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All the Way Home: A Novel
An effervescent holiday rom-com following two boys stranded at an airport who fall in love over one magical, snowy night.
’Twas the flight before Christmas. . . .
Zach is heading home from his first semester at college with presents for his family, a voicemail from his ex, and about as much travel anxiety as can fit within the confines of the human body. After a series of humiliating events, including having his bags stolen, he meets the captivating, beautiful Kieran, who’s dreading his return home for Christmas and traveling with his sister, Rena, and her boyfriend, Lucas—who are dealing with some baggage of their own.
As the snow falls and sparks fly, Zach and Kieran must learn to trust in themselves and in each other if their love is ever going to leave the ground, while Rena and Lucas must decide if their turbulent relationship can withstand another storm.
Infused with Alex Ritany’s signature warmth and wit, All the Way Home is a story of first loves, flight delays, and finding home for the holidays—wherever or whoever it may be.
’Twas the flight before Christmas. . . .
Zach is heading home from his first semester at college with presents for his family, a voicemail from his ex, and about as much travel anxiety as can fit within the confines of the human body. After a series of humiliating events, including having his bags stolen, he meets the captivating, beautiful Kieran, who’s dreading his return home for Christmas and traveling with his sister, Rena, and her boyfriend, Lucas—who are dealing with some baggage of their own.
As the snow falls and sparks fly, Zach and Kieran must learn to trust in themselves and in each other if their love is ever going to leave the ground, while Rena and Lucas must decide if their turbulent relationship can withstand another storm.
Infused with Alex Ritany’s signature warmth and wit, All the Way Home is a story of first loves, flight delays, and finding home for the holidays—wherever or whoever it may be.
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2026
About the author
Alex Ritany
6 books94 followersAlex is a Canadian artist, musician, and YA author of DEAD GIRLS DON’T SAY SORRY, I WISH YOU WOULDN’T, MAYBE TOMORROW I'LL KNOW, and ALL THE WAY HOME. When they’re not at the keyboard, you can find them hosting tabletop game night, working on illustrations, or at their other keyboard composing music.
Alex’s love of art, music, and the western Canadian landscape regularly spills into their writing, which tends to feature complex friendships, twisty romances, and explorations of queerness. They live in Calgary with their roommate, cat, and dice collection.
Alex’s love of art, music, and the western Canadian landscape regularly spills into their writing, which tends to feature complex friendships, twisty romances, and explorations of queerness. They live in Calgary with their roommate, cat, and dice collection.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
November 3, 2026
The first 100 pages were adorable, and I loved almost everything about them. Then the book apparently decided I’d been having too much fun and set out to annoy me. It succeeded spectacularly.
I can’t remember the last time a book managed to hit every single one of my annoyance buttons, so I suppose it was overdue.
First, Rena: the most insufferable character in the story. The author handled her journey of self-discovery so badly that it mostly just made her look awful. Sure, growing up and figuring yourself out means you’ll hurt people sometimes. But the way it was written still managed to make me furious.
Rena spends what feels like every waking moment thinking about how she’s breaking inside, how much she hurts, how she can't breathe, and so on. We get it. She’s having a rough time. I could not take another paragraph of it. What she needed was therapy, not another round of introspection.
Then there’s Zach, who started out promising before he, too, began to wear on me. At least I could read his chapters without rolling my eyes, so I’ll give him that.
And then there are Lucas and Kieran. One of the book’s biggest mistakes was not giving them POV chapters; the second was giving Rena one. We learn about the guys through other people, but by the end, I still felt like I barely knew who they were.
Kieran didn’t help matters by coming across as a bit of a playboy for most of the story. Then we learn more about him through his sister, and somehow he still doesn’t feel like a real character. On top of that, their codependent relationship gave me a deeply weird vibe. Actually, I take it back: they both need therapy, not just Rena. Maybe the twin thing explains their relationship, but it didn’t make it any less weird to read.
The family drama was unnecessary and added yet another layer of annoyance to an already generously layered experience. The mental health representation was so surface-level that the story would have unfolded the same way without it. If there isn’t time to handle serious, important topics with care, perhaps they don't need to be included. Just a thought.
The story tried to do too many things at once and somehow managed to make none of them land. The romance was shoved so far behind the family drama (which was handled badly) that by the time it finally arrived, it felt rushed and gave me absolutely nothing.
Lucas was the only character I could still stand by the end, and nearly everyone treated him badly. He deserved better.
In conclusion, the execution drained away all my enjoyment. I'm sure this story will find readers who love it. Sadly, I am not among them.
I can’t remember the last time a book managed to hit every single one of my annoyance buttons, so I suppose it was overdue.
First, Rena: the most insufferable character in the story. The author handled her journey of self-discovery so badly that it mostly just made her look awful. Sure, growing up and figuring yourself out means you’ll hurt people sometimes. But the way it was written still managed to make me furious.
Rena spends what feels like every waking moment thinking about how she’s breaking inside, how much she hurts, how she can't breathe, and so on. We get it. She’s having a rough time. I could not take another paragraph of it. What she needed was therapy, not another round of introspection.
Then there’s Zach, who started out promising before he, too, began to wear on me. At least I could read his chapters without rolling my eyes, so I’ll give him that.
And then there are Lucas and Kieran. One of the book’s biggest mistakes was not giving them POV chapters; the second was giving Rena one. We learn about the guys through other people, but by the end, I still felt like I barely knew who they were.
Kieran didn’t help matters by coming across as a bit of a playboy for most of the story. Then we learn more about him through his sister, and somehow he still doesn’t feel like a real character. On top of that, their codependent relationship gave me a deeply weird vibe. Actually, I take it back: they both need therapy, not just Rena. Maybe the twin thing explains their relationship, but it didn’t make it any less weird to read.
The family drama was unnecessary and added yet another layer of annoyance to an already generously layered experience. The mental health representation was so surface-level that the story would have unfolded the same way without it. If there isn’t time to handle serious, important topics with care, perhaps they don't need to be included. Just a thought.
The story tried to do too many things at once and somehow managed to make none of them land. The romance was shoved so far behind the family drama (which was handled badly) that by the time it finally arrived, it felt rushed and gave me absolutely nothing.
Lucas was the only character I could still stand by the end, and nearly everyone treated him badly. He deserved better.
In conclusion, the execution drained away all my enjoyment. I'm sure this story will find readers who love it. Sadly, I am not among them.
September 26, 2026
This was so stinking cute omg, I kept switching between laughter and tearing up. Thank you Norton Young for the arc in exchange for an honest review, it was my first five star read after a months long depressive episode.
May 10, 2026
You’ll have to wait for the full review, but this o e had me cackling, anxious and crying!! Such a beautiful story about mental health ❤️🩹❤️🩹 4,5⭐️
September 4, 2026
Thank you to Norton Young Readers for the digital copy to review. What can I say about this one? I genuinely loved this book with my whole heart.
I picked it up on a whim, just because I really enjoyed the cover. What I got was the most precious story laid out over a single day in an airport.
Rena, Lucas, and Keiran are stranded due to their flight being weather delayed. Zach is also stranded. A chance meeting changes everything for these four young adults, and the result is pure magic in book form.
I absolutely ADORED Zach. I wanted to hug him. Keep him close to my heart. His love for his family was so beautiful and his shyness/weariness of Keiran was not without merit. I truly adored Kieran, I thought he was such a special character and I definitely guessed what happened to him, but not the why or the circumstances. His heart was so pure and good. And their little meet cute/airport long day 'date' was the best. I loved how they got to know each other, how much they made each other think and laugh, and how much they trusted the other with vulnerability. Also, their first kiss was truly, truly *magical* and I am pretty sure I highlighted nearly the entire chapter.
Rena and Lucas were also so so so interesting and their dynamic was wonderful to explore. How often do teens keep their relationships as they grow and learn who they are and who they want to be? Having only Rena's POV along with Zach's made for such an intense discovery process as you learned about the characters secondhand. Rena's journey of growth and discovery in this book was really wonderful even when she made me upset sometimes, I understood her.
This book was a truly stunning look at growing up, coming of age, how we feel about ourselves, mental health, and not hurting yourself to make someone else happy. I cried and cried when I finished because I didn't want to leave these characters behind.
Also? Kieran's sweet grand gesture had me on my knees.
Love love love loved this book.
I picked it up on a whim, just because I really enjoyed the cover. What I got was the most precious story laid out over a single day in an airport.
Rena, Lucas, and Keiran are stranded due to their flight being weather delayed. Zach is also stranded. A chance meeting changes everything for these four young adults, and the result is pure magic in book form.
I absolutely ADORED Zach. I wanted to hug him. Keep him close to my heart. His love for his family was so beautiful and his shyness/weariness of Keiran was not without merit. I truly adored Kieran, I thought he was such a special character and I definitely guessed what happened to him, but not the why or the circumstances. His heart was so pure and good. And their little meet cute/airport long day 'date' was the best. I loved how they got to know each other, how much they made each other think and laugh, and how much they trusted the other with vulnerability. Also, their first kiss was truly, truly *magical* and I am pretty sure I highlighted nearly the entire chapter.
Rena and Lucas were also so so so interesting and their dynamic was wonderful to explore. How often do teens keep their relationships as they grow and learn who they are and who they want to be? Having only Rena's POV along with Zach's made for such an intense discovery process as you learned about the characters secondhand. Rena's journey of growth and discovery in this book was really wonderful even when she made me upset sometimes, I understood her.
This book was a truly stunning look at growing up, coming of age, how we feel about ourselves, mental health, and not hurting yourself to make someone else happy. I cried and cried when I finished because I didn't want to leave these characters behind.
Also? Kieran's sweet grand gesture had me on my knees.
Love love love loved this book.
October 1, 2026
Queer YA romance is definitely one of my comfort read genres, and this one was just the perfect amount of airport meet cute, great banter and heartwarming adorable romance. It's not exactly 100% fluffy as it also deals with mental health and extreme anxiety issues, but it's overall charming and funny.
I will definitely re-read this over Christmas (it is a holiday romance, after all).
This is pretty much a character driven story so it's a good thing I enjoyed them. Zach is a bundle of anxiety and I loved him, and Kieran was a character that intrigued me from the start. And as much as I loved both of them together, I also loved Rena (Kieran's sister) as the 2nd POV - this was an interesting choice but I think it added some depth to the story.
I will definitely re-read this over Christmas (it is a holiday romance, after all).
This is pretty much a character driven story so it's a good thing I enjoyed them. Zach is a bundle of anxiety and I loved him, and Kieran was a character that intrigued me from the start. And as much as I loved both of them together, I also loved Rena (Kieran's sister) as the 2nd POV - this was an interesting choice but I think it added some depth to the story.
June 11, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel!
Twas the meet cute before Christmas and the gays were single and stranded. One of my favorite niche book genres is holidays. Something about them just bring me back to my childhood and just fills me with joy. Whether its Halloween or Christmas holidays bring out glee in even the grumpiest of folks.
Twas the meet cute before Christmas and the gays were single and stranded. One of my favorite niche book genres is holidays. Something about them just bring me back to my childhood and just fills me with joy. Whether its Halloween or Christmas holidays bring out glee in even the grumpiest of folks.
Want to Read
April 24, 2026Christmas romance with a beautiful cover and it's queer? thank you for blessing me 🥹
July 10, 2026
5✨
Ritany has ~once again~ managed to tell a captivating tale revolving around complicated familial and relationship dynamics, and he does it so well. I was enraptured by his writing (again) and how relatable all the characters were, all in their own respective ways. Also, who doesn’t love an airport romance?!
Thank you to the publishing team and NetGalley for the
ARC!
Ritany has ~once again~ managed to tell a captivating tale revolving around complicated familial and relationship dynamics, and he does it so well. I was enraptured by his writing (again) and how relatable all the characters were, all in their own respective ways. Also, who doesn’t love an airport romance?!
Thank you to the publishing team and NetGalley for the
ARC!
June 26, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Copy!
As a 33 year old adult, I try to read YA through the lens of my 17 year old self, and this is exactly the kind of book I would have devoured. The parallel story lines between twins, but only getting one of their POVs? Groundbreaking when you’re a teenager to be honest.
I found this book a bit slow to start (mainly, it took me a little to warm up to our main cast of 4) but once the flirting started I was sold.
There’s something so magical about an airport at Christmas time, when love is possible anywhere.
I also loved that it tackled the issues of depression and anxiety in a very teen appropriate way.
As a 33 year old adult, I try to read YA through the lens of my 17 year old self, and this is exactly the kind of book I would have devoured. The parallel story lines between twins, but only getting one of their POVs? Groundbreaking when you’re a teenager to be honest.
I found this book a bit slow to start (mainly, it took me a little to warm up to our main cast of 4) but once the flirting started I was sold.
There’s something so magical about an airport at Christmas time, when love is possible anywhere.
I also loved that it tackled the issues of depression and anxiety in a very teen appropriate way.
June 24, 2026
This was exactly what I needed for my mood reading. So fluffy with a snow storm, an airport, holiday vibes and forced proximity romance.
Zach and Kieran are stranded at an airport during a snow storm. After an out of control water bottle roll, they meet and are instantly thrown into each others orbits. There’s drama and secrets. Discussion of mental illness (depression and anxiety) but lots of cute dialogue and mutual attraction. And a really heated kiss in a construction zone.
Trigger warning for discussion of self harm.
Zach and Kieran are stranded at an airport during a snow storm. After an out of control water bottle roll, they meet and are instantly thrown into each others orbits. There’s drama and secrets. Discussion of mental illness (depression and anxiety) but lots of cute dialogue and mutual attraction. And a really heated kiss in a construction zone.
Trigger warning for discussion of self harm.
September 22, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
This was a really interesting story concept. There are a lot of relationships hanging in the balance, and the pacing of the reveals is stellar. I enjoyed getting into Zach’s brain and seeing him struggle to build conversation that he believes to be normal, while being quite taken by Kieran’s style and attractiveness. Zach has previous relationship experience, and trauma with an ex who continues to reach out, even though his contact is unwanted. So, he’s a lot wary about getting involved with someone, though the connection with Kieran seems inexplicably effortless. And his feelings of admiration and the thrill of desire are very relatable. I liked how Kieran’s spontaneity helped Zach to unlock a lot of his anxiety triggers. The names in Zach’s family were priceless, though!
I really enjoyed the story, and would recommend it for fans of queer YA romance.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
This was a really interesting story concept. There are a lot of relationships hanging in the balance, and the pacing of the reveals is stellar. I enjoyed getting into Zach’s brain and seeing him struggle to build conversation that he believes to be normal, while being quite taken by Kieran’s style and attractiveness. Zach has previous relationship experience, and trauma with an ex who continues to reach out, even though his contact is unwanted. So, he’s a lot wary about getting involved with someone, though the connection with Kieran seems inexplicably effortless. And his feelings of admiration and the thrill of desire are very relatable. I liked how Kieran’s spontaneity helped Zach to unlock a lot of his anxiety triggers. The names in Zach’s family were priceless, though!
I really enjoyed the story, and would recommend it for fans of queer YA romance.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
August 12, 2026
“All the Way Home”, by Alex Ritany, is about travelers who are stranded in the Calgary, Canada, airport due to weather delays. Zach is nervous because this is his first ever flight, his carry-on has been taken (stolen) and then his phone is dropped and the screen cracks. Rena and Kieran are twins that are definitely opposites. She needs to plan out everything to the minute. He goes with the flow and that creates conflict with her. Lucas is Rena’s boyfriend who needs her to make a commitment to their relationship. Each of these four university students react and deal with the continued delays in their own ways. They are forced to deal with issues, situations, and relationships unexpectedly while waiting for their flight. What will each of them find out about themselves?
Life for young adults is all about experiences, choices, and the resulting consequences, both good and bad. This story focuses on these situations in the closed environment of an airport terminal where they are all temporarily trapped. Mr. Ritany has taken many different scenarios and pulled them all together in a realistic storyline that is attention grabbing and fast-paced. Some of the situations have expected results. Some don’t. All of them together make for an entertaining story. This book is intended for teens and young adults, but any adult will enjoy it too.
I wish to thank Norton Young Readers for the complimentary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#AlltheWayHome
#NortonYoungReaders
#NetGalley
#TeenYoungAdult
#LGBTQIAP+
#RomCom
Life for young adults is all about experiences, choices, and the resulting consequences, both good and bad. This story focuses on these situations in the closed environment of an airport terminal where they are all temporarily trapped. Mr. Ritany has taken many different scenarios and pulled them all together in a realistic storyline that is attention grabbing and fast-paced. Some of the situations have expected results. Some don’t. All of them together make for an entertaining story. This book is intended for teens and young adults, but any adult will enjoy it too.
I wish to thank Norton Young Readers for the complimentary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#AlltheWayHome
#NortonYoungReaders
#NetGalley
#TeenYoungAdult
#LGBTQIAP+
#RomCom
September 22, 2026
ARC review - thank you NetGalley for access to the advanced copy!
Perhaps a 3.5/5 - at times, the way the narrators kept secrets from the reader frustrated me but felt very real to the ways in which we lie to ourselves. A cozy little airport romp that becomes a little heavier due to the mental health issues going on with the main characters, but the writing and character work balances it well. Made me want to be in cozy Christmas mode real bad.
Perhaps a 3.5/5 - at times, the way the narrators kept secrets from the reader frustrated me but felt very real to the ways in which we lie to ourselves. A cozy little airport romp that becomes a little heavier due to the mental health issues going on with the main characters, but the writing and character work balances it well. Made me want to be in cozy Christmas mode real bad.
August 9, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars rounded up!
This was a cute novel. I was hoping for a little bit more from it, but I enjoyed it all the same!
It touched on harder topics, but it blended nicely with the humor and the romance. I would look up the trigger warnings though in case you are worried about what may be talked about.
I liked Rena’s character, but I almost wish we got less of her POV. I thought it would be more about Zach and Kieran getting to know each other, but it almost seemed like her struggles were the main storyline. Which it’s not like I hated learning about her, it just took away from the budding romance between Zach and Kieran, so it was harder to root for their relationship. I still liked them together, but I wasn’t super attached.
Rena’s struggles of figuring out what she wants from a relationship, or if she even wants one in general, is something you don’t see very often in novels. I feel like people who can relate to her will really enjoy that aspect of the story. I did relate to her in some way, so I was glad to see it being talked about. Especially when the other part of the novel was getting into a relationship.
Zach was my favorite. He was pretty funny and I was rooting for him to find happiness. Kieran was a very complex character. He was very charming and laid back, but he had deeper issues that you may not realize until you got to know him.
I didn’t super love Lucas, but I did feel for him. I didn’t love a lot of things he did, but he was a good guy despite that.
Kieran and Rena had a wonderful sibling bond too. I liked the mention of friendships and family dynamics with all the characters. It was a nice addition to the story.
It had a really strong start. We got enough information to learn about the characters and why they were at their airport, but it wasn’t too much that it was like an info-dump. As it went on, sometimes I found it a little hard to want to pick up. Not that it was bad or boring, it just wasn’t one of those novels I had to sit down and finish in one sitting.
It’s a cozy little novel. It doesn’t really leave you wanting more. It is a great solo novel! It really is a great book to read in the winter!
3.5 stars rounded up!
This was a cute novel. I was hoping for a little bit more from it, but I enjoyed it all the same!
It touched on harder topics, but it blended nicely with the humor and the romance. I would look up the trigger warnings though in case you are worried about what may be talked about.
I liked Rena’s character, but I almost wish we got less of her POV. I thought it would be more about Zach and Kieran getting to know each other, but it almost seemed like her struggles were the main storyline. Which it’s not like I hated learning about her, it just took away from the budding romance between Zach and Kieran, so it was harder to root for their relationship. I still liked them together, but I wasn’t super attached.
Rena’s struggles of figuring out what she wants from a relationship, or if she even wants one in general, is something you don’t see very often in novels. I feel like people who can relate to her will really enjoy that aspect of the story. I did relate to her in some way, so I was glad to see it being talked about. Especially when the other part of the novel was getting into a relationship.
Zach was my favorite. He was pretty funny and I was rooting for him to find happiness. Kieran was a very complex character. He was very charming and laid back, but he had deeper issues that you may not realize until you got to know him.
I didn’t super love Lucas, but I did feel for him. I didn’t love a lot of things he did, but he was a good guy despite that.
Kieran and Rena had a wonderful sibling bond too. I liked the mention of friendships and family dynamics with all the characters. It was a nice addition to the story.
It had a really strong start. We got enough information to learn about the characters and why they were at their airport, but it wasn’t too much that it was like an info-dump. As it went on, sometimes I found it a little hard to want to pick up. Not that it was bad or boring, it just wasn’t one of those novels I had to sit down and finish in one sitting.
It’s a cozy little novel. It doesn’t really leave you wanting more. It is a great solo novel! It really is a great book to read in the winter!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
{3.25}
This book is a little complicated to review. This novel is pitched as a rom-com holiday meet-cute at the airport with a slight mention of Rena and her boyfriend. However, this book only follows two POVs, Rena’s and Zach’s. The perspectives are evenly distributed between the two, meaning that one half of the book is a fun, rom-com time and the other is a drama about a relationship falling apart. It often felt like I was reading two separate books.
Rena’s perspective really sullied the novel for me personally. I found her to be a very unlikable character, and her POV was so negative and dramatic that it made it hard for me to enjoy the book. The Zach POVs were a 4-4.5 read for me, but the Rena ones forced me to rate this lower. It just comes down to personal taste. I prefer light-hearted reads, though I think someone who likes more turbulence (no pun intended) would really appreciate her perspective.
Overall, I think this author is a great writer. Her characters all felt distinct and had their own clear voices. Despite the slightly outlandish premise and insta-like aspect, the book manages to stay fairly grounded (no pun intended again). I would pick up more from them in the future.
Thank you, NetGalley, W.W. Norton & Company, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tags/Warnings
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.
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Triggers: Past-mentioned suicide attempt, depression, anxiety
This book is a little complicated to review. This novel is pitched as a rom-com holiday meet-cute at the airport with a slight mention of Rena and her boyfriend. However, this book only follows two POVs, Rena’s and Zach’s. The perspectives are evenly distributed between the two, meaning that one half of the book is a fun, rom-com time and the other is a drama about a relationship falling apart. It often felt like I was reading two separate books.
Rena’s perspective really sullied the novel for me personally. I found her to be a very unlikable character, and her POV was so negative and dramatic that it made it hard for me to enjoy the book. The Zach POVs were a 4-4.5 read for me, but the Rena ones forced me to rate this lower. It just comes down to personal taste. I prefer light-hearted reads, though I think someone who likes more turbulence (no pun intended) would really appreciate her perspective.
Overall, I think this author is a great writer. Her characters all felt distinct and had their own clear voices. Despite the slightly outlandish premise and insta-like aspect, the book manages to stay fairly grounded (no pun intended again). I would pick up more from them in the future.
Thank you, NetGalley, W.W. Norton & Company, and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tags/Warnings
.
.
.
Triggers: Past-mentioned suicide attempt, depression, anxiety
November 10, 2026
All The Way Home follows four university students—Zach, Kieran, his sister Rena, and her boyfriend Lucas—when a flight home for the holidays gets delayed. Over the course of a day, they’re forced to confront their pasts and their feelings if they want to continue forwards.
Though marketed as a holiday rom-com, this book isn’t heavy on holiday themes. It’s a good one to reach for when you want to transition into your holiday tbr.
This book deals with some mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, a past suicide attempt, and stigma surrounding those with mental illness). Though the anxiety was well-written, I found the author tried to skirt around the mentions of suicide. Although it is a central theme, they barely wanted to actually mention it. For such a heavy topic, the author should’ve done more research and treated it as less of a taboo.
The book is split between two POVs: Zach’s and Rena’s. Zach’s chapters were by far more enjoyable. He starts off anxious, but pushes himself to be brave and gradually grows more comfortable. I did find some of his arguments with Kieran to be surface-level, but it wasn’t enough to distrupt my enjoyment of the book.
Rena’s chapters were a drag to get through. Most of it is her inner turmoil. She’s not particularly happy in her relationship (though she knows other people expect her to be) and she never quite recovered from a traumatic experience a year prior. While I understand why the author didn’t reveal the details of the event early on in the book, it was frustrating to have to read Rena just thinking about it over and over and over. I wish the book had ended with Rena asking for help or deciding to go to therapy. Her growth through the story was extremely limited.
I really like the idea of a dual POV where only one of the narrators is part of the romance, because I find too often when the narrators are both interested in each other it kills a lot of the yearning and intrigue. It just wasn’t executed in a way that worked for this story.
I really struggled with Lucas. At many points, he seems like he wants to love Rena, but doesn’t truly see her. At others, he’s nasty, especially to Zach and Kieran. It felt like the author didn’t really know where they were going with him either.
There were a lot of side characters (Zach and Kieran’s families and friends back home) to keep track of, which was difficult when they didn’t have a lot of time in the story or many unique traits to remember who was who.
Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Though marketed as a holiday rom-com, this book isn’t heavy on holiday themes. It’s a good one to reach for when you want to transition into your holiday tbr.
This book deals with some mental health concerns (depression, anxiety, a past suicide attempt, and stigma surrounding those with mental illness). Though the anxiety was well-written, I found the author tried to skirt around the mentions of suicide. Although it is a central theme, they barely wanted to actually mention it. For such a heavy topic, the author should’ve done more research and treated it as less of a taboo.
The book is split between two POVs: Zach’s and Rena’s. Zach’s chapters were by far more enjoyable. He starts off anxious, but pushes himself to be brave and gradually grows more comfortable. I did find some of his arguments with Kieran to be surface-level, but it wasn’t enough to distrupt my enjoyment of the book.
Rena’s chapters were a drag to get through. Most of it is her inner turmoil. She’s not particularly happy in her relationship (though she knows other people expect her to be) and she never quite recovered from a traumatic experience a year prior. While I understand why the author didn’t reveal the details of the event early on in the book, it was frustrating to have to read Rena just thinking about it over and over and over. I wish the book had ended with Rena asking for help or deciding to go to therapy. Her growth through the story was extremely limited.
I really like the idea of a dual POV where only one of the narrators is part of the romance, because I find too often when the narrators are both interested in each other it kills a lot of the yearning and intrigue. It just wasn’t executed in a way that worked for this story.
I really struggled with Lucas. At many points, he seems like he wants to love Rena, but doesn’t truly see her. At others, he’s nasty, especially to Zach and Kieran. It felt like the author didn’t really know where they were going with him either.
There were a lot of side characters (Zach and Kieran’s families and friends back home) to keep track of, which was difficult when they didn’t have a lot of time in the story or many unique traits to remember who was who.
Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for offering me a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
October 4, 2026
That first kiss?!!! Wow. Spectacular. Earth-shattering. Had me holding my breath. On the edge of my seat. No notes.
It was the cover art that first drew me towards this book, and then the description of a queer YA christmas romance. Admittedly it was a bit slow at first but regardless this story sucked me in from the very first page. It was everything I had hoped for and more. There was all the intensity of the forced proximity of an airport setting, and the wild ride of being stuck there in the middle of a storm and falling in love in a whirlwind kind of way.
This story takes place across just 1 day stuck in an airport which makes it all the more intense and enjoyable. All disagreements and miscommunications had to be dealt with right then and there. All of their flirting and nervousness and courage had to play out then and there. It was beautiful and heartwrenching and vulnerable.
The discussions of mental health and identity and the joy of truly being know were wonderful. I loved the way all types of relationships and their ups and downs were explored. So many different dynamics with loved ones were touched on and it was so lovely to watch so many relationships heal. The difficult sibling (twin) dynamic; the romantic relationship that doesn't feel quite right; the romantic relationship that's new and exciting; the friends that grew apart; the friends that are always supportive; complicated parent relationships.
There are so many more highly eloquent things that could be said about how this story discusses mental health, queer identities and relationship dynamics, but I'm simply too tired to muster up anything else. I'm typing this in the early hours of the morning as my eyeballs burn, but I simply had to finish the book and immediately share my thoughts.
So much was packed into this story, it was impressive. You have to detach a bit from realism as it's a YA airport christmas story so OF COURSE they fall in love super quickly, but it just felt magical. My first 5⭐️ christmas read of the year. Absolutely adorable. Highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I did end up purchasing my own copy of this story as I wasn't able to finish it before my copy expired but I was too drawn in to the story not to find out how it ended. Definitely worth it.
It was the cover art that first drew me towards this book, and then the description of a queer YA christmas romance. Admittedly it was a bit slow at first but regardless this story sucked me in from the very first page. It was everything I had hoped for and more. There was all the intensity of the forced proximity of an airport setting, and the wild ride of being stuck there in the middle of a storm and falling in love in a whirlwind kind of way.
This story takes place across just 1 day stuck in an airport which makes it all the more intense and enjoyable. All disagreements and miscommunications had to be dealt with right then and there. All of their flirting and nervousness and courage had to play out then and there. It was beautiful and heartwrenching and vulnerable.
The discussions of mental health and identity and the joy of truly being know were wonderful. I loved the way all types of relationships and their ups and downs were explored. So many different dynamics with loved ones were touched on and it was so lovely to watch so many relationships heal. The difficult sibling (twin) dynamic; the romantic relationship that doesn't feel quite right; the romantic relationship that's new and exciting; the friends that grew apart; the friends that are always supportive; complicated parent relationships.
There are so many more highly eloquent things that could be said about how this story discusses mental health, queer identities and relationship dynamics, but I'm simply too tired to muster up anything else. I'm typing this in the early hours of the morning as my eyeballs burn, but I simply had to finish the book and immediately share my thoughts.
So much was packed into this story, it was impressive. You have to detach a bit from realism as it's a YA airport christmas story so OF COURSE they fall in love super quickly, but it just felt magical. My first 5⭐️ christmas read of the year. Absolutely adorable. Highly recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I did end up purchasing my own copy of this story as I wasn't able to finish it before my copy expired but I was too drawn in to the story not to find out how it ended. Definitely worth it.
September 30, 2026
Yes yes yes good good good
There’s no reason not to give this five stars purely for vibes and emotional content.
Gah I love a chance meeting and then blabbing all your feelings all over the place. It’s so good. I love the dynamic between all four of our mains even if half of them are on opposite ends of the love spectrum. It was cool seeing the beginnings and the ends of a relationship—great dichotomy.
This is probably closer to a 4.5 star but I’m giving it 5 anyway because that’s basically 5. I just had a few points where Rena was a little tough for me to understand and relate to without finding her frustrating. But we can’t relate to every character and that is of course part of her character arc.
Kieran I felt all the feels for. I had a feeling I knew where his backstory was heading and I was right. Mental health is SO important and depicting it in a way that’s “sometimes this is just how your brain makes you feel” is so real. You don’t always have to have millions of bad things happening to affect your mental health, sometimes your brain just wants to be like that.
Perfection. I loved it all.
There’s no reason not to give this five stars purely for vibes and emotional content.
Gah I love a chance meeting and then blabbing all your feelings all over the place. It’s so good. I love the dynamic between all four of our mains even if half of them are on opposite ends of the love spectrum. It was cool seeing the beginnings and the ends of a relationship—great dichotomy.
This is probably closer to a 4.5 star but I’m giving it 5 anyway because that’s basically 5. I just had a few points where Rena was a little tough for me to understand and relate to without finding her frustrating. But we can’t relate to every character and that is of course part of her character arc.
Kieran I felt all the feels for. I had a feeling I knew where his backstory was heading and I was right. Mental health is SO important and depicting it in a way that’s “sometimes this is just how your brain makes you feel” is so real. You don’t always have to have millions of bad things happening to affect your mental health, sometimes your brain just wants to be like that.
Perfection. I loved it all.
October 21, 2026
This wasn’t a great read for me. I think I wasn’t the right audience for it (ie too old). It felt too angsty (yes I know it’s a YA/New Adult holiday romcom). Two boys and a girl get stranded at the airport trying to get home for the holidays from their first semester of college. There’s good anxiety rep and lots of emotional conversations/reveals/self reflecting happen. It just bored me a bit too much to really enjoy. Not bad, just not for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, W. W. Norton & Company, Norton Young Readers and Alex Ritany for a courtesy copy. My review is my own.
This was a gorgeous slice of life, and I cannot fathom many romance or young adult readers who wouldn't be captivated by Ritany's storytelling. I recommend this book whole-heartedly and broadly!
For a story with a seemingly humble premise, a holiday season travel delay, Alex Ritany’s uncannily effective instincts shine through. An airport inundated with adverse weather when filled with impatient travelers each with their own priorities, serves as the perfect high-stress backdrop to push emotional conflicts forward while getting right to the core of the matter(s). It almost feels reminiscent of a bottle-episode, but the story always feels bigger than its setting.
It is deeply engaging to follow two college students navigating their mutual interest as potential romantic prospects, but the story offers so much more beyond that. I was equally captivated by the characters' existential crises and relational reflections. I appreciate explorations of complicated dynamics, and I am a total sucker for earnest explorations of sibling dynamics; Here Ritany brilliantly demonstrates how impactful family structures can be for one's sense of well-being. I loved the exploration of struggles with identifying one’s own emotions, and with how hard being vulnerable with those in your circle, let alone co-regulating can be. Beyond the headliners, the subplots are well-woven in and add interesting texture to the story.
Above all, this book is deeply empathetic about how messy the process of growing up, discovering oneself, and becoming oneself can be. The characters are remarkably well-rounded, and you can see the agonies, hopes, and joys of youth explored in each of them through dynamic characterizations where everyone is imperfect yet striving. Sometimes life is pushing ahead with uncertainty and other times it can be winging it when there are no easy answers.
This was a gorgeous slice of life, and I cannot fathom many romance or young adult readers who wouldn't be captivated by Ritany's storytelling. I recommend this book whole-heartedly and broadly!
For a story with a seemingly humble premise, a holiday season travel delay, Alex Ritany’s uncannily effective instincts shine through. An airport inundated with adverse weather when filled with impatient travelers each with their own priorities, serves as the perfect high-stress backdrop to push emotional conflicts forward while getting right to the core of the matter(s). It almost feels reminiscent of a bottle-episode, but the story always feels bigger than its setting.
It is deeply engaging to follow two college students navigating their mutual interest as potential romantic prospects, but the story offers so much more beyond that. I was equally captivated by the characters' existential crises and relational reflections. I appreciate explorations of complicated dynamics, and I am a total sucker for earnest explorations of sibling dynamics; Here Ritany brilliantly demonstrates how impactful family structures can be for one's sense of well-being. I loved the exploration of struggles with identifying one’s own emotions, and with how hard being vulnerable with those in your circle, let alone co-regulating can be. Beyond the headliners, the subplots are well-woven in and add interesting texture to the story.
Above all, this book is deeply empathetic about how messy the process of growing up, discovering oneself, and becoming oneself can be. The characters are remarkably well-rounded, and you can see the agonies, hopes, and joys of youth explored in each of them through dynamic characterizations where everyone is imperfect yet striving. Sometimes life is pushing ahead with uncertainty and other times it can be winging it when there are no easy answers.
October 23, 2026
Why the hell do we get a POV from a bitch?!!!
OMG! Can I just skip her chapters? I really HATE HER! "Where did you go?"??????? REALLY BITCH?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You don't control everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, I need the spoilers. I can't do this. We get the feeling something bad happened, but are not told what. And I can't stand how that bitch is trying to control her brother!
OMG! Can I just skip her chapters? I really HATE HER! "Where did you go?"??????? REALLY BITCH?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You don't control everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, I need the spoilers. I can't do this. We get the feeling something bad happened, but are not told what. And I can't stand how that bitch is trying to control her brother!
June 28, 2026
Beautiful book to get me back into young adult titles! Huge 'Let It Snow' energy (my holy grail of a ya holiday romcom) yet still super unique. I chuckled I cried I felt the love. Got more chemistry from Kieran and Zach than I do in some adult romances tbh, one sit read for me!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
All the Way Home by Alex Ritany has one of the best meet cutes I have ever read, along with some of the most endearing characters and it is definitely one of my favourite holiday reads of all time. There are certain books that I like to revisit when I need something to make me feel good, almost like a "break glass in case of emergency" type thing, and this book has immediately made it on to that list.
Zach. a.k.a. a bundle of anxiety dressed in a hoody, is about to board his first ever flight, taking him home from his first semester in college just in time to celebrate Winter Solstice with his loving if a little unconventional family, and it feels like everything is going wrong. His flight is delayed, his bag gets stolen, he's forgotten his ear buds, oh and his toxic ex keeps trying to call him, the only little bit of good is Kieran.
Kieran is also travelling home for the holidays along with his sister Rena and her boyfriend Lucas, and Zach immediately catches his eye in the airport to the despair of his travelling companions who think he is on the prowl and looking to amuse himself while they wait. For Kieran who is dreading the return home for reasons that will be made clear as the story unfolds, Zach may be a distraction at first, but before long it is clear that there is real chemistry, and a real connection between them.
I just fell in love with this book and these characters, not just Kieran and Zach but also Rena who is dealing with some issues and questions of her own. The chemistry between Zach and Kieran was so immediate that it could have felt over the top but it never did, they just read like two people who found each other at the perfect time, and who were stronger together than either of them were alone. The banter between them was a delight, immediately relatable to anyone who has ever had an awkward conversation with a crush, but there were also times where the conversations were more emotional and more serious and I loved those just as much.
