A Curvy Wonderland

by Kelsie Stelting

What happens when the Christmas-loving curvy girl is forced to volunteer for a Christmas charity with the grumpiest guy in a town?

I’m babysitting two little girls while their mom works and their dad’s deployed. Their mom asked me to keep them busy serving others so they don’t have time to miss their dad. I’m all for it… until I realize the charity she signed us up for is managed by the Scrooge-iest guy in town.

You’d think someone who’s grown up selling Christmas trees with a giant, fluffy dog named Bauble would have a little more holiday spirit but no such luck. His parents put him in charge of the project to try boosting his mood.

At first, I’m not sure their plan is working, but once I see his gentler side with the girls, I start falling for him, even though I know we’re more opposite than peppermint and garlic.

As he opens up to me, I have to wonder… Does all the mistletoe in town have my head coming up with make-believe stories that will never come true? Is he being nice just for the girls? Or could he be thawing his heart for me too?

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Young Adult, Holiday, Audiobook, Novella, Fiction

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 8, 2024

About the author

Kelsie Stelting is a body positive romance author who writes love stories with strong characters, deep feelings, and happy endings.

She currently lives in Colorado. You can often find her writing, spending time with family, and soaking up too much sun wherever she can find it.

Visit www.kelsiestelting.com to get a free story and sign up for her readers' group!

Reviews

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable. Truly a cute little cozy read! I loved the grumpy x sunshine vibes in this one.The author makes the best YA Christmas vibe books!

[suonnahbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A curvy wonderland
- we love a grumpy x sunshine
- They are so cute with the kids
- We love an icy heart warming up
- Such adorable and cozy story

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something to know about me is I am a Hallmark Christmas movie gal to the extreme, so to read not one but three stories with those kind of vibes that features a curvy girl; I am freaking obsessed! Garland, Maine is a place of my dreams. As you can imagine, everything is Christmas themed from Mistletoe Hill to Cider Center, Scrooge’s Diner, Cocoa Corner, Jingles, The Nutcracker shop and Fall La La La La skating rink. These books were the perfect Christmas magic happily ever after’s. I love that Kelsie writes about plus sized girls who get the cute guys. Thank you, Kelsie, for writing such uplifting, body positivity books. ❤️

𝗔 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝘃𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 features Eldan, a grumpy guy (think the Grinch) who is tasked with running a giving tree to help the community out and Holly, a sunshiney gal who babysits two adorable girls over the holiday. The girls’ dad isn’t able to make it home for Christmas so to help them focus on something else, they join in on the giving tree to help others out. You might just get to see Eldan’s heart grow three sizes!

[Lissereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this trilogy of little novellas. Kelsie has a way of telling the most beautiful heartfelt stories. They sucked me right in. These are perfect palate cleansers for this season. No spice, these are YA and I couldn’t stop reading these. Hallmark vibes, body positivity, loving yourself while finding your HEA. Guaranteed to give your heart a squeeze! Totally recommend it!! Curvy girls rule!

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the cutest holiday romance read. I absolutely loved the small town of Garland, and all of the charm and holiday spirit. The storyline was super cute and I loved seeing Holly and Eldan’s relationship develop.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cutest little way to start the festive season. The storyline was very cute and Christmas themed and the characters were the perfect mixture of grumpy/sunshine meaning there is something for everyone.

Favourite character: Eldan - I am also a bit of a Scrooge about Christmas but love to make it fun for the people around me! Adored his background story and his adorable emotional support dog Bob (Bauble). His redemption arc was also kinda perfect and you’d struggle not to have a soft spot for him after it!

This book is the perfect Christmas read for anyone wanting a short YA romance to give you that festive feeling I just wish it could have been longer! Thankfully there are two more books in the same series to dive straight into 😁

(I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Cute, Hallmark-y, YA Christmas novella. Curvy girl representation and lots of holiday activities! I enjoyed it and read it in an hour and a half. Loved the charitable acts throughout and the message about gratitude and empathy. Lots of typos that really nagged me. Felt very surface-level and had minimal romantic tension, but that’s understandable because it was only 150 pages.

[Kylee Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick sweet and wonderful Christmas story. Enjoyed every second of it. ❤️💚❤️💚

[Ashley Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book brought on all the feelings! I was sad and happy and heartbroken. This book reminds you of the real reason for the season!

[Amy Reierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly is joy and happiness she is kindness and hope. Eldan has had trauma and fears being left behind especially around Christmas.
As Holly and the two little girls she takes care of help Eldan with the giving tree charity his mom has insisted he run this season they both discover that words, wishes, and feelings are all things that often need great care, but they also can bring you the greatest joy when you can be brave enough to share them with others. I really loved this story with Eldan's introverted yet caring nature and Holly's outgoing yet calming kind presence. They really complemented each other in the best way.
I have voluntarily left this review.

[B.B. Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚BOOK REVIEW 📚

⭐️Goodread Rating: 4.08/5⭐️
💫My Rating: 4/5 💫

⚠️Trigger Warnings ⚠️
Grief, Military Family, Adoption Due to Family Dynamics,

📝My Review📝

The count down to Christmas is here! Working on getting myself into that holiday spirit. I always look forward to my holiday Hallmark movies, but I also crave the holiday romance. I want the latest “hallmark book” each season to really soak in the holiday cheer. If you’re feeling a bit like scrooge this year, maybe the latest “Hallmark” YA romance book is just the ticket you need to bring in that Holly-Jollyness to your day! The Curvy Girl Series’ holiday editions are out now, and they are a MUST read for the holidays!

This series, written by Kelsie Stelting, is the perfect book for YA Readers who are looking for high school romance with little spice. This series is body positive, clean, cutesy romantic, and fun! The new holiday editions continue these attributes as they lead you on a journey in a festive town called Garland and follow three plus size heroines in their journey of self confidence, love, and holiday fun. While these books are intertwined with each other in characters, time, and place. They can be read as a stand alone. I will be writing reviews for all three The Curvy Girl holiday editions. You will find my second review from this series below. A Curvy Wonderland is a story that tells the true reason for the holiday season and features

A Curvy Wonderland Review

As the a reader of A Curvy Wonderland, you are immersed back into the world with cheesy Christmas references that continue to make your heart warm and your body chuckle. Kelsie has stolen the hearts of readers through her touching and lifelike adventures of two charming little girls, a holiday leading lady, and a solitary gentleman with a grinch like facade.

It is Christmas break where everyone local and visiting come together to celebrate the holiday season in Garland. Well that’s everyone except for the two little girls father who is on deployment and cannot make it home. A Christmas without their dad is devastating and Holly (MFC) is determined to make this season better for them!
Per their mom’s request, Holly and the girls have been tasked to assist in spreading holiday cheer by completing wishes found on the giving tree located at the local tree farm. Little did they know they would be paired up with the town’s youngest grinch.

Working and living in a Christmas centered environment has been suffocating for Eldan (MMC). Each holiday season is a reminder of his past and the haunting old feelings that continue to plague him. He was counting the days till he could leave the festive environment in search for his new start. Keeping his head down and completing the task at the tree farm for his last year was his only goal. However, his mom had other plans. Starting a new event/service for the community, his mom has placed him in charge of completing every request from the giving tree. This project didn’t appear to be an inconvenience or display possible conflicts, which was true until 3 individuals walked into the store’s door.
Will Holly make this a holiday season to remember, or will the town’s grinch’s steal their Christmas spirit? Can Eldan thaw his frozen heart to allow it to grow three sizes from Holly and the girls’ holiday spirit?

Make your Christmas jolly with a small town young contemporary romance of the season! While the banter and cheesy lines continue within this novel like the other two in the series, A Curvy Wonderland brings a narrative that reminds the reader what the true meaning of Christmas is. Stelting has written a journey of bringing joy and love through acts of kindness throughout the community of Garland. These acts of kindness, ranging from small to large, really do make a difference within the community. Each act completed by the characters are relatable and easily replicated for those who may feel inspired. Christmas is the season of giving, but in today’s world the idea of giving is very commercialized. Yet, Stelting does an amazing job to remind us, as the readers, what the true spirit of Christmas means through her incredible writing and story telling.

It’s not too late to experience the true meaning of Christmas this season! A Curvy Wonderland is available now! If you want the digital version as a Christmas read this year, Amazon has it available!

Follow me for more reviews! Coming Soon: Santa Loves Curvy Girls

🤍Thanks to Kelsie Stelting for trusting me with their novel in return for my personal review

[Raven9308 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I devoured these short holiday YA/innocent stories! I needed some stories to get me in the holiday spirit and these did the trick. I thought this one was clever with how the main characters had to work together and help the townfolk.

I did notice a lot of typos in this one so that took me out of the story multiple times (the MMC's name changed throughout so it caught me off guard). I liked seeing Eldan grow in this book and melt his frosty exterior with each task he did for the giving tree. I loved the variety of the tasks and how the people who received the holiday cheer were so appreciative. I loved the two little girls, they stole the show and I could imagine them in my head as I was reading. This would be an amazing on-screen movie, very Hallmark but good storyline and not just cheesy haha.

