Scan barcode
kelly_e's review against another edition
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Title: The Holiday Swap
Author: Maggie Know
Genre: Holiday Romance
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: September 30, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Cozy • Whimsical • Cringy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.
With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I wanted to read The Holiday Swap last holiday season, but just never got to it. This year I made it a priority, making sure to read it before picking up Maggie Knox's latest release All I Want for Christmas.
What I like:
• the premise. Twins swapping places for 12 days sounded like such a fun and creative idea.
• the dual setting/dual perspective. The small family run bakery and a TV baking show contrasted worlds nicely as did having identical twin perspectives.
• the cooking/baking. It's no surprise I love books that involve food, so that aspect was what kept me going.
What I didn't like:
• double the romance. Maybe one romance would have worked, but two just felt unrealistic. It was highly unlikely both twins would end up in a romance in the opposite place at the exact same time.
• the lying. It wasn't just the deception of swapping places. There were just so many lies, and eventually it felt redundant.
• lack of festiveness. This didn't feel like a holiday read to me, apart from it taking place during that time of the year, which was disappointing.
The Holiday Swap is filled with mishaps and witty dialogue where everything ends tied up with a bright shiny bow. I've read a handful of 'holiday romances' this month, and I'm starting to think they may just not be for me. But of course, I'm going to try another one...
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Hallmark movie devotees
• fans of Cake Wars
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We don't always know how to ask for what we want."
Author: Maggie Know
Genre: Holiday Romance
Rating: 3.0
Pub Date: September 30, 2021
T H R E E • W O R D S
Cozy • Whimsical • Cringy
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the L.A. set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell--both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over.
With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician's assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I wanted to read The Holiday Swap last holiday season, but just never got to it. This year I made it a priority, making sure to read it before picking up Maggie Knox's latest release All I Want for Christmas.
What I like:
• the premise. Twins swapping places for 12 days sounded like such a fun and creative idea.
• the dual setting/dual perspective. The small family run bakery and a TV baking show contrasted worlds nicely as did having identical twin perspectives.
• the cooking/baking. It's no surprise I love books that involve food, so that aspect was what kept me going.
What I didn't like:
• double the romance. Maybe one romance would have worked, but two just felt unrealistic. It was highly unlikely both twins would end up in a romance in the opposite place at the exact same time.
• the lying. It wasn't just the deception of swapping places. There were just so many lies, and eventually it felt redundant.
• lack of festiveness. This didn't feel like a holiday read to me, apart from it taking place during that time of the year, which was disappointing.
The Holiday Swap is filled with mishaps and witty dialogue where everything ends tied up with a bright shiny bow. I've read a handful of 'holiday romances' this month, and I'm starting to think they may just not be for me. But of course, I'm going to try another one...
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Hallmark movie devotees
• fans of Cake Wars
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"We don't always know how to ask for what we want."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexism, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, and Body shaming
Minor: Pregnancy and Alcohol
bookcrushin's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
3.5
This is an adult holiday/christmas romcom that has lots of heart and lots of fun. There are two twin sisters, and the plot follows them in two very different locations, a small town bakery in Canada and a LA baking TV show and when the twin sisters swap roles for a bit, both realize that they are better off together than apart. Plus swoony romances. Very hallmark movie and lots of oopsy daisy, adults probably shouldn't pretend to be each other for more than a phone call especially not a week! lol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Body shaming, and Misogyny
Minor: Alcohol
alyssalee2022's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The actual romance parts of this book save it, because for the most part this writing just ain't it. It reads very much like a Hallmark movie written by the intern, and the ending is just VERY convenient and cheesy. I enjoyed the character development that came along with the twins finding themselves, and I especially loved what's basically the meet cute for the two love interests and each of the twins. Besides that, the whole swap charade was really annoying, and I had to suspend quite a bit of logic to read this book all the way through. I probably wouldn't recommend this to anyone, unless Hallmark Christmas movies are a huge guilty pleasure for you.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming and Misogyny
leahlovesloslibros's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
3.5
When twins Cass and Charlie Goodwin switch places for the holidays, they think they will be able to solve each others' problems. What ensues instead is a series of mix-ups that prove to the girls that it may be harder to pull off the switcheroo they used to, without further complicating things.
This was the perfect lighthearted holiday read; exactly what I needed. While there are definitely some topics that may be triggering or upsetting to some readers, the overall plot read much like a warm Hallmark Christmas movie. It was a quick read with a happy ending that will leave readers feeling good about the holidays, even when real life may not always be so cheery.
This was the perfect lighthearted holiday read; exactly what I needed. While there are definitely some topics that may be triggering or upsetting to some readers, the overall plot read much like a warm Hallmark Christmas movie. It was a quick read with a happy ending that will leave readers feeling good about the holidays, even when real life may not always be so cheery.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Medical content, and Sexism
Minor: Cursing
writtenbydnicole's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Body shaming, Bullying, and Pregnancy
readergonewilde's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
More...