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Confessions of a Christmasholic
Sutton Alsop hates Christmas. So much so, when confronted with a house that looks like Santa himself vomited Christmas all over it, she accidentally (drunkenly) destroys every fairy light, fake reindeer and candy cane in sight. Unfortunately for Sutton, this house belongs to none other than Gus Langston, single dad and owner of the village’s year-round Christmas shop – aka Mr Christmas himself. But Mr Christmas has a secret only Sutton knows… With the two of them forced together for the holidays, the sparks between them are hot enough to melt even the coldest of hearts!
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 19, 2023
732 people are currently reading
3909 people want to read
About the author
Joss Wood
642 books389 followersJoss Wood loves books and travelling— especially to the wild places of Southern Africa and, well, anywhere.
She’s a wife, a mom to two teenagers, and is bossed around by two cats and a Great Dane X the size of a baby cow. After a career in local economic development, she now writes full time.
Be sure to follow Joss on BookBub for the latest on my releases https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joss-...
She’s a wife, a mom to two teenagers, and is bossed around by two cats and a Great Dane X the size of a baby cow. After a career in local economic development, she now writes full time.
Be sure to follow Joss on BookBub for the latest on my releases https://www.bookbub.com/profile/joss-...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 361 reviews
November 27, 2025
This started off light, cute, and fun. I binged 1/3 of it one night when I couldn't fall asleep for five hours. Don't ask.
That 1/3 was the best 1/3. Sad South African Sutton has left her home to travel the world. It has taken her fifteen years to save enough to do so. Her mom sucks. Her dad sucks. Her stepdad sucks. She is basically the caretaker for her younger half-siblings.
English Gus, whose name we find out is actually Angus way too late into the book, is a widowed father of two. There is some drama there, but he is being very secretive about it. In their tiny town, he runs a Christmas shop. Except he hates Christmas. Why, oh why?
Sutton stumbles into Gus' lawn drunk as hell one night. She means to squat in a neighbor's house after her friend Layla leaves her high and dry. She somehow ends up as Gus' nanny instead. They fuck. Then there are feelings. Layla tries to reconcile. Gus says no. Gus, while annoying, was right.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter
That 1/3 was the best 1/3. Sad South African Sutton has left her home to travel the world. It has taken her fifteen years to save enough to do so. Her mom sucks. Her dad sucks. Her stepdad sucks. She is basically the caretaker for her younger half-siblings.
English Gus, whose name we find out is actually Angus way too late into the book, is a widowed father of two. There is some drama there, but he is being very secretive about it. In their tiny town, he runs a Christmas shop. Except he hates Christmas. Why, oh why?
Sutton stumbles into Gus' lawn drunk as hell one night. She means to squat in a neighbor's house after her friend Layla leaves her high and dry. She somehow ends up as Gus' nanny instead. They fuck. Then there are feelings. Layla tries to reconcile. Gus says no. Gus, while annoying, was right.
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter
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November 8, 2023
2.75 ⭐️ It picked up after the 50% mark, but...
This wasn't great. I was looking forward to a nice, lighthearted Christmas romcom, but instead, I got the hot mess that is Sutton as an fmc, the inconsistent narrative choices, the weird open-door but also closed-door spicy scenes, the extremely gendered/sexist statements...
This was not it. It's a single dad x nanny, small town romance, which wasn't done horribly, and it had forced proximity and the found family trope -which I usually love- but it was still not enough to redeem this book in my eyes.
I did like that it tried to portray the intricacies of heartbreak, grief and mourning of various kinds of relationships and types of love, but even that felt half-assed at times (especially when it came to Sutton's family). There were so many repeated statements and sentiments that I truly believe this book would benefit from some more editing/ proofreading.
Overall, I don't think I would recommend this book to a friend, even if they were looking for these specific tropes.
*Thank you NetGalley for the eARC*
This wasn't great. I was looking forward to a nice, lighthearted Christmas romcom, but instead, I got the hot mess that is Sutton as an fmc, the inconsistent narrative choices, the weird open-door but also closed-door spicy scenes, the extremely gendered/sexist statements...
This was not it. It's a single dad x nanny, small town romance, which wasn't done horribly, and it had forced proximity and the found family trope -which I usually love- but it was still not enough to redeem this book in my eyes.
I did like that it tried to portray the intricacies of heartbreak, grief and mourning of various kinds of relationships and types of love, but even that felt half-assed at times (especially when it came to Sutton's family). There were so many repeated statements and sentiments that I truly believe this book would benefit from some more editing/ proofreading.
Overall, I don't think I would recommend this book to a friend, even if they were looking for these specific tropes.
*Thank you NetGalley for the eARC*
December 1, 2025
Thoughts
My last November read! This was such a heartwarming story, it pulls you in from the very beginning, the witty romcom feels added to the plot and made me fall in love with the main characters. Despite this being a short read ( under 300 pages ) I loved that we got back stories for both characters which added to the emotional, cosy, festive feels of this book! Highly recommend if you enjoy short heartfelt festive reads!
What to expect
▪︎ Forced proximity
▪︎ Found family
▪︎ Single dad x nanny
▪︎ Slow burn
▪︎ Small town
▪︎ Secrets
▪︎ Grumpy x sunshine
▪︎ Feel-good
▪︎ HEA
CW: Mention of abandonment and death of spouse
Plot Summary
Sutton Alsop hates Christmas so much that she drunkenly destroys the holiday decorations outside a house—only to discover it belongs to Gus Langston, a single dad and the town’s Christmas-obsessed shop owner. When they’re forced to spend time together and share a secret only Sutton knows, the tension turns into unexpected attraction, and the holidays start melting her grinchy heart.
My Bookstagram
My last November read! This was such a heartwarming story, it pulls you in from the very beginning, the witty romcom feels added to the plot and made me fall in love with the main characters. Despite this being a short read ( under 300 pages ) I loved that we got back stories for both characters which added to the emotional, cosy, festive feels of this book! Highly recommend if you enjoy short heartfelt festive reads!
What to expect
▪︎ Forced proximity
▪︎ Found family
▪︎ Single dad x nanny
▪︎ Slow burn
▪︎ Small town
▪︎ Secrets
▪︎ Grumpy x sunshine
▪︎ Feel-good
▪︎ HEA
CW: Mention of abandonment and death of spouse
Plot Summary
Sutton Alsop hates Christmas so much that she drunkenly destroys the holiday decorations outside a house—only to discover it belongs to Gus Langston, a single dad and the town’s Christmas-obsessed shop owner. When they’re forced to spend time together and share a secret only Sutton knows, the tension turns into unexpected attraction, and the holidays start melting her grinchy heart.
My Bookstagram
October 2, 2023
This book will give you all the Christmas feels. It was cute and a bit spicy. It has many of the typical Christmas tropes, which let's be honest, and is why we love Christmas stories. The one different thing that was different and I enjoyed was Sutton, the woman, was the Christmas grump.
I really liked Gus who is all about Christmas and he's a single dad. Sutton becomes their nanny and there's a connection between the two.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
I really liked Gus who is all about Christmas and he's a single dad. Sutton becomes their nanny and there's a connection between the two.
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
October 18, 2023
2.75 ⭐️
I absolutely loved the idea of this book so I’m upset that it fell so flat for me. I found myself skimming most of the slow parts, and I didn’t have any emotional connection with the characters. They lacked any depth and I honestly forgot most of the side character’s name since they barely showed up.
Sutton was portrayed as the classic eldest daughter who bends over backwards for everyone she knows, but no one does the same for her. Until she meets Gus. He’s the classic grumpy male who will do anything for his friends and family.
Some reviewers say that it’s refreshing to read a “reverse-Christmas-grump” story & to that I say, did we even read the same book? Sutton is the one excited for Christmas and making it awesome for the kids, meanwhile Gus is bitching about self-assigned Christmas events he has to plan and execute. I mean the opening scene is him literally kicking a Santa yard display. Nevermind the fact that SHE got him a Christmas present and he got her ….. nothing. I digress
I felt like their relationship was a extremely rushed, and because of that, I didn’t feel or see the chemistry that should have been there. The first kiss scene was super cringey and the spicy scenes (if they could even be called that) came out of now where and we’re lowkey a jump scare. There’s so many sexist lines in this book, which is heavily effecting my rating. It’s 2023, why are women authors still writing lines about “tough men need love too” and “she’s so skinny she needs to eat a hamburger” and “the girl kid is doing girly activities while her twin brother is out being a man and playing sports” I mean COME ON
All that said, I did enjoy how Gus and Sutton were encouraging of one another and constantly supporting the other in their life decisions. Layla is awful and the author did a great job of making me hate her!
The ending felt rushed as well. There were a lot of issues/plot points that were unresolved so the ending felt sudden. I wish we at least got an epilogue to see where Gus and Sutton are at in their lives a few months down the line, how they navigated their long distance relationship, how the kids feel, etc. There were some funny parts, and this book acted as an ok pallet cleanser read for when you just need a holiday romcom
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
I absolutely loved the idea of this book so I’m upset that it fell so flat for me. I found myself skimming most of the slow parts, and I didn’t have any emotional connection with the characters. They lacked any depth and I honestly forgot most of the side character’s name since they barely showed up.
Sutton was portrayed as the classic eldest daughter who bends over backwards for everyone she knows, but no one does the same for her. Until she meets Gus. He’s the classic grumpy male who will do anything for his friends and family.
