Book Review: A Very Merry Manhattan Christmas

If you fancy a break from Christmas preparations, A Very Merry Manhattan Christmas is the perfect festive read.

A scandi design mug of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, next to a cosy blanket and a pile of old books

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Lucie Quigley hates Christmas, which is pretty awkward considering that she works in a primary school. Her lack of Christmas spirit is no great surprise really. After all, Christmas is when everything bad in her life has happened.

But this year is going to be different, because she is going to a wedding in New York. And she’s taking her best and oldest friend Dale with her.

They’re just good friends, always have been, always will be. Won’t they…?

A Very Merry Manhattan Christmas was just what I wanted to read at this time of year. When weather outside is truly frightful, there’s nothing quite like snuggling up under the duvet with a festive read.

And this is a really festive read, with the NYC setting adding to the Christmassy feel. I’ve always wanted to visit New York at Christmas (blame Home Alone 2…) so Lucie’s trip really added to my enjoyment of the book. I definitely identified with Lucie’s excitement at seeing the Plaza hotel!

There really isn’t anything that I disliked about A Very Merry Manhattan Christmas. The characters aren’t too over-the-top, and while I guessed the ending ahead of time, there were a couple of twists along the way that I didn’t foresee. The ending is so happy, so festive, that I finished the book with a big smile on my face.

I really enjoyed this book, it’s the perfect pre-Christmas read and I’ll definitely be taking a look at Darcie Boleyn’s other books.

The blurb:

Lucie Quigley hates Christmas. It’s the time of year when everything goes wrong in her life. So this year, when she’s asked to be a bridesmaid at her friend Petra’s Manhattan wedding, she jumps at the invitation to escape the festivities.

Dale Treharne has been best friends with Lucie for as long as he can remember. He’s used to looking out for his oldest friend and when she asks him to be her plus one, he can’t seem to find a reason to refuse. Instead, he sees it as a way to help Lucie get through what is, for her, the most miserable time of the year.

In New York, as the snow starts to fall, Lucie and Dale start to realise that their feelings run deeper than just friendship. But can they overcome their pasts, and make it a very merry Manhattan Christmas?

A frothy, festive feel-good read that’s perfect for this time of year – 8/10

A Very Merry Manhattan Christmas* is published by Canelo in e-book format