Here are a few brief thoughts on some Holiday book reads:
The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox Published by VIKING
Published: October 5, 2021
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A feel-good, holiday-themed romantic comedy about identical twins who switch lives in the days leading up to Christmas.
All they want for Christmas is a different life.
When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.
With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I really enjoyed The Holiday Swap. It was a cute holiday book that reads like a Hallmark movie. Cass and Charlie may have been identical twins with a penchant for baking, but they were complete opposites on how they lived their lives. Switching places definitely helped them both get out of ruts they were in and to see what they could have been missing. I really enjoyed the growth of both characters as they settled into their new situation and environment. It did have some confusing parts at the end where I couldn’t figure out which sister was which, but all in all an adorable read that will get you in the mood for the holidays.
Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist by Codi Hall Series: Mistletoe Romance #1
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Published: October 5, 2021
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Nick Winter is just out of the military, and his Christmas homecoming is not going as planned. What was supposed to be a memorable holiday with his long-time girlfriend goes sour when he learns she cheated on him while he was stationed overseas. At least Nick can rely on his usual shift at the family Christmas tree farm with his best friend, Noel Carter, and her endless supply of Christmas tunes to lift his spirits. A night of fun together is just what he needs to forget about his ex.
But then they kiss. And it feels...so right.
If Noel can turn Nick’s Blue Christmas merry and bright, this might be the last Christmas Nick spends with a broken heart. This year, they’ll be Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree as a couple―as long as Nick’s ex doesn’t go standing under any mistletoe.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Nick & Noel’s Christmas Playlist had so much potential but it missed the mark for me. Don’t get me wrong, it was a perfectly fine book that I enjoyed, but I think it could have been so much more. There were a lot of times that Noel got on my nerves and a tad too much back and forth for my liking, but Nick and Noel had chemistry which I did enjoy. It was nice to read a solid friendship turn into something more as that is. trope I love. All in all I fun holiday read. Definitely one to get out of the library to get you ready for the holiday season. Oh and there is a solid playlist to the story, as if the title didn’t give that away.
So, This Is Christmas by Tracy Andreen Published by Viking Books for Young Readers
Published: October 12, 2021
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When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn't changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother's inn. And she certainly didn't expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother's doorstep. It's up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley's Christmas. It's about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When I started So, This Is Christmas I knew immediately it wasn’t going to be a favorite. The beginning felt very disjointed and didn’t have a rhythm I typically like in my books. But I wanted to give it the benefit of the doubt so I kept reading. Did the story get better? It did. By 100 pages I was more invested. And by 200 pages I wanted to see how things played out for these characters. In the end the book was just okay. Sure I liked how it went in the middle but the beginning was a real struggle. All in all it was an okay holiday book about second chances and not being afraid to try.
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