A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is sweet, steamy, and the perfect follow up to the A Christmas Notch series. Sunny and Issac are endearing, and the festive setting adds a fun touch to the story. While the story follows a familiar romantic arc, the heartfelt moments and connection between Sunny and Issac make it an enjoyable, cozy read. A great pick for anyone looking for a quick, holiday-themed romance with plenty of charm and heat!

I tried, I really did, but this was just a no for me. DNF. I enjoyed book 1 of this series, but this one just started out too strong.

I loved this one! It’s definitely spicier than A Merry Little Meet Cute, but I have zero complaints. 😏 🥵
It was so wonderful returning to Christmas Notch! As with the first book in the series, we get a fantastic group of side characters who add to the story’s charm. Familiar characters such as Teddy, Stephanie, Bee, and Nolan, as well as new characters like the strippers at the North Pole and the official Cat Advisory Text Thread. We also get plus size rep with our FMC, and both our MCs are bisexual, which I loved seeing. Sunny and Issac’s chemistry was apparent immediately and I loved them together. Even if they are both stubborn as can be. I could have done without the conflict towards the end, but as a stubborn person too, I get it I guess. This is one I’ll happily reread in the future.

Another fun holiday read by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone. They bring some sizzle to the holiday season with this cute read. I enjoy Julie Murphy so I will always pick up what she has written. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

The chemistry between the leads is undeniable—steamy dirty talk, sizzling hookups, and intense tension. He's a sad boy widower, former boy band member, and she's a former porn star, each with their own baggage. While I loved the heat between them, the constant miscommunication drove me crazy. His fear of heartbreak after losing his wife kept him from opening up, but their chemistry made it hard to put down. Too bad the miscommunication trope overshadowed it all.

Summary
Sunny, a first-time screenwriter, and Isaac, a grieving musician struggling to complete a Christmas album, team up to tackle their creative challenges. Along the way, they develop a connection that helps them face their personal struggles, with a touch of holiday magic woven into their journey.

Short & Sweet
A Jingle Bell Mingle brings a festive romance with heartfelt themes and charming banter but doesn’t quite reach what I wanted it to be. While there are touching moments, the story felt uneven in its execution.

In-Depth Opinion
While A Jingle Bell Mingle had an intriguing premise, I found the overall execution a bit inconsistent. Sunny and Isaac’s journey through grief and creativity provided some heartfelt moments, and their banter brought a lightness to the story. However, the prologue felt disorienting, especially as someone who hadn’t read the previous books, and the epilogue didn’t do much to tie everything together for me. The pacing was uneven, with moments that dragged and others that felt rushed. The Christmas miracle element added charm but couldn’t entirely balance out the areas where the story fell flat. It had its bright spots, but it didn’t leave a lasting impression.

Heartfelt and sweet, but still plenty spicy. A Jingle Bell Mingle has a bit more angst than the previous books in the series, but the hijinks from Uncle Teddy’s stable of characters help keep things light. The first book is still the best, but this ties a nice Christmas bow on everyone’s stories.

This is the third book in the series - I read the first book in this series a while ago, I haven’t read the second one yet. I believe it can be read as a standalone, but since many characters from the other books appear in this one as well, I would recommend reading the whole series (in order, unlike me hahaha). Both characters are openly bisexual which I thought was so great to see in a m/f romance, and I really liked both of them! Also, there is an adorable cat!!!! I really enjoyed that the plot revolved around more than just their romance, with them trying to solve this town mystery & Sunny trying to find a muse for Isaac’s music career by setting him up with dates (that are obviously unsuccessful). I really enjoyed the humor, quirkiness and the spice, but also the mention of more serious topics like grief. If you’re looking for a unique and fun holiday/winter rom-com with spice and humor I would highly recommend this one!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early read copy. I read the 1st book in the series and probably should've read the 2nd before I started this one (3rd and final) but overall, I was able to catch up. I really loved Jingle Bell Mingle!! Great festive romance read with spice. There was a lot going on in the beginning and I found it a little hard to follow and become invested but once things settled down (maybe 40 pages in or so) and the story narrowed in on Sunny and Isaac, it went quickly after that. Sunny and Isaac are both sort of stuck in their careers (his as a recording artist, hers as a screenwriter for a script she accidentally sold) and end up supporting each other on their projects and commitments, plus they become roommates. The authors, Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, have a perfect balance of romance with a deeper storyline about the characters tackling their emotional pasts and trauma together. The authors so skillfully intertwine the emotional aspects of starting a relationship with the physical attraction. Both aspects are compelling and make the relationship relatable and believable, and allow the characters to be loveable. I think I'll go back and read the 2nd too since I really love the ones I have read. Content warning for grief/losing a partner/parent + family relationship issues.

I wanted to love this book, but I couldn't. I did love the characters embracing their "flaws" but that ends my love for the book. I couldn't get myself to fully embrace this one.

I really, really enjoyed this book and am so appreciative to the Publishers & NetGalley for this ARC copy. I read Julie Murphy's other books in the Christmas Notch series but this one reminded me why I love them so much. Her writing style is so humorous with so much depth- you sometimes love ridiculous characters (who are obsessed with their dogs IYKYK) and you want, TRULY, the best for them. The sexual fluidity, some absolute xxx content, and people you root for intrinsically, as well as incredible holiday vibes? Recommend over and over again!

Thank you to Avon Books for the eARC.

I was disappointed with this one. I loved the first book. LOVED. The second…was good but not as good. And this one? I just lost interest and quit at around 60%.

Isaac and Sunny once had a threesome in the past (with another character that I can’t even remember his name) and have another fun night after a wedding, then they end up becoming roommates while they both are dealing with writer’s block. And then they just keep banging. Instalust for sure.

So the romance didn’t feel present. It was all physical all the time.

I definitely appreciated the bisexual representation and the body positivity…and Sunny’s cat, Mr. Tumnus. But not enough to keep me from moving on to another book.

For those who don't like spice, you should already know not to read this author duo - here we have the 3rd installment of a Christmas Notch - can be read stand-alone. You can expect grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, SPICY SPICE, and a holiday jingle. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.

A decent ending to the Christmas Notch stories, not my favorite but cute nonetheless. I appreciated the growth of the characters during the book, but the story was a little all over the place with lots of moving parts. Fitting for a mindless wintery read if that is what you are in the market for.

A Jingle Bell Mingle* is a delightfully spicy holiday rom-com that perfectly blends humor, heart, and holiday magic. Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone bring us another charming story set in Christmas Notch, Vermont, with quirky characters, witty banter, and an irresistible opposites-attract romance.
Sunny Palmer, with her bold personality and chaotic cat, and Isaac Kelly, the brooding former boy band star, are an unexpected but thoroughly entertaining pair. Their creative struggles and emotional baggage add depth to the story, while their chemistry keeps the pages turning. The cozy, snow-dusted small-town setting adds an extra layer of charm, and the hilarious situations—starting with their unforgettable wedding-night wakeup—made me laugh out loud.

The story does lean heavily into its spicy side, which may not appeal to everyone, but it’s handled with playfulness and care, keeping the tone festive and fun. While I loved the characters’ journey, some of the plot points felt a bit predictable, and the ending wrapped up almost too neatly. Still, the journey more than makes up for it.

If you’re in the mood for a steamy yet heartwarming holiday romance with a unique premise and plenty of laughs, A Jingle Bell Mingle is a must-read. A perfect pick for fans of A Merry Little Meet Cute and those who love their holiday cheer with a side of spice!

i’m sad this series has to come to an end because i have enjoyed my time with it oh so much! i previously thought bea and nolan were my faves of the three couplings, but honestly sunny and isaac are giving them a run for their money. this book was so tender and i loved the equal parts funny/chaotic and genuine/grounded. julie & sierra knock it out of the park because of course they do. 4.5 stars

This book was hard to get into. It was really dragging and it didn't feel like the characters were super flushed out. I had a really hard time finishing it. I loved the first book in this series, DNF'd the second and this one was meh. It also didn't need to be that long of a story.

Her books are always a bit out there and this was no different. Steamy and fun, it was a good mix up with the more traditional holiday books I read. I would recommend!

In this book we take a trip back to Christmas Notch, Vermont for the wedding of Bee and Nolan who we met in the first book. This is the story of Isaac his bandmate in INK a boy band they formed in their teens and Sunny Bea's friend and porn star, who are both in the wedding party who reunite after a threesome a couple of years back and have a one night stand. Isaac moved to town to find inspiration to write new music while still grieving his wife and former muse who passed away. Sunny is staying in town to write a screenplay for the the Hope channel a Hallmark type movie channel and is still grieving the loss of her parents. After the one night stand there is a mishap at the motel Sunny is staying at so she moves in with Isaac. There is definitely an attraction between these two and they enjoy each other's company. They enter a roommates with benefits relationship while Sunny helps Isaac find his muse and he helps her find the legend of the story for her manuscript. They are both lost and trying to find themselves after loss and wind up finding each other and Isaac's dirty talk is so steamy. I really enjoyed the attraction between these two. This book had the perfect combination of spice, comedy, silliness and Christmas cheer.


Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone for the opportunity read a copy of this book.

I LOVED THIS BOOK!! I read the first book in this series, but not the second. It took me a minute to orient myself with the characters but it worked out ok. I loved the collaboration of these two authors. Their spunk and humor is just unmatched. I loved Sunny and Isaac! Their banter was incredible. What a fun holiday read - thank you so much for the ARC!