A totally cute, totally Christina Lauren, read! This was everything I was looking for in a Christmasy romance and it totally got me into the mood for the season!! Not my favorite of Christina Lauren's works, but a solid addition to their backlist!

Maelyn Jones’ life is a mess. She’s newly single, hates her job, and had moved back to her childhood home after her parents’ divorce. The only thing that makes her happy these days is the annual trip to the family cabin during the holidays.

This year will not be the holiday of past years. One night after one too many eggnogs, she kisses the younger brother of her crush. She decides the next day that she could die of embarrassment. This is short lived when her family leaves the vacation and she is involved in a fatal crash. But twist.... she survives. And replays that week over and over.

One reviewer remarked that this book is similar to Groundhog Day crossed with the Hallmark Channel, and I completely agree. Maelyn seems destined to redo each part of the vacation until she finally gets it right (or goes crazy, whichever comes first) while living partly in a Hallmark movie. This book is fun, zany, and sweet. Definitely one to pick up for the holidays!

What a great Hallmark-style story! This story reminded and cemented the reason I don’t watch those Hallmark movies. lol

They aren’t bad, in fact they are usually super cute, as is this story but I’m an emotional softie. I cry at everything remotely emotional; sweet, touching, heartbreaking, upsetting, feeling wronged — I’m a mess of tears. I cry at those Diamond commercials!

I love the movie Ground Hog Day and this story follows a bit of the same layout — time loops until it’s fixed.

There are times I wish I could get a do-over to get things right, but unfortunately life doesn’t really happen like that and it’s a shame.

Grab this book for a really cute holiday read in between your Hallmark movies marathons!

This was a very cute story, and I enjoyed it more than most of Christina Lauren's books. It centers around a woman who time-travels back to the beginning of that year's family Christmas vacation, an annual event for her family and their family friends, until she can get it right. "It" being going after what she wants, which is a relationship with one of her family friend's sons, whom she has known her entire life. I liked the family dynamics and relationships, and appreciated that this book what a little steamier than some of their other novels. Overall, a fun holiday romance.

Why have I not read any Christina Lauren books sooner?! Their writing is so addictive, and this was the perfect mix of romance, comedy, and all the Christmas vibes. Bonus points for all the Sam Cooke references, my favorite singer of all time.

Every Christmas, Mae and her family spend a week at a Park City cabin filled with family, friends, fun, and endless traditions. Mae looks forward to the vacation every year, but this time finds herself caught between two brothers and lots of feelings.

On her way home, Mae gets in a car crash and wakes up back on the plane on her way to Park City. She's stuck in a time loop over the Christmas holiday and keeps getting sent back until she can figure out what will truly make her happy.

I loved the characters, the setting, the family relationships, the jokes, basically everything. The book was relatable, addictive, and the perfect holiday rom-com. I can't wait to read another by Christina Lauren.

This book!! Y’all!! 😍🥰 I love Christina Lauren so much and I didn’t think they could make me love them more but they totally did. This book gave me all the feels!! The storyline was familiar but different in the best way! I loved the characters and fell head over heels for all of them. I read this in less than 24 hours and cried a few times!! This one gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and is a must read for the holiday season💕

🍷🍷🍷🍷 #Review of In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

“I ask the universe, simply: Can you show me what will make me happy?”

Christina Lauren is one of few authors (duo) that I will automatically pick up a book from without looking at the synopsis first, and one of the rare contemporary romances that I fancy. In a Holidaze, as you can conclude from the title, is a fun and quirky holiday story that centers around the character of Maelyn Jones. Mae has been a down on her luck in love and life, but looks forward to her family's annual holiday getaway. Unfortunately, her unlucky streak continues when she drinks a little bit too much of the eggnog and finds herself in a compromising position with a family friend who then pretends nothing happened. To add fuel to the fire, it is announced that this is the last year that they will spend at the cabin that she has been coming to since she was a child. Right when she thinks that things couldn't get any worse, her and her family suffer a car accident on the way home. When she wakes up though, she finds herself back on a plane like the whole trip never happened. Are do-overs possible?

In a Holidaze was such an entertaining read with a lively cast of characters that begins with the simple question of, can you show me what will make me happy? The story is very Groundhog Day-esque, but instead of one day Maisie is living several weeks over and over again! Can she ever get it right though and find happiness?

The humor and heaviness of the plot are balanced out well, with a heaping side of steamy. Maisie has always had a crush on Andrew, but she's had a closer relationship with Andrew's younger brother. While Drew has never acted like he even notices Maisie in the female sense, but if she is bound to live this trip over and over again why not put all of her cards on the table and go for the one guys she's always wanted? While she's at it, she also decides to show her friends and family how much fun they have every year in hopes that Andrew's parents will change their mind about selling the cabin.

I adored the family dynamics of this group of friends and family who have formed one big, happy, and convoluted extended family. Benny was a delight and acted as an uncle to Maisie, her very own toking Jiminy Cricket trying to guide her along the way. And while the tale ran the gamut of emotions, In a Holidaze was a magical journey - as long as you don't take it too seriously. A recommended read to cozy with this winter.

“It never occurred to me that you might be mine.”


***live on blog 11/19/2020

This book is the Christina Lauren version of Groundhog Day - with a festive twist. It's the perfect holiday read - a slow burning, romantical escape - exactly what I was looking for! Grab your eggnog and get into the holiday spirit with this story! :)

This book is exactly what you want from a holiday rom-com - traditional, sweet, and slightly hard to predict. That might have been because of the groundhog-day-type plot, but also because there were so many subtle changes in the characters.
I definitely loved and devoured this book.

