Book Review - Christmas Wishes and Irish Kisses by Debbie Johnson

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Title: Christmas Wishes and Irish Kisses

Author: Debbie Johnson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Storm Publishing

Publication Date: 27th October 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

From crying into Santa's beard at Macy's department store, to working the bar at a historic seaside inn thousands of miles away, Ellie de Vere has been through it all this Christmas season...

When Ellie trades her hectic New York life for the twinkling lights and snow-dusted charm of her childhood village of St Tilda, it's only to help her ailing father through the Christmas rush at their cozy family inn.

But all the festive holly, crackling fires and mulled cider in the world can't prepare Ellie for who she finds waiting for her back home. Her ex best friend Liam is also in town for the holidays... and they haven't seen each other in twenty years. He's now a devastatingly handsome single father with the same Irish lilt that always made her breath catch. If only he hadn't broken her heart irreparably all those years ago...

Can Ellie forgive Liam for what he did that disastrous final night in St Tilda? And is he even the same man she used to know? As Christmas approaches and old feelings refuse to stay buried, will Ellie finally find the courage to rewrite her future?

Perfect for fans of The Holiday. A funny, sweet and insanely feel-good Christmas romance!

I'm always rather partial to a Debbie Johnson novel, and one set at Christmas is always a bonus for me.  And this was no exception, from start to finish I was hooked.  

Well it's not often you get a solo adult queueing to see Santa in a top New York department store, but it's something that I would still love to do, so instantly felt a sort of affinity to Ellie. 

A year later, she hears her father has been unwell and decided to surprise him back in her home village of St. Tilda and walks in him in a rather surprising situation which was memorable. 

In her time back in the village we learn just why it is she hadn't spoken to or about Liam in over twenty years, and he is the one person she wanted to avoid.  Of course that means she bumps into some of his many siblings all grown up now, even before she comes across him. And they soon fall back into their teenage selves! 

I absolutely loved the connection between Ellie and Liam, and the whole Bryne clan. I was totally there for all the banter, and the whole feeling of family too. In fact by the end I wanted them to adopt me. 

And seeing how from a let's say rusty start, seeing how Ellie and her father start to reconnect and get to know each other all over again, now that she isn't a rather upset teenager, was really heartwarming too. 

I just enjoyed actually ever single part of this book, it's a total pleasure to read and very entertaining.  I already feel like I would like to read more about some of these characters, especially the Bryne family.  I'm missing them already! 

Thank you to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.