This one definitely has a Hallmark movie feel to it. In fact, the focus is just as much on the loving friendship between Holly and Ivy than the two romances. If you’re looking for a feel-good, low angst Christmas story, this is a good one to check out.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

For a more in-depth review watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9S4bEV6wJw


Ivy and Holly have been best friends for over a decade. On the eve of Holly’s Christmas wedding to her long-term boyfriend, she is unceremoniously dumped. Holly persuades Ivy to take her all-expenses-paid honeymoon to Hawaii while Holly escapes to an off-the-grid cabin Ivy had booked for the week after Christmas. Once they are both on their vacations, they make connections with romantic strangers and begin to realize where their lives should go next.

I am a big fan of anything Christmas-related, but this book didn’t quite work for me. The plot was uneven. The Ivy parts felt like a chore, and I just wanted to go back to Holly. Also, the intro was a little too instant for my liking. If you are looking for a quick and fluffy holiday romance that doesn’t require a lot of thinking, this book is perfect, but if you want something a little deeper, you should probably look elsewhere.

I received eARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on November 2nd, 2024. Links provided.

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey share a deep friendship that thrives on their uncanny resemblance and unbreakable bond. When Holly is blindsided by her fiancée suddenly calling off their wedding and leaving her with a costly honeymoon she can’t bear to face, she persuades Ivy to step in and take the trip for her. Ivy heads off to Hawaii to enjoy the trip while Holly retreats to a cozy cabin in Hudson Valley, hoping to heal through a marathon of holiday films. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when she discovers her rugged Airbnb host is actually her former academic rival, who has turned into quite the catch. Meanwhile, Ivy’s solo art retreat in Hawaii is thrown into chaos when Holly’s ex-fiancee shows up for his honeymoon with a new partner, leaving Holly stranded and without a room in the hotel. Just when things seem hopeless, a charming bartender steps in to save the day, leading both friends toward a holiday season that might just prove Christmas magic is real.

I really loved this book! I thought the writing was wonderful and I really loved all of the characters. I felt the book was funny, sweet, warm-hearted, and also had moments of personal growth for both of the main characters. I loved reading the book with alternating chapters between Holly and Ivy’s points of view, watching how both of their stories developed. For me, this was a perfect rom-com story that was a fast and easy read. If you love the movies The Holiday and Forgetting Sarah Marshall, I am sure you will also love this book!

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of The Holiday Honeymoon Switch in return for my honest review.

This was a great holiday romcom Marie. I really enjoyed the premises about the book was supposed to be about and found that it actually had so much more awesome plot twist, and it once I started. Both characters were phenomenal. I enjoyed both of the main female leads, and their journey to Romance. The author created a story that's perfect for the holiday or just a sit down. Feel good read.

While this book was a sweet read, it was highly predictable (& somewhat unbelievable)

It came with a lot of drama and not necessarily the good book kind.
Some of that I found myself skipping over.

This is what I call a palate cleanser, something light and fact paced to read after something heavy.

This was so fun. It was a quick read and the perfect Christmas/Holiday book. It was not very believable but it still made for a fun easy read.

Just not the book for me.
Both female leads were immature and annoying.
Seems like all they cared about was sex.
This was such a great plot line- had great possibilities but I didn’t enjoy the characters and their actions.

I loved this book so much!! It gave me all the holiday vibes and I was LIVING for it!!😍 Holly and Ivy’s friendship was everything! 🥹 and of course I also loved Oliver and Aiden 🥹 the perfect read for the Christmas time!

This was such a great holiday read!! I loved the main characters and the vacations they went on. It's a must read this holiday season!

Best friends Holly and Ivy decide to switch vacations when Holly’s fiance calls off their wedding with hardly any notice. Ivy is now going on Holly’s honeymoon trip where she meets friends and one of them may be a hot guy! Holly takes Ivy’s vacation where she reconnects with someone from her past amidst her heartbreak.

This was mainly a story of friendship with a twist of romance! It was cute and fluffy and such a nice palette cleanser. It was definitely not heavy on the Christmas theme if that’s what you’re searching for and can be read all year. I enjoyed this one!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Julia McKay, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published on October 8th.

I loved this sweet holiday read. This was my first book by this author and now I’m excited to read more of her books. I loved the characters, they were relatable and had great chemistry and I loved the plot. I felt so bad for Holly, but just knew she would find happiness in the end.

