Needing to relocate for her job as a graphic designer, Clara was new to the quaint picturesque neighborhood. Christmas was fast approaching, and she wanted to make it as memorable as possible, even if she was going to be alone for the holiday. Including the new tradition of a live Christmas Tree.
Still rather shy and timid, Clara was bound and determined to remove the Christmas tree attached to the top of her car by herself. It wasn't until a handsome and shirtless neighbor, Nic, not only comes to her rescue but opens her eyes to see how charming her new little town really is.
Nic is sweet, funny, and handsome as hell, even if he seems to be something of a recluse. Realizing they'll both be alone for the holiday, Clara offers Nic to spend the holiday together. Sparks fly, but how long will it take them to realize that the greatest Christmas gift was across the street all along?
I've been some semblance of a writer since 1st grade. That was when I first tasted the delight of getting a book published and reading it aloud to the class with rave reviews. What a power trip for a 7-year-old.
It wasn't until 7th grade that I was highly encouraged by my English teacher to continue writing poetry outside of class assignments. From there I moved on to Literary Club in 8th grade and added short stories to my repertoire.
When high school came around, that was when I discovered the wondrous world of FanFiction. It all went downhill from that point. Numerous teachers in high school loved my work and submitted some of my (safe) pieces for publication. My teachers were the reason that I told myself,
"I can do this. I can be a published author one day."
In college, the trend continued but I pursued a career path in the design sector and writing went on the back burner. That is until a month after THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE, in 2022, I decided to start writing once again. It started with FanFic after FanFic, fast and furious.
Writing is my passion, my escape. Always has been, always will be.
I have been excessively encouraged by my best friend to read any and all books by K. Iwancio. I finally managed to luck out and see an ARC sign up for The Gift Across the Street.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is one of the sweetest, spiciest, Hallmark movie type of romance book I have ever read. If you love Happily Ever After, meet cute, MMC with an accent…. PICK THIS BOOK UP.
The cozy, Christmassy feel of this novel is perfect for the season and I would encourage everyone to add it to their Christmas season TBR pile. I will most definitely be picking up the rest of this author’s books.
These two characters story is sugary sweet and will draw you in from the get go. Thank you for choosing me to read an ARC, K. Iwancio.
This book was wonderful! This is the perfect book for someone who wants all of the cozy Christmas feels and also likes a bit of open door spice to keep them toasty. I love the very Hallmark set-up of this, but it honestly never feels too cheesy. Maybe that’s because the inner dialogue of the main characters was both hysterical and utterly relatable. I found myself laughing out loud from the very beginning as I too have found that getting a real Christmas tree is often better in theory than in execution. I feel like K. Iwancio perfectly captures the flutter of feelings when you like someone and aren’t sure if they feel the same way so a delicate dance begins where even minute details are analyzed. Overall this book is a delight!
Thank you to author K Iwancio for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.
As far as novellas go, (this one rang in right around 159 pages) this was adorable. If you enjoy Hallmark Christmas films with maybe a little added open door romance, then you’ll enjoy this one. It moves along quite quickly, and is really endearing since both MCs seem to be shy and a bit introverted. All in all, it’s worth a read if you’re looking for something short and sweet.
- Close Proximity/Neighbors - Awkward Meet Cute - Slow burn
If you are looking for a quick holiday romance with cheesy Hallmark movie vibes, but also some spice, give this one a try. There wasn't much drama, and it does have a little bit of the dreaded miscommunication trope, but since it was so short I didn't mind.
When a friend posted this novella on Instagram I knew I had to squeeze it into my holiday reading and I’m so glad I did. This slow burn, rom com kept me smiling and developing a little crush on Nic. Loved the feels of a new relationship developing from the new neighbors. Cute, fun and a bit spicy.
Hello, Hallmark! Had the honor to ARC read this beauty, and this tasty little treat was just what I needed to start out the holiday season. K. Iwancio’s writing is full of detail, and does a great job of introducing two very likeable characters.
