Member Reviews
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and author Joss Wood for providing me with this eARC
I loved the beginning of this book! The first few chapters with Sutton literally falling into Gus’s life were so much fun and so promising.
Sadly the book soon began to drag for me. There were endless, repetitive inner monologues by Sutton about why she needs to be by herself and why this can’t be a relationship and why would Lyla ever do this to her. Just the same thoughts, over and over again.
It was just all tell and no show.
Due to the repetitive monologues we sadly didn’t get much building of the characters or the relationships - not just out two MCs, but also the side characters which had the potential to be great.
There were some classic, adorable christmas scenes and the writing had a nice flow.
I adored this book! If you want a fun festive and spicey Christmas story then this one is for you just a whole lot of fun!
I liked that Sutton was a bit grumpy and enjoyed reading about Gus as a single father, Gus is just such a cinnamon roll of a character!
Highly recommend!
I tend to review Christmas romances with rose coloured glasses a lot of the time because they are always so cheerful and fun and overall this book was those things. Unfortunately I felt like it was really rushed and the romance kind of came out of nowhere without any reason for it. Not everyone who stays in the same house falls in love and I felt like they needed more to show their compatibility and sexual tension.
The kids were super cute and I LOVED Moira. Best character in the book for sure but it definitely fell flat overall. And don’t even get me started on Suttons inner monologue about her relationship with her best friend. So cringe and it was obvious from the start how everything would end.
Would still recommend it to people who want a quick holiday book though!
This was my first Christmas read for the year and it has jumpstarted my Christmas spirit (yes, I realize that as I write this…it’s not even Halloween). To be perfectly honest I wasn’t sure I’d like this book from the opening chapter….but I was quickly corrected! I really did love how the characters struggled with their own pasts in different ways. I also loved how the author portrayed “love” in the friendship sense and the romantic sense. But I really, really wanted to strangle Layla. The character development and personal journeys that Sutton and Gus each went on I think could be relatable for many people!
Adored little Rosie. Wasn’t sure I’d like Moira at first introduction, but ended up loving her! Will and Eli we’re also great! The spice was just right for my preference.
Tropes….
Single dad
Nanny
Small town
Christmas cookie disaster
Honestly-all the Christmas things!
I love reading Christmas books, I had not heard of this author but thought the storyline was interesting. There was good character development, and cute moments. It was a little repetitive at times. Overall ok!
Thank you netgalley, Harper collins uk for this Arc
I wanted to wait to read this until around Christmas time but got too excited and couldn't help myself and here we are. Confessions of a Christmasholic feels like you're drinking a warm cup of apple cider on a cold winter night. It's cozy and heartwarming and funny. It is the perfect Christmas romcom *insert heart eyes here*. I love the found family we get in the little community Gus has. I loved his friendship with Eli and Will and Moira. It was really refreshing to see him have a good relationship with his mother-in-law, because I feel like normally MILs are villainized. Gus's kids are perfection, their incessant questions and bickering made them feel so real. The romance between Sutton and Gus had some hits and some misses. Their meet-cute had me grinning and laughing like an idiot. It's probably my top 3 favorite meet-cutes of all time. But their first kiss seemed a little rushed to me, like there wasn't much build-up. But I think that is just part of Gus's character, his ability to be decisive about what he wants and go for it. This book is also VERY British sometimes, and some of the language used had my very not-British brain a little confused (nothing context clues couldn't help me figure out though!).
It was also crazy to me (in a good way!) how much character development we got over such a short book. From both Gus and Sutton. I was really proud of Gus for being able to realize the Christmas shop wasn't his dream and let that go, but can we talk about Sutton? The ability to recognize that a friendship isn't working anymore is so real and isn't talked about enough. Relationships (not just romantic ones) are hard and sometimes they get toxic and it's OK to let them go if they're not good for you anymore. It doesn't negate the good times you had, but people outgrow each other and it's ok and healthy to let people go if that happens. I LOVE that this book hits on this. Thank you so much to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and One more chapter for a copy of this book. I am someone who enjoys reading Christmas/holiday romances. By the book's synopsis, it sounded like a book I would like to read. However, this one wasn't for me. I read up to 25% to give the book a chance. The author's writing and the storyline were a bit confusing to me. I didn't really understand what the beginning of the book plot was. I wished I could have enjoyed it much more but overall it just wasn't for me.
This was an enjoyable Christmas book. The main characters were lovely and there was some wit that just had you laughing. There was some spice which is always a little bonus. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by Jess Wood. I would definitely recommend this perfect Christmas book.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for your honest opinion.
This is a 3.5 stars for me. Good story but at times it felt like they didn’t have enough chemistry. Also this is supposed to be a Christmas feel good, cozy read and even though the mention of the holidays is there I could not feel the magic of a Christmas read!
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this arc. And boy what a book I loved this. The people in this book made me laugh and also got me frustrated at times. The two main characters are so different but in a good way they complement each other so much in this book. And omg the mother in law I just can’t. You have to read this book to see what goes on. I couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait to see what else this author has to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC of this fun Christmas book! I absolutely loved the idea of this book. Sutton was portrayed as the classic eldest daughter who bends over backwards for everyone she knows, but no one does the same for her. Until she meets Gus. He’s the classic grumpy male who will do anything for his friends and family. I felt like their relationship was a bit rushed, and because of that, I didn’t feel or see the chemistry that should have been there between them. But I did enjoy how they were encouraging of one another and constantly support the other in their life decisions. Layla is awful and the author did a great job of making me hate her! I wish we got an epilogue to see where Gus and Sutton are at in their lives a few months down the line, how they navigated their long distance relationship, how the kids feel, etc. There were some funny parts, and this book acted as a great pallet cleanser for when you just need to read a holiday romcom
One note is this book was classified as erotica, but I absolutely would not throw it under that genre. There were two spicy scenes and the first one was borderline fade to black. It didn’t take away from the story at all, but I think the marketing could be a bit better.
Thanks again to the publisher for an ARC!
I received a free copy of, Confessions of a Christmasholic by Joss Wood, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sutton was a little to much for me, also I like clean romance and this was not that. Sutton hates Christmas and I love Christmas, and the reason for the season.
Taking a once in a lifetime trip and trying to restart her career in a new country, Sutton finds herself alone, broke and drunk in a small English village. She stumbles upon a man who’s outside of his house punching Santa amongst the bright lights. Drunk Sutton takes a fall and ruins the display. The man, Gus Langston, lets her stay the night to sober up (and goes through her things) and realizing how desperate she is, offers her a temporary nannying job to his twins as he deals with all the Christmas festivities in the village – after all he IS Mr. Christmas. As the two grow closer, they realize these feelings might not just be lust.
This was just okay to me. I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it. I felt that the chapters were unnecessarily long for such a short story. It probably could’ve cut some parts out and became a novella. The plot seemed to stagnate at times, dragging on. I liked Sutton and Gus enough but overall was finished feeling unsatisfied.
First book I have DNF’d in awhile. I love Christmas romance books but this one was just not for me. I felt like i couldn’t connect with the characters and just not well written.
This is a quick cosy Christmas read. Once you start you will find it hard to put down. Sutton is a funny and enjoyable main character in the story.
Thank you #netgalley for the #arc of this book. This was so good. I loved every minute of this read. It is the perfect feel good HEA Christmas story that I didn’t know I needed.
Sutton is not having the best of luck when she drunkenly sees a man beating up a lawn decoration Santa. Gus needs some help with his twins and Sutton needs a job, money and a place to stay.
It was short story that didn’t feel rushed to end. I really enjoyed all the characters in this story. This was my first read of Joss Wood and I’ll add her to my need to read list.
I just reviewed Confessions of a Christmasholic by Joss Wood. #NetGalley
I really liked this Christmas book and the beginning she breaks into a house and destroys his Christmas decorations and …. Read for the rest
I didn't think the spicy scenes fit with the rest of the book, and the whole side plot with Layla could have completely been cut. I enjoyed the Hallmarky rest of it though!
Who doesn’t love a good hallmark movie? Add that with Christmas and you got a double whammy. NOW make it a book and you scored big time.
This is a single dad, nanny, opposites attracts and grumpy/sunshine but in reverse.
While I loved the two mc and their attraction was evident I do think their connection was fast paced and it blindsided me. However all the attention to detail the author put in really made this stand out to me.
Therefore I’m giving this book a 3.5*
Thank you Netgallery and Harper Collins UK for this arc.
Grumpy meets Sunshine in this hilarious festive romcom that will have you wishing for a HEA!
Sutton Alsop hates Christmas. So much so, when confronted with a house that looks like Santa himself vomited Christmas all over it, she accidentally (drunkenly) destroys every fairy light, fake reindeer and candy cane in sight. Unfortunately for Sutton, this house belongs to none other than Gus Langston, single dad and owner of the village’s year-round Christmas shop – aka Mr Christmas himself.
But Mr Christmas has a secret only Sutton knows…
With the two of them forced together for the holidays, the sparks between them are hot enough to melt even the coldest of hearts!
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5 stars
And here we are at my fave trope - grumpy x sunshine