This was the very first audiobook I've ever listened to, and I have some (good) thoughts!

First, the narrators really helped make this book. They brought the story to life, which is what I imagine is the goal with narrating a book.

Second, the story was good. I've only read - I think - one hockey romance before this, so I can't say I'm an expert on them, but I'm definitely thinking I'm a hockey romance fan.

The characters were fun and layered, and I liked the progression. Overall, I'd recommend this book (and audiobook)!

Really enjoyed the narration of this title. The story was fun and interesting. Love a good enemies-to-lovers with banter plus sibling's best friend/best friend's sibling. Both characters were well-developed and likable. Looking forward to reading more titles by this author.

Katie Bailey has written another adorkable romcom in Holiday Hostilities.
HH is a brother's best friend, rivals to lovers, hockey romance that pairs flight attendant Olivia Griswold with hockey captain Aaron Marino.

Is unrequited hate a trope? Is there a name for when the mutual antagonism stems from one MCs secret crush and need to get the others' attention by any means available? Anyways, that's Aaron and Olivia. Aaron is Olivia's nemesis. Olivia is Aaron's best friend's little sister. Which makes Olivia double off-limits. But when Olivia comes back into Aaron's life, he can't help but try to needle his way into her heart.

Katie Bailey's latest has 1) temporary roommates 2) a bachelor auction where she has to outbid the stalker lady 3) him helping her find her love for the holidays with a romantic night at a private ice skating rink, and last but not least, an entire NHL team encouraging the romance.

Holiday Hostilities is a closed door romcom. It's a quick, quirky listen that will leave you eager to see which of the Atlanta Cyclones will fall in love next. Lee Samuels and Abigail Reno provide narration for this fun, holiday listen.

Thanks to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for the ALC of this audiobook.

I really liked this audiobook. I have read other Katie Bailey books before and knew she was an author who wrote books right up my alley. They are comical, swoony and fun. I loved the holiday feels in this one too.

I loved the dual narration on this one! So good! I can't get enough of this sweet sports romance! I didn't want it to end!

I received an ARC through Netgalley and all opinions are my own.

My library doesn't tend to buy a lot of sports romances, but I personally enjoy reading them and I like knowing what new titles are coming out for readers' advisory purposes. That said, I thought Holiday Hostilities was a great addition to the subgenre. The book is cute, witty, and an overall great read. I found myself wanting to make more time to listen to the audiobook because of how engaging it was.

This was adorable. I really enjoyed it and couldn’t stop listening! The narration was wonderful. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this audiobook.

Genre: Christmas romcom
Content: moderate amounts of mild language (112 instances of biblical swears/ no b or f words), some crude language, innuendo, brief mentions of sex, makeouts only (no implied intimacy)

I just want everyone to know that back in April while I was reading The Quit List, I messaged Katie Bailey telling her that I hoped we'd get Aaron and Olivia's story at some point. So basically, you're welcome. 😂😂😂

But seriously, Katie KILLED IT with this one!!! I knew I would love it from the cover alone but holy cow, guys, the story inside--it's fantastic! The banter is stellar. You definitely get the enemies to lovers vibes from Olivia but you can tell, even from the beginning, that while Aaron loves irritating Olivia, he doesn't actually hate her.

Olivia has legit psychotic roommates and Aaron has a stalker, of sorts. They enter into a mutually beneficial agreement that she can live in his guest room until she's able to find a new apartment and she will go with him to the hockey gala and bid a crazy amount on him so the crazy stalker doesn't "win" him. The forced proximity in the situation does what it should in any good romance and what you get is the happiest love story.

Aaron is GONE for Olivia. He is so adorable and so observant about all things Olivia. The breakfast burrito, the almond save, the stocked pantry/fridge, the Christmas gift. Ugh, I LOVED IT ALL.

Olivia softens toward Aaron once she helps him out for the gala, and I loved watching her walls coming down, and her seeing Aaron through fresh eyes for who he really was.

Also: THEIR FIRST KISS. 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Favorite Quotes:
😈 This fine morning, Aaron's wearing a black t-shirt that shows off every inch of his long, perfectly muscled, darkly tanned forearms, and a pair of black gym shorts that show off a lot of long, perfectly muscled, darkly tanned legs.
As if that wasn't enough, he's also sporting some annoyingly sexy stubble, alongside an even more annoyingly sexy backwards hat.
The devil has no business looking this good.

🔥 How, underneath all the banter and sparring, I was always kind of obsessed with the fire in her eyes.

😉 "I hate you."
"You know what they say, don't you?
'Hate is much closer to love than in-difference. Which means you practically love me."
Her cheeks flare an entirely new, quite pretty, shade of maroon. "In your dreams, Marino!"
And, purely for scientific purposes (AKA to see if I can make those cheeks darken to an even deeper red), I wink at her. "Every night, Lil Griz."

🐙 According to recent scientific research, octopuses occasionally punch fish who happen to be swimming by for no reason other than spite.
Apparently, the octopus is my spirit animal, because, right now, I'd like nothing more than to punch Aaron Marino in his stupid, pretty face.

😍 "How did you remember?"
"Remember what?"
"My allergy."
I meet her eyes. "I remember everything about you, Olivia. Every last detail."

❤️ "I just want to be with you, Olivia.
Whatever you want that to look like, I'm here for it. I'm yours."

🥰I might not know what the future holds, but I know that choosing to take a chance on this—on us—is worth the risk.
I'm not Aaron's type, I'm his person.
And he's mine.

This is the second book in the Cyclones Christmas series by Katie Bailey. It is a closed-door/kisses only contemporary romcom. It does contain some mild language and sexual inuendoes. If this were a movie, I'd say it would get a PG-13 rating. There are no strong curse words.

While this book is part of a series, the story can be enjoyed without having read the previous book. It is a standalone plot, while characters from the previous book are mentioned, I didn't feel like I was lost or missing anything having not read that one yet. The story itself is fun and the characters have lots of chemistry and banter.

I listened to the audio and really enjoyed the dual narration.

I did receive a copy of the audio via Netgalley and Dreamscape Media. I thank them for that but am leaving an unbiased and honest review based on my experience.

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the alc which I have voluntarily listened to and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

I always enjoy a Katie Bailey romance! This one is quick and cute, with some of my favorite tropes: brother's best friend, forced proximity, hockey romance, fake dating, roomies to lovers, he falls first, it's always been you. It's full of fun banter, tension and great chemistry, plus a little bit of enemies to lovers but only on her end. Honestly, Aaron is a perfect MMC. He's so protective of Olivia and so attuned to her; he literally remembers all the little details even from a long time ago. He gives very golden retriever vibes. Olivia is a total Grinch, but of course she has her reasons. Super independent, and not really used to asking for help, she starts off stuck in a truly awful living situation with nightmare roommates. She is the grumpy to Aaron's sunshine and theirs is a sweet romance that anyone can enjoy. What starts off as an equally beneficial agreement to help each other out turns into more than Olivia bargained for.

Narrators Abigail Reno & Lee Samuels are well suited to our MCs and do a great job with the audio. They're easy to listen to and you won't even realize how quickly the time is passing. If you're going to try this one, I definitely recommend the audio.

Katie Bailey delivers another delightful rom-com with Holiday Hostilities, a festive enemies-to-lovers story packed with witty banter, holiday cheer, and just the right amount of tension. As someone who’s read all of her books, this one lived up to my expectations!

Olivia Griswold and Aaron Marino’s dynamic is everything you want from a classic "I hate you but can’t stop thinking about you" romance. Their sharp banter and undeniable chemistry kept me hooked from start to finish. Aaron’s playful charm paired with his surprising protectiveness was a standout for me—his actions showed a softer side that balanced out Olivia’s fiery personality.

The holiday backdrop added plenty of festive cheer, from hockey team antics to cozy Christmas scenes, making this the perfect seasonal read. The romance unfolded at just the right pace, with plenty of tension and sweet moments to keep things interesting.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, it didn’t hit quite the same emotional highs as some of Bailey’s other works. A few moments felt a bit predictable, and I wished for slightly deeper exploration of their past conflicts. That said, it’s a feel-good, closed-door romance that checks all the boxes for a fun holiday escape.

If you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers tropes, laugh-out-loud humor, and protective heroes with a heart of gold, Holiday Hostilities is a must-read. Another solid addition to Katie Bailey’s repertoire!

I was excited to listen to this book as I previously read the two others in this series. There was the signature Katie Bailey cute coupling. I liked how this pair had feelings for each other as teens but fell after getting to know the other as adults, which is so necessary to make this trope work. The two MCs were both likeable and it was easy to see how they fell for each other. Loved the scrabble games. The big arc of this sorry was good. The problem was thay a lot of the little details were pretty cliché. Like his stereotypical family, the guy tropes on the team, and the (in really bad taste which almost made me stop reading) stalker ex. I hated this last plot point. And the situation could have been reconciled in a 5 minute phone call to the police and press release, but anyway...

The female narrator of this book was great. I just didn't like the male narrator. He voice was too deep which made it seem staccato and without feeling. I didn't like the way he portrayed the grandma either.

This was my least favorite in this 3 book (so far) series. But it was a fun and fluffy winter read and I will read Bailey again. 2.5 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I'm new to Katie Bailey, but I'm a fan now! I binged Holiday Hostilities and Season's Schemings back to back, and they were the perfect thing for the Christmas season. I expected steam but was pleasantly surprised by how sexy this closed-door romance was. Olivia and Aaron had incredible banter and chemistry. I loved everything about it!

"I hate you."
"You know what they say, don't you? 'Hate is much closer to love than indifference.' Which means you practically love me."

Katie Bailey has done it again! Holiday Hostilities is a perfect blend of brother's best friend, enemies to lovers, and sports romance, sprinkle with Christmas cheer.

Aaron is the sweetest! The way he takes care of Olivia while simultaneously pushing all of her buttons is everything! I love how he remembers everything about her as though each detail is precious to him.
Olivia is so fun and feisty. I love how she gives as good as she gets with Aaron. The banter and the push and pull between these two follows the old adage that there really is a thin line between love and hate.

The narration for this audiobook is fantastic. The narrators did a stellar job in bringing Aaron and Olivia to life. They are engaging, they sound age appropriate, and they truly embody the characters!

While this is book 2 in the Cyclones Christmas series, it can absolutely be read as a stand alone.

Blargh. The female lead in this is so unlikeable. The story draaaaaags. The roommates are too quirky and the situations too contrived. There's just nothing really interesting in this book. It annoyed more than it entertained.

I have read some other books by Katie Bailey and really enjoyed them.
This one was no different, book two in the Cyclones Christmas series: Aaron and Olivia were utterly captivating—their banter, chemistry, flirting, and kissing were all top-notch. Honestly, they both shared incredible chemistry with every character they interacted with. The story also shone with strong family bonds and team dynamics, making it an absolute delight. Always love a hockey romance. Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to listen to story.

Such a cute story. I’m normally not a huge sports romance lover but this one was fun.
I enjoyed the main characters and the supporting characters (team mates).
I thought the story line was pretty believable. I wil say this one wasn’t squeaky clean it had a few minor swearing and more than just sweet kisses but nothing that felt off putting to me. No open door bedroom scenes or adult situations.
I got to listen to this on audio and the narrators were fantastic! I love when an audiobook has both a male and female narrator- it’s much more enjoyable to listen to.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

I was so excited to see I got an ALC for HH after being on the ARC team! This was a very pleasant surprise, and also my first audiobook! Simply put, I loved it! It was so fun to listen to.

“I’m not Aaron’s type, I’m his person. And he’s mine.”

Review Title & Vibes:   
Cute follow up to book 1. Aaron and Olivia have been denying their attraction for years. I loved Aaron’s confidence, and that Olivia finally found a place she belonged. I did miss some building blocks to her character growth. Turning Olivia’s grinch-like ways into holiday spirit is Aaron’s hidden talent. And I loved grand gestures and HEA (especially the justice that a certain awful character deserved).

Audio Notes:
Great performance. My first Abigail audiobook. I was pleasantly at the distinct voices of a solo narration. I would highly recommend this audiobook.

Rating: 3.5⭐️ | Spice: 1🌶️ | Audio: 4.5🎙️
What to Expect:
Pro Hockey Romance
Brother’s Best Friend
Enemies-to-Lovers
Roommates
Pining
Fake Dating
Grinchette

Recommended to...  
Hockey romance enthusiasts who adore playful spite.

I love the book, I love the narrators. They really made the characters come to life. I loved it so much. I'm so glad I got to read this book it was more than worth it.