Mia Heintzelman delivers a delightful holiday romance in Last Christmas Crush, the third installment of the Fortemani Family Series. Overflowing with warmth, humor, and just the right amount of holiday sparkle, this book is a heartfelt exploration of love, family, and second chances—all wrapped up in the magic of Christmas.

This book was funny, cozy and had enough family moments that felt authentic to the holiday season. It was like a warm cup of cocoa on a cold day.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. 3.5 Stars. This was such a cute and cozy read. It gave Hallmark movie making it a great read for this time of year . I will definitely need to go back and read the rest of the series.

This is my first time reading something by this author and was quite a delightful read. The story is a charming combination of holiday cheer, forbidden love, and second chances. With the setting of Napa’s Christmas food and wine festival, this novel delivers all the cozy, festive vibes while exploring themes of loyalty, healing, and following your heart.
Chiara heads home for the holidays and tries to reconcile with her post break-up situation while also working to grow her family's brand during the wine festival. While home, she encounters Jameson, her ex's best friend, who is also in town for the holidays taking care of some business. Jameson has always carried a torch for Chiara, but of course could never act on his feelings. As they work together during the holiday season, Chiara begins to realize what a kind, caring man Jameaon is, and begins to wonder why she hadn't chosen him all those years ago. The chemistry between them is undeniable the moment they reunite, giving way to newfound possibilities and unresolved tension. With Jameson's long-standing love for Chiara and his sweet attentiveness and vulnerability, he is a hero you can't help but root for.
The story’s holiday setting is delightful, brimming with twinkling lights, festive markets, and mouthwatering descriptions of food and wine. Filled with warmth of family traditions and small-town charm, this is the perfect read to escape into during the holiday season.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I found the characters likeable and wanted to enjoy this as a fun Christmas romance.

I loved the whole birdhouse bit. It was kind of time capsule-y and I dug it.

The book wasn't for me. The tension between the two main characters felt like created drama. I wasn't totally buying that a guy who has loved someone as long as Jameson has loved Chiara would let the bro code stand in his way as much as it ate at him? And there was a little bit of the miscommunication trope which is hard to pull off.

Also, the pacing was slower than I prefer.

I enjoyed the author's writing so I wondered if maybe this story just didn't totally gel for me? Mingle All the Way is shorter and looks super cute so I'm gonna check that out!

I have never read anything by this author, but I will definitely be looking out for this author! The pace was great and I was hooked from just a few pages in!

The story of Chiara and Jameson. She is his best friends ex, so should be off limits, but they used to be best friends so will they find their way back to each other? A great read, and I liked how it is told from both points of view.

Last Christmas Crush is the third book in the Fortemani Family Series and I believe I did myself a disservice by NOT reading the first two books in the series before this one because it appears there was important interaction between Jameson and Chiara in the prior book(s).

This book just didn’t do it for me. I never fell in love with the main characters, the slow burn was too slow, and the story never delivered on the “steamy” promise.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Love the book! Love the characters. It’s the perfect holiday season romance and should be included on everyone’s Christmas reading list

I NEEDED this.

It's 80 degrees in October where I am, the fall leaves have barely fallen but here I am reading a Christmas novel.

I'm so so happy that I did read this! It's everything you need out of a Hallmark movie with spice. The Hallmark vibes: two people with a shared history go back home for the holidays. One of them is post break up and the other is having a major crisis of conscious when it comes to their career.

There's also "it's always been you" vibes because Jameson has been in love with Chiara since before forever and everyone knows except for her. Literally, his family and friends regularly roast him over how gone he's been for her. Even after he stood aside while she fell for his best friend.

This is just the coziest holiday romcom. Her family is the sweetest. Their friends are so much fun. I just want to hug everyone in this book and then read everything in Mia Heintzelman's universe!

Oooh, and there are also holiday inspired frisky scenes so it's perfect for curling up underneath a blanket with a warm mug of cocoa and flipping through the pages of this gem!

<i>Thank you to Tule Publishing & Netgalley for this advanced copy.</i>

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It was cozy and delightful!

