I've always been a fan of T. A. Williams' books, and this newest one is no exception. It follows Zoe, who was dumped on Christmas Eve by her long-time partner, then is forced to encounter him the following Christmas at a gathering organized by one of their college flat-mates in Austria. The organizer was a nerdy, quiet guy in college, but has since become the wealthy owner of a large computer company, as well as the posh ski resort where they are all staying. The people who gather for this holiday trip have an interesting variety of occupations and personalities. There's enough suspense and action, as well as hints of romance, to keep one's attention, and the descriptions of the setting in the mountains of Austria make one feel as if they are there. This was a delight to listen to, and I'd highly recommend it!

𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨!

Another amazing holiday story.
Beautiful writing, breathtaking setting, likeable characters, fast-paced, funny moments and adorable dog!
It was perfect and left me with a warm feeling.

Thank you sagaegmont and NetGalley for this ALC.

Dreaming of Christmas Audiobook by T.A. Williams releases October 29, 2021.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘙𝘰𝘮-𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘴, 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘨𝘴.

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Dreaming of Christmas by T.A. Williams
Thanks to NetGalley and Sage Egmont Audio for the ARC of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC all opinions are my own.
Zoe is a busy journalist who is dumped by her boyfriend on Christmas Eve. A quick year passes and Zoe gets an invitation that she can’t refuse an all expenses paid ski trip by Billy old college friend for all of her old roommates. Sort of a reunion after 10 years. The only problem is that her ex Grant who dumped her on Christmas Eve will be there with his new girlfriend.
It’s a true Hallmark Christmas movie in book form.

This is a perfect winter read to get you in the mood for the festive season as to also make you want to book a skiing holiday. It’s a quick read, easy to get into and I would recommend it if you need an interlude between chunky, serious reads.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Romances are usually predictable in that you know the two characters will end up together, the fun part is seeing how they get there. In this story from the moment we met Billy I called the exactly plot line. His wife was fake, he was in love with Zoe, and had planned the whole trip to get together with her. And I predicted at the beginning of the story that the best friend would end up with the wife. It was screamingly obvious. Then the characters barely had any romance between them and at the last 5% kiss. That was it. I was pretty bored and didn’t care for the “oops I’m a clumsy” trope with the main character. The positive vibes as the descriptions of the alps and the food

Do you dream of a European Christmas vacation? Even if you can't jump on a plane this December, you can travel to perhaps the most Christmasy place on Earth - the Austrian Alps - in the pages of T.A. William's holiday romance Dreaming of Christmas.

A year has passed since Zoe's boyfriend of ten years dumped her on Christmas Eve. It's been a rough year both personally and professionally. She isn't really looking forward to this Christmas yet when an old university friend suggests a reunion by inviting his flatmates for an all-expense-paid trip to a small Austrian village. Though it means her ex Grant will be there (and probably with his new girlfriend), she feels like it's just the holiday she needs.

Dreaming of Christmas is a cute rom-com. Zoe's host Billy was a geeky, shy computer major in university. Now he's a billionaire mogul. The luxury hotel they are staying at - yep, he owns it. And he has had a major exterior makeover, but Zoe soon discovers he is the same sweet, shy Billy on the inside. All her friends appear to have been successful - personally or/and professionally. Yet, she soon discovers their lives are messy behind closed doors. Apparently, Zoe was a sort of Agony Aunt to the group and finds herself in that role once more as they unburden themselves on her. And there's Grant who is apparently regretting what he gave up. Will Zoe go back to what is familiar or give a new romance a chance?

The characters are all fun - they kind of make me think of the TV show Friends. There's a cute kid and an adorable dog - everything you need for a great Christmas holiday. I really wanted to be there with them. I listened to the audiobook so it was kind of like I was there with him.

Anne-Marie Piazza did a great job with a rather large cast of characters. I didn't have any trouble telling the characters apart as she gave them all unique voices.

The romance is light and the focus is largely on the group of friends reconnecting. Of course, there are romantic complications - Grant wanting to get back with Zoe, yet not really giving up his cheating, scheming ways. And there's Billy. The chemistry between him and Zoe is undeniable but what about the woman he's sharing a suite with?

This book definitely put me in the Christmas mood with its descriptions of the snowy mountain village, the lavishly decorated hotel, and the fun the group enjoy - ski adventures, decadent dinners, Mozart concert, and a Christmas ball. So if you are having trouble getting into the Christmas mood this year, I recommend picking up this book.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday, October 25 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/10/4-more-books-to-add-to-your-christmas.html

I enjoyed every bit of this book. It was not a Hallmark type Christmas story and I loved that. I loved the self discovery Zoey experienced. I was able to figure out how the book would end but it did not take away from the story at all.

I will be recommending this book to others this Christmas season.

Now I want to go skiing and celebrate Christmas with friends, hot chocolate and good food :)
It was a fun holiday romance to start this years holiday reading with.
Nothing spectacular or unexpected but a cozy read.

The narrator was not too bad for the female voices and the Scottish male voice.
I wasn't a fan of the other male voices (especially Billy, it was a whispered voice that could be hard to hear).

Another heartwarming holiday story for readers to enjoy during those cold winter months. Loved the characters, setting, and the unique spin the author gave to a few classic tropes. While this is defiantly a holiday romance I loved the focus on friendship and prioritizing your life goals when searching for a partner.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 3.5 stars for an uplifting listen with a great narrator.

Zoe gets dumped on Christmas Eve by her boyfriend Grant, so she has had a hard time in her life. A year later, her friend Billy from university invites her and their other university friends to an all expenses paid holiday in the swiss alps. When she goes there, her ex Grant is there, which makes things awkward for her. But then he surprises her. Her and Billy get close, but he apparently has a wife, so they can't go any further with their connection. Or can they? I really loved this heartwarming Christmas story, which brought me a lot of joy and made my heart sing. The narrator of the book was great and she had a pleasant voice. I highly recommend this wonderful book!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Zoe’s boyfriend of 10 years picks Christmas Eve of all days to tell her that he is leaving her for another woman. She’s been doing her best to move on with her life in the months since. When she receives an invitation from one of her university flatmates for all of them to have a reunion at a fancy Austrian ski resort on his dime, Zoe’s best friend encourages her to go so that she has something to look forward to this Christmas. Zoe is looking forward to seeing her old flatmates and getting in some good skiing, but she dreads the fact that her ex will also be there, presumably with his new girlfriend. Still, she intends to make the best of it.

This was a heartwarming read, though with a strange twist at the end. I thought I knew exactly where the story was going until Billy, the billionaire friend who has invited them all to Austria, turns out to be married. I liked the fact that the majority of the book was really about friendship. There were a lot of expected tropes but all slightly askew from how you would expect them to be.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

Thank you to Net Galley, T. A. Williams and Saga Egmont for an audio review copy of Dreaming of Christmas. This is a fun holiday read which was previously published as a book and ebook.
The setting is England and the Austrian Alps. A year after a totally unexpected and unwanted breakup with her boyfriend of ten years, Zoe is finally ready to move on. She jumps at the chance to spend the Christmas holidays at a luxurious resort in the Austrian Alps. Billy, one of her former university flatmates, has invited Zoe as well as their other flatmates to an all expenses paid getaway. Billy has not only become enormously wealthy but is now a suave and sophisticated man about town, barely recognizable from his former geeky self. This story deals with the typical concerns of thirty something singletons and married couples, all set in a beautiful winter wonderland. Naturally, there is romance! The narrator has a very pleasant voice. There did seem to be lags between the different chapters.

This was a cute Christmas read to start getting me in the spirit! I had a few questions about the plot line throughout so it stayed engaging. The only downside to me was all the drama drama drama. It could have been taken down a notch for me. Great holiday read!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to honestly review!

This was exactly the book I needed to read and I’m so glad I had the chance to listen to the audiobook of “Dreaming of Christmas” by T.A. Williams. That’s actually my first of his books, but I definitely want to read some more. I’m sure they will bring me some of this heartwarming feeling I got out of this one!

On this book, we follow Zoe, who was happily preparing for the Christmas dinner when her long term boyfriend, Grant, decided to dump her on Christmas Eve. That was not his best move, but it seams that Grant never grew up! Now, it’s been almost a year after this not so lovely event and she’s not really sure how she feels, especially because Christmas will remind her of what happened last year. But she has received an invite she cannot refuse. She’s invited to spend her Christmas days on an Austrian resort, having an all expenses paid skiing holiday with a chance to reunite with old university friends. This does sound like the most wonderful escape, but there is a drawback. Her ex, Grant, is one of those university friends and will most probably be there as well, as he loves snowboarding and would not easily pass such an opportunity.

But Billy, her former flatmate, that shy boy that used to spend most of his time in his room with his computer is the organizer of the event and he seems to have done rather well for himself. Zoe hasn’t seen him in years and she always liked Billy, so despite the chance of Grant being there as well, Zoe decides to go to that beautiful hotel in the Alps. After all, it will not only be Grant and Billy there, but so many good friends she hasn’t seen in years! And, as if that’s not enough, there will be snow and ski!

Dreaming of Christmas is a cozy festive read that could be read anytime actually, as long as you don’t mind reading about snow and skiing during summer days. It is a book about friendships and about relationships in general, second chances and finding our other half. It’s a book about realizing what it is in life one wants and how to think of and take care of oneself, especially on occasions that we usually put others first.

The scenery was one of the things that made the book all the more appealing. Being in a five star hotel in the Alps, seeing snow all around you and visiting a town up in the mountains that seems so out of the ordinary, makes the perfect setting for a winter romance. That and the fact that the main characters were so skillful and adventurous out there and down the slopes was everything you could ask for in order to cuddle with a hot beverage and a blanket by the fireplace.

The narrator was amazing! Anne Marie Piazza gave life to all the characters, not exaggerating a bit and making me love listening to Zoe. Billy was especially portrayed with his own special voice, that made it obvious he was significant in this book. The writing and the narration as well made me love these two characters so much, that I wanted them to follow a specific path. Thankfully, the author was kind to me and made my wish true!

This book is expected to be published on October 29 2021.

Thanks to NetGalley and Saga Egmont Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Dreaming of Christmas was released in 2018, but I never got the chance to read it. When the audibook was offered for review, I jumped at the chance. I love T.A. Williams' "travel romance" books and this was another winner for me. The book opens with Zoë being dumped by her boyfriend of ten years on Christmas Eve. We then fast forward one year to Zoë and a group of her university friends being invited to a lavish hotel for an all expense paid holiday in Austria. Everyone in the group had lived in a house together and one of the group, Billy, is now a multi-millionaire. He invites them all for a reunion. The only problem is that Grant, her ex is probably going to be there. But her best friend Jules persuades her to take the plunge, after all it's an all expense paid vacation to a gorgeous ski location in Austria. What more could you want at Christmas. The other problem is that Zoë is working for a not very reputable newspaper and her boss wants her to get an interview with the elusive Mr Billy Fischer. Knowing her boss, he wants dirt. Can Zoë risk her friendship and the privacy of her friend, or will she let her career and the idea of promotion take over? What will happen when Zoë and Grant meet up again for the first time in a year?

Dreaming of Christmas is a beautiful story about friendship, relationships, second chances, finding oneself, secrets, fun, humour, wit and drama. The cast of characters is diverse with everyone having a problem or some issues. I liked Zoë and was thrilled to see her stand up for herself on more than one occasion. Billy, the person responsible for the reunion is another great character. He was a geek in university, so the others didn't know him as well as they liked, but he remembered them. He was still a bit quiet but over the story, he and Zoë talk a lot and we get to know what a great guy he is. There are a few things that happened that didn't surprise me at all, but I don't want to spoil the story for anyone so won't say what they were. I loved the descriptions of the various activities at the resort and the Christmas activities in the town. I will tell you there is a happily ever after, but you will need to read the story to find out who gets it. All the characters have some growth and sort out some things in their lives, so it is a winning trip for all who attend. I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy romance, armchair travel and Christmas stories. The book was narrated by Anne Marie Piazza. She gives voices to the various characters and uses expression, tone and emotion to add interest to the story. Besides the voice of Billy, which I disliked a lot, the audiobook was a nice way to experience this story.

One of my favorite things to do is read Christmas books. This book started off so promising, but completely missed the mark for me. I did listen to this as an audiobook and I was not a fan of the narration so that may be why I have strong feelings about it. Here I'm breaking down the review of the story vs. the narration.

The story: 3 stars
This Christmas tale follows Zoe Lumsley who was dumped by her boyfriend Grant the previous year on Christmas Eve. Zoe has been slowly getting on with her life when she is invited to an all-expense paid trip to the Austrian Alps for Christmas by a former college housemate. The catcher is that her ex has also been invited and will likely bring the woman he dumped her for. Zoe's friend Juliet convinces her to accept the offer and they plan to go together. When they arrive they are reacquainted with their former housemates and Grant has turned up alone. He does seem to want Zoe back, but she's not sure if she really wants him anymore. She begins to get closer to her friend Billy, who is the billionaire extraordinaire who is hosting them for the week. The downside is that Billy is newly married to a gorgeous Italian named Daniella. As the week leads up to Christmas secrets are discovered about the group and Zoe realizes that things are not always as they seem. The characters are a bit two dimensional and everyone is just so damn nice. Well not everyone, but most. It's a bit unrealistic really. I felt they were all a bit stereotypical: you have the self-centered beauty, the promiscuous one, the brainy one, the college lovers who ended up married, etc. Also these people are all in their early thirties and out of 8 people only 2 have a child (together), so they all seem to be a bit emotionally stunted really. I enjoyed the wintery wonderland descriptions of the town and the resort. It sounds like a magical place. The group seemed like a lovely one to be a part of once you got past the stereotypes and I may have liked them all better had I read the book rather than listened to the narration.

The narration: 2 stars
The narrator herself has quite a lovely voice, but a few of her "character" voices were just so grating, especially Juliet and Billy. The narrator missed the mark on those two completely. Billy was all breathy and monotoned, while Juliet just sounded meek and also breathy, but not in the same way. She made me think of a wonderland fairy TBH, not a prominent surgeon. The dialogue between the characters was so forced and everyone was just piling on platitudes. Frankly it was weird. How many guys do you know who constantly compliment other women about their appearance, personality, etc. in front of their wives? It was a bit daft really.

So the premise of this book was quite lovely, but the execution was not the best. Thank you to NetGalley, Saga Egmont Audio, and T.A. Williams for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A Christmas must-read!!! Zoe finds herself in a place not many like. Broken-hearted, in an unsatisfying job, and mundane life. When she meets up with all her flatmates from college, almost everyone seems happy with their lot in life. Except slowly, her mates begin to confide in her their marital problems or financial circumstances and the difficult front of happiness they portray. Grant is trying hard to win her back, but she just wants to enjoy her holiday and avoid being trapped in the past. This vacation might be just what they all need. As Zoe finds herself, author T.A. Williams adds twists and turns with humor and fun, making me wish I was physically there! This is my first novel by Williams, and it won't be my last!
Netgalley gave me an audiobook version, but I was not obligated to provide a positive review. These thoughts are my own.
The narrator was great and this is one rom-com page-turner you won't want to miss!

I stopped listening to this at about 45% as it was so predictable, it seems like the plot kept on repeating itself in loops, chasing its own tail! The narrator was good, but the characters really let this story down as I could not get behind any of them, sadly!

Zoe has been invited to spend Christmas with her former roommates from University. She is very much looking forward to seeing all of them, until she finds out her former boyfriend (who dumped her after 10 years together) and his new girlfriend will be there. Not one to back down, she accepts the invitation and is determined to enjoy her vacation. She soon discovers that not everything or everyone are as they seem. On top of that, Grant wants her back. Zoe must work through her own inner turmoil to do what she feels is right so that she can truly have a wonderful holiday and quite possibly find love in the most unexpected place.
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Egmont Audio for this advanced review copy. In return, I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Dreaming of Christmas is a lovely listen. It had plenty of different story lines to keep me interested and entertained.
The story is well constructed and Zoe is a strong protagonist, there are quite a few characters so, especially with the audio book I needed to concentrate hard at the start but they all bring something to the story so it was worth it.

I wasn't too keen on the narrators voices for some of the characters