When Holly's fiance leaves her the night before the wedding she realized she needs to get away. She switches vacations with her best friend. Can both of them relax or do they both find love?

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay is the cutest friends-swapping-places romance story.
It’s a sweet, fun, and addictive read that I truly enjoyed.
These characters are brought to life and I love spending every minute with them.
Oh my goodness! I seen that the audiobook is narrated by the best and my absolute favorite narrator ever…. Brittany Pressley!
I might just have to listen to this book also.

Thank You NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I absolutely loved this book! It's the perfect pick for anyone looking to immerse themselves in a light-hearted and fun literary escape, especially during this season. The story is filled with heartwarming friendships, the excitement of finding love, and thrilling adventures that keep you engaged from start to finish. The characters are well-developed, making their relationships feel genuine, and the narrative strikes the perfect balance between excitement and emotional depth. Whether you're in need of a feel-good read or just looking to have some literary fun, this book delivers in every way. It's a delightful journey you won't want to put down!

Two best friends, Holly and Ivy, swap holiday vacations in this latest Christmas romcom from one of my fav Canadian authors, Marissa Stapley (writing as Julia McKay). I loved the dual POV, completely opposite holiday settings and the new chance at love romance storylines. Perfect for fans of Hallmark Holiday romcoms and anyone who is as big a fan of The holiday movie as I am (it's one I watch EVERY year). Great on audio narrated by my very fav, Brittany Pressley. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This book gives all of the holiday vibes, and it the perfect pick for a feel-good read. I absolutely loved the characters, except Matt, no one likes him.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Putnam books for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

2.5⭐️ I really wanted to love this because the premise had so much potential, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I loved the idea of best friends swapping vacations due to unexpected circumstances, but squeezing two romance stories into a 300-page book felt like too much. I’m not a huge fan of insta-love, and that’s exactly what happens with both Holly and Ivy, which probably made it harder for me to connect with the story. The epilogue also felt a bit off—kind of like the end of a sitcom where they quickly recap everything that just happened. While the premise of swapping Christmas vacations and falling in love is cute, I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if Holly and Ivy each had their own books. That way, we could get more character development, plot depth, and a stronger story overall.

This is a very warm fuzzy Hallmark read. Two best friends, both not huge fans of Christmas and yet have a magical season. It felt a bit too long and slow burn. Very cozy.

Thank you Netgalley & PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the advanced reader copy.

I enjoyed reading The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Holly and Ivy are best friends after meeting in college at a holiday party after being introduced by their respective boyfriends. Although their names are festive, they each have less than amazing feelings towards the holidays. Flash forward to years later, Holly's fiance breaks up with her the day before their Holiday wedding that his very rich parents have been planning for. To help cheer Holly up, Ivy offers to swap Christmas vacations with her. Ivy will take Holly's unused Hawaiian honeymoon and Holly will go to the winter cabin Ivy planned on spending time at for an art retreat!

When Ivy arrives in Hawaii she learns that Holly's ex-fiancee is there with the woman he left Holly for. Ivy instead rents a bungalow from a friend of a hot hotel bartender she meets. Ivy and her hot bartender, Oliver spend time together hiking around Hawaii. Ivy doing some pastel landscaping and Oliver taking some photos for his National Geographic articles. When Holly arrives in the middle of nowhere, she has been thrown into an experience she isn't super familiar with. However, Holly is pleasantly surprised to learn that the man whose cabin she's renting is actually someone from high school. Holly is enchanted by the small town life that Aiden is introducing her to and is realizing that she was missing out on a lot with her previous relationship.

This was a cute romance but the ending definitely took away from it. You're only going to get so much when you have two romances that you need to explore in a book and it isn't 400+ pages but I think McKay did a great job at setting up most of the characterization. My main struggles with the ending was how all the solutions to the various problems were kinda shoe-horned into the last final chapters. I wish there was more between the Christmas holiday and the New Year holiday that the reader gets to see on page

Imagine your fiance telling you he’s attracted to someone else calling off your wedding the night before the ceremony. Well, that’s exactly what happens to Holly in Julia McKay’s newest novel, The Holiday Honeymoon Switch. Luckily, Holly has a best friend who is going to help her get through it. Kind of. I say kind of because in my mind if that happened I’d envision the two friends getting through it together, but with both of them already having trips planned: Holly was supposed to be heading to Hawaii on her honeymoon and Ivy had planned a solo trip to the Hudson Valley to recharge and indulge in her love of art, they decide to switch things up. Ivy will take Holly’s Honeymoon trip while Holly seeks refuge in the Hudson Valley. Of course neither of them expected to find romance waiting for them. Sure, I’ve seen a few variations of this kind of trip swapping storylines in the past, but this one is just so much fun. The setup for the eventual swap was great, establishing just how Holly and Ivy met, how alike they are and how much they have in common, and what a tremendous friendship they have. But the magic really starts when they each set off on their solo adventures. This is a wonderful feel good holiday romcom. And sure as I’m reading this we’re really just getting into prime Halloween season, but as a self-professed Hallmark junkie, there’s no wrong time for a Christmas romance. I’d like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Holiday Honeymoon Switch.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R1S3MWLGESOA8X/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

I loved that this book was not just about romance, but also about the friendships. It had the perfect mix of deeper story and hallmark holiday vibes. Ivy made some interesting choices in her career and friendship with Holly, but I really liked her character. I loved Oliver, the Hawaiian backdrop, and the side character of Larry. Holly came off a little naïve and oblivious at first, but she grew on me. I loved Aiden aka Eco Superman, and the cute Christmas-y town of Krimbo! The town had a lot of side characters that were enjoyable and brought the small town Hallmark-y Christmas feels. While the timeline in the story felt short, the chemistry between the couples did not feel rushed or inauthentic. We saw the characters bond on some deeper levels while talking through their backgrounds and their passions. The friendship between Ivy and Holly was my favorite. I really felt their best friend chemistry and love that while they were so similar, they were also very different in a lot of ways, but they bring out the best in each other. While I loved the main characters, and most of the side characters – I despised Holly’s ex, Matt, and wanted a worse end for him. It felt like him and Abby got off way too easily, and I wanted some form of karma or justice. I could have used a little more about both couples during the epilogue but overall it summed everything up! Such a fun and quick holiday read!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC!

3.5 stars. Extra half star for Christmastime setting. I loved Holly and Ivy both and their relationship. This book was so fun! This was a well done dual POV. I loved how the two settings were so opposite. This book was easy and quick to read and I didn't mind the reminder that I should watch The Holiday (switching locations).

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing the ARC.

As someone who loves The Holiday, I was immediately attracted to this premise. However, this story falls fast. The characters are bland and dry - I wasn't able to connect with any of them. SodaThere was no spark of life, no food/drinks/etc..

Well this was just the most lovely and adorable holiday romcom!! It had everything you’d want… best friends who are platonic soulmates, cute Christmas loving small towns, coincidences that seem too good to be true, but are… dual points of views *and* happily ever afters! I loved every minute and had several “LOL” moments as well as “aww” moments! The perfect combo!

Sometimes you want something light and fluffy and it comes with a holiday theme all the better. Holly and Ivy are truly the best of friends. Holly was recently left at the altar and can’t bring herself to go on her planned honeymoon. Ivy has rented a cabin in the Hudson valley for a two week painting retreat. The pair swap places, sending Ivy to paint in Kauai and Holly to recover in the mountains.

Keeping track of the two storylines is easy. The romances are quick as they take place in just a week’s time. Holly finds the owner of her cabin rental is Aiden who she went to middle and high school with. Ivy meets Oliver who is a photographer. For a simple romance there is plenty of background given on all of them. I had a preference on the storylines but enjoyed both of them. And I loved the feeling of friendship that shines through the story. Even though they are apart most of the book you know that Holly and Ivy are each other’s ride and die friend.

Such a cute holiday romance! I loved the backstory of their friendship and how it progressed throughout the story. I also loved the back and forth between two different trips, in two different climates around Christmas time. It kept it interesting and made the book fly by. The only thing for me was that the ending felt a little short and quick, I would’ve liked to see a little bit more of each of the couples adjusting to their new lives together. Otherwise, this is a great read for the holiday’s. It’s short, sweet, and gives off all the cozy holiday season vibes!

Thank you to NetGalley, Julia McKay, and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the eARC.

I feel like this book would make a perfect romcom movie! It makes me think of The Holiday. Ivy and Holly are such amazing friends and I really enjoyed reading about their friendship. I also really enjoyed each of their trips and seeing them each fall in love with new holiday traditions. A perfect Christmas read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin group for the eARC!

3.5⭐ - This is the perfect romance book for getting into the holiday spirit!

This story follows best friends Holly and Ivy. We hear about how they met in 2016 and their close bond. Fast forward to present day, Holly was supposed to be going on a beautiful honeymoon in Hawaii. Instead, she switches vacations with Ivy, who originally planned on renting a cabin in snowy New York for artistic inspiration. Both of them never dreamed of finding potential love.

I really enjoyed both of the main characters and they are so sweet and thoughtful. This was a slow burn romance and a fast paced read with a cute ending.

Thank you Netgalley and the author for the opportunity for review. All opinions are my own.

The perfect pre- holiday read. This lighthearted, adventurous novel was a quick and easy read, but kept me constantly interested!

The characters were likable. The romance, although predictable, felt fresh and believable. And I found myself rooting for both Holly and Ivy as they explored what they really wanted and needed.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

A wedding gone wrong results in best friends Holly and Ivy swapping holiday plans. Attorney Holly ends up in a cabin, very unlike her typical way to unwind, while Ivy takes a trip to Hawaii.

Along the way they get to know a cast of characters and discover themselves in a different light... a holiday escape read with great changes in scenery.

I enjoyed some of the holiday books that Julia McKay cowrote, and this didn't disappoint!

Thank you to Netgalley and to Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.