Romance is not my typical genre of choice, but I couldn’t resist the lure of a sweet Christmas romance. I’d spend my time reading a saccharine novel than watching the Hallmark Movie Channel any day. So, I eagerly added In a Holidaze by writing team Christina Lauren.
Once I began reading this novel set around a snowy Utah cabin where a group of family and friends gather each year to celebrate Christmas together I could not put it down…I was hooked!
In a Holidaze was exactly what I was looking for and what I wanted it to be for a holiday romance.
Summary
After spending a week in her favorite place in the world, but ending on a bad note after a romantic error and realizing it may be the last time she gathers with this group of family and friends, Maelyn is mentally breaking down. She throws out a desperate plea to the “universe”, Please show me what will make me happy.
After making this plea there is a car accident and everything goes black for Mae. She wakes up on a plane headed to Utah for the same vacation she just experienced with her family. After making a couple of blunders, she ends up reliving this experience twice before determining that she must figure out how to break free of this strange time loop and find she happiness her heart longs for.
What I Loved
I loved the sweetness of this book more than everything. It really was a “happily ever after” romance. I kept waiting for something to happen to break the good things that were happening for Maelyn throughout the middle of the story thinking, “this is just too good to be true”. Maybe I’m too jaded! I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied with an ending that was too good to be true, but was genuinely sweet and actually exactly what I wanted to be true.
I loved all of the characters. They were all a little quirky, believable and likeable. They had flaws, but most of those were resolved in a positive light.
This was just the sweetest, coziest rom-com that was absolutely heartwarming!!
Content Warning
This is a romance novel, so there is some sexy time. There are a few sex scenes, but they aren’t completely open door. If it were a movie, I would give it a rating of PG-13.
Theme
The themes addressed in this book are finding happiness and self-acceptance. Mae only finds what she’s looking for when she is honest about who she really is and is brave in accepting that.
Quote
I’ve essentially handed my heart over to the person who’s had it on reserve for half my life, and I’m terrified that he doesn’t realize what he’s holding.
Rating
Other Information–
Author: Christina Lauren
Published on October 6, 2020
Publisher: Gallery Books
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Romance
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