Lexie is living a nomadic lifestyle. She is working as a nanny in Austria in December when she receives a phone call from her mother letting her know that her father as passed on. Lexie returns home to the UK for his funeral and finds out that she has inherited half of her father's travel company. Lexie grew up being disappointed by her father after he and her mother split up and he started a new family. Now Lexie has to work at the travel company with Theo, who worked for her father and is the other owner now. I found Lexie hard to like because of all her resentment towards her father but as the book progressed and Lexie saw situations from the past in a different light, she changed her attitude. During the course of the year she needs to spend working with the company, her half-sister Rachel wants to build a relationship with her. Interesting story.

4.5⭐️s Releasing 10/15!!! Can we get the audiobook asap because I need to have Theo’s Irish accent. Loved the banter and tension between Lexie and Theo. But also the growth for both characters.

Lexie’s estranged father has passed away, and left her half of his traveling company. The other half is left to his young executive, Theo. Like oil and water, it’s a rough start to the year they have to work together. The goal for Lexie: earn a profit and get out of there. Theo’s goal: get rid of this girl that wants nothing to do with the company.

However, as she is more involved, she sees the beauty in the niche market of holiday travel. Not just traveling to these places but immersing in the culture of these countries holidays. One night in Spain dancing might just change everything. Can Lexie find a way to plant roots. Can Theo trust her to stay. And what happens when it seems they will mix business with pleasure.

Thank you so much to @emstonewrites @netgalley and @dellromance for the advanced reader copy. #netgalley #awinterwish

Emily Stone has quickly become one of my favorite holiday authors. Not only does she capture the magic of the holiday season but also tackles realistic life events that make you think and feel! The chemistry between Lexie and Theo is on point reaffirming enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes! Make sure you pick up this bingeable holiday read!!

3.75 stars

This was a cute book, although not quite what I was expecting. The cover and title made me think that this was going to be a Christmas/holiday book and it's really not. There are a few scenes that take place during the holidays but that's definitely not the main focus of the book.
This book revolves around Lexie's very complicated relationship (or lack thereof) with her recently deceased dad and the way her view of him was very different from the other people in his life. I honestly felt so bad for Lexie. I felt like no one was sympathetic towards her situation, what with her dad leaving her and her mom for another family, and kept acting like she was heartless for not putting him on a pedestal. Some of them came around in the end but still, she didn't owe anyone an explanation for her feelings.
In the beginning of the book Theo was kind of an a-hole. It turns out it was all a misunderstanding ad he apologizes but I just felt like he didn't have enough character development to make up for it. Both he and Lexie were pretty bland characters and I didn't care about them all that much. The plot was kind of rushed and none of the scenes felt quite developed enough so it was hard to get invested.
There were definitely some cute scenes between the mc's, as well as some really heartfelt ones, especially between Lexie and her mom and with her sister. There just wasn't enough to make this book stand out to me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the ARC!

A Winter Wish is yet another charmer from this talented author. Emily Stone offers up a story of loss, love and simply finding your way when life seems to continue to throw you curveballs. Both Lexie and Theo experience the death of Lexie's dad in very different ways and yet when forced to work together as a requirement of Richard's will, what starts as a contentious partnership slowly develops into what will prove to be exactly what both needed.

There is plenty of push and pull from both Lexie and Theo as preconceived notions seem to drive their opinions and actions toward one another. Lexie is clearly a free spirit never wanting to truly put down roots, so her having to work at Richard's small travel agency in the town of Bath practically feels like a jail sentence. I could sense something brewing between her and Theo even when they only traded barbs at one another. There is zero trust as far as Theo is concerned, still scratching his head as to why Richard would make them business partners when Lexie most definitely had other plans for her life.

I will say that the trips this agency planned were wonderful and I loved being able to experience specialized vacations right along with them. The magic of travel is clearly an important component of this book as Lexie and Theo start to allow their walls to fall a bit as they meander through Europe together. The fact that Richard started this company after he would take Lexie and her mother for Christmas adventures before their divorce was a poignant part of Lexie's journey to accepting her father's faults and thus started her path to acceptance and even a bit of forgiveness for the presumed abandonment of his daughter.

