I found This Christmas to be an OK read. It was quite a slow book, nothing really seemed to happen in the majority of the story. Unfortunately it just didn't work for me in the way I had hoped it would.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

A cute, Christmas read.

I felt like the book was hard to get into at first because the narrative felt like it didn’t flow perfectly. It also felt like a very typical Christmas love story.

This is an easy, cosy read which ticks most of the boxes you need for a feel good Christmas read.

I found the first part of the book a little slow but it did pick up and the characters felt fairly well developed and honest.

This was a strong 3 star for me as it did feel like a pretty predictable story but sweet nonetheless.

‘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.

Emma Heatherington is back and oh what a beautiful and brilliant gem this is.

Is there anything better than a new book by this author? YES- a new CHRISTMAS book. This Christmas has been everything I had hoped for and so much more.

This book is full on Christmas vibes and I’m here for it. This is the perfect heartwarming love story which I have devoured in just one sitting. This is the perfect winters my escape and feel good because ok that I have been looking for.

Rose wants an escape for Christmas so randomly sends a message to see if she can stay at Seaview Cottage. Charlie is spending a first Christmas alone with his dog. Only to find that they have both booked the same little cottage.

This has been a brilliant escapist read to Ireland. I found this a great read to snuggle down with on a cold winter day. Heatherington has pulled me in and made this a read that has been impossible to put down.

Our main characters are the complete opposite, however I have adored both of them. Each have their own struggles to contend with and we really get to know them in this book.

Heatherington has made me fall in love with this one. My heart has been stolen and This Christmas is a book which has completely enticed me and kept me craving more and more as I’ve devoured each page.

Emma Heatherington is an author who gets better and better. This is quite possibly my favourite book by her yet. I loved this book from beginning to end.

I have no hesitation in recommending this gem to other readers. This is a book worthy of all the stars.

This Christmas is a cosy festive romance novel by Emma Heatherington.
I absolutely loved this festive romance novel from the very first page. It's perfect to curl up with over the festive season.
The story was easy to follow and had a great cast of characters. A brilliant novel that I highly recommend.
💖 Thank you to the author, Emma Heatherington, netgalley and the publisher for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a heartwarming, cosy Christmas story! I really loved both rose and Charlie and knew i was going to fall in love with their story from the moment they ended up having to stay together in the cottage.
This story deals with grief and finding love again and did it such a beautiful way, I absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a romantic Christmassy read!

Cute but emotional Christmas romance
4 Stars

I am a sucker for a Christmas romance and this one sounded cute and cosy - I couldn’t resist. It’s my first time reading Emma Heatherington even though I now see she’s written over 15 other books. But where better to start than a festive tale?

Firstly, I have to say that I hate the practice of name-checking other books and films when trying to sell other books. And this one chooses to say that it’s “the most romantic love story since The Holiday.” I love The Holiday. I don’t see it as a particularly romantic film - and even so, this book just doesn’t do well by any comparison. It’s not as light-hearted or have that same sparkle. But what about the book when not compared to something else?

I knew from the blurb that there was going to be some hard times with this book but I wasn’t prepared for the difficult emotions to be blasted right from the first page. We obviously know that something has happened to our main characters - Rose and Charlie - but everything is drip-fed to us, so much so that I started getting annoyed. Just tell us what happened, for goodness sake! So from the start, I definitely didn’t get the fun, cute and festive vibes I was looking for.

I liked both Rose and Charlie. Rose was such a sweetheart and I felt so bad for her. While she was successful in her professional life, I so wanted for her to move on in her personal life. While I couldn’t relate with her in many ways - I definitely did identify with her practice of hiding her true feelings behind a cheerful or happy facade. Charlie was a little grumpy at first but he grew on me in much the same way that he grew on Rose. And special mention for the dogs - gah, so cute!

This book was an extremely slow burn romance. A glacial pace burn. It was nice to watch our couple develop their relationship and grow into something much more than they started with but I would have liked the pacing to be a little bit faster and keep my attention a little more.

A really big part of the joy of this book was in the setting. It was cosy, cute, festive and everything you can imagine when you think of a Christmas cottage in the countryside. The writing was engaging, the scene wonderful and the romance satisfying. It’s not a 5 star read for me but it was enjoyable if a little too emotional for me to love it. 4 stars.

A proper festive story. Cosy up and snuggle with a hot chocolate. Rose wants Christmas alone and so does Charlie. They both arrive at Seaside Cottage to find it’s been double booked. How will they spend their Christmas?

What a really lovely festive story, I just loved the book from the start and could so imagine what Seaside Cottage looked like .This book made me laugh out loud and i did shed a little tear, just loved the storyline.
My thanks as always to Netgalley and to Random House UK, Cornerstone, Penguin for the early read.

Just a good one.
Read it in one sitting. Four stars read.
I deeply enjoyed it.
Thanks to netgalley for this book

A festive story of double booking at Christmas. Charlie and Rose are thrown together when both of them are seeking solitude at Christmas and neither of them have many other options. Whilst this is primarily a romance novel, other darker issues of grief, loss and loneliness are sensitively explored. Recommended.

It is a bit slow, especially at the start and so it takes me a while to get into it and the ending feels a bit rushed . One oddity is a character does a complete 180 personality change. Is it a sprinkling of Christmas Magic? Let’s go with a yes.

Overall, this is a lovely wintry escapist read, and obviously it snows.!! The lovely cover also entices you in.

It took me while to get in the mood of the book, but once I did, I really enjoyed the story. It’s a very romantic slow-burn type of book that is more than just two people meeting. The way the main characters show up to each other when they need is lovely. Great Christmas read!

What a lovely Christmas novel, I did wonder if it would work when I read the blub, which I never do when choosing a book but when I read it I found that it was a great read. 5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for this ARC

Rose is grieving for her boyfriend who was killed in an accident on Christmas Eve. Charlie is missing his daughter who is living in Tenerife with her mum and new stepdad. They both book to stay at Seaview Cottage, Rose's gran's house in County Donegal.
So what will they do? Both need to space to sort their problems but need solitude.
I cared about the characters and how they worked through their problems. Fairly predictable but a nice feel good tale.

I was provided a free advanced copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Rose and Charlie both have great reasons to be spending the Christmas holiday alone. That's why they requested the use of a cottage so they could be alone. Except, Rose and Charlie are strangers and don't realize they accidentally double book the cottage! Due to car trouble they decide they can share the one bedroom cottage for a little while, and just stay out of each other's way. But as they both navigate the grief they are dealing with, they realize this accidental encounter may be just what they both need!
Although this is a fun romance story, I felt it was pretty heavy as well. I struggled a bit with connecting to the characters with and fully seeing their connections. I enjoyed the sweetness of their interactions at times, and loved the comedic relief with the dogs!
If you're looking for a Christmas story, check this one out. It was published last week, so you can grab it now!
#NetGalley #ThisChristmas

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Rose hasn’t been home to visit her family for Christmas since disaster struck. Charlie is struggling and is about to face his first Christmas on his own. Rose escapes to Donegal to a little cottage in order to spend Christmas wallowing alone. Charlie has arranged to spend his Christmas in a little cottage in Donegal. Little do they know the cottage is the same one. Will they decided to share the cottage and get through Christmas or will they decide who will stay in the cottage whilst the other one finds somewhere else to stay. A great book of heartache, love and moving on.

What a charming holiday adventure to commence the Christmas season! Emma Heatherington's #ThisChristmas reminds us to look beyond the surface as people are dealing with challenges despite cheerful façades.

Rose and Charlie each booked the cottage to escape from heartbreaking loses. Charlie's daughter was whisked away to Tenerife after his ex-wife's hasty remarriage and Rose is dealing with her boyfriend's death on Christmas Eve three years prior.

Both afraid to love again, they've locked away their hearts and sworn off celebrating the season. Forced to share the cottage, the two communicated by text instead of talking to each other. As the snowflakes trickle down, the icy walls begin to melt away. Will the double booking alter their reservations about the future?

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of This Christmas in exchange for a honest review. When gifted the novel to read, I put it aside for the right occasion. The day's dreary weather made it the perfect time to cozy up under the covers and get swept by Christmas magic.

Wow, what a fantastic read. I felt like I was cocooned in a warm duvet.
Rose hasn’t got over the death of her boyfriend three years ago on Christmas Eve, she just wants to be alone for Christmas. Charlie is missing his daughter, because his ex has married and taken Rebecca to Tenerife to live, he just wants to be alone for Christmas. Both have booked a remote cottage on the close in Donegal. What could go wrong?
I loved this book, I laughed, I cried.
Well written and so engaging. It felt a little deeper than normal chick-lit, with some substance and a few learning points.