School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Popular Trey seems to live a charmed life at school, but at home, he sees his family struggling to hold on to Wonderland, their independent Black-owned London bookstore founded by his great-grandfather. He barely knows his classmate Ariel, until his mother hires her despite their financial woes after Trey's father is sidelined from work after an unfortunate accident. Grateful Ariel needs the job to help fund her dreams of attending the same art school as her late father. The teens initially seem to have nothing in common, until they realize they really, really do. Actor Smith (he's also Zadie Smith's brother!) is an easygoing fit for Trey, smoothly shifting between detached, vulnerable, and earnest. Okoye, who shares Bello's Nigerian background, provides a lilted, invitingly emotive delivery, as Ariel learns to claim well-deserved attention. VERDICT Cue the charming British accents in Bello's swoony he said/she said YA debut.
Kirkus Review
Two London teenagers develop an unexpected connection while trying to save a Black-owned bookstore. Seventeen-year-old Trey Anderson is the golden boy of Corden College and, with his high-maintenance girlfriend, Blair Bailey, one-half of the campus' power couple. Although his social life may be enviable, few people know that his family's independent bookshop, Wonderland, is rapidly losing customers to its corporate rival Books! Books! Books! A few weeks before Christmas, Trey gets terrible news: Unless the shop generates a massive profit to pay off outstanding debts, his family will sell the business to real estate developers. Trey's determined to keep their legacy alive--even if it means working with Ariel Spencer, also 17 and Black, an introverted classmate who wants to follow in her late father's footsteps by attending the art school he went to. Hoping to earn tuition money, Ariel accepts a job at Wonderland. Much to Trey's surprise, as the teens spend more time together, they reconsider their differences, growing closer. Bello's YA debut, which is told through the leads' alternating perspectives, shimmers with holiday magic. The layered narrative depicts their relationship with depth as they also join forces to get the community to rally around Wonderland. Ariel is described as "thick," and her chapters thoughtfully explore her struggles with self-esteem and body image. The supporting cast reflects the diversity of the Hackney setting. A sweet opposites-attract romance enriched by affecting moments of emotional vulnerability. (Romance. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Bello's wintertime romance--snug, heartwarming, and sweet--is best read with a cup of hot chocolate. On the surface, Trey seems like he's leading the perfect life: his girlfriend is incredibly hot, and he's got great friends and a supportive family. But Trey feels shackled by his family's struggling business--a Blackowned indie bookstore--and his self-centered girlfriend. In his periphery is Ariel, the cute artist determined to make her deceased father proud by getting into an art program; Trey and Ariel's worlds collide when Ariel takes a temporary position at Trey's family bookshop, Wonderland. When a persistent developer makes a very lucrative offer to Trey's family, Ariel and Trey team up to save the bookstore before Christmas Day. While Love in Winter Wonderland takes place in bustling London, the author's descriptions and focus on the core characters create a cozy and wintry atmosphere. A slow-burn romance with excellent character growth, Bello's U.S. debut has the feel of a quintessential Hallmark movie but in book form.
