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Single All The Way
Lexi Newman is coming home for Christmas… she probably should have called first.
When Lexi’s long-term boyfriend dumps her just before the holidays, she decides there’s one silver she can finally spend Christmas at home in Marram Bay with her family, after years of doing whatever he wanted.
There’s just one small problem – Lexi hasn’t told anyone she’s coming.
She turns up on her parents’ doorstep, suitcase in hand, only to discover they’ve jetted off on their first ever festive holiday abroad. Now, with nowhere else to go, Lexi finds herself spending Christmas alone in her childhood home, with only the family smart speaker for company.
But the bigger the house, the emptier it feels, and with nosy neighbours, old school friends, and the local policeman knocking on her door, Lexi’s determined not to let anyone find out she’s there on her own.
Her solution? Pretend she’s in town to throw the Christmas party of the year while her parents are away, but as more and more people find out about it, it’s going to take more than some loud music and flashing lights to convince people that she isn’t home alone.
With just twelve days until Christmas, will Lexi find someone special to spend it with, or will she be single all the way?
Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Christina Lauren
Single All The The Novella inspired Snow Place Like Home, a full-length novel with the same set-up but a different story, different love interest, and a brand new ending.
When Lexi’s long-term boyfriend dumps her just before the holidays, she decides there’s one silver she can finally spend Christmas at home in Marram Bay with her family, after years of doing whatever he wanted.
There’s just one small problem – Lexi hasn’t told anyone she’s coming.
She turns up on her parents’ doorstep, suitcase in hand, only to discover they’ve jetted off on their first ever festive holiday abroad. Now, with nowhere else to go, Lexi finds herself spending Christmas alone in her childhood home, with only the family smart speaker for company.
But the bigger the house, the emptier it feels, and with nosy neighbours, old school friends, and the local policeman knocking on her door, Lexi’s determined not to let anyone find out she’s there on her own.
Her solution? Pretend she’s in town to throw the Christmas party of the year while her parents are away, but as more and more people find out about it, it’s going to take more than some loud music and flashing lights to convince people that she isn’t home alone.
With just twelve days until Christmas, will Lexi find someone special to spend it with, or will she be single all the way?
Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Christina Lauren
Single All The The Novella inspired Snow Place Like Home, a full-length novel with the same set-up but a different story, different love interest, and a brand new ending.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2022
765 people are currently reading
1406 people want to read
About the author
Portia MacIntosh
50 books2,081 followersPortia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 30 romantic comedy novels.
From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.
Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.
Find out more at www.portiamacintosh.com
From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.
Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.
Find out more at www.portiamacintosh.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
November 25, 2024
I’m having just a tiny bit of burnout lately, so I thought it might be fun to dig into one of the MANY lonely books and audiobooks I’ve purchased that sit waiting on my shelves. This time I chose new-to-me author Portia MacIntosh’s holiday rom-com Single All the Way.
Thirty-something Dani is a journalist that’s just been dumped by her boss/boyfriend Tom and demoted to a lesser position. When a job opportunity arises closer to her hometown she thinks it might be a nice way to cut ties and start over. The guy responsible for that decision is Rex - the serial-dating office flirt. When Rex needs Dani’s help to make a potential love interest jealous, she sees an opportunity. She helps him, he helps her and thus a fake dating relationship is born.
You know the rest. It’s cute, fluffy, play-by-the-book, holiday-themed romance with two charming leads who you can’t help but root for. The banter was fun and the spice level was ultra mild, so if you like your romance on the cleaner side this is a good one. My favorite parts were an entertaining side plot about a holiday decorating war between Dani’s dad and neighbor and a fake Christmas party she has to scrabble together to cover one of her many fibs! It doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it was a fun listen narrated by Karen Cass, and now there’s one less lonely book on my TBR!
★★★ ½
Thirty-something Dani is a journalist that’s just been dumped by her boss/boyfriend Tom and demoted to a lesser position. When a job opportunity arises closer to her hometown she thinks it might be a nice way to cut ties and start over. The guy responsible for that decision is Rex - the serial-dating office flirt. When Rex needs Dani’s help to make a potential love interest jealous, she sees an opportunity. She helps him, he helps her and thus a fake dating relationship is born.
You know the rest. It’s cute, fluffy, play-by-the-book, holiday-themed romance with two charming leads who you can’t help but root for. The banter was fun and the spice level was ultra mild, so if you like your romance on the cleaner side this is a good one. My favorite parts were an entertaining side plot about a holiday decorating war between Dani’s dad and neighbor and a fake Christmas party she has to scrabble together to cover one of her many fibs! It doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it was a fun listen narrated by Karen Cass, and now there’s one less lonely book on my TBR!
★★★ ½
August 9, 2022
Are there any 90’s kids on here who remember watching Cartoon Network’s Christmas in July? Like ‘96/‘97ish. That’s what it was like reading a Christmas novel in July. 😂
This book was very entertaining! Lots of potential boyfriend prospects, job prospects and situational prospects to keep the reader on their toes and wondering where things with the story are headed next.
There were a couple of characters who really stood out as very fun and helped me enjoy the story more with such light-hearted characters.
The references to hot chocolate, Christmas cookies, and Christmas music made me kind of excited for the Christmas season! I say ‘kind of’ as Halloween is my favorite holiday and fall is my favorite season. I’m excited for Christmas but not that excited to skip the best season of year. 🤣
With a catchy title and cute cover, this book is bound to get you in the merry spirit no matter what time of year!
A big thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.
4⭐️
This book was very entertaining! Lots of potential boyfriend prospects, job prospects and situational prospects to keep the reader on their toes and wondering where things with the story are headed next.
There were a couple of characters who really stood out as very fun and helped me enjoy the story more with such light-hearted characters.
The references to hot chocolate, Christmas cookies, and Christmas music made me kind of excited for the Christmas season! I say ‘kind of’ as Halloween is my favorite holiday and fall is my favorite season. I’m excited for Christmas but not that excited to skip the best season of year. 🤣
With a catchy title and cute cover, this book is bound to get you in the merry spirit no matter what time of year!
A big thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book.
4⭐️
December 12, 2023
Cute closed door Christmas romance. I just wish I believed the romance a bit more. It didn't have enough buildup or tension for me. I didn't buy it. 2.5 stars.
December 19, 2019
After being dumped by her boyfriend and being demoted at work, Lexi is looking forward to her first Christmas with family in ages. However, after arriving on her parents’ doorstep, she discovers she probably should have let them in on her plans—they’ve hopped off to a holiday in France! Faced with the prospect of Christmas alone, she chooses to stay in her parents’ cozier—though no less empty—home. But as she struggles to not let anyone know about her woeful holiday plans, one little lie snowballs into a party that’ll either be brilliant or a total disaster.
Things are not going great for Lexi. After tolerating insufferable situations at both work and home, it’s amazing she still has the spirit to stomach Christmas. And yet, author Portia MacIntosh has crafted such a determined, fun, complicated heroine that her decision to launch into a festive escape makes complete sense. Yes, she’s at a low point, but she refuses to remain trapped. From her hasty escape from the city to the quiet comfort of her childhood Yorkshire home, it’s impossible not to root for her to find at least some semblance of happiness.
Of course, complication breeds complication, and staying back home doesn’t come with ease. MacIntosh weaves in delicious tension when Lexi refuses to reveal that she’s actually alone for Christmas. After running into a few old friends, the lie of hosting a party comes out so easily. Actually executing it in such a short amount of time? Not so much. It’s easy to be frustrated at Lexi for not being more honest, but she’s had such a rough go of things that it makes complete sense that she tries to be guarded and controlled about her personal life. That’s the beauty of MacIntosh’s characters—they’re complex, but always relatable.
For fans of MacIntosh’s other books, this novella ties into the Marram Bay series, though it completely works as a stand-alone. Some character favorites are back, easily dropping into the action and propelling some of the funniest moments forward. Decorative snowmen will bring a smile for a very unique reason after reading this. And just like in her other works, romance comes to the forefront as Lexi reconnects with an old school crush.
Home Alone on Hope Island is like the perfect holiday party—a festive success.
Note: Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
Things are not going great for Lexi. After tolerating insufferable situations at both work and home, it’s amazing she still has the spirit to stomach Christmas. And yet, author Portia MacIntosh has crafted such a determined, fun, complicated heroine that her decision to launch into a festive escape makes complete sense. Yes, she’s at a low point, but she refuses to remain trapped. From her hasty escape from the city to the quiet comfort of her childhood Yorkshire home, it’s impossible not to root for her to find at least some semblance of happiness.
Of course, complication breeds complication, and staying back home doesn’t come with ease. MacIntosh weaves in delicious tension when Lexi refuses to reveal that she’s actually alone for Christmas. After running into a few old friends, the lie of hosting a party comes out so easily. Actually executing it in such a short amount of time? Not so much. It’s easy to be frustrated at Lexi for not being more honest, but she’s had such a rough go of things that it makes complete sense that she tries to be guarded and controlled about her personal life. That’s the beauty of MacIntosh’s characters—they’re complex, but always relatable.
For fans of MacIntosh’s other books, this novella ties into the Marram Bay series, though it completely works as a stand-alone. Some character favorites are back, easily dropping into the action and propelling some of the funniest moments forward. Decorative snowmen will bring a smile for a very unique reason after reading this. And just like in her other works, romance comes to the forefront as Lexi reconnects with an old school crush.
Home Alone on Hope Island is like the perfect holiday party—a festive success.
Note: Review also posted at https://pluckedfromthestacks.wordpres...
August 27, 2022
Largely set on a tidal island, this coastal town in Yorkshire was the most charming backdrop for a holiday romance!
Cheated on by her boyfriend (who also happens to be her boss), Dani is hopeful her life can only go up. Deciding to return home to surprise her parents for the holidays, an empty house ignites a last minute plan to host a Christmas party.
This story was such a breeze to binge. Lovably sarcastic and chatty, Dani was a great character to follow. Admittedly, I was wary of the love interest at first—but his charm completely won me over. With a sprinkle of fake dating and adorable Zoom calls, their relationship was unexpected yet absolutely precious.
There's plenty of Christmas fun throughout too, including a hilarious neighbourhood Christmas decoration rivalry. I'm so glad I gave this one a try! It was wonderful.
Cheated on by her boyfriend (who also happens to be her boss), Dani is hopeful her life can only go up. Deciding to return home to surprise her parents for the holidays, an empty house ignites a last minute plan to host a Christmas party.
This story was such a breeze to binge. Lovably sarcastic and chatty, Dani was a great character to follow. Admittedly, I was wary of the love interest at first—but his charm completely won me over. With a sprinkle of fake dating and adorable Zoom calls, their relationship was unexpected yet absolutely precious.
There's plenty of Christmas fun throughout too, including a hilarious neighbourhood Christmas decoration rivalry. I'm so glad I gave this one a try! It was wonderful.
August 31, 2022
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! Halloween and spooky reads? Nah! Let’s jump straight into the Christmas stories! What comes out when putting together my favorite holiday and one of my favorite romance authors? A super entertaining and unputdownable story that will have you yearning for a hot chocolate (even though it’s 40ºC outside) and Mariah Carey and her All I Want For Christmas Is You on a loop (well, maybe not that one).
After her boyfriend dumps her for a younger girl, Dani’s Christmas looks like it’s gonna be a lonely one so she decides to surprise her parents and goes to her hometown to celebrate the holidays with them. But oh, surprise! Her parents have gone away on holiday too! A fake party, a couple of love interests and a lot of Christmas spirit will determine if Dani will spend the holidays single all the way.