Some reviewers say that it’s refreshing to read a “reverse-Christmas-grump” story & to that I say, did we even read the same book? Sutton is the one excited for Christmas and making it awesome for the kids, meanwhile Gus is bitching about self-assigned Christmas events he has to plan and execute. I mean the opening scene is him literally kicking a Santa yard display. Nevermind the fact that SHE got him a Christmas present and he got her ….. nothing. I digress
I felt like their relationship was a extremely rushed, and because of that, I didn’t feel or see the chemistry that should have been there. The first kiss scene was super cringey and the spicy scenes (if they could even be called that) came out of now where and we’re lowkey a jump scare. There’s so many sexist lines in this book, which is heavily effecting my rating. It’s 2023, why are women authors still writing lines about “tough men need love too” and “she’s so skinny she needs to eat a hamburger” and “the girl kid is doing girly activities while her twin brother is out being a man and playing sports” I mean COME ON
All that said, I did enjoy how Gus and Sutton were encouraging of one another and constantly supporting the other in their life decisions. Layla is awful and the author did a great job of making me hate her!
The ending felt rushed as well. There were a lot of issues/plot points that were unresolved so the ending felt sudden. I wish we at least got an epilogue to see where Gus and Sutton are at in their lives a few months down the line, how they navigated their long distance relationship, how the kids feel, etc. There were some funny parts, and this book acted as an ok pallet cleanser read for when you just need a holiday romcom
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
November 23, 2024
2⭐️
i’ll forget about this book in two days.
the inner monologues were too much. way too much.
there’s so many topics that could have been digged deeper (how the children copped with having her as their « mum », the long distance relationship, her relationship with her brothers etc)
this has an amazing storyline but 70% hasn’t been explored. it’s a lot of percent.
bye ✨🎄
i’ll forget about this book in two days.
the inner monologues were too much. way too much.
there’s so many topics that could have been digged deeper (how the children copped with having her as their « mum », the long distance relationship, her relationship with her brothers etc)
this has an amazing storyline but 70% hasn’t been explored. it’s a lot of percent.
bye ✨🎄
November 17, 2023
Quick Summary: A holiday mix of mayhem and mischief
My Review: Confessions of a Christmasholic by Joss Wood was a jolly read. It was a women's fiction book that featured a single parent dad, a drunk and disorderly therapist, and a super cute band of family and friends.
About the Book: Alone and bereft, Sutton Alsop finds herself down and out in the village of Conningworth during the Christmas holidays. With a bah humbug and readiness to punch Santa in the face, she happens upon Mr. Christmas himself. What happens when a grinch meets a grump?
My Final Say: This was such a charming story. The playfulness of the kids was everything. What Sutton and Gus found was special. The strength, the grounding, and the conviction that was expressed by both characters in the end showed courage. That courage was rooted in love.
Other: Readers who enjoy family life romances will enjoy this book.
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🍬🌶💬
Thanks to the author, to the publisher (HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, One More Chapter), and to NetGalley for granting access to this work in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.
My Review: Confessions of a Christmasholic by Joss Wood was a jolly read. It was a women's fiction book that featured a single parent dad, a drunk and disorderly therapist, and a super cute band of family and friends.
About the Book: Alone and bereft, Sutton Alsop finds herself down and out in the village of Conningworth during the Christmas holidays. With a bah humbug and readiness to punch Santa in the face, she happens upon Mr. Christmas himself. What happens when a grinch meets a grump?
My Final Say: This was such a charming story. The playfulness of the kids was everything. What Sutton and Gus found was special. The strength, the grounding, and the conviction that was expressed by both characters in the end showed courage. That courage was rooted in love.
Other: Readers who enjoy family life romances will enjoy this book.
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🍬🌶💬
Thanks to the author, to the publisher (HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, One More Chapter), and to NetGalley for granting access to this work in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.
December 1, 2024
Like a 2.5
I enjoyed reading it and did so quickly, but it also was pretty bad lol
I honestly would have given it 3 stars but there was a lot of repetitive inner dialogue and some annoying sexist statements were occasionally made.
I enjoyed reading it and did so quickly, but it also was pretty bad lol
I honestly would have given it 3 stars but there was a lot of repetitive inner dialogue and some annoying sexist statements were occasionally made.
November 3, 2023
I picked this one because I love a nanny romance as well as one where people are on opposite sides about the holiday season (one likes it one doesn't) and I'm really glad I did!
Sutton has always had the world on her shoulders and been really focused on taking care of everyone else. I loved seeing Gus step up and give her someone to rely on. I also love watching Sutton bond with the kids and everyone in the town. She was such a likeable character despite her difficult circumstances.
I also really enjoyed how this story talked about friendship. I value my friends so much but I had to learn to pick friends who support me as much as I support them. Just because you have known someone since high school doesn't mean they should still be in your life. I liked that Sutton had to learn that.
Finally, I really liked the resolution of this one. Sutton got a happily ever after without giving up her own identity. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a fun story to pick up around the holidays this year!
Thanks to Netgalley UK and Harper Collins UK for allowing me access to this title in order to do a review. All opinions are my own.
