Thank you for this arc!!

I absolutely loved this book. Christmas in general is something I love and so Christmas books hit right home. Reading about Aspen in books hits different and I love it every single time.

I did guess the secret Olive kept at the very beginning, but I still enjoyed the book! Fake dating is the best trope and Juliana really did a great job with it!

and just like i suspected i absolutely adored this from start to finish. there seemed to a duplicate of chapter 37 in chapter 38 (at least for me) but other than that it was incredible!

“𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞.”
Baggage claim follows the story of Olive, a girl who has been avoiding her hometown for three years now. A phone call with her mom has her agreeing to spend the holidays back home with her family, but suddenly she lets it slip she will be bringing a boyfriend with her. The only problem with that is she has no boyfriend.
Finn has always had good luck, as demonstrated by the gorgeous blonde he’s seated next to on a flight to Aspen. One drink too many leads to Olive spilling her problems in his lap, and he feels compelled to help. So he makes her an offer: he’ll pretend to be her boyfriend to keep her family off her back and make this the best Christmas ever.
I don’t know where to start. I was absolutely hooked from the very beginning with Olive and Finn. It’s a fake dating, reverse grumpy/sunshine, strangers to lovers, Christmas time story. I really loved Finn’s character. He wasn’t a bad guy and he really cared about Olive. Their banter was cute and I was here for it! Their connection felt realistic and I enjoyed their relationship development throughout the book. I especially loved Finn’s 12 Days of Christmas idea and how hard he tried to make Olive love Christmas again. I just wished I got a little more from them as a couple, but maybe it’s just me being a picky reader.
Although I saw the plot twist coming, I still loved how everything turned out. The final scene on the plane was perfect and, to be honest, one of my favourites.
The aesthetic was immaculate. I’ve never been to Aspen but it felt like I did. Juliana does an amazing job describing all the scenes; everything felt so realistic. Experiencing a Christmas in Colorado is now right up there on my bucket list, even if my skiing capabilities are equal to Olive's.
Cute nicknames like little grinch, grinchy and finland combined with the Christmas references made this book absolutely adorable.
If you’re looking for something to get you in the Christmas mood, you should check this out. Baggage Claim comes out on November 26th and I can’t wait to order my physical copy!

This book was very bingeable. It felt like a cozy Hallmark movie but in book form.
Things I loved:
-the airplane meet cute
-the way Finn treated Olive (swoon)
-the reverse grumpy sunshine trope
-Olive’s mom
-the setting (Can I go to Aspen now?)
-fake dating

I finished this in less than 12 hours. It left me feeling happy, warm, and ready for the holidays 🥰

4.5 ⭐️

Fake relationship? ✔️
Fun characters? ✔️
Just enough drama to make you keep reading? ✔️
Super sweet moments? ✔️

Thanks for the early copy of this Netgalley!
I loved it! I read in 24 hours. The characters-even the side characters are all so interesting. I enjoyed I Can Fix That, but I think this one is even better.

Note on content-closed door, some innuendos, no explicit language

An amazing book which will make you want to read it in one day . She goes back home for Christmas after three years and she is nevy anxious . On the airplane the man who sits next to her trying to cheer her up and offer to pretent to be her fake boyfriend . At first she declines but at last she accept . He is the perfect boyfriend , her family adores him and as the 12 days before Christmas pass she falls for him . Will she let the past in the past and move on ?
I received this book from netgalley and the publisher as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughs and opinions are my own .

[4.5⭐️]
I loved this book so much!!! I read it in less than two days, I devoured it from start to finish, and for most of it I had a stupid smile on my face.
This is the perfect book to read during Christmas time, drinking hot chocolate with a blanket on, it just gives cozy vibes.
I think I fell in love with Finn from the first chapter, he’s just the perfect love interest; and the way he calls her Grinchy?! Aaaaaah I can’t !
All in all this was a super fun and light read that makes you wish it was Christmas right away, and I think I’ll definitely buy the physical copy once it’s out 😍

Olive Moore just wants the handsome stranger sitting next to her on the plane to stop talking so she can wallow in peace. It’s a stressful time for Olive, having to fly back home to a family she hasn’t seen in a long time, with a made-up boyfriend who doesn’t exist. Luckily (or unluckily) for her, her seatmate, Finn seems to be convinced that he’s the answer to all her problems. With an offer to be her fake boyfriend, Finn is determined to show Olive all the fun holiday festivities she’s missing out on.

Things I liked:
-I liked how the reverse grumpy/sunshine trope was utilized in this book. Finn was really sweet to Olive and her family. He had a really fun ‘golden retriever’ energy to him, and Olive had a good reason for being ‘grinchy’ on her visit home. She was a nice contrast to Finn’s generally optimistic and excited character.

-The setting! All the skiing scenes really made this feel like a holiday read. This book had a really cozy, wintery vibe and you never forget it’s taking place around the holidays like you do with some other books.

-The Dual-Pov really helps you get a good sense of Finn and Olive as people. They have distinct voices and it was fun being in each of their heads.

