Member Reviews
This book's premise was so ridiculous, but for some reason I really enjoyed it and will read the other adventures to Yule in the upcoming series.
Lyla's enemy, Mason Klaus, has taken over part ownership of her father's toy company. As part of a punishment for throwing a party which causes a fire, so is forced to go home with Mason-to Yule (the North Pole!) where she finds out that Mason is actually the heir to the role of Santa Claus.
Includes: enemies to lovers romance, Hallmark-type small town setting, and fake engagement
Positives:
The setting is adorable. A perfect early November read. Cute, quick, and light read
The slow burn romance is cute
The side characters are likeable. They are not very well developed, but I think that is so that the author can write more novels set in Yule where their storylines are and back stories are developed more.
There was a lot of diversity within the characters and the city of Yule (body shapes, LGBTA+, disabled characters, etc.
Negatives:
The idea of ringing a bell and transporting to the North Pole and the world of Santa Claus is ridiculous, but somehow if you can get past it, the novel and the storyline works.
I love a cheesy Hallmark movie, so I thought I might like this one - and I did! It made me excited to get into the holiday season and the touch of fantasy was, pardon me, the perfect touch.
Lyla’s has worked for her father at their toy factory her whole life and when he sells 51% of the company to Mason Klaus with the condition that the two of them be CO-CEO’s she is furious. Butting heads at every turn, Lyla considers Mason the ultimate Grinch and when he cancels the company Christmas party, well that’s the last straw! Confronting him about the party does no good but Lyla is going to do whatever it takes to make sure their company does have its annual party. Even if she has to arrange and pay for it herself!
Little does she know that her act of kindness is going to backfire in a big way! Not only does drunken revelry ensue, they set fire to the kitchen causing the whole plant to shut down for the holidays while they remodel.
Mason is definitely not happy with the situation and when you add in the command appearance he needs to make at home, namely the Village of Yule, he is one grumpy dude. Hoping to make his trip home better he convinces Lyla to go with him, pretending to be his fiancé, but she never dreamed that they were going to the actual magical North Pole and that Santa is real!
The magical village and its wonderful residents can only soften her heart. Can the magic of Christmas make their pretend romance real and can he save Christmas and be the Mr. Klaus they all love?
Grab your copy of The Naughty or Nice Clause and enjoy!
4.5⭐️ 1.5🌶️
This was such a cute Christmas Romance! Lyla and Mason start out hating each other, but over time they came to their senses. Majority of the story takes place in Yule (the North Pole). Yule is a charming, cozy, Christmas town with a little bit of magic. Definitely my favorite Christmas setting! The author created her own version of Christmas magic and I actually really liked it!
I did find the beginning of the story to be a bit slow. But once Yule came into play, I had a great time. I definitely recommend this holiday read!
Read if you like:
-Magical Realism
-Enemies to Lovers
-Christmas Romance
-Forced Proximity
-Fake Dating
I must say it took me no time at all to read this one. Easy to read and quite enjoyable this is a book about a real fantasy and does take you on a journey. It takes you from a real world to that of a fantastical Christmas wonderland.
With good characters who you can relate to at least a little bit this is a story that evolves and it is a Christmas story (I love Christmas!). It has its fun, its quirks and even some magic and it wasn't an over-the-top romantic read.
Enjoyable, fun, naughty and nice, Christmas and a wonderland. What more could you want. And easy read!
Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
This was such a fun read!! I love the idea of a Yule village and it reminded me of the North Pole from the Santa Clause movies, which made the whole vibe of the book very nostalgic as I read through. The characters do a great job of moving the story along, and I loved the 2 main characters a lot! The whole enemies to lover trope is my favorite, and I love how their story played out. My favorite was the ending, and I love how neither Lyla nor Mason had to compromise their dreams and futures to be together!
A great way to start the season!
This was a cute book, and I loved the Christmas theme. However, I wish there was a bit more romance between the characters. If anything, this was probably more like a very slow burn.
This is book one of this series, told in third person POV and leaves you with a HEA. This book is a good way to remind you that not everything is as it seems.
I liked Lyla and her determination to take over her family business. There were a few times I wanted to shake some sense into her when she thought of herself as a strong person, just to turn around and fold under the slightest bit of pressure. Although I did like that she could give as good as she got the other times she wasn’t folding under the pressure. I wasn’t a fan of Mason and how he talked to the people around him for most of the book. But as the story progressed and I got more of his history and saw the way he slowly started opening up and showing his true self under his hard exterior, he wasn’t so bad. I loved the side characters as well, their love and support for friends and family was great. I do wish that we got to see if Lyla chose to eventually take over her family business or if she decided to fully stay with Mason and his family.
I am excited to read more of this series and see who finds their HEA next. I received an advanced readers copy via NetGalley. These thoughts and opinions are my own.
I read Tis The Season for secrets before this one not realising there were 2 books. Although they're stand alone books. Lyla takes over the family toy making business from her father only to discover he has given half of the shares to the cold and grumpy Klaus.
Lyla throws a Christmas party. There’s a fire. Mason agrees to forget her part in said fire if she joins his family for Christmas… and it turns out he lives at the North Pole and is next in line to be Santa Claus. Kind of left that last part out. The beginning of the book took a little while to get going and I wasn’t sure this one was going to hold my interest, but once we good to Yule (the North Pole), I was totally sucked in. I loved the descriptions of the cobblestone streets, the cocoa, the wolves that protect the town, and all the snow. I loved the conflict of how Mason Klaus ran away from Yule because he was next in line to be Santa and wanted to have some control over his own life rather than being forced to follow in the family business. This was a cute Christmas read! 5/5 stars.
This was so cute! It was definitely a feel good read, I was rooting for them the whole time Mason and Lyla were so perfect for each other! Kevin might be my favorite character though he was full of teenage sass!!
Thank you to author Kate Callaghan, BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for this eARC
This was such a delight. It has everything I expected and wanted from it
a great rivals to lovers story? Check
loveable characters? Check
the perfect christmas vibes? Check
the perfect amount of whimsey? Check
The more books by Callaghan I read, the more I fall in love with her writing!
The Naughty or Nice Clause
Village of Yule Book 1
Kate Callaghan
The Naughty or Nice Clause is Book 1 of the the Village of Yule series by Kate Callaghan.
A quick-read, enjoyable, holiday enemy to lovers themed romance book with a small town setting.
For lovers of Hallmark movies or folks who just enjoy holiday themed romance books.
Published November 8, 2022
Booksgosocial
The Naughty Or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan is the perfect holiday read, blending festive cheer with magical realism. This is the second book I’ve read by Callaghan this year, and I’ve loved both! She has a knack for writing incredibly cozy stories that never feel overdone. Her books are well-crafted, with easy-to-follow plots that are really entertaining.
In “The Naughty Or Nice Clause,” Christmas magic takes on a whole new meaning with a sprinkle of real magic. The main characters, Lyla and Mason, are wonderful, and even the side characters shine brightly in this story. There’s plenty of humor, which I really appreciate, and the playful banter in the romance between Lyla and Mason is delightful. This book definitely features the rivals-to-lovers trope.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it if you’re looking for an extra magical Christmas read this year.
Reading this book was like entering a magic wonderland. I was overwelmed and amazed and I just couldn't put this story down. I loved it!
This little bit of christmas magic was just what I needed.
At first I didn't even imagine the road this story was about to take. I believed that the Klaus name was just that, and that it had a meaning because the story was being set at christmas time. I'm so happy I was wrong! That magic happening and turning this book into a fantasy and magic story was a big and surely nice surprise that made me enjoy it even more.
At first Lyla and Mason were great enemies. They work at the same company, and share (but not equally) the ownership. They could not be more different or appart. While Lyla is all warmth and kind Mason is strict and kind of cold. While she loves chistmas and all it implies, he is kind of a Scrooge.
I could relate easily to both main characters. Lyla had so much on the line, and feeling left out and being pushed aside from the legacy she so much wanted hurt and made her resent Mason. Mason never wanted to be at odds, but he wasn't one to stand down so he gave as much or maybe more than he get.
There sure is a thin line between love and hate, and with such stong emotions so many things can change.
So when he takes her to his home magic town and they have to spend time together, and really getting to know one another, some things start to shift and some of that hate starts do disolve and turn into something else.
The Village of Yule is somewhere where I wouldn't mind to get lost from time to time. All that close community and all the friendship and support they have for each other was heartwarming
And who never dreamed to go see santa clause and his hometown and see how they make the magic of christmas come true?
I can't wait to get lost in this Village and this world again.
The Yule village was magical, But before that, in the real world, Her constant bickering with the co-CEO about rational decisions confirmed that her father was right not to give her his shares. All she cares about is immediate gratification and thinks her employees will still love to work for a crumbling company if she is left in charge
this book was magical and the perfect quick holiday read. I fell in love with the town of Yule and the members of the Klaus family immediately and this book just warmed my heart. It was so cute and cozy, whilst also dealing with the loss of a loved one and their grieving.
If you’re a fellow Christmas lover like me, this book is a must read. I can’t wait to return to Yule and read the second book of this series. <3
Cute. I loved the plot. At times the female main character though just needed to speak up and that got annoying. I like reading about the town Yule and learning about the Klaus's. Different take on Christmas which was nice.
Such a cute book! this was my second Kate Callaghan book that I have read and I LOVE her writing style, I couldn't put this down! How she wrote the witty characters and described the christmassy goodness, beautiful, I could really picture it (read blurb I ain't spoiling shit)
Not to spoil the whole book but a modern twist on Santa Claus? you best believe it.
A lot of will they won't they with the best vibes.
I can't wait to read the next one!
Big thanks to Kate Callaghan for making this book available for free on NetGalley in preparation for the release of the second in the stand alone series (which I now will be devouring straight away <3)
Review to be posted on Instagram at earliest convenience
This was sweet, and funny. Magically different than your typical holiday romance. Rival co-owners of a company, one with a magical secret identity. Great ending with a happily ever after.
I was provided with a review copy of the ebook and this is my honest opinion. I gave this book 4 stars. (If I am unable to leave partial stars, I will always round up.)
I will continue on with the series. I also plan to check out the author’s previous works.
Thank you NetGalley and Kate Callaghan!