I received this book for free (hey, thanks!) in exchange for an honest review. I promise that this does NOT affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. For real.
Snowed In for Christmas by Jaqueline Snowe Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday
Published by Forever on October 3, 2023
Format: Audio/eARC (336 pages) • Source: Publisher, Spotify Audiobooks
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Sorority mom Becca Fairfield is used to guys not taking her seriously. She’s too blond, too quirky, or Just. Too. Much. So she’s ditched dating to focus on her job and a house filled with drama and plenty of tea. Now with the holidays and a major blizzard on her doorstep, Becca has everything she needs to survive the next two weeks on her own. Hot cocoa, plenty of books . . . and the memory of a steamy kiss with a certain sexy, grumposaurus next-door neighbor to keep her warm.
Only Becca’s seriously underestimated this Snowpocalypse. So when the power goes out and Harrison Cooper—football coach, master crank, and the guy who acted mega-awkward after said steamy kiss—offers her shelter, it only makes sense to accept. They’ll just be Blizzard Buddies. Hang out, stay safe, and maybe indulge in a little R-rated cuddling . Becca knows that Harrison isn’t the dating kind, and what happens during the storm lasts only as long as the storm. But are they keeping warm . . . or playing with fire?
Story
I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one but I have to say, I enjoyed it! Becca and Harrison are neighbors on a college campus (one is a sorority house mom and the other is the football coach) who went on a date two years ago… then he ghosted her. They’ve spent the years since avoiding each other until a huge snow storm comes right as the students are heading for winter break. They end up hunkering down together due to power outages, lack of firewood, and extreme wind and temperatures.
I really enjoyed their chemistry and the snowed-in style romance here. It’s so much fun to watch two people get closer from a relationship perspective while they’re forced together in those circumstances. Becca was such a fun character who tried her hardest to not let other people’s assumptions about her get in the way of her being herself. Harrison was grumpy but soft underneath, which I like.
Honestly, I think Harrison got off a little too easy on the ghosting thing. There’s obviously some explanation as the two start talking about it but I think that could have been beefed up a little bit. The ending got progressively more cheesy (lots of instalove) but was still cute in general.
Wintery Setting & Holiday Feels
There’s definitely a difference between books that take place on Christmas and Christmas/holiday books. I think this story straddles the middle a little bit. The story happens right before the holiday and the two characters are snowed in on Christmas Eve, then head out for a Christmas celebration on Christmas day. There were some cute holiday moments but I definitely expected a little more from it. This felt like a cozy snowed-in romance with a touch of holiday cheer at most.
Overall
I’d recommend this one if you really want to feel that cold snowed-in setting and watch two people fall for each other. It made for a cute and cozy (although I really did feel cold while reading this!) romance with a lot of good steamy scenes as well. It wasn’t all sweet, that’s for sure! Good characters and a fun/unique setting made this a book I couldn’t put down.
The Christmas Orphans Club by Becca Freeman Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Holiday
Published by Penguin Random House on September 26, 2023
Format: Audio/eBook (368 pages) • Source: Libby, Spotify Audiobooks
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From bookfluencer and host of the BAD ON PAPER podcast, a riotous holiday rom-com about four friends in NYC who hold onto their unconventional Christmas tradition even when their paths diverge—but the changes they fear might be exactly what they need…
Hannah and Finn have spent every Christmas together since college. Neither has anywhere else to go—Hannah’s parents died, and Finn’s disowned him when he came out. Their tradition of offbeat holiday adventures only grows more outrageous with time. When the pair starts their adult lives in New York City, they add stylish Priya and mysterious Theo to the group, solidifying a found family and sense of belonging they’ve always craved.
But now, when Finn announces a move to L.A., this Christmas may be their last. Hannah is terrified of losing the family she’s built for herself, even as her boyfriend nudges her toward commitment. Meanwhile, Finn struggles with the things he’s about to leave behind—namely, his unexpressed feelings for Theo. Does growing up mean growing apart? This Christmas the changes these friends fear may be exactly what they need. . . .
Story
I was really intrigued by this one when I first heard about it and decided to prioritize it for this year’s holiday reading. I’m a huge fan of the found family trope and this story seemed to have it in spades. THE CHRISTMAS ORPHANS CLUB follows a group of four “orphans” who find themselves creating an annual Christmas celebration, only to find out that one of their own is moving away. They decide to give him a holiday sendoff to remember.
Hannah and Finn are the two POVs we get throughout the story but Priya and Theo are the other two characters that complete the Christmas orphans club. I really enjoyed the format – the book goes back and forth between both of the MCs but also back and forth in time, showing us Christmas celebrations in the past and what’s happening in the current year’s holiday season. It was a fun way to get to know the group and learn their history.
Hannah was a little insufferable at times but not enough to ruin the book. I really adored this found family and felt like they were all fleshed out really well. I was rooting for all of them in different ways and for different reasons. I liked that it was 80% about this group of friends and 20% about a couple of romances. It broke up my holiday romance reading a bit to have a different feeling.
Wintery Setting & Holiday Feels
I’ve said it before a ton of times but I love reading books about the holiday season set in New York City. In real life it’s much more crowded and less magical… but still such a fun setting – definitely one of my favorites for my holiday reading! The characters definitely go all around the city and explore some of its best parts.
The book primarily takes place on various Christmases over the years so obviously it needs the highest ranking on my holiday cheer-o-meter.
Overall
I really loved this story. The characters and setting were great, and the ending was lovely. There were so many threads and pieces of their backstories that the author did a good job making feel real and vibrant. I’m not sure what stopped it from being a five-star book but it just didn’t give me that perfect five-star feeling.
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