4 stars!

I thoroughly enjoyed "It's a Fabulous Life" by Kelly Farmer, narrated by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw. One of my favorite Christmas movies is "It's a Wonderful Life," so to read a modern day sapphic retelling of that story was, well, fabulous!! Being obsessed with the movie, you'd think I might be bored reading a book that hits all of the same plot point. Luckily, Kelly Farmer's writing and contemporary changes keep this book feeling funny, fresh, and fun. I adored Bailey and Maria as characters. I fell in love with them as they rediscovered their connection to one another in the small, quaint, Christmas-obsessed Lanford Falls. I connected to them in the present, but I also enjoyed reminiscing with them about the spark they had when they were 16 year old and had crushes on one another. Seeing them fall slowly back in love during Christmastime was such a lovely treat. I also adored the drag queens, Clara Angel and Giovanna! What a creative and spectacular twist on the Clarence character from "It's a Wonderful Life." And the dogs! Maria and Bailey both have dogs, and their dogs become besties, and that's the catalyst for them spending time with one another. And Lanford Falls... what I wouldn't give to live there! This is the perfect fuzzy-feeling holiday romance. Please take a chance on this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kelly Farmer, and Alcove Press for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

This is a joyous, heartwarming sapphic romance to put you in the holiday mood. I love that it’s loosely based around one of my favorite Christmas films.

However this adaption feels like it’s missing something to make it unique and something I would want to come back to. The novel seems to fall into the retelling trope of being almost exactly the same with the exception of swapping genders and making it LGBTQIA friendly. Even the pace of the story was the same. It was still a fun story to read but again, that may be due to it being related to one of my favorite movies.

I would recommend this one for someone who needs some holiday cheer!

This was a great, LGBTQ holiday read! Got me ready for Christmas and made me so happy! Highly recommend!

This was so fun and different from most holiday romcoms I've read! Clara Angel's character was such a fun surprise. I love that this was a retelling of It's a Wonderful Life! This was a great concept and execution

I liked what this book represented more than I actually enjoyed the story. I appreciate this queer retelling of It's a Wonderful Life (one of my all-time favorite Christmas movies) with the angels being magical drag queens, but it just didn't grab me. I also struggled with the storyline revolving around convincing Bailey George that she shouldn't pursue her dreams of leaving her small town- while yes, she's been a great influence on the town and an exemplary community member, it's ok to want roots and wings.

*3.5

This was cute but I wanted a little bit more. Bailey and Maria were adorable but I wanted Maria to stick up for Bailey. It felt like Bailey's core problem of having to do everything for everyone and no one doing anything for her wasn't solved. I needed like a big gesture from Maria and the town.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This was a super fun Sapphic "It's a wonderful life" Christmas romance retelling. With wish-granting drag queens, small town charm, holiday festival disasters and a beautiful second chance, childhood friends to lovers romance.

Heartwarming and perfect for fans of authors like Courtney Kae and Alison Cochrun, you don't want to miss this great 'holigay' romance. This was also good on audio with dual narration by Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Pete Cross. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio review copies!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🐕🎄⛄🏳️‍🌈👭

It's a Fabulous Life is a sapphic retelling of A Christmas Carol with second-chance romance, queer joy, and realizing how important you are in a community.

I loved everything about this book. The characters were beautiful, and I loved how the community was basically family. I loved the second-chance romance between Bailey and Maira, who shared a secret short-lived romance as teenagers before they were both out. I loved the queer community and the love everyone had for each other. I loved the Christmas coziness, and I loved that Bailey finally saw how important she was to the community and herself.

The book is well-written, heartwarming, and magical.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for a copy of the book. This review is left voluntarily.

Review: It’s a Fabulous Life - Kelly Farmer

I was lucky enough to receive this book as an ARC!

It's a Fabulous Life promises readers a heartwarming and magical holiday tale with a delightful sapphic twist. This modern retelling of "It's a Wonderful Life" brings together Bailey George, a woman who's put her dreams on hold for her small-town responsibilities, and Maria Hatcher, her high school crush.

