Review of 'Christmas Wishes & Irish Kisses' by Debbie Johnson
Review of 'Christmas Wishes & Irish Kisses' by Debbie Johnson
Release date: October 27th, 2025
Publisher: Storm Publishing
REVIEW
Christmas Wishes & Irish Kisses by Debbie Johnson is a witty though serious novel that contains a lovely community Christmas theme but also champions a comprehensive relationship story at its heart. Although it may seem light on the surface, it covers such complex topics as divorce, infidelity and childhood trauma caused by separation from a parent.
It is easy to see that separation from a parent either through divorce (what Ellie experiences) or death (what Bella experiences) can shape the individual’s views and hinder future relationships. The person is scared to trust because they develop abandonment issues. The mechanism of dealing with pain is to put up walls and keep your distance. Never get too close to anyone who could break your heart again. Of course, both Ellie and Bella are challenged on these points but Ellie is the one who has the greatest struggle.
Bella’s loss is heartbreaking. Losing her mother as a teenager means she remembers those last moments more than her younger siblings. But the maturity we see develop in Bella is incredibly uplifting. She learns to deal with her loss and help her stepfather do the same. She even helps him to live again.
Ellie, on the other hand, must get to really know and see her father and to understand his faults and to forgive him for not fighting for her when her parents split. Once she learns why, the whole picture changes for her. She has to come to terms with her past romantic relationships, too, and how things went wrong or are not right for her. This takes a lot of courage and working through her emotions. England was her birth and childhood home but then she moved to the US with her mother. She built a good life in New York but is there more waiting for her? When she gets word about her father’s health, she rushes back to England where she faces many memories. Confronted with the past, through locations and old acquaintances, intense emotions stir. She encounters Liam, her past best friend. They have been out of touch for twenty years due to a conflict they had. We wonder what will happen next? Will their relationship heal? And what next? Their reunion causes the past and present to collide. Is there more to their relationship to explore? Not without overcoming some major obstacles.
I loved the character developments in this story seen in Ellie, her father, Liam, Bella and Tyler. Ellie particularly must deal with two men and make a choice. It becomes easier than she thinks for when she gets away from New York, she is able to see more clearly what she must do. It also fosters courage to do what is best for her and the other people involved—even though it will hurt at first. This frees Ellie to go in the direction she was always meant to. Cryptic yes, but I cannot give away the plot! I can say, this story has a happy ending and for more than one of the characters.
It is a beautifully rounded story that takes us on a journey through lives that we can relate to. Peppered with witty lines that offer comic relief, it is well balanced and delivers a solid romance. The opening with Ellie crying into Santa’s beard was an unusual start and I wasn’t sure what direction the story would go but eventually I saw incredible value and great skill in the writing. There are beautiful English Christmas scenes, too, that allowed me to get lost in the magic of the setting.
I definitely enjoyed the journey (once I settled in) and would recommend Christmas Wishes & Irish Kisses by Debbie Johnson to those wanting a romantic story with layers of character development and important life learnings. I started out thinking 4 stars for this novel but because it builds so beautifully with such strength and wisdom, and ends so complete, satisfying, uplifting and heart-warming, it moves to a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.
