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The Holiday Treatment
7 hours and 22 minutes
By day, Holly Hudson’s a story editor for Wifetime Network. By night, she’s the writer for the network’s very cheesy, very straight holiday romance series -Christmas in Evermore. Holly took the job to accomplish exactly one thing: A gay Christmas movie. She’s been shot down before, but things start to look up when Meredith Drake unexpectedly moves into the network’s holiday division.
On the heels of a brief (but totally hot) fling, Holly and Meredith agree to keep things professional now that they’ll be working together. Especially since the network has a strict policy about workplace relationships. Instead, they vow to channel their passion into a pitch for the network’s first Christmas movie to feature two female leads.
In this contemporary romance, Holly and Meredith work to make the Yuletide gayer while discovering that happy endings aren’t only for the movies.
By day, Holly Hudson’s a story editor for Wifetime Network. By night, she’s the writer for the network’s very cheesy, very straight holiday romance series -Christmas in Evermore. Holly took the job to accomplish exactly one thing: A gay Christmas movie. She’s been shot down before, but things start to look up when Meredith Drake unexpectedly moves into the network’s holiday division.
On the heels of a brief (but totally hot) fling, Holly and Meredith agree to keep things professional now that they’ll be working together. Especially since the network has a strict policy about workplace relationships. Instead, they vow to channel their passion into a pitch for the network’s first Christmas movie to feature two female leads.
In this contemporary romance, Holly and Meredith work to make the Yuletide gayer while discovering that happy endings aren’t only for the movies.
8 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 5, 2020
30 people are currently reading
524 people want to read
About the author
Elle Spencer
11 books512 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
October 24, 2020
3.25 Stars. This was a nice rom-com but I did have more issues with it than I expected. I’m not a big rom-com book fan but I do like holiday romances. However, it probably didn’t help that it’s Halloween time and I much rather be reading books about witches and blood-thirsty vampires right now. But I went into the book hoping to love it anyway. For some reason I seem to have a very up and down relationship with Spencer’s books but I’d love for it to get up into the great territory and stay there. Unfortunately, this is more in just the slightly better than okay territory.
The interesting thing is that I really enjoyed the first two thirds of the book. I did have some issues, but I was having so much fun that I was ignoring some of the issues. I even thought to myself that this might be my favorite book by Spencer, but unfortunately I just didn’t like the last third and it really affected my opinion of the book as a whole. Issues I was ignoring came back into the light.
On the good side, I loved the main character of Holly. She was a bit of an over the top rambler but she was funny. Sometimes I literally did a double take and had to re-read what she had just said because the line was so out there -in a good way-. When it came to the other main Meredith, she was the kind of lead I should have loved, a sexy and smart power femme. The problem was this story was written in third person but only one POV. I hate third one POV, it’s by far my least favorite to read. If we are not going to be able to know what one character is thinking, in this case Meredith, then you might as well write an awesome first person story so that we can really connect to the other main. Anyway, enough with my rant, but my point is that I wanted to really like Meredith, but I felt like I never got to truly know her.
Last point about characters that I have to mention has to deal with the secondary characters. I’m a fan of strong secondary characters but in this case it was way too much. Holly has this group of friends that are all sarcastic and all speak in almost the same voice. I could not tell them apart so I just saw them as one giant blob of a character. I didn’t find their sarcasm to be funny plus it was constantly on and just too much. And the biggest issue was too much time was spent on these secondary characters instead of us getting to see the main romance develop. We are told the main character is in love, but we don’t get to actually see it since the book just jumps 6 months in the future and any extra time is spent with the secondary characters and not the two mains together.
As I mentioned before, I did not like the last third of the book. Spencer is known for messing with her character so I expected some good angst. The problem was the main angst moment is completely roll your eyes. And to make it work, Spencer had one character act completely unlike how they represented themselves to be the whole book. So I’m left realizing I didn’t even know that character and her motivations at all. And what was even more disappointing was how the angst moment ended. It was completely lame. I’m being vague for spoiler reasons but I kept thinking that’s it? All is forgiven after that? And last but not least, during the book there are reasons why the characters are worried to be together. I thought it was a bit lame but that’s not the point. So how was this resolved? I don’t know, it was just dropped and never explained like it didn’t even happen. Where did it go? You can’t have such a big reason that affects the characters but just forget about in the end. I know the book had an epilogue, I was hoping things would be cleared up then, but they weren’t. It really felt like my book was missing a chapter or two.
I think most fans of Spencer will still enjoy this. It has some big issues for me but I still liked it. It had a lot of potential so I’m bummed it didn’t all come together. It still had some really funny lines and a good character in Holly. Spencer is funny and clever herself and I just hope I can get to that point where I can connect a bit more with her books.
The interesting thing is that I really enjoyed the first two thirds of the book. I did have some issues, but I was having so much fun that I was ignoring some of the issues. I even thought to myself that this might be my favorite book by Spencer, but unfortunately I just didn’t like the last third and it really affected my opinion of the book as a whole. Issues I was ignoring came back into the light.
On the good side, I loved the main character of Holly. She was a bit of an over the top rambler but she was funny. Sometimes I literally did a double take and had to re-read what she had just said because the line was so out there -in a good way-. When it came to the other main Meredith, she was the kind of lead I should have loved, a sexy and smart power femme. The problem was this story was written in third person but only one POV. I hate third one POV, it’s by far my least favorite to read. If we are not going to be able to know what one character is thinking, in this case Meredith, then you might as well write an awesome first person story so that we can really connect to the other main. Anyway, enough with my rant, but my point is that I wanted to really like Meredith, but I felt like I never got to truly know her.
Last point about characters that I have to mention has to deal with the secondary characters. I’m a fan of strong secondary characters but in this case it was way too much. Holly has this group of friends that are all sarcastic and all speak in almost the same voice. I could not tell them apart so I just saw them as one giant blob of a character. I didn’t find their sarcasm to be funny plus it was constantly on and just too much. And the biggest issue was too much time was spent on these secondary characters instead of us getting to see the main romance develop. We are told the main character is in love, but we don’t get to actually see it since the book just jumps 6 months in the future and any extra time is spent with the secondary characters and not the two mains together.
As I mentioned before, I did not like the last third of the book. Spencer is known for messing with her character so I expected some good angst. The problem was the main angst moment is completely roll your eyes. And to make it work, Spencer had one character act completely unlike how they represented themselves to be the whole book. So I’m left realizing I didn’t even know that character and her motivations at all. And what was even more disappointing was how the angst moment ended. It was completely lame. I’m being vague for spoiler reasons but I kept thinking that’s it? All is forgiven after that? And last but not least, during the book there are reasons why the characters are worried to be together. I thought it was a bit lame but that’s not the point. So how was this resolved? I don’t know, it was just dropped and never explained like it didn’t even happen. Where did it go? You can’t have such a big reason that affects the characters but just forget about in the end. I know the book had an epilogue, I was hoping things would be cleared up then, but they weren’t. It really felt like my book was missing a chapter or two.
I think most fans of Spencer will still enjoy this. It has some big issues for me but I still liked it. It had a lot of potential so I’m bummed it didn’t all come together. It still had some really funny lines and a good character in Holly. Spencer is funny and clever herself and I just hope I can get to that point where I can connect a bit more with her books.
October 4, 2020
The Holiday Treatment is a romantic comedy filled with chemistry and humour that'll put a smile on your face.
Ordinarily, I’m not one for holiday rom-coms but when I saw the blurb, I had to read it. It turned out to be a delightful romance – stuffed with humour. The main leads were positively adorable. I loved the first half of the book when they were in Hawaii but found the second half a bit bland. I do wish that 'the gay Christmas movie' plot was given a bit more focus.
Overall, it's cute, light and adorable read. Looking forward to the author's next book.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ordinarily, I’m not one for holiday rom-coms but when I saw the blurb, I had to read it. It turned out to be a delightful romance – stuffed with humour. The main leads were positively adorable. I loved the first half of the book when they were in Hawaii but found the second half a bit bland. I do wish that 'the gay Christmas movie' plot was given a bit more focus.
Overall, it's cute, light and adorable read. Looking forward to the author's next book.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2020
This was a great holiday read!
My only complaint was that we only got one character's POV, but it was a fun, light-hearted read.
My only complaint was that we only got one character's POV, but it was a fun, light-hearted read.
November 12, 2020
Content warning: homophobia
I finished this book on a perfect day, aka the trailer release day of the sapphic Christmas rom com Happiest Season, where, and I quote the book, “lesbian Twitter” was freaking out about it. You should see my timeline. And I also want to quote Kyle Krieger (soccer player Ali Krieger’s brother) on the Krashlyn wedding, “we get happy endings, too.” I love that speech and will probably be repeatedly quoting it.
