There is no second book slump for the writing duo, Maggie Knox!

All I Want for Christmas is a great holiday romance. It is filled with Christmas magic set in the Nashville country music scene. The classic tropes of enemies-to-lovers and fake dating are brought to life by, Sadie and Max. The two are spontaneously thrown together as a duo during their time on a country reality show, but quickly learn you can’t fake chemistry.

This book is a slow burn that had me on the edge of my seat. In fact, I had to put my book down at times, because all I wanted to do was shake some sense into them. While the reader is forced to wait patiently for the two to get their act together, once they do it is pure perfection.

This book is a cute, fast read. It does cover some more difficult topics such as death, sexual harassment, the breakdown of family, etc. While these are difficult subjects to read, Knox does a good job of keeping it on the lighter side.

Special thanks to NetGalley.com and Penguin Group Putnam for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

All I Want for Christmas is a romance centered around Sadie and Max. The two singers are brought together through a singing competition show. When their duet goes viral, the show and their agents decide they are are the new "IT" couple. The only problem is that they can't stand each other.

Thoughts:
There are some really cute moments between Sadie and Max. This has all the Christmas feels and aesthetics...log cabin in the woods...Opryland at Christmas!
I wish Sadie and Max spent more time together throughout the book to develop their relationship. Even though it takes place over a year it feels as though their actual time together is minimal.

I would recommend as a cozy Christmas book for this holiday season.

While I was not a fan of Knox’s release The Holiday Swap last year, I was open to giving her another chance and delving into this as enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. However, this turned out to be another miss for me.

My issue with The Holiday Swap last year was that it had a very slow moving plot and not enough happening. Strangely, it’s like Knox went the complete opposite way for this release. The dialogue is disjointed, the characters were emotionally immature, the plot was full of unnecessary drama. While I understand that miscommunication as a plot device works when it’s used well, the lack of communication in this book shot past being useful and charged straight into annoyance.

I would only recommend this to others if they go into the book expecting the adults to act like teenagers.

Happy Pub Day to All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox! Ok the premise of this book is so fun. A reality show romance, the fake dating trope, the holidays, etc. And I really did enjoy parts of it, but others I found a little cringe-worthy unfortunately. If you can get past the cringe, this book is very fun. The characters are fun, I especially liked Max. Also, I'm a country fan so I think this added to my enjoyment of this book. All in all, if you're looking for an exciting holiday romance and can handle some cheese, I think you'll really enjoy this.

Sadie and Max have interacted with each other for just over one month total and have 'broken up' 3 times already. Honestly, that summarizes the majority of the book. I have never read something with more unfinished sentences (from being cut off) and interrupted confessions and lack of communication. Just one of those is bad enough, and this had all three MULTIPLE TIMES. And then they just get back together and 24 hours later there's something else SUPER DRAMATIC that happens, but heaven forbid they talk about it like the adults they are. It felt like I was reading about high schoolers. I'm just gonna say it, Max sucks. Whiplash from his moods and so inconsiderate of others when he's being all broody and woe is me. And the book starts out with him being all, 'wow I want and need this so bad' about the competition and when he gets it he is a total spoiled brat and refuses to fulfill his contract until the last minute. AND HAS THE NERVE TO GET MAD AT SADIE WHEN HE WOULDN'T ANSWER HER CALLS OR TEXTS FOR 11 GD MONTHS. Sadie basically just rolls over and ends up being the one to apologize to him and forgives him immediately. That is of course, until their next being blowout about xyz 24 hours later. FRUSTRATTTTTING. Not great, Bob.

Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Right to Jail.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my (too?) honest review.

Two contestants- one grumpy, one sunshine - meet on a reality country music competition. He’s the hometown hero, son of one of country music’s most beloved singers. She’s a girl from a small town trying to get her big break. When they’re forced to team up for a duet, their on-stage chemistry is an explosive as their behind-the-scenes rivalry. The public is absolutely ‘shipping them, so their managers strongarm them into a fake-dating arrangement with the promise that they’ll make it to the finale of the show. But as the pair spend more and more time together, the walls they’ve spent so much time building up around themselves slowly start to crumble. But their pasts hold them back every time they try to make a real go of a relationship.

Set in Nashville and Banff over the course of several holiday seasons, this sweet and charming romance is like a holiday Hallmark movie.

All I Want for Christmas is a bit second chance romance, a bit rivals/enemies-to-lovers, and a bit fake dating all tied up in a Nashville country Christmas bow. Aspiring singer-songwriter Sadie sees this season of the reality show Starmaker as her last chance at making it on the country music scene. Likewise, Max, son of Music City royalty, sees this season as his last chance to make it in country music on his own terms. There’s some animosity between the two aspiring stars, but when they are paired for the duet round, it turns out they make musical magic together. They just might be each other’s ticket to the top.

This book was tailor-made to become a Christmas film on Great American Family. I can see it slotted easily into the channel’s Great American Christmas lineup.

You get a tour of some famous Nashville landmarks, a trip to the Canadian Rockies, some time in the studio, and plenty of snuggles with a pup named Patsy Canine. (I just adore that name.)

In addition to the sparks and strife between the main characters, you have emotional family moments and moments of true friendship as well.

The main sticking point that keeps it from being a five star read for me is the withholding information / miscommunication trope in the book. I am typically not a fan of drama that can easily be resolved by characters communicating—although I do understand why authors employ this trope to create conflict and tension in a novel.

All in all, All I Want for Christmas is a fun holiday read that will bring a smile to your face and a song to your heart.

I received an advance copy of the book from Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

This was your typical holiday romance book that had my heart exploding at times, but also had me so angry with Max and Sadie…because wake up and stop being so difficult! This was the perfect trope mix of enemies to lovers and fake relationships. Although I had mixed emotions while reading it, I powered through it in ONE sitting…all while my flight was delayed to New York (FUN!)

Max and Sadie are competitors on a music competition show and decide to join forces and take over the music industry. Along the way, they have their ups and downs…and it seemed to be a lot of childish downs that made me a little irritated, honestly. I couldn’t understand how one “couple” could have so many miscommunications and mishaps in the matter of weeks. By the end, I was so happy to see they put their childish ways behind them and loved getting to watch them transform.

The book was written in three parts - Last Christmas, This Christmas, Next Christmas, so it was super cute to get to see how everything progressed. I also really loved getting to see the different relationships get mended and how everything was tied up so perfectly with a bow under the most perfect Christmas tree with their song playing in the background 🥰

4 ⭐️’s

I really enjoyed the Maggie Knox Christmas book from last year. This one was cute. I just didn’t feel as much of a feel good vibe and character connection as the last one. I always enjoy an enemies to lovers trope. The writing was good. It just didn’t have the whatever is necessary to want me to keep reading and feel invested in the characters. Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for the eArc of this! Officially out today
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★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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I freakin’ loooooved this one! Which is no surprise, because I also loved their last book ‘THE HOLIDAY SWAP’ Forever #TeamSaxie
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I loved Sadie and Max so much! I binged this in one sitting. I couldn’t help it - I was tooooo invested. Definitely gave me all the Christmas country music vibes so get your country Christmas songs defrosted because this will make you put them on.
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Read if you love:
•Country music
•Singing reality competition shows
•Dual POV
•Fake dating
•Enemies to Lovers
•Everything Nashville, TN
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Also, recommend 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘛𝘰 𝘍𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘈𝘷𝘢 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 if you want another book like this!

Is Halloween only a merely few weeks away? Yes. Is it not most certainly spooky season? Double yes... Did I just read the heck out of a cute holiday romance? BIG OL YES

This is my second read by Knox after The Holiday Swap and I very much enjoyed it! A Hallmark esque closed door romance which is a must read this holiday season!

*3.75 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4*

This is a quick, romantic holiday read, perfect for those who love:
-fake dating
-enemies to lovers
-miscommunication trope
-country music
-celebrity culture
-reality TV and/or singing competitions

Max is the son of a popular country music singer but is determined to make it on his own. Sadie is an aspiring (and struggling) country music singer. They are both competing on Starmaker, a reality TV singing competition, and are paired together.

Once I started this book, I could not put it down. I was invested in Max and Sadie's relationship, even if sometimes frustrated with them and their careers.

They're both guarded, stubborn, and quick to jump to conclusions. However, the chemistry was well-written and easy to get swept up in.

Despite being a holiday romance, the book touched upon some difficult subjects including grief, substance abuse (alcohol), sexual harassment, and the dark side of the entertainment industry. Please check the content and trigger warnings.

The authors manage to address these topics without losing the story's holiday charm.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an advance reading copy of this book. These opinions are my own.

All I want for Christmas by Maggie Knox
Genre: Holiday Romance
Rating: 4 stars

What a little cutie! Our two main characters, Sadie and Max, are on reality tv music show competition where they end up getting partnered together to sing a duet. After this duet, the world falls in love w/ them and they are forced by their management to fake date despite being enemies.

So many fun tropes in this one --

-grumpy/sunshine
-fake dating
-enemies to lovers
-holiday romance
-dual pov
-fade to black

There are mentions of death of a loved one (off page) and grief and workplace sexual harassment (v minor, but on page).

This was just a cutesy little read and I enjoyed it! It's not super Christmasy by any means, but it is a feel good holiday themed book!

All I Want For Christmas by Maggie Knox is perfect for those that loved the drama of TV's Nashville and want it in book form.

Sadie and Max are both giving Nashville one more chance last Christmas. The two enter a song competition with the hopes of winning individually, but once they're paired up it's together or nothing for the duo nicknamed Saxie. The two fight more than oil and water but when they're singing it's nothing but pure flames. On the heels of winning the competition, the two split up for nearly a year when they're reunited this Christmas with one goal: write a hit Christmas song to perform and finish their contracts with the show. But will they let the outside world push them apart again? Or will they realize their singing isn't the only thing that works together?

I couldn't wait to pick up this book after loving The Holiday Swap last year, and did a happy dance when I received an ARC from Putnam and NetGalley for it. My dreams of a repeat hit were quickly dashed though through this chaotic and plot hole filled read. All I Want for Christmas had all the makings of another success, but it just wasn't there in my opinion sadly. It felt like chunks of the plot were missing, the dialogue was disjointed on every page, and it had so much unnecessary and pointless drama I nearly threw my Kindle across the room on several occasions. Patsy Canine, Max's rescue dog is by far the best part of the story. Sadly, I'm going to advise skipping this one this Christmas, but if you haven't read The Holiday Swap from last year I highly encourage that fun read. That is a solid book of Christmas fluff perfect for the holiday season.

All I Want for Christmas is a light and fun country music based romance. It is filled with classic country holiday song mentions and lots of fake dating tension. Max and Sadie become an internet hit when they perform a duet on a country music competition show. They decide to fake a relationship to help bump both of their careers. Personal issues, grief and lots of miscommunication hold back the sparks that fly any time they are together.

It was fast and felt so much more Christmas'y than other books I have read this year. I loved the world and the side characters. But miscommunication is always a personal struggle for me.

All I Want for Christmas was a fun start to a holiday season, albeit a bit early! On a cozy fall weekend, full of rain and cold temperature, this novel was a warming, charming read.

I'll admit, I flew through this book wondering if our two star-crossed musicians would ultimately end up together, However, I was disappointed with many of their interactions, the immaturity of their conversations, and just how dumb they sometimes were. It seemed like every interaction in the first 3/4 of the book was that if pre-teens, instead of adults. Maybe this is my high expectation for communication, whether between co-workers or lovers but much of their conversation left me wanting more.

Nothing in the novel was.. well, novel. It felt like a typical Hallmark story of miscommunication, perfect timing, love and other things. It was a simple holiday read, full of Christmas magic, lots of snow, and eventually love. I'd recommend as an easy way to escape your holiday blues, but TW for death and other hard topics.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox

Publication Date: October 4th
Publisher: Penguin Group, Putnam Books

All I Want for Christmas was written by writing duo Marissa Sterling and Karma Brown under the pen name Maggie Knox. They also wrote The Holiday Swap that was popular last year.

This story follows the son of a famous country singer, Max Brody, and country music hopeful, Sadie Hunter. The two start as competitors on a singing competition tv show and are soon paired up. It had hate to love, fake dating, and a major miscommunication plot.

This book was not for me. I had a lot of difficulty with the flow of the story, believability, and dialogue. I considered DNFing, but ended up reading through 70% and then skimming to the end.

Perfect for you if you like:
Country music scene
Miscommunication plots
Hate to love

🛑 one brief open door scene
⚠️ triggers for sexual assault in the music industry

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of this book.

This book was just ok. I loved the premise of the book ( fake dating) and the story line but the book just fell flat. There was so much miscommunication between the main characters and not enough real romance.

I enjoyed All I Want For Christmas early on, but as it continued I found myself struggling to finish it. Miscommunication is not an enjoyable trope for me and this book relied heavily on it to create conflict. I did however, love the Christmas atmosphere which put me in the holiday mood.

Sadie and Max are two aspiring music stars in Nashville. When they're told that to win the competitive singing show they're on they need to team up on and off stage, they start faking a relationship. They can't decide how they really feel about each other, and they're frequently hot and cold when dealing with each other. Will their relationship continue past the show, or will they go their separate ways? This was such a fun story with the background of the music scene and the recording industry. These characters navigating the hurdles of trying to become performing artists made it so interesting to see if their relationship or their career would win out. Sadie and Max are awesome characters who continue to do their best at making the most of their lives no matter what comes their way.