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Aspen Peaks #1
Baggage Claim
Olive Moore has been avoiding her hometown for three years now. But a phone call with her mom has her agreeing to spend the holidays back home with her family, she lets it slip she will be bringing a boyfriend with her. The only problem with that is she has no boyfriend. That is until she meets a handsome--albeit annoying--stranger on the plane who makes her an offer she can't refuse. Finn Beckett has always had good luck, as demonstrated by the gorgeous blonde he's seated next to on a flight to Aspen. One drink too many leads to Olive spilling her problems in his lap, and he feels compelled to help. So he makes her an he'll pretend to be her boyfriend to keep her family off her back and make this the best Christmas ever. Olive and Finn spend the next two weeks going on spirit-filled Christmas dates with her family. Their ruse is working perfectly, but Finn can't help but notice Olive is holding something back. Something that could ruin everything. Their relationship may have taken off smoothly, but with all this turbulence, will they ever make it to baggage claim?
Audio CD
First published November 26, 2022
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24685 people want to read
About the author
Juliana Smith
13 books1,090 followersJuliana Smith is an author in a small town in Alabama. When she is not hanging out with her book characters, she is with her family. Juliana writes heartfelt romance filled with laughter and warm fuzzies. She can usually be found in a Chic-fil-a drive-thru or listening to Star Wars theory podcasts, often at the same time.
To subscribe to her super amazing newsletter and receive VIP behind-the-scenes, special offers, and exclusives go to her Instagram @authorjulianasmith .
To subscribe to her super amazing newsletter and receive VIP behind-the-scenes, special offers, and exclusives go to her Instagram @authorjulianasmith .
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,908 reviews
December 3, 2024
Just wtf
November 15, 2022
Olive Moore moved to West Palm Beach, Florida after a huge falling out with her sister three years previous on Christmas. Now her mother is urging her to come back home for the holidays. She misses her family more than anything so she agrees to fly back to Aspen, Colorado to spend the holidays with them but may have let it slip that her boyfriend is coming too.
Her non-existent boyfriend.
On the flight she meets the dreamy but irritating Finn who is her seat companion. After a few drinks loosen her up she informs him how she lied to her family about bringing home a boyfriend when Finn has the bright idea of playing the part for her.
Will there be kisses under the mistletoe?
I wanted all the swoony holiday goodness that was promised but I didn't get it and the reason for that is easy, Finn.
He's a real dudebro. Every woman is called doll or darling. All woman practically drop their panties when he looks in their direction and if people really winked as much as he did in this book then the world would be an even creepier place than it already is. 😉😉😉
"I was the best with parents actually; usually when I broke up with a girl, her parents were as upset as she was."
I'm sure they're devastated that you dumped their daughter and broke her heart. What can they do to win you back?
"I was known as the guy that parents love, but unfortunately for them, I didn't stick around long. Usually, their daughter said she wanted something casual, but the second her family met me, she started picking out wedding flowers."
Bless her lovestruck heart!
"She placed a soft hand on my bicep which I probably flexed a little for her."
Is it hot in here?
"I may or may not feel like flexing a little bit in front of her; she is not easily shaken it seems, and I want to see her pretty little jaw drop to the floor."
You Adonis you! How can any woman resist?
"Even after buttering up her parents and wearing my best-looking suit, she still told me no. It knocked me down a few pegs, but thankfully I have ego to spare."
Ego to spare? You don't say.
"I wasn't shy or quiet by any means when I found a girl attractive, so they usually loved my honesty and would jump at the opportunity to go out with me."
Of course they did!
"It was odd to have someone consistently say no to me. I had cute cheeks with dimples as a plus. Combine that with sweet manners, and I could get just about anything I wanted."
No means no, dude. Dimples or not.
I could go on and on with these quotes but I will spare you.
This was instalove that made zero sense. There was absolutely NO chemistry between these two but within days they are head over heels for one another.
The conflict between the sisters was so obvious from the beginning that dragging it all the way out to the end seemed a little ridiculous and, as I said, not the least bit surprising.
I'm also a little miffed that when Olive had short dark hair and was a little chubby she was the ugly sister but when she moves to Florida, loses weight, dies her hair blonde, gets a tan she's now become every mans dream come true. What message is that sending? No wonder she has an eating disorder. I just hate that so much emphasis is placed on appearance rather than personality and that's in regards to both characters, Finn and Olive. We get how insanely beautiful they are without it being mentioned on every single page.
'Tis the season and a Bah humbug from me! 2 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for my complimentary copy.
Her non-existent boyfriend.
On the flight she meets the dreamy but irritating Finn who is her seat companion. After a few drinks loosen her up she informs him how she lied to her family about bringing home a boyfriend when Finn has the bright idea of playing the part for her.
Will there be kisses under the mistletoe?
I wanted all the swoony holiday goodness that was promised but I didn't get it and the reason for that is easy, Finn.
He's a real dudebro. Every woman is called doll or darling. All woman practically drop their panties when he looks in their direction and if people really winked as much as he did in this book then the world would be an even creepier place than it already is. 😉😉😉
"I was the best with parents actually; usually when I broke up with a girl, her parents were as upset as she was."
I'm sure they're devastated that you dumped their daughter and broke her heart. What can they do to win you back?
"I was known as the guy that parents love, but unfortunately for them, I didn't stick around long. Usually, their daughter said she wanted something casual, but the second her family met me, she started picking out wedding flowers."
Bless her lovestruck heart!
"She placed a soft hand on my bicep which I probably flexed a little for her."
Is it hot in here?
"I may or may not feel like flexing a little bit in front of her; she is not easily shaken it seems, and I want to see her pretty little jaw drop to the floor."
You Adonis you! How can any woman resist?
"Even after buttering up her parents and wearing my best-looking suit, she still told me no. It knocked me down a few pegs, but thankfully I have ego to spare."
Ego to spare? You don't say.
"I wasn't shy or quiet by any means when I found a girl attractive, so they usually loved my honesty and would jump at the opportunity to go out with me."
Of course they did!
"It was odd to have someone consistently say no to me. I had cute cheeks with dimples as a plus. Combine that with sweet manners, and I could get just about anything I wanted."
No means no, dude. Dimples or not.
I could go on and on with these quotes but I will spare you.
This was instalove that made zero sense. There was absolutely NO chemistry between these two but within days they are head over heels for one another.
The conflict between the sisters was so obvious from the beginning that dragging it all the way out to the end seemed a little ridiculous and, as I said, not the least bit surprising.
I'm also a little miffed that when Olive had short dark hair and was a little chubby she was the ugly sister but when she moves to Florida, loses weight, dies her hair blonde, gets a tan she's now become every mans dream come true. What message is that sending? No wonder she has an eating disorder. I just hate that so much emphasis is placed on appearance rather than personality and that's in regards to both characters, Finn and Olive. We get how insanely beautiful they are without it being mentioned on every single page.
'Tis the season and a Bah humbug from me! 2 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for my complimentary copy.
November 20, 2022
2.5 stars
TW for eating disorder and talk about weight and weight loss
I love a good fake dating romance, and at Christmastime!? I wanted to love this book so much, but there were a few too many things stopping it from being a new favorite. First, the heroine has a very bad relationship with her sister that made her leave home years ago and never return. Now she's back and things are super awkward when she's in the same room as her sister and her sister's husband. It is INCREDIBLY obvious from the start what the conflict was, but this awkward relationship is drawn out FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK. And it just kept on making me mad how her family just tells her to get over and be nice to her sister!? I just couldn't get over that part of the plot and it annoyed me the entire time it was kept "a secret."
The heroine also had a bad relationship with food and working out and looking "perfect." She told the hero she worked out for three hours to burn off what they had for a meal. She lost a lot of weight after she moved because she thought she had to be perfect to be loved. This unhealthy relationship with food and body image wasn't really addressed beyond her being okay with the hero seeing her without makeup. I didn't love her problems with self image and how they just didn't end up being addressed.
The fake dating and the romance was cute, but overall there was too much that I just didn't enjoy that took me away from the romance.
TW for eating disorder and talk about weight and weight loss
I love a good fake dating romance, and at Christmastime!? I wanted to love this book so much, but there were a few too many things stopping it from being a new favorite. First, the heroine has a very bad relationship with her sister that made her leave home years ago and never return. Now she's back and things are super awkward when she's in the same room as her sister and her sister's husband. It is INCREDIBLY obvious from the start what the conflict was, but this awkward relationship is drawn out FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK. And it just kept on making me mad how her family just tells her to get over and be nice to her sister!? I just couldn't get over that part of the plot and it annoyed me the entire time it was kept "a secret."
The heroine also had a bad relationship with food and working out and looking "perfect." She told the hero she worked out for three hours to burn off what they had for a meal. She lost a lot of weight after she moved because she thought she had to be perfect to be loved. This unhealthy relationship with food and body image wasn't really addressed beyond her being okay with the hero seeing her without makeup. I didn't love her problems with self image and how they just didn't end up being addressed.
The fake dating and the romance was cute, but overall there was too much that I just didn't enjoy that took me away from the romance.
November 21, 2025
I FINALLY found an enjoyable Christmas story 🎄
After recently discovering Juliana’s work, I have made it my mission to read as many of her novels as possible. Will they live up to ‘Drawn Together’? - that’s a high standard! 📚 💖 ✨
This was a grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, dual POV situation. It was packed full of fun holiday moments that definitely got me excited for the season ahead. I also happen to have a soft spot for Colorado, so that in itself was a win. All in all, this was a rather binge worthy story that had a perfect balance between fun and deeper moments as Finn tries to convince his 'Grinchy' fake girlfriend that the holidays in Aspen truly are magical ❄️ 🩵 ⛷️
We meet our two MCs on a flight from Florida to Aspen. Olive Moore has been avoiding her hometown for 3 years. Meanwhile, Finn Beckett loves everything about both the town and the Christmas season. It’s thanks to Olive’s mum that she has finally agreed to spend the holidays with her family. One problem: she may have let it slip that she is bringing her boyfriend with her…but there is no boyfriend.
Enter: handsome stranger - Finn Beckett
With one too many plane drinks, Finn makes her an offer - he’ll be her fake boyfriend, keep her family at bay AND make this the best Christmas ever….Can he really do it all? Or maybe the better question is: will she let him?
And so, a story filled with spirit-filled Christmas dates begins. Can they both win over the family? And what will become of them in the meantime 👀
Olive, our FMC, was a heartbroken, defeated young woman. On the flight, she had come across as independent and strong-willed, but that was all part of the facade she had spent the last 3 years building. I felt for her so much and found her character to be very relatable. She was incredibly insecure, reminding me of a teenage version of myself. It broke my heart 💔 But Finn, in all his glory, saw the girl behind the curtain. He was so incredibly sweet and thoughtful towards her every need. Despite not knowing what she had been through, he was always there, holding her hand, comforting her and making sure she knew how amazing she truly was. Juliana wrote this in such a way that it seemed genuine and not cheesy or fake in the slightest.
“Olive,” I breathed out her name. “If you were mine, you would never wonder how perfect you are.” 🥰 💖 ✨
Finn was just an all-round amazing guy! On the plane he’d come across as charming and flirty, but he was SO much more than that, and was determined to break through Olive’s tough exterior and see the real her. Furthermore, he was a kid’s ski instructor…I mean come on, is that not the cutest thing 🥰
“I think you should always follow your instincts and trust them. You hesitate too much. Life isn’t that serious, just let loose a little and have fun.” 🙌🏽
Although this was a grumpy/sunshine situation, for once it was the woman that was the grump and the guy was the fun, light-hearted soul, brimming with life. It made for a nice turnaround. Moreover, what was most enjoyable was watching Olive’s icy exterior melt throughout the story, and see her authentic self come to light.
Honestly, it is rare I enjoy a Christmas book this much. While it did have some features of a Hallmark movie, it came across more authentically and less cheesy. I love watching Finn interact with Olive’s family and how he really boosted her confidence. I also liked the undercurrent of mystery regarding Olive’s past. A great holiday read…diving straight into the sequel 🙇🏻♀️
"So, I would gladly claim all your baggage if it meant you would be mine.” 🥲💖✨
3.75 🌟🌟🌟💫
After recently discovering Juliana’s work, I have made it my mission to read as many of her novels as possible. Will they live up to ‘Drawn Together’? - that’s a high standard! 📚 💖 ✨
This was a grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, dual POV situation. It was packed full of fun holiday moments that definitely got me excited for the season ahead. I also happen to have a soft spot for Colorado, so that in itself was a win. All in all, this was a rather binge worthy story that had a perfect balance between fun and deeper moments as Finn tries to convince his 'Grinchy' fake girlfriend that the holidays in Aspen truly are magical ❄️ 🩵 ⛷️
We meet our two MCs on a flight from Florida to Aspen. Olive Moore has been avoiding her hometown for 3 years. Meanwhile, Finn Beckett loves everything about both the town and the Christmas season. It’s thanks to Olive’s mum that she has finally agreed to spend the holidays with her family. One problem: she may have let it slip that she is bringing her boyfriend with her…but there is no boyfriend.
Enter: handsome stranger - Finn Beckett
With one too many plane drinks, Finn makes her an offer - he’ll be her fake boyfriend, keep her family at bay AND make this the best Christmas ever….Can he really do it all? Or maybe the better question is: will she let him?
And so, a story filled with spirit-filled Christmas dates begins. Can they both win over the family? And what will become of them in the meantime 👀
Olive, our FMC, was a heartbroken, defeated young woman. On the flight, she had come across as independent and strong-willed, but that was all part of the facade she had spent the last 3 years building. I felt for her so much and found her character to be very relatable. She was incredibly insecure, reminding me of a teenage version of myself. It broke my heart 💔 But Finn, in all his glory, saw the girl behind the curtain. He was so incredibly sweet and thoughtful towards her every need. Despite not knowing what she had been through, he was always there, holding her hand, comforting her and making sure she knew how amazing she truly was. Juliana wrote this in such a way that it seemed genuine and not cheesy or fake in the slightest.
“Olive,” I breathed out her name. “If you were mine, you would never wonder how perfect you are.” 🥰 💖 ✨
Finn was just an all-round amazing guy! On the plane he’d come across as charming and flirty, but he was SO much more than that, and was determined to break through Olive’s tough exterior and see the real her. Furthermore, he was a kid’s ski instructor…I mean come on, is that not the cutest thing 🥰
“I think you should always follow your instincts and trust them. You hesitate too much. Life isn’t that serious, just let loose a little and have fun.” 🙌🏽
Although this was a grumpy/sunshine situation, for once it was the woman that was the grump and the guy was the fun, light-hearted soul, brimming with life. It made for a nice turnaround. Moreover, what was most enjoyable was watching Olive’s icy exterior melt throughout the story, and see her authentic self come to light.
Honestly, it is rare I enjoy a Christmas book this much. While it did have some features of a Hallmark movie, it came across more authentically and less cheesy. I love watching Finn interact with Olive’s family and how he really boosted her confidence. I also liked the undercurrent of mystery regarding Olive’s past. A great holiday read…diving straight into the sequel 🙇🏻♀️
"So, I would gladly claim all your baggage if it meant you would be mine.” 🥲💖✨
3.75 🌟🌟🌟💫
November 27, 2022
well… at least the covers really cute
honestly i kinda wish it had ended with olive bitch slapping her horrible sister, moving back to palm springs and cutting off her toxic family (i’m sorry but if my sister had done what sarah does to olive and everyone in my family kept saying “just talk it out”…immediately jail.)
oh and finn (the love interest) was giving douchebag cringey vibes
honestly i kinda wish it had ended with olive bitch slapping her horrible sister, moving back to palm springs and cutting off her toxic family (i’m sorry but if my sister had done what sarah does to olive and everyone in my family kept saying “just talk it out”…immediately jail.)
oh and finn (the love interest) was giving douchebag cringey vibes
January 5, 2025
➳ 3.5 ☆! 🎿
˚₊‧꒰ thoughts🌲꒱ ‧₊˚
⤷ verryyy cute!! does the first quote resonate with anyone?? because IT DOES WITH ME. jk there are some beautiful places here, but i adore reading so like! anyway, this was very fun, quirky, and heartwarming. i still prefer snowed under the 2nd book in this duo, but i would say to read this first as they make a lot of cameos!! but besides all that it was lovely to read. i liked our mmc, and the fmc grew on me! the author also does give some TW in the beginning which i appreciated! as always, these romance books always remind me why im a hopeless romantic ❤️🩹❤️🩹 and overall i do recommend!! and the meet cute was indeed VERY cute.
