Charlotte starred in one film in her childhood. Moving on from the movie, she has an illustration career and wants nothing to do with acting. When it comes out that she is the lone holdout in another movie, the backlash becomes too much. She flees to London to visit her sister and niece for Christmas. While visiting a quaint estate, the owners ask Charlotte to help illustrate various film scenes across the English countryside. She finds herself enamoured by the handsome Graham, who escorts her across England. Will Graham unthaw her grumpy heart this holiday season?

I found this book to be Hallmark adjacent, happening across the English countryside. Charlotte and Graham are complete opposites. With Charlotte’s ba-humbug nature, Graham seems to balance her out. I enjoyed this book, but it felt like a lot of the other holiday novels that are out there. There were a lot of convenient circumstances bringing Charlotte and Graham together, but it was nice to see them come together. I did find Charlotte annoying sometimes, and I was happy when her sister finally called her on her childish behaviour.

I especially enjoyed the English setting and found the author pulling me into the quaintness of everything. One thing I know, I want to visit a Christmas market in England as soon as possible.

If you want a book that takes you to England this holiday season, this is a great book to check out. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

I could not get into this one. I restarted it twice and only made it to 20% before I gave up. The storyline didn't hook me and I found the main character very annoying.

As a former child actress in a huge modern classic holiday movie, Charlotte hates Christmas and all the festive activities surrounding it. Even as she tries to move on and pursue different artistic skills. But the world won't let her forget, especially when rumors of a reboot are squashed by an article stating she is one stopping it. To get away from the backlash she flees to London to stay with her sister for the holiday season. There, she accidentally stumbles into the English filming location of the film, and starts to be entangled with the family who owns it. Especially, one specific family member, who happens to be handsome and charming! Graham comes up with a business proposition that could help them both. But will the holiday season turn this anti-Christmas girl into a holiday romance story? ... I mean... You probably know the answer to that! 😂
I love @marthabwaters and was excited to read a modern romance from her! She does a great job building chemistry and has great banter between characters!
As is typical, you know there will be something that breaks the couple apart and that they will have to overcome if they are to continue. I felt Charlotte 's reaction to their obstacle was a bit extreme, and she dragged it on longer than needed. But... There was a HEA, so, I guess I'm ok! ☺️
If you're looking for a fun Christmas read, I would definitely recommend this one! It is set to be published later this month (22 Oct) so get it soon and add it to your TBR for the holiday season!!
Thank you to @NetGalley for an advanced copy!
#NetGalley #ChristmasIsAllAround

Started off promising, but then I hit a wall about 1/4 of the way in. The characters are fun though and I did enjoy the situational comedy for the most part. But it got a little boring through the middle.

I wish I was coming in with a 5-star read but sadly, this book was incredibly boring. I was certainly intrigued by the concept of a child actress but thought the direction of the book would be a bit different. After facing backlash from fans, the main character went abroad to spend some time with her sister and to get away from the crazy fans who couldn't imagine why she wouldn't want to do a spin-off of her ever so popular film, Christmas, Truly. Keeping in mind, that movie was filmed 20 years ago.

Once she got to London, she found herself in none other than the house that “Christmas, Truly” was partially filmed in. There was no escaping. Her whole family was in the film industry and she wanted no part of it. She was an artist and her newest assignment was painting scenes from well-known Christmas movies. Only problem being? She disliked Christmas and hadn't seen any of the movies - other than her own.

Enter: Graham. He would show her around and educate her on the Christmas movies. This is where the book fell absolutely flat for me. I couldn't get into it and felt no real connection with the characters unfortunately. I've seen a lot of great reviews of this book so just because I didn't enjoy it, doesn't mean it's not for you. If this plot seems of interest, I would recommend giving it a try!

Charlotte hates Christmas. Or maybe she just hates being reminded of the Christmas movie she starred in as a child. And the way the fanbase has reacted to her choice not to join the cast for the sequel. Charlotte runs away to hide with her sister for Christmas only to meet Graham, the current owner of the home where the move was filmed.

Read if you like:
-Christmas Love Stories
-Confronting the Past to Move Forward

I enjoyed Christmas is All Around, but I didn't lose my mind over it. It was a decent book. It was festive and fun with just the right amount of tongue in cheek humor. But it didn't pack the emotional punch I was hoping for.

Is it too early to be fully in the Christmas spirit? Absolutely not. This book has defrosted Mariah Carey in my household with its perfect holiday rom-com vibes. Charlotte, a former child star in Chirstmas, Truly, is spending the holidays with her sister in London to escape the buzz of the reboot of Christmas, Truly. On this trip, she ends up at Eden Priory, which happens to be where the film was shot. Graham, the charming son of the owners, has an incredible meet cute with Charlotte, and later entices her to create art for Eden Priory's shop. They embark on a series of delightful adventures full of banter and chemistry. If you're looking for a light hearted read filled with laughter and all the Christmas vibes, I would highly recommend giving this book a try! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to be honest, I go into most holiday reads with pretty low expectations and usually anticipate something around three stars. Thankfully, CHRISTMAS IS ALL AROUND was much more entertaining than I expected and will likely be one of my favorite festive reads of the year!

