This was a very cute double rom-com where 2 best friends go on each other's vacations so one can mend after basically be dumped at the alter. Loved this so much!

This book was another holiday book by Holly Cassidy just in a different font. I think that if the storylines were more flushed out and there was more character development this had potential to be 2 great love stories. I understand that romance, especially holiday romance is seen by many as an escape and cheesy, but I appreciate plot and I feel like this didn't have much. Miscommunication trope too?? in 2024?? no thank you. Thank you for the arc but this book was just not for me.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and Penguin Group for the gifted e-book! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Dual POV, instalove, holiday vibes

This was a super cute read! It's a very interesting concept. Of course, you have to suspend your belief a bit. It's very wholesome and has instalove connections. I highly recommend this for a fluffy read!

Are you looking for a holiday read with Hallmark vibes and a touch of spice? Then look no further because Julia McKay has got you with The Holiday Honeymoon Switch! I loved the friendship between Holly and Ivy most of all, and it is always refreshing to see a strong female bond in any book, but especially a rom-com. They had their own little meet cute that was absolutely adorable, and I found myself wishing I had an instant bestie sitch like this. The romances are both equally on point with Holly finding someone from her past in Hudson Valley and Ivy meeting someone new in Hawaii. I loved the variation the two different locations gave me as well and I loved the two besties POVs equally.

The audiobook is delightful as well with the fabulous Brittany Pressley voicing both characters. I do wish we would have had another female narrator to add a bit of differentiation between voices but since Pressley is one of my top 5 favorite narrators, this didn’t bother me as much as it could have. I would definitely recommend the audiobook but I’m sure reading would be good as well! I hadn’t realized that McKay was the pen name for Marissa Stapley who also writes under the pen name Maggie Knox, but I had a feeling this wasn’t a debut, and I love her, so it makes sense. I loved everything about this breezy read that is packed to the brim with sweetness!

Read this if you enjoy rom-coms with a focus on friendship, a holiday read that isn’t too in your face about it, and plenty of insta-love!

Cute, quick read that’s perfect for vacation! Not going on my favorites list but had a fun time reading

Reminds me of the movie the holiday. A typical Holiday romcom. Instant fall in love medium spice kind of romance. I was left wanting more depth.

This was a cute read that had me wanting to be Holly and Ivy's third bestie. The power and importance of friendship rang through as a theme in this book and it was a fun and relaxing cozy winter read. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Friends help friends when wedding drama happens, and Holly and Ivy do just this that. In The Hollywood Honeymoon Switch that involves Ivy going on the would’ve been honeymoon and Holly getting some time to hole away and heal at the cabin. Cute romance with a fun premise, but I didn’t feel like I got much depth with the characters.

Absolutely loved this one! Such a perfect Holiday read. It was so enjoyable. I am a seasonal reader and loved the different settings of snow and beach back and forth throughout the book. I really liked McKay's writing. I was swept up into the story from the start and could not put it down. Definitely a new go-to author for me. If you love a good rom-com, this one is perfect for you!

~2.5 stars, rounded up~
Holly Beech and Ivy Casey are best friends who are so in sync they could pass for twins. When Holly’s fiancé dumps her, leaving her with a nonrefundable honeymoon, she convinces Ivy to swap places—Ivy will take the Hawaiian vacation, while Holly retreats to Ivy’s Hudson Valley cabin to heal. But Holly’s quiet escape is disrupted when her rugged Airbnb host turns out to be her high school rival, now a total heartthrob. Meanwhile, Ivy’s solo art retreat in Hawaii is thrown into chaos when Holly’s ex-fiancé shows up at the honeymoon suite with a new woman. Furious and without a bed, Ivy finds an unexpected ally in the handsome hotel bartender. This Christmas, despite all the curveballs, might just turn out to be the most magical one yet.
***
I’m so Team Ivy - I tried to be sympathetic towards Holly given her situation, but MAN… She could be insufferable & whiny. There’s also the ‘insta-love’ aspect, which I’m slowly starting to realize isn’t my jam. I could believe Ivy’s situation, but I didn’t care for Holly’s storyline.

I loved this. A cute and emotional holiday adventure with two friends. I loved both of them healing and finding new passions in new places. I loved their friendships and how fun this was. It’s a perfect holiday read,

3.75 rounded up.

I enjoyed the characters and storyline. It was a cheesy in some parts, but a cute holiday read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Read If You Like:
- Stories featuring best friends
- two for one romances
- Love after Heartbreak
- Dual vacation settings (snowy cabin vs. tropical paradise)
- Strangers to roommates to lovers (Ivy)
- Former Rivals to lovers (Holly)

I absolutely loved the two for one stories with this story! And I really loved how they were each giving something unique and you could root for both girls to get their HEA because of their meant to be vacation swap, that if Holly’s wedding hadn’t been called off, neither of the besties would have gotten their HEA.

Holly's retreat to a snowy cabin in the Hudson Valley oozes cozy holiday vibes, while Ivy's Hawaiian getaway delivers tropical charm. The dual settings are a standout for me with getting both sunshine and beaches and a winter wonderland getaway.

