I enjoyed reading This Is Not a Holiday Romance by Camila Isley. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Easy to read and perfect for Christmas (or for me anytime of the year 😊)
Nina has always had a thing for Tristan, her brother’s annoying best friend who upset her as a teen and since then they have been enemies. Who doesn’t love an enemies to lovers trope topped with Christmas cheer!
Once the thaw happens they can’t stop, all they need to do is work out how to tell her brother Dylan.
I thought this was really well written, this is my first book by Camilla and it won’t be my last.
Thank you NetGalley, Camilla Isley and Boldwood Books for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

This Is Not A Holiday Romance by Camilla Isley

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

Two sworn enemies, snowed in over Christmas with chemistry that will melt the ice!

Nina Thompson has one Christmas wish: to avoid her brother’s obnoxiously handsome best friend, Tristan, like the plague. From the moment he humiliated her as a teenager to their escalating revenge schemes, Nina and Tristan’s relationship can only be defined as an all-out prank war! And there is yet to be a winner.

But it just so happens the ghost of Christmas present has other ideas. When Tristan unexpectedly crashes her family’s Christmas, Nina’s dreams of a peaceful holiday vanish faster than Santa up a chimney. Determined to end their rivalry for good, she braces herself for one last prank-filled showdown.

But when they find themselves snowed in, with no way of avoiding each other amongst the holiday festivities, they discover their heated exchanges have been masking a different kind of sizzle. Caught in a snow globe of holiday romance, they decide to let their fiery chemistry burn bright—but this is absolutely and unequivocally nothing more than a secret fling destined to melt with the snow, this is not a forever romance…

My Opinion

Camilla Isley is a must read author for me and with quick delights like This Is Not A Holiday Romance it is easy to see why. A highly entertaining read with a great enemies-to-lovers trope. If you enjoy festive books and enemies-to-lovers then this is one to add to your want to read list.

At less than 250 pages this was easy to read in one sitting. A cute holiday romance that would work was as a Christmas film.

Rating 4/5

📚 NEARLY-PUBLICATION-DAY BOOK REVIEW 📚

This Is Not A Holiday Romance By Camilla Isley
Publication Date: September 4, 2024
Publisher: Boldwood Books

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

📚MY REVIEW:

After reading several really intensely riveting thrillers, I needed a good rom-com in my life - and deciding to read This Is Not A Holiday Romance was the perfect choice! This enemies-to-lovers rom-com was absolutely the cutest, laugh-out-loud story I've read in quite a while. I genuinely found myself laughing out loud so many times throughout this book - and the story itself was a really fun read!

This book alternated chapters between our two main characters, Nina and Tristan, with each chapter beginning only seconds before the last chapter ended. This created such a fun change in perspectives that never stopped the continuous flow of the story for even a beat and gave the reader a glimpse into BOTH mindsets of these two rivals-becoming-lovebirds.

This was such a fast read that warmed my heart, centered around the unexpected romance between brother's little sister and brother's best friend over the Christmas holiday, while everybody is snowed in at the parents' home. Family traditions of Charades, Christmas lunch, decorating the Christmas tree, plenty of hot chocolate, snowball fights, and exchanging gifts with family members - all with a huge blizzard blustering in the background - really created a cozy feel as I read and put me in the mood for the cooler months of autumn and winter.

This was definitely a feel-good book, with a little bit of spice, a little bit of romance, and a little bit of comedy -- the perfect mix! I highly recommend giving this book a read if you're a fan of a really good rom-com that will leave you smiling and falling in love with love all over again. ❤️

A big thank you goes out to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. When this book comes out on September 4th, be sure you pick it up and add it to your TBR list!

#ThisIsNotAHolidayRomance #CamillaIsley #NetGalley #ARC #boldwoodbookclub #boldwoodbookVIP #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #romcomreads #booklover

I loved everything about this book. The banter and the pranks between Nina and Tristan were hilarious. The older big brother tantrum was written perfectly and didn’t drag on too much. The family were amazing in all their Hallmark glory. Loved it, perfect cozy winter read.

Thank you Net Galley and publishers for letting me read an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, it's not what I expected at all. I've only read 2 of Camilla's books before, both fun, quick, and easy reads. You don't have to think too much and they were more on the comedy side of the rom-com trope. That's what I was expecting from this book, not this heartfelt and kinda emotional read. Yeah it was still funny, but something about this one felt different from her other books. Almost more serious, but still that hallmark-y vibe. It's the classic "I fell in love with my best friend's little sister" trope and "we're snowed in for Christmas" trope all in one. Tristan and Nina have been pranking each other since she was 13 and he was 18. Tristan never realized that some of his jokes hurt Nina more than she let on. So when he shows up unannounced for her holiday family get-together, she's furious at Dylan, her brother. Tristan and Nina go head to head with the pranks until he finds out that he's hurt her so he tries to make it up. The tension and chemistry that comes with being stuck in the same house for a week explodes in a fiery sexual couple of nights until Dylan finds out. I loved how everyone was older 20's/30's so it was more relatable. It was sweet, deeply emotional at times, and a fun read. Definitely my favorite of her books so far. I just didn't like how the epilogue left on a cliff hanger, I want more.

This is my first book by this author and I was very pleasantly suprised, an extremely fun christmas romance I adored the relationship between the FMC and MMC and the speed at which they fell in love was perfect for someone like me, I'd definitely recommend for anyone that wants a read that'll have you giggling and kicking your feet!

Thank you to the author and netgalley for the arc in exchange for a review!

This was, despite the name, a really cute holiday romance with some great tropes; enemies to lovers and brother's best friend. The chemistry and bantering between Nina and Tristan was so much fun and the pranks made this read a bit similar to The Hating Game.

All in all it was a light and quick read that really brought out the festive vibes! I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a cosy Christmas read or if you're a fan of these brilliant tropes 🙌

This Is Not a Holiday Romance


° Enemies to Lovers
° Brother's Best Friend
° Forced Proximity
° Found Family
° Dual POV


"This Is Not A Holiday Romance" marks my first experience with Camilla Isley’s writing, and it certainly won’t be my last. I devoured it in a single day! The book had me laughing at the playful pranks and dares exchanged over the years, and I enjoyed the witty banter between Nina and Tristan.  The tension and the chemistry between them was palpable.

I was particularly drawn to the friendships depicted, like those between Tristan & Dylan, and Nina, Hunter, & Rowena. If you come across friends like Dylan, Hunter, and Rowena, cherish them. The story highlights the significance of showing up, checking in and staying connected for a true and lasting friendship.

I’ve always been one to read dedications and acknowledgements, and this book’s dedication set the mood up for a hilarious and delightful read. The festive Christmas setting added to the charm, making me nostalgic for the Christmas traditions and celebrations back home in the Philippines.

Reading this romantic comedy was like savoring my favorite gooey cinnamon roll from Cinnabon — warm, comforting, and leaving me craving for more.


Favorite Quotes:
ᥫ᭡ Dedication:  "To all of us who have ever been snowed in by a storm but, contrary to what we've read, never with a handsome  heartthrob. Let's keep on living vicariously through our books..."

ᥫ᭡  "This is the family I never had, the love I always yearned for.  And at the center of it all is Nina, radiant and perfect, the missing piece I never knew I needed.  I thought having Dylan was enough, but as much as I love my best friend, it doesn't compare to what I'm feeling right now."

ᥫ᭡  "I'm ready to take a leap of faith.  To open my heart and let myself fall.  Because with Nina, I know I'll always have a soft place to land."

ᥫ᭡  "And when people love you, they don't just leave at the first bump in the road or after a fight."

ᥫ᭡  "..It's a kiss that tastes of a future together.  Of shared moments, big and small.  The beginning of a life together made of cold winter days passed snuggling by the fire.  Of hurried breakfasts before work where a goodbye kiss is savored more than coffee.  And of endless nights spent in each other's arms after a long day apart.  I can see us brushing our teeth side by side in the bathroom, fighting for supremacy over the sink.  And picture countless weekend mornings, where the only plan is to have no plans at all.
A lifetime of love and laughter, of happiness.  Where we show up for each other.  Every day."

ᥫ᭡ Acknowledgments:  "I hope it left you more in love with love, and maybe, just a little bit more in love with reading."


Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author Camilla Isley for the electronic advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

For this Christmas, Nina has only one aim, that is to steer clear of Tristan, no matter what. Tristan is her brother’s best friend,

Since they were teenagers the relationship they’ve had has been full of practical jokes, that’s since he embarrassed.

But, her aim to stay away from him doesn’t go to plan when he has to be with her family a during Christmas. Meaning the war they’ve been in just gets worse, and then a snowstorm happens, means they’re confined together.

I loved the pranks that Nina and Tristan played against each other.

I recommend this book.

What I love about picking up a book from Camilla is that I know exactly that I’m in for a good time. I think she’s getting better with each book and it’s always fun, with reliable characters and Nina and Tristan were no different. From sworn enemy (aka they just bicker and prank each other for years) to realising they may actually like each other, they were hilarious and adorable. I didn’t really get into the Christmas spirit mostly because it’s still September it’s too early (nobody call Mariah Carey on me) but I do feel like this would be a great book to read in November or December as it would just add to the cozy and cute vibes from the book.

This is definitely a holiday romance, lol. I finished this in less than a day. It was a nice, cute holiday read. Enemies to lovers trope with close proximity.

I liked the pranks between Nina and Tristan, which had obvious tension underneath. It was obvious that the drama here would be with Tristan being her brother's best friend so you know what the twist will be.

I recommend this if you want something quick and cute to read with an apparent twist.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC of this book. My review is my own opinion.

I adore this one but I think if it didn't had the fade to black that it would be better, don't get me wrong I know reading is not just about being naughty but the tension between the two should deserved a better description.. Nina and Tristan and even Dylan made me laugh specially with the scene on the shower "Naked Yoga" ahahah that was funny

Read if you love:
- Enemies to lovers
- Brother's best friend
- Forced proximity

I really enjoyed this story; it grabbed my attention from the start and was a quick read. The side characters were well fleshed out, making me excited about the possibilities of their love stories in future books. However, I do wish the main characters had shown more growth throughout the book. Nina felt pretty immature at times, and I would have liked to see a stronger resolution to Tristan’s struggles with his relationship with his parents. The story leaned a bit too much on insta-love for my liking; more romantic moments between the two of them would have helped flesh out their relationship. That said, I loved how much we got to see of their lives after they got together. I hope the author writes stories about Hunter and Rowena in the future—I’d love to read them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bollywood Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Looking for a holiday movie mixed with a romcom? Enter "This is Not a Holiday Romance"! Tristan and Dylan have been best friends since they were young, but Dylan's little sister, Nina, has hated Tristan for years. After being mean to her growing up, Nina has never forgiven Tristan for some of the things he has said to her and how he has treated her. Now, it's Christmastime, and Dylan just happens to invite Tristan over for their family Christmas vacation. What could go wrong...or right?

This was such a cute story. I really liked Tristan and Nina's banter, and I'm a sucker for the enemies-to-lovers trope. I will say Nina calling Tristan the "Prince of Darkness" for the first half of the book seemed a little childish, but maybe that was the intent. This was a bit of a closed door romance, but still very sweet. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

This was a quick, fun and entertainment read! Was it a little cringy? Yes. Was it still entertaining? Also yes. I feel like a good Christmas romcom somewhat has to be cringy. So this was perfect for the occasion. The writing was easy to read and i enjoyed having the story from two pov's. I might have been a little annoyed with the fmc Nina especially in the beginning just because she was acting quite bratty and very immature. But i guess that was the point haha. I guess her way of reacting in certain situations kinda annoyed me a little. I also felt like we mostly got to explore the characters physical attraction rather than their genuine connection and it was mostly a insta-love story. Which is okay, i just would have liked to get more of their relationship on a deeper level.

I mostly feel like this was a book that focused on physical attraction and insta-love rather than building genuine connections and relationships. But like i said it was a fun holiday romcom! Perfect as a Christmas holiday read!

I liked this novel. It made me laugh and it made me cry. Nina and Tristen were so much fun together. I loved their pranks. Their chemistry was great. I liked the characters and enjoyed the storyline. Overall a good read.

I really enjoyed reading this cute holiday romance.
The story is full of engaging, steamy moments.
Main characters, Nina and Tristan, have such great chemistry going on. Though each one will emphatically deny this!
The hilarious pranks
The witty banter
The steamy meet-ups
Oh,did I mention the chemistry between them?????
Obsoletely perfect enemies-to-lovers and brothers best friend holiday read.
Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A very cute holiday romance read. I love how hilarious Camilla's books are and this is no different. Highly recommend if you want a fun romcom read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Camilla Isley for the ARC of this wonderful book!

I don’t usually like the brother’s best friend trope but throw in a festive forced proximity and enemies to lovers and I really liked it. It was fun with some hilarious pranks and banter and I liked both main characters. Nice festive romance.