Rating: 4.5 stars

Lyla Smurfit wants nothing more than to own and manage her grandfather’s toy company. When the current CEO, Lyla’s farther, decides to retire, she expects him to hand the company over to her. However, he signs on Mason Klaus as the chief shareholder and financial advisor, completely blindsiding Lyla. Having spent most of her life working at the company, she resents Mason for taking her rightfully earned place as CEO and for making drastic changes to what should be her grandfather’s legacy.

A few days before the Christmas break, Lyla finds out that Mason has cancelled their annual Christmas party to save on costs. Furious, she decides to host her own party at the office, setting off the trigger for events Lyla could have never imagined would happen. After a letter, a fire, a drunken cab ride home, and a guilt trip, Lyla somehow ends up agreeing to go to with Mason to visit his family during the break. There, she will learn the true nature of Christmas spirit and get to know a side of Mason she never thought she’d see… or find alluring.

With the fate of the company at hand, will Lyla be able to resist the temptation of Mason and his family, or is she willing to let go of everything she’s ever wanted for a chance at true happiness?
~~~~
The Naughty or Nice Clause is the perfect Christmas romance to start off the holiday season, and this is coming from someone who doesn’t really enjoy reading holiday themed books. Taking place in Mason's hometown, Lyla feels like she's in a dream because of how much everyone leans into Christmas, which creates the perfect backdrop of a winter romance. I mean, who wouldn’t be able to resist falling in love when you’re surrounded by the beautiful sights of a town that’s covered in snow and decked out in Christmas decorations? Not me, that’s for sure. It doesn’t lean heavily into the romance, which is nice, so it’s definitely a slow burn kind of love story. I will say that it has a NSFW moment though. I was eating lunch when I got to it, and I had to stop reading so that I wouldn’t choke on my french fries.

I loved the character dynamics and how Kate gave them each a well-rounded personality. The setting and imagery were incredible. Again, put me in that Christmas town, please… minus the wolves. I love being able to visualize the surroundings that the characters interact with and I was totally about to do that with Kate's writing. The only reason I docked The Naughty or Nice Clause half a star was because of the pace. I felt like it went too fast. I wanted more time. I wanted to get to know these characters more – to know their motivations and their hopes and dreams. I wanted Lyla and Mason’s relationship to be drawn out, meaning that I wanted whatever changes between them to develop at a slower rate. I like to have a lot of time with characters so that I feel like I know them well enough to call them my friends. Other than that, I loved this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this advanced reader copy.

Go out and get yourself a copy of The Naughty or Nice Clause. It’s available now!

Love it!
It was a quick read, making my heart warm, but with the mention of a heavy topic: grief. It contains a few popular tropes such as grumpy and the sunshine, fake dating, one bed, friends to lovers, and found family.
The main character loves Christmas, but the man does not and it's a story about spending a few days in Yule where the magic happens.
This book should make you feel good and prep for Christmas and it does. We have hot chocolates, brandy, Christmas baking, snow, and fireplaces. Highly recommend it as a Holiday read.

A fun Christmas read! Far fetched but keep me entertained!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and CallaghanWriter in exchange for my copy of The Naughty Or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan in exchange for an honest review. It published November 8, 2022.
This was a hard-to-put-down read! I found any excuse to read this book, and devoured it in a matter of days! The setting was so magical and fun, and really got me in the Christmas spirit! I loved the Klaus family, and I found the romance to be fairly sweet. I thought the character arc and development was well-done for it being a shorter book.
The only downside to this is there is some R-rated language, and a sex scene.

This is a cute little story, but nothing outstanding. It has Christmassy vibes and a romcom romance, but it’s by no means something unforgettable. I actually struggled to finish it and I’m a big Christmas lover.

I’d recommend this to someone who is looking for something light, Christmassy and not too long of a book.

Quite an entertaining but extremely far-fetched read. But as it’s a Christmassy storyline anything goes and I found this book quite good fun! Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy

I'm sorry but this was so not good I just could not finish reading and dnfed at 62%.

I like a good, fluffy Christmas-themed Romcom but it has to have at least better than average writing, so I can look past (slightly) ridiculous premises and cheesy situations. But the writing in The Naughty or Nice Clause was well below average.
The problem with the writing starts with simple issues like two consecutive sentences starting with the same words like "She also...She also..." It then continues with stinted dialogue that elicits no emotion and is just awkward to read as it has nothing to do with how real-life people talk. I think what the author was going for was a relationship where the characters banter with one another but it just didn't work.

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed..."Body heat is the best way to warm up," he said, and she could hear the satisfaction in his voice..."I think we have to be naked for that to work," she said breathlessly.

Surroundings and situations were described shortly and efficiently but efficiency doesn't create a cozy or romantic atmosphere. It's all about what the character sees but hardly about sounds, smells, feelings etc. We also don't get to see the character connect to her surroundings. She is just plopped into different rooms and that's it.

If you are looking for a book with a romantic, christmassy feeling this is not it. If you are just looking for a book with a christmassy setting, The Naughty of Nice Clause might work for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A huge thanks to Netgalley and Enchanted Ink Publishing for an eARC in exchange for my honest review. I was pulled into this book from the very beginning. The atmosphere and aesthetic of Christmas that the book created was everything and I am not even a fan of Christmas like that. I am also not a fan of romance but I didn't hate this book. I also don't think it was amazing but I did like it.

I liked the main characters, Mason more so than Lyla. At times I felt Lyla was a bit flat. The relationship between the two was really cute and at times sexy. I wanted so much to live in Mason's Christmas village. I hate to say this but it was a bit weird to see "Oh! Mr. Klaus" used in a sexy way....

I recommend this book for Christmas and romance fans.

The Naughty Or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan is the epitome of a cozy and merry Christmas romance.

The story follows work enemies and co-CEOs, Lyla Smurfit and Mason Klaus, who respectively own 49% and 51% of Lyla's family's toy company. After Lyla throws a work Christmas party gone wrong, she owes Mason big time for the damages. What better way to make it up to him than to accompany him home for the holidays and (surprise!) play his fake fiancee? Lyla quickly learns that Mason Klaus, his hometown, and his family have some holly jolly secrets. Join Lyla and Mason in a sweetly atmospheric Christmas town as they go from enemy co-CEOs to something more.

The atmosphere of this book was delightfully festive. I was in the holiday spirit from page one till the acknowledgments at the end of the book. I adored Callaghan's take on Santa lore. It was immediately evident that the characters were fleshed out and written considerately. The writing was crisp and easy to follow as well, every time I sat down to read I wanted to binge the whole story! This feels like a story that could be consumed over and over again every Christmas season (like a favorite holiday movie).

A tweak on a Christmas rom-com with a fantasy element thrown in.

This review is quite hard to write…I REALLY enjoyed the broad storyline and the magical elements; the idea of what the real Santa Claus is actually doing was really sweet and refreshing. With a few tweaks I could see this being made as a Netflix/Hallmark Christmas movie.

However…the execution was mostly poor and lazy. The writing was jolting in places, full of cliches (one scene is pretty much fully lifted from Beauty & the Beast) and the main love interest has more red flags than a golf course.

Overall, this was an easy Christmas read with a lot of potential, but in need of a much better edit.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for my copy in return for an honest review.

My review will be posted on Instagram, Amazon and Goodreads.

What a delightful Christmas read! Lyla and Mason are co-CEO’s of their company and don’t see eye to eye on anything. A bit of fantasy a bit of romance and a lot of Christmas and family. This was a great twist on the North Pole and Santa.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Kate Callaghan and Enchanted Ink Publishing for hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

Lyla should be the CEO of her father’s toy company but finds herself the minority shareholder after her father sells his shares to Mason Klaus. Mason is a total Scrooge- hoarding pennies and denying everyone fun. When he cancels the annual company Christmas party that is the last straw. Lyla throws an unauthorized party in the buildng. She is shocked to find a drunken Mason hiding in his office. Mason tells Lyla he had just heard his father had died and Lyla, who lost her mother at a young age, sympathizes and helps him home. She is shocked to discover Mason at her door the next morning, even more so when he tells her that her unauthorized party almost burnt the building down. Mason managed to find someone to repair the building over the holidays but under one condition-that Lyla go home with him for Christmas. Lyla agrees, never expecting they would arrive at Mason’s home via magic bell. Mason’s family think he has come home to take his father’s place in the family business. A business conducted in secret from a snowy location...

The Naughty or Nice Klause was a whimsical holiday read, a go to choice for the person looking for some Christmas magic.

Being Naughty Has Never Been So Nice!

When Lyla’s father retired as CEO of the toy company which has been in their family for generations, she was meant to receive his shares. Instead, she discovers the company is bankrupt and her father has given her shares to Mason Klaus, an investor known in the corporate world for his cold and callous nature. Much to Lyla’s frustration, her only option is to run the company with him, despite their evident loathing for one another.

When Mason cancels the annual Christmas party, Lyla throws it anyway – only for the event of the season to result in a terrible fire. With the offices and Lyla’s credibility ruined, Mason offers her a deal: he’ll forget her part in the disaster, but she must join his family for the twelve days of their Christmas holidays.

Taken to a fantastical winter wonderland, Lyla hopes that she might discover some of the secrets Mr Klaus is hiding, and maybe even a way to get her company back. However, when Mason introduces her to the secret village as his fiancée, she is horrified to realise she has no choice but to go along with the pretence – because the cost of bringing an outsider to their magical land is far too high.

Can Lyla resist the devilishly handsome Mr Klaus and the enchanting village to win back her company, or will she give into temptation?

I loved this book so much! I couldn't stop reading it. The characters were well developed and it gave me swoony feelings. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own

What a perfect cute holiday read. This was exactly the kind of easy, feel good, magical read I love during the holidays.

First off, we have the enemies to lovers trope. Lyla holds a grudge against her new boss, Mason Klaus, for taking over her family’s toy making business and treating it like, well, a business. Mason is a no-nonsense grumpy main character. But when Lyla catches him in a moment of weakness, she finds herself transported to a magical world, and sees a side of Mason that just might make her fall for Mr. Klaus.

The author did such a great job at world-building. So many Christmas details were put into Mason’s hometown, and you could really picture the scenes. She also did a great job character building- the Klaus family and their small magical townspeople were all such great, lovable characters.

This book was the perfect mix of holiday magic with every book trope we love, without being overwhelming. A great, highly recommended read! Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the eARC.

I really enjoyed this book. I love Christmas and this book was a new take on the myth of Santa Claus thatI couldn’t help but fall in love with. Nice slow burn. Loved how that author described Yule. 10000/10.

When I requested to read this book I was hoping for Hallmark Christmas movie vibes, and it definitely delivered! The world that Callaghan built was interesting and the plot had a lot of potential, but the writing style just wasn't for me. I was able to spot several continuity errors which made it difficult to keep up with the timeline of the story. I loved the twist on a Christmas romance by adding the fantasy aspect. However, the ending felt rushed which made it difficult to remain engaged with the story. I rated this book a 2/5 stars on Goodreads.

3🫧🫧🫧.5
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This novel is the cutest thing I have read all year. The Naughty or Nice Clause gives me The Hating Game vibes while still having a unique twist.

Things I loved:
-enemies to lovers
-World Building
-Fantasy aspects

Lyla Smurfit hated Mason Klaus because of his take over of her family company, which honestly, same. It starts with your typical workplace hatred surrounding a Christmas party. What we don’t know is why Klaus hates Christmas. 👀

The world building of Yule is adorable. I love that it goes against the typical Christmas story grain by not having elves or a “Santa” but rather Yule is a community of people working to keep the world in check. It brings a unique take on what Christmas should truly be about.

I loved the bell idea. It’s honestly one of the cutest things about this story.

Things I could go without:
-Lyla’s last name
-Uncle Fred
-lacking character description

Ok. Come on. Smurfit? I cringed. But I got over it.

Also, having one of the “bad guys” be the brother of the previous Klaus was a little cliche for me, but it didn’t bother me completely. In fact, I enjoyed Fred’s character but just felt the family relation was too perfect.

To be honest, I didn’t get much description about the characters until later in the book. I knew Klaus was a blonde, but I have no idea what Lyla looks like other than she’s shorter than him.

Overall, if you are a lover of Christmas, you will enjoy this book. It’s a sweet love story that centers around a holiday that brings so much joy and laughter into the world. Cheers! 🤍

Perfect for the Holiday Season! Who wouldn't want to be swept into a magical Christmas world with a hot CEO?! That was a rhetorical question as everyone would.... lol

Really enjoyed the magical world and the great cast of characters. I gave it 4 stars because I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and ended slightly abruptly, but only because I wanted a bit more at the end.

However, I can accept it and move on and reccomed this to anyone looking for a fun seasonal read!

Loved this book! The MCs were easy to connect with and enjoyed their banter between each other. Loved the magic and the tight knit community. The book brought laughter and tears.

Truthfully, my feelings about this story are inconclusive.

When I first started reading, I almost DNF’d it because the writing wasn’t sitting well with me, and Lyla and Mason’s workplace rivalry seemed both out of place and not fully developed. I did not know about the magical realism within this story, so that did take me by surprise… but I did enjoy the concept of this book. I liked the idea of this protected Christmas village where Santa and the magic of the holidays are very real. I was always a bit on the edge of my seat, not entirely sure where the story was going to go, but overall, I did enjoy it.

I was really enjoying the character development and getting to know Yule better, I also was enjoying the slow burn between Lyla and Mason and their increasing connection, but the ending did their romance no justice! I am still a bit confused as to what exactly their agreement at the end entailed… This book includes a warning of mature content and is recommended for people 18+, and I must say… the warning kept me anxious because I didn’t know how I’d receive a risqué Santa, however I must say that this warning is unnecessary in my opinion, as I would consider this a closed door romance.

I want to thank @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel.