A cozy winter read with a touch of romance and an unexpected mystery, this book delivers charming seasonal vibes. Set in a picturesque ski lodge, the story follows Alix, an entertainment journalist ghostwriting a memoir for a boy band member, Sebastian, while uncovering secrets about the group's missing star. The wintry setting, complete with skiing lessons, ice skating dates, and steaming cups of hot chocolate, adds to the charm.

The romance between Alix and Tyler, her sweet and thoughtful ski-instructor neighbor, is endearing, though it lacks the depth some readers might crave. The mystery element provides an intriguing twist but may feel predictable to those attuned to the clues. While some characters—like Alix and her best friend Chloe—are delightful, others, such as Sebastian, fall flat or come across as intentionally dislikable.

Overall, this is an enjoyable, light-hearted read perfect for curling up with during the winter season. Its blend of cozy romance, snowy escapades, and a dash of drama makes it a delightful holiday escape.

This charming rom-com offers the perfect blend of cozy vibes, a dash of mystery, and plenty of romance. Alix Morgan’s big break as a ghostwriter takes her from the bustle of city life to a luxurious Vermont resort, where snowy slopes and a handsome ski instructor, Tyler, await. Their sweet romance unfolds against a backdrop of ski lessons and lodge fires, providing plenty of swoon-worthy moments.

Alix’s professional life adds depth, as the memoir she’s ghostwriting dives into the intrigue of True North’s missing frontman, Jett Beckett. The mystery surrounding his disappearance keeps the pages turning and adds a layer of suspense to the story. While some elements of the resolution felt slightly rushed, the balance of romance, humor, and heart more than compensates.

With its charming setting and engaging characters, this book is a delightful read for fans of cozy, feel-good romances with a sprinkle of intrigue. Perfect for curling up by the fire!

Eight Years Ago. True North Lead Singer Jett Beckett Vanishes without a Trace.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Atria Books and Kayla Olson for giving me an eARC for this book. I really enjoyed "The Reunion," so this book was on my radar and it did not disappoint!

Alix Morgan is ghost writing a memoir by Sebastian Green, former member of the boy band True North. She jumps at the chance to go to Vermont to get some much needed quiet to focus on writing. What she doesn't count on is Tyler, the cute ski instructor living next door. And as they fall in love, secrets come to light that might make their budding romance, and her book writing, complicated.

This was such a cute, cozy rom-com. Definitely a perfect winter read, set in the snowy mountains of Vermont with skiing, ice skating, hot chocolate, and all the cozy feels. I LOVED Tyler and Alix. They were so cute together. I also love how we got multiple POVs of what happened with the boy band, through Sebastian's voice memos, posts/articles written during and after about the band, and other information. I did guess the twist, but I loved it just the same.

I definitely recommend this book if you love romance, celebrity boy bands, and warm, cozy reads!

The Lodge by Kayla Olsen
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 1/7

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria Books for my advanced copy!

If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good romance to curl up with this winter, this is it! This story has everything you’d want in a snowy rom-com: a charming romance, a bit of intrigue, and all the cozy vibes you could ask for.

The book follows Alix Morgan, a writer who’s landed her dream gig ghostwriting a memoir for Sebastian Green, a former member of the boy band True North. She heads to a gorgeous Vermont ski resort to work, but her plans to focus are quickly thrown off when she meets her swoon-worthy neighbor, Tyler, a ski instructor.

This is a super cute read. I loved the snowy resort, cozy cabins, and roaring fireplaces that created a warm, wintery atmosphere. The romance is sweet and believable, with just enough tension to keep things interesting. And even though this book is closed door, the chemistry between Alix and Tyler totally works.

The Lodge isn’t the deepest romance out there, but it’s exactly the kind of light, fluffy escape you want during the colder months.

As someone that grew up reading One Direction fanfiction on wattpad, I ate this book up! Was it a life changing story? No. Was it enjoyable as hell? Absolutely! Such a fun and quick rom-com read that gave me all the nostalgia of my boy band obsessed days. Also the banter, who doesn’t love good banter in a book? Definitely recommend this for a fun winter romance!

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

Loved this cutie winter romance! Loved the cozy winter setting, the characters and the plot. Gave me major One Direction vibes. The romance and banter were super cute. Overall just a fun story to read.

It was a super cute and easy read. I loved the slow burn and romance. The banter was top-tier; the only thing I wanted more of was insight into the backstory of the MMC. The dual POV made it a little confusing at times.

⭐⭐⭐
🌶️
release date: 1/7/2025

I liked the characters, I liked the setting, I liked the ending. There were two major things that kept me from really liking this book:

To me, the premise is flawed because I refuse to believe that an entertainment journalist, currently working on a book about a boy band member, would fail to recognize another member of the same band. There's just no way! I know he has different hair and colored contacts, but I don't care. It's just implausible to the point that it ruined the plot for me.

The sister was awful. She was so bad that I'm deducting an entire star for her. She never really redeemed herself in my eyes.

Thank you to netgalley and atria books for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This was the perfect winter romance read - easy, fun, and hard to put down. I loved our main characters and how their relationship developed. Did it feel quick and a bit insta-lovey? Sure, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have a good time. I’d recommend this book for a cold, snowy January weekend where your only plan is to sit inside and read, because you’ll want to devour this in as little time as possible.

I loved reading The Lodge, it had everything that I love in a book and in real life too! Swoony rom-com moments, a boy band, good snacks and a little mystery! Kayla has a knack for including media/celebrity characters and content, and The Lodge was a top tier example of that. Not only did the story feel swoony, it had great content, and flow to it too!

A ghostwriter falls for the charming ski instructor living in the apartment beside hers as she stays at a Vermont ski lodge trying to finish her latest project. This delivered all the feels for me and while I saw the twist coming I still loved it. Good on audio and highly recommended for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six or Rachel Lynn Solomon's Business or pleasure. The book explores the high cost of fame and complicated family dynamics. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I gave this book an honest try, but I could not get into it. There were no sparks between the protagonist and the love interest during their first few meetings. I also had no reason to be invested in the whole boy band storyline. As a result, I ended up DNF'ing this one. The writing did not help me stay in the story although I cannot quite pinpoint what the issue with it was.

I just finished reading this book and it was so cute and adorable. We meet Alix who has been sent to Vermont to ghostwrite Sebestian Green's memoir.

This was a cute and quick story perfect for the winter. I will never say no to a book with boy banders and the dynamic between True North was pretty realistic. The ski lodge was such a good setting - Olson’s writing really allows you to visualize your surroundings. Alix’s sister made me want to put my head through a wall so I’m glad there was some good resolution to their storyline.

The Lodge initially felt like it was going to be a fun romance. Unfortunately, I became bored and figured out the "mystery" aspect fairly quickly. I wish that I had enjoyed this story, but I did not.

This book was a ton of fun! A great winter read. I enjoyed the romance but I also really enjoyed the Hollywood gossip aspect of it. The hint of a mystery made for a very fun read. I highly recommend for a winter (not Christmas) read!

At first I was enjoying this book. Then Lauren came along. Alix putting up with Lauren’s stupidity just ruined it. She wasn’t a child but Lauren acted like a tween. Who gets saddled with a coworker moving in and can’t ask them to leave? What kind of person nonchalantly gets their sister evicted and had no sorrow over it. The same kind of person that leaks sensitive data and then says whoops my bad. The rest of the story was fine but I couldn’t recommend this due to Lauren’s character.

Publication date: January 7th, 2025

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alix Morgan lands her dream job as the ghostwriter for Sebastian Green’s memoir, the former member of the iconic boy band True North. When he offers her a luxurious penthouse at a posh resort in Vermont to focus on the project, Alix leaps at the chance to escape her noisy apartment and dive into the world of celebrity memoirs.

With her background in entertainment journalism, Alix is no stranger to True North’s dramatic history, especially the mysterious disappearance of their former frontman Jett Beckett. As she listens to Sebastian’s voice memos, the shadow of Jett’s vanishing looms large, and the question fans have been dying to know remains unanswered. Alix is caught between writing the book and unraveling a much deeper mystery that could change everything she thought she knew about the band.

While working, Alix also finds herself drawn to Tyler, a charming ski instructor at the resort. Their chemistry is undeniable, and as their relationship heats up on the slopes, the stakes get higher.

Thank You Netgalley and Atria Books

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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I requested this for consideration for Book Riot's All the Books podcast for its release date. After sampling several books out this week, I decided to go with a different book for my review.

Thank you Atria Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I will not lie to you, I judged this book by its cover. In the sense that I saw it and needed it immediately. I may be a Summer girl, but I do love Winter and especially love a good ski trip. I was attracted to this book by its setting but was pulled into the story’s cozy vibes and drama. It was the perfect book to read between Christmas and New Year’s and has be so excited for 2025 reading!

Synopsis:

“Alix Morgan just got her big break as the ghostwriter of a memoir by Sebastian Green, a former member of the boy band True North. And when he offers her a penthouse at a luxurious resort in Vermont, she jumps at the chance to work far away from her noisy, cramped apartment.Her career as an entertainment journalist has been building toward this dream job—after all, she used to cover True North and was one of the last people to interview former front man Jett Beckett before he disappeared. As she combs through her client’s voice memos, the specter of the missing lead singer remains, and fans are desperate to know the full story.But Alix also has time for some fun at this glamorous resort, where she begins ski lessons with a handsome instructor named Tyler. As Alix and Tyler fall in love on the slopes, Alix’s work takes a complicated turn—and the mystery of True North’s downfall may be hers to solve.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—A Vermont ski lodge! I went skiing while reading this book and the vibes were just immaculate. I wish the snowstorm has been a bigger component! Love the snowed in trope.

The Celebrity Intrigue—I am fascinated by ghostwriters, especially celebrity ghost writers. I thought this was a fun and sneaky take on it and I loved that the characters maintained their integrity.

The Character Growth—I wouldn’t say there is a 3rd act break up, I mean there IS, but I loved how the characters communicated with each other and trusted the other. It was so refreshing.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

I am glad there was resolution to the drama with Alix’s sister because wowwwwww did that annoy me.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 0/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

death of a parent (off page)