In A Holidaze: Love Actually meets Groundhog Day in this heartwarming holiday romance. . .

It has been a long time since I've read a CLo book and now I'm wondering why! This book was such a fun and wonderfully festive holiday romance and it served a good dose of feel-good family vibes, a swoony albeit slightly cheesy swoontastic romance, and likeable characters that you can't help but root for and wish you were friends with, too! If you're looking for a holiday read to lose yourself in for a little while, I would definitely recommend this one.Mae was an such a relatable main character. She's a people pleaser and a peacekeeper—she doesn't like to rock the boat and tries to be the calm medium in all interactions, but the need to be the level-headed person all the time is also draining and has hindered her more than its helped her in the end. I loved how she evolves though and comes to realise that reaching for the things that make her happy is worth the risk of being bold and speaking up. Once she decides to be honest about her feelings, things progress pretty rapidly in the romance department and I have to admit, although it wasn't really insta-love, at least on Mae's part, it took a little while for me to be convinced about Andrew's feelings. That said, I thought the sexual chemistry between them developed nicely and I thought the way CLo tackled their evolving relationship from friendship love to romantic love was done well. I really loved the easy comfort they had and the ways they really understood each other, which added to that ease! Their romance was so heartfelt, sweet and okay, sometimes super cheesy at times, but that didn't stop a big grin from decorating my face whenever those moments happened. Even with the requisite drama and romantic break-up angst, theirs is a love that will have your insides glowing with all the warm and fuzzy feelings. 🥰 This also had fade-to-black sex scenes, so if on-page sex is something you don't jam with in romances, this one will be fine for you!Aside from the romance, my favourite part of the book was the family gathering in the cabin. I absolutely adored this mixed family that came together every year for the holidays. Reading about their fun traditions that ranged from simple board games, cocktail hours and tree trimming, to snow sculpting and scavenger hunts through town, made me itch so badly to join in on the fun! There was such a wonderful flow of love and respect within this group and you can tell how much they appreciated, understood and cared for each other. I adored Benny, who was a wonderful sounding board and strong pillar of support for Mae, and I adored all the ways he was there for her through the crazy groundhog day experience—their uncle/niece relationship was so heartwarming! I also liked the weird relationship that Mae had with her brother Miles. He might've been a sullen teen addicted to his phoneWhat I wasn't so chuffed about was how the whole thing between Mae and Theo was handled. I get that Mae is reacting to something that, in this version of reality, didn't happen, but Theo was basically a non-entity until close to the end. I felt like the whole "Theo and Mae" set-up was unnecessary since it added nothing but unneeded drama and little tension, not to mention it was resolved so easily that I wasn't particularly sold on it.Ultimately though, this was a super-fast read and I had a great time, as I always do, with CLo's characters and their romances. This is probably one of the most festive holiday romances that I've had the pleasure of reading, so if you're looking for something that's for sure set during the holidays (and not during the summer lol) then I'd definitely recommend giving this a shot! :

I read The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren at the beginning of the year and didn’t really like it, so I was cautious going into this, but I actually had fun reading! The only thing I would say is that I didn’t entirely love the situation where Andrew only seemed to like Mae after he knew she liked him. And then he’s telling her he loves her, etc., when before he didn’t have a problem with her and Theo, surely if there were underlying feelings there - which it seemed like there were - he would have been more bothered by that in the first timeline ??

This book is a heartwarming Christmas romance with a Groundhog Day edge; it’s unlike any other Christmas read out there.Maelyn and Andrew are 26 and 29 years old, but you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re reading a YA novel because within the holiday cabin, where several families vacation together each Christmas, they are the two of the “children” of the group. That’s not to say this is suitable for under 18s though (it’s not!).The book features an array of colourful characters; each of them adding something different to the story. Maelyn and Andrew’s budding relationship was beautiful to watch, and at times more than that (🔥). And then there was the bond between Maelyn and Benny! If I could capture that essence and provide someone like that for every young woman growing up… 😊The events in the book were at times hilarious, sometimes frustrating and sad, but I was constantly gripped. I usually have a few books on the go at the same time, but after I started reading In a Holidaze, I pushed the others aside and insisted on only reading this one - I had to know what happened! This book could quite easily become an annual read for me

Characters (6/10)Relatable and I guess the main character was not annoying, which is always a good thing.Atmosphere (7/10)As advertised, Christmas is all present, so if that is what you are looking for, you will love it!Writing (7/10)Plot (7/10)Intrigue (7/10)Logic (6/10)We could’ve used some dual perspective to understand what the male protagonist was thinking. His actions were a bit of a stretch at times.Enjoyment (7/10)Overall, very enjoyable, and a perfect easy and quick read for Christmas. I was not a fan of the ending, a bit too lovey dovey for my taste, but that’s probably because I’m old and bitter, so you might love it!

So this was my first ever Christmas read. I am not usually into the romance genre, unless it is part of a fantasy novel with lots of action going on too, so I wasn't sure how much I would like this. However I was completely surprised. I loved it right from the start. There was an unusual concept that meant it wasn't a straight forward romance, which intrigued me early on. The characters were all really likeable and I found myself wishing I was part of their family/friendship group and spending Christmas with them all in the cosy cabin. I loved the sense of everyone making room for each other and bunking down together. These people all really cared for one another and it made such a nice change reading about those kind of relationships. The romance in question was very real, as in, it had it's ups and downs and wasn't always straight forward. Equally the initmate scenes were also realistic and not dressed up or made to sound like some 'mills and boon' type romance where the woman is overwhelmed by the strong man and everything is hot and perfect. The fact that it wasn't hot and perfect made it sweet, sexy and romantic. I am really glad that I opened myself up to a genre I wouldn't usually read and I will definitely be reading a Christina Lauren book again in the future.