I love Laura Jane Williams’ romance novels but this one fell a bit short for me unfortunately. What I love about her writing is the genuine honesty of her characters: real characters in relatable situations. This novel felt a bit like it was trying to be too big for me: the Hollywood star and famous writer. I personally prefer her more understated characters and situations. I found it quite hard to warm to Evie and didn’t completely buy into the relationship between her and Duke. I also wasn’t a fan of the obvious use ‘tropes’ - fake dating with an element of enemies to lovers. I found her earlier plots slightly more natural and sweet. I also would have liked a more christmassy vibe from a book set in December.
Still enjoyable enough but not a patch on Our Stop or The Lucky Escape in my opinion.

Evie Bird is a romance writer whose latest bestseller is being made into a Christmas movie. Behind the scenes, she has a lot on her plate, with her mother in a care home, no relationship with her father and now a new book deadline on the horizon.

Duke Carlisle is a world-famous actor who has landed the role of leading man in the film. Fresh out of a relationship with his co-star Daphne, the atmosphere on set is a little fraught.

Evie is contractually obliged to appear on set as a consultant, and when she meets Duke it’s a frosty encounter. In fact, the only thing icier than their interactions is the snow that coats the Bavarian streets they are filming on.
But after images of them arguing leak to the press and put the movie in jeopardy, they are left with no choice but to fake date until the cameras stop rolling.

As the pair start to put their differences aside, gradually, somewhere along the Romantic Road, their feelings begin to thaw… But can sparks ever really fly in a snowstorm?

Initially when I started this book, I really didn’t like Evie, I felt she was rude and aloof, but as the story progressed, she thawed a bit and I ended up liking her!

It took me a little while to get into the story because of the block I had about Evie, however, I found that during the day when I was sitting at my desk at work, I was thinking about the story and the characters, and then by the end I had to stay up and finish it as I had completely fallen in love with them all!

A lovely festive read, it really was such a great Christmas romance, my problem was I really couldn’t connect with Evie, she was so icy and didn’t thaw out at all, but a solid read, would be more if Evie chilled out a bit

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy in return for an honest review

Thank you, NetGalley and Avon Books for this ARC.

With a cute premise (author and A-List actor must fake-date for the month of December to garner positive publicity for their upcoming project) and a festive setting, Just for December by Laura Jane Williams sounds like a promising and light holiday read. Unfortunately, this book didn't quite work for me.

I found this book hard to get through. In short, I didn't connect with it. A lot of time was spent adding unnecessary subplots and details that did little to nothing to further the story or develop the characters - why include Evie's mother's illness, the issues with her father, her financial woes, Duke's mother's alcoholism, etc., if they don't serve the story? These details bogged down the story.

Also, I'm not sure why the author decided to make Evie American. It didn't add anything to the story and unintentionally using UK terms in Evie's voice (such as referring to sweaters as jumpers) makes her apparent American origins all the less believable. Again, why this detail?

Unfortunately, I didn't find myself rooting for (or really caring about) these characters or what happened to them. I finished the book feeling, on the whole, rather unaffected.

2 Stars.

3.5 rounded up.

I enjoyed this book but wasn’t fully emotionally invested. It took me a little while to get into the plot, and I did enjoy it. I loved seeing the creation of the movie and also Evie’s experiences as a romance writer. Her and Duke had a lot of chemistry and they grew on me as characters. However, I did struggle with the amount of miscommunication in this one. There were SO many misunderstandings and I just really wanted them to just speak about it rather than avoid it. I liked how they grew to trust each other and opened up about their families and their pasts, but with this trust should’ve come better communication about other things. Overall, a cute read and an enjoyable one. I loved the ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon books UK for this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Read if you like:
❤️ Hallmark Holiday Movies
❄️ Magical Snow Storms
🎥 Hunky Actors
🕯️ Fake Dating

This one was so promising, but it wasn’t hitting the mark for me unfortunately this holiday season. The comparisons to the holiday and the Christmas prince had me so excited but it just didn’t live up to all that hype for me personally.

I just wanted softer and sweeter characters and Evie was just such an icy character.

Overall, this one did have holiday vibes and feels but it just missed the mark a bit for me. But I know many people will still love it!

Just for December by Laura Jane Williams is the perfect Christmas vibe book!

Evie Bird is a romance writer whose latest bestseller is being made into a Christmas movie. She likes to remain behind the scenes but is summoned to the shoot location as a clause in her contract. The leading actor, Duke Carlisle is a fan of Evie's books. When Evie and Duke meet on the set, Evie is annoyed by him and the press captures a photo of the two arguing. In a attempt to appease the investors, the two participate in a fauxmance until the film shoot is done. Being stuck with each other, they realize they have more in common than they originally thought. They both have backstories that have led to trust issues.

An enemies-to-lovers trope set in Bavaria was the perfect read to get into the holiday spirit!

Thank you to Netgalley, Laura Jane Williams and Avon Books for a digital ARC of this book.

A light, easy read.

The main characters weren't the most likable (wasn't a fan of the name dropping) but overall the story was well written and thought out.

3*

Just for December is a cute Rom-Com set in idyllic parts of Germany with all the Christmas feels! I absolutely love the Christmas Markets in Europe so I was completely immersed into this story and could really picture the settings 🎅🏼

Duke was by far my favourite character, I loved how he name dropped celebrities it was just so funny and had me wondering who else he would be friends with or who I thought he would be similar to in real life!

Whilst I did root for a happily ever after in the romance sense, I actually think this story was more for the characters to find acceptable in things going on in their lives and the romance was an added bonus!

I always love Laura Jane Williams Books and it goes without saying that I loved this one too!

A great read and nit to Christmassy which I was surprised about given the title. An easy book to read and very relaxing. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A lovely festive read. The only downside was that Evie was quite an unlikeable character. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy.

Since I picked up Our Stop what feels like forever ago, Laura Jane Williams found herself on the (long long) list of my favourite authors. So obviously I was buzzing to receive an ARC of her festive novella, Just For December.

Now, I admit — and please don’t hate me for it —- I’m not the biggest fan of Christmas, but I do love a cosy holiday romance and, when it got going, this book proved to be just that.

Williams once again excels at writing real characters who, admittedly, you don’t necessarily like all the time but — when their frozen hearts start to crack — you do find yourself rooting for them.

It takes a little while to get going but Just For December is just the read you need to cosy up with this winter.

I didn’t finish this book. I stopped reading around 20% in and felt that was was a decent amount of time to give the book a chance.

I didn’t care about the main characters and thought the FMC was really mean.it just did t hold my attention and I was excited to keep reading.

Hope someone else with love it!

Just for December by Laura Jane Williams

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Avon and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Evie Bird is a romance writer whose latest bestseller is being made into a Christmas movie.
Duke Carlisle is a world-famous actor who has landed the role of leading man.

When Evie and Duke meet on set, it’s a frosty encounter – even icier than the cobbled Bavarian streets they're filming on.

But after images of them arguing leak to the press and put the movie in jeopardy, they are left with no choice but to fake date until the cameras stop rolling.

As the pair start to put their differences aside, their feelings gradually begin to thaw… But can sparks ever really fly in a snowstorm?

My Opinion

I have read a few books by Laura Jane Williams now and each one has been a nice read. I read the majority of this in a day as I was drawn into the plot. I enjoyed the setting of this book and it was so easy to picture the characters on the film set. A sweet enemies to lovers plot great for this festive season.

Rating 4/5

Thank you NetGalley for this book in advance for a honest review.
I love Laura Jane Williams books and have read them all! And I love a Christmas book so I thought this was going to be a book I read in hours....but it wasn't!
It was a great book but it didn't enthral me like her others had. I found myself putting it down and not picking it back up for days.

The story seemed drawn out for me - you knew what was going to happen but it took forever to happen!

I'll still look forward to her next release but for me this wasn't her best.

When I read the premise of Laura Jane Williams newest book, I was so excited to get stuck in. Just For December is a somewhat festive and fun rom-com which takes place on a book-to-movie film set and results in best-selling author, Evie Bird and movie megastar Duke Carlisle, falling for each other, after what can only be described as a rather awkward and rocky start.

At first, I found it hard to warm to both protagonists, Evie came across really rude and I cringed every time Duke name dropped a celebrity but their undeniable chemistry soon won me over, despite their frustrating childish behaviour at times, I was just willing them to admit their feelings!

I enjoyed the beginning and the end of the book more so than the middle, where things seemed to drag a little... but the love actually style ending was the perfect conclusion to Evie and Duke's romance.

I could definitely see this working as a Hallmark Christmas movie! 🎄❄️

Just For December by Laura Jane Williams has quickly jumped to the top of my Christmas/ Holiday reads.

Duke and Evie, have been unlucky in life and love. To the outside world, it looks like they both have it good. Duke, is a Hollywood star and Evie, is a famous author. When the two meet in Germany to film the adaptation of Evie’s book, they get off to a bad start. To make matters worse, the movie is shrouded in negative press. As a result, the producers decides Duke and Evie must fake a relationship in hopes of garnering good press. If they can pull it off, they just might get the movie back on track.


This book is so much more than meets the eye. Yes, it is a romance. Yes, it has the fake dating trope. But, it is rooted in reality.

Duke and Evie are realistic, relatable characters. Both have developed walls to guard their hearts after growing up with less than ideal childhoods. They have mommy and daddy issues that run deep. Sadly, they are both unaware of how their unhealed trauma has effected their adult lives.

The journey of self-discovery and healing was beautiful. I loved how Laura Jane Williams wasn’t afraid to go deep. She beautifully articulates negative self-talk, negative self-worth, and the false notion that you are undeserving of love or success.

While this isn’t your conventional holiday romance, it is a beautiful story. It renewed my hope in life and love. I will be thinking about it for days or weeks to come.

Special thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second book by Laura Jane Williams. Both were very different in terms of readability.

Let me start by saying the things I loved:
- I loved the ending, how it was described as not a happy ending, but a happy beginning.
- The setting in Germany in a Christmas town was the perfect backdrop for the story. Very festive!
- I loved the Ed Sheeran karaoke and airport chase scenes and how the scenes tied in with Evie’s point of view on real life romance.
- I appreciated that both of the main characters struggle with panic attacks and not feeling worthy or “enough”because of absent, alcoholic parents. I also liked that they both talked about how they’ve been through therapy. This was a very healthy way to show that they are trying to work on their issues.

Now onto the things that did not work for me.
- Evie is insufferably rude. Duke comes across as arrogant. They are characters you’re not meant to love from the get go so it’s easy to see how that miscommunication fits the fake dating storyline.
- I didn’t feel the chemistry between Evie and Duke - at all. The romance scenes were fade to black (which is fine), it the tension build up wasn’t there for me. The scene changes in general were very choppy.

Overall, this is definitely a Christmas/winter themed holiday book. It is also a quick read, and would be great for those who love reading British authors.

This is lovely slice of Christmas in a very festive read. I loved everything about this book….the storyline, the characters and the setting. A wonderful easy feel good read.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC. It was a delight.

I'm afraid that I didn't enjoy this one as much as others by Laura Jane Williams. I liked the story and the behind the scenes of the movie industry but I really struggled to like any of the main characters. This was still a quick read that I got through in one sitting but on this occasion it wasn't for me.