The title of the book really excited me! What made them hate Christmas? The answer to that fell a little flat for me as did a lot of this book. I loved the chaos of the family, but I felt like Holly and Nick were a little bit immature for their age. I didn't have a connection with the main characters and they fell a little flat to me. I didn't believe their chemistry and it felt very forced to me. I loved the big family storyline, but there seemed to be so many side stories going on that it was confusing to me to keep it all straight. This is an okay read at Christmas time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I received an advance copy of this book for a review
For most of her life Holly has hated Christmas. After all, if your name was Holly, you had red hair, and your birthday was December 25, you would be teased mercilessly as a child and feel like your birthday is always overlooked. Now she finds herself nearing her 30 birthday and laid off from her job. Her brother Ryan calls the same day to ask if she will come to their family farm for Christmas. At first, Holly refuses. While she knows her family means well, her 3 sisters would find a reason to comment on her still being single, and the extra pounds she gained since the last time she saw them, and pity her for being jobless. She does agree though, after Ryan promises it will just be him, his wife, and their parents. What she doesn't realize, is Ryan has decided to set her up with his coworker and best friend Nick, a man who hates Christmas maybe as much as she does, albeit for different reasons. While Nick is tempted to come just so he can see Holly, he can't see himself spending that much time around Christmas festivities. He changes his mind when Ryan and Holly's parents offer him a chance to make his dream come true, and if he happens to find another dream along the way then maybe Christmas Miracles really do exist.
Once I saw the title of this book, I knew I had to read it. Christmas is my favourite time of year, down to keeping a yearlong countdown. I knew even the idea of people not liking Christmas would amuse me, but the story itself had me laughing several times out loud and not wanting the story to end.

3.5 stars
This one was honestly super cute in a chaotic, festive kind of way. Holly and Nick had the right amount of tension and banter to keep things moving, and the whole “Operation: Naughty List” setup was fun. It gave small-town holiday movie vibes but with a little extra sass. I liked the heart behind it...especially the bits about family and healing.... it was cozy, entertaining, and had some really sweet moments that made me smile. A solid pick for when you're in the mood for a messy-but-charming Christmas rom-com.

This book is unlike any other Christmas Romance. It takes falling in love at Christmas, and at first, the focus is where you expect it, with mistletoe and decorating, but by the end, it shines a light on the true meaning of Christmas. I loved that it was a Christmas romance that actually related back to the original Christmas Story of Christ's birth. It was very unexpected and heartwarming. It made me feel cozy Christmas Eve vibes, even reading it in July. I highly recommend!

This was a cute book; I’m all about a fun Christmas, Hallmark-y story. Sometimes the characters’ antics got a little too unrealistic and wacky, even for a rom-com story, and a couple of the side characters were a bit like caricatures of stereotypes, but I still appreciated the way the story and the character’s’ situations wrapped up. Overall, it was a good read.

***I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Yes I read a Christmas book in July ! If Hallmark has movies in July then why can’t we read books in July too ? This was such a cute book ! I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves Christmas you won’t be disappointed

The title made me laugh. And the cover was cute - so I decided to review a Christmas in July anyway. The author is new to me - but it was good fun to read the story.
When you meet someone who is changeable and likable, when you think you figure them out but they continue to challenge and puzzle, the relationship becomes interesting.

Recommended for light reading of romance, family, and festivities.

Book Review: Holly and Nick Hate Christmas by Betsy St. Amant
Thank you to WaterBrook & Multnomah and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

I wasn’t expecting to laugh and cry my way through a Christmas story in July, but here we are. Holly and Nick Hate Christmas is a warm, chaotic, and surprisingly heartfelt holiday romance about two people who have every reason to avoid the season—and every reason to find each other because of it. Betsy St. Amant takes the beloved enemies-to-lovers trope and gives it a fresh, sarcastic spin with emotional depth and a healthy dose of Southern charm. If you like your rom-coms with fake dating, family drama, and more than a little red-and-green glitter, this one’s for you.

Holly Sinclair’s life is in freefall. She’s just been laid off from a job she thought was secure, she’s single and turning thirty, and she’s about to spend Christmas—and her birthday—back home with her family, where everything seems staged to remind her of what she isn’t doing right. To make things worse, her brother brings home his best friend, Nick Kinsley, to be Holly’s pity date. Holly’s response? Lean into Christmas with a vengeance. If Nick thinks she’s going to be some sad, Grinchy mess, he has another thing coming. Holly decides to drown him in gingerbread, tinsel, and Hallmark-movie-level holiday cheer. Operation: Naughty List is born.

What makes this story click is the layered emotional journey of both characters. Holly isn’t just annoyed about Christmas—she’s carrying years of unresolved hurt, insecurity, and disappointment. Her birthday has always been overshadowed by the season, and she’s been branded with a name that makes her feel like a walking Christmas pun. Nick, meanwhile, has his own trauma tied to the holidays and is secretly pursuing a dream that could cost him more than he’s prepared to give up. These aren’t just two snarky adults exchanging witty banter. They’re people learning to drop the masks and let someone else see what’s underneath.

The romance is slow-burning and rooted in mutual frustration, but it blossoms in a believable way. Watching Nick and Holly stumble their way through fake flirtations, misfired pranks, and family chaos is equal parts funny and tender. One of the standout lines that really hit me: “Maybe hating Christmas together was the most Christmassy thing they’d ever done.” That sentence feels like the soul of the book—it’s about how connection often starts with shared pain, not just shared joy.

What I appreciated most was how St. Amant weaves faith into the narrative without forcing it. The Christian elements—moments of prayer, discussions of purpose, and the quiet reminders of the “reason for the season”—feel authentic to the characters. They’re not sermons. They’re part of who these people are, how they see the world, and how they grow. If you’re someone who appreciates faith-based fiction, this will resonate. If not, it might feel a bit heavier in tone than you expect for a rom-com, but it never loses the warmth at its core.

Family is another big piece of this book. The Sinclair siblings are a delightfully chaotic bunch, each bringing their own baggage to the holiday gathering. There’s a bit of mystery surrounding why their parents have called everyone home for Christmas, and while some of those plot threads get wrapped up a little too neatly, the heart of it still lands. Watching Holly reconnect with her family—especially her sisters—is just as satisfying as her romance with Nick. These side characters aren’t just background noise; they’re part of the emotional arc, and their scenes add both humor and real stakes.

That said, the book isn’t without flaws. Some of Holly’s antics, while funny, veer into immature territory. A few of the pranks and Christmas overload tactics feel like something a college student might do, not a nearly thirty-year-old woman trying to prove a point. There are also a lot of subplots competing for attention: Nick’s business idea, the parents’ mysterious request, Holly’s career crisis, the family secrets, etc. At times, the central romance gets a little lost in the shuffle. I would’ve liked a few more quiet moments between Holly and Nick—just the two of them connecting outside the chaos.

The emotional payoff, though, is worth sticking around for. There’s a beautiful moment of reconciliation between Holly and Nick that doesn’t feel forced or overly sweet. It feels earned. By the end, both characters have grown—not because they found each other, but because they found the courage to face what they’ve been avoiding. The epilogue jumps two years ahead and gives us a satisfying glimpse into how far they’ve come, and while I usually don’t love time skips, this one felt right. It brought the story full circle without dragging it out.

Holly and Nick Hate Christmas is a feel-good romance with teeth. It’s about more than just falling in love under the mistletoe. It’s about choosing vulnerability, choosing joy, and letting people in—even when you think you’ve got nothing to offer. Betsy St. Amant has written a Christmas story that’s funny, heartfelt, and unexpectedly meaningful. Whether you’re a Christmas lover or a reluctant holiday participant, this book might just surprise you.

Holly and Nick both hate Christmas, we know this right away. We are also shown the big potential conflict right away which can make me, as the reader, a bit anxious as we get to know the characters! It's a cute story, and I'm thankful to the author and Netgalley for a little bit of Christmas in July.

Holly Sinclair no solo odia la Navidad, también odia cumplir años en diciembre, perder su trabajo justo antes de las fiestas y, por supuesto, tener que regresar a casa sintiéndose fracasada. Pero no le queda otra opción, así que vuelve a Point Bluff para pasar las fiestas con sus padres… y con un extraño que su hermano ha invitado.

Nick Kinsley también detesta la Navidad, aunque sus razones son mucho más profundas. Mientras intenta poner en marcha un proyecto altruista que podría cambiar su vida, ve una inesperada oportunidad de acercarse a los padres de su mejor amigo (y posibles inversores) aceptando pasar las fiestas con ellos. El problema: fingir que es la cita navideña de la hermana de su amigo… una pelirroja sarcástica con la que tiene más en común de lo que le gustaría admitir.


-

Fue una lectura entretenida, ligera, con romance, secretos familiares y un toque de comedia.