Things I wasn’t a huge fan of: (**possible spoilers!!!**)
-The beginning of the book had Finn casually flirt with service workers by calling them terms like ‘honey’ or ‘doll’ and I know this is just to show his character progression later when he falls in love with Olive, and in-universe they’re all super charmed by him (so charmed they completely ignore the girl he’s with, another trope I’m not a huge fan of) but as a former waitress this really made me cringe.

-Finn showing up to Olive’s family dinner when she explicitly told him she didn’t want his help. I know this is to kick-start the plot, but having Olive adamantly refuse his help several times on the plane, and turn down his invitations for coffee and exchanging numbers, only to have him violate her boundaries would make this a pretty big red flag irl.

-The ‘twist’ is really obvious and I wasn’t a fan of having it be the catalyst to kick-start the third act breakup

-The mom not-so-subtely making Olive, Finn, Sarah and Logan all ride together so they can talk. I know she just wants all her kids to get along again, but knowing the history of the characters, this is honestly just a really cruel thing to do. Especially when Olive’s new supposed boyfriend is there. I don’t care how good the intentions are. And she wonders why Olive never wants to come home.

Overall, this is still a cute, fun Holiday read! I would recommend it to anyone looking for a Hallmark-esque Rom-Com. I do also want to throw-in a content warning to readers for body issues and cheating!

This is an amazing book. The writing and plot were top notch. The characters were all so interesting and well written. I loved reading the character growth that both Olive and Finn went through. They helped each other get over their relationship issues.

I love the reverse grumpy X sunshine trope. Finn is the dream guy. He is considerate and understanding to Olive, but he also pushes her out of her comfort zone. He doesn't try to pry the information out of her about her past even though he desperately wants to know what made Olive change so much.

I loved that Olive's family was so supportive. I was worried when I first suspected that Logan was her ex that her family would have chosen sides and supported Sarah more. But that wasn't the case at all. They were all loving and supportive of Olive's decisions. They missed her being around but understood that she needed to get away. They didn't guilt her because they we also upset about what happened.

Lately, I have been really into spicy romance books. And was expecting spice in this book, but there isnt anything beyond making out. And I was shocked at how much I did not miss the spice. There isnt even a little part of me that wishes there was more in this book. The story was already amazing as it was and it didnt need the added spice. I think sometimes spice is added to help in spots where the plot is lacking. But Juliana Smith wrote such a great book with an amazing plot.

Chapter 38 says it is Olives POV but it is the same exact writing as chapter 37 by Finns POV.

Definitely, 100%, my new favorite Christmas read.

I am THE BIGGEST fan of christmassy books (and movies which is why this book is that much more perfect) and was very excited for this one. It exceeded all of my expectations, whatever I thought I would think about this book, it will never live up to what I think now that I’ve read it. It was perfect in every way, the tropes, the plot, the story, the romance, the writing style, the vibes, the characters. Everything. Is. Perfect.

Thank you to the Publisher, author, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review! What another great holiday and winter read! I am such a sucker for books with a winter vibe and this book embodies this. I might be mistaken, but I think this might be Juliana’s debut book and I was so please and impressed by this love story.

Baggage Claim by Juliana Smith
So much fun! I love her writing and I love her characters. Olive and Finn were extremely likable and engaging from start.
This book warmed my heart and made me so happy.
It was fun, interesting, captivating and oh-so-heartwarming!
Smith did an outstanding job a creating such emotions and witt in her book!
And the setting was just picture perfect.
I loved this fake-dating, holiday romance.
And now I'm adding Smith to my list of authors now!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Juliana Smith,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

I was given an ARC by Xpresso Book Tours & Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are my own opinion. I absolutely loved this fake dating rom com!⁣
⁣
Olive has been avoiding her hometown and family for⁣
the past three years. But a phone call from her mom has her agreeing to go home for Christmas this year. Olive is freaking out on the plane rightfully so she has a traumatic past with Christmas and her family. Plus she said she was bringing a boyfriend… one she doesn’t have! In comes seat 15B Finn. He’s handsome and whitty. He’s also on his way to Aspen, Colorado. One too many drinks has Olive telling Finn her whole sad story and he agrees to be her fake boyfriend for the two weeks. Olive and Finn fall for each other hard but Finn notices Olive is holding back. Something that could ruin everything before they even get the chance for their love to take off. ⁣
⁣
I absolutely loved this book!! I love a good fake dating trope and Julianna nailed this! The chemistry between Olive and Finn was off the charts! I loved that Finn loves Christmas and he calls Olive “ Grinchy” because she is over Christmas. She picks Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone as a Christmas movie after all. I love the 12 dates Finn plans to show Olive how much fun Christmas can be and how great Aspen can be! I love that my team Colorado Avalanche was mentioned!! I love that Finn is a ski instructor to kids and how sassy they are! I love the different pop culture references! I love how emotional this book is and how much growth Olive has throughout this book! I loved the mystery element I was on the edge of my seat wanting to know what has caused Olive to hate her sister so much and Christmas! I was so emotionally invested in everything throughout this book! That ending was so good and you best bet I signed up for the newsletter to read another chapter about one of my fave couples!! ⁣
⁣
Please do yourself a favor and pick up this work of art on Nov 26,23.

