"Emergency Contact" by Lauren Layne is a delightful holiday romcom that managed to warm my heart, earning a solid four-star rating.

Lauren Layne's writing, as always, is top-notch. Her ability to craft fun and entertaining stories in the bustling backdrop of Manhattan is something I've come to love and expect. This book is no exception, offering a perfect escape into the world of romance and holiday magic.

The dynamic between the main characters, Tom and Katherine, is a highlight. I appreciate that their post-divorce relationship isn't a typical case of one person still being hung up on the other. Their mutual dislike for each other felt genuine, and their journey towards rekindling their connection was enjoyable to follow. The misunderstandings that led to their divorce were well-portrayed and made their second chance at love feel all the more meaningful.

However, there was one aspect that didn't quite work for me. Throughout the story, Tom is set to propose to his current girlfriend. While the book doesn't delve into emotional cheating like some others, I found it a bit challenging to fully immerse myself in the romantic tension. The slow-burn aspect is reserved for the last chapter, and I wish there had been more exploration of their feelings throughout the narrative. The one kiss that occurs in the book is, unfortunately, a fleeting moment without much depth.

In the end, "Emergency Contact" is a charming holiday romance that captures the essence of second chances. While I thoroughly enjoyed the journey of Tom and Katherine's rekindled connection, I couldn't help but wish for a bit more romantic development before the book concluded. Nevertheless, if you're a fan of Lauren Layne's writing and looking for a heartwarming read, this book won't disappoint.

This was such a surprise for me! I'm not a huge fan of second chance romance, especially ex spouses. But, color me surprised, because I loved this one so much! It shouldn't surprise me that much though, because anything Lauren Layne writes I tend to enjoy. As I said, I usually avoid ex spouses in romance so this is actually my first read in that category. But, it's very likely I will seek out these kind of romances because this was done so well. This is a very clean, and cute holiday rom com. The whole situation of the entire book felt like it was an old movie. It had that zany, this can't actually be happening vibe to it and transported you to their world. Add that to the tension between these exes and it was perfection. The relationship between Tom and Katherine was definitely hard to read at times. My heart broke for all of the past stuff that lay between them. But, man, I rooted for them to make it work this time. The end was so beautiful and cathartic. I just loved this one. I would definitely recommend it.

3.5 stars
Katherine has her life rigidly planned out, according to a plan she and her late father had for her. When she's in a car accident, her ex-husband is called as her emergency contact. Unfortunately, she hasn't widened her friend circle, and she has no family, so her ex-husband is forced to care for her after a hospital stay.
This was a good second chance romance. I didn't care for how shallow Katherine and Tom both seem to be (they each casually hurt others in this story), but it did seem that they fit well together.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

As someone who's been following Lauren Layne's work for years, I was excited to see she co-wrote a book with her husband! Anthony's comedic background really adds a hilarious and fun atmosphere to the story. I was cracking up at this book....the train scene was hilarious😂 I enjoyed the dual POV's and seeing where the character's heads were at. I wish there were more throwback scenes between Katherine and Tom. I think the authors could have done a bit more "showing" rather than "telling" when it came to the couple's previous relationship/love for one another. Overall, this was a cute and fun holiday read. Fans of Planes, Trains and Automobiles will like this one. Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.

PERFECTION!!! Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

OH MY CHRISTMAS STARS🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟!!! WHAT AN EMOTIONAL, MEANINGFUL, POWERFUL, COMPLICATED, HEARTWARMING, WHOLESOME, IMMERSIVE, HUMOROUS, ADORABLE AND BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN HOLIDAY ROM-COM THAT WILL TUG AT YOUR HEARTSTRINGS!! I FOUND MYSELF SWOONING, CRYING OR LAUGHING CONSTANTLY!! THE AUTHOR HAS CREATED SUCH A TOUCHING SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE WITH SO MUCH DEPTH AND CHARACTERS WITH REAL LIFE STRUGGLES AND RAW EMOTIONS. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED AND ADORED IT SO MUCH!! HANDS DOWN ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS BOOKS EVER🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️!!!

Katherine, an aspiring NYC attorney, hopes to become a partner at the firm she has been at for ten years. Two days before Christmas, Katherine is in an accident which leads to the hospital notifying her emergency contact. Regrettably, she forgot to update that information on her paperwork. When her ex-husband, Tom, shows up at the hospital he is informed that she cannot be left alone due to her concussion and medical treatment needed. Tom needs to go home to his family in Chicago for the holidays and reluctantly agrees to take Katherine with him. Because of a blizzard they find themselves on an adventure of a lifetime!

Everything seemed to go wrong almost like fate was intervening. As the story unraveled, I found myself extremely invested in Katherine and Tom's adventures from planes, trains, cabs, Uber and a big rig truck! The more time they spent together the old feeling resurfaced and the "spark' was evident. All the angst, tension, banter and chemistry was top notch. Not to mention, the grand gesture was just perfect!! This is a clean romance (only kissing) and I did not miss the spice🤭.

