Isn’t that cover just stunning? The book is set in Copenhagen and honestly, I now just want to get on a plane and head there to experience the Christmas markets, wander by the canals and experience the Danish Christmas traditions.

This is not your typical Christmas romance, although romance does play a part. Darcy is working on her PhD in art history in Copenhagen and her relationship has recently broken up. Her loved up friend Freja is determined that she won’t be on her own at Christmas and sets her up on a dating app, where Darcy has matched with three men. There’s a bit of a conflict of interest though when one of the three, Max, turns out to be a lawyer she will be in close contact with through her research project. Close contact of a different kind may be on both their minds but they agree to keep things strictly professional.

I found the storyline about Darcy’s research into the mysterious painting socompelling. I don’t know much about the art world really and it was so interesting to read about the techniques used when working with valuable paintings. I visited the Rijksmuseum, in Amsterdam earlier this year where the painting The Night Watch is currently undergoing a major restoration programme and the public can watch the process. Reading about the research and discovery of a hidden painting in this book put me in mind of that and was just fascinating.

All I Want for Christmas is a real page-turner of a book and Karen Swan had me glued to the pages throughout. I couldn’t wait to find out the story behind the hidden painting and I couldn’t wait to find out if Darcy would find her perfect match. Highly recommended for your Christmas reading list. Although actually, even though it’s set around Christmas time, I would say the main focus is on the mysterious artwork so if you can’t fit it in before Christmas, don’t be put off. You could easily enjoy this at any time of the year.

I loved everything about this book, the setting in Denmark is just such a wonderful place to set a book around winter time. The main characters were well developed and pull you into their worlds really easily. I liked the plot set around art, it gave the book a sense of the past and of something a bit special.
The author’s writing is always so engaging, capturing your interest and I always think the characters feel so real and alive, they could step right off the pages.
As a love story I enjoyed the tension created and there is not a book I haven’t loved by this author. A read which transports you to a country which provides a beautiful backdrop to a story of love and attraction and hidden secrets in the world of art.
Another perfect Christmas read by Karen Swan

Another great read from Karen. I enjoyed this one even though it wasn't very Christmassy. This being set in Denmark made it a little bit different from her others. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Karen Swan delivers another charming Christmas tale with All I Want for Christmas. Set in the magical, festive streets of Copenhagen, the story follows Darcy Cotterell, who is newly single and determined to focus on her PhD. But her friend Freja has other plans, pushing her to join a dating app. Amidst three first dates and a captivating art mystery, Darcy finds herself entangled in love, self-discovery, and festive wonder.

The novel's setting is richly atmospheric, bringing Copenhagen to life with its snowy streets and warm holiday traditions. The art-history subplot adds an intriguing layer, particularly as Darcy uncovers the secrets of a mysterious painting. Swan's characters are relatable and well-developed, especially Darcy and her relationships with those around her.

While the story delivers plenty of heartwarming moments and twists, alt ough sometimes predictable. Swan’s signature ability to balance romance, mystery, and personal growth makes this an engaging and cosy seasonal read.

A brilliant book by one of my favourite authors. What a delight to be able to read this book. The characters become Alive.

🎧 Audiobook Review🎧

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I want to thank Netgalley for approving me for an ARC of this book.

Karen Swans transports us to beautiful Denmark where the picturesque descriptions are enough to make anyone want to visit.

The tenuous relationship between Darcy and Max was entertaining. The sarcasm and banter was in full force and the forced proximity was excruciating but fun.

The mystery surrounding the painting was my favourite part. Seeing how Darcy set about discovering its origins gave me a new appreciation for the level of research that has to be conducted.

🌟🌟🌟🌟✨

I love Karen Swan's books and this one did not fail to impress.

Darcy is a student in Denmark on secondment from university in London, studying her PhD. She is given the chance of a lifetime from her boss, to uncover the identity of a woman in a hidden portrait which is behind a picture owned by the state of Denmark,

At the same time, she is nearly single and has been challenged to find her new man on a dating app by her housemate, she has to pick 3 men and see what happens.

