Ugh. I was so excited to read this one, but had to dnf. It went from 0 to porn in seconds…..multiple times. It was cringy at times. Not romantic.

A Jingle Bell Mingle has been my favorite holiday special by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone so far.

Isaac instantly stood out as my favorite character—how could anyone resist a broody, sad musician? Grieving the loss of his wife, Isaac has withdrawn from the world, but he’s still contractually obligated to create one last album. Enter Sunny, who agrees to help him find a new muse.

Sunny arrives in Christmas Notch after selling a screenplay inspired by a story she only knows through rumors from Blitzen, one of the local strippers (and an absolute icon). Determined to do the story justice, she’s there to uncover the truth. When she ends up as Isaac's roommate, the two strike a deal to help each other.

What made this story so compelling was the multiple interwoven plotlines that added depth to the characters. Watching Isaac and Sunny grow felt authentic as we followed not just their budding relationship but also Isaac’s bond with his phone friends, Sunny’s dynamic with her brother, Isaac’s moments with Mr. Tumnus, and a continuation of Teddy and Steph’s story.

Dual POV
Spice: 4/5 🌶️
Tropes: Rom-com; roommates; small-town romance, one bed

I loved the tension of the back and forth between Sunny and Isaac with all the steam in the middle. There were a lot of issues for both of them to work through along with a WWII Christmas miracle mystery to be solved. The story kept up a good pace and kept me interested throughout the whole story. I also loved that it wrapped up a few loose ends for some extra special side characters and old friends made appearances.

I’m glad this is the last book in this series because if it wasn’t, I think it would’ve been the last one I tuned in for. As the books have went on, I’ve found less and less enthusiasm for them and this one especially was a bit of a slog. It’s a fine story and I like the nods to the other leads, but I don’t find myself invested or rooting for anyone. They don’t stick out as distinct characters and I find myself skimming more than caring. Isaac was annoying as a character, perhaps the most annoying of the male leads.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Umm this was not the vibe. I bought it because I heard such good things about the first book but I really thought it was young adult? Well, this better not be clarified as young adult? The first page mentions a porn star and a threesome. I guess it was my mistake but this book was not my demographic. Although I guess it was because I read romance with spice but this was just too much. The storyline was also confusing and didn’t make sense at times. Hard to keep up with. And dirty, very dirty, in case you didn’t get that.

Perpetual optimist Sunny and sad boy Isaac had a one-night stand and haven't spoken since, until they reconnect at mutual friends' wedding. Isaac convinces Sunny to come stay in his enormous mansion in Christmas Notch, so that she can finish her screenplay and he can write a new album. Both of them have a lot of unresolved grief keeping them from working creatively, so maybe they can help each other out. Maybe helping out involves a lot of nudity.

A cute conclusion to the Christmas Notch series. It was fun getting to see everyone from the previous books and novellas. My favorite character was, of course, Mr. Tumnus the demon cat. This was a fun book but perhaps a little too long. Isaac and Sunny have scorching chemistry and there's a lot of on-page sex. There were some repetitive sections, but the conclusion was satisfying.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

This book was not for me. I read the first two in the series so I would know the other couples and those books weren’t my cup of tea. So I was going knowing there was a chance I wouldn’t like this one. And sadly it wasn’t one I enjoyed

Idk this really lost me after 50% - felt repetitive, a bit too silly, and like a bit too much was going on. Really didn’t like 3rd act breakup - this whole series really really loses me in the last 20%! I think it just needed a clearer direction. It felt very all over the place at times and the characters felt wish washy and unsure of what they felt until BAM suddenly there’s these big declarations of feelings that leave you going…how’d we get here?

I was so surprised by how much I loved this book! It was by far my favorite of the series, and I did not expect it. Issac stole my heart, and Sunny is just a whole vibe. Issac and Mr. Tumnus, the Cat Advisory panel, and all of the cameos from characters of the other books in the series made this story that much better. Also, I want an Uncle Teddy of my own. He is just the best, and you get a couple chapters from his point of view in this one.

Issac and Sunny were such opposites on the surface when they met, but the more they got to know each other, the more you see how similar they really are. The grief and hurt that they work through, the creative mental blocks that they help each other conquer, it all leads to such a great foundation of friendship. It was inevitable that it would lead to more with the natural chemistry between the two. Go read the book to find out how they fall in love. You won't regret it!

Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone you gave us a good one! The spice, the fluff, the freaking chemistry! UGH the wittiness of Sunny is jut everything and Issacs broodiness is just this key to create angst between the characters and it was truly the cherry on top to their story together! If you love hallmark with a hint of NR - NOT RATED because its truly only suitable for adults this series is for you!

Obsessed with Christmas Notch!

Anytime Christmas is involved in a book, it’s a must read from me. Even more so, combining the Christmas spirit with grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract and a steamy romance, what more could you want?

I wasn’t able to connect with the characters as much as I wanted to and I had trouble fully immersing myself within the book. There were side elements to enjoy like Isaac’s online group chat and Sunny’s cat and there was no lack of spiciness so that’s a plus for many too.

I’ll say if you’re looking for a spicy Christmas read, this will be for you! It’s a unique read that had me confused at times but overall, the Christmas spice did it for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the arc copy!

This book was subpar compared to the others.
I had higher hopes for this book, but it fell flat. I love the authors but I will just chop this one as a fluke. I would not recommend this book but I would recommend the authors 😊

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

This is the 3rd (and final?) book in the Christmas Notch series. I thought they did a really nice job of wrapping up every characters story so that if it is the last book readers will be satisfied. For me, Issac and Sunny’s relationship felt the least developed of all the couples. They obviously had the physical chemistry but besides that I didn’t “fell the love” between them until the very end.

It’s a good alternative to the typical cheesy Christmas rom com but probably my least favorite of the series.

Cute spicy holiday rom com. Enjoyed this one quite a bit. Friends to lovers, one night stand, one bed, forced proximity just to name a few of the tropes found in this one. Both narrators do a fantastic job here. Loved the holiday mystery and the ways people deal with grief

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone is an amazing & entertaining addition to the epically festive & spicy holiday romance series these fantastic authors have created. The combination of their powers is truly used for good as they bring joy that will have you singing fa-la-la.

This is book #3 in A Christmas Notch series, but it could be read as a standalone. If you enjoy sweet & spicy holiday romances though, this is a fantastic & festive series!

A Jingle Bell Mingle is great for fans of…
🩷 Holiday Romance
🩷 Close Proximity
🩷 Reclusive Pop Star x New Author
🩷 Roommates to Lovers
🩷 Grumpy x Sunshine

I appreciate how this series wonderfully weaves together the sweet & emotional Christmas stories with spicy romance so you get the best of both worlds. I love a holiday romance that delivers bountiful of heart, humor, healing & heat all wrapped up into one beautiful present.

I hope we get more from this authors & I cannot wait to see what they do next.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Avon for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

This book was my least favorite of the 3 but it was still fun to read. I love how the authors balance the spicy, humorous stories with deeper emotional things. It’s a good balance.

I've rated this 3 stars due to having mixed feelings. I really enjoyed the dual POV, and getting detailed backstories for each characters and how they interacted together. However, some of the steamy scenes distracted me from the two main characters falling in love with each other. Which is weird, because Sierra and Julie are some of my favorite sex scene authors and do not leave anything to the imagination. But for this story in particular, those scenes felt abrupt.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sunny Palmer has a serious case of writer’s block. After selling her first screenplay to the Hope channel, she’s at a loss as to which direction to take with the script, and her deadline is fast approaching. Looking for inspiration she returns to Christmas Notch, Vermont in the hopes that immersing herself in the quaint town will be just what she needs to tackle her writer’s block.

Isaac Kelly is the latest owner of the historic mansion in town. After years of grieving his wife’s death, he’s decided to create new music again. What better place than the sleepy town of Christmas Notch where he can have peace and solitude? The only problem is he’s lost his muse.

But after a one night stand with Sunny after their best friends’ wedding, he finds himself in a conundrum. He can’t let her stay in her freezing hotel room, when he can offer a warm place and to help her cure her writer’s block. She in turn will help him find his muse. Can these two fight their mutual attraction and keep things professional?

I didn’t realize when I requested this book it was the third in the series. To be honest, in order to keep up with the prologue it’s important to read the other books. I was completely lost, and I didn’t really think the prologue was necessary. I also didn’t understand why it was told from Teddy’s point of view. It felt like I wasn’t in on the inside jokes.

This was okay. I didn’t really connect with either character. There were fun moments and witty dialogue, but I didn’t really feel much romance or chemistry between the two MC’s. They were always commenting about how hot other people are that I often wondered if they’re even into each other. Sunny was so determined to find Isaac a muse that it was off putting, and I kept wondering when they would drop that plot line and just move on to the two of them pursuing something together.

I’m a fan of Sierra Simone’s and she is a master at building tension between her characters and finding the perfect tempo for a slow burn. I know this is a collab, but I felt like Sierra’s voice was missing from this story. While there were a lot of positives - bisexual rep, sex positivity, body positivity, it was still hard to stay engaged in the story. I was hoping this book would’ve broken the current book slump I’m going through, but alas it did not.

The emotions and feelings of grief, pure love, and healing. You will definitely shed a tear , you will also find yourself laughing - and fanning yourself because these sexy moments

It was so great to be back in Christmas Notch again with new characters and also getting snippets of all the characters from the other books. This book was a great Christmas romance that had lots of spice but not in a way that lacked plot and his nickname that he gives her of sunshine is so sweet. I love how much they bring out the creativeness in each other even if they don’t realize it at all. Although it’s a great Christmas romance and the perfect read even just for winter time it does have a good amount of grief portrayed so don’t go into it blind, they both have lost important people in their lives and it effects them greatly. All in all it was a great closure for the last member in the INK band to round out the series!