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Mistletoe Romance #2
There’s Something about Merry
"Codi Hall brings all the feels."―Monica Murphy, New York Times bestselling author Curl up this Christmas with a fun, festive romcom full of Christmas tree farm shenanigans and a romance between an outdoorsy single dad and the kind, ambitious, Christmas-loving neighbor he can't stop thinking about. A guarded single dad. A woman scared to love. Clark Griffin and Merry Winters are determined to be friends and nothing more. But they've been anonymously flirting with each other online, and with a little Christmas magic and the help of a precocious kid, these two might just get their one wish this year. "A fun, engaging, and romantic read that is perfect for Christmastime!" ― The Nerd Daily for Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist
416 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,757 reviews
January 18, 2023
Another cute holiday read- 🤗- caution: rated R for adult content. Definitely predictable- but also cute flirty steamy good entertainment! ❤️🔥🔥🔥
November 20, 2022
i didn’t really like nick & noel (the first book in this series) but i decided to give this one a chance anyway & im so glad i did!!
it was so so so cute & fun. single dad, small town, online dating, very close family!! merry was an angel & clark was the sweetest. i loved seeing their dynamic w jace. they were exactly what i wanted from this book.
i loved that it was very low drama & it really put me in the christmas spirit.
now i’m gonna need sam to have a book 😃
it was so so so cute & fun. single dad, small town, online dating, very close family!! merry was an angel & clark was the sweetest. i loved seeing their dynamic w jace. they were exactly what i wanted from this book.
i loved that it was very low drama & it really put me in the christmas spirit.
now i’m gonna need sam to have a book 😃
September 7, 2022
you’re telling me this book Wasn’t written by a man ???
December 4, 2022
Review to come this evening.
December 14, 2022
There’s something about having a very good cover because the book inside is very very bad. **spoiler** There’s something about liquidating all of your assets and giving them to the woman you haven’t seen in years after she already got all of your retirement savings. There’s something about a book that just. doesn’t. end.
And that something is pain.
And that something is pain.
December 11, 2021
This was a cute holiday take on You’ve Got Mail.
There were so many adorable moments. There were also awkward, uncomfortable moments. And then there were just too many moments because at times I found this long winded.
Mistletoe sounds like a fun town full of plenty of holiday well wishers and do-gooders. But you’ve also got your curmudgeonly grinches and Scrooge’s because everything needs to be well rounded.
The whole cast was pretty entertaining. The best part of this whole thing was Merry’s growing business of crocheted voodoo peens. Like is that a real thing? Because I want one.
For the most part I enjoyed the growing affection between Merry and Clark. Especially when they interacted with Clark’s 7 year old Jace.
There were so many adorable moments. There were also awkward, uncomfortable moments. And then there were just too many moments because at times I found this long winded.
Mistletoe sounds like a fun town full of plenty of holiday well wishers and do-gooders. But you’ve also got your curmudgeonly grinches and Scrooge’s because everything needs to be well rounded.
The whole cast was pretty entertaining. The best part of this whole thing was Merry’s growing business of crocheted voodoo peens. Like is that a real thing? Because I want one.
For the most part I enjoyed the growing affection between Merry and Clark. Especially when they interacted with Clark’s 7 year old Jace.
November 2, 2025
I'm just glad it's over. RTC.
I’ve once again finished a book out of spite.
Update: I'm so disappointed. I loved Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist, and I was so happy when I found out that there was a whole series about the Winters siblings. But friends, Romans, countrymen....this book was not good. As usual, instead of going full rant review (which is Oh so tempting) I will organize my thoughts into what I liked about this book and what I loathed about it.
What I liked about this book: The cover. I wish this cover belonged to a better book. In all seriousness, I still love the Winters family (I need a Novella about Chris and Victoria's college romance ASAP) and I love how they took in Clark, Jace and even Clark's rebellious older brother Sam. I will always be a sucker for found family. I just love to see it in my romances (especially in holiday romances) because it makes my heart feel warm and fuzzy. Clark and Merry were actually good MCs! Merry might've been a little TOO perfect but overall, she was great! I just stopped caring towards the end because the book was too damn long! But they were both good people and we want to see good people fall in love. I also loved Clark's adorable son Jace and Merry's chaotic puppy named Daisy. The vibes were perfect for this romance to be an enthusiastic 3 star read but then that 3rd act happened. Which brings me to......