Overall, I was incredibly hooked from start to finish! I cannot encourage you enough to add this one to your Christmas TBR!!! It deserves a million stars!!!! 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵☃️☃️☃️☃️☃️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

An aspiring attorney who’s striving to become a partner at the firm she’s been at for 10 years.
When she gets into her cab just 2 days before Christmas there’s an accident. Now waking up in the hospital with a concussion and stitches, her emergency contact must either take her and watch her or she must stay in the hospital for the holiday.

The planes, trains, buses and automobiles are filled with one funny incident after another that has these two running, fighting, laughing and emotionally drained to make it to his Christmas Eve at his parents.

Such an enjoyable read. It’s fun how much they hate each other. But I know that if you waste your time enough to hate someone, you must still love them, an ex taught me that.

I thought this was a good story about second chance romances. We got a good amount of angst and emotion.
Katherine and Tom are a divorced couple and due to circumstances are thrown back together for the holidays after a couple years a part. A bit rom com Esq mixed with the angst and holiday vibe. Really enjoyed all aspects of this story rom com, angst, emotional drama, family drama and holidays. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read.

I'll read anything Lauren Layne writes so I was super excited to be approved for an arc of this book, co-written with her husband.
I'm a sucker for a second-chance romance, especially if it includes a divorced couple.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, to the point I stayed up late to read it all in one sitting, but it left me feeling like I needed more of this couple. I needed either more moments of their shared past or more interactions between them after the plot twist. I just wished we had a couple more chapters to read about these two and their crazy dynamic.
Also, what the hell does Tom do for a living? Was it just me or it was never mentioned? Clearly, he has a briefcase and wears a suit but that's all that I got.
Most of all, loved Tom and Katherine's banter and travel adventures, and much like in Lauren Layne's other book The Prenup, I enjoyed it to the point that I didn't even miss the fact that there was zero spice in this book.

Katherine is grinchy, and I can relate. She wasn't always this way, but after her father passed away on Christmas Day, things just haven't been the same for her. She promised him she would become the successful lawyer of his dreams and has been working towards that since that fateful day.
Tom and Katie were once happy, but her dreams made her put her marriage on the back burner and instead of communicate (both of them), they divorced. Four years later Tom is still her emergency contact, because well, she really doesn't have anyone else. When she gets into an accident, the day before Christmas Eve, and he is called to her bedside, he doesn't know what he is in for.
Tom plans on proposing to his perfectly fine girlfriend the next day. They are perfectly happy and his dreams of a family are within reach, but bringing Katie back into his life wrecks his plans. He has known all the simmering hate and barbs they throw at one another were more, but Katie is cold as ice and nothing gets to her heart. Since she has a concussion and needs constant monitoring, he decides to take Katie home with him, where yes, he plans on proposing to his girlfriend the next night, but he's a good guy and he won't just leave her in the hospital on Christmas.
Pretty much everything you can think of happens on their journey to get to Chicago. It's like fate is keeping them together telling them "talk this out! you have missed something here!". When Tom finally sees the cracks in Katie's armor, he understands that maybe she wasn't totally at fault for their demise and he has to do whatever he can to make it right.
I really could have done without the OW baggage, but from the first moment we meet Tom, we can sense his hesitation. He knows things feel off because you can't marry someone else when you gave your heart away a long time ago and never really got it back.
This book reminded me of Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Sweet Home Alabama all wrapped up into one and I really loved it. I laughed and I had tears through this emotional journey of these two FINALLY communicating. I love reading marriage reconciliation books because it gives me hope, even if it is only in book form, that two people that are meant to be together will always find a way back to each other.
Thank you to Lauren Layne, Netgalley and Blackstone for an early copy.

I LOVED this story (also it’s the first ARC I caught sooooo many edit issue, lol). Tom and Katherine’s story had me lol’ing and this really would make an amazing romcom movie. I wish we had some insight into what happened at Tom’s parents when they met his girlfriend etc, we needed more! I also presume Katherine got what she was striving for but it was never explicitly stated. Overall, cute book and quick!

I've loved Lauren Laynes books for many years and I was so happy to learn she was coming out with this collaborative novel. It was a different and unique storyline sort of the anti fairytale and I was so curious to read about how it would all play out! I very much enjoyed the characters and back story and was so curious to see if our two mains would land up back together l! I was not disappointed. This would be great for book clubs and even a made for TV movie.

This book is peak literature. Lauren Layne & Anthony Ledonne really brought literature with Emergency Contact. Loved every part of this book. The epilogue really made me emotional, I already wish I could read this book for the first time again

I always love a Lauren Layne read so I was thrilled to see a book co-authored with her husband. Full of adventure and mishaps, Emergency Contact kept me flipping the pages throughout the night. The snarky banter and slow burn hit the spot! I really enjoyed this one and I think you will too!

Lauren Layne is a must-buy author for me, and this book is just another confirmation of that fact. I LOVED IT. Katherine is a cynical, ambitious attorney who plans to spend Christmas all alone. When an unexpected concussion leads the hospital staff to call her emergency contact, she’s horrified to find the name still listed is her ex-husband, Tom. Tom is pretty much Katherine’s exact opposite, and he’s on his way home to Chicago to propose to his girlfriend when he gets the call. Since Katherine has to be monitored for 48 hours, Tom really has no choice but to bring her with him. A series of hilarious disasters ensue. I loved the banter between these characters, and loved watching them fall (back) in love. Several parts of the story made me laugh out loud, which is delightful. It put me in the Christmas spirit (a few months early) and left me utterly satisfied. Cute retelling of Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Love that it was written by real-life husband and wife. Thank you to the authors, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy. All thoughts are my own.

If there is one thing I know, it’s that if you give me any book written by Lauren Layne I will absolutely adore it and this book was no exception. When I heard that this book would be written not only by my favorite author, but with her husband I was immediately intrigued. Usually it’s hard for me when you go into a book expecting one style of writing, but get something completely different, but this husband and wife duo wrote magic on these pages.

This lighthearted RomCom will have you belly laughing with one mishap after another while also making your heart swoon. While Tom and Kate slowly relive all the way their marriage went wrong, you can’t help but see how past mistakes help them grow into better people presently. This book had the perfect amount of laugh out loud moments with endearing character development. With each new reveal, you cannot help but fall harder for Kate and Tom. This is the perfect holiday read for those who love love, great writing, and characters that make you smile.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC

This story had so many It Happened One Night vibes that I really enjoyed.

I don't usually like romance stories where the main characters have a ton of history that predates the beginning of the book, but Lauren Layne deftly weaves in the information needed throughout the dialogue and description, and what results is a funny, touching second-time-around romantic comedy about a divorced couple stuck in forced proximity due to a concussion.

Katherine and Tom feel like authentic people who fell out of love but never stopped loving each other. I rooted for them from the beginning. I also especially enjoyed the inner monologue moment when Katherine reflects about her unlikability, and the double standard that is (men don't have to be likable like women do).

I also appreciated that Tom's girlfriend is no villain, which again just feels realistic and pro-women.

Four strong stars.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

Romantic comedy at its finest. Oh how I do waited for this book!! I adored this. The banter, angst, sexual tension, and a fairy-tale happy ending was chefs kiss good!! Loved it.

Overall I enjoyed this book, especially the beginning. I think it set it up for success. However, the bickering and fighting throughout the book, while I know it was essentially the whole purpose, was very triggering for me since growing up my parents bickered like that constantly without the love part. Thanks for letting me read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

Emergency Contact is the absolutely adorable and joy-filled holiday romcom by Lauren Layne and her husband, Anthony LeDonne. It follows Katherine, an ambitious New York attorney, who gets into an accident right before Christmas and has to be taken care of by her ex-husband (and emergency contact), Tom. Hijinks ensue and Katherine must go to Tom’s family home so he can…propose to his new girlfriend. However, things get complicated when old feelings return.

I looooved this book. I was worried about reading a Christmas book during spooky season, but this warmed my pumpkin-shaped heart. It will definitely be one I reread on audio in December. Katherine is my favorite type of leading lady - a black cat with a heart of gold she keeps hidden from everyone. I just loved her. Tom and Katherine’s chemistry is perfection and I lived for their banter. Gah I love a great romcom.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

if you're looking for a romance book that'll give you the feels of a late 90's-early 2000's romcom, this is it. that alongside it being set on christmas? the perfect holiday romcom in your hands!

ever since knowing LL would publish a book with her husband i'd wondered how that would look, if we'd still get that magic LL feel we get in her books. i'm happy to say every single page i was aware i was reading a book by her, with comedy elements being more present—which i loved!

since the very first page katherine and tom's story captivated me and i just couldn't put it down, even making myself stay up later than i should and reading when i shouldn't because i was just so incredibly hooked. the banter, the tension, the more angsty moments, every single mishap... i found myself laughing, feeling emotional and getting all that warm feelings in our chests when reading a good romance. i loved every single second of it!

the second i reached the end i knew this book would join my evergrowing list of LL's books i'm constantly rereading, and i just can't wait for the next time reading it!

i don't know if lauren and anthony have plans to write another romance book together, but after finishing emergency contact i really really am rooting for them to do it.

also, i know this was originally written as a screenplay, and i really hope we still get to see it on screen someday, because i know it'll become a comfort movie—just like emergency contact quickly became a comfort book for me.

*ARC kindly provided by Blackstone Publishing.*