⭐️⭐️.5/5 (Romance/ Holiday)

Synopsis: Aspen Moore is a pop star who used to be the lead on your favorite teen soap. When her life completely blows up, and she’s kicked out of her apartment in LA, she goes home to Fertsville, PA. There, she reconnects with her first love, Roman Torres. They decide to put on the Christmas show at her dad’s church. Alternating between two timelines, the past, and the present, you get to know who Aspen and Roman used to be, and who they are now, and if giving each other another chance is worth it.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book. It wasn’t my favorite holiday book I’ve read this year, but I enjoyed it. I thought that the chapters ended abruptly sometimes, but I liked seeing how Pen and Rome were in high school versus now. Based on the author’s note, it appears that she is quite young, which could explain why some of the story is a little naive and cutesy. I thought some of the conversation wasn’t super realistic, but I don’t read romance novels for reality.

If you love holiday stories and famous person/ normal person romances, you’ll love this.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is a difficult one to write about because I’m still not sure of my ratings for this book. First of all, can we talk about the TAYLOR SWIFT REFERENCES?? I was requesting this book on NetGalley the moment I saw the title, I leapt on it, I booked a flight to the first page of this book, and I was definitely not disappointed by the amount of hidden Taylor Swift songs within the pages. I was going absolutely ham on my Kindle highlight feature. Also, that playlist? The taste is immaculate. I’m hiring Kimi Freeman to make all my playlists from here on out.

I wish I could’ve loved the book as much as I loved the swift references and the music choices for each chapter, but unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I wasn’t a massive fan of the main character’s attitude, nor the way Roman retaliated to her attitude, and the names he called her, I was a little taken aback. It felt as though that even though they loved each other, they would be healthier apart. Also, the lack of TWs threw me off too for a story that contains such a heavy and triggering topic.

Don’t get me wrong, I totally loved the idea of this book! Who wouldn’t love an isolated starlet finding her way back to her high school sweetheart? It was such a cute concept but unfortunately, the way it was carried out just wasn’t my cup of tea. I can totally see why people are raving about this book though! An excellent debut!

This one was just okay for me, but still a cute easy read nonetheless.
I'm usually not into books that jump back and forth between the past and present, but in this case, it surprisingly clicked. The way each chapter flowed into the next, connecting to what came before, created this seamless vibe. And man, by the end, it felt like the past and present just slammed together.

Rome's vibe of being all in with Aspen? Major heart eyes for that lol. He had her back no matter what, didn't let those rumors mess with his support. Aspen though? Mixed feelings. Yeah she had love for Rome, but it seemed one-sided. She was making calls for both of them without even talking it out, which felt pretty immature. Got me wondering if she was even ready for a real deal relationship.

But let's not miss the good stuff here. This book oozed sweetness and love. Aspen's parents being there through thick and thin, Rome's unwavering devotion – seriously heart-melting. The whole thing just wrapped you up in warm fuzzies.

Overall cute but not for the favorites shelf!

Book Review 📚
'Tis the Damn Season by Kimi Freeman - 4/5 ⭐

A perfect little Christmas book ready for the cold winter months! It's definitely worth the read and will be perfect around Christmas time. Freeman has got to be the newest up and comer!

Our FMC, Aspen, is literal proof that money cannot buy happiness and this book is the very story to read to prove it. The MMC, Rome, was such an adorable character! I loved them both together and was praying for a HEA for BOTH!

I loved that their are references to Taylor Swift throughout the book, I thought that was quite ingenious! The whole book is just cosy and warm, ot really is the book you want to cuddle up in a blanket with hot chocolate at Christmas. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire thing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Parson Press for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

Absolutely loved it. The realism of Aspen's past and future is what makes it so amazing. Roman's undying love for Aspen... really plays out over the years they were or weren't together. I'm hoping there is a book about Leila soon.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.

This book is a really cute wholesome love story based on the Taylor Swift song. I loved the songs that were associated with each chapter and the alternating timeline. I think this book is going to be really popular for Christmas 2023!

This book felt like insta love, with very little development in Aspen and Roman’s teenage timeline, whilst being a painfully slow burn in their adult timeline. There was a bit of a disconnect between the two timelines and I struggled to believe that they were the same characters. I also didn’t feel attached to them as a couple due to their lack of relationship development.

