Great ND rep, too close to home at times!
🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

Our MC is a fellow ‘tism girlie. Which is what made me so excited to read this book. The only thing that made me lower it half a star was the fact that everyone else was so mean to her. Now… I understand that sadly that has been true for many of us, but in a sweet holiday romance it wasn’t something I was expecting.

There is a lot of small town drama which is great (not for all though) so I felt the cutesy holiday ambiance at times got a bit dimmed by the drama.

It’s more of a personal choice so I might come back and change my review but thought I’d explain why I lowered it. I tend to prefer my holiday romances on the ‘cozy’ side.

It was great to see ND rep and perhaps shine a light to the audience of what it really can be like and how we explore life. Def recommend and a worthy read for the holiday!

Some Like it Cold is a small-town YA contemporary romance featuring a neurodivergent FMC and a grumpy MMC. Including an idyllic setting, lots of small-town drama, and personal development for the main character, this book will surely appeal to many readers.

However, it wasn't a hit for me. Jasper, the FMC, is seen as perfect by her family, friends, and fellow townsfolk. However, her perfection is largely a mask to hide her insecurities and fears related to her autism. I really enjoyed seeing how being neurodivergent affected Jasper and forced her to hide her true self. I learned a lot about how ND individuals may see the world and how they may mask to fit in with society. From a representation standpoint, this book was a win. What wasn't a win was the drama.

Jasper's family and friend are so horribly mean to her. Not only do they treat her differently, they flat-out physically, mentally, and emotionally abuse her. Christine, Jasper's sister, gets engaged at the beginning of the story, and she immediately excuses any bad behavior as being a bridezilla. That's a ridiculous excuse to begin with, but her treatment of Jasper quickly goes beyond bridezilla territory and is, as I said, abusive. Likewise, Christine's friends and even some of Jasper's former classmates with whom she's at least friendly speak badly about her, gaslight her, and write her off repeatedly. It was frustrating to read, and I understand that McNicoll is showing how small towns can have dark secrets, but I think she went too far.

There is some good character development for Christine and Jasper's parents, and some other characters get their comeuppance, which helps things a bit, but the horrible attitudes and meanness really smothered everything else for me. The romance is sweet, but even that had its mean moments, and Jasper really comes into her own, but she lets people walk over her for so long that it's frustrating.

Overall, Some Like it Cold had a lot of potential, but I couldn't get past how mean everyone acts. The neurodivergence representation is good, and the romance is cute, but none of that was enough for me to really like this book.

This us a fun, easy to read heart warming small town romance. Love the cover. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Thank You Netgalley and St. Martin's Press and Wednesday books

Publish Date: October 1st, 2024

Elle McNicoll's "Some Like It Cold" offers a refreshing and heartfelt exploration of identity and friendship. The main character, Jasper, navigates adolescence with a unique perspective, making her journey relatable and enlightening. Meanwhile, Jasper Montgomery is returning home for the holidays, harboring secrets, and preparing to bid farewell.

This narrative is more character-driven, and the main characters feel authentic.

overall I really enjoyed it!

some tropes
enemies to lovers
small town
ND representation
and so much more!

I really enjoyed this. Cute story. Clean. I didn’t love that every other time Jasper’s name was mentioned it was her full name, Jasper Montgomery. I really liked Jasper and Arthur.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoyed this book and think you will to.

Oh my goodness, this is such a delightful and insightful story about a young lady, Jasper, that has been diagnosed as neurodivergent. Jasper has always felt that she wasn't good enough for her mother. That her mother was always disappointed in her because of her differences. Jasper has felt that she could never be her true self when in Lake Pristine, her hometown. She feels as if she is always wearing a mask, so that she is accepted and not judged.

I liked the writing style of this author and how she actually knows how Jasper feels and reacts to things. This book is a little different in that it is written in acts and scenes vs. chapters. I feel for Jasper and Arthur's misunderstandings and how that put them on a path as acquaintances instead of friends and how perceptions of people color how they behave around each other and in groups. There is so much happening in the span of a month in this story. I loved watching Jasper grow and begin to emerge from her shell. It seems that people start to see her in a new light, maybe.

This just wasn't the novel for me. I was really looking forward to it, but as I read on it got harder and harder.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I think this book has lots of potential but needs some help on the execution. Editing would help.

I think the author must be from the UK but tries to set the story in the U.S. while still using a lot of UK slang that won’t make sense to an American reader and even if we do recognize the term it’ll confuse/take us out of the story.

That being said, the bones are great here. Lovely portrayal of neurodivergence and a sweet young romance.

Are you a fan of small town romances? If so, I have the book recommendation for you Some Like it Cold is a book that you will love.

I had trouble connecting with the characters in the story and was sort of confused with some of the dialogue in the book- mum vs mom (are we in the states?) and how much older the characters seemed to be versus the age they were supposed to be. The main reason for my dnf-ing the story was the formatting of the actual arc file I received. It made it pretty challenging to read on top of my lack of connection to the story of characters.

A contemporary romance with a strong storyline and some interesting twists and turns! There were some thoughtful places created in the setting, including aspects of the town where the story is set, Lake Pristine.
I struggled to get into this book at the beginning but I’m glad I stayed with it, as the middle of the story was very strong and well-paced. For me, the tone of conversation and some of the plot points among the characters made it hard to believe they were teenagers. It also took me a long time to imagine the overall setting of the story, the difference between ‘the city’ and Lake Pristine. While these aspects removed me from the story occasionally, overall this was a good read!

Some Like It Cold features Jasper, a young woman with autism trying to escape the confines of her privileged, small-town family. She returns home for Christmas to say goodbye to her hometown, but things change when she pulls into town right as her sister gets an engagement ring. Jasper finds herself in charge of pulling off a wedding for her over-the-top awful sister and trying to find solace in her old friend and old movies.

The good:
- Representation of neurodivergence is excellent. Jasper is very self-aware when it comes to her triggers and struggles.
- Romance between Arthur and Jasper is sweet and kind of lovely, as she nurtures his younger sister in ballet as well.

The not as good:
- Jasper's family is really ridiculously awful. Rich people behaving badly to the extreme. She is saintly next to them and it's a little unbelievable all around.
- I cannot believe her sister gets engaged in December and wants a New Year's wedding, even if she knew about the engagement and was already planning. That's not a wedding planning timeline.
- McNicoll is Scottish. I think this is supposed to take place in the U.S., because there is a big deal made about the drinking age being 21. But there are some terms used (like hen do) that felt very U.K. and that was awkward to me.

For me, this book was fine, but I do love what it adds to representation for neurodivergent main characters with their own love stories.

I thought this would be just another cute romance, and it was, but I liked the characters more than i usually do this time. I didn't find them to be overwritten or irritating, it was less a classic romance and a more a general fiction with romance as the backbone. The focus was on Jasper and her growth through the couple of weeks this book takes place rather than just her romance with Arthur. If you are looking for a real romance I'm not sure this is for you, but if like me you want more storyline and character development with the romance you'd probably like this one.

This cover drew me in, but the small town had me hanging around. I enjoyed the characters in this book and how you can grow/change your mind. Thank you for the early access!

