Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this book. I chose it because I recently read The Unhoneymooners by the same authors, and I loved that book. I started reading without really looking into the book, and was a bit disappointed to see it was a "groundhog day" style story, as that doesn't interest me much. But as the story got going and we saw Maelyn try to figure out how to get out of the time-loop she seems to be stuck in, I got pretty sucked into the story. However, I found the story started to lag about two-thirds in and I grew bored with it and though it felt a bit too easy/forced.

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery for the arc of this book in exchange for a review.

I enjoy this author’s books and was looking forward to this. I thought the story of the group of friends that gathers for Christmas every year was cute but also unrealistic (do they not have family they visit with?). Maisie is the main character and unfortunately due to the theme of the story I don’t feel like I got to know the character.

This book has a Groundhog Day type premise where the time on vacation is continuously repeated. This is not explained well and didn’t even need to be in the book. It could have been a better story if that was omitted entirely.

Beyond that it’s Maisie having a lifelong crush on one of the family friends.

I feel like there was a lot of disconnect in this book and it fell flat for me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
What a crazy book! And, not in a bad way. I will admit that it was “out of my comfort zone” and about 25% through I was a bit like “huh? WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?” But I was eventually laughing, thoroughly enjoying, not caring that I was a bit confused and even crying some serious happy tears.

This book gave me all the Christmas and snow vibes and I’m always here for that. I read this in one weekend and now I want the holidaze (haha?) here stat.

This follows quite a few characters (but they are easy to learn, know and remember!) but the two main ones are Maelyn and Andrew. Their families (along with others) get together every single Christmas for a “friend/family” vacation at a cabin. They have the same traditions every year, eat the same meals, do the same things.

…. but what if things could be different? What if things can change? Take a different path? What if more happiness could be found? What if dreams can come true? What if love interests can become a reality?

And they certainly do. About 3x over. As Mae seems to be stuck in a time loop. And she relives this vacation over. And over. And over. Each time something a little different happens. She is stuck in a time loop/time travel situation. This is the part of the story, at first, that had me going like “what is HAPPENING here?” Was she dreaming? Was she okay?

I love the idea of re-living for happiness.
This book was so cozy (man, I am so excited for snow), funny, a little risqué and very unique. I’m a big fan of these authors and they did not disappoint.

*Thanks to publisher and NetGalley for chance to read!
(Being published October 6th, ’20)

** I was given a free ARC via Netgalley and Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review **

Christina Lauren’s latest might be their best yet! “Holidaze” is the story of Maelynn Jones and her quarter-life crisis — told through the Christina Lauren rom-com lens. Mae’s family has been spending every Christmas at a remote Utah cabin since she was born, along with her parents’ tight-knit friend group from college and their families. On this trip, Mae, who has moved back home with her mom and working a dead-end job, pleads with the universe to show her what would truly make her happy. She ends up living this holiday week a few times over via a time loop — and stays in the scenario that will make her the happiest.

This book stayed true to the authors’ collective voice and penchant for feel-good love stories. The characters were among the best developed that they’ve written, and I felt hooked from the first page.

I'm a huge Christina Lauren fan so I was so excited when I was approved to read an advance copy of In a Holidaze. This is such a cute Christmas Romance with a Groundhogs Day twist. I do have to say that this book doesn't have as much sexy steam to it as there other books but it's was such a great read. If you're looking for a cute and funny Christmas Romance I would definitely pick this book and give it a read. I can totally see this as a movie.

This was a fun holiday romance that I read in two sittings!

This book has a ton of characters, which ultimately adds to the fun of this book, but had me a little lost in the beginning. However, I soon caught on and started reveling in the Christmas madness that is a home full of people during the holidays.

The characters of Maelyn and Andrew are so sweet, I was rooting for them to find their HEA. The story had a little steam, but not as much as I expected.

There is a quirky Groundhog Day element to the plot that I feel didn’t fully hit its mark. It kind of fizzled out and didn’t really wrap up as neatly as I would have liked.

Overall this was a fun early Christmas present.

Mealyn Jones has so many things going wrong in her life, she lives with her parents, she has a going nowhere job, her favorite place in the world is being sold, and she drunkenly made out with Theo. THEO!
As she is leaving the snowy Utah Cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, her favorite place that is being sold, all of these things are swirling around in her mind. She makes a simple wish to the universe, show me what will make me happy. Then tires scratch and everything goes black.
When she wakes she is on her way back to the cabin and it is now December 20th all over again. She is reliving her holiday, over and over until she gets it right.

