If you just like Romance, I expect this will work fine for you, but if you’re looking for a solid holiday RomCom, look elsewhere.

This doesn’t have much humor to it, and what’s there feels forced. And for a holiday book, it’s pretty short on setting and atmosphere.

I see why the author wanted to center her book around a neurodivergent character, but I don’t think it worked particularly well, though I do applaud the effort.

In the end the story just doesn’t have much plot beyond the generic parameters of a romance, and as a holiday read it falls really flat.

2.5 stars

I'm seeing the word heartwarming used a lot for this and I'm just not sure it is, mostly everyone is just mean in her surrounding life and by the end only like 3 of them come to terms with how they have treated her and apologize for all that has happened. I will say this is a great story in terms of the MC's personal growth, learning how to stand up for herself and just overall what she wants in life. However sometimes they read as a late 20-something year old and other times they read as if they are middle teens. Overall a decent story with great autistic rep.

Thank you to St. Martins Press, Wednesday Books and Netgalley for access to an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

In this book we are following Jasper who is our autistic main character. We watch her grow into herself and learn to let others in as well. I loved following Jasper and her growth throughout the book. I also enjoyed the romance plotline with Arthur. The problem with this book was there was just A LOT going on. I get why some elements of the story were included to show Jasper's growth but there were just too many little side plots for me. Because of all the stuff going on I sometimes felt drawn out of the main storyline. I would still recommend this book as Jasper was a great character to read about and it was a beautiful coming of age story!

When Jasper arrives back into her small town and the timing ruins an important moment in the life of someone she is connected to, I knew I was going to laugh and like this book. I was not wrong. This was a fun easy read full of many emotions.

Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was an adorable, small-town cozy romance that merged community with growing up. I didn’t realize it was YA until the end, but it didn’t read childish at all. I did think there was a lot going on in this one, which led my experience to be more surface-level enjoyment.

Jasper, the FMC was neurodivergent, and while I appreciated that, I felt at times it was mentioned too much. Perhaps it would’ve been better had the neurodivergence been shown and not told quite as much. Arthur, the MMC was a perfect grumpy character with a heart of gold. Most of the other characters could be described mostly as rich people behaving badly. I didn’t love that plot line, but I understood why it was there.

Overall, this was an enjoyable, lighthearted read. Fans of small-towns, enemies to lovers, and winter months will enjoy this one.

I really enjoyed have a rom com novel that showcases a neurodivergent heroine. Jasper was a wonderful character to get to know and she her realize who she is by her definition not that ones her family has put on her. Even the town has a certain personality for her.

I love the autistic rep from an own voice author! The thought process and emotions of Jasper was a little all over the process and I feel like it was a great insight into how it feels for a neurodivergent individual.

I loved Arthur and their budding romance, but I wish we got more of them. I feel like I didn’t get a chance to truly get invested in the relationship. The small town vibes were there complete with gossip, wild characters, and town rules. I did not feel the small town love though. So many of the characters were mean and rude that I didn’t get the love or how it could feel like home. Though I will admit that this story is probably also showing how neurodivergent people are treated and spoken to and I do appreciate the highlight of those issues.

Overall this small town romance was short, cute, and easy to read. There’s also queer rep!

This is a lovely book with sweet romance and beautiful found family vibes. The actual family vibes aren't always the best. Jasper's family can be pushy, overbearing, and opinionated, at least, at first, particularly her older sister and mother. However, in the end, they support her and her decisions, and their actions and words, contrary to their previous actions and words, show that they really do care about her.

On the other hand, Arthur's relationship with his siblings is warm, loving, and supportive. His relationship with his younger sister, Grace is especially heartwarming. Jasper has a great relationship with Grace as well. She touchingly takes the girl under her wing.

Jasper is a very admirable heroine who doesn't let her autism completely rule her life. She tries to push herself a little bit. However, she is realistically portrayed in that she can only go so far, and when she is put into a situation that is too far out of her comfort zone she has a breakdown. However, that allows Arthur to show what a great guy he is in the way he tenderly takes charge and rescues her even before they have admitted they have feelings for each other. The way her friend Odette drops everything for her even though their friendship is not in the best place at the time is also moving. In fact, this book is full of moving relationships and sweet moments. That is one of the best things about it.

A teenager struggling with a big decision comes home for the holidays only to discover her arch nemesis will be in her way during her entire break. As she navigates family relationships and her own neurodivergence, she realizes life is just as complicated back home as it was at school. Author Elle McNicoll leans into her own experience with neurodivergence to lend authenticity to Some Like it Cold.

Jasper Montgomery has come home to Lake Pristine for Christmas break after making a major decision: she’s not going back to college. After 18 months, Jasper knows she’s completely unsuited for the major her parents forced her to take. Jasper wants to become an interior designer. She couldn’t care less about law school. But her parents made it clear: if they’re paying for college, Jasper has to study what they want.

She’s hit a breaking point, though, so she told her academic advisor she’s dropping out and drove home. She’s done. Of course, that was easy. Now she has to tell her parents.

It’ll also be hard facing the residents of Lake Pristine who assume Jasper will come back to town. Everyone does. How could they not? The beautiful lake and the homey small town eventually bring them home.

What makes it worse—or better—is everyone in Lake Pristine adores Jasper. She’s always been the helpful one, the dependable one, and the residents of Lake Pristine feel like she’s their own daughter. How, Jasper thinks, can she tell them she plans to leave forever?

Then she discovers her sister, Christine, has gotten engaged and is planning the wedding for New Year’s Eve. Naturally everyone in Lake Pristine will be coming. Christine has already turned into a bridezilla, ignoring Jasper’s pleas that some of the activities are in direct contradiction to what Jasper can handle.

Being diagnosed with autism later than other kids means Jasper is still trying to advocate for herself. Her mother is in denial about Jasper’s diagnosis, and her people-pleasing father refuses to take a strong stance in Jasper’s defense. Christine is too self-involved to pay much attention, and her ego is inflating with the wedding coming.

Then there’s Arthur, the boy who has been Enemy Number One since high school. He’s still grumpy and ill at ease whenever Jasper is around. Now he and his cousin, Marcus, have decided to enter a documentary contest to show what makes Lake Pristine special.

Given that Jasper’s family is one of the most prominent families in Lake Pristine, it only makes sense that Christine’s wedding will be a part of the documentary. But Jasper doesn’t want any of it. She doesn’t want Arthur and Marcus following her everywhere with a camera, she doesn’t want to keep kowtowing to Christine’s ridiculous whims, and she doesn’t want to stay in Lake Pristine. Except now that she’s back, she’s finding it harder than ever to tell the most important people in her life she’s going to leave. Maybe, Jasper thinks, it might be best just to walk away from it all without stopping to say goodbye.

Author Elle McNicoll shares in her author’s note that her own personal struggle with neurodivergence informs her storytelling, and in some scenes that authority is clear. At one point, Jasper experiences what she calls a “shutdown,” and only someone with internal knowledge could have written the scene so powerfully. The anguish, too, that Jasper experiences at her mother’s insistence on her masking—acting like someone who doesn’t have autism—also rings with a truth that can only come from living it.

Other parts of the story aren’t as strong and may leave readers asking questions. Jasper makes mental note many times of how her peers bullied her in school. If Lake Pristine’s residents love her so much, readers may wonder why more adults don’t speak up on Jasper’s behalf even if they didn’t know about her autism.

Also, the book tries to include too many elements to make Jasper seem overworked and stressed. Her love for ballet competes with her passion for old movies. While her family may be a major reason why Jasper wants to leave Lake Pristine, the rest of the people there are so wonderful it seems hard to justify her departure. Some readers may wonder why she can’t just ask one of the other trusted adults in town for a place to stay while she strikes out on her own in design school.

For the most part, however, the book is a fairly enjoyable read and a step in the right direction of diverse storytelling. Those who enjoy a YA romance will like this one.

Some Like It Cold is the story of a neurodivergent teen who returns home to her small town for winter break, to deal with family drama, small town drama and all of the winter excitement. This book was adorable and heartwarming. I loved the charming small town vibes which had a Gilmore Girls feel to it. I loved the romance. I loved the teenage banter and angst. It felt very honest and real, full of lovable characters.

It took me a little while to warm up to this one (no pun intended). I just needed to settle in and get a feel for the characters to figure out the dynamics at play here. Once I did, I found this heartwarming and tender small-town romance.

