I really enjoyed reading the two different view points of Olivier and ashleigh, it allowed the to really understand their relationship with eachother and other people. It was romantic right from the beginning which gave the book a very sweet and heartwarming feel.

I also liked how it broached the topic of almost neglect from parents and being able to stand up for yourself and not always doing what would make someone else happy. I loved that Olivier and Ashleigh both got their happy ending

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

This book make a refreshing, festive change from my usual crime reads. After a very depressingly difficult year, a Christmas love story is exactly what I want to read right now. And I definitely wasn't disappointed.
Like all soppy festive romances, I've guessed the ending before I've finished the first page, but I don't care, I enjoyed it!
Ash and Olivier were two characters I instantly rooted for, a pairing that was destined to be. And I just loved Ash's nan! We can't have a Christmas story without a Grinch!
With plenty of fascinating elements to the story - I.e: the chocolate shop, and the elfy puns, a believable romance, brilliant characters and enough warmth to get me through this holiday season; this book is definitely a must-read!

The absolute highlight of my festive reads this year!

I loved Emma’s festive book from 2019 so I just had to dive straight into this one and it didn’t disappoint. Like Ash, I fell head over heels for Olivier and their story.

There weren’t any super cliched moments, which can sometimes be the case with festive books. It had just the right amount of drama alongside the romance and I love love loved that it wasn’t the girl having the ‘crisis’ of what to do with their life.

Can’t wait to see what Emma comes up with next!

This was the first book I've read by this author, written in dual narrative from Ashleigh, a struggling actress, living in Brighton with her Grandmother & recently divorced Olivier home from France for Christmas.
Is the spark still there from when they were teenage neighbours, can it be reignited in time for Christmas?

Heartwarming, cosy & everything chocolate, this was the perfect snuggle under a blanket festive read 🍫 🎄

Many thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

This was a lovely festive read. The cover grabbed my attention and I couldn’t wait to get started.

I’m a huge fan of Christmas themed romances, so this didn’t disappoint. Add in elf costumes, hot chocolate and festive cheer and you’ve got a great read.

I liked the authors writing style and felt the story flowed well. Only slight negative for me was the slow burn romance was a bit too slow and drawn out for me. However, I still enjoyed the book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

Sometimes when I’m reading, I pick up a book and know before the end of the first chapter that I will like it. There’s no specific reason, but somehow the author has performed some sort of alchemy using of good writing, lovable characters, and timing my reading moodiness to create gold.

One Kiss Before Christmas is one such book for me.

There wasn’t anything particularly mind blowing or overly unique about this book except that it made me feel good in a time when I struggle with that feeling.

I knew when I opened my kindle, I would be in a safe, mildly pine scented. place to read. There is a great comfort in feeling safe when reading expecially in such a tumultuous time. And, honestly, that’s all I want for this Christmas, a little bit of frosted security and maybe a glass of eggnog.

Ashleigh and Olivier are a couple I can root for both individually and together. One thing you have to understand before reading One Kiss Before Christmas: it is a character driven story. Do not come here for the unexpected twist or page turning plot.

Instead, you should read One Kiss Before Christmas for the heart. The characters are so well developed that their outcomes almost become personal to the reader. These are two people who, yes are pursuing love with each other, but are first and foremost pursuing love with themselves.

The questions of “Who am I?” and “What do I want?” permeate the pages of this book, making it not only a cute holiday romance, but also an inspirational novel in its own right.

What didn’t work for me
I try to always say why a book falls short of 5 stars and the only thing I could come up with is that I wanted the couple together sooner. This is a sllloooowwww burn that might be great for some people, but I was feeling impatient.

Conclusion
If you’re looking for a festive book to give you the holiday spirit, look no further than One Kiss Before Christmas.

I was drawn in by this wonderful cover, then completely sucked in when I opened the first page and discovered that our MC Ashleigh will be dressing as an elf again this year! I'm sure the magic would wear off soon, but dressing as an elf is always something I've wanted to do. Despite the cool costume, Ashleigh feels like her life isn't going anywhere, still living with her grumpy Nan in Brighton.

