A Jingle Bell Mingle delivers everything you want in a contemporary romance. The story is fun, the setting is whimsical, and the characters are strong and memorable. The spice level is quite high—maybe a bit too much for my taste—but I know many readers will enjoy that aspect.

Sunny Palmer, a part-time adult film actress, occasional director, and makeup artist, unexpectedly sells her very first screenplay to the Hope Channel. Then there's Isaac Kelly, a former boy band heartthrob turned reclusive musician, now the owner of the town’s historic mansion. Both characters carry heavy emotional baggage from past trauma.

The story kicks off at a wedding, leading to an unexpected morning where Sunny and Isaac wake up together in a freezing motel room. They strike a deal: Isaac will help Sunny uncover the truth behind the local legend for her screenplay, and in return, Sunny will help Isaac find a new muse to reignite his passion for songwriting.

The plot is charming, the characters are well-developed, and the Christmas town setting adds a magical holiday vibe. It’s the perfect festive read to get you into the spirit of the season!

Is it really the end of The Christmas Notch Series?!?!? Sunny Palmer and Isaac Kelly finally have their spotlight! Sunny was just the person Isaac needed to return to the land of the living. Her personality was just like her name, but Sunny had her moments. Staying with Isaac enabled her to be herself while drawing Isaac out of his self-imposed prison. Their relationship went from one night stand to friends and roommates to lovers. I liked the evolution of their relationship. The steamy parts were flaming hot. Their quiet moments were soothing. The way they came together with their friends to celebrate. This book was a great way to wrap up the series, give us a glimpse into the lives of past characters, and the future for Sunny and Isaac. Great way to get into the holidays!

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and voluntarily left this review.

Say it isn’t so that the Christmas Notch series is complete! Oh, how I have devoured this fun series with adorable and raunchy stories that get you in the perfect mood for the holidays. Though this book can be read as a standalone, Julie and Sierra gave the series a great send-out with a romance between the part-time stripper/make-up artist/screenwriter and the “sad boy” rock star. This book was such a blast to read and was the perfect pick for the She Reads Romance Books Book Club this October!

I went into this book with three goals in mind: read something really funny, read something spicy, and read something to get into the holiday spirit and this book accomplished all three!

Julie and Sierra are like friend goals to me. They look like they have so much fun together and that fun just oozes into the pages with this book and series. There are so many funny gems in this book that I kept highlighting – it was hilarious. From discussions about Barbies scissoring together, to how vibrators are dependable but maybe not the best cuddle partners to a demonic cat that wants to shred everything in sight.

I just loved the humor that would spring up throughout this book but this was also a book that didn’t shy away from heavier topics such as grief and loss. Isaac’s introspection about how his mourning was influenced by the world’s mourning of his wife just about broke my heart. I could absolutely see how both of these characters were hesitant to love again for fear of experiencing pain like they already had from losing someone they loved. And yet, Sunny and Isaac just FIT from their very first one-night stand and I loved them together.

These two were never awkward around one another or ever tried to mold themselves to be something they weren’t for the other person. What you saw was what you got and that’s what made them so wonderful and why you were routing for them to see that for themselves the entire book.

The forced proximity of living together and working together to learn more about the town’s “Christmas miracle” story inevitably made it hard for both to keep their hands off each other and that’s where the delightful spiciness came in that I KNEW Julie and Sierra could deliver.
These two were so compatible in their interests and desires and they were SO HOT together! I of course loved the dirty talk and the choice locations for some of their trysts. Well done ladies….well done!

The Christmas miracle story was a cute side-story to include that was also a surprise in how it unfolded. It was just enough to make this a fun holiday romance but one that honestly could be read any time of year.

While I mentioned that this can be read as a standalone, I think you have more perspective for the town and the background as to how adult film stars got involved with a holiday movie channel if you at least read A Merry Little Meet Cute. As the final book in the series you get a great send-off for all of the characters you’ve met in the past books, including Teddy’s happily ever after which was great!

*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. A Jingle Bell Mingle is a match up of a former adult film star turned screenplay writer and a former boy band heartthrob who end up stuck in a snowy mansion together in Vermont. They strike a deal to help each other out with their challenges; Sunny needs help with her screenplay and Isaac has a holiday album to record. The two meet at Bee and Nolan's wedding, the stars of the first book of this series. They have a hot night together in Sunny's dilapidated hotel room, and Isaac invites her to stay in his mansion while she works through her writer's block. He figures they will barely see each other in the huge house, but their chemistry and passion soon return and this grumpy-sunshine pair end up having more fun together than they anticipated. Both are grieving and they are both working through some serious issues. The side characters in this book added tons of humor to the story. I love these authors and a good grumpy-sunshine romance. This book was full of steam and I loved the main characters. A cozy and spicy holiday read.

Super fun book! Glad I got to read this early. Enjoyed this book in the series--spicy holiday read!

Thank you NetGalley, Julie Murphy, and Sierra Simone!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "A Jingle Bell Mingle" by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone: A Cozy and Quirky Holiday Romance!

"A Jingle Bell Mingle" is a heartwarming and humorous holiday rom-com that perfectly blends the festive magic of Christmas with the charm of opposites-attract romance. Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone craft a delightful, steamy, and quirky love story that follows Sunny Palmer, a part-time adult film actress and aspiring screenwriter, and Isaac Kelly, a brooding former boy band star.

What really shines in this novel is the chemistry between Sunny and Isaac. The banter between the two is sharp, funny, and filled with tension. Both characters are creatively blocked, and watching them help each other through their struggles while growing closer feels authentic and touching. Murphy and Simone give each character emotional depth, from Isaac’s grief and healing to Sunny’s journey toward self-acceptance and success.

The setting of Christmas Notch, Vermont, adds a wonderful festive backdrop to their relationship. The small-town charm, complete with holiday traditions and quirky locals, creates a warm and cozy atmosphere, making the book perfect for the holiday season. There’s also plenty of humor, especially with Sunny’s “potentially demonic” cat, which brings light-hearted moments throughout the story.

While I loved the dynamic between Sunny and Isaac, some parts of the story felt slightly rushed, especially in terms of character development toward the end. A bit more time fleshing out their emotional growth would have made their connection even more satisfying. But overall, it didn’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment of the novel.

If you’re looking for a feel-good, steamy, and festive read with a unique twist on the classic holiday romance, "A Jingle Bell Mingle" will not disappoint. It’s filled with warmth, laughter, and just the right amount of holiday magic!

Thank you NetGalley and Julie Murphy; Sierra Simone for the ARC!
***All thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone***

Happy to read the final installment in this trilogy! I was hoping for the high level of banter and spice from the first book in the collaboration, but this one is more on par with the Holly Jolly Ever After story. A cute holiday tale with fun callbacks to the adult film shenanigans and side characters, but not as memorable as the first in the series.

At about the 20% mark things still were not clicking for me… that’s when I turned to Goodreads and found out that this is actually the third book in a series. Now I understand why I was so confused at the beginning. I felt like I was either really missing key details or I literally forgot how to comprehend literature. Truly felt like I was going crazy for a moment there.

As of right now, this book is leaning into more cringey territory for me. I think that I definitely need to read the first two in order to feel more connected to the characters and this story. I am going to do that a bit further into fall and circle back to this review!

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC,

A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone is the third in the sexy Christmas trilogy. Sunny accidentally sold a script for the Christmas After Dark series and is now having writer’s block. Isaac is still recovering from his wife’s death years ago during his boy band days. They decide to help each other. Sunny will help Isaac find his muse so he can fulfill his record contract, while Isaac will help Sunny discover the true story behind her script in Christmas Notch. Sparks fly, but Willy hey ever find the courage to settle down?

I loved this series, and this book didn’t disappoint! I thought Sunny and Isaac were well written. They could be a bit frustrating at times, but it fit with their characterizations. The book was fast paced and fun, and I would definitely recommend it for a fun holiday read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

DNF @ 11%

The writing style just wasn’t for me. This is also the third book of a series and the characters are written in a way like I’ve probably should have read this first two books.

Fans of the first two books will probably enjoy this one tho!

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

So I think that the really cute innocent looking cover leads you to believe this book is something way different than what it ends up being which is high spicy level story telling

I laughed, and I cried, and sometimes I felt like I could relate, and sometimes I felt like it was just way over the top for me, but overall a solid enjoyable spicy hot book

You do need to have read the previous books or you might feel quite lost with all the surrounding characters - I definitely felt like this could not be read as a standalone.

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed "A Jingle Bell Mingle" by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone. I have adored this series, and I wish we were getting more, but at least it wraps on a high note. This story will make you laugh and smirk at its quick banter and hilarious wit. It will make you tear up with its commentary on grief and finding love after heartbreak. It will make you care for its quirky, zany cast of secondary characters and the found-family atmosphere. It will make you think twice about your preconcieved notions about s3x workers. It will make you stay warm on a chilly winter night with its suuuper spicy spice. I adored Sunny and Isaac's second chance at love in a forced proximity, friends-with-benefits situation. I liked their easy acceptance of one another. Sunny understands Isaac's grief about his ex-wife's death. She gets that he has been a recluse who has curled in on himself to block out any more pain. Isaac accepts Sunny for the messy, sexy, sunshine-y, confident-in-her-body-and-her-choices, chaotic person that she is. But, I *hated* (read: loved because of the angst and pining and omg just get together???) their inability to realize they were in love with each other the whole time, the dopes!! There are so many layers to this story. I just fell in love with this story. It is a little slow moving at times, but it doesn't detract from my overall enjoyment of it. Add it to your holiday TBR ASAP!

Thank you to NetGalley, Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

I absolutely loved this book! This whole series has been amazing, and this might be my favorite one yet. The sexual tension was off the charts, and there was the perfect amount of angst. And the holiday backdrop was of course perfect!

3.5 stars! Cute banter, amazing chemistry and spice, and a super fun story. Loved the Christmas vibes and definitely laughed out loud a few times.

Fun holiday or anytime read! It is a zany story with two mismatched main characters, a sweet Christmas story, hot hookups, found family and an HEA.

Sunny Palmer is an ex adult film star. She is currently writing a sweet heartfelt screenplay for a by a wholesome television channel. She’s stuck creatively and hanging out to write in the town of Christmas Notch. She connects with former boy band pop idol and now recluse Isaac Kelly. He saves Sunny and her cat from living in the not so nice hotel. She becomes a short term roommate with benefits in Isaac’s mansion. They solve a town mystery while falling in love.

Very cringey; couldn’t get very into it before I had to give up. All over the place in its writing and not a great read.

"Sometimes when you were the happiest person in the room, no one bothered to check in and see what might be brewing under the surface. No one thought to anticipate what you might need when you didn't appear to need anything at all."

This was a great conclusion to the kinkily adorable Christmas Notch story. Started off nice and quick with zero downtime, but still managed to create some good moments of tension.

While this wasn't my favorite that is pretty much entirely because I don't like 3rd act breakups. That said - this one made sense and was handled realistically.

Loved the humor, the banter, the steamy thoughts, and the reluctant cat dad energy. Also really appreciated the many nods to the struggles of being the constantly peppy/happy friend.

Thank you @NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was my first raunch-com read. The main characters
Sunny and Isaac were perfection. The chemistry, banter and spice had me turning the pages. All the supporting characters came together to pull on the Christmas heart strings. I look forward to reading more of Julie Murphy books.

Julie & Sierra can do no wrong! These two continue to bring us witty, steamy banter, strong connections with this found family and continued engagement the moment the book begins. Loved seeing the chemistry between Sunny & Isaac develop during this story, watching the growth the each find and seeing how they lean on one another. This was the perfect mix of light humor, witty banter, heavy topics and development of love!

Jingle Bell Mingle is the third book in the Christmas Notch series and it did not disappoint. We’ve gotten glimpses of the main characters Isaac and Sunny in previous books but this one really lets us get to know them and their history.

Isaac is a former boy band star, turned recluse after his wife passed away rather unexpectedly. He moved to Christmas Notch to “get away” from everyone and everything. He needs to come up with songs for one more album that just so happens to be a Christmas album. What better place to be inspired than a town that is all about Christmas all year. Unfortunately for Isaac he thinks he HAS to have a muse to be able to write this album and the one person he wants keeps turning him down.

Sunny can do a little bit of a lot of things. Somehow she sold a script to the Hope Channel that she now needs to write. Her pitch was about a story that almost everyone in Christmas Notch seems to know. She decides to stay there in hopes of tracking down the real story to use in her script.

After a second one night stand and seeing the terrible hotel Sunny is staying in, Isaac offers any room she wants at the literal mansion he lives in. To keep himself distracted Isaac offers to help Sunny track down the origin of her story and to repay him, Sunny tries to help Isaac find his new muse.

You may think you know how this ends but I guarantee you won’t expect the path you’ll take to get there.