I started reading Taylor Cole's Holiday Read with that nice chill that comes with loving Christmas romances — the perfect setting, lights, snow, reunions… everything that I love about this time of year. The story revolves around Emma, ​​who returns to her hometown and reunites with Lucas, a love from the past. Up until that point, it seems like a typical Christmas plot — and I confess that I was afraid it would be too cliché.

But I was surprised! Despite having several classic elements, the book doesn't slip into that forced drama or romances that happen too quickly. The characters have time to reconnect, deal with insecurities and question their life choices. It's a light, enjoyable read, with a mature touch that made me really get involved.

its okay… will post full review soon

I just didnt feel connected to the characters and felt like a copy of emily henry…

This book gave exactly what I wanted, fluffy vibes, festive chaos, and the kind of rom-com energy that feels like a warm hug.

Holiday Read is such a fun take on the opposites-attract trope, and I was all in from the first awkward, spark-filled encounter. Taylor Cole nails that perfect blend of banter, tension, and heart. The festive setting added so much charm, and honestly, it had me craving hot chocolate and a cozy fireplace. The romance felt natural and had just enough drama to keep things interesting without ever being too heavy. I loved how both characters had their own arcs, and watching them slowly find their way to each other was just so satisfying. It’s the kind of book you curl up with in one sitting and finish with a little smile on your face.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I loved Beach Read and heard this was comparable but something about the execution of the book just didn't work for me.

This book was sold as a book for people who love Emily Henry and books! I could not agree more. I think this book has all the components needed to make it a great beach read!

This cover and blurb that this is similar to Emily Henry got me to try this book. I have to say I had to DNF around 33%. This is not even remotely close to a funny and entertaining Emily Henry book and should never be compared to it.
I had issues the MMC and the misogyny. He was totally creepy!! This seemed sexist that I thought he author was male.
Thank you NetGalley but this book is definitely not for me.

wonderful holiday escape! I loved the beach setting and fun antics throughout the book. I also thought the characters were very likable and enjoyable to read.

Not every book is the right fit, and unfortunately, and this one just didn’t work for me. Sometimes, a story doesn’t capture your attention or connect in the way you hope. Perhaps it just wasn’t the right time for this one, but sadly, I had to set it aside.

This book was far too similar to Beach Read by Emily Henry, which is a fantastic book and cannot be replicated. I didn't end up finishing this book all the way (made it about 60% through before giving up), as it was basically copying Beach Read, not super well written, and the characters weren't well developed.

Initially I liked this book at the start, but then it started to really drag. Candice is living in the UK to find herself as she was born there and escape her husband who’s gotten her best friend pregnant. Then there’s Alexis, an author, and when he joined the story it slowed right down. The story had a lot of predictable elements in it, and thankfully it started to speed up a bit again in the last 15%.

DNFed - I chose to DNF this book in the past. I am typing as a review so it doesn't harm my %. I haven't chose to pick the title back up.

It's interesting this book is marketed as "ideal for fans of Emily Henry" when this book is almost identical

This book felt a lot like beach read by Emily Henry and I loved that book. While I enjoyed reading a different story with a similar theme it felt a little too close for me to fully enjoy it.

Couldn’t really get into this one. The premise and communication between our characters didn’t click with me.

I had high hopes for this book after reading the blurb, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Despite my efforts, I struggled to connect with the characters, which made it hard for me to stay engaged with the story. The concept had potential, but without that emotional connection, the overall experience felt flat. There were issues regarding consent in the storyline as well, so this book gets a big NO from me.

Loved the get shit done, reevaluate your life and make the necessary changes vibe from our main character. This had some really funny parts and was super relatable. I did find the male lead to be a bit over the top grumpy which made it hard to like him and want to root for their love story. Otherwise, this was a great, quick, and fun read!

Perfect holiday read...really enjoyed the characters and the flow to the story. I had the book finished in two days which is nothing short of a miracle for me!

3.75 stars. I liked this, it was a cute summery read, the back story for the fmc was pretty solid and made me interested to know what happened. My problem lay with the mmc, well both of them. I didn’t find either of them likeable truly and found I wasn’t rooting for either of them and was quite disinterested in them both. This meant I couldn’t completely connect with the story. That being said I’m glad I read it and did like the book enough to recommend it.

I normally love a cute little romance - especially when it has a bookish element, but i really struggled with this one :(

I found that it was way too close to the plot of Beach Read by Emily Henry and that is also one of the only EH books that i didnt enoy the cahracters needed a bit more fleshing out as i coulnt relate to them or connect with them which then meant i couldnt get invested in their romance. I was close to a DNF but wanted to get to the end.

In this blog post, I reviewed Taylor Cole’s Holiday Read. This romantic suspense debut will make you laugh out loud in stitches. Candice is a romance-fanatic waitress at Demigorgons, and a surfing instructor in Newquay. Off from a split from her abusive husband Joseph in Hawaii, she needed a clean break and a fresh start. And that’s when she and her best friend Mikayala meet Alexis, a patron who spends time on his computer. This inttested her at first. He asked her about romance novels, since he’s planning to write one, and then wrote his main female character loosely based on her without her permission. This turned her off until she met his literary agent, Daniel Burns. Sparks fly between them, when Alexis asked her to co-write his novel with him, getting romantic ideas from her. She agreed and helped him plot his novel for many vigorous days. For inspirational scenic location ideas, she spent more time with Daniel than Alexis did with her. And this inspired her to write her own romance novel. Other than finding her long-long biological father, she found romance and her own happy ending.


This loveswept romcom was beautifully written for a debut. It brought out the laughter and a devoted friendship between Candice and Makayla. I cared for Candice, who longed to find out who she was, and to find her own place to call home. Mayala, her bestie, was a hoot. I loved the chanted scenic locations of Newquay, England.. The dual themes of the story is to let your heart guide you to follow your dreams, and to find your sense of belonging.


I rated this enchanted romcom novel, five stars. If you love heartfelt and laugh-out-loud romcoms with hilarious drama and nonstop romantic action, Holiday Read would have you hooked on the first page. This book is recommended for fans who love Hallmark romcoms, Emily Henry, and Jill Shalvis.
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