Reviews with content warning for Grief - Always, in December

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Always, in December by Emily Stone

29 reviews

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.

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emilywemily6's review

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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.

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newtonkatie's review against another edition

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emotional sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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alaynacp's review

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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!

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kateyg's review

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emotional funny mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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deelightfulreads's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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sidekicksam's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Josie and Max meet coincidentally, and though neither of them had planned it, they spend a few days together while Max sits out his wait for a rescheduled flight. The days are unexpectedly wonderful, and though Josie knows Max will be leaving on Boxing Day, she is still surprised he leaves without leaving a phone number. But they will meet again…

It takes a lot for me to enjoy a romance book, and my buddy reading buddies usually love the romances we read a whole lot more than I do. We picked this as our holiday-read, as it looked to be about something Christmas-y, but it wasn’t so much a holiday read as it was a book set in December.

I must say that I flew through this book because I was home sick one day with a cat on my lap, so I could not move to get the remote and had to spend the day reading. Though it has its flaws (miscommunication trope alert), I thought the story between Josie and Max was cute and this read like a movie. I cried.

If you’re in for a quick read that you don’t need your full attention for, add this to your winter TBR!

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sarahallez's review against another edition

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emotional reflective 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

3.25

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morganperks's review

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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.

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karyan1's review against another edition

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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

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