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The Christmas Crush
‘Tis the season to… fall for your childhood best friend?
Marley Beekman has two true loves: peanut brittle and her dog, Meatloaf. Her dating life doesn’t exist, her older sister keeps giving her anti aging creams, and after opening her own bakery, she’s drowning in cookie dough and debt. It’ll take a Christmas miracle for her to get through the holidays without a minor breakdown (or two).
Ryan Kennedy is home for Christmas after three years in New York. He’s acquired a glittering career, a designer wardrobe, and a set of rock hard abs, but something is missing -- and he’s pretty sure it’s the girl back home he never got over. Before he left, he was in love with her, but he could never tell her how he felt.
Ryan and Marley reunite, and one man/dog collision, a flour fight, and a hilarious misunderstanding with Ryan’s boss later, sparks are flying.
But as the two rekindle old friendship and discover new feelings, they begin to wonder… is this just a Christmas Crush, or do they have the ingredients for true love on their hands?
This laugh-out-loud romantic comedy is fun, festive, and sweet enough to make your teeth ache. Featuring two very ugly sweaters, 105lbs of slobbering dog, and a feel-good HEA, it’s a perfect recipe for instant Christmas spirit!
Marley Beekman has two true loves: peanut brittle and her dog, Meatloaf. Her dating life doesn’t exist, her older sister keeps giving her anti aging creams, and after opening her own bakery, she’s drowning in cookie dough and debt. It’ll take a Christmas miracle for her to get through the holidays without a minor breakdown (or two).
Ryan Kennedy is home for Christmas after three years in New York. He’s acquired a glittering career, a designer wardrobe, and a set of rock hard abs, but something is missing -- and he’s pretty sure it’s the girl back home he never got over. Before he left, he was in love with her, but he could never tell her how he felt.
Ryan and Marley reunite, and one man/dog collision, a flour fight, and a hilarious misunderstanding with Ryan’s boss later, sparks are flying.
But as the two rekindle old friendship and discover new feelings, they begin to wonder… is this just a Christmas Crush, or do they have the ingredients for true love on their hands?
This laugh-out-loud romantic comedy is fun, festive, and sweet enough to make your teeth ache. Featuring two very ugly sweaters, 105lbs of slobbering dog, and a feel-good HEA, it’s a perfect recipe for instant Christmas spirit!
119 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2020
24 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Emily Lowry
16 books182 followersEmily Lowry is true romantic. She’s a huge fan of happily ever afters, witty, fun characters and fast-paced sweet romances.
Emily writes from her home in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and in her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, baking cakes and paddleboarding.
Discover Emily Lowry’s first series, Rumors and Lies at Evermore High, for perfect sweet romance reads filled with gossip, high school drama & falling in love for the first time <3
Emily writes from her home in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and in her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, baking cakes and paddleboarding.
Discover Emily Lowry’s first series, Rumors and Lies at Evermore High, for perfect sweet romance reads filled with gossip, high school drama & falling in love for the first time <3
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 12, 2022
4.5 this was actually such a cute novella and i love emily lowry
January 25, 2022
My full review can be read here: bit.ly/3fSPCaI
“I’m so happy you’re home,” I said.
Ryan didn’t answer. He simply wrapped his arms around me. And together, we swayed to the music, letting the melody fall over us. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of clean laundry and pine.
“Me too,” he murmured into my hair.
Fun fact: I didn't finish any Christmas books in December. I had quite a few on my TBR, but the month was so busy that I wasn't able to read as much as I wanted to. However, I did start this Christmas novella last month and I was determined to have it read and review by January 25th! (Since I love Christmas so much, I think I'd love to review a Christmas book every other month on the 25th throughout the year.)
Anywayyyyyy, Ryan and Marley were adorable together! I really enjoyed seeing the friends-to-more trope mixed with the second chance trope, and the book delivered some definite cozy holiday feels. 🎄💖
As far as content goes: Any suggestive material/innuendos were pretty minor, so no worries there. Oh! Marley struggled with feeling like she's not good enough compared to her sisters (this wasn't triggering for me, but could be for other readers). I truly can't think of anything that would really need to be listed as a warning. 🤔
Time for my list of thoughts!