I liked the body positive message in this one and how Eldan saw Holly/didnt comment or think of her size as being a hindrance or issue. As a bigger girl all my life I would have killed for this kind of positive reinforcement. This does has a miscommunication/3rd act breakup if you will, but it doesnt take long for this to be righted haha. I loved the ending at the end, got me all emotional with the last couple wishes Eldan helped make come true.

And did I mention how adorable the dog's name is?!?! and the whole concept of the Christmas tree farm hit close to home. We have been getting live trees where we cut them down ourselves for over 15 years and it was the favorite thing my dad would look forward to for christmas. We lost him a year ago, so this made me nostalgic and bring out the happy memories from our trips and adventures.

Adorable storyline, enjoyed this more than book 1 and went right into book 3 (that one was definitely my favorite haha). Again I usually read smutty books but it was good to get a little refresh with the holiday spirit, put me in the right mood with Christmas approaching.

[The Half-blood Reader]

Dual pov
Sweet clean YA Christmas romance
Plus size fmc
Grumpy/Sunshine
Forced Proximity
Small town obsessed with the holiday
Body positivity
Bauble (Bob), the adorable service dog
Babysitting twin girls
Granting wishes and making some lonely soul's day
Festive outfits
Christmas tree farm
Low stakes
HEA

The books follow a group of 5 friends: Belle, Carolynn, Bethany, Holly, and Sera. Unfortunately, we only see them together briefly at the beginning.

The Christmas-oriented town is quirky, containing its own Christmas-hating Scrooge à les Gilmore Girls' Luke.

“Do you want to know what I thought about you when I first saw you?”
My lips quirked. “Do I?”
He squeezed my hand. “I thought, gosh it should be a crime to like Christmas this much.”

This is a wholesome and lighthearted read for fans of Hallmark holiday romance films. It is quick to go through for an easy feel-good time, the characters not containing many layers. Equally good for palette cleansing. But it's also full of low-key teen dramatics that may not be everyone's cup of tea* 🤣

"But the most offensive part of her appearance was a winter hat where the bauble on the top looked like a snowman with a tiny top hat."

For me, this was the more palatable of the three A Curvy Girl Christmas novels. The twins were cute, the foursome did something worthwhile and giving with their holiday time, Scrooge gave advice to fellow Christmas grump, Eldan.

Still kind of basic for me.

It has a sort of third act breakup which I'm not a fan of.

*Thanks to his trauma, not her behaviour

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0

likes:
this was such a cute light-hearted set of Christmas novellas that are quick & easy reads. theyre fluff books that are good feel good reads for the holidays. the books follow a group of three best friends, starting at a scene where they make a wish on the star of a town christmas tree as part of a town tradition then splitting up as they each have their own journey to love. all three books take place over the same time span and have references and cameos of the other characters throughout.

criticisms:
they all follow the same sort of plot: forced proximity, bond, kiss once, break up, christmas magic gets them back together, happily ever after so once you've read one you can guess the whole plot of the others.

and books 2 and three are almost the same thing just gender swapped and slightly different backstories with one mc hating christmas, being forced to spend time together doing christmassy things, break up happens right after the first kiss and is miscommunication over one of the mcs being paid for that time but they actually refused the money.

also in book three, at least in my arc copy there were a handful of errors that threw me off, like the events of the scene at the tree being wrong and multiple character names being spelled wrong including the mmc

tysm to the author for the arcs of this series

[Tiffany Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holiday Treat!

A Curvy Wonderland is a YA novellas. Sunshine teen meets the Grumpy teen, forced proximity romance.

We meet Eldan who is not a fan of Christmas even though he lives in Garland, Maine. A town that is Christmas themed and his parents own a Christmas tree farm. His mother decides since this is his last Christmas before he leaves to go off to college to put in charge of the giving tree. In the hopes that it will help him with his past trauma.

Holly tends to spend her holiday break babysitting two of the cutest littles girls ever, and having fun with them with all the Christmas activities around town. However, the plans are changed when the mother tells Holly that their father who is deployed will not be coming home on Christmas Eve like they had planned. So to keep them girls from being upset she has volunteered them to help out Eldan with giving tree.

The feelings growing between Eldan and Holly are slow, and sweet and they both learn to let down their exterior walls and let each other fall in love. The book is very well written and easy to sit and read in one go. I can not wait to read the other two novellas in this series.

I received an ARC copy of this book from Bookfunnel, and I’m voluntarily leaving an honest review for the author.

[Curvy Girls Read Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curvy Girl Christmas is a YA series of novellas, each a sweet Christmas romance based in Garland, Maine. If you're a fan of Hallmark's holidays movies, these are right up your alley.

