4.5 glowing stars rounded up!

The best books are those that also teach you something new. It could be something little or something big, but I always enjoy having my eyes opened by a book. And the author of The Certainty of Chance had me thinking about several things I’d never thought about before. I not only learned new things, but I laughed and cried along with this one. It had almost everything I love in a romance novel: a fun meet-cute, an amazing destination (London), characters who leap off the page, lots and lots of music, mouth-watering food descriptions, a deeper plot, and so much Christmas!

Since this wasn’t a planned book on my TBR, but one I couldn’t resist picking up, I’ll be sharing my somewhat random and scatter-brained review of what I enjoyed most about this book—instead of a more polished review.

I’d never heard of the term ‘disenfranchised grief’. (The author has a handy glossary at the back of the book for people, places, and things that might not be familiar to the reader and I’m thankful I read it before I read the book.) It’s one of the new things I learned, and it opened my eyes to the fact that there are different kinds of grief. But no one’s grief should be considered less important than someone else’s, because people all grieve in different ways. I think reading about Maddie’s grief will help me have more empathy towards others who are grieving.

In this book we have a character who creates music playlists AS A JOB?! Wait, is that a real thing? Because I am here for it. If you’re a follower of my blog, you know I LOVE to make playlists to accompany books. And The Certainty of Chance is PACKED with music. (I wasn’t surprised to discover the author has created not one, but TWO Spotify playlists for this book.)

I also loved that Julian, our leading man, is a black cab driver in London (something else I learned—they have to study for years and pass several tests to become one!), and it’s a job he chooses to do because he loves London so much. But it’s also a very clever way for the author to share so much of London with the reader.

Normally when I read a book set somewhere I’ve never been—but would love to visit—I’m constantly googling the locations in the book. I had to resist that this time though, because there were SO many places. It would be so much fun to read this book while staying in London at Christmas time!

The dialogue!! There is so much dialogue. Since this is my first book by this author I don’t know if it’s typical of her style, but several times I thought to myself, how does she manage to make so much dialogue interesting? Our two main characters loved to talk. And while I expected it to get tedious, it ended up being charming. I think it accurately captured new love—that happy time when two people meet and they never seem to get tired of talking and learning about each other.

I was surprised this was a mostly closed-door romance. I say ‘mostly’ because there were a few instances when the characters discussed or thought about things related to sex, but the actual experiences were fade-to-black. Which was fine for me, BUT I wouldn’t have minded a little more.

My only real complaint: Julian might be too perfect. Trust me, he’s swoon-worthy, but give the man a crooked tooth or something. Ha!

This was such a heartwarming book, and a lovely surprise since it was no where on my radar! I’ve definitely found a new author, and I can’t wait to give some of her other books a try.

Thank you to the publisher, Kirkwall Books, and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Jaquelyn Middleton, and the publisher for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of this Christmas read!
This was an adorable Christmas read set in one of my favorite places, London. In the story, Madeleine is suppose to meet her sister in London for a celebration and to remember the passing of a friend, but when he sister's flight is delayed due to a volcano, Madeleine is stuck in London on her own. What is a girl to do? Thankfully she gets into the cab of Julian, who knows everything about London and wants to give. Madeleine the trip of a lifetime. But will Madeleine's sadness over her friend's passing get in the way?
I enjoyed this story and while I wouldn't use it in my classroom, I would recommend it to friends and my book club.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kirkwall Books for the ARC of this one, in exchange for my honest review.
I’ve gotta say, for me, this one missed the mark. I went in with high hopes as I am a total Hallmark Christmas movies fan and perhaps that was my fault. I didn’t not enjoy it, I just didn’t really care for it either. It was a pretty solid meh from me. I think the other problem that I had was that I don’t really have a fondness for London, so I really couldn’t fall into the setting as much as I think the author had hoped her readers would. Had this story taken place in a small southern town, I might feel differently about it. I did enjoy watching the heroine dealing with the loss of her best friend who she had only ever known online. When I was a teenager, many of my first relationships began online and I remember many people doubting the veracity of my feelings. I am still thankful today for the impact that many of them made on me and think of them fondly upon remembrance. I promise, I’m not a ho-ho-humbug girl but this one just didn’t do it for me.

This was a really great read for the holidays. Maddie was supposed to go on a trip to Paris to unite with her sister, but weather conditions closed all of the airports and stranded her in London. She ended up in a cab with a guy named Julian who ended up not only showing her around London, but inviting her to hang out with his friends. The connection between the two felt almost instant. The chemistry was definitely there and Julian seemed like a great guy.

I loved the setting of London over Christmas! It seems so beautiful and because Julian was a tour guide, we got some good insider info and I felt like I could actually picture everything!

The book also dealt with some hard hitting topics like death of friends/family and how people handle their grief. I thought it was all handled tastefully. I liked the characters in the story. My only criticism is that the book was very dialogue heavy. It also had a ton of music facts. It seemed to really take over at points, but overall this was a good read for me.

There aren't enough descriptive words in my vocabulary to describe how much I thoroughly enjoyed and adored this charming tale. What, specifically, did I love? I loved it all. The characters were relatable, interesting and well developed, the setting could not be more perfect as we journey through magical Christmas-time in London while visiting the iconic and lesser-known landmarks, and the plot was pure perfection.

I will not give spoilers because this gem should be read, relished, and enjoyed with fresh eyes and a grateful heart. It is sure to renew your faith in love found in unexpected places and difficult times in our lives. The romance is sweet and enviable and you are sure to enjoy this charming read!

I really, really enjoyed the characters in this book (both the main characters and the friends and family) - they were delightful and sweet. The setting was perfect - London around the holidays sounds amazing and it was so fun that one of the characters does tours so we all kind of got to experience this (I really want to go visit!!!!). Ultimately, it was a fun holiday read that I found hard to put down. I did fail to connect with the characters on quite the right emotional level, but that could have been me and not them. I *loved* that one of the characters normalized having an online friend - since I have so many myself <3

This book just didn't hit the mark for me. It felt like it was trying too hard, maybe? Like the author took a research trip to London and made sure to include detail of every last tourist trap there, but not naturally. The dialogue felt forced and the whole story arc just felt too contrived.

Perfect for the holiday season!

I love reading books by Canadian authors and Jacquelyn Middleton has been on my radar for a while! I love the relationship between the two main characters and I generally just love Julian, he's so cute and bubbly! This book also put me in the Christmas spirit and make me want to go see the Christmas lights in London, how gorgeous would that be??

Thank you to NetGalley and Kirkwall Books for the earc in return for an honest review.

The Certainty of Chance is a heartwarming novel set in London the week before Christmas. American Madeleine is stranded there thanks to volcanic ash raining down on the European aerospace. She serendipitously meets cabbie Julian, who makes it his mission to show her all the best London sights.

Firstly, this book does a wonderful job of transporting you to London at Christmastime. I truly felt like I was walking alongside them as they visited so many historic and festive sights.

Now, let's talk about the characters. Madeleine is grieving for her best friend, as the one-year anniversary of her death approaches. I feel Middleton did a great job detailing her grief journey and I loved how supportive Julian was of Madeleine and how they talked openly about grief and therapy.

Speaking of, Julian was the perfect book boyfriend! He was kind, thoughtful and so passionate about Christmas in London. I loved the way he and Madeleine connected through their love of music. The pair definitely had great chemistry.

Add in two fun best friends and an adorable Corgi and you have The Certainty of Chance. I definitely recommend it to people looking for a warm holiday romance this festive season.

Thank you to Kirkwall Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Thank you to Bookstagrammers.com and the author for an e-ARC of this book.
Rating: 3.5 stars

Set against the lovely backdrop of London during Christmas time, this contemporary romance will warm your heart and put you in the mood for the holidays.

Fate brought Madeleine and Julian together on more than a few occasions.

Julian, the love interest, is kind-hearted and considerate. The romance between Madeleine and Julian is sweet and fluffy. In the beginning, the chemistry (personally) felt lacking, but it does pick up around the middle of the book.

Besides the romance, the book focuses heavily on grief. The discussions on the topic were profound and insightful. The love Madeleine has for Kellie, her late online best friend, brought me to tears. It is so relevant because online friendships and connections are now much more prevalent.

I loved how Julian's friends immediately connected with Madeleine and how loveable they were.

The Londoners' culture was heartwarming to read about, visiting the tourist destinations and the local hotspots. With the festive flare, this was a lovely read!

Content warnings: Harry Potter, some course language, off-page sex scenes, disenfranchised grief, unexpected death of a friend, parent (backstory), cheating partner (backstory), therapy, alcohol consumption.

Note:
There were multiple pop culture references about music and the movies, Love Actually and The Holiday. Keep that in mind if it is not something you particularly enjoy.

Loved, loved this book!!! With the way the author described all the spots that Madeleine visited in the book, it made me feel like I was actually there.Loved everything about this book from start to finish, this one was my first read by this author and definitely will be reading her other books.

The Certainty of Chance is a charming Christmas read. The writing is great, and the detailed descriptions of London are amazing. Julian and Madeleine's story is really sweet, the development of their relationship was perfect. That being said, it just wasn't for me. There is a lot of grief and it's heavy at times. I really struggled to get into it, and some parts felt like they dragged. But, it has several great reviews, so it's entirely possible that it's just me.

Though this is a Christmastime tale, I found it really to be more of a story about grief than a holiday romance. Well written and compelling characters have a fun meet cute but there's also plenty of more meaty aspects to the story too. May not be for readers who are themselves actively grieving this holiday season.

Who's ready for Christmas?!

I was sent this book via NetGalley, and this has to be one of the most detailed books I have read in a while! Reading it really makes you feel like you are experiencing Christmas in London! Even the language used between characters is especially life like, and you can really feel the connections and relationships between everyone. (There is a LOT of British terms and locations in this!)

Madeline is meant to be meeting her sister in Paris, but due to a volcanic storm her flight is delayed - which is where we meet taxi cab driver Julian!

One reason to read this book is it is also one of my favourite tropes - grumpy sunshine (And duel POV!) The connection between Madeline and Julian was so lovely to read, from strangers to friends to lovers - super cute!

This book is both a lovely read, but also extremely emotional and explores grief and how people deal with it in different ways.

If you want to read a cute romantic Christmas story - then read ahead!

I loved the ending. It’s a story about grief and understanding, love and friendship all packed in one book. Obviously enjoyed the chapters with Julian in it more. There were some chapters that felt too slow. I think the ending made up for the chapters I didn’t enjoy as much.

I love romance but have been away from it for a while and this book was the perfect way to come back to it! It’s so heartwarming and lovely, got me smiling all the way.

I’ve never been to London, not even during Christmas, but this book gave me a perfect idea of how it would look like!

This is the story of Madeleine and Julian, a romantic and unexpected relationship that grew deeper and more romantic each chapter. I love how relatable and real this characters are, and OMG the love they have for music is amazing! I love books that have music references and this one was a blast.

Both characters go trough a lot just a couple of days before Christmas. Madeleine is American and on holiday in London, by mistake, and Julian lives and works London. They talk about everything so honestly and their connection is so deep and pure, it made me believe in love again!

I definitely recommend this book to all romance lovers and Christmas enthusiasts, it’s so worth reading!

Super cute and, as someone who doesn’t know if she’ll be able to get home for Christmas herself, relatable!

There’s two main aspects to this story: the romance and the grief. And they were interwoven so well! The romance between Madeleine and Julian was adorable. Their connection was immediate. I’m so glad Madeleine didn’t spend her time stuck in London moping around her hotel room. She recognised she had an amazing chance to explore and have an adventure so she took it. I appreciated the fact that Madeleine mentioned she never had a relationship in high school or college. I didn’t either, so seeing that experience reflected in a romance novel was wonderful!

The grief aspect was handled so well! It was recognised that the sadness doesn’t go away magically with a vacation or love interest. It’s always going to be there, but you learn how to go on anyway. I had never seen a book speak about having online friends before. It’s so common now and the loss of losing an online friend should be treated the same as an in person friend. I was so happy that the importance of these friendships was a focus.

There were so many relatable aspects. As an Aussie, really did love all the Australian shoutouts and the fact that Kellie was Australian. Madeleine was discovering that while her job was good, it wasn’t really what she wanted to do - mood. I’ve never had travel cancelled because of a volcano. But I have sat in an airport wondering if we’d ever be able to get on the plane because there was too much bushfire smoke.

Random Thoughts I Had While Reading:
No! A koala is NOT a bear!
Julian, you could stand to get an Instagram account
Harry Styles mention!
Love Tash and Micah!
Hell yeah! YES, everyone should have to work in customer service at least once

I absolutely loved how well-thought out and planned this box was. It was awesome that while reading, I was able to clearly see and understand why each and every item was included. 🥰⁣
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𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 tackles some serious topics such as grief and break-up in a very real and relatable way.⁣
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𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐞 and 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧 have such an adorable story set in one of my favorite places in the whole world - London, England. 🇬🇧 And at Christmas time, no less! 🎄This book fueled my wanderlust like no other while telling a super cute love story that unfolds on the beautiful streets and in the magnificent landmarks of the iconic city.

“An emotional love story with a festive atmosphere just in time for the Christmas season!”

I want to say huge thank you to the team of Bookstagrammers.com and the author Jacquelyn Middleton for sending me a review copy of The Certainty Chance!

What a lovely read this was! This is an absolutely heartwarming story about love, loneliness, longing, grief and how the best things in life usually happen when you are expecting them the least.

A few days before Christmas, Madeline Joy finds herself in a very complicated situation. She’s supposed to spend the holidays with her sister in Paris, however, due to a volcano eruption, all airports are closed and she has no other choice than to stay in London until she can travel again. Not only that but the period coincides with the one-year anniversary of her best friends death. Needless to say, her joyful spirits are nowhere to be found. Until the stars align in her favour and she meets a kind, sweet British guy who takes her on a journey around London with his black cab.

Madeline didn’t expect her trip to turn out this way but when Julian Halliwell looks at her with longing and understanding in his eyes.. well.. it is impossible to deny their instant connection. Both characters are absolutely amazing and as cliche as it sounds just ‘made for each other’. Both are respectful, caring, kind and strong despite the few setbacks in their lives. I loved, loved, loved Madeline and Julian’s relationship. We see them quickly become friends and form a real bond over music, books, art, food and the one thing they both struggle with… grief- dealing with the loss a loved one and having no one who understands you. Mrs Jacquelyn Middleton did an amazing job in her portrayal of grief and left an important message for her readers - Every person deals with loss differently, there’s no ‘time-limit’ for feeling sad, there’s no recipe on how to move on. The Certainty Chance was such an emotional journey which definitely made me tear up a couple of times. So so happy both characters found in each other their ‘safe space’.

I need to add an honourable mention for Julian’s friends which were hilarious and supportive throughout the whole book! And of course not to forget poor little Winnie who also got his happy ending!!!

The Certainty of Chance is such an atmospheric book which immediately teleports you there with Julian and Madeline, exploring London during the most beautiful time of the year! This book put me in a wonderful Christmas mood and now all I dream off is booking a one-way ticket to London for the holidays!! Honestly, the whole time while reading I was thinking what a great movie this could be!

She's a bit of a grinch, he's an optimist.

Set at Christmas in London. American Madeline is stuck in London instead of going to Paris. Her cabbie is hot and helpful. And an optimist. Julian is an interesting lead. I found I liked him ever so much.

A touch of Love Actually, sprinkled with a bit of Hallmark Channel movie. Its a treat.
Recommend.