When I began this book I wasn't sure if I would end up finishing it. The first two chapters were a bit hard to get through. I found them overly descriptive without much of the storyline to actually pull you in. I am glad I continued through it. In the end I quite enjoyed the book and would give it a solid 3.5 stars. It was like reading a Hallmark Christmas movie. Definitely a good read for December evenings

The Christmas Wager is a Hallmark movie in a book. The novel picks up as Bella is sent to a small and cozy Christmas town to close a real estate deal that will earn her a promotion. After her arrival, she quickly realizes that her mission will not be so easy to accomplish.

In a blurb for The Christmas Wager, the author described it as Survivor meets a Hallmark movie. This description is as good as it gets. Bella competes in Survivor style Christmas games in an attempt to close the real estate deal. The games heat up as Bella makes genuine friendships and the chemistry between the grandson of the store owner, Jesse, becomes undeniable. The games are easily the best aspect of The Christmas Wager. They’re fun and unique with a twist that makes it seem almost impossible for the characters to complete.

The Christmas Wager is a fade to black romance. If you’re looking for spice, you won’t find it here.

The reason I rated the novel three stars instead of four is because Jesse does something near the end of the novel that I found to be completely unnecessary. It goes against what he had just realized a few pages earlier.

Overall, The Christmas Wager is a cute and unique Christmas romance that’s full of Christmas cheer and a Christmas miracle to wrap it all up.

The Christmas Wager was an OK holiday rom-com in novel format. I enjoyed the second half of the book a lot more than the first, as I started caring about the characters by then. The beginning was a little off-putting as it’s more tell than show and I enjoy background information to be more naturally divulged rather than a straight info-dump. All in all it was OK, it was enjoyable.

Even though it’s August, I was happy to cozy up with this cute holiday read. It hit all the perfect Christmassy notes: hot chocolate, snowstorms, building snowmen, a small town with a fun holiday themed completion.

I loved the small town vibes of Maple Falls. I especially loved Clarence who was quietly playing matchmaker throughout. I liked both Bella and Jesse and enjoyed that I got a bit more backstory than you would watching a Christmas movie. They both had reasons to be guarded but found a way to open up to each other and find love in the end. I thought the whole wager and games aspect of the story was fun and led to some good tension between these two and some laughs too as the Merryatrics came up with these wild challenges.

Everything was fairly mild in the romance department, mostly behind closed doors. I would have enjoyed more time together and maybe more depth between them before things got so intense but I realize that doesn’t really work with the short timeline the book is set in. I enjoyed the ending and was happy that it all worked out for everyone in the end. Extra points for the special guest that came along to help sell some extra stock from Always Noelle without spoiling anything. I thought it was a nice touch.

Definitely a fun read that I would recommend for anyone looking for something light and fun and Christmassy!

I received an advanced reader copy of the ebook of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Bella is sent to the small town of Maple Falls to acquire the building that 'Along Came Noelle', the local Christmas shop owns. The owners grandson, Jesse, is shocked that his grandpa is selling the building, as it has fallen on hard times. In an effort to get a better price her and Jesse agree to a wager, that whoever wins the towns Christmas games, get to choose the price for the building. As they spend more time together, the icy feelings they initially felt start to thaw and they discover they may have feelings, but what if it was just another game?

This books is pure Hallmark-esque loveliness. You have the small town, the city girl comes to town and spends time with the locals and falls in love with not only the man in the town, but the town itself, thus rediscovering the magic of Christmas. I thought it was so cute and a fun read. The Christmas games were a fun addition with the competition adding to the quirkiness of the town.

Sometimes the book was frustrating, just because the two characters made a lot of assumptions about the other, but in the end they worked it out and really seemed to think through their feelings for each other. I did think the townspeople were fun additions to the book, adding some depth to the story with their antics.

Overall, this is a great holiday romance with the perfect small town vibes. It is a great pick up heading into the holiday season! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

This book could easily be a Hallmark movie -- an over-the-top plot involving a ridiculous wager and with really likeable characters. I especially liked the nods to Canada and I loved the ending!

This was my first book by Holly Cassidy but it won't be my last.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Random House Canada | Viking through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada | Viking.

Did you know that Holly Cassidy is the pen name for crime writer Hannah Mary McKinnon?

If you are curious like me, check out her Facebook page where she tells how she came up with her pen name!

McKinnon writes stellar thrillers and has ventured to the lighter side of romance in her holiday romcom, ‘The Christmas Wager.’

In short, when Bella is sent to Maple Falls to acquire ‘property,’ she discovers that it’s a generational Christmas shop in a small town and that the owner’s grandson is shocked to learn that his grandfather is offloading it in a wheel of a deal. Bella Ross and Jesse Harrison finally agree on a ‘Christmas Wager’, the winner gets to determine the price tag of Always Noelle.

Things I loved:
✔️ enemies-to-lovers trope
✔️ characters’ backstories
✔️ city-girl-meets-small-town-boy trope
✔️ festive twist on traditional rom-com
✔️ full of Christmas cheer and laughter
✔️ Grandpa’s character
✔️ Hallmarkish; sweet, closed-door romance
✔️ vividly described small-town setting
✔️ tension of high-stakes competition
✔️ message about belonging and hope
✔️ message about working as a team
✔️ message about understanding each other’s strengths/weaknesses
✔️ message about tradition and family

This is one of those books you’ll want to pull out and read every Christmas because you know you’ll get a break from the stresses of the season! Who doesn’t need a great laugh amidst the frantic pressure and busyness?!

I was gifted this copy by Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I love this author and love Christmas books so I was so excited when I got the ARC. It follows Bella who goes to small down Maple Falls to acquire a failing Christmas shop for a dream promotion. She ends up competing against Jesse, the shop owner's grandson, in the Maple Falls Christmas games. A fun romcom which made me laugh out loud, enemies to lovers trope, small town, Christmas - a perfect combination!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Bella and Jesse's story will take you along with them to the tiny town of Maple Falls where you'll fall in love with the town as they fall for each other. At times touching, funny, and occasionally frustrating (why dont they see each other??) It is overall a great holiday romance. The small town vibes are just perfect and you'll find yourself wishing you lived somewhere with your own holiday games to compete in. Definitely a Christmas must-read.