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The Holiday Mix-Up
Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family's winery, Katie leaps at the chance… that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the "news."
Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there's Juan's brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right—and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.
Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan's plan to "rebrand and expand" Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she's still committed to Juan… even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead.
With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?
Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there's Juan's brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right—and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.
Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan's plan to "rebrand and expand" Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she's still committed to Juan… even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead.
With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2023
257 people are currently reading
9672 people want to read
About the author
Ginny Baird
64 books892 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird writes heartwarming contemporary stories filled with love, laughter, and happily ever afters. Visit her website to learn more about Ginny and her books. www.ginnybairdromance.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 823 reviews
October 17, 2023
Really fun homage to While You Were Sleeping.
I will admit that I have seen that movie so, so many times. This book is an enjoyable update with a very similar storyline.
Kate is a waitress and has been longing for her customer Juan Martinez to notice her. Her dreams come true when he asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend as date for his family Christmas, he wants to stop them from trying to set him up. Right after he leaves the restaurant, Kate saves him from being hit by a car, but Juan is in a coma. When his large family comes to the hospital, she finds out that he texted right before the accident to tell them about her. She wants to be loyal to Juan and not spill the secret about their non-relationship, but how can she upset his ill grandmother? As she gets to know his family, particularly his brother Mateo, she begins to fall in love with all of them. What will happen when Juan wakes up? And what if he doesn't?
Such a fun romantic comedy, and I fell in love with the Martinez family right along with Kate. This is a heartwarming, smile inducing tale perfect for the season. The romance is swoon worthy to say the least. If you love While You Were Sleeping (and if you haven't seen it, what's wrong with you?) then definitely pick this one up.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
I will admit that I have seen that movie so, so many times. This book is an enjoyable update with a very similar storyline.
Kate is a waitress and has been longing for her customer Juan Martinez to notice her. Her dreams come true when he asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend as date for his family Christmas, he wants to stop them from trying to set him up. Right after he leaves the restaurant, Kate saves him from being hit by a car, but Juan is in a coma. When his large family comes to the hospital, she finds out that he texted right before the accident to tell them about her. She wants to be loyal to Juan and not spill the secret about their non-relationship, but how can she upset his ill grandmother? As she gets to know his family, particularly his brother Mateo, she begins to fall in love with all of them. What will happen when Juan wakes up? And what if he doesn't?
Such a fun romantic comedy, and I fell in love with the Martinez family right along with Kate. This is a heartwarming, smile inducing tale perfect for the season. The romance is swoon worthy to say the least. If you love While You Were Sleeping (and if you haven't seen it, what's wrong with you?) then definitely pick this one up.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
September 8, 2023
A heartwarming and sweet retelling of Bullock and Pullman’s “While You Were Sleeping” infused with Latino charm and festive Christmas vibes – this book is a brilliant choice for your holiday reading list!
Meet Katie Smith, a young woman who finds herself alone during the holidays after losing her last remaining family member. She works at a diner, preparing for a solitary Christmas until Juan, a regular patron she's been secretly crushing on, presents her with an unexpected opportunity. Juan not only invites her to spend Christmas with his family but also proposes that she pose as his fake date.
While Katie initially grapples with the idea of being merely a pretend companion to the man of her dreams, she contemplates the potential for their charade to blossom into something more intimate. Not wanting to let this chance slip away and keen to avoid spending the holiday alone, Katie agrees, taking up the cause of helping Juan fend off the persistent matchmaking attempts of his abuela.
Before parting ways, Juan makes Katie promise to keep their arrangement a secret from his family, and she obliges. However, fate takes a dramatic turn when Juan forgets his wallet and Katie follows him out of the diner. In a shocking twist, she witnesses a white van speeding towards him while he's engrossed in his phone. In an act of bravery, she rushes to his aid, pushing him out of harm's way but sustaining injuries herself in the process.
When Katie regains consciousness, she learns that Juan has suffered a severe head injury and is in a medically induced coma. To make matters more complicated, he had already informed his family that they were dating. Katie is now bound by the promise she made to Juan before the accident – a promise to keep their fake relationship under wraps. As she navigates the web of lies, she finds herself attending the Martinez family's holiday celebration, all the while deeply concerned about Juan's well-being. However, her worries don't end there; she also discovers herself developing feelings for Juan's younger brother, Matteo, who has aspirations beyond the family wine business Juan is set to inherit.
Amidst the backdrop of palpable attraction and intricate emotional entanglements, Katie carries the weight of her deceptive act. She grapples with her feelings for both brothers while wrestling with her moral dilemma – is she falling for the wrong sibling?
In summary, this book proved to be an immensely enjoyable and heartwarming holiday read. The author's skillful portrayal of a close-knit Latin family and their vibrant traditions adds depth to the story. If you're in the mood for a delightful, feel-good Christmas tale, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
A special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Meet Katie Smith, a young woman who finds herself alone during the holidays after losing her last remaining family member. She works at a diner, preparing for a solitary Christmas until Juan, a regular patron she's been secretly crushing on, presents her with an unexpected opportunity. Juan not only invites her to spend Christmas with his family but also proposes that she pose as his fake date.
While Katie initially grapples with the idea of being merely a pretend companion to the man of her dreams, she contemplates the potential for their charade to blossom into something more intimate. Not wanting to let this chance slip away and keen to avoid spending the holiday alone, Katie agrees, taking up the cause of helping Juan fend off the persistent matchmaking attempts of his abuela.
Before parting ways, Juan makes Katie promise to keep their arrangement a secret from his family, and she obliges. However, fate takes a dramatic turn when Juan forgets his wallet and Katie follows him out of the diner. In a shocking twist, she witnesses a white van speeding towards him while he's engrossed in his phone. In an act of bravery, she rushes to his aid, pushing him out of harm's way but sustaining injuries herself in the process.
When Katie regains consciousness, she learns that Juan has suffered a severe head injury and is in a medically induced coma. To make matters more complicated, he had already informed his family that they were dating. Katie is now bound by the promise she made to Juan before the accident – a promise to keep their fake relationship under wraps. As she navigates the web of lies, she finds herself attending the Martinez family's holiday celebration, all the while deeply concerned about Juan's well-being. However, her worries don't end there; she also discovers herself developing feelings for Juan's younger brother, Matteo, who has aspirations beyond the family wine business Juan is set to inherit.
Amidst the backdrop of palpable attraction and intricate emotional entanglements, Katie carries the weight of her deceptive act. She grapples with her feelings for both brothers while wrestling with her moral dilemma – is she falling for the wrong sibling?
In summary, this book proved to be an immensely enjoyable and heartwarming holiday read. The author's skillful portrayal of a close-knit Latin family and their vibrant traditions adds depth to the story. If you're in the mood for a delightful, feel-good Christmas tale, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
A special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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December 14, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley ARC
Description:
Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family's winery, Katie leaps at the chance…that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the "news" Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there's Juan's brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right—and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.
Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan's plan to "rebrand and expand" Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she's still committed to Juan…even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead. With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?
Review:
This book reminded me of While You Were Sleeping, but with a fun Puerto Rican holiday twist. It’s everything you want in a romantic Christmas book. A close knit family, holiday traditions, a heartwarming storyline, and interesting characters that will have you wishing you could jump inside the pages to spend Christmas with them. It was also atmospheric and emotional. It tugged at my heart strings a few times and I’m not ashamed to say I may have even got a little teary eyed. Highly recommended!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Description:
Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family's winery, Katie leaps at the chance…that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the "news" Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there's Juan's brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right—and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.
Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan's plan to "rebrand and expand" Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she's still committed to Juan…even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead. With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?
Review:
This book reminded me of While You Were Sleeping, but with a fun Puerto Rican holiday twist. It’s everything you want in a romantic Christmas book. A close knit family, holiday traditions, a heartwarming storyline, and interesting characters that will have you wishing you could jump inside the pages to spend Christmas with them. It was also atmospheric and emotional. It tugged at my heart strings a few times and I’m not ashamed to say I may have even got a little teary eyed. Highly recommended!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
October 13, 2023
I really need to learn my lesson now. Kristy, you love cheesy Christmas movies, but not so much Christmas books. Please stop requesting them, because then you must read them. For instance, THE HOLIDAY MIX-UP is billed as an updated WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, which is probably in my top-five movies. I love that movie. I watch it every year. I will watch it when it's not Christmas.
Well, MIX-UP is no SLEEPING. This book hurt me. I get that it's supposed to be a lighthearted, fluffy Christmas story and nearly everyone else seemed to enjoy it, so please take my review as such. The writing here is painful. Nothing is left to the imagination, but instead is explained in excruciating detail with all telling and no showing. Nothing really happens, so we're left with a repetitive plot stuffed with character introspection and people bemoaning about their feelings over and over (and over).
Katie works at a diner, where she meets Juan, a regular customer. For some reason (supposedly to avoid his aunt fixing him up yet again), he asks her to join him and his family for Christmas (as a secret favor), but before she can, he walks into the street and is nearly killed by a van. Katie shoves him out of the way, but he's still placed into a coma by the doctors. His family is led into thinking they are dating, so they take her in. Katie has no living family of her own and welcomes their care and attention. (Honestly this all sounds so much better as described versus the agony we go through to learn this in the book.) Once she meets his family, she meets Juan's younger brother Mateo, whom she immediately crushes on, and it seems the feeling is mutual. In the background is the story that the family's long-held winery is going under, thanks to bad business decisions by Juan. (This is the only remotely interesting plot piece, though where it will end is telegraphed a mile away.)
Katie and Mateo have zero chemistry, but instead opine in the narrative about their potential feelings for one another constantly--only to dismiss that the other could care for them. There is no excitement, banter, or anything fun. Mateo and Juan's grandparents have more zest. Things slowly progress up until Christmas. We all know how everything will end, but there's no real joy about it, because everyone is too busy thinking or repeating themselves for any real happiness. Instead, we execute the Christmas romance playbook step-by-step. I wanted to love this one, but I just couldn't. 2 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in return for an unbiased review.
Well, MIX-UP is no SLEEPING. This book hurt me. I get that it's supposed to be a lighthearted, fluffy Christmas story and nearly everyone else seemed to enjoy it, so please take my review as such. The writing here is painful. Nothing is left to the imagination, but instead is explained in excruciating detail with all telling and no showing. Nothing really happens, so we're left with a repetitive plot stuffed with character introspection and people bemoaning about their feelings over and over (and over).
