I adored Together by Christmas! Lee’s story kept me gripped from the start and you root from her all the way through. Every character was written so well they came to life on the pages abs I think it would make a really good TV movie too!!

It’s a great read!!!!!!!

This is not your typical festive romantic read - this is a very real, very gritty, very hard-hitting, festive romantic read. It captivated me from start to finish with its authenticity, heartache, fear, hope, love, happiness and festivities!

I do love Karen Swans books.

This had me emerged from the first page all the way to the end. The storyline is interesting. A war journalist turnt famous photographer.

Lee is traumatised from her past and as the book goes on the reader finds out why.

Its full of twists and turns and all the storyline interconnect with each other.

It took me a while to get into this book but once I did here was no stopping me. It was very interesting how the two parts jelled. I am giving this 4 stars.

This was the first time I have read a book by Karen Swan but, it won’t be my last!!! I throughly enjoyed it. Although it had Christmas in the title the book went further than that. For the first page I was hooked it was thrilling as well as interesting and I loved all the characters. His one is definitely more than 5 stars for me.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Lee who was a war photographer now lives in Amsterdam with her young son. She lives a quiet life bring up her child and photographing celebrities.
When she receives a message for help she sets out to find the person who wrote it.
A romantic story set at Christmas time with some twists and turns.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

It took me a little while to get into the story but once I didn't I couldn't put it down. I loved both the back story and the "current" story. It was so well written and came together beautifully and was full of twists and turns none more so than when a book was left in the basket of Lee's bicycle. Great characters in Harry, Sam, Jasper and Lee. What a marvelous journey this was.

This book takes place during the Christmas season in Amsterdam. The main character is a photographer that was in the conflict in the Middle East and a fellow colleague...who since had a young son and moved to Amsterdam to continue her life as a photographer. The story has a few different plot lines and a range of characters that are all endearing in some way. I enjoyed this book because it had more substance for a Christmas story than “girl meets boy”. It’s about the characters and plot lines rather than being just another Christmas romance novel. I enjoyed it.

Brilliant!!

I can´t believe this is the first time I have read a novel by Karen Swan, but after reading this one, it certainly won´t be the last! I loved every second of this book, being instantly drawn in and swallowed up, riding on the roller coaster of emotions created by the author. The only bad thing about this book is that it had to end!!

My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for allowing me the opportunity to read and review honestly.

What a wonderful tale!! This is Karen Swan at her very best. So many storylines within the story, who knew that ice skating was so popular in Amsterdam. The trauma of previous lives lived and oh so many twists and turns, all of them so very interesting. I thoroughly recommend this book and I am off to see if there are any of Karen Swans books that I have missed.

This is a truly well written book! I fell hook, line and sinker, in love with Lee! She is just so lovable that you are willing her on from the first page! It is extremely well written and throws a spanner in the works each time you think you have worked it out! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it is the first time I haven’t guessed the end in at least 2 years! I’m already recommending it to friends who love this style of book! I loved the ending but would also love a sequel! What happens next for Lee?! I want to find out!

I always enjoy Karen Swan's books and I certainly wasn't disappointed this time. I loved finding out about Amsterdam in winter and the Christmas traditions. Karen has the ability to describe Amsterdam so clearly that I felt I was there enjoying the traditions and being involved in Lee's life. It has certainly made me want to visit Amsterdam one Christmas

Lee is a photographer who, six years previously was a war photographer in Syria alongside her best friend and journalist Harry Cunningham. She has nightmares about what she saw and what happened to her during that time. She is currently living in Amsterdam with her five year old son and is a much sought after photographer. While the effects of the war runs through the book there is also a mystery to solve, elderly neighbours to look after and a sprinkling of Christmas magic. Lee is a strong main character and her son Jazz is a delight.

This is a book about how the past shapes our characters, about letting go and embracing the future and about friendship. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good Christmas read and who likes to lose themselves in the story. I can't wait for the next Karen Swan book

This book started off slow for me but got better! It’s about Lee and and her son Jasper. The story is based in Amsterdam and is the run up to Christmas. Loved the Christmassy feeling the story gives

Another great Karen Swan page turner set in Amsterdam and featuring Lee. An enjoyable read which I couldn't put down. A brilliant story and perfect for Christmas. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me review this book.

