After sharing a spine-tingling first kiss with Liam Knight, I was certain he wanted to be my boyfriend. But instead of moonlit strolls on the beach, he ghosted me. Three months later, with a sugar hangover and pants that are now too tight, Liam’s back, ready to pick up where we left off. But I don’t trust him enough to let him back in.
When my boss leaves me in charge of her bakery while she competes in a baking show, I’m literally running around like a road-runner hopped up on caffeine. Until My Knight comes to my rescue. Is forgiving him and getting our second-chance worth the risk?
My Knight Before Christmas is a sweet with a sprinkling of heat, closed-door romantic comedy.
When not reading or writing (which is rare), Amanda loves to travel, camp, spend time with family and friends, and eat chocolate chip cookies—or any other excuse she can come up with to avoid doing housework. She lives in the Rocky Mountains with her husband and three children.
"When we met, it felt like I found the true meaning of home for the first time in my life."
I was expecting a cute Christmas story from the cover and the title. This is not what I got. There wasn't anything Christmas about this. It goes to show that sometimes, just because the title and cover show one thing, it may not be what you're going to get. Lesson learned until the next time I might fall for it. It was cute at times, but it's definitely not what I was looking for.
A Knight Before Christmas is the first book in the Christmas in Connecticut series. It is a second chance romance with some laughable moments, banter, and it was insta love that I just wasn't feeling. Second chance romance is a hit or miss depending on how it's done. This falls into the category of miss. I wanted to enjoy it, but there were just so many things that stopped me from doing so.
Avery Thatcher and Liam Knight had gone on six dates, and after the last one, he had abruptly ghosted her. Now, three months later, he wants to try again. Liam explained to Avery that he had left town due to his grandmother falling ill and wanted to visit her, and she had passed away when he arrived. During the mix of rushing to get to his grandmother, he had lost his phone, having no way of contacting her. Avery admits that she would like to give them another try because she felt that they had a strong connection. The issue is that she doesn't fully trust him as she thinks he will leave again without explanation.
The things that fell flat for me are that the characters didn't have any depth to them and everything was very rushed. I get that it's a Novella, but there could have been more. At first, I thought Avery was funny, but then she annoyed me at every turn. She is very immature for her age and jumps to conclusions before communicating her feelings or thoughts first. Liam is so sweet and cute. He says and does the most adorable things. He had me melting a few times. He deserved better than the pick me girl who was mad that he left even after he explained why.
The only Christmas reference was in the epilogue, and it was predictable. I don't think that I'll be continuing on with the others. The best part of this was Liam and reading and discussing it with my sweet, gorgeous girl, Cara. Thank you for the buddy read! I had so much fun and can't wait to do it again.
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It's time for some Christmas cheer 🎄 Buddy read with my gorgeous girl Cara 💗
Well… I’m thankful this novella was so short because it was definitely not for me. There was no world building or character building at all, we just got thrown into the story with no explanation. The characters were irritating and immature (yes, all of them, but especially the MC). The romance was dull at best and everything was overdramatized. This does not really qualify as a Christmas romance, and frankly it wasn’t what I was expecting at all.
My Knight Before Christmas by Amanda P. Jones is a cozy, clean contemporary second‑chance romance novella about Avery Thatcher, a baker who thought she’d found something real with Liam Knight until he abruptly ghosted her, and then three months later he reappears in her life asking for another chance while she’s suddenly in charge of her boss’s bakery and racing to keep everything afloat. It’s marketed as a Christmas story but most of the holiday spirit only truly arrives in the epilogue, with the core of the book focusing on whether forgiveness and rekindled feelings are worth risking your heart again.
When I read this, I felt its sweet, quick pace and the emotional pulse of two people trying to untangle why they connected so well in the first place, then lost their way, and whether trust can be rebuilt through actions and patience. Avery’s initial hesitation to welcome Liam back brewed equal parts sympathy and frustration in me, because while I understood her fear of being hurt again, I also saw how genuinely thoughtful he was in trying to show up for her in small but sincere ways.
The novella’s length means character depth and world building are light and moves fast, but for readers who love clean, feel-good romance with lots of banter, bakery fun and gentle chemistry, it often delivers warm, comfortable vibes.
I’m giving My Knight Before Christmas 3 out of 5 stars because it made me smile with its tenderness and had moments that genuinely warmed my heart, but its rushed pacing and minimal holiday feel kept it from being a truly memorable Christmas romance for me.
That was disgustingly cute! Gosh darn is Liam not the perfect book boyfriend!? Second chance romances are not my usual go to read and rarely make the cut but this one was well done, and that date scene.. can you say swoooon!
“When we met, I felt like I found the true meaning of home for the first time in my life.”
Easy, fast-paced read Pages: 87 Tropes: romcom, ghosted me but now he’s back, fastpasted storyline
Felt rushed, not enough world-, and character building. The plot was very weak as well, plus it held no Christmas spirit AT ALL.
The main characters were so annoying and it felt like I was reading about 17y/o’s, because it was so overdramatized all the time. I wanted to like the love interest, but he was just a big disappointment. Pushy, slime-y, just jikes.
