Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for - Ballantine, Dell for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love reading Emily Stone’s holiday books because they always tug at your heartstrings while taking you on an emotional journey. Love, Holly was one of my all-time favorites, so naturally, I had high expectations for A Winter Wish and couldn’t wait to read it. While it wasn’t bad by any means, it didn’t quite have the same magic for me—it was just okay.


Will I continue to read and eagerly anticipate the author’s future books? Absolutely! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Super cute enemies-to-lovers story. I enjoyed this one. Perfect for the holiday, or non-holiday, reading binges.

This was a cute holiday story. I took me a bit to get into the first few chapters but once I did I loved the characters. I was always rooting for Lexi and Theo from the beginning of their relationship. They both had some drama in their families. I loved the traveling in the story. It made me want to go travel to the same places.

I don’t know why I always let Emily Stone fool me into thinking she’s written a Christmas book. Her books are always winter books that happen around Christmas but they aren’t Christmas books. This one was no different. I did enjoy it though. Lexie is living a life as a nomad. She doesn’t stay anywhere for too long, she finds jobs in fun locations like the Alps, Austrailia, etc., and she only keeps in touch with her mother and one good friend from growing up. She gets word that her father has died and needs to come home. Right before heading back to her life, she gets news that changes everything. Over the course of the books, Lexie gets to know Theo, has to figure out if she wants to come home and work at her father’s business, and decides what she really wants from life. It was a good story full of travels to Iceland (oh how I want to go), Ireland, Italy, and other fun places.

Emily Stone is one of my "will always read" authors. She makes you feel everything in her writing and leaves you wanting nothing.

This read was perfect for getting me out of my slump while also not leaving me with a heavy book hangover. I love that we got to explore Lexi's anger, frustration, and grief surrounding her father's passing (off page, but services are on page), as well as her childhood and being somewhat estranged from him. We got to navigate her journey of allowing people in her life and not just to the extent she's comfortable with. It was really a beautiful experience.

Narrator Meg Travers did a great job in this single narration audio. I could feel the attitude and emotional disconnect Lexi experienced. It broke my heart but was done so well.

Emily Stone knows how to tug at my heartstrings! This book isn't as sad as some of her past novels. However, it was still the perfect mix of enemies-to-lovers, jump-to-conclusions and close proximity, while adding in gorgeous traveling backdrops and family issues. While there is romance involved in this story, I would say this focused more on the main character, Lexie's personal journey and her struggles to accept her version of the truth, compared to her recently deceased father.

Even though the cover looks Christmassy, the events of the novel start and end at Christmas, with a full year in between. So it's not quite a holiday romance (just a romance while on holiday!). Enjoyable, introspective and definitely not as much of a tearjerker as what I've read in the past!

There's nothing wrong with this book I just found it boring. The characters were cute, I just don't I really liked the writing.

Tells the story of Lexie, who has lost her father and finds she must take over his company, and of Theo, already working for her father and not too sure how he feels about Lexie stepping in. This seems to be marketed as a Christmas Romance, but more character journey through grief and belonging, than romance. And Christmas just a shadow in the background. I did not enjoy this one. I did not feel any connection between Lexie and Theo and not care what happened with them. I enjoyed Lexie's relationship with her sister, but not enough to reccommned.

The Winter Wish by Emily Stone delivers a heart-tugging blend of romance and reflection, perfect for those who enjoy a little melancholy with their mistletoe. The story beautifully captures the complexities of love, loss, and second chances, with Stone’s evocative writing painting a vivid winter landscape. The main characters are flawed but endearing, making their emotional journey feel genuine. Plus, the slow-burn romance has just the right mix of longing and hope to keep you turning the pages.

While the emotional depth is a highlight, the pacing occasionally drags, and some of the conflicts feel a touch drawn out. The bittersweet tone may also not be everyone’s cup of cocoa—it leans more poignant than purely feel-good. Still, the heartfelt moments and charming winter setting make it worth the read.

This was a cozy holiday romance about estranged family and how grief manifests in a myriad of ways. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Emily Stone knows how to write a feel-good winter romance that doesn't skirt around hard issues.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dell for providing me with an eARC of A Winter Wish in exchange for my honest review!

This cozy little rom-com can get me cuddling up with it, even if the love story at the core of it isn't something that charms me as much as I want it to. I simply don't feel like there's all that much chemistry between our MCs for a good portion of the tale, and it doesn't help that this uses the workplace trope. Now, this cliche can work perfectly well if you execute it smoothly, but because I'm having trouble becoming fully invested in Lexie and Theo's relationship, the cliche sticks out to me as being much more of a glaring issue. with father issues. Thankfully, I do appreciate how this book plunges us into Lexie's internal struggle surrounding her deceased dad and the estrangement that had hung between them.

Overall, I'm officially rating A Winter Wish 3.25 out of 5 stars, which I'm rounding down to 3 stars. I remember enjoying Love, Holly by Emily Stone a little more, but even then, I had problems with that book, too. Hmm, but I'm still willing to take a shot at another one of Stone's books.

This was a cute and cozy holiday read! The storyline was enjoyable, and I absolutely loved imagining the magical Christmas markets and dreamy winter destinations. Reading this made me want to book a holiday trip ASAP! If you're looking for a light, festive escape with romance and travel vibes, this one’s a great pick.

Thank you, NetGalley & Random House, for the ARC!

When Lexie learns that her father, whom she’s estranged from, has recently passed away she’s left with a lot of feelings. Inheriting half of her late father’s travel company, she is ready to get rid of the whole thing. But there’s the other half of the company, which has been handed off to Theo, an executive close to his father. The two must work together for a year before determining the fate of the company. What starts as enemies with different priorities quickly changes… I have read an Emily Stone almost every single holiday season for the past few years. Every single one has ripped me apart and has stayed with me well after I have read the last page. A Winter Wish was a nice reprieve from her usual more heavy holiday-themed books. Now that’s not to say this one doesn’t have heavy themes, but it’s not quite as heavy as her others. I really love that Emily Stone books always have a lot of depth to them and how eloquently she writes about difficult subjects such as death, grief, and loss.

Lexie and Theo were so fun to read about. The dynamic between this duo was really good. I did feel like some parts kind of lingered on a bit long, but overall I really enjoyed this book. I loved that Lexies dad knew exactly what he was doing when he left the company to Lexie and Theo even though the two of them had never even met. He loved to travel and loved to travel with Lexie when she was small and then he took Theo under his wing because he saw the potential in him and also the admiration he would have once he got to know Lexie. Theo and Lexie were exactly what the other one needed even when they didn't want to admit that. This is a really good winter read and I would recommend it!

This review is LONG overdue, but I really enjoyed the book. I look forward to @emilystone books every year and this one was just lovely. Thank you to @dellromance @randomhouse for my #gifted book.

Lexie is estranged from her father for over 10 years when she finds out of his passing and that he left her half of his travel business. They haven’t spoken in many years and this seems completely out of the blue. The other half of the company has been left to a long time employee of the business, Theo. And in order for them to inherit the business, they must learn to work together.

This book wasn’t as Christmassy as some of Emily’s other books, but I liked the niche travel company’s idea of holiday vacation to see different cultures celebrate. I’m glad Lexie was able to connect with her half sister and make up just a little for the heartache her father caused.

I would like to point out that this was the first of Emily’s book that did not make me cry at all!!

I’m a huge fan of Emily Stone’s literature. This one was cute, but I think I struggled to feel the same cozy, holiday vibe that I usually get from Stone’s books. This one focused on some serious themes. In this moment, I was hoping for an escape so this one wasn’t for me. That said, I could easily see how it would be well loved by someone looking for a more authentic holiday story. Thank you to Random House Ballantine for the advanced reader copy.

This was the perfect holiday book!

Bring your tissues when reading Emily Stone's books!
THis was a cute read, and definitely gets you in the mood for the holidays!

Thank you for this ARC!

theo and lexie are thrown together when lexie’s dad dies and leaves his company to both of them. theo, was one of his top employees. lexie, wqs his eldest daughter. throughout this book, we find out more about lexie and her dads relationship. the people in this book are not perfect. in fact, theo and lexie did NOT get along till about halfway through the book. lexie has a lot of unresolved daddy issues, and let’s not even bring up her relationship with her half sister Rachel.

What would you do if you learned you inherited a niche travel company and know nothing about running it? Would you sell it or step up to the challenge to learn how to run it? The answer was not that simple for Lexie who had some sentimental value attached to it (her late estranged father's company) and that the will stipulates she and Theo, her father's handsome executive, must find the way to run the company together for a year before deciding its fate.

I really enjoyed this story of family, mistakes, regrets and new-found hope. I really felt sad overall that Lexie and her dad drifted away from each other in the last decade. And more so for Lexie who even before that felt like an unwanted daughter after her father remarried and began raising Lexie's stepsister. There is so much heartache in this novel. But the storyline of Lexie and her stepsister reconnecting is so full of hope, grace and forgiveness. The romance was not the main storyline, but was such a welcome fresh tale! This book made me want to start planning travel, exploring the world and its cultures.

Even though this was a holiday read, this story of family connections and father-daughter love could be enjoyed in any season.

I didn’t vibe with this one! Romances are hit or miss for me, and I like depth in books, but the pacing felt off and I couldn’t connect with the FMC.