In this one, we meet Charlotte a one hit wonder in the child acting world who has recently turned down the opportunity to reprise her role in a reboot of the beloved Christmas film (I’m equating this to Love, Actually). After some angry fan interactions she flees to London to visit her sister and despite her best intentions, the grumpy woman falls in love (shocker!!!!).

From my goodreads sleuthing, it appears this author mainly writes historical romance and it was really fun to see some of her obvious passion peeking through in a very modern day plot. I tried to figure out if any of Graham’s relatives ever made an appearance in The Regency Vows series, but no such luck! I shall report back as soon as I get to those books!

As with most seasonal reads, CHRISTMAS IS ALL AROUND is a bit cheesy and predictable but the humor is a little more tongue in cheek and the characters fully recognize (and banter about) the over the top Christmas cheer. Plus, there’s some spice and a cocktail making competition! Cheers to both!

I mostly loved the UK setting and now I’m even more excited to visit at Christmastime. I also really adored the side characters. Charlotte’s sister and brother-in-law were equally neurotic and adorable and I really appreciated when Ava finally called Charlotte on her BS.

Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own.

This is a fun, entertaining read. Graham and Charlotte are interesting, complex, wounded, strong, smart, intriguing, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took. I wish we had gotten to see where they ended up. These two are fun to spend time with. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The family aspects of the story added much to the characters’ development and growth as well as the overall story. The book is easy to read and get into.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters was such a cute read. This book follows Charlotte, who hates the holidays. I really like the characters. This story was a fun quick read and I enjoyed it all the way through.
Overall, it was the perfect book for a cozy season!
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this charming and funny holiday romance.
Artist Charlotte has unease towards Christmas because of a solo acting role as a child in a famous Christmas. When she accidentally finds herself at a historic home, one of the filming locations for the movie, she meets Graham, one of the homeowners. Graham offers to hire Charlotte to create various artworks of famous Christmas movie locations around the area. They spend time going to the locations and slowly start falling for each other.
I loved Charlotte's dry humor. Her witty banter with Graham was entertaining and romantic. The book is set during the holidays, but it also feels like a story that could be enjoyed at any time of the year. London at Christmas was such a wonderful setting.
The book was light and a fun read. It was relaxing and enjoyable. I highly recommend it if you want a quick and cozy story.

My first time reading this author’s book.

The character development was intriguing and the plot was quite original. I enjoyed the slow build up to about 60% mark but felt like things fell flat after. I liked how much of the conflicts were resolved in a straight forward way.

This was a wonderful holiday read! Sometimes I feel like I'm reading the same holiday romance over and over, but I liked the plot of this one.

While this is Charlotte's POV, Graham will steal your heart as the love interest. He is a nice character, loves Christmas (but doesn't seem Christmas crazy), and has a big heart for family. He was easy to like right from the beginning.

Charlotte is the Scrooge, and you will definitely know it. However, not only does she loathe the holidays, she also loathes children, which the author makes sure you know about 837463 times. Poor Alice is nothing but a demon baby that cries, creates problems, pukes, poops, and makes life utterly miserable. It is totally fine to not like children, but the author mentioned it every single chance she could, and that really took away from a lot of the Christmas magic in some respects.

Charlotte is also a hard character to connect with, to like, to even stand. She has the holiday grumps because her Christmas movie past follows her, but she just generally sees the glass half empty all the time. It isn't until the very end that she starts to snap out of it and stop being so dismissive of everyone's feelings.

Overall it was a lovely Christmas read. 3.5 stars! Spice is very mild and short so don't expect much of that in here.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love a grumpy character, especially one who holds a grudge against the holiday season, but Charlotte went beyond grumpy—she was really hateful. It’s not that she didn’t have a good reason for her bitterness, but oof, her overwhelming negativity dragged the story down for me.

Though now an artist, Charlotte is a former child actor who can’t seem to escape her iconic role from the beloved movie Christmas, Truly (similar to Macaulay Culkin after Home Alone). To avoid further scrutiny for refusing a reboot, she flees to her sister's home in London as the holidays approach.

By chance, she ends up at the English manor where the movie was filmed—and crosses paths with Graham, the charming son of the owners. Despite this adorable setup, I didn’t find the story itself very interesting. The plot mainly revolves around Graham showing Charlotte various iconic movie locations for her illustration commission, but it all fell flat for me.

In the end, the story does offer a sweet message about gratitude, and Charlotte does experience some character growth, but overall, I just didn't care for this one.

