I have mixed feelings about this one. Big girl romance is EVERYTHING, but I never fully got lost in this one.

Of course I adored the fat representation, bisexual rep, and the positivity around sex work, which were great parts about this book. I was definitely invested in the first half of the book or so, but I felt like it might have lost steam in the second half. Maybe their problems didn't seem logical, which had me overthinking.

The spice was pretty warm, but never really felt super exciting.

I did think that the narrators did a fantastic job on the audiobook. Loved the dual point of views in the plot and the narrators made it even better.

I was really looking forward to reading this book but the authors threw in way too much - porn stars, bisexuality, innuendo, and much more. The story was buried under it all and I couldn't finish it. Skip this one.

As a long time Sierra Simone lover and a first time Julie Murphy reader, I had super high hopes for this one. Did it meet my expectations? Not really. Co-writes are so difficult especially if you have different writing styles. Sierra is a queen among the wonderful mythological eroticism and Julie is known for her super engaging YA material. Merging the two should have been difficult. While it is not my very favorite of stories, it was still engaging, fun, exciting, steamy and swoon-worthy. I don't expect stories like this to be "real-life" so the fact that there is no way Bee (or Teddy for that matter) would ever fly so far under the radar that a wholesome TV channel wouldn't know what they were getting doesn't bother me in the least. I loved having the non-traditional movie actress and crew made the story much more fun for me and I quite enjoyed the side characters. All in all a fun holiday "What is Christmas all about?" story.

Per the tile, this is very cute. The book is about an adult performer and a disgraced pop star trying to go mainstream and shake off scandal, respectively. Just like in Hillary movies that provide the setting, the insta-love feels forced and scandal easily overcome. The book is trying to do a lot of things at once and doing them okay. A tighter focus would have benefitted the story.

Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone are fantastic! You would never have known this was their first time working together because the writing is exceptional.
Porn star ,accidentally cast in a family friendly feel good movie with a former bad boy band member, she falls in love with.
Flawlessly written , with heart, humor , sexy good times. Nolan and Bee are a perfect pairing, loved how they each had a thing for the other and after meeting realized just how perfect they were for each other. Loved how Bee being plus size is beautiful and brave and Nolan couldn’t get enough of her!
Such a beautifully good story!

This was so stinking cute! I really loved the relationship between the main characters, plus all of the sex positive and fat positive rhetoric. Julie Murphy is such a great author, but this is the first time I've read anything by Sierra Simone and I may be hooked! Lovely combo of authors, hopefully they find a way to collaborate again.

What an excellent story! I love Julie Murphy and was excited to see her write an adult novel with Sierra Simone. This book felt very much in Julie and Sierra's style with more spice than I'm used to with Julie. I am a sucker for spice and "Hope Channel" style Christmas movies, so I knew I would love this title right away, and it did not disappoint. One of the best romance novels I've read all year!

When plus-size adult film star Bee Hobbes is cast in an upcoming Hallmark-esque Christmas movie, she must keep her identity under wraps from the producers. Her task is easier said than done when former boy band singer Nolan Shaw, who is familiar with Bee’s film history, is cast opposite Bee in the movie. Chemistry in their scenes quickly turns into a romantic whirlwind off screen, but a snooping reporter threatens their relationship and Bee’s carefully guarded identity.
A Merry Little Meet Cute is an absolute delight of a romantic comedy! There was definitely a lot more erotic elements in the book than I was expecting, but it made for some really steamy scenes between Bee and Nolan who have such good chemistry. There’s so much to love about this book, including the body and sex positivity, LGBTQ representation, and the witty banter between characters.
My only major dislike of this book was that it felt too long and could have cut down on inner monologues to improve pacing. Overall, this book was really entertaining and definitely not your run-of-the-mill Christmas romance.
Thank you times a million to @AvonBooks for the ARC!

When it got there, I really enjoyed reading about the developing relationship between Bee and Nolan. There was attraction, lots of funny moments and I just loved the supporting characters. The concept itself is unique and it was done well. However, it felt way too lust at first sight and then the relationship building came after that and I'm not too keen on that. I enjoy reading more about deeper than surface feelings in a romance novel . And so, the order of events felt out of order for me.

Oh. My. Lord.

I went into this book expecting a Hallmark movie in book form, which I love. Turns out: THIS WAS HOT.

Plus-sized representation means a lot to me, and going into this book blind left me pleasantly surprised.

This was my first book from both Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, but it won’t be my last!

Pick this up, curl in next to a fire, & have a good night, friend.

This was a delight! I’ve never read any Sierra Simone and have only read one Julie Murphy, but I was intrigued to see how these two writers, known for being on either end of the spicy romance section, would work together.

The premise of this book was wonderful—filming a Princess Switch-esque movie for a Hallmark-ish channel—throw in an adult film star and an ex boy-band-member and this really has it all. Christmas adjacent but you could enjoy this book year round (I just finished it in August.)

I really enjoyed the conversation and care around sex work—I was worried it would get a little fetish-y and it really didn’t. There’s some solid steam in this book! The writing was also really sharp and made me laugh.

My only gripe is that there’s a lot of internal monologue in this dual POV, so it took me a while to get on board with the romance. I wish we had had some more actual interactions and conversations between the two MCs.

Overall, really fun and would recommend for some ~happy holidays~

I don't think I had any idea what to expect going into this book, but I know it wasn't this. ha ha. I freaking loved this book.

Plus sized porn icon, Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) loves what she does, but when she is asked by one of her friends and favorite producers to star in a Christmas movie for the Hope Channel (think Hallmark Christmas movies) she can't pass up the chance to get some more main stream work. Her co-star is former disgraced boyband member Nolan Shaw who is trying to re-start his career in order to make money to help out his family. He is a huge fan of Bianca's adult work and immediately recognizes her as soon as she steps on set, even though she is acting under the name Bee and is keeping her adult work under wraps. It soon becomes apparent that Bee and Nolan have some amazing chemistry both on and off the set. But they are both under strict orders to be on their best behavior as they proceed with this main stream Christmas movie. They are soon forced to confront their growing relationship, their pasts, and what they see for their future.

This book was so wonderful! As someone who doesn't particularly like the gooey Christmas books or movies this one was perfection. It was funny and steamy and just so much fun to read. I love Bee and her moms and friends. They all has such a fun, loving, and supportive energy and I wanted to hang out with all of them.

Nolan was more uptight but as the book goes on you learn more and more about his current situation and his past that really makes you feel for him. I loved his love for Bee and how he was with her.

And guys, this book is STEAMY! I mean, whoa.

I loved the writing pair of Julie and Sierra and hope we see more from them together soon. I will definitely read whatever they write!

HUGE thank you to Avon books and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the ARC of this novel. I was lucky enough to be pre-approved for this that showed up in my email as I doubt I would have requested it. I enjoy Christmas and the Hallmark Channel is something in my periphery but not things I go out of my way to enjoy. This, however, just requires you to know these exist in the world and will catch you up on the rest. I really enjoyed this sweet read that had a lot of steam. I could feel Julie Murphy coming through in the writing to fight against fatphobia and it makes me want to look for some works by Sierra Simone. If you want Christmas themed with a lot of heat. this is for you.

This was a super cute book for fans of Hallmark Christmas movies! I flew through this one and loved the banter between main characters. Will definitely look for more from this author!

CW: parent with bipolar disorder
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When this book was first announced I knew I had to read it as soon as possible; I’m so appreciative that I got the chance to read an ARC. An plus-size adult film star and a former bad-boy pop star who have unknowingly pined over each for years meet when they’re cast to star in a Hallmark-esque Christmas movie? Are you kidding me? This is everything I’ve ever wanted!
I liked Bee and Nolan together. I do think their romance could have gone a little deeper, but I enjoyed their chemistry. I loved seeing how much Nolan cares for his family, he’s wiling to sacrifice almost anything for them. I adored Bee’s moms, too. This book was *filled* with interesting characters. I would love to see books following the other two band members, and I also need to know more about Angel and Luca!
I have read (and loved) books from Julie before, but Sierra is a new-to-me author. I’m excited to explore her backlist! I thought their writing paired wonderfully in this book.
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4/5 stars, A MERRY MEET CUTE by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is available September 20. Thank you to HCC Frenzy, Avon and Netgalley for the change to review an ARC.

This was a fun one. It had all the fun things I love in a contemporary romance, plus a lot of spice. It was as sweet as a hallmark Christmas move, but the added slice made is sexy as well. The main character was strong and bold, and the book was full of so much body positivity, and so much more.

It may still be August, but it’s time to talk about how you will want to put this steamy little holiday rom-com on your TBR.

The story follows Bee Hobbes, a successful plus-size adult film star who ends up starring opposite former boy band bad boy Nolan Shaw in a wholesome holiday film as a last-minute replacement. She had a crush on him growing up. He knows exactly who she is the second she steps on set – because she is his celebrity crush now. It doesn’t take long for sparks to fly and for the heat to turn way, way up.

This book is seriously steamy and charming and incredibly sweet, and had me laughing out loud so often. But as much fun as it is, it also tackles some not-so-fun topics head-on – fatphobia, slut shaming, shady entertainment “reporters,” the ugly side of social media – which brings balance to the story and keeps the plot moving forward.

I simply had a wonderful (Christmas) time with this quick, spicy read. It’s the perfect book for kicking off your holiday reading, stuffing in a stocking, or gifting to your favorite spicy rom-com enthusiast.🎅🎄💕

🌟: 4.5
🌶: 3.5

My cold Grinch heart has just grown three sizes from reading this! I can honestly say I loved every second of this book. I loved the characters, the setting, the plot literally everything! Bee was everything! I couldn't decided if I wanted to date her or be her. She is smart, sexy, funny, queer, sex positive, and she loves and know how to use her body. She is literally my dream girl! I have never wanted to jump into a book so much in my life. Seriously Bee has made it to the top of my literary girlfriend list.
Also Nolan was just an absolute sweet heart. I don't like men but I wanted to be his buddy. He was a little clueless in places but his heart was in the right place. Honestly of I can't have Bee I'm glad he can.
These two are just amazing separately but as a couple of my. Not only are they adorable but they are hot! I'm surprised they didn't melt all that Vermont snow with how hot some of their scenes were. I am not usually a fan of spice but these two...
Obviously I could rant for days about this but the tldr is do yourself a favor this holiday season and buy this book. You will not regret it. It will keep you warm in more ways than one 😉

A little secret about me: I love Hallmark-style movies. Something that makes my heart happy. A Merry Little Meet Cute is basically what if a Hallmark movie and a smutty-smut-smut book have a baby.

M.A.G.I.C.

The chemistry between Bee and Nolan was perfect. A whole lotta lust with just the right amount of growing feelings.

What I loved most was how real the characters felt. Nolan, trying to support his family while accepting his previous mistakes. Bee, full of body positivity and owning her own sexuality while still feeling like a school girl with a crush. And the side characters? They made the rest of the story SO fun.

A Merry Little Meet Cute made my heart happy with just enough to keep it spicy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the review copy.

"Hallmark Christmas movie meets porn" is basically all I've ever asked for. I wish that every Hallmark film had an explicit sex scene or 5 focused on mutual pleasure and possibly gingerbread-scented lube. While this did not give me gingerbread lube, it did give me gingerbread lotion, and that was good enough for me.

The setup is very Hallmark itself, in a very roundabout way: Bee, otherwise known as Bianca Von Honey, is an alt porn superstar who's trying to break into mainstream film. Nolan Shaw is an ex-boy band idol who's attempting to rehabilitate his image after an incident involving a figure skater and two speed skaters in the Olympic Village years ago (every time this incident was referenced I did... lose my shit). Hence his signing on to star in Duke the Halls, a wholesome Christmas movie about a time traveler and the duke she falls in love with, during the holidays.

