This book didn't give strong holiday cheer vibes, but was still entertaining. The story line about the mother's was more enthralling than the main characters.

Super hot, super fun and as always, these two are a guarantee for us romance girlies . In love with these stories

Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy is a tale of transformation and self-discovery.

In the first half of the book, we are introduced to Winnie, the sweet and somewhat naive protagonist whose journey quickly grips the reader’s attention. Her decision to redefine herself by starring in a steamy Christmas movie with the equally compelling Kallum adds a sizzling layer of complexity to the narrative. Murphy's authentic portrayal of a welcome place for body positivity stands out as one of the book's strong points.

However, as the story progresses, the second half of the book falls short. A very triggering trope for many readers mars what could have been a continuous arc of character development. The way Winnie and Kallum handle the unfolding situation is, unfortunately, neither entertaining nor mature. The narrative feels drawn out, leading to an unsatisfying conclusion that detracts from the initial engagement and promise of the storyline.

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book.

This is the story of Winnie Callum. She is an actress who has a squeaky clean reputation. However, she is in Christmas Notch trying to recover from the scandal of her very messy and very public divorce. Callum was in a boy band that has had some serious success. Now he is in the pizza business and very successful at it too. Now these two are about to come together as they are about to be costars in a sexy little Christmas movies Santa, baby. These two really have some serious chemistry but this book will also have you giggling out loud at times. It is a really great book that will put you in the mood for Christmas with this cute little love story.

Fun holiday rom-com! Washed up boy band star and a recent divorcee cross paths after not seeing each other since high school. He had a crush she is falling for him - can this work?!

This was a fun and festive holiday read! I always enjoy reading works by Murphy and Simone and I'm truly enjoying this holiday themed series! The only thing I would say I didn't like about this book is the unexpected pregnancy trope, but I'm just not a huge fan of it in general. It makes things seem hastily put together and the couple doesn't get to know much about each other in my opinion, but it made sense how it comes into play in this story. I loved seeing how Kallum and Winnie came together and how they helped one another especially when Kallum helped her with unpacking purity culture and finding enjoyment in her own body.

A Holly Jolly Ever After" by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is a delightful holiday romance that blends humor, charm, and a touch of magic into a heartwarming story. Set in the fictional town of Pine Hill, Texas, the novel follows the enchanting tale of Bailey Abrams, a Christmas tree farmer, and Zane Walker, a famous Hollywood actor who finds himself unexpectedly drawn to the small-town charm during the festive season. I love these authors together! Their holiday romances full of spice gets everyone in the spirit. I hope they keep writing a new one every season!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-opposites attract
-sex lessons
-workplace romance
-reformed rake
-childhood crush
-opposites attract
-jewish rep
-secret/surprise baby

This series has such a fun premise. Hallmark movies made with porn stars and ending up steamier. I loved this twist of a former boy bander turned pizza empire who maybe didn't fully grow up yet and the former religious network tv show darling coming into her own. Kallum and Winnie had such a great dynamic as they both learned from their past baggage and expectations that they and hte world set on themselves from how they grew up and hwo they were.

I was a big fan of Winnie. Just coming in to her own and unabashedly asking for what she wanted including from Kallum. I love a good sex lessons book and this had it in spades as she figured out what she wanted and Kallum was all in and gone on Winnie from early on. I adore this cast of characters we get to keep going back to and just have such a fun time every time I read one of these stories. I can't wait for the third book.

That first spicy scene caught me so off guard, it was so hot and the spice hit thought this whole book. Set in Christmas Notch, A Holly Jolly Ever After follows Winnie Baker, the squeaky clean Hope channel actress still recovering from the scandal of her public (and rather messy) divorce. Pizza mogul/ former boyband member, Callum Lieberman, as they co-star in the Hope Channels’ new business venture: Hope After Dark. Which sees the pair co-starring in an all new, sexy Christmas movie called Santa, Baby. It felt like after the midpoint of the book the tone shifted quite a lot and I felt lost for a bit in what was happening, was not expecting so much intense drama stuff. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity.

Title: A Holly Jolly Ever After
Authors: Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Review:

✨★★★★☆ 4/5 Stars

If you're looking for a heartwarming yet sizzling holiday treat, "A Holly Jolly Ever After" by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone might just be the perfect addition to your holiday reading list. From the dynamic duo that brought us "A Merry Little Meet Cute," this novel blends humor, steamy romance, and the charm of a festive season into a delightful package.

The story revolves around two former stars, Kallum Lieberman and Winnie Baker. Kallum, once a member of the boy band INK, has now settled into a quieter life running a regional pizza chain comically named Slice, Slice, Baby! This character’s relatable charm shines through his "dad bod" confidence and casual hookups at weddings, making him both endearing and refreshingly real. His attempt to reclaim his fame following a leaked sex tape lands him a role in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel—a decision poised to turn his world upside down.

Enter Winnie Baker, the epitome of a good girl gone through the ringer. Her life, once seemingly perfect, has unraveled after her marriage crumbled. Despite her impressive acting career, Winnie has never quite experienced true on-screen pleasure, mirroring a lack of authentic passion in her own life. The chemistry between Kallum and Winnie is electric and filled with a blend of tension, humor, and genuine warmth.

Reading about these characters is an enjoyable roller-coaster ride. Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie resurfaces, and her willingness to do "pleasure research" for the sake of their steamy film adds a spicy twist to their evolving relationship. What begins as an artistic endeavor soon blossoms into a deeper and more meaningful connection.

Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone expertly navigate the delicate balance between comedy, romance, and steamy scenes, making this book a standout in its genre. The authors' writing styles blend seamlessly, offering readers witty banter, compelling character development, and a festive atmosphere that’s impossible to resist.

A Holly Jolly Ever After is a fun read with outstanding characters. They're fun and outside the norm of the regular romance novel cast. The spice was spicy, which I love. I enjoyed the banter and Winnie's sexual awakening, which I think is such an incredibly important piece of this story.

However, it had tropes that drive me insane, and felt disconnected between parts 1 and 2. It felt like I was reading a different novel halfway through.

Love, love, love - Julie & Sierra fan for life over here! Very fun, cute romance - highly highly highly recommend.

#AHollyJollyEverAfter:

Thanks Avon for my gifted copy!

You knit hat song “Sexual Seduction” with ole Snoop Dogg? That is the only thing I can think of when I read this.

I tried doing a Christmas in July, but it’s now May, a whole two years later and we’re still nowhere with the book I started and put down several times.

Was it cute? Yes. Did I like what I read? Absolutely. Did I still throw it away like Andy did with Woody whenever Buzz Lightyear came into view and said “I don’t want to pay with you anymore?” Guilty.

Here I am to do a review to give it justice. I said I was Andy in the review, not Jesse’s previous owner (that monster)

I swooned, I squealed, I kicked my feet up with giggles. It’s a good romantic holiday fun. Is it your typical run of the mill holiday romance? Yeah, but it’s still enjoyable for sure.

I have been a fan of Sierra Simone for years now so I was excited to read anything with her. This is the 3rd book in the series and it is a great addition to the story. This time we get to see Winnie and Kallum overcome their insecurities and histories to become great partners for each other.

This continuing story of Christmas Notch

Winnie Baker fallen child star, newly divorced & Kallum Lieberman ex-boy-bander with reputation for partying & a sex tape.
Winnie agrees takes a lead role in a less than PG Christmas movie. Only thing is Winnie has never been anything other than U in her whole life. Oppressive controlling parents & a husband who was only in the marriage for the optics of the relationship. Luckily for Winnie her co-star Kallum is a willing and able research partner.
The relationship is only meant to last the duration of the shoot, but pesky feelings raise their head between them. Winnie struggles to trust what she feels. Having had her trust thrown back in her face by the very people she loved & trusted most. Then she finds out they've made a baby.
There is a lot going on between Winnie & Kallum as they navigate the path from singledom to parenthood. There are struggles along the way. Twists, turns, and false starts on the way to their HEA.

Such a fun, engaging read.

I love the blend of steaminess and romantic comedy that Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone bring to the table when writing together.

This book is incredibly sexy holiday fun AND a serious portrait of what it looks like to overcome religious trauma. The protagonists are sweethearts and the secondary cast is chaos in the best way.

I enjoyed this book. I thinking talking through purity culture and how it has taughts us to be shamed about sex is important to unlearn shame and biases put on us by society, Cant wait to read more from these two!

Absolutely adored this one and the world that Julie and Sierra have created.

I literally love this series. A Merry Little Meet Cute introduced us to this cast of characters in Christmas Notch and I honestly think I could sustain myself solely on holiday themed romance if they were all just like this! The banter is top notch, there are lots of heartwarming moments, and the spice is spicy!

This series and the setting is fun and unique. I like the character’s unique backgrounds and personality traits. Winnie is on a mission to reinvent herself after her life seemingly blows up. She is making a complete 180 on her goals, behavior and overall life. Her partner in crime in this journey is Kallum, who actually had a massive crush on Winnie when he was young. Having the chance to interact and be with his dream girl is overwhelming.

I related a lot to Winnie’s anxiety and reluctance to change. It can be very daunting and scary to have everything you thought you knew completely change. I admired her attitude towards these changes and how she pushed herself to adapt. I liked how Kallum was there for her and ready to lend a hand, in many different ways…

Although this book wasn’t an all time favorite for me, I do like its uniqueness and quirky characters. It’s a fun, easy read especially on audiobook. I for one actually love the tropes in this book and it actually made me enjoy the story more. Despite the ending going a different route than I liked for a while, Winnie and Kallum eventually landed where I thought they were meant to.