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laheath's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Not a light, holiday read but also not heavy on the romance. As Max and Josie bump into each other every few months due to mutual friends, they never seem to be single at the same time, but they also weren't very good at communicating. I wish their relationship had been developed more, but even so, the ending was heartbreaking.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy and Cancer
emilywemily6's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This one is making me sob. I really liked how their paths kept crossing and when they were on the same page they were so, so sweet together. However, the first half of the book felt really slow and Josie seemed like a completely different person then compared to the rest of the book. Like she was not coping well with her grief and then all of a sudden a few months later she was totally normal in regards to her grief and its ups and downs. I also feel like the chemistry from acquaintances to lovers was a bit hard to see. And the miscommunication!! Josie didn’t let Max talk when their paths crossed and Max was too much of a wimp to tell her the truth. I totally understood not telling her right away in the first December, but why did it take two more encounters before the truth came out?? Also, I am sobbing at the ending, so it was not the holiday romance I had hoped for, though it gets points for giving me all the feels. I would try this author again, but far from my favorite holiday romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, and Grief
Moderate: Medical content, Alcohol, and Cancer
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual content, and Terminal illness
coffeekitaab's review
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Started this early December and realised I needed to finish it asap, managing on the first day of January 2024. Although I spent the majority of the book not liking the main characters for a variety of reasons, there was something that made me want them to get their fairytale ending...and unfortunately 10 pages from the end, I found the protagonists considerably redeemed themselves by the end (no spoilers). Still trying to understand my emotions for this one. I guess feeling a bit crappy because it's really broken my heart and I never picked up on the warning signs ah! Read at your own peril (do read it but check out trigger warnings first).
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, Medical trauma, Cancer, Car accident, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
elima's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It's a lovely emotional story which is set in London and other parts of England and Scotland. Against the title it takes place not only in december but in two complete years. Many times the story is very sad, but in a good way.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Medical content, and Death of parent
Minor: Cancer and Car accident
frenandjen's review
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Death, Car accident, Cancer, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
alaynacp's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Always, In December by Emily Stone is a poignant and emotionally charged novel that delves deep into the themes of love, loss, friendship, and the courage to start anew. This heart-wrenching story follows Josie and Max, who have a chance encounter just before Christmas. Their lives become intertwined, but their journey is far from a fairytale romance.
Stone's writing beautifully captures the raw emotions and complexities of grief, making it impossible not to empathize with the characters and their struggles. The characters are flawed and relatable, each trying to navigate through life's uncertainties. The story takes unexpected twists and turns, leaving readers on the edge of their seats and shedding tears along the way.
What sets Always, In December apart from other novels in the genre is its lack of a traditional happy ending. Stone explores the reality that not all stories conclude with a neatly tied bow. While this may be unexpected for some readers, it certainly was for me, it adds a layer of authenticity, reminding us that life doesn't always work out the way we want it to.
There's also a beautiful exploration of friendship in this book. Josie and Max have amazing bonds with their friends and family who support them through thick and thin. It's a reminder of how important it is to have people in your corner when life gets tough.
Emily Stone's writing style is descriptive and vivid, you'll feel like you're right there with the characters. She knows how to bring their emotions to life and make you feel every single one of them.
Always, In December is a book that will stick with you long after you finish it. It's a reminder that life is messy and unpredictable, but it's also full of love and resilience. So grab some tissues and get ready for an emotional journey. You won't regret it’s!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, and Medical content
Minor: Car accident and Cancer
morganperks's review
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
emily, bestie I’m gonna need you to be so for real right now. I can’t even give this a rating. This is a joke, right? I feel like I have been absolutely violated by books with Christmasy covers claiming to be ‘romance’, ‘heartwarming’ or ‘good’, and every time I get closer and closer to my 13th reason maybe I’m naive and like to live in happily ever after land but I don’t think it’s necessary to kill off the parents and or love interest to have a good story. I love a good sad story as long as I know what I’m getting into but I do prefer my characters in romance novels to be alive
Update: upon further review, some of the blame may be on me for not reading the back cover where it says, "in the style of Me Before You" so there was a heads-up, but I stand by what I said. I was a victim of clever marketing. Heed my warning, if you're looking for a cute Christmas romance...this ain't it.
Update: upon further review, some of the blame may be on me for not reading the back cover where it says, "in the style of Me Before You" so there was a heads-up, but I stand by what I said. I was a victim of clever marketing. Heed my warning, if you're looking for a cute Christmas romance...this ain't it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Terminal illness, Abandonment, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Car accident, Medical content, and Infidelity
Minor: Sexual content
karyan1's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Cancer, Car accident, and Medical content
Minor: Pregnancy
emmehooks's review
emotional
lighthearted
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
As a queer person who avoids Hallmark-style straight people romance, I had LOW expectations for this book.
Was I in love with the girl meets boy and they fall in love after 3 days storyline? Nah. Was I sold by all the coincidental meetings and their love/hate/forbidden love dynamics? No. Did it conform to my stereotyped expectations? Mostly.
That being said, I did get teary eyed at the end of the book. It was written well and the emotional aspects are relatable in a lot of ways. If you like straight romances and Hallmark-sequence tragedy with a silver lining, you’ll probably like it.
Was I in love with the girl meets boy and they fall in love after 3 days storyline? Nah. Was I sold by all the coincidental meetings and their love/hate/forbidden love dynamics? No. Did it conform to my stereotyped expectations? Mostly.
That being said, I did get teary eyed at the end of the book. It was written well and the emotional aspects are relatable in a lot of ways. If you like straight romances and Hallmark-sequence tragedy with a silver lining, you’ll probably like it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Cancer, Medical content, and Terminal illness
Minor: Infidelity
hannahglenn's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, Medical content, Car accident, and Death
Moderate: Fatphobia and Infidelity
Minor: Suicide