Julhälsningar från en kanadensisk vinterdröm

by Jo Thomas, Gabriella Boris (Narrator)

Chloe längar efter att julen äntligen ska ta slut! Hennes son Ruben firar jul hos sin pappa och Chloe har bestämt sig för att helt strunta i allt vad firande heter och bara räkna dagarna tills Ruben är tillbaka. Men så får hon ett oväntat samtal från Kanada och plötsligt tar juletiden en helt annan riktning. Istället för en jul i ensamhet blir det en jul full av överraskningar i ett vackert och snöigt Quebec.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Chick Lit, Holiday, Fiction, Contemporary, Canada

Audiobook

Published October 15, 2025

About the author

https://www.facebook.com/pg/JoThomasA...

Hello, I’m Jo Thomas. I write romances about food, love, family and fun and believe every story should have a happy ending. Welcome to my world.

Reviews

[❀ Tia ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

★ 3.5 out of 5 ★

ᯓ ꒰ Summary ꒱ ᯓ
For the longest time, it has just been Chloë and her son Ruben against the world. But this Christmas, Ruben is visiting his dad. Reluctant to feel like a spare part, Chloë isn't sure whether she wants to spend Christmas with her well-meaning neighbour, but it's the only alternative to spending the festive season alone. Well, that is until she receives the news that she's inherited some land from a distant relative… in Canada! Sceptical, but with the hope that this could be the financial ticket to building a better life for her son, Chloë agrees to visit the land that very well soon may be hers. However, when she starts to mingle with the locals and learns the history of the land, Chloë begins to wonder whether selling the land is the best decision, and whether she may have found something worth staying in Canada for.

ᯓ ꒰ My Thoughts ꒱ ᯓ
Countdown to Christmas is the equivalent of making a cup of tea, putting on a fluffy dressing gown, and cosying up in front of the fireplace. Or, to honour Jo Thomas' and my own Welsh heritage, this book is a "cwtch" in page form — a lovely, cosy hug. I found this book to be such a comforting, easy read. It was light but still wonderfully packed with emotion and a fast-paced, detailed plot.

I did find parts to be occasionally unnecessarily repetitive (such as when multiple characters explained the process of making maple syrup). And I also found some elements to be a bit cliché/hallmark holiday vibe (much like any well-loved Christmas movie). But nevertheless, I still found the book very enjoyable.

As a mother myself, I found Chloë's inner monologue such a tender, raw and perfectly executed way of displaying the depth of a parent's all-consuming love. And the way her emotions were written made them feel almost tangible. I also adored reading about Chloë's interactions with the Canadian locals, and found the descriptions of Canada rather enchanting.

ᯓ ꒰ Overall ꒱ ᯓ
This was a magical, heart-warming, feel-good story perfect for the festive season.

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˚₊‧꒰ა Pre-Read ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
This is not only my first Christmas themed book of the season, but also my first Jo Thomas book EVER! Really looking forward to reading this! 🎄

[liza palmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this!! perfect christmassy vibes 🥰🎄🎁❄️✨

[Lavinia Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh my! 🧡🎄
Ce carte cozy, drăguță și crăciunistică am citit! Am avut efectiv de toate: rețete christmassy, romance, emoții, fluturași în stomac :)), aventură în zăpadă, cadouri, și un suuuuper advent calendar.
Chiar e cartea potrivită de citit în decembrie, big recommend!

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jo Thomas is one of my go to feel good authors-I truly believe that her books should be available on prescription from your GP because her books always seem to make the world a better place for me. This last month has been really tough with a lot of stress and anxiety especially in work as we had the “visit” that all schools dread so my reading mojo disappeared and the one thing I have to do everyday to keep my mental health on track was put on the back burner. But as soon as I took Countdown to Christmas off the bookshelf, I could feel that tension start to evaporate and the more I read the more relaxed I felt. It was just like slipping into a warm bubble bath with an ice cold glass of Chablis and I didn’t want it to end!

