Reviews with content warning for Fatphobia - Love in Winter Wonderland

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Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello

18 reviews

bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

emotional inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

"He looks at me with his eyes half closed, and suddenly there’s this weird energy between us. Are we having a moment? For a split second I think we’re going to kiss, and it makes me nervous – but the good, excited kind.”

➽ I'm very surprised that I ended up liking Love in Winter Wonderland this much! Kudos to the author, she managed to pull off tropes that I usually don't enjoy! The story is about Trey and Ariel who are trying to save Wonderland, his family-owned bookstore that's on the brink of financial ruin. What the synopsis doesn't mention is that Trey has a girlfriend for the majority of the book -

until at least the 90% mark

, which would have been nice to know beforehand, as I dislike stories in which the love interest is seeing someone else. It always leads to emotional cheating and that was obviously the case here as well. Surprisingly, the author managed to somewhat write Trey and Blair's relationship with nuance, as both of them are clearly not right for each other and have a very unhealthy dynamic. It's clear that they are a bad fit and making each other miserable, yet no one is willing to call it off.

➽ This could have been even better if Trey had broken up with Blair way earlier! It was cowardly of him to wait so long and it was my least favorite part of the story. He was lowkey leading Ariel on, while not having the guts to tell his girlfriend he wasn't happy any more. That's one of the reasons why I was never 100% invested in Trey's POV, even though I loved the dynamic he had with his family. Despite my reservations, I liked how his relationship with Ariel ended in the end:

it was refreshing to see him taking a break from dating and waiting a bit before getting serious with Ariel. He didn't want her to be a rebound and it's great that he recognized that he needed some distance to make it work with Ariel!

➽ I loved Ariel's POV though and had a ton of fun with the 'Saving Wonderland' storyline! I truly had a lot of fun with this book which is why I gave it a high rating despite some of my issues! Ariel's POV carried the book for me and I couldn't help but root for her! Ariel lost her father a year ago, so her perspective delves into the grief she still feels and how her talent for art is connected to her father. She's set on getting into an art program that her father also attended, but sadly it's very expensive, so Ariel decides to help out at Trey's family's bookshop for some extra cash. Ariel's caring nature and passion for art as well as books really spoke to me! She's got a lot on her plate, but is determined to save Wonderland, as she sees how important it is! I loved the social media campaign Ariel and Trey started, even though some developments were a bit unrealistic! Ariel also struggles with her body image and weight, so there is some diet talk/guilt around food, so be aware of that!

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juliesleseecke's review against another edition

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funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

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nicolesbookspace's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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shellysbookcorner's review against another edition

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4.0

Thank you Goodreads and SoHo Teen for my giveaway win copy.
⠀
My 💭:
⠀
Holiday setting in the UK about saving a Black owned book store? Sign me up! I really enjoyed this story and I’m not going to lie I wanted to reach into the book and throttle Blair. I loved when Ariel found her strength and courage and finally stood up to the mean girls in this book. Trey had his moments but he was a sweetheart.
⠀
Notable Quote:
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“I wonder if people care now that the hype has died down.”
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Trey was reluctant to ask for help with the bookshop via social media because he felt people didn’t care after the hype died down for George Floyd. As a Black person this is exactly how I feel at times. The hashtags aren’t trending, but we are still in the same place dealing with ongoing racism. Do people even care?

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addiesbookshelf_'s review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.0

This book was super cute! I absolutely loved the setting of a family-owned bookstore and how the plot centered around saving it. It was so cool to see how everyone came together to fight for something that mattered!

I loved the way the romance between Ariel and Trey developed, though if I had one complaint it would be that Trey took a LONG time to break up with his girlfriend. I don’t generally love when that happens in books.

All in all, though, a super heartwarming story perfect for the holidays!

Thank you to Soho Teen and NetGalley for the audio ARC of this book!

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aromanticreadsromance's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.75

I'm a sucker for any book that takes place in a bookstore. Make it a Black-owned independent bookstore, and I'm sold. Wonderland has been in Trey's family for generations, ever since his great-grandfather opened its doors. In the beginning, he decidedly does not like his family's bookshop and resents having to work there (and being expected to one day take the reins), but when he hears they are in trouble and they will have no choice to sell it after Christmas, he becomes passionate about finding a way to save it. After his dad suffers a ladder injury, Ariel comes on board to help the cause. Ariel and Trey are in different crowds at school; Trey is popular and Ariel is, well, not. However, in the process of saving Wonderland, they become friends and maybe even hover in the gray area between friends and "more." (Trey, though, is dating Blair.) Ariel wants to attend the art school her late father attended, but she needs to show how her art has changed her community. She views saving Wonderland as her opportunity, painting a huge mural of Black authors on one of the walls.

