Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of The Naughty or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan. This book was a bit of a roller coaster ride. At first I liked the start of the story and then it took an unexpected magical turn which I wasn't too sure about. I'm glad I stuck with it because Lyla and Mason's romance was super cute. The ending was a little bit rushed, but all in all it's a cute Christmas read.

This was such a cute Christmas read! Naughty and nice with the right amount of spice. I really enjoyed Lyla and Mason and would love to see how their lives continue at the North Pole.

Ahhh this book gave me all the feels! A little naughty, a little ice and all things Christmas. I loved Lyla and Mason and honestly, I didn't want the book to end, I wanted to hear more of their life as they continued at the North Pole. Such a cute Christmas book and I loved the Hallmark feels of it.

As an avid fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, the blurb of 'The Naughty or Nice Clause' ticked all of my boxes. Within a few paragraphs I was sucked in to the story, with it feeling a bit like a mix between Sally Thorne's The Hating Game and the Fred Clause movie.
However, I'm sorry to say that the further I got, the less I was gripped. I love the premise, the storyline, the twists on Santa's magic system, but the story felt underdeveloped and what should have been a slow-build enemies to lovers/fake dating romance instead ramped up to 90 miles an hour with no real connection felt between the characters. The romance didn't tug on my heartstrings and there was little opportunity for a reader to get invested in it. The story felt rushed from about midway through. I also have no inkling of where the title came from - it doesn't seem to fit with the storyline at all.
Ultimately this was a low stakes, frothy surface level romance. Easy Christmas reading, but not something I'd be likely to shout about.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a holiday romance to check out then I highly recommend this one. I read this recently and absolutely loved it. This read is the perfect holiday romance and feels exactly like a Hallmark movie. Our two main characters are colleagues who don’t really get a long. Mason Klaus has a secret and he needs to go back home to his family for the holiday so he takes Lyla as his fake fiancée. This had tropes that I really love and I had so much fun reading this.

First Christmas-y book of December and it was PERFECT! I might be biased because this had all my favorite tropes in it AND im a sucker for a magically cheesy Christmas book [and movies - so if you're like me this is a book you will really enjoy]. This hit all the right marks and it was such a fun read, it had me laughing out loud so much. The banter in this book was literally PERFECTION! It was enemies to lovers, grumpy-sunshine, fake dating and forced proximity - all of the tropes were executed so so well. The setting of this book and the plot drew me in from start to finish. I honestly went into this book blind and I was pleasantly surprised with the added magic this book had.

Lyla and Mason could not be in a room long before they started fighting, screaming at each other; as hated enemies often do. Mason came into her life after her father retired as CEO of their family toy company and instead of giving Lyla his shares in the company he brough in Mr. Klaus [a.k.a Mason] so how can she not hate him for taking what was rightfully hers?! He was rude, closed-off, and worst of all a Christmas hater but Lyla wouldn't let him ruin her Christmas spirit. After a unfortunate office fire that resulted from her "defying" his orders the company office was closed for repairs until the new year. She is now faced with owing him a favor for lettings things get out of hand.

Mason offers her a deal to rectify her mistake and now she's in this magical winter wonderland her grew up in, stuck there for 12 days for the Christmas holidays. She wasn't going there without thinking of herself first and plotting ways to get her company back. But little to her surprise now she was seeing a completely different side of him, how he was with his family, a more stress free Mason was making her have all these complicated feelings; causing those hateful feelings towards him to start changing. "Can Lyla resist the devilishly handsome Mr Klaus and the enchanting village to win back her company, or will she give into temptation?" Guess you have to read to find out!!

Kate wrote super lovable characters and the chemistry was so great. You will fall in love with both Lyla and Mason but also his family and the magical town. This had an amazing ending and its worth the read. Great addition to you Christmas TBR!

Thank you to Callaghan Writer and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 out of 5. The name of this book really doesn’t make much sense with the actual book. Yes there is a list that appears once but that’s not what this is about. It sweet and a bit absurd at time but I cant truly say no to a romance with a sprinkle of magic. However there are better Christmas books out there and plenty I've reviewed here.

I was not a fan of the book. The dialogue was funny at times but overall I did not feel the romance between Lyla and Mason. They had the whole enemies to lovers Vive but overall the story was flat. And the ending was rushed. I was very confused on why it ended so fast but overall I would not read this book again. Thank you for the privilege of reviewing this book and the advanced copy.

✨𝓜𝓲𝓷𝓲 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀✨

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for providing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading The Naughty or Nice Clause. The Author, Kate Callaghan depicted the Idyllic “Yule” where Santas workshop can be found well. I wanted a bell and a Mason to transport me there ASAP. I also enjoyed Callaghan’s take on Santa’s Workshop and how the Naughty or a Nice List is curated and used each year!

It was a very slow burn, enemies to lovers, fake dating romance. I was yearning for Mason and Lyla to finally be together. When that moment came it was short and sweet! For me, this was more Nice than Naughty, so I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy watching endearing Hallmark movies while drinking a nice glass of eggnog or hot chocolate!

This is going to be my favorite holiday read this season - hands down! I read the ARC for this book and fell in love instantly with the banter between the two main characters, Lyla Smurfit and Mason Klaus.

This book had many of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, fake relationship, grumpy/sunshine, I hate everyone but you, forced proximity. The spice level was mild and it was just enough to keep me hooked and wanting more!

Lyla Smurfit (the name alone made me smile) was surprised when her father didn’t leave her the majority of their family’s toy company shares, once he stepped down and instead, gave them to an outside investor, Mason Klaus. To add to Lyla’s misery, Mason is the epitome of a Scrooge, and the past year working with him has been anything but jolly. When Lyla causes an office accident, Mason uses her guilt to force her into going home with him for the holidays…only, when she arrives to his home, she realizes that Mason isn’t who he has pretended to be at work. The Mason that Lyla sees is a kind, family oriented, Christmas-loving man. Can this be the real Mason? Is this a Mason she could love?

The moment this book started, I loved Lyla. It also helps she has a sweet, very well mannered cat, Jones, who doesn’t mind be held for long periods of time. Lyla is quirky, witty, and not afraid to stand up for what she loves/believes. As a fellow glasses wearer, I also enjoyed the references of her wearing glasses (and shared in her frustration of not having her contacts). I also liked that she was a bit curvier and taller than most usual MFC. With the references to the main characters living in Dublin, Ireland, I could almost imagine what Lyla would look and sound like should she be standing in front of me.

Mason Klaus is my kind of MMC. He has his life together, he’s a grump, and he hates everyone but Lyla. I love a man who is organized and knows what he wants, and that is Mason Klaus. It also helps that he is described as a muscular, handsome man with lots of presence. I love the transformation of his character in the eyes of Lyla and enjoyed rooting for them!

The world that Kate Callaghan creates in a short novel is something to be admired. It’s very difficult to craft a beautiful world full of imagery and magic in less than 300 pages, but she has done it. This book can be considered low fantasy and that alone made my fantasy geek heart happy.

Overall, I loved this book. It was a very, very cute holiday read and I am thankful to Net Galley for letting me get a copy early!

I loved the magic of this book!
The town on Yule and its people are so sweet that I just want to pack up and move there!

I love the grumpy sunshine romance between Lyla and Mason. There was just enough spice to keep you interested but not ruin a good clean Christmas book.

I'll be recommending this one. I REALLY enjoyed it!

5⭐
Well that was a pleasant treat this holiday season. This is my second romance novel I have read, and the second five star read. I am a horror/thriller gal at heart, but you need to switch it up sometimes. The holidays make me crave something lighter, and happier. I loved this story so much. Lyla and Mason remind me of Lucy and Josh from my first five star romance. I loved my time with them, and in Yule. This was a hate to love story, which is becoming a favorite trope of mine I am finding. I loved their relationship, the magic of the town, and the twist on the Santa Claus story. Such a happy, warm, holiday read. I will definitely pick up more romances if this author releases another one.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Callaghan, and Enchanted Ink Publishing for a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a perfect holiday read! It was so cute and funny! Also enemies to lovers and fake dating! Some of my favorite tropes! 100% recommend!

I'm not much of a romance reader but was itching for a cute, easy, festive romance and The Naughty or Nice Clause gives just that!

The world building is so magical and the side characters are especially delightful. Although I have to say I didn't like the guy MC therefore the chemistry seems a little off to me. This book might not be for everyone since the romance develops pretty slow and there isn't much 'spice', but I personally really adored it!

Received an ARC, thank you NetGalley and Kate Callaghan! This book was super cute! Fun and easy to read, a good read for the holiday season! I’m a sucker for the enemies to lovers trope.

This book was The Proposal but as a Hallmark Christmas movie....kind of. Admittedly this is not my genre but with Christmas just a few weeks away, I was feeling like a cute little holiday read. While I'm sure this is the right book for the right reader, I know it's not for me. A bit too much fantasy, not enough spice as I hoped there'd be, and a bit of a rushed ending. If you like cutesy holiday stories, this is the book for you. I'll stick to thrillers and murders. :)

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this. Happy Holidays!

CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!!
Received as an ARC through NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book as a nice little pre xmas story, but it honestly didn't blow me away. Enemies to lovers trope is difficult to be original with, but I really liked the whole universe of the book and thought the premise was very well thought out. I honestly wasn't expecting the magical elements, but maybe I should have guessed after seeing the main love interests' surname...?

Workplace romances are a trope that I enjoy, especially in the form of douchebag male ngl....and this definitely did that. Also had the 'he wanted her first' trope and the one bed trope so Callaghan really crammed them all in here! I will say that it spent a lot of time on their hatred for one another and then they seemed to have one (not spicy) sexual encounter and were suddenly in love. I do wish we had seen more of that build up and the transformation of enemies into lovers.

Of course someone does something to betray the other!!! Classic. I will say, he forgave her pretty quickly, but tbf she didn't do him as dirty as some character's have done in other books that I've read like this so I can't judge tooooooo much. I think that in her position, I probably would have done the same thing. Overall, Lyla's character was okay but a little bland. Klaus is obviously where the intrigue is because he is literally SANTA CLAUS (kind of) and I really enjoyed his family also. I wish we saw more of Kevin because I think he was my fave lol, notices everything and is just straight to the point.

I think overall, I liked this book because it's festive season and I love Christmas. But the story itself wasn't hugely impactful or life changing. I would still definitely recommend to anyone who wanted a nice Christmas story to read though. On a final note, I think it would have benefitted from more spice? But maybe that's just me!

4.5 stars rounded up!

Lyla Smurfit's father retired as CEO of the toy company that's been in her family for generations, and rather than receiving all his shares to the company, she discovers her father has split them between her and Mason Klaus, an investor in the corporate world. Mason and Lyla butt heads at everything, and when Mason cancels the annual company Christmas party, Lyla is infuriated throws it anyway... only for it to end in disaster. Mason offers her a deal: he'll take care of and forget the mess at the office, but she has to join his family for the holidays in his hometown. Taken to a fantastic winter wonderland, Lyla hopes she might uncover some of the secrets Mr. Klaus is hiding and get her company back, but Mason introduces her to the secret village as his fiancée and is forced to go along with the façade.

The beginning of the book took a bit to get going, but once they got to Yule (his hometown), I was totally sucked in. The descriptions of how magical this winter wonderland was everything I hoped it would be - cobblestone streets, snow-capped buildings, and people filled with holiday cheer everywhere. The way Mason let down his walls at home compared to in the office, I would have fallen for him if I were Lyla, too. He and his family seemed so lovely! My only complaint was that the ending felt super rushed and there could have been a solid 50 more pages to wrap it all up, but aside from that, I really enjoyed it!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lyla Smurfit's family has been running a toy company for a long time. They have a reputation for being cheerful, and treating their employees extremely well. Lyla is now the CEO, but the company is struggling, and she is forced to take on a CO-CEO, Mason Klaus. Mason and Lyla could not be anymore different. He's the definition of a grinch and Lyla's apartment is covered in Christmas cheer. After a fire and a drunken night, Lyla agrees to accompany Mason to visit his family. It's there that she learns that everything with Mason is not what it seems.

I thought a standout thing about this book, without giving it away, is the world. The world is so fun and vibrant, and all the Christmas references made me smile. Where I struggled with this story was the core relationship. I liked Layla, but it was difficult for me to like Mason at times. The 180 he does in the book seems a little too rushed. It was difficult for me to find their relationship believable. It also took a while for the relationship to get going, and by then it was even more difficult for to stay interested.

However, I loved all the side characters and what they brought to the story. It reminded me of some of the Christmas movies that I loved as a child.

I struggled getting into this book, but it was a fun holiday read. I’m glad I stuck with it. I appreciated getting and Advanced Copy! Thanks!