Contemporary – Page 5 – Jill's Book Blog

Review: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch

Title: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch
Author: Julia McKay
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 8, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When doppelgänger best friends trade one’s cabin Christmas vacation for the other’s Hawaiian would’ve-been-honeymoon, both might just find love they weren’t expecting.

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. So when Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.

But Holly’s wallowing is interrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school academic rival who’s had a major glow-up. Meanwhile, Ivy’s (now Hawaiian) annual solo art retreat is upended when Holly’s ex-fiancé checks into the honeymoon suite—with a new woman. Raging and bedless, the last thing Ivy expects is for the hot hotel bartender to come to her rescue. Against all odds, this Christmas might prove the most magical yet.

Review:

On the night before her Christmas wedding, Holly Beech’s fiancé breaks it off. She’s too devastated to go on their honeymoon in Hawaii, so she sends her best friend Ivy Casey on the trip instead. Holly takes Ivy’s solo trip to a winter cabin in a small town. When Ivy arrives in Hawaii, she discovers that Holly’s ex-fiancé decided to go on the honeymoon with his new girlfriend. She finds a new place to stay with the bartender at the resort. Holly meets her teenage rival and crush in the small town on her trip. Both women have vacation flings that develop into real feelings.

This was a cute holiday romance. It started with heartbreak for Holly, but the rest of the story was positive and uplifting. Both women had very different holidays, with Ivy in tropical Hawaii and Holly in a Christmasy small town. It had such a cute, heartwarming ending!

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a fun holiday rom com!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read The Holiday Honeymoon Switch? What did you think of it?

Review: Make My Wish Come True

Title: Make My Wish Come True
Author: Rachael Lippincott, Alyson Derrick
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, LGBTQ
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Source: Publisher
Format: Paperback arc
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A sapphic Netflix-esque Christmas movie meets How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days from the New York Times bestselling author duo of She Gets the Girl Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick.

Hollywood teen actor Arden James’ messy reputation is interfering with her career when a notoriously picky director won’t give her a role based on her party-girl image. So she and her publicist make up a lie – not only is she from a small town (true) but her childhood best friend Caroline, is her long-term girlfriend (false) and she can prove it when she goes home for Christmas.

Caroline Beckett hasn’t thought about her ex-best friend Arden James for years, focusing instead on her dreams about becoming a journalist. When Arden turns up on her doorstep and promises her an article in Cosmopolitan magazine on their twelve snow-covered romantic days together, Caroline agrees to play along.

But when old feelings start to bubble up, what will fall faster – Arden and Caroline or the Christmas Eve snow?

A gorgeous, heartwarming cosy romance – perfect for the holidays!

Review:

Hollywood teen actor Arden James has developed a reputation for partying. She auditions for her dream role, but the director won’t take her seriously because of her reputation. Arden decides to go back to her hometown and start a fake relationship with her childhood best friend and crush to show the public that she can have a wholesome image. Caroline Beckett was Arden’s best friend and first crush until she abandoned her to move to Hollywood. Caroline has focused on her dream to become a journalist since then. When Arden asks her to be in a fake relationship, she promises Caroline that she can write the article that introduces their relationship to the public. However, their staged dates stir up old feelings that both of them have, so they must figure out if they will confess their feelings to each other.

This was a fun holiday rom com! Arden and Caroline had a heartwarming romance without a lot of drama. I liked that Caroline was Jewish and they talked about celebrating Hanukkah as well as Christmas. Since their town had so many Christmas traditions, Caroline decided to start a Hanukkah celebration in the town too.

Make My Wish Come True is a cute sapphic holiday romance!

Thank you Simon Teen for sending me a copy of this book!

Have you read Make My Wish Come True? What did you think of it?

Review: The Christmas Tree Farm (Dream Harbor #3)

Title: The Christmas Tree Farm (Dream Harbor #3)
Author: Laurie Gilmore
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: One More Chapter
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: October 10, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of the viral TikTok sensation, The Pumpkin Spice Café, comes the only spicy grumpy x sunshine Christmas romcom you need this year!

Kira North hates Christmas. Which is unfortunate since she just bought a Christmas tree farm in a town that’s too cute for its own good.

Bennett Ellis is on vacation in Dream Harbor taking a break from his life in California. And most importantly, taking a break from his latest run of disastrous dates.

After a run in with Kira in her fields, Ben has no intention of offering to help the grumpy owner set up her tree farm, despite the fact she’s clearly got no idea what she’s doing.

