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.

Love, love, love - Julie & Sierra fan for life over here! Very fun, cute romance - highly highly highly recommend.

#AHollyJollyEverAfter:

Thanks Avon for my gifted copy!

You knit hat song “Sexual Seduction” with ole Snoop Dogg? That is the only thing I can think of when I read this.

I tried doing a Christmas in July, but it’s now May, a whole two years later and we’re still nowhere with the book I started and put down several times.

Was it cute? Yes. Did I like what I read? Absolutely. Did I still throw it away like Andy did with Woody whenever Buzz Lightyear came into view and said “I don’t want to pay with you anymore?” Guilty.

Here I am to do a review to give it justice. I said I was Andy in the review, not Jesse’s previous owner (that monster)

I swooned, I squealed, I kicked my feet up with giggles. It’s a good romantic holiday fun. Is it your typical run of the mill holiday romance? Yeah, but it’s still enjoyable for sure.

I have been a fan of Sierra Simone for years now so I was excited to read anything with her. This is the 3rd book in the series and it is a great addition to the story. This time we get to see Winnie and Kallum overcome their insecurities and histories to become great partners for each other.

This continuing story of Christmas Notch

Winnie Baker fallen child star, newly divorced & Kallum Lieberman ex-boy-bander with reputation for partying & a sex tape.
Winnie agrees takes a lead role in a less than PG Christmas movie. Only thing is Winnie has never been anything other than U in her whole life. Oppressive controlling parents & a husband who was only in the marriage for the optics of the relationship. Luckily for Winnie her co-star Kallum is a willing and able research partner.
The relationship is only meant to last the duration of the shoot, but pesky feelings raise their head between them. Winnie struggles to trust what she feels. Having had her trust thrown back in her face by the very people she loved & trusted most. Then she finds out they've made a baby.
There is a lot going on between Winnie & Kallum as they navigate the path from singledom to parenthood. There are struggles along the way. Twists, turns, and false starts on the way to their HEA.

Such a fun, engaging read.

I love the blend of steaminess and romantic comedy that Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone bring to the table when writing together.

This book is incredibly sexy holiday fun AND a serious portrait of what it looks like to overcome religious trauma. The protagonists are sweethearts and the secondary cast is chaos in the best way.

I enjoyed this book. I thinking talking through purity culture and how it has taughts us to be shamed about sex is important to unlearn shame and biases put on us by society, Cant wait to read more from these two!

Absolutely adored this one and the world that Julie and Sierra have created.

I literally love this series. A Merry Little Meet Cute introduced us to this cast of characters in Christmas Notch and I honestly think I could sustain myself solely on holiday themed romance if they were all just like this! The banter is top notch, there are lots of heartwarming moments, and the spice is spicy!

This series and the setting is fun and unique. I like the character’s unique backgrounds and personality traits. Winnie is on a mission to reinvent herself after her life seemingly blows up. She is making a complete 180 on her goals, behavior and overall life. Her partner in crime in this journey is Kallum, who actually had a massive crush on Winnie when he was young. Having the chance to interact and be with his dream girl is overwhelming.

I related a lot to Winnie’s anxiety and reluctance to change. It can be very daunting and scary to have everything you thought you knew completely change. I admired her attitude towards these changes and how she pushed herself to adapt. I liked how Kallum was there for her and ready to lend a hand, in many different ways…

Although this book wasn’t an all time favorite for me, I do like its uniqueness and quirky characters. It’s a fun, easy read especially on audiobook. I for one actually love the tropes in this book and it actually made me enjoy the story more. Despite the ending going a different route than I liked for a while, Winnie and Kallum eventually landed where I thought they were meant to.

Super enjoyed this story of Kallum getting his HEA. I know that Winnie was a part of it as well but really she seemed needy and a little irritating and blaming her past for EVERYTHING but immediately runs right back to it.
I am happy with how Kallum sticks in there and didn't let Winnie's emotional rollercoaster to put him off or change how he handled himself. What you read is what you got with him.

2.5 stars.

I love both Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy so muchhh and I loved Merry Little Meet Cute and I was looking forward to reading more from Christmas Notch. I picked the book up I really enjoyed the first half but the second half lost me, it felt like a whole different book. Like all the growth Winnie was going through seemed to go away. I just was left feeling disappointed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this return to Christmas Notch. I thought the story in this books was more relatable in the beginning.

I loved loved loved the first book in this series. As a die hard Xennial boyband aficionado, I am near feral over the whole concept of this series. So, the second installment with Kallum (the fun one, the goofy one, the best friend) and Winnie (former child star good girl religious purity culture recent divorcee now deemed "wild" because of some not wild behaviour at all) are costarring in Santa Baby - Hopeflix's debut movie of soft core porn for "Hope After Dark".

Kallum is all big (described alternatively as having a dad bod, having a belly, looking like a non-Skarsgard viking and participating in caber toss in Highland games)and I am IN. And he's kind and funny and attentive and doesn't take himself or much of anything else seriously. He's translated his boy band past in to a successful regional pizza chain - I love that for him. He's best friends with Nolan (from book 1 - INK's "bad boy") and has a loving family. Seems he's got it all. AND - the dedication for the book includes Joey Fatone, so that also helps to solidify his character in my pop culture starved brain. But Joey then becomes Kallum in my minds eye so its a bit jarring the read about is golden beard. But I get over it.

Winnie is described as petite and blonde. (again with relating to irl celebrities I keep picturing Danica McKellar b/c you know - Winnie Cooper) And in my opinion her world view is immature as a result of her upbringing. She's been sheltered. She's trying to be more brave, and she struggles with it.

But something about Kallum makes her feel brave and comfortable, calm. And seriously its so good. They knew each other as teen stars and there's a bit of history there- good and bad. So of course it makes perfect sense for her to ask Kallum to help her with her acting research. And this is the best part of the whole book, imo.

The last half of the book once the initial filming wraps up is not my cup of tea. On the positives - Kallum is obviously an "acts of service" guy in addition to words of affirmation. Winnie has so little real world experience that she keeps making up her own narratives in her head and shows her immaturity in not taking words and actions at face value and making her own internal narrative, which is so influenced by her horrible parents, douchey ex husband and general upbringing that lacked true unselfish love.

So, I LOVED Kallum. Barely tolerated Winnie. Loved seeing Steph and Teddy (their story when??) and the set up for what will obviously be Isaac's story next (the swoony one). The whole Christmas notch crew (shout out to tall Ron, Luca and his Italian superiority lol). I love the concept of the series, and the spicy scenes, as expected, were A+. The soft core porn Santa movie with its Santa sperm fueling the sleigh is just hilarious. And as a disciple in the church of Sierra Simone, I am overlooking my personal preference of not enjoying the storyline of the last half of the book, to focus on everything I DID like and so I can with a free conscience give this a 4 star rating.

Absolutely captivating! This book swept me away from the very first page. The characters felt incredibly real, the plot was brilliantly woven, and the themes touched my heart. It's a rare gem that deserves every one of its five stars. Highly recommend to all book lovers!

A Perfect, Cozy, Page turning read from Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone. I Couldn't put it down for a second.

I Really enjoyed it and recommend it to all readers.