Clara is sweet, a little shy, and the new girl in town. Nick is tall and handsome, caring, and kind. When he spots her floundering to get the tree off the roof of her car, it’s his perfect opportunity to make his move.
Overall I thought this story was the right length, the right amount of spice, and full of Christmas cheer! The character work was great, the details about their dates and backstories are fun.
It is a multi-pov story, but not strictly bound to chapters. It’s also a story heavy on description and less reliant on dialogue.
Would recommend to anyone who’s looking for Hallmark in book form!
I have known the author on a personal level for several months now. When I say they have talent, I’m not saying this because of personal bias. They genuinely do have a way with words.
Everything about this novella is just ‘chef’s kiss’. Don’t want to say too much as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. But the general premise of “young woman getting help from cute neighbour, then following them as they grow closer” is so beautifully written.
All I will say is that it has the perfect balance of coziness and romance. Plus Christmas theming! In all honesty, for the pricing, this is worth picking up.
This was a cute hallmark feel type of Christmas read. It was short and sweet and left me feeling like I can’t wait for the holiday season to come! Super cozy easy read!
This little novella has an adorable hallmark Christmas theme with some spicy scenes for those who are looking for something a little deeper. Those scenes are truly engaging and the rest is the cutest little romance filled with mistletoe and Mrs. Fritz, the absolutely hilarious neighbor who isn’t afraid to interject her opinion. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quick but fun read.
When I sat down to read this book, I did not get back up until I had finished it. As I read I felt like I was immersed in a hallmark movie, wanting to fall in love all over again. The details within the book were immaculate. It was not just in scenery, but also the emotions of the characters, even though it was 3rd person POV. I honestly believe I smiled the whole time reading. Even the characters names were so cute, Clara (like clause?!) and Nicolas (like Saint Nick?!). Since reading multiple series it was refreshing to have a book that I easily followed, even when I was tired. The plot kept me drawn in the entire time, there was no fluff dragging on, no “why is this in here?”, just the good stuff. I enjoyed the simplicity of the universe outside of Nic & Clara, they were the only people we met, not forgetting their sweet neighbor who makes an appearance just when she’s needed. I’m pretty sure this is a book I’ll read over & over every holiday season. Reading put me in such a festive and romantic mood, I cannot wait until December.
Edited to add: I don’t know how I forgot to say, a book playlist?! One of my favorite things ever. I was so happy to open the book and see this on the first few pages.
My only ick? Third person POV Personally, I’m not a big fan of 3rd person. I typically enjoy first person so we can see what exactly is going on inside the characters heads. But for 3rd person, this was written perfectly to capture the emotions even though we couldn’t see the internal thoughts.
Final thoughts: I really did love this book. I melted at the super cute hallmark movie vibes, it was perfect and gave me so many date ideas. Now it’s time for me to go decorate and pretend I’m living in their hallmark world. 🎄💝
This was an adorably sweet holiday romance. The burn was excruciatingly slow, but it was pertinent for the personality of the characters.
Both of our MCs are shy & timid. They kind of skirt around each others' advances and apologize to one another a lot. It read a little bit like they each maybe had some tough heartbreak in the past, but because this is a novella, there's no mention as to why they are the timid people that they are. So you kind of have to do some inferring based on their interactions & reactions.
Nic - Our MMC is our knight in shining armor! He saves our FMC quite a few times. Nothing life or death, just silly little things. Can't tell you too much without spoiling the whole book, but he very cutely integrated himself in her life.
Clara - Our FMC is our damsel in distress! She tries to be self-sufficient and do things on her own but ends up really appreciating Nic's assistance. She isn't normally clumsy, but there's something about Nic that has her feeling a bit off kilter.
When these two finally stop dancing around each other . . . Is it christmas twinkle lights, or is it the sparks between them? You'll have to read to find out.
I was provided an ARC for my review, and my only criticism is that there was not much conversation between the MCs, not much banter. I feel like that was what was missing for me.
