Christmas Is All Around was a very cute and super charming holiday read. I enjoyed reading about Charlotte and Graham and their adventures while conducting business—and solely business—no falling in love at all *wink*.
The side characters were loveable, the growth of our MCs was inspiring, and the Christmas vibes were vibey. If you need me, I will be listening to Christmas music solely from now to January 2nd.

I liked how Charlotte wasn't the typical holiday rom-com heroine and how strong her personality was. Graham was swoon-worthy and won my heart pretty fast. I loved Ava and Kit and Simone and John and Eloise and Lizzie and heck Mama Calloway too. Their holiday spirit was bright. Also, the endingggg. Ughhhhh. So cuteeeeee.

“Did someone force you into that reindeer suit at gunpoint?” she asked. “Is this a hostage situation?”
Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters is a brand new contemporary romance debut by an author who has cut her teeth in the literary world by writing delightful historical romances. Set in London and the surrounding countryside, Christmas Is All Around features a former childstar, Charlotte, as she helps an owner of an estate attempt to save his childhood home which also happens to be the filming location of the movie she was in as a child.


love actually gif via tenor
Part of the charm of Christmas Is All Around and why I liked Charlotte’s character arc so much is that Charlotte is so authentically Grinch-like, especially in such a whimsy-filled place such as London during the holidays. Charlotte’s meet cute with Graham and resulting partnership that leads to a situationship was a slow burn until opportunity (ahem only one room) gave both Graham and Charlotte a way to level up their relationship. There’s no question that Graham falls first. With Charlotte’s agreement to help Graham and his family by painting a series of locations that have importance in beloved holiday movies, Graham’s not-so-subtle way of keeping Charlotte busy and included in his own holiday activities could make even the most grinchy girl swoon.

“You know, it’s funny because it is both a holiday romance, because that’s what you call a vacation, and also a literal holiday romance, because it’s three days before Christmas and my life appears to be sponsored by the Hallmark Channel now.”
With Charlotte’s own distaste discoloring her holiday experiences, she finds herself drawn to Graham in a way that she’s never experienced before. The trust and companionship that she builds with Graham allows Charlotte to come to terms with her dislike of her childhood acting and even start to repair her tenuous relationship with her own parents.


Christmas Drinking via giphy
Through zany moments (I did include a holiday drinking gif for a reason), quippy conversations, and effervescent characters, Martha Waters brings a new spin to holiday rom coms. Charlotte and Graham deal with family issues in their own way and yet they reconcile in a way that would do any holiday romance justice. Christmas Is All Around is a charming and delightful new contemporary romance from an author who is just as memorable as her characters.

Christmas Is All Around is available everywhere, and should not be missed for any holiday romance or movie lover!

Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #ChristmasIsAllAround by Martha Waters in exchange for an honest review.

I was really looking forward to seeing Ms. Waters write a contemporary romance after enjoying her historical romances but I was let down by the heroine in this story. She was whiney throughout the book regarding how much she hated Christmas which is fine, hate it all you want, but don't go visit family during that time and then complain about everyone else celebrating it. I really got tired of her complaining and the 3rd act breakup felt forced. Charlotte did a complete turn around and immediately believed the worst in Graham after all he did for her up to that point. Graham was great though and truly he deserved better.

This book was chaming and Christmas-filled, despite the FMC hating Christmas (like even more than the Grinch). Charlotte's hatred of Christmas was the most exhausting part of the book. Her reactions to anything Christmas-y were so childishly over dramatic I had a hard time really liking her. The MMC, Graham, on the other hand was absolutely delightful and even though he had some hangups around his home and losing his dad, he admitted his faults. It took until the last 20 pages for Charlotte to go "oh... I'm being ridiculous" about her 3rd act split reason. I know it had to happen, but it was just silly.

Overall, if you want a sweet, steamy, Christmas story, I do recommend this one, but with a grain of salt.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I loved this story. It's the perfect blend of everything cozy to put you in the holiday spirit!

This was my first contemporary Martha Waters and I really enjoyed it! Waters has such a friendly, familiar feel to all her romances--I felt like I was reading about my friends falling in love. Thank you so much for the copy!

Christmas Is All Around is the perfect book for someone looking for a spin on Christmas movies/Hallmark Christmas movies. Charlotte was in the Christmas movie “Christmas, Truly” (it sounds a little like Love, Actually) when she was 9 and hated the fame and being an actress. Twenty years later when they wanted to do a reprisal she said no- and received a lot of backlash. She escapes to England to spend six weeks with her sister and finds love with the owner of the house from “Christmas, Truly”. I love visiting England in books during Christmas and this was no exception. My only compliant is that the book just ended. No follow up or what the future may have in store – just ended. Thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy.

I was so excited to read this book after devouring all of Martha Waters's "Regency Vows" series, and it did not disappoint. Charlotte is a former one-off child star who can't shake her former role, even though all she wants to be known for is her art. She escapes NYC for a Christmas in London, and ends up helping the owners of an expensive historical home raise money for its' upkeep. She goes on a tour of many a holiday movie location to paint scenes to sell, and gets close to Graham along the way. I loved that this book fully embraced all of the holiday movie tropes in a tongue-in-cheek way, and having read "regency vows" I enjoyed all the references to historical romances and those who read them. This is a great book to get into the holiday spirit, especially if you love holiday rom-coms. I am grateful to the opportunity to read this book as an ARC via Netgalley.

Christmas Is All Around reminded me so much of a Hallmark movie in book form, and definitely put me in the holiday spirit with it's cute and cozy vibes!

QUICK GLANCE-
My format- eARC and 🎧Audio (8 hours and 56 minutes)
Other Formats- 📖Physical (302 pages)
Narrator Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️(for closed-door modifications, skip Ch 13)
Language: 🤐🤐moderate

MY THOUGHTS:
This book was just okay for me. I think it's mainly because the FMC was not very likable. She hates Christmas, romance, babies, her parents, and being recognized for being an actress, so she just gave me major grumpy vibes. I did, however, love Charlotte and Graham together. They were witty, sassy, and a little nerdy (glasses :0). All that said, I think people looking for a fun holiday read will enjoy this one and I definitely recommend the audiobook. Narrator Nikki Massoud does a great job with the text and her accents for the English characters really helped bring the setting alive.

-All the Hallmark vibes
-Grand Gestures
-Movie quotes and references
-A family affair
-Christmas sweaters and holiday shenanigans

I want to thank @atriabooks and @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Martha Waters will forever be one of my romance author go-tos! If you've ever wanted a Meet Cute with one of the love interests dressed in a reindeer costume, this is the book for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Years ago Charlotte was a child actor in one Christmas movie, which (unfortunately for her) is beloved and shown annually. She has moved on, the rest of the world has not! When news of her rejection of an offer to reprise her role in a sequel gets out, Charlotte hightails it to England to visit her sister (and her family) for the holidays. This is the beginning of a hilarious story where Charlotte is forced to confront her dislike of all things Christmas by enduring all things Christmas.

I love this book! the characters are endearing, the ironic nod to all romance tropes, so fun, and the HEA is well deserved by the main characters. I read all Martha Waters regency novels and throughly enjoyed them, but don't sleep on this contemporary novel, it is so worth your time!

Thanks to Atria Books and Simon & Schuster Audio for my copy of Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters. This was a cute holiday rom-com and I loved the narrator in the audiobook!

Charlotte was a child star in a Christmas movie but she hates the holidays as an adult. When talks of a reboot came up and she was against it there was some social media backlash, so she goes to London to spend the holiday season with her sister. Of course, she ends up at the country manor where scenes from the movie were filmed and meets Graham. He is trying to keep the estate running and when Charlotte accepts a commission to illustrate iconic holiday movie scenes around London, he agrees to help her out. As they work together things get chaotic and they experience the magic of falling in love at the holidays. 

This was such a fun book. It was unique and I laughed a lot reading this. I recommend reading Christmas Is All Around as part of your holiday reading!

Martha Waters' Christmas All Around is a delightful holiday romance that's sure to put you in the festive spirit.

Charlotte, a former child star who's not exactly a fan of Christmas, is forced to spend the holidays in London. There, she meets the charming Graham, who's trying to save his family's estate.

As they navigate the holiday season together, sparks fly and feelings deepen. It's a classic enemies-to-lovers trope, but with a festive twist.

Waters' writing is witty and charming, and the setting is simply magical. It's the perfect blend of holiday cheer and romantic tension.

If you're looking for a cozy, heartwarming read, Christmas All Around is a must-read. It's the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

I love the set up of this book. I'm a sucker for holiday romances and I enjoy Martha Waters' writing - so it's the perfect set up! It's the perfect mix for romance! The romance between Charlotte and Graham is sweet and I love their interactions. I know Charlotte is trying to avoid a holiday movie, but this screams of holiday movie magic!

Six weeks + Christmas in London + swoony English romance? Say no more. Looking for the slowest of burns? You found your book.

A witty story following Graham's desire to save his family estate and Charlotte's escape from her child star past. Right from the meet-cute, the banter between Graham and Charlotte is entertaining and sharp. Charlotte is such a Christmas hater that it seems almost unrealistic, but Graham provides the perfect balance.

