This read just like a Hallmark Christmas movie. Main character Claire realizes right before her proposal that she doesn't want to go through with it. She escapes the event she was at only to get in a getaway sleigh with "Santa" aka reporter Sam to flee and the two go on an adventure to make it to Claire's family cottage in Maine. I did not realize this was part of a series so will credit that for some of the gaps I felt were there. Overall a light, festive and quick read.

It’s a cute little Christmas novella. A sort of montage of holiday situation tropes from having to dress as Santa and panhandle to giving a soldier trying to make it home for the holidays a lift. The romance is overly sweet and fast, though properly contentious in the beginning, as you’d expect for a short book. It’s a delightful quick read/listen for the season though not spectacular. The audiobook narrator does a great job though in selling this fast romance.

I don't normally read novellas because I enjoy getting to spend more time with characters and their stories. But how can you resist a Christmas novella by Jenn McKinlay?

This was everything I want in a Christmas book. It was sweet, fluffy, full of Christmassy (is that a word? lol) fun and of course romance. I was impressed by how much character depth Jenn was able to squeeze into a novella. I loved Sam's adventurous and chivalrous nature, and Claire's spunky and strong personality was a perfect match for Sam. Overall this was a super cute Christmas story that will give you all the feels. I definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for this advanced reader's copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fun holiday novella, with a wonderful narrator who really brought the characters to life! This was a brilliant addition to the Museum of Literature series, and can't wait to read/listen to more from this author!

This was 100% a Christmas story that I can see be made into a Hallmark movie. A wealthy socialite who is going to marry the wrong man, just because her mother is forcing her to. When she runs away from the engagement, she is joined by a news reporter dressed as Santa as she steals his sleigh. The two continue running and find themselves caroling on a train, staying at an old folks home, and falling in love.

Did Not Finish

I did not realize that this was the 3rd in a series and could def tell I was missing parts.
I May of liked it had I known it was book 3 and I had read the other 2 before it.

I might try to do all 3 books then come back and post a full review.

I just love this series! I am so happy we got a Christmas story. Claire is a mess when she escapes the Literature Museum's Christmas Gala on Santa's sleigh. Santa, Sam, does all he can to help her escape. They adventure to their destination of Maine meeting wonderful people along the way. Of course there are some kinks thrown in too. The romance is so sweet. I cannot wait to read more by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review.

Cute story that would make a great little holiday movie. Unfortunately the writing is not great, but it was good enough to keep me going.

I don't really get the author's seeming hatred of one of the side characters she has created. It's what turned me off the first book in the series. But since Olive is barely in this story, the hatred didn't rear up until we were at the end anyway.

I do think that the third act break up was unnecessary. Not every story needs one and this one was overly manufactured. It felt fake and not at all like something the character would have fallen into.

All in all, I would definitely watch this Hallmark movie and I did tear up a bit at one point, so it's a 3.5 🌟 story for me.

Claire McIntosh realizes moments before her fiancé proposes that she just can't go through with it. In a moment of pure panic she races outside to find "Santa" with a sleigh and horse, and jumps in taking over the reigns. Claire knows her wealthy family will be looking for her, but she's determined to get to her house in Maine without them, which means accepting the help of "Santa" - or Sam Carpenter, the reporter who dressed as Santa to get the exclusive story on her family's business. With both of their careers on the line, Claire and Santa are perfectly mismatched for the perfect Christmas rom-com.

I adored It Happened One Christmas Eve by Jenn McKinlay - I think it would make a fantastic plot for a RomCom movie. I love that the couple is in their 40s, I don't find this often! Cute holiday theme, good banter, some adventure and a lot of predictable Hallmark elements that wrap up in a lovely HEA Christmas bow. The narration was great, I think a dual POV would've been nice. If you're looking for a light and fluffy quick holiday pick me up, this is the book for you.

Thank you to Dreamscape and NetGalley for an ALC

This novella was a cutesy holiday romance that burns quickly. There wasn’t much depth to it, but since it was so short I listened to the entire book. It ends with an HEA and I think is a good palette cleanser. Otherwise it is one I wouldn’t necessarily recommend.

*** 3.5 ⭐️ ***

Claire MacIntosh’s mother is powerful. So powerful that, if Claire doesn’t marry Trey (a lawyer at her father’s firm), her mother will ensure that Claire is no longer employed at the museum. Claire pulls a “Runaway Bride” move from her would-be engagement party, only to go on the lam with a reporter doing an expose story on her father’s law firm. Drama ensues, but when Trey finally finds her 24 hours later, will Claire return back with the man she doesn’t love and make her mother happy or risk everything to be with the man she’s fallen for, including losing her dream job?

A quick and adventurous rom-com. Easy storyline that moves along quickly, even if there was minimal character development. Audio narration was well done and distinguished the characters adequately.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Well, this was a switch … instead of a book come to life on the screen, this was the screen come to life on a page! I felt like I was reading a Hallmark movie - which is not a bad thing!

Knowing I had some long, boring travel ahead, I opted for a book out of my usual genres and comfort zone and chose something that I knew would not entail a lot of brain power or focus. And it perfectly fit my expectations!

The story includes every trope known to romance readers, and the love scenes were tame. I was a bit distracted by some very repetitive dialogue and especially by a lot of VERY overused vocabulary, but … I didn’t choose this book for its academic or educational value.

My biggest critique is that they tried to throw too many “cutesy” over-used plot devices into such a shelter story. Picking up the soldier, staying at the nursing home … it seemed forced and unnecessary. But, again, I didn’t chose the book for its intellectual properties.

Thank you to Dreamscape and NetGalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Audiobook review 🎧:

Claire MacIntosh is a successful museum director who is about to get engaged to the man of her ‘mother’s’ dreams. At a gala she is hosting Claire is dressed to the nines and is getting ready for a very public proposal. However, whisky and Santa get in the way. Santa, aka Sam Carpenter, who is part of the spectacular proposal, ends up being hijacked by Claire! What follows is their journey to get Claire to Maine which in turn becomes an adventure they will not soon forget.

There are some fun, laugh out loud, moments in this book but generally it is a bit sappy. It is a quick read bringing a bit of the spirit of Christmas to the reader. This book is light and fluffy just like one might want to while the evening away with.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to review this early release audiobook.

It Happened One Christmas Eve
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Audiobook
Date Published: 12/6/22
Author: Jenn McKinlay
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Narrator: Sara Young
GR: 3.89

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: The story is narrated primarily by Claire, however, it would have enriched the story in a dual POV. This was a short novella and I breezed through in under 24 hours. I really adored the story. This is book no. 3 in the A Museum of Literature Romance series. It follows the trope of forced proximity and is done well. It can absolutely be read as a standalone. With a variety of holiday antics, instant chemistry, and a little Christmas Magic, this was an excellant read. I loved the charitable messages that this story sent. It is never too small of an act of kindness at anytime of the year, but especially during the holidays. This would be a perfect Hallmark movie. Claire was strong, independent, and really did not want to marry the person arranged for her by her family. Sam is compassionate, kind, and not your typical reporter. Together they are magic. The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, and creatively built up. The author’s writing style was romantic, sweet, intriguing, and engaging. The flow and pacing of the story was perfect. I would highly recommend this book that releases on 12/6/22!

This wasn't for me.
It was too sweet of an HEA.
There was the tiniest bit of conflict, but it felt kinda forced.
If this had been a friends to lover trope I think the sickly sweet nature of the story would have worked better. As it were, this is strangers falling in love on a road trip, and it didn't really work for me.
Thanks to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for my audio.

It was the perfect, easy, quick and romantic Christmas book to read next to the fire on one winter night!

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Dreamscape and NetGalley for the gifted audiobook! I adored this short festive story. This is my first by this author and will definitely be checking her other books out. It seems to be part of a series but I was able to listen without context of the other books. This book was the perfect holiday read to start my festive season. It was like reading the best Hallmark movie you’ve ever seen - fun, magical, a little over the top but so lovely. I highly recommend this title and the narrator!

This was such a quick and fun book. Was able to listen to it via audio thanks to the publishers as well as Netgalley. Absolutely LOVED the narration! The MC’s interacted pretty well. Don’t want to give out too much so ce it’s an ARC but I will be mentioning this book in my book club next week!

This is my second book by Jenn McKinlay. I loved the first book I read by her, The Plot and the Pendulum, and I loved this book too. This is a very short Christmas love story.

Claire runs out on her engagement by stealing a sleigh with Santa still in it. The Santa in the sleigh was actually a reporter named Sam. Sam has written about Clair and her family many times over the years so Clair was familiar with him.

It’s a very short story so I don’t want to spoil anything. They go on an adventure which brings them together. Watching them start to fall for each other was really well done.

I had one issue with this book and it’s the dumbest, and nerdiest reason. Sam tells a story about how he believed in Santa until he was 11. The reason he believed was so he would get an Xbox. Well Sam is 41, the first Xbox came out in November 2001. Now grant it they never said what year the story took place so this may not be an error but to me the math didn’t check out and if this is my only problem with this book then this is definitely one I recommend because that is a really nit picky thing to draw attention to. Check out this fun Christmas romance, you won't regret it.