A delightful festive instalment to the Ever After series, this time we see Admans base the story on the Nutcracker. Whilst it is not my most favourite of Christmas stories, this read is perfectly gorgeous and a great way to get you in the mood for Christmas.

The novel opens with a dramatic disaster. Franca finally has the opportunity to kiss her forever-crush, Jorge, as part of the festive promotional video for Ever After Street. However, disaster strikes, she has a run in with her arch-nemesis, Raphael, and an accident sees her with broken fingers and a live stream that hits views in the thousands! Being a woodworker making traditional nutcracker figures, broken fingers means Franca is out of action. And as the council are so fed up with her and Raphael’s bickering, she has to prove her shop is worthwhile over Raphael’s snow globe business, otherwise she is leaving Ever After Street for good.

This is a classic enemies to lovers story but I liked how Admans doesn’t spend too long on the bickering between Franca and Raff. Instead, Raff feels incredibly guilty about the accident and wants to do everything possible to help his neighbour out. I swooned over his chivalrous behaviour and even Franca cannot refuse to admit that Raff is being genuinely helpful. Over time, feelings develop but Franca cannot forget that Raff’s grandfather matched her now-divorced parents together, creating a tumultuous and strained childhood that Franca can never forget.

Not only do we see Franca change, but I loved the growing relationship between her and Raff. Raff is so pleasant and welcomes Franca into his family without hesitation. It is like Franca needs to thaw out and come alive again at Christmas – very similar to her nutcracker figures.

There is a touch of magic within this story with how Raff’s snow globes have the ability to create love matches. At the same time, I really enjoyed the descriptions of Franca’s shop, especially when she realises there is scope for producing more than just Christmas figures. Seeing both business owners reenergised about their work was a pleasure to witness, but readers know that the council are only prepared to let one shop stay at Ever After Street. Who will be the victor?

This was so perfectly festive and I loved every chapter. Such a strong series from Admans, I am pleased that another one is due to be released next year. You don’t need to have read the other books to enjoy this one but if you loved it, definitely don’t ignore the others! A great story, lovable characters and lashings of hot chocolate make this an idea Christmas Eve read. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An absolutely adorable Christmas novel. I loved the setting and writing style. It felt so magical and full of Christmas spirit.

In "Christmas Ever After" by Jaimie Admans, Franca Andrews is struggling to keep her nutcracker shop open during the holiday season. Her business is threatened by Raff Dardenne, the owner of a snow globe shop with a magical reputation for bringing lovers together. As their shops compete for survival on Ever After Street, Franca is determined to expose Raff's business as a fraud. However, when disaster strikes and Franca is left unable to work, Raff steps in to help. As they spend more time together, Franca discovers a kinder, more caring side to Raff. Despite their rivalry, they begin to find common ground and perhaps even a bit of Christmas magic.

"Christmas Ever After" by Jaimie Admans is an absolutely delightful Christmas romance. The story of Franca and Raff, two rival shop owners on Ever After Street, is filled with charm, humor, and heart. Admans masterfully weaves a tale of enemies-to-lovers, with a festive backdrop that adds to the magic of the season. The characters are well-developed and relatable, and their journey from rivalry to romance is both heartwarming and believable. The festive setting and the detailed descriptions of nutcrackers and snow globes add an extra layer of holiday cheer. This book is a perfect read for anyone looking to get into the Christmas spirit. Highly recommended for fans of holiday romances and feel-good stories!

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love the Ever After Street series by @jaimieadmans1 and loved getting to see the Christmas side of it in Christmas Ever After. These can all be read as standalones but I totally wish I could visit this community in real life and meet all my fictional friends. This one was such a cute enemies to lovers story with magical snow globes, tons of nutcrackers, and finding long-forgotten Christmas spirit. Raff was such a teddy bear and I loved seeing Franca learn that it's ok to lean on friends sometimes. If you only listen to one recommendation from me this year, pick up any one of this author's books! You won't regret it!

This was a darling romance! I loved the banter between Franca and Raff! Franca was so bitter towards Raff at the beginning but her feelings started changing when Raff offered help after her mistletoe kiss mishap. Raff was my favorite character because he was so charming and kind. His family was wonderful as well. The chapters were long and the middle of the story dragged but the story picked back up at the end. The ending was romantic and tender when Raff showed Franca how much he loves her. It was worth reading the end!
FYI- You can make a Christmas playlist from all the songs mentioned in the story!

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I hated this book...every other page mentioned how our main character had put on weight and used to be a super thing ballet dancer and after breaking her leg had gone up 4 dress sizes, her large stomach and stretch marks....couldn't read it anymore.

I am absolutely loving the ever after street series and this one did not disappoint- definitely my new favourite story and couple on the street!

