This is one of the few books I’ve read that has MF and FF storylines and scenes, so it was nice to see bi representation. The falling in love in two weeks was slightly unbelievable but it was still a cute story.

This was such a cute and cheesy book!!! I absolutely adore Christmas books and I loved getting the opportunity to read this one early in the year. The characters were so fun and it was just such a refreshing read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HTP for the arc!

Thank you to Lindsay Maple and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the gifted copy of Holly Jolly July.

Honestly one of my favorite... Idk niches (is that the right word?), Microtropes? What ever you want to call it,  is books/movies about the making of a movie/TV show/content maker, ECT. Behind the scenes stuff you know? I love it because it's almost like getting two different stories for the price of one lol.

Holly Jolly July hits that check mark for me in the happiest little Sapphic Hallmark Christmas movie style ever!

Ellie's character breaks my heart, always playing second fiddle (or trumbone) and never getting to have the spotlight is hard on anyone and she takes it in stride always being cheerful and bubbly while holding it inside. And Mariah is a grumpy stormcloud with a secret heart of gold who just wants to be herself and be accepted for it.

The banter between these two is absolutely phenomenal and their relationship grows so organically. Reading along as these two slowly realize just how deeply in love they are with each other As the story progresses was so much fun and by the end of the story I was in tears!

What to expect:

🎄 Grumpy x Sunshine
🎄 Workplace Romance
🎄 Hallmark Christmas vibes
🎄 Cheating F**ck boys
🎄 MF & FF romance

I loved being on the set of this Christmas movie, the Christmas in July (including all the Christmas decorations to get in the spirit), the pranks, and the steam! Ellie and Mariah were so much fun and now I want to hang out with them and watch Christmas movies.

4 stars

Did you watch John Tucker Must Die and wish the girls ended up together instead? Than boy is this book for you. Plus we have opposites attract! Filming a holiday movie! An actor and makeup artist! Overall this was incredibly fun. I do think some of the pranks on the guy didn’t make the most sense in context (Home Alone style felt wrong) and the movie scenes between chapters was too much, I think having just a few would’ve been much more interesting than how many there were. Otherwise I had a blast. This was meant for the bi girlies!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you Lindsay Maple for the eArc and thank you Netgalley

I'm so happy to have read this book because I finally have a new sapphic couple to love <3
This book was such a funny and light read I had an amazing time but I also shed some tears in the emotional scenes. The concept of Christmas in July was very funny and the movie set is always something I love.
I really enjoyed the movie script between chapters, it gave a special touch to the book.
I loved Mariah and Ellie ! Both characters are well characterized and I never struggled to guess witch pov i was reading. I loved their dynamic grumpy x sunshine and their slowburn from friends to lovers. I fell a bit in love with Ellie too <3
I also enjoyed the spice, it was well written and not cringe.

As a queer person who read mainly queer books I was kinda scared that this book would't feel queer enough but i'm so happy i was proven wrong! It's super queer and definitely perfect for my fellow pan and bi people <3

This sapphic rom-com comes in hot—literally and figuratively. The heat kicks in early, with some very spicy scenes just a few chapters in, and the Canadian summer sun doesn’t let up from there. If you’re looking for steamy chemistry set against twinkle lights and fake snow in July, this book absolutely delivers.

I really liked the concept: a holiday movie being filmed in the dead of summer, with the story flipping between the real-life romance and the movie scenes being filmed. In theory, it should’ve been the perfect meta mix—but in practice, the jumps between “film” and “reality” sometimes pulled me out of the story. I found myself wanting to stay in the actual narrative between Ellie and Mariah rather than bouncing into the on-screen holiday drama.

That said, the character dynamic between Ellie (sunshine and Santa sweaters) and Mariah (grinchy and guarded) was fun to watch unfold. Their grudging alliance after being duped by their respective love interests turned into something much deeper and sweeter—complete with Home Alone-style revenge and lots of unexpected feels. It was funny, sexy, and full of Christmas spirit… just maybe a bit uneven in execution.

If you like your rom-coms spicy, festive, and a little chaotic, Holly Jolly July might just be your kind of holiday treat—even if it’s wrapped in palm trees instead of pine.

Charming and steamy bisexual romance featuring a Christmas-loving actress and a Christmas-hating makeup artist who end up dating the same guy and plan to get revenge on him for cheating only to fall for each other.

There's a lot going on in this story, and it's kind of messy but in a cute way. There's also bits of the script of the movie Ellie and Mariah are working on giving it a small M/F romance in script form too, the twist of which was actually pretty adorable and I can totally see Ellie rocking that role. There's also a sprinkling of fake dating, which I love, and some family dynamics that add another element to the story. The part I liked the last was the revenge plot line. It was just kind of ridiculous. Otherwise, I had fun reading this one.

Note: There is on-page M/F spice as well as F/F spice.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

The description of Holly Jolly July really seemed like something I would enjoy, but unfortunately I just could not get into this and ended up DNFing around 25%

A delightful, quick rom-com read that I devoured so quickly I was shocked when reached the end!
I thought this was an engaging read and I really did enjoy reading this book to see where these characters ended up.
This was a fun and interesting read. I loved Mariah and Ellie, with banter and string willed personalities.
A sweet, soft, and light story, with great characterization and writing that swept me away.
I love Maples writing.

My first holiday read of the year! Hallmark Christmas movies meet John Tucker Must Die in this super cute sapphic holiday rom com and what a time it was! I absolutely loved both Ellie and Mariah and their chemistry was incredible. I really enjoyed seeing them plot their pranks and enact them while slowly falling for each other. I also loved how they each grew in their own ways like Ellie realizing that she’s been a leading lady all along and Mariah going for what she wants in her career. The movie script scenes peppered in throughout the book were so much fun and had that perfect cheesy cuteness you expect from Christmas movies. I think this is a PERFECT Christmas in July (or really whenever the hell you want to read it!) book and it made me wishing it was December now!

Thank you to Canary Street Press for the digital reader’s copy!

unfortunately, i’m DNFing this at 30%.

the concept seemed like it would be a fun read for both summertime and around the holidays, which isn’t easy to achieve — but the execution is, tragically, kind of painful. ellie is so over the top as a “sunshine” character — like, ridiculously so. she speaks in excited run-ons that take up an entire paragraph, she keeps insistently wearing christmas sweaters in july because she’s “method acting!!!”, she starts picturing a future with this guy after knowing him for all of 24 hours (???). mariah is her “grumpy” counterpart, i guess, but she just felt kind of flat to me. the sex scenes were my final straw, i fear — in one scene, mariah called the guy an “alpha-hole” with complete seriousness, which made me cringe unbelievably hard. in another scene with ellie, he sucked her “whole breast” into his mouth!!!! i don’t care how small your chest is, that’s crazy, lol.

this book will probably work better for people who are looking for a quick, breezy read, and who don’t mind insta-lust/love.

A makeup artist who hates Christmas finds herself working on a Christmas moving with the most sunshine Christmas loving actress ever... and when they find out they've been cheated on by the same guy they decide to get a little revenge against him... but also they might be falling for each other? Mariah hates Christmas and all she wants to do is do amazing makeup looks for movies... but when her latest job has her stiffling her makeup skills and it being a Christmas movie, she is definitely not happy. Then she runs into her high school crush and things are starting to look up after hooking up with him... the only problem is she finds out he's also been sleeping with her client too, the super sunshine Christmas loving actress Ellie. Ellie adores Christmas and dreams about finally getting a leading lady role but until then she's content to play side characters. Ellie is staying a cute cabin and the owner's son is just as hot and sweet... and after hooking up with him she's devastated to find out he's also cheating on her with her with her hot makeup artist. Ellie and Mariah decide to get revenge against him but find that they are both very attracted to one another... but the closer they get the closer the deadline for the film looms over them... can two complete opposites make it a real commitment and keep their relationship after the film ends? I really was so excited to read this because its two things I absolutely adore: christmas romances and sapphic romances, and bonus points for revenge plot... too bad that it kinda missed the mark for me. I really wish I could like it more but the romance just didn't really feel all that there for me. I wish the characters convinced me more but I just didn't believe it. I found myself a bit bored reading this and I just couldn't really stand either of the protagonist. Sadly this is a miss for me but I do think that if you're looking for a queer holiday romance give it a go!

Release Date: June 17, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I really, really wanted to love this just from the adorable cover alone, but it was just okay.

I really liked Mariah but my dislike of Ellie was just as strong. I consider myself to be a really happy, positive person, and even I thought that Ellie was just too much. Also the scripts between chapters was a cute idea but it came off a little bit like it was poking fun at the Hallmark-esque Christmas-in-July setting of the book with how cringey and stunted the dialogue was. As a Hallmark movie lover (especially the Christmas ones) I thought those sections could have been way better. 

I loved the premise of the book but everything was happening so quickly it took me out of the story a bit. They met, then was the revenge plot, then they immediately got together, and this was all within the span of a few days. I don't hate insta-love or insta-attraction stories but this was SO fast that it affected my enjoyment. Other than that, Mariah and Ellie just didn't make sense to me as a couple, and again, I think that was mostly because everything was happening at super speed. If their relationship had more time to breathe instead of focusing so much on the revenge plot, I think the story would have benefited a lot.

Overall it was cute and enjoyable but not my favorite.

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved this story and it was definitely worth the read! I absolutely loved this book!!!

Do you want to celebrate Christmas all year long?! Do you love both Home Alone and going to the pool!!? Need something sapphic for the second half of Pride month?! Then check out this fun Christmas in summer Hallmark movie romance from Lindsay Maple that comes out this week (6/17).

Ellie is a want to be actress who is forever working as a small time role in various Christmas rom coms, but hoping to hit the big time. She’s also hopelessly romantic and full of sunshine. Mariah is a grumpy pants makeup artist who wants to design monsters more than do beauty makeup for brides and holiday films. Not only are the two thrown together by the movie, they soon find out they’re dating the same “it’s only you” man. When plotting revenge, they find that their feelings are more than just friends or work associates….

I thought this was super fun and a nice holiday break in the summer. It’s a bi-awakening for Ellie and I liked that it was acknowledged but that her feelings weren’t discounted just because it was new. And these two both had doubts but they talked it out and I love that for them and for me. I was meh on the revenge plot line by about halfway through but honestly so were they, so it was really more about the two of them than the sucky dude. Overall such a fun Christmasy sapphic summer romance

Thank you so much to Lindsay Maple and Harlequin/ Canary Street Press for this E-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own! 🥰

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

What to expect:
* Sapphic
* Workplace romance
* Dislike to love
* MF and FF scenes (separately)
* Makeup artist x actress
* Revenge


My thoughts while reading:
🚨ALERT POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD🚨


I liked the narrators and I thought they did a good job of bringing the characters to our ears, but the story fella bit flat for me.

I am all for queer stereotypes (when they’re done well) and I know I fell in love with my own girlfriend rather quickly, but it felt really out of place for Mariah to think “I know for sure, I love her” after knowing Ellie for less than a week I think?

Both of our FMCs seemed a bit immature to me, honestly. I enjoyed the “Home Alone”-esque revenge situation but again it just felt out of place and clunky. I think I would have enjoyed it more had they realized what was going on, said forget him, and moved on with their lives happily.

But the twist in the movie that Ellie was acting in really saved it at the end!!!

The structure of this book was so cool! Mariah and Ellie meet on the set of a very hallmark-esque Christmas movie that Ellie is featured in. When they each discover their partner is cheating, hijinks ensue and sparks fly. I loved how the main story alternated with the “movie” story, and also I loved that while this story could have just gone in a revenge direction, it ultimately went so much deeper. I did expect the book to be spicier based on buzz I’d seen, but I think it was well balanced. This is worth picking up on 6/17! Thanks to the Hive and Harper Collins for the ARC!

So delightfully satisfying — the perfect blend of spice, seasonal festiveness, and jilted-ex-revenge. I thought the pacing was perfect, with no real slow parts. The interstitial chapters throughout were the perfect length so as not to take you out of the main plot, and I found myself wanting to follow those just as much as I did the main storyline. The chemistry between the two FMCs was there, and while the MMC was almost a caricature with his over-the-top douchiness (is that a word?), it worked well for me. I loved the setting of small-town Chilliwack, the familial reconciliation, the peek behind the curtain into the film industry… this queer romance was the perfect summer read.

Thank you to the author & netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own & honest.

What a Holly Jolly good time!

Holly Jolly July is a cute rom com with both f/f & m/f open door spice, lots of quirky Christmas humor, realistic flawed characters and buckets of charm. I really enjoyed the snippets of the movie script and the internal struggles of the main characters about their self confidence, sexuality and self worth. It was nice to see those struggles handled so realistically on page and to see the other main help the other overcome the loud voice of doubt in their heads. The pranks were funny and charming, even if the mmc was a giant douche. Unfortunately the man gave me the ick from the get go so I was more than happy for the fall out between him and the main characters. The f/f smut was amazing and I love that Lindsay didn't shy away from the open door portion of their relationship.

This book was overall just a really cute read. I enjoyed it so much & if you love Christmas time, behind the scenes movie making, longing looks, bisexual rep, open door spice of f/f & m/f variety & friends to lovers, you're going to eat this up.