There’s something about Christmas books that always makes me want to curl up and savour the glow of the season, and The Break Up Before Christmas delivered exactly that feeling. Charlotte Barnes has written a festive story filled with hope, humour, and the sometimes messy business of starting over.

Dotty’s journey really is the heart of this book. Through her “Dear Dotty” column she’s always had the answers for everyone else, but when her own life falls apart she has to learn how to take her own advice. I loved the idea of her writing letters to herself — it was such a thoughtful and original way of showing her self-reflection.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t warm to Dotty as a character and found her a little frustrating at times. But that didn’t take away from the enjoyment of seeing her growth, the little lessons she learned, and the way she gradually pieced herself back together. Her journey felt authentic — complicated, imperfect, and ultimately rewarding.

The festive details added a lovely touch of sparkle, while the budding romance with Alia gave the story both warmth and fresh energy. The cooking class scenes especially were a delight and reminded me how much fun it is when books bring people together in unexpected ways.

Overall, this is a heartfelt tale of rediscovery and hope, wrapped up in all the magic of the Christmas season. Even if Dotty wasn’t always easy to love, the charm of the story, the emotional depth, and the promise of new beginnings made this an enjoyable festive read.

First off, this should be called Dear Dotty, not The Breakup Before Christmas, because the breakup happens SEVERAL MONTHS prior to Christmas. I thought I was in for a cute Christmas rom-com, and it's not that. It's about an advice columnist named Dotty who accidentally advices her long-term partner to break up with her and then the subsequent rebuilding of and finding herself. Yes, this includes meeting a new woman months after the breakup and learning to be okay with trying a relationship again, but we don't even meet Alia until 65% into the book. So the romance part, while sweet, is very surface level because we get hardly any time to see their relationship develop.

This book is mostly about transformation of Dotty into being more of herself and challenging herself to not just be fine with her life but to actually be vulnerable and authentic. It's fairly humorous, and I liked the idea of writing to herself. I love that she has a supportive friend group and an amazing mom. It made me want to call my own mom.

It was an interesting read, but it's not the seasonal romance I was expecting.

Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

I enjoyed this book but I have to admit it was a little bit slower than I would have liked.
Even though Dotty's struggles feel real, I find it hard to relate to her and she frustrated the hell out of me. Most of the characters frustrated me a lot, I must confess.
I'm also not a big fan of the title being misleading, as the break up happens months before Christmas.

I did struggle with this at first but i thought it was acute seasonal book but its fun and enjoyable and cosy read.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

dear dotty is spiralling....her job as dear dotty has her answering agony aunt type questions but when her life implodes on her she really doesnt know what to do....

after all she actually gave her partner the advice to leave her.... and now she reaps what she has sown....

along the journey she takes dotty will learn quite a lot about herself and others....

its an interesting read

This Is a clever, heartfelt romcom that blends humor with emotional depth. The story follows Dotty “Dear Dotty” Ellison, a popular advice columnist whose life seems enviable—until her world is turned upside down in the most ironic way possible. After advising an anonymous reader to end their relationship, Dotty is blindsided when the advice is followed… and she discovers she was the girlfriend being dumped.

What unfolds is a witty, charming, and often laugh-out-loud funny tale of Dotty’s journey through heartbreak, self-reflection, and ultimately, self-discovery. Barnes infuses the novel with Dotty’s signature sarcasm and sharp wit, but beneath the humor lies a thoughtful exploration of change, vulnerability, and the resilience required to move forward.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is the warmth of Dotty’s support system. Her close-knit group of quirky friends and her loving mother provide both comic relief and genuine emotional grounding, making her journey even more relatable and uplifting. While the romance element is understated and appears later than expected, the overall resolution feels satisfying.

This is an uplifting, funny, and heartwarming read perfect for anyone seeking both humor and heart in their holiday romance.

Not my usual genre but I do love a good Christmassy story. Dear Dotty a local legend of agony aunt is needing a little of her own advice. Trials and tribulations of life, will Dear Dotty weather the storm.

Thank you to NetGalley and Joffe Books for this ARC.

Dotty, a gay advice columnist in her thirties, has been together with Caitlin for ten years, but lately, they've been coasting. When Caitlin writes in anonymously about her career-oriented partner who forgot their anniversary, Dotty tells her to leave her partner, so Caitlin takes her advice and does just that.

Blindsided, she turns to her Mum and then her three friends Elouise, Tots and Marissa, who she later describes as her scaffolding. She also starts to write letters to her Dear Dotty self, which causes a sensation and a book deal. Dotty goes on a journey of introspection and self-discovery, trying out several new hobbies plus the obligatory new haircut. In a cooking class she meets Alia, but only two thirds through the book, and the romance is never the focus of her new life.

To be honest, I felt a bit for Caitlin who left because she felt underappreciated and taken for granted, and then had to watch as Dotty made a career out of her heartbreak. However, it didn't feel that Caitlin (or Dotty, for that matter) made any attempts at salvaging the relationship, so hey ho.

Can we talk a bit about the random title? There was only a bit about Christmas at the end, and the breakup happened sometime in summer I believe. Technically, that's before Christmas but if someone says that something happened before Christmas I will think they mean three days before, so that's a bit clutching at straws for a title.

The book is funny and emotional but often clichéd and predictable. It reads well though and has hilarious side characters. If you like journeys of self-discovery with a light festive sprinkle, this is cosy enough, plus there is no dreaded third-act breakup.

3.5 stars

this book burst into my life, brightened it, lightened it and made me feel so much better. i could snuggle in, i could laugh, i could giggle and get the toes are tingling feeling throughout. there is a reason these books get a play on the shelves this time of year. they have such a special nature about them. they have a unique sparkle that Christmas and the meaningfulness behind it can only do. and this book had that. its wrapped me up in padded wrapping paper that hugged me in all the right places. then it added a bow, feathers, and glitter for good feel good vibes extra.
in this book we are bought to the world of Dotty. shes actually "Dear Dotty" advice columnist. everything is going brilliantly in Dotty's life. shes got all the tick boxes seemingly ticked right? errrrrrm. because when she responds to one letter in particular she cannot know this reader who seeking relationship advice is actually her own partner. no! so when Dotty gives her reply and thats to end things? nononononono!!! and so what do we have... a breakup. with Dotty. via her own blooming advice. oucccchhh.
and this leads Dotty on a refresh, re-think, and re-learning of herself. and along the way she gets up to activities that build her up and build her questions in herself and life. she grows from it and might even find love from it. as a certain someone comes along and pulls her Christmas cracker. could she get her sparkle back and find someone to shine alongside her?
this book was a delight. i loved Charlotte's writing style. she brings that dry wit that i just loooove. its a bit of me that. her writing flowed and was smooth and so i swept through this book in quick time, but i have no regrets there as it was a joy to do so.
there is all the fun of course. but we are of course on someone healing and finding journey and we do see that in Dotty. we feel for her, we want her to do well, and we stand with her. i was rooting for her all the way through.
the side characters and those their to catch Dotty were a special kind of special in this book. can we all have this support system please?
the relationship or start of a new one didn't take over but neither did it leave you hanging. it was delicately done in this story that needed Dotty to have her own a bit first. and i was fizzing with lovely feels when it came about and cheering for Dotty even more.
loved this book. it was just what i needed. this book is just what anyone needs and will love. this world needs books, especially right now and especially books like this. they are like funny, gorgeous balms to the soul.

Not reviewing this at this time as I previously read it under another title. Saying that, I enjoyed it at the time so would recommend

Based on the synopsis, I fully expected to love this book but I found the style of the writer very hard to engage with. The characters and plot were well developed buy the book didn't hold my attention.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Break-up Before Christmas is a witty, heartfelt rom-com that puts a fresh spin on the holiday romance trope. Dotty Ellison, better known as advice columnist “Dear Dotty,” is brilliant at solving everyone else’s problems—until she accidentally advises her long-term girlfriend to dump her. What follows is a hilarious and unexpectedly touching journey of heartbreak, self-discovery, and the messy process of learning to take your own advice.

Charlotte Barnes blends humor and emotion beautifully. Dotty’s decision to start writing letters to herself through her column is both clever and poignant, allowing readers to see her vulnerability and growth in real time. The chemistry between Dotty and Alia is fun and tender, offering a hopeful glimpse of what moving forward after heartbreak can look like.

While the story leans a bit on the predictability of rom-com beats, it’s elevated by sharp writing, relatable themes, and a heroine you can’t help but root for. Funny, uplifting, and full of Christmas charm, this book is perfect for readers who love their romances equal parts cozy, witty, and heartfelt.

The Breakup Before Christmas by Charlotte Barnes is a charming and uplifting story about love, self-discovery, and fresh beginnings. I loved following Dotty as she learned to take her own advice and opened her heart to new possibilities. The mix of holiday warmth, humor, and romance made this a delightful festive read. I truly enjoyed it and gave it five stars.

Well-known life advice columnist Dotty “Dear Dotty” Ellison has everything going for her. A successful career, great friends, and a long-term girlfriend. Until she doesn’t. When responding to a letter from a reader seeking relationship advice, Dotty gives them the cold hard truth and advises them to call it quits. So the anonymous reader does just that when they break up with their girlfriend…Dotty. Oh, the irony. I know you really don’t want to be here, Dotty, but welcome to singledom. Alright. After some much-needed reflection, Dotty ultimately embarks on a journey of self-discovery with support from friends, family, and even her fans. She even meets a beautiful woman along the way…


A laugh-out-loud read that was chock-full of dry humor and sarcasm I just couldn’t get enough of. Through all of that humor, though, there was Dotty’s tough year-long journey of self-discovery that was a winding road. I remained optimistic and rooted for her throughout the book because, yes, change can be scary. Thankfully, Dotty had the best support anyone could possibly want, and those moments tugged at my heartstrings. I absolutely loved the support system that consisted of her hilarious close-knit group of friends and her caring mom. Now for the romance. A part of me wished that there was more romance, because when I finally got there it felt like an afterthought, and it was something I was really looking forward to. I wasn't too disappointed because I was happy with the overall outcome. So if you’re looking for something that's uplifting, heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud funny, I recommend giving this one a read.

The Breakup Before Christmas by Charlotte Barnes is a heartwarming, bittersweet novella that captures the complexities of love, loss, and starting over during the festive season. When newly single protagonist Elle is blindsided by a breakup just before Christmas, she’s forced to rethink her life, relationships, and what the holidays truly mean. Barnes blends humor, emotion, and seasonal charm, creating a relatable story that balances sadness with hope. The writing is crisp and engaging, and the wintry backdrop enhances the emotional resonance. Perfect for fans of second chances and cozy Christmas tales, this is a quick but meaningful festive read.

This is a short, funny, feel good romance starring newly single Dotty who unbeknown to her gives her long term girlfriend advice on how to break up with her via her column!
Self discovery and laughs along the way, Dotty realises that her 'old' life may not be as good as it seemed...
I enjoyed this short festive read (even in August!) But I didn't love the characters as much as I wanted to, i didn't really warm to Dotty or relate unfortunately but I did still enjoy! My first read from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this story but the main character I could not personally warm to and I don’t know why. The story line is ace. The 3 best friends are fab as is the boss and her mum. I loved the cooking bits . It is well written. A lovely story of moving on and the dear dotty letters were ace. The ending was perfect . Read it .

I love Christmas romance stories so when I saw this one, I knew I had to read it. I'm so glad I picked it. So seasonally cute.