I love a grumpy character, especially one who holds a grudge against the holiday season, but Charlotte went beyond grumpy—she was really hateful. It’s not that she didn’t have a good reason for her bitterness, but oof, her overwhelming negativity dragged the story down for me.

Though now an artist, Charlotte is a former child actor who can’t seem to escape her iconic role from the beloved movie Christmas, Truly (similar to Macaulay Culkin after Home Alone). To avoid further scrutiny for refusing a reboot, she flees to her sister's home in London as the holidays approach.

By chance, she ends up at the English manor where the movie was filmed—and crosses paths with Graham, the charming son of the owners. Despite this adorable setup, I didn’t find the story itself very interesting. The plot mainly revolves around Graham showing Charlotte various iconic movie locations for her illustration commission, but it all fell flat for me.

In the end, the story does offer a sweet message about gratitude, and Charlotte does experience some character growth, but overall, I just didn't care for this one.

I am not a huge fan of contemporary romance although I do read it occasionally … I requested this one because I loved this author’s Regency romance series … I love me a strong female lead and some bantering and sarcasm and all but … Charlotte was so negative about everything ( Christmas … niece … her movie .,. Her parents … and the list goes on ) and so annoying that I just couldn’t understand what Graham saw in her 🤷🏼‍♀️

2.5 ⭐️

This book is absolutely adorable! 😍

Charlotte isn’t a fan of Christmas 😒—partly because her parents didn’t create happy holiday memories, and partly due to her childhood fame starring in a rom-com that fans won’t let her forget 🎬. When she’s blamed for the sequel being canceled, she escapes to London. There, she meets Graham, a guy on a mission to save his family estate 🏰. He hires Charlotte to paint Christmas movie-themed estates for them to sell, and as they spend time together, sparks start flying ✨. Could Graham be the reason Charlotte finally stops hating Christmas? 🎅❤️

Watching Charlotte evolve and come to terms with her family’s past was heartwarming 🥰.
I loved how she learned to appreciate the joy in making new memories, even when tied to something painful 🌟. Graham’s loyalty to his family really hit me in the feels 💕. He’s a sweet MMC, and I was rooting for him!

The one things I didn’t love was the third act breakup. It lacked a bit of that longing tension I crave. However, this book is perfect if you’re in the mood for a fun, festive rom-com 🎄✨. It gave me serious Hallmark movie vibes 📺 (which I think was exactly what it was going for!), and it’ll definitely put you in the holiday spirit. Highly recommend for anyone who wants a quick, heartwarming holiday read! 🎅📚

I’m a Christmas fan, but I’m also a “grumpy woman who is justifiably irritated by the holidays until an equally grumpy man flips her world upside down with the magic of love” fan. And boy did this book perfectly combine the joy of falling in love during the holidays with the sheer horror of being a human in a city during the holidays.
Like most holiday romances, this is a snarky Hallmark movie, full of ridiculous situations and sassy characters. It put me firmly in the Christmas spirit, (I thought about putting my Christmas tree in October) and had me ready to watch the many movies it lovingly mocked. I loved how tongue-in-cheek the whole book was, with Charlotte calling out every single ridiculous thing that happened to her.
This is a great option for a holiday romance book, perfect for those lazy days when absolutely nothing matters except eating leftovers and seasonal candy. Add in a mug of hot chocolate and a cozy YouTube fireplace, and you’ll be filled with holiday joy!
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

I started this book in London and finished it at home, and it was the perfect balm for missing that city. I was at that museum! I ate that treat! I took the tube!

I unfortunately DID NOT fall in love with a handsome British man with glasses and a crumbling country estate. I’ll just have to try again at Christmas.

Christmas Is All Around is strangely great for folks who hate Christmas and for folks who love it. It’s out Oct. 22, and once again, that is NOT too early for a holiday romance.

Thank you @marthabwaters, @netgalley and @atriabooks for the eARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶/5
🇬🇧🎄🎅🏻🎞️🎨/5

CW: child stars, magic of the season, mulled wine, holiday crowds, inconsolable crying baby, family matching pajamas, sheep-induced traffic, Betwixtmas

Even though I am Jewish, I enjoy Christmas stories. This is my first Waters book, but it won't be my last. I really enjoyed the premise of this book and all of the characters. Charlotte starred in a Christmas movie when she was 9, but wanted to be an artist, not an actress. When she is blamed for not wanting to be in a sequel as an adult, she flees New York to go to stay with her sister, who is a stage actress. Her sister, husband and constantly screaming niece are really into celebrating Christmas. They take Charlotte to a celebration at the estate where part of the film was shot, and so our story begins. She meets the cute owner of said estate and finds out he is trying to keep the house from falling apart by hosting Christmas activities, including a sowing of the movie. There are is a romance, misunderstandings, and then of course an appreciation of Christmas.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the EARC of this book. It is a perfect holiday book and would make a great movie on Hallmark. But don't let that keep you from enjoying this unique Christmas story. It will really give you a glimpse at how large estates in England need a lot of help to keep them in the family and in good repair.
This is my honest review.

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters
Narrator: Nikki Massoud
Rating: 5 stars
Pub date: 10/22

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy and to Simon Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

Charlotte is a former child star who’s completely over Christmas after starring in a cheesy holiday movie that fans won’t let her forget. Trying to escape all the holiday madness, she heads to London to spend time with her sister, but Christmas keeps catching up with her—especially when she ends up at Eden Priory, a place tied to her movie past.

Enter Graham, the grumpy yet charming guy whose family owns the historic house. He convinces Charlotte to help him out by creating some holiday artwork to help save the family home, and what starts as a business deal soon turns into something more.

Get ready to add this to your holiday TBR! It’s a fun and cozy holiday rom-com that’s perfect for the season. The banter is seriously the highlight of the book—Charlotte is sassy and sarcastic, while Graham is the quiet, brooding type, and their back-and-forth had me laughing out loud.

The chemistry between them feels so real, and the setting is just perfect. From London’s holiday scenes to the cozy charm of Eden Priory, it’s hard not to feel the Christmas magic swirling around. Even though Charlotte’s not a fan of the holidays, she slowly warms up to it all, and watching her fall in love—both with the season and Graham—makes for a heartwarming story.

Nikki Massoud is such a talented narrator! I loved her rendition of the story, her accents, and the way she brought the story to life.

If you’re looking for a lighthearted, laugh-out-loud holiday read with a dash of romance, Christmas Is All Around is the perfect addition to your holiday TBR!

Read if you like:
*Christmas romance
*British accents
*Christmas movies
*single POV

A fun holiday read! Very enjoyable! I enjoyed this book and am grateful for the advanced read! Definitely recommend this book!

What a great Christmas book! It reads like a Hallmark movie......a cute story with all the components of a Christmas Hallmark Romance movie, which is pointed out in the book a few times. The main character is not a fan of Christmas(for good reason) and this is a story of how she navigates it being thrown in her face at every turn, all while falling unexpectantly in love. Little bit of swoon, little bit of spice and all things Christmas in this feel-good story.

(I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books and Martha Waters.

"A former child star learns that holiday magic can come from a change in perspective in this charming and hilarious holiday rom-com.

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?"

Hey, personally I'd do anything to help out a historic house that needs a little financial boost. Especially one run my Graham.

This was a great read and perfect to get you into the holiday season, whether you love the holidays or not. Martha Waters never disappoints and I'm so excited to see what she does next. A must read for the girlies who love Christmas and for the ones who don't. What more can I say except read this book or else!

Christmas Is All Around has the freshest storyline I've seen in a long time in a holiday romance!

We have Charlotte, who just wants everyone to forget that one time she was a child actor in a hit Christmas movie, and Graham, a man who just wants to keep his family's estate, and legacy at large, from going under. This book pokes a lot of fun at the holiday romance movies of the early aughts - which, if that's not enough to pull you in, we have nothing in common. But it also deals heavily in perceived expectations and getting out of your own damn way.

I enjoy Martha's writing style so so much. The banter is heavy on sarcasm and the humor is sharp, just as in her Regency Vows series.

I really loved this couple, but I found the spice here a little lacking. It just didn't feel intimate enough, likely because during the few on-page scenes happened while they were assuming the relationship had an expiration date.

Thank you Atria and Simon Audio for the review copies, I really enjoyed Christmas is All Around and loved it on audio in particular.

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters is a delightful and heartwarming holiday romance that will capture readers with its strong character development, chemistry between the leads, and an engaging storyline that offers more depth than the typical holiday fare. Charlotte, a former child star who loathes Christmas after starring in a famous holiday film, finds herself in England for the holidays, only to be drawn back into the world she’s tried to leave behind. When she meets Graham, the owner of the estate featured in her iconic movie, sparks fly as they work together to save his family home.

Waters does an exceptional job crafting a sweet and charming story that balances humor and heart, with characters who grow both individually and together. The chemistry between Charlotte and Graham is compelling, and their witty banter adds a fresh twist to the classic holiday romance tropes. Charlotte’s grumpiness, paired with Graham’s grounded nature, makes for a fun and engaging dynamic.

Beyond the romance, the novel explores themes of self-discovery and family, all while cleverly incorporating references to holiday movies in a way that feels both nostalgic and self-aware. The holiday setting, especially in the quaint English countryside, adds an extra layer of coziness, making this the perfect read for the season.

For those who love a good romance with a holiday twist, Christmas Is All Around is a must-read. The audiobook is also a treat, making it a great choice for those looking to immerse themselves in a festive, feel-good story with memorable characters and a sweet love story at its core. Highly recommended!

Charlotte isn’t your average child movie star. In fact, she doesn’t want to be known for the famous Christmas movie that she starred in at all. But when she and her family visit the England home that it was filmed in, nothing could prepare her for the events that followed.

This was a very cute Christmas romance, even though it was a little slower during the first half of the book. I really enjoyed the friendship that blossomed into more with Graham and Charlotte, and found their banter quite entertaining. I loved that it was set in England, as well. It gives you all of the Hallmark Christmas movie feels which simultaneously poking fun at how “predictable” they are. (Which is kind of the point of them, right? 😉)

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria books for the advanced reader copy of this book!

I love everything I've read from Martha Waters and Christmas Is All Around is no exception! What a lovely anti-Christmas Christmas rom-com! It gave all the feels of a Hallmark holiday movie without all the cringe that I usually associate with Hallmark movies. Charlotte hates Christmas movies after having starred in one 20 years ago. Yet, fate has her living out her very own holiday romance when she travels to England to spend Christmas with her sister and she meets Graham, the owner of the very home that is featured in the film she starred in. The two find themselves working together (as they must in a holiday rom-com), in order to save Graham's ancestral home and sparks fly (as they do in a holiday rom-com).

While following the standard tropes seen in a holiday romance, Waters is able to create a story that feels fresh and unique. The only critique is a personal view, as someone who loves Christmas and the holidays, it was hard to see Charlotte hating so hard on the festivities. But I still very much enjoyed the banter and watching the two characters fall in love with each other (and maybe even the festive season)!

Martha Waters has nailed it again, this time with an anti-Christmas rom-com. American former child actress Charlotte hates Christmas and the Love Actually-esque film she starred in long ago. As fate would have it, when the travels to England to visit her sister, she ends up at a filming location for the very film she loathes, and finds her own Christmas romance. Many books of the Christmas romance genre may feel generic, but Martha Waters is a gifted writer, and Christmas Is All Around stands on its own as a solid romance.

This was such a cute holiday read. and while there is no snow on the ground yet, I loved the Christmas aesthetic and can't wait for the holidays!

This is a contemporary romcom set in England over the holidays as Charlotte, a former childhood star escapes across the pond only to find herself falling for Graham, an Englishman who's trying to save his family's estate home.

The banter between these two is so funny! She's a grumpy sassy New Yorker and he's a grumpy Englishman. The cultural clashes and sarcasm made for some incredible laugh out loud moments and the dynamic between the two characters was pretty realistic.

Christmas Is All Around, will have you swooning for Graham, Charlotte's love interest in this holiday read set in London. Unfortunately, for me, is wasn't a fan of Charlotte herself.

3.5 stars


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Ever since her one acting role as a child in a popular Christmas movie, Charlotte has hated the holiday. While on vacation in England with her family, she accidentally ends up at the family estate house the movie was filmed out. As she tries to run from that unwanted legacy, she is actually being pulled towards the estate's new owner, Graham.

This was a cute one! Here's what I liked:

Charlotte and her humor: Waters does an amazing job with Charlotte. She's sarcastic and has a super dry sense of humor at times, I adored all of this about her. I wanted to be her friend.

The forced proximity: While Charlotte and Graham voluntarily go together to different houses used for movie sets, you still get that forced proximity feel to it. I loved all of the settings they go to and enjoyed watching them come together as they traveled.

The side characters: This one has some amazing side characters. Both of their families and friends really helped get me into the story!

Overall, this was such a good holiday romcom!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

I recently finished reading “Christmas Is All Around” by Martha Waters, and I absolutely loved it! The story follows Charlotte, a former child star who isn’t a fan of the holidays, as she navigates a chaotic Christmas season in London. What really stood out to me was the charming and hilarious dynamic between Charlotte and Graham, the son of the owners of Eden Priory. Their interactions were filled with witty banter and heartfelt moments that made me smile throughout the book.

I also appreciated how the book balanced humor with deeper themes of self-discovery and letting go of the past. The festive setting and the vivid descriptions of holiday decorations added a magical touch to the story. Overall, it was a delightful read that perfectly captured the spirit of Christmas romance.