ARC REVIEW: In A Holidaze By: Christina Lauren

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but thirty-year-old Maelyn Jones is in the midst of a major crisis. She’s living with her mom, hates her boring job, and has yet to make any romantic progress with Andrew, the friend she’s been in love with for the last thirteen years. But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born. Devastated as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple wish to the universe: show me what will make me happy. The next thing she knows there’s a screech of tires and metal, followed by Mae gasping awake…on an airplane bound for Utah. Now Mae has the chance to live the holidays all over again but with one disaster after another sending her repeatedly back in time, she has to figure out how to end this strange holiday loop and get Andrew under the mistletoe. Otherwise, she’s going to need a miracle.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Is October too early to read a Christmas book? You know what? It's 2020 and I just don't care. I needed some holiday cheer in my life and this book had that in spades. I honestly wasn't sure how I felt about this book for maybe the first 25% of it. I didn't really get a sense of who Maelyn was (other than someone in a dead end job and crushing on someone she thinks she will never get) and the story was kind of meh. I just didn't know how I would feel about the whole Groundhog Day thing. The beginning did move very slowly and her interactions with Andrew didn't leave me with much optimism for their romance. However, after a couple of her "deaths," the romance really revved up and the story just turned into something so sweet. There was so much warmth and chemistry and humor and heart in this story. I loved it. I got to know all the many characters and the friendships between all of them. And there was so much holiday joy! I loved the traditions and the snow and all the fun. It definitely put me in the holiday spirit a whole two months early and I have no issues with that. I also loved Maelyn's growth and her relationship with Andrew. Fantastic read once again by two fantastic women!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