A fast-paced, holiday romance book perfect to cozy up with on Christmas Day!

Max and Sadie share a special relationship from the start. They may not have gotten along very well in the beginning, but you see that there is a real spark there. It blooms into something truly beautiful. Think it as a couple you see in the streets that you just know will make it through all the curveballs life throws at you.

What makes the story even more special is that Max and Sadie are such imperfectly perfect characters. Their flaws is what makes them stars and a power-couple. I won't lie, I did shed a few tears. The messages carried within the plot were just too beautiful and emotionally-wrecking.

We all need a Sadie and a Max in our lives, whether as romantic or platonic partners. They would go to the ends of the Earth for you and battle all their personal demons to help you.

HEA? Yes!

Thank you to Netgalled and Maggie Knox for this advanced copy!
This is my honest opinions :)

Two country singers, Sadie and Max, are paired up for a reality show, vying for the top performing spot. A scripted reality tv move turns into on-screen and actual chemistry. Can Sadie and Max open themselves up and get out of their own way to make themselves happy?

I love a holiday romance. Sign me up for every Hallmark-movie-like-book that exists and I'll devour them all and end up in a saccharine coma. All I Want For Christmas had quite a few of the right ingredients to hit the sweet spot, and while it was an okay read, it won't be my favorite holiday book this year. 

This book had serious swoon potential and there were a ton of moments where I was grinning, ear to ear, and I felt like it was going to make the turn. However, this book was kind of like a rollercoaster that stops and starts halfway through... there's too much going on and the plot is a bit of a mess. I wasn't overly invested in either of the characters and found the conflict predictable and a little annoying, even for a holiday rom-com. 

I did read this so fast... I wanted to really like it... but it wasn't my favorite. 

I received an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Basically,this book is exactly what you'd expect. Sweet romance, set against a backdrop of Christmas music season in Nashville, between two slightly jaded lovers. They get together/breakup/repeat throughout the book, due to (completely obvious to everyone but them, of course) numerous misunderstandings.

The book was cute. And it definitely have the holiday vibes that I love around Christmas time. I did find that some of the dialogue read very unnaturally, especially when the authors were trying to use it to advance the plot (maybe it's just the back-and-forth of the two authors writing?).

Overall, a solidly cheesy feel-good holiday romance.

3.5 Stars

This book was cute. It defintiely gave me Hallmark vibes which is always a plus. I felt the sparks flying right from Max and Sadie’s first duet. Their fake dating started off fun for sure.

It just kind of moved slow for me and took me a while to get through it. The characters I didn’t find particularly likeable, I just couldn’t connect with them. I would still recommend picking up this sweet Tennessee romance closer to the holidays!

#TeamSaxie

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

BOOK REVIEW: All I Want for Christmas by Maggie Knox
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Rating: 5/5 stars
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Such a heart-warming, Hallmark-esque, holiday romance. I was a little worried going into this book because country singers and Nashville aren't really my vibe, but that didn't matter. This book has a reality TV show plot (in this case, a show very much like American Idol), and rivals fake dating. These are all tropes I love so this book was set up for success from the begining for me. There was a lot of the miscomunication trope being used in this book, so if that's not your thing this book might not be for you. Despite being wary about the country singer plot, I actually enjoyed this book more than the Holiday Swap. I liked that it was spicier than the Holiday Swap as well. Overall, I can see this being a go to read during Christmas season for many.

It's Christmas in July y'all!

Calling all country music fans!

Mark your TBRs as this festive romcom is gonna be a must read this upcoming Christmas season!

Sadie has been dreaming of becoming a music star for years and finally her dreams are coming true when she's selected as a contestant on the voice competition show Starmaker.

Max is Nashville royalty as his father is a big music star but he unfortunately hasn't had the best of luck trying to make something for himself out from under his dad's shadow but being on this music show might be his break.

When they are paired together during duet week the producers see something big for both of them and they agree to become a couple for the sake of the show ratings and for their own careers which are at stake.

However as we've seen before with the fake dating troupe, do things ever stay easy? Nah they get messy and complicated and feelings begin.....and of course throw in Christmas and snow and cabins and well....it's the perfect Christmas love story!

Thank you to netgalley and putnam books for this ARC in exchange for my review!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

All I Want for Christmas is a fun, light, holiday read and I would give this a 3.5 star rating. It was full of festive charm, family secrets, and who DOESN'T love a dog in knit sweaters? I'm a huge fan of the love/hate relationship between the main characters, as well as their musical chemistry, but the repeated miscommunications throughout the story got a bit frustrating. Overall, I did enjoy this read!

Ahhhh! This one is giving me all the warm fuzzies that I love about a Christmas themed book!

Reality Competition (singing) ✔️
Enemies to Lovers ✔️
Fake Dating ✔️
Christmas ✔️
Likable Female Lead ✔️
Book Boyfriend To Fall For✔️
Lovable Tiny Dog! ✔️
Authors I already LOVE ✔️

All I Want For Christmas has it all! Oh and that new book boyfriend?! He is country music royalty with the boots, the jeans, the belt buckles, AND as a bonus he knits tiny dog sweaters for his little rescue Patsy Canine (need I say more 🥵)!

I fell in LOVE with Maggie Knox with last years The Holiday Swap and immediately searched for what else they had written or had coming out. I was devastated (overly dramatic response I know) to see that I would have to wait almost an entire year for the next helping of Christmas cheer but immediately added it to my TBR -watch/buy list! My elation when I was selected for an ARC - I may have squealed while dancing around like a maniac!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book for an honest review!

This is a cute little southern Christmas romance story. I love romance Christmas stories because they remind me alot of the hallmark channel. I read this book in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down.

Sadie and Max are pretty much enemies that turn to lovers but it wasn’t a slow burning love to me. It happened super quick. They both have their issues they have to work through but nothing brings people together like Christmas music lol.

I’m definitely going to buy an actual copy of this book and reread it for my 25 books of Christmas stories!

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

3.5 stars for this light and quick holiday read. I thought the premise was just what a holiday read needs...reality competition, music royalty, family secrets, and lots of festive cheer. There were a few times were I felt like the miscommunications just kept happening over and over which made them a bit frustrating, but overall, a fun holiday read.

Two country singers are forced to team up to compete in a reality show, and start fake dating. This premisse had all the markings of a new favourite read for me. Unfortunately though, I didn't quite become invested in the story. The main thing a romance needs, in my opinion, is compelling characters, because how else are you going to root for their romance. I found neither Max nor Sadie particularly interesting or likeable, and I can't really pin down why; they just felt bland to me, which means their romance also felt bland. Their story is set over the years, and all the time jumps definitely took me out of the story as well. There are some Christmassy elements, but it didn't really capture a festive atmosphere. Which I know is strange to complain about since I'm reading this in July, but it's an important element of any Christmas novel.

Super cute holiday romance. I loved the chemistry between Max and Sadie. The book was great, I read it one sitting!

I was hopeful this was going to be a quick and fun light read, however it didn’t quite check the boxes for me. It seemed a little all over the place and I found myself not wanting to pick it up and read unfortunately.

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Spoiler alert:

I was very disappointed with how the authors wrote about Cruz and quite frankly the lack of punishment he received for his actions. Working in a non profit organization that focuses on sexual assault / violence, I was disappointed knowing a young adult could read this and fear nothing would really happen to their perpetrator in the real world besides getting a slap on the wrist. This was extremely disappointing to me, especially coming from a female duo of authors.

Another NetGalley ARC read for my two weeks of Christmas in July. Before I get into the review, I want to say a quick thank you to NetGalley and the publishers over at Viking for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All I Want for Christmas is a Hallmark Christmas Movie style story set in the Nashville music scene. Max and Sadie are competing on Starmaker--a country reality music competition--when the producers decide to pair them up as a duo for the show. Their chemistry on stage is undeniable, but if they want to keep #Saxie trending, they’ll have to do more than sing a couple songs while staring into each other’s eyes. All I Want for Christmas is out on October 4th and is available for pre-order now.

There was so much to enjoy in this one. I love both Sadie and Max as characters which is pretty rare for me in a romance. Normally I prefer one over the other, but they’re both such great, and flawed, people. I also found following them around as they prepare for and record for this show entertaining. It felt pretty true to how reality show competitions work in the U.S. at least. And it was so much to fun to root for the two of them to figure it out. At first you definitely get the Fake Dating vibes which I am such a sucker for. And as the story goes on you get to see them realize how much this had never been fake for either one of them. I think this would actually make a pretty good Hallmark Christmas movie. The setting for this one around Christmas time made you ready for the holidays (even if you’re reading it at the end of June and have six months until Christmas which is FINE, it’s fine). The romance, the Christmas were both so much fun.

The problem for me in this one is the sheer amount of miscommunication. The miscommunication trope is one I really dislike in romances and it felt like every time I flipped a page they had some miscommunication that would get fixed if they just stopped and talked to each other. There were one or two instances where I could see someone being unwilling to discuss something because it hurts (Sadie with her grandma’s death), but most of the time it made no sense for them to not open up and talk things through. These were both grown adults and I would hope they could communicate.

If you’re ready to get in the holiday mood, this is a great romance read for you. I also suggest this one for anyone who likes reality show competitions or music. It’s a quick and easy read with plenty of Christmas magic thrown in.

Left me feeling fulfilled, happy and ready for the holidays. It will be a perfect holiday read. Cute story.

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

One of the best books I've read in a long while. I LOVE Christmas!

Sweet, enemies to lovers romance during the Christmas Season!

This was the first Maggie Knox book I've read and I really enjoyed it! Set during the Christmas season in Nashville, Sadie and Max are rival contestants on Starmaker, an American Idol-esque reality TV show looking for the next country music star. Max is country music royalty, son of a legendary Nashville couple and Sadie is a hopeful musician on her last hope to make a splash onto the music scene. When they get paired up on the show as "Saxie", a power couple destined to win over the audience, feelings emerge and dreams may begin to change. Between creepy producers, overinflated egos, sweet grandmas, country music, and two lost souls trying to make it in a big pond, can Max and Sadie make a lasting go of it?

I really liked this one! It was fairly lighthearted, a little corny (in a good way!), and full of country music references if that's your cuppa! Taking place over the course of three Christmases, Max is trying to create a name outside of his father's shadow and Sadie is just trying to keep herself afloat in a rapidly changing world that isn't always kind to newbies. Alot of what I liked about this one is that it's realistic? for lack of a better term. Imaging all the changes that come with being thrust into the limelight. Everyone is looking at your relationship trying to pick apart every little mistake you might make. It's easy to see why Max and Sadie are struggling to talk things out and often react without thinking it through. I do wish that we had gotten just a little bit more fleshing out of the MCs relationship. Alot of the focus ended up being on different relationships besides the MCs (Sadie and her grandma, Sadie and her mom, Max and his dad, Max and his mother). It ends up pushing Max and Sadie's relationship to the backburner just a bit. However, I still thought this was a super cute Holiday romance!

Thank your NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

When a book is compared and advertised as being very similar to the hating game, it is an immediate read for me. It's a one click read for me. That's one of my favorite contemporary romances, hands down. But this...this was not that. I didn't enjoy the country music aspect of it, I didn't enjoy the childish MCs. I didn't enjoy any of it honestly. It could've been something great, but it had so many misses. I haven't read anything else by her, but this book just was a miss for me. The only thing I enjoyed was the Christmas aspect. Maybe others will enjoy it, and per the reviews, they seem to. This just wasn't it for me.

Have you ever seen those tennis match gifs, where the audience looks left, right, left, right in rapid succession? I’ve discovered the book form of that experience. It’s called All I Want for Christmas, by Maggie Knox. In case you aren’t familiar with Maggie Knox, they are the writing team of Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley.

Writing duos aren’t uncommon but well-written novels by writing duos are. It’s tough to meld two different writing styles into a cohesive story. Even books with each author writing a different POV need to align tone and story arc.

This book suffers mightily from tone and story misalignments. Occasionally, the writing duo hits the right note (pun intended) but mostly they don’t. This should have been caught during the beta read but the authors don’t get a pass for a possible lack of good feedback. Anyone reading this book should be able to see that it doesn’t flow effectively from scene to scene.

Moving on from the writing duo problem, let’s talk about communication…never mind. I’m so mad or sad or confused that I need to just storm off, maybe leave the city, end the relationship, cry on someone’s shoulder, or get really drunk. For the third or fourth time.

I wish that were tongue-in-cheek but communication failures are the entire basis of the relationship between the two protagonists of All I Want For Christmas. At some point, the writers had to have realized that there isn’t much of a story here. The two protagonists (Max and Sadie) just keep breaking up and then getting back together again randomly. Are they teenagers? I think they might be teenagers.

Honestly, I’m not sure how anyone could believe that these two characters can have a successful relationship. They never talk to each other. They either sing, pout, or have sex. Sometimes all in one scene.

But neither character grows. Repeatedly, Max is told to “get his crap together” but he never does. He continually says he should but then he misunderstands his love interest or jumps to conclusions that only 16-year-olds would jump to or otherwise gets his feelings hurt enough that he has to walk out, sometimes with a wave, sometimes without speaking. Oh, and sometimes it’s more of a sneak out than a walk out.

Sadie endures a lot of heavy lifting to carry this story. Max is supposed to be kind of quirky. He’s crafty – though they don’t delve into WHY he’s crafty in enough detail to make it meaningful. He has a cute dog – but we aren’t given enough time to understand how the dog came to be a big part of his life. He has a very special guitar but the reveal of the guitar’s prior owner is so underwhelming you might actually miss it.

Yes, Max has parental issues that aren’t effectively addressed in the story – they’re discussed weirdly at the end when the authors try to wrap this hot mess up in a bow – but there’s no good resolution, no closure, no growth.

Sadie .… well, let’s just say the authors gave her abandonment issues, death of a loved one, potential loss of her career, lack of support by a parent, objectification by the media and the audience, AND sexual harassment by her employer.

None of this is managed well either. In order to draw out the story, she doesn’t tell Max ANYTHING, which (shocker) leads to more miscommunication. Then, because she’s completely irrational as a character, she gets mad at Max for not figuring out that she has something going on. You know the old trope: the woman is waiting for the man to realize she wants flowers and gets mad because he’s not a mind reader.

Miscommunication may be the core of this story but lest you accuse me of miscommunication, I will tell you clearly that there are other books – better books – more worth your hard-earned money. If you do read this book, let me know if you figure out:

Why Max smokes -- once -- in the story
Why the grocery store has fresh strawberries but dusty boxes of pasta
What happens to the rental car
Where the letter came from
Who contacted Max on his cellphone
Why the famous and successful producer creates bad music
Why the famous producer has a catfish restaurant that poisons its customers
Why the mom follows Sadie around

Should I go on? No? I can go on if you’d like. Still no? Fine.

I received a digital ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for this eARC

Based on the description, I was ready for a sweet romance between budding musicians during Christmas. Instead, I got a lot of disappointment.

The whole plot of the book required the main characters to act like children. This book would be half the length if the main characters talked their problems out like adults. They always assumed things about each other and never gave each other the chance to explain.

This caused their relationship to seem very toxic. At the flip of a switch, Max and Sadie would go from over the moon to hating each other’s guts. I honestly got whiplash. I get the feeling their relationship would never survive in a real world setting and they would definitely break up after the book. I secretly hoped they would break up and then both of them get therapy.

The pacing was also very odd. It’s a cute idea for the time to skip to every Christmas, but for this book it just didn’t work. After a year's time skip the characters didn’t change whatsoever, which is unrealistic.

Overall, I was disappointed with this book. It had few redeeming qualities.