I loved Julie Murphy's Dumplin' series, so I was excited to pick this one up. But it wasn't very merry and there wasn't a meet-cute. It just wasn't the cute, quirky rom-com I expected. I didn't like any of the characters and I skimmed the last 40% of the book just to get through it.
This was a miss for me and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

Christmas is my thing, it's my favorite holiday ever; so when I saw this cover/book in NetGalley, I had to requested because c'mon! I want that Christmas in July feeling. I will give a 4 stars to this story because sometimes the characters felt "meh", like flat, but overall, the story is good.

One thing I loved is FMC is plus size and I am a plus size woman, so I love love that in a romance book story. For me that I'm used to read spicy/smut books, this was a surprise because I didn't expect this Christmassy romance book to be THAT spicy!... However, I didn't care, I like the smut. lol

Thank you so much NetGalley and Avon for giving me the chance to feel the holiday in July.

DNF @ 25%. (Usually I don't star DNF'd reads, but NetGalley requires it. So, one star for the adorable cover, and one star for the abundant queer and fat rep and sex positivity.)

This book was both explicitly horny and also too boring to read. The characters felt flat, and I couldn't really believe that "indie porn darling goes undercover to film a chaste Christmas movie" would ever be able to be kept a secret—especially if half the crew knows her from porn and she's regularly posting Only Fans-esque content while on set. After reading spoiler reviews of how awful a main character behaves during the third-act conflict, I'm glad I didn't try to slog my way through.

not to be like 'this is the book that the roommate thought it was' but um. yeah.

Anyways. This was such a fun time! We jump right in and there are like 12 scandals ready to destroy everyone's careers which is always a fun time. I loved the contrast with the Hopeflix people and the Uncle Ray Ray's people. I was having a blast until the characters got together and then it fell a bit flat for me.

Overall, this was a great read and I hope Julie and Sierra write something else together.

I could not let Christmas an July pass without reading a Christmas-y book! 😉

When an adult film star is cast in a wholesome RomCom Christmas Movie, opposite former teen boy bander, what could possibly go wrong?

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that both Main Characters had crushes on each other. And their was a lot of body positivity going on, with Bee (FMC) who is a plus size adult film star, trying to keep her adult film career under wraps.

It’s a really cute Christmas story and with Bee being an adult film star there is a lot of sexual talk and a lot of laugh out loud moments.

Mix in some Christmas (movie) magic and it’s an all around great read!

Melli's Book Breakdown
💚 holiday romance
❤️chrismas romance
💚actor romance
❤️former boy band MMC
💚Plus sized FMC
❤️Dual POV

So if I had to narrow my review down to just a few words or a single trope, it would 100% be the "so horny that they're stupid" trope.

I am asexual and I thoroughly get confused by this trope but I found it funny, mostly.

So basically we have Teddy who is actually a porn producer but who is trying to branch out into more mainstream stuff and so he's producing this little homey Christmas film with the Hope Network. When there's an accident involving the actors he originally planned, he ends up getting one of his porn stars to play the lead role after her headshot, with nipples exposed, ended up in the folder of potentials and the director loved it.

Bee is a fat porn star and fuck freaking yes I love that representation in and of itself. I loved that she had the equivalent to an only fans called a closed door account while also doing partnered porn. She wants to do some more mainstream acting but she also genuinely loves her job.

So they're so horny they're stupid thing starts really early on because they're in this little 24/7 Christmas Town and they've got a limited amount of time to shoot this kitschy movie, and both of our MCs have secretly been attracted together without knowing them.

Bee is the Nolan's favorite porn star and he is Bee's favorite ex-boy band member and they both have been tasked with absolutely no shenanigans or sex on set to protect their reputations.

So spoiler alert, that doesn't work. This book is very steamy and I wasn't prepared for that going into a Julie Murphy book but I was unfamiliar with the co-author so maybe if I did a little bit more research.

I appreciated that there were some nuanced conversations about the porn industry and living in a fat body and sexualization etc. I didn't like wholeheartedly love this one as much as I wanted to but it's still a cute Christmas rom-com and one that I would recommend to certain folks.

Oh and both of our main characters are bisexual which is amazing

This book is everything I want from a Christmas romance. It gives me happy, cozy, Hallmark vibes, but it doesn’t have nearly as much cheesiness as typical novels of the sort. It is spicy and steamy, and there is a lot of heart without a paper thin plot. In fact, the plot was enticing on its own, without the spice driving it forward. And yet, there was enough spice to make me avoid reading in public. Perfect novel that hits quite a few sensitive topics, in a very sensitive fashion, and checks the boxes for a fun, rompy romance.

"A Porn Star, a Christmas Movie, and What We All Really Want for the Holidays."

This was super cute. It was actual 'laugh out loud' funny in quite a few places. I loved the idea of this town everyone films holiday movies at because I remember my townsquare in Georgia being turned in to a Christmas scene with full decorated tree and all in the middle of July and the stars looked way too warm! I loved the co-stars and how funny they were. I found the relationship a bit quick but meh, I wans't looking for a grand love story. It's light, it's cute and enjoyed it!


A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Fun fact: I’ve never read a Christmas romance (cue horrified noises)

Fun fact #2: I’m a bit of a Scrooge (cue more horrified noises)

So when the team at Avon kindly sent me an invitation for this book, I was like “ummm…”. Then I read the synopsis…and I clicked so fast! Here you go — A porn star is suddenly cast in a Christmas movie for the squeaky clean Hope Channel. Her costar is the “bad boy“ of a boy band trying to rehab his career. Oh, and he happens to be a subscriber to her channel.

🎶 On Dasher, on Dancer, on Latex, on Dildo 🎶

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! It’s so much fun! And don’t let the cutesy cover fool you, there’s plenty of smutty good times. The overall positivity and acceptance for this book is through the roof:

✔️ Plus sized FMC
✔️ Majority of the characters are LGBTQ+
✔️ The sex positivity is 💕
✔️ Mental health rep (the MMC’s mother has bipolar depression)

I giggled on multiple occasions reading the fun wordplay (I mean, there’s a horse named Whitneigh, come on), not to mention the absurdity of the whole situation. Some of the crew for this squeaky clean romance was also brought from the porn industry, which leads to many funny moments.
But there’s also serious bits, which I really appreciated. Like how Nolan really needs his career to take off so he can support his mom. And what will they do when the press & public find out about Bee’s porn past (and you know they will).

Seriously I loved this book so much I’ve already preordered it ❤️

Thank you to NetGalley & Avon for this advanced reader copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love this premise! I am always excited to read almost all Christmas/holiday themed romances, but they certainly can be similar or "too cute" at times, making it very exciting to read one that was so unique. The representation in this book and body positivity made it stand out, as many Christmas heroines are so often similar. I did struggle from the beginning truly "getting into" the characters though and was not riveted by their journey.

Julie Murphy (one of my favorite YA authors) and Sierra Simone have teamed up to create a delightful Christmas/Holiday themed romance. This books sits perfectly on the corner of sweet and spicy with heartfelt characters and NSFW romantic scenes.

What happens when a plus size porn star is cast as a replacement for the actress set to start in a Hallmark (Hope Channel) Christmas movie opposite her teen crush, a former boy band superstar (who's secretly a fan of hers)?

A fun sexy workplace forbidden romance romp that has wonderful main characters that you will love.

I also really enjoyed the over the top setting of the Christmas themed town, complete with a strip club called "The North Pole"

These authors are new to me.
I love the cover and the Christmas-y setting. I went in blind to this book and blame myself for that. I didn’t care much for Nolan and Bea got on my nerves here and there too.
I liked the body positivity in the book but other than that I didn’t like it very much. But I can see the appeal and I do think others will like it.

Love a cutesy illustrated cover that leads to an adorable romance? You'll find that in A MERRY LITTLE MEET CUTE with the best kind of holiday Hallmark vibes with ALL the steam starring a sexy plus-sized porn star and a former boy band member. Everything about this screamed Santa needed to plan ahead to gift this title to every romance reader I know, I absolutely LOVED it!

Did I pick up the book based on the cover and author and have NO idea about the rest? Of course, I did. Do I have ANY regrets? NONE, I loved this book SO much, and it was the perfect kick-off to Christmas in July reading!

Julie Murphy has a writing style that gets me every time, and I could not wait to read this one, based on her writing an adult rom-com with her bestie, and I know I'll be picking up more of Sierra Simone's books in the near future!

3.5 Stars This was a really cute romcom with a delightfully different premise. Bee Hobbes has accidentally been cast to star in a Hope Channel (think Hallmark Channel) Christmas movie, but no one can find out that she's Bianca Von Honey--plus-sized porn star and top content creator on the subscription platform ClosedDoors (like OnlyFans). Having her secret get out could violate the morality clause her contract with the Hope Channel and may shut down the movie, which would hurt her co-star, Nolan Shaw. Nolan is a former bad-boy from a once-popular boy band, but he has fallen off the radar after a big scandal. Needing money to support his mentally-ill mother and his little sister. His first day on set, he's shocked to see the woman who has been his ultimate fantasy for the past few years, Bianca Von Honey, is actually his co-star, Bee.

This was a fun, easy read and I loved the plus-sized character and bisexual character representation, without both of those identities being part of the conflict. Bee and Nolan's chemistry was very hot and believable. Definitely recommend this one!

Holy representation! LGBTQ+, Sex Work, Plus Size Women, Mental Health, fat phobia, sexism, racial inequality! This romance book really hits on a lot of areas and I am here for it.

This did not follow the normal formula of a romance because she is a porn star and he is a former boy band member and they already had the hots for each other before meeting.

Also, if you don't like a lot of sex in your Rom Coms maybe stay away from this one because it is pretty steamy.

What I loved most is that Nolan didn't fall for Bee because of her personality. He was physically attracted to her from the beginning. Yes! Some men are attracted to plus size women! Imagine that! And here is representation for that. (That was sarcasm by the way)

The only thing I wish was different is that maybe Nolan wasn't a misunderstood bad guy like most other books but just a bad guy who changed? Because that is more realistic and would have for better with this book.

