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Planners and Dreamers #3
Holiday Headaches
They’re practically strangers, but they could be roommates.
How could it go wrong?
Clutching her MBA, Connie Ortega is set to take on Seattle’s non-profit world but still lives with her parents. Still stares at the bedroom wallpaper she picked out when she was ten.
She leaps at the opportunity for her own place, only to discover the apartment is promised to someone else. To Sid Fraser, the reserved, Indigenous woodcarver whose infrequent smiles make her heart go pitter-pat.
They agree to share the apartment and partner up to manage the building when the owner goes on vacation.
Easy money, right?
They didn’t expect meddlesome old women hell-bent to set Sid up with their granddaughters.
They didn’t expect an ice storm to disrupt Thanksgiving plans.
They didn’t expect long-held family traditions to disintegrate.
They didn’t expect to become more than just roommates.
Sometimes, holiday headaches lead to happily-ever-afters.
Holiday Headaches is a closed-door, reluctant roommate romance with a cast of quarrelsome, match-making septuagenarians, a feral cat, and a recovering alcoholic who finds his happily-ever-after in this light-hearted Christmas romance.
How could it go wrong?
Clutching her MBA, Connie Ortega is set to take on Seattle’s non-profit world but still lives with her parents. Still stares at the bedroom wallpaper she picked out when she was ten.
She leaps at the opportunity for her own place, only to discover the apartment is promised to someone else. To Sid Fraser, the reserved, Indigenous woodcarver whose infrequent smiles make her heart go pitter-pat.
They agree to share the apartment and partner up to manage the building when the owner goes on vacation.
Easy money, right?
They didn’t expect meddlesome old women hell-bent to set Sid up with their granddaughters.
They didn’t expect an ice storm to disrupt Thanksgiving plans.
They didn’t expect long-held family traditions to disintegrate.
They didn’t expect to become more than just roommates.
Sometimes, holiday headaches lead to happily-ever-afters.
Holiday Headaches is a closed-door, reluctant roommate romance with a cast of quarrelsome, match-making septuagenarians, a feral cat, and a recovering alcoholic who finds his happily-ever-after in this light-hearted Christmas romance.
248 pages, Paperback
Published November 16, 2023
About the author
Lynne Hancock Pearson
6 books48 followersLynne Hancock Pearson writes fun, flirty, feel-good fiction that simmers at a low heat. She lives near Seattle with two finicky felines and one long-suffering husband. She is a left-handed middle child who grew up in the Great White North and is a proud member of the Métis Nation of Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 15, 2023
Beautiful romance, heartwarming and thoughtful story. Showed the struggles with substance abuse and how important family and friends are to recovery. Reminds me to be grateful for my community that supports my journey through life.
November 24, 2023
Holiday Headaches is the third book in the Planners and Dreamers series from Lynne Hancock Pearson. This was a great book about the challenges that we face and the drive to be better.
Sid didn’t have an easy childhood and turned to alcohol to cope with it. He is now sober and ready to start living the life he thought was out of reach and is anxious to move out of the sober living facility.
Connie is the oldest of three girls and grew up with loving and devoted parents. She is anxious to move out of her childhood bedroom and start living on her own.
After a miscommunication about the availability of an apartment, Sid and Connie agree to be platonic roommates … I think we all know what’s in store for these two but their journey is what makes this story special. Sid and Connie are both learning who they are and how to make their mark in the world.
As with Lynne’s previous books, she weaves in details about the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. I find that part especially fascinating as I knew nothing about them before reading her books. It isn’t something I’ve read about in the many books I do read and it sets these books apart from others. Lynne writes a beautiful story about the struggles of being sober and fighting, every day to remain sober … and the desire to break free from overprotective (but loving) parents to start living independently. I highly recommend this book but especially if you like low heat. Lynne does it so well!!
Sid didn’t have an easy childhood and turned to alcohol to cope with it. He is now sober and ready to start living the life he thought was out of reach and is anxious to move out of the sober living facility.