The issue? His co-star is unable to film at the last minute due to an accident. Fortunately (unbeknownst to Nolan) the producer of the movie also has another production company... One that gave Bee her start in the adult film industry. Bee is called up to sub in as the lead, with one condition: she must not let anyone know her Bianca identity. Well, two conditions--she also can't fuck anyone. This is a WHOLESOME CHRISTMAS MOVIE.

Second issue: Nolan immediately recognizes Bee, even if she doesn't realize it. He has been a top subscriber to her ClosedDoor account for the past six years. Six. Years. Much gingerbread lotion will be needed for this one.

This was great, basically. Was it weird for me to read a holiday book in August? Yes, but I tend to want to give myself a few weeks to finish an ARC just in case something weird comes up--and I kind of wish this one was being released closer to the holidays. While it's not OVERWHELMINGLY Christmas (if you're a bit of a Scrooge you'll still have much to enjoy) it does have that seasonal vibe, with most of the story taking place in a town that remains Christmasy all year round in order to stand as a set for Christmas TV movies. There were so many delightful elements on this front, but my favorite was most definitely the Christmas-themed stripper, Prancer.

But more on the book itself. Julie Murphy is new to me, though I've been told by teens in the know that Dumplin' is great. I have read Sierra Simone before--and this is definitely a departure for her. I believe everything I've read of Sierra's has been self-published/indie, whereas this is an Avon release. I've got to say--while it's not quite as intense as a typical Sierra book, it doesn't skimp on the sex. There's fun sex, emotional sex, sex in different positions, sex in places people shouldn't be having sex. And the concept of sex work in this book was so well-handled. Nolan never has a true issue with Bee's work as a porn star. Bee isn't ashamed of it, so much as she is shamed by the world. There are nice porn stars and annoying porn stars, asshole producers and good producers. It's given a level of respect that you see in few depictions of the industry. Bee isn't a little girl lost. She has two moms who love her and a ton of supportive friends.

Speaking of two moms--this book is super queer. Bee and Nolan are both bi; almost every supporting character is queer. There's one... maybe two? Characters that I can think of as being definitively straight. While this is not necessarily the center of the story (nobody is coming out--they've been out) Bee does mention to Nolan how important it was to her that he was out while in his band and at the height of his fame. It's a great way, to me, of underlining that Bee and Nolan's queerness is a part of them and their relationship even if it appears hetero on paper.

What struck me most was how deftly the situation between Bee and Nolan was handled. Personally, I found the idea of Nolan being a top subscriber of Bee's... hot. Off the bat. But I know that it's a tricky deal, and you don't want him to come off as desperate and pathetic and creepy. He could have, for sure. And he never did. At the same time, he wasn't a defanged nice boy. There was an edge to him, something that is sorely lacking in a lot of contemporary romance heroes I've read lately. He's not a Ted Lasso knockoff looking to aw shucks one moment and inexplicably turn into a dom alpha as soon as the sex scenes kick up. He's not what I would call an alpha hero, per se, but there's always a bit of a... swagger? To him? The vibe that this is a guy who fucks, shall we say. Even if he is also a caring son and brother who just wants to get his career together so that he can put food on the table. (Also: Nolan's mom suffers from a bipolar disorder, and while it's not the most central thing to the plot, I did appreciate its depiction as someone who has bipolar II. It felt authentic and not at all exploitative or shock jock-ish, the way bipolar rep often does in fiction.)

Additionally, Bee is never given the "oh golly gee Mr. I sure am grateful that a hot guy like you would like a lowly fat chick like me" treatment. Which was such a fucking relief. Bee has an insecure moment here and there, but that's natural. It's not dwelled upon. It's not condescending. Nolan very clearly is extremely attracted to her, and that's that.

There is a level of suspension of disbelief you have to maintain with the idea that there would be this much press over a TV Christmas movie.... But that's just a quibble. Who cares? The core of this story is the relationship between Bee and Nolan, and that more than sells itself. Their connection is not without its conflicts, but none of them feel contrived, and they're both deeply likable, if flawed people.

Would read again close to Christmas, with a mug of hot chocolate in hand. Maybe some gingerbread lotion on the side. Not sure about where I'll be this Christmas.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!