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Ever After Street #4
Christmas Ever After
A picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street...
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but Franca Andrews has never felt more miserable. With business far from bustling, she needs a Christmas miracle to keep her beloved nutcracker shop open... But there’s one man standing in her way - expert snow globe maker Raff Dardenne.
Dardenne Snow Globes have a magical reputation for bringing lovers together, a myth that Raff continues to exploit, much to Franca’s annoyance! But this Christmas their shops are pitted against each other and only one gets to stay on Ever After Street. Franca doesn't know how her handmade nutcrackers are ever going to compete with Raff's magical snow globes, especially at the most magical time of the year!
Franca’s determined to prove Raff’s business is built on lies. But when disaster strikes, and she’s left unable to make anything, she needs help. It’s just very frustrating that the only person offering is her gorgeous, annoying, nemesis himself!
As these two enemies get to know each other, Franca discovers another side to Raff – kind, caring and funny. But unless she can prove that his magical snow globes can’t really match true lovers together, she’s going to lose everything…
But maybe it's not too late for them to put aside their differences and find some Christmas magic of their own?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but Franca Andrews has never felt more miserable. With business far from bustling, she needs a Christmas miracle to keep her beloved nutcracker shop open... But there’s one man standing in her way - expert snow globe maker Raff Dardenne.
Dardenne Snow Globes have a magical reputation for bringing lovers together, a myth that Raff continues to exploit, much to Franca’s annoyance! But this Christmas their shops are pitted against each other and only one gets to stay on Ever After Street. Franca doesn't know how her handmade nutcrackers are ever going to compete with Raff's magical snow globes, especially at the most magical time of the year!
Franca’s determined to prove Raff’s business is built on lies. But when disaster strikes, and she’s left unable to make anything, she needs help. It’s just very frustrating that the only person offering is her gorgeous, annoying, nemesis himself!
As these two enemies get to know each other, Franca discovers another side to Raff – kind, caring and funny. But unless she can prove that his magical snow globes can’t really match true lovers together, she’s going to lose everything…
But maybe it's not too late for them to put aside their differences and find some Christmas magic of their own?
304 pages, Paperback
Published September 2, 2024
146 people are currently reading
2209 people want to read
About the author
Jaimie Admans
32 books709 followersJaimie is a 32-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots.
She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.
She is the author of chick-lit romantic comedies The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters and Kismetology, and she has also written young-adult romantic comedies Afterlife Academy, Not Pretty Enough, and North Pole Reform School.
She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.
She is the author of chick-lit romantic comedies The Chateau of Happily Ever Afters and Kismetology, and she has also written young-adult romantic comedies Afterlife Academy, Not Pretty Enough, and North Pole Reform School.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
September 11, 2024
In a Nutshell: A sweet standalone continuation to the Ever After Street series. Christmassy vibes, loveable lead characters, enemies-to-friends-to-lovers. Somewhat slow in tempo and not much conflict, but the emotions in the story trivialise the shortcomings. A heartwarming read for Christmas time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
I had always wanted my 1000th NetGalley review to be for a special book, so it thrills me that I achieved this milestone with a Jaimie Admans work. This is my sixth book by Admans, and at this point, I doubt I have anything original left to say about her novels. She continues to be the only romance author whose books I grab without even reading the blurb.
Bookish Yays:
😍 Raff might not be not as charismatic as Admans’ earlier leading men (Her own fault for setting such high standards of book boyfriends!), but he is still adorably perfect except for his hatred of spiders. I love how his arc depicted how the pressure of living up to your family’s expectations can affect you, even if the family is supportive.
😍 Franca is also amazing. Though she acts younger than her 38 years, at least she is not all cutesy and gushy like typical romcom heroines. While she does have her goofy quirks and biases, she isn’t afraid to use her head and her heart simultaneously. I loved her independent spirit that doesn’t stop her from accepting help when needed.
😍 While the blurb makes this appear like an enemies-to-lovers romcom, the ‘enemies’ part of the story hardly lasts for a couple of chapters. (Which was great news for me as I am not a big fan of enemies-to-lovers.) This story is more like enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, and the progression is slow and steady. Loved it!
😍 Wholesome romance that gives all the feels without resorting to steam. Yay for me, might be a Nay for others. To me, clean romances over spicy, slowburn over insta, love over lust, friends over enemies – no exceptions.
😍 Raff and Franca also show the challenges of running a small business in a megacorp-oriented world (though I am not sure if their idea of celebrity nutcrackers can be implemented without copyright violations), of handling high expectations, of acceding to your family’s wishes even when your dreams lie another way. They are two individuals trying to handle past hurt and present uncertainties the best way they can, which makes their arcs believable and relatable.
😍 Several other loveable characters who, even in their limited roles, create a mark. Chief among these are the members of the Dardenne family, especially little Sofia and Grandma Biddy (except for the latter’s insistence on happiness being found only as a couple. Let’s put this down as a quirk of the aged.) I also loved Mrs. Bloom, and would like to see more of her in the rest of this series.
😍 Christmas Ever After is a slightly new venue, as all the earlier books have been on the main Ever After Street. But this little Christmassy offshoot offers a nice location for such a storyline. Plus, several characters and locations from the earlier books make an appearance, making us feel the closeness of the locations and the people.
😍 Loads of lovely Christmassy vibes in this story, right from carol singing to nativity plays to gifts to calorie-loaded lunches. I felt like I already reached December!
😍 While I am no fan of ‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’, which serves as the theme for this book, I loved how the story uses both nutcrackers and snow globes as actual plot devices than as background embellishments. I also loved learning the technicalities behind the making of nutcrackers.
😍 The plotline this time is the most understated of the series. There is no OTT drama or forced-in conflicts. The story progresses on natural human actions and reactions, which feels refreshing. There is a great balance between funny scenes and emotional moments.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🤔 Loads of touchy-feely stuff in the content – touching of arms, brushing of hair, nudges, winks, shoves,… I usually complain a lot about such things, but I am kinda getting used to this as it is a standard feature of almost every Jaimie Admans book (Dear author, every time I read those scenes, I pictured you giving me a sneaky side-eye and a smirk!), and I am even willing to admit that those scenes were super-duper cute in this book. (Has this author finally managed to coerce this Grinch onto the other side of the touchy-feely fence? Time shall tell!)
🤔 Franca is a bit too obsessed with her supposed weight issues. While I appreciate this angle as it is so true to life, I think it could have been used better in the plot, maybe towards some kind of a self-realisation that she is not what her weighing scale says. As the writing was in her first-person perspective, it would have been great to see her verbalising her acceptance of her size and that it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, I love the realistic way in which her insecurities about her weight were included in the story. (As a lifelong sufferer of BDD even before I knew the term or that it was a mental health condition, I really connected to Franca’s vulnerability on this aspect.)
Bookish Nays:
😕 This is not a Nay of the book but of the cover art. Only with this fourth book of the Ever After series did it strike me that even though the series has attempted to be somewhat different in its couples’ appearance (a bespectacled MMC in Book One, an MMC with major facial scarring in Book Two, a blue-haired MMC in Book Three, an FMC with mild body dysmorphia due to being slightly overweight in this fourth book), the book covers never reflect this. They always depict a picture-perfect, cookie-cutter-moulded romcom couple. Why? Even if the covers are gorgeous, readers would surely love to see the couple more accurately and might even appreciate the way they stand out.
All in all, Jaimie Admans’ performance streak continues untarnished in my reading list. She has never failed to deliver on semi-magical plots, memorable characters, astounding settings, clean romance, heartfelt emotions, and a HEA. This book retains all the positives of her writing.
Much recommended to readers of clean romances. You cannot go wrong with a Jaimie Admans work when you want something sweet and *touching*. [Pun intended!😜]
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for a complimentary copy of 'Christmas Ever After' via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The digital version of this book is currently available free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
For the first time, the author’s note reveals to us the next character that this series will focus on. The character’s unusual name had caught my eye while reading this book, and that, combined with the business she runs, is sure to make the next book an interesting one as well. Eagerly looking forward to it!
Here are the first three books of the charming ‘Ever After’ Series:
1. A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street (My favourite so far!)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
After her career as a ballerina came to an abrupt end, Franca has been running her own nutcracker shop on Christmas Ever After, a festive offshoot of the Ever After Street. However, her shop might now be in danger, thanks to an unexpected competition pitting her against her “pet nemesis” Raff Dardenne and his snow globe shop. As they have been told that only one of their shops can continue on Ever After Street, it is going to be a fierce battle.
When an accident leads to an injury, Franca is forced to accept assistance from the only person capable of helping her out. And it turns out, Raff isn’t really the nemesis kind. Will the two be able to put aside their differences and save both their shops? Or will one of them be forced to say goodbye to their dream vocation?
The story comes to us in Franca’s first-person perspective.
I had always wanted my 1000th NetGalley review to be for a special book, so it thrills me that I achieved this milestone with a Jaimie Admans work. This is my sixth book by Admans, and at this point, I doubt I have anything original left to say about her novels. She continues to be the only romance author whose books I grab without even reading the blurb.
Bookish Yays:
😍 Raff might not be not as charismatic as Admans’ earlier leading men (Her own fault for setting such high standards of book boyfriends!), but he is still adorably perfect except for his hatred of spiders. I love how his arc depicted how the pressure of living up to your family’s expectations can affect you, even if the family is supportive.
😍 Franca is also amazing. Though she acts younger than her 38 years, at least she is not all cutesy and gushy like typical romcom heroines. While she does have her goofy quirks and biases, she isn’t afraid to use her head and her heart simultaneously. I loved her independent spirit that doesn’t stop her from accepting help when needed.
😍 While the blurb makes this appear like an enemies-to-lovers romcom, the ‘enemies’ part of the story hardly lasts for a couple of chapters. (Which was great news for me as I am not a big fan of enemies-to-lovers.) This story is more like enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, and the progression is slow and steady. Loved it!
😍 Wholesome romance that gives all the feels without resorting to steam. Yay for me, might be a Nay for others. To me, clean romances over spicy, slowburn over insta, love over lust, friends over enemies – no exceptions.
😍 Raff and Franca also show the challenges of running a small business in a megacorp-oriented world (though I am not sure if their idea of celebrity nutcrackers can be implemented without copyright violations), of handling high expectations, of acceding to your family’s wishes even when your dreams lie another way. They are two individuals trying to handle past hurt and present uncertainties the best way they can, which makes their arcs believable and relatable.
😍 Several other loveable characters who, even in their limited roles, create a mark. Chief among these are the members of the Dardenne family, especially little Sofia and Grandma Biddy (except for the latter’s insistence on happiness being found only as a couple. Let’s put this down as a quirk of the aged.) I also loved Mrs. Bloom, and would like to see more of her in the rest of this series.
😍 Christmas Ever After is a slightly new venue, as all the earlier books have been on the main Ever After Street. But this little Christmassy offshoot offers a nice location for such a storyline. Plus, several characters and locations from the earlier books make an appearance, making us feel the closeness of the locations and the people.
😍 Loads of lovely Christmassy vibes in this story, right from carol singing to nativity plays to gifts to calorie-loaded lunches. I felt like I already reached December!
😍 While I am no fan of ‘The Nutcracker and the Mouse King’, which serves as the theme for this book, I loved how the story uses both nutcrackers and snow globes as actual plot devices than as background embellishments. I also loved learning the technicalities behind the making of nutcrackers.
😍 The plotline this time is the most understated of the series. There is no OTT drama or forced-in conflicts. The story progresses on natural human actions and reactions, which feels refreshing. There is a great balance between funny scenes and emotional moments.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🤔 Loads of touchy-feely stuff in the content – touching of arms, brushing of hair, nudges, winks, shoves,… I usually complain a lot about such things, but I am kinda getting used to this as it is a standard feature of almost every Jaimie Admans book (Dear author, every time I read those scenes, I pictured you giving me a sneaky side-eye and a smirk!), and I am even willing to admit that those scenes were super-duper cute in this book. (Has this author finally managed to coerce this Grinch onto the other side of the touchy-feely fence? Time shall tell!)
🤔 Franca is a bit too obsessed with her supposed weight issues. While I appreciate this angle as it is so true to life, I think it could have been used better in the plot, maybe towards some kind of a self-realisation that she is not what her weighing scale says. As the writing was in her first-person perspective, it would have been great to see her verbalising her acceptance of her size and that it didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Regardless, I love the realistic way in which her insecurities about her weight were included in the story. (As a lifelong sufferer of BDD even before I knew the term or that it was a mental health condition, I really connected to Franca’s vulnerability on this aspect.)
Bookish Nays:
😕 This is not a Nay of the book but of the cover art. Only with this fourth book of the Ever After series did it strike me that even though the series has attempted to be somewhat different in its couples’ appearance (a bespectacled MMC in Book One, an MMC with major facial scarring in Book Two, a blue-haired MMC in Book Three, an FMC with mild body dysmorphia due to being slightly overweight in this fourth book), the book covers never reflect this. They always depict a picture-perfect, cookie-cutter-moulded romcom couple. Why? Even if the covers are gorgeous, readers would surely love to see the couple more accurately and might even appreciate the way they stand out.
All in all, Jaimie Admans’ performance streak continues untarnished in my reading list. She has never failed to deliver on semi-magical plots, memorable characters, astounding settings, clean romance, heartfelt emotions, and a HEA. This book retains all the positives of her writing.
Much recommended to readers of clean romances. You cannot go wrong with a Jaimie Admans work when you want something sweet and *touching*. [Pun intended!😜]
4.25 stars.
My thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for a complimentary copy of 'Christmas Ever After' via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
The digital version of this book is currently available free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
For the first time, the author’s note reveals to us the next character that this series will focus on. The character’s unusual name had caught my eye while reading this book, and that, combined with the business she runs, is sure to make the next book an interesting one as well. Eagerly looking forward to it!
Here are the first three books of the charming ‘Ever After’ Series:
1. A Midnight Kiss on Ever After Street
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
2. An Enchanted Moment on Ever After Street (My favourite so far!)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3. A Wonderland Wish on Ever After Street
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
September 5, 2024
3.85⭐
Genre ~ holiday romance
Series ~ Ever After Street
Others in the series ~ the whole series
Setting ~ England
Publication date ~ September 2, 2024
Publisher ~ Boldwood Books
Est Page Count ~ 319 (20 chapters)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 31 minutes
Narrator ~ Emma Noakes
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ small town, slow burn, rivals to lovers, no steamage
Full of Christmas magic with nutcrackers and snow globes galore.
Franca owns The Nutcracker Shop and Raff owns Love Is All A-round snowglobe shop. They are rivals and both at risk of losing their shop after the Christmas season rush.
I gotta say I had a bad taste in my mouth at the start of this one because I didn’t like the whole concept of forcing someone to kiss someone else for a photo op. However, all turns out okay…well not okay since Franca broke 3 fingers in a fall. Yikes! How will she make nutcrackers at the most demanding time of the year? With a little help from her rival, Raff, that's how.
I enjoyed the slow burn of them getting to know each other and seeing someone for who they truly are. Raff is really sweet and his family is the absolute best, which is not something Franca is used to and the reason behind her original animosity. She actually took me a little longer to warm up to then he did.
Overall, I’m not a big Christmas person, but I wouldn’t mind strolling Ever After Street to visit all the quaint shops and meeting the lovely people that own them. Looking forward to the next installment in the series.
