This book literally felt like a hug, I absolutely loved it. If you’re looking for a cutesy Christmas romance then holiday star be your next read.

I’m a sucker for a celebrity romance so this book sold me just from the synopsis. Gwen as a character was brilliant, I loved the depth we had with her. I felt really emotionally involved in this book. I liked the themes of self love and valuing yourself.

Caleb will make you swoon, him and Gwen are the sweetest couple 🥺

Also the fact there’s a clean closed door version and a spicy open door version??! OBSESSED. Obviously I’ll be choosing the spicy one but I think it’s such a great option to have as I know not everyone enjoys having those scenes in romance books.

If you’re in the mood for a cosy, comforting Christmas romance then this is the perfect book for you 🥰🎄✨

P.S 10% of all proceeds go to fund colon cancer research so there’s even more of a reason to buy the book 💕

** Spoilers** Did this book give me big holiday vibes? No. Did I love it? Yes! I would 100% recommend this book to all romance fans. I’m not usually a romance book fan unless it has an underlying theme of war (historical fiction) or fantasy but this one actually kept me intrigued. I am also a fan of Twilight and Taylor Swift so references to both were fun. The storyline was predictable in a general sense (resistance to romance to fast romance to conflict to resolution) but the way that Melissa weaves the plot is very unique and I’m not sure I’ve read a romance book about a movie start before. I love that Gwen is a strong woman and doesn’t immediately go running back to Caleb. It definitely kept me hooked! I read the spicy version FYI and it was definitely spicy 😂 I loved it but these were some of the more graphic open-door scenes that I’ve ever read! I was not expecting it.
My tips for other readers would be - read this if you want romance, not Christmas vibes. And if you don’t like open door scenes choose the sweet over spicy version! Overall great book 4+ stars.

Okay so this book was such a cute Christmas read. Even though it doesn’t just contain Christmas. It starts near the holiday and ends near the holiday. I’m also a fan of the title referring to the tree star her dad got when Teddy was little. I enjoyed the fact that Gwen doesn’t just take Caleb back without a little work on his end.
References:
Twilight book he picks up to read that first Christmas! Yes :)
Taylor Swift at karaoke night singing Blank Spaces! Yes :)
Stephen King reference to favorite author of Gwen! Yes :)
I enjoyed the development of the characters as well as the side characters and I can’t wait to read the next book in this love story!
Thank you NetGalley and Melissa Dymond for this ARC!

OMG this book was AMAZING!
Let me tell you, it was soooo well written, it felt like a cozy hug during a winter storm. That’s why I am rating it 5 stars.
First off all, her writing, wow it was great, I loved how she pictured everything but especially the characters, their emotions and their actions. I could practically feel their joy and pain, and that's when you know you're onto something good. It's like making friends with the folks in the book, you laugh with them, cry with them, it’s a whole emotional rollercoaster.
I was hooked from the first page, and the way the story unfolded kept me happily reading.
I also really appreciated how the author addressed the topic of cancer in her book. She integrated it perfectly into the book and let the characters speak.
All in all I found reading her book so great, I wished that the wintertime where already there, that I could read it in front of the fireplace, because it was so cozy and sweet, I’ve had many emotions during this book, but in the end it was only happiness. Also really appreciated her surprise at the end. So if you searching for a winter romance book, read this one because it's so good!

Not just a holiday romance
Holiday Star is so much more than just a superficial and lighthearted holiday romance. Yes the MCs falls in love and find their HEA, and several favourite genre tropes such as forced proximity are invoked. But Holiday Star also deals with heavy topics such as grief, loneliness, anxiety, fear of abandonment and failure, and dysfunctional families. I thoroughly enjoyed following Gwen and Caleb’s emotional story, and look forward to read more from this (new to me) author.

This was a cute little holiday story. I saw that the author made 2 versions (one spicy and one not) that really intrigued me. The characters were a very interesting combination as far as occupations go. If you’re looking for a fun holiday story this is a good one!

This was a great book to get me in the holiday spirit. I identified in so many ways with both Gwen and Caleb. I appreciated the mental health representation in the book and I loved the relationship between the two of them throughout the book. Thank you for the Advanced Reader Copy NetGalley.

In typical celebrity romance fashion - you’ve got a down on his luck MMC who needs some serious moral support. This book started so strong, but i felt could have had a significantly shorter and / or faster paced second half. The depth of issues discussed was important, but the relationship between Caleb and Gwen appeared to lose maturity as time went on.

Thanks to the publishing and NetGalley teams for the ARC so that I could provide this honest review!

I thought this was a really good holiday read! I love that the author provides both an open and closed door version. I loved the spice but the instant love was a little strong for me at times. Even so, I enjoyed reading it!

🎄⭐☃️ Holiday Star by Melissa Dymond (NetGalley review) ☃️⭐🎄

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5
🌶️🔥🥵 (If you choose the open door version)

❄️ Omg this was such a cute and spicy read all rolled into one! I haven't felt in the Christmas mood just yet but that didn't affect me here. Honestly, this book can be read anytime of the year despite its holiday season setting.

🎁 It's really cool that the author has a closed door and open door option to make sure everyone has a way to enjoy this book!

🦌Gwen starts off as a dependable reliable doctor who gets swept off her feet by super famous actor Caleb Freaking Lawson. 😍
She learns to grow and accept all parts of herself and I admire her so much!

🌲 My oh my is Caleb a hottie 😮 not only is he an actor, which is super cool in its own right, but he can cook and when he cares, he will never give up on you 🥰

I really enjoyed this one and I'm excited to read more by this author!

https://www.netgalley.co.uk/catalog/book/303726

Everything I wanted in a Christmas book and then some. Christmas is my favorite holiday and this was the perfect start to the season

Thank you so much for the ARC

This book was so good on all different levels! It deals with grief, abandonment, alcoholism, loneliness, unworthiness and of course LOVE! Celebrities are humans too, and no matter how famous they are, they have to turn it on and off for the public and it really hits home because of the recent death of Matthew Perry for me 🥺😢

The MCs are both super sweet kind people who have lost their way. Coming together at a festive time, (LOVE THAT FORCED PROXIMITY TROUPE!) has opened their hearts for love! You might think it’s cheesy, but it’s not! This book took us on a journey and I want another one! Dr. Melissa Dymond is a debut author and she wrote a wonderful book! This books has already been released and I really hope you all go on KU to read it.

And… The author has provided both a Spicy and Sweet (closed door) option for reading!! how awesome is that?!?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was amazing!

First of all, I love that it comes with two versions (spicy or clean) for readers to choose what they’re most comfortable with.

I loved the dating celebrity vibes that this books has.

Also enjoyed the references to Twilight and Taylor Swift!

Perfect Christmas romance! Must read.

Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced copy!

Gwen had been through it. Her father died of cancer and her fiancé she had been with for 6 years broke off the engagement and went back to his ex. She was full of grief and constantly feeling like she was never good enough. That was until her step dad’s nephew and famous movie star, Caleb Lawson, came into the picture.

Gwen was house-sitting for her parents while they went to Japan and on her first night there, she was awoken in the middle of the night to an intruder. The intruder? Her famous step-cousin, Caleb Lawson who she hit over the head with a wrench. Luckily, Gwen was a doctor so she was able to nurse Caleb back to life only to find out that he was going to be her new roomie for the next few weeks.

This is where things get complicated. They clearly had feelings for each other and honestly, if it was anyone else, this would be an easy 5 star book. I love seeing celebrities trying to live a normal life and date normal people but I couldn’t get past the fact that this was Gwen’s step-cousin. I know, I know, not technically related but still close enough that it made the arrangement a little weird to me.

I had EXTREMELY high hopes for this book because it featured a celeb romance during the holidays but this book didn’t even wow me in the slightest. I found it to be a bit boring.

I LOVED the idea of a celebrity dating a doctor. Two totally different worlds colliding but it didn’t do anything for me. This book was so lackluster. I wanted to see more from the fame side of things and/or more from the doctor side of things. I also lost interest QUICKLY when the two love interests were technically related. As someone with step-cousins, this felt wrong to me. I can understand that the author meant no harm but it was just weird overall.

Holiday Star is a forced proximity celebrity romance set at Christmas from author Melissa Dymond. It was an easy page-turning heartwarming read which I just sank into.
Caleb is a totally swoon-worthy MMC. I’m not surprised he swept Gwen off her feet because he did the same to me. Gwen and Caleb had undeniable chemistry which was really well written and there was witty banter between the two of them. The spicy scenes were well-written and HOT. The build up to their relationship was also well-written and it was a joy to slowly see them start to fall for each other as Gwen gets to know Caleb and see the man behind the celebrity persona. Gwen was a wonderful protagonist who was so likeable and we love a woman in STEM
Holiday Star has been published in two variations: one spicy open-door version and one clean closed-door version. I read the spicy edition which contains graphic sex scenes and explicit language but the clean version contains only kissing and no explicit language. I love Melissa Dymond’s commitment to making her books accessible to all readers in this way and personally think we should see more of this in the world of romance novels so that every reader is comfortable.
The book does also tackle some difficult subjects very well. We have good mental health representation through Gwen’s experience of panic attacks. There is also a good portrayal of Caleb’s alcoholism and the treatment he receives.
My one potential criticism is how much of the novel takes place after the festive period as, for a book marketed as a holiday read, I just needed a bit more Christmas spirit. Whilst the first half of the novel is set around the holidays and we have a brief closing chapter set at Christmas the following year, the majority of the second half of the book is set outside of the festive months. Whilst I recognise the importance the non-holiday chapters played within the progression of the story, it would have been nicer for the second set of Christmas scenes to have been that bit longer so we could pack more festive magic into the book and really sandwich the novel with holiday scenes.
Holiday Star is a heartwarming, fun modern romance which is the perfect easy festive read for fans of celebrity romance novels or the forced proximity trope.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I have posted an extended review on my blog www.yourschloe.co.uk and the post is linked.

Thanks so much to Melissa Dymond DO and Melissa Dymond for the ARC. I absolutely loved this book. I'm a sucker for a goo holiday romance novel and this one was perfect! definitely recommend this to anyone!

What a beautiful, heartwarming love story. It hit that perfect balance for me. Escapism combined with an utterly lovely storyline. I didn't want it to end. An up market pretty woman romance.. ahhh. Simply lovely.

Such a fun, steamy holiday read! Gwen Wright plans to spend an extended holiday break with her mother and her new step-father. Her plans are thwarted when they announce they are moving to Tokyo for her step father’s new job. She agrees to house sit over the holidays and take a break from the pressures of being the dependable daughter. Enter chaotic Caleb Lawson - her step father’s nephew as well as America’s heartthrob.

As Caleb and Gwen hunker down for the holidays together, they realize their perceptions of each other may be misguided. They can’t deny their chemistry, but will this be a festive fling or will they manage to make their relationship last when the magic ends?

I loved seeing Gwen and Caleb both go through so much personal growth. They both had emotional growth that needed to happen before they could thrive together.

Please don't take too much from this review, since romance is really not my go-to genre, and the majority of readers loved this book, so I am very much in the minority here. I picked this up because I do enjoy a spicy Christmas romance, and this seemed to fit the bill. Unfortunately, I didnt realize that a large portion of the book did not take place during Christmas, so maybe this is more "Christmas-lite."

Let me start with what I liked: The spicy scenes were well done, and I liked how the author created both an open-door and closed-door version of the book for readers. I thought that was really considerate. A portion of the book's sales are going to colon cancer research, which I think is wonderful. A lot of the characters were likeable, including our FMC Gwen, but I moreso liked her friends, especially Alvina.

What I didn't love: I had a hard time connecting with the romance here or feeling sympathy for the characters. I'm not a fan of "insta-love" so the idea of the characters' worlds ending when they broke up after a couple of weeks together was hard for me to believe. I also found Caleb to be kind of annoying--the gorgeous A-list actor who is also a gourmet chef and has the voice of an angel yet suffers from stage fright--it was a little too much for my taste.

The families in this story are awful, especially the mothers, and I was really hoping both mothers would come to terms with their incredibly toxic behavior, but it seemed to be largely ignored (which granted can be really realistic for a lot of families, but it just left me hating the moms).

All in all, it missed the mark for me, but it did work for a lot of readers, so I suggest picking it up and deciding for yourself!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Because I feel that way too. All the time. Trying to prove that I'm good enough. Thinking that if I try hard enough, people will let me stay, that they won't keep leaving me."

Holiday Star is such a cute, steamy holiday read! Gwen and Caleb are perfect for each other. They both desperately want to be loved for who they are not who people want them to be. She's a doctor. He's a famous movie star. Her father passed away. His mother tries to control his life. When happenstance throws them together, they're gifted with the ability to just be THEMSELVES for one month while the world is non-the-wiser.

I loved the little moments they shared before finally crossing the line between friends and more-than-friends. The little looks Caleb would sneak. The sweet things he'd do for her. It was a great build-up to the romance.

Watching these two grow together was pure magic. I love romance, but it's the humanity weaved into the subtle touches that makes a great book, and Holiday Star has that in spades.

Also, there is a spicy version AND a closed-door version! So whether you'd prefer to not read the more intimate details OR refuse to read a book WITHOUT them, you're in luck. Dr. Dymond has you covered!

Holiday Star is the perfect holiday romance to keep you warm on a cool winters night. Grab your copy now!

Thank you, Melissa Dymond, for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.