Katie works at a diner, where she meets Juan, a regular customer. For some reason (supposedly to avoid his aunt fixing him up yet again), he asks her to join him and his family for Christmas (as a secret favor), but before she can, he walks into the street and is nearly killed by a van. Katie shoves him out of the way, but he's still placed into a coma by the doctors. His family is led into thinking they are dating, so they take her in. Katie has no living family of her own and welcomes their care and attention. (Honestly this all sounds so much better as described versus the agony we go through to learn this in the book.) Once she meets his family, she meets Juan's younger brother Mateo, whom she immediately crushes on, and it seems the feeling is mutual. In the background is the story that the family's long-held winery is going under, thanks to bad business decisions by Juan. (This is the only remotely interesting plot piece, though where it will end is telegraphed a mile away.)
Katie and Mateo have zero chemistry, but instead opine in the narrative about their potential feelings for one another constantly--only to dismiss that the other could care for them. There is no excitement, banter, or anything fun. Mateo and Juan's grandparents have more zest. Things slowly progress up until Christmas. We all know how everything will end, but there's no real joy about it, because everyone is too busy thinking or repeating themselves for any real happiness. Instead, we execute the Christmas romance playbook step-by-step. I wanted to love this one, but I just couldn't. 2 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in return for an unbiased review.
December 25, 2024
I really enjoyed this sweet Christmas story. That's probably because I'm a big fan of While You Were Sleeping and this storyline was very similar. I did appreciate the banter between Katie and Mateo. I liked that there were no spicy scenes. And liked the wine country Christmas vibes. I didn't love that at times it felt a bit repetitive.
October 20, 2024
Great family oriented Christmas read!
Once again, didn’t like the lying part but the found family and the Christmas traditions were so cute and festive that I could overlook the things I didn’t like.
The romance was sweet but overshadowed a bit by the situation.
Some faith content! The family is Catholic and talk about praying for their business and their kids.
No language! No spice! One kiss maybe and it was mild.
Once again, didn’t like the lying part but the found family and the Christmas traditions were so cute and festive that I could overlook the things I didn’t like.
The romance was sweet but overshadowed a bit by the situation.
Some faith content! The family is Catholic and talk about praying for their business and their kids.
No language! No spice! One kiss maybe and it was mild.
January 2, 2026
2.75 stars
*sigh*
Can I just find one book that uses the plot from While You Were Sleeping that gets it right? Please? Just one. That's all I'm asking. 😩 Sadly this worked as little as While the Duke Was Sleeping did and I would like this curse to end. lol It actually hurts how much this book disappointed me.
This was ok and started out cute but the static writing, flat juvenile characters and slow pacing just made me lose interest about half way in. I skimmed about 60% of this book because of that. So much time is spent on family scenes, self-reflections, reminiscing about childhood memories between the brothers and all the drama around the Martinez's winery that is facing bankruptcy. There's just way too much time spent on explaining the obvious and small talk to drag scenes out. Things are repeated so much that it just takes the joy away from all the fluff.
I thought Katie and Mateo were cute but very surface level. Their characters and the chemistry felt very two dimensional at best. The childish writing really didn't help bring them off the page. Everyone is described as *adorable* in this, the cutesy giggling, the constant blushing and sweating (Ginny Baird really needs to come up with a better word for "moisture" 😖), the awkward stumbling away and gasping dramatically. I was starting to think the poor heroine has a sweat gland condition with the amount of sweating she does in this, to the point she's "drenched in sweat" every time she's nervous. And I have never seen a grown man act so scandalized and flustered over catching his Abuelo and Abuela kissing under a mistletoe. Dude, are you 5? lol This is supposed to be an adult romance but it very much read like YA with the way the characters acted. This is my first book by Ginny Baird, I already had The Duplicate Bride on my TBR and honestly after reading this I can say she's not for me. Reviews for that book seem to have the same issues I had here which pretty much confirms my suspicions. I don't do clean romances because they generally tend to fall short in the romance department if the writing isn't strong enough. Here was pretty much that case. And I don't know who edited this but Ms. Baird should sue or fire her editor. I mean how do you miss capitalizing character names??! There's just a jumble of typos, grammatical errors and very awkward prose everywhere:
Typos/Grammatical WTF:
Clumsy Awkward Purple Prose:
At times this also felt oddly dated? with the heroine mentioning how her parents conceived her through "immaculate conception" and referring to her fair skin as "Anglo roots". Which I thought was weird. Why did we need to know this? 🙄 This is a clean romance where both hero and heroine spend majority of the time in their own heads second guessing the other's feelings and tamping down their own growing feelings. Like stomping it aaalllll the way down. Repeatedly. It's No, I don’t like Mateo. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. It’s just fleeting. I’m just confused! from one end and No, Katie isn't for me. Could she like me? Nope. No. no. from the other end. I think the author needs to understand that she needs to let her characters breathe for a minute and just feel things like adults. We get it, it’s forbidden. She’s his comatose brother’s supposed girlfriend but you can’t have the majority of the book be just your characters repeating the same things over and over again in their heads and wall up and act like it’s build up. The tension was nonexistent because of that. Hands snatching away and pulling apart dramatically can be cute the first two times but all the time? RME. It felt like you were reading about two 6 six year olds dealing with their very first crush.
