DNF at 25%

I love the setting and I could tell that the Christmas spirit was going to be strong, but I was going to explode if I had to hear one more time about the fact that our main character was a former child star or about how her sister's baby is a demon.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

Charlotte hates the holidays, probably because of her role in a holiday movie when she was a child actress. As an adult, Charlotte has made a life for herself away from Hollywood. But when a piece reveals her reluctance to participate in a reboot of the movie, she flees to London to spend the holidays with her sister. But even in London, Charlotte can't escape her past. When she ends up at one of the movie's filming locations for a holiday decorating event, Charlotte is accidentally left behind by her sister. With no other way to get back home, Graham, the owner's son, offers her a ride back to London. Looking for ways to bring in more money for his family's business -- hosting events at their historic family home, Graham offers Charlotte a job illustrating iconic holiday movie scenes. Thrilled with the opportunity to miss holiday outings with her family, Charlotte agrees. Charlotte and Graham spend time together scouting locations for her illustrations. Charlotte hates Christmas, but maybe it's not so bad when you're falling in love.

This book is so charming and fun. The banter is off the charts, and I seriously laughed out loud several times. Between the shenanigans with Charlotte's family, including her infant niece, the setting, and Charlotte and Graham's love story, this book will put you in the holiday spirit.

3.5 rounded up. Christmas is All Around is a perfect addition to your winter holiday TBR. It was an adorable read that got me into the perfect, cozy Christmas mood, The main characters had fantastic energy, and it made this hard to put down! If you are fans of Hallmark movies you will love this one!

Thank you Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a holiday romance and there’s something special about UK Christmas stories! I hadn’t read anything quite like this story before either so it felt unique and like a new perspective to the typical Christmas romances. I thought a dual POV might have suited the story more, but it was a fun read.

Overall 3.5 stars and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes hallmarky Christmas stories. Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for the arc. All thoughts are mine!

Former child star Charlotte hates the holidays due to her past role in a beloved holiday movie. To escape the pressure of a reboot, she flees to London to spend the holidays with her sister. However, she ends up at Eden Priory, a filming location for her movie, and meets Graham, the son of the owners. As Charlotte takes on a commission to illustrate holiday movie scenes, she and Graham grow closer. Despite her initial reluctance, Charlotte finds herself falling in love and rediscovering the magic of Christmas.

"Christmas Is All Around" by Martha Waters is a charming and hilarious holiday romcom that captures the magic of the season. Charlotte's journey from a holiday-hating former child star to someone who rediscovers the joy of Christmas is heartwarming and relatable. The chemistry between Charlotte and Graham is delightful, and their interactions are filled with humor and warmth. The festive setting of Eden Priory adds an extra layer of holiday cheer, making this book a perfect read for the season. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a feel-good holiday romance!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Is Charlotte the main character’s name in every Christmas rom com book? Lol cause this is like the third Charlotte for me.

This holiday rom com was fine. It took me a little bit to get into, but once Graham entered the chat I was like hmmm ok he is promising. Cause Char girl, you ain’t it.

I love celebrity/former celebrity romances, I can't help it! It's just who I am. I really loved this book. The plot line was genuinely unique, their banter was phenomenal, their families were fleshed out and hilarious, and I loved London as the setting. Absolutely worth adding to your cozy Christmas TBR!

Christmas Is All Around was a cute, cozy holiday read! It was full of the charm and banter and endearing characters I’ve come to enjoy in Waters regency romances. This is the book for anyone looking a Christmas read with Hallmark vibes.

what I loved: Christmas set in England, celebrity romance, spice

what I didn't love: the female protagonist was a bit insufferable. I am learning I don't love Christmas romances where one or more of the characters hate Christmas and complain about it endlessly

3 stars

If Martha Waters has no fans, I’m dead.

This was a charming Christmas romance featuring a former child star, a bespectacled British man, crumbling British estates, and tons of laugh out loud banter. In other words, this was basically my ideal Christmas book. 4.5 stars

Very cute and enjoyable but not particularly memorable. Worth picking up for a light holiday read but also skippable.

Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Simon and Schuster for this copy of "Christmas Is All Around."

And it SHOULD have been named "Christmas, Truly" which was the name of the movie in which Charlotte was a child star.

This book was so fun with snarky, witty banter as Charlotte doesn't like Christmas rom-com's because they're too unrealistic yet she realizes she's in the middle of one.

Charlotte's family is a hoot and you'll love them. They drag Charlotte to every Christmas event they can find, which is how Charlotte meets Graham and he has to drive her home from the Eden Priory Christmas tree lighting.

