I really enjoyed this, even though it's pretty much a Hallmark movie in book form and I'm not a Hallmark movie fan (I mean, the heroine even watches a ton of Hallmark Christmas movies...). This is simply a sweet, funny and short Christmas read - nothing too dramatic and predictable.

Kelly Byrne is a very superstitious school teacher at a prestigious NYC school who travels back upstate every weekend to stay at the house her grandmother left her. She takes her superstitions to the extreme (much to my annoyance) and relies on her trusty 8-ball to provide her guidance. Yes, it's over the top. Oh and she absolutely loves Christmas. Her best friend is also her neighbor and a really hot lumberjack model type of a guy - Mark Blakely (he's a chef at a local restaurant). They come and go from each other's houses without knocking, they co-parent a dog and pretty much tell each other everything.

Kelly encounters a woman while waiting to take the train back upstate for Christmas break. This one has "the Sight" and tells Kelly that she's already met 'the one' and they'll be together by Christmas. Well, Kelly immediately starts making a list of her exes, tells Mark of her plan, and then decides to track down each of them to see if they pass the 'mistletoe test' that proves they are indeed the right pair. It's all sort of ridiculous, but Mark patiently goes along with her plans. Oh and Mark has a crush on her and has pretty much loved her for the last 10 years, only Kelly doesn't realize that. So while she's unknowingly crushing Mark's heart the entire Christmas break, Mark is patiently waiting for her to see him as someone more than just her best friend. When she finally does, things heat up very quickly and it's hot. I mean what's not to like about Mark? There's just a little drama in the end, but they get their HEA and it's incredibly sweet and creative how Mark makes the next step in their relationship.

It's a cute story and one I'd recommend. Again, it's predictable and very "Hallmark-y." But don't let that deter you if you just want a casual fun read to get you in the holiday spirit.

When Kelly Byrne is approached by a woman determined to give her advice on her love life, Kelly becomes obsessed with following the advice by finding her exes and seeing if any of them is really her true love. However, the more determined she becomes to find her Mr. Right from her list, the harder she finds it becoming to resist her best friend, Mark. Will she give the man that's always been there for her a chance, or will her fear of losing their friendship if they become more than friends keep them apart?

Ms. Layne always manages to deliver highly entertaining stories that make me laugh or smile throughout and experience the emotions along with the main characters, and this story definitely does this. Not only because it's a friends to lovers trope encompassing story, but because the heroine is spunky and determined to discover if the psychic is right about her already having met her true love. The way this story started had me liking Kelly immediately, as she's spunky, superstitious and I love how she chooses to help her decide something when she's uncertain. However, it was from the moment Mark and Kelly come face-to-face for the first time in this story that had me reading quickly, determined to discover how long it would take the hero to admit his feelings for the heroine, as it's palpable he wants her and has for some time.

As for the dialogue, it was well-written, enchanting and is told mostly from the heroine's point-of-view. Moreover, I loved every time Kelly and Mark conversed, as she's feisty and isn't afraid to stand up for herself when she thinks Mark is out of line with his comments. I also liked how far she's willing to go to discover her true love and the test she puts them to in order to see if there's anything between her and one of her exes that make her thinks they're the one. While Mark, he's a good guy that would do anything for Kelly, even though it's not easy for him to be able to handle her obsession with her ex-list and finding who the psychic woman was talking about. He's also fun when it comes to interacting with Kelly as she pushes his buttons, hard-working and I loved how tight his friendship is with Kelly, as she's the one person he's always been able to talk to about anything. However, in saying that, there is a secret he has been keeping from her. Will she be able to handle the truth?

Overall, Ms. Layne has penned another worthwhile read in this book where the chemistry between Mark and Kelly is powerful and just keeps getting stronger with every moment they converse; the romance was hot and illustrates how right these two are for each other; and the ending had me smiling because of Kelly's determination to win Mark back and Mark's determination to make Kelly know how certain he is of the pair of them becoming more. I would recommend An Ex for Christmas by Lauren Layne, if you enjoy the friends to lovers trope or books by authors Penny Reid, Jessica Lemmon, Jen Frederick and Tawna Fenske.

3.5 stars--AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS is the fifth instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult LOVE UNEXPECTEDLY romance series. This is primary school teacher Kelly Byrne, and bar owner / chef Mark Blakely’s story line. AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from first person point of view (Kelly Byrne) with a final chapter by Mark, AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS is a friends to lovers, unrequited love story that follows a determined Kelly Byrne as she hopes to find ‘the one’ before Christmas. When a psychic tells Kelly that she has already met her ‘true love’ our heroine sets about to rekindle with a number of her exes, one disastrous date at a time. Enter best friend, neighbor and restaurant owner Mark Blakely, the man who has secretly waited ten years for Kelly to recognize that he is ‘the one.’ What ensues are Kelly’s attempts to find love in the days leading to the Christmas holidays, and the potential fall out as Mark battles his attraction to a woman who is oblivious to her best friend’s unrequited love.

Kelly Byrne is superstitious and gullible; a woman who believes in the ideology of the zodiac, a Magic 8 Ball, and all of the psychobabble that goes along with the mythical powers of seers, crystal balls and psychics-r-us. Our heroine refuses to take a chance until she asks a question of her ‘magical’ plastic orb. Mark Blakely is a man determined to prove to our heroine that he is her happily ever after but Kelly continues to be oblivious to Mark’s barely veiled attempts at seduction, as she maintains that one of her exes must still be the one.

The relationship between Kelly and Mark is one of a life-long friendship: more than just neighbors, Kelly and Mark also share custody of Rigby the dog. Throughout his life Mark has never wandered far from the woman that calls to his heart-a woman that continues to be oblivious to her best friends love. The $ex scenes are intimate, seductive and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Throughout the story Kelly Bryne leads a co-dependent life with not one, not two but three Magic 8 Balls. Her need and obsession to allow the plastic, mechanical device to rule all of her decisions and choices begins to get old very fast-not only for the people in her life but for the man who must endure watching the woman he loves attempt to rekindle with every man from her past. In this, I struggled to like the heroine or accept her fascination and overwhelming dependence upon the mystical powers of the 8 Ball and the stars-I would have to question the emotional stability of someone so reliant upon, and absorbed with, the questionable ‘predictive’ nature of a cheap, plastic toy. The potential humor was lost on this reader, as I couldn’t get past the absurdity of the entire situation-my exasperation and agitation grew with each shake of the 8 ball, mention of the zodiac signs, and the heroine’s obliviousness about the man who refuses let go.

AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS is an interesting story line of friendship and love; superstition and psychics; and of the potential for one woman to lose not only her best friend but a love that has endured one disastrous relationship at a time. The premise is imaginative; the characters are colorful and energetic; the romance struggles with the idealistic beliefs of one woman desperately trying to find her happily ever after, in the past. In the end Kelly’s true love had been with her all along.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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I haven't read anything by Lauren Layne that I haven't just gobbled up. So when I saw she was writing a Christmas themed book, I KNEW I had to read it :)

Kelly and Mark were best friends. Mark has always had a thing for her and when she decides to go through all her exes to find her true love (cause a psychic told her she had already met him), sparks finally fly between them.

I loved this! It was sweet and perfect and should definitely be made into a Hallmark Christmas movie LOL

*thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me*

4.5 All I want for Christmas stars

Ah I love my Christmas themed stories and I enjoy Lauren Layne's stories so I'm excited to dive in. It all starts after Kelly Bryne is told by a fortune teller that she has met the one already. She thinks this means an it's an ex though not not explicitly describe. So she makes a list of ex boyfriends past, it didn't go the way I thought but I'm still happy with that.

Kelly reminds me of that heroine from an older movie, superstitious and believer of signs. Maybe a tad more extreme. Not that there's anything wrong but she seems to be dictated somewhat by it, most of her decisions. She's very earnest and spunky in her ways. She enlists her best friend Mark to help her on this hunt for her guy by Christmas.

I like what I saw of Mark, he maybe quiet and a bit grumpy but he's a great friend, caring in his way and loyal. I like he has his quirks and Kelly does too but they get one another. I had a feeling where this would go but it's going to be interesting to see. I can't help but think this ex list is limiting and at first it sounded like a fun plan but as it went on I see it more like defense plan to hide behind. Kelly should see what's right there in front of her all along before it's too late. This is where things get sticky though with Mark helping Kelly they get closer than friends are. It's getting spicy and nearly the end of the list? Time for Kelly to decide what she really wants to believe.

An Ex for Christmas is a full of holiday cheer and lovely friends to more inspired reed that will surely warm your reading list. Lauren Layne does her usual touch of making a relationship spark at the right time. Mark and Kelly definitely had a comfortable relationship that needed a little push. An easy light with a touch of angst read for the holidays.

I love a good holiday read, but I really wanted to smack Kelly in the back of the head a few times to wake here up and make her see what was right in front of her. A great way to start off the season and such a sweet story of friends to lovers.

I had great difficulty connecting with the characters. They came across as immature and unlikeable. I love Lauren Layne's books, but this one wasn't for me.

