I read this entire book from start to finish while on a flight, on Christmas Day. The timing couldn't be more perfect and this book was the perfect holiday read. Charlotte is a former child star who rose to unwanted fame after starting in a beloved Christmas movie. When social media blames her for the reason a reboot of the movie won't happen. she escapes to London to spend the holidays with her sister and her sister's family. When she ends up at a location used for filming in her movie, she hides to avoid recognition and meets Graham, the son of the owners.

This was such a fun read! I loved the banter between Charlotte and Graham, as well as Charlotte's interactions with her sister's family. She's the perfect grinch and Graham does a great job of balancing her out. Their relationship develops so well and it's charming and sweet. The writing is clever and I love that it's self aware of all the holiday classic tropes. Overall, this was a really fun and cute read and I would definitely recommend it to romcom fans looking for a holiday read!

I devoured Martha Waters' Regency series, so I was eager to read her first published novel in the modern romance era. Sadly, this one wasn't for me.

I've been thinking about just why it didn't work, and I've settled on the fact that the FMC was just unlikeable. Yes, she starred in a Christmas movie as a child and it appears to sculpt her childhood, as well as her relationship with her parents. The irony is that she's upset that everyone is perseverating on this time in her life, but at the same time, SHE IS DOING THE SAME. The repetition of her annoyance went on far too long in the book. I kept wondering what charming Graham saw in her. He seemed like a nice chap and I keep screaming at him, "RUN AWAY!" in my head.

I didn't feel the chemistry with these two. At all.

3.5 stars rounded up. This was a cute, often funny festive tale. I thought the first half was a lot stronger than the second and my attention faded a bit as it went on. It was a solid rom com though with likable characters. The lead was a funny one, which is always a plus. I felt like the ending could've been a bit stronger, but it was fun overall.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

Loved this story. Former child movie star who hates Christmas helps the handsome owner of an English Manor House. Banter is great. Reminded me of. Hugh grant movie. Very fun.

The author's passion shines through in this book. The characters were perfect enemies to lovers. I just didn’t connect with it like I wanted to. It has great potential to appeal to other romance readers and I encourage others to try it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

This was a really cute Christmas romance! Not entirely clean—thankfully—but gave slow burn a whole new meaning.

I loved the premise of “child star of a Christmas movie grows up and meets the man of her dreams at the house where she filmed the movie that made her a household name”—along with a side of grinch (because who doesn’t love Christmas in England?!)

I loved that her sister and sister’s in-laws loved Christmas and all of the holiday events leading up to it as much as she hated them. That dynamic was amazing. And I loved the setting SO MUCH. English countryside in December? Nothing better!

Overall, four stars and I thought it was such a great read!

A cutesty holiday read by our regency era writer Martha Waters. Loved the storyline and the development of the characters throughout. Not my favorite Christmas book, but one that I would enjoy reading again if I needed something to get me in the Christmas mood. Thanks for the opportunity to read!

👧🏻 Childhood Christmas actress
🇬🇧London retreat
🎨Artist
😤Hating Christmas
🦌Reindeer
🖼️ paintings
🍷Drunk Christmas
🛏️ One room, two beds
🌶️ A little spice
🎤 Caroling
🏡 Save the house

This is a cute Holiday read for fans of the movie The Holiday! It even includes London and a small village outside of it! A childhood Christmas movie star who hates Christmas and another grump find their love for Christmas and maybe more. Add it to your TBR for next year if you didn’t read it this year! Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books and Martha Waters for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

"Christmas Is All Around" by Martha Waters is a charming holiday rom-com that offers a delightful blend of humor and romance, though it doesn't fully escape some common genre pitfalls.

The story centers on Charlotte, a former child actress best known for her role in a beloved Christmas movie. Seeking to escape the persistent shadow of her past, she travels to London to spend the holiday season with her sister. Fate leads her to Eden Priory, a historic estate that served as a filming location for her iconic movie. There, she meets Graham, the owner's son, who is eager to capitalize on her fame to boost the estate's visitor numbers. As they collaborate on a holiday art project, a romance blossoms amidst the festive backdrop.

Waters excels at creating a cozy, festive atmosphere, and her portrayal of London during the holidays is both vivid and enchanting. The chemistry between Charlotte and Graham is palpable, and their interactions are filled with witty banter and genuine warmth. The inclusion of their families adds depth to the narrative, providing a rich tapestry of relationships that enhance the overall story.

However, Charlotte's persistent disdain for her childhood role becomes a repetitive theme that may test the reader's patience. Her frequent complaints about being recognized for her past acting career, despite only occasional instances, can come across as overblown and detract from her otherwise likable character. This aspect of her personality might make it challenging for some readers to fully empathize with her struggles.

Additionally, while the plot is engaging, it follows a predictable trajectory common in holiday romances. Some readers might find the storyline lacking in surprises, with certain developments feeling formulaic. Despite these shortcomings, the novel's charm and festive spirit make it an enjoyable read for the holiday season.

In conclusion, "Christmas Is All Around" is a heartwarming tale that captures the magic of the holiday season. While it doesn't break new ground in the rom-com genre and has some repetitive elements, its endearing characters and festive setting make it a pleasant read for those seeking a lighthearted holiday romance. I would rate it three out of five stars.

In short, I found this to be a cute, Hallmark-style holiday romance, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t a favorite either. I wish the romance had been more compelling and the female main character a bit less negative to fully draw me in.

I really enjoyed this book for its romance. I liked that both the FMC and MMC were flawed but brought out the best in each other. I thought the author’s introspective writing was lovely and well stated. When I think about this book through the lens of a mother, however, I hated it. The FMC’s relationship with her sister and sister’s family felt way too surface-level; Charlotte acted like it was a huge burden to her to spend time with her sister, even though SHE is the one who decided to make her trip longer than initially planned. The way that Charlotte seemingly HATED her six-month-old niece was also SO weird. I’ve never met anyone with so much disdain and so little compassion for a baby, especially one in their own family. This aspect of the book felt unnecessary and icky, and I can’t understand why the author would have included those “jokes” — none of them were funny. There weren’t enough of these instances to ruin the book for me entirely, but enough that it did take away some of my enjoyment from a book that I think I would’ve otherwise loved.

I enjoyed Waters’ contemporary debut, as I am a huge fan of her historical romances. Typically I find her characters to be relatable, but I was irritated with the FMC for a good chunk of the book. It was hard to sympathize for her, and I was eagerly waiting her self-realization. The MMC, Graham, was multidimensional and well-developed.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! I am a big fan of Martha Water’s historical romances, and this is a cute contemporary from her. This is the story of a childhood actress, who does NOT want to act anymore, but wants to focus on her art, when she meets Graham, one of the owners of a historical house in England where her childhood film Christmas, Truly was filmed. This book had some nice moments, but overall it was pretty boring and I found Charlotte very unlikable - like, you’re a successful artist that was given a ton of privilege to succeed, what are you so mad about? Though I found Charlotte boring and unlikable, I found a lot of the side characters charming and there was some cute Christmas stuff. But in the end, this book was just a little too meh for me. Overall I recommend it for fans of England, Christmas romances, and Martha Waters.

If you're looking for a cozy, romantic and fun book to jump into it to keep the Christmas spirit alive, I have the perfect book for you...Christmas is All Around by Martha Waters. There were great themes of family, career, passion and of course, love woven throughout the book and the Christmas spirit was off the charts. It was definitely five stars from me!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, cozy, heartwarming Christmas novel. I enjoyed it a lot!

I am a sucker for a UK Christmas novel and this provided so many good settings. This had a reverse grumpy-sunshine with the FMC being a Christmas hater. It was a good change and helped the differentiate this from the many Christmas books I have read this year. I saw a few people saying they felt like Graham (MMC) was a grump too and but didn’t get that vibe.

Ya girl loves a cozy Christmas romance and this one by @marthabwaters was just what I needed to get through the last week of hustle and bustle.

Charlotte was a onetime child actress who starred in one of the most infamous holiday movies. She’s spent the time since trying to distance herself from it, especially once news broke that she is the one cast member who doesn’t want to return for a sequel.

So when she escapes to England to stay with her sister for a few weeks, she is NOT pleased when she discovers she’s at the house where a central scene was filmed. She tries to escape the crowd only to find a very handsome, if somewhat curmudgeony guy.

I adored these characters and can never resist England at Christmas! holiday romances where the leads don’t love the season aren’t always my favorite - but it worked here! They went on quite the journey and I loved it. The first @marthabwaters for me but won’t be the last!

I’d heard a lot of good things about Waters’ The Regency Vows series, so I was excited to get invited to read this Christmas romance from her and I think this was delightful.

Charlotte is an artist in a family of Artists who as a child starred in what became a cult classic Christmas movie and became a bit of a Grinch about it. After an article is released blaming her for a sequel/reboot not happening and an incident with a fan, she escapes to London to spend the holidays with her sister. While there, she runs into Graham, whose family owns the historic house where part of the movie was filmed but they’re struggling to keep up with the expenses of maintaining the house.

I think because it’s a Christmas romance and I was feeling festive, I was able to ignore some of the super contrived plot elements and glaring plot holes in a way I probably wouldn’t in a standard contemporary romance. That being said, I really liked the banter between Charlotte and Graham and the dialogue in general. I also liked the trips to various filming locations and discussions of fictional holiday rom-coms. While not my favorite, it did entertain me throughout the reading experience and it made me look forward to getting to her Regency series.

I love all of Martha’s books and I devoured this one. Fans of the movie Love Actually and The Holiday will love this book! The characters are angsty and not fans of Christmas but it’s what brings them together. Even the side characters are lovable and play important roles to the story and their relationship. The slow burn is so delicious that you are screaming for them to at least finally kiss. The meddling of family and friends is a great bonus to fuel the good and bad between the couple. This is a must read for Christmas romance fans and Love Actually fans.

First and foremost, thank you to Martha Waters, Atria Books and Netgalley for access to an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3/5

Summary:
Charlotte, a former child actress known for her role in a beloved holiday movie, escapes to London to avoid the seasonal chaos she dreads. While there, she crosses paths with Graham, whose family business thrives on holiday cheer. As they navigate shared projects and festive adventures, Charlotte finds herself rethinking her outlook on the season—and on life.

Short and Sweet:
This Hallmark-esque holiday romance brings lighthearted banter, festive charm, and a whirlwind of Christmas tropes in an easy to read package. While the FMC's grinchy attitude sometimes felt overdone, the story’s humor and cozy vibes made it an enjoyable read.

In-Depth Opinion:
I really enjoyed the premise and Hallmark-y vibes of this book, which gave me slight "The Holiday" nostalgia, even if only in tone. The banter between the FMC and MMC was a highlight, offering fun and engaging moments that carried the romance well. However, the FMC’s over-the-top distaste for Christmas, babies, her family, and life in general bordered on unlikeable at times. While this was somewhat intentional for the plot, it felt excessive, making her hard to root for initially. That said, the book embraced nearly every holiday romance trope, and I didn’t mind because it leaned into them so wholeheartedly. Despite the occasional flatness of the FMC, the story’s festive charm and humor made it an entertaining seasonal read.