If you’ve previously read a Portia MacIntosh novel you know what you’re in for, and if not…what are your waiting for? Her heroines are always so relatable I wanna be friends with all of them. Dani feels unseen both in her love life and professional life, and I think everyone can relate to some extent with that. Her relationship with Rex, the office flirt, was so much fun! I love how there was more to him than what initially met the eye. He was a serial flirt, ok, but he was also charming, generous and willing to help Dani no matter what (and their Zoom meetings were hilarious), so that made him such an appealing character.
We’re back in Marram Bay and it was great to come back to that gorgeous location and meeting back some old friends. The tidal island always make for such a great setting!
The narrative style is so engaging that it’s hard to stop reading once you’ve started. I loved how Dani and Rex’s friendship developed, full of humor, witty banter, compassion and playfulness, devoid of all the toxic elements we sometimes have to read in romances.
Witty, cute and warm story with a fantastic set of characters that made of Single All The Way the perfect Christmas rom-com.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
After her boyfriend dumps her for a younger girl, Dani’s Christmas looks like it’s gonna be a lonely one so she decides to surprise her parents and goes to her hometown to celebrate the holidays with them. But oh, surprise! Her parents have gone away on holiday too! A fake party, a couple of love interests and a lot of Christmas spirit will determine if Dani will spend the holidays single all the way.
If you’ve previously read a Portia MacIntosh novel you know what you’re in for, and if not…what are your waiting for? Her heroines are always so relatable I wanna be friends with all of them. Dani feels unseen both in her love life and professional life, and I think everyone can relate to some extent with that. Her relationship with Rex, the office flirt, was so much fun! I love how there was more to him than what initially met the eye. He was a serial flirt, ok, but he was also charming, generous and willing to help Dani no matter what (and their Zoom meetings were hilarious), so that made him such an appealing character.
We’re back in Marram Bay and it was great to come back to that gorgeous location and meeting back some old friends. The tidal island always make for such a great setting!
The narrative style is so engaging that it’s hard to stop reading once you’ve started. I loved how Dani and Rex’s friendship developed, full of humor, witty banter, compassion and playfulness, devoid of all the toxic elements we sometimes have to read in romances.
Witty, cute and warm story with a fantastic set of characters that made of Single All The Way the perfect Christmas rom-com.
Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 8, 2022
I love a Christmas book and all the descriptions and food and silliness and happiness and folk and families meeting up and the little Christmas shop in the village thats open every day of the year and features in every book 🤓 ( even though these shops rarely if ever exist ),(this book even has a Village Jam shop…..)
‘Single All The Way’ has all this and more and has a main character who is unlucky in work and love and then falls in love with the office scoundrel,she goes home to Yorkshire and the appealing sounding Hope Island ( the tides cuts off the village twice a day ) and the normal light chaos, as expected ,follows
And it’s fine,theres a few things that wrangled, the main one being she is ignored at work and treated shockingly and am just not sure anyone in 2022 would put up with this,to the point that the people who sit next to her on a daily basis don’t know she exists…..also the books sets itself up for every fall so you are saying ‘well that’s going to happen if you don't do this’,(and its something we would all to avoid a situation ) of course she doesn’t and so as expected a problem arises
Maybe am looking too much into it,for what it is its fine but not the best Crimbo book read but its light and airy and gives Christmas tingles
6/10
3 Stars
‘Single All The Way’ has all this and more and has a main character who is unlucky in work and love and then falls in love with the office scoundrel,she goes home to Yorkshire and the appealing sounding Hope Island ( the tides cuts off the village twice a day ) and the normal light chaos, as expected ,follows
And it’s fine,theres a few things that wrangled, the main one being she is ignored at work and treated shockingly and am just not sure anyone in 2022 would put up with this,to the point that the people who sit next to her on a daily basis don’t know she exists…..also the books sets itself up for every fall so you are saying ‘well that’s going to happen if you don't do this’,(and its something we would all to avoid a situation ) of course she doesn’t and so as expected a problem arises
Maybe am looking too much into it,for what it is its fine but not the best Crimbo book read but its light and airy and gives Christmas tingles
6/10
3 Stars
September 26, 2022
I did not enjoy this story as much as some of MacIntosh’s other novels, simply because I grew frustrated by how many lies the protagonist tells, just to spare her dignity.
With an endearing narrative voice, I quickly warmed to Dani’s character, who is upfront and honest about her circumstances. Having split up with her boss, Tom, life in the office is strained and awkward – even more so as he moves to demote Dani and basically push her out of the office. For the “good of the company”, of course. Dani knows she needs a change and when an unpredicted, random kiss with one of her colleagues leads to a fake romance, Dani recognises the opportunity to leave London and her failed love life behind.
So yes, once again we are delving into the theme of a fake romance, something that seems increasingly popular in the novels I have picked this year. However, because I liked Dani’s character so much, I warmed to the budding relationship between her and Rex. In fact, when they part ways early in the novel, I was disappointed that MacIntosh puts a distance with this potential romance because I loved seeing the chemistry between the two of them.
Instead, Dani returns home to find her parents are away for Christmas. Trying to save face, Dani tells a series of lies which presents a successful life, a blossoming career and, bizarrely, a Christmas party. It’s all a bit lack-lustre and this is where I found the novel less enjoyable than other MacIntosh stories. Dani’s desperation to prove herself to her old town just means she finds herself in deeper water. Rex is reachable, just by video calls, and I was so keen to see their relationship grow that I was frustrated when this did not happen very quickly.
This is a pleasant Christmas story with plenty of snow. I particularly loved the Christmas burger that was described – it sounded divine! The competitiveness between Dani’s father and neighbour over Christmas lights was entertaining and added to the lovable monologue that Dani presents. However, I think I was hoping for more romance between Dani and Rex, rather than this display of dishonesty and fear of being found out as single, unhappy and alone for Christmas.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
With an endearing narrative voice, I quickly warmed to Dani’s character, who is upfront and honest about her circumstances. Having split up with her boss, Tom, life in the office is strained and awkward – even more so as he moves to demote Dani and basically push her out of the office. For the “good of the company”, of course. Dani knows she needs a change and when an unpredicted, random kiss with one of her colleagues leads to a fake romance, Dani recognises the opportunity to leave London and her failed love life behind.
So yes, once again we are delving into the theme of a fake romance, something that seems increasingly popular in the novels I have picked this year. However, because I liked Dani’s character so much, I warmed to the budding relationship between her and Rex. In fact, when they part ways early in the novel, I was disappointed that MacIntosh puts a distance with this potential romance because I loved seeing the chemistry between the two of them.
Instead, Dani returns home to find her parents are away for Christmas. Trying to save face, Dani tells a series of lies which presents a successful life, a blossoming career and, bizarrely, a Christmas party. It’s all a bit lack-lustre and this is where I found the novel less enjoyable than other MacIntosh stories. Dani’s desperation to prove herself to her old town just means she finds herself in deeper water. Rex is reachable, just by video calls, and I was so keen to see their relationship grow that I was frustrated when this did not happen very quickly.
This is a pleasant Christmas story with plenty of snow. I particularly loved the Christmas burger that was described – it sounded divine! The competitiveness between Dani’s father and neighbour over Christmas lights was entertaining and added to the lovable monologue that Dani presents. However, I think I was hoping for more romance between Dani and Rex, rather than this display of dishonesty and fear of being found out as single, unhappy and alone for Christmas.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2022
This was cute! Girl down on her luck going home for Christmas to find her parents went away on holiday. Throw in a workplace, fake dating romance with the misunderstood office dating scoundrel, a small town with nosey neighbors, quirky characters and childhood friends and sprinkle in some English holiday cheer and you’ve got yourself a winning recipe.
October 30, 2023
Reread, October 2023 - this was such a good reread, I listened to the audiobook and Karen Cass always does amazing.
The whole web-of-lies thing bugged me a bit this time more than my original read, so I didn’t love it quite as much the second time around, but it’s still one of my favourites by this author.
*****
Original review, July 2022 - Man, I love Christmas. I’m normally a seasonal reader, so I wasn’t sure if I’d really get in the Christmas-y mood as much when it’s still so hot out (honestly, I live in Florida, it’s not like Christmas is cold so I really don’t know what I’m even talking about) but I loved this. My favourite Portia MacIntosh novel to date is Stuck On You, specifically for the Christmas-y elements, and I loved that this had so much of it as well.
I think I just really loved returning to Marram Bay. I haven’t read all of Portia’s backlist, so I know there were references to characters and places that I only recognized from book titles / descriptions that I’ll appreciate more once I’ve read more of her books from Marram Bay. But I have read ‘Love and Lies at the Village Christmas Shop’ and loved seeing those characters again! It’s so sweet that Ivy and Dani were friends, and I still adore Gaz
At first, I didn’t know how much I would care for Rex. His comment to Dani about not seeming shallow to another woman by dating her kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but the way it was said did make it seem like it wasn’t actually about her appearance, it was about him being kind and not flirtatious. Not my favourite phrasing, because it did make me assume negatively about him at first, but it all ended up fine because I really did adore Rex.
I think what I really liked about this was that it honestly all felt quite uncomplicated. I felt like I could see feelings developing on both ends by the way this book was written, and despite some little issues, nothing felt overly dramatic. And that really can happen a lot in books. This was just a fun read about great characters.
There was also something about this book that just felt very positive. Even when things really weren’t going well for Dani, I feel like she remained so hopeful, and that was lovely. Especially around Ivy, and how excited and kind Ivy always was, it seemed like no matter what happened with her love life or career, Dani would have a happy life and had wonderful people in her life.
Total side note, but I feel like I need to count how many of Portia MacIntosh’s novels have a mention of Michael Buble. I feel like it’s a lot, and I love it. Especially for a Christmas book.
Definitely recommend this. I recommend all of Portia MacIntosh’s books, I’ve read quite a few and always enjoy them, but there really is something special about the holiday ones.
Thank you to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!
The whole web-of-lies thing bugged me a bit this time more than my original read, so I didn’t love it quite as much the second time around, but it’s still one of my favourites by this author.
*****
Original review, July 2022 - Man, I love Christmas. I’m normally a seasonal reader, so I wasn’t sure if I’d really get in the Christmas-y mood as much when it’s still so hot out (honestly, I live in Florida, it’s not like Christmas is cold so I really don’t know what I’m even talking about) but I loved this. My favourite Portia MacIntosh novel to date is Stuck On You, specifically for the Christmas-y elements, and I loved that this had so much of it as well.
I think I just really loved returning to Marram Bay. I haven’t read all of Portia’s backlist, so I know there were references to characters and places that I only recognized from book titles / descriptions that I’ll appreciate more once I’ve read more of her books from Marram Bay. But I have read ‘Love and Lies at the Village Christmas Shop’ and loved seeing those characters again! It’s so sweet that Ivy and Dani were friends, and I still adore Gaz
At first, I didn’t know how much I would care for Rex. His comment to Dani about not seeming shallow to another woman by dating her kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but the way it was said did make it seem like it wasn’t actually about her appearance, it was about him being kind and not flirtatious. Not my favourite phrasing, because it did make me assume negatively about him at first, but it all ended up fine because I really did adore Rex.
I think what I really liked about this was that it honestly all felt quite uncomplicated. I felt like I could see feelings developing on both ends by the way this book was written, and despite some little issues, nothing felt overly dramatic. And that really can happen a lot in books. This was just a fun read about great characters.
There was also something about this book that just felt very positive. Even when things really weren’t going well for Dani, I feel like she remained so hopeful, and that was lovely. Especially around Ivy, and how excited and kind Ivy always was, it seemed like no matter what happened with her love life or career, Dani would have a happy life and had wonderful people in her life.
Total side note, but I feel like I need to count how many of Portia MacIntosh’s novels have a mention of Michael Buble. I feel like it’s a lot, and I love it. Especially for a Christmas book.
Definitely recommend this. I recommend all of Portia MacIntosh’s books, I’ve read quite a few and always enjoy them, but there really is something special about the holiday ones.
