Cover Image: It Won’t be Christmas Without You

It Won’t be Christmas Without You

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

I really enjoyed the UK Christmas setting of this book and the countdown to Christmas on each chapter header was really fun. It was fun reading about twin sisters, especially two being as different as Eloise and Cara. I personally could relate way more to the Christmas obsessed Eloise though!

However, I just did not really connect with these characters and for much of the story they felt a little flat to me. I'm not sure if it was because it was from dual perspectives, but I just wanted all of the characters to be more fleshed out and developed.

I also thought this book would have a little more romance in it than it did based on the description. While both sisters find love during the book I definitely didn't feel it was the main plot and neither relationship seemed to have much chemistry.

Was this review helpful?

This is the perfect Christmassy story, I have never read a book that is based on the relationship of two sisters before and I must say I really enjoyed it. There is a little bit of romance in the story but it isn't the main focus.

Can't wait to check out more from this author!

Was this review helpful?

I couldn't believe it when I was approved for an ARC of Beth Reekles' new book. An excited dance party in my living room followed the NetGalley notification.

This novel is an adult romance set around Christmas time, following dual perspectives from Eloise and Cara, a set of twins living apart post-graduation in the cities of Doncaster and London. Their parents are going on holiday for Christmas, so it's up to the twins to spend the day together and hold down the festive fort. The only problem is that whilst Eloise, a primary school teacher, is full of Christmas spirit and eager to host at her flat, Cara, a workaholic climbing up the corporate ladder, is keen to skip the day altogether to chase after her new promotion, The book also follows both of the sisters love lives as they start to fall in love during the run up to the 25th.

I absolutely loved Eloise. Her festive cheer is contagious and her romance with Jamie was adorable. Her storyline - and the cosy little flat, which I'm jealous of - was my favourite of the twins. Cara was harder to get attached to. Although we can probably all relate to chasing our dreams, it was hard not to resent her attitude towards family, particularly her sister. I do love a good sister storyline though; one of my favourite tropes in literature! The sister dynamic was written so beautifully, and I related a lot to the conversations that Cara and Eloise had. You couldn't help but root for them, both in their romantic escapades and their Christmas countdown. I felt like I wanted to snuggle up on Eloise's sofa and share a box of chocolates with her. And considering I read this during a heatwave, that's an impressive testament to Beth's writing style.

Was this review helpful?

A lovely seasonal read focusing on the sisters relationship more than romance m but the romance is still present here, but the sisters are the main focus. It’s a great study of family and friendship, loving Christmas and overworking. A cute story that will leave you feeling very Christmassy and wanting to put on a film or some music. Sweet entertaining read.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely loved this book from the very first page! It was so refreshing to see a book based on sisters rather than the typical romantic story, although this did have romance in it too! Once I started I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a evening!

Was this review helpful?

The only thing I didn't like about this book was that it was too short! It Won't Be Christmas Without You is about twin sisters, Cara and Eloise. With their parents heading to warmer climates for Christmas, Eloise asks Cara to come to her flat instead. However, workaholic Cara isn't too keen on this idea. What follows is a little bit of sisterly drama and a whole lot of romance. I empathised with Eloise as a self-confessed Christmas nerd - I just wish I had a good-looking Mr Darcy next door as well! This is the perfect novel to read under a blanket this Christmas.

Was this review helpful?

A quick, festive, lighthearted read. It focuses on the twin sisters and how Eloise loves Christmas but Cara is a workaholic. Both of them have a bit of romance, but the sisters' relationship is really the focus of the book.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

The contents of this book could have been written in a chapter or two. I didn't feel like much happened. The characters were ok, but so much repetition of the same stuff made you sick of them after awhile. The romantic story lines were promising, but then were resolved very quickly and you were left reading the same sister drama over and over again.

Was this review helpful?

I’m so itching for Christmas that I was thrilled to be approved for this ARC from @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk ! (Thank you! For the eARC in exchange for a review!)
.
Cara and Eloise are twin sisters who have always loved Christmas. However, since Cara has moved to London she has become engrossed in her work and is putting Christmas (and her sister) on the back burner. What ensues is a story of family, love, and Christmas spirit.
.
As per usual, I vaguely remembered the synopsis of It Won’t Be Christmas Without You From when I requested it. I thought it was mostly a rom-com, but to my surprise it revolved around the sisters’ relationship. This was actually quite refreshing. I found I related to them a bit as in there is always some argument or frustration about Holiday plans on my side of the family 😂.
.
Overall, this was a very cute story. There are plenty of Christmas pop culture references that made me want to pull out every Christmas movie I own. It made me want a glass of hot cocoa, a Christmas tree and softly falling snow outside. The only downside was at times I got frustrated with Cara’s character, and there wasn’t as much conflict as I enjoy. However, it’s definitely a charming holiday novel!

Was this review helpful?

This was a nice, easy read, even if it did feel weird reading it during a mini heatwave!

As far as Christmas books go, I’d say it’s very much like a hallmark film - a bit cliche, a tad predictable, some slight drama, but all in all, enjoyable enough. If I’m being completely honest though, it was quite forgettable, and it’s not one I would pass on or read again.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely fantastic had me gripped!!! Loved it! Can't wait for more from.this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to.connect with

Thank you for the advanced copy

Was this review helpful?

I really liked this book about two twin sisters, their relationships, jobs and Christmas preparations. At the beginning I thought it was a bit awkward to read a book about Christmas in August but as I was reading it, I really got that festive spirit!

Fast pace narrative and lots of pop culture references which make it an enjoyable reading. If you are looking for a Christmassy book… you should read “It won’t be Christmas without you”; perfect for the holiday season!

