Thank you to the authors, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've read both Christmas Notch books prior to this one and really enjoyed them, and the third certainly did not disappoint either! These authors know what they have in this lane and they're executing it very well. I really enjoy the titles in this universe and how each story builds into the next with this group of friends and their relationships. If this is the end of the series, I will be sad to see it go but it will also feel organic to end here. Four stars!

Here ye here ye - this is the third installment of the Christmas notch series. Like the two books before it we have a sizzling Christmas novel where we get the final Issac and Sunny story. A perfect Christmas in July read to round out the series.

Oh my! 😂 This is the third, and final book in A Christmas Notch series. I haven’t read the first two, but I think that would have really helped me out at the beginning. Because other than reading a lot of sex (like, a lot!) I couldn’t get the names straight until a couple chapters in. There were just so many characters. But once I realized who the two main characters actually were, this became a really sweet (still incredibly spicy 🌶️) love story. This story begins and ends with Christmas, and takes place in a perfect little town called Christmas Notch. I loved the deep dive the characters did to find out about a mystery/miracle/romance from the 1940s that happened right in this very town at Christmas. But this wasn’t just a sweet story it was also really funny. 3.5 ⭐️

A strong Christmas Notch finale!
First I want to say, a spicy "Hallmark" book (movie) is exactly what ive been yelling for all these years. When i found "A Merry Little Meet Cute" on audio the week before Christmas 2022 I said "OMGee a Christmas miracle. my favorite cliche movies made into a book, add top notch written spice?"
ALL THE CHEFS KISSES. Im sad I wont be reading this one for the firsts time the week before Christmas, but I couldn't give up the chance to read it early!
Christmas Notch is the perfect blend of romance, love, holiday, spice.
Isaac is the 3rd member of the 90s Boyband INK. His wife passed away and he has become the recluse of the group.
Attending Nolan and Bees wedding might not have been the best idea when he decides to hook up with Sunny. The makeup artist, porn star, turned writer of the next Hope Channel Christmas movie.
Sunny is so delightful and I'm glad she got to be the final love lead. The storyline and character development was very well done, and even though i expected Issacs book to be a little more sad, i was pleasantly surprised that the story managed to portray his grief without changing the overall feeling of the story. I'm sad that Christmas Notch is finished but I'm glad i can read them every Christmas season.
I gave this book 4 stars only because unless you have read the earlier books, the list of characters that are in the book can be overwhelming and hard to keep track of. I honestly love every single character though. <3

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is a fabulously fun Christmas mystery solving rom-com that'll get you in the holiday spirit and maybe the mood for some other very strange and a little spicy things. It's got a grumpy ex-boy bander suffering from crushing grief and a quirky ex adult film start turn screenwriter who are both stuck in a rut. They end up helping each other out, and sparks fly as they both dig through some very emotional issues. If you're looking for steamy, slightly spicy, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after, this is your book!
My wish was granted with an A R C for this one and I was thrilled to continue devouring this series.

I absolutely loved this book! It's the perfect conclusion to the Christmas Notch series. I have been wanting to see Sunny step into the spotlight and I'm so glad we finally got that with this book! Sunny and Issac are such complex characters that make for the perfect grumpy/sunshine story. They meshed very well together. I adored their story and I think this is now my favorite book of the series! It has so much humor and heart, I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for allowing me to read this book ahead of release in exchange for my honest opinion.

Really cute, spicy Christmas romance with a humming of mystery. Sunny and Isaac were absolute perfection and I really enjoyed their back stories and the connection to one another is intense and electric. Perfect cozy and yet 🔥 read for the holiday season!

What a delightful and steamy conclusion to the Christmas Notch series! This book continues the charming blend of humor, spice, and emotional depth that we've come to love.

Sierra Simone brings her signature depth to the story, and I feel like you cantell which parts she drove because they go beyond the usual rom-com fluff (which is also fun, don't get me wrong!). Sunny and Isaac’s story had me laughing out loud with its witty banter, but it also tugged at my heartstrings with its exploration of love and grief. However, I did find the prolonged emotional hesitation between the characters a little frustrating, as it sometimes felt like a plot device to keep the story going.

I’m genuinely sad to see the end of the Christmas Notch series. These characters have become like old friends—quirky, comforting, and fun. The small-town charm, reminiscent of Gilmore Girls, combined with emotional depth and spicy romance, makes this series special. Saying goodbye to these characters feels bittersweet, but it’s been a wonderful journey.

Overall, this is a great read for anyone who enjoys a mix of humor, heart, and heat in their romance novels. If you’re a fan of the series, you won’t be disappointed with how it wraps up. I’d rate it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

I loved this spicy Christmas story! Definitely got me excited for the holidays and I can’t wait to pass around this title to my family and friends who love similar types of books.

3 1/2 steamy stars rounded up to 4!

This is the 3rd and final installment in the Christmas Notch series. I definitely recommend reading the first two books so you’re not confused by all the side characters.

Fans of the other books in this series will be happy with this one as well! A Jingle Bell Mingle follows Isaac and Sunny’s story. Expect a lot of steamy scenes and all the colorful characters from the other books.

I really liked Sunny and Isaac’s backstories and how they found love while navigating their own grief. Sunny’s crazy cat added some funny antidotes as well. All in all I enjoyed the book! A little Christmas-y cheer for anytime of year!

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

"Jingle Bell Mingle" by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone was the perfect read to get me into the Christmas in July spirit. The roommates-turned-lovers plot line was a great fit for the story, and I enjoyed following the journey of Sunny and Isaac as they navigated their own paths of grief. Sunny, who had lost her parents at a young age, and Isaac, a widower, dealt with their grief in different ways, but watching them come together and support each other was a touching aspect of the book.

In addition to the main plot, there was a captivating side story involving a historical Christmas mystery that added an element of adventure and intrigue to the narrative. As the characters tried to unravel the story of the mailman and the widower from the 1940s, the reader was taken on a journey of discovery and mystery.

While I found the multiple side stories a bit overwhelming at times and difficult to follow, I still enjoyed the overall cute and spicy read that "Jingle Bell Mingle" provided. It was a great palate cleanser with its mix of heartwarming moments, romance, and a touch of holiday magic. Despite the slight confusion caused by the various subplots, I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a festive and engaging read.

I absolutely loved and adored this book! I first fell in love with A Merry Little Meet Cute last year and I was afraid that this book wouldn't be able to compare to it but I was pleasantly surprised! This was just as good as the first book in thr series and I'll definitely be re reading this when the winter season comes around!

The third and final story about our last sexy & single boy band member is here. Issac has been a bit of a mystery, only seen glimpses of. He is a young widower, having lost the love of his life, and the last we saw of him, he's decided to move to the mansion in Christmas Notch. But this lonely boy isn't so lonely for long. Sad boy Issac and sunshine Sunny have met in the past - for one very hot and steamy hookup. But now they are thrown together again and their attraction lights up like fireworks instantly.

I loved the first two books so I had very high expectations. Given the heavy topic of life after loss, this one was much more emotionally charged. Both Issac and Sunny are dealing with grief but in different ways. Issac isolates, while Sunny jumps from experience to experience with a smile on her face. I really enjoyed their opposites attraction vibe and of course, there is so much steam, if you're wearing glasses they will fog up. But at the crux of this is a romance about two people finding love with one another and accepting love back into their lives again.

There is a fun underlying local mystery that propels our characters into some fun situations and as always with Julie & Sierra's writing, the banter is some of the best. It's witty, sexy and just has a lot of heart. I am very sad to see this series end but enjoyed the ride while it lasted.

Tropes & Elements:
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
⚡️ Opposites Attract
🏡 Forced Proximity
❤️ Friends with Benefits
🌶️ SPICY
✌🏻 Dual POV

This series just keeps getting better. Jingle Bell Mingle is such a fun conclusion to the Christmas Notch world. Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone did an excellent job of tying up all the little loose ends and breadcrumbs of this series without it feeling like they were ticking off a list. We got the perfect glimpse into each of these couples(and a few side characters) happily ever after.

Sunny Palmer may be my very favorite of the Christmas Notch leading ladies. She is both the sunshine to Isaac’s grump as well as the black cat to his golden retriever. They just… work. I love when a character who feels like they have to be “on” all the time to be liked, included, etc. can really be seen by their partner and just comfortably take up space. With Isaac, whose identity has largely been wrapped up in the sudden death of his wife and his teen boy band persona, it takes a certain muse for him to enjoy life again.

Jingle Bell Mingle could easily be a very cutsie, holiday rom-com. And then you realize when you’re explaining this series to other’s that it has a more salacious side with porn stars, spicy made for TV movies, and a strip club called the North Pole. This most definitely a series I could see myself rereading.

I loved being back in Christmas Notch and so so happy Isaac was our hero, finally getting his happy ending. Is their story just as silly and wild as the others? Yes. But Sunny and Isaac also have heavy emotional baggage that has to be overcome to accept the happiness that the other can give them. This story is wild, silly and sexy and yet also deeply emotional with heavy doses of self reflection and forgiveness. They’re both stuck creatively (she has a screenplay due and he has to write another album) and find unexpected inspiration in the other. Their one night stand, to roommates with benefits to so much more was a fun ride that I didn’t want to get off of.

Christmas book
Must read in a series to get all the characters
POV changes a lot
Pornstars x sad musicians

Missed the plot didn't love the book and there was a lot going on

Thank you NetGalley for the arc

In the third edition of the spicy Christmas Notch books we follow Sunny and Isaac as Sunny overcomes some challenges with her family and Isaac navigates returning to romance and love following the death of his wife several years prior. The two of them had a very exciting threesome two years ago, but when they reconnect at Bee at Nolan’s wedding sparks fly and turns out it wasn’t just a one night stand.

Despite the cheery cover, this is the deepest and most emotional of the series so far, as we learn more of Isaac’s inner world. Of course it’s a steamy romance with spicy scenes, but it’s also about how we navigate grief and moving on.

A JINGLE BELL MINGLE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Such a cute ending to the Christmas Notch series! Sunny, our makeup artist/pornstar/screenwriter accidentally sold a screenplay to the Hope network based off of old town fables, and Isaac has recently relocated to Christmas Notch to write his last contracted album. With their history of one night stand, she finds herself as his new roommate while they work out their creative struggles. I would absolutely recommend reading the other books before this one if you have not. This is like a hallmark porn, there is the heart and the heat. A super cute, easy read that flies by. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Summary: What happens when there’s no room at the inn and you and your potentially demonic cat become roommates with your grumpy one-night stand? Part-time adult film actress/one-time adult film director/makeup artist Sunny Palmer has accidentally sold her very first screenplay to the Hope Channel. That was six months ago. Fast forward to a looming deadline, an uninspired Sunny has returned to the source of her inspiration in Christmas Notch, Vermont, to immerse herself in the local Christmas miracle on which her fever dream of a movie pitch was based.
Isaac Kelly, former boy band heartthrob and the saddest boy in the music biz, is the latest owner of the town’s historic mansion. After his years of heartbreak following his young wife’s death, Isaac’s record label is done waiting for new music. What better place to attempt his first holiday album than a snow-covered mansion where he can become a hermit in peace?
But after their best friends’ wedding leads to them waking up together in a freezing motel room with questionable wiring and a broken shower, Isaac takes a chance and asks Sunny to stay with him at his home. Surely the place is big enough that he’ll hardly see her or her unhinged cat. But when the two discover they’re both creatively blocked, they make a handshake deal: Isaac will help Sunny hunt down the truth behind the local lore, and Sunny will find Isaac a new muse.
And with these two opposites under one roof, there’s no way this jingle bell mingle could go off script…right?

Review: It does not read as a stand alone, you do need to read the previous books to get this. This reads VERY all over the place. Sadly not for me.

This was a great book! I loved the first book a lot so getting to read this one felt like an honor and it was a true pleasure. It was dirty, healing and a really sweet love story. Isaac, the MMC, is going through his feels dealing with his wifes passing, while Sunny is experiencing true writers block. Having them work through these issues felt like a refreshing plot and conflict that I don't often see in romance novels, so I didn't feel like pulling my hair while reading it. If I am being honest, I didn't realize other books in this series had come out and so seeing it on Netgalley I was excited to snag it. And it has definitely made me want to get the others previous in the series. I like that even though I didn't follow the order they were written, I am still down to go back and read how the other couples got their happy ending.

The only reason that this book doesn't get five stars, is that the beginning weirdly felt slow even though the spice was very quick to start. It took until about halfway before I was really engrossed and needed to see how it ended.

The spice was great, the plot overall was amazing and I am definitely recommending it to others!