I never read blubs, especially from authors that I love, because I trust them to tell me a good story. In the case of Christina Lauren, I trust them to give me an excellent story, and this is exactly what I got with In a Holidaze!

Since I don't read blurbs, I had no idea what I was getting into with In a Holidaze, but it ended up being precisely my cup of tea. It starts off with a normal holiday gathering, and all of a sudden, there's time travel involved! This is also the story of two people who have known each other as friends their entire lives, and I love a couple with a complicated history! There is a big, wonderful cast of characters in addition to Maelyn and Andrew. Sometimes it's difficult for me to keep track of who's who in books like this, but these characters were so delightful. It was so fun getting to know them, and they were very easy to distinguish from one another.

Since the main character, Maelyn, bounces back in time and repeats the Christmas holidays over and over again, there is an element of suspense throughout the last half of the book, as you wait to find out if she's going to lose everything she's gained in the current go-round by ending back on the plane. I kept thinking "Don't go back! Don't go back!" and I will definitely not spoil it for you. But if you've read a Christina Lauren book before, you know that they can put you through a lot of heartache and drama and angst, but they don't leave you there! I loved this book so much that I'm going to buy it on audio. I don't always have time to reread a book, but there's always time to listen to one!

Thanks to the Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

In this latest novel from the remarkable Christina Lauren writing duo, we are offered the story of a woman who is given her own "Groundhog Day" opportunity to change her life for the better -- and the lives of her loved ones. Once past its jarring, confusing, and somewhat off-putting start, IN A HOLIDAZE takes off into the accomplished, funny, upbeat, wonderful story that I've grown to expect from their previous novels. Highest praise? I finished the book in one long, pleasurable read, staying up way past my bedtime to enjoy the time spent in another world with terrific, believable characters and the well-wrought story. Highly recommended for light, upbeat, and life-enhancing read. I received an advance copy of this novel courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

3.5 stars
Another fun read by Christina Lauren in which Christmas meets Groundhog's Day! Maelyn Jones has just made a big mistake she regrets and learns that the cabin her family goes to every year is being sold. Truly unhappy with herself, she wishes she could see what would make her happy. This throws her back 5 days to the beginning of Christmas vacation where she gets a second chance...and a third...and a fourth.
This was entertaining and an adorable holiday read that made me smile throughout. Maelyn has had a crush on Andrew for as long as she can remember. I love the way her infatuation is written about him because it feels tangible. It's like she gets hearts in her eyes whenever he walks into a room. He clearly cares about her from the start, even when they're only friends. There's something so great about stories where the two main characters have known each other since they were kids because there's so much established already. They have a history and a unique kind of closeness that can only be improved by them getting together. This book as a whole gives us such a cozy vibe that I wish I could actually go to the cabin! The other character I love is Uncle Benny because he and Mae have a very close bond that never changed, even when she was going through the craziness of starting everything over. I do think it was hard for me to keep track of the other characters because they weren't developed enough and I didn't connect with them. Andrew was definitely written on a pedestal because I preferred to read about him more than Theo.
This was a fun Christmas read that is perfect for anybody looking for something with that cozy, holiday feel!

This was adorable!! The perfect holiday read. My favorite Christina Lauren yet.

There was so much to love about this story. Cabin in the woods, packed with close friends and family, yearly Christmas traditions, a lifelong crush that grew into love.

The relationship between Mae and Mandrew was adorable. I loved every minute of it.

I wasn't super sure about how the "groundhog day" situation worked in this story. Was their a clear point where she knew it had ended? I was still waiting for her to start again, even towards the end.

I will be recommending /buying this for everyone this holiday season. 4.5 stars.

One of the best books from this author duo that I have ever read! I loved it so much!!! Highly recommend this! I loved the family vibes, the romance, the atmosphere! Everything! I laughed, I cried! I just had the best time reading this book!

At the beginning of this book I found myself thinking “not another groundhog’s day time travel trope” but by the end I couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear. I think I found my new favorite book boyfriend— Andrew, a man who listens! I loved the balance of sweet, tender, cozy moments and a bit of steam! If I waited half my life to be with my one true love I’d find the draw irresistible too! This is the perfect feel good romance for anyone who need a winter fairytale.

Maelyn Jones spends every Christmas at her favorite place in the world: a cabin owned by her parents' friends in Utah. She joins her (divorced) parents, younger brother Miles, and two other families for a magical Christmas experience--cookie baking, snow creature making contests, holiday scavenger hunts, and more. She's been sleeping in the basement in the "kid bunk beds" with Miles and family friends Theo and Andrew for years, despite the fact that they are adults now. But this year, it's all ruined: their friends are selling the cabin and Mae is humiliated after an embarrassing encounter with Theo. As her family drives away from the cabin one last time, she makes a desperate plea for happiness. Then she sees a car headed straight toward theirs, and it all goes black. When she awakes, she's back on a plane headed to Utah, headed to the same holiday trip. As various disasters return Mae to the plane over and over, she realizes she's in a time loop--she needs to break free, and figure out to find true love and happiness, once and for all.

