Oh, what a wintery read! The Naughty or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan is the first novel in the enticing new Village of Yule series.
As you would expect from a romantic-comedy there are plenty of humorous moments, especially when Lyda meets Mason's family and has to pretend to be his fiancée- no stress, eh?
Also, I loved the descriptions of Yule, as it is truly the village of my dreams. Honestly, as I was in my perfect dreamworld while reading this book. The author creates such a brilliant vision of Yule.
The Naughty or Nice Clause does work well as a standalone, but I'm sure that all readers (just like myself), will look forward to making the return journey to Yule in "Tis The Season For Secrets", which is out in November.

I found this book really difficult to get into and I just didn't connect with any of the characters.

I ended up reading purely to stick it out until the end but I didn't love it.

However, I did enjoy the writing style and would be interested in reading one of this author's other works.

A nice and entertaining mix of fantasy and rom-com, it made me smile and I had fun.
It's well plotted, the world building is well done, and I rooted for the characters.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

The is a cute holiday book. Thank you to Netgalley for this ebook to read and review! This is a standalone romance book. The female main character owns part of the toy company with Mason. During a Christmas party there was a fire causing a lot of damage, and damage equals money. Mason strikes a bargain with Lyla to pay for the damages but it includes fake dating... What could go wrong? Mason holds some secrets that Lyla uncovers during this fake holiday romance while visiting his family in the North Pole! Will she keep the secrets and continue with her part of the bargain or will she come clean they are not in a relationship?

I just finished The Naughty and Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan, and while I enjoyed it, I didn’t completely fall in love with it like I was hoping to. It had soo much potential, but some parts left me wanting more.

The idea of the book is super cute—a Christmassy, magical romance with a contract involved. But… the execution of the writing? It felt a bit rushed in places, and I didn’t get as attached to the characters as I wanted to. 😬

Our FMC had her moments, but there were times where I couldn’t quite understand her choices, and it made the whole thing feel a little inconsistent. And the love interest? Well… let’s just say I was waiting for more chemistry to spark between them. The banter was cute, but the connection felt like it was missing that extra spark. ✨

That being said, the holiday vibes were definitely on point. If you’re in the mood for a light, festive read, this could still be a fun little book to read. But as a whole, it left me feeling like there could’ve been more depth and development to the story and characters.

This was a fun and light-hearted book, with merry festive vibes. Overall, it was a fun book for Christmas.

This was really cute! I really enjoyed Lyla and Masons banter. It was on point from their first meeting.

I liked the almost magical vibes here- they end up in Yule, which is basically the North Pole. And Mason has some… ties to being Santa. Lyla has to pretend they are engaged to be able to stay. Like, what a fun premise!

The town of Yule was so cute. I could almost picture it. I loved how welcoming his family (and most of the town) was to Lyla. She also as able to help Mason get through the struggles of losing his father and taking up a new position.

I can’t wait to see where we go next with the village of Yule!

Kate Callaghan's The Naughty or Nice Clause is a delightful, whimsical holiday romance that brings magic, humour, and a touch of Christmas spirit to life. Set against the backdrop of the holiday season, the story blends festive charm with fantasy elements, creating a unique Christmas tale that departs from the usual.

The novel follows the protagonist, Lyla Smurfit, who finds herself in a rather unusual situation. Her family’s toy company is on the brink of collapse, and as a last-ditch effort, she is forced to sign a contract that binds her to the company’s mysterious new owner, Mason Klaus. There’s a catch: to save the business, she must travel to the North Pole and marry Mason. What follows is a magical and romantic adventure, as Lyla navigates the strange, wintry world of the North Pole, filled with elves, reindeer, and a very different take on Santa Claus.

Lyla is a relatable heroine, combining practicality with a sense of adventure. Her personal growth throughout the novel, from a sceptical, work-focused woman to someone who embraces the magic around her, is heart warming. Mason Klaus, her love interest, is a brooding, enigmatic character with a softer side that is revealed as the story progresses. The chemistry between the two leads is slow-burn and engaging, and their interactions are a blend of banter, tension, and romance.

At its heart, The Naughty or Nice Clause is a fun holiday romance, but it also touches on deeper themes of trust, personal sacrifice, and family loyalty. Callaghan adds a dash of fairy-tale magic to the usual romantic formula, infusing the novel with a sense of wonder and holiday cheer. The tone is light-hearted and whimsical, with a few moments of emotional depth to balance out the festive fun.

This book was really cute! I really enjoyed the Christmas theme, it was cozy in the lead up to my fave time of year. I did feel like it was missing something but couldn’t quite put my finger on what, I still enjoyed it though

This feel good romantic comedy was just what I needed! I loved Lyla and Mason’s dynamic, and Lyla’s obsessive love for Christmas! Their tension kept me waiting excitedly throughout my whole read. My only gripe is that any conflict felt rushed to be resolved. I was glad to not have to spend unnecessary time at the edge of my seat, but as it was written it didn’t feel vital.

Got about 50% through this one and decided to put it down and DNF - my rating of what I got through would probably land between a 2 and 2.5.

I wasn't feeling any chemistry at all between the two main characters, the writing was choppy and flat and nothing was really happening. I thought there was going to be some sort of agreement or "clause" and nothing of the sort has even occurred yet so ultimately I was bored.

I haven't really read any Christmas themed books yet so I wanted to give this one a try but was disappointed!

Thanks to NetGalley for the read now option!

Slightly spicy male female enemies to lovers fake dating contemporary romance with a slight fantasy aspect. Cute and cozy with a Hallmark vibe. The main characters had fun chemistry and this was a quick read. The second standalone book in this interconnected series will be out in November.

When Lyla's father retired as CEO of the toy company which has been in their family for generations, she was meant to receive his shares. Instead, she discovers the company is bankrupt and her father has given her shares to Mason Klaus, an investor known in the corporate world for his cold and callous nature. Much to Lyla's frustration, her only option is to run the company with him, despite their evident loathing for one another.

When Mason cancels the annual Christmas party, Lyla throws it anyway - only for the event of the season to result in a terrible fire. With the offices and Lyla's credibility ruined, Mason offers her a deal: he'll forget her part in the disaster, but she must join his family for the twelve days of their Christmas holidays.


This book was so much fun to read. It's chock full of my favorite tropes and some of my favorite representation. The plot is a delight, the characters are so much fun, and the writing is excellent. If you're looking for a book to get you in the Christmas mood, this one is it!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

This has all of the tropes!
This was like a sexy hallmark movie and I was living for it.
I loved how there was LGBTQ and disability representation. It always makes a book feel more inclusive.
It's my first book by this author, but will certainly not be my last!
I am a sucker for a christmas romance and this had. It. All.

Felt very very much like a spicy hallmark movie, which isn't always my vibe but for a cute mood read this is the perfect place to look. The forced office enemies to lovers is written SO well and its a classic bundle of xmas joy vs the grinch himself. I love that it ends with a nice HEA. Lyla is a very well written independent traumatized FMC against Mason, a very grumpy scrooge. It was hard for me to put down I wanted to soak up the holiday vibes.

The Naughty or Nice Clause is the perfect Christmas read! If you love an enemies-to-lovers romance with a Hallmark feel and a dash of magic, this book is for you. Mr. Klaus is the silent, powerful co-CEO striving to keep the family company afloat, while Layla is fiercely determined to reclaim what she believes is rightfully hers. After a wild twist of fate, Layla gets pulled into helping Nick (Mr. Klaus) on a journey home, where she begins to see a completely different side of him. Their rivalry slowly melts into understanding and, eventually, love. Full of warmth, family, and learning to let go of the past, this heartwarming story is a perfect holiday escape.

The Naughty or Nice Clause - 3.5 Stars

This is my second read of Kate's and I am a huge fan of her writing! Her books never fail to have this real enchanting cosy vibe to them that I absolutely love!

I found this story to be a really unique take on Christmas which I think is quite a hard thing to achieve, I really enjoyed it. The town of Yule felt so magical and I really enjoyed the festive aspects of the story.

I think where the story fell a bit flat for me was the romance. Mason and Lyla's relationship lacked depth for me. I personally didn't really feel the chemistry most of the time which made me so sad because I really wanted to.

I still had a good time reading it, especially for a Christmas book! It's a very festive read and has me feeling excited for Christmas. Definitely worth checking out if you're after a cosy Christmas read!

📔: The Naughty or Nice Clause-Village of Yule Book #1

✍️ By: Kate Callaghan-new to me author

📃 Page Count: 237

🗓️ Publication Date:11-8-22 | Read: 9-18-24

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this ARC 🎄! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult, low fantasy

🌏Setting: North Pole/ Yule

Tropes:
🎅🏾rivals to lovers
🎅🏾workplace romance
🎅🏾Christmas
🎅🏾forced proximity
🎅🏾fake engagement
🎅🏾small town
🎅🏾found family
🎅🏾LGBTQIA+ rep
🎅🏾disability rep
🎅🏾slow burn
🎅🏾same bed

⚠️ TW: white wolf attack-H, workplace fire, h has bad allergic reaction to strawberries

POV: single, 3rd person

💭 Summary 💭 Lyla wanted full control of her family's toy company Smurfit Toys Limited, but her father gave Mason majority shares. Mason is a miser who cancels the annual Christmas party, yet Lyla decides to have anyway. A fire breaks out and it closes the office for twelve days. Mason makes a deal with Lyla to forget about her mistake with the fire if she goes to his magical hometown in the North Pole for the holidays. He hasn't been home in ten years but returns with Lyla as his fake fiancée.

♀️Heroine: Lyla Smurfit- co-CEO of grandfather's Smurfit Toys Limited company. Company is on the verge of bankruptcy

♂️Hero: Mason Klaus-co-CEO, owns 51%. Grumpy /Scrooge left home because he didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps as Klaus/Santa Claus.


🎭Side cast:

Henry Klaus-Mason's father, deceased

Kevin Klaus-Mason's younger brother ,17

Edith Klaus-Mason's mother

Lou-Mason's older sister

Sam + Jaime-Lyla's assistant and his husband

Natalie- Mason's ex-fiancée

🤔My Thoughts: This will definitely give you the cozy Christmas winter wonderland vibe. I love being around family for the holidays, and was glad Lyla joined the Klaus family after grieving her mother. Mason had to make a choice to return to the outside world or live in Yule as Santa. I would read more in this world especially about Kevin.

Range of emotions: 😬🤔🙄
🌶️: Spice 2/5
😭: Emotion 4/5
❤️: Couple 3.5/5
⭐️: Rating 3.5 /5

I couldn’t put this book down! Definitely a must read for Christmas lovers! This is a beautifully crafted novel that captures the simple joys of the holiday season, family, and love.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC

A cute and fun christmas novel. I found the twist Santa Klaus twist fun. A fake relationship is always a hit in my book and I thought this was fun as well. I did find the romance a bit rushed but nothing that bothered me much. A quick and easy low-stakes fantasy novel with christmas themes