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heidifay97's review
3.0
3.5 stars. This was sad and bittersweet, definitely a more emotional holiday read with some romance sprinkled in
bookedandstarred's review against another edition
5.0
A gut-punching, emotional, and strong sophomore Christmas outing!
I requested this since I loved and sobbed over Emily Stone's debut, Always in December. I got to say, the woman clearly knows how to write about loss, grief and relationships beautifully and profoundly.
I loved how Stone has shown the different types of bonds formed among all the characters in this book including those between families, siblings, best friends and even colleagues, while baring their two sides, be it a happy and working one or a toxic and dysfunctional one. I felt each relationship dynamic as truly distinct and fully fleshed-out.
What I appreciated most in this book are the relationships between Tom and Sam, Sam and Cassie and among all three of them. Tom's loss and the remaining two's shared grief paved the way for Sam and Cassie to reconnect and finally be together after years of pining. And oh, the pining in this book! It's just heart-tugging and heart-wrenching that I can't help but root for them.
This is not your typical holiday read and has the same somber tone as Josie Silver's One Day in December with an ending that's surely satisfying.
Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and the author for my early copy of this book. All opinions are honest and my own.
I requested this since I loved and sobbed over Emily Stone's debut, Always in December. I got to say, the woman clearly knows how to write about loss, grief and relationships beautifully and profoundly.
I loved how Stone has shown the different types of bonds formed among all the characters in this book including those between families, siblings, best friends and even colleagues, while baring their two sides, be it a happy and working one or a toxic and dysfunctional one. I felt each relationship dynamic as truly distinct and fully fleshed-out.
What I appreciated most in this book are the relationships between Tom and Sam, Sam and Cassie and among all three of them. Tom's loss and the remaining two's shared grief paved the way for Sam and Cassie to reconnect and finally be together after years of pining. And oh, the pining in this book! It's just heart-tugging and heart-wrenching that I can't help but root for them.
This is not your typical holiday read and has the same somber tone as Josie Silver's One Day in December with an ending that's surely satisfying.
Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell, NetGalley, and the author for my early copy of this book. All opinions are honest and my own.
pixiepages's review
4.0
This is a great book about facing your fears and moving on with life. Tom and Cassie lost their parents at a young age and were raised by their aunt. They had a pretty close group, Tom and his best friend Sam, and Cassie and her best friend Hazel. They would do everything together. Cassie liked Sam and she thought he liked her back but things got complicated. Tom and Cassie have always had this tradition of a treasure hunt before christmas. This year is more complicated and will be the last one she ever has. Will it help her with her grief or only make things harder.
aprilcote's review
3.0
This was a sweet story of loss and love. Cassie has experienced more loss than most and when asked to open her heart once more, she struggles. Through a treasure hunt left by her brother she slowly overcomes her fears and finds a way to start living again. The story was a bit sad and slow for a Christmas romance. Closed door. I found the story a bit hard to believe at times- quick pivots in life choices that a chapter earlier would have seemed wholly out of character. Felt like certain plot devices where over used which made the end predictable but also drawn out. Overall a cute, if tame, holiday romance.
walton's review
emotional
lighthearted
slow-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
smamato2's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age and Tom the older brother ensured every Christmas would be a great Christmas. Cassie follows clues to find her Christmas present. As adults Tom goes on a climbing holiday and does not return, but he already set the clues for what would be the last Christmas hunt. Cassie follows the clues and it’s as if her brother is still here, she finds herself and grows and mourns along the way.
I enjoyed seeing Cassie grow and develop and find herself in the time since Toms death. I loved “Always in December” and enjoyed this book as well.
Cassie and Tom lost their parents at a young age and Tom the older brother ensured every Christmas would be a great Christmas. Cassie follows clues to find her Christmas present. As adults Tom goes on a climbing holiday and does not return, but he already set the clues for what would be the last Christmas hunt. Cassie follows the clues and it’s as if her brother is still here, she finds herself and grows and mourns along the way.
I enjoyed seeing Cassie grow and develop and find herself in the time since Toms death. I loved “Always in December” and enjoyed this book as well.
lost_in_novels's review
2.0
2.75 stars
Y'all!! Ok.. So.. I thought this book was going to be a heartwarming Christmas romcom.. it was NOT. The book is about Cassie. She has a crush on Sam, her brother's best friend. He reciprocate the feelings, however he doesn't want to jeopardize his friendship with Cassie's brother. So of course he just breaks up with Cassie in the worst way possible. Cassie gets pissed (of course) and they became stranged. However Tom dies and now Sam and Cassie have to deal with the loss of a loved one. On top of that, Tom also used to do scavenger hunts for Cassie and before he died he left a last scavenger hunt for her to do this christmas.
Look, I'm not opposed books that have grief as main plot point. Actually, when it's really well done ,I enjoy immensely. See Legendborne and Love and Other Words. My issue with this book was that I went in it thinking it would be a holiday romcom and it was just sad.
On top of that you will come to the conclusion that the men in this story are just jackasses. Sam just broke up with Cassie on the worst way possible and then he was such a douche to her on Tom's funeral. Of course, the author tried to redeem him but this became a third/fourth-chance romance book instead of a second chance.
Also Tom, the brother was not a saint. You learn at some point that he discover that his girlfriend is pregnant and just breaks up with her bc he is not ready for this (!!!!!!!) What the hell?! He dies before settle things up with his pregnant girlfriend and that just upsets me to so much.
I know that are stories that likes to show how people are flawed and that you have to forgive them or live with their flaws, on top of dealing with grief but jezz.. I just wanted a freaking christmas romcom.
I don't know.. this book was so far off and people in them was so flawed in my opinion (even Cassie when she decided to be stubborn, and pre-judge things) that I was hoping for a redeeming moment that in my opinion was too little too late.
Y'all!! Ok.. So.. I thought this book was going to be a heartwarming Christmas romcom.. it was NOT. The book is about Cassie. She has a crush on Sam, her brother's best friend. He reciprocate the feelings, however he doesn't want to jeopardize his friendship with Cassie's brother. So of course he just breaks up with Cassie in the worst way possible. Cassie gets pissed (of course) and they became stranged. However Tom dies and now Sam and Cassie have to deal with the loss of a loved one. On top of that, Tom also used to do scavenger hunts for Cassie and before he died he left a last scavenger hunt for her to do this christmas.
Look, I'm not opposed books that have grief as main plot point. Actually, when it's really well done ,I enjoy immensely. See Legendborne and Love and Other Words. My issue with this book was that I went in it thinking it would be a holiday romcom and it was just sad.
On top of that you will come to the conclusion that the men in this story are just jackasses. Sam just broke up with Cassie on the worst way possible and then he was such a douche to her on Tom's funeral. Of course, the author tried to redeem him but this became a third/fourth-chance romance book instead of a second chance.
Also Tom, the brother was not a saint. You learn at some point that he discover that his girlfriend is pregnant and just breaks up with her bc he is not ready for this (!!!!!!!) What the hell?! He dies before settle things up with his pregnant girlfriend and that just upsets me to so much.
I know that are stories that likes to show how people are flawed and that you have to forgive them or live with their flaws, on top of dealing with grief but jezz.. I just wanted a freaking christmas romcom.
I don't know.. this book was so far off and people in them was so flawed in my opinion (even Cassie when she decided to be stubborn, and pre-judge things) that I was hoping for a redeeming moment that in my opinion was too little too late.
megan_in_nd's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
multitaskingreader's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
I loved the main character but couldn’t really get behind the love interest. I didn’t necessarily any her to end up with him.