Kelly and Mark have been best friends since childhood but the timing was never right for them to take it to the next level. In fact Kelly has been oblivious to the fact that Mark has loved her for years. When a fortuneteller tells her she has already met her one true love she looks everywhere except at Mark. Cute holiday romance!

An Ex for Christmas should be made into a Christmas movie. There would need to be a little adjusting of the sensual scenes and probably need to remove the f-word, but it is a perfect Christmas romance. Kelly Byrne and Mark Blakeley meet in high school and become besties right away, never moving past the friend zone. For ten years, each date and break up with several loves. Then as Kelly is headed home for Christmas break, she is told by a little, old lady who ‘sees’ that she has met her true love. With Kelly having an eight ball and other superstitions to guide her, this turns her whole Christmas season upside down trying to contact former boyfriends.

Her BFF and weekend neighbor Mark has been in love with her the whole time. As one of Mark’s former lovers points out. Whenever Kelly is between relationships, so is Mark, just waiting ……

Watching Kelly contact and scratch off former loves from her ‘ex’ list, hunky Mark begins to lose patience. He even tries to help her with ‘The Mistletoe Test’ of kissing former boyfriends. Until finally, he needs Kelly to open her eyes and see him, see he has been waiting the whole time. Kelly depends way too much on her eight ball fortune telling to stop and listen to her heart.

The connection/comparison to the Christmas movie “Love Actually” is sweet. This is not your typical Lauren Layne book, but it works. I like seeing her branch out to something different. This will be a great book to pick up and read during the Christmas holidays for a light holiday season romance.

This is light, it's funny, and it's got a good heart under all the fluff. Kelly doesn't even SEE Mark most of the time, just treats him as yet another buddy. Right under her nose. Harumph! I can't imagine taking the advice of a psychic to go through all my exes as Kelly does but it's a good mechanism to bring her where she should be. This is a friends-to-lovers romance that will charm you. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Layne has a smooth writing style that makes this one you'll find yourself reading past when you should put it down.

An Ex for Christmas an good interesting romance. Thanks

Christmas songs, mistletoe, a snowman costume wearing cocker spaniel, Christmas trees, an elf costume, magic 8 balls and a psychic are some of the things that you can expect to read about in Lauren Layne's latest romance novel. Lauren Layne is the epitome of a chic manhattanite and her heroines reflect her unique sense of style and sassiness and Kelly Byrne just may be her quirkiest heroine yet. With her over-the-top enthusiasm for Christmas and all things related to it, she will draw you into the holiday spirit. I am not lying when I say that I was listening to Christmas songs while reading this book, even though it's still a long time till Christmas!

If you think that Kelly's love for the holiday season is her only eccentricity than you would be wrong. Kelly also believes psychics and horoscopes and all sorts of signs. In fact she believes that superstition is in fact cosmic wisdom and the universe always finds a way to steer us in the right direction. So when a homeless woman tells her that she has already met the one and will reunite with him before Christmas, she decides to make a list of all her exes and find out whether she misjudged one of them. And there's no one who is better to aid her than her best friend Mark.

Mark Blakely has been Kelly's best friend since high school . They have been through a lot in the last decade and he has witnessed all of her failed relationships. So when Kelly comes to Haven for the holidays and tells him about her plan to find "the one" he is less than enthusiastic. They are not only best friends but also neighbors and share a cute black cocker spaniel. Mark has put up with a lot throughout the years, but will he be able to sit back and watch as Kelly goes on a wild goose chase to rekindle her past love affairs?

This is more than just a friends to lovers romance. Even though the story is told only from Kelly's point of view, we can feel and see Mark's feelings. In fact, we can probably see it much better than Kelly herself who seems to be too immersed in her beliefs to see what is right in front of her. And when she finally does, we get to witness a spark that is enough to light a fire that will burn through any cold winter's night! As always, Layne brings us a story full of magic and passion. A beautiful Christmas romance!

Sure, the holiday seasons are about family and friends, but who are we kidding, they're really about curling up with a blanket and a good book with a happily ever after ending deserving of a Hallmark movie. Well, merry early Christmas, to us, because Lauren Layne has come through like one of those creepy Elfs on the Shelf.

Hold the mistletoe, An Ex for Christmas is the holiday romance novel you didn't know you were waiting for.

Kelly Byrne has never met a superstition she didn't immediatley adapt, so when a psychic tells her she has already met her true love she immediately makes an ex list and starts checking it twice. She hilariously makes her way down the list of disappointing man after disappointing man while her
long time best friend with no benefits, Mark, watches in dismay. Wake up and smell the egg nog, Kelly!

This is a true friends to lovers romance that will not disappoint. I can't wait to read it again in the light of my Christmas tree this year.

I really love Lauren Layne books, and this one was no different. Loved Mark's character...he's adorable, and grumpy.

Oh man... First off, I just wanna say that I'm one of Lauren Layne's biggest fans from the far east... I just love her! I can personally attest to the fact that her stories are such moodboosters!

So this book is a Holiday love story that centers on two bestfriends—Kelly Byrne and Mark Blakely... and yeah, of course it doesnt take a genius to figure out whats going on... You might think its so typically predictable, but nnnnnooo... I mean yeah, it's a holiday love story...sure its gonna end in a HEA, but the journey of getting to that point is just so toe-curling and it gave me butterflies in my tummy! The build up of the main characters towards eachother is so seamless... It's sweet but not the eyeroll-inducing-cheesy kind...plus its funny and frustrating at the same time... Somewhere in the middle I was like, "Mark! Dude, get some balls and tell her already!!" But then Kelly is just so ridiculously oblivious!smh lol...

Its everything you'd want in a holiday love story—and more! I knew from the outset that this book is gonna be one of those that will leave you sighing and wishing that miracles like these would happen in real life... I had heart-eyes practically the entire time reading it!

I cant wait for ya'll to read more about Kelly and Mark's journey! The best Christmas Love Story as far as I'm concerned.

I always enjoy Lauren Layne's books and this was no exception. Superstitious Kelly is told by a mysterious woman that she has already met The One, causing her to embark on a series of reunions with all her exes. It's a slight plot and no reader will be deceived about the outcome but the style is engaging and the characters likeable and flawed enough to seem real. Best of all for me there is significantly less crude language and blaspheming than in many of Lauren Layne's books. A fun read for Christmas.

What a fun and quirky story, I loved every second of it.  It had the small town charm with a real sense of community and family.  You don't see that a lot any more.  With all the hustle and bustle of the big city and family drama that tends to weigh down the emotions in a book. Can I also say that I LOVE this cover.  The red in her socks just makes it pop.

Kelly is someone I'd love to have in my life.  Superstitious-like me, always cheerful, and an overall joy.  She eats up life voraciously and enjoys every second of it.  I love when an authors writes characters that are quirky and fun-that don't take themselves too seriously.

Mark all dark and broody just how I like my H's.  He doesn't say much but, his actions speak way louder than his words.  I really enjoyed his character, he had a lot of depth and a soft spot for dogs!  

This was a sweet, fun, relaxing read.  It makes you want to curl up in front of the fire while the snow comes down with the smell of Christmas cookies filling the air.  It also made me want to put up my Christmas decorations now, though I should probably wait until at least November!

Every time that Lauren Layne releases a book, I'm going to read it. She's been my go-to author for fabulous contemporary romances for the past couple of years and I don't see that changing anytime soon. An Ex for Christmas is the fifth book in the non-series, Love Unexpectedly and it's another sweet romance that I ate right up.

Kelly believes in fate and in all things psychic so when she's trying to make her way home for the holidays and a psychic stops her to tell her that she's already met her one true love, Kelly is shook. She's so shook that she gets home and ropes her best friend Mark into helping her make a list of her ex-boyfriends because one of them is her one true love and she's going to find him. So she goes on this mission to track down her exes, put them through a date to see if there are any sparks left and well...you know how that goes.

Mark just got out of a relationship that wasn't going anywhere and he's making plans for his future when his best friend Kelly comes home with the crazy plan to track down her exes and marry one of them. He's grumpy about it because what man wants to be caught up in that tangle of junk?

Mark and Kelly were adorable together. I love how comfortable they were with each other and how loyal they were to each other. When Kelly thinks that Mark's girlfriend is cheating on him, she gets super mad on his behalf and I thought that was fantastic. Mark couldn't have cared less because he was getting ready to put his plans into action and when he's sidelined by Kelly's crazy plans to nab an ex, I loved seeing him battle his emotions with that.

Lauren Layne does a great job of telling this story while only giving us Kelly's POV. I would have liked to get inside Mark's head from time to time but I caught onto his deal pretty early on so I didn't think the book suffered much from not having it. Mark was the perfect kind of grumpy that I adore to pieces so I was all aboard the Mark train.

Kelly took her sweet ass time figuring out who her perfect mate was but I had a good time seeing her fail at every date she went on so I wasn't annoyed at all. She was great fun to get to know and I liked seeing her come into her own. She had a sweet relationship with her parents and with her friends from high school so all in all, this was a good read.

This was the perfect read to read heading into the holidays...it was fun, flirty and had a smoking hot hero that was grumpily perfect for the sweetheart of a heroine. Lauren Layne continues to shine in my eyes and I'm already thirsty for more. She seriously can't write fast enough to suit me. I'm so greedy when it comes to her books. She's just so good. I definitely recommend.

<strong>Grade: 4 out of 5</strong>

Kelly has everything: a job she loves, a great shared apartment in the city, a home upstate that she spends weekends and holidays at, a good relationship with her parents and a custody-share arrangement with her best friend for a cute little cocker spaniel. Christmas break has come, and as a teacher it’s hard to see who was more excited for the holiday: her 3rd grade students or her? Planning her holiday out to the last second, Kelly is at the subway when a woman tells her that her ‘forever guy’ is someone she’s already met, and to wish her parents a happy 30th anniversary. Already prone to listen for the fates, horoscopes and make use of the many Magic 8 Balls she has scattered everywhere, she instantly decides that going through her ex-boyfriends to check for a ‘match’ will be her goal.

Mark has been Kelly’s best friend since his family moved to town – indulging in her quirks, there to support her during breakups, and even sharing custody of the dog. Mark is always there with food (he’s a chef), companionship and even challenges her on her more outrageous ideas. Like an exuberant puppy, Kelly can’t wait to share the encounter with the unknown woman at the trains, and tells Mark that she’ll hunt down these men, all before Christmas, to see that the woman’s foretelling comes true. Only problem – the woman told Kelly she’d already met her soulmate – not that she’d dated him.

From the first, Kelly’s exuberance and determination to be happy, celebrate every moment of the season (her favorite) and make her own new traditions. From giving her parents a cruise for the holiday, to her plans to be a sexy elf in the town’s holiday parade, she’s got almost every eventuality covered. Except for the fact that Mark has never entered into her thoughts in “that way” even as moments together are unsettling her, making her wonder. Sweet, cute and oh so frustrating when she can’t see what is right in front of her, always, the story is full of holiday moments, snowball fights, food and plenty of chick films. With a lovely last minute realize just what is there moment and big changes for both Mark and Kelly, the story is a wonderful escape for the holidays – sure to make you smile.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”http://wp.me/p3OmRo-9qo/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Such a sweet and funny little romance. I loved every word of this book and I loved all the laugh out loud moments and the chemistry between the two main characters was hot. This was a great quick read. I look forward to more from this author.

I really liked this book, it was nice to have a book that was Christmassy. I don't want to spoil this book but I will have a full review on release day.

This is another winner by Lauren Layne... It has her signature witty, rom-com style and is like the sweetest Christmas chocolate for the soul. This quick read is a perfect HEA for the holidays!

Kelly is a big believer in "signs" of all types. When a mysterious woman tells her she's already met "the one" she's supposed to be with, Kelly sets out to make her "Ex List" a rerun list. Determined to figure out which man was the one who got away, she revisits her past. Her best friend Mark is a permanent fixture in her life. He's provided an ear to listen as she ventures down the path to the past, but he doesn't seem particularly excited about it. Why does the feel of his arms around her suddenly cause things to feel a little... Different? Can these friends become lovers? Is Kelly willing to look past the "signs" and give a relationship with Mark a chance? A shake of the Magic 8 ball will reveal what's about to happen next... ;-)

An Ex for Christmas (Love Unexpectedly #5)
Lauren Layne
Book Review: ♥ ♥ ♥ ❣

Tea leaves, tarot cards, magic eight balls and future telling gypsies are all things Kelly believes in. If the Stars think you're compatible it must be true. Mark is her patient best friend who doesn't believe in all these cosmic signs.

