Falon has been one of my favorite authors so when I got a copy of this ARC I was beyond excited!
I’m an absolute sucker for second chance romance! Then I find out that there’s forced proximity? Sign me up!
Nick is gone for her and I loved his grand gesture so much! I adored Jess, with her sass and love of peppermint mochas (wait am I Jess??)
And the spice… DID NOT MISS!! Loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley I received an advanced electronic copy of the book to read and provide a review.

3.5 stars rounded up because I’m feeling generous.

I was skeptical about reading a Christmas arc in May, however, this was a comfort cozy second chance romance with a bit of enemies to lovers set in the wintry Christmas season. Did I mention there’s only one bedroom left in the inn?!

This was a quick and adorable read. It was simple and predictable, though the “big” reveal in the third act was not entirely what I expected! If you’re looking for a cute Holiday book with some spice, this is for you.

This was an incredibly quick read- so much so that I unintentionally finished it in a day, but unfortunately not in the oh-my-god-I-am-eating-this-up finish a book in a day kind of way. I struggled to connect with the characters and felt like I only saw them at surface level, rather than deeply. Something about romance authors writing about romance authors always makes me cringe a little- so considering this was that but doubled, I knew I was subjecting myself to a likely disconnect. Outside of that, I felt like the 'spice' scenes were abruptly placed- particularly the first one in the flashback to their first Christmas. On the topic of the flashbacks, I thought all three of them didn't add much to the story. If you are going to do flashbacks, I think more than 3 are necessary.

I was disappointed in the lack of groveling on Nick's part and the fact that Jess allowed him back into her life so easily, even without an explanation. Something that also stood out to me was towards the end when Jess was writing a part of their coauthored novel where it basically eluded to the couple only having a pause rather than a break- in turn meaning Nick and Jess only had a pause. 5 years is certainly more than a pause in my book.

I don't think we were ever told the ages of these characters but I honestly found them both to be a little immature, which is similar to what I felt about the characters in the authors previous novel. I've found that I have been missing the emotion I felt from Falon's first book in her most recent releases.

At the end of the day, this is a quick, hallmark-like holiday read. There will be plenty of people who will enjoy it!

Thank you to Falon, Putnam, and Netgally for the arc which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute holiday romcom! I love a second chance romance and Falon Ballard’s books so I knew I would enjoy this!

It’s not my favorite by her and there was a bit too much spice for me, but it was a fun time! I feel like it’d be even better read around the holidays!

Highly recommend this book!! A sweet and spicy holiday read!

Two romance writers, exes, one bed, AND snowed in- what more could you ask for in a holiday romance? Nick is a successful "romance" writer whose books don't have HEA's and Jess is a romance writer who continues to keep her coffee shop job while being a romance writer. They were in a relationship five years ago, until Nick unexpectedly broke up with Jess right as their careers were taking off. They are thrust back together at an awards ceremony for the publisher they both work for and Jess has to present Nick with an award. Nick seems to still have feeling for Jess. She isn't even sure why he broke things off five years ago, so how can she trust that giving him a second chance will lead to an HEA when he can't even write one?

This book was an entertaining festive read with heart! Nick and Jess's chemistry was palpable as was their mutual pining. I enjoyed the Nick and Jess reference to New Girl. I really loved that even after years apart they were honest with each other, when I feel like in other books this may have been pushed off or avoided until later in the book. It made me respect Nick more and made me admire Jess and her hard hitting questions.

Thank you to Putnam for this ARC. I highly recommend picking this up for a fun holiday read!

4.5 ⭐️

Such a cute, fun and easy read.

We have 2 romance authors in different stages in their career. Nick is the highly sought out best selling romance author, and Jess who's struggling to make ends meet romance author. When Jess was needed to make an introduction as the one who will present an award to Nick, they were forced to communicate.

It's a lot of tropes in one book: Second-chance romance, forced proximity, kinda enemies-to-lovers, one bed trope and many more.

I flew through this book, and honestly, it's really good and right off the bat, we saw they still love each other and they got some insane chemistry that I can feel it. I love how they both are professional, but at the same time can be petty at times.

I was really intrigued about why they broke up in the first place, and when I reached that conclusion, it was such a let down. Maybe I got my expectations way too high, but I honestly got so frustrated that it ruined the book for me, I gave it 4-stars.

Overall, it's a good book and it feels like Hallmark romcom movie. Really good Christmas read, but I read it during summer and I still love it.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam's Sons Publishing for my E-ARC!

This is a perfect second change holiday romance! The plot being about two romance writers living out romance tropes in real life almost sounded too good to be true, but the book was exactly what I hoping it would be from start to finish. This book pulled me in immediately and was a perfect cozy and heartfelt holiday read.

If you know me in real life, then you know my name is Jessica aka Jess and I’m obsessed with Christmas. Oh and I love New Girl…sooo a Christmas romcom where the main characters are Nick and Jess - I can’t even.

Falon Ballard never misses for me. This was a cozy, quick, heartfelt story that was full of the most delicious tension. Jess and Nick are both romance writers who broke up several years ago but end up snowed in together right before Christmas. They are left to determine if their story can be a second chance romance with a true happily ever after.

I’m just obsessed with this story!!

As usual, Falon Ballard does it again. She is still one of my favorite authors. I love her writing style and it is so effortless. Characters are so relatable. Story line is a great. No critiques! I loved it!

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the ARC of All I Want Is You! All opinions are my own.

This holiday book by Falon Ballard was cute cute cute! Perfect feel good holiday romance with enough depth to bring you along the emotional journey. If you liked Right on Cue you will love this.

What I really loved was the plot being about two romance writers and the “real life” tropes that they encountered along the way. As a die hard romance reader it made it so much fun. ❤️ this one also had the right amount of spice but not too much to take away from the cuteness of the holiday theme. Absolutely add this to your holiday TBR!
1/3 🌶️

Second chance romance
Forced proximity
One bed
Enemies to lovers

This was everything I wanted in a second chance holiday romance and it was fun and sweet and had a HEA. Maybe slightly predictable but made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I loved this! Falon Ballard books have become a must read for me and this was no exception. This is perfect for someone who thinks Hallmark movies would be better with more spice.

Falon Ballard's holiday romance novel delivers a delightful second-chance love story with all the charm of a Hallmark movie, but with a spicy twist. Five years after their breakup, romance authors Nick and Jess are forced to reunite, and sparks fly as they find themselves sharing a room during a snowstorm. The forced proximity and lingering feelings make for a compelling read, though the story could have benefited from more detailed character development and setting descriptions. Despite some minor shortcomings, this book is a heartwarming treat for fans of festive romances. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

💗Second chance
💗Holiday romance
💗Forced proximity
💗It's always been you

I am completely obsessed with second chance romances, and if it's written by Falon Ballard, it's a given that I will read it.

The story begins five years after the end of Nick and Jess's relationship. Both are authors with the same publisher and are forced to reunite when Jess must present the Romance Author of the Year award to Nick.

Jess is not thrilled about handing an award to the man who broke her heart, but Nick is eager to see Jess again. When the two finally meet, it's undeniable that there's still a spark between them.

In a twist of fate, they find themselves sharing a room during a snowstorm, with only one bed available. But they're adults who can handle sharing a room, right? Well...

As the story progresses, it's clear that Nick still loves Jess, which made me very curious to learn why he ended the relationship in the first place.

This novel beautifully captures the tension and emotional complexity of rekindling an old flame. Falon’s writing makes you root for Nick and Jess as they navigate their unresolved feelings and past misunderstandings. The setting of the snowstorm and the forced proximity trope adds to the charm and excitement, making this a delightful read for fans of second chance romance.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, for sending me this ARC.

If there is one thing to know about me, it’s this: I’m a sucker for a romance set at Christmas time. (What can I say! I’ve been converted by the Hallmark Channel. And that is exactly what this novel felt like: a Hallmark Christmas movie (but a spicy one at that!)). This novel, it follows Jess and Nick, two exes who are also romance novelists. To have two of my favorite writing setups in one book made me request this ARC immediately. And that’s all without mentioning the tropes: forced proximity, just one bed, and second-chance romance. With that setup, this book was guaranteed to be a fun read. Which it was! However, much like with Ballard’s third novel, I did find this story to be missing something.

This novel is Falon Ballard’s shortest one yet and, unfortunately, that was painfully obvious. Honestly, if this book was one hundred pages longer, this reader certainly wouldn’t complain about it! And I say that because I wish more pages had been given to the development of our point-of-view characters and the general writing style.

Early in the ARC, I noted that the writing was missing something—but I haven’t put my finger on what that “something” is. Does the writing style carry Ballard’s usual charm and banter? Absolutely. But I struggled to fully give myself over to the story no matter what percentage I was at. That struggle was due to a few things. First, I struggled with imagery and setting details. There weren’t many on the page—or, at least, not enough in the middle and end to reinforce imagery—so the characters were often subjected to white room syndrome. Second, there were heavy uses of both introspective and summary modes. I understand the use of those modes—this book was written short and sweet—but it also kept the reader at arm’s length from the happenings on the page. There were a handful of summary paragraphs where I would have loved to see the actual conversations play out. With the writing modes being so off balance, it was hard to fully give myself over to it.

I do want to commend Ballard for taking on the challenge of writing Nick and Jess. It is not an easy feat to write characters that are such innate foils to each other, nor is it easy to write such distinct perspectives on one situation. That was something done incredibly well in this story and was fascinating to read about (even if the “will he explain the past before the third act?” tension was a little repetitive). However, there were moments where it was difficult to discern the differences between Nick and Jess’s voices. While their perspectives were distinct about certain situations, when in the thick of reading, sometimes their voices blurred together because they sounded so similar. I wished for more tonality differences between the two main characters to help spice up the narration.

The final fun thing I wanted to note was the subtle commentary on romance tropes sprinkled throughout the novel. It was beyond fun to be reading from the perspective of not one, but two romance novelists. But what I appreciated the most was the commentary on how aware Jess, in particular, was about avoiding literal tropes in her own life and/or hearing her thoughts on how unrealistic they are. Those moments made it feel like I was in conversation with a romance novelist and listening to their takes on tropes they utilize in their writing.

Overall, this was a fun holiday read. The setup and tropes used made me smile, and I adored the romance novelist angle for both main characters. I just wish there were more details to strengthen the narrative and clarify the narrative voices.

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This was a quick and easy Christmas read. Nothing groundbreaking, very Hallmark-esque storyline, but there’s nothing wrong with that. The story is told in dual POV, which I always enjoy, and follows two writers, who broke up five years prior, as they reconnect while writing a second chance romance book together.

It pulls in lots of classic romance tropes, so the narrators sort of break the fourth wall at times, since they’re writing a second chance romance and living one as well. If you want a light, predictable holiday romance, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the ARC of this book! I have loved everything I have read by Falon Ballard and this one was no different! She writes such sweet and relatable love stories, where the characters are both likeable and real. I really loved this one and it such a fun little holiday jaunt in the summer for me!

Jess and Nick, both romance authors with the same publisher, fell in love before their careers took off. They stayed in love up until Nick got a six figure publishing offer and he became a bestseller. Meanwhile, Jess was published too but hasn't given up her day job. When Jess's agent tells her she has to present a romance author of the year award to Nick at the holiday banquet, she is not thrilled but doesn't have much of a choice. When they see each other again, both sparks and loathing fly. As they spend time together, they end up discussing why their relationship ended in the first place. It's a an absolutely delightful second chance romance with a holiday twist and I just loved it!

Christmas and Falon Ballard? Sign me up! Wow I loved this book & finished it within a few hours. It is currently 1:30 AM right now and I couldn’t sleep until I finished this.

I truly loved Nick and Jess. Their chemistry was amazing and was rooting for them the entire book. This might possibly be my favorite Falon Ballard book thus far!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing this book, with my honest review below.

All I Want is You was the sweetest holiday book to read even if for me we are entering summer. Jessica and Nick undoubtedly have chemistry but I especially enjoyed that what inspired them are their basic little fights with each other at first, more so than their re-blossoming relationship. This story takes place in a charming inn with forced proximity and while it was simple it was also highly enjoyable in settings and our main character exploration. I would not pick this up expecting it to irrevocably shake up the genre but if you’re drawn to simple but sweet romances, you’ll enjoy this one.

Reminded me of Beach Read by Emily Henry! Nick and Jess are exes (Nick seemingly carelessly and suddenly dumped Jess) and romance writers who are suddenly brought back together 5 years after their breakup when Jess is forced to present Nick with an award. Jess is adamant on keeping her distance, while Nick realizes that he might have made a mistake 5 years ago.

Tropes:
Rivals-to-Lovers
One Bed
Second Chance Romance
The One that Got Away
Dual POVs

This was a short and sweet read! Second chance romance is definitely my favorite trope. Jess and Nick had a lot of chemistry and this was a slow burn with so much pining/yearning (which I like to see!). There was a lot of tension, heat, steamy scenes. Although this book was short, I felt like Falon Ballard still did a good job of exploring the main characters' relationship and I didn't feel like the reconciliation was rushed at all.

There was also a nod to one of my favorite comfort shows New Girl, which showcases another Nick and Jess (iykyk) that I fangirled over.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the ARC!