Jasper has been away at Uni for the last 18 months but has returned to her little hometown of Lake Pristine for the holidays.

Jasper’s sister, Christine, is getting married and once again is the main focus of the family’s attention. Little do they know Jasper has returned to say goodbye to their little town for good.

But when Jasper runs into Arthur Lancaster, an adversary from her teenage years, she discovers there just might be a reason to stay.

Jasper is a fantastic character, as she is on the Autism spectrum, and she doesn’t want to hide it. And she is done trying to please everyone else. I loved the chemistry between her and Arthur, truly moving from icy cold to cozy warm.

One thing that stood out to me was the family relationships. Jasper’s and Arthur’s families are an integral part of the story, but I wouldn't say I liked Jasper’s family. Her parents didn’t seem to accept her diagnosis, and her sister was selfish and mean at times. Thankfully, there is some character development and relationship repair towards the end.

With themes of belonging, family, and acceptance, the wintery holiday atmosphere set the mood just right for scripting this sweet love story.

Thank you @wednesdaybooks and @stmartinspress for the gifted ebook via Netgalley.

Some Like It Cold is an adorable small-town romance, perfect for cozying up with during the winter holidays. The story follows Jasper, who returns to her hometown with a plan, only to find that life has its own surprises in store. When an unexpected situation forces her to rethink everything, Jasper must decide whether to take a leap of faith or stick to her original path.

The author does a fantastic job portraying a neurodivergent protagonist. Jasper is incredibly endearing, and I found myself rooting for her from the start. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic with Arthur, the other main character, is both charming and fun to watch unfold. Arthur complements Jasper well, and their interactions are a highlight of the story.

If you're a fan of small-town romances with a festive backdrop, Some Like It Cold is a delightful holiday read you won’t want to miss.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for providing me with this copy.

This was my first book by this author, and I was totally caught up in it. The story is about Jasper, a neurodivergent young woman who has returned home after being gone to college. Her homecoming is looked forward to by the entire town, because Jasper is such a sweetheart to everyone. She's caring and loyal. She helps everyone and always has a smile on her face.

Dealing with people is actually fairly hard for Jasper. Reading people's reactions and cues is hard. So she acts. She hides her own feelings and tries to put on the face that she thinks will get her by. Romance is hard. She can totally miss interest from guys or react inappropriately. Arthur would be a good example.

Arthur has always had feelings for Jasper and really hates the way her family treats her as if she will never be enough and the way her sister always takes advantage of her. However, they actually believe each dislikes the other. Their discovering each other isn't smooth sailing, but this really is a sweet romance that makes you cheer!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

❄️ Book Review ❄️

Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll
❄️
This book was sweet, charming, and a joy to read. Elle McNicoll brought Lake Pristine vibrantly to life, and she accurately captured both the whimsy, and the struggles of living in a small town. Jasper is a wonderful main character. The author did an excellent job of showing her neurodivergence without making it her entire personality. Jasper is autistic, but that’s only a small part of what makes her her. This book allowed her to be more than her diagnosis, and I love that! Jasper and Arthur have such a cute relationship. There’s vitriol at the beginning when they hate each other, then banter when they start to become friends, and finally chemistry when they begin to fall in love.
Charlie Sanderson does a great job with the narration. I loved her accent, and it really helped me get into the setting of the book.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming, delightful book that deals with the complexities of family relationships and expectations, autism, and romantic relationships, check this one out.
❄️
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️
❄️
Read if you like:
▫️YA romance
▫️small town
▫️enemies to lovers
▫️neurodivergent rep
▫️dual POV
❄️
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and Elle McNicoll for the gifted copy and ALC. I received them for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

“A privileged childhood was just that: a great privilege. But sometimes it felt like a down payment on lifelong subservience.”

Jasper Montgomery has always been the sweetheart of her hometown, Lake Pristine. Think Rory Gilmore in a warped version of Stars Hollow, or Cinderella minus the fairy godmother. So when she left for college, Jasper left behind a big hearted hole no one else in town could ever dream of filling.

Now the prodigal daughter is returning to town, but she’s got a secret- she won’t be returning to college-or coming back to Lake Pristine, anytime soon. Instead she has decided to divert from the plan she had, or rather, the plan her family had for her.