That is, until, Olivier arrives on a boat from France to spend Christmas away in England, mulling over a tough decision that his Father has put upon him. And what a leading man Olivier was! Gorgeous, charming, and well versed in the beauty of chocolate!

A really lovely, funny and charming book.

Really enjoyed this book. Lovely characters and great story. A very nice Christmas read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers and the author for the privilege to read this book for my honest opinion

A fabulous festive treat. A great will they won’t they story abd likeable leading characters. Perfect to curl up with x

A lovely festive read, that had you rooting for most of the characters from the beginning! The characters were developed well throughout and the setting and description of Brighton at Christmas time was perfect. A perfect read for anyone looking for some Christmas cheer this year!

I read this for a blog tour.

A lovely festive romance, complete with ice skating, elves and lots of chocolate.

Ash's acting career has stalled and this Christmas she is once again playing Santa's Helper, while struggling to get into the spirit. Until dashing French pastry chef Olivier comes to spend the festive season with his mum, right next door! Cue hearts and Hollywood montages.

Basically this is adorable, and also funny, with a grumpy Grandma, an over-affectionate dog, a lovely pair of gay best friends, a wedding, fairy lights galore and a Happily Ever After.

Perfect for reading under a blanket while the wind howls outside, just have the chocolate handy as this book makes you hungry!

As festive as a mince pie and a glass of eggnog, readers are sure to fall in love with Emma Jackson’s enchanting new novel, One Kiss Before Christmas.

Poor Ashleigh could do with a Christmas miracle at the moment. Life isn’t exactly a bed of roses for her. She had once yearned to tread the boards and wow the world with her talent, but all of her hopes and acting dreams have withered with the only starring role she will be playing in the foreseeable future being one of Santa’s elves. Her living situation isn’t much better as she is still living with her grouchy grandmother who is so miserable she would make Scrooge and the Grinch cry! Ashleigh fears she will be spending the rest of her days trapped in a cycle of misery and unhappiness – until a face from her past unexpectedly comes back in her life.

Ashleigh still has fond memories of summers spent in the company of French boy, Olivier. Only when he comes back into her life, he is not a boy any longer. Olivier is now a handsome French hunk and Ashleigh cannot help but find herself charmed and attracted to the charismatic Frenchman – and it certainly helps that he happens to be the son of the owner of the best chocolate shop in England. Pretty soon, it isn’t just Olivier’s delicious recipes that have turned her head as the more time she spends with him, the more she realises that she is falling head over heels in love with him…

Ashleigh hasn’t felt this alive in years. Olivier has made her realise that there is more to life than worrying about the future and that if she wants to make her heart’s desire a reality, she needs to take a leap of faith and a chance on love. Will a Christmas kiss with Olivier lead to something more? Or is she getting ahead of herself and will end up going back to a dull and boring life on the second of January?

Emma Jackson’s One Kiss Before Christmas is an irresistible romantic comedy that sparkles with humour, charm and holiday magic. A book that will make readers giggle on plenty of occasions, One Kiss Before Christmas delights with characters that leap off the pages, delicious wit, emotional drama and heart-warming romance. Ashleigh is such a lovely heroine and despite the fact that life isn’t exactly going according to plan, readers will relate to her, fall in love with her and cheer her on to get her happy ending. Add some mouth-watering descriptions of chocolate, a gorgeous French hero and plenty of Christmas mischief and it’s the perfect recipe for an irresistible Yuletide romantic comedy.

Fans of Zara Stoneley and Jane Linfoot will not want to miss Emma Jackson’s latest novel, One Kiss Before Christmas.

I would like to say a very big thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for forwarding me a copy of this book, in return for an honest review.
This book was a gorgeous Christmas rom com, full of festive spirit and with a gorgeous sprinkling of romance!
Ashleigh has been reduced to playing one of Santa’s elves and her Nan might as well be the Grinch!! Then the gorgeous and very French Olivier turns up next door.......
Both main characters were wonderful and I couldn’t wait to keep reading to find out what happens.
It was a perfect escapism read, with just the right amount of will they -won’t they. I loved it!

This was your typical warm, fluffy and cosy Christmas read. Easy to read, the ot was easy to follow, filled me with that warm Christmas spirit.

This is a feel-good romance between two characters who have both come to crossroads in their lives. Ashleigh is at a standstill between dead-end jobs, the latest one working as an elf at a Christmas village. Olivier, working as a patissier chef in his father’s restaurant, is wondering whether he wants to accept the promotion he has just been offered and indeed whether he even still wants to work in a restaurant at all.

The two have known each other for years as Olivier’s mother lives next door to Ashleigh and her grandmother in Brighton. Olivier has mostly only spent Christmases there and Ash has nursed a crush on him for years but never done anything about it. This year, though, things are different as both of them are doing some introspective examining of their lives. They’re also aided and abetted by a fun side cast of friends and family (Ash’s best friend Romesh and his husband James are particularly delightful) who are well aware Ash and Olivier have been pining over each other in silence for years.

One thing I loved about this is that Olivier is a beta hero. He’s gentle and in touch with his feelings; he’s actually pushed around by his bossy father and has to make the decision to stand up to him and take charge of his own life. Ash is in a slightly different situation but also has to renegotiate boundaries in family relationships as the story progresses.

This is something of a coming of age story for both Olivier and Ash as they both reach significant turning points in their lives and make the decision to move forward together. There was a lot to like about it and I didn’t have any significant nitpicks to make (except Ash making a wedding dress the bride didn’t try on until the day before the wedding, which, yikes for no backup plan). It’s a fun and charming read with some very relatable characters and I’m happy to give it five stars.

Who doesn't love a Christmas book. I read them throughout the year just to try and bring back that feeling of Christmas cheer. This book was perfect for that, it is a lovely heartwarming read.

Not only does this book centre around Christmas but it is also a book about second chances, friendship and hope. Ashley and Olivier are both at cross roads in their lives for different reasons. Ashley dreams of becoming an actress but at the moment is making money as one of Santas elves and living with her Nan, as far away from her dream as she can get. Olivier has just returned from Paris where he works in his Father restaurant as a Patissier. After a divorce he has come to spend Christmas was his Mum. As the season to be joyous comes around the pair start to remember the old long forgotten feelings they had for each other and love begins to blossom.

An advance reading copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, in return for my honest review.

Set against the backdrop of Paris and the wonderful seaside town of Brighton I loved this book!

The detail to the places visited was amazing and really bought the location to life, we love visiting Brighton and it homes our favourite Sealife Centre which is affectionately referred to in this story.

Olivier has returned to see his Maman for Christmas and is expecting to actually get a few days rest. Whilst Ashleigh is donning her elf costume again as she works in the lead up to Christmas.

A romantic festive read full of laughter and fun with some tears sprinkled like confetti amongst the pages. I loved this story from beginning to end and was so disappointed when real life got in the way and I had to put my book down

Gosh, these are stressful times, aren’t they? Another Covid-19 lockdown starts tomorrow. EU are sending final demands to Boris over Brexit. Terrorist attacks on our continental neighbours. And Election Night in the US with who knows what constitutional crisis looming over there, whichever side wins. It’s enough to give anyone sleepless nights.

The only thing to do is what I always do at such moments, and bury my head in a happy, stress-free, fictional world where none of the above things are happening and all the problems are of a romantic nature, which you just know will get resolved happily by the end of the novel. The book which has been fulfilling this need over the last few days is One Kiss Before Christmas by Emma Jackson, and what a beautiful job it did.

I was on board with this book from the first page where our heroine, Ash, is dressing as an elf. You heard correctly… an elf. She is going to spend the Christmas season working at a kind of Christmas pageant on a farm. This immediately reminded me of happy times as, every year I have taken my children to just such a place near Harrogate, where they have visited Santa, ice skated, Nordic skied through a forest lit with glowing, wintery light tableaux and solved a Christmassy maze. This book is the closest I will get to that experience this year I think, since Covid has killed all such frivolous, pleasurable activity stone dead, so thanks for allowing me that virtual experience, Emma!

Any character for whom the pinnacle of their year is dressing as an elf is going to have my sympathy, and Ash needs all the sympathy we can give her, as the rest of her life is a disaster. No real career (not sure being an elf counts, as it is fairly seasonal work!), not love life to speak of, a Christmas-hating Granny as a housemate and absentee parents. Not much to bring her comfort and joy this year. Until her childhood friend and neighbour, Olivier, rocks up from Paris to spend Christmas with his mum.

