Thank you to HQ and netgalley for an ARC of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It’s a Wonderful Night is an honest, magical story that deals with the realities of desperation and happiness. Set in a small town with similarities to the movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, it’s about the expectations of life you have for yourself, and how having a little support goes a long way.
I was enthralled from start to finish, captivated by the plot and relatable main characters, not to mention craving hot chocolate. A perfect Christmas time book.
4.5 stars

I always enjoy Jaimie Admans' romances, and this one is no different. It's quintessentially British, with no danger of being mistaken for the mass-produced, Americanised romance that seems to be taking over our shelves. The characters are so very real, the story so possible and yet romantic and a little bit whimsical, so very Jaimie Admans. A wonderfully enjoyable winter tale.

‘It’s A Wonderful Night’ is a magical book full of endless possibilities and reasons to live. What set this book aside from the other’s and really made me resonate with it is that the story-line focused on mental health – which I don’t really ever see in the books that I read and it’s what I go through on a daily basis. Not only does it focus on mental health, but it also focuses on a romantic partner supporting the difficulties that their loved ones have to face and although it is never anybody’s responsibility to put all of their time in to making a loved one want to feel alive again, I really appreciated all of the length’s Georgia went to, in order to make sure all focus was on this one man and never on herself – for a while at least, until the cuffs came out.

Jaimie also shone light on the fact that not everybody enjoys Christmas and whilst some people preach from the rooftops that it’s the ‘most wonderful time of the year’, some people don’t have that feeling towards it and it’s okay to think of Christmas as a not so wonderful time. You may have lost a family member near Christmas or it may be your first Christmas without that family member, Christmas and being surrounded by family may just be all round overwhelming and exhausting, or one of the big ones, it’s the time of year where people start to show off their wealth and how much they can spoil their family – leaving them to sit in their own thoughts and failures. Maybe you don’t have any family at all and are having to spend it alone. Christmas can physically and mentally drain the absolute life out of people and it most definitely drains our bank accounts, it’s a very trying time for people and we should never bring somebody down for not having the same Christmas spirit as we do. Jaimie doesn’t at all try to make us believe that there’s some sort of magic that will fix all of our depression and have us singing ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’ or sit watching The Grinch repeatedly for a whole week. She shows us that no matter how bad things are going right now, they can get better with the right people and the right environment. There’s a line in the book that says “Sometimes the people who smile the widest are the ones who are suffering the most.” and it is so true. This year, if you see somebody smiling more than usual, but also have a distance to them – please check up on them because inside it could be really painful for them, but they’re putting their feelings to one side to make sure everybody is constantly happy.

‘It’s A Wonderful Night’ not only focuses on mental health and romance, but it also focuses on friendship and following your dreams. The whole community that was involved in this book was so heart-warming and the fact that they all came together in the end and was willing to defend each other really made me feel warm and happy inside. I really wish I could live in a community like the one Georgia lives in! Georgia and Leo are such wonderful characters that I was so sad to say goodbye to, they were both generous and loving people who always put each other and everybody first, no matter what was going on behind their masks. What makes a book as special as this one is that as I was reading along, I could picture the characters and the community and every little detail – everything just leapt off of the pages and if this doesn’t become a Netflix/Hallmark movie one day then I’m going to be fuming! Seriously, is there a way to get in touch with them? Because I will do it.

If you’re looking for a light, heart-warming, but serious and relatable Christmas story to delve in to, please make this one your choice. I wouldn’t be writing about it if I didn’t think so highly of it… Trust me!

It's A Wondeful Night is beautiful! It deals with important topics like mental health, community spirit, love and loss in a way that makes it a joy to read. Leo is desperate when he accidentally meets Georgia and she helps him more than either of them ever expected. Add some festive cheer, lots of coffee and some hilarious mishaps and you've got a winner! Absolutely loved it!

I can never say no to a book by Jaimie Admans mainly because she writes the most magical and heartwarming stories so of course I jumped at the chance to read It’s a Wonderful Night. Well before I even start my review I have to say how much I love the cover, it is so gorgeous and made me want to read it even more!

Now let’s be honest we all tell little white lies every once in a while, don’t we? However it’s safe to say that one little lie spirals for Georgia but also creates something pretty special too. I loved the interactions between Leo and Georgia they were sweet but had a deeper meaning too especially as the reader knows the full story. Jaimie Admans has a way of creating characters that feel real as if you could actually be friends with them. Georgia is a wonderful character and even though I didn’t necessarily approve of her lying I could also see why she did it.

Of course with a title like It’s a Wonderful Night there has to be a touch of It’s a Wonderful Life about it which I thought was a nice touch, it is a classic film after all! With a story that could be happening on any of our towns high streets it makes it all the more poignant.

There are some deeper themes running throughout this book but I think it balances out perfectly with the lighter moments. I have to say that I well and truly got caught up in the whole magical situation just hoping that something could be done to help. Overall Jaimie Admans has created a story with wonderful characters that made me root for them especially as their lives aren’t plain sailing. There is such a strong message at its heart with themes of kindness and friendship along with hope playing a big part in this story. I have to admit there were tears but they were happy tears!! There is also the lovely community spirit and friendships that is all tied up in a gorgeous bundle of heartwarming goodness! Let’s just say that I can’t recommend this book enough!

A beautiful and ultimately uplifting story!

As another installment of my 2018 holiday season reading, I finished an eARC called It’s a Wonderful Night. Thank you Netgalley and HQ for allowing me to read this book. When I requested this book, and even as I started reading it, I didn’t catch that the title was a play on words. Basically, this book uses the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” as a running theme throughout. It is done in a really cute way as to enhance the holiday mood throughout.

The story takes place in Great Britain, in current day. It starts in November, but quickly covers the month of December and follows two main characters named Georgia Bailey (get it?!) and Leo. The book opens with a possible suicide and hidden candy. From there, the story continues on and I can’t give anymore away! If you know the plot of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” then maybe you can guess a few of the plot points in this story. If you don’t know the film, then go watch it! Its one of the best Christmas films of all time, in my opinion. This is a story about serendipity, love, hope, a coffee shop named “It’s a Wonderful Latte,” and the magic of Christmas on a small, forgotten street at the start of the holiday season.

While this is a heart-warming feel-good type of story with a happy ending, it does bring up a lot of issues that can be difficult to talk about. The first scene into the story we are confronted with suicide and suicidal thoughts and how they can affect us. Even those who seem to be happy and doing well on the outside are not always so on the inside. It becomes a discussion on the masks we wear in public and how we deal or maybe don’t deal with the trauma of our pasts. Sometimes there are things that we all need to hear from other people that can change our days, or week, and sometimes even our outlooks on life. The author does not condemn suicide or suicidality in the text, but opens up ideas for discussion on the subject. Multiple times in this story is the message that each life is a wonderful gift and the world is always better with you in it. Even her dedication says this similar thing, once again reminding the reader of their worth. Her treatment of such a sensitive and taboo topic is dignified and sincere. I really appreciated how suicide isn’t taken as a joke or made out to be something fun or false. The author also adds in several times that suicide is a large killer of men and how toxic masculinity can factor into that. I respect her treatment of such a important topic in today’s society.

Another topic that this story brings up a lot, and that isn’t as difficult to talk about as suicide, is the loss of place and infrastructure due to changes in economic and social structures in society. If you can’t tell from that sentence, I studied a lot of anthropology and architecture in my college years. While not put quite the same way as I said it, the story while focusing on the two main characters also deals with the loss of commerce and industry and how big corporations and shopping malls buy out and take customers from the smaller shops. This is something that the most of us have probably seen or been subject to. I remember the small mom-and-pop coffee shops and thrift shops where I grew up. Fast-forward twenty years and these places are rarely visited over the big-box and chain retailers. Mind you, I grew up in rural Kentucky, so these places were more common for me while growing up than maybe others that grew up in more metropolitan places.

While this, along with gentrification aren’t things that are talked about, I think that putting such a subject into the context of a Christmas story is keen. Readers are able to enjoy a nice story while contemplating ideas that perhaps aren’t common fodder for dinnertime talk or get-togethers with friends. Maybe when reading a story like this, we can contemplate our choices more critically when it comes to shopping local and supporting local venues versus those larger ones that we can all name.

Something that I didn’t like about this book was how unbelievable things seem to be as the story starts. Georgia starts telling some white lies that grow into something much larger. While I didn’t’ care for that aspect of the story to begin with, for me it gets evened out quite nicely near the end when truths are told and consequences occur. But even then, the parts that deal with the law seem a bit lackadaisical and unreal. While it may not be 100% realistic, it does still help the Christmas magic and wonder of the story pan out by the end. When I read these sorts of stories I know to take things with a grain of salt because of the genre. I generally tend to know what is going to happen and that the end will probably be a happy one, regardless of how unrealistic it maybe turns to get there. For this season, and for my holiday reading those are the things that I look forward to when I read.

If you are looking for a cute and quick Christmas story to read, then I would recommend this one. It is set in Great Britain, so there are several things that we either don’t have in the United States or that need to be translated (ie. Types of candy, mincemeat pies, etc.). Although the cultures are different, the joy and magic of the season are still the same. I will give a disclaimer that if you have dealt with suicide in the past or are easily triggered, maybe this book isn’t for you. While the book never gets dark and discusses suicide in a healthy way, it could still trigger especially at the holidays. This book should definitely have a trigger warning on it just in case. On Goodreads, I gave this book four stars mainly for how cute and touching the story was. I really enjoyed Georgia as a character; she seems like someone I would want to be friends with in real life. I would happily read this again at the holidays.

I had been saving this book for a while, to read when I hopefully had enough time to savour every moment, as I had an inkling between the blurb and the author that it would be something special.

It is more than something special and needs to take pride of place in anyone's festive book collection, or in fact any bookshelf at all.

I have laughed and I have almost cried during the reading of this story - it really gave me all the feels and I was hooked on Georgia and Leo's story.

There are so many strong themes running through this book, mental health, the decline of the high street, nostalgia for Christmas's past, and the film It's A Wonderful Life to name a few. And between them all these story elements combine into a simply wonderful story.

The plot is incredible, it has everything you could want from a book set in December in the run up to Christmas. I loved how although there is a massive lie at the heart of the book it is there for all the right reasons, but equally could blow up in Georgia’s face completely.

There are some completely light hearted moments, the suggestions from Leo about Santa for their big project are hilarious, as were some of their conversations. But other times there was a more sensitive serious tone to the book which just drew me in further.

And the descriptions, well they are fabulous. There is a scene in Hawthorns where I could picture every last thing so, so clearly and the best way I can describe it was like I was reading a description of Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium – I got the exact same feeling from both of those!

It’s a Wonderful Night is without a doubt one of my favourite books of the year, and I would recommend it to just about everyone. It is just that good!

Thank you to Netgalley and HQ Digital for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Playing off the holiday classic It’s a Wonderful Life, Georgia Bailey is just preparing to close her shop for the night when she gets a call from a man who’s preparing to jump from the bridge in town. Georgia keeps him on the line almost all night, not giving up until she’s sure he’s safe. On her way in to work the next day she stops to pick up a coffee at the local coffee shop only to realize the handsome barista is the man she talked off the bridge the night before. For fans of the classic movie or Christmas stories in general. Lots of fun

Oh wow, I have absolutely fallen in love with this book, it was perfect in every way. I was literally glued to it's pages from start to finish. It was full of Christmas festive moments, plus heartwarming and entertaining, not to mention a few giggly moments throughout the story too.

I loved the setting and getting to know all of the characters was such a joy, all of whom were so very well written. How the film 'It's a Wonderful Life' plays a huge part in the story throughout and is so cleverly woven into the story, it really was fantastically written. I should probably mention here that I've not even seen the film before, well that will have to change now lol.

This book struck a chord with me as some of the things that Georgia said about life really did ring true, and I could totally relate to them as I have the same feelings within me. So because of that I felt as if I had a pretty close connection with Georgia throughout the whole of the story.

Random fact about the book: Being a bit of a flavoured coffee lover, I absolutely loved the sound of the Christmas coffees on offer at It's a Wonderful Latte shop, warm apple pie, caramel pecan, chestnut praline, gingerbread biscotti, mince pie, orange and cranberry. I'd be doing exactly the same as Georgia, visiting every morning so as to try a new flavour each day until I'd decided on my favourite one. Coffee heaven for sure.

I absolutely adore this author's books and I can't wait to read her next one already.

what an amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end
I loved the authors style of writing and will be looking for other books by this author.
I would recommend this book to friends and family

This is an absolutely sweet and delightful romance but there is also a good yet subtle underlying message about depression and mental health. I love the two main characters and all the supporting characters as well. The dialogue was snappy and always natural. I’m only giving it for stars because it’s seem to be a lot longer than it needed to be.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Oh wow! what a wonderful book! First time I read a book from Jaimie Admans and I already can't wait to read her next one! This book was excellent and it excellent from page 1 to last page! It was full of beautiful feelings, a little bit sad at times, it was also magical, very Christmassy, very funny and so romantic! A great combo to make a wonderful book! The fact that the main male character works in a café selling tasty lattes, hot chocolate and cakes makes the book even better as I am myself a big fan of lattes. This book is so cozy, I loved it so much! Don't hesitate to read it! You can only have a good time with this book!

Synopsis
Georgia (George) Bailey, named after the character from It’s a Wonderful Life, manages the local charity shop – One Light. Whilst working late one night, she receives an accidental phone call from a familiar sounding voice which was meant for their suicide help line, not the shop. Despite the possible repercussions, he cannot bring herself to hang up or redirect the caller until she knows they are safe.

The next day she goes about her daily business and comes to the realisation that the voice belonged to the man she is in love with, !

Weaving a web of little white lies to avoid being found out, George secretly sets about restoring Leo’s hope and happiness and business in the hope of giving him a truly ‘Wonderful Life‘.

Review
I absolutely love thrillers and romance novels. Thrillers are compulsive page turners that leave you hanging on the edge of your seat for more, desperate to finish so you can get the closure.

Romance novels are different! I love to get lost inside them and never want to leave and that is exactly what happened when I read this book.

I was transported to a declining high street (not too dissimilar to where I live) and became so wrapped up in the goings-on in the book that I just melted into it. As just a romance novel this book has everything you could ask for; lovable main characters, a comedic and supportive ensemble and a wonderful Christmas backdrop. Not to mention the sad/happy ending all good romances need.

But this is so much more than a romance novel. It’s a story of community coming together, saving the high street and bringing back childhood memories. It delves into issues such as suicide, depression and the true power of friendship.

This book is a beautifully told, Christmassy romance and I dare you not to get lost in it as I did.

It's a Wonderful Night is a modern take on the movie It's a Wonderful Life... Or, I think it is. I haven't actually seen the movie (don't throw things at me!).
Georgia Bailey is named after the main character in the movie as her mother was obsessed with it.
Leo, Georgia's love interest, owns a coffee shop titled It's a Wonderful Latte thanks to his father's love of the movie.
See where this is going?

Like in the movie, one night, Georgia (who would be kinda in the role of movie Clarence) stops Leo (who would kinda be in the role of movie George) from jumping off a bridge in his lowest moment.
I don't know if that's where the similarities between the book and the movie end as, as I said, I've never seen the movie but it's constantly referred to throughout the novel and for fans of the movie I guess that would be a plus but for me, it was a bit, well, irrelevant. And slightly annoying... Like I was constantly missing the point or something.

The book is a little bit different from your usual fluffy Christmas fare as literally having to talk someone down off a bridge is not exactly light reading material. However, despite the heavier circumstances, the book still manages to be delightfully festive as Georgia sets out on her mission to save both Leo and the local high street with the help of Leo, whether he wants to help or not.
There's festive coffee flavours, talks of holiday shopping, window decorating, town decorations, Christmas light switch on ceremonies, hot chocolate, and Christmas tunes.
It was delightfully British with all the chatter about Woolworths and various Christmas traditions, and quirks, that anyone born and raised in old Blighty would relate to and it made me smile as did the collection of wonderful secondary characters.

It would have been an easy 4 star but... I had an issue with Georgia and Leo which made me flip back and forth between 3 stars and 4 like a yo-yo.

The relationship between Georgia and Leo was sweet, it was intense and it felt like they were made for each other. All good things, right? I was rooting for them, I was but... Georgia was lying to him. This sweet, vulnerable guy had no clue that Georgia was the guardian angel who talked him off that bridge and he didn't know because she lied. I understood why she initially concealed who she was and I understood why as time went on she felt like she couldn't come clean but the charade - no matter how well-meaning - grew tiresome quickly as did the escapades required to maintain it.
I hated the deception and wished that it was resolved much much earlier in the story and because it wasn't, my enjoyment was tainted with annoyance that I couldn't squash no matter how much I wanted to.

All in all, I ultimately enjoyed the book.
The festive elements worked for me and - ignoring the deception thing - Leo and Georgia were a wonderful couple.
It won't become a festive favourite but I'm glad I took a chance and read this and if there are any more books set in this fictional town with this motley assortment of characters you can count me in!

Hats off to the author for tackling the little-spoken-about subject of men's mental health, and what a fantastically riveting start to a book. I was hooked from page 1.

The whole story reflects what Christmas should mean - love, family, community, charity, kindness and I loved every second of it. It's a heart-wrenching but ultimately uplifting story with a healthy and welcome dollop of humour. If this doesn't get your festive juices flowing, then nothing will!

When I started this book I thought it was going to be exactly my kind of story.

It started off well enough but got boring in the middle, it was too repetitive, the same thing happening night after night so I skipped some chapters and didn't miss anything. Also I found it very silly in parts.

The end was good and I do like the fact that it looked at mental health and problems people can have even if they look perfectly alright on the outside, you don't know what is happening on the inside

I couldn't bring myself to finish this as it was just terrible. The premise sounded great but it was so sickly sweet, cliched and just not an intelligent book

Now where do I start with my praises because I'm unsure if I can do this wonderful book the justice it needs. I loved every single moment of my time in Oakbarrow and was torn between devouring every single page because I couldn't put it down to savouring each and every word due to the fact I didn't want it to come to an end.

Leo and George are perfectly rounded characters who I instantly fell in love with and their intertwining storylines grabbed my heart in all their endearing glory. Leo's struggles I feel couldn't be more relevant for our time and it added an extra layer of depth to the story making it thought provoking and heartfelt. I must also give a special mention to my favourite character Bernard who added pure joy and sparkle to his scenes.

This book is extremely well written with a perfect blend of humour and emotion, I just loved it. If you're looking for a festive read this season then look no further than It's a Wonderful Night.

WOW  WOW  WOW 

What can I say... I just loved this beautiful story which shows how important friends are to every one of us!

The story starts with Leo, a man with the world on his shoulders who has found himself  at his lowest point in life. He is standing on the edge of the town bridge as he considers jumping off as he feels he cannot go on with life.  Luckily he calls a helpline number he found on a leaflet at the side of the bridge, however in his distressed state he calls the local charity shop instead of the 24-hour counselling helpline.  I will say no more about the plot - you need to go read it for yourself!

If you enjoy watching It's A Wonderful Life when it comes on TV each year then you will LOVE this book. The author clearly loves the film and has reminded me how good it is that I am planning on a Sunday afternoon cosy on the couch watching it with my little dog by my side. 

The author, Jaimie Admans, has given us a gorgeous festive romance whilst dealing with the sensitive issue of depression, loneliness and the feeling of failure that so many people  are struggling with but feel they can't talk about.  These are generally those around us who appear to be the happiest, most cheerful and easy going which real life has shown us all time and time again.

This book made me laugh (and lots of happy tears) and cry (some sad tears) but the main feeling was of hope, of friendship, of the reminder that we should all be a bit more aware of the people around us.  I read this book in one sitting, a wet but bright Saturday afternoon into the evening and once I had finished reading my world felt a much brighter place.  Thank you Jaimie

Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital and Jaimie Admans for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I have ordered my own copy in paperback as I know I will want to read this again and again in the future!

This is a really lovely story that’s deals with hard hitting topics very well. I expected an cosy winter read and was really happy it wasn’t all froth. I thoroughly enjoyed it.