A very spicy holiday read! I really like Issac and Sunny and felt like they had good chemistry! I haven’t read the first two books so took me a minute to figure out all the characters. All the muse searching dates seemed a little repetitive at times, but I did enjoy the cat support group messages and the sub plot of the holiday mystery.

A Jingle Bell Mingle brings a satisfying conclusion to the Christmas Notch series, written by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone. 4

Sunny Palmer and Isaac Kelly have a history of a one night stand two years ago. When the dating app "hooks" them back up, they decide to have one last/final one hurrah. That is, until Isaac learns Sunny is staying at the broken down inn while trying to write a screenplay. Isaac being Isaac, he begs and wins his case for Sunny to stay with him. He's adamant there won't be feelings or any flirtiness going on while they are staying together. He's still mourning the loss of his wife while trying to come up with lyrics to his last album. But can anyone ignore the magic of Christmas Notch?

While I felt "Jingle Bell Mingle" was a tad bit more emotional than the others in this series, I still enjoyed reading and found both Isaac and Sunny to be my favorites! Sunny's backstory, only this writing duo would make her linked to a diaper empire, was heartfelt and brought the right out the right amount of passion and background regarding who she was. Isaac had me laughing because I knew IMMEDIATELY how he felt and yes, was screaming at him towards the end to get his head out of the clouds and come clean. It was fantastic, overall, to see the beloved group of characters come together for one last hurrah and now, I'm wanting there to be a REAL CHRISTMAS NOTCH.

In the third installment of the Christmas Notch series, Isaac Kelly, the self-isolated INK frontman, locks himself away in his Christmas Notch mansion to work on the final album of his contract. Meanwhile, makeup artist/adult film star/one time director Sunny Palmer is back to try her hand at script writing for the Hope Channel. The two become roommates, dabbling both in friends with benefits and supporting each other’s career obligations. When casual sex turns into something more, Isaac and Sunny must work together to heal from past trauma and to find new light.

While not my favorite of the series (that honor goes to A Holly Jolly Ever After - Kallum and Winnie 4eva!), this book is sexy and sweet. It fits in perfectly with the other Christmas Notch gems. A fun and not-too-Christmasy read for the winter season!

A great edition to this series! Amazing representation, like always. Characters that make you LOL for real as you read while also relating to their story on a personal level. Julie and Sierra make an amazing duo and I hope they continue to write books together.

Although this is the 3rd and final book in the Christmas Notch trilogy by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone, this was my first foray out of Simone's intensely weighty and angsty worlds featuring clergy and politicians, and my first exposure to the writing talents of Julie Murphy.

What a ride! The illustrated cozy Christmas cover belies this story of widowed former boy band member Isaac (grumpy) and Sunny, the adult film star (sunshine) turned screenwriter for the wholesome Hope Channel's newest Christmas movie. Both are struggling to find inspiration for their respective creative endeavors, but they find it in each other. This is not just humor, it's a story of feeling worthy and finding oneself after trauma and grief.

A roach motel room, a sprawling mansion, and everywhere in between are the stage for the development of Sunny and Isaac's evolution from roommates to lovers.

Their brief shared hookup history and unforgettable chemistry combined with the mutual need to heal inform the larger storyline. This forced proximity raunch-com was poignant, passionate, and the heartwarming.

Sweet, swoony and incredibly steamy, A Jingle Bell Mingle was an enjoyable read. I laughed out loud, but also cried. Clutched my pearls but also pumped my fist in the air. Shook my head at the antics of the colorful cast of characters but also vowed to go back and read Books 1 and 2 to get more of the same.

I definitely recommend reading the first two books in the trilogy as well. Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for this ARC.

This was a very cute, VERY steamy finale to the Christmas Notch trilogy. Sunny and Isaac had great chemistry, the setting was cozy, and the side characters added levity to a sometimes heavy main plot. This isn't a lighthearted holiday book (I cried multiple times), but it has plenty of light moments that lift up the heavier parts. I did think the dialogue was uneven in places, and things worked out a little *too* well sometimes, but overall I really liked this book and I'm sad the series is over now.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the authors for the eARC!

I previously read the first book in this series and loved it! I was so excited to read this and it did not disappoint. I absolutely love Sunny and I am so glad that she gets her second chance romance. I also love the concept of an adult star turned hallmark movie writer.

Holiday romance with extra spice! This book is a perfect mix of cozy holiday vibes and some seriously hot chemistry. The characters are diverse and their relationships feel real, touching on topics like acceptance and love in all its forms. Grab this one when you want a fun, festive read with a little extra heat.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for the opportunity to read A Jingle Bell Mingle - a fun Christmas romance.

In true Julie Murphy (and Sierra Simone) fashion, A Jingle Bell Mingle does a good job weaving together humor, romance, and holiday cheer while also exploring grief and other life struggles that come with relationships and careers. Sunny and Isaac's chemistry is undeniable, and their interactions are both heartwarming and intense.

However, despite the book being a companion to the others in the series rather than part of a series, the first two really should be read first. The large cast of characters and ongoing subplots might feel overwhelming if you’re new to the series. Normally, books that are part of a companion series can be read in any order, so this was a little off-putting at first, but I tried not to let it take away from my opinion of the story itself.

Overall, though, A Jingle Bell Mingle is a fun, unconventional Christmas romance that fans of Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone, and this series will love.

This series has been a lot of fun. I wasn’t sure how combining those holiday movies with porn stars would go but I enjoyed all of them.
I’m sad to see them go.

Quick holiday read to get you into the christmas season feelings....Sunny and Issac had great chemistry. If you're looking for a fun holiday read I would recommend checking this one out!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

Funny as hell, so sweet, and ultimately a heartwarming story. There were some pacing issues (for me at least) here and there but other than that, a fun and solid holiday read. Sunny and I are twinsies also because god knows I can't resists a Sad Boy - she's so real for that.

Adult film actress Sunny Palmer is embarking on a new career path, having just sold her first screenplay to the Hope Channel. She finds herself in Christmas Notch, Vermont trying to get herself into the holiday spirit her movie demands and crosses paths with an acquaintance at the wedding of mutual friends. After a one night stand with former boy-bander Isaac, who is still grieving his late wife, sparks fly. When Sunny’s hotel room becomes uninhabitable she agrees to move in with the star in the mansion he just happens to own in town. It’s a little cliché and somewhat predictable, but the novel is also quick-paced, witty, and just a little raunchy. It’s the 3rd book in a series and is similar in tone to its predecessors, but could easily be read as a stand-alone.

🔥🔥🔥 WOW this book was spicy but also such a sweet second chance romance for Sunny & Isaac. I loved the appearances of characters from the other books in this series, it created a sense of community and family in Christmas Notch. This was a second chance, forced proximity Christmas romance with a happily ever after and crazy hot chemistry. This is a must read Christmas romance for 2024.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the advance reading copy from Netgalley

CHRISTMAS IN JULY! at least for me it was I love a holiday book any time of the year and rhis one did not disappoint! This series by these authors is fun and the reads are quick and entertaining, I love a forced roommate to something more trope amd the two main characters dealing with their issues as the navigate their feeling was good! These books always have side stories and interesting characters and I love that so I'm a happy trader! The spice was nice, I'm always ok with spice , the history mystery (on a rhyming streak) was also a bonus story - all in all a great festive read and am happy I read it I could see gifting the series books as a gift this Christmas for sure

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the arc!

This book just wasn't my cup of tea. I think some readers will love it, but it just wasn't something I connected with. I think the authors did a good job with the book. It's just not my preference. 🙂

In the 3rd book of the Christmas notch series, we have Issac Kelly, the third member of the INK boy band and widower, and Sunny Palmer, part-time adult film actress/adult film director/ makeup artist. Issac is looking to write a Christmas album for his record label but is in need of a muse since his late wife passed away. Sunny has decided to take up a new career in screen play writing for the Hope Channel. What better way for them both to find the inspiration they need but in a snowy landscape and gorgeous mansion in Christmas Notch Vermont! Issac and Sunny go from casual wedding hookup to roommates with benefits, but very strictly roommates with benefits as sunny refused to be Isaac’s muse. So while they both work towards their impending deadlines, sunny helps to find Isaac his new muse while Isaac helps sunny find the completed story to a real life Christmas miracle. Do they fall in love in the process??

This book was great. Had all the spice we could want, but not too much where it takes away from the plot. The banter was HILARIOUS and the internal monologues for the MC’s were equally so. I thoroughly enjoyed the various side plots between sunny and Issac and I loved watching their friendship (and then love) blossom as they gallivanted around Christmas Notch. 4 stars because I felt the plot point on Teddy was unnecessary. Entertaining but unnecessary, and I kind of wish the epilogue was more about Isaac and sunny rather than his storyline.
Thank you Netgally and Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone for allowing me to review the ARC.

Well, that was… interesting. I think having not read the first two books in this series first was not a great thing. I almost didn’t make it past the prologue. It felt like being thrown into the middle of a book with a huge cast of characters and I had no clue who any of them were, or why I should care.

It got better. Sunny was cute and Isaac was cute and it was fun watching their banter. The feelings from the beginning of the book lingered though. I started to enjoy the story when they were digging deep into the Christmas miracle and really liked how it all came together at the cabin at the end.

Then we were to the epilogue, which was so similar to the prologue in how it made me feel that I almost didn’t finish it. I was thankful for the final little bit that brought the focus back to Sunny and Isaac for a few last words.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this series but A Jingle Bell Mingle felt a little like a disappointing final chapter. The spice was great as always, but the MMC's emotional arc made it almost feel not like a romance to me so it was hard to connect to the book.