This was such an emotional read which I wasn’t expecting. Can’t believe this is a debut novel! Lovely romance book which will make you teary eyed so don’t read it in public! Highly recommend for fans of romance.

Whilst cycling in London, just before Christmas Josie knocks Max over; and so begins an unforgettable chapter of their lives which could lead to the greatest love affair, or heartache.

Josie has had an aversion to Christmas since losing her parents in a car crash on Christmas Eve when she was nine. Max has his reasons for not wanting to be alone this Christmas. As they spend a magical Christmas together, who knows what the new year will bring>

This bittersweet story of true love and hidden secrets kept me enthralled.

I’m not sure where to start with this book. It’s Christmas and Josie has just broken up with her boyfriend Oliver, as if that wasn’t bad enough, Christmas, for Josie is the worst time of the year. Twenty years ago when she was nine years old both her parents were killed in a car crash. While she has learned to live with the heartbreak it never leaves her and she keeps Christmas at a distance in as much as she can. Enter into this scenario Max, a stranger who Josie accidentally knocks down while out cycling and here is where our story begins. With both of them at a lose end they rediscover the Christmas spirit. Yes this a romantic story but it is also heart-breaking in parts. You will need tissues to get through this beautiful story. For me it’s a 4⭐️Story. Thanks to #NetGalley for an advanced copy of this charming story.

Will somebody pass me the tissues! This is a lovely story, albeit a bit of a tearjerker, of Josie and Max. Josie hasn’t properly celebrated Christmas since her parents both died many years ago just before Christmas Day. We’re on the run up to the big day now and this is on Josie’s mind, along with job and relationship worries. By accident, she cycles into Max who is getting out of a taxi. This sets off a friendship and blossoming relationship which lasts over the next couple of days, until Max disappears from her life without so much of a goodbye. We’re left wondering why, and the story takes us on a journey through Josie and Max’s lives right through to the following Christmas.

Of course, I’m not going to tell you what happens, or why Max felt he had to leave…that would just spoil everything!! It is however a storyline which develops slowly over that year and is told from both Josie and Max’s perspectives. I loved Josie’s character and connected with her straight away. She was going through such a difficult time, not just because of the time of year, but with so many other problems that were in her life. Max comes along at just the right time to take her mind off all that, but it’s obvious there’s something going on in his life also.

The story, spread over a year, takes us from London to New York to Edinburgh and it was great to accompany the characters to these places! The book has a super festive feel to it, particularly at the beginning and I loved experiencing Josie and Max’s journey through London just before Christmas! There’s a wonderful array of supporting characters, and even though some weren’t initially as likeable as others, as the story moved on and the plot begins to unfold, I felt a warming to all of them!

This isn’t your typical romantic read however. It’s a moving and emotional story of love, friendships and how people come into your life just when you need them most. The storyline keeps you guessing as to what secrets are being hidden, and whilst I sort of guessed where their stories were going, I didn’t expect it what happened. Whilst it was a little slow in parts, the rest of the book more than makes up for this and I found myself glued to Josie and Max’s lives as I turned the pages. It is a bit of a weepy, but there are some lovely light-hearted moments within it which gives it a lovely warm-hearted feel. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it!

This book had a lot of "hype" so thought I would give it a go, it started off really well, then there seemed to be "padding" in the middle and then the end picked up the pace again, it did tackle some hard issues so if you have just had a bereavement I would leave it alone.

It made me cry bucket, smile, root for the characters, and turn pages as fast as I could.
It brought back memories and talk to my romantic part.
Well written and told, memorable characters, a brilliant plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Always in December - Emily Stone

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Headline and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Josie Morgan never looks forward to December. It's always a reminder of the life she lost, twenty years ago. Now, she always switches off the radio when Christmas music comes on. She always wants to tear down the tinsel her flatmate insists on pinning up. And she always posts a letter she knows will never be read.

Max Carter never expected to find himself stranded in London just days before Christmas. He never expected it would be so hard to say goodbye to a woman he hardly knows. Then again, he never expected to fall in love.

This book revolves around Max and Josie - the pair originally meet when she knocks him over on her bike. We follow the pair as their lives intertwine at various points through the year. This book is truly gripping from the beginning, and it is very easy to feel Josie's emotions.

I read this book in one sitting, unable to put it down for any length of time. It is not your typical Christmas romance but I don't want to give anyway any spoilers. Whilst I would recommend this book, I recommend that you have some tissues on hand.

Rating 4/5

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

“You’ll need tissues for this one”.

This is the story of Josie and Max, they meet when Josie, is on route to post a letter….. to her parents, who died young. It’s a tradition she’s kept ever since -- always, in December. A sad moment, but one where, there’s a lovely message of missing the loved ones and going through our lives without them.

What Josie say: "I'm OK," she repeated. "Really. It's something I've learned to carry around with me, but in some ways I'm glad of that, because it means I loved them, and I remember them, you know?" Was so beautiful.

As I said at the beginning you’ll need tissues so have plenty at hand.

You’ll be in London at Christmas 🎄, New York City(Central Park in spring) and then in Edinburgh in late summer, Botswana in December.

Highly Recommend This Book 📖

Josie literally bumps into Max on her way to post a letter a few days before Christmas. It’s a letter she sends every year knowing it will never be read. Max is stranded in London, but after their chance encounter they spend a few days together, but Max then flies to New York leaving just a note no explanation for Josie.

Oh my word – this book had me sobbing!! It was so wonderful and I truly, truly, truly loved it. Words actually fail me at the moment, as I have literally just finished the last page and I’m still in shock as to what happened.

At times in the day when I was working or out shopping, I kept thinking about the characters, what was it that Max wanted to tell Josie, and what part did Erin play in his life? They kept popping into my mind, a bit like when a friend tells you part of a story, but then you get interrupted and you want to know how things worked out!! I couldn’t stop thinking about them, and was itching to carry on reading it.

Just be warned though – we’ve already had a toilet paper shortage this year, but will now have a tissue shortage for people reading this book as you will cry your heart out.

Max and Josie meet in an unexpected way when Josie accidentally knocks him over on her bike. Her mind is on other things, she has recently been made redundant and as always at this time of year her thoughts are with her parents who died just before Christmas. This is a wonderful slow build story which is beautifully written and well thought out. The story begins and ends in December and is set over the course of a year. When Max leaves Josie abruptly without any reason we are left pondering why this should happen when things appeared to be going so well between them. All the way through you know Max has a secret but are kept guessing as to what it is. He tries to tell her so many times but frustratingly something always gets in the way.

Set in London, New York and Edinburgh the settings are beautifully described and it was wonderful being transported to these amazing cities. All of the characters, side characters included, are well portrayed and likeable. You will find yourself rooting for Josie and Max all the way through.

I didn’t expect to feel so much emotion reading this book, it will make you happy and sad, laugh and cry. Always in December is a compelling read you will not be able to put down. It is an emotional and touching story with an ending which will break your heart. Tissues at the ready.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC for review. My review will be published across my social media platforms nearer to the publication date and Amazon when published.

Definitely not your average romantic Christmas love story, Always in December is a lot more then that.

It's a story about love yes, but also about grief and on how life moves in the most unexpected ways.

I found the central part a bit weak compared to the stronger beginning and final one, but I'm very glad I kept reading on because I found myself hit by a load of emotions around tree quarters in and on.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This one hit me in a really unexpected way. Josie and Max crashed into each other’s lives and their story is beautiful, frustrating, emotional, heartbreaking and wonderfully uplifting. I was engaged right from the start and the book made me laugh and cry and love the characters which to me is the sign of a great reading experience. (5 ⭐️)

I've got to be honest here, this book got to me far more than I expected it to.

Josie meets Max one Decemeber night when she literally crashes into his life and sets them both on a path in equal parts wonderful, frustrating and devastating. Despite a rather predictable plot after the first section, I found myself wanting to know the specifics of these characters and chuckled and sobbed my way to the end.

The beginning and final sections of this book are definitely stronger; there is a slight dip in the middle where hints are being dropped but not much else happens. That being said, the story is definitely a reminder of love and grief and the way we can't really control how things play out. An easy read but one that really hit me in the feels.

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

Such a beautifully written book with all the feels. You’ll laugh and cry and be left all the better for it. Absolutely loved reading this, the ending was perfect, if unexpected.

Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

I don't usually go for these Christmasy kind of books, but reading the description I was intrigued and so glad I requested a copy.

I read this book over 2 days and had a hard job putting it down till it was finished.

This isn't like those fluffy reads, this book was heartwarming, but also heartbreaking, and even had me crying.

I look forward to reading more from Emily Stone.

Thank you Emily Patience Headline Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this romantic novel.
Josie dislikes Christmas the music, decorations, everything, as it reminds her of a heartbreaking loss twenty years ago.
Every Christmas she writes a letter to post knowing it will never be read, which leads her to bumping into Max, who did not anticipate being stranded in London or having to leave the woman he comes to love!
From London to Manhattan & Edinburgh to idyllic English countryside it has romance,, friendships, family and is deeply moving leaving you feeling blessed.

Who doesn’t love a Christmas book?! To be honest I read Christmas books all year round abs I love them. Well written and an enjoyable read.

This is very different from the standard warm and fuzzy Christmas rom-com. The story is rich and nuanced and the shock ending packs a punch I didn’t see coming. It’s festive and funny at times but also gut wrenchingly emotional. This is the kind of book that lingers with you long after the last page is turned, leaving you pondering the nature of love, loss and the meaning of life.

A beautifuly written moving story, that may cause you to shed a tear or two, so keep the tissues handy.

A book on chance meetings.
Josie meets Max in London just before Christmas, Max has just missed his flight and Jessie has nowhere she wants to go for Christmas so they spend it together having a great time then Max is gone when she wakes up.
They meet up again a year later in New York where Max tries to explain what happened but Josie refused to listen.

I feel if only Josie would listen to Gus, I was screaming at her.
Some parts brought tears to my eyes but couldn`t make up for how slow and irritating it was at times.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.