I loved this!

What more could you ask for from a Christmas read! Romance ✅, london in the winter ✅, two gorgeous characters ✅ and a boat load of Christmassy food, drink and fun ✅

Isobel is a traveler, writing a column about travel and whatever takes her boss’ fancy as she jets from place to place. She’s got friends all over the world, and while the holiday is fast approaching and her family is convinced she won’t be back in Melbourne to spend Christmas and the New Year with them, she’s determined to get a bit of Christmas Cheer in during a week in London, staying at her friend’s place. But things haven’t started off particularly well – the weather is dreadful, puddles and slush are everywhere, and a chance encounter with a dashing stranger resulted in the two of them upended into said slush, on the ground, in front of a very shocked bus driver. Now wet, a bit concerned about the state of her electronics and still a bit to go – she arrives at Estelle’s a bit bedraggled, but ready to take on the ‘season’ with a list of places to see and markets to visit.

Despite her being on vacation, her boss calls with a request that she step in and do a ‘last minute’ interview – playing on her repeated requests to get more ‘toothsome’ pieces – and she’s off to meet her subject, unknown with few notes. Surprise of all surprises, her subject is the man who landed in her lap at the bus stop the night before, and no, she didn’t imagine the chemistry between them, or the fact that he is drop-dead handsome. Despite being unprepared to ask questions that indicate she is aware of just who he is, Isobel is honest, and Tom is wonderfully accommodating as the interview flies by and ends with him asking her out for a coffee and a meal later that night.

Throughout the story, Isobel is faced with her short time in London all while enjoying time she’s spending with Tom as they do ‘tourist’ things like skate and visit various Christmas markets. If Tom and Isobel don’t get you in the spirit of Christmas and what’s possible, as they are well-matched, talk about everything, and both seem to want that connection between them that sparks off the page and grows with each moment they spend together. From Tom’s quiet reassurance that setting out on her own is not only something she should do, but that she COULD do it successfully, the two talk about how their travel has affected family expectations for holidays and important events, as well as providing Isobel with a few ‘tricks’ about shopping and presents for her nieces. Not a long story by any means, the relationship, a threat to it and the growth and changes come quickly – all fitting in with the overwhelming positivity of the possibilities of the season and a huge festive hit as we travel all over for festive markets, ice rinks with decorated trees and lovely hot cocoa, mulled wines and plenty of cheer. A lovely story that will make your heart smile with the big surprise, and leave Isobel and Tom as a couple to emulate - particularly at Christmastime.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-ayO/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

This was a lovely Christmas morsel of goodness and put me right in the holiday spirit. I want to read more of their story and hope for a series!

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters at all, wasn’t a fan of the writing, and ended up skimming it just to avoid a DNF.

I devoured this book! I was so engrossed that I read it in one afternoon. This was the perfect way to kick off the unofficial start of the holiday season. It would be perfect to read curled up in front of a fireplace with a holiday drink. I could also see this being a great holiday movie. The characters were so engaging and I found myself rooting for them to succeed.

Utterly charming and fun. Just a delightful Christmas story. The book is well paced. I liked that there weren't 20 chapters of near-miss or silent longings, instead the couple meets by accident, meets again and jumps into spending time together. I also like how the male lead moves to quickly resolve misunderstandings and conflict. More romcom books should be like this.

I will definitely check out the author's other books too. I like her writing style. She does a great job of describing places and people clearly and concisely. I really want to visit London in December now and go to the markets and the shops and be all festive.

As an aside, I was totally picturing Benedict Cumberbatch as Tom, and what do you know, he's mentioned in the author's acknowledgements at the end of the book.

My one small quibble to the editor is how often the female lead licks a salty tear from her upper lip in the final chapters of the book. It's gross. Maybe once would be forgettable but three times is much too repetitive. Can this please be fixed before publication? There are also several misused words that I hope are fixed. Please review: location 393, location 462, location 1054, and location 1165.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.*

I really enjoyed One Week 'Til Christmas.

Isobel was a very likeable main character; she was funny and quirky and interesting; and it was a real pleasure to read about her. I loved how she and Tom met, I proper laughed out loud. I want her job, it sounds so interesting. I loved her interactions with both Estelle, and of course, the delicious Tom - can I get one for Christmas, thanks ;)

The book was fun and executed well; the pacing was good too and it was just such a lovely comforting Christmas read - I'd definitely recommend it to others looking for a Christmas romance.

Good story although predictable, I enjoyed the vocabulary and diction although certain points too much and the paragraph felt crowded. The characters were well developed despite the short book. I also appreciated the accurate scenario of being taken advantage of in a workplace, the boss overusing and asking for too much from one employee. I don’t really enjoy when there is a lack of trust and the characters overcome that too quickly it feels disingenuous, unrealistically forgiving. Overall, if you’re looking for a predictable Christmas story with a tad bit of a twist, you’ve come to the right place!

Isobel is a travel writer who is only in London for a week before heading back to Melbourne. Tom is a tv star. These two were never meant to meet but then fate had him slip on some ice and land pow on her! Of course, it wasn't until the next day (they lost some time to spend together- boo), that they meet again. Christmas is a lovely time to be in London and Missed takes full advantage of her setting as Isobel and Tom wander and experience the city. It's a sweet love story with good characters you will root for. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a fast (short) read perfect for that lazy afternoon.