Thanks to NetGalley and HaperCollins for a copy of this book to read and review.

Was this review helpful?

I am sorry to say this book was a disappointment. It lacks any charm or substance and the description is misleading. I don’t understand why it says this: “Eloise isn’t giving up just yet. With James’s help and a white Christmas on the cards, Cara can’t fail to be moved by the magic of the season … can she?” There is almost zero interaction between James and Cara and certainly no teaming up to bring any Christmas magic her way. This novel is really about twin sisters but not much else. The novel is told from their alternative POVs chapter by chapter leading up to Christmas but each chapter is pretty short so not much is going on. In fact the interesting bits are almost always left out and described later which is annoying. Cara is the work focused sister and Eloise is the kinder of the two and wants to make plans with her sister for Christmas. I enjoyed Eloise’s chapters a lot more but at the same time Cara isn’t really a villain in the story. She’s not actually a Scrooge or a character that really needs to find out the important things in life. She’s just a young hard working woman.

Both women have a new man in their lives but unfortunately there’s nothing fun or interesting or even remotely romantic to be found in what could have been a fun addition to the story. Most of the book is tension. There is work tension, relationship tension and a lot of family tension. For that reason this would be a very hard book to recommend as a Christmas time read. We all know Christmas in real life is full of enough tension that I personally would prefer a fun Christmas escape than what is to be found in this book. I’ve never read anything by the author before but I have read about how popular her book The Kissing Booth was so I was surprised to find this book so bland. Maybe the author was trying to hard to write her first adult book that she went too far in leaving out the fun. It is a very short book despite being 300 pages since each chapter is so short it reads more like a short story. From now on I’ll be skipping any more books by this author. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

It Won't be Christmas Without You by Beth Reekles is a fast, festive read that will definitely bring out your holiday spirit.

Cara and Eloise are twin sisters who have completely different takes on what constitutes the perfect Christmas. Cara, living in London, is work-obsessed and finds the holiday to be nothing more than an annoying distraction from her productivity at work. In sharp contrast is Eloise, for whom Christmas is the most important date on the calendar. Eloise pulls out all of the stops to recreate the perfect tableau that the twins and their parents have always enjoyed while basking in the familial glow of the holiday. But all goes amiss when Cara suggests that their parents forgo the traditional Christmas in favour of a sun holiday, and Cara herself attempts to beg off, leaving a devastated Eloise in the lurch. Will the two sisters set aside their differences in the spirit of the season?

This is a warm and engaging read, perfect to curl up with in front of the fire. Those who love Christmas as much as Eloise will relish the frequent references to holiday songs and films, both old and new. This is a festive treat to be savoured.

Many thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and One More Chapter for this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

Eloise and Cara might be twins but they are polar opposites about some things! Told by both of them, in alternating chapters, this a story about sisters who find their way home to each other. Yes, Eloise is into Christmas and the smaller things and Cara is a workaholic but they do love each other. They both also have love interests but the guys are less important than the women. Thanks to net galley for the ARC. It's a light read that will satisfy if you like Christmas movies and happy endings.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this quick, humorous, feel-good read about twin sisters Eloise and Cara in the lead up to Christmas.
Eloise is obsessed with trying to create a perfect Christmas whereas Cara is obsessed with trying to secure promotion at work. Both sisters have difficulties in the love lives - something they should bond over.
Will Cara and Eloise put aside their differences for the Yuletide season? Will Eloise achieve anything close to resembling her perfect Christmas? Can Cara enjoy Christmas and still get her promotion at work? Will either sister be successful in love? Will the twins still be speaking to each other in the new year?
A lovely lighthearted feel-good book. Is it too early in the year for me to put up my Christmas tree, drink mulled wine and listen to Michael Buble?
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I had never read anything from the author before and was pleasantly surprised
The story centres around two sisters who couldn’t be more different like modern day Scrooge and Bob
The interaction between the two is humerus, entertaining and real
I would recommend this book I read in practically one sitting

Was this review helpful?

I wish it was definitely Christmas time when I read this book because it's too cute!!!! This is a story all about twin sisters finding love, success and happiness during the Christmas season. I enjoyed the dynamic of the two sisters. I absolutely loved their love interests as well; such sweetness!
The pop culture references are great and I loved all the Christmas movie references but at times I feel like it was overdone. The fact that I got all the references made me feel good about my movie knowledge though!

Was this review helpful?

When I saw this book I thought 'Go on, Read a bit of Christmas in August!' And I am so glad I did because it has got me so excited for Christmas and the best thing is that it's not to far away.

But anyway onto the story itself.. I really loved the characters in this book, the two sisters. They had a love/hate typical sister relationship and I could really relate to them so much. They both are so different but similar.

Christmas is going to be a huge change for them this year as its not their usual traditional christmas and I just couldn't imagine how they were feeling about that I'd hate that.

Oh and not one but two hunky men in this! Hubba Hubba!

An absolutely beautiful Christmas read! Perfect curl up reading material for the upcoming winter night's.

Loved it!!!!

Was this review helpful?

This is a story all about twin sisters finding love, success and happiness during the Christmas season. I enjoyed the dynamic of the two sisters. I absolutely loved their love interests as well; such sweetness!

I definitely related more to Eloise, personality wise, and sometimes found some of Cara’s chapters hard to get through because of the way she treats Eloise. But they’re both great characters!

The pop culture references are great and I loved all the Christmas movie references but at times I feel like it was overdone. The fact that I got all the references made me feel good about my movie knowledge though!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely pick it up and read it again!

Was this review helpful?