We Met in December: A Novel

4-4.5 stars. I am going to be honest when I say I truly wanted to slap Alex upside the head a few times due to his behavior, and this caused me to put the book down a few times over frustration, but that is when I knew the author Rosie Curtis had me. I became genuinely invested in the story. We Met in December is a novel that flows substance, nuance, and essence while weaving relationships of friendship, camaraderie, and companionship.

From the moment we meet Jess, I knew we were going to be besties. I mean, she's this great combination of overly serious (regarding her own personal choices and reactions) and sweet that you really just can't help yourself....you love her and you're rooting for her from the start. The fact that her LIFE life and LOVE life are getting just a tad more complicated only makes you feel for her more because honestly, can anyone say they haven't fallen for the wrong guy/girl at the wrong time? Exactly....she's human, relatable, and when she's not pining or wallowing in her personal pools of guilt (well, actually even then), she's a great soul to be around.

All in all, it was a new(ish) take on a Contemporary Romance for my reading journey, but show more alls well that ends well in love and reading, right? There are moments to laugh at, times to cringe at the audacity of life, and things to unexpectedly celebrate with good friends.


**copy received for review; opinions are my own show less

There were zero things of substance in this book. Sure, it was kind of nice to not use my brain, but sadly, nothing of note to set this apart from any other wintery story.

This made me laugh though:
"Publishing is a lot like being a swan. You look very sleek and posh from the outside, but there’s an awful lot of furious paddling going on underneath. And a lot of mud."

We Met in December is a lovely and gentle story about two people who seem to be drawn to each other but something always gets in the way. I have read and enjoyed Rachael Lucas's work before, so I did know to expect a delightful story from her alter ego, Rosie Curtis.

Those two people are Jess and Alex. By some lucky chance, they both know Becky who has just inherited a huge house in Notting Hill. Both looking for fresh starts they end up renting rooms in Becky's house and getting to know each other. As the book begins Jess is moving to London from Bournemouth to start a new life in publishing and Alex has given up his lucrative career as a lawyer to train as a nurse. Both are taking the plunge and when they meet at an unofficial show more housewarming they hit it off.

But then Jess goes away for a couple of weeks and when she returns Alex has moved on. And so follows a year of living in the same house but one or the other of them never being single or ready to take the next step at the right time.

This is such a sweet story and an incredibly easy one to read. I really liked Jess, especially when I saw her through Alex's eyes. I so wanted a happy ending for these two lovely characters. There's also a cast of supporting friends and each one plays their part in Jess and Alex's story. I enjoyed the little snippets into both of their jobs too which really helped me to get to know them and also the walks around London that Alex took Jess on.

This is not a Christmas book so no need to worry if you don't want to read Christmas books yet. It just begins and ends in December and whilst it is the perfect read for the festive season because of its heartwarming feel, it's set over the course of a year so you could just as easily read and enjoy it in July or indeed September! If you enjoy a light-hearted, cosy romance then this is the book for you. I thought it was a real treat. show less

“Christmas and London are a match made in heaven. There’s a man on the street corner selling hot chestnuts by the bag, filling the air with the smell of cinnamon and vanilla. The ornate wooden windows of Liberty are glittering with lights and decorations. I stop to look at a huge tree swathed in ribbons and hung with a million dancing fairy lights and – “Watch out!”

Jess is new to London and absolutely thrilled to be living there temporarily. Everything is a wonder to her from the sights, the culture, the lovely people and her home in Nottinghill.

Alex and Jess are roommates. They like each other, they develop a secret crush on one another, then the predictable coupling happens. Alex helps Jess find her way around London, show more showing her the sights and taking us along for the walk.

This is a lighthearted, Hallmarkesque kinda book. I wanted to be immersed in Nottinghill, read about snow and London culture in a passive easy read. This is an easy read you can finish up in a day or two.

Much thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. Publication date is November 5, 2019. If you enjoy a light romantic chick lit kinda book, you will like this story. show less

“Christmas and London are a match made in heaven. There’s a man on the street corner selling hot chestnuts by the bag, filling the air with the smell of cinnamon and vanilla. The ornate wooden windows of Liberty are glittering with lights and decorations. I stop to look at a huge tree swathed in ribbons and hung with a million dancing fairy lights and – “Watch out!”

Jess is new to London and absolutely thrilled to be living there temporarily. Everything is a wonder to her from the sights, the culture, the lovely people and her home in Nottinghill.

Alex and Jess are roommates. They like each other, they develop a secret crush on one another, then the predictable coupling happens. Alex helps Jess find her way around London, show more showing her the sights and taking us along for the walk.

This is a lighthearted, Hallmarkesque kinda book. I wanted to be immersed in Nottinghill, read about snow and London culture in a passive easy read. This is an easy read you can finish up in a day or two.

Much thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. Publication date is November 5, 2019. If you enjoy a light romantic chick lit kinda book, you will like this story. show less

This review is so hard because i feel really disappointed. I loved the premise but the book wasn't great, at all.
At the beginning I was bored but still hopeful, but no. It wasn't just boring, it was also messy.
The couple literally had no chemistry. The heroine had a crush on the hero but never said a word and literally treated him as a platonic friend, even went out with someone else for most of the book (which made no sense since she never cared about him), the hero hooked up with their other roommate any time he drank and then acted like he didn't want to and it was all the girl's fault. They literally went from friends to say I love you out of nowhere. They were both moving away and then they decided they loved each other and that show more was it.
The writing was too repetitive in my opinion and literally dragged the story too much. I honestly think this was going to work better as a novella, but as a whole book was unnecessary. show less