This was SO cute! I absolutely fell in love with the FMC, Jasper! Even if the name confused me at first lol
She was all things good. She was kind, nerdy, helpful, patient and sweet but also....she felt so deeply. Her biggest flaw, was letting others aka as her sister and bff stomp all over her. It's what made Arthur angry too. The utter disrespect Jasper's family showed her.
But Jasper couldn't see what everyone else did, that she was special, beautiful and amazing. Arthur did a bad job at both expressing and hiding his feelings and it led to some miscommunication.
Jasper was autistic and didn't mind discussing her neurodiversity, especially around Arthur who just didn't get it.
The romance was SLOOOOOOW burn. Like geez, just a warning (SLIGHT SPOILER IN NEXT SENTENCE), they don't get together til close to the end of the novel 😂
So yeah, no spice, if that's all you're looking for. But it was still so romantic. Arthur had it BAD for Jasper and while the book may have lack in "intimacy" it was still intimate how Arthur made Jasper feel SEEN! It took her a while but he opened her eyes and just realized, she could be loved just as she is. It was beautiful 🥹
Of course, like all romance novels they had squabbles but just overall I loved Jasper as much as everyone else in this small town. She was such a refreshing character. So good it made others feel awful, but also so relatable in that sometimes we mask, we hide, we just want to make others proud but it shouldn't be at the expense of ourselves. It's okay to say NO, to say STOP, and to do things for ourselves sometimes. Especially big life decisions.
I can't rave about this enough. Adorable small town romance that just hit me right in the heart. A MUST READ! Everyone go PREORDER NOW haha

Some Like It Cold is a wonderful, small town romance with a Gilmore Girls feel. This book is full of extremely well written imagery, giving a very nostalgic feel for those lucky enough to grow up in a small town. Elle McNicoll does an excellent job with the enemies to lovers trope. I can not wait to read more books by this author. This would be a great winter read!

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press|Wednesday Books for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll is a poignant romance novel that captivates readers with its sweeping scope and emotional depth. McNicoll skillfully weaves a powerful ode to love in its various forms: from the bonds of community and the comfort of home, to the journey of self-discovery. This clever and poignant love story offers a healing narrative that celebrates the genre of romance itself.

This heartwarming small-town romance really really make my day. Actually, I really enjoy reading this novel and I want its sequel soon from the author. There is so much fun and humor also.

Billed as a small-town, young adult contemporary romance reminiscent of the Gilmore Girls, I eagerly accept an advance readers' copy of Some Like it Cold from NetGalley and Wednesday Books. Following are my honest thoughts and opinions.

I quickly and easily picked up on the similarities between the narrative and one of my favorite shows, Gilmore Girls. And, if you are looking for a simple, sweet story with a happily-ever-after ending, Some Like it Cold hits the mark. However, there were some things that I found distracting or that disrupted my enjoyment as a reader.

Right out of the gate: where are we? The author introduces readers to a delightful small town named Lake Pristine. We are also told the main character, Jasper, is coming home for the holidays after being away for 18 months "in the city" at school. Many setting details point to a location somewhere in the U.S., but other details gave me pause and took me out of the scene and story. (One small example: Mum vs. Mom made me think we were in Europe or England. But the author refers to "college" and not "university," which then made me think of the U.S.)

Another issue for me was some of the writing and dialogue. The characters are all in their late teens but behave and speak like much older and more sophisticated characters. At times, that made sense for Jasper, especially. Readers learn about her family and the expectations that have been placed on her for her whole life, so that tracks.

The story is sweet and has a few swoony moments that romance readers love. A young woman wants to pursue her dreams. She returns home to lay the foundation for a future on her terms because she thinks her family will refuse to support her. She is prepared to walk away from everyone and everything she has known and loved to follow her heart. Readers meet her family and friends, including the boy who has always vexed (and secretly loved) her.

Author Elle McNicoll sets readers up for a touching story about friendship, love, and bravely believing in yourself. But she also throws multiple stumbling blocks in the way of complete enjoyment. I never felt attached to the characters; I had to depend on the author's narrative for how to feel about a character or their behavior. What became the most frustrating was the constant reminder that Jasper is neurodivergent. I fully support a lead ND character; that detail made me want to read Some Like it Cold even more. But it became an overbearing detail that, ultimately, others Jasper to the point of being unreliable. We are TOLD over and over instead of being SHOWN.

I appreciate the story concept, the friendships and mentorship aspects written into the plot, and even the swoony sweetness of Jasper and Arthur's romance. Overall, however, Some Like it Cold left me disappointed.