Holiday Recent Reads

 Christmas Fling by Lindsey Kelk (2025)

Through a series of unfortunate events, Laura finds herself pretending to be Callum's girlfriend over the holidays at his family's home in the Scottish Highlands.  Their feelings for each other start to grow, leading them to wonder how much is real and how much is fake.  I tend to enjoy Lindsey Kelk's books.  They are heartfelt and humorous and just have this ease to them.  They flow nicely and nothing feels too hard.  Christmas Fling was no exception.  I loved watching the growing feelings between Laura and Callum, and the way she stood up for him against his family, despite barely even knowing him, was touching.  When Laura's friends show up at the gathering, the story went a bit off the rails for me; I could have done without the extra characters and drama, but overall, this was a decent holiday read.  4 stars

Grace & Henry's Holiday Movie Marathon by Matthew Norman (2025)

Grace and Henry both lost their spouses earlier this year, and now that the holidays are approaching, their mothers scheme to get them together.  Neither feels ready to date, but could a growing friendship blossom into something more?  This sounded quite different from my normal holiday reads, so I was excited about this story, and a lot of it worked for me!  I liked how Grace and Henry bond over holiday movies, which I think is something very relatable.  I enjoyed how they come to rely on each other, without even realizing it.  I found myself gravitating more towards Henry - Grace was a tad too blunt for me, and not as funny as she thought she was.  But Henry, his struggles, his sadness, all of it, felt so real to me.  Watching him work through his grief and finally see a light at the other side was so touching.  Like I said, Grace was not as likable a character for me, and a revelation about her deceased husband felt very unnecessary, but I did appreciate that her journey was different from Henry's, especially in light of the fact that she had two children to care take of.  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Recent Reads

A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan (2025)

The Balfour family is gathering for Christmas, but it seems like almost every member is hiding something - one twin is having marriage problems, the other twin has a major secret, their brother Jamie has a big announcement, and their mother is trying to help her husband deal with his recent retirement.  Can the holidays bring everyone together and fix all their problems?  Well, of course it can!  It wouldn't be a Christmas book without everyone figuring everything out over the course of just a couple days, with some twinkle lights and gingerbread cookies thrown in.  I'm being a little harsh, I know.  I do love reading about Christmas celebrations, and this book was enjoyable, if a little predictable.  I think things were tied up a bit too neatly and easily, but it was a cute holiday read.  3.5 stars

The Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans (2024)

Widow Melody is trying to make Christmas special for her twin boys, but she finds herself wrapped up in school politics, cookie drama, and a growing attraction to her boys' school principal.  This was a mixed bag for me.  I liked the parts with Melody and her sons - ever since their father passed away, she's been trying to hold it together.  The holidays have always been special, but she feels them drifting away, and she wants to try extra hard this year to be close to the boys.  I liked how she saw a different side to the school principal, one she actually liked, when they began to work together, but the small-town/school committee drama vibes felt off to me.  Like, are people really this petty about cookie sales?  Also, I grew up in a small town and I've never seen anything like the multiple cookie events that completely took over this community during the holidays.  3.5 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler (2024) 

Sienna is still getting over her bitter divorce when her friend humorously places a newspaper ad for a husband for her - to which Guy responds, needing financial stability for his daughter's kidney disease care.  Impulsively, Sienna marries the stranger, intending to keep things "in name only," but soon finds the three becoming a real family.  Honestly, I'm not sure why I chose this book - I wanted a holiday read, but marriage of convenience is not my favorite trope and sometimes the single dad trope can feel cloying to me.  This story was SO heavy - Sienna's constant thoughts about her recent divorce were tough and Emma's kidney disease was so hard on her and thus on everyone around her (obviously, not her fault, she's 4, but just a lot for a Chistmas-y story).  Sienna's decision to marry Guy after literally talking to him for a few minutes just seems baffling - sure, he seems nice, but you know nothing about him!  He could be a terrible man!  But of course, he's not, because this is a holiday romance.  I admired his love and devotion to Emma, but his relationship with Sienna moved at warp speed.  Don't believe the blurb, this is definitely not a slow burn.  It has really high reviews on Goodreads, too, so maybe take my review with a grain of salt!  3 stars

