I love how holly and ivy's friendship is shown. The story plot is so fun and exciting. Everything is described beautifully and I couldn't be happier with how this book ended!

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay is a captivating friends-swapping-places romance that offers a delightful blend of mistletoe and make-outs, as well as sun, sand, and swoon. This novel features not just one, but two gorgeously romantic and heartwarming love stories set in two of the most idyllic locations imaginable. It is the perfect book to cozy up with this winter.

This is the first book I’ve read by Julia Mckay. I enjoyed this holiday read. I love Holly & Ivys friendship. I loved the two parallel stories about each girls new journeys after switching vacations and the love they find along the way. Very cute plot!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

In "The Holiday Honeymoon Switch," Julia McKay crafts a delightful tale of friendship, self-discovery, and unexpected romance wrapped in the warmth of the holiday season. This charming novel introduces readers to Holly Beech and Ivy Casey, two inseparable best friends whose lives take a turn when Holly's fiancé suddenly leaves her at the altar. Stranded with a nonrefundable honeymoon trip to Hawaii, Holly hatches a plan that will lead them both on an unforgettable journey of self-realization and rekindled connections. McKay's narrative begins with Holly’s despair, a sentiment that resonates with anyone who has experienced heartbreak. Her character is relatable, capturing the complexities of emotional upheaval, particularly during what is traditionally seen as a joyous season. The decision to switch places with Ivy offers a clever twist, allowing Holly to retreat into solitude while her friend ventures into the sun-soaked paradise of Hawaii. This premise not only sets the stage for comedic misunderstandings but also emphasizes the strength and loyalty of their friendship. Once Ivy arrives in Hawaii, the narrative takes an intriguing turn as her annual solo art retreat is unexpectedly disrupted by Holly’s ex-fiancé and his new girlfriend. This development creates a compelling conflict for Ivy, who is not only faced with the sight of her best friend's former love but also with a blossoming attraction to a charming bartender. McKay excels at intertwining the lives of Holly and Ivy, juxtaposing their distinct experiences while showcasing their growth through adversity. Holly's time in the Hudson Valley, juxtaposed against Ivy's Hawaiian escapades, serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of self-reflection. Holly’s encounter with her rugged Airbnb host—her high school rival—adds an unexpected layer to her character development. As they navigate their past rivalry, readers witness a beautiful evolution from competition to camaraderie, further enriched by the glow-up her rival has undergone. McKay effectively captures the essence of second chances, not only in love but also in personal growth. The author's writing style is engaging and imbued with humor, making for an enjoyable read. The dialogue flows naturally, and the vivid descriptions of both Hawaii's breathtaking landscapes and the cozy Hudson Valley cabin create a tangible sense of place. McKay's ability to blend lightheartedness with deeper themes of resilience and friendship is a testament to her storytelling prowess. "The Holiday Honeymoon Switch" is a heartwarming rom-com that perfectly balances the chaos of life’s unexpected turns with the magic of the holiday season. As Holly and Ivy navigate their respective journeys, readers are treated to a narrative filled with laughter, love, and the power of true friendship. Julia McKay reminds us that even in the midst of heartbreak, joy can be found, and sometimes, a little switcheroo can lead to the most magical moments. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a charming escape filled with festive spirit and relatable characters. Grab a cozy blanket, a cup of hot cocoa, and lose yourself in this delightful holiday tale!

3.5⭐️

🌴Platonic Soulmates
❄️FMCs POV/3rd Person
🌴Vacation Swap
❄️He Falls First (x2)

This was a cute read that gave me all ‘The Holiday’ vibes! I would have preferred if this book was written in the first person but I did enjoy that the book was from Ivy and Holly’s POV. Their love for each other was the most beautiful aspect of this book but I enjoyed how each lady found her romantic soulmates who in the end all compliment each other. Aiden and Oliver were so sweet and fall first and hard. I love Christmas time so of course I loved how Holly and Ivy come to enjoy the Christmas season all because they have fallen in love. But also they don’t do a complete 180, staying true to who they are. While the book takes place over Christmas, it’s not overwhelmingly full of Christmas.

This was a fun read! I love that by swapping their holidays they both found their forever loves and also helped them re-evaluate their work lives.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin group for the opportunity to read this eARC.

Thank you Penguin Group Putnum, Julia McKay, and NetGalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a really cute little holiday romance. I found myself enjoying both story lines and the different settings. I simultaneously wanted to be at a cabin in New York (though maybe not an eco cabin) and on the beach in Kauai.

I love the friendship between Ivy and Holly: it’s kismet. Both guys are so sweet and perfect for their respective women. I love Oliver’s sense of adventure and I love that Aiden is so helpful and supportive to the people in his town. The fact that Aiden is described as being Henry Cavill-esque is also a winning attribute. The side characters, with the exception of Aiden’s sister, are all really endearing and help fill out the story.

My only complaint is I don’t love how in the epilogue the way that the characters catch us up on what’s happened in the last year is through their conversation with eachother. It feels a bit awkward and forced and not how people actually talk. Otherwise this was really cute and I would recommend it!

Thank You Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam

Publish Date: October 8th, 2024

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are best friends and when Holly's fiance leaves her completely in shock with a nonrefundable honeymoon, Holly convinces Ivy to switch places with her. Ivy would go on the Hawaiian honeymoon her best friend doesn't want the burden alone. and Holly ends up going to Ivy's rented Hudson Valley cabin to heal from her broken heart. Holiday vibes were perfect

I Loved Holly and Ivy's friendship and how supportive they were of each other

I highly recommend it once it comes out in October!

Holly and Ivy are your typical ride or die besties—they’ve even been told they are doppelgangers. So, when Holly’s fiancé breaks things off, she’s left with a nonrefundable honeymoon. Ivy is ready to cancel her annual solo art retreat to help Holly deal with her broken heart. Until Holly makes the decision for them to switch places. Holly’s good looking Airbnb host turns out to be her high school rival and Ivy finds herself homeless after Holly’s ex-fiancé shows up on his “honeymoon” with another female. Both friends set off on their individual journeys, only to encounter unforeseen challenges along the way.

This book may appear to focus solely on Holly and Ivy’s romantic relationships; however, I believe one of the key connections highlighted is their strong female friendship. During different instances, both characters examine if they are following their own path or submitting to the external pressures from family or society. Through their self-exploration, they uncover their genuine desires, leading them to unexpectedly fall in love and embark on a journey of self-discovery.
This is a fun, quick, holiday read publishes on 10/8/24 and will get you into the Christmas spirit.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Julia McKay for the ARC.

“I’m really grateful for everything that happened. Even the bad parts.”

I think this quote about sums up why I loved this book. It starts off with you gasping in unbelief at what happened to Holly but ultimately that’s exactly what makes this romance so perfect. I really enjoyed not only following along with Holly’s life and how it unfolds but also her best friend Ivy. Not sure I’ve ever read a double romance before. I loved it and couldn’t get enough of each of their stories. I really enjoyed going back and forth between their individual stories because it kept me longing for the next chapter.

A few plot holes (assuming Holly and Ivy switched physical IDs and while a drivers license wasn’t specifically called out, was Holly driving around the Hudson Valley without her license? Also, Ivy was able to get through TSA at the airport with another person’s ID?) but otherwise, a very enjoyable light read. I especially enjoyed the Brad Pitt references throughout as he is also my celebrity crush. :) Overall, I would recommend this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

My bestfriend since childhood is my ride or die and I can see us doing something very similar to this. So understand. I really wanted to love this. I was all in. It's campy, it's fun, there's hijinx and swoon, but it fell a little flat for me. It felt like hot chocolate missing the whipped cream. It was good, but there was just something missing I couldn't put my finger on. A fun read though, would definitely recommend if you like stoies like this.

This book was provided by NetGalley but all opinions and reviews are my own.

YAYYY! Christmas in July WOOO! A huge thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to receive an eARC! This story of friendship, holiday bliss, and love comes out October 8th and I had such a blast experiencing the lives of Holly & Ivy! This book was an easy read and is perfect for those who need a quick and cute holiday romance! I loved the similar vibes with the movie, “The Holiday”!! However, I am rating it 3 stars because although Holly and Ivy had a fun friendship, I wasn’t a huge fan of their love interests…or storylines. It was really hard to get lost in the story because the whole time I was thinking about how unrealistic it was! Again, that could be personal preference! I think this book is great for someone wanting to pick up a quick holiday read with female friendships, dual POVs, holiday activities, vacation switcharoos, and warm fuzzy feelings!

Three Holidays and a Wedding was one of my favorite holiday reads last year!

And this tale is just as good!

In many ways, Holly & Ivy remind me of my kids' close circle of friends. No matter how close or far away they live, their love for each other stays. They've been through a lot together.

Which is probably why this story resonated so much with me. "I promise I'll never judge you," goes a long way.

If the film "The Holiday" gives you all the feels, then you need to read this book!

I was excited for this book based on the description but I was left wanting so much more out of it.

This book was heavy on the insta-love. Both female main characters meet guys who they fall in love with over a period of 9 days. Oh and one of them was JUST dumped the night before her wedding.

I really didn’t enjoy the writing style of this book. It was written in third person, but that wasn’t the issue. It lacked variety in sentence structure to the point where I felt like I was just reading a play-by-play description of what was happening rather than enjoying a book. You’d read four sentences in a row that started with “She” or the same character’s name. I’m certain there are better ways to express how someone is feeling than saying “She feels emotion when…”. It really felt like the writing wasn’t at the level it needed to be.

Thank you to Julia McKay, Putnam Books, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch comes out on October 8, 2024.

Considering Hawaii is at the top of my travel bucket list, I was completely enamored with the setting of (half) this book. I do wish that the ladies in mention had been a bit more badass and confronted the ex, but such is. I thought the slow burn was appropriate and enjoyed watching the chemistry build for both couples.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a cute take on one of my favorite Christmas movies! All of the characters were good and the settings were good too. But that was it it was just good!

This was a cute story about both falling in love and having true, lasting friendship. I would describe this is a simple and quick read. It didn’t have the moments of deep drama that usually comes with rom-coms. It was a story that just kind of happened- people were pretty honest about their feelings right up front which made things go quickly. Like I said there was no drama really and I felt like there could have been more to the story and the characters… but in the end I was happy with how it all unfolded.

Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. This reminds me of a Christmas Hallmark movie but with a little spice. Holly and Ivy are best friends and don’t really love Christmas. Holly is about to get married just before Christmas when her fiancé calls off the wedding. Holly has nonrefundable tickets to Hawaii for her honeymoon and Ivy had a cabin in New York booked for two weeks for her annual art break. The girls switch trips and end up finding love and who they really are. Cute, easy romance but not something that will really stay with me.

The Holiday is top 3 of my fave Christmas movies, so anytime I find a book that reminds me of it, I’ll read it. This was incredibly cute. Besties Holly and Ivy decide to swap their Christmas plans when Holly is dumped by her fiancée the night before their wedding. This leads Ivy to Hawaii and Holly to a secluded cabin where they find unexpected love. If you enjoy some good Hallmark Christmas cheese, it’s the book for you.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.