Hot 🔥 the steamy scenes had me sweating 🥵 This was actually the first book that I read in the series, and I think it would have been better if I'd read the others first, but I still really enjoyed this one! I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but when I found out that Jacob Morgan is one of the narrators for this book, I had to pop on over to Spotify to follow along with the audio because I will listen to ANYTHING that man narrates, but especially if it's written by Sierra Simone. They make pure magic together 🪄 and can do no wrong.

A Jingle Bell Mingle is part of a series. I haven't read the other books, so I was confused about some of the supporting characters.

Sunny (adult film actress/director) becomes roommates with Isaac (former boy band member whose wife died five years ago) when she moves to Christmas Notch, Vermont. They plan to team up with each other to work on projects to restart their careers.

I found the book to be fun and spicy! Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Thank you for the rabbit hole receiving this book sent me on. Since this is the final in the Christmas Notch series, I went back and read the first two books plus the novellas in preparation for this one. So I was very ready for our broody recluse hero Isaac and very aptly named Sunny heroine to get their HEA, plus I wanted the deets of the infamous one night stand. What a wonderful ride this book and series has been. Appreciate the genius and brilliantly absurdness that is the pairing of Julie and Sierra. Sad this is coming to a close, but it will definitely be a seasonal re-read!!!

📚: A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
⭐️: 2.5/5 (rounding up on #goodreads)

We’re back in quaint Christmas Notch, Vermont for another raunchy story — this time with former adult star turned Hope Channel screenplay writer, Sunny and former boy band member turned sad boy recluse, Issac.

(Did you read that last sentence? Yes. That’s how unhinged this plot is.)

After really enjoying Snow Place in LA and A Holly Jolly Ever After in the Christmas Notch series, this one took a turn back toward how I felt about A Merry Little Meet Cute. There’s a lot of sex that somehow isn’t sexy and is, quite frankly, so frequent in this book that it’s distracting. Goes without saying that this raunchfest has 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ - but not necessarily high quality spice, IMO.

That said, will I read the novella in this series that I missed? You bet. Am I kind of happy this is seemingly the last book in the series? Also yes.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. A Jingle Bell Mingle is out now.

”I didn’t have to fit myself inside a younger, more hopeful version of myself. I already loved you, and I don’t even know for how long.”

Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone have created such a fun universe in Christmas Notch, Vermont. I imagine their conversation that kicked off the series went like: “What if a bunch of porn stars decided to start making Hallmark movies instead? And then they all fell in love, having tons of spicy adventures on the way?”

“A Jingle Bell Mingle” is our third installment in the trilogy. We follow adult actress Sunny Palmer and former boy band star and current widower Isaac Kelly, who meet again at mutual friends' wedding after their (off-page but referenced) threesome in a past book. Isaac lost his wife at a tragically young age and has vowed to spend his life grieving, but teaming up with Sunny as she writes her first Christmas movie script proves to be a recipe for so much more.

These books are sweet, spicy, charming and feisty. If you throw Christmas cookies and KY Jelly into a blender, you’d get the flavor (and the ick - don’t do that) of this series.

While I thoroughly enjoyed our return, I have to admit: having every single character deliver sparkling, sardonic dialogue in every moment felt…extra. But that’s a small gripe to wage for a body positive, empowering and inclusive holiday story penned by this darling duo.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyage for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was so delightful! Truly got me into the holiday spirit and I adored Sunny and Isaac together~ I liked how they found common ground with their own ways of dealing with grief and their own pampered upbringings that they wanted to grow from. Also, I'm always a sucker for close-promiximity romances and this one truly gave everything and then some with a Christmas Notch flair that was warm and familiar with a cozy hug. It was also great seeing how the previous couples were doing!

A Jingle Bell Mingle is the spectacular conclusion to the Christmas Notch series. If you like any of the other books, this is a must-read. As the conclusion, it's the best of all of them especially as all the characters gather together at the end. Not only is this the type of romance you'd expect from this series (sweet and steamy) but there's also the characteristic growth and self-discovery that makes their romance series from ordinary to complex. One of the unique aspects that was a favorite of mine is the discussion of grief and how to love through grief. This was the absolute perfect holiday romance read and the holiday vibes were immaculate. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

A shockingly sad yet still fun holiday book! Isaac and Sunny were perfect for each other and complimented each other very well.

I have really loved this entire series - finally a unique and fresh premise! Sunny and Isaac showing up as main characters after appearing in the other two books was so much fun. A great thing about this book is that the "need to know" information is passed on so gradually that it's barely possible to keep yourself from flipping ahead. The spice is A Jingle Bell Mingle is just right on track - it's sexy and believable. Both of these characters bring unique, personalities and backstories that just increase the slow burn. I still really want to move to Mistletoe.

Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy are one of my favorite author duos and this book is part of the reason why. They have made Christmas Notch feel like the perfect place to go for Christmas and I wish I could visit in real life.

I loved that the prologue and epilogue were both told from Teddy Ray Fletcher’s POV with the rest switching back and forth between Sunny and Isaac. Sunny might be my favorite character ever. She is just so full of life for the most part and it was a pleasure to watch her fall in love. Isaac with his sad boy vibes was the perfect match for her. I did get frustrated with him for taking so long to realize 1. that she was already his muse and 2. that he could have a life even though the love of his life died. I also understood it so I tried to remind myself of that when he was saying dumb things.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from each of the authors separately and together.

I love the first two book I'm this series that I read last holiday and this one did not disappoint! I love Issac and Sunny so much. His sad boy vibes and her sunshiney personality were just too cute. I just could not get enough! And the spice was really well done and fun.
So if you're looking for a cute,SPICY holiday themed romance series this one is the one for for you!

What a fun, cute love story! I wanted the Christmas theme woven in more to the story. It played more of a setting role than an actual plot point and character. But other than that, I fell in love with the couple and OF COURSE I love the sexy plus size representation! 😉 Big girls know what they're doing 😜🤪 Speaking of which, this IS a very smutty book so just FYI 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Over the past few years, I have enjoyed this series' main titles--I still need to read the periphery ones. I don't know if it's Murphy and Simone who coined the term, 'raunch-com' but it really is true. The books are super spicy but also so funny. After reading one page, you might be wiping tears of snorted laughter and then fanning yourself from the steamy scene on the next page. Though they are closing the door on this realm, I hope we have more to come from this pair!

I absolutely loved this series and am so sad to see it end! I've thoroughly enjoyed all the adventures in Christmas Notch. This final book focuses on Sunny and Isaac, the third member of the band INK. Isaac is still processing the grief of losing his wife, while Sunny grapples with the legacy her parents left behind for her and her brother. The book is open-door and steamy, delivering plenty of spice alongside the heartfelt emotions. A perfect conclusion to a fantastic series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the first one but this one was a bit too steamy/raunchy for me actually. I didn’t think this was as fun and sweet as the previous book, it was definitely a holiday romance but verged of soft core.

Loved the other two books in the series and was so excited for this. But… the magic just wasn’t there this time. I wanted to love it but it was a no from me.

OK, the thing is… this isn’t for me. And I don’t understand who they’re for. But it’s not me.

I remember now being completely lost in the previous one. The entire thing feels like a giant inside joke I don’t understand. I can’t continue.

This author duo always packs a lot of humor and spice into their books and this one was no exception! I love a good holiday romance and the Christmas Notch series is full of fun characters that are super engaging to read about. This is the 3rd book in the series and features Sunny and Isaac. It's giving grumpy/sunshine, sad boy, inclusive love vibes. The story packs some deeper content, as both characters are experiencing grief of losing loved ones and the journey that has taken them on and fear of deep connection and love. Was a 3.5 star read for me and was glad I had it to read to get me into the holiday spirit.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC book in exchange for my review!

Isaac bought the mansion in Christmas Notch in the hopes of finding inspiration to write a Christmas album to meet his contractual obligations and live out the rest of his life in peaceful isolation. Instead he find's Sunny, his best friend's wife's best friend, in a terrible motel with her cat trying to write a holiday screenplay for the Hope channel and invites her to be his roommate instead. They quickly become more than roommates, but have to figure out if either is ready to trust that something serious can last.

I love this series so much, and I thought this was a great conclusion. I especially loved the way the side romance between Teddy and Steph was wrapped up.

This book is good but preeeeeettty intense. If you prefer mild/closed door romance it is not for you. Lol. It’s fairly in keeping with what I remember of the earlier two books, however, so fans of the series will be pleased. I really think I kept coming back to this series for a few reasons. The first is that the inner and outer beauty represented in the books is diverse and varies from what is seen in most novels. The second is that I want to live in Christmas Notch, with fewer visits to the strip club. Sunny is not my favorite heroine of the series (Bea) but comes close. And Issac is a whiner for a bunch of it but definitely gets a grip by the end. I also think the representation of variations in male sexuality is really unique and important. Overall, it’s corny and intense but also fun and enjoyable which takes priority in my mind. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc.