This book was super cute! I couldn’t help but fall in love with Aaron and Kris (and their delightful awkwardness) as they stumbled through their holiday schemes. The setting—a year-round Christmas theme park on an island north of Alaska—was so fun and whimsical, perfect for all the festive vibes.

I really appreciated how flawed yet loveable all the characters were. Aaron and Kris felt so real with their insecurities and missteps, but watching their connection grow was just so heartwarming. Plus, the humor and holiday cheer were on point—plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and some seriously sweet, swoon-worthy ones too.

If you’re looking for a fun, upper YA holiday rom-com with plenty of shenanigans, healing, and a dash of mistletoe magic, this one is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc of this book!

Phew this was not for me. The characters were abysmal. Winter Wonderland sounded hellish at times. Kris was very narcissistic and over the top. The Merry men were just meh. I felt like this plot had potential but the whole thing was handled weird.

What a fun Christmas read! Jason June consistently delivers when it comes to messy queer teens in ridiculous situations, so I was thrilled to see he had a Christmas book coming out, and am happy to say this delivered. It follows Kris, a gay teen who lives on a Christmas themed island (Winter Wonderland) that runs on cheer and tourism dollars, and Aaron who's hoping a family trip to Winter Wonderland will heal his brother's broken heart. However, this goes awry when his brother's ex shows up, and he ropes Kris into helping him on his mission. Kris agrees, so he can win a dating contest that allows him to win a trip to New York, and confront the Winter Wonderland founder about having a gay Santa. Ignoring the totally convoluted plot, this is kind of delightful. There are lots of silly, laugh out loud moments and there's plenty of queer joy. I loved Kris's passion for a gay Santa. However, Winter Wonderland's issues go far beyond a gay representation in the North Pole. Teens are educated in skills that have no real-world value, no one really gets to critique the founder, and it seems like the vast majority of the people in Winter Wonderland are working minimum wage jobs as elves. What I'm saying is, you'll have to suspend your disbelief. Still, maybe teen readers can ignore this, because there's a lot to like. Jason June always writes healthy, supportive gay romances, and like I said, brings the laughs. Christmas books, in my opinion, can get a pass for silliness and wild plotlines. Tis the season!

A quick read with a nice premise! It'll be a cute Christmas story for teens. It's full of cheer and will be timely every winter.

it's a genuinely hilarious, almost slapstick, comedy filled with a lot of Christmas magic. the meet cute was adorable. the hurdles Aaron kept having to jump were entertaining. it was kind of like the "yes, and..." of things that could go wrong for him lol. it's a great lesson in building conflict in a narrative!!

and Kris!! his goals were very noble and i loved how he stood up for what he really believed in.

my favorite part of this is how campy it is, and how jason (and the book lol) are totally in on the joke. i love the idea of a year-round Christmas town and theme park.

but like all of Jason's books, we have some really great character arcs. i love how both Aaron and Kris take this time to realize how important it is to carve out space in the world for what you want and deserve.

This made for a mostly fun audiobook, but the Christmas island had major cult vibes, so I was afraid this might turn into a thriller at any time.

I appreciated a lot of things about this, like the development both characters go through and how they learn to value themselves enough to go after what they want. And a lot of the book is centered around how fake and exhausting it is to have to keep the Christmas cheer alive yearround, so I can't really blame the book, it did a good job. But I found the whole concept so incredibly creepy, especially with the second generation pretty much feeling forced to stay and keep living and working on the island because they're not taught about what options are out there for them. I have to admit that whole creepy vibe kind of killed the charm for me, which affected my enjoyment.

2.5⭐️ rounded up. Loved the backdrop of this story, but really didn’t feel the romance. Also I feel it was just a bit long and repetitive in places. Just not for me unfortunately despite seeming to have all the elements I usually enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this YA gay holiday romance that was super cute and fun to read!

OK so I didn’t need to know much about this to grab it up. All I knew was that it was written by Jason June and it was a holiday book. And Lordt,it was all that I needed.

The main characters were my favorite part. I LOVED Aaron. He at some point felt like the only one that had some sense. Because his brother?! Lordt. But I can’t lie, I did relate to him in some way. Like the Christmas thing? Yeah that’s basically what I did after the election. I ran to holiday stories and haven’t really looked back since. So I understand that feeling of trying to chase the happiness this season gives you. Aaron was headstrong, but sometimes TOO headstrong. He didn’t see the gray in anything. As for Kris, I was mad at him for most of the book. Because why would you even make a game like that? That’s asking for someone (Including YOU) to get hurt. But as it went on, he annoyed me more but he finally got it together at the end. I let him slide tho because he had a whole other set of issues happening as he was going through all of this fake dating.

The romance itself was cute. Idk if it counts as fake dating? It was basically them saying they were flirting for the benefit of the brother and then it was fake for the benefit of the Christmas Island people. But for the most part, they were flirting by basically trying to sabotage Kris, Racquel, and the other person. It was a bit much. And that’s just bad all on it’s own. But I was happy that they got it together at the end.

The thing that I liked about this the most tho was the fact that it was hilarious. I laughed so much out loud unexpectedly. That reindeer scene? My gawd, I woke my child up from laughing so loud. I also laughed at the brother a fair amount of times because he was dumb. I don’t understand how the scene at the restaurant happens and your mind immediately goes THERE?! I knew he needed help before he knew he needed help .

The plot was fine. A little slow if I’m being honest. But it was like your basic Hallmark movie. This is what made me worried tho. Because it was about teens. I was expecting them to get back to things when they left. But that ending rocked me. I was not ready. It was a lot. But in the end, it did wrap up all nicely. I was satisfied with it.

This book had A LOT going on. So much so that I don’t think I even covered it all. But I can say I liked it and I hope June does another holiday book. This was so much fun. I hope more of you read and enjoy this like I did.

4 stars on Goodreads but I hated this book. Struggled to get past 50%.
The characters were just really unlikable for me. Let's approve of these kids taking advantage of visitors by trying to get them to fall in love with them just for a game. Stupid.

Jason June brings their signature charm and humor to Flopping in a Winter Wonderland, a festive romp filled with laughter, love, and holiday mishaps. With quirky characters and heartwarming moments, this story perfectly captures the magic (and chaos) of the season. It’s a delightful read that will have you grinning from start to finish—perfect for curling up with on a chilly winter night.

Got an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 3.5 stars

This book did actually make me cackle in some parts. It's what everyone likes in a romcom in a good cheesy way. I gave it 3.5 stars mainly because I found myself skimming halfway through the book. In the end, this queer book is actually worth the time especially when you want to feel christmasyy!

Really enjoyed this cute romance set in a Winter Wonderland. June mixes the whimsical and the reality of relationships into a wonderful story.

Thank you Harper Collins for the ARC.

If you are a fan of romantic comedies, this book is for you. It is, by far, the cutest Christmas novel I've ever read! It offers such a warm and fuzzy experience, giving off all the Hallmark vibes while capturing the realities of unexpected love and family dynamics. I also appreciated how JJ addressed unhealthy coping mechanisms that people can have. I can't stop smiling after reading this book! JJ does an amazing job of creating stories that are easy to get into. From the moment I started reading, I was hooked. From every Christmas mishap to heartfelt moments, this book deserves to be at the top of your Christmas reading list. And if you love a good pun, look no further.

I am not normally the type of person to get super into Christmas before Thanksgiving but this book really brought out the holiday spirit in me. The holiday cliches in Winter Wonderland came across as charming instead of cringe and the main cast had so much character! Kris and Aaron are so well fit for one another and I was rooting for them since they first collided (literally). Learning about the Merry family and how they cope differently with their mother’s abandonment and the ways that Aaron tries to gain control in his own life are integral to him as a character and I love how they showed his growth in this story. The Race was destined to be a source of conflict from the beginning but when that moment came I was still mad that it had to happen. Chris you know what you did!! I love Kris and his motivations to get his Uncle back and his desire to have the representation of a gay Santa in Winter Wonderland and his willingness to bend the rules when he starts to truly experience love (even if it’s subconscious at first). The pacing was also really well done. And Casey and Raquel’s plot-line perfectly balances out the story, makes you understand Aaron better as a character, and drives Kris learn what the Race truly means to him. You’d think that it would feel fast to have the majority of the book happen in a total of twelve days, but it actually worked perfectly and had that perfect touch of Christmas magic to make it feel that much more believable. This is definitely a must read for all this holiday season.