Growing up in Christmas Cove, Vermont (not a real place but Christmas Cove, Maine is) and named Holiday, lesbian disaster Holly Hudson (34) cannot be more sick of Christmas. Ironically, she is the writer of Wifetime Network’s very straight Christmas rom com series Evermore. When she visits Hawaii again for the holiday, Holly finds her crush, Wifetime’s development executive Meredith Drake, there as well. As their brief fling ends in Hawaii, what is next for Holly back at work? Can she finally have her gay movie approved while getting her own real-life rom com as well?
Angsty relationships in romance aren’t really my thing, nor are lusty flings, but The Holiday Treatment is so funny, though at times a little over the top, it was totally worth all the angst as well as all the lust I couldn’t quite understand. With the main relationship of Holly and Meredith being more lust-to-love and Meredith’s questionable ethics, I am rather ambivalent about the romance aspect of the book. Also, the story reads like two separate novellas with two story arcs where the first one is the hot fling in Hawaii and the second is about the rest of the relationship.
There were also a few time jumps and occasions where people acted out of character that I had trouble with. However, I do love Holly’s chaotic group of friends/tenants, namely Gwen, Griffin, Ty, and Dez. Especially Gwen and Griffin. Please protect them at all costs. Even though there would never be books about their love lives, I’d read them all if there were.
The Holiday Treatment is well-written and the details connect nicely between chapters. And an awkward disaster lesbian is what we all need in a romance. While I don’t think Meredith deserves Holly, the ending was so on-brand for them both I couldn’t help but be happy for them.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I finished this book on a perfect day, aka the trailer release day of the sapphic Christmas rom com Happiest Season, where, and I quote the book, “lesbian Twitter” was freaking out about it. You should see my timeline. And I also want to quote Kyle Krieger (soccer player Ali Krieger’s brother) on the Krashlyn wedding, “we get happy endings, too.” I love that speech and will probably be repeatedly quoting it.
Growing up in Christmas Cove, Vermont (not a real place but Christmas Cove, Maine is) and named Holiday, lesbian disaster Holly Hudson (34) cannot be more sick of Christmas. Ironically, she is the writer of Wifetime Network’s very straight Christmas rom com series Evermore. When she visits Hawaii again for the holiday, Holly finds her crush, Wifetime’s development executive Meredith Drake, there as well. As their brief fling ends in Hawaii, what is next for Holly back at work? Can she finally have her gay movie approved while getting her own real-life rom com as well?
“Oh, please. I’ve had to stumble and mumble and bumble my way through every promising date I’ve ever been on.” — Holly
Angsty relationships in romance aren’t really my thing, nor are lusty flings, but The Holiday Treatment is so funny, though at times a little over the top, it was totally worth all the angst as well as all the lust I couldn’t quite understand. With the main relationship of Holly and Meredith being more lust-to-love and Meredith’s questionable ethics, I am rather ambivalent about the romance aspect of the book. Also, the story reads like two separate novellas with two story arcs where the first one is the hot fling in Hawaii and the second is about the rest of the relationship.
There were also a few time jumps and occasions where people acted out of character that I had trouble with. However, I do love Holly’s chaotic group of friends/tenants, namely Gwen, Griffin, Ty, and Dez. Especially Gwen and Griffin. Please protect them at all costs. Even though there would never be books about their love lives, I’d read them all if there were.
The Holiday Treatment is well-written and the details connect nicely between chapters. And an awkward disaster lesbian is what we all need in a romance. While I don’t think Meredith deserves Holly, the ending was so on-brand for them both I couldn’t help but be happy for them.
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 31, 2020
Holly works at a television network and she is the head writer for the Christmas movies they produce. She has a major work crush on a new boss. While on her annual I-want-nothing-to-do-with-Christmas beach vacation, she discovers that the object of her work fantasies is also there.
This book was just OK for me. I understand that Holiday movies are all mushy and implausible and you really just need to enjoy the ride. This book seemed as if it was trying to follow that same network holiday formula. I just didn't find myself in the spirit and I don't think it was that I was reading it during Halloween.
I liked Holly and her name and the town she comes from. It made sense why she would try to make her way out in a world away from all of that festivity and alleged intolerance. Her tendency to babble and say things out loud was quirky and endearing at first.
There was a lot of attention paid to Holly's friends. I didn't like those characters and I just wanted to hurry through those parts to get to the real romance of the story.
I think the main reason I couldn't get into the spirit was because I didn't feel the love. It seemed to me like it was mostly a physical connection. It didn't help that we didn't get a real deep dive into the background of her boss to understand her motivations for the conflict of this story. The ending was completely rushed and I could not believe that all could be forgiven so quickly.
Overall, it was OK despite what seems like several negative thoughts. I've really enjoyed all of Spencer's books. She writes well and develops interesting scenarios and dialogue that are worth your time reading.
I recommend to those who like to read about romance, Christmas, sunny vacations, and cheesy endings.
I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
This book was just OK for me. I understand that Holiday movies are all mushy and implausible and you really just need to enjoy the ride. This book seemed as if it was trying to follow that same network holiday formula. I just didn't find myself in the spirit and I don't think it was that I was reading it during Halloween.
I liked Holly and her name and the town she comes from. It made sense why she would try to make her way out in a world away from all of that festivity and alleged intolerance. Her tendency to babble and say things out loud was quirky and endearing at first.
There was a lot of attention paid to Holly's friends. I didn't like those characters and I just wanted to hurry through those parts to get to the real romance of the story.
I think the main reason I couldn't get into the spirit was because I didn't feel the love. It seemed to me like it was mostly a physical connection. It didn't help that we didn't get a real deep dive into the background of her boss to understand her motivations for the conflict of this story. The ending was completely rushed and I could not believe that all could be forgiven so quickly.
Overall, it was OK despite what seems like several negative thoughts. I've really enjoyed all of Spencer's books. She writes well and develops interesting scenarios and dialogue that are worth your time reading.
I recommend to those who like to read about romance, Christmas, sunny vacations, and cheesy endings.
I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
December 19, 2020
Review of 'The Holiday Treatment' by Elle Spencer, Audiobook narrated by Lori Prince
A lesbian Christmas audiobook that is written by Elle Spencer and narrated by Lori Prince? Yes, please! Getting to the end of 2020, all we need is more of these lesbian rom-coms set during Christmas.
Holly Hudson is a story editor for Wifetime Network. She is famous for creating Christmas screenplays but wishing one day to make a lesbian holiday movie. Pinning for her colleague Meredith Drake, they get involved in a torrid but short-lived affair during a holiday in Hawaii. But when they return home, Meredith gets a promotion and a possible relationship between them is lost. As they both fight to make the lesbian holiday movie come true, they will be able to keep their mutual attraction at bay?
This was a funny and light lesbian romance story with two very likable main characters. Ms. Spencer knows how to write chemistry and this was no exception. Their mutual attraction, even when they tried to disguise it, is sizzling. This was my favourite part of the story.
The novel is written in third person only from the point of view of Holly which gave Meredith an air of mystery and aloofness that went well with the character. However, it left me wondering why the author chose to write it in third rather than first person from Holly pov directly. I think her one-liners and self-deprecating personality would have been highlighted even better.
As it's usual with Ms. Spencer's writing, there is a very interesting cast of secondary characters with some hilarious scenes and funny moments. There were quite a few one-liners jokes, witty dialogues, and banter among them that kept the story light and entertaining.
However, I have to say that I wasn't that bothered with the "black moment" around the 80% mark. For me, Meredith acted a bit out of character and the whole situation and its resolution felt a bit contrived. I'm glad that I've listened to the audiobook instead of reading because Lori Prince makes everything sound so much better.
Talking about the narration, this is an ideal book for Ms. Prince as she has a special talent for comedy and quirky characters. The fact that she used her super sexy voice for Meredith was a lovely bonus. As usual, her voices were distinctive and the pace perfect. She even made the not so effective plot parts sound good anyway. This wasn't the best creation from the Spencer/Prince association (my favourite is still '30 Dates in 30 Days') but it will be a good time to spend some of your Christmas holidays if you're not too picky. 4 stars.
Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
A lesbian Christmas audiobook that is written by Elle Spencer and narrated by Lori Prince? Yes, please! Getting to the end of 2020, all we need is more of these lesbian rom-coms set during Christmas.
Holly Hudson is a story editor for Wifetime Network. She is famous for creating Christmas screenplays but wishing one day to make a lesbian holiday movie. Pinning for her colleague Meredith Drake, they get involved in a torrid but short-lived affair during a holiday in Hawaii. But when they return home, Meredith gets a promotion and a possible relationship between them is lost. As they both fight to make the lesbian holiday movie come true, they will be able to keep their mutual attraction at bay?
This was a funny and light lesbian romance story with two very likable main characters. Ms. Spencer knows how to write chemistry and this was no exception. Their mutual attraction, even when they tried to disguise it, is sizzling. This was my favourite part of the story.
The novel is written in third person only from the point of view of Holly which gave Meredith an air of mystery and aloofness that went well with the character. However, it left me wondering why the author chose to write it in third rather than first person from Holly pov directly. I think her one-liners and self-deprecating personality would have been highlighted even better.
As it's usual with Ms. Spencer's writing, there is a very interesting cast of secondary characters with some hilarious scenes and funny moments. There were quite a few one-liners jokes, witty dialogues, and banter among them that kept the story light and entertaining.
However, I have to say that I wasn't that bothered with the "black moment" around the 80% mark. For me, Meredith acted a bit out of character and the whole situation and its resolution felt a bit contrived. I'm glad that I've listened to the audiobook instead of reading because Lori Prince makes everything sound so much better.
Talking about the narration, this is an ideal book for Ms. Prince as she has a special talent for comedy and quirky characters. The fact that she used her super sexy voice for Meredith was a lovely bonus. As usual, her voices were distinctive and the pace perfect. She even made the not so effective plot parts sound good anyway. This wasn't the best creation from the Spencer/Prince association (my favourite is still '30 Dates in 30 Days') but it will be a good time to spend some of your Christmas holidays if you're not too picky. 4 stars.
Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
December 13, 2021
The screenwriter and the TV exec.
I enjoyed the brewing romance between Holly and Meredith. Holly was amusing and Meredith was hot in a way that I like it, i.e. the power executive type of lesbian. I enjoyed their fling during their unexpected vacation together and thought that their chemistry was great. I also love the forbidden workplace romance element that was thrown into the mix as well when Meredith ends up being Holly's boss.
But I had a couple of issues with it. First, I thought Lori Prince's voice for Holly suited her humorous personality but I just couldn't connect the voice with the physical description of Holly. Second, there weren't enough scenes with Holly and Meredith together aside from their vacation. Holly hangs out with a whole bunch of neighbours who are also her good friends and some of their group interactions were long-drawn and frankly, I wasn't that interested. Holly pines after Meredith and avoids her alot because Meredith is fixated on the "no fraternising with the staff" office rules. But when they do decide to give their relationship a go, their interactions are sort of condensed and fast forwarded to the next conflict.
I enjoyed the brewing romance between Holly and Meredith. Holly was amusing and Meredith was hot in a way that I like it, i.e. the power executive type of lesbian. I enjoyed their fling during their unexpected vacation together and thought that their chemistry was great. I also love the forbidden workplace romance element that was thrown into the mix as well when Meredith ends up being Holly's boss.
But I had a couple of issues with it. First, I thought Lori Prince's voice for Holly suited her humorous personality but I just couldn't connect the voice with the physical description of Holly. Second, there weren't enough scenes with Holly and Meredith together aside from their vacation. Holly hangs out with a whole bunch of neighbours who are also her good friends and some of their group interactions were long-drawn and frankly, I wasn't that interested. Holly pines after Meredith and avoids her alot because Meredith is fixated on the "no fraternising with the staff" office rules. But when they do decide to give their relationship a go, their interactions are sort of condensed and fast forwarded to the next conflict.
November 4, 2020
I’ve not really been in the reading mood this past week - but it’s really unlike me to take as long with a book as I did with this one - despite it being an easy read and not particularly long - I just found there wasn’t really anything that encouraged me to keep reading instead of doing something else.
The first 30-35% of the book moved along quite nicely. We meet Holly who works at the Wifetime network writing a popular Christmas movie series - Evermore. One of the executives at the network is Meredith, whom Holly has a crush on. Holly grew up in a town devoted to Christmas, and subsequently finds an affinity for Hawaii at Christmas. Fate brings Meredith and Holly together in Hawaii.
After this part of the book - I found myself experiencing a whiplash effect more than once, and confused me just as much at times. There is a dream episode that I thought was real - which then lead me to believe that things that are written to have actually happened were dreams, which meant re-reading to ensure I had accurately understood things. The parts of the book where angst and tension are introduced felt like jolts in the storyline and felt contrived.
Once Meredith and Holly are together, we don’t actually get to see much of this - except for some significant moments in their lives, making it too slow burn for my personal tastes.
I liked some of the secondary characters, but some just baffled me. The part of the book where Holly returns to her parents home is very sweet, but could have been shorter and still have been effective in the storyline.
All in this was a book with great potential, that in some places, especially at the beginning, managed to live up to it, but more often than not felt disconnected. If you love holiday romances there is likely to be enough enjoyable things here for you to give this a go.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The first 30-35% of the book moved along quite nicely. We meet Holly who works at the Wifetime network writing a popular Christmas movie series - Evermore. One of the executives at the network is Meredith, whom Holly has a crush on. Holly grew up in a town devoted to Christmas, and subsequently finds an affinity for Hawaii at Christmas. Fate brings Meredith and Holly together in Hawaii.
After this part of the book - I found myself experiencing a whiplash effect more than once, and confused me just as much at times. There is a dream episode that I thought was real - which then lead me to believe that things that are written to have actually happened were dreams, which meant re-reading to ensure I had accurately understood things. The parts of the book where angst and tension are introduced felt like jolts in the storyline and felt contrived.
Once Meredith and Holly are together, we don’t actually get to see much of this - except for some significant moments in their lives, making it too slow burn for my personal tastes.
I liked some of the secondary characters, but some just baffled me. The part of the book where Holly returns to her parents home is very sweet, but could have been shorter and still have been effective in the storyline.
All in this was a book with great potential, that in some places, especially at the beginning, managed to live up to it, but more often than not felt disconnected. If you love holiday romances there is likely to be enough enjoyable things here for you to give this a go.
I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 18, 2020
3.5⭐️ – Holly writes the best Christmas movies but hates Christmas. Every year, instead of joining her parents to celebrate – in Christmas Cove, Vermont, of all places – she goes to Hawaii on her own for a few days. And who just happens to be on the same plane? Holly’s work crush, Meredith. Turns out Meredith thinks Holly is as hot as Holly thinks Meredith is and they proceed to give each other the best Christmas ever. Holly is well on her way to becoming a believer again when Meredith gets a promotion that moves their very hot fling into the no-future category. The two women decide to stay professional and work on making Holy’s work dream come true: a gay Christmas movie.
The story is told in third person from Holly’s point of view. At first, I kind of liked her and found her annoying at the same time. She’s an interesting character, however. She’s cynical and sarcastic but she’s also very earnest and open in the right circumstances. She’s insecure and hides behind humour. Because the story is told from Holly’s sole POV, the reader doesn’t get as much insight into Meredith’s mind. It doesn’t help that the author makes her act completely out of character at one point. What we do know is that she’s sexy, elegant, competent and self-assured except when it comes to her family.
I enjoyed the first part of the story a lot. Everything in Hawaii is fun and sexy and promising. The rest of the book feels a lot like going back to real life after vacationing in paradise. It’s not as fun, not as sexy. It’s uncertain. Then comes the breakup because of course there has to be a breakup, even though it feels totally unnecessary as the MCs already have obstacles to navigate. The good news is, it makes so little sense that it doesn’t last long. I rolled my eyes, put the book down, had some lunch, came back and bam! It was magically resolved in a few pages.
There are a few other issues too, but I still recommend this book if you’re looking for a light and cheerful Christmas story. As usual with Elle Spencer, the writing is snappy and vibrant. She made me like Holly a lot by the end and I enjoyed the secondary characters. The Holiday Treatment makes about as much sense as any Christmas movie, and maybe that’s enough.
The story is told in third person from Holly’s point of view. At first, I kind of liked her and found her annoying at the same time. She’s an interesting character, however. She’s cynical and sarcastic but she’s also very earnest and open in the right circumstances. She’s insecure and hides behind humour. Because the story is told from Holly’s sole POV, the reader doesn’t get as much insight into Meredith’s mind. It doesn’t help that the author makes her act completely out of character at one point. What we do know is that she’s sexy, elegant, competent and self-assured except when it comes to her family.
I enjoyed the first part of the story a lot. Everything in Hawaii is fun and sexy and promising. The rest of the book feels a lot like going back to real life after vacationing in paradise. It’s not as fun, not as sexy. It’s uncertain. Then comes the breakup because of course there has to be a breakup, even though it feels totally unnecessary as the MCs already have obstacles to navigate. The good news is, it makes so little sense that it doesn’t last long. I rolled my eyes, put the book down, had some lunch, came back and bam! It was magically resolved in a few pages.
There are a few other issues too, but I still recommend this book if you’re looking for a light and cheerful Christmas story. As usual with Elle Spencer, the writing is snappy and vibrant. She made me like Holly a lot by the end and I enjoyed the secondary characters. The Holiday Treatment makes about as much sense as any Christmas movie, and maybe that’s enough.
March 12, 2021
I absolutely adore this book! I mean, Christmas and girl/girl love!!!?!??? Yesssssss!!!!! First of all, unrequited love is a favorite of mine for whatever reason... Second, Holly is just too sweet and fun.
Third, I’m a huge fan of a light and fluffy book. Sometimes you just need a book that isn’t super complicated and you know it’s probably going to be a happy ending. After reading a bunch sad stuff with people getting offed on a regular basis, I just needed something sweet. This totally fit the bill.
Honestly the only thing that would have made this better is more intimate scenes... I mean, just saying.... lol
I recommend this to romance lovers sooo adorbs.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bold Strokes books for giving me the opportunity read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!!!
Check out this review and others on my blog!! https://shannarareads.com/?p=244
Third, I’m a huge fan of a light and fluffy book. Sometimes you just need a book that isn’t super complicated and you know it’s probably going to be a happy ending. After reading a bunch sad stuff with people getting offed on a regular basis, I just needed something sweet. This totally fit the bill.
Honestly the only thing that would have made this better is more intimate scenes... I mean, just saying.... lol
I recommend this to romance lovers sooo adorbs.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Bold Strokes books for giving me the opportunity read this for my honest and unbiased opinion!!!!
Check out this review and others on my blog!! https://shannarareads.com/?p=244
October 10, 2020
I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was exactly what I was in the mood for - a romantic comedy with witty, funny dialogue, and sizzling chemistry between the main characters (and, yes, steamy sex scenes!) I kept picturing this as a movie and wondering who the leads should be (one of the combos dreamt up was Kate Hudson and Charlize Theron looking like her Old Guard character?) But I digress...
Holly Hudson, who is utterly adorable, is a writer for the Wifetime channel and is sick and tired of writing straight Christmas movies every year and tries to convince the programming heads to give her a shot at writing a gay version. She escapes to Hawaii every Christmas and you find out that her connection to the holiday is deeply rooted in not only her name, but her home time of Christmas Cove, Vermont.
Her work crush and big-time executive, Meredith Drake, happens to be in Hawaii at the same time and the airport scene when Holly discovers this is laugh-out-loud funny. It was lovely to read the romance blossom between the two during their time in Hawaii, but due to Meredith's promotion at work, it means they have to put a pause on their budding relationship when they get back home.
The 'will they / won't they' scenario that plays out at this point was heart-wrenching and I felt for Holly big time. Thank god this is a novella and we don't have to suffer for very long! I still have a smile on my face thinking about this book and the HEA...
I really love Elle Spencer - have I mentioned that yet? I really connect with her stories and she's definitely in my Top 5 lesfic authors list. If only she could write faster and produce more books - is that too much to ask? :)
******SPOILER ALERT BECAUSE I'M REALLY CURIOUS IF OTHERS THOUGHT THIS:******
When Meredith arrives in Christmas Cove to win back Holly and let everyone know she loves her, what happens back at work? I mean, it wasn't addressed how she/they explained their relationship so that it wouldn't be considered 'inappropriate' and have Meredith fired, etc... anyone else think that? It wasn't a biggie, I just thought it was odd to not address it.
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I was given a copy of this book by NetGally and Bold Stroke Books for an honest review.
Holly Hudson, who is utterly adorable, is a writer for the Wifetime channel and is sick and tired of writing straight Christmas movies every year and tries to convince the programming heads to give her a shot at writing a gay version. She escapes to Hawaii every Christmas and you find out that her connection to the holiday is deeply rooted in not only her name, but her home time of Christmas Cove, Vermont.
Her work crush and big-time executive, Meredith Drake, happens to be in Hawaii at the same time and the airport scene when Holly discovers this is laugh-out-loud funny. It was lovely to read the romance blossom between the two during their time in Hawaii, but due to Meredith's promotion at work, it means they have to put a pause on their budding relationship when they get back home.
The 'will they / won't they' scenario that plays out at this point was heart-wrenching and I felt for Holly big time. Thank god this is a novella and we don't have to suffer for very long! I still have a smile on my face thinking about this book and the HEA...
I really love Elle Spencer - have I mentioned that yet? I really connect with her stories and she's definitely in my Top 5 lesfic authors list. If only she could write faster and produce more books - is that too much to ask? :)
******SPOILER ALERT BECAUSE I'M REALLY CURIOUS IF OTHERS THOUGHT THIS:******
When Meredith arrives in Christmas Cove to win back Holly and let everyone know she loves her, what happens back at work? I mean, it wasn't addressed how she/they explained their relationship so that it wouldn't be considered 'inappropriate' and have Meredith fired, etc... anyone else think that? It wasn't a biggie, I just thought it was odd to not address it.
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I was given a copy of this book by NetGally and Bold Stroke Books for an honest review.
October 24, 2020
Solid 4 Stars
I love that a book about cheesy rom-coms was a big cheesy rom-com. I absolutely adored this vacation turned work place romance.
“The Holiday Treatment” by Elle Spencer is exactly what a Christmas romance should be. It was hilarious and sweet with an amazing chemistry between the two main characters.
Holly, a writer for Wifetime Network, has a work crush on Meredith, who is an executive, but Meredith doesn’t know Holly exists. When Holly takes her Christmas vacation in Hawaii, she is surprised to find Meredith at baggage claim and even more surprised when she later sees her in the elevator at her hotel. Man, what a coincidence. Meredith and Holly have a short and very hot vacation romance and make plans to see one another when they return to LA. However, an unexpected promotion for Meredith once they return means she’s no longer able to date Holly because of company policy. They decide to be friends as they have to work together. This does not work out very well for either of them.
I loved Holly so much, which is good because it’s told from her third person point of view. She was so awkward and funny when around someone she was attracted to and it caused her to put her foot in her mouth several times. She’s one of those characters who has no filter and rambles a lot. Any time she’s in Meredith’s vicinity she seems to not have much control over whatever comes out of her mouth. While she’s mostly mortified about it, Meredith finds her charming.
Meredith seems a bit serious and a cool, suit wearing executive when she’s first introduced. However, she’s really rather sweet and funny in her downtime. I think her personality meshed well with Holly’s and it was fun to watch the flirty banter between them (once Holly was able to be cool.)
Be prepared to a very wacky cast of characters here. Holly’s neighbors and friends all have very loud and outrageous personalities. They bicker and are full of sass and one up each other constantly. They’re hilarious but can be a little over the top sometimes.
I’m not giving it the full five stars because I had a couple of issues with the story. Once they get together and start dating for real, we’re told more than shown how the relationship is going. I wanted to see more of them together before the requisite breakup. I think I would have a had a deeper connection to the split and it would’ve had a bigger payoff in the end. I still liked it; I just could’ve liked it more. There were a couple of other minor things but they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.
I really loved this overall and it will definitely be re-read during the holidays for the foreseeable future.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.
I love that a book about cheesy rom-coms was a big cheesy rom-com. I absolutely adored this vacation turned work place romance.
“The Holiday Treatment” by Elle Spencer is exactly what a Christmas romance should be. It was hilarious and sweet with an amazing chemistry between the two main characters.
Holly, a writer for Wifetime Network, has a work crush on Meredith, who is an executive, but Meredith doesn’t know Holly exists. When Holly takes her Christmas vacation in Hawaii, she is surprised to find Meredith at baggage claim and even more surprised when she later sees her in the elevator at her hotel. Man, what a coincidence. Meredith and Holly have a short and very hot vacation romance and make plans to see one another when they return to LA. However, an unexpected promotion for Meredith once they return means she’s no longer able to date Holly because of company policy. They decide to be friends as they have to work together. This does not work out very well for either of them.
I loved Holly so much, which is good because it’s told from her third person point of view. She was so awkward and funny when around someone she was attracted to and it caused her to put her foot in her mouth several times. She’s one of those characters who has no filter and rambles a lot. Any time she’s in Meredith’s vicinity she seems to not have much control over whatever comes out of her mouth. While she’s mostly mortified about it, Meredith finds her charming.
