3.5 ⭐️ Shira Schwartz is doing what it takes to get that promotion, even if it means single-handedly opening up a holiday pop-up bookstore for the month of December in Azalea, Texas. Her boss probably asked her because she wouldn’t mind missing Christmas, but it’ll be hard not spending Hanukkah in Chicago with the friends who have become her family. She didn’t expect it, but she is soon charmed by the town and Jonny McKay, the local flirt with a bad reputation and a killer smile who is home for the holidays to help out his family. Encouraged by her friends, Shira tells herself: “lean into my main character, energy… forget about any inhibitions and fling like I’ve never flinged before.” But between cookie decorating, a Christmas tractor parade, a giant menorah lighting in the town square, and the sharing of their holiday traditions, these two are finding feelings that go far beyond fling territory. The challenge becomes trying to make the most of their limited time together while not rushing into things; after all, Jonny has always been “good at the launch - but not the long haul” and while Shira is all too eager to get intimate, Jonny knows this is worth waiting for. In addition to the chance for romance, Shira connects with the carousel of customers that make ‘The Book Nook’ feel like a haven for new and voracious readers alike. As Jonny and the readers help her find herself and her place in this community, this fling is looking more like the *real thing.*
Spoilers incoming…
This was a sweet holiday read that did the job of keeping the holidays alive in the melancholy of how they passed by too quickly. The confidence Shira found with Jonny and in this community made her journey from Sarah —> Shira a special one, as it is an important lesson to learn to not only be proud of who you are, but to open yourself up to how you can make those around you feel seen and appreciated. The way characters respectfully embraced different holiday traditions gave me the warm and fuzzies.
Jonny was a good MMC with a great family. They felt very realistic and it would be so fun to spend the holidays with them. As the “misunderstood millionaire with the self-control of a saint,” Jonny was really trying to shake that bad reputation by taking things slow with Shira. I loved when he realized why she was holding back and this AHA moment: “I don’t know what it’s like to be Jewish, but I do know what it’s like to feel out of place in this town” and how he does the work to make sure she feels included and accepted. 👏🏼
While I understood Shira’s… eagerness… it became a bit annoying that she kept pushing his boundaries and trying to get physical fast. It does read a bit differently having the FMC be the one trying to pull him into bed, but if the roles were reversed, that would NOT fly. I guess I’d call it a pink flag, in this case, rather than red; Jonny was clear about being patient while still wanting to get there eventually. The insta-lust is expected in a novella, but Jonny keeping the pace slow while Shira constantly tries to toe the line is what became repetitive and grating. The epilogue did a little rush job of a simultaneous engagement and pregnancy announcement, but a happily ever after gets a smile from me.
Memorable moments and quotes:
- “I could make a joke about calling me the next time you need a good screw, but I won’t - because I’m a gentleman.” 🔩🪛😏 “Sure you are.“
- How everything you could possibly read can teach you how to be human… “It’s like you get to live someone else’s life for a while, and somehow it makes you understand your own better.” 🫶🏼
- Jonny understands how to do a grand gesture… “Shira Schwartz, the man built you a giant menorah and had the town - where you were the only Jew - throw you a Hanukkah party.” 🕎
- “This is home… not a place on a map, but right here with the people we love: the family I was born into, the family Shira chose along the way, and the family we’re beginning to grow. All of us, together, finding our way through this messy, beautiful life. Right where we belong.” 👏🏼
A shoutout to this stunning dedication, too:
“For anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t belong: May your shelves overflow with stories, your holidays sparkle with magic, and your life be filled with people who make you feel at home.“ ✨