ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || ALL I WANT IS YOU [thank you to @putnambooks and @netgalley for my #gifted copy!]

Title: All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard
Genre: Romance
Format: Digital
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
Rival authors and ex-lovers, Jessica and Nick, are forced to share a room at a remote inn just before Christmas due to a snowstorm. Jessica, a romance writer, still harbors resentment towards Nick, who has found success writing love stories without happy endings. As they work together to overcome their writers' block, the tension between them reignites old feelings. Jessica begins to wonder if Nick might be exactly what she wants for Christmas after all.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This was probably a 3.5 ⭐️ book for me! Being a fan of Ballard, I knew I had to pick up her first holiday romance - and, boy, am I glad I did! This was such a fun, little enemies-to-lovers romance with just the right amount of banter, spice, and shenanigans!

I really loved that Nick and Jessica were true opposites in almost everything (their writing process, their love of the holidays, lack of faith in true love), but they still fit together so nicely! I am also loving this new trend of cynics writing romance novels/movies. It’s a lot of fun to see them flip tropes we know and love on their head!

If you’re looking for a short & sweet (but spicy) romance, then you should add this to your TBR!

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Only One Bed
Holiday Romances
Second Chance Romance
Open Door Romance
Dual POV
Opposites Attract

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.08 ⭐️
# of Pages: 256
Pub Date: September 24, 2024

I will read anything and everything Falon Ballard writes. This second chance holiday romance is absolutely adorable. The premise of two romance writers writing together their own romance and book, SWOON.

Ballard’s writing of this book reminding a lot of Lease on Love. It was effortlessly beautiful.

This was a cute Christmas read - in July - Christmas in July, if you will. Jessica and Nick are authors and exes who find themselves snowed in and writing a new romance novel together. It was a fun read, as it looks at why Nick and Jessica broke up, what's happened since, and of course, where they are now. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this September 2024 release!

I really enjoyed this cute, Christmas romance! At times it was a bit too cheesy or corny for me, but I overall had a positive experience reading this. I thought the banter and tension was well-written and I absolutely loved that Nick was down bad for Jess. I thought the one bed/stranded at the hotel scenario worked well. This wasn't a five star read for me just because of how cheesy it was at times, but it was definitely a feel-good read and I immediately read another Falon Ballard book after finishing this one because I enjoyed her writing. Thanks so much for the ARC - I will definitely be recommending this one to my bookstagram network ahead of the holiday season!!

"I can't endure forced proximity with my ex for much longer. I am not cut out to be a romance heroine."

Falon Ballard is always an instant read for me, so when I was gifted 🎁 the opportunity through NetGalley for an ARC of All I want is you, I thought ok, Christmas in July!

This is a tale of two rival romance authors that are also ex's and it brought all the fun and holiday tropes.

🎄 One Bed
❤️Forced proximity
🎄 Second Chance
❤️Found Family
🎄Miscommunication

Jess is trying to continue her breakthrough as a romance author when she is asked to give a introduction speech for the romance author of the year at a holiday event for her publisher...that romance author is her ex Nick who funny enough, never writes happy endings.

What happens next are all the stories she and Nick mostly have created success from. Can these tropes not only help them through writers block but bring them back to understand why their love story ended to begin with?

Will Jess and Nick get All they Want for Christmas? You'll have to read to find out 😉

This fun romantic comedy will be a treat to read any time of year. Falon Ballard does it again 😍

I will always read Falon Ballard’s book and this one is a PERFECT example of why. This was so sweet and witty and magical. I love Falon’s writing so much, it feels so warm and cozy and like coming home. I loved every single second of it. It has ALL of my favorite things: second chance, a couple named Nick and Jess, dual POV, and flashbacks??? Two writers writing a book that’s totally NOT about them (but we all know that’s how they’re working out all their issues). This is going on the top of my list of favorite books for the year!

The angst, the longing, the banter?? Their chemistry was HOT! It was all SO GOOD. Even though Jess was very clearly on the arch nemesis train, once she and Nick saw each other again it was hard not to fall back into old patterns. And I loved how much they were so clearly meant to be. Not just because they were actually the perfect writing partners, but because they KNEW each other. They were so TENDER with each other, even when they were still sort of fighting. Their FEELINGS were too strong to be resist the forced proximity and it was delicious.

I fully cried over the grand gesture. It was honestly SO CUTE! And the ending was such a sweet full circle moment!!

Thanks so much to Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

I loved this book so much, my heart was broken for both of them from page one knowing that they were still so in love. When she was the bigger person and showed up at the event even though she was going to have to see him I knew they would once again be in love. One of the best holiday romance to date! I love all things Falon!

