
Member Reviews

Super cheesy YA
Makes sense author originally wrote middle grade
Love the diversity but too cliched

4 stars
This is a really charming novel with a fantastic m.c. and an engaging love story.
While this book is labeled as YA, it reads much more like New Adult to me (with an 18yo m.c. and a character who has been away at university). This distinction might be more pronounced if the character were American, but some of these factors impacted the way I read this book versus how I'd typically read a more traditionally placed YA novel.
Jasper, the m.c., is so easy to root for, and I did from cover to cover. She's autistic and makes clear her parents' and sister's discomfort not only with her diagnosis but seemingly with everything about her. It's tough to read about how uncomfortable and out of place she feels not only within her own family but also in her small town, and McNicoll, who is also autistic, does an exceptional job of talking about the way Jasper uses masking and other exhausting strategies just to get by.
Though this is a love story - and the pairing is amazing - Jasper's life is not at all relegated to the romance. This made me like the novel - and Jasper - even more.
I love the representation here and found this to be an extremely enjoyable read overall.

Thank you Netgalley,. Wednesday and MacMillan audio for the #gifted alc and e-arc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. You can feel the authors screenwriter job in this book very knowledgeable. I love the cast of characters and the side stories. The cover originally drew me in glad I picked it up.
4.5/5☆

Here is another book that I really wanted to like but it fell completely flat. This book was just trying to do way too much. Too many layers and none of them done well.
We have a small town plot where everyone is "perfect" but they're actually awful. (Seriously, so awful. It was hard to get past to keep reading.) Our FMC, Jasper, is neurodivergent (and boy does the author like to keep telling us that over and over instead of showing us at all) and doesn't quite fit in.
There's a weird enemies to lovers thing that wasn't working at all plus a messy plot that didn't seem to have much point. An absolutely horrid sister (and mother) that I wanted to smack. A best friend plot that I couldn't figure out which way it was going. A FMC who wanted to be an interior designer for some reason I couldn't fathom because dance seemed to be her thing? Then on top of this coming of age plot, add in the neurodivergence and the entire thing just imploded. I'm all for representation, but I should be able to see it in the book. The author shouldn't have to repeatedly tell me who their character is. Nothing was working here.
Oh.. and everyone in the town LOVED Jasper. Every single person. I could not get over how much this town gushed over the main character. So unrealistic.
I really wanted cozy holiday and instead just wanted it to be over.

Jasper was a great character. She lives in a small town in which her family is looked up to by the entire town. Her parents have strict expectations for her and therefore decided where she will go to school and what she will major in if she expects them to pay for it. She tried to abide by their rules but realizes that her hopes and dreams for her future are more important than what they want. She comes home from school at Christmas with the intent to tell them her plans for her future. Honestly, I don’t know how Jasper lasted as long as she did. Her family is so demanding of her and she selflessly devotes so much of her time to the town, she never seems to have any time for herself. Enter Arthur, her arch nemesis. I don’t want to give anything else away, so I’ll just say that a spotlight is put on her family which causes changes to be made. I think valuable lessons were learned by a great number of people in this town, and I enjoyed watching them all grow and become better people.

A really cute YA story about an autistic girl trying to make her way in the world. Set in a small town where everyone knows everyone and their business. This book had a Hallmark movie feel to it.
Very slow in some spots but overall a great story.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's press for this ARC.

This wasn't for me, I found the characters hard to root for and the friends and family off-putting. I understand the family isn't meant to be likable but it was hard to get past

I ended up really liking Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll, but it was very different than I was expecting based off the cover and title. The story follows Jasper, an autistic young adult, as she returns to say goodbye to her hometown following her first year at college. Her family is not supportive, and her town expects her to be the perfect person she has projected growing up, but Arthur, still dealing with the grief of losing his father, helps her to get more comfortable being herself, along with possibly giving her a reason to stay after all.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC of Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll.
Unfortunately I moved this to my DNF list. As much as I was hopeful that the book would pick up and I would enjoy it, it just moved a bit slow for my taste. I’m very curious if romance happens with Arthur and Jasper as that’s what I suspect is the direction the book is heading. But there was such a centralized theme of disliking Christine, that it made hard to want to stick with it. Given I didn’t finish the book I won’t rate it on my social media platforms, but maybe one day I’ll come back to it. Unfortunately, to leave a review here, I have to rate it, but I would say this is not an accurate rating.

This was a really, really, enjoyable read. The holiday aspect wasn’t overdone and I loved how the timing of the holidays complimented the story; the story didn’t revolve around the holidays, it just added to the cozy vibe of the book.
I don’t usually go for YA books but I’m so happy I got to read this one. The cast of characters was incredible! They had a lot of depth and complexities. One minute I hated a character and the next I was feeling for/with them. They were relatable and loveable. Arthur and Jasper were excellent leads.
Lake Pristine is a place I now want to visit. I can see how Jasper’s complicated feelings toward her hometown would be super relatable to any young adult. I loved how her relationship with the town blossomed over the course of the story and Jasper learned to balance her expectations for herself and the expectations of everyone around her.
The neurodivergent representation was really well written. I learned a lot from reading this story and was rooting so hard for Jasper. I felt like this was a different sort of neurodivergent representation than I normally read: the parts about Jasper’s masking and keeping up with her “golden girl” reputation were so beautiful. Her self acceptance wasn’t easy and the way her relationships with everyone in her life evolved over time felt authentic and true to her character. We never lost sight of who Jasper was and who Jasper wanted to be regardless of what was happening around her.
Slow burn, enemies to lovers folks will really enjoy this book! The romance was very sweet and had me thinking to myself “ahhh, young love.” The theme of being seen for who you really are by someone without it being forced or begging for that type of acceptance was lovely. I also really loved that friendship was just as important to this story as the romance. We love platonic love!
The ending did feel a little rushed and I felt like we could’ve had another 20 pages at the end to flesh out more of the secondary plot lines (Odette, Marcus, and I would’ve loved to see more of Arthur’s family at the end). Overall though, this was a really great book I would definitely recommend!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press- Wednesday Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I wanted to love this, but it was just okay for me.
I could not get on board with some of the relationships in this one - it seemed borderline abusive and I just wasn’t feeling them. Even the aspects of the romance were a bit over the line for me with the meanness. I think maybe there was just too much going on for my tastes.

This story was so good! I loved the heroine—Jasper was such a great character. Seeing the world through her viewpoint drew me in and made me really think about what it would be like to be autistic and struggle to read social cues. I also really enjoyed Arthur’s character. They both felt a little unique, rather than the stereotypical main characters. Jasper’s family and friends also added a lot of color to the story.
It started out a tad slow, but by about a quarter of the way through, I was really rooting for Jasper and Arthur. In all, this was a sweet story that I enjoyed from start to finish. It’s perfect for a YA audience, but I also liked it as an adult. Highly recommend, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books/St. Martin for providing me an electronic copy to read and review.

I was sent this book by the publisher. It would not have been a book I would have chosen to read myself. Seeing that it is a YA and I am several decades past YA, I didn't know if it would be a fit. I decided to try it, since I understand many people enjoy YA books that are not in that age classification.
The characters treat each other horribly. It was difficult to read. If this is how it is to be a teen now, I thank God I am grown and do not have grandchildren to be concerned about.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for offering this book to me. I will not be leaving a review for it on my normal posting social sites.

This is meant to be an enemies to lovers rom com but honestly, I liked it for the portrait of an autistic woman and her life. Jasper is back in Lake Pristine which might seem like an idyllic small town but it's full of pitfalls for her. Arthur, her nemesis, is there running the theater but everything changes for both when they realize they are both more than they seem. Jasper's issues with sensory overload, with people (including her family) not understand her issues, and the rest made this a good thoughtful read that many will find relatable. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Yes it's YA but crossover readers will also appreciate it.

