4.5 stars overall

Oh my holiday romance ever loving heart! Christmas Is All Around had everything I could ever want in a holiday romance. I will admit that I do gravitate towards romances set in London and this one was perfection! I loved the cheeky banter between Charlotte and Graham. I liked that Graham lived in a stately home and Charlotte was an American visiting her sister for the holidays. Charlotte's sister Ava and her husband Kit were a hoot. Their baby Alice sounded like a complete terror but all the side characters brought so much joy to the story. This was my first book by Martha and though she's known for historical romance books I really hope she continues to write contemporary romances. And I really hope she writes another holiday romance. I'm definitely recommending this one to all of my friends to add to their holiday tbr this season. Many thanks to Atria and Martha for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was so cute! The fmc was in the most popular holiday movie when she was a child but was never in another movie, her parents are successful in Hollywood and she wants no part of it. Love how she ends up working with the heir of the manor where the movie was originally shot. They hire her to paint scenes from other popular holiday movies so they end up spending a lot of time together. This is set in England and felt very cozy.

I was so excited to see a contemporary novel by Waters after loving her Regency Vows series! I think I’m in the minority on this one but it just didn’t hit the same spot for me. I felt like the chemistry between the MCs just fell flat. There wasn’t much interaction between them and I felt like more attention was paid to architecture than relationships.

The book excels in blending Christmas movie nostalgia with personal redemption. As Charlotte starts illustrating scenes from Christmas Truly, she is forced to confront her feelings about the movie and her career—and perhaps realize that she’s been running from a part of herself that still holds value. The theme of finding joy in unexpected places is threaded beautifully through the book, from the snowy English countryside to the bustling holiday festivities in London.

There’s also a layer of healing—Charlotte’s need to reconcile her past and her present, and Graham’s quiet pursuit of love and understanding. The transformation of Charlotte’s feelings toward Christmas is done in a way that feels earned rather than contrived, which makes it a gratifying journey for the reader.

The setting of Eden Priory is wonderfully evocative. It’s the kind of picturesque, snow-covered estate you’d expect in a classic holiday movie. The Priory is practically a character in itself, and the atmosphere it provides is quintessentially festive without being overly saccharine. The film’s set location becomes a backdrop for Charlotte’s emotional growth and a symbol of the power of revisiting the past with a new perspective.

Christmas Is All Around is a perfect holiday read for anyone who loves a good romance with a side of Christmas magic. The concept of revisiting a beloved holiday movie through the eyes of a jaded former star is fresh and engaging, and the romance between Charlotte and Graham is both sweet and deeply satisfying. The novel has all the right ingredients: a charming setting, a relatable heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, and a warm, heartening conclusion.

It’s a perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter night, a mug of hot cocoa in hand, as you get lost in the magic of the season and the joy of a happily-ever-after.

Kinda loved every single one of these characters and I'd hang out with all of them for Christmas in London. Martha Waters has yet to disappoint me, and this is another win.

3.25 ⭐️

This was a cute, simple hallmark-esk Christmas love story. I do feel like it may have been missing a little something though. I’m not quite sure what though, I just think overall it fell a little flat for me.

I really didn’t connect with or enjoy the FMC. I found her to be really annoying and i feel like at least once every conversation she brought up how much she hated her role. I get the frustration she had with it and the overall dislike for the situation, but i feel like it was beat a little bit too much throughout the story.

I also think that this particular story would have been a bit more enjoyable if it was dual POV.

The author did a good job pairing the picture throughout the story. You got a really good picture of the side characters and the setting and i enjoyed that.

Overall, you know what you’re getting when you pick this up. There wasn’t anything special or extra about it. But it’s a simple read that will def put you in the christmas spirit.

Such a cute book! I really enjoyed all of the characters. The development of Charlotte from hating Christmas to understanding that she should be grateful for what it gave her was a great part of the book. I really enjoyed the love story and the meta aspect of it being a rom com inside of a rom com.

