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Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance: Pick Your Plot, Meet Your Man, and Create the Holiday Love Story of a Lifetime

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Create the Christmas Romance of Your Dreams Scene by Scene, Twist by Charmingly Predictable Twist

Slip on your favorite Christmas sweater, cozy up to a crackling fire, sip some spiced eggnog, and prepare to experience the ultimate holiday love story. But instead of watching it on some cheesy cable channel, open this book and put yourself in the director’s chair.

First, decide your heroine's problem. Was she just fired from her big city business job? Avoiding going home for Christmas? Or did she just realize the man who proposed to her maybe isn't Mr. Right? Then it's time to meet the man--should your heroine end up with the big city business exec, the small town hunk or someone totally unexpected (but still hunky)? Each choice will take you down a totally different path that all somehow end up making for a perfect made-for-TV romance.

Will your Christmas activity montage include baking cookies, walking through a holiday festival, or skating on a picturesque frozen lake? Will you choose to include a generically bearded old man who perhaps could maybe be Santa Claus? Choice by hilarious choice, you’ll make your way closer and closer to the big payoff--the picture perfect, most romantic final kiss ever.

And when you’ve savored that last bit of snowy, romantic goodness, don’t be glum. Turn back to page one and start a new love story. With hundreds of possible stories the happily-ever-afters never stop happening.

147 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 22, 2019

33 people are currently reading
322 people want to read

About the author

Riane Konc

3 books9 followers

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5 stars
79 (24%)
4 stars
72 (21%)
3 stars
101 (30%)
2 stars
51 (15%)
1 star
26 (7%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
Profile Image for Rachel McKenny.
Author 2 books191 followers
December 27, 2019
Funny! And I don’t even watch the movies. Just plain good satire.
Profile Image for Elizabeth.
428 reviews25 followers
December 21, 2019
If you like making fun of Hallmark Christmas movies, this book is for you. It was a complete joy to read. I have not laughed so much while reading a book!

It’s a “choose your own adventure” meaning that YOU get to choose what happens in the story. Will Chrissy throw the wine in Cole’s face? Will she run away with her Uber driver? The choice is yours. (Or, if you’re like me, you’ll go back and try all the other possibilities too, just to read more funny things that can happen. They are ALL hilarious, so I recommend reading all the different options!)

It was tons of fun, and now I’m all about satires on cheesy holiday romances. This book is a gem.
Profile Image for Sean McGowan.
126 reviews2 followers
November 17, 2019
Riane's such a strong jokewriter and she completely flexes that talent throughout. She nails the Christmas romcom parody like 20 different ways, but also manages to find room for just clean, sharp jokes. So many laugh-out-loud moments, and the writing style reeks of The Stench of Honolulu. I loved it
Profile Image for Leah.
1,290 reviews55 followers
December 13, 2019
I was looking for something fun and light-hearted..this was not it. The author tried WAY too hard to be funny and cutesy, instead it came off as grating. I reached one ending and didn't bother trying for other options.
Profile Image for Tamara Evans.
1,029 reviews47 followers
November 9, 2023
“Build Your Own Christmas Movie Romance: Pick Your Plot, Meet Your Man, and Create the Holiday Love Story of a Lifetime” is a novel focusing on using a choose-your-own-adventure storyline to steer the main character Chrissy into a romance by using various TV movie romantic comedies (rom-com) plots.

The novel consists of eight chapters presented as scenes followed by blurb an about the author. This review is based on the various choices I made while reading this book.

In scene one “Meet the Heroine,” the reader is introduced to main character, businesswoman Chrissy. Despite Chrissy working at the Big Business Company for over ten years with dreams of becoming a junior executive in charge of business. While fretting about work, Chrissy receives a phone call from her mother and the reader decides whether Chrissy talks to her mom or ignore the call. Following the reader choosing if Chrissy attends a family Christmas dinner, the scene ends with Chrissy meeting her boyfriend Cole for dinner, hopeful that he’ll propose to her after two years of dating.

In scene two “Blue Christmas,” Chrissy’s assistant Eve informs her that her bosses are ready to meet with her. Chrissy is excited about the meeting with her bosses Janet and Tad in that she’s assuming that the meeting is to promote her which she feels she deserves. Unfortunately, instead of being promoted, Chrissy’s position is terminated effective immediately. Following her firing, I decided to have her accept her termination gracefully and leave. Despite being fired, Chrissy is optimistic that her day will improve after dinner with her Cole and is further upset when he breaks up with her. The scene ends with Chrissy calling her mother and informing her that she’ll be returning to her hometown of Candy Cane Falls for Christmas instead of going on a planned ski trip with Cole.

In scene three “The Meet Cute,” Chrissy arrives at her hometown of Candy Cane Falls via Uber and is reminded of the town’s old-fashioned ways. After asking the Uber driver his name (which is Evan,) Chrissy shares with Evan the story of how her family became candy cane farmers as well learning that there is a clear difference between homegrown and factory-made candy canes. Upon arriving at her childhood home, Chrissy is warmly greeted by her mother but is surprised to see her former high school flame Nick at her mother’s home. It is in this scene that the reader learns Chrissy’s full name of Chrissy Kristen Christopher. The scene ends with Chrissy and Nick having a reunion and Chrissy going upstairs to unpack at her mom’s house.

In scene four “The Wintery Frolic,” Chrissy has a hard time going to sleep due to thoughts about Nick. After deciding that Nick and Chrissy should be high school sweethearts, Chrissy goes to the candy cane fields Nick is harvesting to give him a cup of hot chocolate. An interesting detail is provided that when harvesting candy canes from the ground, they come out hooked at both ends and after harvesting, one hook is chopped off, leaving the J-shaped candy people know and love. The scene ends with Nick challenging Chrissy to a candy cane pulling contest and Chrissy becoming alarmed by forgetting city life the longer she in Candy Cane Falls and is around Nick.

In scene five “The Dramatic Mix-Up,” Chrissy fights her attraction to Nick and begins to actively avoid seeing him. Despite avoiding Nick, he shows Chrissy that he’s thinking of her by leaving candy cane and candy cane-colored surprises for her. Chrissy calls her best friend Holly who is sarcastic and lives in the Big City for advice on what to do regarding Nick. It is in this part of the book that it’s revealed that the “Big City” is New York. Holly’s advice to Chrissy regarding Nick is to let it go since he lives in a small town and Chrissy loves working and living in the big city. Just when Chrissy is planning to work through her feelings about Nick, she gets an unexpected visit from ex-boyfriend Cole. Although Cole has a letter prepared to read to Chrissy, I decided that she needed time to think about their past relationship. When Cole tells Chrissy that there’s a junior executive job waiting for her back in the big city and the proposes to her, I decided to have Chrissy stop a second to think before making such major life decisions. The scene ends with Cole or one knee of Chrissy’s mom’s front porch and Nick running away after seeing the proposal in process, much to Chrissy’s dismay.

In scene six “The Pining Montage,” Chrissy is moping at her mom’s house listening to sad versions of Christmas songs. After going to her serious thinking spot and indulging in her long-forgotten hobby of ice skating, the scene ends with Chrissy falling into the freezing water of the makeshift ice rink.

In scene seven “The Kiss,” Chrissy is calling for help after falling into the freezing water of the makeshift ice rink. After sinking beneath the frigid water, she has a vision related to the Christmas night years ago when her father died due to a snake bite and Chrissy not being able to save her father through making a snake-bite salve. When both Cole and Nick arrive to rescue her, it becomes clear to Chrissy which man is best for her in the long term.

In scene eight “Final Merry Christmas, Chrissy’s childhood home is packed with people during a large Christmas party followed by a final choice for the reader between seven endings to Chrissy’s story such as unveiling a secret royal, Chrissy having a sudden, brief epiphany, Chrissy learning the secret meaning of her name, or Chrissy and Nick realizing they may have rushed into a relationship.

As I finished the novel, I enjoyed the choose-your-own-adventure storyline of the book and Konc’s creativity in creating a whimsical story involving a fantasy setting of a candy cane farm and exposing various rom-com movie stereotypes such as a female character from a small town now living in the big city, an attractive male character who’s remained in the small town it has life challenges including being a single father. Likewise, I liked how each chapter is introduced by a cross stitch style page. This book is a fun book for lovers of Hallmark or Lifetime holiday movies as well as those with a quirky sense of humor.
Profile Image for Bethany.
221 reviews21 followers
December 31, 2019
I'm giving this book 4 stars for now, because I was only able to read through to one ending before I had to return it to the library. But OH MAN, what an amazing concept. If you're a fan of holiday romance movies and making fun of said holiday romance movies, this book is for you! It had me literally laughing out loud.
98 reviews
December 3, 2019
It’s several Hallmark movies in 1 book. You pick the plot that suits you best. You can read a few pages and be done or string it along for the entire book including 7 possible endings.
The names of towns/businesses is cute but I’d rather watch the Hallmark channel.
Profile Image for Zach.
595 reviews6 followers
December 27, 2019
Quite possibly the most amazing Christmas story(ies) I’ve ever read. Super cheesy, super punny, and super Hallmark. A must read if you want a Christmas laugh!
Profile Image for Tisha (IG: Bluestocking629).
932 reviews41 followers
December 8, 2022
Reading this book taught me something. I don’t enjoy the “choose-your-adventure” type of book. I don’t buy a book containing 150 pages to only read 75 of them. I paid for 150 I want to read 150.

That is no fault of the book. It’s just me. So no stars taken away...for that.

I am removing stars because I did not find it funny. I love funny. I truly do. I spend at least 45 minutes a week watching Instagram reels of Friends. I laugh along with our coffee loving New York friends. So when I said I did not find this book funny it’s not because I don’t love funny.

I am removing stars because I found its attempt at satire and/or parody lacking. I love satire and/or parody. The Simpsons is one of my favorite TV shows. The writers get satire. They really do.

I loved Slaughterhouse-Five. Satire done well.

This book was pretty much cashing in on Hallmark/GAC/UPTv’s popularity especially at Christmas time.

I truly wanted to love this one. It was not my cup of hot cocoa with a cute little candy cane and extra marshmallows.

But I’m giving half a point for the Candace Cameron-Bure part. 😆 Genius. Best part of the book.

2.5 candy canes rounded to 3. I’m feeling generous as it is Christmas time.
Profile Image for Chrisanne.
2,918 reviews63 followers
May 6, 2020
This was a brilliant satire on your Christmas (*cough* Hallmark) romance and I loved it. Punny, self- aware, squeaky clean, sometimes inexplicable, and just as fantastical as all those films, it was a quick and funny read. It also knew when to end, which is a HUGE plus. Highly recommended if you find this stuff amusing.
Profile Image for Laura.
1,458 reviews6 followers
December 15, 2024
This was chaotic and fun. It is a choose your own adventure book featuring a holiday romance (think Hallmark movie). This book is very unserious. It pokes fun at the many tropes that the traditional Christmas movies employ. I thought it was funny, but a bit repetitive. Overall, an entertaining read, but nothing that changed my life.
Profile Image for Melanie Vine.
34 reviews1 follower
December 26, 2021
Well that was a lot of good, silly, laugh-out-loud fun. I’m a cheesy hallmark/lifetime Xmas movie fan, but I know what I’m getting when I go in, something cheesy and silly like the plot(s) of this clever little book.
Profile Image for Katie.
11 reviews
December 28, 2021
This was hilariously fun and a perfect way to hit my reading goal after a year of absolutely no motivation to read ANYTHING. Here’s to a better 2022! 📚
Profile Image for Andrea Wright.
997 reviews18 followers
December 27, 2021
This was so cheesy and silly and utterly fantastic! I only got through once but am considering purchasing my own copy or making it a tradition to check out from the library and choose something new each year.
Profile Image for Angelic.
37 reviews
December 25, 2025
Hilarious parody of all the cliches you find in the Christmas / Holiday books and movies that you secretly love but in the form of a choose your own adventure. Perfect for this time of the year.
Profile Image for Sarina M.
431 reviews25 followers
January 14, 2021
3.5 Was cute for what it was. There were a few laugh out loud parts, but overall it was very silly. Also, I think this would have been a lot more enjoyable had Chrissy been even somewhat likable.
Profile Image for Victoria.
928 reviews12 followers
February 24, 2020
This was a humorous gift this past Christmas, one that I've been reading a snippet at a time. That's easy to do since it's written in the "you choose the direction of the plot" style. I've only been watching Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas movies for a couple of years but completely understand where this author was coming from. She writes with a snarky taste of sarcasm stuck aptly in the familiar trope of these romances, but she's got some real wit. If this example makes you giggle, you might look for this book and have a laugh at the movies, yourself, and all your friends who also watch them.
Example: Chrissy walked out of the kitchen toward the stairs. She stopped to glance back at Nick, who was looking out the back window. She smiled and started up the stairs to her room. Nick glanced away from the window and watched her. He smiled and shook his head. Chrissy took a few more steps and then looked back again, but by this point, she was already in her room and only saw the closed door. "Darn," she thought. She was very good at business, but she was not very smart in love. Or spatial awareness.
Profile Image for Kirby.
866 reviews42 followers
July 18, 2020
As someone who loved the "Choose Your Own Adventure" type books growing up, and as someone who loves Christmas movies, I thought this would be a fun, comical type of read to pick up during Christmas in July.

