I’m going to miss Christmas Notch so much but Isaac and Sunny were the best way to finish out the series! The banter, the spice, their stories, the lessons all fell together so perfectly. These two are by far my favorite of the Christmas Notch couples. 10/10 recommend.

Christmas Notch is always a fun place to go back to. Isaac & Sunny (not to mention Mr. Tumnus) were such a blast. Fun banter, smoking hot times between the two, and lots of feels. Isaac, the sad reclusive boy band star, still grieving his wife and trying to find it in him to make a new album. Sunny, the high energy adult actress, trying to write a screenplay while dealing with her own issues. There for each other, along with some other characters, wraps up to a book you can’t put down and a series that you can’t get enough of!

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy is the third book in their A Christmas Notch series and gives us a roommates to lovers, grumpy/sunshine, small-town romance. This one was fun, charming and touching to read. Isaac and Sunny are both dealing with their own issues and share a one-night stand and somehow, Sunny ends up moving in with Isaac. Sunny and Isaac both seem to be fighting blocks to their creative sides and could possibly help each other. I enjoyed their friendship, seeing their attraction, and somehow helping each other out. Their journey was not easy and had to learn to open up, and yet you could see they were meant to be. They were steamy together and I loved it. This holiday book was fun, sweet and a bit emotional. I loved going back into this world and seeing old characters and loving the new.

Happy reading!

I am so sad this series has come to an end. This last book was perfect! I loved the Christmas miracle story. Sunny and Isaac are hot 🥵!!! I laughed, cried and swooned through the last Christmas Notch romp. Thanks Avon books for the early copy!

Ahhhhh what a wonderful way to wrap up the holidays in Christmas Notch. I have loved this entire series. Loved catching up with all the characters from all the books!!

🎄✨Book Review: A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone✨🎄
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book is everything I didn’t know I needed in a holiday romance—grumpy ex-boyband star, a carefree screenwriter, and a sizzling mix of creative frustration and undeniable chemistry 💥.

Sunny Palmer is in Christmas Notch to write a screenplay based on a local Christmas legend, but she’s completely blocked. Enter Isaac Kelly, still mourning the loss of his wife and struggling to finish his final album without his muse🎼.When Sunny needs a place to crash after a run-in at their friends’ wedding, Isaac invites her to stay with him, and their plan to help each other through their creative slumps quickly heats up.

Sunny is all about living in the moment, finding joy in the little things, and dodging any form of commitment. Meanwhile, Isaac is the brooding one, haunted by his past and searching for a muse. But with every failed date to find his muse that Sunny sets him up on, they end up back in each other’s arms, and the tension just keeps building. The photo booth scene alone—wow. 🥵

The emotional layers are as intense as the romance, from Isaac’s grief to Sunny’s commitment issues. Despite the spice, it’s also a touching exploration of healing and finding love again when you least expect it.

If you’re craving a holiday romance with plenty of steam, heart, and a bit of mystery, A Jingle Bell Mingle is an absolute must-read!

It's still a bit early for Christmas romances, but this was a fun and adorable one, and a great way to start the holiday reading season. I've not read the previous books in this series and was a bit confused at the beginning of the book, but once I got the (rather large) cast of characters sorted out, I had no problems following the story and now would love to go back and read the other books.

Isaac, a former boy-band star who's lost his muse, and Sunny, a former adult film star and current aspiring screenwriter had a bit of a rocky start, but turned out to be exactly right for each other. Isaac's strong sad boy vibes crash hard on Sunny's optimistic, joyful, but commitment phobic approach to life, but the sparks between them were so strong, they practically leaped off the pages. They both had sad backstories, with Isaac still lost in grief over the death of his wife and muse, and Sunny having lost both of her parents as a teen, then becoming estranged from her older brother. Because of this, there was an undertone of sadness through most of the story, but at the same time, there was fun, joy, hope and a true new beginning for both of them.

In addition, I loved the bi rep and the unapologetic and unabashed sexuality of all of the characters. To that, add Mr. Tumnus, both a demon cat and an expert matchmaker, with a knack of showing up at just the right moment, and you have all the ingredients needed for a fun holiday romance. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

A fabulous edition to the wonderful Christmas Notch series! I love the books in this series so much. They are fun, they are funny, they bring all the Christmas cheer! And man-o-man, they are spicy! Sierra Simone is my go to for spice but then you add in the comedy of Julie Murphy you have a winner combo with another hit!

While this book can be read as a stand alone, I recommend reading all the books in the series. Not only are they great books but all the books reference things that happened in previous books.

In this book we find ourselves following Sonny and Isaac. It’s giving roommates, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine, found family and overcoming grief. I really enjoyed this book! The banter is great and so is the story. I was entertained from start to finish. I could be biased though because after 3 books and 2 novellas I am fully invested in these characters and the town of Christmas Notch.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Sierra Simone & Julie Murphy for the ARC!

