Thank you for the eARC in exchange for the review.

Great fun read. It’s that simple. Feel good book. Entertaining and heartwarming. I don’t want to post plot and spoil it.

From a woman who reads everything but this genre recently, this certainly ticked every box for a chick-lit, fun read.

I’m not really one for Christmas romance books - they’re just a bit too Hallmark Movie for me. However, something about the summary of “Holiday Romance” by Catherine Walsh grabbed my attention. Maybe it was that this took place over ten years. Maybe it was including Ireland. Maybe it was airplane adventures. In the end, all I can say is that if you find this book's summary interesting, do yourself a favor and read it. It’s a quick enjoyable read with some sprinkled in bit of humor. The main female character, Molly, has her quirks, but her heart is in a good place. The main male character, Andrew, plays off her well, though I found his character development a bit less than Molly’s. And Hannah - love her burst of color and energy on the page. I hope that Ms. Walsh had a good time writing this book because I had a fun time reading it. Engaging and quick read - with two characters I enjoyed following for “ten years” via this book.

I absolutely loved this title by Catherine Walsh. I had read her previous title and she has very much become one of my favorite new authors and one I keep an eye out for. Her writing flows effortlessly like you are watching it in real time as opposed to reading it.
Molly was such a great relatable character. It’s so nice to read an early holiday read to help get into the spirit and this was the perfect pick! I loved the whole crazy holiday travel theme and how it brings Molly and her friend puesdo love interest Andrew together. I won’t give too much away, but I love how the storyline is weaved together to bring them together and you anxiously awaiting them to get their happy ending towards the end of the book. Beautiful scenery and many laughs make this book the perfect pre holiday read!

“Sometimes I feel like he’s been the one constant in my life since I moved to this city. Through the chaos of my early twenties, of finding my way, finding myself, he’s always been with me.”

I wholeheartedly adored this book. Since finishing my last read, I haven’t been able to find a story that caught my attention. It’s been weeks and I’ve tested more first chapters than I can count. After stumbling upon this, I couldn’t have fallen more in love with it. While it may still be summer, there’s nothing quite like a holiday novel to get your emotions going - especially one with a friends to lovers trope.

Molly and Andrew are unexpected friends. Brought together by a flight and a less than memorable ex girlfriend/friend, Molly and Andrew build a relationship that blossoms over the span of ten years (ten years in which they rarely see one another - but always manage to fly home to Ireland together before Christmas). It’s a dual timeline novel that takes you from their present day, ten year anniversary flight disaster and back to when it first began.

Sometimes you just need a lighthearted, feel good read to get you going again. I caught myself smiling over and over again because of the characters, their quirks and the situations they were put in. Although if I were Molly, I would’ve pulled my hair out the first moment something went wrong. I also would’ve have a major crush on Andrew from the moment I met him and I have no idea how she didn’t. He is one of those ultimate dream book boyfriend types. He’s a family man, a sweetheart and actively chooses to wear ugly Christmas sweaters on an 8 hour flight across the sea every year. He’s also obsessed with Molly in the best ways possible.

This will definitely become a reread for me during the holiday season! I wanna experience it again when the seasons match up and it isn’t 100 degrees out.

took me ages to get through. i’m not sure why, but i wasn’t feeling the drive to see what happens next. i liked molly and andrew fine, and i enjoyed the friends-to-lovers. overall, i prefer walsh’s other books.

#netgalley

"Andrew Fitzpatrick’s shocked look disappears as soon as he sees me. He grins up at me with those hazel eyes as if I’m the best thing that’s happened to his day. I know he’s the best thing that’s happened to mine."

*4.5/5
i loved every single thing about this book, it is probably my favourite christmas book that i've every read. i loved the banter and bickering between molly and andrew, i loved how we got glimpses of all their previous flights together but that the heart of the story was set during the present, describing their really long journey back to ireland. i loved reading about molly slowly realising that andrew was the right person for her and that he had been right in front of her all along. i loved the side characters and their short but funny and meaningful appearances, like with the taxi driver in chicago, andrew's cousin oliver in london, molly's twin sister zoe, and andrew's younger brother christian. i definitely recommed it if you're looking for a nice and warm holiday read, and especially if you love the friends to lovers trope.

arc provided by netgalley and bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

this was the perfect christmas book for fans of the friends to lovers trope, i personally didn't find any kind of fault. i loved the characters, i loved their constant banter, i loved the flashback scenes from the flights they took together throughout the years. i loved seeing their little non-dates in paris and london, them spending christmas with andrew's very chaotic family... it was just perfect!

arc provided by netgalley and bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

Molly wants to leave her stressful job as a lawyer in Chicago, but she's not quite sure what her plan B is. Surely her anual trip back home to Ireland for Christmas with her friend Andrew will bring some clarity? When a storm over the Atlantic ends up in a cancelled flight, Molly embarks on an adventure to get Andrew (one of THOSE Christmas people of the matching Christmas pjs for everyone in the family kind) back home for Christmas day.

Holiday Romance (available on the 4th of October, but can be pre-ordered already) is funny, entertaining and just the right amount of sweet. There is one reason and one reason only why I didn't read it in one sitting, and it's the fact that I wanted to spend a few days enjoying Molly and Andrew. They are both endearing in their own way, their chemistry is great, and you can't help but smile at their interactions once and again throughout the book. Much like in Catherine Walsh' previous novel The Rebound (can I gently push you guys to read that one too if you haven't? It's a brilliant one), the secondary characters are a delight. It might not be the flashiest of moves and some authors often neglect it, but building believable and well-rounded supporting characters really elevates a work of fiction and is testimony to the writer's careful, thorough work, which is much appreciated on my part.

If you are a fan of feel-good, sweet rom-coms that truly make you smile every two pages, great dialogue, and charismatic characters, this is the book for you. Thanks to Catherine Walsh, Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to get and advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy. Another cute christmas story! These two meet each year on a flight home for Christmas. They talk about their relationships. Will they end up together? It was a little confusing for me to keep going back and forth from past and present.

Cute christmas book! This couple meets every year on a flight back home for Christmas. Cute little love story that has a happy ending.

Thank you to @netgalley @bookouture and @catwalshwriter for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It’s another edition of Christmas in August with Chloe 🤣 Ho Ho Ho!!!🎅🏻🎅🏻🎅🏻

I recently read The Rebound by Catherine and I absolutely loved it so when I saw that Holiday Romance was on Netgalley, well I pounced at the chance!! And to my absolute delight, I got approved for it in seconds 🤩

This book 😍😍😍😍😍 I had the warmest, fuzziest feeling all the way through reading this. It was honestly such a joy to read. A friends to lovers story laced with humour. The banter between Molly and Andrew is top notch and I loved their conversations. Their back and forth banter had me laughing out loud, so witty.

The book alternates from past Christmas flights to their current Christmas where Molly and Andrew are desperately trying to make it home for Christmas, despite the odds being stacked against them. This is the Christmas that they realise that they could perhaps be more than friends. Seeing the two of them fall for each other was just magical. I honestly couldn’t think of two characters who would be more perfect for each other than these two.

As well as humour and light-heartedness, this books explores the topic of sobriety and feeling unhappy in your career. I feel that the author tackled these issues perfectly and in a realistic but sensitive way.

I can’t urge everyone enough to buy this book when it is released. It’s a little piece of Christmas magic and you don’t want to miss out on it!

I have loved Catherine's previous two books and have been so excited to read this one, and it did not disappoint.

The organic nature of their friendship felt real and believable. Their rocky start all the way to their ultimate romance was smooth and entertaining to read.

One of the things I have always loved about Catherine's writing is the dialogue and utterly hilarious conversations the characters have with each other. No matter where you are you can't help but laugh out loud at the witty banter between Molly and Andrew was endearing and a joy to read. Molly's exchanges with her sister reminded me of conversations I have with my own sister, in that no-one other than us really understands what we're talking about.

Once again and absolute JOY to read and will be filling everyone's stockings with a copy this year!

