This was very cute! I was here for all the Christmas rom-com references, but it did get pretty heavy handed at the end. The MFC had such a huge chip on her shoulder and was sometimes a little TOO mean for me, but that worked for the MMC, ha. Yes to reading if you love a cozy, Christmas rom com. No, if you think “real” people should stop talking about romance tropes in their lives.

"Christmas is All Around" by Martha Waters offers a lighthearted and whimsical take on the holiday romance genre. Set against a festive backdrop, the story follows charmingly flawed characters navigating love and family dynamics during the Christmas season.

Waters excels at injecting humor into her storytelling, with witty dialogue and amusing situations that bring levity to the plot. The protagonist's journey of self-discovery and second chances is relatable, and the romantic tension between the leads adds a delightful touch of sparkle to the narrative.

However, while the novel sparkles with holiday spirit, it occasionally leans too heavily on familiar tropes and predictable plot devices. The romantic developments, while sweet, may feel formulaic to readers familiar with the genre. Some supporting characters lack depth, which limits their impact on the overall story.

The writing style is engaging, capturing the warmth and coziness of Christmas traditions effectively. Waters crafts vivid scenes that immerse the reader in a festive atmosphere, making it a perfect read for those seeking a cozy holiday escape.

In conclusion, "Christmas is All Around" is a fun and heartwarming read that celebrates the magic of Christmas with quirky humor and endearing romance. While it may not break new ground in the genre, it delivers enough festive cheer to entertain readers looking for a light-hearted holiday tale.

This is a delightful holiday romance that will captivate readers who adore charming, witty, and heartwarming stories about finding love, embracing the magic of the season, and discovering that sometimes, a change in perspective is all it takes to rediscover the joy of the holidays.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters is a delightful holiday read that warms the heart. The story is charming and filled with festive cheer, making it perfect for getting into the Christmas spirit. The characters are endearing and well-crafted, and their interactions bring a lot of warmth and humor to the narrative. The romance is sweet and satisfying, though a bit predictable at times. Waters' writing is engaging and evocative, capturing the magic of the holiday season beautifully. Overall, it's a lovely book that makes for an enjoyable and cozy read during the holidays. Highly recommended for those looking to add a bit of festive joy to their reading list!

Such a fun read! I really enjoyed the "hallmark movie" feel with sweet characters and a heartwarming ending. It truly felt like Christmastime in a book, which is just what I was looking for!

Charlottee is a former child actress, who doesn't like christmas. she is asked to do a sequel to a movie she did as a child, about Christmas, will she or won't she?

It was so fun reading this in the summer- felt like Christmas in July!! This is a hallmark movie in a book. So fun!

I received this book complimentary from NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

This was sweet. I enjoyed the premise and the setting but just didn’t really love the main characters. Charlotte was so twitchy and self-absorbed. It was hard to relate to her. Graham was okay. Mostly because I love the name graham.

4.5 stars rounded up. I’m such an easy sell on Christmas romance books. It’s not hard to get a 5-star rating out of me, but I also just really enjoyed the unique elements of this one.

Charlotte fits the “anti-Christmas” role, though for different reasons than typically seen in that kind of character. She has a complicated history and present with her one-time turn as a child actress in what’s become a cult classic Christmas film. On the one hand, I admired her ability to not care too much about what anyone thought of her. On the other, there was a bit of a reckoning she needed to (and eventually does) hear in regard to her perspective on the whole thing.

Graham was a charming man and I found it endearing how entertained he was by Charlotte NOT immediately finding him charming. I’m a sucker for that kind of dynamic, especially when it lends itself well to flirty banter and emotional walls slowly coming down for the person the characters would least expect.

There were also a lot of interesting and complex family circumstances at play for both Charlotte and Graham. At times maybe a bit too chaotic and challenging to keep straight, but overall they served in comedic situations, guiding the two together, and helping both grow by saying things that needed to be said in advice being given.

This was a fun, quick holiday read that I fully enjoyed. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Charlotte participó en una película navideña que fue un éxito, años después buscan hacer una segunda parte, sin embargo ella no quiere, entonces una revista hace un reportaje en donde la ponen como la mala y la gente empieza a reclamarle. Regresa a su ciudad natal para buscar paz y pasar tiempo con su hermana.
Pensó que estando en otro país no tendría que saber nada de la película, pero se sorprende cuando su hermana la lleva a una visita guiada a la casa en donde se grabó la pesadilla de su existencia y más cuando descubre que la familia dueña de la casa está en problemas económicos y ella se ofrece a ayudarlos.

Graham es la cabeza de la familia a la que Charlotte ayudara. Él no sabe que ella fue actriz y menos que salió en la susodicha película. Es contador, cuando murió su papá se dio cuenta de las deudas que tenía la casa, renunció a su trabajo para encargarse del negocio familiar.


Me dio risa lo se Kit cocinando, ¿cómo es que este hombre sigue vivo?

¿Y el epílogo?


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Waters gives us both a cheerful deconstruction and a heartfelt love letter of the holiday romance genre.

The main character, Charlotte, hates Christmas with a passion. one time when she was 9 she had a small part in a film, thanks to her dad's industry connection, learned she didn't like acting, and that would have been that EXCEPT the movie became a holiday cult classic, despite all the problematic aspects to it. (It is called "Christmas, Truly," and it is as close to being "Love, Actually" as possible without getting sued for slander.)

Now, 20 years later, the tabloids are blaming her for holding up a sequel due to refusing to revisit the part, and the negative attention is so bad she decides to leave New York and spend a month with her sister in London. There is just as much Christmas there, if not more so, given British traditions like mince pies and Christmas crackers, but at least she has a better chance of escaping the movie fans. Or can she?

The book has all the holiday troupes in abundance, cheerfully called out, and it turns into a very sweet story as Charlotte learns there can be some good parts to both the season and the film - and gives a whirl at her own holiday romance with the dashing Brit she meets.

A wonderful Christmas present of a romance - highly recommend to anyone who loves true love kisses under the mistletoe!

Sinopsis en españolCharlotte odia las fiestas. Como ex actriz infantil, protagonizó un clásico moderno de una película navideña, y sus fans no la dejarán seguir adelante. Cuando un artículo que revela que su renuencia anuló los planes para un reinicio, huye a Londres para pasar la cuenta regresiva de cinco semanas para las vacaciones con su hermana. Pero los fantasmas de la Navidad pasada la siguen allí cuando termina en Eden Priory, un lugar de rodaje para la película que nunca ha visitado. Allí, después de ser reconocida por un fan mientras veía las extraordinarias decoraciones navideñas, se quedó atrás accidentalmente, lo que la obligó a aceptar un viaje de regreso a Londres de Graham, el hijo de los propietarios. Su negocio familiar, y los fondos para mantener su casa histórica en funcionamiento, se basa en la alegría de las vacaciones, y Graham sabe que una visita de una estrella de las vacaciones atraería a más visitantes. Ahora ilustradora, Charlotte acepta un encargo que ilustra escenas icónicas de películas navideñas en Londres y sus alrededores. Graham se ofrece a ayudar a acompañarla, siempre y cuando se comprometa con un taller de arte en Eden Priory. Pero a medida que las caóticas vacaciones familiares de Charlotte van mal, comienza a pasar más tiempo explorando lugares con Graham. Puede que no le guste un romance navideño... pero ¿y si tiene uno propio?





Charlotte odia la navidad gracias a que cuando era niña participó en una película navideña la cual se volvió muy famosa y actualmente es obligatoria para esas épocas. Además le recuerda a sus padres, los cuales tienen una relación tóxica.

Su vida va bien hasta que surgen noticias sobre una secuela y que Charlotte se negó a participar, entonces la gente la enpezo a atacar y decidió visitar a su hermana a Inglaterra para dejar que los ánimos se calmen.

Durante su viaje conoce a Graham que por broma del destino es dueño de la casa en donde se grabó la película de Charlotte. Ella intentará alejarse, pero al final terminará ayudándolo con su negocio, el cual tiene que ver con visitas guiadas a la casa.

Martha Waters does it again with this fun loving Christmas romcom. Charlotte is a former child star that hates all things Christmas now commissioned to illustrate a holiday scene while spending time with Graham. It gives me all The Holiday and Love, Actually vibes and it's fantastic.

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of Christmas Is All Around by Martha Waters

This is filled with plenty of holiday vibes, despite the fact that Charlotte- and sometimes Graham- is a bit of a grinch around the holidays. Her sister and brother-in-laws family are continually doing very cheesy Christmas activities, that Charlotte is trying to avoid. Her and Graham visit various Christmas movie locations in order to commission art pieces, and when they're discussing the movies filmed there, I was like "wow that sounds terrible- I would totally watch it". Exploring London in December with them was wonderful, and I thought Martha Waters did a good job making you feel the frenzied holiday spirit. This is fun and flirty, but low on angst if that's what you're looking for!

I liked how the characters compared their story to a Christmas Romance story and the plot line followed along as well. It was an interesting look into what child stars have to go through. I liked the both families supported them and were funny.I just did not like that baby.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC of Christmas is all around.

I have loved all of Martha Waters books and this one is no different. I loved the relationship between Charlotte and Graham. The side characters truly made the story unique and added so much to the plot.

I definitely recommend this book!

london boy by taylor swift is playing 💗

you should definitely add this book to your winter tbr. it’s a great christmas story with engaging plot and characters with deep backgrounds.

main female character is a former actress who is being haunted by her childhood role while male character is actually the owner of the house where she filmed that specific movie.

it was so fun to see characters interact and build bonds. they both have incredible families who have their own plot lines, creating an incredible winter picture. i definitely skipped some scenes because i just couldn’t keep up with charlotte’s hate toward that one role. she mentioned it like million times, and i still can’t understand why she acted so weird, if only 2-5 people ever recognized her (i do understand her and wanting to be know for her art but still she was to focused on acting)

chemistry between main characters was strong and their trips were my favorite parts.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun holiday read! I love the cozy feel and the chemistry.

Martha Waters is an absolute delight! This romp of a read has all of her characteristic charm, banter, and romance in a charming contemporary setting. The balance of poking fun at Christmas movie tropes, while simultaneously having the characters live them out is hugely entertaining. Highly recommend! This is an excellent Christmas romcom, truly!

This is such a cute, funny, and sweet holiday read!! I love holiday romances and this did not disappoint!

The characters are so well written, even the side characters. Ava and Kit were just fantastic and easily became my favorites. Charlotte had a lot going on, but I loved her character so much. She was blunt and honest. I loved her relationship with Graham! Graham was a sweetheart. Their banter was so great.

Overall, such a heartwarming and romantic read! Will definitely be looking into the author’s other books! Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.