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rhiannon814r's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Chronic illness, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Minor: Cursing, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Infertility, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Blood, and Body shaming
cover2covertx's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I think the authors wanted to put too many themes and plots into one story arc. It just made things kind of messy in the second half. Also, no trigger warnings was a bad move for this one especially. And miscarriage should never be used as a casual plot device and the way it was handled absolutely felt like that I’ll definitely be reading the third in the series whenever it comes out but this book didn’t fit with the vibe of the Christmas Notch books all because of that second half.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Infertility, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Misogyny, Pregnancy, Fatphobia, Miscarriage, Sexism, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit
Religious trauma Purity culturepurplepenning's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.25
There are no good variables to work with when the answer to the equation is other peoples' idea of perfection.
Another one where I liked the previous book in the series, liked the main and side characters, liked much of what was being addressed, but still didn't love the story or execution. Le sigh.
There's no age when people stop learning about their bodies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Ableism, Cursing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Religious bigotry, Chronic illness, Medical content, Toxic relationship, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Sexism
A note about the sexual content: features a sexual awakening and admirably frank language and scenes of exploration as a character deprograms from the learned shame and inhibitions of purity culture Other content notes: in addition to the unplanned pregnancy trope, there's asariereads's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Pregnancy and Fatphobia
Minor: Medical content, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
sandywich89's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Rating: 4.75 out of 5
Spice: 4 out of 5
Part of a series, but can be read as a standalone (I did).
A Holly Jolly Ever After features retired boy band member turned pizza entrepreneur with a sex tape and dadbod Kallum Lieberman who is starring in a new Hope Channel movie filmed in Christmas Notch. Together with recently divorced ‘fallen from grace’ Winnie Baker who suffers from narcolepsy.
This book just has everything I want in a romance novel. It’s got a golden retriever MMC who is never taken seriously and never seen as the ‘guy you end up with’, a FMC that is trying to cut loose from growing up as a childstar in purity culture and for this movie, she needs sex lessons.
Winnie has never had an orgasm in her life and she desperately needs help for the sex scenes in the movie. Kallum therefore suggests she needs to do some ‘research’ and she is struggling. She ends up deciding to watch Kallum’s sex tape because where else better to begin the research. Since googling how to get an orgasm didn’t do her much good. Unfortunately even with the tape it doesn’t seem to work and she’s getting more desperate by the hour.
Thankfully Kallum shows up at the right time and she boldly asks him if he can help her out. Kallum having had a crush on her would be crazy to deny her that right? Right?
This was so much fun. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. Kallum is the epitome of a DILF. The steam is out of this world amazing. I should’ve known that with Sierra Simone partly writing it that it would. It even has some elements in the steam that surprised me, especially when considering Winnie is trying to break free of purity culture.
A Holly Jolly Ever After features retired boy band member turned pizza entrepreneur with a sex tape and dadbod Kallum Lieberman who is starring in a new Hope Channel movie filmed in Christmas Notch. Together with recently divorced ‘fallen from grace’ Winnie Baker who suffers from narcolepsy.
This book just has everything I want in a romance novel. It’s got a golden retriever MMC who is never taken seriously and never seen as the ‘guy you end up with’, a FMC that is trying to cut loose from growing up as a childstar in purity culture and for this movie, she needs sex lessons.
Winnie has never had an orgasm in her life and she desperately needs help for the sex scenes in the movie. Kallum therefore suggests she needs to do some ‘research’ and she is struggling. She ends up deciding to watch Kallum’s sex tape because where else better to begin the research. Since googling how to get an orgasm didn’t do her much good. Unfortunately even with the tape it doesn’t seem to work and she’s getting more desperate by the hour.
Thankfully Kallum shows up at the right time and she boldly asks him if he can help her out. Kallum having had a crush on her would be crazy to deny her that right? Right?
This was so much fun. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. Kallum is the epitome of a DILF. The steam is out of this world amazing. I should’ve known that with Sierra Simone partly writing it that it would. It even has some elements in the steam that surprised me, especially when considering Winnie is trying to break free of purity culture.
I didn’t know about the surprise pregnancy trope before I dove in and the minute I read it I had the feeling of impending doom. It’s my least favorite trope next to amnesia and I was really worried for the third act for a minute. Fortunately though this book surprised me in a great way!
I wouldn’t necessarily call this a christmas book, but it really does invoke the feelings you get when you watch a christmas movie. And ofcourse they are recording a christmas movie including a malfunctioning snow machine.
It has the great found family vibes and this book was just such a breath of fresh air, it really gave me all the great feels. I am definitely going to read A Merry Little Meet Cute now since I am curious about Nolan and Bee’s story. And when are we getting Isaac’s story? Because.. I want it now. I so love me a great widow trope.
Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for providing an ARC.
I wouldn’t necessarily call this a christmas book, but it really does invoke the feelings you get when you watch a christmas movie. And ofcourse they are recording a christmas movie including a malfunctioning snow machine.
It has the great found family vibes and this book was just such a breath of fresh air, it really gave me all the great feels. I am definitely going to read A Merry Little Meet Cute now since I am curious about Nolan and Bee’s story. And when are we getting Isaac’s story? Because.. I want it now. I so love me a great widow trope.
Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for providing an ARC.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Misogyny and Religious bigotry
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