The Christmas Express

by Isla Gordon

When six former friends are invited to a winter wedding in Canada, the last thing they want is a reunion. Bride-to-be Bryn is desperate, so much so that she's funding their travel—but there's a surprise in store: She bought them nonrefundable tickets for the cross-Canada Christmas train. For four days they will be trapped together in a cozy train cabin, travelling through snow-topped mountains and over frozen lakes during the most magical time of year. It's a trip like no other, and Bryn hopes it will end their feud just in time for the wedding. But interactions on board are tense. Then a snowstorm hits and stops the train. Will the six make it to the wedding, and will it be together?

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Adult, Fiction, Audiobook, LGBT

335 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2025

Reviews

[TheConnieFox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cozy book is full of bringing people together, romance, an anticipated wedding and more! It also happens to be around Christmas time, which I absolutely love! I had a fun time reading this medium paced, heartwarming story. I enjoyed the different characters, the beautiful Canada scenery and the lightheartedness. This book is easy to read, came with a clear thesis, had effective visuals and came with balanced perspectives. This story comes with multiple points of views, written in third person. This story made me feel hopeful, emotional, relaxing and adventurous! Instead of traveling on a plane, they surprisingly take the bus! This came with all the festive vibes, while being in a forced proximity. What could possibly go wrong?

“The Christmas Express” is a fictional book about six estranged friends coming together for a wedding! They all go on an adventure together on a train! Bryn, who is the bride to be, invites them to a winter wedding in Canada! Instead of giving them tickets for a plane ride, she gets everyone non refundable tickets, so everyone can go on the train ride together! It is a four day train ride, with everyone enjoying the beautiful Canada scenery. However, tensions between all of them rise, then they get trapped in a snowstorm. Will everything end up working out for everyone on the train and will Bryn get married to the love her life? Overall, I rate this book a 4 out of 5 stars!

This book is a very clean read and does not have any content warnings. I think fans that are looking for a fun, easy to read Christmas themed story, would really enjoy this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Isla Gordon and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon a for this digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book’s new edition is expected to release on September 2, 2025!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gem of a find this was

Six old friends….now not friends after a ‘2 do’ a few years back are all invited to a mutual friends wedding…..the only catch being its in Canada, it involves a 4 night train journey and none of them can now stand each other

The Canadian setting was enough that I would have enjoyed the book, bonus it was set on a train and the combo of it all being
described so wonderfully, at Christmas….and then the crux of the matter, was the story good? Did it match the surroundings and journey, between us I doubted it would be….but I was wrong, it did, it was fun yet had sadness in it, it was honest yet there were tall tales to be told and there were no twists, until there was…..I was carried along on the tracks, the mesmerising scenery going past, and it almost had me believing I was there, with them, experiencing it

It also did very well, really well at not highlighting a couple of characters lives and relationships in some over dramatic ‘look at me, this is an inclusive book, rather by just being inclusive and not making a song and dance over it it WAS inclusive and it felt good for it

A very likeable, surprising find that was impossible not to fall for

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Express by Isla Gordon is a heart‑warming, festive contemporary romance about six estranged friends and lovers who are reluctantly reunited when bride‑to‑be Bryn invites them to her winter wedding in Canada, only to surprise them with non‑refundable tickets on a four‑day Christmas train journey across snow‑topped mountains and glistening forests, creating the perfect backdrop for unresolved feelings, second chances, and holiday magic. The story is about friendship, love, awkward reunions, and whether a journey through a breathtaking winter wonderland can thaw even the frostiest of hearts.

What struck me about this book was how evocatively Gordon captures both the cozy atmosphere of a winter train adventure and the complicated, messy relationships between characters who once shared deep bonds but now carry resentment, regret, and secrets. From Cali and Luke’s “one who got away” tension to the simmering sibling rivalry between Joss and Joe, and Sara’s sense of being the outsider, every dynamic felt emotionally textured and relatable, making the cramped snow‑bound cabin feel like a crucible for truth and reconnection. The snowy Canadian scenery, complete with hot chocolates and the comfort of shared carriages, gave me that immersive holiday feeling that made me want to be on the train with them, even when the group’s unresolved tensions made my chest tighten a little with anticipation. At its heart this is about how people find their way back to each other when forced into proximity and shared memories, and how the possibility of love and forgiveness can flicker back to life even in the coldest settings.

