Usually I am a HUGE fan of Camilla Isley and that hasn't really changed, I just didn't love this book as much as I have her others.

Firstly, I loved the prank wars between Nina and Tristan. They were childish in the best way. However, one thing I really didn't enjoy as Tristan using Nina's looks to poke fun at her. There is a rule that I always tell my kids - if it isn't something that someone can change in 5 minutes, don't mention it. Meaning, if you think someone's ears are too big, they can't change the size of their ears in the next 5 minutes, so it doesn't need to be said. If someone has food in their teeth, they can absolutely fix that in the next 5 minutes, so go ahead and let them know. OK, so Tristan as a teenager was a bit of a dick and didn't realise the impact his comments about Nina looking like a gremlin with big ears would have. But the woman refused to wear her hair up around him for YEARS afterwards. And it was all like "Oh, I meant the cute one, lol sorry". I feel like this did not get enough page time, that Tristan made Nina feel unattractive for a looooong time.

I also didn't love the whole protective big brother shtick from Dylan. I get that it's part and parcel of the whole brother's best friend trope but it always annoys me that the brother is always immediately offended at the friend betraying him and never thinks about how his sister feels. Ever. It is ALWAYS like this with this trope.

Saying that, I am looking forward to the other books in the series, I'm assuming we will get a roommate trope for Dylan and Hunter and a marriage of convenience for Rowena.

I will say that the characters had good chemistry and the banter between them was incredible but this book had a few too many niggles to be one of my favourite Camilla Isley novels.

Tropes:
- Stuck together at Christmas
- Christmastime
- Brother's best friend
- Enemies to lovers

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was another enjoyable romance by the author. The about turn to love was a little quick, but didn’t stop me enjoying the enemies to lovers trope.

This took me back to Wattpad days—enemies to lovers, brother's best friend, the broody MC, the quirky relatable FC, the witty banter, the easygoing chemistry, the hilarious pranks, the third act breakup to make up the best ending! I'm definitely going to binge Camila's backlist now!!

I wanted to love this but I just didn’t. It’s an enemies to lovers trope that develops from 0 to 60 in the course of several days. The author makes it seem as if there is long harbored love from Nina to Tristan and I feel like there was one sentence about her wanting to fit in with he and her brother when they were young and then hatred from her thereafter and a clueless guy who thought they were joking the whole time. Then she finds out he was joking and poof, they are in each other’s beds. Just would’ve liked more development of past relationship history between Tristan and Nina.

This ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review by Boldwood Books. Thank you!

I would like to thank NetGalley, Camilla Isley and Boldwood Books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3⭐- a cute romcom that has a enemies to lovers trope. Nina and Tristan aren't fond of each other. When Nina's brother's best friend Tristan, spends the holidays at Nina's family's - they start pranking each other.

Overall a fun read if you're looking for a cutesy holiday romcom, the characters are a little childish for my taste, but still likeable.

“But we don’t leave,” she says firmly, still caressing my cheek. “When you love someone, you don’t leave.” Nina and Tristan's love story goes from enemies to lovers keeping their secret from her family and his best friend, Nina's older brother. They are meant to be together but can the secret destroy their new flame or will they fight for their love? Great

This Is Not a Holiday Romance by Camilla Isley kicks off with Nina Thompson's one Christmas wish: to steer clear of her brother’s irritatingly attractive best friend, Tristan. Their relationship has always been a battlefield of escalating pranks and simmering tension, with each determined to outdo the other. But when Tristan unexpectedly crashes her family’s holiday celebrations, Nina’s plans for a peaceful Christmas are thrown out the window, leading to a snowed-in showdown that’s anything but festive.

While the premise promises the fun and excitement of a holiday romance with a twist, the execution left me wanting more. The chemistry between the characters felt a bit forced, and their banter, while sometimes charming, often lacked the depth needed to make their connection feel real and lasting.

Isley’s writing is easy to get through, and the book certainly has its moments of humor and heart. However, the plot is fairly predictable, and the story doesn’t break any new ground in the romance genre. The characters, though likeable enough, felt somewhat flat, and their development over the course of the novel was minimal, leaving the resolution feeling a bit underwhelming.

For readers looking for a simple, escapist read that doesn’t demand much emotional investment, This Is Not a Holiday Romance might hit the spot. But if you’re hoping for a romance with more substance and spark, this one might not leave a lasting impression.

It’s never too early to dive into a book set during the Christmas season—especially when it features beloved tropes like “brother’s best friend” and “enemies-to-lovers.” When it comes to Camilla Isley’s novels, the experience is always rewarding.

In “This Is Not a Holiday Romance,” we meet Nina Thompson and Tristan Montgomery, who have spent years playing pranks on each other due to a misunderstanding that left Nina feeling insecure about her body. Tristan, as her brother’s best friend, never had the chance to explain his side of the story. With a troubled family background, he often found himself spending the holidays with the Thompsons.

Could this holiday season, spent with someone Nina considers her worst enemy, become a time of forgiveness and love for her and Tristan? You'll have to read "This Is Not a Holiday Romance" to find out!

I thoroughly enjoyed Nina and Tristan’s story. Camilla Isley has a knack for crafting books that are just the right length—long enough to become fully immersed in the narrative without feeling bogged down by page count. The playful pranks, clever banter, and undeniable chemistry between Nina and Tristan were perfectly executed, making me root for them to resolve their differences.

Initially, I found Nina to be somewhat immature for her age. She had no filter when it came to Tristan, often losing her composure whenever he was nearby. However, by the end of the story, I appreciated the growth in her character as she chose to rise above the past and forgive Tristan.

Tristan, on the other hand, evoked a sense of sympathy due to his dysfunctional family. Despite his difficult upbringing, he managed to grow into a kind and decent person, which made his character all the more endearing.

My only critique is that the pacing felt a bit rushed, especially toward the resolution. I would have liked to see Tristan given more time to express his feelings and fully convey his remorse to Nina.

I sincerely hope this is the first book in a series, as I am eager to learn more about characters like Dylan, Hunter, Rowena, and the mysterious man she married. Their stories hold great potential and would make for fantastic books. Camilla, I hope they are already in the works!

Lastly, I would like to extend my thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and Camilla Isley for providing early access to "This Is Not a Holiday Romance" in exchange for my honest review.

This delightful story had all the right tropes for me, enemies-to-lovers and brother’s-best-friend rom-com. The perfect read to cozy up with during the festive season.

Camilla Isley never lets me down when it comes to her romcoms. I just eat them up every single time.

Nina Thompson has only one wish for Christmas: to avoid Tristan, her brother’s annoyingly attractive best friend, who has been the bane of her existence since they were teenagers.

Their relationship is one long-running prank war, and neither has ever waved the white flag. But when Tristan unexpectedly crashes her family’s Christmas, Nina’s hopes for a peaceful holiday disappear faster than mistletoe at a singles’ party.

Determined to end their rivalry once and for all, Nina braces herself for the ultimate showdown. However, the universe—or perhaps the ghost of Christmas present—has other plans. A blizzard leaves them snowed in together, and suddenly, avoiding Tristan becomes impossible. As the holiday festivities force them closer, Nina and Tristan discover that their heated exchanges have been hiding a different kind of spark all along.
Trapped in a snow globe of holiday magic, their banter takes a turn for the steamy. But they’re both adamant: this is just a holiday fling, destined to melt away with the snow.

There’s no way this could be anything more… or could it? Nina and Tristan’s journey from sworn enemies to something more had me laughing, swooning, and cheering them on from the very first page. Absolutely loved this.

This Is Not a Holiday Romance is a fun, light-hearted read with all the ingredients of a perfect Christmas rom-com: witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and a snowed-in setting that amplifies the romance.

If you’re in the mood for a festive story that combines humour, romance, and holiday spirit, this book is definitely for you! Add this to your tbr for those christmassy reads.


Thank you to the publisher Boldwood Books, The author Camilla Isley and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Gremlin"

- Brother's Best Friend
- Dual's P.O.V
- Enemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Festive Romance
- Felt Insta- Lovey- didn't feel right on Tristian's side
- Low level spice
- Pranks and Banter

Tristian is best friends with Nina's brother for years. They have never seen eye to eye. Constantly bickering or trying to get one over each other by pranking each other. Nina was hoping to have a quiet Christmas with just her family. That is until Dylan brings Tristian along. Will Nina and Tristian for once get along or will it be too much for this festive season.

I have read many Camilla Isley books. They are such easy reads and I flew through the book. 'This is Not a Holiday Romance' is perfect for a holiday read. But this one was a little bit hit and miss for me this time. It won't stop me from reading more of her books in the future. Just wasn't a favourite.

I found the connection between Nina and Tristian felt more of a physical/ sexual attraction rather than an actual connection between the two when they two people just click together. For me it was more on Tristian's when he saw Nina naked. He suddenly had feelings for her and not through the fact that you are friends with her brother and you would have surely noticed her or developed something a lot sooner. It was too insta-lovey one from couldn't get along to suddenly saying I love you within a couple of days didn't sit right.

I found Nina's character to be a lot younger than her character's age. She was very immature. It wasn't even the pranks/ jokes who doesn't like a laugh and a joke. It was how she reacted within certain situations. For example, with her mum over breaking a vase.


Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for a copy of the book for an honest review.

Camilla Isley books never miss for me! I was so excited to read This is not a holiday romance despite it being late August. It was a super easy feel good Christmas holiday read which I would recommend to anyone, I inhaled this book within 2 days as it’s on the shorter side my only wish is that it could have been a bit longer!

This was a great chic flic book.
I loved the relationships between Nina and her friends, strong female relationships in a book are my favourite. I loved Nina and Dylan’s parents relationships with their adult children and each other, that felt really real. This was the perfect book to snuggle up under the duvet and would be great to read under the lights of the Christmas tree too. Perfect book. Thank you NetGalley for the arc in exchange of an honest review.

A classic enemies-to-lovers romance novel set against the backdrop of a snowy Christmas holiday. The story follows Nina Thompson and her brother's best friend, Tristan, as they navigate their long-standing rivalry and unexpected attraction.

