Such a cute book! I really enjoyed all of the characters. The development of Charlotte from hating Christmas to understanding that she should be grateful for what it gave her was a great part of the book. I really enjoyed the love story and the meta aspect of it being a rom com inside of a rom com.

Charlotte is an artist who was a former child star having been in a Christmas movie. She now hates Christmas. She travels to London to spend Christmas with her sister. She ends up at a Christmas event in the mansion part of her movie was shot. You get to see her quirky family and how she ends up helping and falling in love with the current owner of the house. This was a cute rom com.

Thank you NetGalley and Martha Waters for the eARC. This was a cute, cozy Christmas read. I loved the setting and banter between the main characters. Definitely add to your holiday romance TBR.

Thank you NetGalley and Martha Waters for the eARC. This was a cute, cozy Christmas read. I loved the setting and banter between the main characters. Definitely add to your holiday romance TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for feedback.

I’m a fan of Martha Waters Regency series so I was excited to see she was releasing a Christmas romance. As with all her books this one is a bit of a slow burn but Charlotte and Graham are a couple you can root for. I really liked that this book was Christmasy but not in an overtly cheesy way. There’s also minimal spice (like cracked door amounts) so I think this is a pretty safe book for most adult romance readers.

Charlotte is a former child star from a wildly popular Christmas movie. She now hates everything about Christmas, especially the typical Christmas Hallmark Movie rom-com tropes. But this book is totally a Hallmark Movie/rom-com, and it works. I enjoyed Charlotte's character and her banter with Graham. It had me laughing out loud at some of the conversations. It was kind of slow-paced and took me a while to get through it, but it was still an enjoyable read overall.

I received a digital ARC thanks to the publisher and NetGalley.

Martha Waters delivers a charming holiday romance that cleverly subverts the very tropes it celebrates. The story follows Charlotte, a former child star whose claim to fame - a beloved Christmas movie - has become her personal Groundhog Day. Waters brilliantly uses this premise to explore the gap between public nostalgia and private reality, all while crafting a warm enemies-to-lovers tale.
The English setting, centered around the atmospheric Eden Priory, provides the perfect backdrop for this story of reluctant romance. Waters excels at building chemistry between Charlotte and Graham, whose initial tension springs naturally from their opposing views on holiday commercialization. Their joint artistic ventures through London create opportunities for delightful banter and gradual understanding, making their growing connection feel earned rather than formulaic.
What elevates this beyond typical holiday fare is its thoughtful exploration of identity and growth. Charlotte's journey from Christmas-avoider to finding her own version of holiday joy feels authentic, while the subplot about her illustration project cleverly mirrors her personal development. While some readers might find the pacing leisurely, the rich character development and witty dialogue make this the perfect read for those seeking a holiday romance with both heart and depth.

This was another fun read by Martha Waters. I find that Martha is able to make me laugh and enjoy and I always enjoy the characters.

This was my first book by this author but her books have been popular at our library. I gave this one a try because of the more modern setting and the premise sounded cute. Overall I enjoyed it but it didn’t feel like anything really unique or special, but it was still a cute holiday romance. It does have a lot of classic Christmas movie feelings just like many other books in the holiday genre. I think the beginning 20% was the strongest part and after that it slowed down a bit for me. I liked it overall but never felt super invested in the story. I would be curious to try one of her other books, and I know this will be a huge hit on our library shelves for her fans. I’m curious to see what they think of her shift to more modern times. I also didn’t realize she was an open door author until this book, that’s something I prefer to skip and she was more on the longer side- it felt a bit out of place because there wasn’t a lot of build up to it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

If you love a story with a Grinch whose heart grows 5 sizes by Christmas, you will love this book. With the funny situations that Charlotte ends up in to her crazy family, you will be laughing out loud from the first chapter to the last. Not only do you have a love story, but you have light family drama for both Charlotte and Graham. A fun, happy, with a little seriousness thrown in will all your feels. Great meet cute and grand gesture puts a neat little Christmas bow on the absolutely wonderful gift for any rom-com lover.

4 stars.

Such a fun holiday read - I absolutely love reading grumpy Christmas novels and this had a heavy dose of "grumpy woman meets an even more grumpy man who then turns her world upside down in the best possible way"! I absolutely loved the premise - former child star that hated Christmas thanks to a movie that she was involved in while she was a child? Then returns to the very home that it was filmed in and agrees to use her past in order to help the now homeowner? It's just squeal-worthy and oh so fun!

The bickering is adorable and fun, the banter is next level, and I just absolutely adored both the characters backstories as well as their growth and development. There are so many touching moments, and it's just overall a perfect holiday read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you @atriabooks and @marthawaters for the ARC of Christmas Is All Around, I loved it! This fun romcom is the story of Charlotte, an artist and anti-Christmas former child star and who was in a very popular Christmas movie 20 years ago, when she was just nine years old. A recent article about a possible reboot (and her turning it down) went viral, and she escapes to London to visit her sister's family and hide out while the article buzz dies down. Fate and Christmasy activities with her sister's family lead her to Eden Priory, one of the filming locations for the Christmas movie she starred in, and there she meets Graham, the handsome and bespectacled son of the owner.

Charlotte accepts a commission illustrating iconic holiday movie scenes in London and adjoining villages. Graham offers to join her and they begin spending more time scouting locations together. The anti-Christmas romcom girl may learn to love the magic of Christmas, if it is her own love story.

I adored this book and already can't wait for Martha Waters' next novel. I really enjoyed both Graham and Charlotte and their chemistry throughout the book. What made this book for me, were all of the secondary characters, namely, all of their sisters. There were plenty of moments where I was audibly laughing as well as heartwarming moments that covered grief, self-worth, and family relationships. I highly recommend this lovely Christmas book to anyone in the mood for a seasonal romcom that has it all!

This was so cute and has a fresh and unique quality that if oftentimes lacking in a holiday romance for me. Charlotte’s distaste for Christmas cracked me up, I loved her humor and the chemistry between her and Graham was great. Nikki Massoud is a great narrator and sounded exactly like I imagined Charlotte would

Thank you Atria Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I wasn’t too sure about this book, as I haven’t read any of the author’s historical romances, but after a review from a trusted friend I moved it up my TBR. And I LOVED it. It was such a fun, festive book with a lot of heart. It also has excellent audio production and was a great companion during this transitional time before December. It was Christmassy, but not Hallmark Christmassy.

Synopsis:

“Charlotte hates the holidays. As a former child actress, she starred in a modern classic of a holiday movie, and its fans won’t let her move on. When a piece revealing that her reluctance nixed plans for a reboot, she flees to London to spend the five-week countdown to the holidays with her sister.But the ghosts of Christmas past follow her there when she ends up at Eden Priory, a filming location for the movie she has never visited. There, after being recognized by a fan while viewing the extraordinary holiday decorations, she’s accidently left behind, forcing her to accept a ride back to London from Graham, the son of the owners. Their family business—and the funds to keep their historic house running—relies on holiday cheer, and Graham knows a visit from a holiday star would bring in more visitors.Now an illustrator, Charlotte accepts a commission illustrating iconic holiday movie scenes in London and its environs. Graham offers to help escort her, as long as she’ll commit to an art workshop at Eden Priory. But as Charlotte’s chaotic family holiday goes awry, she begins spending more time scouting locations with Graham. She may not love a Christmas romance…but what if she has one of her own?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Premise—If you asked me what is one thing I’d want before I retire from an acting career, it would be to be in a classic Christmas movie. They’re my favorite films and I love that they are a part of families’ traditions each year. So I thought it was fun to see the effects of that, especially on a child star!

The Humor—This was a really cheeky, fun book and I thought the banter was nice between all the characters.

The Cozy but Not Cheesy Vibes—This is what I look for in a Christmas book! I don’t want holiday pun names, I want real people with their real lives and real problems amidst the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

The 3rd Act Break Up—This was one that felt like a stretch for me. It surprised me and didn’t feel strong enough.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

grief

Any book set in London gets added to my TBR. Charlotte was a bit grumpier than I expected her to be, especially for a holiday book. It was cute, but not a favorite of mine.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. ugh, another holiday romcom set in london? it was alright, nothing special. i liked the third person pov and the characters were fully developed.

This was such a cute cozy christmas romance! I don't normally read holiday themed books, but this reminded me of a Hallmark movie. I loved the character development of Charlotte and putting her fears and family trauma behind her but looking at it in a more positive light. I thought Graham was the perfect male lead. It was your typical meet cute with an argument causing them to briefly break up but come back better than ever. This was a great book, fun read, quick, and perfect for the holiday season.

Christmas Is All Around is a charming holiday novel that takes the reader to the countryside of England during the Christmas season. It is a warm and cozy romance, perfect for those who love watching Hallmark movies or classic holiday hits as soon as Halloween is over.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel.

Thank you to Atria for an eARC of this book

Tropes: Holiday Romance, Hallmark Romance, Opposites Attract


This book felt like I was reading a Hallmark movie. There's the awkward meet, the doing activities together until they start having feelings, they both deny that they have feelings, then there's a grand gesture. I think what made it better was that it acknowledged the fact that it was like a Holiday romance movie.

Our FMC is escaping to London to spend time with her sister and to get away from the angry fans. When she was a child she starred in a popular Christmas movie, and with a reboot being discussed, and her refusal to be in it, people are angry. So now she goes to see her sister and be a part of the holiday. The main problem, she hates Christmas.

I enjoyed the book, it was cute, and the side characters were fun.

This book was delightful and the balm to any grinch feelings towards Christmas. It’s a great harkening back to classic Christmas movies. Charlotte and Graham have great chemistry.