Member Reviews

I really, really enjoyed this book. It is a little predictable but then small curveballs are thrown in to derail the assumed plot. A really great love story, touching on what must be a true experience for many over the festive period, Despite it being 28 degrees when I have been reading this book, it was lovely to curl up and live out the Christmas love story! Would recommend.

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A heart-warming Christmas romance. Rose can't face Christmas with her family this year, so books a few days in a seaside cottage. Charlie can't be with his daughter for Christmas, so does the same. the trouble is it's the same small cottage. They've double-booked! With no other options, they make the best of things and gradually warm to each other. Read and enjoy in a comfy chair by a log fire or in a heatwave like I did!.

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This Christmas by Emma Heatherington follows Charlie and Rose who have ended up trying to get away over the Christmas period and having their holiday cottage double booked.

I really enjoyed this, I found it to be sadder than I was originally anticipating but I am a massive fan of a good Christmas romance and found myself quickly falling in love with the characters. The vibes of the cottage and the small town were really cosy and I found myself wishing to be there, even though it was prime weather conditions and the start of summer outside as I was reading.

There were quite a few things going on for these characters and I felt really bad for them. This is the third Christmas Rosie is spending alone after everything changed one year and while every year since her family has encouraged her home to spend the festive period with them she just hasn’t been able to face it. Whereas this is Charlie’s first Christmas alone and he’s not enjoying it, just wanting to escape from it all. On top of that they’ve double booked this cottage so due to that they are staying in a small one bed cottage with a stranger and there’s a bit of family drama surrounding the cottage too.

At the start of the book they keep each other at arms lengths trying to each have their own private holiday but I liked seeing them get closer and be unable to keep that distance as much. As well as releasing how much they care for one another. It was really nice to see them get to know each other, value each other's company and they didn’t suddenly fix each other but they did help one another while they struggled over this period. The dogs were a nice addition as well.

I really enjoyed the ending and how everything wrapped up in a positive way for both Rose and Charlie. Overall a heart warming Christmas story that I really enjoyed reading, could not put down and highly recommend for if you want a nice Christmassy story to look forward to when December rolls around or if you just want to read it completely out of season like me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House for a free e-arc in exchange for a honest review.

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Rose and Charlie both find Christmas difficult, and have decided to go away while the festivities are being enjoyed by others. However, problems arise when the secluded cottage they separately decided upon has been double booked.
With nowhere else to go, both decide to make the best of it, trying to keep out of the way of each other. Unfortunately, with Charlie being strictly organised and Rose much less so, along with two boisterous dogs, things begin to get difficult.
This is a charming, humorous story about two different personalities, set in the beautiful Irish countryside of Donegal. Characters are vividly described by the author, and told from the viewpoint of both Charlie and Rose, bringing them alive on the page. Giving insight and depth into each character.
I like the sensitive, descriptive writing style; you feel you are in the isolated Seaview Cottage, with its old-fashioned comfort and warmth, and cheerful friendliness of neighbours. The snow-bound forest and lakes give a real Christmas feel.
This is a steadily paced Christmas read which can be enjoyed whatever the season.

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Did I read a Christmas book in June, in the middle of a warm spell? To right I did, and I'd do it again.

Charlie and Rose were the loveliest protagonists. Both are dealing with loneliness & grief in a secluded cottage in Donegal.

This was like a being wrapped in big fleecy blanket on a cold day in book form & I genuinely felt like I was in snowy Donegal the whole way through.

I'll definitely be adding this to my yearly Christmas reads.

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This is a quick read but a feel good read, cute and enjoyable. would recommend this book to my book lovers, if you want a cosy feel good 100% read this book you wont be let down.

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It's nearing Christmas, so two people who each have a reason not to celebrate decide to book a cottage and end up booking the same one. As there is nowhere else for either of them to stay, they spend Christmas together, snowed in. Lots of twists and turns along the way. An easy feelgood read

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This Christmas by Emma Heatherington
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I LOVED this book, more than I expected to. Charlie and Rose find themselves double booked into the same cottage and trapped in by snowfall. They start to share the space and texting if necessary.. but of course that doesn’t last.

Charlie and Rose both have their reasons for needing to be alone at Christmas but in a story of family, love and misunderstandings, does anyone really want to be alone at Christmas?

This story was an absolute joy and filled my heart with love, I laughed and cried. You will want to read this for all the Christmas feels 🤍

#christmasbook #christmasstory #christmasromance #bookworm #booklover #bookstagram

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A christmassy read thats gives all the warm holiday feels. The characters were interesting and the story was intriguing. Will look out for more by this author.

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Great story. Little Emotional at the end, but pleasant, happy ending. Easy christmas holiday read.

FYI On Christmas Eve chapter. Authors name randomly typed in sentence.

