Today it is the 3rd September and my review of Wrapped with A Beau by Lillie Vale does not go live until the 17th but I need to put down my thoughts like now.

I am relatively new to reading Christmas Romance Books during the festive season heck I never ever included any Christmas books. So I am always on the lookout to make my reading as festive as possible and for me Wrapped with a Beau was perfect.

This book gave me all the feels and last night I could not help thinking and wanting to finish as I was desperate to find out what happened to Ves and Elisha I kept waking up in the early hours so I could read some more and I love my sleep.

I loved both Ves and Elisha but Ves tugged at my heart strings more and I could see why he was deemed to be the grumpy one.

As much as I cried I laughed alot to with Ves and Elisha first encounter to the Christmas Innuendos had me cackling alot. Not forgetting the Smut which was top notch and was so well written and not added for the sake of it.

I really do hope there be more visits to Piney Peaks as I loved the setting and the People but what would be the icing on the cake would be Maeve's story hint hint.

For all the above reasons I am giving Wrapped with a Beau 5 stars

Known for the holiday classic Sleighbells Under Starlight, Piney Peaks finds itself ready for more magic from the home it was filmed in fifty years ago. Elisha is lucky to call this small-town winter wonderland home, but she is ready to take her career to the next level putting the town on the map as a destination meant for tv and movies with the promise of the movie’s sequel filming set to start in January. If only she can convince Ves to go along with his great-aunt's verbal agreement after her passing, leaving the house to him.

“Meet-cutes are everywhere you look. Save a local business, protect a landmark, fall in love with a wholesome small-town girl. Maybe she’s the hot lumberjane daughter of a tree farmer! Kiss under a blanket fort! Break your rule about holiday romance! Do everything different. The opportunities are endless.”

The banter, the quick to fall grumpy/sunshine love that seems to get me in holiday romances, a great cast of family and friends who added to the story with every scene — this book put me in a happy mood that has me counting down to Christmas! & after reading this, who wouldn’t want to try the Grinch drink, I know I need one!

Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours + Putnam Books for the opportunity to read and review an early copy!

Thanks Netgalley for an ARC of this book!
Guys this is the PERFECT Christmas romance book! If you love Hallmark (like me!) this is the book for you. I think the author did a great job moving the story along and developing the characters. I want to see this as a movie asap!

I am a sucker for fake dating and Christmas books so this made my heart so happy! The romance is grumpy/sunshine and fake dating turned friends with benefits that has an expiration date romance. I loved Elisha and her cheery attitude and how she won over the grumpy, big city author Ves - their first meeting had me laughing out loud! I did wish the book went into more detail of the film Elisha is working to get filmed at the Holiday House Ves inherits. I thought we would get to the filming and see how Ves handles having his house overrun, but it does not happen on page. Overall I really enjoyed this book - perfect Hallmark Christmas movie vibes!

Thank you for the ARC. This book is perfect to get you into the holiday season. If you love Hallmark and you love spicy then you will love this book. Ves write books for middle schools when he inherits his Aunt's house. Elisha lives across from the big house. Enter grump vs sunshine and small town romance.

This had cute and quirky characters that tied the story together. I loved the family and how supportive they were. The book was a bit longer than it needed to be, yet there were still parts that were missing for me.

My Rating: 4/5 Stars

My Review:

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher via TBR and Beyond Tours in exchange for an honest review and place on this blog tour – thanks!

I didn’t realize I needed a cozy holiday romcom in September until I started reading this book. Wrapped with a Beau was everything I had hoped it would be and so much more. Ves and Elisha were just the cutest protagonists, I am so glad we got to read their story from both of their perspectives. It just made the whole thing even better.

These two could not be any different: big city Ves, with his opposition to the holidays, and Elisha, billboard for the Christmas shenanigans of her small town. Yet, they worked so very well together. Their chemistry was instant, and it never really wavered throughout the novel. I loved the way that they grew as individuals, and then together. Their characterization was what made this book work even more for me.

Vale has this ability to create such colourful little microcosms in the books of hers that I have read, and Piney Peaks was no exception. It felt like watching a Hallmark movie, with all its cheesiness, but in a way that was not as annoying as those movies can be. I loved the layers that the inclusion of the Sleighbells remake created, especially with Maeve who is arguably the heart of this story.

Wrapped with a Beau will make the perfect edition to any cozy winter TBRs – even if you’re starting early like me! Ves and Elisha will make you fall in love with the holidays as they do, and I hope it brings you as much joy as it brought me.

