This is a charming book. It did start to get me into the Christmas spirit. Although, I did not fully envelop the holidays like I wanted to with this book. I was looking for a Hallmark movie. Yet, I will say that I did like the characters in this book. As far as little children go in stories, Sofia was sweet but she made me sad at the same time. The fact that she had lost her Christmas spirit was sad. She was still young enough to believe but after the death of her mother; her father felt like the truth was the best for Sofia. So she really had no stake in the game when it came to Santa. By the end of the story, Sofia did have her faith restored. However, when I am reading a holiday story, I want it to be cheerful and not sad. I will hand it to Iona that she did do her best to help Sofia.

Speaking of Iona. She had an cheerful and inviting personality. She is the type of person that I would hang out with. Mads was not bad. He just came off as stiff in the beginning and therefore, he was the last one that I warmed up to. Regarding romance between Iona and Mads; it may have been there but I didn't really feel it. Well not the way that I hoped to. I wanted to see the sparks fly and I didn't really get that from Iona and Mads. Yet, if readers are looking for a charming book without a lot of romance and a quick read, then they may consider checking this book out.

Iona has poured her heart & soul into the marketing & publicity for the Candied Apple Cafe, the business she owns with two friends. The cafe & the friends are developing a reputation & gained me the interest in investors wanting to help them "make it big". When Iona meets Mads Eriksson, the attraction that sizzles between them makes Iona realize she's concentrated on the business to the exclusion of everything else.

Mads & his daughter Sofia are just trying to make it through the first Christmas season after the death of his wife & her mother. Mads met Iona when he was pitching an idea to bring the Candied Apple Cafe into his exclusive resorts. Both are attracted to Iona & the way she makes them feel. Mads feels it's too soon for him to move on & is fighting it.

Christmas at the Candied Apple Cafe is not a typical sweet Christmas story. There is a feeling of hope, joy & faith but there is also feelings of depression, despair & grief. It's a story meant to tug on your heart & get you involved in the story. Iona & Mads have to decide what is more important to them & what they can live with or without. Sofia is a spot of joy. I loved watching her come back to life. She is an integral part of the story. The interactions between Sofia & Iona are sweet & intense. An enjoyable emotional read.

The candied Apple Cafe is full of Christmas cheer and just the place for Mads and his daughter Sofia. He lost his wife last year and Sofia has lost the magic of Christmas. Can Iona help them find the magic of Christmas and maybe even love herself.

Aww this was just such a sweet story. It took me only a day to read it. I love a christmas story and this was so good. The perfect cosy read for the season.

I love Iona and how important Christmas is to her. She's a sweet person and yet a savvy business woman too. Mads is an interesting character and his heartache is written so well. You really feel for him. Sofia is a cutie and not precocious at all like children can be in books.

Loved this so much. A must for the holidays.

Every now and then a Christmas romance comes along that is so emotional, that touches upon just about everything magical and human about this season that it will melt your heart. Christmas at the Candied Apple Cafe is just such a book and it won’t take long to immerse yourself in this touching, beautiful world.

Iona and her partners, otherwise known as her best friends, own and operate the Candied Apple Cafe in New York City. They are successful, happy and decked out for the season. There are business decisions to be made but nothing that has to overshadow this wonderful night of showing off their new Christmas window display.

Mads is waiting on a business decision by the owners of the Candied Apple. As the man at the top it’s up to him to keep on top of these things. Thinking to take care of two things at once Mads heads off to the Candied Apple with his young daughter, Sophia. Both are a bit heartbroken, neither have any Christmas spirit or excitement at all this year. But that is about to change as three lives meet and magic can begin. No swirling sprinkles of color and light, but real connections that will matter and make a difference – it just might take a little time and patience.

There are so many aspects of Christmas at the Candied Apple Cafethat made this a touching, emotional story for me. Overall it’s a wonderful story, but there are a few things that stand out for me. Mads lost his wife, the woman he’d loved most of his life and Sophia had lost her beautiful, loving mother to a lingering, deadly disease. Both are still shell-shocked in many ways. Sophia particularly has lost every touch of belief in any kind of Christmas magic. She asked God, she asked Santa… and neither could give her the wish she wanted most for Christmas last year – her mother well again. So now, she’s done with belief. She will politely allow others their own belief, but don’t ask her to believe for she just cannot. Sophia broke my heart. She’s adorable, wise beyond her years yet there is that small little place that wants someone to show her that it’s okay to believe again. And that person will be Iona.

