Daisy and Oliver grew up with mothers who competed against each other for who had the best child. So it's no surprise Daisy hates Uncle Terence's yearly Christmas party, where she has to hear all about Oliver's wonderful life while she has no real job, no relationship and no clue how to change all that. But this year, Daisy is determined to finally land a job she's excited about and a man she can take to family gatherings. There will be absolutely no thinking about Oliver kissing her under the mistletoe. But Ollie keeps popping up. And Uncle Terence has a few secrets he'd like to share with Daisy too.

This was such a sweet, warm and cosy romance. It doesn't shy away from darker aspects of life, but overall it's about love. Not just romantic love, but also parental love and love between friends and the love for a really sweet dog called Stanley.

Daisy is funny, kind, big-hearted and an altogether good person. It's hard not to root for her to get everything she wants. Her relationship with Ollie is filled with laughter and banter and heat. It also really feels like a serious adult relationship, something that isn't always the case in romance novels.

Even though there are some sad parts to the story, the writing never drags. Stoneley manages to keep a light tone throughout the story, helped along by the many time jumps the story makes. It's not unusual to skip a few months between chapters, which makes it easier for all the relationships to progress in a more natural way.

This was the perfect book to start the Christmas period and I'll definitely check out more of Zara Stoneley's work.

This story is set around a joyous time of year and was infused with a bit of sadness that thankfully only dimmed the cheeriness, as well as sparked a new outlook for the main characters,becoming the turning point for making lasting changes.Daisy has been enduring the annual Christmas parties thrown by her flamboyant "Uncle T" and can't wait to leave it and Oliver all behind for college, to forge her own path.Careful what you wish for ,as she finds out that making your own way is easier said than done and she finds herself struggling every step of the way.Tasks are left incomplete,goals unmet and self=flagellation is real,while her nemesis Oliver is flourishing and the parents one-upmanship are grating and creating more stress. The side plot of unrealized, discreet love provides a short distraction from her own problems but it all comes to a boil when the unthinkable happens.The book points out how one pivotal moment in your life can chart the course for the rest of it and can be a negative influence if not confronted sooner rather than later.The love component feels more like a byproduct than the focus in this story which I feel is "to find yourself." I got lost in some parts of the book (lots of narratives) that required a second read to keep the story flowing.Very apt title, literally.Review given courtesy of ARC from Netgalley.

I have heard many great things about Zara Stoneley’s books but as of yet I haven’t read any. So when I had the opportunity to read and review her latest I snatched it up and I was certainly not disappointed.

I felt like I could relate to Daisy instantly, stuck in a rut and a huge passion for books, which meant that I was drawn into her story right from the beginning. A lack of confidence in herself and with the life she is leading at the start of the book, we see Daisy’s confidence grow throughout and the journey she goes on not only keeps you turning the pages but also fills you with heartwarming joy.

My favourite character in the book is Uncle Terence, and the relationship he had with Daisy. He is the owner of the bookshop where the Christmas Eve parties take place. An eccentric but a true gentleman, we all need an Uncle T in our lives.

The development that Daisy goes through as a character is delightful to see unfold and with the characters that help her make this progress, for good and bad reasons, it was a brilliant book to read.

And then there’s the secret, which you will have to discover for yourselves.

For any bah-humbugs out there this book is still for you, although Uncle T’s Christmas Eve parties play an important role in the story, we go through all the seasons.

You need to read Four Christmases and a Secret this Christmas! I can’t wait to read more of Zara’s books.

I am the biggest fan of Christmas books and to be honest I’ve even been known to read them in July, I just can’t help myself 😂 and I was really looking forward to reading this one as the story sounded fab but I just didn’t love it. It felt a little disjointed and I really didn’t feel connected to any of the characters which is a must for me. I found myself bored even just a few chapters. I’ve seen so many other glowing reviews for this book though so I’m sure I’m in the minority for those that didn’t love it.

Everybody knows by now that RomComs + Christmas = Readinggirlreviews.

If this is new news to you then come out from under that rock you have been hiding under and check out some of these really great holiday romcoms I've had the opportunity to read and review, including this fabulous one.

