Reviews with content warning for Car accident - In a Holidaze

I struggled to keep reading this book to be honest, but I do think it makes for a good Christmas read if you’re looking for a lighthearted holiday romance.

I know that mae and andrew were the main couple in the story but theo and mae’s situation/relationship felt kind of incomplete for me? I don’t necessarily wish I had seen more of them romantically but the fact that we hear about them making out in the opening, then she doesn’t talk to him for most of the book, and in the end it’s just very quickly resolved makes it feel like something was missing for me. Also some of the dialogue made me cringe and I had to pretend I didn’t even read some of the metaphors because I had no idea what they even meant. Overall it isn’t a terrible book; I think it’s a good story, there were just several things in it that I didn’t love.

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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lighthearted fast-paced

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

2.75

Title: In a Holidaze
Author: Christina Lauren
Genre: Holiday Romance
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: October 6, 2020

T H R E E • W O R D S

Wintry • Cozy • Unrealistic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Maelyn is down on her luck - she's living with her parents, hates her job and has just made a mistake of epic proportions on what will be the last Christmas spend in her favourite place in the world. As she drives away from the cabin for the final time, she pleads with the universe. Next things she knows, she awakes on a plane bound for Utah, beginning the same holiday all over again.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I usually like to read a holiday romance or two during the festive season, and had seen so much love for In a Holidaze that I decided to give it a shot. Let's just say I didn't enjoy it all that much.

The writing felt disorganized and rushed. The time-loop portion of the plot felt confusing and off. The characters lacked depth to the point where I ended up liking some of the secondary characters (particularly Benny) more than Mae and Andrew. What I did enjoy was the cabin setting and all the family traditions.

This was another Christina Lauren book that fell flat for me, but I can definitely see why so many people have loved it if they're simply looking for a quick, fun holiday read.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of Hallmark rom-coms

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"'Maybe we should do things because we love them, not because we've always done them that way.'"

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mermaidsherbet's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted mysterious relaxing 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

5.0

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vixxy_06's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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brittishliterature's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

I was pleasantly surprised by this fun holiday read! I'd nearly written it off, because, although the cover is super cute, I was pretty hesitant about the hype. The story ended up being completely different than what I'd expected, and I enjoyed it so much!

The first chapter felt a bit hard to follow, but once I got settled into the story, I was fully invested. Mae was not my favorite main character, but there was a bit of character development and growth as the book continued. I felt that the character development of those around her was a tad lacking for me. I would have liked to get to know Andrew, Theo, and the rest of the gang better. It was hard to keep them all straight and made the romance feel a bit shallow since I knew very little about most of them. Benny, however, I LOVED Benny! I pictured him as resembling Woody Harrelson haha.

The one main issue I had with the story is that I actually thought

Mae was going to eventually realize feelings for Theo and finally get over her crush on Andrew! Okay, yes, there was the drunk kiss, but they were drunk for crying out loud and he liked her. I don't know, I definitely thought there was potential there, and I definitely thought that was going to be a plot twist: finally sleeps with her dream guy and then realizes she actually loves her friend Theo. I was a bit annoyed at the way Theo's feelings and their lifelong friendship just got shoved to the side. I actually liked Theo! I think once I got past this, I was able to finally accept the ending, even though Mae's relationship with Andrew felt like it happened a bit too easily. But once I'd accepted him as the love interest, I thought it was really sweet and romantic.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and am glad I finally read it! Great holiday read filled with heartwarming romance, a very lovable group of chosen family, and sweet feelings of nostalgia. I guess sometimes it doesn't hurt to judge a book by its cover ;)

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readwithchar's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.25

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booksandprosecco's review against another edition

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funny 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

3.5

Book review • In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren • 3.5 stars
~
What I liked:
• this was a fun, light read that was nice and easy to get through.
• it’s a pretty superficial read, but that’s exactly what I wanted when I read it.
• the Groundhog Day aspect was super fun!
~
What I didn’t like:
• one male character claimed a female character “led him on”, but other than one situation, she in fact does the opposite which leads me to believe that her simply being nice is “leading him on” and that annoys me SO much.
~
Overall: a fun read if you want something easy, light, and holiday themed (even in March!).

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celines_schemes's review against another edition

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lighthearted slow-paced

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

2.0

What can I say about this book that hasn't already been said?

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