I’m so excited holiday novels have arrived! I know it’s only September, but it’s not too
early for a holiday romantic comedy. 🥂
And, Wrapped with a Beau by Lillie Vale is the perfect Christmas romcom to pull me into the holiday season! From page one, I was pulled into the story and swept away by the charming characters in the small town of Piney Peaks. This Christmassy romcom could soften the Grinch’s cold heart. It has all the feels of a hallmark small town Christmas romance with a dash of spice. Ves Hollins and Elisha Rowe have the best meet cute! 💗 I highly recommend this novel if you want holiday romcom with grumpy-sunshine, hallmark Christmas romance, a small town, spice, and banter 😍
Read this if you enjoy:
🎄Christmas movies
🌦️ Grumpy-Sunshine
✌️ Dual Povs
💞 Opposites Attract
🔥 Slow Burn
🏡 Small town Romance

This was definitely a cozy, holiday season small-town read but it felt quite boring to me.

I skimmed through a lot and the chemistry, for me, wasn't there.

Sorry to say, but this book wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley & Publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Seek magic and you shall find it

When Elisha Rowe returns to her snow kissed hometown of Piney Peaks she has one mission: put her small town back on the map. 50 years ago the hit romantic Christmas movie Sleighbells made Piney Peaks and it’s beloved Christmas House a household holiday name. But now the town is in need of a little revamp. So when a famous director wants to film the sequel, Elisha jumps at the chance promising to do whatever it takes. What she didn’t plan on is author Ves Hollins to roll in to town as the new owner of the Christmas House.

Ves also has one mission: sell his late great Aunt’s house as fast as possible and get back to his life in NYC. No need to rehash any ghosts of Christmases past. And definitely no need to get chummy with his over the top but very attractive neighbor. But with writer’s block keeping him from starting his next novel, maybe Little Miss Christmas Cheer and the folks of Piney Peaks are just what he needs.

This book was so stinking cute and it instantly put me in a holiday mood! From the infamous meet-cute, involving a not so innocent candy cane, you know immediately these two are evenly matched. The banter between Ves and Elisha is so witty and you can feel the attraction and respect building with ever exchange. I loved that the entire town is so invested in not only honoring Maeve’s legacy but making her great-nephew feel welcome. Piney Peaks is filled with a full cast of charming characters and Elisha’s family truly steals every scene they are part of, especially sweet Grandpa Dave. This story has all the warm feels of a Hallmark movie with just enough cinnamon spice 😉

You will definitely want to pick this up and tuck in while wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, with a mug of hot coco, and warm fire at your back!

- Grinch meets Little Miss Christmas Cheer
- Hallmark movie vibes
- Small town girl and Big City Guy
- Meddling neighbors
- Over the top holiday cheese
- Tons of punny lines

Thank you @tbrbeyondtours for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

This was overall a cute, festive read that delivered on the cover’s promise. With the small town girl returned home to stay and looking to put her town on the map and the city boy grump who wants nothing more than to get in and out quickly… Perfect for fans of a hallmark-type, holiday romcom, with the cozy small town, and sunshine/grump vibe.

I really liked both the main characters, Elisha and Ves, and loved the cozy, holiday small town vibes throughout the story. Ves was definitely a character I felt for and was rooting for throughout. Who doesn’t love a grump, who is just secretly longing for a family / found family dynamic of his own?

As mentioned I really felt that the book in general read like / could be a hallmark movie type romance. I liked that tone and quality of the story, as a caveat there was some spicy moments in the story. Not too many, but I would have preferred the story without. The spice just didn’t fit in this format for me, so that was one thing that I didn’t find working as well. It felt out of place and took me out of the cozy, sweet, holiday feel of the book as a whole. On the upside the sections were fairly easy to skip around.

I liked the story and people we met here, and hope that there was a hint of something to come at the end with Riley and Tori. Piney Peaks was such a fun ‘getaway’, and I would love to revisit it.

I enjoyed the story overall and look forward to more from the author in the future. Definitely a fun, holiday read to enjoy with some cocoa on a cool day.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read an early copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own and freely offered.

3.5 ⭐️

Happy Tuesday y’all! I read my first Christmas book of the year and it made me so happy! It’s still extremely hot outside (it was 103 last week!), but mentally, I’m in the fall/winter, so this was perfect. Thank you so much to TBR and Beyond Tours for having me as a part of their tour for Wrapped with a Beau. Definitely go check out all of the other great stops on this tour!

Wrapped with a Beau 5/5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:

In its heyday, Piney Peaks and its beloved Christmas House were made famous by Sleighbells, a romantic holiday movie. 50 years later, the small town is ready for a new love story.

As a successful film liaison, Elisha Rowe has her heart set on one thing and one thing only: putting her hometown back on the map. So, when she gets the chance to secure a sequel to Sleighbells, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make sure everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, that includes claiming to have already secured permission to film at the historic Christmas house—permission she was very much denied by the gorgeous new owner.

Ves Hollins is only back in Piney Peaks long enough to sell the house he inherited from his great-aunt. The holidays have always been tough for Ves, and it’s not any easier when he’s distracted by memories of a Christmas long, long ago, and the undeniable charm of neighbor Elisha. Ready to return home to New York as quickly as possible, he has no plans to put down roots or fall in love…even if Elisha unravels his hesitations like a bad Christmas sweater.

There’s no question the two are opposites in every way. Ves is unquestionably frosty. Elisha is brimming with warmth. He doesn’t do commitment. She never runs from a challenge. But as the two grow closer, they quickly realize that the growing spark between them may be just what the season calls for.

Y’all this was such a cute book! I really liked Elisha and Ves as characters and I loved both of their jobs- like do I logically think that they could have been making good money on those jobs? Probably not, but we’re reading the book version of a small town Hallmark Christmas movie with so much spice, and it was amazing. I really liked the whole grumpy-sunshine trope we had in there [side note, do we ever get grumpy-sunshine tropes where the guy is the sunshine and the girl is the grumpy? If y’all know of any, let me know]. Piney Peaks was the cutest little town. And I really loved all of the Indian influences throughout the book- Ves’s best friend is named Arun and that’s my dad’s name. Elisha’s mom’s side the of the family is from Goa, so all of those influences with the food and I loved the fact that they go to Goa for a couple of weeks in January every year. Seeing how much the divorce impacted Ves throughout his life and how Elisha was able to slowly but surely knock down all of his walls. Overall, I really, really loved Wrapped with a Beau and I now cannot wait for the holidays! Make sure you pick up Wrapped with a Beau when it comes out on September 26th! Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

This is what I love about Wrapped With a Beau (aside from the adorable title) ~

The magical small-town Pennsylvania setting

It incorporates Christmas movies! A classic holiday film was shot right there in Piney Peaks, and now they’re filming the sequel 50 years later.

The romance starts off in a rival fashion- Elisha is trying to protect a house she loves (the Christmas house, as well as the cats that live there) but the intruder is the late owner’s nephew, writer Ves.

And he’s standing in her way to film the movie at the house.

After she already bragged on her success getting the filming set up in their town to her mean ex-fiance (who doesn’t acknowledge they were engaged!)— that means she’s in real trouble now.

So we have a grumpy/sunshine rivals to lovers romance, a most excellent combination of tropes!

I love the characters and friendships in the town, but the romance was my favorite— the spice, the way the characters just got each other and ultimately supported each other. I’m here for it!

In short, maybe I was hooked from the start by the setting, but I stayed for Ves and Elisha.

Do I plan on reading this again in November? Yes, yes I do! This is the perfect Christmas romance.

This book packs every ounce of Hallmark romance vibes you could ask for and then it makes it super sexy. The banter between the main characters makes this the perfect slow burn enemies to lovers story. It was especially exciting to see Ves warm up and become such a warm and lovable character. I will definitely be picking this back up at Christmas.

Ves Hollins is my dream holiday heart throb. I love a good grumpy x sunshine feel good romance, and this fast paced Hallmark-esque christmas cheer in book form did not dissapoint. Holiday Trivia, small town love, quirky and awkward heated moments, and a touch of spice was the perfect afternoon read. Honestly, it is still September, but this book has me all motivated to do season themed fun and decorating to make my real life feel a touch like Piney Peaks.

My Book Stats:

Length of Read: Quick (1-2 afternoons over the weekend)

Romance Tropes: Grumpy x Sunshine, Small-Town Romance

Spice Level: 1/5 - there was a spicy scene or two, but mostly just a quick few lines, or it alluded to it. Not necessarily a clean closed door romance, but definitely not too in your face.

Positives: Unapologetically genuine and true to her self, strong female lead; Emotionally in tune leading male lead; Fast paced novel that had the perfect amount of action every step of the way; amazing witty banter.

Negatives: no notes. i loved this book so much.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC of this Christmas Novella in return for an honest review.

#WrappedwithaBeau #NetGalley

Sometimes, I dream of having a Christmas romance and through Wrapped with a Beau, I got to (kind of) live that dream. I have been a massive fan of Lillie Vale since I read The Shaadi Set-Up all the way back in 2021. When I learnt that she was coming out with a Christmas rom-com, I was immediately excited. I’m a sucker for Christmas stories and holiday romances and I knew this one would be amazing. Well, after reading Wrapped with a Beau, it turns out I was right. In very simple words, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Vale writes about love and connection in a way that I so desperately desire.

The story has all the features of a classic, Christmas Hallmark movie. There’s Elisha, our bright sunshine, raised in a small town, working as a film liaison to promote the delightful place that is Piney Peaks. There’s Ves, a grumpy writer from New York City, who comes back to the town, determined to sell his aunt’s home and go back to the city. There’s a charming cast of side characters, including some adorable pets with some iconic names. And of course, the book is set just before Christmas, so the cozy wintery vibes are just impeccable. Honestly, if Piney Peaks was a real town, I would be planning multiple vacations there.

In terms of the romance, I have to say it was just delightful. It was the perfect representation of the grumpy x sunshine trope and Elisha and Ves had crazy chemistry. I also liked the fact that we got dual POVs, which meant we could see both of them slowly falling for each other. I am strongly of the opinion that we need more romance books with a dual POV and I’m gonna thank Lillie Vale for always including that. Elisha and Ves are my newest OTP, one that I started loving pretty damn early, while reading the book.

If you’re looking for a cute, cozy small town holiday romance book to curl up with during the holiday season, then Wrapped with a Beau is the perfect book for you!

Lillian Vale’s Wrapped With A Beau was a fun novel that will put you in a rom-com/holiday movie mood so fast!

When Elisha gets the bee in her bonnet to see her town’s former fame and glory reestablished by filming a sequel to the movie that defined her town as a go-to Holiday location, she will let nothing stop her… except for the hot new neighbor who just inherited the house that is central to the movie’s plot, Ven, who doesn’t want Anything to do with Hollywood or the movie.

So many awesome tropes are used when we see the fiery Elisha try to melt Ven’s icy resolve in this cute holiday book. Will she or won’t she be able to in time???

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for this fun ARC!!

Elisha Rowe has a passion for all things holidays and films, and wants to see a recreation of a classic movie that was shot in her hometown.Piney Peaks’ beloved Christmas House was the most famous filming location of Sleighbells Under Starlight, Elisha’s favorite holiday classic. At twenty-eight, she is single, working full time and hoping to accomplish a dream.

Elisha has one obstacle to overcome. she had already confirmed that the famous house was available for filming for the new year, without asking the new owner - Maeve’s great nephew who just recently moved in. Opposites attract in this adorable romantic comedy filled with hilarious banter,tension and slow-burn romance. Elisha finds unexpected romance while trying to also convince Ves Hollins that the holidays are most definitely, the most wonderful time of the year.

This book was filled with amazing slow-burn and their chemistry was so well written.
Although Ves was cold and distant at first, I loved reading him and Elisha become close and develop such a cute relationship. Lillie wrote such cute dialogue and although this book was lighthearted, it also dealt with serious topics like the relationship between parents and children. These were all handled with such care from the author and I really appreciated it.

Overall, I highly recommend this book, even in the middle of the summer. It definitely made me excited for the holidays.

A sweet and charming holiday romance, in many ways Wrapped with a Beau feels like the best kind of feel-good romcom. There's a wonderfully multicultural small-town with restaurants and shops that I 100% wish I could visit, a close-knit community of neighbors, a holiday movie being filmed – and, of course, a new, big-city man in town who is prickly and private, and just might ruin the movie.

Though I enjoyed a many things about this story, there was *a lot* going on here with the plot, which made the book quite long, and for a holiday romcom, some of it felt unnecessary. There was a lot of time given to Elisha's ex-boyfriend even though the storyline there, while important to Elisha's stance on relationships, is quite tertiary in the grand scheme of things, as well as a quite late introduction of a character involved with the movie that seems like it's going to change the course of the story, but ultimately that fizzles out.

That said, the slow-burn romance here is great, and does not feel cliché or rushed in the way these types of holiday books often deliver. I really liked both Elisha and Ves (especially Ves), and greatly enjoyed the exploration of what the idea of the holidays and family mean to someone whose family wasn't really interested in being a family.

Overall, I do wish the story had been a bit tighter, but this is still a great, cozy read that will have you making hot chocolate and blasting a playlist of holiday classics.

(And if you've read The Decoy Girlfriend, you'll definitely enjoy the little mentions of those characters that are sprinkled in!)

Thank you to Lillie, Netgalley, Putnam Books and Penguin Random House for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute and cozy read to get me ready for Christmas season! I love holiday reads and this was no exception. It has the vibes of a Hallmark movie in the best way, like when you feel warm from the sweetest mug of hot chocolate.

Elisha is Christmas and sunshine wrapped up into one person, and I loved her so much. She’s strong in her opinions but always tries to see the best in everyone. Ves has some emotions and trauma that hold him back from her warmth, but even he isn’t immune to her spirit. They are so cute together and complement each other nicely. Their romance is sweeter than the Christmas cookies in their decorating contest!

While it was in third person, which I normally don’t like as much, I don’t feel like it took away from getting into the characters’ minds. I did love the dual POV chapters so we could see things from Elisha and Ves’ perspective!

If you’re looking to be swept away to a small town full of Christmas cheer, sweet yet meddling supporting characters and a delightful love story, be sure to check this one out on September 26!