This was a fun fluffy Christmas read that was just the book I needed after reading a book that was sad. I wouldn't say that there was anything wrong with this book as it did its job to be full of Christmas and a light read, but it was on the slower side for me and I didn't feel deeply connected with the characters as much as I would have liked. I don't think that's always a bad thing though as long as it's enjoyable.

Overall, this was a decent read and looking forward to this author's next book.

Unfortunately i didnt love this one, i feel like it was unrealistic and borderline cheesy. I wanted more from the mains, but the advent calendar game seemed childish.

Great read! I loved this special Christmas romance by star writer Holly Cassidy. It was more than a romance--it was a sister story, a community story, with so much heart and tradition.

**3-Star Review of *The Christmas Countdown* by Holly Cassidy**

*The Christmas Countdown* by Holly Cassidy is a light, festive read that delivers plenty of holiday cheer, though it doesn’t quite bring anything fresh to the table. The story follows Jess, a woman who finds herself caught up in a whirlwind romance during the lead-up to Christmas. She begins a "countdown" of sorts to help her navigate the holiday season, and along the way, romance and self-discovery unfold in a familiar, feel-good way.

Cassidy does a nice job of evoking the holiday spirit, and the setting is filled with Christmas charm—from the decorations to the cozy winter vibes. The romance is sweet and develops at a steady pace, though the plot itself is predictable, and there aren’t many surprises along the way. Jess is an endearing protagonist, but her character doesn’t always feel as fleshed out as she could be, and some of the secondary characters lack depth.

Overall, *The Christmas Countdown* is an easy, enjoyable read for fans of holiday romance. It's perfect for those looking to immerse themselves in the warmth of Christmas, but it doesn’t offer much in terms of originality or emotional depth. It’s a fun escape, but ultimately, it’s a forgettable addition to the seasonal romance genre.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was the sweetest and most heartwarming holiday rom-com! The Christmas Countdown follows Callie, a young woman still reeling from heartbreak after being dumped by her childhood sweetheart. With no desire to face the holidays, she is fully in Grinch mode. But her sister, Anita, refuses to let her wallow and creates a homemade Advent calendar filled with festive challenges to reignite her holiday spirit. Along the way, Callie meets a charming baker who gently pushes her out of her comfort zone.

I absolutely loved all the festive activities and sweet treats woven into the story, and the countdown to Christmas in each chapter made it even more magical! Callie’s personal growth was so rewarding to watch, and I found myself rooting for her to open up her heart again!

If you’re looking for a cute, cozy and clean holiday read then this is the book for you! I wholeheartedly recommend!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Callie is facing her first Christmas as a single woman after her childhood sweetheart breaks her heart. In a bid to lift her spirits, her sister Anita creates a homemade Advent calendar filled with cheerful challenges and treats, reminiscent of their childhood traditions. Reluctantly, Callie agrees to participate, but her plans take a delightful turn when she meets Marco, a charming baker who joins her in completing the tasks. Together, they tackle the calendar's challenges, from decorating a Christmas tree to taking a cooking class, all while navigating the ups and downs of newfound friendship and potential romance. As Callie starts to rediscover the magic of the holidays, she finds herself slowly letting go of her past and embracing the possibilities of love again. With the help of her sister and Marco, Callie's journey is filled with warmth, humor, and festive cheer, leading to a heartwarming conclusion that reminds her, and readers, of the joys of the season.

Readers will be enjoy this holiday tale, as it combines themes of self-discovery, friendship, and love. Callie's transformation from a Grinch to someone who embraces the holiday spirit is relatable and heartwarming. The chemistry between Callie and Marco is palpable, filled with punny banter and sweet moments that make their relationship both believable and enjoyable. Readers will appreciate the emphasis on honesty and communication in their budding romance, presenting a refreshing take on love. The engaging narrative, sprinkled with festive activities and cozy moments, creates a perfect backdrop for the burgeoning romance. With its lighthearted tone and uplifting message, this book is a delightful escape that reminds readers of the magic of Christmas and the power of love, making it a must-read for anyone who adores holiday romance. It's quick it's fun and slightly spicy. I loved it and it's perfect to get you in the mood for Christmas....even months ahead of time ;)

This was an amazing book. I love the romance. I enjoyed the storyline and I love that it was about Christmas. Christmas books are my favorite. Definitely a 5 star must read

This Christmas, Callie has decided to stay away from home, still nursing her wounded heart after breaking up with her ex—who grew up next door and is now returning home with his new girlfriend.

Callie's sister Anita, who's traveling for the month, tries unsuccessfully to persuade Callie to return home for the holidays. When her initial efforts fail, Anita creates an Advent calendar challenge designed to lift Callie's spirits and reconnect her with the joy of Christmas.

During one of the challenge activities, Callie meets an attractive baker, and soon they find themselves tackling the Advent challenges together.
This story offers a refreshing and enjoyable approach to holiday romance with its creative premise.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for providing an advance copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Callie moved to follow her boyfriend after college and he dumped her soon after she arrived. They work at the same company and she cannot get away from him and his new girlfriend. She decided not to go home for Christmas (the boyfriend’s is her family’s next door neighbor) and definitely isn’t in the Christmas spirit. Callie’s sister, Anita, is determined to get her into the holiday spirit and makes an advent calendar full of treats and tasks like their mom used to make. They are all set to do it together when Anita has to leave town for a two week work trip. Callie promises to continue with the treats and tasks. It just so happens that she keeps running into Marco, the handsome baker, and he joins her for the remainder of the calendar. Of course it doesn’t all go as planned, but this fun holiday read ends exactly the way you think it will!

We follow our main character, Callie, who is spending her first Christmas as a single woman, after her childhood sweetheart ditched her for someone more exciting. (uhm, literally HOW FREAKIN' RUDE!)
So, to combat the Christmas blues, Callie's sister Anita organizes a giant advent calendar full of treats and tasks to get Callie out of her comfort zone and build back her confidence! I love this for her. What a true sister and how sweet of her too. An oh so sweet and charming baker, Marco, joins her in the challenge & helps further push Callie out of her comfort zone and move on from her ex. This is a true fluffy Christmas-y cheerful book that is much needed, really anytime of the year. I liked the romance, especially the emphasis on honesty in their relationship and how open they were with each other.
This is also a closed door romance, so sadly nothing spicy to report on that front.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This holiday rom-com delivers a heartwarming and festive story with a dash of humor and plenty of charm. Callie, a woman who's been burned by love and is now in full Grinch mode, reluctantly embarks on an Advent calendar challenge created by her well-meaning sister, Anita. The concept is sweet—cheerful holiday tasks to help Callie rediscover her love for Christmas, herself, and possibly even love again.

The book captures that perfect holiday vibe, with all the cozy, feel-good moments you’d expect from a Christmas romance. Callie’s initial resistance to the challenges is relatable and adds a nice layer of tension to her eventual transformation. Enter the charming baker, who brings just the right amount of sweetness (literally and figuratively) into her life, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a classic holiday romance.

Deep exhale on this one. It was not good and I kept hoping it would get better because the premise was cute. There was WAY too much 'extra' text' and the dialogue was stuffy and just not authentic at all. I remember one scene where Marco explains that his mom was a chef and how formative it was for him to see her passion for cooking....why then does the Callie character need to ask if that's where he got the love of cooking from?? That's just one scene out of soooo many that needed work. I honestly should have DNFed it but kept going and gave it two stars for the idea alone.

..Guys… this is such a cute book!!! Thank you soo much @putnambooks @hollycassidyauthor for my gorgeous gifted copy!! 🎅 I loved it!

Callie N Oliver Forever ✌️Right?! WRONG… 😳… Oliver totally dumped his childhood sweetheart… yes they have known each other for a long time… and rebounds… to another girl..😒… Never fear… Anita is here!! Our girl Callie is so lucky that she has an amazing sister!! 🥰Anita is NOT going to let Callie be the grinchiest of grinches for Christmas! 🎄 What did I love?? 🔽

✅ A whole new spin on an Advent calendar 📅 made for a very fun read! In fact each chapter counts down the days to Christmas as well. 😉

✅ Likeable characters!! I loved everyone.. well except Oliver. 😒.. but Oliver made his own bed.. 🤷‍♀️ BYE ✌️ dude.

✅ Sister power! These girls had a bond like no other! 🥰
✅ Grinch cocktails 🍸🍸🍸
✅Marco
✅ Marco
✅Did I say Marco yet? 😂 Well helloo book boyfriend 😉

SO this was the PERFECT book to kick off the holiday season with!! I felt a little grinchy picking it up in October… but that all disappeared on page one!! By the time I put this down… well I watched a Christmas movie 🍿 after. 😳🤫🤫🤫 I am telling you… this book was my Christmas Fuel!! So add this one to your list!! Pub date is TOMORROW 10/22🥳🥳

I can TOTALLY see this as a Hallmark movie!! All the cuteness but also great characters with a story to tell!!

Super cute holiday read. I love a Hallmark esq Christmas read, always puts me in the Christmas spirit. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁: Nailed the vibe! A warm holiday hug with layers of nostalgia that will leave you with all the Christmas fuzzies. This book takes you on a fun journey through the holiday season making all the memories and finding romance along the way. Seriously the perfect read to add to any holiday TBR!

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: Callie has turned into a couch surfing grinch this holiday season thanks to a breakup and it’s her sister mission to help her find herself again. What better way than to bring back a childhood tradition! So on Dec 1st Anita stacked a pyramid of boxes in their living room, just like when they were kids. Callie will be competing the Christmas Advent Challenge this year, each day will alternate between a challenge and a reward with the hope of sparking holiday cheer.

Callie’s first challenge was to decorate a Christmas tree which is how she finds herself begrudgingly at the tree lot. But all is not lost when she runs into a charming man who speaks her language of puns! He even helps her find the saddest tree there.

Fate would be on her side a few days later when a cooking class she is forced to attend for her next task is taught by none other than that same charming man: Marco. Then Callie’s sister gets called away for work and she’s left needed a partner to carry out her tasks. Enter Marco and thanks to her intervening sister she will be providing accounting service in exchange for his help.

Come follow Callie and Marco as they knockout their challenges full of holiday fun & cheer. Callie may even discover that her grinch heart can love again and that Marco may be the perfect man for the job.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚: “A smile danced on his lips, making his green eyes twinkle, I thought I might melt like a snowflake on a hot griddle.” - Callie

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Charming Baker MMC
* Accountant FMC
* Tree Farm Meet Cute
* Reverse Grumpy vs Sunshine
* Advent Calendar Challenges
* Silly Pun Loving MCs
* Hallmark Christmas Vibes
* Small Town - Fallbrook, NY
* Closed Door
* Single POV

🛷🌲❄️🛷🌲❄️ 🛷🌲❄️🛷🌲❄️

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Oh, Eggnog Man," I replied with another grin. "We're so eggcellent, others will be eggstremely jealous."


In a near-perfect holiday book, you will meet a Swiss Miss and an Eggnog Man. No, those aren't their real names, but they are pretty fun nicknames. Real talk: Callie and Marco were hands down adorable, and I really enjoyed their puns. Not only did Marco bake some delicious desserts, but he also helped Callie get back into the spirit of Christmas. I mean, it was her big sister Anita's idea to begin with, but he did end up helping her with some of the Advent calendar challenges.

While these activities are making her December one she will always remember, she is also slowly getting over her ex-boyfriend. It definitely hurts when you are with someone for ten years, move to a new city, work at the same job, just to wake up one day and be dumped. Oh, did I forget to mention that her family lives next door to his family back in their hometown? Yikes!

Anyways, Anita comes up with this brilliant plan in order to get Callie out of her Grinch funk. She used to love Christmas and her family's holiday party. Now? She wants absolutely nothing to do with that. So, in a way, she was sent her own little angel (aka Marco) to help along the way.

Together, they were adorable. They had pretty cute chemistry, but I'll admit they did move the romance part a bit faster than I was expecting. Still, I really liked them because they liked each other. Then, of course, the drama came. I think things needed to be blown up (a little bit) so that things could get better for everyone. Anita, her parents, Callie herself, and even Marco needed this little shove.

In the end, this was pretty cute, and I could totally see this becoming a movie for the holidays.

This was cute for the holidays. I liked the premise and the characters. There were also some fun twists. I thought it was a fun idea to do the advent calendar. I’m glad she didn’t end up with Oliver!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a refreshing and captivating experience, and I found the writing to be both engaging and accessible. The story flowed smoothly, making it easy to stay connected to the plot and characters without feeling lost or overwhelmed. The author struck a perfect balance, keeping things interesting while still making the content feel approachable. Overall, it was a wonderful read, and I would definitely recommend it to others who are looking for an enjoyable and easy-to-digest book.

First, thank you to NetGalley for the Arc of the Christmas Countdown!
First things first, I’m am not a fan of instalove or when or the mc’s fall in love way too fast. Callie and Marco’s relationship happened way too fast, and I wished they had some real challenges to make it feel more believable. Instead, the only conflict was an unnecessary third-act breakup that could have been solved with a simple conversation. It was handled well in the end, but it still left a bad taste in my mouth. There’s also the overbearing family trope, Callie’s sister is constantly pushing her out of her comfort zone, and her parents want her back with her ex. Everything gets wrapped up nicely, but it was frustrating to read. That said, the advent calendar idea was really cute, and the book definitely had holiday vibes. The characters were fun, but the pacing was slow at times, and nothing really stood out to make it super memorable.

✨ Book Thoughts ✨
The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy
Pub Date: 10/22/24

This was a heartwarming Christmas story that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Absolutely the perfect book to put you in the Christmas mood and curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and a cozy blanket. The characters are fun and the plot is full of festive cheer. 🎄
Definitely for fans of Hallmark movies! I loved the meet cute and all the extremely corny puns the MCs threw around. Callie’s family irked me a little, very minor detail so I just ignored it. Absolutely adored the whole advent calendar to get Callie back in the spirit and closer to Marco. Check this out if you’re a reader who likes books to get you into the holiday spirit!

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Holly Cassidy for continuing to write these fun Christmas novels!

#thechristmascountdown #bookstagram #bookworm #christmas #holidayreads #romance #cozyreads #booklove #hollycassidy