Things I disliked about this book: The third act of this book enraged me. Why, you ask? Do Merry and Clark break up? Do we get the miscommunication trope? NOPE. Merry and Clark are fine! They're a couple, they've bom chick wow wow'd, they're a happy family with Jace, the Winters, Sam and Daisy AND THAT'S WHERE THE BOOK SHOULD'VE ENDED. But no, this third act has the reappearance of an absent parent (Jace's mom) who rolls up in town asking Clark for money. Not just a couple hundred dollars for her to skip town, this man has to LIQUIDATE HIS ASSETS TO HELP HER. The history between Clark and Patrice is dark. In summation, they hooked up in college, she gets pregnant but when she finds out she's having a boy, she abandons them when Jace is only a newborn. To be fair, Patrice isn't a villain, she mentions some trauma from her childhood, so she honestly believed that she was protecting her son by leaving him with his dad. Even if you don't agree with her choice (and the other characters in the book do not) it's the actions of a flawed human being. But here is my gripe with Patrice (and this whole storyline): Clark had already GIVEN HER HIS RETIREMENT because that was the only way that she would sign over her rights to Jace. So, after Clark has already given this woman 5,000 dollars, she pops up again and asks for more money. She has to get away from her daughter's horrible father (oh yeah, she has another kid now) and she needs help to get out of town. When he's not initially enthused about giving her a ton of money AGAIN, she decides to sprinkle a little emotional blackmail into the mix...as a treat. She says that she's Jace's mother (barely girl but ok) and he would never forgive him if something happened to her because Clark didn't help. WHO DOESN'T LOVE A LITTLE EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL IN THEIR HOLIDAY ROMANCES AMIRIGHT?!? Of course, he gives her the money so he's able to look his son in the eye. I hated this entire storyline.
I don't have any interest in reading the third book in this series anymore.
So, this actually ended up being a bit of a rant. OOPS lol
I’ve once again finished a book out of spite.
Update: I'm so disappointed. I loved Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist, and I was so happy when I found out that there was a whole series about the Winters siblings. But friends, Romans, countrymen....this book was not good. As usual, instead of going full rant review (which is Oh so tempting) I will organize my thoughts into what I liked about this book and what I loathed about it.
What I liked about this book: The cover. I wish this cover belonged to a better book. In all seriousness, I still love the Winters family (I need a Novella about Chris and Victoria's college romance ASAP) and I love how they took in Clark, Jace and even Clark's rebellious older brother Sam. I will always be a sucker for found family. I just love to see it in my romances (especially in holiday romances) because it makes my heart feel warm and fuzzy. Clark and Merry were actually good MCs! Merry might've been a little TOO perfect but overall, she was great! I just stopped caring towards the end because the book was too damn long! But they were both good people and we want to see good people fall in love. I also loved Clark's adorable son Jace and Merry's chaotic puppy named Daisy. The vibes were perfect for this romance to be an enthusiastic 3 star read but then that 3rd act happened. Which brings me to......
Things I disliked about this book: The third act of this book enraged me. Why, you ask? Do Merry and Clark break up? Do we get the miscommunication trope? NOPE. Merry and Clark are fine! They're a couple, they've bom chick wow wow'd, they're a happy family with Jace, the Winters, Sam and Daisy AND THAT'S WHERE THE BOOK SHOULD'VE ENDED. But no, this third act has the reappearance of an absent parent (Jace's mom) who rolls up in town asking Clark for money. Not just a couple hundred dollars for her to skip town, this man has to LIQUIDATE HIS ASSETS TO HELP HER. The history between Clark and Patrice is dark. In summation, they hooked up in college, she gets pregnant but when she finds out she's having a boy, she abandons them when Jace is only a newborn. To be fair, Patrice isn't a villain, she mentions some trauma from her childhood, so she honestly believed that she was protecting her son by leaving him with his dad. Even if you don't agree with her choice (and the other characters in the book do not) it's the actions of a flawed human being. But here is my gripe with Patrice (and this whole storyline): Clark had already GIVEN HER HIS RETIREMENT because that was the only way that she would sign over her rights to Jace. So, after Clark has already given this woman 5,000 dollars, she pops up again and asks for more money. She has to get away from her daughter's horrible father (oh yeah, she has another kid now) and she needs help to get out of town. When he's not initially enthused about giving her a ton of money AGAIN, she decides to sprinkle a little emotional blackmail into the mix...as a treat. She says that she's Jace's mother (barely girl but ok) and he would never forgive him if something happened to her because Clark didn't help. WHO DOESN'T LOVE A LITTLE EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL IN THEIR HOLIDAY ROMANCES AMIRIGHT?!? Of course, he gives her the money so he's able to look his son in the eye. I hated this entire storyline.
I don't have any interest in reading the third book in this series anymore.
So, this actually ended up being a bit of a rant. OOPS lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2022
A SLOW START IS SAVED BY LOVELY CHARACTERS
Yes, the beginning was rough. It was sooo slow and with so much info dumping. But the characters! They pulled through. If you like character-driven holiday romances with light plots, this one is for you.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Merry and Clark: These two were so cute together. They had so much adorable banter, and that's something that always really gets me going. Their connection was nice and developed throughout the story. It did feel a bit forced at times, but the banter definitely carried the chemistry on its shoulders.
Characters: There were a good bunch of adorable characters to love. My particular favourites were Nick (Clark's brother) and Jace (Clark's son). Jace brought a lot of cuteness to the story, while Nick brough sibling banter and humour, which is always a preference for me.
Hallmark: I'll gladly admit that when the holiday season is upon us, you will find me in front of the TV watching Hallmark holiday movies. This book felt like a Hallmark movie. It had some of the same tropes and the same spirit of Christmas fun.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Beginning: The beginning was tedious. It felt very long. Hall decided to cram both Merry and Clark's entire background stories into the first couple of chapters. Completely out of context - just a complete info dump. It made the beginning difficult to say the least.
Plot: The plot wasn't actually bad. I just wish it had been followed through to the end. We have Merry and Clark dating one another online without actually knowing they are talking to the other person, whom they actually know in real life as they've gone to high school with one another. But halfway through the book, they figure it out and the plot is instantly dropped. It felt like a missed opportunity to actually do something fun with the premise.
E-mails: During the course of their online dating, Clark and Merry send e-mails to one another. These e-mails are printed in the book. Which would have been fine. If it was just every now and then. But when an entire chapter was NOTHING BUT E-MAILS... I got annoyed. It killed the vibe for me.
Typos: Yes, I know that this was an arc and that some of the typos might just get fixed before publication. But it is also an arc of a re-release so in my book, the typos shouldn't even be there. Or there should at least be a lot less. But there were so many that they actually annoyed me quite a bit. Words spelled wrong, sentences missing words, sentences that were clearly changed halfway through but not fixed. Too many.
Holiday names: Merry. Nick. Noel. I am just not on board with the holiday names 😅
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Yes, the beginning was rough. It was sooo slow and with so much info dumping. But the characters! They pulled through. If you like character-driven holiday romances with light plots, this one is for you.
👍 What I Liked 👍
Merry and Clark: These two were so cute together. They had so much adorable banter, and that's something that always really gets me going. Their connection was nice and developed throughout the story. It did feel a bit forced at times, but the banter definitely carried the chemistry on its shoulders.
Characters: There were a good bunch of adorable characters to love. My particular favourites were Nick (Clark's brother) and Jace (Clark's son). Jace brought a lot of cuteness to the story, while Nick brough sibling banter and humour, which is always a preference for me.
Hallmark: I'll gladly admit that when the holiday season is upon us, you will find me in front of the TV watching Hallmark holiday movies. This book felt like a Hallmark movie. It had some of the same tropes and the same spirit of Christmas fun.
👎 What I Disliked 👎
Beginning: The beginning was tedious. It felt very long. Hall decided to cram both Merry and Clark's entire background stories into the first couple of chapters. Completely out of context - just a complete info dump. It made the beginning difficult to say the least.
Plot: The plot wasn't actually bad. I just wish it had been followed through to the end. We have Merry and Clark dating one another online without actually knowing they are talking to the other person, whom they actually know in real life as they've gone to high school with one another. But halfway through the book, they figure it out and the plot is instantly dropped. It felt like a missed opportunity to actually do something fun with the premise.
E-mails: During the course of their online dating, Clark and Merry send e-mails to one another. These e-mails are printed in the book. Which would have been fine. If it was just every now and then. But when an entire chapter was NOTHING BUT E-MAILS... I got annoyed. It killed the vibe for me.
