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Holliday Sisters #1
Noelle the First
Despite sharing a birthday with the holiday, Christmas just wasn't Noelle's thing. As a kid she had been in love with the holiday, but adult Noelle just saw it as another day to get through.
Jay has moved back home after a breakup and is looking to reconnect with his childhood bestie. Cooking up a scheme to get her in the holiday spirit with her sisters, he's determined to bring back to the old Noelle.
With a combination of nostalgia, Christmas magic and a little bit of mistletoe, Noelle the First is a tale of old friends finding their way back to each other and more.
Jay has moved back home after a breakup and is looking to reconnect with his childhood bestie. Cooking up a scheme to get her in the holiday spirit with her sisters, he's determined to bring back to the old Noelle.
With a combination of nostalgia, Christmas magic and a little bit of mistletoe, Noelle the First is a tale of old friends finding their way back to each other and more.
92 pages, Paperback
Published December 18, 2017
184 people are currently reading
411 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Falls
64 books547 followersNicole Falls is a contemporary Black romance writer who has taken entirely too long to complete her first project. She's also a ceramic mug and lapel pin enthusiast who cannot function without her AirPods constantly blaring music. When Nicole isn't writing, she spends her time trolling her friends and family while drinking coffee and/or cocktails or checking off yet another of these great United States visited in her quest to see some land! She currently resides in the suburbs of Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
December 6, 2020
This was so cute and ultimately made me wish I had someone this cute in my life. HAHA.
I'm usually a fan of everything that Nicole Falls produces, but this one was just amazing. I think I connected to this story more than I've connected to other stories that she has written. It focuses on a heroine by the name of Noelle. Born on Christmas, Noelle has always been known for her holiday spirit; however, since she has gotten older her holiday spirit has faded away. In a plan to return her to normal self, her childhood friend Jay plans a series of different outings to help her remember why she loves the holiday season. This was just a cute and heartfelt story. Jay and Noelle were close growing up until they both went to college and completely disconnected with each other when Jay ends up in a relationship. I just couldn't get over how cute and endearing he was. He took it upon himself to plan these cute and adorable events to help Noelle get over her "Grinch" like behaviors/feelings. This is definitely a cute friends to lovers romance perfect for the holiday season. It is the first in a series so I'm excited to get to know the rest of the Noelle's sisters who are HILARIOUS especially Juju. The romantic scenes between Noelle and Jay were well-written and made me swoon. I'm hoping that they make appearances in future books!
I'm usually a fan of everything that Nicole Falls produces, but this one was just amazing. I think I connected to this story more than I've connected to other stories that she has written. It focuses on a heroine by the name of Noelle. Born on Christmas, Noelle has always been known for her holiday spirit; however, since she has gotten older her holiday spirit has faded away. In a plan to return her to normal self, her childhood friend Jay plans a series of different outings to help her remember why she loves the holiday season. This was just a cute and heartfelt story. Jay and Noelle were close growing up until they both went to college and completely disconnected with each other when Jay ends up in a relationship. I just couldn't get over how cute and endearing he was. He took it upon himself to plan these cute and adorable events to help Noelle get over her "Grinch" like behaviors/feelings. This is definitely a cute friends to lovers romance perfect for the holiday season. It is the first in a series so I'm excited to get to know the rest of the Noelle's sisters who are HILARIOUS especially Juju. The romantic scenes between Noelle and Jay were well-written and made me swoon. I'm hoping that they make appearances in future books!
April 27, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I loved how Noel & Jay’s relationship blossomed from friends to lovers. They were so cute together. I loved how Jay was really determined to make Noel enjoy the holidays like the old times and did everything in his power to made it happen.
The family dynamic of the Holliday’s was interesting too.
On to the next book.
The family dynamic of the Holliday’s was interesting too.
On to the next book.
December 21, 2020
This was such a cute holiday read. Noelle, whose birthday happens to fall on Christmas Day, just hasn’t been in the holiday spirit for various reasons. Enter Jay, her childhood friend, who is bent on restoring the magic of Christmas for Noelle. This friends to lovers romance was super sweet but also had some depth to it as it tackled some very sensitive topics. I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to read about the rest of the Holliday Sisters.
January 8, 2022
This was a really good short story….I always enjoy the friends to lovers trope.
December 30, 2017
Great holiday reads.
December 13, 2020
This was such a cute holiday friends to lovers read. Y’all really making me a believer
December 26, 2021
Sweet holiday novella - good on audio.
January 27, 2023
Super cute short read! So sweet how Jay and the sisters put so much thought into bringing Noelle out of her “grinchies” so she could enjoy the holiday season again.
January 11, 2024
This was a cute read. As not the biggest fan of spice, i appreciated that there was one scene at the end of the book. With it being a short read, it allowed for the storyline to come through, rather than hyperfocusing on it.
December 23, 2024
This gave all the feels. It’s been out a few years, but it has what I’m looking for in a Christmas novel. Add in that it’s. Black Christmas novel and I’m all in.
This book created the space to be nostalgic (come on Bendel Girlies! I can’t be the only one the sighed in sadness that the year this came out, Henri Bendel was on its way out). This gave the romance, the friendship, the communication, the family, the commitment and accountability.
It’s a quick easy read.
Happy Reading
This book created the space to be nostalgic (come on Bendel Girlies! I can’t be the only one the sighed in sadness that the year this came out, Henri Bendel was on its way out). This gave the romance, the friendship, the communication, the family, the commitment and accountability.
It’s a quick easy read.
Happy Reading
December 24, 2017
Short and Sweet
The Holliday sisters were funny and kept me entertained in this novella. I enjoyed the traditions and family togetherness. I would not mind seeing them again in the future.
The Holliday sisters were funny and kept me entertained in this novella. I enjoyed the traditions and family togetherness. I would not mind seeing them again in the future.
December 11, 2020
Christmas cutie
This was another good Christmas story from Nicole. Friends to lovers Noelle and Jay was the cutest. Looking forward to the next book in the series
This was another good Christmas story from Nicole. Friends to lovers Noelle and Jay was the cutest. Looking forward to the next book in the series
December 12, 2020
This was really cute! I picked it up because I thought the blurb sounded kind of "'tis the damn season"-y but this was pretty light and fluffy, which, tbh, is more what I need right now anyway.
October 18, 2022
A friends to lovers novella. Jay was so sweet! And I loved the random musical references in their conversations.
December 23, 2022
Jayyyyyyyyy was such a good guy!!! 4⭐️
May 12, 2023
2.5 ⭐️, not bad just wasn’t for me
November 25, 2023
Some may enjoy this but it was just a little too much cussing for me.
Read
December 10, 2018Content Warnings
I enjoyed this friends to lovers m/f Christmas romance, despite the evil ex trope. The de-grinching aspect was really sweet and fun, and the humor in this story was lovely.
I enjoyed this friends to lovers m/f Christmas romance, despite the evil ex trope. The de-grinching aspect was really sweet and fun, and the humor in this story was lovely.
December 22, 2017
BIWO This Christmas
Noelle & Jay were a cute couple. I loved the fluidity in the journey of this couple. It was natural, it felt real, & it was funny. I love that Jay tapped in & restored joy in her world. Jay's yamp ass ex needed to catch a fade. JuJu was the truth. I can't wait until her story unfolds.
Noelle & Jay were a cute couple. I loved the fluidity in the journey of this couple. It was natural, it felt real, & it was funny. I love that Jay tapped in & restored joy in her world. Jay's yamp ass ex needed to catch a fade. JuJu was the truth. I can't wait until her story unfolds.
May 10, 2018
Great book!
Awwwww Jay is the sweetest! He didn't come to play with Noelle lol
That Juniper had me rollin! Lol that girl was a fool
Awwwww Jay is the sweetest! He didn't come to play with Noelle lol
That Juniper had me rollin! Lol that girl was a fool
Read
September 28, 2019This was a fun and funny Christmas romance. It's friends-to-lovers, and it's very heavy on Christmas stuff: both celebrating it and also recognizing the holiday's role in shaping their own lives and shared past. I'd recommend this to readers for whom a Hallmark Christmas romance is too sedate or too saccharine (this has swearing, sex, alcohol, etc.), but who would still like a Christmas read that emphasizes family and the holiday.
I like Falls' voice a lot, and this provided something I really like in Christmas romances: the acknowledgment that the season often has an element of grief, even for people who love it. (Noelle's holiday-obsessed father passed away a few years ago; her sisters and Jay assume her Grinchiness--her word!--has to do with that, but it's actually a bit larger and more encompassing.) The friends-to-lovers trope worked so well here, because it built upon all those years of history and of holiday memories that Noelle and Jay explored as they went about their Twelve Days of Christmas celebration. (Or six-ish days. As Jay put it, "My first thought was to do a literal play on the 12 days of Christmas and tie in my surprises to the lyrics of that old Christmas standard, but I'm wasn't sure where one would find a turtle dove. Or honestly, what the hell a turtle dove even was? And I wasn't exactly Noelle's true love, so that shit woulda just been awkward. So, I went with a bit more of a conceptual 12 days of Christmas.")
And I hope Falls had as much enjoyment coming up with all those names and nicknames as I had reading them.
I like Falls' voice a lot, and this provided something I really like in Christmas romances: the acknowledgment that the season often has an element of grief, even for people who love it. (Noelle's holiday-obsessed father passed away a few years ago; her sisters and Jay assume her Grinchiness--her word!--has to do with that, but it's actually a bit larger and more encompassing.) The friends-to-lovers trope worked so well here, because it built upon all those years of history and of holiday memories that Noelle and Jay explored as they went about their Twelve Days of Christmas celebration. (Or six-ish days. As Jay put it, "My first thought was to do a literal play on the 12 days of Christmas and tie in my surprises to the lyrics of that old Christmas standard, but I'm wasn't sure where one would find a turtle dove. Or honestly, what the hell a turtle dove even was? And I wasn't exactly Noelle's true love, so that shit woulda just been awkward. So, I went with a bit more of a conceptual 12 days of Christmas.")
And I hope Falls had as much enjoyment coming up with all those names and nicknames as I had reading them.
December 29, 2020
Noelle The First (Holliday Sisters, #1) by Nicole Falls (2020/12/29)
Noelle The First is the first book in the Holliday Sisters series and can be read as a standalone.
This story follows Nolle who shares a birthday with the holiday, Christmas. As a kid she used to love the holiday however ever since her dad died, she stopped being in the Christmas spirit.
When her friend Jay moves back home, he decides that this is the time to reunite with his childhood friend. With the help of the Holliday Sisters he comes up with a plan to get Noelle back in the Christmas spirit.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Novella. I loved the banter between the hero and heroine. I loved that the hero put a lot of thought into his adventure with the heroine. I loved how sweet and funny Jay was. I loved how the family was so involved without it feeling like they were trying too hard to get the characters together.
One of my favourite things about this story was the communication. The characters had really good communication for most of the story and they didn't have any unnecessary drama which I appreciated.
What hindered my enjoyment of the novel was that I found the beginning to be a bit slow, but the plot definitely picks up after 40%.
Overall, this was such a fun Christmas novel. I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series, this book sets up the others really well and I’m excited!
TW: Death Of A Loved One, Cheating.
Noelle The First is the first book in the Holliday Sisters series and can be read as a standalone.
This story follows Nolle who shares a birthday with the holiday, Christmas. As a kid she used to love the holiday however ever since her dad died, she stopped being in the Christmas spirit.
When her friend Jay moves back home, he decides that this is the time to reunite with his childhood friend. With the help of the Holliday Sisters he comes up with a plan to get Noelle back in the Christmas spirit.
I thoroughly enjoyed this Novella. I loved the banter between the hero and heroine. I loved that the hero put a lot of thought into his adventure with the heroine. I loved how sweet and funny Jay was. I loved how the family was so involved without it feeling like they were trying too hard to get the characters together.
One of my favourite things about this story was the communication. The characters had really good communication for most of the story and they didn't have any unnecessary drama which I appreciated.
What hindered my enjoyment of the novel was that I found the beginning to be a bit slow, but the plot definitely picks up after 40%.
Overall, this was such a fun Christmas novel. I cannot wait to read the rest of the books in this series, this book sets up the others really well and I’m excited!
TW: Death Of A Loved One, Cheating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2021
I am not an own voices reviewer so please check out Black reviewers, bloggers, bookstagrammers and booktubers for a more comprehensive and honest review.
I gave this novella a 4 out of 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this story. I really enjoyed the plot of how Jay and Noelle used to be childhood friends but drifted away after college and are reuniting. I liked the holiday atmosphere brought into it and how it tied in to the plot and how it affected our characters. I loved how Jay was so determined to get Noelle's holiday spirit because she was a holiday person through and through. It really showed how much he cared about her and loved her and I really loved that. I also enjoyed Noelle's sisters, especially Juniper. I love that they are so close and ride or die for one another. I also loved that the love was gradual and not right away.
So if you want a quick holiday novella with a cute plot, this is the one for you!
I gave this novella a 4 out of 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this story. I really enjoyed the plot of how Jay and Noelle used to be childhood friends but drifted away after college and are reuniting. I liked the holiday atmosphere brought into it and how it tied in to the plot and how it affected our characters. I loved how Jay was so determined to get Noelle's holiday spirit because she was a holiday person through and through. It really showed how much he cared about her and loved her and I really loved that. I also enjoyed Noelle's sisters, especially Juniper. I love that they are so close and ride or die for one another. I also loved that the love was gradual and not right away.
So if you want a quick holiday novella with a cute plot, this is the one for you!
February 18, 2021
Awww, this was a cute lil Christmas Short...
Queen Nicole came through with this friends to lovers Holliday Sisters Christmas Short.
Noelle baby sis Ju-ju plus with her bestie to get her back into the holiday spirit. Jay really did his thang compacting 12 days of Christmas into 6 days. Taking Noelle around the city to do all her favorite things. In the process they Jay out the misunderstanding that kept them apart the last few years. That niece of hers set her up for that 💋 and it was everything.
Ju-ju is my favorite sister, she has no filter and is hilarious without even trying. It took her talking about Jay's ex as she called her Thotbox5000🤣🤣🤣. That letter she left on their breakfast💀.