Mads and Iona are both wounded, in different ways. Neither is really thinking of romance but they laugh, they smile at the same thing, and slowly there are more reasons to spend time together… and the feelings simply won’t go away. You could call their romance a slow burn, you could call it finding that person that makes sense while making the heart sing. These two have chemistry, emotions and issues – all are dealt with realistically and believably.

I believe you will find a wonderful Christmas-time love story in Christmas at the Candied Apple Cafe. It’s a story like this one that fuels my love for Christmas romance year round. It’s a beautiful love story, and I believe these characters and their wonderful support characters will capture your heart.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I DNF'd this book at 31%

I got a free copy of this book through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

The pretty cover and the main character who owned a café was what grabbed my attention when I first heard of this book. Unfortunately when I started reading the book didn't grab my attention at all. I kept reading, hoping I would get into the story more once I got further in the book, but at 31% I decided to DNF. I just wasn't enthusiastic about reading the book and while it might get a 3 star rating if I finished, I just didn't feel like this was a book for me.

I struggled with the writing style for this book, for some reason it just didn't click with me. The writing felt clunky at times, it was confusing at other times and the story just didn't feel like it ran smoothly. Too much details in one place and not enough in another. There were scenes where some small pieces of information seemed to be missing and it just didn't read right to me.

There was also an issue with the main character brother being called Nico sometimes and other times Theo. Although the copy I received was an ARC, so I hope that will be fixed in the final version. On the topic of her brother, I felt like there was a bunch of backstory there. But more in the sense that it felt like there could've been a whole book before this one about his romance. But as far as I know this is a standalone. And for a standalone I would've liked a bit more depth into her emotions and details so I could get a better grip on what happened. She seemed upset with her brother, but I didn't really feel it.

I liked the ideas of the characters, but never felt like I fully connected with them. I seemed unable to care about them and that made it hard to get into the book. I felt like I never fully got to know Iona, we did got these pieces of information, but I never really felt like I got insight in what she really felt or thought. I often like kids in books, but Sofia sounded like an adult to me most of the book and I had hoped to like her more than I did. Mads was still mourning the loss of his wife, which just made me sad and I didn't feel his romance with Iona.

I also had trouble visualizing the café and other settings. I wouldn't have minded a bit more description. Another thing that still puzzles me is why the café is called the Candied Apple Café as they mostly sell chocolates, but that might be something that gets revealed later in the book. I did like the idea of the café and how the main character was responsible for the marketing.

To summarize: Sadly this book didn't work out for me. I decided to DNF the book at 31% as I didn't really feel enthusiastic about reading anymore and didn't care about the characters or what happened next. I didn't feel the Christmas magic or the city come alive. I was unable to visualize the café or the setting. The writing style didn't work for me, some scenes didn't read smoothly to me and in other scenes I felt like some additional details or information could've been added to make it read smoother. I liked the idea of this book and the characters, but it didn't come alive for me and I didn't care about the characters or felt their romance. I don't think it's a bad book, but it just didn't work for me.

Iona is a hard working business woman who owns the Candied Apple Café. The Christmas season is coming around again and with so much success happening for the cafe, what more could she want?
Her dad always wanted her to succeed more and more, but she feels like something is missing.
Until she meets Mads and his adorable daughter..

Mad's is the father to Sofia who isn't into the festive season since the loss of her mother to cancer the year before. All she wants deep down is a family and christmas traditions to make them whole again.

Will it become a christmas to remember? Or to be forgotten?

I really loved this book, it was fast-paced and filled with ups and downs, plenty of romance and a lot of festive cheer! I would highly recommend giving this a read. My only negative point is that this story ends really quickly and everything speeds up towards the end but it is still such a great read!

Festive, heartwarming, and romantic!

