If I had to give you just one reason why you should read this book, I would say, do it for the <i>banter</i> and <i>bickering</i>. It's one of the best I've read in a long time. Granted, I haven't read a book in quite some time but still. It was soo good.

I'm deducting one star because I found the beginning a bit rough to read but it got better once the two met. Also I expected the book to be a lot more funny than it actually was, considering Lauren Layne's husband is a comedian. Perhaps this type of humor just wasn't for me.

Look, I am absolute trash for second chance romances, and this one was spectacular. I had a really good feeling when I read the premise. I anticipated lots of rom-com-ish hijinks and holiday shenanigans, but there were also so many warm, tender, and touching moments.

Four years after their divorce, Katherine and Tom were reunited following Katherine's accident. It seemed she never updated her emergency contact. The surprising part was that Tom came when called. He had big plans for this holiday, but there was something in his heart that compelled him to show up from Katherine. And in the words of big-hearted-trucker Gorby, I instantly felt that energy that crackled between them.

It was so much fun, a joy, and a treat to take this ridiculous Planes, Trains, and Automobiles journey with these two as they found their way back to each other. It seemed like there was a LOT left unsaid towards the end of their marriage, and this was their opportunity to dig deep and get it all out. I felt their pain as they reflected on their loss, their joy and regrets from their past, and the love that still endured.

The last few chapters were THE BEST! It was something special to spend the holidays with Tom's family, and I was very touched that their affection for Katherine had never faded. It was sweet and heartwarming, and some other things transpired that had me shedding all the happy tears.

Overall, it came as no surprise to me that I adored this book. Lauren Layne is one of my go-to authors for a reason. Emergency Contact was the perfect blend of all my favorite elements. It made me laugh, cry, and smile while filling my heart with so much mirth. Rom-com perfection!

Emergency Contact was an emotional forced proximity, second chance, adult romance that will easily steal your heart. With Christmas in the air and ordeals at every turn, this book was so easy to read in one sitting! So grab a box of tissues and a warm festive drink to enjoy this story. It brimmed with emotions that were raw and real, was filled with characters who were flawed and relatable, and Emergency Contact easily became one of my favorite holiday books!

When Katherine was in a car accident, her ex-husband Tom was notified since he was her emergency contact. Katherine needed to be monitored because of her concussion and taken care of because of the stitches on her back, so she found herself joining Tom on his way home during the holidays. Yet little did Katherine know that Tom was planning to propose to his girlfriend on Christmas Eve. From the moment they started their adventure, no part of it was easy from New York to Chicago. Physically and emotionally. Yet with old feelings resurfacing, second chances may just be what Santa was bringing them for Christmas!

Katherine was fierce, independent, quick witted and had dubbed herself as the Grinch. She was utterly alone, didn't mince words, and hated Christmas. And as we got to know Katherine, it's understandable why she hated the holidays and was also driven to make partner. We also got to see how that latter aspect ultimately destroyed her marriage to Tom. But do you know that feeling in the back of your throat where you're two seconds away from crying and desperately trying not to?! That was what Katherine's thoughts kept doing to me. Understanding Katherine broke my heart. So I was cheering her on every step of the way as she showed us her heart. It was there. Hidden underneath so much pain. So Katherine could say she was the Grinch all she wanted, and even act like him, yet those Cindy Lou Who moments were there. And those moments were directed at Tom.

Tom was a planner with a capital P! He was focused on his timeline for being engaged and having kids, and it seemed like he found a woman who would help him achieve his spreadsheet filled with his personal life goals. Even if he was second guessing being with that woman. So while Katherine's desire to become partner broke them apart, Tom's checklist is what ultimately separated them. Yet when he saw the situation Katherine was in, he couldn't leave her. Tom had the hugest heart ever and always tried to give everyone his best side. He tried to be cheer, hope, happiness and love all rolled into one beautiful man. Yet on that journey home, Tom was still hurting form the past and could be provoking to Katherine. Not to mention he was keeping the hugest secret of all from her, that he was going to propose to his girlfriend on Christmas Eve.

As the story alternated between Katherine and Tom, I was shocked at how bitter they were towards one another. Their banter was filled with barbs. Their hurt and pain ran so deep. And it almost felt like hatred simmered between them. So they both had huge journeys of growth from that first page to the last. And I was grateful that as we got further into the story, there were moments of laughter. Also times that will make you smile and melt your heart. Plus those scenes where we got to see both Katherine and Tom realize all of the reasons they fell in love with one another to begin with. And through it all, their trip was one misadventure after another. It truly was a crazy ride! Yet they did it all together. Also, while there was no steam in this story, and I love her books that have steam!, I felt like that aspect worked perfectly with Emergency Contact. So good luck not crying, because their story was an emotional one I'll always remember.