Kira knows she should stop being so stubborn, but her farm is not all cute and cozy like people always show on social media, it’s borderline dangerous with no heating, and she’d rather no one saw it.

But somehow fate finds Ben at Kira’s farm once more, and as Kira watches him swing an ax at the first tree, she finds herself appreciating his strength and questionning why she refused help in the first place..

The Christmas Tree Farm is a spicy romantic mystery for fans of Gilmore Girls with a HEA guaranteed!

Review:

Kira North moved away from her wealthy family in Georgia to Dream Harbor and bought the Christmas tree farm. It’s more run down than she expected, and she needs help since the heat isn’t working and the temperature outside is rapidly dropping. Bennett Ellis is visiting his sister, Jeanie, from California for the holidays. After an encounter with Kira on her land, he offers to help her fix up the house. Kira refuses his help at first, but then reluctantly agrees when she realizes they could have a Christmas fling. However, when their feelings become real, they have to figure out what will happen when Bennett eventually goes back home.

This was such a fun Christmas rom com. They were a grumpy/sunshine couple. There were still funny antics in Dream Harbor. The people in the town believed there was some dark secret at the Christmas tree farm, like the previous owner had murdered and buried his wife on the property. This is a really fun series, and I can’t wait to read the rest!

The Christmas Tree Farm is a cute Christmas romance!

Other books in the series:

Have you read The Christmas Tree Farm? What did you think of it?

Review: All by My Elf (Under the Mistletoe Collection #3)

Title: All by My Elf (Under the Mistletoe Collection #3)
Author: Olivia Dade
Genre: Novella, Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Format: Ebook
Release Date: November 12, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Secret crushes, spicy Christmas treats, heinous holiday traffic, and a fateful snowstorm bring good friends together in a funny, heartfelt short story by bestselling author Olivia Dade.

Nina and William are underpaid adjunct professors at the same university, where winter break is no break at all: ’tis the season to make extra money. When their holiday side hustle has them stranded by a blinding blizzard in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing to do but cuddle up for warmth and play a game of Never Have I Ever to pass the time. But in the game of love, secrets never stay secret for long…

Olivia Dade’s All by My Elf is part of Under the Mistletoe, a stirring collection of December romances that thrill and tingle all the way. They can be read or listened to in one swoony sitting.

Review:

Nina, William, and Claudia are adjunct professors who take a side job during the holidays driving a food-shaped truck and promoting pastries. Nina has had a crush on William since she started working at the university. Nina’s best friend Claudia and William seem to be getting closer so Nina thinks she’s lost her chance with William. However, when a storm traps Nina and William on the truck together, they have to cuddle for warmth and maybe confess their true feelings for each other.

I really enjoyed this novella. It was short at only 55 pages, but it was enough space to develop the characters, their relationships, and a steamy romance plot. My only criticism is that I don’t think the title really fits with the story.

All by My Elf is a cute holiday novella!

Other books in the series:

Cruel Winter With You (Under the Mistletoe Collection #1)
Merry Ever After (Under the Mistletoe Collection #2)
Merriment and Mayhem (Under the Mistletoe Collection #4)
Only Santas in the Building (Under the Mistletoe Collection #5)

Have you read All by My Elf? What did you think of it?

Review: A Nightclub for the Holidays

Title: A Nightclub for the Holidays
Author: Arden Coutts
Genre: Novella, Romance, LGBTQ, Contemporary
Publisher: Independent
Source: Author
Format: Ebook
Release Date: December 6, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

The holidays are approaching, and the gang is back in action! Join Gray, Hannah, and their loyal friends as they race against time to reopen the beloved Club Midnight before the festive season kicks off.

But it’s not all tinsel and mistletoe as they face unexpected hurdles. The local mafia has other plans, throwing dangerous roadblocks in their path. As tensions rise and the clock ticks down, our favorite crew must navigate treacherous waters to make their dream a reality.

Meanwhile, Gray harbors a secret that could change everything.

Will Club Midnight shine bright for the holidays? Can they outwit the mob and save their dream?

Prepare for a heartwarming, pulse-pounding holiday adventure filled with friendship, love, and a touch of danger. ‘A Nightclub for the Holidays’ promises to be the most thrilling celebration of the year!

Review:

Christmas is approaching, and the mobster Demitri is finally behind bars. Despite the traumatic memories from Club Midnight, Gray wants to buy it at auction and turn it into a better club. Hannah also has plans to start a new career path away from the hospital. However, Demitri’s friends want to stop Gray from restarting the nightclub. Gray must figure out how to defeat these villains while also preparing to ask Hannah a very important question.

This was a fun holiday novella about the characters from The Fall Trilogy. I loved revisiting Hannah and Gray, who were the couple from the first book in the series. Even though this is a short story, there were some spicy scenes. I liked how this story kept the suspense from the original trilogy, while also ending on a heartwarming Christmas note.

A Nightclub for the Holidays is a fun holiday novella!

Thank you Arden Coutts for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read A Nightclub for Christmas? What did you think of it?

Review: Let It Glow

Title: Let It Glow
Author: Marissa Meyer, Joanne Levy
Genre: Middle Grade, Contemporary
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 1, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

When Aviva Davis and Holly Martin meet at the holiday pageant tryouts for their local senior’s center, they think they must be seeing double. While they both knew they were adopted, they had no idea they had a biological sibling, let alone an identical twin! The similarities are only skin deep, though, because while Aviva has a big personality and even bigger Broadway plans, Holly is more the quiet dreamer type who longs to become a famous author like her grandfather.

One thing the girls do have in common is their curiosity about how the other celebrates the holidays. What better way to discover the magic of the holidays than to experience them firsthand? The girls secretly trade lives, planning to stage a dramatic reveal to their families at the pageant. Two virtual strangers swapping homes, holidays, and age-old traditions–what could possibly go wrong?

Review:

When Holly Martin and Aviva Davis sign up to perform at a holiday pageant at a senior’s residence, they discover that they are identical twins. Both the girls know they’re adopted but they didn’t know that they had a twin. Holly’s family celebrates Christmas and Aviva’s family celebrates Hanukkah. They are both curious about each other’s holidays, so they decide to switch places for a few days until they can reveal their identities at the pageant. However, the girls don’t know much about each other, so they have to work hard to hide their identity in their new families.

This was such a fun holiday story! The Parent Trap is one of my favourite movies, and this story was like a holiday version of it. My family celebrates Christmas so I knew the Christmas traditions that Holly’s family did. I liked learning about Hanukkah in this story. Aviva was also learning about her family’s traditions, so her and Holly were both being taught throughout the story.

Let It Glow is a fun middle grade holiday story!

Thank you Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read Let It Glow? What did you think of it?

Review: The Kiss Curse (The Ex Hex #2)

Title: The Kiss Curse (The Ex Hex #2)
Author: Erin Sterling
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Fantasy
Publisher: Avon
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: September 22, 2022
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

Welcome to Spooky Season!! The follow-up to Erin Sterling’s New York Times bestselling hit The Ex Hex features fan favorite Gwyn and the spine-tinglingly handsome Wells Penhallow as they battle a new band of witches and their own magical chemistry.

Gwyn Jones is perfectly happy with her life in Graves Glen. She, her mom, and her cousin have formed a new and powerful coven; she’s running a successful witchcraft shop, Something Wicked; and she’s started mentoring some of the younger witches in town. As Halloween approaches, there’s only one problem—Llewellyn “Wells” Penhallow.

Wells has come to Graves Glen to re-establish his family’s connection to the town they founded as well as to make a new life for himself after years of being the dutiful son in Wales. When he opens up a shop of his own, Penhallow’s, just across the street from Something Wicked, he quickly learns he’s gotten more than he bargained for in going up against Gwyn.

When their professional competition leads to a very personal—and very hot—kiss, both Wells and Gwyn are determined to stay away from each other, convinced the kiss was just a magical fluke. But when a mysterious new coven of witches come to town and Gwyn’s powers begin fading, she and Wells must work together to figure out just what these new witches want and how to restore Gwyn’s magic before it’s too late.

Review:

Gwyn runs the successful witchy shop, Something Wicked, in her hometown of Graves Glen. The grumpy descendent of the town’s founder, Wells Penhallow, arrives in the town for a new start. Wells starts his own shop, Penhallow’s, across from Something Wicked. Gwyn wants to shut it down, but as she spends more time with Wells, she starts to fall for him. When her magic begins to fade, Gwyn and Wells must figure out what’s causing it before it’s completely gone.

Gwyn was one of my favourite characters in The Ex Hex, so I was excited to read her own story. I loved the grumpy/sunshine pair, though Gwyn could be more grumpy than sunshine at times. There were some funny moments, just like in the first book. I listened to the audiobook as well as reading the physical book, and it was really well done!

The Kiss Curse is a cute witchy rom com!

Other books in the series:

The Ex Hex (The Ex Hex #1)
The Wedding Witch (The Ex Hex #3)

Have you read The Kiss Curse? What did you think of it?

Review: The Christmas Countdown

Title: The Christmas Countdown
Author: Holly Cassidy
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Random House Canada
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: October 22, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of The Christmas Wager comes a charming holiday rom-com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.

She’s given up on love and Christmas…but fate has other plans.

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She’s still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.

Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested.

As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?

Review:

Callie was recently dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and she still has to see him at work everyday. She doesn’t want to go home for the holidays because she’ll have to see him and his family. To cheer her up and remind her how much she loves Christmas, her sister, Anita, creates an advent calendar for Callie filled with childhood memories and activities to get her out of her shell. Callie decides to follow the calendar. She meets a charming baker who eagerly participates in the activities with Callie and makes her believe in love again.

This was such a cute holiday romance. I loved the way Callie’s sister incorporated so many of their childhood memories into the advent calendar to remind her of the joy of Christmas. Callie and Marco, the baker, had a natural romance that developed throughout their Christmas adventures.

The Christmas Countdown is a fun holiday romance!

Thank you Penguin Random House Canada for providing a digital copy of this book!

Have you read The Christmas Countdown? What did you think of it?

Review: We Solve Murders (We Solve Murders #1)

Title: We Solve Murders (We Solve Murders #1)
Author: Richard Osman
Genre: Mystery, Contemporary
Publisher: Viking
Source: Book of the Month box
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Rating: ★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve…

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job…

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?

Review:

Steve Wheeler is a retired investigator who is enjoying his quiet life. His daughter-in-law is a private security officer whose current job is protecting the famous author Rosie D’Antonio. After three influencers and celebrities who share the same management company die mysteriously, Amy is certain Rosie will be next. She enlists the help of Steve to join her on a chase around the world to discover the killer.

This was my first read from Richard Osman and I really enjoyed it. I liked the unconventional relationship between the main characters. Steve was Amy’s father-in-law, and I don’t think I’ve read a story with two main characters with that relationship before. There were a few times that I laughed out loud. I listened to the audiobook, which was very good. It was a little confusing at times because there were so many characters to keep track of, but I liked the narrator’s voice.

We Solve Murders is a great new mystery!

Content warnings: death, gun violence

Have you read We Solve Murders? What did you think of it?

Review: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore (Dream Harbor #2)

Title: The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore (Dream Harbor #2)
Author: Laurie Gilmore
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: One More Chapter
Source: Publisher via NetGalley
Format: Ebook
Release Date: August 29, 2024
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

From the author of the Sunday Times bestseller and viral TikTok phenomenon, The Pumpkin Spice Café, comes a brand new spicy romance set in Dream Harbor!

When a secret message turns up hidden in a book in the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, Hazelcan’t understand it. As more secret codes appear between the pages, she decides to follow the trail of clues… she just need someone to help her out.

Gorgeous and outgoing fisherman, Noah, is always up for an adventure. And a scavenger hunt sounds like a lot of fun. Even better that the cute bookseller he’s been crushing on for months is the one who wants his help!

Hazel didn’t go looking for romance, but as the treasure hunt leads her and Noah around Dream Harbor, their undeniable chemistry might be just as hot as the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns the bookstore sells…

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store is a cozy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:
• opposites attract
• small town
• forced proximity
• he falls first

Review:

Hazel is the manager of The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore. One day, she finds a highlighted message in a romance book as she is putting it away. Noah, a fisherman, shows up after she finds the message, and he suggests they follow the clue together. Hazel is going to turn 30 soon and she regrets not having a wild time in her 20s. She decides she can have some fun with Noah, who’s known for only having flings. Hazel and Noah spend a lot of time together, but they start to fall for each other, despite their agreement that it will just be a summer fling.

This book was a spicy romance! It was spicier than the first book in the Dream Harbor series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, because Hazel and Noah already knew each other at the beginning so their romance could begin right away. I liked that the romantic couple for the next book was set up in this one. I’m excited to continue this series.

The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore is a spicy summer romance!

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for providing a digital copy of this book!

Other books in the series:

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe (Dream Harbor #1)
The Christmas Tree Farm (Dream Harbor #3)

Have you read The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore? What did you think of it?