A Winter Wish
By: Emily Stone
4 stars

Having read Love, Holly earlier this year, I was so excited to get the ARC of A Winter Wish! Emily Stone does an amazing job of writing winter-time books without shoving Christmas down your throat. Winter is just a subtle background to the overall story and for that, I am grateful!

The story follows Lexie, a late 20’s traveler who doesn’t settle down in one place for long as she learns of her father’s death. She has an estranged relationship with her father who left her and her mother when she was young to remarry and have another child with. All her life, Lexie has struggled with her feelings on her father, this man who was once the world to her who left her feeling less than when he left for his new family. After his funeral, she learns that her father has left her his traveling company, R&L Travel, but she has to split it with his associate, Theo. The catch is, she has to stick to it for a year or she loses any potential income, forcing her to take a step back from her traveling lifestyle and stay put to try and make a go at his company her father started. The problem lies not only with staying put, but with this man Theo who she doesn’t know, but clearly doesn’t like her.

Lexie grapples with the version of her father that she knew, while learning who he was to not only Theo, but her half sister, Rachel. She battles with loving this company her father made, that mirrors her own values while trying to truly process that her father is now dead and they had so much unresolved between them. I loved that throughout the story we learn more about Lexie and Theo’s backstory, and through their forced relationship, they begin to work through their grief and learn to trust one another. Their chemistry was at first very prickly and eventually they heat up over the course of months until they’re unable to resist one another.

While the blossoming romance was a wonderful part of the story, I wish we got more from Lexie’s evolving perspective of her father and he relationship with her half sister. At times I felt bad for Lexie for being forced into this position, being told as a grown woman that she HAS to do this for a year while also being manipulated into situations by his assistant, Ange, such as her booking a trip and not telling her Theo was there. Sort of forcing her hand at times. I guess for the overall plot it worked but in real life I would be furious?

It’s a wonderful read for anyone looking for:
-Overcoming a parental loss
-Reconnecting with yourself
-Slow-burn romance
-Travel
-Wintertime reads

I am a very big fan of Martha Waters' regency era novels - most of which I actually read through NetGalley - so i knew that I would just fall in love with this new Christmas book that is just the perfect read for the holiday season. One thing I particularly LOVED about this book was the little adventures that Graham and Charlotte would go on in search for those perfect illustration locations. I also just fell in love with Graham and how family oriented he is. So often the MMC is grumpy and brooding - which I can totally get on board with sometimes - but in this case Graham was kind, caring and just so wonderful. This book felt like a cozy hallmark movie in your hands!

This book was holiday magic! Charlotte, a former child star who’s so over Christmas, heads to London, only to get tangled up with Graham—the charming guy who’s all about holiday cheer. Their banter? Perfectly witty and hilarious. Charlotte’s anti-Christmas vibe makes her so relatable, while Graham is sweet, swoony, and exactly the kind of holiday romance we all need.

If you’re craving a feel-good read with laughs, coziness, and a touch of spice, Christmas is All Around is the perfect pick.

Genre: Contemporary Christmas Romance

Charlotte Lane is a former child star who has exactly one movie credit to her name: “Christmas Truly,” the wildly popular Christmas megahit. But twenty years after its success, there’s talk of a reboot of Christmas Truly that Charlotte refuses to participate in. Charlotte hates Christmas, and yet she finds herself in England for the holidays with her older sister, baby niece, brother-in-law, and his parents for niece’s first Christmas; this means fewer insane Christmas Truly fans, but an overdose of Christmas cheer. Her sister Ava drags her along to a tree-lighting of a house that’s eerily familiar, and Charlotte recognizes it as the filming location for her British counterpart from the movie. A furious Charlotte wants nothing to do with it, so she’s irriated when a man in a reindeer costume invades her space. The reindeer costumed man is Graham, and his family owns the house, which, like any good old English mansion, is bleeding money. Grinch Charlotte can’t help but be charmed by Graham, especially not when he commissions her for Christmas artwork to sell in the house giftdshop.

This is absolutely charming!! Martha Waters made a name for herself with regency romances filled with witty banter, and I'm delighted to say this works exceptionally well for the Christmas rom-com subgenre as well. A rich man needs to save his estate? Turns out Waters can take a classic historical trope and make it a contemporary.

Look, for all its flaws, I adore the movie Love Actually. Christmas is All Around has a lot of sweet nods to its inspirational movie, both poking fun and embracing the sentimentality. Graham, is earnest and a little starchy. Charlotte is pessimistic (but mostly becuase its Christmas) and a little bit grumpy. Waters give the right amount of justice to Love Actually, but also balances it with a strong romance and a well-rounded cast of characters.

Don't pick this up looking for something soulfully serious. Pick it up because Martha Waters is a great writer with fun to read prose and she brings the Christmas spirit.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, and thank you to Simon and Schuster Audio and Libro FM for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

This book was an absolute delight to read. If you love Christmas movies set in England such as Love Actually and the Holiday you will love this story.

Charlotte is a young American woman who had a supporting role in a Love Actually inspired movie as a child. Now an artist as an adult, Charlotte travels to London to visit her sister who is now living in the city. One day, she connects with Graham, who Charlotte discovers has a surprising connection to the film. Initially trying to hide her past, she ends up confiding in Graham about her past. Charlotte and Graham end up forming a bond over the holiday season. Romance ensues.

I really enjoyed this story and for the audiobook portion of the book, I thought Nikki Massoud was a great choice to be the narrator and I loved how she voiced both the English and American accents. I think this book is the second or third book I have listened to Nikki Massoud narrate and I think she has a very bright and cheerful voice, and I would definitely consider listening to more books narrated by her in the future.

Overall, this is a delightful Christmas romance, and Martha Waters has once again written a beautiful and funny book. If you love Love Actually or The Holiday, I especially recommend this book!

Many thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to review this book.

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In Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters, I found a delightful blend of humor and heartfelt moments set against a charming holiday backdrop. The story centers on Charlotte Lane, a former child actress grappling with her disdain for Christmas and the pressure from her past. When she travels to London and inadvertently reconnects with her roots, the narrative captures her journey of self-discovery amid festive chaos. The chemistry between Charlotte and Graham, the charming heir to Eden Priory, provides a warm romance that feels both refreshing and genuine, and their character arcs are compelling without feeling forced. Overall, this book is a festive treat that balances lightheartedness with deeper themes of acceptance and love, making it a perfect read for the holiday season

98% of this book was absolute perfection! It was fun, playful, and the traditional 3rd act breakup was NOT due to miscommunication, which I am very thankful for! Only the last chapter stumbled-don't worry I won't give spoilers!
The Christmas Romance genre is extremely formulaic, and we love it for that! It feels safe to read something with similar themes, similar progression, with deviations enough from what you've already read that it is still exciting to kick your feet and giggle! This book had all the perfect points of a Christmas romance, and Martha Waters did a wonderful job. My only hesitance is it felt like in the last chapter while writing the conclusion she gained too much self-awareness. Her writing felt like she realized she was writing along the lines of a formula, and she panicked and acknowledged it too much in an attempt to convince us that it is smarter than that. The thing is, the very people who are reading Christmas romances are not going to dislike it for the formula, we LOVE it for that reason. By acknowledging it so many times in so many ways that, yes this is indeed very cliche and yes we have see and read this type of scene a million times before, she takes us out of the moment, ruining the very thing we seek Christmas Romances out for.
I do not think the last chapter ruined the book by any means, it was fun and comforting, just what I was looking for, it just didn't stick the landing.

Dear Martha Waters, I have read some of your other books and I love your writing! You did a wonderful job on this one as well, I had so much fun, but please do not worry about the ending seeming cliche. Making it too meta ruined the moment-specifically for Christmas Romance readers, who are a little different than the usual romance readers. We WANT the formula, we are comfortable with it, it is what we are here for. Don't worry so much about seeming smarter than a formula, we are all intelligent readers, and we still want to be here, and we ESPECIALLY want to read your books! Thank you for your work!!

And thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

The characters are well-developed and relatable, each facing their own challenges—be it a romantic entanglement, family pressures, or personal growth. Waters excels at creating a tapestry of interconnected lives, allowing readers to see how their stories intersect in unexpected ways. The humor sprinkled throughout lightens the mood, ensuring that even the most emotional moments are balanced with laughter.

Martha Walters has been a long time favourite of my mine for a sweet holiday rom com with depth, and this book didn’t dissapoint!

Once again this author comes up with a unique plot. Charlotte (an American) hates Christmas, after starring in a Hallmark type holiday rom com as a child. She goes to England to spend the holidays with her sister, who unfortunately drags her along for several holiday activities. She ends up at Eden Priory, where part of her holiday movie was filmed and has a chance meeting with Graham. Grahams family own the historical house, and are hosting events and activities to try to generate enough income for repairs, and to keep from looking their home.

Overall this story was interesting, with great plot and fascinating characters.

I did find it hard to warm up to Charlotte initially, she is a grumpy grinch who doesn’t want to hang out with her family (who she came to visit) and do anything Christmas themed because of all the attention she received (good and bad) from the movie she was in as a child. At that point I felt especially sorry for her sister, brother in law and their baby whom she came to visit! She isn’t getting recognized by many people, and maybe needs some counselling at this point.

However, we definitely see some character growth throughout the story, which redeems her.

Overall this book was entertaining and interesting, with great characters and dialogue. However, it is not a sugary sweet Hallmark type rom rom if that is what you are in to.

Thank you to Atria books and Netgalley for providing me with a eARC of this book to read and review.

3.5⭐️ A cute, easy read just in time for Christmas!

This book follows Charlotte as she escapes the US & her past as a child actor to reunite in London with her sister. While there, she meets & develops a relationship with Graham who owns the house in which in her childhood movie was filmed.

This was unique and unlike any other romance online I’ve read. I found the FMC a little insufferable and could not relate to her Christmas hatred. But the relationship and MMC are top tier!!

This was an advanced read copy I received through Netgalley so it’s not going to be officially published until October 22, 2024! But this is my honest review!

Add this book to your to read list, I promise you won’t regret it! & then let me know what you thought!

#books #bookstagram #booktok #bookrating #library #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bookrecs#bookcommunity #booklovers #booksofinstagram #bookish #fivestarbooks #romancebook #kindlebooks
#kindleunlimited

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
London at Christmas? Count me in. This is such a cute and unique story! I have loved all of the author’s other books and this one did not disappoint. I loved the child star of a Christmas cult classic plot and enjoyed the chemistry between our main characters!

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas stories. Scrooge much? But I really enjoyed Christmas Is All Around.

Charlotte is complex. She's had a strange, and not entirely enjoyable, childhood. Starring in a campy Christmas movie that became way too popular, she's worked hard to reinvent herself. She knew immediately that Hollywood wasn't for her despite her parents' desires. She never wants to make another movie. She'd be happy if the one she made would just go away out of the public's mind. Graham isn't really into the movie or the Christmas events his family is forced to hold to try to keep the ancestral home. After Charlotte's sister drags her to the house featured in her film, she find a nook to hide in and sketch the decorations. She's an artist now and this is her happy place, the drawing not necessary the nook. With the chaos of her husband, in-laws and young baby, Charlotte's sister' leave Charlotte behind. She's prickly with Graham but needs his offered ride to get back to her sister's London home. The two realize they can help each other. Graham will chauffeur Charlotte so she can do a series of Christmas cards for Graham to sell featuring his home and others used for Christmas movie sets. Charlotte can see where this would be a good business decisions and reluctantly agrees. The two spend a lot of time visiting locations and find they really like each other.

There's lot of tension. Difficult parents, a screaming baby, those in-laws, Charlotte, and it all makes for an interesting story. I liked watching Charlotte realize how much she's shut herself off as a coping mechanism and Graham deciding his life's work and moving into it.

I really enjoyed this book.

Thanks to the author, Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters 🎨
Overall Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐

I enjoyed this cute and quick Christmas romance!

I liked the premise and the characters and thought it was a well written story! The beginning felt a lot stronger than the end half but overall, it would be a good addition for your classic holiday romance reads this winter.

When I saw that Martha Waters had a new book out that was contemporary fiction, I was really excited to check it out. I've read Waters' historical romance series and really enjoyed them as they aren't as stodgy or formal as other historical romances that I've read in the past. In 'Christmas Is All Around,' Charlotte is a former child actor who starred in only one movie, a very popular holiday movie called 'Christmas is All Around' (ahem, a Love Actually-esque film) but hasn't acted since. When the movie is optioned for a sequel and all the original actors sign on to play their roles except for Charlotte, she encounters a lot of hate and backlash, in person and online. Since it's almost Christmas, Charlotte decides to escape New York City and heads to London to stay with her older sister, brother-in-law and baby niece for a month or so until New Year's. Coincidently, she joins her family on a tour of an old mansion for Christmas carols that winds up being the place where many of her 'Christmas is All Around' scenes were filmed years ago. In a funny meet-cute, Charlotte is thrown together with Graham, who's family owns the mansion. He's struggling to help keep the home in the family despite the large fees it takes to maintain it, and enlists Charlotte, who is a graphic designer/artist, to create sketches/prints of the mansion and a few other England-based homes and buildings that have been featured in popular holiday movies to sell in their gift shop. The relationship between Charlotte and Graham develops slowly and sweetly--neither are necessarily ready to jump into a relationship with someone who lives across the ocean. The family interactions and conversations are entertaining, especially the descriptions and adventures with Charlotte's baby niece. I really did enjoy this book, although Charlotte does come across as one-note throughout the book. She really hates Christmas and that kind of becomes her personality. Graham was a very relatable male lead, although his stubborness kind of became his only personality trait too. I loved the setting of London during the holidays though, and I'll definitely look out for more contemporary romance from Martha Waters.

I adored Martha Waters’ The Regency vows series. I was curious to see how Waters would pivot from historical romance to modern romance, specifically Christmas romance.

With her signature wit and development of a likable full cast of characters, Waters pens a very cute Grinchy romance about Charlotte and Graham. Charlotte starred in a Christmas movie hit when she was nine and the movie haunts her. Graham’s family owns the house where part of the film Charlotte starred in was filmed. This book is hilariously self-aware and pokes fun at the holiday romance plot lines, Christmas traditions, and people’s obsession with actors and popular movies.

I saw that Waters posted an early review that described this book as two nepotism babies falling in love. I think that’s apt — some of the problems feel a little contrived. For example, Charlotte’s complaints about the film felt a bit overblown at times. Graham deals with more substantial issues and is a gem. We protect Graham at all costs. I liked how their relationship develops and I loved how Charlotte’s sister and best friend interact with her and call her out when needed.

Overall, a solid romance that’s ideal for anyone feeling Grinchy about the season but who also wants something cozy and cute.

Ever since appearing as a child in a Christmas movie that has become a classic, Charlotte has tried to distance herself from the holiday as much as possible. Charlotte heads to London to celebrate with her sister and get out of the States. It seems Charlotte can’t escape her past even in a different country. When she heads to an event at Eden Priory-a country estate where the movie was filmed-Charlotte’s past and present collide. She becomes quick friends with the family who owns Eden Priory, the son Graham in particular. When he commissions Charlotte to illustrate famous Christmas scenes all around London, the time together leads Graham and Charlotte to challenge each other. This creates a spark they can’t deny. But all is not what it seems.

With Martha Water’s trademark wit and sweetness this holiday romance has gone straight to the top as one of my favorites!

what a fun, unique, intriguing story! I loved Charlottes character as she grapples with past haunts while also falling for Graham who is unknowingly connected to Charlottes past. I was hooked into Charlottes story here, wanting to know more and more about her why’s. Graham is cute and I love his and Charlottes connection and love story.

overall, a super fun, captivating, unique story! thank you for the arc :)

This story was a sweet Christmas romance! The tongue-in-cheek aspect, especially towards the end was a bit much for me personally, and the side characters felt underdeveloped which led to a more flat feeling as I read.

This was an interesting storyline - a take on a young, child actress from love, actually (but of course renamed)… who grew up in a Hollywood family … but hated fame. She winds up being forced to attend a Christmas event at one of the filming locations that celebrates the movie, after fleeing home to avoid the public outcry from enraged fans after refusing to do a sequel, like, 20 years later, and basically being told her decision has derailed the entire project.

Meeting a very non-fan and someone related to the property (Eden Priory), she somehow winds up touring the English countryside and doing commissioned drawings of other iconic movie locations with him, and realizing that the Christmas season might not be so bad, afterall…

I’m a big fan of Waters’ regency romps and this one is really different, but really enjoyable! I also love the actual movie it was loosely based on (the one that Charlotte was in as a child actor), so those ties definitely might have kept me glued to the pages a little more, waiting for some other Easter eggs. I definitely recommend this one to her fans, and love, actually fans, and just good Christmas romance fans!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Atria Books, and this is my honest feedback.

I don't read much historical romance but LOVED Martha Water's series so I knew I'd love this one as well and I was right. An absolute delight: smart, sexy, whimsical, festive.