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Pine Harbour Little Tree Farm #1
The Ex-mas Breakup
When the spicy “exes with benefits” summer fling escalates to a “fake dating for the holidays” rom com full of kick-your-feet feelings!
A booty call with your ex? Bad decision, Rory.
I really thought it would be a one-time thing. A hormonal moment of weakness where I text him a funny ha-ha realization that I’m ovulating and he knows what that means–I can’t turn my brain off. He used to be so good at helping with that…
Then Garrett shows up very quickly. Bickering leads to banging, and it’s better than ever, raw and real and super satisfying. So maybe we didn't work out as a couple, but “exes with benefits” has a nice ring to it, at least until I finish my residency. Just once a month.
A Christmas road trip? Disaster ahead, Garrett.
I know I messed up when I broke Rory’s heart eight months ago.
I also know we can’t spend more than ninety minutes together without everything crumbling, and the drive back to Pine Harbour is six times that long. Too bad leaving Rory behind—or for good—just isn’t an option. Whether she likes it or not, I’m her guy. Her ride home.
And when we arrive at her parents’ Christmas tree farm and discover her sister in tears over a breakup of her own, Rory takes one pleading look at me and suddenly I’m her “boyfriend” again. And there’s only one bed…
Fake dating your ex to save Christmas…what could go wrong? A brand new Christmas rom com that weaves cozy whimsy and sizzling heat throughout a very festive happily ever after from New York Times bestselling author Zoe York!
A booty call with your ex? Bad decision, Rory.
I really thought it would be a one-time thing. A hormonal moment of weakness where I text him a funny ha-ha realization that I’m ovulating and he knows what that means–I can’t turn my brain off. He used to be so good at helping with that…
Then Garrett shows up very quickly. Bickering leads to banging, and it’s better than ever, raw and real and super satisfying. So maybe we didn't work out as a couple, but “exes with benefits” has a nice ring to it, at least until I finish my residency. Just once a month.
A Christmas road trip? Disaster ahead, Garrett.
I know I messed up when I broke Rory’s heart eight months ago.
I also know we can’t spend more than ninety minutes together without everything crumbling, and the drive back to Pine Harbour is six times that long. Too bad leaving Rory behind—or for good—just isn’t an option. Whether she likes it or not, I’m her guy. Her ride home.
And when we arrive at her parents’ Christmas tree farm and discover her sister in tears over a breakup of her own, Rory takes one pleading look at me and suddenly I’m her “boyfriend” again. And there’s only one bed…
Fake dating your ex to save Christmas…what could go wrong? A brand new Christmas rom com that weaves cozy whimsy and sizzling heat throughout a very festive happily ever after from New York Times bestselling author Zoe York!
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2025
114 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
About the author
Zoe York
125 books1,348 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Zoe York is a busy working mom of two young boys, wife to a very understanding soldier, and creator of modern, sexy, small town contemporary romances.
She lives in London, Ontario and is currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
She lives in London, Ontario and is currently chugging Americanos, wiping sticky fingers, and dreaming of heroes in and out of uniform.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 550 reviews
December 1, 2025
Happy Publication Day🌶️ 🎄 🎉!! 12/1/25!!
3.5⭐️’s rounded up to 4⭐️’s. 🌶️🥵
After two days of thinking, I am going to give this review a go!
I had the option of reading the e-arc or listening to the audio. After reading a few reviews about how amazing the narration is (it was very good, I agree) and because listening can be so much easier for me than reading most of the time, I opted for listening. (I did look at the beginning of the e-copy and there are a couple intro pages that you don’t get with the audio).
Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross performed this narration in duet. I say performed because that is definitely what it was. (The man even groans! yes, I replayed that part to find out if my ears were playing a trick on me or if he did indeed groan while she says he groans. It was definitely a groan!)
I used to read a lot of romance. Not so much any more, but when reviews repeatedly said how funny this was, I decided to give it a go.
I don’t recall a book ever getting right into it with the sexy times the way this book did. It was a very long and descriptive sexy time. There is a lot of spice throughout the book. I bring this up because I know I have some gr friends who read my reviews that prefer their books with less spice and I don’t want to lead them astray by saying this is a cute, cozy, small town ex’s faking being together for the holidays romance. It is all of that, but it’s buried beneath the sex at some points and I don’t think some will like that, so I feel mentioning that is only fair to do.
If you enjoy or don’t mind detailed sex scenes, then I do recommend this book. Because underneath the sexy spice of the story, it really is a sweet, cozy, holiday ex’s faking being together for the sake of her family romance story. Garrett and Rory are very likeable characters as are their families. I wish there was more to the story honestly because I truly did enjoy the characters. I don’t think I found it quite as funny as some of the other NetGalley reviewers did, but it does have its moments for sure. There is one stand out scene that was quite comical (my face would have been as red as a tomato and I maybe would pass out from embarrassment if that would have happened to me or I would have gotten up and walked out of the room…not sure, thankful to have never been in that situation 😂. Doubtful my family would have reacted in the same way, but still!!!); I also saw it from the perspective of, how could they not know how uncomfortable and embarrassing it was for Rory and Garrett?
The scene at the Christmas market had me wishing I had a better relationship with my older sister. It has improved over the last couple of years, but it’s unlikely my sisters and I will go to a holiday market just the three of us.
And Garrett, well, he is swoon worthy in my eyes!! And the narrators voice made him even more so!
The Christmas Tree farm is the perfect setting for some family holiday chaos 🎄🎄
Thank you Tinsel, for your wonderful review that convinced me that I needed to give this holiday romance a try!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and/or listen to this book. The option to do either was especially appreciated! All thoughts are my own.
Publishing date: December 1, 2025
Rating posted: 11/23/25
Review posted: 11/24/25
3.5⭐️’s rounded up to 4⭐️’s. 🌶️🥵
After two days of thinking, I am going to give this review a go!
I had the option of reading the e-arc or listening to the audio. After reading a few reviews about how amazing the narration is (it was very good, I agree) and because listening can be so much easier for me than reading most of the time, I opted for listening. (I did look at the beginning of the e-copy and there are a couple intro pages that you don’t get with the audio).
Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross performed this narration in duet. I say performed because that is definitely what it was. (The man even groans! yes, I replayed that part to find out if my ears were playing a trick on me or if he did indeed groan while she says he groans. It was definitely a groan!)
I used to read a lot of romance. Not so much any more, but when reviews repeatedly said how funny this was, I decided to give it a go.
I don’t recall a book ever getting right into it with the sexy times the way this book did. It was a very long and descriptive sexy time. There is a lot of spice throughout the book. I bring this up because I know I have some gr friends who read my reviews that prefer their books with less spice and I don’t want to lead them astray by saying this is a cute, cozy, small town ex’s faking being together for the holidays romance. It is all of that, but it’s buried beneath the sex at some points and I don’t think some will like that, so I feel mentioning that is only fair to do.
If you enjoy or don’t mind detailed sex scenes, then I do recommend this book. Because underneath the sexy spice of the story, it really is a sweet, cozy, holiday ex’s faking being together for the sake of her family romance story. Garrett and Rory are very likeable characters as are their families. I wish there was more to the story honestly because I truly did enjoy the characters. I don’t think I found it quite as funny as some of the other NetGalley reviewers did, but it does have its moments for sure. There is one stand out scene that was quite comical (my face would have been as red as a tomato and I maybe would pass out from embarrassment if that would have happened to me or I would have gotten up and walked out of the room…not sure, thankful to have never been in that situation 😂. Doubtful my family would have reacted in the same way, but still!!!); I also saw it from the perspective of, how could they not know how uncomfortable and embarrassing it was for Rory and Garrett?
The scene at the Christmas market had me wishing I had a better relationship with my older sister. It has improved over the last couple of years, but it’s unlikely my sisters and I will go to a holiday market just the three of us.
And Garrett, well, he is swoon worthy in my eyes!! And the narrators voice made him even more so!
The Christmas Tree farm is the perfect setting for some family holiday chaos 🎄🎄
Thank you Tinsel, for your wonderful review that convinced me that I needed to give this holiday romance a try!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and/or listen to this book. The option to do either was especially appreciated! All thoughts are my own.
Publishing date: December 1, 2025
Rating posted: 11/23/25
Review posted: 11/24/25
November 13, 2025
4.5★ Garrett completely stole my heart. You could just tell how deeply he cared for Rory, and that undeniable spark between them never really went away is impossible to ignore. I loved that the story didn’t rush to explain their breakup. Instead, we got to know them again as people before watching them fall hard all over each other.
The “exes with benefits” turned “fake dating for Christmas” setup was pure gold, equal parts chaotic, spicy, and swoony. And the spice… it hits early and it hits hard! I absolutely loved this audiobook! The narrators did an amazing job bringing the story and emotions to life.
If you love second-chance holiday romance with heart, humor, and heat, I highly recommend The Ex-Mas Breakup! Huge thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC, I absolutely loved it!
The “exes with benefits” turned “fake dating for Christmas” setup was pure gold, equal parts chaotic, spicy, and swoony. And the spice… it hits early and it hits hard! I absolutely loved this audiobook! The narrators did an amazing job bringing the story and emotions to life.
If you love second-chance holiday romance with heart, humor, and heat, I highly recommend The Ex-Mas Breakup! Huge thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC, I absolutely loved it!
December 28, 2025
It was amusing and engaging right up until they reached the parents’ house, then the plot just gave up on life. Still, I enjoyed myself more than I expected.
November 25, 2025
Muchas gracias a la autora y a su editorial por permitirme un ARC a cambio de mi sincera opinión. ⭐️
Empecé a leer este libro ayer en la noche y en menos de un día lo estoy terminado. ASÍ DE ADICTIVO ES. Me encantó la dinámica de la pareja, como ambos aprenden de sus errores y como todo se envuelve en un ambiente navideño. Escuché el audiolibro y fue una... experiencia por decir algo. Las escenas spicy son 10/10. Garret es todo lo que esta bien en este mundo. Si estan buscando una novela corta para iniciar la temporada, les super recomiendo "The ex-mas breakup."
⭐️ ENG: Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange of a honest review.
So last night I started to read this book and a few hours later I was finishing it. It is THAT addictive. I loved Rory and Garret's relationship, how they both learn their lessons and how everything is neatly surrounded by cozy holiday vibes. I got to listen to the audiobook and it was quite an experience to say the least. The romantic scenes in this novel are top tier, I do believe that Garret is a perfect MMC. I
If you're looking for a cozy novel to warm up for the holidays, this is the book for you.
Empecé a leer este libro ayer en la noche y en menos de un día lo estoy terminado. ASÍ DE ADICTIVO ES. Me encantó la dinámica de la pareja, como ambos aprenden de sus errores y como todo se envuelve en un ambiente navideño. Escuché el audiolibro y fue una... experiencia por decir algo. Las escenas spicy son 10/10. Garret es todo lo que esta bien en este mundo. Si estan buscando una novela corta para iniciar la temporada, les super recomiendo "The ex-mas breakup."
⭐️ ENG: Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange of a honest review.
So last night I started to read this book and a few hours later I was finishing it. It is THAT addictive. I loved Rory and Garret's relationship, how they both learn their lessons and how everything is neatly surrounded by cozy holiday vibes. I got to listen to the audiobook and it was quite an experience to say the least. The romantic scenes in this novel are top tier, I do believe that Garret is a perfect MMC. I
If you're looking for a cozy novel to warm up for the holidays, this is the book for you.
November 20, 2025
Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing and Zoe York for this audio ARC copy of The Ex-mas Breakup. The following is my honest review.
The Ex-mas Breakup is exactly what it promises to be: a cozy-but-spicy holiday romcom where exes with lingering chemistry fall back into each other’s orbit. Briefly: Rory and Garrett’s “exes with benefits” fling turns into a messy, festive fake-dating situation when a Christmas road trip detours straight into her family’s holiday drama. It’s all small-town charm, one-bed proximity, and second-chance sparks.
I’m usually a yearning, slow-burn, long-lingering-glances kind of girl, but honestly? The immediate spice works here. It’s fun, it’s chaotic, and it fits their dynamic so well. If you’re looking for holiday fluff with heat, this totally scratches that itch.
The tropes deliver with second chance rekindling, family holiday hijinks, small town vibes, fake dating, and yes… piercings 🥵. It also gave me flashes of The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart, so if you enjoyed that, you’ll probably vibe with this.
A couple things didn’t land for me. Rory’s medical-residency plotline wasn’t my personal fave (not because it was badly done, just because medical settings aren’t really my go-to.) It does add an extra layer to their tension and breakup, though, so readers who enjoy those elements might love it. And on a purely personal preference note: there’s a moment where the MMC uses the phrase “not on my bingo card,” and I’m sorry but that’s become one of my least favorite bits of modern jargon in romance. It always yanks me out of the moment.
Overall, this is festive, flirty, and full of holiday heart. If you want something spicy and seasonal with exes-to-lovers chaos and a cozy small-town backdrop, this one will absolutely keep you entertained
The Ex-mas Breakup is exactly what it promises to be: a cozy-but-spicy holiday romcom where exes with lingering chemistry fall back into each other’s orbit. Briefly: Rory and Garrett’s “exes with benefits” fling turns into a messy, festive fake-dating situation when a Christmas road trip detours straight into her family’s holiday drama. It’s all small-town charm, one-bed proximity, and second-chance sparks.
I’m usually a yearning, slow-burn, long-lingering-glances kind of girl, but honestly? The immediate spice works here. It’s fun, it’s chaotic, and it fits their dynamic so well. If you’re looking for holiday fluff with heat, this totally scratches that itch.
The tropes deliver with second chance rekindling, family holiday hijinks, small town vibes, fake dating, and yes… piercings 🥵. It also gave me flashes of The Plight Before Christmas by Kate Stewart, so if you enjoyed that, you’ll probably vibe with this.