Typos: Yes, I know that this was an arc and that some of the typos might just get fixed before publication. But it is also an arc of a re-release so in my book, the typos shouldn't even be there. Or there should at least be a lot less. But there were so many that they actually annoyed me quite a bit. Words spelled wrong, sentences missing words, sentences that were clearly changed halfway through but not fixed. Too many.
Holiday names: Merry. Nick. Noel. I am just not on board with the holiday names 😅
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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Blog Post: Which Book Should you read next based on your favourite Jane Austen Heroine
February 4, 2022
Oh my heart! There's Something About Merry is super cute and sweet and so swoony. I can not help myself grinning ear to ear while listening to the audiobook.
The enemy to lover romance is the theme here, blend it little with dating app, holiday theme and one big family of love. The banter is cute. Merry is a type of heroine that I love to have on my romance story.
And Clark, he is simple big ginat teddy.
I was surprise to see how low the rating. This book is great read.
4 stars
The enemy to lover romance is the theme here, blend it little with dating app, holiday theme and one big family of love. The banter is cute. Merry is a type of heroine that I love to have on my romance story.
And Clark, he is simple big ginat teddy.
I was surprise to see how low the rating. This book is great read.
4 stars
January 26, 2022
The pacing for this one is weird.
At times it felt like a snail's pace, and at other times they seemed to have progressed their relationship by 10 years in a span of a week.
I like the characters and there is some spicy bits sprinkled in there, it was just a little too all over the place. I look forward to checking out other work by the author since I did enjoy this for the most part.
At times it felt like a snail's pace, and at other times they seemed to have progressed their relationship by 10 years in a span of a week.
I like the characters and there is some spicy bits sprinkled in there, it was just a little too all over the place. I look forward to checking out other work by the author since I did enjoy this for the most part.
December 1, 2021
No story line at all, waste of time
December 10, 2024
Definitely Hallmark Christmas movie worthy 👏🏻 an adorable follow up to Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist. What more can I say?!
12-16-23 re-read: the above statement still stands. Adding on… single dad trope is underrated in my opinion 😮💨 *note for my re-read next year, 2024: consider reading around Thanksgiving.
12-10-24 re-read: still super cute. Ignored my past note to myself about reading closer to thanksgiving tho lol
12-16-23 re-read: the above statement still stands. Adding on… single dad trope is underrated in my opinion 😮💨 *note for my re-read next year, 2024: consider reading around Thanksgiving.
12-10-24 re-read: still super cute. Ignored my past note to myself about reading closer to thanksgiving tho lol
November 18, 2022
This was cute but I feel like the main plot was wrapped up by halfway through the book and then the remaining “conflicts” didn’t even have to do with the main couple. It really felt like a lot of filler. It was fine for a Christmas romance though
November 30, 2022
A cute little Christmas book🥰
December 13, 2022
3.5⭐️ cute but there was absolutely no reason for it to be as long as it was
December 10, 2022
Not nearly as good as the first one, but still a lovely holiday rom-com 💖
December 29, 2022
3.5⭐️ This felt a bit long but I enjoyed it overall.
Merry & Clark get to know each other, anonymously, over a dating app while fighting growing feelings for each other in person.
❤️ Single dad romance
🌲tree farm in Mistletoe, Idaho
🐶 rescue dog named Daisy
😂 Voodoo 🍆 crafts
Merry & Clark get to know each other, anonymously, over a dating app while fighting growing feelings for each other in person.
❤️ Single dad romance
🌲tree farm in Mistletoe, Idaho
🐶 rescue dog named Daisy
😂 Voodoo 🍆 crafts
August 5, 2025
Again I freaking loved this. But now I need it to be Christmas time 🎄
February 12, 2023
⬇️watch my wrap up for a more in depth review!⬇️
https://youtu.be/XZ6rKZoge4c
rating: 5/5⭐️'s FOR SURE!
Pros:
•perfect single dad trope! It was done so so well!
•really enjoyed the dual pov, added so much more detail to the book
•I love how amazing of a father Clark is to his son. It warmed my heart so much
•PERFECT Christmas vibes. Rlly put me into the Christmas spirit!
•love the cute humour added in as well. I found merry rlly funny and loved her personality
•I loved all the text messages included in the book!
•the settings throughout really pulled the whole Christmas vibe/aesthetic together and made me love it so much more!
•the most eventful Christmas book I’ve ever read
•was so freaking cute I swear it almost had me crying tears of happiness
•all the family dynamics were EVERYTHING!
