I love Karen Swan’s books and I’ve read all of hers to date. This was very well written but I have very mixed views on it. Sometimes I felt I was skim reading, and at other points I couldn’t put it down. Lee’s story being a war photographer was an interesting storyline and not something I usually read about, and enjoyed the interlocking stories and the final outcomes for them all (I’m glad Mila got what she wanted). A few bits I found frustrating like the letter from Harry, she was looking for it for ages, and when it was given to her she forgot about it and didn’t open it for what felt like a very long time. All in all I enjoyed this book and I always look out for Karen’s books. Thank you for accepting my request for a review.

A book that you don't want to put down. Hard to find a place to pause. Karen Swan produced another terrific story that engaged the reader from beginning to end.

Read in January 2021. Not sure what happened to feedback. Great book and I have since gone on to read many more of Karen Swans books.

This was such an excellent festive read. It was a complete page turner.
The pacing was slightly off in parts.
This book was more than just a Christmas romance as it had some gritty parts too

I’ve tried to read this book 4x now and never got past chapter 4. Sadly, it’s now labelled a DNF for me. I found the lead character cold and as a result, I struggled to continue reading.

I enjoy Karen Swan books and I love Christmas books. This book did not disappoint.
When Lee moved to Amsterdam with a new born baby, she was hoping to start a new life, keep her secrets and forget the nightmares of her past. Lee had been a celebrated photojournalist during the war in Syria but now she photographs celebrities. She doesn't enjoy it but it pays the bills and she gets to spend precious time with her son, Jasper.

This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last, she has a talent for writing a story that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. I loved the plot and loved the characters, fantastic wintery read for this time of year.

As with all the books by this author you will not be disappointed. A feel good story with the Christmas theme. Put your feet up with a hot drink in hand and relax in Amsterdam.

Love a Christmas book , have read lots of books by this author and they just keep getting better, a lovely story and really like the characters

I went into this hoping for a nice easy Christmas rom com and this book is definitely not that, which I think hampered my enjoyment. It’s definitely stuck with me and not in a bad way, it just wasn’t the book I felt was advertised.

The storyline was good but I think it was an age thing - I struggled to separate the characters for half of the book. Some had similar names and there were so many I lost track of who they were and how they fitted in the plot. The second half was much easier but then Dutch terms confused me. I enjoyed the book but found it a difficult read

Enjoyed this book it was sad but also a good read well written,I looked up different things she was on about.Holland and the way some celebrated Christmas

A lovely Christmas heart warming read. I loved the characters. The story was really lovely and left me with a smile on my face. Highly recommended.

A great story with an unusual twist to the normal romance storyline.
Well written characters guide you through the narrative.
Highly recommended

A lovely Christmas read. Loved snuggling up to rad this one. Very well written and perfect for the holidays. Will definitely read more by this author.

A lovely Christmassy read! I got really invested in the characters. The story was so lovely and left me with a smile on my face. I highly recommend this book.

I have never found a Karen swan book I didn't like. This ticked all the boxes. Some important issues were addressed in this book, which differs slightly to previous books but it was an all round easy enjoyable read.

A lovely story and I am so sorry I forgot to write a review straight away, but read it over Christmas and forgot!!!!
The story has a wonderful, complex of characters, who I became very involved with and which made for a great read. Lee, the main character is a photojournalist, now based in Amsterdam with her five-year-old son. Her previous life was not so quiet though, as she was a war photographer and her experiences there have understandably marked her. Very well written and very believable storyline.

This story is set in Amsterdam in December. It is full of wonderful insights into Dutch festivals and winter traditions; fascinating. This is yet another fantastic story from Karen Swan and I would highly recommend it.

An incredible book by Karen Swan deals with a photographer Lee about to stage an exhibition in her now home of Amsterdam, when she finds a message inside a book asking for help. This message will take her to find the author Sam in an effort to discover who really left the note. Sam is a very skilful photographer who for the last 5 years has lived there with her son, Jasper who she is incredibly protective of. She is a flawed woman who hides a secret and has obviously PTSD after working in the war zone of Syria. Her attitude to men is totally detached and the famous that she works with have either to accept her way or not be photographed. In the past she worked closely with a reporter Harry and whatever happened they no longer meet up nor will she accept his efforts to contact her before he leaves again to return to Syria. She has a close circle of good pals who have become her family and they gather to support her at Christmas. Sadly her nightmares wake Jasper who she regularly finds comforting her in her bed in the aftermath of these. Amsterdam and the descriptions of Christmas and skating on the frozen canals are perfect. How the story develops I will leave to the read in the knowledge that this is a great read!

I absolutely adored this book!
I really enjoy Karen’s writing style, as the locations and traditions of the countries they are set in are thoroughly researched
This book has to be my favourite Karen Swan book so far.
It was beautifully written, the locations coming alive to the reader and the book has the many plot twists and turns you expect from Karen’s books and the reader becomes very involved in the story .
I would recommend this book to anyone, if I could give it 10 stars I would
Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and Karen Swan for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review