In the latest collaboration by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUEEN introduces us to Jack and Olive, two people who met and became friends in the celebrations after VE day, then lose touch. They reconnect in the unlikeliest place, both in Sandringham for the first Christmas of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. When the usual royal correspondent falls ill, Olive talks her way into covering the royal preparations for the holidays and the Queen’s first Christmas radio address. She never expects to help the Queen prepare for her speech, nor does she expect to run into Jack working in the kitchen. Jack joined the royal kitchen as a chef, ultimately keeping the commitment he made before losing his beloved wife in a tragic accident. Seeing Olive again is one bright spot in an otherwise bleak time.
Told from three points of view – Jack, Olive, and Queen Elizabeth II – and with flashbacks from both Jack and Olive, we follow them through the years as they follow their paths and their dreams, slowly finding their way to each other. There is a secret, a surprise, and the royal family, and I loved watching the story unfold and it won’t be forgotten any time soon. This was a perfect read for Christmas or any other time of the year and another success for Gaynor and Webb’s co-writing partnership.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

I enjoyed this book over the Christmas holidays. It was not quite what I expected and I would have loved to read more about the Queen rather than the romance which was the focus of the book, but I did find it to be an engaging and solid story. I very much enjoyed the descriptions of Sandringham and was delighted to learn the authors had visited and explored the house. I also loved the Easter eggs from Last Christmas in Paris, which I also recently read. I look forward to more books from these authors.

Title: Christmas with the Queen
Author: Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb
Narrated by: Fiona Hardingham, Gary Furlong, Esther Wane
Publisher: HarperAudio
Length: Approximately 10 hours and 15 minutes
Source: Audiobook Purchased from Audible

Have you ever wanted to visit somewhere else for the holidays? I’ve always wanted to go to Germany and England at Christmas.
Jack Devereux and Olive Carter had a brief romance at the end of World War II that never took off. Jack fell instead for Olive’s friend, Andrea. Years later, Jack is a widower and the two meet again at Sandringham House at Christmas. Jack is now a chef working for the royal family and Olive is a reporting on the royal family Christmas traditions when the two meet again. Will they ever be able to truly connect?
My thoughts on this novel:
• There are three narrators of this novel. Jack, Olive and Queen Elizabeth all narrate portions of the book. The audiobook has three different narrators for these parts which works out great. The primary narration is Jack and Olive.

• The novel starts in the 1950s and goes through several Christmases in the 1950s. I enjoyed that most of the action was during the Christmas season.

• There are flashbacks showing how Jack and Olive met at the end of WWII. Olive also has a brief meeting with then Princess Elizabeth celebrating the end of the war.

• The near misses in romance drove me crazy at times! I was like NOOOOOO – just tell him/her how you feel. This story is two shy people afraid to ever say their feelings and rock the boat.

• The story was cozy.

• Jack is a Louisiana native and brings spice and new dishes to the palace. He dreams of owning his own restaurant like his grandfather before him.

• Olive is a single mother. She lies that she is a war widow to hide the fact that she is an unwed mother. Her journey was interesting working as a female in a man’s world while also trying to hide that she is an unwed mother

• I liked the royal happenings throughout the story – it reminded me of The Crown.

• The ending of this novel was perfect.

Overall, Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb is a lovely slow burn historical romance set at the Christmas season. I enjoyed reading this one!

Jack is an New Orleans born chef who finds himself mourning and alone in London in 1952. When he gets a job in the Queen's kitchen in her first year of rein, he works to prove himself and chase his dreams of happiness and opening his own Cajun-inspired restaurant.

Olive is a reporter for the BBC who is temporarily assigned to cover the Queen's first Christmas broadcast. She lives with her parents, and they help raise her little girl. She is working towards being a respected royal journalist in a male dominated industry while keeping her daughter's paternity and her love for the father, an old friend, a secret. When Jack and Olive cross paths at Sandringham, will they rekindle their friendship and make time for love in their career focused lives?

Set over a few Christmases in the Queen's kitchen and around her radio broadcast, this cozy winter story is told from the three perspectives and is a lovely Christmasy historical fiction. I really enjoyed all three points of views (although some of their actions annoyed me.) I liked this one a lot and want to go back and read these author's preview holiday book set during WWII in Paris. I really liked the setting and time period, and it was so refreshing to have a non-sappy holiday book that is memorable and lovely. I would highly recommend this one.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Historical fiction at its finest—with royalty, romance and Christmas spirit!

I have read Hazel Gaynor’s immersive historical fiction storytelling before. This was my first Heather Webb collaboration and the level of detail made me wonder — “am I reading about real people?!” Of course we DO have real characters, mainly the Queen and Duke, in this story. However the immersion into the time period made me feel as though the story’s main characters were real figures of history too.

As far as the story goes, we have a boundary breaking female, covering the royal family at each Christmas as this story unfolds. The leading man is charming, a recent widower and a chef on the royal family staff, about to embark on a second chance romance.

A great read for fans of historical fiction, the royal family and second chances.

I thoroughly enjoyed this well penned novel. A heartwarming story of two special people (Jack and Olive) brought back together after years of being separated. They have the ability to rekindle their friendship via the royals, as they both serve the royalty in their own capacity. A most powerful novel of friendship, secrets, forgiveness and love.

I highly recommend this novel. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the authors for an advance reading copy of the book.

I adored this sweet Christmas story. I’m always excited to see new books from Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb and this one did not disappoint! I love books about the Royal family and this book has that in addition to a really sweet romance. All of the characters were so likable and I was really cheering for them! I loved the insider peek of the Queen at Christmastime. This was the perfect book to read in December! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of *Christmas with the Queen* through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While the premise was intriguing, the execution fell a bit flat for me. As someone who loves the royal family, I was excited about the concept, but I struggled to fully immerse myself in the fictionalized conversations with the Queen—they felt a bit over the top at times. Olive, the main character, was frustrating, and her constant lack of communication made it difficult to connect with her journey.

I was also hoping for a stronger Christmas vibe, but it didn’t quite deliver the festive atmosphere I was expecting. Some sections of the book felt unnecessary and didn’t add much depth to the story or the characters. That said, if you enjoy royal family-themed fiction and don’t mind miscommunication tropes, this might still be worth a read.

#ChristmasWithTheQueen #NetGalley

This is a delightful look, although fictional, of Christmas with the Queen as told through characters that end up working for her. Olive and Jack are lifelong friends that have separated due for unforeseen circumstances. Life happens - marriages and births - until one day they are reunited while working with the Queen. It gives an intimate glimpse of what life was like in the monarchy in the early years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign, but it is also a story of perseverance and hope. Thanks to NetGalley for a beautiful story!

Although not my favorite Christmas novel this year, it was a lovely story about Queen Elizabeth, a reporter, the connection with a couple named Jack and Olive.

Absolutely loved this book! This book provides historical background about the new Queen Elizabeth and her challenges as she prepares for her first and future Christmas speech delivered over radio! It also tell the story of Jack grieving loss of his wife and how he becomes a chef for the Queen. Also the story of Olive, a young single mom, trying to make her mark on Journalism at BBC who gets some wonderful opportunities! She bumps into Jack who she had known years back! And will they rekindle their friendship, will secrets revealed, will she get a chance to report the stories she has developed?

This story kept me involved and made it hard to put down

This was a perfectly lovely read for the holiday season. It was a little predictable, but it was sweet and sentimental. I particularly enjoyed watching Olive’s relationship with Queen Elizabeth evolve over the years.

Thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and the authors for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a free ebook copy in exchange for an honest review.

Fans of the British monarchy seeking a Christmas holiday romance with some depth will enjoy this read.

The story alternates between three storylines: the newly appointed young Queen Elizabeth, an up and coming chef, Jack Devereaux, and an aspiring BBC reporter, Olive Carter. The story takes place between 1945 to 1957 and follows these three main characters as their lives cross paths over the many years in the story.

Jack is an up and coming chef who is hired to work at Sandringham, and has just lost his wife at the opening of the story. Olive Carter is a single mother looking for her break in the reporting world when a chance opportunity to cover as the royal correspondent presents itself. At Sandringham, Jack and Olive run into each other and rekindle a friendship that began in 1945. Over the span of 5 years, we see each character grow and mature, and discover just how much of a past Jack and Olive share.

I loved the deeper themes in this holiday story. I was drawn right in from the beginning. I was rooting for each person to achieve their best possible selves in this story, and I was invested in each character. One frustration was that this story contained my least favorite romance trope: miscommunication. I liked the slow burn of the character’s relationship, but sometimes, it felt a little too long over something that could be easily communicated, if one of them had just started the conversation. I enjoyed the chapters including the Queen’s perspective, and how much she cared for her country and people.

Overall, this was a good Christmas read.

This is the review I'll be posting on my Instagram page:
As you know, I set some ambitious goals for my holiday reading this year—and I’ve already checked off 3/8 books (with plenty of time left to dive into more!).⁠
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One book I made sure to prioritize is "Christmas with the Queen" by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb, two talented authors known for their collaborations on historical fiction.⁠
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In this heartfelt novel, we step back into the 1950s, exploring the early years of Queen Elizabeth’s reign after her father’s sudden passing and her unexpected ascension to the throne. While we occasionally hear from the Queen herself, most of the story alternates between two compelling characters:⁠
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👩‍💼 Olive Carter, a determined BBC reporter fighting for respect in a man’s world.⁠
👨‍🍳 Jack Devereaux, an American chef reeling from personal tragedy while chasing his culinary dreams.⁠
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Their paths converge at Sandringham House, the Queen’s Christmas retreat, where both characters navigate personal struggles and professional challenges...while also remembering their life when they first eight years earlier.⁠
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Although there’s romance, it's the book's portrayal of life in 1950s England and unique insights into the early days of Queen Elizabeth’s reign that make it a good read. The writing is captivating, the characters are well-developed (and occasionally frustrating—just like real life!), and the setting feels magical for a holiday read.⁠
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✨ Perfect for:⁠
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👑Fans of royal history⁠
🪖Lovers of historical fiction⁠
🎄Anyone who enjoys a cozy, Christmastime story with depth⁠
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Have you read Christmas with the Queen? Or how are you doing on your holiday-themed reads this year? Let’s chat in the comments!⁠
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**I was given a free version of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks.

Christmas with the Queen by Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb is the perfect cozy, festive escape—perfect if you loved binge-watching The Crown. The characters are charming and complex, and there's just the right sprinkle of royal encounters throughout to feel like you're getting a real glimpse into the early years of Queen Elizabeth's reign. It's a beautiful holiday story for any fan of British Christmas vibes!

I really enjoyed this Christmas romance! Jack and Olive met on VE Day in London, celebrating the end of WWII out on the streets. They haven’t kept in touch since. They meet again at Sandringham Castle, where the Royal Family spends Christmas.

Jack is a chef and Olive works for the BBC, covering the Christmas festivities and the new Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas speech. Jack is a fairly recent widower, and Olive recently broke up with her longtime boyfriend.
At first, they’re just happy to see one another but get closer as time goes on.

I loved reading about the behind the scenes life of the Queen and her staff, including time on the Royal Yacht and at the different palaces. It’s a fascinating look at the personal life of the Queen and the rest of the Royal Family. 4.5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book!

I enjoyed this seasonal historical fiction and following Jack and Olive (along with Elizabeth and Phillip) through multiple Christmases, but it did seem to drag in some parts. I think it could have been edited down a little more and still have gotten the same point across.
Other than the slow-pace, I enjoyed this holiday book, and I think others would enjoy the audiobook, especially if they enjoyed The Crown.

A cozy, heartwarming Christmas story of believing in yourself to chase your dreams and how life will always bring the right people back into your path.

This story follows Jack and Olive over a span of five years but mainly focusing on the Christmas season each year with the royal family. With the help of flashback chapters, we learn more about Jack and Olive and how they arrived where they are currently. The story starts in 1952 when Queen Elizabeth II first takes the crown and also follows her story each Christmas until 1957.

I instantly fell in love with Jack and Olive the moment that I met their characters. I found myself rooting for their journey and story. I got to the halfway point of this book and couldn’t put it down. I wanted to know more of what was going to happen. The writing style also captivated me and made me feel relaxed while reading their love story unfold before me.

For someone that is a fan of “The Crown” and “Downton Abbey”, this story is for you. If you’re looking for a cozy, comfy, holiday read…this one is for you!

Thank you @netgalley for this gifted copy of “Christmas With The Queen”.

Olive and Jack's love story was a slow burn, but the surrounding details were delightful and made the wait enjoyable.

The story starts out in 1952 with Olive trying to advance her reporting career despite the reluctance of the male-dominated BBC to have anything of importance reported by a woman. Jack is excited to leave the toxic kitchen he's been working in for a short assignment in the Sandringham royal kitchen during the new queen's holiday stay.

Fast forward a bit, and Olive and Jack end up seeing each other over the holidays during good career developments for both of them. They got along fine when they ran with the same social group of singles years ago, and getting reacquainted is a pleasant surprise for them both, even if it is just for a few minutes.

Both their lives continue to progress, with Queen Elizabeth II's life and reign an influential event that continues to affect both of them. The descriptions of the settings where the story takes place and the other people in both their lives are charming and a fun escape to read about. The book also included a few quotes from the queen's Christmas speeches over the years, which were intriguing and reinforced the historic part of this pleasant fiction.

Overall, it was quite nice to read about the early years of Elizabeth II's monarchy, her life with her husband (sorry, forgot his title right now) and their children. The Christmas details and descriptions made the story a fun holiday read as well. The book earned 4 out of 5 stars and would be great for anyone who likes British royalty stories, 1950s fiction, and modest love stories.

I enjoyed this novel about two lovers, Jack and Olive, who are separated by circumstances, including Jack's marriage to another woman, Andrea, he loved. As the story opens Andrea is killed in a car accident. She leaves behind the dream she and Jack had for Jack to open his own restaurant. Olive harbors a secret, and these two things keep them apart for most of the book. (Full review at: https://novelpastimes.com/2024/12/16/book-review-christmas-with-the-queen-by-hazel-gaynor-and-heather-webb/