This was a cute little romcom that I enjoyed reading during the holidays. It was a little predictible, but that didn't spoil my enjoyment. Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope. I loved that this book featured some real grown ups and not young angsty teens or twenty-somethings. Very satisfying to see this!!

I haven't read anything by this author before but that will definitely change as I really enjoyed the setup and romance in this fun Christmas themed romance! It's the type of story that would feature in a Hallmark Holiday special and would definitely be one I'd watch.

When fantasy author Matt finds himself suffering from writer's block, his assistant helps him find a small town rental home where he can hide out and try to finish his story. Time is of the essence, even more so than would normally be the case with a publishing deadline because his story has been made into a TV series The Saga and they're waiting on him to continue the plot. The second season is about to premiere and the show has already caught up with his books. The producers need the rest of the story to start pre-production on Season 3 and he has exactly 19 days to finish the script. There's already been an unfortunate incident that caused some tongue wagging when an interview at comic-con had gone awry and the heat is on for Matt to get things done and repair his relationship with the TV show executives.

Out jogging to mull over story plot ideas, Matt runs into a woman walking her dog, named after Ralph Wiggums, a character from the Simpsons. The woman laughingly confesses that her daughter named the dog, and that she's not a TV watcher, a boon for Matt as it's unlikely then that she'd recognize him. It's a meeting that lingers in Matt's mind after she's gone.

Dani is recently divorced and she's reluctantly had to move back in with her parents who have recently relocated in retirement to a resort vacation community with her 19 year old daughter Kelsie in tow. She's just had to relay the bad news to her daughter that until she can get a job, Kelsie won't be able to move in with a friend in an apartment and will have to commute from her grandparents while going to the local college.

Having not had a job since Kelsie was born, Dani doesn't have many marketable skills but she can cook. And housekeeping, while not a career aspiration, is definitely something with which she has experience. While attending one of her sister Una's yoga classes, she meets one of Una's other clients, Jane, an assistant to an author. When Jane mentions that she's looking for a cook and housekeeper for her boss who has strict instructions not to be bothered while he's working, Dani is reluctant, but ends up taking the job (especially when she learns from Jane that the last person she hired was caught trying on the author's clothes in an invasion of privacy – eww!). She's got no interest in the author himself, just a job for the pay and decides it will be better than nothing to put on a resume.

Naturally, Dani soon discovers that the person she is working for is none other than Matt, the man she ran into with her dog. And Matt, though initially suspicious at the coincidence comes to believe that Dani really has no idea who he is or about his TV show (though Kelsie is not so ignorant). The friendship they develop soon turns into something more. But Matt's time is running out – both to turn in his script and in the small town. Will they get the happy ending they deserve or will it be cut short?

I love seeing an older couple with life's many experiences under their belts influencing their actions and reactions. Both Matt and Dani are 45 and have had other relationships (good and bad) and are wary of diving into something new. But a friendship is worth cultivating and that friendship eventually leads them to a romantic relationship. This is a closed door romance so we get kissing scenes and the after sex cuddling but the rest is left to the imagination. While I wouldn't have minded more, I am content with how it plays out. Interestingly Matt's stories have some kinky love scenes though those are alluded to as opposed to put on full display. I enjoyed reading the bits of Matt's stories that make it onto the pages as well, clearly an homage to a Game of Thrones style fantasy.

The story is told from both points of view, and all of Matt's chapter headings include the countdown to his deadline to turn in the story. The tension of his writing difficulties is ever present, especially as its clear that the tv studio has a different vision of where the story should be going than the actual plot that Matt has developed. This makes for a bit of a page turner, wondering how it can all work out for Matt in the end.

Dani's family is a close knit one and all the scenes between her and her family are very enjoyable. It's a contrast to Matt who is estranged from his mother and doesn't have many trustworthy friends, only his assistant Jane. So his friendship with Dani becomes very important to him. But his career is just as important and when they conflict, he has to decide what's worth more.

Write Before Christmas is a delightful romantic comedy, with lots of scenes that will make you laugh and smile, plenty of witty banter, as well as really likable characters and an interesting plot. I'm definitely going to be looking for more from this author.