"So I ask the universe, simply: Can you show me what will make me happy?"

I know I must have read this synopsis when I requested this book, but I didn't reread it before starting, because hello, CLo, enough said. So I was slightly surprised by the Groundhog Day-esque story to this one, but I went with the flow. Luckily Mae is funny and charming enough to make just about anything fly, even a crazy time loop plot where you're not exactly sure how or why she's in it or quite what she's supposed to do to get out of it.

"'I think it's possible I'm in the past, repeating the same holiday, and I'm the only one who knows it.'"

It took a little while for the romance to heat up here, but once it did, the book was off and running. And boom! It's a sweet read, but flirty and romantic too. I loved Mae and her crush--they crackled and simmered. Honestly, the time loop piece was secondary to their joyful love. Seeing Mae come into her own made everything else less important, including Mae's reliving of her holiday. (And I enjoyed how she took to it so quickly--don't eat that, you're going to need this, tell me a secret so I can prove this to you next time--you go girl, embrace the loop!).

So, yes, while this book is a little crazy, it's also sweet and happy, too. It's a perfect Christmas read for a snowy day (or a fall day when you feel like the world is falling apart). 4 stars.

Ahhhhh Christina Lauren!! I always expect their books to be funny and warm and make me smile but this was reminiscent of love and other words. I think it may be one of their best. EVER. I loved Mandrew and Maisie. Maisie was a particularly likable character because her flaws were also her strengths and I loved how she changes and developed from letting life happen to her to taking charge of her feelings and being proactive about her dreams. And I may be a teensy bit biased about the setting because I live in Salt Lake but it was perfect for Christmas.I can’t wait to promote this book!

In a Holidaze by the fabulous duo Christina Lauren was exactly what I wanted from a fun romantic Christmas story! I sped through this book and laughed and rolled my eyes (in a good way!) at so much of it.

Mae’s life isn’t exactly what she pictured for herself. She is currently living with her parents, hates her job, and may have just made an epic romantic mistake. The one thing she can count on in life however, is the annual family Christmas trip to a Utah cabin with two other families that have spent Christmas together for as long as she can remember. One wish later, Mae finds herself caught in a Groundhog Day type Christmas time loop that has her scrambling to figure out what she must do to break free and maybe even end up with the right guy. Full of hilarious antics, vulnerable moments, and mistletoe, this Christmas tale was a hit for me!

I just loved this book. It is such a sweet story with a wonderful winter/Christmas setting.

I grew so attached to all of the characters in this beautiful, loving extended family. This is a book where all of the characters have such an important part in the story and they are so well written. I would LOVE some sort of sequel or follow up because I'm not ready to say goodbye. Honestly, I would read a book about any of these characters. They were unique and had such strong personalities. They were so loving and supportive of each other while also having their family squabbles. The beauty of friendships that last a lifetime and friends who become family was really touching.

The love story is adorable with the added time travel twist. I adored both main characters and they were so relatable. The relationship felt so natural and believable and, while there is some tension and a misunderstanding to work through, that also felt organic to the story. There are some parts where I literally laughed out loud and some parts that made me so emotional. In a Holidaze has a Hallmark movie vibe to it with a little extra chemistry between Maelyn and her love interest. I would definitely recommend adding this charming, funny, heartwarming romance to your TBR list! I will definitely be gifting this to friends this holiday season.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Let's start by saying that one of my favorite movies is Groundhog day. (Bill Murray dying many times until becoming a selfless version of himself is too much fun to forget). It's a movie I can rewatch over and over and still enjoy. I didn’t read the blurb so I didn’t know that In A Holidaze was loosely based on it.

So what happens when you have been in love with Andrew since the age of thirteen but make a mistake and kiss his brother, Theo on December 25th instead? Naturally, you wish for a chance to find some happiness and erase the last few days, right? Wishful thinking...maybe for us plain humans but for Maelyn Jones this exactly what happens. She revisits the beginning of her Christmas holiday to find out what makes her happy. A Christmas full of family and friends. Maelyn's parents and her college friends have been meeting for Christmas since she can remember. It's a tradition that everyone makes time for.

Maelyn has been in love with Andrew since she was thirteen but she has never told him how she feels. Everyone has assumed Maelyn and Theo who are both twenty-six will be an item someday. Regardless of what they want, this time she is going to go for it. What does she have to lose since she probably will end up redoing the day anyway?

This was a fun, heartwarming story. I love the traditions they had of meeting at the cabin playing games throughout the days. It was quite endearing. Even Maelyn's parents who were now divorced, still continue with the tradition.

I didn't like Theo on the first version and thought Andrew took things too lightly. I love Benny in all the versions and the pet names with Mae were all too cute.

Kisses, debating about white chocolate vs real chocolate (of course dark chocolate. I'm a chocolate purist), a torn sweater, snowball fights are all reasons why I liked this book, and why Christina Lauren's duo is a success for me.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Gallery Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun, heartwarming story about friendship, family & the importance of them both. It was cute, sappy, and funny, with wonderful & quirky characters. I loved how the parent's long-term friendship stayed the test of time (30 + years). It had tender moments, plenty of laughter & a sense of togetherness that I wish for everyone to feel in their lifetime.

From the very beginning I was hooked. The elements of writing was used very cleverly in this book. Starting the story with suspense was absolutely amazing. Also the humor was great. I was laughing my butt off. An absolute great read.

If you aren't familiar with Christina Lauren, their (author duo) books are delightful. They have a certain style that all their books seem to follow, which is not always a bad thing. With "Holidaze" you see some of that, but the book did feel a little clunky. While overall it is a fun holiday read, there were parts that could have been explored more and other parts that didn't need to be that long.

The Royal Runaway by Lindsay Emory was a unique, new genre for me as it combines romance with a thriller, and I liked the spin. The story begins with Princess Thea, part of the monarchy for the country of Drieden, being left at the altar. She doesn't know what has happened, and obviously everyone is talking about the royal wedding gone wrong. Alone in a bar, she runs into Nick. They immediately connect, but she soon learns he's not who he says he is. Nick is the estranged (and presumed dead) brother of her former fiance who is also a spy. That's a lot of things, right? However, Nick lets Thea know he believes there is more to the story of her runaway fiance, and they agree to work together to figure out the truth. What follows is an uncovering of all the secrets. They have to figure out what these all mean, who they can trust, and what they're going to do with what they find out. This again was a different take on a thriller. It kept me reading and guessing as I wanted to know what was at the core of what was going down!

Well, this was a wonderful, heart-warming, cozy read for all you Hallmark movie lovers (and you closeted ones too). A Groundhog's Day style story about fighting for what makes you happy, will surely make you happy too.

I enjoy Christina Lauren's novels a lot, but In a Holidaze was one of the more enjoyable ones overall. I had a lot of fun reading it. While it follows a trope that has been overused quite a bit lately (maybe because every day feels like Groundhog Day right now), it was done in a clever way that kept me wondering if Maelyn would get sent back again or not. I liked the characters and the dynamic between everyone. Even though I don't celebrate Christmas, it made me appreciate the holiday and reminded me of the days when I was into the Christmas spirit. Having said that, I wasn't so on board with a church scene, but I can see why it was in there. I could practically hear Christmas songs coming out of the pages and could smell and taste the hot cocoa and candy canes. I could even feel the coldness of the snow. It just seemed like they all were having a lot of fun, despite Maelyn's stress over her situation.

Movie casting suggestions:
Maelyn: Maia Mitchell
Andrew: Robbie Amell
Theo: Brandon Flynn
Miles: Mason Cook
Elise: Diane Franklin
Lisa: Peri Gilpin
Benny: Richard Roxburgh

4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Maelyn Jones always spends the holidays with her family and a group of close family friends. This group includes two bothers that are close to her age; one of whom she has had a long-standing secret crush on. She accidentally, drunkenly makes a bad choice the last night she's at the cabin and then receives some bad news. As her family is on her way to the airport, and she's agonizing about both the choice and the news, they are in an accident. When she wakes up, she's on the plane several days earlier, just arriving to the cabin. She has the opportunity for a do-over (okay, more than one do-over). The question is, what will she do with these opportunities? Will she make different decisions? What will happen if she makes different decisions? It's almost like a Choose Your Own Adventure. I really enjoyed it and loved watching Maelyn grow and connect.

I loved the Groundhog Day premise of this book. I actually just watched Groundhog Day for the first time earlier this year (I can't believe i hadn't watched it before- if you haven't seen it, watch it!). And the book How to Save a Life by Liz Fenton (actually another female writing team) also had a Groundhog Day vibe to it (different from this, but worth reading). So, this must be my year of characters needing to repeat the same day in an effort to learn or grow or just get something right. I like it!

Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley. This is my first book by this author. I don't read contemporary romance, I'm a historical fiction reader, but I thought this might be a fun read because I'm a huge fan of the movie Groundhog Day, since the main character gets stuck in a time loop at Christmas. In general I like the idea of character repeating a timeframe until they get it right and learn what they have to learn . I was afraid this would get boring but there was just enough new stuff each time to keep it entertaining. Glad I read it.

I will admit that I do not always connect with Christina Lauren novels, but "In A Holidaze" may have changed my mind about these two women. Maelyn Jones wakes up after drinking too much eggnog and realizes that she has done the unthinkable- She has made out with Theo, her best childhood friend, and the brother of her crush Andrew. Maelyn is mortified and even more so when Theo acts like nothing happened the next morning. Maelyn is the main character who the audience wants to root for; she is down on her luck working for a job that does not appreciate her and living at home with her mother and stepfather. As a reader, I immediately wanted her to get the guy! As she leaves the snowy Utah Cabin, she makes a wish right before she hears the sound of metal on metal, and the next thing she knows, she wakes up the day before her Christmas vacation and has to relive her trip. I can't recommend this novel enough; it is full of pop culture references and a witty group of supporting characters who will make you laugh. I will definitely check out another Christina Lauren novel.