Neither Hilarious nor Heartwarming!
I didn’t find this a particularly interesting story. For me this book was like listening to a public speaker who uhm’s and err’s or repeats the same phrase constantly. You get so irritated and distracted that you stop listening to the content and instead start counting the distractions. Which is exactly what I did - there were 322 profanities/vulgarities within a 285 page book.
Told from a male point of view this may well explain the language, though the women swore as well, so maybe not. I certainly didn’t feel it added anything to the story and if I hadn’t agreed to review, I would have given up on the book within the first couple of chapters. I am not sure what was supposed to be funny, it certainly didn’t raise even a giggle from me, let alone outright hilarity and the only heartwarming thing, was a little boy’s Christmas wish for his mother to be happy.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yes, finally a proper Christmas rom-com that is witty, sharp and makes your heart melt.
I've seen complaints about the language content of this book and first I'd like to address that; this book is written about millennial adult characters who are grown up professionals (lawyers), I don't think the book would have been very realistic without a few f-bombs and sweary banter. Most of the British Christmas romcom movies I can think of (Love Actually, Last Christmas etc) all have profanity, and frankly if you're going to read a book written by a comedy scriptwriter, who's previous books have all been raunchy, sweary comedy then it's to be expected, maybe they need to stick to Harry Potter to spare their outrage. However, if you're reading this review and bad language in a Christmas book really riles you then swerve this one.

I loved the characters, especially Nick and Sarah but also their close friends, there's a real sense of them reaching peak adulthood, settling down, getting married, having kids, and I felt it realistically portrayed that time in life where friendships evolve and not everyone is at the same stage any more. I could understand Nick's manchild personna but also had such a soft spot for him considering his background and how he hadn't had the easiest of times. He was fundamentally a good person trying to do the right thing but still figuring out what that was.

Yes, it's a love triangle and of course you can kind of imagine a certain predictability about where things will go, but I think the main appeal of this story is the characters journeys as well as the fundamental parts of Christmas spirit that spins through it all, i.e. cute kids, feel good moments, goodwill, friendship, simple gestures, and of course getting a bit tipsy to "Santa Baby".

I think it would make such an entertaining film.plot, I'd go and watch it (if we ever get to cinemas again). I could find myself thinking who would make a good Matt, Sarah and Nick etc. The way they interact, mess up and have fun was brilliant, I couldn't help but grin and laugh out loud to this book.
Perfect if you love Gavin & Stacey combined with the tension of One Day In December and the steamy chemistry of The Flat Mate.

This was simply a delightful Christmas romance. I went in with some apprehension, because when stories feature a love triangle, I usually end up hating the people involved and that really ruins any enjoyment the story could bring. But all throughout this story, I kept liking the characters involved in the love triangle more and more. Joanna Bolouri gave her characters the complexity needed to make this story work, without ever letting those complications drag down the mood or the pacing of the story.

Nick was a great character to follow as he tries to rebuild his life after losing his job and his girlfriend. His anxiety and slight jealousy were balanced out with his sense of humour and the love he has for his friends. As he carves out a new life for himself, he starts to figure out what he wants out of life and he grows a lot as a person.

It's hard to really nail a Christmas romcom, but Joanna Bolouri did it. All I Want for Christmas is a story full of heart and laughter, and the perfect way to spend a few hours curled up on the couch.

All I want for Christmas

I’ve been a fan of @joannaboluri’s since I read The List a while ago. I’ve read everything she’s released since then so when I saw this was coming I knew I’d be picking it up. I received a review copy from @quercusbooks via @netgalley.

Nick’s life is falling apart. Everyone around him his getting married, having babies and basically passing adult level 50. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Nick turns into Saint Nick with a stint as Santa at his local shopping centre. This is where he meets Alfie whose one Christmas wish is to see his mum happy again.

The story follows Nick as he tries to uphold his promise to Alfie that his mum will be happy again but it’s definitely not as straightforward as it seems. Nick came across as a really good man throughout this whole novel and despite having a bit of a thing for Sarah he stayed true to his best friend.

This book is heartwarming, Christmassy and full of selfless love. Perfect for the run up to the most magical time of the year. If you’re looking for more be sure to check out The Most Wonderful Time of the Year also by Joanna.

An interesting love story. I really enjoyed it. Read it in a night. I loved the main character Nick and his flat mate Matt. . It was nice to read a story where honesty and integrity played off. So nice that Matt was genuine.

Nick lost his job before Christmas and is forced to take a job as a centre Santa. He meets Alfie who wants Santa to make his mum happy again.

Not your typical Christmas book as it takes place over 12 months not just the holiday period. But it gives the characters and story more depth. Following them through Job changes, break ups and make ups. You become really invested in the story and keep your fingers crossed for a positive ending. Alfie is an adorable 4 year old who brings another dimension. Told from the male perspective. I throughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for other books by this author.

Really enjoyed this story and all it offered, Nick was a really likeable character and you could feel his emotions as the book went on. Nice easy read :-)

Funny and fabulously festive, All I Want For Christmas is the perfect read to warm you up this winter.

I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining book with a Christmassy feel. It is delightfully light read with more than it's fair share of humour as it follows the main male character, Nick, who along with this friend Matt, share a flat in a 'Men Behaving Badly' style of living when Sarah comes on the scene. Excellent characters throughout, not only the main ones but the rest as well and totally believable plus a few eccentric ones along the way.

A refreshing change to have a romance written from a man's angle and it certainly hooked me reading it, as I did, on a very wet day so an ideal curl up and cosy wintery read.

If you like a book that wakes up the butterflies in your stomach while making you laugh out loud and snort while on public transport then this book is 100% the book for you.

It is a delightful Christmas story that Hallmark needs to buy the rights to and make a movie of ASAP. It is a great read that will warm even the coldest of hearts.

I received this book as an ARC from Netgalley in return for my honest opinion.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus books for letting me read this.
I found that here, I'd judged a book by it's cover. I expected a fluffy Christmassy romance and it's definitely not one. It's a story completely told through Nick's eyes. We see the male relationship Nick has with his best friend as he struggles not to fall for his girlfriend. It could be called a slow burn romance, but it's more about Nick sorting his life out to where he wants to be.
3.5 stars

Festive, fun, laugh out loud and sweet.

It is rare that an author strikes that great balance between humour and romance, slices of life and big events. Joanna Bolouri does it wonderfully in this book and rests assured this won't be the last book of hers I read.

This is another great Christmas read. One of the reasons Joanna is a favourite author of mine is because she hits the spot with the romance / comedy split and this book is no different.

Our main character Nick has found himself without a job and ends up being Santa in the local shopping centre. There he meets a young boy named Alfie who asks him to make his Mum happy.

This book is absolutely delightful and was a joy to read. You quickly fall in love with Nick and his flatmate Matt. Alfie is adorable and the double entendres make you chuckle the whole way through.

A definite read to break up the stress of everyday life!

I really enjoyed this book, having a slightly different feel to it due to the story being told from the male point of view.

The story was based on likeable characters who you really cared about and this was an easy to read book.

The only negative was that I felt there was a bit too much swearing in it. I'm really not a prude, and maybe this is the way younger people talk these days (wow, now I feel ancient!!) but it did feel a bit much.

Ok so I did start writing a review right but it just wasn’t flowing right and wasn’t me. It was dead cheesy and sounded like I was lying about the book. So I’ve decided to just give you me notes that I made when I was reading it. Enjoy 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

Male protagonist (Which is nice. Rarity in this genre)
Nick Harris - skinny armed idiot.

Ugghh The Sun - the rag - JFT96!

Fuck sake! Russian Santa!
I now in my head have fake Santa talking like Bert Kreischer telling us how his new Russian mafia friends talk. It has amused me greatly!

It’s nice to be able to be at ease with a book. One in which you relax straight into and forget your troubles

This book proper tugs on the good heartstrings. Nick is an absolute beautiful soul, especially with kids
His over use of the word fucking is incredible though. Defo my kind of person. I’m defo right at home here.

Joanna Bolouri is easy reading made incredibly fun. She has a fantastic way with words and doesn’t fail in giving you authentic characters that charm you from the get go.

I then tweeted and instagrammed our JB this:

Bolouri, why when Mrs, Buckley opens the door and exclaims ‘There's my boys!' Did I choke up?
Woman, you're hilarious, I love you, but this book is hitting me with all the feels and I just didn't sign up for that. Stop it. Well don't, but I deliberately picked this book to read to be uplifting and happy-go-lucky. It is that, but the feels, the bloody feels. For fuck sake what are you doing to me?

Carrying on....

I adore Matt and Nicks friendship. I’m on absolute pins here waiting to see what happens next. If what I have in my head is true, that friendship is not surviving at all and I will be distraught.

We all need a Nick you know. Humble, quick witted, extremely charming, good looking and apparently very good in bed. Oh, and he wants to make someone extremely happy that is all. - Ok, I take it back, he’s more of a cat person than a dog one so that’s me out !

Ending was super fast! But worth it. But cringe at times but for some reason I’ll allow it. What the fuck is up with me.

Oh my god! Oh my fucking god! Nooooo. My heart can’t take it.

Authors do try to give real life and to be fair most fail miserably. But there are a few I have in my favourite pile that actually can pull it off. Most seem to be northern like and I do hold that as a competition to any southern author to make me eat my words. But yeah, our Bolouri is defo up there at the top at giving us actual real life. The dregs and dirt and grit that we need to make it authentic. Spot on.

Friendship, betrayal, love and lust, theme parks, claridges and dodgy looking Argos watches. Clever comebacks that have you actually laughing out loud and not just pretending to through text LOL. And wobbly lip heart wrenching moments that make you want to cry. Santa Claus and our very own Saint Nick certainly do give us everything we need for Christmas. Bolouri certainly has made her mark here with All I Want For Christmas. It melts the most cold and icy hearts faster than a mug of festive mulled wine.

An emotionally complicated fuck up of a book that radiates nothing but love, family and friendship. Everything Christmas is all about.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

5/5

P.S. Spot is the worst dogs name in the entire world.

Oh, I did love this delightful Christmas story. I was quickly captured by the narrative and really did find it hard to put down. It is well written, humorous and such a lovely read I found I was really captivated by it. Told from Nick's point of view it made an interesting perspective to read from. I loved the quirky humour and the way the story rolled along.

The characters are delightful. Nick, the sacked lawyer who ends up with the only job he can get playing Santa in a shopping centre, was great and I loved the way he evolved and his character changed and grew throughout the book. He was a really lovely guy. Sarah and four year old Alfie were just charming and brought the story to life; while Matt, Nick's long term friend and flatmate added to the story perfectly.

I really did enjoy this wonderful book with its pleasing characters. It is one you will definitely want to get to read over the Christmas period and one I am sure I will be reading again. I loved it.

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

If you’re the type that enjoys books that give you warm fuzzy feelings, then this is the book for you.

Nick, who is in his early thirties, is not having a good run at the moment, not sure exactly where his life is headed. Especially when all those around him have their lives sorted.

So, in order to get out of being skint, he takes a job as Father Christmas at the local shopping mall. To get out of his desperate, skint slump he takes a job as the local shopping mall Father Christmas.

What comes next, is a chance encounter and love, which he wasn’t looking for.

As well as some funny moments, the dialogue was engaging, and the book flowed, the characters were relatable, not to mention the will they/won’t they moments. Oh and Alfie was adorable.

This is not just a book to be read at Christmas, I felt myself being wrapped up in the warmth of this story, just as if I was cosy by the fire in my pyjamas with a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate whilst the snow is falling outside.

When our protaganist nick finds himself working as a santa clause at a shopping centre, he couldn't be farther away from his life as a lawyer. However a request from a 4 year old boy is too much to resist and it will end up shaping his life.

This book had so much potential but it just fell flat for me. Despite a good start I found a lot of the characters really one dimensional, the plot a bit obvious and unrealistic and there were just too many snide comments about other peoples life choices. An easy read but just not for me.

This is the 1st Book I have read by Joanna and I will defiantly be reading more books.

I read this book in an afternoon and really enjoyed it, My Favourite character in the book was Nick esp when he was playing Santa in the local shopping centre .

I recommend everyone to read this book .

With thanks to Netgalley & Quercus for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.