I want nothing more than to experience Christmas in Ireland now.

𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 follows Molly and Andrew over the course of ten years as they annually meet to catch a flight bound to Ireland to visit their families for the holidays. On their tenth anniversary, however, their flight is cancelled but Molly knows just how much Andrew misses his family, so with a hundred detours, subtle flirting, mutual pining and some hesitation regarding the new developments between them they just about get home in time for Christmas.

- ~ -

Reading Molly and Andrew's story was like sitting on your cozy window seat, a soft blanket draped on your legs, enjoying the mild winter sunlight and sipping on a cup of hot chocolate.

Like all of Walsh's female protagonists, Molly is also stubborn in her ways but Andrew is always there to appease her. They make a great pair, they made me laugh, swoon and cry, so simply perfect. See below for some instances:

"...𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦."
"𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦, 𝘩𝘶𝘩?"
"𝘞𝘦'𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘶𝘱 𝘰𝘯."
"𝘉𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯."

and,

"𝘐'𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶," 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺. "𝘐𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤, 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳-𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦-𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺."
"𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵," 𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘴. "𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦."
𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳.

Another thing I love about the author is her ability to construct pure familial settings including all the teasing, messing around and the love ofc. And her sibling relationships and banter are always supreme.

- ~ -

4.31 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

A huge thanks to Bookouture for my complimentary copy and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Holiday Romance tells the story of Molly and Andrew, who always meet at the airport every year to go home for Christmas. Like every Christmas romance something happens on one flight that ends up with no flights available because of the storm but they find ways to get home. I love a Christmas romance and this delightful book delivered with enjoyable characters . Everyone should read this delightful Christmas romance.

Yes, it is time. Time to get some festive vibes going to put in motion gift searching. You can thank me later.

If you are looking for a Christmas mood, search no more because this one has it all, from kisses under the mistletoe to the worst gifts.

🎄In this story, we follow friends Molly and Andrew. They both live in Chicago. Every year they travel home to Ireland to spend Christmas with their respective families. How the tradition to go home together was born is a story on its own.

🎄This year, however, plans will change, as they are grounded because of the snowstorm. With help from Molly's friend, they find a detour that might get them home just in time for Christmas evening festivities. As long as everything goes as planned. Will it? While they find their way home, they also see each other in a different light. Could there be something between these two?

🎄I had so much fun reading this book! I liked how real characters felt, with their disappointments, anger, headache, compassion, annoyance, and all other challenges that come from sitting in an airport with a cluster of strangers. I also enjoyed flashbacks from previous years.
🎄The romance itself was rather predictable. I think it would have been better if there were one or two turns of events that would come as a surprise.
🎄All in all, a proper read for anyone looking for some holiday magic and loooove. Make sure you add it to your Xmas reading list!

Thanks to NetGalley, Catherine Walsh and publisher for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my review!

I love Christmas, but I don't belong to that category that decorates so early (end of November I think is good for me).
However, you will find the melomakarono from now on in greek bakeries and a little bit you will say, shameful with 30 degrees, but on the other hand secretly inside you would like to eat it.

So here is the melomakarono of books, which I only read with air-conditioning, but I got a taste of it and was sweetened and now I want more.

Our girl and boy have known each other for a long time and share a dozen or so flights - always on Christmas Eves (a decade of constant "baking") - stuck in the friend zone.
Until a bad weather that delays their flight, a mistletoe that grows everywhere and the right moment has finally come!

Lovers of <<People We Meet on Vacation>> and general romantic souls in here, grab a candle, grab a piece of candy, grab a blanket (even if you have to turn the air conditioner on) and enjoy!

PS. The girl dreamed of Christmas on a Greek island because she didn't like the cold of Chicago and Dublin at all. I'm doing a house swap if she wants, like Kate and Cameron. Have a nice month and merry Christmas!

This was such a cute holiday romance. I loved Molly and Andrew’s relationship and how it developed. I was surprised how much I liked this book and how quickly I was able to finish it!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Molly and Andrew have known each other for 10 years. They happened to be sitting next to each other on a flight home to Dublin from Chicago right before Christmas. Every year since then, they’ve repeated the tradition. But this year a storm is threatening to interfere with their trip. Mollys family doesn’t really do much for Christmas anyway, so she isn’t too upset about the delay. But Andrew’s family has a lot of traditions that he would be very upset to miss. They set off on an adventure to get home for the holidays, including bribing cab drivers, lost luggage, and a trip completely out of their way. Oh yeah, and mistletoe. After 10 years of tradition, maybe they’ve been missing out on something more all along.

I LOVED this book. I’m a sucker for a cute holiday romance, but this one was so much more. Hilarious banter, plenty of charm, and Andrew’s Christmas sweaters were perfect. I was so close to giving this one 5 stars, but I really wish that more had gone in to Molly’s career choice. There was a little alluding to her interests, but I felt like it mostly came out if left field. More development toward that decision would’ve made it perfect. 4.5 stars, still highly recommend!!

Holiday Romance is an adorable friend -to lovers -romantic story. For the past ten years at Christmas time Molly and Andrew take the same flight home from Chicago (where they currently live) to Ireland to visit their families. This year a snowstorm cancels their flight. Molly works very hard to ensure Andrew gets home to see his family. We see these two develop their relationship and present day and through flashbacks into each of their previous flights.
This book was a cozy warm read which was well written and filled with interesting characters. Be sure to check it out!!

Who doesn’t love a Christmas read in October??
This book has loveable main characters, great chemistry, HOLIDAYS, cute moments. A good friends to lovers book! I like how Molly was the grumpy whereas the male is typically portrayed that way. Even though she was mildly so.
Andrew being such a family
man tugged my heart.
This book checked a lot of boxes for me. I really enjoyed it but I just needed a little more…

4.5 stars!

"Holiday Romance" is such a pleasant holiday surprise! It's super cute and sweet with just the faintest touch of pining.

Molly and Andrew are both from Scotland, but both live in Chicago. When her semi-friend breaks Andrew's heart on Christmas eve, Molly is stuck sitting next the way to Scotland. Ever since that fateful first flight, for the last ten years, they travel home together and are now incredible friends (even though Molly hates to love and loves to hate how much Andrew is obsessed with Christmas). This year, everything that can go wrong has gone wrong, and the pair find themselves navigating canceled flights, trains, storms, ferries, and snow-covered streets just to get him home for the holidays. Could there be more than just friendship between Molly and Andrew?

"Holiday Romance" by Catherine Walsh gave me Christmas-"People We Meet on Vacation" vibes. I was drawn into their relationship instantly! Molly and Andrew are terrific characters together and separately. They each have fantastic personalities and incredible banter with one another. Apart from the one really big potential declaration of feelings, Molly and Andrew have such an open line of communication when they are together. I really appreciated their friendship, and it made me excited knowing they might become lovers! This story is a Christmas story, through and through, no question about it. Swoon! I also appreciated all of the secondary characters, including Hannah (Andrew's much younger teenage sister), Christian (please, can we get a Christian book, Catherine Walsh!?!), Zoe (Molly's twin sister who is about to give birth), and both of their Mams. Loved the Scottish setting, loved the peril, loved the humor, loved the LOVE! Such a fabulous book that will make you feel warm and fuzzy this holiday season!

Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine Walsh, and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

“Now I’ve got your soul too,” omg these words just did me into halfway of this amazing holiday romcom.

Thank you to Netgalley for my Arc for Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh releasing on Oct 4, 2022!

Andrew and Molly have known each other for the past 10 years, catching up annually on their plane trip to Ireland for Christmas. They have had their own significant others, but this year something has peaked their interest in one another, or has it always been there to begin with?

Catherine gives us the perfect holiday romance in the month of October where only we see creepy stories and horror movies coming out but she paints us a wonderful picture of a loving time during Christmas to finally fall in love with your friend.

This book was just what I needed to begin my reading month in October. So cute and romantic, made me feel all gooey inside. Props to the amazing writing and storyline.

f you read one holiday book this season, let it be this one. It’s like drinking a cup of hot chocolate, curled up on a snowy Christmas morning after opening up presents and sitting by a warm fire.

Holiday Romance delivers just that - a perfect holiday romance. Molly & Andrew both live in Chicago, and both are from Ireland. After meeting one year while in college and sitting next to each other on the plane, they develop a friendship and a yearly tradition of sitting next to each other on the plane while they travel back to Ireland for Christmas. The book flashes back and forth beginning with the first flight, to current time (now ten years later). After cancelled flights, stress trying to get home, and a little mistletoe, are Molly & Andrew starting to realize that they may be more than just friends? The best part is, it’s a Christmas book without being too much of a Christmas book. You could really enjoy this one any time of year!

Read Holiday romance to laugh, cry, and feel all the christmassy feels with this book. I HIGHLY recommend! 100/5 stars.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHER FOR THIS REVIEW COPY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

From where should I start?

This book is one the coziest book, I've read in a long time. It was like a cup of chocolate in freezing cold. I was expecting a cringy plus cheesy book but it turned out the opposite one.

Molly moved to Chigaco from Ireland to attend college, one degree converted into another one and days into years. Now, it is her home and she only visits her family on Christmas. Though her family is not the one to celebrate holidays but now it is a habit to visit them at end of the year.

Mathew also moved from Ireland and tried his hand at different creative fields. His family is big on Christmas and he never missed a chance to show off his holiday spirit.

They first met each other via a friend after that they met at the airport while traveling home. Now, it's been ten years and it becomes their tradition to travel together. They sometimes met between the visits and obviously are in contact. It is their tenth anniversary of traveling together, Molly has big plans for them but the storm has another. Molly is always a fixer, she has to fix this and take both of them home, doesn't matter what she has to do.

