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noelleknoxbooks 's review for:
A Winter in New York
by Josie Silver
As a Josie Silver fan, I was really looking forward to this book, and, I think, overall I enjoyed it, but there were a few issues that held me back from declaring this book a total winner. The biggest issue? So much of the story is based on two completely avoidable lies (doing my best to avoid spoilers here). Let’s start with lie number one. It was a lie so easily corrected right at the beginning and would have been a complete non-starter. Now, one could argue that because of Iris’s past, her reluctance to correct her faux pas is to be expected, and that is totally valid. It just felt a bit contrived to me.
As for lie number two, I would have been completely fine with this one had the backstory of Iris’s mother been more fleshed out. As told in the publisher’s summary, Iris’s mother was given a secret family gelato recipe by one Santo Belotti. When Iris moves to New York, she meets Santo’s nephew, Gio, and finds out that the secret family recipe is lost, and the Belotti’s have no idea Iris has it. Iris is conflicted about whether to tell them, etc etc, and ends up keeping her mother and Santo’s secret. Now, a lot of Iris’s motivation, I totally understood. Her heart was in the right place in trying to protect a family legacy and such. BUT my problem with this one was the story of Santo and Iris’s mother, Vivien. We get exactly three chapters of their story, which was fine, but I found it to be bland. The whole reason why Santo gives Vivien the recipe made no sense to me, and that made the whole secret in the present day story a bit annoying.
The whole reason why Santo gIves Vivien the recipe is flimsy at best, and that made the whole secret in the present day story feel even more frustrating.
My other big struggle lies with the romance. I liked Iris And Gio together, but in a romance, I want to know why the couple loves each other. I could see why Iris Loved Gio, absolutely, but what I didn't get was why Gio fell so hard for Iris, especially considering his past. I expected it to be a harder sell for him, but it seemed To happen too easily for someone in his circumstance.
All This being said, there was a lot to love about the book. I adored the Belotti family and it was a joy to watch Iris fall in love with them alongside Gio. Found family is a favorite trope, and for Iris, this was a story of found family. I appreciated Gio's personality for Iris. Iris has An unfortunate past relationship, and while Gio isn't the Opposite of Iris's ex in every way, he is in the most important ones.
What I loved and appreciated most, however, was Iris's character development. Josie Silver always does such an excellent job at writing resilient women, and this book was no exception. After leaving a terrible relationship, Iris finds herself in New York, and as the reader, we watch as she finds her inner strength again. When forced to face her demons, Josie made sure that Iris was ready and able to handle those demons on her own terms with her own strength. While those who have become Iris’s family certainly bolster her with their support, her battle is her own, and she faces it.
While this was certainly not my favorite of Josie’s, she is still an auto-read author for me. Her writing is smooth and seamless, and, as I said, she sure knows how to write a resilient woman. I am always here for that!
As for lie number two, I would have been completely fine with this one had the backstory of Iris’s mother been more fleshed out. As told in the publisher’s summary, Iris’s mother was given a secret family gelato recipe by one Santo Belotti. When Iris moves to New York, she meets Santo’s nephew, Gio, and finds out that the secret family recipe is lost, and the Belotti’s have no idea Iris has it. Iris is conflicted about whether to tell them, etc etc, and ends up keeping her mother and Santo’s secret. Now, a lot of Iris’s motivation, I totally understood. Her heart was in the right place in trying to protect a family legacy and such. BUT my problem with this one was the story of Santo and Iris’s mother, Vivien. We get exactly three chapters of their story, which was fine, but I found it to be bland. The whole reason why Santo gives Vivien the recipe made no sense to me, and that made the whole secret in the present day story a bit annoying.
The whole reason why Santo gIves Vivien the recipe is flimsy at best, and that made the whole secret in the present day story feel even more frustrating.
My other big struggle lies with the romance. I liked Iris And Gio together, but in a romance, I want to know why the couple loves each other. I could see why Iris Loved Gio, absolutely, but what I didn't get was why Gio fell so hard for Iris, especially considering his past. I expected it to be a harder sell for him, but it seemed To happen too easily for someone in his circumstance.
All This being said, there was a lot to love about the book. I adored the Belotti family and it was a joy to watch Iris fall in love with them alongside Gio. Found family is a favorite trope, and for Iris, this was a story of found family. I appreciated Gio's personality for Iris. Iris has An unfortunate past relationship, and while Gio isn't the Opposite of Iris's ex in every way, he is in the most important ones.
What I loved and appreciated most, however, was Iris's character development. Josie Silver always does such an excellent job at writing resilient women, and this book was no exception. After leaving a terrible relationship, Iris finds herself in New York, and as the reader, we watch as she finds her inner strength again. When forced to face her demons, Josie made sure that Iris was ready and able to handle those demons on her own terms with her own strength. While those who have become Iris’s family certainly bolster her with their support, her battle is her own, and she faces it.
While this was certainly not my favorite of Josie’s, she is still an auto-read author for me. Her writing is smooth and seamless, and, as I said, she sure knows how to write a resilient woman. I am always here for that!