I must admit it took me a few chapters to get into this book but I persisted and it paid off. Rose and Charlie have double booked a country cottage in order to escape Christmas. However there is a lot of actions and activities that mean they have to spend time together but separate at the cottage. I must admit it got cheesy in places but then it’s Christmas. Each chapter is focused on either Rose or Charlie Thanks to Emma and her publisher. Thanks also to NetGalley.

Even though this book was predictable to say the least, I thoroughly enjoyed reaching the inevitable conclusion! I loved the setting and the characters were most believable. Recommended.

Thank you to Netgalley, Randomhouse UK, Cornerstone and Penguin for the e-arc.
I love reading books set at Christmas as they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside and I can read them at any time of the year and still love them. Having said that, I can find some of these books quite cheesy. I am happy to say This Christmas was not one of those books - I absolutely loved everything about This Christmas.
The past few Christmases have been very difficult for Rose so she books a stay at the remote Seaview Cottage over the Christmas period to spend some time on her own. Charlie is not looking forward to Christmas this year and has booked a week at Seaview Cottage for a Christmas break in isolation. Unfortunately the owners of Seaview Cottage did not inform each other of their respective bookings and Rose and Charlie are forced to spend the lead up to Christmas together, despite wanting to spend time on their own.
Emma Heatherington is a great scene setter as I imagined I was at Seaview Cottage with Rose and Charlie and, as I was reading, I wanted more than anything for it to be December as I felt so Christmassy. Rose and Charlie's characters were complex and so likeable. Watching them open up to each other as the days went on was so heartwarming. I can't wait to read more by Emma Heatherington.

This would make a wonderful festive film it has all the right qualities to work on a big or little screen. And it is just so good.

It's about two people determined the only way they can get through Christmas this year by being alone - up until the point they end up having both booked the same holiday cottage.

I enjoyed getting to know Rose and Charlie, and learning just why it is they are trying to avoid Christmas. And in being at Seaview Cottage, I loved seeing how they gradually changed.

Charlie is convinced they need rules to live by including only texting each other and not having actual conversations if it can be helped. But I'm sure you can guess how that went!

They are both characters at times I wished I could reach out and give hugs to. I felt for them but was also rooting for them to start healing. At times it almost broke my heart, and others I was definitely smiling.

Ultimately this definitely had a feel good factor and the ending is utter perfection.

Another truly fabulous Christmas book from this author.

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Charlie and Rosie, two complete strangers, are forced to share a holiday cottage at Christmas in the wilds of Co Donegal. Both however are grieving due to recent tragedies in their life and intended to isolate themselves over the holiday season. Ithasn't worked out like that and they will now have unwanted company.

This is both a heartwarming and heartbreaking book at the same time. I was totally drawn into the story and found myself routing for both lead characters all the way through the book. I desperately wanted them both to be happy .
It is a wonderful book to read at any time but especially at Christmastime. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

⚠️cw: bereavement, grief, emotional abuse, mentions of suicidal ideation and alcoholism, trauma ⚠️
Rose and Charlie are both dealing with losses in their lives and need an escape from Christmas festivities. When a double-booking causes them to find themselves sharing a remote cottage over the holidays, they can't help but find solace in each other.
This was definitely a grower. I found the start a little slow with a lot of nebulous hints at trauma that seemed to be there solely to add mystery rather than to hit impactful emotional beats. Charlie's situation didn't make much sense to me. Surely he had parental rights? Again, while his moments with his daughter were written sensitively (and truly broke my heart), I struggled to find it plausible in real life. That said, once Charlie and Rose actually started to open up, I was able to ignore the plot niggles. Both characters grew on me and I really felt for each of them. Charlie in particular was a sweetheart, and I ADORED his relationship with his sister. There were some lovely moments with Rose and Charlie sizing each other up, and I loved the way the attraction grew, particularly in the chapters in and after the pub. There were also some funny moments, particularly in the texts and notes that they left, and I liked that they were so supportive of each other when they eventually talked openly.
Despite a few inconsistencies, this was an ultimately uplifting Christmas romance about two lonely people learning to live (and love) again with a wonderfully satisfying ending.

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating:
Emotional Rating: 💔🤔😬💓😢🤦🏻‍♀️💓💔🤬💓😂💓🤔💔😬🥰🤬💔💓🙈🥰💓🥰👏🏻🥰😢🤬👏🏻😢🥰💓😭🥰💓

*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review. This Christmas is published on 31st August 2023 in the UK*

First of all thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for this Arc book.

This follows 2 strangers, Rose and Charlie, who end up in a cottage in rural Donegal for Christmas and have to share thanks to a double booking. Both have reasons for wanting to spend Christmas alone but they agree to share and Charlie sets some ground rules where they only communicate via whiteboard and texts. As they days go on they start communicating more and find themselves enjoying each other’s company.

I am not going to lie this was a very slow burner but once it got going it was very enjoyable. I loved the characters and the storyline. A little bit predictable but still a very sweet little Christmas themed book.

This was the cutest, cosiest Christmas story and I will be recommending to everyone that they add this to their Christmas tbr!

The storyline contained tough themes, both main characters struggling with their own personal lives and hiding away over Christmas, but they find comfort and happiness in each other and learn how to heal with each others support.

It was so emotional and heartwarming and really funny in places (the bra scene had me laughing out loud!!)

There's snow, and Santa and Christmas decs and music and just that feel good atmosphere that you're meant to have at Christmas. It's made me crave the holiday festivities (September isn't too early to put up a Christmas tree is it?)

It slowed down a little in the middle, but compared the the book as a whole, it really didn't take much from the experience.

Overall, a wonderful love story to warm you up this winter.

Thank you so much to NetGalley UK and Random House for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the invite to read This Christmas.

I think this is such a beautifully written book with two likeable characters who want to avoid Christmas. They find themselves double booked in a cottage and have to make the best of an awkward situation. I could really relate to Rose and her feelings mainly because her loss at Christmas mirrors my own. I felt such empathy for her and I think Emma Heatherington is spot on with describing her thoughts, feelings and emotions. The story takes place in the run up to Christmas and I found this book to be an absolute pleasure to read. There are some lovely moments between Rose and Charlie as they come to terms with their situation and gradually a friendship develops. But can it become more? I love the authors writing style, it is wonderfully descriptive and I pictured the characters and their surroundings in my mind when reading. The story flowed seamlessly and I liked that it was told in turn through Rose and Charlie's perspectives. Both have valid reasons to avoid Christmas and at times the writing really touched my feelings and emotions in the best way. I loved the ending, it was very fitting and gave perfect closure for Rose and Charlie. Overall, a great Christmas, feel good, very heartwarming read that I really enjoyed. If you like romances I think you'll enjoy this book, I certainly did and would recommend this.

‘This Christmas’ by Emma Heatherington was a achingly beautiful novel that tugged at my heartstrings and touched me in so many ways. The story reminded me how important it is to love and live without regret and to open your heart to new possibilities, no matter how terrifying they may be. ‘This Christmas’ follows Rose Quinn and Charlie Sheerin as they navigate heartbreak and each other (with the help of their adorable dogs) during the happiest time of the year, at a picturesque cottage in a beautifully snowy Irish town. One of my favorite summer reads, ‘This Story’ will leave you with heaps of emotion and a craving for Christmas more than anything else!

Rose books a last minute Christmas holiday to Seaview Cottage to get away from her memories of Michael, who passed away 3 years ago on Christmas Eve. Charlie also books a last minute holiday to Seaview Cottage to escape Christmas now that his daughter has moved to abroad with her mum. When Rose's car breaks down and the part will take a few days to arrive, they're forced to share the tiny cottage (along with their respective dogs) for a few days instead of the solitude they both were seeking.

A lovely story set in Donegal, with believable characters dealing with different losses in their own ways.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for a free copy in return for an honest review.

What is nicer than a holiday romance read, reading one in September!! It's safe to say that this book put me into a festive mood and I love that!

Two strangers find themselves having to share a holiday home for Christmas. Both of them are dealing with loss and can't face Christmas around friends and family. They each want their solitude, but instead find themselves together and despite being determined to stay away from each other they soon find themselves wanting to be in each other's company.

Is it the "most romantic love story since The Holiday", maybe not, but it is definitely a mostly feel-good story that made me smile, laugh, cry and has me wishing Christmas was closer!

It's a sweet romance so if you are hoping for some steamy bedroom action this won't be the book for you. Instead, there are some touching romantic scenes, a little passion, and some crying on shoulders.

To make this a perfect holiday romance for me would be for there to have been a little less angst. Don't get me wrong, having the couple both have issues to deal with works well, but I like my holiday romance to be a little more cheery.

A beautifully written emotional book about two people trying to move forward after major changes in their lives. Great characters, cute dogs, Christmas - a lovely combination.

Thank you NetGalley for an opportunity to read a book with Christmas in the title..and it's only August. Two troubled souls that have decided to deny themselves the opportunity to enjoy Christmas, book a secluded cottage, in order to escape the demands of family, friends and society. A double booking, car troubles and two adorable dogs leads (pun completely intended) to a houseshare with rules, texts and a white board. A predictable ending, but a journey that is worthwhile pursuing and some heartwarming characters help keep your interest alive.
A book that will be perfect for the Christmas season, when decorations are complete, the fire is lit and you're sat with a warming drink and choose to escape your own dramas.

Yet another lovely book from Emma Heatherington. This one was so emotional and just a little bit heavy for me but it has stayed with me long after reading.

Just a lovely story, thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read.

I’d like to thank Random House UK, Cornerstone and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘This Christmas’ written by Emma Heatherington in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Since her boyfriend Michael died at Christmas three years ago Rose Quinn has been unable to celebrate, but this year she needs to get away and spend some time by herself at her Granny Molly’s cottage now renamed Seaview Cottage. Although it’s advertised as closed she persuades her relative Rusty Quinn to let her stay there but unfortunately his wife Marion has also booked the cottage to Charlie.

‘This Christmas’ is a pleasant heart-warming novel that’s situated is the beautiful location of Donegal and has nicely described colourful characters. It’s a gentle story with a lovely Christmassy feel but although it started off well by grabbing my interest it slowed down mid-way and the plot became fairly predictable. Despite guessing in advance how it was going to end, it’s a novel that leaves the reader with the feel-good factor and is perfect for reading over the Christmas period.

As the temperatures for this time of year drop, my mind turns to autumn and Christmas.

I found this to be an easy read, that I did over two nights. It had me hooked from the start. The descriptions were so well done, that you could almost imagine yourself in the village that Charlie and Rose found themselves. Whilst there is an underlying back story for both characters, there are some laugh out loud moments, particularly when they find they are double booked, have to share and how to work around that, all whilst navigating life in a small village where news spreads fast.

Being Christmas titled, I probably should have waited until later in the year, to hunker down with a nice hot chocolate, cosy blanket and the heating on, which would have suited the ambience of the book more. As it is I’m a sucker for Christmas romances that give you that cherry feeling when you’ve finished and I found this novel delivered well.

Christmas books and movies are my jam! I love them , but unfortunately this book just did not hit the spot for me. The writing is good and the characters have depth, but also a lot of baggage.
however, this might be a case that it was not for me as a reader, and that's okay.

I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.

This heart-warming romance is set around Christmas time at Seaview Cottage. As Christmas approaches Rose and Charlie although strangers both decide they need to spend this Christmas alone to work through the issues they are battling in their lives.

What Rose and Charlie don’t know is their hideaway cottage has been double booked, so they may not get the alone time as they had wished.

After an uncomfortable start the two strangers decide to share the cottage, with as little contact as possible.

Will they work through their issues? Will they find more at the Seaview Cottage?

I love this romance; it is heart-warming and funny too. It is sweet to see how the two characters develop and seem to help each other without even realising.

Rose is a strong woman who blames herself for something which is not her fault, which is heart-breaking to read about. I liked her determination and independence throughout even when she is hurting.

Charlie’s situation is just as heart-breaking, and I can’t imagine what he is going through. They make an unusually perfect couple, but will they realise?

Overall, a heart-warming romance where a double-booked cottage may change two people’s lives forever.

Apologies for the delay in this review, i have been battling ill health.

Great story, lovely setting, enjoyed the charcters and the story very much. I thought it flowed really well and it was a really good read.