Book Review - All I Want For Christmas by Joanna Bolouri

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Title: All I Want For Christmas

Author: Joanna Bolouri

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Quercus

Publication Date: 1st October 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

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 from the author of The List, perfect for fans of Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare, Sophie Cousens' This Time Next Year and Marian Keyes' Grown Ups.

I absolutely loved this book, its so funny, it's refreshing and I really wasn't completely sure for most of it whether it would end how I'd want it to. 

When we meet Nick is a recently dumped out of work lawyer who is begrudgingly taking on the role of Santa at a local shopping centre.  He's not completely sure he likes kids and his main elf is hilarious but doesn't seem that enamored by Nick! 

However from the second you meet Alfie, who is 4 and is the complete and utter star of the book, I was hooked, and Nick can't help but be affected when after having had loads of children come in and ask for the latest most expensive toys, when Alfie's only wish for Christmas is for his mum, Sarah, to be happy. 

Whose heart wouldn't melt at that point, and as Nick gets to know Sarah and Alfie, we get to see many different sides to Nick, but ultimately I ended up loving him a lot. 

This is a refreshing book on so many counts, I don't often read a book written by a woman whose only viewpoint is male, we get the story through Nick's eyes which I absolutely loved. And I've not read that many books where we have our lead playing Santa.  Let alone what happens after that first Christmas. 

There seems to be a whole lot packed into this festive treat of a book, and it once more shows what a talented writer, Joanna Bolouri is.  I couldn't have enjoyed this more if I tried, it was just such a pleasure to be able to sit and read. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,