🔹 My take: 4.5/5

🔸Molly coincidentally meets Andrew on her trip to Ireland where both are heading for their Christmas holidays. They both part ways after journey only to realise next year the same coincidence happens and they share the flight again. Both start enjoying the camaraderie they share and it becomes a ritual where they plan their Christmas flights together. This goes on for 10 Christmas. They keep in touch with each other on and off over the rest of the year. But this year, there is a terrible storm and all the flights have been cancelled. Molly knows how heartbreaking it is for Andrew to not reach home bcoz he really looks forward to spending time with his family. She is now hell bent to ensure Andrew reaches home safe. And pulls all the ropes to make this happen. What they both don’t realise is destiny is at play and this trip will change their lives forever.

💖 I loveddd this. Story is narrated in alternate timelines with current situation alternating with flights they have shared each year. The dialogues are so natural and easy flowing that you feel you are in good company of Andrew and Molly. And both are so loveable - they have their flaws and weaknesses but both handle and complement each other superbly. The story writing is simple, crisp & hilarious. Sensitive topics like work life balance, siblings bonding, sobriety, drinking are handled very well. The family connections are also brought out in a very warm way.

💔 I really don’t have anything that I did not like while reading this.

💫 You need to read this Christmas romance, friends to lovers romcom. It’s worth it.

Thank you @bookouture @netgalley for sharing the eARC in exchange of honest review.

An excellent Christmas love story! The story was super sweet and the vibes were perfect for the holidays. The friends to lovers trope was done well although the flashbacks that were meant to show their love story were kind of just there and didn't add much to the plot for me. The first half of this book was Molly and Andrew's crazy journey home for the holidays. The second half was them interacting with each other's families. Both halves were equally good and the story remained enjoyable after the main characters got together which I think is difficult to do. Overall this was a quick and cute read and I would be interested in reading the author's other books!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

LOVE LOVE LOVE! Giving me all of the Christmas love vibes in this adorable book. I loved everything about this one! It was the perfect holiday romance... pun intended.

Thank you @netgalley and @bookouture for this eARC in exchange of my honest review.

Molly and Andrew have spent the last ten years catching the same flight back to Ireland for the holidays. What started off as a coincidence has turned into a planned trip and time to catch up. But when their plane gets grounded on their tenth flight home, and they wind up jumping through all sorts of hoops to get back, will their friendship remain intact? Or will they finally give into those underlying feelings that seem to have been there all along?

This was such a cute holiday read! The chemistry and banter between Molly and Andrew was so well written. Throw in the eccentric supporting characters, and you’ve got a book that’s hard to put down!

This one gets 4⭐️‘s from me!

I started reading Holiday Romance during a high-90s heat wave while visiting Austin. That doesn’t mesh with the December weather I’m used to back home in Boston, but I don’t think you should HOLD OUT (the name of the brewery where I was reading) on reading this book!
I could not put this book down once I started reading it! Holiday Romance is the kind of romcom that you can “see” as a cute holiday movie in your mind while reading.
Molly and Andrew are both from Ireland but living in Chicago. They first met because Andrew was dating Molly’s roommate. 10 years ago they were seated next to each other on the flight back to Ireland for the holidays. Unfortunately, Molly’s roommate had already informed her she would be breaking up with Andrew - and the breakup text (!!) came before leaving O’Hare, making things awkward for the two seatmates.
Year after year, Molly and Andrew find themselves on the same flight back to Ireland and work through the awkwardness to form a friendship, maintained via email and text the rest of the year. On the 10 year anniversary of their first flight, they buy each other anniversary gifts - but then disaster strikes when a huge storm across the Atlantic cancels their flight, and all other flights to Europe from Chicago for days. They debate staying in Chicago but know their respective families will be crushed, as Andrew’s family really loves Christmas and Molly’s sister Zoe is about to have a baby. The clock is ticking to get home, by any means necessary.
The story is told through this present situation, with flashbacks to each of their past holiday flights. It’s not too sweet (my personal pet peeve with holiday books and movies), and I really enjoyed reading it - it even made me look forward to flying to my parents’ for the holidays!
Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I’ve gotten the opportunity to read ARCS of all 3 books by Catherine Walsh over the last 14 months (wow!) and this one is my favorite! If you haven’t read her books before, please do yourself a favor and check them out!!

Molly and Andrew both are at university in Chicago and are both from Ireland. Andrew is dating Molly's roomate, but is about to be dumped as he leaves to go to Ireland for Christmas break. Molly is heading back home too and she finds herself sitting next to him on the flight home while he gets the break up text - awkward!

The next 10 years unfold and Molly and Andrew find themselves taking the trip home from Chicago to Ireland together every year. They text, but rarely see each other outside this flight. Still, they have become friends over the years.

This year is different though - a crazy snowstorm grounds their plane. Molly isn't concerned about being home for Christmas, but knows how important it is to Andrew and she vows to get him home in time for Christmas dinner. Planes, taxis, trains, and ferries take them from Chicago to Buenos Aires to Paris and to London. But will they make it to Dublin in time and will they still be just friends by the end of the trip?

While this is a Christmas romance, it is not too sappy. I recommend this comedy of errors adventure romance!

Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley and author Catherine Walsh for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. It’s now available!

I am a big fan of Catherine Walsh's so I could not have been happier to get my hands on her next book. I am very much a seasonal reader and love this time of year and books like this one. It was a warm, cosy read and I could not put it down.

The characters were so likeable and the subjects which were explored only made the book more interesting.

*Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Holiday Romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 10/4/22
Author: Catherine Walsh
Publisher: Bookouture
Pages: 318
GR: 4.46

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Bookouture and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. This is the PERFECT Holiday Romance. This has to be the top Holiday Romance story I have read thus far. It has everything, a friends to lovers trope between friends who have been flying home together for 10 years. It was hard to put down. Andrew as the perfect hero and matched up well to his heroine, Molly. The author did an amazing job describing all of the locations, especially Ireland, you felt like a hitchhiker on their journey. The characters were so well fleshed out, I felt like I have known them for years, they had amazing witty banter, deep connecting chemistry, and the side characters were adorable. I absolutely loved the sober representation in this story, I can absolutely relate to this. This was a closed-door romance, which I love, now do not get me wrong, I do like a good romance scene, but this was sweet and endearing. There were several times that I was laughing out loud. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, swoon-worthy, intriguing, and kept me hooked the entire book. This was released last week and I HIGHLY recommend picking up, seriously, stop what you are doing and order right now!

This was a top ten holiday read! I finished this book within 24 hours, I could not put it down! A beautiful friends-to-lovers story, with characters it was easy to fall in love with and such a cozy holiday feeling. I will definitely be picking this book back up again for Christmas.

WOW WOW. Adorable from start to finish. This one had me non-stop laughing and I just loved the relationship of these two characters. It was one of those stories where I knew they would end up together. I just couldn’t wait for it to happen so I got to read about them in love. I truly loved the differences of their family dynamics and I thought this was one of the best parts of the story. This story also dealt with a main character who was lost in her life and I loved watching her be able to decide what could truly make her happy. It may be October but this was a perfect holiday read and I highly recommend it whenever you can get your hands on it! I honestly may listen to the audiobook to get me in the Christmas spirit this December!

This review has been posted on Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, Amazon and will be added to my instagram (@busywithmybooks_) today.

Ok guys this was fun, nice and adorable . Adorable story about two friends and their growing friendship and how their feelings grow as the years pass, beautiful concept, i totally recommend this book for the holidays

This is the perfect holiday read!! I loved everything about this book. Molly and Andrew's characters were adorable while also being relatable. Along their journey to get home to Ireland for Christmas they also found what truly made them happy.

This book was everything! The holiday vibes, the banter between the characters, the laughter. I couldn't put this book down. I was so engaged that I had to know what happened. Definitely a book to read around the holidays. Hand me some hot chocolate or eggnog and I am set.

I loved everything about this book, it gave me all those Christmas vibes. It's the perfect book to get you in the Christmas spirit

The tag line on Catherine Walsh's Holiday Romance caught my attention and this story did not disappoint! This adorable tale takes readers through the span of 10 years of flights as Molly and Andrew head home to their own corners of Ireland year after year for Christmas. Andrew is Mr. All About Christmas Festivities while Molly tends to be Little Miss Just Doing This to See Family. What started as a happen-chance meeting on the airplane turns into a holiday tradition. Somewhere along the way Andrew and Molly develop a friendship and they start giving gifts to each other when they meet at the airport for their annual trip homeward.

This year however a storm has blown in and threatens to derail their flight preventing Andrew from getting home to celebrate all the things with his family. Molly makes it her mission to ensure he gets there in time for Christmas Day. Through their round about travels and the flash backs over previous years, Molly and Andrew come face to face with their true feelings about each other.

This book will get you into the holiday spirit, make you giggle, and root for these two precious characters!

Over All Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heat Rating: Some spice in this Christmas Treat

Emotional Rating: 😍

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Catherine Walsh for the advanced reader copy!

A cute romance book, would definitely recommend to my friends who love a good romcom novel. The book was unexpectedly quite funny too which I enjoyed and made finishing the book a lot quicker. Very well-written and engaging.

I can't say no to a Christmas story and Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh was an adorable read! Molly and Andrew captured my heart immediately and I could not stop turning the page to dive deeper into their story. This friends to lovers trope had me rooting for them over the ten years of their friendship.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Holiday Romance' by Catherine Walsh.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Catherine Walsh, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 4th October 2022.

This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read her debut novel 'One Night Only and' The Rebound'' and would highly recommend them both!!

I was originally drawn to this book by its colourful cover and intriguing, hilarious sounding synopsis and title. I am also a huge fan of Catherine Walsh after falling in love with her book 'One Night Only' and 'The Rebound' so if this book is half as good as that one was it is bound to be an amazing read!!! The synopsis stated that this book is 'A totally gorgeous and escapist friends-to-lovers festive romance with a swoon-worthy hero. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Mhairi McFarlane, and Christina Lauren'.I am a huge fan of Sophie so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of a prologue, 28 chapters and an epilogue. The chapters are short to medium in length so easy to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in Chicago, USA 🇺🇸 and Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪 ,UK 🇬🇧. I always enjoy when books are set in the UK as I'm from Wales and have sometimes visited areas mentioned in the book. This makes it easier to picture where the scenes are set at times. I have in fact visited and holidayed in Ireland on many occasions so am looking forward to possibly recognising name places.

This book is written in first person perspective and the protagonist is Molly. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them. If there are several protagonists you also get to see more of what is going on.


LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEE , LOVED IT!!!A HUGE WELL DONE CATHERINE ON YET ANOTHER ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC BOOK ♥!!!

This is a fantastically written book that has vivid descriptions which will make you feel that you are breathing the Irish air, feeling the snow and will get you in the festive spirit!! It takes you on a journey from Chicago to Paris to Ireland and more and I was devastated when I had to pack my case to come back home and leave Christmas behind 😭 The title, synopsis and cover suit the storyline perfectly.

The storyline itself is romantically charged and filled with love, friendship, Christmas, family, comedy, romance, fun and absolutely everything you could want in an absolutely stunning rom com!!! It definitely reminded me of Bridget Jones during some parts!! I absolutely loved watching Molly and Andrew go from their first flight to their last. Watching their friendship develop and then turn into romance was so sweet and I absolutely fell in love with this book!! I was so absorbed in the storyline that when I looked up I was wondering where on earth the Mistletoe and Christmas decorations were!! This is the first festive book I have read this year and it has already got me in the festive mood!! The atmosphere was gorgeous and I was completely swept away!! This book had me in stitches on several occasions and at other times left me sitting there going awww and getting some very strange looks!! There was plenty going on and I absolutely loved every moment of it. The storyline is unique and I think it is such a fantastic plot I really would love to see this turned into a movie!! I would be the first barging their way in front to get tickets!!

It is set over multiple time lines. When books show what has happened in the past and what is happening in the present I find it really helps the reader (if it is well done) understand why things are happening and what has lead to the present activities and decisions. It also shows the bigger picture.

There were so many large and unique personalities in this book!! I love how Molly and Andrew had such different feelings about Christmas, they genuinely couldn't have been more different. Andrew was desperate to get home in time, loved all things Christmasy and is obsessed with Christmas jumpers. His family just had to be together for Christmas or it would be ruined. Molly did not see what all the fuss was about, refused to wear anything that resembled Christmas and is quite happy to stay in Chicago to spend Christmas away from her family. Watching these two people who I became completely invested in grow closer and closer was beautiful. I was completely swept away and it felt like I was next to them as they travelled on planes, taxis, cars and ferry's. I would stress along with Molly and smile along with Andrew. Andrew's family were also a massive hit for me and I absolutely adored them, I also think his Mum was very sweet and I really did enjoy watching all the seperate relationships develop and change. This book was filled with a lovely range of characters and I would absolutely love to meet them all again!! Hint hint Catherine 😉

DO NOT START THIS UNTIL YOU CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULES AS YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN!!!!

Yet another stunning read by Catherine!! If you are looking for that perfect read to lift your spirits, get you in the Christmas spirit make you laugh then what are you waiting for?? I

Well done Catherine on yet another stunning page turner and for making me laugh, swoon and smile!!! I'm looking forward to your next success!!! This is exactly why you are on my top 3 rom com authors list ♥

Overall an absolutely gorgeous, festive, feel good, page turning novel filled with friendships, Christmas, love, friendship and family that will keep you up late at night.


Genres covered in this book include Humour, Romance Novel, Women's Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance, Humorous Fiction, Romantic Comedy, General Humorous Fiction, General Fiction and Contemporary Romance amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Bridget Jones diaries, Kristen Bailey, Sophie Kinsella, Marian Keyes, Mhari McFarlane, Christina Lauren and anyone who is looking for a lift me up page turner that is perfect to get you in the festive spirit!!


354 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle and £8.99 in paperback via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5/5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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My Thoughts: I finished this book a couple of hours ago and I STILL have a smile on my face.. it’s just so cute!

We’re following Andrew and Molly as they fly home for Christmas, they live in Chicago but both are from Ireland..

That first year, sitting next to Andrew was Mollys worst nightmare, he was going out with her best friend.. the best friend who has just told her that she’s cheating on him with someone else, she wants the ground to swallow her up or at least for him not to recognise her, fortunately for her neither happens.

The main bulk of the story is now, the 10th year they’ve flown home together & the one that could change both of their lives forever when their plane is grounded by a snow storm, but we also get to see the past too, their experiences from every other flight.

I love a dual (or multiple?) timeline story because you get the whole picture and you get little hints to where the now story line will head, you can see the moment Andrew falls in love with molly and all the little things he does for her to show it even if she doesn’t realise it at the time..

I know I’m jumping around in my review here but meh, once you’ll read the book it’ll all make sense 🤣

Molly doesn’t seem to bothered when the flight home is grounded, Christmas isn’t a big thing in her family, but when she sees how broken Andrew is she decides to do everything in her power to get them home for Christmas.. a journey that seems to be blocked in all directions, a journey that will take them all over and then further still, we see Paris and london amongst other places. But will they make it home?

The friendship between Andrew and Molly was everything, they knew how to have a laugh and a joke together, the sarcasm, banter and wit had me laughing out loud, but then on the next page they could be adorable and lovely and have me swooning and wanting them to just get together 🤣

Full of unforgettable characters like Ollie, Zoé, Hannah and Christian, this is the ultimate will they won’t they friends to lovers romance that will leave you unable to put it down and have you on the edge of your seat.

I cannot recommend it enough ❤️

🐧❤️

This was the perfect holiday romance! The banter between Molly and Andrew was fantastic, so electric. It gave me butterflies and the warm and fuzzies.

While I'm not usually a fan of 'closed door' romances, this is the exception! Overall a hilarious, well-written novel that I will recommend to everyone who dares to make eye contact with me. Congrats Catherine Walsh on the perfect Christmas romcom!