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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
This hit me in the Christmas feel and made me cry. Just what I wanted. Yes. Actually.
Dear Emily,
I have read both of your other holiday reads and enjoyed them, so I was super excited when fate led to the approval for an arc of your newest one Love, Holly. And I’m so glad it did!
I loved this story about a young woman who is trying to heal after a family tragedy. I loved her quirkiness and her need to ‘fix’ others in hopes of fixing herself. I loved the idea of the Dear Strangers letters bringing comfort to those feeling lonely around the holidays. I loved the snarky elderly characters that Holly kind of forced into her life. I loved the letters she wrote to her sister. I loved the coffee shop meet cute and later watching that relationship unfold. And I loved how fate helped led her back to herself and what she wanted most.
I love how your writing is always both heartbreaking but also beautifully hopeful. I loved how this story was about blame and grief and also about acceptance and forgiveness. I love the idea of second chances, both in love and with family. And I loved the idea of the power of fate and how it can help you along your journey, pointing you in directions that will help you find yourself again. I just love your stories. Thank you!
Love, Celebrating Christmas in July
If you love a good emotional read that relates back to the holidays, then please pick up Love, Holly or either of Emily’s other two holiday reads. You won’t be disappointed.
4 stars
Pub Date: September 26, 2023
Thank you Emily Stone, NetGalley, and Random House for this ARC approval in exchange for an honest review.
I have read both of your other holiday reads and enjoyed them, so I was super excited when fate led to the approval for an arc of your newest one Love, Holly. And I’m so glad it did!
I loved this story about a young woman who is trying to heal after a family tragedy. I loved her quirkiness and her need to ‘fix’ others in hopes of fixing herself. I loved the idea of the Dear Strangers letters bringing comfort to those feeling lonely around the holidays. I loved the snarky elderly characters that Holly kind of forced into her life. I loved the letters she wrote to her sister. I loved the coffee shop meet cute and later watching that relationship unfold. And I loved how fate helped led her back to herself and what she wanted most.
I love how your writing is always both heartbreaking but also beautifully hopeful. I loved how this story was about blame and grief and also about acceptance and forgiveness. I love the idea of second chances, both in love and with family. And I loved the idea of the power of fate and how it can help you along your journey, pointing you in directions that will help you find yourself again. I just love your stories. Thank you!
Love, Celebrating Christmas in July
If you love a good emotional read that relates back to the holidays, then please pick up Love, Holly or either of Emily’s other two holiday reads. You won’t be disappointed.
4 stars
Pub Date: September 26, 2023
Thank you Emily Stone, NetGalley, and Random House for this ARC approval in exchange for an honest review.
This is my third book by Emily Stone, so I knew going in that the likelihood that I would cry was high. Stone continues to excel at creating a place for herself in the tear-jerker holiday romance genre.
Like her previous books, Love, Holly is a bittersweet tale about love, loss, fate, and family. It's pretty apparent early on what will happen with one of the characters, but I still really enjoyed this well-written story with well-developed characters and a lot of heart. While the book opens and closes at Christmas, it takes place throughout a period of a few years and tells the story of Holly and Jack meeting and their many encounters that bring them closer together throughout the years. Despite the book focusing a lot on loss, it was also a really sweet story of Holly and Jack not only finding each other, but helping each other through some past traumas and rediscovering what brings them joy. It's also a reminder of what Christmas is all about - spending time with the ones you love and appreciating the moments you have together.
This book was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time - exactly what I've come to expect from Emily Stone.
Like her previous books, Love, Holly is a bittersweet tale about love, loss, fate, and family. It's pretty apparent early on what will happen with one of the characters, but I still really enjoyed this well-written story with well-developed characters and a lot of heart. While the book opens and closes at Christmas, it takes place throughout a period of a few years and tells the story of Holly and Jack meeting and their many encounters that bring them closer together throughout the years. Despite the book focusing a lot on loss, it was also a really sweet story of Holly and Jack not only finding each other, but helping each other through some past traumas and rediscovering what brings them joy. It's also a reminder of what Christmas is all about - spending time with the ones you love and appreciating the moments you have together.
This book was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time - exactly what I've come to expect from Emily Stone.
This is a hallmark movie in a book in the best possible way.
I genuinely loved this book so much. The characters were realistic and imperfect, very easy to relate to. There were so many moments that tugged at my heartstrings, and the author’s beautiful writing made me feel what the characters were experiencing. There was humor sprinkled in at just the right times (Emma & Pam, the old women in the story, are who I strive to be in my old age). The way that the author dealt with the themes of grief, estrangement, and other complex family dynamics was so well done. The romance was beautiful and had a nice slow burn, and strangely enough, it didn’t feel like the romance was necessarily the focus. Some of the “fate” aspects felt like they were a little bit too much/over the top, which is the only reason why I didn’t go the full five stars.
Read if you like:
-found family
-complex family dynamics
-themes of forgiveness
-funny side characters
Read if you like:
-found family
-complex family dynamics
-themes of forgiveness
-funny side characters
A sweet holiday story about grief, guilt, and the need for connection. Holly’s efforts to bring a family back together help her heal and find unexpected love. It’s a warm and hopeful book, perfect for the holidays.
Love Holly isn't exactly your typical Christmas book. It kicks off on the day before Christmas Eve and concludes two Christmases later. The majority of the story unfolds during that initial year, with an epilogue set a year later.
Our main focus in this tale revolves around Holly, Jack, and Emma, with their dual points of view shared throughout the first two. I absolutely adored it. The entire story captivated me, flaws and all, as the three characters underwent remarkable development. The writing itself is flawless, and to be honest, I didn't want this book to reach its end. That's a rarity for me—I don't often form strong attachments to characters.
Holly fits the mold of your typical quirky, tousled-haired woman, reminiscent of many female characters found in contemporary romantic comedies. Jack, on the other hand, embodies the archetype of a workaholic, emotionally detached individual who treats life like a checklist. While I'm not a fan of stereotypes, I must admit that this book is genuinely good. The growth displayed by these characters is truly commendable, making them both likable. I found myself rooting for them throughout, even if there were moments when I wanted to give one of them a good slap.
The extended timeline of the story lends it a greater sense of believability. There are no instant love connections here; instead, the author emphasizes the role of fate, which adds a touch of cuteness.
This particular author has a knack for compelling me to cultivate empathy by presenting circumstances I would typically judge prematurely. And I absolutely love that aspect.
Now, I do have one question lingering in my mind. Where does Steve fit into this whole story? He's mentioned here and there, but he never actually makes an appearance. It's almost as if he was forgotten.
Without a doubt, I would highly recommend this book. In fact, I'm certain I'll bring it up for discussion in my book club once it's released. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Our main focus in this tale revolves around Holly, Jack, and Emma, with their dual points of view shared throughout the first two. I absolutely adored it. The entire story captivated me, flaws and all, as the three characters underwent remarkable development. The writing itself is flawless, and to be honest, I didn't want this book to reach its end. That's a rarity for me—I don't often form strong attachments to characters.
Holly fits the mold of your typical quirky, tousled-haired woman, reminiscent of many female characters found in contemporary romantic comedies. Jack, on the other hand, embodies the archetype of a workaholic, emotionally detached individual who treats life like a checklist. While I'm not a fan of stereotypes, I must admit that this book is genuinely good. The growth displayed by these characters is truly commendable, making them both likable. I found myself rooting for them throughout, even if there were moments when I wanted to give one of them a good slap.
The extended timeline of the story lends it a greater sense of believability. There are no instant love connections here; instead, the author emphasizes the role of fate, which adds a touch of cuteness.
This particular author has a knack for compelling me to cultivate empathy by presenting circumstances I would typically judge prematurely. And I absolutely love that aspect.
Now, I do have one question lingering in my mind. Where does Steve fit into this whole story? He's mentioned here and there, but he never actually makes an appearance. It's almost as if he was forgotten.
Without a doubt, I would highly recommend this book. In fact, I'm certain I'll bring it up for discussion in my book club once it's released. I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.