This was a cute double Queer romance perfect for the holidays. The beginning scared me a bit but overall this book and all of its characters made my heart feel very warm and very full.

I would like to thank Roan Parrish for not being afraid to use the word lesbian, especially so soon in the book. As a lesbian, I can't begin to describe what that meant to me.

The Holiday Trap was a sweet LGBTQ+ romance. It settled around setting boundaries and staying true to who you are. The characters were so engaging, I felt like I knew them and could relate to them in so many scenarios. This book was such a quick and easy read, I let me wanting some much more!

Utterly delightful, sweet, queer, that just me at a loss with what to do with all the feelings I was having.

For fans of the movie, The Holiday, you'll see a similarity between the film and the blurb of this book. That's about all that's the same. The two stories (one following Greta and the other following Truman) in this book are very different, but so sweet.

Sometimes while reading I felt like the author personally reached into my brain and yanked out parts of me and put them into Greta and Truman. Their feelings, their disconnect, their struggles felt very similar to my own and so I loved seeing them find happiness for themselves.

Highly recommend this lovely, easy to read book, with a plethora of colourful side characters, and two very adorable MCs finding their HEAs.

I very much had The Holiday movie vibes as I read this book. But, you know, queer. Very queer, and set only within America. In that way, it made me think of Husband Material, as another movie to book made queer analog.

Greta and Truman only have a girl called Ramona in common. But when both of them seem to be not doing very good, it's Ramona who suggests a house swap between the two of them. I think we see Ramona in a maximum of two scenes throughout this novel, but she's the instigating incident behind this novel.

Greta needs to get away from her stifling family at the same time as Truman needs to get away from the boyfriend he was inadvertently cheating with. For Greta, getting out to New Orleans is just as needed as it is for Truman to find himself in a small town in Maine.

Hilariously, the place where Greta found herself not getting to live her best gay life is the same place where Truman immediately meets the one gay man in town. Someone who is also Greta's best friend. And someone who is dealing with his mother's dementia. Their relationship is slow and cautious, with Truman coming in with his own issues regarding his judgement of people and Ash being scared of getting more hurt.

If Truman's story is cautious, Greta's is the absolute obvious. She flies into New Orleans, and immediately into the life she's been craving. She meets older friends who love plants as much as she does and starts dating someone immediately, before only just after that managing to get into a business plan with her new girlfriend's housemates.

It's very clear right away that Greta isn't going home, but the way that she works through issues with her family was very well done throughout the novel. Neither one of the viewpoints were better or worse than the other. I loved both stories equally.

I adored this book so much! We have Truman, bullet journal enthusiast, from hot New Orleans swapping houses for a month with Greta, plant mum, from freezing Maine. I loved seeing the very different cities from the POV of someone who is seeing them for the first time. While this is a holiday book (Christmas/Chanukah) the stories aren't really about the holidays per se but more about these characters and their lives. Even if it was for different reasons, they needed a reset and changing cities completely sounds just about perfect; new perspective, new surroundings, new possibilities. Very different cities with different vibes, but they both had obe thing in common: community. I loved seeing the community coming together to help one another and welcome them into their places.
Fluent and easy to follow writing style, this book kept me glued to the pages!

I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

The concept for The Holiday Trap sounded so fun, two people who swap houses and then find love a and a whole new life while they're there. The book was just a fun as expected and also could hit surprisingly deep at times. It's a lighthearted holiday themed romance book with two romances as well as some deeper parts with two characters struggling and then having to come to terms with who they are and figuring out what they want from life.

I liked the mix of the more lighthearted and fun romance combined with the deeper topics of finding out what you want from life. There are relationships struggles, family struggles and work struggles. Both characters lived their lives in a way they wasn't the best fit for them and only now they're figuring that out and how to change their lives. I really loved these themes of self discovery and figuring out their path. I also liked the finding love and really blossoming into their best selves parts of this book.

The Holiday Trap is told from two points of views. Greta who lives on a small island in Maine with her tight knit family and Truman who lives in New Orleans. They both experience something and they want to run away and say so to their mutual friend who comes with the idea of the house swap. They agree to the swap and both find themselves feeling more at home in this new place and finding love along the way. I liked how this book told two stories, they intertwine a few times, but mostly the connection is that they live in each other's house for a month. I thought the dual stories worked well, although I did end up being more invested in Greta's story.

I liked seeing how Greta discovered New Orleans, found new friends and love. I liked her love for plants and the way she had to figure out some things. I also thought the romance progression with Carys was well done and I liked them together. I liked how they talk through things and communicate and how Carys helps Greta figure out some things about herself. I liked seeing Greta make new friends as well as figure out what she wants to do work wise. I thought it was amazing to see her grow and develop throughout the story and the romance was well done too.

I felt bad for Truman and how he got his heart broken. I thought it worked well how Truman knows early on what his flaws are, although I would've liked to see him struggle and work more on fixing them as that part felt a bit too easy. I liked reading about him and Ash and especially all his ideas for Thorn. I did feel his story was a bit less interesting than Greta's and I was a bit annoyed at the piece of drama toward the end. Ash is struggling quite a bit and totally overwhelmed and unable to muster energy to improve things and I thought that made it a bit harder to really feel their romance. The cold Maine island was an interesting contrast to sunny New Orleans.

I liked how at the end of the book Greta and Truman meet and help each other out. The skip forward to 6 months later was awesome and was a great way to show their futures and where they're going.

To summarize: This was an amazing read. I liked the house swap concept and the way it unfolded was fun to read, it has a bit of a holiday theme too, as well as some deeper parts where both characters have to figure out what they want and who they want to be. I thought the two stories in one book worked well, although I enjoyed Greta's story more. I liked the romances and the lighthearted feel of the book as well as the themes of finding yourself and what you want. The six months later skip forward at the end was great and worked as an epilogue showing how both characters are doing and where they're going with their lives.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a meh. Too easy, too fluffy, and not engaging enough for me.

ARC e-book via NetGalley
Provided by SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca
Publication: 6 Sept 2022

As the cute cover indicates, this is a switching-places romance (a la The Switch by Beth O'Leary or '500 Miles from You' by Jenny Colgan), but here the 'switchees' are not falling for each other; they each meet the love of their lives with little to no effort, almost instantly on arrival in their new cities. This is fine - it's a fluffy romance novel after all, you go with it, and the reader gets two stories in one. Both settings were fun and played to Truman's and Greta's personalities; they had been fish out of water where they lived but now something clicked into place in their new location (Truman staying in Greta's house in Maine and Greta at Truman's in New Orleans). 

I gave Truman's story 3.5 stars and Greta's 2.5 -- Truman: I particularly liked his unabashed, nerdy love of a 7-book fantasy series that helped him through some tough times, and found his & Ash's relationship had more believable challenges and obstacles. I had a couple of issues with the Greta-Cerys relationship, much of it felt like internal monologue by Greta analyzing her relationship with her family with her own self-psychoanalizing, followed by episodes of her not communicating well with her family.  At one point Cerys (bitchily? bossily?) lectures Greta on taking what Cerys says at face value and not 'trying' to interpret/do nice things or otherwise interfere in ways that Cerys has not requested  - this just read really strangely to me and the relationship very one-sided in terms of 'let me tell you how it will be.' Then immediately after this lecture on respecting people's boundaries etc, Greta, apropos of nothing, takes extremely invasive action into Truman's life/contacts that also felt really wrong to me (and there is no further information or resolution on this storyline tangent, she doesn't even tell Truman she's done it). It's portrayed as this bold, positive action but felt really wrong in terms of what the character was meant to be learning.

Overall, a light and mostly fun read despite a few rocky parts -- there's an adorable great dane named Horse, florist shops, beekeeping, bullet journaling, carnivorous plants, & some nice New Orleans & Maine scenery.

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot, that reminded me almost of something. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book.

There are two things I love: Roan Parrish and The Holiday. And now I am getting both at the same time?! As expected, this was an absolute wonderful read and so, so deliciously queer. This year really is the golden year for queer Holiday romances. 5 stars - nothing less.

Thank you to Netgalley and Roan Parrish for this ARC.

This book was such a really cute, cosy read. I normally don't read multiple couples romances as it's just too much back and forth or I'll be super invested in just one couple but I loved both couples equally and thought the switching to and fro was done really well. I wasn't such a fan of Romona's messages between chapters but I'm sure it appeals to other readers. I would grade the spice a 2/5.

I'm a complete sucker for a holiday romance. This was a breezy delight of a book with well developed characters and I loved the LGBTQIA+ representation.

I personally loved how Greta wanted to set boundaries for the first time and learn to trust herself. The idea to swap houses was appealing, especially due to the classic The Holiday movie. It was a lot for the plot line to juggle and stay on top of. At times, the story kinda drags. The first half was definitely stronger than the second.

However, I would recommend this for a cute holiday romance with a sprinkle of angsty

3/5

The Holiday is one of my most favorite Holiday Movies. Our Family actually has Alfredo on Christmas Eve because of the movie. I was so excited to see Roan Parrish was writing a queer version in honor of the movie. This story is a lovely double romance (m/m, f/f), with a thoughtful journey of self.
Greta and Truman are at a crossroad due to relationship issues. Their mutual friend Ramona saves the day. What if they swap houses? Truman heads to Maine. Greta sets out to New Orleans. Romance happens and time for self-reflection.
Truman might be one of the sweetest and kindest characters I have read in a long time. Watching his relationship progress with Ash so sweet and swoony.
Greta’s journey is equally swoony. She takes the time to fall in love with herself while also finding love. Great must push past everything that was holding her back in order to find her HEA.
The gender representation was done perfectly and this is probably the most diverse book I've had the pleasure of reading.

This is so much more than a holiday rom-com. These characters had some amazing growth in this story. Both Truman and Greta had to take the time and space and think about their lives and where they are at in them. The need to gain back the power to figure out how to move forward and not allow others to control them. I will say some of the part of the book did drag but overall it is delightful. Roan Parrish does LQBTG+ Rep perfectly. It truly was a wonderful book and a pleasure to read.

* Received a copy for review.*.
Tian Parrish has such a way with characters. They are all so fully fleshed out and easily relatable.
This book is kind of a new version of the 2006 movie The Holiday. 2 people I different parts of the country have some terrible event occur that makes each wish to escape. Through a common friend, they decide to trade houses for a month.
Truman is in NOLA. He just found out his boyfriend is actually married and has been lying to him for over a year.
Greta has just had her family volunteer her for a date auction. They know that she is vehemently opposed to this event and that she is a lesbian.
Truman heads to Owl Island, off the coast of Portland. He’s unprepared for the cold and the way a tiny town works.
Greta heads to NOLA and immediately falls in love with quirky city. She makes friends and meets a group of people who love exotic plants as much as she does.
I loved getting two stories in one and seeing relationships that face complications and those involved are able to talk them out and move forward.
Beautifully written, sexy AF, and an overall heartwarming good time.

Greta wants to escape her overbearing family in Maine. Truman wants to escape New Orleans in order to mend his broken heart. So when their mutual friend, Ramona suggests a house swap, to have a new chance at life, they both agree to it.

My first Christmas in July book, The Holiday Trap was a very sweet, adorable & hot queer romance. This had festive elements in Maine & had horror filled yours in New Orleans.

I adored the relationship between Great & Carly and Truman & Ash. It was really enjoyable to see each of them find love outside their comfort zone.
Fans of The Holiday movie, this is for you!

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

Roan Parrish writes about two queer protagonists, who through their friend Ramona, switch houses (and states) to escape their floundering lives one December. Greta's too-close family enters her into a dating auction, so she moves to Truman's house in New Orleans, while Truman finds he has been the other man, so he travels to Greta's cute cottage on a Maine island. They both find love and friendship and grow in understanding of themselves.

This book was so heartwarming, though with its share of tears, it made me want to read more about the characters. I adored Greta's love of plants and Truman's dedication to bullet journaling. The way the places were portrayed were so alive, it made me want to visit both Maine and New Orleans.

A holiday house swap with great characters and LGBTQIA representation. I was immediately drawn to Truman and Greta. I specifically fell in love with Ash! There are some great storylines in here. I particularly loved the locations in which this was set. However, it is slow to get going and felt like it was dragging. It is also a "door open" romance in a big way. A bit too much detail for my taste but spice lovers will like it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

This is a holiday house swap romance with LGBTQ characters, where Greta from Owl Island, Maine, and Truman from New Orleans take over each other's homes for a month during the Christmas/Hanukkah season. Both have issues/angst in their past, but they each embrace their new environment and meet a new group of people, including possible life partners, but each has to decide whether it is worth uprooting everything they've previously known. I loved getting to know the new places with the characters, and I particularly loved Truman and Ash slowly realizing how good they were for each other.

Roan Parrish is such a wonderful author. They have such a way of creating characters you root for and break for all at the same time. The Holiday Trap was a wonderful book where I couldn't put it down.

Thank-you NetGalley and publisher for the chance to review this ARC.

The Holiday Trap was a fun novel.
I liked the writing style.
It was overall a sweet story.