Once Upon a Christmas Tree was my first holiday read of the year!

This prequel is a steamy insta-lust romance featuring a Christmas tree farm owner and a billionaire grinch.

If you’re looking for a quick, steamy romance to get you in the holiday spirit, this book is full of all things Christmas.

Insta-lust is not a trope that works for me, and I was hoping for a bit more connection and build up. But if you enjoy insta-lust then I think you’d enjoy this!

A perfectly narrated opposites attract (so so very opposite) to so much more story about billionaire brothers, one very annoying overbearing mother, good friends, an amazing woman just trying to hold on to what is hers, small town romance. Four very handsome and wealthy brothers hop into their private jet and head to Aspen to help one of them recover from a romantic betrayal. Alexander the oldest brother with a serious hate on for Christmas meets Haven. She is all about sweetness, sunshine, perseverance. She is doing all she can by working multiple jobs to pay off the medical debt left after her parents deaths and keep her family legacy hers. That legacy is a Christmas tree farm and store and represents everything to her, but to him yikes. Though they nothing in common the chemistry is real. When he wants time with her and she is too busy as she is working Alexander steps in to help. They are a wonderful couple, but live a continent away. So how will they make this work? It’s a fun listen to that answer and leaves us with some hints as to what is coming in the next in this series. Uprated to 4 from what would have been a 3.5 if half stars available.

Aspen, Colorado just got a little bit warmer this holiday season! Lulu Moore delivered a spicy little Christmas novella you will not want to miss.

Haven Wilder is determined to keep her parents' memory alive, juggling their bakery and Christmas tree farm. All while trying to stay afloat in the process and barely getting by. Haven loves Christmas and is looking forward to the annual gingerbread competition. As the holidays near, Haven looks up and finds British billionaire Alex at the bar. Alex, on holiday in Aspen with his brothers hates Christmas but is trying to cheer one of his brothers up after he found his fiancé cheating. The two have instant chemistry and it doesn't take long before things get HOT! What the two do not expect is to bond over similar pasts. What was supposed to just be a holiday fling is starting to feel more real for Haven and Alex.

Once Upon a Christmas Tree was such a treat. The audiobook was amazing, Shane East did a fantastic job! You get the fun Christmas competition, the holiday spice, and a sweet ending that is the perfect set up for Lulu's new series. I can't wait to see what's in store for this crew.

Once Upon a Christmas Tree by Lulu Moore

This is the perfect “Hallmark” feeling Christmas audiobook!! I absolutely loved it and finished it so fast. Both narrators were so easy to listen to and did a great job. I will definitely be binging each book in the series as they come out.

Alex is a wealthy lord who hates Christmas because of his father’s passing.

Haven lives in Aspen and she is working herself to death to pay off her late parents’ debts. She loves Christmas and helping spread Christmas cheer in her town.

When Alex and Haven meet they are instantly attracted to each other. Alex spends his vacation time in Aspen pursuing Haven and when it comes time to leave her, he can’t yet.

This book is a prequel so it doesn’t EXACTLY end in a complete HEA but I loved it just the same. It was such a cute, cozy Hallmark holiday feeling book and I gobbled it up.

I am a new Lulu Moore fan and I can’t wait for the rest of this series!

Both narrators did an amazing job with doing different accents and voices for each characters. They portrayed the feelings and emotions well for each character and came across as genuine. I will definitely be looking for more books narrated by them!

This heartwarming holiday story is filled with romance, humor, and a touch of festive magic. It follows Alex and Haven, whose lives keep intertwining during Alex’s vacation. Alex’s gruff dislike of Christmas hilariously clashes with Haven’s infectious holiday cheer, sparking undeniable chemistry and witty banter. Their romance strikes a perfect balance between sweet and steamy, while Alex’s interactions with his brothers add a heartfelt, fun family dynamic. As Alex’s vacation winds down and with his home in another country, the two must navigate a difficult decision about their future together. The narrators brilliantly bring Alex and Haven’s connection to life, making the story even more captivating. For a cozy, uplifting holiday read that will get you in the festive spirit, this book is a must read!

Book Title: Once Upon a Christmas Tree
Series Name: The Valentine Nook Chronicles
Book in Series: Prequel
Standalone: Yes.

Audiobook
Narrated By: CJ Bloom and Shane East
Narration Style: Dual

Book Rating: 4/5 stars
Audiobook Rating: 4/5 stars

Alexander and Haven were opposites; he was a grumpy British Lord who hated Christmas, and she was a sunshiny American who pretty much lived and breathed Christmas. Alex was in Aspen with his brothers for a vacation, and when he met Haven, he was instantly attracted.

Ah, this was super cute! Alex, despite hating Christmas, couldn’t stay away from partaking in the festivities, because it brought him time with Haven.

And Haven, she had such a heartbreaking backstory, but she always put a smile on her face. And she was so sweet to everyone.

These two had great chemistry and banter. And I loved seeing them fall for each and let each other in. I can’t wait for the rest of the series!

Narration notes:
The narrators did a great job! And I love audiobooks with accents, so I knew I’d enjoy this. The only thing that bothered me was that I could hear the “hissing” on all the “s” sounds. But other than that, I loved this.

📖: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5/5
🎧: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
🥵: 🌶️🌶️/5

Once Upon a Christmas Tree is a prequel story in the Valentine Nook series. It acts as an introduction to the aristocratic Burlington family, and sets them all up for their own adventures. The story is set in Aspen, where the four gorgeous Brits escape to after eldest brother Lando cancels his wedding on the day after he caught his fiancée cheating on him.

The main focus of the story is Alex Burlington, second son and total Grinch, and Haven Wylder, Aspen's Christmas tree shop owner and general helper wherever there are problems. Although their attitude to Christmas might be diametrically opposed, Haven starts to soften Alex's grinchy heart immediately. Their holiday romance is torrid, but the feelings start to sneak in for them both.

This story did a great job of showing us all of the brothers: newly single Lando, responsible for producing an heir to the dukedom; grinchy Alex, who is holding onto guilt for the death of their father; single dad Hendricks, content with the quiet life with his son; and his twin Miles, a complete womanizer.

As a prequel, it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger. There haven't been any happy ending yet, but the foreword by the author is up front about this at the start.

The narration was performed in dual style by Shane East and CJ Bloom. I thought they both did a good job, as I would expect from both! I didn't mind the accents they each did, and thought their pacing was good throughout.

I can't wait to read more from this series, I'm not sure I can wait for the next installment!

Format: Audiobook
Spice: 🌶️🌶🌶.5
Narrators: Shane East & C.J. Bloom

🎄Holiday Romance
🎄Aspen Setting
🎄British MMC
🎄Grinch x Christmas Lover
🎄Billionaire
🎄Insta Lust/Love
🎄Spicy Novella

This novella serves as a prequel to *The Valentine Nook Chronicles*. I thoroughly enjoyed all the festive Christmas vibes throughout the story. However, I was hoping for a proper conclusion to Alexander and Haven’s story, even though it’s a prequel. Instead, the epilogue offered a sneak peek into the eldest Burlington brother’s story.

That said, I’m now even more excited to dive into the rest of the series, as I already like all the brothers introduced in this story.

The narrators did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ALC!

A fun Christmas read that introduces you to the Barrington family. A holiday hook up that ends with a see you next winter. Can’t wait to read Haven & Alexander’s full story.

All the Christmas feels.

Audio review: loved this audiobook. Shane East is the perfect Alexander. CJ Bloom always delivers. Definitely recommend this in audio.

This is really sweet! I loved it! The narrators were perfect,
I loved the way the main protagonist (female) described men wrapped in cable knit sweaters like a gift.

Thank you so so much to NetGalley, Dreamscape Select and the author Lulu Moore for allowing me access to this ALC!
Once Upon A Christmas Tree is the first installment in the Valentine Nook Chronicles, a new series by the author Lulu Moore. I'm a massive fan of this author and I was already very excited for this book and I dived in as soon as I got the audiobook!
Alexander, Lord Burlington, hates Christmas but agrees to spend the holidays in Aspen to support his brother after a scandal. There, he meets Haven Wylder, a cheerful ranch owner who loves the holidays and has been working tirelessly to pay off her late parents' debts. Despite their opposing views on Christmas, sparks fly, and Haven begins to soften Alexander's grinchy heart. However, Alexander must decide if their connection is worth holding onto or leaving behind.
I absolutely loved Shane East! His narration was PERFECT! The accent, the deep and rich voice, OMG swooon!!!!! I'm still not over it!
I also adored C.J Bloom, your voice is honey to my ears!
I recommend this book to anyone who follow Lulu Moore career and want a new universe to dive in! Also to all new fans, who want a quick and spicy romance book fr the holiday, this one is for you!!!!

The Valentine Nook Chronicles prequel🎄❤️🎄❤️🎄

This short spicy Novella is an introduction to the peerage Valentine family.

We met the Valentine family when the 4 brothers fled to Aspen from Alexander's brother the Dukes failed wedding. More to come on their younger sister.

Haven loves all things Christmas in Aspen, even more this year so she can make the money she needs to save her family Christmas tree farm. When Alexander strolls in with big grinch British energy she falls in insta-lust.

Alexander is not a fan of Christmas after his fathers untimely passing around the holiday but he drags himself out in Aspen to keep his brother's spirits up. This is when he discovers the hard working beautiful Haven.

We are left on a cliffhanger as to what will become of this romantic and hot connection Haven and Alexander share over a few short days spent together. But it was definitely a great novella to get into the Christmas spirit!

Can't wait to continue the series

🎄Grinchie British Billionaire
🎄Insta Chemistry
🎄Holiday Novella
🎄Prequel with great character development



#spicyholidayromance #royalromance #prequelnovella #valentinepr #lulumoore

I needed more at the end the lead-up to the full series has me so upset! I needed a happier more complete ending. I will be getting the rest of the books because the two main characters need a happy ending ❤️

If you always wanted a spicier version of those Hallmark movies where a Prince or Lord falls in love with an American girl, then this is the holiday romance for you! Those were some of my favorites ones to watch and this spicy version fulfilled everything I hoped for in those!!

Alexander and his brothers are royalty in London and take a fun trip to Aspen to escape drama going on back home. They see that Aspen has all the Christmas vibes when they arrive and Alex’s brothers call him a Grinch as he hates Christmas. While there, he meets Haven Wylder, who owns a Christmas tree shop in town and kind of does it all in town. It’s an instant attraction romance which I love in a holiday novella as it kept this story a fast paced read with the perfect amount of sweet and spicy moments. From the tree shop, to egg nog, to cinnamons rolls and even a gingerbread house competition, this one just has all the feels of Christmas!

**This is a PREQUEL novella that kicks off a new series, however I was very confused to get to the end and hear that the rest of Alex & Haven’s story isn’t going to be next.🥲 This book ends with an “HEA to be continued” and you won’t get their full happily ever after until book 2. At the end of this novella, you do get a sneak peek into which brother will be kick off the Valentine Nook Chronicles series. While I am still very excited for this new series, I am bummed as I love reading couples stories in order.

AUDIO REVIEW:
I LOVED this one on audio!!! Shane East and CJ Bloom were perfectly casted and had me falling hard for Alex and Haven!!

Please tell me why I have never listened to a full audiobook by Shane East?!?! I flew threw this one on audio and couldn’t get enough of his British accent!! He completely embodied Alex’s character and just knows how to put on a performance of a story! Then there is CJ Bloom who has the perfect tone for the sunshine personality of Harper and just brought all the cheery Christmas feels of this story to life. She also did an outstanding job using a British accent when narrating Alex’s dialogue!

Overall, this is such a fun, cute and spicy holiday listen and was a great introduction to the Burlington brothers and the Valentine Nook series!

"So…what do you say? Same time next year?"
"I can do same time next year."

- Aspen setting
- holiday romance
- vacation fling
- billionaire Brit
- grumpy Grinch x sunshine Christmas store owner
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov
- narrated by Shane East and CJ Bloom

Once Upon a Christmas Tree is the perfect introduction to The Valentine Nook Chronicles. It 100% does what Lulu set out to do – introduce us to the four billionaire Burlington brothers. In just a few hours, we get a sense of their different personalities and backgrounds as they escape England for a week in Aspen after Lando calls off his wedding. It's a little teaser that'll have you wanting more!

But the main stars of the show are grumpy Alex and sunshine Haven. Alex has disliked Christmas ever since his dad passed away, but Haven personifies Christmas and helps him embrace the holiday again and forgive himself. In turn, Haven opens up to Alex about losing her parents.

For a novella, the book has a great combination of depth, plot, and spice. The Aspen at Christmas setting will also instantly get you into the festive spirit – cosy bars, gingerbread house competitions (SWOON), and Christmas decorations included.

Finally, I have to mention the audiobook. I love Shane East and CJ Bloom so much. Shane's English accent is *delicious*, and CJ Bloom pulls it off perfectly.

Thank you to Valentine PR and the author for the early audio copy!

I love how Lulu Moore’s male characters fall hard and fast! The romance was very cute and spicy. It was Christmas-y and cozy and a perfect length to read over a Christmas weekend. It sets up some characters I anticipate seeing in future books and I am excited to read more!

The narrators were great and I loved the dual POV and accents!

Round up from 4.5 ⭐️

Shane East and CJ Bloom did a wonderful job with this audio! I had so much fun listening to it and of course it put me in the holiday mood. 🫶🏻

𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘜𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘈 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘦 is a sweet, light-hearted holiday read. I loved so much about it, but I think the banter, the angst and the spice were my favorite parts. THE SPICY SCENES THOUGH! 😳🥵 I definitely didn’t expect those! They put an edge to a super sweet book and I am here for it! No worries, there was definitely depth to the storyline. Alex and Haven both have a heavy history and the stress/hate that Christmas brings, brings them together and allows them to understand each other more. I do love the grumpy/sunshine this story brings. Who doesn’t love a grumpy/sunshine trope for the holidays? We all love a good Grinch!

This book is a prequel to a new series coming out, and I’m so excited to continue to read this fun storyline! Expect this read to put you in the holiday spirit and maybe some other spicy spirits (if you know what I mean). 😉 It’s a fun novella you don’t want to miss!!

Read if you like:
🎅🏻 Instant chemistry
🎄 Small town
❄️ Holiday romance
🤶🏻 Grumpy/sunshine

4.5 stars. This is everything I want from a holiday novella. The grumpy MMC falls hard for the Christmas-loving FMC. There is banter, tension, and spice all while maintaining the holiday cheer. The author does an excellent job of giving you enough of a plot while still keeping the page count down for a novella. The perfect blend of plot and spice. I also thoroughly enjoyed the narrators’ performances.

My only critique was that it is left a bit open ended. I know this is setting up a series but I so want to see how Alex and Haven’s story plays out. Something to look forward to I guess!

Thank you to Lulu, NetGalley, and Valentine PR for this ALC in return for my honest review. My opinions are my own.

Well, that was just the cutest Christmas novella ever!

I absolutely adored this story; it was the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. Alex is visiting Aspen with his hilarious brothers after his oldest brother's wedding is called off because his fiancé is caught cheating with is best friend. As they are doing their best to distract him, Alex stumbles upon Haven who is working her fourth job trying to make ends meet and pay off her late parent's medical debt.

This book was perfectly sweet and spicy. The chemistry between Alex and Haven was absolute perfection, and I absolutely loved the grumpy X sunshine (or dare I say grinch X elf) dynamic between the two of them.

Shane East's narration was so fun to listen to, I mean who doesn't love a British accent?! and C.J. Bloom embodied Haven's personality beautifully. The audio experience was fantastic!

All in all this is the perfect holiday novella and intro to a new series wrapped into the perfect package.

If I were to pick a favorite cliffhanger from a book I would choose this one. This is a novella, prequel to a series and a fantastic introduction to these characters.