You can't go wrong with a Falon Ballard book, especially when it's set in a winter wonderland at Christmas time! This second chance romance with Nick and Jess (both romance writers!) is perfect to pair with a cozy blanket and a cup of cocoa. As the snow falls, Nick and Jess rekindle their relationship and the result is a delight!

This book was so cute! I loved how Jessica and Nick were forced together because of the snow storm. It was two romance authors forced to live some of the most popular tropes. There was great banter and tons of chemistry. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the reason for the breakup in the first place. It felt a little bit of an extreme response with zero communication. Overall this is a quick read that can get anyone in the holiday mood.

My new favorite holiday romance, and one of the most enjoyable romances I’ve read in a long time, period! A romance about romance writers risks a lot of cheese and overdoing the tropes but this one acknowledges that struggle and finds a balance that is magical but still feels authentic. And that ending- I loved it!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I thought this book might be a little bit hard for me to get into since I was reading it during the summer months, but I was pulled right into the holiday spirit by the setting - a snowed -in, cozy hotel with two ex lovers writing a book together that is set in the holidays as well. There was the perfect amount of decked out trees, snowy conditions, and peppermint mochas.

This book had several tropes at play: second chances, enemies to lovers, single bed, etc, and I liked them all, to be honest. I found the characters to be sympathetic and quick to realize when they'd made a miscalculation or mistake. I liked their banter a lot, and it had a decent amount of spice. I'd recommend it!

All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard is the perfect Christmas romance! This book includes rival writers who were formerly together forced to share the only room at the inn at Christmas time. I love forced proximity and second chance romance! It was so sweet and perfect!

Oh, I loved this! Falon Ballard is consistently great for me, and one of those authors that I seem to like more and more with each release. This was a second chance holiday romance that felt like a love letter to romance readers. The two main characters, Nick and Jess (and yes, someone in the narrative points out the New Girl connection), are both romance authors who had a great romance of their own that ended very badly about five years before the events of this book. Nick went on to be wildly successful with his romance novels (even though he does NOT follow the formula and doesn't do happily ever after endings) while Jess has a solid following but isn't successful enough to quit the coffeeshop job that helps her make ends meet. They both publish with the same company, and when the publisher asks Jess to present Nick with a big award at their annual holiday party/gathering, her agent talks her into it. Jess and Nick both find themselves at an inn in upstate New York right before Christmas, and this is where the tropes come in. There's a reservation problem, so Jess doesn't have a room, and then a winter storm rolls through that snows everyone in. Nick offers to let Jess share his room with him, not realizing that it's small and there's (OF COURSE) only one bed. I just loved all these tropes coming together, and Nick and Jess as romance novelists totally recognizing and acknowledging them. Stuck in the inn for days, they end up getting talked into trying to merge their current projects (both of which are second chance holiday romances - META!) and end up having a pretty good time working together. One of my typical complaints with second chance romances is that the characters often seem unwilling to communicate about what went wrong the first time around, but I felt like Nick and Jess actually did pretty well with that part, so I was really rooting for them. This was funny, sweet, steamy, perfectly paced, and fairly short (256 pages, chef's kiss). I did hate that Nick was a much more successful romance novelist than Jess, but honestly, that felt pretty realistic, so it didn't take me out of my enjoyment of the story.

This book started out SO strong!!! My Christmas loving heart was totally vibing! The tropes are ahhhhmazing:

♥️ Enemies to lovers
♥️ Second chance romance
♥️ Forced proximity/only one bed
♥️ Snowed inn (😆)

It’s been five years since Nick broke Jess’s heart during her favorite time of year. Both romance authors, now she has to present an award to him at a Christmas ball hosted by their publisher. It was very snarky and angsty and they obviously still loved each other and I was into it!
•
As it went on (maybe after they got snowed in?!), I felt like it was missing a little something. I think it needed more humor and banter. And more Christmas. 🤪 Admittedly I like a lot of Christmas in my holiday reads, but some of the holly jolly was lost while they were stuck at the inn.
•
The grand gesture moment was so good, and the epilogue was truly dreamy. Overall I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars! ❄️🎄♥️ A million thank yous to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the arc! Holiday books are my favorite and I cherish the opportunity to read and review early.

Falon Ballard is an auto read author for me and I love love love when I am lucky enough to get an ARC of her newest book. All I Want Is You follows romance authors Jess and Nick. They used to date, until Nick broke up with Jess on her favorite holiday, Christmas. Five years later, Jess has to present Nick with an award right before Christmas.

All I Want Is You has forced proximity, exes to lovers, one bed, Christmas time, snowed in. All the things needed for a cute and fun Christmastime romance book. I always love Falon Ballard's book and this one did not dissapoint. I enjoyed every second of reading it and I loved the New Girl references!

Falon Ballard is an auto read author for me! I really enjoy her books, they are great romance novels. I would recommend this one for the holiday season!

This was a really cute second chance holiday romance. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m never going to be mad at two writers expressing their feelings for each other in their writing.

My one big knock against the book is that I feel like the reveal of what broke them up happened too late into the book. It felt like the book was trying to hang the reveal over my head but I didn’t care anymore because it seemed like Jess was over it. Then the reveal hit and I had the opposite problem, it felt like there wasn’t enough time left in the book to fully deal with the revelation. It felt a bit rushed but the grand gesture was so sweet and in the limited time left the book did a lot to redeem Nick and make me ready for the HEA.

An author trying to love Christmas again while writing a new story ends up snowed in at a hotel with the ex who made her dislike Christmas. With no choice but to share one bed, they realize the stories they've been working on are essentially the same. Can they share space and write a story together that hits them a little too close to home? Or have they hurt each other too much to put their past behind them?

Jess and Nick are dynamic and very realistic characters. Jess is a writer trying to get by with two jobs, create a new story, and move pas her painful breakup. This is the reality for most millennials; we have our jobs that make us money and our true passions while simultaneously dealing with complex relationships. And I love that she was confident enough to always speak up for herself and what she wants, which is likely due to her supportive family and friends. Nick is also a writer, but he's lucky enough to have it as his career as well as his passion. However, he struggles with vulnerability and opening up, which is likely due to his emotionally distant family.

The relationship was beautifully written. You could really tell how much Jess and Nick fought their feelings for the sake of their book and self preservation. Each time they started to open up, it was prevalent how much they'd grown during their time apart and how much they still cared for each other. They were able to reflect and see the faults in their relationship and mature as individuals, which ended in their successful relationship.

I legitimately finished this book in 8 hours. The dual POV, flashbacks, and overall pacing were so perfect that I had to binge read and finish the whole story. Every chapter ended in a way that had me wanting to keep reading to figure out how it would end. All of the best tropes just kept coming and I loved all of them. And the slow burn was INSANE; it was the perfect combination of plot and relationship development.

Once again, I love Falon Ballard's writing and I can't wait for everyone to get their hands on this fantastic book. Thank you NetGally for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

💭 ⓂⓎ ⓉⒽⓄⓊⒼⒽⓉⓈ
If Falon Ballard writes it, I will read it and I will love it! So here we are again with another book by Falon Ballard that had me smiling from ear to ear for all 256 pages. I’ve read every book that she has written and they never disappoint. Her books are the definition of a comfort read. They make you swoon and give you the warm fuzzies. This sweet holiday romance had me craving the joy that the holidays always bring. With the “Nick and Jess” New Girl references and constant mentions of peppermint mochas, this book will have you wrapped up in a cozy blanket, sipping your favorite holiday drink, and singing your favorite holiday songs. If you’re a sucker for a sweet and sassy second chance romance like I am, make sure you put this one on your holiday reading list!

📚 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
💕Second chance love
👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻Forced proximity
🛏️One bed
🎄Holiday atmosphere
✍️Rival romance authors
🗣️Witty banter
🌶️A little bit of spice
⏮️Flashbacks
✌🏽Dual POV

🎄𝕄𝕐 ℝ𝔸𝕋𝕀ℕ𝔾🎄
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💕Q U O T E: “𝑀𝓎 𝓅𝑜𝒾𝓃𝓉 𝒾𝓈, 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝑒𝑒𝓅 𝓂𝑜𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝒶𝓁𝓅𝑜𝓈𝓉𝓈, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝒾𝓉'𝓈 𝒾𝓂𝓅𝑜𝓇𝓉𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓂𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓂 𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝓎𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝑔𝑜 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓈𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓁𝓁𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓃𝑜𝓌."

❓❓ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ʜᴏʟɪᴅᴀʏ ᴅʀɪɴᴋ?

🙏Thank you NetGalley, Putnam Books, and Falon Ballard for this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. 💕

A cute, but ultimately forgettable Christmas romance from Falon Ballard - second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, but I didn't feel as invested in this couple as I have with Ballard's prior books. I have loved all of her prior novels so I will chalk this up to a one off and look for more from Ballard in the future!