What I loved most was the dynamic between Holly and Ivy. Their friendship feels authentic and central to the story, grounding the romance with an emotional core. The romantic storylines are sweet, though they lean toward the predictable and cheesy side, which feels just right for a holiday romance.

That said, the book isn't without its flaws and why I rated it at a generous 4⭐️. I found some characters underdeveloped, making it harder to connect with them at times and wanted a bit more as at times they fell a bit flat and lacking some depth to connect with them more.

If you’re looking for a feel-good read with holiday magic, friendship, and a sprinkle of romance, this a great pick. It's not groundbreaking, but it’s the perfect companion for cozying up with a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate.

Thanks to the publisher for my gifted ARC!

Holly & Ivy switch places during the holidays after one of them is left single on her wedding day. (LITERALLY GASP MOMENT!!!!)
Holly swaps her Hawaiian honeymoon plans for Ivy's secluded, wintry cabin in the Hudson Valley. Warm weather & beaches for a cozy, small cabin Christmas setting? I’m all in on that. The two separate love stories both had their own unique way of captivating you so as to not get confusing while switching between POVs and scenarios. (Heavy on the ILY DUAL POV!!!)
However, hands down, my favorite part was the friendship between Holly and Ivy. I wasn’t actually too sure at first how I feel about them just because it didn’t really seem like they would click? Or maybe it was just me? Who knows! But I’m so glad that I loved it as much as I did.

In this cozy & cute Christmas read, you’ll find:
👯‍♀️strong female friendship
🩷 insta-love turned friends to lovers
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 found family
2️⃣two love stories
🎦 The Holiday vibes
🌶️ very minimal spice (whomp whomp for me because I love spice, lol)

Thanks to NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons for being able to read & review this book!

Super cute and fun. This story is first and foremost about friendship but it’s a love story too (well, two love stories!).

Ivy and Holly are best friends. They meet in college because their boyfriends are friends. Ivy breaks up with the guy soon after and Holly stays with him until 8 years later when he leaves her the night before their wedding.

They’d do anything for each other, they even decide to switch vacations when Holly offers Ivy her honeymoon trip to Hawaii in exchange for Ivy’s trip to upstate New York.

When Holly arrives, she is shocked to run into her highschool rival. They were both the smartest, most dedicated students and always motivated each other by competing.
I liked this storyline for Holly. It’s so soon after her break up to be interested in someone else but he’s someone’s she already knew. Maybe it’s insta love but it has a history.

Meanwhile Ivy usually has flings. But she never has a vacation fling ever. When she goes on vacation it is with the goal of dedicating her time to creating art. The rest of the year she works as a graphic artist and it’s a good job to support herself but her art is what she loves.
She meets a guy when she arrives in Hawaii. He’s a bartender and a master of trades. The more she gets to know him the more interesting she finds him. She doesn’t want a fling, but she might want something more.

This book is light and fun, it was a super fast read. I also really enjoyed both settings, one town was super Christmassy and one tropical fun.

I loved that the most important relationship in this book is between the best friends.

LOVED the movie The Holiday so I figured I'd like this book, too, and boy, was I right! Such a great premise and idea behind the switching of holidays (one going to a snowy place and the other a Hawaiian beach). One left by her fiance, the other in search of a relaxing vacation, we meet our two FMCs who, of course, meet their own MMCs. I will say, though, that while I loved the premise of the book, focusing on two couples in one story was just toooooo much. It didn't allow for the depth of a story to develop, but rather, we just experienced surface level actions and happenings throughout the book. I think it would have been cool to have had two stories with these characters, but I get it! Overall, I really enjoyed this one and felt like I was part of the storyline (specifically that Hawaii vacation, ya know). Thanks for the opportunity!

This holiday read was just cute as it could be! I really enjoyed it! I was hooked in from the very first few chapters and it kept me hooked the entire time

This one started so strong - I tore through it and was really enjoying myself. Unfortunately, it fell quite flat for me in the second half - it felt a bit repetitive and obvious. The final conflicts didn't feel strong enough, and I wanted more for the characters

thank you to netgalley and penguin group putnam for this arc!

READ THIS IF YOU ENJOY ↡
🫶🏻 best friends
👥 dual POVs
🌴 THE UNHONEYMOONERS
🌊 vacations in hawaii
❄️ winter staycations

i was excited about the concept of this book: two best friends switching vacations last minute and each falling in love! i appreciated holly and ivy’s dynamic as best friends and loved that their loyalty to one another was a common thread in the plot. the story fell a little flat for me at times and i thought the epilogue was very forced. glad i could squeeze this in as my final holiday read of the year!

4 ⭐️

What a perfect end to the Christmas season!! Thank you @netgalley for my ARC even though I’m beyond late reading it.

I really enjoyed the dual POVs and locations, as well as the dual romances and the side characters (Larry). I loved the Christmas town in NY and I LOVED the level of female friendship.

I would have really liked more into Oliver and Aiden’s back stories, as well as a little more depth into the side characters.

This won’t be my last book by Julia McKay! Highly recommend if you’re looking for a quick romance with minimal spice and lovable characters.