Well, Fa la la la la! “An Ex for Christmas” builds a satisfying seasonal romance framed around one of the Seven Classic plots—the quest—and decorates it with classic Christmas music beloved by the heroine. Buble, Mariah, Crosby. The good stuff. Plus all the trimmings that go along with the holiday.

To quote the heroine: Oh my gah, so good.

“An Ex” follows one of the “seven plots,” the Quest. When a psychic tells super superstitious Kelly she’s already met her One True Love she makes an “ex list” and decides to track them down and determine who it is. Just in time for a Christmas HEA. There’s even a mistletoe test and Hallmark Channel Christmas movies.

Hometown, longtime (and hot) friend Mark thinks that’s nuts and isn’t really helpful, shall we say, in supporting the quest.

Kelly’s got loads of charm and so does Mark, but sometimes the “friends to lovers” trope grates on me…one or the other has to be SO CLUELESS in order to make it work. That happens but their genuine rapport saves the plot. Since the book’s written in her POV his is less obvious but Layne gives us plenty of clues to his feelings and let’s face it, frustration, as he manages to be present at most of her disastrous dates with her motley crew of exes.

Writing a Christmas book must be a task that frightens a lot of writers but poses an irresistible challenge to others. Lucky for us Layne was equal to the task. Enthusiastically recommended.

ARC supplied for an honest review.

Refresher: The other six classic plots are overcoming the monster; rags to riches; voyage and return; comedy; tragedy; rebirth. Discuss!

3.5 stars.
Sweet and funny holiday romance written in Lauren Layne's trademark relaxed and witty, rom-com style.
After a psychic tells Kelly Byrne that she’s already met her true love, she becomes obsessed with tracking him down before Christmas. She writes up an “Ex List” and starts contacting old boyfriends to figure out which is the one. While she is busy pursuing these men it is evident that sparks are flying between her and her best friend Mark, someone she's never considered.

To be honest I got a little exasperated with Kelly's stubborness, I wanted to shake her and ask "Don't you see this kind and perfect guy right in front of you?"
Enjoyable, recommended, seasonal reading . Kelly and Mark were sweet together.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly believes in astrology, her magic 8 ball, and that some people have the sight. So when an old woman tells her she's already met the man she's destined to be with, she takes matters into her own hands and starts tracking down her ex-boyfriends. Her best friend of 10 years, Mark, is brought along for the ride even though he doesn't approve of her plan.

Reading this book made me ready to skip Halloween and Thanksgiving and move right into the Christmas season. I loved all the Christmas music, decorating, and mentions of the season.

The friendship between Kelly and Mark didn't feel fake or forced, and I loved their banter and teasing. It was easy to see how much they cared for each other and to root for them individually and together.

This is the second book I have read by Lauren Layne, and just like in the first one she strikes the right balance of humor, romance, and emotion in her plot.

I highly recommend this for a sweet holiday read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren Layne is just delightful. No matter what series she's writing I'll go along for the read. Always a great blend of heat, heart and humor.

I always enjoy Lauren Layne’s romances. This one was a little different from her earlier works that featured sophisticated urban women and the men who love them. In this novel, the heroine is an elementary school teacher in New York City who returns to the small community she grew up in for the Christmas holidays. A superstitious woman, she resolves to find all her exes because a strange woman tells her that she has already met her true love.

As the reader will quickly realize, that man is her best friend, Mark, who lives in the house behind her and with whom she shares ownership of an adorable dog. Mark has been her friend for 10 years and she is suddenly noticing how hunky he is and how unenthusiastic he is about her drive to reconnect with all her ex-boyfriends.

We all know how this is going to end, but it’s a fun journey getting there. This book really reminded me of some of Kristin Higgins’ romances with quirky heroines looking for love in small towns in the blend of humor and romance between likable protagonists. It was a very enjoyable read and I liked it as much as I liked Layne’s books with a more sophisticated setting and heroine.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A great friends to lovers story with a heroine who, bless her heart, is just truly oblivious to how much her friend loves her. Fortunately, they get on the same page and a Merry Christmas is had. I enjoyed the characters, and felt the heroine was written especially well. It would be easy to get annoyed with her cluelessness, but Layne does a great job of making Kelly sympathetic and grounded. The book is written entirely from her perspective, but we get to see enough of Mark for him to be a fully developed hero. The conflict comes out of the story naturally and never feels overdone. A bright, fun read with lots of humor and chemistry. ARC from NetGalley.

Author needs to fact check before publishing. Cruise Ships do not travel to Alaska for a Christmas Cruise.

A big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Loved the book maybe a little cheesy but it's a fun fast read. Kelly is clueless and quirky. Mark seemed like just a truly good guy. I think most romance readers would enjoy this holiday romance.

This book was very, very close to a 4 star review. SO CLOSE. But, boy did the book frustrate me. Mark was awesome and could potentially be in the running for the best Lauren Layne hero ever, giving Lincoln a serious run for his money. Alas, Kelly, however, was seriously annoying and idiotic. A grown woman should not have to use a magic 8 ball to decide what kind of underwear to wear, much less decisions on her love life. She came off as overly cutesy-quirky, a little immature, and frankly undeserving of a guy as great as Mark. And what was that stupid thing at the end with Colin?!?! Ugh. This book had so much potential and parts of it were sweet and adorable and hysterical. Since Mark was a restauranteur and chef, I’ll put it in cooking terms: the recipe was a sweet, simple, uncomplicated chocolate chip cookie recipe but someone (namely the author) tried to get a little too fancy and cutesy and added a few unnecessary ingredients and mucked the cookies up.

This is a cozy Christmas read. Although it was predictable, it was a nice read for the holidays. I liked her best friend and wished that she would wake up a little sooner. I enjoyed reading it, but it definitely wasn't encouraged by her craziness.

This is hands-down the best holiday romance I've had the pleasure of reading. By a mile. If this book doesn't get made into a Hallmark Christmas movie, then it will just be further proof that something is terribly, terribly wrong with this world. ;-) Seriously, even though I love those cheesy Hallmark Christmas movies, I tend to avoid the holiday romance books because I usually come away unsatisfied. And now it will be worse because this book will be the one that all others are compared to in my mind, and I already expect that they'll come up lacking. I took a chance on this one because I've enjoyed Ms. Layne's books in the past, and she definitely worked her usual magic in this one. The adorable banter, the laugh-out-loud moments, the quirky 8-ball carrying heroine, the sexy-as-sin hero, and the need-a-fan-to-get-through-the-sexy-times-without-melting chemistry all work together to make this one of my favorite reads by Ms. Layne. I could not get enough of Kelly and Mark, and I devoured this in one sitting because I could not bring myself to take a break until I knew how these two found their way from best friends to soulmates. How does Ms. Layne produce this stuff? I have no clue. But I'm pretty sure she's fueled by some kind of otherworldly power and has put a spell on me because I'm totally enamored of her and her work. I asked my own Magic 8 Ball if Ms. Layne is the High Priestess of Rom-Com, and it said, "You can't handle the Truth!" I'll just take that as a yes.

This little gem is everything a reader could want in a Lauren Layne book!

Whether you are new to LL or a long time fan, you are in for a big treat with An Ex for Christmas. This story is filled with tons of humor and that perfect amount of chemistry between the characters that makes a reader swoon. Most importantly....there is banter, lots of it! Readers of Lauren Layne know that NO ONE does witty banter like she does!

28-year-old Kelly Byrne is an elementary school teacher at an elite private school in Manhattan during the week, but on the weekends she travels a few hours north to her hometown in upstate NY to visit her parents and stay in the house her grandmother left her when she passed away. Her neighbor and best friend since high school, Mark, lives in the house right behind hers and their backyards, well, back up to each other, so they are permanent fixtures in each other's life and even co-parent a dog together. For ten years they have been through both good and bad times, relationships and break ups, and are as close as two friends can be.

A few days before Christmas, highly superstitious Kelly has a very brief encounter with a mysterious woman (I have my own theory on how this woman came to find her, but I will let you draw your own conclusions) who tells her that she has already met her one true love and that she will be with him on Christmas morning. This sets Kelly's wheels turning and makes her think that her one true love must be a guy from her past; and she is determined to reunite with each of her ex boyfriends over the next week to find out which of them is her soulmate. She enlists a rather unwilling Mark in her crazy scheme, and while she crashes and burns with each guy as she goes down the list, she is blind to see that Mark is on the sidelines totally and completely in love with her.

During her little project Kelly begins to feel a strange attraction to Mark that she never felt before, but quickly pushes it aside thinking that the right guy for her has to be one from the list. She considers herself rather average and doesn't think that a guy as good looking or successful as Mark could have any interest in her as more than a friend until he starts acting a bit strange as well. This creates some really hot tension between them, which leads to lots of steam and also lots of heartbreak.

Quite simply, I hung on every...single...word!

I am not usually a fan of holiday romances, as I tend to find them to be very cheesy. It's not that I don't possess the holiday spirit, but its more like I don't like unrealistic, fairytale-type stories. I prefer a little realism and grit in the books I read. This story was perfectly balanced. The characters are totally down-to-earth and relatable, but there is that little spark of joy that can only be felt during the holiday season, and a small town in upstate NY in the winter was the perfect setting.

I absolutely loved this book! It is definitely up there with my other all time favorite Lauren Layne stories!

Predictable plot but likable characters. Loved the Love Actually references!

Lauren Layne has quickly become one of my go to authors and I have to say, I absolutely loved An Ex for Christmas!!!

Kelly is a fun loving teacher who is looking forward to Christmas break. Sending her parents on an anniversary trip means that Kelly will be alone this Christmas. Except she does have her neighbor and best friend Mark to enjoy the holidays with.

When Kelly makes it her mission to go thru her ex list and find her one true love, taking Mark along with her for the ride, the relationship between the two best friends becomes strained.

Kelly is looking for the love of her life and Mark is trying to get Kelly to see what is right in front of her face for the last ten years.

An Ex for Christmas was a fun, magical and had me laughing and crying at the same time. It will definitely be a book that I go back and read it all over again!! This is one of the best holiday books I’ve ever read and I hope to see more about Mark and Kelly!

A must read!!

She is a teacher and its the last day of sxhool for winter break. He is a cook n owner of a restaurant he is also her best friend for years. They know so much about each other. She starts looking at him different when some feelings come forward. She tried to stay in the friend zone but he n her have this connection that is strong n undeniable. I enjoyed this book very much.

Friends to lovers, unrequited love, loving from afar and something always sexy happening in the kitchen -- these are the things that I've grown to love in Ms Layne's books. I've yet to find one that I won't speed read through and speed re-read again. Characters are always memorable; not just the main ones. I can't help but wonder what their love stories are. The banter is great and the characters say stuff that I would actually say in real life. You made me happy, Ms Layne. COngratulations and more power.

This is book #5 in the Love Unexpectedly series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader enjoyment and understanding, I recommend reading this series in order.

Kelly & Mark have been best friends for so long. They can finish each other's sentences. They can tell when a relationship is not working. What Kelly cannot seem to notice is their attraction to one another.

Mark has been waiting for the right moment to sweep her off her feet. Kelly is always in another city, with another man, or just plain oblivious. Will Mark ever get his chance to be the man Kelly really needs?

This was such a great story. I laughed, cried and even laughed while I cried. This author never disappoints. Such a truly sweet read about best friends and why they are truly the. best for you. I loved every page and honestly hope we see these characters again.


***This ARC copy was given by Netgalley and its publishers in exchange for an honest review only.

After the last kiddo exits her classroom Kelly Byrne starts to feel a little giddy because her Christmas vacation is now underway, and this year she is celebrating it a little differently... she has two weeks to herself and she couldn't be more excited. She is ready to go home and get her vacation started, but before she gets there she bumps into a woman who knows a little more about her than she is comfortable with, the woman claims to be a physic and is certain that Kelly's holiday is about to take a romantic turn. She tells her that one of her ex's is about to come back into her life and sweep her off her feet, so Kelly decides to embrace the woman's prediction and creates an ex-list to narrow down "the one" she is meant to be with. But there is one man that is not on the list and should be... her best friend Mark!

Mark Blakely has had a special place in his heart for his best friend Kelly for years, in hopes that one day it may become more, but Kelly seems to be oblivious to his feelings for her. He has watched her go on date after date, and been there to pick up the pieces after each heartbreak she has had. And now that she has this idea that one of her ex's is supposed to be her "one", Mark is having a hard time watching her set herself up for heartbreak all over again... why can't she see he is the one meant to be the keeper of her heart?

Oh how I loved this story, as soon as I cracked the cover Ms. Layne's wonderful characters took over, and took me on a blissful little literary journey. These two have danced around each other for years, one never knowing that love was possible between them, and the other dying to explore the feelings he felt, and once they both found themselves on the same page it was literary magic! The story line came with lots of moments to love, moments that brought smiles and laughs, and moments that had the room temperature rising a few notches. If you decide to pick up a holiday read this year, make it this one, Ms. Layne's wonderfully crafted story will warm you heart and put you in the holiday spirit!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! Lauren Layne is so darn good at writing crisp characters and witty dialogue. The people she creates are so tangible, I always feel like I could stumble upon any one of them in my local coffee shop.

An Ex for Christmas is a friends to lovers story, my very favorite type, and it didn't disappoint. Oh and the Love Actually moment, my heart! The only thing that could have made the story better for me would be if it were told from dual POVs.

Anytime you get a chance to read a Lauren Layne romance, I recommend you go ALL IN. An Ex for Christmas is just one more example why I'll continue to do just that.

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Yet, this matters little, since I’m waiting on the release when I can buy a copy for my best friend so we can moon over it together.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lauren Layne's book are my guilty pleasure! I love them so much! And now An Ex for Christmas?!? OMG I was so happy. This was like the best Christmas type Hallmark movie ever!
Kelly Byrne thinks she is going get back together with an ex by Christmas to make what a psychic come to reality. The problem is, she doesn't know which one. So she goes through her list of exes.

Mark Blakely has been Kelly's friend for years. Nothing more. He isn't an ex, so Kelly is kind of missing what has been in front of her face for years.

Now, at Christmas time, they might see what has been there for years!