All I Want For Christmas
All I Want For Christmas
By Joanna Bolouri
I swooned, I gasped, I laughed but most of all, I fell in love.
Published: Quercus Books 29/10/2020 in paperback.
Book review, no spoilers I swear!!!
Hello bookish friends, today I have the pleasure of telling you all about Joanna Bolouri's newest novel, All I Want For Christmas and as being someone who has read all of Bolouri's novels, I can safely say that this is just as good, if not better than her other novels. Its fresh, outrageously funny and festively warm, leaving me with a smile on my face and wishing there was more pages.
But before I tell you more about how amazing this book is, allow me first to say thank you to Netgalley and Quercus books for sending me a ARC in return for an honest review, all views are my own and unbiased. Now how about I actually tell you what this book is about, give you an idea...
The Blurb:
What if the love of your life was your best friend's girlfriend, and you were the one that set them up?
When Nick loses his job and is dumped by his glamorous but demanding girlfriend, he is forced to grudgingly accept work as a Santa at a local Christmas grotto. As his friends are getting married or promoted, Nick spends his days being terrorised by unfriendly elves and cried on by snotty, spoiled children.
Then he meets 4-year-old Alfie. All Alfie wants for Christmas is for his mum, Sarah, to be happy again. Moved by the boy's selfless wish, Nick arranges a date between Sarah and his best friend, Matt. But as Sarah and Alfie become part of all their lives, Nick realises that happiness for Sarah and Matt might mean heartbreak for himself.
A hilarious and heartwarming Christmas romance for fans of Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare and Marian Keyes' Grown Ups.
Thoughts:
I chuffin loved this book!
Bolouri's novels in the past have featured a strong female voicing the story, however this novel is from the point of view of Nick. I was immediately captured by Nick's voice, its fresh, funny and realistic perspective of a down on his luck, thirty-year-old was ever so entertaining. It was also great to read from the point of view of a man in a way that wasn't polite, instead, Nick is flawed, he has issues, regrets and dirty thoughts, most of the stuff we wouldn't dare admit to ourselves.
What I also loved about this book was the amount of swearing and dirty language. So if you don't like that sort of stuff then maybe not read this book, however I do love it when there is swearing, maybe that is because I'm a foul-mouthed twenty-year-old? Anyway, I loved it as it added to the comedic aspect of the book and had me belly laughing, even my house mate, Megan, wanted to know what I was laughing about.
Another thing about this book was that I had no idea how it would end, I had an ideal way of how I wanted it to end but the way the story goes with twists and turns and the huge problem of Nick being in love with his best-friends girlfriend, I kinda did and didn't want Nick to get with Sarah because I mean friendship comes first right?
Watching Nick grow from this jobless, sad man to a confident, content man was something I thoroughly enjoyed. Nick's growth was just so beautiful as he became someone who....
Well, I can't really say because that would be a spoiler right?
The whole situation and complex love story of this book only proves that love is never straight forward but it always finds a way. I found this book, engaging, hilarious and down right a perfect winter read. If you're a fan of sweary comedies with festive spirit and a good dose of love then you should most definitely check this book out for yourself.
Rating: 4* out of 5. A crackin festive read!
After all tomorrow is another day spent reading,
Till next time,
Phoebe x
All I Want For Christmas is available to buy/pre-order from Amazon in both ebook and paperback