This is the perfect audio novella to get you in the mood for the holiday season. The narration by Sara Young is so good! I enjoyed the storyline of Claire and Sam from beginning to end. Such a fun holiday romp. This one will surely put a smile on your face.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this Audio ARC. #ItHappenedOneChristmasEve #NetGalley

Was a fun sweet Christmas book to get your ready for the holiday romance season. Lots of fun loving quirky characters you meet on their journey of love.

Claire is forty and about to enter a marriage of convenience that will benefit her family. But when Santa arrives delivering the ring, she makes a run for it instead. Will Santa (Sam Carpenter) make her real wishes come true?

This was a fun holiday novella, but I had mixed feelings. Is it cheesy? Yes. Is it trope-y? Yes. Does it have vibes of Stockholm syndrome? Also, yes. The connection is suuuuuper instantaneous, and despite being in their forties, the main characters did not behave that way much of the time. The Santa hijinks were fun and heart-warming, though, and it made for a super quick audiobook listen.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me with an advance listener copy to review!

This was a quick novella that if you like Christmas romances then you will love this. The story feels like it should be on the Hallmark channel. The characters were good but the one I will remember the most is Claire's mom. She was awful.

This is a fun story. Fans of the author and the other books in this series will likely really enjoy this book. This one is a romance not a mystery.
Claire Macintosh is going to become engaged to a man she really isn’t in love with. It’s going to happen tonight at the holiday gala she hosts as director of the Museum of Literature. Hildy Macintosh, her mom, has said in no uncertain terms that if she wants to continue to receive the huge donations from the family trust then Claire has to marry the man Hildy has picked for her and to get busy with the grand kids. Claire is 40 now and still single and feels like she has no choice but to do what her mom wants. However, when a horse drawn carriage shows up at the gala with a man dressed as Santa who is supposed to be giving her the engagement ring, she freaks out and hijacks the horse, carriage, and Santa who is still on board.
Sam Carpenter, a reporter, thought he was so darn smart to convince his pal to let him be Santa. He was hoping to get up close and personal to the subject of his soon to be magazine expo. He was absolutely not prepared for what happened. Now he finds himself dashing through Central Park with a runaway woman. To save his story he makes a deal with Claire. He will help her get to her cottage in Maine by Christmas Eve; she has to give him an exclusive interview.
The journey these two find themselves on has an abundance of twists, turns, and (mis)adventures. Along the way they realize that more than their jobs are on the line and they have no idea how to get the miracle they need in order to truly be happy.
This was alright. It’s definitely an attraction at almost first sight. So, if you like that then you should like this book just fine. It’s a tad annoying how Sam calls her Macintosh the entire time rather than Sam but that’s a minor annoyance.
I definitely think that those who like romance type Christmas stories should enjoy this story.


I received the audio version of this story from NetGalley for an honest review. The audio is really good. The narrator brings the story and characters to life. It’s a great way to go if you like this type of media for books!

This was such a fun holiday novella! Full of holiday antics as Claire, director of the Museum of Literature is being strongly 'encouraged' by her mother to marry in order to receive continued funding balks on the eve of her engagement, running away in a one horse sleigh with the Santa sent to deliver her ring.

Her Santa savior turns out to be a reporter looking for a story but as these two flee the city to Claire's holiday home the chemistry becomes undeniable. Refreshingly flirty, this forced proximity, road trip romance with a middle aged female lead was the perfect entertaining read and good on audio. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early ALC in exchange for my honest review!

I have really enjoyed this novella series. Short, sweet, and fun! Definitely would recommend if you are looking for something quick to listen to and is light hearted.

It Happened One Christmas Eve by Jenn McKinlay

This is book #3 in A Museum of Literature Romance series. In this installment Claire and Sam have a Christmas esq adventure. Claire's and her mom made an agreement that she got her the job but Claire needed to get married. Every man her mother sends her way Claire sends them away. Claire's mother put her foot down and well the day of her wedding all hell go loose. Sam wanted to get up and close to the wedding so he volunteered to be Santa for his friend. Claire decides to be a runaway bride and Sam is stuck in the middle.

This was a fun, cute story with Christmas coming up this just gets you in the spirit. This was a fast read but I did think that the ending felt rushed. I think this would make a good Hallmark movie. This was a four star read for me. I recommend to anyone who likes romances and likes Christmas this book is for you.

Sara Young narrated this book she did a good job.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for a free copy of this audio of It Happened One Christmas Eve for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I love this author’s writing style, and her stories are always adorable! Claire and Sam are great together, and in such a short story the author was able to still get the reader invested in their relationship. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy. Such a fun holiday read!

Thank you Net Galley for an audio ARC of It Happened One Christmas Eve by Jenn McKinlay. This was a fun little novella for Christmas time.

It Happened One Christmas Eve is the perfect Hallmark-esque installment of the the A Museum of Literature series! I adored the main characters, side quests and all around Christmas cheer vibes of the book!
Jenn McKinlay has created such a fun world in the Museum of Literature series and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you netgally, dreamscape media and author for ALC in exchange for an honest review. I was hoping for a little bit more story more plot more character connection.. the ending felt rushed and the mom of the FMC was horrible very unlikable character....

3.5/5 - stars

I was in DESPERATE need of a cute pick-me-up after the day I’ve had! This was it in spades! It was such a easy and fast listen, but the story actually had depth to it which I really enjoyed! Claire and Sam were so cute in their little adventures, and it was so nice to read about their adventures as Santa and McElf! Christmas is my favorite, so this was a welcome distraction!