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Haven Valley High #4
Celebrating What's Real
Will he say yes to a mistletoe kiss?
Ryder
When family drama leaves me homeless for winter break, crashing with my best friend, Josh, is the obvious solution.
I’m staying in the room next to his sister, Mia, with only a shared bathroom between us.
Luckily, we get along great—maybe better than we should—and as we spend more time together, I can’t stop my feelings from growing.
But Josh has rules around Mia, and even though I’m tempted, I won’t betray his trust.
Mia
All I wanted was for my parents to come home and watch me dance in Santa’s Showcase.
A sprained ankle dashes my hopes, leaving me housebound. At least I’m not alone.
And after secretly crushing on Ryder for years, I love having him so close by. He’s keeping me entertained, cooking feasts, and showing me he cares.
Ryder says I’m off-limits, but when I find out my feelings aren’t one-sided, I’m ready to celebrate.
I won’t let Josh stand in our way.
Ryder
When family drama leaves me homeless for winter break, crashing with my best friend, Josh, is the obvious solution.
I’m staying in the room next to his sister, Mia, with only a shared bathroom between us.
Luckily, we get along great—maybe better than we should—and as we spend more time together, I can’t stop my feelings from growing.
But Josh has rules around Mia, and even though I’m tempted, I won’t betray his trust.
Mia
All I wanted was for my parents to come home and watch me dance in Santa’s Showcase.
A sprained ankle dashes my hopes, leaving me housebound. At least I’m not alone.
And after secretly crushing on Ryder for years, I love having him so close by. He’s keeping me entertained, cooking feasts, and showing me he cares.
Ryder says I’m off-limits, but when I find out my feelings aren’t one-sided, I’m ready to celebrate.
I won’t let Josh stand in our way.
- GenresRomance
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 13, 2022
132 people are currently reading
146 people want to read
About the author
Kenzie Brayne
7 books28 followersWith a background in film, Kenzie loves crafting stories that feel like your favorite teen movie.
Her books are sweet in tone (but not squeaky clean), full of crushes, awkward moments, temptation, and heart-pounding new experiences.
She lives on the South Coast of England, where she can often be found obsessing over a puzzle, playing board games, or trying to improve her Mario Kart skills.
Her books are sweet in tone (but not squeaky clean), full of crushes, awkward moments, temptation, and heart-pounding new experiences.
She lives on the South Coast of England, where she can often be found obsessing over a puzzle, playing board games, or trying to improve her Mario Kart skills.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 8, 2023
aaaaaand back to two stars ⭐️⭐️
ALL THESE DANG BOOKS HAVE THE SAME PLOT
im not even going to read the 5th one im done with these
bit more mature not as good as the other ones 3 was the best one by far
dont read this series unless you have absolutely nothing else to read
ALL THESE DANG BOOKS HAVE THE SAME PLOT
im not even going to read the 5th one im done with these
bit more mature not as good as the other ones 3 was the best one by far
dont read this series unless you have absolutely nothing else to read
July 21, 2023
Favorite of the Series So Far
So Mia and Ryder were so unbelievably cute. I really enjoyed this one. I’m so excited to see Allie get her HEA with Josh. This book set the story up so well. My only negative comment is that I really really wish this series had epilogues with each book. I want to see all these couple in the future and see that their end wasn’t just a Happy For Now ending. I’m crossing fingers that the last book at least has one. I’d happily sign up for emails for a bonuses epilogue. 😀 So if there is going to be a negative comment at least it’s just that I want to see their futures. Great job!
So Mia and Ryder were so unbelievably cute. I really enjoyed this one. I’m so excited to see Allie get her HEA with Josh. This book set the story up so well. My only negative comment is that I really really wish this series had epilogues with each book. I want to see all these couple in the future and see that their end wasn’t just a Happy For Now ending. I’m crossing fingers that the last book at least has one. I’d happily sign up for emails for a bonuses epilogue. 😀 So if there is going to be a negative comment at least it’s just that I want to see their futures. Great job!
