Dani Cooper is a spunky mother of one trying to get back on her feet after her recent divorce. Matt is a famous author trying to write the final book in his fantasy series before he loses the rights to the tv show. Matt’s assistant Jane hires Dani to cook and clean for Matt as he tries to meet his deadline. Cue a charming romantic comedy taking place over Christmas.

I’m always a sucker for a good rom-com Christmas story and this one was just what I was looking for. Both the main characters are adorable and well fleshed out. Dani has her issues from her divorce and Matt has to deal with the fallout that comes with fame and some recent bad choices. I enjoyed Matt’s battle with TV producers as he tries to keep his final book true to his vision and dragon free.

I loved how everything came together in the end. I won’t spoil it, but it’s super cute. My only complaints are that the characters getting together seemed a little too rushed for me. I also couldn’t help but picture George R. R. Martin when Matt’s background and career is being described. Don’t worry, Matt is depicted as a hunk, but the similarities between his professional life and that of the author of Game of Thrones was hard to ignore.

I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a light-hearted romantic comedy to get you in the Christmas spirit!

Write Before Christmas was such an enjoyable read. The characters were likable and well fleshed out, and the plot and the romance were fun and realistic.

One of the things I appreciated most about this book was the age of the characters - they were both in their mid-forties. Dani was a recent divorcee with a college-aged daughter, and she needed to find work for the first time in years. Matt was an established author who had been writing for the last two decades, and who had only recently found fame with his series being turned into a hit TV show. They both had walls up in their own ways; Dani didn’t want to rush into a relationship and she wanted someone who would treat her right, and Matt was mistrusting and reclusive because he was never sure if people liked him for him or for his fame and fortune. I enjoyed watching them together from their first chance meeting and the instant attraction between them to their ‘working relationship’ when Dani became Matt’s cook and housekeeper.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this book and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to fellow romance lovers, if you’re looking for a Christmassy book, this isn’t particularly Christmassy. It’s set in December with a few mentions of decorating, plus Christmas yoga and a cookie exchange, but it’s not a *Christmas book* where Christmas is a central theme. I was slightly disappointed by that and it’s a personal pet peeve when ‘Christmas’ is in the title but the book has little to nothing to actually do with Christmas, and it happens with at least half the ‘holiday’ books I read each year. That didn’t affect my overall enjoyment (or my rating), but I do want to point it out because I know I’m not alone in wanting Christmas books to actually BE Christmassy.

If you’re looking for a quick, entertaining story with humour, romance, and a tiny dash of Christmas fun, be sure to pick up Write Before Christmas!

This book was okay, nothing super special. I always love a good Christmas setting though. I wish we had more Christmas vibes! I didn’t really like one of the main characters, Dani. It’s not a personality trait to not get pop culture of technology, and that was a big part of her character. I just don’t like reading about characters who don’t even try to keep up with everything. She also looks down on people who use social media so that was a big turn off for me. I liked the other main character, Matt, and I loved seeing his growth. 3/5 stars!

Write Before Christmas was a quick, lighthearted and sweet holiday read! I liked Matt and Dani a lot and they were very cute together!

I felt that the writing was a bit cheesy at time and the ending was a bit rushed and convenient, but other than that I found this book to be a fun cute little read.

This was a fun and sweet book. It had romance; it had food; it had fantasy, but it had no dragons! This was a fun mental escape during the holidays!

*Coming out: November 30th, 2020*

This was certainly a cute, short and sweet Christmas romance novella, but I just didn't feel as swooned as I thought I would. While I did really enjoy the characters and their POVs, I didn't connect with any of them majorly. I felt like some of the plot was rushed, while other points were repeated far too many times (the money thing, for example... we get it.). It just wasn't as equally laid out as I would have liked. Also, the storyline with Matt and his book is exactly what happened with Game of Thrones so I could predict everything. It would have been nice if it was switched up a bit, or took a different approach. I also didn't feel any major Christmas vibes with this story. It wasn't as centered around the holiday as I would have liked for a Christmas romance novella, but that's just personal preference, I suppose. Overall, I don't regret that I read it or have any super bad things to say. It was just an average read for me!

* Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

Matt is a writer of a very popular fantasy book series that pushed him to fame when it was made into a TV show. He's currently under a strict deadline to finish the next book he is less than excited about writing.

Dani is newly divorced and moved back in with her parents who just so happen to live next door to Matt. They have a chance meeting where sparks start to fly between the two of them and they have a spontaneous kiss in the dark.

But things start to get tangled when Dani shows up the next day to Natt's house as the new personal chef he hired without realizing it was the same woman he was kissing last night.

Can the two of them make a fling turn into something that will last beyond Matt's deadline?

This was a fun read, I enjoyed the writing style which was really easy to get immersed in, laced with just a hint of rom com flair. I really loved how developed each individual character was, beyond our couple. I loved how accurate the feeling of a cozy small town at Christmas was portrayed, and overall I felt like this was a sweet and fun read.

At times the dialogue felt a bit cheesy and the ending was a bit too convenient and rushed. And I would have liked it better if our 40 something characters had not been handled in a way that made them feel much older than they were with the constant talk of how technology was hard for them.

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a light rom com with a dash of Christmas vibes.

Matt is a fantasy writer, who’s series got turned into a TV show, but he’s hit a case of writers block. His personal assistant has shipped him off to a rental home, so he can meet his deadline by Christmas. Dani is divorced and looking for a new career to help support her 19 year old daughter. Matt’s assistant hires Dani to be his personal chef and housekeeper. She has no idea the guy she kissed one night while walking her dog, is her new boss.

I thought this was such a cute book. It felt like an adult hallmark movie! The characters were in their 40s, and there was no angst, it was just two grownups falling for one another. It felt like a very realistic love story about finding what you want and just going for it. The only thing that bothered me was it didn’t transition from topic to topic well. But it’s a very easy and quick read, I finished it in one day. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a cute and quick holiday read!

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Write Before Christmas by Julie Hammerle

In the aftermath of a painful interview disaster, the writer of a famous fantasy series becomes a recluse and moves to a small town for the holiday. His assistant insists on a personal chef to keep him fed while he works on the next very anticipated book of now not only a book series, but also the next season of an acclaimed tv show. As luck would have it, his only inspiration comes when she's around. Dani Cooper is a newly divorced and broke mother, she quickly becomes way more than his employee, she becomes his muse. Will his Christmas deadline also be the end of this couple?

This book was so beautiful! I loved every single character. The story was such an amazing representation of second chance at love, and how it's never too late. I loved how realistic this book was, because everyone knows grand gestures can sometimes leave you on your butt. I loved the maturity of the characters, and I didn't think I would, but it made this already fantastic read that much sweeter.

This wonderful Christmas Read releases on the 30th of November 2020 and I promise you won't regret grabbing a copy! It's the most wonderful read for this time of year!

A special Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for the free advanced copy! As always all thoughts are honest and my own.

A cute story about finding yourself and finding love.

Dani is a recently-divorced mom living with her parents again and trying to find a job outside of the home for the first time in 20 years. Matt is a famous author trying to finish his last book in time for the connected TV series to start adapting it. They end up meeting by chance after Dani's dog runs over Matt, and then meeting again when Dani ends up being the temporary housekeeper hired by Matt's assistant to help him through his deadline. Matt doesn't trust anyone after an unfortunate incident at Comic Con and Dani just wants to find herself after always doing things for other people since she got married right out of college. Can they figure out what's really important to them?

This is an adorable story with lots of Christmas cheer. And cookies.

3/5 Stars! Thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Write before christmas by Julie Hammerle is a cute fun short 200 page book about Dani, a divorcee who is looking for a job to support her 19 year old daughter. Matt is an author who has a serious case of Writers block when his books turn into a Tv show. Worlds collide when Matt’s assistant hires Dani to be his personal chef and house keeper but Matt turned out to be the stranger that she kissed the night before.

I was first wary of starting this book as it started off with Matt’s pov and i usually do not read or enjoy reading the guy’s perspective. Then I realized it was Dual pov. Some parts of this book were cringe worthy and it didn’t have a major plot but that was because the protagonists are 40+. It was overall a cute and fast read and i’d recommend it to anyone who was looking for a short, easy and fast read right before the holidays.