And also, while I enjoyed the steamy scenes I feel like there needed to be more of them doing other things to build their connection. But I am sure there will be others who say the opposite because this is a personal preference.

Overall, I would recommend this steamy Christmas romance. And have someone to talk it out with because I am dying to talk to someone about it!

This was my first Christmas Romance story that I have read, and it was surprising really good. I enjoyed the plot of an ex boy band meeting his dream porn star in the cute Christmas movie they were filming. I loved the positivity and outlook for sex workers, the LGBTQ, and the plus size community. I personally want to talk about the chronic illness rep in this book, since I myself deal with a disability. I did like the way the portrayed Nolan's mom, I appreciated them saying that she is not the victim. I also liked that they included the struggles of paying for medical bills. It is such a real world dilemma, and I enjoyed seeing disabled representation in this book. I felt for Nolan's mom when she brought up not wanting to be a burden, I personally think the authors handled this plot point very well. Although there was small medical inaccuracy in the book, you can't tell a concussion from a CT scan it is not something that shows up, and I feel like this was something that could have been easily researched. I loved the chemistry between Nolan and Bee. I really enjoyed their scenes together, I was expecting a little bit more spice. I have read Sierra Simone's other works, and I know she is not the only author that wrote this book, but I was hoping for more spice. I would personally say this book was 1/5 for spice. Overall it was a very cute story, and would be a perfect holiday read.

3.75🌟 This started off my Christmas in July off with a bang - both figuratively and literally😂 what a fun, festive read! We are following Bee Hobbes, an adult film star, and Nolan Shaw, a former teen boyband heartthrob, on their journey acting on a family friendly Christmas film. This was hilarious, both in banter and just the pure situation of it all, and not to mention spicy! I loved the balance of power struck by them being mutual fans of each other's work. Their chemistry was absolutely on point. I also really enjoyed the dive into the topics of sex positivity and body image; it felt natural to be included in the storyline. This also includes bi and mental health rep as well. Bee was such a lovable character: her confidence, vulnerability, sense of humor, and her ability to ask for exactly what she wants made me absolutely love her!

My only wish would be that we dove further into the emotional connection between the characters. With their physical chemistry being so strong, I wanted to know more about how they were connecting on a deeper level to get to their happily ever after.

Overall, such a fun, holiday romcom and I would definitely read about other characters in this universe!

*Thank you to Avon & NetGalley for the eARC, in exchange for a review!

I loved this book! The perfect amount of funny, spice, and heart. As someone who loves spicy books and Hallmark movies this was right up my alley. The concept of transplanting cast and crew from the porn industry into a chaste period piece was genius. But it's not just funny, there is also some great commentary on public judgment of those who work in the sex industry, fat phobia, and the misogyny still very much alive in the court of public opinion. That sounds like a lot to tackle in a romcom but Murphy and Simone do it so well..

Thanks Netgalley and Harper Collins for the arc!

After so many bland contemporary romances, I finally found one that that was actually steamy and humorous. I loved listening and reading this so much that as I progressed I felt myself getting sad at the prospect of the book ending like I was already anticipating a book hangover. This book tells the story of Bee, a fat adult film actress, who finds herself cast in a wholesome made-for-tv movie opposite her childhood crush, Nolan, the former bad-boy member of boy band who is set on restoring his reputation. No one must know she produces adult content but with half the crew on loan from the industry it’s more of an open secret and it doesn’t help that Nolan has been a fan of Bee’s content for years. The two begin a friends with benefits relationship that turns to feelings.

I loved the disaster bisexuals that were both Nolan and Bee. Both were complex characters that had very clear motivations and voices. Their relationship was very steamy and while an insta-love story it actually worked for me. I loved the fat representation found in Bee’s character. She and Nolan both love her body but the book didn’t shy away from accurately portraying the world’s negative view of fat women.

In addition to Nolan and Bee I absolutely adored all of the side characters. The oddball cast of characters gave the book a small-town romance vibe that I really enjoyed. They added humor to the story without detracting from the main characters. I absolutely cannot wait to see if Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone write another book together as I am sure it too will be fabulous.

I really enjoyed the performances of both audiobook narrators. Sebastian York and Joy Nash really brought the characters to life for me and i found myself turning to the audiobook more than the eBook which is a testament to how much I enjoyed listening to them.

Thank you to Harper Audio, Avon Books, and NetGalley for the ARCs in exchange for an honest review.

In A Merry Little Meet Cute, Bee Hobbes, a successful plus-size adult film star known online as Bianca Von Honey, and Nolan Shaw, a former boy band member, attempt to improve their public images and careers with a family-friendly movie on the Hope Channel. As filming continues and they get to know each other, keeping their off-camera romance a secret becomes difficult.

This was a great collaboration between Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone! They delivered a seductive romance with developed leads and tackled serious topics, namely sex work and mental health. I recommend this to anyone looking for a cute and thoughtful romance featuring two bisexual leads that want to give love a chance and has you wishing that it was the holiday season!

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.