This was an okay book, I liked the characters, but also it was often slow at times. I woudln't mind hearing about the brother in the sotry, but i'm not sure I would read the rest o the multi-author series

I hate writing bad reviews and this author had a good storyline, I just did not love how it was organized. The shifts in character development of the guy was over dramatic and unrealistic. I did like the perspective of the girls point of view in this book though. She followed the outline of an emotional journey that seems logical and touching. I felt I related to how she felt just from reading her experiences. That’s why this book got a three star instead of a two star. Whenever strong emotion can be embodied to the reader that is a partial success.

The basic summary of how I felt about this book…
First 50% was slow even though it should have felt more intense, all of the sudden the characters felt more embarrassed around each other (their cheeks turning pink often), and than all of the sudden the guy turned into a vampire (not literally) and was over possessive saying, “good girl”. Gross! I like a possessive boy when they’re caring, but somehow this reminded me in the weird parts of twilight. That is probably just me though. Don’t get me wrong I like Twilight, but there are some weird parts in it. And the guy in this book embodied the over possessive dramatic characteristics while still being human and partially “normal.”

This book was a little bit difficult for me to get through. It felt a little over the top for me. That is hard for me to say because there were many elements in this book that I tend to love forced proximity, brother's best friends, grumpy sunshine but I think I just didn't love the story. I think I was just not as invested in the love story as I should have been. That being said it is a clean romance with cute elements. I didn't connect to it strongly but I know there are people who will. I would recommend it to people who liked the movie Love Wrecked. Different premise but still gave me those vibes if you know what I mean!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story!

3.5⭐, 0.5🌶️

A sweet, non-spice holiday Christmas romance? While I didn't adore this book, it was still enjoyable and a really fun premise! I thought Molly's character was sweet and relatable: I liked that she was so honest and secure about herself, and the added detail of her epilespy honestly taught me so much. I liked that while this was a brother's best friend romance, both Molly and Beckett weren't putting up with Molly's brothers toxicity. Beckett has a healthy growth, and the third act "break" was done smartly.

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for an ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

There were a lot of things that I liked about this book. Firstly, the curvy girl and disability representation. I loved Molly’s confidence despite her having so much stacked against her. This was also the first time I read a book with the main character having epilepsy, and I appreciated the author normalizing the experiences in romantic literature. I also appreciated the forced proximity and one bed tropes with a tropical holiday twist! Beckett’s inner dialogue had me LOLing several times (primarily with Beckett and Senorita the monkey’s interactions), which was the highlight of the book for me.

Maybe it’s the smutty romance reader in me, but I’ll admit I was disappointed that he kept calling her “good girl” but there were no spicy scenes to back it up? It felt like a big build up with a slight let down. But maybe that’s just me?

Thanks so much to the author, Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"Sometimes, paradise is found where you least expect it."

I had so much fun with A Not-So Holiday Paradise! Gracie Ruth Mitchell brings a delightful blend of humour, romance, and holiday charm in this audiobook. It's the perfect cozy escape for anyone looking for a light-hearted story with heart and a bit of an unexpected twist.

What I loved:
🎧 The narration really brought the characters to life, adding a layer of humour and emotion that kept me engaged.
🎧 A hilarious and swoon-worthy romance with a sprinkle of holiday magic.
🎧 The setting was wonderfully festive, and while it’s about a "paradise," the characters’ witty banter and chaotic situations made it all the more fun.
🎧 A quick read that offers all the right feels and a satisfying conclusion.

What to expect:
🎄 Christmas vibes with a quirky twist
🎄 Enemies to lovers
🎄 Lots of humour and heartfelt moments
🎄 A sweet, slow-burn romance

I loved this book! It was original, cute, and funny. The narration was great, and I’ll definitely be looking for more by this author.

This book gives a bit of a spin on the Christmas island storyline!

I loved Molly. She was just the cutest and her emotions were very real and relatable! I didn't love Beckett. He was definitely grumpy to her sunshine, but he was a bit too much of a downer for me. It made the chemistry between the two less than it could have been for me.

That said, it was still a cute, enjoyable story!

3.5 stars rounded up for Molly!

This was my second holiday read of the 2024 season. It took me a while to get into it and I personally thought the first part dragged a bit. However, once it picked up, I was really hooked. I loved Gracie's fresh take on a tropical holiday romance. I also really adored her seizure representation. In the author note, she discusses how she herself suffers from epilepsy so I know the scenes portrayed are authentic and the emotions described are oh so real. I think Mitchell is incredibly brave to write about a topic so close to her heart. She did an incredible job in my opinion.

Molly...I love how nerdy and charming this girl is. I thought the story behind why she decided to study ichthyology was so inspiring. Of course Molly has some things she's a bit self-conscious of, but all in all, she is incredibly self-assured and genuine. I appreciate how well she knows herself and her feelings and how willing she is to be herself and take chances. Definitely a cool FMC and role model for us bookish girls!

Beckett...What a grump! I usually love a good grump, but this guy is particularly prickly. I love how he loves Molly though...how protective and possessive he is. It's so sweet. And all this in light of the challenges he encountered while growing up is pretty amazing!

Things I loved:

❤️Cruise ship and St. Thomas settings
❤️The monkeys (especially the female one's reaction to Beckett)
❤️The waterfall
❤️How Molly and Beckett challenge one another
❤️"Sweetheart," "Baby," and "Good girl" (that last one was a little cringy to me for a while, but it grew on me)
❤️The Christmas cactus and Molly and Beckett's gifts to one another
❤️Wes (even though he can be an annoying brother at times)
❤️The epilogue

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

I love the author's note at the beginning of this story about epilepsy and I appreciate that they made the epilepsy scene as realistic as possible, from both the main characters and the witness's points of view.

If you are looking for a fun, holiday romance to get you into the holiday spirit then this is a great book to help you achieve that goal.

Rylee Kuberra and John Rogers do great job of narrating this book together. I look forward to listening to more audiobooks narrated by them in the future.

A Not-So Holiday Paradise is a sweet romance surrounding a woman and her brother’s best friend with a clever twist on forced proximity.

If you’re looking for a fun romance with holiday and tropical vibes, that’s closed door, this is for you.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story, with was performed by two narrators who made this listen enjoyable. I listened at 1.75x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75-2x speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for this advanced audiobook copy.

What a fun Christmas audio book! I love forced proximity and when the MMC takes care of the FMC. This book was sunny and sweet while still including the best parts of Christmas!

If you are looking for a delightful holiday, but not so holiday, rom-com full of grumpy-sunshine tropical island wonderful-ness look no further! I devoured this book in one day and enjoyed every moment.

Molly O’Malley has been in love with her brothers best friend for as long as she can remember. But this Christmas she is determined to face it and put it behind her… Right?

She is on a family cruise for the holidays, stopping off on the island that he happens to work on after not seeing him in years. That moment when they first see each other… SO GOOD! I just love the way she has a new found confidence and acceptance of who she is. Her light just shines through this book! And what happens when you let your confidence shine? People begin to see you for who you actually are, instead of who they think you are.

Beckett is all introverted, wounded, grumpiness… but with a inner goodness that doesn’t take too long to show. He gravitates towards Molly‘s light and through a series of mishaps you will see him unravel as a protective and caring soul. I adored him.

This is a sweet story full of representation and beautiful messages on never being afraid to be who you are and letting people love you for that. I loved the epilepsy representation as well and getting to see the side of that many of us never get to see. I applaud Gracie for shedding light on that and humanizing something that we know little about.

I highly recommend this book and Molly and Beckett. They are perfect duo!!!

I’m not sure if it’s just that I have learned I do not like rom-coms as audiobooks, or the true story.

I wasn’t a fan of Molly or Beckett. They both gave me a little “ick” factor. And their relationship was almost painful to listen to. It didn’t feel real or natural or nice.

She did a good job of talking about chronic illness.

This was cutesy, and I liked it for that. What I really appreciated, though I can't personally relate, is the depictions of the FMC's disorder, as well as her realistic portrayal of feelings of self-consciousness, and her quirky personality. This is absolutely all about the CHARACTERS and their personalities. Imperfect, sometimes annoying (but in a realistic way - they sometimes annoyed me the way my real family or friends sometimes do).

This book was super cute, Molly and Beckett were really a perfect pair. The book was witty, but emotionally quite deep. Molly just has to break Becketts barriers slowly to reveal a future for them. The pacing was right and the narration on point.

This was a light (but also not) holiday rom-com with tropes of brother's best friend, grumpy-sunshine, and forced proximity. I thought it was a bit heavy on tropes, but there was enough uniqueness to the storyline to make it work. The FMC has epilepsy, which is something I've never seen before in any book.

Molly is as cute as a button but also fierce as heck (but did her last name really have to rhyme with her first name? Ugh), and Beckett is a real stand-up guy. The audiobook narration was decent.

I ADORE this book! This was the first Gracie Ruth Mitchell book I read so it was so fun to revisit it & fall in love with it all over again. The friends fo lovers, the seizure rep, the holiday island setting - it's all just so stinking perfect!

I didnt read the book before I listened to this story but the narration was on point and the story was amazing and You really just love both people. There is a bit of a seizure scene but it does very well.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I loved the main characters! They had great chemistry and worked so well together. I loved how the book just flowed. My first by this author but will not be my last!!