Charlotte is an artist who was a former child star having been in a Christmas movie. She now hates Christmas. She travels to London to spend Christmas with her sister. She ends up at a Christmas event in the mansion part of her movie was shot. You get to see her quirky family and how she ends up helping and falling in love with the current owner of the house. This was a cute rom com.

Thank you NetGalley and Martha Waters for the eARC. This was a cute, cozy Christmas read. I loved the setting and banter between the main characters. Definitely add to your holiday romance TBR.

Thank you NetGalley and Martha Waters for the eARC. This was a cute, cozy Christmas read. I loved the setting and banter between the main characters. Definitely add to your holiday romance TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for feedback.

I’m a fan of Martha Waters Regency series so I was excited to see she was releasing a Christmas romance. As with all her books this one is a bit of a slow burn but Charlotte and Graham are a couple you can root for. I really liked that this book was Christmasy but not in an overtly cheesy way. There’s also minimal spice (like cracked door amounts) so I think this is a pretty safe book for most adult romance readers.

Charlotte is a former child star from a wildly popular Christmas movie. She now hates everything about Christmas, especially the typical Christmas Hallmark Movie rom-com tropes. But this book is totally a Hallmark Movie/rom-com, and it works. I enjoyed Charlotte's character and her banter with Graham. It had me laughing out loud at some of the conversations. It was kind of slow-paced and took me a while to get through it, but it was still an enjoyable read overall.

I received a digital ARC thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

Martha Waters delivers a charming holiday romance that cleverly subverts the very tropes it celebrates. The story follows Charlotte, a former child star whose claim to fame - a beloved Christmas movie - has become her personal Groundhog Day. Waters brilliantly uses this premise to explore the gap between public nostalgia and private reality, all while crafting a warm enemies-to-lovers tale.
The English setting, centered around the atmospheric Eden Priory, provides the perfect backdrop for this story of reluctant romance. Waters excels at building chemistry between Charlotte and Graham, whose initial tension springs naturally from their opposing views on holiday commercialization. Their joint artistic ventures through London create opportunities for delightful banter and gradual understanding, making their growing connection feel earned rather than formulaic.
What elevates this beyond typical holiday fare is its thoughtful exploration of identity and growth. Charlotte's journey from Christmas-avoider to finding her own version of holiday joy feels authentic, while the subplot about her illustration project cleverly mirrors her personal development. While some readers might find the pacing leisurely, the rich character development and witty dialogue make this the perfect read for those seeking a holiday romance with both heart and depth.

This was another fun read by Martha Waters. I find that Martha is able to make me laugh and enjoy and I always enjoy the characters.

This was my first book by this author but her books have been popular at our library. I gave this one a try because of the more modern setting and the premise sounded cute. Overall I enjoyed it but it didn’t feel like anything really unique or special, but it was still a cute holiday romance. It does have a lot of classic Christmas movie feelings just like many other books in the holiday genre. I think the beginning 20% was the strongest part and after that it slowed down a bit for me. I liked it overall but never felt super invested in the story. I would be curious to try one of her other books, and I know this will be a huge hit on our library shelves for her fans. I’m curious to see what they think of her shift to more modern times. I also didn’t realize she was an open door author until this book, that’s something I prefer to skip and she was more on the longer side- it felt a bit out of place because there wasn’t a lot of build up to it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

If you love a story with a Grinch whose heart grows 5 sizes by Christmas, you will love this book. With the funny situations that Charlotte ends up in to her crazy family, you will be laughing out loud from the first chapter to the last. Not only do you have a love story, but you have light family drama for both Charlotte and Graham. A fun, happy, with a little seriousness thrown in will all your feels. Great meet cute and grand gesture puts a neat little Christmas bow on the absolutely wonderful gift for any rom-com lover.

4 stars.

