I’m convinced Martha Waters can do no wrong and I am right! I’ve read several books of hers now and she is the queen of witty banter and smart FMC’s. I loved this one! I loved the characters, I loved the story. I loved the coziness. Loved.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for approving me to read this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review. Okay I was little unsure do I want to read a Christmas book in the middle of a heat wave. And the answer was YES. Perfect escape for me right now. Really enjoyed this cozy holiday read in a small town in New England. Such a fun romcom!!! And this one to your TBR and to your Christmas wish list!!!!

Christmas All Around was a fun, fresh read for me. I loved the small town setting that felt like a Hallmark
Movie. The banter between the main characters is witty and funny. This is everything I love in a Christmas book!

Thanks NetGalley, publisher and author for the ARC.

I loved the Regency Vows series and was so excited to read a Christmas romance by Martha Waters! I enjoyed reading a modern romance written by her but I do also kind of wish we'd gotten a historical Christmas romance because I think she would rock that! (So here's my petition for a historical Christmas romance!!)

However, I did enjoy this one! The MCs had great chemistry and banter and I loved the slightly cynical take on a typical Hallmark-esque story. Christmas is All Around is a perfect, quick holiday read that will get you in the Christmas spirit 🎄

And finally, leave it to Martha Waters to write her stories approximately 300 years apart and somehow still make them exist in the same universe. My favorite part was all the Easter eggs from the Regency Vows series!

Thank you Atria Publishing and Net Galley for the e ARC!

This book took me a bit to get into, but once I did it was such a sweet and easy read. Christmas reads will always have a soft spot in my heart.

4 ⭐️ 3 🌶️

Read As An Arc

🎄 Holiday Vibes
🎄 Grinches
🎄 London
🎄 3rd Act Break-Up
🎄 Making Parents Proud
🎄 Small Town
🎄 Flirty


Child actress, Charlotte flies to London for Christmas and meets our MMC Graham. They both are a bit of a grinch, avoiding Christmas activities and traditions that their families do around the holidays.

I love the fact that Charlotte and Graham are exploring London together. They don't have that much angst between them, which is something that I thought was kind of nice for this read. They are cute characters, but I do think there needs just a bit more depth, especially with Charlotte. I want to see and dig deeper more with her.

OK, so this is why it lost a star, besides it being predictable like a Hallmark movie, this could have been a 4.5 ⭐️ for me, but this was the biggest thing – it ended so rushed, and abruptly I was left shook and hanging. Once they make up obviously, you don't know what happens with the relationship whatsoever, and we don't see New Year's Eve. Something that I think should've been mentioned and seen in even another chapter, since there was Vegas lights, pointing this out during the part of the book!

Overall, it's a fun and flirty read that keeps you engaged. It's something, different and fresh, a read I truly enjoyed, and would want a physical copy of! And the spice alone is worth the buy!





* Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!



** this review will be published on Goodreads on oct 17 @ https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/170879374-bee?shelf=read

This is my first exposure to the author, and I loved her wit. The repartee between the lead characters was entertaining and kept me engaged throughout the book. There were also moments of reflection and compassion for the less jovial aspects of life – self-centered, disapproving parents and grief over missed opportunities to spent time with now-deceased father to name a few. All this takes place between London and an aging English country estate in the weeks leading up to Christmas and the New Year. There is a good dose of holiday spirit in a Rom-Com storyline complete with a meet cute involving a reindeer costume. The resolution of some of the conflicts seemed a bit unrealistic, but I appreciated the modification in the protagonist’s attitude toward Christmas without going overboard with a complete transformation.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Former child actress, now in-demand illustrator Charlotte would love to escape all the silliness of the Christmas season, especially because she's known for her role in a famous Christmas movie. Fleeing to London after a social media mess, Charlotte finds herself accepting a commission to illustrate historic Christmas movie scenes around London accompanied by the bespectacled and equally cynical Graham.

Martha Waters applies her sparkling wit and banter to the contemporary world and it was so good I devoured it swiftly. Charlotte and Graham were perfect for each other and I loved the their chemistry. Best of all, Waters has created the perfect Christmas novel for the Christmas cynics like me, poking fun at all the cheesiness and the insistance of the Christmas nutters to make everyone merry and bright. Refreshingly, Charlotte doesn't do a 180 about Christmas, but just learns how to enjoy some aspects of the seasons. I also squealed at the two Easter eggs to her superior Regency Vows series.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was very cute! I was here for all the Christmas rom-com references, but it did get pretty heavy handed at the end. The MFC had such a huge chip on her shoulder and was sometimes a little TOO mean for me, but that worked for the MMC, ha. Yes to reading if you love a cozy, Christmas rom com. No, if you think “real” people should stop talking about romance tropes in their lives.

"Christmas is All Around" by Martha Waters offers a lighthearted and whimsical take on the holiday romance genre. Set against a festive backdrop, the story follows charmingly flawed characters navigating love and family dynamics during the Christmas season.

Waters excels at injecting humor into her storytelling, with witty dialogue and amusing situations that bring levity to the plot. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery and second chances is relatable, and the romantic tension between the leads adds a delightful touch of sparkle to the narrative.

However, while the novel sparkles with holiday spirit, it occasionally leans too heavily on familiar tropes and predictable plot devices. The romantic developments, while sweet, may feel formulaic to readers familiar with the genre. Some supporting characters lack depth, which limits their impact on the overall story.

The writing style is engaging, capturing the warmth and coziness of Christmas traditions effectively. Waters crafts vivid scenes that immerse the reader in a festive atmosphere, making it a perfect read for those seeking a cozy holiday escape.

In conclusion, "Christmas is All Around" is a fun and heartwarming read that celebrates the magic of Christmas with quirky humor and endearing romance. While it may not break new ground in the genre, it delivers enough festive cheer to entertain readers looking for a light-hearted holiday tale.

This is a delightful holiday romance that will captivate readers who adore charming, witty, and heartwarming stories about finding love, embracing the magic of the season, and discovering that sometimes, a change in perspective is all it takes to rediscover the joy of the holidays.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters is a delightful holiday read that warms the heart. The story is charming and filled with festive cheer, making it perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit. The characters are endearing and well-crafted, and their interactions bring a lot of warmth and humor to the narrative. The romance is sweet and satisfying, though a bit predictable at times. Waters' writing is engaging and evocative, capturing the magic of the holiday season beautifully. Overall, it's a lovely book that makes for an enjoyable and cozy read during the holidays. Highly recommended for those looking to add a bit of festive joy to their reading list!

Such a fun read! I really enjoyed the "hallmark movie" feel with sweet characters and a heartwarming ending. It truly felt like Christmastime in a book, which is just what I was looking for!

Charlottee is a former child actress, who doesn't like christmas. she is asked to do a sequel to a movie she did as a child, about Christmas, will she or won't she?

It was so fun reading this in the summer- felt like Christmas in July!! This is a hallmark movie in a book. So fun!

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This was sweet. I enjoyed the premise and the setting but just didn’t really love the main characters. Charlotte was so twitchy and self-absorbed. It was hard to relate to her. Graham was okay. Mostly because I love the name graham.

4.5 stars rounded up. I’m such an easy sell on Christmas romance books. It’s not hard to get a 5-star rating out of me, but I also just really enjoyed the unique elements of this one.

Charlotte fits the “anti-Christmas” role, though for different reasons than typically seen in that kind of character. She has a complicated history and present with her one-time turn as a child actress in what’s become a cult classic Christmas film. On the one hand, I admired her ability to not care too much about what anyone thought of her. On the other, there was a bit of a reckoning she needed to (and eventually does) hear in regard to her perspective on the whole thing.

Graham was a charming man and I found it endearing how entertained he was by Charlotte NOT immediately finding him charming. I’m a sucker for that kind of dynamic, especially when it lends itself well to flirty banter and emotional walls slowly coming down for the person the characters would least expect.

There were also a lot of interesting and complex family circumstances at play for both Charlotte and Graham. At times maybe a bit too chaotic and challenging to keep straight, but overall they served in comedic situations, guiding the two together, and helping both grow by saying things that needed to be said in advice being given.

This was a fun, quick holiday read that I fully enjoyed. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book!!! Such a good story and great writing style. This was my first by this author and will not be my last! Such a cute holiday romcom!

Charlotte participó en una película navideña que fue un éxito, años después buscan hacer una segunda parte, sin embargo ella no quiere, entonces una revista hace un reportaje en donde la ponen como la mala y la gente empieza a reclamarle. Regresa a su ciudad natal para buscar paz y pasar tiempo con su hermana.
Pensó que estando en otro país no tendría que saber nada de la película, pero se sorprende cuando su hermana la lleva a una visita guiada a la casa en donde se grabó la pesadilla de su existencia y más cuando descubre que la familia dueña de la casa está en problemas económicos y ella se ofrece a ayudarlos.

Graham es la cabeza de la familia a la que Charlotte ayudara. Él no sabe que ella fue actriz y menos que salió en la susodicha película. Es contador, cuando murió su papá se dio cuenta de las deudas que tenía la casa, renunció a su trabajo para encargarse del negocio familiar.


Me dio risa lo se Kit cocinando, ¿cómo es que este hombre sigue vivo?

¿Y el epílogo?


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Waters gives us both a cheerful deconstruction and a heartfelt love letter of the holiday romance genre.

The main character, Charlotte, hates Christmas with a passion. one time when she was 9 she had a small part in a film, thanks to her dad's industry connection, learned she didn't like acting, and that would have been that EXCEPT the movie became a holiday cult classic, despite all the problematic aspects to it. (It is called "Christmas, Truly," and it is as close to being "Love, Actually" as possible without getting sued for slander.)

Now, 20 years later, the tabloids are blaming her for holding up a sequel due to refusing to revisit the part, and the negative attention is so bad she decides to leave New York and spend a month with her sister in London. There is just as much Christmas there, if not more so, given British traditions like mince pies and Christmas crackers, but at least she has a better chance of escaping the movie fans. Or can she?

The book has all the holiday troupes in abundance, cheerfully called out, and it turns into a very sweet story as Charlotte learns there can be some good parts to both the season and the film - and gives a whirl at her own holiday romance with the dashing Brit she meets.

A wonderful Christmas present of a romance - highly recommend to anyone who loves true love kisses under the mistletoe!