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! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

A sweet holiday romance! It gives The Holiday vibes. American visiting England. American meets handsome Englishman. They hit it off. It was a really sweet story. She was a child actor that can't get away from th Christmas movie she was in. He is trying to help out his family with their home that is falling apart. They come together to give us a swoony love story perfect for the holiday season. I give it 4 stars because of miscommunication. They were doing so well until she decided to just make it no fun with a by misunderstanding. But other than that, it was great.

I love a good holiday romance. This was a fun idea of her not liking that she was in a holiday movie. I do wish there was an epilogue so we could see how they made it work not living in the same country.

This charming holiday rom-com offers a refreshing take on finding Christmas spirit. Charlotte, a former child star weary of her iconic holiday movie, is a relatable and witty protagonist. Her initial Grinch-like attitude provides plenty of humorous moments, especially when contrasted with the over-the-top holiday enthusiasm surrounding her. Graham, the earnest and slightly exasperated son trying to save his family's estate, is equally endearing. Their banter is sharp and their developing connection feels genuine.

The writing style is light and engaging, perfect for curling up with during the festive season. The author paints vivid pictures of London's holiday charm and the enchanting Eden Priory, making you feel like you're right there amidst the twinkling lights and festive decorations. While the plot follows familiar rom-com beats, the unique premise of a former child star grappling with her holiday past adds a fresh layer.

The supporting characters, including Charlotte's chaotic family, add to the comedic elements and create a warm, if slightly overwhelming, holiday atmosphere. The exploration of how perspective can shift your feelings about even the most dreaded things is a lovely underlying theme. While some plot points might feel a tad predictable, the delightful characters and engaging writing make this a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming holiday read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this e-ARC!

This book feels a tad bit ridiculous, the motivations of side characters seem completely off just to create circumstances for the main couple

This was such a cute holiday read! Short and sweet and exactly what I was expecting. I loved the twist on a child star from a popular Christmas movie disliking the movie and holiday so much but ends up back at one of the popular film places without realizing it. This story was giving Love Actually vibes and I ate it up. This was my first Martha Walters book and I really liked her writing style! I’ll definitely be picking up more in the future.

My only con was that this wasn’t anything new to this storyline. I’ve read it before and I’ll keep reading it. The 3rd act conflict went a little off the rails, but overall, I really did enjoy this read and think you might too.

The perfect addition to your holiday TBR!



Thank you Atria Books for the ARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Atria for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

I loved this so much. This is a great Christmas/holiday book. I love the authors' holiday stories. I love the ghosts of Christmas past concept/retelling.

If you’re looking for a charming, laugh-out-loud rom-com that’s perfect for the holidays, Christmas Is All Around is an absolute must-read! This delightful story follows Charlotte, a former child star whose connection to a holiday classic has trapped her in a never-ending loop of nostalgia—and she's not a fan. When she flees to London for some much-needed distance, she finds herself caught up in a whirlwind of holiday magic, rekindling old memories, and maybe, just maybe, a spark of romance.

The character development is wonderful, especially Charlotte’s journey from holiday-hater to someone who begins to see the magic in the season—and in life—again. The setting of Christmas is All Around is practically a character in itself, with its beautiful holiday decorations and historical charm providing the perfect backdrop for this feel-good story.

Graham, the son of the Priory’s owners, is the perfect swoon-worthy counterpart to Charlotte’s fiery personality. Their chemistry is palpable, and watching their relationship unfold against the enchanting London Christmas scenes is a joy. Their banter and growing connection felt so real and heartwarming.

The pacing is perfect, and the storyline is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. If you love stories that are as cozy as a cup of hot cocoa with a dash of holiday cheer, then this book will absolutely capture your heart. It’s a festive, magical tale about the power of perspective, finding joy in unexpected places, and, of course, love.

This book was a total holiday treat! Don’t miss out on this gem—it’s sure to put you in the best festive mood!

This was a Hallmark movie in book form. It had me giggling and kicking my feet and swooning.

The only thing that would have made this better is if it was dual POV.

Unfortunately, Christmas Is All Around was a miss for me. Charlotte was hard for me to care about because she was so unlikable. Graham was not much better. I couldn't but into their relationship. I will not be reviewing this book on my social media.

This was exactly the fun romcom I needed for the Christmas season. Christmas can be a dull and emotional time due to the cold, lack of sun, will to live. You know how it is .. LOL
But Martha wrote a fantastic story to bring you out of the funk!

I felt like this was enjoyable enough for a holiday read, but it just didn't hit the way I wanted it to and I kind of felt like it was missing something.

I wanted so badly to like Charlotte, but she was kind of insufferable to the point where it was hard to sympathize with her sometimes. I'm all for a more grumpy FMC, but she seemed to hate literally everything and complained just for the sake of complaining. And to be honest, if I'm looking for a fun holiday read to get in the Christmas spirit, it's not very fun to be in someone's head when she hates pretty much everything about the holidays and makes sure to tell you over and over again. And her attitude never really improves either, so it doesn't feel like watching a grumpy character grow into someone more loveable.

The romance was kind of cute, but it always loses points for me when there's an unnecessary third-act breakup.

Christmas Is All Around is a cute Christmas read but not my favorite from this season by far. Charlotte is SO determined to hate Christmas, and she kind of aggravated me. She was SO fixated on how much she hated that one role she played in that Christmas movie!! Graham was actually a very endearing character, and I liked him a lot.

This is a cute Hallmark-y escape, just not my favorite holiday book I read this year.

I am a fan of the author’s historical romances, so I was excited when I saw she was releasing a contemporary holiday romance.

Charlotte is a bit grumpy, especially about Christmas, her parents, and her iconic childhood movie role. But she loves her sister and is a successful artist.

Graham is also a bit grumpy. But he loves Christmas, and his family, and feels burdened by the responsibility he feels to his family’s legacy and his late father’s wishes.

Together, they ease each other’s grumpiness and develop a friendship while also exploring a relationship together. I would like to call it a slow burn, as they don’t dive right in, but the entire story takes place over 6 weeks, so it’s still pretty quick.

The supporting characters are fun on both sides. I love Charlotte’s sister and brother-in-law (and even the terror of her infant niece). Graham’s sisters, ok really just one of his sisters, is a little bit meddlesome. But ultimately they are all supportive, even Charlotte’s parents.

The ending is a little open, but leaves room for imagination, which I like. (And maybe a sequel down the road?)

All in all, this was a fun read!

Disclaimer: I received an eARC for review consideration through Net Galley on behalf of the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My sincerest apologies on the delay in review.

This was on my Christmas TBR, and it was PERFECT. It's cute, sweet and Hallmark-y. The winter vibes were good. I will say I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it had been duel POV. The male main character is a surprising treat to the vacation and a delightful addition to balancing out Charlotte. Their banter is awesome and their growing romance is sweet, swoony, and steamy.

This book will defiantly be featured on my christmas instagram MUST READ this winter,

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy! I just couldn't get in the mood for this one, but I do love this author!

I've really enjoyed Martha Waters' historical romances, so I was so happy to love her contemporary holiday romance. The characters were well developed, the side characters were wonderful, and the chemistry between the two main characters was great. I think any holiday romance reader would enjoy this book, but if you're a Love, Actually fan, you'll probably like it even more.

I love Martha Waters books, and Christmas Is All Around is a fun, heartwarming treat of a book! Christmas Is All Around is cleverly written, full of witty dialogue, descriptions and situations. I just adored it! I love the background of London and the holidays, it was so wonderfully descriptive I could picture it as I read! The dialogue is snappy, fun and clever, in poignant in just the right spots. I love Charlotte's black cat-ness, and she and Graham had great chemistry together.
I highly recommend for anyone who loves Hallmark movies, as well as anyone who loves holiday romance! This is a great first rom com from Martha Waters and I just loved it. You are in for a real treat with this funny book.