I wanted to absolutely love this book. I thought it was such a great concept- two best friends switch out their holiday trips after one of them gets dumped the day before their wedding. This doesn't seem like it would lend to a lot of good holiday vibes, but I still had hope. What I left with was wanting a lot more from the characters. While I understand it is a book and not to be taken so seriously, I just thought that both Holly and Ivy acted so immature at times. The dialogue felt very childish at times. It took me out of the story almost immediately, so I didn't care much for their character arcs. I enjoyed the two different locations for the book- the beautiful beaches of Hawaii and a remote cabin in the woods of upstate New York. I appreciated the small town vibes and the beachy vibes that were curated, but I just couldn't get myself to care much about the characters enough. For that reason, I left wanting more. While it wasn't my favorite book this holiday season, I still think it can be enjoyed by many.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

My biggest regret regarding this book is that I prolonged reading it for such a long time! I love the perfect combination of traditional snowy and warm Hawaii Christmas, and adored the best friend angle that played such a huge role in this book. Both Ivy and Holly have such different, but amazing, adventures in this tension filled and lightly spicy novel!

Huge thank you to @penguin and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
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This gave all The Holiday vibes! After being jilted Holly needs some healing. She convinces her best friend to go on her honeymoon in her place and she goes to a cabin to recoup and relax. Relaxation isn’t meant to be when she realizes her Airbnb host is her high school nemesis. Meanwhile in Hawaii Ivy doesn’t have a room when Holly’s ex checks in. Luckily the bartender comes to her rescue. This Holiday is full of unexpected surprises that forever change their lives in the best way!

This was a very cute story! Both main characters’ plot lines keep me wanting to read just one more chapter. The ending felt rushed but other than that it was a great book!

I finished this book in under a day! It was so cute.

Two best friends swap their Christmas vacation plans after one of their weddings is called off by a scum-bag fiancé. It’s okay though, because they’re going to find something better in their own corners of the world.

This book wasn’t as Christmas-y as I wanted, but it was still so stinking adorable and I was rooting for those best friends the whole way!!

Holly and Ivy (haha, yes, they know about the song) have been besties since college. When Holly’s fiancé dumps her the night before their Christmas-themed wedding, she convinces Ivy to go on her nonrefundable honeymoon to Hawaii so it doesn’t go to waste. Ivy had already booked a remote Hudson Valley cabin to focus on her art over the holidays, so the two women agree to take each other’s vacations. Holly plans to spend her days wallowing, but when she finds her Airbnb host is an old classmate who grew up to be a hottie, she starts to feel not so sad after all. Meanwhile, Ivy hits it off with a hunky bartender at the resort. Maybe Holly and Ivy will both find love this Christmas!

This is a sweet, cute romance with lots of holiday charm! I loved the friendship between Holly and Ivy, as well as the contrast of the holidays in the snowy Hudson Valley vs the tropical paradise of Hawaii, both locations with perfect Christmas vibes. Both romances are a little insta-love, but that’s to be expected with a vacation romance. Both couples had such great chemistry, and I could easily see this story as a Hallmark movie!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Very cute book, I liked that it switched point of views between holly and ivy and that the settings were both very different.

This was cute! I enjoyed the friendship between Holly and Ivy. The romances were cute also although fairly unrealistic. Oh well, tis the season!

A sweet and mostly wholesome holiday rom-com. I love reading best friend story lines and this one not only delivers on that front, but also introduces a whole cast of fun characters - some straight out of a cozy Hallmark holiday movie and others a bit more rambunctious and a little vacation swap akin to The Holiday.

This one follows 2 best friends, Holly and Ivy, who switch vacations during the holiday season. One goes to Hawaii and the other to a snowy town in New York. I really liked the different take of Christmas in Hawaii without all the typical snow and Christmas trees, etc. I liked the relationship between the 2 best friends more than the relationships the friends fall into with significant others. I didn’t really feel like either couple had much chemistry. Oftentimes the characters, especially Holly, seemed much younger and more immature than the 29 years she was supposed to be. The love stories felt rushed with the characters falling in love in like a week’s time. But this is a good romance option if you prefer a romance with low spice level.

3 stars. I really enjoyed this for the most part. I was very light hearted and cute, a perfect holiday read. I loved the chemistry between Aidan and Holly and Ivy and Oliver. I was rooted for them the entire time. The writing itself was very simple and easy to read, though sometimes I wished for a little more description. I also loved the friendship between Holly and Ivy, they made everything work for each other and they were there for each other no matter what (also Ivy’s reaction to Matt? haha) However, I wish that the author made it a little more deep, at times it felt like she was skimming the surface, especially with their characters and their backgrounds. I wanted to know more about certain comments that the characters dropped about their backstory. Also, at times it did feel very predictable, I knew everything that was going to happen before it did and it felt a little too picture perfect. Sometimes though, I think that’s just what you need for a cute holiday romance, a good palette cleanser honestly.

Holly and Ivy are best friends who meet in college at a party and bond over their terrible choices in boyfriends. They immediately become the kind of friends who speak in shorthand and finish each other's sentences. When Holly's fiance dumps her the night before their wedding, Ivy is the friend who immediately wants to confront - and maybe inflict bodily harm on - him. Instead they decide Ivy should take the Hawaii honeymoon while Holly will go upstate where Ivy has booked her annual art retreat.

There is a great balance of comedy, friendship, holiday locations, and steam. There's a little Christmas but it could have been set at anytime of the year. It's more the story and conflicts and growth that drives the story instead of the Christmas traditions.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this.

A simple and sweet romance novel that brings two love stories to life with lots of escapist holiday fun.

This was a very fun twist on a holiday read! It felt very Christmas in July to me. Loved the 2 main characters and enjoyed the pacing of the story.

The Holiday Honeymoon Switch is a cute holiday romance from Julia McKay, featuring best friends Holly and Ivy. It's a merry, quick, Christmas-y read for fans of festive stories this time of year!

*The Holiday Honeymoon Switch* by Julia McKay is a delightful, heartwarming read perfect for the holiday season. The plot is charming and fun, centered around a mix-up that leads to unexpected romantic connections. McKay’s writing style is engaging, with witty dialogue and well-developed characters that make you root for their happily-ever-after. The small-town setting adds to the cozy, festive atmosphere, and the romance unfolds naturally without feeling forced. While predictable at times, the lighthearted tone and sweet moments make this book an enjoyable escape. A perfect pick for readers looking for a feel-good, holiday romance with plenty of heart.

The best friend we all want and need. I love the friendship in this book so much. The vibes were perfect for a cozy holiday read!

It’s harder than it should be to find a holiday themed book that is cute, but not cringy. The Holiday Honeymoon Switch beats those odds! It’s a delightful novel that pays homage to female friendship and the belief that quality love exists for all of us. Loved this!

This was a cute and fast Christmas romance. I really liked the The Holiday vibes of this book and I adored Holly and Ivy's friendship. Both of the relationships were cute and I really liked that any miscommunications were very quickly resolved.

I think one of the drawbacks of this book for me was the fact that there were two relationships so I wanted more from each of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this earc in exchange for my honest review

In "The Holiday Honeymoon Switch" by Julia McKay, best friends Holly Beech and Ivy Casey switch their holiday plans after Holly's fiancé jilts her. Holly heads to Ivy's rented Hudson Valley cabin to heal, while Ivy takes Holly's nonrefundable Hawaiian honeymoon. Holly's wallowing is interrupted by her rugged Airbnb host, her high school academic rival. Meanwhile, Ivy's art retreat is disrupted when Holly's ex-fiancé arrives with a new woman, but a hot hotel bartender comes to her rescue. As they navigate these unexpected turns, both friends might find love they weren't expecting.

This book is a delightful holiday romcom that perfectly captures the magic of the season. The dual storylines of Holly and Ivy are engaging and heartwarming, with each friend finding unexpected romance in their swapped vacations. McKay's writing is witty and charming, making the characters' journeys both relatable and entertaining. The festive settings of a snowy cabin and a tropical paradise add to the holiday cheer, making this book a perfect read for the season. Highly recommended for fans of holiday romances and feel-good stories!

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.