4 CEA This is such a cute Christmas romance, and it’s perfect for this time of year! Two shop owners (a snow globe maker and a Christmas nutcracker maker) are arch nemeses and fighting for one lease. Raff accidentally knocks Franca off a ladder and she breaks her fingers, which means she can’t make nutcrackers (and therefore can’t save her store), so he decides to learn how to make nutcrackers to help her. Romance and hilarity ensue! I really liked this one, and I loved how Raff and Franca were able to not only find their love for each other but also rediscover their joy in their careers. The chapters were a little long, but it was the perfect way to start off the Christmas reading season!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. CHRISTMAS EVER AFTER is out now!

This was a cute read, set in a shopping village that is Christmas-themed year round. With this premise the author easily could have fallen into cheesy, Hallmark territory where everyone is excited about Christmas all the time, to the point that it’ll make your teeth rot from the sweetness of it all, but that’s not what happens. I appreciated that while Christmas was obviously a central part of the story, it wasn’t annoyingly overdone. We start the story after the challenge has been presented to the MCs & not the events that led to it, which I think was a wise choice- Franca & Raff have been at each others throats for a while, when the committee has had enough, they each have to fulfill a task to prove that they deserve to keep their storefront. Franca runs a shop specializing in nutcrackers, while Raff is carrying on his grandfather’s snow globe business. I think if we had witnessed all the sniping that led to the current events then we would have had a hard time sympathizing with the MCs; they would have come off as whiny & childish.
Franca was super awkward & I found that very relatable, she has some body image issues*. There’s an accident in the beginning, forcing the MCs into closer proximity than either had ever dreaded would happen, but this is what allows the MC’s friendship to evolve, which was sweet and felt organic. Each of our characters learn something about themselves on their journey to proving themselves, making it not just about keeping their stores, but their personal journeys, as well. Raff’s relationship with his family was incredibly close & endearing. I do think Franca’s character would have benefited highly from some therapy; Franca’s vendetta to learn the ‘secret’ to Raff’s family’s snow globes and her pent up, misdirected anger did wear on me after a while. Overall though, it was a good read and I’d say probably around 3.75⭐️
*warning that there is some fat shaming

“Christmas Ever After” is a cozy and heartwarming story, perfect for the holidays. I chose to read this book for three main reasons: 1. I love Christmas, 2. I adore the Nutcracker, and 3. It has become a Christmas tradition for me to read one of Jaimie Admans’ holiday books, so it felt like a necessity.
While I sometimes found Franca a bit unreasonable, I really liked her character. It’s refreshing to see female characters over thirty-five who are still searching for love. I thought Raff was a sweet guy, and I adored his family.
I enjoyed the mix of humor, drama, and romance. Enemies-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and even though Franca and Raff don’t stay enemies for long, it was still enjoyable to read about their dynamic. They have great chemistry, and I appreciated watching them become friends and support each other.
I’m really enjoying the “Ever After Street Series” and couldn't miss the chance to learn more about the stories of the shop owners on this charming street. It was nice to see characters from previous books, and I can’t wait to read whatever story comes next.
Overall, reading “Christmas Ever After” was like sipping a warm cup of tea while snuggled under my favorite blanket on a cold day. It’s the perfect read to get into the Christmas spirit!

As a jaded ex ballet dancer who quit because of an injury with a nutcracker AND a snow globe collection, I feel like this book was specifically written for me. This was such a cute and cozy read with great Christmas vibes, it felt like taking the first sip of a gingerbread latte with extra whipped cream. Thank you so much to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for the ARC.

I will say that this book did not give enemies to lover to me at all, apart from a couple chapters. At MOST I would say it’s rivals to lovers, but really it felt more like friends to lovers. I think as soon as we get to know Raff it’s clear that any hate towards him was unwarranted and the rivalry was built on very shaky ground. So if you’re looking for a true enemies to lovers vibe it really wasn’t there. Also some of the book felt slightly repetitive. But honestly other than that it was a super cute very sweet book! It’s very much an instant attraction, but a very slow burn which I loved. And my favorite parts were actually all with Raff’s family. I also loved the little tie ins to the story of the Nutcracker itself. I flew through it, and didn’t realize it was part of a series until like half way through. It can definitely be read as a stand alone, but I will be going through and reading the other books because I really did enjoy it so much!

Instagram Post to Come!

this is a lovely christmas book to read telling the story of two shop owners fran and raff who are both at logger heads with each other but this story unfolds at them being enemies towards each other but that soon changes as the story goes along it becomes more and all ends in a happy christmas for all

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this copy of "Christmas Ever After."

As much as I love spooky books, it's now time to switch to fun Christmas-themed rom coms, and this one was a joy.

Raphael is carrying on the family tradition of making magical snow globes that will reveal your forever match.

But Franca, a former ballerina, handcrafts nutcrackers and blames Raphael's family for matching her parents whose marriage ended in a bitter divorce.

Only one shop will survive and Franca is determined to win. But when she's injured and unable to craft nutcrackers, Raphael offers to help her.

Just know that you'll be saying "Awww" about a bazillion times.

And I know this was the 4th in the "Ever After" series, so now I'll have to go back and read the other three!

Festive! Jaimie Admans dependably crafts entertaining holiday romances, and Christmas Ever After is no exception. The setting is ever so merry, Moreover, the focus on friendship and family underscores the reason for the season. I will say it took me a bit to get into this particular book and I think the story would have been more impactful if it had been streamlined a tad. That said, this is a fine novel to read by the light of the Christmas tree accompanied by a cup of wassail. It sparks good cheer!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved the Ever After series and Christmas Ever After was just wonderful. Jaimie Admans has done it again, another one of her books that has enthralled me hook, line and sinker. I just loved it. A great storyline on snow globes and nutcrackers and the two main characters who are trying to save their shops. A lovely book that will captivate you.

Holiday perfection! Jaimie Admans always has the sweetest holiday books, and I just can't get enough. I actually wait every year to see if a new one is coming out.

I love the setting of Ever After Street, a charming little small town street where a bunch of cute little shops exist, one end of it being strictly Christmas year round. In this story, you meet a woman who owns her own shop and makes exquisite nutcrackers and a man who now owns a shop handed down through his family that makes snowglobes. They start out as enemies, both in competition to keep their spot on the street, desperate to take the other one down. But after an unfortunate mishap, they learn to accept help from each other, to work together, and that the other one isn't so bad after all. They even end up falling in love!

Is this story predictable? Like most Christmas books, yes, it is. But that didn't bother me one bit. The holiday vibes were on point. It was full of Hallmark sweetness, and everything from the characters to the setting put me in a holly jolly mood. I loved everything about it!

True enemies to lovers tale that has Christmas sparkle on every page. Franca has her eyes set on a man who eats monster munch before he kisses! Yes.. but then her enemy Raff gets dragged in but she has hated and resented him for years. Every After St sounds amazing!
A cute and endearing tale of honesty, truths and being authentic with a little dusting of snow. I really loved this book, it packs a punch in the tear jerker class as a really down to earth pair of characters are taken draw path neither expected. With all the Christmas party tunes sung by a lovely sweet girl! What more do we need in a festive read. Hats off to Jamie Admans for a true Christmas book, I will be reading over and over again!

#netgalley #christmaseverafter #top10festivereads #thebookcaseofkay

I didn't realise this book was part of a series when I read it but it absolutely works as a standalone. This novel follows Franca and Raff who both have Christmas shops on Ever After Street and are arch enemies. Franca makes Nutcrackers and Raff makes magical snow globes but neither shop is quite doing as well as the council would like so it's decided that whichever one improves the least before Christmas will be shut down! The novel follows the two after an unfortunate accident brings them together and it seems that perhaps they might have misjudged each other somewhat. This book is a gorgeous, cosy Christmas novel. It has everything you could want in a Christmas novel and it definitely gave me all of the festive feels. Jaimie Admans has absolutely become my favourite author for Christmas books - no one writes a festive novel as well as her! I highly recommend this one!

Festive and romantic? I don't need anything more from a book than that.... however, Christmas Ever After really does bring a whole lot more with it.
A gorgeous setting, and lovable characters. This was a delightful read from start to finish.

A picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but Franca Andrews has never felt more miserable. With business far from bustling, she needs a Christmas miracle to keep her beloved nutcracker shop open... But there’s one man standing in her way - expert snow globe maker Raff Dardenne.

Dardenne Snow Globes have a magical reputation for bringing lovers together, a myth Raff continues to exploit. But this Christmas their shops are pitted against each other and only one gets to stay on Ever After Street. Franca doesn't know how her handmade nutcrackers are ever going to compete with Raff's snow globes, especially at the most magical time of the year!

As these two enemies get to know each other, Franca discovers another side to Raff – kind, caring and funny. But unless she can prove that his magical snow globes can’t really match true lovers together, she’s going to lose everything…

If you want a magical Christmas story then look no further than this gorgeous book about snow globes, nutcrackers and a street full of Christmas shops that are open all year round. Jaime Admans should write a Hallmark Christmas movie as her descriptions of the places and the characters make you feel as if you are actually there and part of the story.

Do what I did today, grab a hot chocolate, mince pie and a blanket and enjoy as you won’t be able to put the book down once you start it and you will not be disappointed.

I will definitely be reading the rest of the books in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy for me to review.