DNF. I couldn't get through this one. I found both of the main characters ridiculous, and just couldn't connect to them. I mean, at one point, Lilly actually stamps her foot when she isn't getting her way.

This book is freaking hilarious out of the gate. Lilly and Justin are the funniest couple. The witty back and forth banter between them was enough to have you rolling around on the floor laughing. O’Rourke his partner was the perfect happy foil to Justin’s often grumpy disposition. Once Justin accepted his fate of being in love with Lilly he became the perfect example of a merry Christmas. This is a jolly book to read.

Wrapped Up in You is the sort of story that would put even the Grinch in a festive mood. As it's packed full of festive cheer. Not to mention it's entertaining, super cute, and fast paced. And it left me with a big smile on my face.

Justin is grouchy, not only has he has been roped in to play Santa for the annual Ho Ho Ho Patrol, he is also stuck with an Elf. And the Elf is none other than Lilly, his little sisters best friend.
Lilly is a reporter and is going to document his every move. Justin has to keep his attraction towards Lilly in check while being stuck in the car with her, will he succeed?
Wrapped up in you is a cute, Hallmarkish Christmas read. I enjoyed the interactions between Justin and Lilly, they were fun. But I felt something was missing in the book, and the ending also felt a little rushed. So I’m giving it a 3.5 star rating.

Gods, I hate rating books less than a 3-star rating.. But even though this was an extremely fast-paced read and me liking reading about these characters, I just can't rate it any higher than 2.5 stars.

The story-line and concept were cute and the whole Christmas setting is fun to read about but I could somehow not connect to it the way I wanted to. It felt a bit too shallow I guess? Not enough depth and development throughout the story-line.

I did like reading from both pov's and I also liked the minor characters. And despite rating this book with 2.5 stars, I'm still debating whether or not I'd read another book by this author instead of already deciding I don't want to read anything else, because she was referring to writing a book about a minor character in this one and I'm quite curious about this particular character haha..

Overall, it was a cute Christmas-setting read with potential but it didn't live up to its expectations, unfortunately. It lacked depth in general and the writing was repetitive at times. Because of that, I just couldn't get a good feel on it all and couldn't connect with the story and characters the way I wanted to.

Despite those remarks... It was a fast-paced read and I finished this book in no-time in one sitting. So if you're interested in a low-angst-ridden romantic story in a Christmas setting, this may be just the light-hearted read you were looking for.

*I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for writing an honest review.

Sweet as candy.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This book was not what I expected and the cover does nothing for this book.... Reading the synopsis I was looking for a story about a hot cop playing Santa. What we got is a grouchy cop, who needs new friends and family, thrown into a ugly job for his department. I can’t say I blame him for being grouchy. I would not to be amused in the least.

Pair that with an immature, sister's best friend, who I really didn't care for. Manipulative and aggressive, all for the sake of a job.

The story has some great moments that show us Justin's true personality, but the story is too short to delve into much. It takes place over 2-3 days and a lot is assumed in that short timeframe. But it is a cute, high energy, clean romance.

If you are into overly sweet, Insta-love, then this is a perfect story that you may enjoy. The story is a fast read and will probably get you into the Christmas mood.

3.5 stars

A holiday romance that feels a little like a Hallmark movie. They suck me in every year at the holidays, and the likeness made Wrapped Up in You a fun read.

Justin is not happy to be playing the role of Santa for the police department. He's even less happy when he finds out the reporter he's working with is his younger sister's childhood best friend., Lilly.

There were a few plot points that didn't feel quite realistic with Justin's job and Lilly's news stories. Since the holidays are all about the magic and good will for others, though, they made the book fun.

The ending felt a tad rushed, but overall a nice Christmas story to get you in the holiday spirit.

Wrapped Up in You is a dreary, drama heavy tale that did not make me feel very festive.

Justin is a cop who hates the holidays, for good reason - his father passed away during the holidays. So, to cheer him up, his captain has decided Justin is to dress up and play Santa, all with a reporter following him around for a week. As if it couldn't get any worse, Justin finds out the reporter who's to follow him around is none other than his enemy, Lilly Maddox, his younger sister's best friend, and the girl who tore his heart apart when they were in high school.

I admit the premise sounded like a good one. It's just the execution that is lacking. Neither Justin or Lilly is a very likable character, which made it hard for me to connect to either of them. Justin is really down on life, for good reason I guess, and Lilly is an immature brat. Sure, she supposedly had matured by the time Justin saw her again, but she sure didn't act more mature than the 15-year-old who broke Justin's heart. Even though there were steamy times to be had, I didn't feel their connection to be that strong. I still can't even figure out why, or if, they liked each other.

I figured, considering the cute, cheerful cover, that Wrapped Up in You would be a sweet, fun holiday read with some spice. Instead, what I got was a dull, way too heavily dramatic, angsty read with unlikable characters whose chemistry was as dull as this story. This is a definite NO for me.

Justin is a police officer given the task of playing Santa, an assignment he is not happy with.

Lilly is desperate for a job with Channel 6 & happily takes on the task of Santa's elf, reporting on the toy drive for underprivileged families.

Unfortunately Justin & Lilly have a turbulent history & despite some serious chemistry they just cannot get along. Now they will be forced to work together for a whole week & they need to put their differences aside. Can it work or will it be a disaster?

I really enjoyed this story & thought the characters were great. Would love to read more about Justin's partner in the future

I thought it was an okay story. it seemed to drag for me so it took me awhile to finish.

Police Officer Justin Weaver would definitely win the award for Grinch of the precinct, so in order to get him into the holiday spirit, he's been handed the role of Officer Kringle. Dressed up as Santa, he's to go around collecting toys. However, at least there's an upside to the role and that's Lilly Maddox dressed as an elf. The only thing is, she's annoying, his little sister's best friend and is following him around in hopes of writing the story of her career and land her dream job. Can Justin forgive everything Lilly did to him in the past, so they can have a shot at happy ever after; or will history repeat itself and cost them both what they want most -- a future together?

What a delightful Christmas read Ms. Blackburn has delivered in this story, which encompassed plenty of holiday cheer; wonderful main characters, even though it took until chapter 10 for me to warm up to the heroine; and captivating dialogue that had me really enjoying this couple's growing relationship, as Lilly strives to prove to Justin that she's changed. The way this story started had me smiling because of the great friendship Justin shares with his police partner Certainly, their banter shows both can give as good as they get when it comes to teasing each other. However, it was from the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face for the first time that drew me into this story completely, as there's some seriously strong tension between Justin and Lilly that made me want to know what happened between them that has the hero so annoyed with the heroine's presence.

As for the dialogue, it was entertaining because of Lilly's enthusiasm for her career and Christmas and her determination to help Justin be the best Santa he can be, which the hero does not make easy. Because with everything that went on in the past and how the heroine betrayed his trust, it isn't easy for him to give her a second chance. Not when she still seems a little impulsive and determined to get what she wants without thinking about the consequences. However, in saying that, the heroine did impress me with the choices she makes towards the end that prove just how much she loves Justin. No way did she want to hurt him again. Will everything work out for the best when the hero discovers what Lilly is keeping from him, especially when it's something that could make or break her career?

While the hero, I absolutely loved Justin right from the beginning. He's a good cop, but is definitely not suited to be Santa with his attitude towards Christmas. Yet, in saying that, I loved how he grows throughout this story. He's compassionate, which is proven by what he does for two little boys, even though things go a little awry. I also liked how he handles Lilly and that they finally get a chance to hash things out about the past, so they can work together and hopefully get their chance at happy ever after.

Overall, this story was a really good read where the chemistry between this couple was strong and just kept getting more and more interesting; the romance was nicely-detailed and had me hoping that the heroine would earn Justin's forgiveness sooner rather than later; and the ending had me worried for this couple's happy ever after, as it's palpable what happens to make their relationship go awry feels a little like Déjà-vu with how everything unfolds and makes Justin feel like a fool all over again. However, in saying that, I liked that Justin realized how much he loves Lilly and how he shouldn't let anything stand in the way of the pair being together. I would recommend Wrapped Up in You by Cyn D. Blackburn, if you enjoy holiday themed stories, the sister's best friend trope, or books by authors Sean D. Young, Barbara DeLeo, Barbara White Daille and Ann B. Harrison.

This book was pretty good. It definitely held my attention, it is the first time i've read a book by Cyn D Blackburn and I’ll be checking out the her other books.

I loved the humour and I liked the characters Justin and Lily

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and voluntarily leave my own opinion

when high school nemeses cross paths during a public relations christmas stunt in wrapped up in you, a lot of old wounds are revisited while spreading holiday cheer around town. officer justin weaver hasn't forgiven lilly maddox for what she did to him in high school.

it's actually pretty horrible, even if she didn't intend for things to get as out of control as they did. i think, actually, what she did was so horrible that it makes it hard to believe the romance. because here's the thing, the way justin's sister and mom treat lilly's treatment of justin as some misunderstanding doesn't seem to grasp the actual seriousness of the event.

so while watching justin and lilly forgive each other and work things out was nice, i just couldn't help thinking there is no way that these two people would have ever been able to come back from what happened in high school it was too much of a stretch.

i really liked justin. he's a good, upstanding guy. and pretty much every person in this book treats him kind of horribly. lilly videotaped and broadcast a vulnerable moment, and happens to still be doing it. his partner is a jerk who teases him unmercifully. his sister has no sense of family loyalty. his mother just thinks he should get over it. i don't know, the list goes on and on.

this is one of those stories that it's better to not overthink. if i don't dwell on what lilly did, it's like a solid romance. when i do, i am less convinced.

Rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4/5

This is a delectable story concerning members of our front line services at Christmas. In this case it is Police Officer, Justin Weaver, who has been given the task of being Officer Kringle for a week, attending a series of public events as Santa, promoting the role of the Police in the community by helping collect toys for the Ho-Ho-Patrol. This is definitely out of his comfort zone but add in that his father died at this time of year and that he’s going to be filmed alongside a reporter who turns out to be his teenage crush, his sister’s best friend, Lilly Maddox and they have a somewhat antagonistic past!

The history between the two main characters certainly added angst and drama to their relationship. The impact of fifteen year old Lilly’s actions had repercussions for both of them, thought Justin was initially unaware of the impact on Lilly. He finds it difficult to forgive her or to work alongside her during the festive week - but that’s also because he’s still very aware of and attracted to her. I was somewhat surprised, after seeing the cover, that there’s plenty of sexual tension and references throughout this book - I wasn’t anticipating it after the gingerbread and candy cane cover. There are plenty of innuendos, banter and asides in this turmoil filled and dramatic festive read.

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

This was a fun flirty and very enjoyable holiday read that put a smile on my face. There is excellent writing, great characters and a fun storyline.

As part of the city's plan to make the police seem more approachable and friendly, Officer Justin Weaver is given the assignment of being Officer Kringle for the season. This entails attending holiday events and being dogged by a reporter aka his elf! When that reporter turns out to be the very gorgeous Lilly Maddox, Justin knows this is going to be death of him! Lilly happens to be his little sister's best friend and a woman he should not be lusting over. Let the HO HO HO good times begin~

I highly recommend this one for the holiday reading list.

This wasn’t awful but, honestly the characters weren’t very likeable at all. None of them, not even the secondary characters, which made it very hard to enjoy. It’s hards to like a story when you don’t feel like anyone in it is worth an HEA.
Also, it looks like the release for this book has been pushed back until next year?

Wrapped up in You is a terrific Christmas romance. I loved the well written plot and the characters. I recommend this book.

3.5stars
Justin who hates Christmas is forced to be a Santa this years and because of Police Dep. wants a positive public appearance whole week he has an elf helper who is no other than his sister best friend Lili. Of course, Justin is not happy because of Lilys trick when they were in high school. Despite Justin effort to hate Lilly, there is a strong attraction between them and they manage to compromise and to try to forgive the past. History repeats itself one more time but will Justin be stubborn or will he fight for his happiness. I expected a little bit stronger characters and not so much cliche in the story. But it was an ok read.I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

Well, the cover made me think this was going to be a cute holiday romance. My problem was that most of the characters were kinda horrible people. Justin hates the holidays, in large part because his dad was killed right before Christmas several years earlier. So his "friends" decide making him be Santa will be just the thing to snap him out of it. Nice, right? And Lilly, she was beyond horrible to him in high school. In fact criminal charges could have been filed. And yes she was sorry, but really, how could his family be okay with her after that? So instead of cute and funny, I found it mean spirited and disturbing.

Cyn D. Blackburn made me laugh, swoon and smile from start to finish with this amazing book. It’s one of the best books I have read this year and totally deserves the 5 stars I’ve given it and I hope more people read this book as you don’t want to miss out on this one I promise you. Would highly recommend