Unfortunately, this wasn't what I was expecting at all, and I thought the humor was overdone, lacking in finesse and subtly, and honestly grated on my nerves.

I understand that the author was trying to make a point about the plots of most Christmas movies being overdone and one and the same, but it could have been done in a much better way. The first chapter had me completely turned off of the word business, after hearing it far too many times over the scope of a few pages. All the characters were plain obnoxious and made no sense, and the "hilarious" exaggerated passages rubbed me the wrong way (i.e. a candy cane farm, a grinch snake bite that can only be remedied by a salve made of candy canes, etc etc) and I struggled to even want to finish this.

I'm really glad I ended up borrowing this one on my library's libby app instead of wasting the money buying it.

I honestly loved the concept, but the execution wasn't what I was expecting, and there wasn't really anything about this one that I ended up enjoying.
Profile Image for kirsten.
331 reviews23 followers
November 12, 2022
It’s pretty rare for me to DNF a book with no intentions of picking it up again but this one was painful. There is such thing as too much satire and I don’t even know if you can call what this book is satire. It’s honestly just so grating. I got the easiest ending and then maybe halfway to another and then I just couldn’t do it anymore.

Only one thing got a chuckle from me and that was the Judy Blume bit because I could picture my elementary school librarian doing the exact same thing to me if she wasn’t so busy trying to stop everyone from reading RL Stien.

I can see why people would find this funny and I’m happy for them but this just wasn’t for me which is a shame as I was excited to read this but I guess I’m just too much of a Grinch for Candy Cane Falls.
Profile Image for Joy Matteson.
649 reviews69 followers
November 25, 2019
If you love choose-your-own-adventure books, have a love/hate relationship with Hallmark/cheesy rom-coms, and need more witty dialogue in your life, this book is for you! Chrissy is an up and coming executive who grew up in the small town of Candy Cane Falls, who just got fired from her job and dumped by her a-hole boyfriend. You get to decide who she ends up with, and basically giggle throughout the entire book. Full disclosure--the author is a friend of mine from high school, and her jokes have only gotten better with time. If you need a palate cleanser after picking up the latest National Book Award finalist author, this is your read!
Profile Image for Lexi.
527 reviews20 followers
December 26, 2019
This was fricking hilarious. A bit over the top, but that made it even funnier imo. All of your favourite Hallmark Christmas movie tropes are here from the high-level business executive who hates Christmas to the precocious terminally cute six-year-old son of the hunky jock. And then some you never dreamed of: (Candy Cane Farming and visions of Candace Cameron Bure!) It hits the nail on the head at times, but it hurts so good.
Profile Image for Ruth.
60 reviews
December 25, 2022
My wife and I love watching cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies, and this book captured everything I love making fun of while watching them! The writing is hilarious and we found ourselves laughing out loud throughout the story and have already decided the book will be an annual Christmas tradition, and we'll choose different pathways each time we read it!
Profile Image for Ariel Jensen.
634 reviews3 followers
January 21, 2022
I appreciate the satire—I really do. But sometimes I found the humor to be more cringey than laughable. And couldn’t the characters be just a little bit likable? And really, I ended up reading multiple storylines & still not enjoying the plot. Plus, there was one mistake in the choices that led me to nowhere. I don’t know… I get it, it just didn’t work for me.
Profile Image for Caitlin Kunkel.
Author 3 books162 followers
November 27, 2019
This hilarious parody is full pf puns, plot twists you see coming from a mile away by design, and a delicious insider thrill at every laugh. The holly and the I.V.s, indeed! Great gift and a super fun holiday humor book.
7 reviews
December 4, 2019
It is a spot on satire of the Hallmark Christmas movies that we all love to hate. You will want to re-read it again and again to get to experience all of the laugh-out-loud jokes in the different Choose-Your-Own-Adventure paths.
Profile Image for Beth.
690 reviews2 followers
December 19, 2023
Choose Your Own Adventure meets Hallmark Christmas movies. This was campy and ridiculously over the top, and exactly what I needed in my current reading slump. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it was exactly what I needed at the moment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews

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