When a psychic tells Kelly she has already met her perfect match she is determined to hunt him down. Kelly makes a list of all her ex-boyfriends who are still eligible and tries to hunt them down. Her best friend Mark is helping her, but not willingly. ex-boyfriends usually own that title because they should stay in the past. This is a friend to lovers comedy romance novel set around Christmas.

There is a fine line between funny and irritating. Kelly walks this line very well and it could go either way, for me it was a little shaky. Some bits I found funny some I didn't.

Mark is after his own Christmas wish. He thinks Kelly isn't going to find love with one of her ex-partners. Kelly is all about Christmas spirit, and he is happy to humour her over the Christmas period. He helps her set up for Christmas enjoying her company.

Marks character was a hot male lead and perfect for this book.

Lauren Layne has written two of my favourite books; Isn't she lovely and Broken. An ex for Christmas was an okay read, but I've read better from this author. This book offers Christmas spirit, a few laughs and some hot loving. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light-hearted cosy read.

3.5 stars out of 5. ARC received in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher, Loveswept and Netgalley.


ebook £2.99, 218 pages
Expected publication: November 7th 2017 by Loveswept

Kelly, an elementary school teacher is on her way to her hometown for the Christmas holidays when she meets a physic at the train station, who tells her that she has already met her one true love. Kelly assumes she’s talking about one of her exes and starts planning how to find which one is The one.
Mark is Kelly’s next door neighbor and best friend. He is also in love with Kelly, to which she is totally oblivious, and is not very happy about Kelly’s plan to find her HEA with one of her exes.
Somewhere along trying to find her one true love, Kelly starts seeing Mark differently, starts accepting her attraction for him, which creates some tension between them, leads to some sexy times and a little drama.
An ex for Christmas was a funny, sweet and adorable read. There were a few times I wanted to yell at Kelly to see what’s in front of her, but watching her making plans and blundering through them made for some funny moments. Mark is a total swoon worthy hero and I just loved him.
An ex for Christmas is wonderful Christmas read that will leave with feel good and warm feelings.

I loved it! This was amazingly good. I loved Kelly's character but I think I loved Mark's more. I do enjoy a good friends to lovers story and this one didn't disappoint. I loved the Christmas theme and all of the ways the author made you feel everything both Mark and Kelly felt. Kelly was incredibly real and likable (i.e. not super thin model like) with all of her quirks and love of Christmas. I always love how she wants Mark to be happy and tries to befriend all of his girlfriends, only to find out, most only tolerate her as a necessity. Mark is the perfect match for Kelly, if only she can just open her eyes and see it. Lauren Layne makes you feel everything that Kelly feels as she navigates through her feelings about Mark. I don't know how she does it but it works. Every.single.time.

Lauren is my current fave author and I look forward to each and every one of her books.

I have been reading this author's books since her first release, out of them all...and there's some pretty awesome ones...An Ex for Christmas has become my favorite. It's difficult to say why succinctly, only that through her writing, Mark and Kelly came alive on the pages. Their joys, their sorrows, the laughter, and the heartbreak all became tangible, creating a bond with this reader that'll not easily be broken, even long after the book has been completed.

Mark and Kelly's story is filled with lively, clever and witty banter...one of the author's trademarks...while at the same time, the dialog is fast paced, smart and emotion evoking. The couple didn't just suddenly find their HEA, it had been growing over tens years, recognized exactly when it needed to be, when Kelly was receptive to its gift. I have found Ms Layne to be masterful in creating emotions in her readers...this was done in spades in An Ex for Christmas.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

It's hard to pass up the friends-to-lovers trope, especially when it's at Christmas. The set-up is a little silly and far-fetched and hinges on the heroine misunderstanding something that felt pretty obvious, but you kind of just let it go because the story was sweet and fun and quick and Christmasey. This wasn't Layne's best and felt like it should have either been a little bit shorter with less plot/backstory threads mentioned and left sort of un fully-fleshed out or it should have been longer and really tackled more of the backstory. If you want a fun, festive read that will give you a HEA and is a quick read, you'll enjoy this!