Cover Image: One Kiss Before Christmas

One Kiss Before Christmas

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Member Reviews

Who doesn't love a Christmas story?
I may be a bit of a Scrooge, but I can read Christmas books at any time of year and this one is so good!! I loved everything about this, from the gorgeously enticing cover to the charming story within the pages to the adorable and likeable characters, it's got all the festive feels, lots of laughter, huge amounts of love....plus we have chocolate (always a winner) If you're wanting to just forget about whats going on in the world then pick this one up, it's pure escapism!

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A lovely Christmas rom com book. Quite an easy read but very enjoyable. Nice to read it on run up to Christmas to help feel festive

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One Kiss Before Christmas A heartwarming holiday romance by Emma Jackson

You have granny grinch and a returning attractive neighbour now a French chef who was a childhood friend what more could Ashley need to improve on her Christmas !

A reasonably well written Christmas romance novel .

Many things to like about this second chance romance the characters and the families conflict. The main characters having to work out what they want and of course the Brighton scenery. Oh I wish I was back there !

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Typical festive romcom, nothing particularly special for me and i wasn’t rushing to keep reading. But encourage others to try if classic ‘cheesy’ hallmark-esque books are your thing!

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This was a brilliant read and is being featured on my blog for my quick star reviews feature, which I have created on my blog so I can catch up with all the books I have read and therefore review.
See www.chellsandbooks.wordpress.com.

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i enjoyed this book although at times i felt the pacing was a little slow. it was a good story and the romance was good but very drawn out.

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This was a cute story with the perfect Christmas vibe that is completely over-the-top but also somehow doesn't feel like it, too. Loved the characterization in this one - the author wrote all her characters so well, they all stood apart and shone in their own way. Loved the level of life detail throughout. Wouldn't have minded more romance in there, but as things stand, it is a beautiful story that is perfect for the holiday season and/or a cold afternoon in front of the fire

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“One Kiss Before Christmas” is one of those books that makes you look forward to Christmas and also warms your heart with its wonderful romance.

The author has a beautiful knack for romance, and the chemistry between the two characters stands out in the story. Ashleigh is charming, and I thought the author wrote her nicely. It was adorable to see how she interacted with Olivier even though her Nan mistreats her. As the story continues, you see her conflicting feeling for Olivier and the risk she takes even though she knows how her Nan will react. Similarly, even Olivier is dynamic in the role as he tries to find magic in his life again. Olivier goes through a lot of emotions and wonders what the right decision to take is. I liked the scenes that he shares with his friend Bertrand. Even the supporting characters like Romesh and James were adorable.

The author writes the chemistry between Ashleigh and Olivier beautifully. Some of the scenes that stood out for me were when Ashleigh inquires him about his love for cooking or when she helps him out in the chocolate shop display. It was adorable seeing them getting ready for their date and spending time with each other. I also enjoyed the backstory between Ashleigh and Olivier as he remembers wanting to kiss her even early on. Moreover, the author also mentions classic Christmas references like Bing Crosby, the Andrew Sisters, and movie references like Elvis films and “it’s a wonderful life” that gears you for the Christmas mood.

Overall, “One Kiss Before Christmas” is a lovely story that makes you optimistic about romance and also makes you look forward to the Winter Season.

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One Kiss Before Christmas is a well written and heartwarming Christmas read. With well rounded and interesting characters. I enjoyed this from beginning to end. A perfect read for the holiday season.

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This was a perfect Christmas read!

The thing that I loved most is having Brighton as the backdrop for everything that pans out in the novel. It's an element that is unique for the Christmas Romance genre where 5 out of 10 are set in New York and quite frankly, I've had enough of New York. Bring on Brighton!

The characters were likeable and the pacing of the novel was great. It definitely got me in the Christmas spirit.

Can somebody find me an Oliver...please?

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A great feel good read encapsulating chocolate, Christmas and romance. What more could you ask for? Ashleigh and Oliver have been friends as youngsters and their relationship changes when they meet again after Oliver returns from working abroad. Decisions have to be made and this in turn decides relationships. A great read that was over too quickly for me.

Thank your for letting me read this - I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Lovely festive story - though I read in in January :) And it was none the worse for that. In fact, it's just the sort of easy escapist read I needed.

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

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This is a light and heart-warming read which follows Ash and Olivier's friendship after Olivier has returned to England for Christmas. There are lots of lovely festive touches as Brighton celebrates and it conjures up a time of family celebrations. Both Ash and Olivier's families have difficult histories and a degree of misunderstanding and estrangement. Olivier's family has been separated in different countries following divorce and Ash's mother has always put her own needs first. They both have to come to terms with their relationships with their parents now they are adults themselves and have to learn to accept the self-centred behaviour of some and acknowledge the love of other family members and friends.

