Love, Holly: “Sometimes it takes a stranger to bring you back to yourself.”

400 pages Dell publisher September 26,2023 publication date

ABOUT THE BOOK

A young woman tries to heal a rift in her elderly pen pal’s family in time for Christmas, all while falling in love—and maybe even reuniting with her own family—in this dazzling romance from the author of Always, in December and One Last Gift

Sometimes it takes a stranger to bring you back to yourself.

Ever since a car accident tore her family apart, Holly has been part of a lonely-hearts holiday letter–writing club. Each December, she writes to a stranger who is also spending Christmas alone, and receives a letter from another lonely person in return. 

Usually, the letters go unanswered. That’s the point—the letters are anonymous, and the senders write whatever is in their heart. But this year, the letter Holly receives is different; not only is the letter full of a grief she knows all too well, but its writer, Emma, mentions a place that Holly has visited. When she realizes that she might actually be able to find the letter’s author, Holly becomes determined to reunite Emma with the estranged grandson, Jack, with whom Emma is desperate to reconnect.

When Holly finally tracks him down, she remembers that she’s met Jack once before . . . and the connection was electric. The spark between the two of them is still there—until a misunderstanding risks their burgeoning romance and his strained relationship with Emma, too. But Holly is determined; if she can fix Emma’s family, she might also be able to fix her own. Though as it turns out, Holly might have less time to put things right than she thought.

MY THOUGHTS

Such a beautifully written, heartbreaking but yet healing at the same time story.
Our main characters each have heartbreaking things going on in their own family. In both cases there is estrangement due to misunderstandings and fear of what could be.

Though holiday books seem to mostly be cheerful this one dealt with some heavy and sad issues and that’s okay. Though we don’t want sad or distressing things happening at Christmas time sometimes they do. And this book is more realistic for showing this, that it does instead of some of the other Christmas books with too much cheer and unrealistic.

I enjoyed seeing how our main characters met, that was funny. Our main characters are not present in each other’s life right away again after first meeting, but circumstances bring them back together again in an unexpected way.

Though each main character carries baggage and once again fears of what could happen and of rejection the characters are good for each other, and emotional healing takes place.

This story is so beautifully written and emotional, and I will read it again.

Pub Date 26 Sep 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hello, I’m Emily! If you’ve found this page then welcome, and thanks so much for showing an interest in my writing.

I have written three books now, which feels surreal! My latest novel is Love, Holly in the US and The Christmas Letter in the UK. My books always revolve around the Christmas period, but span the course of a whole year and more. They also deal with love – and grief, in one way or another. I think I put a part of me in every book – as I’m sure every author does – and my newest book is no exception. The main character – Holly – often does the wrong thing for the right reasons, and that is a situation I’ve found myself in! And with three sisters myself, writing about the sister love – and difficulties – in this book felt personal at times!

My other two novels are One Last Gift – a story of finding yourself when you feel that’s impossible, and of the love between siblings – and Always, in December. As my debut novel, it will always be one close to my heart. Whilst very different from me, the protagonist, Josie is suffering with a grief that I know all too well – losing a parent/parents at a young age, and having to carry that grief into adulthood, long after it’s supposedly ‘gone away’. I lost my mum when I was seven, and I still think about her even now, in my thirties – and that’s something that Josie and I share. Max, too, is suffering his own kind of grief, and that’s something that he has to learn to deal with. But whilst the novel is about grief, and learning to live with that, it’s also about falling in love, and about learning to be brave, even when your life doesn’t feel quite right yet – even if it feels like it will never quite be right!

I wrote my first two novels in a glorious house in Chepstow, living with my sister and my two nieces. My third book I wrote on the English coastline in Cornwall – so I consider myself very lucky!

If you read any of my novels then thank you, and I really hope you enjoy! If you want to get in touch then I’d love to hear from you – I’m on Twitter and Instagram under @EmStoneWrites!

Have a beautiful day. Thank you for stopping in.