The novel cleverly employs popular tropes in the romance genre, including enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and holiday romance. The author sets up an engaging premise with Nina and Tristan's history of pranks and mutual animosity, creating a foundation for witty banter and entertaining conflicts.

The plot takes an interesting turn when Tristan unexpectedly joins Nina's family Christmas, leading to them being snowed in together. This setup provides ample opportunity for character development and the exploration of their changing relationship dynamics.

The transition from rivalry to romance seems well-paced, with the characters' heated exchanges gradually revealing underlying attraction. The author appears to balance humor and romantic tension effectively, likely creating an engaging read for fans of the genre.

The book's holiday setting adds a cozy, festive atmosphere that complements the romantic storyline. The "snow globe of holiday romance" imagery suggests a whimsical, almost magical quality to their developing relationship.

The characters' initial reluctance to see their fling as anything more than temporary adds a layer of conflict that likely drives the latter part of the narrative, keeping readers invested in the outcome.

Overall, this novel seems to offer a fun, light-hearted romantic read perfect for the holiday season. It likely appeals to readers who enjoy playful rivalries, sizzling chemistry, and the magic of Christmas romance.

Nina and Tristan are sworn emenies who try to stay far away from each other. They both love pranks and that is what defines their relationship non stop pranks.

I really enjoy Camilla Isley's sense of humor in a romcom and there were plenty of funny moments in This is Not a Holiday Romance, but they were overshadowed by some of the cringe of the forced proximity of sneaking around your parents' house and the fact that the main characters were acting like teenagers in every possible way, then *poof* were all of a sudden in love. The pacing was a little off for me and the charming moments weren't quite enough to make up for the pieces that didn't work for me. That said, if you like a The Hating Game style enemies to lovers or are really looking for a dash of that in your holiday reading, this could be for you!

3.75⭐️ (rounded up)

Looking for a Hallmark Christmas story with a dash of spice.

“If he stays, I go”
“Nowhere to go, darling, we’re snowed in”

📚 brothers best friend
📚 enemies to lovers
📚 forced proximity
📚 found family
📚 festive romance
📚 hair washing
📚 dual POV

🌶️
🎄🎄 Christmas Magic

|Thoughts|
A light, short and (mildly) spicy romance that, whilst set at Christmas, had enough story outside of the festivities to keep me engaged.

“That’s what this is. Sleep deprivation and forced proximity”

But I am a sucker for a brothers best friend romance.

“Because Nina Thompson is off limits. Her brother has hated every single one of her ex boyfriends…”

Be mindful that there is a small third act break up (which you’ll probably see coming), but it didn’t bother me in this story as much as others I’ve read. However, did question some actions of the FMC and MMC considering how old they’re meant to be (acting like teenagers when they’re in their late 20s/early 30s).

Enjoyed the progression from enemies to lovers and the secret keeping made for some great tension. May be a little Insta love, but I can forgive that due to the whole ‘spirit of Christmas’.

Christmas movies mentioned
• Love Actually
• Bridget Jones’s Diary

Thanks to NetGalley, Boldwood Books & the author for an eARC in exchange for this honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is not a holiday romance was a fun read. The book follows Tristan and Nina who seem to hate each other. Tristan is Nina’s brothers best friend who unexpectedly spends the holidays in Nina’s family home. This is where they start pranking each other. Sometimes it was funny but at times it also annoyed me. Later in the book the story becomes more serious and you see that Tristan has a big heart and has been through a lot. Overall I give this book 3 stars.

I enjoy authors rom-coms quite alot in the past, and have read four of hers in the last year. Sadly, this title, “This is Not a Holiday Romance” was just not what I usually expect from Camilla’s books. The whole “hooking up with my big brothers best friend, who I have known since childhood, “. just really gave me the “ick”. Especially since it was set during the holidays, there were some real cringe scenes. I like her work with “clean romance “ a lot, so will still be looking forward to what she does next, but will probably have to read the blurbs more carefully now. Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the DRC.

Love enemies to lovers AND brother's best friend? Check out THIS IS NOT A HOLIDAY ROMANCE by Camilla Isley

The latest book from Camilla Isley is a cute Christmas closed door romance the features forced proximity, enemies to lovers and best friend's sister.

I loved the banter between Tristan and Nina - it was witty, quick and really made me laugh out loud!

I struggled with the complete 180 from Tristan about his feelings for Nina - it seemed he couldn't stand her initially then turned into insta-love very quickly. It was difficult to reconcile the difference

I would have loved to read more about Tristan's family problems - this intrigued me and I felt it could have fleshed out his character more.

Overall, I liked this story but it was missing a few elements for me to really love it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC! Opinions are my own

A cute Holiday Enemies to Lovers Rom Com. It was an entertaining and fast read. I think some of the enemies part was a little more childish (playing pranks on each other and just doing stuff to get under each others skin) then I’m used to in an enemies to lovers but that didn’t last long. I loved that the miscommunication didn’t last long either, because that tends to get annoying in books.

“I can feel it, a cold undercurrent that whispers of danger, reminding me that even the most exquisite roses have thorns.”