This wonderful coming of age type story revolves around our main character Daisy and her annual family Christmas Eve party.  Told over four separate holidays we learn about Daisy and Ollie growing up together, their mothers being best friends and extremely comparative and competitive.  Everything that Ollie and Daisy have done throughout their lives has been compared in one way or another.  But once they went off to university, things for Daisy didn't go quite like she had planned, so now Daisy really just needs to figure it all out so she can live up to Ollie's successes.

This one has sort of a "Bridget Jones" feel to it, and believe me its a good thing.  The story progresses rapidly over the 4 years, and you learn a lot about the characters, you fall in love with them, and you really start to feel their emotions right along with them, all while still having that cozy warm fun feeling you love so much in a holiday story.  The characters are real and believable, and the writing is extremely smooth and well written.  Plus, what book lover doesn't love a book that has an Uncle T with a BOOKSHOP!  This was my very first Zara Stoneley book, and its obvious why she's so popular and has done so well in this genre.  I will definitely be going on a binge read and collecting all of her other books.

This was an amazingly delightful holiday story that is a quick read because it is hard to put down.  The entire time you just can not get to the end fast enough to find out how this crazy story turns out!  4 Stars to Zara for this one, and she has a new reader now too!

Thank you so much to Zara Stoneley, Rachel Gilbey from Rachels Random Resources, and One More Chapter Publishing for a copy of this book for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of ‘Four Christmases and a Secret’ by Zara Stoneley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second novel I’ve read by this author and I loved it even more than the first one I read. I will admit I had a tough time getting through a couple parts where my focus was elsewhere but the vast majority I was sneaking in a few pages every chance I got.

The character of Uncle Terence and the relationship between Daisy and Ollie are at the forefront of the story. Uncle T is the kind of uncle anyone would be lucky to have and I love how he interacts with Daisy, even though she isn’t a blood relative.

Yes, the story takes place over the course of 4 Christmases, but not all four are equally portrayed. I would say there is more than 1 secret though and while I had an inkling of what was going to happen, it could have turned out various ways. I was glad to be kept on my toes and having to read until the end to fully appreciate the fourth Christmas and the secret.

4.5 stars and I can’t wait to see what Zara Stoneley comes up with next!

At eighteen, Daisy has a plan. She is going to be a vet, have a family and a life that she could be proud of. All would be good.

Even when her best friend, Ollie kisses her at his Uncle’s Christmas Eve party, it doesn’t knock her off her stride.

In the present day, Daisy is over thirty, renting a room in her friend’s house and she is back at Uncle T’s bookshop attending another Christmas Eve party, this time alone with no boyfriend, no home of her own and a dead-end job writing small ads for the local paper. She is certainly not living the life she thought she would be.

This is made worse when her perfect ‘old friend,’ Ollie, appears. In the years since she’s seen him, he’s turned from dorky teenager into a very handsome Doctor. He’s changed a lot. She can’t like him?… Can she? Not the boy she played and fought with as a kid?

I am so honoured to be part of the blog tour for Zara’s latest book especially as today is publication day for Four Christmases and a Secret.

Daisy is a lovely character. She’s endearing, makes mistakes and the fact that she doesn’t have her life completely together is one of the things I loved most about her. She has a contemporary Bridget Jones feel about her actually.

Ollie is the right amount of confidence and shy. This made him a very believable character. I championed him and Daisy. I am not saying anymore on the ‘will they, won’t they’ situation. I don’t want to give away the plot if I can help it.

Terence is one of my favourite characters in any of the books I’ve read this year. I think many of us want to know a man like him.

This novel is probably my ideal one in terms of love story. Love and Christmas. It had me at love and Christmas.

The characters are wonderful, the setting sounds very picturesque and I want to be there. The plot kept me turning the page with plot elements gradually being revealed in a steady way.

There were moments where I was cheering, smiling and then I would suddenly finding myself crying. It’s a proper emotional rollercoaster.

I loved this book. It’s definitely one for the list as we head into this colder weather and toward Christmas.

Oh and the cover is beautiful too.

The usual lively, warm, fun read I have come to expect from this author. Set over several Christmases, with a bookshop, a gorgeous man and a rescue dog... what more could a reader want?

"Ollie makes me smile even when he's breaking my heart"
Warm Christmas parties at Uncle T's bookshop provide the perfect backdrop for a story filled with childhood rivalry, romance, and heartache.
While in dire need of a light-hearted romance I picked up Four Christmases and a Secret but found so much more than I was expecting. Reading this novel felt like talking to a close friend; I laughed, cried, and stayed up all night with it. I felt like I knew all the characters personally and found the novel to be relatable. The way Zara Stonely's characters make you wanna hold onto them and never let go is beautiful.

Christmas season is starting earlier this year at least with reading. I am glad that I read this book because even if the life strikes I not give him to beat me.

The book is about Daisy and her Christmas parties at Uncle Terence’s home. She is eighteen and all she can hardly wait to go to university, and not be embarrassed by her parents in front of Ollie, a young boy who she likes.

“I love my parents to bits, I sometimes even like them, but I cannot wait to go to university. My own place, nobody watching my every move and I will be able to snog who I like, when I like, where I like. I will be able to leave crumbs in my bed, read until 4 a.m., spend the weekend in my pyjamas.”

I would like that too!

After three years Daisy goes to university but still she is back with her friend and flatmate Frankie and she still competing against Ollie.

“Anyway, unfortunately, I am not exactly an overachiever on the career front (unlike Ollie Cartwright…) do not yet own “property” (unlike Ollie), and I am total disappointment on the getting hitched and producing offspring sine (Ollie hasn’t done that either) so Mom struggles, over exaggerates or makes things up.”

At the Christmas party Daisy arrives with Frankie and her dog without boyfriend. Ollie is there too, super successful.

This book is hilarious and interesting. I was intrigued how Daisy and Ollie will act apart from all those things that her mother said. It was funny.

I like Daisy a lot especially how she is dealing with her mother’s jokes about her been in love with Ollie. Sometimes I felt sorry for her, but still I enjoy reading about her.

I love reading books that are Christmas related and warmly recommend it for this part of the year.

This novel will certainly get you in the mood for Christmas! Reminding me very much of ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’, I found myself smiling along to the typical characters you have come to expect in this style of fiction. There is nothing too new in this story, it isn’t surprising, but it does leave you wanting to dig out your own Christmas jumper and find the tree decorations!

The title of the novel comes from the fact that this is set over four years. That may sound like a long book, but the writer jumps forward in time quite a bit. This helps keep the story interesting and you get to see how far Daisy has progressed with her hopes, dreams and relationships. Each Christmas Eve, Daisy and her family celebrate at Uncle Terrence’s bookshop, and it is usually here where most of the revealing drama happens.

I could not help but cringe over the incessant competition between the two mothers. I have seen it too many times – both in literature and real life! – so I wished that the writer had done something more interesting with these characters. They appear to call a truce at the end of the story, finally satisfied that there is nothing more to compete over, and to look towards what the future may bring. It was an expected ending on this front and the motherly stereotype just felt overdone and not very original.

Daisy is a likeable character. Again, she felt like another well-used stereotype: unlucky in love, trying to progress her career and feeling like a constant disappointment to her mother. You can’t help but feel sorry for her and I loved how her relationship with Uncle Terrence was portrayed. He really was like her fairy godmother! Another appealing feature about Daisy is her love of books. She adores being in Terrence’s bookshops and eventually begins writing reviews for her local paper (we can all dream of this, fellow bookaholics!). I enjoyed watching her life come together and whilst I guessed the big secret, it was pleasing to see her find happiness at the end.

Whilst it was obvious the direction that Daisy’s romantic life would take, I enjoyed the distractions that Stanley, Daisy’s fostered rescue dog, provided! He is presented as such a lovable mongrel and I could really imagine his cheeky behaviour. I think this added more originality to the plot, especially when Daisy sets out to save her friend’s business after money shortages.

This is a pleasant story and ideal to read at Christmas. It is not short of happiness and a feel-good factor – ideal for the wintery evenings. I can’t say that this was very different or ground-breaking in the plot development, but perhaps a bit of comfort is all you really need at this time of year. My first read by Stoneley and I think I could happily continue exploring her other works. If you are after a nice, warm read that will make you smile, then I think that this is the one for you.

With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

I love a Christmas romance novel, and yes this book did deliver in the end but it took a long time to get there. A very easy read but not much to the storyline until the last couple of chapters, would still recommend for a ‘happily ever after’ read.

This book was an adorable read. I really loved the chemistry between the two main characters. There were some twists and turns I was not expecting towards the end. Overall it was a touching story about two friends finding love for one another. I thought Oliie and Daisy had a chemistry between friends that it is hard to find. they were such a good fit for each other. Also Daisy and her past and trying to figure what she is doing with her life, why she fell behind the way she did on her dreams and discovering new dreams for herself.

I was not the biggest fan of this, I just couldn't get into the story. Oh well, maybe her next book will be for me :)

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was heart warming, funny and also made me cry a couple times. My only downside is it's not "Christmassy" enough for me.. but the clue is in the title as the novel is based over 4 years with 4 Christmases. But it was a good start to get me into the festive spirit!

Perfect romantic read. Loved it. The characters although flawed in places were people you wanted to get to know, and the plot was interesting as enjoyable to to read. Thanks Zara, another fab read. Thank you Netgalley for letting me review this book.

Told over several years and centred a lot around her Uncle Terence's Christmas parties, this is the story of Daisy growing up from 18 years old about to go off to university to becoming an adult several years later. This was a very sweet story that I enjoyed. It was outside of my usual choice of books but it still held my attention. Recommended.

A delicious, heartwarming read. Hugely enjoyable and I loved Daisy - was rooting for her from the start. Zara Stoneley is fast becoming a favourite of mine.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all I have to say I absolutely love the cover for Four Christmases, it’s very cute and christmasy and makes me feel all festive but I’ll admit I did have reservations about reading this book, it was September when I picked it up and I don’t start thinking about Christmas until I really, really have to, bah humbug, but I was pleasantly surprised that despite its title it isn’t overly christmasy but it did give me a little bit of excitement for Christmas.

Daisy and Ollie grew up together, they were always in competition with each other and now Ollie’s a successful surgeon and seems to be quite lucky in love where as Daisy flunked her A levels, has no boyfriend and stays in her friends box room where there isn’t enough room to swing a cat and having to attend Uncle T’s Christmas party year after year wearing a silly Christmas jumper and listening to her mum and Ollie’s mum Vera who are best friends talking about how brilliant he is, just isn’t Daisy’s idea of fun at all.

Daisy hasn’t seen the very clever geeky Oliver Cartwright for thirteen years and really doesn’t understand the fuss, that is until he turns up at Uncle T’s party all buff and swoon worthy.

Daisy is a wonderful character, she’s kind, caring and has a real passion for books. She’s someone you’d love to have as a friend and I was absolutely rooting for her all the way through the book. She’s clever and funny and I loved how much she loved Stanley the dog who I absolutely adored as well. He’s a real character, mischief maker and I just wanted to give him a great big cuddle.

All the characters really seem to come to life, most of them adorable, funny and full of life but there are a couple that got my heckles up and because Daisy’s so likeable I felt quite protective and frustrated that I couldn’t tell her to watch out.

I totally adored Four Christmases and a Secret, it’s such a feel good book but it’s also got a touch of mystery, it’s sad in parts but it’s also very funny too. It’s also very easy to picture everything in your head as you read, the bookshop especially where Uncle T turns it into a magical wonderland for his parties. I could easily have jumped straight into the story and lived in that shop.

From beginning to end I was totally hooked and was left feeling all warm and fuzzy. Even though this is a Christmas themed book it could easily be read any time of year and I will definitely be recommending it.

I really like the characters and story. Oliver seems wonderful. Would love to have one if him for my own!