Don't miss this one! It's an instant Christmas classic!

Charlotte, a former child star of a beloved Christmas movie, has an interesting meet cute with Graham. Then she gets left by her family and catches a ride with Graham, which is the start of a beautiful friendship. I loved all the characters in this book, and the whole story is heartwarming. There were a few scenes that were over the top. Graham's sister and her timing and then Charlotte's reaction.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Charlotte is not a big fan of Christmas. As a child she stared in an iconic Christmas movie. Acting was not he calling. She is very happy in her career as an illustration but hat movie keeps popping up. Now she is under attack on social media because she won't sign on to act in a sequel. So she flees to England to visit her sister. But somehow she ends up at the filming site of the original film.

4.5 stars overall

Oh my holiday romance ever loving heart! Christmas Is All Around had everything I could ever want in a holiday romance. I will admit that I do gravitate towards romances set in London and this one was perfection! I loved the cheeky banter between Charlotte and Graham. I liked that Graham lived in a stately home and Charlotte was an American visiting her sister for the holidays. Charlotte's sister Ava and her husband Kit were a hoot. Their baby Alice sounded like a complete terror but all the side characters brought so much joy to the story. This was my first book by Martha and though she's known for historical romance books I really hope she continues to write contemporary romances. And I really hope she writes another holiday romance. I'm definitely recommending this one to all of my friends to add to their holiday tbr this season. Many thanks to Atria and Martha for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was so cute! The fmc was in the most popular holiday movie when she was a child but was never in another movie, her parents are successful in Hollywood and she wants no part of it. Love how she ends up working with the heir of the manor where the movie was originally shot. They hire her to paint scenes from other popular holiday movies so they end up spending a lot of time together. This is set in England and felt very cozy.

I was so excited to see a contemporary novel by Waters after loving her Regency Vows series! I think I’m in the minority on this one but it just didn’t hit the same spot for me. I felt like the chemistry between the MCs just fell flat. There wasn’t much interaction between them and I felt like more attention was paid to architecture than relationships.

The book excels in blending Christmas movie nostalgia with personal redemption. As Charlotte starts illustrating scenes from Christmas Truly, she is forced to confront her feelings about the movie and her career—and perhaps realize that she’s been running from a part of herself that still holds value. The theme of finding joy in unexpected places is threaded beautifully through the book, from the snowy English countryside to the bustling holiday festivities in London.

There’s also a layer of healing—Charlotte’s need to reconcile her past and her present, and Graham’s quiet pursuit of love and understanding. The transformation of Charlotte’s feelings toward Christmas is done in a way that feels earned rather than contrived, which makes it a gratifying journey for the reader.

The setting of Eden Priory is wonderfully evocative. It’s the kind of picturesque, snow-covered estate you’d expect in a classic holiday movie. The Priory is practically a character in itself, and the atmosphere it provides is quintessentially festive without being overly saccharine. The film’s set location becomes a backdrop for Charlotte’s emotional growth and a symbol of the power of revisiting the past with a new perspective.

Christmas Is All Around is a perfect holiday read for anyone who loves a good romance with a side of Christmas magic. The concept of revisiting a beloved holiday movie through the eyes of a jaded former star is fresh and engaging, and the romance between Charlotte and Graham is both sweet and deeply satisfying. The novel has all the right ingredients: a charming setting, a relatable heroine, a swoon-worthy hero, and a warm, heartening conclusion.

It’s a perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter night, a mug of hot cocoa in hand, as you get lost in the magic of the season and the joy of a happily-ever-after.

Kinda loved every single one of these characters and I'd hang out with all of them for Christmas in London. Martha Waters has yet to disappoint me, and this is another win.

3.25 ⭐️

This was a cute, simple hallmark-esk Christmas love story. I do feel like it may have been missing a little something though. I’m not quite sure what though, I just think overall it fell a little flat for me.

I really didn’t connect with or enjoy the FMC. I found her to be really annoying and i feel like at least once every conversation she brought up how much she hated her role. I get the frustration she had with it and the overall dislike for the situation, but i feel like it was beat a little bit too much throughout the story.

I also think that this particular story would have been a bit more enjoyable if it was dual POV.

The author did a good job pairing the picture throughout the story. You got a really good picture of the side characters and the setting and i enjoyed that.

Overall, you know what you’re getting when you pick this up. There wasn’t anything special or extra about it. But it’s a simple read that will def put you in the christmas spirit.