BOOK REVIEW: All in for Christmas by Ginny Baird

All in for Christmas by Ginny Baird
iBooks

Synopsis:
One woman, two lives—but did she choose the right one?

Practical-minded Paige Pierce has her life in order. She’s got a job she loves, teaching English, and is launching a new “Paws and Read” literacy program for struggling students at her school. Despite her dismal dating record, Paige rarely thinks about her old college boyfriend, Dean Burton. Then dreamy Dean surprises her at her school’s faculty holiday party, upending her world. When she learns Dean’s been hired as their replacement physics teacher, Paige can’t help getting stars in her eyes and wondering what her life might have been like if they’d never said goodbye.

With a rare comet passing overhead and the aid of a mysterious holiday market vendor, the universe grants Paige a chance to find out… The next morning, she wakes up in an alternate reality, greeted by Dean’s sunny optimism, their two kids, and a dog. Suddenly in way over her head with myriad household chores, a precocious little girl and a toddler boy who’s—yikes—potty training, Paige is desperate to scramble her way back home. Until her heart starts melting under the mistletoe, due to Dean’s swoony kisses and the cute shenanigans of their sweet kids and loyal pup, and she finds herself questioning where her home is truly meant to be. Yet the enchantment that’s brought her here won’t last forever.

With the clock ticking on Christmas magic, can the past be undone?

Review:

All in for Christmas was a second chance romance filled with all the magic. With a snowy winter wonderland, a magical advent calendar, and a journey into an alternate universe, this book was so easy to enjoy! If you adore Christmas stories where the ending will pleasantly surprise you, and if you’ve ever wondered what if, this book is for you!

“Magical gifts from the holiday market?” There’s an impish gleam in his eyes and I chuckle.
“Come on, you don’t really mean it. Magic?”
“Why not magic?” he replies. “Stranger things have happened.”

It had been six years since Paige and Dean were together in college. And they ran into each other at her work’s holiday party. From that one moment, and a thoughtful gift, her whole life completely changed. The next morning, she woke up snuggling with Dean, while their two children and dog Scout came bounding into their bedroom. Eleanor and Henry were some of my favorite things about this story! They had me screeching with laughter and they added so much heart and joy! I got quickly attached to them and fell in love with the family that Paige and Dean had created. Yet, it wasn’t real……right?

I can’t tell anybody this. That I’ve invented an entire family! With a living-breathing-barking dog! And laundry. Nobody wishes for piles of unfolded clothes.

Truly I didn’t know how to connect with Paige at first. I mean, she had a robotic dog lol. But from the moment she woke up in another life, I clicked with her right away. I got her struggles, confusion, and at the same time there were things in this life that brought her immense amounts of joy! I was so happy for her. And I adored her relationship with her mom! Watching Paige go from desperately wanting to go back to her original life, to falling in love with this one was so beautiful! And Dean was a book husband you will fall madly in love with too!

He’s awfully handsome standing there in his sweatpants and undershirt, commanding the stove like a pro. The fact that he hasn’t shaved gives him a sexy unkempt edge. I think of his role-playing comments and go hot all over. Santa and Mrs. Claus? Seriously? I wish I knew what that entailed.

Building a snowman, snowball fights, Christmas cookies, ice skating, and holiday magic made this Hallmark vibe story merry and bright! Plus, the ending to All in for Christmas completely surprised me in the best of ways! I didn’t see it coming, and I closed the book so happy! With a fade to black romance, family moments that will melt your heart, and all the Christmas feels, I enjoyed reading this story so much!

A wave of melancholy washes over me, but I push it aside. Foolish to regret what I’ve never had.

I think I’m falling for Dean. I think I’m falling for all of them.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEWS: The Holiday Mix-Up by Ginny Baird, Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber & The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

The Holiday Mix-Up by Ginny Baird
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
While You Were Sleeping meets The Wedding Date with a fun Puerto Rican holiday twist in NYT and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird's latest sweet romance, in which a diner waitress agrees to be her patron's fake date...only for him to land in a coma and her to be stuck playing his sweetheart with his family all week long.

Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family's winery, Katie leaps at the chance…that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the "news." Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there's Juan's brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right―and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.

Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan's plan to "rebrand and expand" Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she's still committed to Juan…even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead. With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?

Review:

The Holiday Mix-Up was an over the top heartwarming, but also awkward, Christmas romance. Katie went along with one of her restaurant patron’s wishes that she be his fake girlfriend for Christmas. She had been falling for him the last few months, yet moments later he ended up in an accident that left him in a coma. Katie found herself conflicted, but played along with the Martinez family that she was Juan’s girlfriend. So with picking out a Christmas tree, meals at their house, horse rides, to even trying on something that made me gasp, Katie quickly found herself wrapped up in the Martinez’s lives. I wasn’t sure if Katie was extremely lonely or if she was incapable of saying no? But regardless, the family’s antics were entertaining. And the more time she spent with them, Katie couldn’t deny she was falling for her fake boyfriend’s brother. I really enjoyed the beginning, while the latter half of this book seemed to stall for me. But still, it was so easy to listen to, was festive, and I’m going to try another book by this author.

Twelve Days of Christmas by Debbie Macomber
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Friendly and bubbly, Julia Padden likes nearly everyone, but her standoffish neighbor, Cain Maddox, presents a particular challenge. No matter how hard she’s tried to be nice, Cain rudely rebuffs her at every turn, preferring to keep to himself. But when Julia catches Cain stealing her newspaper from the lobby of their apartment building, that’s the last straw. She’s going to break through Cain’s Scrooge-like exterior the only way she knows how: by killing him with kindness.

To track her progress, Julia starts a blog called The Twelve Days of Christmas. Her first attempts to humanize Cain are far from successful. Julia brings him homemade Christmas treats and the disagreeable grinch won’t even accept them. Meanwhile, Julie’s blog becomes an online sensation, as an astonishing number of people start following her adventures. Julia continues to find ways to express kindness and, little by little, chips away at Cain’s gruff façade to reveal the caring man underneath. Unbelievably, Julia feels herself falling for Cain—and she suspects that he may be falling for her as well. But as the popularity of her blog continues to grow, Julia must decide if telling Cain the truth about having chronicled their relationship to the rest of the world is worth risking their chance at love.

Review:

Twelve Days of Christmas was a grumpy sunshine holiday romance. This book made me laugh out loud at times. And I loved watching Julia try to bring out Cain’s kind side each day they got closer to Christmas. Yet I had a hiccup when she visited someone special in his life. I felt like that was a little backhanded with how she learned information about him. But regardless of that, this was a very cute, sweet and quick book to listen to. There was lots of Christmas cheer, cheesy goodness and an epilogue set in the future that will leave you smiling.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it.

At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.

Review:

This was an adorable small town romance. Ivy Perkins was so easy to like, and she had just bought a farm house to get her new start. Newly divorced and with only her dog, who was the cutest, I loved watching her settle into the small town. With a Christmas letter that added a little bit of holiday mystery, to making new friends, to even finding love, this book had all of it. Plus I was pleasantly urprised that everyone got a happy ending. The romance in this story was most definitely instalove, so I didn’t feel a strong connection between the two characters. But I always seem to struggle with that trope. So if you’re looking for a light and sweet heartwarming Christmas story, that is a Hallmark movie in a book, this may be it if you like instalove!