I love the cover of this book. Aaaannnddd that's where my love for it stops. I was so. incredibly. bored. reading this book. The characters are perfect, the setting is perfect, there is ZERO conflict to make me invested. There is really no question that the characters will end up together, so there was little reason to root for them.

A cute and cozy winter read! The story exudes warm, fluffy Hallmark vibes, complete with snow-covered mountains, heartwarming moments, and a touch of nostalgia thanks to the fun boy band plot.

While the book is undeniably cute, some parts of the story do feel a bit rushed and skipped through. Overall it’s an easy read for the cold winter months, perfect for anyone who loves lighthearted rom-coms.

I went into this book blind and had such a fun time reading it. I loved the first person POV chapters interspersed with other media (Reddit posts, news stories, etc.) and the premise of decade old boy band drama just sucked me in from the start. While there were a few characters that grated on me, I think those relationships came to satisfying resolutions. I do wish there had been more context to the overall resolution to the story — it felt a bit abrupt — but I enjoyed the book enough that I’m not mad about it.

3.5 stars!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mini Review!

THE LODGE [Kayla Olson]
This was an adorable romcom I didn’t know I needed. Alix is a ghostwriting a memoir for hot boyband member Sebastian Green. The job of a lifetime! She takes a getaway to write in peace when a dreamy ski instructor catches her eye. Also- the FMC’s sister Lauren drove me absolutely bananas. This book was a delight!! No spice though, maybe a quarter hot pepper out of 5 hot peppers.

Thank you to @netgalley/@atriabooks for the gifted digital ARC of The Lodge- OUT JAN 7! I’m ecstatic to have read it early.
Thank you @librofm for the audiobooks, as well.

How is your ‘end of the year’ wrapping up?!

📚📚📚

January/February read alert! Set against the picturesque backdrop of a cozy, snow-covered mountain lodge, it is full of cozy vibes, perfect for this time of year.

The background of the boy band was really fun and interesting to read about, and I really enjoyed the little media snippets between each chapter - articles, social media posts, etc.

I really enjoyed the progression of the romance throughout this book.
Both Alix and Tyler are well-developed characters, with lots of depth and an organic connection. The Lodge has the perfect combination of heartwarming moments, emotional depth, and romantic chemistry.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I just had the BEST time with this cute, cheesy, cozy romance. Is it wildly impractical and unlikely? Absolutely, but isn’t that the fun of reading sometimes? To turn your own mind off and just fall completely into a story?
I loved Alix and Tyler’s characters. The setting was PERFECT for this time of year, and now I want to get myself a hot chocolate
I highly recommend this one if you’re in the mood for a quick, easy to read wintery rom-com.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

🌟🌟🌟🌟
“For anyone who is still in their boyband era and, frankly, doesn’t intent to leave”

This was quite an entertaining read! Was the drama a little questionable near the end? Yeah, but I still had fun. The romance was sweet. It was cute and cozy & I loved the snowy vibes! Perfect snowed in, wintery season read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books & Kayla Olson for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review ◡̈

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced readers copy of this book.

This was my first read by Kayla Olson and I ended with mixed feelings. Overall, it was cute. Nothing groundbreaking or Earth-shattering, just a cozy little winter story. As a skier, the Vermont ski lodge setting, hot ski instructor, and dreamy cover art are what initially sucked me in. The FMC/MMC had good chemistry and communication (which we all know can be so rare in the genre) and it did hook me to see how the ending played out. Unfortunately, I don't think I vibed with the author's writing style - it was a little too, IDK, formal? It felt like she was aiming for conversational, but it ended up feeling like a term paper.

For me, it was the plot that was the saving grace. I enjoyed the boy band drama, but I did not enjoy the annoying little sister (and how much the FMC placated her - tell her to grow up already!) Even if I didn't vibe with the writing, I really did want to see how it ended. (Spolier, HEA!)

Fair warning though, if you're coming here hoping for any spice, you're out of luck. There are a few decent make-out scenes, but our couple never "goes the distance" - on or off the page. There were so many ideal opportunities too... cozy fires, power outage, epic snow storm. C'mon! I would have even settled for some closed-door spice.

This one was a bit of a miss for me, but would be a home-run for many.

📚Trope(s): Secrets (including identity), Sibling conflict, HEA
What you get: 🎿🚡🏔️❄️🎸👩🏼‍💻
⭐️Plot: 4/5
🔥Chemistry: 3/5
🌶️Spice: 0.5/5

The Lodge by Kayla Olson
Format: eARC
Genre: contemporary romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❄️Cozy winter lodge setting
❄️Journalist main character
❄️Boy bands
❄️Sweet romance (no spice)
❄️Unexpected drama and a bit of mystery

This one is perfect to curl up with this winter!! Alix is hired as a ghostwriter for a famous celebrity (and former member of the boy band True North) and is set up in a beautiful penthouse in the snow to write his memoir. Her next door neighbor is a hot and incredibly sweet ski instructor who she quickly falls for. Tyler is so swoony and Alix is so relatable. I LOVED the Vermont ski lodge setting - it was dreamy!! The mystery aspect added some extra drama and fun to the book. I liked that blog posts and articles were sprinkled in between chapters. It made this fictional boy band seem real!

Thank you to Atria for my eARC of The Lodge! It’s out 1/7! Pick it up if you’re looking for a fun winter romance that pairs perfectly with a cup of hot cocoa.

"The Lodge" by Kayla Olson was phenomenal!!! I am in awe of her Olson’s writing. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump for the past few weeks, and this is the book that pulled me out of that slump (and the first book i ever read on my new kindle!) I give this book a 4.5/5 * rating! here are some of my thoughts:

I know a book is good when I miss the characters after i'm done reading it, and I will miss Alix and Tyler. They were truly crafted to perfection, and the ending was exactly what I envisioned for them!! I also appreciate when a book doesn't take what feels like years to introduce the love interest and spark some chemistry, and Olson timed everything perfectly. I was never bored, and I never wanted to put it down.

I always get post-Christmas blues, so I wanted to read a book that wasn't Christmasy but was wintery. "The Lodge" is a PERFECT late December/winter months read. the only reason I docked this book half a star is because I desperately wanted Lauren to be HUMBLEDDD but I never felt quite satisfied with how that was resolved. That doesn't take away from how much I really loved this book, though!!! "The Lodge" was one of my favorites I read this year!

“Where do it sign up for that? Right here.” 😍😉

As soon as I saw the cover I was like OMG the perfect cold snowy day read!

This was a cute romance novel. I wouldn’t call it a romcom but a cute romance novel that made me smile as I listened to it.

I loved the pacing of the story and all of the characters, even Seb grew on me.

I also appreciated that the author didn’t go the easy route in this book and make it all miscommunication and isntalove. KO built the relationships without filler, they all had a natural (although fast but not Instalove fast) progression. I also loved that Tyler was such a mature & self-aware character, because let’s face it we rarely get to see that with males in romance novels.

It was fun to see everything play out and was a perfect pallet cleanser for all of my darker reading.

I definitely recommend that you check this one out. Plus that cover is so Instagrammable!

Short Synopsis:
Alix is a writer. More specifically, she’s ghostwriting a memoir of Sebastian Green, a former boy band member of True North. Sebastian puts her up in a ski lodge for a month to write the memoir and instantly connects with her ski instructor, Tyler.

My Thoughts:
This was so cute. And perfect winter vibes. Alix and Tyler had such perfect banter. The ski lodge was such a beautiful setting with lots of moments to snuggle up to.

Olson did a beautiful job with including emails, texts, news articles and gossip columns mixed with the story which added a fun level of entertainment to the story.