If you love cozy stories that remind you of Hallmark movies, this one is perfect for you. It’s sweet, heartwarming, and will definitely put you in the holiday mood. The story has relatable and well-developed characters and a beautiful plot that truly captures the magic of love during the holidays.

These Fortaimani (sp) books are my favorite. I have loved them all. These are the type of books that should be made into holiday movies. I lvoed it. Just the right amount of spice and plot for me. This is a winner!

I got this book from Net Galley in exchange for a honest review. I promptly got the first two books in the series so that I could bring myself up to date.

Chiara and Jameson have a great friends to lovers story, except he ghosted their friendship six years earlier. To be fair, she was dating his other best friend while he was madly in love with her. Only, she didn’t know that he was in love with her. She hadn’t read the letter that he wrote her, confessing his love. He thought she just didn’t see it for them. She was clueless as to why he ended their friendship. They are forced to work together on a project. Then one phone call while she is tipsy and in the bathtub changes everything for them. Soon he has to decide if the life wants for himself is back in the city with a promotion he has been after or if it is with her in Napa.

I have enjoyed this entire series. This book did not disappoint. It wasn’t an easy road to happily ever after but the flow of the story made sense. There were some bumps in the road but they love each other and that never waivered. I can’t wait to read about the fourth sibling.

5 star read.

I am a Christmas hallmark movie fan 100% and this book gave me all those feelings!!! OMG, I was shedding tears by the end. Such a great Christmas love story!!

*Last Christmas Crush* by Mia Heintzelman is the third installment in the *Fortemani Family* series, following the story of Chiara Fortemani and Jameson West. The two childhood friends, who have secretly harbored feelings for each other for years, reunite at Chiara’s brother’s wedding after a long separation. With both back in their hometown for the holidays, they take the opportunity to rekindle their friendship, eventually deciding to explore the romantic connection they had long ignored.

Chiara, seeking more independence and respect in the family business, struggles with being seen as the "little sister." Jameson, the former best friend of her ex, steps back into her life just in time to help with the family’s holiday events. As they grow closer, the chemistry between them ignites, leading to a heartwarming holiday romance filled with emotional moments.

Beyond the romance, the novel tackles important social themes, notably the issue of maternal mortality in African American communities. Through a poignant subplot, Heintzelman highlights the alarming disparities in healthcare faced by women of color, making the book both a touching tribute and a call for awareness. *Last Christmas Crush* blends heartfelt romance with a meaningful exploration of family, growth, and social justice.

Yessssss ex's best friend troupe I love this. Throwing in some christmas cheer as well it was perfection. I ended up reading this in a day and decided to re read a few chapters because of how sweet this book was. I really liked that Jameson was the first person to speak his truth because normally its the woman in the situation that does so this was just amazing. I really loved how developed the characters were and how much cheer was weaved into every page.

Chiara Fortemani returns home for the Christmas food and wine festival, hoping to revitalise her family's vineyard after a tough breakup. Unexpectedly, she runs into Jameson West, her ex’s best friend, who’s always been off-limits due to the bro code. As they work together on designing custom gifts, their connection deepens through shared laughter and late-night conversations. When Jameson finally reveals his long-held feelings, Chiara finds herself torn between her past and the possibility of a new love. This big-hearted story about second chances, family ties, and holiday magic explores whether embracing fate could lead to a Christmas miracle.

I recently read a fun holiday romcom. Last Christmas Crush was so much fun. I couldn’t put it down. A five star read.

This book was exactly what I expected for the third installment in the Fortemani Family series.

I love the cozy second chance love, Christmas on the vineyard, and friends-to-lovers vibe. I have said before that these books give big Hallmark Channel energy. Mia does an amazing job of writing a well-to-do family of color with realistic love issues. The atmosphere of this book is like walking through a typical best friend's breakup, getting her through it, and watching her find love again.

"HE WAS YOUR FIRST"....UGH!

I laughed, I cussed, and I almost cried.

I loved this book. I think I will purchase this and the first 2 books for my sisters for Christmas!

Thank you Netgalley, Tule Publishing, and Mia Heintzelman for the e-ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion in this review.