Very, very cute Christmas themed romance. I loved it. I really enjoy holiday themed books. Reading them puts me in a good mood and a positive mindset.

This was my first Holly Cassidy book and I absolutely loved it. I already added The Christmas Wager to my wishlist. I absolutely loved the idea of the Christmas Countdown tasks, what a fun idea. I love that Callie's sister would take the time to do that for her. I'm happy that she got her happy ending in the long run. This was a cute cozy Christmas read in July.

Christmas is fast approaching and Callie just can’t seem to get in the holiday spirit this year. Her decade long relationship with Oliver, the literal boy next door, ended months ago and she can’t bear to go home for the holidays and see him with his new girlfriend. Callie’s sister Anita decides to try and get her feeling festive by bringing back an old family take on an advent calendar, alternating between tasks and treats. As she goes through the calendar, she starts opening herself to new possibilities, the holiday spirit, and maybe even a new love.
I really enjoyed the characters and the lighthearted, Hallmark movie-esque quality to the book. An easy read, perfect for the holidays or really any time of year.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for access to this ARC.

Please, Hannah is one of my all-time favorite writers but this was my first of her rom-coms and she did NOT disappoint! The vibes were immaculate and I wish it were Christmas right now but Christmas in July works as well. It just made me so happy, which is a nice turnaround from her other brilliant but mind-bending books. The romance was so freaking cute, and I can officially say I need this to be a Netflix movie stat!

The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy was a delightful Christmas treat! I love an advent calendar and sisters as friends! This book is perfect for your Christmas reads or any time of year that needs a little more magic!

Everything that you expect in a Christmas read - cozy little romance between two people who got burned from a previous relationship. Add in that one wants to skip Christmas this year and needs to find her Christmas Spirit again. Enter the good intentions of her family who try to convince her to come home for Christmas through the makings of a live Christmas Countdown with tasks and friendly reminders of wonderful Christmases gone past. A bit of this fell short for me as I thought the romance between Callie and Marco was a bit too saccharine and rushed, but applauded Callie for finally finding her voice to realize how much she gave up of herself in her past relationship to Oliver. And kudos as well to Callie's sister who's has a heart of gold and just wants her sister happy again. A quick read, I found it as a pleasant holiday tale. Many thanks to #netgalley, #thechristmascountdown, #hollycassidy for the opportunity to read and review this book.

4.5 out of 5 This is an ideal Christmas book. Not necessarily the perfect book, but as a Holiday book it does it all. I am obsessed with the Christmas calendar and I want someone to make me one every Christmas. I want to make it for someone every Christmas. And this book is not Christmas adjacent, or just a love story happening in the holiday season. This is a full immersion of the holidays book, 24 days of activities, and with the emotional growth (and of course romance who are we kidding) to back it up. I also love all the holiday music references, most I of course had on my radar but there were a few that I didn't and I diligently added them to Tati's tidbits ultimate Christmas playlist. Also side note: I might need to get photo filled Christmas ornaments after reading this book.

I am obsessed with this one! The Christmas Countdown felt so new and refreshing. It didn't feel like a story I've read a million times before. I started reading it and really couldn't put it down, it was an easy two day read. The book easily got me in the Christmas mood, even though I read it in July!


The story was interesting, well written and the characters were easy to love.

I’ve read a lot of Christmas books that are set to release this coming Christmas season and they’re all very nice, but the book I’m about to tell you about is a five star read. It’s the book you’ll want to go out and buy when it releases 10/22/24. The book is called a the Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy. This is a story about Callie and her boyfriend of ten years Oliver. When Oliver asks Callie to leave her parents and move out of town with him for a job promotion, she agrees only for Oliver to dump her four weeks lager. The complicated part is that work for the same company and Oliver gets a new girlfriend almost immediately. So, Callie moves in with her sister Anita to regroup emotionally. Anita gets an idea on how to pull Callie out of her funk. She creates a homemade advent calendar of beautifully wrapped packages full of treats and tasks. The deal is, Callie must complete the tasks or Anita will badger her with blind dates. Each task is holiday themed and designed to pull Callie out of her shell. During the first task, Callie meets Marco a dessert chef and they hit it off immediately. The question is, will the advent calendar tasks put Callie in the Christmas spirit or will Marco ensure she has a merry Christmas? I loved every minute of this book! It has all the Christmas elements I want in a book. There’s Christmas tree hunting, caroling, sledding, baking, and charitable deeds done with a Christmas twist. Plus, it snowed all the time which puts me in the Christmas spirit. I loved how each task made Callie more confident and we watch her become a reborn woman. Her relationship with Marco grows and it has become one of my favorite book relationships. I’m not one for pet names, but he calls her his Swiss miss which you’ll have to read the book to find out why. I loved the whole concept of the advent calendar and each gift was well thought out and holiday themed. Thank you NetGalley and Putnam books!

This book had me from the very beginning. I like how after the heartbreak she encounters it all is ok once Marco comes along. The love her sister has for her is undeniable and so caring.

This was such a fun book! I loved the idea of the Advent Calendar - interactive gifts are just so memorable and thoughtful - and I really enjoyed Callie's growth throughout the book. I also enjoyed seeing her navigate the work place and her new town as she healed from her breakup. The antics from Dazey were pawsitively delightful and I think I'm going to need to book a trip to Switzerland pronto.
Overall, a very cute Christmas [in July] read!

🎄The Christmas Countdown 🎄

Christmas in July part 4! 🎅🏻

4⭐️

Out 10/22

Thank you for my early copy, Penguin Group- Putnam!

I got to read The Christmas Wager for Christmas in July last year and loved it so much! When I saw Holly Cassidy had a new Christmas book, I knew I had to read it this month! 😍🎅🏻

This gave me all the Hallmark movie vibes!!

The exboyfriend, the romance, the advent calendar, it was truly a magical read.

I definitely recommend adding this to your Holiday TBR!

It was the best read at the doctors office!

I really enjoyed this book! The wit and banter was top-tier. It had me laughing out loud, swooning, and wishing it would never end. It was everything I love about Christmas wrapped up in a cute little present. Highly recommend.

A huge thank you to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this!
This is an adorably cute Christmas story about a woman still recovering from the breakup of a 10 year romance and the treat/task advent calendar her sister makes for her. It is chock full of Christmas cheer, a meet cute with a Christmas tree, a few bits about career and finding yourself, and most importantly just dripping with nostalgia.
I wish the relationship between Marco and Callie felt a little more fleshed out: I found myself wanting more in every interaction. I also really disliked the 3rd act 'breakup': the stakes just didn't feel all that real. But this is syrupy sweet and fun: great for holiday reading.

NetGalley ARC Review:

The Christmas Countdown
By Holly Cassidy
Pub Date: 10/22/24

A girl who got dumped and still works with her ex.
A pushy sister.
Overbearing parents.
A funny meet-cute.
Lots of holiday related tasks and plenty of puns.
Self-discovery and second chances at love.

The Christmas Countdown is a perfect Holiday Read that will get you into the holiday spirit. I thoroughly enjoyed Holly's last Christmas book, The Christmas Wager, and this one was equally as good. This book is perfect for those that can't resist a good Hallmark Christmas movie. It's a vibe for sure!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Get ready for a cozy holiday read! I've seen a few adventures calendar based cheesy holiday movies, but haven't read a book of the same theme. I enjoyed this one. It was the winter equivalent of a feel good beach read!

It takes a special book to make Christmas come alive when you read it in the dog days of summer, but Ms. Cassidy does it with delightfully crafted characters and a lovely story. Recommended read.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

What a cute story! This book put me in the Christmas spirit and I'm reading it in July! Callie and Marco are adorable but I also loved how it tackled not-so-fun subjects like misogamy in the workplace. I hope this turns into a Fallbrook series as it was the perfect small town holiday romance.

***AUTHOR'S NOTE***

Writing THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN and sharing some of my Swiss heritage (my father is Swiss and I lived in Switzerland for 35 years) was quite simply magical. The Advent calendar was something I started for my husband, and later on made for our three kids when they were little. Every Halloween I'd siphon off treats and put them in little bags with task'n'treats notes, all of which I'd hang from our banister, exactly the way Callie's mother does for her and Anita.

I mention the Advent calendar very briefly at the end of my first Holly Cassidy romantic comedy, THE CHRISTMAS WAGER, and that's what sparked the idea for THE CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN. Another fun fact: the real Dazey Rocket was my agent's cat. Dazey passed away as I was outlining the story, and I'm so happy to have been able to immortalize her in the book :-)

I hope you have fun reading about Callie and Marco, and that you enjoy their journey.

Holly Cassidy / Hannah Mary McKinnon
www.HollyCassidyAuthor.com

4.5 ⭐️

I just love this author’s Christmas romcoms and this one is no
exception.
I really liked the mail female character, Cassie. I liked her overall growth and confidence at the end. I really loved the relationship between her and her sister, Anita.
The advent calendar was so fun and inventive. It’s inspiring me to make my own tasks!
The romance was so cute and fun. I liked how you could see it gradually blossom into more. I just adored Marco. He was so good and patient with her.
Overall, a fun and festive book to read for the holiday.