A couple things didn’t land for me. Rory’s medical-residency plotline wasn’t my personal fave (not because it was badly done, just because medical settings aren’t really my go-to.) It does add an extra layer to their tension and breakup, though, so readers who enjoy those elements might love it. And on a purely personal preference note: there’s a moment where the MMC uses the phrase “not on my bingo card,” and I’m sorry but that’s become one of my least favorite bits of modern jargon in romance. It always yanks me out of the moment.
Overall, this is festive, flirty, and full of holiday heart. If you want something spicy and seasonal with exes-to-lovers chaos and a cozy small-town backdrop, this one will absolutely keep you entertained
November 30, 2025
I am a huge lover of Christmas romances, especially the smutty kind! When I saw the blurb on NetGalley I ran to apply and I ended up listening to this one non stop in a day.
This book starts out red hot out the gate!! The premise is two exes recently broke up and Rory, our FMC, texts her ex, Garrett, in a horny moment of weakness who comes over for a booty call. These two continue hooking up over several months and eventually end up fake dating since they never told Rory’s family, who is Garrett’s found family, that they broke up. So they pretend to be together throughout the holidays which leads to introspection about their relationship.
Let me just say I LOVED Garrett. He is total book boyfriend material and is the prime example of a man written by a woman. Garrett is perfect from the start (I may be slightly biased) so he doesn’t experience too much character growth, but Rory is the character who had a huge growth in this one.
Kai Kennicott as Rory and Wen Ross as Garrett absolutely knocked this out of the park!! It’s also a duet narration which is always my favorite listening experience besides full cast/graphic audio. I highly recommend giving this one a listen ; however, if you prefer an eyeball read, this one is available on Kindle Unlimited.
Read this if you like:
🎄 exes to lovers to ??
🎄 fake dating
🎄 found family with their associated drama
🎄 successful, physician 🩺FMC
🎄 cinnamon roll MMC
🎄 pierced 🍆MMC
🎄 only one bed
🎄 holiday setting
🎄 small town
🎄 duet narration
🎄 HIGH spice 🥵
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you so much to the author for the advance listener copy of this one!!
This book starts out red hot out the gate!! The premise is two exes recently broke up and Rory, our FMC, texts her ex, Garrett, in a horny moment of weakness who comes over for a booty call. These two continue hooking up over several months and eventually end up fake dating since they never told Rory’s family, who is Garrett’s found family, that they broke up. So they pretend to be together throughout the holidays which leads to introspection about their relationship.
Let me just say I LOVED Garrett. He is total book boyfriend material and is the prime example of a man written by a woman. Garrett is perfect from the start (I may be slightly biased) so he doesn’t experience too much character growth, but Rory is the character who had a huge growth in this one.
Kai Kennicott as Rory and Wen Ross as Garrett absolutely knocked this out of the park!! It’s also a duet narration which is always my favorite listening experience besides full cast/graphic audio. I highly recommend giving this one a listen ; however, if you prefer an eyeball read, this one is available on Kindle Unlimited.
Read this if you like:
🎄 exes to lovers to ??
🎄 fake dating
🎄 found family with their associated drama
🎄 successful, physician 🩺FMC
🎄 cinnamon roll MMC
🎄 pierced 🍆MMC
🎄 only one bed
🎄 holiday setting
🎄 small town
🎄 duet narration
🎄 HIGH spice 🥵
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you so much to the author for the advance listener copy of this one!!
December 23, 2025
I always enjoy Zoe York's clever writing, and The Ex-mas Breakup is a unique and creative version of a "second chance" romance. Updated for the modern age, these two characters have sparking hot chemistry and had me wondering why they broke up to start with lol.
The absolute best part of The Ex-mas Breakup is the marvelous dual narration by Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross. I LOVE when authors do that, and I understand it must be very expensive, but it is fantastic! I prefer hearing the guys do the guys' parts and the ladies doing the ladies'. It add so much to the whole experience of listening to an audiobook. Really well done!
an audiobook copy of The Ex-mas Breakup was provided by Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
The absolute best part of The Ex-mas Breakup is the marvelous dual narration by Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross. I LOVE when authors do that, and I understand it must be very expensive, but it is fantastic! I prefer hearing the guys do the guys' parts and the ladies doing the ladies'. It add so much to the whole experience of listening to an audiobook. Really well done!
an audiobook copy of The Ex-mas Breakup was provided by Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
December 19, 2025
I LOVED THIS! Sexy and sweet. PSA: You don't wanna start this while, say, waiting at the dentist's office. Fire alarms WILL go off in the first few chapters. You have been warned. The duet narration was fabulous.
December 27, 2025
I'm surprised I loved this so much because second chance is not my favourite trope, but these two dummies were too perfect for each other to not be together. They broke up because of bad communication, but they were talking and working shit out by the end, which made me believe it could work beyond the epilogue. The spice was excellent, the family shenanigans were just what I want in a holiday read, and the emotional pain hurt so good. I don't think you can go wrong with this one if you're looking for a holiday romance.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the arc.
Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the arc.
December 20, 2025
Flew a little too close to the sun (real life) for me. These two wanted to be together. Their endless internal monologue told us how unhappy they were were apart, but neither of them (NEITHER OF THEM) took any steps to change that. Like even at the end of this book, I still felt like they only ended up together because it was all they knew.
And don't get me wrong, they really belonged together. Neither wanted or ever got with anyone else in their whole lives. They spent like 12 years (or longer? I can't remember) in a relationship, and when the FMC prioritized her work and didn't leave room for the relationship to progress, the MMC broke up with her.
They spend like 6 months apart (honestly I don't care to look back to check the actual timeline for this review) then she sends him a horny text, then they spend a few months having an infrequent situationship....and when they go home for Christmas, they realize that neither of them had told their families they'd broken up.
There's some issue with the way the FMC's family treats her, but we are never shown this, the FMC only tells us, which is weird. It's like the author wanted to keep the family in our good graces so we wouldn't hate hate them because they're still supposed to be this huge amazing family, and forgot to show us why we should be upset with them when it came time for the MMC to have a talk with them about it in her honor.
The MMC is whipped for this woman, and will do anything for her except kiss her or tell her he still wants her. 🙄
The FMC loves the MMC and misses him constantly but "doesn't need his help" with anything, and therein lies the problem.
I think. Because the MMC tells us his issue wasn't that he was unhappy, it was that SHE was unhappy, but then he also tells us that it was an issue that he was unhappy, but then regrets saying anything because it hurts her deeply to know he was unhappy with her. In fact, he says a lot of hurtful things (not asshole hurtful, just truthful hurtful) that he then regrets but doesn't take back, just like he tells us he regretted leaving her immediately afterwards but didn't even try to get her back in 6 or whatever months. Even during their situationship, they've both got this gloomy outlook about it, thinking the other will never agree to be in a relationship again, and they're both borderline resentful.