Friendship is a major part of the story. Both Ash and Olivier also have to decide what they want their futures to be like and what will actually make them happy. Ash in particular has to learn to put aside the barriers she has put up around her feelings to avoid being let down. This is an ideal read to kick off the festive season.

In short: Second chance at love?
Thanks to the author for a copy of the book

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It might seem a bit late (or a lot early) to be reading a Christmas book in January but since where I live has been fully lacking in snow but full of gloomy, rainy weather, I thought it was the perfect time to tuck into a festive feel-good read and One Kiss Before Christmas by Emma Jackson fit the bill perfectly.

Ashleigh is spending her winter months working as an elf at a local Christmas farm. You can tell straight away she is a little lost in life. She’s struggling for money, struggling in her relationship with her mum and living with her Nan is more stressful than she’d like. Olivier is also at a crossroads in his life. He loves to cook, and working at a restaurant in Paris with his dad should be everything he wants from his career but he never gets to cook the food he likes and ends up spending his time following his dad’s orders whilst sacrificing the things he would actually like to do.

When he returns to Brighton for Christmas, everything changes for Ashleigh. There is history between them, and attraction. I loved getting to know both Ash and Olivier. The story is told in alternating chapters between the two of them and they are both interesting characters who have room to grow throughout the pages of this book and it was really enjoyable to read. I loved the blossoming feelings between the two of them and the will-they-won’t-they feel to the romance. There were so many unspoken words and this kept me reading on eager to see if we could get a happily ever after.

There was plenty of other things to like about this book such as exploring the backdrop of Brighton. The author made this seaside resort seem so enticing. I wanted a walk on the pier. Also enticing was the sound of the chocolate shop ran by Olivier’s mum. This is not a book to be read with an empty stomach. There was a lovely Christmassy feel to this book all the way through. The author built up such a vivid picture of the season with all the lights and decorations. The story isn’t massively festive but just enough to deliver a warm and uplifting atmosphere for the reader.

One of my favourite parts of this book was all the supporting characters and their side stories. There was a good amount of depth to them and seeing their stories explored was almost as entertaining as the main story. As there were a lot of characters, not everything was going to be tied up perfectly, but at the same time, it didn’t need to be either.

One Kiss Before Christmas was a lovely escapist read, a sweet book ideal for a lazy afternoon’s reading curled up in front of the fire.

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One kiss before Christmas. Lovely heartwarming Christmas story. Nice story and good characters. Definitely a must read for Xmas.

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One Kiss Before Christmas by Emma Jackson was a nice Christmas read, but it can be read anytime as it’s not full on Christmas just some sprinklings throughout. Friendship is a key theme during this book with some romance thrown in too.

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There's nothing really wrong with this book. The characters are nice, the setting is lovely, the story flows easily. But for some reason, it utterly failed to capture my attention. I found myself nodding off repeatedly while reading this. Maybe it was too cosy and it lulled me into a state of drowsiness with its Christmas romance magic?

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This book has a lovely festive feel. The main characters and secondary characters are all likeable and it’s a very easy read.
Overall it’s a typical will they won’t they romance but it’s extremely enjoyable all the same.

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I will start this review with saying what I liked, and then follow with what I think that could have been better.

The main strong point of this story is the festive atmosphere that is present through the whole book.
Traditions, fairy lights, chocolate and food, Grinch type of character (because what Christmas book these days doesn't have one), they are all in this novel.

Also, the trope of second chance romance is done solid, with friends who were interesting characters with their own side stories and problems, and not just there to fill the space.

The books reads pretty quickly (tbh, I don't know if it's the writing or maybe I finally started to read at some decent pace).

Also, I have to mention that the cover is adorable.

As for the things that could have been better, I wish Ash's relationship with her mother could have been explored more. I also wish it had some sort of conclusion, or that it left Ash with bigger scar, as one would have in real life.

I also wish the romance delivered more, because now this books stands between general fiction where real problems were outshined by romance, that in the end wasn't swoony or smut enough to steal the show.

However, it was cute, entertaining story that I would recommend in this time of the year.

It is also 0,99$ on Amazon right now, and I think it is worth to give it a go for that price.

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I really enjoyed reading this heartwarming Christmas story! It was an easy read that filled me with warm Christmas feelings. Highly recommended!

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