A charming holiday story about Julia who is hoping that the Chicago fundraising event she is working on is a ticket to a full time job and out of Puerto Rico and Ben a former MLB golden boy trying to get adjusted to life in retirement. The attraction is instant but after a life revolving around her brothers’ devotion to baseball Julia has sworn off athletes. The story is sweet and moves quickly but ultimately left me wanting more. I wanted to know what happened next and when the ending came the story didn’t seem complete.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas.
Romance.
Latinx culture.

Priscilla Oliveras’ Christmas novella about Julia and Ben is a cute story that left me smiling and looking forward to all the Christmas celebrations with my familia.

Julia is a driven and ambitious woman trying to create a path for herself in Chicago. Ben is sweet, fun and always a gentleman. Being a novella, it’s fast paced and the story keeps moving along leading up to the big night of the fundraiser Julia is coordinating. Even though it’s only 12 chapters, Oliveras does a great job of developing the main characters and their relationship. I loved all the references to Latinx Christmas traditions, food, and music. Bonus, if you’re a baseball fan, you’ll enjoy all the baseball talk. Holiday Home Run is a cute novella to get you in the mood for celebrating the holidays with family and friends.

This story was just too cute!

Julia is striving to be an event planner in Chicago, by her mother wants her to return home to Puerto Rico and run the family business. While preparing for a huge charity event, Julia catches the eye of the event's emcee--Ben, a former MBL pitcher, with blue eyes and a dimple to-die-for. But she doesn't want to distract herself from her goals or get involved with an athlete after growing up in a baseball-obsessed family! But will their mutual attraction grow into something more?

I think it's important to know that this story is most definitely a short story or novella (originally published as part of an anthology). I read this whole story in maybe an hour, perhaps less, and I probably read twice as fast as the average reader. So it's definitely a quick read. But if you go in knowing that and appreciating the amount of depth we do get in such a short time, I think most readers would really love this story! We actually do get quite a significant amount of background on Ben and Julia in such a short time, and I honestly felt like the characters were as well-developed as in any full-length novel. I think we get a bit of an abbreviated version of their romance and there's no rush to the alter (thank God), but it doesn't feel like anything is missing. We get the good parts--the meet, with sparks and attraction, the getting to know each other, the promise of something more. There's no room for stupid fights or major communications issues that often feel shoehorned into longer romances. And what's not to love about a sports romance AND holiday romance with Puerto Rican representation wrapped in one neat little Christmas bow? This is the perfect quick holiday read.

5 stars - 9/10

This was my first book by Priscilla Oliveras, and I have to say that it was not actually bad. Though it was not exactly a homerun for me, but this book was cute enough to be read. The story and the romance between the characters was soft and really did give me the holiday vibes that I was indeed looking for. However, my only reason for not rating it as higher as I would have liked is because I felt like there was something missing, to me this book didn't feel as whole. I was just looking for something more, maybe more passion and banter. Otherwise, this book was cute for a holiday romance.

This book is a wonderful combination of sports romance, holiday spirit, and Puerto Rican culture. Julia is in Chicago to complete an internship that she hopes will lead to a full-time job and a life away from her family and home in Puerto Rico. She is helping to plan a major event for the Chicago Youth Association. She has the idea to tie the gala to parranda traditions of Puerto Rico. Julia is facing heavy pressure from her mother to return to Puerto Rico and run the family catering business. Julia, has big plans for her future that don't include that! They also don't include a sexy former MLB player.

Ben's career in the MLB ended with injuries - but he has a burgeoning second career as a sportscaster. He's the emcee of the gala event - and is very drawn to Julia from the first time he sees her. All I can say is he sets out on a course to seriously woo her. He embraces her culture and sees in Julia the family connection he's been missing in his life after baseball.

I loved learning about Puerto Rican culture - and all the happy holiday feelings this book gives. Because it is on the shorter side, I feel like some of the plot lines didn't get fleshed out the way they could have. But otherwise - this is definitely a feel-good holiday romance.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

A short and entertaining festive read.
Julia meets Ben when he is helping with the event she is planning. She already knew who he was, a baseball star who her brother's followed. This put her off, she doesn't want to date a baseball player - but can he convince her otherwise?

A pleasant holiday novella that is sweetly delicious rather than treacly. It brings notes of a true development of a relationship between a baseball averse heroine and a semi-retired famous ball-player that evolves realistically and romantically as they bridge the heroine’s secret goals and intentions. A perfect holiday read with all the good feels a holiday book should have, introducing readers to puertoriqueno holiday traditions, food, and music. A book to reread each holiday season. #HolidayHomeRun #NetGalley

I really loved this holiday novella. As someone who just moved to Chicago, I loved that the setting was so present in this novella. I am so excited to go to the different spots that the novella presents. This was a cute novella. Def recommended it.

Super fun novella from the author of Island Affair! The main character is a side character in one of her previous novels, but it reads just fine as a stand-alone story. Julia is an event planner trying to make a life and career for herself in Chicago. When Ben, a professional baseball player, joins the cause, Julia has to decide how strongly she feels about her vow never to date an athlete. Perfect way to spend a few hours and get in the holiday spirit!

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington/Zebra Books for the early copy in advance for this review.

*Thank you to Kensington Books, Priscilla Oliveras and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This book is an adorable story about an ambitious event planner, Julia, and an ex-MLB player, Ben, who meet when Julia is organizing a Christmas Gala for a Youth Center in Chicago. It is short, so sweet and no angst.

Julia is here temporarily from Puerto Rico, trying to escape her over-bearing family, while on temp assignment. She is planning a Christmas event for a local youth Center and has hired Ben to make an appearance. Once Ben and Julia meet for the first time, sparks fly. Though, Julia is hesitant, because life in Puerto Rico involved baseball all year long. What follows is a sugar sweet and clean, flirtation between both of them with a very happy conclusion.

I thought this book was was an easy read and I really liked it. The reader can definitely finish it one sitting at 94 pages long!

Perfect Quick Escape From The Family During The Holidays. This is one of those shorter novels – 94 pages or so, per Amazon – that is great for just getting away from everyone and everything for a couple of hours or so and reading an entire book in the process. Mostly light and fun, there is next to no drama here really – more in line with a Hallmark Christmas movie, if even that much. But like a Hallmark Christmas movie, it mostly focuses on the romance of the two leads – in this case, a Puerto Rican looking to establish herself apart from her family and an ex-MLB pitching ace looking to re-establish himself. Very much recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately I didn't really enjoy this book. The characters weren't fleshed out, had no unique traits and lacked any kind of chemistry. It was a short read which made a real story line somewhat difficult. I was expecting more of a holiday vibe but in my opinion christmas didn't play a role in the story, which disappointed me somewhat.

Holiday Home Run by Priscilla Oliveras. 4 Stars

This is part of the Matched to Perfection series featuring the Fernandez Sisters. This is a short story featuring Julia Fernandez, a cousin. She is visiting from Puerto Rico and volunteering at a important fundraising event. The event is important to her because it will serve as an audition for a job in Chicago. The emcee is retired baseball player, Ben Thomas. The attraction is apparent and we have a gentle romance, with Ben wooing a reluctant Julia. I really enjoyed this story and this is a lovely addition to the series. In terms of timeline, this story takes place between “ Her Perfect Affair” and “ Their Perfect Melody”.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington/ Zebra Books for this ARC.

This was the cutest book!! I would recommend this story to anyone who loves a nice happy ending. Julia is working with a nonprofit company doing a huge event!! A very macho retiring baseball player comes to help with the event. Ben instantly finds Julia attractive, especially when he sees all that she has done for the fundraiser. Will Julia let her family know that she wants to stay where she is become an event planner? Will Julia come around and find love with Ben? If you like wondering how the heroine will change her life by the end of the book, this one is for you.

An enjoyable one sitting read. This book features an ex-MLB all-star and a Puerto Rican heroine who is going out out on her own to make her own way. The two meet in Chicago while working on a fundraising event. Holiday Home Run is a fun, warm modern-day love story perfect for curling up with a hot cup of tea under the Christmas tree for an afternoon of escapism. I really enjoyed this novella from Oliveras as I continue to enjoy her work.

I read an advanced copy of, Holiday Home Run, by Priscilla Oliveras. This was a cute short story. Set in one of my favorite cities, Chicago.The characters were nice, just a nice wholesome novel.