Non-review Rant

Alright, so this is the last book in this Amazon Original Stories Holiday collection. You can check out my review for the first three books.

Book Review | Snow Place Like Home | Laura Pavlov

Book Review | Merry and Bright | Ali Rosen

Book Review | All Wrapped Up in You | Rosie Danan

Here goes.

Review

We were in the mood for all things short romances, and this fit the bill perfectly. The central plot adds immediate chaos: Juliana has called off her engagement with Eric but still brings him home for the holidays, choosing to face family questions and awkward situations together. Predictably, this decision leads to confusion, mixed signals, and emotional messiness.

I didn’t love it, and I didn’t hate it either, but I also couldn’t truly get invested. Juliana, especially, came across as someone who invites complications for no clear reason. She knows Eric is a genuinely nice guy and is still attracted to him even after the breakup — which made the breakup itself confusing. The why never fully landed for me, and that lack of clarity weakened the emotional core of the story. I also felt that the author was trying to check boxes of some kind, trying to make it intentionally feminist, but I could be wrong. 

That said, it’s an easy, quick holiday read that does what it sets out to do: provide seasonal vibes, light drama, and a familiar romance setup. Overall, it was an okay, passable holiday read, but not a memorable one for me.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½ (3.5/5)

Notes

6%
I’m questioning the wisdom of my admittedly shortsighted plan.

 

12%
My tone is bereft of emotion; my soul is not.

 

14%
My uncle has only two voice levels: loud and louder.

 

17%
but what he does next causes my heart to gallop. He lowers his chin and rests his forehead against mine as he massages my neck.

 

25%
Why simply holding my niece suggests I’m ready for anything other than . . . holding my niece is beyond me.

 

46%
Juliana’s branded on my skin, taken up permanent residence in my mind, imprinted herself on my heart. I wish I knew how to fix us, but sadly, I don’t, and I’m frustrated with myself because of it.

 

50%
It’s how you handle the rough patches that matters the most.”

 

76%
nothing in life is guaranteed.
Shabana Mukhtar: True dat.

 

77%
intuition is one of the most powerful tools in a mother’s toolbox.”

The Final Verdict

Suitable for readers who enjoy short, low-stakes holiday romances with a bit of emotional chaos and festive awkwardness. If you’re looking for deep character motivation or strong emotional investment, this one may feel slightly unsatisfying — but as a cosy, one-sitting holiday read, it works well enough.

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