⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

🖤 Kallum used to be in a boy band and now he owns a few pizza parlors in Kansas City. After a séx tape was leaked, every bridesmaid he sleeps with gets married to the next person she dates. Because of this and his history of being everyone’s third favorite in the boy band he doesn’t think he’ll ever find love. He is so sweet, fun, normal, and close to his family!
🖤 Winnie used to be a child star on a faith based family sitcom. Her reputation plummeted after a misleading photo was released that made her look like a party girl when in actuality she was just asleep due to narcolepsy. So she married her costar, but now that’s over after he cheated and she left him and her controlling parents behind. She has a lot of insecurity and guilt to overcome from her ultra religious upbringing.

A Hallmark-esque channel is starting an “After Dark” line of movies. Kallum and Winnie are due to star in the channel’s first spicy Christmas movie in a story about Santa falling in love. After Winnie struggles with the spicy scenes she asks Kallum to be her tutor. He has had a crush on Winnie since he was a teenager so it’s not long before he is catching feelings.

I absolutely loved the first half of the book and Winnie’s sexual awakening. The second half was good too but felt like it dragged a bit. After a while it just seemed like there was no good reason why they weren’t together and once they finally get back together it’s just over.

Overall there are so many delicious and emotional twists and turns in their relationship. I really enjoyed this holiday romance so I had to bust out some Christmas decor!

✨ Does Winnie ever tell Kallum about her narcolepsy or did I miss it? It seems like a pretty important aspect of her life and her past.

✨ Quotes:
🖤 I was Winnie Baker and I was something much worse that a prude: I was a former prude who had no idea how to un-prude herself. ~ Winnie.
🖤 “Why sit on Santa’s lap when you could sit on his face?” ~ Kallum.

✨ Thank you Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone for allowing me to ARC read this book!

A Holly Jolly Ever After by Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 3 chilis
Pub date: 10/10

I absolutely loved A Merry Little Meet Cute and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the second book in the Christmas Notch series. I’m happy to say that it did not disappoint!

This hilarious, spicy rom-com was everything I hoped it would be! Kallum is a former boy band member, dubbed “the funny one” who is living off the success of a sex tape and his chain of pizza restaurants. Winnie is an actress who grew up immersed in purity culture and has been shunned by her family and community since her divorce. When these two get together to film a naughty Christmas movie, sparks fly! Winnie is having a hard time filming her steamy scenes since she’s never had an orgasm in real life, so she asks Kallum if he can help her do some “research.” He is more than happy to oblige.

Woooo this one is so steamy! It has that “teach me” trope that I just love, and Kallum is eager to please. He has golden retriever energy, which I love to see, and Winnie is sunshiney goodness with a dash of naivety that made their secret hookups feel even more scandalous.

I loved revisiting characters that we met in the first book, the Christmas movie setting, the off screen hilarity, and the found family! I also really enjoyed Kallum and Winnie as a couple and the way they start to heal from some of their past trauma together. I think that was important for both of them and it was well done here.

Overall, this book was a blast and I’m so excited for spicy book lovers to get their hands on it! Thank you so much to Candi Kane PR for my advanced copy. A Holly Jolly Ever After is available now!

Read if you like:
🎄celebrity romance
🎄workplace romance
🎄complicated family dynamics
🎄forced proximity
🎄sex lessons
🎄disability rep (narcolepsy)

I loved this book so much! After Merry Little Meet Cute, I wasn't sure if Murphy and Simone could top themselves, but they did. I love Christmas Notch, the characters, the story--more please! It's comical, steamy, swoon worthy, and all around the perfect winter read for those who like things spicy.

Absolutely obsessed with this series. Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone are the ultimate dynamic duo of Holiday Romances. Kallum and Winnie's story is heartwarming and hysterical.

Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone's "A Holly Jolly Ever After" offers an enjoyable holiday narrative. It seamlessly continues the themes of the first two books in the series, maintaining a lighthearted and engaging tone. The book is characterized by its humor, irreverence, and erotic elements, which are consistent with the authors' previous holiday tales. A jolly holiday read.

I honestly am kind of split on this book. There were parts that I really enjoyed and liked, and then there were other parts where I was ready to be past it. It was a fun read but parts of it were awkward and a bit cringy in my opinion. The second half of the book with the lack of communication made it feel immature at times and made it hard to want to finish it. Which was upsetting because I really enjoyed the first half of the book! The first half was the perfect cheesy, spicy, holiday rom com that I was looking for.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Winnie and Kallum, and their support for one another as they both became comfortable with themselves. I enjoyed the storyline of Winnie coming into her own and becoming confident in her sexuality.

TROPES:
- accidental pregnancy
- holiday romance
- costars to lovers
- he teaches her
- religious trauma

first of all i would like to thank the publisher for providing me an advanced reader copy of this book. i was truly grateful and i don't think there are enough words to describe it.

secondly, i was so excited to read this book because i've heard so many good reviews about the authors, but sadly it didn't live up to my expectations. i forced myself to read until 45% to see if the story gets any better, and it did not.

while this book wasn't for me, i do believe that romance book readers out there would probably enjoy this cute, spicy, heartwarming book.

Sierra Simone is an author I automatically read, she just writes so well and then to have shorter Christmas books I’d great for around the holidays

Another holiday gem from Murphy and Simone. I look forward to these every year!

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

This book didn't give strong holiday cheer vibes, but was still entertaining. The story line about the mother's was more enthralling than the main characters.

Super hot, super fun and as always, these two are a guarantee for us romance girlies . In love with these stories

Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy is a tale of transformation and self-discovery.

In the first half of the book, we are introduced to Winnie, the sweet and somewhat naive protagonist whose journey quickly grips the reader’s attention. Her decision to redefine herself by starring in a steamy Christmas movie with the equally compelling Kallum adds a sizzling layer of complexity to the narrative. Murphy's authentic portrayal of a welcome place for body positivity stands out as one of the book's strong points.

However, as the story progresses, the second half of the book falls short. A very triggering trope for many readers mars what could have been a continuous arc of character development. The way Winnie and Kallum handle the unfolding situation is, unfortunately, neither entertaining nor mature. The narrative feels drawn out, leading to an unsatisfying conclusion that detracts from the initial engagement and promise of the storyline.

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book.

This is the story of Winnie Callum. She is an actress who has a squeaky clean reputation. However, she is in Christmas Notch trying to recover from the scandal of her very messy and very public divorce. Callum was in a boy band that has had some serious success. Now he is in the pizza business and very successful at it too. Now these two are about to come together as they are about to be costars in a sexy little Christmas movies Santa, baby. These two really have some serious chemistry but this book will also have you giggling out loud at times. It is a really great book that will put you in the mood for Christmas with this cute little love story.

Fun holiday rom-com! Washed up boy band star and a recent divorcee cross paths after not seeing each other since high school. He had a crush she is falling for him - can this work?!

This was a fun and festive holiday read! I always enjoy reading works by Murphy and Simone and I'm truly enjoying this holiday themed series! The only thing I would say I didn't like about this book is the unexpected pregnancy trope, but I'm just not a huge fan of it in general. It makes things seem hastily put together and the couple doesn't get to know much about each other in my opinion, but it made sense how it comes into play in this story. I loved seeing how Kallum and Winnie came together and how they helped one another especially when Kallum helped her with unpacking purity culture and finding enjoyment in her own body.

A Holly Jolly Ever After" by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is a delightful holiday romance that blends humor, charm, and a touch of magic into a heartwarming story. Set in the fictional town of Pine Hill, Texas, the novel follows the enchanting tale of Bailey Abrams, a Christmas tree farmer, and Zane Walker, a famous Hollywood actor who finds himself unexpectedly drawn to the small-town charm during the festive season. I love these authors together! Their holiday romances full of spice gets everyone in the spirit. I hope they keep writing a new one every season!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f contemporary romance
-opposites attract
-sex lessons
-workplace romance
-reformed rake
-childhood crush
-opposites attract
-jewish rep
-secret/surprise baby

This series has such a fun premise. Hallmark movies made with porn stars and ending up steamier. I loved this twist of a former boy bander turned pizza empire who maybe didn't fully grow up yet and the former religious network tv show darling coming into her own. Kallum and Winnie had such a great dynamic as they both learned from their past baggage and expectations that they and hte world set on themselves from how they grew up and hwo they were.

I was a big fan of Winnie. Just coming in to her own and unabashedly asking for what she wanted including from Kallum. I love a good sex lessons book and this had it in spades as she figured out what she wanted and Kallum was all in and gone on Winnie from early on. I adore this cast of characters we get to keep going back to and just have such a fun time every time I read one of these stories. I can't wait for the third book.

That first spicy scene caught me so off guard, it was so hot and the spice hit thought this whole book. Set in Christmas Notch, A Holly Jolly Ever After follows Winnie Baker, the squeaky clean Hope channel actress still recovering from the scandal of her public (and rather messy) divorce. Pizza mogul/ former boyband member, Callum Lieberman, as they co-star in the Hope Channels’ new business venture: Hope After Dark. Which sees the pair co-starring in an all new, sexy Christmas movie called Santa, Baby. It felt like after the midpoint of the book the tone shifted quite a lot and I felt lost for a bit in what was happening, was not expecting so much intense drama stuff. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity.

Title: A Holly Jolly Ever After
Authors: Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Review:

✨★★★★☆ 4/5 Stars

If you're looking for a heartwarming yet sizzling holiday treat, "A Holly Jolly Ever After" by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone might just be the perfect addition to your holiday reading list. From the dynamic duo that brought us "A Merry Little Meet Cute," this novel blends humor, steamy romance, and the charm of a festive season into a delightful package.

The story revolves around two former stars, Kallum Lieberman and Winnie Baker. Kallum, once a member of the boy band INK, has now settled into a quieter life running a regional pizza chain comically named Slice, Slice, Baby! This character’s relatable charm shines through his "dad bod" confidence and casual hookups at weddings, making him both endearing and refreshingly real. His attempt to reclaim his fame following a leaked sex tape lands him a role in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel—a decision poised to turn his world upside down.

Enter Winnie Baker, the epitome of a good girl gone through the ringer. Her life, once seemingly perfect, has unraveled after her marriage crumbled. Despite her impressive acting career, Winnie has never quite experienced true on-screen pleasure, mirroring a lack of authentic passion in her own life. The chemistry between Kallum and Winnie is electric and filled with a blend of tension, humor, and genuine warmth.

Reading about these characters is an enjoyable roller-coaster ride. Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie resurfaces, and her willingness to do "pleasure research" for the sake of their steamy film adds a spicy twist to their evolving relationship. What begins as an artistic endeavor soon blossoms into a deeper and more meaningful connection.

Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone expertly navigate the delicate balance between comedy, romance, and steamy scenes, making this book a standout in its genre. The authors' writing styles blend seamlessly, offering readers witty banter, compelling character development, and a festive atmosphere that’s impossible to resist.

A Holly Jolly Ever After is a fun read with outstanding characters. They're fun and outside the norm of the regular romance novel cast. The spice was spicy, which I love. I enjoyed the banter and Winnie's sexual awakening, which I think is such an incredibly important piece of this story.

However, it had tropes that drive me insane, and felt disconnected between parts 1 and 2. It felt like I was reading a different novel halfway through.