There are many challenges to her first two dates, but her third one, the lawyer, is non responsive. This now leads to her meeting him, and that lawyer is Max!

This is where work and her private life collides - Max is now part of both! She is having to be a detective to find the identity of her mystery lady but under certain parameters, she cannot study the archives anywhere other than the Foundation or Max's home... there are many consequences to this and you never know where the story will go!

The other men... well this is a romance, you know where that will go, but not the how, what, where..

The ending... oh my word, you never know what can happen when everything collides. The last chapter was beautiful! Will definitely recommend this to people...

When I started the book I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy it. But a few chapters in and I found I was liking it more and more. I loved the connections from Darcy's research and present day. Darcy's character was very relateable.

Although the book was set over Christmas, I didn't find the book too Christmassy which I'm glad as the story line was great as it was. It was just the right amount

A great read for this time of year 😊

Darcy meets Max at a party, not realizing that she had 'met' him on a dating app. Soon her work is forcing them to spend more time together but he is keeping secrets and has his own agenda so what will happen when she finds out?

If you’re looking for a cozy wintery read that is more Christmas adjacent than outright Christmassy then this one might be for you.

The story follows main character Darcy as she navigates a shocking mystery uncovered in the Dutch art world while she also juggles her ailing love life which she’s trying to reignite in time for Christmas.

The mystery in the storyline is quite similar to the story in another of Karen’s books - The Paris Secret. The unfolding of all of Darcy’s detective work kept me guessing right until the end although I did have my suspicions!

The romantic storyline is very much an angsty enemies to lovers romance. The angst is heightened by what’s at stake with the paintings and the battle for ownership.

I’m a big fan of Karen’s writing. Especially how she manages to bring the settings so vividly into the story. This one is set mostly in Copenhagen and you can just really imagine it through her writing. I thought the characters were really well written, believable and realistic as well which made this a quite enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC of this title.

This was honestly quite an interesting read and the art history element along with the historical storyline and the romance between the main characters made this an enjoyable Christmas read

A Karen Swan book in time for Xmas is always a treat. The Copenhagen setting and the friendship between Darcy and Freja made this one pop for me, however the romance with the avoidant/gaslighting/love bombing Max was just not working for me. He was so unlikeable and contrary, the character just repulsed me and I spent the whole book hoping they wouldn't end up together. The art history element was out of my usual area of interest but it was well done so it felt like learning as well as enjoying the mystery at the centre of the book.

All I Want For Christmas by Karen Swan @panmacmillan a NetGalley review. I can’t remember the what time I read a book by this author and hopefully I won’t leave it so long next time. Darcy and Max are entangled and thrown together when Darcy is asked to research a mystery painting, a painting steeped in family secrets. Max and Darcy are equally stubborn and focused, perhaps destined to clash but equally destined to ignite passion in one another. For me the story the characters are tangled in, with the mystery painting, is the best part of this book and in all honesty the characters did get on my nerves a bit, especially with their dithering will they won’t they relationship. That part of the book was predictable. It’s a beautifully written book as you would expect with this author, however it did take a while for this story to grab me and in parts I found it boring until the story got into the thick of revealing the paintings secrets, they things completely changed and I couldn’t put it down and when it did end, I felt it ended far to abruptly, reading the story one minute and the next page was the end! I even double checked that it was actually the end! Once the books gets going it’s a strong, interesting and intriguing read. As you would expect with @swannywrites it’s a very descriptive book, painting a vivid picture, igniting the imagination. Definitely worth a read and a read for anytime of the year, I would recomend to friends and family and give it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is 99p on kindle at Amazon currently so definitely worth a purchase.

Smart is the new sexy.
Who would have thought that romance mixes so well with art history?
I loved all the discussions about fine art, paintings and history, and found the Danish setting refreshing. The book didn't have a real festive feel (to me) but the story undoubtedly takes place before Christmas. Karen Swan's books are always a joy to read and this one was no exception.