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Two people who both wanted to escape Christmas for different reasons end up sharing a house . I won’t spoil why they both are avoiding Christmas but it is moving. They both have gorgeous dogs . In the beginning they only communicate by white board and texts. Lots of twists and a brilliant ending. A lovely Christmas book. Loved it

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I love winter themed, I love forced proximity, I love small village life and cosy cottages. Also, I’m a big dog fan. So this book ticked all the boxes for me as a read to put down the spring and summer reads and step into winter time Ireland.

This book hits two sensitive topics of the impacts of separation and also bereavement. The latter hits close to home for me right now but I found both topics were handled quite beautifully and I had tissues to hand for moral support.

Charlie and Rose hire the same 1 bedroom cottage, at the same time, for the same dates. They only find out about the double booking once both have arrived and fate gets to work making sure they simply have to share it.

Both have broken hearts for different reasons and to protect his Charlie creates a list to help keep Rose at arms length and from there their relationship develops.

I was so behind both Charlie and Rose, their individual journey as well we their joint one. Its hard not to connect with each of them as you learn more. They both have an adorable dog each too.

I appreciated both characters weren’t young 20 somethings and the comedic value of Rusty and his wife Marion. All the side characters felt purposeful to adding an extra sprinkle to the story.

I loved this emotional but also light read of a very sweet romance. I enjoyed the way every character had an impact on each other and the growth of the main characters and weaves into a beautiful happy ending.

Something I’d recommend all year round but if you aren’t like me and stickler for reading in season add this to your Christmas TBR immediately!!

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An enjoyable Christmas romance set in a suitably snowy Irish landscape, with a good supporting cast of village characters and the protagonists' families. The outcome was predictable from page 1, but there were some twists and turns along the way that made this a thoroughly interesting read.

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Rose and Charlie are complete strangers but due to events in their lives, have ended up booking the same cottage at the same time over the Christmas period.

Charlie arrived first, so Rose gracefully bows out only to have her car break down in the small village. Its Christmas time so the part needed is going to take longer than usual to arrive. This means Rose must find somewhere to stay, so she reluctantly turns back to the cottage and Charlie. They agree to make it work for the few days needed for Rose's car to be repaired.

Charlie creates a list of ridiculous rules to ensure they keep their distance from each other, including only communicating by text or the whiteboard he has attached to the fridge.

Of course this lasts a matter of days before each starts to let down their walls and realise that the other person can help them heal the hurt they are both trying to cope with alone.

This is a really nice little Christmas story where the Christmas miracle really does happen. Charlie and Rose find each and together they begin to heal, allowing them to start to be the people they were before their trauma.

Told in dual point of view, it's a fairly slow burn but it's worth it. I felt like Charlie and Rose both grew quite a bit in the few short days they were together, both individually and as a couple. It would have been nice to have seen how things played out with Charlie's daughter.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

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Really enjoyed how this story unfolded. Was lovely to get to the inevitable happy ending. Would definitely recommend.

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I really liked the vibes of this book - it seems like a mature versio of like a 2000 chick-flick.

I loved Charlie's reference to Scrooge in the beginning few chapters because I feel like he kind of has those vibes about him (being isolated from his family and not enjoying christmas and then like transforming to not being isolated and enjoying christmas).

i loved the comedic relief in this book with marion and rusty and how there was a resolution to rose and marion's family drama.

i thought that both charlie and rose definitely had an impact on each other which was nice to see. i felt really glad, on behalf of charlie, because he got to see his daughter for christmas and like be in australia with her. i also feel happy because he stoo dup to his ex-wife and like enforced boundaries with her.

i also thought that it was really good that rose's previus trauma with michael got kinda resolves becuase trauma doesn''t really ever resolve itself. i felt rlly happy that evelyn also got included because she was really isolated. and it was good to see that ttwo of the people impacted by mike's death were able to find happiness with each other.

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Every now and then I really love to get into an emotional story that also has a feel good factor. Thank you to NetGalley for letting me find Emma Heatherington.From the first page the characters enveloped me and although you could guess what would happen it didn't take anything away. A thoroughly heart warming 5 star read

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Christmas used to be a special time for Rose but not now. Desperate to escape she books a cottage in rural Donegal, Christmas is the last thing she wants or needs. But when she finds out her cottage had been booked out she suddenly finds herself having to share with Charlie.

Can this Christmas and fate bring these two together and maybe, just maybe, bring the magic of Christmas back into their lives with love too?

This is a cute little book set in beautiful Ireland. Snuggle in front of fire and escape with that Irish.

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Such a feel good festive cute fest! The characters are so easy to become invested in & the festive back drop got me so excited it’s never too early for Christmas in my eyes & this book got me so excited for the festive season! It’s like a warm cosy winters hug in a book !

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This book was lovely! Made me wish it was Christmas in may! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this book.

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