Our time in Christmas Notch has come to an end, and what a wild ride it has been!

This brings us Isaac and Sunny’s story, who have both been interesting side characters along the way. Both are in town to try to find inspiration for their creative projects, and when Sunny’s motel room becomes uninhabitable, she and her cat move in with Isaac.

I’ve really been looking forward to Isaac’s story, the broken sad boy character is like catnip to me. I loved how Sunny was his total opposite, a testament to her name. The forced proximity works its magic on them and I think this might have been the spiciest book of the series.

It was funny, it was outrageous, it was entertaining. I loved the first book for its uniqueness, then the second book kind of fell apart for me so I was really glad when this one redeemed the series. I definitely recommend it if you enjoyed the first one!

This is the third book in the Christmas Notch series that I've read, and unfortunately, it was a bit of a let-down. I think for me, it was more smut than plot and I love a good plotline in general. I'm not discounting the rich storytelling in the familiar quirky small town at Christmas, but it was just more about the spice than anything else. You do get those post-HEA updates on Nolan+Bee and Kallum+Winnie via cute, quick pop-in scenes. But, it really is Sunny and Isaac's time to shine.

CW: Death of a spouse, Death of parents/ Grief

The third Christmas Notch book did not disappoint. Finally we get to see the third INK band member loved up.

Sunny Palmer is staying in Christmas Notch to finish her screenplay for the Hope Channel. She has a Christmas mystery to solve, but hasn't really written a screenplay before. Isaac Kelly is the heartbroken last member of INK and he's lost without his departed muse, but due to write and record one last album.

Sunny and Isaac seem like a perfect team, but each has reservations about what they might mean to each other. Between Isaac's charming relationship with Sunny's cat and the historical exploration of a decades old Christmas miracle, A Jingle Bell Mingle checks all the boxes while also delivering some incredibly steamy scenes.

Sad to see the Christmas Notch series ending, but so excited for what's next.

Ok this may have been my favorite of the series! It had banter, it had the cutest inner monologues, it had the spiciest of spice without distracting from the plot. Normally, books with the loss of a significant other leave me feeling meh but this was written so well. I loved that they developed a friendship more so then moving right into a relationship. I didn't love the POVs from Teddy hidden within Sunny and Issacs story, I almost wish he got his own novella and instead let this book just be about them. But either way, I have loved all the characters from Christmas Notch and I'm sad it's coming to a close. But this story was worth the wait!

I will say, you definitely want to read the books that come before this one first. I've seen some reviews of people to started off with this one and you'll definitely be confused or spoil the other books for yourself! They are quick fun reads so you can't go wrong starting this series! They are great palate cleansers or if you need help getting out of a book slump. And who doesn't love a HOT Christmas story....

A Jingle Bell Mingle is the third book (plus a few novellas) in the Christmas Notch holiday series by co-writers Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone. I had read an ARC of the first in the series and LOVED it so I decided to grab this one when I saw it was available. I figured that I would be safe having read part of the series but honestly, I had such a hard time keeping all the characters straight. I would absolutely recommend reading the books in order so that you have a better chance of following along and getting in on all the inside jokes.

Sunny is a part time adult film actress who accidentally pitches a holiday script to the Hope Channel. Unfortunately, she hasn't written it yet. She decides to spend some time in Christmas Notch to gain inspiration. Isaac is the former lead boy band singer from the group, INK. Ever since he became a widower, he's secluded himself. He purchases an abandoned mansion in Christmas Notch hoping finish his contract to write a final Christmas album for the record label. Sunny and Isaac have a prior one night stand history and neither have stopped thinking about each other for two years. Isaac invites Sunny to move into the mansion where they can help each other write by day and be friends with benefits by night. Soon, it's hard to tell what the difference is between dating and just being roommates with benefits.

I kind of struggled with this book and I'm not quite sure why. I was just bored. Having not read the second book, I felt like I was confused on what was happening a lot of the time. I never really warmed up to Sunny or Isaac. Toward the end, I found myself skimming and scanning. If you enjoyed the first two then you may have a different opinion. I really loved the first but as of right now, I have no desire to go back and read the second. I will say that I found Isaac's online friend group so endearing. The messages back and forth from them were my favorite part.

Tropes: widower, second chance, I can never love again, adult film heroine, found family, difficult childhood, friends to lovers, holiday, stranded in a blizzard

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Harper Voyager, Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone for this eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #AvonHarperVoyager #AJingleBellMingle

Polar opposites Sunny and Isaac find themselves in a romantic small town Inn in Vermont, both recovering from various personal and professional losses and lack of inspiration. Will they find love this holiday season?

I love the Christmas Notch books - nothing like a good knockoff Hallmark with some porn actors thrown in! Sunny lives up to her name as the happy-go-lucky portion of the sunny-grump relationship between her and Isaac. The relationship was already partially built going in so not as much as in the other books (and by not as much I mean they’re hooking up within the first couple of chapters). This is the last book of the series and it was a great way to wrap things up. I only wish Isaac was a *touch* less melodramatic at the end, though it was a good plot point. If you enjoy funny banter, a great cast of characters, making fun of picture-perfect Christmas towns, and some steamy open-door action, definitely pick it up!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced reader copy!

