Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
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:
No
Not a romance but is a love story. Liked this more than I thought I would.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is my first read by this author. I was surprised by how heartbreaking yet hopeful this one was as the characters dealt with tragedy, grief, and relationships. The situations the characters are working through are far more complex than you might think at first and I enjoyed reading how it played out. The romance wasn't the main focus of the book, but it also didn't detract and paced along well with the rest of the story.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I can absolutely count on Emily Stone to write about a traumatic event, so trigger warning if you have ever been in a serious car wreck- you may need to sit this one out. I love Emily's writing because it is honest and thoughtful. Processing death and sitting in grief and blame and guilt is tough to address in fiction but I think it was well addressed. I love a fresh plot and the Dear Stranger letter intrigued me. The ending hurt, but I knew it was coming. This was a story of grief and hope. This was not fluffy at all; if you are looking for a sad holiday romance, this could be your pick.
Thank you Netgalley and Dell Publishing for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Thank you Netgalley and Dell Publishing for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Love, Holly
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Emily Stone
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Ever since a car accident tore her family apart, Holly has been part of a lonely-hearts holiday letter–writing club. Each December, she writes to a stranger who is also spending Christmas alone, and receives a letter from another lonely person in return.
Usually, the letters go unanswered. That’s the point—the letters are anonymous, and the senders write whatever is in their heart. But this year, the letter Holly receives is different; not only is the letter full of a grief she knows all too well, but its writer, Emma, mentions a place that Holly has visited. When she realizes that she might actually be able to find the letter’s author, Holly becomes determined to reunite Emma with the estranged grandson, Jack, with whom Emma is desperate to reconnect.
When Holly finally tracks him down, she remembers that she’s met Jack once before . . . and the connection was electric. The spark between the two of them is still there—until a misunderstanding risks their burgeoning romance and his strained relationship with Emma, too. But Holly is determined; if she can fix Emma’s family, she might also be able to fix her own. Though as it turns out, Holly might have less time to put things right than she thought.
My Thoughts: This was such a heartfelt book. Along with being romance, it is also contemporary. I love Stone’s prior works and this was no different. Holly is involved in a terrible car accident around Christmas and since, her family has been estranged. Right before this car accident, she ran into a guy and sparred with him a little and lost his number in the accident and did not think much about it over the three years that passed. Since Holly is now alone on Christmas, each year, she writes a Dear Stranger letter to an anonymous person. This year, the anonymous letter she gets really strikes at her heart. Emma, an older woman, is also alone at Christmas, also estranged from her family, and is gravely ill. Holly recognizes the name of the cafe that Emma writes about and decides to befriend Emma and try to reunite her with her family. When Holly tracked Jack down, she realizes that she met him before her accident. This follows the tropes of second chances romance and friends to lovers.
The story is a dual narration between Holly and Jack with flashbacks of three years ago etched in. Holly is engulfed in grief, she is a caring and kind person, who will go out of her way to help others. Jack is charming, funny, and has also dealt with deep grief. Then there is Emma, who is very stubborn, stuck in her ways, but makes an excellent supporting character. The characters were well fleshed out, had depth, were witty, amazing chemistry, and intriguing. The characters were authentic, very likable, relatable, and I was absolutely invested from the first word. The author’s writing style was complex, clean, slightly humorous, poignant, thought-provoking, and just beautifully done. One moment in life can alter the course of your life forever, in both good and bad ways, just like one letter can impact a person’s life to change course. When a person enters your life, it can be for a moment, to help you through something, or for a lifetime. Those lifetime connections are rare and cherished.
Trigger warnings of cancer, grief/loss, and miscarriage. I read three Christmas stories back to back and this by far is my favorite. This story is full of love, compassion, grief, loss, growth, being true to thyself, and forgiveness, and of course, the romance. I loved that this was more than the romance, it focuses on healing from grief, forming friendships, and forgiving, not only others, but yourself. The authenticity and rawness that Stone embeds into this novel will have you on a rollercoaster of emotions. I laughed, I cried (sad and happy tears), I was sad, and I was joyous at various times of the story. Stone delivers the perfect holiday romance read that will evoke all of the emotions and warm your heart from the inside out. I highly recommend picking this up for a Christmas escape.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Emily Stone
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Random House Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Ever since a car accident tore her family apart, Holly has been part of a lonely-hearts holiday letter–writing club. Each December, she writes to a stranger who is also spending Christmas alone, and receives a letter from another lonely person in return.
Usually, the letters go unanswered. That’s the point—the letters are anonymous, and the senders write whatever is in their heart. But this year, the letter Holly receives is different; not only is the letter full of a grief she knows all too well, but its writer, Emma, mentions a place that Holly has visited. When she realizes that she might actually be able to find the letter’s author, Holly becomes determined to reunite Emma with the estranged grandson, Jack, with whom Emma is desperate to reconnect.
When Holly finally tracks him down, she remembers that she’s met Jack once before . . . and the connection was electric. The spark between the two of them is still there—until a misunderstanding risks their burgeoning romance and his strained relationship with Emma, too. But Holly is determined; if she can fix Emma’s family, she might also be able to fix her own. Though as it turns out, Holly might have less time to put things right than she thought.
My Thoughts: This was such a heartfelt book. Along with being romance, it is also contemporary. I love Stone’s prior works and this was no different. Holly is involved in a terrible car accident around Christmas and since, her family has been estranged. Right before this car accident, she ran into a guy and sparred with him a little and lost his number in the accident and did not think much about it over the three years that passed. Since Holly is now alone on Christmas, each year, she writes a Dear Stranger letter to an anonymous person. This year, the anonymous letter she gets really strikes at her heart. Emma, an older woman, is also alone at Christmas, also estranged from her family, and is gravely ill. Holly recognizes the name of the cafe that Emma writes about and decides to befriend Emma and try to reunite her with her family. When Holly tracked Jack down, she realizes that she met him before her accident. This follows the tropes of second chances romance and friends to lovers.
The story is a dual narration between Holly and Jack with flashbacks of three years ago etched in. Holly is engulfed in grief, she is a caring and kind person, who will go out of her way to help others. Jack is charming, funny, and has also dealt with deep grief. Then there is Emma, who is very stubborn, stuck in her ways, but makes an excellent supporting character. The characters were well fleshed out, had depth, were witty, amazing chemistry, and intriguing. The characters were authentic, very likable, relatable, and I was absolutely invested from the first word. The author’s writing style was complex, clean, slightly humorous, poignant, thought-provoking, and just beautifully done. One moment in life can alter the course of your life forever, in both good and bad ways, just like one letter can impact a person’s life to change course. When a person enters your life, it can be for a moment, to help you through something, or for a lifetime. Those lifetime connections are rare and cherished.
Trigger warnings of cancer, grief/loss, and miscarriage. I read three Christmas stories back to back and this by far is my favorite. This story is full of love, compassion, grief, loss, growth, being true to thyself, and forgiveness, and of course, the romance. I loved that this was more than the romance, it focuses on healing from grief, forming friendships, and forgiving, not only others, but yourself. The authenticity and rawness that Stone embeds into this novel will have you on a rollercoaster of emotions. I laughed, I cried (sad and happy tears), I was sad, and I was joyous at various times of the story. Stone delivers the perfect holiday romance read that will evoke all of the emotions and warm your heart from the inside out. I highly recommend picking this up for a Christmas escape.
this was such a heartwarming and cute holiday read. I absolutely adored holly and jack and i thought their meet cute was adorable. this would have been a 5 star for me but i felt like the middle of the book fell flat for me. i just found myself skimming through the middle as nothing was really happening. but the end of the book i loved and i loved watching family come back together
I loved (and bawled over) Emily Stone’s last book, so I was super excited for this one! It’s a romance but also about found family and sisters, and it made me super emotional (cue me crying on my lunch break at work lol). I liked how it took place over time, not just specifically at Christmas. If you’re looking for a cute Christmas romance that will also make you cry, look no further! Love, Holly is out now!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read before pub day!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read before pub day!
This is a bitter-sweet read that deals with grief during the holidays and guilt after tragedies. I genuinely enjoyed the story and Emily Stone’s writing! I teared up sooo much
medium-paced
On the way home for Christmas, Holly has the perfect meet cute with a guy in a cafe and it looks like this cute romance may take off from the very first pages of the book, but minutes later tragedy strikes and everything changes for Holly. Years later Holly writes a Dear Stranger letter and receives one of her own, instead of reading her letter and moving on, Holly takes it upon herself to help ‘her Stranger’. One thing leads to another and the web that ties everyone together is revealed. Holly doesn’t believe in fate, but after everything she discovers in her search for forgiveness, it’s hard not to.
From the first pages of this book I thought this was going to be a cute holiday romance with little else, but boy was I wrong! Love, Holly is an emotional roller coaster ride in the best kind of way. It is sad, happy, empowering and inspiring and I couldn’t put it down. I immediately felt connected to Holly and loved her and the other characters that popped up throughout her journey. This book was so well written and laid out in a way that are it so easy to follow as so much time passed. I don’t have a single complaint or critique about this story, it absolutely beautiful and I loved every second of it. I highly recommend this as a read this holiday season! I can’t wait to see what else Emily Stone has written!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC version this great book!
From the first pages of this book I thought this was going to be a cute holiday romance with little else, but boy was I wrong! Love, Holly is an emotional roller coaster ride in the best kind of way. It is sad, happy, empowering and inspiring and I couldn’t put it down. I immediately felt connected to Holly and loved her and the other characters that popped up throughout her journey. This book was so well written and laid out in a way that are it so easy to follow as so much time passed. I don’t have a single complaint or critique about this story, it absolutely beautiful and I loved every second of it. I highly recommend this as a read this holiday season! I can’t wait to see what else Emily Stone has written!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC version this great book!