Rating: 4 out of 5. I’m giving The Christmas Express this score because its festive setting, emotional honesty, and slow‑burn reconnections made me feel warmly hopeful and genuinely entertained, even if the multiple points of view sometimes slowed the narrative’s momentum.

For readers who adore holiday romances with snow, second chances, and a little romantic tension wrapped up in cozy magic, this book feels like a snug blanket on a winter’s evening.

[Brandi Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Christmas Express is a heartwarming and sweet work of holiday fiction, and I really enjoyed it!

The story revolves around 6 friends who have become estranged after an argument pulls them all apart. After the group receives a wedding invitation to travel to Canada by train. The hope is that the friends will finally be able to clear the air and move beyond the past to move together towards the future.

The story is told from several different POV's, and there is a fairly large cast of characters, but it isn't difficult to keep them all separate and know who is who. The book is marketed as a holiday romantic comedy, but that's a fairly small part of the book and is more of a tale of friendship.

This is the perfect, cozy holiday story to curl up with during the holidays!

Expected Publication Date: September 2nd, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kelly (Little.shropshire.reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another festive read for me. I didn't think I was going to get into this one. It took me around 80 pages to get completely immersed. Once it did, I read the rest in a couple of hours.
I really enjoyed being on this beautiful train ride through Canada.

This story is about rediscovering long-lost friendships, finding ourselves, and forgiveness. Told from the multiple pov of 6 ex friends. I usually struggle with this, but I found it easy to keep track of who's pov I was reading, which helped with the flow of the story.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed reading this book. It had tension, ups and downs, love, and the magic of Christmas. Definitely recommend this one to cosy up with a hot chocolate sitting by the tree.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Christmas Express, by Isla Gordon, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Bryn is getting married, on wants her six friends, who are not getting along, to ride the train for for days together. A Christmas train ride sounds inviting, though I don't know if I would ever do one. The subway has Christmas trains but those are short rides. not 4 day ones like this book. I enjoyed reading the book, but not the characters.

[Minx Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this !!

[Mary Nolan-Fesmire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends are on their way to a wedding after not speaking for 5 years....can you say awkward reconciliation? There is a bit of romance going on as well while the group spend a few days on a train trip across Canada. I enjoyed this new Christmasy feel romance....wasn't sure how it would all turn out in the end. Great buildup throughout the book till the end. Thx NetGalley for the audio arc.

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

what a messy friend group omg, also lowkey via rail propaganda and im not here for that.

otherwise? an entertaining, cute holiday read. honestly, felt like a hallmark movie as a book and i loved that

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley
The Christmas express is a great cosy festive read. It took me a little while to get used to the multi POVs but once I got into it I was hooked.

The majority of the story takes place on a train journey across Canada which is just a gorgeous setting and somehow fits perfectly for the characters. I’d definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a cosy read over the Christmas period

[Donne · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I am yet again reading a snowy Christmas story in the middle of a summer heatwave. I don’t understand why publishers do this. It’s a Christmas story, the least they could do is wait until the fall in September. Is one month really going to make that much of a difference in marketing the book? Seriously! Anyway, I couldn’t resist the story of six former friends, harboring some huge secrets, who all are restricted to a cross-country train ride to another former friend’s wedding, and get stranded by a snowstorm along the way. What could go wrong?

Bryn is marrying her girlfriend, and she wants her estranged best friends to be there. Apparently, she has only invited five of them, Cali, Luke, Joss, Joe, and Sara, because the sixth one, Ember, also happens to be her ex-girlfriend and the two of them didn’t part (5yrs ago) on good terms. Cali and Luke are also exes who didn’t part (5yrs ago) on good terms either. Joss and Joe are feuding siblings, who have also been sort of estranged since their business failed a few years ago. As for Sara, in the five years since seeing her old friends, she’s had a whole other life that she is now keeping from her old friends. Ember plans to crash the wedding with proclamations of love for Bryn in the hopes of preventing the wedding and getting Bryn back.

