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A review by lokeefe
A Winter Wish by Emily Stone
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.0
A Winter Wish is a cozy rom-com with a heartfelt premise and moments of real emotional resonance—but it didn’t fully land for me. The setup had me hooked: the banter was sharp, Lexie’s emotional vulnerability felt relatable, and I was charmed by the premise (especially the wish jar—such a lovely, creative touch). Emily Stone does a beautiful job weaving in grief, especially around Lexie's relationship with her late father. The emotional exploration here is where the book shines.
However, I struggled with the romance. The chemistry between Lexie and Theo felt weak for a significant portion of the book, which made it hard to invest in their relationship. The workplace romance trope can work well with the right spark, but in this case, it only highlighted how disconnected the leads felt from each other for much of the story.
As the novel went on, it started to drag a bit. There were sections that felt overly drawn out or emotionally over-explained, pulling me out of the narrative. While some moments were clearly designed to tug at the heartstrings, they didn’t quite hit the emotional depth I was hoping for.
Overall, this had a strong, charming start and some standout emotional beats—but it didn’t completely deliver on the romantic or cathartic payoff I was looking for. A sweet winter read, just not one that stuck with me as much as I’d hoped.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
However, I struggled with the romance. The chemistry between Lexie and Theo felt weak for a significant portion of the book, which made it hard to invest in their relationship. The workplace romance trope can work well with the right spark, but in this case, it only highlighted how disconnected the leads felt from each other for much of the story.
As the novel went on, it started to drag a bit. There were sections that felt overly drawn out or emotionally over-explained, pulling me out of the narrative. While some moments were clearly designed to tug at the heartstrings, they didn’t quite hit the emotional depth I was hoping for.
Overall, this had a strong, charming start and some standout emotional beats—but it didn’t completely deliver on the romantic or cathartic payoff I was looking for. A sweet winter read, just not one that stuck with me as much as I’d hoped.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.