Such a fun holiday read - I absolutely love reading grumpy Christmas novels and this had a heavy dose of "grumpy woman meets an even more grumpy man who then turns her world upside down in the best possible way"! I absolutely loved the premise - former child star that hated Christmas thanks to a movie that she was involved in while she was a child? Then returns to the very home that it was filmed in and agrees to use her past in order to help the now homeowner? It's just squeal-worthy and oh so fun!

The bickering is adorable and fun, the banter is next level, and I just absolutely adored both the characters backstories as well as their growth and development. There are so many touching moments, and it's just overall a perfect holiday read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @atriabooks and @marthawaters for the ARC of Christmas Is All Around, I loved it! This fun romcom is the story of Charlotte, an artist and anti-Christmas former child star and who was in a very popular Christmas movie 20 years ago, when she was just nine years old. A recent article about a possible reboot (and her turning it down) went viral, and she escapes to London to visit her sister's family and hide out while the article buzz dies down. Fate and Christmasy activities with her sister's family lead her to Eden Priory, one of the filming locations for the Christmas movie she starred in, and there she meets Graham, the handsome and bespectacled son of the owner.

Charlotte accepts a commission illustrating iconic holiday movie scenes in London and adjoining villages. Graham offers to join her and they begin spending more time scouting locations together. The anti-Christmas romcom girl may learn to love the magic of Christmas, if it is her own love story.

I adored this book and already can't wait for Martha Waters' next novel. I really enjoyed both Graham and Charlotte and their chemistry throughout the book. What made this book for me, were all of the secondary characters, namely, all of their sisters. There were plenty of moments where I was audibly laughing as well as heartwarming moments that covered grief, self-worth, and family relationships. I highly recommend this lovely Christmas book to anyone in the mood for a seasonal romcom that has it all!

This was so cute and has a fresh and unique quality that if oftentimes lacking in a holiday romance for me. Charlotte’s distaste for Christmas cracked me up, I loved her humor and the chemistry between her and Graham was great. Nikki Massoud is a great narrator and sounded exactly like I imagined Charlotte would

Thank you Atria Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I wasn’t too sure about this book, as I haven’t read any of the author’s historical romances, but after a review from a trusted friend I moved it up my TBR. And I LOVED it. It was such a fun, festive book with a lot of heart. It also has excellent audio production and was a great companion during this transitional time before December. It was Christmassy, but not Hallmark Christmassy.

Synopsis:

“Charlotte hates the holidays. As a former child actress, she starred in a modern classic of a holiday movie, and its fans won’t let her move on. When a piece revealing that her reluctance nixed plans for a reboot, she flees to London to spend the five-week countdown to the holidays with her sister.But the ghosts of Christmas past follow her there when she ends up at Eden Priory, a filming location for the movie she has never visited. There, after being recognized by a fan while viewing the extraordinary holiday decorations, she’s accidently left behind, forcing her to accept a ride back to London from Graham, the son of the owners. Their family business—and the funds to keep their historic house running—relies on holiday cheer, and Graham knows a visit from a holiday star would bring in more visitors.Now an illustrator, Charlotte accepts a commission illustrating iconic holiday movie scenes in London and its environs. Graham offers to help escort her, as long as she’ll commit to an art workshop at Eden Priory. But as Charlotte’s chaotic family holiday goes awry, she begins spending more time scouting locations with Graham. She may not love a Christmas romance…but what if she has one of her own?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Premise—If you asked me what is one thing I’d want before I retire from an acting career, it would be to be in a classic Christmas movie. They’re my favorite films and I love that they are a part of families’ traditions each year. So I thought it was fun to see the effects of that, especially on a child star!

The Humor—This was a really cheeky, fun book and I thought the banter was nice between all the characters.

The Cozy but Not Cheesy Vibes—This is what I look for in a Christmas book! I don’t want holiday pun names, I want real people with their real lives and real problems amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

The 3rd Act Break Up—This was one that felt like a stretch for me. It surprised me and didn’t feel strong enough.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

grief