If you’re looking for a Christmas book with romance, good food and a sense of belonging then Countdown to Christmas needs to be on your radar. Chloe and her son Reuben are beautifully drawn, realistic characters and their journey is an engaging experience. I’ve never been to Canada but have always wanted to go and Jo Thomas has made that dream a reality for me as I really felt I was there in the freezing cold wilderness with Chloe as she travels out of her comfort zone to discover the missing parts of her family tree. For me, the romantic connection between the characters is always secondary to how the women in Jo’s books find themselves and the places that they truly belong.

Countdown to Christmas is a stunning book and definitely one of my favourites. The combination of relationships and food is always a sure fire winner for me and I came away craving pancakes and bread and butter pudding plus a determination that one day I will set off on my dream holiday to Canada. But until that day comes, thank you Jo Thomas for transporting me to a place where friendship and family collide to create the perfect festive experience. A highly recommended Christmas treat-just add a warm cosy fire and maple syrup pancakes!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Countdown to Christmas
5✨

🥰🍰⛷️🌨️

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Christmas read of the year, and oh my goodness, I just loved everything about it!

I am quite a softie and often have a tear at the end of a romance book but this is the first time I have full on cried in the first chapter!

Single mother Chloe’s 12 year old son Reuben is going to New York for a month to spend Christmas with his dad and his new family. Chloe is distraught but tries to hide it. That was my heart strings tugged to snapping point!

I just loved the setting of the little Canadian town Chloe travels to, to check out a potential inheritance of a piece of land from a distant relative. But it is such an important piece of land for the town how can she bring herself to sell; even though the money would mean so much for her and her son.

The descriptions of the snowy town, the diner run by heavily pregnant Bea, the handsome owner of the hardware story, the turkey who likes to follow Jo! There is a wonderful community spirit and all the residents give her a warm welcome, and the feeling of belonging she is searching for. But she only has a few weeks before she must go back home for Reuben and leave this all behind.

I adored Reuben’s advent calendar which he personally made for his mother with little positive messages in each pouch. Simple things like ‘sing like no one is listening’. Such a lovely idea and as the weeks went on, many of the towns folk wanted to know what Reuben’s message of the day was!

Jo’s description of the maple trees and how special they were to the community, as they would harvest the sap to make maple syrup. That is something I have learned from this book. The people in this village love their maple syrup so much they include it in everything - both sweet and savoury recipes! There are a few recipes in the back of the book to try. You’re going to need maple syrup of course.

I absolutely loved Jo’s last book, Summer at the Ice Cream Cafe and didn’t think she could top that but I think she has. She is now an auto read author for me.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I seem to be in the minority here but this book really frustrated me. There was a lot of repetition, for example two pages side by side had two separate characters explaining what the advent calendar was to other people... A description which multiple other characters had also said throughout the book before then. I also in detail know how they make maple syrup now for the same repetitive reason. I really wanted to love this but it just grated on me unfortunately. Felt very cliche in places and I just struggled to connect with any of the characters. What I did like was her relationship with her son and their interactions as well as when she was exploring the town.

[Judith van Wijk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Utterly predictable and as sweet as all the maple syrup they produce and cook with, but perfect for this time of year.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A feel good holiday read featuring a single mom who's alone for the holidays when her son goes to stay with his dad and his new family for Christmas, leaving her a series of notes to read as she counts down the days to Christmas.

Chloe gets a surprise phone call saying she's inherited a property in a small town in Quebec, Canada and with nothing better to do she jumps on a plane to check it out and figure out how she's related to the former owner.

I loved that this was set in Canada (and Quebec no less!). There's tons of small town community spirit and LOTS of insights into the Maple Syrup industry as Chloe befriends the locals and helps them save their village from being broken up by the sale of the property she inherited.

Good on audio and perfect for fans of books like It happened on Christmas by Chantel Guertin or authors like Sarah Morgan and Beth Moran. This was a surprisingly delightful and festive read by a new to me author. Definitely recommend!

💋Steam level: kissing only

[Laura (lau_leest) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4,75 stars

I loved this book; favorite Christmas read of 2024. The setting, the story, the characters; so Christmassy and cosy. Must-read if you fancy a romantic Christmas story

[Lisanne Baks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute

[Pippa · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me Jo Thomas is a bit inconsistent in terms of how much I like her books and this one was a 3.0 raised to 3.5 by the end, okay but not great.

***SPOILER ALERT***
Quite early in the story it is revealed that Bea is pregnant by the man whose land Chloe is going to inherit (because there was no will and she has been tracked down by heir hunters). Maybe the rules are different in Canada but as biological relatives Bea's offspring would inherit, even if there is no will, even if they were not married. This makes the entire story nonsensical.

[Grass monster · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blurb :
Chloe can't wait for Christmas . . . to be over! Her son Ruben is staying with his dad this year and Chloe is planning to ignore the holidays all together. Her only nod to the season is the advent calendar Ruben left her, to help count down the days till he's home again.
But then an heir hunter gets in touch, telling her there's a plot of land in Canada she may be entitled to. Surely, it's a scam. Or could it be just the escape she needs right now? They're offering to pay for her flights . . . and Ruben's latest note in the advent calendar tells her to 'say yes!'
Suddenly, Chloe's new countdown to Christmas involves a log cabin in the middle of a snowy forest, a community that's worried for its future, a gruff lumberjack who gives her butterflies and a lot of pancakes with maple syrup . . .

My Thoughts :
We meet Chloe, home alone at Christmas after her 12 year old son Ruben has flown to New York to be with his dad and new family.
Not knowing want to do with herself for the festive period, and all she has to look forward to is opening an advent calendar everyday that Ruben has made for her. Chloe receives a phone call from an Heir hunter, telling her she has inherited some land in Canada.
He offers to pay for Chloe’s flight and accommodation to go and visit and check it all out.
After Ruben’s latest note tells Chloe to just say yes!. She goes off on her adventure to Quebec, Canada.
Chloe finds herself staying in a log cabin in the town of Foret d’Esprit. Where she is cold and lonely but soon Chloe starts to listen to Ruben’s notes from the Advent Calendar and branches out of her comfort zone with the help of handsome store owner Theo, as Theo tells Chloe all about the production of Maple Syrup right there in the forest, soon she falls in love with the idyllic place and the rest of the community, she even loves Ike the friendly turkey who follows her around.
Chloe puts herself at the heart of the community with helping out pregnant Bea at the diner, making delicious maple syrup pancakes, organising the christmas activities, searching the snowy forest for Christmas trees, spotting the local moose and her young and generally falling in love with this magical place.
When another distant cousin gets put into the mix also claiming part of the land, Chloe soon has to fight for her new friends and their community.
Can Chloe help keep the sparkle and maple syrup chain alive in Foret d’Esprit or will they soon have to give up their beautiful maple forest!?.
Jo Thomas has a way of telling a story that pulls you in to every page and makes the characters come alive. Beautiful surroundings and scenery that has been the perfect escapism.
Right after finishing the book I went online and ordered some proper Canadian maple Syrup to have on my pancakes.
This by far has to be one of the best books I have read by Jo Thomas. Looking forward to more soon.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7/5

The writing felt a bit messy at first, and, yes, it was predictable. But it also was exactly what I wanted and needed. Perfect wintery and Christmassy read.

[yvette ★]

dnf @ 60%

sorry, sorry, sorry
this is the softest dnf I'll ever do, I don't really like the plotline but the book is so easy to read.

[Emma Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cosy read and I was on the edge of my seat during the race! I will definitely read more Jo Thomas. My only criticism is that I needed more romance.

[Sarah Broadbridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to go and spend Christmas in Canada after reading this! Perfect festive read!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another lovely festive read. Highly recommended.

[Esther Batt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lil Christmassy book club number

[Emily Pankhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing was light yet immersive. Every time I put it down I looked forward to picking it back up again. It was also quite informative. I haven't read about Maple syrup making before so that was something new for me! There were lots of different elements to this story, plus plenty of emotions which together made for a great read.

The chapters were fairly long. It meant that you were able to get a good chunk of the story before moving on. I liked the way that some of the chapters were labelled, counting down to Christmas and the return of the main character's son. It kept you on track with what was happening and helped with the flow of the story. You always knew where you were without too much thinking involved!

The characters were lovely. I enjoyed reading about the main character and her adventures. It really gave me something to think about. I like that added element to a story, it makes it stay with you.

The supporting characters were also interesting and gave the story different layers and something for the reader to again think about. I loved the cooperative village life and how everyone worked together for the survival of the village as a whole.

There were some emotional parts to the story which added depth and kept my interest. I wanted to see how everything worked out in the end! I wasn't disappointed.

Lastly the settings. I loved being transported to a forest in Canada and learning about traditional village life in the Maple syrup industry. As I mentioned above, I haven't read about it before so it was nice to learn alongside the main character.

Overall a fantastic story and one that I highly recommend you read this Christmas!

[Clare Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Ruben is going to stay with his dad in New York until new year and leaving his mom alone at home.

Chloe Rubén’s mom wants Christmas to be over as she can’t stand the thought of celebrating without him and the only thing keeping her going is her son’s advent calendar. Then Chloe receives a surprise call and is told she may have inherited some land in Canada. Is it a scam? She decides to take a chance following the message she receives in the advent calendar telling her to say yes.

She finds herself living in a log cabin in the middle of a forest that produces Maple Syrup. The villages community are worried for their future. Will Chloe help secure the villages future or will they lose everything they have worked had to keep going?

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It certainly gives you all the festive feels. It’s such a lovely story that I found myself totally engrossed in as soon as I started reading it. Great characters both human and feathered and a narrative so descriptive you can almost hear the crunch of the snow, smell the pine and taste the maple syrup. Definitely a book to enjoy cosied up with a hot chocolate. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK Transworld Publishers and the author for the chance to review.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I was reading this book, I made myself a series of short notes in the form of bullet points so I thought I’d use them as the basis of my own little countdown!

8 – Sleigh rides, snow covered forests, ice-skating and cosy cabins. You’ll find all of these in this book so it will tick all the boxes if you like your Christmas books with a hefty covering of snow!

7 – Community. The community of Foret des Espirits sounded just lovely. This is a small and close knit community who look out for each other and with the weather the way it can get in Quebec, that is absolutely essential!

6 – Belonging. I suppose this is also linked to community. With Chloe’s life changing and her son growing fast, she really wanted to find somewhere she could belong. And while she didn’t visit Quebec with that intention, she quickly realised it was somewhere she might just get that sense of belonging.

5 – Family. Family plays a big role in this book with many different kinds of family portrayed. Chloe and her son Ruben are a close knit unit and always have been but he does still have contact with his dad and now his dad has a new family. IT’s all about the different ways people can be family and although blood relations are important, found family is just as important.

4 – Ruben’s calendar. I loved Ruben’s calendar! He knew his mum would miss him while he was away and the calendar had little challenges for her to do each day, to remind her to have fun even though they were apart. They were simple things like asking someone how their day was going, having a foot bath, saying ‘yes’ to something or singing out loud. It was so thoughtful. The community were soon as keen as Chloe to see what each day would bring and so was I!

3 – Food! If you’ve read any Jo Thomas books before, you’ll know that food always plays a key role. My mouth was watering at the thought of those fluffy pancakes dripping with maple syrup. I have a sudden urge for poutine as well which I enjoyed so much when I was in Canada last year. I think there is a shop not far from me which sell it actually, must investigate. And then there’s load of Christmas baking too such as Christmas puddings, chocolate logs and gingerbread. I could almost smell the warm spices hanging in the frosty air.

2 – Recipes. And talking of food, don’t miss the recipes at the end of the book including Jo Thomas’s go-to recipe for pancakes. Maple syrup features in a few of the recipes and I might just have to give the bread and butter pudding a go too!

1 – Love. Of course, love in its many forms is at the heart of this book and Jo Thomas doesn’t disappoint with a gorgeous heart-warming romance in Countdown to Christmas as well as including love for family and friendships too.

So there you have it, my own countdown of the things I enjoyed in Countdown to Christmas. There are still a few days to go before the big day so if you are still looking for a book to enjoy as you countdown the days, you could give this one a try.

