Book Review: Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: Romance

I love cute, cozy winter reads and this one’s set in a bookshop?? I knew I just had to read this one, it was a great book to start with for transitioning into the wintery-holiday vibed books and very young adult lol.

Continue reading for more details.

Synopsis:

A YA Christmas love story set in a London Black-owned bookshop.

Charming, handsome Trey Anderson balances the pressures of school popularity with a job at his family’s beloved local bookshop, Wonderland.

Quirky, creative Ariel Spencer needs tuition for the prestigious art program of her dreams, and an opening at Wonderland is the answer. When Trey and Ariel learn that Wonderland is on the brink of being shut down by a neighborhood gentrifier, they team up to stop the doors from closing before the Christmas Eve deadline—and embark on a hate-to-love journey that will change them forever.

Heartwarming and romantic, this read is the gift that keeps on giving, no matter the season.

Review:

Loved Ariel! I love how she has such a big passion for art, I wish I had her passion for anything. She’s determined to reach her goals and works hard to do so. I admired that about her a lot and I could really connect to her because of that. She’s also really understanding and simply so sweet. Like she did not need to get involved to such a large extent in helping Trey and his bookshop, but she still did. She doesn't deserve any of the stupid remarks Trey’s girlfriend and her friends make toward her. I’m glad she has good, supportive friends to appreciate and love her.

Trey was really ehhh. The biggest thing that got on my nerves the whole entire book was how he was still with his (horrible) girlfriend throughout the majority of the book. I kept on chanting for them to break up but he really did take his sweet time. I also kept on chanting don’t cheat because what would’ve caused me to DNF the book was if he had ended up kissing Ariel while with his current girlfriend. The subtle (and not so subtle) flirting was bad enough, but that I could bear. What I did love was his absolute love and support for the bookshop. I liked reading about how passionate he was about keeping the bookshop and really did everything for it.

One thing I can not deny is that these two had chemistry. They really didn’t do any crazy flirting, but still I could feel through the words how they were being pulled towards each other and c’mon they truly are a match made in heaven. The way they loved all the same things and got along so easily was so cute. While Trey’s girlfriend at the time couldn’t care any less about what Trey was doing and vice versa! Trey forgot her birthday? Like that should’ve been a clear sign for Trey that it’s to break up and move on from her because clearly he isn’t interested.

Was the plot predictable and cliche? Yes. Did I still enjoy it? Also, yes. I think that’s probably because it’s been a while since I’ve read a romance book where there seemed to be bigger matters than if the other person liked them. By working together to save the bookshop, it naturally brought them closer which really did make everything feel so easy and seamless. I also was really invested in these two and their efforts towards the cause and I did get through this one quite quickly!

Overall,

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