This book was a winner for me because of the dialogue, writing, and character development. Both Graham and Charlotte have realistic "come to your senses" epiphanies that make the conflict relatable. The pacing was slightly off; the book moved a little slow. Overall, a solid read.

I do love Christmas time and Christmas romances. I adored Christmas is All Around.

It was so charming and sweet, exactly what I needed right now. If you enjoy a Hallmark movie, this is for you. It just had a little bit of steam, which I enjoyed.

I loved everything about it, from the Christmas movie tie-in to the charming London area location. I fell for all of the characters. Charlotte and Graham are absolutely adorable together, but their family and friends are so sweet and funny as well. (I’d love a sequel… 🤞🏻)

For those Christmas story lovers, for those Hallmark movie watchers, for anyone who wants or needs a little hug for the heart and soul right now - Christmas Is All Around is for you.

Thank you, @atriabooks !

Christmas Is All Around is my first standalone Martha Waters novel after enjoying her Regency Vows series. The story follows a former child star actress turned artist named Charlotte who is haunted by a previous role and is believed to be why the sequel is not happening. She tries to escape to London where she ends up at Eden Priory in London, which has ties to her past movie. Graham’s family owns the house and eventually hires Charlotte to help fix it. The two spend a lot of time together and while this story is told from the POV of Charlotte, the reader gets to learn about both characters.

The movie in question was a Christmas one and made when Charlotte was nine, which was over twenty years ago. I wish that the story took a little more time about building the complexity about Charlotte was running from this movie identity. There was also some repetition with Charlotte’s dislike of children that I did not think was needed. I think this dislike fits her character, but it wasn’t needed what seemed like every other page when you see it a lot. As these two elements made up a lot of Charlotte’s identity, I wish that there was more complexity to them. While other readers may interpret the writing differently, for me, it read very surface level for these two pieces that are needed to set the foundation of Charlotte’s story. Even without the foundation I craved, however, I did love Charlotte’s growth and the forced proximity romance between her and Graham was sweet. It took a long time to develop, but it was enjoyable when it finally happened. Overall, this was a fun holiday story, and I look forward to reading more from waters in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Atria Books, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

For whatever reason this one had a slow start for me leading it to a 3.5 star review, but I ended up really enjoying it. I don't know why I always struggle with books set in England but for some reason I do. I know for most it makes them love it all the more. So take that for a grain of salt.

Christmas Is All Around is cute and the happy "hallmark" read most of us are looking for during the holiday season. While there is the predictability of the "hallmark" ending we can enjoy that this book isn't like all the others. In this case, our main character, Charlotte, actually hates Christmas. In part because her parents didn't make good memories during the holidays and in part because she starred in Christmas movie when she was a child that the fans will never let her forget. She escapes to London on long holiday after her fans discovered she wanted no part in a remake of the movie. While in London she meets Graham who is helping his family save their estate. He hires Charlotte to paint for his family to sell and they end up spending a lot of time together which inevitably goes just the way any Christmas book should. You will enjoy both Charlotte & Graham throughout the book cheering on whatever it is that's going on between them from their purely working relationship to their budding romance.

Can their budding romance turn things around for Charlotte? Will her distaste of Christmas soon be a distant memory?

I love Martha Waters, and Christmas is All Around is a cozy holiday romance that readers will love. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing this advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.
I have read all of Martha Waters' works, and I love her Regency Vows series. Her character development is excellent, and she builds up the emotional involvement between the characters so well. Like her previous works, Christmas is All Around has wonderful main characters as well as supporting roles. Charlotte, the narrator and main character of the story, is in London to spend time with family and distance herself from controversy in the U.S. She was a child actor in a famous Christmas movie, but is not willing to participate in a sequel, so she finds herself the target of many unhappy fans. She comes to London in December and stays with her sister and her new family, including her in-laws, who are all a riot. Waters crafts each character's role so specifically as she creates each scene in the book. Even the screaming baby has an important role in Charlotte's story!
At a holiday event at Eden Priory, an estate in Hampshire, Charlotte finds herself in one of the settings from her Christmas movie, and also meets Graham, who quickly becomes her companion. Graham's family hires Charlotte, an artist, to create drawings for notecards for their gift shop, and Graham takes her to each location to sketch it. The two main characters have great banter, and Charlotte's dread of anything related to Christmas provides comic relief in the chaos of a Christmas season in London. Charlotte and Graham have a misunderstanding but end up with a happily ever after at the end.
This book was a perfect cozy holiday read. I loved reading about all of the festivities in London, and the characters were really entertaining and funny in their own way. I loved seeing Charlotte grow and flourish with her relationship with Graham, and also with her family. This was a very satisfying Christmas story, and I really enjoyed it.