What You’ll Find:
Boy Band
Ghostwriter
Romcom
One liners
Found family
Irritating siblings
Celebrity romance

I really thought I would be the target audience for this book. I was OBSESSED with nsync back in the day, and the FMC Alix here is an entertainment journalist who gets the opportunity to ghost write the memoir for her favorite boy band member. Even better, she’s flown to a pent house in a ski village, all expenses paid with a gorgeous view to focus on her writing. Bonus: she lives next door to a hot ski instructor. It sounds like a dream, right? Well, there are plenty of cutesy dates and the winter vibes are perfect for a January read, but I was really bored with the romance. Their banter was just kinda bland. I was WAY more invested in the boy band drama, and more eager to read the mixed media pieces that included social media postings, text messages, and news updates. If you enjoyed Kayla’s other book The Reunion, and this plot entices you, you should definitely give it a try! This was my first book by this author and unfortunately, it was a miss for me.

This one felt all over the place of me...while I enjoyed the boy band vibes, the chemistry was really off. The winter/Vermont setting was so scenic for this time of year, but this won't be a memorable read for me.

My first by Kayla Olson but surely not my last! The Lodge was a sweet and charming romance featuring celebrity memoir ghostwriter, Alix Morgan, and ski instructor, Tyler Fox.

Alix is overwhelmed with family, her apartment, and her job. To stick to deadline, the celebrity who’s memoir she’s currently writing (pop star, former boy-bander) offers to put her up in a swanky ski resort penthouse for a month - and she can bring her cat! Who would say no?! After some light encouragement from her bestie, she’s determined to also enjoy her time at the resort - enter Tyler, tall, handsome, and oh-so-kind. But hmm, he looks awfully familiar…

Both have secrets that are bound to keep them apart - but they can’t stay away. You have to read it to find out more! I adored their sweet flirting and banter throughout the story. This was a great read to cozy up and enjoy by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate- or a maple latte. I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was a sweet and adorable holiday rom com. A journalist is ghost writing when she falls for a ski instructor. I adored this book.

The cozy, wintery vibes were definitely on point! I loved the Vermont ski resort setting with mountain views, blazing fireplaces and a quaint coffee shop serving delish lattes. The storyline was very enjoyable- Alix is ghostwriting a memoir for an ex-boy band member who loves attention and drama. While trying to take breaks and enjoy all the ski resort has to offer, she decides to try ski lessons. Tyler, the sexy ski instructor was an added bonus! There were some adorable, dreamy moments in this closed-door romance that made me smile and I loved the elements of mystery within the book. While I couldn’t stand Alix’s sister, it showed how patient, caring and supportive Alix was. Highly recommend adding this to your TBR this winter!

4.25 STARS

This book was such an unexpected surprise! Beyond absolutely loving the cover, I didn’t have too many expectations for this book, but I loved it!

Alix and Tyler were such sweet main characters to follow through the story — you really can’t help but root for them! I did figure out the twist pretty quick, but it didn’t wreck my reading experience in any way!

I thought that the setting of the lodge was absolutely beautiful and now all I want to do is curl up with a warm blanket and stare at the snow outside. The perfect winter read if you’re looking for one!

I also was so pleased by how much I liked the side characters (except for one, she IRKED me so bad). They were definitely a fantastic addition to the story!

Overall, if you want a sweet romance story with no spice and boy and drama, then this is the book for you!

Thank you so much to Atria Books for this advanced copy on NetGalley! 🤍

A super fun, charming, and unique plot set against the picturesque backdrop of a Vermont ski resort. Alix is a ghostwriter for an upcoming boy band member's memoir and she nestles into a Vermont ski resort to work. Tyler is the charming and kind ski instructor, that also happens to look oddly familiar. But how does Alix know him? Hmm ... There is undeniable chemistry between the MCs and the cozy, winter storm setting adds to the fire. I enjoyed the air of mystery surrounding the characters and felt the pacing allowed for it to unravel smoothly.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley & Atria Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Alix is ghostwriting a memoir for a celebrity, who installs her in a penthouse at a ski lodge for a month to give her space and time to write. She is determined to focus on her writing, until she meets her hot and kind neighbor, Tyler...
This was a cute winter romance! The ambiance was perfect, to story was really good, but the FMCs sister, Lauren, was really annoying. And what did she really bring to the story aside from complete chaos? I hated her. That's my only complaint though! Looking for the perfect book to read by the fire during a snow storm, look no further!
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.