A fun holiday read! Very enjoyable! I enjoyed this book and am grateful for the advanced read! Definitely recommend this book!

What a great Christmas book! It reads like a Hallmark movie......a cute story with all the components of a Christmas Hallmark Romance movie, which is pointed out in the book a few times. The main character is not a fan of Christmas(for good reason) and this is a story of how she navigates it being thrown in her face at every turn, all while falling unexpectantly in love. Little bit of swoon, little bit of spice and all things Christmas in this feel-good story.

(I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books and Martha Waters.

"A former child star learns that holiday magic can come from a change in perspective in this charming and hilarious holiday rom-com.

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?"

Hey, personally I'd do anything to help out a historic house that needs a little financial boost. Especially one run my Graham.

This was a great read and perfect to get you into the holiday season, whether you love the holidays or not. Martha Waters never disappoints and I'm so excited to see what she does next. A must read for the girlies who love Christmas and for the ones who don't. What more can I say except read this book or else!

Christmas Is All Around has the freshest storyline I've seen in a long time in a holiday romance!

We have Charlotte, who just wants everyone to forget that one time she was a child actor in a hit Christmas movie, and Graham, a man who just wants to keep his family's estate, and legacy at large, from going under. This book pokes a lot of fun at the holiday romance movies of the early aughts - which, if that's not enough to pull you in, we have nothing in common. But it also deals heavily in perceived expectations and getting out of your own damn way.

I enjoy Martha's writing style so so much. The banter is heavy on sarcasm and the humor is sharp, just as in her Regency Vows series.

I really loved this couple, but I found the spice here a little lacking. It just didn't feel intimate enough, likely because during the few on-page scenes happened while they were assuming the relationship had an expiration date.

Thank you Atria and Simon Audio for the review copies, I really enjoyed Christmas is All Around and loved it on audio in particular.

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters is a delightful and heartwarming holiday romance that will capture readers with its strong character development, chemistry between the leads, and an engaging storyline that offers more depth than the typical holiday fare. Charlotte, a former child star who loathes Christmas after starring in a famous holiday film, finds herself in England for the holidays, only to be drawn back into the world she’s tried to leave behind. When she meets Graham, the owner of the estate featured in her iconic movie, sparks fly as they work together to save his family home.

Waters does an exceptional job crafting a sweet and charming story that balances humor and heart, with characters who grow both individually and together. The chemistry between Charlotte and Graham is compelling, and their witty banter adds a fresh twist to the classic holiday romance tropes. Charlotte’s grumpiness, paired with Graham’s grounded nature, makes for a fun and engaging dynamic.

Beyond the romance, the novel explores themes of self-discovery and family, all while cleverly incorporating references to holiday movies in a way that feels both nostalgic and self-aware. The holiday setting, especially in the quaint English countryside, adds an extra layer of coziness, making this the perfect read for the season.

For those who love a good romance with a holiday twist, Christmas Is All Around is a must-read. The audiobook is also a treat, making it a great choice for those looking to immerse themselves in a festive, feel-good story with memorable characters and a sweet love story at its core. Highly recommended!

Charlotte isn’t your average child movie star. In fact, she doesn’t want to be known for the famous Christmas movie that she starred in at all. But when she and her family visit the England home that it was filmed in, nothing could prepare her for the events that followed.

This was a very cute Christmas romance, even though it was a little slower during the first half of the book. I really enjoyed the friendship that blossomed into more with Graham and Charlotte, and found their banter quite entertaining. I loved that it was set in England, as well. It gives you all of the Hallmark Christmas movie feels which simultaneously poking fun at how “predictable” they are. (Which is kind of the point of them, right? 😉)

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria books for the advanced reader copy of this book!

I love everything I've read from Martha Waters and Christmas Is All Around is no exception! What a lovely anti-Christmas Christmas rom-com! It gave all the feels of a Hallmark holiday movie without all the cringe that I usually associate with Hallmark movies. Charlotte hates Christmas movies after having starred in one 20 years ago. Yet, fate has her living out her very own holiday romance when she travels to England to spend Christmas with her sister and she meets Graham, the owner of the very home that is featured in the film she starred in. The two find themselves working together (as they must in a holiday rom-com), in order to save Graham's ancestral home and sparks fly (as they do in a holiday rom-com).

While following the standard tropes seen in a holiday romance, Waters is able to create a story that feels fresh and unique. The only critique is a personal view, as someone who loves Christmas and the holidays, it was hard to see Charlotte hating so hard on the festivities. But I still very much enjoyed the banter and watching the two characters fall in love with each other (and maybe even the festive season)!

Martha Waters has nailed it again, this time with an anti-Christmas rom-com. American former child actress Charlotte hates Christmas and the Love Actually-esque film she starred in long ago. As fate would have it, when the travels to England to visit her sister, she ends up at a filming location for the very film she loathes, and finds her own Christmas romance. Many books of the Christmas romance genre may feel generic, but Martha Waters is a gifted writer, and Christmas Is All Around stands on its own as a solid romance.

This was such a cute holiday read. and while there is no snow on the ground yet, I loved the Christmas aesthetic and can't wait for the holidays!

This is a contemporary romcom set in England over the holidays as Charlotte, a former childhood star escapes across the pond only to find herself falling for Graham, an Englishman who's trying to save his family's estate home.

The banter between these two is so funny! She's a grumpy sassy New Yorker and he's a grumpy Englishman. The cultural clashes and sarcasm made for some incredible laugh out loud moments and the dynamic between the two characters was pretty realistic.

Christmas Is All Around, will have you swooning for Graham, Charlotte's love interest in this holiday read set in London. Unfortunately, for me, is wasn't a fan of Charlotte herself.

3.5 stars


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ever since her one acting role as a child in a popular Christmas movie, Charlotte has hated the holiday. While on vacation in England with her family, she accidentally ends up at the family estate house the movie was filmed out. As she tries to run from that unwanted legacy, she is actually being pulled towards the estate's new owner, Graham.

This was a cute one! Here's what I liked:

Charlotte and her humor: Waters does an amazing job with Charlotte. She's sarcastic and has a super dry sense of humor at times, I adored all of this about her. I wanted to be her friend.

The forced proximity: While Charlotte and Graham voluntarily go together to different houses used for movie sets, you still get that forced proximity feel to it. I loved all of the settings they go to and enjoyed watching them come together as they traveled.

The side characters: This one has some amazing side characters. Both of their families and friends really helped get me into the story!

Overall, this was such a good holiday romcom!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

I recently finished reading “Christmas Is All Around” by Martha Waters, and I absolutely loved it! The story follows Charlotte, a former child star who isn’t a fan of the holidays, as she navigates a chaotic Christmas season in London. What really stood out to me was the charming and hilarious dynamic between Charlotte and Graham, the son of the owners of Eden Priory. Their interactions were filled with witty banter and heartfelt moments that made me smile throughout the book.

I also appreciated how the book balanced humor with deeper themes of self-discovery and letting go of the past. The festive setting and the vivid descriptions of holiday decorations added a magical touch to the story. Overall, it was a delightful read that perfectly captured the spirit of Christmas romance.

Christmas Is All Around is a delightful Contemporary Christmas Romance set in the heart of London, England. It follows Charlotte, a former child star turned artist from New York City who, ironically, despises Christmas. In an attempt to escape the festive chaos, she travels to England to visit family. While there, she's reluctantly drawn to an estate that once served as the backdrop for the film that launched her career. It's at this historic house that she meets Graham, a man battling to maintain his family's home—a place rich with history but now facing financial strain. Together, they devise a heartwarming plan to preserve the estate, and in the process, something magical begins to bloom between them.

This book marks a wonderful departure from Waters’ signature regency romances, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! The chemistry between Charlotte and Graham feels authentic and crackles on the page. I especially loved the clever nods to Hallmark Christmas movies and classic romance novels—it adds an extra layer of holiday charm that fans of the genre will appreciate.

If you're looking for a festive, feel-good romance to kick off the holiday season, Christmas Is All Around is a must-read. It’s full of warmth, wit, and the kind of cozy atmosphere perfect for curling up with a cup of hot cocoa.

Christmas Is All Around is a Contemporary Christmas Romance set in London, England. Charlotte is a former child star/turned artist from New York City who hates Christmas. She goes on holiday to England to see family, where she reluctantly visits an estate once used as a set for the movie she starred in. There she meets Graham, whose family has owned the house for generations. Graham is struggling to upkeep the house and together they hatch a plan to help save it.

This book is a departure from Waters’ previous regency romance writing and I am here for it! The chemistry of the main character is fantastic! I loved all of the Hallmark Christmas and Romance novel references throughout the book! This is definitely a must read for the upcoming holiday season!

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really cute story!! I loved the plot. I personally love Christmas so it got tiring to hear how much Charlotte hates Christmas. Graham basically carried this book on his back (love him) and thank goodness for her sister Ava! It was exactly the conversation she needed. I would have loved to see Charlotte be more open to Christmas and liking it a bit more at the end but it’s okay :) I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is such a delight! Martha Waters brings her sparkling dialogue to a contemporary rom-com, and she delivers - big time! So much of the banter had me laughing out loud. I could easily visualize every scene while I was reading (Hallmark AfterDark, perhaps? lol). As much as I love her Regency set books, I hope we get more contemporary from the author in the future!

I put this off because it's still like a million degrees where I live and I wasn't in the mood for a Christmas book, but once I started it, I immediately got pulled in. I loved Martha Waters's Regency Vows series and was cautiously excited about a contemporary from her. I really enjoyed this story of two people who are trying to figure their lives out and find each other while they do it. Charlotte Lane is a successful self-employed artist who is in a bit of a bind. As a kid, she starred in a Love Actually style Christmas movie called Christmas, Truly that was a huge success and continues to be popular. After that, she decided she hated acting and never wanted to do it again, to the disappointment of her father who is in film and tv and her mother who is in theater. But she's still known mostly for being her character, and when an article from an industry magazine indicates that Charlotte is the only cast member who won't agree to a reboot that fans really, really want, she gets hate DMs and has a run-in with an angry teenager in New York City, where she lives. She decides to go to England, where her sister lives, earlier than usual for the holidays, but unfortunately finds herself pulled into weeks of Christmas celebration at the behest of her sister's in-laws, who want their new grandbaby to do all the touristy, Christmasy things they can. At a tree lighting, Charlotte finds herself at the historic home of an artist that she realizes too late is also where one of the iconic Christmas, Truly scenes was filmed. While there she meets Graham, the son of the current owner of the home, and they strike up a slightly acerbic friendship that leads to him asking her to create a series of watercolor paintings of British homes that were used in famous Christmas films that they could sell at Eden Priory (his home) the following year. Seeing an excuse to get out of more Christmas themed stuff (because, also, Charlotte really hates Christmas), she agrees and they begin to travel together so that she can sketch and take reference photos for the series. They are clearly into each other but it takes a while for them to act on it, after which things are pretty good and then of course pretty complicated (this is a romance novel, after all). I loved how absolutely and unapologetically grumpy Charlotte was, I found the shenanigans of her sister, brother-in-law, and niece to be hilarious, and I though Graham was a great balance of realistic and swoony. A great contemporary Christmas romance from Martha Wells! Content warning for death of a parent (past and off page).

I love this author’s Regency Vows series and was excited to see she was pivoting to contemporary romance. This one was fine but not particularly memorable. I thought Charlotte and Graham had good chemistry on page together, but I never really found myself caring about the story. I also wanted things a little more tied up at the end.

I read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

A snarky, funny, endearing Christmas romance. I love that Charlotte is a Christmas curmudgeon. And that she is strong-willed & unapologetic about keeping boundaries. Especially being somewhat famous. It was refreshing that she didn’t need to be liked. She & Graham have great chemistry. I love the setting- an English Christmas. A perfect holiday romance!