Release day review! This was a read in one sitting kind of book! It was like a Hallmark movie in the best way, but with that little extra bit you’re always left wanting from those. The characters were both really likable and relatable and I loved how shy they were with each other, it felt like the very realistic beginning of a flirtation/relationship. I loved the small details like the Christmas tree lighting event and ice skating, and Clara reading story time to the kids at the library, they made you feel like you were just part of the story. I also liked that there was really only one outside character, the memorable Mrs. Fritz, who lovingly shares her opinion on Nic and Clara’s romance. This made it easier to really focus on the couple as a whole. Finally, I loved that there was a playlist! Those instantly make me happy when starting a book. All in all this was a really enjoyable read for the holiday season and I think it was very well done! Thank you to K. Iwancio for the opportunity to read this ARC and review it! Happy release day!
Book: The Gift Across The Street Author: K. Iwancio Rating: 5⭐️ Spice: 4🌶️
K. Iwancio has done it AGAIN. Every book boyfriend she comes up with is better than the last one I read about. The spice in this book is EXTRA SPICY🥵🥵🥵 I loved every minute of this novella. It’s short and sweet and so so good!! I will forever support K. Iwancio in her author journey because she is simply one of the best indie authors I know and have come to love all of her works! This book is PERFECT FOR CHRISTMAS! If you wanna get something for your book lover grab this book for the holidays. It’s a perfect short book to get you into the holiday vibes. This book is as if a hallmark movie got some extra sprinkle of spice added to it! It’s perfect for anyone that loves that extra spice to a HEA! The epilogue was my absolute favorite, so sweet and my heart was so happy with the HEA that we get in this book!🥰🥰🥰 if you haven’t read any of K. Iwancio’s books, you’re completely missing out. She will forever and always have a special spot on my shelves and will always be an auto-buy author for me. I can’t wait to see what else she comes up with in that amazing mind of hers! 😍😍😍
I know this sounds weird when talking about a book but there were just so many unnecessary words in this novella. It’s written in the 3rd person - which isn’t the issue. It’s that there can be up to 8 (eight) pages of narration before either character utters a word. And I know that details are key in literature but the writing made me feel like the author was sitting there with a thesaurus looking for ways to convey her thoughts in a way that didn’t seem stale.
The story itself is solid. It’s classic romance with a bonafide HEA. It’s fun and funny and sweet. With just a little bit of spice. 3/5
Christmas has come early with this sweet, funny holiday romcom!
The book opens with graphic designer Clara in her new neighborhood trying to manifest a Christmas to remember. She just misjudged on how well she'd be able to get her live tree through the door. Just as shes about to give up, she's greeted by her charismatic, sweet English knight in shining armor Nic.
Realizing their both alone for the holiday, they decide to spend it together. *
This book was sooo sweet. I fell in love with Nic from the second he was introduced. The blossoming romance between Clara and Nic was incredible and definitely up there with one of my favorites! They were real, dimensional characters and I've found that it's harder to come by them these days.
I would one hundred recommend, especially for anyone ready to get into the Christmas spirit!
2.5 rounded up because this was an authors debut novel, and because it’s Christmas so I’m feeling like I can round up.
Do you like Hallmark Christmas movies? If so this book would probably work for you. I don’t really enjoy Hallmark Christmas movies mainly because they are too generic to really make an impact. Clearly though Hallmark movies are hella popular with a ton of people. This book is perfectly fine, it didn’t have enough special to make it stand out for me personally, both MCs were a little bland and too awkwardly shy.
I would try another from this author maybe down the line, this just wasn’t I direct hit for me, but I think it would be for others.
This is a light holiday read. A great palate cleanser if you are looking for a break from super spicy or something more dramatic.
This book is sweet and has all of the feels. I gave it a 3 star rating. The story is lovely and light. The spice is sweet and cozy but not over the top. What IS over the top is the amount of adjectives and superlatives the author used. While it didn’t distract from the story, it got old mid-way through the book. Several times words were used that didn’t add but detracted from the moment described.
Two examples: “..Searing look of besotted yearning…”
“Her eyes locked on the box in morbid curiosity.” Speaking of her engagement ring in a box.
I still liked the story, the characters and the overall read.
this was such a quick and easy read to get into my christmas book list for the season!
from the christmas inspired names, to the hallmark story, to all of the AMAZING spicy scenes this book was great!! the ONLY thing i would change is just to set up the house/scenery scenes better (but that’s just a want as an avid hallmark movie watcher)
but let’s be honest… the best part? a PLAYLIST in the beginning of the book. i don’t care what the book is about, any book that has a playlist immediately catches my attention.
i personally love this author’s style of writing and cannot wait to read more of her books in the future!
This was such a fun quick read with the hallmark feels. From their first meet to their first book, everything was written in such an amazing flow that it didn’t feel rushed.
Nic said the most heartwarming things and when his dirty mouth opened up it was like 🤯
I want to thank @k.iwancio_writes for the ARC and giving me the opportunity to review it.
If you are looking for a Hallmark Vibes and want to read in the time it takes to watch one movie run to read this novella.
This is a wonderful novella perfect to get you in the holiday mood. This is a quick read, only took me one evening. From the names of the characters to the Christmas events, this book screamed Hallmark Christmas. The spice starts about halfway through and is so good! It even has a playlist! My only problem with the book is that it's in 3rd person. Overall, I loved this book and can't wait to read more from K. Iwancio.
I had the pleasure of being an ARC reader for this super cute Christmas romance novel. This was perfect for this holiday season and just what I was looking for, a cozy romance novel with some spice to start off my Christmas holiday reading list. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and it had just the right amount of spice and I loved the relationship and seeing it blossom. Definitely recommend for everyone to read this to bring a smile to your face and enjoy a cozy holiday story.
I received this book as an eARC. This is a cute holiday novella where the characters overcome busy work schedules to find love. The main characters, Clara and Nic, are both very timid and it plays a large part in the plot of their story. It is a slow burn for a novella so keep that in mind if you prefer a faster burn. The narration was a bit too grandiloquent for my preferences but the story is sweet and would be good for fans of Hallmark Christmas movies.
I would give this a 3.5 Sweet romance. Total Hallmark vibes. The awkward balance of chemistry between characters led to the build up of them getting on board with the romance. It was a short read but managed to get in the important parts to make this read flow rather than feeling choppy and confusion over missing details. I always say it's a gift for an author to write a short story and make the story realistic.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to be an arc reader and I absolutely loved this story. It gave Hallmark movie vibes and it's exactly the kind of ending I was hoping for. With the adorable banter between the two and romantic scenes, this story is one I would read again. I hope a sequel is in the works!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
“Ah well…maybe it would be safer if I kept ahold of you, yes?”
The Gift Acrossed the Street By K Iwancio
3.8⭐️|1.5🌶
This was a super cute little novella. Took about an hour and a half to get through. A story of how a damsel in distress finds her knight in shining armor. A little Christmas magic in the air.
I love me some holiday romance! I also love a slow burn…. And a hot neighbor. This book is everything you need in one! Add this to your Christmas time TBR & thank me later 😉
This book is SO cute! Read it super quick and was totally invested the entire time! There’s a few grammatical issues that stumped me at first, however the overall theme and plot is so cute and wholesome! Would highly recommend if you’re looking for a quick and cute holiday ready!
I was picked to be on K. Iwancio’s ARC team for this cute little Christmas story. This story has Nic and Cara falling for each other during the holidays. They have the cutest little meet cute where Nic is continuously her Knight and Shining Armor. The awkwardness between the two because they don’t want to be too forward is just the funniest thing to me it’s like they’re middle schoolers or have never dated before. I loved this quick little read and def recommend it if you want to get in to the holiday spirit.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book was so good from start to finish. The chemistry between Nic and Clara had me reminiscing. I love that the writer build suspense and they didn't start a relationship right away. Book had me laughing out loud and smiling. Definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an awesome Romance/Christmas read. The ending was perfect.