It’s winter break in Holly, NY - home the best Christmas movie of all time of Holiday by the Lake, and Lila Santos is ready to work her tail off at the local inn, take on a holiday bucket list with her best friend, and secretly update her book blog with holiday reads. The problem? Her boss’s nephew is stealing her hours at work, and Lila is tasked with training Teddy. When the two switch accidentally phones, secrets are revealed. Will a snowstorm bring theses two enemies together?

This was a fun holiday young adult romance, and I would love to read Lila’s critique of The Holiday Switch. It is a quick read, and it’ll get you in the holiday spirit!

Thanks to @NetGalley and Random House Children’s for my ARC!

Finally picked up The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo (full synopsis in comments) and wow did it not disappoint. Cute and fun and exactly what I wanted. It took place over a few weeks in December (the 11th to Jan 7th to be exact). The book is full of Holiday spirit and events that I couldn't help but feelingnin the Holiday spirit. I loved the personalities and quirks that Tifbgave her characters. I was able to connect with hem more than I had thought.

It was also cute that Tif included blog posts done by Lila on her secret book blog! But she's not the only one with a secret. Lila and Teddy had great chemistry and wanted more of their banter on page. I also had wanted more of Lila and her best friend. Really that's my only complaint of this book: I wanted more. Shorter than 300 pages, you start to dip your toe in this town and relationships, only for your time there to be done (ok very similar to December in real life).

I really enjoyed this one and will definitely be keeping an eye on what else Tif releases. I gave this one ⭐⭐⭐⭐ and recommend you pick this up in the few days before Christmas!

The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo is about Lila who is spending some time during the holiday season earning some holiday cash from a local inn. What people, especially her parents, don't know is that she moonlights as an anonymous book blogger. It's mostly a secret from her family because of an incident that had occurred in her family, but she absolutely loves her book blog, and it is a seasonal book blog that she writes. She finds out that her hours at the inn might be in jeopardy, though, because her boss's nephew, Teddy, is coming on board to be her coworker and, thus, taking away from her hours at the inn. However, she's in for a surprise when she finds out not only does Teddy not really want all those extra hours, but he has a secret that he's keeping from his family, as well.

As far as YA Holiday romances go, I think this one took an interesting angle. I'd say maybe fans of Jenn Bennett might like this one.

The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo will be a great Christmas movie that you'll enjoy while snuggling under the blanket plus a cup of your favorite beverage in hand. Reading this book just pumped up the holiday mood in your vein! Super cute romance, easy to read, full of holiday spirit, but also heart-warming and touching. I truly enjoy this book and you could see from how "wild" my reaction was while reading it 😂

☾ 𝟙𝟝 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕎𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕖 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜
- She LOVES books and owns A BOOK BLOG! This already got extra 2 stars from me :D
- I feel like watching a Christmas movie! So atmospheric!
- Holiday Bucket List... Shall I make mine? 😁
- Hmmm... Somehow I feel that her annoyance is childish
- Ohhh... Ohh... an accidental switch. CUTE!
- Oh girl... There is no such thing as "just"!
- Organized the book by color! Ohh yeah that's my fav! 🤣
- GRRR!! Now I reach the point where I am completely annoyed with this girl.
- Told ya, girl! Organizing books by color is the best 😆
- Oh my God! This girl just makes my head boil. Why she is so nitty-picky?
- Would it hurt to try something new? YEAAH tells her that Teddy!
- Bookworms always have such great things to say - INDEED!
- Aha! The spark of love start to burn
- Hahaha... I love their text banter. They are just too cute
- OUUHH. Love IT! 😍😍😍😍

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lila is a high school senior working at a kitschy gift shop in a town centered on Christmas and a holiday movie once filmed there. She is hoping to take some extra shifts over her Christmas break to save up for her upcoming college experience at Syracuse, but her boss’s nephew comes to town and throws that plan out the window. When Lila and Teddy accidentally swap phones, they become aware of each other’s biggest secrets.

I thought this book was cute. It took me some time to get into, and I don’t think the title is the best descriptor of the plot. The actual switch is very short. At first I didn’t love the characters, but then they grew on me. Especially Irene. ❤️ It’s a great book to read at Christmas!

I would recommend this to people who like to read comfy holiday stories or who love to watch hallmark Christmas movies!

“Books are an escape. Books are a reminder that opposites can exist at the same time, both good and bad, positive and negative.”

If this isn’t on you’re radar yet it seriously needs to be. I love holiday romances and this one definitely checked all the boxes.

-Cute new boy come to town (it’s doesn’t have to be a boy to check this box though, honestly give me the one where it’s a girl),

-Hidden identities

-Books are a central part of this story

-Fun holiday themes activities

-Small town

– Blog posts incorporated into the story

Yes, yes, yes! This was definitely the book I needed. I can not simply express how much fun and joy I had while reading this book. I’m pretty sure I read this book in just over 24 hours and it was phenomenal! And now unfortunately I am in the single largest reading slump of my life. I love the atmosphere the author set up. A small town that is the basis for a now popular book and movie. It has the makings of a ya hallmark right here.

I loved that our female main character was a book blogger. She actually inspired me to get back into the blogging thing. She reviews a particular type of book though, Christmas romances. But where does the hidden identity come in, no one knows she’s been blogging for quite some time. Over the course of the story she even celebrates her blogging anniversary. Our love interest is the nephew of the store owner, who has a secret of his own. He’s been competing on bouldering competitions without anyone in his family knowing. One day as they are leaving work they accidently switch phones and find out the secrets the other has been hiding.

This book is filled with all the small town Christmas feels and events. Seriously, pick this one up ASAP!


I received and arc from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Quick Stats
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 4 stars
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4/5

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

I really liked this book. It was fun, fluffy, cute, and quick. So I was totally shocked to see that it only had a 3.56 average rating. Especially since the last YA Christmas romance I read had a higher rating and I didn’t enjoy it at all.
Then I started reading the poor reviews. And found a common thread that infuriated me. So many 2 star reviews said some form of “I think teenagers would really like this book, but as an adult it was too immature for me.”
REPEAT THIS WITH ME: If you are an adult reading a book that was written for teenagers or children, and one of your reasons for not liking it is that it’s too immature for you, your opinion does not matter. If you don’t like a YA book because the teenagers are too teenager-ish, you should not be rating or reviewing that book. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the book you read, truly I am, that’s the worst. But you are bringing down the average review of a book that was never written for you when you admit that its target audience would enjoy it. You can simply add it to your review shelf without adding a rating. Rate it in your head. Rate it in your journal or spreadsheet or whatever. Just don’t bring down the average review, because then people of that target audience who would love this book might see that it has poor ratings and not read it.

The Holiday Switch is a small town holiday romance with a mainly POC cast. Do you know how rare that is? It was everything I wanted it to be. I related heavily to Lila and her struggles with figuring out what she wants to do with her life. I think that feeling of needing to have everything figured out as you get toward college is something every high school senior feels all too acutely—especially the panic when you realize what you thought you wanted might not actually be what’s right for you after all. The small holiday-focused town setting was adorable and so much fun. It truly felt like the best kind of Hallmark Christmas movie in book form: slightly cheesy; innocent, adorable romance; and tons of fun.

Many reviews say that Lila and Teddy didn’t have any chemistry, but I don’t think that’s true. I thought their interactions were really sweet, and I was invested in their relationship. There just wasn’t really sexual tension. But sexual tension ≠ romantic chemistry. To me, The Holiday Switch focused on the sweetness of young love, and I really enjoyed that. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a place for the intense tension in romance (YA or otherwise), but it isn’t necessary for a good romance book.

All I can say is, if you like YA romance and Christmas—read this book. I genuinely enjoyed it so much, and I highly recommend it.

This is a cute young adult read. I loved the family dynamic and the friendships and decisions that were faced in the story.

A cute premise is let down by some tenuous plot points and unrefined writing, but ultimately keeps the holiday cheer. Even for being a YA novel, the characters seem very young, and I'm just not ready to accept that Lila's parents were doxxed after a tree branch fell on their business and neighbors suspected they'd done it for insurance money. Surely there were easier ways to make them protective of her time on the internet?

Still, we love a heroine with a book blog, a love interest who's super into bouldering is new to me, and I do love that their town is an homage to a Christmas movie filmed there.

This ARC was given to me by the publishers in return for an honest review. Thank you publisher!!

A super cute Christmas story about a girl and a boy who work together at a shop dedicated to the famous movie that was shot in their town. They one day switch phones and discover secrets about each other that bring them a little closer for the holiday season.

This one was cute! It was a little harder to get into but I thought it was really cute. I loved the premise of the town being famous for a movie that was shot there, and I really enjoyed their cute romance.

The Holiday Switch definitely delivers a cute Christmas read for teens and tweens. YA fans of Hallmark Christmas movies will adore this sticky sweet romance centered around a charming little small town and two teens who work in their gift shop. The entire book takes place over just a few days and it's a cozy escape. Tif Marcelo also provides some much-needed representation to the holiday genre with her story centering around a Filipino family.

Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo was a cute holiday read. it is definitely not one of my favorites. I know that she was not supposed to be on social media because her family was doxxed but maybe it wasn't explained enough for it to mean she shouldn't be on social media at all? My point being I don't get why her secret was such a big secret. Also with Teddy's secret rock climbing, it was obvious something ha happened healthwise but we didn't find out about the concussion till almost the end of the book and nothing happened because of it. Was it cute? Sure. Would I recommend it? no. But I did buy it for the library if someone else wants it. Plus I don't think switching phones was necessary. That could have been done with overhearing and aa slip of the tongue to make it more human.

A cheese-y christmas romance for contemporary readers and book lovers alike. Lila lives in a town once used as the backdrop for a classic christmas movie, and is therefore is now a major christmas tourist stop. Bewteen saving money for her dream college, making the most of her final high school winter break with her friends, and keeping her secret book blog (where she reviews holiday themed books) she does not have time to mess around trainingj her boss's nephew. When an accidental phone switch reveals that they both have been keeping secrets, Lila starts to figure out who she wants to be outside of what everyone expects from her.

I thought this was cute and the concept had SUCH potential. The town and all the businesses seemed so fun! The conflicts in the story were a little manufactured to me. Most of the drama was all the "secrets" Teddy and Lila were keeping, but it resolved so fast! I was waiting for Lila's mom to have not actually gotten tickets to the New Years event, or for the movie stars to not live up to her expectations. Regardless, this was a fun, cozy romance that I would recomend to young teenagers.

Grab a cup of hot chocolate and snuggle up with 'The Holiday Switch' under the Christmas lights! The holidays are upon the touristy town of Holly, New York and Tif Marcelo is ready to take readers to a magical place.

This story was exactly what I needed to kick off the holiday season. It’s full of bright and diverse characters and set in a joyful town that loves Christmas!

Lila is an employee at the Bookworm Inn which happened to be a major set in a popular film called ‘Holiday by the Lake’. Thanks to the film and novel, the town of Holly sees a boost in tourism during Christmas when people come to see where the two main characters in ‘Holiday by the Lake’ fell in love. Thanks to this, Lila is hoping that she can pick up extra shifts during her winter break.

With college just around the corner and not wanting to be a burden to her family, Lila’s main focus is to earn enough money to help where financial aid can’t. Her plans get ruined thanks to the nephew of her boss showing up as Bookworm Inn’s newest employee. To make matters worse, her boss then asks Lila to be the one to train the new employee, Teddy, and thinking of the extra cash Lila doesn’t decline the offer.

I absolutely adored Lila. As a Filipino-American myself, I enjoyed reading about her family and the representation in this book made me love it even more! Lila is sweet, caring, and plays the role of the eldest child well with every decision she makes. It was fun seeing how she grows into her own person outside of her family throughout the story.

Then there was Teddy who was very charming! He showed up to this town that embodies the spirit of Christmas at every corner and was not ready for what he’d find there. It takes him a while to open up but once he does, it was adorable to read about his love for this town and the people he cares about there.

Teddy and Lila get off on the wrong foot and misunderstandings (of course) lead them to dislike each other. Things become more interesting when Teddy accidentally takes Lila’s phone instead of his own when leaving work. That’s when the two of them learn that there’s more behind their first impressions of one another. They soon have to ask themselves, can I trust them with my secrets?

'The Holiday Switch' is sure to put a smile on every reader’s face! The blooming romance between Lila and Teddy isn’t the only sweet aspect, but the friendship and family love in this book is very heartwarming. There’s no better word to describe this story than cozy. Tif Marcelo’s writing will make you remember why you love the holiday season so much!

If you’re in the mood for a quick weekend read then 'The Holiday Switch' is perfect! It’s not only about the joy of Christmas but about learning to follow your dreams and how beautiful that can be.

I have a slew of books that I want to read before the holidays are over, yet none of them are quite hitting that "Christmas spirit" button, which is my whole purpose for reading them! That all changed when I picked up Tif Marcelo's The Holiday Switch, a cute YA rom-com that gives off major Gilmore Girls' Stars Hollow vibes! This fun and spirited #ownvoices novel features authentic, diverse characters and is loaded up on Christmas cheer.

Lila Santos is a student and inn gift shop worker by day, and a secret book blogger by night. Her passion is holiday stories and she writes about the books that she reads on a blog that her parents do not know exists. Mainly because they do not approve of any sort of social media, and book blogging does not fit the idea of Lila that they have in their heads. But book blogging isn't the only secret that Lila is keeping because a handsome guy named Teddy just started working at her inn and sparks are bound to fly between these two teenagers ... even though her parents wouldn't approve. Little does Lila know that Teddy is also keeping secrets of his own from his parents, and they bond over mutual parental expectation woes and their struggle to lead their own lives. Lila is soon to find out that Teddy is keeping secrets, however, when the two accidentally switch phones and reveal their secrets to each other.

But wait, there's more! See, Lila lives in the charmingly cute town of Holly, which was the stage for an epic holiday film with a huge fandom - Holiday By the Lake. This Christmas, Holiday By the Lake's following is coming to town because Lila's inn is hosting a meet and greet with the film's stars, as well as the author who penned the novel that inspired the movie. Yes, Christmas is in full swing in Holly this year, and everyone has visions of sugar plums (and perhaps a kiss under the mistletoe) dancing in their heads.

There's a lot to love in The Holiday Switch! The inn, Holiday By the Lake, Lila and her BFF's list of must-do Christmas activities in the town of Holly, and most of all Lila and Teddy's burgeoning relationship. As mentioned, if you enjoyed the TV series Gilmore Girls, you will also like this book because it showcases an adorable, picturesque town, stars a bookish girl who is being held to high expectations by her family, and focuses heavily on relationships between the characters. Not to mention the inn and all of the Holiday By the Lake hoopla! If you are looking to get into the Christmas spirit and enjoy YA novels, check out The Holiday Switch.

This was an adorable holiday read! I would definitely recommend to my younger customers! It’s been getting harder to find age appropriate books in YA. Both Lila and Teddy have secret dreams they are scared to follow! When they accidentally swap phones and learn each other’s secrets, things get a bit complicated. This is a short fast read to get you into the holiday spirit!

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. "The Holiday Switch" by Tif Marcelo is like a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie come to life. The setting is a make believe town, called Holly that was a setting for a Christmas romance movie that tourists come in to make their own holiday romance dreams come true. The love sparks between a teen book blogger and a indoor rock climber. The book blogger blogs about holiday books, of course. Definitely recommended for people who love those holiday movies.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Lila and Teddy. Lila has worked for a couple of years at the inn. Teddy is the nephew of the owner of the inn. He is visiting through the Christmas holidays. These two can not get along. They both have some issues to work through together. But eventually they work out their differences and fall in love.

I didn't realize how long it has been since I read this book... but I am even more surprised that it seems like I finished it just yesterday.

There were a couple of reasons why I chose to read this book: Filipino representation (pls, I will read any book which has Asian rep), Christmas/Holiday setting and the fact that it is YA. I have read many Christmas stories but it is rare to see YA added to the specific holiday mix. Oh and did I mention that our main character - Lila - works at a gift shop where she is running her free library? And the gorgeous cover. These are all the reasons why this book caught my eye. But these aren't the only reasons why I kept on reading it.

First of all, I really liked how the book started. The plot setting was honestly very amazing - the author discussed the holiday festivities but it didn't overwhelm the other elements of the book. And oh wow Lila writes book reviews and reading her journey through writing blogs and working was very interesting. Not to mention the books and their reviews mentioned in the book.

Lila works at the Bookworm Inn's gift shop, owned by her mother's friend, where she started working from a young age because of her free library. Before going off to the college, she wants to work as many hours as she can to ensure that her college funding is sorted out without her burdening her parents. But her plans are kept on hold as the extra working hours are given to a newbie - Teddy - and right from the beginning they don't see eye to eye.
The interactions that took place between Lila and Teddy in the beginning were really amusing and it was even better to see how their relationship grew. Dating is never a light subject in an Asian household and it clearly showed in the book with the characters being hesitant to discover their relationship dynamics but at the same time wanting to explore things while taking it slow.

Another amazing part of the book was the familial bonding. Lila was super close to her family and her actions, thoughts and literally everything else told us that time and again. The family interactions were so cute and sweet to read about, and picturing them in my head was definitely amazing. Apart from that, while the book was set in festive season there were a few important topics that were discussed. One of such was Teddy, his family dynamics and the "secret" he was keeping in. While it wouldn't be considered to be that big, it were the intentions and feelings that mattered behind him keeping the secret. A different kind of familial bond was seen during that moment and I was here for that.

Other than that what caught my attention in the book was - how Teddy's aunt had to be at okayish terms with her family because she decided to seek her dreams and her passion regarding how she wanted to work. That was a part which isn't uncommon to see. Another thing was how Lila's family navigated through the whole process of not only being financially unstable but also dealing with online hate comments, invasion of privacy etc. It was also very interesting to see the character development throughout the novel and how the characters decided to go after what they truly wanted. I am not kidding when I say I wanted this book to go on a little longer!

Trigger Warnings: discussion of concussion, dealing with financial insecurity and online hate comments and invasion of privacy

Note: I was provided with an arc of this book in exchange of an honest review

This was a great YA Romance and I absolutely LOVED the Filipino-American representation! This is something we need more of in books and media.

This story is well written, the characters are likable even while being flawed, and the story is cute, swoony, and not too steamy for its intended audience.

I definitely recommend this sweet holiday romance for YA readers and older readers alike!

I received a gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.