This is a Hallmark movie in book form. It is cute and a little quirky, and makes you feel good in all the right places. I really enjoyed my time with the story and if you are looking for a light holiday read this is definitely it.

I volunteered to read this book, through netgalley in exchange, for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. This author duo has done it again. The pacing of this book is good. The characters are enjoyable. The romance is steamy and good. I will definitely read more books by this author in the future. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. This book will be in stores on October 6th for $16.00 (USD).

Christina Lauren’s holiday romance In a Holidaze is like a carousel: the tale goes smoothly around and around, up and down, at a nice speed until it drops the reader off an efficiently short time later.

Maelyn Jones and her “chosen family” of her brother, parents, their college friends, and their kids are in their holiday cabin for Christmas. In this melee of adults, siblings, teens, and tikes, Maelyn has always been closest to Theo, youngest son of the Hollis family. Unfortunately, after an intoxicated evening, Maelyn finds herself smooching Theo, though she’s only ever wanted to be with his brother, Andrew. As she says of Andrew: “how does one move on from someone so kind of heart and fine of ass?” It spirals from there; it turns out the cabin is getting put on the market, and Maelyn is soon headed for the airport, thinking to herself “show me what will make me happy”. The Universe hits her with a truck.

The premise of this book is advertised as a Groundhog Day homage, but this is misleading for two reasons. One: Maelyn doesn’t just wake up on the same day each morning (in her case December 20, the start of the holiday trip) after the car accident. Instead, in a kind of Happy Death Day horror twist, she keeps dying (stair fall, tree branch to the head) as the Universe resets her at will. Second: the time-traveling stops by the halfway point of the book and the story settles into its final, permanent timeline, which feels a lot like any contemporary romance. This must happen because otherwise Maelyn would keep losing all the intimacy she develops with Andrew, but it feels like the main device of the book is allowed to slip away without answering for itself.

I enjoyed Maelyn and Andrew’s romance - after a while. Andrew is so blind to Maelyn’s interest for a solid fifty percent of the book that I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and Maelyn’s ultimate time-travel revelation to be that she actually was destined for Theo. In most romances that feature a reluctant hero, he appears reluctant only to himself. With Andrew, I truly believed he was actually reluctant, which is painful - though Andrew is a decent beta male (remember, his heart is as good as his butt), so it doesn’t feel deliberately so. That said, eventually he and Maelyn pair up in a way that’s as warm and fuzzy as you could want (sometimes a little too warm - there’s an amusing incident in which an overheated sleeping bag literally suffocates an opportunity for cunnilingus). But I did wonder - is it truly possible to have chemistry that strong and it never to have showed up earlier?

The book is easy to read. It’s got that ‘wait, should anything be this easy?’ quality to it which is great. Maelyn is our sole narrator, which makes sense given that the premise is about her. The cast is large and humorous; Maelyn’s ‘Uncle’ Aaron’s “midlife crisis”, which involves the renunciation of dairy and the adoption of hair dye, reminded me of many men I’ve known. Something I did find weird was that Maelyn’s main confidant is her parents’ single friend, Benny. It’s jarring to imagine a young woman alone in the bedroom of a single guy in his fifties clad in “turquoise bracelets and beaded necklaces” and “taking a hit” in front of her as she confides romantic details, not to mention he makes her privy to information about things like his former “double life as a nude waiter in Arizona”. Luckily, that’s as far as it goes, but I had the creeping feeling that if this book had been a dark indie movie, there would have been a scene when Benny hit on Maelyn. Yeesh.

If you’re ready to kick off not just the holiday season but the holiday quarter (Christmas releases in October! I know that’s a thing but, goodness!) and are willing to overlook some of the oddness of the people and plot in it, then a spin on the carousel of In a Holidaze will be a pleasant ride.

Buy it at: Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore
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What I loved most about this book was the really warm depiction of a traditional family Christmas in the woods. The cabin was it’s own wonderful character. So many times, a holiday-themed book has a snowy cover, but the story just skirts the smells, tastes and fun memories that most readers are seeking in a Christmas read. I think this is going to be a really popular read this season! The “Groundhog Day”-esque twist kept me engaged in the romantic storyline, and I thought the author walked the line perfectly between the love scenes and the family setting. Fun fun fun!

