When I started this book, I hadn't read up on it, but I expected it to be your usual, predictable Christmas romance (which I love I might add), but this book was so much more than that.
I felt so many different emotions reading this book - happy, frustrated, annoyed, and then utterly heartbroken - not ashamed I actually properly cried.
A really special book, that deserves a place on everyone's shelves - would highly recommend.

I’m so pleased that when I was asked to read and review this book that I accepted. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year.
It’s a book that will stay with me for a long time.
From start to finish I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Finding it hard to put down.
The ending was so well written even though I cried throughout the last few chapters.
I really felt like I knew the characters and was willing it to work out for them.
I will certainly look out for more books written by this author.
Thank you for allowing me to read this fantastic book.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Headline for approving me for an ARC of this book.

The story is mostly told from the POV of Josie and starts one December, when she accidently runs Max over with her bicycle. This incident sparks up a conversation, that leads to a series of dates over the Christmas period. Whilst Max seemed quite moody to start with I did like the chemistry that brewed between him and Josie. I also thought his actions when the bumped into Oliver were perfect. He had a way of putting Oliver in his place without being rude and that earnt him major brownie points. This swift romance however was cut short when Max just ups and leaves for America.

I will admit I was quite annoyed with Max for just leaving without a proper goodbye but a part of me hoped that he had a very good reason for it. As the story progressed through the rest of the year I found myself chuckling at how much Josie and Max’s paths crossed. I was quite proud of Josie for keeping some of her integrity when they met in New York. Despite how much she felt drawn to Max should stood strong against her urges.

It is very clear that Max had something that he needed to talk to Josie about and whilst quite a few scenarios played through my head the one that stuck out was in fact the actual ending. Now you might think that this would spoil the read for me but in all honesty it didn’t. I knew it would be heart breaking and I knew it would be emotional but no matter how much I prepared myself for it Emily Stone’s beautiful writing broke my heart. I will admit it wasn’t until the last 15 minutes of the book that the tears began to cascade but once they did it was like someone had turned the tap on!

This isn’t your typical boy meets girl romance and I for one found that refreshing. This is tragic, it’s raw and will break your heart piece by piece. Is it worth a read? Most definitely, just make sure you have the tissues handy!

Polished this one off in a day, really enjoyed the read. After Josie's parents were killed when she was young, each Christmas Eve she has written and posted them a letter. After a bad year in which she discovered her boyfriend was cheating on her and that she was going to either be made redundant or be demoted, Josie is on her way to post her annual letter when she has a bike accident and meets Max. After a heady few days together, Max goes back home to America, leaving Josie stunned. Little does she know, their paths will cross many times and that Max is hiding a life altering secret. When Josie's beloved grandmother needs life saving surgery, Max is there for Josie until something happens that tears her world apart. Very sad at times but a great read.

Yes! Write the story you want to tell. This is one of the most romantic books I’ve ever read and yet it doesn’t end a way people say romance novels should. I love romance books that end like this. I will die on this hill. If there’s a romance between two people (or more if that’s your thing) and it’s swoony and it’s beautiful and it’s wistful then it’s a romance and this is one of the very best ones. My word I don’t know how to review this book to do it justice. Please read this book! I loved this book so much. I can’t wait to read it again and again and I hope I will always have the same reaction! Well done Emily Stone. Well done and thank you.

Beautiful book, definitely a tearjerker and Spoiler alert: I'm going to disagree with all the reviews who say a book can't be a romance without a happy ever after!

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I adore this book and the characters, it is written so beautifully and is so heartwarming. It feels to me like it has a magical quality about it and it is definitely something you can just get wrapped up and lost in. I am 100% invested in this.

Just before Christmas, Josie, quite literally, bumps into a perfect stranger when she is posting a letter to her parents. This chance encounter between Josie and Max is one which will change the course of their lives forever. And that really is all I'm going to say in terms of plot because to say more would be to spoil this absolutely beautiful novel which had me laughing and crying in equal measure.

As a debut novel goes it's pretty accomplished, there are no clunky moments, no rough edges, no single minute when the story, and the people, don't climb into your heart and stay there for the rest of the time it takes to become immersed in Josie and Max's relationship. Even now, days after finished the story, I keep going back to what happened, and the effect the story had on me.

Always, in December is one of those books which makes you appreciate just how much skill is involved in creating the right story, with the right people, at the right time of year and with so much heart and soul that turning the pages is an absolute joy.

If you only read one 'festive' themed book this year make it this one. There is no doubt that it will break your heart into a million pieces, just like it broke mine 💔

First of all I would like to say thank you to the publisher, the author and net galley for allowing me access to an advance reader copy of this book.

I thought this was cute and funny it was a great romance comedy especially with the Christmas backdrop are usually I’m not a big fan of Christmas box but I thought I would give this one ago and I actually really enjoyed it I thought it was down to earth inclusive it draws you in and I think it’s just great overall

Although this book was just a light fluffy Christmas romance, I found it perfect to lose myself in with a cup of tea, warm blanket and an afternoon of not feeling well . Fairly predictable, but nevertheless a lovely warm feeling book.

Very well written, great characters. Heartwarming and heartbreaking all at the same time. It was easy to read and easy to fall in love with the characters.

Get your tissues ready for this one
I thoroughly enjoyed this book
Knew it wasn’t going to be happily ever after
But that ending WOW
Can’t wait for her next book
Thanks NetGalley

A perfect book for a cosy rainy day in!
It does pull at the heart strings and although I thought it would be more of a romantic book it delved into much more than that, such as friendships, family, love and resilience.
Some sad parts but you become so invested in the story because it is so well written.
I really enjoyed it,

A mixture of warmth and heart break encouraged me to keep turning those pages.
Emily used description well to create images of places in the reader’s mind.
It’s Christmas and in the bustling city of London, a distracted Josie has a chance meeting with a stranger that will change her life.
Beginning with a nice Christmas feel, I enjoyed the growing relationship between Josie and Max. I felt frustratingly that the story begins to slow towards the middle, only to speed back up and give me an emotional ending that brought tears to my eyes.
The well written ending created a 4 for me, otherwise I would have given a 3.5.
Thankyou to both Emily Stone and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

This is one of these reviews that I am finding difficult to write. Why? Because it is difficult to put into words what this book made me feel.

It was filled with characters that I wanted to know, wanted to be friends with. It was filled with places and encounters that I wanted to be a part of. It was also filled with emotion - some happy and some sad - but I am glad that I got to feel the emotions along with the characters.

This isn't my usual 'Christmassy' read but I loved the premise when I read the blurb, and I fell in love with the book once I actually started reading it.

One of my favourite books this year!

What can I say this book totally blew me away such a tender and beautiful yet emotional and heart wrenching read. The tile implies this is going to be a Christmas light hearted read but it is most certainly so much more than that.

The author has captured the characters emotions and thoughts and feelings in such a way that they come alive and jump off the page and the reader feels like they are experiencing the happiness and then the sadness with them and I became so invested in them that I laughed and cried when they did.

This isn’t a fluffy romance novel either but a story about love and how things that happen in the past can shape the future and also a reminder to us all to live everyday day as though it’s our last. This book will stay with for a long time.

Josie is delivering her letter, the same as she does every year when she collides into Max.
This collision sets off a chain of events that will leave Max finding hope and take Josie on a journey to discover herself.

This book absolutely broke me!! Not in a way that I was crying but in a way that left me slightly numb.

It's split into 6 parts and spans over the space of a year.
Stone takes your heart through a journey of love and excitement, she surrounds your heart with hope to break it into tiny little pieces and puts it back together again, leaving a little bit out to stay with this book.

I 100% could not guess this narrative.
I have never known a romance leaving the reader in suspense. Stone really does lead you down a certain path to then lead you in a different direction.

This book is not your stereotypical Christmas romance novel, but it will definitely leave you feeling grateful.

I could write so much more in my review but I won't, because I am trying not to give anything away. This book is beyond beautiful and heart-wrenching; my advice to any reader is to be prepared for the unexpected.

Each Christmas Josie posts a letter to the parents she lost when she was a child. When Josie accidentally bombs into Max on her way to the postbox each of their lives are going to change.

Set over the course of a year, this is one of the most heartbreaking books I have read.

This is a tricky book to summarise in any one particular genre and was largely promoted as romance and christmas fiction of which it isn’t really either. I would say it’s contemporary because there is some romance, but if you’re looking for full on mushy stuff then that’s not happening with this book. There’s some domestic drama, family secrets and a few twists that were nicely done to make this a refreshing read.

There’s a really strong emotional pull in this book – the characters and storyline are well written and that combines with the Authors style to create something special. There were parts that were predictable but that didn’t matter – and that’s the fun of it really. Josie and Max are characters that you absolutely will fall in love with. It’s hard to say more without giving away the storyline!

Such a sweet Christmas love story
Not my usual read but very enjoyable and I will be looking for more books by this author
Thank you netgalley for a pre publication copy of this book