Meredith seems a bit serious and a cool, suit wearing executive when she’s first introduced. However, she’s really rather sweet and funny in her downtime. I think her personality meshed well with Holly’s and it was fun to watch the flirty banter between them (once Holly was able to be cool.)
Be prepared to a very wacky cast of characters here. Holly’s neighbors and friends all have very loud and outrageous personalities. They bicker and are full of sass and one up each other constantly. They’re hilarious but can be a little over the top sometimes.
I’m not giving it the full five stars because I had a couple of issues with the story. Once they get together and start dating for real, we’re told more than shown how the relationship is going. I wanted to see more of them together before the requisite breakup. I think I would have a had a deeper connection to the split and it would’ve had a bigger payoff in the end. I still liked it; I just could’ve liked it more. There were a couple of other minor things but they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment.
I really loved this overall and it will definitely be re-read during the holidays for the foreseeable future.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2022
Holly Hudson is a story editor and screenwriter for a small TV network. Her dream is to write a lesbian holiday romance movie. She has other dreams, involving Meredith Drake, another employee of the network upon whom Holly has a massive crush.
"The Holiday Treatment" throws Holly and her crush together under extremely unlikely circumstances, and against all odds they hit it off, only to have life get in the way. It sounds like a standard rom-com, and it is, but it's also really funny. I'm not ordinarily a laugh-out-loud reader but I chuckled my way through most of this book. The story is told from Holly's point of view and her self-doubt and tendency to ramble struck a chord with me from the first chapter. It's also heart-warming and hella sexy, much more so than you're likely to see in any made-for-TV holiday movie.
"The Holiday Treatment" throws Holly and her crush together under extremely unlikely circumstances, and against all odds they hit it off, only to have life get in the way. It sounds like a standard rom-com, and it is, but it's also really funny. I'm not ordinarily a laugh-out-loud reader but I chuckled my way through most of this book. The story is told from Holly's point of view and her self-doubt and tendency to ramble struck a chord with me from the first chapter. It's also heart-warming and hella sexy, much more so than you're likely to see in any made-for-TV holiday movie.
October 31, 2020
4*
The Holiday Treatment as got Hallmark written all over it! The story, a romantic rom-com as it all! Funny story which keeps you entertained, the characters are all very likeable and there's very little 'drama'.
I just wish I'd read it in December instead of October. Totally my fault. So if you plan on reading it, read closer to Christmas.
Holly Hudson, one of the main characters, is a story editor for Wifetime Network, but by night, she's the writer for the networks cheesy, very straight holiday romance series called Christmas in Evermore. Holly originally took the job so she could accomplish one thing, to write a gay Christmas film. Over years she's been told no, but when things start to take a turn, Meredith Drake unexpectedly moves the networks holiday division.
Meredith and Holly have a very brief fling, but decide to keep things back in the office professional now that they are working daily with each other. More so that the network as a very strict policy about workplace relationships.
All in all, this was a really good read, the romance was pretty much there from the onset and you see passion between Holly and Meredith. You also have the usual crazy friends cheering and clapping them on and a town which never stops celebrating Christmas. A perfect Christmas story for when you have the Christmas tree up!
I was given a ARC copy for a honest review.
The Holiday Treatment as got Hallmark written all over it! The story, a romantic rom-com as it all! Funny story which keeps you entertained, the characters are all very likeable and there's very little 'drama'.
I just wish I'd read it in December instead of October. Totally my fault. So if you plan on reading it, read closer to Christmas.
Holly Hudson, one of the main characters, is a story editor for Wifetime Network, but by night, she's the writer for the networks cheesy, very straight holiday romance series called Christmas in Evermore. Holly originally took the job so she could accomplish one thing, to write a gay Christmas film. Over years she's been told no, but when things start to take a turn, Meredith Drake unexpectedly moves the networks holiday division.
Meredith and Holly have a very brief fling, but decide to keep things back in the office professional now that they are working daily with each other. More so that the network as a very strict policy about workplace relationships.
All in all, this was a really good read, the romance was pretty much there from the onset and you see passion between Holly and Meredith. You also have the usual crazy friends cheering and clapping them on and a town which never stops celebrating Christmas. A perfect Christmas story for when you have the Christmas tree up!
I was given a ARC copy for a honest review.
November 15, 2020
ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one should have been right up my alley, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The MCs are Holly (Holiday) Hudson, a writer of Xmas movies for ‘Wifetime’, which is some sort of Lifetime/Hallmark type channel, but the catch is she dislikes Xmas, she also has a crush on Meredith Drake, one of the executives at Wifetime. Through a series of circumstances they both end up in Hawaii for Xmas and hook up. This part of the story was actually quite funny and entertaining.
Once they get back from the holidays, Meredith is promoted, and this puts the brakes on their relationship. They still interact at work, pine after each other, and eventually decide to see each other in secret, but then the ‘drama’ is inserted in the form of Meredith choosing her new role over both Holly and Holly’s long held dream of writing a gay Christmas movie. I honestly couldn’t see Meredith doing this, and it also seemed counter to the reasons why she said she wanted to keep the job, so didn’t make much sense.
Holly also has one of the most ‘extra’ group of friends I’ve read in a book, and they all sounded exactly the same (I love sarcasm, but when it’s every secondary characters go to, it’s too much). I honestly just endured those scenes, they were really annoying.
The book seemed to be written to mirror the cheesy Xmas movies, so ends with the usual sappy stuff you’d expect from a rom commy type scenes. If you enjoy holiday movies and books, you would likely enjoy this, maybe I should have read it closer to Xmas. 3 stars
This one should have been right up my alley, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The MCs are Holly (Holiday) Hudson, a writer of Xmas movies for ‘Wifetime’, which is some sort of Lifetime/Hallmark type channel, but the catch is she dislikes Xmas, she also has a crush on Meredith Drake, one of the executives at Wifetime. Through a series of circumstances they both end up in Hawaii for Xmas and hook up. This part of the story was actually quite funny and entertaining.
Once they get back from the holidays, Meredith is promoted, and this puts the brakes on their relationship. They still interact at work, pine after each other, and eventually decide to see each other in secret, but then the ‘drama’ is inserted in the form of Meredith choosing her new role over both Holly and Holly’s long held dream of writing a gay Christmas movie. I honestly couldn’t see Meredith doing this, and it also seemed counter to the reasons why she said she wanted to keep the job, so didn’t make much sense.
Holly also has one of the most ‘extra’ group of friends I’ve read in a book, and they all sounded exactly the same (I love sarcasm, but when it’s every secondary characters go to, it’s too much). I honestly just endured those scenes, they were really annoying.
The book seemed to be written to mirror the cheesy Xmas movies, so ends with the usual sappy stuff you’d expect from a rom commy type scenes. If you enjoy holiday movies and books, you would likely enjoy this, maybe I should have read it closer to Xmas. 3 stars
November 10, 2020
Meredith Drake worked hard to reach the position she now enjoyed. Mind you she is not done climbing but for now she is happy working with the writer who has given the ‘WifeTime Network’ their number one hit series ‘Christmas in Evermore’. The main problem is the fact that the writer, Holly Hudson,doesn’t want to work on another show that only features straight couples. Being gay herself she feels it’s time for the network to catch up with where the country is headed. Not too many were against LGBTQ rights, well there are some out there but their numbers are shrinking.
Holly grew up hating Christmas mainly because the small town her family lived in celebrated the holiday year round being that was the one industry that brought the town some much needed tourism. She wanted to make a name for herself wiring TV movies. Now she had her friends that all lived in the same apartment complex. Strange, funny friends who all were involved in the industry at one time. Some still worked but they all felt it was their job to look out for Holly.
Meredith grew up in a happy family that even as an adult she enjoyed being around. Even her sister who’d decided she wanted her wedding to take place in Hawaii. Now she was there to help with whatever her sister might need. When her plane arrives she realizes she's traveling with the one and only Holly Hudson. Unknown to each other was the fact that both women Had a crush on the other.
After having a great time in Hawaii they made plans to keep wherever this was when they landed home. Trouble began when Meredith was given a promotion and company policy frowned upon relationship between management and front line workers.
Ms Spencer has given us one of the nicest Christmas stories combining the holiday with a lesbian romance. Very likeable MC’s and a supporting cast that help make this a book you won’t want to put down. A truly feel good story .
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books
Holly grew up hating Christmas mainly because the small town her family lived in celebrated the holiday year round being that was the one industry that brought the town some much needed tourism. She wanted to make a name for herself wiring TV movies. Now she had her friends that all lived in the same apartment complex. Strange, funny friends who all were involved in the industry at one time. Some still worked but they all felt it was their job to look out for Holly.
