Catherine Walsh. You did it again. You freaking did it again. 5/5 stars.

I love Walsh’s writing. She’s funny and doesn’t need to use endless tropes to write a good story. Christian and Megan made me laugh out loud! I loved experiencing these two falling in love.

I might be biased to this book but Megan’s story was so relatable to me. I called off my engagement after countless people already booked trips to another country. Him and Isaac are very similar. The reactions were similar. I loved reading a happy ending to what felt like my life.

Snowed In is a cute, fun, wintery read, set in Ireland. I read most of the book, snuggled up in front of a wood burner, whilst Storm Ciaran was battering the UK. The snow, a cabin in the woods and festive Christmas cheer were much more fun than what was going on outside the window at home, so I imagined myself there instead.

I loved Megan and Christian, our two protagonists, who bantered their way into my heart very quickly. They were so good together, right from the beginning I knew they’d hit it off. Megan made a rapid exit from her wedding four years ago and has never been back to her home village since - until now.

Full of love, romance and family loyalties, Snowed In is a beautiful read and will leave you wanting to spend some time on Christian’s family’s farm with the newborn lambs in knitted hats!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Snowed In by Catherine Walsh.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!!! an absolutely brilliant rom com!!!… It made me laugh, cry, scream, shout, angry i thoughly enjoyed all of this book and cant wait to read more from this author.

This heartwarming holiday romcom by Catherine Walsh is filled with protective siblings, overbearing parents, gossip galore, and a small town that either frowns on you, kisses your sweet arse, or simply suffocates you with their lovey duvey sweetness.

*fake dating
*opposites attract
*set in Ireland
*Christmas
*dual POV
*NO. THIRD. ACT. BREAKUP

At a Dublin pub, Megan, the village outcast who left Isaac at the altar, reunites with Christian, an old acquaintance from her small Irish town. Both dreading the holiday season for different reasons, they decide to be each other's fake dates to avoid family drama and pressure, complete with established rules and a signed contract for their charade.

Christian's charismatic nature wins over everyone he meets, but it's his vulnerability within his family that's truly heartwarming, tugging at your emotions, especially during his moments with his father. Megan, on the other hand, grapples with concealing her true self from the judgmental town, as her family remains unaware of the real reason behind her abrupt departure from Isaac at the altar. A heart-to-heart conversation with her mother brings intense emotions to the forefront, evoking a poignant sniff sniff moment.

And the romance? It's simply chef’s kiss perfect. Catherine delivered on her promise to "amp the spice," with sizzling couple scenes that took me by surprise.
You'll adore Christian and Megan, as well as their endearing, silly siblings who are sure to bring a grin to your face.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Catherine Walsh's Snowed In!
What a fun novel to kick off the holiday season with! Fake-dating is a trope I really seem to enjoy, and this book was no exception. I loved the romance, the comedy, the feels, the holiday warm and fuzzies!
Thank you for this advanced read, just in time for the upcoming holiday season.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Snowed In is the newest release by Catherine Walsh! Thank you to @netgalley @bookouture and @catwalshwriter for an ARC!

The Story 📚
Megan hasn’t returned to her hometown since running away from her wedding day four years ago. But with her brother back from Australia for Christmas, she can’t put it off any longer. She’s dreading stepping foot in the town where everyone has something to say, and everybody is team ex fiancé.

Christian faces into another Christmas being alone. In a big family where everyone is loved up, he feels disconnected from them all while convincing everyone he’s grand. What exactly is his life missing?

But, when Megan and Christian bump into each other in a pub in Dublin, they decide to form an agreement - fake a relationship for the holidays. With a lot of history, big families, and a great deal of snow - things can be expected to get a little messy! But how much Christmas magic is in store for Megan and Christian?

The Review 👩🏻‍💻
I just adored this book!! It’s been my favourite of Cat’s so far (I’ve read The Matchmaker and Holiday Romance - so 3 out of 5 of her books!). Sometimes the auld imagination when I’m reading books is terrible. But not with Catherine’s books. The way she writes dialogue between her characters - honestly I could be watching a movie!! The Irish elements and humour just finish it off perfectly. This would be the perfect Irish version of a Hallmark Christmas movie!

Both Megan and Christian’s characters were just so lovable. I really appreciated both of their own individual stories, with some really important topics included (which I don’t want to spoil, but let’s say very related to a former social care job I had, so really welcomed the subject being covered). There was such perfect spice and genuine character building. The worst part of the book was simply the fact it ended! I would have stayed with them forever! It’s also dual POV which worked great!

If you want a fun, Christmas themed romance, I highly recommend! Would make a perfect Christmas present also! But maybe not to the mother in law, things might get awkward…

So cute!! Megan was the best! I loved how everything started with her leaving the altar, and it her hesitance to go along with Christian’s plan made everything feel more realistic. So many times the fake dating trope happens too quickly or too conveniently, but this felt just right. Loved the family and friends of both characters, definitly had some good spice, and I loved the way this wrapped up. Definitely recommend for a cute romcom holiday read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Giggling and kicking my feet 🤭

This was such a fun and cozy holiday romance!! I loved all of the side characters relationships and the character development between Christian and Megan. Christian was supposed to be awful but is actually a big fluffy teddy bear🥰. I do wish we got more closure with their family issues - it was kind of just assumed that everything would go okay after they all talked? ALSO I WAS WAITING FOR THE SWEATER REVEAL AND WE NEVER GOT IT.