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

The holidays are just around the corner and for as long as she could remember, Holly has hated Christmas, which happens to fall on her birthday.
With everyone excited about the festivities, her birthday always tends to get overlooked and forgotten. And as if the holidays weren't brutal enough, she also just lost her job 2 weeks before Christmas.
Holly returns to her parent's home, along with her siblings to celebrate. Her brother brings his friend Nick, plotting to set him up with Holly so that she might enjoy Christmas for once.
With one secret leading to the next, there are so many schemes at play it's hard for anyone to know what's real. But during it all Holly finds herself enjoying Nick's company more and more.
One thing is certain- This is a Christmas everyone will remember.


"It's like she was in there- the beautiful, genuine, slightly reserved, sarcastic woman with oceans of depth in her green eyes that he'd been immediately intrigued by a year ago- but trapped beneath a layer of tinsel and green icing."

"I wasn't sure which was worse- being apologized to by your mortal enemy or having your mortal enemy kiss you and make it very obvious you were no longer mortal enemies."

"Maybe in another world, Holly could have been that person. A world where they were honest. A world where they were on the same page. A world where they both actually hated Christmas. "


This is a cute and quick contemporary romance read. I enjoyed it a lot and it was well written. There were a lot of parts mentioning religious things, so that might not be for everyone. But I would happily read another book by this author!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and WaterBrook Multnomah for this ARC!

Oh so many funny tropes!!!! Holly and Nick Hate Christmas is laugh out loud fun from start to finish. Holly, newly laid off, has to go home for Christmas, a holiday that she despises. Her brother brings home Nick as a date for Holly, so things are looking up! But when Holly soon finds out her brother lied about Nick liking her, Holly turns into a Christmas loving Cindy Lou Who, which drives Nick crazy. There are so many twists and lies in the rom com, but still this book works as a forced proximity love story. I am a Christmas time fan and this book makes a great holiday read. The movie and song references are on point!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun romance novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

3.5 ⭐️ - This is a holiday romcom with Christian references and themes. It gave lots of Hallmark vibes and several references to Christians values and traditions (i.e. praying, services, scripture etc.) If those are not up your alley, this book may not be for you. I enjoyed the holiday romcom vibes and themes of the book, however, I felt like the FMC was rather immature for someone approaching 30 and that kind of threw me off a bit. There’s lots of secrets and pining in this one and there’s a HEA waiting for everyone. This book was an easy read and I enjoyed the holiday romance.

** Thank you NetGalley and Waterbrook & Multnomah for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review **

Unfortunately this book didn’t quite work for me. Way too many secrets and misunderstandings. The concept could have been cute (forcing Christmas on someone who hates it) but I actually found all the pranks annoying and cheesy. Baking Christmas cookies and wearing a red boa is really supposed to drive someone crazy?

And the whole Axel storyline actually really bugged me. I get that this was Christian fiction but why did everyone hate the poor guy just because he’s kissing their sister? They are in college for goodness sake. It wasn’t really scandalous. And then they find out he’s actually in law school and suddenly like him.

There were some sweet moments but overall just too silly with too many misunderstandings.

The perfect cozy christmas read.

“Merry Christmas, Nick.”
“Happy Birthday, Holly.”

Being a middle child born on christmas has lead Holly to feeling like her birthday was ignored by her family and lead her to hate Christmas. Enter Nick, her brother’s best friend/work colleague, who hates Christmas for his own reasons. Together they learn to love Christmas as much as they learn to love each other.

I didn’t know if I would enjoy this book as much because I was reading it in June but Betsy proved me wrong. I loved watching Nick and Holly’s relationship grow and change throughout this book. I loved the little pranks and OTT Christmas flip as revenge. Watching Holly recover her relationship with her family made me cry from joy at them finally understanding each other and getting their peace.

I’m 100% gonna be reading this come Christmas season!!

This book centers around Holly and Nick and their mutual dislike of Christmas due to their past history. Ryan, Holly's brother, invites Nick home for the holidays to be a date for Holly and buffer from the "why are you still single" humiliation. Holly finds out, is angry, and comedy ensues. There are several movie references in the book that I found hysterical and the side characters are top notch! This story is full of laughter, secrets, and a little drama. I love that it included the religious references and the reason for the season. An overall good holiday read!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I felt a bit misled by this book. It was very Christian focused. I almost feel like it should have been marketed that way.

Christmas themed novels are always a fun treat to read. With characters that are Grinch-like it was fun to see a romance development among the beauty of the holiday. A lighthearted read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read and ARC of this book. Unfortunately it wasn't really for me due to the faith-based tones/mentions within the book. I'm sure this book can find a great intended audience, but it might be a benefit to have a better aligned description.