Although I love a good slow burn like the next person, Lexie's penchant for constantly running away from any sort of conflict drove me crazy at times. I appreciated that Stone set the stage with respect to all Lexie experienced once her father was out of her life, the hurt that he left her to start another family ever-present in her mind. But she's not a little girl any longer and the almost torturous wait for her to finally see the light and recognize her feelings for Theo and her growing love of this new business venture went on a bit too long for my tastes. But the secondary characters like her bestie Fran, the beyond capable and nurturing Ange, her now-adult sister Rachel and Lexie's mom added to the numerous scenes when Lexie was still at odds with herself and the world around her. This reader very much appreciative for their role in all that Lexie endures.

Overall, this a sweet read with many touching moments that had me tearing up a bit. I was proud of Lexie at how far she had come. I just wish that she could've realized her "a-ha" moment a bit sooner. But the ending is a great one and the love that is abundant no matter how much she may have wanted to run yet again, would forever be Lexie's strength.

3.75 stars

This was my first Emily Stone book (though I’ve had several on my holiday tbr for years), and I can appreciate why she has become a go-to for so many. Lexie inherits part of her estranged father’s company and is forced to work aside Theo, a young company exec who inherited the other half of the company. They infuriate each other, have opposing views for the future of the company, and just generally clash. However, the romantic tension starts to build pretty quickly as well as Lexie feeling an investment and interest in her inherited role. Even more than the romance, the story delves into child/parent and sibling relationships. It had a lot of depth and heart. I didn’t totally get holiday vibes while reading, so I was totally okay reading it in the fall, but otherwise I really enjoyed it! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Dell for the arc.

Emily Stone is a queen of the holiday read! A Winter Wish continues her streak of fantastic holiday themed reads who go far deeper than just a surface level Christmas book, while still being warm and uplifting!

A Winter Wish is the story of Lexi, as she grapples with the death of her estranged father with the help of his mentee (Theo) and ragtag group of employees at his small travel firm. Lexie is reluctant to take on the responsibility that has been thrown at her by her father's will, wanting instead to continue living her transient free spirited lifestyle. As she slowly begins to confront her feelings about her relationship with his father and his death, she begins to embrace and accept her new place in a community she never anticipated being a part of. All while finding unexpected love!

I loved this book, as a holiday read Christmas and holiday celebration is a central part of the story but not overwhelmingly so that it's predictable or boring. There's spice, tension, but there's also raw honesty and truth! Overall I highly recommend this as a go to 2024 holiday season read!

He used to say that you could never do anything perfectly, but if you at least tried, you’d have less to regret in the long run.
~
I’m not sure it would count as the Christmas season if I didn’t read a heart-wrenching, heart-warming Emily Stone book that made me sob, but maybe that’s just me. Anyway, A Winter Wish is no exception to this little tradition, and it was so much fun. The premise alone is enough to draw the reader in. A travel company? Left to a daughter with commitment issues by an estrange father with a yearlong partnership stipulation? And throw in the best personal assistant ever? You’ve got a recipe for success here. Watching Lexie on her journey of self-discovery as she struggles to come to terms with who her father was, how to reconcile it with her half-sister, deal with her own commitment and trust issues, AND play nice with the broody stranger from the funeral was such a ride and one I didn’t want to get off of any time soon. The traveling and trips abroad add so much fun and multiple layers to the book and Iceland? I can’t even talk about it, if you know you know. Theo’s own journey of self-worth and acceptance of things he can’t control or doesn’t understand is also a nice touch as he and Lexie grapple their self-control around each other and finally give in, just to be ripped apart and have to find their way back to each other. I would recommend this to ANY holiday romance fan that wants a Hallmark-esque feel and some heartstrings tugged on!

I do love a good inheritance story line and A Winter Wish was just that!
Overall a sweet and warm story perfect for the upcoming holidays.

When Lexie’s estranged father, whom she hasn’t seen in 10 years, dies, he leaves her half of his holiday travel company. The other half is given to her father’s partner, Theo, a cute yet grumpy young executive. The will states that the two of them must find a way to run the company for a year before the future of the company is decided. Lexie starts counting the days until she can be done with the company and Theo…but things begin to take a turn. It's a super cute, feel-good read. Thank you NetGalley and Dell for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Winter Wish by Emily Stone is perfect. No NOTES. Five Stars.
A Winter Wish is set over the course of a year from one Christmas to the next, and handles the complex feelings of Lexie after her estranged father dies and leaves her half of his company but it is also a kicking, squealing, swoon-worthy enemies to lovers romance.

