This was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I feel like Murphy and Simone truly excel when they're tapping into the emotional heartbeats of their characters or giving their characters free reign to be their quirky selves. Where the book lacked was, sadly, in the romance department. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of smut, so my review is already biased because that was never going to be my favorite part of these series, but I did really like the connection between Winnie and Kallum in a Holly Jolly Ever After, so it's not like the existence of smut was the problem for me here. Rather, I had a hard time feeling the connection between Sunny and Isaac. Undoubtedly the physical connection was there, but I wish we'd had more time spent on building the emotional one. I thought they were both interesting characters on their own and found myself turning the pages without thinking when it came to their side-plots, but then I got a little bored during their scenes together. I think the pacing of the book too could have been tightened up; I liked the ingredients of the plot with overcoming loss, reconnecting with family, tracking down and old mystery, and going on fake dates, but all those elements didn't blend well together. This series still holds a special place in my heart. It's such a fun, whimsical time, and I'm really glad to have spent time in Christmas Notch!

A Jingle Bell Mingle is another (very) spicy yet sweet installment to the Christmas Notch series. Sunny and Isaac are opposites in so many ways, yet complement each other so well. I definitely recommend you read the rest of the series before diving in to this one, so that you have the background info on the characters - but it could work well as a standalone, too. Thank you to the publisher for the advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

Sweet, funny contemporary romance that takes place in a kitschy Christmas town. The story is lighthearted, but deals with some heavy themes (grief). The main romance is between Sunny and Isaac (both introduced in previous books), but storylines for side characters Teddy and Jack are also wrapped up in the book. Definitely read the first two novels and the novellas before reading this one for max enjoyment.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as the others in this series. I can't even really put my finger on why I feel this way. I read the previous books in one or two days. This one took me an entire week to read. Once I put it down, I just wasn't in a hurry to pick it back up. Maybe I was just in a slump or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this book when I read it. Others may really enjoy it but it just wasn't for me.

Sunny was such a sweet and likeable main character and Issac was a cute hopeless romantic. This was a super quick read and perfect for other holiday season.

This was too cringe for me. Maybe it’s because I don’t find constant sexual innuendo funny? The romance was the only part of this story that made sense for me. Everything else felt so all over the place. Idk I was bored and underwhelmed 😭

Sunny Palmer is a screenwriter struggling with a screenplay she sold about a local Christmas legend. Isaac Kelly is a former boyband heartthrob dealing with the death of his young wife and trying to record a Christmas album. Both Sunny and Isaac, who had previously had a one night stand, are in Christmas Notch for a friends' wedding and to deal with their respective issues. After they hook up again, they decide to try and help one another – Isaac will help Sunny with the research for her screenplay and Sunny will help Isaac find a muse for his Christmas album. But will this friendship turn to more?

At first, I found this book a bit confusing. I have not read any of the other Christmas Notch books so it was a little confusing jumping right in with other characters who are not the main focus of this book. But ultimately, I was able to follow the plot, with a couple of insignificant holes that I assume are from the other two Christmas Notch books. I really liked the book, while I can't personally relate to an adult film star and the issues that come with that stigma, I thought the book was laugh out loud funny. I really enjoyed the banter between the characters. Both Isaac and Sunny were funny but also complicated with their own heartbreak and issues. I also really liked the depth of their relationship, which Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone did a good job at cultivating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time getting into this book. I like both authors so this is hard for me to admit but this was a miss for me. In full confession I did not read the first two books in this series so maybe that's why I couldn't get in to this one.

This is probably my favorite in the entire Christmas Notch series!

Returning to Christmas Notch and the Hope Channel was a classically spicy, hilarious, heartwarming, sexy and festive ride. Sunny is a total delight of a main character, and while I was skeptical of Isaac and his sad-boy ways, I ultimately ended up loving him too. The chemistry between these two characters is absolutely steaming and jumping off the page. The banter drew me in and made me laugh at every turn, but this story also tackled some very complicated and dark grief feelings with grace and nuance. I found the third act conflict to be a bit more hurtful that I would have wanted, but I did find that Isaac brought it all back together well and didn’t leave me with a bad taste in my mouth long term.

If you’re a fan of wildly spicy Christmas romance, holiday antics, sex-positivity, big found families and idyllic holiday towns, you really can’t go wrong with this series! I’m sad to see that this is the last Christmas Notch book, but it will just serve as a reminder to me that I’ve got to pick up these authors other books soon! Thank you to Avon & Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this eArc!

I loved the first book in this series (A Merry Little Meet Cute), but the following books have had diminishing returns for me. I just don't love the characters in this one as much as I loved Bee and Nolan, and it's starting to feel too convenient that all these boy band members are getting their happily ever after in Christmas Notch. I think there was something about that first book that felt so fresh and so fun, but returning isn't really delivering that same magic for me.

That being said- I didn't hate the book by any means. Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone write great spicy scenes, and I love how inclusive and queer the cast is in this book (and in the past books). I also found the exploration of Isaac's grief to be particularly nuanced- it was probably my favorite part of the book.

I found Sunny to be...well...too sunny for my liking. A little too cutesy and peppy, I guess. Maybe I just like my leads to come with a lot of angst?

Overall, I think it's a good choice to end this series here- as they mentioned in the acknowledgements at the end. But I would love to see a new series by the same duo in the future!

What a great Christmas read in the series! You need to have read the previous one’s so that you could understand where this one picks up.

Rating: 3.5

A Jingle Bell Mingle is the final book in the Christmas Notch trilogy. This book features the love story between the final member of INK, Isaac Kelly, not featured in this series and former adult actress, now screenwriter, Sunny Palmer. Isaac and Sunny were previously introduced when they had a threesome at the end of A Holly Jolly Ever After. Grief is an underlying theme in this romance story that sees Isaac and Sunny working on their own separate grief journeys towards each other. I found this book the steamiest of the three novels and two novellas. While I found the storyline repetitive at times, I still enjoyed this story. I'll be sad to see these characters go, but look forward to revisiting Christmas Notch in the future.

I'm so glad Julie and Sierra are working together again on an upcoming series. They work really well as a co-writing duo. I can't wait to read what they come up together with next.

Thank you to Avon for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

I want 3 things in my holiday romances: fun, spice, and, well, the holidays. Sadly most of the holiday ones I’ve read this year have been lacking, but this one delivered. Sunny and Isaac were great characters with realistic issues that the authors handled with just the right amount of humor and levity.

If I’m being super picky, my one issue (question) was, why did the POV switch to Teddy at the end when before it had been either Sunny or Isaac? I’m assuming so the authors could wrap up everyone’s story nicely in a bow, but this could have been done differently. Certainly not a big deal, it just struck me as a bit odd. Overall a good read and would recommend to anyone wanting a fun holiday romance.

If you’re looking for a quirky, holiday read full of hilarious banter and a touch of smut, Jingle Bell Mingle is your vibe. The story follows Sunny Palmer, a part-time adult film actress turned accidental screenwriter, and Isaac Kelly, a former boy band star who’s trying to find peace and inspiration in a snowy Vermont mansion. When a freezing motel room forces them to become temporary roommates, they make a deal to help each other with their creative blocks—though it’s clear their real chemistry is anything but professional.

The plot is pretty light, but the fun really comes from the banter between Sunny and Isaac. Let’s just say, the cat is almost as wild as the romance. The smut is definitely present (but not the only thing), making for a pretty steamy holiday listen.

DNF - the fmc being a porn star and having 2 suitcases full of toys and lube is just missing the holiday mark for me. Only about 45 minutes in and not feeling it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

TLDR: two-hot nepo babies fight for love in a small town

This was my least favorite of the trilogy so far and I think it's because of our mmc. Isaac was quite insufferable and his attitude sucked for 90% of the plot. Also, his need for a muse was so cringe and it made me gag a bit every time he said it...which was a lot.

But enough of the melancholy, let's get into the spice because there's plenty of it. Sunny is a dream and she's an amazing fmc. She's bright and warm and an awesome roommate so of course their spicy scenes are steamy as hell. I enjoyed their little tryst, turned into more, and I'm glad they got their HEA. Once Isaac got his head out of his ass, this book was so much better.

Definitely finish out this series, but not for the christmas vibes. There really aren't any tbh, but the plot is still pretty good and the smut is good.

So cute! I love this series. The book was well paced and easy to binge in one sitting. Thanks again for the opportunity to read early and review!

*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were in no way influenced by receiving this copy.

4.5 stars. I really loved this wrap up to the series. I love that we got to see Teddy and Steph's story end as well, it was one that was sort of arching through the background of the rest of the series as a cute little cameo and I'm so glad we got to see it progress the way we did.

My biggest issue is the stupid miscommunication plot! Dumb Isaac not realizing or sharing his feelings appropriately. Sunny not accepting to be his muse off the bat. Like so many things could've gone differently in this story if they had been honest with each other and themselves from the jump.

With their relationship starting from a threesome I really thought their romance story would end in poly territory, so that was disappointing a little bit too. But everything else about this was great.

If you like steamy romance and cats, this book is for you! Sunny's cat, Mr. Tumnus, was one of my favorite characters in this book. I love how it broke down Isaac as he started to feed it expensive lobster cat food. At one point, Sunny is making cat slippers out of cat hair. But Sunny being Sunny (who doesn't like to stick with one thing) only makes one. Mr. Tumnus is described as a demonic cat, but Sunny will forever love him as her son.

Isaac lost his wife a few years ago and just wants to live his life alone. He is supposed to write one last Christmas album, and he is planning to officially retire after that. He bought the giant mansion in Christmas Notch. He is definitely not a people person. I loved the quote, "I want to decay in peace." It really tells you how much he wanted to be left alone.

Sunny needs to write a screenplay based on the folklore from Christmas Notch. The story goes that a mailman was stranded in a blizzard in 1944 on Christmas Eve. An angel showed him the way to a cabin in the woods. The angel was the husband to the woman in the cabin. The mailman was stranded in the cabin for a couple of days. Somehow, the mailman's truck was parked in the town's square on Christmas day so everyone was able to get their presents. Sunny ends up staying at the mansion with Isaac. Isaac helped her investigate the mystery of the folklore, and Sunny helps Isaac find his muse.

To my romance readers out there, this book is very, very steamy. If you do not like such things, this book is not for you.

I'm going to be honest, I am a straight woman. The bisexual parts and the scene with the butt hole was a little to much for me. SPOILER!...with the folklore of the mailman arriving in a blizzard and having a three-some with the angel and woman at the door, I was really afraid they were going to recreate that with Blitzen, the stripper. Thank goodness they did not.

The ending line was by perfect for this book and series, "Merry Christmas for all, and for all a naughty night."

I’ve really enjoyed reading The Christmas Notch series over the past few years. These books are funny and sweet and I love the fun twist they put on the stereotypical Christmas story, all while incorporating amazing body positivity.

A Jingle Bell Mingle is the third (and perhaps final?) book in the series and I felt that it was a great conclusion. It focuses on Isaac, the third member of INK, and Sunny, Bee’s best friend and my favorite of the series' supporting characters, as they make a pact to help each other find their creative spark. While this book can stand alone, I do think having read the previous books helps to set the stakes between these characters, as Sunny and Isaac have two of the more emotional storylines in the series.

I really enjoyed this one and think it could be my favorite in the series. I loved how Isaac and Sunny’s courtship was centered around their creative pursuits and the local legend storyline added a fun sense of adventure that had a great emotional payoff. If you aren’t aware, this series is pretty spicy and A Jingle Bell Mingle is no exception so be prepared for that!

The heavy dose of spice did create a bit of tonal whiplash at times, as there are some pretty heavy and emotional conversations around grief and loss in this book. While those conversations were handled with care and were key to the emotional plot of the story, it did feel a bit strange to go from 🌶️ to 😭 so quickly.

I’ll miss spending my December with these characters, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone have something else in store for next year. A Jingle Bell Mingle is out now. Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.