Sutton has always had the world on her shoulders and been really focused on taking care of everyone else. I loved seeing Gus step up and give her someone to rely on. I also love watching Sutton bond with the kids and everyone in the town. She was such a likeable character despite her difficult circumstances.
I also really enjoyed how this story talked about friendship. I value my friends so much but I had to learn to pick friends who support me as much as I support them. Just because you have known someone since high school doesn't mean they should still be in your life. I liked that Sutton had to learn that.
Finally, I really liked the resolution of this one. Sutton got a happily ever after without giving up her own identity. I highly recommend this one for anyone looking for a fun story to pick up around the holidays this year!
Thanks to Netgalley UK and Harper Collins UK for allowing me access to this title in order to do a review. All opinions are my own.
October 18, 2023
I received a free copy of, Confessions of a Christmasholic by Joss Wood, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sutton was a little to much for me, also I like clean romance and this was not that. Sutton hates Christmas and I love Christmas, and the reason for the season.
December 3, 2023
2.5 Contro ogni mia aspettativa mi ritrovo costretta a dare una valutazione piuttosto bassa. La storia aveva tutti i presupposti per essere carina e interessante ma la scelta dell’autrice nello sviluppo di quest’ultima è stata non poco errata. Le vicende proseguono con una lentezza disarmante ma allo stesso tempo gli eventi salienti sono così gettati al caso che non vi è un’evoluzione che porti a capire come ci si è arrivati a quel punto. I personaggi hanno entrambi due storie molto toccanti ma non basta questo per creare una bella coppia e loro insieme non mi hanno donato emozioni.
October 23, 2023
Sutton and Mr. Christmas . . .
Sutton Alsop hates Christmas and being drunk doesn’t improve her attitude. Looking for Jason’s uncle’s house, she saw blazing lights ahead that looked like a landing strip or maybe a laser show. Finally focusing, she realized it was a house covered in Christmas lights. This must be Conningworth’s Christmas House they talked about at the pub. They said the owner of the year-round Christmas shop in town, Mr. Christmas, had finally finished decorating his house for the holidays. She envisioned him as a little old man over 60 smelling of peppermints, wearing suspenders and a tweed jacket, glasses held together with tape, and bushy eyebrows. Sutton didn’t “do” Christmas, but she would ask for a job in the morning since this was his busy season. She continued to stagger up the steep hill looking for the house she was going to crash at while the owner was away. She felt so hot, so she unbuttoned her coat in the freezing weather, removed her hat and gloves, and struggled up the hill.
Sutton encounters Gus Langston (“Mr. Christmas”) who is the father of twins a very busy man. After she collides and destroys many decorations, he takes her into his home so she won’t freeze and lets her sleep it off on the couch. She wakes up with a hangover and chaos as the man wrangles two kids, Felix and Rosie, in an attempt to get them to kindergarten. When she has no place to stay and no money in her current situation to get where she needs to go, Gus offers her a position as the nanny to the 4-year-olds. Will being together over the holidays be enough to start a relationship between the two? Can he change her mind about Christmas?
Sutton Alsop hates Christmas and being drunk doesn’t improve her attitude. Looking for Jason’s uncle’s house, she saw blazing lights ahead that looked like a landing strip or maybe a laser show. Finally focusing, she realized it was a house covered in Christmas lights. This must be Conningworth’s Christmas House they talked about at the pub. They said the owner of the year-round Christmas shop in town, Mr. Christmas, had finally finished decorating his house for the holidays. She envisioned him as a little old man over 60 smelling of peppermints, wearing suspenders and a tweed jacket, glasses held together with tape, and bushy eyebrows. Sutton didn’t “do” Christmas, but she would ask for a job in the morning since this was his busy season. She continued to stagger up the steep hill looking for the house she was going to crash at while the owner was away. She felt so hot, so she unbuttoned her coat in the freezing weather, removed her hat and gloves, and struggled up the hill.
Sutton encounters Gus Langston (“Mr. Christmas”) who is the father of twins a very busy man. After she collides and destroys many decorations, he takes her into his home so she won’t freeze and lets her sleep it off on the couch. She wakes up with a hangover and chaos as the man wrangles two kids, Felix and Rosie, in an attempt to get them to kindergarten. When she has no place to stay and no money in her current situation to get where she needs to go, Gus offers her a position as the nanny to the 4-year-olds. Will being together over the holidays be enough to start a relationship between the two? Can he change her mind about Christmas?
January 5, 2024
What a way to start the new year, the first book I read getting 1 star. This book was rubbish, repetitive and just boring. I would of given up and DNF it, but after reading other reviews they claimed it picks up after 50% (it didn’t) the story line was all over the place and some sentences didn’t read correctly and were just rushed. The characters didn’t connect with me either which is always a struggle. Plus I know it’s not a super big deal but this book is set in England so why are the English characters using american terminology. Rant over.
