THE CHRISTMAS SWAP is a standalone holiday contemporary romance by Melody Carlson. This is a great book for fans of romcoms and Hallmark movies. Emma Daley is not an object of pity, but with her parents constantly out of the country and pursuing their own dreams, Emma often is alone unless she plays tagalong to her wealthy friend Gillian’s family. This hero and heroine meet when Gillian’s family does a holiday house swap with Tyler Prescott. Gillian’s family (and Emma) gets his Christmas bedecked Colorado Rockies deluxe cabin hideaway, while his family gets their Arizona home. Tyler is supposed to be gone by the time they get there, but fate intervenes. When he comes across Emma, he is surprisingly smitten. Thus, begins his innocent masquerade as the “caretaker” rather than the owner.

This story is told from alternating perspectives, which gives readers a better understanding of the two main characters. A lot of the action in THE CHRISTMAS SWAP is driven by Gillian and her scheming. Although good friends with Emma, Gillian alternately fills the roles of BFF and wicked stepsister. It’s not that Gillian enjoys sabotaging Emma’s chance at romance, but she just seems a little too self-centered, spoiled, and immature. Despite all Gillian’s best efforts to separate these two, Emma and Tyler have a genuine and compelling chemistry. Every time they manage to carve out time to be together, Tyler and Emma discover how much they have in common. Both have an affinity for music. Emma is a budding songwriter while, unbeknownst to her, Tyler has an impressive music career writing hits for big stars. As any romance fans could guess, Tyler’s deception at being merely the caretaker does not go over well with Emma. However, I understand why he did it. The author discusses how he’s been played in the past, and how a lot of women were with him only for a shot at fame. The romance is a mix of sweet and steamy with loads of sexual tension as Emma and Tyler get to know each other.

THE CHRISTMAS SWAP is a perfect book to curl up with by the fire and catch some cozy Christmas romance vibes. Unlike Gillian, I wouldn’t mind reading about her brother in a future story. Initially I thought Gillian would be the sympathetic supporting character and her brother would be insufferable, but it ended up being the reverse. I look forward to reading more stories by Melody Carlson in the future.

Unfortunately, this book did not really work for me. When the title mentioned "Christmas” I would have assumed that there would be more involved in the way of the holiday. The only Christmas feel this book had was snow. The cast of characters were also supposed to be in their mid-thirties and they both acted and spoke like they were college students. I did not find anyone outside of Wes particularly likable either. I found it really shallow and immature that Wes would just hang around and ditch his family for a girl he no more than had a 5-minute conversation with the first day. And the fact that Emma so easily forgave Gillian for acting like a complete crazy person either showed me that she had no self confidence herself or was just a doormat.

I appreciate both NetGalley and Revell for allowing me the opportunity to read an early copy of this book.

It was a very quick story about a cute Christmas town and two people that you expect to fall in love but of course there’s some unexpected twists and turns along the way. Very predictable but an easy enjoyable holiday story.

A sweet, short story that's perfect to sit down and read all in one sitting while curled up with some hot chocolate in front of fire.

Emma participates in a house swap with a friends' family sending her to beautiful Beckenridge at Christmastime. Tyler West is supposed to be the other participant in the swap and supposed to be spending the holiday in sunny Arizona. Emma and Tyler hit it off and in the days leading up to Christmas get to know each other better.

Like watching a Hallmark movie you'll be rooting for love and mad at all the shenanigans stopping the two characters from falling in love. I wanted to yell at Emma's friend about 1000 times!

If you you're in the mood for something short, sweet and full of Christmas charm this is a great holiday read for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A short, sweet Christmas read, filled with humor and misunderstanding.

An delightful Christmastime romantic comedy, great for kicking back and relaxing. Perfect for fans of sweet romantic comedies and holiday movies.

Emma Daley agrees to accompany her friends on a Christmas vacation house swap, she is more than happy to go somewhere snowy and cold for Christmas. I loved her friendship with Gillian, despite the ups and downs, she loves her for who she is and is a great friend.

Singer-Songwriter T. West Prescott, is on his way to a vacation of his own, but after mistakenly leaving behind some important music, he stops back at the house, meeting Emma and the Landers family, and decides to stick around.

This is a sweet, romantic comedy of a read, with fun characters that are all too relatable at times. One of my favorite characters ended up being Grant, who is just all-around a nice guy. I had a great time reading this book, it was fun, heartwarming, and romantic. It put a smile on my face. I really enjoyed it.


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Title: The Christmas Swap
Author: Melody Carlson

Ch: 17

Pg: 163

Genre: Christmas Romance, Rom Com

Rating: 3.5 stars

Publisher: Revell



I’m a sucker for Christmas movies and books. From the beginning of November till the end of December I’m curled up with a blanket reading Christmas books. So when i read the burb about a house switch during Christmas I knew I had to read this one.


I know the house switch trope has been done before, but Melody Carlson brought her own unique twist to it. In which the house switch becomes one sided but only one party knows that.


I enjoyed this sweet Christmas Rom Com in book form. It was a quick read that I finished it in a day. This book is great for those who love hallmark movies and rom coms and Christmas.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher a part of a blog tour. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

New author for me and a wonderful read i love any Christmas themed romance book when there is a happy ending

The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson is a lighthearted Christmas romance novella. I look forward to reading Melody Carlson’s Christmas novella each year. There have been some that are just magical (The Christmas Bus, Christmas at Harrington’s, The Christmas Shoppe). The Christmas Swap is easy to read with steady pacing. I liked the premise of swapping houses for Christmas. Unfortunately, there are some terrible characters in the story. The griping, backbiting, and the manipulating did not make this an entertaining Christmas story. I liked Emma Daley and West Prescott. West’s mother was a sweet woman who loves her family and is supportive of West. Mr. Landers was a nice man who has a terrible family. Gillian is pushy, annoying, and scheming. Mrs. Landers was irritating with her constant litany of complaints. I wanted Emma to stand up for herself. I can understand being grateful for being included in the families Christmas plans and wanting to be helpful. However, there comes a time when you need to quit being a doormat. If I were Emma, I would need a vacation to unwind from the trip with the Landers family. I enjoyed the descriptions of Breckenridge, West’s home, the mountains, and the beauty of snow. I could imagine Emma staring in wonder when she sees the clean, fresh snow for the very first time. I missed the feeling of Christmas and humor that is normally present in Ms. Carlson’s Christmas novellas. The romance was minimal. Just when I was starting to smile and enjoy what was occurring, the story was over. The Christmas Swap needed an epilogue. I hope that Melody Carlson gets her mojo back in time for next years Christmas tale.

This is a book that I would highly recommend. I chose this book because of the author, Melody Carlson. This is another excellent book by this author. She has well developed characters and an excellent storyline.
Emma Daley has never seen snow in-person and she was going to get the chance if she went with her college friend, Gillian, for the Christmas holiday. They were swapping houses with somebody in Breckenridge, Colorado for the week of Christmas and her parents were willing to pay for a plane ticket for Emma to go. Emma also wanted to stay at home and not deal with the drama that tended to follow the family of Gillian but the hint of snow and learning to ski changed her mind.
Singer, songwriter, West Prescott was having second thoughts about swapping his house for a Christmas vacation with his family in Scottsdale, Arizona, -- a place with heat and no snow. This was a dream of his stepfather and West allowed his attractively decorated house to be the one to be swapped. Forgetting to grab the music he was currently writing, he doubled back to get it, losing his chance to fly out with his family. What he found, when he went back, made him delay his departure so that he could get to know Emma better.
I was given a free copy of this book for review by Net Galley and the opinion is my own. #TheChristmasSwap #MelodyCarlson #NetGalley

Since Emma's parents had moved to the other side of the world, Emma had spent Christmas with her best friend Gillian and her family. It was always extravagant and not really Emma's scene but she was always grateful not to be alone. This year she wants to do it differently... she wants to stay home to work on her music this year, that is until Gillian tells her that they plan to do things differently too. They are house-swapping. They will be having Christmas in a ski resort in Colorado.

West had already decorated the house for Christmas when he was told he would be swapping homes for the holidays by his mother. As a musician he just wanted to stay at home, he'd been busy with music stars collaborating and just wanted a chill but his family mean the world to him. When he arrives at the airport, he realises he has left a vital item at home... his music folder. He needs it with him. He postpones his flight and heads home for his music.

As West gets ready to leave his home with his music pack in tow, the family and Emma arrive. He hides out in his studio but is later met by Gillian. He blurts out the first thing to mind and that is that he is the caretaker of the home and the studio is the caretakers cottage.

I loved this book, everything sounded picturesque and its definitely somewhere I would love to spend Christmas.

It's a cute weekend read that sets you up for the festive season. A must read for fans of The Holiday and book lovers alike.

My Thoughts: When I see the name Melody Carlson, I think of warm Christmas stories. Christmas Swap is one that will get you in the spirit. From the moment I heard about this story, I fell in love with the concept. And the novel proved to be a fun escape for the afternoon.
The characters fell a little flat for me but there were enough twists and turns to keep the story moving forward. Now, where this book really shines is in the setting. I felt like I was there skiing with them.
There wasn’t any spiritual content in this one but the main characters seemed to have a moral Christian outlook on life, so it was certainly a safe, clean read.

Rating and Recommendations: I’m giving Christmas Swap 3.5 stars and recommending it to those who are looking for a quick Christmas escape.

~ I received a copy from Revell. All thoughts are my own. I was not compensated for this review or required to give a favorable one.

I love reading Christmas books anytime of the year. It is getting close to the holidays and this charming story put me right in the holiday spirit. I loved the concept of swapping houses at Christmas time. I know I would have picked going anywhere where snow is since I have never seen it. It sounded like it would be fun for Emma to tag along with her friend Gillian and her family to Colorado.

I did not care for Gillian at all. She is self centered and has a horrible attitude. It was clear that Gillian got her attitude from her mother. My oh my did Gillian’s mother complain about everything. The house wasn’t good enough, she was cold, the decorations were not to her liking. I think she and Gillian should have just flown home.

The premise of the story centers mostly around Emma and West. I won’t go into much detail about who West is because I want that to be a surprise. I did like how West and Emma hit it off, but Gillian was green with envy. She finds out a huge secret about West and wants him for herself. The story is cute but lacking in some areas. I did like the back and forth with Emma and West but I wanted more depth to their characters. The story seemed to end abruptly and I feel like it didn’t really have a satisfactory closing. It was too predictable and left me with questions more than answers.

I received a copy of this book from Revell Reads. The review is my own opinion.

This is your typical story of mistaken identity. But it is so well told. You will be cheering for Emma and at other times want to smack her. The story gives you an idea of what it would be like swap houses during the holidays. I don't think I could do that. Airbnb is the closest I can come to that.

The Christmas swap was JUST what I needed to get into the holiday spirit! The Colorado setting mixed with the ski slopes was perfect. Emma has spent several Christmas holidays with her best friend Gillian and her family and this year is no different. However, instead of warm and sunny Arizona they decide to swap houses with someone in Colorado. West was supposed to head to Arizona but never left and now everyone thinks he’s the caretaker. Him and Emma hit it off, under false pretenses, but they are falling for each other. Will they be able to figure it out before she has to leave or will everything fall apart? Melody Carlson is a new to me author but I’m definitely going to read her previous works!

Emma, a part-time substitute teacher and fledgling musician from Arizona, has grudgingly agreed to join her best friend and her family in a house swap this Christmas in snowy Colorado. West, a highly acclaimed songwriter, is supposed to be joining his family in their swapped house in Arizona for the holiday but unexpectedly gets delayed leaving his Colorado home. Before they know it, Emma and West are spending the snowy days leading up to Christmas getting to know each other and fall in love. But Emma still doesn't know exactly who West is.

The storyline and characters for "The Christmas Swap" just weren't developed enough for me. I found the speed with which Emma and West fell in love and the general pace of the book to be off putting to get into the story.

Melody Carlson hits another Christmas Story out of the park; with this entertaining, adorable, fun story that has me thinking about Christmas fun. I enjoyed the premise of families swapping houses for the Christmas holidays as readers get a peek at each location, one in Arizona and the other in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.

It was fun to imagine Emma Daley fall in love with the Colorado Rockies with its snow and beautiful scenery. Emma has only seen snow in the movies. She is taken by its beauty. She cannot help but like Tyler Prescott the caretaker of the house she is staying at. Tyler offers to teach her how to ski. Sparks fly in more ways than on the slopes.

This story will warm your heart and leave you wanting to take a trip to Colorado for Christmas. I like how the author drives home the theme of love and that the heart of Christmas is family!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

Emma Daley had planned to spend Christmas alone, but her wealthy friend, Gillian, convinced her join her and her family on a house swap in Colorado. Even though Gillian's family had always been hospitable and generous to her, Emily was hesitant to travel with them as there was always drama. However, because she had never seen snow she agreed to go. The family drama began before they boarded the plane. Hopefully, the rest of the week would pass quietly.
West Prescott owned the Colorado home and had agreed to the swap only because his mother asked him to. Unexpectedly and hoping to slip in and out without being noticed, he had to return to his house because he had forgotten something. He was discovered and this was when things became complicated. Very complicated.
Emma and West felt a connection quickly, but not everyone wanted them together. Gillian's actions cause us to wonder just how good a friend she really is. West had not been exactly truthful as to who he was. Can he be trusted?
I found this to be a well written romantic story which is populated with interesting characters. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. This book is about two families who swap houses for the holidays. This is a lightheaded romance that put me in the Christmas spirit.

The Christmas Swap by Melody Carlson is a delightful contemporary festive offering that will leave you smiling.
I always look forward to autumn and the latest Christmas themed book from Melody Carlson. This year’s novel is totally charming and will get you in the mood for cold December days.
Set in a lodge in snow covered mountains, there is a wonderful warm atmosphere. All is cosy and charming. There is an eclectic mix of characters – some with huge, welcoming hearts.
The reader sees the fickleness of some who are attracted by status, money and power. In contrast there are pure hearts who like the simple things in life and who like people for just who they are and not the size of their bank balance.
The Christmas Swap is positively wonderful, a Cinderella style novel that will warm your heart whatever time of year you read it.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

When a case of mistaken identity throws Emma, substitute teacher and struggling musician, into the path of Wes Prescott, award winning songwriter, sparks start flying.

Emma is convinced by her best friend, Gillian, to join her family in a Christmas house swap. When they land in Colorado Emma is besotted by the beauty of the small town and excited the prospect of a white Christmas. If only Gillian would stop meddling in her love life.

This is a short and sweet book that would make an idea Hallmark movie.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.