Member Reviews
Could not put down this book until I finished it. Will be picking this up again around the holidays. Thank you for the free copy for an honest review!
What are two beautiful bisexual disasters to do but fall for each other? This book was absolutley AMAZING! I was laughing through the whole book! I normally read harlequin heartwarming novels, so this had a bit... ok a lot more spice than I'm used to, but I couldn't put it down.
Bee is a plus sized porn actress that gets thrown into a hallmark-esk movie after her headshot is put in the wrong folder by her producer, but she's up for the challenge.
Nolan used to be the "bad- boy" in the band INK and now he's trying to rehab his reputation, but in the first day he recognized his new costar...
I hope these two authors come together again to write more. I will 100% read them again!!!
“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.”
This book was such an interesting plot! I loved it! The one line summary just does great at describing it!! It was such a fun read!
The discussion of adult film stars and the way they are judged by society was so great. We also see discussion of that overlap with being plus sized and how that changes the narrative.
On the other hand we see the discussion of being a pop star and playing into the role one was assigned and maybe playing too far into that role. Also the invasiveness that comes with being famous.
We also get to see some great bi rep, as both main characters are bi, as are some of the side characters, and the way that it can be used against someone.
Overall, I really loved this book, despite it being a Christmas book I think it is a good year round read and I cant wait for yall to read it!!
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the chance to review! All thoughts are my own.
This is so much fun! I loved Julie Murphy's Dumplin' -- this is a little more adult, of course, as it features a plus-size adult film star -- but has all the same appeal. Readers who love Hallmark Christmas movies will particularly enjoy this one, as it features the adult film star and a "bad boy" star who are hired to star in a "Hopeflix" series movie set in a Christmasy storybook village in New England. I really look forward to recommending this title, especially around the winter holidays.
I devoured this book in just one afternoon! Two of my favorite authors co-writing a holiday rom-com? it's exactly as fun, spicy, and engaging as it sounds. The dialogue is believable, the characters sparkle, and the romance is just spiced enough to warm a cool winter night. Bee and Nolan each bring family baggage (but in a relatable way, though their situations as adult star and singer are far from the average Jane and John). I particularly loved the body positive and sex positive tone of the whole novel, and hope that these two decide to collaborate again!
What happens when a former boy band star and a porn star (who both lusted after each other's celebrity images) meet as costars on the set of a Christmas movie? LOTS of sexual tension. This was a fun little meet cute with lots of holiday references (did you say North Pole?), and some holiday drama backstories!
I absolutely loved this book! I had no idea what it was about when I first started reading, but I was hooked from the first page. The characters were incredible (especially a certain costume artist) and I loved the relationship between Bee and Nolan.
This was a fun, spicy Christmas read!
The representation was phenomenal (LGBTQ+, Sex Work, Mental Health, Fatphobia, Sexism), and executed beautifully. I’m typically not a fan of insta love or insta attraction, but this was written so well that I enjoyed it.
Bee is who I want to be someday: unapologetically confident in her body, sex-positive, accomplished, and happy with who she is. Nolan’s love for his family and desire to grow from who he once was gave me all the feels, and his near worship of Bee melted me.
I will 100% be adding this book to my yearly Christmas-themed reads, and you should to!
A Merry Little Meet Cute is the perfect mixture of sexy and wholesome, just like the main character Bee. These two authors could not have written a better book to get you in the holiday spirit, or even just in the mood 😉. A Merry Little Meet Cute is the perfect example of a body positive and sex positive narrative that we need in the world. I loved it and highly recommend it!
This book was amazing! I loved the premise and how sexy but humorous and real the characters were. There were a lot of secondary characters, but they all were well fleshed out and also amazing.
Basically, this is a book about 2 people that have had celebrity crushes on one another for years, and wind up working on a film together.
Bee is a self proclaimed fat girl, but owns it and is smart, sassy, independent, and beautiful. Nolan is a previous boy band member that loves his family above all else and is trying to do everything he can to better their lives.
There’s angst, smoldering, super duper hot sex scenes, and real connection.
They both have a lot riding on this film and loved the obstacles hey had to overcome. Not too much that it was crazy, but real things and not always what you’d think. I really loved that this book kept me on my toes.
Bee is best known as Bianca Van Honey, a plus sized porn star. She ends up cast as the star of a Hallmark-esque Christmas movie after a tragic incident of the original star. She stars alongside Nolan, a former boyband member looking to revive his career.
This book had a lot of heart and I liked the characters. However, I felt like the entire plot was sex and the stars talked about how amazing the other person was without us actually seeing them interact outside the bedroom.
A+ for the commentary on sex workers.
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! The cover looks like the Hallmark Channel movie it’s parodying, but it was so much more! The premise is unique, the plot is edgy and the spice was just right (mostly vanilla with a tease to something more). It had a message of sex-positive, female empowerment and body positivity without feeling contrived. The one thing I would have liked to see would have been to have the main couple’s connection fleshed out a bit more, and I feel like this could have been pretty easily accomplished by them having some kind of shared interest other than sex or their long-tike mutual obsessions with each other’s famous personas. I still loved this book though and look forward to future offerings from this author pairing. Thank you NetGalley, Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone and HarperCollins for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
I don’t know what I was expecting when I went into this book, but it truly blew my expectations out of the water.
The STEAM. Whew! I find Christmas stories often are closed doors, but this was *chefs kiss*. First of all, the FMC is literally a plus-sized pornstar. Amazing.
The story isn’t all fluffiness, and has a well-written deepness to it as well. The topics of mental health, the body positivity. Each are well written and well fleshed out.
I have to say it: this might be my favorite holiday romance. I cannot wait to read it again in the holiday season!
This should be the golden standard for all other Christmas themed romances!!
Was it funny? yes.
Spicy? hell yeah.
Sweet? 100%
I really feel like it was a lovely combination of all the best romance elements. Already can't wait to re-read during the holiday season!
I enjoyed this book a lot! It was the perfect mix of risque and holiday charm. If Rosie Danan's The Roommate crashed into a Hallmark Christmas movie, you would end up with this book! In this holiday read, we see adult performer Bee, getting a break in a Hope (*cough* Hallmark *cough*) Channel Christmas movie when her producer tries to diversify. And starring across her is none other than her teenage crush, former boy band member and bicon Nolan. But Nolan isn't the only one getting recognized... Nolan immediately recognizes Bee from her ClosedDoors (*cough* OnlyFans *cough*) account, where he's a platinum subscriber. The two have undeniable chemistry but have to keep their fling under wraps or risk Hope Channel finding out and pulling the plug on their family-friendly movie.
I really loved the mash-up of basically a Hallmark Christmas movie with All the Feels and The Roommate. We have a celebrity lead, annoying paparazzi, plus-size representation, and holiday charm. I don't have any complaints! It's perfect for those who love a good Christmas rom-com but want something a little steamier and a little bit different.
Thanks to Avon for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars - 9/10
🎄 It's Christmas in June! ❄️ Can you imagine a Christmas movie on your favorite squeaky-clean TV channel, but starring a former boy bander and an adult film star?? 😳 If that piques your curiosity, keep reading. If not - this book is very NSFW so please look away 😬
🧑🎄 A Merry Little Meet Cute is co-written by Julie Murphy (Dumplin) and Sierra Simone (American Queen). Bee is a plus-size adult film star who is trying to break into mainstream media and Nolan is a former bad boy trying to improve his reputation and keep secrets of his own. They just have to make it for the 2 weeks of filming without letting their secrets out - or falling for each other! ♥️
🦌 There are A LOT of eggplants and peaches in this book, and it is not for the faint of heart. [Pausing to state that I'm hoping neither my mom nor my MIL reads this post 😅] That being said, I thought the characters and plot were well-developed and it put me in a Christmas mood, which is very fun in June! It was 4 ⭐ for me but I only recommend it for sexpositive folks!
✨ There are many relatable storylines here - chasing your dreams, making sacrifices for a relationship and for your family, and standing by your people. The side characters are dramatic and witty and very scandalous themselves, and they are there for Bee and Nolan when they're needed. There's great LGBTQ+ and mental health representation as well 🙌
Shareability: less shareable than most, for obvious reasons! 18+...Do not read this unless you've watched and liked Zack and Miri Make a P0rn0.
Spice: off the charts 🥵 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️+
Pairs well with: white chocolate peppermint cocoa or coffee ☕🍬
Thank you @netgalley, @avon, and @harpercollins for the eARC!
⚠️ explicit open door scenes, mentions of toys, mental health crisis, a character struggling to manage their bipolar disorder, brief drug use
This was so so cute!!! I absolutely devoured it. I usually avoid Christmas things in summer, but once I read the description, I knew it would be worth breaking that rule. Thank you for the early copy!
In this book, a former boy band singer with a bad rep and an adult movie performer are cast in a Hallmark-like Christmas movie together. She had a crush on him (and still does) and he secretly watches her adult films. What could possibly go wrong?
I knew the premise of the book and that didn't bother me. I feel like the cover made the book look a little more cutesy Hallmark than the book actually portrays. If all of the adult entertainment aspects of the book doesn't bother you. then this will be a good read. I love that the main character is a plus sized female and that there is representation for LGBTQIA+. It is nice to find a book that breaks out of the norms for a "cute little romance."
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for this ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book is such a joy of inclusion, support, warmth, Hallmark Christmas movies, spice, and love that I cannot stop gushing about it! Everything that I want from a romcom is right here. As these characters fall in love with each other, you’re going to fall in love with them. I hope the authors team up for more books because I need to know more about all of the secondary characters!
If you’re looking for LGBTQIA+ rep, this book joyfully overflows with it. Bee has two moms; Bee and Nolan are bi, Bee’s BFF is bi, and other crew members are queer. So much love and support and different representations of queer love.
Along with that is so much sex-positivity. Bee enjoys her sex work and is good at it; her moms know and are supportive. Nolan is comfortable with his bad-boy past. Lots of spiciness with anywhere but the bed play. Also great to see a FMC who’s plus-sized and sexy. While there’s some mild fatphobia on social media, Nolan makes it plain that he finds Bee amazing.
So many supportive and loving relationships. The family relationships are all strong and involve caretaking and warmth. The friendships are supportive and loving too.
CW: Fatphobia, slut shaming, mental health issues
I’m a sucker for holiday movies. I’m a sucker for “you’re not supposed to know who I am” stories. I’m especially a sucker for “oops I’m a s*x worker and you’re totally not supposed to know this but apparently you subscribe to my services and we have to pretend you have never seen me in the buff doing stuff” narratives, which is a very oddly specific niche that I have apparently stumbled into with this book.
Bee and Nolan are unintentional agents of chaos whose unabashed horniness just does not quit. The writing team of Julie Murphy (I loved her book, Dumplin’) and Sierra Simone (who is the pinnacle of “is this level of filth and steam even legal in all 50 states”) is a dream. This book is a well written meld of sweet holiday hijinks with X-rated steam. Everyone is horny. Everyone is queer. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, is a well-developed, well rounded character that you just want to get a drink with because they are fascinating.
This book shouldn’t work. But Jiminy Christmas, it does.