I am honestly surprised how much I enjoyed this book! Sometimes I feel like holiday books become too overly cheesy but this was the perfect amount of holiday cheese with some drama!

I absolutely adored Holly and Ivy’s friendship. This book has romance but the best love story is their friendship. This really feels like it could make for a great Hallmark movie…once you remove the little bit of spice. I’m rating the spice 1 🌶️ out of 5.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

One of my favorite holiday movies that I watch year after year is the Holiday and the Holiday Honeymoon Switch generally reminded me of that movie (meaning I smiled the entire time I was reading), but with more emotional twists and even greater character depth because the Holiday Honeymoon Switch is anchored in friendship between the two main female leads. I loved that Ivy was an artist and Holly's recovery from her heartbreak to finding love (albeit in just a few days) was so sweet. The two male leads were everything you would want for our female leads- interesting, sweet, romantic and strong. A great holiday read!
Thanks to #NetGalley and #PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the fun ARC.

This was like the Holiday Swap. Us both sides of the novel are great! I enjoyed Hawaii but also the environmental cabin in a small town. This was a nice balance of two best friends finding exactly what they need. It starts off tough with a broken engagement but the story is so cute. Definitely want to see this as a hallmark movie.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a cute story about a cancelled wedding that ends up in two new romances for best friends. After Holly’s fiancé calls off their wedding the night before, Ivy sends Holly to an eco cabin in the woods to recover and Holly insists she that Ivy takes her place on her honeymoon in Hawaii. They both end up meeting the one, but how to make the long distances work out?

I could not get enough of this lovely romance. It’s the first book that I stayed up late reading and finished in two days. It broke me out of my reading slump. The story is full of silly tropes and cliches, but it’s exactly what I needed to brighten up my surgical recovery.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay, when Holly‘s lavish wedding is called off her best friend Ivy is there for her not because Holly is crying and brokenhearted due to her fiancé Matt confessing he was in love with someone else but because Ivy is always there for Holly. she is rational thinks it through and ultimately decides she will let Ivy go on her Hawaiian honeymoon while Holly goes to stay in the Echo Lodge in upstate New York. When Ivy arrives in Hawaii however she learns Matt and Abby have already checked into the room and are using the honeymoon is their own vacation but once again Ivy doesn’t confront him on behalf of her best friend Holly but instead hides out from the couple. Thankfully she meets a kind bartender in Oliver, who offers her a room in his beach cottage at the same time the landlord Aiden who owns the winter getaway Holly is staying in there soon figure out they knew each other in high school and we’re actually each other’s intellectual rivals but on her snowy getaway despite her wedding was just canceled days before she starts to really like him and sees him differently. This is where I usually say something like Lil Holly get over her heartbreak but it seems Holly was over it before the heartbreak even happened I think that is my biggest complaint about this book is there was no fire I mean even when Ivy confronts Matthew and his girlfriend Abby in Hawaii she didn’t even have great put downs for him as a matter of a fact she came off looking crazy after the whole exchange. I hate to be cool about any book because I know the love and the tension and time that goes into writing one but I felt like this one was just generic not to mention I didn’t feel like I could root for either girl they were so lame… I guess. I love a good Christmas story and did love George and Mrs. clause in the town of Grimble but everything else was just a miss for me. #NetGalley, #PutnamAndSons, #JuliaMcKay, #TheHolidayHoneymoonSwitch,

Thank you to NetGalley, PRH Audio and Putnam Books
for providing me with an advanced copy of this book and audiobook for free in exchange for my review! @prhaudio #PRHAudio #PRHAudioInfluencer
All opinions are my own.

I thought this was an adorable holiday romance. I enjoyed both main characters -- appropriately named Holly and Ivy. I also enjoyed their respective love interests. This book had a very clever premise, but at the same time seemed to be a twist on Christmas classics such as the Holiday. It also reminded me a bit of The Parent Trap.

Brittany Pressley as always does a great job narrating this audiobook, and continues to be one of my favorite audiobook narrators to listen to. If only she could narrate EVERY book, LOL.

Pick this up for a cozy romance this holiday season. You won't regret it!