Best friends are improving to have in life, especially in times when life is hard. Holly's December wedding is called off by Matt the night before they were to say, "I do." Ivy, her best friend, only wants the heartache to stop.
To not waste the honeymoon to Hawaii, nonrefundable from Holly's parents, she asks Ivy to go, while she swaps holiday plans and takes Ivy's solo trip to the snowy mountains in upstate New York.
Holly is pleasantly surprised that the caretaker of the eco cabin she'll be staying in is actually Aiden, her academic rival from high school. Meanwhile, Ivy shows up in Kauai to find Matt and his mistress on the "honeymoon" she was going on. Avoiding the couple at the hotel, Ivy is rescued by a hot bartender in more ways than one.
Holly needs some time to process her sudden break-up. Ivy needs her artistic holiday getaway. Will the best friends get what they need and more?

This dual romance has vibes similar to the movie, The Holiday, but is about two best friends, not strangers, who swap holiday destinations. Holly, whose fiancé dumps her the night before their wedding, goes to an eco-cabin in upstate NY where Ivy was going to take her annual two-week art retreat while Ivy goes to Holly’s honeymoon resort in Hawaii only to find that the a’hole ex-fiancé is there with his new girlfriend. The hot bartender, Oliver, who resembles Ryan Gosling, finds her a place to stay and there’s an instant attraction. Meanwhile, Holly, who still hasn’t cried after the breakup of her 10-year relationship, meets the cabin’s owner, Aiden, who is, serendipitously, her former high school friendly rival who’s had a major glow-up, now resembling Henry Cavill.

The chapters alternate between Holly and Ivy (this nod to the holiday is mentioned more than once), and describe not only the different ways Christmas is celebrated in a small Hudson Valley town and on a breathtakingly beautiful Hawaiian island, but also how each female lead finds instalove when neither is looking for it. Although there are some mildly steamy scenes, there’s not really much obvious chemistry. It definitely has a Hallmark movie feel to it. In fact, the focus is just as much on the loving friendship between Holly and Ivy than the two romances. If you’re looking for a feel-good, low angst Christmas story, this is a good one to check out.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from G.P. Putnam’s Sons through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I recently read two new description that I would love to see become more wide spread.
Closed-Door Romance and Open-Door Romance.

Closed-door romance is a romance novel genre where the sex scenes are either off-page, fade to black, or have minimal explicit detail. I would love to see publishers and reviewers start using these terms so more readers are not caught off guard. To each their own but it is so frustrating that so many books have these cute unassuming covers and bam! You are caught off guard.

But I digress. This is a Closed-Door Romance which I appreciated. There was still heat but it wasn't in my face.

Holly and Ivy are best friends and would do anything for each other. When Holly's fiance unexpectedly calls of their wedding the night before, Ivy convinces Holly to take the trip that Ivy has planned and Holly convinces Ivy to take the honeymoon so it doesn't go to waste. This is a fun holiday "beach" read.

I received an ARC of this boo from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wowowowow this book was SO cute!! I loved the back and forth of the stories and the cohesiveness of the storylines. I loved the friendship between the two female lead characters! I love loved the relationships of the people around them. I am so glad they didn’t hyper focus on the ex fiancée but focused on the new guys. Honestly, my only wish is that 1) it was longer and 2) we got just a bit more romantic scenes between the couples. Maybe also a bonus epilogue. But overall? The perfect book to kick off the winter season!

A cute feel-good romance reminiscent of the movie The Holiday. Including familiar second chance and miscommunication troupes with a minimum amount of drama, this story will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling.

Ok, this book is exactly what i expected but also not what I expected at the same time. I was so excited to read this one and it did not disappoint. I feel like I have been picking the right books lately because this one was a 5 star. I was flabbergasted when we got to why there was not going to be a wedding. And also a little mad cause why… just why on that day of all days.. I also want to mention how much I loved their friendship. Holly and Ivy are exactly what I want in a friendship. The writing was great, pacing was perfect, I feel like it was the perfect length, but I also wouldn’t have been ,mad about 2 or 3 more chapters. I can’t wait to read more from this author. Check it out if you haven’t because it is so good.

One of my favorite movies is The Parent Trap, and one of my favorite holiday movies is The Holiday. I am a complete sucker for plots where two different storylines are swapped, and I absolutely ate this book up. Holiday romances are very hit-and-miss for me; I either love them or hate them. I am happy to report that The Holiday Honeymoon Switch was one that I loved. I am excited to promote this book both on my social media outlet and in my store as the holiday season approaches.

Cute Christmas vacation swap. Holly and Ivy met at a college party with their boyfriends. They became fast friends and when a wedding is canceled but the trip is paid for the girls swap vacations. Each woman falls for the location of their trip along with a..umm local man!

This book was such a fun romance! I loved the dual POVs from each best friend, all of the banter among the characters, and the growth seen in each best friend as they fall in love. Definitely a great read for the holidays!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy.