All Wrapped Up

by Ally Bunbury

'A warm, joyous, seasonal read' Swirl and Thread

'A perfect pre-Christmas treat ... hilarious and heartwarming' Irish Central

It's the time of year ... to run away from your life

Holly always seems to make the wrong decisions: her career in London is going nowhere, and she's ended up engaged to a man she doesn't love.

Which is why she decides that's all going to change - starting with calling off her engagement, six weeks before their Christmas Eve wedding.

Then Holly sees an ad for what could be her dream job: helping to declutter a remote country house back home in Ireland. It's her chance to avoid all talk of weddings and the trappings of her least favourite time of year.

But when Holly arrives at the beautiful but neglected Knockboden, she discovers that Serena Harpur, the glamorous owner, is planning on renting it out as a romantic honeymoon destination in a bid to avoid financial ruin.

With Serena's handsome but moody son hanging around, dead set against his mother's plan, Holly begins to wonder if she's made yet another bad decision.

Then Serena gets a phone call that looks set to change the fate of Knockboden. Will Holly realise that maybe she has found herself in exactly the right place, at the right time of year, for the first time ever?

Read what people are saying about All Wrapped Up:

'The PERFECT pre-Christmas read to get you in the festive mood. Lovely writing, characters are just charming and you can absorb the festive feels throughout. Loved it!' Netgalley reviewer

'A festive fun book that you will read in one sitting ... unputdownable' Netgalley reviewer

'Such a cute and cosy read - I finished it in one sitting and by the end of it I wanted to google old castles to spend Christmas in' Netgalley reviewer

'Grab your favourite blanket and a hot cocoa and set aside a few hours. You are sure to lose yourself within the pages of this wonderful book and what a joy it is too' Netgalley reviewer

Genres: Christmas

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2022

About the author

Born in 1976, ​​​Ally Bunbury was brought up with her three sisters, and a menagerie of animals, in County Monaghan. Following a serendipitous encounter at a dinner party, Ally landed a dream internship with a PR agency on New York's Fifth Avenue, which, in turn, led to a flourishing career in London and Dublin. Ally now runs her own PR company and continues to create dynamic media campaigns for her clients. She lives in County Carlow with her husband, the historian, Turtle Bunbury and their two daughters, Jemima and Bay. From their house, overlooking the foothills of the Wicklow Mountains, Ally wrote her debut novel, The Inheritance.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of All Wrapped Up, by Ally Bunbury, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I did not care for Holly, I actually liked her fiance Giles, better then Holly.

[Mirella Ivanova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please note: I have read the ARC copy. However, all the opinions and views are my own as any other review I make.

Very slight spoilers, please beware.

Rating 4 🌟
Plot twist: 4 🌟
Spiciness: 0 🌶

The ultimate Christmas comfy read! This book made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, I loved the storyline and how two ultimately lost souls found each other despite being on the fence of ever falling in love again!

I liked the idea of transforming an old "castle" full of nick-nacks and old memories into the ultimate Christmas Holiday dream home!

I think the author did amazingly with the character building and development!

It was a light, sweet read that will make you want to snuggle with your softest blanket whilst sipping on hot choccie and will inevitably get you into Christmas mood! ☕ 🎄

[jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

a love story an old rundown home and christmas, what more could you want from a book!!
a book full of charming characters you growto love, a book to curl up on a cold autumn day

[WhatFrizRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly has no idea what she's doing, but she knows that what was going to happen wasn't right either. She finds herself in a crumbling Irish stately home and before long is facing challenges and truths she wasn't expecting.

This is a cosy festive read; it's easy going, a little predictable but very enjoyable. It'll make you feel thoroughly festive!

The characters are likeable, you'll feel like you know them by the end of the story. There's nothing particularly stand out or different about this story, it's quite a typical chick lit but it left me feeling warm and fuzzy!

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars I would give this book. Although it was set at Christmas, it ended up being a great January read for me. Although the book was centred around Holly and her picking up the pieces after her not meant to be engagement, Serena and Knockboden ended up being the stand outs for me in the book. Lighthearted and very easy read. The author had Insta Love the show and #Javia the dream couple on point. Very entertaining and I really enjoyed the book.

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 3 out of 5]

All Wrapped Up by Ally Bunbury was published November 3rd with Hachette Ireland. It is described as ‘a sparkling festive story’.

Holly O’ Leary is a young woman working in London, who has her life mapped out ahead of her. Her fiancé, Giles, is perfect on paper. Their wedding day preparations, home in Dublin, are in full swing. Her mother, as chief organiser, is making sure that the celebrations will have the full trimmings. Her brother has his flights booked home from Australia. Giles is a romantic. He is self-assured and sincere. But Holly feels that the magic just isn’t there and asks herself if it ever really was?

Calling off the wedding is a monumental decision but Holly knows that it is the right thing to do. She also knows that she cannot tell her mother the truth just yet. She mentions a postponement to her mother to keep her quiet and makes a drastic move. On a whim, she takes up a position in a remote house near the Wicklow Mountains.

The house is owned by the enigmatic Serena Harpur. Serena, now in her senior years, is facing severe financial difficulties. After her husband died, Serena was left with an insurmountable debt and is now struggling to stay afloat. Her son Tyrone is a high-flyer in New York and Serena is aware of his impatience with her circumstances. Her home in Knockboden is in complete disrepair. Tyrone believes the time is right for Serena to sell up but she has her foot firmly on the ground. Serena Harpur has always lived her life outside of the rulebook. She has no intention of changing her ways just yet.

She brings Holly in as someone to help her declutter, with the notion of setting up a romantic B&B. Serena is hopeful that it will alleviate some of the pressure. But Serena sees the world through a glass of gin and has no concept of the work required. Holly is overwhelmed by the task ahead but with no alternative, she digs in and gives it her best. But it’s not long before Holly sees the impossibility of Serena’s wishes.

An unexpected phone call delivers unexpected options and soon Knockboden becomes a hive of activity. When Tyrone returns from Manhattan, he again tries to persuade his mother that this is all complete madness. With the holiday season approaching, Holly is driven forward by Serena’s optimism and is the antithesis of Tyrone’s pessimism. Serena’s plans for Knockboden are audacious and quite staggering. Fearless, she believes everything is possible with a bit of luck, and an early tipple.

Can Holly help Serena save her home? Will Holly ever find her place in the world? What really happens under the mistletoe in Knockboden?

All Wrapped Up is a very sweet and charming Christmas story. It will appeal to all looking for a warm and joyous seasonal read. Serena is the queen of All Wrapped Up, with a personality and a past that really deserves its own story. Many of the characters in the book are quite fluffy and foolish, but I think that that is its appeal. All Wrapped Up is a fun, light-hearted book that doesn’t take itself too seriously. An entertaining and lively read, perfect for these chaotic days!

[Kirsty (BookBlogger) · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Wrapped Up by Ally Bunbury

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Hachette and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Holly always seems to make the wrong decisions: her career in London is going nowhere, and she's ended up engaged to a man she doesn't love.

Which is why she decides that's all going to change - starting with calling off her engagement, six weeks before their Christmas Eve wedding.

Then Holly sees an ad for what could be her dream job: helping to declutter a remote country house back home in Ireland. It's her chance to avoid all talk of weddings and the trappings of her least favourite time of year.

But when Holly arrives at the beautiful but neglected Knockboden, she discovers that Serena Harpur, the glamorous owner, is planning on renting it out as a romantic honeymoon destination in a bid to avoid financial ruin.

With Serena's handsome but moody son hanging around, dead set against his mother's plan, Holly begins to wonder if she's made yet another bad decision.

Then Serena gets a phone call that looks set to change the fate of Knockboden. Will Holly realise that maybe she has found herself in exactly the right place, at the right time of year, for the first time ever?

My Opinion

All Wrapped Up has been on my want to read list for a very long time. Holly has run away from her engagement and ends up working in a run-down Knockboden – a house in need of a serious cash injection. For me this was a relatively easy book to read. A lovely book to read over the festive season.

Rating 4/5

[CMROGAN · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so this was interesting and there was real potential. I honestly did like it there was a lot of fun moments but it was overshadowed by randomness. It really did provide a winter theme that encouraged you to curl up and read. But ultimately I think it was a lot of editing choices that lowered my rating.

The characters were all great but there were too many introduced that you had no idea who was who at certain points or you never really felt like you got to know them. Also there is multiple POVs but they aren't defined very well which can get a little confusing, jumping povs mid chapter without it being obvious who your reading from now at certain points was a bit frustrating.

Insta-love is a major theme in the book and not just on the reality show. I personally felt that certain character were tossed together even though they barely seemed to know each other and there was very little foundation to justify them getting together in the end beside instant love...

Personally I think this book is far more plot based but even then it was lacking. I never felt an urgency for them to achieve their goal. It felt like they were in it for the sake of not giving in rather then an actual desire to achieve the task.

Overall I would read again but it wouldn't be a high priority, and if your looking for a romance novel this probably isn't it.

[Valerie Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This book has all the ingredients for a cosy, romantic, festive read but it failed to hit the mark for me. Serena's character was extremely unlikeable: appointing a new employee when she can't pay those she already has and wasting money given to her to support the house she's living in. Holly was working at the house for a few weeks, supposedly helping to clear it but there are still piles of clutter and filth everywhere, what was she doing with her time? And how she could fail to tell her mother the wedding was off - in part because poor Giles found her intimidating in bed! - I found it ridiculous. The continuity seemed awry, e.g. a wedding dress was days late arriving so everyone would be on the lookout for it but when it arrived it got pushed away and forgotten? This book wasn't as good as I thought it was going to be and it hasn't convinced me to read anything else by this author.

[Gilly Fogg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is funny and light and so enjoyable, it's the literary equivalent of hot chocolate by a log fire (and perhaps with an added splash of Irish whiskey!). The location of Knockboden is really well described and Serena is completely hilarious, larger than life figure.

Ally Bunbury's writing reminds me of Jilly Cooper, mixed up with old Irish classics like The Irish R.M.. I've read her two other books, I really enjoyed those as well, but I think this one is the best.

This novel has totally put me in the mood for Christmas, in fact I think I'm going to read it all over again!

[Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a brilliant story that I really loved. It was so much fun and very interesting. I love the way the story had me laughing out oud at times. I thought the storyline was rather unique. It was great that it was hard to work out what was going to happen next. I definitely wanted the Manor to be saved. I definitely became emotionally involved in the story. I loved the pace of this story, which made it hard to put down. I just loved how entertaining the story was it made for a brilliant page turner. I really loved Holly's characters she was so much fun and relatable. I definitely recommend reading this book as it's so much fun.
So much praise goes out to the author and publishers for creating a very Interesting and enjoyable read.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Ally Bunbury and Hachette Books Ireland for the copy of All Wrapped Up. This is my personal review.
Holly was not sure what she wanted in her life but getting married was not it. She heads to Ireland to get her life where she wants it to be.
Cleaning up an old run-down country home is her next step in life. She finds things about herself along the way.
The combination of characters in this story make it all fit together so well.
This book was the perfect way to spend a day for me.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was actually so much more lovely than I was anticipating. It started slow but the concept was good and the cliche of the girl ends engagement, moves country to a dilapidated house, does up and falls in love was definitely the biggest part of the plot. But #instalove #javia and Serena helped make the story special and it didn’t feel like another of those cheesy Christmas stories out everywhere. Well no, it definitely still was a cheesy Christmas story but it was nice still and all the feels in the last week before Christmas. I’m pleased holly got her happily ever after.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll be honest this was my first book to read near Christmas time and I didn’t like it. I think there is too many things going on throughout the book so the storyline gets lost so I ended up just scan reading until the very end. I do think the ideas throughout the book was good, just probably do 2 books for this story than joining them together!

[Jasmine Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful story!
Even though the multiple PoV got a little confusing at times, it certainly helped get perspective from multiple people.
Really enjoyed the family feel, even though most was not related, but choose to be there for one and other when times needed it

[Rachel Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After ending her engagement, Holly ends up in rural Ireland but her new job is not what she expects it to be. Can she save the day?

[Maeve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. Some parts are a bit farfetched and there were so many unexplained names at one stage it almost made me put the book down, but glad I finished it and it’s a heartwarming read.

[Claire Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good lighted hearted easy reading.

[Sarah (blissbubbley) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy a festive read. Loved the characters and the plot is good and fun. Loved this and would read more from the author.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars

[Sophie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Roisín O'Halloran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light, Easy read, perfect for a Christmas read or as a Christmas present.

[Lovisa Sandström · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I have to give an honest opinion and unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. The concept is really good, Hollywood tv show comes to a small town in Ireland to film their winter special. The hotel is falling apart, chaos on top of chaos and Holly who’s new to the staff does her best to give it a makeover. Like every Christmas movie ever, I mean that in the best way because I love those. It just didn’t come together for me.

I would describe it as slightly messy. There are so many characters, it’s overwhelming. And the multiple POVs doesn’t help the situation. It would have been helpful to have a clearer structure starting off each chapter with who’s pov will be featured as an example.

This lead to my feeling disconnected to the characters, especially the FMC Holly. All in all this wasn’t for me but I’ve also seen many positive reviews and I hope the book does really well.

[JoJo Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holly wants to escape her life and so cancels her engagement and takes a job in Ireland, helping to declutter a neglected old Manor House.

This was predictable . I didn’t really like the main character, Holly. The idea of a Hollywood reality show moving to a decrepit house in the middle of Ireland was unbelievable, and I didn’t like the additional characters that this brought. I liked the dogs….

I feel that this could have been more, but wasn’t. I can’t quite put my finger on what was missed (because I’m not an author or editor), but this book seemed way off the mark for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC for an honest review.

[Hsiau Wei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holly having doubt to marry her fiancé and generally her life. She did something drastic, i.e. leaving all behind and take up a position near Wicklow Mountains. She met with the owner, Serena Harpur who are struggling to stay afloat and she know her son, Tyrone is getting impatience with her trouble. Her home is in need of repair and Tyrone is urging her to sell the house. But she has her foot firmly on the ground and instead hire Holly to help her declutter. Holly is overwhelmed with the task and an unexpected phone call changed the situation for them. The story plot is rather slow at the beginning but then it became more exciting midway of the story. Overall it is a sweet and charming story.