Bailey's plans for a long-awaited vacation to New York City are derailed when she's called back to her hometown of Lanford Falls to take over a leadership role in the town's Winter Wonderfest. Reluctantly, she agrees, not wanting to let down her friends, family, or the town. Little does she know that her old crush, Maria, is still in Lanford Falls, and their reconnection sparks a sense of holiday cheer in Bailey's life.

As the day of the festival approaches, a series of disasters threatens to ruin the event, pushing Bailey to her limits. It's on the town's old wooden bridge that she encounters Clara Angel, a fabulous drag queen who possesses a touch of magic. Clara helps Bailey see the beauty in her small town and the importance of her presence there.

It's a Fabulous Life is a heartwarming story about rediscovering the magic of the holiday season, finding love, and realising the value of community. With a sprinkle of magic, this novel promises to be a heartwarming read for fans of sapphic romance and holiday stories. Get ready to be enchanted by Bailey, Maria, and Clara's journey to discovering the true meaning of Christmas and love.

Rating: 4 / 5⭐️’s

#bookstagram #newbookstagrammer #booksaremylife #bookishgirl #bookaddiction #readerlife #springreading #bookworm #bookishphotography #ilovetoread #booksarelife #readmorebooks #summerreading #booksbooksbooks #booklover #romancestagram #romancereader #bookworm #bookreview #swoonworthy #beautifulbooks #booktok #emotionalbooks #bookboyfriend #bookboyfriendsdoitbetter #nicknames #romancebookstagramer #sportsromance #smutbooks #bookrecommendations

A creative reimagining of "It's a Wonderful Life."

Bailey George is sick and tired of her town, Lanford Falls. She's ready to move to NYC, but before she can, she gets roped into the Winter Wonderfest for the 13th year in a row. The only bright spot in everything is the return of Bailey's first crush, Maria, who has just moved back to town and hopes to take up where they left off so many years ago. But one thing goes around after another, and the evening of Winter Wonderfest, Bailey wishes that she'd never even BEEN to Lanford Falls. Enter drag queen Clara, who helps Bailey see what the town would be without her. Can Clara help Bailey change her mind, or is it too late?

I loved reading the parts of this book that borrowed from the famous movie. It was neat to see how the author put her own unique spin on the story. The book brought a lot of fun Christmas feels. Bailey and Maria's relationship was a very sweet slow burn. Bailey is the grumpy to Maria's sunshine.
They complemented each other well. The ending left a smile on my face!

I was hoping to enjoy the book more frequently than I did. It makes sense, though, because for this story to work, Bailey needs to be unhappy for most of the book. Bailey's gripes with the town were repeated often. We're met with problem after problem. It wasn't until the 75% mark that Clara gets a crack at solving the problem. The scenes with the drag queens weren't as whimsical as I was hoping they would be, either. There were some fun scenes, but they were few and far between. The majority of this story is more drama, which again, makes sense, when you consider "It's a Wonderful Life."

Bottom Line: Readers looking for a fresh take on "It's a Wonderful Life" won't be disappointed!

I'd like to thank Alcove Press and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Clever modern retelling of It’s a Wonderful Life. Bailey George vacations always get interrupted. She puts her latest trip on hold to save the town's Winter Wonderfest. Bailey has run it the last ten years but the new leader has a medical emergency. Bailey can’t let her friends, family or town down but it weighs on her. And she feels stuck in Lanford Falls. Maria Hatcher has recently returned to town to manage the town library. She and Bailey have a past connection and she is happy to run into Bailey at the dog park where they exercise their cute dogs.

This is a wholesome story complete with chaste kisses and hot chocolate. I like how much of a It’s a Wonderful Life works its way into the storyline. But there are some fun updates, especially the drag queen helpful angels. If you're interested in a feel good, low angst Christmas romance this is easy to recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This a sweet , sapphic retelling of 'It's A Wonderful Life'. I've honestly never seen the movie (I know it's on all the time, but I've only seen clips of it), but it didn't take away from the story.

It's a fun small town romance, and it will get you excited for the holiday season. It's like a warm hug or cuddling under a blanket with a hot chocolate.

I loved the drag queen character, and I wish that there was more of her! I think that she added so much to the story.

Overall, this was a quick read, and a good way to get excited about the holiday season. It's super cute!
Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an ARC.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this It's a Wonderful Life retelling a lot.

Yes it's a retelling of sorts of Its a Wonderful Life and yes it's trope-y but there are drag queen angels! Bailey and Maria make a lovely couple,, the story pops along, and there are some chuckles. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC, Don't focus on comparing it to the movie and you'll enjoy it more.

Ok, you NEED to get this Christmas book. It’s simply fabulous (no pun intended)! It’s a Fabulous Life by Kelly Farmer was the story I didn’t know I needed!! A retelling of the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” this story is perfect if you’re in the mood for a sweet, sapphic, second chance holiday romance with representation. One of my favourite elements slash characters are the gorgeous drag queen angels. That’s right, I said drag queen angels.

Meet Bailey George. She runs the winter festival in her hometown every year but it’s been a decade and she’s overworked. Contemplating leaving everything she loves for the Big City, she finds herself feeling more like the Grinch than Saint Nick. Meet Maria. She’s the town librarian (so cool!) and her first kiss was Bailey George. It became a painful misunderstanding and drove them apart, but now Bailey is back and they’re getting to know one another as adults. Will a bit of Christmas magic from a drag queen angel trying to earn her wings, help convince Bailey that there really is no place like home?

This was such a fun retelling of my favourite Christmas story slash movie. I LOVED IT! Yep, you got all caps from this reader! I’m here for everything involving the magic of Christmas, and stories with representation, so you know I’ll be picking up a physical copy of this when it comes out on Tuesday 17 October! Farmer eloquently wove diverse characters, backgrounds, and unique perspectives into a beloved classic. She deserves a standing ovation for how well she was able to adapt the story for an audience in 2023. It’s talent like this that allows stories to continue reaching people, and helps it to cross boundaries in special ways.

Fun fact: The author, Kelly Farmer, took time out of her busy schedule to sit down and chat with me for The Bookish Narwhal Podcast! Her episode is coming out Friday 13 October and we talk about all things It’s a Fabulous Life, Christmas Easter Eggs, the drag queen angels, representation in publishing, cake, and so much more. It’s an episode you’re not going to want to miss!! https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thebookishnarwhal

It's a Fabulous Life was a cute retelling with a drag queen twist.

I really wish the drag queens were a more prominent feature of this story!

I loved how our two main characters connected with each other and how our main character realizes what she really wants. Many people can relate to feeling stuck in a rut and wanting to get out because the grass is greener on the other side but that is not always the case.

With this set around Christmas, I wish it felt more Christmas-y.

Overall a cute bingeable holiday read to dive into while the snow is falling and you're snuggled by your lit up tree with a hot cider

It's A Wonderful Life but make it queer! I loved this holiday read - it was fluffy, sweet, and I will absolutory read more from this author in the future!

This book was a quick read, sweet and sapphic and a good read for Christmas. But, the writing style was very middle grade which did lose me a lot, especially when the main characters were adults. I did like the idea that this is a sapphic retelling of It’s A Wonderful Life (which I haven’t read). I just wanted a lot more from this book.

Thank you @netgalley and @alcovepress for an eArc copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

DNF!

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for approving this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I've chosen to DNF this, although it's very much a *me* thing.

See, this is a contemporary romance with touches of magic. And I'm not only quite burnt out with contemporary romances, but I've also read a romance with magical elements recently, and that was enough for me, it's not my thing.

Additionally, the plot seems to be that the protagonist is in desperate need of a break from her obligations and her town where everybody knows her and expects something from her, and she's a people-pleaser incapable of saying no... but she'll be persuaded by a group of drag queens of staying anyway and falling back in love with the town. I only made it to 15% but I skimmed to the end to see if I'd stand corrected - I did not.

I don't vibe with this idea - you're allowed leave your hometown and to need a break from life!!! Sometimes going somewhere else for a while is what makes you fall in love with your hometown again!! I admit I don't have all the facts about this story, but even as far as I made it, I thought it was sad to be shown this character who clearly needs to learn to set boundaries and go on a vacation, while a group of strangers will make it their mission to make her simply be okay with that, for magical reasons.

This might be a nice, fun read for anyone who is into this concept! However, I'm not, and unlike Bailey, I know how to say no :)