I am frequently recommending Last Christmas in Paris by this Gaynor/Webb duo to my friends and all over social media. It is so refreshing to have a smart, non-cheesy Christmas book to reflect on and have in my library. So I was very excited to see this new offering!
Christmas in England with the young Queen Elizabeth II post World War 2? Absolutely! I very much enjoyed the back and forth between her new life as queen with Prince Philip as she prepares her Christmas Day speeches, following in the footsteps of her father and his before him. The characters of Jack and Olive easily intertwine as they have roles at Sandringham and continuing on to voyages with the royalty. I enjoyed their love story even when the angst continued a little longer than I would have liked. I thought the authors did an overall wonderful job weaving their tale, and I look forward to recommending this one along with their previous Christmas story.
Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

I loved the historical aspects of this book and all the behind the scenes of the royal family. It really did feel like I was reading an episode of the crown. I did find the romantic aspects of this story hard to read, with the main issue being the lack of communication that could have been resolved in one conversation. I am glad I read it, just wish the romantic part of the story had been more developed.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor; Heather Webb is a charming festive historical fiction story.
It was so hard to tear myself away from this book.
Gaynor and Webb have created a heartwarming story.
The writing of this story is solid and beautifully crafted. The two authors have done an excellent job of providing a well researched and evenly rendered story.

5⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy of Christmas With The Queen.

Olive works for the BBC and she catches her break when she gets to go to the palace to cover the Christmas festivities Queen Elizabeth II has planned. She actually has an accidental run in with the Queen while there. She also runs into Jack who is a chef at the palace and a man from her past who has just tragically lost his wife. Over the following years around Christmas time at the palace her and Jack run into one another. They both have feelings for one another but it always seems to be wrong place wrong time. Olive has been keeping something from Jack for years but she can never get the courage to tell him because it will change his life forever.

This book was so good. I love that it was a fictional story with true elements from the past. It was so easy to connect with the characters and the storyline kept my attention. I would definitely recommend this book!

What a perfect read for the holiday season! Loved this novel about Queen Elizabeth II and her life as queen, a wife, a mother and leader during a time of rebuilding after the war and the country accepting a woman at the helm. Olive has always dreamed of being in the midst of the royal family and her position at the BBC offers her this rare opportunity, although she is given strict orders on what is expected and to be reported. Unlike anything she has ever experienced, she can hardly believe she is here! In the house of the queen and things only seem to get more unexpected when she runs into an old love interest, Jack. He has become a welcomed cook in the royal kitchen. A lot has changed in the years since they last saw each other but they are both here for their careers and the last thing either of them needs is getting wrapped up in the past. This novel brings to life Christmas with the royals, the changes the Queen under goes with each holiday year and the story behind Olive and Jack. I really loved this novel and the characters and it was so interesting to see all the changes the Queen was dealt in those first years of her reign. Thank you to the authors and NetGalley for the complementary ebook and to Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

A different take on a story about a woman in mid-century after WWII trying to find her way in the changing working world. The story was sweet and played on the history of the Queen in her early years as she adapted to her new role and new technology. The characters were well-written for this kind of story; not annoying or overly fake feeling, while still being optimistic and cute. Read if you want a heartwarming story around Christmastimes with a dash of British royalty thrown in. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC #sponsored

This book begins in December 1952, as Queen Elizabeth has just taken over the throne after the death of her father, and she is set to give her first Christmas address on the BBC radio broadcast. Jack Devereux, who is a recent widower & very talented chef, and Olive Carter, who aspires to be a BBC reporter, are reunited at Sandringham House in Norfolk. They have a history together, but haven't seen each other in years, so seeing each other stirs up feelings neither is sure they want to or are ready to deal with. Their paths continue to cross over the next five Christmases, as Olive becomes a fixture at Sandringham House, covering the festivities for the BBC, and Jack is chef in the kitchen for the Queen. The book culminates on Christmas Day, December 1957, as Queen Elizabeth gives her first televised BBC Christmas address.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I was so immersed in Jack & Olive's story, and that of the Queen, that I felt like I were actually there watching it all unfold. I really liked both Olive and Jack and had my fingers crossed for them the entire book. The authors really brought Queen Elizabeth to life as well, and made her seem more relatable, which was something I have read in many different places that she struggled with. If you are a fan of historical fiction, then you will want to put this at the top of your TBR pile. You are going to love it!

Christmas With the Queen by Heather Webb and Hazel Gaynor is an on-again, off-again romance woven loosely around the early Christmases of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, was took place in the early 1950s. Jack Devereaux and Olive Carter had first met on the streets of London during the VE Day celebrations. They became bonded with a small group of friends who continued to meet up. Jack had already fallen in love with Andrea and was about to get engaged when he had a one-night stand with Olive. It gave her hope; it meant little to him but a fond memory. She was left with a child and he married Andrea. They had seven great years together before she was hit by a car during one of London’s foggiest winters. Jack was desolate. He couldn’t even function until his friend, Ryan, appeared and insisted Jack join his family in Norfolk for as long as he like. While there, Ryan’s brother, Mason convinced him to come to Sandringham and interview for a position in the royal kitchen. He did and it changed his life. For one, there he saw Olive again as she had come as a report for the BBC to report on the Christmas preparations.

From that initial meeting, Jack and Olive saw one another sporadically, usually when working for the royal family. Their relationship grew until Olive felt compelled to tell him about Lucy’ true parentage. By the, he was in love. In between all of this, Jack and Mason managed to open the restaurant of their dreams, aided by an old friend. Watching Jack navigate his grief through work was heart-rending. Being with Olive while she struggled to find a place in a man’s world, was frustrating. Both good people, they forged bonds with one another, and with the queen and her husband: Jack and Phillip over the sea; and the queen and Olive over the queen’s annual Christmas address to the nation and its transition to television. The growth in all four characters was joyful and expected. A true piece of historical fiction showing both good and bad. Not to be missed.

I was invited to read Christmas With the Queen by William Morrow. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #WilliamMorrow #HeatherWebb #HazelGaynor #ChristmasWithTheQueen

Olive Carter wants nothing more than to be a successful reporter for the BBC, but being a single mother makes her job particularly tricky in a male-dominated industry. Jack Devereaux’s world is turned upside down after tragedy hits home, and the only thing keeping him moving forward is cooking his grandfather’s recipes in the royal kitchens. The two friends reunite after many years apart in a world trying to find its new normal after years of war.

Though only a minor part of the novel, young Queen Elizabeth’s cameos delivering her annual Christmas address were my favorite parts of this novel. The authors do an excellent job of allowing readers to see the Queen as a mother and wife, rather than just a figurehead. Now I want to go back and rewatch the first few seasons of The Crown.

Olive and Jack’s love story was sweet, but I found their communication snafus mostly infuriating as they dragged on a bit too long to feel realistic. This could have been Olive’s story entirely with her getting in the family way and how she coped, finding her way in radio despite her gender, and her relationship with the Queen when men doubted them both. Jack’s influence almost felt secondary. Still, if you are a fan of the royals and historical fiction, this was an enjoyable and quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and authors Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb for the advanced copy of the book. Christmas with the Queen is out on November 19th! All opinions are my own

As Elizabeth II takes the throne, a widowed chef and a cub reporter reconnect at Sandringham House, their burgeoning romance threatened by a shocking secret. This beautifully written historical romance will appeal to fans of the secret baby trope.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

What a beautifully written historical fiction novel. It goes from the years of 1952 to 1957. 1952 with the start of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II and ending with her first televised Christmas message in 1957.

But the heart of it is Olive, a young reporter who happens to help the Queen with her Christmas message each year (at least in how to present it confidently). We also get a POV of Jack, a chef in the employ of the Queen and a friend of Olive's. There are also looks into 1945 between Olive and Jack and their friends at the end of the war. This gives a lot of insight into these two characters and the way the present is shaped between them.

There is a lot of heart in here. I really felt the pull between the two MCs and wished so much that they could just figure things out already! The ending is beautiful and dreams come true so it's a happily ever after all around.

I loved this incredible book! The authors worked wonders in combining Queen Elizabeth's annual Christmas radio message to the British people with a very charming and complicated love story.

The characters are well developed, and chapters in the book alternate with their own viewpoints as time goes by and the plot develops. I especially like the details about the Queen's Christmas celebration at the royal estate in Norfolk, the early BBC radio involvement, and the activities in the Royal kitchens (on land and on sea).

Although we do hear from the Queen and Prince Philip, the story centers on Olive, the rising BBC writer, Jack, the ex-US Navy cook, and their friends and family during post WWII England. All the food descriptions made my mouth water, especially the New Orleans ones that Jack's grandfather wrote down for him.

I highly recommend this collaboration between Ms Gaynor and Ms Webb. I have read several of Gaynor's previous books and this one continues to be excellent!

It's her first time giving the Christmas message in 1952 from Sandringham. Queen Elizabeth II will successfully deliver that message on Christmas Day and for each subsequent Christmas in the span of the book. In 1957, the last one in the story, the queen is beamed into the British homes via the relatively new technology of television.

What would it be like to spend Christmas with the queen? Here are five things I loved about this book:

👑 Quotes from the queen's annual Christmas message are included along with a chapter each year from her perspective. The authors used family snapshots and home movies to help develop more of that private persona.

🐶The queen's Corgis -- Susan and Sugar -- are featured frequently as they should be. We have seen over the years how much the queen loved her Corgis.

📔Olive Carter is a lovable MC with ambitions to make a career as a journalist. She is also a mom and daughter Lucy is a delight.

🍤Jack Devereux is from the Bayou and finds ways to share those flavors as a chef in the royal kitchens. He will cross paths with Olive each year. How long will it take for the two to get their timing right?

🎄The cover is a delight. We can imagine Olive and her first visit to Sandringham where so much is set in motion.

Royal watchers may feel like this is skimpy on the Elizabeth presence. I do not feel this way and thought it was an amazing read for this time of the year.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

As a lover of historical fiction novels, I enjoyed reading Christmas with the Queen. The book is set during Queen Elizabeth II era as she became the queen as a young girl upon the death of her father. The radio broadcast Christmas message is a big tradition she must now do as her majesty duties. Olive, an inspiring reporter for the BBC leaps at the chance to cover the holiday traditions at the royal residence. There she sees am old friend, Jack who has taken a job in the royal kitchen. Olive has a secret that she has kept from Jack and their friends. Will Olive's secret become disclosed to Jack and will they resume their friendship which develops into a deeper relationship. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read this novel prior to its publication.

I love this cover!
This book was so good! It revolves around two old friends who have a second chance at romance.
I enjoyed the peak into the Queen’s Christmas traditions and Olive’s interaction with the Queen.
This is another really good by these two authors.

I absolutely love a good Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb duo book. I am a huge fan of theirs together so when the opportunity to read Christmas with the Queen came to me, I had to take advantage. I also love anything royal family even if it is embellished so this book was perfect for me. I felt like I was there with the queen and I loved this lighthearted feel good story.

If you need a book to get you in the Christmas spirit, this is it! Olive is a single Mom living with her parents and working diligently to get a chance at writing for the BBC when the normal royal correspondent has an accident and she talks her way into the role for Christmas. at Balmoral. While there she runs into Jack who had been a part of her friend group long ago and it brings back the carefree days of her youth after the war. He is there working in the kitchen as a royal chef as a new start after his wife, Andrea, was recently killed in a horrible accident. She and Jack had always had fun and laughed together and she had had feelings for him but he had fallen in love with Andrea. Olive is very likeable and popular at Balmoral and offers the newly coronated Queen Elizabeth a chance to practice her Christmas message with her which forges a friendship based on mutual respect with her on point advice. Over the years she and Jack keep getting thrown together as Olive keeps getting Royal assignments but they both are very focused on their careers and think the other only wants to be friends or is seeing someone else. The Royals, old friends, the magic of Christmas. budding careers and romance all create a fun, heartwarming story of dreams coming true. Highly recommend!

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!
#NetGalley #ChristmaswiththeQueen

The book is more about Olive than the Queen, but don’t let that deter you….Olive is a fascinating creature. She’s a strong woman, single mother, making a career in a world dominated by men, in the early 1950s. Olive is a journalist working in the circles around the Queen. She evens shares a little friendship with the Queen. Jack is a chef for the Queen and longs to own his own restaurant. Here comes a great little romance. This is a sweet book.

A heartwarming story of second chances, deftly combining history and fiction.

We follow friendships formed in London at the end of WWll through five Christmases punctuated by the new Queens continuation of the annual Christmas greeting from the monarch.

The characters of Olive Carter and Jack Devereux are both likable with interesting and complicated lives. Olive is an aspiring, yet frustrated, BBC reporter and Jack, recently bereaved, is a newly hired chef in the royal kitchen. Their acquaintance is rekindled during the holidays at Sandringham with the Queen.

We get to peek inside palaces, experience royal holidays, see careers flourish and relationships grow between multiple characters. All just in time for our holiday enjoyment!

Thank you Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb for this gift of a read!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a perfect book for readers who are Anglophiles, enjoy historical fiction, interested in the early years of the late Queen Elizabeth ll’s reign, and second chance romances. Sprinkle in some Christmas time atmosphere for a cherry on the top. There is even a main character who is a chef from New Orleans, Louisiana, to add some extra flavor.

I would describe this book as lovely and engaging, perfect to relax with while enjoying a cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. It is heartwarming and comfortable, even though there is some heartbreak and tragedy. One of my favorite elements was the way the authors seemed to realistically capture royal residences and characters. It should be mentioned that the story centers around the Queen, but focuses primarily on the main characters Olive and Jack. It spans several years and effortlessly weaves in multiple viewpoints and background history, making the storyline easy to follow.