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.

I loved Holly and Ivy's friendship. While I loved the romances and the different settings. Their friendship is the best relationship. This is a book I will pick up again next year. It's a Holiday Fun Read. I Highly Recommend!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Julia McKay for an ARC Copy.

The Holiday Honeymoof Switch was a perfect book for those who want a basic holiday book that is easy to read! The presmise is cute!

Holly and Ivy are what best friend goals are made of. And when they decide to swap their Christmas vacations it offers the perfect twist on my favorite holiday movie, The Holiday.

This book is such a delightful holiday read! The characters are incredibly relatable and funny, and you can't help but feel for Holly as she copes with heartbreak. The storyline flows perfectly, between Holly and Ivy's POV's. I was genuinely intrigued by both of their stories.

It offers the perfect amount of romance, laughter, and holiday cheer. A bit cheesy at times and the romances were very quickly developed, but it provided us with the Hallmark ending that we all love.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
352 pages
Releasing: October 8th, 2024

Doppelgänger bestfriends swap their Christmas vacations after one is supposed to be honeymooning in Hawaii while the other was supposed to be on an art retreat in the mountains.

Holly’s fiancé leaves her right before the wedding, leaving her heartbroken. He offers for her to go on the honeymoon still, so she allows her bestie Ivy to go in her place. Holly escapes to a secluded cabin in the mountains to grieve. When her rugged airbnb host turns out to be someone she knew in high school, Holly knows this will make for an interesting time. While Ivy is in Hawaii she sees the ex-fiancé checking in… with his new girlfriend. The hotel bartender becomes a friend to Ivy and shows her around.

I love this fun, holiday read! The characters were so relatable & funny. I felt for Holly after her fiancé left her for someone else. I love the turn of events and the ending was perfect! A fun holiday read!

Read if you like:
✨Friends to lovers
✨Holiday Romance
✨Christmas in paradise

Thank you @netgalley @putnambooks for the gifted ARC!

#christmastomance #holidayromance #romance #tropes

I thought this was a cute holiday read, but it wasn’t my favorite. I loved the idea of it, and think Holly and Ivy were great FMCs, but there was a lot left to be desired. I really did like the idea of Aiden being the one who wrote the note for Holly, and the connection between Oliver and Ivy was great.

For me, some parts drug on and others loved so quickly, but it was a quick and easy read. I’d definitely recommend it because I know that it’s a perfect book for someone.

Also, some of the formatting (read: the text messages) was kind of annoying, and I definitely fixated on it.

I was provided with the ARC of this book by NetGalley and Putman editors in exchange of an honest review, thank you ✨

4⭐️

I enjoyed this book soo much!
This gave The Holliday vibe because Holly and Ivy were two friends who switched vacations and found the love ✨ and honestly, who don’t want to live that dream?🥲

Ivy and Holly oh God, their friendship is just goals!!! And I also love them individually and Aiden and Ollie ahhhh they were just mean to be with my girlies ✨🙂‍↔️

If you’re looking for a comfort book with a lot of friendship, love and perfection, and also Christmas vibes, this is the perfect book to go to 🙂‍↔️✨

Holly and Ivy are best friends. After Holly is left the night before her wedding, the friends decide to switch trips (Ivy going on the Hawaii honeymoon and Holly going to upstate NY for a retreat).

I loved this one! Here's what I loved:

The Hallmark feel: this one reads like a Christmas TV movie and I loved it! Both friends start out angry and then find some peace in their different situations while also finding love. All in the holiday season,

The men: I adored both Aiden and Oliver. They were different but perfectly suited for their matches. Both were just amazing book boyfriends too.

The settings: You get to go back and forth between exotic Hawaii and snow covered upstate NY. Both got me into the holiday spirit in different ways.

All in all, a cute holiday romcom to really get you into the mood.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Thank you NetGalley, Julia McKay, and Penguin Group Putnam for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What an adorably sweet Christmas rom-com that is perfect for the holiday season!! When a doppelgänger best friends swap a cozy Christmas cabin getaway for the other's sun soaked Hawaiian would-be honeymoon, they each stumble upon unexpected love in the most surprising places. Though romance blooms along the way, the heart of the story centers on the unshakeable bond between Holly and Ivy, whose strong friendship takes center stage amid the backdrop of their unexpected holiday adventures. I absolutely loved this cozy, feel-good holiday read and I highly recommend it!! 🩵🩵🩵🩵

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i really loved the friendship between holly and ivy. what cute forest-y names, too! both storylines were super cute with a lot of descriptive detail to make you feel you're right in the story.

You read it here first. The newest trend in holiday books this year is trading places/houses! Holly and Ivy are best friends who are so in sync that they look alike. When Holly’s fiancé breaks up with her the night before their wedding is supposed to take place, she is stuck with a nonrefundable honeymoon.

She convinces Ivy to go on the Hawaiian honeymoon so it does not go to waste. Ivy can take her art retreat on beautiful beaches and Holly can escape to a secluded rented cabin in the Hudson Valley where Ivy was supposed to go. Now, Holly finds out the Airbnb owner is her high school rival and Ivy meets a hotel bartender who comes to her rescue when she finds that Holly’s ex-fiance has already checked into the honeymoon suite with a different woman.

I love the relationship between Holly and Ivy; it is a true love that only best friends can give each other. I also loved that both Holly and Ivy were able to learn about themselves and what they each needed to make themselves happy while being true to who they are.

Unbeknownst to me this was written by one of my favorite holiday romance writers. This book is a great story of friendship and love. Holly and Ivy were introduced by their boyfriends, but they became the best of friends that always put boys second and friendship first.

Holly was set to be married to her long-term boyfriend that Ivy always found to be a bore. That is until the night before the wedding he called it off.

Holly gives Ivy her honeymoon so she can take Ivy's pre-planned art retreat. Little does Ivy know, Holly's ex-fiance beat her to the resort, with his new girlfriend.

This book is so cute and real without being outrageous. A great holiday read. 3.5 stars.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch was such a cute, fluffy non traditional holiday read. It was Christmassy without being too much.

Holly and Ivy have the best BFF meet cute, I really enjoyed their coming together. Their friendship was everything that female friendship should be and I loved it.
I really liked the dual POV and was equally invested in both stories so didn’t find myself wanting to rush through one to get to the other, which is always great in a dual POV.
I loved the settings both friends ended up in and found myself enjoying them being in their respective getaway spots more and more as their time there went on.
The romances were sweet and didn’t feel forced in any way, both felt true to the characters involved. We also got some great supporting characters that were so easy to connect to.

This was a really fun and sweet holiday romance that went outside the norm and I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and Julia McKay for this eARC.
Publication date 10/8/24