*3.5 rounded up*

I am SUCH a mood reader. It’s Christmas in July for me. Time to break out the cozy holiday romances.

Holly & Ivy have been best friends for eight years, when, the night before their wedding, Holly’s douche canoe fiancé breaks up with her. All Ivy wants to do is cancel her upcoming ‘art honeymoon’ & take care of her bestie. But Holly wants to be alone. She suggests they take each other’s vacation.

When Ivy arrives at the resort in Hawaii, her room is already taken - by Holly’s ex & the woman he’s been seeing behind her back. The hotel is $4K a NIGHT, leaving Ivy stranded in paradise. Luckily she meets a hot bartender who has a lead on a place she can afford to stay.

Holly arrives at her cabin in the NY woods. The snow has made the place an ice chest. She reaches out to the property manager for assistance with the generator & wood stove. When Eco-Superman shows up, it’s none other than Aiden Coleman - her rival in high school. And he’s had a major glow up.

Ivy decides to wait to tell Holly in person about seeing Matt on their intended honeymoon. She also doesn’t tell her about Oliver, aforementioned bartender. It turns out he’s also a talented photographer with pictures in National Geographic.

Aiden is actually a kind human being. He helps his neighbors. He gives Holly snow tires. He takes her skating & invites her to a dance at the high school. He doesn’t let her wallow or avoid the season. He also sold an invention after dropping out of MIT, has an overprotective sister & sis becomes a bulldog after learning Holly was recently engaged yet failed to mention it.

Ivy wants to focus on her art, but is distracted by her attraction to Oliver. She has never been one for serious romantic entanglements, but she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. He brings her to the annual tree lighting ceremony & shows her the magic of a Hawaiian Christmas.

Overall this was a cute read. Nothing over the top. No totally cringe moments. I loved Holly & Ivy’s friendship. I wish there had been a showdown between Holly & Matt. I also wanted more depth to Aiden & Holly’s backstory. Thank you to Julia McKay & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts.

I am a sucker for a "switching places" trope! I really enjoyed this one and loved the juxtaposition of locations.

I love a holiday rom com and throw in a strong friendship and I’m hooked. I absolutely loved their bond throughout the story. I also loved Oliver and Aiden and what they brought the to the story. But honestly, Ivy and Holly’s friendship really was the show stealer in this book. It’s often that you can’t find friends with that kind of love and support in life. I also love the shenanigans surrounding the holiday. This book was so easy to read!

To celebrate Christmas in July, I teamed up with Rosemary (@readwithrosemary) for a buddy read. So much happens between and to the characters across both storylines — you’re going to want to discuss with someone. The female friendship is the entire basis of the story, so reading with a bestie is highly recommended! Thanks for coming on the journey with me, Rosemary!

My favorite part of this story was getting immersed into the environments — the beaches and waterfalls of Hawaii and the small, snowy-town of the Hudson Valley. I enjoyed having both POVs, but I found that I wanted to stay in each of the POVs just a little bit longer, rather than jumping back and forth with each chapter change.

It was a fun holiday romance very reminiscent of the movie, The Holiday. Please be aware there is a semi-brief mention of cancer in the story, but it’s not a main part of the story.

I'm a sucker for a holiday romance. This one had a fun premise and I loved the cover. The drama delivered!! I really enjoyed how it was essentially two rom-coms in one. The dual plot was engaging.

Thank you to the publisher for my eARC!

I was finally able to read this book as a Christmas in July Buddy Read with a friend.

I loved the relationship between Holly and Ivy. I thought the way they met was fun and their relationship seemed realistic. I like their journeys as they switched vacations and met new men. Both relationships were a little fast or insta-lovey, but It was easy to go with the flow of the story and suspend reality.

I thought how the story ended was fun and hopeful and I'm glad that each girl got a HEA!

Overall, I would give this book 3 stars. The friendship between Holly and Ivy was really sweet and endearing, but the romance felt too rushed for my liking, especially for Holly. It's hard to develop one relationship in the span of 2 weeks within a book, two just felt forced.

Format: ebook

Amazing Christmas rom-com that's perfect for the upcoming season! I found this a great summer read. Definitely would say it has the potential for it to be a story I re-read.

Julia McKay has an amazing writing style and I found myself fully immersed while reading this book. I thought that there was great banter among the characters. Holly and Ivy have a lovely friendship which added to the plot. It is written in third person so if that’s not your jam entirely definitely a good tidbit to know before picking up. I don’t prefer a third person point of view but I didn’t mind it for this story. Very fast paced but appropriately done, it didn’t feel rushed at all.

I was looking for a lighthearted read, and the title and description of this one looked right up my alley. I was lucky enough to get my request for a digital ARC from Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley granted.

This was a really fast read, and was super cute. It's a two for one romance- there are two main female characters, best friend Holly and Ivy. Holly's fiancee breaks up with her the night before her Christmas season wedding and she can't bear to go on her nonrefundable honeymoon trip. Luckily, Ivy has her annual art trip planned, and they decide to swap trips. Ivy heads off to Hawaii for Christmas, and Holly goes to a cozy cabin. Enter Oliver and Aiden. This book gives lots of The Holiday vibes, and if you love that movie, you would probably really like this read. The romance is fun, but the best part of the story is the friendship of Ivy and Holly. This book gets 3.5 stars from me, and I would recommend it as part of anyone's holiday romance choices.

This was such a fun and cozy read. I enjoyed the premise of the traveling and switching vacation destinations. The story follows besties Holly Beech and Ivy Casey who would do anything for each other and look alike to boot.