Christmas at the Candied Apple cafe is set in the idyllic New York City in wintertime and takes us into the lives of two main characters. Iona, a young woman who is hardworking, thoughtful and ready to find the one; and Mads, a grieving, single father who prefers to remain focused on raising his daughter than risk loving and losing once again.

The prose is light and smooth. The main characters are thoughtful, feisty, and endearing. And the plot sweeps you away into a winter fairytale complete with a beautiful, independent princess, a handsome, scarred prince, family, friendship, loss, heartbreak, true love, and a charming, little girl who will steal your heart.

Christmas at the Candied Apple Cafe is a perfect holiday read.  It's entertaining, uplifting and will have you believing in the magic of Christmas, and dreaming of warm, cozy fires, hot chocolate, and scrumptious chocolate delights!

A wonderfully festive, warm story with a good dose of reality and the New York Christmas magic.

Oh what a wonderful Christmas love story.

First time I've read anything by Katherine Garbera but I will be looking for more.

I love the Candied Apple Store and all the characters. The two main characters, Iona and Mads, are both workaholics that are hiding their loss and loneliness behind work. The addition of Sofia adds to the whole Christmas family feeling. This was a sweet quick read that even had me shedding a few tears!

This review is written with thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me on the blog blitz, and Harper Collins and Netgalley for my copy of the book.
Iona owns the Candied Apple Cafe in New York with her friends, Hayley and Cici. They're busy preparing for Christmas, when local business man, Mads Eriksson approaches Iona with a business proposal. Since losing his wife a year ago, Mads and his six year old daughter, Sofia, have stopped believing in the magic of Christmas, whilst Iona herself is feeling lonely after her ex-boyfriend left her for her brother. Can Iona and Mads help each other find the spirit of Christmas?
Christmas At The Candied Apple Cafe is my first Christmas themed read of the year. Although it still seems a little early, Garbera's descriptions of the snow fall, Christmas tree lights and music really helped to conjure up the image of Christmas. What makes this novel even better is that, as Iona works in a cafe, there are also descriptions of the truffles and hot chocolates she sells that really appeal to the senses, meaning it is the perfect book to curl up with with your own cup of hot chocolate as the winter nights draw in. There are also a few recipes for the Candied Apple Cafe truffles at the back of the book, which sound absolutely delicious!
As a central character, Iona will be easy for many readers to relate to. Overall, she is likeable with a caring nature and quirky sense of humour. However, it is her relationship with Sofia that really melted my heart, and it is this that made me root for Iona and Mads.
There are a few twists as the novel reaches its conclusion, but overall Christmas At The Candied Apple Cafe is an uplifting novel, which made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
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This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it. A wonderful, light-hearted Christmas story taking place in New York City.

Iona Summerlin, part-owner of the Candied Apple Café has not had luck at love. She is “married” to her work, and intends to stay that way, believing she will never find true love.

Mads Eriksson, hotel boss of a chain of hotels, is a widower with a daughter. This is their first Christmas without their loved one and it takes everything they have within them to be able to get through the season. The sweet daughter has lost her belief in “Santa”, since he did not let her mom live, like she had asked, and Mads has lost belief in everything at this point.

We see these characters meet, go through trying time and wonder if they will ever be able to heal from their hurts. Will Santa bring them new and interesting times in their lives and perhaps even love?

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christmas stories. This was a sweet start to holiday reading.

I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins UK, HarperImpulse in exchange for my fair review of the book.

This was a sweet story with a very realistic situation. I felt that it could have done without the sex scenes, without detracting from the story at all, and would have liked to see and feel more of New York at the holidays. The plot itself, however, was very easy to follow and relate to, and the characters were lovable.

Normally I read cozy mysteries, but once in a while I like to read a Christmas romance and this fit the bill.
I loved the title and the picture, then of course I became captivated by the story and the characters.
Iona has a good life and seems very content, but one thing is missing, a family to call her own.
Meeting Mads and his daughter Sophia put a sparkle in her eye, but Iona isn't sure this relationship will work.
There were so many great moments in this story and the family traditions that everyone shared was heartwarming.
I'm really glad I took a chance on this book, it was well worth the read.
This is sure to please readers of any genre.

I voluntarily read an ARC of this book provided by the publisher and NetGalley.