Hi y’all! Happy 2025!

It feels so good to be back here in the blogging world! We had such a wonderful, busy, special, hygge, cozy, exhausting, and unique holiday season. Right before Thanksgiving, we welcomed our 4th child. And we all loved the sweet newborn snuggles during the holidays. Everyone is healthy and thriving at our house. So grateful!

I am nursing and doing so much fantastic reading on my kindle! During December, I read so many fantastic Christmas books! So I decided to share some mini reviews with y’all to start 2025. Hope you enjoy!

Christmas with a Crank by Courtney Walsh // Any book that Courtney Walsh writes, I will read and love. This is such a sweet addition to her collection of books! I love the setting on the Christmas Tree Farm. There is something truly magical about a Christmas tree farm at Christmastime. Especially if it’s the “last-best Christmas.” Olive is hired to help coordinate this last Christmas season and it was a delight to see how everything unfolds.

Seeing Olive in her element as she puts together events and adds special details to the farm was so fun. I loved the makers market and the family night and the field trip. Her love for this place was clear and contagious. I wanted to save the farm right alongside her! Liam was a classic grump but with such a lovely soft spot for Olive. She seems to be the only one that can get him to open up and share what’s really on his mind. I loved seeing him fall in love with Olive and with the farm again.

I loved this grumpy-sunshine, second chance love, Christmas romcom. As usual, the characters are vibrant and authentic. If you like Christmas, relatable characters, and beautiful romance, this book is for you!

Host for the Holidays by Martha Keyes // I enjoyed this holiday romcom set in Paris. Remy and Madi have fantastic chemistry and I love how he helps her overcome her fears and see Paris at its best. Loved how they care for each other and do small things for each other. Like buying the baguette and cheese or holding hands on the metro. I loved how fast they fall for each other and how they build each other up in the best ways. Also their first kiss is magical!

I loved their experiences around Paris— going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visiting a Christmas market, taking pictures in iconic neighborhoods, seeing the Louvre, eating truly French and some not so truly French food. I loved the extended Christmas Eve dinner hosted by his mom and the photography sessions around Paris.

I didn’t love that Madi is in such a bad relationship for the first half of the book. Josh doesn’t treat her right and doesn’t deserve her patience and vibrancy. Glad that finally ended but it took a bit long for me. Also Madi and Remy should have talked way sooner about their feelings. I was dying at times with the lack of communication! But their happily ever after is truly lovely!

12 Days of Mistletoe by Jen Atkinson // This was my first book read by Jen and it was so fun! I would love to read more of her books! Bonnie and Elliot are a delight. I loved their obvious chemistry and how quickly they fall for each other. They bring out the best in each other and I loved seeing them let down their walls and let each other into their hearts.

Favorite parts of this book include Elliot’s meddling grandma (She is the best! So funny how she works as a matchmaker to get these two together. And everything she makes them do. Also fairy grandmother is fantastic), kissing practice (So funny and so awkward and so fantastic!), all the Christmas traditions and experiences (Cutting down a tree, baking cookies, fancy Christmas Eve party, and more), and the hilarious banter between the characters. I laughed out loud throughout the book!

I appreciate the anxiety rep in this book. But sometimes it came on a bit strong and repetitive for me. I loved how Elliot took care of Bonnie and allowed her to truly feel seen in her most overwhelming moments. That was truly beautiful.

Izzy and her Off-Limits Love by Emma St. Clair and Jenny Proctor // I loved being back on Oakley Island! Seeing Izzy and Liam all grown up was such a treat and I loved the cameos from all my favorite Oakley Island family. Izzy and Liam are fantastic together. I love how they balance each other out. And how they see the best in each other. Seeing how Izzy has pined for Liam for years is sweet but I really loved how Liam realized how long he’s loved Izzy because of how much more he feels for her than other girls.

Their Christmas traditions are sweet and hilarious. Loved them decorating his apt together and their extended family traditions were laugh out loud funny (pajamas with a butt flap!?) loved the Christmas time setting as a backdrop for them reconnecting and falling in love.

The ending is pure hilarious Emma and Jenny magic. It is so funny!! First we have Liam and Izzy pretending to date other people to get back at their meddling family (the fake fumigation tent was hilariously ridiculous!). I love the moment when they reveal all and everyone’s reactions to the news that they are in love. It’s just a treat to read anything these ladies cowrite. I loved being back on Oakley and want to reread the series now to remember all my favorite parts.

Christmas Baggage by Deborah M. Hathaway // This was such a fun, Christmasy read! My first book by Deborah and I really enjoyed it! First, it’s set in my all time favorite city in the world — London, England. I absolutely loved reading about Claire’s first experiences in London and how she falls in love with the city. I have not been in England at Christmastime but now I really want to go at that time of year! The Christmas Market sounds delightful and seeing The Nutcracker at Royal Albert Hall sounds incredible. I loved the details of Claire and Liam sightseeing as they visit palaces, museums, the Tower of London, Christmas Markets and Big Ben. Her experience seeing Big Ben for the first time felt so much like my own! I love that site so much!

Claire and Liam’s story is such a delightful and unexpected love story. I enjoyed their enemies to lovers journey. From their first definitely not meet cute, they have fantastic banter and clear chemistry. I loved seeing them realize that they are perfect together and letting down their walls between each other. Seeing how they share their hopes and dreams with each other is beautiful. And I love their obvious chemistry from their almost kisses to their fantastic first kiss that is so London. I love how he treats her with respect and makes her his top priority. Especially because she has rarely felt that kind of importance from other people.