Series notes:
The characters from the other books do make appearances, but I think this would be fine as a standalone.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ holiday romance
Series ~ Ever After Street
Others in the series ~ the whole series
Setting ~ England
Publication date ~ September 2, 2024
Publisher ~ Boldwood Books
Est Page Count ~ 319 (20 chapters)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 31 minutes
Narrator ~ Emma Noakes
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ small town, slow burn, rivals to lovers, no steamage
Full of Christmas magic with nutcrackers and snow globes galore.
Franca owns The Nutcracker Shop and Raff owns Love Is All A-round snowglobe shop. They are rivals and both at risk of losing their shop after the Christmas season rush.
I gotta say I had a bad taste in my mouth at the start of this one because I didn’t like the whole concept of forcing someone to kiss someone else for a photo op. However, all turns out okay…well not okay since Franca broke 3 fingers in a fall. Yikes! How will she make nutcrackers at the most demanding time of the year? With a little help from her rival, Raff, that's how.
I enjoyed the slow burn of them getting to know each other and seeing someone for who they truly are. Raff is really sweet and his family is the absolute best, which is not something Franca is used to and the reason behind her original animosity. She actually took me a little longer to warm up to then he did.
Overall, I’m not a big Christmas person, but I wouldn’t mind strolling Ever After Street to visit all the quaint shops and meeting the lovely people that own them. Looking forward to the next installment in the series.
Series notes:
The characters from the other books do make appearances, but I think this would be fine as a standalone.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the info above for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
September 8, 2024
4 Stars
One Liner: A sweet Christmassy romance
We are back on the Ever After Street for Christmas. This time, it’s a competition between Franca Andrews (a ballet dancer turned nutcracker maker) and Raphael Dardenne (the owner of magical snow globes). Fran hates Raff and his late grandfather as she thinks their snow globes are fraud and there’s no such thing as finding true love with it. She is determined to expose him and get the shop closed. No way would she let her nutcracker business be evicted from Ever After Street.
However, presumptions can be incorrect. Franc has some major realization when she needs help, and Raff is the one to provide it. With Christmas magic at work, maybe the two of them will find common ground and something more.
The story comes in Franc’s first-person POV.
+My Thoughts:
The fourth book in the series can be read as a standalone. It has an enemies-to-lovers trope where two business owners and artisans fight to retain their spot on Ever After Street.
As always, the characters are layered and flawed, making it easy to empathize with them or want to cheer for them. They are in their late 30s, with enough issues in the past.
I love how the author creates such perfect book boyfriends. Raff is warm, kind-hearted, compassionate, talented, and cheerful. His relationship with his family is beautiful but not perfect. He has an unwanted burden on his shoulders and doesn’t know how to deal with it.
Franc is a disillusioned and cynical character who slowly reconnects with her soft side. Her argument does feel immature but not unrealistic (it makes sense given her childhood). She is a good person and willing to admit her mistakes. Her arc is encouraging and reassuring.
The ‘enmity’ doesn’t last long. Things start to thaw rather early in the book but I like it since we see the natural progress of their relationship (something the author excels in writing). I absolutely love how their interactions change both of them for the better but gradually.
Do I have to repeat how the author writes the best hugs? Makes me go awww every single time!
There is a sort of third-act breakup but more of a resigned move than due to miscommunication or a fight). Think of it as a short lull where they take a deep breath and resume the story. The ending is, of course, hopeful and heartwarming.
We also get the background details about the processing of making a wooden nutcracker. The details are woven into the plot and presented in different scenes to enhance the narrative. The ideas for future projects (nutcrackers and snowglobes) are so cool!
Ever After Street is a magical place, but with some ‘strict’ owners who tend to cause some or other issues for the shop owners. Well, we need conflict and some of their concerns are legit, so no complaints.
The side characters this time are mainly Raff’s family and a couple of shop owners. Sofia (7yo) is such a doll! Adorable.
To summarize, Christmas Ever After is a heartwarming and festive addition to the series. The pacing is slow (there’s some repetition in the first half). Settle down with the book and a cup of hot chocolate to enjoy the story of finding love and rediscovering the magic of Christmas.
Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
One Liner: A sweet Christmassy romance
We are back on the Ever After Street for Christmas. This time, it’s a competition between Franca Andrews (a ballet dancer turned nutcracker maker) and Raphael Dardenne (the owner of magical snow globes). Fran hates Raff and his late grandfather as she thinks their snow globes are fraud and there’s no such thing as finding true love with it. She is determined to expose him and get the shop closed. No way would she let her nutcracker business be evicted from Ever After Street.
However, presumptions can be incorrect. Franc has some major realization when she needs help, and Raff is the one to provide it. With Christmas magic at work, maybe the two of them will find common ground and something more.
The story comes in Franc’s first-person POV.
+My Thoughts:
The fourth book in the series can be read as a standalone. It has an enemies-to-lovers trope where two business owners and artisans fight to retain their spot on Ever After Street.
As always, the characters are layered and flawed, making it easy to empathize with them or want to cheer for them. They are in their late 30s, with enough issues in the past.
I love how the author creates such perfect book boyfriends. Raff is warm, kind-hearted, compassionate, talented, and cheerful. His relationship with his family is beautiful but not perfect. He has an unwanted burden on his shoulders and doesn’t know how to deal with it.
Franc is a disillusioned and cynical character who slowly reconnects with her soft side. Her argument does feel immature but not unrealistic (it makes sense given her childhood). She is a good person and willing to admit her mistakes. Her arc is encouraging and reassuring.
The ‘enmity’ doesn’t last long. Things start to thaw rather early in the book but I like it since we see the natural progress of their relationship (something the author excels in writing). I absolutely love how their interactions change both of them for the better but gradually.
Do I have to repeat how the author writes the best hugs? Makes me go awww every single time!
There is a sort of third-act breakup but more of a resigned move than due to miscommunication or a fight). Think of it as a short lull where they take a deep breath and resume the story. The ending is, of course, hopeful and heartwarming.
We also get the background details about the processing of making a wooden nutcracker. The details are woven into the plot and presented in different scenes to enhance the narrative. The ideas for future projects (nutcrackers and snowglobes) are so cool!
Ever After Street is a magical place, but with some ‘strict’ owners who tend to cause some or other issues for the shop owners. Well, we need conflict and some of their concerns are legit, so no complaints.
The side characters this time are mainly Raff’s family and a couple of shop owners. Sofia (7yo) is such a doll! Adorable.
To summarize, Christmas Ever After is a heartwarming and festive addition to the series. The pacing is slow (there’s some repetition in the first half). Settle down with the book and a cup of hot chocolate to enjoy the story of finding love and rediscovering the magic of Christmas.
Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley
December 16, 2024
When I borrowed this one on Hoopla, I didn’t know it was book 4 in “The Ever After Street” series. Luckily it can easily be read as a standalone.
This is an enemies to friends to lovers with all the holiday vibes. Franca owns a nutcracker shop and Raff a snow globe shop known for magically bringing couples together. Their businesses are each given a challenge and the winner of the challenge gets to keep their shop on Ever After Street. But when disaster strikes, Franca is shocked Raff is the one to come to her rescue.
This book was really cute and a great addition to my holiday reading. I will definitely go back and start with the first book in the series. 4 Christmassy stars 🎄
This is an enemies to friends to lovers with all the holiday vibes. Franca owns a nutcracker shop and Raff a snow globe shop known for magically bringing couples together. Their businesses are each given a challenge and the winner of the challenge gets to keep their shop on Ever After Street. But when disaster strikes, Franca is shocked Raff is the one to come to her rescue.
This book was really cute and a great addition to my holiday reading. I will definitely go back and start with the first book in the series. 4 Christmassy stars 🎄
September 2, 2024
I received a free copy of, Christmas Ever After, by Jaimie Admans, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is book four of four in The Ever After Street series. Business is not booming at Franca's Nutcracker shop. Christmas time is magical in this holiday read, I really enjoyed the book and I wished I lived by Ever After Street.
January 9, 2025
I am happy to report I enjoyed reading CHRISTMAS EVER AFTER, book 4 in 'The Ever After Street' book series. But, do not fret... you can easily read this as a standalone.
The main characters experience an 'enemies-to-friends-to-lovers' relationship in a slow burning romance. This is not an intense read, but rather, it's lighthearted and not fraught with any over-the-top conflict. I loved Franca and Raff's connection and especially the way Raff was present for her, bringing meaning to both of their lives.
As per all of her stories, Admans is the queen of bantering! She makes the conversations (and inner thoughts) so natural that she leaves me in bookish awe.
Put your feet up, grab yourself a hot beverage, and if an easy, romantic, slow burning read is on your agenda, give this book a try... so worth it!
The main characters experience an 'enemies-to-friends-to-lovers' relationship in a slow burning romance. This is not an intense read, but rather, it's lighthearted and not fraught with any over-the-top conflict. I loved Franca and Raff's connection and especially the way Raff was present for her, bringing meaning to both of their lives.
As per all of her stories, Admans is the queen of bantering! She makes the conversations (and inner thoughts) so natural that she leaves me in bookish awe.
Put your feet up, grab yourself a hot beverage, and if an easy, romantic, slow burning read is on your agenda, give this book a try... so worth it!
December 4, 2024
A delightful festive instalment to the Ever After series, this time we see Admans base the story on the Nutcracker. Whilst it is not my most favourite of Christmas stories, this read is perfectly gorgeous and a great way to get you in the mood for Christmas.
The novel opens with a dramatic disaster. Franca finally has the opportunity to kiss her forever-crush, Jorge, as part of the festive promotional video for Ever After Street. However, disaster strikes, she has a run in with her arch-nemesis, Raphael, and an accident sees her with broken fingers and a live stream that hits views in the thousands! Being a woodworker making traditional nutcracker figures, broken fingers means Franca is out of action. And as the council are so fed up with her and Raphael’s bickering, she has to prove her shop is worthwhile over Raphael’s snow globe business, otherwise she is leaving Ever After Street for good.
This is a classic enemies to lovers story but I liked how Admans doesn’t spend too long on the bickering between Franca and Raff. Instead, Raff feels incredibly guilty about the accident and wants to do everything possible to help his neighbour out. I swooned over his chivalrous behaviour and even Franca cannot refuse to admit that Raff is being genuinely helpful. Over time, feelings develop but Franca cannot forget that Raff’s grandfather matched her now-divorced parents together, creating a tumultuous and strained childhood that Franca can never forget.
Not only do we see Franca change, but I loved the growing relationship between her and Raff. Raff is so pleasant and welcomes Franca into his family without hesitation. It is like Franca needs to thaw out and come alive again at Christmas – very similar to her nutcracker figures.
There is a touch of magic within this story with how Raff’s snow globes have the ability to create love matches. At the same time, I really enjoyed the descriptions of Franca’s shop, especially when she realises there is scope for producing more than just Christmas figures. Seeing both business owners reenergised about their work was a pleasure to witness, but readers know that the council are only prepared to let one shop stay at Ever After Street. Who will be the victor?
This was so perfectly festive and I loved every chapter. Such a strong series from Admans, I am pleased that another one is due to be released next year. You don’t need to have read the other books to enjoy this one but if you loved it, definitely don’t ignore the others! A great story, lovable characters and lashings of hot chocolate make this an idea Christmas Eve read. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The novel opens with a dramatic disaster. Franca finally has the opportunity to kiss her forever-crush, Jorge, as part of the festive promotional video for Ever After Street. However, disaster strikes, she has a run in with her arch-nemesis, Raphael, and an accident sees her with broken fingers and a live stream that hits views in the thousands! Being a woodworker making traditional nutcracker figures, broken fingers means Franca is out of action. And as the council are so fed up with her and Raphael’s bickering, she has to prove her shop is worthwhile over Raphael’s snow globe business, otherwise she is leaving Ever After Street for good.
This is a classic enemies to lovers story but I liked how Admans doesn’t spend too long on the bickering between Franca and Raff. Instead, Raff feels incredibly guilty about the accident and wants to do everything possible to help his neighbour out. I swooned over his chivalrous behaviour and even Franca cannot refuse to admit that Raff is being genuinely helpful. Over time, feelings develop but Franca cannot forget that Raff’s grandfather matched her now-divorced parents together, creating a tumultuous and strained childhood that Franca can never forget.
Not only do we see Franca change, but I loved the growing relationship between her and Raff. Raff is so pleasant and welcomes Franca into his family without hesitation. It is like Franca needs to thaw out and come alive again at Christmas – very similar to her nutcracker figures.
There is a touch of magic within this story with how Raff’s snow globes have the ability to create love matches. At the same time, I really enjoyed the descriptions of Franca’s shop, especially when she realises there is scope for producing more than just Christmas figures. Seeing both business owners reenergised about their work was a pleasure to witness, but readers know that the council are only prepared to let one shop stay at Ever After Street. Who will be the victor?
This was so perfectly festive and I loved every chapter. Such a strong series from Admans, I am pleased that another one is due to be released next year. You don’t need to have read the other books to enjoy this one but if you loved it, definitely don’t ignore the others! A great story, lovable characters and lashings of hot chocolate make this an idea Christmas Eve read. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2024
Franka loves the holidays. She is hoping that she can keep her shop open for the long term. She is trying to come up with some ideas to bring in customers. A quick read.
September 9, 2024
Christmas Ever After is an absolutely delightful Christmas romance. It is the 4th book in the Ever After Street series, but the first I have read and I had no problems enjoying it or following the story. It is Christmas time and Franca Andrews is miserable. Her nutcracker business is not bustling and she has to do something or her shop will close. Dardenne Snow Globes is the business next door and she wants to show everyone that Raff Dardenne is a fraud and their snow globes are not magically bringing couples together. With all their bickering, the team responsible for leases of the buildings give them a challenge. Franca must increase her social media presence and Raff must match 5 couples before Christmas. The loser of the challenge will lose their lease. When disaster strikes and Franca's hand is injured, she needs serious help. It is Raff that steps up to help her. The more time they spend together, the more they realize that they were wrong about each other. Will they both be able to save their businesses? Will they fall in love as they help each other achieve their goals?
This is such a feel good story. It is full of Christmas cheer and festivities. Raff's family is awesome and loves Christmas and all their traditions. Franca is a loner, not speaking to her family, which has helped her to forget what she used to love about Christmas. The way Raff and Franca help each other find what they used to love about their work was wonderful. This is an enemies to friends to lovers story, which is very well written. The secondary characters play a huge part in this story and some of their antics are hilarious. If you enjoy a good Christmas romance, a story with great characters and lots of Christmas magic, then I recommend you pick up Christmas Ever After. I am definitely going to read the previous books in this series.
This is such a feel good story. It is full of Christmas cheer and festivities. Raff's family is awesome and loves Christmas and all their traditions. Franca is a loner, not speaking to her family, which has helped her to forget what she used to love about Christmas. The way Raff and Franca help each other find what they used to love about their work was wonderful. This is an enemies to friends to lovers story, which is very well written. The secondary characters play a huge part in this story and some of their antics are hilarious. If you enjoy a good Christmas romance, a story with great characters and lots of Christmas magic, then I recommend you pick up Christmas Ever After. I am definitely going to read the previous books in this series.
July 27, 2024
ARC Review:
This is a truly heartwarming enemies to lovers book.
The main characters are rival shop owners of year round Christmas stores. Throughout the book they revive the joy of Christmas in each other and bring back the love they each had for their craft and life in general.
I really enjoyed this read; Raff is such a wonderful character! I loved both his & Franca’s humour, but mostly how good natured he is and the fact he is proudly in touch with his emotions. Also we need to talk about how amazing his family is!
My first book by Jaimie Adman’s, but I would definitely read more.
0/5 🌶️ rating
Favourite quotes:
He might be a con-artist, but at least he’s a con-artist who reads.
‘I’d rather eat peanut butter straight from the jar than worry about gaining an extra few pounds. Life’s too short to count calories.’
‘Sorry, I’m a hugger.’ He steps back sharply and holds both hands up in a surrendering gesture. ‘If I see someone in need of a hug, I can’t help myself. Even if they’d probably impale me with a giant nutcracker if they had full use of both hands.’
Crying doesn’t make anyone weak. You don’t always have to be tough and standoffish. It’s okay to need help sometimes
‘I can be nice sometimes, when I’m not busy being an arch-nemesis.’
He throws his arms out and turns in a circle. ‘It’s the craft room of dreams!’
‘Be careful, you’re getting dangerously close to suggesting we have something in common, and it might be against the rules of the universe to have anything in common with your arch-nemesis.’
I’ – he lets out a fed-up sounding sigh, and when he catches the wood this time, he doesn’t toss it again – ‘have nothing left to give.’
It’s my personal mission to support any shop with such a good pun in its name.’
‘Christmas is the time of year to remember what we’ve forgotten and feel like a kid again. You’re never closer to your younger self than you are at Christmas. The years melt away and it’s okay to be young and silly and believe in magic again.’
Maybe I’ve accidentally swallowed a mouthful of sawdust because there’s no way I’m thinking again about Raphael Dardenne being attractive. Sawdust, that must be it.
‘I can’t go for dinner with your family! I can’t hold utensils, Raff! I can’t use a knife and fork! I can’t eat in public! Dardenne public, at that!’ ‘Oh, don’t worry, we keep our horns and cloven hooves hidden at meal times.’
‘Oh, good, it’s “let’s talk about Raff’s love life” time again,’ Raff says good-naturedly. ‘And we’ve only had this conversation three times so far this week, but God forbid we let Franca leave without the full Dardenne experience.’
The existence of a pulse makes you the perfect candidate for my family to embarrass me in front of.’
‘Sorry, I did warn you – I’m a hugger and a crier.’ ‘If only more men were. C’mere.’
‘The world needs more men who aren’t afraid to show their emotions. I know you’re the strong one for your family, but you don’t need to put on a front with me. Life isn’t easy and it gets really tiring trying to pretend that it is.’
‘And I couldn’t possibly think less of you than I did before, so the only way is up.’ His adorable giggle turns into a full-blown guffaw, and somehow, his fingers are still intertwined with mine. ‘A surprisingly comforting thought.’
‘I don’t want you to go, Raff.’ ‘For years, you’ve wanted to see the back of me.’ ‘And now, I quite like seeing the front of you.’
‘I’m not sure if you’re a genius or seriously sleep-deprived…’
‘I think the fumes from your ceramic kiln have scrambled your brain… in the best way possible,’
‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that Maltesers always taste better from a box than from a bag.’
‘Have you read The Hunger Games?’ Raff whispers into my ear, and I nod. ‘It’s like the beginning of that where they can all run to the centre point and grab any weapons they can get, except no one gets horribly murdered in this version.’ He glances behind us. ‘Unless anyone takes that chocolate reindeer. Then all bets are off because that’s ours.
‘Haven’t you eaten enough?’ Erin looks at the quickly diminishing pile of gingerbread on Trisha and Sofia’s cake board. ‘There’s no such thing as enough, Mummy! It’s Christmas!’ Something else we can all agree on.
‘I don’t think any family is perfect, but they’re yours, aren’t they? Every family is individual and there’s no right or wrong, they just are.’
‘Yay!’ He presses a kiss to my cheek from behind and then groans. ‘Can you pretend that you didn’t just hear a fully grown adult man utter the word “yay”?’ I laugh and tilt my head back until my lips find his jaw and brush against it. ‘Trust me, I will never forget, but you have my assurance that I will never tell anyone about this oversight in your manhood.’
‘I’ve never had an arch-nemesis, but I don’t think that’s quite the way you’re supposed to look at someone you hate.’
‘It’s time to move on. Away from nutcrackers, Christmas, and any kind of magic.’ ‘You never believed in magic anyway.’ My lip wobbles and my voice breaks. ‘I did when I was with him. I believed in everything. Enchanted snow globes. The magic of Christmas. Santa.’
Find someone who makes you feel like a Christmas tree when the lights have just been plugged in, and when you do, hold onto him tight, and when things get difficult, you bloody well fight for him too.’
This is a truly heartwarming enemies to lovers book.
The main characters are rival shop owners of year round Christmas stores. Throughout the book they revive the joy of Christmas in each other and bring back the love they each had for their craft and life in general.
I really enjoyed this read; Raff is such a wonderful character! I loved both his & Franca’s humour, but mostly how good natured he is and the fact he is proudly in touch with his emotions. Also we need to talk about how amazing his family is!
My first book by Jaimie Adman’s, but I would definitely read more.
0/5 🌶️ rating
Favourite quotes:
He might be a con-artist, but at least he’s a con-artist who reads.
‘I’d rather eat peanut butter straight from the jar than worry about gaining an extra few pounds. Life’s too short to count calories.’
‘Sorry, I’m a hugger.’ He steps back sharply and holds both hands up in a surrendering gesture. ‘If I see someone in need of a hug, I can’t help myself. Even if they’d probably impale me with a giant nutcracker if they had full use of both hands.’
Crying doesn’t make anyone weak. You don’t always have to be tough and standoffish. It’s okay to need help sometimes
‘I can be nice sometimes, when I’m not busy being an arch-nemesis.’
He throws his arms out and turns in a circle. ‘It’s the craft room of dreams!’
‘Be careful, you’re getting dangerously close to suggesting we have something in common, and it might be against the rules of the universe to have anything in common with your arch-nemesis.’
I’ – he lets out a fed-up sounding sigh, and when he catches the wood this time, he doesn’t toss it again – ‘have nothing left to give.’
It’s my personal mission to support any shop with such a good pun in its name.’
‘Christmas is the time of year to remember what we’ve forgotten and feel like a kid again. You’re never closer to your younger self than you are at Christmas. The years melt away and it’s okay to be young and silly and believe in magic again.’
Maybe I’ve accidentally swallowed a mouthful of sawdust because there’s no way I’m thinking again about Raphael Dardenne being attractive. Sawdust, that must be it.
‘I can’t go for dinner with your family! I can’t hold utensils, Raff! I can’t use a knife and fork! I can’t eat in public! Dardenne public, at that!’ ‘Oh, don’t worry, we keep our horns and cloven hooves hidden at meal times.’
‘Oh, good, it’s “let’s talk about Raff’s love life” time again,’ Raff says good-naturedly. ‘And we’ve only had this conversation three times so far this week, but God forbid we let Franca leave without the full Dardenne experience.’
The existence of a pulse makes you the perfect candidate for my family to embarrass me in front of.’
‘Sorry, I did warn you – I’m a hugger and a crier.’ ‘If only more men were. C’mere.’
‘The world needs more men who aren’t afraid to show their emotions. I know you’re the strong one for your family, but you don’t need to put on a front with me. Life isn’t easy and it gets really tiring trying to pretend that it is.’
‘And I couldn’t possibly think less of you than I did before, so the only way is up.’ His adorable giggle turns into a full-blown guffaw, and somehow, his fingers are still intertwined with mine. ‘A surprisingly comforting thought.’
‘I don’t want you to go, Raff.’ ‘For years, you’ve wanted to see the back of me.’ ‘And now, I quite like seeing the front of you.’
‘I’m not sure if you’re a genius or seriously sleep-deprived…’
‘I think the fumes from your ceramic kiln have scrambled your brain… in the best way possible,’
‘It is a truth universally acknowledged that Maltesers always taste better from a box than from a bag.’
‘Have you read The Hunger Games?’ Raff whispers into my ear, and I nod. ‘It’s like the beginning of that where they can all run to the centre point and grab any weapons they can get, except no one gets horribly murdered in this version.’ He glances behind us. ‘Unless anyone takes that chocolate reindeer. Then all bets are off because that’s ours.
‘Haven’t you eaten enough?’ Erin looks at the quickly diminishing pile of gingerbread on Trisha and Sofia’s cake board. ‘There’s no such thing as enough, Mummy! It’s Christmas!’ Something else we can all agree on.
‘I don’t think any family is perfect, but they’re yours, aren’t they? Every family is individual and there’s no right or wrong, they just are.’
‘Yay!’ He presses a kiss to my cheek from behind and then groans. ‘Can you pretend that you didn’t just hear a fully grown adult man utter the word “yay”?’ I laugh and tilt my head back until my lips find his jaw and brush against it. ‘Trust me, I will never forget, but you have my assurance that I will never tell anyone about this oversight in your manhood.’
‘I’ve never had an arch-nemesis, but I don’t think that’s quite the way you’re supposed to look at someone you hate.’
‘It’s time to move on. Away from nutcrackers, Christmas, and any kind of magic.’ ‘You never believed in magic anyway.’ My lip wobbles and my voice breaks. ‘I did when I was with him. I believed in everything. Enchanted snow globes. The magic of Christmas. Santa.’
Find someone who makes you feel like a Christmas tree when the lights have just been plugged in, and when you do, hold onto him tight, and when things get difficult, you bloody well fight for him too.’
August 27, 2024
As always, I’d like to preface my review with a disclaimer: Jaimie Admans is my best friend. She’s also one of my all-time favourite authors and I’m not just saying that because I love her to bits. I truly adore her books - the laugh-out-loud humour, the swoony romances, the heartfelt storylines, and the fact they always, always leave me feeling hopeful and with a big smile on my face.
Christmas Ever After was such a delight. I loved Franca and Raff and the unconventional and unexpected way they were thrust together. Their banter, as well as Franca’s inner dialogue, was hilarious and had me laughing out loud over and over. I loved watching them grow closer and help each other in countless ways. Raff was top-tier book boyfriend material: sensitive (love a man who’s in touch with his emotions!), sweet, and oh-so-swoony. I love how he showed up for Franca in so many ways and shook up her life in ways she never knew she needed. Raff's family and the whole Ever After Street gang were delightful too, and it was nice to see familiar faces from the previous books.
This magical, hopeful, heartfelt romance is a must-read this holiday season.
*I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts are my own
Christmas Ever After was such a delight. I loved Franca and Raff and the unconventional and unexpected way they were thrust together. Their banter, as well as Franca’s inner dialogue, was hilarious and had me laughing out loud over and over. I loved watching them grow closer and help each other in countless ways. Raff was top-tier book boyfriend material: sensitive (love a man who’s in touch with his emotions!), sweet, and oh-so-swoony. I love how he showed up for Franca in so many ways and shook up her life in ways she never knew she needed. Raff's family and the whole Ever After Street gang were delightful too, and it was nice to see familiar faces from the previous books.
This magical, hopeful, heartfelt romance is a must-read this holiday season.
*I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts are my own
July 28, 2024
I love Jaimie Admans’ books, I love a Christmas book, and I love an ‘enemies to lovers’ book – How excited was I to get this book which has all 3!! This is one of a series of books about ‘Ever After Street’ but can be happily read as a stand-alone book.
Franca is an ex-ballet dancer who runs a nutcracker stall on Ever After Street where it’s Christmas all year long. It would be perfect if it wasn’t for Raf, who runs the snow globe shop nearby. Raf has taken over the shop from his grandfather, and Franca blames him for her parent’s divorce and her horrible childhood. Things get to such a bad place between the two owners that the owners say that the two shops have to prove themselves and one will be leaving. That suits Franca until Raf inadvertently causes an accident which breaks some of her fingers – effectively stopping her working.
I love the characters of Franca and Raf. Both have different things from their childhood which affect their personalities. Franca has divorced parents who hate each other and ruined her childhood. Raf has to go into his grandfather’s business but really doesn’t want to – however Raf’s family are wonderful and very supportive. Jaimie Admans has done it again – not only do I want to read more Ever After books – I want to live there!
Franca is an ex-ballet dancer who runs a nutcracker stall on Ever After Street where it’s Christmas all year long. It would be perfect if it wasn’t for Raf, who runs the snow globe shop nearby. Raf has taken over the shop from his grandfather, and Franca blames him for her parent’s divorce and her horrible childhood. Things get to such a bad place between the two owners that the owners say that the two shops have to prove themselves and one will be leaving. That suits Franca until Raf inadvertently causes an accident which breaks some of her fingers – effectively stopping her working.
I love the characters of Franca and Raf. Both have different things from their childhood which affect their personalities. Franca has divorced parents who hate each other and ruined her childhood. Raf has to go into his grandfather’s business but really doesn’t want to – however Raf’s family are wonderful and very supportive. Jaimie Admans has done it again – not only do I want to read more Ever After books – I want to live there!
July 23, 2024
3.5⭐️
Franca y Raff tiene su negocio en el pueblo de Christmas ever after, ella hace cascanueces de madera y el hace bolas de cristal.
El negocio de él tiene algo particular y es que se supone que puede hacer que las almas gemelas se reconozcan, sólo es necesario que ambos toquen la mismo tiempo una bola de cristal y si los muñecos se mueven significa que es el/la indicado/a.
Franca no lo soporta porque sus padres se casaron por tocar las bolas de cristal, se creyeron el cuento de las almas gemelas y todo terminó mal. Piensa que es un estafador.
Ella lo detesta, él no se deja y le regresa lo que ella ñe haga, siempre están peleando, entonces sus compañeros al estar hartos de tener que aguantarlos hacen una competencia para que uno se quede y el otro se vaya.
No me encantó cuando al principio, pero conforme pasaban los capítulos la historia me envolvió.
Quedaría muy bien como película.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Franca y Raff tiene su negocio en el pueblo de Christmas ever after, ella hace cascanueces de madera y el hace bolas de cristal.
El negocio de él tiene algo particular y es que se supone que puede hacer que las almas gemelas se reconozcan, sólo es necesario que ambos toquen la mismo tiempo una bola de cristal y si los muñecos se mueven significa que es el/la indicado/a.
Franca no lo soporta porque sus padres se casaron por tocar las bolas de cristal, se creyeron el cuento de las almas gemelas y todo terminó mal. Piensa que es un estafador.
Ella lo detesta, él no se deja y le regresa lo que ella ñe haga, siempre están peleando, entonces sus compañeros al estar hartos de tener que aguantarlos hacen una competencia para que uno se quede y el otro se vaya.
No me encantó cuando al principio, pero conforme pasaban los capítulos la historia me envolvió.
Quedaría muy bien como película.
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2024
Enemies to lovers in town of Christmas Ever After. The owners of the snow globe and nutcrackers shops are competing to stay there. A mishap at the official opening of the Christmas season turns into a viral moment with broken bones included. Felt the beginning was a little cringy, but I began to care for the characters and their community. Closed door and sweet.
Read
January 1, 2025This was too much, I feel like this book started ost books would already be 20% in. Telling us all about the back story. Also wtf her crush oinks at her and tells her she ate too many mince pies after someone kicks her off a ladder (doesn't check on her and say sorry) she has broken fingers. Ughhhhh
December 19, 2024
4.5 stars
I’ve read very few Christmas books this year, but the ones I read were so worthwhile!
Christmas Ever After is the fourth book in the Ever After Street series by Jaimie Admans. This author writes enchanting, but also amusing fairytale-like stories unlike anyone else. Her stories are pure delight and always winners for me.
We find ourselves once again on Ever After Street with its Christmas-themed shops and supportive shop owners. In this story we have a rivalry between the owner of the nutcracker shop and the owner of the snow globe shop with long held hurts and hostilities held by one towards the other, and his family in particular.
Raff, the owner of the family-owned snow globe shop, doesn’t even know why Franca, the nutcracker owner, hates him so much. Due to the increasing angst between the two, a competition ensues that could potentially cost the loser their place of business on Ever After Street. When a humiliating and very public mishap injures Franca, Raff steps into help her in every way he can. A friendship ensues, and then something more. Secrets are revealed, wounds are healed, and forgiveness is found. It’s touching, entertaining, and a joy to read. This is yet another heart-warming, charming story from Jaime Admans.
I’ve read very few Christmas books this year, but the ones I read were so worthwhile!
Christmas Ever After is the fourth book in the Ever After Street series by Jaimie Admans. This author writes enchanting, but also amusing fairytale-like stories unlike anyone else. Her stories are pure delight and always winners for me.
We find ourselves once again on Ever After Street with its Christmas-themed shops and supportive shop owners. In this story we have a rivalry between the owner of the nutcracker shop and the owner of the snow globe shop with long held hurts and hostilities held by one towards the other, and his family in particular.
Raff, the owner of the family-owned snow globe shop, doesn’t even know why Franca, the nutcracker owner, hates him so much. Due to the increasing angst between the two, a competition ensues that could potentially cost the loser their place of business on Ever After Street. When a humiliating and very public mishap injures Franca, Raff steps into help her in every way he can. A friendship ensues, and then something more. Secrets are revealed, wounds are healed, and forgiveness is found. It’s touching, entertaining, and a joy to read. This is yet another heart-warming, charming story from Jaime Admans.
August 14, 2024
What a festive and fun Christmas story!!! I loved it so much!!! Jaimie Admans loves all things Christmas and it SHOWS. The setting and atmosphere of the story were absolutely perfect. I wanted to go to all the Christmas themed shops, especially Gnome for the Holidays. (I also loved the punny names of all the stores!)
This book follows Franca, a woman who owns a shop that specializes in custom homemade nutcrackers. After an accident leaves her with broken fingers, she must work with her nemesis Raff, who runs the nearby snow globe store.
I’m not sure I’ve read an enemies to lovers story by this author but this one was so cute! I liked that Franca was the grinchy character, while Raff was absolutely full to the brim with Christmas spirit. It was a fun change and I liked seeing Franca find her joy in the holiday again.
This is a must read for anyone who loves Christmas books. It was adorable! I really wish Ever After Street and Christmas Ever After were real places because I would totally go there!
This book follows Franca, a woman who owns a shop that specializes in custom homemade nutcrackers. After an accident leaves her with broken fingers, she must work with her nemesis Raff, who runs the nearby snow globe store.
I’m not sure I’ve read an enemies to lovers story by this author but this one was so cute! I liked that Franca was the grinchy character, while Raff was absolutely full to the brim with Christmas spirit. It was a fun change and I liked seeing Franca find her joy in the holiday again.
This is a must read for anyone who loves Christmas books. It was adorable! I really wish Ever After Street and Christmas Ever After were real places because I would totally go there!
September 12, 2024
Jaimie Admans - Christmas Ever After
Welcome back to Jaimie Admans’ magical Ever After Street series. Christmas Ever After is book 4, but each and every book can easily be read as a stand-alone story. However, as always, I’d strongly suggest reading the series in order to get the absolute most out of these gorgeous stories.
In a little town on the Welsh border lies a street where Disney and fairytales are the theme.
Just off Ever After Street is a small community of shops where it’s Christmas all year round.
Franca runs her own shop where she makes and sells nutcrackers.
As the festive season is fast approaching, the future of Franca’s shop is in doubt.
An unfortunate accident leaves Franca unable to work. The only person who can help her is the man who Franca believes to be a fraud and her sworn enemy.
Raff has his own Christmas shop opposite Franca’s. He makes and sells snow globes that are believed to be magical.
Can these two bury their differences and save both of their much loved shops and maybe bring a bit of Christmas sparkle into each other’s lives?
It was an absolute joy to be back on Ever After Street. Jaimie Admans has created the most warm hearted community of wonderful characters who live and work in this special place.
#ChristmasEverAfter is a little bit bonkers. It’s laugh out loud funny and it’s a sweet love story that will make your tummy tingle.
It’s brought together beautifully as only Jaimie Admans can.
If you like your books with a captivating story, loveable character and a bit of magic and sparkle, you will love Christmas Ever After.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Welcome back to Jaimie Admans’ magical Ever After Street series. Christmas Ever After is book 4, but each and every book can easily be read as a stand-alone story. However, as always, I’d strongly suggest reading the series in order to get the absolute most out of these gorgeous stories.
In a little town on the Welsh border lies a street where Disney and fairytales are the theme.
Just off Ever After Street is a small community of shops where it’s Christmas all year round.
Franca runs her own shop where she makes and sells nutcrackers.
As the festive season is fast approaching, the future of Franca’s shop is in doubt.
An unfortunate accident leaves Franca unable to work. The only person who can help her is the man who Franca believes to be a fraud and her sworn enemy.
Raff has his own Christmas shop opposite Franca’s. He makes and sells snow globes that are believed to be magical.
Can these two bury their differences and save both of their much loved shops and maybe bring a bit of Christmas sparkle into each other’s lives?
It was an absolute joy to be back on Ever After Street. Jaimie Admans has created the most warm hearted community of wonderful characters who live and work in this special place.
#ChristmasEverAfter is a little bit bonkers. It’s laugh out loud funny and it’s a sweet love story that will make your tummy tingle.
It’s brought together beautifully as only Jaimie Admans can.
If you like your books with a captivating story, loveable character and a bit of magic and sparkle, you will love Christmas Ever After.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 1, 2024
Fairytales meet Christmas on Ever After Street which leads these fiery enemies to lovers through a sweet romance that you won't want to miss! Christmas Ever After is the cul-de-sac at splits off of Ever After Street and as you can imagine, all the shops on Christmas Ever After are Christmas themed, but what happens when the Nutcracker shop and the snow globe shop have declared war on each other? Yep, fireworks all around. Ok, maybe not fireworks exactly, but as they say there is a fine line between love and hate which our main characters prove once again! As always, wonderful characters complete with witty dialogue, tear inducing emotions and snorting out loud with laughter all wrapped around a fun plot. The plot is extremely well written and will have you wanting to curl up with a cup of cocoa or hot cinnamon tea while you read the day away! This is the perfect Christmas addition to the Ever After series. I do highly recommend that you read the series in order as you will gain hours of wonderful entertainment as well as getting to know all the characters so much better. Many characters from previous books make an appearance in this book so the backstories will help you connect even more with the book!
December 13, 2024
Franca Andrews is not looking forward to Christmas this year, her nutcracker business is struggling and the council have decided to put her and Dardenne Snow Globes up against each other, whichever business comes out on top gets to stay on Ever After Street and Franca doesn't know how she can compete with Raff Dardenne's magical creations, after all they've been matching couples for many years, although she's convinced it's all a lie and is determined to find out. Then Franca has an accident, which is caused by Raff and she's left with her hand in a splint and unable to make anything, she needs help to keep her business afloat and the only person offering is Raff, how will she get through Christmas and still have her precious shop, and can she and Raff overcome their differences?
Christmas Ever After is the latest in the Ever After series by Admans and, once again, she brings joy to her readers on this delightful street. I loved the characters of Franca and Raff who started off as enemies, but there was so much explosive chemistry between them I was certain this was going to end in a happy ever after. It was great to see the return of all the other shopkeepers mentioned in previous instalments of this series and witness again the fabulous community spirit that is so evident here. The in-depth descriptions we know and love from Admans books transports us, the readers, right into the pages of her stories and plonks us down alongside these characters, where we experience the happy and sad times with them, which once again brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes. Another great read in this series and I'm looking forward to the next one already.
