Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh - Book Review

Holiday Romance by Catherine Walsh

Publication Date: 04th Oct 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

4.3 Stars 

One Liner: A delightful read 

*****

Molly and Andrew have been flying home to Ireland for Christmas on the same flight for ten years. When the flight is canceled at the last minute, Molly is determined to ensure Andrew gets home to his family. She may not like Christmas the way he does, but she will do everything she can to help him. 

They race across the continents to get home on time. At the same time, they also seem to discover something more about their friendship. Maybe it’s time they examined their feelings for each other? Will this Christmas bring them happy-ever-after? 

The story comes in the first-person narrative by Molly. 

My Observations: 

This is such a cute and sweet story! It’s what we call Hallmark sweet, which I love reading once in a while. Christmas and heartwarming romance go hand in hand. I’m glad that my first Christmas book of the year worked well (touchwood). 

Despite being a first-person narration, the story has a good pace. It flatters only in the last quarter but gains some pace to settle down at a medium speed. 

The banter between the characters was fun, lively, and enjoyable. I liked Molly’s interactions with Gabriela, Zoe, and Andrew. It’s easy to like Molly. Her character is balanced to be sweet and a little annoying. Bonus points because she likes food. 

Andrew is just as good, a bit more assertive and confident but vulnerable enough to feel relatable. Hannah had a small role but makes her presence strongly felt. I like that kid. 

I like that the characters don’t drag issues or have communication issues. Sure, they don’t just blurt things out but aren’t afraid to talk about important issues (with good people around them to provide the necessary nudging). 

There isn’t much to dislike in the book. It handles a few themes with a light touch and sustains the lightheartedness throughout. It was almost a 5-star read for me. But I felt that the slow pacing towards the end dimmed the impact a little. The epilogue is cool, though. 

To Summarize, Holiday Romance is a heartwarming Christmas story about friendships, family, love, and being courageous to do what makes us happy. 

Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

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