Golden Girl Jasper Montgomery returns home for the holidays, holding a life altering secret she's not sure when to divulge, it’s also going to be her last time living in Lake Pristine. Being back in town starts with bang, literally, she ruins her sister's surprise engagement upon pulling into town. She's quickly put to work with wedding planning while bumping into her high school rival, Arthur Lancaster, who’s shooting a documentary about the town. The more the two run into each other, feelings start to arise.
Some Like it Cold is an adorable small-town, enemies-to-lovers YA romance novel that delivers Gilmore Girl vibes with all the holiday festivities. I adored this story and the autistic MC representation. Lake Pristine bursts at the seams with small-town charm including mom and pop shops, lifelong friendships, quirky characters, romance, gossip, secrets, rivalries, and jealousy. I enjoyed the balance of the perks of small town living and the pains in the arse of it.
The romance as well as the story itself and characters are realistic and the story was paced well, I didn't feel anything was rushed.
The romance was really sweet, I loved the typical enemies-to-lovers banter between Jasper and Arthur. I also appreciate the protectiveness displayed throughout as it assisted with Jasper's character development.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. It put me in the holiday mood early, thank gosh I live in Canada where it could snow any week now.
Thank you St.Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.
Release date: October 1, 2024.

Slow burn in all the right ways! The angst kept me hooked, the humor had me laughing and the cover is SPOT ON!

3.5*
This book was such a delight to read! The main character really stood out, I’m a sucker for a GOOD love story, and this one was absolutely heartwarming. I definitely recommend it!

2.5 rounded up to a lukewarm 3 stars. In school grades, a very average "C." I liked the main characters--Jasper and Arthur are great--but there just isn't enough time with the two of them in calmer moments. They are both caught in this vortex of drama, secrets, toxic family members, and a town that feels eccentrically medieval in the way people behave towards one another. People are horrible to each other. Is this the impression of the world that we want to give our young people? The first truly satisfying scene between the two of them didn't happen until 80% into the story. 80%. That is a very long time to wait for any real words of tenderness and payoff for the reader.
I do appreciate the author's desire to have a neurodivergent FMC. Jasper is multi-layered and wonderful, I just wish she wasn't surrounded by so much drama. I would've loved a story that was...quieter. Two people from different parts of town who finally come together, all without the nightmare sister and the MANY appalling peripheral characters (Sophie, Craig, even Marcus, to name a few.) I didn't "dislike" it, but I think it had the potential to be so much better. I'm conflicted. Glad I read it, but even more glad I'm done. (Marketed as a YA book, but I would say for older, more mature, YAs, as there were also several very unnecessary F-bombs.)

Let me preface my review by saying I am not a young adult. I’m 58. But I loved this YAStory! Some Like it Cold has a main character, Jasper, who is neurodivergent. Since the author states she is also neurodivergent, I felt like her representation of Jasper must be an accurate depiction of how some people get through life. Jasper seems like she is living a dream life on the outside but as we get to know her, you realize how hard it is for her to get through some situations. Her interactions with family, friends, enemies, and strangers make for a great depiction of small town life. And definitely proves the adage that you don’t know someone until you walk in their shoes.

heartwarming and poignant young adult romance that beautifully captures the essence of self-discovery and love. The story follows Jasper Montgomery, a neurodivergent girl returning home after 18 months away at university. Amid the chaos of a family wedding and the filming of a documentary, Jasper navigates her complex relationships and her own emotional needs.
McNicoll’s writing is both tender and insightful, offering a thoughtful examination of social dynamics and expectations. The characters are richly developed, with Jasper’s journey being particularly compelling as she strives to balance her family’s expectations with her own happiness. Arthur Lancaster, a former classmate and budding filmmaker, adds a layer of depth and charm to the story with his quiet, gruff demeanor and growing bond with Jasper.
The small-town setting of Lake Pristine is vividly described, making it easy to get lost in the world McNicoll has created. The themes of love, community, and self-acceptance are woven seamlessly into the narrative, making this book a truly touching read.