The story flips back and forth between the six estranged friends on the train, with a few more chapters coming from Ember and Cali than the rest of the friends. It’s revealed that all the estranged friends used to live in the same building until they took a trip to Spain five years ago. It starts to become clear that something happened in Spain that caused the estrangement for the past five years. However, it’s deep into the second half that it’s revealed what happened and it was actually kind of anticlimactic. JMHO

The development of some of the characters was better than others. Joss annoyed the crap out of me and I would have liked to know more about Bryn, who only showed up in two chapters: the prologue and one of the final chapters (the wedding). The pacing was mostly steady and only dragged (just a little) in a couple of parts. The storyline was interesting enough to finish if for nothing else to find out what happened in Spain and to see if the wedding would happen. The writing was…..ok, I guess. I wished the ending was a little more exciting. I’m looking at an overall rating of 3.6 that I will round up to a 4star review. I want to thank NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

#NetGalley #AvonandHarperVoyager #TheChristmasExpress

[shereadswith_coffee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two of my favorite things, Christmas and trains attracted me to my first Christmas read of the season!

Festive romance
6 estranged friends
4 day train ride
Canada
All the feels of winter

Five years ago a group of friends had a falling out and haven’t spoken since. One of the friends, Bryn is getting married and is determined to reunite and rekindle all their friendships. Little do they know, Bryn has tricked them and scheduled them on a non- refundable cross country Christmas train ride through Canada all together instead of the intended direct flight. Her hopes, they all put their differences aside and make amends before her big day.

It’s a story of reconnecting based off of memories and long held feelings. It’s hopeful, festive, conflicting and harmonious all at the same time. 3/5 🌟



Thanks to @avonbooks @HarperCollins and @NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Alanna Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Christmas Express
This title delivered exactly as it promised! Warm, entertaining, and enjoyable for the holiday season.

[Jen Beaudry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3 ⭐️. Enjoyable and seasonal but forgettable. My favourite part was when they described Winnipeg at Christmas and how beautiful it is!

[Alexanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5!

A perfect vacation/beach read for around the holidays. It's a quick, entertaining, and the cozy atmosphere and relaxed writing make up for story's somewhat predictable plot.

[Agi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Isla Gordon takes us again to the most gorgeous setting you can think about - Canada in winter. What could be better? And the descriptions really bring the setting and the places to life.
The author introduces us to many characters in her new book and each chapter is told from a different point of view. Some of the characters get more chapters, some less, and I think we could live without one or two characters, actually one of them was so insignificant for me that I've already forgotten her name. Nevertheless, with this number of characters, it would be easy to loode track, but Isla Gordon has done a really great job and I've never had a problem to know who is who and what's their background.
I think I'd prefer to know what has happened with this group of friends those few years ago to bring them apart at the beginning of the story. There was not enough suspense in the air to keep me this interested, it made me rather annoyed - I mean, a group of adult people behaving like small children, and why? Because of...? What? Put it at the beginning and I might have understood them better. And, let's be honest, it was not SO tragic and dramatic, this what has happened those few years ago.
Nevertheless, I think that the author has done really great to keep all of the characters and their stories in the line. The plot was interesting ans fresh, there were some funny one - liners and altogether, it was a lovely, wintery read. I missed a bear perhaps, somwhere on the way, but oh well, you can't have everything :)

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read The Christmas Express over a couple of days and really enjoyed it. The main part of the novel takes place on a train travelling from Toronto to Vancouver over four days at Christmas. Five former friends board the train to head to Bryn’s wedding. They’ve not spoken for five years so being confined to a train could prove to be somewhat awkward but Bryn is desperate to reunite them all and rekindle their friendship. But tensions are steadily simmering and Bryn’s ex who wasn’t even invited is also on the train. This novel takes place across a winter wonderland and is guaranteed to get you into the festive spirit. Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and the author for the chance to review.

[Lily Saouda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, fluffy read. Not much else to say about it!! The ending was really predictable but the concept of the book is fun and festive.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

You could easily still add this to your winter reading list as Christmas isn’t really the main theme of the book. It’s definitely wintry though with a heavy snowfall being central to the plot. This is the story of five friends – ex-friends really – who are travelling to another friend’s wedding in Vancouver on a cross-Canada express train. I’ve visited so many fabulous places in my Christmas reading this year and this is one more trip I’d love to experience.