If you enjoy friends/acquaintances to lovers with a little bit of holiday sprinkled in there then I would definitely recommend reading this. I will be reading more of Walsh’s work 😊. Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for this arc🫶🏽

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh was my favorite Christmas book last year, so I was SO excited to have Christian's story in Snowed In! I think Christmas family time sets up the perfect recipe for fake dating, and I love how Christian approaches it with Megan. I absolutely love their dynamic. The banter is fresh and hilarious, and I love their personalities and how they fit together.

I think there is some good depth to this book too, with Christian's growth with his expectations for his life and his relationship with his dad, and Megan confronting her past and learning to stand up for herself. They both have strong individual growth that parallels nicely with their relationship growth. I'm so happy that there's no third-act breakup either. Their relationship is organic all the way through.

I'd recommend reading Holiday Romance before Snowed In, since there is significant page time and plot events surrounding Andrew and Molly from Holiday Romance. I loved seeing a lot more of them in this one, but I think people going in blind will either be annoyed or confused by how much page time they get.

The title implies that the characters are "snowed in," and I was surprised that this plot point didn't happen for a looong time. At the same time, I think there was a good amount of time spent being snowed in, but I'm surprised that that's the title and the focus. Also, as a fellow knitter, the fact she made two colorwork sweaters, even with bulky yarn, in two days (even two weeks) is insanity.

Overall, a fantastic Christmas romance! I'll be recommending this series for all my fellow romance lovers!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 5
Plot/Movement: 3.5
Character Development: 5
Overall: 4

Thank you, NetGalley, for the arc!

Trigger/Content Warnings: recounted controlling relationship, mild physical fight, multiple open door (3 I think?)

I absolutely adored the latest book by Catherine Walsh. I love a good Irish romance.
Christian and Megan have known each other for years, in fact, he witnessed her running out on her wedding. Fast forward to years later Christian and Megan bump into each other in a pub in Dublin. Both are headed home to their village for the holiday, but neither are keen on going "alone".

This was such a cute book from almost friends to lovers. I found myself rooting for the couple early on.

One of my favorite tropes in a romance novel is the concept of fake dating and in her latest novel, Catherine Walsh has used the concept of fake dating as the theme of her latest book.

Meet Megan--who broke of an engagement four years ago and then hustled off to the city. Now her ex-fiancé is getting married and Megan who didn't want to go back to the village. At a pub in Dublin, Megan meets Christian, who is tired of spending lonely Christmas and the two hatch up a plan to become a fake couple so they could go back to the village and pretend that they are dating each other. But what they didn't realize is that soon, they start developing feelings for one another.

This was an entertaining and funny read. The story is told in Megan and Christian's POV and through the story, we the family background of both Megan and Christian and the strain in the relationship between some of their family members. We also see that there's a chemistry brewing between Megan and Christian, the fact that they both have feelings for each other, yet they are too shy to express their feelings to each other. I like how the author has crafted out those emotions well. There were some funny parts in the book that makes you laugh out loud while you are reading out the novel as well as some emotional ones. Not only that, but the background of this story is also Christmas which makes it all perfect to read this romance novel set during Christmas time! Catherine Walsh is a great romance author and from all the books I have read from her, this book is one of my favorites of hers.

Get your hot chocolates and get ready to snuggle up a good romance book to read during the Christmas holidays! Worth a solid five star reading.

Thanks you Bookouture for making me a part of this blog tour. Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Let’s preface this review with the fact that I absolutely adored Holiday Romance last winter because I can NEVER get enough of Ireland during the Christmastime. I loved the setting, the plot, the time of year…PERFECTION. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, Catherine Walsh did her thing and gave us MORE.

Snowed In was epically fantastic. It had true love, it had humor, it gave you alllll the feels. The characters were amazing. I loved Megan and Christian and how their relationship came to be. If you like fake dating, you will LOVE this book. Christian and Megan were destined to be together and I loved seeing them and their families together during the holidays.

Essentially, Megan (runaway bride) was making her escape when she ran into her childhood friend, Christian. Christian vowed to never tell anyone he saw her. Five years later, Megan was (stood up) on a date and ran into Christian again by chance, spilling her wine all over him. With the holidays coming up, they both had obligations that they didn’t want to show up to alone and single. Thus, the faking dating began and the rest was history.

Please keep the Christmas books coming!!! This little series has become one of my favorite holiday reads! If you’re a Christmas gal, love Ireland, fake dating and a fantastically written romantic comedy — this is your book.

Another fantastic holiday read by Catherine Walsh! Fake dating is my jam and this one did not disappoint. If you read Holiday Romance and loved in then you’ll need to read this one. There’s a little bit of Andrew and Molly in it. I really did enjoy all of this book…the writing, the humor, the banter, the setting, the plot and my favorite, no third act break up!! If you’re looking for a holiday rom com then definitely pick this one up.

4.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the E-Book. Christian's was the story I did not know I needed from the Fitzpatrick Family. This is the 3rd book I read from the author and it did not disappoint. This can be read as a standalone but I Highly Recommend also reading Holiday Romance because it was sooo good. I loved seeing the relationship grow between Christian and Megan and seeing them both grow individually. I loved the Fitzpatrick Family just like I did in Holiday Romance. We need Zoe's story next.

I love everything Catherine Walsh does and this book brought me full speed into the holiday spirit. After Megan and Christian reconnect with an adorable meet cute that involved a charming blood donation fainting mishap. They set up a fake dating situation to deal with their hometowns/families for the holidays. If you’ve read any of Walsh’s previous work and enjoyed it then this is a great book for you, I can already picture it as a Christmas movie!

Snowed In tells the story of Megan and Christian. They are from the same village and last saw each other a few years ago when Megan was a runaway bride. Both single and kinda-sorta dreading going home for the holidays because of it, they decide to show up in big ways for each other with a fake dating contract.

This was a fun holiday read with plenty of tropes. I enjoyed living vicariously through a cozy Irish Christmas, and I liked the way the characters supported each other. I loved this as a work of women's fiction but the romance left me wanting more.

Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for gifting me with an ARC to review! I enjoyed it.

5/5 - Delightful!! I’m not a big holiday romance gal but this book may turn me into one!

This had some new-to-me and all-time-favorite tropes - runaway bride, fake dating, forced proximity, protective MMC (but in a thoughtful, appealing way not an annoying misogynistic way) - plus small town drama, all in a dual POV single timeline format that worked SO well. I also loved that this takes place in Ireland (Dublin, but mostly a smaller village outside of it) - it made the dialogue so much more fun! Between Megan and Christian’s smart banter and the interactions with their quirky families (the Fitzpatricks - love ‘em!) I audibly laughed a LOT.

Megan and Christian were super likable and realistic MCs - they had a pretty magnetic connection and *excellent* chemistry. I was rooting for them from the beginning! There is tension, steam and some epic (open door) spicy scenes! While there is reference to an abusive relationship (Walsh provides a TW before the book begins), there aren’t any explosive upsetting scenes or themes. Emotion, yes! But overall this is a feel good book that gets better and better as you read. I loved that the story was heartfelt and encouraging. Also Christian’s ending monologue was 👌🏻 - we love a grand gesture!

This is technically a sequel to one of Walsh’s earlier books, Holiday Romance, so I’m starting that now! Thank you to @netgalley @bookouture and @catwalshwriter for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. OUT YESTERDAY so you can snatch it up now!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing an eARC of Snowed In in exchange for this honest review!

5/5 stars, 1.5/5 spice

Snowed In is a fantastic Christmas romance perfect for people who enjoy runaway bride, fake dating, small town romance, and (best of all) NO 3rd Act Breakup!!

The chemistry between Megan and Christian is palpable right from the start. I absolutely adored their messy family dynamics and Megan learning how to take control of her image again.

Snowed In is a Must Have book for the holiday season, or really any time of year for those that want a sweet and cozy romance.

Another Catherine Walsh holiday masterpiece! I remember reading “Holiday Romance,” and I loved it so much that it baffled me that I don’t see enough people talking about it. I’m so happy to find out that Molly and Andrew are back in this book! And engaged! I loved this book just as much. I love how Christian is secretly a big romantic and I love how Megan tries so hard to not be immune to his whims. Fake-dating is always fun especially on holidays. What could go wrong? You catch feelings that’s always been there even before you come up with the fake-dating plan? That’s great! Megan and Christian’s chemistry is so fun and heartwarming. Catherine Walsh’s books have a specific kind of humour I can’t explain but I always love. I love that it was in here too. I hope we get Zoe’s story too.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is how you do holiday romance! Fun, flirty and just adorable, I couldn’t get enough of Megan and Christian! It’s a cute fake dating, friends to lovers story that will leave you smiling from ear to ear especially when you add in all the holiday festivities as well. It’s going to be one I re read to every year for sure.
When Megan called off her wedding to her high school sweetheart by literally running away from the altar, she upended her life completely. She moved away from her hometown and started over and didn’t look back. She hasn’t been back home since. Now it’s four years later and her parents want her to finally come back for the holidays as her brother is coming in from New Zealand.
Christian was in Megan’s class in school and he too is dreading going back home for the holidays because all his family are loved up and he is single and they are always onto him about when he’s going to get married and he has no prospects at the moment because he’s married to his job. So when he bumps into Megan in a pub in Ireland they come up with a plan to be each others dates for the holidays so they set up some rules to “fake date” each other in front of their families. However, as they spend more time together, it gets harder and harder to see the line between what’s fake and what their real feelings are. Can they pull this off? After all it’s just for two weeks, how hard can it be?
This is the perfect holiday read to cozy up with a cup of cocoa and get lost for a few hours and if it doesn’t leave you feeling festive then you need to check your Grinch heart because this checks all the boxes.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.