Thank you to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book!
October 5, 2022
As a huge fan of Portia MacIntosh I have to say it was very good to be back in Marram Bay and Hope Island for Christmas. I love this setting, and it's always a pleasure to read a new book set there.
And this one was you I have come to expect from the author incredibly funny too, plenty of moments to giggle away at, and many layers of almost farcical deception too.
Arguably you shouldn't find yourself liking someone who lies as much as Dani did in this story, but she really has backed herself into a corner and can't help herself to the extent she sounds relieved when she is able to tell even partial truths!
I loved all the Christmas lights, the zoom chats, the fun little games that Dani plays with Rex, and also seeing her re-connect with people from her past. It's all incredibly entertaining and I was loving every moment of the book.
Not only is there a brief fake boyfriend in this story there even a fake party taking it up a notch further, and there are home alone vibes going on too.
It's just so enjoyable and another book from this author that I was filled with joy to read.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
And this one was you I have come to expect from the author incredibly funny too, plenty of moments to giggle away at, and many layers of almost farcical deception too.
Arguably you shouldn't find yourself liking someone who lies as much as Dani did in this story, but she really has backed herself into a corner and can't help herself to the extent she sounds relieved when she is able to tell even partial truths!
I loved all the Christmas lights, the zoom chats, the fun little games that Dani plays with Rex, and also seeing her re-connect with people from her past. It's all incredibly entertaining and I was loving every moment of the book.
Not only is there a brief fake boyfriend in this story there even a fake party taking it up a notch further, and there are home alone vibes going on too.
It's just so enjoyable and another book from this author that I was filled with joy to read.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
December 2, 2019
Home Alone on Hope Island was a lovely and delightful read.
I didn't have read any of Portia MacIntosh books in a while and after I've devoured this novella in one sitting I'm beating myself up for not getting the previous stories set in Marram Bay sooner.
Lexi studied at law school but then decided to help his boyfriend career becoming his Personal Assistant at an important law firm in London. When he leaves her for a younger girl and dismisses her as his PA she decids to go back to Hope Island to spend a cozy Christmas at home with her parents but her plan doesn't work exactly as she wants.
I loved Lexi's journey and I hope she will get also a full novel to know more about her life because throughout these few pages I grew very fond of this character.
I recommend to read this story if you need to get into the festive mood.
Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.
December 9, 2022
A FUN HOLIDAY READ.
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This one was a quick, light, good holiday time. I love finding great holiday books for the season and I’d easily add this to my recommendations list. The audio was a good listen and gave the edge to British humor that I got a laugh out of.
I wasn’t sure initially how I felt about the romance. The hero isn’t exactly charming or endearing, BUT he really grew on me. I ended up thinking he was sweet and I thought the chemistry between Dani and him was endearing.
The plot is exactly what you expect of a Christmastime read. A cobbled together holiday party set in a small town. I have no qualms over this because I feel like it’s the spirit of the season for these reads.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Holiday Romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: closed door
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This one was a quick, light, good holiday time. I love finding great holiday books for the season and I’d easily add this to my recommendations list. The audio was a good listen and gave the edge to British humor that I got a laugh out of.
I wasn’t sure initially how I felt about the romance. The hero isn’t exactly charming or endearing, BUT he really grew on me. I ended up thinking he was sweet and I thought the chemistry between Dani and him was endearing.
The plot is exactly what you expect of a Christmastime read. A cobbled together holiday party set in a small town. I have no qualms over this because I feel like it’s the spirit of the season for these reads.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Holiday Romance
- Language: a little
- Romance: closed door
July 31, 2022
This was closer to 3.5 stars for me, but rounding up because it deserves more than just 3…
I liked our MC Dani but I LOVED Rex. I wish there was more of him.
The story felt like it was lacking in dialogue for me, it’s more told than experienced. And the premise it’s kind of weird. It’s a story built upon lies, but everything is suppose to work out? Meh…
Cute, but nothing to write home about.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I liked our MC Dani but I LOVED Rex. I wish there was more of him.
The story felt like it was lacking in dialogue for me, it’s more told than experienced. And the premise it’s kind of weird. It’s a story built upon lies, but everything is suppose to work out? Meh…
Cute, but nothing to write home about.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 30, 2022
2.5/3 stars
This book felt like a classic Christmas hallmark movie. While I did enjoy the Christmas aspects, it was pretty boring for me. Nothing very unique happened in the romance, I didn’t fall in love with the characters because they felt super bland. It wasn’t a bad book, just not memorable. If you are a fan of Christmas hallmark movies and looking for a simple Christmas romance you might like it.
This book felt like a classic Christmas hallmark movie. While I did enjoy the Christmas aspects, it was pretty boring for me. Nothing very unique happened in the romance, I didn’t fall in love with the characters because they felt super bland. It wasn’t a bad book, just not memorable. If you are a fan of Christmas hallmark movies and looking for a simple Christmas romance you might like it.
December 3, 2023
this is an instance where i wish gr had half of even quarter stars otherwise i would’ve given this at least a 3.5 stars. its a fake dating/ enemies to lovers trope and it is very christmasy. heads up i listened to this on audiobook on spotify (completely free) and it was super fun listening to the british narrator!
content: there was some cussing (no f if i remember right) and some suggestive content but overall it was a fairly clean book!
content: there was some cussing (no f if i remember right) and some suggestive content but overall it was a fairly clean book!
April 20, 2023
A cute Christmas romance. Enemies to lovers theme. No smut but cute romance story!
December 10, 2024
This author/narrator combo is my favorite.
August 18, 2022
Single All The Way is a holiday romantic comedy told from the point of view of Dani, a quiet, introverted, thirty-something journalist struggling both professionally and in her love life. After finding her boyfriend, who also happens to be her boss, cheating on her with a young medical student, Dani would love to leave her job writing advertisements for Living' It London.
Rex, the gorgeous American who heads the Showbiz section, is a serial flirt who has charmed every woman in the office, except the new hire, Madeline, and of course, Dani. When an opportunity to join Rex's team to expand the Leeds office is announced, Dani believes it is the answer to her problems. She wants to join the Leeds' team, Rex wants Dani to act as his fake girlfriend in an attempt to entice Madeline by his unavailability, and so a "showmance" is agreed to. They will attend the company Christmas party together before heading north; Rex to Leeds and Dani to surprise her parents for Christmas.
But coming home for Christmas doesn't go as planned; her parents are on holiday, Dani is drawn into the "neighborly" rivalry over Christmas lights, her high school crush and her frenemy are both in town, the Zoom calls with Rex are more personal than professional, and little lies are snowballing out of control.
Told in first person, the chatty narrative tone has the feel of catching up with a friend over coffee and Dani's sarcastic humor and honest self examination add to the enjoyment of the story. Dani's propensity to lie in an attempt to keep the good opinion of others is an aspect of her character that I did not care for.
It quickly becomes apparent that there is more to Rex than Dani initially believes and witnessing his generosity, playfulness, compassion, and willingness to help Dani is engaging to the reader. I also loved the charming small town setting and unique geography of Hope Island.
I recommend this holiday romcom to readers who enjoy a fake dating workplace romance containing only kissing on the page. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Portia MacIntosh for providing me an advance copy of Single All the Way in exchange for my honest review.
Rex, the gorgeous American who heads the Showbiz section, is a serial flirt who has charmed every woman in the office, except the new hire, Madeline, and of course, Dani. When an opportunity to join Rex's team to expand the Leeds office is announced, Dani believes it is the answer to her problems. She wants to join the Leeds' team, Rex wants Dani to act as his fake girlfriend in an attempt to entice Madeline by his unavailability, and so a "showmance" is agreed to. They will attend the company Christmas party together before heading north; Rex to Leeds and Dani to surprise her parents for Christmas.
But coming home for Christmas doesn't go as planned; her parents are on holiday, Dani is drawn into the "neighborly" rivalry over Christmas lights, her high school crush and her frenemy are both in town, the Zoom calls with Rex are more personal than professional, and little lies are snowballing out of control.
Told in first person, the chatty narrative tone has the feel of catching up with a friend over coffee and Dani's sarcastic humor and honest self examination add to the enjoyment of the story. Dani's propensity to lie in an attempt to keep the good opinion of others is an aspect of her character that I did not care for.
It quickly becomes apparent that there is more to Rex than Dani initially believes and witnessing his generosity, playfulness, compassion, and willingness to help Dani is engaging to the reader. I also loved the charming small town setting and unique geography of Hope Island.
I recommend this holiday romcom to readers who enjoy a fake dating workplace romance containing only kissing on the page. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Portia MacIntosh for providing me an advance copy of Single All the Way in exchange for my honest review.
November 6, 2019
This was my first story from Portia Macintosh, but I don’t think it will be my last. I understand that there are other books set in the same location with recurring characters and I will be searching them out. I read this in one sitting, and could not go to sleep until I had reached the end. It was funny and endearing from the start.
The location was idyllic, a fictional tidal island off the coast of Yorkshire. It’s certainly a romantic setting. I love the idea of a tidal island, where you can only arrive or leave if the tide is out, and it just sounded so wonderful I wanted to go there.
The protagonist, Lexi, was immediately likeable, and I found myself rooting for her. When she made the decision to visit her parents on Hope Island for Christmas, it made total sense given what she was having to put up with, working for her ex-partner. Arriving to find that her parents were not there, she decided to stay anyway, as she had nowhere else to go. There were some hilarious events that took place, in particular an incident with a large ornamental garden snowman, which had me smothering a laugh so I didn’t wake my sleeping husband at the side of me!
My only disappointment was that I did not find out more about the local Police Detective, who bore a striking resemblance to Jeffrey Dean Morgan. *swoon* Tell me more, Portia, tell me more!!
I enjoyed the story immensely, but I think Lexi has more to her story yet to come, so I shall keep my fingers crossed that we can find out more!
The location was idyllic, a fictional tidal island off the coast of Yorkshire. It’s certainly a romantic setting. I love the idea of a tidal island, where you can only arrive or leave if the tide is out, and it just sounded so wonderful I wanted to go there.
The protagonist, Lexi, was immediately likeable, and I found myself rooting for her. When she made the decision to visit her parents on Hope Island for Christmas, it made total sense given what she was having to put up with, working for her ex-partner. Arriving to find that her parents were not there, she decided to stay anyway, as she had nowhere else to go. There were some hilarious events that took place, in particular an incident with a large ornamental garden snowman, which had me smothering a laugh so I didn’t wake my sleeping husband at the side of me!
My only disappointment was that I did not find out more about the local Police Detective, who bore a striking resemblance to Jeffrey Dean Morgan. *swoon* Tell me more, Portia, tell me more!!
I enjoyed the story immensely, but I think Lexi has more to her story yet to come, so I shall keep my fingers crossed that we can find out more!
August 11, 2022
Review also on: https://clife.blog/2022/08/11/book-re...
ALERT: RomCom lovers come right this way.
I wasn’t sure which copy of this novel it was as it wasn’t too clear to clicking to add it!
Turns out this story was originally a novella. So basically the same title and plot style just with different characters.
I found this novel to be very entertaining.
The main character Dani is not so lucky in work and in her personal relations. Falls in love with the player of the office. The games they play. Her ex Rex I just wanted to ask her Why? Why did you go out with him if you had to keep it a secret which didn’t even make 100% sense with how he acted.
Anyway, the plot of the whole Christmas party doesn’t happen until 30% in. Until then, there is banter between the main character and player of the office.
This novel is suitable for any time of the year. Christmas novels get me in the mood for autumn which is my most absolute favourite time of the year.
It’s weird, even when things aren’t gong too well for Dani you still have positive vibes going on in this novel. Dani remained hopeful.
I loved the Michael Buble references as well it was very fitting for this novel.
Hilarious, heart-warming romance that is full of cosy vibes.
Overall, definitely recommend this novel. I think this is the first novel by Portia I have read and it won’t be the last.
Thank you to the publishers for sending me this novel in exchange for my honest review.
ALERT: RomCom lovers come right this way.
I wasn’t sure which copy of this novel it was as it wasn’t too clear to clicking to add it!
Turns out this story was originally a novella. So basically the same title and plot style just with different characters.
I found this novel to be very entertaining.
The main character Dani is not so lucky in work and in her personal relations. Falls in love with the player of the office. The games they play. Her ex Rex I just wanted to ask her Why? Why did you go out with him if you had to keep it a secret which didn’t even make 100% sense with how he acted.
Anyway, the plot of the whole Christmas party doesn’t happen until 30% in. Until then, there is banter between the main character and player of the office.
This novel is suitable for any time of the year. Christmas novels get me in the mood for autumn which is my most absolute favourite time of the year.
It’s weird, even when things aren’t gong too well for Dani you still have positive vibes going on in this novel. Dani remained hopeful.
I loved the Michael Buble references as well it was very fitting for this novel.
Hilarious, heart-warming romance that is full of cosy vibes.
Overall, definitely recommend this novel. I think this is the first novel by Portia I have read and it won’t be the last.
Thank you to the publishers for sending me this novel in exchange for my honest review.
December 14, 2019
If you're looking for a fun, festive novella to read that'll have you laughing out loud, look no further! This is a lovely story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.
Lexi Newman met her long term boyfriend whilst studying law. After finishing their studies they decided he'd apply for jobs as a solicitor and she'd be his PA. A decade later and he's found someone else and she's being demoted to office junior . . . Rather than spend a lonely Christmas in London, she decides to return to celebrate Christmas with her parents on Hope Island - that's when all the fun starts!
Her parents hadn't thought she was going home and she's shocked to discover they have taken a surprise holiday, so she's home alone. There are friendly neighbourly rivalries, visits from the police, old friends to reconnect with and the person who was her teen crush is there, too. As she tries to cover up the fact that she's home alone, there's lots of laughs to be had. I loved getting to know the island and its community. There are hilarious interactions, plenty of twists and even a party to be held in this fun festive romance. Wait till you read what she did to the snowman!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone looking for a delightful, festive novella, just right for cuddling up with and escaping into.
Lexi Newman met her long term boyfriend whilst studying law. After finishing their studies they decided he'd apply for jobs as a solicitor and she'd be his PA. A decade later and he's found someone else and she's being demoted to office junior . . . Rather than spend a lonely Christmas in London, she decides to return to celebrate Christmas with her parents on Hope Island - that's when all the fun starts!
Her parents hadn't thought she was going home and she's shocked to discover they have taken a surprise holiday, so she's home alone. There are friendly neighbourly rivalries, visits from the police, old friends to reconnect with and the person who was her teen crush is there, too. As she tries to cover up the fact that she's home alone, there's lots of laughs to be had. I loved getting to know the island and its community. There are hilarious interactions, plenty of twists and even a party to be held in this fun festive romance. Wait till you read what she did to the snowman!!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone looking for a delightful, festive novella, just right for cuddling up with and escaping into.
November 21, 2019
Run a spellcheck!
i love Portia Macintosh. But I’ve given this only 2 stars because i’m sick to death of misspellings and missing words. Terrible, jolts me right out of a story.
i love Portia Macintosh. But I’ve given this only 2 stars because i’m sick to death of misspellings and missing words. Terrible, jolts me right out of a story.
October 14, 2022
Dani has been dating her boss for a couple of years and is ready to settle down, instead, she is dumped for a younger woman. Not only that, but she is demoted at work. She decides to take the opportunity to go home for Christmas for the first time in a few years. She is also determined to save her job. There is a new writer's position in the new office close to her family home that is available, but she has to convince Rex, the office flirt to give her the position. He is heading to the new office to do interviews, so offers her a ride to her parent's home and an interview. When Dani arrives to surprise her parents, she finds out that they have gone to France for Christmas. Being alone was not what Dani had planned, but things have a habit of working out with a little Christmas Magic.
Single All The Way is a Christmas romance, but it is also a story that deals with misogyny, putting your best self forward, not judging others, friendship, and going after what you want. I really liked Dani, but I didn't always like her decisions. She is always worried about what others will think about her and her actions, so she often tells untruths instead of just being honest. At one time, I thought this book was going to have a love triangle (not my favourite trope) but luckily it didn't. She grows a lot in this story, and finally comes into her own. Her self-deprecating behaviour decreases as the story progresses. I really liked Rex, although he seemed a bit of a sleeze at the beginning. He was an American living in a new country with his family all across the pond. He was raised in an affluent home and had an air of privilege around him, but as he began to reveal pieces of himself to Dani, he became more down to earth. The conversations and banter between them was fun and realistic. There is a lot of humor in this story and Dani is often the cause of it. Throw in a fake Christmas Party, old boyfriends, a decorating competition and some Christmas baking and you have a romance full of holiday cheer and great characters. I enjoyed the easy style the author has with this being a quick and enjoyable read. If you are looking for a fun Christmas romance, I suggest you pick up Single All the Way.
Single All The Way is a Christmas romance, but it is also a story that deals with misogyny, putting your best self forward, not judging others, friendship, and going after what you want. I really liked Dani, but I didn't always like her decisions. She is always worried about what others will think about her and her actions, so she often tells untruths instead of just being honest. At one time, I thought this book was going to have a love triangle (not my favourite trope) but luckily it didn't. She grows a lot in this story, and finally comes into her own. Her self-deprecating behaviour decreases as the story progresses. I really liked Rex, although he seemed a bit of a sleeze at the beginning. He was an American living in a new country with his family all across the pond. He was raised in an affluent home and had an air of privilege around him, but as he began to reveal pieces of himself to Dani, he became more down to earth. The conversations and banter between them was fun and realistic. There is a lot of humor in this story and Dani is often the cause of it. Throw in a fake Christmas Party, old boyfriends, a decorating competition and some Christmas baking and you have a romance full of holiday cheer and great characters. I enjoyed the easy style the author has with this being a quick and enjoyable read. If you are looking for a fun Christmas romance, I suggest you pick up Single All the Way.
August 15, 2023
Dani is single, after finding out that her boyfriend/boss has been cheating on her. However, she is still working for him and still has to see his face whenever she is in the office. She has also (starting from the new year) been demoted.
Dani is slightly annoyed as Tom (her ex) didn’t mention that management are wanting to branch out their offices around Yorkshire (where she is from). She decides to befriend a member of the management team, Rex, so she can get a job in one of the offices, however he also wants something from her…pretend to be his girlfriend to make another member of staff, Madeline, jealous. Once he got Madeline attention, he realises that he doesn’t like her.
She arrives home for the holidays, hoping to surprise her parents, however she’s in for a surprise as she finds out her parents are celebrating Christmas in France. As Dani begins to settle back down in her hometown, telling the truth is not as easy as it seems, so instead she has invited the town for Christmas party, and slowly, everything she left behind when she left for London, slowly comes back to her. Her crush/best friend Ben is also home for holidays, and Dani is hoping that they can continue from where they left off. However, she soon realises that she doesn’t have feelings for Ben anymore, and as she talks to Rex more and more, she realises that she likes him and learns that the feeling is mutual. I mean don’t get me wrong, it would have been cute for her and Ben to get together as he admits he had a crush on her, but I enjoyed seeing her relationship develop with Rex and how they interacted with one another. They were definitely made to be together.
Dani is slightly annoyed as Tom (her ex) didn’t mention that management are wanting to branch out their offices around Yorkshire (where she is from). She decides to befriend a member of the management team, Rex, so she can get a job in one of the offices, however he also wants something from her…pretend to be his girlfriend to make another member of staff, Madeline, jealous. Once he got Madeline attention, he realises that he doesn’t like her.
She arrives home for the holidays, hoping to surprise her parents, however she’s in for a surprise as she finds out her parents are celebrating Christmas in France. As Dani begins to settle back down in her hometown, telling the truth is not as easy as it seems, so instead she has invited the town for Christmas party, and slowly, everything she left behind when she left for London, slowly comes back to her. Her crush/best friend Ben is also home for holidays, and Dani is hoping that they can continue from where they left off. However, she soon realises that she doesn’t have feelings for Ben anymore, and as she talks to Rex more and more, she realises that she likes him and learns that the feeling is mutual. I mean don’t get me wrong, it would have been cute for her and Ben to get together as he admits he had a crush on her, but I enjoyed seeing her relationship develop with Rex and how they interacted with one another. They were definitely made to be together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2022
I have enjoyed two other books by this author, so was definitely interested in this holiday romance. And while the story itself was not bad, there were a lot of issues I had with the writing or the way the story was told. It read a lot like maybe it was one of the author’s first novels maybe? It had so many info dumps, a ton of the whole telling instead of showing. For instance, the first chapter was a ton of telling. It actually reminded me a lot of the first novel I started writing and how my first chapter was like that until someone pointed it out to me. (Not that it was easy for me to go back and change it, that story of mine still isn’t finished.) And then every time a new character was introduced we got quite a bit of back story at that moment and it kind of took me out of the story each time. And a lot of repetition of the main character thinking the same things over and over about who she should like or shouldn’t like.
However I ended up when it got to those kind of points just skimming and skipping to where I could see dialogue or something actually happening, and by doing that I was able to enjoy the story enough to finish it. From the synopsis above it mentions that this was originally a novella, so maybe it was when the author filled it out to make a full length story that all the info dump sections got added, I don’t know.
In the end, I still enjoyed the story enough that I will continue to look to read more by this author in the future.
Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.
However I ended up when it got to those kind of points just skimming and skipping to where I could see dialogue or something actually happening, and by doing that I was able to enjoy the story enough to finish it. From the synopsis above it mentions that this was originally a novella, so maybe it was when the author filled it out to make a full length story that all the info dump sections got added, I don’t know.
In the end, I still enjoyed the story enough that I will continue to look to read more by this author in the future.
Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.
November 22, 2022
I really enjoyed this holiday read! It was a quick read and written well. Only as much detail as needed. The story was the perfect length, with nothing over-the-top extra to add unneeded pages to the story. It always bothers me when things get dragged out. There were fun elements in the book like Dani's (the main character) neighborhood she grew up in and the Christmas light rivalry between neighbors. I also found the setting of Hope Island to be interesting. A tidal island that gets cut off from the mainland during high tide! A great plot point!
As far as the relationship part, I also enjoyed Rex and Dani's fake "relationship" and the twist of Dani's childhood crush, Ben, as an added wrinkle to the whole story.
Overall, if you like a cute rom-com (with no spice) and a good story of a woman trying to figure out what she wants in life, this is one for you!
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an early reviewer copy of this book. It is greatly appreciated.
As far as the relationship part, I also enjoyed Rex and Dani's fake "relationship" and the twist of Dani's childhood crush, Ben, as an added wrinkle to the whole story.
Overall, if you like a cute rom-com (with no spice) and a good story of a woman trying to figure out what she wants in life, this is one for you!
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an early reviewer copy of this book. It is greatly appreciated.
December 10, 2022
Run, don’t walk, to read this one! Favorite rom com in a while and totally ideal for this time of year!! It was available on Hoopla…finished the audiobook in one listen.
December 16, 2022
DNF at 56%
This is moving way too slow for me. I’m this far along and still no romance. I want a bit of chemistry within the first few chapters I order for me to get that “feel good romance” vibes.
This is moving way too slow for me. I’m this far along and still no romance. I want a bit of chemistry within the first few chapters I order for me to get that “feel good romance” vibes.
December 20, 2022
Cute story just soooooo slow
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