I am not a huge fan of contemporary romance although I do read it occasionally … I requested this one because I loved this author’s Regency romance series … I love me a strong female lead and some bantering and sarcasm and all but … Charlotte was so negative about everything ( Christmas … niece … her movie .,. Her parents … and the list goes on ) and so annoying that I just couldn’t understand what Graham saw in her 🤷🏼‍♀️

2.5 ⭐️

This book is absolutely adorable! 😍

Charlotte isn’t a fan of Christmas 😒—partly because her parents didn’t create happy holiday memories, and partly due to her childhood fame starring in a rom-com that fans won’t let her forget 🎬. When she’s blamed for the sequel being canceled, she escapes to London. There, she meets Graham, a guy on a mission to save his family estate 🏰. He hires Charlotte to paint Christmas movie-themed estates for them to sell, and as they spend time together, sparks start flying ✨. Could Graham be the reason Charlotte finally stops hating Christmas? 🎅❤️

Watching Charlotte evolve and come to terms with her family’s past was heartwarming 🥰.
I loved how she learned to appreciate the joy in making new memories, even when tied to something painful 🌟. Graham’s loyalty to his family really hit me in the feels 💕. He’s a sweet MMC, and I was rooting for him!

The one things I didn’t love was the third act breakup. It lacked a bit of that longing tension I crave. However, this book is perfect if you’re in the mood for a fun, festive rom-com 🎄✨. It gave me serious Hallmark movie vibes 📺 (which I think was exactly what it was going for!), and it’ll definitely put you in the holiday spirit. Highly recommend for anyone who wants a quick, heartwarming holiday read! 🎅📚

I’m a Christmas fan, but I’m also a “grumpy woman who is justifiably irritated by the holidays until an equally grumpy man flips her world upside down with the magic of love” fan. And boy did this book perfectly combine the joy of falling in love during the holidays with the sheer horror of being a human in a city during the holidays.
Like most holiday romances, this is a snarky Hallmark movie, full of ridiculous situations and sassy characters. It put me firmly in the Christmas spirit, (I thought about putting my Christmas tree in October) and had me ready to watch the many movies it lovingly mocked. I loved how tongue-in-cheek the whole book was, with Charlotte calling out every single ridiculous thing that happened to her.
This is a great option for a holiday romance book, perfect for those lazy days when absolutely nothing matters except eating leftovers and seasonal candy. Add in a mug of hot chocolate and a cozy YouTube fireplace, and you’ll be filled with holiday joy!
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I started this book in London and finished it at home, and it was the perfect balm for missing that city. I was at that museum! I ate that treat! I took the tube!

I unfortunately DID NOT fall in love with a handsome British man with glasses and a crumbling country estate. I’ll just have to try again at Christmas.

Christmas Is All Around is strangely great for folks who hate Christmas and for folks who love it. It’s out Oct. 22, and once again, that is NOT too early for a holiday romance.

Thank you @marthabwaters, @netgalley and @atriabooks for the eARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶/5
🇬🇧🎄🎅🏻🎞️🎨/5

CW: child stars, magic of the season, mulled wine, holiday crowds, inconsolable crying baby, family matching pajamas, sheep-induced traffic, Betwixtmas

Even though I am Jewish, I enjoy Christmas stories. This is my first Waters book, but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the premise of this book and all of the characters. Charlotte starred in a Christmas movie when she was 9, but wanted to be an artist, not an actress. When she is blamed for not wanting to be in a sequel as an adult, she flees New York to go to stay with her sister, who is a stage actress. Her sister, husband and constantly screaming niece are really into celebrating Christmas. They take Charlotte to a celebration at the estate where part of the film was shot, and so our story begins. She meets the cute owner of said estate and finds out he is trying to keep the house from falling apart by hosting Christmas activities, including a sowing of the movie. There are is a romance, misunderstandings, and then of course an appreciation of Christmas.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC of this book. It is a perfect holiday book and would make a great movie on Hallmark. But don't let that keep you from enjoying this unique Christmas story. It will really give you a glimpse at how large estates in England need a lot of help to keep them in the family and in good repair.
This is my honest review.

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters
Narrator: Nikki Massoud
Rating: 5 stars
Pub date: 10/22

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy and to Simon Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

Charlotte is a former child star who’s completely over Christmas after starring in a cheesy holiday movie that fans won’t let her forget. Trying to escape all the holiday madness, she heads to London to spend time with her sister, but Christmas keeps catching up with her—especially when she ends up at Eden Priory, a place tied to her movie past.

Enter Graham, the grumpy yet charming guy whose family owns the historic house. He convinces Charlotte to help him out by creating some holiday artwork to help save the family home, and what starts as a business deal soon turns into something more.

Get ready to add this to your holiday TBR! It’s a fun and cozy holiday rom-com that’s perfect for the season. The banter is seriously the highlight of the book—Charlotte is sassy and sarcastic, while Graham is the quiet, brooding type, and their back-and-forth had me laughing out loud.

The chemistry between them feels so real, and the setting is just perfect. From London’s holiday scenes to the cozy charm of Eden Priory, it’s hard not to feel the Christmas magic swirling around. Even though Charlotte’s not a fan of the holidays, she slowly warms up to it all, and watching her fall in love—both with the season and Graham—makes for a heartwarming story.

Nikki Massoud is such a talented narrator! I loved her rendition of the story, her accents, and the way she brought the story to life.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted, laugh-out-loud holiday read with a dash of romance, Christmas Is All Around is the perfect addition to your holiday TBR!

Read if you like:
*Christmas romance
*British accents
*Christmas movies
*single POV