*4.5

This was adorable!! I love a fun small town holiday romance. It was cute to see Ves open up and see that people can really love him and that he can choose his own family. I love that he was accepted by the town and that they all wanted him to stay. Elisha and Ves were great together and I need bonus content of them.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This was cute and Christmasy but I just couldn’t connect with the characters. It took me way too long to get into this story and I had to push myself to finish this one.

This was such a fun cozy very kind of Hallmarkesque Christmas romance. I really loved both Elisha and Ves, they were both witty and fun characters to follow. Elisha is such a strong and confident woman and Ves is a great counterpart to her. I also loved the idea of the book main plot was about a movie being filmed in the town. I found this and all of the descriptions of the buildings and houses to be a great way for the town to come alive.

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of "Wrapped with a Beau" by Lillie Vale in exchange for an honest review.

Fifty years ago, "Sleighbells under Starlight," aka the BEST (totally not Hallmark) holiday movie OF ALL TIME was filmed in obnoxiously quaint small town Piney Peaks. Since that time, the movie has become a nostalgic classic; so much so that now a filmmaker wants to produce a sequel, featuring the same iconic home featured in the first movie. Homeowner Maeve was all for it, but then she passed away.

Maeve's friend and neighbor Elisha Rowe (Elisha's family home is across the street) has moved back to her precious hometown and she's working a film liaison, facilitating the movie production. Except that Maeve's great-nephew and heir, Ves, arrives to take possession of the place. He just wants to clean the house out, sell it ASAP, and get back to his life as a writer in NYC.

Elisha and Ves naturally clash. First there's a case of mistaken identity (she mistakes him for a burglar and attacks him with a plastic candy cane. Yes, it's as silly as it sounds). Then there are differing visions for how the house should be managed. But being two unattached adults with good chemistry, they work out their differences in time for Christmas miracles.

I'll come straight to the point on this: it's basically a Hallmark movie in novel form. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you like light, fluffy, improbably adorable stories, this will work for you. It's adorable. There are a few attempts to make things a little more realistic: he's having career troubles AND he has some seriously toxic family. But for the most part, this book is like a bubble bath for the brain. Fun, frothy, maybe leaves you smelling like candy canes afterward.

I didn't love the writing style. I'd finally settle into a reading groove, and then I'd hit something like this: "Because Bentley, Elisha's ex-fiancé, has just swanned into the pub with a woman's hand tucked into the crook of his flannel-clad elbow, the classic red-and-black plaid Elisha always loved but he refused to wear back when they were dating. The diamond sparkling on the woman's finger almost distracts from the glint of her gold wedding band."

How many ways did this trip me up? Well, the tense, for one. I don't love first person, present tense. But also "...with a woman's hand tucked into the crook of his flannel-clad elbow..." I *know* that this is supposed to mean that he's there with his new wife, but I keep picturing a weird, dismembered hand, just resting there on his arm. The rest of the woman isn't actually mentioned until 3 paragraphs later. All that seems to matter here is that she's got the rings that Elisha never got.

It wasn't a terrible book. It wasn't exactly to my taste, but I can definitely see readers enjoying it. Like I said, if you want a book equivalent of a Hallmark movie, this is absolutely an option. Something to read and relax with. Something that won't stress you out. I recommend this for readers who love quaint small towns, hot chocolate aficionados, and people who put up their Christmas trees before Thanksgiving.

Elisha Rowe, a film liaison, aims to revive her hometown with a sequel to a beloved holiday movie. To secure the filming location, she falsely claims permission from the new owner, city boy Ves Hollins. Sparks fly as they clash, but the holiday spirit and unexpected chemistry may lead to a heartwarming twist in their plans.

This book had some fun moments. The town felt super similar to Hallmark but some of the plot didn’t feel as tender. I loved the character development of Ves, he was definitely the best part of the book! I also loved that he had multiple reasons for loving the little Christmas town other than just her. I found it difficult to connect with Elisha though. It almost felt as if she didn’t have anything to offer except that she was the town’s sweetheart because she grew up there. Overall, cute little holiday story of finding love and family.

Perfect for you if you like:
Small town Christmas charm
Finding home
Opposites attract

Similar to:
Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist by Code Hall
Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
A Winter in New York by Josie Silver (currently reading)

⛔️chapters 35, 39, 41 & 44 contain explicit romance scenes (open door)
⚠️explicit language, sexual content, dysfunctional family

★ ★ ★ | 🌶.5

18+ | Check TW

!! POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD PROCEED WITH CAUTION !!

*A special thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

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Christmas books in September? Sign me up.

This book was a very cute, almost Hallmark-y, story about two people that could not be more different. It’s a small town romance with a slight fake dating trope that is loaded with Christmas vibes and imagery that makes you feel like you are standing right in the middle of Main Street. I just wish I connected with it more.

The first half of the book had me invested. I liked the grumpy-sunshine dynamic between Elisha and Ves. The banter was really good in the first half too. But I just wasn’t as into the second half. There wasn’t really a climax when it came to them getting together. They just kind of agreed? Even the smut felt anticlimactic.

It was also a little predictable, though most Christmas based romance novels are. I just wish there was more dimension in the plot. Like, the movie is a huge plot point, but we don’t really get any substantial background on Maeve and Damian and their parallels between Ves and Elisha. Which is something I would have loved to read.

And considering the length, it got a little repetitive.

Also, I’m normally not one to notice things like first person, second person, and third person when it comes to books. Especially if I’m really into the book. But the third person just felt weird here. Almost clunky.

Overall, I didn’t dislike the book. I just wanted more out of it. I wish the vibe that was created in the first half of the book was maintained throughout.

This is the most Hallmark book I’ve ever read. While I do love, Hallmark, I just couldn’t get into this one. It’s super cliché. It has every Christmas trope under the sun. While it’s super cute and very festive, this steamy stuff felt very out of place. I wish the author spent a little more time flushing out, some of the characters in details and either made the steamy parts fully see me or just took them out.

Wrapped with a Beau hit all the marks for a dual POV cozy Holiday read with just enough steam. Piney Peaks is the location of a beloved Christmas classic romance movie and film liaison, Elisha, has returned to her childhood home to the small town to secure the original home as a site for the anticipated follow up sequel. The hitch in her plan is the previous owner of the home has recently passed away and left the home to her great nephew, Ves, who has no sentimental attachment to he home, the classic film, or the town. Ves is in town to go through the home's contents to list it for a quick sale after the holidays, and Elisha sets on a course to convince her new neighbor Ves of the town's charm in the hopes he will grant permission to use the home for the movie before he sells. Elisha and Ves are your classic sunshine/grumpy opposites with clashing views on the holidays, small town life, and even love. From their hilarious meet-disaster to their sarcastic witty banter, every scene with them together had me laughing. When Elisha's ex-fiancee returns to town, these two even embark on a fake dating scheme that has the town's gossip mill running. Elisha wills her way into Ves's home and heart by peeling back layers of his past to reveal why he's so opposed to holiday magic while Ves challenges Elisha to take risks regarding her career.
Catch your Hallmark vibes by expecting:
Dreamy Snowy dates
Stolen looks at holiday parties
Found Family dinners
Brushed fingertips
Trivia nights
A trip to NYC
A Shared red scarf
A Sleigh-ride romantic gesture
Closet make-out sessions
So.Much.Slow.Burn.Angst.....with eventual
Toe-curling spice

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for my advanced copy in exchange for my review.

This was the sweetest holiday romance. It genuinely put me in the mood for Christmas, which for me to say in the beginning of fall is unheard of! Ves and Elisha gave me Dramione vibes, and I was swooning for Ves. 😍

Elisha and her family live in Piney Peaks, which is a cute small town that’s famous for being the location for the Christmas classic movie, Sleighbells. The house where the movie was filmed (aptly dubbed “The Christmas House”) has fallen into the hands of Ves, a lonely city boy who comes to town to clear out the house and sell it after his great aunt left it to him. Little does Ves know, Elisha is a film liaison on a mission to get the sequel to Sleighbells filmed in his newly bequeathed house. Elisha has a challenge ahead of her trying to break down Ves’s walls, all the while dodging her ex fiancé who has moved back into town with his new fiancee.

I loved the chemistry between Elisha and Ves, and the fact that they actually communicated! The festive ambience and slow burn spicy goodness was right up my alley. ✨

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an arc in exchange for my honest review.*

Another great cozy winter/holiday book! Small town, Hallmark movies, and lots of love. This book was a fun and easy read, and I enjoyed it immensely. I hope you enjoy it as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of Wrapped with a Beau in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Publication Day!


Wrapped with a Beau comes out today! This book was like a Hallmark movie with some added spice. I loved Piney Peaks and the overall Christmas feel. The grumpy sunshine and found family tropes were well done throughout this book and I found myself rooting for Ves even though I hated his character in the beginning. Overall, this is the perfect book to get you in the mood for the holidays.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to review Wrapped with a Beau. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

—🌟: 4.5
It is a simple fact that I will read anything that Lillie Vale writes. This grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract Christmas rom-com set in a picture perfect Hallmark-esque town is the ideal book to add to your holiday TBR.

First of all, I just loved that this book was dual-POV. Usually I don’t have a preference, but there was something about being able to experience both Elisha and Ves’s perspectives that hit different. Their relationship was so heartwarming, and I loved how Elisha was constantly surprising the surly Ves.

The setting of Piney Peaks was absolutely everything. I always love small towns, and the way that this one is filled to the brim with holiday spirit was nothing short of idyllic.

If you love holiday rom-coms with Hallmark level of Christmas cheer featuring a couple with absolutely crackling chemistry, then this is one you should check out!

This is a cozy, Hallmark movie style Christmas story. If you love grumpy/sunshine, small town, opposites attract with dual POV you will love this book. I definitely recommend this cute Christmas read.

Thank you, Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley, for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

❄️Slow burn
🎄Christmas Hallmark vibes
❄️Opposites attract
🎄Small town
❄️Grumpy sunshine
🎄Neighbors
❄️Dual/ third pov

Have you ever read a book that made you feel like you were IN the Hallmark movie. This is it. I felt like I was right there in the house with these two.
Really enjoyed the Christmas town vibes with this one.