1: I forgot to start my list of notes lol...OOPS!
2: It’s totally cliche but I honestly LOVE when people are mistaken for a couple in books
3: How unromantically romantic of him lol (roses, IYKYK)
4: Are they confessing feelings?!
5: OH MY GOSH, GO AWAY! THEY NEED TO TALK
6: She’s right! What happens after Christmas???
7: The dramaaaaa
8: They’re so sweet together
9: Interrupted AGAIN?? Whyyyyy?
10: Oh my gosh, how did I not realize the ending was happening already?
As usual, it's easier for me to spoil things when I'm reviewing a novella; so, I'll just finish my recap by saying this was a cute, breezy Christmas romance! I think Hallmark movie-lovers will especially enjoy it!!🎄📖
“I’m so happy you’re home,” I said.
Ryan didn’t answer. He simply wrapped his arms around me. And together, we swayed to the music, letting the melody fall over us. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of clean laundry and pine.
“Me too,” he murmured into my hair.
Fun fact: I didn't finish any Christmas books in December. I had quite a few on my TBR, but the month was so busy that I wasn't able to read as much as I wanted to. However, I did start this Christmas novella last month and I was determined to have it read and review by January 25th! (Since I love Christmas so much, I think I'd love to review a Christmas book every other month on the 25th throughout the year.)
Anywayyyyyy, Ryan and Marley were adorable together! I really enjoyed seeing the friends-to-more trope mixed with the second chance trope, and the book delivered some definite cozy holiday feels. 🎄💖
As far as content goes: Any suggestive material/innuendos were pretty minor, so no worries there. Oh! Marley struggled with feeling like she's not good enough compared to her sisters (this wasn't triggering for me, but could be for other readers). I truly can't think of anything that would really need to be listed as a warning. 🤔
Time for my list of thoughts!
1: I forgot to start my list of notes lol...OOPS!
2: It’s totally cliche but I honestly LOVE when people are mistaken for a couple in books
3: How unromantically romantic of him lol (roses, IYKYK)
4: Are they confessing feelings?!
5: OH MY GOSH, GO AWAY! THEY NEED TO TALK
6: She’s right! What happens after Christmas???
7: The dramaaaaa
8: They’re so sweet together
9: Interrupted AGAIN?? Whyyyyy?
10: Oh my gosh, how did I not realize the ending was happening already?
As usual, it's easier for me to spoil things when I'm reviewing a novella; so, I'll just finish my recap by saying this was a cute, breezy Christmas romance! I think Hallmark movie-lovers will especially enjoy it!!🎄📖
September 10, 2021
“Holding her in my arms felt so right, like we were two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together.”
Marley and Ryan have been best friends for a long time, but then they fell out of touch when Ryan moved to New York City.
Not knowing that they both have feelings for each other, they just remained friends until his sudden move. Three years later, he’s back at his hometown for the holiday season.
Struggling to keep her bakery in business, Marley considers herself as the “family disappointment” compared to her sisters who’s a lawyer and in med school. When she sees Ryan for the first time in 3 years, all the feelings begin to come back but she thinks that things between them will only be a friendship.
🎄READ IF YOU LIKE🎄:
- friends to lovers
- dual POVs
- secret mutual pining
- yummy Christmas treats
- baker x marketing consultant
- peanut brittle
- Bernese Mountain dog named Meatloaf
- novellas
Marley and Ryan have been best friends for a long time, but then they fell out of touch when Ryan moved to New York City.
Not knowing that they both have feelings for each other, they just remained friends until his sudden move. Three years later, he’s back at his hometown for the holiday season.
Struggling to keep her bakery in business, Marley considers herself as the “family disappointment” compared to her sisters who’s a lawyer and in med school. When she sees Ryan for the first time in 3 years, all the feelings begin to come back but she thinks that things between them will only be a friendship.
🎄READ IF YOU LIKE🎄:
- friends to lovers
- dual POVs
- secret mutual pining
- yummy Christmas treats
- baker x marketing consultant
- peanut brittle
- Bernese Mountain dog named Meatloaf
- novellas
December 23, 2020
My friend Ryan always said that I was an eternal optimist, and that this was both my greatest strength and flaw.
