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. 
Wow totally gripping really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and CallaghanWriter
I just reviewed The Naughty Or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan. #TheNaughtyOrNiceClause #NetGalley

Tw: Death of a loved one, parent abandonment

👩‍❤️‍👨Fake Dating
☃️ Magical secret Village
🤡Scheming Ex

The Naughty or Nice Clause is a slow burn fantasy Christmas romance, featuring Mason Klaus a mysterious stern investor who butts heads with Lyla Smurfit the heir to a toy company. The Naughty or Nice Clause is a rivals to lovers low heat romance. When Lyla’s father retires she thinks she’s next in line to run the toy company that’s been in her family for generations, when she learns that she has to run it with Mason Klaus—a corporate investor with an icy reputation she’s not looking forward to working together. Mason is a thorn in her side, he doesn’t include Lyla into the day to day running of the company. When he cancels a Christmas party—a company tradition—without her knowledge, Lyla rebels and have the party anyways. When the party ends in disaster she strikes a deal with Mason her grinch like partner and she agrees to accompany him home for Christmas. When Lyla lands in a wintry wonderland barefoot with her cat Jones, she learns that Mr. Klaus has more secrets than he let on.

I enjoyed The Naughty or Nice Clause the world building was rich and I felt that I was truly transported into a secret village. I understood Lyla’s frustration with Mason and I loved watching two people who were practically strangers grow close. There was great sexual tension, a lot of will they won’t they moments and there was on page sex scenes that I enjoyed. I have two complaints regarding this story. One is no Epilogue, Lyla and Mason deserved a proper happily ever after. After everything happened I needed to see their arrangement work. Two, even though Lyla loved Mason I didn’t like that she didn’t really choose him. He showed up in the eleventh hour to choose for her.

This was my first time reading from this author and it won’t be my last. I hope to see more of Lyla and Mason because I don’t think their story is done.

2.5✨
This was a sweet, pleasant read-- one you can absolutely cozy up to this holiday season. It'll warm you up instantly!
There's a lot of magic in this one-- in fact this book read like a screenplay in many ways, it's *so* incredibly easy to imagine it streaming on Netflix or playing on the Hallmark channel this Christmas season.

This is unfortunately where my personal disappointment came in-- it felt like a screenplay too. When major actions/dialogue happened, I waited to feel something in return but didn't. The dialogue came up empty. It felt like an actor was missing to emote a particular emotion to get across to the audience how they were feeling. There was a sense of incompletion. There was also some repetitive actions, such as "winking" and "smirking," that caused distraction as well.

I never fully invested in this story, but I wanted to because it's ripe with potential. The magical Dust system, for example, was a lot of fun! The author is clearly very adept in storytelling, but the execution wasn't always there for me.

That said, I must stress again how perfect this would be as a script for a holiday film. So if you're obsessed with Hallmark Christmas tv movies please give this one a chance!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

If Hallmark Christmas and The Proposal had a baby this book would be that baby. If either of those things piques your interest then this book is for you. I can't say I ever thought I would love or need a Christmas-themed book but I was wrong. This book was so good. I loved the story and the characters. It was predictable in some parts but in a good way. Kinda like how you know what's gonna happen in a Hallmark movie. They all have the same general story arc. Other times I was like oh my gosh that did not just happen. There is a little bit of spice in this book but a hell lot of sexual tension. If you like Christmas, one bed, enemies to lovers, and a fake relationship then this is a book you need to check out. There were minor grammar issues (missing words) but nothing that ruined the reading experience.

Thank you to Kate Callaghan, Independent Book Publisher Association, and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Naughty or Nice Clause comes out November 8, 2022.

The Naughty or Nice Clause is a enemies-to-lovers, workplace rivals, holiday romance with a dash of magic filled in. When Lyla is told by Mason, co-CEO and man she absolutely hates, that there will be no Christmas party this year, she decides to throw it herself. Everything was suppose to be okay, she didn't know someone would try to reheat a pizza in a toaster oven and then start a fire. So when Mason comes knocking at her door requesting her to come home with him for the holidays she feels like she has to say yes. What she isn't expecting is that Masons "hometown" is in fact the North Pole, or that when being introduced to his family he would claim that she was his fiancé.

This was the first holiday book I have read this season and I did think that it was very cute and magical. Although when reading the beginning I thought it was pretty slow and it took over halfway through to really get into in. Once I was able to get into I really liked how Lyla's and Mason's relationship developed, and I especially liked how Layla's relationship with Masons family progressed. The only other thing that I wasn't a huge fan of was how rushed the ending was, I feel like it would have really benefited from an epilogue. There was just too many "issues" that I felt weren't resolved, that I felt like could have been resolved with an epilogue or even just another regular chapter.

I loved this book. I wouldn’t change anything!

The authors note at the beginning was so sweet. Reading a novel that gave her joy and cheer and brought her back into the Holidays really hit me.

I loved the story of Mason and Lyla. Forced proximity, enemies to lovers, fake engagement - some of my favorite tropes. I loved the story and magic around Yule and the authors spin on the character of Santa Clause. Loved it!

What didn’t I like? I didn’t like that it ended when I wanted more of the Klaus family!!

If you’re looking for a cute, enemies-to-lovers/workplace rivals, holiday romance that’s filled with magic… then this book is for you.

Lyla is extremely hardworking and dedicated to her family’s toy company and constantly clashes with Mason, who obtained Lyla’s father’s shares in order to save the company.

They only interact a few times before she’s whisked away to Mason’s hometown. Did I mention that it’s a fake-dating trope too? The side characters were fun to read about and definitely proved that Mason is truly a softie, and not the big and brooding type he’s like at the office. The holidays are meant to be as a happy time for families, but I loved how Kate Callaghan showed grieving families as well. Overall, this was such a cute read and it made me so excited for the holidays!

My first Christmas read of the season (and it’s only September)

A (mostly) wholesome Christmasy enemies to lovers/found family/pretend relationship

I loved the relationship between Lyla and Mason and how it developed over the course of the book - especially how their suitable flirting/banter at the beginning turned into real flirting by the end

I’m an absolute sucker for hurt/comfort scenes and I was not disappointed when I read them - does it make me bad that sometimes I want a character to feel a bit of pain just so their love interest can comfort them? It probably does but we move past that

I feel like some parts of the description could have had a bit more detail because sometimes I would read a paragraph or two and a few things would happen in such quick succession that I would then have to reread it to make sense of it in my head. Like at one point they fell over and she was on top of him, and then the suddenly she’s walking away from him - even though we never actually read that she stood up it was just implied. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but for me personally it helps me to imagine what’s happening better in my head so the actions of the characters then flow better

Also I felt that the ending felt kind of rushed - like one minute they’re happy, the next they aren’t together anymore and then suddenly they are back together - maybe that was just the way I was reading it - I don’t know. But I do wish it had an epilogue, maybe like 6 years into the future where we got to see how they balanced their jobs and relationship, and if they did ever get officially engaged and if they ever had children

*thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review :) *

this book was a page-turner! i loved it! it was so sweet!

if you are looking for a good enemies to lovers, forced proximity, kind of workplace romance, hidden identity mixed with opposites attract in a holiday romance setting, you have found the right book!

i have enjoyed this book, it was easy to follow and the banter between our two main characters made their scenes together so interesting....especially the falling in love part!

the grinch and the christmas lover gets together and the grinch's heart ends up turning from black to gold. i loved learning more about our mmc and finding out that there's more than what meets the eye.

4.5/5 stars (i didn't like the fmc's confusion/hesitancy at one particular scene but i'm the same way lol)

I love a good holiday-themed rom-com and this book was certainly that. I won't rehash the plot as the book blurb covers that well. I really enjoyed watching Mason and Lyla's relationship grow and really enjoyed both their interactions with Mason's fun and loving family.

The book did have some misses for me, though. Mason taking Lyla home with him seems abrupt - there was not a prior hint of attraction between them. The language Mason uses during the open door love scene just doesn't fit with the rest of the book (I have no issue with the use of expletives or other dirty talk in love scenes - it just didn't make sense to me here). The ending also wasn't quite the HEA I would have liked. It felt like there were still several major open issues left unaddressed. But most of the book was enjoyable. I give it a solid 3 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

I think I loved this book?! It was definitely a grower - the more I read, I got so into it. I pretty much read it in one sitting to be honest! The ending was sweet, but I was dying for an epilogue!

This was a sweet Christmas book with a happy ending. I don't normally like books that have things like magic, but this was not overdone and worked well with the story. I loved the characters and they were easy to follow. I will definitely check out more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this free ARC! I see that most of the reviews for this book are quite favorable, leaving my 2 star rating in the minority, so take what you will and leave the rest. I thought this book had really good bones! It has a creative world that was cozy and fun, plus I love when a MC finds more than just love, and in this book she finds a home with the MMC’s family. It had tropes I enjoy - only one bed, enemies to lovers, tending wounds. It even had some heat when the characters get together, which I always prefer over fade to black. Being in the FMC's head was fun, too - she had quick quips and was quite funny! In particular, I think the book really picked up starting around Chapter Four. Also, there's a cat in this book and I always love that lol.

