I'm not convinced this isn't just One Direction fanfiction - but either way l'm all for it. This was a cute, cozy winter vibe romance, where even though we're dealing with pop stars, nothing ever feels too outlandish.

This ARC was provided by Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.

(Actual: 3.75⭐, rounded up) Super cute read, perfect for traveling over the holidays also (; I loved Kayla's debut novel, THE REUNION, which is why I was super excited to read her latest work and am happy to report it did not disappoint! Kayla has a way of really setting the stage/scene in her novels, which I really appreciate since it helps me visualize everything that's happening within the story so much clearer. I loved Alix as our FMC and, while the plot does have its moments of predictability (I guessed the ~twist~ fairly early on), that isn't to say it was boring or unengaging - because it wasn't and it was. Besides, sometimes you just want some good ol' fluff (with a decent helping of nuance as well haha). Overall, this is one of the *coziest* romances I've read and a wonderful way to close out my year, so thank you again for the opportunity!

This was a cute romance with a pitch perfect snowy setting, but there's not much more to it than that.

The big twist is one you can see coming from a million miles away... in large part because without it, the romance itself is boring. The pop music trappings of the protagonist's work as an entertainment journalist are more interesting.

There's not much depth or development. Relationships are what they are because the author said so. The leads fall in love quickly and easily because they're the leads. A subplot featuring a selfish and immature sibling is foam-at-the-mouth-inducing until it's magically resolved because there had to be a resolution.

If your romance tastes lean toward simple escapism and suspension of disbelief, this is a nice seasonal addition that will make you want to dunk soft pretzels into hot cocoa.

3.5 stars rounded up

4⭐️s This took some warming up for me. But once Alix’s and Tyler’s story grew, I knew it was going to have some gems. Truly a cozy romance. Definitely some drama, but just the right amount to pull you in. Be sure to look for The Lodge coming January 7th!

Alix has an amazing opportunity to be the ghost writer for Sebastian Green of True North. Writing his memoir is going to be a step toward her dream but will Seb be a nightmare. Despite him putting her in a beautiful Vermont penthouse, he doesn’t answer her calls, the voice memos seem to be full of Seb’s ego, and overall leaving more questions than answers. The biggest one Alix knows she will have to write is the disappearance of Seb’s band mate, Jett Beckett. After all, it was Alix who last interviewed him eight years ago.

But Alix also finds ways to distract herself from the frustrations of Seb’s lack of communication via skiing lessons. Taught by a very handsome ski instructor, Tyler, who happens to be Alix’s new neighbor. Everything is going so well with Tyler. But when Seb makes an appearance at the penthouse, things take a turn. Alix may just find out the truth about the True North break up.

Thank you to @netgalley, @atriabooks, and @authorkaylaolson for the advanced reader copy. #thelodge #kaylaolson #netgalley

This is my first Kayla Olson book and I’d be lying if I said I loved it. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate it. It just wasn’t for me. Definitely gives off cute holiday vibes but the romance was a bit bland, definitely gives off hallmark movie vibes. I can see why others loving this one.

"The Lodge" was my first Kayla Olson book, but I definitely plan on going back and reading "The Reunion" and whatever else she puts out going forward. It's not a Christmas book, but "The Lodge" is a great book to read around the holidays as it takes place at a ski lodge in Vermont. This story was so easy to get into and the characters of Alix and Tyler were well-developed and likable. Their dialogue was adorable and quite comedic at times. There is no spice or open-door scenes, but it is a nice slow-burn romance with lots of tension. I find the best books have a character (or characters) in it that evoke strong emotions like hate and in this story that honor goes to Alix's sister, Lauren. It's so frustrating when people are self-absorbed and whiny and generally unaware when their actions have negative consequences on other people, Lauren is that sort of person. She does redeem herself (kind of), and the heart-to-heart that she and Alix have at the end did make me hate her less. Overall, "The Lodge" was such a nice, fun, rom-com that gives perfect winter/holiday vibes.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Advanced Book Review! Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for sending me this book for review. Opinions are my own.

This was my first book by Kayla Olson and I absolutely loved it. I got pulled in right from the dedication where the author says this book, among other 90’s references, is for anyone that “is still in their boy band era and, frankly, never intends to leave.” I knew immediately this book was for me.

When Alix gets her big break ghostwriting the memoir of Sebastian, a member of a former boy band, True North, he offers her a penthouse at a luxurious resort in Vermont to have a quiet place to write. Putting aside some time for fun, Alix begins ski lessons with a handsome ski instructor named Tyler and they start to fall in love on the slopes. Alix’s work takes a complicated turn when she starts investigating the mystery of True North’s downfall, and the missing lead singer.

I am not exaggerating when I say I could not put this book down. I loved the mystery aspect of trying to figure out what happened to True North’s lead singer along with Alix, and the interview portion with Sebastian. I loved the celebrity aspect, the winter activities (love reading about them, enjoy doing them less), and the descriptions of the fancy Vermont lodge. Kayla Olson also uses other forms of writing to help move the story forward – like newspaper articles and interviews, social media, emails and voice memos. I think that definitely helped make the novel more dynamic. I also love the cover and the colours.

Five stars because I got completely absorbed in this one.

The premise of this book was intriguing.
The Lodge itself was a fantastic setting for this story. I wish I could visit this idyllic setting. The part where Alix finds romance with the ski instructor was charming. I mostly enjoyed these characters, except for Alix’s sister and the celebrity she’s working with to write the book. There was a bit of mystery, yet the twists and motivations were predictable. That’s not necessarily bad, it just made the story lack depth.
3.5 stars rounded up because I did like the cozy atmosphere and the happy ending.

Alix has finally gotten her big break, and it’s ghostwriting the biography of one of her generation’s biggest pop stars. The only problem is that he is across the world and nearly impossible to get in touch with about any of his lengthy voice notes he has sent. As Alix gathers her notes and bunkers down in Vermont to write, in a penthouse apartment he has put her up in, she unexpectedly stumbles across answers she was looking for and the cute boy next door. While contending with her youngest sister living in her Manhattan apartment and navigating a difficult pop star, it’s impossible for the reader not to fall in love with the whole cast of characters.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

All the stars 🥹 I really enjoyed Kayla Olsen’s debut romance book, but The Lodge took my love to an entirely new level. This book was so cozy and warm and perfect for this time of year. The imagery of the setting was written perfectly; I felt like I was visiting these snow-capped mountains alongside Alix, our FMC. I really liked the plot of this book and found it so fun. I knew the twist really early on, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book at all. I feel head over heels in love with both Alix and Tyler. These two were the perfect main characters and I loved watching their relationship grow. The love between them just felt so organic; we watched them truly blossom as friends into something more. The side characters all added just enough to the story. It gave our main characters depth while also not taking away from their spotlight. I really loved the mixed media elements and how it added to the story. It gave us background and delivered extra information in such a fun way. The ending was PERFECT. The epilogue was beyond adorable. Honestly, I read this book at the perfect time for me and I honestly wouldn’t change a thing. So, so good!

4/5 stars

Thank you Atria Books for the advanced reading copy!

What a perfect book for this time of year! While not inherently a holiday story, this fit right into my holiday reading with the fun winter and ski vibes. I was instantly intrigued by the premise of this one, and the story did not disappoint. Such a sweet romance, while adding a fun and mysterious twist on the side. The drama and romance had a bit of a slow burn vibe -- which I don't normally love -- but I was entertained the entire time.

My two main complaints with the plotting were regarding River and Lauren. I won't give too much away due to ~spoilers~ but I felt like both of these plot points were gearing up to be really dramatic and intense, and both felt like they were swept under the rug too easily. Especially Lauren! I found her to be an insufferable character and I wish she had had more consequences.

That being said, I still really enjoyed this book. Our MC's were loveable and fun to read on the page. This story felt cozy and warm, which is exactly what I want at this time of year!

A cozy wintry romance. I absolutely LOVED this setting. The characters were adorable. I just couldn’t get enough.

Indeed cozy and nostalgic as promised! As a boy band enthusiast, I had a feeling this would be for me---and it was! It was for me!

Alix ghost writes her ex boyfriends memoir and their chemistry was undeniable from the start. I can tell the author worked hard to blend real life drama and relatablity to balance out the fabulous celebrity aspect and the result was something undeniably authentic. I am looking forward to diving into her backlist!

Alix Morgan gets her big break as a ghost writer to former boy band member Sebastian Green. He sets her up in the remote ski resort to help her creativity flow. While there, she gets even more inspiration for her love life from ski instructor and her new neighbor, Tyler.

This was such a cute romcom! Here's what I liked:

The boyband-ness: I love celebrity romances and this one was really well set up. You get a good insight into the boy band life from Sebastian's memoir notes. This adds to the dynamic of the book.

Alix: She's a great character to follow with this story. She has a complicated life with stressed family interactions, a desire to do more with her career, a bad past relationship all while falling in love with Tyler.

The resort: Loved this setting. I wanted to go here so bad! The entire resort is like a little town with some really great characters. A perfect setting.

All in all, this was a really good romcom!
Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Kayla has done it again with a celebrity type of romance where we face the toughest conflicts and also have the best ski lodge romance we could ever ask for. I loved hearing Kayla and her take on the aspect of boy bands, and how nostalgic it was for me, this one is truly for the boyband fans. I loved how it gave off the perfect cozy vibes, and as The Lodge was one of my most anticipated read, it was amazing to read this book.

The Lodge is the perfect snow lodge read, I recommend it to anyone who is fans of romance, next door neighbor, boy band fans, and just a fan of a cozy snow lodge with the best cast of characters.

This was a fun wintery romance. The whole thing has a kind mysterious element to it with the boy band aspect, which was added an interesting feel to the whole book. I did have some issues with certain parts of it, but I overall had a good time with the book.

I do think that some of the areas weren't as developed as they should have been. The whole relationship between Alix as Sebastian was kinda odd, as it seemed like he literally never actually interacted with her and then when she would be confused about why, he would act like she was crazy for thinking that? Kinda odd to me, especially since it happens a few times. The timing of the whole thing felt off to me to, since it takes place over a month but it feels like much less.

I did really like Alix and Tyler together, and the actual pacing of how the main plot came out was good.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria for the advanced copy!

This romance read like a Hallmark movie. This is not necessarily a bad thing; just something you have to be in the mood for.

Cute and fluffy. The characters are just likeable enough for you to want for them to find their happy ending but bland enough to make them forgettable in the long run. It felt like every time the plot was heading towards some conflict - the eventual confrontation was almost always a let down. Alix and Tyler had the calmest, most uninteresting arguments. In the real world, they would likely be a very healthy couple who knows how to communicate, but it unfortunately doesn’t make for the most interesting reading.

This was basically all fluff which again, not necessarily a bad thing if you are aware of what you are getting into.

Thank you to Atria Books for providing a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

A great cozy, mystery romance! This book follows our main character Alix as she journeys to a secluded ski resort to ghost write a biography for an infamous popstar, former boyband member Sebastian. A big part of the story he wants to tell is about the disappearance of his bandmate and how that impacted his life. Once at the resort, Alix meets a handsome ski instructor Tyler and the two hit it off. I appreciated that fact the two of them communicate and, while I love 'insta-love' stories, they take it slow and really get to know each other which I could relate to. I loved the dynamic with Alix & the characters around the lodge. The longer Alix spends at the lodge, the more she begins to fall for Tyler and realize that Sebastians story may be even bigger than she thought. Thank you Netgalley & Kayla Olson for an advanced copy of this book to read. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down! I kept going 'one more chapter' until there were none left!

I loved this book more than I thought I would, not to say I didn't think I would not enjoy the book. I originally was interested in this book because of the title and the cover. I really enjoy skiing in the winter with my boyfriend and travelling to different ski lodges. So the idea of a book set in a ski lodge really caought my eye.

The boyband with a hint of mysterious disappearance was a fun twist! I was pulled in to this book immediately! I love that the author imcluded some celebrity entertainment blurbs and blog posts; that was such a fun inclusion.

If you love boy bands and even follow one closely, you definietly know what it is like emotionally when they break up... or worse. I loved the attraction between Alix and Tyler. Everything about this book was so fun. My favorite part was when they got snowed in together... I love a good snowed in trope. Definitely pick this book up.

Happy Reading! :)

3 Stars.

🥨 The vibes:
- ski lodge setting
- Fictional boy band (feels like 1D)
- Insta love
- A ghostwriter working on a celebrity memoir
- Winter activities
- Closed door

⛷️ My thoughts:
I loved the setting so much. The ski resort in winter season was such a cozy vibe, and that was my favorite element of the entire book. I loved the way I could imagine the scenery so clearly. It felt cold to me while reading this, and I enjoyed the writing style in this area so much.

I really liked the first half and thought the set up was really done well. I was interested and curious of where the plot was heading. The second half lost steam for me. It felt a mixture of unrealistic (which I can be chill with) and also just full of characters making choices that felt so unlikable to me that I struggled to enjoy the conclusions throughout.

I didn’t feel like I truly KNEW the MMC or the FMC. I struggled to understand their connection on a deeper level. Their feelings were deep, but I didn’t see why. It felt a bit instalove in this regard.

The formatting for text messages was inconsistent throughout. This may change in the final copy, but as it is, the texts could have been formatted better. It confused me often.

The story arcs specifically involving Tyler, Sebastian, and Lauren didn’t feel fully fleshed out for me. Getting from point A to point B on each of their individual journeys did not feel like a natural progression to me which I would have loved to have seen.

Overall, the winning element here is definitively the winter setting and all the fun and cute winter activities throughout. I almost feel like if all the main characters were 10 years younger, this would have fit better and overall made more sense for me.

Continue to the bottom of the review for spoiler thoughts that contributed to the rating.

Release date: January 7, 2024
Note- closed door; some light language.

Thank you so much to Kayla Olsen, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

Spoiler thoughts that go into more detail:

Where is Tyler’s family?? Does he have nobody at all??? I know he doesn’t have his mom but did he not have anyone else at all in his life to know that he was a missing person?

Everything with Alix’s family was such a switch from what we knew the entire book to how they behaved at the very end. I’m not sure if it’s a case of unreliable narrator, but I couldn’t believe Alix spent her whole life feeling like a disappointment to all of a sudden finding out they’ve been so proud this whole time.

And Lauren specifically. I didn’t like her. All throughout. Even with her reasonings for her choices, or her weird excuses for her actions, I still did not like her. 😩

Lastly, what the heck is up with Riv- Tyler’s supposed BEST FRIEND just selling him out like that?? I know it’s not selling him out exactly but that’s what it felt like to me. Just have a real, honest conversation with your life long best friend, sir.

*note- posted on Instagram (posted on stories on 12/16/24 and saved permanently to my Story Review highlight reel on my profile) , goodreads, Storygraph, and barnes and noble. Links provided. Will be posted on Amazon after release date when Amazon allows me to.