˚₊‧꒰ characters🧥꒱ ‧₊˚
⤷ our FMC (olive) was an interesting character, but she grew on me. In the story, she goes thru a bit and has some traumatic backstory from home. If i was betrayed like she was i would CRY. but shes was so brave coming back and i respect that. And im glad finn (our mmc) was able to break thru those cracks and help her come back to herself and find happiness! Also on a side note i love the name finn omg <3 anywayyyy i also liked our mmc! He had this weird ‘ego’ thing i saw someone point out but OVERALL, it was okay and i liked him! He was flirty, fun, and festive. And appreciated his eagerness to help olive! They were cute as a couple and i can see them tgt in the future! 🫶
overall, this duo of romance books was very cute! i still prefer the 2nd one, but luckily, both are super bingeable 🥰 ill be recommending this every winter now and i hope i find more festive books like this in 2025 <3 btwww happy 2025 now! this was my last read of '24 and its safe to say i ended off on a good note 🫶🫶
“You should do that more often,” he said confidently. “What?” “Smile like that.”
“I looked like the Grim Reaper only, instead of bringing death to everyone's doorstep, I brought snow and flirty winks.”
-----------------
“If you were mine, you would never wonder how perfect you are.” 🎿| POST-READ
cutecutecute, we love a guy who can FLIRT, rtc, 3.5 stars!! (dw its a good 3 star rating)
🎿| preview!
officially reading my last book of 2024 and i cant wait!! im already 100 pages and im fairly enjoying it🤭 i read the 2nd book before this one, but yk what its fine 😭 (i had a BLAST with snowed under so i have high hopes) how is everyone's end of current reads going?? i cant wait to see yall in 2025, best wishes!! love, ellie 💐✨ ALSO i want to try skiing now tehe
“i slipped in between the rich words and fell into murder mysteries, romance, dragons, and faeries. it was far better than anywhere on earth.”
˚₊‧꒰ thoughts🌲꒱ ‧₊˚
⤷ verryyy cute!! does the first quote resonate with anyone?? because IT DOES WITH ME. jk there are some beautiful places here, but i adore reading so like! anyway, this was very fun, quirky, and heartwarming. i still prefer snowed under the 2nd book in this duo, but i would say to read this first as they make a lot of cameos!! but besides all that it was lovely to read. i liked our mmc, and the fmc grew on me! the author also does give some TW in the beginning which i appreciated! as always, these romance books always remind me why im a hopeless romantic ❤️🩹❤️🩹 and overall i do recommend!! and the meet cute was indeed VERY cute.
˚₊‧꒰ characters🧥꒱ ‧₊˚
⤷ our FMC (olive) was an interesting character, but she grew on me. In the story, she goes thru a bit and has some traumatic backstory from home. If i was betrayed like she was i would CRY. but shes was so brave coming back and i respect that. And im glad finn (our mmc) was able to break thru those cracks and help her come back to herself and find happiness! Also on a side note i love the name finn omg <3 anywayyyy i also liked our mmc! He had this weird ‘ego’ thing i saw someone point out but OVERALL, it was okay and i liked him! He was flirty, fun, and festive. And appreciated his eagerness to help olive! They were cute as a couple and i can see them tgt in the future! 🫶
overall, this duo of romance books was very cute! i still prefer the 2nd one, but luckily, both are super bingeable 🥰 ill be recommending this every winter now and i hope i find more festive books like this in 2025 <3 btwww happy 2025 now! this was my last read of '24 and its safe to say i ended off on a good note 🫶🫶
"and i swear i will be that old man at the dinner table telling out story to out great-grandkids for the hundredth time because i want them to know i found the love of my life in a matter of two weeks. so, i would gladly claim all your baggage if it meant you would be mine. "
“You should do that more often,” he said confidently. “What?” “Smile like that.”
“I looked like the Grim Reaper only, instead of bringing death to everyone's doorstep, I brought snow and flirty winks.”
-----------------
“If you were mine, you would never wonder how perfect you are.” 🎿| POST-READ
cutecutecute, we love a guy who can FLIRT, rtc, 3.5 stars!! (dw its a good 3 star rating)
🎿| preview!
officially reading my last book of 2024 and i cant wait!! im already 100 pages and im fairly enjoying it🤭 i read the 2nd book before this one, but yk what its fine 😭 (i had a BLAST with snowed under so i have high hopes) how is everyone's end of current reads going?? i cant wait to see yall in 2025, best wishes!! love, ellie 💐✨ ALSO i want to try skiing now tehe
November 21, 2022
A swoon worthy location, an airplane meet cute, and she’s the grumpy one and he’s the sunshine??? I loved, loved, LOVED this gem of a book 🎄❤️
I don’t give out 5 star ratings that often but when I do you know that the book ticked all of my boxes. Olive Moore is on her way to her first Christmas at home in three years when she has a meet cute with our charming hero Finn Beckett on the plane to Aspen. Olive has been avoiding returning home to see her family since her falling out with her sister 3 Christmases ago. Olive and Finn have immediate chemistry and after letting it slip that she told her family she was bringing her nonexistent boyfriend with her, Finn offers to be her fake date for the holidays. The plot was so intriguing, it had romance and family drama intertwined as the reason for Olive’s estrangement with her family isn’t revealed until the end. This book also had one of my other favourite things in romance books: a very minor third act breakup. More couples communicating in a healthy fashion to get over any misunderstandings please and thank you!
If you love holiday romances, grumpy heroines, sunshine heroes, and tons of forced proximity, this is the book for you!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
5 stars
I don’t give out 5 star ratings that often but when I do you know that the book ticked all of my boxes. Olive Moore is on her way to her first Christmas at home in three years when she has a meet cute with our charming hero Finn Beckett on the plane to Aspen. Olive has been avoiding returning home to see her family since her falling out with her sister 3 Christmases ago. Olive and Finn have immediate chemistry and after letting it slip that she told her family she was bringing her nonexistent boyfriend with her, Finn offers to be her fake date for the holidays. The plot was so intriguing, it had romance and family drama intertwined as the reason for Olive’s estrangement with her family isn’t revealed until the end. This book also had one of my other favourite things in romance books: a very minor third act breakup. More couples communicating in a healthy fashion to get over any misunderstandings please and thank you!
If you love holiday romances, grumpy heroines, sunshine heroes, and tons of forced proximity, this is the book for you!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
5 stars
December 22, 2025
THIS WAS PURE TORTURE I CANT BELIEVE I DID THIS TO MYSELF 😪
where to even start... if I can give this book 0 stars I will it was just BAD not even wattpad can be blamed for this .
⭕️ DISCLAIMER: if you like this book don't read further for your own sake.
Anyway fmc olive hate all Christmas thing and don't like the holiday and all that then she lies to her mom that she has a boyfriend and she'll bring him home so she start fake dating the ( Hottie in seat 15B) that what he named himself lmao😭😭😭😭he decided that he can make her love Christmas in the next 2 weeks that's basically the plot of the book, .
Now there is the mystery of why she doesn't want to go back home wich you can already guess from the first 20pg but somehow get dragged until %85 (eye roll)
It doesn't take a genius to guess but they never tell you until the end it's soooo stupid and pissed me off so much.
Now come to the worst mmc I've ever seen in my life I call him (Ego high to the sky) this man😤 he brags about how he can get any woman he wants and how he is soooo hot and perfect lol somebody said in the review that he probably moans his own name I AGREE. Also he calls her grinchy and little grinch brother ewwwww
“She was probably right but still, it was odd to have someone consistently say no to me. I had cute cheeks with a dimple as a plus”😐
Moving on from Finn the body dysmorphia rep is so bad : guys she FAT SHAME her younger self " I look like I ate the entire class" then claim that she loved herself better then... and don't even let me start on how many times Finn will complement how skinny or tan her body was ?????😡
The writing was terrible it's super cringy no scratch that icky is the right word why does she have to describe a 9 years old with her wight or describes the outfits of everyone or say everyone's name ( me and Finn mom dad Sarah Logan Matt Taylor , we all got in the car) SHUTTT UPPPP she does it every scene also she said this and I couldn't get over it:
“He would be such a DILF."😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Ok ok last thing this is said to be clean romance AKA no spice but this man can't keep it in his pants ( his words not mine)
“My crotch was in a constant fight with my zipper”
Overall I would like to apologize for myself first and for you guys because you have to deal with me being a hatter but this was just awful and I'm going to go cry in the shower now🙏🏻
December 6, 2025
DNF @70%
Simply, what the fuck was that?
•
this was before Finn (MMC) even knew the FMC btw -
I waited for her to ask me what I did for a living, but being the brat that this chick was, I was sure she wasn't going to.
brat? chick? what? 🫥 not to mention he calls her "grinchy"..
•
Finn stood, and his tall stature took up the aisle. He stretched his lean arms over his head, his shirt lifting with the movement, flashing me his perfectly sculpted stomach. Ugh, of course, his body is beautiful. I fought not to roll my eyes around in aggravation.
hotness mentioned a million times (both characters)
•
Not to sound self-absorbed, but I had dinner with women pretty often.
???
•
She was probably right but still, it was odd to have someone consistently say no to me. I had cute cheeks with a dimple as a plus. Combine that with sweet manners, and I could get just about anything I wanted.
no words, just ew
•
"I lift heavy equipment all the time so it was nothing." I flexed my long arm a little underneath my dark jacket and saw her glance at it. That's right, baby. You can look—but don't touch. She rolled her eyes at my flexible bicep. "You had three grown men helping you. It's not like you were the only one." Womp womp.
womp womp in a book? are my eyes deceiving me 😭
•
The FMC looking at an old photo of herself and saying she "looked like I ate the whole class" made my stomach drop. That, and the constant obsession with being skinny and hot (and how many times it was mentioned by the MMC that she was skinny and hot) had me raising eyebrows. There was zero acknowledgment that these thoughts were toxic, zero care in how they were written, and zero responsibility in how they were handled. At that point, I knew this book wasn't for me.
•
Safety:
No virgins
OW drama - yes, mmc is a huge flirt, lots of mentions of him charming women all the time; he flirted with a flight attendant in the first few chapters, but after that, from what I read, there was none.
Celibate FMC (3 years), past playboy MMC.
This book has no spice but it didn't feel "clean" all the way, if that makes sense.
•
preread:
Buddy reading with Yelena! Mixed reviews have me wary, yet since this is my first Christmassy/Winter romance read I'm genuinely excited to see what it's like.
Simply, what the fuck was that?
•
this was before Finn (MMC) even knew the FMC btw -
I waited for her to ask me what I did for a living, but being the brat that this chick was, I was sure she wasn't going to.
brat? chick? what? 🫥 not to mention he calls her "grinchy"..
•
Finn stood, and his tall stature took up the aisle. He stretched his lean arms over his head, his shirt lifting with the movement, flashing me his perfectly sculpted stomach. Ugh, of course, his body is beautiful. I fought not to roll my eyes around in aggravation.
hotness mentioned a million times (both characters)
•
Not to sound self-absorbed, but I had dinner with women pretty often.
???
•
She was probably right but still, it was odd to have someone consistently say no to me. I had cute cheeks with a dimple as a plus. Combine that with sweet manners, and I could get just about anything I wanted.
no words, just ew
•
"I lift heavy equipment all the time so it was nothing." I flexed my long arm a little underneath my dark jacket and saw her glance at it. That's right, baby. You can look—but don't touch. She rolled her eyes at my flexible bicep. "You had three grown men helping you. It's not like you were the only one." Womp womp.
womp womp in a book? are my eyes deceiving me 😭
•
The FMC looking at an old photo of herself and saying she "looked like I ate the whole class" made my stomach drop. That, and the constant obsession with being skinny and hot (and how many times it was mentioned by the MMC that she was skinny and hot) had me raising eyebrows. There was zero acknowledgment that these thoughts were toxic, zero care in how they were written, and zero responsibility in how they were handled. At that point, I knew this book wasn't for me.
•
Safety:
No virgins
OW drama - yes, mmc is a huge flirt, lots of mentions of him charming women all the time; he flirted with a flight attendant in the first few chapters, but after that, from what I read, there was none.
Celibate FMC (3 years), past playboy MMC.
This book has no spice but it didn't feel "clean" all the way, if that makes sense.
•
preread:
Buddy reading with Yelena! Mixed reviews have me wary, yet since this is my first Christmassy/Winter romance read I'm genuinely excited to see what it's like.
November 18, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.
I was really excited about this one because the cover and description sounded very appealing to me, but sadly, this was a huge let-down.
First of all, I want to talk about the way body image issues and eating disorders are displayed in this book, because this was one of my main issues and I would hate for anyone to get triggered by reading this.
I find it a bit irresponsible to not include content warnings (unless they get added in the final version of the book, but the ARC didn't have any), especially in a holiday romance. Christmas season can be a challenging time for anyone who's struggling with their weight or who has an eating disorder.
Personally, I was disgusted by some of the statements made in the book. The FMC lost a lot of weight and developed an eating disorder after a major event in her life (that I will touch on later) because of a desire to be "pretty and hot" so that what happened to her would not be repeated. She also had thoughts like "being funny is not enough, you have to be skinny and hot" or "my hips were wider than hers, but at least I was always a good time."
While I do not deny that these are thoughts some of us have, I do find it problematic that there was zero acknowledgment that this is not a healthy thought pattern or that it is not actually true that you need to be skinny and hot to be worthy of love.
It was also disappointing that the resolution of the eating disorder was that she is happy in love and therefore able to get over it, because that is diminishing the gravity of eating disorders.
The way the eating disorder and body image issues were written made it seem very obvious to me that no sensitivity readers were hired in the writing process, which I think is irresponsible when writing about a topic like this that affects so many of us.
Apart from that, I also just did not enjoy the book in general.
So much of it was over the top, especially the main conflict. We learned from the beginning that there had been some sort of betrayal from the FMC's older sister, and it was pretty obvious what happened early on, yet the reveal only happened around 80 %. I only kept reading because I wanted to know how it happened, and I laughed out loud because it was so ridiculous.
But what was even worse was how the other characters reacted to this betrayal. The sister and the other person involved never really apologized. Instead, they were upset that she didn't let them explain. Uhm no, the FMC did not owe them to listen to their explanation, after what they did, they do not deserve anything.
But what's even worse is how the MMC reacted to finding out about what happened. He knew the MMC for roughly two weeks at this point, yet gets super angry at her for not telling him about the most traumatic event in her life that triggered her eating order and depression???
Maybe I just have a different preference, but I personally like my romance novels to feature third-act conflicts that don't make me hate the MMC for his reaction.
Speaking of the MMC, he was very handsome. And gorgeous. And charming. And handsome. And everyone loves him. Did I mention that he was handsome? Seriously, how stereotypical can one be? And even worse, the FMC is also gorgeous (well, now that she is skinny of course), but she doesn't know it, luckily the MMC makes her see it.
I thought we left those toxic stories in 2010, but obviously not.
And lastly, this is a minor thing but immediately made me question the book's quality: The book starts on a budget airline flight, there are multiple mentions of how this was a cheap flight and the airline isn't good. Yet they have in-flight entertainment, get free sleeping masks and liquor samples??? This is so contradictory and unrealistic and in the context of everything that followed, it just contributed to my impression that the author did not care too much about the contents in her book and whether or not they're in any way realistic.
Sorry for leaving such a bad review but I really did not like anything about this book. I hope the author takes more caution in whatever they write next.
I was really excited about this one because the cover and description sounded very appealing to me, but sadly, this was a huge let-down.
First of all, I want to talk about the way body image issues and eating disorders are displayed in this book, because this was one of my main issues and I would hate for anyone to get triggered by reading this.
I find it a bit irresponsible to not include content warnings (unless they get added in the final version of the book, but the ARC didn't have any), especially in a holiday romance. Christmas season can be a challenging time for anyone who's struggling with their weight or who has an eating disorder.