I love a good holiday romance and this gave me everything that I wanted. Olive and Finn are so cute and I love that he calls her grinch. I'm obsessed with them being reverse grumpyxsunshine. Also, I don't think she should ever forgive her sister, what they did was unforgivable.

My one thing is that on the plane ride they watch harry potter and the author should change it to literally any other movie that happens to take place at christmas. It's not worth alienating readers over that.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I loved this so much! It is the perfect cozy, wintery read.

If you love Grumpy/Sunshine & fake dating, look no further. Olive is heading home for the holidays and happens to tell her family that her boyfriend will be coming with her. The only problem is…she doesn’t have one. Enter, Finn, the handsome and charming man she meets on the plane. For some unknown reason, Finn has offered to be her stand-in boyfriend while she is in town and won’t take no for an answer.

Finn is the Cindy Lou Who to Olives Grinchy (yes, she’s the grump). He is ridiculously lovable and is probably the epitome of the “golden retriever boyfriend”. Did I mention he is also a children’s ski instructor?? I mean, come on! Olive is funny, sarcastic and has built walls up the size of Mt. Everest. But that’s okay because Finn is determined to chip away at them until he finds the real Olive underneath.

This is filled with fun holiday shenanigans, family drama, and super sweet moments. You will definitely want to add this to your holiday TBR!

Thank you, Juliana Smith, for providing a @Netgalley eARC in exchange for my honest review!

After a big debacle 3 years ago, Olive has not been home. She has lost all her self-confidence and joy, hates Christmas, and has found excuses to stay away all this time. But this Christmas she’s been guilted into finally coming and to avoid their pity, tells them she’s bringing boyfriend.. a boyfriend she doesn’t have. On the flight home, her hot seat mate offers to help after she drunkenly confesses her situation. He has nothing to do over the holidays and finds her attractive, so why not help her out and have some fun? As they fake date, real feelings obviously start to surface and they both have to face those feelings as well as the big mysterious event and the way it has shaped Olive’s life.

I’m on a roll with Christmas romances. This felt like more of a traditional Hallmark romance than the past few I’ve read, and anyone who knows me knows I mean that as a complement. Fully believable, no probably not. But the romance is cute and Christmas-y at it just gets you in the holiday spirit. Finn was just the cutest love interest. I always love the grumpy/sunshine my trope. Olive was very messed up by what had happened and I liked seeing Finn value her and help her appreciate herself a little more. My one gripe was that this “big event” that shaped Olive’s life is talked about very vaguely, but I thought it was pretty obvious what it was early on. I couldn’t tell if the big reveal toward the end of the book was supposed to take me by surprise and be a big “woah” moment. However, I decided to treat it like a Hallmark movie where you probably know the big plot points, but the joy is in the ride of getting there, not the mystery of it. With that mindset, this book was just the most fun romp. I legitimately could not put it down.
4.75⭐️
*Thank you to NerGalley and the publisher for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you want a book that feels like a warm hug, this is the one for you. I loved everything about it; the characters, setting, plot twists..it was incredible. It reminded me of all of my favorite holiday movies wrapped up into one. It was such a special book and I can’t wait to read the extended epilogue. I’m so happy that I got the chance to read it. It was the perfect book to kick off the holiday season.

This is the perfect feel-good Christmassy book to get you in the holiday spirit! A little bit of cheesiness, lots of funny lines ("blink twice if you're in danger" really got me haha) and two main characters who you are rooting for throughout make this a quick, fun read. "Baggage Claim" introduces us to Olive, a grumpy woman who is dreading returning home for the holidays due to family drama, and Finn, the handsome flirt who can't quite accept defeat when he isn't able to charm the stranger next to him on the airplane into spending some time with him over Christmas. It's the perfect recipe for the fake dating trope until *surprise* both Olive and Finn catch feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

Strangers meet on a plane he’s sunshine she’s a grump, fake a relationship for her family’s sake all in the spirit of Christmas. All my favorite tropes in one. The fake relationship seem believable, not one character questioned it, neither did I. Great work! The resolution was handled well and did not feel rushed to wrap things up.
The only issue I has were the intimate scenes or scene, I don’t know because they were a bit confusing. For example, Olive and Finn were at his cabin at night, he approached her they kissed. Is it closed door? It was a bit fuzzy after the kissing. The next morning his friend at work gives Finn back his and Olive’s underwear. When did they took off their underwear at the resort?

I really enjoyed this book. It was entertaining and funny. I loved finn's response to what her sister did. He was way more mature than I expected him to be and it was a cute story overall. There were POVs that were switched near the end. I know that will probably be fixed but it threw me off a bit. but great book!