Martha Waters, author of the Regency Vows series, is back with another romance, this time a snark-filled tribute to the cheesy magic of Christmas. Christmas Is All Around is a love letter to Christmas and all the clichés, traditions, and feelings it invokes.
Warning: This article includes spoilers.
Synopsis
Twenty years ago, Charlotte Lane was a child actress who starred in the modern classic holiday film Christmas, Truly. Now, Charlotte is a successful artist who hates the holidays and wants to put that embarrassing movie behind her. But when it’s revealed that Charlotte’s refusal to reprise her original role stopped a potential reboot, some of the movie’s more…dedicated fans are out for her blood.
Charlotte flees to London, planning to spend a lowkey holiday with her sister’s family and let the reboot news die out. Unfortunately, the ghost of Christmas past rears its head when she ends up at Eden Priory, a filming location for Christmas, Truly. When her family accidentally leaves her behind, Charlotte is forced to accept a ride from Graham, the son of the house’s owners. Turns out Graham can offer more than rides to the city; to help boost sales and keep Eden Priory running, Graham commissions Charlotte to paint iconic scenes from other holiday movies around London.
The commission seems like a great idea for both sides: Graham can save his family’s home, and Charlotte can get some international business. But it also means going from historic house to historic house, all drenched in the same holiday cheer Charlotte is eager to avoid. At least she doesn’t suffer alone; Graham seems to be as much of a Christmas grump as she is. Maybe this journey into the world of Christmas romances won’t be so bad with Graham by her side.
Charlotte Lane
Scrooge Is A Black Sheep
They weren’t thrilled that she hadn’t done what they wanted her to do with her life; they likely never would be.
Charlotte is the odd one out of a family full of actors. Never mind that she’s an artist herself; she’s not an Artist with a capital A like her director father, playwright mother, or even her stage actress sister. Although her first (and only) role led to moderate success, the acting world just wasn’t for her. And Charlotte is over it — really, she is! But it would be nice if her parents (and all the rabid Christmas, Truly fans) would stop reminding her how following her dreams makes her a massive disappointment.
A Reluctant Romance Heroine
She liked Graham more than she hated Christmas, Truly.
Charlotte doesn’t set out to London looking for love. It’s not like she’s jaded — she knows true love exists! Just look at her sister, who has an adorable (albeit accident-prove) husband, or her best friend, a romance-book connoisseur living out her own love story in New Jersey. But if love is out there for her, Charlotte won’t find it during Christmas, the most annoying time of year. Who cares if Graham is attractive and caring and can match her snarky comment with a snarky comment? It may be Christmas, but Charlotte is not living in a Christmas romance…right?
Graham Calloway
Heavy Is The Head That Wears The Crown
You don’t want to do anything that he would have disapproved of, since he’s not here to do things himself.
Graham’s family hasn’t been the same since his father passed away. No matter how hard Graham tries, he just can’t seem to fill the hole his dad left behind. Graham tries to hold everything together for his family — but it’s not easy. His family wants to lean into Eden Priory’s connection to Christmas, Truly turning the family home into a tourist gimmick. The exact thing his father didn’t want. But is it worth holding on to his father’s memory if it pushes him further away from his sisters and mother?
A Risk Taker For Love
I already worked out, about a week ago, that there’s not much I wouldn’t risk for you.
Graham hasn’t been in a relationship since his father passed away. This is not for lack of trying from his friends and family, though. But Graham is fine. He has his sisters, his mother, and his friends. That’s all he needs. Until his family’s future is a little less murky, Graham doesn’t need things like love muddling up his head. But something about Charlotte Lane has him wanting more.
A Cozy Holiday Read
In the immortal words of Christmas, Truly, ‘The only thing worse than the total agony of being in love is the total agony of not being in love at Christmas.’
As much fun as this book pokes at Christmas, it is also a clear love letter to all the cheesy things we do to spread the Christmas spirit. Tree lightings, pictures with Santa, cooking festive food, and curling up to watch our favorite holiday movies — guaranteed ways of getting into the perfect holiday mood.
There’s also something special about a romance set during the holidays. It just makes love seem all the more magical, you know? And it’s incredibly satisfying to see two characters like Charlotte and Graham, each grumpy in their own ways, coming together despite their reluctance to give in to the cheer around them. While it’s fun to read about characters getting into holiday shenanigans, you don’t want the holiday to do all the heavy lifting. Charlotte and Graham like each other for who they are, not because they fell for the soft atmosphere of Christmas lights.
Final Thoughts
Christmas Is All Around is delightfully meta in a way not a lot of books allow themselves to be. It’s full of tropes, clichés, and characters getting their moment to break the fourth wall. But clichés are clichés for a reason — they work! And any predictability is dismissed by the strength of Charlotte and Graham’s characters. Each of them has their own struggles that are nearly impossible to avoid in the face of the holiday season. While both of them could easily succumb to these struggles and let them get the best of them, they don’t. They find a way to reclaim their lives and make amends with their history, learning to be true to themselves and each other.
Abby’s Fan Cast
Florence Pugh as Charlotte Lane
Is Florence Pugh American? No. Does she have long blonde hair? Also no. But that’s what dialect coaches and wigs are for!
Phil Dunster as Graham Calloway
Slap a pair of glasses on this man, put him behind the wheel of an ugly green Mini Cooper, and it’s basically like Graham Calloway has waltzed off the page.
If you love Martha Waters, you’ll also love:
- Make the Season Bright by Ashley Herring Blake
- Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
- Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb
Final Score: 3.5/5
Spicy Level: 2/5
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