Rating: 4/5
I received an Audio ARC for my honest opinion.

This is part of a series called Gift-Wrapped Romance, but it can be read as a standalone.

I thought this book was cute because it had all these tropes: second chances, forced proximity, small town, dual pov, and kinda fake dating. Oh, and how can I forget Christmas.

I thought the plot was cute, and well done for being a Christmas romance, I thought the characters were fun and easy to relate to. I thought the plot was not forced and it did flow in the manner of second chances, but I did have a hard time with connecting to the characters because I felt that there was a lot of attention on their past relationship and not really who they were now. However, other than that it was a fun and easy read for me. With a great pace and it didn’t linger on subjects that didn’t matter.

Brie was a great MFC, I loved her energy and her love for Christmas. I liked that she doesn’t just give up on things but wants to understand the why, and how it feels apart so she can be better prepared if it ever happens again. I loved that she was all into the kismet and was doing it for all the right reasons but really you know her inner feelings when listening to her talk and she really does believe in fate.

Rockwell there were times that I really was annoyed at the guy, but I can understand if you have someone that has an oh moment too soon it can ruin the book but at the same time I was like “look dude, pull that head of yours out of your butt and see what is right in front of you”. He was a great MMC for this romcom with being there for Brie when she needed it and being there when she didn’t even know that she really needed him.

I did get the audio of this book and I don’t know if it’s just me, but I loved the female narrator, I thought did an amazing job bringing Brie to life. However, the male narrator felt that something was off, I want to say that it sounded like he was muffled. I know that I was able to get used to it after awhile but to have the male character come out clear and clean like the female one would have made this audio a lot better for me.

I will still recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a cute, fast paced, Christmas romcom.

I want to thank NetGalley and Deamscape for the opportunity to review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced audio copy of this book.

DNF
I don't want to give this a negative rating because it certainly wasn't bad by any means at all, but the writing style was just the teensiest bit too cheesy for my taste and the plot was fairly predictable. Again, these aren't bad elements, and I think they could honestly sell a lot of people on this book because a lot of people love that. I don't hate Hallmark Christmas movies but this leaned pretty heavily into that, so if you love cheesy Hallmark movies that are predictable but fluffy and fun I think you will absolutely like and enjoy this! Just not completely to my taste. The audio narrators did put on wonderful performances too!

I'll give it a 3/5 stars to be fair, but it could easily be a 4-5 star for someone else!

Well. I hated it.

Take a super annoying lady that triggered my secondhand embarrassment constantly.
And add the MOST BORING and HORRIBLE guy in a nosy ass town, pining and whining for 200 pages.
Definitely didn’t feel like a healthy relationship nor could I understand the attraction…

Also HP reference, casual sexism and fatphobia.

I’m so glad it’s over.

Thanks NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for an advanced listening copy.

This was such a cute Christmas romance! It’s an amazing choice to get into the holiday mood, just like a Hallmark movie!

This book was HORRID.

I hated both MCs. I found the dialogue to be so robotic and unnatural. They had personalities of wet napkins and their struggles were just so pointless. I hated the plot, and every minute I spent reading this book.

The male narrator also needs some new sound equipment because the audio quality was just terrible. It made for a very uncomfortable read since the sound was so bad.

I could tell this author was religious and probably thinks this is the epitome of romance but they are deeply mistaken and I won't make the mistake of reading anything else by them. Ever.

This book was okay. It was cute but it wasn’t really anything special. I loved the cover, so I had to give it a shot. While this book was cute and definitely had great Christmas vibes, I just didn’t see much of a connection between the characters. I feel like most of their connection was from their past relationship years ago but that they never really got to know the new versions of each other. I liked both of the characters and thought they were both really sweet and great people. At times Rockwell was frustrating because he couldn’t see how he was different from his father and I was hoping he would get more closure on that through the book. I loved the small town vibes and thought that was all very sweet and christmasy as well. I think I just needed a little more from the relationship. I thought the whole notebook and Christmas list aspect of the book was really cute and I could totally see this book being a fun hallmark movie.

I also listened to the audiobook version of this book. The female narration was fantastic but the male narration almost sounded like he was speaking underwater and made it so much harder for me to focus on the male perspectives. It was an issue I have never had with an audiobook before.

Overall, this was a cute and wholesome Christmas read but don’t go in expecting too much depth of development from the characters.

Tropes:
- second chance romance
- neighbors
- closed door
- forced proximity
- no 3rd act breakup
- fake dating (kinda?)
- small town
- dual pov
- first person

Merry Kismet
By Anneka R. Walker
Narrated by Elise Taff & Sean Yves Lessard

Book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
Narration ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5

This Christmas book was like a magical Hallmark movie. I could not get enough of it. I was smiling and laughing through the entire thing. It was a sweet and clean rom-com with a second chance romance for high school sweethearts Brie and Rocky. Gosh these two were absolutely stinking adorable, I was rooting for them from the start. Their banter and quick wit, won me over quickly. Their chemistry was undeniable and they are without a doubt my favorite book couple.

This book was just a feel good romance, it literally brought me so much joy. My absolute favorite scene was at Brie’s family Christmas party. It was so fun and made me wish I was there, I’m a little bit jealous of all the games. I need someone to invite me to a party like this one.

The only reason I have the Narration 4.5 stars instead of 5 is because the males voice sounded a bit muffled or like he was quite a bit away from the microphone. The performance by Elise Taff & Sean Yves Lessard was top notch. The audiobook is full of wittiness, a touch of magic, adventure and Christmas fun. The Narrators Elise and Sean were a great choice for this fun and fast paced performance. This audiobook will keep you engaged and laughing out loud.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. I love a cute holiday themed book especially around Christmas. It gives me all the feels. The book was very cute and fast paced. I thought the characters were bland and didn’t spark my attention nor did i think their romance was very exciting. It’s definitely a good book for the season but not my favorite in the romance. Also as an audiobook listener, the male voice was very far from the mic and I had to keep adjusting the volume between the two characters.

This was such a sweet second chance, holiday romance. I really enjoyed Brie and Rockwell’s story. It was cute to see them both try not to fall for the other the second time. I love that there’s no third act breakup too.

The audio is great too. Elise Taff and Sean Yves Lessard were great as Rocky and Brie, and I think it added so much good to the experience.

Merry Kismet was a fun second chance romance between two former high school sweethearts. These two characters were so close and connected, first as friends and then eventually as girlfriend and boyfriend, before Rockwell broke Brie’s heart and left town.

It was so fun to see these two be thrown back into each other’s lives in this sweet and swoony tale! I liked that these two were able to be kind to each other and even tried to establish a bit of a friendship again. Of course, there were feelings right below the surface for both of them, and it was fun to see those romantic feelings begin to build. There were many fun and heartwarming moments between these two in the story.

I listened to the audio book and liked that there was both a female and a male narrator. I enjoy when audio books have dual narrators. At times, the male narrator’s voice had an echoing quality to it and sometimes the volume would drop when it switched to the male narration. I still enjoyed this story a lot and found it to be a fun second chance romance.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

1 of 5 Gift-Wrapped Romance Series with multiple authors / but standalone read
Cabin Crush by Kasey Stockton
Merry Kismet by Anneka R. Walker
Solo for the Season by Martha Keys
One Small Secret by Esther Hatch
Jingle Bell Jilt by Mindy Strunk
Second chance romance Bri & Rockwell former High School sweethearts.
Little ear safe read, no spice, Hallmark Christmas love story in a book
Perfect length, for a busy holiday season, this book will definitely put you in the Christmas mood, it has so much Christmas vibes, and literally “Christmas Magic”!

Merry Kismet is a very sweet and clean romance. I really enjoy books with a dash of magical realism and this one was enjoyable. Bree and Rockwell were likable characters and I like that their chemistry was pretty blatant from the beginning… you really didn’t need to guess what was happening in this story. If you enjoy second chance romance that’s clean (no spice), this one is sweet like a Hallmark movie. I received this book as an ALC through NetGalley and easily enjoyed in one sitting. Both narrators were great and told the story well. If you are looking for a Hallmark type of listen that you really don’t need to pay close attention to, to understand what’s going on, this one might be for you! Merry Kismet audiobook is out tomorrow 12/20/23!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for the ALC and the chance to listen and review it honestly.

Happy reading!

The sweetest second-chance romance! I loved this cute, cozy little holiday read. Brie and Rockwell are so perfect for each other. Inseparable high school sweethearts, but during senior year, Rockwell decided to break up with Brie and leave town without a goodbye. Fast forward to the present, Brie still misses him. When a store clerk gifts her with a notebook inscribed with "Kismet" across the cover, Brie decides to make a Christmas wish list for Santa. #1 on her list? - "I want Rockwell Davenport for Christmas". Enter Rockwell, back in town, visiting for the holidays. This book will have you in all your Christmas romance feels. *Part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone!

If you are looking for a short holiday romance. This is for you. The romance was addictive and I enjoyed it so much. I would highly recommend this book.

Can you really manifest Christmas wishes into being just by writing a list to Santa? This story definitely makes you wonder! Brie and Rockwell are given a second chance with each other, but you begin to think that maybe life will get in the way. This book is so cute! I definitely recommend if you want a light Christmas story.

Thank you for the opportunity to review this short, sweet story. I really enjoyed this in audio format and the female narrator, but the male narrator’s audio quality was far inferior and it was a bit distracting. The characters were likable but there wasn’t anything about the story that gripped me. It was the perfect length for a simple holiday romance.

This is your typical, holiday second chance romance feel good, cheesy Christmas story. Cheesy in a good way. One of those light hearted stories where the two stumble upon each other again in the small town that they grew up in and fall back in love. It was an enjoyable feel good read

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape select for asking me to listen to this audiobook. Firstly it was an absolute must as one of the narrators was Srephanie Cannon and she is just brilliant. She has an amazing uplifting voice. The gentleman narrator was also good, his tones very sexy just perfect for his character. My only criticism is that he recorded his sessions differently to Stephanie but that's only one slight issue. Otherwise they were perfect in character and fabulous.
The story was a perfect Christmas story. A single lady Brie popped to the shops and whilst paying at the till the sales lady, 'Mrs Santa' convinced her to take this notebook away with her, for free and put all her wishes in it. That night on her own, fed up with TV, she picked the notebook up, she wrote 'Rockwell back to Bearwood for Christmas'. As soon as she had written it there was a knock at the door. As she laughed to herself thinking how quick that was, she got up to open the door and there he stood!
Brie had always believed in fate but that was bizarre. It turns out Rockwell had returned to help his freind and also to convince his mother to move back to New York with him. After his parents had split, he had left Brie for New York and never came back. She had been broken hearted. She still liked him. Would love find a way particularly at Christmas?
This was a wonderful Christmas story, I loved it! Its part of a series, but can be listened to as a stand alone.
With these narrators this audiobook was great. If you want a magical romantic Christmas story, give this a try. You won't be disappointed.

3.75 stars.

I thought this book was very cute! A second chance romance set during Christmas was exactly what I was looking for. It was like reading a hallmark movie on a page! I did think that the story moved very quickly at times but it was still enjoyable. It gave me all of the sweet feelings that a book like this should. I thought that the characters were pretty fleshed out but I think there were a good bit of side characters that weren’t really mentioned in detail so we didn’t get to know them. However, this book was super fun overall.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for providing this audiobook to me in exchange for an honest review.

This delightful, cozy Christmas romance is the perfect audiobook to have on while you're wrapping gifts. It has a hint of holiday magic, all the festive small-town vibes, a lovably grumpy hero (Rockwell) and a sweet and sunshiny heroine (Brie). These characters were separated as teens when Rockwell's parents divorced and he fled town to escape the bad memories. Back in town for the sole purpose of bringing his mother home with him, he's convinced he'll never marry, but that's before Brie puts him on her Christmas list, and his buddy Travis puts him up in an unfurnished apartment right next door to her. Now they're seeing each other all the time, and some of her Christmas cheer is slowly rubbing off on him. It's just a matter of time before they get their second chance. I've read three books from this Gift-Wrapped Romance collection, and I think this is my favorite. Fans of clean holiday rom-coms will not be disappointed.