I enjoyed the juxtaposition of the different settings; there’s the cozy mountain cabin in a small town during the snow season and the high-end resort in Hawaii. I loved how picturesque the descriptions of the settings were; it really set the ambience, and it was like I was right there in both locations simultaneously. I found humor in the fact that Holly and Ivy ended up in locations that were opposite to their personalities and how, especially Holly, came out into her own during her vacation.

The romances evolved so wonderfully which neither of them expected. And at the forefront was Holly and Ivy’s unshakeable bond.
The Holiday Honeymoon Switch was a fun and sweet romcom with great ambience. The plot was a delightful mix of the bonds of friendship, new beginnings, and finding love when and where you least expect it.

Absolutely loved this. A fun spin on a holiday romance with best friends and a holiday switch!! I think this a fun read for the holidays or anytime during the year!

An irresistibly sweet Christmas rom-com that’s perfect for the holiday season! When lookalike best friends swap getaways—one trading a snowy cabin Christmas for the other's sun-soaked Hawaiian honeymoon—they each find unexpected romance in the most surprising places.
While love is in the air, the real heart of the story is the deep and unwavering friendship between Holly and Ivy. Their bond shines throughout their holiday misadventures, adding warmth and heart to every page.
I absolutely adored this cozy, feel-good read and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a festive escape!

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the opportunity to read this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, to NetGalley and the publisher, Putnam (Penguin Group), for the opportunity to read this book.

This was SUCH a fun read and perfect for summer! While it has “holiday” in the title, I think this is a great beach read because it has all of the makings of a “fun in the sun” romance. It will make a great holiday read as well, and that seems like it will be a good time for me to go back and re-read it again! It was definitely good enough to re-read time and time again.

I really enjoyed the writing style that Julia McKay infused into this book. It had emotional turmoil, but it also had some joyful moments and some great banter sprinkled throughout. And the ride-or-die friendship of Holly and Ivy (amazing naming convention, by the way), is just so fun. Not only are they besties who will do literally anything for each other, but they are also dopelgangers.

I cannot wait to pick this one back up this upcoming holiday season!

Thank you so much NetGalley for access to this one! It was super cute and felt very rom com style. I didn’t always love the style of writing (I was sometimes confused by whose brain we were in) but it was definitely a fun one.

Utterly delightful! This book is a cozy cup of cocoa wrapped in a fuzzy blanket—pure feel-good magic. While it’s set during the holidays, the charm and heart of this story make it a perfect read any time of year.

What truly shines is the beautiful bond between Holly and Ivy. Their friendship is the heartbeat of the story—strong, supportive, and refreshingly real. These women don’t need men to complete them, but the swoon-worthy romances they stumble into? Total bonus!

Julia McKay delivers a story that’s equal parts heartwarming and empowering. If you’re looking for a sweet escape with lovable characters and a friendship-first vibe, this one’s a must-read. Highly recommend!

B O O K • R E V I E W ✨
The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ivy and Holly, become friends in the most unique way… and switch places because they look similar. Insta-love? Say less they both find love instantly. Especially after one of them was left at the alter… 😮

It’s the perfect holiday/Christmas romance, I finished this ebook in one sitting. It’s written in third person which I don’t normally prefer but with this writing style that was not an issue.

It is one of the cutest holiday books I’ve read so far. It was fast paced, addictive and very clever!
Definitely recommend!

Thank you @netgalley for gifting me this ebook.

#netgalley #bookreview #holidayromance #christmasbook #bookrecommendation

A tale of friendship, love, and the journey we can go through in a short amount of time to find the perfect combination of both.

Two best friends. Two vacations. Two crazy experiences.

Holly and Ivy decide to switch vacations when Holly's husband leaves her at the altar. Holly goes to the Hudson Valley cabin rental and Ivy goes on the non-refundable Hawaiian honeymoon trip. Holly's trip is upended when her cabin host is an academic rival from high school and Ivy's trip is upended when Holly's ex-fiancé shows up at the resort with another woman.

A fun, holiday rom-com that will not let you down!

🎄✈️💘 Book Review: The Holiday Honeymoon Switch by Julia McKay 💘✈️🎄

A jilted honeymoon. A dreamy destination. A surprise plus-one. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a sparkling rom-com full of heart, heat, and holiday magic! Julia McKay serves up the perfect seasonal escape—with just the right amount of tension and tenderness.

What it’s about:
When Ivy is left solo on what was supposed to be her honeymoon, she’s shocked to discover the trip is non-refundable... and non-transferable. Enter Rowan, the grumpy-but-gorgeous best man who’s just as stranded. A shared suite, fake smiles, and undeniable chemistry? Let the holiday hijinks begin.

Tropes You’ll Love:
💔 Jilted bride
🏝️ Forced proximity
🔥 Grumpy/sunshine
💞 Slow burn with sizzling tension
🎄 Holiday romance

If you love witty banter, tropical vibes with a side of mistletoe, and the kind of chemistry that melts even the iciest hearts—this is your perfect holiday read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#TheHolidayHoneymoonSwitch #JuliaMcKay #HolidayRomance #ForcedProximity #GrumpySunshine #RomComReads #Bookstagram #HoneymoonHijinks #BookReview #SeasonalReads

I wanted to like this book. I really did. But the fact that it was written in present tense made it read more like a script than a book. I never quite connected with the characters and the emotions they were feeling felt off. Both Holly and Ivy never fully leapt off the page for me. Their actions seemed wholly unbelievable and the instalove felt forced and far fetched. This book was not for me unfortunately.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.