Looking forward to reading the next installment.
Queen Nicole came through with this friends to lovers Holliday Sisters Christmas Short.
Noelle baby sis Ju-ju plus with her bestie to get her back into the holiday spirit. Jay really did his thang compacting 12 days of Christmas into 6 days. Taking Noelle around the city to do all her favorite things. In the process they Jay out the misunderstanding that kept them apart the last few years. That niece of hers set her up for that 💋 and it was everything.
Ju-ju is my favorite sister, she has no filter and is hilarious without even trying. It took her talking about Jay's ex as she called her Thotbox5000🤣🤣🤣. That letter she left on their breakfast💀.
Looking forward to reading the next installment.
December 11, 2020
Cute Christmas story
Noelle, whose favorite holiday used to be Christmas which is also her birthday, became a grinch at some point in her life. Her bestie Jay has moved back home and is determined to bring her Christmas spirit back.
This was my first Nicole Falls book and I really enjoyed this quick read. Noelle and Jay
were so cute and so was their friends turned lover story. Her nieces were to adorable, so I am looking forward to reading more about them in the series. There was a little comedy and that Juju was a mess I just know her book will be funny. This was a good Christmas read.
Noelle, whose favorite holiday used to be Christmas which is also her birthday, became a grinch at some point in her life. Her bestie Jay has moved back home and is determined to bring her Christmas spirit back.
This was my first Nicole Falls book and I really enjoyed this quick read. Noelle and Jay
were so cute and so was their friends turned lover story. Her nieces were to adorable, so I am looking forward to reading more about them in the series. There was a little comedy and that Juju was a mess I just know her book will be funny. This was a good Christmas read.
December 10, 2023
I thought this novella was maybe a little too short, and could have benefitted from another 20-30 pages at least. I think the story moved too fast to be believable, because even if it’s a second chance romance and there’s a history there, it still isn’t so instantaneous. I think we needed a little more time with them building up to being together, or maybe just agreeing to date rather than jumping into a relationship immediately.
However, I did enjoy the relationship between Noelle and Juju, and I did like Noelle and Jay together. I just wanted a little more to make the story slightly more believable.
However, I did enjoy the relationship between Noelle and Juju, and I did like Noelle and Jay together. I just wanted a little more to make the story slightly more believable.
December 5, 2021
4 stars for this cute little gem of a holiday romance!
This book stars Noelle, a woman jaded with the idea of Christmas, which, coincidentally is also her birthday. With a little help from Jay, an old (and very special) friend she learns how to rekindle her love for the holidays.
This story came up when I was looking for a quick listen from my Scribd library and I decided to take a chance on it. I'm so glad this didn't disappoint! This enjoyable book definitely put this author on my radar and I can't wait to continue on with the rest of the Holliday sisters!
This book stars Noelle, a woman jaded with the idea of Christmas, which, coincidentally is also her birthday. With a little help from Jay, an old (and very special) friend she learns how to rekindle her love for the holidays.
This story came up when I was looking for a quick listen from my Scribd library and I decided to take a chance on it. I'm so glad this didn't disappoint! This enjoyable book definitely put this author on my radar and I can't wait to continue on with the rest of the Holliday sisters!
December 11, 2022
“I’m the man, I’m the man, I’m the man. Yes I am, Yes I am, Yes I am.”
As a kid Noelle was obsessed with the holidays and sharing her birthday with Christmas. Until she became an adult and it was as just another day to get though.
Jay just moved back home and is looking to reconnect with his high school bestie. He enlists Noelle’s sisters to being back her Christmas spirit.
Short sweet and full of spice. Friends to lovers and a whole lot of family love. If you’re looking for somethings christmasy with a POC author this one’s for you!
As a kid Noelle was obsessed with the holidays and sharing her birthday with Christmas. Until she became an adult and it was as just another day to get though.
Jay just moved back home and is looking to reconnect with his high school bestie. He enlists Noelle’s sisters to being back her Christmas spirit.
Short sweet and full of spice. Friends to lovers and a whole lot of family love. If you’re looking for somethings christmasy with a POC author this one’s for you!
January 5, 2020
Enjoyable story
What an introduction to the Holiday sisters once I got into the story I use say I did enjoy it for me it started out a little slow, but I stayed the coarse to the finish line and I’m glad I did.
The names of the Holiday sisters I found to be hilarious very creative and I definitely loved the history of the young couple. I can’t wait to read more of this series
What an introduction to the Holiday sisters once I got into the story I use say I did enjoy it for me it started out a little slow, but I stayed the coarse to the finish line and I’m glad I did.
The names of the Holiday sisters I found to be hilarious very creative and I definitely loved the history of the young couple. I can’t wait to read more of this series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews