This is one of the worst Christmas novels I have come across. How the author thought that embezzlement was a good plot device for a romantic holiday offering is puzzling. Yes, the whole premise is based on a modern-day version of Robin Hood, but it did not work for me.

Robin Kingsley enlisted the help of her three friends/coworkers to steal funds from their employer, The Nottingham Hotel. The justification for their actions was to assist her brother in paying off enormous medical bills following an accident that cost him his wife and left his daughter in a wheelchair. While this was a noble intent, the short-term benefit did not seem wise when considering the potentially severe consequences. Despite an independent audit that was about to uncover her deception, Robin was still trying to siphon off funds at work. Her only redeeming quality was that she felt guilty for jeopardizing her friends’ and family’s future.

In addition to the questionable plot device, there are other problems that made this a less-than-enjoyable read. The character development is superficial. I did not care for Robin, the protagonist, and the supporting characters were never fleshed out – they seemed more “props” than people. The use of names (Nottingham, Sherwood, Robin, Marian, Sheriff) created a link to the original Robin Hood story, but as a literary device, it felt contrived. The pacing was slow with much repetition over the angst of being caught and the dilemma of a romantic attraction between two people with conflicting goals. Lastly, while I acknowledge that this is fiction, the ending was unrealistic and felt rushed.

Overall, I struggled to finish this disappointing book, skimming the last half. I cannot recommend it.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

This is the PERFECT holiday read. From the cover, to the blurb, I was thrilled to be able to read this early. I loved it from start to finish and it is exactly what I expected and want from a holiday story. I later saw this is a gender swapped Robin Hood retelling and I love that description. I can't wait for this to be released so I can buy a physical copy for my bookshelf!

Wow this was such a super cute read! If you are looking for a romcom that is short and sweet well this book is for you! I flew through this book. I absolutely loved Jake and Robin. This was a very heart warming book that reminds you there are good friends out there. I loved how everyone comes together for this family and their friend. I will recommend this book to everyone. This was my first read by this author and I can't wait to read more from her. Thank you for allowing me to read this book before its release!!

Fa La La is a very cute holiday romance.
I really liked its characters (main and second) and its fun but also pretty moving plot. This book is perfect for people who want to spend a couple of hours dreaming about a swoony holiday romance.
It is a pretty fast read. I swear it will flash before your eyes like a Hallmark movie.... which is totally cool... but, to be honest, since I really liked this book a lot, I wish its story and its characters were explored a little bit more thoroughly. That said, Fa La La is a very enjoyable read and I totally recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

So I thought this was cute and had cute and fun moments...but....
I had a really hard time with the theft aspect.
Sure it's fiction...but...
Hmm.
It's an easy read. Good enough to add to your holiday list and maybe you'll not be as bothered by the $ part as me. It IS fiction after all.
This is a clean romance.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Love the cover! The cover itself is what made me want to read the book . The story itself felt like a modern day Robin Hood. But I am not sure how I feel about it. It has a very sad background. When I first read it I had no idea where it was going. Without giving much away for future readers. The background story is sure sad but to me there is absolutely no excuse to steal from your job. Not just one person but multiple people. It is absolutely wrong. I feel like this is such a darker dramatic Christmas story so it was depressing. I am really having mixed feelings about it.

A cute modern-day Christmas retelling of Robin Hood.

The characters are likable, the setting works well. A few things stood out to me as not entirely making sense or matching up to the big reveal at the end. As though the reveal were an afterthought and the clues leading up to it didn't entirely match. That said I do not regret reading it, I would try something by this author again in the future. The book did a great job of encompassing Christmas throughout the novel with little mentions of events, decor, celebrations, etc.

This was cute!
It was a quick and easy read, and I liked the little bits of connection to Robin Hood. The story was fairly low angst, and while there was a conflict, I felt like it was resolved in an odd way and took away from the story a bit.
Generally though, this was a cute and quick read.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours. All opinions are my own.

This book feels like a Lifetime holiday movie, complete with a sad backstory, tons of drama, and of course a little romance.

After a tragic accident left Robin’s brother a widower and her niece in a wheelchair, she knew she wanted to help them. So Robin and her friends devised a plan to help take care of her family.. by stealing from her job. Things were going well with the plan for almost a full year, until her bosses started noticing some discrepancies and hired a team of outside accountants to investigate. When unexpected sparks fly between Robin and one of the accountants Jake, she struggles to keep her plan under wraps. Will she be able to keep her secret long enough to help her brother or will the whole thing go up in smoke?

Between the drama, the characters, and of course the lovable side characters I was absolutely hooked. Robin has some of the best friends you could ever dream of (I really don’t think any of my friends would help me steal from our job) and Jake has a heart of gold. It’s clear that Robin loves her family and is willing to do anything it takes to help them.

This is an easy holiday read with all of those cosy holiday vibes, including a romantic carriage ride, with a dash of drama to keep things interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my review.

This blurb absolutely hooked me!

‘Tis the season to be jolly . . . even to your enemy!

Robin and her band of merry women started stealing from The Nottingham hotel last holiday season when her niece’s medical bills became too much to bear. As this year’s holiday season approaches, Robin hopes to erase those bills for good, but there’s just one problem. Her scrooge of a boss is on to her little scheme, and he’s hired accounting firm Sterling Marian, LLP to find out what’s going on.

Uncovering the reason for The Nottingham’s recent financial woes will get Jake Marian’s boss of a mother off his back and secure his place as a partner of Sterling Marian, LLP. But when Jake is forced to share an office with the hotel’s events and excursions coordinator Robin, his task becomes more than he bargained for.

Unexpected sparks fly, and Robin and Jake learn there’s more to each other than meets the eye in this gender-swapped Robin Hood retelling with a modern-day, romcom twist, that’s sure to have you saying, “Fa La La” to love!

Such a fun, quick, easy to read Christmas themed romance book. Was it predictable? Of course! Most romance books are. Would I read it again? Possibly, it is certainly one that I would buy in paperback for my shelf.

Thank you to @netgalley for a copy of this book in return for my honest review.

Modern day Robin Hood tale based around Christmas. This was cute Christmas romance I liked the idea of this book and the main characters. It definitely felt like watching a Hallmark Christmas movie cozy if not predictable. If you like Christmas romances I would recommend this one! Thank you to NetGalley and SolVin Creative for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review. Published Nov 25, 2022.

Cute Christmas read! I love books that take place around the holiday season and this book did not disappoint.