The book One Christmas Morning was an enjoyable read. I would recommend any book written by Rachael Greenlaw. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

I’ll be honest, I first picked this up thinking it would be another flirty, fun holiday romance. Well, this certainly isn’t a super “fun” book, but it was so gorgeously written & the message is beautiful (though painful to read at times). We start on Christmas Eve as Eva, a workaholic who has lost her way after a tragedy 3 years ago. She’s heading to a Christmas gathering with her husband James, best friend, and best friend’s husband. The book has a sort of A Christmas Carol vibe, as each day Eva wakes up on Christmas as someone else - her assistant Diana, who is struggling with a loss of her own; her best friend, Hallie, newly pregnant; the cook Sarah, a single mother of two. Through these encounters, she learns the inner struggles each person is really facing.

As the novel unfolds, we learn that Eva and James are in a rocky place in their marriage, her friendship with Hallie is on thin ice, and Eva begins to realize - through some “magical intervention” from her deceased grandmother - that maybe her focus on work has just been a distraction from dealing with her grief and pain.

This novel was a bit slow at times, and handles some very sensitive content (miscarriage, death of a loved one, marital strife), but the end was so poignant and this is the kind of book that makes you want to stop and think about what’s *truly* important in life. 🎄🤍

Thank you so much to the publisher for my copy of the eARC for One Christmas Morning.

Sadly, I had to stop this book around the 15% mark. I wasn't expecting the serious and somewhat sad tones the book had. Most of this is my own issue since myself and my kids have all been really sick for most of December and I was looking for books to escape into with fun and lighthearted Christmas themes.

I think that this book would definitely be a good read for most, but it wasn't for me right now. Hopefully I can come back to it in the future.

I really enjoyed this debut novel from Rachel Greenlaw; I was unsure at first where the plot was headed or what was exactly unraveling, but loved the context added for setting the stage of this “Groundhog Day” style Christmas morning, with a “Freaky Friday” plus “A Christmas Carol” twist with different characters. A very interesting approach that really worked in my opinion!

This novel was easy to follow and really took the reader on a journey through the various POVs - I only wished to learn a little more about a few of the characters introduced and only offered a day in the life of… but didn’t gain a huge follow-up after the fact.

Ultimately, I will add Rachel Greenlaw as a must-read author on future books to see how her style and stories continue to develop!

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy to read in exchange for my review.

One Christmas Morning is a sort of time loop story along the same vein as Evelyn Hardcastle but not nearly as convoluted. It tells the story of Eva, a woman trying to launch her new store and deal with the strain it has put on her relationships. While away with friends, stressed about work, when she gets caught in the bodies of the other guests, as her deceased grandma tries to steer her in the right direction with her life. Oh boy did I cry? This book hit me. It was so emotional and so raw. Eva’s grief and remorse was palpable. I loved how the pieces fit together with this book and how the different characters showed so much depth and so many layers as Eva was in their bodies. It was heavier than the other holiday books I read and I really liked it.

Anyone who has read their Dickens knows that the holiday season can bring both celebration and contemplation. That is certainly the case in this Christmas story with elements of A Christmas Carol reminding readers that this is the case.

Readers get to know Eva who has had a bad Christmas experience. This has resulted in her pulling away from people and diverting her energy into work. Readers also meet the ghost of her beloved grandmother, her husband and friends. 

It looks as if this year things may well be different.  The unexpected will happen as Eva takes on the perspectives of some of those in her world. How will these experiences change her?

Will Eva get a happy ending? Will the spirit of Christmas lead to understanding, friendship and good things? Readers will certainly hope so..

This is an enjoyable debut novel. I look forward to the author’s nest book.

Many thanks to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.

The book was a little bit of a slow start. There were a lot of characters, but once I had them all set in my mind, I was ready to dig in and enjoy the book.
It's a book of trying to balance work and life, and seeing how that can affect the relationships closest to us. I loved how Rachel G. took us on the journey with Eva as she tries to develop her own company and realizes that it was become all-consuming and she's about to lose everything else that is important in her life.... including her best friend Hallie and her husband James. It takes a few visits from the ghost of her Gran to get her back on the right track. If you're looking for a fun glittery Christmas read this isn't that, but it's a beautiful story of realizing what you really want from life.
*I will add that if you are triggered by miscarriage or struggling to get pregnant, then this book might not be for you <3

Thank you to NetGalley and Rachel Greenlaw for allowing me this kindle version in exchange for an honest review.

One Christmas Morning is an excellent debut novel with major Christmas Carol vibes. This book has much larger themes than just Christmas which makes for a compelling and well-thought out read. I love an unlikable main character who gets redemption in the end! My favorite character was definitely the ghost of Eva's Gran, who was incredibly sassy even in the afterlife.


Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

One Christmas Morning is the debut novel by Rachel Greenlaw. Eva has suffered much loss in the last few years beginning with the death of her dear grandmother in a mysterious accident which left her at the side of the road near Penhallow. To reign in her sanity, Eva has pulled away from her husband James and their best friends Kian and Hallie. Simultaneously, Eva has thrown herself completely into building a home decor business, first online and now readying the opening of her first actual store. Late nights, missed plans, and driving her assistant Diana equally as hard, Eva seems to be struggling to handle all.

Now Hallie has set up a Christmas house party for their friend group at Penhallow. Penhallow holds both wonderful childhood memories with her grandmother and the horror of her grandmother’s death for Eva. When Diana offers to drive Eva to Penhallow to meet her husband and friends, she takes her up on the offer. When winter storms snow the group in Eva gets caught in some type of time warp, repeating Christmas Day over and over through the viewpoint of those around her; Diana, Hallie, Hallie’s sister Natalie, a domestic worker from Penhallow, and ultimately back to herself. Eva is guided through this disjointed journey by her grandmother, not certain as to the key she is seeking to unlock the loop.

This is a very deep story, full of secrets and despair on the way to finding a surprising climax. I am astounded that a book of this depth and breadth is a debut entry. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

I loved the premise of a woman repeating Christmas day to learn from her mistakes. However, this book was very dark and depressing and not at all what I expected from a story set at Christmas. The entire story is told from Eva’s point of view, and I really hated being stuck in this woman’s head. I understand that she has been through a terrible trauma, but that is still no excuse for her terrible behavior. She’s making herself and everyone around her miserable, and I felt miserable having to witness that.

Even though I wish I had never picked this up, I am giving it 2 stars because it is well-written and ends on a somewhat more positive note. But be aware that this story includes fatal accidents, multiple miscarriages, a parent dying of cancer, fights, and marriages and friendships ending. If you like your fiction really dark and angst-filled, you might enjoy this more than I did.

I received a free advanced review copy of the ebook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

🎄📚 One Christmas Morning is a captivating and magical romance that weaves together love, hope, and a touch of Christmas enchantment. Rachel Greenlaw’s debut novel takes readers on a heartwarming journey that lingers long after the final page. 📚 🎄

Plot Summary: Eva, our protagonist, once believed she had found her soulmate in James. Over ten years, they fell in love, got married, and dreamed of starting a family.

But everything changed one fateful Christmas three years ago, and their relationship has been drifting apart ever since. Eva hopes that a friend’s Christmas party at an old manor house in Cornwall will provide an opportunity to reconnect.

However, she wakes up on Christmas morning in the body of a different guest. As Eva relives Christmas Day from various perspectives, she realizes how far her life has veered off course. Can she break the cycle and save her future with James before it’s too late? 🌟❤️

Why You’ll Love It:
♥️ Poignant and Clever: The novel tugs at your heartstrings, leaving you with a mix of emotions. It’s cleverly crafted, blending romance with a dash of Christmas magic.

🔀 Unique Twist: The haunting twist—Eva experiencing Christmas through the eyes of others—sets this festive love story apart.

✨ Hopeful and Magical: Rachel Greenlaw’s writing casts a spell, filling your heart with hope and warmth.

Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my review!

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is not your average fun and festive holiday novel! One Christmas Morning puts a dark spin on the holiday romances novel. The story starts off with Eva, the main character draining all her energy into the passion to open her business. Her drive and focus brings heart break to other parts of her life. Pulled away from her passion for a weekend with friend at a house which holds painful memories, Eva spends the holiday fighting to figure out what truly matters in life, day after day after day. I enjoyed the character build and plot of this story and thought the unquie take on a Christmas novel was fun and enjoyable, though dark. I found myself rooting for Eva throughout the whole story. Hopingv she’d figure out what truly matters to her during the most wonderful time of the year

Eva is a workaholic and she’s shut out her dearest friends after her grandmother dies. Now she’s at a Christmas house party with them all. Her grandma appears to her and tells her she risks losing her friends. The next morning, Eva wakes up in the body of her assistant. She gets to see how she looks to her assistant and her friends as the days go on. I liked how Eva saw herself as others saw her, interesting premise.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this debut, although I feel it could have been a bit shorter for more impact. It's a premise that has been done many times, but it still felt fresh.

This is reminiscent to "A Christmas Carol" Overall the story is interesting, wasn't exactly what I was expecting from this book.

Thank you for the advance reader copy for my honest review.

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. I did not connect with the writing or Eva. The writing felt choppy and told and not shown. It felt like we were put into the middle of a sentence vs the beginning. This just didn’t flow for me and unfortunately did not work for me but I’m hopeful it will work much better for other readers. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

Cute and fulfilling Loved seeing second chances and healing. A cool take on a classic! Love, loss, acceptance all play a role in this magical tale

One Christmas Morning surprised me so much. The cover is beautiful and the premise is so sweet- I mean, hello, who doesn't love a small business owner opening their shop in time for the holidays and working on keeping their relaitonship alive at the same time? There's an easy richness to the storytelling and an even timbre to the tone that makes it a wonderful read to get swept up in this holiday season. Rachel Greenlaw writes in a way that is both relatable and and raw, so I was honestly so suprised when this took a turn for the fantastical and wound up in a Dickensian "I see dead people" realm instead.

Per usual, I need to familiarize myself more with a book's blurbs prior to reading. Or not, I suppose, since it continues to work out extremely well. This book is sweet and poingnant and perfect for putting you in the "Christmas Carol" mood without having to actual read about Tiny Tim or pop the Muppets into the VCR. 4.5 stars for its combined unique premise and easy bingeability. This would be a great read for anyone trying to cross a few more books off their goodreads goal in time for the end of the year.

Eva, a workaholic, finds herself visited by the ghost of her grandmother and each day wakes up as another one of her friends and family. Eva must work to change her habits so that she doesn't ruin her future.

This was like a mashup of Groundhog's Day + a Christmas Carol. I thought the premise was interesting, although I didn't love the writing!