She looked up at me, and her smile turned wicked. “How about Eat Your Food, Don’t Wear It?”
I held her gaze, then slowly, dramatically, reached into my bowl. Scooped up a handful of flour...And threw it. SMACK! It landed right in Marley’s face, making her look like a startled ghost. I blinked at her innocently.
“Sorry, you were saying?” Marley seized her spatula and charged at me.
There was something about being back in your high school for the first time in years that made you feel the weight of your own failures in life.
I don’t know how long we spent entangled there, completely lost in each other. But when we finally broke apart, it was snowing. Fat white snowflakes fell upon our perfect moment. It was just Ryan and I, alone under a sea of shimmering stars.
He kissed me and sparks flew.
The way that Emily Lowry describes the town and the Christmas decorations, and the Christmas feeling was amazing. I love the random cameos of Chase and Abby from Chase Jones is my Fake Boyfriend, and Dylan and Jordan from Dylan Ramirez is my Forbidden Boyfriend. This was a cute, fun and sweet Christmassy romance with the best friend trope. 4 stars.
She looked up at me, and her smile turned wicked. “How about Eat Your Food, Don’t Wear It?”
I held her gaze, then slowly, dramatically, reached into my bowl. Scooped up a handful of flour...And threw it. SMACK! It landed right in Marley’s face, making her look like a startled ghost. I blinked at her innocently.
“Sorry, you were saying?” Marley seized her spatula and charged at me.
There was something about being back in your high school for the first time in years that made you feel the weight of your own failures in life.
I don’t know how long we spent entangled there, completely lost in each other. But when we finally broke apart, it was snowing. Fat white snowflakes fell upon our perfect moment. It was just Ryan and I, alone under a sea of shimmering stars.
He kissed me and sparks flew.
The way that Emily Lowry describes the town and the Christmas decorations, and the Christmas feeling was amazing. I love the random cameos of Chase and Abby from Chase Jones is my Fake Boyfriend, and Dylan and Jordan from Dylan Ramirez is my Forbidden Boyfriend. This was a cute, fun and sweet Christmassy romance with the best friend trope. 4 stars.
December 18, 2022
2.5/5
This was a cute friends to lovers holiday romance, but it was just too predictable for my liking. Overall it’s a clean holiday romance reminiscent of a Hallmark movie and I enjoyed that, I also liked that it was written in dual POV. For a novella I found the character development to be decent but it added to the predictability of the book. Towards the end everything felt rushed and I didn’t see the ending coming, it was just over all of a sudden.
I’m not typically the one to complain about errors or grammar, however there were a few grammatical changes that were hard for me to look past given the length of the book.
This was a cute friends to lovers holiday romance, but it was just too predictable for my liking. Overall it’s a clean holiday romance reminiscent of a Hallmark movie and I enjoyed that, I also liked that it was written in dual POV. For a novella I found the character development to be decent but it added to the predictability of the book. Towards the end everything felt rushed and I didn’t see the ending coming, it was just over all of a sudden.
I’m not typically the one to complain about errors or grammar, however there were a few grammatical changes that were hard for me to look past given the length of the book.
December 19, 2020
English & Spanish Opinion - 4 🍭🍭🍭🍭
ESP ::
Emily Lowry definitivo es de mis nuevas escritoras favoritas. Ya sea en un cuento corto o en un libro de mayor longitud, su capacidad de hacer que los personajes sean inolvidables esta presente.
Me encantan sus dinámicas, la parte de la obra navideña estuvo súper divertida. Ryan & Marley son personajes un poco mayores a los de high school que hemos leído, pero son perfectos y muy románticos. El nombre de la pastelería estuvo perfecto.
ENG ::
Without a doubt, Lowry has become one of my new favorite authors. It doesn’t matter if she writes a novella or a book, the characters and the story are always a worth it.
The way they interact with each other, how the describe thoughts and feelings, it’s always amazing. Ryan & Marley are young adults in their mid-twenties (different from the high school characters that we have been reading) but they are just as amazing and romantic.
The Nativity Play part was hilarious!
ESP ::
Emily Lowry definitivo es de mis nuevas escritoras favoritas. Ya sea en un cuento corto o en un libro de mayor longitud, su capacidad de hacer que los personajes sean inolvidables esta presente.
Me encantan sus dinámicas, la parte de la obra navideña estuvo súper divertida. Ryan & Marley son personajes un poco mayores a los de high school que hemos leído, pero son perfectos y muy románticos. El nombre de la pastelería estuvo perfecto.
ENG ::
Without a doubt, Lowry has become one of my new favorite authors. It doesn’t matter if she writes a novella or a book, the characters and the story are always a worth it.
The way they interact with each other, how the describe thoughts and feelings, it’s always amazing. Ryan & Marley are young adults in their mid-twenties (different from the high school characters that we have been reading) but they are just as amazing and romantic.
The Nativity Play part was hilarious!
December 23, 2021
Another cute holiday romance read, this time with friends to lovers. I absolutely love books that are food-centric and the baking and food descriptions were some of my favorite parts of this book! I liked the characters and the story was fun but predictable. Things wrapped up almost instantly and I was taken by surprise when the book ended at about 70%. I always love dual perspectives, so that was definitely a positive, but Ryan’s personality and demeanor changed very rapidly and I wish there had been more development to show him transitioning back to small town life. Marley and Ryan’s relationship also progressed very quickly and I would have liked to see more of their friendship and why they liked each other before taking the plunge to “I love you.” If you need a very quick and sweet romance read this holiday season, this one fits the bill.
December 18, 2021
Friends to lovers
Closed door
Dual POV
TOTAL HALLMARK MOVIE VIBES!
I can imagine The Christmas Crush as a movie so perfectly. The quaint Main Street with the twinkle lights above, snow covered sidewalks and best friends Marley and Ryan walking, laughing and reminiscing about old times.
Emily Lowry writes a story that flows perfectly and doesn’t feel rushed. I honestly really enjoyed it and was pissed when I started passing out last night as I was reading, lol.
Closed door
Dual POV
TOTAL HALLMARK MOVIE VIBES!
I can imagine The Christmas Crush as a movie so perfectly. The quaint Main Street with the twinkle lights above, snow covered sidewalks and best friends Marley and Ryan walking, laughing and reminiscing about old times.
Emily Lowry writes a story that flows perfectly and doesn’t feel rushed. I honestly really enjoyed it and was pissed when I started passing out last night as I was reading, lol.
December 26, 2020
I'm so glad this was only a novella! It starts off okay, but halfway through I couldn't wait for it to end. While there is some plot and character development it is incredibly predictable and very unsatisfying.
May 6, 2021
The Christmas Crush and cookie goodness
Emily Lowery writes a wonderfully fun Christmas romance of second chances. Friendship is more when the truth comes out. Very enjoyable. (Only a few grammatical errors to repair.)
Emily Lowery writes a wonderfully fun Christmas romance of second chances. Friendship is more when the truth comes out. Very enjoyable. (Only a few grammatical errors to repair.)
December 11, 2025
4.5
I really liked this novella. It’s a perfect balance of sweet, romantic story and also the trials and tribulations of real life. Work stress, family stress, holiday stress are very relatable. Loved it.
I really liked this novella. It’s a perfect balance of sweet, romantic story and also the trials and tribulations of real life. Work stress, family stress, holiday stress are very relatable. Loved it.
December 4, 2021
Sweet Christmas romance
Sweet quick read set at Christmas time about two childhood best friends that find their way back to each other after a few years apart.
Sweet quick read set at Christmas time about two childhood best friends that find their way back to each other after a few years apart.
December 22, 2021
books with Easter eggs!
I love how her stories interweave with each other. The characters are like able and easy to relate to! Great story.
I love how her stories interweave with each other. The characters are like able and easy to relate to! Great story.
December 3, 2024
It's a cute fun little christmas read!
December 10, 2024
Omg this was the cutest Christmas novella 💚💚 This book hit me in all the feels and had me feeling like I was back in high school. It’s definitely a feel good Christmas read 💚❤️💚❤️
November 15, 2025
This was a great, short and sweet Christmas read. Friends to lovers love it!
May 7, 2025
This was a cute one!!! Def setting the mood for Christmas
“love you for evermore”
“love you for evermore”
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews