We Three Kings by Kristen Bailey is an adorable holiday romcom about Maggie and her friendship with the 3 men she works with. When they find out she will be spending the holidays alone..the guys all include her in their plans! While the plot was predictable, it was still very enjoyable and sweet! The narrator does a great job and I'd recommend it as a read/listen this upcoming cozy holiday season!

Thank you to Dreamscape Select | Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ALC!

We Three Kings
by Kristen Bailey
narrated by Harrie Dobby

Five Stars

Maggie is head of IT for a financial firm and she loves her job! When she was first hired she was managing two employees, Jasper and Frank. Then she was able to hire another to fill the team, Leo. They work perfectly together! When the guys find out that Maggie will be on her own for the holidays they all decide to include her in theirs. She fake dates at a wedding, hangs out as a friend where she rescues some baby foxes, and she spends a wonderful Christmas with Leo. All the while knowing that after the holidays she is responsible for making one of her team redundant. HOW?! How is she expected to do this when each one brings something to the team that is very important? On top of that, she and Leo are FINALLY exploring their feelings for one another.

This was a really sweet holiday story with a HEA. I would definitely recommend it, plus it's fun seeing the IT team represented. I think this is only my second book involving IT and they don't get enough spotlight. Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Select and the author for the opportunity to listen to and review this story. All thoughts are my own.

#WeThreeKings #KristenBaily
#HarrieDobbyNarrator #ChristmasTime
#Holidays #ITTeam #Redundancy
#HardChoices #WorkPlaceRomance
#Contemporary #ChickLit #Audiobook
#ALCReview #ReadThisBook #ReadAllTheBooks
#NetGalley #DreamscapeSelect

Title: We Three Kings
By: Kristen Bailey
Pub. Date: October 14, 2024

Genre:
Fiction, Holiday Romance

Trigger Warnings:
Adult language, Profanity, LGBTQ, Mentioned Spicy Scene

Summary/Review:
Maggie finds herself alone for the holidays, however, her three IT employees have made other arrangements for her. She will spend time with all of them individually, Frank, Jasper and Leo. First, she will be Frank’s plus one, then Maggie will join Jasper for a few days on his family estate and lastly, with Leo and his big family. Unfortunately, right before Maggie leaves on Christmas break her HR department tells Maggie she must cut a position. She must make the decision of which friend’s position Maggie will cut. How can Maggie move forward with her Christmas plans, knowing she has a very tough decision to make? She knows this is a life altering decision and Maggie doesn’t know what to do?

Overall, the plotline was predictable and decently written, a good read. However, by the middle of the book I felt it was dragging…I continued on. For me, the book started out stronger than it finished, and the relationship with Leo felt like it was lacking and needed more depth. Several other reviews tag this romantic novel as ‘Hallmark like’ however, it had too much profanity and language with one referred spicy scene. For these reasons, I would not consider this Hallmark like. If you like the following authors or books posted below, give “We Three Kings” a try.
*This was a audio listen for me and the author did have a British accent, however, it was slightly harder to follow along as the voices never changed by the narrator.

Similar books to:
The Plus One Pact by Portia MacIntosh
The Book Pact by Tessa Bickers
The Break-Up Pact Emma Lord

Thank you Kristen Bailey, Harrie Dobby, Dreamscape Select, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#KristenBailey
#HarrieDobby
#DreamscapeSelect
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

3.75 out of 5 stars!

I hadn't read anything by this Kristen Bailey before, but I often came across her books on my feed. When I saw this one—with its captivating cover and intriguing premise—I knew I had to give it a try. Plus, it's set during Christmas, and I can never resist a festive read!

This delightful Christmas story blends friendship and sweet romance perfectly. I loved how Maggie's holidays unfolded with Frank, Jasper, and Leo, filled with fun antics, quirky relatives, and a fake dating twist. The bond among the co-workers felt genuine, evolving into a true family by the end.

Onto my experience with the audiobook:
The narrator added extra layers of warmth to the story. Her expressive delivery brought the characters to life, making their emotions and interactions even more engaging. Listening to her narration truly enhances the cozy atmosphere of the book, making it a delightful experience overall.

This was such a nice and adorkable Christmas story about love, family, friendships and more!!

We Three Kings caught my attention because the plot differs from your average Christmas romance novel. Maggie, the head of IT at a financial firm, is invited to spend the holidays with each of her three male co-workers. However, she learns she must lay off one of them as she embarks on her holiday adventures with them, which include playing a fake girlfriend at a wedding, rescuing baby foxes, and chasing a donkey in the Lake District. She also navigates her growing romantic feelings for one of them.

This novel is great for those who love British holiday charm. It's quirky and entertaining. It's never too heavy or too light. Without mentioning any spoilers, I'm still not sure how I feel about her ultimate work decision, but overall I enjoyed this holiday read and think most readers will too.

Maggie loves her job as head of IT at a financial firm, and her three geeky but lovable work buddies. And when they invite her to stay with each of them for the holidays, she can’t resist the chance to get to know them better. But then her boss tells her she has to make one of her beloved team redundant, and Maggie is distraught. Can she find a way to keep her work family together, and maybe even find true love?

Maggie was the light in her dark and cold basement IT office that she shared with Frank, Jasper and Leo. They naturally wanted to liven up her holiday instead of her spending it alone. This led to a fun-filled holiday adventure as she got to know her three work friends outside the office.

I loved how each of the characters was fleshed out as they took Maggie to their holiday events. She did everything from being an impromptu bridesmaid, fox baby rescuer and foster mum, a bird and reindeer impersonator to even taking selfies with donkeys 😂 I loved cameos from the previous holiday book's characters 😄 Kristen's signature wit shined through as well.

It became increasingly difficult to make a decision on who to let go as she discovered how much the job meant to each of her three friends. It also made it difficult for anything more to develop with Leo as their feelings and attraction grew.

I loved how it worked out in the end. I listened to the audio. There wasn't much of a distinction between Maggie and the other characters for the most part but it was a good job overall with the different accents.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review. Can't wait for the next book from Kristen!

Rating: 4.5⭐
Steam level: 1.5🌶️ Closed door, innuendo

This was such a fantastic book of friendship and love. I loved the vibe s, the camaraderie, the extended family. Just perfect, the audiobook was done very well too. I was just laughing the whole time, but there is also so much warmth in the book. 10 stars.

#netgalley #WeThreeKings

After Textbook Romance, Kristen solidified herself as a dave of mine and We Three Kings is no different. I enjoy how much natural humor is infused into every exchange between characters. Every look, sigh, and reaction is designed with purpose and makes every book such a visceral experience. I loved it!

When Maggie is left with no plans for Christmas, her three coworkers concoct a plan to spread the Christmas cheer by “scheduling” her to spend the holidays between them. What follows is a hilarious tale of brief fake dating, supportive friendships and of course, true love.

EXCERPT: ' . . . it's the twenty-seventh of November, Maggie,' Frank replies with a heavy hint of sarcasm. 'There is not a hint of Christmas in this place.'
I look around, listening to the November rain thunder down, almost drowning out the mariachi music. Some Halloween decor is still hanging near the kitchens. 'Imagine the cactus in the corner is a Christmas tree.'
They all look confused, like teenagers who've been dragged out against their will.
'How does Darth Vader like his turkey?' I say, trying to lighten the mood, and holding my phone up again, ready. Their faces are blank. Nothing. And you call yourself geeks? 'On the dark side?'
And finally I get a laugh. I take the picture, then turn my phone around to have a look. Frank throws up a touristy peace sign, Jasper is pulling some sort of Elvis lip curl, we've caught Leo mid-laugh, I look less horsey. It'll do. I'll print it out and put it on our office noticeboard as a reminder of the time we attempted to have a life beyond our office walls.
You see, I had thought this would be a good idea. Given that our office smells a lot like Doritos Cool Original chops for most of the year, I thought, where better to host our Christmas dinner than in a Mexican restaurant? This place has hats you can wear and all-you-can-eat fajitas and free Mexican-style Day of the Dead tattoos. It's fun, and I suspect what is lacking in all our lives is a bit of fun. And daylight, to be fair.

ABOUT 'WE THREE KINGS': Maggie Field was looking forward to a solo Christmas in her cosy London flat – before her three workmates decided to liven things up for her.

Maggie loves her job as head of IT at a financial firm, and her three geeky but lovable work buddies. And when they invite her to stay with each of them for the holidays, she can’t resist the chance to get to know them better.

But then her boss tells her she has to make one of her beloved team redundant, and Maggie is distraught. Frank’s work is his world, Jasper’s sarcastic humour is everything, and Leo…well, he’s talented, professional, confusingly attractive, dependable, and funny… Maggie definitely doesn’t want to lose him.

With her career and her heart on the line, Maggie sets off on the Christmas adventure of a lifetime, from playing fake girlfriend at a lavish wedding, to rescuing baby foxes on a posh country estate, to chasing a very confused donkey on Christmas Day in the Lake District. She can’t ignore the sparks between her and Leo – but she also can’t avoid her dilemma.

Can she find a way to keep her work family together, and maybe even find true love under the mistletoe?

MY THOUGHTS: This was my first book by Kristen Bailey and it was fun! It is light and amusing, with (mostly) endearing characters - I am excluding Cressida and the horrid woman from HR.

I loved the chemistry between Frank, Jasper, Leo and Maggie. They are a great team of IT geeks who aren't above taking a little bit of revenge when people do dumb things on their computers - like forgetting to plug it back in and switch the power on!

I loved that the three guys cared for Maggie so much that they organised between them to share her over the holiday season. We get new insights into their characters seeing them in their home environments, away from work.

Maggie's holiday is filled with amusing incidents, including kidnapping a donkey, but all the time there is a cloud hanging over her - who is she to make redundant? I came up with the solution well before she did, but I'm glad she got there in the end.

I was rooting for Maggie and Leo throughout, once they acknowledged their attraction, but talk about a rocky road! There were times I wanted to bang their heads together in frustration. Did they make it? That's for me to know and you to find out.

Innovative and amusing. I'll be reading more by this author.

I combined my reading and listening experience of We Three Kings. Harrie Dobby is an excellent narrator.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#WeThreeKings #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Mother-of-four, gin-drinker, binge-watcher, receipt hoarder, enthusiastic but terrible cook. Kristen writes women’s fiction and she hopes her novels have fresh and funny things to say about modern life, love and family.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for providing both a digital and audio ARC of We Three Kings written by Kristen Bailey and narrated by Harrie Dobby for review. all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

We Three Kings
Kristen Bailey

Maggie is the supervisor of IT, she has 3 men that work under her. They are not just her employees they are her friends. The IT department gets left out a lot. The department is on the bottom floor, as in the basement. They were not invited to the Christmas party, and they are not provided with shiny Christmas trees like the other departments. Maggie does everything she can to keep spirits at a high level. She carried a Christmas tree on the METRO, she bought the decorations, and she planned a department party. The men appreciate all she does for them. Each one of the men invite her to stay with them for the holidays. She was looking forward to quiet Christmas in her London flat, but she couldn’t resist getting to know them better.
As she started out the door on the last workday before Christmas break, HR calls her into the office. She has two weeks to decide which one of her team will be laid off. Maggie is very upset. Jasper has a cynical wit. Frank’s world revolves around his work. Leo is gifted, professional, cute, reliable, and funny. She doesn’t want to get rid of any of them but especially not Leo.
The team has planned a hilarious Christmas break for her. She pretends to be Frank’s girlfriend at his sister’s wedding, she helps rescue a baby fox on a country estate, and she chases a donkey on Christmas Day. With a team like this how can she ever decide who to let go.
I love the relationship Maggie has with each member of her team. She is the glue that holds the team together. Maggie is kind, charming and thoughtful. Jasper, Frank and Leo each have distinctive personalities. The team cares about her. This is a delightful Christmas book.

A feel good British holiday romance with a fresh premise that sees the manager of an IT team helping out the three male colleagues over the holidays only to find herself falling for one of them but having to decide which of them to let go from the company. Complications ensue! Funny and heartfelt, this was good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Catherine Walsh. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

I adore Kristen Baileys books and this one was no exception. I Absolutely LOVED THIS ONE! If you’re looking for a festive, feel good read with such adorable characters then you need to put this one on your TBR list. Kristen Bailey has such a knack for writing quirky but lovable storylines and even more adorable characters that will have you laughing out loud. There was many the time I laughed out loud while listening to this one. I listened more than read and loved it in the audio format. It really brought it to life and the narrator did such an incredible job and really added to the listening experience.i hope to meet Maggie, Jasper, Frank and Leo again in the future. I’m firmly in the Christmas spirit after this one. Another great read Kristen Bailey 🥰.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kristen Bailey and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to listen/read and review #WeThreeKings

UNEXPECTED.

I went into this very blind, only knowing that I liked Bailey’s Christmas romance last year. I did like the audiobook narration for this one and found it to be an easy listen. This was a bit more fiction than I was expecting but I think the heart of this story was wonderful and this was a genuinely kind book.

Maggie Field was adorable and sweet and I loved her character. And her found family work friends were the perfect group to follow around for the holidays. I loved the laugh inducing antics and the quiet, bond forming moments too. It’s a heartfelt read that was full of festive cheer. I actually really liked the way the ending came together and it was a bit of joy in my day to finish this one.

Overall audience notes:

Holiday Romance
Language: low
Romance: closed door

I laughed and I cried and I loved this book! What a perfect uplifting holiday read. Can't wait to share this one with friends!

4⭐️ This was so cute. Predictable but super sweet as Maggie cares for her coworkers in the office and outside it too. 3.5⭐️ for the narration by Harrie Dobby. Fantastic job with Maggie but I wanted a little more for the male characters narration.

Maggie is the supervisor in the IT department with three male coworkers. To call them geeky is an understatement. They all have their flaws, but now Maggie has to make one of the fellas redundant. Worst of all, it’s Christmas and her decision is due after the holiday. How can she make such a hard decision when each of them has befriended her to the point of invitations to their family events.

Thank you to @netgalley @dreamscape_media @kristenbaileywrites for the advanced listener copy. #wethreekings #netgalley #advancedlistenercopy #audiobookstagram #audiobooks

Thank you to Kristen Bailey, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book was so sweet and cozy to read! We are first introduced to Maggie, Jasper, Leo and Frank as they work together in the basement as the forgotten IT tech department and make plans on how to help Maggie not spend the Christmas holidays alone.

Going into this book I was not expecting how wholesome the relationships would be between Maggie and the three men on this book. I truly enjoyed watching her friendship with two of the men (and one romantic relationship) blossom over the course of this book.

While this book is set in December and the Christmas holidays, it wasn't oozing with Christmas which would make it an enjoyable read at any time of year.

This was my first book by Kristen Bailey and I would love to read more from her in the future! Her writing style flowed effortlessly and made for a very enjoyable reading experience.

This audiobook is a charming holiday romance centered around one woman and her relationships with three captivating colleagues at their workplace. Set against the backdrop of the festive season, the story masterfully weaves together themes of love, friendship, and self-discovery.

The dynamics among the four characters create an engaging love triangle that keeps the tension high and the listeners invested. Each character brings a unique personality to the story, and the narrator does an exceptional job of giving them distinct voices, enhancing the overall experience.

The holiday setting adds warmth and charm, with festive parties and cozy moments that perfectly capture the spirit of Christmas. The playful banter and romantic tension make for an entertaining listen, while the protagonist’s journey of navigating her feelings and choices adds depth to the narrative.

This audiobook is ideal for anyone looking for a cozy romantic comedy that showcases the magic of the holidays through the lens of work relationships. It’s a delightful listen that will surely put you in the festive mood!

Many thanks to the author for the gifted digital copy and to @NetGalley and @stormboos_co for the advanced listening copy of the audiobook. Below is my honest review.

Maggie leads a small but fierce IT team made up of Frank, Jasper, and Leo. She loves her job and her quirky crew—and they love her just as much. So when they find out she’s spending Christmas alone, they refuse to let it happen. Their solution? Each of them takes Maggie along for their own holiday plans leading up to Christmas. What follows is a whirlwind week where Maggie finds herself fake-dating the ever-serious Frank at a wedding, rescuing baby foxes with the eccentric Jasper, and emergency babysitting with the infuriatingly handsome but caring Leo. Along the way, Maggie realizes just how much these three men mean to her, in very different ways. As the holidays unfold, their bonds deepen, secrets are shared, and they all guide each other toward the love and happiness they deserve.

This was my third Kristen Bailey novel, and once again, she perfectly balances heart and humor in her writing. She has a unique talent for taking familiar romance tropes—whether it's Teach Me (Sex Ed), Age Gap (Textbook Romance), or Boss/Employee (We Three Kings)—and turning them into something fresh and magical. While this book is definitely a romance, at its heart We Three Kings is a celebration of friendship. I enjoyed the complex, hilarious, and heartwarming dynamic between these four IT professionals working in a sketchy basement office and finding family in one another. It’s a sweet, holiday-themed story with so much heart.

The audiobook, narrated by Harrie Dobby (who also narrated Kristen’s Sex Ed), is wonderfully done and runs just under 9 hours at 1x speed. It’s a great listen for anyone looking to dive into a feel-good, festive read!

This was a GREAT story to listen to! AWESOME narration! Great main characters. The plot was easy to find. The story was engaging and easy to follow. Will be purchasing this book. Shout out to Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to listen and review this story.

4 STARS!

Ready for a new holiday listen?? Put We Three Kings at the top of your tbr list! It was a great listen!