This was a DNF for me sadly.

I got to 50% and our MC's had said maybe 10 sentences to each other and are trying to avoid each other still.

I did enjoy the writing and think the author has so much more to offer but way too slow for me!

The premise of a double booking and each party agreeing to share a small cottage was a difficult concept at the start, but this was a charming novel. It ticked all of the boxes of how a Christmas romance should pan out.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy of this book.

Warm and charming. This book is perfect to start off your Christmas reading and get you in the mood for your Christmas decorations! Get your hot chocolate and settle down.

A perfect winter read! All wrapped up sat by the fire with a hot chocolate and marshmallows! That's how I would describe this book.

Essentially this is a cosy, warming Christmas story set in Ireland, but, be ready to be charmed, spell-bound and amused by the misfortunes and miscommunications of Rose and Charlie. This is a romantic story filled with all the accoutrements of Christmas and yet it’s not overtly formulaic, but rather the opposite. There are tragic circumstances to this story but rest assured love breathes life into the log fire.

Hints of reality are woven into the prose which are engaging and easy to read. Such a lovely book for an Autumnal Sunday with a pot of tea, blankets and a log fire. I thoroughly enjoyed this Christmas story, it was definitely hard to put down.

I highly recommend This Christmas by Emma Heatherington.

I found it a bit hard to get into this book at first, maybe because I was reading this during a heatwave! Once I got into it though I really enjoyed it. I could almost picture myself in the cosy cottage sat by the fire. Both main characters grew on me as I progressed through the book. Would definitely recommend for a cosy Christmas read

#ThisChristmas #NetGalley

What a lovely heartwarming Christmas story about finding yourself, finding acceptance & finding love.

Although it seemed a little weird reading a Christmas book in September it was so worth it. I felt transported into lives of Charlie & Rose from the very first word.

Both the main characters wanted to be alone for Christmas but fate had other ideas when Seaview Cottage was double booked. What followed was a wonderful journey into some Christmas magic.

This was a story that gave me a different perspective about a few things. As I was reading and enjoying this book, I read a paragraph, that says, "You have created a narrative that may not exist. You need to find out if that is what your Dad really believes, or if it what you think he believes. We choose how we speak to ourselves in our mind. Thoughts are just thoughts. Once you learn to control your thoughts, they no longer control you." That was definitely meant for me to see, and take to heart. ,
The story continues to be amazing, and I came to, doesn't the universe work in wondrous ways, and I had to say, yes. This is the first book I have read by Emma Heatherington, and I am convinced that the universe brought this book into my path for a reason.
I received an ARC from Penguin through NetGalley.

"This Christmas" by Emma Heatherington is a heartwarming holiday tale that warms you like a cozy blanket. Rose, once a lover of Christmas, now steers clear of family gatherings during the festive season. On the other hand, Charlie is facing his first lonely Christmas. Seeking solace, Rose retreats to a remote cottage in Donegal, only to discover it's double-booked with Charlie. What follows is a delightful journey of two kindred spirits finding unexpected companionship during the holiday season. The story is a blend of sweetness and relatable moments, making it a perfect read for a snug evening. Emma Heatherington weaves a compelling and immersive narrative that's easy to sink into, embracing you like the holiday spirit itself. If you're looking for a tale that feels like a warm hug during chilly weather, "This Christmas" is your go-to read.

After reading many heavy, fantasy world building books, I was happy to receive an invitation to read This Christmas by Emma Heatherington. This Christmas was a delight! I was pulled in by Rose and her heartbreak of losing her signficant other at Christmas time a few years before. Rose sought out her grandmother's old cottage to spend the holidays, but as the cottage is not supposed to be rented during that time through the website, an accidental double booking is made by the cottage owners. Charlie is a father navigating his first holidays with his daughter in another country. Two sad, single people, at Christmas, with their dogs in an adorable cottage...this is the stuff cozy romances are made of. Cozy romances are not normally a genre I seek out, but I found myself looking forward to each time I opened my Kindle to This Christmas. Emma Heatherington did a fantastic job creating these lovable characters and story. I look forward to reading more of her work and highly recommend This Christmas.

Oh I love Christmas!
My first Christmas book of the season! And I hope they are all as good.
A couple of singletons needing to get away for Christmas, a double booking, someone to listen.
But more than that the highs and lows of family, the wonder and love of pets, the guilt that we can suffer and that can paralise us, the gift of friendship but most importantly the magic of Christmas!