Great holiday read. LOVED watching Kelly go back down memory lane but enjoyed Mark’s action much more. This was a friends-to-lovers romance that gave a warm holiday feel all the way to your toes. Kelly herself was sweet, unique, quirky, and more. She was the festive glitter for the world around her. Mark was the one man she never considered to be the one. He was her friends, dependable, sweet, stable, steady, honest. She thought no further than their friendship. She missed what others saw. He was hot, sexy, easy smile, and had eyes for her.

While on her hunt for the ex that she thinks will be her future Mr. Right, she finds that there are more things to the friendship she has with Mark. This holiday season has more in store for Kelly and Mark both with a little bit of superstition, quirk, patience, and the holiday season. This will be one that neither Mark, nor Kelly will forget.

An Ex for Christmas will be one of those holiday reads that you will want to come back an read over again with the each new season or multiple times before the holiday season is over. I LOVED IT.

This was my first holiday read of 2017 and it really got me in the Christmas mood. Kelly is all about "the sight" as she calls it, horoscopes, magic 8 balls and Christmas. Out of the blue, a "psychic" woman tells her she has already met "the One" and will reunite with him before the holiday so she is sure this is a sign and is all about figuring out who this person will be. Much to the dismay of her best friend Mark, she creates the Ex list to find out who it could be. I liked Kelly. She relied a little to much on signs but I could tell there was an underlying reason. She did have some insecurities and was sure a guy like Mark could never like her, so in her own words she 'friend-zoned" herself before he could. I really loved Mark. He was a great friend and I could tell he was all about Kelly. If only she could see it. This was a great holiday book and I really enjoyed this story. It had all the feels of a Hallmark movie and I just love that. Add this book to your Christmas list.

An Ex for Christmas by Lauren Layne was so much fun to read! What happens when you realize what you were looking for has always been right in front of you?

Kelly Byrne is quirky, fun and very superstitious and absolutely loves Christmas. When a psychic tells her she has already met the one, she quickly becomes obsessed with finding the ex that got away. But what she does not see is the best friend that has always been there for her.

Mark Blakely has been Kelly’s best friends for years. He has always been there for her, all while harboring feelings for her that just never seemed right to express. The last thing he wants is to see her go through all the heartbreak again when she decides to contact all her exes. What he really wants is for her to finally see him.

I loved Kelly. She is that friend that is fun and quirky and all about fates and psychics. So when she learns she has met her true love, she assumes it is one of her exes. This embarks her on a crazy journey to find him, in two weeks no less. But what she does not expect is the feelings and tension that is happening now with her best friend, Mark.

Mark was everything. He has loved Kelly for a long time, but has kept it to himself. Instead he has always been there for her and is always putting her first. He was so sweet and caring.

An Ex for Christmas was such an adorable and charming story. I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other and the story so much. Perfect lead in to the holidays!

A cute friends-to-lovers story set during the Holiday season.

Kelly and Mark have known each other since they were kids. They're best friends, although seemingly polar opposites in terms of personality. Kelly is a superstitious believer in "fate" and things like fortune tellers and Magic 8 balls. Mark is, well, most decidedly not. Kelly sets off on a quest to reconnect with her exes after being told by a psychic that she's already met her true love.

Kelly's borderline obsession with "superstitious" stuff like horoscopes, Magic 8 Balls and psychics could have come off as totally flaky and annoying, but instead, I found it kind of endearing (although a bit hard to relate to, myself). As her polar opposite, Mark initially comes off as a bit stuffy, and while not supportive of Kelly's quest, still has her back. It seems to be obvious to everyone but Kelly who she should end up with, but her journey to enlightenment was fun to read. The dynamic between Kelly and Mark is cute and although it's a bit of a slow-burn, once they connect, their chemistry is great.

Although part of Layne's LOVE UNEXPECTEDLY series, there is absolutely no reason this couldn't be read as a stand-alone.

*ARC provided by the publisher and NetGalley*

Lauren Layne is one of my happy place authors. You guys know what I'm talking about, right? An author you just know will always make you smile and your heart sing! She's one of those for me. EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. I'm actually glad that have books by her I haven't read yet, so I always have a read to lift my spirits if need be!

An Ex for Christmas was delightful and delicious and sexy and fun and just happy! SO, let me give you the gist because it's quite adorable ... So Kelly is ready to meet her destiny. So ready that she turns to a psychic. Said psychic tells her she's already met the man of her destiny. And so goes Kelly off on a dating spree of all her exes ... CUTENESS personified, I tell you! Now Mark ... well, Mark is her best friend. Knows her in and out. They know each other in and out. They are truly an awesome pair! Well, without telling you the whole story-line ... I'll just say Kelly has indeed met Mark already :) OMG THIS BOOK WAS THE FUNNEST!

Copy provided for blog tour review

This friends to lovers story is a perfect distraction outside of the season of goodwill or within it, depending on when you settle down to read it! It's hilarious, funny and a perfect novel for a cosy night in with a glass of mulled wine.

In Kelly Byrne's world, if a psychic tells you you've already met your true love it must be true, right? With Christmas around the corner and the new year not far behind, she devises a plan to track down all her ex-boyfriends to see which one is 'Mr Right', only her happy ever after guy is closer than she thinks.

Mark Blakely thinks his life is turning the right corner when the woman he secretly loves is now available again. It's a tricky situation because she's also his best friend so after waiting all this time he's determined to get his girl until she tells him her crazy plan. A plan that doesn't involve him.

Although highly amusing, Kelly's behaviour is heartbreaking sometimes as she relies on superstitions to make her life choices. It's funny but sad, she relies so much on such silliness to tempt fate, based on a brief conversation with a psychic. However, Mark is a wonderful example of a truly one in a million guy, the perfect man to counterbalance Kelly's crazy ideas.

All the unbelievable and entertaining drama is gift wrapped around a Christmassy backdrop filled with seasonal cheer. The author's love of this season of goodwill shines through in her writing, littered with her signature wit and humour. I'm not a fan of this holiday but even my heart was warmed by this festive happy ever after.

4.5 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Loveswept via NetGalley***

I love everything about this book....the author did a great job holding my attention. I can't wait to read more books by her.

Are you in the mood for an extremely joyful holiday romance? Then immerse yourself in Lauren Layne's latest offering, An Ex For Christmas. This is a fast-paced and nicely-written read that primarily takes place in upstate New York. The small town of Haven is just a short train ride away from the hustle and bustle of New York City. The story grabbed my attention right from the beginning, and the characters made me laugh, smile, and contemplate the signs of the zodiac. This is the fifth book from Ms. Layne's Love Unexpectedly series, and it can be enjoyed as as standalone.

Grade school teacher Kelly Byrne is a very superstitious person. She analyzes her horoscope everyday and uses one of the three Magic 8 Balls that she owns to manage her life. On her way from NYC to Haven for the holidays, Kelly receives some unsolicited advice from a psychic located on a Subway platform. The psychic tells Kelly that she has already met her true love. This newfound wisdom causes Kelly to hunt down her ex-boyfriends, in order to find out which guy is the one that got away.

Chef Mark Blakely is an all around good guy, and his restaurant is thriving in Haven. He and Kelly are best friends, neighbors, and share the responsibility of their cuddly dog Rigby. Mark has always been in love with Kelly, but Kelly has never picked up on that little fact. Being in the friend zone is especially difficult this Christmas, because Kelly is talking about and spending time with her exes. Luckily, the magic of season creates some sexual tension between them, which evolves into much more.

I liked this entertaining and sexy story. Ms. Layne's vibrant descriptions of the snowy landscapes and seasonal activities, make you want to be in Haven for the holidays. Kelly and Mark are well-defined characters and their sexy times are both loving and hot. Kelly's superstitious beliefs were quite comical at times. Overall, this is an engaging holiday read that should be added to your TBR list.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This is the first book I have read by Lauren Layne and it will not be my last. I loved it! It is full of humor with a little bit of heartache, a fortune teller, and a whole lot of fun. I enjoyed all of the antics while Kelly Byrne ties to find which of her exes is her one true love. She has to do this before Christmas according to the fortune teller she met in the subway. What a great story that will have you laughing and you will not be able to put the book down.

This was a cute, fun, quick read perfect for anyone who appreciates a good friends to lovers story.
Kelly and Mark have been friends since high school. They share everything, including a back yard and a dog since Kelly splits her time between living in NYC and their hometown 2 hours away. Their adventure kicks off when a fortune teller lets Kelly know that she's already met "the one" and she takes that to mean an ex-boyfriend.
Watching Kelly track down her exes with Mark in the background was interesting and frustrating. I found myself liking Kelly, but I also wanted to reach into the book and shake her for being clueless. To be honest, Kelly is the main reason this isn't a full 4 star read for me. She is a funny and interesting character, but I didn't like how she consistently put herself down nor did I think the constant comments about her weight were constructive; especially considering how she compared herself to Mark. Kelly's self doubt made it a little harder to fully buy into the concept that Mark had been secretly in love with her for so long, mainly because he is portrayed as such a string character.
I enjoyed An Ex for Christmas and loved the premise, I just would have liked to have seen a little bit of a stronger heroine with a more positive body image.

After being told by a psychic that she's already met "The One" and she'll reunite with him by Christmas, Kelly is a woman on a mission to connect with her exes to figure out who the lucky man is. Mark and Kelly have been best friends since high school but he's not really into the psychics, magic 8 balls, and general reliance on fate that Kelly is. He tells her, at every chance, that this plan is ridiculous but Kelly just can't let it go. The lengths that Kelly goes to to track down her exes and ignore her growing feelings for her BFF are hilarious.

This is my first Christmas book for the year and it definitely put me in a holiday mood. I couldn't really get why Kelly was so obsessed with magic 8 balls and psychics but Mark's response to all it was fantastic. He was constantly the voice of reason, the reminder of why these men were exes, and was quietly there waiting for Kelly to get a clue. I loved their friendship and laughed so much. This holiday story was sweet with some heat and the perfect start to the Christmas season.

*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

4.5 'All I Want for Christmas is Mark' Stars!
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

And again, Lauren Layne delivers another heart-warming love story! Winter is here and Christmas is around the corner so what better way to start getting into the Christmas mood than a friends to lovers love story by one of my favorite authors! I thought (at first) this story would be about exes reuniting but it is more “complicated” than that. This is about two best friends who fall in love (or have been..) with each other.

An Ex for Christmas is a standalone novel, but it belongs to the Love Unexpectedly series (all standalones). This is Lauren’s first Christmas novel and as I said it’s a friends to lovers romance. Kelly and Mark have been best friends for the longest time, Kelly is more than ready to settle down with the love of her life, but, this love is nowhere in sight (according to her..). Our lovely heroine is in fact a believer of all things “fate” so she believes everything an unknown woman tells her: that she already knows said person. A quest starts, Kelly is going though all her exes to find this love, but everything gets complicated when she discovers that she has feelings for her best friend Mark (who *swoon* has loved her from the very beginning).

Some things just weren’t meant to be questioned; they simply were.
Mark and I are one of them, I guess.

As all her other creations, Lauren Layne made An Ex for Christmas a slow burn romance that melted my heart. I found the relationship between Kelly and Mark absolutely adorable. Their friendship is so especial: they have so many fantastic moments together and their chemistry (as friends and later as lovers) is palpable on every single page. In fact, I loved Mark from the very start because he is so clearly protective of Kelly and very much in love with her! I mean, sometimes I wanted to shake Kelly so badly because she does not see that AT ALL! And I just wanted that fantastic man to be happy.

I should be freaked out—I know I should, but truthfully what’s freaking me out more isn’t how wrong this is but how absurdly right it feels. As though his mouth was made for mine, as though we should have been doing this a long time ago.

And here is maybe the only thing that I did not enjoy as much: how Kelly is not able to see what Mark feels for her (and what she feels for him!) until almost the very end of the story. Yeah, they do realize the chemistry between them earlier and the sex (as always) is beautifully written and oh-so-sexy! Lauren’s heroes always do it for me and the slow burn is to die for! But, I felt like the ending was a bit rushed: it was amazing and so sweet but a little rushed. However, I can almost forget all this because I really enjoyed the love story as a whole and because I loved these two together as a couple!

I’m in love with you.
(And don’t bother telling me I’m too late.)
(I’ll win you back. You know I will.)
All I want for Christmas. . .
Is you.

Therefore, my rating for An Ex for Christmas is 4.5 STARS because it was an adorable Christmas-themed love story that holiday lovers will definitely enjoy! If you love this festive holiday and you also happen to love Lauren Layne’s stories, you surely will enjoy this one! Mark and Kelly are great together and their happy ending will melt your heart. So yeah, I am recommending this one, especially if you are a LL and a Christmas fan!

My love for all things written by Lauren Layne gave this book a 4 star rating, as the writing is funny and sassy. A Christmas story with a friends-to-lovers trope is a thing of beauty...but Kelly, our heroine, is a kook! Now, I know people believe in tea leaves, magic eight balls and such, and that's fine. But Kelly's belief has taken over her life, to the point where she can't make a decision without shaking the numerous magics 8's she has in her possession. Now her bff, Mark, humors her about it, for the most part. But I think if I were him and in love with her for years, I would have thrown one at her by this point in time. Kelly is so busy looking at the stars for guidance that she almost loses what's right in front of her. And to me, she was just super annoying.
Now, Kelly together with Mark...the sexy best friend...Layne played the banter between the two of them perfectly.That man has the patience of a saint! And he is what kept me going, despite my initial distaste for Kelly. I did grow to appreciate her, if not love her.
Great read, not overly long but just enough to whet my appetite for more holiday reads!