✨ "She sure knows how to take the J-O-Y out of jolly." ✨
SOME SPOILER-FREE THOUGHTS: This might be the greatest Christmas rom com ever written. Like, there was seriously some kind of chemical in this book that just slowly released as I read it, pulling me deeper and deeper into the story in a way I've never felt before. I wasn't just invested in the characters, I was the characters. I experienced every single emotion they did alongside them. I was smiling, giddily kicking my feet, sweating, crying, the whole lot. Ever amazed at how Meghan Quinn continues to best herself with each incredible work she delivers us. She never fails! Five stars forever!
Author: meghan quinn
Finished: december 18, 2024
Reading Method: physical book (signed copy!)
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Spice Rating: 3/5 🌶️
What To Expect:
✨ Grinch-Inspired Christmas Novel
✨ Enemies to Lovers
✨ Small Christmas-Themed Town
✨ Second Chance Romance
✨ Slow Burn
✨ Fake Dating Turned Real (but Secretly Real)
✨ Christmas Spirit Competition
✨ Spicy Candy Cane Scene
✨ Dual POV
SPOILERS IN
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2...
1...
✨ "We have to act like we hate each other while pretending to date, even though we are actually sort of seeing each other. It's complicated and hard to process..." ✨
It's no secret that I love a good holiday book no matter the time of year. It's also no secret that Meghan Quinn is one of my favorite authors and can do no wrong in my book. But wow, as much as I knew I was going to love this book, I was not expecting to fall so deep into this story as I did! I can't even begin to describe how much I loved it, which is really rough considering I'm supposed to be writing a review for said book...
And as terrible as I feel not being able to give you too much to go off of right now, There's genuinely not any specific pieces of this book that I can call out because it was literally ALL PERFECT! The only way I could do this book justice in a review is if I fully rewrote the book in this blog (and I would never do that because you need to go get it for your shelf because it's so pretty!).
But I will try...
Storee does not want to return to Kringletown because she still houses embarrassment over what happened the last time she was there (ruined the pageant by knocking an old woman into the river...yikes!), but she returns with her sister to take care of their dear Aunt Cindy. And of course, her self-deprecation and sarcastic nature immediately get her into hot water with the boy next door she used to rely on, making her new mission to become the Christmas Kringle much harder since his new mission is to take her down.
Of course, she's not the girl he thinks she is and as she begins to show her true colors, he exposes a little bit of his (not so black) heart as well, taking them back to their teenage selves sitting on the steps of his house. As much as she wants to win for Aunt Cindy, she is also now dedicated to reigniting the Christmas spirit in Cole (through both family friendly tree decorating and X-rated candy cane usage...) and when her sister snuffs out that flame, she brings the whole town together to prove that the spirit of Christmas isn't just about the decorations or the cookies, it's about the people you share it with.
And throughout all of this, Cole goes from the brooding trickster who harbors resentment for a young girl with selfish tendencies to a man capable of forgiveness and understanding, willing to open himself up and expose the pain he's suffered through for the girl he's always secretly loved.
Sigh! Swoon! Heart eyes!
Our two main characters together were just the perfect give and take in every scene. Whether a teasing argument, a steamy kiss (or more...), or a romantic gesture, their energies aligned magically and reading the two of them was so captivating.
Not to mention meeting all the other townsfolk of Kringle! By the end of the book, I felt like I was just another neighbor helping to put Cole's lights back on his house with the rest of them. Quinn always does an incredible job world building, but she truly outdid herself on this one.
And on top of all her amazing storytelling via our character's dual POV, we also got a super fun rhyming narrator (that Cole argues with quite frequently) that just brought the fun up a notch and really made this rom com next level!
I just...I can't recommend this book more highly! Especially if you're a fan of enemies to lovers, fake dating, second chance romances, then you need to run and grab your copy of How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn which can totally be enjoyed year-round, not just during the winter holiday season.
All My Love,
Jane-Anne
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