TLDR: If you’re looking for a feel-good holiday romcom, this might be for you—but for me, the shaky premise and my current mood just didn’t vibe.

Well, this one sent me spiraling into a reading slump, so there’s that. I’m honestly not sure if it’s because of the book itself or my post-breakup holiday blues, but A Winter in New York just didn’t land for me. And trust me, I loved One Day in December when I read it last year—but then again, I was in a happy relationship, planning a magical trip to London to meet my now-ex’s family, so… maybe this is all circumstantial? Anyway, let’s dive in.

To be fair, the book had its cute moments. It’s cozy and festive, with that trademark Josie Silver charm sprinkled here and there. But the foundation of the story just didn’t hold up for me. The whole premise—[why couldn’t the FMC just tell Gio about the “secret recipe”? Why did she feel the need to leave him? The stakes didn’t feel believable, and it all just seemed unnecessarily dramatic. And Santo not wanting his family to find out? Why? What’s the point of all this secrecy? It felt like the book was relying on flimsy misunderstandings to keep the plot moving, and honestly, I was over it.

I will say this: it’s possible that this book just hit me at the wrong time. Maybe if I weren’t in the middle of heartbreak, I’d have been more forgiving of the holiday cheer and romance, but right now, it just wasn’t it for me. Instead of warming my heart, it made me question why I was even reading it.