Magic realism combined with holiday themed books always makes for the best combination.

Jill, a grumpy screenwriter, is returning to her hometown for the first time in three years with the added pressure of needing to write a holiday rom com to keep her job. However, her trip is not what she expects when she wakes up after her first night there stuck in a cheerful Hallmark style world. Soon she realizes she needs to write a happy ending of her own to get out.

I really enjoyed the holiday charm in this one without it feeling overly Christmas focused. If you like Hallmark movies with a touch of cynical humor, this is definitely one to pick up. The audio made for a quick day listen, with Patti Murin doing a great job narrating Jill’s POV and the additional dialogue.

Read if you like:
-Holiday books
-Magic realism
-Grumpy FMCs
-Second chance
-Hallmark movies

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.
I had the chance to listen to an audio version of this book. It was fantastic! The narrator really brought the story to life. It was so much fun to listen to this holiday tale be told by a fantastic narrator. If you like audio books, this is a good one.

A fantastic cozy holiday read! This blends magical realism, comedy, and romance so well and is a great addition to anyone's Christmas TBR.

Patti Murrin is the perfect narrator for the audiobook and really brings the story to life!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for a review!

I got approved for this one just before Christmas in July comes to an end and couldn’t be more pleased to read a cozy Christmas tale in the heat of July.

I really enjoyed this! I guess I was in need of a little off -season holiday cheer. This is in the style of a contemporary romance holiday movie. It has a little magic and a little spice 🔥.

Jill is home for the holidays and somehow finds herself in the middle of a Christmas movie and also in a love triangle with her old high school crush and also her ex. How does it end? You’ll probably guess, but at least enjoy the story with an iced mint mocha! 🎄

I loved the audio narration by Patti Murin. She has the perfect voice for rom-coms.

This book was done incredibly well! It was laugh out loud funny and cheesy in all the best ways like a Hallmark movie, but with more depth. It also had a ton of charm, especially being set in a fictional Chicago suburb. As someone familiar with the area, hearing references like 95th Street and getting off at Cicero for Midway was such a treat.

I loved all the characters and the way the story tackled mature themes like love, loss, relationships, imposter syndrome, and figuring out who you are. The romance and slight spice felt natural and realistic. Nothing too over the top, which I really appreciated. Jill’s growth was so satisfying to watch, and I genuinely didn’t want the book to end. This felt like a serious romcom and a Hallmark movie all gift wrapped into one perfect holiday story. It totally deserves a spot on your post Turkey day TBR!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for allowing me to listen and review this book! This book is a solid 3/5 stars. The narrators were create and helped keep me in the story. I really wanted it to be like a hallmark Christmas story because they are absolutely my favorite and love listening/reading books just like that! HOWEVER it was more like a Netflix or cable tv Christmas movie trying to be a hallmark movie and that made me sad. I truly enjoyed the characters (all of them) except for Jill’s self deprecating self/actions. Her actions and attitude got to be to much at points and almost mean to everyone else. I do think the ending made up for the parts of the stories i didn’t like but not enough to make it a higher rating. Overall it was a good book and I did enjoy it!

Christmas People was such a good surprise! I went in blind and had no idea what to expect, which made the story a fun ride. The audiobook narration was really well done and kept me totally hooked from start to finish.

This is a cozy, feel-good holiday romance that embraces all the classic tropes, but in a self-aware, playful way that actually works. Our FMC ends up in a love triangle between her high school crush (a single dad) and her ex (a chef), all set in a picture-perfect holiday town. The chemistry between the characters felt real, and even though parts of the plot were predictable, I really enjoyed watching everything come together.

Some of the tropes you’ll find:
🎄 Second chance romance
🎄 One POV
🎄 Love triangle
🎄 Grumpy x Grumpy x Sunshine
🎄 Forced proximity
🎄 2/5 spice

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audiobook copy.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced e-audio of this title for review. Below is my honest review of the title.

This was a light-hearted, fun, and romantic Christmas read. It did contain some explicit language and featured a love triangle.

I enjoyed this read! The characters were a lot of fun, but some of them were a bit aloof.

Jill has not been home in a while, since her heart was broken three years earlier on Christmas Eve. But this Christmas, she finds herself back in her hometown, where she tries to stay clear of disaster and her ex, but tends to fall right into both! When she wakes up in a pristine holiday scene, she has to admit it is the craziest hang-over yet, but this is only the beginning.

3 1/2 stars!

Another Christmas in July book crossed off the list. This one is for all the Hallmark movie hating, grumpy FMC loving, small town magical realism and love triangle, second chance romance fans. Jill is a struggling LA screenwriter whose last chance at getting her foot in the door is writing a Holiday movie romcom. When she goes home for the holidays she finds herself trapped in a weird Hallmark movie vibe alternate reality where she has to compete in a baking competition with her widowed, single dad high school crush and her ex. Full of great snark and banter, this was a fade to black, low steam, big-hearted, hilarious holiday romance and I really enjoyed it on audio narrated by Patti Murin. Recommended for fans of authors like Courtney Walsh. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for and audio and digital copy of this latest by a new to me author!