While this is a dual POV story I found it really interesting that the author chose not to give us Kieran's POV, but instead that of his sister Rena, at first I was not sure how well that would work, but by the end it was actually one of my favourite things about the book overall. Her realisations about herself and her relationship with Lucas made for some thought provoking reading, and seeing her come to terms with what she wanted really felt quite emotional and empowering. There is some excellent depiction of anxiety and mental health representation which also made me happy but not as happy as the beautiful ending of the book which put such a huge smile on my face.
This was my first book from Alex Ritany but it will not be the last, and this is a book that I will be recommending to many many readers, and revisiting myself in time for Christmas. I would give it six stars if I could!
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Zach. a.k.a. a bundle of anxiety dressed in a hoody, is about to board his first ever flight, taking him home from his first semester in college just in time to celebrate Winter Solstice with his loving if a little unconventional family, and it feels like everything is going wrong. His flight is delayed, his bag gets stolen, he's forgotten his ear buds, oh and his toxic ex keeps trying to call him, the only little bit of good is Kieran.
Kieran is also travelling home for the holidays along with his sister Rena and her boyfriend Lucas, and Zach immediately catches his eye in the airport to the despair of his travelling companions who think he is on the prowl and looking to amuse himself while they wait. For Kieran who is dreading the return home for reasons that will be made clear as the story unfolds, Zach may be a distraction at first, but before long it is clear that there is real chemistry, and a real connection between them.
I just fell in love with this book and these characters, not just Kieran and Zach but also Rena who is dealing with some issues and questions of her own. The chemistry between Zach and Kieran was so immediate that it could have felt over the top but it never did, they just read like two people who found each other at the perfect time, and who were stronger together than either of them were alone. The banter between them was a delight, immediately relatable to anyone who has ever had an awkward conversation with a crush, but there were also times where the conversations were more emotional and more serious and I loved those just as much.
While this is a dual POV story I found it really interesting that the author chose not to give us Kieran's POV, but instead that of his sister Rena, at first I was not sure how well that would work, but by the end it was actually one of my favourite things about the book overall. Her realisations about herself and her relationship with Lucas made for some thought provoking reading, and seeing her come to terms with what she wanted really felt quite emotional and empowering. There is some excellent depiction of anxiety and mental health representation which also made me happy but not as happy as the beautiful ending of the book which put such a huge smile on my face.
This was my first book from Alex Ritany but it will not be the last, and this is a book that I will be recommending to many many readers, and revisiting myself in time for Christmas. I would give it six stars if I could!
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gah, I really enjoyed this book! First, the cover is perfect, I kept going back to look at it. The title confused me until I realized it was part of a lyric from Let It Snow, and then it made total sense to the book. Typically I don't read YA, but this one looked too good to pass up and it more than exceeded my expectations. I want to be very clear upfront that this is not what I would call a sweet and fluffy book per se, it deals with mental health, identity, and the faulty perceptions we hold both for ourselves and the people around us. We are on a character journey here for sure.
As some have said before me, at first it threw me off to not have one of the main love interests be one our POVs, but it really did make sense for the themes of the book. To get the "not my favorite" part out of the way: Rena was frustrating as a narrator. Even though ultimately I was invested in her story and had a lot of empathy for her, I was frustrated with her the majority of the time. She was like a ketchup bottle, you just kinda wanted to shake her, even as you understood why she was being difficult.
Back to what made me love this book: Zach and Kieran. We start out with Zach, feeling very overwhelmed and anxious in the security line at the airport four days before Christmas, and a runaway water bottle introduces us to Kieran, or Teal Coat as we know him at first. These two were precious. The fact that the entire book takes place in 12 hours while their flight is continually delayed made the steady pacing all the more impressive. The romance actually felt realistic, despite it happening so fast. There is zero spice in this book, but I still got a little fluttery at times with their long looks and brave moments. Not being in Kieran's head ended up making this more intriguing I think, as we figured him out from Zach and Rena's perspective, and had to question our own perceptions about him as the book went on.
The only critique I have for the ending is I wanted a little more. An epilogue of maybe a year down the road at the following Christmas would have felt like the perfect way to end my time with these characters, but I still smiled all the way to the last word. If you want a holiday YA romance with a little extra heart to it, then I definitely recommend this book! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.
As some have said before me, at first it threw me off to not have one of the main love interests be one our POVs, but it really did make sense for the themes of the book. To get the "not my favorite" part out of the way: Rena was frustrating as a narrator. Even though ultimately I was invested in her story and had a lot of empathy for her, I was frustrated with her the majority of the time. She was like a ketchup bottle, you just kinda wanted to shake her, even as you understood why she was being difficult.
Back to what made me love this book: Zach and Kieran. We start out with Zach, feeling very overwhelmed and anxious in the security line at the airport four days before Christmas, and a runaway water bottle introduces us to Kieran, or Teal Coat as we know him at first. These two were precious. The fact that the entire book takes place in 12 hours while their flight is continually delayed made the steady pacing all the more impressive. The romance actually felt realistic, despite it happening so fast. There is zero spice in this book, but I still got a little fluttery at times with their long looks and brave moments. Not being in Kieran's head ended up making this more intriguing I think, as we figured him out from Zach and Rena's perspective, and had to question our own perceptions about him as the book went on.
The only critique I have for the ending is I wanted a little more. An epilogue of maybe a year down the road at the following Christmas would have felt like the perfect way to end my time with these characters, but I still smiled all the way to the last word. If you want a holiday YA romance with a little extra heart to it, then I definitely recommend this book! 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely given.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✎✧˚ Thank you to the author, Alex Ritany, and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
All the Way Home by Alex Ritany is a heartfelt holiday romance that combines the charm of a meet-cute with deeper themes of mental health, family relationships, and personal growth.
The novel follows four young adults – Zach, Kieran, Rena, and Lucas – whose holiday travel plans are disrupted by endless flight delays, leaving them stranded together in an airport. What begins as an unexpected encounter between the anxious Zach and the outgoing Kieran gradually unfolds into a touching romance, while Rena and Lucas navigate the growing tensions in their own relationship. The airport setting creates a unique backdrop that forces the characters to confront unresolved emotions, difficult conversations, and uncertain futures.
The first third of the book was admittedly a little slow for me. With multiple points of view and several conflicts introduced before much context is given, I initially found it difficult to become invested in all of the characters, particularly because the constant switching between perspectives occasionally interrupted the momentum. As the story progressed, however, everything began to click into place.
Zach quickly became one of my favorite characters, as his kind personality and the representation of his generalized anxiety disorder felt thoughtful and authentic. Rena, too, developed into a much more sympathetic and nuanced character as her motivations and insecurities became clearer. The novel also deserves praise for balancing its romance with meaningful discussions surrounding mental health, communication, self-harm, grief, and the courage it takes to be vulnerable with the people we love.
Despite being marketed as a holiday rom-com, this book leans more toward emotional contemporary romance than outright comedy. There are certainly sweet, funny moments and plenty of holiday atmosphere, but it also explores heavier subjects with sincerity and care.
Overall, All the Way Home is a heartwarming holiday read with relatable characters, meaningful emotional growth, and an especially charming romance between Zach and Kieran with a very satisfying and hopeful conclusion.
"Rena and Kieran exchange a glance. At once, she feels the warmth of their shared history, the solidity of his arm against hers. Next to her, Kieran takes a deep breath, and begins."
All the Way Home by Alex Ritany is a heartfelt holiday romance that combines the charm of a meet-cute with deeper themes of mental health, family relationships, and personal growth.