Lexie’s estranged father dies, leaving her half of his boutique travel company. Travel had always been their thing before her father left Lexie and her mother when Lexie was seven. Lexie is, rightfully, angry and conflicted. She would rather sell the company but her new business partner, Theo, was Lexie’s father’s protégé and Theo is committed to keeping the company. They have to stick with the company for a year and can only sell if they make a profit.
While the romance is amazing, probably Emily Stone’s best to date, it’s the heartbreaking journey of grief that Lexie must go through that makes A Winter Wish a rich and fulfilling story.

In terms of romance though, there is delightful banter in this enemies to lovers story. Theo judges Lexie harshly for her treatment of her father in the five years that Theo knew him. Theo obviously doesn’t have the full story. Through travel and intense conversations, Lexie and Theo find understanding and that’s when the slow burn develops. Lexie and Theo have chemistry.

Will you cry? If you’ve ever cried during an Emily Stone book and felt like the tears healed something in you… A Winter Wish will not let you down.
I could probably go on and on about this book. It would be perfect for a holiday book club.

Thank you to Emily Stone, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for an eARC of A Winter Wish in exchange for my honest opinion. I honestly really loved it. This was the easiest five stars.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for a review.
3/5
I enjoyed the setting of this story, like arm chair travel. There were some fun details (wish jar, travel agency) that I haven’t come across in other books that I liked. Overall the book was fine, it wouldn’t be my top pick from Emily Stone, but a fun read. Kind of want to know where Mike went!
Favorite Character: Ange.

A Winter Wish really sets the tone for the upcoming holiday season bringing truth to the past, new beginnings, love, and a wish jar. One of the best books I've read all year.

Thank you to Rando. HOUSE publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Quick intro:
Lexie is left with half of her estranged father’s travel agency after his unexpected passing. She and his former coworker fumble through running the company together, processing their grief, and love.

Quick thoughts:
Oh I really liked this book! The story takes place over the course of the year, so it isn’t really a Christmas book. But if you’re familiar with Emily Stone’s works, you probably know that already. This is my second by Emily Stone and what I like most about her books is she writes very real and relatable romances. They aren’t fluffy or outrageous - readers should be able to really connect with her characters and their realistic stories.

My heart really warmed toward Lexie and Theo. To be honest, they were both sort of grumpy at the beginning, but as I got to know them better I really softened toward them. It was beautiful to witness them both process through their grief, baggage from complicated family dynamics, and experience healing.

Read if you like books set in England with a lot of travel around Europe and gorgeous scenery, third person POV, low spice, workplace rivals, themes of grief and loss, complicated family dynamics, “screw it” moments.

Thank you so much, Dell and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Lexie learns of her father's death and inherits his travel company with conditions to be fulfilled if she wants to walk away from it. Theo has worked under her dad, learning the ropes for 5 years, and is upset to learn that his estranged daughter now shares ownership in the company when she's shown no interest in her dad or his life.

This isn't a Christmas story, though a couple of key scenes happen at Christmas, but it does feel like a wintry story to me. Stone writes grief well, as her other books have shown. This story was no different. It centered around grieving a dad and grieving the you that your parents wish you could be. I think Lexie and Theo's love story could have had more depth, but I was happy to see both of them growing as people by the end and learning some of their histories in the process.

I really appreciate Stone writing from Lexie's perspective of missing the opportunity to fix her relationship with her dad. Though, her dad does seem to be a unicorn who was just passive and chose to not resist his new wife (former mistress) by fighting to be in Lexie's life. Eventually, he pursued reconciliation but he ran out of time. Sometimes grieving what Could Have Been is as devastating as who is gone.

Thanks to Stone for a reminder to call my dad.

And thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Emily Stone is one of the authors I’ll always read, and she didn’t let me down with A Winter Wish. The pacing was perfect, as was the development of the relationship between Lexie and Theo. Stone did a great job tackling grief for different characters with differing relationships to the deceased (Richard). Plus you can’t go wrong with a book that involves travel.

📘 A Winter Wish-a standalone

✍🏾By Emily Stone-a new to me author

Format: eBook 353 pgs.

🌍Setting: starts in Austria and work in Bath

📅 Publication 10/15/24, Read 10/2/24

👆🏾POV: 3rd person, single-Lexie

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group| Ballantine | Dell, and Emily Stone for this ARC❄️! I voluntarily give an honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult Fic, Holiday-Christmas

Tropes: opposites attract, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, workplace romance, slow burn, witty banter, 3rd act separation

⚠️ TW: parental death by cancer-h, parental estrangement, toxic parents-H

💭Summary: Lexie is a self-proclaimed nomad and commitment-phobe constantly moving and changing temp jobs. When her mother calls to tell her that her father died, she doesn't really know how to feel. He left them when she was seven for a new family, and they haven't spoken in over ten years. Theo is Richard's mentee who inherits half the company with Lexie, and they travel to France on a "working" holiday. They get to know each other and banter over preconceived notions and past hurts.

🎭The characters

🚺 Lexie Peterson-(29) inherits 50% of R&L travel company owned by her father. Makes a wish written in a decorated glass jar every Christmas since she was four years old.

🚹 Theo-Richard's protege, a handsome, young executive who inherits 50% of the company. His Irish parents were always disappointed in him, so he left home @ 22 and wandered until Richard gave him a job.

Rachel-22 Lexie's half-sister, Jody-Rachel's mother

Richard Peterson-Lexie's father

Angela "Ange" Wilson-Richard's former personal assistant

Lexie's mother

Mikkel-Lexie's friend with benefits, a ski instructor

Fran-Lexie's friend from university, a solicitor

Mike-company director of R&L Travel


🤔My Thoughts: This was a trigger for me because my parents divorced, and I became estranged from by father. He's still alive, but had a stroke and I had no idea. He has a wife and daughter that I know nothing about, and I liked it that way. When Lexie kept telling her mother "I don't want to know," it reminded me telling my siblings or other family members that when they try to share news about him. I loved the banter between Lexie and Theo that puts their unfavorable opinions of each other to rest. Lexie grieved and gave her father a little grace to move on and have a better relationship with Theo and Rachel.

✨Rating: 4/5
😭 Emotion 5/5
🌶️Spice 3/5
🧑‍🤝‍🧑Couple 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of A Winter Wish by Emily Stone.

Not even sure what to say about this one, but a great read to get you in the mood for winter and holidays. Just enough romantic feels to make you swoon, with a little bit of sadness to pull at your heart strings. All the while you just want Lexie to fall for Theo already as you likely have! I mean he’s the jerky co-worker you hate but love. Now I must find all books by Emily Stone and read them in hopes that they are all this enjoyable.

Thank you to Random House publishing for the advanced copy of this title.
This book is much deeper than I anticipated based on the cover.

This book is about coming to terms with the memories of our past and finding a solid ground to land on while reconciling a broken relationship.

Lexi tries to understand her father after his death when she inherits his travel company. The absence she has felt for years doesn't coincide with the stories of the man who ran this company. This book is about the impact that parental absence leaves on our future. The line that really stuck out was "Acceptance is not the same as forgiveness." Rectifying the multi-facets of the same person, because people are complicated. Each decision has a domino effect on our lives and those around us. None more pronounced than the ones in this book.

In the midst of finding a place of acceptance with the loss of a parent, there is a love story between the pages. Workplace romance, slow burn, and enemies to lovers,The relationship didn't have any spark to make me excited. I was numb to their relationship and I never felt invested in either character.

The bones of the book where here, but it was missing any butterflies you would normally find in a holiday romance book.

I really enjoyed the grand gesture ending and the conclusion of Lexi's journey of acceptance with her father.

Will add to goodreads, amazon, and storygraph upon release

As far as a warm and cozy Christmas-feeling book, this one misses that mark for me. Nonetheless it’s a cute story and a quick read. The characters are a bit blasé, but they grow on you. Not my favorite, but enjoyable.