This was a cute, albeit predictable, romance. Ivy and Holly are best friends. Holly is set to get married but her fiancé calls of the wedding the night before they were set to get married. Holly is devastated and wants some time alone to decompress. She sends Ivy on her would-have-been honeymoon in Hawaii while she goes on Ivy's solo artist retreat at a remote cabin. Ivy makes friends with the cute bartender and sparks fly. While Holly runs into someone from her past. This was a fast read. It was cute and enjoyable but also a little forgettable.

This was a light, fun, get you in the holiday spirit read. The one thing that I felt like it was missing was that both of the main characters weren't into Christmas as much as I wanted them to be. It was a fast read for me and I really enjoyed it overall.


Thank you #TheHolidayHoneymoonSwitch #NetGalley for the digital ARC.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

2.5 stars

This book is straight up Insta love, and also just felt all over the place. The characters are very one dimensional, but I liked Aiden and was starting to like Holly. I just thought Ivy and Oliver were boring to read. I didn’t care about their romance. If I had known that, this is one of the officers that also write as Maggie Knox I would not have picked it up because I did not enjoy the last book of hers that I read.

I just didn’t enjoy this and would not recommend it.

This book was so cute!! I couldn’t love it more! The focus on friendship was my absolute favorite, and the cute love stories during the holidays were so sweet and cozy!! Highly recommend

This book was such a cute fun read. I really enjoyed the structure of the book alternating between Holly and Ivy´s p.o.v allowing us to get to know a little bit more about each character as the story progressed.

Towards the ending chapters I started to dislike Holly a bit because she seemed to come off as a bit selfish and immature which I don’t blame her considering it probably has a lot to do with the fact that she was with her ex for so long and wasn’t given the space to grow into her own person until recently. These feelings towards Holly intensified the moment she called Ivy and pretty much asked her to drop everything she was doing to come tailor to her (Hollys) needs. Now I understand they´re best friends but Holly needed to be more considerate of her friend since she ended up coming off as a drama queen anyway quickly making up with Aiden as if she didn’t just potentially ruin Ivy’s potential romance with Oliver!!! Ok I get Ivy didn’t tell Holly about this relationship but still I felt like it was very childish behavior of Holly. What she should’ve done was waited a bit to determine if calling Ivy and demanding she gets on a flight was the best thing to do (which obvi wasn’t!!). I was really rooting for Ivy and Oliver to officially form a relationship with one another because she deserved love, happiness and so much more and just felt upset when Ivy left him behind because Holly was being a drama queen. Now I know that might sound a bit mean towards Holly but in reality she was an adult and she should’ve acted that way. She should’ve been more considerate towards her best friend who did and continued to do so much for her not asking for anything in return. I still don’t love Holly (a part of me just felt like she very much gave off hater vibes) but I was so glad to know Ivy has moved on to bigger and better things and Oliver is still in the picture not just as a potential lover but as her husband!!!!!💕💕💕

If you are looking for a fun Christmas read, I highly recommend this. You have best friends, Holly and Ivy who decide to switch vacations due to some drama happening in one of their lives.

They are both so incredibly supportive of one another and are there for each other fully and completely. And then you have Aiden and Oliver who are the love interests and they are an absolute delight to read.

And I have to give this book a 10 out of 10 for the cozy Christmas vibes it gives. This was an all-around fun and enjoyable holiday read.

This story sounds like a delightful rom-com with a clever twist and plenty of holiday cheer. The setup of Holly and Ivy switching places after a series of personal upheavals creates a dynamic narrative with opportunities for humor, romance, and heartfelt moments.

I LOVED this christmas book. The Christmad vibes were strong and their was so much Christmas throughout. The plot was adorable and kept me engaged with some humor throughout. For anyone wanting a good classic Christmas read, I recommend this one.

This was the perfect holiday romance book that is perfect if you are looking for a nice light holiday read. While this book was a romance book what really stood out was the perfect friendship between Holly and Ivy. They both support each other through ups and downs and I like how they both end up with happy endings.

