This was a cute little festive read about a couple of contestants on a reality country music singing show. The reader is treated to a bit of fake dating and some delicious banter. The plot is a bit Hallmark-y, but it's a lot of fun and perfect for romance lovers who want a seasonal read without overdosing on the Christmas spirit.

This book was just really not for me. I couldn't even get through it easily and had to skim past 50%. Insta-love, HORRIBLE miscommunication, immature MCs, and not enough exciting plot to keep things going. I also felt like it was a very rushed story. The first few chapters jumped nearly 5 days in between each one - there was so much potential character development that we didn't see. It was very predictable which is expected in a holiday rom-com, but I really thought I'd enjoy it more. I never connected with the characters and did not care how the story would play out. Unfortunately it was a disappointing read!

This was just disappointing, I was bored. If you are looking for a good book with a singing competition spin, I would definitely recommend Backstage by Caitlyn Duffy. I appreciated the holiday spin but I didn't actually feel very festive reading this one. Hope you have better luck!

All I Want for Christmas comes out next week on October 4, 2022, and you can purchase HERE.

On the stage in front of them, a dozen or so of the other contestants were warming up. Max had no clue who the contestants were, or what their stories were, because he hadn't met any of them yet--he hadn't bothered to.
It was probably time to pay closer attention because these contestants were his competition. But the white noise of the mingling voices made it tough for anyone to rise above the rest. until one did.

The voice that reached him belonged to a woman at the edge of the stage, closest to where Max and Tasha stood. It wasn't just that she was the closest to Max. It was that her voice had the rare quality to it you didn't often hear--even in Nashville.

Max Brody is an up and coming singer (with a famous dad he has a tumultuous relationship with) and Sadie Hunter is undiscovered talent and they’re both competing against one another on the competition show Starmaker and halfway through they are paired together.

After the competition Max and Sadie have gathered many fans and they’ve been instructed they need to remain in a fake relationship for publicity. When Sadie gets heartbreaking news on the night of the finale of Starmaker, Max and Sadie have an argument and then a falling out, just after starting to develop real feelings for one another.

Max has run away off to his family cabin in Canada to isolate and stew in his feelings for the better part of a year, ignoring all of Sadie’s attempts to contact him. Finally, Sadie’s manager sends her up to talk some sense into Max and they start to re-ignite their flame. However, this isn’t the end of the obstacles for Max and Sadie between each other or their familial relationships.

There’s also a significant plot line with a slimy music executive, Cruz, who is inappropriate with Sadie and has gone Scooter Braun level of keeping Sadie’s musical masters captive.

This book has a great cast of characters and really encapsulates the feeling of being in love and spending time with good family and friends at the holidays (and all year round) I think this is a great choice to add to your winter TBR!

4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A good choice for lovers of country music and fake dating, plus enemies to lovers, all wrapped up in a down home aw shucks narrative..
Sadie and Max are coerced into tell the world they’re an item or it could mean the end of both of their careers.
Despite the snapping and the dissension between them, something starts to form.
If a songwriter can’t make some lyrics out of that plot, then they need to listen to more country crooners.
My favorite character was Patsy Canine, she should have had more scenes.

I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting. I was so mad at Max for not talking about how he is feeling but Sadie did the same thing too but I love when they did talk about they feel to other people. They will talk about it. It was a cute book and I enjoyed it.

DNF @ 40%. I'll be honest I didn't enjoy the first 40% of this book. I didn't think Sadie nor Max were fleshed out characters for being nearly halfway through this book. I understand I would get more from them had I continued but I didn't get enough to want to continue.

Towards the end of my reading, Sadie and Max are catching real feelings even though we've really only seen them interact like twice. The entire tv show singing competition was done so poorly. It made no sense. It began and ended within 40% of this book and we got to see almost none of it. They kept talking about all the time they were spending together but again, we really didn't see it so it was just taking their word that they were falling in love.

The thing that got me to put this book down for good was the jump forward in time. I guess I didn't understand that it would do that from the "last Christmas" at the beginning of the book. Getting a time jump where they are still fake dating but haven't really seen each other in nearly a year, I just really don't care.

Nothing in the 40% of this book that I read makes me care enough about these characters or this story to continue the rest of it so for that, this book is a DNF from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was heartwarming and I expected nothing less 🥰 A lovely Christmas🎄 romance that contains many things I love in a book : dual POV, fake relationship, and enemies to lovers.
Sadie and Max’s chemistry was so sweet. I wasn’t sure about the 🎤 music aspect of it in the beginning but it turned out fine. I did not expect the dramatic change though. The topic got heavy and dives into sensitive issues. I was not happy on the decisions the main characters made but overall it’s an adorable book to snuggle up with 🥰

It’s out tomorrow! (10/4) Start stacking up on your holiday reads or read it right away. It’s never too early for a festive story 🎄

Rating: 2.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam and PRH audio for access to this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I wanted to love this book, it had all the makings of a cozy holiday romance but I was very disappointed.

We never actually saw the MCs fall in love or really have any significant interaction that was more positive than negative. SO MUCH MISCOMMUNICATION, I was ready to pull out my hair at their level of immaturity. For a holiday romance, we were really missing any Christmas spirit. Christmas was an afterthought to the competition, which feels like a case of mis-marketing. .

This gave me holiday goodness, made me want to go to Nashville and sing karaoke, and gave me the feels. I enjoyed the story overall I just didn’t see any relationship development and wished I had so that I could have watched the two fall in love

I remember when American Idol first came out 20(!) years ago. I watched the finale in a college dorm room with friends from high school as they were still the only people I knew. This book brought me back to that time. All I Want for Christmas is about two people in a country version of that show who find that their chemistry on stage can propel them to the finale. Plus, if they throw in a little showmance/PR couple action, they will get even more attention.

This enemies to lovers story was sweet and filled with the miscommunications that keep the main couple on their toes until the end. The descriptions of Sadie and Max singing together made me think of one of my favorite now-defunct bands, The Civil Wars, which led to the ambiance for me. When I picture "Christmas romance", my mind goes to the Hallmark channel, but this had more grit and substance to it which made me devour it.

I was really looking forward to this book after reading and really enjoying their debut novel Holiday Swap last year. Overall I think I enjoyed Holiday Swap more but this one was cute too.

Synopsis: Sadie and Max are both selected as contestants on a reality singing show in Nashville. When paired together for duet week fans fall in love with their on stage chemistry....but plot twist....they can't stand each other. They agree to fake their relationship to give the views...but will they get exposed....will feelings change?

Read if you like....
- Enemies to love,
- Grumpy vs. Sunshine
- Fake Dating
- Reality TV

This book was cute - but I definitely feel like the Holiday Swap had more of the cozy Christmas vibes....and this one was missing that.

Star Rating - 3.5 stars

Read if you like: Dual POV, fake relationship, pop culture references, closed door romance, reality shows, insta love

When Sadie and Max are selected as contestants on the famed reality singing show Starmaker, each thinks they’ve finally gotten their big Nashville break. That is until they’re paired up for duet week and stun the world with their romantic onstage chemistry.

With fans going wild for them the network demands that they remain a duo on and offstage, or exit the competition. Faking a relationship until their final performance in the Starmaker holiday special shouldn't be too hard, except Sadie and Max can’t stand each other.

I loved Maggie's previous book and this one was good too. The characters were developed well. Max is the son of a country superstar and Sadie is a singing powerhouse. They work well together although they didn't like each other. You can feel the chemistry in the book. I'll admit Max did have to grow on me a bit. He was a bit abrasive at first. I'm also not a fan of miscommunication in books. Just talk. 🤣 I loved the banter but they needed to communicate more. Overall the book had a cozy feel. This is a great Christmas read. I highly recommend it!

Big thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and Penguin Putnam for the gifted e-book!

When I heard Maggie Knox was coming out with another holiday book, I requested this right away. I thought The Holiday Swap was adorable last year and All I Want for Christmas was the same. And I know what you’re thinking. “If you thought it was adorable, why the 3 star rating?” In general, holiday stories are typically around this rating for me. I enjoy them but I don’t find myself loving them and raving about them. They are reads meant to get, or keep, me in the holiday spirit. They give me all the Christmas feelings. That’s what All I Want for Christmas did. It got me in to Christmas mode and early.

The book is about two characters competing on a reality singing competition for country singers. Think American Idol in Nashville, where the story takes place. This is a classic fake dating story with a Christmas twist. I truly enjoyed watching the relationship between the two characters grow, as well as watching them develop as characters. I found this a quick, easy read that you should be adding to your Christmas TBR, especially if you loved The Holiday Swap.

I found this a very sweet read and really enjoyed the singing contest aspect of this story. These two had a lot of missed opportunities and seemed to keep missing the timing of being together. I was very happy with the ending.

I was so excited to receive this one! I love Maggie Knox’s last Christmas book. There’s just something about a good holiday story!

All I Want for Christmas (𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂) — 4 ⭐️

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: Tuesday, October 4th

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Sadie and Max both think they’ve finally gotten their big break after being selected for a singing show in Nashville. Soon afterwards, they are paired up for “duo week,” and the internet blows up for #Saxie, so the producers change their contracts - continue as Saxie or one contestant has to leave. Forced into fake dating, they try to work together despite their dislike for one another, but can they convince the world that they’re truly together by the Christmas finale? Or will it blow up in their faces?

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: Maggie Knox does it again with another adorable Christmas tale! There were plenty of moments while reading that I wanted to shake the characters and tell them to just communicate, but the miscommunication seemed realistic.

My only complaint was the “instant love” factor, but otherwise, it was very cutesy and made my heart happy. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a light-hearted Christmas book to read by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 —
👩‍🏫 Ambitious MC
🥸 Fake Dating
📺 Real-Life Pop Culture References
🥰 Feel-Good Story
🔐 Closed Door Romance (Mostly)
🏃‍♀️ Fast Paced
✌️Second Chance Romance

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐟 —
🎤 You enjoy reality tv shows involving singing
👯‍♀️ You like dressing up in costumes
❄️ You’d like to spend winter in a cabin
👵 You’re bffs with your grandma
💭 You chase your dreams

𝐓𝐖: death, alcoholism, sexual harrassment

Thank you, NetGalley, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and Penguin Group Putnam, for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am a sucker for the fake dating trope and throw in a country music reality show - I am in! Sadie and Max had a terrific vibe and chemistry that would just not go away. I was expecting a sweet story that ended with them winning the competition, but the story continued far beyond that.

The push and pull relationship of Sadie and Max was frustrating. And I so wanted more story of them together, but it felt like they were always running from each other.

The emotional elements of the story totally worked, I loved how they were both dealing with tough family issues, but again, I wished they talked to each other about it.

There was so much to like about this book, but I think it just tried to span too much time with the huge time jumps and lack of communication.

Two country singers.
One singing competition.
One fake romance.
What could go wrong?

Max and Sadie are both competing on Nashville’s country reality singing show, Starmaker. They both are great artists, everyone can see it, especially the judges and the producers of the show. To boost the show ratings, the producers want them to pretend to date until the final show performance.

The final show is the big Christmas extravaganza show where they need to write and perform a Christmas duet song.

I enjoyed the dual point of view. It was great to see how both Max and Sadie were feeling throughout the story. I loved watching them from going frenemies to lovers. You really saw how they both truly cared for one another. My favorite part was when Max took care of Sadie when she got sick. It was so sweet.

I also loved watching both characters grow throughout the story. It was great to see them both overcome some personal hard times in their lives.

This was such a cute heartwarming story that had some emotional parts but overall you will be smiling in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Putnam for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

enjoyed The Holiday Swap from the author last year and happily looked forward to her new book. This one didn’t work for me as much especially as I found the male MC hardly likable. Sadie and Max are contestants on a Nashville based reality singing show. Max is the son of a country superstar and has already had an album fail. So this is a chance for him to reboot his career. Sadie has a magical voice and is hoping the show leads to her big break. But the show is more fake, fixed and scripted. After performing one song together that goes viral the show makes them a fake couple.

Sadie is sweet and has some anxiety that soothed by encouragement from her grandmother who loves and supports her. Max is a grump, who is famous for being son of someone famous. Miscommunication is a big thing in this book and it stretches annoying through the entire book. Sadie literally has to run off to see her grandmother who is dying and he has a tizzy that she doesn’t stay and talk to him. And when I say a tizzy I mean he ghosts her for a full year not responding to over 200 messages and apologies. So not a fan of his. And later when he should trust her he breaks up with her over a photo because “pictures can’t lie”. How can he say that when they began as a fake relationship with fake photos, fake everything. It is beyond ridiculous. A sleazy producer is added to the mix which isn’t surprising. Sadie manages that one on her own. So it left me to wonder why she wants or needs a relationship with Max at all.

To summarize I didn’t buy the relationship which sort of tanks the book. Max is supposed to be dealing with his grief but it is hard to empathize with him when he has been literally handed everything his whole life. He does nothing redeeming. I have a friend who, when she fights with her spouse he may be 97 percent wrong and when she apologizes for her 3 percent, he sees it as they are both equally wrong and all is forgiven. It made me crazy the books' ending works that way. Max wrongs were way bigger and there should have been groveling and offering grand gestures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (2.5 stars)