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3.45 AVERAGE
3.45 AVERAGE
Just in time for the Holidays!
This is just the book for this holiday! If you are looking for something with all the banter, holiday spirit, spicy, full of laughs, and just the right amount of groveling this book is for you! I really enjoyed the characters of this story, there were some moments when second hand embarrassment was totally a thing but this book is SO worth the read! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (but get more sleep).
Tropes:
Holiday Romance
Fake Dating
Hidden Intentions
Banter
Alphahole
SunshineXGrumpy
Animal sidekick
Family Problems
Found Family
Third-Act Break Up
Spice: 3/5
This is just the book for this holiday! If you are looking for something with all the banter, holiday spirit, spicy, full of laughs, and just the right amount of groveling this book is for you! I really enjoyed the characters of this story, there were some moments when second hand embarrassment was totally a thing but this book is SO worth the read! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (but get more sleep).
Tropes:
Holiday Romance
Fake Dating
Hidden Intentions
Banter
Alphahole
SunshineXGrumpy
Animal sidekick
Family Problems
Found Family
Third-Act Break Up
Spice: 3/5
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Gracie wants revenge on her golden child, younger sister Kelly. What a shocking surprise to see Kelly doing raunchy Santa roleplay and getting off under the family under the family Christmas tree on Chrismas Eve with none other than Gracie's fiance James. The star on top of the tree - it was the night before Gracie and James were supposed to get married. Brushed aside and told to just be happy for Kelly as always by her family, Gracie comes to next Christmas with a last minute plan of retribution with the help of rugged bad boy Hudson as her fake boyfriend.
This is definitely a one and done read for me. There were things I did like about the story that kept me reading. My favorite characters were not the main characters, I really enjoyed Dakota, Gracie's right-hand woman and cousin of comraderie and strength. Granny Murray is just mischief, but with some serious sass and love for Gracie's happiness. Jake, one of Hudson's brothers, the snark, swagger, and humor that Hudson could've benefited from. Grayson for a few brief moments. It flowed well enough along to keep me reading and had a couple moments that had me laugh out loud, much to the annoyance of my dog snoozing against my thigh.
Given my star rating, there were clearly things that I didn't like. The plot was fine, but I've never understood why anyone would want to get married ON Christmas - that's a huge ask of family, friends, relatives, and businesses. Gracie is too naive, and her OBSESSION with not causing waves with her family is beyond irritating. Golden child treatment, especially how strong it is with Kelly, hits too close to some of my loved ones and makes we want to throttle the whole lot. Hudson's just not believable for me. I can't say more without passing mid book. Pugnog - enough said. The plot was Hallmark predictable for me. I just can't with the idea that because it's for family, it's okay to treat other members of family as literal dumping grounds and doormats. That's by no means family. It's bullying.
Overall, this was what I call a fast food novel. Most fast food is just that food, but not necessarily memorable. It was an okay read, but not one I can see myself thinking about much now that I've finished reading it.
This is definitely a one and done read for me. There were things I did like about the story that kept me reading. My favorite characters were not the main characters, I really enjoyed Dakota, Gracie's right-hand woman and cousin of comraderie and strength. Granny Murray is just mischief, but with some serious sass and love for Gracie's happiness. Jake, one of Hudson's brothers, the snark, swagger, and humor that Hudson could've benefited from. Grayson for a few brief moments. It flowed well enough along to keep me reading and had a couple moments that had me laugh out loud, much to the annoyance of my dog snoozing against my thigh.
Given my star rating, there were clearly things that I didn't like. The plot was fine, but I've never understood why anyone would want to get married ON Christmas - that's a huge ask of family, friends, relatives, and businesses. Gracie is too naive, and her OBSESSION with not causing waves with her family is beyond irritating. Golden child treatment, especially how strong it is with Kelly, hits too close to some of my loved ones and makes we want to throttle the whole lot. Hudson's just not believable for me. I can't say more without passing mid book. Pugnog - enough said. The plot was Hallmark predictable for me. I just can't with the idea that because it's for family, it's okay to treat other members of family as literal dumping grounds and doormats. That's by no means family. It's bullying.
Overall, this was what I call a fast food novel. Most fast food is just that food, but not necessarily memorable. It was an okay read, but not one I can see myself thinking about much now that I've finished reading it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Sexual content
Someone is on the Naughty List
This book was complete chaos and I loved it! From Pugnog to both Grannies, every character was fully formed with distinct personalities. The spice was spicy, the Christmas spirit top notch and the ending Happy!
This book was complete chaos and I loved it! From Pugnog to both Grannies, every character was fully formed with distinct personalities. The spice was spicy, the Christmas spirit top notch and the ending Happy!
I’d Give This 6 Stars If I Could
This was hands down the single best rom com I have ever read!!! Although, I believe everything that I have read by Alina Jacobs has been amazing. She definitely knows how to paint a picture with words that make it so easy to see a picture perfect illustration like you’re actually there. Gracie is the perfect example of an oldest daughter - always setting the example and making sure the other kids have something to emulate - until she doesn’t. Hudson is the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks - a pawn to be used - or is he? I read through this book so fast… almost 500 pages in less than four hours! I absolutely ate this up and can’t wait to dive into the next book!!!
This was hands down the single best rom com I have ever read!!! Although, I believe everything that I have read by Alina Jacobs has been amazing. She definitely knows how to paint a picture with words that make it so easy to see a picture perfect illustration like you’re actually there. Gracie is the perfect example of an oldest daughter - always setting the example and making sure the other kids have something to emulate - until she doesn’t. Hudson is the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks - a pawn to be used - or is he? I read through this book so fast… almost 500 pages in less than four hours! I absolutely ate this up and can’t wait to dive into the next book!!!
Well, a 2 tissue warning, but, what a powerful story. I cried from sadness, from joy and laughter. Ms. Jacobs has pulled together a plethora of emotions and nail biting moments. You cannot help but fall in love with the energy of the Wynter brothers! I cannot wait to read more from this series.
Part cheesy hallmark Christmas rom com, part smutty trash novel, add a dash of comedic relief granny and you have this book
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm not a Christmas person. Anyone who knows me would know that, and roll their eyes at me. I really wanted to see if I could into Christmas romances in hopes that maybe I would hate the holiday less. Although this book was funny at times, and I overall liked to MCs...it still just did not do the trick for me.
Gracie's grandma is by far the best character in this book. Watching Chrismas porn full blast? Check.
Gracie herself was a bit of a spineless FMC. I sort of understand what she was trying to avoid, but also do at the same time. But if you're gonna ask some random-ass tattooed jerk to shake your life up a bit...at least roll with it. She wanted Hudson to essentially destroy her sister's relationship out of revenge, but wanted him leashed at the same time. I didn't quite understand she was so back and forth with him-especially when her family are literally the biggest pieces of garbage on the planet. Shit if I had a family like hers, I would Hudson be as jacked as he wanted to be.
Hudson, I will admit, was taking things too far with what he was hired to do. But damn, I wish he had done more to such a trash family. I just didn't see the chemistry between him and Gracie either. It just seemed like he was doing his own thing and she was just freaking out about it all. They did not mesh well together, so I found myself just kind of...reading...instead of enjoying.
It was still enjoyable enough that I finished it, but I can't say I'm interested in the rest of the series. If the characters are going to be like this, there's really not much there. But for what it was, I got some laughs, I got some spice, I managed to put a Christmas book under my belt.
I'd call it a win.
Gracie's grandma is by far the best character in this book. Watching Chrismas porn full blast? Check.
Gracie herself was a bit of a spineless FMC. I sort of understand what she was trying to avoid, but also do at the same time. But if you're gonna ask some random-ass tattooed jerk to shake your life up a bit...at least roll with it. She wanted Hudson to essentially destroy her sister's relationship out of revenge, but wanted him leashed at the same time. I didn't quite understand she was so back and forth with him-especially when her family are literally the biggest pieces of garbage on the planet. Shit if I had a family like hers, I would Hudson be as jacked as he wanted to be.
Hudson, I will admit, was taking things too far with what he was hired to do. But damn, I wish he had done more to such a trash family. I just didn't see the chemistry between him and Gracie either. It just seemed like he was doing his own thing and she was just freaking out about it all. They did not mesh well together, so I found myself just kind of...reading...instead of enjoying.
It was still enjoyable enough that I finished it, but I can't say I'm interested in the rest of the series. If the characters are going to be like this, there's really not much there. But for what it was, I got some laughs, I got some spice, I managed to put a Christmas book under my belt.
I'd call it a win.
DNF at 52%
I actually only read around the first 50 pages of this book, and then skimmed to the 52% mark because as terrible as this book is, it was like a train wreck I couldn't look away from, and I needed to know for myself if it kept getting worse like the other reviews said it did.
It does. It keeps getting worse.
Do you want to know what her big bad secret is that her ex blackmails her with in the first few pages?
She's a 29 year-old virgin, and in all fairness, I'd be embarrassed if I were her too. Not because she's a virgin, but because she's a moron.
I think I hurt my neck because I cringed so hard at some of her "I know nothing about sex" moments. Because we're supposed to believe at 29 she's never taken a sex-ed class, or read a book, or googled anything, or received an unsolicited dick pick? Hudson finds out she's a virgin when she makes a genuine comment about not knowing if a dick is covered in hair or not. Because apparently she's never seen one at 29. Seriously. That's how that goes. What?
I don't think I'll ever understand how there are higher ratings for this book. Most of the time, when I give a book a poor rating, it's just not for me. And that's fine. Someone else out there will like it and enjoy it. But I don't understand it for this book. Truly.
Every single character in this book is TERRIBLE. Capital letters fully justified. Every single one of her family members with the exception of Dakota is abusive. Like, no beating around the bush, straight up abusive from the very beginning. And it's set up immediately that they've been this way her whole life.
Hudson is also terrible to her. He's a grade A jerk from the moment they meet, and stays that way for the most part. He'll occasionally feel bad about something, be nice for 5 seconds, but then go right back to being awful. And his whole plot line, the reason for him being there, the corporate espionage with the work he does with his family, felt like it came out left field the first time we met him, and it just kept being ridiculous.
Not to mention, Gracie's father's whole family business is ridiculous, too. It's the kind of business that warrants having two whole offices in two different states, but across all of that, Gracie is the only one who does any actual work?? But doesn't get paid fairly for it?? What??? Which, I realize that's just supposed to be attached to the whole she's abused and doesn't have a backbone thing, but for real? Which, she doesn't have a backbone, by the way. At all. She just lets all these people walk all over her.
And Gracie's reasoning for powering through it all? It's Christmas. (And that fact get's thrown at you every few pages, btw.)
At one point in this story, Hudson tells Gracie that she has low standards. Honestly, I think if you enjoyed this story, then so do you. Nothing about these characters was done well. They're all awful and poorly written.
I just... I can't even with anything in this book. There is nothing that redeems anything or anyone in this story. And it's over 500 pages long. Like, what? I was just looking for a fun little Christmas read to get into the spirit of the holidays, and this SO wasn't it.
I actually only read around the first 50 pages of this book, and then skimmed to the 52% mark because as terrible as this book is, it was like a train wreck I couldn't look away from, and I needed to know for myself if it kept getting worse like the other reviews said it did.
It does. It keeps getting worse.
Do you want to know what her big bad secret is that her ex blackmails her with in the first few pages?
Spoiler
She's a virgin. That's it.She's a 29 year-old virgin, and in all fairness, I'd be embarrassed if I were her too. Not because she's a virgin, but because she's a moron.
I think I hurt my neck because I cringed so hard at some of her "I know nothing about sex" moments. Because we're supposed to believe at 29 she's never taken a sex-ed class, or read a book, or googled anything, or received an unsolicited dick pick? Hudson finds out she's a virgin when she makes a genuine comment about not knowing if a dick is covered in hair or not. Because apparently she's never seen one at 29. Seriously. That's how that goes. What?
I don't think I'll ever understand how there are higher ratings for this book. Most of the time, when I give a book a poor rating, it's just not for me. And that's fine. Someone else out there will like it and enjoy it. But I don't understand it for this book. Truly.
Every single character in this book is TERRIBLE. Capital letters fully justified. Every single one of her family members with the exception of Dakota is abusive. Like, no beating around the bush, straight up abusive from the very beginning. And it's set up immediately that they've been this way her whole life.
Hudson is also terrible to her. He's a grade A jerk from the moment they meet, and stays that way for the most part. He'll occasionally feel bad about something, be nice for 5 seconds, but then go right back to being awful. And his whole plot line, the reason for him being there, the corporate espionage with the work he does with his family, felt like it came out left field the first time we met him, and it just kept being ridiculous.
Not to mention, Gracie's father's whole family business is ridiculous, too. It's the kind of business that warrants having two whole offices in two different states, but across all of that, Gracie is the only one who does any actual work?? But doesn't get paid fairly for it?? What??? Which, I realize that's just supposed to be attached to the whole she's abused and doesn't have a backbone thing, but for real? Which, she doesn't have a backbone, by the way. At all. She just lets all these people walk all over her.
And Gracie's reasoning for powering through it all? It's Christmas. (And that fact get's thrown at you every few pages, btw.)
At one point in this story, Hudson tells Gracie that she has low standards. Honestly, I think if you enjoyed this story, then so do you. Nothing about these characters was done well. They're all awful and poorly written.
I just... I can't even with anything in this book. There is nothing that redeems anything or anyone in this story. And it's over 500 pages long. Like, what? I was just looking for a fun little Christmas read to get into the spirit of the holidays, and this SO wasn't it.
This girl needs to find a backbone and some self respect. Holy cow I knew the book would annoy me within the first 20 pages, but I was hoping Gracie would find strength to stand up for herself and not be a complete doormat. Ya she kind of succeeded in that but also to the wrong people. Her family treats her like shit, takes advantage of her, belittles her, and gaslights her, but yet she still does everything for them and won’t ask them to pay her back or FOR A CAR TO LUG GROCERIES?! you’re kidding me!!!
She wedding planned her sister and exs wedding, they showed no appreciation, took credit, demeaned her, made her pay for it, and so many other things. Oo yes I love reading about a complete doormat
She wedding planned her sister and exs wedding, they showed no appreciation, took credit, demeaned her, made her pay for it, and so many other things. Oo yes I love reading about a complete doormat