"She looks like Christmas magic."

Told through the dual narratives of Charlie and Bea, this was a fast-paced, no-nonsense, straight to the point, quick read. Add in their families and Christmas traditions; this was a highly entertaining book.

Thank you to Liz Alden and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was PERFECT! It had everything from small town, cozy Christmas, forced proximity, second chance love and actual adult conversation to sort out problems! As a 30 something, this was a breath of fresh air to see characters TALK to each other and hash out problems instead of just running away from them.

For a novella, this book was very well paced. I adored seeing Bea and Charlie reconnect and even though us readers were not around for the original relationship, their back story was fleshed out enough that us as readers weren't wasting time wondering where it all went wrong or what all the hurt feelings were about.

This book would make a wonderful small screen Christmas movie!

This was a cute, light-hearted read that’s perfect for a cozy afternoon when you just want to relax. But, I have to say, two things threw me off, each costing the book a star in my rating:

First, the title and blurb promised me a holiday read bursting with Christmas vibes, but the festive season felt like a total afterthought. Honestly, I’m glad I didn’t save this one for the holidays because my disappointment would've been way worse.

Then there’s the whole exes-spending-eight-Christmases-together situation. Apparently, both their families are super close and spend the holidays together every year. But eight years of awkward holiday reunions with your ex? That’s a bit much. And don’t get me started on the company names—Rivrse and ImmUniverse? They really took me out of the story every time I read them.

As for Bea and Charlie, I couldn’t really connect with them. After eight Christmases together and still feeling chemistry, you’d think they’d either rekindle something or at least have a quick fling, but nope, nothing. It felt a bit far-fetched that he’d suddenly want a second chance after all that time, and it kept distracting me from enjoying,

In the end, it’s a decent, light read if you’re not looking for anything too deep or Christmas-focused. But, honestly, it’s not one that’s going to stick with me for long.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#GhostofExmasPast #NetGalley

Ghost of Ex-Mas Past by Liz Alden left me surprised as it made me quickly fall in love with Bea and Charlie. Second chances has always been one of my favorite tropes to read. The dad jokes were a bonus, and Bea’s dad was funny. His dry humor had me rolling my eyes throughout. The big family and the love that was written in the characters added so much warmth to the story, and I found myself loving those lighter moments as much as the swoony ones. What really made this book unputdownable was the chemistry between Bea and Charlie. By the end, I was desperate for more time with them—Bea and Charlie are a couple I’d love to see more of! If you're looking for a feel-good holiday romance that has both heart and humor, this book is perfect. The story left me with a big smile and a warm feeling in my heart.

This book brings the spice that makes a holiday enjoyable! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I enjoyed the characters and found the book well written with a great pace. It was easy to read in between heavier subjects.

A fun and steamy holiday Second Chance Romance. Its great to see the two main characters get back together, with all the simmering chemistry between them, it makes you wonder why it took so long for the reunion to happen, given how they've had forced proximity every year. Also, I'm giving a little side eye to the parents strong arming their children into this week long holiday get-together every year, instead f letting them grow and develop their own traditions. So, loved the romance, but not quite feeling the set up.

3.5* An anytime read

Why would two ex's spend the past eight Christmas's together? Evidently both sets of parents were best friends and it's traditional for the two families to spend Christmas together. Awkward? Evidently not. Even so, spending so many years with your ex seems sad and pitiful.

Charlie's company name annoyed the heck out of me. Every time I came across Rivrse, it halted my concentration and wondered about the correct pronunciation. And the takeover company, ImmUniverse, another weird name which doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, can't see it appearing in the Fortune 500 list.

I didn't hate the book, but due my lack of empathy with Bea and Charlie, I didn't love it either,

The writing is good, it's light entertainment but I'll probably forget all about it within hours.

With thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

This was a cute and lighthearted read, perfect for a quiet and relaxing afternoon.
However, two elements didn't quite work for me, and lost the book one star each:
- The title, blurb, and description made it seem like this would be a perfect Holiday read, full of Christmas elements. I'm really happy I didn't read it around the Holidays because then my rating would've been lower. Christmas was in the background the whole time, it could've been set on any other week of the year and it wouldn't have changed anything. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver on this part.
- We know that Bea and Charlie have spent 8 Christmases together ever since they split up. Not one, not three, but EIGHT Christmas holidays together, so eight years, but suddenly we are meant to believe he's changed and wants a second chance with her?
It didn't make any sense to me how two people who still felt an amazing chemistry toward each other, could spend a week a year together in a house for eight years, and not rekindle the romance or even have a quickie in the bathroom for old times sake.
I'm sorry but this part was ridiculous and ruined the mood for me. I kept going back at it while reading and was distracted until the end.

Overall the book is, again, a nice and light read, but nothing special and especially not as Christmas-themed as I was led to believe.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.