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gillianw's review
DNF at 50%
It was okay up to the point I gave up, but not okay enough to keep going. As it turns out, I didn’t really care enough about either MC to keep going.
It was okay up to the point I gave up, but not okay enough to keep going. As it turns out, I didn’t really care enough about either MC to keep going.
zaza_bdp's review
4.0
Awwwww comme c'était trop bien !! ❤️❤️❤️
Le combo Lily Morton + Noël + Amsterdam + best-friend-brother/friends-to-lovers, comment dire ... wouah !!
Je me suis régalée avec ce court roman se déroulant à Amsterdam, mettant en scène une virée entre amis avec pour objectif principal une demande en mariage (Tom, le frère d'un des héros (Arlo) veut en effet réunir toutes les conditions pour demander la main de Bee, son chéri, et être entouré de leurs amis à ce moment-là). Qui dit Tom et la bande dit forcément Jack, meilleur ami de Tom, et accessoirement crush de Arlo depuis ses onze ans ... Outre ce séjour où ils vont être amenés à se côtoyer constamment, Arlo & Jack vont aussi devoir partager une chambre d'hôtel en raison de circonstances fortuites. Oh comme le hasard fait bien les choses, non ? Lily Morton ajoute donc un trope supplémentaire ici, et c'est un régal de plus !
Arlo est un personnage "mortonien" dans toute sa splendeur, avec sa maladresse et son snark inimitable. C'est un jeune homme drôle et impertinent qui a toujours la réplique qui tue, je ne compte pas le nombre de fois où il m'a fait rire. Jack est quant à lui bien plus réservé et calme, c'est un jeune homme séduisant, qui attire par sa force tranquille, un mec posé, qui observe plus qu'il ne parle, et il en voit des choses ...
Jack & Arlo sont adorables tous les deux, ils m'ont complètement fait craquer, je les ai trouvé tellement choupis ! Leur romance correspond vraiment à ce que j'aime dans ces tropes du best-friend-brother / friends-to-lovers : ils sont mignons et complices, sexys aussi et surtout, ils envoient du swoon !
L'esprit de bande qui imprègne tout le livre est un gros bonus aussi, les personnages secondaires occupent une place importante, ils sont drôles, envahissants et sont toujours là au mauvais moment ! Alors j'avoue qu'à l'apparition de S., j'étais un peu fâchée et je craignais un drama à deux balles, mais au final, cela a surtout été l'occasion de bien mettre en valeur les autres personnages, et de rire de sa stupidité (il m'a vachement fait penser à Fletcher, d'ailleurs, enfin si je ne me trompe pas de prénom ^^). Oh et puis Amsterdam quoi ! La ville offre un décor enchanteur, chaleureux et romantique à souhait, là aussi c'est pour moi un gros plus dans ce livre, et en plus, ça m'a rappelé de bons souvenirs de vacances !
C'est donc une jolie histoire que l'autrice nous propose là, pleine de douceur, de complicité et de moments drôles, le genre d'histoire qui vous réchauffe le coeur, vous fait rire, et vous laisser avec un sourire béat collé sur la figure, bref, une friandise à déguster sans aucune modération !
Le combo Lily Morton + Noël + Amsterdam + best-friend-brother/friends-to-lovers, comment dire ... wouah !!
Je me suis régalée avec ce court roman se déroulant à Amsterdam, mettant en scène une virée entre amis avec pour objectif principal une demande en mariage (Tom, le frère d'un des héros (Arlo) veut en effet réunir toutes les conditions pour demander la main de Bee, son chéri, et être entouré de leurs amis à ce moment-là). Qui dit Tom et la bande dit forcément Jack, meilleur ami de Tom, et accessoirement crush de Arlo depuis ses onze ans ... Outre ce séjour où ils vont être amenés à se côtoyer constamment, Arlo & Jack vont aussi devoir partager une chambre d'hôtel en raison de circonstances fortuites. Oh comme le hasard fait bien les choses, non ? Lily Morton ajoute donc un trope supplémentaire ici, et c'est un régal de plus !
Arlo est un personnage "mortonien" dans toute sa splendeur, avec sa maladresse et son snark inimitable. C'est un jeune homme drôle et impertinent qui a toujours la réplique qui tue, je ne compte pas le nombre de fois où il m'a fait rire. Jack est quant à lui bien plus réservé et calme, c'est un jeune homme séduisant, qui attire par sa force tranquille, un mec posé, qui observe plus qu'il ne parle, et il en voit des choses ...
Jack & Arlo sont adorables tous les deux, ils m'ont complètement fait craquer, je les ai trouvé tellement choupis ! Leur romance correspond vraiment à ce que j'aime dans ces tropes du best-friend-brother / friends-to-lovers : ils sont mignons et complices, sexys aussi et surtout, ils envoient du swoon !
L'esprit de bande qui imprègne tout le livre est un gros bonus aussi, les personnages secondaires occupent une place importante, ils sont drôles, envahissants et sont toujours là au mauvais moment ! Alors j'avoue qu'à l'apparition de S., j'étais un peu fâchée et je craignais un drama à deux balles, mais au final, cela a surtout été l'occasion de bien mettre en valeur les autres personnages, et de rire de sa stupidité (il m'a vachement fait penser à Fletcher, d'ailleurs, enfin si je ne me trompe pas de prénom ^^). Oh et puis Amsterdam quoi ! La ville offre un décor enchanteur, chaleureux et romantique à souhait, là aussi c'est pour moi un gros plus dans ce livre, et en plus, ça m'a rappelé de bons souvenirs de vacances !
C'est donc une jolie histoire que l'autrice nous propose là, pleine de douceur, de complicité et de moments drôles, le genre d'histoire qui vous réchauffe le coeur, vous fait rire, et vous laisser avec un sourire béat collé sur la figure, bref, une friandise à déguster sans aucune modération !
imme_van_gorp's review
2.0
|| 1.5 stars ||
Unfortunately, I was just really not feeling this.
That's not to say that there aren't quite a few cute moments in here, because there were, but they just didn't do anything for me, and I actually found myself completely and utterly bored more often than not.
I was genuinely waiting to be done with this one not all that long after I started reading. It did not grip me at all, and actually became slightly annoying after a while.
It gave me a bit of a headache, if I'm being completely honest.
The two main characters are nice guys, and they do appear to have perfectly fine personalities, but.. they somehow never really grew on me. They never breached that basic surface level, and rather remained a bit stereotypical and simple.
I know that these two were supposed to be this duo where one is perfect and one is all clumsy, but that got old rather quick and it actually felt like I was being told this more than shown.
Arlo was supposed to be the dorky, clumsy one of the two, but aside from being clumsy in the physical sense of the word with him walking into stuff, he was actually extremely confident and sassy. Not at all awkward or ‘clumsy’.
It was this weird clash where I was being told that Arlo was this lovable geek, but then he acted just like a normal funny dude. It was a jarring mix of two personalities, where it seemed like the author could never quite decide who exactly she wanted her characters to be.
I think the unclear personality portrait that we have of Arlo also shines through when it comes to his feelings for 'perfect' Jack.
He was so wishy-washy and flippant; sometimes he seemed to be totally in love, and other times he wasn't even sure if he still had something as simple as a crush on his childhood hero. Did he really want to be with Jack? Or did he not?
Arlo was the least adamant person ever, and I really needed him to pull his head out of his arse. He could have at least tried to fight a little bit more for what he wanted, as he really did not do this once. If it wasn't for Jack's perseverance, these two would have never gotten together. No way.
Now, when it comes to the actual plot, I have to say that I did like the sightseeing and ‘hanging out’ they all did in Amsterdam. I think it had quite a warm feel to it, and their trip was even more enjoyable for me personally because I'm Dutch myself and was therefore incredibly familiar with all the references.
However, I do have to say that I think the plot could have been a little bit more expanded than just sightseeing, as it's, of course, quite a bit of an empty story on its own.
I also thought the whole sub-plot concerning the evil ex-boyfriend was so strange, as I couldn't for the life of me understand why he was even in Amsterdam.
I mean, why the others couldn't just tell him to bugger off was completely beyond me, but more importantly, it was never made very clear to me why the ex-boyfriend even wanted to be there. He wasn't particularly in love with Jack, and he also wasn't exactly trying to win him back very effectively. So what the hell was he doing, then?
The ex-boyfriend coming to Amsterdam just because he was sort of obsessed with Jack's parents was the weirdest thing ever and seemed like a very unsatisfactory explanation.
I actually think it would have made a lot more sense for him to simply just be in love with Jack, yet being a dick about it, hence not being what Jack wants. It would have given the same amount of angst, if not even more, without it being completely nonsensical.
Unfortunately, this easy option was not chosen, and instead a very strange and peculiar route was taken, which I could have gladly done without.
Something that was frequently mentioned in this book were the tiresome amount of childhood memories. There were so many of them, and I quite frankly could not have cared any less.
I didn't feel connected to these stories, as I hardly felt connected to the characters as they were now, let alone to when they were years younger.
It just felt as if they were trying way too hard to be all fun and 'oooh, happy vibes', which in the end just felt off and more cringy than heart-warming.
Long story short, I was mostly bored out of my mind while reading this, and even a few cute moments can't make this novel all that much better. Especially when none of those moments really packed much of a punch for me, as I simply just didn't care about anyone or anything that happened.
Unfortunately, I was just really not feeling this.
That's not to say that there aren't quite a few cute moments in here, because there were, but they just didn't do anything for me, and I actually found myself completely and utterly bored more often than not.
I was genuinely waiting to be done with this one not all that long after I started reading. It did not grip me at all, and actually became slightly annoying after a while.
It gave me a bit of a headache, if I'm being completely honest.
The two main characters are nice guys, and they do appear to have perfectly fine personalities, but.. they somehow never really grew on me. They never breached that basic surface level, and rather remained a bit stereotypical and simple.
I know that these two were supposed to be this duo where one is perfect and one is all clumsy, but that got old rather quick and it actually felt like I was being told this more than shown.
Arlo was supposed to be the dorky, clumsy one of the two, but aside from being clumsy in the physical sense of the word with him walking into stuff, he was actually extremely confident and sassy. Not at all awkward or ‘clumsy’.
It was this weird clash where I was being told that Arlo was this lovable geek, but then he acted just like a normal funny dude. It was a jarring mix of two personalities, where it seemed like the author could never quite decide who exactly she wanted her characters to be.
I think the unclear personality portrait that we have of Arlo also shines through when it comes to his feelings for 'perfect' Jack.
He was so wishy-washy and flippant; sometimes he seemed to be totally in love, and other times he wasn't even sure if he still had something as simple as a crush on his childhood hero. Did he really want to be with Jack? Or did he not?
Arlo was the least adamant person ever, and I really needed him to pull his head out of his arse. He could have at least tried to fight a little bit more for what he wanted, as he really did not do this once. If it wasn't for Jack's perseverance, these two would have never gotten together. No way.
Now, when it comes to the actual plot, I have to say that I did like the sightseeing and ‘hanging out’ they all did in Amsterdam. I think it had quite a warm feel to it, and their trip was even more enjoyable for me personally because I'm Dutch myself and was therefore incredibly familiar with all the references.
However, I do have to say that I think the plot could have been a little bit more expanded than just sightseeing, as it's, of course, quite a bit of an empty story on its own.
I also thought the whole sub-plot concerning the evil ex-boyfriend was so strange, as I couldn't for the life of me understand why he was even in Amsterdam.
I mean, why the others couldn't just tell him to bugger off was completely beyond me, but more importantly, it was never made very clear to me why the ex-boyfriend even wanted to be there. He wasn't particularly in love with Jack, and he also wasn't exactly trying to win him back very effectively. So what the hell was he doing, then?
The ex-boyfriend coming to Amsterdam just because he was sort of obsessed with Jack's parents was the weirdest thing ever and seemed like a very unsatisfactory explanation.
I actually think it would have made a lot more sense for him to simply just be in love with Jack, yet being a dick about it, hence not being what Jack wants. It would have given the same amount of angst, if not even more, without it being completely nonsensical.
Unfortunately, this easy option was not chosen, and instead a very strange and peculiar route was taken, which I could have gladly done without.
Something that was frequently mentioned in this book were the tiresome amount of childhood memories. There were so many of them, and I quite frankly could not have cared any less.
I didn't feel connected to these stories, as I hardly felt connected to the characters as they were now, let alone to when they were years younger.