Together By Christmas - Author Karen Swan.
Many of Karen's books are set in various countries around the world. This is another fine example. We are transported to Amsterdam in December. Karen depicts a glorious portrail of the city with its cobbled streets, snow, lights and the smell of hot street food. Everyone is in high spirits with Christmas fast approaching. However, this is not a conventional love story; A lot of issues run through this gritty well written festive tale, with its complex characters, the effects of PTSD which Karen covers with sensitivity and care—and not forgetting a deeply hidden secret that could jeopardise someone's happiness this Christmas. Will there be a happy ending? Want to know? Then make room for it on your Christmas List, I highly recommend it.
Lee, originally from England, lives with five-year-old her son Jasper (Jazz) in Amsterdam.
Lee works as an established portrait photographer to the stars; she previously worked as a war photographer based on the Turkish Syrian border with her friend Harry Cunningham reporting by her side. Since returning, she has a strained relationship with Harry, and they have not spoken, even though he lives nearby.
A book is left in Lee's bike basket, along with a desperate message, she tracks down the book's author Sam to see if he can shed any light on the subject. Can Lee find out who needs her help and why?
I want to thank NetGalley, Pan MacMillan and author Karen Swan for a pre-publication copy to review.

I really enjoyed this story by the author .

This book tells the story of Lee who’s a celebrity photographer living in Amsterdam with her 5 year old son, prior to living in Amsterdam Lee was a War photographer and is scared and traumatised by what she saw , I loved learning all all about the dutch traditions in this book and also the story of the characters .

I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars, with thanks to Netgalley & PanMacmillan for the arc of this book in exchange for this honest review.

This book keeps you guessing till almost the end. Very well written. The story has something for every type of reader. It is a definite book to sit and read on a dark winter night when you curl up on the sofa and enter a different world.

Karen Swan has written an engrossing book that is so much more than a romance. The descriptions of Amsterdam in the winter are very evocative. Lee is a complex character with an exciting past, some elements of which she has kept hidden for years. Ths Dutch festivities at this time of year sound lovely, although very much centred around children. As Lee is drawn out of her shell we discover more about her past and what has made her the woman she is.

Great seasonal read. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this book.

Lee is a professional portrait photographer and lives with her 5 year old son in Amsterdam. She was previously a war journalist which has obviously left her scarred and traumatised.

As the story progresses, we find out more about Lee's past. There are a couple of different storylines that run through this book, and both the past and present Syria feature. It was rather disturbing to read.

Lee meets an author called Sam and we follow their relationship. This highlights just how much Lee has been affected by her time abroad.

I did find some of this quite hard going even though it was extremely well written. I guess it's just not what I was expecting.

There were however, many parts of this book I did enjoy.

Sam's publishing company carried out a random act of kindness of leaving his books all over the city in odd places. No doubt it was a successful advertising ploy too, but I love the idea of that and have done it myself too (do check out book fairies).

It was co-incidental that I'd just watched a film the night before that was set in Amsterdam and said to my husband we should visit there sometime. I loved reading more about the city and its culture in this book. It was fascinating.


Together By Christmas is very different to the norm. The additional attention to detail surpasses words I've read in many books and it was very cleverly written. I can't fault it at all, it just wasn't for me this time even though I love Karen Swan books normally.

'Together by Christmas' by Karen Swan

What a book. I stupidly started this at 11pm, could not put it down and literally fell asleep with the Kindle in my hand at 2am.

*facepalm*

For clarity, I was lucky enough to receive this as an e-arc via Netgalley. I’m astounded by how much I enjoyed this book. I did not want to read a Christmas book in October but y’all. This is advertised as a Christmas book, but it’s so much more. The depth of the characters/romance in this book… way much more than a Contemporary Christmas novel.

So to begin with, you follow the main character Lee, Lee has a son called Jazz who is the most adorable kid ever. She lives in Amsterdam but is English. You follow her life after leaving war photography behind and is now photographing A-List stars.

Lee is a fantastic protagonist, she is strong, caring and absolutely brilliant at her job. But there is a mystery surrounding her. Firstly, we don’t know who Jazz’s father is, secondly she’s estranged from a former colleague/best friend and finally seems to have brought a bit of the war back with her.

I absolutely love the male characters in this book, they’re fantastic. I can’t really say much more without spoiling the plot but I just love the side romances which were happening too. This was an extremely well thought out book, Lee’s back story was multi-dimensional, I definitely could have read another 100 pages or so of this novel.

It was everything you would want on a cold day snuggled in bed.

I do have to give it minus 1 star, as the mystery reveal fell a bit flat for me. Lee is an enigma, this was a key part of the story, but it felt like the reveal around the multi-facets of Lee’s life was lacking the execution it needed. The delivery could have been a chapter but it was reduced to 1 page.

All in all, a truly captivating book. I would highly, and I mean HIGHLY recommend.