This was such a cute Christmas read! I've read most of Jason June's previous books, but I have to say I think Flopping in a Winter Wonderland may be my favorite book of his thus far! I loved Kris and Aaron as characters. Aaron’s nickname is "the Robot" because he manages to keep a cool demeanor in every situation. Aaron is not willing to be distracted by boys or crushes or anything. His family is his #1 priority. Enter Kris. Kris has lived his entire life at Winter Wonderland, a theme park located on an island of Alaska where Christmas occurs year round. Kris is desperate to win the Race, a contest amongst his fellow Wonderer’s for who can get a mainlander to proclaim their love for them first. At first Aaron is nothing more than a mark to Kris. And Kris is nothing more than a means to keep his brother and his ex-girlfriend apart for Aaron. Slowly the two grow closer and closer and despite their best efforts, feelings begin to take hold.

Flopping in a Winter Wonderland is a story about two teens on the cusp of adulthood who both have never experienced romantic love, are not even sure if it really exists. What starts out as more of a mutually beneficial partnership leads to a friendship and eventually more. Kris and Aaron make a lot of mistakes in this story, but they learn from them and they grow as people. I really enjoyed their journey and this Christmas wonderland June created. I think a lot of us use the season of Christmas as a time of healing, and I appreciated June showing that it is not some magical cure all. Another enjoyable read from Jason June, I look forward to his next release!

In the true spirit of Christmas comes a really adorable novel, Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June! It was my first Christmas read of the year and it did not disappoint. Centered around a Christmas amusement park between two characters Kris who lives on the island year round making magic for all its visitors while yearning for his gay uncle to come back to the island. Then there’s Aaron who is trying to help his Christmas obsessed older brother Casey get over his girlfriend Raquel, once they win a trip to the theme park. What wasn’t planned was Kris and Aaron falling for each other when neither really believes in love and treats Christmas more as a grinch than as a tiny Tim. Hijinks ensues when Raquel ends up at the theme park at the exact same time. Come for the laughs, stay for the Christmas magic and tidings of good cheer. Who doesn’t love a sparkly funny holiday romance.

Figuring out where to start this review is tricky. Normally I start by giving a brief description of what this book is about, then talk about what I thought about it. But my main problem with this book is how insanely complicated the concept of this book is, which is now giving me trouble with writing up a description. Trying to explain this book is kind of exhausting, but this is my best attempt:
- Some rich billionaire bought an entire island and started a Christmas cult?
- People moved there to be paid minimum wage to be Christmas elves year round in exchange for free housing and healthcare, but it is extremely difficult to leave if you want to
- The kids who were born on this island would completely fail in the real world. They take acting, dancing, and hospitality classes at their high school. They can never have a normal life, so they are double stuck on this island.
- Kris was born on the island and is upset that his uncle couldn't be a gay Santa, so he managed to leave the island. Kris wants to bring his uncle back, and the only way to do that is to win a silly bet he and his friends made, which is super convoluted but would lead to him meeting the billionaire who owns the island.
- Aaron's brother honestly should work on this island because his obsession with Christmas is insane. They win a trip to the island but the brother's recent ex-girlfriend is there, so Aaron decides to keep them away from one another by ruining all the Christmas fun. Enter Kris, who is helping him because he thinks he can get Aaron to fall in love with him, thus winning him the bet.

Once I got past the kind of absurd concept, the writing itself was still good. We had a classic bet trope thrown into the holiday romance, and they were really sweet together. I have enjoyed Jason June books before, so I was expecting to like this a lot. I kept thinking to myself - this could have just been set in a small town with a Christmas festival every winter, and I would have enjoyed it so much more. This was giving classic Hallmark Christmas movie, except the romance of it all got buried under this insanely convoluted plot.

Thank you for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

ARC review for Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June

Thanks to Jason, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

Featured tropes: holiday romance, romcom, trying to win a bet, third act break-up, forced proximity, partners in crime (like not actual crime but you know what I mean), YA

Trigger warning: this is pretty light, friends. Past parental abandonment I suppose but like, it's pretty chill so I wouldn't let it stop you from reading the book

Review: 4/5

Friends. This book was delightful. It's the perfect little book to get you in the holiday spirit with some lighthearted fun.

Things I liked:
- Kris and Aaron are so sweet. Both of our MMCs are just trying to work towards, really, pretty selfless goals. Yeah, they have their own motivations but really, they're doing what they're doing so they can help someone they love.
- I loved the Merry family. Aaron, my little type A bebe, just warmed my heart. He's such a caretaker and I love him for it. Casey is Christmas insane and it's hilarious. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about Dad because, to start, he seemed pretty absent and aloof but he really shaped up towards the end of the book and made me really love him. Plus, the banter between them. I love me some good banter and I love it even more when it's between a family that clearly loves each other so much they're totally down to give each other hell.
- The concept was just so wonderful. Come on. A year-round Christmas theme park where it's the holiday season every day? Just that concept is so fun and it was great getting to imagine such a place.

Things I disliked or missed the mark:
- I would have liked a little more clarity surrounding Winter Wonderland upon its introduction. It's billed as a theme park but, at the beginning, the way things are talked about made me wonder if it was truly "Santa's Workshop." It was a little confusing to start but it did clear up eventually and, yes, it's just a Christmas lover's dream in a destination, immersive theme park.
- Was it cheesy and sugar sweet? Oh, absolutely. I suppose it's to be expected from a holiday romcom but we're definitely talking Hallmark-level cheese here.
- I would have loved an epilogue with a brief glimpse to a year or even just six months in the future. After what I'll dub "The Big Announcement" the story wraps up SO quickly. I would have loved just a little peek into their life (particularly Kris') a little bit down the road.

Overall, if you want a punch of holiday happiness, this is a great fit. Keep in mind, this is a YA novel so, if you're looking for spice, you won't find hardly any here beyond a few good make out sessions but it's still worth a read.

(Actual rating 3.5)I'm slowly getting ready for all the Christmas reads, and as my first festive read this year, Flopping In A Winter Wonderland was such a gorgeous way to kick things off. Think of a very sweet, super inclusive hallmark channel movie, and that's exactly what reading this book felt like.

All Aaron wants for Christmas is for his brother to get over his ex Raquel and realise that he's absolutely wonderful as an individual. He doesn't need a relationship to define him and is enough all by himself.

Kris works at Wads, and as my first festive read this year, Flopping In A Winter Wonderland was such a gorgeous way to kick things off. Think of a very sweet, super inclusive hallmark channel movie, and that's exactly what reading this book felt like.

All Aaron wants for Christmas is for his brother to get over his ex Raquel and realise that he's absolutely wonderful as an individual. He doesn't need a relationship to define him and is enough all by himself.

Kris works at Winter Wonderland at an island near Alaska where there's a year-round Christmas themed park. He loves working there and is a hundred per cent full of Christmas spirit. Well, he was before his uncle Tobias left after realising that the resort was never going to accept a gay Santa. He is vowing to get his uncle back and show Kris Kringle the error of ostracising queer santa he takes part in a game, whoever can get a holiday maker to fall in love with them, gets an audience with the boss and Kris is determined to win and state his case.

When Aaron and Kris collide, quite literally sparks are going to fly, but with each of them with their own agenda, can true love prevail?

Flopping In A Winter Wonderland is such a wholesome, heartwarming read, I did find Aaron slightly repetitive for the first 10% of the book, but after that I flew through it and it had me giggling and kicking my feet. It's very funny in places and made me laugh out loud, the scene with the reindeer especially. The characters aren't afraid to be goofy, and I love the message of inclusiveness.
Overall, this is a perfect lgbtq+ read for the festive season, so I would definitely recommend it.