Meredith grew up in a happy family that even as an adult she enjoyed being around. Even her sister who’d decided she wanted her wedding to take place in Hawaii. Now she was there to help with whatever her sister might need. When her plane arrives she realizes she's traveling with the one and only Holly Hudson. Unknown to each other was the fact that both women Had a crush on the other.
After having a great time in Hawaii they made plans to keep wherever this was when they landed home. Trouble began when Meredith was given a promotion and company policy frowned upon relationship between management and front line workers.
Ms Spencer has given us one of the nicest Christmas stories combining the holiday with a lesbian romance. Very likeable MC’s and a supporting cast that help make this a book you won’t want to put down. A truly feel good story .
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books
November 14, 2020
Oh my gosh, The Holiday Treatment by Elle Spencer is one of the most delightful, uplifting, and hilariously funny novels I have read all year! It is a snarky, witty, sexy story that will leave you laughing and maybe even shedding a few tears as you read.
The story revolves around two women who both work for the Wifetime Channel. Holly Hudson is the writer for one of their most popular Christmas programs, but her most fervent wish is to write a Gay Christmas movie for the channel, something that has never been done before. She may get her chance when Meredith Drake joins the holiday division. Unfortunately, that also means the budding relationship the two women started over the Christmas holidays will have to end because of company policy.
Holly and Meredith’s love story is not all hearts and flowers and sex. There is also the angst, misunderstandings, and heartache we always see in a good romantic comedy. The three major settings in this tale (Hawaii, L.A., and Christmas Cove, Vermont) are perfect for the tale. The main characters are loveable, the secondary characters are larger than life, and the romance is the kind that makes you smile and say "aww" as you sniffle a few times and reach for a tissue.
This is an easy to read, enjoyable, holiday related romantic comedy that is perfect to cuddle up with this time of year…especially this year. I totally enjoyed this novel, and I hope you will too.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
The story revolves around two women who both work for the Wifetime Channel. Holly Hudson is the writer for one of their most popular Christmas programs, but her most fervent wish is to write a Gay Christmas movie for the channel, something that has never been done before. She may get her chance when Meredith Drake joins the holiday division. Unfortunately, that also means the budding relationship the two women started over the Christmas holidays will have to end because of company policy.
Holly and Meredith’s love story is not all hearts and flowers and sex. There is also the angst, misunderstandings, and heartache we always see in a good romantic comedy. The three major settings in this tale (Hawaii, L.A., and Christmas Cove, Vermont) are perfect for the tale. The main characters are loveable, the secondary characters are larger than life, and the romance is the kind that makes you smile and say "aww" as you sniffle a few times and reach for a tissue.
This is an easy to read, enjoyable, holiday related romantic comedy that is perfect to cuddle up with this time of year…especially this year. I totally enjoyed this novel, and I hope you will too.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
November 15, 2020
The weather is getting colder and Christmas is coming, so a book about a writer of Christmas tv movies seems perfect. Holly is the writer working for Wifetime Network. She's responsible for a highly successful Christmas series, but her ultimate dream is to have a gay holiday tv movie made. She met her workplace crush who is also her boss, Meredith, in Hawaii and they had a hot and heavy affair. Of course things are different when they came back from vacation. The network is tightening sexual harassment rules and so, they cannot continue their relationship.
Now, I don't really watch holiday tv movies, but I do enjoy a Christmas vibe. The book started out strong. Holly is such a fun character, a tad grinch-like, and having good relationships with her quirky, well-meaning neighbours. She and Meredith did fall into bed quite quickly, but they're on vacation, so why not? Maybe because the book is focused on Holly, but we did not really get to know the other characters that well. Sure I enjoy seeing Holly back in her festive Christmassy hometown where she gets a chance to reconnect with her parents and neighbours. There are issues that were not addressed at all in the end. Meredith's personality was not really fleshed out. Maybe the author is channeling those holiday movies, but the ending just came about too easily and quickly. The premise is so good, but in my humble opinion, missed a little bit in the final delivery.
Now, I don't really watch holiday tv movies, but I do enjoy a Christmas vibe. The book started out strong. Holly is such a fun character, a tad grinch-like, and having good relationships with her quirky, well-meaning neighbours. She and Meredith did fall into bed quite quickly, but they're on vacation, so why not? Maybe because the book is focused on Holly, but we did not really get to know the other characters that well. Sure I enjoy seeing Holly back in her festive Christmassy hometown where she gets a chance to reconnect with her parents and neighbours. There are issues that were not addressed at all in the end. Meredith's personality was not really fleshed out. Maybe the author is channeling those holiday movies, but the ending just came about too easily and quickly. The premise is so good, but in my humble opinion, missed a little bit in the final delivery.
November 3, 2020
This is my first book by Elle Spencer, and honestly, I wasn't going to read it at first.
Then I heard the author read from it. Twice. I knew I HAD TO read it after that. It just seemed too funny to miss.
I laughed so hard, I woke my partner up on more than a few occasions. The easy solution would have been to not read it in bed, but it was exactly what I needed before I went to sleep. (Sometimes you don't want to go to sleep feeling all angsty and twisted up inside, right?)
I laughed, I cried. I bonded with both Mer and Holly, and her parents. This is an adorable story filled with hope, humour, heartbreak and a main character who seems to have it all. But doesn't. This is filled with ups, downs, and quirky and memorable secondary characters you'll hear long after you've finished the book. Yes, it's fluffy and hilarious. But after the year we've all had?
It's exactly what I needed.
Then I heard the author read from it. Twice. I knew I HAD TO read it after that. It just seemed too funny to miss.
I laughed so hard, I woke my partner up on more than a few occasions. The easy solution would have been to not read it in bed, but it was exactly what I needed before I went to sleep. (Sometimes you don't want to go to sleep feeling all angsty and twisted up inside, right?)
I laughed, I cried. I bonded with both Mer and Holly, and her parents. This is an adorable story filled with hope, humour, heartbreak and a main character who seems to have it all. But doesn't. This is filled with ups, downs, and quirky and memorable secondary characters you'll hear long after you've finished the book. Yes, it's fluffy and hilarious. But after the year we've all had?
It's exactly what I needed.
December 10, 2021
I'm a complete sucker for a cheesy holiday romance movie--or at least I used to be until I started to really curate my romances a couple of years ago, i.e. if it isn't queer, I probably won't watch it. As you can imagine, the number of holiday romance movies I could watch basically went to zero. And, yes, now there are a handful of movies I can watch, but there's still a long way to go. Thankfully, I have found my outlet in books.
Elle Spencer has been fairly hit and miss for me, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from The Holiday Treatment but this hit all the right notes for what I needed it to be: a funny, completely predictable, Christmas romance where the leads have great chemistry.
The first half of the book is definitely the standout. From the moment they see each other in Hawaii, I was hooked. Elle Spencer writes comedy very well, but I was impressed with their banter. It was fun and light and sexy and it worked. We're in Holly's head the entire book (limited 3rd person POV), so I was trying to figure out, along with Holly, what Meredith was thinking/where Meredith stood in regards to Holly. It made me feel a little insecure, but I was actually impressed with how well they communicated (for the most part--this definitely breaks down a few places in the novel). So any insecurity I felt was generally short-lived.
Like many BSB novels, I feel like this could have been longer. Seriously, does BSB start charging authors by the page if their novels go over 230 pages? Spencer spends 50% of the novel sort of setting everything up between Holly and Meredith in their Hawaii bubble, and it's absolutely delicious, but the rest of the novel happens very quickly and covers a lot time that we don't get much insight into. And I think we needed some of that insight to make sense of the decisions Meredith makes (and it doesn't help we don't get any insight into her mind). But this wasn't a huge impediment to my overall enjoyment.
The secondary characters--mostly Holly's neighbors, who are also her best friends--are a lot of fun and provide some genuine laughs, and I loved them, even if they're all a bit too eccentric for me to find them completely believable. I do think we spent a little too much time with them, but they serve as a "found family" for Holly and it's nice that she has people who really do love and support her.
Okay, so the ending happens very quickly and it definitely left a lot of questions unanswered. But isn't that true of all these types of romances? I can't fault it for executing exactly what I wanted to see.
I'm giving this 4.5 stars, but I think this is my Christmas go-to for a feel good holiday romcom from this point forward. So I'm rounding it up for that reason alone.
Elle Spencer has been fairly hit and miss for me, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from The Holiday Treatment but this hit all the right notes for what I needed it to be: a funny, completely predictable, Christmas romance where the leads have great chemistry.
The first half of the book is definitely the standout. From the moment they see each other in Hawaii, I was hooked. Elle Spencer writes comedy very well, but I was impressed with their banter. It was fun and light and sexy and it worked. We're in Holly's head the entire book (limited 3rd person POV), so I was trying to figure out, along with Holly, what Meredith was thinking/where Meredith stood in regards to Holly. It made me feel a little insecure, but I was actually impressed with how well they communicated (for the most part--this definitely breaks down a few places in the novel). So any insecurity I felt was generally short-lived.
Like many BSB novels, I feel like this could have been longer. Seriously, does BSB start charging authors by the page if their novels go over 230 pages? Spencer spends 50% of the novel sort of setting everything up between Holly and Meredith in their Hawaii bubble, and it's absolutely delicious, but the rest of the novel happens very quickly and covers a lot time that we don't get much insight into. And I think we needed some of that insight to make sense of the decisions Meredith makes (and it doesn't help we don't get any insight into her mind). But this wasn't a huge impediment to my overall enjoyment.
The secondary characters--mostly Holly's neighbors, who are also her best friends--are a lot of fun and provide some genuine laughs, and I loved them, even if they're all a bit too eccentric for me to find them completely believable. I do think we spent a little too much time with them, but they serve as a "found family" for Holly and it's nice that she has people who really do love and support her.
Okay, so the ending happens very quickly and it definitely left a lot of questions unanswered. But isn't that true of all these types of romances? I can't fault it for executing exactly what I wanted to see.
I'm giving this 4.5 stars, but I think this is my Christmas go-to for a feel good holiday romcom from this point forward. So I'm rounding it up for that reason alone.
September 25, 2022
I found myself hankering for a little Christmas romance/festive charm (yes, I know it's ONLY September) and knew Elle Spencer would not disappoint...It's a phenomenal read, stuffed to the brim with some of my favourite things *heart eyes*: including, but not limited to, the most AMAZING banter between Holly Hudson, her friend-gang AND love-interest Meredith Drake/hilarious inner monologues/the most unique interactions between Holly and Meredith/the seemingly inevitable and palpable heartache when falling head over heels for a woman. THIS book is oh-so beautifully written, charming and over-the-top festive (at times), an absolute page-turner with hints of flirty sexiness AND a novel I can EASILY picture myself reaching for when in need of something to melt me into a puddle of Sapphic happiness.
October 23, 2020
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC of this book.
3.5 stars, but rounded down for some big gripes. This book’s synopsis screamed “adorable,” and for the most part, it delivered.
The entire book is told from Holly’s perspective (third person), and she’s a fun main character. She’s an interesting mix of bubbly and Scrooge-like (she grew up in Christmas Cove, Vermont, so who can blame her?). She becomes flustered around people she’s attracted to, and it’s relatable while also a tad cringey. Dang, this girl is a rambler! But for the most part, I liked her voice.
For me, the best part of the story (for the most part) was Meredith Drake (fantastic name). She’s one of those perfectly coiffed, intimidating ladies with a surprisingly soft and playful interior, and I am sooo here for it (she reminds me of Jessica Lennox from Melissa Brayden’s Kiss the Girl, my OG lesfic crush).
The first problem I had was that I felt like we didn’t get enough Holly/Meredith. Holly’s friend circle eat up a lot of the story, and I had mixed feelings about them. They could be funny, but I found their constant banter unrealistic and a bit hyperbolic. They started to make me tired after a bit, and I was left wondering when Meredith would come back.
And the second (bigger) problem — Meredith betrays Holly with a cowardly decision 3/4 of the way through. She promises Holly that if Holly does one thing, Meredith will make another thing happen. And then, after Holly fulfills her half of the bargain, Meredith just nopes out of her half for a dumb reason. Of course everything works out in the end, but I found this part forced and out-of-character.
And also...we never get a description of the gay Christmas movie? :( I wanted at least a synopsis, especially since it had such a cute title.
Overall, this was cute and I liked how quirky it was. However, there are some things I’d change (one of them major), so I have to rate it 3.5 stars.
3.5 stars, but rounded down for some big gripes. This book’s synopsis screamed “adorable,” and for the most part, it delivered.
The entire book is told from Holly’s perspective (third person), and she’s a fun main character. She’s an interesting mix of bubbly and Scrooge-like (she grew up in Christmas Cove, Vermont, so who can blame her?). She becomes flustered around people she’s attracted to, and it’s relatable while also a tad cringey. Dang, this girl is a rambler! But for the most part, I liked her voice.
For me, the best part of the story (for the most part) was Meredith Drake (fantastic name). She’s one of those perfectly coiffed, intimidating ladies with a surprisingly soft and playful interior, and I am sooo here for it (she reminds me of Jessica Lennox from Melissa Brayden’s Kiss the Girl, my OG lesfic crush).
The first problem I had was that I felt like we didn’t get enough Holly/Meredith. Holly’s friend circle eat up a lot of the story, and I had mixed feelings about them. They could be funny, but I found their constant banter unrealistic and a bit hyperbolic. They started to make me tired after a bit, and I was left wondering when Meredith would come back.
And the second (bigger) problem — Meredith betrays Holly with a cowardly decision 3/4 of the way through. She promises Holly that if Holly does one thing, Meredith will make another thing happen. And then, after Holly fulfills her half of the bargain, Meredith just nopes out of her half for a dumb reason. Of course everything works out in the end, but I found this part forced and out-of-character.
And also...we never get a description of the gay Christmas movie? :( I wanted at least a synopsis, especially since it had such a cute title.
Overall, this was cute and I liked how quirky it was. However, there are some things I’d change (one of them major), so I have to rate it 3.5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2024
4 Stars
Oh my goodness! a Christmas story in April just cause I’m reading up all of Elle Spencer’s books! It’s sooo HEA, so Hallmark, so cheesy and I love it so much! It’s a Hallmark story but sapphic, there, the book in a nutshell.
Oh my goodness! a Christmas story in April just cause I’m reading up all of Elle Spencer’s books! It’s sooo HEA, so Hallmark, so cheesy and I love it so much! It’s a Hallmark story but sapphic, there, the book in a nutshell.
April 18, 2022
Are you looking for the lesbian version of Love Actually? Look no further, sorta.
Holly is a writer for Wifetime Network (awful name). She writes the cheesiest and straightest holiday romances for them. But all she really wants is to make a gay Christmas movie. Or better yet, a cheesy holiday romance where leads just happen to be gay. Wifetime isn't really open to her ideas on that one. Hating the holidays herself, or at least disliking them a great deal Holly has been setting off for Hawaii for the last few years, all by herself. This time she encounters her crush Meredith in the airport, after an unfortunate luggage accident they run into each other again and have a hot fling. Meredith works for Wifetime as well and she always seemed out of Holly's league. They connect while in Hawaii, they both think it could be more than a fling. Until they return home and Meredith has gotten a surprise promotion and effectively making her Holly's boss.
Drama, drama, little betrayal, licking your wounds at your parents' house, HEA. Ok sorta, but didn't I just sum up the entire holiday cheesy rom-com genre? The comic relief comes mostly from Holly's friends, which I liked in the beginning but they get to be a bit too much for me, a bit over the top. The banter between the two mains is what I like best about the book, there isn't a whole lot of it but I liked it. Holly somehow reminds me of Bridget Jones, which isn't the best in my book, she has all these rambling thoughts and when she speaks she makes a fool of herself a lot of the time. I guess it works better for me than Bridget Jones because Holly is gay. Oh but her full name and where she comes from? If anything were to fit into a holiday romance it is just that! Meredith seems cool and together and a lot more down to earth than Holly, I like Meredith better. Of course, it has a super cheesy ending, but it fits this story well. You could easily make this book into a Hallmark holiday flick, all they want is there, except for maybe straight mains... If you are looking for a sweet and a little cheesy holiday romance this is just the book for you. Grab your blanket and a hot drink and read.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and an honest review*
Holly is a writer for Wifetime Network (awful name). She writes the cheesiest and straightest holiday romances for them. But all she really wants is to make a gay Christmas movie. Or better yet, a cheesy holiday romance where leads just happen to be gay. Wifetime isn't really open to her ideas on that one. Hating the holidays herself, or at least disliking them a great deal Holly has been setting off for Hawaii for the last few years, all by herself. This time she encounters her crush Meredith in the airport, after an unfortunate luggage accident they run into each other again and have a hot fling. Meredith works for Wifetime as well and she always seemed out of Holly's league. They connect while in Hawaii, they both think it could be more than a fling. Until they return home and Meredith has gotten a surprise promotion and effectively making her Holly's boss.
Drama, drama, little betrayal, licking your wounds at your parents' house, HEA. Ok sorta, but didn't I just sum up the entire holiday cheesy rom-com genre? The comic relief comes mostly from Holly's friends, which I liked in the beginning but they get to be a bit too much for me, a bit over the top. The banter between the two mains is what I like best about the book, there isn't a whole lot of it but I liked it. Holly somehow reminds me of Bridget Jones, which isn't the best in my book, she has all these rambling thoughts and when she speaks she makes a fool of herself a lot of the time. I guess it works better for me than Bridget Jones because Holly is gay. Oh but her full name and where she comes from? If anything were to fit into a holiday romance it is just that! Meredith seems cool and together and a lot more down to earth than Holly, I like Meredith better. Of course, it has a super cheesy ending, but it fits this story well. You could easily make this book into a Hallmark holiday flick, all they want is there, except for maybe straight mains... If you are looking for a sweet and a little cheesy holiday romance this is just the book for you. Grab your blanket and a hot drink and read.
*ARC received in exchange for a voluntary and an honest review*
December 4, 2022
A very enjoyable sapphic holiday romance! Holly is a writer for the Wifetime Network that’s famous for its Christmas romance movies. But they’ve always been extremely straight and Holly is determined to change that.
I was expecting the book to focus more on the writing and production of a queer Christmas movie for the channel, but that wasn’t really the case. The book is more about Holly and Meredith, an executive from the network, unexpectedly meeting up in Hawaii over Christmas, having a fling, then having to deal with not being with each other because of the power imbalance in their jobs, and finding a way to come back together again.
I really enjoyed the journey that Holly goes on to find her love for Christmas and her hometown again. The side characters were all very amusing, I enjoyed their friendship/found family dynamic. But I was a tad disappointed that it wasn’t truly about making the queer holiday movie. Oh well.
I was expecting the book to focus more on the writing and production of a queer Christmas movie for the channel, but that wasn’t really the case. The book is more about Holly and Meredith, an executive from the network, unexpectedly meeting up in Hawaii over Christmas, having a fling, then having to deal with not being with each other because of the power imbalance in their jobs, and finding a way to come back together again.
I really enjoyed the journey that Holly goes on to find her love for Christmas and her hometown again. The side characters were all very amusing, I enjoyed their friendship/found family dynamic. But I was a tad disappointed that it wasn’t truly about making the queer holiday movie. Oh well.
December 22, 2020
DNF at 45%
I've been dying to read something by Elle Spencer for quite a while now, and I was so excited for the Hallmark-esque premise of this book, but sadly I feel the execution was a bit off. I didn't enjoy the main character's voice at all and I think a lot of the tongue-in-cheek jokes were a bit too try hard and instead came off a bit awkward. I might pick this up again next year because it did start off really promising, but for now I have so many other books I want to read than trying to trudge through this one!
Read for the 12 Days of Queermas Readathon!
Thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an e-ARC copy in return for an honest review!
I've been dying to read something by Elle Spencer for quite a while now, and I was so excited for the Hallmark-esque premise of this book, but sadly I feel the execution was a bit off. I didn't enjoy the main character's voice at all and I think a lot of the tongue-in-cheek jokes were a bit too try hard and instead came off a bit awkward. I might pick this up again next year because it did start off really promising, but for now I have so many other books I want to read than trying to trudge through this one!
Read for the 12 Days of Queermas Readathon!
Thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an e-ARC copy in return for an honest review!
December 14, 2020
I did mostly enjoy this, but had a bit of a rocky time with it. I really liked the premisse, and the execution didn't quite live up to my expectations. I was expecting the focus to be more on actually producing the gay holiday movie, but it was really just the road leading up to actually starting to work on it. Maybe that's on me for assuming. Secondly though, this was my second time trying an Elle Spencer book and I think her writing is just not entirely for me. Her brand of humour especially doesn't work for me really well. If it does work for you, I think this will be a really good read!
November 3, 2020
I didn't know what to expect from this book. Reviews from people who usually give me a good bar for my tastes said it was bleh, and other reviewers who usually trash books I enjoy said it was entertaining so I had to give it a try and I don't regret it.
The plot is as fantastic as one can expect from a holiday book. Things happen that are over the top, but in context they work and make it fun. The secondary characters had me laughing out loud and the main characters intrigued me. When the inevitable conflict happened between the MCs I suffered with Holly and got angry with Meredith. In my opinion, the books that get those kinds of reactions are the ones that really entertain.
The plot is as fantastic as one can expect from a holiday book. Things happen that are over the top, but in context they work and make it fun. The secondary characters had me laughing out loud and the main characters intrigued me. When the inevitable conflict happened between the MCs I suffered with Holly and got angry with Meredith. In my opinion, the books that get those kinds of reactions are the ones that really entertain.
November 21, 2020
Oh wow... I really loved this.
If my friends knew how much I was moved by this story they wouldn't believe it, and we watched All My Life (Covid Style) last night where they balled their eyes out, and teasingly called me heartless 'cause I didn't have an outright reaction. True story.
If my friends knew how much I was moved by this story they wouldn't believe it, and we watched All My Life (Covid Style) last night where they balled their eyes out, and teasingly called me heartless 'cause I didn't have an outright reaction. True story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2020
Not only did I almost fall off the sofa with all the swooning, but I’m so excited for Christmas!!!!
I can hear the Hallmark channel calling!!!
Do you ever read a book and when it comes to writing the review, you just don’t know if you could possibly do the book justice? That’s how good this book is.
This book was the warm Christmassy hug I was looking for. I did not stop to put this book down when I was reading it. It just pulled me in from the first chapter.
Any moments with Holly and her sarcastic, sassy and funny banter just had me hook line and sinker. She was so funny, adorable, awkward, but wholly loveable and kind. One hundred per cent my favourite character and I would read a million stories with Holly as the star.
One of many favourite quotes from this book was
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I usually save my swear words for more appropriate situations like zombies surrounding the city or, you know, great sex.”
I full-on belly laughed at that moment, and that wasn’t the only one, let me tell you!
Meredith was gorgeous, smooth and clearly taken with our goofy Holly from the beginning. It was fascinating to watch her react to Holly or when she would want nothing more than to be with Holly but couldn’t because of her job. She was another extraordinary character to read, and in the end, she and Holly were made for each other. #soulmates
The ending of the book was pretty magical, and I was a mess of tears and tissues but then came the epilogue and the ending had nothing on the epilogue. The epilogue was just #perfection!
The chemistry between Holly and Meredith is phenomenal and let me tell you for all Holly’s awkwardness she is a firecracker between the sheets. The first sex scene was so unbelievably sexy that I thought my book was going to burst into flames. Meredith certainly dressed to impress. For a contemporary romance, it certainly was hot!
What was really thrilling was when Meredith and Holly are back home trying to stay platonic work colleagues. The struggle is real, and even I felt the pull between them.
Just keep writing the words Elle Spencer because they are exquisite.
The best way to start the festive season is with this fantastic Christmas rom-com! You won’t regret adding this to Santa’s list!
I can hear the Hallmark channel calling!!!
Do you ever read a book and when it comes to writing the review, you just don’t know if you could possibly do the book justice? That’s how good this book is.
This book was the warm Christmassy hug I was looking for. I did not stop to put this book down when I was reading it. It just pulled me in from the first chapter.
Any moments with Holly and her sarcastic, sassy and funny banter just had me hook line and sinker. She was so funny, adorable, awkward, but wholly loveable and kind. One hundred per cent my favourite character and I would read a million stories with Holly as the star.
One of many favourite quotes from this book was
“Sorry,” she whispered. “I usually save my swear words for more appropriate situations like zombies surrounding the city or, you know, great sex.”
I full-on belly laughed at that moment, and that wasn’t the only one, let me tell you!
Meredith was gorgeous, smooth and clearly taken with our goofy Holly from the beginning. It was fascinating to watch her react to Holly or when she would want nothing more than to be with Holly but couldn’t because of her job. She was another extraordinary character to read, and in the end, she and Holly were made for each other. #soulmates
The ending of the book was pretty magical, and I was a mess of tears and tissues but then came the epilogue and the ending had nothing on the epilogue. The epilogue was just #perfection!
The chemistry between Holly and Meredith is phenomenal and let me tell you for all Holly’s awkwardness she is a firecracker between the sheets. The first sex scene was so unbelievably sexy that I thought my book was going to burst into flames. Meredith certainly dressed to impress. For a contemporary romance, it certainly was hot!
What was really thrilling was when Meredith and Holly are back home trying to stay platonic work colleagues. The struggle is real, and even I felt the pull between them.
Just keep writing the words Elle Spencer because they are exquisite.
The best way to start the festive season is with this fantastic Christmas rom-com! You won’t regret adding this to Santa’s list!
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