❄️Slow burn
🎄Christmas Hallmark vibes
❄️Opposites attract
🎄Small town
❄️Grumpy sunshine
🎄Neighbors
❄️Dual/ third pov

Have you ever read a book that made you feel like you were IN the Hallmark movie. This is it. I felt like I was right there in the house with these two.
Really enjoyed the Christmas town vibes with this one.

I was also pleasantly surprised with the spice. It takes a while to hit, definitely a slow burn. But when it hits 🥵.

Thank you @labyrinthspine and @netgalley for this arc

I love a good Christmas romance but this book was so full of every trope imaginable that it was impossible to enjoy

Setting? Small town perfection
Storyline? Precious and heartwarming
MMC? BLONDE????? truly the only thing preventing a 5 star rating from me

Wrapped With a Beau by Lili Vale
Narrators: Keylor Leigh and Sean Patrick Hopkins
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 9/26

There is nothing I love more than small-town holiday stories. If you love great banter, a charming meet-cute, and a winter wonderland during the holidays, then this story is for you. It brings the magic of Christmas to life with the perfect blend of Hallmark charm and a dash of spicy romance.
Set in the enchanting town of Piney Peaks, known for its iconic Christmas House, this story follows Elisha Rowe, a determined film liaison on a mission to secure a sequel to the beloved holiday movie Sleighbells. To do so, she must break down the walls of the town’s newcomer, Ves Hollins. The sparks fly between them in this delightful grumpy/sunshine romance.
This book is a celebration of Christmas. Every page contains delightful Christmas puns, and the festive atmosphere is irresistible. Ves and Elisha’s meet cute will have you cackling, and every touch and glance in this slow burn will make you swoon. And that spice?! Yes, please!
I loved how the short chapters kept the story moving at a fast pace and Vale’s writing style quickly drew me in. I fell in love with all the hilarious side characters and this quaint small town at Christmas.
Overall, “Wrapped With a Beau" is a heartwarming, festive read that should be at the top of your Christmas reading list. Thank you so much to Putnam Books for my advanced copy and to PRH for my free audiobook.
Read if you like:
*Christmas movies
*Small town Romance
*Grumpy-Sunshine
*Dual Pov
*Opposites Attract
*Slow Burn

This book had me laughing out loud from the very beginning! The story follows Elisha Rowe who lives in a small town called Piney Peaks. She lives across from a historic house that is called the Christmas house. It is called the Christmas house because it was the backdrop for a beloved Christmas movie called Sleighbells Under Starlight. 

Her late friend Maeve owned the house and recently passed away so she has been taking care of it along with her cats. One night she was up and noticed someone was breaking in, she goes dressed in her pajamas and armed with a candy cane yard decoration to go after the burglar. Fortunately, it was not a burglar, it was Ves Hollins, the nephew of Maeve. The house was inherited by him. He just wants to get the house sold and be done with it so he can go back to NYC to focus on his writing career. 

Elisha wants to revive the town by creating a sequel to Sleighbells Under Starlight starring the famous Christmas house. So she needs to convince Ves to let her use the house in the film. 

I loved seeing Ves and Elisha with all the tension in the very beginning to seeing them warm up to one another. The banter they had will make you laugh out loud. I was so happy when Ves opened up to her as the story went on. 

This is an adorable book with all the Hallmark vibes. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

5 Reasons to Read

Hallmark Christmas Movie Vibes

I live for Hallmark Christmas movies in November & December, and sometimes in July! This book gives you all the feels of walking down small town main street with all the Christmas lights, smell of fresh pine, and tasty gingerbread. This one amped me up for the season!

Grumpy vs Sunshine Romance

Ves and Elisha are complete opposites. Ves comes from a broken family whose family still goes out of their way to pit him against one another. Elisha grew up with a loving and supportive family, as well as the rest of the town. They balance each other out well and I enjoyed watching the romance grow.

Fake Dating

Another great romance trope in this one. Ves falls into pretending to be Elisha’s date when her ex comes back into town and Ves immediately feels protective of her. He agree’s to be Elisha’s date to her ex’s party just on the basis he doesn’t like the guy.

Friendships

Loved how supportive Elisha’s friend Solana. She’s the best childhood friend! Arun, Ves, best friends and agent is great in helping Ves learn to open up and take a chance on love.

Found Family

I enjoyed the road down memory lane Ves takes while staying and going through his aunt’s house. With help from Elisha he starts to remember the good times he spent there and with Maeve. Ves is not used to everyone knowing his business but those of Piney Peaks are all about the gossip and all about sharing all their memories of Maeve with him. He starts to open his heart and build new relationships he didn’t think possible.

I'm in my small-town Christmas romance novel era, so it was hard to resist reading an early copy of Wrapped with a Beau. Especially since that cover is so adorable! The community of Piney Peaks has a cute vibe, and I loved the concept of revisiting the town's previous involvement with the film industry. Hero is super swoon-worthy with a poignant backstory that makes him easy to root for. I wasn't quite as invested in the heroine. It seemed like everyone in town adored her, even her now-married ex. That fell a bit flat for me. The reasons why the characters decide they can only invest in a holiday fling seem a bit shallow as well. For those who prefer to gauge the spice level before they start reading, this book features open-door intimate scenes.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for the e-book. I did not think I was ready for Christmas vibes but this book just opened up that door. I enjoyed this book so much it had some heavy stuff but it was written so good that they didnt weigh down the story. I loved the banter between the MMC and the FMC just enough without it being too much.

I think WRAPPED WITH A BEAU is a nice Christmas romance with all the festive trappings. It's a perfect read for a low-key Saturday in December. But for me, the story didn't meet my expectations.

There was something missing in the story, but I'm not sure what it was. Elisha and Ves had chemistry, but I think the plot fell a bit flat. Elisha started off sunshiney and, I don't know, I found myself not rooting for OR against her at the end.

The politically correct references felt forced and a bit out of place to the story.

I think overall it's a good cozy romance and would probably resonate with millennials.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for an e-copy of WRAPPED WITH A BEAU to review.

I rate WRAPPED WITH A BEAU three out of five stars.

3 Stars Wrapped with a Beau by Lillie Vale was an enjoyable Christmas romance with enemies to lovers vibes. Reading this book felt like watching a Hallmark movie, but with some added spice. While the romantic aspect of the novel was enjoyable, my favorite part of the book was reading as the main character Elisha became more empowered and used her voice to stand up to her family. We stan a woman finding her voice and becoming empowered. A cute read!

Thank you to G.P Putnam Sons & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wrapped with a Beau, was a sweet small town, found family, enemies to lovers story, packed full of Christmas cheer and witty banter!

Elisha has settled back into life in her small hometown of Piney Peaks, Pennsylvania. Her town came on the map for a well know Christmas film, that was filmed there back in the day. With the upcoming sequel announced, Elisha is excited to secure the official “Christmas house” in town to use for filming again. Except the homeowner passed away, and now her grumpy great nephew Ves in charge. After Elisha tries to convince him to use the house in the new movie, he continually declines. But being stuck in such a small town, they begin to see more of each other. Eventually they strike up a deal, and Ves allows her to use the house for the sequel. But as quickly as these two enemies turned friends, they might also be turning into lovers. But what will happen when Christmas is over, and Ves leaves Piney Peaks for good?

This was a sweet Christmas read, and felt like watching a Hallmark movie, definitely add it to your TBR this winter season!

Lillie Vale does it again for me with her latest novel, Wrapped with a Beau! I eagerly await for Vale's novels, because there is something about the stories she crafts that I enjoy and relate to. Her books I think perhaps hit home for me in a special way because of my upbringing and my Indian background.

This book also provided me with much needed wintery bliss that I have been craving these days. The temperatures have been unseasonably warm and I am day dreaming about putting up my tree after reading Vale's novel.

As a successful film liaison, Elisha Rowe has her heart set on one thing and one thing only: putting her hometown back on the map. So, when she gets the chance to secure the long-hoped-for sequel to Sleighbells under Starlight, a beloved holiday movie, she's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure everything goes smoothly. Unfortunately, that includes claiming to have already gotten permission to film at the historic Christmas house—permission she was very much denied by the gorgeous new owner.

Elisha is finding herself in this novel in a way that was empowering and inspiring. Standing up to your family isn't easy and finding the voice and balance to do so and stay connected is even more challenging. For Elisha, it's been easier to eat it than to speak her truth. However, when Ves walks back into her life, she starts to feel herself change and solidify who she is.

If you're a fan of Lillie Vale this won't disappoint. I am also a fan of Sarah Adams and this feels similar to her novels in many ways, but steamy!

Wrapped with a Beau by Lillie Vale is a delightful contemporary holiday romance. I'm new to this author's work but after reading this book I'm eager to explore more titles. Out this week, I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for a contemporary holiday romance that is both cute and sweet. This is one of my favorite holiday romances so far this year. TAGS: fiction, romance, contemporary romance, holiday romance #WrappedWithABeau *Thanks to NetGalley, the book's publisher & the book's author for providing a free eARC in exchange for my honest review

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fun holiday read! It has a classic happy ending and is warm and fuzzy.

I've really enjoyed Vale's books before, but this one was pretty mediocre for me.

I loved the premise of the book. It revolved around a house that was used in a famous Christmas movie from years ago. I loved all the references to the holidays and Hallmark-esque movies. Then throw in a bit of small-town magic and it was fun.

Things were a bit slow for me. And once they slowed down, they never really picked back up. It was a slow strut uphill on a hike I no longer wanted to be on.

Also, the way we got to the fake dating portion of the book felt a bit forced. Ves, our MMC, was the grumpy type. Love. Then why was he so willing to fake date Elisha, our FMC? And why was he the one to suggest it? I know he was seeing how uncomfortable Elisha was feeling around her ex, but Ves didn't know Elisha that well and the ex wasn't being too horrible. He wasn't great, but it also wasn't enough to provoke Ves to be like, Yup. We're dating. Suck on that.

Overall, this was a mid read for me. Maybe if you're a die-hard holiday romance reader then you'll like this more than me, but I won't be recommending it.

This book is so adorable, OMG! A grumpy/sunshine trope is always a WIN when it comes to Christmastime romances, that’s all I’m going to say about THAT! But we meet Elisha who is a location scout in her small town, and Ves who is the great-nephew of a beloved woman, Mauve, who just recently passed away. Ves inherited her home, which was the main feature of a really famous Christmas movie, and Elisha needs to win him over, because the director wants this home for the recreate of that movie. Well this was a fun reunion that’s for sure, and not only did Ves fall for her but he fell HARD for everything the town had to offer. Elisha is everything I like about a strong female character, she’s straight forward and Ves doesn’t stand a chance to her charm, Ves and Elisha are everything I love in a Christmas time romance hands down, family, love, and everything CHRISTMAS!!!!!! YEAAAAA…….

This book has a hint of Grumpy/Sunshine and fake dating tropes, but what really stands out are the sweet characters and holiday magic.

Elisha and her family live in Piney Peaks (love the name) which is an idyllic, snowy northeastern town and things get shaken up when Ves (who currently lives in the big city) has to return to town after the death of his great aunt. Ves didn’t grow up in a warm and loving family environment so the friendly small-town vibe is a bit hard for him to get used to. Elisha has issues of her own as her ex-fiancé just moved to Piney Peaks with his new wife.

I love that the two main characters actually communicate in this book! They both have their own insecurities and work through them together in a lovely way. Anyone that enjoys romance novels and/or holiday vibes will definitely like this read.

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wrapped With a Beau is very sweet and sentimental small town Christmas romance.
It's a great quick read filled with Christmas magic, sunshine/grumpy trope goodness, and absolutely delightful character growth.
You really root for the characters to find their happy ending, which was my favorite part. I highly recommend!

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review! 4 stars

TL;DR: If you’re a fan of holiday romances with small-town settings, quirky residents, loveable big families and all the warm fuzzy feel-good vibes, then you’re bound to enjoy Wrapped with a Beau. If you want a book that will give you the same cosy and joyous feelings that you get when watching your favourite holiday movie, look no further because this book will make you wish it was Christmas right now or like, every day. The romance was sweet, the main characters were easy to love and they were accompanied by supporting characters who made the story even better.

This had everything I loved about small-town romances. I adored the way that Vale gave such life to Piney Peaks because she 100% made me want to pick up and move there and immerse myself into this welcoming and diverse community with its cheeky neighbours, well-meaning gossips, and wonderful shops. It’s an idealistic town, especially during the holiday season with its Christmas fairs and themed events, and it oozed all the warm cosy vibes! Think Serendipity, Love, Actually, The Holiday, It’s a Wonderful Life and all those other feel-good holiday/Hallmark movies you love to watch and you have Wrapped with a Beau. The side characters in this story really helped to make it come alive but also made it that much more entertaining to read. Elisha’s family were so fantastic and her friends and the town residents were also amazing!

Our main characters, Elisha and Ves were both well-rounded and easy to root for. Elisha is a sunshiney, sassy, smart and talented woman who wanted to bring fame back to Piney Peaks, starting with the filming of the Sleighbells sequel. She’s well-loved by everyone in town and it’s not hard to see why. I admired the way she rose to meet every challenge sent her way—whether it was dealing with her lousy sexist boss or convincing the Grinch-y new owner of her favourite home in town to let them use the house for filming, she tackled it all with dogged determination and a whole lot of optimism! In total contrast, Ves started out as your typical Scrooge. He was grumpy, had no love for Piney Peaks and wanted to get things settled to jet out of town as soon as possible; until Elisha came crashing into his life and broke all his steady rules. My heart broke reading about his childhood and the people who broke his heart and made him feel less than just because he was raised in a cold and loveless home. It was heartbreaking to read about how much he simply wanted to feel loved and find a place where he is accepted as he is—a place where he simply fits. Elisha and her wholesome loving family give him that and it was so heartwarming to see him thaw and recognise that maybe he wasn’t “too broken” to love all these years, he just hadn’t met the people who would wholeheartedly welcome him with open arms, no questions asked.

I loved their open communication, the way they opened themselves up to each other and the friendship that they formed in addition to the romance that bloomed. If you love the grumpy/sunshine and opposites-attract tropes then you’ll enjoy what these two have! That said, while the romance was super sweet and I loved the way their opposites complemented each other, I have to admit that, for me personally, their steamy moments fell flat. This isn’t the first time I’ve felt this way about Vale’s steamy scenes and I think there’s just something about the way they’re written that doesn’t feel… genuine or at least that comes across as awkward. I actually found the sexual tension and build-up to the big moment much more fun to read, so it wasn’t really a deal-breaker!

I will also say that if you’re going into this expecting the shooting of the movie sequel to play a central role in their story, you might be disappointed because all of this happens in the lead-up to it. While I loved the throwbacks and the stories we learned from the community about why the original movie had such a big impact on the town, the actual filming itself doesn’t take place in the main story. But, even though Maeve had passed, she felt very much like a live presence in their story and I was so invested in her tale too!

Overall, this was such a great holiday romance and I would highly recommend adding it to your list if you love heartwarming holiday romances too!

I feel like this was a 3.5, but closer to the 4 star range, so I'm rounding up.

Wrapped with a Beau was almost everything you want in a Hallmark holiday romance. Romance, with a touch of comedy and a dash of spice, just enough of each aspect to not overpower the rest. The story centers around Ves Hollins, an author who inherits the infamous Christmas house in Piney Peaks, and Elisha Rowe, the small town film liason who must convince Ves to sign off on the Christmas house being included in the upcoming Sleighbells sequel.

This story really put me in the holiday spirit. The overall story was sugary sweet, and incredibly easy to immerse yourself in. I can't fully pinpoint where this fell short for me. Pacing was a slight issue, but not enough to pull me out of the story. The rest came down to not fully exploring our characters and certain details in the story. While I could relate to both MC's, I wasn't fully invested in their story.

Some more drama between Ves and Bentley, a further dive into our MC's and some side characters, and connecting small things (like Maeve gifting Elisha THE necklace) really would've sent this over the top for me.