Clearly I'm the wrong reader for this. I do wish I got more out of it as it's based on one of my favorite movies. But either way, the writing definitely needs help. And can we please tag/market books that are clean closed door romances? It's definitely not for everyone. Had I known beforehand I would have absolutely passed on this book. It sucks to go in expecting one thing yet getting something else entirely.
*sigh*
Can I just find one book that uses the plot from While You Were Sleeping that gets it right? Please? Just one. That's all I'm asking. 😩 Sadly this worked as little as While the Duke Was Sleeping did and I would like this curse to end. lol It actually hurts how much this book disappointed me.
This was ok and started out cute but the static writing, flat juvenile characters and slow pacing just made me lose interest about half way in. I skimmed about 60% of this book because of that. So much time is spent on family scenes, self-reflections, reminiscing about childhood memories between the brothers and all the drama around the Martinez's winery that is facing bankruptcy. There's just way too much time spent on explaining the obvious and small talk to drag scenes out. Things are repeated so much that it just takes the joy away from all the fluff.
I thought Katie and Mateo were cute but very surface level. Their characters and the chemistry felt very two dimensional at best. The childish writing really didn't help bring them off the page. Everyone is described as *adorable* in this, the cutesy giggling, the constant blushing and sweating (Ginny Baird really needs to come up with a better word for "moisture" 😖), the awkward stumbling away and gasping dramatically. I was starting to think the poor heroine has a sweat gland condition with the amount of sweating she does in this, to the point she's "drenched in sweat" every time she's nervous. And I have never seen a grown man act so scandalized and flustered over catching his Abuelo and Abuela kissing under a mistletoe. Dude, are you 5? lol This is supposed to be an adult romance but it very much read like YA with the way the characters acted. This is my first book by Ginny Baird, I already had The Duplicate Bride on my TBR and honestly after reading this I can say she's not for me. Reviews for that book seem to have the same issues I had here which pretty much confirms my suspicions. I don't do clean romances because they generally tend to fall short in the romance department if the writing isn't strong enough. Here was pretty much that case. And I don't know who edited this but Ms. Baird should sue or fire her editor. I mean how do you miss capitalizing character names??! There's just a jumble of typos, grammatical errors and very awkward prose everywhere:
Typos/Grammatical WTF:
Het read her questioning look.
His winked and her stomach fluttered.
“So what’s it’s been?” Mateo asked as they ambled along.
He also got pretty clearly that humans couldn’t fly, not unaided by an airplane or something like a parachute anyway.
Katie had to stop this. Feeling swoony about Mateo. When Juan woke up, she’d feel doubly this way about him. Triply, probably.
Clumsy Awkward Purple Prose:
She and Toro made a stunning pair. So stunning, he couldn’t stop goggling at them in wonder.
Tingles coursed through him like an electric rain. A rain that he ached to become drenched in.
Joyful gasps erupted from his family, and Katie brought her hands to her chest. It was Juan! He was here, fully conscious. And looking so totally adorable.
He nudged her with his elbow, and current buzzed through her.
A steaming wave swamped through her, and moisture trickled down her forehead.
At times this also felt oddly dated? with the heroine mentioning how her parents conceived her through "immaculate conception" and referring to her fair skin as "Anglo roots". Which I thought was weird. Why did we need to know this? 🙄 This is a clean romance where both hero and heroine spend majority of the time in their own heads second guessing the other's feelings and tamping down their own growing feelings. Like stomping it aaalllll the way down. Repeatedly. It's No, I don’t like Mateo. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. It’s just fleeting. I’m just confused! from one end and No, Katie isn't for me. Could she like me? Nope. No. no. from the other end. I think the author needs to understand that she needs to let her characters breathe for a minute and just feel things like adults. We get it, it’s forbidden. She’s his comatose brother’s supposed girlfriend but you can’t have the majority of the book be just your characters repeating the same things over and over again in their heads and wall up and act like it’s build up. The tension was nonexistent because of that. Hands snatching away and pulling apart dramatically can be cute the first two times but all the time? RME. It felt like you were reading about two 6 six year olds dealing with their very first crush.
Clearly I'm the wrong reader for this. I do wish I got more out of it as it's based on one of my favorite movies. But either way, the writing definitely needs help. And can we please tag/market books that are clean closed door romances? It's definitely not for everyone. Had I known beforehand I would have absolutely passed on this book. It sucks to go in expecting one thing yet getting something else entirely.
December 15, 2024
I tried to read this last year and DNF’d it. I’m glad I stuck with it this time. It was a sweet homage to While You Were Sleeping.
November 22, 2023
This started off strong. The premise was hilarious and exactly the holiday shenanigans I hoped for. When her fake boyfriend ends up in a coma, Katie attempts to continue the ruse over the holidays with his boisterous family, instead falling for his brother in the process.