Personally, I was disgusted by some of the statements made in the book. The FMC lost a lot of weight and developed an eating disorder after a major event in her life (that I will touch on later) because of a desire to be "pretty and hot" so that what happened to her would not be repeated. She also had thoughts like "being funny is not enough, you have to be skinny and hot" or "my hips were wider than hers, but at least I was always a good time."
While I do not deny that these are thoughts some of us have, I do find it problematic that there was zero acknowledgment that this is not a healthy thought pattern or that it is not actually true that you need to be skinny and hot to be worthy of love.
It was also disappointing that the resolution of the eating disorder was that she is happy in love and therefore able to get over it, because that is diminishing the gravity of eating disorders.
The way the eating disorder and body image issues were written made it seem very obvious to me that no sensitivity readers were hired in the writing process, which I think is irresponsible when writing about a topic like this that affects so many of us.
Apart from that, I also just did not enjoy the book in general.
So much of it was over the top, especially the main conflict. We learned from the beginning that there had been some sort of betrayal from the FMC's older sister, and it was pretty obvious what happened early on, yet the reveal only happened around 80 %. I only kept reading because I wanted to know how it happened, and I laughed out loud because it was so ridiculous.
But what was even worse was how the other characters reacted to this betrayal. The sister and the other person involved never really apologized. Instead, they were upset that she didn't let them explain. Uhm no, the FMC did not owe them to listen to their explanation, after what they did, they do not deserve anything.
But what's even worse is how the MMC reacted to finding out about what happened. He knew the MMC for roughly two weeks at this point, yet gets super angry at her for not telling him about the most traumatic event in her life that triggered her eating order and depression???
Maybe I just have a different preference, but I personally like my romance novels to feature third-act conflicts that don't make me hate the MMC for his reaction.
Speaking of the MMC, he was very handsome. And gorgeous. And charming. And handsome. And everyone loves him. Did I mention that he was handsome? Seriously, how stereotypical can one be? And even worse, the FMC is also gorgeous (well, now that she is skinny of course), but she doesn't know it, luckily the MMC makes her see it.
I thought we left those toxic stories in 2010, but obviously not.
And lastly, this is a minor thing but immediately made me question the book's quality: The book starts on a budget airline flight, there are multiple mentions of how this was a cheap flight and the airline isn't good. Yet they have in-flight entertainment, get free sleeping masks and liquor samples??? This is so contradictory and unrealistic and in the context of everything that followed, it just contributed to my impression that the author did not care too much about the contents in her book and whether or not they're in any way realistic.
Sorry for leaving such a bad review but I really did not like anything about this book. I hope the author takes more caution in whatever they write next.
October 24, 2022
“I wish you could see yourself the way I see you.”
I am so excited for this book!!💗
As much as I have a love for I Can Fix That, I feel like I hit my stride with this one and I am SUPER excited to share it with you all! 🥰
✨Read if you love✨
- fake dating
- reverse grumpy / sunshine
- he falls first
- one bed
- holiday
- Aspen, CO
- forced proximity
I am so excited for this book!!💗
As much as I have a love for I Can Fix That, I feel like I hit my stride with this one and I am SUPER excited to share it with you all! 🥰
✨Read if you love✨
- fake dating
- reverse grumpy / sunshine
- he falls first
- one bed
- holiday
- Aspen, CO
- forced proximity
December 24, 2022
This was cute but also I felt like this has the stupidest third act breakup ever. Also it’s 2022 can we please stop with the Harry Potter references
November 16, 2022
This deserves a big 0 stars. The misogyny. The sisterly betrayal. The insta-love and cheating...... this book is terrible. It's awful and sexist and the body image issues are portrayed in an extremely unhealthy way. No mention of therapy. No lesson on healthy coping skills. Nothing that should have been included.
Don't even get me started on Olives family and how they so easily just forget who her sister married.... what the actual fuck. The fact this has so many high ratings is crazy to me. Absolutely insane. Do not recommend.
Don't even get me started on Olives family and how they so easily just forget who her sister married.... what the actual fuck. The fact this has so many high ratings is crazy to me. Absolutely insane. Do not recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2023
Would’ve appreciated it more if Finn and Olive had gone rogue and massacred her entire family in cold blood.
December 6, 2022
I’m not sure I have the right words for how much I loved this book!
It was everything, swoon worthy, grump and sunshine characters although slightly reversed - and the best Christmas feels!!
I absolutely loved Olive and Finn. I was invested and hooked right from the first chapter. I was smiling and laughing with them and I was falling in love with Finn right along with Olive!
Would 100% recommend!
It was everything, swoon worthy, grump and sunshine characters although slightly reversed - and the best Christmas feels!!
I absolutely loved Olive and Finn. I was invested and hooked right from the first chapter. I was smiling and laughing with them and I was falling in love with Finn right along with Olive!
Would 100% recommend!
November 23, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Very much a Hallmark movie in book form. Very Christmassy, very quick romance - and I think that's where a lot of my issues lie. It was very much an insta-love romance and that is just one of my least favourite tropes so I really struggled to believe in this story. There was also a conflict that happened towards the end, that had been hinting very obviously throughout the whole book, so it wasn't a shock at all when it was revealed, and of course the resulting third-act breakup could have very easily been resolved with literally one conversation. - So, a classic Hallmark movie in book form.
This conflict was also incredibly frustrating in another way - it has to do with the main character's sister, and as I said, it was obvious from the very beginning what the conflict and secret was to do with. But the way it was handled was just ridiculous - somehow, the main character was seen to be in the wrong in some way because she didn't let her sister explain? I mean come on, just no. .
I also had an immediate dislike to the love interest, Finn, and unfortunately I just couldn't shake it throughout the book. He was very obnoxious and full of himself, convinced that he could get any girl he wanted just by smiling, and I just didn't like him as a love interest - I thought Olive could do a lot better. There was also a pretty big issue of appearance mattering more than personality in this book - Olive was seen as the ugly sister until she got a tan, dyed her hair blonde and lost weight, and this is never really addressed as an issue at all. Olive lowkey has an eating disorder, and it is never addressed by anybody, and that was so frustrating.
I would say this is a classically cheesy Christmas romance, but please be aware that eating disorders and body image issues feature heavily and are not addressed by content warnings or by the characters themselves.
Very much a Hallmark movie in book form. Very Christmassy, very quick romance - and I think that's where a lot of my issues lie. It was very much an insta-love romance and that is just one of my least favourite tropes so I really struggled to believe in this story. There was also a conflict that happened towards the end, that had been hinting very obviously throughout the whole book, so it wasn't a shock at all when it was revealed, and of course the resulting third-act breakup could have very easily been resolved with literally one conversation. - So, a classic Hallmark movie in book form.
This conflict was also incredibly frustrating in another way - it has to do with the main character's sister, and as I said, it was obvious from the very beginning what the conflict and secret was to do with. But the way it was handled was just ridiculous - somehow, the main character was seen to be in the wrong in some way because she didn't let her sister explain? I mean come on, just no. .
I also had an immediate dislike to the love interest, Finn, and unfortunately I just couldn't shake it throughout the book. He was very obnoxious and full of himself, convinced that he could get any girl he wanted just by smiling, and I just didn't like him as a love interest - I thought Olive could do a lot better. There was also a pretty big issue of appearance mattering more than personality in this book - Olive was seen as the ugly sister until she got a tan, dyed her hair blonde and lost weight, and this is never really addressed as an issue at all. Olive lowkey has an eating disorder, and it is never addressed by anybody, and that was so frustrating.
I would say this is a classically cheesy Christmas romance, but please be aware that eating disorders and body image issues feature heavily and are not addressed by content warnings or by the characters themselves.
December 20, 2022
This was a cute read, and it actually pleasantly surprised me! It was well-written and properly edited (which I am finding to be rare with indie books 🙈). I have many friends who loved this one and call it their favorite holiday romance of 2022, so I am an outlier here with my 3 star (which means I'm neutral -- I didn't love it, but I certainly didn't dislike it either). I think my age is what prevented me from falling in love with this one. I have a very hard time connecting to really young / immature characters. There was also a body-image / eating-disorder aspect that I wish was handled differently.
