I have to admit I was a little nervous to crack this book open because I've heard such amazing things. Needless to say, it did not disappoint! Bee is a refreshing change to the typical rom-com heroine. I love her open attitude towards her career and ambition to try new things, such as the movie. I admired her bravery through the scandal and how she didn't let the haters keep her down. I also enjoyed the serious undertones that they used to discuss the differences between Bee and Nolan during the media blitz. I thought that it added a sense of seriousness that was relatable to today’s media. To add on to the cuteness, I loved the names of the horses. I mean Whitneigh Houston? COME ON!
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a change in the typical Christmas rom com and a plus-size heroine who owns her sexuality.

Definitely a fun read. The idea of a porn star in hiding and a former boy band member making a "wholesome Christmas movie" together..... just that premise alone had me more than ready to read it. Bee and Nolan had me captivated... it did take a bit for me to get into it, but once I was, I could not put it down. And the side characters were also quite amusing! I kinda feel like I may need a bit more about some of them! Absolutely recommend this for someone looking to get into the holiday spirit.

The premise of this book seems like a madcap story.
You have the Christmas holidays, a Hallmark type holiday movie being filmed, a former boy band member trying to clean up his career by doing the movie…then throw in a few porn stars.
It made for a really original, hilarious story. It worked for me so well.
It was so funny, warm and really clever. It does have bit of a zany vibe that I really loved.
All of the secondary characters are a tad eccentric, they were so amusing.
The steamy/sexy factor is great, it’s mild considering the porn aspect. I loved the tension of Bee and Nolan’s attraction because they aren’t supposed to act on it. Serious consequences for their careers if they do. So, that added a great layer to the story and romance.
The characters are amazing, both are really good people, smart, caring and open minded.
I love the body image positivity and the sex positivity. Nolan’s non-judgment of Bee’s porn work was awesome to me. I adore him so much.
It was a full story with romance and serious emotions and issues for Bee and Nolan.
A lot of real life issues I feel are important are addressed in the story, it never felt forced or preachy. It flowed along with the natural progression of the story.
It’s such a fun story with big heart.
I loved the way various sexual prejudices were handled and the inclusion of so many different types of people.
Such a refreshing romance. I loved everything about it.

At first I wasn't sure how I felt about this book, it felt like "too much" over the top I couldn't wrap my head around it. But then it fell into a more comfortable rhythm and by the end I liked it. I liked the messaging about body positivity, sex workers and even tabloids and famous individuals lives.

There was quite a bit of explicit sex, so if that is something you aren't looking for maybe look somewhere else. There was a diverse cast of characters with their sexual preferences.

It wasn't necessarily my favorite romance but it had some very endearing moments and some very funny moments.

Thank you to netgalley for my e-copy!


This was cute!! It felt winter-y but not Christmas-y which I really enjoyed! I also think the authors did a great job normalizing fat rep within the porn industry and also having the discussion of normalizing and de-stigmatizing sex work as a whole. I got a little bored in the middle of the book, but besides that it was a pretty easy and enjoyable read!

I loved Julie Murphy's previous adult romance, so I was extremely excited to pick up this collaboration between her and Sierra Simone. My excitement was only furthered when I read the synopsis; I don't think I have ever read a romance with a plot even similar to this. However, I was quite disappointed when I finally read the book. The characters did not feel like real people to me, but rather devices to convey a message. Their personalities felt extremely shallow, with each only having two to three traits to speak of that were repeatedly mentioned. The page space used to harp on the male lead's sordid past could have been used to further develop his current personality or the chemistry with the female lead (which was lacking, in my opinion).

I do, however, appreciate the conversations that were had in this novel regarding sex workers, fatphobia, queerness, and privilege, especially how these topics relate to celebrity status. I also found the humor very funny and the writing easy to read. For these reasons, I will likely recommend this novel to regular romance readers looking for a new title. I do not see myself recommending this to those not already looking for another romance read as, in my opinion, this is not a notable title in the genre.

I wanted to love this so much. But something about it just fell flat.

I love the characters. I love that Bee was a plus sized porn star and she absolutely loved herself and made no apologies for her body. I love Nolan’s character and he cared for his family.

I truly did like the premise of the book. But for some reason it just don’t grip me like other books have. I adore Sierra Simone’s Priest series so I was super hopeful but it just missed the mark and I can’t exactly pinpoint why. Idk. I’m sad.

The perfect feel good, festive, and fun story. Just adorable- gobbled it right up!

There's so much fun here- a delicious Bridgertonesque, ex-boyband hero meets a curvy, plus-sized actress (and porn star)- his new costar? Ah, I just loved Bee. I loved see a plus-sized heroine that owns all parts of herself, who's confident and secure and whose life doesn't revolve around body insecurity. And I loved how Nolan falls for her. They have such a steamy connection, but also a really sweet one. I was charmed by them both, and I loved the mix of humor and heart- some subtle layers here around sexuality and entertainment and self-actualization. And the festive isn't too strong (though I love all the festive)- it's the right balance of romance and holiday.

Such a fun idea, and I just adored it. Plus- could this cover be any cuter?! But don't be fooled- this one def is still full of holiday spice. Oh what fun it is!

A Merry Little Meet Cute is the perfect spicy romance to warm up your winter holiday!

Brimming with humor and hotness, Bee and Nolan are sure to win your hearts and make you beg for more!

I knew I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw that the dynamic powers of Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone would be combined!!

Everything but the kitchen sink!

Ok - I love some meet/cute romances and it's even better when it gets a little raunchy. This was too much! It wasn't really a meet/cute. The erotic factor was there, but the authors tried to tackle so many social issues here that it was just over the top.

Bee Hodges/Bianca von Honey - Main character. She is plus-sized, has two mom's, does porn films and has her own erotic channel, oh and she's bi-sexual. She gets cast in a Christmas movie from a Lifetime type production company.

Nolan Shaw - Former bad boy of a boy band. Recovering from a scandal involving an Olympic figure skater and 2 Dutch male speed skaters as well as other extravagant sexual behavior. Has a mother who has bi-polar disorder and a much younger sister. Father died and Nolan has to be responsible for his family.

Teddy - Also known as Ray-Ray. The producer of most of the porn films that Bee does. He has a gay son and is divorced. He is trying to find another income stream and ends up as the producer on this Christmas movie, which is how Bee gets cast.

Bee had a crush on Nolan when he was in his boy-band --INK. Nolan has a crush on Bianca von Honey. Sparks fly when they are both cast in the same film. But because the production company is all about wholesome family values - no one can find out about Bee's regular work. Nolan is trying to rebound from his previous scandals, so he cannot afford to be caught in another one. Thus, nobody can know when Nolan and Bee get together.

Of course, things go wrong, but just like in a Lifetime movie everything works out for the best. There wasn't anything really wrong with this story, but there was so much EXTRA that it just goes off the rails. There is something to be said for sex positive, fat positive, let everyone be any kind of sexual positive however it didn't all need to be said here.

💭My review🐻
I was soo excited about this book I love anything, Julie Murphy. The book was absolutely perfect. I love everything about it, The plus-size character that does sex work and the smut of the book was soo hot!!. I love all the backstories of the characters and the setting of the Christmas village. It's nice to have plus-size characters in books, something that I can kinda relate to. It was a fun read. It was funny and a perfect balance of everything. Totally not your typical Christmas story. But you won't regret reading it.

A Merry Little Meet Cute is the perfect book to lead us into the holiday season. Bee, a plus size adult film star and Nolan, a bisexual former boy band heartthrob find themselves cast alongside one another in a wholesome film. Throw a suitcase full of special toys, secret hookups and a strip club named the North Pole into the mix & things get steamy on the set!

Holidays reads can be hit or miss, especially when reading 'out of season' but this was such a great read. It's festive & funny (without being over the top) but also super sex positive (which I love but sometimes isn't always the case when we have a plus size lead). Both of Bee's moms support her 100% and Nolan is a HUGE fan of her work too ;)

I definitely recommend adding this one to your holiday reading TBR - you won't be disappointed. I have read and loved every other book of Sierra's however this was my first book by Julie & I am eager to check out more of her work.

This was an unexpected delight! I don't usually love Christmas romances, but this one felt super fresh and fun and I really enjoyed reading it. I have read books by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone and enjoyed them, but what they can do together is truly fantastic. This book was sexy and fun and hot and passionate and did I mention sexy?

Nolan is an ex child star whose manager ran off with all his money leaving him with nothing but his bad boy reputation and a mother and sister in need of his help. He takes this Christmas movie job in a last ditch effort to help his reputation and make some money.

Bee has a successful ClosedDoor account as well as has made a name for herself in the porn community. However, when the opportunity to gain notoriety as Bee and not Bianca comes up, she jumps at the chance to appear in a wholesome Christmas movie even if she has to keep her life as a porn star secret.

Sparks fly when Bee and Nolan meet and I loved how well they completed each other. They both have their own reasons why they need this movie and they both have their own secrets. Still, they cant help but be drawn to one another. I love how Nolan and Bee have both fantasized about each other in different capacities but get to know the real person behind the persona. You have to suspend your disbelief quite a bit with this book, but that's what makes it so much fun.

I hope Julie and Sierra write more together because despite knowing their writing styles separately, they clearly write seamlessly together. A lot of Sierra's typically spicy romance is present here but also a lot of Julie's sensitivity and empathy. Julie has written some really wonderful books with plus size rep and this is no exception and Bee is so completely sexy and fantastic.

This was so much fun and I highly recommend it if you love romance, Christmas themed or not.

Thank you so much to Avon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the Holiday romance I needed. We have so much here from body positive romance to sweet and sexy steam. I feel for Bee and Nolan hard. Imagine meeting your boy band crush when you're finally all grown up and you happen to be his cam-dream-girl and you're working on a sugary sweet holiday movie together! I mean what could go wrong?

I loved the silly town, the funny cast of characters, and the sweet romance that burned hot fast and made for an epic HEA.

What a fun and unexpected holiday read. It’s holiday without being too holiday! This one totally brings the steam and gives you the insights into the adult entertainment business via a Hallmark movie set.

Nolan and Bee are terrific together. I love how Bee is happy with her fat body and Nolan worships the ground she walks on.

This one is light on angst, heavy on the entertainment! Totally recommend.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: Our heroine is plus-size porn star turned Christmas movie lead, Bee Hobbes. She finds herself cast in this very pure Christmas movie with the help of a director she has worked with in the porn industry, Teddy. Both of them are ready to diversify their portfolio and hence the Christmas movie. I love her personality, the way she would go about this with such gumption was inspiring. She is incredibly loyal, and a great friend. I loved the dynamic of her being the single child of two sex-positive moms. The male lead is Nolan Shaw, the heartthrob Bee crushed on him when she was a teen. The former boy band member is post-scandal and low on funds. Hence he has booked the male lead in the Christmas movie. I loved his commitment to his family, his mom and his sister. He is an incredibly caring person and it was lovely to laud that kindness on Bee. This book had a wonderful cast of side characters. All the other people who worked in the porn industry felt so charmingly out of place on the Christmas movie set. Angel, Astrid, Luca and Sonny, I loved them all. Teddy was probably one of the best parts of the book. I loved his character and his attempt to diversify his work portfolio, and then having to resort to filling all the techie positions with his contacts from porn.
Setting: The setting is Christmas Notch, Vermont. A tiny town that is always decked out in Christmas decor for the sake of the movie industry. Everything was overly adorable and I loved all the overly Christmas stuff that seemed to ooze out of every aspect of the town. Even the strip club was called the North Pole and was super fun and corny.
Pacing: This book was slightly longer but I still found it went by at a good clip. The ending had a great amount of time to play out, something I find romance is not always that good at. So props to Julie and Sierra for some great pacing.
Romance: This romance had such an interesting premise. It was interesting that both of them had this familiarity with each other. That they had both fantasized about the other. Nolan was a fixture in Bee’s teenage years as her celeb crush. While Bee or Bianca stars in all of Nolan’s current fantasies as one of his favourite creators. So naturally, they had great sexual tension, and I loved how Sierra and Julie depicted that against the backdrop of a Christmas movie. This romance was interesting. The best part was Julie and Sierra’s care in depicting Bee as a fat person worthy of love. I was hoping for more steam than this book delivered. I have been reading Sierra’s indie work for years so I know what she is capable of, and I am gathering much of the fade to black stems from this being a traditionally published story. There was so much teasing of things like toys and tougher play and then none of it ever happened. Their first scene together was my favourite, I love how it really represented the fantasies and tensions they carried with them to work every day.

Okay I ADORED this book. Having plus size representation is incredibly important to me and this had that AND more! The story is filled with diverse characters and the story itself is *chef’s kiss*. And the steam in this book was perfect! I can’t wait to pick up a physical copy and read it again around Christmas!

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book!

This book is exactly as cute and hot as I was hoping. The authors strike a light, fun tone writing this unlikely clash of the adult film industry and wholesome cookie-cutter Christmas movies, and there are lots of delicious encounters between our protagonists. There are a few areas that seem like they might be stressful--the health issues in Nolan's family and Bee's fear of horses are two that come to mind--but they all wrap up neatly with minimum trauma, making this a nice cozy read that happens to have a lot of steam. The book was a delight and I think it will be an instant classic with romance readers looking for the R-rated version of a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Bee Hobbs a.k.a. Bianca Von Honey is a very successful adult film star. Bee has always wanted to act but has been passed over for the role she wanted due to her being plus size. When her producer calls with the opportunity to star in the Hope Channel‘s new Christmas film, she is hesitant but knows this is her big chance. Also a plus in doing the film is her c-star will be Nolan Shaw, ex-boy band member who Bee might have a slight crush on.

Nolan Shaw has taken the starring role in Duke the Halls in hopes it will help clean up his tarnished reputation. He has been given strict rules on staying on the straight and narrow during the duration of filming and yes that means no sex. Which wouldn’t have been such an issue until his favorite adult film star Bianka fine honey is introduced as his new coastar.

If you are in the market for a steamy Christmas rom-com, look no further. I enjoyed this story but didn’t love it. I’m not sure what exactly it was that made me feel this way. So I don’t necessarily think I can say I recommend it. But if you are looking for a spicy holiday romance then this might be exactly what you’re looking for!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC of the story. As always, all opinions are my own.

Porn producer Teddy Fletcher is trying to transition into making Hallmark-like movies for the squeaky clean Hope Network. They don’t know his history, and he needs to keep it a secret. Former boy bander with a bad reputation, Nolan Shaw is the film’s romantic lead and needs this role pay for his family’s medical bills so he has to be on his best behavior. Plus-sized porn star Bee Hobbes wants to act in mainstream movies so she’s thrilled when the director pulls her head shot out of a pile Teddy didn’t mean for her to see. Bee’s hired to replace the female lead who had to drop out, but Teddy warns her no one can find out about her porn history. I think we can all guess what sort of hijinks might occur.

So there’s definitely a lot of steam, but there are also pretty immediate references to sex toys and the porn industry that made this book seem maybe more salacious then it is. It’s kind of a hysterical concept to be filming the equivalent of a Hallmark movie in the midst of all these hormones, and when a bunch of the crew can’t make it to the location, Teddy fills in with his porn crew which makes for a lot of funny scenes. Really serious themes are also explored about how women are held to different standards in the press, especially plus-sized women.

If you can get past the ludicrous foundation—because of course someone is going to find out—it’s a fun holiday book. I had a little trouble with how reckless and almost dumb the character’s actions seemed, but still enjoyed reading this one and think a lot of people will too.

Thanks so much to @netgalley and @avonbooks for an e-arc.