This book was the perfect holiday rom com.. I really loved Codi's writing and can't wait for what they write next.

Well, we’re about to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day so may as well review a Christmas novel, right? I was swamped with full time work and full time school last semester so many books and reviews got shoved aside as I tried to not fail my classes or my new job. Sorry, books! Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist by Codi Hall was a fun book to read during all that madness. I read it a few days after Christmas and it kept me entertained throughout.

Here’s the book’s description:
Nick Winter is just out of the military, and his Christmas homecoming is not going as planned. What was supposed to be a memorable holiday with his long-time girlfriend goes sour when he learns she cheated on him while he was stationed overseas. At least Nick can rely on his usual shift at the family Christmas tree farm with his best friend, Noel Carter, and her endless supply of Christmas tunes to lift his spirits. A night of fun together is just what he needs to forget about his ex.
But then they kiss. And it feels...so right.
If Noel can turn Nick’s Blue Christmas merry and bright, this might be the last Christmas Nick spends with a broken heart. This year, they’ll be Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree as a couple―as long as Nick’s ex doesn’t go standing under any mistletoe.
I’m a sucker for friends to lovers romances (yes, they’re better than enemies to lovers and I will never waver on that fact) so I was immediately interested in this romance because of that trope. Nick and Noel have had an interesting friendship since they grew up together but they both joined the military, with Nick staying in longer, so they’ve been long distance BFFs for a long time. Once Nick is home for good, they have to relearn how to be friends but, hoo boy there are some serious sexy sparks between them that they really can’t resist.




I didn’t love the way the storyline went with Nick’s ex or the guy Noel had been sort of not really dating. They were both really harmful relationships (for different reasons) and Noel was constantly being verbally and mentally attacked and Nick didn’t seem to get it. Even after all this time since I’ve read it, I’m still left with a not great feeling with how those things went down in the book.

The Christmas spirit was alive and well in this book. Nick’s parents own a Christmas tree farm, which is probably my favourite setting for a holiday novel. Family AND Christmas trees? Perfection. Even with all of the holiday hullabaloo, you could read this at any time of year if you wanted. Maybe a Christmas in July pick?

Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist was a really fun rom com that I enjoyed reading. I’ll have to make sure to check out Codi Hall’s other novels to see if they’re equally as entertaining.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book! The title and this beautiful cover drew me in and i was excited to read this book! I will be recommending this book to others for readers advisory.

I downloaded this book on accident- it was a “gift” for participating in a survey and I was logged into the wrong account.

This book was the perfect holiday read! The romance in this book was so cute and wholesome. The character development was also *chefs kiss*. I can’t wait to read more books by this author.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

Nick is returning from a stint overseas in the military. He has a plan for his life, but that gets thwarted when his long term girlfriend (and the woman he had hoped to marry) dumps him. Good thing his best friend Noel is there to cheer him up with their mutual love of playlists and a lifelong connection. When they kiss to make their exes jealous, they're surprised to find a spark neither of them had ever felt before. Noel's had a lot of pain in the past - her parents died when she was young and Nick's family raised her - and has issues letting people in. Can she open her heart to Nick in that way?

I enjoyed this story, although I was expecting a Christmas themed book and it wasn't very Christmas-y. I knocked a star off of this because of Nick's ex, Amber - she was absolutely horrible and unredeemable. I understand she was there to cause conflict but it was SO over the top and petty and it kept dragging Noel down as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a fun, steamy Christmas read. I really enjoyed reading it. My complaints are the characters acted slightly juvenile for their age at times and it was a little on the long side for a rom com. I still liked the two characters and their sweet relationship. Would recommend as a Christmas read!

This book is a fun twist on the typical Christmas romance. The inclusion of Nick and Noel’s playlists throughout the book adds an upbeat dimension to the story.. Longtime friends who share a childhood history and their love of music finally find true love.

Nick & Noel's Christmas Playlist absolutely must be read while sitting by a cozy fireplace, (or just while imagining that you are!) This friends to lovers romance will have you feeling all swoony inside and you'll root for the characters to finally find each other. The bright and happy cover draws in readers and the fun Christmas scenes will keep you reading.

This is such a sweet christmas romance. It gives you all the hallmark goodness that you could possibly want. I loved the friends-to-lover trope and thought that it was really well done. There are moments of more depth and darker tones that balance out the love and happiness. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to get into/prolong the holiday season!
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the e-arc in exchanged for an honest review.

Wow oh wow. This book was so AMAZING!!!

And SPICYYY. Looking at the cute cover I honestly never would have expected there to be spice but there was and I was such a happy camper!

This was an incredible story and one I’ll probably turn to to read every Christmas time. It has an amazing holiday setting, aesthetic, and vibe and easily put me in the Christmas mood!

This book dealt with some serious situations which I always appreciate. It deals with loss, grief, friendship, and unconditional love and it was so beautiful to read. I never like giving away any part of the plot, because I always think stories are best going in blind. But I will say that the chemistry and tension between these two characters was extremely palpable and impossible to ignore. Their friendship is absolutely one I envy and would give anything for.

Also it looks like this is just the first book in a series and I am sooooo freaking excited because there were so many side characters I was in love with and would absolutely adore to get a book about them! There are some hints and I have a hunch about one book and will be so excited if I’m right!

This book was whimsical, down to earth, realistic, heartwarming, and made me downright giddy most of the time while reading. As I said before, there are some serious complexities brought up in this book, but it doesn’t make the book itself feel heavy or take away from the rom-com feel of the story. It was just a perfect amount that really makes you think and feel for these characters.

Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist ended up being one of my favorite holiday books I’ve read this year!

This book is a top notch holiday friends-to-lovers romance! It was the perfect blend of romance, Christmas vibes, friendship, family, and soap-opera drama. In addition to the absolutely swoony and steamy romance, Noel was dealing with major grief from losing her parents years before and I loved journeying with her as she begins to come to terms with how to move on with her life.

Nick’s ex-girlfriend plays a big part in the story and she is self-absorbed, selfish, and just a b***h. There was a lot of drama with her antics, but it didn’t take away from the story for me but oh boy she is annoying!

Overall, I absolutely loved it! I couldn’t put it down and finished it in 24 hours (which I am rarely able to accomplish)! To top it off, the book comes with it’s own playlist of songs referenced in the story so it is perfect for music lovers.

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for my gifted copy! All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the gifted ebook of Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist! All opinions in this review are my own.

Nick and Noel have been best friends since they were kids. Now that Nick is home for good, he is starting to look at Noel differently. However, before he is able to pursue something with Noel, he has to deal with his ex-girlfriend, Amber.

I always have a hard time with romance books that start out with the woman not wanting to get married or have kids. Typically, they end with the woman realizing she just hadn't found the right man yet to have kids with. While Noel's past does weigh heavily on her decision to not have kids, this decision was obviously going to cause some tension between her and Nick. It is mentioned a few times, but they barely discuss it before she is head over heels in love and changes her mind.

I love a friends-to-lovers trope and I love a holiday romance, so this DELIVERED. I've never read any of Codi Hall's work before this, and I'm a new fan! I'm also now incredibly invested in the Mistletoe romance series.

Friends to lovers holiday romance with some salty, troublemaking exes, a delightful cast of side family/friends characters and some fun 🔥! ⁣
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I really enjoyed this one! It was just so fun and I honestly enjoyed watching the two BFFs finally admit their feelings for each other and come together. ⁣There was a great cast of characters with the families and friends which I always love. Plus, the troublemaking exes made for some funny scenes - cat fight involving food flying and a BFFs broken nose anyone 🤣⁣
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I ended up finishing this over Christmas Day and it proved to be a perfect, quick & entertaining read. If you want a fun, flirty read with some decent steam I definitely recommend it!

This was a disappointment for me. I found the characters were one-dimensional and a lot of the dialogue was too cheesy. Also, while the story takes place around Christmas time, there's not much holiday spirit involved. Maybe if I had started this book earlier in my holiday reading I would have enjoyed it more, but it fell flat compared to some of great ones that I read this season, and I didn't feel a connection with any of the characters.

⭐⭐.75

This was the perfect holiday read! I love me a good friend to lover's book and this was hit the sweet spot. This does contain some heavy-hitting issues such as loss and heartbreak but makes sure to give us hope as well as some awesome X-mas vibes. The theme of overcoming your fears hits home and reminds you that no matter what you've been through, you can come out of it stronger than ever.

I received an arc via Netgalley!

Forever friends and Forever Family. Nick and Noel’s families were always close.. They had a special kind of friendship that was rare and yet such a blessing. When Noel’s parents are killed in a car crash.. Noel must rely more and more in Nick’s family. And she is ok with that because they have loved her like a daughter, forever. But she still has hang ups about long term relationships and the idea of family. When Nick comes home from his final tour and his long time girlfriend breaks up with him.. things begin to change for them. His family’s Christmas tree farm and the Christmas cheer, can’t be ignored. They have been friends forever.. have made each other mixed tapes/cd’s/MP3’s over the years that have cheers them up.. the music also helped them have conversations they couldn’t have face to face. The banter between the two is very cute. It is light and hopeful. Who doesn’t like a Christmas story, that fills you with holiday cheer? Can these two make something work? Can they find their Christmas miracle? Give this book a try and see how this one ends. I hope you enjoy it!!!!

This book was a cover grab for me, and it seemed like a great Christmas romance book to read. It didn’t disappoint. I’m not going to go into the plot too much for this one, since I think the blurb for the book describes it well. Nick and Noel’s Christmas Playlist is a friends-to-lovers, small town, fake dating romance with low levels of spice.

I loved a lot of things about this book, and I think it’s easier to list them:
- the main characters and the romantic arc for Nick and Noel
- Nick’s family and the way Noel fit in with them even before the romance started
- the tropes! friends to lovers! fake dating! small town! it all worked seamlessly
- the references to music throughout the book and the special place that holds in their friendship and relationship

I thought there was a lot of focus on their ex-significant others and those interactions tended to be on the petty side. Had there been less of that, this would have been a five-star read for me.

Warning: This book discusses some sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers including death of a loved one, loss of parents, and grief.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A sweet quick holiday romcom. Definitely helped out me in the holiday mood. Looking forward to what happens with Nick’s sisters.