Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - Emergency Contact

I'll be honest. The blurb for this book does not do it justice. It sounds like a super cute read, but it's so much more than that. This book is funny. So funny. I was cackling so freaking much at Katherine and Tom's banter. I mean, it is non-stop. But mixed with that banter, is heartache, understanding how both people in a marriage affect it's ability to remain strong, and learning how to evolve as your life progresses.

I had never read these authors before, but I will definitely be checking out their backlist now because if I can expect the same style of writing, I will never be disappointed with one of their books.

As for the narrators, duet narration is always a win for me. And these narrators really brought these characters to life. While I would definitely suggest listening to Emergency Contact (I found myself doing things where I could listen to it just so I could get more of Katherine and Tom), I'd also recommend reading it if you're not a fan of audiobooks.

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alyssajp's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

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creativeteacherreads's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was a quick and great holiday read from a favorite author of mine that she co-wrote in multiple POVs with her husband! The book started off slightly slow, but once it got going, I didn’t want to stop reading and had to know how it ended for Katherine and Tom on Christmas Eve!

Another binge worthy book from Lauren Layne that anyone who loves a good rom com book will enjoy!

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lindsm94's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This has been my fave Christmas read of the year so far! I loved the twists and turns of them trying to get to the MMC's home and the comical bickering while falling in love. It gives me the vibes of The Hating Game and the new movie Ex-Mas. Also a short and quick paced read.

It did wrap up really quickly, but as is the nature of short books. If books with a divorced couple are not your thing, definitely read with caution.

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dianaschmidty's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book legitimately had me giddy. I didn’t stop smiling for like five minutes after finishing it. I am a huge lover of Hallmark Christmas movies and while there have been a lot of books that I’ve loved because they give me Hallmark vibes, I have to say that this book is truly every single one of my favorite Hallmark Movies rolled up into one book! It has everything! A divorced couple forced to spend Christmas together! They keep messing up their travel plans! They sort of hate (but really still love) each other! There’s some “Christmas in the City” magic going on. PLENTY of great banter! And the trope of one of them taking care of the other!

I loved Tom and Catherine. Their “bad” character traits actually made them very lovable. I also loved how they were opposites in ways like how one of them is vehemently against Ubers while the other is very in favor, but the fact that they each bother to think about something so trivial shows that they really seem to complete each other. I also think that it was adorable how each of them would complain about the “bad” traits while also subtly saying that those negatives were what made them love the other person.

Also, I need to mention how adorable I think it is that Lauren Layne wrote this with her real-life husband, Anthony LeDonne! It made the dual POV feel more realistic!

The only thing I wish were different is that I wish that they had had a little bit more time to be together at the end, but I can get behind them not simply because that’s how all of my favorite Hallmark Movies play out too.

I can see this easily becoming a book I reread every Christmas just like my favorite Christmas movies!

Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Lauren Layne and Anthony LeDonne for providing me access to this book.

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