Both of them have experienced hard loss and disappointments in their lives. Between them, they have experienced loss of a parent, parental neglect, loneliness, overworking, poor experiences with past relationships and difficulty feeling worthy. Seeing how Liam and Claire build each other up and show each other true kindness and love is beautiful. Such a fun story with a truly fantastic setting!

Faking Christmas: Special Edition by Cindy Steel // This continues to be one of my favorites from Cindy Steel and one of my favorite Christmas novels period. I loved rereading this book in this special edition! The story, the characters, the love, the setting are all as fantastic as I remember from my first read. I want to go to the Lodge for Christmas and explore Vermont and experience all the fun holiday traditions like sledding, gingerbread house making, and mistletoe kisses. I’d even try the fresh chocolate milk! I think I would avoid the polar plunge though.

I love Olive and Miles so much. Their fake dating but obviously real dating story is such a delight. From Miles treating Olive so well to his teasing and their shared grief over losses in their pasts, these two were made for each other. When they are reunited after the Christmas break, I might have had tears in my eyes. It’s just so beautiful! I absolutely loved their journey and their love story

The special edition has so many fun details! The cover art is beautiful. Cindy’s footnotes about different details in the story are so fun. And I LOVE the bonus scene from Miles’ perspective. Absolutely worth every penny and I’m so glad to have it in my home collection.

Since We’ve No Place to Go by Kate Watson // I loved this Christmas enemies to lovers romcom from the queen of witty banter and heartfelt stories. Leisel and Coop are witty banter gold! Oh my goodness they are so funny and I felt myself smile and laugh throughout the story. They start as enemies with the most hilarious non meet cute at the airport. And quickly that banter turns flirty and their chemistry is fantastic. I loved seeing Coop fall first and how he is willing to do anything for Leisel. I just loved seeing their relationship change from that first meeting and arguing at the team retreat to getting to know each other, getting stuck in a car together and spending Christmas together. I love Leisel and Coop!!

As always, Kate gives her characters such incredible depth as they experience hardships and grief. Leisel has lost her mom and has been avoiding Christmas traditions with her family ever since. Coop has been focused on supporting his mom as she lived with mental illness but that has taken an emotional toll on him for years. I loved the way Kate weaves these heavy and important ideas about grief, traditions, heartache and remembering into this story. Such a beautiful balance with the light, witty banter and romance.

If you haven’t read a Kate Watson book yet — now is a great time to read one! I love how she connects all her stories and we get glimpses of favorite couples and future couples in this story. Such a fun story with a fantastic cozy Christmas vibe and a beautiful happily ever after.

That Time We Kissed Under the Mistletoe by Julie Christianson // This book is everything!! I absolutely loved this second chance, Christmas romance from Julie.This book made me smile and laugh and believe in all the good that love can be! I loved the Christmas setting and all the fun Christmas scenes and tropes. Christmas decorations, homemade popcorn garland, turkey dinner, ice skating, Christmas movies and of course — mistletoe. This book has me in a Christmas reading mood in all the best and most cozy ways!

Three is such a fun MMC. I loved getting to know him and learning about his past and his present. He has worked so hard to prove himself to others but also to himself. Seeing the good he is doing in the lives of his students and the people in Abieville is truly beautiful. Also I love his close relationship with his family! His love for Sara is so beautiful and truly a defining part of his character. Sara was delightful to get to know. I love how complex she is. As we read her story, we learn more and more about her. How much she loves her family. How much she loves Three. What she wants to do in the future. How she sees the past. How she wants the future to look. How kind and generous and honest she is. I just loved her!

Three and Sara’s love story is such a beautiful second chance romance. I loved seeing them reconnect and seeing their chemistry ignite again so easily. They see the best in each other and want to build each other up. Through their unexpected Christmas together, they see how much they still mean to each other. And wow do they go through a lot in a short time! I think in those moments of fear and real danger, we learn how strong their love is. 

I love the ending!! I love the bonus epilogue! Can’t wait for more stories in Abieville!

A Cross Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh // I loved this sweet Christmas romcom from Courtney. If I ever need a book to pick me up and help me see the potential for good, joy, and happiness in the world, I pick up a Courtney Walsh book.

I loved all the fun Christmas details like the torchlight parade and Christmas village (really everything about the cute little town that means Mistletoe). I loved the coziness and the love at Will’s parents’ house and all their Christmas decor, delicious food and traditions. There is just something so magical about Christmastime and Courtney captures that magic perfectly in this story.

I loved getting to know Will and Lauren and seeing them change as they road trip together. They both are carrying heavy burdens from their pasts. Lauren has the difficult load of her broken family and truly hard memories of holidays. And Will has to live with consequences of his poor choices when he lost his baseball scholarship and the guilt he feels from that. I loved how they are about to build each other up. How they help each other see the good in themselves and the potential for grace, forgiveness and Christmas spirit again.

Their love story is a mix of slow burn and second chance. Add in a forced proximity road trip. Meddling siblings. And a bit of Christmas cheer. This is a fun ride! Their attraction and chemistry is obvious and lovely. Seeing them let down their walls and allow each other into their hearts is beautiful. I was cheering for them from the moment Will picked Lauren up at the diner. When we finally get their happily ever after, I couldn’t stop smiling.

What are some of your favorite Christmas romcoms?
I am always looking to add to my TBR of these delightful seasonal reads.
Hope y’all had a fantastic Christmas and a wonderful start to 2025!