I wanted so badly to love this book, but it just didn't do it for me, for a number of reasons.

First - the pacing. Max and Sadie meet on the set of a reality TV singing competition, and the early portion of their romance feels really rushed. One minute they're competitors, the next minute they're in a fake relationship and discussing a fake proposal to help further their careers. Even though it's supposed to feel like a whirlwind, it happened a bit too rapidly for me - I would have liked more time to get to know the characters better. From there, we jump ahead to a year later, where they need to come back together to appear as a couple on the live Christmas TV show, singing a song they wrote together - except they haven't spoken to each other or seen each other for a year.

I also really struggle with romances where the characters' issues could be solved through better communication, and that's the problem with this book. The characters don't communicate, they keep secrets, they don't give each other the chance to explain - and it just. keeps. happening. This is also partially a pacing issue, because after the too-quick first third of the book, the rest of the book felt like it dragged on. There's only so many times they can break up and get back together before I lose interest, and that's what happened here - by the book's resolution, I just didn't care anymore.

Finally, the heat just wasn't there for me. I am a big fan of show, don't tell. We're told the chemistry is sizzling between them, and other characters remark on how clearly they must love each other, but I just didn't feel it. The heat simply wasn't there for me.

Unfortunately this won't be making my list of holiday reads to recommend - it's a clever idea for a plot but the execution missed the mark.

I got this book from #NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.This book is about enemies to lovers and a fake relationship.This book would make a excellent Hallmark movie. It gave me all the feels.

I adored the first book by writing duo “Maggie Knox” and was so excited for this book. It was charming and filled with Christmasey themes. However, it felt a bit forced. I wasn’t super invested in the story. If you’re interested in a love story for a Nashville artist, I’d go for Sarah Adams’ When in Rome instead.

This was such a cute Christmas read. I loved the chemistry between Sadie and Max the development was great. The tropes in this book were amazing, some of my favorites
enemies to lovers ,
fake relationship
sunshine x grump
dual povs
The setting of the book really made me feel all warm and fuzzy so excited for Christmas!
Again I loved this book and both characters such a fun easy read for the holidays

In the nicest way possible, if these main characters could communicate, this book could have been 5 chapters. It was cute and christmassy but man these two characters were annoying. This one really drug for me because it was hard to see past the miscommunication trope that went on for too long. It had potential but it wasn’t executed great for me. I think there are better places to spend your precious holiday reading time.

This review has been added to Goodreads, Literal and Storygraph, as well as Barnes & Noble and Amazon. This will be posted to my instagram (@busywithmybooks_) within the week.

Thank you for allowing me to read this story!!

I really enjoy this author and their feel good christmas romances. This one did not disappoint!! I am not a huge Country music fan, but the story line still kept me engaged. I loved the character development and the friendships and relationships felt so life-like. I was rooting for Max and Sadie the entire time!!

Sadie and Max leads All I Want for Christmas in a typical enemies to lovers troupe. This is an easy read with all of my favorite aspects of a feel-good romance. While I enjoyed the book and I would recommend for someone looking to pick up a quick read, this one doesn’t quite make my must-read list.

I got about a third of the way through this and I don't like it. It's too dramatic and cliche for me.

All I Want For Christmas is a heart warming story about a musical duo. Max Brody and Sadie Hunter who are on a show called Starmaker. It isn't until they agree to fake a relationship that they really get to know each other they realize how much they have in common. Such a feel good story.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this digital arc. All opinions are my own.

You’ll like this book if you like…
- Nashville country
- singing competitions
- fake-dating
- Christmas setting
- closed door romance

Sometimes I don’t mind the miscommunication trope, but this one really annoyed me. I enjoyed the first third and the last third, but the middle really dragged on. I enjoyed The Holiday Swap from this duo a lot more than this one!

I’d rate this a 2.5 out of 5 and wouldn’t recommend. If you’re looking for a fluffy closed door holiday romance I’d recommend The Holiday Swap instead!

This book really hit home for me. I work in the music industry and have encountered situations like this and I am so thankful it’s being brought to light. This book really pulled in my heart strings the entire time I was reading. Normally big gaps in time like this are not my favorite but for this story I feel as though it’s what it needed! Will highly be recommending this book for anyone who loves a good holiday read🎄

All I Want for Christmas is everything I could possibly want in a holiday romance. It's heartwarming and cozy; full of hope and second chances; sizzling with chemistry and festive without being too Christmas-y.

Sadie and Max are country singers competing in an American Idol-like show. They have instant friction, but are then paired up for a duet and their performance--not to mention their chemistry--is off the charts. Fans instantly believe they're a couple and the fake relationship continues for the sake of ratings. The good stuff is what ensues when the show wraps.

Once I got to know Max and Sadie as well as their backstories, I was completely hooked. It's not even officially the holiday season yet, but this book already put me in the mood. It was a joy to read.

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

Was this book even Christmas related?? Interesting title. I don’t even know what happened here. Absolutely will not be a favorite of mine

This was a fun kickoff to the holiday season combining a fake relationship with the country music scene in Nashville. It was a quick, enjoyable read.

I have not loved Brown and Stapley's collaborative holiday works. I would recommend this as rom com light for those interested in something for the holidays specifically, but more highly recommend Bailey's Window Shopping for something more electric.

the perfect christmas read!! sadie and max are on the rise country music stars who are forced to pair up musically and romantically to win the singing competition, but their strong willed natures make it a challenge from the start. both stubborn and full of sheer talent, their chemistry when they sing is undeniable. i LOVED max and sadie’s relationship and i found myself losing my mind at their almost moments! a perfect book for the holiday season.

I really enjoyed ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS. If you’re looking to kick off the season with forced proximity and fake romance then this is for you. It wasn’t too over the top Christmas and I loved the country music aspect of the book. It was fun, easy to read, and made me smile.

It was enjoyable but so filled with clichés I almost couldn't take it honestly. Sometimes scenes felt so random and I felt like there could have definitely been more buildup with their tension. Lots of potential, a little disappointing, but overall it was cute.

This was such a sweet book! Definitely felt more like a book about the music scene in Nashville than a Christmas romance, but it was still good. It seemed liked things happened really fast in this book where it could’ve used a little more development. I also loved Sadie’s relationship with her grandma and thought Max loving to knit was so cute.

Sadie is an up and coming country music artist. Max is a child of a country music legend desperate to make a name for himself in the business. Both are competing on a reality music show called Starmaker. After a jaw dropping performance during duet week, the two are forced to continue as a pair. The issue is that Sadie can't stand Max after a run in early in her career and Max can't seem to get past his own issues.

All I want for Christmas is a quick fun read with a really cute romantic concept and a touch of the holiday feel. I really got into the first quarter of the book. I was excited for Sadie and her hopes to become a star. I even liked Max, his knitting hobby and his little dog, Patsy Canine. Even the romance was an exciting prospect. Where the book lost me is the constant whiplash inducing conflict between the two characters. There is little romantic building because they are constantly hot and cold with little transition in between. Max came off as unreliable, quick tempered, and immature. His lack of understanding and trust was frustrating. Sadie was probably the more likable of the two. To some extent she was more thoughtful and understanding. The biggest issue is that miscommunication ran rampant through the book. I also struggled with the throw away answer for Max's behavior. Readers are told early on that Max has father issues. He resents his dad for how his mother was treated. In the end, there is an explanation that kind of eases the tension, but it feels like an afterthought. I had hoped the inclusion of Max's sister would have built a little bit more on the situation and bring legitimacy to his feelings, but she was pretty much background noise.

Overall I did like the writing. I really loved the plot concept and some of the tension, There were some cute and endearing moments. I liked the ideas behind the characters and what the author was trying to create;;unfortunately, I quickly got frustrated with the constant back and forth between the characters. I had a lot of hopes for this title but it just missed the mark for me. I know plenty of people who love this kind of approach to a romance novel, and I will definitely suggest the book to those who do. It just fell flat for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review All I Want for Christmas.