It just felt as if they were trying way too hard to be all fun and 'oooh, happy vibes', which in the end just felt off and more cringy than heart-warming.
Long story short, I was mostly bored out of my mind while reading this, and even a few cute moments can't make this novel all that much better. Especially when none of those moments really packed much of a punch for me, as I simply just didn't care about anyone or anything that happened.
kberry513's review
4.0
Very cute romcom, albeit a little more explicit than I expected. I enjoyed all the characters and there were several laugh out loud funny lines.
tesssiob's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
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
3.5
mamabears_fabulous_book_finds's review
5.0
Christmas love and snark!
An amazing Christmas story! Snark, laughs, great characters and an amazing love story. Another beautiful book by Lily. Anytime I read a new book by her, I have to immediately do a re-read of all of her other books. Off I go!
An amazing Christmas story! Snark, laughs, great characters and an amazing love story. Another beautiful book by Lily. Anytime I read a new book by her, I have to immediately do a re-read of all of her other books. Off I go!
polkadotgirl's review
2.0
2/5 stars:
I feel a little bad for giving this book 2 stars, because it seems too harsh, and honestly speaking it’s not like there’s anything horrible about the story, but the writing, and the characters, and the relationship? Just not good.
The story is supposed to be light hearted and humorous, which is not exactly my thing for romances but I can like it if it’s well done, but in this case it’s just a bit too ridiculous and over the top.
The main characters feel flat and one dimensional, and their relationship isn’t properly developed at all. A lot of their connection relies on previous experiences and not on page interactions, but I don’t feel like the foundation of the relationship is presented well enough to feel compelling or to make me understand why the two characters like each other.
This just wasn’t for me and I’m sad because the setting (Amsterdam) and the trope (brother’s best friend) and the time (Christmas) were so promising.
I feel a little bad for giving this book 2 stars, because it seems too harsh, and honestly speaking it’s not like there’s anything horrible about the story, but the writing, and the characters, and the relationship? Just not good.
The story is supposed to be light hearted and humorous, which is not exactly my thing for romances but I can like it if it’s well done, but in this case it’s just a bit too ridiculous and over the top.
The main characters feel flat and one dimensional, and their relationship isn’t properly developed at all. A lot of their connection relies on previous experiences and not on page interactions, but I don’t feel like the foundation of the relationship is presented well enough to feel compelling or to make me understand why the two characters like each other.
This just wasn’t for me and I’m sad because the setting (Amsterdam) and the trope (brother’s best friend) and the time (Christmas) were so promising.
andrea_author's review
5.0
Kindergarten teacher Arlo's family meets in Amsterdam for Christmas, and his brother brings best friend Jack along. Which is wonderful and horrifying, because Arlo's had a crush on Jack forever. Due to a booking error, the two end up sharing a room. Could it be any more awkward? How is Arlo supposed to stop himself from staring longingly at the man of his dreams at inopportune moments? But when those longing glances are returned, can the two of them find more than friendship together without destroying Jack's relationship with Arlo's brother?
This fun, quirky rom com had me laughing all the way through. Arlo is a delight. He's unrestrained and over-the-top, while Jack likes to make things orderly to keep stress in check. It's opposites attract in the best way. Don't miss it!
Thanks, Gay Romance Reviews, for the audio ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
This fun, quirky rom com had me laughing all the way through. Arlo is a delight. He's unrestrained and over-the-top, while Jack likes to make things orderly to keep stress in check. It's opposites attract in the best way. Don't miss it!
Thanks, Gay Romance Reviews, for the audio ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
layla87's review
5.0
I received an ARC from GRR in exchange for an honest review.
A new Lily Morton book? Yes please!
A new Holiday Lily Morton book? HELL YES PLEASE!
It's no secret that Lily is a 1-click author for me, and I inhale her books rather than read them. #SorryNotSorry
And this story.... THIS STORY WAS SO GOOD!
A mixture of tropes that came together to create a prefect holiday story. It was as sweet as Christmas cookies with a pinch of ginger to add a kick of hotness to that sweetness. Ok now I made myself hungry. #MovingOn
What I loved about this book...
1. The Characters...
- Arlo, the love child of Charlie and Oz, is such a sweet, out-spoken character. He stole my heart from the very first page and he was a delight to read. He was the prefect blend of soft and strong. he stood up for the people he loved more than he stood up for himself. He was selfless and seeing him with Jack reinforced all his good traits. #IAmArloHearMeRoar
- Jack, the "Brother's Best Friend", has been in Arlo's life for as long as he can remember. He has always had a soft spot for Arlo, and lately his feelings have shifted to something less... platonic. Jack seems larger than life with his life is all planned out. He's a perfectionist, and he has to have things "just-so". #AllMyDucksInARow
2. The Plot...
Arlo and Jack are in Amsterdam, with their friends so his brother Tom could propose to his boyfriend Bee. during their trip, Arlo and Jack grow closer together and start to accept the feelings they are both having toward each other. Also, the one room trope.... #CloseProximity
3. The Romance...
The romance felt so genuine and organic. Arlo has been crushing on Jack for years, with Jack being the person who sparked his gayness to life. His feelings' transition to "more" was believable and logical because the root was always there.
Jack on the other hand... his feelings shifted differently, but no less realistically. Arlo was always there, always important, and always special. Being close to him made his less-than-platonic feelings come to the surface faster. Despite this, nothing felt forced or rushed or came out of the blue. #NaturalProgression
4. The Heat...
The book is not overly steamy, but it still sizzles when the naughtiness happens. Arlo and Jack shake things up in the bedroom and Ms. Morton kicks some stereotypes to the curb. I loved the fact that "Nerdy Sweet Arlo" has a dirty mouth, and "Larger Than Life Jack" has a vulnerable self-conscience side. #FalseExpectations
5. The HEA...
The ending was perfect for them, from the setting to the mood, to the unsaid words between them. Their love shown as brilliantly as the Christmas lights. #OurLifeHasJustBegun
A new Lily Morton book? Yes please!
A new Holiday Lily Morton book? HELL YES PLEASE!
It's no secret that Lily is a 1-click author for me, and I inhale her books rather than read them. #SorryNotSorry
And this story.... THIS STORY WAS SO GOOD!
A mixture of tropes that came together to create a prefect holiday story. It was as sweet as Christmas cookies with a pinch of ginger to add a kick of hotness to that sweetness. Ok now I made myself hungry. #MovingOn
What I loved about this book...
1. The Characters...
- Arlo, the love child of Charlie and Oz, is such a sweet, out-spoken character. He stole my heart from the very first page and he was a delight to read. He was the prefect blend of soft and strong. he stood up for the people he loved more than he stood up for himself. He was selfless and seeing him with Jack reinforced all his good traits. #IAmArloHearMeRoar
- Jack, the "Brother's Best Friend", has been in Arlo's life for as long as he can remember. He has always had a soft spot for Arlo, and lately his feelings have shifted to something less... platonic. Jack seems larger than life with his life is all planned out. He's a perfectionist, and he has to have things "just-so". #AllMyDucksInARow
2. The Plot...
Arlo and Jack are in Amsterdam, with their friends so his brother Tom could propose to his boyfriend Bee. during their trip, Arlo and Jack grow closer together and start to accept the feelings they are both having toward each other. Also, the one room trope.... #CloseProximity
3. The Romance...
The romance felt so genuine and organic. Arlo has been crushing on Jack for years, with Jack being the person who sparked his gayness to life. His feelings' transition to "more" was believable and logical because the root was always there.
Jack on the other hand... his feelings shifted differently, but no less realistically. Arlo was always there, always important, and always special. Being close to him made his less-than-platonic feelings come to the surface faster. Despite this, nothing felt forced or rushed or came out of the blue. #NaturalProgression
4. The Heat...
The book is not overly steamy, but it still sizzles when the naughtiness happens. Arlo and Jack shake things up in the bedroom and Ms. Morton kicks some stereotypes to the curb. I loved the fact that "Nerdy Sweet Arlo" has a dirty mouth, and "Larger Than Life Jack" has a vulnerable self-conscience side. #FalseExpectations
5. The HEA...
The ending was perfect for them, from the setting to the mood, to the unsaid words between them. Their love shown as brilliantly as the Christmas lights. #OurLifeHasJustBegun