We Met in December

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis a five-star read that will light you up like a Christmas tree. This blew me away, the emotions running through this story will have your heart in your mouth and then your stomach. All of the housemates play a part in the story, and at times I did want to shake one or two, telling them to grow up and admit how they felt, or just shake them and tell them to move out… Becky was a great all-round cheerleader for everyone, getting the party started when she needed to, as sometimes you can just be too much of a grown up. Rob is the more stable, dependable one making sure everyone eats properly (sourdough to melt your heart), there is also Emma, but I honestly don’t know what I feel about her even now a few days after I finished the story so Im’ma just gonna leave my words about her. Then we have Alex and Jess who are the main players of the story, its this pair that tell us the story, they show us the story not only from this amazing house, but from the city of London, with hints Bournemouth and Kent as well. It’s this pair that we follow through the ups and downs of their year, we follow them as they wander through London, Jess getting lost and Alex showing her the way, in more ways than one. This was such a great and compelling read, as it wasn’t that they meet, they fell in love and then live happily ever after, this was much more real, they meet, they like each other and then life happens, you get drunk make stupid mistakes and life goes on getting in the way. As a fellow lover of the great Richard Curtis and a good romcom I loved Jess, she just warmed me to the depth of my cold dark heart.

Absolutely fantastic had me gripped!!! Loved it! Can't wait for more from.this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to.connect with

Thank you for the advanced copy

Loved loved this book.A wonderful story full of romance holiday spirit.Will be gifting to friends.#netgalley#avonbooksuk,

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet and light-hearted read, although with overtones of heavier themes (death of a parent, breakup of a relationship) about two roommates who both embark on new career paths in London. I loved the changes in perspective, hearing from them in turn, and felt both were very well characterized. An unexpected bonus was seeing and exploring London through their eyes. The only thing I wish had been different was that they had worked out the dynamic earlier, rather than having them come together at the very end and having an epilogue of a year later.

Synopsis :
What if you couldn’t get away from the one who got away?

Unlucky in love Jess is following her dream and moving to London. It’s December, and she’s taking a room in a crumbling Notting Hill house‐share with four strangers. On her first night Jess meets Alex, the guy sharing her floor. They don’t kiss under the mistletoe, but as far as Jess is concerned, the connection is instant. She lets herself imagine how their relationship will grow over the following year.

But when Jess returns from a Christmas holiday, she finds Alex has started dating someone else – beautiful Emma, who lives on the floor above them. Now Jess faces a year of bumping into (hell, sharing a bathroom with) the man of her dreams… and the woman of his.

Jess is determined to move on and survive the next twelve months… but love has a way of hampering even the best laid plans…

Set over the course of one life‐changing year, this is the most uplifting and moving love story of 2019.

‘Bridget Jones meets Love Actually – the PERFECT Christmas story and I loved, loved, loved it’ Cathy Bramley

‘Like putting on your favourite Christmas jumper: cosy, heartwarming and gorgeously romantic’ Holly Martin

‘A perfect festive hug of a book. It’s packed with brilliant characters, beautiful settings, warm humour and a love story guaranteed to steal your heart. I absolutely adored this clever, wonderful story. Get ready to meet your new favourite author!’ Miranda Dickinson

‘Just what everyone needs right now – a gorgeously warm and uplifting story full of romance’ Alex Brown





I actually got approved for the US version too! thanks!

A thrilling and heartfelt story; draws you in very quickly and doesn't let go. Excellent character development. Highly recommended!

We Met in December, Rosie Curtis

Genre: Romance, Women's Fiction

Women's Fiction – ah no, not again, why do we keep adding this outdated category. Who says men won't read this? Men write romance, men read romance.....

So, this was a fun read, full of characters and situations that happen in real life. I felt I knew Jess and the gang, they were a typical mix of characters we see everywhere. With their own issues, their own preferences, doing different occupations. House sharing isn't just the preserve of students, but how many people have to manage to afford to live where they want. Even so this house share is special, where they are all paying much below market rent, and house owner has chosen them all carefully.

I love the way Alex and Jess have a spark at that first meeting, but so felt for her when she came back to see Emma slipping out of Alex' room in the early hours. Theirs is a strange relationship, no one other than Jess seems aware of it, and Alex spends lots of his free time out and around London with Jess.
I loved the descriptions of where they went, it made a huge part of the book enjoyable, I felt I was there with them. Alex confides in Jess about his part relationship, how close he got to marrying, and how he's concentrating on his career, where he's changed from lawyer to nursing.
I so wanted them to get together but for various reasons, despite the fact everyone can see they are so suited they seem to keep missing, and then there's that old fear, do you risk a good friendship for a relationship that may not work out?
Its not a romance where the couple are together early on, and they story charts the development of the relationship, its more a story of a good friendship, where we're rooting for one of them to take the plunge, where we can see they'd be perfect together, but where nothing actually develops for most of the novel.

Its a perfect summer read, for those days like yesterday when I read it, where its way too hot for reading anything intense, where what I wanted was an easy to read, relaxing, feelgood story.

Stars: Four, perfect beach or holiday read, one to relax with and enjoy.

ARC via netgalley

Alex and Jess are both starting their lives over in London. Alex has recently changed careers from corporate lawyer to nurse, wanting to make a difference in the world, and his engagement has just ended. Jess has moved away from her grandmother who raised her to take her dream job at a publishing house. Each renting a room from a mutual friend, they quickly bond over long walks through the city. With a no couples in rule in the house, they spend the year trying to ignore their feelings.

This was such a cute story. I adored London as the setting and it gave me a bit of wanderlust. Jess is a fantastic character, so relatable, I was cracking up while reading the Pilates class description. My heart hurt for her after bumping into Emma, and deciding that she just needed to figure out her feelings and move on. And Alex, I hate to say it, but I wanted to hate him a little in the beginning, and then a little more when James came into the picture. His statements about grief were dead on and made me miss the one's I've lost. I really didn't expect to feel so many emotions while reading this book. It was sweet, and little swoony, with some frustration, heartbreak, and a lot of a slow burn. I appreciated that this story felt real, the characters, their incomes, jobs, friendships, dating woes, overall this was a GREAT story. Highly recommend.

When offered a room in a house share in London, Jess jumps at the chance. She has always wanted to live in London and with a new job thrown in, she’s living her dream. Alex lives in the room across the hall; he is recovering from a nasty breakup and not looking for love. As Jess and Alex become friends, they find their feelings for each other are developing into something more.

A sweet lighthearted love story which was an easy and entertaining read.

Undoubtably this years One Day in December but even better. I’m already recommending it and it’s not even published. I am obsessed.

True love. First kisses. Snow. London. Christmas.

What’s not to love?

This book is everything. It’s funny. It’s warm. It’s inviting. It draws you in and it doesn’t let go. It’s a hug. That’s what it is. It’s a hug from a loved one you haven’t seen in a long time. It’s an embrace from the one. This is my book of the year. I’m calling it now.

I loved this book and the way the story is presented to the reader; as a diary from two different perspectives, Jess and Alex's, the main characters in the story.

Set in London and with lots of pop culture references that make it an enjoyable reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for a copy of this book to read and review.

This was a nice easy read, it’s fun characters and a couple who the reader can’t help but root for. Would recommend

It’s time for Christmas Book #2! We Met in December was immediately at the top of my list for a holiday read when I heard about it. It sounded like the perfect blend of The Flatshare and One Day in December. (Thank you to @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for a review)
.
Alex and Jess are both at a turning point in their lives. Jess has uprooted her life and moved to London to pursue her dream job in publishing. Alex has decided to leave a lucrative law career for a more fulfilling career in nursing. They both have left behind complicated pasts with exes. Their paths cross when they both end up living in their friend, Becky’s house. Though they both have feelings for each other right away there are a couple problems 1. Neither is looking to jump back in to a relationship 2. Becky is not allowing couples in the house. Can they be together or is there just too much standing in the way?
.
This story had a lot of my favorite things: a London (London at Christmas) setting, a fun cast of characters, relationship issues and one of my favorite tropes (“forbidden” love, if you want to call it that), and a quick read. I wanted to love it because it had all these things, but I just ended up kind of liking it. The two main characters didn’t interact as much as I would have liked, not enough conflict for my taste and quite a bit was repetitive. The key thing missing for me was I didn’t get any flutters in the heart when the two love interests interacted.
.
My take away is that even though it didn’t hit all the marks for me, it’s still a sweet, Hallmark movie-style book with an amazing London setting.
.
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
It was really well written and the main characters are very likeable. The setting is quite detailed and it's the nicest description I've read about London to date. The side characters are realistically written, as well as the financial and employment situations in the novel.
The romance side however, reminded me of One Day in December which was slightly frustrating as the main characters wouldn't communicate and ended up becoming involved with other people. I do realise this is meant to prolong the HEA and extend the plot. Luckily Alex and Jess are nice enough that the reader ends up satisfied.
3.5 stars

Every time I start a new book I hope it will take me on an adventure that will stay with me long after I finish that last page.
Books that usually do stay are the ones that shake my emotions and have scenes that I remember long time after.
This is why I tend to read women’s fiction and romance so often. There is something about finding a character we, as readers, can emphatize with and root for her/his happy ending.

We Met in December is one of those books that will stay with me, maybe forever.

It was lovely and sweet, but also very realistic.
Without lying, after I turned the last page, I thought to myself “This book is perfection”.

It contains my favourite trope: two people who were meant for each other, finding their way to be with each other.

There are several characters in the book, and I have to admit I liked all of them. Not most of them, but all of them.
The main characters Jess and Alex are narrators of the story, which is written in first person, following their POV.

Side characters were also very realistic and likeable, and even though this is Jess and Alex’ story, I would love to be able to read more about others, maybe in some other books, if Rosie Curtis ever decides to write them.
I would especially like to know more about Rob.

I have read many books that place in London, but I do not remember that any of them captured the beauty of this magnificent city so wonderfully.
It was like London was another character in the book, and it was so easy to imagine all the places Jess and Alex visited while he was showing her around.

To some point, We Met in December reminds me of my favourite book Anna and the French Kiss, only for adults, set in London and without (emotional) cheating part.

This book talks about love, but it also talks about finding your place, embracing adulthood and doing what your heart is telling you to do with your life.

In the end, I just want to praise book cover designs. The UK is simple and beautiful (and it kind of reminds me of the cover of One Day in December) and the US is really cute and heartwarming (I like the US one a bit better).

Rosie Curtis wrote We Met in December for the first time under this pen name, but she has already published several novels under name Rachael Lucas.
I haven’t read anything she has written before, but now I want to.

We Met in December is one of the sweetest, cutest, loveliest romances that I have read and a new favourite of mine, so I highly recommend it to everyone!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

5 Stars! This was such a cute holiday romance and perfect for fans of Love Actually! We Met in December was a great romance with very likable characters. The story developed realistically and really drew you in. I could really relate to Jess and loved reading the relationship develop between her and Alex. We Met in December has really wonderful supporting characters as well. This was my first introduction to Rosie Curtis and I look forward to reading more of her work. This book has me getting so excited for the holidays. I highly recommend this one!

Absolutely delightful! As the blurb says, it's definitely perfect for fans of One day in December. I was totally invested in Jess and Alex's story and found myself blubbering at the end. Loved it!

Absolutely delightful. The kind of romance you stay in on Saturday night to read. For fans of Love, Actually or Notting Hill or anything that features cohorts of well-educated Brits being British and falling in love. Charming.

An adorable holiday-ish story about life and love, perfect to get you in the mood for cozy winter days curled up with a good book like this one!

Great relatable characters with a good back and forth flow, I really enjoyed this title. Thank Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy in exchange for my review.

What a fabulous book! I loved following Jess and Alex's relationship set against the backdrop of London's city streets. One of those books you lose yourself in in the best possible way.

I thought this was going to be my first Christmas book of the year, but this actually contains only passing mentions of Christmas. However, it is a lovely book to read at this time of year, as it does feel very…autumnal…. to me, something to do with the change of the season heralding new beginnings and new challenges, which is one of the themes of the book.

We meet Jess and Alex as they are both undergoing big changes in their lives. Jess has moved from Bournemouth to London to start a new job in the city she has dreamed of living in. Alex has made a drastic career change, a decision that led to seismic changes elsewhere in his life that he is still coming to terms with. They both end up with rooms in the same house share and have an instant spark of attraction, but the path of true love never did run smooth, as we know.

This is a really, sweet, gentle and heart-warning story. it is told from the dual perspectives of Alex and Jess, and gives a great insight into how two people can get in a muddle when they don’t articulate their feelings and make assumptions about how the other person is feeling. It is a totally authentic portrayal of trying to negotiate the tricky world of romance, as anyone who has been young and besotted with be able to tell you. We’ve all been there, so the story is universal and everyone will be able to relate to parts of it.

The two main characters are both easy to like and relate to, so they carry the reader through the story effortlessly. I cared what happened to both of them, and really wanted things to work out, which is the make or break hook for a romance novel. This one worked really well. The story, whilst seeming ordinary, was very touching and true. Rosie also peopled the book with a host of other attractive characters to assist the plot along, the whole thing just meshed together perfectly.

The one thing that set this book a little apart from the mainstream of romance novels was its passionate portrayal of London. The author really brings the city to life, you can feel what a love story of London, as much as Jess and Alex, this is and she pretty much captured how I feel about the city. This was a London I recognised and love when I visit, and I really enjoyed experiencing a visit to the capital via the pages of this book. It did have a very ‘Richard Curtis movie’ feel about it, which no doubt was deliberate given the mention of Jess’s love for them, so if this is something that appeals to you, as it does to me, this is a great book for you to pick up.

This book was a very easy, pleasant and satisfying read that is perfect to carry you through the cooling days of autumn and towards winter. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a heart-warming romance to while away a few happy hours.

I really enjoyed this book about Jess - who is moving to London to start a new chapter in her life. She meets her new housemates in December, goes on holiday with friends, then returns to start her new job and to live in London. The story follows Jess as she falls for her new housemate Alex, then discovers that he is not available.
The characters were believable, the pages were eagerly turned and I was left with a smile on my face.

Thank you to NetGally and Avon Books for a digital review ARC - all views are my own.

This was a great easy read. It’s told from the point of view of Jess and Alex the two main characters who end up living together as part of a big London house share.
Along the way we discover their past relationship disasters and family situations and in true Love Actually style it’s full of near misses of them figuring out and telling each other how they feel. A great autumn/Christmassy book.

The Blurb :
This December, unlucky-in-love Jess is following her dream and moving to Notting Hill. On the first night in her new house-share she meets Alex, the guy in the room next door. They don’t kiss under the mistletoe, but there’s still a spark that leaves Jess imagining how they might spend the year together — never mind the house rule against dating…
But when Jess returns from her Christmas holiday, she finds Alex has started seeing Emma, who lives on the floor above them. Now Jess faces a year of bumping into the man of her dreams — and, apparently, the woman of his.
Jess is determined to move on and spend the year falling in love with London, not Alex — but what if her heart has other ideas?

My Thoughts :
We meet Jess who moves to London in December after her boyfriend is caught cheating on her with a woman at work. Its also an opportunity to pursue her dream job in publishing.
Jess settles on sharing a flat in Notting Hill with Becky, who is a college friend and inherited a house from her grandparents. Rather than sell up Becky decides to rent rooms some friends and ex-colleagues at a cheap price. Jess moves into the house and she takes a liking to Alex, who also lives there and has recently come out of a relationship. They spend some time together enjoying long walks. When Jess comes back after the holidays she finds out that Alex has hooked up with another room mate Emma, Jess is far from happy as she thought her and Alex had a spark. Will they make a go of it or is it too late?!.
This story has a good supporting cast and I enjoyed getting to know their stories throughout the book.
Rosie Curtis has captured the story beautifully and I felt I was right there in London with the descriptive scenery and surroundings. I loved how it was told from both Jess and Alex’s POV.
This is a feel good story that will leave you wanting more.

A sweet slow burn romance with a great cast of characters! This my first Rosie Curtis book, and I am now a fan. Jess and Alex are roommates who spend a year building a friendship and secretly wanting more but not taking the plunge. Alex is going through a major life change and Jess is a hopeless romantic trying to focus on building a new life in London. There are exes and "others'," but no cartoonish bad guys, just real people with different life perspectives. Told in dual points of view, we get to know both characters and understand their hesitations, while wondering when they just get on with it. I was needed a book that would cheer me up, and this one was perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great read! Many have compared it to One Day in December by Josie Silver, but I think this is different enough to be judged on its own merit. I loved the cast of characters and the way the story unfurled. I think this is the perfect book to be curled up with by the fire this Christmas.

This book is making me long for the colder days towards Christmas and go for a wander around London. A fantastic read about housemates Jess and Alex who have an instant attraction but never quite get together.. How not everyone has perfect family relationships and the importance of friends. Like a warm hug

When offered a room in a house share in London, Jess jumps at the chance. She has always wanted to live in London and with a new job thrown in, she’s living her dream. Alex lives in the room across the hall; he is recovering from a nasty breakup and not looking for love. As Jess and Alex become friends, they find their feelings for each other are developing into something more.

A sweet lighthearted love story which was an easy and entertaining read.

Our Review
We Met in December gives you that warm cosy feeling, of sitting in a cosy chair by the fire. This is a great autumn read that will warm the heart and make you laugh. I throughly enjoyed reading and following Jess and her move to Notting Hill, London.
Jess moves into a rented and shared house in Notting House. The house is full of characters each very different, most very likeable. One or two moments where you roll your eyes and think "oh no" moments. But, Rosie has made each of them very realistic and when reading my imagination went on overtime. It was so easy to visualise the house and characters.
It's not long before Jess meets one of the housemates Alex and the chemistry is strong between them from that moment. Whilst they spend time together, and Alex opens up to her sharing details of his relationships, family and career.
Jess starts to imagine him in her future, then she returns to the house one day to see Emma leaving Alex's room in the small hours of the morning. Emma lives in the house on the floor above Jess. And Jess soon discovers Alex has started seeing Emma. It's a definite "oh no" moment and one that pulls on Jess and her heart strings. But has she read a friendship as a potential relationship? Or is Alex interested?
No spoilers here! But if you are intrigued and fancy a heart warming read then this book may be for you. 
Thank you to Rosie and Avon for our advanced copy and invite to join the book tour.

i loved this book! The timelines make the pacing fast. The characters are so well drawn and the story is perfection!

LOVED THIS BOOK!! Just the type of romancey read I was in the mood for. I found this book to be extremely enjoyable with excellent characters and wonderful writing. I look forward to reading more from this author.

So, my first festive book this year is ‘We Met In December’, to be strictly accurate, although Christmas features in this story at the beginning and the end, it follows Jess and Alex’s emotional journey, month by month, after their initial meeting in December. Both are emotionally scarred from failed relationships, and childhoods, that were less than ideal, and so a serious romantic relationship is not what either is looking for.

When they meet in December, as new housemates in a household where a firm house rule is no couples, they ignore their initial attraction, both believing it is one-sided. Jess focuses on her new career and her two best friends. Alex focuses on his new vocation as a nurse, but he can’t resist a non-relationship with another housemate Emma.

The friendship that develops between Alex and Jess is gentle and lovely, they explore London together and find out what makes each other tick, but romance is denied by both of them. The travelogue through London is vividly portrayed and adds extra depth to the story.

Told from two points of view, there is a sense of dramatic irony. The reader knows what each character is feeling, but they are both in ignorance of the other’s regard. Most of the conflict to the romance is internal, from their past emotional baggage, but other well-meaning people provide external conflict, and you do wonder if they will be able to see, and more importantly act on what is right in front of them.

This is a lighthearted relationship story with a festive ambience. The ending is so romantic and leaves you with a heartwarming feeling.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review

This book was a breath of fresh air--chilly London air, perhaps, but still a welcome change of pace. Jess, our heroine, is nearly thirty, changing careers, moving to the city, and coping with aging and/or difficult family members. She meets Alex and instantly finds herself falling for him, but life, and other people, find a way of always getting in the way. The author makes the subject matter come alive, whether it's wandering around London on foot or dealing with lingering grief. This would make a great travel/beach read, or a good gift for that friend that loves Richard Curtis movies and/or David Nicholls books.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC!

This is such a charming book. I loved the cover and I wanted to read it as soon as I saw it on netgalley and I have to thank netgalley and the publishers for granting me this e-galley! It was a delightful read. I loved Alex and Jess's story though i was a bit mad at alex for entering into another relationship while it was clear that he had feelings for Jess and Jess most definately had feelings for Alex. The poor girl wanted him even after having quiet a bit of chemistry with a great guy. The ending was cute. I can relate with Jess posting frequently in her insta account(I do that all the time). I was rooting for them the whole time and in the ending I was like"finally!"😂 A great read. A very cute rom-com with great supporting characters too. I loved it! It was a treat. Happy reading! ....xoxo.

I knew I would love this book from the very first page, it captured Christmas in London exquisitely. A heartwarming tale of will they, wont they, that is sensitively told. With plenty of characters placing stumbling blocks in their way, you find yourself rooting for the two leads. As beautiful as a Richard Curtis film.

This is a sweet love story; about change, friendship and never saying no to a dream.
This had been a really quick and delightful read; with some charming characters and a sweet love story that will transport you to the beautiful snowy Christmas.
The story is about Jess a woman that after having her life more or less in track decided to leave everything and move to a house with some friends and follow her dream to work at a publisher in London! She is starting to follow her dreams when she will meet Alex, the attraction seems to be there since the first moment, but their time together is not now, maybe not ever…!
I am sure you want to know what makes this story different; because the main story is not the love story between Jess and Alex but their stories; how both have changed their paths to follow their dreams, with ups and downs, of course. I really liked that neither Jess or Alex have a perfect life or want to be perfect, they simply want to be accepted for their choices and respected for them.
It was really interesting the paths they both took around London, Alex and Jess, they shared with the readers some original and secret places that I didn’t know, but I am sure I’ll visit them soon!
If you are looking to start you Christmas spirit soon this is your chance, this read has everything you need; friendship, happiness and love, of course.

Get ready for gushing ! I absolutely adored this, it’s such a cute, heartwarming, gives me the fuzzies story. Sweet, light hearted romance, absolutely amazing seasonal read, will have you curled up, wishing you were in London. The chemistry is amazing, it’s agonising to read at times with the emotional stumbling blocks just like watching a Richard Curtis movie that Jess loves. An absolutely fantastic winter read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This is a wonderfully, wistful romance just perfect for the colder month, curled up reading a book by the fire.

Very sweet.

Light-hearted.

And gives you exactly what you desire, a happy ending.

Realistic.

It is perfect women's fiction.

I enjoyed We Met in December, it made me wish I was in London in December! I liked the 2 main characters and was really willing them to get together. I read it in one setting, it is the kind of book that needs to be read on the run up to Christmas with a big mug of hot chocolate!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advanced read in exchange for this review.

Jess is unlucky in love.  She takes a chance to move to London for a new job.  She finds herself connecting with Alex, one of her roommates in her house share.  However, she believes he is dating another roommate of theirs.  She is determined to survive the next year.

I thought this was a quick, fun read.  Rosie Curtis writes the story over the next year from the POVs of Jess and Alex.  Yes, it is a predictable story, but sometimes you just need a read that makes you feel good.

🎀🎑Living the single life in London; does it have to lead to 💔heartbreak?!🙁
4.5🌟stars
I loved the ending of this book, even though my heart cracked a bit every time romantic lead Jess hit another emotional stumbling block in her search for love and fulfillment in London. Jess is a true romantic; Richard Curtis movies are her fantasy life and comforts when the man she fancies appears impervious and unaware of her feelings. The supporting characters were well-drawn, some a lot more likable than others. Jess's worry that she's abandoning her beloved grandmother in Bournemouth to embrace her dream of a career in the London publishing world makes her a totally sympathetic and relatable heroine. I could not stop reading, I so wanted her choices to work out.

Housemate Alex was laudable in some ways but he is definitely not perfect and some of his ill-advised moves, usually fallen into while in an alcoholic haze or driven by an engrained sense of politeness, were hard for me to accept. Fortunately Jess is more forgiving of his frailties and, miscommunication and secret longings notwithstanding, their good times together are sublime!

If you are looking for a sweet, slow-burn romance that pays homage to the delights of London's iconic neighborhoods, look no further!

Thanks to publisher Avon Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

I really liked this fun and easy read. Alex is my kind of romantic interest, and I really liked the chemistry between them and friendship first. Highly recommend!

Jess doesn’t do things in small doses – she’s got a new job and is moving to London to live in a house with people she doesn’t really know!! Renting a very cheap room in a grand Notting Hill house, left to her friend Becky as an inheritance, Jess meets her fellow housemates. Alex was a trainee lawyer, but is now a trainee nurse, beautiful Emma who is secretly seeing Alex and Rob, a Scottish chef! She feels a connection with Alex when they first meet, but when she comes back from a Christmas holiday, she finds he has started seeing Emma. Can she cope with living on the same floor as him?

I did initially class this book as my first Christmas read. After reading it though, I’ve took it back out of the Christmas category as it merely starts and finishes in December, which to me isn’t a Christmas book!! It is however a fabulously fun and romantic read set throughout a year in my favourite city! Based in the Notting Hill area, the author has done a wonderful job of describing the London area. I could picture myself walking the routes which Alex introduces Jess to, I could smell the coffee from the little cafés tucked in the backstreets and I truly expected Hugh Grant to jump out from between the pages!

I loved Jess’s character and if I’m to be honest, envied her slightly! I’d love to be younger, live in London and live the ‘Bridget Jones’ lifestyle!! When she first meets Alex, it’s obvious that there is a spark between them, but the story keeps us guessing as to how that is going to progress. Whilst Jess and Alex are the main characters, all the other characters play their part in the story and they all fit in well together. The story switches between Jess and Alex’s story, chapter to chapter, and it flows really nicely, capturing my interest from the first page. Alex’s character has to be my favourite though, although at times I want to give him a good shake and tell him to sort it out!! I love how he gave up his well-paid career, lavish lifestyle and ultimately his future wife for a career in helping others – definitely one of life’s good guys!!

The story pans out over the space of a year – December to December, but it’s the perfect book to read any time of the year! It’s a heart-warming story filled with friendships, life and love! Tender enough to bring tears to my eyes at times, yet by the next chapter it warmed my heart and left me in a feel-good happy place!! Fabulous book, would highly recommend!!

We Met in December is my first from Rosie Curtis and it is truly a very sweet read. Many have compared it to One Day in December by Josie Silver and yes it has some similarities but overall the story is much different. And I enjoyed it immensely.

Told in alternating POV's, Alex and Jess are up and coming professionals, who have taken the jobs of their dreams which leaves them with not much money to spend on housing etc. Due to the generosity of their mutual friend Becky, each is now a housemate of hers on the tony Albany Road, outside of London proper. What ensues is a playful kind of friendship btw Alex and Jess, who fit really well together but seek out other romantic partners even as they crush on one another.

The banter between not only Jess and Alex, but btw the entire motley crew that makes up their house is great fun. I loved the scenes where all the housemates were together and would enjoy bottles of wine, watch Netflix and simply be the crazy, unassuming group they were. All have unique personalities and add the right touch to this book.

The oft-times frustrating, slow burn that is the romance between Jess and Alex surprisingly moves ahead a bit quickly with each chapter typically being another month later. The author does not bore us with the day to day, but sometimes I felt as if there wasn't enough detail to know just what each character was truly feeling and/or thinking. I needed to dig a bit deeper as much felt left on the surface.

But I will say that their adventures through London with Alex as Jess's tour guide were the highlights of this story as they find themselves simply loving this uncomplicated time they could spend together. Those walks became the foundation for their burgeoning attraction and clearly fueled the fire between them.

In addition, the secondary characters of Nanna Beth, Sophie, Gen and even Jess's mom, were perfectly placed and increased the witty factor tenfold. Each were a necessary part of Jess's life and gave her the perspective she often needed to sort out her complicated love life.

Overall, I'd say that We Met in December is a lovely little read about the trials and tribulations of being on your own and blazing a path to what and who you want, even if it seems impossible. Add to the mix, British humour which is a favorite of mine, and you have a great read for a lazy afternoon.

I'd certainly read more from this author and I wouldn't even mine an update on this wonderfully loving crew.

4 solid stars!

I love books set in London and books that are more than just romance. This book took me by surprise. I thought it would turn out in a certain way, but it didn't and that worked in its favor.

I like the two different perspectives and that there was more going on then just a romance. The friends and flatmates all brought spice into the story. I hope there's another book in this series, that can give us a look into all these other characters.
4.5 stars
I recommend this book.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and all opinions are my own.

Luanna

We Met in December is a lovely and gentle story about two people who seem to be drawn to each other but something always gets in the way. I have read and enjoyed Rachael Lucas’s work before, so I did know to expect a delightful story from her alter ego, Rosie Curtis.

Those two people are Jess and Alex. By some lucky chance, they both know Becky who has just inherited a huge house in Notting Hill. Both looking for fresh starts they end up renting rooms in Becky’s house and getting to know each other. As the book begins Jess is moving to London from Bournemouth to start a new life in publishing and Alex has given up his lucrative career as a lawyer to train as a nurse. Both are taking the plunge and when they meet at an unofficial housewarming they hit it off.

But then Jess goes away for a couple of weeks and when she returns Alex has moved on. And so follows a year of living in the same house but one or the other of them never being single or ready to take the next step at the right time.

This is such a sweet story and an incredibly easy one to read. I really liked Jess, especially when I saw her through Alex’s eyes. I so wanted a happy ending for these two lovely characters. There’s also a cast of supporting friends and each one plays their part in Jess and Alex’s story. I enjoyed the little snippets into both of their jobs too which really helped me to get to know them and also the walks around London that Alex took Jess on.

This is not a Christmas book so no need to worry if you don’t want to read Christmas books yet. It just begins and ends in December and whilst it is the perfect read for the festive season because of its heartwarming feel, it’s set over the course of a year so you could just as easily read and enjoy it in July or indeed September! If you enjoy a light-hearted, cosy romance then this is the book for you. I thought it was a real treat.

The chapters read almost like vignettes. They are just pieces of Jess and Alex's lives that sometimes don't really have a point. Like, in one case, Jess goes on a run. And that's it. There are large time jumps between most chapters, so the time-stamps at the beginning are really important for keeping the order straight. At first, this really frustrated me. I usually hate stories that try to cover too much time by leaving pieces out (sometimes, by leaving entire months out). But as the story went on, I realized what Curtis was trying to do.

This is a story about everyday love. It isn't a meet cute or some explosive chemistry. It's natural, formed over a year as two people become really close friends. Okay, honestly it's a British, one-year-long version of When Harry Met Sally. They are totally compatible, but are just in different relationships that they don't match up until the last chapters. So, even though it isn't what I'm used to reading when it comes to romance,

Also, Curtis really kept hanging on. I couldn't for the life of me figure out if Jess and Alex were actually going to end up together. It was will-they-won't-they for the WHOLE BOOK. Which is great, except it's not because you honestly couldn't tell whether it was going to be a love story or a tragic missed connection. UGH.

One of the other things I really loved about this story was how great the secondary characters are. Everyone has a backstory -- even a secondary character's mother, who never actually appears in the story. The sheer power of that. I hear angels singing in my editor's brain. Jess's grandmother is an amazingly strong character, and I loved that most of the roommates had great histories (except Emma -- but we'll get to her another time).
So, yeah, I definitely think this is a great book. It was infuriating when I couldn't figure out what was going to happen with Jess and Alex, and I was infuriated they sent so long apart.

A sweet and light-hearted read as we follow Jess and Alex who have just restarted their life in London. By no means is this a book with a heavy plot, as a matter of fact it's more of a character study. It's us seeing two characters who are meant for each other come together over the course of a year.

A feel good book that is a perfect read for the Christmas season!

All these opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for a digital arc.

A lovely feel good story that had me rooting for the Jess to get a happy ending after she gives up her life in Bournemouth to take a chance on life in London Town.