Super cute, fun holiday read. Holly's fiancee dumps her on the eve of their marriage. Feeling like she needs time alone she gifts her best friend Ivy her Honeymoon trip to Hawaii for her yearly art trip. She in turn, takes Ivy's cabin for time to think and solitude. And of course they each find their perfect match over the course of the next two weeks. Reminded me of The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

5 stars!

The Holiday is already the best Christmas rom-com and this takes that story and makes it even better! I loved that the women were already best friends from the start and how it came across on the page. Plus, we get 2 romances in one book! Which meant there wasn't a lot of filler or pointless scenes. The romance, the 3rd act conflicts, and the resolutions all made perfect sense for the story and the characters. I read this mostly in a day and am now so ready for both Christmas and a beach vacation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This book was such a fun holiday read full of friendship, romance and Christmas cheer! Both Holly and Ivy were so much fun to read and I loved their friendship so much. Even though they’re apart for the majority of the book, you can just feel how much they care about their friendship and would do anything for each other. I also loved that not only did you get a small town setting at Christmas (which is my favorite!), you also get a Hawaiian Christmas full of sun, sand and fun cocktails! The side characters were written so well and brought so much fun to the story, especially Larry! And of course, the romances were top notch. SEVERAL swoonworthy moments! Definitely add this one to your holiday TBR, especially if you love The Holiday, a small town setting or a holiday in the sun!
CW: infidelity,

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay is a delightful romantic escape filled with charming characters and a sprinkle of holiday magic. The witty dialogue and unexpected twists keep the story engaging, making it a perfect read for those cozy winter nights. McKay masterfully blends humor and heart, ensuring readers are left with a warm smile by the final page.

I've enjoyed Maggie Knox's books and was excited to pick up another one by her other pen name!! And since the holiday is a year round favorite movie and the unhoneymooners is what got me into reading romcoms...needless to say with a description starting out with both of those mentions I couldn't wait to dive into this one!

This was a perfect book to jump into cozy season with, I loved the friendships and that the insta-love was done in a way that felt mostly realistic. Hawaii is a favorite winter destination of mine so the two settings really felt like we were getting the best of both worlds. I loved the dual POV between Holly and I've but I wanted a bit more, like this would have worked perfectly as a duet so we could fall even more in love with each of their stories.

For those that are counting down til the hallmark Christmas movies return for the season, this is a perfect read to tide you over!


Thank you Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my review!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
While my first attempt reading a (coauthored) book from Marissa Stapley wasn’t so great, I remain optimistic that something else she writes could work for me, so I took the chance on The Holiday Honeymoon Switch, which she wrote under the pen name Julia McKay. And while some intervening circumstances made me apprehensive, like my overwhelmingly Grinch-y feelings about books compared to The Holiday suddenly exploding in popularity, this one proved to be an exception to the rule.
For one, I loved the strong theme of friendship from page one. Holly and Ivy (the names are the best!) are best friends, almost sisters, and I love how ride-or-die they are for each other. But it’s also great to see them on their own adventures, while also seeing how one’s life still impacts the other from a distance.
And their respective romances are both fairly interesting and substantial, in spite of the reader not getting insight into the love interests’ POVs. I admit I liked Oliver a little more, and I felt I got to know him a little better over the course of the book, and he does a wonderful “grand gesture” for Ivy towards the end! But Aiden is a solid love interest for Holly, and she realistically moves on from the betrayal of being cheated on by her fiancee, in spite of the short timeframe.
This was a pleasant surprise, and I’d recommend it to readers interested in a book that is both a holiday romance and celebration of friendship. iendship between women.

What a cute holiday romance!

Holly and Ivy have been best friends ever since they met at a college Christmas party and bonded over their indifference for the holiday. Fast forward a few years and Holly has just been dumped by her fiancé the night before her wedding. Unable to bear going on her honeymoon alone, but not wanting the non refundable trip to go to waste, Holly convinces Ivy to go to Hawaii in her place while Holly will go on Ivy’s cabin getaway in the Hudson Valley to get the solitude she craves. But what will happen when Holly’s airbnb host turns out to be an old high school rival and Ivy meets a hot bartender at the resort?

I really enjoyed this book! I feel like the only thing better than a holiday romance is two holiday romances and this book definitely delivered! I thought the author did a good job of balancing the two different storylines. I felt like the two different sides of the romance got equal attention and they both had the shenanigans that make romcoms so fun. The characters felt well written and had a good amount of growth considering the story only spans two weeks. I also really appreciated that the story had strong themes of friendship and self discovery in addition to the romances.

If you enjoy holiday romances you’ll definitely want to add this one to your list for this holiday season!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars for The Holiday Honeymoon Switch. GIves "The Holiday" movie vibes when Holly and Ivy switch destinations for the holiday after Holly's fiance calls off their wedding. Holly goes to Hudson Valley, New York and Ivy heads off to Hawaii on Holly's 'honeymoon'. This book was a quick read and I enjoyed watching each woman's story unfold. Took one star off because I felt like one week was too quick for the depth of romance that was portrayed. I would definitely recommend considering reading The Holiday Honeymoon Switch this holiday season!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group PUTNAM for this advanced copy. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is available on October 8, 2024.

📖 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐜𝐊𝐚𝐲

"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥... 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘲𝘶𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵."

This is a fun holiday romance! It follows two best friends who go on opposite vacations and fall in love.

Holly was all set to get married until her fiancée broke up with her the night before their wedding. Now she’s heart broken and decides to swap vacations with her best friend Ivy. Ivy will go on Holly’s honeymoon to Hawaii to paint ocean-scapes and Holly will go on Ivy’s mountain retreat to wallow in her feelings. The last thing either of them were expecting was to find romance!

“𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦-𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦—𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺. 𝘓𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨.”

I loved the duality of this story. One is a cute little festive mountain romance and the other is a dream tropical vacation romance. Both Holly & Ivy have different reasons for disliking Christmas but it was so fun to see them get into the holiday spirit. It’s told from the girl’s POVs. I really loved both guys. Oliver helps Ivy to embrace her art as something more than just a hobby, and Aidan is the definition of a “he falls first & harder” MMC!

This isn’t a closed door romance but it is very minimal on the steam! There’s a ton a sweet kisses though!

If you love holiday romances full of swoon worthy moments, go add 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐲 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐌𝐜𝐊𝐚𝐲, to your TBR today!

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
🎨 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘹 𝘗𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳
📚 𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴
✨ 𝘍𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴
🫶🏼 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘶𝘱
🏖️ 𝘝𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦
💞 𝘋𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴
🔥 𝘓𝘰𝘸 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮

I gave this book an honest effort but it is so poorly written that is was a struggle to finish it. There are plenty of good holiday novels- this isn’t one of them.

This book is like the movie The Holiday, but if Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet were best friends the whole time!

This was a cute and fluffy and cozy story about friendship, finding new and old love, and celebrating the holidays in the ways that work for you! Holly and Ivy’s friendship was at the core of this book, and seeing the support and care they had for each other was a beautiful thing. Holly’s journey on realizing that life isn’t about checking boxes (and maybe about being with someone that challenges you, almost like an academic rival from high school) was inspiring. Meanwhile, Ivy’s journey on learning to chase her dreams and be open to commitments that fit (and saying bye to expectations) was touching!

Thank you so much to Julia McKay and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

I normally LOVE all things cutesy and Christmas but this book fell a little short for me. While I love the premise of this book, I did not click with the writing style at all. It was very “this happened” “ that happened” and it didn’t make me feel like I was escaping into the story. I also had a hard time buying into the dialogue. It seemed like something you’d hear on a cheesy tv sitcom. Which, if that’s your thing, you might really enjoy this book.

This was a fun and easy to read holiday romance. I through the idea best friends who aren’t into Christmas, spending their holidays separately, and then potentially finding their soulmates was fun and done well. I loved how easy this story was to read. If you are looking for an easy, cheerful and lighthearted holiday story, I would recommend this book!

My favorite part of the book was the friendship between the two FMC , honestly. It was light & easy holiday read. Usually I don’t go for holiday reads but I branched out with this one - glad I did.

Gives hallmark vibes.