This is a must read for this holiday season. Maybe even the only holiday book you need to read.

I absolutely loved this book from the beginning to the end. It was cute and funny. And the end was everything!

Do yourself a favor a buy this book for yourself and everyone you know.

Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of Holiday Romance in exchange of an honest review

Oh My Gawd, how much do I love this book?!

Holiday Romance follows the wonderful friends-to-lovers story between Molly and Andrew who over ten years have each taken the same flight as they travel back home to Dublin from Chicago for the Christmas holidays. Since that very first flight when Andrew was dating Molly’s roommate this annual tradition has kept going, they have become firm friends over the past decade. They pass the hours talking and catching up and have done every year, neither think of themselves as anything but very good friends, and neither wants to break this annual tradition.

Andrew and Molly despite being the best of friends, they are completely different; chalk and cheese. Andrew loves – no loves is not the right word – he is Christmas obsessed, he loves the traditions, the fun, the magical joy of Christmas and most of all he loves being with his family and diving into his mam’s Christmas dinner. I have melted and gone to pure heaven with this guy, I too am a huge fan of my family’s Christmas dinner!!

Whereas Molly is the absolute opposite, she basically can’t be asked to bother with it all, it’s too much, too full, and too showy on the outside she is as hard as nails no Christmas glitter is getting past that hard exterior, yet inside she is a softie and a lot more sentimental then she and others think – plus our girl likes food. Yup, I have just met myself in bookish character form!!

Without giving too much away, this year’s trip home goes wrong, very wrong! Their plane is grounded due to a storm, they could always stay in the US this year, but Molly being the kind, considerate and secretly sentimental woman she is decides that her friend will not miss out on his Christmas and devises a plan to get him home in time for Christmas.

What follows is a fabulous adventure full of laughter, fun, and frustration that things don’t quite go right and soon Christmas magic starts sprinkling romantic glitter over Molly and Andrew.

I liked these two, they are meant to be firm friends but were they meant to be more? Well, of course, they were! Their journey from friends to romance is natural and so swoon-worthy, you feel all the glittery tingles you only get from a gorgeously happy romance, add in Christmas and two very lovely people and you have a wonderful story of true love.

Talk about super cute, you can’t get cuter than this beauty, it’s incredibly fun, light-hearted, cheerful, romantic, festive, and utterly feel-good – honestly, this book was meant to be made into a film! It needs to be, and better still it would be an instant classic. I love it!!

An absolute must-read for anyone who devours romantic comedies like biscuits.

After sharing a flight to their home towns for Christmas, Molly and Andrew make a pact to always fly back together to spend the festive season with their families.

Molly goes home just because she feels like it’s expected, her family don’t seem to be all geared up for the festive season, Andrew is the complete opposite and his family go all out. Christmas for him really is magical.

After years of flights home there is a huge storm over the Atlantic and they find all flights to Ireland CANCELLED. Andrew is emotionally crushed and Molly literally does everything she can to make sure he’s sat round the table with his family celebrating as always.

After years of being friends, practically the best of friends Molly and Andrew explore their relationship as more than friends. With their completely different worlds at Christmas, Andrew is desperate to share the magic and show Molly exactly what she’s been missing all her life.

The friends to lovers trope is done to perfection. Catherine absolutely smashes this out of the park. It’s got the right amount of everything, sexual tension without the spice, the humour is absolutely on point, the perfect pace throughout, flipping between the present and past flights, honestly couldn’t be happier that I was chosen to have an ARC from @netgalley in order for an honest review.

This is everything I love about a holiday romance book, and it does exactly what it says on the tin! Molly and Andrew have been friends for 10 years now, catching the same flight home from Chicago to Ireland for Christmas every year. This year something goes wrong, and their flight is cancelled at the last minute. Festive Grinch Molly makes it her mission to get Christmas loving Andrew home for the holidays via a lot of drama and fun along the way. There even seems to be a little bit of Holiday Romance too….

This was so well written, and I was in love with this book by the end of the prologue. Both Molly and Andrew are brilliant characters and I love the contrasts in personalities. I particularly loved the little flash backs to previous flights over the years as an insight to how their friendship has progressed.

Holiday Romance is an absolute delight of a book.

Love love love this book!!

It’s laugh out loud funny. It’s heartwarming and sweet and a little bit steamy! The friends to lovers storyline is perfection. The chemistry between the main characters - in all phases of their relationship - was so good! And I loved the banter! It was quick and witty and an absolute delight to read!

The storyline is so fun! I adored the secondary characters - especially the best friend and the sisters! And I loved both of the main characters throughout the entire book. We see them messy and stressed and in the times in between. Their communications and reactions felt completely real and natural. All the travel, festive, and family vibes have me craving the holidays.

I loved it all and I want to read it all over again.

Happy Belated Pub Day to this gem of a book!

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh was such a fun read and has me so excited for all things Christmas🎄This book made me feel like I was wrapped in a cozy blanket watching a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Friends to lovers isn’t typically my jam but this one was done so sweetly that I couldn’t help but root for Molly and Andrew.

If you’re in the mood for a Christmas romance, look no further! I can see this being all over IG this holiday season!

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨


Published 10/4/22

Thank you #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the advanced copy of this book for my honest review!
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#holidayromance #bookreview #arcreview #christmas #books #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #contemporaryromance #contemporaryholidayromance #friendstolovers #books

Feel good Christmas romance done right! Oh my, Holiday Romance is just adorable. Everything you want in a holiday rom com- the perfect combination of humor and heart, tenderness and fun. The characters, the banter, the friends to lovers set-up- I loved it all. The perfect festive heart-filling and soul-lifting story. I’m ready to deck the halls with my happiness.

I loved how Catherine Walsh seamlessly takes old, familiar tropes and gives them a new spin- it gives this story a nostalgic and familiar feeling while also feeling fresh and inventive. The set-up alone is just so creative. Andrew and Molly travel home to Ireland from Chicago together every holiday for the last decade. While these two are certainly friends- their lives are busy, and so their holiday pilgrimage is their special moment each year to enjoy one another and deepen their connection. Only this year, their journey doesn’t quite go as planned- snowmageddon ruins their travel arrangements, leaving Molly committed to finding a way to get sweet Christmas loving Andrew home for his family and traditions.

This story is just so cute and sweet- the perfect combination of that traveling scavenger hunt experience with a really sweet and authentic romance. And I loved all the Christmas details- how mistletoe kicks off their exploration, Andrew’s family celebrations and his seasonal sweaters. Walsh takes us all the way back to their first meet cute with some flashbacks to prior flights, and I loved these little glimpses into the evolution of their connection and their slow burn love story over the years. And I loved how this holiday travel mishap really inspires them to dig under the surface and explore what has always been there. I loved their chemistry- how open they are with each other, communicative and trusting. We have sweet moments paired with fun banter, we have some really funny moments, and we also have some great family budding into their story. The steam is pretty low, which is normally not my jam, but it’s just so cute, I didn’t quite mind.

This was exactly the feel good, heartfelt Christmas romp I needed- it’s feeling a lot like Christmas!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5021104818
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This book is cute and cozy CHristmas tale. I loved the flash backs and forwards. Learning how molly and Andrew fly together each year at Christmas and how their relationship develops.

While there aren't any big twists and turns in this story I did enjoy a fake that wasn't all over the place with too much dramatics. Pick up this cozy and fast read and settled in for an enjoyable read!!

Thank you to netgalley and bookouture for this ARC

My first book by this author and my first holiday book of the year, @catwalshwriter did not disappoint!! I adore a good crazy travel story and this one was excellent! Holiday Romance follows Andrew and Molly trying to get home from Chicago to Ireland for Christmas, I loved their journey ❤️

What to expect:
•Friends to lovers
•Flashbacks of their trips home over ten years
•A sweet, Christmas loving hero
•Great family moments

I HIGHLY recommend getting this one on your holiday TBR this year!!!