October 11, 2023
All the Christmas feels wrapped with a Hallmark bow of romance!
Such a new take on a Christmas grump story! Loved the drunken intro of Sutton hating on Santa. She’s drunk, broke and homeless wanting to beat up the inflatable Santa in Gus’ front yard but Gus already beat her to it.
Needing some money and a place to stay Sutton ends up becoming Gus’ nanny of his adorable twins. His wife passed away and he’s been juggling a lot in life. No longer having fun or enjoying Christmas his life turns upside down the moment Sutton enters his life.
Rosie is so smart and curious. Felix is more shy and lets his sister do all the bossing. I do feel Felix didn’t get as much acknowledgement as Rosie so you didn’t click with him as much. The author is very descriptive of what Rosie wears but doesn’t mention much when it comes to him. Just something I wish was more equally brought to the story. I get Rosie is smart but making Felix seem way lesser was hard. Maybe it was just me and I got it all wrong.
There is spice in this holiday romance.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this arc set to publish October 19th.
Such a new take on a Christmas grump story! Loved the drunken intro of Sutton hating on Santa. She’s drunk, broke and homeless wanting to beat up the inflatable Santa in Gus’ front yard but Gus already beat her to it.
Needing some money and a place to stay Sutton ends up becoming Gus’ nanny of his adorable twins. His wife passed away and he’s been juggling a lot in life. No longer having fun or enjoying Christmas his life turns upside down the moment Sutton enters his life.
Rosie is so smart and curious. Felix is more shy and lets his sister do all the bossing. I do feel Felix didn’t get as much acknowledgement as Rosie so you didn’t click with him as much. The author is very descriptive of what Rosie wears but doesn’t mention much when it comes to him. Just something I wish was more equally brought to the story. I get Rosie is smart but making Felix seem way lesser was hard. Maybe it was just me and I got it all wrong.
There is spice in this holiday romance.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for this arc set to publish October 19th.
October 25, 2023
When life has gone in the crapper, you are all but dead broke, you have had too much tequila, are freezing to death because you don't own the correct clothing for winter and you are at your wits end, what should you do? If you guessed helping the hot guy beat up the huge inflatable Santa in his yard, you would be correct! Of course, things will go awry and you will end up owing said hot guy a kidney for everything that happens or will happen in the coming days! If you are looking for a good single dad romance, laugh out loud fun and a fantastic Christmas setting, then you need this book in your life. There is some spicy language that definitely enhance the story fun, but if you have virginal ears that can't handle 4 letter word sentence enhancers then you might be a bit to prudish for this book, but you will be seriously missing out as the vocabulary is absolutely on point for a single dad or any parent of twins actually. I can seriously attest that the twins in this book will have you giggling outrageously and their grandmother may have you outright guffawing at their combined antics. I would recommend that reading this book in public should only be done so by readers who don't mind others thinking you have lost your mind! This is the fun you need and the Christmas story that you don't want to miss!
December 26, 2024
I will hear no slander about this book!!!!!!! I loved it and idc if you didn’t.
This was such a cute christmas grumpy x sunshine trope. I like that Mr. (hates) Christmas honored his late wife to share her joy with the twins and the dynamic Sutton introduced to him to help him love Christmas again.
I thought was a cute and lighthearted book that was easy to read. Also a big fan of Sutton keep her independence and Gus supporting her until she was ready to be more!!!!
This was such a cute christmas grumpy x sunshine trope. I like that Mr. (hates) Christmas honored his late wife to share her joy with the twins and the dynamic Sutton introduced to him to help him love Christmas again.
I thought was a cute and lighthearted book that was easy to read. Also a big fan of Sutton keep her independence and Gus supporting her until she was ready to be more!!!!
Did not finish
November 17, 2023I love grump meets sunshine and Scrooge vibes, but this one just wasn't a great fit for me personally.
The story begins with Sutton drunk and trying to sneak into her friend's uncle's house to squat for the night. She comes upon a house heavily decorated for Christmas and a man attacking an inflatable of Santa. After tripping on the electric cables, the man carries Sutton into his house so she can crash on his couch.
While I'm here for a woman grump (and a woman traveling alone!), Sutton's mix of immaturity and self-pity doesn't work for me. To breeze through this sort of read, I need a main character I can root for more.
To be sure, I'm a bit over coming-of-age storylines for romance novel leads in their late 20s. If that's something you're OK with - or something you enjoy! - this one is likelier to be a hit for you. I'd also recommend it to those who are big fans of holiday reads; with the male lead owning a Christmas shop, there's a lot on Christmas in here.
DNF at 12%.
Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review.
The story begins with Sutton drunk and trying to sneak into her friend's uncle's house to squat for the night. She comes upon a house heavily decorated for Christmas and a man attacking an inflatable of Santa. After tripping on the electric cables, the man carries Sutton into his house so she can crash on his couch.
While I'm here for a woman grump (and a woman traveling alone!), Sutton's mix of immaturity and self-pity doesn't work for me. To breeze through this sort of read, I need a main character I can root for more.
To be sure, I'm a bit over coming-of-age storylines for romance novel leads in their late 20s. If that's something you're OK with - or something you enjoy! - this one is likelier to be a hit for you. I'd also recommend it to those who are big fans of holiday reads; with the male lead owning a Christmas shop, there's a lot on Christmas in here.
DNF at 12%.
Thank you to One More Chapter and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review.
September 29, 2023
I love Christmas themed books but this one didn’t do it for me and I’m so sad about it! I had a few issues like how quickly they got together and how comfortable Moira was with her so quickly? Like she’s some random drunk who showed up on his lawn?! It was just too unrealistic for me I think.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2023
3.5
my first ARC! thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review.
if you find the small town christmas romance market severely lacking in The Holiday (2006) vibes then you’re in for a treat. not only is there wassailing and mumming but an ancestral english home to boot. our heroine sutton literally barrels into gus’ life and the physical comedy shenanigans of a 2000s romcom ensure. through a series of plot reasons gus decides sutton will be the nanny to his twin four year olds and of course she falls in love with him and them. sutton is trapped for all intents and purposes in england while on vacation from south africa and he takes her in.
sutton and gus have both suffered extreme betrayals from the people that were supposed to be their closest confidants and channel that anger in various ways. the way the plot resolves is a classic example of something that would be so stressful in real life but makes perfect sense here.
now here’s the things that brought the rating down for m: is the gay couple portrayed as pretty two dimensional? yes. does gus makes some comments about sutton not knowing her own mind that raised my eyebrows? yes. but overall a quick read to put you in the holiday mood.
my first ARC! thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review.
if you find the small town christmas romance market severely lacking in The Holiday (2006) vibes then you’re in for a treat. not only is there wassailing and mumming but an ancestral english home to boot. our heroine sutton literally barrels into gus’ life and the physical comedy shenanigans of a 2000s romcom ensure. through a series of plot reasons gus decides sutton will be the nanny to his twin four year olds and of course she falls in love with him and them. sutton is trapped for all intents and purposes in england while on vacation from south africa and he takes her in.
sutton and gus have both suffered extreme betrayals from the people that were supposed to be their closest confidants and channel that anger in various ways. the way the plot resolves is a classic example of something that would be so stressful in real life but makes perfect sense here.
now here’s the things that brought the rating down for m: is the gay couple portrayed as pretty two dimensional? yes. does gus makes some comments about sutton not knowing her own mind that raised my eyebrows? yes. but overall a quick read to put you in the holiday mood.
December 13, 2023
Sutton Alsop despises Christmas, and one drunken night, she accidentally wrecks a Santa's-grotto-level house, not realizing it's owned by none other than Gus Langston—AKA Mr. Christmas. With him being the local holiday cheer champion, sparks are bound to fly as they're stuck together during the festive season.
Okay, "confession of a Christmasholic" threw me a curveball. I was expecting a classic holiday romance, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The setup—Christmas hater meets Mr. Christmas himself—had promise, and I usually love a SunshineXGrumpy trope, but the execution left me unsatisfied. I struggled getting into it and to finish it.
Plus, the side characters were there, but they didn't really get their moment. It's like the story missed chances to really dive into the characters and their world.
The book had its cute moments and holiday spirit, but it left me wanting a bit more depth and complexity. If you're into light, no-fuss holiday romance with a heavy Christmas vibe, this might be it for you!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Okay, "confession of a Christmasholic" threw me a curveball. I was expecting a classic holiday romance, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. The setup—Christmas hater meets Mr. Christmas himself—had promise, and I usually love a SunshineXGrumpy trope, but the execution left me unsatisfied. I struggled getting into it and to finish it.
Plus, the side characters were there, but they didn't really get their moment. It's like the story missed chances to really dive into the characters and their world.
The book had its cute moments and holiday spirit, but it left me wanting a bit more depth and complexity. If you're into light, no-fuss holiday romance with a heavy Christmas vibe, this might be it for you!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
October 8, 2023
Sutton is a very entertaining character who falls (literally) into Gus's life. The opening chapter had me very entertained, as Sutton makes a few out of character mistakes that results in several broken Christmas lights and a drunken boxing match with an inflatable Santa.
The story itself is cute - Gus is a single Dad of twins, after his wife passed away in a car accident. He is referred to as 'Mr Christmas' around his small town, despite hating the holiday. As Sutton and Gus start to form a relationship, they have to navigate their past relationships and their future dreams before they can give their relationship a chance.
This is a fun holiday read with plenty of Christmas cheer. There are funny aspects, but the majority of the story is a bit uneventful. Rosie, one of the twins, is my favourite character in the book. I'd read future books written by this author. Recommended for fans of romcoms and the single Dad trope.
The story itself is cute - Gus is a single Dad of twins, after his wife passed away in a car accident. He is referred to as 'Mr Christmas' around his small town, despite hating the holiday. As Sutton and Gus start to form a relationship, they have to navigate their past relationships and their future dreams before they can give their relationship a chance.
This is a fun holiday read with plenty of Christmas cheer. There are funny aspects, but the majority of the story is a bit uneventful. Rosie, one of the twins, is my favourite character in the book. I'd read future books written by this author. Recommended for fans of romcoms and the single Dad trope.
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October 16, 2023This book is a great pick if you're looking for a Christmas romance, you're interested in or don't mind the single dad trope, and if you want to read about a woman who grows a spine and learns her own worth.
Sutton ends up furious, sad and desperate in Gus' small town, and being desperate, she agrees to nanny for his children in exchange for some much needed cash. They slowly grow on each other and we get to share in some fun spice.
I enjoyed this, but it's worth noting that if you remove Christmas from this book, not very much happens. If you're anything like me and you love Christmas, that addition will work well for you.
Generally I don't love books with kids, but I thought Rosie was fantastic and I wasn't bothered.
Thank you to the author and Harper Collins UK for providing me with an advanced copy to review.
Sutton ends up furious, sad and desperate in Gus' small town, and being desperate, she agrees to nanny for his children in exchange for some much needed cash. They slowly grow on each other and we get to share in some fun spice.
I enjoyed this, but it's worth noting that if you remove Christmas from this book, not very much happens. If you're anything like me and you love Christmas, that addition will work well for you.
Generally I don't love books with kids, but I thought Rosie was fantastic and I wasn't bothered.
Thank you to the author and Harper Collins UK for providing me with an advanced copy to review.
October 7, 2023
Confessions of a Christmasholic
Love at frost sight
Joss Woo
This is a cute, humorous romance tale. Perfect for getting you in the mood for Christmas. The setting is a small town. Our main characters are Gus and Sutton, both are recovering from failed relationships. Sutton attempts to drown her problems and falls on Gus’ yard. She accidentally destroys the fairy lights, plastic reindeer, and candy canes. There are sparks from the moment they meet. He takes her into his home and allows her to crash on his sofa. Sutton hates Christmas and Gus is a Christmasholic. Gus loves Christmas; he owns the town’s Christmas ship (open all year long.) Gus is Mr. Christmas. Gus is a widow that needs help with his twin four-year-olds. Sutton agrees to help him out for the Christmas season.
What’s not to love in this tale? You have all the Christmas trimmings, lights, candy, wassail, a tree, decorations and Santa. This story sizzles! Ring in the season with Confessions of a Christmasholic. I would love to see this book made into a movie!
Love at frost sight
Joss Woo
This is a cute, humorous romance tale. Perfect for getting you in the mood for Christmas. The setting is a small town. Our main characters are Gus and Sutton, both are recovering from failed relationships. Sutton attempts to drown her problems and falls on Gus’ yard. She accidentally destroys the fairy lights, plastic reindeer, and candy canes. There are sparks from the moment they meet. He takes her into his home and allows her to crash on his sofa. Sutton hates Christmas and Gus is a Christmasholic. Gus loves Christmas; he owns the town’s Christmas ship (open all year long.) Gus is Mr. Christmas. Gus is a widow that needs help with his twin four-year-olds. Sutton agrees to help him out for the Christmas season.
What’s not to love in this tale? You have all the Christmas trimmings, lights, candy, wassail, a tree, decorations and Santa. This story sizzles! Ring in the season with Confessions of a Christmasholic. I would love to see this book made into a movie!
October 13, 2023
3.5 rounded up.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and One More Chapter for this arc to review.
This is a cute Christmas romance that I enjoyed reading. Sutton is a really interesting character, and I loved seeing her grow into someone who stands up for themselves and speaks their mind.
Gus was a bit fantastic, a traditional grump with a soft side, especially for his kids.
I struggled a little with their relationship - I felt like their attraction to each other was definitely there but their connection kind of appeared out of the blue. I would have loved to see more of their relationship build. I always struggle a little with third person too, but that's a personal preference. My only other issue with this book was the way the spice was written - I found it very wordy and almost whimsical.
This is a great book to get knto the Christmas spirit with! This little town is obsessed with the holiday - you'll have a fun time visiting.
Thanks so much to Netgalley and One More Chapter for this arc to review.
This is a cute Christmas romance that I enjoyed reading. Sutton is a really interesting character, and I loved seeing her grow into someone who stands up for themselves and speaks their mind.
Gus was a bit fantastic, a traditional grump with a soft side, especially for his kids.
I struggled a little with their relationship - I felt like their attraction to each other was definitely there but their connection kind of appeared out of the blue. I would have loved to see more of their relationship build. I always struggle a little with third person too, but that's a personal preference. My only other issue with this book was the way the spice was written - I found it very wordy and almost whimsical.
