Overall this was such a fun read. I loved that lol they explored her commitment to her job without going down the stereotypical route of the ice Queen climbing the corporate ladder at the expense of all else. The characters were likable and the back story was cute. I love the setting. One major drawback for me was they made it so important about her family and their relationship and continued to bring it up just for it to not pay off at all.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Cara Delaney works as a management consultant. She will be missing Thanksgiving with her family because she needs to go to Eldovia to help manage the Kings company.

Mr. Matteo Benz is the King's equerry. He is the king's right hand man. He is unhappy with Ms. Delaney and what she might do to the company.

This is the third book in the series and my first. I was able to read it as a standalone. But I'll definitely be going back and reading the first two. This is definitely like a Christmas Hallmark movie with some spice. Just the right amount. I loved the writing and the characters. A perfect Christmas romance.

DNF at 48%

I put this down because I wasn't enjoying it and I didn't see it improving anytime soon. The writing felt stiff and awkward. The characters felt stiff and awkward. By this time in the book, I really need to see some rapport and chemistry develop. Even though they had kissed by this point, it didn't feel natural or earned in anyway. (They're still calling each other Ms. and Mr.)

Also, the corporate stuff was so boring. I know that Cara needs a reason to be in Eldovia, but I honestly do not need all the details. I get it, she's good at her job. Move along, spend more time falling in love with Matteo.

Thanks to Partner @bibliolifestyle for the complimentary finished copy and the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Every time I open a Jenny Holiday contemporary I’m reminded of how much I like her books.

So This Is Christmas really got me going with:

❄️An uptight hero—Matteo Benz, an equerry to the king of Eldovia—who wears three piece suits on the daily, tries to be professional at all times, but is very much annoyed by the heroine. To quote the book: “He looked like a millennial dressed up as a boomer.”
​
❄️A business-oriented heroine—American Cara Delaney who’s visiting Eldovia & serving as a business consultant for the King. She & her job immediately rub Matteo the wrong way.

❄️Both leads recognizing that there’s more to the other lead than their initial impression & slowwwwly coming to call each other by their first names.

❄️a fun glimpse back at previous characters

❄️​Holiday’s deft hand with emotions & nuance & pacing.

I feel like I’ve been really blessed on the holiday romance reading front this year & this is another adorable book that warmed my heart. If you haven’t checked out Holiday’s Eldovia series yet I really recommend it—especially book 2 which is a fave.

4.5 ⭐️. Out now!

CW: heroine’s mother forced out of home after unwed pregnancy. Cara assaulted at 16 & she fended him off using her high heel shoe.

This was a well-written, entertaining book. It was sweet, fun, romantic and held my interest. I didn't want to put it down. This is the last book in the royal Christmas series, though it can be read as a standalone story. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.

Even though I don't typically watch Hallmark holiday movies, I do love reading romances that lean into all of those tropes. Each book in Jenny Holiday's A Princess for Christmas series has been holiday tropetastic and an enjoyable read perfect for getting into the holiday spirit. Like the first book in the series, this one is more holiday focused then last year's book, Duke Actually.

The book features two people devoted to their jobs to the complete exclusion of their personal lives. Cara, an NYC management consultant hired to analyze Eldovia's primary industry, a traditional watchmaking company, comes to Eldovia right before the holidays in order to finalize her company's recommendations. She immediately clashes with Matteo, the KIng's equerry (kind of a very high level executive assistant) who is devoted to his small country and fears Cara is going to recommend widespread layoffs that will hurt many people.

These two are initially rather antagonistic, but are forced to work together and slowly start to see each other's hidden layers. Of course, since this is a romance, they are also immediately attracted to each other although it takes them awhile to acknowledge the attraction. I have to admit, I didn't feel the connection between them as strongly as the couples in the other two books, so I wasn't completely sold on their romance, but I still found this to be a fun and flirty holiday read. I'm not sure if the author is going to continue the series, but there's at least one more couple that I'd like to see get their own romance so I'll keep my fingers crossed for next year. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

“So This is Christmas” is book 3 of the series. It was a good read with some heated enemies to lovers banter. We’ve got a stereotyped “all work no play” American sent to fix the royals. He’s a cinnamon roll character who fights back but on the inside a heart of gold.

It was a good conclusion to the trilogy and stayed true to Jenny Holidays writing style. You’ll like this if you enjoyed The Bodyguard by Katherine Center or Duke, Actually by Jenny Holiday.

So this is….Eldovia. The perfect little {sadly make believe} Christmas country, that is a dreamy winter wonderland, perfect for all your Hallmark romance dreams to come true. This time around we follow Cara and the super proper Matteo (my new literary hall-pass). Their romance is slow burn and the banter is witty. I generally stay away from slow burn as I get annoyed with characters that can’t see what’s right in front of them, but this was different. Our characters needed to fall into friendship, and mutual respect first. There was definitely flirtation too- lots of swoony moments, but also goofy little moments that were super endearing. I love love loved this one! I think it’s my favorite in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

It was nice to return to Eldovia but I will say that I struggled to connect to Cara and Matteo until closer to the end of the book. The pace of the book felt a bit slow and quite predictable. I love Jenny Holiday's style and that kept me reading. Not her best but I'll continue to read her offerings.

Workaholic, American management consultant Cara Delaney is in Eldovia to review financials involving a local watch factory for the king. The king’s right hand man, Mateo Benz is there to guide Ms. Delaney along as she sees to business outings.

At first Cara and Mateo clash constantly and have a true and pure dislike for each other they don’t bother to hide and even openly admit to one another. However, as the book goes on you get to witness the slow burn between the two of them slowly take a liking to one another and then something more. It’s such an excellent presentation of enemies to lovers, as you get to witness just what forces each of their walls down and closer to one another.

There’s also a delightful cast of side characters including: Imogen who runs the local pub, the king, Matteo’s siblings (especially his younger brother) and Kai who all greatly endear you to Eldovia, along with the pure Hallmark-esque Christmas magic the town already emits on its own.

This was such a delightful Christmas romance read!

5 stars

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS is the third book in the A Princess for Christmas series, and I plan to go back and read the first two books in the series, because this was so enjoyable. This is a story with all things Christmas, set in Eldovia, where Cara has to fly to for work before Thanksgiving. She won’t be back home in New York until Christmas Eve, or so she thinks.

Cara has to work closely with Matteo, who works for the king. Her role as a management consultant is to help their country’s floundering finances since they only have one real industry. She and Matteo don’t hit it off since Matteo thinks she will destroy the worker’s livelihoods with layoffs. He also plays Santa anonymously with a friend to make sure all in their area who need a helping hand get what they need through the magic of Christmas. Cara and Matteo have problems communicating until they decide to work together, but they don’t know whether to leave their barriers up or down. There is sometimes a playfulness to the story, and the relationships Cara forms really enrich the novel.

There are many threads to the story that are woven together nicely. The descriptions of Christmas and the country are vivid, and the characters are well drawn. Cara and Matteo are more alike than they will admit, and they do work well together. The secondary characters also fill the story with warmth. There are a few unexpected plot twists which had me turning the pages to see what would happen next.

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS is a wonderful holiday romance to get you in the spirit for Christmas!

Dnf I read until 33% and then skimmed to 50% and I just couldn't make myself care enough to continue. Both Matteo and Cara are unlikeable but not in a way that is compelling. I was annoyed with both characters from the moment they were introduced and they just never got any better. It also didn't make sense why these two stranger hated each other and it felt like every single one of their interactions were forced to the point of being painful to read. On top of that so much of the book was focused on their jobs which I couldn't care less about. This book just didn't work for me on any level. I really liked Duke, Actually so I really wish this one would have worked for me, but alas. Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The third in A Princess for Christmas series. This has two workaholics coming together in the fictional country of Eldovia. Cara Delaney is from NY and is a management/production consultant. Watch making is the biggest industry in Eldovia and demand is down. Her company has been hired by the King and board of directors to help turn the factories around. Matteo Benz is the equerry (executive personal assistant) to the King. He is to help Cara with anything she needs. He is very formal and proper and is use to controlling things behind the scenes.

This is a slow burn romance and it is also slow reading for a while. Too much of the focus of the book is on the work they are doing but that is the driving force for both of them. Eventually they let their guards down and share personal backgrounds, a spa day, a sleigh ride and just have fun together. I was thrown by his way of speaking too. For example he asks her if she would be interested in a casual sexual encounter. It is his formal way of speaking and it is a funny is a small way. But in his job he should be flawless at English so I’m not sure why he speak in a way that also makes him seem much older than his years. She also travels internationally for her work so I don’t think she’d make the mistake of using idioms in speaking. I don’t know why small things like that took me out of the story.

I did like the resolution and that it allows them to both continue in the work they both love. I also enjoyed the Star Wars, Star Trek and Pride and Prejudice references. I have read all of the series so far with my favorite being Duke, Actually (#2). The books do get steamy but not overly graphic. Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jenny Holiday knocks it out of the park with her funny enemies to lovers finale in her Christmas in Eldovia series.

Jenny has written one of my favourite holiday book series ever. In my opinion, these books just kept getting better and better. I would say these books can be read as connected stand-alones although I recommend reading them in order for pure delight. My only complaint about So this is Christmas is that I wished we could have seen a little more of the past couples in this book. But seriously, this book was utter perfection to me: it was sweet, funny, thoughtful and poignant. Matteo and Cara are delightful main characters and the story is a fantastic and strong way to wrap up the Eldovia romances. I need this book made into a movie STAT.

Mr. Benz has been one of the best secondary characters in the series, and when I heard we were getting his happily ever after I squealed out loud! Matteo, otherwise known as Mr. Benz, is the stoic and selfless equerry to the crown and Cara is an ambitious workaholic who wants to ensure stability for her working class family. She’s an American management consultant tasked with fixing Edovia’s money problems. She’s basically everything Matteo, who loves tradition and stability, despises. Change for changes sake, no way, not on his watch. Matteo helps everyone. He’s like Mary Poppins because he is so efficient and always solving other people’s problems. His giving nature is almost overwhelming. We see Matteo from book one, and I always pictured him as much older, perhaps in his sixties, because he’s so proper and stiff. In reality, Matteo is only 30, and the eldest son of a noble Edlovian family that fell into poverty thanks to his father’s bad habits. The book splits between Matteo and Cara’s perspectives and I loved getting to be in both of their heads. Although they instantly despise each other: Cara because she thinks Matteo is going to get in her way and cause her project to suffer, and Matteo because he thinks she’s going to destroy his beloved country; the two of them are actually very similar and are driven by the same needs and wants. Watching them fight their obvious attraction to one another (that everyone else is totally noticing, including the King!) and then slowly succumbing is a gift that keeps on giving. This is a slow burn romance filled with steamy kisses and stolen touches. I loved watching Cara figure out how to balance her workaholic tendencies with this growing attraction and figuring out how to still be her best self while giving a piece of heart and soul to someone else. Cara is in her mid 30s and is one of my favourite romance heroines because girlfriend doesn’t need her man. She’s got a great life that she’s worked hard for. Falling in love, for Cara, is not her main goal. And that makes her falling all the sweeter.

So This is Christmas is a little slower plot wise than the first two books and lets Cara and Matteo explore the mystery of why Cara is actually needed in the country in the first place. There is a small little mystery about what is happening in the country that adds to the plot which I enjoyed. There is also a delightful side story that features Mr. Benz and the fabulous Imogen and silent but hunky Kai that made my heart grow three sizes larger.

While Duke, Actually will still be my most favourite book in this series (Nothing beats the love of Max and Dani and Max and Max) I loved seeing Mr. Benz find love and watch Jenny wrap this series up with a delightful bow.

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A joy filled holiday romcom!
This was such a heartwarming and adorable read. I loved the holiday spirit throughout the novel. Definitely helped me get into the holiday cheer that's right around the corner.
I think the characters are fun and they have great interactions. Their conversations were hysterical and I loved their debates over Star Wars and Star Trek. They had lovely chemistry and it was a joy to read about these two falling head over heels for each other.
I have grown to love the fictional kingdom that was first introduced in A Princess for Christmas. Each installment in this series has been delightful and hopefully (fingers crossed) Holiday gives us more.

So This Is Christmas is the third installment in the A Princess For Christmas series. This book follows the King of Eldovia’s advisor, Matteo and business consultant, Cara from the US. Cara was brought into the country to improve the economy, but she was not as welcome as she anticipated. This cute enemies to lovers story was full of banter and sass! Although this installment progressed slower than its predecessors, the slow burn made it worth it. This book gave me very much Hallmark meets Netflix Christmas movie vibes and I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon & Harper Voyager for the digital arc of this book!

So This Is Christmas is the third book in the A Princess For Christmas series by Jenny Holiday. I adored A Princess For Christmas and Duke Actually so I was looking forward to this book about Matteo, equarry to the Eldovian King and Cara an American business consultant.

This was the slowest of slow burns and I didn't really feel the chemistry between Matteo and Cara. While it had some of the charms and seeing Eldovia at Christmas as in the prior two books this book was missing the sparkle of the other two books. There was a lot of business talk which makes sense since both are workaholics but it doesn't make for a cute holiday romance.

I wouldn't push this to the top of your list, but if you read and enjoyed the other books in this series you might want to read So This Is Christmas.

Thanks to Avon Books for my advanced copy. It comes out on Tuesday - October 4th.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: October 4, 2022

Another fun holiday romance in this series—think Hallmark movie but the steam is on the page! This one is a slow burn enemies to lovers—set in the fantastic fictional and Christmas-obsessed Eldovia. While I didn’t fly through this one like Duke, Actually, I enjoyed the slower ride and all the snarky dialogue along the way! I could’ve done with less focus on their jobs and work all the time but this is still a fab cozy fall read!

Management consultant Cara travels from her hometown of NYC to the tiny Alpine kingdom of Eldovia. She’s been hired to help the country modernize. Matteo, equerry to the Crown, is her liaison during her month-long stay. She’s put off by his traditional ways, and he by her brusqueness. As they get to know each other, will they find they have more in common than they thought?

This is a smart, sweet, slo-o-o-ow burn romance with a charming setting and a Christmas theme. The differences between the characters are more than superficial, and they both have to grow in order to make the relationship work.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This is Hallmark Christmas hug of a book. It’s the third in a series, but can be read as a stand-alone because they really are companion books. Cara, an American, goes to the country of Eldovia to assess the small country’s biggest industry that is in trouble. She meets the king’s equerry, Mr. Benz and they immediately take a dislike for each other. The hate to love story is surrounded in all the fun of Christmas balls and Hot Cocoa festivals. A fun read for the season.

3/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for an eARC of this book.