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC! 4/5
Such a fun book - and I don’t even like the holidays! I was in desperate need of a palette cleanser, and this was perfect for it.
One of my must-haves in a romance book is good banter, and this one delivered. The MCs were genuinely lovable and funny. And I got to imagine Irish accents for most of the characters, which only added to my enjoyment. A couple of the relationship scenes at the beginning seemed a little forced, but the book as a whole was more than worth it. I highly recommending picking this book up when it comes out October 4th.

Review posted to Goodreads and will be posted to Amazon when it is available for reviews.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.

SOUND THE ALARM!!! IT'S A BANGER ALERT!!!!🚨🚨🚨🚨

SYNOPSIS

10 years. 10 flights. Andrew and Molly both live in Chicago and take a yearly flight to their mother country Ireland. But this year, will Andrew and Molly go from plane friends to naked in love friends??
Ho ho ho!

MY OPINION

AIHNWUTWTBOWOVMOWV!!!! THIS SHIT RIGHT HERE IS THE CUTEST AND FUNNIEST ROMCOM I'VE EVER READ!!! I literally was smiling when I put it down... Imagine THAT!! (kinda scary thought isn't it?)

The bants? Bantering. I literally laughed out loud multiple times. It was genuinely funny, not pander express humour.
The chemistry? Even Marie Curie couldn't handle it.
The sexual tension? Me outside of a Krispy Kreme when they light the sign up.

This is "closed door" steam (am I using that correctly?), which is my jam. I don't ever wanna read about slop top even in a romance book. Just a personal ting. I like my romcoms more com with a splash of earnest rom.

I appreciated the serious life issues Walsh incorporated like Molly's career crises and Andrew's journey with sobriety. It may come as a surprise, but I am a sober gopher who raw dawgs life. There's a lot of societal pressure to drink (which I def contributed to on $1 drink night at Moose's Bar) so I like to see some sober rep in books instead of liquid courage leading to a drunken first bang. No shade to that either.

Lastly, MY HEART (or the lump of coal that stands in for a heart)!!!!!! I don't wanna give any spoilies but it was possibly the cutest thing I've ever heard.

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! READ THIS!!!!

PROS AND CONS

Pros: genuinely funny, no pander express boo boo, great characters, fantastic chemistry, closed door romance, serious topics incorporated and well-handled

Cons: NADAAA!!! ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS FOR THIS BOOK TO GET THE RECOGNITION IT DESERVES!!!!!!

Loved this holiday romcom!! This is the perfect book to read while curled up in a blanket with a steaming mug of hot chocolate :) Sprinkled with just the right amount of flashbacks, Molly and Andrew's journey took us all around the world...of course with a few shenanigans in between! 5 stars - this is one you don't want to miss!

Molly and Andrew have been catching the same flight home for Christmas for the last 10 years. On their 10 year "plane-aversary", a storm threatens this tradition. Will Molly and Andrew make it home? Only time will tell, but it's PLANE to SEA there might be something more between these two.

I flipping adored this book and the friends-to-lovers plot really had me hooked. I was genuinely rooting for them the whole time.

Thanks so much to Netgalley, the publisher and Catherine Walsh for the advanced copy.

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh❤️🎅🏼

🎄‘It’s Dublin at Christmas and there’s excitement in the air’🎄

Molly is a high powered lawyer working in Chicago, a little cynical, a little hopeful, and insistent that Christmas isn’t really for her. Andrew is a homebird, in love with Christmas, Ireland and his family💚

Molly and Andrew fall into an accidental tradition of taking the same flight home for Christmas every year - until one year, a storm wrecks their plans but brings them closer together as they embark on a 3 day odyssey to make it home for Christmas✈️🎅🏼

This book was like a hot chocolate on a winter’s evening☺️a total comfort read, this one has it all - romance, wintery Christmas vibes, an Irish family scene to rival the Walsh’s (#MarianKeyes), even a Christmas baby❤️

Do yourself a favour and soak up all of these gorgeous Christmas vibes, preferably in front of a roaring fire, hot chocolate in hand🔥

*I will post this review to my Instagram @cliona_reads in late November*

Catherine Walsh is the author of several fun romance novels, so I was excited to see that she had a new one coming out, entitled "Holiday Romance." This new book centers around Molly and Andrew, both Chicago residents who travel home to Ireland each year for Christmas. After several years of running into each other at the airport, they finally develop a friendship and look forward to these flights each Christmas. Now ten years running, their friendship is starting to go deeper. When their flight home gets canceled due to a huge snowstorm, they have to be creative in their attempts to make it home to Ireland. What's starts with an unexpected kiss under the mistletoe all of a sudden has them both seeing what's been right in front of them this whole time.

Molly and Andrew are so lovable and you just want to root for them. I also really enjoyed the easy rapport and quick humor between the two of them, as well as their easy chemistry. This was a really fun book to read and I greatly enjoyed it! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Molly and Andrew are best friends for a few years now. Although they only see each other once a year - on their way from Chicago to Ireland to spend the holidays with their families - they developed a really special friendship.
But then there's this heavy snowstorm on their tenth flight back home... and spending more time together to find a way to celebrate Christmas home can be so confusing... or enlightening?

OH MY GOODNESS!
Reading a Christmas love story in summer sounds like a joke, right?!
BUT IT WAS THE BEST DECISION EVER!
When I read The Rebound by Catherine Walsh I fell in love with her writing style - and of course I HAD TO read Holiday Romance too!
I looooooved this special love story so much! It puts you in a certain and wonderful mood that you never wanna leave... that's why I had to stop myself from devouring this story much faster! I wanted to enjoy every moment of Molly and Andrew's journey.
I felt with them along their way and totally fell in love with them too!
They deal with a lot of things and it's not that easy to travel home when there's this snowstorm!
But thanks to this storm Molly and Andrew have to spend more time together and... awwwwwww!!! Their chemistry! Their hidden attraction to each other!
Sizzling and palpable!
And there's this special friendship! Awwww!

Although Holiday Romance is a really funny and heart-warming romantic comedy, it also deals with more serious themes like recovering from alcoholism.

So all in all I ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH A HOLIDAY ROMANCE IN SUMMER!
PERFECTION!

Thanks a lot to Bookoutore and Catherine Wals for this ARC via NetGalley.
This is my honest review in my own words.

For ten years, Molly Kinsella and Andrew Fitzpatrick have flown home to Ireland from Chicago, USA. While Molly doesn't really care about Christmas and makes a point of buying her sister the worst perfume she can find in duty-free, Andrew is dedicated to the holiday, turning up every year in full festive attire. All of it is their tradition.

Except this year there's a storm making it impossible to take the seven-hour direct flight home. Seeing the devastated look on Andrew, Molly becomes determined to help him get home, even if it will require numerous flights, trains and ferries, a lot of money and very little sleep to do it.

These two have always viewed themselves as friends but now they're forced to question whether that's all they are to each other.

'When this man became my weakness, I do not know. But tonight, it’s like he’s got me wrapped around his little finger.' (21%)

Since her last book, Walsh has transformed from a good contemporary writer to a great one. Following the festive adventures of Molly and Andrew, and looking back on some of their preceding ones, is a heart-warming, ridiculous and delightful experience. It's also funny, really funny, like 'laugh out loud and be told to stop' funny.

The chemistry between the protagonists is clear from the beginning and this joy is shared with the side characters, with everyone feeling like a person you've known for years. This light tone is balanced with deeper, introspective moments, such as Molly poignantly expressing her career doubts in a manner that will resonate with many people reading.

'It was like the shower in my first apartment, warm and normal one second, icy cold splinters the next. Don't get me wrong, it was a relief to finally acknowledge it, but ignorance is bliss, and when my next stage of enlightenment didn't come, when I didn't suddenly realise my passion for salsa dancing or my hidden dream to become an accountant, all I was left with was this sick, twisted feeling in my stomach while two little words echoed in my mind, over and over and over again.
Now what?' (6%)

The original synopsis emphasises the travel for them to get home and the difficulties associated with that, and while this is a key part (the catalyst) of the story, it spans roughly 60% of the book. Initially, this is jarring as one expects these events to take longer. But it's so enjoyable to realise that you get more time with Molly and Andrew- getting to see them after their spark and not feeling rushed. The pair are lovely and it's a treat to continue with their story.

On that point, this book has a sensible epilogue for which I shall be eternally grateful.