To start off with I got the ARC today and finished it today, it was THAT good!

This was one of the books I have been waiting all year to get my hands on and now that I finally did I want to reread it over and over and over again. Having the story being dual-pov was such a smart idea, because you get follow the timelines in both Aarons and Kris’ eyes. The writing, the plot, the drama was so so so perfect.

Seeing these two characters go from both believing in love to downright falling in love with each other was magically in itself. Them both finding themselves during those 12 days together and even afterwards, was so touching to see happen. I won’t lie, I probably teared up a few times (especially at the end).

This probably one of the best books I had the pleasure of reading this year (Jason June never disappoints me honestly) and probably one of the only books the will ever make me say “I really want Christmas to come sooner!” It definitely got me more in the spirit for the holiday to come even if both MCs weren’t that jolly about the holiday (which is ironic in itself with their names).

I FULLY recommend y’all getting this book when it comes out on Nov 12th, it was such a delightful read. ❄️

I'm incredibly thankful to have read an advanced copy of this book. Initially, it took time for me to get into it. Like Aaron, it's been extremely warm where I'm from and I wasn't interested in a Christmas story. Then I realized how much more this book had to offer. For example, both of the main characters are disillusioned with the idea of love. They definitely aren't looking for something genuine. Then they meet someone new, which makes them rethink everything they believed up until now.

Reading this book takes you to that same island that Aaron has traveled to. You experience everything that he does with the added bonus of it all being new to the reader. If this was a real place, I would want to visit. Now I'm just imagining what this fictional place might look like when they inevitably make a movie based on this book. Aaron and Kris are perfect for Amazon's next big LGBTQ+ movie. Just make sure that they have plenty of hot Santa actors on standby.

Rating: 4.5, rounded for NetGalley
Grade: A-

Summary: After his brother's long time girlfriend breaks up with him, Aaron Merry's family jump at the chance to spend Christmas at Winter Wonderland, THE Christmas village. There, Aaron meets Kris, who lives there and works at Winter Wonderland. Kris is attempting to the Race, a competition among the kids in his grade to win a trip to New York that goes to whomever makes a guest confess love to them first. Aaron is really not the type for love, but when his brother's ex shows up at Winter Wonderland, Aaron needs all the help he can get keeping them apart, and he and Kris begin spending a lot of time together...

Review: The biggest pro of this book for me was Aaron. My closed, type-A soulmate, I just GOT him and seeing him get to open up and grow really touched my heart. This book did well what I feel a lot of romance books don't these days - within a few chapters, I knew exactly what Aaron and Kris "needed" from one another in a relationship to become better, happier people. It also just really got me in the mood for the holidays - I loved these two and their slightly Grinchy attitudes. My largest cons was that they spent a little too much time thinking about their private parts for my taste in a YA book, and I would have preferred an epilogue slightly in the future because I felt the ending didn't quite give Kris' story/development justice but I could see that justice coming in a year or so, when he settled more.

Oh my <i>gods</i>. This was tooth-rotting, Hallmark-esque, holiday fluff (with a touch of angst). It was everything I could have wanted from a queer YA holiday book all rolled into one. I fell head over heels for Kris and Aaron, rooting for them the entire time. I've always enjoyed books by Jason June and "Flopping in a Winter Wonderland" was no exception. Christmas has never been my favorite holiday (Halloween takes the win, sorry) but this creation enthralled me.

The closest I'll ever get to a 'Winter Wonderland' is Santa's Village in NH, and believe me, I do not doubt that it would pale in comparison to the magic that Kris and the other 'elves' work hard to bring to the people who visit. I don't think there are enough words available to me that I could use to describe the pure, feet-kicking giddiness that I felt as I lived this relationship with Aaron and Kris. Should it have felt cheesy to me? Maybe, but isn't that what we all look for during the holidays? We might make fun of Hallmark movies because of their formulaic plotlines, but isn't that part of the fun?

You don't have to worry about anything feeling formulaic or repetitive in June's book, however, because not one moment of the book caused boredom. I would happily read many more just like this one if June wanted to explore the other holidays!