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange of a honest review.

First things first, THE VIBES OF THIS BOOK ARE IMMACULATE. Airport vibes. Perfect. Christmas. Vibes perfect. Travel vibes. Perfect. Meeting at the airport every year for past 10 years. Perfect.

Molly is not the typical FMC seeing as she’s the “grinch” this Christmas. And our MMC Andrew on the otherhand loves the Christmas. If you are looking for the “he’s always been in love with her trope.” This is IT. It’s so well done and the chemistry between the characters is so good I can’t. *insert longing filled sigh*

This book is slow-burn but fast paced at the same time because technically the book takes place over a few days time but so much happens and then we also get glimpses into their past meetings and it’s just wonderful.

It’s my first book by Catherine Walsh but definitely not last because this book won me over!! Definitely recommend it <33

This was an unputdownable book!!

An interesting storyline with awesome characters.

I had fun reading this!

I don't know if I just read this at the right time or if it really is this good, but I loved it. We follow Molly and Andrew who have flown home for the holidays from Chicago to Ireland together for going on ten years. This leads to some friends to lovers perfection as they frantically try to get home after a snowstorm gets their flight cancelled.

First of all, this set up is insanely fun and clever. I love all the twists and turns their journey took, and that we go to spend time in cities like Paris and London. It leads to a lot of hijinks, and close-proximity shenanigans. It all feels Christmassy without being super corny. Instead we are reminded of the holiday by hectic crowds and lost presents. Its a very fresh take.

The romance itself is very sweet. These are clearly two people who work well together and understand the other's needs. The author sells us on the friendship first, so when it gets romantic, it makes sense. I feel like they saw each other at their worst and managed to work through it. My only complaint was the conflict towards the end. It happens over 80% of the way in, and it felt unnecessary! Molly and Andrew had been through enough!

That being said, this gets five stars because it made me so darn happy. I read a lot of Christmas romances, and this makes the top five, maybe even 3. Its just pure joy and goodness. Read if you need to feel the Christmas spirit urgently!

I absolutely loved One Night Only, which was one of my favourite books from last year, so of course I jumped at the chance to read the Holiday Romance.

The Holiday Romance is a cute Christmas romance novel that forms around Molly and Andrew who have spent 10 years flying from Chicago to Ireland every Christmas.

I really love how this friends to lovers book was portrayed. I’m finding it so hard to describe how two people who are friends could fall in love once they both realised that they could be more than just friends.

I found Molly and Andrew's story and friendship very realistic, they literally would do anything for each other; what true friends do. Their banter was funny and somewhat on the fun flirtatious side without it being awkward and then we come to the whole one bed trope 🙌 whoop whoop thanks for sliding that one in Catherine 😉

The different timelines of Molly and Andrews encounters at the airport I thought was a clever idea. We got a snippet into each rendezvous and it was as if they picked up where they left off even though it was a fictional story it was nice to see.

There were a few subplots that I wish were expanded a bit but they were more reasonings than anything, however it doesn’t affect the story in any way.

Thank you Catherine Walsh, Netgalley and Bookouture for the digital copy of Holiday Romance for reviewing purposes.

Ten years ago, Molly and Andrew happened to sit next to each other on their Christmas flight home to Ireland. What started as a coincidence turns into a regular, planned occurrence. Though they occasionally cross paths during the year, the Christmas flight home is the time they spend together. Andrew is all about Christmas and family and Molly is ambivalent about the holiday and visits her family out of obligation. The flight is the highlight for Molly because she gets to spend the 7+ hours with Andrew. They catch up, discuss who they are dating or broken up with, and just enjoy being together.

Are you starting to compile your list of holiday reads? I don't read a lot of romance novels, but I'm a sucker for a Christmas time romance.

The plot isn't really unique. I think I read a Christmas romance last year that was similar. Familiar plots are often why holiday stories are fun. The holidays can be so hectic and exhausting that it is nice to take a break with something that isn't taxing.

I liked the characters of Molly and Andrew. I could identify with Molly and I could fall in love with Andrew if he was real.

I liked that we got large chunks of the present day with just short flashbacks to earlier flights. Towards the end, I didn't care for the flashbacks as much as I just wanted to see them get together already.

If you are looking for a story that is as comfortable as your favorite pair of fuzzy pajamas, then you will want to put Holiday Romance on your holiday reading list.

My review is published at Girl Who Reads - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/10/holiday-romance-by-catherine-walsh.html

Thank you to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley and for letting me take part in this tour. This is the 3rd book I have read by Catherine. I really enjoyed the previous two books so when I saw the Holiday Romance I knew I had to read it.

Our main characters are Molly and Andrew. Both live in Chicago and are from Ireland. I instantly loved both characters. Andrew is an absolute sweetheart and Molly loved to eat and that is a girl after my own heart for sure.

It's obvious from the beginning that there's chemistry between these two and it's off the charts! I love that no matter what these two had this last flight to Dublin ritual for the last ten years.

his book is a perfect example of a romcom. Catherine doesn't just make you smile or chuckle; there are proper laugh out loud moments in this story.

If you are looking for a festive romcom then pick up this today.

Thank you to Netgalley and Catherine Walsh for this ARC!

Molly and Andrew fly from the US to Ireland every year. Together. The first was an accident, the second awkward, and then their favorite part of the year. Until their 10th flight. A cancelled flight sparks not just a 3 day journey to make it home for Christmas but the feels as well.

Super cute, super sweet, super super adorable romance. Definitely recommend if you want something festive, easy, and quick. 4⭐

That friends to lovers romance that's perfect for the festive holiday mood and fans of People We Meet on Vacation and The Holiday!

This trope can be tricky for me especially when it involves a decade-long friendship since it can get really frustrating. But Catherine Walsh managed to make it work while revealing how simple, and at the same time, complicated it can be to transition from a platonic relationship to a romantic one.

I loved seeing how Andrew and Molly's relationship developed through ten years, from awkward airplane seatmates to being the persons they can't live without, from confusion to realization that they basically belong together. And what I appreciated most once they do, is that they didn't waste any time skirting around each other and were just candid with one another.

This book brought me butterflies, made me smile all throughout and is exactly what I needed after a really tiring week. I had so much fun with this one that I'm looking forward to reading Walsh's other books.

Thank you so much to Bookouture, NetGalley, and the author for my early copy of this book. All opinions are honest and my own.

This book instantly put me in the holiday mood- I frequently laughed out loud, didn’t want to put it down, and throughly enjoyed every step along the way. This book is the best combination of romance meets the holidays! This story follows Molly and Andrew along their travels back home for the holidays over a 10 year period, giving glimpses of their friendship over the years. This year, everything that can go wrong does… or does it? The writing was fantastic, I loved that miscommunication was not a big trope in this book, and the story and characters made me so giddy! Must read!

A feel-good, British holiday, friends to lovers romance with depth that gave me so many People we meet on vacation vibes!! I loved how this book took place over ten years as two British expats meet and become friends on flights home for Christmas. A dual perspective, multiple timeline story, we get to know Andrew and Molly as they slowly fall in love and figure out a way to make the timing work for their mutual pining romance. I really enjoyed how Andrew struggles with his alcoholism and takes it upon himself to quit cold turkey and Molly struggles with hating her life as a corporate lawyer and finding the courage to quit and pursue a career that brings her joy. Great on audio narrated by Shelley Atkinson. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I 100% highly recommend this Christmas romance.
It follows Molly and Andrew, two Irish students turned Chicago residents, over a tumultuous journey home for the holidays while flashing back over the past 10 years as they meet annually on their flights back to Ireland to see their families. In the flashbacks you get to see their history and watch their friendship grow in small glances. While during their present day journey you get to see them come to terms with their feelings and what that means for them.