Holidaze, the premise is similar to Groundhog day, by which the main character keeps repeating the same day; in this story, the day is December 20th and told by Maelyn's point of view. The back story is of a group of six college friends; Lisa and Rick, Benny, Elisa, and Dan, Aaron, who married the only outsider Kyle and adopted twin Kennedy and Zachary. Lisa and Rick Hollis have two sons Andrew 29 and Theo 26. Divorced parents Dan and Elisa Jones have two children Maelyn 26 and Miles 17. Throughout their lives, they have always shared Christmas and fourth July in the Hollis cabin in Park City, Utah.
At age 26, Maelyn is experiencing her 1st life crisis where she lates her life, she broke up with her boyfriend, is pining for Andrew Hollis, in a dead-end job, and moved back home that she shares with Miles, her younger brother, mother, and her mother's new husband, Victor. Her main wish is just to be Happy! When she finds out her happy place, the Hollis cabin might be for sale, deja vu starts until she finds her happily ever after.
In the first part of the story where Maelyn keeps repeating the same scenario, found tedious and boring. However, the tale picks up speed in a heartfelt, caring, and hilarious way only Christina Lauren could accomplish four peppermint white chocolate stars!

"Christina Lauren's IN A HOLIDAZE is the perfect fresh-take on finding your joy and falling in love. One page in and you want to put up your tree at all times of the year, sip hot cocoa, and dive into a marvelous cast of characters while staying on your toes as what will happen next." ~NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan

I absolutely LOVED this holiday romance! I usually love Christina Lauren’s writing and UnHoneymooners has been my personal favorite but Holidaze is definitely a close second. I am not usually a fan of time travel/Groundhogs Day style books so I was a little nervous going into this one but it really didn’t bother me in this book. Holidaze features Mae who travels to her family friends cabin in Park City every Christmas. Mae has had a crush on their oldest son Andrew since she was 13 but never has had the courage to do anything about it. This Christmas, things went horribley wrong ending with a car crash on her way back to the airport. Shockingly, when Mae wakes up she is on the plane on her way to begin the Christmas holiday in Park City. Mae had wished to find out what would make her happy and is given her chance to make things right. Every time she does something wrong, she gets sent back and has to start all over again. Mae finally decides to be honest with Andrew about her feelings and things get on track.
I was totally smitten with the romance in this novel. There were so many sweet and hilarious moments between Mae and Andrew (Maissie and Mandrew). Andrew was a great male lead and their dynamic and chemistry felt real. The setting was perfect and made me yearn for my own family holiday in Utah. The secondary characters were top notch and the family dynamics reminded me a little of Family Stone. I would love to see this on Hallmark one day. This holiday romance was the perfect winter escape even though I read it on a beach 🤣 I will definitely reread this one around the holidays. Can’t wait for Christina Lauren’s next book!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

THIS BOOK WAS ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!

I have been a big fan of Christina Lauren for a while now, and IN A HOLIDAZE did NOT disappoint! I opened it thinking I would just read for an hour and then truly could not stop until I was done, and I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading. Seriously, spending the Holidays with this amazing chosen family was such a delight and one of the most enjoyable and moving reading experiences I’ve ever had.

And the romance allowed me to feel all the things...I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I never wanted it to end. IN A HOLIDAZE was absolutely everything I love about Christina Lauren and more!

New Christina Lauren AND it's a Christmas book? SIGN ME UP!

I loved that this book does what Christina Lauren is known for - well-developed characters with a heavy dose of a swoony love story. I also loved the Groundhog Day/time travel element as a departure from anything else they've written.

I fell in love with these families and now want my own Park City winter tradition. Really hoping for a family friend with hidden millions to make this happen. This is the perfect addition to my holiday reading collection.

I love Christina Lauren books! This one might be my new favorite. Mae has been secretly in love with her family friend Andrew her entire life. Every holiday she spends with his family she is unable to tell him how she feels. Then one Christmas something strange happens and she is stuck in something akin to the movie 'Groundhog's Day'. In one iteration, Mae finally gets the courage to tell Andrew how she feels. Will he reciprocate? I don't want to spoil the ending! This is a cute, fun, feel good romance. Definitely recommend to fans of Christina Lauren, and anyone who like a good contemporary romance!

Not sure if I am not a fan of Groundhog themed books...but I was definitely confused as I read In a Holidaze. I found myself becoming frustrated when we kept replaying the same scene within the first 20% and then it seemed since Mae was content with how the day was progressing we stayed here in the moment and that became reality?!

Putting the Groundhog theme aside, I did love the progression of Mae & Andrew's relationship. I also loved the fact Mae stopped settling for less than what she deserved and took a chance with what she really wanted in life.

AND who wouldn't love to have an Uncle Benny?! A person who is always looking out for your best interest, keeping your secrets, and helping you work thru your internal thoughts.

I love books by Christina Lauren. They always contain the perfect mix of a fun and engaging story, and romance. Would you tell a family friend you grew up with that you've had a crush on him since you were a kid? What if it was during a week long Christmas family celebration at the winter cabin?

This was a toughy for me.

I absolutely love everything Christina Lauren puts out! A total fan girl! This one fell a tad short though, and I can’t exactly put my finger on why. The characters were fun, a charismatic story line, and lots of self reflection and introspection that I appreciated. I think I just became a Negative Nelly with the time travel concept. Maybe it’s all this Covid- induced negativity, I dunno.

Still a fun read and one that many hands will love to get a hold of..

IN A HOLIDAZE by Christina Lauren reminds me why I love reading so much. There are times you want to be taught something, times you want to be comforted or provoked into action, and times when you want to get caught up in a story that makes you laugh and smile and feel all the butterflies. I can count on Christina Lauren to deliver on my guilty pleasure reads where you feel twenty again but appreciate not having the emotional baggage of it! I’m a sucker for holiday stories so I love this take on Groundhog Day involving a Christmas vacation in the wilds of Park City and several families with parents that were best buds in college. This book was a “read through the night” pleasure with just enough naughty and nice to keep the pages turning. I’m so happy about reading it and would recommend it to anyone that just likes books with banter, laughter, and a lot of love. Thank you to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

Is this my favorite Christina Lauren book? It really might be! It is definitely a top 3 contender. In a Holidaze is described as Groundhog Day meets The Family Stone, and yeah, that's the general idea (I'd say it's 80% Family Stone, 20% Groundhog Day).

They went all out with the holiday theme. The experience of reading this book is what I imagine visiting a Christmas-themed spa must be like—peppermint hot chocolate whirlpools, the scent of pine trees and warm cookies, Nat King Cole singing in the background, vats of eggnog, bushels of mistletoe, endless falling snow.

The story is about the kind of family everyone wishes they were a part of, having a week-long holiday celebration that seems dreamy instead of hellish. Every Christmas, Mae and her family travel to Utah to stay at a cabin that belong to her parents' married college friends. They have two sons around Mae's age, and she has a long-harbored crush on one of them (and he is so great). Actually, they're both great; if Christina Lauren would like to write a book about the other dude, I would not object.

You should absolutely add this book to your TBR list. The writing is excellent, every character feels real and is lovable, and the story is the ideal blend of funny, sexy, and sweet. Not to mention: Christmas!

I was thrilled to read my fourth Christina Lauren book. I am a full-fledged super fan at this point. If you are a fan of the cute vibes of The Unhoneymooners, The Honey Don't List, and My Favorite Half-Night Stand, then I can assure you that this one will be right up your alley. I am equally obsessed with Hallmark/Lifetime Christmas movies, and this is a Christina Lauren take on a cute holiday love story. Super cute ending, no spoilers but I definitely didn't see it coming! Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

With Christina Lauren, you know exactly what to expect. Endearing characters, a sweet story, and warm fuzzy feelings. This book delivered on all fronts.

This was Christmas in June! I am huge fan of these authors and so are many of my library patrons. I can’t wait until this book is in print and I can give it to my many excited readers!

A Groundhog's Day holiday romance from the skilled romance mind of Christina Lauren that's set in a cozy mountain cabin? Call me intrigued immediately. As I started to read, the background on the characters is unclear and just dives right into the story now. It starts with Mae, who visits a Park City, Utah cabin with her family and longtime family friends. So, immediately a love triangle starts where Mae kisses Theo while she's had a longtime crush on his brother Andrew. After a super embarrassing night and morning (I was legit cringing for her, eesh) and then a massive surprise threatens to change everything. Soon after her mess of things and a horrific car accident, now Mae enters a Groundhog's Day-type of situation where she gets to relive the whole trip to the cabin and get it right. I don't know, I don't get the same vibe and interest as I did while reading "The Honey Don't List," meh there seems to be a lot happening and it's unclear if it is a dream or she's in a coma or something else. Everything seems so odd and out of context, but I can't help but be so curious as to see what happens. The 300+ pages don't feel so long because you get so entrenched in the story and just can't put it down.

With every injury and wrong turn, Mae gets a fresh chance to relive it. Eventually, she learns that change isn't necessarily a bad thing and to stay true to herself as her reboots buck tradition and allow her to be her true self. In this new alternate timeline, her flirtmance with longtime crush Andrew is so cute, but like I just want to know more details about this time travel thing. Seriously, Andrew and Mae is having me believe in soulmates and fate and aww, it's just precious. Their relationship (and book) starts off slowly and then, whew, things ramp up hot, hot, hot. (I mean, that closet scene, ahem.) Oh wow, I'm so darn hooked and I cannot stop reading, I just need to finish the story and get resolution about so many things.

I thought this book would end up predictably with the actual reality being the car crash inspiring her to change her life, but no, her final re-done chance was real because she was true to herself, and ahhh that HEA. I loved that super-duper cute happily ever after, awww it's everything. All in all, it was such a cute holiday romance read.

Okay, seriously - this is now my new favorite book by Christina Lauren. They have done an outstanding job with this book and I am in love. I am usually hit or miss with their books, but this one is a winner for sure. ❤️

This is the story of several friends from college that grew up and promised to spend each Christmas season together along with their growing families. Some dynamics have changed through time - one couple divorced after 25 years of marriage, but even they still spend this week together with everyone (and minus the new husband for one of them). The "kids" who are now in their 20s have grown up together so they are very familiar with each other. Mae, the only female "kid", and her brother Miles are from California. Andrew and Theo are from Colorado. Every year all 13 or so of the party meets at Andrew & Theo's parents mountain cabin in Utah for Christmas break.

Mae has known what she wants for half her life - specifically what man she wants in her life. But Andrew doesn't know it and even worse, everyone naturally assumes that Mae & Theo will eventually get married. After all, Theo is closer to her age and Theo has been secretly infatuated with Mae for forever (even though Theo is definitely a a player who could ultimately hurt Mae).

As the Christmas week comes to an end, Mae gets in her family's rental car to head to the airport with the disappointment that nothing will ever happen between her and Andrew. She innocently asks the universe to just please show her what would make her happy. And so the weirdness begins - it's like she is living the movie "Groundhog Day" over and over. She relives the week at the cabin until she makes a decision that costs her happiness and then the week starts over. She begins to feel like she is losing her mind - how can she put an end to this madness and how on earth can she find true happiness?

This book had me laughing so hard I had tears running down my face, but it also had me tear up at the complete sweetness and possibilities of true love. I highly recommend this book - it was truly an enjoyable read that I did all in one sitting.

I received an ARC in exchange for honest feedback. The opinions stated above are mine without biases.

When I pick up a Christina Lauren book, I expect to smile... and smile I did😊 I loved it! 🎄 What did I love? Everything! This is a book that gives you all the good feels. A Christmas book, at this time of year? Yessss please! Honestly it was Christmas time over and over and over again in the book. LOL you will get that after you read it. Yet this book is good at anytime of the year.

Mae Jones is many things, a daughter, a sister, a best friend and a time traveler! You heard me right!! Sounds insane? I thought so too but the crazier thing is...it works for this book! I was hoping that Mae would recover from her "condition" and be able to enjoy the holiday! Mae has two besties in life and they happen to be two boys she grew up with that turned out to be total gorgeous guys in her eyes. One more than the other. Is Mae going to get her heart broke? Is there going to be a bit of Christmas magic? Guys grab this one and find out. It is bound to put a smile on your face!

I loved every character in this book -every single one made my heart melt just a bit. This is the perfect book to get lost in!

UHHHHH!!! THIS IS GREAT!!! I've only read The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren but I tore through that one so quickly and I did the same for this. It's a little strange to be reading it in early June but I'm definitely going to reread it during the holiday season. Thank you for the ARC!

Dear Christina Lauren,

I love every book you two have ever written, and In A Holidaze is the first one where I didn't even read the synopsis before diving in. I LOVED IT SO MUCH.

What a wild ride to start with no knowledge of what's to come. Magical realism at its finest. LOVED the characters. I was never sure where the story would end up, and I devoured this book.

LOVED

Cute holiday romance that invokes Groundhog Day. With a flawed protagonist and a redemption story, a good book to spend an afternoon with.