This one was just okay for me. I love a good seasonally themed romance, but not much in this one actually takes place on New Years'. I wasn't able to ever really connect to the characters. They constantly felt distant and I struggled to keep my attention on the story. I did appreciate the social anxiety rep. I know that's a reality for many people. I love when an author works hard to authentically represent experiences like this. I'm sure there are also a number of readers out there that would connect with the TV series fandom and board game interest. I firmly believe this book is great for certain audiences. I just happen to not be included in them.

⭐⭐⭐
🌶️

I've never read a New Years Eve rom com and I have to say I loved this one. I was not disappointed in it this you've got mail inspired rom com.

ARC Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Roxy has struggled with social anxiety her entire life. It has impacted her ability to make friends, maintain relationships, and find love. With her social battery drained from work, she turns to an online forum for community. It not only connects her with people who share similar interests, it allows her to maintain her anonymity, which eases her insecurities. But when her closest online friend asks to take their relationship to the real world, will she be ready?

Alana Highbury’s Dance with me on New Year’s Eve is the third book in her Love and Holiday Series. Despite owning the previous books, I have yet to read them. I thought it would be fun to start with this one and work my way backwards, following chronological order (New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and Christmas).

However, after reading this book, I am not sure I will continue with this series. As someone who suffers from anxiety, it was incredibly difficult to read a book where the protagonist used excessive negative self talk. She was constantly putting herself down, taking self- deprecation to a whole new level.

Normally, reading a book that features a character with anxiety doesn’t bother me. In fact, I love seeing them navigate life and even overcome their demons. Unfortunately, this book had the adverse reaction. As a result, I felt Roxy’s anxiety transfer to me.

While this wasn’t the right fit for me, it is well written and accurately portrays what someone with social anxiety may go through.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Shipsvold Press, and Alana Highbury for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a nice enemies-to-lovers romance, but it took me a while to get into. However, I really liked how social anxiety was mentioned, making it the 'norm'.

Not a holiday book so do not be fooled, read it for thr fourth of July if you wish, this is a typicalish workplace enemies to friends without them actually knowing it (ala you've got mail) Roxy has social anxiety which is represented very well in this book amd nice to see that-- and jeff is her co owrker even though they are forced to work together despite being in different departments on a new project could they start to get along- dare say become friends but what about her on screen attachment- what to do? It's apparently part of a series but was find being a stand alone for me- its a ok read for me
Thanks netgalley for the copy!

Overall, "Dance With Me on New Year's Eve" is a nice enemies-to-lovers romance, but it took me a while to get into the story. I didn't immediately warm to the protagonist, Roxanne, and found the behaviour of Jeff's daughter implausible for a child her age.
However, I appreciated the way the author described Roxanne's struggle with social anxiety.

Roxy and Jeff are colleagues that don't get along, but online they are friends, not knowing who the other really is. What will happen when they find out the truth?

Spanning multiple seasons, this book takes the reader on a fun journey through reality and online presence, while also diving into the sometimes debilitating aspects of social anxiety and extreme shyness. This is not a story that takes place solely during the Christmas holiday season.

Jeff and Roxy have a story that plays out much like YOU’VE GOT MAIL, which is such a favorite and fun way to build a relationship. I enjoyed the way Roxy was able to feel a little more confident through a series of messages than she felt in real life working with Jeff. I know people who struggle with massive anxieties and thought the author did a great job of bringing those to light.

The characters are sweet and the plot is so much fun. Although this book is only told through Roxy’s point-of-view, it was pure joy to get to know Jeff and those close to him. I love how everything meshed together so well and kept me entertained.

Content: mild romance

This was just lovely, almost perfect in fact. The debilitating effect of anxiety on the day to day life is beautifully described. The social anxiety, the decisions taken and not taken and the impact on the little things in life, especially in romance and in work. There is a romance, and it is cute, a thawing of a work nemesis and a bonding in an online relationship also add to the telling. The ending is always obvious however the chapters are well crafted and little additions make it such a good book to read. It isn’t a plain romance, but a weaving of a life and all its problems and gifts into a book.

This was such a cute sweet romance with some really relatable themes throughout. The conversation around mental health felt real and Roxy’s relationships being difficult are so relatable.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read and review. What would have made it 5 stars is bearing a bit from Jeff.

I gave it my all to finish this book. The first 80% was pretty hard to get through. It was filled with cringy dialogue between the FMC and her online friend — it was obnoxiously long-winded, awkward, and digressive on her part. I understand some people struggle with social anxiety and rambling in real life…but stop talking. The social anxiety aspect of the FMC took too big of a role in this story, and the excessiveness of it was not pleasurable to read in the slightest. In addition to that, I thought the random deep conversation with her bosses about feelings was so weird and unnecessary. No where in the story does it ever talk about them having friendly conversations and then BAM let’s have an awkward conversation about feelings and becoming friends, not sure what this had to do with the overall storyline or why it needed to be included?? Also, when the FMC and MMC had their inevitable dispute, his SISTER approaches her and tells her to forgive him? Are we 12??? And the epilogue…not sure what that was but definitely not an epilogue. It would have been nice to have some closure on the characters about their future and where their relationship progressed to. I liked the idea of this story, but the execution was just not it for me.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Shipsvold Press for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book follows Roxy and Jeff coworkers that hate each other but both have a secret guilty pleasure that allows them to bond outside of work while complaining about each other to each other. How zany!
This book follows a you've got mail/shop around the corner vibe which I do love but I felt like I didn't get why MMC/FMC didn't really like each other.

Three things bugged me so much throughout the book.
1. MMC 8 year daughter, I could not find her dialogue believable for a kid? Maybe I just know unintelligent children but I found her to be an adult secondary character, not an eight year old.

2. Roxy is an introvert and socially anxious yet she somehow used to be practicing therapist and burnt out by 28(Great, know your limits, girl) but then became an event planner/personal assistant. All jobs seem to have things that she hates and probably aren't great for her anxiety? She discussed freaking out over video calls but one would assume being an event planner you'd be meeting with all kinds of people and having to have phone calls, video chats, and in person meetings.

3. The dialogue between Jeff and Roxy on their chat server didn't elude to romance, it read as clunky and I wanted to skip those parts but that appeared to be the only relationship building in the book, besides the picnic they had.


Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

**Dance with Me on New Year's Eve**
by Alana Highbury

Roxy has always felt the heavy weight of social anxiety pressing down on her, leaving her feeling isolated and self-conscious. As she navigates her daily life, moments of loneliness loom large, particularly when she begins working alongside her brusque colleague, Jeff. His sharp demeanour and no-nonsense attitude seem to amplify her stress and self-doubt, making the work environment feel even more challenging. In search of an escape from this internal turmoil, Roxy dives into an online game-making community, where she discovers a vibrant world filled with creative minds. It is here that she forms a bond with an intriguing guy who shares her passion for game design, adding a touch of excitement to her life.

What Roxy doesn’t realise, however, is that this charming online friend is Jeff himself. As their real-life interactions shift from a charged animosity to a fragile yet promising friendship, Roxy must confront a complicated web of emotions. Is it possible for her to reconcile her feelings for two men whom she believes are entirely different? Drenched in self-doubt yet yearning for connection, she is caught in a struggle to find happiness and confidence in both her online and offline worlds.

While I found great value in how the author vividly captured Roxy's experience with social anxiety, the central love story fell short for me. The tension and unresolved feelings between Roxy and Jeff lingered for what felt like an eternity, occasionally dragging the pace of the story. The epilogue left me feeling unsatisfied; I wished for a deeper exploration of what happened afterwards, longing to fill in the unanswered questions it posed. Though the romance offered a sweet touch, it lacked the spice that could have elevated the experience. The plot itself was somewhat thin, and I desired more detail to immerse myself fully in the storyline. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read overall. The "enemies to lovers" theme was palpable, but the dialogue, often presented in text format, was not a style that resonated with me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Shipsvold Press for this ARC. I loved this romance book and read it in one sitting. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for a prerelease of Dance with Me on New Years Eve, I struggled to get into this book. It had a solid plot line, but the characters personally didn’t drag me in.

this is a sweet and tender enemies to lovers story! I love stories with testing/messaging and the “it was you all along” and this book did both so well!

there is so much love and tenderness in this story. as Roxanne and Jeff learn mor of each other in real life at work and over chat where they don’t know it’s the other they’re talking to. there is so much growth, understanding, and love in this story, it was the ultimate comfort read with the loveliest happily ever after. thank you so much for the arc!

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I really liked the author's exploration of anxiety; it is very well-detailed through Roxy's journey, making me think this novel can be positive for those struggling with it, especially because we see her journey through acceptance and love.
That being said, I did not feel the sparks between her and Jeff, maybe a bit more during the chat interactions she had with her online friend, but even then... It did not make click on me. Their rivalry lasted for too long and sometimes the dialogue became too plain. Also, Lila sometimes talked more like a teen than an eight-year-old, throwing me off the story quite a few times.

Dance With Me on New Years Eve is the story of Roxy, who really struggles with social anxiety. The only person Roxy feels like she can be herself with is her online friend, Danny. But when she starts falling for her coworker Jeff, will she still be comfortable meeting Danny on New Years Eve?

The book was a very kind of sweet representative of Roxy's mental health struggles and the burdens of social anxiety. I love a You've Got Mail inspired book, and so this was a quick, fun read!

A swoon worthy enemies to lovers, grumpy/sunshine romcom with You’ve Got Mail vibes! This is my first book by Alana Highbury & won’t be my last. I enjoyed this cute story with great social anxiety rep.

Roxy’s been asked to do the impossible, work with her grumpy fellow coworker Jeff on a new project. Jeff brings out the worst in her & she feels the animosity coming off him whenever they’re together. As she struggles with anxiety, specifically social anxiety, Roxy doesn’t know how she’ll accomplish all she’s been asked to do.

To help her through her self-doubt & debilitating fears, she joins an online community & begins chatting with a guy named Danny. With him, she’s able to open up about herself & her feelings. They even begin working on producing a game together based on their favorite series.

As Roxy grows closer to Danny, she also starts finding out new things about Jeff. He’s not the curmudgeon she thought he was. He has a darling daughter & Roxy finds herself spending time with both of them & enjoying their company. As New Year’s Eve approaches, Roxy finds herself torn between two men. Who will she choose?

This book provided some great insights into social anxiety. Roxy really struggles & at times it was hard to read because I felt so bad for her. I have a loved one who suffers from anxiety & know how difficult it is when those internal voices tell them they’re not enough. Roxy has some parental issues as well. Her mother in particular thinks she’s just “shy” & needs to “just get over it” which is so demeaning to someone who suffers from this. Luckily, Roxy has a best friend & coworker friends who help her see the best in herself & let her know it’s okay if she can’t do all the things.

I loved Jeff & how understanding he was. He definitely has his own baggage which wasn’t explored as much since this was written solely from Roxy’s POV. Every glimpse I got of his character I enjoyed & I appreciated how long he’d liked Roxy. I also enjoyed his daughter Lila & sister Abby.

The ending was so satisfying! That kiss! I loved the twist at the end & how Roxy is able to work through everything.

Highly recommend this closed door, kissing only romcom, easily read as a standalone. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.

A Heartwarming Enemies-to-Lovers Romance with a Twist

*Fans of You've Got Mail will love this delightful holiday romance from Alana Highbury, which brings a fresh spin on the classic office romance with hidden identities and plenty of heart. Roxy, a woman struggling with social anxiety and self-doubt, is forced to work more closely with Jeff, her brusque and seemingly unfriendly colleague. The tension between them is palpable, and Roxy’s self-consciousness only grows as she faces her daily interactions with him. But, in a twist of fate, she finds solace and connection in an online gaming community where she befriends a mysterious guy who shares similar game-making goals. Unbeknownst to her, this online friend is none other than Jeff, and their virtual relationship evolves in ways Roxy never anticipated.

This story beautifully captures Roxy’s emotional journey as she grapples with her mental health issues, self-doubt, and the complications of her feelings for two seemingly different men—one she knows in real life, and the other in her online world. Highbury skillfully weaves together the themes of vulnerability, connection, and personal growth in a way that’s both heartwarming and emotionally resonant. The slow-burn romance and gradual shift from enemies to a deeper connection is both believable and satisfying, making this a perfect read for those who enjoy romance with a bit of angst.

The author’s portrayal of Roxy’s internal struggles is authentic and moving, offering a nuanced look at mental health and the challenge of finding happiness and confidence. This closed-door romance is sweet, charming, and full of heart, making it an ideal holiday read. If you're looking for a feel-good romance with depth, this one is not to be missed.