Emily Stone's latest holiday gift...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to welcome Emily Stone to CLC today. Her latest winter holiday rom-com, Love, Holly, is now available and it sounds like a really good story. Thanks to Dell, we have a copy to give away!

Emily Stone is the author of Always, in December and One Last Gift. She lives and works in the UK and wrote her first novel in an old Victorian manor house with an impressive literary heritage. Visit Emily on Twitter and Instagram.

Synopsis:
Ever since an accident three years ago, Holly has been part of a lonely-hearts letter writing club for the holidays. The tradition is something she has come to treasure: Each December, she writes to a stranger who is also spending Christmas alone and receives a letter from another lonely person.

Usually, the letters go unanswered. That's the point—the letters are anonymous, and the sender writes whatever is in their heart. But this year, the letter Holly receives is different; not only is the letter full of a grief she knows all too well, but its writer, Emma, mentions a place that Holly has visited. When she realizes she might actually be able to find the letter’s author, Holly becomes determined to reunite Emma with the estranged grandson, Jack, that she’s desperate to reconnect with.

And when Holly finally tracks him down, she realizes she’s met Jack once before…and the connection was electric. The spark between the two of them is still there--until a misunderstanding risks their burgeoning romance and his strained relationship with Emma, too. But Holly is determined; if she can fix Emma’s family, she might also be able to fix her own. Though as it turns out, Holly might have less time to put things right than she thought…

“Written with her signature charm, Emily Stone’s Love, Holly is a heartfelt novel that will endear readers.”
—Booklist

“Stone dazzles in this emotional and immersive holiday romance. . . . As [the characters] navigate their relationships with each other, all learn stirring lessons about the meaning of family, the preciousness of time, and the strength in forgiveness. Readers should have tissues at the ready.” 
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

What is a favorite compliment you have received on your writing?
I read pretty much all of my Netgalley reviews (even though I know you shouldn't), and I absolutely love it when readers or bloggers tag me in a review on Instagram to say they enjoyed one of my books. The bad reviews aren't so fun, but even then, I try to take on board why someone thinks that for future. (I don't know if this is helpful or not - only time will tell!). Hearing that someone enjoyed something you've written makes it all worth it and feels like the biggest privilege. However, because I quite often write about grief, intersected with other things, I have had some incredibly lovely messages where readers engage with the book on a personal level, and message to tell me that they feel seen, or that it helped them come to terms with their own grief. That is so incredibly special, and something that always makes me quite emotional! 
 
How is Holly similar to or different from you?
I think Holly is probably a little cooler and more artistic than me! I would love to be more artistic and be good at drawing or painting or sculpting - but I never have been! So it was fun to write Holly, who is very artistic, and sort of live that dream vicariously. I can be a bit disorganised sometimes, like Holly is, and I think I can be impulsive at times, so I very much understand Holly getting herself into trouble because she acts without fully thinking things through... 
 
If Love, Holly were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
 I find this question SO difficult, because I don't actually think that visually! I don't picture my characters when I write them, and sometimes my editors have to push me a little to make sure there's enough physical description of the characters in the book. So even if there is physical description there, I couldn't tell you what any of the characters look like! So not taking into account looks, I think Maggie Smith would make a great Emma, maybe Emma Stone for Holly because I think she does the quirky lovable protagonist so well (but also because she basically has the same name as me), and Theo James for Jack - though I'm not really sure why?
 
What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I just read Happy Place by Emily Henry which I'm sure everyone will have read already but which I loved! I also totally jumped on the Fourth Wing bandwagon and am now counting down the days until Iron Flame is released. I was also lucky enough to read an early proof of Sophie Cousens' new book The Good Part, which I wholeheartedly recommend.

If your life were a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it? 
I have never thought of this before! I really don't know... Maybe Joanna Lumley because she's legendary and so funny! 

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
Oooh - how far can we travel?? Everyone will be hopping on a plane to England, and I'm living on the border of Wales right now. There are some beautiful country walks to go on, and we could go and visit the Victorian manor house where I wrote my debut novel, Always, in December. Bristol is nearby and has some great independent restaurants - so dinner out there for sure. There is actually a castle nearby - Chepstow castle - which I think is fun if you're visiting! 

Thanks to Emily for chatting with us and to Dell for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway ends October 3rd at midnight EST.

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.

Listen to this book on Speechify!