[Susanne Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really touched me. It read so easily and found myself fully emersed in the story that I could almost taste the maple syrup and smell the coffee. I loved how brave Chloe was, she was facing a Christmas alone as her son was spending it with his dad in another country, and she took that brave step to do something different, it would have been so easy to stay home and wallow and ignore the phone calls from the heir hunter, or just to say yes and give permission to sell, but she took that step and went on her own adventure, so brave. I totally empathised with her and how she wanted to keep everything the same, give her son the same happy memories as she had as a child, and turn a blind eye to the fact that neither of them are happy and they are alone.

Going to Canada and finding out about her long lost family was eye opening, and I was so happy that she found family, both blood and other wise. I loved all her exploring and seeing the Canadian winter for the first time, I really felt like I was there. I loved how she stepped in and helped out in the cafe, even without really knowing anyone, just helping as it's the right thing to do, and how her British touches really helped others too. But over all I have to say that the advent calander that Ruben left for her was the best. I loved how it helped her and pulled the community together and how they all came to the cafe to see what was in the calander for that day and they all embraced what it said to do, they all gained from that, and it helped Chloe still feel close to her son.

Seeing everyone come together at the end was great and it really brought a tear to my eye. I loved it from start to finish.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Countdown to Christmas by Jo Thomas is an excellent contemporary romance that has heart, hope, and holiday cheer.

This is such an adorable, sweet, and warm Christmas romance that I loved. It could easily be turned into a TV movie for the holidays.

The concept of Rueben’s Advent calendar incorporated into the narrative, while Chloe finds her heart, strength, purpose, a sense of belonging, and a home was just perfect. Taking a chance, helping others, and just saying ‘Yes’ were other concepts wrapped up within this book.

An excellent cast of characters (Chloe, Theo, Reuben, Bea, Ike, Hagrid, and the whole town honestly), beautiful landscapes, and maple…maple….maple surely make this a book that anyone will enjoy.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Penguin for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 10/12/23.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe's son Rueben is off to New York to stay with his dad for the Christmas holidays. He leaves her a homemade advent calendar counting down the days till he returns.
As far as Chloe is concerned, Christmas is cancelled.
An heir hunter phones Chloe telling her she owns some land in Canada. Can this be true? There is only one way to find out. So Chloe heads off to Canada on an adventure.
For me, this has to be Jo's best book yet.
Full of warmth and joy. I love the way Chloe is accepted into the community, and she, in turn, runs the diner, supports the girls' ice hockey team.
Ike the turkey is hilarious.
It is a very snowy and cold setting, not sure I'd want to live there.
A perfect Christmas read with some romance. Loved it!
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC in return for an honest review.

[Jules Dipon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Festivity at its finest. 🎄💫

This is my sixth holiday read, and I must say, I truly enjoyed this genre. I will definitely collect and prepare a holiday TBR for next year. I love the feeling it gave me after finishing a holiday romance book. Yes, it’s cheesy, but it also made me feel good.

The writing was light and easy, with vivid, cinematic descriptions, I felt as though I was actually there. The romance was gentle, with a slow build-up, even though it began as an insta-attraction between Theo and Chloë. The secondary characters were likable, and the plot and setting were well done.

The ending was heartwarming and wonderfully Christmassy. I really liked it. 💖

[Jenny (knasentjej) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Det är en mysig julig/vintrig berättelse om Chloe vars son Ruben tillbringar december med sin pappa i New York. Chloe känner sig ensam och övergiven, men det visar sig att en okänd släkting i Canada har dött och hon är en av arvtagarna. Hon reser dit för att få veta mer om byn och släktingen.

Det är en klassisk feelgood-julbok. Jag gillar den. Den förmedlar den sköna julkänsla som man vill ha såhär års.

[Novelle Novels · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
This author really has a knack at creating characters that you love and understand. I love that her families aren’t atypical but really modern and relatable. I loved the Canadian setting and it really made me want to go there. I loved this

[Catherine Makin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely heartwarming Christmassy read from Jo.