This was a sweet way to wrap up the Christmas Notch books. I liked Isaac and Sunny and they felt realistic to me, but I did think the spark that captivated me so much with the other two books wasn't quite as present here.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

HOW DARE THIS SERIES BE OVER ALREADY 🥹 I loved all three of these books and plan to read the novellas, too. Any book in this series will bring you SPICE!!, a plus-sized MC, humor, and the adorable small town of Christmas Notch.

A Jingle Bell Mingle in particular also has:
🎄 roommates/forced proximity
❄️ an adorable cat
🎄 coping with grief
❄️ bi rep
🎄 broody/grumpy x sunshine

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley, Sierra Simone, and Julie Murphy for a free copy of A Jingle Bell Mingle in exchange for an honest review!!



For 2024, I’ll be using this rating scale:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I mourned the ending of this journey 🥹
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ really enjoyed and would recommend
⭐️⭐️⭐️ it was fine
⭐️⭐️ I didn’t enjoy this journey
⭐️ I dnf’d or wish I’d dnf’d
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ this is smutty smutty erotica 🥵
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ a lot of spice
🌶️🌶️🌶️ some spice
🌶️🌶️ romantic b plot / closed door / YA romance
🌶️ no romance / nonfiction

3.5⭐️’s. I received this as an ARC via NetGalley. My first Christmas Notch book in the series, and this convinced me to read the series this holiday season. A feel good holiday romance, with grief, and friends first love, was just what I needed.

I'm so sad this series is at an end 😭. I've loved spending time in Christmas Notch with this merry band of delightful misfits. Thanks to @avonbooks and @harpervoyager for the ebook of A Jingle Bell Mingle.

✔️ One Night Stand
✔️ They're Roommates
✔️ Hurt/Comfort
✔️ Dating a Celebrity
✔️ Small Town

Aside from loving the small town setting I adored all the different worlds colliding (ex boy band members + adult industry + wholesome tv movies cast/crew + true crime chat threads). It was like Found Family dialed up to the max and I loved every second.

I adored Sunny and Isaac together and loved how hard it was for them to stay away from each other. Their chemistry sizzled in every moment but especially when they were trying not to touch each other and failing miserably.

Steam 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕

This is one of my favorite series ever. I’m sorry that this is the last one. There will ever only be one Christmas Notch, so I’m sad this is over. I still don’t think I liked any of them as much as the first.

This one wasn’t my favorite because the main plot was a little bland. They were basically just trying to be each others muse but fighting against it. But both of them knew what was working for them so I didn’t understand where this was going. It seemed a bit weird. What saved it for me was the mailman plot. I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if this was the actual plot. It was so much more fun than their arguing.

The humor and banter is still unmatched. I don’t understand how they have so many weird Christmas puns lmao (HOT NUTS?!) I also don’t understand how or why I laughed at every single one either lol And like Teddy? I missed him immediately. As soon as I finished it I went back to the very beginning and looked at all his interactions lol He is still a riot and still my favorite character.

I also loved that even after 3 books and 2 novellas, this was still an ode to Christmas. And this one was the best of the three of them because there was a Christmas miracle involved. Yes they were gunning to debunk it, but I really thought it brought out the magic of the story. (Followed by a close second with the first one) It was Definitely a book to put you in the mood for the holidays.

The main characters weren’t my favorites either. They were too much alike. And they both had the same excuses. Also I’m disappointed, it said second chances, I was expecting them ALL to have a second chance (if you know what I mean) so I was a bit disappointed when they didn’t get one. But their romance was still ok. I think I just wanted more romance, less them butting heads. I did like the mental health rep for depression and the way they showed all the different ways grief can be present for Isaac. His character was the one who felt the most real to me.

This book was so much fun. I can’t believe this is the last time we’ll be in Christmas Notch. I want to do an entire re-read closer to the holidays. Hopefully they bring this back with some other characters. Or maybe they’ll do like another holiday? Idk. Whatever it is, I hope they bring something back to fill the void in my heart!

🎄 Will They, Won't They
❄️ Christmas
🏘️ Small Town
🔥 Spicy
🩷 Slow Burn
🎤 Music Star
🎥 Porn Star

A Jingle Bell Mingle is definitely a spicy seasonal read! If you love Christmas, this book will bring it on full force with its holiday vibes and small-town charm. The main characters—one a music star and the other a former porn star—who are thrown together again after previously hooking up in a bi-curious threesome are lovable and endearing.
Their story just felt a little slow at times, and I couldn’t get too invested in the screenplay plot for the Hope Channel at all. Despite that, it’s a fun, spicy winter read if you’re looking for something light to enjoy during the holidays.

Thank you NetGalley & Avon & Harper Voyager for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like this but struggled to finish. The storyline was good but seemed to drag on longer than necessary.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

When Sunny Palmer accidentally sells her screenplay to the Hope Channel, she returns to Christmas Notch, Vermont for inspiration and to fully immerse herself into the legend her story is based on.
All Isaac Kelly, INK's resident sad boi, wants to do is finish his contracted Christmas album and rot in peace. But after they wake up together in a freezing cold hotel room after their friends' wedding, Isaac offers Sunny a place to stay while she's working on her screenplay.
When they discover that each of their creativity is blocked, they make a deal with each other: Isaac will help Sunny with her Christmas Miracle Screenplay research, and Sunny will help Isaac find a muse.

I LOVED this book! Isaac and Sunny are a perfect match of grumpy/sad and sunshine. Their chemistry was off the charts, the banter is hilarious, and they each have grief that they are working through that made their conversations seem so real and raw. The third act breakup conflict made sense for Isaac's grief, and I just loved it. What a great way to close out our Christmas Notch adventure.

This was a festive and steamy holiday romance that perfectly blends humor, heart, and heat. Julie and Sierra delivered a feel-good story that will leave you smiling and swooning all season long.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book! I was very excited for the final member of INK to have his own story. And Sunny too! We have had bits and pieces of each over the last 2 Christmas Notch books but this book really explored their characters more!
Overall i thought it was just ok. The spice was fine and the storyline was alright. I just wanted more or maybe i wanted less?
But i still had fun reading it and loved the humor the authors bring to the book. It is light and fun and while not too christmas-y, still appropriate for the season.

Sunny Palmer has had a lot of different jobs: adult film star and director, makeup artist, and now screenplay writer. Sunny is a bit free, a bit aimless, and a bit traumatized from her parents’ death when she was a teen. She is afraid to set down permanent roots, but for the time being, she is in Christmas Notch, Vermont with a deadline swiftly approaching. Sunny is determined to learn all she can about the local “Christmas miracle” story, since the pitch of her movie was hastily based on that lore and she finds herself with an unexpected companion in Isaac Kelly.

Isaac thought he had his life all figured out. He was part of a famous boy band and was married to the love of his life. But after tragedy radically altered his life, Isaac is now a sad and lonely widow that still owes his label an album. On a whim, Isaac purchased the mansion in town and just wants to be left alone. But when he sees Sunny again at a friend’s wedding, he is brought back to the threesome they shared and Isaac wants to get his hands on Sunny once again.

When Sunny and Isaac wake up together in a freezing hotel room, Isaac asks Sunny to stay at the mansion with him and there’s plenty of room for them both. But when they are both blocked creatively, Issac offers to help Sunny track down the local story and Sunny is determined to help find Issac a new muse. The pair only have eyes for each other, but Isaac can’t or won’t give his heart away again and they both have a lot to overcome to be able to write their own story.

You can get a touch of holiday early this year as A Jingle Bell Mingle is released and ready to read. This is the final book in the Christmas Notch series and in some ways can be read as a standalone, and in other ways it’s best to be read in order. The book opens again with Teddy’s POV and, if you are not familiar with him and the series, it could throw you off from the start. The prior MCs do have appearances, but the relationship between Sunny and Isaac is new to this book where we learn the heated story of a previous threesome they shared.

Both Sunny and Issac are trying to move forward, but are stuck for a variety of reasons. Isaac hasn’t been able to find any balance since his wife died. He’s blocked creatively and cut off from most people and his depression is all consuming. As the story progresses, the book taps more into Isaac’s feelings. Sunny has had a loss of her own with both of her parents dying. Sunny and Isaac are attracted to each other and sex is their way of communicating and it is also fills empty places and puts temporary band-aids on other places. Neither is ready to admit they want more and Isaac knows he can never love again.

The story has a lot of facets to it with both Sunny and Isaac’s losses, their relationship, and their work. There is a story in a story here as well, as they are researching the origin of a local tale passed down through the years. Even with all of that, this story didn’t land for me. The pair have a friends-with-benefits relationship to start. Sunny is setting Isaac up on dates so he can find a new muse and Isaac is so deep in his grief over his wife that he can’t even contemplate giving Sunny wants she wants, even though he longs to be with her all of the time. I never felt that Sunny and Isaac truly addressed their issues to be able to move forward together. They started to, but that was off for me as well. The secondary story didn’t hold my interest and had too many coincidences for me.

While the chemistry between Isaac and Sunny is stellar, with everything else going on around them, the story kept getting pulled in different directions and I found it difficult to see them as a forever couple. I have mixed feelings overall for Sunny and Isaac’s path to forever, but if you are looking for a snow-filled book set around small town Vermont, give this series a try.

I was so glad to be back in this world. These books are fun spicy holiday reads. I love how the authors' humor comes off in the books. They are hilarious and that really shines in these books.