Book Blurb:
Jordan Frost had to do it. Her family was simply too perfectly eccentric not to put in a novel. She was thrilled when she got an agent and then a publishing deal. For two books. Two! Then reality set in. The book about an oddball family who goes on a Christmas vacation together is coming out in November. Just in time for her trip home to Port Carol, Washington, from the big city. Jordan is desperately hoping she can keep her pseudonym a secret so she can stay in her family's good graces. She wrote the book under a pen name and when it was time for an author picture, she wore a wig and glasses. No one will know it was her, right?
Wrong. Charles Pine, her high school friend who always hoped for more, recognizes the woman he's never gotten over as soon as he unpacks her book to shelve at the bookstore where he works. He knows this is the perfect opportunity to get Jordan to see him in a new light and he makes sure to run into her when she arrives home. She never thought of him as anything more than a shoulder to cry on back then, but he's determined to make her see him as boyfriend material, even if that means threatening to reveal her secret identity. As the holiday season sets in, Jordan tries to juggle writing, her family's mishaps, and the stress of keeping a secret.
When a series of minor family emergencies threatens to add even more chaos to Jordan's already hectic life, Charles tries to help her find the true meaning of the holiday. Maybe coming home wasn't a bad idea after all...
Tropes:
*Netgalley ALC *Holiday Rom-com *Hallmark vibes *friends--> more *small town romance
*long term pining (MMC side) *quirky side characters *closed door *author FMC *cozy read
Thoughts:
Jordan (FMC) has wanted to be a writer for as long as she can remember and she's finally done it she's a first time author so she isn't expecting her book to be super successful but she would be thrilled if she had some readers... but it becomes a huge success and nearing the holidays she realizes that there is a big problem with that...
She wrote what she knew about and used her quirky family and their shenanigans in her story, she didn't tell anyone she was writing a book or ask permission to use their likeness... she just knows that her family will be mad and if she gets coal in her stocking it will be well earned at this point... why did she write this book? Even though she used a pen name and wore a disguise what if someone sees thru it?
Jordan has to have someone help her and fast... maybe the local book store won't carry her book. In comes Charles (Jordan's best friend from high school who has always crushed on Jordan but she has clearly fit in the friend zone). Charles is the new owner of the book shop and agrees to not carry her book and if any of her family comes in he will steer them towards other holiday options.
Naturally they grow closer together on their quest to keep Jordan's Holiday book out of her families clutches and Jordan is starting to see Charles in a brand new light he's the exact opposite of the guys she went for in high school and college... but she's wondering what she was thinking keeping him in the friend zone all of those years... but is it too late?
some things I liked:
I enjoyed the small town hallmark holiday vibes
Loved Jordan's quirky and loving family and the shenanigans that happened in attempts to keep the book out of her families hands.
single narrator Tanya Eby --> she did a great job bringing this story to life.
Loved that Jordan finally had some growth and saw that just maybe her true love had been in front of her and there for her for ages... it's about time she opened her eyes.
some things I didn't like:
Jordan it took me awhile to warm up to her, this story swaps back and forth between the past and the present and shows even in the past she was a bit on the shallow side pushing her poor friend Charles aside for the hot sports guy that came along even in high school. It made me feel bad for Charles that he had been pining after Jordan for so long.
Pretty repetitive, and overly silly at times of course her family will be able to find the book elsewhere... I found myself wanting to shout for her to just tell them already because the longer she put it off the worse things would get.
Overall this was an enjoyable fun holiday rom-com, small town, slow burn friends --> more (closed door), low stakes cozy read with some silly moments that had me laughing out loud. If you are looking to add to your holiday reading TBR add this one too!
Have you read this one? What did you think?
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