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A Very Merry Matchup
In this charming small-town Christmas rom com by award-winning author Becca Kinzer, a travel nurse who loves to play matchmaker gets a taste of her own medicine when her friend conspires to set her up with a minor league baseball player.
If there’s one thing travel nurse Ivy West prides herself on, it’s her matchmaking skills. She’s even convinced she knows her own perfect type, a man who, unlike her parents, isn’t traveling the country for the sake of a career. It doesn’t matter Ivy hasn’t met him yet. She’s sure she will in a few years. At least, it’s one of her goals. Then Beau Wall—a minor league baseball player with his sights set on the big leagues—lands in the hospital, and there’s an undeniable spark between them. No need to worry. Ivy will just match him up with her friend Lucy, and she won’t be tempted to date him herself.
A few months later, Ivy’s convinced everything’s gone perfectly when she hears Lucy’s engaged. But when Ivy arrives to spend Christmas in Iowa and celebrate the engagement, there’s one little problem. Lucy has set her up. Sure, Lucy’s engaged, but not to Beau. And Beau isn’t about to lose this unexpected shot at winning Ivy over. Neither are his mom and grandma who also try to throw the two together.
Amid twinkling Christmas lights and hours spent watching holiday movies, Ivy finds herself falling for Beau. Maybe it’s time she ditched her plans . . . because it’s looking like Beau might be her perfect match after all.
A clean, sweet love story for readers who enjoy holiday romances by Courtney Walsh, Jenny Bayliss, and Sheila RobertsA standalone Christmas novella for fans of cozy Christmas movies and opposites-attract sports romances
If there’s one thing travel nurse Ivy West prides herself on, it’s her matchmaking skills. She’s even convinced she knows her own perfect type, a man who, unlike her parents, isn’t traveling the country for the sake of a career. It doesn’t matter Ivy hasn’t met him yet. She’s sure she will in a few years. At least, it’s one of her goals. Then Beau Wall—a minor league baseball player with his sights set on the big leagues—lands in the hospital, and there’s an undeniable spark between them. No need to worry. Ivy will just match him up with her friend Lucy, and she won’t be tempted to date him herself.
A few months later, Ivy’s convinced everything’s gone perfectly when she hears Lucy’s engaged. But when Ivy arrives to spend Christmas in Iowa and celebrate the engagement, there’s one little problem. Lucy has set her up. Sure, Lucy’s engaged, but not to Beau. And Beau isn’t about to lose this unexpected shot at winning Ivy over. Neither are his mom and grandma who also try to throw the two together.
Amid twinkling Christmas lights and hours spent watching holiday movies, Ivy finds herself falling for Beau. Maybe it’s time she ditched her plans . . . because it’s looking like Beau might be her perfect match after all.
A clean, sweet love story for readers who enjoy holiday romances by Courtney Walsh, Jenny Bayliss, and Sheila RobertsA standalone Christmas novella for fans of cozy Christmas movies and opposites-attract sports romances
184 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2025
37 people are currently reading
1207 people want to read
About the author
Becca Kinzer
7 books625 followersBecca Kinzer lives in Springfield, Illinois where she works as a critical care nurse. When she’s not busy taking care of sick patients or using up all the storage on her phone with pictures of her dog, she enjoys making up lighthearted stories with serious laughs. She is the author of multiple titles including Dear Henry, Love Edith, which won the 2024 Carol Award for debut novel, and Love in Tandem.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 302 reviews
December 19, 2025
4 stars
This was a super sweet Christmas romance. I loved the matchmaking between Beau and Ivy. I would recommend it if you’re looking for something short and fun to read around the holiday!
This was a super sweet Christmas romance. I loved the matchmaking between Beau and Ivy. I would recommend it if you’re looking for something short and fun to read around the holiday!
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: CJ Bloom & Adam Verner
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Christmas Romance
Length: 4h 21m
December 13, 2025
4.75/5
A very merry matchup is a sweet, clean holiday rom-com about Ivy, a travel nurse with a dysfunctional family, and Beau, a baseball player, who ends up under Ivy's care when he was at the hospital. Beau is instantly smitten by Ivy; however, Ivy wants nothing to do with Beau as he doesn't fit into her life plan; however, Ivy doesn't miss the opportunity to use her matchmaking skills to match Beau with her friend, Lucy.
A few months later, Lucy devices a plan to have Ivy spend the holidays in Iowa (Beau's hometown). A web of misunderstandings, Beau's hilarious family members and Beau's tenacious attitude, Ivy realizes that it's ok for life plans/goals to change along the way.
This story is perfect for the holidays, as it's full of joy and hilarious moments, just like a Hallmark movie.
A very merry matchup is a sweet, clean holiday rom-com about Ivy, a travel nurse with a dysfunctional family, and Beau, a baseball player, who ends up under Ivy's care when he was at the hospital. Beau is instantly smitten by Ivy; however, Ivy wants nothing to do with Beau as he doesn't fit into her life plan; however, Ivy doesn't miss the opportunity to use her matchmaking skills to match Beau with her friend, Lucy.
A few months later, Lucy devices a plan to have Ivy spend the holidays in Iowa (Beau's hometown). A web of misunderstandings, Beau's hilarious family members and Beau's tenacious attitude, Ivy realizes that it's ok for life plans/goals to change along the way.
This story is perfect for the holidays, as it's full of joy and hilarious moments, just like a Hallmark movie.
November 10, 2025
What a cute Christmas romance. I loved the dual pov voices for the characters in the audiobooks. The romance was sweet and I loved the matchmaking antics!
December 29, 2025
Another great read by Becca!
December 28, 2025
This was such a sweet read! A bit of an instalove feel, but for the length of the book, it was written well!
Beau and Ivy met at the hospital when she came to his aid and “saved his life.” Ever since then, they’ve been drawn to each other. But Ivy will not allow herself to date an athlete after a life around men who prioritized that life over love. So, being the successful matchmaker she is, she’s decided she will set Beau up with her friend Lucy. But when there’s a mix-up that has her spending Christmas with Beau and his family, and Lucy is engaged to someone else, forced proximity starts to work its magic on Ivy’s plans. Can Beau (and his matchmaking family) help Ivy see that any plans outside of a future with Beau would not make a happily ever after, or will her fears force her to walk away from the man and his family who are everything she’s ever dreamed of?!
This was so sweet and super fun with all the matchmaking and sweet Christmas traditions. And I loved watching these two get closer and closer, and Ivy try her very best to keep from falling for Beau when he just kept saying all the right things! Fun read! Curious about Becca’s next release.
Beau and Ivy met at the hospital when she came to his aid and “saved his life.” Ever since then, they’ve been drawn to each other. But Ivy will not allow herself to date an athlete after a life around men who prioritized that life over love. So, being the successful matchmaker she is, she’s decided she will set Beau up with her friend Lucy. But when there’s a mix-up that has her spending Christmas with Beau and his family, and Lucy is engaged to someone else, forced proximity starts to work its magic on Ivy’s plans. Can Beau (and his matchmaking family) help Ivy see that any plans outside of a future with Beau would not make a happily ever after, or will her fears force her to walk away from the man and his family who are everything she’s ever dreamed of?!
This was so sweet and super fun with all the matchmaking and sweet Christmas traditions. And I loved watching these two get closer and closer, and Ivy try her very best to keep from falling for Beau when he just kept saying all the right things! Fun read! Curious about Becca’s next release.
December 30, 2025
3,35⭐️
Dit ging eigenlijk veel te snel om het leuk of niet leuk te vinden🤷♀️ Was precies een kerstaflevering van FC De Kampioenen op vlak van de misverstanden en toevalligheden, maar da’s de magie van Kerstmis zeker?✨
Dit ging eigenlijk veel te snel om het leuk of niet leuk te vinden🤷♀️ Was precies een kerstaflevering van FC De Kampioenen op vlak van de misverstanden en toevalligheden, maar da’s de magie van Kerstmis zeker?✨
December 16, 2025
cute!!
November 8, 2025
A fun Christmas Audio book.
October 27, 2025
A cute, kissing only, light-hearted small town holiday romance between a travelling nurse slash matchmaker who gets the tables turned on her when her friend tricks her into going to the town of the aspiring pro baseball player (and a former patient) who fell hard for her. This was funny, had some quirky side characters and pets and felt like a Hallmark movie. Nothing too deep but still fun.
December 15, 2025
Fun, cute Christmas novella
Funny 😄
Match making
Funny 😄
Match making
December 28, 2025
Merry Christmas to me! If I made a list of everything I want in a Christmas romcom, A Very Merry Matchup checks all the boxes and then some! I seriously didn’t quit grinning like a besotted fool until at least a couple hours after I’d finished this adorable, hilarious, and sweet novella. Becca Kinzer excels at snappy banter that makes me giggle and swoony heroes that make me babble incoherently even as I’m giggling, and A Very Merry Matchup is my fave example of both so far. (Actual quote from me after one of Beau’s in-the-ear-whispers to Ivy – afndshghdsjkfkldsjkjfdslkasdafjklfdsoevjn….)
Oh my stars, I do believe Beau Wall is Kinzer’s most swoonilicious swoony heroes yet. I’m not sure I can quite put my finger on exactly why he is the yummiest, but goodness I’m still fanning just thinking about him. Maybe it’s because he’s singularly focused on pursuing Ivy’s heart from the beginning, claiming that she’s ‘it’ for him. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t hide the fact that he’s physically attracted to her too (I’m fanning again… still). Maybe it’s because he’s mastered flirting as an art form, but not in a way that seems fake. Like, you get the sense that he just can’t help himself around Ivy, that making her blush is a life goal for the simple delight of it. And, given that Ivy is a nurse, some of the flirting takes a hilarious turn, which oddly makes it all the swoonier.
I realize we’re still holding hands when his right dimple deepens and he says, ‘You’re totally copping a feel of my hand veins right now, aren’t you?’
I drop his hand.
Because I totally was.
But he’s not the only character I loved spending time with in this quick read. The heroine Ivy is part endearingly-neurotic hot-mess, part ‘that’s my plan & I’m sticking to it’, and part adorable ‘girl next door’. In fact, she reminded me in all the best ways of Sandra Bullock’s character Lucy in While You Were Sleeping. (Which might be why I noticed several nods to that film tucked away in Ivy’s stay with Beau’s lovably-involved family, and not at all because I’ve watched WYWS only about a million times… either way, I loved the references!) Beau’s Nana, his very pregnant cousin, and his mom had me laughing out loud with their not-at-all-subtle matchmaking attempts, and I wanted to give them all – including his dad – a big hug more than once. The dogs added an extra level of chaos to the hilarity (the gnome ornament!), and I can’t imagine the story without them either.
Bottom Line: In case you can’t tell, I loved every single word, scene, kiss, and character in A Very Merry Matchup by Becca Kinzer. Her spot-on sense of humor infuses each page with plenty of opportunities to giggle, including the hilariously-reworded Christmas songs & quotes that precede each chapter. Not to mention the sizzling-but-chaste romantic tension that kept me all a’swoon on nearly every page as well. Basically, this delightful novella is everything I want in a romcom (regardless of the season) – sparkling banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and chemistry that could melt a snowbank. In A Very Merry Matchup, Becca Kinzer delivers a story that’s equal parts hilarious, heartwarming, and holly-jolly swoon, the kind you finish with a grin that just won’t quit. Perfect for fans of Courtney Walsh, Bethany Turner, Rebekah Millet, and Pepper Basham.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
Oh my stars, I do believe Beau Wall is Kinzer’s most swoonilicious swoony heroes yet. I’m not sure I can quite put my finger on exactly why he is the yummiest, but goodness I’m still fanning just thinking about him. Maybe it’s because he’s singularly focused on pursuing Ivy’s heart from the beginning, claiming that she’s ‘it’ for him. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t hide the fact that he’s physically attracted to her too (I’m fanning again… still). Maybe it’s because he’s mastered flirting as an art form, but not in a way that seems fake. Like, you get the sense that he just can’t help himself around Ivy, that making her blush is a life goal for the simple delight of it. And, given that Ivy is a nurse, some of the flirting takes a hilarious turn, which oddly makes it all the swoonier.
I realize we’re still holding hands when his right dimple deepens and he says, ‘You’re totally copping a feel of my hand veins right now, aren’t you?’
I drop his hand.
Because I totally was.
But he’s not the only character I loved spending time with in this quick read. The heroine Ivy is part endearingly-neurotic hot-mess, part ‘that’s my plan & I’m sticking to it’, and part adorable ‘girl next door’. In fact, she reminded me in all the best ways of Sandra Bullock’s character Lucy in While You Were Sleeping. (Which might be why I noticed several nods to that film tucked away in Ivy’s stay with Beau’s lovably-involved family, and not at all because I’ve watched WYWS only about a million times… either way, I loved the references!) Beau’s Nana, his very pregnant cousin, and his mom had me laughing out loud with their not-at-all-subtle matchmaking attempts, and I wanted to give them all – including his dad – a big hug more than once. The dogs added an extra level of chaos to the hilarity (the gnome ornament!), and I can’t imagine the story without them either.
Bottom Line: In case you can’t tell, I loved every single word, scene, kiss, and character in A Very Merry Matchup by Becca Kinzer. Her spot-on sense of humor infuses each page with plenty of opportunities to giggle, including the hilariously-reworded Christmas songs & quotes that precede each chapter. Not to mention the sizzling-but-chaste romantic tension that kept me all a’swoon on nearly every page as well. Basically, this delightful novella is everything I want in a romcom (regardless of the season) – sparkling banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and chemistry that could melt a snowbank. In A Very Merry Matchup, Becca Kinzer delivers a story that’s equal parts hilarious, heartwarming, and holly-jolly swoon, the kind you finish with a grin that just won’t quit. Perfect for fans of Courtney Walsh, Bethany Turner, Rebekah Millet, and Pepper Basham.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)
first reviewed at Reading Is My SuperPower
November 15, 2025
I love Becca Kinzer. On my quest to read more clean reads I definitely knew to give her new book a try and I am so glad I did. A woman who helps a baseball player with an injury and he and his family wants them to get together. She wants a marry a teacher not an baseball player!! But when she is set up to go to him for the holidays she is tempted to give into romance, but should she stick to her guns and hold out for that teacher?? Such a fun romance full of laughs and love. Clean, just how I like my books at present this book was just what the doctor ordered! Definitely worth the 4 stars!! So glad I am reading clean!!!
November 26, 2025
A sweet and cozy Christmas Romance
November 8, 2025
The perfect Christmas novella! The audiobook was so good. I loved the balance of humor and romance. Of course the ending felt rushed but that's the nature of a novella.
October 11, 2025
A Very Merry Matchup has everything you could possibly want in a Christmas RomCom. I loved everything about this story.
I listened to this on audio, and I loved C.J. Bloom and Adam Verner's narration of the story. They added to my enjoyment of the story.
Read for:
🔔 match making
🔔witty banter
🔔small town
🔔Mr. and Mrs. Claus
🔔Hamish
🔔Christmas bells
🔔Nana's shenanigans
🔔Christmas pajamas
🔔opposites attract
🔔All the flirting
🔔Christmas lights
🔔Beau's family
I finished this book and was so sad it's over. I immediately wanted to read it again. If you are looking for a Christmas book with all the warm fuzzies, you want to read this one. I smiled or laughed through most of the book. It is just the sweetest story, and I loved Beau's family.
I listened to this on audio, and I loved C.J. Bloom and Adam Verner's narration of the story. They added to my enjoyment of the story.
Read for:
🔔 match making
🔔witty banter
🔔small town
🔔Mr. and Mrs. Claus
🔔Hamish
🔔Christmas bells
🔔Nana's shenanigans
🔔Christmas pajamas
🔔opposites attract
🔔All the flirting
🔔Christmas lights
🔔Beau's family
I finished this book and was so sad it's over. I immediately wanted to read it again. If you are looking for a Christmas book with all the warm fuzzies, you want to read this one. I smiled or laughed through most of the book. It is just the sweetest story, and I loved Beau's family.
October 29, 2025
This was a cute novella but the FMC was insufferable about sticking to her "plan."
December 15, 2025
A Very Merry Matchup by Becca Kinzer (2025)
3h 24m narrated by CJ Bloom and Adam Verner 184 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday > Christmas, Inspirational
Featuring: Travel Nurse, Matchmaking, Small-Town Iowa, Baseball Player, Titled Chapters, Nashville, Tennessee; Life Plan Trope, Opposite of Type Trope, Springfield, Illinois; Setup Trope, Close Proximity Trope, He Falls First, Cairn Terrier, Goldendoodle, Des Moines, Iowa, Meddling Mother, Family Dynamics, Trust Issues
Rating as a movie: PG
Songs for the soundtrack: "Jingle Bells" by James Lord Pierpont, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee, "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" by Thurl Ravenscroft, "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti, "Silver Bells" by Kate Smith, "'Zat You, Santa Claus?" by Louis Armstrong & The Commanders, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, "A Marshmallow World: by Dean Martin, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams, "Joy To The World" by Mariah Carey, "Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," "My Favorite Things" by Julie Andrews, "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives, "Baby It's Cold Outside" by CeeLo Green and Christina Aguilera, "Silent Night" by Mariah Carey, "Ding Dong Merrily On High" by Celtic Woman, Chloë Agnew, and Máiréad Nesbitt; "Winter Wonderland" by Bing Crosby, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Elmo & Patsy "The Best Things Happen While Your Dancing" by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Peggy Lee, and Trudy Stevens; "Chicken Dance" by Werner Thomas, "Run Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry, "Carol of the Bells" by Mykola Leontovych, "Santa Baby" by Etta James, "Hot Chocolate" by Tom Hanks, "Let’s Get It On" by Marvin Gaye, The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, "O Tannenbaum" by Ernst Anschütz, "O Come All Ye Faithful" by Carrie Underwood, "O Holy Night" by Mariah Carey, "Faeries" by Mannheim Steamroller, "Sleigh Ride" by Harry Connick Jr., "A Cradle In Bethlehem" by Nat King Cole, "Mistletoe" by Justin Bieber, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam, "(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays" by Perry Como, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" by Whitney Houston, "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" by Stacie Orrico, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Christina Aguilera
Books and Authors mentioned: The Natural by Roger Towne and Phil Dusenberry [based on] The Natural by Bernard Malamud; Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan; Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Lion King by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton; The Shining by Steven King, Holiday Inn by Irving Berlin, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, Beauty and the Beast by Linda Woolverton [based on] Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve; Babes in Toyland by Lowell S. Hawley, Ward Kimball, and Joe Rinaldi [based on] Babes in Toyland by Victor Herbert and Glen MacDonough; While You Were Sleeping by Daniel G. Sullivan and Fredric Lebow, You've Got Mail by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron [based on] The Shop Around the Corner by Samson Raphaelson [based on] Parfumerie by Miklós László; It's A Wonderful Life by Philip Van Doren Stern [based on] The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern, The Bells of St. Mary's by Dudley Nichols
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👩⚕️⚾️🐩🐕🎄
My thoughts: I loved this story. I feel bad for letting it sit in my library all month. I'm going to be looking for more from this author.
Recommend to others: Yes! This is a total Hallmark movie.
3h 24m narrated by CJ Bloom and Adam Verner 184 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Holiday > Christmas, Inspirational
Featuring: Travel Nurse, Matchmaking, Small-Town Iowa, Baseball Player, Titled Chapters, Nashville, Tennessee; Life Plan Trope, Opposite of Type Trope, Springfield, Illinois; Setup Trope, Close Proximity Trope, He Falls First, Cairn Terrier, Goldendoodle, Des Moines, Iowa, Meddling Mother, Family Dynamics, Trust Issues
Rating as a movie: PG
Songs for the soundtrack: "Jingle Bells" by James Lord Pierpont, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee, "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey, "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" by Thurl Ravenscroft, "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti, "Silver Bells" by Kate Smith, "'Zat You, Santa Claus?" by Louis Armstrong & The Commanders, "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby, "A Marshmallow World: by Dean Martin, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams, "Joy To The World" by Mariah Carey, "Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," "My Favorite Things" by Julie Andrews, "A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives, "Baby It's Cold Outside" by CeeLo Green and Christina Aguilera, "Silent Night" by Mariah Carey, "Ding Dong Merrily On High" by Celtic Woman, Chloë Agnew, and Máiréad Nesbitt; "Winter Wonderland" by Bing Crosby, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Elmo & Patsy "The Best Things Happen While Your Dancing" by Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Peggy Lee, and Trudy Stevens; "Chicken Dance" by Werner Thomas, "Run Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry, "Carol of the Bells" by Mykola Leontovych, "Santa Baby" by Etta James, "Hot Chocolate" by Tom Hanks, "Let’s Get It On" by Marvin Gaye, The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, "O Tannenbaum" by Ernst Anschütz, "O Come All Ye Faithful" by Carrie Underwood, "O Holy Night" by Mariah Carey, "Faeries" by Mannheim Steamroller, "Sleigh Ride" by Harry Connick Jr., "A Cradle In Bethlehem" by Nat King Cole, "Mistletoe" by Justin Bieber, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" by Steam, "(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays" by Perry Como, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" by Whitney Houston, "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" by Stacie Orrico, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Christina Aguilera
Books and Authors mentioned: The Natural by Roger Towne and Phil Dusenberry [based on] The Natural by Bernard Malamud; Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog by John Grogan; Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Lion King by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton; The Shining by Steven King, Holiday Inn by Irving Berlin, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey, Beauty and the Beast by Linda Woolverton [based on] Beauty and the Beast by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve; Babes in Toyland by Lowell S. Hawley, Ward Kimball, and Joe Rinaldi [based on] Babes in Toyland by Victor Herbert and Glen MacDonough; While You Were Sleeping by Daniel G. Sullivan and Fredric Lebow, You've Got Mail by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron [based on] The Shop Around the Corner by Samson Raphaelson [based on] Parfumerie by Miklós László; It's A Wonderful Life by Philip Van Doren Stern [based on] The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern, The Bells of St. Mary's by Dudley Nichols
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👩⚕️⚾️🐩🐕🎄
My thoughts: I loved this story. I feel bad for letting it sit in my library all month. I'm going to be looking for more from this author.
Recommend to others: Yes! This is a total Hallmark movie.
December 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
GENRE
-Christmas rom-com
CONTENT
-🤬: none
-❤️: kisses
-⚠️: some estranged family situations
This was a great, quick listen for Christmas Eve! Ivy cares for Beau temporarily (as his nurse in the hospital) when he's in a car accident. While she loves his family and finds him physically attractive, she's not interested in starting anything with him because she has her life planned out. And that doesn't involve dating athletes (he plays baseball), and her relationship won't start until she's thirty. Well, meddling best friends and moms get involved, and Ivy's mind starts to be swayed.
I thought this was really cute. I saw some reviews that were like THEY WERE ALL GASLIGHTING HER, but I did not get those vibes. It was clear that Ivy had feelings for Beau, but she was so stuck on "following the plan" that she couldn't see them clearly. It would've been a different story if we didn't have her POV and didn't know that she did think he was "yummy."
I listened while prepping Christmas stuff, so I have no quotes to share this time. Just know I enjoyed it!
GENRE
-Christmas rom-com
CONTENT
-🤬: none
-❤️: kisses
-⚠️: some estranged family situations
This was a great, quick listen for Christmas Eve! Ivy cares for Beau temporarily (as his nurse in the hospital) when he's in a car accident. While she loves his family and finds him physically attractive, she's not interested in starting anything with him because she has her life planned out. And that doesn't involve dating athletes (he plays baseball), and her relationship won't start until she's thirty. Well, meddling best friends and moms get involved, and Ivy's mind starts to be swayed.
I thought this was really cute. I saw some reviews that were like THEY WERE ALL GASLIGHTING HER, but I did not get those vibes. It was clear that Ivy had feelings for Beau, but she was so stuck on "following the plan" that she couldn't see them clearly. It would've been a different story if we didn't have her POV and didn't know that she did think he was "yummy."
I listened while prepping Christmas stuff, so I have no quotes to share this time. Just know I enjoyed it!
October 17, 2025
4 Stars
Completed: Oct. 13/25
Format: audiobook borrow (Everand)
Narrators: CJ Bloom, Adam Verner -- CJ sounded a bit old for the part but was okay. Adam was good except for his female voices. They sounded weird.
Challenge Prompt: Best Reads' Holiday Bingo - "Gift giving is featured in the story” — they take gifts for Christmas to various townspeople
Book #131 of 2025: It took me a while to get into this novella. At the point where Ivy meets Beau's Grandma, it picked up greatly for me. The grandma is my favourite character. I could see my paternal grandma act like her if she was still here. Her antics are hysterical!
Beau's seriousness about Ivy is a little over-the-top and she isn't exactly nice at times. Perhaps it was the tone that the narrator used because she came across rude at times.
I absolutely loved all of Beau's family. They're quirky, loving, kind, caring people that value their family time. They know how to just have fun together and help others. Ivy's family is somewhat broken and dysfunctional. Truly though, don't we all have some dysfunction?
Ivy's Life Plan is tested greatly when she finds herself right in the pocket of Beau's family.
It's a fun novella and I had many LOL moments.
Completed: Oct. 13/25
Format: audiobook borrow (Everand)
Narrators: CJ Bloom, Adam Verner -- CJ sounded a bit old for the part but was okay. Adam was good except for his female voices. They sounded weird.
Challenge Prompt: Best Reads' Holiday Bingo - "Gift giving is featured in the story” — they take gifts for Christmas to various townspeople
Book #131 of 2025: It took me a while to get into this novella. At the point where Ivy meets Beau's Grandma, it picked up greatly for me. The grandma is my favourite character. I could see my paternal grandma act like her if she was still here. Her antics are hysterical!
Beau's seriousness about Ivy is a little over-the-top and she isn't exactly nice at times. Perhaps it was the tone that the narrator used because she came across rude at times.
I absolutely loved all of Beau's family. They're quirky, loving, kind, caring people that value their family time. They know how to just have fun together and help others. Ivy's family is somewhat broken and dysfunctional. Truly though, don't we all have some dysfunction?
Ivy's Life Plan is tested greatly when she finds herself right in the pocket of Beau's family.
It's a fun novella and I had many LOL moments.
December 17, 2025
The writing itself isn't too bad. - If the genre was accurate it'd be a decent book. Just because everyone smiles, does cutesy things, and are "wholesome", that does not make this a good holiday read. It's not a good romance read in general.
This is not a charming book. This is trying to validate putting a woman in an uncomfortable position and pressuring her into doing what everyone else wants but her. She mentions the Shining but laughs it off. The Shining is actually a decent comparison by the author directly in the book, but without the jokey part of the comparison.
Just need to add a few words here and there, and this is a decent thriller about gaslighting.
This is not a charming book. This is trying to validate putting a woman in an uncomfortable position and pressuring her into doing what everyone else wants but her. She mentions the Shining but laughs it off. The Shining is actually a decent comparison by the author directly in the book, but without the jokey part of the comparison.
Just need to add a few words here and there, and this is a decent thriller about gaslighting.
November 12, 2025
Okay so this was tacky and a bit ridiculous at times but aren’t most holiday novels? I love romances where the man is relentless about pursuing the woman he wants and loved even more that the author focused on the true meaning of Christmas. Exactly what I needed for a short and sweet little Christmas read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2025
2.75, cute but the FMC was a tad insufferable with her sticking to her plan and got a bit annoyed at the family and town doing everything they could to keep her there. Overall quick cute holiday listen!
December 13, 2025
The perfect bite size holiday romance!
I adored this story of Beau, a baseball player on his way up to the big leagues, and Ivy, a traveling nurse who has a lot of family trauma to heal. The dogs, the kids, the family, the bells (**wink wink**), the cozy, the matchmaking…it all equals the perfect holiday romance! My only critique is that I absolutely wanted another 200 pages (or at least a sequel…c’mon, just think about it, cool?)
I adored this story of Beau, a baseball player on his way up to the big leagues, and Ivy, a traveling nurse who has a lot of family trauma to heal. The dogs, the kids, the family, the bells (**wink wink**), the cozy, the matchmaking…it all equals the perfect holiday romance! My only critique is that I absolutely wanted another 200 pages (or at least a sequel…c’mon, just think about it, cool?)
January 2, 2026
There is just something about a romance where the man doggedly, yet sweetly pursues the woman. This was the case with Beau and Ivy. I loved the banter between them even as Ivy kept turning down Beau’s overtures. The best part was everyone around them who contrived (sometimes unintentionally) to get them together. There were so many laugh out loud moments. Loved this little Christmas bite!
November 13, 2025
Totally fine for this time of year but I was promised laugh out loud & wasn’t quiet that for me
November 14, 2025
Sweet Christmas read!
December 4, 2025
A fun, cute, Christmas, small town rom-com.
December 4, 2025
This 100% hit the sweet spot for me when it comes to Christmas novellas. All the joy, all the traditions, two adorable characters. I could not ask for me. I will definitely read it again next year.
December 8, 2025
4 ⭐️ A cute holiday romance. Audiobook was great!
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