I enjoyed this book. It is wayyy more smutty and spicy than my typical read but I enjoyed the overall storyline. The characters were well written. There was a lot of detail provided on their backstories was nice.

A Merry Little Meet Cute was a fun raunchy holiday romp! I adore Julie Murphy's books and was so excited when I saw she was finally releasing a more steamy romance with Sierra Simone.
And they were not kidding about the steam! This one is like peppermint, egg nog, spiced gum drops, and spiked Mexican hot Choclote all mixed together spicy in the best way!
So many fun characters in such a cute and festive setting. The premise is a hoot and made me laugh! Plus, I loved how the two main characters, Bee and Nolan had both pinned for each other for years without knowing it!
The two narrators for this audiobook were fabulous. It really added to the characters' personalities and perspectives!
Thank you to the authors, HarperAudio, and Netgalley for an advanced audiobook. Thoughts are my own!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 3/5

A Merry Little Meet Cute is a dual-perspective romance about a plus-size porn star who is trying to get into mainstream acting without her dirty little secret being revealed. Little does she suspect though that her co-star and childhood boyband crush would be one of her most dedicated subscribers. In taking on these starring roles with the Hope Network (think Hallmark), both Bee and Nolan have something to prove. Bee wants to show the world that is capable of more than porn and is leading lady material with her clothes on, while Nolan is ready to put his bad boy persona behind him.

I thought that this was a sweet holiday read, but there was not a whole lot of depth to it. The spicy scenes were pulse-racing, but I didn’t find myself connecting very much to the characters. The cast was extensive and I had a hard time telling all of them apart. Of course, this could be because I was digesting the story in audiobook format, but still. The more I listened, I found myself wanting the romance between Bee and Nolan to go beyond the surface level. I wanted to know more about them as people and hoped that what attracted them to one another went beyond what they looked like.

Overall, this was not my favorite read of the year, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

A Merry Little Meet Cute will be published on September 20, 2022.

Thank you to Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone, Harper Audio, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not gonna lie, I found this to be a bit too long and a tad bit boring, but also, I didn’t hate it.

Perhaps my expectations were too high, or maybe it really was the length of the book, but I really wanted to love this and I’m sad I’m not typing in all caps right now in adoration.

The romance was also not really doing it for me? I mean, two weeks? It was giving more “you’re my fantasy” than it was “I’m in love with you”, you know? I mean, I’d claim love if I ever came face to face with my favorite pornstar, but would I already hear wedding bells?? Hmm.

Ok ok, I did say I didn’t hate this and I didn’t! It was pretty hot, but nothing to reach my bedside table over. I think a lot of people will really love this though, and I really hope they do!


P.s. sometimes the male narrator sounded like Bob Saget à la ‘How I Met Your Mother’ to me?? Took me OUT

This book was not for me. The synopsis I read from the book sounded cute and fun and the cover is perfect! But the actual execution of the book fell flat. I didn’t enjoy the characters main or secondary or the situations that they got themselves in. I found myself not really caring if the main characters got together in the end or not because I didn’t feel any chemistry between them. Their relationship was all about sex, I needed more feelings involved to make it a believable relationship.

The authors did do a really good job with the imagery in the book. The small Christmas town in Vermont sounded like the perfect setting for a holiday movie.

The narrators Joy Nash and Sebastian York did a great job, their voices were clear and smooth and interesting to listen to.

In the end this book was a miss for me and just wasn’t what I was looking for in a Christmas romcom.

Thank you to #netgalley and #harperaudio for the advanced recording of this book in exchange for an honest review.

HOW DO I GIVE THIS FIFTY STARS? HOW? I SIMPLY MUST KNOW BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I GIVE THIS.

It had everything I could have wanted, but most specifically it had the boy band bad boy of our dreams that we all wanted to come true trope that hit JUST FUCKING RIGHT. GOT DAMN.

There’s quite literally nothing I didn’t love about this. Nothing. It was perfect. I didn’t even mind the conflict because I knew, I JUST KNEW, it would all work out.

AND THIS SPICE? GIMME MORE.

This was such a fun, spicy holiday romance! I love reading romances with fat MCs and Bee didn't disappoint. The audio was perfectly narrated and I can't count the number of times I literally laughed out loud!

While the cover of A Merry Little Meet Cute is adorable, this is one steamy romance! Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) is a plus-sized, very successful adult film star, and Nolan Shaw is a pop star trying to fix his image. And to do that, the two are cast in an upcoming Hope Channel film, a Hallmark Channel like movie, to help. Only, Nolan is the guy of all of Bee’s childhood fantasies and as a subscriber to her account, Bee is Nolan’s literal fantasy, and the two can’t resist each other. This book is all steam and sexiness. I loved the sex positivity, and I thought Bee and Nolan were great leads. Bee, especially. She is so positive and endearing and I just love how she loves herself and her strength. But both her and Nolan have such compelling journeys—Nolan with his family issues he was trying to help with and Bee trying to find her footing in this new industry—and I really enjoyed seeing them succeed. Their banter was playful and fun and I loved the moments of silliness and joy from Bee when they were together. I did think their emotional connection was a little lacking and I wish they had had more moments together of them just being together in a more vulnerable way. Still, I thought this plot was super fun, all the little Christmas puns were cute and funny, the side characters were eccentric and engaging, and it was just a good, steamy read!

For the audiobook, I loved the dual narrators and it just was a great listen

This book was so spicy, I’m surprised the snow in it didn’t all melt. 😂 I love Christmas novels (and Christmas movies) and with it being so hot this summer, I knew I needed a break from the heat with a holiday read. There was a lot in this book, a lot of which I wasn’t expecting haha. I appreciated that there was sex work positivity and body positivity in it. The authors definitely didn’t hold anything back.

I do wish there was a little more of the winter/Christmas/holiday vibe in the book. And there wasn’t a lot of chemistry between the couple in the beginning. But we did get one rollercoaster of a love story in this one.

Also, it’s definitely not for someone looking for a hallmark style book. This is saucy. Many hot peppers. Be warned if you are listening to or reading this in public!

I thought both narrators did a wonderful job bringing their characters to life.

This book is not just steamy, it is spicy!

This is such a fun mix of sweet and sexy that I wouldn’t wait until Christmas to give it a try.

The main character, Bee, is an adult film star in this spicy-sweet little hallmark-style romance. In fact the book plays off of that by having Bee star in a hallmark-style Christmas romance opposite a former bad-boy pop star. Hilarity ensues!

The clash of porn professionals and hallmark-type film professionals in the quintessential Christmas city in Vermont is hilarious!

Narration: This is a dual POV book with a male and female narrator. I really liked hearing both of their voices while listening to the book.

This book is pure fun and I recommend giving the audiobook a try.

Do you ever feel like a book would make a great movie? With its genuine, likable main characters, an ensemble of funny, quirky supporting characters, and a plot that just fits right with all of that. That’s how A Merry Meet Cute made me feel.

The premise with such a cookie-cutter type of meet-cute was almost too much for me. I loved it from beginning to end. Bee was genuine, unabashed, and a total queen. I couldn’t help but feel that Nolan could’ve been one of MY boy band crushes and the authors played into that fantasy perfectly. The chemistry and friendship they had together were endearing and it felt… I don’t know, just right. I enjoyed them together.

I also really enjoyed the social commentary. The way the authors discussed being fat and how it affects sexuality, how they discussed sex work, and the disparity of sexuality between men and women, I thought was amazing.

As always, the spice with Sierra Simone was just… wow. Please do not listen to this audiobook out loud. Definitely not with your car windows open. It is hot. Super freaking hot.

Listening to it on audiobook really added something to the story as well because the voice actor for Bee was just, perfect for who I had in my head. I loved her!

Overall, I loved this story. It’s cutsie and I’ll probably read it over the holidays again!

I appreciated that this was a more open story about "disaster bisexuals" (direct quote, don't @ me). They're both trying to clean up their respective reputations with an uber clean Christmas movie on the Hope Channel. I don't know how on earth they believed that people wouldn't recognize her from her other career. There was no shame surrounding their sexual histories and I liked that. They both made choices in their past and didn't regret any of that and honestly, that was so refreshing.

I didn't love this one as much as I expected to though. I didn't really feel like they connected on an emotional level at all. I certainly never want to smell gingerbread lotion ever again after how many times it was brought up alongside his ding dong. The narrators did a great job with this one for sure.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, Harper Voyager, Julie Murphy, and Sierra Simone for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🎄 If you like Hallmark movies but you also have a #smut side, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!!! Or if you just love SMUT, this book is also for you!

Meet:

Teddy aka Uncle Ray-Ray - Uncle Ray-Ray is a seasoned producer in the porn industry who needs more income and has decided to take a stab at producing for the “Hope” channel, making a sweet, Christmas movie and hoping the network doesn’t discover his other work… When several of his cast members are injured just before shooting begins, Teddy finds himself casting one of his plus-size porn stars as the leading lady. What could go wrong!?

Bee Hobbes aka Bianca von Honey - the new leading lady in Teddy’s Hope Channel production of Duke the Halls. She’s hoping her fans from the porn industry and the Hope Channel viewers won’t be one in the same. Oh and she’s a little excited to be starring opposite her childhood crush from her favorite boy band; Nolan Shaw.

Nolan Shaw - the leadings man who is trying to rebrand his former bad boy image. He’s promised to keep it in his pants while filming, but finds that increasingly difficult when the woman of his dreams, Bianca von Honey is playing opposite him. Let’s just say, he fails miserably 😉

I wasn't expecting this to be as spicy as it was! If you don't mind that sort of thing, just right in and have a good time with this. It's definitely fun and cute.

4 ⭐️
4 🌶

CW: media fat shaming/ body shaming, sexual content, mental illness side character, sexism

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a December Holiday 🌶 read that features a porn star breaking into Hallmark movies and a former musician trying to change his image than this book is for you.

I listened the the audio and the narrators were amazing! Love the plus size representation in this book. That was really well done and the confidence that B has with her body is amazing.

Some parts of the book were obvious with the conflict that was going to happen and the biggest issue I had with the book is that Nolan othered himself from not being one of the men that watch B’s Porn but he was a loyal subscriber so it was weird to me that he did not see himself as the same as “those men”.


I did like the sex worker positivity with acceptance of Bs family and Nolan was accepting of her sex work career.

I need Joy Nash to narrate every single witty, flirty, hot woman from here on out. Her delivery was EVERYTHING. I listen to audiobooks all the time but I have never been so hooked by a female narrator before. She absolutely nailed it and I want to listen to her 24/7. Sebastian York is someone i’ve listened to and loved many times in the past and this was no exception! 5/5 for the narrators!!

This was the perfect balance of everything I love in a spicy romcom and everything i love about cheesy hallmark movies! It had the over the top Christmas setting and names, but with a spicy flare I’ve never seen before in this setting! The characters were absolutely hysterical and I found myself laughing out loud constantly. I totally fell in love with Bee. From how she embraced her body and her career in sex work to how she knew exactly what she wanted in and out of the bedroom and refused to settle for less. Nolan’s broody reformed bad boy yet total simp for Bee vibe was the icing on the cake. He wanted her and had zero issues making it known.

I felt like they had such a mature relationship and communicated what they wanted and how they felt which I really loved for them. I got a little stressed halfway through just waiting for everything to blow up and cause issues for them, so the middle dragged a bit for me, but overall I loved the book! Bee is an absolute icon and I can’t express how much I loved her representation as a plus size woman and a sex worker. The side characters also added SO much to the story and I can’t wait to learn more about them in future books.

A porn star gets accidentally cast in a family-friendly holiday movie and stars alongside her childhood crush who’s a reformed bad boy and trying to turn his image around?! SIGN ME UP.

This was just a jolly, sexy good time from beginning to end. I was laugh-out-loud funny, fan-yourself steamy, and overall, a great spicy little holiday story.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrators did an amazing job of bringing these characters, their stories, and the spice to life. Definitely recommend!

I received an audiobook ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH! I couldn't put it down and I didn't want it to end all at the same time!

Porn stars, pop stars and Christmas movies... OH MY!

This book is an absolute delight. Julie & Sierra are a dynamic duo writing force! I loved how much of each of their writing styles I could see in this book.

This book broke all the rules of your typical trademark cutesy Christmas Romance in the best ways. I loved it so much! I am totally in love with Bee Hobbes (aka porn star Bianca Von Honey) & former boy band pop star, her childhood crush Nolan Shaw! I hope these authors keep the story going and give all of Bee & Noah's friends their own stories!

The audio narration is amazing. It is dual narration with Joy Nash and Sebastian York, and they were perfection! Absolutely a joy to listen to.

THIS WAS INDEED A VERY MERRY (AND CUTE) MEET CUTE!!!!!

This kinky little Christmas rom-com was so fun and had me laughing my booty off!! Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) is a adult film star who is accidentally cast alongside her childhood boy band crush, Nolan Shaw. What her and her producer are hoping is that no one will recognize her from her other platform since this movie is for a veryyyyy family friendly channel and it’s a Christmas movie, it’ll work right?!

But Nolan immediately recognizes Bee because… HE IS BIANCA VON HONEYS #1 FAN. What are the odds?!

The story follows these two as they begin to film and as their burning chemistry starts heating up around them! The problem? They both need to be SQUEAKY clean as this movie is a fresh start for Nolan, and a dream for Bee.

Boy, was there was indeed some steam!!!! I expected no less from the queen Sierra Simone, but my goodness Julie Murphys writing definitely surprised me in the best way! It was my first of her books and I can easily say I’m a fan!

I am obsessed with Bee’s moms and her bestie, Sunny! There was some amazing side characters and I can’t wait for more books from these two authors!

The voice narrators (Joy Nash & Sebastian York) did a wonderful job and fit the characters that I imagined, SPOT ON! Y’all need to add this to your Christmas TBRs!!

Spice: 🌶🌶

This steamy Christmas romance was a delight to read. A porn star and a former boy band singer cast in a Christmas movie for a Hallmark-like channel attempt to maintain a squeaky clean image even as things heat up behind the scenes. I loved how casually queer this book was, with two bi leads and numerous LGBTQ side characters. A great holiday romance.