I really wanted to love this, but I did not care for the male lead. I personally found him extremely rude and disrespectful. So much of this book felt very surface level. Not a memorable read for me.

🎄 All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard 🎄

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5

💭 Thoughts:
This is the sweetest snowed in Christmas romance where two romance authors fall in love! I love Ballard’s writing style, even though there was miscommunication in this one. There was spice, second chance romance, and one bed/forced proximity in a holiday setting. I loved the dual POV and banter! I also recommend Lease on Love and Just My Type by this author. I recently got approved to read Toe to Toe that publishes next March, and I’m so excited!

Thank you to Penguin Group/Putnam, Net Galley, and Falon Ballard for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

All I Want Is You is a second change Christmas romance written by Falon Ballard. It features Jess and Nick who are both romance authors and exes. Nick broke up with Jess five years ago, during Christmas, for unknown reasons and Jess is still struggling to move on. Meanwhile Nick is a top ten best selling author at what appears to be the top of his game. So much so that he is being given the romance author of the year award … and Jess has been asked to present it to him. She agrees because she doesn't want to cause an embarrassing scene and figures she'll just do the presentation and play nice for the audience before leaving with the hope of never interacting with him again. Of course, fate has other plans for the two of them.

The moment Jess and Nick see each other again you can tell there is alot of history there. There is so much tension and unresolved feelings. And being in close proximity with each other does nothing to help with this … it only adds to it. There are stolen glances and internal monologues about each of their feelings. It turns out neither one of them has fully let go but are they willing to try again?

I enjoyed the whole romance authors being trapped in a close proximity only one bed scenario. It was comical at times. Nick and Jess also had the grumpy/sunshine vibe to them. And it turns out when they put their differences/feelings aside they actually make a good team. Of course, that is easier said than done especially with the way Nick originally broke Jess's heart. If I'm honest, it took alot for me to look past his reasoning but, if I remembered that he was young and impressionable it worth of took the heat off of him. But did he really have to do it at Christmas time and ruin her favorite holiday?

The Christmas vibes are strong in All I Want Is You but mainly focused on the snow storm that trapped Nick and Jess together. The rekindling of their dynamic is definitely a slow burn which I appreciated. These characters had alot of work through before committing to each other. I enjoyed the quirkiness of each character and couldn't help but occasionally picture Nick and Jess from New Girl as the characters in my head. I blame the names for this but, I do think Zoey Deschanel and Jake Johnson would do a great job at bringing this book to the larger screen. Overall, I enjoyed this one and would definitely consider reading another book by Falon Ballard.

"...𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸."


*hangs up Christmas decorations*

This book is the absolutely perfect dose for Christmas in July! Am I now dreaming of all things Halloween-Christmas? Maybe.... 😅

I adore everything Falon does, so it's no surprise how much I loved this book.

Book about books? CHECK!
All my favorite tropes? CHECK!
Christmas theme? CHECK!
Not so subtle New Girl reference? DOUBLE CHECK!

🎄 Holiday Romance
📚 Enemies to Lovers
🎄 Rival Romance Authors
📚 Forced Proximity
🎄 Only One Room/Bed
📚 Snowed In
🎄 Second Chance Romance
📚 4th Wall Breaks?! 😂

Also, big shout out to Sarah Naughton and Marwan Salama on their incredible job with the audiobook! 🎵
.
.
.
.
#bookstagram #booksta #books #booksbooksbooks #avidreader #ilovereading #thetwistedlibrarian #professionalbookworm #alliwantisyou #falonballard #whatsnikkilisteningto #whatsnikkireading #book25of2025 #putnambooks #putnampartner #holidayromance #christmasinjuly #enemiestolovers #forcedproximity #rivalromanceauthors #snowedin #secondchanceromance

This was the final straw. Unfortunately this author is just not for me. I just don't get her sense of humor and the dialogue is lacking.

I love Falon Ballard - and while I typically do not enjoy holiday-themed reads, I did enjoy All I Want Is You. I particularly enjoyed the forced proximity aspect of this book - on top of the second chance romance. It was sweet, swoony, and had a bit of holiday charm.

I ultimately listened via audiobook, which I think was well done. It was well acted and produced - it was easy to listen to and follow along to the story. And the acting brought a bit more dynamic quality to the story than had I just read it.

The only thing holding me back from this book is the initial reason for their breakup - and how our MMC literally threw their relationship away for his career, for the most odd and eye-rolling reasoning. I understand they were younger, less mature, and really career-focused, but it just felt so icky and was difficult to look away from.

Fallon Ballard delivers another fun, heartfelt romance in All I Want Is You. The banter crackles, the chemistry is great, and the characters are relatable in all the best messy ways. I especially appreciated how the story mixed light, flirty moments with real emotional depth.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable, feel-good read. If you like contemporary romance with brains, heart, and heat, definitely give this one a shot.

Christmas? Second chance romance? Sign me up! Seriously, this one is super cute. Jess and Nick, two romance authors, used to be together...until Nick ended it five years ago. Now, she's been asked by their mutual publisher to present an award to him at the annual holiday party. I loved the banter, the texts with Jess's friends, and honestly, I love that the characters are named Nick and Jess (which of courses references New Girl, one of my favorite shows). Quick fun read!

Thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this ARC in return for an honest review.

I love a romance about two romance writers and Falon Ballard is an auto-read author for me. I’m also a sucker for a second chance romance and throw in forced proximity and one bed, well, sign me up. Add in Christmas?! YES.

This story like all of the author’s tales was funny, spicy, and had the angst that I also love. But the most important part? A HEA.

If you’re in the mood for a Christmas second chance romance, check out All I Want Is You.

Depending on how much angst and holiday spice you like in your rom-coms.

🎄 Jessica and Nick are exes—and rival romance authors. She writes happily-ever-afters; he writes love stories without them (and gets all the fame for it). When they’re snowed in at a remote inn just before Christmas and forced to share a room (yes, there’s only one bed), old sparks reignite... and so does their writer’s block. Cue the banter, the tension, and the possibility of a second chance!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the festive ARC!

I really enjoy this authors romance. They’re just so sweet and full of heart! I really liked the holiday vibes in this one! It was a quick read too! Highly recommend for holiday reads!

All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard. Pub Date: September 24, 2024. Rating: 4 stars. In this second chance romance, the two main characters are authors who used to date. One author is more famous than the other, but they are forced to reconnect at a work event. What unfolds is a lot of feelings, some steam and realizing that maybe they do belong together after all. I really enjoy Falon's writing style and will continue to pick up her books! Thanks to #netgalley and #putnam for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Falon Ballard is an auto-buy author for me, and I absolutely loved this one! A book about books? Yes, please. It had so many of my favorite tropes, forced proximity, snowed in, only one bed, and it delivered on all of them. The banter was sharp and fun, the romance was open door in the best way, and the cozy holiday setting made it feel extra magical. This was such a fun, festive read!

❤️✨ Book Review: All I Want Is You by Falon Ballard ✨❤️

A swoony, emotional romance that perfectly captures the messy, beautiful journey of finding love—and forgiveness—when you least expect it. Falon Ballard delivers a story that’s both tender and addictive.

What it’s about:
After a painful breakup, Sam thought she had her life figured out. But when old flames and new sparks collide, she’s forced to confront what she really wants—and who she can’t live without. It’s a story of second chances, vulnerability, and the courage to open your heart again.

Tropes You’ll Love:
🔥 Second chance romance
💞 Slow burn
💔 Healing from heartbreak
👫 Friends to lovers
✨ Emotional, authentic storytelling

If you’re looking for a romance that feels real, raw, and utterly heartfelt, All I Want Is You is a must-read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#AllIWantIsYou #FalonBallard #SecondChanceRomance #SlowBurn #FriendsToLovers #EmotionalRomance #Bookstagram #RomanceReaders #BookReview

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Falon Ballard can do no wrong in my eyes. All I Want Is You is a sweet and emotional second-chance romance that hit all the right notes. The chemistry between the main characters felt genuine, and I loved how their history added depth to their reconnecting.

It’s a story about growth, forgiveness, and figuring out what (and who) you really want — set against a cozy, festive backdrop that gives it just the right touch of holiday magic. Some parts dragged a bit in the middle, but overall it was heartfelt and satisfying.

⭐️ 4 ⭐️

This book is filled with the typical Falon charm and humor and was the perfect holiday read. I would have loved to have MORE because I cannot get enough of her writing, but the grand gesture at the end was absolute perfection and left me completely happy and satisfied!

I loved Falon Ballard's first two books, but unfortunately her third (and now fourth) have fallen short for me.

ALL I WANT IS YOU follows Jess and Nick, exes who are both writers, who find themselves trapped in a snowstorm in the same hotel room--with only one bed. When they realize they're writing similar books, their agents suggest that they write a story together, forcing them to work through their differences and find some common ground.

I'll say it: I didn't like Nick. Which, with him being the love interest and all, was an issue. He was self-centered and didn't have many redeeming qualities, and all of my complaints about him were made even worse when it comes out that the reason Nick originally broke up with Jess was because his friend, who works in marketing but not in publishing and knows nothing about the industry, tells Nick that being a single man would sell more copies of his books. So, instead of proposing to Jess, he breaks up with her. And then, when he's looking back on that decision, he has the audacity to blame his FRIEND instead of blaming himself for being stupid enough to listen to him.

The icing on the cake was when Nick decided to make his "grand romantic gesture" to win Jess back at the end of the book. I thought it would be a bound version of the manuscript they were working on, with the sweet ending Nick wrote. INSTEAD, he rewrote the endings to all of his published books to give them happy endings, had them printed, and gave them to Jess. Granted, their manuscript was also included, but the gesture felt undermined as being "forgive me--I brought you rewritten copies of my books."

The story was a quick read, which both helped and hurt it. I flew through it quickly, but I think the book needed at least another 100 pages to truly flesh out this story. At the halfway mark, Jess and Nick were barely speaking; it wasn't until the last 40% that they were even starting to resolve their issues with each other, which meant the ending was paced at breakneck speed trying to fit in their reconciliation, unpacking why they broke up in the first place, breaking up again, writing their book, Nick's romantic gesture, and them getting back together.

Because of the quick pacing, the ending was extremely fast and honestly unsatisfying for me. And, once again, I will say: Not every romance book needs to end in a proposal. Especially when it doesn't feel earned, and I'd argue that this was one of those times.

Finally, based on the synopsis of the book (and the cover & chapter art), I thought this was going to be a Christmas story (don't ask me why I'm reading a Christmas story in June--I'm doing my best over here), but it was more of a story that happened to take place a few days before Christmas. The only mentions of Christmas in this book were when Jess and Nick were boning down in Ghost of Christmas Past-style flashbacks, which, interspersed with the many chapters where they were barely speaking to each other, was a bit jarring.

Though this review may sound harsh, I really am a fan of Ballard's writing; I'm just frustrated because I've seen what she's capable of, and this book didn't live up to that.

Thank you to Netgalley and G. P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Putnam and NetGalley for the complimentary e-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jessica and her ex-boyfriend are trapped in a hotel room during a snowstorm. Both are romance writers that are in a slump. Will this encounter have a happy ending or will it be an another heartbreak.

It was a good holiday romance with perfect settings as well as great writing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for providing an eARC of All I Want Is You in exchange for this honest review! And now to the super delayed review...

If you think a lesser-known romance author getting snowed in with her ex-boyfriend (who is also a romance author) in a Christmas / holiday setting sounds like a delightful little read... well. It should have been! This had all the potential to be a cute little winter treat to curl up by the fireplace with but instead had me pissed off at Jessica for giving her piece of crap ex a second chance. For anyone that is considering giving their terrible ex another shot, just a reminder that you deserve better.

Imagine you believe you have found "the one" and they gaslight you to no end, use your help to make BANK, then immediately break up with you so they can make even more money because "the ladies will buy my books if they think I am single". My guy, you are trash.

Can people learn and grow from their past? Sure thing! Does that mean the people you hurt (repeatedly!!) in the past need to forgive you?? No. It is also BS to say "ex-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers". I will 100% always stand by "enemies-to-lovers" should be only for fantasy books and require a real knife/sword/weapon to the throat (preferably while straddled) at some point! You are not enemies even if your ex was a gaslighting asshole that left you because he was greedy.

So why am I giving this 2 stars rather than the 0 stars my above rant may lead you to think? For how terrible of a man the love interest was, I personally did not mind the writing itself. I could have loved this even if Nick actually deserved a second chance. It feels like it is trying to be Beach Read but make it Christmas, in which it failed spectacularly since (again) Nick sucks.

All I Want is You had all of the tropes you could want out of a holiday romance. Last room at the inn/only one bed is a classic trope that I really enjoyed in this one. The tension of the leads being exes also really added to that dynamic. The main thing I thought needed more development was their backstory, and the breakup felt a little annoying.

Overall, it was a fun, cute, and very quick read. It only took a couple sittings to finish. This would be a very fun holiday movie.