Insta-love fans only.

This whole book was ruined by the fact that it takes place over two weeks. Both Ellie and Mariah fall for guys hard enough to plan futures, end things, then fall for each other. All within two weeks. I cannot. The rest of the book doesn't even matter because I could not get past this.

Lauren Sweet and Angelina Rocca narrate the audiobook. I do not know who is who, but I didn't care for whomever narrated Mariah's chapters.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press as well as Harlequin Audio for providing this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review

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⚝ Rating ⚝: 2.75✩ / 5✩’s (rounded up)

⚝ Review ⚝: Home Alone meets John Tucker Must Die??? Weird combo, but okay. I can maybe see the vision. Unfortunately, I was somewhat lost in execution. I feel like SUCH an outlier on this one.

Mariah and Ellie have both taken jobs on the same movie set, a Christmas movie being filmed in small town Canada in July, preparing for a holiday release--Mariah as a makeup artist and Ellie as an actress. Neither are entirely where they want to be career wise though. While Mariah thinks that these small town Christmas movies are a cheap step backwards, and takes that frustration out on basically everyone, and Ellie is disappointed that she has yet again been passed over by a lead but refuses to let the world see her as upset or sad. On their first day on the job, they both meet men who they determine are good distractions from their workplace disappointments. For Mariah, it's the bartender who also happens to be an old high school crush, and for Ellie, it's the sweet maintenance worker who is employed at the cabins she is staying at.

But after a few weeks, it comes to light that both these men are lying to them and cheating on them, so Mariah and Ellie team up to compile a series of 'home alone'-esque pranks on the unfaithful men in an effort to get them to admit to what they are doing. But as pranks ensue, an attraction between the two seems to be growing.

The hijinks and mayhem are told through a dual POV between Mariah and Ellie, and I just didn't really find myself connecting to either of them.

I *really* wanted to enjoy this one, even with Christmas not being my favorite holiday, this sounded cute and fun. Unfortunately, it fell flat for me. I'm all for bubbly sunshiney characters, but Ellie was just too much and I found I liked her chapters the absolute least. The forced merriment and cheer and bending everyone to love Christmas as much as she does (Spoiler: It's an almost concerning amount of love for Christmas) was honestly, kind of annoying. Personally, I don't think I could spend any time around someone who's entire personality is just 'Christmas'.

As for Mariah, I felt like I could have loved her, but so much about her felt glossed over, her past, her trauma, why she is the way she is, why she is so eager to move on. Things are mentioned, but never really revealed. For me, it simply felt like there was a lot lacking in Mariah's character.

On top of that, the relationship between Ellie and Mariah...wasn't that believable. They went from being furious and angry about being cheated on and lied to to being extremely attracted to each other in a matter of like...minutes? No real build up, no real connection.

I will give the book this though, the pranks were a lot of fun and Ellie was indeed an evil genius. I just wish I liked her more.

⚝ Audio/Narrator⚝: The narration wasn't terrible, but unfortunately, it also wasn't my favorite. Narrated by Lauren Sweet and Angelina Rocca, I felt that the narration was a bit...unbalanced. The narrations for Ellie were extremely dynamic and energetic, while for Mariah, I felt they were almost...bored. And while yes, I do understand this was a grumpy x sunshine storyline, grumpy doesn't have to mean monotone or boring.

⚝ Representation ⚝: Bisexual and Bi-Awakening

⚝ TWs ⚝: Drug use, alcoholism, bullying

My monthly reading breakdown for May will be posted to TikTok, IG, and Threads the first week of June.

Holly Jolly July is a spicy and hot Christmas in July time that will leave you wanting more. Mariah is a makeup artist working towards her goal. Working on higher budget projects that test her makeup skills. Ellie is a small time actress that has been around for a while and works on Christmas movies a lot. She has only been in smaller rolls and now they are working together. When they end up finding out that the local bartender and the cottage-rental host they have been hooking up with have been cheating they band together for revenge.
I loved this! Not only the revenge plot to get back at the dude but it was funny! I loved the self discovery of the characters, the growth they showed. It was a fast and fun read that I can see you easily reading in the summer or even the winter, though it takes place in July it is based around Christmas… I did like the pop culture references that were played here and there throughout the book. It was a win in my book. Also that dedication! The credits in the back were the acknowledgments and it read like a movie since they are in the movie. I thought that was also very cute and well thought out.
The audio book was great! Very well done with Lauren Sweet and ANgelina Rocca this was done in dual narration and I thought the producation was seamless. I would definitely listen to it again!
Thank you to Harelequin for the complimentary copies. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced listening copy of Holly Jolly July by Lindsay Maple, in exchange for my honest review.
This festive rom-com follows Ellie and Mariah, two women brought together to work on a holiday film. Things take a surprising turn when they discover they’re both romantically involved with the same man—and team up to get revenge in a delightfully mischievous, Home Alone-style fashion.
The premise had great potential for humor, especially with the contrast of filming a Christmas movie in the middle of summer. While the storyline was light and playful, I found it hard to fully connect with the characters and their journey. The plot felt somewhat predictable, which made it difficult to stay fully engaged or eager to find out what would happen next.
That said, the audiobook production was excellent. The narrators brought strong energy and personality to the characters, which added life to the story and made the experience more enjoyable.

This was a fun twist on the whole "Are we dating the same guy?" thing.
The author really had me thinking these poor women were dating different guys at first! Their revenge plot was funny and lighthearted, certainly very reminiscent of Home Alone!

It took me a while to warm up to Ellie's character due to her overly peppy personality, but maybe that's a me problem? Mariah's character was way more likable off the bat. Though both women's experiences with their bisexuality were very relatable and really made me feel connected to them.

The narrators certainly got both of these characters' personalities nailed in this performance. Their chemistry was great!

A fun sexy read set in the heart of Canada. Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud and swoon, this Christmas in July romance brings fun to the film set!

This was a fun, spicy Christmas in July romance! I loved the premise and enjoyed the bi representation. The narration was great and really brought Mariah and Ellie to life! There is a lot of spice at the beginning of the story!

One of my main issues with the story was the inclusion of the movie scenes. I felt like they distracted from the main story and didn’t really add anything. Every time I heard an excerpt from the movie it took me out of the budding romance between Mariah and Ellie! My other issue was the at times cringy and juvenile dialogue. Plus the scene with the lube on the ground just wasn’t funny to me.

Overall, it’s a cute holiday romance, but a bit more spicy and juvenile than I typically like. I think a lot of readers will really enjoy it though!

Vibes: John Tucker Must Die meets Hallmark Christmas, but the girls are bi and get up to a lot more than revenge!

Whether you love to hate Hallmark Christmas movies, or hate to love them, this story scratches the holiday itch. It was sweet and fun and spicy - can’t recommend more! If you’ve ever been the person that tried too hard to fit in but didn’t quite get it right and didn’t quite get the payoff you were working for, then Ellie’s story is for you.

Read if you like: Opposites attract, lots of spice, cheesy holiday movies, revenge plots,

Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for providing me with a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I DNF’d this one. I just found it hard to connect with the story and characters. I didn’t feel excited to listen to it and see where the story would go because I already knew what was probably going to happen. The audiobook was so well done and the narrators did so good! I didn’t have any problems with it!

Really enjoyed Mariah and Ellie as individual characters and their dynamic together! The beginning was heavier on the sex than I typically enjoy, but it worked for me and I continued because I cared to see how Mariah and Ellie's relationship would develop!

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I loved the romance in this book, both the male /female but especially the female/ female. I little bit of everything and so much fun to listen to. Some very HOT scenes included. One of the best ends ever.

This was the perfect Pride month read, or a great read for any time of year. I found the character of Ellie to be so much fun, and I related to her spunky personality. Mariah's brooding personally was the perfect counter to Ellie's spirit. I had so much fun watching their relationship unfold. I felt that the story was John Tucker Must Die meets a romantic Hallmark Movie. I was a unique storyline. I thought that I was going to hate the ending, but it surprised me and I couldn't be happier with where Ellie and Mariah end up. The narrators also did a great job of bringing Ellie and Mariah's opposite personalities to life. I highly recommend this book and the audiobook.

Who knew Christmas in July could be this fun? I picked this up on a whim and ended up absolutely loving it. Grumpy/Sunshine romance? Check. Fake snow and holiday cheer? Check. A revenge subplot worthy of Home Alone? Double check.

This isn’t your typical holiday romance—it’s set during the filming of a Christmas movie in July, and somehow, it totally works. The chemistry between Ellie and Mariah was swoony, sweet, and spicy in all the right ways. I laughed (yes, even at the fart machine), I swooned, and I even teared up a little. Pure festive joy with a side of sass.

i adored being able to get little script pieces of movie that they were filming in the book. i really liked how the story line of the movie was different from the story of the book, but it still related to Mariah and Ellie. getting to see their relationship o rom strangers to friends to lovers was so beautiful!

Audio Narration: 4.5 Solid performance. Inflection, voice variation, and pausing were all excellent. Pacing was a bit slow.

A holiday movie actress and her hair and makeup artist form a friendship and then team up to get revenge on their cheating guys. A silly, spicy, sapphic romcom perfect or Christmas in July!

What’s to love…
- strangers to friends to lovers
- grumpy/sunshine (Christmas Grinch & Holiday lover)
- bisexual FMCs & a sapphic HEA
- Both MF and FF spice
- hijinks and revenge
- Hallmark style movie setting

What’s not to love…
- pacing - this moved much slower than I would have liked. There was a lot of time spent on the non-endgame relationships.
- I didn’t need the movie script/scenes and really felt taken out of the story bc of them.

Overall this was a bit of a miss for me. Still a silly fun time but I felt like it lacked the tension and angst I really love in a romance. Definitely not a bad book, just not the right book for me!

🌶️ - Ch 4, 6, 7, 17, 23 (Sorry if I missed any I read via audio and I’m not always great at bookmarking the spice when I do! 😉)
**It should be noted that Ch 4 contains (imo) dubious consent. The FMC has had at least 6 drinks. It is not mentioned in the content warnings so I want to be sure to note it for those who need to avoid. The scene is NOT between the two FMCs.**

I disliked Ellie so, so much. I felt like she was immature and cringe and it taunted my entire view of her. The book was better for me during Mariah's POV but when they starting getting their revenge I knew I was done. It just did not sit well with me at all which sucks because I love a good sapphic story.

Thank you to the author, HTP and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this title. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

Thank you to Harlequin audio, Lindsay Maple, and NetGalley for an ALC of this book! Thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Overall, this was such a cute and enjoyable listen!! It’s also the perfect listen or read for anyone wanting to read queer rep for Pride, but Christmas is their favorite holiday or time of the year. It gives the perfect Christmas during summer vibes when there’s talk of the fake snow, needing AC, overheating in sweaters, but still has the cozy feel of a Christmas time love story. It also has a good grumpy x sunshine trope and are also somewhat an “opposites attract” situation that balance each other out well.

I loved the premise of it starting with the two women finding out they’re seeing the same guy, guy lying when asked about exclusivity, and then them pranking said guy and falling for each other in the process! I liked that one already knew she’s bi and the other having a realization about her sexuality during the story, but I do wish there was a bit more discussion around that realization. It seemed like a flip was switched and that was that, she was all good to go. Maybe it’s like that for some people, but for me and others I know, there might be a specific moment of realization but that came with time for processing after, and that seemed a bit glazed over.

Again, I loved the premise of this story and think it’s a very cute story and would recommend it for a fun Christmas-y story with bi rep! It’s just that one thing that took me a tiny bit out of the story for a moment (but got back into it quickly after).

Super cute and fun. As a BC girl who lives in a town that is frequently used for filming TV/Hallmarky movies, this was a fun setting for the story. I thought the relationships were interesting and there were some great awkward moments to go along with the swoony romance. I enjoyed the story, but even more so I enjoyed the narration. Both narrators did a fabulous job and really helped me stay in the story.

We all love those cheesy Christmas movies and this book is a behind the camera cheesy love story. This books is perfect for those who want to start reading MF and FF romance.

Mariah and Ellie meet on the set of a Christmas movie, and while Ellie is all smiles, Mariah is just trying to do her job. And as the story goes on they realize they do have more in common than they thought. They both are "dating" the same guy, who is feeding them both lines about wanting to be with them and building a future. So when they find this out, they come up with some ideas for revenge. (Think Home Alone and John Tucker Must Die). And through their time planning revenge and Mariah crashing at Ellie's AirBNB they get closer and Ellie realizes she may be into girls after all.

I loved being able to read about the movie as well, I liked that we got those scenes to see why Ellie should be a lead role actress.

BI/Lesbian Romance
Workplace Romance
Grumpy/Sunshine
Meet Cute
Friends/Lovers

I received an advance review copy audio version. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio, for the opportunity to listen to this book. Lauren Sweet and Angelina Rocca did an amazing job narrating this audiobook.

Holly Jolly July by Lindsay Maple is a great romcom that includes both male-female and female-female relationships.

This story is a delightful twist of the well-known Christmas Movie culture we are all familiar with. This story encompasses the life on set of a Christmas Movie, and what the people creating such traditional romances live in their real lives. The two main characters, an actress, and a makeup artist, go on a journey of love in their own lives as the movie progresses in development.

Told in dual POV, both female characters are delightful in their own ways, both embodying female empowerment in different ways. Their personalities clash at first, but they soon find that opposites do attract.

I absolutely love Lindsay Maple’s ability to write a spicy, funny romance. She does an excellent job with setting and character development. I definitely recommend this read.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story which was well done by two narrators. The narrators bring their characters to life in such a fun way. I’d previously read this story, so it was really fun to listen to it a second time around with these narrators. I listened at 1.75x speed (1.75x is my normal audiobook speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this advanced listening copy.