While Emergency Contact took us on a spellbinding adventure, it also took us on a heartbreaking one that had me sobbing in public. And for Lauren Layne fans, it had so much of what we love and resonate with in her previous books. The characters we fall for, the story that's so easy to devour, and an ending that leaves us oh so happy. Yet there was another level to this book. There was a hurt that festered throughout that then turned to hope and love. So while I have definitely cried reading LL's other books, this pain seemed to cut so much deeper. It was impossible not to sob, even when they were happy tears too. Ohhhh and that epilogue?! It was absolutory perfect and everything I could have wished for and more!

Lauren Layne has stood among my go-to authors for years. Her stories are a delightful escape into a world where characters are bright, attractive, and engaging. They have real problems, but following their paths to a happily-ever-after with the partner they absolutely know FOR SURE at the beginning is wrong for them, is always fun, even when heartstrings are pulled. Emergency Contact wasn't particularly fun, despite its over-the-top "I Love Lucy" type reliance on one comedic tragedy after another. Katherine is an obnoxious, bitter lawyer, eagerly awaiting her promotion to partner, and her ex, Tom, just wants to get on with his own safe, happily-ever-after with his new, soon-to-be fiancée until he's called to help Katherine as her "emergency contact." Layne's books often involve unrealistic glamour, but almost everything about this book was unrealistic. Chief among the anomalies that disturbed me: the authors take great pains to describe (and explain) Katherine's cold, Grinch-like heart, but two-thirds of the way through the book, we're supposed to accept the unexpected news that she's been carrying on a loving relationship with her ex's family for years. And don't even get me started on how unbelievable Katherine's physical condition waxes and wanes according to the plot whims. In the course of less than forty-eight hours, she's involved in two motor vehicle accidents, the first of which leaves her with a large, stitched wound and a severe concussion, yet she cavorts across the country consuming massive amounts of alcohol before miraculously morphing into the loving life-partner she was always meant to be. And as a caustic, side observation, although I acknowledge receiving an "uncorrected" ARC proof, the number of errors in the text was astounding.
I believe this is Ms. Layne's first literary collaboration with Anthony Ledonne. Should they continue writing together, I hope they will rely less on exaggerated attempts at humor and spend more time on character development.

I thought that this was a great story, it was unusual and really kept me engaged!

The storyline was well planned and it all came together exceptionally well. The book was very well written and it was an additive read. It was amusing, funny and surprising.

The characters were great, worked well together and it was a fun and romantic read in a surprising way – one that left me with a genuine smile on my face!

It is 4.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 5 stars – very highly recommended!

It's 23 December and New York City is awash with Christmas cheer, decorations, and carols on repeat. But Katherine feels more like the Grinch than Santa at Christmas; the sooner it's over and done with the better. Upon making a hasty escape from the office, more to escape before one more person wishes her Christmas cheer than to get ahead of the impending snowstorm, she hops into a cab only to wake up under the beam of bright hospital lights and her ex-husband staring at her...Tom was her emergency contact over four years ago when they were still married. Katherine may need 24-hour care for her concussion but Tom needs to get back home by Christmas Eve in order to propose to his new girlfriend. The only solution? Bring Katherine. The only problem? Bring Katherine.

'Emergency Contact' is a classic, seasonal rom com full of snarky comments and wayward adventure. I really enjoyed this second-chance romance partly because it is the antithesis of my most hated romance trope: miscommunication. It re-ignites all the feelings that were always there, buried under the assumptions.

Anyone who not only loves rom coms but devours seasonal hijinx to celebrate the festive season with a smile will love the book. An easy, fun read.

Katherine Tate hates Christmas, and this year is no different. With plans of waiting by the phone for the partner offer she more than deserves, the last thing she expects is to run into her ex-husband... standing next to her hospital bed!

Tom Walsh has big plans this Christmas, and none of them include spending time with his ex-wife. He has a plane to catch to Chicago, and a girlfriend to propose to... but abandoning the woman he once loved in her time of need just isn't something a man like Tom could ever do...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emergency Contact may be a Christmas-themed read, but this book is guaranteed to warm your heart, any time of year! Katherine and Tom haven't seen each other in years... ever since the big DIVORCE between them. But when these two embark on holiday traveling together, they may just remember why they had married each other in the first place...

Katherine is a high-powered lawyer known for her no-nonsense approach to the law... and Christmas. And all she wants this holiday season in to finally be offered the promotion she has been working  tirelessly toward... partner. But when a car accident sends her to the hospital, Katherine is in for a different kind of holiday surprise...

Tom has moved on since he and and Katherine went their separate ways, but seeing her again brings the life they once shared back, and in living color. But despite all of the memories of their failed marriage, Tom is ready to try again... by proposing girlfriend, on Christmas Eve...

This book made my heart continuously hurt for both Katherine and Tom, and the failed marriage that tore them apart. But for every tearful moment of this story, was a hilarious and banter-filled scene to cheer me right back up. With a definite "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" vibe, the hijinks these two find themselves in are undeniably laugh-out-loud, funny. Also, I absolutely loved Tom's family, and what is revealed about their relationship with Katherine.

I adored everything about this book, even though the romance between Katherine and Tom isn't a typical one, nothing was missed in their journey to finding their way back to each other. 

Lastly, how about this writing duo?! I have been an avid reader of LL for years, and for her and her husband to turn out this absolute treat of a read?! Yes please, and also PLEASE keep the amazing books coming!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

Emergency Contact is the second chance adventure you need this Holiday Season. Katherine and Tom are a divorced couple who find themselves stuck together right before Christmas. Katherine is in an accident and never updated her emergency contact info. Tom is called and when Katherine can’t be left alone, Tom insists she come with him to Chicago for Christmas during a snow storm.

This sets off an epic adventure reminiscent of Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Their love story is heartbreaking but will put your heart back together in the end. Katherine’s drive to put her career above all else is a little off putting until you get to know her on the page. When you understand her motivation and that Tom also understood, she begins to soften around the edges.

This book will warm you up just in time for the holidays. Katherine and Tom’s second chance adventure had me laughing, crying and smiling. My heart felt whole & joyful after reading this.

Thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Lauren Layne for the review opportunity.

Katherine, an ambitious New York City lawyer who hates Christmas, is hospitalized following an accident on December 23rd. Diagnosed with a concussion, she needs to be monitored for 48 hours and a call is placed to her emergency contact which just happens to be her ex-husband, Tom, since she neglected to update her information at work.

Tom was on his way to the airport to fly home to Chicago where he plans to propose to his girlfriend on Christmas Eve but feels responsible for Katherine so decides to bring her along. A blizzard complicates their travel plans and what should have been a simple flight turns into a series of misadventures involving planes, trains and automobiles as the pair tries to get from New York to Chicago for Christmas.

A cute holiday rom-com about a second chance romance from bestselling author, Lauren Layne, and her real life husband. Told in alternating chapters from both Tom and Katherine's point of view, there's banter, bickering and old feelings coming to the surface for this couple who are complete opposites but obviously belong together. A squeaky clean, festive romance that's easy to read in one sitting!

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This book is utter perfection, I never want to hear a single bad thing about this book. A divorced couple, who has so many issues, stuck together right before Christmas? The plot is fantastic and done so well. I’m not sure if I preferred Tom or Katherine as I love them for separate reasons and to compare them seems wrong.

Tom and Katherine individually make this book my favorite Lauren Layne book hands down, but their relationship, their failed marriage, their memories? The writing of this book also stands out amongst Lauren Layne’s other books as well. I went into this book relatively blind and I’m so glad because I feel in love with this story from the first chapter.

Lauren Layne fans are going to love this book, but if you’ve never read one of her books, try this one, I promise it’s worth it!

This was very sweet and simple marriage in trouble romance. I'm obsessed with marriage in trouble romances.
I would also call this a planes, trains and automobiles retelling which I also enjoyed.
However this was missing something when it came to the main character's relationship. I think it might have to do with how short this book was. There was no enough time to get to know the characters together or apart. And I felt the end was abrupt when he left his fiancee for her. I felt we were just learning about Them as a reader.

This had snark, banter, humor, romance, spice and did I say snarky banter?! This was SO cute and fun and I highly recommend it for when you crave something sweet yet saucy.

This is such a fun second chance, enemies to lovers romance! Katherine is a divorced hotshot NYC lawyer who plans to relax alongside on Christmas. Her ex, Tom, is headed home to Chicago, where he plans to ask his girlfriend to marry him. They’ve become mortal enemies after their divorce.

Unfortunately, Katherine is in a taxi accident and has a concussion and a wound on her back. The hospital called her emergency contact, her ex husband, Tom. They tell him she can’t be left alone and that her wound needs regular treatment. As they bicker, he decides the only way he can work this out is to take Katherine to Chicago with him. His family loves her and will take care of her.

What follows reminds me scenes from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. They suffer through all kinds of transportation and weather problems, and as their journey goes on, they find that they maybe don’t hate each other after all.

I’ll reread this one next Christmas, it’s sweet and funny. 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

This easily just zoomed straight to the top of my favorite 2023 holiday romances!! All the rave reviews so far for this book are completely warranted. If there's just one holiday book you pick up this year definitely consider this second chance, dual POV story between two exes forced to work together to make it home for Christmas.

Great on audio and full of great emotional depth with an ending that had me crying happy tears. If you enjoy reverse grumpy/grinchy stories, stories about second chances and rekindling lost love, you don't want to miss this one!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital and audio copies in exchange for my honest review!!

(3.75/5 stars)
this was a very fun read! i really enjoyed the journey of understanding the female main character, katherine, and seeing the two leads find their way back to each other. the writing was a bit choppy (y'all have quite a few typos and errors to take care of before this gets printed!) but balanced humor and all of the emotions in the story well. definitely would love to see this as a movie and i think it's a great holiday read - funny and fresh but with a lot of heart!

"Emergency Contact" is a fresh and funny take on the enemies to lovers trope. This is a genuinely enjoyable, emotional rom-com that is engrossing from the start.

Review copy courtesy of NetGalley, opinion 100% my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'd like to start by saying that I absolutely loved this book. This is by far one of the best ones I've read this year. Told from the dual POVs of ex husband and wife, Tom and Katherine, they meet again four years after their divorce when Katherine is in an accident and still has Tom listed as her emergency contact. Their banter is witty, and the tension between them is still there, while Tom has agreed to take care of Katherine for a few days while she heals. The only problem is that Tom is planning to propose to his current girlfriend on Christmas Eve and he and Katherine have to make their way from NYC to Chicago in 24 hours. Missed trains, being kicked off of planes, riding in disgusting busses, sharing a room in a hotel that feels like the inspiration for an Alfred Hitchcock novel, and even hitchhiking don't slow these two down. Will there be a reconciliation between them, or will they stay exes forever? I can honestly say, I rooted for them the entire time, and laughed my ass off along the way.

Okay, this is my first Lauren Layne book, and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed this one. It was funny with great conflict to keep me reading. The plot was just plain fun. So much adventure and what's next. This book also had a lot of great emotion, deep and satisfying. I'm so glad I took a chance on new authors and got the chance to read it. I loved this holiday story. My only wAZ Qish is that it had some spice, but I still loved it. I rarely reread books, but I think I will definitely visit this one again. Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book, provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I laughed so hard at this book. I lost track how many times I burst out laughing. It was an absolute joy to read, and it's hands-down one of my top books of the year. I only had one real issue, and I'm not even sure if it's an issue haha But Tom spent the majority of the book waiting to propose to his girlfriend while he took care of Katherine. Is it emotional cheating? I mean honestly, Tom and Katherine were never really over each other, and I think even if he didn't choose to spend the time taking care of Katherine, he might not have gone through with asking Lolo to marry him.

It all starts with a car crash - one where Katherine gets a concussion. But guess who forgot to change her Emergency Contact? Her ex-husband Tom, purchasing an engagement ring for his new girlfriend, is getting ready to head to his parents' house for Christmas when he gets the call. For reasons he can't explain, Tom finds himself at the hospital with a hostile Katherine. But even further, Tom decides he needs to be the one to make sure Katherine stays awake after her concussion. And what better way than to bring her along on his trip home? The one where he's going to propose to his girlfriend?

What follows can only be referred to as madcap hijinks. Like The War of the Roses meets Plane, Trains and Automobiles. It's one crazy mixed up happening after another - and I laughed the whole time. The banter between Tom and Katherine was biting and sarcastic and just plain fun. You can tell they still have feeling for each other, but don't ever want to admit it.

This is not traditional Lauren Layne fare for me, as most of what I've read of hers is steamy romance (re: details hah), but this is a slow burn with no steamy romance-y bits. And I loved every second of it. Lauren Layne is one of my favorites, and I own every single one of her books - this is one of my favorites! Watching Lauren and her husband talk about this book, and getting a feel for their dynamic has been such fun!

Katherine is a New York attorney and making partner is all she cares about. Her dad died on Christmas, and she is the biggest Christmas Grinch ever. She believes making partner will make her dad happy. She has no family or friends so when she is hit by a car her emergency contact is her ex. Tom is a planner and as her husband he felt she did not even realize he was around. They divorced and now at Christmas he has an engagement ring for his girlfriend who is at his parents’ house. He just needs to get there. Tom is a good guy and when he receives the call about Katherine, he can’t just board his plane and leave her. Katherine hates that he shows up but the doctor won’t let her go unless she has someone to care for her. And the fun begins. The obstacles include delayed flights, blizzard, bus accident, sleazy motel, and a truck driver. The banter between Katherine and Tom is priceless. Their love/hate relationship is still flourishing, and they have had time to grow and think about their relationship as they travel. Wonderful characters and great story!