I love the story so much, the writing was great and I felt really connected with both of the characters and their plans. I traveled with them from Chicago to Dublin, I never thought that I'd enjoy a book about travel this much. Surprisingly, the story was not cringy at all, cheesy? yes, but not too much. The dynamics between both were so unique. I want to read more books that have MCs who know how to communicate. I also like that they both have their own life, unlike most of the books of this genre. It was a mix of "opposites attract each other" and "friends to lovers".

I'd totally recommend reading this book on a weekend while snuggling in a blanket.

A fun contemporary romance that feels like a warm hug!

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh is the first book of the author that I read and will not be the last! This book is a delight and gives me happy, giddy feelings. I was smiling throughout the book. It’s such a sweet book that it feels like Christmas!

Molly and Andrew have known each other for ten years, with the first year of their encounter ending in such a dreadful turn up until the third year of their airport encounter, and from then on became a yearlong tradition to go home to Ireland for the holidays. For their tenth year, their flight was canceled due to bad weather and, from then on, became a tumultuous, more extended trip. Their journey forces them to discover more about themselves and each other - as they take a leap of courage to be honest, and brave.

I love Molly and Andrew! They are adorable separately and together. They are funny together, and their banter and togetherness don’t feel forced or lacking in chemistry. The time jumps work well for this plot; they give us a window into their connection and feelings. Their friends and family are just as charming, the type of people you definitely make an effort to spend your holidays with! I recommend this if you’re looking for a sweet, no angst, holiday-themed book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the eARC.

*** ARC REVIEW *** Thank you, NetGalley for this book!! ***

"It has always been you."

I believe this statement framed this entire book and I am still melting in puddles of love because that is in my opinion, the most romantic statement to be sending out - be it in this book or anywhere else. I must say I am absolutely in love with this one! Besides sending me right into the holiday mood, it filled my heart with overflowing love and got me humming Christmas songs right after finishing this book.

Molly and Andrew have been friends, or rather friends who take the same flight back to their respective homes in Ireland for Christmas every year. Seven hours and fifteen minutes time together on flight every year for the past ten years and not once had the thought of romance crossed them. Not until when a freak snowstorm grounds their flight and a bizarre adventure together with the aim of getting home by Christmas happened. But with Molly being practical and most of the time, hesitant, would she finally take the plunge and follow her heart?

Reading this book had me feeling like I, too, was on an adventure along with them. I appreciate how each scene and each character was so well-written, I could find myself literally sitting beside them in the cafe in Paris, or touring the grand house in London. Most of all, I loved the flashbacks to every previous flight that Molly and Andrew had been on. I loved every second spent together with them. Their banters made me laugh out loud even on the bus, or at the salon. Friends/lovers or not, they were simply the cutest!

Sigh, you simply have to get this book for a light-hearted, hilarious read and for you to jump right into Christmas mood!!

i just can't like friends to lovers, it feels wrong somehow 🤨 i didn't like and couldn't finish pwmov and this was similar to that. i give this one a chance because of christmas setting but still didn't like it


i hate when the couple has right-person-wrong-time thing because i don't want to know their other partners and the hero one time said <b> he felt like cheating his girlfriend when he looked at the heroine </b> 😡 if you have feelings for someone else don't lead other people

plus if i'm not wrong they see each other once a year regularly and two or three times extra?? their scheduled meetings for catch up feels weird 😐 and what's the point of andrew's soberty🤨 it showed us they're not as close as they seem she didn't even know he has a problem

another not so great christmas book for me i was so hopeful for this

Molly and Andrew take the flight from Chicago to Ireland every year at Christmas to see their families . This year happened to be a little different . With the snow storm coming plans have changed, emotions are large but some how they have to get through it . A great friends to lovers quick read .

Where are my Holiday Rom-Com book lovers at?! This is your book for the upcoming holiday season. It’s adorable, it’s funny, it’s sweet, and it’s filled with witty banter that will surely make you smile.

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh is a friends-to-lovers Christmas adventure story. Molly and Andrew have been friends for the past 10 years. During the Christmas season, they develop a tradition to fly to their hometown in Ireland together. Unfortunately this year, their flight is cancelled due to a snowstorm. Molly wants to make it home in time because her sister is about to have a baby and Andrew is crushed he won’t be able to see his family this year. This is when Molly designs a plan to get them home. Let the wild adventure begin….

This book reminds me of the Christmas Hallmark movies I love to watch every year.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of Holiday Romance in exchange for my honest review.

An unusual Christmas romance in that the protagonists already know each other. A warm, well written story which is light hearted and full of Christmas spirit.

She's meant to be catching flights, not catching feelings.

I love a good holiday read and expected this to be your standard cute but slightly ridiculous Christmas read. I did not expect Molly to be so damn adorable (and relatable) and Andrew to be so loveable!

I devoured this book so quickly and will be purchasing this as a gift for my fellow reader friends this holiday season.

Would love love LOVE to see this story adapted to screen!

4 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Special thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Full of Christmas magic and glittering with holiday sparkles comes the perfect Christmas romcom that will make you feel bundled in love with marshmallows on top!