Flopping in a Winter Wonderland by Jason June is the literary equivalent of a warm, cozy blanket wrapped around you on a cold winter night. This book beautifully captures the charm and nostalgia of every Hallmark holiday movie, and as I turned each page, I felt like I was watching a musical unfold in my mind. To me, I loved all these aspects of this Rom-Com. And no one does comedy quite like Jason June.

One of the standout aspects of the book is Aaron. His character is a delight— a type-A personality who has been single his whole life, with a strong distaste for the holidays (AKA just like me, very relatable). Yet, despite his initial cynicism, he can’t help but fall for the magic of Christmas when he visits this Holiday Wonderland, which feels so relatable and authentic cause who would not get swept up in a place that makes Hallmark Holidays come to life with the magic of Christmas? Aaron's protective and loving nature towards his family and his sharp wit make him an endearing character you can’t help but root for to experience love. His journey from a Christmas skeptic to someone who embraces the holiday spirit is heartwarming. As Aaron says, “Love might not be real. But kissing is. And it’s great.” This line captures his humorous yet vulnerable side perfectly.

The book is filled with so many cute and quintessentially Christmassy moments—sleigh rides, snowball fights, figure skating, and that inevitable holiday love. However, we also have the plot of Aaron trying to sabotage his brother's holiday romance, which is just an amazing idea for a great comedic plot. Each winter scene feels like a delightful nod to all the best parts of the holiday season. The chemistry between the characters is electric, and you can feel the sparks flying in every interaction. As Casey wisely observes, “The magic of Christmas and the magic of love are natural partners.”

The theme of Christmas woven throughout the story is truly the heart of the book. Jason June captures it perfectly with the line, “Christmas is about family. It’s about community. About coming together and making magic.” (Kris, page 237). This message resonated deeply with me and is a reminder of why we cherish this time of year so much. It’s about more than just decorations or gifts—it’s about connection and creating moments of joy with the people we care about.

Aaron’s transformation is punctuated by his hilarious and sometimes grinchy commentary. At one point, he quips, “She looks so Christmassy it makes me want to barf.” Moments like these balance the book’s sweetness with humor, keeping it from becoming too saccharine. And by the end, when Aaron declares, “You’re the greatest Christmas present I’ve ever been given,” it feels like the perfect culmination of his journey.

Flopping in a Winter Wonderland is a delightful, heartwarming read that captures the essence of the holiday season on every page. Whether you're a Christmas lover or a skeptic like Aaron, this book is sure to make you smile, laugh, and maybe even believe in a little bit of holiday magic.

Big Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for allowing me to get into the festivities early!

Aaron and Kris are an unexpectedly delightful pair in a holiday theme park that’s almost too festive to be true. Their chemistry, combined with the over-the-top Christmas setting, makes for a fun, fluffy read that perfectly balances humor and heart.

You know those Hallmark movies? This book is just like that! ‘Flopping in a Winter Wonderland’ feels like pulling the Grinch onto an island where it’s Christmas every day. Grinch (though I don’t blame him with a brother like Casey) meets a boy who is trying to win a bet (a trope that never gets old, LOL!) All that to say, I enjoyed this story; it was cozy. I like a rom-com now and then, but I have to ask—are there really people like Casey in the world? Serious question! Anyway, the chemistry between Aaron and Kris was so cute, and it gave me all the feels. I will be grabbing this to read again around Christmas break.


Thanks, Netgalley and HarperCollins Children, for the ARC!

This was just pure dumb fun. I think it's great YA, age appropriate with well written characters who feel like real teenagers. It's kind of cringe at times. It's supposed to be.

The premise of this book is Winter Wonderland, a year round christmas theme park where people can stay for twelve days. To have a year round Christmas feel, this theme park is built on an island just north of Alaska within the arctic circle.

It was kind of weird reading such a christmas book in the middle of the summer, but to be fair I did read it within the arctic circle in Lapland surrounded by reindeer so I think it's fine.

The main character is Aaron. Aaron is not particularly into Christmas, but when his brother Casey wins the Winter Wonderland lottery and gets to stay for twelve days for free with his family, Aaron is happy to go along, hoping Casey will get over his break up with his long time girlfriend Raquel.

Casey was easily the cringiest character in the book, but he was also sweet. He's obsessed with hallmark christmas romcoms. He's obsessed with everything christimas. Everything he does or says is cringy. This is kind of the point. Casey's girlfriend Raquel was just as obsessed with christmas, and these two did everything together and were in Aaron's word very codependent. Aaron has a point.

Aaron is convinced this holiday will distract Casey and allow him to make Christmas memories that are not about Raquel. Unfortunately, turns out Raquel is also staying at Winter Wonderland for the same twelve day cycle and she's sort of dating a staff member. Casey decides it's a sign from the universe he should try to win her back. Aaron is covinced Casey is better off without her and needs to learn to be his own person and decides to sabotage Casey's attempts. What could possibly go wrong?

The second POV character is Kris and he's a teenager living in Winter Wonderland. His parents work there, he goes to school there and he also works as an elf. If you think this whole arrangement is kind of exploitative, yes it is and the book does touch on that even if it's not the main point. The kids growing up in Winter Wonderland are kind of assumed to go on and work there as adults and aren't really encouraged elsewhere. Kris and his year group have this thing where the first one of them who gets a guest to confess their love to them wins a trip with the owner's teenager daughter to her parents' house in New York. Kris is determined to win this trip to convince the owner to hire his uncle back to be the park's first gay Santa.

Aaron needs Kris's help with his sabotage, and Kris believes Aaron is the perfect person to win the race with, but real feelings begin to catch. What could possibly go wrong?

I really liked what this book did with the characters. Aaron and Kris both have a strong ARC. Aaron is convinced he's all that's keeping his family together since his mom left, and is convinced he has to fix Casey's problems. Meanwhile, Kris has become detached from everything living at Winter Wonderland and while some mockery of the tourists is justified, the race has them playing with real people's feelings and he doesn't really see that at first. Both have to grow to become suitable for each other, and I really liked how we get to the reasons behind Aaron's actions. He does some dumb stuff trying to sabotage Casey, but I do think it makes sense for his character and he learns from his mistakes.

My only criticism: male reindeer do not have antlers around christmas, those shed before then, and some of the male reindeer are described as having antlers. Doesn't really take away from this book but I did learn this about reindeer just before reading this book. I can imagine the author didn't know though. Female reindeer do have antlers this time of year as they shed later.

I'd recommend this for fan of christmas romcoms, but even if you're not super into those, neither are the two main characters so I think you might still like it if you like dumb queer teen romcoms with great character work. I would recommend reading it sometime in the holiday season rather than in summer like I did.

Schemes and dreams connect two adorable teens in this holiday rom com with shenanigans galore. Sweet holiday read is a must this season.

an adorable christmas rom com with the right amount of fluff. kris is a very strong, smart, and exciting lead that is able to figure out what they need to do, when they need to do it. based on a small island that is a christmas wonderland, this book is the perfect little read to get you ready for the holidays. absolutely would recommend!!

Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley for the eARC, these opinions are my own! Two Jason June books again this year! Kris has spent his whole life on the Winter Wonderland Island, the place for the eternal wonders of Christmas. But when you’re raised around it the whole meaning starts to lose its wonder. Especially after the board turned down his Uncle Toby’s request to be the first openly queer Santa. And his uncle left. Now he’s determined to get his uncle back and get him the queer Santa position he deserves. So when the 12 days before Christmas begin he’s determined to find a fling among the tourists who will tell him they love him. If he does he’ll get a change to plead his case to Kris Kringle. Aaron is determined to help his Christmas obsessed brother get over his ex girlfriend by visiting the Christmas Island at Christmas time. When the two meet sparks will fly. Aaron’s not looking for anything at the moment but he’s drawn to Kris like he’s never been before. Aaron’s forced to get Kris’s help when an unexpected visitor arrives. As the two work together they begin to feel things neither have ever felt. But will Kris’s plans be derailed if Aaron finds out? Will Aaron’s own schemes end in disaster? Will the Christmas Cheer be all it’s cracked up to be? If you’re really into Christmas you’ll love this book! A perfect rom-com to get you in the holiday mood! Fun, cheerful, and fantastic! Definitely recommend for a good holiday read or if you enjoy Christmas year round!