Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll.

Our library has purchased two other books by this author. I was drawn to her writing due to the fact that her main characters are neurodivergent. I love the different point of view. I believe that these books bring to light what it is like to be neurodivergent. She does a great job explaining sights and sounds that bring someone over the edge. The fact that sometimes-stimulating situations are too overwhelming and make them tired. What it is like to not understand what is going on or feeling different then someone else.

I really enjoyed this book and will be purchasing it for the library. There needs to be more books for neurodivergent kids and parents. Ones that make kids feel like they are not alone and for parents to see how a situation can affect a child. There are mentions of LGBQT+ characters but I don't feel like it should discourage anyone from reading it.

What a delightfully sweet and cozy romance! This story will sweep you off your feet as you fall head over heels for Jasper, while simultaneously wanting to shake some sense into her older sister, Christine! The book beautifully explores the blossoming romance between Jasper and Arthur, all while delving into the charming quirks of small-town life and the pressure of living up to family expectations, especially when navigating life with autism.

After what feels like ages, 18-year-old Jasper Montgomery is finally heading back to the picture-perfect town of Lake Pristine for the holidays. But she's keeping a few secrets tucked away for now! On the other side, we have Arthur, a passionate filmmaker determined to capture Lake Pristine's magic and turn it into the ultimate small-town film backdrop. His plans take an unexpected twist when the town’s darling, Jasper, suddenly returns – the very same Jasper who, once upon a time, made his school days a bit of a nightmare!

Jasper's return isn’t just a holiday visit; she’s planning on saying goodbye to her hometown for good. But as the days go by, the cozy little town’s drama starts bubbling up, and that intriguing, broody filmmaker might just give her a reason to stick around a little longer.

This book is pure joy! Jasper shines as an autistic heroine in this heartfelt, small-town romance that will absolutely warm your heart. Prepare to be charmed! ✨

This has wonderful neurodivergent representation and was a cute romance. I struggled with the elements of hate and anger. It was a little heavier than i hoped it would be. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Some Like it Cold" is a charming YA novel. It is very easy to read and pretty fast paced. This book touches on mental health, toxic family dynamics, and love. I thought it was really cute but did a good job on dealing with serious moments. I loved our main characters Jasper and Arthur. Jasper had good character development. I could totally see this being a movie or a TV series.



This digital ARC was obtainable via NetGalley for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll in exchange for my honest review.

Some Like it Cold is a holiday romance novel with a small-town setting and an exploration of neurodivergence. The story follows Jasper Montgomery as she returns to her hometown for what she intends to be a final goodbye before moving on with her life. However, her plans are derailed when she accidentally disrupts her sister’s engagement and rekindles an old rivalry with Arthur Lancaster.

The book shines in its representation of neurodivergence, particularly through Jasper’s character. The portrayal of her experience as someone who overcompensates for her autism to maintain her status as the town's "golden girl" is powerful and well-written.

However, the novel struggles with the tone and dynamics of its other characters. Much of the story is marred by spiteful behavior and unnecessary drama, which detracts from the holiday charm and romantic tension that could have made the book more enjoyable. The characters, particularly Jasper's family, are excessively cruel, making the protagonist’s interactions with them exhausting and difficult to empathize with.

While reading there were unclear motivations behind the characters' actions and the frequent gossip made it a challenge to follow the relationships and conflicts.

Overall, Some Like it Cold has potential, especially with its strong representation of neurodivergence and a charming premise. However, the mean-spirited character interactions and confusing dynamics made it difficult for me to fully enjoy. It’s a decent read for those looking for a holiday romance, but it might not be satisfying for everyone.

This was an interesting small town YA contemporary romance with strong neurodivergent representation. The neurodivergent rep was spectacular and really represented how others can treat those who are not the same as them. However, I found the side characters to be a bit too mean in general to Jasper. I would expect that her family and close friends would be more accepting and kinder to her but in the book, they are just horrible, and it felt too unrealistic and over the top. However, Jasper having to mask her symptoms seemed on par with how those of us with neurodivergence have to cope. The whole dynamic was just so ridiculously frustrating that it hindered my ability to truly get into and enjoy the story. In the second half of the book, the romance was a nice addition and I started to enjoy the book a little more, but I couldn’t get past my distaste for how everyone treated Jasper. I just wish the author would have given Jasper more people in her corner and not so many spiteful and truly awful people so I could have enjoyed the story more.

This isn’t a bad book, I just couldn’t get into it because of the hangups. However, Jasper and Arthur were cute together and I’m sad that I didn’t get to enjoy their story more.

I would recommend this to those who can look past the hang-ups I described and are okay with a lot of small-town gossip.

“Some Like it Cold” by Elle McNicoll
The Movie ! !
Being different is difficult and when your family labels you; you learn ways to protect yourself that just maybe actually hurt you more than they help. This story grew on me. The more I read the more I became invested in the story. Happy Reading ! !

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll in exchange for an honest review.

My older child has Autism Spectrum Disorder and was diagnosed when they were 14 years old. Two years later, we are still learning a lot about the disorder and how it affects us as parents, as a family, and most of all, how it affects them. Seeing as though it is a spectrum, we know that ASD affects everyone differently, but I have been trying to learn as much as possible to help and understand my child as they enter adolescence. I had previously heard of A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll and had purchased it for my child, but neither of us had read it. Once I saw that Some Like It Cold was available as an ARC, there was no question that I would request it, and I’m so happy I was chosen to read it.

Knowing the author is autistic helped ease my mind because I knew Jasper, the main character with autism, would be portrayed accurately. So often in books I read, ND characters are misrepresented, which is frustrating.

Some of the things that Jasper discussed in the book that I know my child experiences: they have major difficulties in loud, crowded places, They enjoy extreme temperatures at times like VERY hot showers, and they mask as best as they can to try to seem "normal".

As a parent of a child with ASD and another child who is ADHD and is ADHD herself, I also know what it is like to be neurodiverse and not “fit in.” We are not embarrassed by our children’s differences and don’t try to hide them. We do find that it is their news to tell, though, so we don’t advertise it.

The love story between Arthur and Jasper was so sweet. I was so glad that Jasper could speak up for herself, as it is challenging to do, and even more so when you have been a people-pleaser your whole life. I HIGHLY recommend this book for everyone.

The neurodiversity representation is nice to see. I can only speak on behalf of what I’ve learnt in psychology class, but I like how we get to see a character with autism with symptoms that present to be on a lower level of support needs. I think that it helps demonstrate the fact that while some people with autism do need a higher level of support, not everyone on the spectrum needs that same level. Jasper is such a sweetheart. I could see how much she cared for the town, but I also loved that while she did love it, she was prepared to part with it so she didn’t have to sacrifice something else she really wanted. Given her family situation, it’s understandable why she can be a bit of a people-pleaser and agreeable to everyone. The ending definitely gives her justice though. While I love the things I mentioned above about the book, I think a few things fell short for me. The writing was a little hard for me to follow and I sometimes got confused. The connection between the paragraphs made it difficult to follow when a scene changed, which caused me to backtrack quite a few times. The pacing was also slow and I wasn’t exactly sure the story was going anywhere. Finally, this is a minor detail but since it’s my major in school I cannot not see it, Arthur’s documentary felt all over the place to me. I didn’t really understand what his focus was because it felt like he was filming about everything but then also very specific things in the town.

I will not be posting this review anywhere else.

Some Like it Cold is a touching YA romance that shows the world through our main character Jaspers eyes as an autistic female. Jasper has been made to feel that she needs to mask in order fit in with the small town where she grew up. Lake Pristine is a tight community and Jasper mastered being the perfect person for everyone and is beloved. After being away at college, she has returned home just in time to be thrown into her sisters upcoming wedding preparations. But Jasper has made of list of things she wants to do while she is home and they are not things that her controlling family will be happy about. Arthur is still grieving the loss of his father. Along with his brother he has taken over his fathers art house in town and is raising his younger sister. While Arthur and Jasper have a history of not liking each other, now that she is back in town, they have found themselves seeing each other differently.

This is a very sweet romance, but that is only part of this story. The author exposes a lot of drama in the seemingly perfect small town. I gave mean girl vibes at times, as there seemed to be no provocation for much of the bad behavior. Jasper's family is pretentious and entitled. Worse, both her parents and sister Christine, mistreat Jasper unapologetically. Arthur and his cousin spend much of the book working of a film project and this part of the story also adds in drama. The holiday parties and The Nutcracker ballet preparations add a sweet holiday feel to the story.

I really liked how the author informed about autism and neuro-divergence. There are many good learning moments for readers who are unfamiliar with the subject. Because the book covers more then just a romance this was not a quick read, but I was invested throughout.

Thank you Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Some Like It Cold by Elle McNicoll offers a refreshingly unique take on romance with its engaging characters and witty dialogue. While the story is charming and well-crafted, its pacing may feel uneven at times.

I did enjoy this book, but I gave it a 4* for the fact I felt like it was slow in parts. I would still recommend this book.

I had an absolute blast reading this book. It’s a slow-burn romance packed with humor to keep you hooked from start to finish. I definitely think this will be popular amongst my library patrons.

When I started this book, I had to read it in spurts because I hated it. I hated how I could see myself in the main character, Jasper (love that name btw), I hated how I could relate to having a family that demanded perfection/hiding your disability. I hated how even her friendships seemed so one sided and carried by her doing all the work to maintain it. I couldn't read more than a few chapters at a time because I was constantly wanting to throw my phone across the room seeing scenes play out that I have personally experienced.
I don't know if this was meant to be a YA book or adult fiction, but the charm it held was impeccable and it can easily fit on both sets of shelves in a library. I have already read Elle's other books and loved them, so naturally I wanted to read this more mature book. If there is only one complaint, it would be that the idea that Arthur and Jasper would have to break up over a 40 minute drive from LP to Davenport is unbelievable. I don't think I'd even consider stressing at any distance less than 3 hours when it comes to a "long distance".
Please for the love of all that is holy, keep writing stories and telling them in a way that makes me want to throw my phone across the room. The world needs it and so do I.

Very cute romance! Loved the main characters and small town setting. Interesting obstacles with solid resolution.

Jasper Montgomery is back in Lake Pristine, the small town where everyone knows your name, your business and will happily give you an opinion. The Montgomerys are a well respected family, Christine, the older sister, can be a pill and demanding but the sweetness of Jasper often buffers any heartache. The town is thrilled Jasper has returned, unbeknownst to the town, Jasper only wants to complete a list of goals, so she can continue her journey and life’s plan. But you know what happens when you make plans, life throws you curveballs! Curveballs like her sister getting married in a month, a fellow classmate making a short film about the town, and adding her coming out from behind the mask of autism.

This was a well written YA story. I enjoyed the way Jasper looked at situations through the lens of autism. The author provided some wonderful insights about how things like environment can affect a person with autism. The storyline with Arthur and Jasper is sweet without being overly done. It was just the right balance. Enjoy this story, you won’t want to miss it.

Some Like it Cold was a very sweet young adult novel featuring Jasper, a neurodivergent FMC who is dealing with planning her overbearing sister's New Year's Eve wedding, is running the town's ballet production of The Nutcracker, hasn't told her parents that she wants to drop out of her college program, with plenty of friendship and family drama to go around. Not to mention her "arch-nemesis" Arthur is in the middle of making a short film about their small town and they always seem to end up in the same place. But their days of being enemies may be over. It took me some time to really get into the novel - but this was a heart-warming small town romance. Jasper's journey in making decisions for the future that she wants is relatable and endearing. I liked that it was set-up as acts and scenes like The Nutcracker instead of typical chapters. And the added element of the short film being produced and the drama of what was exposed in Marcus's final cut was a lot of fun and finally got people to see reality and admit their own faults and secrets. I really loved Arthur as a character - definitely a grump at times. But everything he noticed about Jasper through the years, everything he did to help her or make her happy and how interested he was in understanding her neurodiversity was so adorable and beautiful to see. Overall, a very cute holiday/small-town romance. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

I adored this heartwarming small-town romance! “Some Like It Cold” by Elle McNicoll is the latest novel from the author, and is a delightful journey. As readers, we are taken into the heart of Lake Pristine, which is a small-town where secrets simmer, old rivalries resurface, and love blossoms unexpectedly. With achingly honest prose and a cast of endearing characters, McNicoll weaves a tale that captures the essence of small-town life and the magic of unexpected connections.

Engaging book that, althogh slow at times, kept me interested from beginning to end.

Thank you to NetGalley aan the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.