Christmas Kisses
No subtitle needed
Even though my tree’s been up for weeks, this is really the part of the season where the warm and cozies kick in, which means it’s the perfect time for some full-length Christmas reads to enjoy with twinkle lights in the background! Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for some select pics of my dog CJ (aka Calamity Jane), who I’m seeing this weekend when I go home for the holidays. She is the best girl. And some of the heroines in this round up are pretty good too.
The Wake-Up Call by Beth O'Leary. When Beth O’Leary announced she was writing a workplace enemies-to-lovers book, you know I must have been hyped. And she DELIVERS, because she’s Beth O’Leary. The story starts with an absolute epistolary whammy- Izzy pours her heart out in a holiday card to her coworker and fellow front-desk-receptionist at the historic Forest Manor Hotel, Lucas. His response is a short “have a happy holidays to you as well.” The story truly begins one year later, after hostilities from this (and another incident at the Christmas party where these cards were exchanged) escalated. The hotel isn’t doing well, and both Izzy and Lucas, despite their hatred of each other, love this place and its kooky characters. When the ceiling collapses and they can only rent out a fraction of the occupancy of the hotel for one of the most popular times of the year (Christmas holidays), desperate measures are needed to keep things afloat.
It just so happens that Izzy finds a tupperware of lost and found wedding rings when they begin to sell of other lost and found items, and after they receive a massive reward for returning it to its owner, she and Lucas are called to find the owners of the rest of the rings, hoping for similar reward money. Because it’s Izzy and Lucas, they turn it into a competition, and along their journey learn just as much about how complicated relationships truly are as well as how they may have the exact wrong impression of one another.
This book was genuinely delightful, so cozy, so funny, and there’s a snowed-in only-one-bed situation and everything! My main complaint seems to be similar to a few Goodreads reviews I saw, which is that the very obvious miscommunication was drawn out a bit long. I understand things from both characters’ perspective, and I buy about two thirds of the messiness as a result. But that final third was just brutally slow and a little unbelievable and frustrating for the wrong reasons.
My other complaint is that this is the first book where I think it actively works against the story to be closed door. All of Beth O’Leary’s books are closed door, but this one hinges on the two characters eventually being enemies-with-benefits and trying to make sense of how explosive their chemistry is with their animosity. Without SEEING the chemistry in the sack which they talk about extensively, I was left feeling a little detached from their ultimate romantic resolution. I still cried because it was so sweet and lovely of a story, but not getting to see how these two navigate a sexual relationship in the moment, which was so central to their eventual happy ending, felt distinctly incorrect.
Rating: 4.5/5
How hot? 🔥 (closed door)
Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey. The musically untalented children of two estranged female rock stars (formerly a massively famous rock duo until The Incident™) band together for a live-streamed reality series trying to reunite their mothers for a Christmas concert. YES OK.
Melody and Beat (lol) have only ever met once, as teenagers when they were both interviewed for a documentary of something, because their famous mothers’ feud was so ugly. However, that single meeting defined both of their lives, because who else could relate to their weird, horrific, occasionally ok but definitely unique situations? They didn’t keep in touch, though, and are only reunited themselves when a reality producer asks them for their help to reunite their mothers in time for Christmas. Beat is being blackmailed and needs the cash, but he won’t do the show without Melody and her explicit consent because he knows how cruel fame is for women, and for Melody in particular. Melody would do anything for Beat, though, and she’s also sick of the status quo between herself and her mother, who never seemed all that interested in a real relationship with her. So they embark on a live-streamed blast from the past, both struggling and badly covering up the fact that they’re in love with each other.
We’ve got some delightful exploration of kink and shame and psychology and fame and beaking parental patterns of behavior. I’ll be honest, a cinnamon roll Tessa Bailey hero doesn’t hit quite the same as her cocky grumps, but this was still a sexy and thoughtfully-rendered romance from an author who is blessedly prolific.
Rating: 4.25/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Merry Inkmas by Talia Hibbert. Bailey’s a barista whose big heart gets her in trouble with her boss, but luckily, her favorite regular, the extremely tattooed and near-silent Cash, offers her a job at his tattoo parlor. Despite his gruff and standoffish personality, Bailey realizes that Cash is a whole-ass softie. And when it becomes clear she has no Christmas plans (tragic backstory stuff), he invites her home with him. They’ve both got Big Baggage to overcome, family dynamics to navigate, and an increasing attraction that might not be appropriate (boss/employee, other Tragic Backstory details, you know the deal) but isn’t going away.
Talia Hibbert is a master, and manages to tackle some seriously dark subjects without losing the cozy Christmas vibe entirely. This isn’t one of my favorites of hers, but is still a great holiday read and might be more your speed!
Rating: 3.75/5
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥
Next week, I’ll be taking it easy to spend time with my family and dog (see below), and the week after that, I’m recommending books about burnt out protagonists, who just need a break like the one I’m taking. Have a wonderful holiday!
What should I be reading next? Let me know in the comments!
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