I have never read a Christina Lauren book.. shocking, I know because they are the rom-com queens of novels. And yes, Christina Lauren is a THEY -- it's TWO people! I just found that out last year and was stunned. I find that super interesting... the process must be astounding.
Even though I had never read a Christina Lauren novel, when I heard that they were releasing a holiday book, I was super excited. I just read "In a Holiadaze" a few weeks ago; I started reading it at 1 PM and finished it around 3:30 PM. All I did for those two and a half-hour was read. It was glorious and this might be my new favorite holiday novel.
Publisher's Summary
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.
My Thoughts
I simply adored this book! It was everything you could want from a Christmas novel: romance, friendship, holiday joy, and a very strange premise. It's a plot that jumped out of a Hallmark movie!
The main character constantly wakes up like it's groundhog day so she can learn something and really follow her heart's desire? That is definitely Hallmark but it made for a great read.
I did have a little bit of a hard time with the idea at first... like it was just so unrealistic but once I was at the halfway point and realized what was happening, I was fine with it. I embraced the strangeness and just gave myself to the story.
This story made me swoon -- it was so relatable; Mae is stuck in her life, her parents are divorced and she's about to lose the one thing she loves the most: Christmas at the cabin. She's been in love with Andrew since she was a teenager and doesn't know how to handle that. It's such a simple base for the story and it just made my heart hurt and soar at the same time.
Toward the end of the book, I just felt so sick... like Mae wasn't going to get what she deserved because at her core, she is a good person. She's one of the most likable characters I've ever read in a novel. The ending, it made me sob. I was crying like a baby! It wrapped everything up in a beautiful bow and while it felt a little rushed and unrealistic, I couldn't imagine it ending any other way.
This book really put me in the holiday & winter spirit; it gave me that joy of the holidays that 2020 is missing so I'm very thankful that I read it so early in the holiday season!
One thing to note about this book: there are a lot of characters and it's hard to keep track. I don't think I really knew whose parents were who and kind of just stuck with Mae, Andrew, and a few other characters.
Otherwise, I have nothing negative to say about this book. It was everything I could want from a light, romantic, funny, and unrealistic story. I got lost in this book for a few hours and it was just what the doctor ordered.
I cannot wait to read other Christina Lauren books!
xoxo
B
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