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.

I enjoyed the premise for this book and the way the overall story was written.

I did not care for the MMC, Nolan, very much. I’m not really sure why but his character fell flat for me. I did really like Bee’s character and all of her confidence was great to see.

The main characters had such a strong physical connection and the attraction was very clear, but I never really felt their connection beyond just the physical. It would have been nice to see more interactions between them that weren’t just lust fueled.

I think the best part about this book is the representation all across the board!

I would still probably recommend this book especially for someone who wants a mix of Hallmark movie vibes and steamy romance.

What a fun and steamy original book! I always love a good plus-size heroine, and I loved that she was paired with a former boy band star! I loved the small town in Vermont, the Christmas setting, the feel-good movie...this was such a feel good book that sucked me in, and I loved it! My only complaint was that it ended!

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I have previously read Julie Murphy’s work, and have loved them all.

This book sucks you in right from the start. Nolan is a washed up boy band member, who had a previous scandal that ruined his career. His Mom is ill, and he is given an opportunity to star in a Hallmark-y Christmas movie. His co-star? None other than his online Porn Star crush, Bee.

This was a perfect mix of rom-com and spicy. You laughed along with the characters, and the spicy scenes were great.

I also really appreciated the representation in this book (LGBTQ+, Mental Health, Fatphobia, Sex Work).

This definitely puts you in the Christmas spirit, and would be a great November/December read!

4.5/5 Stars

* Received a copy for review.*
I love both of these authors and was anxious to see what they’d create together.
I loved how body positive and sex positive the book was but overall I was underwhelmed.
I liked the premise but it seemed very farcical which took me out of the story.
Each of the mains had a “crush” on the other prior to meeting. He had been a boy band star and she is a sex worker. She had his posters all over the wall as a teen and he utilizes her online site.
For me, this book just didn’t work. The characters were fine but the setting was slightly off in some way. The idea was excellent but the execution was lacking.

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone was a perfect steamy holiday romance. I'm glad I read this in July because this one would melt snow, WOW! I loved everything about this. Bee is a pornstar who is the replacement leading lady for the Hope Channel (Hallmark equivalent) new Christmas movie. Her leading co-star is Nolan, Bee's childhood boy band crush. Nolan is also a huge fan of Bee's (Bianca Von Honey) pornstar work. The chemistry is off the charts, and I was here for every sliding moment!

This book was delightful and body positive since Bee is a plus-sized star. I did not want this audiobook to end. The narration was fantastic, and I highly recommend adding this to your reading list! Happy Christmas in July, everyone!

Thank you, Avon and Harper Audio, for my complimentary copies.

I aggressively loved this book.
I loved all the characters. I love that our MC is a PLUS-SIZE porn star, and the Love Interest is a BISEXUAL POP STAR.
The dialogue was *chef's kiss*
Sunny was a gift. The sex was HOT.
I went ahead and pre-ordered.

As a plus sized person, I absolutely appreciate the body positive thread in this book. Not only body positive, but sex positive! I was expecting more spice knowing Sierra, but this is a romcom after all!! It was sweet and spicy and it was a great read. I would absolutely recommend this to any romance reader!!

Love a body positive book. That being said, this was good, but lacked something for me. Don't get me wrong I love these authors other books, especially Simone, but idk this just fell flat a little bit. Good spice, good sweet moments and good conflict resolution, just idk.

Oh Holy Night. This book was better than Christmas morning. I laughed so much, felt the tension and enjoyed every scene between Bee and Nolan, and loved all of the side characters. At times I was a little taken aback by how much of a fantasy Bee was to Nolan, but I guess she had also had all of those same fantasies about him when he was in INK, so I guess it worked itself out. I also loved how diverse all the characters were, their acceptance of Bee’s sex work, and I just wanted to be on set for this entire film. Also, praises for another Sierra Simone church scene. Overall, loved this book, wanted to stop right before the shit hit the fan, but pushed through so my babies could have their happy ending (no pun intended).

A cute, yet spicy, festive read. This book is a must read for every rom com fam who likes their books more on the hot side.

I absolutely love how these characters are written and the way their journey develops throughout the book.

This is a very body positive, inclusive book which I believe has a little bit of something for every reader.

This book is already one I’ve started recommending to friends who I know will love this book.

The story of Bee and Nolan is so sweet, an easy read, and

Hallmark after dark, YES PLEASE.

When I found out that Julia Murphy and Sierra Simone were teaming up for a holiday steamer, I knew I had to read it early!

Bee is a pornstar who embraces every single curve of her body. She is ready to mix business into the game when Teddy calls her that he needs her to play the titular role in Duke the Halls. [Think Hallmark movie channel] NO ONE can know what she does behind the scenes.

Nolan is the bad boy rockstar for now spilt up INK. Needing to support his family and change his image, he signs up to play the Duke in Duke the Halls. He cannot screw this up, both literally and figuratively.

What comes next is a merry little meet cute, lots of spicy fun and some holiday cheer.

I really enjoyed the body positivity shared throughout the novel. Everyone was accepted for who they were with no questions asked. The side characters and loose ends make me hope for more from Murphy and Simone for many more holidays to come!

Thank you Avon Harper Voyager and Netgalley for my earc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

4 stars

This is definitely not your mother's Christmas book. In A Merry Little Meet Cute, Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone turn the clean seasonal romance on its head to prove once and for all that everyone deserves a holiday happily ever after.

I have to admit that despite enjoying books from both of these authors separately, it wasn't until the 30% mark or so that this book started to win me over. A lot of the exposition felt a bit too overly quirky for my taste and some of the early interactions with Nolan and Bee made me worried that this book would toe the line towards fetishization. I should have known better as Murphy and Simone manage to deliver a very sexy romance where the walls between fantasy and reality are broken down, leaving room for a true relationship to unfold.

Was it a bit lighter on the Christmas than I would have liked? Absolutely. Did I wish that we had gotten maybe a little more varied smut considering all of the buildup? Yes. Did I still have a wonderful Christmas-in-July time while reading this book? 100%!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

What more can I possible tell you that this amazing blurb doesn't already! This book was exactly what I wanted it to be, and so much more! Take the spice you get from every word Sierra Simone ever puts on paper, and the young innocence from Julie Murphy, and you get an amazingly raunchy made for TV Christmas town turned porno, essentially! In book format. These two write so well together and have created such an amazing world and brought in so many amazing and quirky side characters, I simply adored it.

In this book, we follow plus size adult film star Bee Hobbes and former boy band heart throb Nolan Shaw. When Bee is selected to star in the next made for TV Christmas movie on one of the most wholesome networks ever, and Nolan is cast alongside her to help fix is tarnished reputation, nothing could have prepared them for the fire that would ignite between them on and off screen. He recognizes her from her other life and tries to keep it a secret that he knows who else she is on the other side of Hollywood.

Once the two come together, their passion for one another is only heightened in the fact he’s been a fan of hers for years and is anxious to act on his every fantasy. I love seeing someone in a plus size roll be so desired by someone that you would never stereo type with her in the real world. It added for an extra element we just don’t get in books or on screen and it was much needed.

I loved getting to read this book by these two and see how Julie even came out of her shell in her writing and how far she’d take things, compared to her other work. Sierra has made an amazing influence on her, co-writing partner and I can’t wait to see what these two do next.

Christmas in July continues to take on new meaning after this book. A Merry Little Meet Cute is delightful. I’ve read Julie Murphy before but not Sierra Simone. Together they created a funny, very steamy, holiday romp that pokes fun the Hallmark channel and Christmas stereotypes. There is almost a checklist of representation, bi-sexual main characters, lesbian moms, other queer characters, plus size lead, sex workers and mental health worries over a bi-polar family member.

Bee Hobes is offered her acting dream job of being the lead in a Christmas movie for the Hope Channel. It is to be filmed during a few weeks in picturesque Christmas Notch, Vermont. The town is used movie for locations so much they never take down their holiday decorations. The male lead is Nolan Shaw. He was her teen boy-band crush and she still has posters of him in her childhood bedroom. Nolan needs to redeem his image so he can make money to support his mom and sister. Bee’s secret is she is also Bianca Von Honey a plus size porn star. Bee is hoping this will open the doors to more mainstream acting roles. The sizzle between Nolan and Bee is snow melting hot. But neither can afford for there to be problems on the set.

So many things were funny and tongue in cheek over the top. There is a real sweetness to Bee who loves her professional work. Her best friend and moms are wonderfully supportive and loving. The book takes on more serious topics too. Pointing out worse aspects of media and creations of false narratives. It also shows the unfairness in how women are treated differently by the press and social media for scandals. The celebration of the bad boy vs. the slut shaming of the woman. This is a insta-love story but who can blame Bee for getting to be with her fantasy guy and vice-versa. Maybe it takes a Christmas miracle to believe they can have lasting love after a few weeks. I really enjoyed the epilogue to give the senses of the potential HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (4.5 stars)

An incredibly sexy and playfully fun holiday romance, this charming novel by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone SIZZLED! I loved the positive mental health, body and sexuality representation as well as the laugh out loud humor and wit displayed by the characters. It had all the comforting elements of a traditional Christmas love story but with a uniquely fresh and fun take that I'm sure readers will find just as charming (albeit outrageous) as I did. A must read of the 2022 holiday season! Thank you so much to Avon Romance and Netgalley for my copy.

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone was a delight to read! A wonderful blend of humor and heat all with a charming Christmas backdrop.

Our heroine is Bee Hobbes, a sweet and sexy adult film star who is recruited last-minute to be the leading lady in a Christmas movie à la the Hallmark channel. She'll be playing opposite Nolan Shaw, the teen idol of her dreams who is trying to comeback from his bad boy image. They each have their own reasons for needing to keep their reputations squeaky clean, meaning that Bee's career in porn under her alias Bianca Von Honey has to remain under wraps. This naturally leads to hijinks aplenty.

Bee isn't the only recruit from the adult film industry (a few other crew members were called in last-minute as well) which led to some truly laugh out loud moments for me. Something about the costume director not knowing why assless chaps wouldn't be appropriate garb for this plain vanilla Christmas movie really tickled me. The book is filled with these kinds of moments, which really bring out the humor.

Something I really appreciated was how queer many of the characters our. Our leads, Bee and Nolan, are both casually bisexual, in that it isn't a big deal for either of them. Bee has two moms (who are adorable) and there are several other queer characters/side relationships. It was just nice to see so much representation.

This book also had a lot to saw about sex work and the adult film industry, and the double standards present when discussing male or female sexuality. And I haven't even mentioned that Bee is plus size, which adds another layer of complexity to how she is treated both inside and outside the adult film industry. I think some readers will wish this was more straight raunch and less social commentary, but I thought it was a great balance and appreciated the substance with the sex.

My secret hope is that this is going to be a series where we'll get to see the other boyband members fall in love...fingers crossed a Christmas miracle occurs and there's more to come!

Ehhhh I loved parts of this and then other parts just didn’t do it for me. It promised a lot of steam, especially with Bee’s career choice. However, more fade to black scenes than steamy scenes.

Maybe it was just a bit too long and if it was condensed it would have felt a bit more complete.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing team for my free ARC in exchange for my honest review.