Loved this story of a small inter connected group. Every member is facing their own issues and the future depends on how they deal with them. A typically good read.

This was my first time reading a book from the author but I am delighted to say I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more books from the writer in the future.

Oh so cosy it enchanted me from the start and I really wanted to get to know the characters. Imagine bringing a child up like there your own and then there mother shows up wanting parental rights. A lovely bunch of down to earth characters.

This was a wonderful, festive read. A great cast of characters, with the perfect balance of drama and cozy, Christmas vibes.

This was my first book by this author and I will definitely be looking in to more, especially finding some of the characters that made an appearance in this books stories.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalleyUK for a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fab, festive read that really put me in the Christmas spirit.
Thanks for the chance to read & review it.

The new book from Roisin Meaney, A Winter to Remember, has such a beautiful cover that just screams curl up and read me now. This is a lovely, gentle and relaxing read ideal for this time of year. Prior to reading, I discovered that some of the characters that had featured in The Restaurant and The Book Club feature again so when I began reading I was on the lookout for them. Although, if I hadn’t know this before starting I think I would have figured out fairly on who was who and details of their stories did come back to me. But don’t worry if you haven’t the previously mentioned books as this is very much a standalone story. I found this to be a gorgeous quick read and just as wonderful as Roisin’s previous books and I enjoyed every minute of the time I spent reconnecting with characters and seeing how their lives had changed and what situations they now found themselves in.

The first few pages set the scene. It’s Christmas Day and Emily is hosting dinner for her friends at her restaurant, The Food of Love. But what should be a happy time is certainly not for Emily. Her plans have changed and instantly the readers interest is piqued as to what has caused her to feel this way. To discover the answer we are taken back in time several weeks and from this point on each chapter details the run up to Christmas Day.

There are a lot of characters to become familiar with but I felt as if I knew an awful lot about them already but there is plenty of backstory woven in with Roisin’s deft touch and lovely writing style. Something seems to have happened between Emily and her best friend Heather and as the pages fly by I can’t say there was anything specific that imploded between the pair more so that a distance appears between them with a lot left unsaid. They never actually come out and say to each other what they are going through individually until perhaps it was in the territory of becoming too late to do so and you just hope that they can find a way back to the friendship and I would say sister hood that had flourished between them.

Emily is in a relationship with Bill who is several years older than her. They have been through a lot together but it’s obvious for all to see that they are a match made in heaven. They are raising Bill’s grandson Pip whose mother Christine abandoned him when he was only a raw infant. Christine has substance abuse issues and a lot of it stems from the experiences of her childhood. Emily and Bill have been managing just fine and the bond they have with Pip is evident for all to see. When their dear friend Astrid passed away she left her house in trust for Pip for when he turns older. A small inheritance has been left to Christine as well. That’s if she ever dares to show her face again. Emily is happy in her relationship with Bill but deep down she longs for a child of her own which is only natural as this is most women’s wish and desire. But Bill flat out refuses to engage in any conversation regarding this subject. You can sense Emily’s hurt surrounding this issue and this is compounded even further when Christine makes a surprise reappearance at Bill’s house. Emily soon feels like she is being pushed out into the cold and the relationship she has developed with Pip is severely under threat not to mention things with Bill become quite challenging.

I felt for Emily throughout this book. She was a good person with a heart of gold who would do anything to help anyone but Bill didn’t always consider her needs. It was as if once Christine was back on the scene that Emily was pushed into second place in his heart and his day to day life. Yes, you can see where Bill is coming from. His daughter has returned with the promise that she is clean and is now ready, willing and able to rear her son again. But can she be trusted? Of course, Bill had to support his flesh and blood but still I felt he should remember the person that had been there for him through thick and thin and would always stand by his side. Emily’s strand of the story is an emotional one and the reader is conflicted and goes back and forth as to whose side they are on or whose opinion is more valid. It’s a tough one but I thoroughly enjoyed how everything played out. As Christmas approaches and things get worse for Emily she questions will she ever find the long lasting happiness that she craves and which the reader can see that she deserves?

Heather is a busy mum and her partner Shane works all hours as a paramedic. At times they are like ships in the night just passing with a brief hello. Heather’s stress levels increase when her mother arrives to stay and it appears as if she isn’t moving on any time soon and when an unexpected letter arrives for her it certainly puts the cat amongst the pigeons and threatens everything which she has established. Will she be tempted or can she weather the storm that is approaching? To be honest, Heather wasn’t my favourite character as I found her to be a bit selfish and for some reason I just couldn’t connect with her. I found myself reading quickly through her sections in order to get back to characters that I was more engrossed in. I don’t think that’s any fault of the author more so that she was just one character that wasn’t for me and it’s not as if we can like every character in every book that we read.

Lil and Tom arrive to rent the flat above Emily’s restaurant and it was such a delight to read about them again. Lil featured in The Book Club and her story was heart breaking, memorable and inspiring in equal measure. They will return to Fairweather once the new library has been built but for now Lil has a job in the local library and things are progressing in her relationship with Tom. Tom too has a heart breaking story and you can see that he still has unresolved issues around this which threaten to continue rearing their ugly head. There is a fragility and air of vulnerability around Lil that I wonder will it ever go away or can it given all that has happened to her. Tom is her protector but still there is a niggle deep within her that things mightn’t work out long term even though there is some happy news for them. Tom and Lil were a couple I was rooting for from the beginning and given their backstory I desperately hoped that happiness and some Christmas magic would appear in their lives.

Christine is certainly the most complex character of them all. She is fighting a daily battle to stay on the straight and narrow and she was a brilliantly written character. You kind of love to hate her and my opinion of her swayed back and forth and that’s because I didn’t like how her actions affected others. Yet on the other hand you have great empathy for her because she has one goal in mind and is determined to succeed but there are plenty of temptations sent her way and lots of bridges for her to mend. We really get inside her head and become familiar with and grow to understand her mindset. She struggles and battles on a daily basis and is very much caught up in her own mind. So much so that at times she can’t see the effect of her return is having on others.There was a point that there was so much going on and everything became so tangled for the characters that I could see no route to happiness for them.There are lots of pain and anguish for all involved and several leaps of faith must be taken.

A Winter to Remember is classic Roisin Meaney and I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I hope it finds its way to many readers this Christmas as it definitely deserves a place under the Christmas tree.She has brought characters from two books and combined them seamlessly into one entertaining, satisfying and pleasant Christmas read.

I didn't dislike this book but I wasn't mad about it either. Only when I finished it, did I realise this is a follow-on from previous books. Perhaps I would have felt differently about it if I had read those books first.
Emily & her partner Bill are raising Bill's grandson as their own and now Bill's daughter who has had her struggles has returned to her family.
Heather & Shane are plodding along, Heather feeling more dissatisfied as each day passes. Then her Mother visits and her past gets in touch.
Tom & Lil are Emily's lodgers with their own past, trying to establish new roots.
The characters felt quite disconnected for me, I would definitely recommend reading the previous books first.

A lovely wintery, festive read and it took me to such a lovely place. It is about life, love, family, stress and so much more. All revolving around four families each with their own problem and stories and it really did bring to light that all families have dramas, and struggles but we can all come together to help each other.

This is certainly a cosy read and I will be keeping an eye out for more books from this author as I did enjoy her writing and her descriptions as well as all the characters that made this book what it is. Enjoyable and entertaining as well as heart-warming and cosy.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books Ireland for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Another great read from Roisin. This book brought together a selection of characters from previous books. Emily is the owner of a quirky restaurant where anyone can come along whether they are on their own or with others. I hope there is another book to follow up on these characters.

Thought this book was such a cosy heart-warming read. Especially when weather is awful it just wrapped you up .i love reading festive books always makes my heart sing!

This was a gorgeous read, especially for people who have read previous books and recognise the characters. It was lovely to meet them again. The setting is very true to life and recognisable. The story itself is really multiple strands, often around connections between people, alternative lives explored and things unsaid that need to be said. It kept me reading because it felt like an old friend telling me stories of people from my childhood home. The characters really are the strongest part - all very different, all very believable and true to life. A must read, particularly for autumn and winter days.

Thank you Netgalley for this review copy of Roisin Meaneys new book.
Having read many of Roisin's revious books I looked forward to this new book . I did enjoy it and would recommend it to others.
The story brought together several.of Roisins previous books , weaving the characters storylines together and finishing off their story's.
I do think it would be worthwhile to have read previous books and even felt I had to revert back to previous books to recap.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, a perfect Xmas read whilst not being afraid to tackle hard issues. Any book from this author is an entertaining read and this one is no different.

I received a free copy of, A Winter to Remember, by Roisin Meaney, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Emily her partner Bill, and Tom and Lil, are featured in this book. I really did not care for Christine at all, as Bill's daughter, and mother to a child she have to her dad to raise, then wanted back. This was not a feel good Christmas read, none of the characters were happy, they were pretty miserable through out the book actually.

I fell in love with the cover and wanted to the there. I loved the plot and the characters, it's heartwarming and festive.
A cosy story to keep you smiling
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A heart-warming and cosy seasonal read. Very engrossing and was hard to put down. There is something magical about festive books and this one is no exception.

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

I enjoyed reading this book, which can be read as a standalone, but as characters from a previous book are also in this one, it would be best to read The Restaurant first.

I loved catching up with the characters, see how their lives have changed and what they’re doing now.

I recommend this book.

This book is centred around the lives of four families each at a different stage in their lives and every member having their own story,

Emily runs and owns a restaurant she has a partner Bill who is older than she is and who along with Emily's help is bringing up his grandson after his daughter found it hard to cope.

Christine is Bill‘s daughter who has struggled with addiction, but is determined to get her life back on track and reclaim her son.

Heather is Emily’s lifelong friend has her own problems, she has been a single mother but has met Shane and they share a blended family

Tom and Lil are a young couple who have moved into Emily‘s apartment Trying to leave their old life behind.

I didn’t realise this books story picks up on a previous book, and I think I would’ve enjoyed it even more.if I had read it as a few times things were mentioned that I was curious about. ,

I love reading family based fiction. We all have our own struggles, and it is important to remember that, although they may feel important to us, everyone has their own struggles in their lives.The importance of open communication was beautifully portrayed and to appreciate what we have instead of hankering after something we imagine is better,

This book got me thinking , love, family , friendship and community all things we should value are explored and I loved how all the characters found their own happy ending.

Such a heartwarming and beautiful story. It has been a long while since I last read a book from this author but when I spotted this one, I couldn't resist.

And thankfully I managed to start reading, while I was on a tube and then in a restaurant so had time, when I wasn't distracted to really get into the story, and get to grips with the fairly large cast of main characters, in one sitting.

Which definitely helped as it then meant when I wasn't reading, I was waiting to grip the kindle again and get back to the story, as it totally enchanted me.

There are so many different characters and story threads that all interlink in a seamless way. I'd say it's Christine's story that is the most powerful, we don't see huge amounts of her, but she is present the whole time, and some of her chapters are incredibly strong, and I really felt for her, and was willing her to turn her life around.

I could comment on each of the characters, but really the blurb is doing a much better job of it than I could do, and I generally liked all of them. They all had distinctive voices and thankfully the author did label each chapter which the featured character for that chapter.

It was a gentle story, that really gets under your skin, and I am so glad I had the chance to read this. What a truly lovely story, set in the run up to Christmas, but can easily be read at any time of the year as it's not a Christmas book as such, just a gorgeous story set in the winter.

Thank you to Hachette Books Ireland and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

A Winter to Remember,is about 4 women and the tough circumstances in their present day lives.

While it felt I knew much about what was happening in their lives at the moment,I didn't particularly get to know any of the women well in general. That was disappointing and not a very fulfilling reading experience on the whole.