Okay, so why two stars? To me, this book felt like a first draft. Lots of passive voice, adverbs, and weasel / filter words. It definitely took me out of the reading experience. The pacing felt off too, both for individual scenes and the book as a whole. For example, the first chapter starts with the character gearing up to confront the MMC and then she does; emotionally, she starts at 100 and just stays at 100. There’s no arc, she doesn’t build to the anger, and it’s kind of an exhausting way to start the book. There were chapters that felt like they needed to be given more time and slowed down — like the one in the cabin after the wolves. I wanted to enjoy the isolation trope, but it was over so fast. The author frequently summarized parts of the book instead of letting the reader enjoy the tension. For example, the MMC falls asleep in the same bed as the FMC for the first time. Then it goes to the next chapter, and the author begins the chapter already into the morning, the characters at breakfast arguing about something and the FMC thinks to herself 'I'm mad that I woke up in his arms and liked it' (I'm paraphrasing). Why tell me rather than show me? I wish I'd seen her wake up as part of the chapter. The author frequently told rather than showed, and struggled to trust the reader when she did show something, following up by telling the reader what she just showed them. For example, the MMC reaches for his tie to fidget with it a few times in a chapter, and eventually the FMC thinks "must be a nervous tick." She struggled to let the reader just pick that up on their own, and this repetition of showing and then telling happens throughout the story. Then, the romance arc also felt off to me. Overall, I think the best way to describe it was that emotional beats were rushed and not always logical to me. All in all, I think some extra beta reads and editing passes would have made all the difference for this book.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. It is now one of my new favourite Christmas reads. As soon as I read the description I couldn’t wait to read the book.
There was not one thing I didn’t like about this book, the characters were great, as well as the plot and it had a bonus fantasy element which I really enjoyed. I highly recommend this book. Thank you to Netgalley for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

I literally read this from start to finish in one sitting and absolutely adore this. I had no idea it would be a little fantasy romance either so I was pleasantly surprised. What a lovely holiday story to put you in the mood for Christmas!

This story just brings all the Christmas comforts. I absolutely love this book. Such a great Christmas love story that makes you feel all the feels!! The writing, the characters, setting everything was amazing. I wish I could live in Yule. Such a fun idea for a love story as well. Makes me excited for Christmas! Could not think of a single thing wrong.
Thank you to NetGalley!

Thanks to the publisher, author and netgalley for the advanced readers copy of this book!

This book was a super cute romance! I laughed out loud at some parts, and was rooting for the couple the whole way! Some people might critique parts of the book… wondering, for instance, how often Lyla needed to be picked up into Masons arms for one reason or another. My answer would be… an infinity amount of times. Like always. Forever.

I really loved this holiday romance and would recommend it easily!

The only thing that didn’t give it a full five stars for me- it was really rushed in the end. There was an additional hurdle that was unnecessary. So I wish that portion could’ve changed- from around the 90% mark.

4 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 steam level

The perfect Christmas read for a cosy night in.
I gave this book a 3.5 because I enjoyed the mixed vibes of Santa Claus and Fred Claus. As soon as I started reading, I was instanstly taken to the office, the description of the worlds around them and the tension between both of them at the start (chapter 2 especially) had me on the edge of my seat. I thought Kate's choice of names for the main characters was impeccable, and I loved Kevin's character so much that I just wanted to give him a big hug. However, I thought the pace in certain places was a little too fast; for instance, the "Natalie council scene" was hurried and a little bit unclear. there also could have been more romance scenes to get a better feeling of their connection to each other.

Overall, this is the perfect, quick read to get you in the mood for Christmas. I can't wait to reread this in December!

Thank you to both netgalley & Kate Callaghan for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so much fun to read! The banter between Layla and Mason was wonderful. The descriptions really create a winter wonderland in this Christmas romance. Also, enjoyed the fantasy twist that was added. A solid 4 stars.

A perfect festive holiday read for anyone you wants to snuggle up with a holiday read.

What an absolutely lovely little read. Sat down to read and before I knew it I had finished the book. Mason who seems to hate everything about Christmas to Lyla who could eat sleep and drink Christmas all year round.
Mason is giving the majority of shares for Lyla’s family’s business by her father hoping he’ll save the company, a toy making company making Lyla hate him since he hates anything to do with Christmas. From Mason cancelling the companies festival holiday to the party they host every year for clients and staff. Lyla tries to bring back some of her control over the company and employees only for things to take a turn for the worse when a fire is started at her impromptu party.
Only finding out the next day her world is set into a whirlwind of events she can only explain through her champagne intake until it’s clear what she’s experiencing is real.
This book tells of what Christmas is all about family, friends and the magic of Christmas.