Christmas Ever After is the latest in the Ever After series by Admans and, once again, she brings joy to her readers on this delightful street. I loved the characters of Franca and Raff who started off as enemies, but there was so much explosive chemistry between them I was certain this was going to end in a happy ever after. It was great to see the return of all the other shopkeepers mentioned in previous instalments of this series and witness again the fabulous community spirit that is so evident here. The in-depth descriptions we know and love from Admans books transports us, the readers, right into the pages of her stories and plonks us down alongside these characters, where we experience the happy and sad times with them, which once again brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes. Another great read in this series and I'm looking forward to the next one already.
December 18, 2024
Unfortunately, I can't say this was as good as the rest in the series. In my opinion, it should have been part of its own little series because it doesn't really have anything to do with a Disney themed shop. I know its not technically Ever After Street, its Christmas Ever After but I read the series for the retellings of Disney movies, not an original story. It wasn't bad by any means, I just felt like there was a bit to be improved on. I felt that the characters instantly started being nice to each other, there wasn't enough bickering or fighting to make me believe that they even disliked each other in the first place. It all felt very rushed from the character development to the rest of the plot. I felt that the plot wasn't really as exciting as the other books and felt that there was nothing really to lose and no thrill like the first three. The main character seemed extremely immature for a 38 year old and if I had to read her say "aww" one more time I was going to lose my mind. It just completely took any affection completely out for me. If you're wanting to read this because of the other books, I can't recommend going out of your way to do so but if you're just wanting a nice Christmas story and you haven't read the others in the series, go right ahead.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC.
Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this eARC.
September 6, 2024
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, Jaimie Admans and Boldwood Books for this ARC.
Christmas Ever After is book 4 in the Ever After Street series.
Franca has won the lottery on Ever After Street to be the woman to kiss the man selected in the lottery under the arch on December the first, which will also be live-streamed. But things done go the way anyone expected as she falls and breaks her fingers and everyone witnessed the drama live! This was all because of her arch-nemesis, Raff Dardenne, but how will she beat him in the competition to keep her shop in January!
This was an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers novel and was just the book I needed. I haven't yet read the other books in the series but I don't think you need to and it can be read as a standalone. Raff was a perfect gentleman and his family was exactly what Franca needed. However, I did think some sections were longer than they needed to be and the "aaw's" were a bit much too.
Christmas Ever After is book 4 in the Ever After Street series.
Franca has won the lottery on Ever After Street to be the woman to kiss the man selected in the lottery under the arch on December the first, which will also be live-streamed. But things done go the way anyone expected as she falls and breaks her fingers and everyone witnessed the drama live! This was all because of her arch-nemesis, Raff Dardenne, but how will she beat him in the competition to keep her shop in January!
This was an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers novel and was just the book I needed. I haven't yet read the other books in the series but I don't think you need to and it can be read as a standalone. Raff was a perfect gentleman and his family was exactly what Franca needed. However, I did think some sections were longer than they needed to be and the "aaw's" were a bit much too.
October 9, 2025
Christmas Ever After is part of a series but can totally be read as a stand alone.
This is the story of Franca (owner of the nutcracker shop) and Raff (owner of the snowglobe shop), who don't see eye to eye on anything and have to do a little competition to see who's shop must close in the new year. Franca gets injured because of another discussion and breaks a few fingers why she's unable to make any more nutcrackers. Raff, feeling guilty, offers to help Franca to save her shop.
What a fun and lovable story this is! I love the enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity tropes, the festive environment and the fact that both MC's have their own flaws and insecurities.
It's so well written and had me smitten from start to end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this in advance in exchange for my honest review.
This is the story of Franca (owner of the nutcracker shop) and Raff (owner of the snowglobe shop), who don't see eye to eye on anything and have to do a little competition to see who's shop must close in the new year. Franca gets injured because of another discussion and breaks a few fingers why she's unable to make any more nutcrackers. Raff, feeling guilty, offers to help Franca to save her shop.
What a fun and lovable story this is! I love the enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity tropes, the festive environment and the fact that both MC's have their own flaws and insecurities.
It's so well written and had me smitten from start to end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this in advance in exchange for my honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2024
I LOVE an enemies-to-lovers trop! This was such a cute Christmas novel......the relationship between Franca and Raff was slow building, but worth the wait. There was tension and misunderstandings and little moments between the two characters that had me laughing and swooning at the same time. I was sure the ending would have gone different and Franca would have taken her opportunity, but she didn't.
I enjoyed how it all came together and worked out in the end! A feel-good Christmas read that everyone will enjoy.
(I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Jaimie Admans.)
I enjoyed how it all came together and worked out in the end! A feel-good Christmas read that everyone will enjoy.
(I received a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Jaimie Admans.)
February 17, 2025
I listened to the audiobook read by Emma Noakes.) This is the first book I’ve read by Jaimie Admans. I almost quit reading as I tried to plow through the beginning of the book. The MFC, Franca, just seemed like a pitiful whiner. But I kept at it, and did enjoy it very much by the end of the book. The setting was fun and the characters were enjoyable.
June 1, 2025
These books are like a warm hug.
September 25, 2024
So cute!
November 21, 2025
This was cute and I like the setting but why does she have to say “awww” so much 😭
August 16, 2024
Christmas Ever After is the latest glowing installment in the fabulous Ever After Street series, but could totally be read as a standalone.
This book just sparkles with humour and witty one liners, with two genuinely likeable main characters to root for. Franca and Raff have been committed enemies for years, dedicated to sabotaging each other's businesses and reputations, much to the dismay of the local council and their fellow shop keepers.
A quirky twist of bad luck causes them to get to know each other better and see each other in a new light - but will it be enough to stop the Council evicting one or both of them from Ever After Street? You definitely need to read this book and find out! Enjoy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy.
#ChristmasEverAfter #NetGalley
This book just sparkles with humour and witty one liners, with two genuinely likeable main characters to root for. Franca and Raff have been committed enemies for years, dedicated to sabotaging each other's businesses and reputations, much to the dismay of the local council and their fellow shop keepers.
A quirky twist of bad luck causes them to get to know each other better and see each other in a new light - but will it be enough to stop the Council evicting one or both of them from Ever After Street? You definitely need to read this book and find out! Enjoy.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the review copy.
#ChristmasEverAfter #NetGalley
November 11, 2024
Holiday perfection! Jaimie Admans always has the sweetest holiday books, and I just can't get enough. I actually wait every year to see if a new one is coming out.
I love the setting of Ever After Street, a charming little small town street where a bunch of cute little shops exist, one end of it being strictly Christmas year round. In this story, you meet a woman who owns her own shop and makes exquisite nutcrackers and a man who now owns a shop handed down through his family that makes snowglobes. They start out as enemies, both in competition to keep their spot on the street, desperate to take the other one down. But after an unfortunate mishap, they learn to accept help from each other, to work together, and that the other one isn't so bad after all. They even end up falling in love!
Is this story predictable? Like most Christmas books, yes, it is. But that didn't bother me one bit. The holiday vibes were on point. It was full of Hallmark sweetness, and everything from the characters to the setting put me in a holly jolly mood. I loved everything about it!
I love the setting of Ever After Street, a charming little small town street where a bunch of cute little shops exist, one end of it being strictly Christmas year round. In this story, you meet a woman who owns her own shop and makes exquisite nutcrackers and a man who now owns a shop handed down through his family that makes snowglobes. They start out as enemies, both in competition to keep their spot on the street, desperate to take the other one down. But after an unfortunate mishap, they learn to accept help from each other, to work together, and that the other one isn't so bad after all. They even end up falling in love!
Is this story predictable? Like most Christmas books, yes, it is. But that didn't bother me one bit. The holiday vibes were on point. It was full of Hallmark sweetness, and everything from the characters to the setting put me in a holly jolly mood. I loved everything about it!
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