However: I do love the fact that she watches North & South, at least she has implacable taste in tv-series.
I’m not your typical romance girly so I tend to cringe or roll my eyes at some romance books. I did that during this one but it was cute at the same time. I love a second chance romance but I found myself being annoyed with the characters at the same time! I also thought it would be more Christmas-y than it was. Overall cuteish.
2.5 stars First off this is not a Christmas book u rly only get Christmas vibes in the epilogue soo I was sadly disappointed bc the cover did kinda fool me but whatever Next let’s talk abt Avery first of all I understand her pain after he ghosted her but for gods sake he lost his grandma n half his family won’t even talk to him n then to top it off his phone was stolen n this bitch even after finding this out still had reservations bc he should have contacted her like wtf his phone was stolen his grandma just passed idk abt y’all but when my grandma died I wouldn’t leave the couch for a whole ass month cause I was so depressed n I was 9 so I didn’t have to worry abt all the things he had but the whole time he was being so sweet while she was just self sabotaging herself like again I understand why but the man has been doing grand gestures after grand gestures n U STILL DONT TRUST HIM MY GOD
Update so I gave this book to my grandma n she dnf it. she said it was boring
“how is it that after everything, i still want him?” and then three seconds later, “what makes you think i still want him??” uh, i don’t know, maybe it’s the fact that you JUST SAID IT YOURSELF? omfg. please.
Going into this, I was not expecting much. It was an easy and fast-paced read. There was no depth to the characters. Sure, they and their relationship was cute, but it was missing substance. You don't really get to know a lot about them. The main focus is their relationship, which comes fairly quickly, with a bit of background information.
This only has 14 chapters so there’s not enough to develop a second chance romance that I would like to read about. It wasn’t bad but the pace was a little too fast for my liking. However, if you’re looking for a short holiday romance, give it a go
Oh boy, if by the cover and the title you think this is a Holiday Romance, think again. We only get Christmas (BARELY) in the epilogue. Don’t be bamboozled like me.
We’ve got Avery a 25 year old baker who had been ghosted after 6 dates with the *perfect* guy. Shes been on terrible dates since, until her best friends and roommates get her in the same room as “Mr. Perfect at ghosting”this is 3 months post ghosting, after being heart broken for weeks. She LITERALLY runs out of the house when he comes and talks to her, like a child. We’ve got Liam “Mr. Perfect” we never get his age but he works in marketing. He ghosted her because his phone was stolen/he lost it in the airport on his way back home to see his grandma one last time before she passed away. He got a new phone but lost all his contacts (but he had the dating app where they met, and her email to contact her) so for three months after his grandma passed, he was mediating family shit and “he didn’t want to dump all his family baggage on her” so he didn’t reach out for 3 months til he came back.
The premise is meh, Avery is childish and immature. Liam was the only one who was semi ok but he was like overdoing it to the max. The repetition was killing me. How Avery didn’t want to end up like her aunt and uncle who stayed married but are awful to each other, constantly cheating on each other, and getting back together, even though her parents have a role model-esque marriage she chooses to use her aunt and uncle as the defining relationship.
Avery says that she cannot forgive him for ghosting her, then proceeds to forgive him in words only because she still assumes the worst at every chance. News flash Avery, if you forgive someone for ghosting you and then you immediately think they are cheating on you when you go to their house and a woman opens the door, YOU HAVEN’T ACTUALLY FORGIVEN ANYONE.
This is on me, I had the inkling to DNF really early on but I was hoping the holiday part of this romance would save it. BUT THERE WAS NONE. I should have DNFed but I didn’t for the length of this and hopes it could get better.
Overall did not have a good time, and don’t recommend.
ALSO FYI this is a closed door romance, aka nothing hotter than a make out session on page.
2,5/5 what i didn’t like about the book: -i know it’s supposed to be “second chance” but they were basically in love from the begging and there was literally no drama in the book -they were just too cute throughout the whole book, it was obnoxious and momentarily childish, i felt like i was reading a highschool romance about 15 year olds -Avery having literally the most unreasonable anxiety waves because her aunt and uncle, who she saw maybe twice a year, had a bad relationship??? parents i could understand but what the hell… and her having literal trust issues is just totally out of the blue -the book was overall just very unrealistic and too “perfect”, i feel like the steamiest scene in there was a peck on the lips (i know smut isn’t for everyone but the characters had no chemistry or tension whatsoever ) -there was also nothing “christmasy” about the book although it is promoted as a christmas romance
what i did like about the book: -the cover -“my avery” have my stomach a singular butterfly so im adding the 0.5 to my rating -it was short - fine as a reading challenge filler i guess
Cheers to a new author hitting the shelves! Amanda P. Jones has a debut novella, kicking off a new series. This one is short and sweet and I read it in just one sitting.
Avery and Liam have a second chance at love and Liam is working hard to make it happen. He's doing everything right while Avery wallows a bit in the hurt of the past. Big love, big hurt. Which I understand. I'm a girl that has a hard time re-trusting too. I liked these characters but didn't really develop any emotional attachment to them. The story was short, so it's harder to do. I just love second chance love stories though. They are so immensely satisfying. Watch out for the porch step scene. It's a good one! The epilogue brings in some Christmas cheer so wait for it. It's there.
I am really excited at the potential of this new author and look forward to reading her next novel!
Content: kissing
- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I love this sweet, second chance romance between Avery and Liam! After seemingly ghosting Avery, he walks back in to her life a few months later and wants a moment to explain what happened. She’s not sure she can trust him again, no matter how electrifying her body is reacting to his presence again. Liam gives her distance and the time she needs and before you know it they’re dating again.
I loved Liam! He was patient and was so thoughtful. From ordering Avery dinner for delivery when she knew she’s be too exhausted to cook to showing up at the bakery to help when she needed it most to a Christmas they’ll never forget. His love language is definitely doing things do others.
Avery grew on me through the book. I did not like that she immediately jumped to conclusions and had a fear of trusting others. Learning to work through those issues & seeing her evolution made me love her by the end.
It was an easy and fast paced read, but it had absolutely no Christmas vibes. Only in the epilogue we got a lil’ Holiday spirits, disappointing since it was my first ‘Christmas book’ of the year.
Anyway. It’s super cringe. Super insta love.
Made me feel like I was reading about a teenage love story? Idk how to describe it, it’s my friend who described it like this and it makes the most sense imo.
ALSO: “with a sprinkling of heat”??? None. Absolutely none. No spice. Not very much plot as well actually.
5⭐️ for the cover and some of the references though (Demi Lovato, Gilmore Girls, Friends,…).
I really enjoyed this book. It is a quick, sweet clean romance and the perfect read for a rainy afternoon on the couch! The author has the right amount of romance and a touch of humor. Anyone who has been set up on blind dates or done internet dating will definitely relate to the main character and her search for “Mr. Right”. This book is also a reminder that appearances aren’t always what they seem and everyone needs a 2nd chance. Looking forward to more from this author!
"What irked me the most was how much I still missed him. Seeing him tonight only confirmed that I hadn't gotten over him as well as I thought."
What irked me.. was the lack of Christmas spirit in this holiday novella. The FMC was immature, and her friends weren't true friends. The spice was also non-existent.
"When we met, it felt like I found the true meaning of home for the first time in my life."
Points for being an easy/cute read and a cheesy rom-com!
Super sweet holiday novella. The story starts right off the bat with miscommunication for both MCs. There were times that Avery frustrated me to no end and Liam was just so sweet with his actions I wanted to scream “come on Avery wake up!” With lots of bakery references and a sweet HEA this is a cute one to add to your holiday tbr. I’m looking forward to reading Jack and Frost Bake-Off.
Okay, das war schnell aber echt nicht mein Ding 😂 die beiden hatten echt keine Chemie und keine richtige Persönlichkeit. Ich fand ihn von Anfang an so cringe 👀😂 es war echt unangenehm Szenen mit ihm zu lesen. Ich hab den Handlungsstrang auch nicht wirklich verstanden. Sie hat so getan, als wäre sie so verletzt gewesen (was ich schon an sich nicht verstanden hatte) und dann hat er literally 1-2 Seiten erklärt, was das Problem war und dann war alles wieder gut 😂 Mich hat einfach so viel genervt und gestört und mein Christmas Hunt nach Weihnachtsbüchern geht eindeutig weiter. 😄
Too cutesy and too surface for all of the characters. A lot has to go right for a novella to work and it just didn't, especially because all of Avery's issues seemed overblown and we didn't get Liam's POV at all. Avery also might want to get all those embers, leaves, etc., swirling in her stomach checked out.
A quick read, but that's about all I can say for it.
It had romance but it wasn't super swoony for me. It was more of a sad romance than a romantic comedy. Plus, I really missed the Christmas vibe. There wasn't much 'Christmas'
If you are looking for something cute, quick, & clean this is definitely a good book for you ♡
didn’t love it but also didn’t hate it. wouldn’t read it again but it’s a cute story! i thought it was a perfect length wouldn’t have it as a novel! I loved the ending I thought it was so perfect and such a cute idea! also sweet how he was all over her from day one and fought for anything regarding them! very cute little story to kick off the christmas season 🥰
This was a sweet second chance romance novella! It had hints of depth that gave you a good connection with the characters, and of course some very swoony moments.
My favorite part was the kissing scenes. Amanda Jones knows how to write a good kissing scene!
💋Swoony kisses ⚠️FMC had relatives that were toxic to each other and has some emotional issues because of it
While this was exactly what I would consider a traditional Christmas story, it was a really cute, quick novella! Lots of emotions, cheesy lines, and yes some Christmasy vibes thrown in the mix just to sweeten the cake. Would definitely recommend for a short cozy read!
It wasn’t great, but it wasn’t terrible. I wish the story could have been more captivating, but with only 100 pages I think the author did the best with what she was working with.