Christmas All Around is a sweet holiday romance that tries really hard not to be a holiday romance. The romantic leads were both great, even though Charlotte leaned a little too heavily into hating Christmas. I loved their Christmas outings and the side characters were great. I wish her sister wasn't married in this book because I would have loved her to get her own book.

Thank you to Atria Books for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was a huge fan of Martha Waters's Regency Vows series and wasn't sure how I would feel about a contemporary Christmas romance but OMG I LOVED IT.

I'll admit that going in, I wasn't too sure about the setup. In sum, the female main character, Charlotte, hates Christmas because, as a child, she starred in Love, Actually (Sorry, I mean Christmas, Truly) and does not want to be associated with it. Of course, hating Christmas is a pretty common trope for a holiday book, but it can get tired.

But I love what Waters did with it here. Without giving too much away, the character's experience felt integral to the story, rather than like a convenient plot point to make the book more festive. I also love the way it contributed to the meet (very) cute and Graham's individual arc, since he also has a connection to the infamous Christmas movie.

Graham was, naturally, dreamy in that Jude Law-in-The-Holiday way, and I was not mad about it. But I loved that both main characters felt like real people who just genuinely liked each other apart from the Christmassy plot shenanigans.

If I have one complaint, it's that the third act obstacle felt VERY surmountable, and I got kind of annoyed that the characters didn't see an obvious solution. But it's a small complaint.

At the end of the day, here's the thing about Ms. Waters that will keep me coming back: she is WITTY AF. That wit really shone through in this book. You just feel like the characters in her stories are people that you would enjoy hanging out at a coffee shop with.

Five star christmas read. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

A delightful holiday rom com that blends humor, romance, and a touch of self discovery. I loved the witty banter between Charlotte and Graham which added to their sizzling chemistry. A heartwarming and entertaining read.
Many thanks to Atria and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you for this copy! I enjoyed this book but it was a somewhat cliche, predictable book. It was a fun and cute read for Christmas though!

This book filled a little Love Actually sized hole in my heart! I thoroughly enjoyed the premise and the execution, and now I need a little more movie tourism in my life.

I know it's nowhere near Christmas, but I was in the mood for a Christmas story, so I had to pick up Christmas Is All Around, and I'm so glad that I did. Martha Waters created a heartwarming story and I wished I could visit the house that this fictional movie took place in. I could picture myself curled up by a fireplace while reading a book.

Our main character, Charlotte, has kind of lost her holiday spirit and reluctantly goes to London to spend Christmas with her sister. Charlotte was a child star in a holiday movie and people recognizing her isn't something that always goes over well. This is until she meets Graham, who hires her to paint some holiday themed pieces for them to sell the next year. Graham's family actually owns the estate she filmed that movie in and she ends up helping him try to save their family estate.

Charlotte was an interesting character. I can never understand why someone doesn't love Christmas, but Charlotte's story makes me understand. I did love seeing Charlotte start thinking about her past and even the holiday. This all starts as she opens up her heart to the town, holiday, and even Graham. Christmas Is All Around is filled with fun banter, but also some emotional times. The side characters added extra fun to this story, especially Charlotte's niece.

All in al, this was such a great holiday romance and it got me in the holiday spirit. I do wish we would've have had Graham's POV throughout this story. Dual POVs always tend to work just a bit better for me personally when it comes to romance. I really hope that Martha Walters gives us more holiday themed stories.

My review will also be posted on https://thebookdutchesses.com on July 3rd as a part of Christmas in July on the blog.

Christmas is All Around had all the makings of a cozy holiday rom-com—festive London settings, a grumpy-but-sweet love interest, and a heroine trying to escape her complicated past. The premise was promising: Charlotte, a former child star of a beloved Christmas movie, has spent years trying to distance herself from that identity. When backlash over a canceled reboot sends her fleeing to London for the holidays, she unexpectedly finds herself caught up in a potential new romance—and forced to confront everything she’s been running from.

There were definitely charming moments. The London holiday backdrop was magical, from bustling markets to the picturesque Eden Priory estate. Graham, the love interest, was patient, grounded, and likeable—an appealing contrast to Charlotte’s Hollywood baggage.

But the story didn’t quite hit the emotional notes I was hoping for. Charlotte’s disdain for Christmas stems almost entirely from her fame, and while that’s understandable, her character often came across as prickly and hard to connect with. The push-and-pull dynamic with Graham felt more frustrating than romantic at times, and I found myself wishing for deeper emotional development and stronger chemistry.

Still, if you’re in the mood for a light holiday read with a nostalgic twist and a cozy British setting, this one might be worth picking up—even if it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

Loved this holiday read! If you enjoy holiday movies and their many tropes, this if for you. I loved Charlotte's quirky sister and in-laws and Graham's family. I wouldn't say this is full-on "enemies to lovers" but more like grumpy meets grumpier sunshine? I love everything Martha does, and this was a fun entry into the holiday romance world.

I will continue to read everything by Martha Waters because I enjoy her books so much! She is a great storyteller and I always enjoy my time reading her books.

Overall this is an enjoyable book despite my annoyance with the FMC. She seemed a little self-centered… she focused and complained about being a former actress way too much. She wasn’t even recognized very often. It was a little off putting.

The cast of characters is memorable and fun with their witty banter. The humor really carries this book. The romance between MCs is sweet and I loved their banter and chemistry.

I almost wish it was more focused on the holidays but definitely a fun book to read around Christmas!

Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley and Martha Waters for the opportunity to read this ARC.

3.75 stars

✩ 3 stars ✩

⤿ Thank you to Atria Books for the arc through netgalley and a finished physical copy in exchange for an honest review!

it was definitely the move to read this book during Christmas time, it gave ALL the Christmas vibes that were exactly what I wanted. i know that my review is sitting at 3 stars and so it might seem like this wasn't a good book, but I think parts were just not for me. there's definitely a lot of things about this book that will work for so many people, so please don't think that it's horrible based off the rating, let me explain my thoughts!

this is about the main character who starred in a Christmas movie when she was younger, but wants nothing to do with it as an adult. she ends up working at the house (as a tourist attraction) where it was filmed and falling a bit for the son of the owner. she hates Christmas, but she starts to come around to it a bit as the story begins to move forward.

there were many times throughout this story that there were some moments that had me laughing, there's lots of humor in this story and that was one of the best parts. i wish there had been even a little more in the second half of the book, as that was when I felt the tone shift to be a little more serious. the overall vibe though was definitely giving hallmark movie and it was soft and sweet, and the banter between the characters was enjoyable. i feel that there could've been a bit more going on in the story personally, but the simple story was also beneficial to create the Christmas vibe for sure.

overall this was a simple cute holiday romance which is definitely a vibe and something that I just had to find the right time to read, and it might've not been this moment. there's nothing horrible about this book either and if you love hallmark movies you should definitely try this book!

↬ trigger warnings: cheating mentioned, death of family member mentioned13

If this gets made into a Hallmark holiday movie, I would watch it. It’s an adorable holiday read where the FMC, Charlotte, is forced to accept the past, move on from it and learn to enjoy the holiday season once again. I liked that the MMC, Graham, was there to help her rediscover the magic of the holidays, although his agenda to befriend her initially was purely for his own professional benefit. This was light on the romance, but the banter was cute. A lighthearted, heartwarming holiday read. 3.75 stars

Ok seriously the grumpy vibe on the FMC character is off the charts . I like how it revolves around christmas time. I like how the meet cute happens. I really enjoyed the plot and the story. Definitely would recommend.

This was...fine? I appreciated how self aware it became towards the end, but I think I am just not that into the grumpy/sunshine trope, or the let's do a bunch of tasks together trope. I also was annoyed at Charlotte's main growth point in that it felt like her family was supportive of her art the whole time? But I did still enjoy it for the most part and am excited to read a few more unhinged holiday romance novellas over the holiday season...

I received a free copy of Christmas Is All Around, by Martha Waters, from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. In my opinion, this was a wonderfully cozy Christmas read with a solid storyline and likeable main characters. Definitely add to your holiday TBR list!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. So the summary and title of this book really made me excited to read it. I expected from the summary that there would be a bit of mystery with it and there wasn’t at all.
The book was ok but there was just nothing in it that I had expected to find. I kept reading expecting something to happen but nothing did. This one just wasn’t really for me.

Give me a good rom com set during the holidays, and I am SOLD! The storyline was as refreshing as the cute characters. Charlotte and Graham's story was very heartwarming, and I would definitely read more books by this author.

I will forever be a huge fan of holiday themed books! Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters was such a fun read. This was a great Christmas rom-com and I loved the characters, especially the main character Charlotte.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an ARC copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a festive holiday romcom, giving all the Holiday vibes, with a perfectly cozy London setting, decked out for the holidays. This was hands down my favorite “Hollywood romance” trope stories, which tends to be my least fave when it comes to childhood stars for some reason.

I loved the storyline and characters, which really stole the show. Charlotte was the childhood star in the popular Christmas movie that was filmed in the home that belongs to Graham, who happens to be the cute but grumpy love interest.

*many thanks to Atria and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This book had all the makings of a cozy holiday rom-com—festive London settings, a grumpy-but-sweet love interest, and a heroine with a complicated relationship with Christmas. And while it had its charming moments, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Charlotte’s struggle with her child-star past and her reluctance to embrace the holiday season was an interesting premise, but at times, she felt more frustrating than endearing. I completely understood her desire to move on from the role that defined her, but the constant push-and-pull of her attitude toward both Christmas and Graham made it hard to fully root for her.

That said, the setting was undeniably magical—London during the holidays? Yes, please. The atmospheric details, from the Christmas markets to the historic estate of Eden Priory, were beautifully done and gave the book a cinematic feel. Graham was a solid love interest—patient, kind, and refreshingly normal compared to Charlotte’s Hollywood baggage—but I wished their chemistry had been a little stronger.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun, cute, unique, and lighthearted holiday rom-com that will leave you feeling all merry and bright! I absolutely fell in love with Charlotte and Graham—their chemistry and banter were just right. The author does a wonderful job creating characters who feel real and relatable. Graham is a total sweetheart and the perfect book boyfriend 🥰. My only wish? That we could have had a dual point of view and maybe done away with the third-act breakup. Still, this heartwarming story is a perfect Christmas read, and I highly recommend it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