The novel follows four young adults – Zach, Kieran, Rena, and Lucas – whose holiday travel plans are disrupted by endless flight delays, leaving them stranded together in an airport. What begins as an unexpected encounter between the anxious Zach and the outgoing Kieran gradually unfolds into a touching romance, while Rena and Lucas navigate the growing tensions in their own relationship. The airport setting creates a unique backdrop that forces the characters to confront unresolved emotions, difficult conversations, and uncertain futures.
The first third of the book was admittedly a little slow for me. With multiple points of view and several conflicts introduced before much context is given, I initially found it difficult to become invested in all of the characters, particularly because the constant switching between perspectives occasionally interrupted the momentum. As the story progressed, however, everything began to click into place.
Zach quickly became one of my favorite characters, as his kind personality and the representation of his generalized anxiety disorder felt thoughtful and authentic. Rena, too, developed into a much more sympathetic and nuanced character as her motivations and insecurities became clearer. The novel also deserves praise for balancing its romance with meaningful discussions surrounding mental health, communication, self-harm, grief, and the courage it takes to be vulnerable with the people we love.
Despite being marketed as a holiday rom-com, this book leans more toward emotional contemporary romance than outright comedy. There are certainly sweet, funny moments and plenty of holiday atmosphere, but it also explores heavier subjects with sincerity and care.
Overall, All the Way Home is a heartwarming holiday read with relatable characters, meaningful emotional growth, and an especially charming romance between Zach and Kieran with a very satisfying and hopeful conclusion.
"Rena and Kieran exchange a glance. At once, she feels the warmth of their shared history, the solidity of his arm against hers. Next to her, Kieran takes a deep breath, and begins."
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
I thought I was getting a cozy, sweet meet cute between Kieran and Zach based on the blurb. Although you do get that, you also get a second POV from Kieran’s sister, Rena, and her boyfriend, Lucas.
I really loved the balance of Kieran and Zach. Individually, their characters felt a little over the top but they contrasted each other and it balances out their idiosyncrasies. I loved the meet cute of finding the love of your life at the airport while you are both trying to get home for Christmas. And then you get delayed. And delayed again.
There was a lot of conflict between all the characters. Even though Zach has just met the other three, he still can feel the tension between them. Zach and Kieran also have their own drama a few times throughout the book. I enjoyed the conflict and tension but felt the author tried too hard to hint at something in the past without revealing it until the halfway mark. I had an idea of what it was (and was correct) but it was almost too much hinting. I got tired of hearing Rena reference it after a while.
Rena’s character and story felt… unfinished. It felt like the author wasn’t sure which direction to go with Rena or didn’t want to put a label on it. Her character was mostly unlikeable until towards the end and at that point I was already annoyed with her.
I liked the idea of the dual POV where one was Zach and the other Rena. It was an interesting twist and a way to tell two overlapping stories at once. Although, I didn’t really care about Lucas. It seemed like the author tried to make him a sympathetic character at one point and then the next he hasn’t really listened or paid attention to Rena for awhile. This part of the storyline/dual POV seemed to fall flat for me. I liked how the stories between the two POVs would intertwine and you’d get a bit of everyone’s story from both Rena and Zach.
I also need more of Zach’s friend Mara and his family! They seem like an interesting bunch and I liked their relationships.
Parts of the book did get a bit heavy with mention of mental health struggles. I thought the author did a great job discussing the issues and how they manifest differently in each of the characters.
I think this would have been a higher rating if I had cared more for the Rena/Lucas storyline.
I thought I was getting a cozy, sweet meet cute between Kieran and Zach based on the blurb. Although you do get that, you also get a second POV from Kieran’s sister, Rena, and her boyfriend, Lucas.
I really loved the balance of Kieran and Zach. Individually, their characters felt a little over the top but they contrasted each other and it balances out their idiosyncrasies. I loved the meet cute of finding the love of your life at the airport while you are both trying to get home for Christmas. And then you get delayed. And delayed again.
There was a lot of conflict between all the characters. Even though Zach has just met the other three, he still can feel the tension between them. Zach and Kieran also have their own drama a few times throughout the book. I enjoyed the conflict and tension but felt the author tried too hard to hint at something in the past without revealing it until the halfway mark. I had an idea of what it was (and was correct) but it was almost too much hinting. I got tired of hearing Rena reference it after a while.
Rena’s character and story felt… unfinished. It felt like the author wasn’t sure which direction to go with Rena or didn’t want to put a label on it. Her character was mostly unlikeable until towards the end and at that point I was already annoyed with her.
I liked the idea of the dual POV where one was Zach and the other Rena. It was an interesting twist and a way to tell two overlapping stories at once. Although, I didn’t really care about Lucas. It seemed like the author tried to make him a sympathetic character at one point and then the next he hasn’t really listened or paid attention to Rena for awhile. This part of the storyline/dual POV seemed to fall flat for me. I liked how the stories between the two POVs would intertwine and you’d get a bit of everyone’s story from both Rena and Zach.
I also need more of Zach’s friend Mara and his family! They seem like an interesting bunch and I liked their relationships.
Parts of the book did get a bit heavy with mention of mental health struggles. I thought the author did a great job discussing the issues and how they manifest differently in each of the characters.
I think this would have been a higher rating if I had cared more for the Rena/Lucas storyline.
September 25, 2026
Traveling in Canada in the winter is a crapshoot at best, so Zach really shouldn't be surprised that heavy snow keeps delaying his flight home. In fact, he's not, because he's catastrophized every possible thing that could go wrong as he flies (for the first time) home for the holidays during his freshman year, and most of them have happened. His anxiety is pretty much off the charts by now. That's when he runs into Kieran, tall, dark-haired, criminally handsome and charismatic--and for some reason, intent on hanging out with Zach as the delays drag on and on. But it could never go anywhere, not really, right?
Rena, Kieran's sister, is with Kieran as they head home for the holidays, along with Rena's longtime boyfriend Lucas. Rena reads a bit on the autism scale, as she struggles with not liking to be touched, and with knowing how she feels what she's supposed to feel. She's starting to realize, though, that whereas Lucas wants more and more of her--like wanting to move in together--Rena has been tamping down her own wants for so long she barely knows what they are anymore. And that's a problem. Also a problem is Kieran, who's had his own struggles, and a not exactly untarnished romantic history. There is just a whole lot of drama to fit into twelve hours in an airport...
I really enjoyed this, though I necessarily enjoyed the Zach-Kieran thread more than the Rena-Lucas thread, since the former was more effervescent and heartwarming. The characters are really well-defined, and I loved all the details of the world building. You'd think it would be hard to build a world when the characters are in the same setting for twelve hours, but it works, and having flashbacks as well as information about the families helps. I especially loved that Zach's family is more crunchy-granola, solstice-celebrating, and unabashedly so. I also liked that the act three breakup was really minor--I hate the act three breakup in romances! I did appreciate Rena figuring out more about herself; in addition to being on the autism scale, she also reads as aroace in her having to push herself to accept all the physical contact that Lucas wants but she really doesn't. I think that happens to a lot of aroace people, who may not yet know that it's ok not to want what others want--they're not broken. Anyway, recommended. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
Rena, Kieran's sister, is with Kieran as they head home for the holidays, along with Rena's longtime boyfriend Lucas. Rena reads a bit on the autism scale, as she struggles with not liking to be touched, and with knowing how she feels what she's supposed to feel. She's starting to realize, though, that whereas Lucas wants more and more of her--like wanting to move in together--Rena has been tamping down her own wants for so long she barely knows what they are anymore. And that's a problem. Also a problem is Kieran, who's had his own struggles, and a not exactly untarnished romantic history. There is just a whole lot of drama to fit into twelve hours in an airport...
I really enjoyed this, though I necessarily enjoyed the Zach-Kieran thread more than the Rena-Lucas thread, since the former was more effervescent and heartwarming. The characters are really well-defined, and I loved all the details of the world building. You'd think it would be hard to build a world when the characters are in the same setting for twelve hours, but it works, and having flashbacks as well as information about the families helps. I especially loved that Zach's family is more crunchy-granola, solstice-celebrating, and unabashedly so. I also liked that the act three breakup was really minor--I hate the act three breakup in romances! I did appreciate Rena figuring out more about herself; in addition to being on the autism scale, she also reads as aroace in her having to push herself to accept all the physical contact that Lucas wants but she really doesn't. I think that happens to a lot of aroace people, who may not yet know that it's ok not to want what others want--they're not broken. Anyway, recommended. Thanks to Libro.FM for a free educator copy of the audiobook.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
One of the best romances I've read so far this year. The premise is fun--the four main characters are trapped in the Calgary airport on the Winter Solstice due to a snowstorm. They are on their way home from their fist semester of college. Zach is travelling home alone to a small town some distance from Toronto and Rena and Kieran are twins from Toronto. Lucas is Rena's boyfriend. The author does a good job managing the two couples, one moving together, the other moving apart and stuck in the airport for twelve hours for nearly the entire book.. The writing is mostly strong. The pacing is good despite the single setting. There is a good deal of sadness as well as joy in the book (as in real life). The gay MCs, Zach and Kieran, are sweet and swoony and the non-gay couple, Rena and Lucas, are sympathetically portrayed. The author's choice to split the narration between Zach's and Rena's viewpoints works well. We understand where all four of them are coming from and their all too human faults and virtues.
i would have appreciated a bit more sign-posting--it took me a while to figure out which airport they were in and how old the characters were. Rena and Lucas seemed older than nineteen. I had assumed they had met in high school but it was actually when they were fourteen. And there was a bit of the "why didn't/can't they just talk to each other?" Of course they finally do in the end. Their friends and family, with the exception of Rena's friend Sahar, remain sketchy. Some facts are just dropped in and then forgotten--what is the significance of the twins being adopted? The class difference between the twins and Zach is also mentioned but not really dealt with as is Zach's family being pagan. These facts should have been better integrated into the story and the characters' motivations. The incident with the missing child is clumsily handled plot-wise--though it works to show Zach successfully working with kids..
These are relatively minor quibbles though. Overall a fun non-holiday holiday read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
i would have appreciated a bit more sign-posting--it took me a while to figure out which airport they were in and how old the characters were. Rena and Lucas seemed older than nineteen. I had assumed they had met in high school but it was actually when they were fourteen. And there was a bit of the "why didn't/can't they just talk to each other?" Of course they finally do in the end. Their friends and family, with the exception of Rena's friend Sahar, remain sketchy. Some facts are just dropped in and then forgotten--what is the significance of the twins being adopted? The class difference between the twins and Zach is also mentioned but not really dealt with as is Zach's family being pagan. These facts should have been better integrated into the story and the characters' motivations. The incident with the missing child is clumsily handled plot-wise--though it works to show Zach successfully working with kids..
These are relatively minor quibbles though. Overall a fun non-holiday holiday read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Norton Young Readers and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A cute holiday romance! Zach is heading home for the holidays after his first semester at school. This will be his first time flying and he’s really nervous, ok he’s pretty anxious about most things because of his Generalized Anxiety Disorder. And then by accident he runs into Kieran, who happens to be beautiful and captivating. But he could never talk to him. Only Kieran doesn’t give him much of a choice as he seeks Zach out again and again. As the weather delays their flight the two get to know each other traveling throughout the limited space the airport offers, but something magical seems to be happening, is it too good to be true? Meanwhile Kieran’s sister Rena waits for the delayed flight with her boyfriend Lucas. She likes control so the delay is getting to her. It doesn’t help that her and Lucas have been struggling and she doesn’t know why or what to do about it. To top it all off it, her ex-best friend happens to be at the airport as well and she does not want to deal with that. Especially as her relationship will Lucas is at the heart of why their friendship ended. Then there’s Kieran, who seems taken with some guy he just met, but after what happened a year ago and this past summer she’s worried he’ll get hurt or do the hurting. One delayed flight will forever change the lives of these four people. A lot of sweet and exciting moments of the buildup of a new relationship, the meet cute, the getting to know each other, the first kiss! But also a lot of hurt, confusion, difficulties, growth that come with being in a relationship! I love that Alex Ritany waves the rom come aspects of the story with secrets that had just a touch of thrills that had me turning the pages! Both heartwarming and heartbreaking, full of love, sadness, and hope! Plus who doesn’t love some holiday cheer!
September 27, 2026
Gripping, cozy, heartwarming, couldn't put it down--and not a Christmas novel, despite appearances. (Good thing.)
Alex always makes lofty promises with the premises of their books and delivers on the execution in spades. A novel that takes place over the space of one day, much less twelve hours all in the same location, is incredibly difficult to pull off, and yet Alex made each page, and each hour, fly by. Every chapter felt fresh, new, and exciting, never boring, never tempting the eye to skim. All while upping the stakes and building tension, as well as alluding to the past in subtle hints.
The stars of this novel were the characters, even the ones who didn't have point of view. They felt real, all four of them, and it was so easy to bond with them, to get lost in their minds, to wonder about their pasts and what they concealed from the reader. As always, the book carries a deceptively light premise of a wintery romcom and lulled you in until you found yourself surrounded by the profound, the emotional, the deep, and the philosophical. Genius.
From the characters, to the charming and immersive description of the airport itself (the difference in description from experienced versus new fliers was an ingenious additional detail) to the relationships both romantic and sibling that blew me away--this book is an incredible read from start to finish, on every level. Each chapter was a cliffhanger that urged more of your time. Each opening line felt better than the next. Each character felt as real as if they were standing in front of you.
I would recommend All the Way Home to anyone who wants a cozy, queer winter romcom that goes light on Christmas--mixed with a gorgeous slowly yet beautifully told story of self discovery from a woman who has never given herself permission to think about her own wants before. 10/10, would read again.
Alex always makes lofty promises with the premises of their books and delivers on the execution in spades. A novel that takes place over the space of one day, much less twelve hours all in the same location, is incredibly difficult to pull off, and yet Alex made each page, and each hour, fly by. Every chapter felt fresh, new, and exciting, never boring, never tempting the eye to skim. All while upping the stakes and building tension, as well as alluding to the past in subtle hints.
The stars of this novel were the characters, even the ones who didn't have point of view. They felt real, all four of them, and it was so easy to bond with them, to get lost in their minds, to wonder about their pasts and what they concealed from the reader. As always, the book carries a deceptively light premise of a wintery romcom and lulled you in until you found yourself surrounded by the profound, the emotional, the deep, and the philosophical. Genius.
From the characters, to the charming and immersive description of the airport itself (the difference in description from experienced versus new fliers was an ingenious additional detail) to the relationships both romantic and sibling that blew me away--this book is an incredible read from start to finish, on every level. Each chapter was a cliffhanger that urged more of your time. Each opening line felt better than the next. Each character felt as real as if they were standing in front of you.
I would recommend All the Way Home to anyone who wants a cozy, queer winter romcom that goes light on Christmas--mixed with a gorgeous slowly yet beautifully told story of self discovery from a woman who has never given herself permission to think about her own wants before. 10/10, would read again.
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