Holly and Ivy are best friends. When Holly is left at the altar, they decide to "parent trap it up" when it comes to their planned vacations. Ivy goes to Holly's honeymoon location, and Holly goes to Ivy's annual cabin in the woods retreat. While on their respective swapped escapes, they each meet a guy. For Holly, it's someone unexpected from her past, and for Ivy, it's a hotel bartender who comes to her aide. This was a fun, light read. I liked the way it overlaid romance with the story of a friendship. I also loved each of the romances they found (and won't say too much because the joy is in the development of these!) Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this September 2024 release!

This was so much fun! So quick! Whereas some stories that follow characters who swap lives don't give each storyline enough time to develop, these characters have such easy chemistry together that it flows naturally. Each of the couples were adorable and despite half of the book taking place in Hawai'i, it was festive without being cloying. I really enjoyed this book.

My only complaint was how the text conversations were formatted, how they frequently and without preamble changed between bold, italic, and all caps.

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
4.5 ⭐️/ 5

This book, the third in the Christmas Notch series, was the winner of the month. I really enjoyed this story about the final member in the former boy band INK, Isaac, and his romance with sweet adult film star Sunny. Isaac has been mourning his wife since her death a few years ago and has not let anyone get close to him. Sunny needs a place to stay while writing a screenplay for the Hope Channel's newest Christmas movie.
Both Sunny and I have a soft spot for sad boyz so you can probably tell what happens next. But Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone treat their characters with respect and care. This book was a great ending for all of these fictional people that I've gotten to know so well.
Definitely recommend this book highly. Thank you to the publishers, the authors and Netgalley for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay is a fun, lighthearted read, but it didn't quite hit all the marks for me. The premise—two couples swapping honeymoons and ending up on each other's vacations—sets up for what should be an exciting, romantic comedy of errors. However, the execution falls a bit flat.

The characters are likable, but they lack the depth needed to make their relationships and the switch feel truly compelling. I found myself wanting more from their interactions, both with their original partners and their new ones. While there were some charming moments, especially when the characters started to realize their feelings, the pacing sometimes dragged, and the tension that should have come from the switch didn’t fully materialize.

Overall, if you’re looking for a quick, seasonal romance, this could be worth a read, but it might not leave a lasting impression.

3 out of 5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley

This was a cute premise, but it felt like a lot of telling rather than showing. I enjoyed it for the most part, but wish there had been more character development.

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

“Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are bury-the-body besties. They’re so in sync, they even look alike. So when Holly’s fiancé jilts her, leaving her in shock and with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places. Ivy will go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend can’t bear to take alone, while Holly escapes to Ivy’s rented Hudson Valley cabin to binge-watch holiday movies and heal.”

With a synopsis like this, I cannot pass up the opportunity to read this book. I enjoyed it quite a lot but it was nothing spectacular. It was a cut holiday read and at great ending to my “Christmas in July” themed reading.

Two best friends. Dual POV. This makes me want to binge watch Hallmark movies and watch “The Holiday” it's giving very similar vibes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Putnam Group for the eArc in exchange for a honest review.

This was a cute holiday story with romance, friendship, and some self growth on what is important in a relationship. This would be the perfect holiday read to cozy up with.

Read if you like:
- Christmas
- Female Friendship
- Vacation Romance
- Acts of Service Love

Thank you to the publishers and NetGally for this Advanced Release copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I absolutely adored this. It was an absolute joy to read! Once I started, I just didn’t want to stop. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I was excited to read this book. I love the holiday vibes and the premise sounded fun! Think The Holiday movie, but in book form!

Sadly, the book was a miss for me. There was just way too much telling and not enough showing. The dialogue was cringy and felt stilted. It’s very insta-love for me and very unrealistic. Red flags were flying! I’m sure lots of readers will enjoy this feel good rom-com, but I just wasn’t for me.

This book took me awhile to start, but once I did, I couldn't put it down! It was so good! It was a unique idea and I lvoed seeing the characters interact. I want to read it again already!

Can't get past the choppy first person present narration. "Character is about to do this and "character is walking down the hall".