vivienned's review against another edition
5.0
I didn’t read any of the reviews before starting this book, so I was DEVASTATED when the ball dropped. Ugly cried like a baby and felt so conflicted. This book has happy moments and sad moments and reads like a rom com for 90% until the end when everything fell into place. It’s not a light Christmas read but a heartbreaking one. And still, I'm glad I read it and without the warnings... I felt overwhelmed and stunned when Josie felt it. Both Max and Josie were such lovable and heartwarming characters.
Spoiler
I wished he would have told her sooner and I wished they had more time together.caitlin01's review against another edition
2.0
2.25 stars. it was okay. not horrible but are there other books i would recommend first? definitely.
❄️ i didn’t fall in love with the characters or the writing, felt pretty mediocre
❄️ not a hea and ended really sad but i had closure
❄️ i have mixed feelings about the “time-interrupted meetings” trope. in this book it made the romance feel outrageous and felt more like november 9 (1.75 stars) and i wanted it to be more like people we meet on vacation (3.75-4 stars)
❄️i liked the side characters more than the main characters
❄️there were some comments about weight and what not that made me uncomfortable…?
❄️ BIG PLOT TWIST!! it was very sad and even if i had no emotional connection to the characters i am an empath and was ugly crying
❄️ the start and end of the character development was “fmc starts living overseas”
❄️ i didn’t fall in love with the characters or the writing, felt pretty mediocre
❄️ not a hea and ended really sad but i had closure
❄️ i have mixed feelings about the “time-interrupted meetings” trope. in this book it made the romance feel outrageous and felt more like november 9 (1.75 stars) and i wanted it to be more like people we meet on vacation (3.75-4 stars)
❄️i liked the side characters more than the main characters
❄️there were some comments about weight and what not that made me uncomfortable…?
❄️ BIG PLOT TWIST!! it was very sad and even if i had no emotional connection to the characters i am an empath and was ugly crying
❄️ the start and end of the character development was “fmc starts living overseas”
joanneisreading's review against another edition
5.0
Expected the usual cheesy chick lit Christmas with no substance… I was WRONG. So well written and deeply emotional, and for fucks sake I literally cried real tears at the end. Not like a gentle misting of the eyes like a sniffing mess, like boy did it get me in the heart.
katysantandrea's review against another edition
2.0
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS
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This was not what I signed up for. I honestly did not know what Max’s big secret was, but I’m sorry I feel like the ending came out of nowhere. Looking back over the book, I hate that the author faked the reader out the whole time. And honestly, could anyone ever just finish a conversation in this story??
The last chapter/epilogue just didn’t fly for me - Josie was completely traumatized by her first Christmas loss, this second one would have devastated her IMO.
I’m unimpressed I ended the year bawling at the end of a book. I need a palate cleanser.
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This was not what I signed up for. I honestly did not know what Max’s big secret was, but I’m sorry I feel like the ending came out of nowhere. Looking back over the book, I hate that the author faked the reader out the whole time. And honestly, could anyone ever just finish a conversation in this story??
The last chapter/epilogue just didn’t fly for me - Josie was completely traumatized by her first Christmas loss, this second one would have devastated her IMO.
I’m unimpressed I ended the year bawling at the end of a book. I need a palate cleanser.
rosiecampesi's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 ⭐️
“Forse non parti per trovare te stessa. Forse parti perché hai finalmente trovato te stessa.”
“Forse non parti per trovare te stessa. Forse parti perché hai finalmente trovato te stessa.”
shereadsbetweensips's review against another edition
5.0
On a very cold night in December, while feeling at her lowest, Josie literally ran into Max. She literally ran him over with her bike. Being distracted by the nostalgia of missing her parents, blinded by tears both from the anniversary of her parent's death and her recent breakup with her now ex-boyfriend, Josie was definitely not paying attention to where she was going.
After apologizing a million times, she offered to buy him a drink as an apology. Hesitating for only a second, Max went with her to a near pub and after that, they ended up spending Christmas week on each other’s company.
Sadly on Boxing Day, Max pulled a D-Move and left quietly in the morning, leaving behind only a note and no further details of how to contact him, giving the suggestion that what they had, whatever it was, was only temporary. At least that’s how it felt to Josie.
Over the next months, they continue to have a few encounters. Making them wonder what the next Christmas will have in store for them.
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I need to say that… I need a break from life after reading this book. It broke me apart and brought me back to life. I sincerely suggest that you give this story a chance just to make you feel something. I absolutely adored Emily Stone’s writing style. Who said that romantic books cannot have a jaw-dropping plot twist. I was not, I repeat,
I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT ENDING!!!
I just don’t know what to do with my life. Would I read it again, just feel all that again? ABSOLUTELY! This is a story that will teach you to dream big and to always follow those dreams. No matter how impossible they may seem. Only you can determine how far you can go in life. There is always a way. Do not give up!
Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful story.
After apologizing a million times, she offered to buy him a drink as an apology. Hesitating for only a second, Max went with her to a near pub and after that, they ended up spending Christmas week on each other’s company.
Sadly on Boxing Day, Max pulled a D-Move and left quietly in the morning, leaving behind only a note and no further details of how to contact him, giving the suggestion that what they had, whatever it was, was only temporary. At least that’s how it felt to Josie.
Over the next months, they continue to have a few encounters. Making them wonder what the next Christmas will have in store for them.
—
I need to say that… I need a break from life after reading this book. It broke me apart and brought me back to life. I sincerely suggest that you give this story a chance just to make you feel something. I absolutely adored Emily Stone’s writing style. Who said that romantic books cannot have a jaw-dropping plot twist. I was not, I repeat,
I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT ENDING!!!
I just don’t know what to do with my life. Would I read it again, just feel all that again? ABSOLUTELY! This is a story that will teach you to dream big and to always follow those dreams. No matter how impossible they may seem. Only you can determine how far you can go in life. There is always a way. Do not give up!
Thank you Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this beautiful story.
ses2195's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
nicswanny's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastic it was a GREAT debut novel!!! best to go in blind for sure but prepare
theyegbibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
Unbeknownst to me, this one became the book I picked up on and off during Christmas week. I am happy to say that I finally got to finishing this and have a fresh review for it!
Josie Morgan has a Christmas tradition of mailing out a letter to her parents every year, since their death one Christmas Eve many moons ago. The letter has no sender's address and never gets delivered but writing and mailing it out brings her peace. As she's about to drop off her letter for the year, she runs into a stranger on the way and everything is changed in a matter of minutes. She befriends this stranger, Max, and they end up spending Christmas holidays together. Perhaps the holidays isn't so bad afterall, until Max leaves Josie abruptly. As fate would have it, these two continue to run into each other at different time periods and places for the next year. Always spending enough time together when they find each other but also pushing away feelings that they can't admit for each other. The next Christmas approaches and once again, does Josie and Max reunite and rekindle or does more lay in store for them?
This was a holiday romance that focussed heavily on grief, growth and learning to love yourself. I felt more than I expected once I got deeper into this book. The first two parts were quick paced and the intrigue to why Josie and Max kept meeting but separating kept me going with it. There were slow parts to this one but right close to the end, I was hit with a BOOM of surprise, and then I was an emotional wreck for a bit. Still a beautiful holiday read, though be prepared for heavier feels when picking this one up!
Josie Morgan has a Christmas tradition of mailing out a letter to her parents every year, since their death one Christmas Eve many moons ago. The letter has no sender's address and never gets delivered but writing and mailing it out brings her peace. As she's about to drop off her letter for the year, she runs into a stranger on the way and everything is changed in a matter of minutes. She befriends this stranger, Max, and they end up spending Christmas holidays together. Perhaps the holidays isn't so bad afterall, until Max leaves Josie abruptly. As fate would have it, these two continue to run into each other at different time periods and places for the next year. Always spending enough time together when they find each other but also pushing away feelings that they can't admit for each other. The next Christmas approaches and once again, does Josie and Max reunite and rekindle or does more lay in store for them?
This was a holiday romance that focussed heavily on grief, growth and learning to love yourself. I felt more than I expected once I got deeper into this book. The first two parts were quick paced and the intrigue to why Josie and Max kept meeting but separating kept me going with it. There were slow parts to this one but right close to the end, I was hit with a BOOM of surprise, and then I was an emotional wreck for a bit. Still a beautiful holiday read, though be prepared for heavier feels when picking this one up!
mortechat's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
4.0