Isobel Bennett is a travel writer, seeming to be always on the road. She enjoys the travel and the places she visits, getting to know historic places and small town festivals. She makes friends wherever she lands. The only things she doesn't have time for are television and current movies. Her main regret - not being home for family events and holidays. She finally gets a chance to be in London at Christmas, quite the change from her home in Australia but she is determined to be home for Christmas. She starts her vacation with an accidental come together and a phone call for a last minute assignment.

Isobel and Tom's whirlwind romance is not only Hallmark Movie worthy, it is beautifully written. I love the descriptive phrasing and laugh out loud moments. I could picture myself in the scene close enough to touch. Some might say things moved too quickly but sometimes in life, when you know you've only got one shot, you need to take a leap of faith. Tastefully handled with both parties being honest about living in the moment.

This is a wonderful book from start to finish. It is a short read but definitely left me with a smile on my face.
This is super cute and Christmassy which has literally made me laugh out loud. It has romance and drama which has been perfect for a rainy afternoon read.
I have loved how charming this book is, the characters won me over from the very started and I found I was invested in them from early on. This is a book which I couldn't put down and read in one sitting. Although my first read by Missen it will definitely not be the last.
If you like a romance read and are ready for Christmas- this is an utterly perfect read. Highly recommended and worthy of five shiny stars.

Public review to follow during blog tour.

One Week 'Til Christmas by Belinda Missen is meant to be a romantic comedy. I was fascinated by the premise. Isobel is on holiday in London at Christmastime. She has a meet cute with Tom, an actor, and the next day is tasked with interviewing him for her boss. She decides to spend the remainder of her time with him enjoying the city.

I struggled with this book. I didn't exactly understand the meeting of the two characters. I reread it several times and still felt somewhat confused. Perhaps that is why I didn't understand the attraction between the characters. It was stated that they liked each other and it was clear that they wanted to spend time together, but I never felt their attraction not did I understand why they were attracted.

An absolutely lovely feel good Christmas book.
The story of Isobel and how a chance meeting with a mystery guy, turns her life around from what she does as a job and how she enjoys the magical time of the year. Again, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, full of festive cheer, as well as heartache and believing in yourself. Definitely worth reading

A sweet and romantic story, full of Christmas spirit that made me root for the characters.
I loved the engrossing and entertaining plot, the fleshed out cast of characters and the wonderful descriptions of places.
It was a good read, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This book had little to no substance. The characters were paper thing, especially the male protagonist. I usually hate when these types of books get too overly dramatic, but at least there is plot and tension. This was basically nothing. Everything was very surface and bland. The female protagonist did have a bit of gumption in how she dealt with the major dramatic plot point, but then she's stuck with Mr. Bland movie star. He doesn't deserve her and all readers deserve more than what this book had to offer.

Looking for a heart warming cute romance with Christmas and winter vibes? Then this is the book for you

A great love story between two strangers whose paths cross accidentally to say the least. They only have one week to find out if there is something more there than a simple crush.

She is an independent woman looking to change her life. He is a successful man that needs someone to see him for who he really is.

This book is so cute! Isobel is a travel writer who is currently on holiday in the UK. While waiting for the bus one day a man quite literally falls into her lap. Fast forward to the next day where they meet again and their relationship blossoms from here.

Tom and Isobel are so fun and I loved reading about their adventures together. I really love how Christmassy and festive this book is. It made me feel like I was in London experiencing everything right along with them. This is such a cute romance that’s perfect for the holidays.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Isobel and Tom meet by chance. And then they meet by chance again! It must be fate. With just one week left in London, they spend every second together doing everything Christmas in London has to offer. And maybe the just fall in love along the way...

This novel is warm and fuzzy and made me feel all festive. I devoured it in one sitting and will be recommending it to everyone!

I love any book that has "star meets ordinary girl" and this book had me from the start. Isobel and Tom have the perfect meet-cute and I love that Isobel had never seen Tom in his famous show. This book gave me all the feels because of the descriptions of all the places they went and how the Christmas season was all around them. I appreciate that this relationship had time to develop and even at the end you're not 100% sure how it will end. A great story to get you in the mood for Christmas.

***Thank you to NetGalley, HQ Digital and Belinda Missen for providing the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.***

One Week 'Til Christmas, by Belinda Missen, was a sweet Christmas story that is perfect for those who prefer a relatively angst-free story and who like to be immersed in a setting. Isobel is a travel writer looking to expand her writing horizons who happens to meet Tom, a famous actor, one day while waiting for the bus. Circumstances throw them together a second time and both realize they’d like to get to know the other better. But Isobel is only in town until Christmas, and how far can a relationship go when they live on opposite sides of the globe and are always travelling for work?

The author did a thorough job describing all the places our MCs went and making the story feel fairly Christmassy and festive. Admittedly I’m not a reader who loves a lot of descriptive detail about a character’s environment, but here it really did help set the mood. It also overshadowed the characters at times, at least for me. There were places where everything going on around the characters was clearer than the characters’ motivations or thoughts. There was an overriding sweetness between Isobel and Tom, a proper romance if you will, only it felt a bit flat to me. Missen didn’t make me feel much heat between our couple, or even their connection really. I understood they were falling for each other because I was told they were, but I didn’t feel it. There was much indecision to the characters’ thoughts and actions, so while I was rooting for them, I wished they were more firmly decided on trying instead of the ‘let’s just see’ attitude that pervaded the plot.