I was also pleasantly surprised with the spice. It takes a while to hit, definitely a slow burn. But when it hits 🥵.

Thank you @labyrinthspine and @netgalley for this arc

I love a good Christmas romance but this book was so full of every trope imaginable that it was impossible to enjoy

Setting? Small town perfection
Storyline? Precious and heartwarming
MMC? BLONDE????? truly the only thing preventing a 5 star rating from me

Wrapped With a Beau by Lili Vale
Narrators: Keylor Leigh and Sean Patrick Hopkins
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 9/26

There is nothing I love more than small-town holiday stories. If you love great banter, a charming meet-cute, and a winter wonderland during the holidays, then this story is for you. It brings the magic of Christmas to life with the perfect blend of Hallmark charm and a dash of spicy romance.
Set in the enchanting town of Piney Peaks, known for its iconic Christmas House, this story follows Elisha Rowe, a determined film liaison on a mission to secure a sequel to the beloved holiday movie Sleighbells. To do so, she must break down the walls of the town’s newcomer, Ves Hollins. The sparks fly between them in this delightful grumpy/sunshine romance.
This book is a celebration of Christmas. Every page contains delightful Christmas puns, and the festive atmosphere is irresistible. Ves and Elisha’s meet cute will have you cackling, and every touch and glance in this slow burn will make you swoon. And that spice?! Yes, please!
I loved how the short chapters kept the story moving at a fast pace and Vale’s writing style quickly drew me in. I fell in love with all the hilarious side characters and this quaint small town at Christmas.
Overall, “Wrapped With a Beau" is a heartwarming, festive read that should be at the top of your Christmas reading list. Thank you so much to Putnam Books for my advanced copy and to PRH for my free audiobook.
Read if you like:
*Christmas movies
*Small town Romance
*Grumpy-Sunshine
*Dual Pov
*Opposites Attract
*Slow Burn

This book had me laughing out loud from the very beginning! The story follows Elisha Rowe who lives in a small town called Piney Peaks. She lives across from a historic house that is called the Christmas house. It is called the Christmas house because it was the backdrop for a beloved Christmas movie called Sleighbells Under Starlight. 

Her late friend Maeve owned the house and recently passed away so she has been taking care of it along with her cats. One night she was up and noticed someone was breaking in, she goes dressed in her pajamas and armed with a candy cane yard decoration to go after the burglar. Fortunately, it was not a burglar, it was Ves Hollins, the nephew of Maeve. The house was inherited by him. He just wants to get the house sold and be done with it so he can go back to NYC to focus on his writing career. 

Elisha wants to revive the town by creating a sequel to Sleighbells Under Starlight starring the famous Christmas house. So she needs to convince Ves to let her use the house in the film. 

I loved seeing Ves and Elisha with all the tension in the very beginning to seeing them warm up to one another. The banter they had will make you laugh out loud. I was so happy when Ves opened up to her as the story went on. 

This is an adorable book with all the Hallmark vibes. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

5 Reasons to Read

Hallmark Christmas Movie Vibes

I live for Hallmark Christmas movies in November & December, and sometimes in July! This book gives you all the feels of walking down small town main street with all the Christmas lights, smell of fresh pine, and tasty gingerbread. This one amped me up for the season!

Grumpy vs Sunshine Romance

Ves and Elisha are complete opposites. Ves comes from a broken family whose family still goes out of their way to pit him against one another. Elisha grew up with a loving and supportive family, as well as the rest of the town. They balance each other out well and I enjoyed watching the romance grow.

Fake Dating

Another great romance trope in this one. Ves falls into pretending to be Elisha’s date when her ex comes back into town and Ves immediately feels protective of her. He agree’s to be Elisha’s date to her ex’s party just on the basis he doesn’t like the guy.

Friendships

Loved how supportive Elisha’s friend Solana. She’s the best childhood friend! Arun, Ves, best friends and agent is great in helping Ves learn to open up and take a chance on love.

Found Family

I enjoyed the road down memory lane Ves takes while staying and going through his aunt’s house. With help from Elisha he starts to remember the good times he spent there and with Maeve. Ves is not used to everyone knowing his business but those of Piney Peaks are all about the gossip and all about sharing all their memories of Maeve with him. He starts to open his heart and build new relationships he didn’t think possible.

I'm in my small-town Christmas romance novel era, so it was hard to resist reading an early copy of Wrapped with a Beau. Especially since that cover is so adorable! The community of Piney Peaks has a cute vibe, and I loved the concept of revisiting the town's previous involvement with the film industry. Hero is super swoon-worthy with a poignant backstory that makes him easy to root for. I wasn't quite as invested in the heroine. It seemed like everyone in town adored her, even her now-married ex. That fell a bit flat for me. The reasons why the characters decide they can only invest in a holiday fling seem a bit shallow as well. For those who prefer to gauge the spice level before they start reading, this book features open-door intimate scenes.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.