Groundhog’s Day gets a remix in this new release from Christina Lauren. There’s plenty of laughs here, and Maelyn’s reactions to the time loops were so realistic. I would scream in the middle of a plane ride as well if I woke up like that. It was an unexpected story, it starts off on a family vacation and then begins the endless loops of time. Just as Maelyn is discovering where her true feelings lie, there’s other developments in the story that keep you guessing. Unconventional holiday meetups are the perfect catalyst for a new adventure.

Book Review for In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

This is a sort of Groundhog's day meets Hallmark movie. This follows Mae and her family and family friends as they are at their annual Christmas gathering at a cabin in Utah. Mae is feeling a little bit stuck in her life, in her job, and in her relationships. She has been in love with Andrew since she was 13, but has never said anything to anyone (except Benny. But Benny knows everything). After a drunken makeout session with Andrew’s brother Theo, she thinks she has ruined everything. She leaves the cabin the day after Christmas with her family, and wishes she could have happiness. Then BAM. Car accident. And when she wakes up, she is back on the plane, on her way to the cabin with her family, as if nothing had ever happened. This happens a few more times, Mae getting farther into the vacation with each try. She finally realizes she has to stop living her life the way she thinks she should, and just throw caution to the wind and go for it. Otherwise, she will never know what could be.

I am never disappointed by a Christina Lauren novel. This was sweet, and a little bit funny, with some angst thrown in (but just a little bit). I was expecting the Groundhog’s day part of the trope to last a few more times, but that is okay! I did think it was weird that she ended up telling everyone all about living this vacation over and over, but it ended up okay. This is a great Christmasy romance, perfect for this time of year!

I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Things just aren’t going well for Maelyn Jones. She is stuck in a rut in both work and romance. Now the holidays are here and the yearly “framily” gathering at a cozy cabin in Utah. In utter desperation Maelyn asks the universe what will make her happy. What comes next is a series of unexplained events that lead to the answer to Maelyn’s question. You never know how many chances you have at love. This perfect holiday indulgence has the makings of a Lifetime or Hallmark Christmas movie.

Maisie has been going to Utah for Christmas every year for as long as she remembers.the holidays are spent with many of her extended “family”. Everything seems fine until she has a dream foretelling Christmas week. Does she really know how things are going to happen and can she change them?
This is a heartwarming Christmas story with endearing characters.

This was a very cute story about a woman just needing that extra push to tell her crush how she feels. Well reliving your life like in Groundhog Day will do the trick! If you’re just going to get a do over, might as well open up your heart and soul!

I will say the one thing I found refreshing was that our main gal, Mae, didn’t end up going for the guy I assumed the authors were headed for. It was kind of refreshing they that they didn’t change it based off of other’s expectations. Mae knew herself and so did the authors.

The only part that bothered me a smidge was that the Groundhog thing was glazed over at the end. There didn’t seem to be enough closure for me on that end where they actually explained why it happened.

Otherwise excellent read that will surely put you into the holiday mood and make you want sip hot cocoa by the fire while playing Christmas music much too early.

Thanks to Netgalley for the read!

BOOK REVIEW: IN A HOLIDAZE BY CHRISTINA LAUREN

I really enjoyed this light, atmospheric, romance. Set in a cozy cabin with snow falling outside, it captured the essence of the holiday season perfectly! While this was a romance, I really enjoyed the friendship components between the parents who had been friends since college and have a tradition of meeting up at this cabin each year during the holidays. The main focus of the book was on their children, who through the years have become very close friends as well…maybe even more than friends. ;)

I found In a Holidaze to be a bit unique with the premise being that the main character, Mae, gets stuck in a time loop while searching for what will truly make her happy. I loved how throughout the story, Mae learned to be brave and go for what she really wanted.

I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a light, fun, romance to read during the holiday season! If you’re a Christina Lauren fan, I think you’ll love this one!!

Groundhog Day with a twist. What a fun quirky storyline that starts out like the movie Groundhog Day but not for long. It is Christmas and time for the yearly reunion of a group of friends that have been close since college. They gather at this cabin only once a year. The story focuses on Maelyn Jones. She has come to the cabin with her divorced parents and brother. She is hanging on to this one family and friends tradition. Andrew, the love of her life who she has known and has had a crush on since a young teenager. Andrew is unaware of her feelings. Throw in his younger brother, Theo, who has always had a crush on Maelyn, and the possible selling of the cabin by Andrews parents which would put an end to these yearly gatherings. Will this be the year Maelyn tells Andrew? What is going to happen to the cabin? Why does this one day keep repeating? Pick up your copy to find out.

It took me awhile to get into this story and feel connected to Mae and Andrew, but I ended up really enjoying it! This one falls under “favorites” for Christina Lauren books.

This book’s blurb compared it to Groundhog’s Day. I am not sure that is a fair assessment. The day only repeated a few times and is always preceded by a life threatening event. Our timid heroine Mae’s growth is accelerated without the ability to do a movie montage. She starts thinking about what really matters to her and what she can actually change and she does it. A lady of action . . . eventually. Read this book if you are looking for something sweet, sexy and light. Along the lines of a Netflix holiday rom-com, with more steam. I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley thank you to them. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've become a bigger fan of Christina Lauren books with each one that I have read. This one was no exception. I didn't love the Groundhog day aspect as much as I wanted to, especially since that was a big aspect of the book, but I loved everything else, so I still gave this a solid four star rating. It was an enjoyable book to get you into the holiday mood, for sure!