This copy was sent by Entangled publishing via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the book:
Matt, also known as THE M.C. Bradford, is the author of a book series turned TV show that put him on the map. Struggling to complete the last book in the series with a finish that will make both him and the studio happy, he heads to a small town in the midwest to get some privacy and quiet. He doesn't expect to meet Dani Cooper, recently divorced and looking for the next step in her life, now that her daughter's fully grown. Matt can't afford distractions, and Dani isn't looking for anything permanent. Could their holiday adventure last beyond Christmas?

TL;DR:
- 4 stars
- Content warnings: nothing major (no steam at all - if that is a sticking point for you.)
- Really cute!! Very quick, adorable read perfect for the holidays. Read like a sugary holiday movie! Worth reading if you're into romances between 40-something leads without too much drama.

Loved:
- I loved Dani! She was adorable. She had such a lovely relationship with her family, her daughter and sister-in-law especially, and she was very honest about herself and her interests. When she found her passion she put in the work to see her dreams come to life and I appreciate that.
- Matt is also a nice, believable love interest. He took a little longer to come around to his HEA (both personal, and in love) but it was realistic.
- There's just something really nice about a love story with older leads, and it wasn't overdone or cliche at all. 1. The conflicts are often more realistic to everyday life because the characters tend to be more mature than in the average 20-something romance. 2. Everyone deserves love and everyone deserves to see themselves as the center of a romance novel.

Less into:
- I honestly cannot think of much. This was cute and quick (though still very much a novel), so there frankly wasn't much time for any flaws 😉.

Overall a wonderful holiday read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a book full of interesting characters and the plot was cute. Very hallmarky!! I think this type of book will appeal to a specific type audience. I usually don't enjoy characters from this age group but it was still enjoyable!

A great read.
Dani is looking for a job after getting divorced and moving back in with her parents. She ends up working for temporary neighbour Matt, an author trying to finish his book. Is she just a distraction or something more to him?

Looking forward to reading more from this author.

3.5⭐
Write Before Christmas was a well-paced and gentle small town holiday tale. That features two forty-something characters Matt and Dani, and a romance that was PG-Esq and pleasant; and with a few fun moments, I was engaged throughout.

**I was kindly provided with an ARC via Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review**

Delightful Christmas Romp!

Dani is a 45 year old divorcee with a teenage daughter to put through college. Matt is a 45 year old writer who’s next book is due and oh yeah he has to repair that slight faux pas he made at a comic con. Neither is look for a holiday romance but then love doesn’t much care about that!

I love reading about more mature couples who still feel and act sexy while also still feel and act like adults in their 40s. While the sexy times were behind closed doors/fade to black there was still nice sexual chemistry and lots of banter.

I also really like Dani’s wacky family and Matt’s found family, what’s a Christmas story with some wacky relatives and fun games?!

This was my second Julie Hammerle book featuring more mature leads and I am definitely a fan!

I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.

“No dragons.” Write Before Christmas by Julie Hammerle

3 stars. This is a light, cute, and clean (no graphic sex, not much swear words) Christmas romance about a writer of a popular book/tv series and the cook.

So Matt is the writer of a popular book series that became a hugely popular tv show. Unfortunately, the show is catching up to the books and the whole world is waiting for him to finish writing the last book - which will be how the series will end too. Lots of pressure for him. So he goes to a small resort town to write before his deadline - Dec 22.

Shades of Game of Thrones here. Hahaha. But no dragons. And Matt is 45, as is Dani. Which means they’re my batchmates. 😂 Though there aren’t any references to our generation. There’s a lot of tasting and cooking and eating food when it’s Dani’s POV that it makes me hungry and curious about the cookies. Makes me crave it too.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for the arc of this book. I liked it.

This was a quick little holiday romance about two 45 year olds. Dani is a single mother to a teenage daughter, she's divorced and living with her parents. Matt is a famous author who's books have been turned into a television series. His assistant hires Dani to be Matt's chef/housekeeper. Dani and Matt start a no strings attached relationship and soon fall for one another.

To me, this story was a bit slow at times, as in I got bored with it. I didn't really feel the chemistry between the characters. All in all, it was an okay holiday read.

A review will be coming soon. Thank you Netgalley and publishers for giving me the chance to read and review this!