This book was not at all what I was expecting, but in a good way! From looking at this cover, I was expecting a cute and warm holiday read, and then I read the excerpt and loved how completely wrong I was and how the premise of this book is nothing like any other holiday romance I've read! This book is jam packed with SPICE and dives into a positive narrative about sex workers and some of the ins and outs of those in that field. This was a refreshing holiday romance and I'm looking forward to reading Julie and Sierra's next book!

Playing a little catch up in my backlog of holiday books this month. I was excited to pick this up as I have heard about how good & spicy this book is -more so lately as a second book by these authors has also just been released. I reallllly loved the concept of a porn star breaking into more traditional film rolls- and in the process, falling in love with her childhood celebrity crush. As a plus size woman myself, it was refreshing to read about main character who looks like me. And Nolan? Girl the way he talks about Bee and how beautiful her body is? Perfection. I enjoyed following their story. The spice was also 100%

One critique that I will give is that it did get kinda cheesy and I was frustrated with the lack of communication when it came to the conflict.

Teddy has a problem. He’s producing a movie for the pristine Hope Channel, a holiday movie that is being shot over Christmas. He has less than three weeks to complete filming in Christmas Notch, Vermont. And his leading actress has had to pull out of the film at the last minute. And when he was talking to his director Gretchen about a replacement, she noticed someone who caught her eye. Gretchen insisted on her, a voluptuous edgy actress she’d not seen in anything before. So he called up Bee Hobbes and asked her to star in the Hope Channel movie he was producing, Duke the Halls.

Technically, Bee worked for Teddy already. But she worked under for his Uncle Ray-Ray production company that also produced movies with a quick turnaround. But those were adult films, and she starred in them as Bianca von Honey. Now, she’s Bee Hobbes, a young actress with a squeaky clean reputation, or the whole project would be scrapped. And she really wanted to make this movie, especially since he costar is none other than Nolan Shaw.

Nolan Shaw was a member of the boy band INK, the bisexual bad boy who squandered a lot of his earnings before his sketchy manager took off with the rest. Now he’s living in Kansas City and working at a local theater. His mother struggles with her mental health, and he didn’t want to leave her alone with his younger sister Maddie, who is still in school, but filming Duke the Halls is his first step in rehabilitating his reputation and proving he can be a responsible performer. Plus, he could really use the money for his mother’s health care.

Nolan is committed to keeping his head down and his nose clean. But then he finds out that his costar, Bee Hobbes, is the same woman who haunts his fantasies as well as his phone. He is a subscriber to her ClosedDoors account, and meeting Bianca von Honey in person is almost enough for him to forget about why he’s there. Almost.

And then they kiss.

The first scene they film is toward the end of the movie, where the duke and the time-traveling runaway bride declare their love for each other and kiss. And the kiss is far hotter than either Bee or Nolan expects. Or maybe they did expect that, as Bee was a fan of Nolan back when he was in the boy band and she was in high school, and Nolan is a fan of Bianca.

Now all they have to do is keep filming this chaste film for a channel known for its modesty, with a producer who makes adult movies and a script with no ending (the screenwriter, Gretchen’s girlfriend, can’t seem to figure out that last line about what Christmas means), in a town that doubles as a set for holiday movies. Everything has to be by the book. Unsullied. Squeaky clean.

So no one can know when Bee and Nolan start hooking up in secret.

And that’s when Dominic Diamond, the reporter who destroyed Nolan’s career the first time, shows up to town.

Will Bee and Nolan be able to survive all the forces trying to keep them apart? Or will they find their own happily ever after after all?

A Merry Little Meet Cute is an extra spicy holiday rom com with lots of laughs and lots of very hot love scenes. The characters are likable, smart and compassionate and accepting. The juxtaposition of the adult film industry insiders working on the Hope Channel movie offers lots of room for hijinks, but there is also a respect for all lifestyles.

I listened to A Merry Little Meet Cute, with Bee’s chapters narrated by Joy Nash and Nolan’s chapters narrated by Sebastian York. I thought both of them were perfect in their roles, bringing these characters to life, with all their snark and intelligence. However, there were scenes that would make listening to this book awkward in public, so that’s something to keep in mind as you listen.

I loved A Merry Little Meet Cute. I thought it was engaging and charming, and it offers a different perspective on holiday shenanigans and those holiday movies on that greeting card channel. It is extra spicy, so prepare for those ghost pepper moments (or maybe I’m just used to vanilla rom coms). But this book is lots of fun and filled with life and laughter.

Egalleys for A Merry Little Meet Cute were provided by Avon through NetGalley, but I bought the audio book myself through Chirp.

I always go in blind on my reads and basically only know the title, genre, and cover for my reads! Do not let this cover make you think this is some sweet little Christmas story because it’s not! It’s a STEAMY Christmas read and I’m so here for it! Forbidden romance, workplace romance, and so much more in this one! I loved how inclusive this story was! Yay for a LGBTQ+ Christmas book!!

A wonderful wintertime romance with a plus size main character and a former member of a fictious boyband! This had great steamy romance scenes and an engaging story of dealing with life problems.

A Merry Little Meet Cute came out in 2022, but I finally got around to reading and reviewing it in October 2023, preparing for the authors’ second in the series. Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the NetGalley ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, and my apologies for not getting to it sooner!
I don’t know why I put it off for that long - it was a fun, spicy book! The premise is great - a producer of adult films wants to branch out from that indutry and gets hired to produce a Christmas movie for a religious channel. When one of the stars is forced to drop out because of a scandal, Teddy the producer accidentally shows the director a headshot for one of his female nude models. The director insists on hiring her, and Teddy ends up hiring other behind the scenes personnel from his adult film gigs. The male star, who needs to redeem his bad boy image, recognizes the female star, as he’s been a subscriber to her adult film videos for awhile, but he hides this knowledge from her. Many hijinks ensue, but all in all it was quite a fun read (which I partially listened to via audiobook, too).

I mean who does not love a Hallmark and a spicy book? Julie and Sierra deliver 100% of the time. It is so fun to see how the different characters deal with the different situations they are not used to. Make sure to read this book immediately

I tried reading this and just could not get into it for some reason. I think it might just be the timing so I’ll try again closer to the holidays. The length for a rom com was intimidating a bit, but I think I was just surprised.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Cute Rom Com about a plus size porn star who branches out in a Hallmark Type movie with a former child star who is a fan of her work. Its fun spicy read. Totally recommend!

Meet cute with lots of spice!

An ex boy band member meets a current successful porn star on the set of a sweet romantic Christmas movie.

There are fun secrets like, Bee was a big fan of Nolan’s former boy band and Nolan is a fan of Bee’s current work.

Bee was offered the position as a lead in the Christmas movie at the last minute. At the point of the first kiss their chemistry is off the charts. For success of their careers and the movie they must keep their relationship a secret. A fun circle of family, friends and staff on the movie set makes for a crazy adventure.

This is my first read by Julie Murphy. Sierra Simone is one of my always read authors.

This was a fun book and I enjoyed the characters. I like that the fmc was a sex worker who liked her work and the mmc had no issue with it. My one issue with the book was the predictability of the third act conflict and how it went down.

Spoiler: I don’t understand how they expected the secret to stay secret. It’s not like people wouldn’t be able to search her face online or that some of her fans might accidentally see her on the movie. It kind of felt like a plot hole to me.

"A Merry Little Meet Cute" captures the essence of the holiday season and the joy of finding love when you least expect it. It's a heartwarming and uplifting story that's perfect for curling up with a cup of hot cocoa on a snowy evening. Murphy and Simone have created a perfect little gift of a story for those looking for a dose of love and holiday cheer.

I was hooked from the prologue of Merry Little Meet Cute, which hilariously sets the scene without even including our two leads. A producer is trying to diversify his portfolio, but his foray into the squeaky-clean Christmas genre seems destined for disaster. With filming just around the corner, one of his leads and a chunk of his crew come to (hilarious) harm at a music festival. He's been determined that his new venture not intersect with his secret production empire, but a suitcase mishap leads his Christmas movie director to cast a porn star as her new yuletide lead.

Bee is proud to be a sex worker, but that doesn't mean it's the sum of her aspirations. Starring in a Hallmark-esque Christmas movie for the puritanical Hope Channel could be the start of a career that makes her younger theater kid self sit up and take notice. She all but gave up that dream when it became clear that a fat woman wouldn't be considered for all kinds of leading roles. This new opportunity to turn those expectations upside down is marred by the need for secrecy. If someone finds out about Bee's background, it could not only mess things up for her role in the production but also cut short the beginning of a promising new career. Part of Bee's enthusiasm for the role is thanks to her co-lead-- a washed-up boy band bad boy who needs to resuscitate his image. Nolan's manager ran off with the band's money and then a "gotcha!" style paparazzi blogger made him persona non grata... particularly in figure skating circles. His solo career tanked, and he still has a mom and sister to support. He needs a comeback badly. Nolan's new manager assures him that kicking off an acting career on his best behavior for a network that specializes in a narrow definition of moral uprightness is the perfect move.

Both Bee and Nolan have been strictly instructed to keep their sexual appetites on lock until filming is done, or their reputations could tank. But both leads are familiar with the other's previous work... and the chemistry is palpable. Nolan was Bee's teenage fantasy complete with bedroom posters and fan fiction. And Nolan is in the top tier of Bee's subscribers, avidly consuming her content as a balm for difficult times in reality. The fact that both are fans of the other makes it a celebrity romance without an awkward power imbalance. For those who like their romances spicy, know that this book ~delivers~. Our protagonists are confident and voracious, not afraid of expressing what they want and then acting on it. Their relationship necessitates secrecy and features one of my favorite brands of idiocy, "Let's just get it out of our systems."

The Christmas vibes are adorable. There are Christmas-y images that match the setting at the beginning of each chapter. Filming takes place in a quaint town whose carefully cultivated aesthetic makes it a hotspot for the Christmas movie industry. Bee and Nolan star in a movie about the meaning of Christmas, except the screenwriter isn't actually sure what that is. A time-traveling story about a duke and a runaway bride is meant to be classic Christmas romance fodder (it kind of is), but it turns out Bee isn't the only person from the porn industry called in to fill an emergency vacancy. Among many hilarious situations this creates behind the scenes, a costumer seriously suggests assless chaps for Nolan's duke, and a prop master uses a suspiciously high frequency of double entendres. I laughed out loud as these two film worlds collided spectacularly.

It's near impossible to rank the excellent things about this book, but easily in my top five is the prevalence of queer folk everywhere. Bee has two moms. The director and screenwriter are a sapphic couple. An Achillean romance develops between two members of the crew as a fun side plot. And best of all, both leads are bi and proud. It's not just a splash of rainbow paint to seem inclusive. Bee talks to Nolan about how his being out as a teenager in the spotlight helped her see herself growing up. And Nolan acknowledges that the fact he fit the stereotype of a bi person made it easier for him to be out than other people in the industry (being a cis white man sure helped him along, too).

This romance is funny, sexy, merry, and heartfelt. Both characters' families and friends play significant roles, rounding out a full plot. It's an empathetic, human tale that's sex-positive, affirming of mental health struggles, and centers a fat woman who lives in a fatphobic reality but embraces her sexuality in the face of her haters. Absurd scenarios exist easily alongside sweet ones, crafting a fun experience that really did sprinkle me with some Christmas spirit. Romance readers looking for their next steamy holiday read should snap this up ASAP. Thanks to Avon for my copy to read and review!

Of course Sierra Simone still finds a way to have them f*ck in a church in a cutesy Christmas rom-com. I love the blend of steamy and sweet in this book and look forward to more from these two.

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for my copy to review.

I absolutely adored this rompy rom-com that takes place on the set of a family friendly movie set! Bee Hobbs finds herself cast in this chaste Holiday movie with her favorite producer! BUT! They have to keep their past work, on adult films a secret on this family friendly movie set! Bee not only has to keep her adult film history under cover, but her Closed Door account as well! Antics ensue when people from the adult film industry end up on the movie set as extras, costume designer, and hair and makeup.
Bee's co-star is her childhood crush, Nolan Shaw, a former boy band member. What's even better, is that he recognizes Bee from her Closed Door work, However Nick is supposed to be doing this family friendly movie to clean up his public persona!
They quickly fall into bed together, but have to keep their personal relations behind the scene! It's such a fun read, especially for the holidays!

+ Holiday RomCom With Spice
+ Plus Size Representation
+ Holiday Themed Lubrication
+ SW Representation
+ Mental Health

Nolan Shaw has been trying to rebrand his bad boy from a boy band image and finally gets that chance with a staring role in a movie for Hopeflix, a clean tv channel-- or so he thought. A wrench is thrown into his plans when Bee, better known as adult actress Bianca von Honey, shows up on set to star opposite of him. She's been the woman that has all of his dark, dirty fantasies have revolved around. Hoping to hide her own identity, Bee has to keep her adult persona, and her heart, on lockdown or risk losing not just the career path she is hoping to follow, but the friendship blooming between the two.

Christmas and Sierra Simone are already two of my favorite things, but add in plus size representation in the mix and I jumped at the opportunity to review this sizzling romcom.

Plus size representation can be handled in a number of ways, but this was executed so flawlessly. The way that it was just part of who Bee was and not her entire identity was exactly what I wanted to see. Nolan doesn't want her <b>because</b> she's plus size or in spite of it, but because he wants her as a person. There is no fetishization of her body or a need to relentlessly bring it up.

The spice was lighter than I would have anticipated from something from Sierra, but it fit with the holiday romcom feel. Her and Julie worked flawlessly together to create a Hallmark reminiscent movie in the emotions and feelings of Christmas, but with the spice that would still be too hot for camera. The chemistry between Bee and Nolan was organic and I felt it as they collided together. While it might not have been necessarily a "meet cute," I loved their relationship.

I am hoping some of these side characters get their own books, especially Teddy. I loved the dynamics of Bee and Nolan and their respective families. Definitely a fun Christmas read for the holiday season.

I am excited for more Julie And Sierra together, but also to dive into Julie's backlog itself.

"A Merry Little Meet Cute" by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is a heartwarming and festive novel that combines the magic of Christmas with the enchantment of unexpected romance. Murphy and Simone's collaborative storytelling shines as they craft a tale of serendipity, connection, and the joy of the holiday season. The book's relatable characters and heartwarming plot create an immersive reading experience that resonates with fans of romance and women's fiction. The authors skillfully weave together themes of love, second chances, and the power of holiday magic, adding depth to the narrative. "A Merry Little Meet Cute" is a delightful reminder that the holidays have a way of bringing people together and sparking new beginnings, leaving readers with a warm and contented feeling as they follow the characters on their journey of romance and festive cheer.

I wanted to adore this holiday romance about a plus-size adult film star and a boy band pop star who are cast as the leads in a Hallmark-style Christmas movie. It had all the elements I should have loved, but I never felt connected to either of the leads and (more importantly) it didn't feel like they were all that connected to each other. Besides being fans of each other before meeting, their relationship didn't develop into something I felt invested in. Loved the movie setting, though, as a long time holiday tv movie watcher!

I love a good holiday rom com and want that features adult topics and workers. I was very interested in this book and thought it had a great premise to stand on. However I wanted to love this and it just didn't work for me. I felt like the storyline wasn't really going anywhere and I couldn't relate to the characters or their personal struggles. I felt like the story was drawn out and not really a solid plot line.

I thought the different characters were a good mix of personalities with their different quirks, drama, and their own individuality. However it was hard for me to picture them meshing together well.

A Merry Little Meet Cute was a fun Christmas spicy spicy novel about a cam girl and her biggest fan. At times the novel felt a little drawn out but overall it was a fun read.