A cute, sweet YA Christmas RomCom that isn’t too schlocky or sappy.

This is a fun holiday quick read about a teenager from Christmas, Oklahoma who tells a few white lies about how much Christmas there is in her hometown of Christmas to her Connecticut boarding school classmates in a desperate ploy to fit in that goes terribly wrong.

Most of the book takes place in the protagonist’s home town at Christmas time rather than at her boarding school, and the action centers around her own stretching of the truth about where she’s from as well as a number of subplots involving her friends and family.

Though the side plots are pretty numerous, they do all tie back to Finley’s central story well, and create a much more well-rounded character with a much more realistic life than many romcom leads.

Though some of the Christmas-related mishaps are funny, the book’s one shortcoming is that it lags a bit on the festive atmosphere that we want out of light holiday reads. But otherwise, it’s a fun read and a nice happily ever after without being too overwrought in the journey to get there.

This was a sweet rom com. I would note that it has some swear words but otherwise is very appropriate for all ages… just may need to be kept out of middle school libraries. A fun and festive hallmark type book for teens!

Hallmark… but for teens! If you have a holiday loving, teen reader in your life they will love this book. It has an adorable Christmas Inn setting (with a funny twist) , fun side characters and an age appropriate slow burn romance. The story is as adorable as the cover. So This is Christmas would be great for ages 14 and up. It contains some PG-13 language. I thought the author did a great job at gearing both of these toward today’s teens and I would recommend it to my students.

Quick Stats
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 2 stars
Plot: 1/5
Characters: 3/5
Setting: 2/5
Writing: 2/5

Special thanks to Penguin Teen and NetGalley for an eARC of this book! All thoughts and opinions reflected in this review are my own.

So, This Is Christmas follows Finley as she returns to her hometown Christmas, Oklahoma, after a unideal first semester at a prestigious east coast boarding school. But it turns out one of her classmates has arrived in Christmas wanting the full Christmas experience that Finley had told her classmates about—only… Finley may have embellished the truth about her home town a little (or a lot), and her classmate Arthur is none too happy about it. And using Finley’s guilt about ruining his and his aunt’s holiday against her, Arthur forces Finley to give him the holiday experience she had promised.

Sounds like so much fun, right? Wrong.
It… was… so… boring. It felt like nothing happened. The pacing was so slow, and I was not a fan of Finley’s narration. As a character, I liked Finley fine, but her inner monologue and the way it was written out made me want to bang my head against a wall. The characters were all fine, actually, but they were pretty two dimensional. Finley’s previous friends (Brody and Mia) were infuriating. They had no personalities, and most of their reactions made no sense and they seemed to zing from trying too hard to be friendly to irrationally angry at Finley for basically no reason.

There were also multiple instances that made me kind of uncomfortable. A few things that felt a little like fetishizing Native American women, a throwaway sentence that was mildly ableist, and another throwaway remark that felt a bit homophobic.

Here are some quotes. Please keep in mind that these are from the ARC and not the finished copy. They’re also all very subtle, but they just didn’t sit right with me.

“…ever since his wife left him two years ago for the local male dance teacher who—surprise!—turned out to not be gay after all…” (pg. 43)
I’m sorry… what? That was just super weird. Later in the book there seemed to be positive LGBTQ+ representation (I’m not a part of the community though, so I can’t guarantee that the rep later on was positive).

“Tall and trim, and sporting movie star cheekbones inherited from the 1/16th Cherokee side of her genetic tree…” (pg. 43)
“I may have a smidgen of Cherokee in my DNA thanks to Grandma Joe’s side of the genetic tree, but mom’s Nordic/Irish ancestors won out in the most overt ways.” (pg. 69)
There are more mentions of her grandma’s beauty and relating it to the 1/16th Cherokee ancestry. These were just the first two, so I took specific note. Again, I’m not Native, so I guess I don’t know that that’s offensive, but I know that Native women are often fetishized, and something about the way it was written made me uncomfortable. Like, why was it necessary to repeatedly mention that this white woman was 1/16th Cherokee?

“[Arthur was] suddenly hit by an case of tourist ADD. He touched every Christmas, OK-stamped souvenir and knickknack on the tables between the door and our destination.” (pg. 54)
I thought we learned our lesson about trivializing mental illnesses and disabilities that can be debilitating with the “I’m so OCD” and Target’s “OCD: Obsessive Christmas Disorder” sweaters back in like 2017. Also the correct term is ADHD. ADD was removed from the DSM-5 a few years back. ADD is already a disability that is often trivialized as “distractability” and “hyperactivity”. It’s so much more than that, and we don’t need to add to this mentality and make it harder for people who struggle with ADHD to get the accommodations they need.

There were also many instances of what felt like fatphobia, where Finley said her dad was more attractive than the other dads because he was thin and they weren’t. This came up several times, but I only made note of one that felt pretty blatant:
“He’s not fat, and that puts him ahead of most of my friends’ dads in the looks department.” (pg. 114)

So, this is a disappointment. I love holiday romcom books, but this one was not worth it. Even if you ignore the subtle issues, the book itself was just incredibly boring.

I got about 25% through and was still bored. Characters and plot weren’t interesting enough for me to want to keep reading.

When Finley Brown returned to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma, from boarding school, she expected to find it just as she left it. Christmas hasn't changed much in her sixteen years. But instead she returns to find that her best friend is dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents have separated, and her archnemesis got a job working at her grandmother's inn. And she certainly didn't expect to find the boy she may or may not have tricked into believing that Christmas was an idyllic holiday paradise on her grandmother's doorstep. It's up to Finley to make sure he gets the Christmas he was promised. This is Finley's Christmas. It's about home and family and friends and finding her place, and along the way she also finds the best Christmas present of all: love.

This was so cute and a pretty perfect YA book! It takes place in Oklahoma, where I’ve spent many Christmases before (my husband is from there), and where we will be this year, so I was curious on Finley’s version of Christmas. She nailed it and then some…if you like YA books, family drama, small town romance, and hilarious mishaps all rolled into a Christmas book, then I highly suggest you give this one a try!

I was jumping for joy when I saw I was approved for this ARC. A Christmas romance by a Hallmark Movie writer? It sounded like the perfect cheesy Holiday read! However, I sadly DNF'd this. The protagonist was insufferable. There was absolutely no chemistry with her love interest, who for some reason is a Brit going to an American Boarding School (High School). I don't even like the British, but having read this whilst in a relationship with a Brit, I was offended by this portrayal on HIS behalf! The whole plotline of having to show the love interest a "proper American Christmas" made no sense, considering Christmas is celebrated practically the same way in the UK. Also, what was the reason for the paragraph about Harry Potter that ends in praise for J.D. Salinger? There is no reason to be supporting bigotry in your 2021 releases. I see where this author stands and it's not on the side of marginalized individuals! Having read some other reviews, it appears the Christmas part of the story is minimal anyway, there remains no chemistry between our love interest and protagonist throughout the entirety of the novel, and most people only read for the sweet old grandmother. I wouldn't recommend anyone rush out and read this. There are so many other Holiday novels, especially ADULT Holiday novels, that are much more worth your time.

This was such a fun Christmas read! I really enjoyed getting into the world of Christmas, Oklahoma. It’s not initially as quaint as it sounds, but as you get to know the characters in the town the charm is obvious.

Moving past that though, I really loved the romance between the main characters. It was a little enemies to lovers - my weakness trope - but a softer version. Arthur, the hero in the story, is just such a fun character! I really loved his oddities and quirks, and even his British grandpa-like speaking. Finley was at times a difficult character to connect with, but overall it was great to see how she grew through the book! Her revelation at the end (which I won’t go into - no spoilers) really helps things to fall into place.

If you enjoy Christmas romances, a small town setting, and really fun but quirky characters, this is the Christmas romance for you!

‼️Some language in this one.

My rating: 4*

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Thanks to NetGalleyShelf and the publisher for gifting me this copy. All opinions expressed on my own.

This was a bit too young for me. Some YA can still hit the spot but this felt very young. However I think it was really a great book for those in the target demographic. It was cute, albeit a little slow.

I loved the idea of this story, and it was definitely a festive read, but I just didn't love the romance in this one. I loved the setting and I loved how the two characters knew each other from their school, but they were forced to interact in another setting with it just being them, but I didn't love much else. I just wanted more from Arthur. It felt very Hallmark Christmas movie, which I think was the intention, so I can't fault it. I just didn't personally connect with it, but I think a lot of people will! A solid 3 stars for me.

Thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an e-ARC of So, This Is Christmas in exchange for an honest review!

So, This Is Christmas was a perfectly fine read; it did take a minute for me to care about what was going on, but after awhile the characters grew on me & I started rooting for the romance.

My favorite part of this book was what I went in wanting which was the Christmas vibes. There's reindeer, a Christmas parade & more Christmas festivities that take place. Exactly what I needed to get into the Christmas spirit!

3.5 stars

Finley is home from boarding school for Christmas when her schoolmate, Arthur, and his aunt arrive at her family inn to spend the holiday. Finley may or may not have updated the town website to portray Christmas, OK as a more spirit filled place than it is in reality. When Arthur arrives and demands to be shown a Christmasy good time, Finley sets out to make good on the promises she made on the website.

This was a cute YA rom-com. It appears to be the first in a series. I would definitely be interested in reading the next in the series. I could see some of the side characters getting their own story, but I’d also be happy following along in Finley and Arthur’s story.

A (too) sweet Christmas romance. A lot of cliches, unconvincing love story and a very slow pacing. A lot of Christmasy vibes, but that's about it.

So freaking cute! I love a good holiday romance! I don't celebrate christmas, but I love being part of the holiday season and this hit the spot!

Thanks so much to Penguin and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book was a DELIGHT. If you, like me, have been in a Hallmark Christmas movie mood as of late, this book is for you. It was precious. You follow 16 year old Finley, who fibbed about her hometown of Christmas's epic (and obvious) theme, to her new boarding school classmates in an attempt to impress them and make friends. One of them, Arthur, a mixed race British schoolmate who wanted to experience a real American Christmas, falls for it and ends up staying at her family's inn with his aunt through the holidays, and Christmas movie shenanigans ensue.

It was delightful. At times, the characters were frustrating and endearing, just like in a Hallmark movie, but the way everything worked out and the slight character growth we saw in that time made this book into one that I forsee myself rereading at this time every year. I'm not necessarily one for YA romances anymore, but this rapidly made its way onto my favorites list and I had a great time. A four out of five stars for me!

Unfortunately this didn't work for me. I just couldn't get into the story, and towards the end I just skimmed the pages. I'm not sure whether it was the plotline or the writing style that didn't pull me in, but it wasn't interesting enough to keep me entertained. I'm so saddened by this, as I really wished I would enjoy this!

I adored this book! I had been in quite the reading slump so I was a little worried that nothing would help, but Finley and Arthur pulled me right out of that slump with their cuteness and Christmas spunk! I highly recommend this novel if you’re looking for a cute light hearted read to get you in the Christmas spirit. Thank you netgalley for my copy.

So This is Christmas by Tray Andreen, 368 pages. Viking (Penguin), 2021.

Language: R (83 swears, 6 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (some drinking); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

After a disastrous first semester, 16yo Finley is ready to call it quits with the New England boarding school of her dreams. In a funk, she returns to her home town, Christmas, Oklahoma, to break the news to her parents. But she returns to even more chaos. Her mother went to visit her sister six weeks ago and hasn’t returned. Her ex-boyfriend is daiting her now ex-best friend. And her arch nemesis is working at her family Bed and Breakfast, so Finley has to see and interact with her every day. Anything else? Oh yes. Arthur, the boy that has seen her humiliated countless times at boarding school has arrived to the B and B with his aunt in tow for a traditional American Christmas in Christmas, Oklahoma, based on the town website that Finley bragged about (and maybe spruced up on the sly with events that don’t really happen). Cue the embarrassment.

Romance lovers have a treat in Andreen’s first novel. It has the makings of a great Netflix Christmas movie with real heart. Or just balm for a reader seeking a happy ending.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

I'm going to start with, I really enjoyed this :) Huge mixture of characters that didn't seem forced, and found a way to mesh in a small town in Oklahoma. I'm from a small town in Illinois, my people don't mesh so well ;) But the author did include that probably, behind the scenes, people weren't doing as well with situations as they were in public - fair enough, and true enough. Wondering if teens will get the Spicoli reference, but I thought it was cute! maybe they'd google it. I think overall it's an honest representation of how we cope with situations and stresses in our lives and are afraid to ask for help, I know I am!

Finley returns to her hometown Christmas, Oklahoma after being away for boarding school, and discovers all the change that happened while she was gone. Between her parents’ separation, her ex and her best friend getting together, uncovering a secret from her grandmother, and wanting to give the sweet Brit Arthur an unforgettable holiday, she harbors mixed sentiments over all this change. Some magical holiday this has come to be?

I appreciated the multiple elements within the story. A place called Christmas but lacked some of the Christmassy feelings because of all the change that Finley discovered. I wished there was more of a romantic connection, but like with any YA, it was about Fin’s coming of age and moving on with life, accepting the changes and coping. I thought this would’ve been better adapted on screen.