Christmas Sweater Weather by Jacqueline Snowe (2024)

Charlotte has had a crush on Hayden for a long time, even after he rejected her a couple years ago.  Now the two are thrown together for her brother's Christmas wedding, and it seems like now she's not the only one with feelings.  I have had really bad luck with my holiday reads this year, and I ended up DNFing this one around 50%.  The characters felt so immature; their inner thoughts sounded like teenagers with a major crush.  The tone and pace felt frantic, even manic - everything moved so quickly, from thoughts to feelings to events, that it was hard to keep track of what was going on sometimes.  And lastly, this book could have used another good round of editing - from the above-mentioned issues to wrong words being used.

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

 Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey (2023)

Due to a misunderstanding during a job interview, Laurel's boss is under the impression that she owns and runs her sister's farm, and when he invites himself over for Christmas, she'll have to fake her way through the holiday, including being married to her nemesis, Max.  Will the truth come out when they are all trapped by a snowstorm?  Although this wasn't my favorite Christmas read, it did have some cute moments.  Laurel is kind of a mess, but she finally has a good thing going with her current job and she's determined to keep it.  It was funny the lengths she was willing to go to in order to deceive her boss.  I also enjoyed her relationship with her twin sister, Holly.  I did think the story moved VERY fast, like warp speed, and I really disliked the miscommunication trope that led to her hating Max years ago.  It was pretty obvious what was really going on, and I wanted Laurel to stop interrupting Max and just let him explain.  Overall, a quick read with lots of holiday vibes.  3 stars

A Wish for Christmas by Courtney Cole (2023)

An unhappily married couple makes a wish on an enchanted snow globe that they had never met, and they wake up the next morning living separate lives, with no memories of their life together - but are they really meant to be?  I was really looking forward to this book, after enjoying a couple other holiday books from this author, but this one was a miss for me.  The premise sounded so good, but maybe some wires got crossed for me somewhere, because the story itself didn't really seem to match.  We begin the story with two people, but then the names change? And they go back to their shared hometown, where their respective parents are feuding over business opportunities, and the two are drawn into it, while slowly falling in love.  I just never felt fully invested in the story, even going so far as to question what the point even was.  The dialogue is so cringey, the author attempts to pull at heartstrings with animals and illnesses, and the ending left a LOT to be desired.  I love a bit of magical realism in my books, but this one took it too far.  2.5 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

A Newport Christmess by Jess Heileman (2022)

Quinn, eager to become an influencer, feels she might have her chance when she is hired by a popular Instagram influencer to make gingerbread houses for her wedding.  When the bride attempts to set her up, Quinn starts a fake relationship with the woman's brother, until they realize they might actually be perfect for each other.  I thought this was a cute premise, and the Newport, Rhode Island setting is fantastic, but this wasn't as a great as I wanted it to be.  Quinn and Landon are both recently divorced, so I appreciate the aspect of them being able to relate to each other at that level.  But, Quinn was just a hard character for me - she's disorganized, absent-minded, scared of everything, and really down on herself.  It was just draining sometimes, and also hard for me to see what Landon saw in her.  His contributions to the relationship were mostly financial, which felt weird to me.  I just didn't feel any chemistry between them, the pacing wasn't great, and the side characters added little to the story.  3 stars

Emergency Contact by Lauren Layne and Anthony Ledonne (2023)

When Katherine is involved in a car accident and diagnosed with a concussion, the hospital calls her emergency contact, which happens to be her ex-husband Tom who was heading out of town to propose to his girlfriend.  He reluctantly agrees to take care of her but only if she'll come to Chicago with him for Christmas.  When their road trip hits every possible snag, it gives them plenty of time to think about what they really want.  Sigh, guys - I loved this book.  Normally I'm not a huge fan of second-chance romances, but there was something about Tom and Katherine that had me hooked from the start.  Their witty banter actually had me laughing out loud; even though they claim to hate each other, things like Tom's unconscious use of a special nickname for Katherine had me thinking otherwise.  It just seemed like they had a lot of unfinished business, and I loved that we got both Tom and Katherine's perspectives.  There was depth to the story without it feeling too heavy, and I especially enjoyed the way Katherine evolved over the story, from a tough, no-nonsense (maybe even a little cold) lawyer to something more.  4.5 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel (2022)

Olive and Miles are English teachers at the same school.  Olive can't stand Miles but somehow finds herself in a fake relationship with him while visiting his family's lodge during Christmas with her family.  As she spends time with him, she realizes he's actually not so bad.  Finally, the holiday romance I was looking for!  I loved the banter between Olive and Miles and the way she struggled with her feelings, while Miles was clearly smitten from the beginning.  The inclusion of Olive's family and her complicated relationship with her mom's new husband (after losing her father only the year before) added some depth to the story without feeling too heavy.  The lodge setting added so much holiday cheer, and while the story was predictable, I was still very much along for the ride!  4 stars

Through the Snow Globe by Annie Rains (2023)

 

Diana's fiance was involved in a car accident and his prognosis isn't looking good, until Diana shakes a magical snow globe and begins reliving the day of Linus' accident over and over again.  Will she be able to save him?  I'm a sucker for a time loop story, and the holidays always seem to be a good time for someone to go on a journey of self-discovery, but I just couldn't warm up to Diana.  She's prickly and closed off, always seeming to take offense at something.  The way she grows and changes by the end of the story felt out of character, knowing what we do about her.  The story didn't feel super heavy, but there was also no holiday lightness about it, either.  The writing wasn't great, but I did enjoy seeing how each iteration of the day would go.  3 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

The Christmas Dress by Courtney Cole (2021)

Meg returns home to Chicago after her father's passing to manage his apartment building.  Although at first she is reluctant, the tenants, a handsome handyman, and a magical dress might change her mind.  If you're looking for a Christmas book that's mostly wholesome and features some romance and magical realism, Courtney Cole's books are for you.  In this one, Meg must contend with an aging, but historic, apartment building and its many older tenants.  She needs money to complete needed repairs, but there's also her on-hold dream of working in the fashion industry.  I liked watching Meg figure out her new situation, and the cast of characters surrounding her are lovely.  There are so many feel-good moments and the spirit of Christmas is present on every page.  You'll definitely be rooting for Meg and her tenants.  4 stars 

 

 

One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw (2023)

 

Eva has thrown herself into work following a devastating Christmas a few years ago, but this year she's visited by the ghost of her grandmother, urging her to take stock of her life.  Eva then begins reliving Christmas morning over and over again, each time waking up as someone different at the party she's attending.  Oof, I have not been having good luck with holiday stories this year.  This was yet another overly heavy, disappointing read for me.  I did enjoy the time loop aspect, and the way Eva woke up as someone different each day was a great twist.  It helped her get to know the people around her and see herself in a new light.  But, Eva was a hard character to root for.  I didn't really understand why her store was so important that she spent three years ignoring her loved ones for home decor.  I understood she was grieving, but I don't think the author did a good job explaining the tragedies Eva had suffered - making the reader wait for a reveal that was fairly obvious.  The story was just too heavy, too sad, and what little hope we get at the end wasn't enough for me.  3 stars

 

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

 A Winter in New York by Josie Silver (2023)

Iris is looking for a fresh start in NYC, when she comes across a family-run gelateria and she realizes not only did her mom have a connection to the shop, but Iris has their secret family recipe.  She's reluctant to share that information, though, since she's not sure how the family will receive it.  However, she grows closer to the family, especially Gio, all the while knowing she's keeping big secrets from them.  I have loved Josie Silver's books, but unfortunately this one was a bit of a miss for me.  After her mother's death and the end of a toxic relationship, Iris has moved to NYC, and this part I enjoyed - seeing her learn about the city and forge a new start for herself.  Her blossoming relationship with Gio was romantic, but I couldn't see how Iris could keep such big secrets to herself.  It was so uncomfortable for me, especially watching Iris make one strange decision after another.  Silver's writing is beautiful, but the plot suffers, especially the ending.  So many things just glossed over, and because we only got small glimpses of her previous relationship, the return of her ex didn't have the impact it could have.  3.5 stars 

 

Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey (2023)

 

Melody and Beat are the children of two former rockstars.  They only met once, as teens, but the encounter made an impact on both of them.  Now, as adults, they are teaming up to convince their mothers to reunite for one Christmas concert - and there's so much more on the line.  My gosh, these characters!  I fell in love with Beat and Melody.  Although they seem so different, they are perfect together.  Their love is fast, intense, and overwhelming.  It's so romantic the way Beat is so protective of Melody.  The story felt a bit heavier than I normally get from Tessa Bailey, and it was actually Melody who provided some moments of humor and levity, which was unexpected and nice.  The subplot of Beat being blackmailed just fell flat to me, however.  But overall, a fun, swoony, spicy holiday read!  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan (2020)
 

My aunt recommended this book to me after reading it with her book group, and I'm so glad she did!  Nora and Simon own a bookshop in a small English village, but unfortunately, it's looking like they might have to close.  When a customer buys one of the oldest books in their shop, they're inspired to gift books to others in their community who aren't necessarily feeling the Christmas spirit.  Although there are some heavy topics here (grief, depression), overall the tone of the story is uplifting and hopeful.  You'll be rooting for Nora and Simon to find a solution to their problems, and you'll enjoy getting to know all the other characters in their small village.  The story is infused with Christmas traditions and holiday spirit, and it'll make you feel all the warm and fuzzies.  It's also a love letter to books and the power of the written word, and it's so fun to follow along with the characters as they talk about new and old favorites.  4 stars

Home For Christmas by Courtney Cole (2022)

After her grandmother passes away, Piper is unsure she wants to keep running the Alaskan family home and business.  While out searching for her clients, Piper is caught in a blizzard and finds herself transported to 1945, where she meets her grandmother, now a young woman, and other family and friends.  She gets to know a different side of her grandmother and maybe even meets the love of a lifetime.  I really enjoyed this book - it was so different from other holiday stories I've read.  Piper is at a crossroads in her life, but the time travel forces her to slow down and experience a totally different way of living.  WWII is still going on, and the family is trying to make a decent Christmas, despite facing rationing, dwindling reserves, illness, and wild animals.  The story is, at turns, emotional, heartwarming, and wholesome, and the time travel/magical realism elements were nicely incorporated.  It truly is a story about family and legacy.  The ending was a bit abrupt, but overall, I loved this holiday story.  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

The Christmas Wish by Lindsey Kelk (2022)

Facing a recent breakup and some serious issues at work, Gwen is hoping that a Christmas spent in her childhood home will be just what she needs to get back on track.  But when she keeps waking up on Christmas Day, Groundhog Day-style, she will need to figure out what's holding her back.  Guys, I LOVED this book!  I'm a sucker for time travel/time loop stories, and this was a great one.  Each iteration of Christmas Day felt fresh and new, as Gwen tried to "fix" something with a different member of her family, hoping to get out of the loop.  The family dynamics (a strained relationship with her sister, feeling pressure to make her dad proud) were so real and relatable.  I could maybe have used a bit more romance, because there are shades of it and I loved Dev, the boy next door/lifelong crush, but the focus on family, and Gwen's realizations about her own life, were top-notch.  Funny, heartwarming, full of holiday cheer and shenanigans - please read this one!  4.5 stars

Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday (2021)

Max, a future duke, is feeling pressure from his parents to marry a suitable bride, and soon, so that the future of the family is settled.  Dani is a college professor who has sworn off men after her divorce.  The two are just friends, but sometimes the best relationships blossom from strong friendships.  I have to say, this book was not marketed well as a holiday romance.  There's not really much holiday stuff in it at all, which was kind of disappointing.  It's the second book in a series, although I don't think you necessarily need to read the first book to enjoy this one.  I enjoyed that a portion of the story is devoted to Max and Dani as friends, and they then realize their attraction to each other and start to figure out how all that could work.  I think the story was overly long and a bit repetitive, though.  Cute premise, just didn't really work for me.  3 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

Once Upon a December by Amy E. Reichert (2022)

Jack has lived his whole life inside the Julemarked, a magical Christmas market that moves from December to December, and place to place, every four weeks.  Many times over the years he has run into Astra in Milwaukee, and he thinks he could be ready to settle down - but will Astra be willing to give up her whole life in order to join his magical one?  Although I didn't love this as much I'd hoped, it was still an enjoyable holiday romance!  Let's get the things I didn't enjoy out of the way - the writing was very repetitive (how many times could Astra say she missed out on the births of her friend's children?) and Astra's ex-husband was a total pill (who divorces someone and then still asks them to hem their pants??).  I thought Jack was a little naive in just assuming Astra would come live him with him; I mean, did he even consider leaving the Julemarked at all?  But, it was interesting to see how two people who have very different lives could try to make a relationship work.  I also liked how Reichert had answers for some of the questions about the Julemarked's magic, but left others to the imagination.  If you're looking for a sweet romance, with all the holiday feels, definitely give this one a try.  3.5 stars

Christmas at the Ranch by Anita Hughes (2022)

Author Samantha has barely left her house in years, but now her publisher has invited her to a week-long Christmas party at his home in Wyoming and she has to go.  On the plane ride there, she meets a man who helps her brave the flight.  It turns out he's the publisher's son, and even though Samantha has feelings for him, his fiancée soon shows up.  Ugh, guys, this was just... not good.  Can we first talk about how rude it would be to invite someone, at the very last minute, to your home for a WEEK over Christmas and insinuate that if they don't come, they could lose their job?  So I felt a bit bad for Samantha, but then she turned out to be the most unlikeable main character.  She is afraid of EVERYTHING and is just constantly talking or thinking about her dog, Socks.  Her mind wanders to "plots" for her books, about a James Bond-esque female super spy (although the plots sound more like just scenes).  I don't think it would be a huge spoiler to say that the publisher's son, Drew, and his fiancée end up breaking up, paving the way for him and Samantha, although what he sees in her, I don't know.  He's a world traveler who wants to change the lives of children in Thailand, and Samantha just wants to stay on the couch in her pajamas.  We're supposed to believe that is attractive to him, or that she could just change her life overnight?  Just so much cringe here, I could go on for far too long.  However, I did enjoy the descriptions of Jackson Hole, Wyoming and all the wintery activities... so there's that.  2 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

 Meet Me in London by Georgia Toffolo (2021)

Victoria is an aspiring clothing designer who has hit some bumps in the road.  Oliver is the heir to a department store empire.  To make his parents think he's finally ready to settle down, he proposes a fake relationship to Victoria, but pretty soon, it doesn't feel so fake...  I thought this was a cute idea for a holiday romance, but the execution fell short for me.  The relationship between Victoria and Oliver never really felt fake, because there was such an attraction already there, so rooting for them was easy.  Victoria has a secret that could seriously affect their future, though, and that did provide a bit of a question mark for their romance.  What didn't work for me was the writing.  It... wasn't great.  So much telling, especially in awkward-sounding dialogue, not enough showing, and the characters often felt quite immature in the words Toffolo chose for them, which was unfortunate.  But, it was a quick and sometimes cute read for the holiday season.  3 stars

Always, in December by Emily Stone (2021)

