Another can't-miss Christmas Notch tale from Murphy and Simone! These books are incredibly readable, full of spicy interludes and laugh-out-loud one-liners, but with real heart. It's nice to check back in with the protagonists of previous tales in the series as well. I look forward to picking a Christmas Notch book for A Bookish Affair one day...but how to choose? It's a good problem to have. :)

Many thanks to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

This book was amazing and I devoured this book just as much as the others! I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

Fans of the series will be delighted with this continuation. Both main characters are present in earlier installments, and the series' established characters wander in and out, so read in order for best results.

Both characters are bisexual (not labeled as such, so they ("they") or the authors might assign a different label)-- although they end in a straight-passing relationship, both characters date (during the book, and previous to the start of the story) other people of their same gender presentation. This is an unremarkable aspect of each character, and neither has a tragic coming-out back-story: a refreshing representation!

Less refreshing in the heroine's ADHD. It's not mentioned early in the story, appears mid-way through the book as kind of a shoe-horned element, and isn't integral to her character-- her childhood and losses are a much larger and more fitting explanation for her personality and her hang-ups, and it would be ok to have a female character be a little disorganized and energetic without having to give her a diagnosis. This felt less authentic than other representations, such as Cleat Cute and others. Also, the female main character is specified (constantly) as being "curvy" and later non-standard sized, but her body size isn't specified. There's one scene in which she gets stuck while trying something on in a store, and the narration and character conversations around this felt realistic, but larger-bodied readers might wonder if she's apple-shaped or pear, or if she's XL or 4X, as these would also affect how this character interacts with the world.

Very explicit, as series fans should expect, but the emotional punches as each character grows are the real meat of the book. eARC from NetGalley.

If you've read the previous two installments in Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone's Christmas Notch series, you know what you are in for, and A Jingle Bell Mingle is more of the same (in the best ways) - kinky, sex-positive, body positivity, raunchy fun. Sunny and Isaac are characters that we've been introduced to in the earlier installments, and they certainly proved to have chemistry, and interesting backstories, in this one. The story even managed to surprise me a bit, as I wasn't sure where Sunny's backstory was really going, and the commentary on dealing with grief and loss was spot on. All in all, a very enjoyable read that I'll be recommending to fans of Spicy Romance.

Welcome back to Christmas Notch! Having read the other titles in this series, this one didn’t disappoint. It had lots of sweet and spice, just like it’s predecessors. I would definitely recommend this title to my patrons who are looking for something cozy for the holidays, but aren’t afraid of a steamy romance.

We’ve gotten a good feel for Sunny and Isaac in the other books, so it was great to see them get their own title. The dynamic between the two is interesting and unexpected, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the two help inspire each other. While these books tend to be very spicy-heavy, the authors did a great job of making sure there’s plenty of substance and a great plot.

Thanks to Net Galley and Avon for this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC of A Jingle Bell Mingle, I'm super sad to leave the Christmas Notch Holidayverse, but hope Murphy & Simone continue their writing partnership!

I picked up this book because I was eager to see how Sierra Simone level naughtiness would translate into a Christmas romcom, and I ended up sniffling my way through a genuinely heartfelt romance about navigating grief and the versions of ourselves that we become to heal in the absence of our loved ones.

This book delivers the level of explicit content that is characteristic of Sierra's books, but it does so with more fun, irreverence, and unabashed joy than any of her other novels I've read. The book isn't afraid to laugh at itself - it's a grumpy-sunshine romance where the FMC is literally named Sunny - but that doesn't minimize the meaning and tenderness captured by Sunny and Isaac's story.

If you love a romcom with an unhinged premise, a cast of loveable, chaotic queer characters, and you're in the mood for a romance with a holiday setting without the religious overtones, A Jingle Bell Mingle is right for you.

A Jingle Bell Mingle, the third title in the A Christmas Notch series, is written by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone.

Sunny (FMC)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Makeup artist, part time porn star, writer

Isaac (MMC)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Former boy band member, living a lonesome life after losing his wife

If you have not read the other titles in this series, it is highly recommended that you read them before starting this title. Several of the characters and scenes carry over into this book, so you might be a little lost.

Sunny and Isaac have amazing chemistry together and I fell head over heels in love with them both!!

Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this book, with my honest review below.

A Jingle Bell Mingle was such a great book, regardless of the season! Unlike anything I’ve read recently, the characters in this books remind me of those in Schitt’s Creek (on steroids and sexier. Funny, open minded, and ready to get down at any moment, I can’t say this is super realistic but it’s not trying to be. What it accomplishes is being hilarious, cozy, and at least a little bit emotional.

Sunny is a sometimes porn star, makeup artist, diaper empire heiress, and now screenwriter setting up to write a sexy Christmas miracle screenplay. Isaac is an ex boy bander who is grieving his wife’s death, five years later. Having initially met at a threesome two years ago the two are reunited at their friends’ wedding and end up living together in the charming town of Christmas Notch as Christmas approaches (along with Sunny’s demon cat). While Isaac helps Sunny with the mystery of the story her screenplay is based on and Sunny helps Isaac find a music muse, the two start to become more than (filthy, in a good way) bedmates but neither one is exactly ready to embrace that.

We get to meet several supporting characters who I understand are star and supporting players in the Christmas Notch book series, which I can’t wait to read. All are hilarious, but I think the best part of these books is that no matter who the person is and what their lifestyle preferences are (be they to run a porn empire or be polyamorous) they are accepted and it’s all de rigueur in the world that this books takes place. That was incredibly refreshing and allowed for the freedom in which everything is so naturally accepted, giving the reader more time spent on exploring how Sunny and Isaac really ticked and the plot itself. And what a plot! Hilarious and entertaining, I wanted to go deeper into this world and spend more time in it!

A must read - though perhaps not if you’re more rigid in thinking or shy away from a healthy amount of erotica - I can’t wait for more books by these talented authors!