Iris truly is a symbol of fortitude given the circumstances she emerged from coupled with her mother's death. I can certainly relate with her relationship with Adam in terms of him being mentally and emotionally abusive to the point she felt less than and docile. She came to New York seeking a life of which she can find herself again and claim what she enjoys. Like her mother Vivien, she deserved to burn bright. I can understand why she created the evolution of lies for protective purposes but I would have been thoroughly disappointed if she ran away. Her love for Gio and therefore the Belotti family was true great. The story about the giraffe simply solidified it. In addition, food does bring people together. A heartwarming book.

I will never, ever skip a Josie Silver book, and I've been proven right again. A Winter in New York was just so good in every way. It was heartwarming and poignant, and I was really cheering for not just Iris but the whole cast of side characters as well. The thing I think Josie does the best is create these flawed characters that are deeply relatable human beings, and then takes you through a story that brings you up and down right alongside them. There's just something that feels good about it, even in the hard parts, and I think it's because the characters feel like real people.

4.5 stars!

Josie Silver writes stunning books and this one is no exception. It's so good that I'll read it again at Christmas. Iris is a young chef that escapes a bad relationship and moves to New York City to completely restart her life. She has very few possessions, but she does have a gelato maker with her mother's secret gelato recipe. She makes her gelato when she's sick, needs a pick me up, or to celebrate. It's special and one of the few things she has left from her mother. When she moves to NYC she happens to find a job as a chef in a noodle house and an apartment right above it, but the best part is she makes a forever friend out of the owner and his partner. Bobby is always encouraging Iris to step out of her comfort zone and apartment to explore. One day they're exploring Little Italy when she comes upon a doorway to a gelateria that she knows is in an old photo of her mother's. She finds the picture to be sure and can't help but return to the gelateria and meets Gio, one of the owners that tells her that her uncle is one of the only two people in the world that have their family recipe, but he's been hurt and can't remember it, so they can't make their gelato! Iris samples the gelato and realizes that it's her mother's recipe! How her mother got this recipe she isn't sure, but she must find out, so she offers her talents as a chef to help Gio figure out the recipe until his uncle can return. While they're working together they fall in love, of course, but their love is threatened by her past, and her mother's past when his uncle wakes up. This book is beautifully written and is definitely one that you will want to read again, or at least I will. Thank you NetGalley, the author, and publisher for allowing me to preview this book.

Sweet, charming book about love and loss, and life's twists and turns. Iris is alone after losing her mother 3 years prior. She moves to New York, and stumbles across a gelato store, and realizes her mother had been there. As Iris gets to know the family that owns the gelato store, she learns about her mother's life, and what she wants from her own life.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the ARC!

4.25/5

This book is so charming it hooked me with the prologue and kept me hooked the whole way through.

Iris left London after her mothers death and an abusive relationship and has started over in NYC. Unlike her larger then life mother, she finds herself creating a small life for herself but finds comfort in it. By chance, she stumbles into a situation with Gio and his family’s Gelato shop that only she can help right using secrets her mom passed on to her.

Their love story was cute, the family was charming and it was a very quick Christmasy read. FINALLY a holiday read that delivers!

I loved this book! New York at Christmas time is basically magical and has always been a dream of mine. This book set up the scene for me and gave me all the feels! It's a slow burn love story with two people that have different upbringings and dysfunctional families. The recipes and food aspect make it feel super cozy. It's a perfect lighthearted holiday read!

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Silver writes so beautifully and paints a vibrant picture of New York City and Little Italy—it made me feel nostalgia for when I worked at an Italian bakery during college. I loved all the side characters, particularly Sophia and Bobby, but had a difficult time empathizing with the main character, Iris.

The entire premise of this book is based on Iris’s inability to confess her history to her love interest, Gio. So, if you’re not a fan of the miscommunication trope (and I am not…), then this book may not be your cup of tea. I will say, though, the found family element was a big thumbs up for me.

One minor issue that came up for me while reading was the idea of family first. The phrase “blood is thicker than water” is used multiple times throughout the book to demonstrate this, which is one of my pet peeves. The actual quote is: “Blood of the covenant is thicker than water of the womb.” Again, just a minor issue but that is probably just a me thing.

I truly wanted to like this book more than I did, especially since I was such a huge fan of Josie Silver’s “One Day in December” and “One Night on the Island.” Ultimately, though, it was just so-so for me.

I thought this was really cute! It wasn't quite as "omg WINTER" as I would have expected given the title, but i was ok with that!
I really enjoyed that this was a slow burn love story of what felt like a more mature couple (Gio having a young daughter, Iris having a deeply troubling past relationship) nestled between a bigger story about family, tradition, heritage, and gelato. The 'ties that bind' these two characters together: Gio's uncle and Iris' mother, make for a really good back and forth about love at first sight, 'the one that got away', and what happens when your soulmate maybe isn't who you forge a life with.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. Its a great choice if you love just a teensy bit of steam, great story rooted in family dynamics, a bit of drama (the last act had a LOT going on), and of course a happy ending.

Iris needs something new in her life, so moves to New York, a city she grew up dreaming about while eating a secret gelato recipe with her mom, not realizing how large the city really is. Her best friend, Bobby, is determined to make sure Iris doesn’t become a hermit, and one day they venture to a street fair in Little Italy where Iris runs across a business that looks similar to one in the photos she would look at with her mom. Iris returns to the business, which sells gelato, and learns that it is in danger of closing because the owner, who is the only one who knows the gelato recipe, is in a coma. Iris tastes the last batch of this gelato and realizes it is the same recipe as her mom’s. Iris decides to help Gio, the nephew running the shop for his uncle, but when his uncle wakes up Iris’ secret about the shared recipe comes to light and destabilizes the new life she was crafting. I love Josie Silver’s work, and was super excited to read this; recommended for anyone who loves a good romance with relatable characters, a New York setting, and an Italian family.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine/Dell. I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It started a bit slow but picked up momentum. I fell in love with all the characters and could imagine this coming to be onscreen. I found myself wishing I could become a member of the Belotti family. I highly recommend this book.


Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my review.

My favorite Josie Silver book so far! I absolutely loved this one! Such a heartwarming story full of laughter, tears, romance and family. My favorite city for the Christmas holiday is New York and this book took me on a wonderful journey there. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, Iris and Gio. Their love story unfolds slowly throughout the book and it is quite the journey! I also really enjoyed Gio's family and all of their family dynamics. The story of Iris's mother will make your heart melt. Everything about A Winter in New York is perfect!

Set to publish October 3 this is the perfect swoon-worthy holiday romance!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for a digital ARC.

I did enjoy this book. The description of scenes made you feel as though you were part of the book. It started slow but the ending was great. Winter in NYC is a dream and I'm glad I got to experience it through a book and it was great. This book is sweet with a happy ending and will not disappoint.

*ARC Review*

3.5 Stars

I am a huge Josie Silver fan and was so excited to get an ARC of her new book.

A Winter In New York follows Iris, a chef who needs a fresh beginning after losing her mother and leaving an abusive relationship. She finds a job at a noodle shop and has done little exploring of New York. One day after being forced out of her apartment by her friend she comes across a familiar door she knows from pictures. She goes back the next day to meet the Belotti's, who have the famous vanilla gelato. The problem is the store cannot make it right now as the one person who knows the recipe cannot remember it after having a stroke. Thus begins Iris's journey of helping the wonderful family recreate the gelato all while understanding her past, and creating a future with a new love.

I loved the themes and the strong family relationships, but found I could not get past the initial lies that were told. Spoiler alert: it is a happy ending, but I found myself uncomfortable by the actions of the female main character. It took me out of the story.

A slow beginning led to a sweet, lovely, and slightly unbelievable ending. Loved the descriptions of winter in New York….the prose was my favorite part. I was worried that a story about a one flavor gelataria would not hold my attention, but the character depth and beautiful descriptions helped me push through the parts that were slow. 4/5

WINTER IN NEW YORK
I would give this book 3.5 overall for my final rating. I had to think about for a minute. Iris comes to NY on the tails of her mothers death and leaving a toxic relationship. She winds up in the LES, finding a position as a noodle chef, and lives above the restaurant. During the Sam Gennaro Festival in Little Italy, a restaurant and recipe of her past brings up a story from her mothers past, that she must protect but also her curiousity leads her to the restaurant where she meets Gio, a single father that she’s also met before.

This book was cute, as someone who came to NY myself at 21, and found my own part of freedom and redemption in the City, I loved at the feels. Iris was a great character and I wanted to be adopted by Gios family. The entire book though I really hated the gelato storyline! Honestly I could of done without it and focused more on Vivian’s story and Iris finding more about leaving toxic men and overcoming grief. I didn’t like the gelato part at all.

A sweet read that will leave you smiling (and also craving the world’s best vanilla gelato!). Iris has just gotten out of a harmful relationship and finds herself leaving London for the promises of New York City. She stumbles upon a familiar looking door while at a food festival and realizes she has seen it before - in her mother’s photos. Through the door is a family-run gelateria, Belotti’s which only serves vanilla gelato - it’s so good they don’t need to sell any other flavors. Iris realizes the gelato recipe her mother passed down to her is actually the very closely-guarded recipe of the family. Only two Belotti’s at a time have the recipe and now, one of them can’t find it and the other one can’t remember it. Iris decides to help them - no, not by giving them the recipe, but by helpfully nudging the family (including handsome Gio) toward the right ingredients and ratios.

While it was frustrating to watch Iris keep the truth from Gio and his family, I could also see where she was coming from. Overall, this was a charming, heartwarming, and cozy winter romance featuring found family, lots of delicious meals, and references to Moonstruck! 3.5 stars.

Thank you very much to Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this sweet book!
This was my first book by Josie Silver and I truly enjoyed it!
I enjoyed watching the love story unfold between Iris and Gio. The ties to the past with Iris' mom and Gio's uncle were very sweet and I honestly would have liked to read more of that! The concept of the lost gelato recipe felt a little far fetched to me but the book was a lovely read throughout. I loved how Iris starts the book searching for herself and looking for connection to a family and also to her mom and how she finds the love she is looking for. I would definitely recommend this one and will be reading others by this author as well!

After a slow start, this novel gained momentum and culminated in a satisfying ending.

Iris flees London with her life in shambles – the loss of her mother to cancer, an abusive, manipulative boyfriend, a tanked career as a chef, the collapse of her network of friendships and nonexistent financial stability. She chooses New York City as her destination to start fresh and to experience the places her mother loved most. Her new life might not be the most exciting, but it offers a sense of comfort as she recovers her equilibrium.

Venturing out into the neighborhood to move beyond the safety of her self-imposed boundaries, Iris encounters the Belotti family who own a multigenerational business based on their secret gelato recipe. Iris discovers that she has previously unrecognized ties with the family and feels compelled to help them out in a crisis that could sink the business. In the process, she begins to experience what it means to belong as part of a boisterous, loving family.

What initially seemed like a silly premise for the book evolved into a sensitive exploration of bereavement, loneliness, friendship, love, loyalty, and an abiding family legacy. I enjoyed the character development in the sweet romance between Iris and Gio Bilotti, the assorted personalities of family members, and the kindness of Iris’s boss/landlord. All are likeable and relatable if a bit stereotyped. It was particularly gratifying to watch Iris emerge from her shell and take a stand for herself, reclaiming her power and self-worth in a confrontation with her ex-boyfriend.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

This book is so good. It has all the New York feels. Definitely worth the read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

The sparks and Christmas vibes were immaculate. I think Iris and Gio were super cute, this book had such a cozy atmosphere, and I loved the secrets and mysterious aspect of this as well. I don't normally love Christmas romcoms but this was enjoyable.