This is a great book to get knto the Christmas spirit with! This little town is obsessed with the holiday - you'll have a fun time visiting.
October 19, 2023
ARC REVIEW : Thanks to Netgalley & Harper Collins UK for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest opinion and review . I enjoyed this cute romcom Christmas read . Release date : October 19
Sutton (broke and homeless) despises Christmas and one night while drinking she sees a house which looked like Christmas hurled its cookies over and accidentally destroys the Christmas decorations in her drunken state . It was unfortunate the house she targeted in her drunken state was Gus Langston , the owner of the local Christmas shop . As Sutton was financially hard up , she decided to nanny Gus’s twins and boy don’t their lives turn upside down . Spicy holiday romance Some parts made me literally LOL , although I would have loved to have read it closer to Christmas and with the Christmas feels . It definitely was hallmark vibes . I loved how the main character Sutton was actually the grump as opposed to it usually being the male character . Had some of my favorite tropes - single dad / grumpy sunshine . Cannot wait to read more by this author 😊
Sutton (broke and homeless) despises Christmas and one night while drinking she sees a house which looked like Christmas hurled its cookies over and accidentally destroys the Christmas decorations in her drunken state . It was unfortunate the house she targeted in her drunken state was Gus Langston , the owner of the local Christmas shop . As Sutton was financially hard up , she decided to nanny Gus’s twins and boy don’t their lives turn upside down . Spicy holiday romance Some parts made me literally LOL , although I would have loved to have read it closer to Christmas and with the Christmas feels . It definitely was hallmark vibes . I loved how the main character Sutton was actually the grump as opposed to it usually being the male character . Had some of my favorite tropes - single dad / grumpy sunshine . Cannot wait to read more by this author 😊
December 31, 2023
A fun and light read for the holidays with some funny parts and a cosy setting. But it somehow felt both long and too quick at the same time? The romance itself happened pretty quickly and felt like it came out of the blue, but the story itself felt pretty long. The side characters were also pretty stereotypical and were almost forced into the story to be stock characters. But perhaps my most flawed character was the male MC himself who seemed to have reverse character development, where he got really annoying and unsupportive by the end. It's still a decent Christmas read if you're looking for something light during the holidays.
Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.
Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.
December 18, 2023
I am normally a sucker for Christmas books and felt so bad that this year I haven't had the chance to read any until this one, which was more than I expected.
Besides a "classical" love story, where she's broke and meets the charming man who supposedly loves Christmas, this book is also spicy.
In three words, I would describe this book as heart-warming, silly, and sexy which deserves a chance if you are into Christmas books.
Lastly, I would like to thank Joss Wood - the author, Harper Collins UK - the publisher and NetGalley for offering me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Besides a "classical" love story, where she's broke and meets the charming man who supposedly loves Christmas, this book is also spicy.
In three words, I would describe this book as heart-warming, silly, and sexy which deserves a chance if you are into Christmas books.
Lastly, I would like to thank Joss Wood - the author, Harper Collins UK - the publisher and NetGalley for offering me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 8, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
My first Christmas read of 2024 to get me in the holiday spirit!
Now, although this wasn’t my favourite read, it defo brought the Christmas feels with cute holiday scenes, found family and cosy vibes! Sutton and Gus had some cute shared moments and I did really appreciate that Sutton didn’t throw away all her goals and plans just for Gus. She still went after them and when the time was right, decided to settle down which was a great way to wrap up the book, esp given her past relationships/experiences.
A decent read to kick off the time of year☺️
My first Christmas read of 2024 to get me in the holiday spirit!
Now, although this wasn’t my favourite read, it defo brought the Christmas feels with cute holiday scenes, found family and cosy vibes! Sutton and Gus had some cute shared moments and I did really appreciate that Sutton didn’t throw away all her goals and plans just for Gus. She still went after them and when the time was right, decided to settle down which was a great way to wrap up the book, esp given her past relationships/experiences.
A decent read to kick off the time of year☺️
December 15, 2024
Nope and lots more nope. Repetitive, unlikeable characters, and the sexist statements were too much. Sutton and Gus' relationship didn't seem genuine nor did I feel any connection between them both. The inner monologuing got annoying and was confusing. Honestly, I finished this book and have no idea what's going on. Cover is adorable, but the story was not. It dealt with harder topics without actually dealing with them.
October 9, 2023
Just a fun and witty rom-com that you can read over the holidays! Once I started it, I couldn't seem to put it down. This Book had me hooked from just the first chapter. I would say that my only criticism would be that I felt that the ending was quite abrupt and I would have wanted to know what happened at the end a little bit more, but other than that I really enjoyed this read. The chemistry between the two main characters was unmatched! I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys...
single dad
small town
feel-good
grumpy x sunshine
strangers to lovers
single dad
small town
feel-good
grumpy x sunshine
strangers to lovers
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