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integrate pop culture (e.g. tiktok, youtube, facebook) into their story as I feel as though it sets up the book to feel outdated fast, however Kimi Freeman cleverly hinted to events in pop culture (Met Gala + VMAs) without specifically mentioning them, making it feel like a fun “if you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

I liked the playlist. The jumping back from present to past every other chapter was difficult to follow.

No one puts the turkey in at 4 pm on Thanksgiving. The average Turkey take 3-4 hours to cook. And pies are usually made the day before to free up the oven.

I was totally done when Roman said Aspen was upset because he was considering going “to the other side of the state.” Pitt is on the other side of the state from Philly and Allentown. Penn State is in central PA

And this, my friends, is why researching a book is so important.

I was excited about this book because I love Taylor Swift and 'Tis the Damn Season is one of my favorite songs. In the end, I just don't think this book was for me. I didn't find either of the main characters very likable and was not rooting for their relationship at all. In fact, I feel like Roman is a walking red flag and brought a lot of toxicity to the relationship. From the very beginning, Roman decided he wanted to date Aspen and basically forced that narrative on Aspen, regardless of her opinion on the matter.

I also didn't love the dual timeline. I found that just as the story felt like it was getting into a flow, we would swap timelines again and that took me right out of the flow. I did like getting the background of Aspen and Roman's relationship, but every flashback chapter left me disliking Roman more than the last.

Overall, I found this book to be predictable and the characters immature and unlikeable. I'm sure there are many Swifties who will love this story just for the many Swiftie references throughout and the overall feeling of 'Tis the Damn Season that the story gave. As a 40-year-old woman, I'm just not the target reader.

As a swiftie this made me heart so happy. It was so taylor swift coded and I love it. As a person that evermore is my second favourite album this was a masterpiece. The whole story. Yall should read it. The author did an amazing job im her first novel I can’t wait to read more of hers! Thanks to net gallery, the author and the publisher for giving me this arc!! <33

Aspen Moore is an accomplished singer and actress living her dream life in LA when she is betrayed by her best friend and portrayed as a home wrecker following lies told by her friends boyfriend. Aspen returns home to Fertsville, Pennsylvania to escape the media circus, back to her family and on again/off again boyfriend Roman and they agree to direct the towns Christmas nativity.

Overall, this was an easy read with a cute storyline that wouldn’t be out of place on Netflix as a Christmas themed romance.

I felt that the storyline had promise and expected a cute romance but despite the surface charm, it didn’t quite deliver as hoped. I felt the dialogue was awkward and stilted in a lot of places and there were a few times throughout where I felt bored and that the scene was entirely unnecessary to the book. The Christmas theme, despite the name of the book, seemed to be an afterthought and pretty forced mostly even with the addition of the pretty over the top production of a child’s nativity play.
I disliked Roman throughout the entire book as his behaviour was poor at best and gaslighting in many places towards Aspen. I didn’t find him endearing at all. Aspens constant need to apologise for everything despite there being a lot she had no control over and mooning over ‘Rome’ was irritating in parts and became boring. I really wanted to enjoy this book and for the most part it was ok. I feel it would have been better maybe without the happy ever after and with Aspen living her dreams with her new best friend Leila in a girl power, we don’t need a man kind of ending. That being said, I’m sure this will be the perfect read for someone just unfortunately that isn’t me.

4.5⭐

First, thank you NetGalley for an ebook copy. 🫶🏻

** MINOR SPOILERS **

Straight to the review, my rating can be 5 if Rome's letter was longer or if it a whole chapter one that happened in the past. Like how the present shows how they live their lives and everything; and that one chapter about Rome or his POV. About how he takes everything, from how he fell with Aspen, his grief with his mom, the betrayal that he felt even a little when Aspen didn't tell him she's going to LA, how he still loves her even though there were hindrances.

Story wise it was well written, I finished this book within a day. Note I am working during the day and I only started reading at 6pm and finished it at 11:30pm. That's how invested I am in Aspen and Roman's story. The playlist helped too, the songs set the mood that you can really feel what Kimi wrote in that chapter.

There was something so cozy about this book. I really enjoyed the second chance romance but also the fact that despite everything that happened Aspen and Roman never stopped caring about each other. Their connection was beautifully written. Aspen's celebrity life was a whirlwind and a little much at times but still fun to read. I loved that she always had her home, family, and Roman to lean on. Rome was so sweet! he was a dreamy book boyfriend. I really enjoyed the PA setting as a Philly girl. The writing was pretty good. At some points chapter breaks and ends seemed to happen very suddenly which cut the story oddly but it wasn't super distracting. The playlist that goes along with the book is a really nice addition. Overall I really enjoyed this book!

As much as I love Taylor Swift and thought this would be the right book for me, the characters and I just didn't mesh. I think this is a well done romcom, just not the book for me.

I was SO EXCITED for the title when I read about it. Tis the Damn Season is probably in my top 3 Taylor Swift songs of all time (and I’ve been a hardcore swiftie since 2008, so that means something). Unfortunately, I DNF’d this around the 40% mark because it didn’t at all match my desire for a book that accurately reflects the song. To be clear, this song isn’t really a basis for a romance novel at all because it’s far too wistful and melancholy, but I still had hopes. Ultimately I found these characters unappealing and the story boring. A big bummer!