One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw

Modern Day Christmas Carole

Eva is stressed. She is about to launch a new brick and mortar store and there is no time for anything including her husband and Christmas. Eva hates the holidays especially after the death of her beloved grandmother and miscarriage 3 years ago on Christmas. Since then she has buried herself in her business at the expense of her own happiness. Her marriage is falling apart and her closest friends feel neglected. Can Eva realize her mistakes before she loses it all. Maybe - with the help of the ghost of her grandmother - Eva can see her life through the point of view of those around her…

I really enjoyed this book. Definitely a modern twist on Dicken’s “A Christmas Carole”. Perfect for the holiday season especially for those that might work a bit too much.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars

I can understand why the author wrote in all of the body-swapping that she did, but it felt like one too many. I was to the point where I was hoping we could just move forward with the story. I also was not expecting this book to be as sad as it was. You can tell from the mystery at the beginning that the main character went through something really tough, but to then have to relive it was just so heartbreaking to read. I’m glad Eva got her happy ending but I wouldn’t read this again.

Was this book good? Yeah. But it’s not something I’d just recommend because it would be hard for a lot of people to read and not light and fluffy for Christmas like I was hoping it would end up being.

Let me say up front... I think people assume this is a holiday romcom. It is not. It is more emotional self-discovery, grappling with grief.... w/ a holiday backdrop. As most others have noted, it's a little Groundhog Day mixed with A Christmas Carol.

I am not usually a fan of the Groundhog day vibe as the story can really feel repetitive. This was able to navigate that problem well for me.

I am, however, a sucker for a hard to love main character, and walking with them while they navigate grief, love, and just LIFE. That's what this book is, and I think it's worth a read... just know it's not a light feel good holiday romp.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Greenlaw, Avon and Harper Voyager for my advance copy.

Just before Christmas, Eva is launching her new business in London. She’s stressed and overworked, but even with a mile-long to-do list, she packs her bags to go with her husband, James, to Penhallow, a lodge in Cornwall. They’ll be meeting close friends, Hallie and Kian, and Hallie’s sister, Natalie.

Eva and James had planned to drive to Penhallow together, but at the last minute Eva tells James she wants to finish some details for the store. She asks her assistant, Diana, to drive her to Penhallow instead. For Eva, the opportunity means more time to work on the store’s launch.

In reality, Eva would avoid going back to Penhallow. She often went there with her grandmother in her childhood. Gran raised Eva, and ever since her death and a miscarriage three years earlier Eva can’t cope with the memories.

On Christmas Eve she sneaks out of Penhallow in the middle of the night, only to nearly run over Gran on the road. The woman who Eva idolized explains she’s come back from the dead to help Eva who, Gran says, has lost all sense of balance. Her priorities are all over the place, and she needs to relearn what’s important.

The next morning when she wakes up, Eva is no longer herself. She’s trapped in Diana’s body and for the first time understands what Diana’s life has become since she started working for Eva. That night she goes to bed and wakes up on Christmas morning again, this time in the body of Natalie, Hallie’s sister. Then again as Hallie.

The Christmas morning repeats continue, and Eva’s experiences take her from the uncomfortable to the downright horrifying as she understands how everyone sees her. If she wants to get back to her own self and make amends, she’ll have to be brave enough to admit what grief has done to her.

Author Rachel Greenlaw loosely follows a structure similar to the holiday classic A Christmas Carol in a book that often drifts from its main purpose. The middle third of the novel drags; Eva’s constant consideration of her grief while in the bodies of the other people slows down the plot in several places. Given the genre, the book winds its way to a predictable ending with a few small surprises.

3.5 stars.

"One Christmas Morning" by Rachel Greenlaw is a second chance book, but not the kind you might be thinking of. It combines an utterly depressing repeat body-snatching Christmas day "Groundhog Day" time loop with a "A Christmas Carol"-type lesson-learning to create one heck of a dismal but well-written tangential holiday read. It's part commentary on grief, part commentary on being present and living each moment like it's your last, to not get swept up in work and spreadsheets and minutiae over people and relationships and experiences. It takes a good 25% for this story to get going, and it's still a slow burn once it does. I do feel like I have read this exact book before, but it is still a decent enough read. I had some trouble connecting with the main character, Eva, because she is so unlikable and complicated and difficult to root for. She's one of those types of characters you wish you could take by the shoulders and shake, or literally slap some sense into. Eva is taken through Christmas day over and over in the bodies of the other people in her party, her best friend, her best friend's sister, her assistant, etc, in an attempt to see herself and those she loves in a different light, trying to figure out where it all went wrong. This book can be relentlessly heavy and emotional, and just when you think things are done being bleak, the hits just keep coming. It's not for the faint of heart and is barely Christmassy, but its heart is in the right place, trying to get readers to remember to tell the people you love that you love them while you still have the chance to do it. Still, I expected a bit more from this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Greenlaw, Avon and Harper Voyager for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

Not your normal happy-go-lucky Christmas story. This one was a time-loop story that had the main character, Eva, reliving Christmas morning over and over through the perspective of her close friends and loved ones. Eye-opening and without humor, It is not a feel-good Christmas story until the last quarter of the book. Somewhat of a slow-paced tedious book for me, but I did like the premise enough to want to finish it. Just not what I expected in a Christmas novel. Three and a half stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗵𝗼𝗴 𝗗𝗮𝘆 + 𝗔 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗹 + 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘆 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆

DO NOT pick up this book if you're in the mood for a light and sweet Christmas book as it appears to be by the cover. I "go in blind" most of the time and this one was definitely not what I was expecting. It ended up being quite emotionally heavy, especially in the last few chapters. It's less about Christmas and more about self-reflection and redemption. But all that said, I still really enjoyed it. As someone who also buried myself in work and pushed away loved ones during a period of grief, I really related to main character Eva in that way. Since Christmas isn't really a huge theme of the book, it can be read any time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for allowing me access to an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3 stars for "One Christmas Morning", which had an interesting premise & seems a lot like "A Christmas Carol" meets "Groundhog Day" with a touch of "Freaky Friday" thrown in, but didn't seem to execute on any of them very well. Eva, the MC, who's stuck in Christmas time-loops, was an interesting character, but this story is very plot driven, and I would have preferred to spend more time learning about her & the other characters. I thought the writing was decent & I do appreciate that this is a debut & I would read the author again. My thanks to the Publisher & NetGalley for the complimentary DRC, opinions my own

This was a fun groundhog’s day meets The Christmas Carol story that dove into all the emotions and feelings. Very moving delightful story.

With the feel of a cross between A Christmas Carol and Groundhog Day, this Christmas story follows Eva in the days up to and including Christmas. On the cusp of opening a new store, with deadlines, supply problems, and more looming, Eva grudgingly meets her husband and friends at a mansion in the country which has had special meaning to her.
A workaholic, Eva's drive is threatening her marriage, friendships, and her work. Something has to give, or she will be alone.
The spirit of her grandmother tries to persuade her to let go of the grief and change her ways, or her life will be forever altered. She goes through the next few days through the eyes of people in her life and sees their lives and what she's become. It isn't good.  
A few unexpected lessons, which may not be reversible, is eye-opening. Eva must make some decisions quickly to salvage the relationships she's neglected.
Eva learns some unforgettable life lessons on her journey overcoming grief, life, family, and friendship.
TW: for infertility and miscarriages
Received an ARC from Netgalley

Eva’s life has not been the same since a tragic event that happened three years ago. Eva and James met in college and have a close friendship with Hallie and Kian, but things have been strained by Eva burying herself in building a new business to avoid her painful memories. Eva is not happy that she needs to leave town for four days for Christmas to appease them right before her new store is scheduled to open. The story starts off a little slow and becomes much more interesting when Eva experiences a different version of Groundhog Day. Instead of the day repeating over and over, she experiences the day a bunch of times in the body of other people. The lessons learned along the way make the book worth reading.

This is definitely a crying book so have those tissues ready. This one had my heart. I just loved it. I wanted to hug all the people. This was a mix of Groundhogs Day and A Christmas Carol. Two of my favorite things! I was rooting for Eva. I wanted things to change for her. I yelled at the book a few times! I love this cover too. Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Eva has been pushing everyone close to her away, has hated Christmas since an event ripped her world apart, and has been invited to a weekend Christmas party where it took place. She didn't want to go, but in the end she did.
She gets an unexpected visitor while she is there, one who is trying to guide her into seeing the way she is and what she could be losing. Sometimes when this happens people will embrace it and others will fight it. It is a Christmas story with hope and promise, and you will have to read the book to find out if Eva will choose to keep on going the way she has been or if she will see what she has become and choose to change. This is her wake-up call, and she only has one chance.
I received an ARC from Avon through NetGalley.

Eva is married to a lovely man but after losing the grandmother who raised her around Christmas time she shuts herself off from James and all her friends and focuses on starting a business. During a Christmas gathering her grandmother appears to her and we have a little bit of a Christmas Carol and The Seven Lives of Evelyn Hugo as Eva re-lives Christmas Day over and over again in the body of a different guest.

When I started this book I didn't have much hope. Eva is very unlikeable and I couldn't see a lot of redemption coming. She was the only character that I felt was developed with just superficial glimpses into the others. At times it was confusing as she was in someone's body but the real Eva was there too. It turned out to be a pleasant read and the ending was a given really although I find it hard to believe that Scrooge could change as much as he did and the same is true for Eva.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with a digital copy.

"One Christmas Morning" by Rachel Greenlaw is a Holiday and Romance Fiction Story with Magical Realism!

I'm torn about "One Christmas Morning"...

At first I thought it was because I wasn't in the mood for a Christmas story several months early, until I realize this doesn't feel fun and festive like Holiday Fiction should feel.

Most of this story is spent in the head and first-person voice of our protagonist Eva Glass and frankly, connecting with Eva is a challenge. She's struggling with her marriage, her friendships, and her working relationships. She's trying to forget what broke her heart three years ago. She's bottled herself up so tight she's losing herself and everyone she loves in the process.

Eva's focus is on the opening of her new business, but she promises her husband, James she'll spend Christmas with their close friends, Hallie and Kian at Penhallow, a manor house in Cornwall. She knows she needs to keep her word, but the childhood memories and her family's connection to this manor house haunts her.

At the Christmas party, Eva hears news that's overwhelming and she decides to head back to London, despite the weather, without letting anyone know. At the stroke of midnight, time stands still and as she drives, she sees a familiar figure standing in the middle of the road...

"One Christmas Morning" has an interesting twist to the Time-Loop trope, unfortunately it feels overly repetitive and drawn out. Most of this story focuses on the plot rather than the characters. I want to know more about Eva, James, Hallie, and Kian and their friendship. It's always all about the characters for me.

I enjoyed "One Christmas Morning" from 75% on where the quality of the writing improves and the ending is uplifting, but that's a good long time to read before enjoyment arrives, don't you think?

"One Christmas Morning" has a creative premise with loads of potential. I'm glad to see the many positive reviews and ratings for this debut novel. It's an okay read, but I need more of a connection to the characters to be all in.

3⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Rachel Greenlaw for an DRC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

Eva has spent the past three years burying herself in her work, trying to forget the heartbreaking events of the Christmas that ripped her world apart. Overwhelmed by the bittersweet memories of past Christmases, she is visited by the ghost of her beloved grandmother. Gran tells Eva that if she doesn’t face her ghosts head-on and stop shutting out her loved ones, she risks losing them all forever.

It's official. I'm in my "bawling my eyes out because of a book" Era. This book shattered my heart and put it back in, and did it all over again.

Eva, a character so tormented and overwhelmed by everything, was as real as it gets. Her relationship with James, Hallie, Diana, and Gran was heartwarming & heartbreaking at the same time. I loved how she saw her own life through others' eyes & got to know where she was wrong or simply just negligent.

The whimsical plot of Gran's presence was everything. I loved how sassy & straightforward she was. There were so many emotional moments in this book, both good & bad, that reminded me so much of "Love, Holly."
A must-read!

<i>Thank you netgalley & Publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.<i>

One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw is a captivating modern-day Dickens story.
Greenlaw created characters with such depth and empathy.
A emotional but heartwarming read about a women’s self-discovery and second chances.
The author tackles some pretty tough but realistic issues that I personally enjoyed and thought made the story and characters that much more personal.
Such a beautiful, insightful and emotional read.
This is truly an emotional feel-good debut that will touch your heartstrings.
A moving debut novel about a woman’s self-discovery, friendship, and second chances!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Avon for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

Halloween is right around the corner, but October happens to be the month when Christmas books are published and Hallmark starts showing its holiday movies (“Checkin’ it Twice” kicks off the season on Oct. 20). Does it seem too early? Well, it was 90 degrees here a few days ago, delving into some wintry fictional fare felt inviting.

Rachel Greenlaw’s One Christmas Morning takes place at a manor house and features a workaholic protagonist who encounters a ghost and wakes up every morning in a different “host” body—it’s like a cross between A Christmas Carol and The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Eva has good reason to hate Christmas; three years ago, she had a miscarriage and her beloved grandmother passed away suddenly, with both tragedies occurring over the holidays. Ever since, she’s been devoting all her time and energy to building up a successful online housewares business. Now she’s about to open her first brick and mortar store (after Christmas? This seemed very weird to me, but it’s supposedly because people receive monetary gifts and are ready to shop; maybe this is a thing that happens in England, where the novel is set, but here in the U.S. most people are pretty broke after overspending in the lead-up to the big day). She’s been working day and night, and the last thing she wants is to celebrate the holiday in a remote stately home.

Eva’s best friend Hallie has rented the place for the weekend because she wants to celebrate with her friends and family; at one point, Eva and Hallie were as close as sisters, but now they barely speak. Eva’s relationship with her husband James is also on the rocks. When she arrives and finds there’s no working wifi, Eva is so annoyed that she wants to turn around and go back to London. Then the ghost of her late grandmother shows up to teach her a lesson about what is truly important in life, and it involves reliving Christmas Day again and again from different perspectives.

This is a pretty heavy story; I will admit that I was expecting something with a bit more Christmas cheer. It also gets a little repetitive (Eva has to spend a second Christmas Day in her assistant’s body, for instance). Of course, lessons are learned and Eva is forced to confront her grief instead of just avoiding her feelings by burying herself in work. But by the end, I daresay she’s suffered a lot more than Ebenezer Scrooge ever did.

4.5 stars!

Eva is a workaholic. She's pushed away everyone dear to her, and this Christmas at Penhallow is her final opportunity to see the light and make a change before she loses everyone. One evening, in true Dickensian style, she's visited by the ghost of her dear grandmother, who tells her that she will get to experience Christmas Day over and over until she gets it right. The catch: she'll awake each morning, still in Penhallow, but in the body of a different person. Can Eva find the courage to learn and change before it's too late?

This book ROCKED me. Be prepared to ugly cry, frantically turn pages, and highlight passage after passage of wisdom. Anyone who has ever dealt with grief of any kind is likely to find a bit of themselves in this story. The idea of seeing oneself through the eyes of the people who love them was really compelling. It made me look at my own life differently. Each time I thought I knew where the book was heading, it surprised me, not always in a way I would have liked, but in a way that was more profound and important. It made me want to look at the way I balance my own life and the people in it. SUCH a beautiful book.

The story takes place at Christmas, but I would not call this a happy Christmas read. That's not to say it wasn't enthralling and something that could be vitally important and cathartic to an audience. I would encourage someone to read this any time of year. I almost gave this a perfect five stars, but, for this reader who tends to prefer a bit of a lighter read, the heaviness almost became a bit too much, and I felt like we were circling the same things one time too many. However, one could argue that the drawn-out difficult times make for that much sweeter of a happy ending.

Trigger warnings: miscarriage, death of a grandparent, panic attacks, cheating, car accident, cancer, death of a mother, stillbirth

I'd like to thank Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book had me confused from almost the beginning. Too many characters and dialogue and not enough of a storyline make this a hard pass.