This review has been posted at All About Romance and feedback updated with the link.

It was cute and predictable but worth the read . I liked the writing style . The characters were relatable and I love the Christmas references.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A little late in reading Write Before Christmas but I love jumping into Holiday books so it doesn't even bother me. In it, you will meet Dani and Matt. She is newly divorced and is trying to find a new job to support her and her daughter. He is a fantasy writer currently dealing with writer's block. Ouch!

So magically he hires Dani to become his chef and housekeeper. Well, his assistant hires her but details. So it was pretty interesting that they kissed on a random night before they knew who the other person was.

Honestly, I devoured this book in one sitting. It was all kinds of cute and I just really ended up liking the characters and enjoying the whole entire story. I also kind of wish it was a movie. Ugh, can it be the holidays now? I got some snow.. now I just need some vacation time and family game/movie night.

4/5 stars

💚 Thanks to Netgalley for providing this great e-arc!


✨This was....surprisingly good. Sp many good things that happened in this book.

The perfect story for Christmas cheer. I appreciated the main character's being older in age as I think midlife romance stories are few and far between. The guy writer definitely was inspired by Game of Thrones/ George R.R. Martin and his fans clamoring for the final book. Definitely enjoyable and fun!

A famous fantasy author (Matt) travels to a small town to finish writing the final installation of his famous series, while under a serious deadline. Cue the divorced older (40's yay!) woman (Dani) who is in need of a job, but at the empty nester period in her life, ready to claim back her time.

I really enjoyed having two older love interests than the standard 20-30's in the average romance, and the reliability of both of them. Although I am not a writer, cook, parent, or really anything like either of them... I found myself relating to the way they think and responded to moments throughout the story.

Will Matt be able to get his story done in time, without "selling out" to the TV producers who run the show version? Will Dani find out what her passion is now that she has more time on her hands? Will they be able to figure out what these sparks between them mean, something just for fun, for an escape, or something more permanent?

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for my eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an adorable Christmas read. Perfect for that December break where you're reading sweet books and drinking hot cocoa by the fire. Loved it.

Reclusive author on a murdering deadline meets newly divorced woman looking for a job. Thank god he needs someone to cook and clean for him, so he can try and finish his next book before it's too late.

I liked this premise, and I loved that this featured more mature characters. Romance is still mostly about people in their twenties or early thirties, so to have main characters well past that age category was definitely a strong selling point for me. Unfortunately I never connected with either character, and as a result I never cared about what happened to them or their relationship.

Write Before Christmas is a cute, cozy feel-good romance from Julie Hammerle and I enjoyed it immensely! It's the perfect festive read that'd been anticipating to read.

Matt is the famous author living the quiet solitude, working on his next book on a deadline. Jane, his loyal assistant makes sure he gets what he wants in his huge house where he lives all by himself. Including a chef who wouldn't steal his underwear and money from his wallet.

Enter Dani, the local woman who is recently divorced and living with her teenage daughter at her father's. Desperately in need of a job however tiny it is, she accepts the position of a housekeeper at Matt's house, without knowing who he actually is!

There's instant spark between the two gorgeous people and it's a treat to read. I was rooting for both of them to get together because they're so good and mature and perfect for themselves. I loved their character development and the premise and the festive tradition of the little town. Loved it how the author focused on both of Matt and Dani's profession giving them a definite dimension and a happy ending to all of the characters in the book. It is impossible not to fall in love with this book. Highly recommend it.

Write Before Christmas by Julie Hammerle is a sweet and Christmas rom-com between a Writer and a Cook. Dani Cooper, a recently divorced cook who is looking for some change and muse in her life. Matt, the writer is living in confinement to work on his next novel. Jane, his assistant is making sure he gets what he wants.

I really liked this book. You need to pick it up if you are looking for a light hearted and feel good book, which won't go wrong. Dani lives with her teenage daughter and her father. Dani is appointed as a housekeeper at Matt's house without she knowing who he actually is!

I liked how teenage girl passes cute cute comments for her mother and Matt. The chemistry and very sweet. I liked the small town setting and Christmas was the deadline for Matt, the writer to finish his next book. Dani unknowingly helps him to finish his book.

The writing style was great. We see the story progressing based on I guess 15-20 days before Christmas. Will he be able to finish his book? And also fall in love with DANI? I liked the simplicity of the story, no over angst just two souls falling in love and finding each other in the process.
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Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher for sending me eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.

With true-to-life characters and a believable storyline set during the Christmas season; Julie Hammerle has given readers a quick, fun enjoyable romantic read.

Dani is recently divorced; but was a stay at home mom for 20 years; so finding a job isn't easy. She doesn't have a wide range of traditional skills for the job market; but she's a whiz in the kitchen. Matt is a famous fantasy genre author who reached an extraordinary amount of celebrity when his books were made into a successful TV series. Matt has relocated to Wackernagel to combat his writers block.....he must produce a new novel for the next season in the TV show. Convinced by his assistant Jane, he hires Dani to be the cook & housekeeper for his few weeks stay. For further details, you will need to read the book.

What makes this story different from so many holiday/romance books is the couple. They are Gen Xers, so they are older...in their 40's as opposed to late 20's, early 30 somethings. As someone of the same generation, this was a breath of fresh air. This already gives the characters the added dimension of life experience. They are believable that neither at the top of the corporate ladder like so many books & movies you see in this genre. The romance is a gradual build up that flows so naturally, you can't help but get caught up in it & enjoy the ride. Both have baggage, like every person of that age, but without all the angst & heavy-handed drama. I love the holiday setting of course & some of the older pop culture references were a fun touch.

One slight drawback is Dani's complete lack of knowledge of current pop culture. As the mother of a teenage daughter she should have at least heard of things like Twitter & Instagram, even if she'd never used them. That was a bit of a stretch. Matt may be a little too insecure; but I suspect these were overly done to emphasize the growth in character development. All in all, not a deal breaker. This was an enjoyable read with a believable storyline and characters. The time flew by when reading. Definitely, recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy for an honest review

This was a super cute and fun christmas read. I loved Matt and Dani as well as Kelsie and Una. It kept me interested throughout and never felt too slow. I loved the story line and as well as the character development.

Write Before Christmas was a short story that was an enjoyable book to read. The storyline was interesting and the characters were charming. Matt Bradford was a famous fantasy book writer whose books had been made into movies. He was having writer’s block and his deadline was close so he retreated to a small resort in Illinois so he could focus and finish his book. He was trying to keep his identity secret after his last experience with the media. He didn’t have time for relationships but when his assistant hires the woman he had meet while out for a run, the attraction between the two of them was too strong to be ignored. Dani Cooper was recently divorced and moved back to the small resort where her parents lived. She needed a job but had no experience so when she was offered the job of a personal chef to an unknown writer, she couldn’t turn it down. As she slowly regained her confidence in herself, she was able to turn her love for cooking and teaching into a job she would enjoy. But can their relationship extend past Matt’s deadline?

After a divorce Dani is living with her parents and her college aged daughter and is trying to vision board a future for herself now that she’s in her 40’s and starting over. She gets an opportunity for a short term gig as a housekeeper for reclusive author M.C. Bradford who is desperately trying to finish writing his novel before the end of the year and needs help around the house so that he can focus on writing. Dani takes the job since it’s a way to earn money while she figures out what she wants to do next. However, Dani quickly learns that “M.C.” or Matt,as she knows him, is the handsome guy she’s been bumping into in the neighborhood for daily flirting sessions.
This was a cute story that I thoroughly enjoyed about adults finding romance and love when they both thought it wasn’t in the cards for them. It taps into the holidays and our desire to be with family and people who love us as we are and not for what we can do for them. I would recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing be to read an ARC in order to provide my honest opinion and review.

Another Hallmark movie style book and I totally enjoyed it. Matt is an author who has spent most of his life writing a book series. He sells his books to a TV station and the books blow up, changing his whole lifestyle. He is thrown into fame that he didn't really understand and a huge deadline to write a new book. Matt moves to a small town to write and meets Dani
Dani is a recently divorced woman who is learning to stand on her own too feet and finding her passion.
She meets Matt and a little winter romance ensues.
It was cute, predictable but fun. Definitely recommend for Christmas romance enjoyers.

This is my first book by this author and I have to say that her writing was good enough for me. the main idea looked promising and this had some tropes that I really enjoy and love, so I think my problem was with the characters. I liked them at times, but maybe the age of it made it difficult for me to connect with the story.

Write Before Christmas is a cute holiday romance between a fantasy author and his new housekeeper/chef. Matt is on a deadline to write the final installment of his fantasy trilogy. He recently commissioned the trilogy for a television show and the producers are chomping at the bit for the last book. He either meets their deadline or they write the show without him. This puts Matt in a bind when he begins suffering from a serious case of writer's block. His assistant Jane recommends a change of scenery and next thing he knows the are in a small Illinois town.

Dani is recently divorced and had to move herself and her college-age daughter into her parents' home. No job and no place of her own to live, Dani is having a hard time adjusting. Then, her sister-in-law Una mentions a temporary job doing light housekeeping and being a personal chef for a neighbor of her parents. Well, a job's a job and, after much deliberation, she agrees to try it out.

The chemistry between Dani and Matt is palpable. The author created a romance that arc'd off the pages. I felt the feelings they had for one another through my soul. I'm always amazed when an author can pull that off. I love being able to feel the emotions of the characters and this book did it for me. No good romance fails to include a bit of stress between the couple and the author pulled out all the stops. My heart became just as battered and bruised as the characters' hearts and I may have shed a tear or two.

The love-over-40 aspect was also a nice feature. In fact, I have enjoyed the sheer number of books that have come out featuring main characters over the age of 40. Everyone deserves to love and be loved. As someone in my mid-40's, I find these new relationships amazing. It's nice to have characters in my age group.

I would totally watch a movie based on this story. It would be even better if the movie kept to the script and didn't wander about with the producer's or showrunner's own interpretations. We know that book-to-movie adaptations don't ever work that way, though.

I was provided a copy of this book to read.

Other than one book, I am really lucking out on my Christmas reads this holiday season.

I LOVED THIS BOOK.

It's a sweet romance, where the h is a 45 year old divorcee with a 19 year old daughter and the H is also in his 40's, never married. Both MCs are described as attractive and while not in their first blush of youth, are still sexy and confident and lovable.

THANK YOU, people older than their 20s and 30s can fall in love and be sexy and desirable too!

That was a HUGE plus, but what kept me reading was the skill evident in the writing. The style, the plot, the building of the characters, all of it formulated an amazing and engrossing read. Granted, the secondary characters weren't as fully drawn as they could have been, BUT that may have been my fault for rushing through the book at breakneck speed. It was a page turner, I wanted to see how the book, both this one and the one being written by the H, would end.

That epilogue was GOLDEN and I had a happy tear in my eye.

What gives me hope for more books in this setting is the daughter and the aide had love stories that weren't fleshed out, the aide's was still a mystery by the end of the book, so I'm hoping for her story to come! The daughter's too, how did she get her love interest's attention in such a short span of time? I would LOVE to read that meeting from his POV, after maybe getting some jadedness of his life prior, to see the contrast between before he met her and after.

So, this is a fantastic book to read, not just during the Christmas holidays, but at any time. I will be looking into this author's backlist and keeping an eye out for her new books, FOR SURE.

5, I am going to insist my Boss order this for the store and hand sell the HECK out of it, stars. Highly recommend, it is so cute!

My thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC/Entangled: August for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an advance reader copy of this story.

Write Before Christmas, by Julie Hammerle, is available at booksellers on 11-30-2020. It's an enjoyable read with two characters that are very easy to like. The story of trying to stay friends with benefits is amusing, we all know they're smitten before they do. Ms Hammerle has perfectly described a writers angst and deadline horror.


#JulieHammerle #WriteBeforeChristmas #Netgalley #Entangled #romance #holidayromance.