If a book references Taylor Swift I will 100% read it-no questions asked. I love a good Taylor reference and boy did this one deliver!!!

The Positives:
* I do love how the song that this book is named after matches the story, about that first love that you would always be open to see again- even if its just for a weekend.
*I do feel like as a reader we got to see Aspen grow into herself more, I love a good growth moment.
*I LOVE the POC representation! Not every male lead needs to be a white man chiseled to the God's with a jawline that could cut you. So Roman was a refreshing (and just as dreamy) MMC.
*Despite issues you could clearly see between the characters- you never doubted how deeply they loved each other. I think sometimes, when there is other plots and things going on, you can kind of miss how much the characters love each other- and that was never an issue with this book.
*love a dual timeline


The Negatives:
*As much as I love a good taylor reference, some of them felt forced or like they just didn't match the situation. As far as song references via the titles- a little could have got a lot further.
* Lack of trigger warnings. Mentions of sexual assault without a forewarning can be jarring and difficult for readers.
*The writing felt really young. Parts of it weren't realistic (like aspen getting a job and such raging success so quickly), it kind of felt like I was reading a book about 20-somethings from someone who is much younger, which was frustrating at times.

When I first saw the title, I was like, "Oh, this author is definitely a Swiftie!"
So I read the synopsis and I was like… Oh my god.

The story goes back and forth between the present and seven years ago when Aspen and Roman first fell in love. They were just teenagers finishing school. Aspen is now a famous singer-actress, but her success comes with a price. She loves her career, but the media is always spreading lies and rumors about her. Roman, now her ex-boyfriend, is still a good friend. They’re still in love but not together. He wouldn't choose for himself a life with zero privacy. She also wouldn’t want to spend the rest of her life in a small town, not being able to explore her artistic side. So how could they make it work?

I like how Aspen can truly count on her parents. They’re supportive and proud of her, but also reminders that she can always come home, no matter what happens in Hollywood.

The book also shows how harsh the media can be on women. It's frustrating how they always ask about their personal lives instead of their work. The gossip websites are the worst, always trying to create drama between talented women and turning them into characters in a fake story. Everything is a competition. It's so unfair, and it was interesting to see how Aspen dealt with it.

The constant time jumps bother me a lot. I think it’s the main issue I had with this book. When I thought I had a connection with their feelings, the situation changed completely. I think I had such high expectations and for that reason I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

I recommend this book to Taylor Swift fans and anyone who enjoys celebrity gossip. You can find elements of the story that fit in any fandom. You might feel a little guilty... Or not.

Thanks to Parson Press for the ARC! Opinions are my own.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for providing me an E-ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Aspen is a singer living her best life in LA; until her life is turned upside down by a rumor that threatens her career. She decides to head home to lay low but runs into her ex Roman which is a complicated relationship from her past.
'Tis the Damn Season is a small town, second chance romance that is heartwarming and sweet. The story is based on a Taylor Swift song by the same name. Each chapter is represented by a song from different artists, including Taylor Swift.
I enjoyed the book. I thought that it had a cute Hallmark movie feel to it. I just needed a little more tension and conflict between Aspen and Roman! I also thought that based on the title it was going to have more of a Christmas feel to it, but it was briefly mentioned in it.
Overall I liked the book, if you are a Swifty fan, I think you will enjoy it too.

This book was SO cute! Super cute story about a Hollywood star needing a break after a PR crisis. Love how the playlist weaved throughout the book!

"Tis the Damn Season was a cute little summer read. I like that it goes back a forth from the past to the present time, broken up by chapter titles of some pretty cool songs. The main characters Aspen and Roman fit together nicely, the storyline is good as well. An endearing story of young love, hurt and healing between 2 people. A quick read that capture's ones attention and even better if you are a Taylor Swift fan.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this.

Cute contemporary romance story about Hollywood star and her never stopped loving her hometown guy. It’s an easy book to read and the cover cute but I had trouble getting into the story and being attached to the characters.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2023

I really enjoyed the link with the songs at the beginning of each chapter and the dual timeline works well too. I gelled with the characters and the story flowed well. My only gripe was that it became a Christmas story by having the main characters help with a nativity story. It felt as if it could have been any school play and didn't make the story feel particularly christmasy. Brilliant story just not a great Christmas novel.

For the most part this is a fun, easy holiday read. However there are a few details that are worth discussing.  First of all I believe there should be a trigger warning added to this book as there are mentions of sexual assault.

Even though I did enjoy this book my overall feeling is that it is underdeveloped in several areas. Our FMC is a young Hollywood actress with a world tour that somehow managed to reach A list status within just a few months of starting her career. There are several mentions of her career making her life "complicated" but how and why is never fully delved into.

*spoiler* A central plot line is a friendship break up. I would've liked to have seen more development of this friendship before the breakup at the very beginning of the book so that we know more why Sierra is important to her.

This book is a great read, and a great first novel. The first chapter gets you hooked immediately and the back-and-forth of the present and past timelines every other chapter keeps you engaged and wanting more throughout the entire book. The playlist provided at the beginning of the book not only provides a fun listen, but creates an immersive experience while reading.

The characters are fun and relatable, and Roman specifically is a really dynamic character in a way that we don’t see often in romance novels. Overall, amazing and can’t wait to see more from this author!

Cute contemporary romance story about Hollywood star and her never stopped loving her hometown guy. I was expecting more of a holiday read because of the title, but it was still cute.

ARC from netgalley. Thank you!!

I really enjoyed the concept of this novel and it was executed really well. The characters were well written and relatable. I think this book is best suited to older teens and young adults. A great debut novel!

Cute holiday romance with little emphasis on the holiday. The characters were likable. No, smut, so great for ya. Recommended for hallmark movie lovers!

This was a really easygoing,quick read, and I really liked it. It was a real eye opener for me when it came to celebrity relationships. I felt really inspired by Rome and Aspens' relationship and how it grew with them over the years. They were absolutely adorable and wholesome, and their communication was top tier. It was also inspired by a Taylor Swift song... need I say more? Thank you to Netgalley for arc.

This was a great read and I found myself looking forward to reading more! Small town girl turned celebrity who still has her heart set on the first boy she ever loved isn’t a trope I’ve seen often (or ever) but I’m now a fan. As a swiftie myself, I loved the addition of little Easter eggs that only a swiftie would notice. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a small town romance around the holidays.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really wish I could say that I loved this book but the story/plot just wasn’t for me personally. I did think that the playlist at the beginning was really in-depth and I loved the songs that the author picked.

I couldn’t get into the main character, her personality and attitude felt very flip-floppy and I didn’t like the romance between Aspen and Roman.

This book just wasn’t for me, but I’m sure there are so many people who would absolutely devour and love this book

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

I absolutely loved this story !!! The author is definitely inspired by Taylor Swift songs. Such a great read! I really needed this! Second chance romance are a favorite of mine. I highly recommend this!

I had such a fun time reading this book. I think that when I’m given a prologue that starts with the series of unfortunate events of the main characters, it gives the conflict right away and I’m a person who appreciates that.

The internal monologue was kinda too much at some point but overall it was a good read for me. This is perfect for a holiday read and you can actually read it in just one sitting! The romance is swoon worthy and just made me giddy so many times while reading this.

This is my first book from the author and I’m looking forward to more of her works.

I absolutely loved this story right away because you could how the author was inspired by the Taylor Swift song. This is the fan fiction I didn't know that I needed, but that I absolutely did. I also loved the second-chance love story aspect, as well as the famous/non-famous person timeline.

As a big Taylor Swift fan, this book is definitely for swifties. THE NAME?? top 3 songs on evermore!!! THE PLAYLIST?!!! THE STORY?? THE CHARACTERS?? PERFECTION.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of ' 'Tis the Damn Season' by Kimi Freeman.

Warning: There is a sexual assault scene in this book that occurs with 0 warning and it was unexpected. I am highly disappointed in the lack of warning, especially for a book that markets itself towards a certain demographic - Taylor Swift fans - and dubs itself as lighthearted.

' 'Tis the Damn Season' is the debut novel by Kimi Freeman and is heavily marketed towards Swifties. There's two plot lines in this novel, present time and 7 years ago and each chapter has a corresponding song from the playlist Freeman put at the front of the book. Did the songs match the chapter? 99% no, so it felt rather redundant. The writing felt underdeveloped and the scenes where characters would interact with each other felt unnatural to say the least. Could this be better with more editing? Of course.