Oh, and at the end when he tells her another "hurtful" truth ("I don't hate your job, YOU hate your job!"), she immediately shows him how much she loves her job by doing observations at the local hospital (a hospital she doesn't even work at) over the holiday, and he realizes that she DOES love her job...sometimes. She then says that she doesn't hate her job, she hates parts of it. So the solution is to keep her job but do it in this new hospital.
Oh and the MMC keeps saying he won't let the FMC run away from things anymore, but he says it like he was expecting her to come crawling back after he broke up with her out of the blue. They both say things that show they're just idiots being obstinate at times, but this one really irked me.
Anyway, they get back together and both move closer to home and they get engaged finally and everything should solve itself after that, right? Right????
Honestly it was annoying and confusing because the issue kept changing in the book and by the end not even they knew what the issue was. They were comfortable together, so they got together. It was all too real for my tastes. I'd rather not experience this annoying confusion and constant arguments and refusal to see issues for what they are in my fiction.
I will say, though, that their timer thing they started doing at the end was really cute. It's the only thing that gave me hope for their relationship.
And don't get me wrong, they really belonged together. Neither wanted or ever got with anyone else in their whole lives. They spent like 12 years (or longer? I can't remember) in a relationship, and when the FMC prioritized her work and didn't leave room for the relationship to progress, the MMC broke up with her.
They spend like 6 months apart (honestly I don't care to look back to check the actual timeline for this review) then she sends him a horny text, then they spend a few months having an infrequent situationship....and when they go home for Christmas, they realize that neither of them had told their families they'd broken up.
There's some issue with the way the FMC's family treats her, but we are never shown this, the FMC only tells us, which is weird. It's like the author wanted to keep the family in our good graces so we wouldn't hate hate them because they're still supposed to be this huge amazing family, and forgot to show us why we should be upset with them when it came time for the MMC to have a talk with them about it in her honor.
The MMC is whipped for this woman, and will do anything for her except kiss her or tell her he still wants her. 🙄
The FMC loves the MMC and misses him constantly but "doesn't need his help" with anything, and therein lies the problem.
I think. Because the MMC tells us his issue wasn't that he was unhappy, it was that SHE was unhappy, but then he also tells us that it was an issue that he was unhappy, but then regrets saying anything because it hurts her deeply to know he was unhappy with her. In fact, he says a lot of hurtful things (not asshole hurtful, just truthful hurtful) that he then regrets but doesn't take back, just like he tells us he regretted leaving her immediately afterwards but didn't even try to get her back in 6 or whatever months. Even during their situationship, they've both got this gloomy outlook about it, thinking the other will never agree to be in a relationship again, and they're both borderline resentful.
Oh, and at the end when he tells her another "hurtful" truth ("I don't hate your job, YOU hate your job!"), she immediately shows him how much she loves her job by doing observations at the local hospital (a hospital she doesn't even work at) over the holiday, and he realizes that she DOES love her job...sometimes. She then says that she doesn't hate her job, she hates parts of it. So the solution is to keep her job but do it in this new hospital.
Oh and the MMC keeps saying he won't let the FMC run away from things anymore, but he says it like he was expecting her to come crawling back after he broke up with her out of the blue. They both say things that show they're just idiots being obstinate at times, but this one really irked me.
Anyway, they get back together and both move closer to home and they get engaged finally and everything should solve itself after that, right? Right????
Honestly it was annoying and confusing because the issue kept changing in the book and by the end not even they knew what the issue was. They were comfortable together, so they got together. It was all too real for my tastes. I'd rather not experience this annoying confusion and constant arguments and refusal to see issues for what they are in my fiction.
I will say, though, that their timer thing they started doing at the end was really cute. It's the only thing that gave me hope for their relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publiser and Zoe York for letting me listen to the ALC!
The Exmas Breakup is a festive holiday cheer, perfectly blended with a generous splash of second-chance romance and a healthy dose of steamy fake dating.
Rory and Garrett, two exes with a volatile romantic history. The book kicks off with Rory sending Garrett an ovulation, steamy I need you text, leading to an immediate "exes with benefits" summer fling.
On a long, six-hour Christmas roadtrip, the couple arrives at Rory's family's Christmas tree farm to find her sister in a state of distress over her own breakup. In a moment of panic and desperation to save her sister's Christmas, Rory decides to keep the fact that she and Garrett have broken up months ago, under wraps.
This book is hot. The physical chemistry between Rory and Garrett is immediately felt and drives much of the early narrative.
If you’re looking for a holiday romance that provides both the cozy, small-town charm and the high-stakes passion of a truly messy second-chance love story, this one is for you. It’s a quick, entertaining read that perfectly balances the festive season with the complicated, sometimes uncomfortable, realities of rekindling a deep love.
The Exmas Breakup is a festive holiday cheer, perfectly blended with a generous splash of second-chance romance and a healthy dose of steamy fake dating.
Rory and Garrett, two exes with a volatile romantic history. The book kicks off with Rory sending Garrett an ovulation, steamy I need you text, leading to an immediate "exes with benefits" summer fling.
On a long, six-hour Christmas roadtrip, the couple arrives at Rory's family's Christmas tree farm to find her sister in a state of distress over her own breakup. In a moment of panic and desperation to save her sister's Christmas, Rory decides to keep the fact that she and Garrett have broken up months ago, under wraps.
This book is hot. The physical chemistry between Rory and Garrett is immediately felt and drives much of the early narrative.
If you’re looking for a holiday romance that provides both the cozy, small-town charm and the high-stakes passion of a truly messy second-chance love story, this one is for you. It’s a quick, entertaining read that perfectly balances the festive season with the complicated, sometimes uncomfortable, realities of rekindling a deep love.
December 13, 2025
So, I did enjoy a lot of this book. It was very readable, very engaging. Rory and Garrett had great chemistry, the sex scenes were very steamy and well-written, and you could really feel the depth of their relationship and how much they meant to one another. There were some really touching and emotional scenes in this book.
However, I had a few issues with it. Rory was very annoying and I found her very frustrating to read about. I also didn’t really understand the angle of her relationship with her family and the notion they were really hard on her – none of that came through for me in the story. I think the book also suffered from presuming you would have read other books in this series. I felt like I was meant to know Garrett’s backstory already and I just felt in the dark the whole time. (I have read other books in this series but they’re hit or miss for me – I generally prefer this author’s writing as Ainsley Booth or Chloe Maine). I just think that aspect could have been tightened as it didn’t fully feel like a standalone.
I also felt it was a few chapters too long – I actually think this would have worked perfectly as a novella, but as it was I thought it was a bit drawn out. But overall I thought this was a nice book with a really romantic, emotional side to it that was easy to enjoy.
Content Notes: Second chance, small town, friends-with-benefits, fake relationship, mutual pining, forced proximity.
Warnings:
Other: .
However, I had a few issues with it. Rory was very annoying and I found her very frustrating to read about. I also didn’t really understand the angle of her relationship with her family and the notion they were really hard on her – none of that came through for me in the story. I think the book also suffered from presuming you would have read other books in this series. I felt like I was meant to know Garrett’s backstory already and I just felt in the dark the whole time. (I have read other books in this series but they’re hit or miss for me – I generally prefer this author’s writing as Ainsley Booth or Chloe Maine). I just think that aspect could have been tightened as it didn’t fully feel like a standalone.
I also felt it was a few chapters too long – I actually think this would have worked perfectly as a novella, but as it was I thought it was a bit drawn out. But overall I thought this was a nice book with a really romantic, emotional side to it that was easy to enjoy.
Content Notes: Second chance, small town, friends-with-benefits, fake relationship, mutual pining, forced proximity.
Warnings:
Other: .
November 23, 2025
One if the most spicy Christmas books I have ever read and I am obsessed!
I have never really been a fan of a second chance romance but The Ex-mas Breakup has actually changed that. Two imperfect characters, a messy Christmas and a lot of spice, I devoured this book in no time and highly recommend to those who love an easy read festive book and of course, second chances at love with the one you thought got away.
A hormonal moment of weakness sees from Rory see's her booty calling her ex Garret in what she believes will be a one time thing. After a very naughty and satisfying night together the pair end up on Rory's parents Christmas tree farm and in no time they find themselves fake dating over the Christmas period and there just so happens to be only one bed.
I fell in love with Garret almost instantly. His love for Rory was so evident and beautiful and I felt as thought I was stood right by him cheering him on in his efforts to win back the woman he regrets letting go. There was a lot of stubbornness from Rory and at times I didn't like her very much but she really did soften and I grew to love her also. Their dynamic was fun, sexy and full of passion and care making it easy to read this book so quickly. The festive vibes were plenty of fun and the story seemed to flow naturally and easily. Now, this was a very spicy book and god damn is Garret a man we are all in need of!
The dual narration on this book was lovely. It easy to listen to even at a very fast speed and it felt as though both narrators did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. The spicy scenes were very well narrated and I felt as though that through their voices alone I knew these characters personally.
I have never really been a fan of a second chance romance but The Ex-mas Breakup has actually changed that. Two imperfect characters, a messy Christmas and a lot of spice, I devoured this book in no time and highly recommend to those who love an easy read festive book and of course, second chances at love with the one you thought got away.
A hormonal moment of weakness sees from Rory see's her booty calling her ex Garret in what she believes will be a one time thing. After a very naughty and satisfying night together the pair end up on Rory's parents Christmas tree farm and in no time they find themselves fake dating over the Christmas period and there just so happens to be only one bed.
I fell in love with Garret almost instantly. His love for Rory was so evident and beautiful and I felt as thought I was stood right by him cheering him on in his efforts to win back the woman he regrets letting go. There was a lot of stubbornness from Rory and at times I didn't like her very much but she really did soften and I grew to love her also. Their dynamic was fun, sexy and full of passion and care making it easy to read this book so quickly. The festive vibes were plenty of fun and the story seemed to flow naturally and easily. Now, this was a very spicy book and god damn is Garret a man we are all in need of!
The dual narration on this book was lovely. It easy to listen to even at a very fast speed and it felt as though both narrators did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. The spicy scenes were very well narrated and I felt as though that through their voices alone I knew these characters personally.
November 15, 2025
ALC Review!
Narration by Kai Kennicott & Wen Ross was great!!
This was an ex’s with benefits turned fake dating for the holidays! I loved this one. Full of chaotic moments, spice, and swoon worthy moments! The spice for this one hit pretty early, but I absolutely loved these characters & this story!!
Perfect second chance holiday read!!
Narration by Kai Kennicott & Wen Ross was great!!
This was an ex’s with benefits turned fake dating for the holidays! I loved this one. Full of chaotic moments, spice, and swoon worthy moments! The spice for this one hit pretty early, but I absolutely loved these characters & this story!!
Perfect second chance holiday read!!
November 14, 2025
*audiobook
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨ (4.5/5)
“I’ve got condoms.” -Rory
“We don’t need them for you to ride my face, get your a$$ over here.” -Garrett
“Work is all I have time for.” -Rory
“…and when there’s a problem for you Rory, there’s a problem for me.” -Garrett
“Mom! It’s a dick!”
“It’s his dick my mom was holding.”
“You were always my home.”
“I am ok without you, but I’m not great.”
“Why is your dildo in a box marked Christmas?”
This was my first book by Zoe York but it won’t be my last. This book gets right into the spice! It’s absurdly funny and full of heart! I did the audio version and the narration was perfect.
Overall thoughts: You must add this to your holiday reading list! I hated that Rory and Garrett were broken up. However, I loved Garrett’s growth after their breakup and how Rory took a hard look at her priorities too. Rory was just such a nice guy and emotionally mature…so refreshing. Rory had to do a bit more work than he did, which I liked. I also loved that Garrett let her figure stuff out in her own time. Sooooo patient. ❤️❤️❤️
Random moments I loved: (1) the reason Garrett avoided sex with her. When the reason finally comes out, it made me gasp/lol. (2) I about died at the “private present.” (3) mom holding the penis.
In short you’ve gotta check this one out!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨✨ (4.5/5)
“I’ve got condoms.” -Rory
“We don’t need them for you to ride my face, get your a$$ over here.” -Garrett
“Work is all I have time for.” -Rory
“…and when there’s a problem for you Rory, there’s a problem for me.” -Garrett
“Mom! It’s a dick!”
“It’s his dick my mom was holding.”
“You were always my home.”
“I am ok without you, but I’m not great.”
“Why is your dildo in a box marked Christmas?”
This was my first book by Zoe York but it won’t be my last. This book gets right into the spice! It’s absurdly funny and full of heart! I did the audio version and the narration was perfect.
Overall thoughts: You must add this to your holiday reading list! I hated that Rory and Garrett were broken up. However, I loved Garrett’s growth after their breakup and how Rory took a hard look at her priorities too. Rory was just such a nice guy and emotionally mature…so refreshing. Rory had to do a bit more work than he did, which I liked. I also loved that Garrett let her figure stuff out in her own time. Sooooo patient. ❤️❤️❤️
Random moments I loved: (1) the reason Garrett avoided sex with her. When the reason finally comes out, it made me gasp/lol. (2) I about died at the “private present.” (3) mom holding the penis.
In short you’ve gotta check this one out!
December 20, 2025
3.5 stars
dnf
December 1, 2025They mentioned her ovulating probably 4 times in the first 3 chapters but she’s on birth control sooooo that like genuinely shouldn’t happen???? And she’s an OB so like she should know that???? I can’t move on from that and will be DNFing. Also it OPENS with 2 full chapters of spice, and I love that journey for you guys but I prefer to get to know them and feel chemistry first
Read
November 22, 2025One week to go until this book comes out in audiobook, ebook and print!!!
(Peep the dates "read" on this one...this was a long project from start to finish, although I completed a number of side quests along the way)
It's good to be back in Pine Harbour!
From Chapter One:
As I check that my alarms are set for the morning, I consider texting Garrett. Would he chuckle?
Have we reached that stage in our breakup where we can laugh at the past?
Rory: You’re probably asleep, but I just realized something funny
Garrett: Not asleep
Oh. That was fast.
Rory: You know how you always knew when I was ovulating?
He doesn’t reply to that.
Shit.
Rory: The punchline is that I realized in the shower that the combination of a bad day at work + unexpectedly persistent thoughts about you probably has a hormonal trigger
Rory: Never mind, it was funnier in my head
Dots appear. Disappear. And then after a long, agonizing pause, a message pops onto the screen.
Garrett: You saying you’re horny, Roar?
Rory: Sorry, I know that’s not okay
I’m just lonely, I want to add, but I can’t tell him that. Him being my entire social life is part of why we broke up.
Garrett: Get yourself off and you’ll fall asleep in no time
I stare at the words, hating how well he knows me.
Rory: I know
Garrett: Did you try?
Is there any way to answer that without crossing a line?
Rory: Yeah, in the shower
Garrett: With the shower head?
Garrett: That doesn’t work for you
Rory: Desperate times call for desperate measures
Garrett: Are you in bed now?
Rory: Mmhmm
Garrett: Use your fingers
Rory: We shouldn’t be doing this
Garrett: What are we doing?
Rory: I don’t know
Garrett: I’m at a bar right now, so if you’re worried about me being a perv with your texts, you’re safe
Rory: If anything, I’m the perv right now
Garrett: Why?
I can’t tell him. I press my thighs tight together, clamping down on my hand, trying to contain my aching need.
Garrett: You touching yourself right now?
Rory: Yes
Garrett: Is it enough?
Rory: No
Garrett: Have you changed the door code?
I jerk upright in bed. He’s not offering…is he?
Oh my God, he is.
Heat blazes through me. My breasts are instantly heavy, my thighs tense. This is a terrible idea, of course, but…
Rory: Still the same
Garrett: be right there
(Peep the dates "read" on this one...this was a long project from start to finish, although I completed a number of side quests along the way)
It's good to be back in Pine Harbour!
From Chapter One:
As I check that my alarms are set for the morning, I consider texting Garrett. Would he chuckle?
Have we reached that stage in our breakup where we can laugh at the past?
Rory: You’re probably asleep, but I just realized something funny
Garrett: Not asleep
Oh. That was fast.
Rory: You know how you always knew when I was ovulating?
He doesn’t reply to that.
Shit.
Rory: The punchline is that I realized in the shower that the combination of a bad day at work + unexpectedly persistent thoughts about you probably has a hormonal trigger
Rory: Never mind, it was funnier in my head
Dots appear. Disappear. And then after a long, agonizing pause, a message pops onto the screen.
Garrett: You saying you’re horny, Roar?
Rory: Sorry, I know that’s not okay
I’m just lonely, I want to add, but I can’t tell him that. Him being my entire social life is part of why we broke up.
Garrett: Get yourself off and you’ll fall asleep in no time
I stare at the words, hating how well he knows me.
Rory: I know
Garrett: Did you try?
Is there any way to answer that without crossing a line?
Rory: Yeah, in the shower
Garrett: With the shower head?
Garrett: That doesn’t work for you
Rory: Desperate times call for desperate measures
Garrett: Are you in bed now?
Rory: Mmhmm
Garrett: Use your fingers
Rory: We shouldn’t be doing this
Garrett: What are we doing?
Rory: I don’t know
Garrett: I’m at a bar right now, so if you’re worried about me being a perv with your texts, you’re safe
Rory: If anything, I’m the perv right now
Garrett: Why?
I can’t tell him. I press my thighs tight together, clamping down on my hand, trying to contain my aching need.
Garrett: You touching yourself right now?
Rory: Yes
Garrett: Is it enough?
Rory: No
Garrett: Have you changed the door code?
I jerk upright in bed. He’s not offering…is he?
Oh my God, he is.
Heat blazes through me. My breasts are instantly heavy, my thighs tense. This is a terrible idea, of course, but…
Rory: Still the same
Garrett: be right there
November 15, 2025
I was a little concerned when I started reading this book that it would be a second chance romance where the couple's reunion would essentially just be sex based. And while this book has plenty of steam and sex, I was pleasantly surprised to find that these two actually do talk through their issues as well. I did find her family a bit annoying and did not understand why her family always placed the responsibility for their happiness on her shoulders. But, it gave him the opportunity to rise to her defense and show her he was always going to be on her side.
Content Notes: problematic pregnancy issues (resolves happily), toxic parent, dead parent
ARC from author, review is all mine
Content Notes: problematic pregnancy issues (resolves happily), toxic parent, dead parent
ARC from author, review is all mine
November 13, 2025
Quick Summary: An "I can't quit you" romance
My Review: The Ex-mas Breakup by Zoe York is a "brand new Christmas rom com that weaves cozy whimsy and sizzling heat throughout a very festive happily ever after..." It is scheduled for release on 12/1/25.
About the Book: "Fake dating your ex to save Christmas…what could go wrong?"
In My Own Words: High school sweethearts to exes with a past-present situationship.
Garrett and Rory agree to engage in a fake dating relationship in order to get through a family holiday.
About the Characters:
Garrett - > Sexy mechanic, supportive partner, rugged and strong, regrets decision, determined, coming into self, good guy
Rory - > driven and focused, grieving relationship & unable to fully let go, snarky, longs for more, ineffective communicator
About the Couple:
Garrett and Rory were in a transitional phase of their relationship. They were at an in between.
It was easy to see that they still cared for one other. They were each others firsts in so many respects; that is why it was so hard for them to get a handle on the up and down of things, in my opinion.
The brutal truths, the challenging struggles, the shared camaraderie, and the passionate love that existed between them made this story incredibly realistic and totally believable.
About the Conflict: I loved the rawness and realness of the conflict arc in this story. At the end of the day, the unresolved feelings and the wants/needs of each person needed to be (You guessed it!) discussed. COMMUNICATION IS KEY.
About the Audiobook: This novel was narrated by Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross. I liked this duo together. They made the story very entertaining. I think that they injected the right notes in the characters voices and expressed the appropriate heart in what the story attempted to convey.
My Final Say: This story amounted to what I would call realistic romantic fiction. It was messy and convincing. It was heart wrenchingly accurate, in terms of what can often happen between a man and a woman who are still caught up on each other. It was brutally honest.
Garrett and Rory could be any of us. The depth of their heart feelings and the opportunity they had to reconnect in the small town, holiday rich, family setting facilitated a much needed "let's get real with each other" discussion.
All I have to say is that...it is often in the breaking that breakthroughs can be made.
Other: Readers who enjoy second chance love stories, stories with a gone-to-grow aspect, and close proximity setups may like this book.
Indicated Tropes - >
🎄 small town holiday rom com
🎁 second chance: exes with benefits + faking dating your ex (oops)
🎄 forced proximity: road trip home for Christmas + there’s only one bed
🎁 grumpy/sunshine x black cat/golden retriever mashup (situation specific!)
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +
Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op), and to NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read/listen and review this novel. It was nice to read a story like this. I look forward to becoming better acquainted with this writer's work.
My Review: The Ex-mas Breakup by Zoe York is a "brand new Christmas rom com that weaves cozy whimsy and sizzling heat throughout a very festive happily ever after..." It is scheduled for release on 12/1/25.
About the Book: "Fake dating your ex to save Christmas…what could go wrong?"
In My Own Words: High school sweethearts to exes with a past-present situationship.
Garrett and Rory agree to engage in a fake dating relationship in order to get through a family holiday.
About the Characters:
Garrett - > Sexy mechanic, supportive partner, rugged and strong, regrets decision, determined, coming into self, good guy
Rory - > driven and focused, grieving relationship & unable to fully let go, snarky, longs for more, ineffective communicator
About the Couple:
Garrett and Rory were in a transitional phase of their relationship. They were at an in between.
It was easy to see that they still cared for one other. They were each others firsts in so many respects; that is why it was so hard for them to get a handle on the up and down of things, in my opinion.
The brutal truths, the challenging struggles, the shared camaraderie, and the passionate love that existed between them made this story incredibly realistic and totally believable.
About the Conflict: I loved the rawness and realness of the conflict arc in this story. At the end of the day, the unresolved feelings and the wants/needs of each person needed to be (You guessed it!) discussed. COMMUNICATION IS KEY.
About the Audiobook: This novel was narrated by Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross. I liked this duo together. They made the story very entertaining. I think that they injected the right notes in the characters voices and expressed the appropriate heart in what the story attempted to convey.
My Final Say: This story amounted to what I would call realistic romantic fiction. It was messy and convincing. It was heart wrenchingly accurate, in terms of what can often happen between a man and a woman who are still caught up on each other. It was brutally honest.
Garrett and Rory could be any of us. The depth of their heart feelings and the opportunity they had to reconnect in the small town, holiday rich, family setting facilitated a much needed "let's get real with each other" discussion.
All I have to say is that...it is often in the breaking that breakthroughs can be made.
Other: Readers who enjoy second chance love stories, stories with a gone-to-grow aspect, and close proximity setups may like this book.
Indicated Tropes - >
🎄 small town holiday rom com
🎁 second chance: exes with benefits + faking dating your ex (oops)
🎄 forced proximity: road trip home for Christmas + there’s only one bed
🎁 grumpy/sunshine x black cat/golden retriever mashup (situation specific!)
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Status: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +
Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op), and to NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read/listen and review this novel. It was nice to read a story like this. I look forward to becoming better acquainted with this writer's work.
December 3, 2025
This was so enjoyable. Its a second chance romance between two people who cared about each other so much. Rory and Garrett were childhood sweethearts who went through a break up this year. And when the breakup happened there were some real crossings that showed us that they werent anywhere near done. As in hooking up. Which made it waaaay more complicated and angsty. And definitely hindered moving on.
Which of course we can see that they shouldn't be moving on, but working it out! They knew each other so well, even with out speaking. And they had valid reasons but I just wanted to lock them up together.
They're traveling back to their hometown for Christmas. Big problem is that no one knows that they've split up. And when Rory needs help after getting home, Garrett doesnt hesitate. He really is family (and so are they) and while reading I saw how close he was to her family and I knew he'd really miss them.
Theres of course some hilarity. Garrett definitely buys the wrong kind of gift. And the craziness of the holidays is only getting bigger. Can these two work out what went wrong between them?
Which of course we can see that they shouldn't be moving on, but working it out! They knew each other so well, even with out speaking. And they had valid reasons but I just wanted to lock them up together.
They're traveling back to their hometown for Christmas. Big problem is that no one knows that they've split up. And when Rory needs help after getting home, Garrett doesnt hesitate. He really is family (and so are they) and while reading I saw how close he was to her family and I knew he'd really miss them.
Theres of course some hilarity. Garrett definitely buys the wrong kind of gift. And the craziness of the holidays is only getting bigger. Can these two work out what went wrong between them?
November 19, 2025
The Ex-mas Breakup ALC Review
This was hysterical — especially the banter between Rory + Garrett! The ovulation booty calls had me dying 😂 This was my first Zoe York book but I am definitely going to check out more.
The narration was excellent — I am personally not a big fan of Wen Ross (a me thing), but this role was really good for him! He was really good for Garrett.
𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗘: 🌶️
𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘: Standalone
𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: n/a
𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞: Duet narration
𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: M/F
𝗛𝗘𝗔/𝗛𝗙𝗡: 💖
𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗣: 🚫
𝗪𝗛𝗬-𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗘: 🚫
𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Rory + Garrett
𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:
♥︎ holiday • christmas
♥︎ romcom
♥︎ exes with benefits
♥︎ second chance
♥︎ forced proximity road trip
♥︎ fake dating
♥︎ obgyn doctor fmc
♥︎ pierced 🍆 mmc
♥︎ ovulation booty calls
𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦: n/a
𝗔𝗟𝗖 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙽𝚎𝚝𝙶𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠.
This was hysterical — especially the banter between Rory + Garrett! The ovulation booty calls had me dying 😂 This was my first Zoe York book but I am definitely going to check out more.
The narration was excellent — I am personally not a big fan of Wen Ross (a me thing), but this role was really good for him! He was really good for Garrett.
𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟𝗟: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗘: 🌶️
𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘: Standalone
𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: n/a
𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞: Duet narration
𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚: M/F
𝗛𝗘𝗔/𝗛𝗙𝗡: 💖
𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗣: 🚫
𝗪𝗛𝗬-𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗘: 🚫
𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: Rory + Garrett
𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:
♥︎ holiday • christmas
♥︎ romcom
♥︎ exes with benefits
♥︎ second chance
♥︎ forced proximity road trip
♥︎ fake dating
♥︎ obgyn doctor fmc
♥︎ pierced 🍆 mmc
♥︎ ovulation booty calls
𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗞𝗦: n/a
𝗔𝗟𝗖 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: 𝙸 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚊 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙽𝚎𝚝𝙶𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠.
November 17, 2025
✨ALC provided by NetGalley for an honest review✨
The Ex-mas Breakup wasn’t a romcom like I thought it’d be, but more of a realistic romance about a long term couple. After 12 years together, Rory and Garrett were basically in different phases of their relationship. Rory’s still going through her medical residency and is determined and driven over her job which left hardly no room for anything else. Garrett was always supportive and loved her more than anything, but wanted more from their relationship and unfortunately both weren’t the happiest. So Garrett broke up with Rory. Then a lonely text from Rory to Garrett ends up with an ex with benefits relationship and then a pretend relationship for the holidays to appease Rory’s family.
This story was kind of depressing because these two really loved each other, but most of the story was internal monologue pining over each other and mourning the fact they weren’t together anymore. They were just so unhappy not being together but wouldn’t be together! It was frustrating!
The audiobook was done in duet narration which I felt made this story more realistic. The narrators portrayed their characters well and you could feel the depression and longing from their performances. But like I said, the story was kind of depressing and the narrators were depressing to listen to 😂
This was a sweet story and I was satisfied with the HEA! 🖤
The Ex-mas Breakup wasn’t a romcom like I thought it’d be, but more of a realistic romance about a long term couple. After 12 years together, Rory and Garrett were basically in different phases of their relationship. Rory’s still going through her medical residency and is determined and driven over her job which left hardly no room for anything else. Garrett was always supportive and loved her more than anything, but wanted more from their relationship and unfortunately both weren’t the happiest. So Garrett broke up with Rory. Then a lonely text from Rory to Garrett ends up with an ex with benefits relationship and then a pretend relationship for the holidays to appease Rory’s family.
This story was kind of depressing because these two really loved each other, but most of the story was internal monologue pining over each other and mourning the fact they weren’t together anymore. They were just so unhappy not being together but wouldn’t be together! It was frustrating!
The audiobook was done in duet narration which I felt made this story more realistic. The narrators portrayed their characters well and you could feel the depression and longing from their performances. But like I said, the story was kind of depressing and the narrators were depressing to listen to 😂
This was a sweet story and I was satisfied with the HEA! 🖤
November 23, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for an arc of this book.
Exes with benefits x fake dating. Garrett and Rory broke up in April, but once a month ish from summer to December, they hooked up. So when they were going home for the holidays, they decided, since they hadn’t told their families that they had broken up, that they should just pretend that they were still together.
This was okay for me. It was far from bad, but I didn’t connect that much with the characters, and the entire plot was a bit meh. The reason for the breakup was sort of valid, but they could have communicated before the breakup and possibly found a solution, like they did in the end. The Christmas present, on the other hand, was hilarious, probably my favourite part.
The dual narration was really good. I enjoyed the narrators, and they did a great job bringing this book to life.
Exes with benefits x fake dating. Garrett and Rory broke up in April, but once a month ish from summer to December, they hooked up. So when they were going home for the holidays, they decided, since they hadn’t told their families that they had broken up, that they should just pretend that they were still together.
This was okay for me. It was far from bad, but I didn’t connect that much with the characters, and the entire plot was a bit meh. The reason for the breakup was sort of valid, but they could have communicated before the breakup and possibly found a solution, like they did in the end. The Christmas present, on the other hand, was hilarious, probably my favourite part.
The dual narration was really good. I enjoyed the narrators, and they did a great job bringing this book to life.
November 25, 2025
What a fun, flirty holiday romance this was! The second-chance vibes are sweet, the drama is just enough, and the chemistry between the characters keeps things moving. It’s cozy, it’s cute, and it’s definitely spicy.
Speaking of spice—the spice level is super high, and the audiobook narrators make it even better. Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross do such a great job bringing the characters to life. Their voices add so much emotion and energy, and they really nail the steamy scenes.
Overall, it’s a fast, enjoyable holiday listen with great narration and plenty of heat.
Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC.
Speaking of spice—the spice level is super high, and the audiobook narrators make it even better. Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross do such a great job bringing the characters to life. Their voices add so much emotion and energy, and they really nail the steamy scenes.
Overall, it’s a fast, enjoyable holiday listen with great narration and plenty of heat.
Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC.
November 26, 2025
This book starts off HOT and it stays that way! I had the pleasure of receiving an Advance Listener copy of the audiobook for this and wow, this duet narration was incredibly well done, I’m partial to a duet narration for a dual POV book so this really did it for me, if you have the option to read this with your eyeballs or with your ears, choose the ear option for sure lol! I really enjoyed the second chance aspect of this book, I think it was realistic it shows the messiness of ending things with your childhood sweetheart and the fact that it’s possible to find your way back. Rory and Garett are two characters that clearly have love for eachother and made sense for them to find their way back. I hate the fact that Rory’s family seemingly blames her for anything and everything that goes wrong but that seems to be a staple for eldest daughters. All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2025
I am DELIGHTED to be back in Pine Harbor. I am INCREDIBLY amused that we have done the thing where suddenly there is an extended family we never knew about. (Two of them really!)
Really liked the realistic problem here and the way that it's resolved and I fucking LOVED the part where Garrett shames Rory's family for the way they deal with her because I love that shit. Cannot wait for parts two and three of this series and for the western Kincaids!!!
Really liked the realistic problem here and the way that it's resolved and I fucking LOVED the part where Garrett shames Rory's family for the way they deal with her because I love that shit. Cannot wait for parts two and three of this series and for the western Kincaids!!!
November 18, 2025
Gotta say this book was the perfect length to fit in a really good story. Also my goodness this book started off with a bang!!!! Also finally got a book where the breakup made sense and why the second chance romance still existed. I loved the whole quirky cast and the pacing of this book was spot on! Thanks to NetGalley for giving me this chance to read this because it was a perfect book in between all the lovely fantasy books I’m reading. Definitely going to be checking out other books from this author!
November 25, 2025
I was gifted the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The only reason that it was not a 5-star read for me is because the first several chapters were all spice and no plot. It took a little while to get to where a solid plot line was introduced, but once there I fell in love with Rory and Garrett. I could relate to a lot of Garrett's inner conflicts as a spouse of a first responder. This life isn't for the weak!
The Ex-Mas Breakup is VERY SPICY!!! However, I will add that I typically do not enjoy a lot of spice in my reading. But this book is one that if you can look past that and get to the heart of the story it is SO GOOD!
Thank you Zoe York for allowing me the opportunity to preview your work! Well done!!
The Ex-Mas Breakup is VERY SPICY!!! However, I will add that I typically do not enjoy a lot of spice in my reading. But this book is one that if you can look past that and get to the heart of the story it is SO GOOD!
Thank you Zoe York for allowing me the opportunity to preview your work! Well done!!
November 23, 2025
Lordy! Rory and Garret wasted no time 😆. The spicy started only a few pages in and did not stop! These two felt so authentic and their conversations felt quite real. The sibling banter was also so real. And the purple dildo scenes were hilarious!
After breaking up month before, Rory continues to call Garret when she needs a good orgasm. ‘Tis the season and Rory is headed home for the holidays. Garret doesn’t have immediate family and always spends the holidays with Rory. As they work through the 90 minute limit on how long it takes to start fighting they also find each other again.
“For the second day in a row I wake up with a hard cock and a warm sleepy tit.” -Garret
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the advanced audio copy!
After breaking up month before, Rory continues to call Garret when she needs a good orgasm. ‘Tis the season and Rory is headed home for the holidays. Garret doesn’t have immediate family and always spends the holidays with Rory. As they work through the 90 minute limit on how long it takes to start fighting they also find each other again.
“For the second day in a row I wake up with a hard cock and a warm sleepy tit.” -Garret
Thank you NetGalley and the author for the advanced audio copy!
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