Roan Parrish draws inspiration from the cinematic masterpiece The Holiday in this romance following Greta and Truman, who swap houses for the holiday season and find love along the way.

The Holiday is one of my all-time favorite movies and Roan Parrish is one of my all-time favorite authors—so what a joy to have them both together! I think it's an incredible feat for an author to pull off two storylines woven together in this way, and I really enjoyed seeing the nods Parrish gave to the original while still crafting a wholly unique story.

Truman and his love interest Ash have a great slow burn build-up to their romance, which includes them being brought together by searching for a reclusive local author. I loved this added mini-mystery in the story! We also were able to see the ways that Truman feels pigeonholed into viewing himself as an uncreative person compared to his family, and how Ash is struggling to run the family business and care for his mother. The way they learn to support and rely on each other was really beautiful.

Meanwhile, Greta is breaking free from her too tightly knit family and learning what it means to be in a place where she can be herself without holding anything back. I really loved her journey of learning to set boundaries and carve out a space for herself in the world. Her romance with Carys has a faster pace with instant chemistry that completely draws Greta into Carys' world, thereby opening Greta's eyes to the power of queer community. Of the two plotlines, it did feel as though Greta's might benefit the most from a bit more room to explore some of the themes—especially given how important setting boundaries in all kinds of relationships can be and the exploration of finding your home in a queer space.

I can't wait to see what Parrish does next!

4 stars!

I was so pleasantly surprised by this novel. Roan Parrish has such great writing, and I really loved the holiday atmosphere with the town, the characters, and the Christmasy vibes. Overall, I would say that the story was great and I enjoyed the dual POV component.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Holiday Trap continues my love affair with Roan Parrish books. Every time I pick one up I wonder why it's been so long since I've read her, which then sets off a search for anything of hers I haven't read to read, subsequently catching up with all of her novels and then the process begins again when I pick up her next new things.



In The Holiday Trap Truman and Greta both need to escape their current living situations and through a mutual friend, they swap households for a month. Truman ends up on a small island town in Maine and Greta ends up in New Orleans. Through accidental meetings both find new friends and romance and as their time is coming to a close in their swapped cities, they both must decide what to do next. I really enjoyed both narratives because even though they had different inciting incidents, they both had some similar anxieties as well. It was fun to see Greta get to know my old stomping grounds (Nola) and see it through her eyes and it was interesting to explore a small town that I knew nothing about. Both places offered fresh new faces to Greta and Truman as well as much needed perspective.

I loved getting to know them all --the main characters, the secondary characters, and the towns as characters. This is definitely a great Christmas time read but honestly, it could be read any time and be just as enjoyable. And now, of course, I'm waiting for the next Roan Parrish new release.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

Holiday romances are one of my favorites, but I can only do a few each year without being nauseated. Perhaps this book would have been better for me if I had timed it better. I like dual POV but it felt off in this one. The potential is there and I'll go back to it next year to see if my mind changes.

I loved reading this one. I just love this kind of books.
4 stars read for me. I love this author writing style
Thanks to netgally for this arc.

Oof. I’ll give the author credit for being ballsy enough to take on the house swap trope a la The Holiday, but she had to know how much taking on a holiday favorite would open her up for criticism. Here’s a brief list of things I hated:

1. Zero plot aside from the borrowed trope.

2. Well there were pitiful attempts like a mother with Alzheimer’s and a son who was more than willing to ignore her with one of the couples and a controlling family with a controlling girlfriend whose warning signs the female lead was more than willing to ignore with the other couple.

3. Carys. *vomit emojis forever*

4. Kitchen sink Covid hobbies like bullet journaling and “plant mom life” (*shudder*) that added nothing to the nonexistent story.

5. Instabanging but no chemistry.

6. Speaking of - waaaaay too graphic sex for unsuspecting victims who simply fall for all cartoony cover holiday books.

7. A Jewish character just for the sake of trying to be inclusive? I mean they threw a one day “Chanukah” booze party but included zero religious or food or gift traditions??? Don’t even bother with that half-assery.

8. Two weeks and these idjits are upending their entire lives for each other? Especially when they both seem to be pretty co-dependent to begin with and are trying to break the habit.

Two people swap houses during the holidays to escape their troubles only to discover themselves and true love. I loved reading about both settings. The family dynamics seemed spot on for both characters. Truman was my absolute favorite.

After reading some reviews about this on Goodreads, from people who gave the book 2-3 stars, I was a bit hesitant going into it. But it positively surprised me! I found both of the storylines engaging and I really liked seeing how both Great and Truman worked to better themselves throughout the book and tried to clean up some of the messier parts of their lives. Admittedly, The Holiday (the movie) is not something I have a strong relationship with, nor do I properly remember how it goes, so the trope of swapping houses with a stranger felt somewhat fresh to me, which I enjoyed. I loved seeing how Greta responded to New Orleans and how she realised she could thrive there. I also really loved seeing Truman exploring Maine and stumbling upon a little personal mystery. For the way the book resolved Truman’s mystery, I also really enjoyed the epilogue!

I think the book handled sensitive topics in a nice way, especially the way it handled toxic and/or difficult family situations. I won’t go into spoilery details, but I especially loved how Greta grew and the way her perspective on her family changed throughout the story. I feel like almost all the characters learned something new about themselves and grew as people during the course of this story, which was really nice! I’m a sucker for character growth. The only person I didn’t feel that from was Carys, but I didn’t feel like she did anything wrong either, so that didn’t change my feelings about the book.

All that being said, there is a reason this didn’t get the full 5-star rating from me. That reason is how both relationships in the book felt less developed, or perhaps the characters felt a little less complex, than they might have if the book only focused on one of them. I feel like the story could have delved deeper into the depths of their relationship dynamics, and I wished it did. But I can also understand how that would be impossible with a story like this, where we follow two separately growing relationships in two very different places.

I’d say if you’re looking for a holiday romance where the holidays/christmas plays a very central part and drives the plot forward, this will not be it. I kind of forgot it was set during the holidays. Rather, if you’re looking for a queer romance story with character growth and two very different relationships maturing at the same time, this might be for you! I recommend giving it a go.

This is a delightful Christmas read. Truman, who I loved from the start, had a boyfriend that he adored but finds himself devastated when he finds out that his boyfriend has a husband AND A daughter. Greata has a loving family, but she needs some space. When their mutual friend Ramona suggests a month long house swap they both decide this could be the change they needed. I would love this to be a Christmas movie!

Thank you #Sourcebookscasa and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 31%. This book has so much potential. I don't know why it isn't hitting the spot the way I wanted it to. The dual POV feels off balance, it's a very slow-moving story... there's one mystery aspect I'm interested in that I'll probably just search through my ebook for the answer.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an ARC of this.

This was so much fun!! I read this over the holiday break and I had the best time. I’m a massive roan Parrish fan so I was highly excited for this one and it lived up to the hype

Initially, I thought The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish was going to be like The Parent Trap. I was wrong and that’s fine. This book is an LGBTQIA featuring story with a premise similar to the movie the Holiday. When the book opens, Greta has been volunteered for a date auction against her will. Pissed off, she flees the island that she lives on in Maine for sunny New Orleans. Truman opens his story by dropping off a gift at his boyfriend’s house, where he discovers that his boyfriend actually has a whole secret family and Truman has been the other man. So, Truman ends up trading his New Orleans home with Greta to go to Maine for the holiday season. There, Truman finds connection with a florist named Ash. And in New Orleans, Greta falls into instalove with Carys.

Honestly, I wasn’t totally in love with this book. Part of it felt a little slow paced. Also, I thought that Carys was kind of rude to Greta. I get that Carys is supposed to be evolved and having been through therapy and such — but her approach was something I perceived as rude. Truman, however, was the true feature of this book. I loved him and his love of this fantasy book series that he finds comfort in — could totally relate. Also, Truman is vulnerable and real. He is also so kind and what he gets in return from Ash is also kindness — with maybe one miscommunication/argument. I loved those two.

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO BUDDY THE ELF, HOW MUCH HOLIDAY SPIRIT DOES THE HOLIDAY TRAP HAVE?
So, although this is titled The Holiday Trap and there is a holiday party as well as Hanukkah, I just wasn’t feeling the spirit. If you want something with a vibe similar to The Holiday movie, pick this one up.

A few steamy scenes which is an automatic yes for me, LOL.
The story, to me, was about being yourself, asking for what you want and need, being comfortable in your skin and to stop always just letting others make all the decisions for you (even when you hate that decision).

I think this was a really fun read! Nothing groundbreaking, earthshattering or overly unique but a very nice fluff piece with a black pepper spice level

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the digital review copy of this title. Now, let’s get into the review.

What I Liked
I love the house swap premise, which somehow feels far-fetched and also strangely plausible in these AirBnb times. I’m also not super familiar with small town Maine or New Orleans, so I liked reading about these settings through the eyes of visitors.

Truman and Ash’s story warmed my heart in so many ways. The plants. The vulnerability. Truman’s awkward tendency to say too much when he’s nervous. I definitely got drawn in to their story and felt excited any time a chapter featured them.

The found family aspect of Greta’s story is great. I liked watching her come to terms with the fact that she needs a bit of space from her biological family, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she has to go scortched earth on them. Seeing her thrive amidst people who have more in common with her than just DNA was definitely the main appeal of her story for me.

Both characters had some good personal growth that helped them gain more confidence and awareness about themselves, which I appreciate.

What I Didn’t Like
If you couldn’t tell from the above, I wasn’t sold on the romance element of Greta’s story. Carys as a character does not feel like a real person to me, but a caricature. There was also something sort of ominous about the relationship to me, and I didn’t care for the way Carys spoke to Greta sometimes. Because of this, Greta’s chapters felt like a slog to me. I honestly was kind of rooting for them to break up, which isn’t what you want in a romance.

I also felt like the marketing of this one as a holiday rom-com only really fits if you take “holiday” to mean “vacation” and not wintery holidays like I imagined. Yes, this takes place around the Hannukah and Christmas season, and this does play a small part in the story, but it isn’t as central as the title and release date of this book would lead you to believe. Not really a flaw in the book so much as in my expectations.

In all, this was a heartwarming story about two people who needed a change and found themselves by shaking up their routines. It didn’t quite deliver on the winter holiday vibes I was hoping for, but it’s worth a read regardless.

I recommend The Holiday Trap to fans of the movie The Holiday or the house-swap trope in general. It’s also a great read for folks who enjoy stories about found family and personal growth, with a dash of small town vibes in the mix for good measure.

The Holiday Trap follows Greta and Truman, who do like Cameron and Kate in The Holiday and swap homes for the holidays through their mutual friend, Ramona.

Greta needs space away from her loving but sometimes overbearing family and her tiny Maine hometown. So she heads to New Orleans where she meets a cast of loveable and unique characters that make her instantly feel at home. I loved seeing Greta "find herself" in a way and fall in love.

Then you have Truman, who after discovering his partner has a secret life (that includes a husband and daughter), flees New Orleans for Maine. Here he instantly meets and connects with Ash, Greta's best friend. I loved these two and Truman's passion for helping Ash turn around his business. He was so awkwardly sweet (and relatable) and I loved how he found himself in a way as well.

I actually ended up listening to The Holiday Trap and the dual narration was fantastic, I highly recommend it! So if you're looking for a heartwarming and engaging queer holiday romance featuring amazing character growth, a surprising dash of spice and lots of loveable characters, read this book. You won't be disappointed.

This was a very solid holiday romance, featuring two related romances. I was equally invested in both romances, which i was concerned about at first. I wish we could have seen the friendship between Greta and her supposed best friend from home-- I really liked the moment when she told him that Truman wanted to kiss him. I liked that we got a jump forward to see them after the holidays, it made me more confident the romances would survive.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The premise of this book is The Holiday (movie) but make it queer, so obviously I had to read it! We follow Greta, whose family can't respect her boundaries or her sexuality, and Truman, who has just found out that his boyfriend has a secret family. They both need to get out of their hometowns, and when their mutual friend hears this, she suggests a house swap. Greta goes to sunny New Orleans for the holidays, and Truman goes to a cold island in Maine. If you've watched The Holiday or read pretty much any romance book ever, you'll know where this is headed.

I saw a few negative reviews for this one so I was a bit hesitant going into it, but I tried to keep an open mind and ended up really enjoying it! I feel like both of the characters grow so much throughout the story, and I loved seeing them go on adventures and meet new people. I will say that the book isn't perfect - there were certain parts of the plot and writing that didn't gel with me, but overall it was a lot of fun to read!

I didn't particularly like Greta or her love interest, Carys. Their relationship developed far too quickly for my liking, and the fight they had towards the end felt a bit bizarre to me. I did love the other characters in this storyline, though. Also, Truman and Ash's relationship was incredibly sweet and I loved watching them fall for each other!

This book has so much representation, and I really appreciated that. I will note that this isn't the most festive book - while it is set during the holiday season, that doesn't really play much of a role in the story. But it does still have lots of wholesome moments that made me feel the festive vibes!

While I don't think it's the best thing I've read, it was quick and fun to get through, and it offered something new that I haven't seen in romance before!

I adore Roan Parrish's work, so I was massively excited to read this around the holiday season. It did not disappoint in the least, and the characters and world are as sweet and robust as they always are in Parrish's work. Can't wait to get a physical copy.

The Holiday Trap by Roan Parrish
Genre: Holiday, Romcom
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casa

The Holiday but make it a book and make it queer and spicy!

I recommend you read this one if you enjoy house swaps, The Switch by Beth O’leary, queer romcoms and don’t mind a bit of spice.

~ Brief Synopsis ~
Greta needs a break from her tight-knit family and small hometown - it’s hard being the only lesbian on the island.
Truman needs a place to heal after having his heart broken- finding out your boyfriend has a secret life you never knew about is devastating.
The solution? A month-long house swap over the winter holidays.

~ My Thoughts ~
When I saw the blurb for this one on Netgalley I knew it would be right up my alley and I was right! This was a really fun read!

I liked the duel perspectives although I did find myself enjoying Truman’s storyline a lot more. I think that’s because I didn’t really like Greta’s love interest Carys. That said, to write two completely different storylines and polar opposite romances in the one book would be a massive challenge and I think Roan did a great job.

I loved the representation that was included. There was a f/f romance, a m/m romance, a Jewish MC and Hanukkah (although brieftly) as well as christmas!

Now, there wasn’t a lot of Christmassy vibes in the story but I didn’t mind as I really enjoyed the story.

I don’t mind spice, but I’m not the biggest of it in my holiday reads. I prefer cute and hallmark.