I will be honest, I went into reading The Lodge blind. I didn’t read the synopsis or look it up online. I’m not sure why but I thought it was an enemies to lovers that was taking place in a lodge. Imagine my surprise when I realize that it’s a cozy romantic mystery!! I loved The Lodge!! It was adorable and so cozy!! I want to go to the Black Maple Lodge and get a surprise drink from Makenna at the Village Cafe! The backdrop of this book was adorable and I loved the way that Kayla was able to describe it so that I was able to visualize The Lodge. The relationship between Alix and Tyler from the very beginning was so cute. It was the very definition of a meet cute!! Alix was such a smart main character and she was able to pick up on the clues that Tyler and Sebastian were unknowingly leaving behind. Tyler was so cute and kind to Alix, never pressuring her to tell him more information about her book or who she was writing about. The only thing I wish we had gotten a bit more of was the what went on AFTER Tyler let the world know who he really was. We got a little insight into it in the epilogue but I wanted a bit more. I would have also liked a little bit more of Alix and Lauren’s relationship. Lauren is Alix’s baby sister and I feel like I needed a bit more of her growing up. She was so selfish in my opinion and I would have loved to see her be put in her place a bit more. In summation, I enjoyed this cozy wintery romantic mystery! I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a cute cozy read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the arc!

This was a cozy romance with a hint of mystery in a perfect winter setting. Imagine being sent to a ski lodge in Vermont so you could focus on your writing, only to be distracted by a handsome ski instructor. But, is he really who he claims to be?
Alix is attempting to be a ghost writer for the first time, and her subject will not give her the time of day, so why not get some ski lessons in. Alix and Tyler get to know each other quickly go from skiing to dating, and Tyler is very sweet.
If you are looking for a book with some mystery, romance, and set in the perfect winter ski lodge, you will love this.

Posting on 12/18/24

Rating: 4.5 Stars

This was Alix's big break! She was ghostwriting a memoire for a former member of the hugely popular boy band, True North. While in seclusion to focus on her writing, Alix fell hard for her ski instructor while also finding herself sinking further into the mystery surrounding True North.

I had enjoyed Olson's previous book, The Reunion, but I LOVED The Lodge. From the very first chapter, I found myself invested in so many facets of this story. I wanted this ghostwriting gig to be a success for Alix, so she could prove to everyone that her career was worthwhile. I wanted this spark between her and Tyler to ignite into flames in order to help her forget her disastrous romantic past and know that she was deserving of love. I wanted the truth about True North's breakup and the Jett Beckett's disappearance to be revealed. I was simply all in on this tale.

As I read The Lodge, there were so many times I smiled and laughed. It was a fun read, and I enjoyed myself tremendously. I also loved that this was not just a rom-com. The way the True North story was intertwined gave this book a little something above and beyond my expectations. I am going to date myself here, but early on, I was getting some serious Eddie and Cruisers type vibes, and this delighted me. I am not going to act like this was on the level of a mystery/thriller, but it was great to have that extra layer to the story.

The setting was stellar. I vacationed in Stowe back in 2022. It was spring when I was there, but its beauty still shined. It was fun getting to "be there" during the ski season to admire all its mountain splendor. The inclusion of fun outdoor and winter activities really immersed me in the joy of it all and was a great way for the characters to bond.

I know there are going to be a lot of insta-love haters coming for this book, but I don't know, it seemed more like attraction that was allowed to grow and breathe a bit. Maybe it was a bit fast, but I still enjoyed all the moments they shared and how Tyler and Alix connected and opened up to one another. Even Tyler's inner circle was onboard, and that was important, as they were the only "family" he had.

Overall, I had a delightful time at The Lodge. With great banter, characters I cared for, a beautiful setting, and well place mixed media entries, this romance with a touch of mystery was full of warmth and humor with a solid story that drew me in and kept me fully captivated until the end.

** spoiler alert ** This felt more like a One Direction fan fic off wattpad than it did a short romance novel. Regardless, it was charming but I wish there was a bit more development. The pace is very fast and the story is unbelievable at some points but I suppose that’s what makes it fiction. I love boy bands, skiing, and cute romances that make your heart skip a beat but something about this story wasn’t clicking for me. I wanted to love it because I wish something like this happened to me during my boy band phase but it fell short.

Thank you Atria Books & Net Galley for the arc! Be sure to look out for this book coming early 2025.

This book earned 4 stars. I am not familiar with the author but enjoyed it. I typically like books about writers. This was a thriller with just a hint of romance. It felt cozy and perfect for the time of year I reviewed it which was near Christmas. You will not regret buying this book!

First I want to thank @netgalley , @atriabooks and @authorkaylaolson for the opportunity to read this book prior to release.

This book was absolutely phenomenal. A ghostwriter for a famous band member sent on a writing vacation to a ski lodge and falling for her skiing teacher and neighbor. Count me in.

I genuinely loved every second of this, I read the whole thing in one sitting. This book had me kicking my feet and pacing my room. This book was just so much fun and had no flaws.

I would certainly say that if you’re looking for deep, life-changing literature, this isn’t for you. However, if you love a good story, and a fun plot with a little mystery. You will absolutely love this.

AND it’s not even a little smutty, it’s not even closed door, this book is just sweet and kind and SOOO good.

I highly recommend this book, and will be purchasing a physical copy for my shelf when this book is released!!

Thank you Atria Books & netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was cute, it had fun wintery vibes with a mix of mystery. However, I thought the "twist" was so predictable!! I had a suspicion right at the beginning of the book so when it happened, I wasn't surprised. I also didn't like Sebastian!! I did think that Alix and Tyler had cute chemistry and some really sweet moments together tho!

Overall, the book was good, it was easy to read and put me right into the wintery spirits!

The Lodge: ★★★☆☆ (3)

Pub date: Jan 7, 2025 - preorder your copy now!!

Tropes:
- ski instructor
- cozy, wintery vibes
- boyband
- ghost writer FMC

I loved the dedication of this book and tbh was immediately hooked because I love boy bands! I loved Alix and her journey throughout this book. I was stressed for a while once I figured out the twist, but it was worth it in the end.

The only part that was disappointing for me and felt rushed was the conflict with Alix and Tyler — it felt pushed along quickly without any real communication. It might have been because the ending felt very quick. I wanted more from certain parts.

4.5 stars

This was a wonderful winter romance with little spice. There is snow, skiing and hot cocoa with a handsome fit ski instructor. What more could you want?

Alix is ghost writing a book for a member of a popular band that split up. She is offered a penthouse suit at a Vermont resort for the month to help her get her writing done. During her breaks from writing she gets cozy with the ski instructor. Then things take a terrible turn and you are left to see how she merges her previous life and her new life as one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria books for the arc of this book, I truly appreciate it.

Unfortunately, this is a novel that didn't really grasp my attention as I had hoped, but that's not to say it's not a fun and easy read. I know so many people in my life who truly enjoy it and find it entertaining. I think the plot is nice and something kind of new for me to have read about. Therefore, I give a rating of 3/5 stars because even though it wasn't my cup of tea, there' so much about it that I know it will be one that many people love. Maybe, some day in future, I can try it again and love it too.

thank you again for this opportunity.

main thoughts:
This was a pretty fun and entertaining book and it did have some good holiday vibes🫣 I was also not really expecting the mystery aspect so that took me for surprise. I am a bit disappointed though because I guessed the plot twist in about two seconds so nothing actually shocked me. Overall though I loved the vibe of everything I just wish this book was a bit longer and I wish I enjoyed the romance a little more, it was still a fun read though don’t get me wrong. I do also want to mention that the little article sections and texts threads were fun to read throughout the book which was nice.

characters:
Alix: I liked her for the most part I’m not obsessed, but I think she was a pretty chill and caring person. I wished we explored her dynamic with her family more though but I liked to see how they got along at the end.

Tyler: I liked him the little things he did were cute, but I just wish we knew even more about him, he was still a good mmc and a cutie though at times 🤭

romance:
Listen I don't hate them together I just didn't feel as much chemistry as I wanted too, like they had their moments, but it wasn't enough for me personally I wanted more. I feel like if I liked the romance more this would have got a higher rating tbh. At first I though everything was moving too fast and then it slowed down again and picked up fast in the epilogue so I don’t know honestly😭 people might like them more though and I do think they had good potential just needs more execution.

extra:
I would still recommend this book it was easy to read and it’s still a cute and cozy book and the drama at the end was kinda fun😭

thank you netgalley for providing me with a e-arc of this book in exchange for a honest review!!

I got an arc of this book back in September and had to patiently wait to read it until the winter months to get in the winter vibe!! The premise of this book has me so hooked: author ghostwriting a famous boy band memoir on a snowy mountaintop, sign me up! I loved the chemistry between Alix and Tyler and the fun dates they went on throughout. I think I wanted a little bit longer between them before the big third act but overall a great cozy winter read. Olson knows how to write a celebrity romance!!

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for early access to The Lodge in exchange for my honest opinion. I really enjoyed this book!
Alix gets the opportunity to ghostwrite the memoir of a boy band member, and, to make that even better, she’s set up to stay at a penthouse condo in a ski resort to help her focus away from distractions in NYC, where her younger sister has been staying with her. She even gets to bring her cat along! The boy band broke up after one of the members disappeared, and it’s been suggested that the member for whom Alix is writing may have been the cause for his disappearance. Alix, of course, hopes to find out everything, while listening to a plethora of voice notes because she hasn’t met him in person yet.
While in Vermont, Alix is pressured by her best friend to go out and spend some time skiing. She does, while taking lessons from her very attractive neighbor. I loved reading about them getting to know each other. When a massive blizzard is predicted, everyone is in a bit of a panic, and when the snow comes, the drama really picks up! With both romance and mystery storylines, The Lodge is a quick-paced novel that transports the reader to a snowy ski village. I couldn’t read it fast enough, and I definitely recommend checking it out with a mug of hot cocoa (and maybe a hot pretzel… iykyk)
I also recommend Kayla’s previous book The Reunion if you want to read another FUN romance before The Lodge publishes in January.

Not going to lie the amazing cover art is the first thing that drew me to this book. But I’m so glad I was able to read it because it was just a lot of fun, a good wintry romcom. A little predictable, but that doesn’t take away the fun

I absolutely loved reading The Lodge. It was the perfect choice for a cozy, sweet, and quick read. The way the author described the lodge and resort was so vivid that I could easily imagine every detail, making the setting feel like a real, enchanting place. One aspect I particularly enjoyed was how Kayla included news articles and message boards throughout the story. These little touches were a great fit for my ADHD brain, adding variety and keeping the narrative engaging.

However, I wasn’t entirely fond of Alix’s little sister. Throughout the book, I couldn’t help but wonder why the character was included in the first place. Despite my initial thoughts, Kayla skillfully tied her into the storyline toward the end, and I realized she played a vital role after all. It was a nice surprise, showing how well that the author structured the story.

Overall, The Lodge offered the perfect combination of warmth, charm, and quick pacing. While I had some minor reservations about certain characters, the story’s overall appeal made up for it. I would rate this book a solid 4 stars and recommend it to anyone looking for a delightful and easy read with a touch of heart.

4.5 stars!

This book was so sweet and cozy, and the cover is absolutely beautiful! It is set in March at a ski resort, so it has very wintery vibes. Alix is an entertainment writer who used to cover boy band True North (which seems very similar to One Direction), and she was one of the last people to interview member Jett Beckett before he disappeared. Now she is ghost writing a memoir for another member the band, and he sets her up with a penthouse suite at the resort so she can focus on her writing. She meets a handsome ski instructor named Tyler, who happens to live in the other penthouse suite on her floor.

Tyler is so sweet and takes Alix on the most thoughtful dates around the ski lodge. Their relationship developed so easily and naturally. I also really loved the boy band mystery woven throughout the story, as well as the media clips in between chapters. I highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a cozy and fun wintery romance!

Thank you to Kayla Olson, Atria, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Read if you like:
❄️ Cozy snowy settings
❄️ Books about writers
❄️ Low spice
❄️ Hint of mystery
❄️ Boy bands

It took me a really long time to figure out how to write this. My actual rating is probably 3.5 stars so I rounded up to four because I feel like it shows a lot of potential.

I really enjoyed the plot and the writing and the way that the story flowed. I definitely wanted more.
More romance, more character history, and I definitely wish there was spice.
There was a lot of chemistry between Alix and Tyler but somehow it just felt unfinished. I don’t know if it was just the general lack of spice, but it felt like they just hadn’t got to where they would both be ready to give up their lives for each other, (not in death, give up their lives, but give up their lives as they know it.)

In my mind, the biggest issue is right at the big moment of them really solidifying what they mean to each other her sister comes along (who is the worst person in this entire book- by far- absolutely terrible) and basically ruins everybody’s lives. Not to mention this is something she has repeatedly done. Her sister is basically forgiven and everything is fine. Despite the fact that she ruined everybody’s lives because she is supposedly sorry.

I almost did not finish this book because of the sister.
Every single time her sister came into play, it was excruciating how all the characters around her just allowed her to exist without pointing out the fact that she is a terrible person.
I would have cut that woman off so quick. She trampled all over everyone she interacted with obliviously so.
But honestly, as far as I can tell the FMC’s family as a whole are full of terrible people. It all kinda came together in the epilogue where they were kind of getting along, but no real knowledge as to why after being treated like shit her entire life. The FMC is OK with her family.

I don’t know if this is a series, but just because I don’t want to risk having to ever read about the sister again I probably won’t be finishing this series. If there ever was a character that needed to killed off… just saying

This romance was a sweet and wholesome ride! I was/am a huge One Direction fan. This really played into the delusion of it all and honestly read at times like a OD fanfiction. The banter between the main characters was simple and playful so that made the writing and concept itself felt a bit juvenile for me. I believe this could be a YA romance and it is something I would have ATE UP as a teen. I absolutely hated the sister and felt like things with the actual "conflict" in the story resolved way too easily. I feel like it's not as developed in terms of plot and characters for it to be an adult romance. I did have fun reading it and that's why I would give it 3.5 stars, rounded up.

If you're looking for a light and cheerful winter romance with very light spice (literally just kissing), insta-love, boy band drama, super cute winter dates and a freak blizzard, you should read this book!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Atria Books for this ARC.

This is the most perfect cozy winter break read!!! It transported me to a new universe and I really loved being immersed in this story with these characters. If you need a book that feels like both a vacation and a cute rom com, this one is for you!! Thanks so much for the advanced readers copy!

The Lodge is a binge-worthy cozy romance with a hint of mystery that sets the mood for the winter season with its snowy ski lodge setting. Ideal for anyone who enjoys a low-angst love story with minimal spice, this book brings out the boy band fan in us all. If that sounds like your cup of tea (or, more appropriately, hot chocolate), prepare to fall in love with this happily ever after.