Ah, Olivier! He is everything you want in a sexy, three-quarters French romantic lead. Handsome, charming, courteous, slightly troubled and smelling largely of chocolate. Can’t think of much more to ask for there. Oh, and he can cook! Marry him on the spot, girl. It is like Emma has tapped into those fantasies you have in private moments. (Just don’t tell the Irishman, he is convinced he is my fantasy man!)

So all is set for a rekindling of childhood crushes, peppered with the problems of what will happen when Christmas is over, giving plenty of romantic tension to the plot. This is all set against the perfect, postcard backdrop of Brighton at Yuletide, with the glittering Pavilion, busy pier and quirky Lanes, all to be explored by our amorous pair as the reacquaint themselves. The author has wrung every bit of Christmassy joy from the setting, and I thoroughly enjoyed taking an armchair trip to the south coast for a few hours. Emma has come up with some great hooks for the story in this book. I particularly enjoyed their trip to the aquarium for inspiration for Olivier’s project (turtle poo, anyone?), and the drama of the covert Christmas lights operation. The book is full of sweet and funny moments that fulfil every wish you might have for a romantic Christmas story.

This is a charming, funny, touching and enjoyable festive romance that kept me occupied and distracted for a pleasant few hours this week. I loved all the characters, the plot and the setting, and relished every minute spent in the fantasy world that the author has created. If you are looking for a romance novel to transport you away from current, depressing reality, ease you gently into the Christmas spirit and fill you with romantic, Yuletide cheer, look no further. This is a great read.

Are you following your dreams or your parents’ dreams?
This is a question everyone asks to themselves at least once in their life, are you working in your job because you like it or because your parents pressure you to do it? Are you married with the person you love or the one that your parents like?
This is a love story, but at the same time it will question the reader if the choices they have made in all their life are influenced by other people or because they wanted to do it. And I think that this is a very important point in any adult person, to value and respect our life choices, even if we have to disappoint our families sometimes, it’s important that we respect enough ourselves to follow our dreams and passions.
This is the story of Ashleigh and Olivier, they were “friends” when they were young but it has been years since they have seen each other, now fate has made them meet again. He works in Paris while she works in Brighton; he follows his father steps, she follows her mother steps; but the main question is, are they following their dreams?
There are some sub-plots mixed on the romance between Ash and Olivier, friends and family will be part of the story too, making it more interesting and in my case wanting to know more about the secondary characters (maybe in another book?).
This is a book that will put a smile to any reader, sweet and realistic will make you dream of a better life and a sweet Christmas kiss. Ready?

A good festive romance needs protagonists the reader cares about, a highly visual and atmospheric location, food to make your tastebuds tingle and depth beyond the will they/won’t they scenario. This book has all these elements and more.

I connected with Ashleigh at the mention of her elf socks jingling as being an elf was always on my list of dream jobs. If I could not do it in reality, I was going to enjoy it through her, but the more I discovered about her backstory and her usual festive routine, the more I cared and longed for this year to be different. Likewise, I liked Olivier instantly, but the more I learnt about his complex relationship with his family, the more I wanted him to have a happy ever after too. The observations on the effects of family dynamics on someone’s self-worth gave the story depth as did their friendship with Romesh, and Ash’s bond with her Nan. All the characters felt real, adding to the emotional attachment.

The food element came in the form of chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Olivier may have been a French chef but his talent with chocolate and the descriptions of his mother’s chocolate shop made all my senses come to life, and I longed to taste the flavours they discussed. The stash of chocolate I put away for Christmas was raided early because I needed chocolate before I could continue reading.

Brighton is a location that has everything: quirky shops, unique character, the sea and atmosphere in the bucket load. I used to have day trips there as a teenager and longed to return so was in my element visiting The Lanes and seeing the sea without leaving my duvet. It was an ideal setting, but besides the chocolate shop, Ash’s street and their light display will always stand out for me.

There were scenes that made me chuckle, especially involving the transportation of the Christmas tree, and others were pure magic. I could easily see this playing on a screen as an enjoyable, festive favourite.