Another brilliantly written book by Karen Swan i love her writting style so easy to read your pull into the plot i loved all the unexpected twists, which keeps you wanting to continue reading until the end i recommend to you all a great Xmas read

Let me get my biggest (and pretty much only) criticism out of the way. Doing a PhD does not make you a professor and writing a thesis does not get you a professorship. Having finished a PhD makes you a doctor, not a professor. I have a PhD and I am nowhere near a professor. Being a professor is the most senior staff grade, not a qualification, instead it involves publishing lots of academic papers and doing a post-doctoral programme as well as teaching and researching.

Apart from that, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I love anything Scandi so was delighted to find myself in Copenhagen, one of my favourite cities ever. I even went for a run after reading the chapter with the 10k run (though I can only wish mine had been a 10k). I liked how the story, once again, revolved around art. I am not one to go to museums a lot, I find them rather boring, but I found myself googling certain pieces or painters while reading, just because I wanted to know what they looked like. I also loved the tension between Max and Darcy, even though I think this kind of story is one of the reasons why I, and many others, have a thing for men who are unapproachable and don't let anyone close, we believe we can be the exception, their Darcy...

I have read almost all of Karen Swan's books and while I think they somewhat fall into the chick-lit category, which isn't my favourite, they are always more complex and well-researched (apart from the PhD bit in this case, ha!), and include various timelines, which makes her books stand out. If a book makes me stay up past my bedtime because I just can't put it down, it's usually either a crime/thriller, or a Karen Swan!

It wouldn't be Christmas without a cracking new festive book from Karen Swan, and this year's is as brilliant as ever!

What an utterly absorbing story this was, I was engrossed in the mystery at the heart of it, and just how Darcy was going to work out who the subject of a hidden painting was, and then bringing them to life, all with a seemingly impossible time frame.

Set to a Copenhagen backdrop, this was a fascinating story, that offered moments of great levity with Darcy's dating exploits. She is on a new app, and her picks are not the best, although it does turn out she will be seeing a lot more of one of them, whether she intends to or not.

Also set in the art world and acedemia, this just combines all matter of worlds in a way that was compelling to read. I was never completely sure how things would turn out, and I was overall astounded by some of the revelations.

I also loved the descriptions of the Christmas markets and various Danish festive traditions that are also featured in the story.

It's a fabulous book, and was joy to read it.

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

I have not read many books by Karen Swan but I will be now as I could not stop reading this one. A very enjoyable theme,and the setting of Denmark, was so good and different from any setting I have read before. Great read for this time of year..

The magic of Karen Swans books is that there is always an intriguing storyline which draws you in.
A disillusioned Darcy goes to Copenhagen to do her PHD after finding her boyfriend is a cheat. Being pushed by her flatmate, half-heartedly she agrees to an online dating site.
Whilst studying, an unknown portrait is discovered underneath a famous painting. Darcy is given the task of researching it and identifying the woman in the portrait. A complication is when she finds that Max whom she met through the dating site has an invested interest in the portrait. Max always seems to be in the background and there is definitely an attraction between the two. Will they break through each other’s barriers? Will they be able to resist the attraction and focus on their work in hand. Will the mystery and secret of the portrait bring them together or tear them apart?
I really enjoyed this story and it did not disappoint. A fantastic Christmas read, particularly those that want a subtle amount of Christmas.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Karen Swan for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Karen Swan’s Christmas novels are always a treat and this one certainly is.

The story is very original and I really appreciated how it sets itself apart from the more classical Christmas stories. First, it is set in Copenhagen and we can enjoy the atmosphere there at Christmas, discover what people like to do and feel the contrast of cold and cosy, the perfect atmosphere for a Christmas novel.

Then, the plot develops around the research which the main character, Darcy, has to do to find out who is the mysterious woman painted at the back of a painting by a famous Danish painter. We follow her research and how she discovers not only who the woman is, but also a lot about her life.

The characters are well portrayed and their relationships develop in an interesting way all along the story. Darcy and Freya are lovely and friendly. Otto and Viggo are authoritative, slightly intimidating and protective. And for course, there are the boyfriends, with Max playing the central role, cold, calculating but full of surprises.

So, make yourself a nice cup of tea, put on your nice cosy woolly sweater and enjoy this book. A very original and enjoyable Christmas read.