quick and cozy Christmas book
we got brother's best friend
him taking care of her
rain storm and cuddling
unrequited love
I read the series when it published before, all cute and fun

Premise: Molly, her parents and her older brother are going on a Christmas Cruise to The Tropics!

So, if you’re looking for snow, hot cocoa, flannel pj’s, mountains and fireplaces, look elsewhere! (Well, maybe not the hot chocolate…) 😉

But if you’re looking for a fresh new take on Christmas and a not so perfect gathering during a different kind of storm….well then, don’t miss this one!

🛑🛑 Once again, stop here if you don’t want to know anymore! Loose outline to follow! 🛑🛑

Molly has had a crush on Beckett, her brother’s BFF, for basically her whole life! She hasn’t seen him in years. But that’s all going to change. You see he’s working in the Virgin Islands, and the cruise her family is taking is stopping there. And since Beckett is like family to them, well, they HAVE to stop and see him! And so it begins…

But, their quick stop turns into a kind of nightmare when plans need to change on a dime. And Beckett and Molly are alone on the small, deserted island, and then, of course, a storm comes through…

Did I mention that Molly is epileptic? This is mentioned as a ***TRIGGER WARNING*** in the book, so as the author says, if this is a trigger for you, steer clear of the end of chapter 17!

Very different! Very sweet!
Molly has grown up, but is not perfect!
Beckett has grown up, and seems to wear a scowl all the time instead of a smile…
And the ‘bro code’ is hysterical (and real! I can vouch…with older brothers myself…) 🤣

4 big tropical 🏝️ , Christmas-y , ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

Thanks to #NetGalley, #DreamscapeSelect and #GracieRuthMitchell for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
**** It was released on 10/1/24! ****

#ANotSoHolidayParadise by #GracieRuthMitchell and narrated nicely by #RyleeKuberra and #JohnRogers.

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I’ve previously read the ebook of this book, and was super excited to see that it was coming out as an audiobook because I love listening to audiobooks for rereads. I loved this the first time around and maybe even more so upon a reread. It’s so cute and romantic and funny, I’m obsessed. I’m going to start this with my previous review, and then add my thoughts about the audiobook specifically:

Half a star for every ‘good girl’ said by Beckett and a full star for all of the banter involving Wes.

Okay but in actuality, I loved this so, so much. This book checked so many boxes for me. I love when books have a stranded aspect. I love when the FMC is curvy, and confident in her body. And an overprotective MMC? Hot. And really, the author truly blessed the readers with the amount of times ‘good girl’ was said.

The balance of the stranded chapters and the Christmas-y chapters was perfect. The found family aspect is always something I enjoy. Every character - both main & side - were so well defined and great to read about. I really appreciated the epilepsy inclusion, and thought the author did a great job with it. It was part of the story, not just a side detail, and I thought that it was done well. I thought this would just be a cute and fun holiday story to read, but it quickly shot to the top of my list of favourite reads.

It really was a cute and fun holiday story like I hoped, but also so much more than that and that’s what made it a 5/5 for me. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to others, even more so now that I’ve listened to the audiobook. Both narrators did an incredible job. I did find that they spoke at slightly different speeds (the male narrator seemed a bit slower than the female narrator) but they both were honestly super great to listen to. Even though it’s still a few months until Christmas, I feel like this truly is a book that can be enjoyed any time of year.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook! I voluntarily listened to this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a sweet Christmas story. Molly, who has always had a crush on her brother’s best friend is nervous to see him again after years. Beckett does not recognize his best friend’s little sister but is immediately attracted to her. With a little matchmaking from her mother they are stranded alone on an island. Molly is the sunshine that Beckett doesn’t realize that he is missing from his life. After helping Molly through her seizure the two bond. Wes, her overprotective brother I tried to put a stop to this budding relationship. With time apart Beckett mends his reclusive ways. When the two reunite they know that they are meant for one another. I really did enjoy this book but both narrator’s voices were hard to listen to. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

One of the aspects I really appreciated about this book is its portrayal of epilepsy. Drawing from the author's own experiences, she conveyed it in a way that felt authentic and heartfelt. It was beautifully done.

I really dislike writing negative reviews, but this book just didn’t resonate with me. I think the author had some great story ideas, but I didn’t feel the chemistry between Molly and Beckett.

publication date- Oct 01 2024
#ANotSoHolidayParadise #NetGalley

This was cuteness overload!! I have not read this author before and I have been missing out! I loved this. She write a disability in the mc, epilepsy. Which I can relate to because too got it in puberty! Loved this book!! 5 ⭐️

Many thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Select for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Not-So Holiday Paradise presents a really fun spin on a holiday romance! Molly accidentally gets stranded on a remote island with her brother's best friend during her family's holiday cruise. The added element of epilepsy representation, taken straight from the author's personal experience, was really interesting to read about. This book was sweet, and, living in a warm climate myself, it was nice to read a holiday book in that setting. However, I found the female narrator's sing-songy voice grating, and the male narrator sounded angry even during what were supposed to be the more romantic parts, so I think I may have enjoyed this book more in written form than audio.

Thank you to Dreamscape Select for gifting me with an ALC to review! All opinions are my own.

Set in the Virgin Islands, I loved this tropical twist on a holiday romance! I appreciated the epilepsy representation, and the fact that it was drawn on from the author’s own experiences. It was eye-opening! It’s a way of life for some people, and Wes’ walk through of how to handle the seizure was great! Story was a great example of good communication between the characters.