Is there anything this author duo Cannot write?! Great book! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read and review

I'd like to thank Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings for publishing a holiday book in October and thus giving me leverage with my husband to put my tree up at the beginning of October. It has been nothing but a source of happiness, and if starting the Christmas celebration pre-Halloween is wrong, I don't want to be right!
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In addition, since beginning and reading In a Holidaze, I have done numerous searches for 'cozy cabin in woods where I can start fun traditions like people in Holidaze'. Bascially, Christina Lauren has made me want things. Christmas all year around, cozy cabins with organized activities, cutie cute relationships that span decades, you know, all the Hallmark feels!
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Clearly, I loved this story. I've read several CLo books and this one is easily at my top. It was purely just a FEEL GOOD story. I felt good the entire time I read it. It made me feel like, even though 2020 is bleak and stuff certainly hasn't gone my way (or anyone's way, let's be honest), that there is always something to look forward to - and that's just the sort of story I needed right now! Suspend reality a bit for this book, there is supposed to be magic involved, and if you question it too much, it will not be as fun of a read!
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I recommend this read if you like:
- Groundhog Day
- Christmas
- Sweet romance

This book gives you all the illusion of it being an adorable RomCom. Which about 75 percent of the book is. It has likeable characters and an interesting groundhog day plot. Towards the end it seems to simply drop the groundhog day and turn into a religious faith scenario. Then the last chapter sort of throws too much at you. One minute you are relishing a proposal then the next reading about a sex scene. It almost doesn't give you enough time to digest each part. Also it was a bit odd thinking about their parents being feet away from all their romancing. Yes they are adults but I just couldn't get past the ick factor of their parents being just next door on some scenes. Overall a cute book.

I enjoyed this sweet Christmas romance! The chosen-family holiday gathering with a Groundhog Day twist was really fun, and I liked getting to know Mae as she tried to figure out what was going on and why. I love Park City in the winter and the story made me want to be in a cabin there over the holidays! This was my first Christina Lauren book, but it won't be my last. Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery Books for the advance digital copy.

4 1/2 stars

Can you hear it?? It's the pitter patter of my happy heart after finishing this gem of a book (or it could be jingle bells....). I'll be the first one to say that sometimes Christina Lauren's books are a little hit or miss for me. In a Holidaze is a definite hit!

There's so much to love about this book. First of all, the setting was perfect for a Christmas story. The authors used their words perfectly to paint a picture in my mind of the cabin that these families visited each year for their Christmas holidays. I could imagine it nestled in the woods on a lake with snow gently falling. Absolute Christmas perfection. To top it off, I loved the secondary characters. Our main character Maelyn is twenty-six years old. She's living back at home and is unhappy with her job. Her life feels anything but satisfying. The one thing she looks forward to every year is spending the Christmas holiday with their family friends at the cabin. This year things go a little awry and Mae finds herself reliving the week. Yep, I know it sounds odd. No, I'm really not spoiling anything as it happens pretty quickly in the story and is mentioned in the blurb. Even if you think this "mystical event" might turn you off, don't let it. Give this book a chance. It's got such a great storyline and the goal of finding what makes you happy is such a good message for all of us.

This was a fun and unique romance centered around the Christmas season. It demonstrated the power of relationships. All relationships. Not just romantic, but also parents, friends and so forth. It also shows human weakness. How pride and misunderstandings can get in the way. It also showed how these different friends and families bonded together to form one large family that came together to support and love one another.

Is this book a little like a Hallmark Christmas movie?? Maybe just a little....and I was there for EVERY BIT OF IT!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC. I have voluntarily reviewed it and the opinions contained within are my own.

"In a Holidaze" by Christina Lauren is love and it's fun and it's light.

This book was a romance novel but with a time loop element to it. The time loop was a fun twist and it was interesting to see the same day with different outcomes. It reminded me of a chose your own adventure book I read as a child. I loved the Christmas aspect to the story. This book put me in a Holiday mood. Lots of fun holiday novelties: popcorn garlands, scavenger hunts, gift shopping, sledding, snow animals etc. The holiday atmosphere and the time loop story were both really fun.
The writing was okay and the plot was predictable, but there's something so entertaining about any Christina Lauren book
This was a very quick read

I enjoyed this book a lot. The pacing was perfect; I kept turning the-ages wanting to know what would happen next. It's a fun, cute, read with a time travel twist where Mae gets a do over and then another, and then more. As a romance, it could have been a bit stronger, dug a bit deeper. I didn't quite feel the chemistry even though I liked the main characters a lot. As a book about family—the ones we have and the ones we choose—this is a wonderful, heartwarming book.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest.

Will post soon at Romance Reviews Today http://romrevtoday.com/

IN A HOLIDAZE – Christina Lauren
Gallery Books
ISBN: 978-1-9821-2394-9
October 6, 2020
Contemporary Romance

Utah – Present Day

Christmas is over and everyone is cleaning up in preparation to leave the cabin where Maelyn Jones, her parents and brother, as well as their longtime friends, have been staying for the past week. For as long as Mae can remember, she has been secretly attracted to Andrew Hollis, the son of one of their cabin friends. But Mae did a stupid thing last night. She was feeling tipsy and ended up kissing Andrew’s brother (and Mae’s good friend), Theo. As she shuffles into the kitchen for breakfast feeling hungover, Theo is there—but he won’t look up from the bowl of cereal he’s eating. She feels guilty for betraying Andrew, though nothing has ever been romantic between her and Andrew. Then, just as they’re about to leave, Mae discovers that Andrew had seen the kiss. Mae had hopes she could’ve started something with Andrew, but now all is lost. As Mae and her family drive away, she wonders how she could change what happened during the Christmas holiday. Then, a car comes hurtling toward them on the highway. As the sounds of metal hitting metal reverberate in her head, Mae loses consciousness…and wakes up back on the plane, several days earlier, and her life is about to take on a Groundhog Day (the movie) existence.

IN A HOLIDAZE is certainly different in that our heroine, Mae, is given several chances to “get it right” before she reaches the end of this book. Where did she veer off that caused her to be forced back into the past to live her days at the cabin all over again? At first, Mae can’t figure out what is going on. Is she experiencing hallucinations about reliving it again…and again? Heck, she can “predict” when something will happen within the group because she had already experienced it. She finally confides in one of her parents’ friends, Benny, who is skeptical of her claims at first, but then he begins to realize she might be telling the truth. Mae doesn’t know when she will end up “going back,” but when she is “allowed” to finally go forward and not go back, she wonders if it is a sign she is on the right track. Of course, will this mean changing the course of where she kissed Theo and losing any chance with Andrew? Will she get that second chance?

This tale has numerous minor characters, too many to list, but IN A HOLIDAZE is centered around Mae’s dilemma in having to “re-do” the week before Christmas. It has an intriguing and yes, unusual, plot. There is humor blended in. After all, Mae and the other characters aren’t perfect, especially when the group has known one another for years. When Mae appears to be on the right track and things start to go the way it should, then things start to tilt wrongly for her once again. Will she have to “return to the past” again and do it all over? Will she end up happy?

If you love a contemporary romance that is different and intriguing, then don’t miss IN A HOLIDAZE.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

4.5 "snug as a Luke in a tauntaun" stars!

This was a really fun read with a storyline that I thought was quite different from most CLO books but with the same great character development and humor that I love and crave from the duo.

Maelyn has just ended her Christmas holidays with family on a low note. Afraid of change and wishing for whatever may bring her happiness, she awakens on the airplane back at the beginning of her holiday like she's been granted a do-over, ala Groundhogs Day. Not exactly sure what she's supposed to do she tries again, only to restart her week once more. As she fumbles her way through her holiday, every day brings her the confidence to ask for what she wants, taking what she needs instead of being the eternal people pleaser.

While the story was entertaining and humorous, the real stars are the cast of characters. Loved the family dynamic and character interactions. Very cute holiday story.

This might remind you of Groundhog Day- but with. twist. Mae's not having a good week, not at all. She's unhappy with her job, her love life is dismal, and all she's wanted is to be in the family cabin in Utah for the holiday but this is going to be the last time. AND then, she's hit by. car. Yikes. Here's the thing, though, she's entered a time warp and every day is a chance to make. little change in her life, to relate better with her family, and to have an actual relationship with Andrew, who she's pined over for years. It's a fun light read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This one cheered me up.