Bryn is the bride-to-be and she has invited her friends in the hope that they will sort out their differences. There’s Cali and Luke who used to be a couple, Joe and Joss a warring brother and sister and Sara, who used to share a house with the group but always felt slightly left out. Oh and there’s Ember, Bryn’s ex-girlfriend who wonders if there might just be a chance to rekindle the relationship…

It’s a real forced proximity book this one not just in terms of romantic relationships but also the friends’ relationships. Not only are they all on the train with some of them sharing cabins, but the snowstorm effectively traps them for even longer with nowhere to go. I was so intrigued to find out what had happened to between this previously close-knit group to make them fall out in such a spectacular manner. I was also keen to find out whether Bryn’s plan to bring them back together would work or not. And of course I wondered what would happen between Bryn and Ember when Bryn seemed so happy to marrying her fiancée.

I really enjoyed the snowy Canadian setting and the author described the beautiful wintry surroundings so well. I liked the way that she told the story from the points of view of several of the characters, although Cali and Ember were the main focus. Love, friendship, tension and past secrets all come together in this festive read and I enjoyed going along on the ride with this group, finding out what had happened and what would happen.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a quick and easy holiday read. There were some things that weren't my favorite, but overall I really enjoyed my time reading it.
This book starts off with one friend (Bryn) about to get married. She wants her 5 friends to attend her wedding, but they had a really big fight 5 years ago and none of them have spoken since. She offers to pay for their flights from England to Canada and they all end up agreeing to go. But at their connecting flight, it is revealed Bryn has booked them a 4 day train ride for the last leg of their trip in the hopes that they can use that time to hash out whatever lingering anger is between them.
The characters were all ok, but I didn't really love any of them. They all had faults which were immediately put out there, probably to kind of give us a little look into why the fight happened before actually explaining it near the end of the book. They were all quite childish and at times annoying. I think the characters were actually my least favorite part of the book. Cali and Luke had always been drawn to each other and finally got together a week before the fight but obviously did not stay together after the fight. Joss and Joe were siblings who had tried to start a business which failed (and which a few of the friends had invested in and lost money). Sara was the outsider and it seemed Bryn was kind of the glue that held them all together. They had all lived in the same building for several years. The other character was Ember. She is Bryn's ex and looking at Bryn's wedding preparations thinks that Bryn is sending her signals that she misses her so Ember wants to talk to Bryn in person before she gets married and also ends up on the train.
The build up to the train doesn't take very long, but it does really show the dynamic between the friends really well in that short amount of time. The train ride itself was a really fun plot. It was fun to imagine riding on this train through the Canadian wilderness. There were several stops along the way which broke up the train ride perfectly and the towns they stopped at were described so well that I felt like I was there.
The writing style was so easy to read and it was easy to pick up and get lost in. I was able to read large chunks even if I wasn't able to sit down for as long on some days as other.
If you are looking for a quick, snowy read (that takes place over Christmas but doesn't focus on Christmas), look no further. While the characters didn't hit the spot for me, the overall vibe was really fun!

[L. Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

Um. Wow.

I don’t even know where to begin I loved this book so much! When I read the concept, I thought it sounded fun. In weird ways gave me Polar Express vibes but less magical more contemporary (The Polar Express is one of my favourite Christmas stories/ movies.) What I got was definitely something contemporary, but magical.

Six friends who fell apart in the UK travel to Canada for a wedding and end up on the Via Rail train ride across the country (which, if anyone is wondering my size for Christmas, it’s a sleeper compartment on the train from Vancouver to Toronto.) They have to face each other and old wounds. Not to mention! The bride’s ex-girlfriend hops on board to crash the wedding! WHAT?!

Each character was so unique. You could tell them all apart which I love in a big cast. I think that’s often the hardest part is creating all the different unique characters. They all won my heart in different ways.

This book was emotional, funny, and just plain beautiful. I think everyone got the ending they needed. Just incredible!

Highly recommend putting this on your holiday book list!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

6 friends find themselves tricked onto a train to celebrate their friend's wedding. They find themselves forced to confront their hurts and make choices that will either help them move forward or stay caught in the past.

There are multiple POVs in this book but the main perspectives come from Cali (the bride's best friend) and Ember (the bride's ex-girlfriend). It follows all friends as they try to cordially exist on a cross-country trip across Canada during Christmas. It was a quick cozy read and I found myself just itching to know…what. on. earth. happened. 5. years. ago?!

I felt emotionally drawn to the characters and the journey they each had to embark on alone and who they became in the time they were apart. Cali and her inner monologue absolutely cracked me up, she is the sunshine and sometimes awkward friend of the group. I loved the exploration of how young friendships can be so hard to navigate when you're still learning about yourself as a person.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, it was fast paced and there was yearning and secret glances. My favorite things all wrapped up in a Christmas season? Yes please!

* Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the eARC for my honest review! *

[Lisa Goodmurphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Six estranged friends from London are reunited when they receive an invite to attend a post-Christmas wedding on Vancouver Island. The bride-to-be, Bryn, wants the group to attend her wedding so badly that she is paying for their travel. They land in Toronto expecting to board a connecting flight to British Columbia, however, Bryn has booked them on a multi-day Christmas train trip across Canada from Toronto to Vancouver instead hoping that spending 4 days together on the cozy train will put an end to their feud before her wedding.

This is a fun holiday read told from multiple points of view - a large cast of characters but fairly easy to keep them straight. A heartwarming story of friendship, romance and reconnection - more of a wintery read than Christmasy but still perfect for the holiday season. I loved the setting on the cross-Canada train as this trip has been on my bucket list for a long time!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an adorable holiday read. Six ex best friends are stuck on a train together for five days. The entire story I was dying to know what broke their friendship apart. I thought I would be confused with the different point of views but I actually loved it. It was fun seeing everyone’s personalities and how they were trying to get along. Cali was trying so hard to have everyone hang out to get to know them again. Cali and Luke were adorable. Ember was a nice touch to the story. I was constantly wondering if she would make it to see Bryn. I started suspecting that something was up with the girl Alex, who Ember met in the train. Ember’s story was sad and I’m glad she reconnected with everyone on the train. This book had a touch of romance but the story was mostly about friendship and reconnecting. Life your life with no regrets.

[Beth Kanarek · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute one! It’s a story about friendship and forgiveness. It was a warm and cozy easy read. The friendship dynamics kept my attention the whole time and it had just enough holiday spirit to keep with the theming of the title!

I will say I did have some issues with this book in that I did find a few typos in my copy. I also wish we delved deeper into some topics. I feel like we never got a clear answer into why the friend groups broke up. We never resolved Joss’s unrequited love for Luke and never really saw her grow past being someone easily ticked off and bitter. Lastly, I’m not sure what the point of Sarah’s character was. If we removed her from the book the story doesn’t change.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of people who used to be friends are all invited to the wedding of another ex-friend, Bryn. Bryn wants them all back together and friends again so has them take a 4-day train across Canada to get to her wedding, which is happening right after Christmas. On this train, the 5 friends are forced to confront each other and an event that happened 5 years ago and broke them all up.

This was such a cozy book! With the train ride through Canada and getting to hear all about the snow and scenery. It made the perfect setting for these old friends to try and reunite. You get multiple POV's which helps to show everyone's point of view and understand what everyone is feeling. It also has a good message about moving on.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

[Sherrie Howey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of friends who had a falling out 5 years ago are on a 4 day train trip to attend the wedding of another former friend. I thought the story started off slowly but the book picks up in the last 100 pages. I loved the descriptions of the scenery as the train travelled through Canada. I did think the characters were a bit bland and wished that the reason for their falling out had been disclosed earlier in the book( it was revealed in the latter part of the book). This is a quick and easy read.

[McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a heartwarming story about a group of estranged friends reconciling while on a four day train ride through Canada.

It focuses on second chances and forgiveness. I really enjoyed the setting and liked getting the different POVs.

I did find the reasoning of their estrangement to be a bit anticlimatic and also wish some characters had more character development.

The writing style was very easy to read and was able to fly through this one pretty quickly.

Overall this was a cozy winter read about rediscovering friendship!

Thank you so much @avonbooks for the #gifted copy!🫶🏼

[Nicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping for a perfect combination of the setting of the train riding through the wintery setting of Canada and an ensemble of great characters, but unfortunately the book, its plot and its characters really disappointed me

[Blossom Hopkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really lovely cosy read. All of the Christmas feels and great characters!