I love Lauren Layne’s smart and sassy romances and this one does not disappoint. Kelly is a superstitious teacher and Mark is her down to earth best friend and a hot chef to boot! They co-parent a dog and share a backyard (at her weekend place and his full time home) . Following a strange train platiform encounter Kelly returns to her hometown (and weekend place) for Christmas intent on figuring out which of her exes should be her forever love. There are comical missteps and heartfelt mistakes on the bumpy road to happily ever after. This is was a sexy fun romp in the holiday spirit!

It was okay, not spectacular in my opinion. Lauren Layne books have sadly become hit and miss for me. I thought Kelly was a bit childish and over the top.

I generally really enjoy Lauren Layne; her voice resonates with me. Her books are fun, flirty, and filled with witty dialogue. Unfortunately, An Ex For Christmas fell flat. It likely started in the very first chapter when the heroine sends her parents on an Alaskan cruise for Christmas. (For those unfamiliar, there are no Alaskan cruises past about August.) While I am willing to suspend disbelief, I do have limits. I never warmed to the heroine; in addition to being clueless, she was too self-absorbed for my taste. I really wanted to like this book. The premise was fun, and hey, Christmas book. I just never got the Christmas sparkle I was waiting for. I’m sure this book will be a holiday favorite for some readers, it just didn’t resonate with me.

This really is like the song says--”the most wonderful time of the year!” Christmas has always been my favorite holiday going back what seems like a century since I was a little girl. I know most people are annoyed that Christmas decorations, commercials, and movies seem to be coming out way too early these days but I am like a kid in my element when the Christmas movie marathon starts in October on the Hallmark channel. To say that ”AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS” is now one of my top favorite Lauren Layne stories is a HUGE understatement. This story was everything that I love about holiday romances and so much more. It’s like I was given the PERFECT early Christmas gift. This is a whimsical, sexy, angsty and heartwarming tale of two best friends who were always meant to be soul mates.





Kelly Byrne is a third-grade teacher at a posh private school in Manhattan. It’s the start of Christmas vacation and she’s looking forward to going back to her cute little house in upstate New York, to be with her cocker spaniel, Rigby, and her close friends. While waiting for her train to arrive she meets a peculiar woman who seems to have the gift for seeing into the future. The woman tells Kelly that she’s already met the ”love of her life” and that he is coming back to her before Christmas. Most people would view this lady as a mentally disturbed person who escaped Bellevue but the thing about Kelly is that she’s very spiritual, believes in superstitions, and is into astrological horoscopes, and so she takes the woman’s predictions seriously. So for the next two weeks, Kelly’s plan is to get in touch with all of her exes in order to find her one true love.

When she arrives back home in Haven, she rushes to her best friend's house, who also happens to be her neighbor, in order to pick up her dog, Rigby. Did I mention that her bestie is a drop dead gorgeous guy who is over 6 feet tall and is probably just about every woman’s fantasy? Mark Blakely and Kelly have been the best of friends since their early High School days, and throughout the years their friendship has remained strong and survived the many failed relationships they’ve each had over the past ten years. The moment we meet Mark it is painfully obvious that these two are meant to be and it just seems ridiculous that they haven’t figured this out yet. I was rooting for them to get their act together and to take that leap of faith towards their happily ever after.




It’s becomes clear when Kelly starts her mission to meet up with all of her ex-boyfriends that Mark isn’t the least bit thrilled with her plans and that Kelly has her head so far up her butt that she can’t see that what she’s so desperately searching for has been literally right in front of her face for so very long.

I knew that once the floodgates opened and when feelings were finally revealed that the passion Kelly and Mark have between them would burn white hot and I wasn’t in the least bit disappointed! WHOA!!




The story gets angsty while Kelly stubbornly tries to hold on to her trust in her silly magic 8 balls and “signs” to lead her to true love. But it’s her underlying fear of losing her best friend that seems to be holding her back from taking that scary first step towards her “HEA”.





Here are my overall ratings on the book:

Hero: 5
Heroine: 4.5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5

I loved this book! I smiled while reading it and laughed. I think this is an awesome holiday read, I would even give this as a gift. I love this authors way with words. Highly recommend this holiday read!

LOVED, LOVED this book! An Ex for Christmas is exactly why Lauren Layne is one of my favorite authors! Kelly is a teacher at a prestigious elementary school in NYC. She is looking forward to the Christmas holidays even if she will be alone. On her way back to her weekend home in upstate New York, she meets a mysterious woman who tells her she will find her true love before Christmas. However, she says it will be someone that Kelly already met. Kelly, being who she is, composes a list of all her exes. She plans on reconnecting with them to determine which one is her soulmate. She decides to get the help from her best friend, Mark.

Mark has always been there for Kelly, but Kelly doesn’t realize he wants to be there for her more than just a best friend. He has always been in love with Kelly, but he never found the right time to tell her. He watched as all Kelly’s boyfriends broke her heart. He is trying to move on, but as they spend more time together, something is different. The sexual chemistry between them sizzles. Could Kelly finally be seeing what was right in front of her the whole time?

One thing Layne always does so well are her quirky characters, never making them over the top or corny. Kelly is no exception. This woman is hilarious. She is superstitious, believing in fortune tellers, tea leaves, and NEVER crosses a path with a black cat. On the other hand, Mark doesn’t believe in any of it. But, he humors Kelly. He is devoted to her. Seriously, this guy takes care of her dog during the week while she is teaching. He just lets her be who she is and loves her anyway. They are perfect together.

Even though the book takes place over a short period of time, nothing is left out. Layne did a fabulous job of showing the foundation and lasting friendship between Kelly and Mark. I was just waiting on Kelly to finally wake up and see her love was in front of her the whole time! If you’re looking for a perfect holiday read, look no further than An Ex for Christmas!

***Read and Reviewed for Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***

This story feels like Lauren Layne's take on a christmasScrew Ball comedy. It is clear from the beginning that Mark is the guy Kelly is supposed to be with and as a reader I am as frustrated as Mark is that she doesn't see it. Layne does a good job of toeing the line of keeping Kelly likable while she is obviously hurting Mark as she goes through her list of ex's and the comedy throughout the book keeps the story moving and makes for a quick and easy holiday read.

I just received a HUGE reminder why I love Lauren Layne’s writing. I started and finished An Ex for Christmas in a little over 7 hours. I literally could/would not put it down (thank God for vacations, because I did an all-nighter). I loved EVERY FREAKING, EMOTIONAL, TEARY WORD. I must admit, at times, I was calling Kelly a stupid idiot, open your freaking eyes!! And I balled like a baby when she screwed it up at the parade. Then the reminder what the lady actually said….Nope stop!!! Oops, sorry no spoilers.
I was gifted with an ARC of An Ex for Christmas. Thank you, Random House Publishing, - Loveswept and NetGalley. Thank you, Lauren Layne for sharing your phenomenal talents with your readers. I can ALWAYS count on you for a fabulous, emotional story. My favorite kind, especially one set at Christmas!!
Thank you for reading my review.

If you're looking for a friends to lovers romance with great banter, a plot that moves fast, and a writer who knows how to draw you in, one-click now.

Make the holidays merry with this must read. No matter what holiday you celebrate, this story will connect. Who hasn't wondered if your one-true love was one that got away or right in front of you all along?

So I liked this book and then I didn't at times. I liked the friends to lovers aspect of it but then at the same time Kelly would bother me with her ex list and trying to find the one when Mark was right in front of her. I did find Kelly funny with her having to check her magic 8 ball to get answers as to what is going on with her life and taking the words of woman she never meet to heart when all she needed to do is look at her best friend and realize that they were meant to be together.
this was a good book and put my in the Christmas mood for the day.

I really enjoyed this, even though it's pretty much a Hallmark movie in book form and I'm not a Hallmark movie fan (I mean, the heroine even watches a ton of Hallmark Christmas movies...). This is simply a sweet, funny and short Christmas read - nothing too dramatic and predictable.

Kelly Byrne is a very superstitious school teacher at a prestigious NYC school who travels back upstate every weekend to stay at the house her grandmother left her. She takes her superstitions to the extreme (much to my annoyance) and relies on her trusty 8-ball to provide her guidance. Yes, it's over the top. Oh and she absolutely loves Christmas. Her best friend is also her neighbor and a really hot lumberjack model type of a guy - Mark Blakely (he's a chef at a local restaurant). They come and go from each other's houses without knocking, they co-parent a dog and pretty much tell each other everything.

Kelly encounters a woman while waiting to take the train back upstate for Christmas break. This one has "the Sight" and tells Kelly that she's already met 'the one' and they'll be together by Christmas. Well, Kelly immediately starts making a list of her exes, tells Mark of her plan, and then decides to track down each of them to see if they pass the 'mistletoe test' that proves they are indeed the right pair. It's all sort of ridiculous, but Mark patiently goes along with her plans. Oh and Mark has a crush on her and has pretty much loved her for the last 10 years, only Kelly doesn't realize that. So while she's unknowingly crushing Mark's heart the entire Christmas break, Mark is patiently waiting for her to see him as someone more than just her best friend. When she finally does, things heat up very quickly and it's hot. I mean what's not to like about Mark? There's just a little drama in the end, but they get their HEA and it's incredibly sweet and creative how Mark makes the next step in their relationship.

It's a cute story and one I'd recommend. Again, it's predictable and very "Hallmark-y." But don't let that deter you if you just want a casual fun read to get you in the holiday spirit.

When Kelly Byrne is approached by a woman determined to give her advice on her love life, Kelly becomes obsessed with following the advice by finding her exes and seeing if any of them is really her true love. However, the more determined she becomes to find her Mr. Right from her list, the harder she finds it becoming to resist her best friend, Mark. Will she give the man that's always been there for her a chance, or will her fear of losing their friendship if they become more than friends keep them apart?

Ms. Layne always manages to deliver highly entertaining stories that make me laugh or smile throughout and experience the emotions along with the main characters, and this story definitely does this. Not only because it's a friends to lovers trope encompassing story, but because the heroine is spunky and determined to discover if the psychic is right about her already having met her true love. The way this story started had me liking Kelly immediately, as she's spunky, superstitious and I love how she chooses to help her decide something when she's uncertain. However, it was from the moment Mark and Kelly come face-to-face for the first time in this story that had me reading quickly, determined to discover how long it would take the hero to admit his feelings for the heroine, as it's palpable he wants her and has for some time.

As for the dialogue, it was well-written, enchanting and is told mostly from the heroine's point-of-view. Moreover, I loved every time Kelly and Mark conversed, as she's feisty and isn't afraid to stand up for herself when she thinks Mark is out of line with his comments. I also liked how far she's willing to go to discover her true love and the test she puts them to in order to see if there's anything between her and one of her exes that make her thinks they're the one. While Mark, he's a good guy that would do anything for Kelly, even though it's not easy for him to be able to handle her obsession with her ex-list and finding who the psychic woman was talking about. He's also fun when it comes to interacting with Kelly as she pushes his buttons, hard-working and I loved how tight his friendship is with Kelly, as she's the one person he's always been able to talk to about anything. However, in saying that, there is a secret he has been keeping from her. Will she be able to handle the truth?

Overall, Ms. Layne has penned another worthwhile read in this book where the chemistry between Mark and Kelly is powerful and just keeps getting stronger with every moment they converse; the romance was hot and illustrates how right these two are for each other; and the ending had me smiling because of Kelly's determination to win Mark back and Mark's determination to make Kelly know how certain he is of the pair of them becoming more. I would recommend An Ex for Christmas by Lauren Layne, if you enjoy the friends to lovers trope or books by authors Penny Reid, Jessica Lemmon, Jen Frederick and Tawna Fenske.

3.5 stars--AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS is the fifth instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult LOVE UNEXPECTEDLY romance series. This is primary school teacher Kelly Byrne, and bar owner / chef Mark Blakely’s story line. AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from first person point of view (Kelly Byrne) with a final chapter by Mark, AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS is a friends to lovers, unrequited love story that follows a determined Kelly Byrne as she hopes to find ‘the one’ before Christmas. When a psychic tells Kelly that she has already met her ‘true love’ our heroine sets about to rekindle with a number of her exes, one disastrous date at a time. Enter best friend, neighbor and restaurant owner Mark Blakely, the man who has secretly waited ten years for Kelly to recognize that he is ‘the one.’ What ensues are Kelly’s attempts to find love in the days leading to the Christmas holidays, and the potential fall out as Mark battles his attraction to a woman who is oblivious to her best friend’s unrequited love.

Kelly Byrne is superstitious and gullible; a woman who believes in the ideology of the zodiac, a Magic 8 Ball, and all of the psychobabble that goes along with the mythical powers of seers, crystal balls and psychics-r-us. Our heroine refuses to take a chance until she asks a question of her ‘magical’ plastic orb. Mark Blakely is a man determined to prove to our heroine that he is her happily ever after but Kelly continues to be oblivious to Mark’s barely veiled attempts at seduction, as she maintains that one of her exes must still be the one.

The relationship between Kelly and Mark is one of a life-long friendship: more than just neighbors, Kelly and Mark also share custody of Rigby the dog. Throughout his life Mark has never wandered far from the woman that calls to his heart-a woman that continues to be oblivious to her best friends love. The $ex scenes are intimate, seductive and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Throughout the story Kelly Bryne leads a co-dependent life with not one, not two but three Magic 8 Balls. Her need and obsession to allow the plastic, mechanical device to rule all of her decisions and choices begins to get old very fast-not only for the people in her life but for the man who must endure watching the woman he loves attempt to rekindle with every man from her past. In this, I struggled to like the heroine or accept her fascination and overwhelming dependence upon the mystical powers of the 8 Ball and the stars-I would have to question the emotional stability of someone so reliant upon, and absorbed with, the questionable ‘predictive’ nature of a cheap, plastic toy. The potential humor was lost on this reader, as I couldn’t get past the absurdity of the entire situation-my exasperation and agitation grew with each shake of the 8 ball, mention of the zodiac signs, and the heroine’s obliviousness about the man who refuses let go.

AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS is an interesting story line of friendship and love; superstition and psychics; and of the potential for one woman to lose not only her best friend but a love that has endured one disastrous relationship at a time. The premise is imaginative; the characters are colorful and energetic; the romance struggles with the idealistic beliefs of one woman desperately trying to find her happily ever after, in the past. In the end Kelly’s true love had been with her all along.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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I haven't read anything by Lauren Layne that I haven't just gobbled up. So when I saw she was writing a Christmas themed book, I KNEW I had to read it :)

Kelly and Mark were best friends. Mark has always had a thing for her and when she decides to go through all her exes to find her true love (cause a psychic told her she had already met him), sparks finally fly between them.

I loved this! It was sweet and perfect and should definitely be made into a Hallmark Christmas movie LOL

*thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me*

4.5 All I want for Christmas stars

Ah I love my Christmas themed stories and I enjoy Lauren Layne's stories so I'm excited to dive in. It all starts after Kelly Bryne is told by a fortune teller that she has met the one already. She thinks this means an it's an ex though not not explicitly describe. So she makes a list of ex boyfriends past, it didn't go the way I thought but I'm still happy with that.

Kelly reminds me of that heroine from an older movie, superstitious and believer of signs. Maybe a tad more extreme. Not that there's anything wrong but she seems to be dictated somewhat by it, most of her decisions. She's very earnest and spunky in her ways. She enlists her best friend Mark to help her on this hunt for her guy by Christmas.

I like what I saw of Mark, he maybe quiet and a bit grumpy but he's a great friend, caring in his way and loyal. I like he has his quirks and Kelly does too but they get one another. I had a feeling where this would go but it's going to be interesting to see. I can't help but think this ex list is limiting and at first it sounded like a fun plan but as it went on I see it more like defense plan to hide behind. Kelly should see what's right there in front of her all along before it's too late. This is where things get sticky though with Mark helping Kelly they get closer than friends are. It's getting spicy and nearly the end of the list? Time for Kelly to decide what she really wants to believe.

An Ex for Christmas is a full of holiday cheer and lovely friends to more inspired reed that will surely warm your reading list. Lauren Layne does her usual touch of making a relationship spark at the right time. Mark and Kelly definitely had a comfortable relationship that needed a little push. An easy light with a touch of angst read for the holidays.

An Ex for Christmas has a wonderful fairytale feel to the narrative perfect for the run up to the Christmas to set the mood, adding the air of hope to the holidays.

Kelly is an elementary school teacher, Christmas crackers and uber superstitious but still seeking her one true love. So when she is given a prediction by what she assumes is psychic at a train station, her quest to find her HEA is stepped up a gear. However, interpretation plays an interesting part in the plot ;)

Mark is Kelly's next door neighbor and best friend in her hometown of Haven. Mark and Kelly have been best friends for over ten years and even share custody of her dog, yet there has never been anything else between them. Although Kelly is attracted to Mark, she has never felt as if she is good/pretty enough for him so deliberately friend-zoned herself in order to protect her heart all of those years ago,

It is obvious Mark and Kelly make the perfect couple, and at times I felt like smacking Kelly for her to open her eyes to what was in front of her. Even when passion blazes between them, Kelly still lets her insecurities drive her, risking everything she holds closest to her heart.

I adore Lauren Layne's trademark direct address to the reader as it creates that personal connection to the characters emphasizing all of the emotions.

While An Ex for Christmas played out to a satisfactory conclusion I can't help but want a little extra to the ending, an extended epilogue maybe to fully appreciate Kelly and Mark's relationship moving forward.

I love a good holiday read, but I really wanted to smack Kelly in the back of the head a few times to wake here up and make her see what was right in front of her. A great way to start off the season and such a sweet story of friends to lovers.

I had great difficulty connecting with the characters. They came across as immature and unlikeable. I love Lauren Layne's books, but this one wasn't for me.

Great holiday read. LOVED watching Kelly go back down memory lane but enjoyed Mark’s action much more. This was a friends-to-lovers romance that gave a warm holiday feel all the way to your toes. Kelly herself was sweet, unique, quirky, and more. She was the festive glitter for the world around her. Mark was the one man she never considered to be the one. He was her friends, dependable, sweet, stable, steady, honest. She thought no further than their friendship. She missed what others saw. He was hot, sexy, easy smile, and had eyes for her.

While on her hunt for the ex that she thinks will be her future Mr. Right, she finds that there are more things to the friendship she has with Mark. This holiday season has more in store for Kelly and Mark both with a little bit of superstition, quirk, patience, and the holiday season. This will be one that neither Mark, nor Kelly will forget.

An Ex for Christmas will be one of those holiday reads that you will want to come back an read over again with the each new season or multiple times before the holiday season is over. I LOVED IT.

This was my first holiday read of 2017 and it really got me in the Christmas mood. Kelly is all about "the sight" as she calls it, horoscopes, magic 8 balls and Christmas. Out of the blue, a "psychic" woman tells her she has already met "the One" and will reunite with him before the holiday so she is sure this is a sign and is all about figuring out who this person will be. Much to the dismay of her best friend Mark, she creates the Ex list to find out who it could be. I liked Kelly. She relied a little to much on signs but I could tell there was an underlying reason. She did have some insecurities and was sure a guy like Mark could never like her, so in her own words she 'friend-zoned" herself before he could. I really loved Mark. He was a great friend and I could tell he was all about Kelly. If only she could see it. This was a great holiday book and I really enjoyed this story. It had all the feels of a Hallmark movie and I just love that. Add this book to your Christmas list.