Member Reviews
I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group for letting me read this ARC.
Wow. Just wow. First off, I love Nick and Jess and the New Girl reference. That was just a cherry on top to an already perfect book.
Jess Carrington is a down on her luck romance author/barista who has spent years trying to catch her big break. She ends up having to present an award to a fellow romance writer who she hates, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend.
Nick Matthews is a romance author who refuses to write a Happily Ever After (I've never read a book like that, but I imagine I would hate it too, Jess). He's suffering from a severe case of writer's block until he finds out he has to reunite with the ex-girlfriend he might still be in love with.
This book has fully made me a second chance girly. The tropes were troping here, ladies and gents. The forced proximity featuring only one bed? The revenge dress? The hateful but surprisingly sexy instagram DMs? I couldn't put it down.
When they eventually start writing together, watching them tease each other and have pretty meaningful conversations over a google doc was hilarious and HOT. I want more. This is THE christmas rom com you need to read this year!
I greatly enjoyed this little Christmas story. A little sweet a little spicy. I adored the grand gesture at the end. Will recommend to friends looking for a holiday read
Summary: Exes. Professional rivals. Just one bed. What could go wrong? All Jessica has ever wanted is her own happily ever after. But until that happens, she spends her days as a small-time romance writer, penning satisfying Happily Ever Afters to soothe the heartache left by her ex-boyfriend Nick—also a romance writer and now her biggest rival—who has found success writing love stories without happy endings. It’s what he’s good at, after all . . . So when their professional obligations bring them to a remote inn a few days before Christmas, they’re a little more than peeved, especially when they get trapped sharing a room in a snowstorm. But what’s more fitting for two romantic writers in a slump? Realizing the friction between them might be the only cure for their writer’s block, they decide to turn their frustration into fiction . . . and the pages start flying. But will Jess’s heart soar, too? Nick is the last guy on earth she should love . . . but what if he is really all she wants for Christmas?
Review: This book was such a surprise! I did not expect to enjoy it as much! It drew me in from the first pages. It has so many tropes, and they are all so perfectly executed. There's tension, chemistry, simple problems and one bed... Basically this is all you want from a Christmas read.
This second chance holiday romance was just the right book for me at the right time. It is short and sweet, and has a few surprisingly spicy scenes. And full of all of the best romance tropes: grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, only one bed, as well as all of the clever banter.
I enjoyed reading about the behind the scenes workings of these 2 fictional romance novelists, Jess and Nick. Jess hasn’t had as much commercial success as Nick, who is renowned for not writing happy endings. And when they’re snowed in at an industry event in upstate New York and there aren’t enough rooms, I swooned and rooted for their happily ever after. 💕 I would definitely recommend this charming romcom. 4/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
I really liked this book! It was short and easy to read. I loved both of the main characters, and there was just enough spice! I wish it had a bit more “Christmas” in it, but that’s just because I love reading about Christmas time. Overall and fun cute read! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!
AWWWW cute cute cute. I love a holiday romance, especially a short and sweet one full of second chances and lots of spice! Truly can’t go wrong in my book.
Although this one was pretty short I thought it dragged on just a touchhh too long and then the ending/“break up” was so quick. I think the pacing could’ve been better if they worked through some of their issues earlier in the book. But otherwise I really enjoyed it and binged it super quickly! Gonna be a good one for the holiday season for sure!
Read if you like:
🤎 peppermint mochas
🎄 the holiday season
✌🏼 second chance romance
🌶️ spicy books (2.5/5 - at one point they sit across from each other and talk about what they want to do to each other and WOAH 🥵)
🥰 romance books
🛏️ one bed
Thank you to @putnambooks for the digital ARC. Although this book doesn't come out until September, I decided to read the ARC as part of my Christmas in July. All I Want is You is a dual POV story with a dual timeline (past Christmases). I love this combination, especially when it's a second chance romance. You get to read all the pining on both sides combined with a sprinkle of the past, trying to figure out why they split and how they're going to end up back together. Jessica & Nick are both romance writers, so there is a lot of fun discussion about writing, romance tropes, HEAs, etc...oh plus, there's a part with only one bed. I mean this is a Christmas story meant for romance book lovers. Sometimes Christmas books (and movies) can be very cookie-cutter and you know exactly what's going to happen next. All I Want is You is NOT like those! This book is a fantastic romcom that happens to be about two romance authors stuck together right before Christmas. The banter between these two exes is great. And the steam...did I mention there's only one bed?! BTW, the forced proximity is due to a snow storm, so this was a fun book to get my mind somewhere cold while in real life it's ridiculously hot down here in south Texas.
I enjoyed reading All I Want is You and I highly recommend checking it out.
Nick and Jess are writers for the same romance imprint and also exes. Jess has been asked to introduce Nick for an award for the publishing group, and though she doesn’t want to, she needs to impress the publisher. The two reconnect at the hotel during a snowstorm that has hit just before Christmas. They are stuck sharing a room and forced to work together, but maybe it’s just what they need to work through their unfinished past.
This book is just the coziest, cutest Christmas book you could dream up! I love Falon Ballard’s sense of humor and her books are always so much fun. I read this one for Christmas in July, and it made me want to snuggle up by a fire with a peppermint mocha despite the lack of snow on the ground. I loved the forced proximity, one bed, Grinch and Christmas lover vibes. If you love a Christmas hallmark movie with a cozy setting, Beach Read by Emily Henry but set at Christmas, or the snowed in trope, you should definitely pick this up for your holiday reading pleasure!
Thank you so much to Falon Ballard and Putnam books for the ARC and opportunity to review this book.
Enjoyed this charming holiday read! This book moved super quickly and I read it in 2 days, which I loved. It felt like a Hallmark movie with spice. The story happens quickly, which felt just like a holiday movie. I wasn’t crazy about why Nick broke up with Jess. It felt like a slight cop out, but overall I really liked this one.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!
4.5/5 All I Want is You is a spicy second chance romance that had me smiling from start to finish. The story is lighthearted, which I find perfect for the holiday season. Being that this follows two romance authors, I loved the conversations around romance writing and the publishing process. It was fun to see how their relationship paralleled exactly what they write about in their books. Jess is definitely my new favorite Falon lead while I couldn’t swooning over all the ways Nick was trying to when her back. With a second chance romance, I never love when the reasoning around the break up is silly, and this one felt that way when the reveal came. However, I appreciated how the hero knew he made a mistake and owned up to it. The grand gesture was absolutely perfect and the cherry on top to this holiday read!
Read for:
-Second chance romance
-Two authors
-Locked in during the holidays
-Only one bed
-Grumpy hero/ sunshine heroine
-Open door romance
-Holiday reads
Thank you Putnam for the ARC!
Synopsis:
Jessica is a small-time romance author, writing romances to soothe the heartache her ex-boyfriend, also a "romance writer" left her with. "Romance writer" in quotes because he can't seem to write a happy ending...and it can't be romance without a HEA. So when their writing obligations bring them to a remote inn a few days before Christmas, they’re not enthused, especially when they are trapped sharing a room in a snowstorm…with, you guessed it, only one bed. But what’s more fitting for the two romantic writers than getting roped into writing a Holiday romance while trapped in a forced proximity plot of their own? They decide to turn their hate into fuel…and the pages start flying. But will their romance take off once again?
My Thoughts:
I'm starting to think Falon Ballard is my soul mate author. I just love everything she writes. Her characters are so easy to root for. They are warm, kind, compassionate, and they fall in love so hard but so beautifully. She is epic in the second chance romance game. And this is her second book this year with a something more to general nuisance to lovers storyline and yet each book is so unique. I love the setting of the inn during the snowstorm. The forced proximity is almost a third character. The premise of the story is fun and realistic. The story takes place over a pretty short time frame and yet I feel like I've known these characters for 500 pages. The chemistry is electric, the tension could be cut with a knife. I giggled and kicked my feet and I wanted to throw the book at the wall, which is exactly what I want when reading. The highs and the lows. Ballard endings always leave me feeling so full and so bright, and this is no exception. I've already re-read it 5 times before bed when I can't sleep.
There was no room at the inn….. Wait, that’s a different Christmas story.
Jess a struggling romance author working her side job as a barista is having writers block. She can’t seem to come up with anything for her new book. When she is asked by her publisher to Present Romance Writer of the year to a fellow SVP author Nick. Only problem is Nick is the one who broke her heart 5 years ago. Has she really moved on.
Nick has a career that any Author would dream of. Bestsellers, Movie deals, 6 figure contracts. He has everything except the one who got away. The love of his life…. Jess.
This Christmas story has it all. Christmas Cheer, No rooms left at the inn. Snowstorm trapping them in. Only one bed….. Can Jess open her heart to hear what nick has to say. And can Nick finally write a happy ending for his life that none of his books have had.
Run don’t walk to scoop up this 5 star read. I loved this book so much. Top 5 reads of the year.
#christmasromance
#noroomattheinn
#onebed
#secondchanceromance
#snowedin
This was such a cute book! A great "Christmas in July" ARC read.
I really love the character names, Nick and Jess (huge New Girl fan). This second chance romance really hit all the boxes for me. Sweet, swoony and spicy! Nick and Jess met before Nick hit it big. They dated for 3 years and then Nick suddenly ended things. We follow their story through flashbacks to past Christmas' and watch their story unfold.
Second chance
Holiday romance
Forced proximity
It's always been you
This was a can't put down book for me, 5 stars!
All I Want is You was a cute, quick holiday read. While it’s set around the Christmas season, it could definitely be read and enjoyed any time of the year. I liked the premise of the story and the characters but I didn’t feel any butterflies or real emotion while reading.
You cannot go wrong with a Fallon Ballard in my eyes! I always get so excited when I see her newest book! Will be recommending this to everyone!
Loved this enemies to lovers, second chance holiday romance! Nick and Jess are romance writers who write their way back together. It's cozy, spicy and touched with some holiday magic!
Short synopsis: Jess is an author invited to present a prestigious award to Nick her ex boyfriend (also an author) at a remote hotel ay Christmas time.
My thoughts: What an adorable, bingeable holiday read! I loved the remote location, snowed in for the holidays!
I am always a fan of books about books! I really liked how we get an inside look into the writing world, and the writing process. I especially loved how the characters ended up working together to write a story, and during the process opened up some of their insecurities and found forgiveness.
I also really loved the flashback chapters so we could see what happened to break them up initially, and the growth each character went through to get to the point they are at now. This does pack some spice in there, so just know that going in.
Read if you love:
- Forced proximity
- Only one bed
- Second chance romance
- Snowed in for Christmas
- Holiday romance reads
- Books about authors and writing
Thank You Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first “Christmas in July” read this year, starting the season out strong! I love Falon Ballard’s writing, and this one did not disappoint. You can always sign me up for a second chance, forced proximity rom com! The banter and spice were just what I needed this week - I couldn’t recommend this holiday romance more!
This one certainly helped with the whole Christmas in July mindset. I enjoyed the romance, the characters, and the story. Thanks for the early access to this one!
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I have read another book by this author that really enjoyed, so I was excited to dig into this one. I'm all about forced proximity, and this book delivered! Another fun read!