Brilliant holiday read .Rose used to love Christmas….then she didn’t and hasn’t been back to visit family since.Charlie? Well he’s facing his first Christmas on his own, he seeks seclusion and comfort in Seaview Cottage Donegal. Rose heads off to a holiday rental to spend it alone ( well her and the dog) ….. But, there’s one Secluded Cottage and two bookings . It has to be the hand of fate for these two lonely souls to meet and if they agree to share this holiday season who knows what the future has in store? It’s cute, it’s cosy , it’s heartwarming and heartbreaking but it’s realistic and relatable and a jolly ( excuse the hohoho pun) good honest to goodness cosy read. A compelling, immersive experience, wrote with empathy and understanding and avfluent writing style that’s a pleasure to read.
I read a free copy from net galley and my review is voluntary and my own words

Rainy day? Great.. grab yourself a blanket, hot chocolate, [or drink of choice] light some candles, set the atmosphere and snuggle up with the cosiest book you'll ever need this Christmas.
I will be recommending this to everyone to add to their Christmas tbr lists.

Two people thrown together through a double booking, both wanting nothing more than to hide away from Christmas in solice. Two people that couldn't be more different however find comfort and peace and a way to heal with each other.

This book was heartwarming and emotional and honestly it had some really funny moments... I absolutely love the texting and whiteboard rule and that bought along some funny conversations between the pair.

I devoured this in one sitting and already know I'm going to re-read this book over the festive period.

Huge thank you to netgalley & the publisher for the E-Arc.

This was my first Christmas read of the year. This cosy, winter cottage book was made for people like me. I live in a country that has a summer Christmas, much like Charlie's daughter in the book.
So for Emma Heatherington to provide such a cosy, snowy, winter cottage Christmas feeling was an utter delight.
I loved imaging being in beautiful Donegal.

I found that although both characters had their own sad reasons for wanting to spend Christmas alone, the story never got too heavy. I had empathy for them but never felt bogged down by them. The characters were very likable and I felt their gentle chemistry.

This was a perfect Christmas read for me, a beautiful location, a cosy cottage and sweet characters that had a captivating development in their stories that left me with pleasant feelings.

This book would be a perfect festive read. Rose and Charlie were both beautifully written characters each with their own reasons for wanting to get away from Christmas celebrations.

I loved the setting in Donegal I have many happy memories of visits here and they were brought back when I read of familiar places and the unique charm and way of life that I enjoyed there.

I don’t often read romantic books and although this one was a bit predictable for me I really enjoyed the gentle beautifully written story. This book had a feel good factor, reinforcing that moving on is difficult but is possible . I recommend this book for your Christmas reading stack.

A really lovely festive read. When Rose decides she wants to be on her own again for Christmas she books a cottage at the the last minute only to find its double booked and Charlie has already settled in leaving them with a problem but when they have no option other than to share over the holidays things don't go well as neither ot them want to celebrate the festive season.Its full of warmth and charm and everything you want in a Christmas story very emotional at times and will they become friends and hopefully start to heal and enjoy life again.

Rose and Charlie, both dealing with Christmas-related pain and loneliness, plan to spend the holiday season alone. Rose escapes to a cottage in rural Donegal to find solace, while Charlie faces his first Christmas without his loved ones.

However, when they discover that their holiday rental, Seaview Cottage, has been double-booked, their plans for solitude are disrupted. Faced with the unexpected company of a stranger, they must decide whether to spend the holiday season together. "Seaview Cottage" promises a heartwarming story of two individuals finding comfort and companionship during a time of year that holds painful memories for them.

I adore a Christmas book so I was very excited to read This Christmas. I loved getting to know Rose and Charlie, I thought they were both very likeable in their own quirky way and it was lovely that they both had dogs (another thing I'm a big fan of!) and I enjoyed digging deeper into why they were running away from Christmas.

Charlie's rules for living together added a funny element to the story and I had a lot of laughs along the way, peppered with a few tears at the sad bits.

A well written, easy to read book with great characters, some disasters, a bit of Christmas spirit, some tense relationships, a couple of tears and a happy ending is just what I needed. Really enjoyed this one.

A brilliant addition to the "double booked" romance theme with some truly endearing characters, loveable hounds and both comedic and heartbreaking circumstances. It covers grief in its multitudinous forms, from loss to estrangement and family breakdowns and though these are deep, solemn experiences, the overriding message is of hope, kindness and transformation. Perfect messages for Christmas

I don’t often read romantic books.
What a lovely gentle and very enjoyable story about two people who escape to a cottage in Donegal to avoid Christmas as it is difficult for them, only to find that the cottage is double booked.
A well written story, that I just couldn’t put down.