Connie is the oldest of three girls and grew up with loving and devoted parents. She is anxious to move out of her childhood bedroom and start living on her own.
After a miscommunication about the availability of an apartment, Sid and Connie agree to be platonic roommates … I think we all know what’s in store for these two but their journey is what makes this story special. Sid and Connie are both learning who they are and how to make their mark in the world.
As with Lynne’s previous books, she weaves in details about the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. I find that part especially fascinating as I knew nothing about them before reading her books. It isn’t something I’ve read about in the many books I do read and it sets these books apart from others. Lynne writes a beautiful story about the struggles of being sober and fighting, every day to remain sober … and the desire to break free from overprotective (but loving) parents to start living independently. I highly recommend this book but especially if you like low heat. Lynne does it so well!!
January 8, 2025
This was such a cute book and a great read for the holidays. I really enjoyed reading from a third person perspective instead of the typical unreliable narrator that often creates miscommunication and misunderstanding between characters. I also enjoyed that our characters were well developed, and we learned a lot not only about their struggles, but their personalities and quirks.
The other characters in this book were phenomenal and represented a lot of different lifestyles, sexualities, cultures and social norms. I loved the old woman as well as members of both Connie and Sid’s families. They also focused a lot on Sid battle with addiction in a very healthy manner.
For it being two hundred pages, I felt like the book was paced well and keep me engaged without rushing the plot.
The only flaw I had with this book was they got engaged within a month of dating and I guess it’s okay when it’s the love of your life (idk). Overall, it was a great clean holiday romance!
The other characters in this book were phenomenal and represented a lot of different lifestyles, sexualities, cultures and social norms. I loved the old woman as well as members of both Connie and Sid’s families. They also focused a lot on Sid battle with addiction in a very healthy manner.
For it being two hundred pages, I felt like the book was paced well and keep me engaged without rushing the plot.
The only flaw I had with this book was they got engaged within a month of dating and I guess it’s okay when it’s the love of your life (idk). Overall, it was a great clean holiday romance!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2023
I think great Fiction depends on timing. Does a conversation feel like a realtime experience? Am I screaming “get to the point!” What I love about all three of Lynne Hancock Pearson’s novels is the way she folds together various personalities, that invariably represent profiles of people I have known and incidents that I have experienced either first or second hand. These include people trying hard, or maybe not so hard, to get through situations.
Sure there is the safety net of hearing characters’ thoughts. If only real people could read each other’s minds. But that’s part of the fun of Lynne’s work. So, no spoilers to see here.
Sure there is the safety net of hearing characters’ thoughts. If only real people could read each other’s minds. But that’s part of the fun of Lynne’s work. So, no spoilers to see here.
November 25, 2023
Holiday Headaches
Another winning book to wrap up the Planners and Dreamers series. Sid is an indigenous woodcarver, getting his feet back under him after a host of problems. Connie wants out of her mom’s house. Forced proximity does not usually come with an agreement to share in maintenance of the building or to deal with a seemingly endless number of well meaning elderly women, but it adds a lot of character to the book. Can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading Grand Gestures and Fraudulent Trust, the other two books in the series. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next.
Another winning book to wrap up the Planners and Dreamers series. Sid is an indigenous woodcarver, getting his feet back under him after a host of problems. Connie wants out of her mom’s house. Forced proximity does not usually come with an agreement to share in maintenance of the building or to deal with a seemingly endless number of well meaning elderly women, but it adds a lot of character to the book. Can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone, but I highly recommend reading Grand Gestures and Fraudulent Trust, the other two books in the series. I can’t wait to see what this author has in store for us next.
November 12, 2023
Holiday Hijinks!
After an apartment was mistakenly promised to both, Sid and Connie agreed to move in together and take over the maintenance of the property. What they soon find out is that they moved into a building filled with opinionated and cantankerous elderly women. They have their hands full with the tenants, their jobs, their families, and navigating their fledgling relationship and holiday expectations. In their new home, Sid and Connie find a found family, and confidence to make it on their own.
I loved everything about this book! It was funny, interesting, and emotional!
After an apartment was mistakenly promised to both, Sid and Connie agreed to move in together and take over the maintenance of the property. What they soon find out is that they moved into a building filled with opinionated and cantankerous elderly women. They have their hands full with the tenants, their jobs, their families, and navigating their fledgling relationship and holiday expectations. In their new home, Sid and Connie find a found family, and confidence to make it on their own.
I loved everything about this book! It was funny, interesting, and emotional!
November 14, 2023
Sweet, fun, romance. “They’re practically strangers, but they could be roommates. How could it go wrong?” When Connie and Sid find themselves moving in together, they make an agreement about how that is going to look over the next 12 months, neither of them having expected to have a roommate. This is a sweet story of two people growing together and finding that maybe they want to be more than friends. This is a shorter story but still give you a great little romance to get cozy with over the holidays.
November 30, 2023
What happens when a recovering alcoholic and college graduate decide to become roommates? Feeling get involved of course!
If I am being honest, I wasn’t so sure about this read at first but I’m glad I finished it! It was such a heartwarming story. Not of the spicy variety, but I appreciated it.
Connie and Sid were so great together. I loved all of the tenant banter as well.
All in all this is a great holiday read.
If I am being honest, I wasn’t so sure about this read at first but I’m glad I finished it! It was such a heartwarming story. Not of the spicy variety, but I appreciated it.
Connie and Sid were so great together. I loved all of the tenant banter as well.
All in all this is a great holiday read.
November 26, 2023
Love love love ❤️
Sid and Connie are amazing together. Sid has overcome so many lows, and Connie is a hard worker who doesn't take no for an answer. I love how they come together and push each other to see more about themselves to overcome the struggles everyone runs into.
Best book of the series 😍
Sid and Connie are amazing together. Sid has overcome so many lows, and Connie is a hard worker who doesn't take no for an answer. I love how they come together and push each other to see more about themselves to overcome the struggles everyone runs into.
Best book of the series 😍
December 26, 2023
The perfect book for the holiday season! Chaos between the senior residents at "The Firs" apartment is reminiscent of my junior high days. Happy to see some things never change. The romance between Sid and Connie is sweet. And Butters the cat adds a whole new dimension! Love love love the characters and their quirks!
November 25, 2023
With Christmas coming, what better way to get into it than reading sweet cute holiday books. This was a quick read, so cute, and such a feel-good story. I loved the characters and all of the character growth and development. I definitely recommend it.
December 4, 2023
This is a short and sweet Christmas book, I loved the characters and there character development. I loved her writing style and world building. Definitely a fun Christmas book to get you in the Christmas spirit
December 14, 2023
This is my favorite in the series! How can you not fall in love with Sid!? The community of The Firs is like something out of Gilmore Girls, quirky and eccentric in the best possible way! Let's not forget my favorite character, Butters the black cat!
November 16, 2023
Who need Hallmark!? This book was so cute, feel good, all the Hallmark vibes. I loved the character development and how they grew together!
November 21, 2023
Very romantic banter filled hysterical romance filled with christmas cheer that was very enjoyable
December 2, 2023
Sweet holiday book! You can't help but root for Connie and Sid. The quirky neighbors add some nice levity to the story.
December 14, 2023
A lovely warm and cozy holiday read! Loved the whole host of nosy old ladies in the apartment complex.
November 26, 2023
This was such a great and refreshing wholesome read. Could be a hallmark movie that you rewatch every year at Christmas time. Instead, I will be rereading this one. I loved the real life hard problems and how the characters dealt with it. The author did an amazing job with that aspect of the story.
November 16, 2023
I loved these two, Sid and Connie, very much.
Loved the story of strangers to friends to lovers.
Roommates to work for the other patrons of the house who are all elderly ladies. Although no spicy scenes, I couldn’t put it down!
Loved the story of strangers to friends to lovers.
Roommates to work for the other patrons of the house who are all elderly ladies. Although no spicy scenes, I couldn’t put it down!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews