I really wanted to love this story. Since I'm a country music fan, I was intrigued by this romance based on "American Idol". I enjoyed the concept of enemies to lovers and fake dating in this story that was constructed by the producers of the show. However, I was very annoyed by Sadie and Max's lack of communication. The fact that Sadie told something to the "creepy producer" that she could not or would not tell Max was selfish . Max always walked away when times got tough, which made me not like him at all. The grief of a lost loved one of Sadie was something I could relate to and made it heartwarming.

Thank you to Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of this book. This was a honest review.

Asked to summarize my thoughts, I would say that this book wasn't for me...

Max and Sadie are two Nashville country singers competing on a TV talent show, Starmakers, looking to find their big break. The two dislike each other (both for completely different reasons) as soon as they meet and, unfortunately for them, the show's production team pairs them up and chooses to introduce them as a couple. What could possibly go wrong... right?

I went into this book thinking that I would LOVE it. I had to right? It had enemies to lovers, fake dating, duo pov and it was set during Christmas. CHRISTMAS!!! my absolute favourite holiday! Well... this book ended up being a bore (for me). I wasn't making any connection with the characters, the story didn't keep me on my toes wanting to know what came next. I just felt like I was looking at words on a screen but wasn't really retaining any of it.

I will however try to read this book again because, if I'm being honest, I had to push through my reading slump to get through this book. CURSE YOU READING SLUMP!!

Thank you Penguin Group and NetGalley for this Advanced Readers Copy.

Incredibly cute! I love festive and adorable romances like this. Didn’t take itself too seriously which I liked. Had all the good ingredients for a sweet and festive love story.

I really enjoyed it. Hope the author releases more books!

After finishing All I Want For Christmas, I've now read both books by Maggie Knox, the pen name for Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley.

Let's get right to it, shall we? This book is marketed as a fun Chrstimas-y romcom, and I kind of feel that the publishers didn't read the book! This novel really doesn't bring up too many Christmas references, other than it takes place in December, one mention of mistletoe and a couple of presents. If you're wanting a festive book, I just feel that there are many other options to choose from.

This book felt disjointed and rushed with some abrupt pivots. There was a big build up that happened way too soon, and then the book kind of tapered off from there the remaining 60%. I found some major continuity issues, which I hope have been resolved with any final edits. I felt that Banff was massively mis-represented, and this will give people the wrong impression of the town and the national park.

The two main characters, Sadie and Max, felt very one dimensional, and juvenile for their ages. It was harder to believe in their chemistry and love than it is to believe in Santa Claus! They constantly fought, and these fights never felt resolved, or for that matter even discussed again; conflict just kept getting swept under the rug.

There was one character I liked, Gran, Sadie's grandmother; I loved the wisdom and realistic age she brought to the story. However, another side character, Cruz McNeil and his sexual harassment (a reoccurring issue) felt so wrong, unnecessary and it distracted from the actual story. Plus, by Sadie being written so immaturely, one could forget her actual age, making these advances from Cruz feel VERY wrong and predatory. Again, not necessary – but especially not in a Christmas book!

I would file this novel under the miscommunication trope - the book itself is misrepresenting what a Christmas romcom should be! I will think long and hard before reading another Maggie Knox novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy to read and review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie and Max are two country singers pushed together to compete during their appearance on the reality show Starmaker and for the cameras off stage.

I was really looking forward to this Christmas fake dating, enemies-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed all of the characters but I really wanted to see the main characters falling in love and I didn't really get that.

The lack of communication trope is common in romance but the repeated use of it in one book was a little bit much for me. It felt like every time they talked to each other they ended up angry and not speaking. The time spent in Banff was definitely the highlight for me.

I did find this easy to read and flew through it in one day. It was overall, the heartwarming Christmas read I was looking for.

I can't say enough good things about this book! It was giving me Nashville on ABC vibes and I totally ate it up. There is nothing better to me than a combination of a bunch of different tropes and this book had it all! Fake-dating and enemies to lovers are seriously two of my favourite romance tropes and the author did it so well in this book. Throw in a christmas singing competition and you get a super cute rom-com that will make you swoon. I loved both the main characters in this book. The author did such a great job at making each of them complex and I found their personal struggles to be relatable and interesting. There was no part of this book where I felt bored or that the story was slow. Actually, I feel like maybe some aspects of the story could've been slowed down. I kept looking at how much of the book I had left and was wondering a few times how there was still half a book to go. That being said, I would totally recommend this book to anyone looking for a holiday romance. The vibes were immaculate and I absolutely loved the storyline. I would totally pick this book up in a physical copy and definitely will be re-reading!

4 out of 5 stars for me on this one! I just wish that some aspects weren't as rushed. At times, there seemed to be a lot going on and that doesn't always do it for me. Regardless, I found myself thinking about this book when I was away from it and that is always a good tell to me that I enjoy it. Would totally recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Publishing Canada for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ♡

Title: All I Want For Christmas
Author: Maggie Knox
Rating: ★ ★ ★ 1/2
Read type: eARC

Pub Date: Oct 4, 2022

I want to thank @PenguinRandomCa, @Vikingbooks, and @NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of All I Want for Christmas. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

This is a fun Christmas, fake dating rom-com to get you in the holiday mood. Anything with a Kenny & Dolly themed duet is a YES for me.

The enemies turned lovers scenario added drama to the plot for sure but the lake of communication between the 2 main characters, Sadie & Max was over the top. I found the most likeable character in the entire book was Sadie’s Gran.

Overall though this book was a heartwarming read. It’s a fun Hallmark-esque type of book and perfect for those who love a Christmas read and Nashville Country Music.

#saxieforever I absolutely loved this cozy Christmas read! Maggie Knox really outdid themselves with All I Want For Christmas, it was even better than The Holiday Swap if you can believe it! I think this was in part due to only one MC and love interest so you could really get more character and plot development. I’m never a fan of all the miscommunications but I get why you need drama in a story. I loved how descriptive the locations were, I felt like I was in the Rockies, or actually in Nashville. Sadie and Max made a fun couple to follow along on their ups and downs and who doesn’t love a Christmas love story! I hope to see more from Maggie Knox! Now to binge watch the show Nashville as this made me nostalgic.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital arc in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this fun, Christmas read! Sadie and Max’s enemies to lovers arc was really fun and heartwarming. I also loved that it took place in Nashville and included a lot of music. I can definitely see this being a movie!The only thing I found was the conflict was quite predictable and avoidable. I always hate communication errors as a conflict because they could be so easily avoided. Max and Sadie also felt a little bland, nothing particularly drew me to either of them as a reader. Other than that I would definitely recommend if you’re looking for a quick Christmas read and also have a liking for country music!

First I want to start off by saying I love Christmas books and movies. The feeling of happiness and coziness that you get when reading them is what I want!

What I really liked about the book was that parts of it took place close to where I live in Banff, Alberta which was really cool.

All I Want for Christmas started out great with a competition for country music singers but quickly went downhill. The amount of miscommunication was too much. The one major thing that happens in Sadie’s life that she doesn’t share with Max is unrealistic. As well this isn’t really a Christmas story it just happens to take place near and at Christmas and wasn’t very cheerful.

A solid 3⭐️ for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the advanced copy.

Fake dating? Check!

Lack of communication? Check!

Steamy scenes? Only one, but it's not highly graphic or detailed.

What is it with rom-coms and their lack of communication between characters? I know, I know, it helps add drama to the story. But in this case, it could have been dialed back some. Sadie doesn't like Max because she feels slighted over how he treated her a few years ago. Max doesn't like Sadie because she seems "cold." They resolve that issue, but then more miscommunication occurs. Why can't they listen without arguing?

As a dual POV, the book had the opportunity to be clunky. But that doesn't happen, as each chapter is told from a different character's POV, and the chapters are labeled as such. That way, you are not having to go back and forth trying to figure out who's talking. I wish more writers would do this with dual POV storylines.

The first half of the book occurs with the background of the show Starmaker. We are introduced to the cast of characters as they work towards reaching their dreams. The book's second half occurs during the following December when the characters reconnect with each other. At the beginning of the second half, you are given a brief history of what happened in the previous months.

All I Want for Christmas is a delightful music-based holiday read. I'm sure you will find yourself cheering for #Saxie along the way.

Canadian writing duo Maggie Knox (Karma Brown & Marissa Stapley) is back with their second Christmas co-write - and it’s a good one!

4.5-stars

I’ve read Karma Brown before, but this is my first Marissa Stapley and my first of their co-writes. I will definitely be picking up The Holiday Swap, their first, released last year (I saw plenty of posts about it but didn’t get a chance yet). After how good this one was and the huge presence of my backyard in it (many mentions of Banff), I’ll be moving it to the top of my TBR! I definitely recommend this to anyone else who likes Canadian authors as much as I do, to support local, rockstar romances, enemies to lovers, fake relationships and reality TV show spin-offs. It was closed door, so I’m just pointing that out.

This one is part-time in Nashville and part-time in Banff. Each time Calgary (for the airport) or Banff was mentioned I jumped a little - it’s so infrequent that we’re a location in a book (I know a recent Meghan Quinn was in Banff, so Calgary named for the airport too … but so few! I loved it! Yay, Canadian authors!).

Sadie is on Starmaker, a show much like Idol or The Voice, and winds up paired with a duet partner - son of a famous musician, Max Brody. To get more attention and votes, the network makes them fake a relationship, as #saxie. They both hate it, especially as the stakes increase and pressure increases and things start going south both internally and externally. So many great things happening in this one with twists that are really unexpected, and visits back and forth to one of my nearby favourite places, Banff!

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada (Viking), and this is my honest review and feedback.

When I seen the premise for All I Want for Christmas I knew it was going to be a must read! I absolutely love the fake-dating trope, all things country music and of course Christmas!

Unfortunately this one was also very heavy on the miscommunication trope, which is not a favourite of mine.

The overall story was a good and quick read however, I didn’t feel like we really got to be invested in the love story between Sadie and Max or get the chance to really root for them. Things seemed to just happen and the time jump sort of through me. There was a lot going on.

I loved the country music theme and the Christmas elements but, ultimately I wasn’t invested into the story of Sadie and Max as much as I wished to be. With that said, while this one didn’t work for me, maybe it will for you!

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Maggie Knox does it again with a fun, steamy, holiday romcom! I loved the premise of this book and it played out perfectly. There were lots of emotional moments and I adored the touch of Canadian content.

This was very sweet, and a great book to cozy up with this winter.

3. 5 Stars

There is nothing I love more than Christmas, enemies to lover tropes and country. This book wrapped up all of my favourite things into one and I was super excited as I started reading it.

Max Brody and Sadie Hunter are competing on a singing show and end up having to work together to make it to the end....BUT Sadie had a not so nice meeting with Max years prior. The book spans over three years around Christmas time and follows the lives of both singers as they navigate some pieces together and some pieces apart.

I just want to start by saying this plot was amazing and I really enjoyed the characters in the book.
I know that reading a Hallmark Christmas book I should expect the ultimate cheesiness - however, I did find sometimes the dialogue from Max went too far into the cheesiness realm for the hard demeanour character he is portrayed as. I also felt that I would have liked more detail in terms of them "falling for one another" because it seemed they went from despising to really enjoying one another back and forth multiple times. Towards the end - the dialogue got more lovey dovey and I started to see what they saw in one another but I do feel that the detail was missed in some aspects.

Otherwise - I really did enjoy this book and if you are a Christmas and Country music lover like myself this is a great book to prepare for cozy season.

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me. I think a big reason for that is I just didn’t feel the Christmas vibe to it even though it’s a Christmas book. It was also a lot darker than I thought it would be which threw me off. Absolutely nothing wrong with that writing or the plot just felt very meh about it.

All I Want For Christmas by Maggie Knox
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Start date: September 21, 2022
Finish date: September 23, 2022
Pub date: October 4, 2022

▫️Enemies to lovers & fake dating 💕
▫️Set in Nashville, TN 🎼 and Banff, AB 🏔
▫️Lovable doggie sidekick 🐶

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a digital copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, I take issue with the release date of this lol. October 4th is tooooo early for a Christmas romance! Release date aside, this was a super sweet holiday romance. I absolutely loved it. This is a book you could finish in one sitting. I love the two settings, box Max and Sadie’s families, and the storyline and character growth.

I highly recommend giving this one a read this holiday season 🎄


⚠️ TW: unwanted advances, grief

Was so excited when I saw a new book was coming out as I just loved The Holiday Swap this year. I started this one a wk or so ago and every time I started I just wanted it to end…I couldn’t finish it as this story just wasn’t gripping me. I will still pick up their next book.

Thanks for the arc for my honest review

I was really excited to read this book because I enjoyed “The Holiday Swap”.

Max is the son of a country music legend, and Sadie is a young singer with an amazing voice. They end up paired up in a televised music competition. I love enemies to lovers and forced proximity, so I was really into this book at first.

However, I found it hard to keep reading because 1) I didn’t feel the chemistry between the two MC’s 2) A lot of the plot was based on miscommunication between the two MC’s, causing them to jump to the wrong conclusions. I don’t mind a bit of miscommunication if done well (I’m looking at you Pride and Prejudice) but in this book there was just too many of these moments.

I think that readers who love country music and enjoy the miscommunication trope will enjoy this holiday read, but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for providing me with this eARC to read and review.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for a copy of this arc.

This story follows Sadie and Max who are on a singing competition show together. To try and improve show ratings, they start fake dating.

I feel like I read the whole book 40% in. The book started off introducing too many characters at once and it was hard to keep track of who everyone was and who did what.

I wanted to love this book so badly, but it missed the mark completely for me