Cons:
•kind of long chapters (15-20 pages per)
•pretty long for a Xmas book but every page was SO needed!
https://youtu.be/XZ6rKZoge4c
rating: 5/5⭐️'s FOR SURE!
Pros:
•perfect single dad trope! It was done so so well!
•really enjoyed the dual pov, added so much more detail to the book
•I love how amazing of a father Clark is to his son. It warmed my heart so much
•PERFECT Christmas vibes. Rlly put me into the Christmas spirit!
•love the cute humour added in as well. I found merry rlly funny and loved her personality
•I loved all the text messages included in the book!
•the settings throughout really pulled the whole Christmas vibe/aesthetic together and made me love it so much more!
•the most eventful Christmas book I’ve ever read
•was so freaking cute I swear it almost had me crying tears of happiness
•all the family dynamics were EVERYTHING!
Cons:
•kind of long chapters (15-20 pages per)
•pretty long for a Xmas book but every page was SO needed!
August 24, 2022
Overall this was absolutely adorable, but the first half had a very different vibe than the second half. I struggled a bit with meshing the two.
Merry Winters has hopes of taking over the family Christmas tree farm in Mistletoe, Idaho. But in her way appears Clark Griffin—woodsman, single dad, and newly hired foreman. And unbeknownst to them, the two form an online connection via a dating app. Both burned in the past by relationships, I adored their back-and-forth messages with sparks flying simultaneously in real life.
The second half definitely took a more dramatic turn in plot while also amping up the steam. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that on its own, but like I mentioned before, the transition felt sudden.
With that said, I really enjoyed the sprinkles of Christmas festivities. The secondary characters were perfectly developed and added a lot of fun to the story. The humour was great, too (voodoo doll penises, that's all I will say). If you're looking for a steamy holiday romance, give this a try!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Merry Winters has hopes of taking over the family Christmas tree farm in Mistletoe, Idaho. But in her way appears Clark Griffin—woodsman, single dad, and newly hired foreman. And unbeknownst to them, the two form an online connection via a dating app. Both burned in the past by relationships, I adored their back-and-forth messages with sparks flying simultaneously in real life.
The second half definitely took a more dramatic turn in plot while also amping up the steam. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that on its own, but like I mentioned before, the transition felt sudden.
With that said, I really enjoyed the sprinkles of Christmas festivities. The secondary characters were perfectly developed and added a lot of fun to the story. The humour was great, too (voodoo doll penises, that's all I will say). If you're looking for a steamy holiday romance, give this a try!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
December 4, 2022
i wanted to throw up from both cringiness and cuteness. jace was also such a sweet child and all around adorable. i wanted to give him a big hug. also i was happy there was no third act breakup 70-80% into the book. idk it was hard to rate this because it wasn’t bad but very much wasn’t a masterpiece
November 26, 2022
A cute concept, but a lot of the dialogue was cringy and childish. o captain my captain? AT THAT TIME? 😩💀 also, having these genuine religious references in the same book as explicit sex scenes REALLY threw me off. I wanted to like this book but just didn’t.
December 24, 2024
Underwhelmingly fine
Another mid Christmas tree farm holiday book*. Throw it on the pile.
*at least the single dad was actually a competent parent in this book, but he did *of course* have severe trauma and attachment issues. 🙄
Another mid Christmas tree farm holiday book*. Throw it on the pile.
*at least the single dad was actually a competent parent in this book, but he did *of course* have severe trauma and attachment issues. 🙄
December 17, 2022
boooooooooooring
April 1, 2023
My Spice Rating: 🌶🌶🌶/🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 + 1 🍆
There’s Something about Merry by Codi Hall may be set on a tree farm, but it was seriously lacking the holiday cheer that I was expecting from it. I thought this would be very holiday driven, but the romance and Merry's life were the driving forces here and I was ok with this! It's a little weird for me to read a holiday book when it's spring, so I was fine with the fact that it didn't really focus on Christmas itself. I adored Clark and Merry, and there are serious subjects but also plenty of lightness and fun. Merry ends up stumbling upon a business opportunity that was quite hilarious, and there were a few times that I laughed out loud. She has the best family, and I'm really glad the Mistletoe Romance series keeps focusing on the Winters.
I had noticed these books on #Bookstagram but they weren't fully on my radar until I found them in the Audible Plus catalog which meant I didn't have to use credit in order to listen to them. Unfortunately, book 3 is now gone which means I will need to buy it if I want to continue the series but I'm glad I was able to fit the first 2 in. There are definitely some steamy scenes in There’s Something about Merry and I can't say I was actually in the mood for them, so that may have brought my rating down a bit. I love Hallmark-type closed-door romance books, and I would have liked that more for this book. However, that is not what this series is, so it did fit with the storyline and the previous novel. The audio is narrated by CJ Bloom and Lee Samuels, and they did a wonderful job. If you are in the mood for a steamy romance that will make you laugh, I highly recommend checking out the audio.
There’s Something about Merry by Codi Hall may be set on a tree farm, but it was seriously lacking the holiday cheer that I was expecting from it. I thought this would be very holiday driven, but the romance and Merry's life were the driving forces here and I was ok with this! It's a little weird for me to read a holiday book when it's spring, so I was fine with the fact that it didn't really focus on Christmas itself. I adored Clark and Merry, and there are serious subjects but also plenty of lightness and fun. Merry ends up stumbling upon a business opportunity that was quite hilarious, and there were a few times that I laughed out loud. She has the best family, and I'm really glad the Mistletoe Romance series keeps focusing on the Winters.
I had noticed these books on #Bookstagram but they weren't fully on my radar until I found them in the Audible Plus catalog which meant I didn't have to use credit in order to listen to them. Unfortunately, book 3 is now gone which means I will need to buy it if I want to continue the series but I'm glad I was able to fit the first 2 in. There are definitely some steamy scenes in There’s Something about Merry and I can't say I was actually in the mood for them, so that may have brought my rating down a bit. I love Hallmark-type closed-door romance books, and I would have liked that more for this book. However, that is not what this series is, so it did fit with the storyline and the previous novel. The audio is narrated by CJ Bloom and Lee Samuels, and they did a wonderful job. If you are in the mood for a steamy romance that will make you laugh, I highly recommend checking out the audio.
January 5, 2024
5/5 stars, the perfect holiday romance
I've been sitting on this book for a year now, waiting until Christmas time to continue this adorable series centered around the Winters family. Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist was almost perfect for me and an incredible read, so I had high expectations for this one as well. Luckily, all was fulfilled haha, and in my opinion it was even better than the first. It was also the absolute best read to be consumed by even if it wasn't set ONLY around the holiday season (it starts before even Thanksgiving but for good reason).
One of the biggest praises I can give this book is the relationship feels real, but accurate for people of Merry and Clark's ages (not that they're old). They should theoretically be a bit more mature than some other romance books I've read and that definitely translated onto the page. There was no weird third-act breakup or reconciliation, even the "tension" moment of their growth wasn't even that bad, everything that happened was perfectly valid in my opinion, on both sides. It was the PERFECT romance book for me and my tastes in that sense.
As well, I just really loved Merry in the first book so getting to see things from her perspective here was quite the treat. She's a great character, and hilarious too in my opinion, to lead this story and fall in love with Clark. He himself is really amazing too, the responsibility he had to take on at a young age being a single dad and running with it is admirable. He also reads books a lot and is just the sweetest person. I loved how they fell for each other, as even if it was in a way that was unique (and quickly could have been worse) it still felt like such a classic love story.
I had a great time with this book and definitely think that romance lovers should try this out!
[TW: parental absence, alcohol use and drunk driving, animal abuse]
I've been sitting on this book for a year now, waiting until Christmas time to continue this adorable series centered around the Winters family. Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist was almost perfect for me and an incredible read, so I had high expectations for this one as well. Luckily, all was fulfilled haha, and in my opinion it was even better than the first. It was also the absolute best read to be consumed by even if it wasn't set ONLY around the holiday season (it starts before even Thanksgiving but for good reason).
One of the biggest praises I can give this book is the relationship feels real, but accurate for people of Merry and Clark's ages (not that they're old). They should theoretically be a bit more mature than some other romance books I've read and that definitely translated onto the page. There was no weird third-act breakup or reconciliation, even the "tension" moment of their growth wasn't even that bad, everything that happened was perfectly valid in my opinion, on both sides. It was the PERFECT romance book for me and my tastes in that sense.
As well, I just really loved Merry in the first book so getting to see things from her perspective here was quite the treat. She's a great character, and hilarious too in my opinion, to lead this story and fall in love with Clark. He himself is really amazing too, the responsibility he had to take on at a young age being a single dad and running with it is admirable. He also reads books a lot and is just the sweetest person. I loved how they fell for each other, as even if it was in a way that was unique (and quickly could have been worse) it still felt like such a classic love story.
I had a great time with this book and definitely think that romance lovers should try this out!
[TW: parental absence, alcohol use and drunk driving, animal abuse]
December 12, 2023
I was really excited for this book. I’m a huge fan of cheesy Christmas movies and books like that.
This was not it for me.
It claims to be similar to You’ve Got Mail, and I’m offended.
Yes, it did have some anonymous letter writing, but it fell super flat.
Several things bothered me, so I will try to make sense of it all. ***some may be spoilery, so proceed with caution***
1. The sexual scenes in this were pretty explicit and they felt not earned. I am ok with those scenes if I feel like it makes sense and I care about the characters enough.
2. One sexual scene in particular was VERY cringey to me. VERY. I guess I don’t know what people do while driving…….but I’m pretty sure giving a blow job while drunk isn’t safe behavior. I just hated this scene. I wanted to stop reading, but I finished the book because this is an ARC.
3. I didn’t find Merry’s side hustle amusing. Again, I’m probably just no fun, but stuffed penis toys didn’t do it for me. Whatever.
4. Clark is an enabler and foolish. His enabling behavior is praised as kindness. No thank you.
5. The writing felt super clunky. I didn’t like the similes throughout the entire book. Examples:
“Honesty poured out of Clark like hot soup from a thermos.”
“Sarcasm oozed from her tone like paint spilling over cement.”
“Clark’s mouth on hers warmed her like a cup of spike cocoa and she wanted more of those smooches.”
What DID I like?
I liked the Christmas town a little bit. I liked certain parts of the book. I would get a little hopeful, and I was let down again.
I’m sorry. :( this book was not for me. I wish I liked it better.
Thank you to @netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was not it for me.
It claims to be similar to You’ve Got Mail, and I’m offended.
Yes, it did have some anonymous letter writing, but it fell super flat.
Several things bothered me, so I will try to make sense of it all. ***some may be spoilery, so proceed with caution***
1. The sexual scenes in this were pretty explicit and they felt not earned. I am ok with those scenes if I feel like it makes sense and I care about the characters enough.
2. One sexual scene in particular was VERY cringey to me. VERY. I guess I don’t know what people do while driving…….but I’m pretty sure giving a blow job while drunk isn’t safe behavior. I just hated this scene. I wanted to stop reading, but I finished the book because this is an ARC.
3. I didn’t find Merry’s side hustle amusing. Again, I’m probably just no fun, but stuffed penis toys didn’t do it for me. Whatever.
4. Clark is an enabler and foolish. His enabling behavior is praised as kindness. No thank you.
5. The writing felt super clunky. I didn’t like the similes throughout the entire book. Examples:
“Honesty poured out of Clark like hot soup from a thermos.”
“Sarcasm oozed from her tone like paint spilling over cement.”
“Clark’s mouth on hers warmed her like a cup of spike cocoa and she wanted more of those smooches.”
What DID I like?
I liked the Christmas town a little bit. I liked certain parts of the book. I would get a little hopeful, and I was let down again.
I’m sorry. :( this book was not for me. I wish I liked it better.
Thank you to @netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2021
A feel-good holiday romance set in the same world as Nick and Noel's Christmas playlist. Merry Winters is Nick's sister and wants to take over the family Christmas tree farm. When single dad Clark starts as the new foreman there's a bit of tension. Unbeknownst to the two of them they actually start talking and falling in love anonymously on a dating app but things get confusing when real feelings develop between them IRL. Lots of Hallmark Christmas movie vibes but with some delicious steamy open door scenes and a hilarious crafty side business. Highly recommended and great on audio with two narrators.
December 14, 2024
DECEMBER 2024 AUDIO REREAD
Still think this a cute read. I hope we see Clark's brother get a story
..........................
a cute read, perfect for Christmas
Grumpy x Sunshine
Single Dad
Hilarious banter between all characters
doggos
found family
HEA
Still think this a cute read. I hope we see Clark's brother get a story
..........................
a cute read, perfect for Christmas
Grumpy x Sunshine
Single Dad
Hilarious banter between all characters
doggos
found family
HEA
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