Not since Catherine Walsh’s Holiday Romance has a holiday-themed romance so COMPLETELY charmed me, and that one’s the standard I judge most of these against. Kristen Bailey is new to me, but you can bet I’ll be searching her backlist immediately. I read this on my Kindle while listening to the audiobook, and narrator Harrie Dobby only elevated my experience with her lovely voice that nailed all the accents, genders and ages perfectly.

Maggie Field is the manager of the IT department at a large London corporation. Tucked away by the company in a geeked-out basement office away from the gleaming ones upstairs, she shares the space with her three co-workers and now closest friends Frank, Jasper and Leo. (view spoiler) Frank is your awkward never-been-kissed, heart-of-gold type with mommy issues, Jasper is posh, bitingly funny, blunt and only half out of the closet with his family, and Leo is the smart, kind, thoughtful scruffy one who seems to be saying and doing all the right things in Maggie’s eyes lately. Why didn’t she notice him this way before?

When HR informs her right before the holidays that they’re making staff cuts and she needs to choose one of her team to be made redundant, she’s faced with an impossible choice. How can she say goodbye to any of them? One thing’s for certain, she can’t possibly tell them about it right now. She’ll have a few days to figure it out, as the boys have devised a plan for her to spend a couple days with each of their families so she won’t be alone for Christmas.

From fake girlfriend/accidental bridesmaid snafus with Frank’s dysfunctional family, helping Jasper thwart his entitled half brother’s fox hunt, and learning all of Leo’s most embarrassing secrets from his tight-knit family, Maggie experiences a week she won’t forget while the clock ticks down to decision time. As she and Leo grow closer, will their time be up when it’s just gotten started?

As can be predicted with this genre, there is a third act conflict, but I consider it more of a hiccup. It’s low drama and pretty clean with flirty banter, a little sexual tension and a couple mildly spicy moments, but no truly open doors. Ironically, if I had to make any complaint at all about this book, I might’ve turned that thermostat up just a TINY bit more, but I’m very happy regardless. The pervasive feel good holiday vibes have me ready to break out the hot cocoa and jingle bells before I’ve even brought the pumpkins in!

If you want a charming, funny Christmas romance with a winning quartet of MCs and fabulous side characters, this may be just the right one for you. It’s as much a love story to close friends and family as it is about finding “the one”, and it’s an easy addition to my all-time holiday favorites list!

I couldn't love this book more. Kristen Bailey has really become a 'must-read' author for me in the last couple of years. Her characters are always so relatable, kind (even in tough situations) and three dimensional. In 'We Three Kings,' Maggie is an IT manager at a large firm, supervising three male IT associates and making their basement office as homey and welcoming as possible. The three coworkers, Leo, Jasper and Frank (I recognized Frank from Bailey's last book, Textbook Romance, where he had a small role), are each different and lovely and quirky in their own ways. The four of them have become a 'found family' of sorts which is why when Maggie tells to them that her parents are going away for Christmas and she'll be on her own, they come up with a plan for her to take turns and join them one at a time in their own family celebrations so she won't be alone. On the day before break though, Maggie gets called into HR and is told she needs to layoff one of her beloved coworkers, who are all great at their jobs and also need these positions for different reasons. The week that follows for Maggie is filled with joy and laughter and also so much sadness and worry as she tries to decide what to do by the time they all return to work after the New Year. Yes, there is some romance but the friendships and familial relationships are top notch and so true to real life. The narrator of this audiobook did a great job with inflection and capturing the truly funny bits. I recommend this read for a holiday escape, and I am definitely looking forward to Bailey's next book.

This book was so cute!

As someone who works in IT, I love that aspect of it, it was so fun.

Add in some Christmas whimsy, but also a build up of friendships, and you have this book.

It was both a fun and a thoughtful read. And a Christmas read too? Very cute.

Appreciate there are Christmas books that are a few steps up from a mindless listen. I really enjoyed Five Gold Rings last year so was happy to see the author had another book out. She delivered again. When the only female and manager of their department has no where to go for Christmas the three male employees figure out a plan. The book travels to three family celebrations where she learns who her employees mean to her. A cute Christmas story that comes together well.

This has been posted to Goodreads.

This was a jolly good romp! A fun, English holiday-themed read that shows the love for found-family and an adorable workplace romance. I found myself laughing out loud several times (❤️ Frank❤️) in-between the heartfelt scenes. The narration was spot-on and easy on the ears 👌. Thank you!

Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: 10/14
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In this book we follow Maggie, the head of a small IT department who is going to be spending the holiday alone until her three coworkers decide to spend a different day of the holiday with her.
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I absolutely fell in love with Maggie, Leo, Jasper and Frank. Each of the men had their quirks and yet I still found each of them charming. I loved learning more about each of the members of her team. I loved seeing what they meant to her and what she meant to them.
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There were absolutely adorable parts, downright hilarious parts and parts where my heart was so full I thought it as going to burst. I flew through this one in a day and I think that it is just such a charming and perfect Christmas season story.
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I listened to this one via audiobook while reading along with my eARC. Harrie Dobby was incredible, I loved the entire production of this one and if you are planning to read this one, I highly recommend the audiobook!
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Overall, this was a huge win for me and I cannot wait to see what Kristen Bailey comes up with next. You are not going to want to miss out on this holiday book this season.
Huge thank you to Kristen Bailey, NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Dreamscape Select for my ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Kristen Bailey once again delivers an endearing and hilarious story in We Three Kings. Her signature style shines through as she introduces Maggie Field and her quirky yet lovable IT team. Each character brings a unique dynamic, and Maggie's interactions with them add warmth and charm to the story.

The evolving connection between Maggie and Leo adds a touch of romance that feels genuine, though yes—you'll want to nudge her to follow HR protocol. Still, Bailey’s skillful storytelling keeps you engaged, making it easy to set aside workplace rules for the sake of this holiday romance. The tension builds just right, and Maggie’s ultimate choices feel satisfying, bringing the story to a fun and heartwarming conclusion.

A delightful, feel-good read perfect for the season.

this is a lovely, unique story! I loved all the characters right from the start, and i loved learning more about them all from each others perspectives. Maggie is wholly lovable and adorable, I loved her pov as we meet her and everyone else. I loved the romance in this story, the who is it gonna be element was captivating. I loved Jasper, Wyatt, and Frank so much, especially as we get to know them individually on such personal levels.

overall, a fully captivating, engaging, unique, fun romance story! I loved it so much especially as an audiobook! the narration was perfect for me, especially as their are multiple characters pov to read from. the narration changed authentically from each pov that let me immerse myself wholly in the story.
thank you for the alc :)

This is a fun, entertaining read. Maggie and Leo are interesting, relatable, intriguing, entertaining, complex, complicated, strong, smart characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. Frank and Jasper round out the group of characters that the story is about. This group of four is fun to spend time with. I enjoyed their relationships and they way they develop through the course of the story. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into. I enjoyed the family and friend aspects of the story and roles they play.

I enjoyed the audio version of the book and the narrator.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

We Three Kings by Kristen Bailey is an adorable holiday romcom about Maggie and her friendship with the 3 men she works with. When they find out she will be spending the holidays alone..the guys all include her in their plans! While the plot was predictable, it was still very enjoyable and sweet! The narrator does a great job and I'd recommend it as a read/listen this upcoming cozy holiday season!

Thank you to Dreamscape Select | Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ALC!

We Three Kings
by Kristen Bailey
narrated by Harrie Dobby

Five Stars

Maggie is head of IT for a financial firm and she loves her job! When she was first hired she was managing two employees, Jasper and Frank. Then she was able to hire another to fill the team, Leo. They work perfectly together! When the guys find out that Maggie will be on her own for the holidays they all decide to include her in theirs. She fake dates at a wedding, hangs out as a friend where she rescues some baby foxes, and she spends a wonderful Christmas with Leo. All the while knowing that after the holidays she is responsible for making one of her team redundant. HOW?! How is she expected to do this when each one brings something to the team that is very important? On top of that, she and Leo are FINALLY exploring their feelings for one another.

This was a really sweet holiday story with a HEA. I would definitely recommend it, plus it's fun seeing the IT team represented. I think this is only my second book involving IT and they don't get enough spotlight. Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Select and the author for the opportunity to listen to and review this story. All thoughts are my own.

#WeThreeKings #KristenBaily
#HarrieDobbyNarrator #ChristmasTime
#Holidays #ITTeam #Redundancy
#HardChoices #WorkPlaceRomance
#Contemporary #ChickLit #Audiobook
#ALCReview #ReadThisBook #ReadAllTheBooks
#NetGalley #DreamscapeSelect

Title: We Three Kings
By: Kristen Bailey
Pub. Date: October 14, 2024

Genre:
Fiction, Holiday Romance

Trigger Warnings:
Adult language, Profanity, LGBTQ, Mentioned Spicy Scene

Summary/Review:
Maggie finds herself alone for the holidays, however, her three IT employees have made other arrangements for her. She will spend time with all of them individually, Frank, Jasper and Leo. First, she will be Frank’s plus one, then Maggie will join Jasper for a few days on his family estate and lastly, with Leo and his big family. Unfortunately, right before Maggie leaves on Christmas break her HR department tells Maggie she must cut a position. She must make the decision of which friend’s position Maggie will cut. How can Maggie move forward with her Christmas plans, knowing she has a very tough decision to make? She knows this is a life altering decision and Maggie doesn’t know what to do?

Overall, the plotline was predictable and decently written, a good read. However, by the middle of the book I felt it was dragging…I continued on. For me, the book started out stronger than it finished, and the relationship with Leo felt like it was lacking and needed more depth. Several other reviews tag this romantic novel as ‘Hallmark like’ however, it had too much profanity and language with one referred spicy scene. For these reasons, I would not consider this Hallmark like. If you like the following authors or books posted below, give “We Three Kings” a try.
*This was a audio listen for me and the author did have a British accent, however, it was slightly harder to follow along as the voices never changed by the narrator.

Similar books to:
The Plus One Pact by Portia MacIntosh
The Book Pact by Tessa Bickers
The Break-Up Pact Emma Lord

Thank you Kristen Bailey, Harrie Dobby, Dreamscape Select, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#KristenBailey
#HarrieDobby
#DreamscapeSelect
#reluctantreaderreads
#advancedreadercopies
#NetGalley

3.75 out of 5 stars!

I hadn't read anything by this Kristen Bailey before, but I often came across her books on my feed. When I saw this one—with its captivating cover and intriguing premise—I knew I had to give it a try. Plus, it's set during Christmas, and I can never resist a festive read!

This delightful Christmas story blends friendship and sweet romance perfectly. I loved how Maggie's holidays unfolded with Frank, Jasper, and Leo, filled with fun antics, quirky relatives, and a fake dating twist. The bond among the co-workers felt genuine, evolving into a true family by the end.

Onto my experience with the audiobook:
The narrator added extra layers of warmth to the story. Her expressive delivery brought the characters to life, making their emotions and interactions even more engaging. Listening to her narration truly enhances the cozy atmosphere of the book, making it a delightful experience overall.

This was such a nice and adorkable Christmas story about love, family, friendships and more!!

We Three Kings caught my attention because the plot differs from your average Christmas romance novel. Maggie, the head of IT at a financial firm, is invited to spend the holidays with each of her three male co-workers. However, she learns she must lay off one of them as she embarks on her holiday adventures with them, which include playing a fake girlfriend at a wedding, rescuing baby foxes, and chasing a donkey in the Lake District. She also navigates her growing romantic feelings for one of them.

This novel is great for those who love British holiday charm. It's quirky and entertaining. It's never too heavy or too light. Without mentioning any spoilers, I'm still not sure how I feel about her ultimate work decision, but overall I enjoyed this holiday read and think most readers will too.

Maggie loves her job as head of IT at a financial firm, and her three geeky but lovable work buddies. And when they invite her to stay with each of them for the holidays, she can’t resist the chance to get to know them better. But then her boss tells her she has to make one of her beloved team redundant, and Maggie is distraught. Can she find a way to keep her work family together, and maybe even find true love?

Maggie was the light in her dark and cold basement IT office that she shared with Frank, Jasper and Leo. They naturally wanted to liven up her holiday instead of her spending it alone. This led to a fun-filled holiday adventure as she got to know her three work friends outside the office.

I loved how each of the characters was fleshed out as they took Maggie to their holiday events. She did everything from being an impromptu bridesmaid, fox baby rescuer and foster mum, a bird and reindeer impersonator to even taking selfies with donkeys 😂 I loved cameos from the previous holiday book's characters 😄 Kristen's signature wit shined through as well.

It became increasingly difficult to make a decision on who to let go as she discovered how much the job meant to each of her three friends. It also made it difficult for anything more to develop with Leo as their feelings and attraction grew.

I loved how it worked out in the end. I listened to the audio. There wasn't much of a distinction between Maggie and the other characters for the most part but it was a good job overall with the different accents.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review. Can't wait for the next book from Kristen!

Rating: 4.5⭐
Steam level: 1.5🌶️ Closed door, innuendo

This was such a fantastic book of friendship and love. I loved the vibe s, the camaraderie, the extended family. Just perfect, the audiobook was done very well too. I was just laughing the whole time, but there is also so much warmth in the book. 10 stars.

#netgalley #WeThreeKings

After Textbook Romance, Kristen solidified herself as a dave of mine and We Three Kings is no different. I enjoy how much natural humor is infused into every exchange between characters. Every look, sigh, and reaction is designed with purpose and makes every book such a visceral experience. I loved it!

When Maggie is left with no plans for Christmas, her three coworkers concoct a plan to spread the Christmas cheer by “scheduling” her to spend the holidays between them. What follows is a hilarious tale of brief fake dating, supportive friendships and of course, true love.

EXCERPT: ' . . . it's the twenty-seventh of November, Maggie,' Frank replies with a heavy hint of sarcasm. 'There is not a hint of Christmas in this place.'
I look around, listening to the November rain thunder down, almost drowning out the mariachi music. Some Halloween decor is still hanging near the kitchens. 'Imagine the cactus in the corner is a Christmas tree.'
They all look confused, like teenagers who've been dragged out against their will.
'How does Darth Vader like his turkey?' I say, trying to lighten the mood, and holding my phone up again, ready. Their faces are blank. Nothing. And you call yourself geeks? 'On the dark side?'
And finally I get a laugh. I take the picture, then turn my phone around to have a look. Frank throws up a touristy peace sign, Jasper is pulling some sort of Elvis lip curl, we've caught Leo mid-laugh, I look less horsey. It'll do. I'll print it out and put it on our office noticeboard as a reminder of the time we attempted to have a life beyond our office walls.
You see, I had thought this would be a good idea. Given that our office smells a lot like Doritos Cool Original chops for most of the year, I thought, where better to host our Christmas dinner than in a Mexican restaurant? This place has hats you can wear and all-you-can-eat fajitas and free Mexican-style Day of the Dead tattoos. It's fun, and I suspect what is lacking in all our lives is a bit of fun. And daylight, to be fair.

ABOUT 'WE THREE KINGS': Maggie Field was looking forward to a solo Christmas in her cosy London flat – before her three workmates decided to liven things up for her.

Maggie loves her job as head of IT at a financial firm, and her three geeky but lovable work buddies. And when they invite her to stay with each of them for the holidays, she can’t resist the chance to get to know them better.

But then her boss tells her she has to make one of her beloved team redundant, and Maggie is distraught. Frank’s work is his world, Jasper’s sarcastic humour is everything, and Leo…well, he’s talented, professional, confusingly attractive, dependable, and funny… Maggie definitely doesn’t want to lose him.

With her career and her heart on the line, Maggie sets off on the Christmas adventure of a lifetime, from playing fake girlfriend at a lavish wedding, to rescuing baby foxes on a posh country estate, to chasing a very confused donkey on Christmas Day in the Lake District. She can’t ignore the sparks between her and Leo – but she also can’t avoid her dilemma.

Can she find a way to keep her work family together, and maybe even find true love under the mistletoe?

MY THOUGHTS: This was my first book by Kristen Bailey and it was fun! It is light and amusing, with (mostly) endearing characters - I am excluding Cressida and the horrid woman from HR.

I loved the chemistry between Frank, Jasper, Leo and Maggie. They are a great team of IT geeks who aren't above taking a little bit of revenge when people do dumb things on their computers - like forgetting to plug it back in and switch the power on!

I loved that the three guys cared for Maggie so much that they organised between them to share her over the holiday season. We get new insights into their characters seeing them in their home environments, away from work.

Maggie's holiday is filled with amusing incidents, including kidnapping a donkey, but all the time there is a cloud hanging over her - who is she to make redundant? I came up with the solution well before she did, but I'm glad she got there in the end.

I was rooting for Maggie and Leo throughout, once they acknowledged their attraction, but talk about a rocky road! There were times I wanted to bang their heads together in frustration. Did they make it? That's for me to know and you to find out.

Innovative and amusing. I'll be reading more by this author.

I combined my reading and listening experience of We Three Kings. Harrie Dobby is an excellent narrator.

⭐⭐⭐.7

#WeThreeKings #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: Mother-of-four, gin-drinker, binge-watcher, receipt hoarder, enthusiastic but terrible cook. Kristen writes women’s fiction and she hopes her novels have fresh and funny things to say about modern life, love and family.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for providing both a digital and audio ARC of We Three Kings written by Kristen Bailey and narrated by Harrie Dobby for review. all opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

We Three Kings
Kristen Bailey

Maggie is the supervisor of IT, she has 3 men that work under her. They are not just her employees they are her friends. The IT department gets left out a lot. The department is on the bottom floor, as in the basement. They were not invited to the Christmas party, and they are not provided with shiny Christmas trees like the other departments. Maggie does everything she can to keep spirits at a high level. She carried a Christmas tree on the METRO, she bought the decorations, and she planned a department party. The men appreciate all she does for them. Each one of the men invite her to stay with them for the holidays. She was looking forward to quiet Christmas in her London flat, but she couldn’t resist getting to know them better.
As she started out the door on the last workday before Christmas break, HR calls her into the office. She has two weeks to decide which one of her team will be laid off. Maggie is very upset. Jasper has a cynical wit. Frank’s world revolves around his work. Leo is gifted, professional, cute, reliable, and funny. She doesn’t want to get rid of any of them but especially not Leo.
The team has planned a hilarious Christmas break for her. She pretends to be Frank’s girlfriend at his sister’s wedding, she helps rescue a baby fox on a country estate, and she chases a donkey on Christmas Day. With a team like this how can she ever decide who to let go.
I love the relationship Maggie has with each member of her team. She is the glue that holds the team together. Maggie is kind, charming and thoughtful. Jasper, Frank and Leo each have distinctive personalities. The team cares about her. This is a delightful Christmas book.

A feel good British holiday romance with a fresh premise that sees the manager of an IT team helping out the three male colleagues over the holidays only to find herself falling for one of them but having to decide which of them to let go from the company. Complications ensue! Funny and heartfelt, this was good on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Catherine Walsh. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!