December 23, 2025
- 4 stars ⭐️
Celebrating What's Real is a festive and heartwarming Young Adult romance that perfectly captures the delicious tension of the Brother's Best Friend trope. This holiday-themed story provides a sweet, low-stakes escape centered on two characters who have been crushing on each other from afar for years.
The Story & Characters
The story focuses on Mia and Ryder.
* Mia is housebound after an injury dashes her hopes of performing in the annual Santa's Showcase. Her only solace is the arrival of her brother's best friend, Ryder, who is crashing with them for winter break due to unexpected family drama. Mia has harbored a secret crush on Ryder for years.
* Ryder is going through some family turmoil and is grateful for the distraction of his best friend's family. He finds himself next door to Mia, sharing a bathroom, and struggling with the strict "off-limits" rule set by his best friend. As he spends time keeping Mia entertained and caring for her, his long-suppressed feelings for her become undeniable.
The core conflict lies in the tension between their growing connection and Ryder's fierce loyalty to his best friend, Mia's protective older brother, who has made it clear that Ryder is not to date his sister.
What Works
* Trope Execution: The Brother's Best Friend and Forced Proximity elements are executed charmingly, creating high emotional stakes despite the sweet, closed-door nature of the romance.
* Festive Vibe: The book is rich with cozy, holiday-themed activities like cooking, baking gingerbread, and snuggling up to watch Christmas movies, making it a perfect winter read.
* Chemistry: Mia and Ryder's connection is believable and deeply sweet. Their banter is enjoyable, and the payoff when they finally "celebrate what's real" feels earned.
* Character Depth: While a light romance, the story touches on themes of family loyalty, dealing with absent parents, and finding a safe space during difficult times.
Conclusion
Celebrating What's Real is a delightful addition to the Haven Valley High series. It's a quick, easy, and satisfying read ideal for fans of sweet, holiday-themed YA romance, especially those who love a good "off-limits" story. Kenzie Brayne delivers a festive, feel-good tale about taking a chance on love and prioritizing your own happiness.
I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars
Celebrating What's Real is a festive and heartwarming Young Adult romance that perfectly captures the delicious tension of the Brother's Best Friend trope. This holiday-themed story provides a sweet, low-stakes escape centered on two characters who have been crushing on each other from afar for years.
The Story & Characters
The story focuses on Mia and Ryder.
* Mia is housebound after an injury dashes her hopes of performing in the annual Santa's Showcase. Her only solace is the arrival of her brother's best friend, Ryder, who is crashing with them for winter break due to unexpected family drama. Mia has harbored a secret crush on Ryder for years.
* Ryder is going through some family turmoil and is grateful for the distraction of his best friend's family. He finds himself next door to Mia, sharing a bathroom, and struggling with the strict "off-limits" rule set by his best friend. As he spends time keeping Mia entertained and caring for her, his long-suppressed feelings for her become undeniable.
The core conflict lies in the tension between their growing connection and Ryder's fierce loyalty to his best friend, Mia's protective older brother, who has made it clear that Ryder is not to date his sister.
What Works
* Trope Execution: The Brother's Best Friend and Forced Proximity elements are executed charmingly, creating high emotional stakes despite the sweet, closed-door nature of the romance.
* Festive Vibe: The book is rich with cozy, holiday-themed activities like cooking, baking gingerbread, and snuggling up to watch Christmas movies, making it a perfect winter read.
* Chemistry: Mia and Ryder's connection is believable and deeply sweet. Their banter is enjoyable, and the payoff when they finally "celebrate what's real" feels earned.
* Character Depth: While a light romance, the story touches on themes of family loyalty, dealing with absent parents, and finding a safe space during difficult times.
Conclusion
Celebrating What's Real is a delightful addition to the Haven Valley High series. It's a quick, easy, and satisfying read ideal for fans of sweet, holiday-themed YA romance, especially those who love a good "off-limits" story. Kenzie Brayne delivers a festive, feel-good tale about taking a chance on love and prioritizing your own happiness.
I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars
March 27, 2023
I absolutely adored Mia and Ryder together!! Loved their relationship and chemistry! 😍 The story and characters were great!
Buut as with the previous books in this series, the content wasn’t the greatest. There’s cussing, underage drinking (I hate how the author makes it completely normal and okay for minors to drink. There’s not even a hint of rebellious thoughts, trying to hide it, or “oh we shouldn’t”), talk of the brother having girls in his bed, and Ryder’s parents get divorced because his dad had an affair…with a man. 🤢 And yet author has the characters (after processing) just accept and be ok with it, supporting the dad and his boyfriend, plus Mia said when making gingerbread men to call them gingerbread people, which made me laugh because it’s so dumb.
So yeah, I haven’t been impressed with the content of this series and probably won’t read the last book because I saw there’s fade-to-black sex, but I have greatly enjoyed these stories, just wish they were cleaner.
Buut as with the previous books in this series, the content wasn’t the greatest. There’s cussing, underage drinking (I hate how the author makes it completely normal and okay for minors to drink. There’s not even a hint of rebellious thoughts, trying to hide it, or “oh we shouldn’t”), talk of the brother having girls in his bed, and Ryder’s parents get divorced because his dad had an affair…with a man. 🤢 And yet author has the characters (after processing) just accept and be ok with it, supporting the dad and his boyfriend, plus Mia said when making gingerbread men to call them gingerbread people, which made me laugh because it’s so dumb.
So yeah, I haven’t been impressed with the content of this series and probably won’t read the last book because I saw there’s fade-to-black sex, but I have greatly enjoyed these stories, just wish they were cleaner.
November 4, 2025
The covers of these books aren’t great.
The book was cute and mostly sweet. Only kissing. I’m going to finish the series on principle not because they are super exciting. I think I liked this one the most maybe? Minus some weird content stuff. The plots aren’t very different and the writing of each book isn’t very different. And I have nothing else to read at the moment.
Content:
Homosexuals
Affairs
Kissing
Alcohol
The book was cute and mostly sweet. Only kissing. I’m going to finish the series on principle not because they are super exciting. I think I liked this one the most maybe? Minus some weird content stuff. The plots aren’t very different and the writing of each book isn’t very different. And I have nothing else to read at the moment.
Content:
Homosexuals
Affairs
Kissing
Alcohol
June 25, 2024
this one would be my 2nd favorite! i love love loveee the brothers best friend trope. at first i was making note sun my head thinking the author could’ve added more to the resistance of “we shouldn’t be doing this’” but she definitely did. she did a great job setting up josh and allie’s story. i loved the way ryder acted and treated mia. so cute!
April 6, 2023
A little juvenile. The characters were okay, but the story wasn’t exceptional or anything. I love Ryder.
December 21, 2024
brothers best friend, injured dance girly in the first half, and like, idk, kinda bland i fear :(
July 15, 2025
Josh give it a break.....
November 8, 2025
It was mid, not terrible but not great either
February 15, 2025
3 stars
Was pretty good but was about to lose my mind if Ryder said "I can't" or "You sure?".
Was pretty good but was about to lose my mind if Ryder said "I can't" or "You sure?".
June 26, 2023
Brothers best friend. Love it. People have asked me what I love about it and truly, I can't explain it. (I think it's because of On the Fence by Kasie West but I'm not positive)
So. Christmas, YA, brother's best friend, movies, cooking, baking, bubble baths and shopping. I mean, how could you not be intrigued?? (For the record, it's not squeaky clean but it's more than closed door. It has a little language and innuendo but nothing more than kissing.)
So. Christmas, YA, brother's best friend, movies, cooking, baking, bubble baths and shopping. I mean, how could you not be intrigued?? (For the record, it's not squeaky clean but it's more than closed door. It has a little language and innuendo but nothing more than kissing.)
August 24, 2024
Ugh.
So before I was kind of enjoying these books, because they were so cheesy it was funny, but now it's just annoying. The whole plot is that the characters wont talk to each other. The whole book was really frustrating and I didn't like it.
So before I was kind of enjoying these books, because they were so cheesy it was funny, but now it's just annoying. The whole plot is that the characters wont talk to each other. The whole book was really frustrating and I didn't like it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews