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Member Reviews

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

Funny as hell, so sweet, and ultimately a heartwarming story. There were some pacing issues (for me at least) here and there but other than that, a fun and solid holiday read. Sunny and I are twinsies also because god knows I can't resists a Sad Boy - she's so real for that.

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Adult film actress Sunny Palmer is embarking on a new career path, having just sold her first screenplay to the Hope Channel. She finds herself in Christmas Notch, Vermont trying to get herself into the holiday spirit her movie demands and crosses paths with an acquaintance at the wedding of mutual friends. After a one night stand with former boy-bander Isaac, who is still grieving his late wife, sparks fly. When Sunny’s hotel room becomes uninhabitable she agrees to move in with the star in the mansion he just happens to own in town. It’s a little cliché and somewhat predictable, but the novel is also quick-paced, witty, and just a little raunchy. It’s the 3rd book in a series and is similar in tone to its predecessors, but could easily be read as a stand-alone.

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🔥🔥🔥 WOW this book was spicy but also such a sweet second chance romance for Sunny & Isaac. I loved the appearances of characters from the other books in this series, it created a sense of community and family in Christmas Notch. This was a second chance, forced proximity Christmas romance with a happily ever after and crazy hot chemistry. This is a must read Christmas romance for 2024.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the advance reading copy from Netgalley

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CHRISTMAS IN JULY! at least for me it was I love a holiday book any time of the year and rhis one did not disappoint! This series by these authors is fun and the reads are quick and entertaining, I love a forced roommate to something more trope amd the two main characters dealing with their issues as the navigate their feeling was good! These books always have side stories and interesting characters and I love that so I'm a happy trader! The spice was nice, I'm always ok with spice , the history mystery (on a rhyming streak) was also a bonus story - all in all a great festive read and am happy I read it I could see gifting the series books as a gift this Christmas for sure

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Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for the arc!

This book just wasn't my cup of tea. I think some readers will love it, but it just wasn't something I connected with. I think the authors did a good job with the book. It's just not my preference. 🙂

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In the 3rd book of the Christmas notch series, we have Issac Kelly, the third member of the INK boy band and widower, and Sunny Palmer, part-time adult film actress/adult film director/ makeup artist. Issac is looking to write a Christmas album for his record label but is in need of a muse since his late wife passed away. Sunny has decided to take up a new career in screen play writing for the Hope Channel. What better way for them both to find the inspiration they need but in a snowy landscape and gorgeous mansion in Christmas Notch Vermont! Issac and Sunny go from casual wedding hookup to roommates with benefits, but very strictly roommates with benefits as sunny refused to be Isaac’s muse. So while they both work towards their impending deadlines, sunny helps to find Isaac his new muse while Isaac helps sunny find the completed story to a real life Christmas miracle. Do they fall in love in the process??

This book was great. Had all the spice we could want, but not too much where it takes away from the plot. The banter was HILARIOUS and the internal monologues for the MC’s were equally so. I thoroughly enjoyed the various side plots between sunny and Issac and I loved watching their friendship (and then love) blossom as they gallivanted around Christmas Notch. 4 stars because I felt the plot point on Teddy was unnecessary. Entertaining but unnecessary, and I kind of wish the epilogue was more about Isaac and sunny rather than his storyline.
Thank you Netgally and Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone for allowing me to review the ARC.

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Well, that was… interesting. I think having not read the first two books in this series first was not a great thing. I almost didn’t make it past the prologue. It felt like being thrown into the middle of a book with a huge cast of characters and I had no clue who any of them were, or why I should care.

It got better. Sunny was cute and Isaac was cute and it was fun watching their banter. The feelings from the beginning of the book lingered though. I started to enjoy the story when they were digging deep into the Christmas miracle and really liked how it all came together at the cabin at the end.

Then we were to the epilogue, which was so similar to the prologue in how it made me feel that I almost didn’t finish it. I was thankful for the final little bit that brought the focus back to Sunny and Isaac for a few last words.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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I enjoyed this series but A Jingle Bell Mingle felt a little like a disappointing final chapter. The spice was great as always, but the MMC's emotional arc made it almost feel not like a romance to me so it was hard to connect to the book.

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This book (and the entire series) is what happens when two author bffs get together for a writing retreat with no supervision, and I mean that in the best way possible. You can see hints of both Sierra and Julie’s writing style with a big splash of heat, humor, and hijinks.

While it can technically be read as a standalone, I would highly, *HIGHLY* recommend reading the other books in this series first. There are many mentions and cameos of other characters, and unless you know who they are, it can be a little confusing.

I love the sex- and body-positivity in this book. Neither of our leads fall into the trap of shame and are unapologetically confident in what they want (at least sexually). The drama come with the pair trying to figure out what they want emotionally, and they have just as much issue admitting that to themselves as they do admitting it to each other.

I also love the string of mystery that flows through the story as they try to track down their Christmas angel. The twist even caught me off guard!

If you love either of these authors and are looking for a fun, sexy, quirky holiday story, then you won’t go wrong with this book!

Thank you to Netgally, publishers Avon and Harper Voyager, and authors Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy for sharing a copy of this lovely story with me. All thought and opinions are my own.

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This book sounds like a delightful blend of romance, humor, and holiday charm, with a quirky twist. The setup of Sunny Palmer and Isaac Kelly—two very different individuals brought together under unusual circumstances—promises a fun and engaging read.

Sunny Palmer’s unconventional career path as a part-time adult film actress/director/makeup artist adds a unique flair to her character. Her accidental foray into screenwriting for the Hope Channel and her return to Christmas Notch, Vermont, to dive into the local Christmas miracle lore creates a humorous and intriguing premise. Her attempt to capture the essence of a holiday miracle while facing a looming deadline sets the stage for both comedic and heartfelt moments.

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I remain so conflicted about this book.

Isaac is a widowed ex boy bannder who is still dealing with his depression spiral he's been in. Sunny is a porn star working on writing a script. It isn't grumpy/sunshine but it is depressed/sunshine.

Isaac and Sunny are both fun characters in their own ways. But neither has gone to therapy. For a fair amount of the book, Sonny is trying to set Isaac up with anyone else and Isaac is saying he can't love anyone ever again. It was devastating when trying to get through the book.

Over all, I like the spicy Hallmark vibe of the book. It's well crafted and fun at times. But it made me just want to read the first book again....

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The first book of this series is still my favorite!! I was so excited to read this installment with the widowed grumpy Isaac. This book started off good and fun. Sunny is living in the mansion trying to write a screenplay she sold and Isaac is trying to finish out his contract with the recording company in the mansion as well. Going on, love Mr. Tumnus, Sunny’s cat.
But things took a turn which just didn’t work for me. Isaac spends 7/8 of the book being bc sad, denying feelings and telling everyone he can’t betray Brooke, his dead wife. I think after the years his friends and family have tried to help him that spending this much of the book with him still in this headspace brought the whole book down both in emotion and because he and Sunny never get to really do or have any form of a relationship other than sex. We do get to finally learn more about Sunny in this book. She’s a little annoying because she defaults to naive I must hate my brother mode too frequently but to be fair he has been an a hole pushing her out of the family business. They both had thoughts of what that company meant to their parents and different thoughts on how that should move forward. I mean just have a conversation!

My favorite part of the book and honestly who the whole book should have been about is Teddy and Steph! We have seen them and their relationship develop over the previous 2 books and 2 novellas and this book was no exception. They are a large part of it including a proposal. Loved it!

Still love this writing duo but definitely not their best work on this one. It did really feel like two separate authors writing different people and not as cohesive as the others.

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I'm going to miss visiting this spicy Christmas town. Just as fun as the others. Don't let the twee covers fool you, these are spicy!!!

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Oh my! This was not what I was expecting when I started reading this cutesy Christmas book. This is a spicyyy twist on a Christmas romance. I was completely absorbed in the setting and characters which was a huge plus! Absolutely love this little love story with a huge pack of heat. Now to go back and read the previous two books in the series.

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This was a really cute, spicy Christmas read to close out the Christmas Notch series. I loved the hint of mystery that was woven throughout as Sunny worked on finishing her screenplay.

I loved Sunny as a character, but I found Isaac a lot less of the dreamy former boy band type and more of a petulant man child who refused to do any growth and/or healing following the death of his wife.

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This is such a cute and heartwarming book with a nice bit of spice mixed in! I enjoyed seeing Isaac and Sunny’s relationship grow together while they also grew themselves as they worked through tragedy and family dynamics. I think it’s fitting that Sunny was writing a Christmas movie as I could see this story as a Hallmark movie itself.

!

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3 ⭐️

I am starting this review off with an apology because truly I mean it when I say it’s not you (book/author), it’s me. I didn’t have any issue with the writing or the story, but this just wasn’t my cup of tea. But it might be yours! If you love spice (!!!!!), sexual fluidity / bisexuality, threesomes / thruples, and sex positivity, then this is totally your book. Sprinkle in some Christmas and you’re golden.

I don’t want to yuck anyone’s yum and I loved the body positivity, but this wasn’t for me and that’s ok!

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Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

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I absolutely adored both this books from the Christmas Notch series. This series has become a comfort series from me and hence why I’m ready a Christmas book in August. This books follows Sunny as she tries to write a movie for the Hope channel and Isaac as he tries to write a Christmas album in order to get out of his record label contract. Sunny and Isaac have a past history from and one/ two night stand and find themselves stuck together in Christmas Mitch fighting their mutual attraction to each other and working on their own projects. I loved the flow of this book and how you got little updates about the characters from previous books throughout.

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An amazing way to end a spicy holiday series from two amazing authors! I absolutely adored this book and even as it deals with heavy topics of loss of a loved one, its done so in a caring way and I thought that this book was so fun and captivating to read, as it is high on the spice scale. Well done!

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