The side plots were what made this story really interesting. I loved the narrative of Aspen being ostracised from Hollywood due to a rumour and rediscovering her small town roots by directing a nativity.

From the authors note at the back of the book, it appears that Kimi Freeman is 16! She has such a brilliant way of writing older characters for her age and I cannot wait to see her writing mature and develop. I’m hoping she makes this a series and we can see Leila’s story next, hopefully with her new boss Aaron.

For this being a debut novel, I found it very well written. I ended up finishing it in one sitting. I enjoyed the changing in the timeline from past to present. It helped add in the backgrounds of each character, and really helped set the setting for each chapter.

This story follows Aspen, an actress and singer, when she decided to return home after a scandal was publicly released about her. She was hoping that a trip back home would bring her some peace of mind. While the scandal is spreading throughout Hollywood, it has also impacted some of her friendships. When she returns home, she ends up running into her high school sweetheart Roman. She isn't sure if he has heard of the scandal and judging her, or if maybe he will be her only friend. Throughout this story, they have to work together and see each other a lot more than she thought they would. Will they remain friends or is something more brewing between them?

I loved how well written the dynamic between Aspen and Roman was written. I would have loved to see some of the story from his point of view, however the author did a very good job of showing his emotions and thoughts through the conversations he partakes in. Their relationship didn't have any hint of the miscommunication trope, and I was so happy for that. The story gave me the happy ending that I was so hoping for.

I loved this book. The story was so well thought out and I felt like I was easily able to connect with the characters. The story was perfectly paced and held my attention very well! Definitely recommend this book

Talk about a love story to last through a lifetime! When Aspens world comes crashing down there is only one place to turn to and that’s home, home to your soulmate, (because that’s what Aspen and Roman are) everything they have(had) gone through and they always found their way back to each other! 💗 This novel had so much heart and love and pain and was executed beautifully! I love how each chapter had a song and I love all the not so subtle yet also subtle Taylor Swift references ☺️
⚠️ Trigger warning for sexual assault ⚠️
I am glad that Aspen didn’t try to hide her assault from Rome, although she didn’t report it, I am grateful the she always felt confident in their relationship to trust him and not hide away from him.
In the end Aspen has to know that her life imploding was the best thing that could have ever happened to her. It brought her home, showed her who her real friends were, gave her the courage to stand up for herself and what she wants, but most of all it brought her back to Rome.

WOW! ‘Tis the damn Season is the damn book to read! I’ve only recently become a fan of romance and I used to avoid books with cutesy cartoon covers, but ‘Tis the Damn Season captured the attention of my swiftie heart and held it in the palm of its hand!
There were so many aspects of this book I absolutely adored. The layout of the story with the time jumps in alternating chapters really helped to achieve the fast pace this book seemed to be aiming for. I normally hate when authors integrate pop culture (e.g. tiktok, youtube, facebook) into their story as I feel as though it sets up the book to feel outdated fast, however Kimi Freeman cleverly hinted to events in pop culture (Met Gala + VMAs) without specifically mentioning them, making it feel like a fun “if you know you know” moment.
The only major critique I have is how fast Roman and Aspen got together in the beginning. It felt as though he hadn’t ever spoken/thought about Aspen until his friends started making fun of her, and it was only then did he begin to be nice to her.

Overall rating 4/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thoroughly enjoyed, can’t wait for everyone to read it on OCT 24th

3.5 Stars
'Tis the Damn Season is about Aspen who has returned home after facing a scandal which uprooted her life in LA. She reconnects with an ex-boyfriend who has always supported her through the years, to put on the towns traditional Christmas play. The story is told in a dual timeline, switching from the past to the present on alternating chapters.

I will preface this with saying I am not a Taylor Swift fan. It's not that I dislike her music, but it isn't something I would choose to listen to. I went into this book not having heard majority of her new music and I was pleasantly surprised. It was nice because each chapter had a song which was attached to it and of course many of the songs were Taylor Swift songs but the author also included a decent number of other artists. I enjoyed the playlist that went with the book and will listen to some of the songs the author created.

This book was a nice easy read which featured a main couple who supported each other and were able to talk through issues they were facing. It was nice to see what a somewhat healthy relationship should look like in a book every now and then. The only thing I had difficulty with was sometimes the writing felt fragmented or disjointed which changed the flow of how I read the book. It wasn't overly noticeable and I have come to expect that from most books I am reading.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, if anyone was looking for a nice winter romance novel, I would defintely recommend this to them.

Thank you to the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book through NetGalley.

Great book, I really enjoyed the characters and could relate to them. It was an easy to read book that I couldn’t put down

This book was the perfect combination of small town, cosy vibes and Hollywood drama and glamour. I am an avid reader of all things small town, so I definitely loved this side of the book and how it gives a contrast to the other setting. It takes the dual timeline and really separates the story so we can fully understand the protagonists Aspen and Roman in depth, as well as their story and how it intertwines with various plot lines.

We get to experience the journey of high school sweethearts Aspen and Roman, as they navigate how to pursue both of their dreams in life after school. Flicking back and forth between their early years and the present, we get to see how their relationship developed into the connection they have in the present timeline, and how different elements of their past have shaped their lives. Set between the hometown of Fertsville, Pennsylvania, and the home of their family history and units, as well as the opulent and turbulent LA scene, the book compares two drastically different lives and how they function as one.

I loved the characters in this book and how the connections varied from long-term to short-term, but all still meant just as much to the protagonist and the story. I would have loved to get to know Leila and her story even more, especially as she becomes such a big part of Aspen's life and story, and I thought this whole friendship was great!

Overall, this book offers something for everyone I think, and had a great balance of dramatic chapters and wholesome moments.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc. We love a Taylor Swift moment, and this book is so full of great lyric and song references, and the general vibe of the titular song. I wish it had been a bit more of a slow burn, but it was still a cute read!

If you love Taylor Swift and you love NA Romance, you'll love this book. Every single reference to Taylor had me laughing or crying or both!

This is a short, sweet read with a very specific target audience but if you are part of that audience, you'll have a great time.

I wish I had read the reviews, before getting this book off Net Galley-- regardless, I am thankful for the ARC.

Why? Because this book is jam-packed with Taylor Swift references, songs, playlists that I could physically and literally feel going over my head. Immense respect for anyone who caught them all, as this book is written with you in mind. As for us average schmuck, I felt like I was outside of a very crucial inside joke.

That being said, it is a cute 'Hallmark style' Christmas story with a healthy dose of drama, flirting, and expertly threaded banter between our characters. Our exposition is quick, simple, to the point and it felt like nothing was really hiding from the reader-- more so, the character's tensions felt real because the risks were real to them. If that's what you're looking for, this checks all the boxes.

Looks like I have lore to catch up on.

Tis the damn season was a really cute quick romance read. All the Taylor Swift references are so great, especially the song titles for each chapter. Must read if you love Taylor Swift. I would recommend this for sure. Will be perfect for a holiday read.

Thank you Netgalley and Parson Press for the digital arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll first off say that this is a cute, semi-low drama rom-com. I think overall the book was good especially given the authors age and great as a debut novel. I look forward to seeing more from this author in the future. I did feel at times this book did come off a bit too happenstance to be believable but isn’t that what we look for in books sometimes?

This was a sweet book - perfect for the swifties but honestly a little too young and naive for me.
The main character is frustrating and full of contradictions but essentially is accused of something by her ex best friend’s boyfriend and the rumour mill in Hollywood goes into overdrive. She returns home and meets her high school sweetheart and there we have our beginning.
The plot was entirely predictable but enjoyable. I think this young author has potential and huge props to her for getting published at such a young age.
Also - trigger warning - there are themes of SA within this book

Thanks to netgalley and publishers for an ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

I ate this book up. I finished it in a matter of hours, staying up way past my bedtime to make sure I could finish it because I could not put it down. It’s been a minute since a book has elicited that reaction from me. I love everything about it from the actual storyline to the wonderful writing and how easy it flows and naturally progresses to my love of Roman (he gives Noah Riley a run for his money) and even my love for Aspen.

I’ll be leaving a review on goodreads,Amazon and Insta as grimreadersbookcult