I thought this book read more like a YA than an adult romance and the characters were a bit immature, which also led to the more YA feel. I can't lie, I was drawn to this book first because of the title, then the cute cover, and then the premise. This book would be a good fit for Hallmark movie fans who enjoy the forced proximity and second chance tropes. For a debut (by a supposedly young author) it was solid.
I received a review copy and all opinions are my own. For the sake of the author and her book sales I am not planning to make this review public beyond Netgalley.

Honestly I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought it would. I mean it has a Taylor Swift song name as the title! (Lol I’m Kidding) but in seriousness I had a little more expectations given the synopsis was pretty cute.

The angst was sorta non existent for a second chance romance. I just didn’t feel the connection. Nothing was clicking for me. I couldn’t connect with the characters and not the chemistry they had either

This book was promising from the description, but it unfortunately didn't work for me. I think that the author has a lot of potential, but there is a certain level of maturity that I think needs to be reached when addressing sensitive topics like there is in this book. I love a second chance romance, and a multiple timeline book, but there didn't seem like there was much character development between the two timelines. There were also some things that didn't feel very realistic.

I am excited to see how Kimi grows in her writing. This one ultimately just wasn't for me.

Just as Aspen thinks she has a bright career ahead of her in acting and music, it all explodes. Now she has to head back to her hometown to discover what is important. Tis the damn Season is a trope-heavy romance that leans too much on thin relationships and shallow characters. There is no real attachment or depth for the reader to latch onto. Aspen was immature and did not have much growth unless it was with the male protagonist to lead her there. Roman is a caricature of a Dominican, having him say a nickname in Spanish to indicate there is diversity. The relationship was childish and the flashbacks boring.

'Tis The Damn Season is the debut novel of young author Kimi Freeman who was only fifteen years old when she wrote her first draft. It follows two dual storylines regarding the relationship between main characters Aspen and Rowan. One view is of present day with the two characters reconnecting for the first time in years while the other is of their relationship when they were younger. Aspen genuinely never thought she would be returning long term to her small hometown again but when a scandal rocks her world, she quickly finds that there is no where else she would rather be.

I honestly had a love/hate relationship with Aspen and Rowan. There were times when they just felt like they were stuck in their juvenile phase of when they first met. Neither one of them is completely honest with the other. There is obviously unresolved feelings between them but neither one of them is willing to actually address them. Well Rowan attempts to address the tension between them but most of the time Aspen just tries to brush it off. She is afraid of ruining a good thing but also won't actually address the issues that are right in front of her.

It is not only the issues with Rowan that she refuses to address but also the public scandal that she has found herself in. It takes alot for her to finally put her foot down and refuse to be manipulated and blamed for something that was never her fault. There is also an event that occurs at the beginning of her career which she blames herself for. She believes that if she hadn't been in such a vulnerable position the events of her past would never had occurred. After finding out what exactly had happened to her, I understood her more but, at the beginning it was just hard to feel any type of full support for her when she wasn't even being honest with herself. Especially when she gets upset with Rowan and her family for moving forward with their lives while she was away in Hollywood.

While I was reading 'Tis The Damn Season I did enjoy how each chapter started with some sort of lyrical reference. The musician part of me was all for this and I must say each chosen lyrics did fit with the scenario at hand. There were alot of cute moments through out this story of second chance romance but overall I just felt like something was missing I also felt that there was drama trying to be created where it didn't necessarily need to be. Maybe the voice of the story was just too young and immature for me. I was still able to see how much potential is there though and I look forward to watching Kimi Freeman grow as a writer.

Good solid debut book. I did find the characters to be slightly immature, and I was under the impression that this would be an adult romance, but reads more like a YA book instead.

Full disclosure: one of the main reasons I was drawn to this book was for the title of course (love a good T. Swift reference).
I read this book in the weeks leading up to Christmas and absolutely devoured it. I'm a Hallmark movie Stan (I know, I know), so this book hit that little small town/second chance romance spot! I loved Roman and Aspen so much and the forced proximity trope was just right!
My only sticking point with this book was that the characters felt a little young for 25. Then again, I did read the author is young herself. And don't we all kind of revert to our high school selves, ever so slightly, when we find old friends from high school?

If you’re a Taylor Swift fan you might just like this as a lot of her lyrics and themes around her are included. It was a cute read and just in time for the holiday season. Overall, it was cute and fast read.

Thank you for the copy

I feel like if you're a Taylor Swift fan you guys might just like this as a lot of her lyrics and themes around her are included. It was a cute read and just in time for the holiday season. Overall, it was cute and fast paced nothing really special for me personally.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for this ARC.

This was a feel-good Christmas read which was nice to read in the build-up to the festive season. The concept had a lot of potential and there was a great balance of drama and joy.

I was so excited for this one...and it was cute, but it definitely felt like more of a YA read. Very hallmark-y. Not gonna lie, the title was what drew me in.

This was a case of I should have done a little more research before opening this book. It was a DNF at 23% for me. The premise sucked this Swiftie right in but quickly into the story it leaned so YA I began looking at other reviews. It's amazing what the author has done at such a young age but it really does come across the pages and I feel like this book was marketed toward a crowd 10+ years than it should have been. Not that there is anything wrong with the book, but if I knew it leaned YA, as a reader who knows I do not typically enjoy YA, I would not have picked it up from the beginning.

'Tis the Damn Season by Kimi Freeman is an absolute gem that captivated me with its heartwarming narrative, enchanting characters, and clever nods to Taylor Swift. Freeman skillfully weaves a festive tale brimming with holiday magic and genuine emotions, while slyly incorporating Swift's iconic lyrics and themes, adding an extra layer of enjoyment for fans. The storyline effortlessly balances love, family, and the spirit of the season, creating a cozy atmosphere that warms the heart. The characters, inspired by Taylor's storytelling, are endearing, and their journeys deliver a perfect blend of romance, holiday cheer, and a subtle homage to Swift's musical storytelling. Freeman's writing is both evocative and charming, making 'Tis the Damn Season a delightful read that left me with a lingering sense of joy, nostalgia, and a smile at the clever musical references.

When I saw that this book was inspired by the Taylor Swift song tis the damn season I knew I needed to read this book. I love that song and thought any book with those vibes had to be a winner.

Aspen is a famous singer-actress who finds herself in the midst of a scandal that has her needing a new place to live and new friends. She decides the best way to ride out the scandal is by returning to her Pennsylvania hometown. Once there, she reconnects with her on again off again first love, Roman. She knows she can never have a future with Roman, their lives have taken them in two very different directions. But their chemistry is undeniable and she can’t help but remember why they fell in love in the first place.

This book wasn’t quite what I expected, but was a sweet, low-angst romance. It features some fun tropes - second chance, small town, celebrity romance with a touch of forced proximity as Aspen and Roman team up to produce the town Christmas play. The story was cute and it was a fun, quick holiday read.

Thank you to Parson Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

This was honestly a little forgettable.

Tis the damn season is my favourite Taylor Swift song, so I had very high hopes for this, but it fell flat.
I think the author would have been better to name it something else, as to lower expectations.

taylor swift title omg loved it a lot but felt like smth was missing tbh, the characters were good
thank you netgalley for the arc

Sadly this didn't hit the mark for me. There is a difference with these kind of reads between YA and New Adult etc. The author is only young and I think this is reflected in the writing. Whilst it was cute, it wasn't what I was looking for.

This book is a cute YA romance book. The cute cover and Taylor Swift inspired title drew me in right away. This wasn’t my absolute favorite romance however I am extremely impressed Kimi, the author, is only 16 years old!!! you go girl! You have a great career ahead of you!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is hard to review knowing that it was written by a 16-year-old. Is it the most well-written romance ever? No. Is it extremely impressive for a 16-year-old? Absolutely. Kimi Freeman clearly has a deep understanding of the romance genre. I'm so impressed that she wrote an entire book at her age and for her confidence to put it out in the world. I'm looking forward to seeing how she grows as a writer!

Sadly this one fell flat to me. Right off the bat it came across as very YA which is not my cup of tea. I tried to stick it out but it didn't derive from the YA feel. Think teenage holiday romcom.