It's definitely silly with the over-the-top Martinez family and their questionable obsession with Katie—and their reaction to Juan being in a coma was oddly tame—but I also found their antics quite entertaining.
The romance between Katie and Mateo didn't work for me, though. Their connection felt really shallow, with nearly the entirety of their relationship repeating the same internal dialogue of resisting their feelings. It was especially tiring reading through ample opportunities for Katie to reveal her situation, only for her to back down—or even worse, the moment being ruined by miscommunication.
(heat level: kissing only)
It's definitely silly with the over-the-top Martinez family and their questionable obsession with Katie—and their reaction to Juan being in a coma was oddly tame—but I also found their antics quite entertaining.
The romance between Katie and Mateo didn't work for me, though. Their connection felt really shallow, with nearly the entirety of their relationship repeating the same internal dialogue of resisting their feelings. It was especially tiring reading through ample opportunities for Katie to reveal her situation, only for her to back down—or even worse, the moment being ruined by miscommunication.
(heat level: kissing only)
November 28, 2023
HI. No one told me this would be closed door. The While You Were Sleeping vibes were quite strong, but that's the best thing I can say about this book.
December 19, 2023
This book was everything I needed in a Christmas binge read!
My husband bought it for me, so I immediately put all other books on hold and cozied up with his pick. I read it in 2 days flat and enjoyed every single moment.
It had some great While You Were Sleeping vibes, with amazing family dynamics, a fun plot, great characters, and so much heart. I was giddy with joy while reading, not just because of the sweet romance, but it was so delightful as a whole! There may have been tears when I reached the end because it was so lovely to spend time with these characters.
I'll definitely be re-reading it next year and adding more books by Ginny Baird to my shelves!
LiteratureApproved.com Content Ratings
Romance/Spice: 2
Language: 0
Violence: 0
My husband bought it for me, so I immediately put all other books on hold and cozied up with his pick. I read it in 2 days flat and enjoyed every single moment.
It had some great While You Were Sleeping vibes, with amazing family dynamics, a fun plot, great characters, and so much heart. I was giddy with joy while reading, not just because of the sweet romance, but it was so delightful as a whole! There may have been tears when I reached the end because it was so lovely to spend time with these characters.
I'll definitely be re-reading it next year and adding more books by Ginny Baird to my shelves!
LiteratureApproved.com Content Ratings
Romance/Spice: 2
Language: 0
Violence: 0
August 9, 2023
"The Holiday Mix-Up" by Ginny Baird sounds like a heartwarming romance novel that combines elements of the popular movies "While You Were Sleeping" and "The Wedding Date" with a Puerto Rican holiday twist. The story follows the journey of Katie Smith, a lonely waitress with a crush on her diner patron, Juan Martinez.
When Juan asks Katie to pretend to be his girlfriend for his family's holiday festivities at their winery, she agrees, hoping to experience the family holiday she's always longed for. However, a twist of fate occurs when Juan ends up in a coma shortly after sharing the news with his family. Despite the opportunity to come clean, Katie finds herself drawn into the role she's been thrust into, especially as Juan's family embraces her.
As the story unfolds, Katie develops a connection with Juan's brother, Mateo Martinez, who has his reservations about Juan's plans to revamp their family winery at the cost of tradition. While Katie is initially committed to playing the role of Juan's girlfriend, her feelings for Mateo start to grow. The mix of emotions, family secrets, and the impending return of Juan from his coma creates a complex and engaging narrative.
With the winery's future on the line and various secrets in play, the characters must navigate their feelings and choices. The novel seems to explore themes of family, tradition, love, and the unexpected turns that life can take, all within the festive backdrop of a Puerto Rican holiday celebration.
If you enjoy romance novels that blend heartwarming moments with family dynamics, a touch of holiday magic, and characters grappling with their emotions, "The Holiday Mix-Up" appears to offer a delightful and entertaining read.
When Juan asks Katie to pretend to be his girlfriend for his family's holiday festivities at their winery, she agrees, hoping to experience the family holiday she's always longed for. However, a twist of fate occurs when Juan ends up in a coma shortly after sharing the news with his family. Despite the opportunity to come clean, Katie finds herself drawn into the role she's been thrust into, especially as Juan's family embraces her.
As the story unfolds, Katie develops a connection with Juan's brother, Mateo Martinez, who has his reservations about Juan's plans to revamp their family winery at the cost of tradition. While Katie is initially committed to playing the role of Juan's girlfriend, her feelings for Mateo start to grow. The mix of emotions, family secrets, and the impending return of Juan from his coma creates a complex and engaging narrative.
With the winery's future on the line and various secrets in play, the characters must navigate their feelings and choices. The novel seems to explore themes of family, tradition, love, and the unexpected turns that life can take, all within the festive backdrop of a Puerto Rican holiday celebration.
If you enjoy romance novels that blend heartwarming moments with family dynamics, a touch of holiday magic, and characters grappling with their emotions, "The Holiday Mix-Up" appears to offer a delightful and entertaining read.
December 21, 2023
1/5 ⭐️
after a few days to think over and fully process what i just wasted my time reading, i decided to move my rating of a 1.75/5 to a 1/5 because i hated it so much.
first off, this book reads like it was written by someone who was fired from hallmark. all the classic clichés and cringe worthy moments are there, they're just written horribly. it didn't really have a christmas feel either because it's mostly about the failing wine business and Juan being in a coma (not a spoiler, it says it in the synopsis).
katie, our main character, is as flat and two dimensional as a cardboard cutout. she has dead parents but still somehow manages to be a good person! i never thought that was possible! and she blushes at EVERYTHING. mateo accidentally touches her hand, she blushes. mateo makes eye contact with her, she blushes. mateo steps in the same room as this girl, she blushes. she's a basically a mess. she's also so distraught over having feelings for the guy she's FAKE DATINGS's brother. NEWSFLASH: YOU AREN'T ACTUALLY WITH THE GUY YOU'RE FAKE DATING SO YOU'RE ALLOWED TO LIKE ANOTHER MAN. she is so insufferable that i almost dnf'd the book, which i've only done with one book this year.
mateo, the love interest aka juan's brother aka the amazing guitar player aka the hottest man katie has ever seen, isn't much of a character either. he's rude for no reason, he is instantly attracted to katie because she's so "innocent" and "small". he plays guitar. he has caramel brown eyes and "sexy eyelashes", but he's not as handsome as his brother. he's smart. he plays guitar. he gets gaslit by his douche of a brother, juan, like ten different times. he plays guitar. he swore off women until he met katie. he describes katie's lips as "moist". did i mention he plays guitar? he's just as bad as katie.
the only reason i kept reading this book and didn't dnf it is because of how bad it was. it made me laugh at times because i just thought that it couldn't get worse, but guess what??? it did. the only thing i really appreciated is that there is no explicit language and no smut in this book either. it's refreshing to not have to skip entire scenes and not have an author rely on dirty language to make a book funny or relatable (this is very much targeted at fourth wing and it's annoying use of f^ck every other word).
if you're looking for a short, easy read that's family friendly and has no christmas feeling at all, grab this one.
after a few days to think over and fully process what i just wasted my time reading, i decided to move my rating of a 1.75/5 to a 1/5 because i hated it so much.
first off, this book reads like it was written by someone who was fired from hallmark. all the classic clichés and cringe worthy moments are there, they're just written horribly. it didn't really have a christmas feel either because it's mostly about the failing wine business and Juan being in a coma (not a spoiler, it says it in the synopsis).
katie, our main character, is as flat and two dimensional as a cardboard cutout. she has dead parents but still somehow manages to be a good person! i never thought that was possible! and she blushes at EVERYTHING. mateo accidentally touches her hand, she blushes. mateo makes eye contact with her, she blushes. mateo steps in the same room as this girl, she blushes. she's a basically a mess. she's also so distraught over having feelings for the guy she's FAKE DATINGS's brother. NEWSFLASH: YOU AREN'T ACTUALLY WITH THE GUY YOU'RE FAKE DATING SO YOU'RE ALLOWED TO LIKE ANOTHER MAN. she is so insufferable that i almost dnf'd the book, which i've only done with one book this year.
mateo, the love interest aka juan's brother aka the amazing guitar player aka the hottest man katie has ever seen, isn't much of a character either. he's rude for no reason, he is instantly attracted to katie because she's so "innocent" and "small". he plays guitar. he has caramel brown eyes and "sexy eyelashes", but he's not as handsome as his brother. he's smart. he plays guitar. he gets gaslit by his douche of a brother, juan, like ten different times. he plays guitar. he swore off women until he met katie. he describes katie's lips as "moist". did i mention he plays guitar? he's just as bad as katie.
the only reason i kept reading this book and didn't dnf it is because of how bad it was. it made me laugh at times because i just thought that it couldn't get worse, but guess what??? it did. the only thing i really appreciated is that there is no explicit language and no smut in this book either. it's refreshing to not have to skip entire scenes and not have an author rely on dirty language to make a book funny or relatable (this is very much targeted at fourth wing and it's annoying use of f^ck every other word).
if you're looking for a short, easy read that's family friendly and has no christmas feeling at all, grab this one.
November 1, 2023
I'll start this review by saying I was born, raised and wouldn't want to live anywhere else Puerto Rican. This is supposed to be a "While you were sleeping" but Latine and in my opinion it failed.
Some of the Latine traditions or food just felt stereotypical or like the author did very little research. The week before christmas trust me we would be eating pasteles, lechon, pernil, arroz con gandules. THE WHOLE WEEK! Not Tacos. Christmas food is the best food, PERIOD.
I'm going to let you in on a little secret, if someone just made coquito don't drink it. True coquito has to rest for a few hours for it to not separate. Honestly, who wants a chunky coquito.
Last thoughts are that the whole Latine ethnicity can be removed of the book and it would be the same.
Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc version of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
~*~
November 1, 2023 UPDATE
So when I had read this book I had checked the authors ethnicity, even went to her site and it had nothing about her being Latine. Come to find out today that her mom is Puerto Rican. Forgot to add that the guy is Puerto Rican/Mexican.
I can tell you from reading this book that is barely had any kind of Puerto Rican traditions but coquito. By reading the book I would've never known the author is Puerto Rican. I am currently reading another book by the author.
Some of the Latine traditions or food just felt stereotypical or like the author did very little research. The week before christmas trust me we would be eating pasteles, lechon, pernil, arroz con gandules. THE WHOLE WEEK! Not Tacos. Christmas food is the best food, PERIOD.
I'm going to let you in on a little secret, if someone just made coquito don't drink it. True coquito has to rest for a few hours for it to not separate. Honestly, who wants a chunky coquito.
Last thoughts are that the whole Latine ethnicity can be removed of the book and it would be the same.
Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc version of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
~*~
November 1, 2023 UPDATE
So when I had read this book I had checked the authors ethnicity, even went to her site and it had nothing about her being Latine. Come to find out today that her mom is Puerto Rican. Forgot to add that the guy is Puerto Rican/Mexican.
I can tell you from reading this book that is barely had any kind of Puerto Rican traditions but coquito. By reading the book I would've never known the author is Puerto Rican. I am currently reading another book by the author.
December 7, 2025
A delightful sweet Christmas romance set in a California winery. It celebrated the joy of the holidays, family, love, and forgiveness. Nothing spicy, only a few moments of kissing. I would recommend to those who enjoy Debbie Macomber.
November 16, 2023
This was cute. The Martinez family was definitely the best part—Abuela, Abuelo, and Titimon especially. It’s a While You Were Sleeping retelling basically. Sweet and full of holiday cheer.
December 6, 2023
DNF @ 71%. Just watch While You Were Sleeping. This book was a carbon copy of that movie. Not worth it.
October 8, 2023
This book was slow to pull me in, but once it got a hold on me it never let go. Leaving me reading (and finishing) the book at 4am in the morning and regretting my life choices the next day. But only slightly.
Katie Smith is impossible not to love. This is evident with how she pulls everyone in around her. This is a big part of what sucked me in so completely. I had to keep reading until I knew she was ok.
I like Mateo as a lead too, but I feel his voice is not as strong as Katie’s. So, while we want her to end up with Mateo, it is more because they are a good match and it would make Katie happy. Not because we are driven to see Mateo happy. Which feels harsh to say.
Overall, I thought it was a great story and I enjoyed it much more than I expected. It’s a great read all the way around, not just a holiday story.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!
Katie Smith is impossible not to love. This is evident with how she pulls everyone in around her. This is a big part of what sucked me in so completely. I had to keep reading until I knew she was ok.
I like Mateo as a lead too, but I feel his voice is not as strong as Katie’s. So, while we want her to end up with Mateo, it is more because they are a good match and it would make Katie happy. Not because we are driven to see Mateo happy. Which feels harsh to say.
Overall, I thought it was a great story and I enjoyed it much more than I expected. It’s a great read all the way around, not just a holiday story.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC!
November 12, 2023
This was a super fun While you were sleeping remix featuring a lonely waitress who agrees to be a fake date for Christmas for one a patron she has a crush on only to have him get into an accident and be put in a medically induced coma.
As per the original, she goes along with the scheme to protect a sensitive relative and ends up falling in love with the coma patient's brother. I loved the big-hearted Puerto Rican-American family and the way that Katie helps saving their struggling winery.
Great on audio and HIGHLY recommended for any who loves that Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman holiday movie as much as I do! Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
As per the original, she goes along with the scheme to protect a sensitive relative and ends up falling in love with the coma patient's brother. I loved the big-hearted Puerto Rican-American family and the way that Katie helps saving their struggling winery.
Great on audio and HIGHLY recommended for any who loves that Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman holiday movie as much as I do! Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the complimentary digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
December 30, 2023
3.5/5 ⭐
0/5 🌶️
Mimicking everyone else's general assessment of this book - Yes, it's absolutely a retelling of While You Were Sleeping. Sure, it's cute and yes there were so loads of differences but I had a tough time not comparing it to the classic film we all know and love.
So, let's compare:
🍷 Katie has a super crush on Juan who frequents the diner she works.
🎄 Juan asks Katie to pretend to be his fake girlfriend for Christmas dinner.
🍷 Juan almost gets hit. Katie saves him. He goes into a coma.
🎄 Katie goes to the hospital and meets his entire family but is remembers Juan asked her not to tell anyone they were fake dating...
🍷 Juan has a super cute younger brother, Mateo, who makes his own guitars and music.
🎄 The family owns a beautiful winery.
🍷 The grandmother has visions.
That said, I loved that the family is Puerto Rican American and how charming they all are. It would be so easy to fall in love with each member due to their traditions, views on family, and love. I didn't love how hard they pushed marriage so hard or how Katie genuinely felt obligated to stay throughout the book. However, there wouldn't be a book if she hadn't. Being through therapy, there were a lot of red flags but, again, it's a book! All a part of them fun and I loved how festive it was regardless.
0/5 🌶️
Mimicking everyone else's general assessment of this book - Yes, it's absolutely a retelling of While You Were Sleeping. Sure, it's cute and yes there were so loads of differences but I had a tough time not comparing it to the classic film we all know and love.
So, let's compare:
🍷 Katie has a super crush on Juan who frequents the diner she works.
🎄 Juan asks Katie to pretend to be his fake girlfriend for Christmas dinner.
🍷 Juan almost gets hit. Katie saves him. He goes into a coma.
🎄 Katie goes to the hospital and meets his entire family but is remembers Juan asked her not to tell anyone they were fake dating...
🍷 Juan has a super cute younger brother, Mateo, who makes his own guitars and music.
🎄 The family owns a beautiful winery.
🍷 The grandmother has visions.
That said, I loved that the family is Puerto Rican American and how charming they all are. It would be so easy to fall in love with each member due to their traditions, views on family, and love. I didn't love how hard they pushed marriage so hard or how Katie genuinely felt obligated to stay throughout the book. However, there wouldn't be a book if she hadn't. Being through therapy, there were a lot of red flags but, again, it's a book! All a part of them fun and I loved how festive it was regardless.
September 22, 2023
You wouldn’t think a book about someone ending up in a coma would be something fun and lighthearted to read for the holiday season, but alas! The Holiday Mix-Up is just that.
Not to sound like a broken record amongst the other reviews, but if you enjoyed the movie While You Were Sleeping, you will likely enjoy this book. The plot is the same, the dynamics are just slightly different.
So, on to the important questions-
Is there a swoon worthy MC? Yup. Meet Juan.
Is the FMC sweet, naive, and overeager to help? WHY SURE. Insert Katie.
What about a super swoon worthy brother? Yes, duh. Here we have Mateo.
Will there be a hospital reunion on Christmas? Why, yes..yes there will be! Christmas trees and IVs, if you please 🎄💉
And lastly, will livelihood of the family winery be at stake after secrets are spilled from the hospital bed? YOU BET YOUR FESTIVE BOOTY IT WILL.
A fun, easy, festive read that will pair up well with a glass of wine during the holiday season.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the e-arc in exchange for a review!
Not to sound like a broken record amongst the other reviews, but if you enjoyed the movie While You Were Sleeping, you will likely enjoy this book. The plot is the same, the dynamics are just slightly different.
So, on to the important questions-
Is there a swoon worthy MC? Yup. Meet Juan.
Is the FMC sweet, naive, and overeager to help? WHY SURE. Insert Katie.
What about a super swoon worthy brother? Yes, duh. Here we have Mateo.
Will there be a hospital reunion on Christmas? Why, yes..yes there will be! Christmas trees and IVs, if you please 🎄💉
And lastly, will livelihood of the family winery be at stake after secrets are spilled from the hospital bed? YOU BET YOUR FESTIVE BOOTY IT WILL.
A fun, easy, festive read that will pair up well with a glass of wine during the holiday season.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the e-arc in exchange for a review!
December 9, 2023
THIS ABSOLUTELY SUCKED🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
December 24, 2023
This book had so much potential but fell flat the entire way through. It was really repetitive and nothing happened until the last chapter!
December 3, 2024
It’s a holiday romance so you get the cliches, nonsense, and holiday vibes you’d expect. The pacing was good and while I knew what would happen, I was interested enough to find out how to keep going.
The dialogue was CRINGE as were any internal thoughts by Katie and Mateo and the weird flashbacks. What this book really needed was a hard edit to clean up all the sweating (really they must be the sweatiest people alive) and other odd gasps, lip licking, and rough voices.
I also had never seen While You Were Sleeping until I read this and watched the film and I do think this book is a better approach to the concept - less creepy and more understandable. It’s a light Christmas read with a good enough story, if you’re willing to work past some odd writing at times.
The dialogue was CRINGE as were any internal thoughts by Katie and Mateo and the weird flashbacks. What this book really needed was a hard edit to clean up all the sweating (really they must be the sweatiest people alive) and other odd gasps, lip licking, and rough voices.
I also had never seen While You Were Sleeping until I read this and watched the film and I do think this book is a better approach to the concept - less creepy and more understandable. It’s a light Christmas read with a good enough story, if you’re willing to work past some odd writing at times.
December 18, 2023
Ok was this plot anything original? No, but did I throughly enjoy it nonetheless, YES! This one is perfect for fans of While You Were Sleeping but with lots of festive vibes!
We get a fun and compelling fake dating trope which is always a favourite of mine for romance reads and the Martinez family was just so charming and endearing that you can’t but fall in love with them!
This is a delightful and cozy read for anyone looking to squeeze in a few more during the holidays!
We get a fun and compelling fake dating trope which is always a favourite of mine for romance reads and the Martinez family was just so charming and endearing that you can’t but fall in love with them!
This is a delightful and cozy read for anyone looking to squeeze in a few more during the holidays!
January 4, 2026
I enjoyed this book. It was a light hearted read that reminded me of the movie While You Were Sleeping. A fun Christmas romance that made my heart smile. Romantic but no spice. Just a fun, entertaining read.
December 19, 2023
Went down like water, took me two days to read. Skipped over any thing in italics.
dnf
December 8, 202312/8/23 dnf @ 14% the writing itself is very bad and borderline confusing
12/6/23 dnf @ 11% i have better things to read
12/6/23 dnf @ 11% i have better things to read
December 17, 2023
CUTE. Quite literally giggled and kicked my feet. Cheesy for sure but worth it. My first ever Christmas rom com book and I was not disappointed 🥲👏🏻
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