I would like to thank Net Galley and St Martin's Publishing for the opportunity to read it as an ARC. Jill is a would be screen writer in LA. She has not sold anything and is working retail jobs that she is bad at and she hates. She also hates Christmas. Two years ago,her boyfriend Grant , broke up h=with her on Christmas. He went to New York and she went to LA. Now, she is coming home to visit her family. She is not ready for them, or for Christmas, or to see some old friends, including Grant. Before she leaves LA for her trip, Jill's agent gets her a meeting with Heartfelt( read Hallmark), who makes romantic Holiday TV Movies. Jill does not want this at all, and is sure she cannot write a Heartfelt movie. Jill goes to her home town, and after several run ins with old friends, she drinks to much and falls asleep in the town park in Santa's sleigh. She wakes up in Sweetville, a perfect Christmas town. She is perfectly attired for Christmas, and keeps hearing the Heartfelt chimes and signature phrase. Is she in a movie, in a coma, dead? She just knows she has to find her way out back to her reality. I liked the premise. I did not like the book as much. The main character was whiny and cranky. The other characters were not fleshed out as much as they could have been. I really was wondering why Jill and her ex had gotten together in the first place. I gave it 3 stars because I liked the idea and the Hallmark/Heartfelt pieces were cute. I just think it could have been a whole lot more enjoyable.

As a first adult novel by Ms. Palmer, it is fantastic. The characters are well composed and believable. The plight of Jill, her going nowhere yet screen writer career, is reality at its worst. Going home for Christmas is not joyful and ends up very eventful. Such an enjoyable novel.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
I can't really get in to this one because the fmc is so annoying I cannot possibly root for her happiness. From the beginning she's so whiny and acts like a victim for losing her jobs when she purposely self sabotages. And she's acting like it's so annoying her family wants her around for Christmas.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christmas People is a funny and heartwarming holiday story about Jill Jacobs, a woman who has been avoiding her small hometown since her boyfriend broke up with her on Christmas Day. When she finally returns home for the holidays, a strange twist lands her inside a holiday movie version of her own life. Suddenly, her world is filled with perfect snow, candy‑cane decorations, and a cookie‑baking competition. To make it back to real life, Jill must follow the holiday movie script, which includes getting close to her ex again and embracing the magic of the season.

Iva Marie Palmer’s story is light, cozy, and full of humorous moments and sweet small‑town charm. If you enjoy Hallmark Christmas movies, you will love this happy, festive escape. It’s a story about second chances, family, and rediscovering joy during the most festive time of year—a perfect holiday read with a touch of magic.

Christmas People is the story of Jill Jacobs, who travels home to Illinois for the holidays. She wakes up one morning and finds she is stuck in a Christmas movie! She has to complete the plot of the movie in order to return to her everyday life.

I wanted to read this book because I love Christmas stories, love Hallmark movies, and found this idea so unique! It is a very cozy read and would be especially nice near the holidays. Recommended for other fans of all things Christmas, cozy, and Hallmark!

This book is cute. This book is about a woman, a down on her luck writer, who is not very lucky in love. She lives in LA but travels back home for the holidays. While there, she runs into her ex as well as her old high school crush as well as a friend or two. She's not having a good time but one night she wakes up in a "Heartfelt Movie" type thing. She winds up in Sweetville. I won't tell you anymore about the actual story so I don't ruin the whole thing for you! You'll have to read this yourself to find out what happens and believe me, it's worth the read!
Although there were times I really didn't like the main character, she did grow on me. The writing is fun and playful. This book is perfect for people who love Hallmark movies with a bit more spice (though not a lot there is some in this book), Christmas comical stories with heart, or just Christmas fun in general.
I definitely recommend this one for a little holiday fun.

This has been the best book I've read in quite a while
It is very engaging and interesting.
Jill a wanna be screenwriter sabotage her relationship with Grant, the hunky chef. Jill is full of drama and self destructive.
This is a Hallmark movie inside a real life story.
Very well written, easy to like the characters as they develop and an easy read.

A Heartwarming and Enchanting Holiday Read

Christmas People by Iva-Marie Palmer is a charming and cozy holiday novel that perfectly captures the spirit of the season. Ideal for reading by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa, this story blends humor, emotion, and a touch of magical realism to deliver a heartfelt and entertaining experience.

The novel follows Jill, a woman who leaves her small hometown in Illinois to pursue her dream of becoming a screenwriter in Los Angeles. Still carrying the heartbreak of a Christmas Eve breakup three years prior, Jill returns home for the holidays—only to find herself waking up in the middle of a magical, heartwarming Christmas story. What unfolds is a delightful narrative full of love, joy, reflection, and hope.

Palmer’s writing is accessible and engaging, with a character-driven plot that gradually builds momentum. While the story begins at a slower pace, it soon finds its rhythm, drawing readers into its festive world. The novel offers a well-executed storyline complete with romance, gentle twists, and a satisfying, feel-good ending. It includes light romantic elements, a sprinkle of “spice,” and remains a clean, uplifting read throughout.

This book will particularly appeal to fans of Hallmark Christmas movies, thanks to its warmth, lovable characters, and nostalgic charm. I appreciated the novel’s thoughtful structure, emotional depth, and overall joyful tone. Palmer is an author I’ll definitely be reading more from in the future.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, author Iva-Marie Palmer, and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. Christmas People is scheduled for publication on September 30, 2025.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy. Opinions are my own.

You are either a Christmas person or you are not. That's the way Jill Jacobs sees things. She puts herself in the category of not a Christmas person after her heart was broken on Christmas Eve several years ago.Since then she moved to LA and is a struggling screenwriter. But to please her parents she goes back home for Christmas and comes face-to-face with her ex and what led to their breakup. Throw in some Christmas magic and alternate reality and Jill finds a way to become part of the Christmas People living in her hometown.

This book is sweet and swoony and perfect to read anytime of the year. It's will make you feel warm and cozy . It's the perfect Hallmark Channel movie in a book. Don't miss this one!

Such a cute, fun, feel good holiday story. The characters and plot will have you giggle and sigh all in the same chapter. If you love a little second chance, holiday romance this is the book for you.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this one! I am such a big fan of alternate universe/sliding doors/second chance stories, and one centered around Christmas is an automatic YES from me. The characters were perfectly drawn out, both being Christmas rom-com cliches and specific at the same time. I also love the irreverence, so it's not a squeaky clean book, but a fun romp in a Hallmark-style Christmas town. A great one for the holidays!

This is a cute, cozy, Christmas story with a twist. Jill, a screenwriter want-to-be who is stuck in crummy jobs to pay the rent is looking for that one story that will help her make it big. When she decides to go home for Christmas, she finds herself in a spot. She is not in a Christmas mood, her mother is preparing for a big holiday, and her ex-boyfriend is also home for the holidays.
When she falls asleep in Santa's sleigh in the park, she wakes up in her town, but it has changed into a cozy, Christmas town. Suddenly, her life is turned upside, and she is going to have to endure it until she finds a way to get back home. Can she become a Christmas person? How will she ever get her life back? And does she really want it back?

Thank you to Negalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

Set in Powell Park, Illinois, for the holidays, Jill travels home for the first time in three years. She has been hoping to avoid her ex Grant, especially with her screenwriting career in the dumpster. When she has a drunken encounter with him and falls asleep in a sleigh, she wakes up in Sweetville, a Hallmark movie Christmas town based on her own hometown. Everything is perfect, including her family as well as the town shops. She finds out she just has to get a happily ever after to return home. Her high school crush seems the perfect candidate, until she runs into Grant again. As she tries to figure out how to get home while also competing in a Christmas cookie competition, she also has to reckon with why her relationship with Grant ended and if she has the courage to "open her heart" to love.

This is a spicy, screwball, slightly irreverent Christmas love story. Loved the idea of her having to write her own story. I found it a little too much in Jill's head, but that said, the ending of this book made it shine for me.

I think this would be great for fans of In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (alternative timeline) or Faking Christmas by Kerry Winfrey (screwball comedy), both set during the holidays.

This holiday romance features:
🎄 Second Chance
🎄 Alternative Timeline
🎄 Christmas expectations vs reality
🎄 Hallmark movie like premise
🎄 Delicious cookies

Open Door / Spicy (one explicit chapter)

3.75 / 5 stars

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC!

Jill is so insufferable even all the hallmark (heartfelt!!) magic can’t make her be logical or stop stupidity miscommunications. The setting is the perfect traditional Christmas book, I mean this is a Hallmark storyline if there ever was one, shes literally inside a Hallmark movie, but I could not care to root for Jill. I was rooting for Grant and even loved her baker crush, but didnt want any of them to end up with Jill. That does not bode well for the story

This was really cute! Jill is struggling to make a career from screenwriting and goes home for Christmas. While there she encounters her ex and during a drunken night out, she winds up in a Hallmark-esque reality. To get out of it, she decides to go after her widowed childhood crush and trying to avoid the aforementioned ex. Jill was easy to relate to, and I enjoyed it.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

Christmas People by Iva-Marie Palmer is like a Hallmark movie that went to college, got a master’s degree in character development, and came back with better jokes.

From the first page, I was hooked like a candy cane on a pine branch. Palmer manages to pack heart, humor, and holiday chaos into one delightful story that had me alternating between laughing out loud and Googling how early is too early to put up Christmas decorations (spoiler: July is fine).

The characters are quirky, charming, and so relatable that I briefly considered sending them all a Christmas card. The dialogue crackles with wit, the plot is as cozy as a cup of cocoa, and the emotional moments sneak up on you like a sentimental ninja in an ugly sweater.

This book is for anyone who loves Christmas, good storytelling, and characters that feel like old friends you didn’t know you were missing. Also, if you’ve ever survived a holiday family gathering without committing a crime, you’ll find solidarity here.

Bottom line: Christmas People is a festive gem. I laughed, I teared up, and now I want to throw a themed party in its honor. Five stars and a partridge in a pear tree!

If you like to feel romantic and cozy when you read a Christmas book, then this book is for you. I loved the Christmas in July feel so it goes without saying that I liked this book. I also was drawn to the characters, and the Groundhog Day setup. Christmas People was fun to I found myself smiling a lot as I read through it. The story has a good pace to it which I liked as well. I will definitely seek out more books by this author. I love the writing style and the first person point of view. Thank you for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

This book was good. I really enjoyed it and I think that it’s going to be very popular when the holiday season comes around. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this!

Christmas People by Iva-Marie Palmer is a heartwarming holiday romance with a magical twist. Jill Jacobs, still nursing a Christmas Eve heartbreak, finds herself back in her hometown, only to wake up inside a charming Heartfelt Holiday Movie. To escape the scripted world, she must complete the movie’s plot, surrounded by her family and the familiar locals. As she fumbles through cookie competitions and snowy traditions, Jill unpacks her past and undergoes some self-discovery. With cozy vibes, magical realism, and a satisfying sense of coming full circle, this story sparkles with humor, warmth, and a touch of holiday magic.

Thank you, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Griffin, for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This was such a fun and festive read! I'm usually a little picky with holiday romances, but "Christmas People" totally leaned into the cheesy, magical Christmas movie vibes, and made it work. Jill is a great main character: grumpy, cynical, and absolutely not a Christmas Person, which made her accidental trip into a literal Hallmark-style movie even more entertaining. The small-town setting, the flannel-wearing ex, the Christmas bake-off... it’s all delightfullyin the best way. I loved the meta feel of the story, Jill knows she’s in a movie and has to play along to get out, but there’s also real emotion underneath the snow and peppermint. The romance was sweet, if a little predictable (in a cozy way), and the whole story had a charming, self-aware tone that kept it from feeling too cliché. If you like holiday rom-coms with a magical twist and a sarcastic lead who slowly melts into the spirit of the season, this is the perfect December read.
Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publishing house for the chanced to read this book in advance.