This was a fun holiday romance but I prefer some of her other books. But overall I enjoyed the characters and the story of their relationship

I think this would be my last Tessa Bailey novel. Her works just tend to become worse and worse every time she has a new release, they make me cringe now.

When two famous rock stars part ways in a very public breakup, their kids, Beat and Melody, are the ones that over the years have paid for the price of that inherited fame. But when Beat is being blackmailed, they join forces to bring their mothers back together for one final concert.

This is a decent romcom, even if it had a bit more spice than I expected. It works well to get readers interested in the main characters, and it does have a lot of great details for those who love to read rock star/fame stories. However, it is billed as a Christmas story and there's next to no Christmas feel in it (even though most of the book takes place in New York in December). It's something you don't have to save for your holiday reads, because it really isn't one.

Tessa always writes great books! This was a fun little holiday romance that I would definitely recommend to others that are in the mood for the holiday spirit

Tessa Bailey’s "Wreck the Halls" is what happens when you mix rock ‘n’ roll drama, reality TV shenanigans, and holiday romance in a blender, crank it to full speed, and hope the lid stays on. Melody Gallard and Beat Dawkins have enough family baggage to fill an entire Christmas tour bus—because when your moms were former bandmates turned sworn enemies, your childhood bedtime stories probably involved cease-and-desist letters. But when a reality show waves a fat paycheck in front of them to reunite their feuding mothers for a Christmas Eve concert, Melody and Beat are forced into an unholy alliance of festive chaos, and—surprise!—undeniable chemistry.

Melody is the kind of protagonist who prefers books to drama (relatable), while Beat is a musician with just enough charm to make ignoring him impossible. Their romance? A delightful mix of forced proximity, witty banter, and the kind of longing that makes you want to shake them both and yell, "KISS ALREADY." The plot does lean into the absurd—some moments feel more like a Hallmark movie on an energy drink binge—but if you’re here for over-the-top holiday hijinks, you’ll be too entertained to care. The pacing stumbles a bit, especially when the romance takes a backseat to the whole "can we get our moms to stop hating each other for five minutes?" subplot, but the emotional payoff is solid.

At 3.5 out of 5 stars, "Wreck the Halls" is a standalone holiday rom-com with enough chaos and charm to keep things interesting. It won’t reinvent the holiday romance wheel, but if you like messy family drama, sizzling romance, and a touch of rockstar nostalgia, this one belongs on your holiday TBR. Think "Daisy Jones & The Six" meets "Love Actually", but with more group therapy potential.

Beat and Melody are the offspring of rockstars who owned the stage until their band broke up and no one has been able to figure out why. They meet once as teens and then don't see each other again for 14 years until a reality show brings them back together. The premise? Get their famous moms back together for one final performance on a reality TV show. And both of them have their unique reasons to agreeing to this when fame is the last thing either of them want.

Admittedly, this was a bit too insta for me. Melody has been harboring a crush on Beat since she meets him as a teen. And when she sees him again all those feelings come rushing back. They do have a special understanding of the other one due to their upbringing and involuntary fame. But it was still a bit too insta for me.

For the length of the book I fell the actual romance development fell a bit flat for me. It was more fitting for a novella rather than a full length book. It was also missing the holiday feel. Aside of taking place in December there wasn't much holiday feel to it. I did love the moms and their crazy wackiness added a layer of comedy that I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, while it packed the usual Bailey steam, the romance was missing that bit of oomph I was needing. But I still enjoyed it quite a bit and if you're looking for a fun read with plenty of spice, this one will hit the spot.

Adored this delightful romance novel! This had a wonderful balance of plot and romance with a cast of characters that came to life. It reminded me why Tessa Bailey is an auto-buy author for me

This book was not at all what I was expecting, but leave it to Tessa Bailey to make me fall in love with her characters and her story!

Melody and Beat are the children of two rockstars from a famous band -- famous rockstars who are mortal enemies. When a song by their moms' old band goes viral, it reignites the world's interest in their feud. What tore the band apart? How can they be convinced to play their greatest hit live once more?
Capitalizing on their fame, Melody and Beat are invited to do a 24/7 livestream while they attempt to reunite their mothers. But some feelings can't be hidden on camera, and with the whole world watching and millions of dollars in proceeds on the line, will they be able to separate their real lives from that portrayed online?

I really thought this premise would be dumb and completely unrealistic. While I wasn't completely wrong, I also loved this story so much. I was laughing, cringing, and crying alongside these characters. And, while this is marketed as a Christmas novel, it isn't too centered around the holiday making it an enjoyable read at any time of year.

This was a cute story but went on for a bit too long. It started out with great Christmas vibes then lagged a bit and it was hard to finish.

Not quite a Hallmark christmas show but the characters were interesting. I hate that the male lead is named Beat! I wish it was more Christmasy with the title it has. 2 1/2 stars

I love Tessa Bailey and I love holiday romances! This was a great fit for me and I devoured it quickly. I will read holiday books out of season and this may go into my yearly rotation. Great, fun, and flirty.

A charming holiday romance where two former friends reunite to heal their mothers' rock band feud, only to find their own spark reigniting. With reality TV chaos, rock star drama, and Christmas spirit, this sweet and funny story hits all the right notes. Perfect for music lovers and romance readers.

Cute and spicy, but I could've done with a little less will they won't they. Especially because it was so obvious they would!

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

Wreck the Halls has been on my radar for a very long time. It's no surprise to anyone really that it has taken me so long to finally find the time to dive into this book. In a perfect world, I would have zero distractions and I would just sit and read all day long. Unfortunately, for me, that is just not the case.

Anyways, this book was all kinds of cute and perfect to read around the holidays. Or heck, even during the winter season. In this, you will meet Melody and Beat. Yes, I did snort after reading those names. Also yes, I did enjoy the romance that bloomed between them because it was just so easy to fall in love with. They were that easy to fall in love with.

Things between them were intense at times, but I just kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Where was the drama? Am I missing something between these two or anyone else? I had a lot of questions and just wanted answers before I got to the very last page.

In the end, this was a very cute read, and I can't wait to dive into another one of Tessa's books.

Let's start with our main characters: Melody and Beat. I mean...c'mon. Could that be any cuter? These two are the offspring of the two main stars of an old rock band. Their mothers had a falling out before Melody and Beat even knew one another but they have always been aware of the other's existence as the infamous breakup that happened before they were born has always followed them around. They now come together through a reality TV show that the producers hopefully lead to their mothers agreeing to a reunion show. If you haven't read a Tessa Bailey book, the one thing to know is that there is going to be some serious banter and spice. This book delivers both in spades. It takes place in the weeks leading up to Christmas so is perfect for that lighthearted vibe we often want during this time of year. I really liked Melody and Beat and their conversations with one another. They were able to bond over shared experiences while still both being so different. I am not really a fan of insta-love. but Bailey does a great job of not taking this one too far in that realm. It was the perfect balance of chemistry and tension. Wreck the Halls is full of holiday fun. It reads quickly so is perfect for a quiet afternoon at home while the snow falls out your window.

I DNFed this one around the middle. Tessa Bailey is always hit or miss with me. I wish she would stop trying to crank out as many cringey books as possible and write some really good ones. I know she can. About half of her books are super predictable and not at all entertaining. We want something new and better banter. Thanks. I cannot believe that I also bought the audio. Ugh.

Thank you to Netgalley, and I'm sorry for this review.

3.75 stars.

Beat and Melody first meet when they are 16. They are the only children of Octavia and Trina of the band, Steel Birds, which broke up in 1993. Approached to film a reality show to reunite the band on Christmas Eve, Beat and Melody have their own reasons for agreeing.

The premise of this story was cute, the execution was lacking. I will say if Tessa Bailey spent as much time crafting the entire plot as she did on the very spicy, very open door sex scenes, this book could have been a 5 star book.

Overall, I thought Beat was a little immature, Melody had her moments but she also was a little lacking. I was hoping to see more of the rocker moms, and have more interaction with them. And why set this book at Christmas? It could have taken place any time of the year because the only thing even a little christmas-y was the name of the show “Wreck the Halls” which had absolutely nothing to do with the setup.

Thank you to #netgalley and #avon books for the e-copy of #wreckthehalls.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3 STARS

Wreck the Halls was a quick, holiday read...but not one of my favorites. I'm not sure if it's the plot or the characters that didn't work for me, perhaps a little of both. I'm still a Tessa Bailey fan and will continue to read her future books.

Wreck the Hall is a perfect spicy holiday read. Tessa Bailey bring laughter into her books while covering some heavier topics. Wreck the Halls covers it all. Steam: 5/5 Stars 3.75/5

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book. This book was fun in moments, but overall, it felt pretty predictable and didn't capture the festive holiday vibe I was expecting. While the romance had its charming points, the story leaned more on drama than holiday cheer. A decent read, but not as memorable as I'd hoped.