This was my first book by this author and it was such a cute, cozy, Christmas story about two strangers who end up staying at a cottage together after an accidental double booking and end up learning how to forgive themselves. Both Charlie and Rose have their own reasons for wanted to be by themselves for Christmas and when the cottage the book is accidentally promised to both of them they decide to make the best of it. Throughout the book you can see the personal growth in both characters and the ending was super sweet. My only problem with the book was the ending was almost too perfect. Still it was a cute read and perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

The Christmas by Emma Heatherington is a perfect, cuddle-up in a blanket, hot chocolate in hand comfort read.
Rose and Charlie are loveable characters and they are described in such detail that Heatherington makes you root for their love story.
Rose is a career-driven woman with one thing on her mind - escaping Christmas and Charlie is battling his guilt over not spending time with his young daughter.
Both manage to book the same cottage and with a broken-down car, Rose is going nowhere except to move into the double-booked cottage with Charlie.
As their story unfolds, you imagine yourself living out their relationship and you want to get to the bottom of their hidden secrets.

A perfect Christmas novel.

A wonderful Christmas book to cosy up with. A nice slow paced story with a big feel good factor. A book full of Christmas cheer.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you for an early chance to read this story,

A fantastic Christmas read, I managed two read this in 2 days and really enjoyed it.

A warm and cosy read

Thanks to netgalley for providing an advanced copy for the purpose of review.

I found this tk be a light hearted, easy read with likable characters amidst a wintry setting.

I did enjoy it and the writing and the characters but was maybe a bit slow for me overall….but as a Christmas Story it ticks all the boxes and is full of feelgod

I love a cute Christmas story and this fits the bill!
A festive story which slowly unfolds letting you further into the characters lives!

Fantastic read! Total The Holiday vibes! Great setting, proper pull at the heart string storyline and it makes you feel all warm and gooey! Don’t keep this for Christmas, enjoy all year round! Highly recommended read. I LOVED it!

Thank you Netgalley

Perfect book to cosy up to this winter. Finished it in 1 sitting last night nice and warm by the fire. The Christmas book of the year for sure.

Rose needs time get away for Christmas, a time she dreads. Charlie is facing Christmas alone for the first time, so books a quiet cottage for himself. However it turns out that Seaview Cottage has been double booked, and Rose and Charlie have to decide - can they share the cottage and make the most of the situation?

A emotional book, with lots of difficult subject matter, but with plenty of feel good funny moments included too. A great seasonal read.

Rose and Charlie both have their own reasons for dreading Christmas. They both decide to hide away and rent a cottage in a secluded area of Donegal. Unfortunately, it seems they have both booked the same cottage, not ideal for two people who wanted to be alone.
With Rose unable to return to Dublin and Charlie not wanting to leave the cottage will they agree to spend the festive season alone, together?
Funny, festive and at times incredibly moving if you want to get into the festive spirit this is perfect.

A real feel good novel I totally enjoyed. Rose and Charlie, strangers to each other arrive at the cottage to discover it has been double booked. Set around Christmas time when families usually are together and relationships can prove to be awkward.

A wonderful Christmas read.

Rose wants an escape from Dublin for Christmas to spend it alone with her dog, she contacts an old acquaintance who might just be able to help her out.

Charlie, with his Daughter in another country, decides this is the year he wants to spend Christmas alone. When his friend suggests Seaview cottage, it seems like the idyllic escape, until there may have been mistake with the bookings, leaving them double booked, on a Christmas where alone time was the goal.

This book was a lovely, warm Christmas read, it had everything and went a little deeper than the usual seasonal books. It covered some tough topics, and perhaps should come with a small grief trigger warning as it is sad at times.
You grow to love the characters and even Seaview cottage, who wouldn't want to stay there!

A fab Christmas read, would definitely recommend.

Advance reader copy from Netgalley, thank you!.

A wonderful Christmas read. Perfect for curling up with this winter. A heartwarming festive love story

This was a really lovely read about two people grappling with having to be happy at Christmas and deciding to spend it alone in a little cottage in Donegal - but unfortunately there was a double booking and so they ended up sharing the cottage.

Rose had a tragedy in her life a few years ago and feels she can't enjoy Christmas any more, so has been hiding herself away for the last few years, spending Christmas on her own. Charlie's young daughter has recently moved abroad with her mother, and so he's feeling very alone and miserable and also wants to spend Christmas by himself this year.

But because of the double booking they learn to share the house, initially in completely separate rooms, and only interacting via text messages! Of course slowly they bump into each other in person more and more, and both their barriers start to come down.

The slow burning relationship between Rose and Charlie worked really well, nothing was rushed, and both slowly learnt to enjoy Christmas again. There was lots of snow, roaring fires and snowy walks, along with family issues that were slowly worked out. Lovely warm, Christmassy feeling read, with a wonderful ending.

Trying to avoid the festive season, a double booking and broken down car. Not a inspiring start but the two dogs make friends.
A heartbreaking death at Christmas and a daughter who lives abroad with her mum.. Can they help heal each other and forgive themselves for past mistakes?
Enjoy the story I did

What a story! Great roller coaster of emotion, frustrating, heart warming, and beautiful. I cried tears of joy at the beautiful ending. Well done Emma and thank you!

This great book is an easy Christmas read following 2 people, in the run up to Christmas, who have been trying to avoid the festive season at all costs. It is a bit reminiscent of the film 'The Holiday'. It is a really enjoyable read but it had a bit of an abrupt ending.

A cosy story to put you well into the mood for Christmas. A well described setting in a truly rural location where two individuals battling unhappy times are thrown together in a cottage due to a double booking then seasonal weather .

A lovely book to read curled up in a cosy armchair in front of a fire. Great characters and an unfolding love story. Super read.