I adored this. Such a unique premise coupled with interesting characters, sexy scenes, and a Christmas movie - what more could you ask for? I would love to read anything and everything these two authors want to do together in the future.

A Merry Little Meet Cute is a sex and body positive romp of a rom com! How one book can so skillfully blend together equal parts steam, genuine laughs, and that much heart—I’ll never know. The world needs more main characters like Bee Hobbes!

Add this to your holiday TBR right now! It was such a fun read and I can’t wait to see it take #bookstagram by storm.

Bee Hobbes is a plus-size sex worker who is suddenly (and secretly) cast in a purer than pure TV Christmas movie. Her co-star is an ex-boyband bad boy trying to turn his reputation around. Can they fall in love without anyone finding out?

This book is ALL about positivity in places where we need more. It’s like The Roommate on steroids. I loved the bisexual rep, the body positivity, the portrayal of how the media treats even d-list celebs, and the extreme steam between Bee and Nolan.

This book is hilarious, sweet, STEAMY, and so refreshing. A fabulous holiday read any time of year!

It was okay not really my favorite I was definitely something new to read and story that hasn't really been told before

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!

Give me all the tropes with a twist -- childhood crush, workplace romance, forbidden love, that all together could all have seemed cheesy and overdone, but instead, I thought it was a fresh take done perfectly, and I need more romances like this in my life ASAP! There was so much more to the story than just sex or the much-loved holiday romance, this one gave us insight into mental health, sex, body positivity, and sticking up for one's self that I found inspiring. I hope this duo writes more books for us in this same style!

I was really excited to read this book because it sounded so cute. But I hated this one. I DNFed at like 60% because I could not stand these characters. I felt like the characters had no chemistry. I thought the overall plot was a little dumb. I did like how body positive and sex positive this book was. But other than that I hated this book. It just did not give off the cute Christmas romance vibes I wanted.

4 stars. Really enjoyed it. Loved the premise, creative plot and well written. Didn't feel like 2 separate authors and was surprised to learn this was their first book together. Sweet story without being sappy and spicy scenes as well. Loved the way it was wrapped up at the end. Would definitely recommend to others. Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

ARC BOOK REVIEW

A Merry Little Meet Cute
by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Publishing Date: 9/20/2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Bee Hobes is offered her first traditional acting role, in a feel good Christmas movie, after the original star is injured. Bee is EXCITED, but VERY nervous. Even though she has plenty of experience in front of the camera, this type of acting is very new for her. She becomes even MORE nervous when she discovers her costar is Nolan Shaw, her childhood, boy band crush.  How is she going to keep everyone from discovering that  she is a plus size porn star?!

HOWEVER- when Nolan first meets his costar,  he is floored when he sees Bianca Von Honey, whose real name is BEE HOBES- his favorite porn stay and the woman he has regular fantasies about!

Will Bee's secret remain a secret? Will Nolan tell Bee he knows who she is?! Will either of them be able to control themselves?!

Review: I was not expecting to like this as much as I did! It was hilarious! and HOLY SPICY!!!!!! 

The relationship between Nolan and Bee was AMAZING. They had such great banter and chemistry. And again....SPICY!!!

The book also touched on some real life issues which are super relateable to many. Body image, sexuality,  acceptance....I love that these topics were woven into the story. I wasn't expecting these to be discussed in a holiday romance. But it was done very well!

I HIGHLY suggest adding this one to your holiday TBR.  This has been my favorite Holiday Arc i've read so far. If you like Christmas and SPICE, this is for you. 🙂
.

Whew! I loved this erotic romance a lot more than I thought I would! Fat positivity, sex positivity, two chaotic bisexuals? What's not to love?! Oh, that's right - it's also set in a CHRISTMAS TOWN. Literal. Perfection.

Anything Sierra Simone is just *chefs kiss*. Cannot wait to see this all over social media in December because it deserves the attention!

I would give this 3.5 stars.

What I liked:
There's an inclusive cast with strong LGBTQ+ representation, a confident plus sized female lead who knows she's sexy, and a respectful representation of mental illness. The MCs are filming a cheesy Christmas movie, clearly mocking Hallmark movies, but half the production team and the female MC are all from the porn industry. That combination is as entertaining as you're picturing it to be! I chuckled throughout the book, and especially loved Luca with his "main character moments," as well as the pure awkwardness that is Teddy/Uncle Ray Ray.

What I didn't like:
I'm all for smut, but graphic descriptions of sticky fluids crossed the line to just being gross for me. I was loving the initial slow burn, but then it turned into an insta-love story, with thoughts of marriage after two weeks. Insta-love isn't my jam so it felt too rushed at the end.

Overall, if you're looking for a twist on holiday cheer with lots of juicy smut, I would totally recommend!

This first time collaboration is absolutely delightful! Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone write like they have been doing it forever. Their words glide seemlessly together, keeping this reader happily in the dark as to who wrote which chapter. To say that their combined prose was like a well-choreographed dance is an understatement. This book is rom-com perfection.

Now don't let the adorable title and cover fool you. While A Merry Little Meet Cute focuses on how Bee Hobbes and Nolan Shaw find themselves sudden co-stars of a Hallmark-type movie, and ultimately fall hard and fast for another, there is so much more to this book than I could have ever envisioned. THANK GOODNESS. For as much as I enjoy a good rom-com, I usually tire easily with all the sweet and cute involved. But with this book? There were boatloads of steam and naughty that kept this reader wildly satisfied.

And not only that, the sharp wit had me laughing out loud non-stop as I fell head over heels for these wonderful characters. Bee is a true modern woman who owns her decisions, both professionally and personally and has two crazy moms to back her up no matter what. As well as bestie Sunny, who is absolutely hysterical and needs her story told. The authors do a fab job in giving Bee a voice and who is not ashamed of her complicated yet very fulfilling life. It is so refreshing to read about a confident curvy woman who knows how to empower herself while still maintaining her generous nature.

Then with Nolan, you get a former bad boy who as much as he'd like to get his professional life back on track, is still very much the dirty boy Bee can't get enough of. But like his costar, he is caring, selfless and loyal. And has a playful side that is addictive and all kinds of sexy. Thoughts of his costumes alone made me swoon!

There are many secrets to be kept as two weeks of filming may lead to broken hearts and ruined careers but Bee, Nolan and the rest of this crazy-good crew are there for all of it. As was I and I'm here to say that I couldn't get enough of this well-written and charming story and I was smiling from ear to ear as those last lines were read.

I didn't get into all the ins and outs of Bee and Nolan's personas since this is a book you need to devour for yourself, discovering all of their truths one chapter at a time. Just know you'll be chuckling every step of the way.

I truly hope this is just the beginning to the partnership that is Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone. Their comic timing is impeccable and their gift for allowing love to blossom in the most unconventional of circumstances is pure gold.

5+++ stars!

Positive outlooks on sex, body image, orientation and Christmas romance movies. Overall an enjoyable read.
Both main characters are crazy about each other even before meeting which sets up a fun romp through the movie they are making. No true surprises here but entertaining and informative about mental health challenges.
A fun read.

If you love a sex-positive book with interesting characters and Hallmark movies, then you've found it in A Merry Little Meet Cute. Bee, a porn star who isn't hiding, but needs to shelve her day job, finds herself with the opportunity of a lifetime, a mainstream Christmas movie with a reforming boy band bad boy. Nolan, the boy bander in question, recognizes Bee right away, as a loyal subscriber to her website, but he can't and won't say anything as he tries to right his reputation and dealing with mounting issues at home. A cast of fun supporting characters really makes this book shine!

This book was so cute! Bee is a sex worker who enjoys success on a subscriber only website and she gets tapped to star in a movie along with Nolan, the pop star bad boy who is trying to rehab his image.

I loved how Nolan was a fan of Bee’s before he started with her. Their falling in love was very sweet and I loved the spice in this book. Conflicts made sense and while their communication could use work, they got it together in the end.

We love a plus size heroine who is not ashamed of her body, enjoys herself, is sex-positive, and is successful.

Definitely pick this one up!!

It’s Christmas in July time, y’all! 🗣 I’ve been itching to read this book since Julie teased it at TLA. A plus-size adult film star accidentally gets cast in a clean Christmas movie (ala Hallmark) along with a former boy band member and the two fall in love on set but have to keep their relationship under wraps. Are you joking?! When I saw it up on NetGalley, I slammed the request button at light speed 😂 How could I not with that premise?!
-
I think by now we all know that my bar for romance books is six feet below the ground 😂 rom coms are my happy place! And rom coms that are genuinely funny and steamy and secretly heartfelt? Ugh, even better. I fell headfirst into this book and head-completely-over-heels for Bee and Nolan. Two bi disasters trying so desperately to be a better version of themselves and learning that simply being themselves is the answer along the way? I’m immediately in tears.
-
Was Bee and Nolan’s relationship a little insta-lovey? Kinda, kinda not? They fall for each other quickly, sure, but they’d been falling for each other for years prior to actually meeting. And can you really blame someone for falling in love so easily when they’re practically living in a picture perfect snow globe? I did wish that they had explored more sexually. It’s teased a couple of times that they might, but they don’t. I know that sounds super vague, but I don’t want to throw any spoilers in here! The spicy scenes we do get though are 🤌🏽
-
I like that Bee’s adult film career and her weight are never a source of shame for her or for Nolan even when they are for others. Another thing I really enjoyed was this book serving as an ode to boy band stans everywhere. Whether you were into NSYNC or 1D, this is for you. I was ecstatic reading this book 😂 This book is funny and loving and a punch to the teenybopper gut. Please read it! 🖤
-
A Merry Little Meet Cute is available for pre-order now and will officially be released on September 20, 2022.

Sierra Simone is an author that I really enjoy and although I've heard so much about Julie Murphy, I've never read her work until now. The secret romance between costars was fun. I loved that he was her biggest fan just as much as she was his.

Bee Hobbs is a beautiful plus sized porn star that agrees to help her beloved producer, Teddy Flecther who is trying his hand at producing vanilla (mainstream) films. The female lead has to back out at the last minute and Bee is the new co-star in the film; a Christmas movie for the Hopeflix Channel. Her male lead is former boy band member Nolan Shaw who is attempting to rebrand himself after years of bad boy antics and recent sex scandals by starring in a wholesome Christmas movie. The two meet and sparks fly. She obviously knows who he is but to her surprise he is a fan of hers. They have wonderful chemistry but this book felt like it was a bit too long. Some parts could have been cut and just didn't seem to flow well for me. I'll be honest and say that I've never been a fan of co-authored books and that remains the case after reading this one. The chapters alternate between the two leads which is great but depending on who wrote what can lead to uneven flow.

I loved the puns and one liners, the dive into mental health treatment and how a family is effected, exploration of grief, and more. The way Nolan Shaw, a popular, hot rock star, desires Bee Hobbs, a confident, plus sized woman who owns her sexuality is so sexy. For me this was a rollercoaster read that was at times fun and then flat and then exciting and then meh.

I loooooooved this book! Fun, spicy, and tailor-made for those of us who wish the Hallmark movie MCs would just kiss already!

I went into this book completely blind, & I loved it so much ! I am a huge fan of Christmas romances and this one did not disappoint. I completely fell in love with the characters, especially since there was a good variety of different representations & characters. Such as, LGBTQIA+ rep, Jewish rep, plus size rep, & sex industry rep. I also loved that it has the perfect mix of sweet , cozy Christmasy romance, and smut. It reminded me of a naughty Hallmark Christmas movie. Which is perfect because the premise is about a porn star Bee, who is casted to star in a Hallmark like family movie with her childhood celebrity crush, Nolan Shaw. Nolan is known as being the bad boy in his boy-band and is working on changing his image. Bee runs a successful ClosedDoors account, (similar to an OnlyFans account) which Nolan is subscribed to and instantly recognizes her. The chemistry & sexual tension is crazy, especially because both are oblivious to the effect the other has on them. The forbidden romance aspect was the cherry on top to this steamy love story!

It was the perfect read for Christmas in July. If you enjoy holiday romance & smut, this one is for you! Also, if you’ve enjoyed any of Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone’s books, you’ll definitely want to check this one out!

You can expect:
* Plus Size Heroine
* LGBTQIA+ rep
* Forbidden Romance
* Open Door Romance (Multiple Scenes, Explicit)
* Bi Heroine & Hero
* Hilarious Banter
* Forced Proximity
* Christmas Romance
* Sex Positive Characters

A Merry Little Meet Cute
by Julie Murphy; Sierra Simone
Pub Date: September 20, 2022
Avon
Thanks to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
Cowritten by #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy and USA Today bestselling author Sierra Simone—a steamy plus-size holiday rom-com about an adult film star who is semi-accidentally cast as a lead in a family-friendly Christmas movie, and the former bad-boy pop star she falls in love with.
* LGBT
Highly recommended for fans of Rosie Danan, The summer of Christmas by Juliet Giglio, or The close up by Sarah Smith.Definitely not your typical closed-door, "clean" Hallmark movie-Esque romcom, this book packed a punch featuring Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey), a plus-size adult film star who is trying to break into the mainstream film industry, and Nolan Shaw, a former Rockstar trying to reform his bad-boy image by starring in a wholesome Holiday movie. Not my favorite book. 3 stars