Christmas With the Queen includes royal family interactions, second-chance romance, and dreams realized.

In December of 1952 as the royal family prepares to spend Christmas at Sandringham House, a young Queen Elizabeth struggles to find the right words for her Christmas Day radio broadcast. Meanwhile, Olive, a single mother and aspiring journalist, receives an unexpected opportunity to cover the Royal Family’s Christmas holiday. Elsewhere, Jack, a grieving widow and chef, accepts an invitation to fill in as a cook in the royal kitchen for the Christmas events. Olive and Jack are surprised to see each other as they share a brief romantic history. They grow closer as they reunite over the next few years and interact with and serve the royal family. Sparks fly, but Olive is keeping a big secret.

The royal family Christmas gathering at Sandringham House sets the scene year after year. We gain glimpses into the preparation and festivities and are treated to brief interactions with the young Queen. However, this is Olive and Jack’s story, so we share their limited behind-the-scenes perspectives.

Olive and Jack have a complicated relationship that develops over five Christmas seasons. Olive is keeping a big secret and Jack is grieving the death of his wife. Plus, they must reconcile their brief romantic history. Miscommunication is frustrating for readers (like me) who don’t list this as a favorite trope! I totally understand Jack’s anger at the third-act breakup!

Sweet second-chance romance saves the day once miscommunication is resolved and the carefully-guarded secret is revealed. A satisfying conclusion awaits a patient reader.

Content Consideration: unplanned pregnancy, grief

I recommend Christmas With the Queen for fans of historical fiction, second-chance romance, and the Gaynor/Webb writing team. Readers looking for a story with a Christmas setting will want this on their December TBR.

Thanks #NetGalley @WilliamMorrow for a complimentary e ARC of #ChristmasWithTheQueen upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Just finished Christmas with the Queen. I liked it a great deal, but if you as a reader are looking for a true glimpse into what it might be like to have Christmas at Sandringham, even down to just decorations or food, you will be disappointed. It was a great love story, and the main characters, Jack and Olive, were well fleshed out. However, I knew more about Jack's New Orleans background and his relationship with his grandfather and about Olive's parents poor relationship and her poor cooking than I ever found out about the Queen's Christmas.

I really enjoyed reading this. As with all of the Gaynor books I have read, her characters feel so real to me. I also enjoyed the passage of time throughout the years that the plot followed. At times the book felt too long, as if it dragged, but for the most part I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Christmas with the Queen.

In 1952, a young Queen Elizabeth II has recently become the Queen, and is trying to find her footing on a path she feels she must make her own while honoring her father’s legacy. When an opportunity arises for Olive Carter, an employee in the typing pool at the BBC with aspirations of becoming a reporter, to stay at Sandringham and report on the royal family’s Christmas, she jumps at the chance. While there she has a chance encounter with the Queen, and offers to listen to her speech and give advice on how to improve and make it make her style. She also encounters Jack Devereux, who is recently widowed and has taken a job in the kitchens at Sandringham. Friends from right after the War, they share a history, but haven’t seen each other in several years. As the royal family and Olive and Jack run into each other over the years at Sandringham and on royal tours, a new friendship forms and past secrets must be revealed for them to have a chance at a future.

Told alternately from the point of view of the Queen, Jack, and Olive, this is a sweet story of second chances, and how if things are meant to be, they will eventually turn out that way. There is enough description of events with the Queen to be believable, but the royals just provide the backdrop for the story of Jack and Olive and their meetings throughout the years.. These authors are auto-buys for me, and when they collaborate on a novel it’s extra special. Fans of The Crown will love this one -pick it up to get you in the holiday mood!

Cozy Christmas novel perfect for fans of The Crown. Glad I saved this one until right after Thanksgiving - perfect timing to get me into the holiday spirit.

An appealing and charming story, with the background of Christmas at Sandringham adding an interesting setting. As the Queen prepares for her annual speech, a young woman, Olive, determined to make it in the BBC, fills in for the regular correspondent for the speech. Olive has a young daughter, Lucy. Jack is a chef from New Orleans, who ended up in London after the war, and cooks for the Queen. The relationship between Olive and Jack has some history to it, while they circle each other without admitting their feelings. I enjoyed the story, particularly the chapters with the Queen. Recommended for a light, holiday romance with some history thrown in. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Quick Look
-cringe-free holiday fiction
-multi-POV, dual timeline
-miscommunication trope
-grief, loss, and complicated relationships
-closed-door romance
Pub Date: November 19, 2024

After reading (and loving) Last Christmas in Paris a few years ago, I’ve been eager for the next Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb collaboration. I nearly wept with joy when I heard it would be another holiday book. Holiday historical fiction novels are hard to come by, especially good ones! Told from two different perspectives over multiple timelines, Olive and Jack’s story is fraught with miscommunication and missed opportunities. Though the miscommunication trope isn’t my favorite, this somehow worked for me. The will they/won’t they kept me engaged and flipping pages. One of the things I loved most about this book was Queen Elizabeth II. I’ve always been fascinated with the British monarchy, so stepping into the home, heart, and mind of the Queen was an extra special treat. I loved seeing how, over time, the new monarch embraced changing technology and public sentiments. She was a woman in a man’s world, determined to make her way forward without sacrificing her femininity or her standards. Olive’s burgeoning success with the BBC further explored this, making it more of a feminist read than I expected. Overall it’s safe to say that Gaynor and Webb have done it again! They’ve written a wonderfully romantic holiday historical fiction book that any historical fiction fan will enjoy (as long as the miscommunication trope isn’t a problem). Olive and Jack’s story is sweet and filled with love, longing, and discovery. Best of all, it’s set during a fascinating time of change and growth, particularly for women.

A perfectly delightful holiday, historical read. Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb hits all the right notes. Olive, a single mother, wishes to be taken seriously as the royal correspondent for the BBC. She fights the battle of many women of the 50s to be taken seriously in her career - in her case a journalist. Jack dreams of being the head chef in his own restaurant. When the novel begins, he takes a job with the royal palace kitchen in an effort to distract himself from grief at the loss of his young wife. A young Queen Elizabeth is learning to be queen after the devastating loss of her father. The paths of these three meet in Sandringham at Christmas in 1952, and we get to follow them for several years. It turns out Jack and Olive met at the end of the great war and have a history of sorts. So mixed in with their present we get flashbacks to the past.
Historically speaking, the Queen gets her own narrative. Her voice seems very much like the footage I’ve heard. I really enjoy the insight into her early life. I am not obsessed with the royals, but I am interested enough. I’ve seen “The Crown” and done some reading. Though fictionalized, the authors’ research really helped to flesh out some of what I already knew. They humanize her and Philip, making her accessible to the reader. The fifties in London is a fascinating setting. The impact of World War II is certainly felt. The experiences change the approach of many people to life. It seems they are infinitely more practical and take little for granted. Jack’s and Olive’s narratives work well too. A fairly big secret (no spoilers!) is at the heart of the story. The alternating narratives help to build suspense while gradually revealing their history. I really enjoyed how the time was consistently marked by Christmas. I liked the pause to consider how the characters grew and changed over the course of a year.
Once again, a gentle reminder of how women’s rights have changed over time. (or not changed?) Olive had to disappear when she was pregnant out of wedlock and lie about being a war widow. She is treated lesser than at the BBC, and has to work awfully hard to earn the right to write the stories she wished for. While I am left wondering about change, I am grateful for the women who paved the way for me. Those are heavy thoughts, but If you like your Christmas books with some pretty cool history and a bit of mystery and romance thrown in, Gaynor and Webb’s Christmas with the Queen is just right! Give yourself the gift of reading it this Christmas.

enjoyed this SO much! Such a great blend of historical tidbits, character development and romance! And I'm not a huge romance reader, but I was cheering for Olive and Jack so hard! Will be recommending this to all of my friends this season!

The story itself was interesting and a unique concept. I liked that the book followed regular people and their challenges and aspirations at Christmastime, but yet it also incorporated the queen and royal traditions as well.

I think the authors’ note at the end where they said they wanted to explore the notion of what happens when “ordinary people might become entangled with the royal traditions through their own jobs and how that might lead them to become entangled with each other” perfectly sums up the book.

Where Christmas with the Queen fell a little flat for me was in the writing. Some of the conversations just felt stilted and unrealistic. It was also more telling readers what happened rather than showing them.

This book is good for readers who enjoy stepping into the world of royalty, enjoy a holiday romance, and don’t mind a little cheesy dialogue. :)

Set in 1950s London, where friends reunite and love grows over the years. Jack longs to own restaurant and Claire longs to be BBC reporter. They each end up working for Queen Elizabeth and reunite but their jobs take them to travels away from each other. Light book easy to read. No explicit language or sex.

Thank you to NetGalley for this fabulous copy of Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb in exchange for a honest review..This is a well-researched and written piece of historical fiction set in the period right after WW2 and then from 1952-57 at different times of the year but in particular during Christmas time. The two main characters are Olive a reporter who eventually works for the BBC and Jack an American with the Seabees. When Olive and Jack see each other again in 1952 Olive has a 6 year old daughter and is filling in as a BBC reporter and Jack is working in the kitchen at Sandringham , the Queen’s residence during Christmas time. Olive dreams of having a more permanent position at the BBC and Jack dreams of opening a restaurant but has recently suffered the tragic loss of his wife. The chemistry between the two is palpable but they keep their emotions in check not believing the other is interested in them.Olive is also hiding a secret that could destroy their budding romance.Will Olive and Jack finally find lasting love? Read the book and find out.Highly recommend.

🎄 Christmas with the Queen - Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb

5 ⭐️ - Oh my, I loved this. Calling all Royal family and historical fiction lovers! This one’s for you. I instantly fell in love with the Royal holiday feel, the characters, and how their worlds collide.

We have Royals. We have Christmas. We have a strong female lead, who makes decisions that are best for her AND a swoon worthy man. I loved how this story was told, how the characters grew, and the history of London and Queen Christmases along with each character’s professional role. Olive’s strong, independent, working woman stance is empowering and inspiring. Jack’s professional drive is admirable given all he’s gone through. The audio is HIGHLY recommended for a full cast and a GREAT Queen Elizabeth. I felt like I was watching an episode of The Crown. I went to London almost 10 years ago, and this book made me feel homesick for it. This was the perfect way to jump right into my Christmas reads. I was obsessed with everything this book had to offer.

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the early ARC! This one is out now!

It’s 1952 and a young Queen Elizabeth II is going to make her very first Christmas Day radio broadcast at Sandringham. But in this story, the Queen is not the main character. Olive and Jack fill those shoes and share center stage in this will they-won’t they Christmas historical fiction.

Jack Devereux, an American from Louisiana, finds himself working in the royal kitchen after the tragic death of his wife not sure if he will be able to carry on the dream of opening his own restaurant someday.

Olive Carter, a single mother and journalist working for BBC, finds herself at Sandringham, after a colleague becomes ill from the London fog, to write about the Queen’s speech and the preparations for Christmas.

A chance meeting between these long lost friends starts the back and forth story and a step back into the past that Jack and Olive shared right after WWII ended. The years continue to pass by as Olive and Jack continue bumping into each other during Christmas time.

I throughly enjoyed this book by author team Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb (who also wrote one of my other favorite Christmas historical fiction novels, The Last Christmas in Paris). I loved the added fun of Queen Elizabeth and Phillip and how they interacted with Olive and Jack.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of “ Christmas with the Queen”. The royal family has always fascinated me, and I love how much I learned about the Christmas speech that was so special to her nation. I wish the authors had focused more on the Queen instead of the story of Olive and Jack, a couple who should be together but gets dealt nothing but bad luck, but you find yourself rooting for them the entire time.

A charming fictionalised idea of the Royal Christmas at Sandringham House in Norfolk , England. There’s a running romance blossoms between a young couple reunited for the festivities too . Jack Devereux and Olive Carter , she’s a single mother ,typist and aspiring reporter at the BBC. She jumps at the chance to cover the holiday celebrations and when she meets the young queen . She even gets to help her with her Majesty’s Christmas radio address .Jack is a renowned chef from New Orleans originally, he has heartbreak in his life too and jumps at the chance when a friend points him the way to the palace. He accepts the job of working in the palace kitchen as cook. When he meets an old friend ,their spark is reignited. He and Olivia have a history and catch up. Over five consecutive Christmases the pair share their lives and become closer as their lives intertwined at Christmas time.until that first televised Christmas speech. And we catch an imaginary insight of the queen in residence at Christmas time. Sublime writing and great forethought to the characters , scenes are well described too.

I loved the history in this book, so much so that I after reading it, I did further research and watched a compilation of snippets from Queen Elizabeth’s annual Christmas broadcast from 1957-2021, the first of which is highlighted in this story. I enjoyed the alternating narration between Olive, Jack, and the Queen. I was not quite as interested in the love story between Olive and Jack in this book. I would recommend it!

Thank you very much to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

“Christmas with the Queen” is a sweet slow burn historical romance set against the backdrop of the Royal household in the 1950s.

Olive and Jack met on VE Day but fell out of touch. Now he is a widower working as a chef for the Royal family and she is a single mother covering the family for the BBC.

They reconnect and spend years getting to know each other again.

The pace of the book was a little slow for me, and featured one of my least favorite tropes (lack of communication) but ultimately was just what the doctor ordered when it comes to holiday historical fiction.

I’d highly recommend this book to readers who love The Crown, Downtown Abbey, and mid-century British historical fiction. This book won’t disappoint!

Historical fiction and holiday books are two of my favorite genres, so I was thrilled to read one that combined both! And I absolutely loved this book. It’s my favorite holiday book I’ve read so far!

This is the story of Jack and Olive. Two friends who meet on VE Day in 1945 and continue a friendship over several years. Jack is a chef who cooks for the royal family and Olive is a BBC reporter who gets assigned to the queen’s Christmas reports. Their paths haven’t crossed in a few years, but they are excited to see each other. Jack is still dealing with the loss of his wife, and all of us a single mom to a beautiful daughter, Lucy. The two friends only see each other at Christmas time at Sandringham, but they try to meet up more often. They had good chemistry when they first met, but they went different ways.

I loved that Olive was so ambitious and that she was able to work her way into getting that Christmas reports and even seeing (and helping!) the Queen. Jack and Olive had so much in common; I really admired the way that they both went after their dreams. I also loved all the description of the holiday foods that Jack cooked and his New Orleans background. Overall, this was just a really fun and interesting novel.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours @williammorrowbooks @hazelgaynor and @msheatherwebb for my gifted book.

Wow, these 2 authors did it again. Their historical fiction is the best. This tells the story of Olive and how she earns/gets an opportunity to be near the Queen during one Christmas season. Olive ends up being an ear for the Queen to try out her first Christmas speech to the country. Olive then ends up near the Queen during several more Christmas seasons and events. It was fun to read the behind the scenes happenings of the palace and the estate. The story gets interesting as we find out that Olive knows a chef who is also at the estate and then we also find out their history from several years prior. This was a great story and I couldn't wait to find out how it all played out for Olive and Jack.