Holly plans to spend her holiday break babysitting her charges and doing all of the Christmas activities in Garland. Unfortunately, the girls learn that their dad won't make it home from deployment in time for Christmas. In an attempt to take their minds of their sadness, Holly will take the girls to volunteer and serve others in the hopes of bringing smiles to their faces.

Eldan can't wait for Christmas to be over. Not a fan of the season, Eldan has some past trauma that keeps him from getting into the holiday spirit. When his mom arranges for him to volunteer and serve others over his break, Eldan reluctantly agrees.

Feelings between Eldan and Holly slowly grow as she learns that his grumpy exterior is simply that - a veneer. If you enjoy a grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity romance, with a lovable Tibetan mastiff named Bauble, you'll love this one!

[Moni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is the first book of the author's that I've read and I would like to read more from her. It's a Curvy Girl Christmas book and can be read as a standalone, though the author suggests reading this book first. A Curvy Wonderland is told through Holly and Eldan's pov and is a sweet YA romance about the true meaning of Christmas.

CW: brief mentions of loss and deployment
Spice: sweet kisses

Appropriately named, Holly was full of joy and loved spreading cheer during the Christmas season. Unlike her, Eldan just wanted to get through the season and was counting down the days when he would graduate and leave Garland, their Christmas loving town. I loved how they had to work together running different kind of errands around town and experienced the importance of giving back. As they brightened the days of the townspeople, it was nice to see Eldan's heart melt and go out of his way to do something extra. The romance was the cutest and one that is appropriate for all ages to read. Given that and the fact that this story contains a body positive message, it makes the perfect gift for a teen and those who love sweet YA romance.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute feel good story taking place during the Christmas season sprinkled with a little Christmas magic. When I say magic, I mean in a very loose sense, helping others, helping themselves and bringing others joy.

This is the first story in A Curvy Christmas series, A Curvy Wonderland is about two young adults- Holly, who is full of sunshine and gumdrops and Elden, the grumpy, quiet teen who likes to keep to himself for reasons untold. These two were forced to spend time together bringing Christmas cheer to others and the unexpected happens. Enjoy their journey to the best Christmas ever.

As Kelsie states:
“The truth is, you don’t need a Christmas star to make the season magical—you have all the magic you need right inside you, and it’s even better when you share it with someone else.”

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars 💚


This book was super adorable, quick and filled with just enough emotion to make your heart feel for the characters, but not enough to cry for them.

I loved how the MMC thought she was beautiful from day 1. He never mentioned her size or even thought about it during his POV.

The reason I deducted .5 stars from this book is because of grammatical errors or just typos that weren’t caught during editing. I know some mistakes are bound to happen from time to time, but there were too many for such a short book.


Main Tropes:

💚 plus size FMC
🎄 Christmas volunteers
💚 Scrooge x Buddy the Elf
🎄 military family rep
💚 small town
🎄 dual POV
💚 YA romance (mild kisses only)

❤️‍🩹 Content Warnings: childhood abandonment, therapy, drug addiction mentioned, & adoption


Follow me on bookstagram for more bookish content @brisbooksandbackpacks 🥳

[Jackie Weissman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute holiday read! Like a Hallmark movie wrapped up into a book. I love Christmas movies, so put it in book form and I’m all in!

Even though this was a short novella it carried a lot. The little town of Garland was adorable. Holly was the cutest sparkle of joy. Her personality was so positive, happy and likable. I loved seeing grumpy Eldan come around and have some Christmas spirit. What he did at the end for the girls was so sweet!

This was my first Kelsie book and certainly won’t be my last. Loved the uplifting feel good vibes of this story. Short, sweet, and innocent book with all the Christmas feels!! Sometimes you just need a light hearted wholesome story that makes you feel good. I’ll always love the YA genre for that reason!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[all.book3d.up · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly loves Christmas. It’s her favorite time of year. This year, she makes a wish on the Garland Christmas star to have the best Christmas ever. Next thing she knows, she’s working with the grumpiest boy in town on a charity project.

Eldan has hated Christmas since he was little. Unfortunately, his mom has volunteered him to be in charge of the giving tree charity that the family Christmas tree farm runs. And to make things worse, the cheeriest Christmas-loving girl will be assisting him.

Grumpy meets sunshine in this quick Christmas novella that will have every Hallmark Christmas movie lover happy.

[Haley has moved to Fable · Rating 4 out of 5]

Curvy Girl Christmas - Arc Review
these three christmas romances are exactly what i needed in high school. i loved watching all of the cheesy hallmark christmas movies, but never got to see myself in any of them. if you enjoyed Let It Snow or Dash and Lily, you will absolutely love this set of Christmas stories. each story is a quick and lighthearted read with a holiday-themed happily ever after

the details 🎄
- YA Christmas romance
- small town
- dual pov
- plus size rep fmc
- found family
- lots of Christmas magic
- secret identity ( Santa Loves Curvy Girls )
- forced proximity ( A Curvy Carol )
- grumpy x sunshine ( A Curvy Wonderland )

[Miss.Smiley Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I read through the books I felt myself getting cosier and falling in love with the characters, their development and the small town with a big sense of community.
This stories have so much warmth and a true Christmassy feel whilst reading them, grab yourself a snuggly blanket, a mega mug of hot choccie and some snacks because you won’t want to move until you’ve devoured this festive treat of books.

Holly is giving me a Cindy-Lou vibe whilst Eldan gives Grinch.
Nick and Belle are full on festive vibes for me full of wholesome cuteness.
The gorgeousness of Carolynn and Whit as they blossom individually and together is lush, showing us that relationships are give and take.

[Arceli · Rating 5 out of 5]

*A Curvy Wonderland* by Kelsie Stelting is a sweet and festive grumpy-sunshine romance that’s perfect for the holidays. The story follows a cheerful, Christmas-loving curvy girl who finds herself volunteering alongside the town’s resident Scrooge. Their banter is playful, the chemistry is undeniable, and his softer side—especially with two adorable girls and a fluffy dog named Bauble—makes him irresistible. Themes of family, community, and finding love in unexpected places shine throughout. With mistletoe moments and plenty of holiday charm, this book delivers all the cozy, feel-good vibes. A delightful, heartwarming read to snuggle up with this Christmas season!

[Alicia Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not stop smiling throughout this book. It was so cute. I loved this sweet story. It was perfect to read right before Christmas. It was an easy read with a cute close proximity clean romance story. I loved the quiet misunderstood Alden and thought he as so adorable the way he felt quietly and started noticing Holly. Holly was so full of Christmas Spirit and was a friend to all. I loved watching them develop feelings for each other. My only complaint was there were a few inconsistencies and grammar errors, but it did not take away from the adorable story. This was a sweet short story perfect for all ages with light kissing to enjoy on Christmas Eve every year.

[Courtney Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit more mature for a Christmas romance novella. It tackles problems common around holidays such as missing a military parent deployed or struggling with ideas of family and what you have.

I liked this one a bit more than the others in this series because it tackled these problems instead of focusing only on the romance. I think it was heartwarming to have these characters talk through their emotions about these issues since so many people can relate to it.

I’m still fascinated they’re this friend group that haven’t actually interacted since the opening scene in Belle’s book. I guess it’s more following each girl’s perspective through the holidays instead.

[Aaliyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

~Arc Review~
Tropes-
Small town
Dual Pov
Grumpy/Sunshine

This series is so fun! Eldan the MMC is forced to help people for the Christmas season by his parents and Holly the FMC has offered to help with the two adorable little girls she babysits. I thought it was so cute to see Eldan pretend like he didn’t care but then get to his Pov to see how deeply he felt. What Eldan did for the girls was so thoughtful 🥹and I loved how they all purposely dressed extra Christmasy to get on his nerves.

Thank you Kelsie for sending me these books!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly and Elden…. My heart ached for them both and then my tears turned to joy 🥹 a short, magical Xmas story that seriously got me in the feels, Kelsie - I LOVE the way that you make me fall in love with your couples as a whole even in such a short story, there are so few story’s that will literally make my heart ache, my eyes cry and my face smile all in the space of a 1.5 hour 1 session read!! (Although my husband would probably prefer you didn’t make me giggle as much while he’s trying to sleep at midnight 🤭🤭)

[Rina ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! I'm a sucker for a good grumpy/sunshine story and this one did not disappoint. This book had me swooning, laughing and even crying in the very best way. Holly and Eldan are total opposites that somehow make the perfect pair. The way that they come together to create some holiday magic by helping others in their community is truly heartwarming. And I can't forget Eldan's dog Bauble the tibetan mastiff. He had my heart from the very beginning! If you like reading sweet holiday romance then this story is for you. I highly recommend it!

[Loopy Lou Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is everything you look for in a typical Hallmark christmas movie. It is so cute and sweet that it makes cookies seem sour. And I loved it. I loved every second of it. I loved the grumpy x Sunshine, I love the plus-size fmc, and I love the everyday magic that anyone can do with just a touch of kindness!
And if that doesn't convince you to give it a read, then maybe the dedication will
"For anyone struggling with diet culture this holiday—forget the calories, enjoy the hot chocolate. It pairs perfectly with this story. ;)"