Reviews

A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

spow's review against another edition

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5.0

Josie Silver tugs at my heartstrings with “A Winter in New York” and I am here for all of it. If this book was one of those Holiday movies that pop up on Netflix, I would make it into my regular rotation. It has all the hallmarks of a heartfelt, feel good story: love, family, drama and the courage to overcome trauma. I truly loved this book.

The chemistry between Gio and Iris is electric from the first scene. I love the buildup and the fact that, while we the reader KNOW something is coming, it didn’t feel super obvious in the prose. There was buildup in the connection that didn’t have to be verbalized constantly; it just happened naturally on the page until as the reader, I squealed with happiness when all the pieces came together.

The supporting cast is superb. I adored the love and chaos that is the Belotti family, one that’s loud and boisterous and supportive. In the scheme of this story and Iris and Gio’s background, it was perfect. The gelateria was a warm, comforting backdrop for the family and I felt it was the perfect atmosphere for love to develop. I also enjoyed the flashbacks that explained Santo and Vivien’s history, and how it shaped Gio and Iris’s story. Bobby and Robin are the friends that everyone wishes they had…I would take them as best friends any day of the week!

There are things between Gio and Iris that I don’t love, but by the end I understood them more based on their lived experieces and the explanatons given…life is messy and hard, especially when trauma is involved. Both Gio and Iris have to overcome their own internal obstacles, and I felt their struggles and at times, shed a tear with them as they found their way out of them.

For me, a good book is one that I read before I fall asleep and one I want to pick up the second I wake up, and “A Winter in New York” fit that bill. It’s sure there will be some who think it’s a bit cheesy, but that’s what I think made me love it so. If you want something that will leave you with that warm and fuzzy feeling, this book is for you.

** A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this one and appreciate the opportunity!!**

redhotwritinghood's review against another edition

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funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

lastnightsbook's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

gammys_reads's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

PHENOMENAL!!! Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

GAHHHHH!!!! JOSIE SILVER HAS DONE IT AGAIN!!! HER BOOKS JUST GET BETTER AND BETTER!! WHAT A CHARMING, COZY, ADORABLE, HEARTWARMING, EMOTIONAL, MAGICAL, ROMANTIC, HEARTBREAKING AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN HOLIDAY STORY!!! OH. MY. HEART! YA'LL KEEP YOUR TISSUES HANDY BECAUSE YOU WILL NEED THEM🤧!!I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK SOOOOO MUCH!!! HANDS DOWN MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS BOOK FOR 2023!! ❄️💙☃️🎄💙

After losing her mother and escaping an emotionally abusive relationship, Iris moves to New York City from London with her suitcase and treasured gelato maker. Iris is determined to reclaim her life while living in the one place that brought her mother happiness and where she fell in love. Strolling a street fair in Little Italy she stumbles upon a Gelateria shop with a familiar door. Immediately Iris realizes that it looks like the same door in a photo of her mothers. Could this be the same gelato store that her mother visited and left with the family's secret recipe? Curiosity has her wandering inside, desiring some gelato, she meets Gio Belotti and quickly learns that the famous family gelato recipe is lost! Is it really lost? I mean Iris does hold the secret recipe but could she share it without betraying others? Will the secrets she holds and lies that our told become too much? The problem is that Iris is falling in love with Gio!

A Winter in New York is so much more than a holiday romance! It is about love, loss, grief, family, loyalty, hope, redemption and healing. I loved all the witty banter, secret dates and amazing chemistry between Iris and Gio. Do not even get my started on Gio because he is everything you could possibly want and more in a man, swooning🫠🥰! The way the Belotti family fully embraced Iris was so touching and just so lovely. All of the secondary characters were amazing! 

Overall, I was completely immersed from start to finish! If you enjoy Emily Henry and Katherine Center then this is a must read for you!! Now I need to go eat some vanilla gelato 🍨!!!! I cannot recommend it enough and it deserves infinite stars!!! ♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️💫💫💫💫💫


profpetitfours's review against another edition

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3.0

Probably more like 3.5 stars, which is solid but not spectacular.

I always find the period between Thanksgiving and New Year's to be a bit melancholic and I think those vibes fit this book well. While this is ultimately a romance, it deals with absentee parents, grief, and familial obligation well. I'll skip the recap because, ultimately, I think there are so many threads going on in the story that any attempt at making sense of them wouldn't go well.

Ultimately, those many threads are what lowered my enjoyment of the book (though I still liked it just fine!). The main conflict at the core of the book (Iris not telling the truth to Gio and his family) felt unrealistically messy and I couldn't find the reasoning for why she proceeded as she did, she should have been honest from the start. Alas, that would have made for a 25-page long book!

* Thank you to the author, Delcorte Press, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

zealandrc's review against another edition

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

2.5

This took me a really long time to get through that I had to switch to audio. I found it mainly boring but it had nice moments.

erinbrook's review against another edition

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4.0

Josie Silver. NYC. Christmas. SAY NO MORE.

I need to start off by saying that Josie Silver is one of my absolute favorite authors. Even when the story isn't my favorite (One Night on the Island) I still find myself immersed in the story because I just LOVE her writing.

A Winter in New York is a sweet story with a little more depth than a typical holiday romance.
Iris moves to NYC after the death of her mother. She lands a job, a new best friend, and while visiting a family run gelato shop, possibly a new love interest. Gio is the handsome Italian nephew of the owner.
I absolutely LOVED seeing New York through her fresh eyes! Especially during Christmas time. The characters were just lovely, though I wish we'd gotten to know Gio's family just a bit more.

I'd definitely recommend this to someone looking for a light-ish read with some more serious topics. Now I'm ready to go plan a trip to NYC and find some fantastic gelato!

Thank you to Ballantine Books and PRH Audio for my early copies!

unhinged_female_protagonist's review against another edition

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2.0

It was ok. I know these cozy holiday books are as predictable as a Hallmark movie, but usually they take you through a sweet holiday romp and at least provide a level of entertainment that gives you some warm fuzzies and makes you feel excited about the holiday season. I didn't get any of that from this. It felt like a long slog to the predictable ending, which, by the time we got to the assumed story arc, was rushed and boring. Oh well. At least the cover is cute for our library's holiday display?

katk1ndl3's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Definitely couldn't put it down when I started, but would have loved more content after she ends up with Gio.

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jg34's review against another edition

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  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.25