title: One Christmas Eve

I loved how this book
tells the story of 3 women, over 3 generations and over 3 Christmas's!

Life decisions you make, have an impact for
years to come...

Such a lovely book.


Publication 29th Aug

I just reviewed One Christmas Eve by Shari Low. #OneChristmasEve #NetGalley #bookstagramshaz

If you follow my reviews you may have noticed I am a huge fan of Shari Low’s books. I especially love these books which take place over the space of one day.

This book was cleverly written over the space of three different decades by three different women from different generations. The day is split into two hour sections where we find out what happens to Cathy, Helen and Eve at that time in the different years. I’m maybe making it sound complicated but it really isn’t and I loved the way it all came together at the end.

As with each of Shari’s books I was going through all the emotions. One moment I’d be filling up then the next laughing, she has such a beautiful writing style.

This is up there as one of my personal favourites by the author. If you love drama and romance with some twists along the way I recommend this one.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and the publisher for having me on the tour and for my gifted ebook.

Another triumph by the fantastic @sharilowbooks, this is such a beautifully written story with it's multi generational characters and all three stories are woven together perfectly. The story is heartwarming and emotional and I think any reader will conmeect with the character in their stage of life. I completely adored this book I am crossing my fingers for a sequel.

Have the tissues close to hand whilst reading...you can thank me later!

I've lost count of how many of Low's books I've reviewed for Rachel's Random Resources now, not only have I enjoyed them all, I think I've just found my absolute favourite in One Christmas Eve.

The story is told over one Christmas Eve but through three different timelines - 1967, 1994 and the now 2023, through three women from the same family. This is their story of what makes Christmas special to them.

What makes your Christmas special?

I've literally spent the whole afternoon curled up with the book and didn't want it to end.

Highly enjoyable, with relatable characters, romance, emotion and a sprinkle of Christmas magic.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming in the Hallmark way

Cathy, 1968: When her lost love comes for a visit, Cathy has to decide whom she will choose and what it means for her future.
Helena, 1993: As an aspiring solicitor, Cathy’s daughter is her opposite in every way. Yet, she is delighted by the prospect of formalizing her relationship with her boyfriend. Until she finds something she’d rather not have.
Eve, 2023: Her life turns upside down when the DNA test reveals a hidden truth. But how is it possible, and who will answer the questions? Can Eve find the truth after all these years?
The events take place on Christmas Eve, from morning to night. The alternative chapters show the storyline of the main characters and their lives, bringing everything together at the end.
The story comes in the third-person POV of three main characters – Cathy, Helena, and Eve.

My Thoughts:
Having read the previous two books in this not-a-series, I knew what to expect from this one. The book takes us through the lives of three people in different years but on the same day – Christmas Eve.
Cathy is a 75-year-old woman, Helena’s mom and Eve’s grandma. She is cheerful, fun-loving, and like a warm hug that would make anyone feel better. Easily my favorite character in the book. Eve is twenty-nine, successful in her career as an agent to actors. She is sweet, cute, and easygoing. Her arc is decent, too.
Now, I’m not sure if Helena was deliberately written that way or if there’s a gap in idea and execution. I disliked her almost throughout the book. Except for that last chapter from her POV (which is redemption a little too late, IMO), it’s hard to empathize with her. Mind you, this comes from someone who prefers to be in control of emotions. However, Helena is more like a robot even before things ‘went wrong’.
The side characters are okay, and none except Richie, Duncan, and Loretta get enough space to be anything other than props.
The writing is easy enough to read and tries to minimize repetition, which I appreciate. Since the pacing is slow, repetition could have further weighed it down. There are still some, but it cannot be helped given the choice of presentation.
Christmas, as such, doesn’t play a major role in the plot. It’s there in the background and gives the feel, but that’s it. If you want an exclusive Christmas story, this may not work.
The revelation and the climax feel too easy. The lack of drama is good, but I wouldn’t have minded if things were a wee bit hard. I mean, it feels so simple when a character laments about something throughout the book and gets it with almost no effort at the end. However, Cathy’s track is adorable, and I do like it the best.
A couple of twists are thrown in to keep the readers interested. I did guess one, but I did guess the other. In fact, I figured that right at the beginning when the character was introduced. No complaints, but exploring this a little instead of summing it up at the end would have made things feel a little real.
The cover is beautiful! I love the color combination and the joyful vibes it gives. There’s an epilogue too (hurray).

To summarize, One Christmas Eve is a Hallmarkish cozy family saga with some secrets, second chances, and reunions. It’s quite lighthearted and enjoyable.
Thank you, NetGalley and Boldwood Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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One Christmas Eve by Shari Low is a delightful novel set over twenty four hours in three different time periods – 1968, 1993, 2023.
The years are linked by the female line in a family going down through the grandmother, mother and granddaughter. We follow them alternately in two hour blocks as we drop in on one Christmas Eve.
There is a beautiful bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter, partly created by the mother being a workaholic, even on Christmas Eve. “Her mum was making it clear that her other option was work, yet she was still choosing that instead of spending time with them.” We only have one life and we need to choose wisely. No-one ever said on their deathbed ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office.’ We need to get our priorities right.
We witness the love to last a lifetime. There may be other loves but that one big love will never die. Love has the ability to send us back to feeling like teenagers – no matter how old we are.
We see the special place in hearts for over fifty years. It is a place that one will return to again and again in order to relive a moment.
One night of reckless gay abandon will have percussions down the years that no one could have dreamt of.
There is pressure at work to succeed. Marriages are sometimes made for career advancement. Others are made for love.
Life is for living. We need to grab it while we can. “They still sought every chance to laugh and be happy.”
All the characters were delightfully drawn. They sank into my heart and soul as they blended seamlessly with the white winter wonderland.
One Christmas Eve is such a delightful read. I am sorry it has ended.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

One Christmas Eve is another lovely story by Shari Low. This one tells the story of three generations of women. It had me laughing out loud in places and also reaching for the tissues in others. A really lovely read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC.

Shari Low is just brilliant. Another amazing story told in 3 different timelines, all coming together perfectly. You’ll never be disappointed with a Shari Low book!

This was a really lovely story with some laugh out loud moments that I really enjoyed it's actually about 3 Christmas eves told by 3 generations of women I would definitely recommend this book so get it on your Christmas reading list

As the youths of today would say ‘I was absolutely buzzing’ when I saw that a new Shari Low book had been released. I just love every second of her books especially (as I have said in my reviews of her earlier books) the fact that they are set in and around Glasgow so I can almost envisage where the places in the book are. My favourite thing about Shari Low’s books is how invested I get in the characters and how I feel like I know them all almost as well as I know my own family.

As with many of her other books, this book is set over a period of one day … Christmas Eve but it’s Christmas Eve in the swinging sixties, naughty nineties and present day.

Eve has just received news that the man she thought was her Dad for the last 29 years is not.

Cathy (Eve’s gran) is moving out of the home she shared with her husband, Duncan, for more than fifty years before he died. She loved Duncan but has always had a soft spot for her first love. Her Christmas Eve takes us back to the sixties and the year her daughter was born.

Helena (Eve’s mum) has a birthday celebration each Christmas Eve to make up for her birthday being Christmas Day. She is a hotshot lawyer who works long long hours and as a result Eve spent more time with her grandparents than her own mum. Her Christmas Eve takes us back to the nineties.

As I said, I love every second of these books and how people’s lives in them entwine. This book had me laughing out loud many a time but also had occasions where I shed a tear. I don’t know how Shari Low does it but she hits the spot each and every time.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I have loved Shari’s One books and this was probably one of my favourites. While the others were set over one day this was slightly different being set over one Christmas Eve but over three different timelines.

I have to say the 1968 timeline was heartbreaking but also the one I was most drawn to. What happens here causes a butterfly effect that the other two show the repercussions of. Cathy was such a selfless character and the choice she makes was for the well-being of many other characters, particularly her younger sister Loretta.

The next timeline is Cathy’s daughter Helena’s aka St Helena of the Holy Humour Bypass and showing her past really opens her up from the cold character she is in the next timeline that belongs to her daughter Eve. It also helped with clues to the mystery of who is Eve’s biological father.

Eve is closer to her grandmother Cathy than her mother but after doing an ancestry DNA test she discovers her mother has not only been a distant parent she’s also kept the truth from her. I loved the relationship between Eve and Cathy and how she confides in her and the impact of all that has happened coming to a surprising conclusion.

What really made this book stand out as special was the sacrifices that women make and how they put others happiness before their own. As they open up to each other can they put the past behind them and get their happy ever afters?

With her trademark equal measures of heartbreak and humour this is a beautiful story of generations of women with just enough fairy lights and twinkle to make it Christmassy.

My Review: Another fabulous read from the awesome Shari, I really am a massive fan of her books and always look forward to the next one, and finish a current one with great sadness that I have to wait again. There are three perspectives from which this book is told, each on Christmas. Eve's is set in 2023, her mum Helena's is set in 1993 and her grandmother is set in 1968. I won't spoil too much, but as ever there are family secrets that change everyone's world. The dynamics between the women isn't straight forward and slightly strained. Well, Shari also manages to bring in the music and the humour, as well at the way of living from each year. The other characters are also fun, interesting and damaged in just the right places. It's a lot, but it works. Recommended. PS: I also have the Audible version on my phone to listen to, the narrator is lovely.

Oh I do love Shari Low's books! They are so rich in characterisation and I just love the Glasgow humour and dialect. Recognising locations is another bonus! She writes female characters beautifully and they really come to life.
Ok there are quite a few coincidences but it's a novel so just go with it! Lots of heart in this story, I loved it.

One Christmas Eve.
Three women.
Three timelines.
One very happy ending.
Shari Low has a gift for creating easy to digest stories with many layers and unexpected endings. I have thoroughly enjoyed One Day With You andOne Moment in Time. This new release is my third title by the author. I believe there may be a total of thirty books that she has written. That is good news as I intend to track down more of her titles in the future. If you are ready for a holiday read, get to know Eve, Helena, and Cathy. You will love their story. 🎄

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

One Christmas Eve…but spread over years and featuring three female members of the same family. Cathy, Helena and Eve…each with their own special story about Christmas - whether it’s being reunited with a lost love, realising your partner is cheating on you so seeking solace in the arms of a handsome stranger or finding your family.
Each of the women has a reason to find Christmas special. The story takes us through a pivotal moment for each.
A fast-paced story about love, romance and taking your opportunity for happiness when it comes. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.

Oh my, this is another outstanding book from Shari Low. I genuinely couldn’t put it down and inhaled every word. Perfectly curated across 3 dates over time, we begin in the slight future with Christmas Eve 2023 and then fall back to 1993 and then 1968. Each year is led by a different character.
In the near future, we follow Eve Quinn as she deals with the fallout from a potentially devastating piece of news. We then fall back to 1993 and meet Helena, Eve’s mother, and learn about her momentous Christmas Eve. Finally, we fall back to 1968 and follow Cathy McLean, mother and grandmother to Helena and Eve; she has her own secrets from a Christmas Eve, many years ago.
The format of the changing hours and years completely captured my imagination and had me falling for that age-old reading promise, ‘just one more chapter’. I don’t think there are sufficient superlatives to convey how much I enjoyed reading this book. It really is incredibly special.
I immediately took to both Cathy and Eve but struggled with Helena. Her character was far less attractive to me, and I was initially ambivalent about her story. Trust me, that didn’t last, and I was soon marvelling at the way the 3 timelines slotted together so perfectly.
It certainly left me in awe of Shari Low’s writing, and I must commend the skill with which she brought this story to life. The characters developed without me even noticing. I still can’t recall how I became so completely invested in them all. Cathy was definitely my favourite, and I was praying for her to find a happy ending. I certainly didn’t expect the end results or the clever planning that helped create a conclusion that had me gasping with satisfaction.
If you’ve not read anything by Shari Low before, this is an excellent place to start and is guaranteed to deliver everything you could want from a Christmas book.

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

This beautiful and heart-warming story follows three generations of women in the same family, Eve, Helena, and Cathy. It follows them through important times of their lives on Christmas Eve as they try to work through love, loss, and the reality of life.

In the present-day Eve has just found out a shocking secret but must hold it together for her Nan as she is moving out of her home she shared with her late husband.

Back to 1993 and Helena has a decision to make, which will shape her future.

In 1968, Cathy has an unexpected visitor, and she also must make an impossible decision.

What decisions will the women make? Will Eve find out the answers she seeks?

I loved this story, it was both heart-warming, beautifully written and mesmerising.

I found the layout of it all being on the same day and going through the time periods made it a lot easier to read and kept you wanting to keep reading to find out what would happen later in the day.

The characters are all very strong women, and even though they may have made some mistakes they do what is right for their family.

Overall, a beautiful and heart-warming book which shows three generations of women in the family dealing with love, loss, and life.

This was such a great read.

We get the story of three generations of one family and how the events of a single evening (Christmas Eve) can change the course of your life. There’s second chances, plenty of feelings and a touch of Christmas whimsy.

It was different to my usual reads and was a really great change of pace. I loved it!

I feel right in the Christmas spirit after reading this book and it's only August. I think this is the best book that Shari Low has written so far. It's told like most of her other books over one day and this one is Christmas Eve but it's a little bit different in that it's told from different decades of Christmas Eve. The three strong women in the book were a riot especially Cathy and I initially thought that it would become confusing being told from the different decades but it's told so well that I never felt lost or confused and easily slipped into the story. The little touches of Christmas descriptions such as popular Christmas Songs and festive dinners really make you sense the day and I had to remind myself a few times that it isn't actually Christmas Eve yet. A story of friendship, family, love and complicated relationships.

I love Shari Low’s books so much. This one is part of her collection of books that take place on a single day. These aren’t a series just a set of standalone books with one in the title. For some reason, these books really appeal to me. This particular title is a bit different as it all happens on Christmas Eve but to three different generations of women in three different timelines. Shari Low manages to handle the three different decades perfectly and all three threads weave together in a cohesive plot that seamlessly combines into an exciting ending.

The story has a bit of romance but it isn’t the main focus of the book. I think that’s why I enjoyed this so much. Don’t get me wrong I love a good romance once in a while too but what appealed to me about this book is the fact that it is about relationships, mostly the mother-daughter kind. It also shows that you can love again and it’s never too late to try. I could really relate to some of these situations and to the ladies. They were authentic, realistic, true to life and happy ever after perfection. All. The. Stars.