christmas travel spots highlighted throughout the book as part of Lexie’s journey learning about what her father has built with his company, which I love and want to visit every single spot!. There’s enemies to lover. There’s love. And there’s self discovery! A great combination of tropes. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Winter Wish was such a heartwarming, emotional journey that completely pulled me in. Lexie and Theo's story is a beautiful blend of love, loss, and finding your way through the unexpected. The tension between them is palpable from the start, and I loved watching their dynamic shift from barely tolerating each other to something much deeper.

What stood out to me was how travel played such a magical role in their journey. Through planning trips and exploring Europe together, their walls slowly came down, and it was such a joy to witness. Lexie's struggle with her father's abandonment hit hard, and her path toward accepting his faults and finding forgiveness really tugged at my heartstrings. His letter to her!! Aww!

That said, Lexie's habit of running away from conflict did get a bit frustrating at times, but I appreciated how the secondary characters like Fran and Ange added layers to her growth. By the end, I was proud of how far Lexie had come. If you love slow burn, emotional romances - you know Emily Stone won't let you down.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy. I have read all of Stone's novels and this one was my least favorite. It didn't feel particularly original, the characters were bland, there was almost zero chemistry between Theo and Lexie, and the pacing was almost unbearably slow. I did enjoy all of the descriptions of the different cities and trips throughout the book, but that wasn't nearly enough to carry this story for 350 pages.

Thank you Random House #partner for my copy of A Winter Wish and thank you PRH Audio for my #gifted listening copy! #dellromance #randomhouse #PRHAudioPartner #PRHAInfluencer #AWinterWish #emilystone


𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐀 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐡
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐄𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐌𝐞𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

𝟱★

I patiently wait all year for a new Emily Stone book. When it comes to holiday themed books, she is my go-to author. I have fallen in love with the characters in every one of Emily Stone’s books, and this one was no exception. A Winter Wish hit especially close to home for me as someone who recently lost their father. While I had a very close relationship with my father, I still felt such a strong connection to Lexie throughout this book. This book, like all of the rest of the books by this author, was so heartwarming!

After Lexie finds out about her father’s death, she isn’t sure how she feels. The two have not spoken much over the last decade, and to top things off, she has just found out that she’s inherited half of his holiday travel company. The other half belongs to Theo, a young executive who worked with her father. The will stipulates that Lexie and Theo must find a way to ru the company together for one year before they decide what to do with it. Set on selling as soon as the year is up, Lexie slowly starts to find the company and its mission more appealing than she anticipated. On top of that, working with Theo isn’t as bad as she thought it would be. What will happen to the company after the year is up?

I definitely shed some tears with this one, which seems to be a theme with Emily Stone books! If you’re in the mood for a cozy winter read, this is the book for you!

🎄Opposites Attract
🎄Enemies to Lovers
🎄Heartwarming
🎄Complex Family Dynamics
🎄Self-Discovery
🎄Wish Jar

🎧I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook, which was narrated by the talented Meg Travers. I felt like Travers was just perfect this book. I knew as soon as I saw her name as the narrator for this audiobook, that I had to grab this one on audio. Travers did such an amazing job bringing Lexie and the rest of the cast to life. I would highly recommend this one on audio.

Posted on Goodreads on October 14, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around October 15, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on October 15, 2024
**-will post on designated date

A Winter Wish follows nomad Lexie who has just learned she inherited half of her late father's holiday travel company. Lexie is shocked to learn this as she did not talk to her dad for several years before he died. The other half of the company is left to senior employee, Theo. Lexie wants to sell the company and Theo wants to keep is. What will happen next?

I really enjoy Emily Stone's novels and A Winter Wish was no exception. This book is perfect for the upcoming holiday season. Our main character Lexie sees tremendous personal growth in this novel and I found myself cheering for her throughout her self discovery process. While Theo was guarded for a majority of the book, he was still very swoon-worthy. I enjoyed the concept of the travel company as well. If you're in need of a holiday read, add this to your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book with its beautiful cover, but the story was lacking depth. Everything just felt blah, & I don’t think the main characters had great chemistry. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Emily Stone for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for A Winter Wish coming out October 15, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I’ve read another book by this author and really enjoyed it. Her writing is fun. I think the beginning wasn’t my favorite. I didn’t enjoy how they met and it just kept getting worse for me. It just didn’t work for me. I don’t know why Theo was such a jerk when Lexie’s father just died. It was like he was expecting to inherit the whole company and it seemed very entitled to me. I liked the traveling to different places aspect of the book. I enjoy a good enemies to lovers but it just didn’t work for me. I’ll read other books by this author!