It's May, so it must be time for another Christmas-themed book--I try to sprinkle them throughout the year. Christmas People is the first adult novel from YA and children's fiction author Iva-Marie Palmer.

Jill Jacobs moved to L.A. several years back to try for a career in screenwriting, but although she has an agent and has won a writing contest, she hasn't succeeded in selling a screenplay. Moreover, she hasn't gone home at Christmas to visit her family in Illinois because she's afraid she might run into former love Grant, now a sous chef at a successful New York City restaurant who typically visits his family at Christmas in the same Illinois suburb.. They broke up on Christmas Eve three years ago, and Jill is certain it was because she is a loser at everything she does, including her unfulfilling part-time jobs, and now she hates everything about Christmas.

So it seems fitting that when she does indeed visit her home town, she wakes up one morning to find that she is actually in a better-looking town called Sweetville and is suddenly living in a Hallmark--that is, "Heartfelt"-- style
TV movie. She decides her only way back to normal is to see the plot of the movie through, including participating in a holiday baking contest with another handsome student from her high school class and in other traditional holiday activities with her family. WIth two attractive men from her past (Grant is competing in the contest with another woman) joining her in her "fictional" adventure, what could possibly go wrong?

The magical realism aspect to the story is interesting; it made me wonder how Jill would ever get back to normal. But the similarity to a traditional Hallmark plot left we wanting more. The author is a competent writer who has the potential for more nuanced holiday stories in the future.

My thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Jill Jacobs is not a Christmas person. She unexpectedly finds herself in a Christmas movie and has to do all things Christmas in order to return to real life. This book gave me groundhog day's feelings and I loved it! Highly recommend!

“Christmas People” is by Iva-Marie Palmer. This book asks the age old question (ahem!) what would happen if someone who doesn’t like Christmas Hallmark movie channel specials ends up in one? Okay, this has been done before - but in this book Ms. Palmer took a slightly different angle, which I appreciated. This book gave some cozy Christmas holiday movie feels (I think I’m in lust with that bakery’s selection of treats!), but also a dash of “please tell me this isn’t real” enough times that I appreciated it. Yes, at times the main character, Jill, is at times so dense you want to hit her with a clue-by-four. Besides her two male interests, I cannot say that I really felt like I knew any of the supporting characters - which probably is true in a number of Christmas Hallmark movie channel movies (I don’t know, I’ve never seen one!). If you want a cozy Christmas read, you might want to pick this one up.

This is a solid entry in Christmas storytelling. It walks the line of not being too over the top but also allowing itself to have fun when the Hallmark concepts that we all love every December.

Definitely a good book for those who love the yearly Hallmark Christmas movies and want to have one in book form.

Thanks to NetGallery and the Publisher for this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Quick fun read. Christmas people is like the result of mixing A Christmas Carol and hallmark together!

As a huge Hallmark Christmas movies fan I was intrigued by the premise. I liked that the main character was very much anti-hallmark and kept trying to go against the tropes. I could commiserate with the main character’s feeling and fear of not being “good enough” and how that clouded all her decisions. Cute story-a non hallmark “hallmark” movie in a book!

Christmas People by Ivy Marie Palmer is a heartfelt, cozy holiday read that perfectly captures the magic of the season. With charming characters, a touch of romance, and just the right amount of emotional depth, this story feels like a warm hug on a snowy day.

Palmer’s writing is inviting and full of heart, and the sense of community and connection throughout the book really stands out. It’s a story about love in all its forms: romantic, familial, and the quiet kind that grows between unlikely friends.

If you’re looking for a feel-good holiday read with genuine warmth and a touch of whimsy, Christmas People is a lovely choice. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Ivy Marie Palmer!

Down on her luck, aspiring screenwriter Jill Jacobs reluctantly heads home for the holiday. After a terrible first day back she goes to sleep only to wake up in a Hallmark winter wonderland. The only way to escape is to find love. The question is will she find love with her hunky ex-boyfriend or her high school crush, the town's recently widowed baker. Of course, there's a Christmas baking competition that throws everyone together, and more hot cocoa than one human would consider reasonable, but ultimately who will Jill choose.

This was a fun, festive read and I enjoyed the alternate universe aspect of the story. There was lots of sugar but definitely a little spice too. It was big on laughs and heart but there were times I found all the assumptions Jill made about the motivations of others and her insecurity to be grating.

I laughed the whole way through this hilarious and engaging Christmas romp. Without a doubt this book is one you'll want to read every year for a little bit of heart and pick-me-up.

Some people are Christmas people… Jill Jacobs is not. But waking up in a real-life holiday rom-com? Let’s just say the peppermint-scented chaos had me laughing, swooning, and craving cookies. A festive 4-star read full of flannel, feels, and second chances!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was well written and overall had a good plot. Definitely a cozy romance novel to read during the holiday seasons. Characters had good chemistry!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an engaging read! I enjoyed the plot and would read it again. Lick off the holidays with this book!

I thought this was a really cute Christmas romance! The alternate universe felt just like a Hallmark movie, which is really all one can ask for in a book like this. Jill's behavior after being first transported to the Heartfelt movie alternate universing had me laughing, she was so snarky and couldn't believe the way people were acting. Jill was a bit of a mess in the beginning but getting to read how she figured out what she needed to change, and find her way back to her ex. I also really enjoyed the ending of this book, it really wrapped up the story perfectly.

I'll definitely be recommeding this to my friends once its out!

Not gonna lie, I HAD to read this because I genuinely just miss Christmastime. It was so good! Cuddled up in bed on a cold, rainy, spring day - it was easy to pretend it IS Christmastime. This felt like a Hallmark movie and I want 2000 more books just like this one!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Screenwriter gets sucked into an alternate dimension....a Hallmark type Christmas movie. This was a really cute read. Jill learns more about herself and how to move forward in her life.

Jill Jacobs, es una joven guionista en Los Ángeles cuyo sueño de éxito en Hollywood está lejos de cumplirse. Tras una serie de fracasos profesionales y personales, decide regresar a su ciudad natal de Powell Park, Illinois, durante las fiestas navideñas, enfrentándose a fantasmas del pasado, expectativas familiares y su propia falta de fe en los "milagros" navideños.

Jill no solo lucha contra la presión externa de cumplir con las expectativas tradicionales (como casarse y tener hijos), sino también con su propio sentimiento de fracaso profesional, especialmente cuando compara su vida con la de otros, como su ídolo, la guionista Frankie Carroll.



3.5⭐️
Me gustaría decir que lo disfruté, pero no fue así. Jill me desesperó durante todo el libro; es de esas personas que, en lugar de disfrutar lo que hace, ya está pensando en lo mal que puede terminar todo, y prefiere abandonar antes de tiempo.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

The cover got my attention, and I'm glad it did. This holiday story was entertaining to read. The idea for the main character was cute and not one I had come across in a Christmas book before. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

It’s crazy to be reading a Christmas book in spring, but I just finished Christmas People by Iva-Marie Palmer was just what I needed.

I really liked the storyline of this book, it reminded me of something I would want to curl up and watch during the holiday season.
Unfortunately the author's writing style wasn't my favorite, I had to pick this book up a few different times to get though it. I think it comes down to personal preference but overall I still think the storyline is very good and would try another book from this author in the future.

3.5⭐ (Rounded Up To 4)

Thank you Iva-Marie Palmer, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an ARC of this book.