I liked how they used digital marketing to appeal to others to donate, but some of the plot seemed unbelievable. Like how Wonderland stayed in the news for as long as it did. These days, people move on so quickly and jump from one cause or story to the next. Also, you're telling me Rihanna—fucking Rihanna—reposted your GoFundMe, and you didn't reach your goal? Rihanna, a billionaire, could donate the entire $50,000 without making a dent in her net worth. This actually made Rihanna seem out of touch.

There is other woman drama, but in this case, Ariel felt like the other woman. I was very uncomfortable with the emotional cheating between Trey and Ariel. For about 90 percent of the book, Trey is in a relationship with Blair, though God knows why because he can't seem to stand her most of the time. What he sees in Blair is beyond me, but no one deserves to be cheated on. Ariel, babe, if he's willing to cheat on one girl—one he's been dating for almost two years, no less—with you, then what's stopping him from cheating on you with some other girl? Especially if he doesn't view what he did as cheating, which I'm not sure he does. To me, it feels like we're expected to excuse Trey's emotional cheating because his girlfriend is a snobby bitch, but it reflects poorly on him that he was with her for so long. How does he not see Blair for who she truly is? Truthfully, Trey isn't a very good boyfriend. He forgets about Blair's birthday and has his little brother draw a card for him to give to her, he dances with other girls at the birthday party he's throwing for her (which gets blackout drunk at), and he keeps things from her. And yeah, Blair isn't a very good girlfriend either, but that's besides the point. How are we to believe Trey would be a better boyfriend to Ariel?

As he's breaking up with her, and after she confesses what she did, Trey says that he loves her but they're just toxic together??? Bffr. He also says, "The twins are by far the hottest girls in college. But then Ariel came along, and for the first time, I was looking at another girl in a romantic way." Um. Ariel has always been there; you just never noticed her. This feels so icky to me. If I were Ariel, I wouldn't forgive him for believing Blair over me. Saying something to the effect of, "I didn't believe it when you told me, but I believe it now that I heard it from my lying and vindictive ex-girlfriend" is not a very good start to a happy non-relationship.

Which leads me to the ending:

Trey decides he's not ready to jump into a new relationship with Ariel after breaking up with his long-term girlfriend, so they agree to just continue getting to know each other and if they're meant to be, they'll be. While this makes sense practically, it's not very satisfying fictionally. They do kiss one time at the VERY end (we're talking final paragraphs), but we have no insight into what happens after.

Forget about their relationship, we don't even know how Ariel's art school application pans out! As a reader, this is frustrating, especially when it's a huge part of the plot.

Audiobook Note: Ben Bailey Smith and Nneka Okoye were fantastic (especially Nneka)! It is a dual narration, and I feel like Nneka does a better job at changing her voice for each character than Ben, who only deepens his voice for Trey's dad. At just over 7.5 hours, it is possible to binge in just a day, especially if you listen on 1.5x or 2x speed—and since it is YA, it is an appropriate office listen. Since I didn't have accompanying text, I totally thought Trey's best friend was called "Books" and not "Boogs, haha.

Thank you to RB Media for providing me with an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

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shereadytoread's review against another edition

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medium-paced

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

5.0

Love in Winter Wonderland is the perfect winter romance for an older YA crowd. It follows two black college students as they attempt to save a local black-owned bookstore by Christmas Eve.

I thought the characters were both well developed with internal conflicts that fed into the larger conflicts of the book. The supporting character cast was wide but played essential roles to the plot!

Their building romance was cute and their interactions were *chefs kiss*

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literarylocd's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

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

if you follow me on Twitter, you know I’ve been dying for this book to come out. As an Black Brit, it’s extremely rare to see myself accurately represented in books. Of course, each piece of media cannot be tailored to show my worldview, but the lack of diversity in romantic media can be tedious.

(don’t worry my lovelies, this will be a spoiler-free review)

Love in Winter Wonderland is a story for us. From the start, we’re transported to a Black-owned bookstore in Hackney (north-east). We can hear Let it Snowby Boyz II Men in the background. We can feel the warmth that comes from the Black community. It feels like home.

For me to truly do this book justice, I’ll divide my review (spoiler free of course) into four main parts: love, grief, music, and the Black British identity.

Love

There’s a few types of love portrayed in this book but I’m going to focus on a few main ones.

Familial and platonic love – Love, in this book, is so intimately placed. There is an abundance of it. Trey and Ariel are loved by their families and this is shown through their tender interactions. There’s so much care and patience (and tough love). A thoughtful portrayal of a happy Black family unit is always a 10/10 from me.

Romantic love – Young love is sweet. It’s silly and naive at times but it is good. Ariel and Trey are so completely in love with each other and it’s not base level. They love the very make up of their person. They look at each other and feel awed, honoured to be in the others’ presence. Two of my favourite quotes are,

There’s a smile playing on her lips. She’s totally in her zone and she looks so beautiful.
Trey laughs and his whole face comes alive.

Of course because they’re kids, they get stuff wrong. But they find a way back to each other and it’s so pure and gooey and good.

The love of art – there’s something so special about hearing someone speak about their passion. Their eyes light up and they look alive. That same liveliness jumps out of the book when both Ariel and Trey speak about what makes them happy.

Ariel is a visual artist and Trey is a lover of soo things music. The love they have for their work comes out in every single direction of their lives. The use their love of art to express love, to express fear, to seek understanding. Loving your craft makes you whole. Makes you more you. We get to see their journey through their art, unpacking where it’ll take them and why. Trey learns to trust in his art the way Ariel does hers. Ariel learns to be more open and free. It’s a beautiful exchange of energy.

THE LOVE OF BOOKS

I mean the main setting for Love in Winter Wonderland is a bookstore but the ways in which books are incorporated is so beautiful. Both main characters have a deep appreciation for books (like a lot of us) and have quite heated discussions about book culture. These books include YA, romance, comic books, manga and so on.

As a YA book, I think it’s important to highlight the fact that reading is fun and that no two books are the same. Breaking away from that mindset that “men don’t read” is incredibly relevant in this day and age.

Grief

This book reminds us that grief comes in many forms. It is not linear. A sound, a picture, a word can cause you a great deal of pain. You feel a pang in your heart just thinking about it. But grief also makes you bold, makes you beautiful. Ariel hones her grief into her art, truly making it a piece of her. Grief is not pretty, yet we can create such beauty from pain.

It also reminds us that grief manifests differently in us than it does in others, even when we have shared experiences.

Music

Each chapter starts with a song. A BLACK song. If you know me, you know I love music. I see my day through songs. I relate them to things, places, family and friends. Music is, and always will be, the root of my joy.

So why does it make this book so enjoyable?

To put it simply, it sets the scene. Each song tells you what to expect for each chapter. It helps you understand the character relationships, motivations, feelings. Music adds a level of openness and intimacy that would otherwise be forgotten. I am a big believer of ‘show don’t tell’. I think the audience should be able to pick up on the subtleties of text without it being shoved down their throats. And Abiola does this wonderfully. Not once did it feel overdone or cheap. It fits. Perfectly.

Black Britishness

Like I said in my intro, it’s not very common to see Black Brits portrayed in media, especially not in a romantic sense. Often we see an insistence on showing us the dark parts of our daily lives (which are equally as important to me). The problem is, it makes it hard for young Black Brits to see themselves as the main characters of great stories. Fantasy, romance, coming-of-age, we’re not there.

I know an Ariel. I know a Trey. I went to school with a Blair and Santi. Boogs reminds me of my little brother. This story, this world, is mine. To see myself, my hometown, my music, my slang in a novel is so very special to me. I urge all the young bucks to read this one soon because it truly is something spectacular.

Our culture is not played for laughs and it is not used as a gimmick. Instead, Abiola Bello speaks to a lot of us through Boogs’ backstory, through Trey’s anxieties and Ariel’s fears. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again – we deserve these stories.

Honourable mentions

Seeing “it’s a bit of me” written made my whole week and I’m not even joking.
The cuteness in this book is off the scales.
The book dedication is one of the most beautiful I’ve read.
The J Hus reference.
Boogs being called Boogs (because I 100% know a Boogs).
In my opinion, DMX has released the greatest Christmas song ever (said by someone who does not celebrate) The second greatest is Let it Snow by Boyz II Men, with Sleigh by Smino getting third place (listen to it and I promise it’ll change your life).

Before I go, lemme shout out some of my favourites. Musu, Busayo, Kemi and Ayan, it’s extremely special to me that we have that shared experience of being Black in the UK. This story is for us and this review is for you.

And a HUGE thank you to Abiola Bello for this beautiful story.

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