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

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of In a Holidaze in exchange for an honest review!

Time travel trope and a Christina Lauren romance? Sign me up :)

This novel is what you’d get if Christmastime was a book. It has everything you’d need: romance, family, holiday tradition, and of course, time travel. The plot involves Maelyn, the main character, being sent back in time to relive her family’s holiday tradition of visiting their cabin with family friends after things in her life aren't going the way they should be. I was a bit skeptical of how the time travel aspect would work (because sometimes it just makes the book drag on) but let me tell you that IT DID.

The romance between Maelyn and Andrew was absolutely adorable. The characters had some very cute scenes together and their casual drift from friends to something more rekindled my faith in the friends to lovers trope.

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

I love all the characters in In a Holidaze. Maelyn is a fantastic protagonist and her character traits are perfectly suited to this story. Any other person could not have made this book as good as it was. Andrew is a sweet and cute romantic interest and suited Maelyn so well. And don’t get me started on their families! Christmas isn’t Christmas without your chosen family, and this tight-knit group proves that.

At this point, any new Christina Lauren books are an automatic read, and I’m so glad that I got accepted for this arc. This is definitely one of my favourite books of theirs!

<i>arc kindly provided to me from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

So I didn’t know what to expect going into this which is a common occurrence as I like to go into books with limited knowledge. Plus, the last few Christina Lauren books haven’t been my favourites so my expectations weren’t super high but hollllllyyyyyy was this unexpected and so delightful.

I didn’t realize this involved time travel so I was super confused when it happened but I think that added to my enjoyment of this story as I got to experience everything with our main character. I loved the whole time travel plot line and it is usually a plot device that I don’t like so that was refreshing.

This book was seriously such a joy. I loved the family aspects, the bonds that these people have and you could feel it through every interaction. It really exuded a warm, loving vibe even when the characters were experiencing hard issues.

Mae and Andrew together was perfection. Their relationship was seemingly quick but this didn’t feel rushed. I think because we only got Mae’s POV and she’s been in love with Andrew for so long, their love story felt more like coming home versus a quick, insta love type of story.

Overall, I had a blast with this book and I highly highly recommend this if you’re into adult romances. This would be a perfect book to read around Christmas!

4.5/5 🌟

TW: car accident, death, divorce, mild sexually explicit scenes.

I’m not usually a fan of Groundhog Day stories because
1. I find it boring to watch characters live out the same day over and over, and
2. I don’t like the feeling of impermanence (which I guess is not all that different from regular life, just more overt) and of no consequences.

But since I love Christina Lauren and I love holiday stories, I gave it a chance and I’m glad I did. While I still think the story could have been accomplished without the time warp, it was one of the best iterations I’ve seen. (Maelyn cycled quickly through a few times but for the most part stayed in one dimension so we weren’t left suffering through the same events over and over). Christmas is a time where I can tolerate a little suspension of disbelief and enjoy the magic, and this was a cute and cozy friends-to-lovers story with the added message of taking risks and chasing your own happiness.

Lately I have been in a funk because it’s p much fall in Toronto, it’s getting cold and dark early. This fun Christmas themed book helped cheer me up this weekend. Somehow this is the second book in a row that included some form of time travel and the love of family, and I love it. I appreciated the dynamic of the chosen family. Wish I had an Uncle Benny tbh. Read it this October!

Time travel related romance and life fulfillment?! Sign me up!

I’m always wondering how one decision influences my life, happiness and outcomes. “What if I hadn’t applied for that job?” “What if I’d stayed at my old job” “What if I hadn’t dated that boy?” “What if I’d told him how much he means to me?” “What if I’d told him I’ve had a crush on him forever?” “What if I hadn’t entertained the idea of him dating someone else?” “What if he hadn’t known about my other relationships?” The list goes on.

If you ruminate, are a hopeless romantic, love the friends to lovers trope, love Christmas and tradition, or don’t mind mild time travel then this book is for you!

I don’t know how Christina Lauren deliver perfection after perfection. To say I gobbled up and thoroughly enjoyed this book is an understatement. To say I love all the writing that comes from this duo doesn’t even come to close to acknowledging my adoration for their work. Also, I’m amazed by how they managed to not make the repeat time travels in moments in this book boring.

We all know anything by Christina Lauren is an instant must read for me, and I’m beyond thankful to Netgalley for this ARC.

This book is the perfect mix of drama, love, life and family! A must read. Add it to your TBR, your wishlist, your birthday list, your christmas list, but make sure you get yourself a copy ASAP! The book hits shelves in October!

"Holidaze" is another adorable read by my favourite duo authors. Even if you're not a Christmas fan like I am, this book is an enjoyable, light, and slightly angsty book for the romance diehards.

Maelyn Jones; happy place is the cabin in Utah where she and and her family have spent every Christmas since she can remember. Through all the years of their traditional festivities, Mae has totally and completely fallen heads over heel in love with Andrew, which is probably why she's flabbergasted post-Christmas that she made out with his brother, Theo. While en route to the airport after what she finds out was their last Christmas at the cabin, Mae's in a mental whirlwind: "The cabin! It's being sold! I made out with Theo but I want Andrew! I hate my job! I'm twenty-six and had to move home!" Closing her eyes, she asks the universe to show her what will make her happy, and in a blink of an eye, Mae starts her "Groundhog Day" experience of figuring out the answer to her soul-searching question. While going through this time loop again and again, Mae's venture into finding her happiness is a humorous, romantic, and a thrilling one.

This is a friends to lovers trope, but it also has the underlying theme of the bond that ties family and friends together. One of the favourable quotes says it all: We've survived "because of how much we truly value each other's friendships."

I love Christmas, but what I love even more is a HEA and through the mess and anguish that is the decision-making of Mae, we do get there. I have never read a terrible book from Christina Lauren; they capture my attention from the start with lovable characters, humorous twists, and the kind of romance that grips your heart. I'll most likely re-read "Holidaze" during the festive season, but to be honest, I just may reread it when I also grapple with the ultimate question: What will make me happy?

Thank you to Netgalley and Gallery Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy Christina Lauren books, and this was no different. In a Holidaze was a delightful read, though at first I was apprehensive about the time travel, it was written quite nicely. There was no endless deja vu—you kind of skipped to the good parts once Maelyn realizes she's in a time loop. Maelyn's friends-to-lovers romance with Andrew was perfectly built up. It starts out as a bit of a one-sided crush, but then you slowly receive more and more obvious clues that her feelings are reciprocated, and it all culminates in the love. There are some nice spicy scenes in this novel.

A strong point for this novel was the sense of family between all the characters. The older generation have known each other since their college years and they've essentially brought up their children together, and that closeness really came through. You got to know all the side characters pretty well, and they really added to the book.

My only qualms with this novel are the conflicts. The reasons for conflicts in this novel are slightly confusing to me. They don't really make sense. However, these issues are easily glossed over, and they did not ruin the reading experience for me.

.Maelyn Jones is spending the holidays at a cabin in Utah where she has grown up spending her Christmas holiday’s with her family and two additional families she’s known since she was born. Only she wakes up the morning after Christmas having kissed the wrong man-her long-time friend, NOT his brother whom she thinks she’s been in love with since she was a teen. Crushed by this turn of events she then learns that this holiday is to be their last one together at the cabin. Desperate to change the past and the future she throws out a wish to the universe asking it to show her what will make her happy. Little did she know that wish would cast her into a time loop where she gets to relive her Christmas holiday giving her the opportunity to kiss the right brother and maybe even save the cabin and their Christmas tradition in the process.
I love Christina Lauren and I honestly love how she wrote this book. The characters were great, it flowed it’s a fun way to think back to what would have happened if..... But this Groundhog Fay type book of going back and forth between present and past with no real explanation of why that was really happening just isn’t the type of read I could get into. The love story lacked a bit too only because you saw one side of the story (hers) where I think of you put Andrews in there it would have helped make a lot more sense of it all.
Like I said good book just not really for me. Thank you NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

So glad to see this duo is back on track!

I wasn't a huge fan of their last book, so I was hesitant to give this one a try. I was pleasantly surprised to see the witty character banter - I felt it was missing from their previous book - was back. A few of the characters were seriously lacking in either description or purpose (Lisa, Theo and Miles), but overall this was a nice light book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

“But I was sent back here, specifically. Not ahead to the spring or summer. Not home to the backyard with a sketchbook. Here. And I need to know why.”

What you’ll find:
✔️Contemporary Romance
✔️Unique Storyline
✔️Holiday Magic
✔️Friends to Lovers
✔️Singular POV

Maelyn is anything but in the holiday spirit. When she makes an epic romantic error while away on a traditional family holiday in Utah, she finds herself pleading with the universe on the drive home to show her what will make her happy. As soon as she can ask this, she’s in a terrible accident, only to instead find herself waking up on the airplane to Utah once again. From there she finds herself trying to break free of the continuous time loop that sends her back on the plane and no closer to getting her true love.

Wow. This was such a unique and fun storyline! It gave me all the Groundhog Day movie, time travel vibes. Except Mae isn’t a self centred weatherman. She’s doing a job she doesn’t love and tired of holding back her feelings for her longtime crush. She sets out on a plan, with the help of the coolest uncle ever, to find happiness.

This story is more than the complicated friends to lovers story you’ll find. It’s about family, and traditions. With plenty of humour and heartwarming moments. Lighter on the steam, though with some great chemistry tension. This one is packed full of holiday magic that you have to just get lost in, in order to fully enjoy! I’ve really enjoyed discovering this writing duo earlier this year! This is definitely one I’ll be adding to my shelf!

I was generously provided with an eARC for my honest review.

This book gave me ‘groundhog day’ with a Hallmark movie vibe!.
This was such a fun, easy to read, pace paced book. I loved the different characters, the setting and the romance. It is very rare for me to cry when reading a book, but this book did it! I cried big tears!
I did not want this book to end!

Anytime I see a new Christina Lauren book come out I know I'll be sitting down and reading it in one go. Always fun characters with good humour and good romance. This one was especially cozy feeling with the Christmas theme and who doesn't love reading about a fabulous cabin! I did find myself wanting more of the other brother, it seemed like he got pushed to the side a bit, but nevertheless a fun read with lots of interesting characters.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This book was everything I didn't know I needed. This gave me the Unhoneymooners feels, in the way I loved it, not because they are similar, but because of how much I enjoyed and flew through it & the delightful banter between our love interests.

This is a christmas story, from one of my favourite author duo, about a 31 years old woman called Maelyn who has been in love with her best friend Andrew for the last 13 years. She hates her job, lives with her parents and will need a miracle to finally get Andrew under the mistletoe. The story pick up when she gets into an accident after the holiday's where everything goes black and boom she's back on the plane at the beginning of the holidays. Our main character soon discovers that she is stuck in a loop, each disaster that happens during these times sends her back to the beginning. It is a rollercoaster of emotions for Maely as she has to figure out how to make the holidays perfect, get out of the loop when it starts over each times she dies in more than one ridicule way (such as getting hit by a branch or falling down the stairs) and with luck & time on her side to make her life how she has always hoped it would go and finally get her happily ever after.

I loved Maelyn, she was funny and quirky, yes she hated how in her opinion her life was going nowhere, but this book had a perfect mix of christmas vibes, emotions and taking chances to be truly happy. Though her dying a lot in the book can seem outside of the christmas spirit, it was done in a beautiful, funny and very light way where it felt funnier than the real situation would be, you gotta believe in the christmas magic ! In this book I felt that she understood that you have to take risks to find your happiness and not have those "what if's". Andrew was kind, fun and their dynamic was great, they had great banter and you could see how they could be perfect together as a couple and how it translated to the beautiful friendship they had. The setting was cozy and truly made you feel like this was a cold winter night where you cuddle up in blankets with a hot chocolate.

This book is makes both a hard hitting story, written in a way that feel light and thoughtful, about taking your life in your hands as our main character has multiple chances to get her life "right", and being true to yourself. This magical realism romance novel perfectly captures the christmas holidays, with vibes of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol and a friends-to-lovers romance to make you swoon.

A wonderful christmas read, that will make you feel warm and cozy,

5/5 stars

Bookarina

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this novel. I am a Christmas nutcase, and have been waiting for this for months, and it did not disappoint. I loved the cast of characters in this- Mae is the protagonist, and I loved that she wasn't a picture-perfect person. She has flaws like any of us, and owns up to them! We also get to spend time with the rest of the supporting characters though, and we actually get to know them all. (Shout-out to Benny- forever full of wisdom!)
I wasn't sure if the Groundhog Day approach would be repetitive or limiting, but it really isn't- it works very well. We can see how Mae's mind works, and how different choices lead to different outcomes. (Not only interesting, but highly entertaining!)
I think that this book is perfect for anyone who loves Christmas, or anyone who loves reading about family relationships- there is definitely a holiday element to this book, but it isn't in your face.

What a cute holiday book! I love Christina Lauren as a writing duo and this book was not a disappointment. I loved all of the characters especially the relationship between Maisie and Benny. Obviously “groundhog day” type books require a lesson learned and this one was a good one (e.g. not cheesy or corny). Definitely recommend especially if you’re a follower of Christina Lauren.

Automatic +1 star for delightful Christmas Magic. After being disappointed by the Honey Don't List, the Christina Lauren I know and love is back with a vengeance. This was the perfect Holiday romance. Actual magic? Check. Shenanigans and hi jinks? Check. A wonderful cast of character you want to know more about? Check. This book really hit all the marks for me, and I could see myself pulling this out year after year for some holiday joy

4.5/ 5 stars

I love Christina Lauren and have been completely obsessed with them for the past few years. When Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings write a new book I always drop everything to read it. I was so beyond excited to read In a Holidaze.

I went into it completely blind. I think that it's completely different if you know the premise of this book (the book blurb really goes into detail about this story).

The narrator is Maelyn Jones (26 years old - 1st person POV). I'm not sure if I would call this a romantic comedy or a contemporary romance. I think maybe it is somewhere in the middle. The book was quite funny. But there were also parts that were a bit sexy.

The story takes place at a family cabin in Utah around Christmas time.

It's really hard to describe this book without spoiling the main premise (you can read the book blurb if you want to know, but it's something unusual). But this book is quite different from what I was expecting.

Maelyn, her brother and her parents have gone to a cabin every year since they were little. Her mom and dad's closest friends and their families all go there. And they are all like one big family. I loved this idea so much. My favorite friend was Benny. I loved how Mae would confide in him.

I enjoyed this book very much while reading it. But I kept waiting for some type of explanation for what was happening.

The romance in this book was very interesting. I liked how it played out with the brothers and everybody at the cabin.

There is definitely one part of this story that was super bizarre. And I was surprised at how much I didn't mind it. I just went with the story and tried not to overthink it.

Overall, this book will be a great holiday read. It is about a family and friends that have made themselves into one big family. The story made me teary-eyed at times. And it made me happy at times. And the ending was good. However, the ending was not what I was expecting. And I think I just wanted more from the story in the last chapter or two. But I did enjoy it a lot.

Reading this holiday read in August was the best idea ever. I've been a fan of Christina Lauren's books for a while now, and while I do miss that their books as steamy as the Beautiful series and the Wild Seasons series, one thing that I will ALWAYS love from their books is how they write characters, the banter between the love interests, and just their ability to write such great social circles surrounding their main characters. Also.. this book got quite steamy at some moments, so YAY ;)

I love me a good christmas feel good movie, and this seriously felt like it. Mae has been spending Christmas at a cabin with her family and her mother's best friend's family for as long as she can remember. Her parents are divorced and her mother has remarried, but they both still attend this christmas extravaganza every year at the cabin. Mae has also been super close with her mother's friend's son, Theo, for a long time, and she has also harboured a massive crush on Theo's brother, Andrew. On this one particular christmas when she finds the vacation ending, there is a car accident, and Mae finds herself jumping back in time and reliving the vacation from the beginning again. She takes this as a sign that whatever happened the "first" time around was a sign from the universe that it wasn't the way it was supposed to be. It is absolutely hilarious seeing this groundhog day scenario with Mae and certain days being relived certain ways.

It's some serious christmas magic because it has all the stuff you would want from a christmas romcom - a bit of tension, some family dynamics, incredibly swoooooony male lead, and just a really romantic story. This is definitely going down as one of my favorite CLo reads ever and I know what I'm definitely giving as a gift to many of my family and friends this holiday season ;)

A really fun read,. All of the characters were fun to get to know. The plot twist was fun, the relationships amongst all the family members were so sweet, the traditions were lovely and the resolution was satisfying. I did however expect more explanation on the plot twist ( don't want to add be detailed and spoil the plot) and I needed to understand how she was able to stay....

Synopsis
Groundhog day for Christmas! Mae has been vacationing at the cottage for years with her family. Its tradition. Everyone gathers to celebrate the holidays together, playing Clue, scavenger hunts, sledding, animal creations, and of course decorating the tree. This year is different. Mae is struggling, she’s not happy in her job, no current BF, and she recently moved back home. One wish - to be happy- changes everything. Now Mae is stuck reliving the same day over and over. Can she find happiness?

Review
Okay so Christmas came early!! This is such a feel good holiday romance- exactly what I was hoping for. Full of Christmas traditions, family, food, and a blossoming romance between long time friends. Christina Lauren does not disappoint!!! She has a knack for creating characters that are witty, sarcastic, and completely individual. The reader is easily able to picture Mae and Mandrew in their family cottage (being Canadian I pictured Muskoka) surrounded by annoying siblings, Benny the “funcle”, and the ever present parents who “only want their children’s happiness”. I admit to binging it in one sitting - a gift for myself.
I highly recommend for anyone who loves the holidays, loves romance, and is looking for a feel good read!!!