What a lovely surprise of a book! The writing sparkled. There was great banter and the humor of precise cultural references. The specificity of everything (the characters, the locations, what they were wearing) made it feel like watching a TV show. Each year's Christmas felt like a new episode. I did sometimes lose the thread of how far back in time we were jumping, but it didn't really matter.

I am going to be quick and honest with this one.

I lost interest by the third or fourth page. I had to force myself to read this one.

The characters were bland and boring. I never really felt like we get to know them at all by the end of the book.

I usually like the back and forth from present to past, but it didn't work for me. I don't think I have been so disinterested in a story before. That breaks my heart. I was really hoping to get a fun read in this book.

Overall, this is another case of a book that just wasn't for me.

I can't wait for the world to read The Christmas Orphans Club! Becca Freeman beautifully (and hilariously) captured the growing pains of your 20s. I loved watching these friendships unfold and evolve over the years! Looking forward to reading whatever Becca writes next.

Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Obsessed with this book! Loved the premise and the focus on friendship. Face paced and heartwarming while also touching on real life topics. Read this book!!

As a sophomore in college, Hannah (whose parents died when she was a teen) met Finn (thrown out when he told his parents he was gay) one lonely Christmas, and the day they spent together cemented their friendship. The next few years added Priya (from a non-Christian family) and Theo (neglected by his wealthy parents), and each Christmas they spent together found them bonding over unusual meals and activities, with plenty of heart and humor to make the holidays memorable. But after 11 years of depending on her found family for Christmas, Hannah worries that this might be their last: Finn is off to LA for a new job, Priya is increasingly busy with her job, and Theo travels so much, who knows where he will be? Not to mention, Hannah's boyfriend David is dropping hints that he'd like to make a major commitment to her. And Hannah isn't ready for her world to change so drastically.

Told from the perspectives of Hannah and Finn, this novel bounces from the present back through various past Christmases to show the development of this fun-loving and loyal friend group, through all their ups and downs. Because of this emphasis on only two POVs, Theo and especially Priya don't get quite as much character development as Hannah and Finn until the "present" Christmas unfolds later in the book, and even Hannah and Finn are slow to have more substance to their characters (especially in understanding why Hannah is so committed to this group's traditions). That's not to say that the characters aren't engaging: their banter and antics, along with their mutual support, keep the reader interested in the story when the plot meanders a bit. You will find some low-key romance in the book, but it definitely takes a back seat to the friendship.

An enjoyable story, just not quite as tight as I would have liked. 3 stars.

Thank you, Penguin Random House and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.