Eva has poured her life into her career, failing to notice those closest to her are struggling. In a 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐠’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲/𝐀 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥/𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐲 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 fashion, Eva repeats the day over and over, each time as a different person.

This is not a light, fun holiday read. It’s quite the opposite. Yet, the takeaway message is meaningful and impactful. A great reminder any day of the year.

DETAILS: Rachel Greenhaw // October 17, 2023 // 336 pages // Gifted: @avonbooks @bibliolifestyle

Rachel Greenlaw's holiday romance novel weaves a heartwarming tale of love, loss, and redemption.. Greenlaw masterfully captures the complexity of emotions as Eva grapples with heartbreak, regret, and the unexpected twists that unfold during a Christmas party. The introduction of a magical element, with the visitation of Eva's grandmother's ghost, adds a touch of enchantment to the narrative, propelling Eva into a transformative journey.

Waking up in the lives of others on consecutive Christmas mornings, Eva gains profound insights into the struggles and secrets of those she has distanced herself from. Greenlaw crafts a story that beautifully explores the healing power of love, forgiveness, and the importance of embracing one's past to forge a brighter future.

"One Christmas Morning" is a captivating and emotionally resonant holiday read that will leave readers with a renewed appreciation for the magic of the season and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for an ARC.

There really is nothing I love more than a good Christmas Carol adaptation. I adore them all, and this one is very well done. One Christmas Morning is perfect and beautifully written.

I do have to say that I think a lot of people might go into this book expecting a holiday romcom and that it is not. It's way deeper than that and deals with grief and pregnancy loss set against a holiday backdrop. It's extremely emotional and more about self-discovery and learning to pick up the pieces.

This is one of those books that really makes you feel and stays with you for a long time. It was very special and I'm immensely glad I read it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A fun holiday story that enmeshes 2 great stories. It takes the best of Groundhog Day and a Christmas Carol. Eva is a little bit stuck, overwhelmed and is so focused on ignoring her feelings and everyone around her that she is very close to losing it all and doesn’t recognize it. She is mourning the loss of her beloved gran, dealing with all that goes along with getting her new store ready for its grand opening, ignoring her husband and shutting out everyone in her life. She is visited by her Gran and given told if she doesn’t recognize where she is emotionally and change her actions things will not go well for her. She has a “snap out of it” experience when she awakens not as herself, but of those who her behavior and attitude is impacting. It’s a creative, emotional love filled story of Eva finding her way back to who she is, who she wants to be and live the life she wants surrounded by love, laughter, happiness and success.

This book was beautifully written, and reminds me of the Ghost of Christmas's Past. I absolutely adored it! Such a wholesome and fulfilling story. Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Greenlaw, and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC.

I just love a good Christmas book with a touch of magic! The body swapping, Groundhog Day description instantly drew me to this book but it was Eva's all-consuming grief that kept me locked in place. I felt like I could really understand her and all of the decisions she made that lead her to this One Christmas Morning. This was definitely not the most cheerful Christmas story I've ever read, but it felt raw and real and ended on a hopeful note.

Eva has pushed away her friends and her husband and become obsessed with her work. She needs to make some changes quickly or risk losing it all. In a Christmas party in Cornwall, Eva is visited by the ghost of her Gran who tries to help her. It is a mix of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Freaky Friday.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my copy of One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw in exchange for an honest review. It published October 17, 2023.
Wow! Never did I expect to stay up into the wee hours of the night, or end up in a reading slump from a Christmas book! I could not put this book down. I was so sad it was over, because it was written so well! That being said, this book depressed the heck out of me! I am rarely moved by books, so I consider that a huge accomplishment.
This book deals with really hard things, such as infertility and miscarriage, and the grief is written about very honestly and sincerely. It will break your heart, but in the end it will have you appreciating your life so much more.

This was an emotionally heavy holiday twist on the Christmas Carol story that sees work-obsessed Eva forced to attend a house party with her husband only to learn her friend is newly pregnant - news that is just too hard for her to handle in light of her own recent loss.

Risking her marriage, Eva decides to leave early only to get to be visited by the ghost of her grandmother who warns Eva that if she doesn't slow down and face her problems head on she will lose everyone she loves most.

The next day Eva wakes on Christmas morning only to discover that she's in the body of her overworked assistant and then the day after that she repeats the cycle, waking on Christmas morning again in the body of various friends. Stuck in a weird time-loop, it takes a tragedy to help her break free and finally face her fears head on.

Not a lighthearted holiday read, this is perfect for fans of authors like Emily Stone and was good on audio although it did take a me a bit to get into this one. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: miscarriage

Thank you NetGalley and Rachel Greenlaw for the ARC of One Christmas Morning.

This book is about dreams, hard work, loss, friendship, family, and losing sight of what is most important. The main character Eva went through two traumatic losses right around the same time. In order to cope with the losses, she buried herself in work. Unfortunately, in doing so she neglected the relationships around her that mattered most.

She is getting ready to open a store right after the Christmas holidays. Her husband is trying to save their marriage and asked for her to come along to a Christmas getaway with their friends. Eva is not happy and just wants to get ready for the launch of her shop.

Due to her sour behavior, she is forced to relive the day in several of the female characters at the getaway. Eva learns of their struggles, love and what they do to attempt to have a work/life balance.

This is not a lighthearted fun Christmas read. But, I did enjoy it. I love a little magical realism.

It was a good reminder to stay present and not get too wrapped up in work. Relationships are important and grieving is important.

Emma is trying to expand her business. She has pushed everyone away including her best friends, her husband and her assistant. Her friend Holli has invited them to a weekend long Christmas party at Penhallow. Emma agrees to go only because she feels pressured to by James, her husband. The first night there she tries to quietly escape back to London. During the drive, she see someone on the road and swerves to miss them. She gets out to see who it is and to make sure she didn't hit them. The person is her grandma who passed away three years prior.

Her grandma was there to show Emma the error of her ways. She tells Emma that she will see the day from the prospective of different people. Emma relives Christmas day but each time she is someone new. Diane (her assistant), Natalie (Holli's sister), Holli, and Sarah (an employee at Penhallow). He day as Holli I feel is the most eye opening one for Emma. She is forced to see that her grandma's death followed by the miscarriage cause her to focus on her work and ignore the people in her life.

I enjoyed this One Christmas Morning which is a Groudhog's Day meets a Christmas Carol. I am glad I got an ARC from NetGalley.

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.