Such a lovely book! Different to what I expected, in a good way.

Very well developed characters, gorgeous descriptions, especially of Charlie’s lemon pasta - I was salivating at that one - and a heartwarming storyline.

Charlie and Rose’s emotions and grief were sensitively expressed and their raw honesty in the company of a stranger was moving at times.

Naturally, my favourite characters were George and Max - may they be besties forever ♥️

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Emma Heatherington and Random House, Cornerstone for an ARC in return for an honest review.

While I was adamant that it was too early to read a story based around Christmas when starting this book, I've finished it realising that Christmas plays just a small part in this lovely tale of new love, self forgiveness and new beginnings.

Rose is determined to spend another Christmas alone (well, except for her loyal dog George), feeling that she's to blame for the death of her boyfriend a few years ago. Lying to friends and family about her real plans, she opts to seclude herself in a cottage by the sea. A cottage which has a firm place in her heart (and seemingly an ever changing coloured door, though I think this is a small oversight). Unfortunately, her last minute plans seem to go awry when she arrives to find someone else in the cottage). Charlie, who is hoping to escape from Christmas this year himself (though he too is accompanied by his doggy pal, Max), though his reasons aren't all abundantly clear initially.

Following how Rose and Charlie look to coexist in the small cottage while undergoing their own forms of therapy in the Donegal coastal town. This moving, feel good story has everything you expect from a Christmas story and rom-com, namely carols, feasting, reconciliations, tears, decorations, laughter, love and snow. It also has lots of doggy drama, whiteboard and text message communication and a character who's obsessed with Beige!

A perfect read to escape daily reality for Christmas lovers and even Christmas grinches!

A lovely read, especially for fans of The Holiday.

Whilst this books was quite similar to the premise of the movie "The Holiday", it does have a little more depth, and is not so sugar coated. We don't know why Rose and Charlie chose to go away by themselves for Christmas, only that it doesn't hold happy memories for them this year.

However, as the cottage is double booked, they don't spend Christmas alone but with each other, almost! Charlie is not at all keen to acknowledge Rose and insists they text each other if they are to share the cottage together. They also each have a dog which is a nice touch.

Difficult to say more without giving too much away. It isn't too Christmassy that you need to save it to the holiday season, in fact due to some of the issues raised I was glad I hadn't read it at Christmas.

Before I begin my review, can we please take a moment to appreciate this gorgeous cover? I love it so much. It just sets my reading tone/mood right!

So on to the review, as someone who doesn’t celebrate Christmas, this book certainly had me hyped up for it. I love a good, cozy forced proximity type of setting/premise. Right from the get-go you can tell that Rose and Charlie are meant to be. Some characters just click together. They were both trying to escape Christmas and somehow fate brought them together. If that doesn’t scream soulmates, I don’t know what will.

Although the pacing of the book felt slow at some instances, I still enjoyed it thoroughly. Their backstories may have been tragic, but that still did not stop them from seeking love and comfort. They were each other’s solace and I loved the development of their relationship. This book is perfect for the upcoming holidays/celebration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was kindly sent this book by the lovely @centurybooks and I’ve never been so glad to read a Christmas book in October! It was easy, lighthearted (despite both Rose and Charlie’s backstories) and the setting was unreal. As a Belfast girl who has visited lots of Donegal it was just lovely reading about the area they were staying and made me immediately want to book into Granny Mollys cottage. This book was magical and it absolutely made me feel warm inside. This is the perfect Christmas read to snuggle down with this Winter. In fact I would quite like a Tenerife edition of their story next 😬 I would 100% recommend picking this one up!!

Two strangers. One cottage. A Christmas they’ll never forget.

Rose used to love Christmas until the year everything changed and she hasn’t been home to visit her family for the holidays since. Charlie is facing his first Christmas alone. For some it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but for Rose and Charlie they are both seeking comfort and seclusion. Rose escapes to a lovely cottage in Donegal with her beloved dog George, but when she arrives and Charlie opens the door, it’s clear the cottage has been double booked. Both had planned for a Christmas alone, but will they now spend this festive season together?

I really enjoyed this book. It certainly gets you into the festive spirit. I can highly recommend you curl up with this and a hot chocolate. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK Cornerstone and the author for the chance to review.

This is such a cute and heartwarming story, perfect read for a cold and rainy day to put you in a holiday mood!
It started a bit slow, then felt rushed sometimes, but I enjoyed the characters and how their story evolved. Recommended!

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a sweet holiday romance! It is roughly the same premise as the movie The Holiday (one of my favorites) so I knew it would be a fun read. Rose and Charlie both have sad backstories and are trying to heal over the Christmas season. When they find themselves having to share a cottage, their connection begins to grow. I will say that it took me a little time to get into the story (the beginning felt a bit slow to me) but once I was in I was invested. Also, it really gets you in the holiday mood! Thank you to Emma Heatherington, Random House UK, Cornerstone, Penguin, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers and of course the author for gifting me this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oooh this book (swoon) captured my heart and is such a perfect festive read that gave me all the feels (reminds me of the film The Holiday). Although there were a couple of points (started off a bit slow and then just when it got into it felt really fast paced and rushed a bit) it is one of those typical cheesy, magical, festive, feel good rom com read and was a pleasure to read.

Rose and Charlie are two strangers trying to escape Christmas. Each with their own troubles and heartbreak, they book a quaint cottage in rural Donegal, only for a double booking to leave them spending Christmas with each other.
It turns out to be a Christmas that they'll never forget.
This Christmas is a heartfelt, emotional read that will leave you feeling happy and satisfied.
I'll admit, this book started off very slow for my tastes, and I considered not finishing it at one stage, but I'm so glad I carried on, because I eventually fell in love with both Rose and Charlie, and I was so moved by each of their stories, particularly Rose for all she'd gone through.
A thoroughly enjoyable read for the upcoming Christmas season. Cosy up with a warm blanket, some Christmas music and this book - you won't regret it!
Many thanks to the publishers and to Netgalley for allowing me to arc read This Christmas.

This is the first book I've read from Emma and I absolutely loved it.

Charlie and Rose have past heartache and traumas. I did really feel for them both and wanted to jump into the book and give them both hugs.

There's all the emotions and a heartwarming story about two lonely people. Plus it gives all the Christmas feels.

A cosy, poignant and heartwarming story about two lonely people and how their life can change.
There's the magic of Christimas and there's emotions and moviment moments
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was my first by this author, it was an interesting read. I loved how Christmas crept up in the story, Rose and Charlie are adamant that they do not want to celebrate Christmas, yet decorations, music, tinsel and turkey dinners and presents find a way in.

Both Charlie and Rose have past traumas and heartache and they wanted to go somewhere alone and lick their wounds, however that wasn't going to happen and they end up spending time together and they help to heal each other. I loved their slow burn, as they tried to resist each other.

Seeing them celebrating together at the end, with all their family, it really touched me and I admit I shed a few tears. Learning to let go and move on is hard, learning to see past your own pain and to see others is hard too, your imagination makes you think certain things and you project those onto other and think they all think the same as you, Rose worked hard to get past that and see that her dad wasn't blaming her but was hurting too, and was hurting for her too.

This was a lovely Christmas romance, and I hope that we might get to see them again as they start a new life together.

Fantastic, really a Christmas must read, cosy, lovable, hot chocolate type of read. Very emotional, but loved every page. The characters are matched really well to make the story so lovable.

This book is very like the film The Holiday; Rose and Charlie have both been battling personal trauma and can't face all the trappings of Christmas. Both want to be on their own, to reflect and get away from all the hype and being cheery for family and friends, when they least feel like it!

Rose along with her dog , want to get away to a remote family cottage, not usually let over the Christmas period!

Unbeknown to Rose, the cottage has also been promised to Charlie, both arriving at the same time. Rose offers to leave but her car won't start, splutters and dies! It needs a part that won't be delivered till after Christmas, so both Rose and Charlie are thrown together, to share the cottage, but also to give each other the privacy and space to cope. They decide to communicate only through text messages, post-its and a wipe board.

As you can imagine, things don't go as planned and they find themselves falling for each other.

Can they work through there issues together and help each other? Read this great Christmas read to find out. It's a delightful Christmas book, you'll want to escape to this idyllic cottage too!

I gave it 5 stars and I enjoyed every word of it.

Rose and Charlie are both dreading Christmas due to personal tragedies in their lives and both book a cottage in the Irish countryside. Problem is its the same cottage with only one bedroom and neither are in the mood to share. Then Rosie's car breaks down and she cant get the part for days.
A truce is agreed and rules set down but what happens if both parties have a change of heart?
A curl up on a cold day book. Loved it.

Thanks to netgalley and publishers for arc
I have read Emma’s books before and adore them and this was no different. It follows the story of Rose a poor heart broken woman who hates Christmas as her boyfriend died in a car crash on Christmas Eve and she blames herself for it, she also thinks her dad blames her too. Therefore she will never go home to her parents for Christmas she locks herself in her flat alone and cries the whole time
Charlie is a therapist whose young daughter has moved to Tenerife with her mum and super rich stepdad who he doesn’t like. Instead of dealing with it he went of rails drinking and misbehaving before she remarried and she warned him but he didn’t listen and now he’s lost his family at Christmas so hates Christmas too
They are both headed toward a cottage in tiny village where they can get their heads sorted unfortunately they are double booked which is going to be a problem with only one bedroom! Oops what is going to happen rose car has broken down just outside the village she can’t go anywhere and Charlie refuses to so they are going to have to use the sofa bed and work something out ,….

Rose and Charlie have both suffered losses in this Christmas based romance. Both are looking to escape their normal routine and hunker down alone with their dog in the beautifully located Seaview Cottage. Coincidentally they find themselves double booked at the cottage. This is emotionally charged from the outset but is a delightful heartwarming story.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Oh my goodness this was the perfect way to spend a couple of autumn evenings! I loved the main characters and am now desperate to visit Donegal.
A real, cosy Christmas romance, which deals with some difficult topics really well and leaves you satisfied. This is a must read this Christmas!

This is a joyous romantic romp for the festive season. Rose and Charlie have been
Double booked in the same one bedroomed cottage over the festive season. They are both running from emotional trauma and need to navigate their way through. Charlie insists on texting or a white board being their method of communication which means they don’t have to talk to each other. Obviously they do end up talking and liking each other.

Their individual ways of dealing with their emotional trauma are poles apart but they find common ground.

A lovely seasonal romp with some heart tugging moments, even induced a tear or two!