That said, this was a quick read, coming in at 270 pages, and I breezed through it in one day. Overall it was an enjoyable story even if I didn't love it. I'm sure this will tick all the boxes for many readers so recommend you giving it a shot. 💕 It's currently available on Kindle Unlimited. ☺️
Also, this was eerily similar to The Christmas Pact! If you loved this one (or that one) definitely check out the other. ❤️
That said, this was a quick read, coming in at 270 pages, and I breezed through it in one day. Overall it was an enjoyable story even if I didn't love it. I'm sure this will tick all the boxes for many readers so recommend you giving it a shot. 💕 It's currently available on Kindle Unlimited. ☺️
Also, this was eerily similar to The Christmas Pact! If you loved this one (or that one) definitely check out the other. ❤️
Read
December 14, 2024This fell flat for me. The dialogue was so cheesy and the plot felt incredibly forced.
November 22, 2022
4.5 ⭐️ Okay I adored this reverse grumpy sunshine! Finn, the MMC was one of my favorites!! He was a total cinnamon roll and I loved how much he cherished Olive. This was the sweetest holiday romance book!!!
May 30, 2023
Good for Olive and her openness to 'let bygones' and all, but this particular scenario (and ending) is an "Awww, hell no" for me.
December 27, 2022
TW: disordered eating
I have some strong thoughts about this book so buckle up for the ride everyone…
2.5 stars is I’m going to say generous from me. Let’s unpack it.
Firstly. Olive definitely has an eating disorder. She’s for sureeee got terrible self esteem and likely some body dysmorphia added in the mix there.
Now, I’m not saying these are topics I don’t want to read about. I definitely want these things discussed and written about. However, I would like them to be written about with some semblance of thoughtfulness and not just buying into the trope of “oh as a woman I must only be desirable as a size (whatever) and if I’m bigger than that size I’m not valuable or worthy as a person”. Sorry, I thought we’d left the talk of weight and size back in the 2000s but apparently not.
Secondly, Olive was made to feel like she owed Sarah and Logan a chance to sit down and *explain* how they are just ~made for each other~ and that she should definitely forgive them for CHEATING behind her back?! Um excuse me Sarah should’ve flown out to Olive straight after it happened to explain it then, not wait THREE YEARS and act like she deserved Olive’s time and understanding. Sarah and Logan shouldn’t have cheated (obviously 🙄) but they also should’ve made more of an effort to speak with Olive about it all, and not gotten married without even talking to her about it??? Like yes Olive didn’t owe them anything and she was perfectly validated to ignore and block their calls, but don’t be pretending to be all happy family and like Olive had done the wrong thing by not forgiving them when she’s literally not the one at fault 🙄
Which brings me back to the eating disorder/body image debacle. Clearly, Logan cheating on Olive with Sarah was the confirmation bias she needed to validate her thoughts that she wasn’t thin enough, wasn’t pretty enough, etc etc.
Which, in this diet culture and image obsessed culture, I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of comparison and thinking those thoughts at times. What frustrated me most about this storyline was that Olive believed with all her heart that she needed to lose weight and not be her authentic, fun, carefree self - she felt like she needed to not only look different (weight loss, change in hair colour etc), she had to act different as well.
I was really disappointed that she didn’t get to a point of self compassion and self love where she realised not being completely herself wasn’t making her happy, and started to work towards not worrying about her weight. Because truly, someone’s weight is the least interesting part of them, but this book made it suchhhhh a focus, to the point where it became part of Olive’s personality and identity (the previous “fat” girl 🙄🙄).
It was especially challenging to read at times, as someone who is currently struggling with unlearning the diet culture mentality and trying to separate my worth from my weight, and when there is so much focus on food and eating over this Christmas period. It had all the framework of being a really lovely Christmas read (I looooove the fake dating trope and when the guy falls first, and this had both of these), but unfortunately the focus on Olive’s weight really ruined the story for me 😔
I was also really disappointed that Olive didn’t start to think about how her appearance doesn’t change the wonderful person she is, instead wanted to continue on with her “weight loss journey” as though weight loss was something she was continuing to aspire to because that’s the “better” 🙄 way to look.
Finn seemed like the classic f*boy who turned into a one woman man after like three days - look we don’t read these kind of books for the realism, but some of Finn’s comments seemed really f*boy-esqe and it was a bit cringe. And the classic he works with kids *omgggg swooooon* as his entire personality was used to dilute the whole “I’m the guy you date before you date the guy you’ll marry/I’m the guy your parents love and miss once we break up/I’m not the relationship guy, I’m the guy you have a fun night with to tell your friends about” vibe 😏
Okay here are two quotes at opposite ends of the book, which show the way in which an eating disorder is just swept under the rug in this book 😔
Page 44:
“You were at the gym for three hours?” [Finn]
I heard a car door close and an engine starting. “Yeah, I had to work off some of the food I had last night. Plus, it’s leg day.” [Olive]
Food from last night? She barely ate. Unless she ate an entire pie, I didn’t see what she was talking about. Olive’s body was perfect - fit but feminine. She was toned without compromising her sweet curves. [note from Lauren - this is still an unattainable body type and figure for so many people!! And is just perpetuating beauty standards!!]
Honestly, she was every man’s dream girl, so I wasn’t sure why she felt the need to work out for three hours straight. Then again, I was blessed in that department. I had a metabolism that allowed me to eat whatever I wanted and not gain a point, plus, a job that involves regular physical activity.
“Damn, that’s commitment. Do you go every day?”
I heard her swallowing a drink in the background, and she huffed out a breath. “Not every day. But I’m consistent enough where I won’t ever slip back into my old body.” [note from Lauren - so much fat phobia in this sentence, like her “old body” is something to fear, something not valuable, something that is not ideal]
Page 208:
[Olive] “We talked about me being able to let loose on my eating habits and knowing that sometimes an extra slice of pie is alright. Finn made plans for us to work on it together, trying to find healthy and well-balanced diets that supported my weight loss journey in a way that wasn’t toxic.” [note from Lauren - BUT THE WHOLE REASON OLIVE WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT IS BECAUSE SHE DOESN’T FEEL ATTRACTIVE BUT BEING THIN SHOULDN’T EQUAL ATTRACTIVENESS (!!!!!). Like yes I get in this society thin does equal attractiveness (thanks Kate Moss and nothing tastes as good as skinny feels 🙄), but I’m so SICK of books buying into this narrative, I would’ve preferred to see Olive acknowledge that she doesn’t fit the (VERY NARROW) so called beauty standard (which is subjective anyway), and then work on loving herself and her body/appearance regardless, rather than just buying into it and needing to consistently aim to continue to lose weight and/or not gain weight as a minimum.]
Okay well I’ve successfully ranted and made myself annoyed all over again, and I’m really sad I didn’t like this book as much as other people seemingly have, but I also love that books are so subjective. What is one persons cup of tea might not be another persons, and that is okay! Be mindful reading this book if you currently are, or have struggled in the past with disordered eating/body image. And if you are in that boat, know that I am there as well, and it sucks 💗
Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book.
I have some strong thoughts about this book so buckle up for the ride everyone…
2.5 stars is I’m going to say generous from me. Let’s unpack it.
Firstly. Olive definitely has an eating disorder. She’s for sureeee got terrible self esteem and likely some body dysmorphia added in the mix there.
Now, I’m not saying these are topics I don’t want to read about. I definitely want these things discussed and written about. However, I would like them to be written about with some semblance of thoughtfulness and not just buying into the trope of “oh as a woman I must only be desirable as a size (whatever) and if I’m bigger than that size I’m not valuable or worthy as a person”. Sorry, I thought we’d left the talk of weight and size back in the 2000s but apparently not.
Secondly, Olive was made to feel like she owed Sarah and Logan a chance to sit down and *explain* how they are just ~made for each other~ and that she should definitely forgive them for CHEATING behind her back?! Um excuse me Sarah should’ve flown out to Olive straight after it happened to explain it then, not wait THREE YEARS and act like she deserved Olive’s time and understanding. Sarah and Logan shouldn’t have cheated (obviously 🙄) but they also should’ve made more of an effort to speak with Olive about it all, and not gotten married without even talking to her about it??? Like yes Olive didn’t owe them anything and she was perfectly validated to ignore and block their calls, but don’t be pretending to be all happy family and like Olive had done the wrong thing by not forgiving them when she’s literally not the one at fault 🙄
Which brings me back to the eating disorder/body image debacle. Clearly, Logan cheating on Olive with Sarah was the confirmation bias she needed to validate her thoughts that she wasn’t thin enough, wasn’t pretty enough, etc etc.
Which, in this diet culture and image obsessed culture, I’m sure we’ve all been guilty of comparison and thinking those thoughts at times. What frustrated me most about this storyline was that Olive believed with all her heart that she needed to lose weight and not be her authentic, fun, carefree self - she felt like she needed to not only look different (weight loss, change in hair colour etc), she had to act different as well.
I was really disappointed that she didn’t get to a point of self compassion and self love where she realised not being completely herself wasn’t making her happy, and started to work towards not worrying about her weight. Because truly, someone’s weight is the least interesting part of them, but this book made it suchhhhh a focus, to the point where it became part of Olive’s personality and identity (the previous “fat” girl 🙄🙄).
It was especially challenging to read at times, as someone who is currently struggling with unlearning the diet culture mentality and trying to separate my worth from my weight, and when there is so much focus on food and eating over this Christmas period. It had all the framework of being a really lovely Christmas read (I looooove the fake dating trope and when the guy falls first, and this had both of these), but unfortunately the focus on Olive’s weight really ruined the story for me 😔
I was also really disappointed that Olive didn’t start to think about how her appearance doesn’t change the wonderful person she is, instead wanted to continue on with her “weight loss journey” as though weight loss was something she was continuing to aspire to because that’s the “better” 🙄 way to look.
Finn seemed like the classic f*boy who turned into a one woman man after like three days - look we don’t read these kind of books for the realism, but some of Finn’s comments seemed really f*boy-esqe and it was a bit cringe. And the classic he works with kids *omgggg swooooon* as his entire personality was used to dilute the whole “I’m the guy you date before you date the guy you’ll marry/I’m the guy your parents love and miss once we break up/I’m not the relationship guy, I’m the guy you have a fun night with to tell your friends about” vibe 😏
Okay here are two quotes at opposite ends of the book, which show the way in which an eating disorder is just swept under the rug in this book 😔
Page 44:
“You were at the gym for three hours?” [Finn]
I heard a car door close and an engine starting. “Yeah, I had to work off some of the food I had last night. Plus, it’s leg day.” [Olive]
Food from last night? She barely ate. Unless she ate an entire pie, I didn’t see what she was talking about. Olive’s body was perfect - fit but feminine. She was toned without compromising her sweet curves. [note from Lauren - this is still an unattainable body type and figure for so many people!! And is just perpetuating beauty standards!!]
Honestly, she was every man’s dream girl, so I wasn’t sure why she felt the need to work out for three hours straight. Then again, I was blessed in that department. I had a metabolism that allowed me to eat whatever I wanted and not gain a point, plus, a job that involves regular physical activity.
“Damn, that’s commitment. Do you go every day?”
I heard her swallowing a drink in the background, and she huffed out a breath. “Not every day. But I’m consistent enough where I won’t ever slip back into my old body.” [note from Lauren - so much fat phobia in this sentence, like her “old body” is something to fear, something not valuable, something that is not ideal]
Page 208:
[Olive] “We talked about me being able to let loose on my eating habits and knowing that sometimes an extra slice of pie is alright. Finn made plans for us to work on it together, trying to find healthy and well-balanced diets that supported my weight loss journey in a way that wasn’t toxic.” [note from Lauren - BUT THE WHOLE REASON OLIVE WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT IS BECAUSE SHE DOESN’T FEEL ATTRACTIVE BUT BEING THIN SHOULDN’T EQUAL ATTRACTIVENESS (!!!!!). Like yes I get in this society thin does equal attractiveness (thanks Kate Moss and nothing tastes as good as skinny feels 🙄), but I’m so SICK of books buying into this narrative, I would’ve preferred to see Olive acknowledge that she doesn’t fit the (VERY NARROW) so called beauty standard (which is subjective anyway), and then work on loving herself and her body/appearance regardless, rather than just buying into it and needing to consistently aim to continue to lose weight and/or not gain weight as a minimum.]
Okay well I’ve successfully ranted and made myself annoyed all over again, and I’m really sad I didn’t like this book as much as other people seemingly have, but I also love that books are so subjective. What is one persons cup of tea might not be another persons, and that is okay! Be mindful reading this book if you currently are, or have struggled in the past with disordered eating/body image. And if you are in that boat, know that I am there as well, and it sucks 💗
Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2024
This was fun! My 1 nitpick is that I dislike when a main character will constantly, vaguely refer to a past event that has for whatever reason changed them into the person we presently know them as. Then when it’s revealed, A) it’s exactly what you predicted, and thus not that groundbreaking and B) completely blows everything up for themselves only because they weren’t vulnerable enough to share. Other than that, I enjoyed the holiday parts of this!
dnf
December 3, 2022DNF at 42%
I started seeing red flags since the very first chapter but I thought it was too early to judge, so I kept reading… and the red flags keep multiplying.
To begin with the ‘’smaller’’ issue, Finn is awful. This man is a sexist dudebro and so self absorbed. Not every woman you meet is your ‘’honey’’ or your ‘’darling’’. It’s fucking disrespectful and borderline harassment. He offers to be Olive’s fake boyfriend after knowing her for 2 hours on a flight and when she says no, he keeps pushing. She says no again, and then he shows up at Olive’s family dinner at a restaurant because she told him the location when she was drunk at the plane. This is staking. It's fucking creepy and I would have called the police immediately. Men who can take a no for an answer are disgusting. He’s a walking red flag. Here’s the quote that made me say I will not stand this anymore:
‘’Olive was a scared little kitten left out in a storm. Lucky for her, I was the good samaritan neighbor who found her in the street and took her in to give her warm blankets and Christmas cat toys.’’ I threw up in my mouth a little bit.
The biggest issue, for me, is the terrible eating disorder representation. I got the ebook from kindle unlimited, which opens directly to Chapter 1. When I saw a terrible comment in the first few chapters about how Olive wasn’t gonna eat a pancake because ‘’skipping the diet wasn’t worth it and she had to maintain her hourglass figure’’, I was shocked. So, I checked and there’s a minuscule author’s note before the table of contents that says Olive has body dysmorphia. It’s literally just a few lines with no explanation. I have only read 42%, but a character suffering an eating disorder is not an excuse to be fucking fatphobic, and that’s the total vibe I got from what I’ve read so far. I came to Goodreads to check other reviews to see if I was wrong, but I’m seeing that most of all the negative reviews complain about this aspect as well, and what is worse, the people who finished also say that she doesn’t even get therapy to find a healthy way to deal with her ED. I am livid.
I started seeing red flags since the very first chapter but I thought it was too early to judge, so I kept reading… and the red flags keep multiplying.
To begin with the ‘’smaller’’ issue, Finn is awful. This man is a sexist dudebro and so self absorbed. Not every woman you meet is your ‘’honey’’ or your ‘’darling’’. It’s fucking disrespectful and borderline harassment. He offers to be Olive’s fake boyfriend after knowing her for 2 hours on a flight and when she says no, he keeps pushing. She says no again, and then he shows up at Olive’s family dinner at a restaurant because she told him the location when she was drunk at the plane. This is staking. It's fucking creepy and I would have called the police immediately. Men who can take a no for an answer are disgusting. He’s a walking red flag. Here’s the quote that made me say I will not stand this anymore:
‘’Olive was a scared little kitten left out in a storm. Lucky for her, I was the good samaritan neighbor who found her in the street and took her in to give her warm blankets and Christmas cat toys.’’ I threw up in my mouth a little bit.
The biggest issue, for me, is the terrible eating disorder representation. I got the ebook from kindle unlimited, which opens directly to Chapter 1. When I saw a terrible comment in the first few chapters about how Olive wasn’t gonna eat a pancake because ‘’skipping the diet wasn’t worth it and she had to maintain her hourglass figure’’, I was shocked. So, I checked and there’s a minuscule author’s note before the table of contents that says Olive has body dysmorphia. It’s literally just a few lines with no explanation. I have only read 42%, but a character suffering an eating disorder is not an excuse to be fucking fatphobic, and that’s the total vibe I got from what I’ve read so far. I came to Goodreads to check other reviews to see if I was wrong, but I’m seeing that most of all the negative reviews complain about this aspect as well, and what is worse, the people who finished also say that she doesn’t even get therapy to find a healthy way to deal with her ED. I am livid.
December 23, 2022
finn beckett you have my heart 🫡🫶🏼
December 19, 2023
No…. Just NO…
December 8, 2023
I would give this book a 3.5 but closer to a 4 than a 3
What can I say I’m a sucker for fake dating
What can I say I’m a sucker for fake dating
November 26, 2022
I can't even describe how much I loved this reverse grumpy (grinchy)/sunshine, dual POV, fake dating romance that takes place over the holidays in snowy Aspen, Colorado.
This book was so bingeable, I couldn't put it down as we get to know Olive and Finn - two strangers who meet on a flight from Florida to Aspen. Children's ski instructor Finn is awestruck by the beautiful Olive and has no Christmas plans of his own so he gallantly offers to be Olive's fake boyfriend to help her get through the holidays with her estranged family.
Three years ago Olive's life went up in flames and she hasn't been home since. She's made a new life for herself as a podcast editor in Florida but her reluctant return this year will make her face the past and try to resolve past hurts.
I thought this book was the perfect balance of heavy and light as Finn takes Olive on 12 dates, trying to convince his 'Grinchy' fake girlfriend that the holidays in Aspen truly are magical. Meanwhile we slowly learn what happened in the past to hurt Olive so badly and change the way she views herself.
Congrats to Indie romance author Juliana Smith on another standout book and much thanks for sharing an ARC with me. She has quickly become an auto-buy author for me and her books are highly recommended for fans of Sarah Smith!
🔥Steam level: kissing only
This book was so bingeable, I couldn't put it down as we get to know Olive and Finn - two strangers who meet on a flight from Florida to Aspen. Children's ski instructor Finn is awestruck by the beautiful Olive and has no Christmas plans of his own so he gallantly offers to be Olive's fake boyfriend to help her get through the holidays with her estranged family.
Three years ago Olive's life went up in flames and she hasn't been home since. She's made a new life for herself as a podcast editor in Florida but her reluctant return this year will make her face the past and try to resolve past hurts.
I thought this book was the perfect balance of heavy and light as Finn takes Olive on 12 dates, trying to convince his 'Grinchy' fake girlfriend that the holidays in Aspen truly are magical. Meanwhile we slowly learn what happened in the past to hurt Olive so badly and change the way she views herself.
Congrats to Indie romance author Juliana Smith on another standout book and much thanks for sharing an ARC with me. She has quickly become an auto-buy author for me and her books are highly recommended for fans of Sarah Smith!
🔥Steam level: kissing only
December 29, 2022
The cover was so cute (one day I’ll learn to not read books based on good covers, but that day is not now), and I love a fake dating trope. But damn, the amount of times I rolled my eyes was a new record for me. I have a couple specific things to talk about, like the way the eating disorder was used, the entirety of the MMC, and how the ending went. Also Omg, can we discuss the weird scene in which Olive beefs with a nine year old, the fuck?! Like the nine year old gets jealous or whatever which is fine, but then Olive gets super jealous and defensive, like bitch she’s nine! Be nicer you weirdo. I hated that part of the novel. It was just so odd.
Okay, so I was expecting her eating disorder and body dysmorphia was going to be a plot point that was actually resolved and not just a paragraph of bullshit. The way it was talked about was —not great— as I can definitely see younger me taking in the things that the FMC said and thought about her body. I had hope it was going to be discussed more than just passing over a three hour work out at the gym for a few bites of pie. Not executed well or done with care.
Finn. Oh Finn. Why did he not take no for an answer. Why did he show up to her dinner (suuuper creepy). Why did he say that she would look better without makeup (I thought at a certain point we got to the point to not say that to women, but no it has been in so many contemp romance books). Also he did not shut up about her body, like at a certain point, we get it she’s perfect. Move on. He felt like a “I’m a bad guy” trope which when combined in non fantasy romance is my least favorite, like yeah you are a bad guy.
The ending was bizarre and then transitioned into the most boring wrap up. Such a weird take to be like “sure they cheated but it was true love” and I’m just like that’s not a good reason. They knew each other for like two hours and were having sex on the kitchen counter. What the fuck. Also to have no spicy scenes (fine) but to also have so many references to erections and what not, it’s just like the least horny, horny book. Also I skipped through the last bit, it was really boring.
The writing felt like it was a first draft, and I wasn’t the biggest fan of the tone and vibe of the words. I am just so disappointed with this book. Also the pacing was odd, just the days were really slow and then fast and then slow again. Just with a few changes it would be a pretty decent rom-com in a book: make the MMC take no for an answer and have them agree to fake dating at the airport (not him just showing up at a random restaurant), give more thought to the eating disorder and her living this fake life, and make her realize that she misses being herself. Don’t make the cheating okay cause it’s “true love” cause that’s bad, make it not matter (or have her punch her sister cause Jesus) because she should realize how loved she is as herself.
I did like some stuff, like the grinch stuff was cute, and I thought the 12 days of Christmas was a good way for the two to get to know eachother. I liked Coop, he was a very side character that had some charm.
Okay, so I was expecting her eating disorder and body dysmorphia was going to be a plot point that was actually resolved and not just a paragraph of bullshit. The way it was talked about was —not great— as I can definitely see younger me taking in the things that the FMC said and thought about her body. I had hope it was going to be discussed more than just passing over a three hour work out at the gym for a few bites of pie. Not executed well or done with care.
Finn. Oh Finn. Why did he not take no for an answer. Why did he show up to her dinner (suuuper creepy). Why did he say that she would look better without makeup (I thought at a certain point we got to the point to not say that to women, but no it has been in so many contemp romance books). Also he did not shut up about her body, like at a certain point, we get it she’s perfect. Move on. He felt like a “I’m a bad guy” trope which when combined in non fantasy romance is my least favorite, like yeah you are a bad guy.
The ending was bizarre and then transitioned into the most boring wrap up. Such a weird take to be like “sure they cheated but it was true love” and I’m just like that’s not a good reason. They knew each other for like two hours and were having sex on the kitchen counter. What the fuck. Also to have no spicy scenes (fine) but to also have so many references to erections and what not, it’s just like the least horny, horny book. Also I skipped through the last bit, it was really boring.
The writing felt like it was a first draft, and I wasn’t the biggest fan of the tone and vibe of the words. I am just so disappointed with this book. Also the pacing was odd, just the days were really slow and then fast and then slow again. Just with a few changes it would be a pretty decent rom-com in a book: make the MMC take no for an answer and have them agree to fake dating at the airport (not him just showing up at a random restaurant), give more thought to the eating disorder and her living this fake life, and make her realize that she misses being herself. Don’t make the cheating okay cause it’s “true love” cause that’s bad, make it not matter (or have her punch her sister cause Jesus) because she should realize how loved she is as herself.
I did like some stuff, like the grinch stuff was cute, and I thought the 12 days of Christmas was a good way for the two to get to know eachother. I liked Coop, he was a very side character that had some charm.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2022
[4.5⭐️]
I loved this book so much!!! I read it in less than two days, I devoured it from start to finish, and for most of it I had a stupid smile on my face.
This is the perfect book to read during Christmas time, drinking hot chocolate with a blanket on, it just gives cozy vibes.
I think I fell in love with Finn from the first chapter, he’s just the perfect love interest; and the way he calls her Grinchy?! Aaaaaah I can’t !
All in all this was a super fun and light read that makes you wish it was Christmas right away, and I think I’ll definitely buy the physical copy once it’s out 😍
I loved this book so much!!! I read it in less than two days, I devoured it from start to finish, and for most of it I had a stupid smile on my face.
This is the perfect book to read during Christmas time, drinking hot chocolate with a blanket on, it just gives cozy vibes.
I think I fell in love with Finn from the first chapter, he’s just the perfect love interest; and the way he calls her Grinchy?! Aaaaaah I can’t !
All in all this was a super fun and light read that makes you wish it was Christmas right away, and I think I’ll definitely buy the physical copy once it’s out 😍
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