Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for the opportunity to preview this gifted ALC.

If you're looking for a little bit of a Christmas story with a heavy amount of spice, this would be the story for you!

Alexander arranges for his brothers to take their private plane on an emergency getaway to Aspen after his brother catches his fiance sleeping with his best friend the night before the wedding.

The relationship between the brothers was the best part of the story! I wish we had more time to spend with them. From what I gathered from the story they don't get to spend a lot of time together so the trip was a great bonding experience.

Alexander feels he was the cause of their father's death 20 years earlier during the holidays. The guilt has turned him into quite the grinch and he hates everything about the holidays.

Haven's family ran the local Christmas Tree farm and Christmas shop that were left to her after the passing of her parents. She was also left with a mountain of debt and has been working multiple jobs to pay off the debt.

Alenader and Haven connect a little in an emotional way, but mostly in a physical way (3 Open-door scenes). She helps soften him towards Christmas a little.

My frustration is Alexander's family is loaded and he could have easily worked a Christmas miracle and taken care of some of Haven's debt and stress. Instead it was just a promise to see you this time next year. I feel like it was a missed opportunity!

The audio was a dual POV and both narrators did a great job. The male narrator had a British accent which fit with the vibe of the story.

Romance Content: 3 Open-door scenes and explicit language

Perfect fast paced holiday romance! Thank you Netgalley and Lulu Moore for this ALC. Shane East and C.J. Bloom were great. This novella had banter, Christmas vibes, and spice. I cannot wait to read The Valentine Nook Chronicles as they come out. The family had me laughing throughout the whole read. The brothers banter and relationship with each other was great, and the chemistry between Alex and Haven was perfection.

Holiday romance
Billionaire
Grumpy / Sunshine
Instalove
Small town
Spice
British MMC

Okay well I’ll be counting down the days until September when more of this series comes out.

This was a great introduction to the Burlington Family. Lando is running away from his wedding and his brothers Alex, Hendricks and Miles take him to Aspen for the week! This is a prequel book to introduce you to the family and follows Alex and Haven. Haven runs a Christmas tree farm and loves all things Christmas while Alex hates Christmas. The immediate connection and chemistry between these two 😮‍💨 I absolutely loved watching Alex do some of the Christmasy things and find some joy in Christmas because of Haven.

“Like Theo James soaked himself in a vat of honey. Is it possible to be turned on by an accent?” Listen. Shane East and CJ Bloom narrate this one. And if you love listening to a narrator with an accent? Shane East is excellent! And how can you not love CJ Bloom? I got the audio halfway through reading it and had to listen for the accent!

Warning though - this is a HEA to be continued. And I know their story doesn’t continue in the first book of this series but I’m betting on book 2!🤞🏻 Thank you to the author, Valentine PR and Dreamscape for my #gifted copies of this book. All opinions are my own.

Shane East goes with Christmas audiobooks the way peanut butter goes with jelly. Then, add in CJ Bloom’s hilarious narration of Haven, and you have a super funny and extra hot holiday prequel novella with a “happy for now” ending. Haven and Alex were so perfect, and I’m beyond ready to hear how their story progresses. This was my first Lulu Moore book, but I am HOOKED now!

Once Upon a Christmas Tree by Lulu Moore is a delightful little Christmas novella that’s perfect for cozying up with a cup of hot cocoa. It's got all the right troupes for a festive read: a grumpy hero, a sunshine heroine, and a whole lot of holiday cheer.

Haven, our Christmas-obsessed heroine, is a breath of fresh air. Her enthusiasm is infectious, and I couldn’t help but smile at her love for all things Christmas. Alex, the grumpy billionaire, who despises Christmas. Their one night stand was steamy and full of chemistry.

The narration by Shane East and C.J. Bloom is fantastic. East’s British accent is spot-on, and both narrators bring the characters to life. I really enjoyed the pairing of these two narrators for this story.

If you're in the mood for a quick, fun, and steamy Christmas read, Once Upon a Christmas Tree is definitely worth checking out.

While it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger per-say, you will need to read the first book in this new series to get more of these two.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for an ALC of this audiobook. I voluntarily read it and gave an honest review.

The story is everything I love in a holiday romance! It was an absolute delight that I devoured it in a day! The chemistry between Alex and Haven was electric! The setting of Aspen added a cozy, wintry touch that made me want to curl up with hot cocoa while reading.

Alexander, Lord Burlington, is the ultimate holiday skeptic. His disdain for all things Christmas adds humor to the story, especially when contrasted with Haven Wylder’s enthusiasm. Haven is a ray of sunshine with her warm personality and genuine love for the season. She’s a character that’s easy to love, resilient in the face of hardship yet full of holiday cheer.

The narration of the audiobook was spot on! The narrators, C.J. Bloom and Shane East, brought the story to life and captured the nuances of their personalities. If you’re looking for a holiday romance with charm, humor, and a touch of spice, Once Upon a Christmas Tree is a must read/listen!

I had the pleasure of listening to the Audiobook version of Once Upon A Christmas Tree and oh wow was it amazing! The narrators did a spectacular job of bringing the British mmc and American fmc to life! This book was a chance meeting between two people who lead polar opposite lives on different sides of the world who have both had recent struggles and find their way to each other when Alexander travels to Aspen and meets local girl Haven. Lulu definitely knows how to leave a reader hanging with how this book ended, I need to read the next one in this series immediately.

Book Title: Once Upon A Christmas Tree
Series: A Valentine Nook Chronicles Prequel
Author: Lulu Moore
Format: 🎧
Narrators: Shane East and C.J. Bloom
Publisher: Dreamscape Select
Genre: Christmas Romance
Pub Date: November 15, 2024
Rating: 2 Stars
Pages: 220

Haven Wylder is a very busy lady , She is either working on her ranch or in her Christmas store and taking on every other job she can, She had no time for fun but the one thing she does love are the holidays and the annual gingerbread decorating competition.

Alexander, Lord Burlington, hates the holidays.

Haven has no idea who Alex is but she has a goal to change his mind about Christmas.

Haven wasn’t the only one clueless as I mistakenly thought this was going to be a sweet cozy Christmas story. This author is new to me but after reading reviews from readers who love her it was expected.

It didn’t work for me-
I was immediately disappointed. with the profanity.
Lessons learned -
Don't judge a book by its cute cover and title!!!

Want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Select for granted me this audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for November 15, 2024.

The perfect book to get you into the holiday spirt I love anything Christmas and this one will definitely be re-listened too! Must read!!

This sweet and spicey holiday romance is a great introduction to Moore's new series 'The Valentine Nook Chronicles'! This is my first book by Moore and after meeting her fun and swoony British Burlington men, I am really excited to read more about them. Alex and his brother's came to Aspen to escape the fallout from his brother's disastrous wedding. Alex does not like the holidays, but when he visits a few festive local shops, he can't get the beautiful local woman he keeps seeing, out of his head. When he and his brother's are out for dinner, he sees Haven working there, and makes his move. Haven lost her parents and wants to keep the family businesses alive, along with their shared love for the holidays. When a charming Brit comes into her shop, the chemistry is instant. There is something thrilling and freeing to give into someone who doesn't know her tragic history. They enjoy a night of unbridled passion, knowing their time together is fleeting. But neither can forget the fiery connection they felt, and they start to want more with each other. But how can they make it work when they are so different, and they live on different continents? I really fell for Alex and Haven and cheered hard for their HEA. I loved their fun banter, the tender moments of vulnerability and their chemistry was so off the charts, it left me wanting more of them! I also loved getting a small introduction into all the dashing Burlington men and am excited for more of them as well.
Shane East and C.J. Bloom did an amazing job bringing these characters and story to life, immersing me in this new world, and making it a captivating listen. They are perfectly cast with their humor, chemistry, and easy ability to draw me in and make me hunger for more! This prequel is a sweet and spicey holiday romance, that is everything naughty and nice, and a wonderful start to this new series.

Quick Summary: A sweet & spicy holiday treat

My Review: Once Upon a Christmas Tree by Lulu Moore is a Valentine Nook Chronicles Prequel.

About the Book: "A swoony, one night stand, holiday, vacation romance..."

The Burlington brothers steal away on a holiday break after a life altering betrayal. During their time away from life as they know it, a hot and heavy one night stand turned more erupts between Alexander, Lord Burlington, and a local by the name of Haven. One taste of their particular brand of sparks is not enough for either.

About the Characters: I loved them all. The brothers, the community, the friends. I want to know more. Also, I have to say that the mother totally intrigued me.

About the Epilogue: Did someone say an actress and the elder Burlington brother might just have a chance encounter? Hmm... (You definitely have my attention.)

About the Narration: Shane East and C.J. Bloom were the narrators for this jaunty romp. They did a superb job. They were so entertaining that I lost myself in the story from the jump.

My Final Say: Yes and more, please. I want all of the books right now. I absolutely loved everything - the characters, the conflict, the tension, the heat, the heart. The story was just what a prequel should be. Let's go!

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Status/Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere and heartfelt appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Select | Lulu Moore), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very, very much for granting access to an ALC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. It was a sensational story. I cannot wait to acquaint myself with this series. It was an absolute pleasure to review.

A feel good, SPICY, small town holiday romance between two people whose lives are on opposite sides of the world yet can't resist the sparks that fly while they're in the same charming town at Christmas. There was great emotional depth, fun side characters, humor and excellent audio narration by CJ Bloom and Shane East (whose English accent was very well done). I'm excited for the next book in this series! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!! A quick and entertaining listen that is sure to standout this season.