*If you love spicy stories with a dash of plot and a LOT of pop culture references* - this book is for you!
*If you prefer a light fluffy Christmas story without spice starting on chapter two* - you might want to skip this one!

This story revolves around Sunny, struggling to write a screenplay, and Isaac, stuck with his own case of writers block. I have not read the two other books in this series so I was not aware of the characters going into it, and I thought it was going to be a light Christmas story. There was a Christmas story, sure, it made a cute B-plot, but it was not the primary focus.

Overall, not my favorite, but not bad.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

Well folks… it’s the end of an era. The last to hoorah in Christmas Notch.

I knew Sad Boy Isaac & Sunny were going to be my favorites the moment he stepped on to page in book one. I definitely think Sierra & Julie hit it out of the park with saving this emotional gut punch of a story for the end! This was the PERFECT cap to the Christmas Notch series. All the ends are tied up in a bow INCLUDING Teddy Ray Fletchers story! The only thing that this book leaves me wanting is a sapphic hot librarian story (iykyk… ladies… we need it).

The story starts at the wedding of Bee & Nolan (the main characters from book one) which is VERY on brand for this family of ex-boy band members, adult film actors, and former child actors. Yes… you read that right.

Isaac Kelly lost his wife and one true love five years ago. He has been inundated with suffocating grief to the point that he doesn’t leave his house. His record label is hounding him to finish his last contracted solo album. His only issue… he lost his muse. In an effort to disconnect from the hustle & bustle of Calofornia, he purchases the infamous Christmas Notch mansion to live out his hermit dreams.

Sunny Palmer is a part-time adult film actress/one-time adult film director/makeup artist that accidentally sold a screen play to Hope Channel. She finds herself in Christmas Notch to gather inspiration about a scandalous town legend.

After their friends wedding leads to Sunny & Isaac waking up next to each other in a questionable hotel room, he takes a chance and asks Sunny to stay at his house while she’s in town. When the two of them realize their shared creative rut, they make a deal. Isaac will help her discover the truth behind the local mystery, and she will find Isaac a new muse.

What could possibly go wrong?

These authors know how to write fun books! This is a steamy, I mean STEAMY lil romp. I expected it but took things to another level. Very endearing in moments too. If you are looking for a spicy escape for around the holidays, this is perfect!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon for allowing me to read this early!

This is probably my favorite book in this series which makes me so sad that it is the last! This book felt more real and fun compared to the other two (and novellas). The characters had realistic problems and were able to have great story arcs. Not to mention the spice was particularly great in this book as compared to the others. I’m hoping we can see more from the Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone duo soon!

Isaac, is former boy band star grieving the loss of his wife, can’t shake his thoughts about Sierra after a spontaneous one-night stand. When she finds herself in need of a place to stay, he offers her a room, and they begin to explore a connection that’s as unexpected as it is intense.
Going in, I didn’t realize this was the third book in a series, so I was a bit disoriented at first. I anticipated a light-hearted holiday read, but this story turned out to be a whirlwind of emotional depth and dramatic twists. Sunny and Isaac are far from ordinary. Sunny struggles with family rifts and personal loss, while Isaac wrestles with the challenge of opening his heart again. It’s a Christmas story with a lot of emotional layers and complexity. With a large cast of characters and multiple plotlines, it was a tad overwhelming for me, especially as a newcomer to the series. Either way, Sunny and Isaac’s chemistry was great, and their story kept me intrigued. If you're up for an unconventional, spicy holiday read, this one’s worth a look.

A big thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the earc!

These authors just know how to write! The banter is laugh out loud good , the spice is on point and the character development is heartwarming. This series adds the spice to the “sugar and spice Hallmark Christmas “ vibes .

I did not finish this book because I didn’t realize the main character owns a pornography production studio… Thank you, however, for the consideration.

The perfect way to tie up the series! This pulled at my heart strings so much as I related to the grief experience in the story so much, especially from Sunny. Watching her and Isaac work through past trauma on the way to being together was a joy. I'll miss Christmas Notch!

A Jingle Bell Mingle was a super sexy, super touching (ha, see what I did there) raunch-com, and the perfect way to wrap up the Christmas Notch series. We've been edged by Sunny and Isaac ever since they had an off-page threesome with another pornstar (It's what Isaac's dead wife would have wanted, okay?), and I was excited to see them pick up where they left off, even with a two-year gap.

Yes, this book does start with an early bang, and I do appreciate it not only because I love an early sex scene, but also because I love when couples don't necessarily need a lot of build-up before sex, but they have ways to go before they can actually be in a functional relationship— It feels very contemporary.

So Sunny moves in temporarily to work on her holiday movie script, and gets it in her head that the only way for Isaac to regain his creative muse is.... dates. With other people. What follows is a hilarious sequence of dates including a hot mechanic, hot librarians, and a hot catty pornstar from That threesome (Isaac and Sunny are both bisexual). Obviously they're all disasters.

Also, I LOVE Sunny; she's bubbly and quite fearless, but she also has some very real insecurities where Isaac is concerned, particularly when it comes to the emotional aspect of their relationship. She also has ADHD and you see these moments of hyperfixation throughout the book, my favorite being the mystery of the mailman, WWII soldier, and his wife, and whatever they were up to back in the day.......

As for Isaac, if you're a fan of a sadboi hero, he's your man. Isaac is.... tragic, to say the least but like, in a hot way because who doesn't love a hot tragic widower? He was also celibate for two years, between the first time him and Sunny hooked up and the present which, again, HOT.

Here's where it gets less hot but packs an emotional punch: Isaac isn't over the passing of his first wife. At all. And at first, it's sweet and sometimes even funny how dramatic and overwrought he gets at times. Then you see the extent of his unhealthy coping mechanisms, namely shutting everyone out to grieve alone, and making Sunny feel reduced to a body rather than someone he can have an emotional connection with. I really appreciate how this book deconstructs that thing romance heroes are prone to doing, where they're convinced they only have one great love of their life, and they're gone now so he can never love again. A lot of romance novels have that development off-page or kind of brush over it so it can get to the happily-ever-after, but not here. Isaac is forced to confront this not only with Sunny, but also his boyband friends/former Christmas Notch heroes.

The sex:

Isaac and Sunny are down-and-ready, anytime, anywhere kind of couple, so obviously they're a fan of a quickie (see: their first time on-page), and public sex because they just can't wait (which is how Sunny ends up shoving fistfuls of cash into a photo booth while Isaac has a hand up her skirt and rips her tights). Isaac does have a bit of a STERN edge but I'd say it's less bossy and more dirty and desperate, plus loads of dirty talk.

I also like how Sunny is never super hung-up on her body as a plus-sized woman, but there's still that moment of genuine awe when Isaac picks her up and drops her on the counter of a public bathroom (another one of their more public encounters lol), and that felt so relatable to me.

Also, we do get the rare contemporary romance butt stuff, and it does go both ways :D ft. the return of the gingerbread-scented lotion (iykyk).

Overall:

What I love about the Christmas Notch books is that they're genuinely funny (not all romances billed as romcoms are, in my opinion), and they're sexy, sex-positive, AND body positive in a way I rarely see in traditionally published romance novels. A Jingle Bell Mingle was no different and I'd strongly recommend it to any romcom fan.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5
Heat Level: 4/5
Publication Date: September 24th

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my early copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts are my own!

I really love this series and I think this may be my favorite book so far. Not only was this book HOT, and we will get back to that but I think this book showed a good representation of grief and that it is okay to move on after the death of someone you truly love and care about.

Back to the not sad, this book was such a good time. The chemistry between the characters, the funny side characters, the hilarious/smutty/sweet plot. Literally this book is such a cozy/spicy winter romance and I love it.

I think the plot of this series and the found family of corn stars is top tier. I have enjoyed reading these books so much. Also if you love spice in your books, these books have some of the best along with a good/fun plot.

I can’t wait to see who the next book will be about!

Sad Boy Isaac has met his muse in Porn Star turned Screenwriter Sunny. The antics of Isaac were highly enjoyable, as he attempted to win over a cat that is reminiscent of his sleep paralysis demons and it's owner. The plot was fun. The authors added interesting side stories that made this book feel unique and engaging. There is large cast of characters at the start, but it does even out as you progress into the book. I would not reccommend reading this book if you have not read the others in the series. The humor in this book is top notch! Five Capri Suns--- I mean stars!

I had such a fun time reading A Jingle Bell Mingle! This story follows Issac Kelly and Sunny Palmer, who had a one night stand a couple years back and then reunite via a dating app. They are both at a stuck point in their careers - with Issac trying to write an album but having lost his muse (his late wife) and Sunny selling a screenplay to the Hope Channel and exploring this for the first time. After seeing the run down place Sunny was staying at, Issac invites her to stay at his mansion and they both agree to help each other out.

This story was definitely steamy, but also touches on grief, family troubles and how to move on and it was really beautifully done. The spice didn't take away from the overall plot, which I appreciated. I absolutely love how the main characters grew together and you can see their relationship blossom.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, and it was the perfect amount of sweet and spice. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

Issac is a former boy band member who is still getting over the death of his wife. But, after a one night stand, he can't get Sierra out of his head. When he realizes she needs a place to stay, he offers to let her move into one of the rooms at his place. Can they help each other out, or are they just too different?

Thoughts 💭
I don't think this book was for me. I didn't realize it was the third book in a series, so I was a little lost through the first few chapters. I went in expecting a Hallmark type Christmas situation, but this instead was a little wild, crazy, and too intense for me. The characters and premise were unique and interesting, and I think for the right audience, this would be a good read. It just didn't hold my interest. Check this out if you like more unconventional and spicy Christmas stories.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.