I absolutely adored Christmas People. I’m a sucker for romance, magical realism, and Christmas settings so this was right up my alley. I could have used a bit more Jill and Grant but overall I really liked this. The story was thoughtful and fun and I loved the full circle ending. Definitely recommend!

I just finished reading this book. The plot was absolutely fantastic! It was quite the page turner, and I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I can't wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!

This book feels like a love letter to the genre and to anyone who’s ever felt a little lost around the holidays. Charming, emotionally honest, and just the right amount of cozy, it made me fall in love with Christmas stories all over again.

Christmas People by Iva-Marie Palmer was such a cozy, feel-good read. It’s the kind of book that’s perfect for curling up with during the holiday season, especially if you're in the mood for something warm, funny, and full of heart.

I loved how the story blended humor, emotion, and a touch of magical realism. It struck a nice balance between being lighthearted and reflective, and it left me feeling really hopeful by the end. The writing is super easy to get into, and the whole thing had a comforting, fireside kind of vibe. It honestly felt like drinking hot cocoa while watching your favorite Christmas movie.

The characters were so lovable and really carried the story. It’s definitely character-driven in the best way, and I found myself rooting for all of them. If you’re looking for a sweet, charming holiday read that wraps you up in warmth, this one is a great pick.

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!

You know how when you are feeling a little bit blue you just need to watch a Hallmark movie that you know will have a happy (and probably predictable) ending? Well this book is the literary version of a Hallmark movie. Light, easy to read, and leaves you feeling really good.

This book just gives you all the Christmas feels! I couldn’t put down the book. It was absolutely darling. Makes me want Christmastime

This is a sweet Christmas story. Jill is struggling in her life and then one day she wakes up in a vibrant Heartfelt movie! How funny! Santa keeps trying to tell her to open her heart. Really that is what her friends and her mom try to tell her too. She needs to quit pushing good things away just because she is afraid something bad will happen. She is keeps trying and trying to figure out what the right path in her life is. She does just fine when she finally just trusts herself!

Christmas People is a cozy, bittersweet holiday read with just the right amount of heart and humor. I loved how Palmer brings a small-town Christmas vibe to life—think twinkling lights, family chaos, and those awkward reunions that somehow feel comforting. The characters are real: they mess up, they heal, they laugh at their own drama—then laugh some more. And while the story delivers plenty of yuletide cheer, there’s enough emotional depth to keep it from feeling saccharine.

What really worked for me was the balance between community warmth and someone dealing with real baggage. The romance is gentle and slow‑burn, more about healing through connection than insta‑love, and I found myself rooting for everyone—even the ones who were hard to like at first. If you want a holiday romance that’s cozy without being cliché and has a touch of emotional honesty, Christmas People is a win.

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 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.

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!

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!

A charming Christmas movie in a book!
The description of “Christmas People” by Iva-Marie Palmer immediately drew me in. After all, even those of us who love holiday movies on a channel that begins with H recognize a certain formula in play to evoke all the feels. So reading about a screenwriter who hates Christmas finding herself trapped in one of “those” movies sounded like a hoot!
Palmer did an excellent job introducing us to Jill’s family and friends from her past, then showing us those same people after receiving the “Heartfelt treatment.” Our heroine, Jill, of course, remembers the reality that others don’t see.
At a certain point, I didn’t like Jill very much. She seemed a bit whiny and focused on herself. Again, this would be how she coped with the path her life had taken that she didn’t like. Once Jill began looking outside herself and interacting with others, I was back along for the ride.
Palmer provided the truly “Heartfelt” ending, but it felt realistic rather than cliché.
Anyone looking for a fun Christmas rom-com should grab “Christmas People by Iva-Marie Palmer.
I appreciated an ARC of this title from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

Christmas People is a fun, snarky, self-aware Hallmark movie tied up in a bow.

Jill returns to her hometown for Christmas after spending the last several years trying to make it as a screenwriter in LA. She is stuck in suburbia, and worst of all runs into both her high school crush and her ex and has to pretend everything is going well in her life. After getting a little to drunk one night, Jill wakes up in an alternate version of her home town right out of a Heartfelt (basically Hallmark) movie. In this world she can't cuss (or at least no one hears her), everywhere looks like Christmas threw up decor, all the people look like D-list celebrities, and she even ends up part of a Christmas baking competition. She needs to find a way back to the real world and soon.

I had such a fabulous time reading this book. Absolutely a great balance of the real life chaos the holidays bring, while also being super sweet and heartfelt (pun intended). I definitely will be recommending this book this holiday season!

Tropes
* FMC returns to home town
* Small town
* Christmas Competition
* Love Triangle
* Second Chance Romance
* Light Christmas Magic

4.5 stars

FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! FUN! I loved Christmas People and enjoyed reading while it was 90 degrees outside. Read it in a day and couldn't put it down. I'm a fan of Christmas People. Just a hilarious, cozy, fun book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy. This book should be a movie!

An absolute delight!

I LOVED this book. It has a protagonist who keeps making the same mistakes, but in a way that feels believable, and likeable, interesting side characters. A fantastical premise that feels lived-in and real. And tons of holiday sparkle - the central plot device is a Christmas cookie contest! - but enough ballast to keep the story from drifting into excessive sweetness.