There's tons of holiday feels because Izzy's family is VERY into traditions and doing the same things on the 8 day run up to Christmas. There's snowmen building, gingerbread construction, cookie decorating, tree chopping and decorating.

But the story was just meh. I didn't really care for the leads and didn't really care if they got back together. All this "why have you been away for ten years" stuff could have been resolved 10 years ago if Leo just tried to have a conversation with her. Also, where in the house is Izzy's room that no one ever figures out he's having sleepovers? And no one hears them climbing down the trellis?

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

Eight Days of Christmas - Starla DeKruyf

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to City Owl Press and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Ready or not, Isabella Whitley is returning to her snowy hometown of Pineridge, Colorado for her sister’s Christmas wedding. She wants in and out unscathed. Unlikely. A decade ago, she headed to New York and hasn’t looked back. Now she must explain her disappearing act to not only her family, but the high-school sweetheart she left behind as well.

Enter Leo Hoffman. He’s frosty after striving—and failing—to forget Isabella, the only woman capable of jingling his bells. Since his brother is marrying her sister, Leo is forced to celebrate Eight Days of Christmas with Isabella and her family—a tradition where they perform a different holiday activity each day leading up to December 25th.

I read this book in one sitting - I thought that it was a delightfully festive escape from reality. From the opening page I was hooked and wanted to know more about the eight days of Christmas that her family celebrated. If you are looking for a cute and Christmassy rom-com then this is easily a book that you should read.

I found myself needing to read on to discover more about Leo and Isabella, I really enjoyed the fact that the narrative was shared between both characters. Starla has done a great job of introducing a lot of side characters and I do wonder if these will be the focus in some of the later books in the series.

Rating 4/5

I love a Christmas read like most people. I also enjoy reading them any time of the year! A nice book that was enjoyable and I’m glad I read it.

By anyone's estimation, Isabella Whitley has it all. A great job, a handsome boyfriend, and the all essential popcorn maker. Life is good. Or at least it was until the boyfriend decides he needs a break and Isabella finds herself homeless during the Christmas season. Christmas, a holiday Isabella has not spent at home in 12 years. But this year, her little sister is getting married and so, home she goes to the site of her longest love and her biggest heartbreak. What follows is a lesson in family, love, and forgiveness. A quick, and yet quality read, Eight Days of Christmas by Starla DeKruyf is a great book just in time for the holiday season.

Omg. Where should I begin? This is the perfect book to get you all warm, fuzzy, and ready for Christmas! After chapter 1 I was immediately hooked! I wanted to do know EVERYTHING but I also didn’t want it to end so I did what any sensible reader does, stretched it out as much as I could(I wasn’t very successful) but it was worth it. This book has such a cute romcom vibe that just leaves you wanting you to read the whole thing in one go. Leo is so dreamy, omg, he is perfect, so sweet, caring, flirty, a little naughty; I’ll take 2 please! Leo’s and Isabella’s chemistry is to die for, even after all those years apart!!! The whole families dynamics with the games and making everything a competition made me fall in love with all of them, kind of wish there was a book for everyone. I absolutely LOVED the scene with Joey, the representation and inclusivity was flawless and refreshing. The ending was just perfect, there is no better way this book could have ended.

In short, don’t walk, RUN to get this book and devour the feel-good perfection it is.

When Isabella goes home for her sister's wedding on Christmas day, she runs into her ex boyfriend Leo. They find themselves thrown together at every opportunity in the lead up to Christmas- the eight days of Christmas with a different Christmas activity every day.
However, Izzy's life is in New York with her friends and her boyfriend Harrison.
The story is lovely, with lots of Christmas moments as well as the story of Izzy and Leo.

4.2 💫
It's a cute Christmas romcom
When I first read the blurb, I wasn't expecting to see the emotions play a feel role
The book delivers what's it's promising.
Christmas vibes/ spirit - check
Second Chance at love - check
Family love - check
Follow your dreams encouragement - check
Charming Characters - check
Childhood fun - check.
Comedy- check
Tension - check

Leo was so caring and loving 😍
Just perfect for our Isabella - to crack against her walls and make her fall in love or realize she's still in love with him..but..what any the reason she left?? That's bound to break them...will Christmas magic work its charm on their story❄⛄

The characters were so engaging and involving. I had so much fun reading this book.
A perfect holiday escape to curl up on the couch and settle with a hot cup of cocoa and Enjoyy😉😌

Recommended 🤗

CW: slightly more on romance but nothing explicit 🔥

This book was delightful! I loved the setting and of course everything Christmas. This will get you in the holiday spirit!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Yay for a light Christmas rom com! Isabella is returning home after 10 years of being away for Christmas, their traditional week of festivities, and her sister's wedding- fresh off of a broken heart. She and her boyfriend of four years are officially on a break. When a snow storm delays her flight, she runs into her high school sweetheart, Leo- the guy she left behind to follow her dreams in New York. Needless to say, there is a hefty side of sparks with that lack of closure.

There was a lot to love about this one, particularly in the first half. Isabella and Leo's chemistry was A+ and I love me some lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers feels. Add in Christmas cheese, and I'm super happy! It was like <I>Sweet Home Alabama</I> and <I>In a Holidaze</I> had a baby.

However, around halfway, the tension really eased up and I felt less engaged in the story. Half of the book really focused a lot on where they were going to live their lives and the wedding, which just didn't feel high stakes enough to keep me super interested. That all being said, it ended with a funny, super heartwarming scene.

This is a great pick for anyone looking for a quick Christmas love story!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review!

This review will also be posted to Goodreads as well as @blissfullyread on Instagram.

Thank you City Owl Press, Starla DeKruyf and NetGalley for this ARC!

I’ll be honest, this book surprised me in so many ways. And in the best of ways! I couldn’t put it down. It is the perfect holiday rom-com to get lost in with a hot cup of tea!

Isabella Whitley has to return to her hometown in Colorado for her sister’s Christmas wedding. She left for college in New York ten years earlier and never looked back. Now she must face not only her family, but her high school sweetheart who she left behind, as they all await an explanation.

Leo Hoffman has been trying to forget his first love for a decade. Now they must spend the eight days before Christmas together, performing family traditions, as his brother is marrying Isabella’s sister.

The chemistry between these two is undeniable. And soon they find they can’t fight their attraction any longer. But, will her ex making a surprise appearance throw a wrench in their reunion?

This is definitely such a fun read for this holiday season!! I highly recommend!

Eight Days of Christmas was a sweet holiday story featuring a second chance romance for two high school sweethearts.

Isabella Whitley flies home for the first time in ten years after moving to New York City to celebrate her sister’s Christmas Day wedding. Coming home isn’t as easy as it seems, though. Immediately Isabella runs into her ex and the grooms brother, Leo Hoffman, where lots of angst and chaos ensues.

I loved tagging along as the Whitley family and their guests partook in their annual eight days of Christmas traditions. While I felt the parts of the book describing the Christmas activities were well written and gave me all the cozy holiday feels, the romance didn’t work for me. It felt rushed and I had a hard time connecting with the main characters because of it. After so many years apart and with Leo never understanding why, and once Isabella shares why she stayed away, it felt like they jumped back into a relationship too quickly. I wish that Leo had more of an inner monologue so we could have processed this new information with him.

Overall this was a cute story, but it lacked spark for me.

Such a cute, fun holiday romance! This be mined me of In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren. For being so fluffy, it had just enough nuance to make it memorable. I loved the characters and the story itself was perfectly paced. Would definitely read more of this author. Makes me want to pick up more holiday romances!

The concept of this book is cute....a family gathers each Christmas and has activities they do for the eight days prior to Christmas. This year, Izzy is returning home for the first time in ten years because her younger sister is getting married on Christmas Day. Izzy has stayed away from home all these years for a reason that made perfect sense to her as a young girl but probably should have been shared with others years ago.

She flies home only to have the flight hit bad weather stranding her with none other than her old boyfriend from high school and college, Leo, who also happens to be the brother of her sister's fiance and her family's next door neighbor. There was a lot of heat in their relationship when they were young and it is inevitable that the fire might still be there.

As I said, the idea of the story is cute. The idea that a family has a tradition of eight days of activities is nice; probably not something a lot of folks do but it is the second holiday book I have read this year with people doing the community activities. I imagine there are places where they live a Hallmark movie for the holidays.

So, cute story which I could see becoming a cute holiday movie. However.... there was so much repitition of the thoughts Izzy and Leo had about each other....how hot he looked in his jeans, the sound of his voice, his smell, his hair.....described over and over. And he had thoughts also...the way her leggings showed every curve, how nicely her clothes hugged her body, etc. Mentioning this is normal but I found myself skipping over some of these descriptive paragraphs. If a movie was made, these things would be seen through actions (smiles, emotions, etc) and not said alound.

I was also bothered by how Izzy's family made little digs at her for the fact she had not been home in so many years. Obviously, there was a reason and to keep pouring salt on the wound, even if they did not know the reasons, seemed unfair. It was clear she dearly loved her family and again, the miscommunications shoud have been handled years before. Maybe her parents should have talked with her before and had the long overdue discussion.

Easy little read for the holidays so I would not discourage anyone from reading it.

I did receive this book from NetGalley and City Owl Press.
#NetGalley #CityOwlPress

A second-chance relationship is always a good read but set during Christmas makes it feel so much more magical. This story follows Izzy and Leo. Once high-school sweethearts with big dreams together. When life takes them in different directions, 10 years later and a wedding bring them back together. I love the chemistry of Izzy and Leo. It is the perfect holiday romance to curl up under a blanket and by the fire and get lost in this happily ever after.

This book was such an adorable holiday second-chance romance! Izzy and Leo were high school sweethearts. They had grand plans to follow their dreams and be together but Izzy left for college in NY and Leo stayed in Colorado to stay close to his mom who was sick. Izzy promised to come back but then never did. Ten years later, her sister is getting married on Christmas Day (to Leo’s brother!) so Izzy is forced to come home for Christmas for the first time in a decade. Her family has a crazy 8-day tradition of Christmas activities and competitions and Leo has been invited. I loved the forced proximity and the general holiday cheer. It’s a very classic holiday romance story but it was a ton of fun to read! I loved hearing about all of the competitions and could really imagine myself as part of their family. It definitely put me in the holiday mood!

Thank you to NetGalley and City Owl Press for this advanced copy!

This book was so much fun! A swoony, second chance romance set during the holidays make it a perfect read for the upcoming season. We'll written with great chemistry and tension

I wasn’t sure about this book but I loved it! It’s a great romcom with a Christmas theme. Isabella (Izzy) hasn’t been home for Christmas in Colorado for 10 years, she’s been living in NYC. She hasn’t seen her family, and she hasn’t seen the love of her life, Leo, either. She has a reason for not coming home, but she’s never shared it. She has to come back now, because her sister Norah is marrying Leo’s brother Landon. She’s also just broken up with her live-in boyfriend and wants to get away.

When her flight gets canceled in a snowstorm, she turns around and Leo is there, on the same flight. She ends up renting a car and driving home with him because she has to be home for the wedding and the eight days of Christmas, a tradition her parents started where each day is another holiday activity or two.

Leo has never gotten over Izzy, and he’s furious at her for leaving him behind. However, the chemistry between them hasn’t changed at all, and it takes them both by surprise. Leo and Izzy have to spend the next 10 days together because of the wedding and the eight days tradition. Leo is like a son to Izzy’s parents after his mom died.

Inevitably, Norah pairs the two of them together for every activity, and Leo starts sneaking in to spend the night with Izzy. However, she’s still planning on going back to NYC when the holidays are over, and he still wants to know why she left him. Do they want to be together, and can they find a way to make that happen?

Generally speaking I’m not a huge reader of romance, at least not traditional romances. Now rom-coms are another story. And when they are holiday themed ala Hallmark holiday movies…forget about it. I’m all in. They are my guilty pleasure to the point they take up one third of my DVR. Starla DeKruyf ’s Eight Days of Christmas is an absolute delight and everything I want in a holiday rom-com. Isabella (Izzy) and Leo were high school sweethearts that always thought they be together, but after college they ended up going in different directions. Now after ten years away (kinda) Izzy is returning home for younger sister’s wedding and to take part in her family’s ‘8 Days of Christmas’ tradition. Who’s Izzy’s sister marrying? Leo’s little brother,…so yep, Izzy and Leo are going to be forced to spend the entire week together, confronting their unresolved feelings. I liked these characters from the very start and loved watching them fight their feelings even as they fought each other. While it’s a bit more steamy than your average Hallmark flick, it has all the charm you could want, and really should be turned into a movie.
I’d like to thank City Owl Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Eight Days of Christmas.

https://www.amazon.com/review/RVJ0QI869VV6D/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This book was cute, fun and met all of my holiday book reading expectations. Great emotion. The writing was solid with good conflict. Second chance and coming home romances are my favorite tropes. This is definitely a must read for the holiday season. Huge thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Eight Days of Christmas follows Isabella and Leo childhood friends and high-school sweethearts.

Isabella is returning home to her small snowy hometown at Christmas for her sisters wedding. She hasn’t been home or saw Leo since she took off for New York years ago. But with Leo’s brother marrying her sister Isabella knows that she is not only going to have to see him at the wedding but also during the ‘8 Days of Christmas’ - a tradition where her family perform different holiday activities each day.

With Christmas in the air and old sparks flying Isabella and Leo find themselves unable to stay away from each other, trying to figure out what torn them apart and if they can find a way back together.

This book has everything that makes my heart swoon. Second chance romance is seriously my jam! And throw in a bit of two people trying to stay away from each-other but being pulled together and I cannot get enough!
Plus alternating chapters in Isabella’s and Leo’s points of view. Like seriously it’s everything I love in a romance. Add to it christmas. Seriously you need this book in your life.

I also loved how the author has created a playlist that goes with the book as well. Additions like that make a book even more enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.