Josie hasn't enjoyed the holidays since her parents passed away in an accident when she was a child, but this year, she meets Max, and the time they spend together gives her hope that things may be changing.  However, when he disappears, Josie must learn how to move forward on her own, which is difficult when Max keeps turning up at the most inopportune times.  This was definitely a heavy story, almost melancholy at times.  If you're looking for a sweet holiday romance, this is not the book for you.  But if you're willing to get to know characters who have their reasons for not enjoying the holiday season, give this a try.  Like I mentioned, Josie lost her parents at Christmas many years ago, but I was glad that she still had her grandparents and aunt to look out for her.  There's something going on with Max that I figured out pretty quickly and from then on just kept wondering how he would talk to Josie about it.  I liked the way that Josie and Max were continually brought together, and although I could understand Josie's reasons for not wanting to engage again with Max, I just wanted them to have the conversation they desperately needed to have.  As the holidays come around again, they are given yet another chance, and this is where you need to have your tissues.  Although there is so much sadness in this book, there are glimmers of happiness and hope, and for those reasons, I definitely think this is a book worth reading.  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

Quick Reviews: Amazon Short Stories

I came across these Amazon original holiday short stories, free for Prime and Kindle Unlimited, and thought they sounded so fun!  And even though the holidays are behind us, I wanted to review them anyway!

 

Model Home by J. Courtney Sullivan (2021)

 

Katie and her husband Damian host a popular home makeover show, but Damian wants to leave the world of reality tv.  Katie, however, is not ready to give up fame and fortune.  Can she convince him to stay?  At only 39 pages, this was definitely a quick read, but also a really fun behind-the-scenes look at the makings of reality tv shows and personas.  While their life appears perfect on the outside, Katie and Damian are struggling.  Katie loves the material things their success has gotten them, while Damian thinks his wife has changed too much.  I liked that Sullivan was able to incorporate a lot of backstory of how Katie and Damian got to this point, but the ending was lacking, at least for me.  It felt so abrupt and I was left wanting more.  3.5 stars

 

Oh. What. Fun. by Chandler Baker (2021)

 

Claire's three adult children are home for the holidays, and she is going above and beyond to make it perfect.  But when Claire disappears during the festivities, the kids are left wondering what's really going on in her mind.  This short story was so relatable.  I loved how the narrator was the collective voice of Claire's kids.  They don't seem to really appreciate or acknowledge all the work that Claire puts into making the holidays special.  They assume she does it because she enjoys it, and so they never offer to help.  Claire, though, has reached her breaking point, and I really felt for her.  I liked that we were able to get a bit of her perspective, too.  The writing is really snappy and fun, and the story moves along at a great pace.  Anyone who has stayed up late to perfectly wrap gifts or cook that special holiday meal, only to watch everything get demolished in 2 minutes flat, will definitely enjoy this story!  4 stars

Even More Holiday Quick Reviews

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox (2021)

 

Charlie is the judge on a reality TV baking show, and when an accident causes her to lose her sense of taste and smell, she convinces her twin sister Cass to fill in for her, while Charlie takes over at the family bakery.  Things get complicated when they each start falling for a guy in the other's life.  Being a twin myself, I always love stories about twins, although I tend to find it hard to believe that practically no one is able to tell that the two have switched places.  Anyway, this was a cute double romance, although I didn't feel the Christmas vibes too much until the end.  I liked that Cass and Charlie each got to experience what the other is going through in their life, after growing apart a little, and I think that they also got to learn a lot about themselves and even come to some realizations about what they really want.  And the descriptions of all the baked goods were mouthwatering!  4 stars

Hate Me Under the Mistletoe by Kelly Jamieson (2021)

 

Amy and Ryder find themselves sharing the same cabin when they're accidentally offered it at the same time by their friends.  Amy wants to spend Christmas alone, but Ryder is all about the Christmas spirit, planning to spend only a couple days at the cabin before joining his family for the big holiday.  A sudden blizzard, however, may change their plans - and their feelings.  This was a really fun - and steamy - Christmas romance.  I liked that Amy and Ryder have a history together, knowing each other since they were teenagers.  It made the warp speed of their relationship make a lot of sense.  Even though this book was pretty short, more of a novella, Jamieson managed to pack a lot into it.  There was not only the shared history, but Amy is also working through feelings of inadequacy about her career and life in general, and Ryder is worried that his workaholic tendencies are causing him to miss out on the good things in life.  It all made for a really well-rounded story.  Although I didn't really care for Amy's harsh attitude at the beginning, I soon found myself rooting for her and Ryder.  Perfect for readers looking for all the Christmas feels mixed with some seriously steamy scenes!  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

More Holiday Quick Reviews

A Magical New York Christmas by Anita Hughes (2021)

Sabrina is staying at the Plaza Hotel, ghostwriting the memoir of famous art dealer Grayson Westcott, when she meets Ian.  Through some misunderstandings, Sabrina thinks Ian is British aristocracy and he thinks she is a wealthy businesswoman.  There's a spark between them, but will they feel the same way when they find out the truth about each other?  The Plaza Hotel/NYC setting is so perfect for a Christmas romance, and I really felt all the holiday vibes coming through.  The romance was sweet, although maybe a little too chaste and old-fashioned for my liking, particularly for a contemporary novel.  I was pleasantly surprised by a second timeline depicting Grayson's time as a butler at the Plaza more than 50 years ago, when he served Kay Thompson, author of the Eloise books set at the hotel.  And I loved the way the two timelines ended up coming together!  4 stars

A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday (2020)

 

Leo, a guy from NYC taking care of his little sister, finds himself acting as chauffeur to a real-life princess during her stay in the city.  The two grow close and Princess Marie invites Leo and his sister to her country to celebrate Christmas.  Although there are feelings between Marie and Leo, their different backgrounds may make it impossible for them to be together.  I really liked this holiday romance, and the royalty angle is something I can never resist!  I loved the relationship between Leo and his sister Gabby - I could really tell how much they love each other and how hard he's trying to give her a normal life.  I was rooting for Marie in her desire to do some good in the world and break away from her father's demands.  Although Marie seemed a little stiff at times, the growing feelings between Marie and Leo were sweet and then, surprisingly, pretty steamy!  I definitely wasn't expecting such a spicy romance, but I enjoyed it!  A little predictable in the end, but overall, a lovely romance with all the trappings of a Hallmark Christmas movie!  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Holiday Quick Reviews

The Mistletoe Pact by Jo Lovett (2021)

Evie and Dan jokingly make a pact at Christmastime to marry each other when they reach thirty if they are both still single.  Eight years later, one drunken night leads to a Vegas wedding.  They've both had secret feelings for each other for years; what will they do now?  Unfortunately, this one was just a miss for me.  I liked the format of the book, which moved back and forth in time to show all the missed opportunities between Evie and Dan over the years (neither admitting their feelings, one of them being in a relationship, etc.) and what happens to them after the wedding, but the writing was a real letdown.  It felt stilted.  Also, I never really got a good sense of Evie and Dan as characters; I couldn't see what they saw in each other because they were so bland and not well-fleshed-out. The book started off quite well, but the execution just went downhill after that.  2.5 stars

The Reindeer Falls Collection: Volume 1 by Jana Aston (2019)

 

A collection of three romance novellas that (mostly) take place in Reindeer Falls, Michigan, a quaint small town that loves Christmas and follows the stories of three sisters aptly named for the holidays, Holly, Ginger, and Noel Winter.  Holly sees a different side of her boss on a business trip to Germany; Ginger is competing against a (hot) professional chef on a reality tv baking show; and Noel is suffering from a case of mistaken identity after a one-night stand with a man in a Santa suit.  All three of these stories were really fun and different.  The writing is snappy and although there was some serious insta-love going on, I could forgive it a bit in the condensed nature of the stories.  I think I liked Holly's story the best - it felt the most fleshed-out, with her issues with her boss and how he's able to change her mind during the work trip.  All three stories, though, will get you in the holiday spirit, with some sexiness to boot!  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.