But her arrival coincides with a big announcement of its own-her sister, the high maintenance Christine, is getting married. No stranger to Christine’s desires eclipsing her own, Jasper finds herself once again diving into her sister’s divisive demands, despite tiring of taking on the role her entire life. But being back home, while giving her some sense of creature comfort, also reminds her why she hasn’t wanted to return in the first place. Now in the midst of wedding madness and newfound feelings for an old foe named Arthur, Jasper has some tough decisions to make, and fears to face once and for all.

When I first started reading this story, I had a hard time getting into it. The idea that Jasper was such a people pleaser who was loved by many didn’t jive with the neurodivergent people I have known and if I’m being honest, I’m still grappling with some of those emotions. However, I’m glad I stuck with the story as the second half, especially the relationship between Jasper and Arthur, ended up really grabbing me. I even managed to make some peace with her family, who were God awful throughout most of the book. While I still feel her sister and mother were painted as pretty deplorable people, it takes a special writer to make them some degree of redeemable as author, Elle McNicoll amazingly managed to do.

DNF @ 9%. Unfortunately I’m calling it on this one. The characters feel entirely two dimensional and just keep randomly pondering important backstory in a way that doesn’t feel natural. There are so many ARCs I have that I would prefer to read that I can’t keep going with this one.

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐄𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐜𝐍𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ★★★

This was a sweet small town story based around Christmas time that gave all the sweet winter feels. I enjoyed the writing that gave very strong Gilmore Girls in the winter vibes.

The main character Jasper is coming home from college for the holidays with a long list of things she wants to do and some big changes ahead. I enjoyed Jasper’s personality and determination and I enjoyed her character development over the story to learning to stand up for herself.

The things that didn’t land with me is how much mean things happened with the people of the town and Jasper’s family. It was odd that it was such a small town and everyone seemed so sweet, yet everyone looked up to Jasper’s family like royalty, but the parents and the sister were so mean to everyone including Jasper. I just didn’t get the connection.

I really did enjoy the neurodivergent representation in the story. I appreciated how it was written and handled as well and I love that Jasper’s future really did fall into place at the end of the story.

This is a very cute, YA love story, of high school friends, who eventually become sweethearts. The town sweetheart comes home for the holidays to see her sister, getting engaged in a very public manner. The story takes us through this struggles, navigating parental expectations versus the need to follow your own heart and your own passions. Simultaneous to that story is a documentary being made to expose the other side of the town princess and the family that practically runs that town. This is my first time reading this author, and I was very intrigued by the story. The Neurodiverse aspect of the story also adds to the allure.

I wasn’t sure about this book when I first started reading it, but I wound up really enjoying it! I think it’s because the first part of the book felt a little disjointed for me. I didn’t quite know where the plot was going, there were a ton of characters, and it sort of felt all over the place. When the book starts, we meet Jasper who has been away at college. She is coming home for the holidays, and as she pulls into town, she sees her sister’s boyfriend proposing. Her sister Christine can be kind of a monster, but Jasper is the people pleaser. She’s always felt like she has to be. See, she’s Autistic and her family has always made her feel like she’s had to hide that part of herself away. Upon her arrival, she realizes that her best friend has another close friend, Sophie, who really isn’t a good friend to Odette. Then there’s Arthur, he’s hated her since high school, or has he? Jasper knows one thing, this is the last time she’s going to be home, she has other plans.

The neurodivergence rep in this book was fantastic. There is still a stigma out there for neurodivergence, including within families. Our family has experienced it as well, so that part of the book was easy to connect with. Do I think it was mentioned maybe one or two times too much? Personally for me, yes. But that’s okay. Jasper’s family annoyed me at times with the way that they treated her; I wanted them to be kinder to her. I especially wanted her sister to be more in tune with Jasper’s needs.

This is a cozy YA romance, once Arthur and Jasper come together, it’s really sweet. I wanted more from them. I wanted more of them. I did like the ornament scene, it made my heart melt. The ending was great, and I hope for Arthur and Jasper live a long life together!

This book is like drinking a warm cup of cocoa. This small-town romance is filled with laughs, wit, and charm. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves the feel of a Hallmark movie.