This was another delightful book from Christina Lauren, and this one gives us a holiday twist! This book follows Mae as she finds herself living her Christmas holidays over and over again in quirky take on Groundhog Day. As with most of the books from Lauren, Holidaze was fun, flirty, and a good old-fashion rom-com story to give you a lift. The one downside was I found myself wanting the side relationship with Theo to be fleshed out a little more. Because we never got much of a backstory with Theo, his part of the story felt forced and a little unbelievable. However, overall, this was such a fun, read, and I think I may have to revisit it during the holiday season!

Christina Lauren books are reliably enjoyable. So the bar is set very high for them in my mind. This one was...just ok. I didn't dislike it, but I can't write a glowing review of it either. In defense of the book, I don't love holiday themed books (one area where the movies are better) and I also don't like time loops as a plot (ala Groundhog Day, Lydia Bird, How to Save a Life). So, it had to overcome those biases in my head.

This book is set near Sundance, at a cabin where old friends and their families gather for Christmas. Think The Family Stone but with found families. It's a tradition that sounds wonderful and I wish I could do this with my friends for the holidays too. Traditions continue and children age, family dynamics change. Then the main character, a floundering 26 daughter gets stuck in a time loop.

It then becomes a little It's a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Carol with Mae considering how her actions can change the future for the group. This is the part that didn't work for me. It only started over a couple of times but then she miraculously changed everything by just a few small actions.
This does have a cute love story but the real love story is the love in this found extended family and how they all want to stay together for future holidays. There are some lovely relationships and I really liked the setting.

This might be a cute book to read while decorating your house for Christmas or wrapping presents. I think I'll stick to my favorite holiday movies.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy.

IN A HOLIDAZE is the perfect happy Christmastime romance novel. The atmosphere throughout the book was so wintry and cozy, especially with the setting in a cabin filled with such close friends and family. I loved that there was a big cast of characters; it made for the perfect holiday feel. Mae was a great narrator and, like all of Christina Lauren’s main characters, had a distinct personality and was so much fun to follow. I loved seeing her take control of her life over the course of the book. Andrew was a great love interest and the relationship they shared (not only in the present, but the glimpses we get into their past) translated so well on the page. The only complaint I had with the book was the end conflict scene; I felt like the justification for the argument the characters had wasn’t authentic and didn’t feel real enough to cause as big of a dilemma as it did. The ending, though, was perfectly done. Honestly, this should be a must-read for anyone looking for a light-hearted romance for the Christmas season.

I only discovered the Christina Lauren duo earlier this year, but I've spent the last few months reading all of their work and I will just say they have hit it out of the park once again. This novel is a heart-wrenching tale of letting yourself go and being truly yourself. To take hold of what you want, and even if it doesn't work out like you hoped it would, to still be proud of yourself for putting it out there and to still be OK with yourself. And of course, romance!

This book - Christmas in July? Yes, please! What a delight this read was, and I just devoured it in one day. The plot (hello, Christmas magic!) moves along so nicely that you don't realize you've reached the end until you're trying to turn the page and there's nothing left. I gasped, I swore, I cried. I cried kind of a lot there towards the end, to be honest.

I don't know what kind of magic these wonderful authors put into their work, but it is working. Their way with words - and with plot points - keeps their stories flowing very nicely. This story has the potential to get bogged down in the transitions when Maelyn gets sent back to the first day of vacation, certainly in a more Groundhog Day kind of way (so many repeats) than I would be interested in reading. But it just doesn't. I did find it to be a little bit of a tease to suggest there would be a love triangle between the two brothers and Mae, and that almost put me off of the book altogether, but there really isn't such a thing in it.

I would say my only complaint is that there are a lot of characters, and we really only get to see most of them superficially. I could have done with less people at the cabin, or a slightly longer book getting to know everyone. They seemed like a delightful crowd and would be fun to know. I did have some trouble keeping everyone straight in my head, but not enough to put me off.

All said, this is a delightful, funny, fun, sad, happy, and despairing book that I think all fans of Christina Lauren will absolutely love. I know I did!

Thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Chrisina Lauren has long been one of my favorite contemporary romance author's. I was so excited to see her new title "In a Holidaze!" The fact that this is a holiday tale made it even more exciting. It put me in the mood for the upcoming holiday season.

**IN A HOLIDAZE by Christina Lauren BOOK REVIEW**
🎄
I just love this writing duo and they did not disappoint with this quirky, warm, unique holiday love story. I absolutely loved Mae and Andrew’s relationship and I adored the loving framily (friends that are as close as family). in this book.
🎄
When I say that this story is unique and quickly, what I mean is that the main character goes back in time to relive the holiday over a few times. She makes some mistakes and is given another chance (over and over) to get it right, or find what makes her happy. At first I was like, wait...what? What is happening?!
*I didn’t read the synopsis ahead of time, so I had no clue* Then, when I got used to the time traveling, I was nervous that it wouldn’t stop and Mae would have to relive everything AGAIN. Thankfully, it did stop. The time traveling was fine but in this story, I really wanted it to stop when things started to go well for Mae and Andrew.
🎄
The cast of characters that gathers at the beloved cabin for Christmas every year is really great. The parents all met in college and it’s just really lovely to see the relationships they’ve nurtured all these years. I love the Park City Setting as well.
🎄
Mae and Andrew have a wonderful chemistry. There is some definite steam, but not to the level that makes me blush (for reference, I blush pretty easily). Their relationship hits a snag, but in typical Christina Lauren fashion, we leave the story feeling happy and hopeful.
I highly recommend you curl up with this feel-good romance over the holidays (or Christmas in July like me!).
🎄
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Christina Lauren for the advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Twenty-six-year-old Mae has been in love with Andrew her entire life. But when she gets drunk at the cabin that their families gather at every year for Christmas, it's his brother Theo she kisses. Not only that, Theo's rude to her the next morning. And their parents announce that they're selling the cabin. Mae desperately needs a do-over on the worst Christmas holiday ever. She makes a wish, and the universe answers. Suddenly, Mae finds herself back on the plane, about to start the holiday all over again. Mae's uncertain of what she's supposed to do - save the cabin? Finally tell Andrew how she feels? And she's not sure how many times she's going to have to live the same holiday before she gets it right.

This is a super cute holiday read brimming with snow, mistletoe, and Christmas cheer. Complete with cuddling sessions under thick sleeping bags, this book will make you want to curl up under a blanket in front of a fire. Perfect with a cup of hot chocolate or eggnog or something stronger.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ever read a book and immediately translate the page to a movie?

Christina Lauren, one of my favorite writing duo's, seems to always write books that this happens for me.

I don't know how they do it, but every book I pick up from this team spins a plot with a new twist and just the right amount of romance, and comedy, and cringeworthy moments!

This time around, In a Holidaze, gives us - Christmas, Family Hijinx, a groundhog day theme, and romance.
I could not put this one down, and while reading this book, could see the movie very clearly in my mind (think Hallmark movie, but with way more steam and snap).

Here’s the set up- A family tradition of 4 different families getting together each year for holiday cheer and chaos at a family cabin, kids who have grown to be young adults, a crush (of course), a potential love triangle with 2 brothers (awkward), and our main character, who keeps reliving the same week of holiday hijinx, until she can figure out how to make things "right". (Groundhog Day done right). Throw in a family member who doles our family counseling between smoking bowls of weed, an aging male broadway star attempting to keep trendy, and divorced parents who still hang out at the holidays and you have all the ingredients for a great book.

The characters are easy to love, the family dynamic is hilarious, and the setting perfect. Thank you to @gallerybooks and and @simonandschuster for this ARC!

Add this one to your TBR, its out in October, and is going to be the perfect holiday read.

Maelyn is on her yearly holiday vacation with her family and their friends. This year is extra challenging, her life is in shambles and she had to move back home. After making out with her old friend Theo, she feels even worse as he is ignoring her the next day and Andrew, his brother and the one she actually has feelings for finds out. On her way to the airport after this awful holiday, her family get into an accident and Maelyn founds her back at the beginning of her holiday vacation, which is extremely confusing as she is reliving the past few days. She is stuck in a time loop and is hoping to right some wrongs. This book was a different kind of rom-com and I loved it. An easy read, I got through in two days.

I always enjoy the work of Christina Lauren - and this cute lil Christmas tale is so very charming. It's a sweet romp with a big ol' blended family with just a touch of time-travel tossed in & somehow it just works! Heartwarming and tender and just a touch mushy, this writing duo delivers again! Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for my ARC!

Another great story from Christina Lauren! I am a sucker for time loop stories, anything magical realism, and cheesy Hallmark movies. I also love Christmas stories. So a combination of a lot of my favorite things in this book! I loved the closeness of all the characters. A wonderful family, despite not being blood related. I loved the setting of the cabin. This scenes with Maelynn and Andrew were the sweetest. Such great chemistry. Like with previous Christina Lauren books, the humor was great! Highly recommend!

OMG! This is my favorite Christina Lauren book yet! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC copy. Maelyn’s life is one to live over and over again. A sweet romance during Christmas is always a great story but this book tells it better. The friends that gathers every Christmas to celebrate the season are more family than blood relatives could ever be. A laugh out loud adventure and romance makes this a perfect Holiday book

This was a really cute holiday read and really got me into the holiday spirit. I absolutely loved it and can't wait to read whatever CLo puts out next!

Christina Lauren are some of my go-to authors recently, and I loved this new romantic comedy as well. This one kicks in a little holiday magic - and cheesiness - with a Groundhog Day/Hallmark Christmas type story, which is totally my jam. Plus, by getting the ARC, I get a little early holiday spirit that I totally needed right now. At the beginning I was worried the whole Groundhog Day premise would get annoying, but it doesn't go over the top. The story is cute, funny, and the main characters have great chemistry. Some things get sorted a little too easily, like the time travel and how quickly the romance moves after one declaration, but these can be forgiven in the magic of the holidays. The main thing that I felt was missing was Theo. The plot often comes back to Theo and he's brought up a lot, but we rarely ever see him in any of the scenes, which stands out even more as many of the other side characters are given some development. I couldn't really figure out how Maisie and Theo's relationship works or why he reacts in certain ways because there's no context there. Overall, I would totally watch this as a Hallmark movie as well!

It’s Christmas in July 🎄so perfect time to read a Christmas book. “In a Holidaze” by Christina Lauren was of course fun and sweet and seriously has me counting down the days until the Holiday. It did start off with Maelyn reliving the same days of her family Christmas vacation over and over so I was concerned at first and wasn’t loving the sorta repetitiveness but it turned quickly. Will she tell finally tell Andrew she’s been secretly loving him forever? Lots of risk being that they have grown up together. This was yet another quick fun rom- com that I read in a day , leaving me feeling all warm and fuzzy wishing I was by a fireside.

#inaholidaze #christinalauren #netgalley #arc #outoctober6th #julesbookshelf

I was so excited for this since I'm a big Christina Lauren fan and it did not disappoint! I loved the premise, I'm a huge fan of time loop stories, and I really liked the romance. The only thing I didn't like was the pacing. The time loop aspect only took up like 30% of the novel, and the character development happened way too fast. I really thought she'd be caught up in many loops before she broke down and had an existential crisis, but it happened after only the fourth loop. She changed so much so quickly and I wanted more. The romance happens really fast, but it also makes sense seeing as they have been friends since she was born. It was not my favorite Christina Lauren, but I definitely still recommend it!

This book just jumped up the ranks and became my favorite Christina Lauren book AND my favorite holiday romance. Genuinely heart-warming and so swoony, the romance in this book is an utter dream, and protagonist Mae is a lovable mess that I immediately adored. Should be read by a fireside, with cocoa and peppermint kisses for full effect.

I wanted to love this book so much but the "groundhog day" story line just really annoys me. It has for years in movies and I guess it still does in books. I did like the second half of the book once the relationship between Andrew and Mae's relationship started to pick up. There were also a lot of side characters and, even though they were not that big of the story line, I found myself getting confused.

What would you do if you thought the consequences didn’t matter. How would you be? Mae and her family spend Christmas at a snowy cabin with her parent’s college friends and their families every year since before she was born. They go to the same cabin and do the same things with the same people year after year. It’s steeped in tradition and Mae couldn’t love it more. After a car accident on the way home after a particularly terrible holiday, Mae finds herself doomed to repeat this particular Christmas at the cabin over and over and over again. I found this story so charming. The cast of characters are memorable and so easy to love. Andrew is what dream book boyfriends are made of. He’s kind and gentle and easy-going. Their chemistry and friendship leaps off every page. Mae’s personality unfurls page by page as she learns to let go and stop being so careful all the time. She learns to trust herself and that ultimately you have to find what makes you happy regardless of circumstances. Even, and especially, when life is messy. This is not the style of story I’ve grown to expect from Christina Lauren, but that made for a pleasant surprise. This story is full of depth and heart.

My one weirdness with this story is that the main characters are all in their mid-twenties, but they read very much like teenagers. I didn’t mind this so much, I just had to constantly be reminding myself that they’re adults.

Who wouldn’t want to go back in time for a do-over when you realize you’ve kissed the wrong brother?

I loved this story set up from writing duo Christina Lauren in their latest romance release, In a Holidaze. Maelyn Jones is spending the holidays at a cabin in Utah where she has always spent the Christmas holiday with her family and two additional families she’s known since she was born. Only she wakes up the morning after Christmas having kissed her long-time friend, NOT his brother whom she’s had a massive crush on since she was a teen.

Not only is she devastated by this oops moment, but she soon learns that this holiday is to be their last one together at the cabin so full of memories. Desperate to change the past and the future she throws out a wish to the universe asking it to show her what will make her happy. Little did she know that wish would cast her into a time loop where she gets to relive her Christmas holiday giving her the opportunity to kiss the RIGHT brother and maybe even save the cabin and their Christmas tradition in the process.

The time loop plot line was overall an interesting twist and something new from Christina Lauren. It was very reminiscent of the movie Groundhog Day if you’re familiar with it, although there wasn’t an excessive amount of looping where you’d have to reread the same piece of story line over and over. What I liked best about using this idea was that it gave Mae the ability and confidence to just go for it – to finally live authentically and to share her feelings with Andrew, come what may. She was living in the moment without fear and it was totally freeing. If only we could all live that way!

And yet, I also felt like you’re left hanging with the whole “why is this happening to me” question she asks herself about the time loop. It’s a good question but it’s never answered and there’s no real resolution to the time loop. Was there more to it? Why was she picked to rewrite her past? At times I felt led that there was going to be a deeper meaning exposed regarding the time loop but then nothing ever came of it.
Despite that, I loved Andrew and Mae together – once they were together. It took a bit to get to this point however where in the beginning I was questioning whether this was even going to be a romance book at all. If there was one thing I would change, it would be to add Andrew’s point of view. It was hard for me to truly buy into their connection because you don’t know what’s going on in Andrew’s head half the time.

If anything, Andrew’s reaction the morning after the first day of Christmas to her kissing his brother made it hard to believe his turnaround later in the book. Other than him knowing Mae since childhood you have no idea what he sees in her. It’s never discussed. You’re just supposed to assume that they both love each other because they’ve grown up together but I got hung up on that for some reason. There could have been more relationship development in my mind but that could just be me. There were however some really great moments with them that I loved and yet I also felt like there could have been more. Maybe a flash back or two so you knew how much Adam liked her even if just as a friend?? One of their last scenes in the boathouse though had me in tears and the epilogue was truly fantastic.

There were also A LOT of additional characters in this story. At times I thought there were way too many, but there were some great heart to heart moments that Mae had with a few that were so endearing. I loved Benny most of all- the pot smoking, 50 something who was Mae’s confident. He was such a good friend when she confided in him and I loved their scenes together. I also thought that Mae’s conversation with Andrew’s father was really poignant and a good moment in the story.

As far as a holiday romance, other than the title, a moment of Christmas tree decorating and opening presents, there wasn’t too much “holiday” to this novel so it really could be read any time of the year or whenever you’re in the mood for a bit of holiday cheer. Don’t let that part steer you away from reading it even if it’s not December 😊.

Overall, I liked this book because it was unique and something different from what Christina Lauren has given to us before. Is it my favorite of theirs, no, but I’d recommend reading it all the same.

*Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.