This was an adorable Hallmark-esque story. Two friends trade vacation spots and find friendship and more.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this Arc.

This book comes out on October 8th, 2024

I loved this story! It was such a good quick read, I didn’t want to put down. I did find it a little confusing at times, particularly the first chapter. Where I had to reread parts a few times.

Some of the other days didn’t really make sense. Chapter 9 is a different day then Chapter 7 but it reads like morning and afternoon of one day.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch" by Julia McKay is a heartwarming tale of friendship and romance that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. Seriously it’s like a learn hug. I’m ready for Christmas!!!

The story follows the meet-cute of Holly and Ivy, two women whose bond is tested when Holly's fiance calls off their wedding a week before Christmas. As they embark on unexpected journeys to Krimbo and Kauai, they discover new love interests and the true meaning of friendship. The charming settings of the Hudson Valley and Hawaii add to the magic of the story, with detailed descriptions that transport readers to these picturesque locations. The book is a delightful mix of sweet romances, hilarious shenanigans, and heartwarming moments that make it a perfect read for the holiday season or any time of year. With lovable characters, swoon-worthy love interests, and a focus on the power of friendship,

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a feel-good book that will leave you smiling. I highly recommend reading this!

If you and your best friend were essentially twins and one of you gets left at the altar clearly the next thing that you do is trade identities and go on each others vacations to shake off you failed romance. A little farfetched, but this charming storyline makes it work. Add in that the time of year is Christmas and the characters names are Holly and Ivy and you've got a book that you'll want to devour in one sitting!

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch was a cute, fast story of two friends who pull a “The Holiday” style switch after one experiences heartbreak. I loved the descriptions of both locations (upstate NY and Hawaii) and enjoyed seeing both main characters fall in love. At times, some of the Christmas theming seemed forced to fit the title, but it was magical seeing the holiday through a small town in New York.

As a formulaic romance, you knew each character would go through some sort of conflict. Both seemed a bit forced. I would have rather seen Holly show up in Hawaii and confront her ex-fiance and his new girlfriend. That would have made a better conflict.

Overall, if you are looking for a romance with holiday feels, give this book a try.

A different sort of holiday romance but with all the holiday feels and anti-holiday feels! I enjoyed this book, the main female characters have a lovely and supportive friendship and the main male characters don't disappoint. I would recommend for a holiday themed read.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch was such a fun read! I enjoyed this book so much. It was a solid 4 stars from me!

I loved that we got two stories with different vibes at once with this book. Like a little beach with your holiday cheer? A photographer that travels? Ivy’s story is perfect. Like the traditional small town snow and Christmas parade vibe? Nerdy eco friendly outdoorsman? Holly’s story is ALSO perfect! What a fun journey! It’s perfect for folks who might want a holiday read that doesn’t quite get into Hallmark level Christmas cheesy.

At its heart, outside of the Christmas timing, the best thing about the book to me was the friendship Holly and Ivy shared and how they supported and communicated with each other even while they were apart. Christmas isn’t only about romance and I loved seeing these two friends support each other and cheer each other on as their trips (and romances) progressed.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group- Putnam for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Read if you love..
TWO holiday meet cutes
Christmas beach vibes
Traditional snowy Christmas vibes
High school secret crush
Slow burn
The beauty of friendship

Thanks to Netgalley & PENGUIN GROUP- Putnam for the E-ARC! So cute! Loved the swapping theme & the characters. Also this cover is so pretty! Will read more from this author.

Julia McKay's "The Holiday Honeymoon Switch" serves up a delightful concoction of friendship, romance, and festive cheer, sprinkled with unexpected twists and heartwarming moments.

At the center of the story are best friends Holly Beech and Ivy Casey, whose bond is as tight as can be. When Holly's world is turned upside down by a sudden breakup, leaving her with a nonrefundable honeymoon ticket and a shattered heart, Ivy steps in to save the day. In a daring move, the two friends decide to swap places: Ivy will embark on the Hawaiian honeymoon in Holly's stead, while Holly seeks solace in Ivy's tranquil Hudson Valley cabin.

As Holly attempts to heal her wounded spirit amidst a marathon of holiday movies, her peaceful retreat is disrupted by the arrival of her Airbnb host—none other than her high school rival, now transformed into a rugged and intriguing man. Meanwhile, Ivy finds herself in a tropical paradise turned upside down when her peaceful art retreat is disrupted by unexpected guests, including Holly's ex-fiancé and his new flame. However, amidst the chaos, Ivy discovers unexpected sparks with a charming hotel bartender, igniting a romance that defies all odds.

McKay skillfully weaves together these intertwining narratives, infusing the story with humor, warmth, and a touch of holiday magic. The characters are vibrant and relatable, each grappling with their own insecurities and desires as they navigate the complexities of love and friendship.

"The Holiday Honeymoon Switch" is a delightful escape into a world of festive romance and unexpected encounters. With its charming setting, engaging characters, and heartwarming storyline, this novel is sure to captivate readers and leave them feeling uplifted and inspired.

𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch: Julia McKay
🌴🍹❄️🎄

Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Publisher: Penguin Group - Putnam
Publication Date: October 7,2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the perfect holiday read. Best friends, Holly and Ivy, met in college through their significant others. Holly stayed with hers, and got engaged, and Ivy broke up with hers. Holly and Matt planned a beautiful Christmas wedding, but Matt has other plans and breaks things off the day of their wedding.

Ivy has a yearly art retreat planned, and this year is supposed to go to the Hudson Valley. Holly gets a great idea to swap Ivy’s retreat for her Hawaiian honeymoon. Holly embarks on her journey to an eco cabin in the Hudson Valley and Ivy heads to Hawaii. When Holly arrives at the cabin she can’t figure out how to make the wood burning stove work and calls the owner of the cabin, Aiden. He shows up, and Holly can’t take her eyes off him (but at first he thinks she’s Ivy). When Ivy shows up in Hawaii, she finds out Matt has decided to take the honeymoon with another woman. This is when she meets a gorgeous bartender named Oliver.

The story follows the two couples on their way to finding love. It’s written in dual POVs, giving Holly and Ivy both a chance to tell their stories. Julia McKay also does a beautiful job of making you feel like you are in the Hudson Valley and Hawaii for Christmas. She paints beautiful pictures of the scenery in both places, and makes you feel like you have been transported there. If you’re looking for a cute holiday romance, then this is the one for you! The only downfall is I wish this book was longer. I love a whirlwind romance, but I wanted to more of each couple’s story.

Thanks to Penguin Group - Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC!
#TheHolidayHoneymoonSwitch #PutnamBooks #HolidayRomance

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch - Julia McKay

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The best relationships are the ones that you have with your friends!

I really enjoyed these holiday meet cutes! When Holly is left at the alter the night before her wedding her best friend Ivy..yes their names are Holly and Ivy…agrees to go on her honeymoon to Hawaii while Holly goes on her artist retreat to the Hudson Valley.

While in the snowy Hudson Valley Holly reconnects with Aiden an old high school rival. On the heels of the worst breakup of her life she finds exactly what she needs to draw stars her scars in Aiden.

When Ivy arrives in beautiful Hawaii she finds that Hollys ex has taken his new girlfriend on Hollys honeymoon! With nowhere to stay and faced with breaking Hollys heart all over again the gorgeous hotel bartender Oliver steps in to save the day and gives Ivy a prime location to stay on the beach. Sparks fly when his smile lights up the whole town.

While I loved the Hallmark romances the real love story here is Holly and Ivy’s friendship. Their loyalty and love for one another is evident throughout the book. It really felt like these two were soulmates and the men in their lives were secondary to their beautiful friendship.

Thanks to NetGally and Penguin Putnam Group for the ARC.

This was such a fun story! I’m a total sucker for a Christmas romance and best friend plot lines. This had both - and just enough conflict to keep me on the edge of my seat! Holly and Ivy were wonderful main characters who were so easy to root for.

This book was so cute…honestly I want a friendship like Holly and Ivy. I love that they both ventured out and took time for themselves.

Such a cute read and I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this!!

I thought this book was extremely cute! Both Holly and Ivy’s characters were very likable, and I enjoyed reading both of their stories. I think this is going to be a perfect read for the upcoming holiday season.

Really fun and overall had a great time reading! The beginning was a little slow to get into but I had a wonderful time reading this newest book by Julia!

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay is a fun holiday story. It’s about two best friends, Holly and Ivy, who as expected from the title, end up swapping holiday trips one December. The characters were fun and it was enjoyable to read the story from the perspective of both women. There are definitely some Hallmark movie vibes. This is definitely a great story to read to help you relax during the hectic holiday season.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the advanced copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The plot of this book was so unique and amazing and I loved following both Holly and Ivy's POV's. These two had such an amazing friendship with each other! I also really enjoyed the romance in this book. I absolutely recommend this as a quick, cute, and fluffy read!

This book had no business being THIS good! The dual POV and happily ever afters were what got me. I was truly addicted to this book, it kept me engaged the entire time! Not only that, but I felt like Holly and Ivy’s stories were realistic enough that all of this actually could have happened. Both main male characters were extremely likable as well. A very cute, upbeat read for any time of year, but the holiday vibes were on point! Absolutely recommend and will be looking for more from this author.

I loved reading Holly and Ivy's point of view. They were both relatable but it reminds me of The Holiday Switch- it’s cute and definitely Christmas- ish.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the arc. I enjoyed reading this story about friendship, with romance weaved in for both heroines. This is my first book from Julia McKay, the pen name of Marissa Stapley, who is also one-half of the writing duo, Maggie Knox.

The book begins with the "meet cute" of Holly Beech and Ivy Casey, two women who meet in college through their boyfriends, who quickly form a bond through favorite holidays and beverages. Flash to ten years later, and Ivy is the maid of honor at Holly's wedding, and they're both getting ready to attend the rehearsal dinner. It's after the dinner when Matt, Holly's fiance, informs Holly that he's realized that he does not love Holly, and that he doesn't want to marry her. After that bombshell, the story takes off: Holly convinces Ivy to go on the Kauai honeymoon that was bought, by her parents, for her and Matt, while Holly goes to a remote cabin in a tiny town in Hudson Valley that Ivy was intending to go for her art escape. Oh by the way, this is all taking place a week before Christmas. Shenanigans ensue.

Holly and Ivy make the best of their travels: Holly finds love in the tiny town in the Hudson Valley in the form of a former high school classmate named Aiden. The tiny town of Krimbo has also won her heart, with its charming inhabitants who love celebrating Christmas, and the concern for preserving the natural surroundings of the town; and Ivy finds love in Kauai, in the form of a bartender/photographer named Oliver, and is entranced by the natural wonders of the island. The descriptions of the various landscapes and wonders of Kauai is so detailed, it was easy to imagine the beauty Ivy was viewing.

I loved the friendship between Holly and Ivy, and the new relationships they each formed in their travels. Their individual romances were sweet, and hot, but their friendship was the primary relationship of the book. This is a fun and sweet book for Christmas, and for any time of the year.