Nicolena Reads

Read August 2024

Is Christmas in August a thing? I don’t know, but it should be! There’s nothing like a good ol’ Christmas romance to melt a half frozen heart. Honestly, I haven’t read much of anything in months… nothing else has held my attention. I did a little digging and made a new TBR of books I think we’ll all enjoy. I hope, anyway! As for this Christmas road tripping rom-com…

What is it about? 

Lauren works in show biz, baby. She’s a set designer in California and makes a solid effort at staying as far away from her hometown in Illinois as possible. Growing up was rough and she’s content keeping a physical, and emotional, distance from everyone. She dates for company and intentionally chooses guys she doesn’t have a future with because trusting people doesn’t come easy for her.

Will is a college baseball coach in California and use to be the absolute apple of Lauren’s eye; he’s her brother’s best friend. Unfortunately for Will, Lauren is holding on to the pain from a college heartbreak that was completely his fault. They have to drive back home from California to Illinois together for Christmas and Lauren isn’t exactly keen on giving Will any grace. He will pay for what he did unless he can win her over; it just sort of seems like he doesn’t understand why there’s a grudge or why he cares to win her over.

What does it have?

• Winter Road Trip
• Childhood Friends
• Second Chances
• Scrooge turned… less Scrooge?

This was a win and had everything I was looking for. “Easy read” (my writing professor in college never loved that explanation!), Christmassy, road trips… ok I wasn’t looking for road trips but I like them and it aligned… and a feel-good story. I really liked the theme of grace weaved throughout the novel, or “a second chance that isn’t deserved” (Walsh).

Is it worth reading?

If you love Christmas books, it’s gonna be a yes for you! I read half the book before bed last night and the other half this morning – it was a solid yes for me. There’s a second book in the series that I’ll probably read after I read a few ARCs from NetGalley. Incoming is.. another Christmas one and, I forget. Pretty sure the reading slump of the century is over!