Love on a movie set, a definitely fun rivals to lovers, and a classic Christmas grinch (but it's in July!) I had a lot of fun reading this one, and the characters were well developed. The only thing that jumps to mind as something I would've wanted to be different is that although the ending was an interesting solution for the main problem in the romance plot line, it did seem to wrap up too fast and almost made the problem's existence seem unnecessary.

♾️⭐️ Top book of the year!

I loved Mariah and Ellie together so much. They were so opposite and yet complimented each other perfectly. They were so well written, I felt like I actually knew them and could run into them at a coffee shop.
I loved the healing that Mariah had with her parents and cried my eyes out.
Even the cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie script was such a great addition too! It was exactly what you would expect out of a cheesy movie with a twist.

This book was so cute! It was the perfect summer Christmas vibe. The swoons Romance was adorable and it had me laughing out loud!! I read this book and listened to the audiobook! Both were fabulous!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc! This was such a fun read. It gave all the Christmas in July, small town vibes that you wanted, but with characters that you can't help but love.

I loved that there were more serious moments throughout the book, but it also was able to stay lighthearted and fun. It almost gave John Tucker Must Die vibes at some points and it was so much fun to read!

We love a queer Christmas in July story!

When cheerful actress Ellie and grumpy makeup artist Mariah are thrown together on the set of a low-budget holiday movie, they clash instantly. Ellie’s full of festive spirit, while Mariah just wants to escape her Canadian hometown. But as they navigate a summer heatwave and behind-the-scenes drama, unexpected flings with local guys bring them closer until they discover they’re both being two-timed. Teaming up for some holiday-themed revenge hijinks, Ellie and Mariah start catching real feelings for each other. Now they have to decide if their Christmas-in-July connection is just a fling or something worth holding on to.

This was a really cute book, and I loved the characters. My heart broke so often for Ellie with her relentless cheerfulness even though she feels like she's never the first choice - for movies or in love. Mariah has struggled with her family growing up, and is tentative about seeing her parents after so long now that she's back in town. I really enjoyed the evolution of their relationship and how some dumb guy helped bring them closer together.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for this ARC/ALC!

This was just ok. I loved the Hallmark movie within a hallmark movie vibes but it felt a little childish.

I liked the movie storyline within the book and the little twist at the end. The overall story was also cute. It’s the perfect quick read for Christmas in July but make it spicy!

I wanted to love this book but it just didn’t work. The premise was super cute but I never got over how annoying Mariah was and Ellie seemed childish.
Regarding the audio: Lauren Sweet and Angelina Rocca were great narrators. Their banter came off perfectly.

Thank you Canary Street Press and Harlequin Audio for access to the e-ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this was such a cute, fast-passed book! I loved how the author styled it with acts from the movie in-between each chapter. I also believe the narrators did fantastic and really helped elevate the story. While I wouldn't say Mariah and Ellie had an insta-love, their relationship was quick to develop. I honestly feel like it still went well with the pace of the story. And listening to them overcome their insecurities while also having some shenanigans was truly so special while also hilarious. Overall I definitely recommend this book, especially the audiobook!

This one is about self discovery but also a fun romcom about 2 women who stumble through their ever changing relationship as they revenge - together

✨ Review ✨ Holly Jolly July by Lindsay Maple

Thanks to Canary Street Press, Harlequin Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

In this small-town Christmas romance in July, makeup director Mariah and actress Ellie are paired up together and they bring the grumpy/sunshine vibes. When both realize their local hookups are cheating on them, they plan revenge using epic Home Alone quality pranks.

I loved that this brought steamy bi representation, summertime Christmas fun, and a lot of character growth. It interspersed the main narrative with excerpts of the film script giving a parallel story to develop along the way. I also loved that Mariah's dream was to be a spooky horror movie makeup maven, which offered the perfect counterbalance to Ellie's Christmas obsession.

Overall, the pacing was a little uneven for me, and it places it felt like a bit of a slog. I loved the pranks, but they also started to seem a bit repetitive too. I enjoyed reading it, but wished for a bit more from the plot I think.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: f/f contemporary holiday romance, bi representation
Setting: small-town Canada, near Vancouver
Pub Date: Jun 2025

Read this if you like:
⭕️ holiday romances
⭕️ small town + film set
⭕️ Home Alone pranks
⭕️ Christmas movies

This book was just what I needed this summer. Call me weird, but I love a holiday book in the summer. This book was interesting, as well as entertaining. I really enjoyed the characters and their banter.

Romance isn’t usually my genre of choice, and Holly Jolly July served as a glittery, overcaffeinated reminder of why I tend to steer clear. I picked it up hoping for a heartfelt holiday escape with a bit of charm and chemistry, but instead, I got a whirlwind relationship that felt more contractual than emotional.

The central couple had all the depth of a peppermint-scented postcard. Their connection was so rushed, it read less like falling in love and more like speed dating in a snow globe.

And the play-within-the-book? It devoured the story like a rogue fruitcake no one asked for. The script was clunky, overstuffed, and lacked any of the sparkle it clearly aimed for.

I went in with hope. I wanted to be won over. But instead of festive warmth, I ended up with tinsel tangles and a lot of eye-rolling.

If you have ever watched a Hallmark movie and wanted just a little something more. A little more spice, a little more body positivity, a little more sapphic and maybe a few fart jokes...might I recommend Holly Jolly July!

I went into this expected a light and fluffy, Christmas in July romance and I left swept off my feet. I did have a few giggles along the way. This was just such an interesting and new take on the classic Christmas time romance. The audiobook was well performed and so engaging. I'm hoping this author continues to write rom coms because I am a fan!

Christmas in July!? Don't mind if I do! this book totally warmed my Christmas loving heart and quite honestly, has me wanting to put my tree up! This was the perfect blend of summer fun and holiday joy.

This is a queer romantic comedy and I totally loved it! This book took place in Vancouver and I really appreciated the Canadian setting. It also featured two great main characters, one a sunshine-y actress starring as a secondary character in a holiday movie, the other a somewhat grumpy makeup artist. They both realize they are seeing the same guy and when they plot their revenge using some Home Alone type hijinks, they end up falling for each other. The connection was very genuine and there were sweet moments as well as open door spicy moments. Everything was great, from the cozy cabin in the woods, the Christmas movie set in the July summer heat, the comedy coupled with the tender moments - I really enjoyed reading this!

I requested a review copy of Holly Jolly July because it looked like a cute rom-com. I didn't realize until I received the ebook that it was also a very spicy read. Oh dear. I usually prefer the sweet romances to the spicy, but I had offered to review the book, so I decided to give it a try. The dedication is to "bisexual bookish babes who are tired of choosing between mf and ff spice." There were graphic scenes of both male/female and female/female couples. There were no scenes involving threesomes. But if you are easily offended by explicit sex scenes, sexual references, and coarse language in general, you might want to skip this book. But, for those who dare, there is a great story with strong, relatable main characters and one character that we just love to hate. Make-up artist Mariah and actor Ellie meet on the set of a low-budget Christmas movie set. This grumpy-sunshine duo are not hitting it off until the excitement of a new romance for each woman has them opening up and sharing confidences. When they find out they've both been cheated on, plans for revenge bring them even closer. Mariah and Ellie are falling in love, but they are from two different worlds. Will their romance last once the movie is finished?

Author Lindsay Maple did a phenomenal job writing this book. Mariah and Ellie were such believable characters with ambitions, problems, and backstories. I am so happy I chose to read their story. This was a time when going outside my comfort zone paid off. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for supplying me with a review copy.

Happy pride and happy Christmas In July all in one! Elle is a holiday obsessed actress who travels with emergency tinsel whereas Mariah is a make up artist with zero patience and not as much spirit as Elle may hold. While working on the same tv Christmas movie, they discover they've been dating the same very exboyfriend and the hilarity, chaos, and so much more resumes. I really enjoyed this read!

Mariah and Ellie couldn’t be more different—Ellie’s a cheerful small-time actress excited to film a cozy holiday movie, while Mariah is a no-nonsense makeup artist just trying to get through the shoot in her sweltering Canadian hometown. They clash right away, but things start to shift as they bond over bad hookups, shared heartbreak, and a hilarious plan for revenge when they discover their summer flings are cheating on them. As they scheme Home Alone–style pranks and grow closer, the sparks between them turn into something real—but with the shoot wrapping soon, they have to figure out if this is just a fling or the start of something more. This was such a cute and joyful read! I loved the fun premise, the slow-burn romance, and the cozy holiday vibes in the middle of summer. It had the perfect balance of humor, heart, and heat—I was smiling the whole way through.

4.25 ⭐️ A sapphic Christmas romance, set in July, with major home alone prank vibes, super amazing communication, and THE definition of grumpyXsunshine?! I’m simply too sat.

For real though, this book was so amazing! Two incredibly written, complex but compelling characters that were totally different but complimented each other perfectly. I LOVED the sunshine-ness of Ellie, I want to be her bestie! But Mariah’s sarcasm and wit, she’s bestie material too.

While there was very little “at stake” through the book, I never really felt bored. Especially with the home alone-like aspects, I had a lot of fun reading this. The commentary was great in that aspect too, but I won’t spoil anything.

The communication was super great to see represented!! Both MCs had flaws, complex backgrounds and quirks, but that didn’t stop them from embracing the other. It was so good to see!!

Even the holiday movie script between chapters had me shook. I’m a hallmark Christmas movie girl, but even I can admit they’re cheesy— but that twist? Incredible.

I would have liked to see a bit more representation in the book, because (if I remember correctly, and PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong) there was very little diversity in the characters. I did love the use of the term nibling for a nonbinary niece/nephew though.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Everyone needs a little holiday joy in the sweltering summer, so why not pick up an equally sweltering romcom? 😜

Thank you to NetGalley, Lindsay Maple and Harlequin for allowing me to read this book early. All opinions are my own.

This was a mixed experience for me. It is very spicy, with both M/F and F/F spice, which was fairly unique even in a bi4bi romance novel, so that was fun. I generally like how the book handled identity, even if it sometimes belabored Ellie's bisexual awakening in a way that almost crossed over into feeling uncomfy for me re: references to her "experimenting" but ultimately pulled back in a more respectful way. I also enjoyed the little interludes to the very hallmark channel Christmas movie script, complete with its own twist ending! Finally, I liked Ellie a lot. She was ultra-sunshine-y but in a way that was clearly a choice for her in the face of negativity, a hard worker, professional, funny, and unapologetically herself even in the face of almost every other character acting like she is at least slightly less cool for being so enthusiastic.

The downside was, I simply did not like Mariah. I did not like her initially. I didn't like that she wanted a job so badly she lied about being a local to get it, and then acted like she was too good for the job. I didn't like how she was judgmental towards Ellie at first. I didn't like how she didn't want to put in the time and hard work that Ellie put into her career and didn't seem to respect Ellie for having done it. For someone who wants to do film makeup, even if it is monster makeup, to be so disrespectful and rude about a job doing makeup for a film crew, completely dismissing the idea of building her resume with anything that isn't exactly what she wants, and then to be handed everything she wants without that work and to have the ending be like, oh, Ellie finally moved over to "real" film work like indie monster films that Mariah liked instead of the cheesy romance films that Mariah was too good for sort of left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm surprised that a romance author, who surely has heard people talk down to romance books in the same way that they talk down about romance movies, would buy into the idea that moving to LA to do non-romance work instead of working locally on sweet films that she loves is the happy ending. I think, for the majority of readers, that will not really be an issue, but it did bother me.

Finally, I think the slapstick, romcom, home-alone style pranking of the cheating sort-of boyfriend was very funny at first but also went on way too long, and for what purpose? A little revenge made sense and was funny, but he was never going to learn a lesson about lying to people by being tricked into falling into a puddle of lube.

Holly Jolly July by Lindsay Maple
Narrated by Lauren Sweet & Angelina Rocca

This was a super fun story about two women working on a movie set together. They find out that they have been seeing the same guy. Their friendship begins while they decide to get back at him.
I think the most interesting part was the plot of the movie they were working on was interspersed with the rest of the story. It was like getting two stories in one.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
* Sapphic romance
* Workplace
* Opposites attract
* Friends to lovers
* Grumpy x sunshine
* Actress FMC x Make-Up artist FMC
* Bisexual awakening
* Revenge shenanigans