I unfortunately started this book not liking our fmc, Elisha. I thought she came off very childish and not very mature. Her inner dialogue was painful for me to read. I thought the holiday vibes and the town were cute, and it totally gave Hallmark vibes but i strongly disliked Elisha, Ves was okay, and the romance just wasnt it for me.

Loved the idea of the story line. The small town setting and characters were absolutely Hallmark Christmas movie perfection! The chemistry between the main characters from the beginning was amazing. Always a fan of a grumpy meets sunshine romance vibe which we got with this book. There were a lot of deep discussions between the main characters that made this romance deeper than most. Was a little longer and drawn out at parts which for me made me rate it where I did. I think it could have been a little shorter. I loved that there was no miscommunication or relationship issues that led to a third act breakup.

CUUUUUTE. A great grumpy-sunshine. A little slower on steam/build up but a quaint small town romance. 3.5 stars rounded up.

HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I loved it. Christmas story, Grumpy/Sunshine, the PERFECT Christmas small town that I want to move to and never leave. Check...check...check.

Elisha Rowe is back in her home town to be close to her aging parents and help revitalize the town as a film spot for movies. She is leading the charge of filming the sequel to the Christmas movie, Sleighbells, that once had Piney Peaks on the map. The snag? Maeve, owner of the Christmas house featured in the Sleighbells movie, has passed away leaving the fate of the whole production in the hands of her nephew who visited the town once. Don't think he didn't love Maeve, he did, but Maeve was always the one to visit him. Lots of sad backstory here you don't want to miss. Now Elisha needs to secure Ves 'okay' to film at the house. Unfortunately she makes a poor first impression and Ves is only interested in cleaning up and getting back home.

Seriously, this entire journey is adorable and enjoyable. The way these two fall in love is so sweet.

I loved this read. It reminded me of Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other a little, but it's a strangers to lovers trope instead of an enemies to lovers (although that depends on how you view their meeting in this one).

Wrapped with a Beau is a delightful holiday romance. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters Grinchy guy who hates the holidays because of his dysfunctional family ( isn’t that always the reason? ) inherents his great aunt’s Christmas house in small town Pennsylvania. Little does he know the girl next store ( and the whole town) is excited about a movie scheduled to be shot in that house, but now they need his okay. Queue romance, Christmas vibes complete with sleigh, and all the small town tropes you can think of to ensue. I had a great time with this one. It’s a perfect cozy holiday read.

This book brings alllllllll the Hallmark vibes. I loved the town, the meddling neighbors and family, the grumpy big city guy. This was just fun and left me with a smile!

This was a cute romance, with a fun holiday subplot and loveable characters! I really enjoyed it and loved the small town romance aspect of course!

Thank you to the publisher! This started off SOOOO good and then I found myself get a little bored towards the middle. It’s a cute holiday book though that gave me cozy vibes!

***I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.***
Welcome to Piney Peaks home to a beautiful home that was the setting of the Christmas film, Sleighbells under Starlight. Now fifty years after the film’s success, Elisha Rowe is hoping to land a sequel to be filmed in her beloved hometown again. The only thing standing in her way is Ves Hollins who just inherited the Christmas home needed for the sequel. He is a bit of a Grinch so she has her work cut out for her. She sets out to sway Ves to her side of the matter. As his frosty exterior begins to melt, he finds himself appreciating the small town and all of the charm that comes with them.
Be swept away in this sweet, romantic book in the glow of your Christmas tree. I loved it all! It was like a Hallmark Christmas movie on the pages of a book. Definitely pick this one up to keep you cozy and warm this Christmas season!

3.5 ⭐️

Lillie Vale really delivers on the festive vibes but I was a bit underwhelmed with Elisha and Ves. If you're looking for a Hallmark-type Christmas story with a bit of spice, Wrapped with a Beau has you covered!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

What a great way to get into the holiday mood. This book appeals to those of us that enjoy all of the elements that make for a Hallmark-esque book but want a little more....action ;). We get small town vibes, "grumpy" meets sunshine, and some deeper subjects that help us understand our characters a little more. Overall, this was a traditional type of holiday romcom but yet unique in its own way.

Small town rom coms are my favorite and when I saw this was for a Christmas lover I was sold. This was sweet and light and definitely put me in the holiday feels. Both MCs were cute - I always love a grumpy-sunshine couple and this delivered. If you are looking for a book that reads like a Hallmark movie than this one is for you!

We love a Christmas-obsessed small town! This one, Piney Peaks, got its claim to fame from a Christmas movie filmed there years ago. Our MC Elisha needs to win over grumpy Ves to allow a sequel to be filmed in his great-aunt's house.

I love a grumpy/sunshine romance, and Ves and Elisha's relationship was so much fun. It's a bit of a slow burn, but the anticipation makes the wait worth it.

The townspeople in this book were incredible. The best character was Elisha's grandfather, but everyone was so wonderful. Wrapped With A Beau was a great addition to my holiday reading list.

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Cute little world building of Piney Peaks, the perfect Christmas-y town and the nostalgia of a favorite Christmas movie.

However, the story struck me as B- Hallmark movie fodder 🤷‍♀️ and I think it was more that I didn’t get their attraction. Elisha and Ves were lukewarm at best.

This was an utterly heartwarming, small town, dual POV, opposites attract, interracial, slow burn holiday romance. Set in the town of Piney Peaks whose claim to fame is being the location of a classic holiday movie, film liaison, Elisha is tasked with ensuring the remake goes off without a hitch.

The only problem is Ves, the new owner of the iconic house from the movie, is less than interested in cooperating and is only in town long enough to sell the property he inherited from his great aunt. Elisha will have to pull out all the charm to get Ves in the holiday spirit and agree to help her out.

I loved the instant attraction between the two MCs and that they didn't just jump into bed right away but took the time to get to know one another agreeing that nothing more than a holiday romance could be in the cards for them. Full of delicious South Asian recipes, side trips to NYC, open door spice and complex family relationships.

I really enjoyed this one on audio narrated by Keylor Leigh and Sean Patrick Hopkins. Recommended for fans of books like Chantel Guertin's It happened one Christmas. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

4 stars!

"Wrapped with a Beau" by Lillie Vale is sooooooo adorable, one of the better small-town cozy Christmas books I've read recently. It's giving Hallmark, it's giving comfort-read, it's giving read by a fireplace in your elf pajamas. It's the perfect mix of holiday sweetness and sexy spiciness, with a good helping of heart-string-tugging and fake-dating that I love. It will for sure put you in a Christmas-y mood! I found the main characters, Elisha and Ves, to be excellent. Both are well-written, fully fleshed out, and realistic. I am also glad we got to experience both of their points of view in this novel. Vale really goes above and beyond, giving both of them terrific backstories that will make readers root for them to sort out their issues and resolve their Christmastime traumas. Ves is a grade-A grump, though his reasons for not wanting to let Elisha and her town of Piney Peaks use his great-aunt Maeve's house to film the sequel to a wildly successful 1970s Christmas movie are flimsy at best. You've gotta love a grump. I adored Elisha and Ves's chemistry as they went from being "enemies" to lovers. Books like this make me want to move to a small town and immerse myself in their holiday traditions and fun. I say, light a cinnamon candle, grab some cocoa, and nestle in to read this fun, splendid, very well-done book! You won't regret it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lillie Vale, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

(I took off half a star for the explicit content. I prefer closed door)

Lillie Vale’s Wrapped with a Beau, may appear to be another formulated Christmas romance, but there is more to what meets the eye!!!

Returning to your hometown is never easy, even for the town sweetheart. For Elisha Rowe, moving back to Piney Peaks is her one shot to put her beloved town back on the map and jump start her career. However, things fail to go as planned with the unexpected return of, Ves Hollis. After losing his Great Aunt Maeve, Ves is anxious to sell her home and get back to his writing career in New York City. Unfortunately, he solely holds the power to end Elisha’s career (before it even begins). Will the two parties be able to come to an understanding that works for them both, or will they stand in each others way?

The deceptively cute title and cover would have readers assume this is a sweet love story. While the small town romance has a hilarious meet-cute, that is where it ends. Wrapped with a Beau is a steamy romance that features opposites attacking, no strings attached (dating for the holidays), and sexy banter.

I am a sucker for multiple POVs and loved Vale’s choice to alternate between Elisha and Ves. This allowed each of their characters to feel more complex and as a result, well developed. I loved them individually, but even more when they were together.

This was a fun Christmas read. So much so, that I hate to leave the world of Piney Peaks. I would love to see Vale write another book featuring some of the minor characters in the story. With so many great side characters to choose from, this could easily turn into a series. Fingers crossed. 🤞

Special thanks to Netgalley, Lillie Vale, and Penguin Group Putnam (GP Putnam’s Sons) for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

I loved the shaadi set up, and the decoy girlfriend for me was just an okay read so I was excited to dive into this one and see where it landed! A cavaeot from me...I will read a holiday story any time of year so feel free to take that into account 😊 Ves and Elisha's story starts of with her breaking into what is now his house to try to save hit from what she assumed was him breaking in. Her weapon of choice? Decorative candy cane, which she ends up hitting herself with. A meet cute if I ever saw one. But then the pacing of the book just felt off. Like the characters never really got into their groove. Great friendship, quirky town, hallmark moments but the romance just wasn't quite there. I will say this though, it was definitely a plunge you into the holiday spirit type of story and I am here for it!!

Wrapped with a Beau is everything I want in a holiday romance! Adorable meet cute involving an assault with a candy cane and elf pajamas? Check. MCs with different views on Christmas? Check. An adorable small town that loves Christmas? Check. I am very much a big city person but books like Wrapped with a Beau make me want to move to a small town and buy an old Victorian house. I loved the history of the town and the Christmas house. I also really liked learning about Ves' family and great-aunt throughout the story. I wanted to snuggle up in the Christmas house and read all of the romance books! I also liked Elisha and Ves' relationship. When he told her if she was his she would never wear clothes from another man before they were even together I was in! This is the perfect combination of a great setting, interesting characters and a good story. This one is a must add to your holiday TBR!