Scan barcode
jen1804's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This was a cute instant-attraction romance. It’s hard to explain but the characters of Stella and Aiden were well developed and yet at the same time were a little bizarre to the point I found it hard to see them as who Tessa Bailey was trying to describe them as if that even remotely makes sense.
There were some really lush scenes which I enjoyed very much such as them eating donuts and then *not* kissing in the car, and I especially loved the tension in the first part of the book. I appreciated that the characters had several DMCs. I also loved the ‘find a gift in 15 mins’ scene, and when Stella is trying on a dress in the store and their eyes meet in the mirror, I thought that scene was really tender and well portrayed by Tessa Bailey.
The spice was nothing special, but also wasn’t bad.
I could’ve done with there being a bit more Christmas involved to help me feel more festive. I know it’s set around Christmas time and there is talk of decorations and Christmas parties but I just needed that little bit more!
Loved the epilogue, stop it right now with Aiden sending framed photos of all Stella’s windows to her parents, that put a sweet lump in my throat.
Overall a good read.
Satisfactory ending? Yes.
There were some really lush scenes which I enjoyed very much such as them eating donuts and then *not* kissing in the car, and I especially loved the tension in the first part of the book. I appreciated that the characters had several DMCs. I also loved the ‘find a gift in 15 mins’ scene, and when Stella is trying on a dress in the store and their eyes meet in the mirror, I thought that scene was really tender and well portrayed by Tessa Bailey.
The spice was nothing special, but also wasn’t bad.
I could’ve done with there being a bit more Christmas involved to help me feel more festive. I know it’s set around Christmas time and there is talk of decorations and Christmas parties but I just needed that little bit more!
Loved the epilogue, stop it right now with Aiden sending framed photos of all Stella’s windows to her parents, that put a sweet lump in my throat.
Overall a good read.
Satisfactory ending? Yes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Alcohol
Minor: Gun violence and Blood
caitlinemccann's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship
amanda_reads13's review against another edition
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
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Gaslighting
frankieclc's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship
sami_leigh's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
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
“You’ve given me a weird bow tie kink and nothing else is appealing now. It’s terrible. All I was thinking when that guy offered to buy me a drink was. Why? He doesn’t have any stories about Aunt Edna. What can I possibly get out of this?”
“Someday soon I’ll be healthy enough to be my own knight.”
“You get to take advantage of your own happiness. You’re allowed to keep it if they don’t want it.”
“I’m not abandoning you. But I’m not abandoning myself for you, either.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🎄 Dual POV
🎄 Insta-love
🎄 Workplace romance
🎄 Growth in the MCs; explicitly details the journey towards healthy communication & boundary setting 🙌🏻
🎄 Steamy 🔥
🎄 Quick read
🎄 Epilogue
⚠️ Toxic friendship, toxic family relationships, abandonment, imprisonment (in past), impact of imprisonment on mental health, robbery/gun violence (in past), panic attack (on page), workplace discrimination, claustrophobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Gun violence and Abandonment
shannnne_reads_words's review against another edition
emotional
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Classism, Gun violence, Confinement, and Panic attacks/disorders
bookishgoob's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Stella-a 25 year old ex con just being let out of prison and trying to find her footing & Aiden-a well meaning and sweet 30 something who runs an upscale New York department store. They cross paths one day just a few weeks before christmas and the rest….. you’ll have to read to find out.
This short, holiday themed novella was okay. To no fault of the author, I didn’t enjoy it. It was well written, the characters were nice, the story was paced well & I love christmas. But, this story wasn’t for me. I don’t enjoy “insta love” stories and I don’t enjoy when books lean into the pandemic aspect of real life. They mention the pandemic several times, as this is supposed to take place post lockdowns (I still believe we are in a pandemic, but I also have a weak immune system so i’m more at risk than others are so it bothers me when the pandemic is brought up in a way that suggests that are out of it) The pandemic has been such a dark time for so many people, bringing it to a romance novel takes me out of the subject matter. On top of all that, I thought that the relationship was just.. too out there. He meets her in the street one day and then is obsessed with her? like i understand that that can happen but the way it did just didn’t feel as warm and gooey as i was expecting. This is my preference alone. I didn’t hate the book, I enjoyed certain parts of it and I don’t regret reading it, it just hasn’t been my favorite thing i’ve read.
This short, holiday themed novella was okay. To no fault of the author, I didn’t enjoy it. It was well written, the characters were nice, the story was paced well & I love christmas. But, this story wasn’t for me. I don’t enjoy “insta love” stories and I don’t enjoy when books lean into the pandemic aspect of real life. They mention the pandemic several times, as this is supposed to take place post lockdowns (I still believe we are in a pandemic, but I also have a weak immune system so i’m more at risk than others are so it bothers me when the pandemic is brought up in a way that suggests that are out of it) The pandemic has been such a dark time for so many people, bringing it to a romance novel takes me out of the subject matter. On top of all that, I thought that the relationship was just.. too out there. He meets her in the street one day and then is obsessed with her? like i understand that that can happen but the way it did just didn’t feel as warm and gooey as i was expecting. This is my preference alone. I didn’t hate the book, I enjoyed certain parts of it and I don’t regret reading it, it just hasn’t been my favorite thing i’ve read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
mollydollydoodah's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
‘Endearing’ is the only proper one-word description of this novel. It’s an adorable little Christmas romance that had you in love with the characters from the very beginning. The background stories of the characters were very interesting, and the spice was phenomenal. It was cute, sweet, and short.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Confinement
unwise_samwise's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? No
3.0
Kinda cute and Christmasy
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Gun violence
nelumboreads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Where is the grump part we were promising?
All I could see was a girl with insecurities who was trying find her footing in the world post jail time (ik corny but deal with it)
Smut was good tho.
All I could see was a girl with insecurities who was trying find her footing in the world post jail time (ik corny but deal with it)
Smut was good tho.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Classism
Minor: Drug use