THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners.It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere … Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
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.
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5/5 stars for this Adult RomCom. A perfect December read! I could absolutely see this becoming a movie Love! Love the cover! The characters were fun! Great narration! Can’t recommend this one enough. This may have to join my “Reread each December” list 😉
I had such fun with In A Holidaze. I believe this is my first time reading Christina Lauren’s work so I’ll need to go check out her backlist because this was exactly the book I needed to get me out of the gloom, doom, and overall down trip that 2020 has been so far.
This is also a story that I really cannot say too much about as that would definitely give away spoilers that you should experience, and laugh about, first-hand. What I’m comfortable saying is that Mae has embarked on the annual Christmas trip to a cabin of family friends in Utah. She and family have been going here for years, and even though some things within her family have changed, some remain the same… and that is the joy she always feels when arriving at this cabin and the very long time crush she’s had on one man and never done a thing about. It remains her well-kept secret (for now anyway).
As Mae is leaving the cabin for the last time (her family’s friends are selling it) she makes one wish… one simple, heartfelt wish that will result in a wild, emotional, funny, tear provoking (from sad and happy moments) set of events that will eventually change Mae’s world. Once she steps out of the movie “Groundhog Day” that is. Yes, Mae is destined to restart her holiday trip over and over until she gets her life in order… and the result of all of her adventures is simply hilarious and emotional.
If you need to laugh and have your heart swell with emotions… then you need In A Holidaze in your life, right now.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
4.5 So cute! At first, I was a little skeptical of the premise. But then by the end I was in love! It’s Christina Lauren’s take on a Hallmark movie. It’s funny, steamy and really cute. It’s a feel good, friends to lovers romance.
The story starts out with Maelyn Jones living through her Christmas with family and friends at the cabin. After a night of spiked eggnog and games, Maelyn ends up making out with one of her friends. The problem is it was the wrong friend, because she has been in love with the brother Andrew her whole teenage life. Then an announcement is made on the last day at the cabin and she feels like her life is crumbling around her. On the way to the airport she makes a wish that she could change things to make things better. Then BAM her family’s vehicle is hit by a Christmas tree truck and she jerks awake on the plane at the beginning of her Christmas again. She realizes she has been sent back so she can fix things in her life. After several failed attempts and waking back up on the plane she makes it further than previous attempts. Has she finally figured it out?
It was a funny story with a lot of sweetness and family moments which you may be able to relate to, I know I did. The premises is similar to Groundhog’s day but in a young woman version with people thinking she is crazy. I enjoyed the story and would recommend it to anyone looking for a fun story to read. (less) [edit]
Mae spends every Christmas with her family and parents’ friends from college at a cabin. But when Mae seems to keep repeating Christmas week at the cabin over and over again–a la Groundhog’s Day–it seems like a sign from the universe willing her to go after what she wants (her true love, Andrew) and granting her a do-over after she drunkenly makes out with Andrew’s brother. But is that what she wants? What is the answer? How does she get out of the time loop?
This was the holiday rom com I needed this season. It was perfectly light and frothy and kept a smile on my face the whole time. There’s just a touch of magic in the time loop but not too much for my fellow fantasy-haters. I think some things could have improved the book for the better–more time loops (lots more–like even one-page joke ones) for one–but it was still a book I truly enjoyed and anticipate reading again next Christmas and many after. I love the comradery among the family and friends, and the winter setting and activities make this the perfect holiday read. I mean there’s snow sculpting, sledding, gifting, and snowball fights–what more could you ask for in a Christmas romance? This is a major mood read and I recommend it if you’re looking for something light and fun to get you into the holiday spirit.
Now I just hope its optioned for a movie!
5 stars – 8/10
In a Holidaze was a fun book to start off the holiday season. Maelyn Jones and her family spend every Christmas at a cabin in Utah with their close family friends. On their way home from a disastrous vacation, feeling sad about this being the final time they’ll be together at the cabin and regretting a drunken make-out session, Mae asks the universe to show her what will make her happy. Cue the Groundhog Day movie-like experience where she starts back at the beginning of the trip and has a chance for a re-do. Unfortunately, she keeps having to start over, stuck in a loop until who knows when.
This holiday story is funny and sweet with a cast of enjoyable characters. There is somewhat of a love triangle with Mae, Theo, and Andrew (brothers). I kept wondering if the romance story was going to take a turn at one point or guessing as to when Mae would “loop” again which was interesting because I feel like Mae was probably wondering the same thing. While reading this book, I really felt like I was getting to know the families and observing their holiday activities like a fly on the wall. Maybe it was because I’m a mood reader and the last couple weeks have been tough personally, but this was the book I needed right now. I smiled the whole time I was reading it and truly enjoyed this light and fun holiday story.
This was the kickoff I needed as I entered the Holiday Season. A delightful story that went somewhere unexpected (I didn’t read the blurb before buying and I suggest you don’t either), this grown-up fairy tale will warm your heart better than a designer hot cocoa! Not to mention the authors deftly handled a large “found family” ensemble cast.
This book was a surprise and a delight. The pages zipped by with a romantic holiday story, but the surprise for me was the plot, an entertaining Groundhog Day-esqe romance that *totally* worked. Romantic and sexy for the holidays — loved it!
What I love about Christina Lauren is that they put out books that are both deeply emotional and a lot of fun. When I read them I can’t help but be swept up in the narrative, but I’m not overwhelmed by FEELINGS, if that makes sense. This book was super cute. The main character, Maelyn, is stuck in a time loop. She keeps reliving the same handful of days before Christmas–every time she thinks she’s got it right, she wakes up back on the plane heading to their holiday trip. It’s like a festive Groundhog Day full of found family and holiday traditions. To me this book struck a good holiday balance–festive and sweet without being cloying or over all about the “meaning of Christmas” or anything like that. Just a bunch of people that love each other even when it’s hard or life goes sideways. If you haven’t picked up one of their books before, this would be a great place to start.
Maelyn Jones looks forward to her family’s annual Christmas trip to the cabin in Utah every year. She loves spending time with her parents and their close group of friends, especially Andrew. Mae has had a crush on Andrew since forever, only he doesn’t know it. After a night of too much drinking and bad decisions, Mae and her family head home to California. Mae feels like her life is falling apart – she’s not happy at her current job, she’s living at home with her parents and she makes a wish to the universe – Please. Show me what will make me happy.
And then instead of driving to the airport with her family, Mae is back on the plane about to head to the cabin in Utah. Mae of course is freaking out because what the hell universe?! but she decides that the universe is giving her a second chance to make it right this time. Every time something goes horribly wrong, Mae ends up back on the airplane. What does she have to do to continue to live in the present without fear of being sent back?
Once I started reading In a Holidaze, I could not put it down! It did take me a bit to get into the book, but I loved the way Mae was able to experience the different parts of the holiday again with a different kind of clarity each time. I loved the way Mae came into her own and her various relationships with everyone in the cabin.
In a Holidaze is a perfect book to get you into the holiday spirit! I would love it if I could escape to a cabin in the woods each holiday season with the people who love me unconditionally. Such a great read!
Overall I would rate In a Holidaze 4.5 stars!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Christina Lauren has written some fantastic novels (some I loved some I didn’t). When I went into this one after reading some of the reviews, I’ll admit I was nervous because not all of them are great. Thankfully though I didn’t let the negative reviews dictate whether I read this one because I loved it! In a Holidaze was unlike anything I’ve ever read. The time travel loop/Groundhog Day vibes were unique and fun. Sure, there are many time travel romances out there but this one stood apart because I’ve never read those type of books. Would I choose them? No. They certainly aren’t my thing. However, Christina Lauren used their signature trademark within this novel, and it worked so well that the time loop didn’t even matter to me! I do with they took it a little further (more on that below) but other than that, there isn’t a thing I didn’t love about this book.
I hope readers who are looking for holiday themed romances will give this one a try despite its star rating. It’s a magical and heartwarming novel with a few laugh out loud moments, and a whole lot of love.
The setting of this book is magical! The novel mostly takes place at a family cabin and readers can FEEL the snow and cool air while also smelling the pine trees. I don’t remember Christina Lauren writing a book that transported me to their worlds but this one did and so much more! I would love a cabin like this myself!
The time loop aspects of the story were fantastic. I haven’t read anything like this before and was amazed at what was happening to Maisie.
The romance between Maisie and…. I won’t tell who (that would spoil the whole point of the book) was authentic, real, and adorable. I wasn’t expecting some of the ups and downs and there were moments when I wanted to slap **, but it felt real. I loved them to pieces, especially the end.
The theme of FAMILY was written remarkably. Family is the most precious gift any of us can have and seeing their bonds and coming together despite life differences was amazing. I think this is my favorite thing about the whole book.
It’s a Christmas novel and I LOVE Christmas novels!
The point of the story is the time loop in which Maisie is given more than one chance to finally be happy and figure out what she wants in life. While I did LIKE this aspect, I don’t think the authors wrote it to completion. Here’s why: Maisie went through the time loop three different times and it always started over when she made some sort of “mistake”. There was never a 4th time re-do though and it would have made more sense to me if she went back in time after she “righted” everything. Things just went on and it didn’t feel authentic to the whole point of the story. Perhaps others with disagree with this and that’s fine, but I was always waiting for it to happen again and it sort of just faded away.
Christina Lauren has written another wonderful novel with In a Holidaze and I am so glad I read it during the holiday season! This book has its own ups and downs, but the core of the book is magical in so many ways. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for something filled with warmth and love.
: (4.5)
This book was really cute! I enjoyed the love story between the characters. I’m not usually a fan of love triangle but this one was really well written and I was able to enjoy it. If I had one complaint it would be that there too few do-over days. The FMC only went back a few times. I would have liked to see more of her learning and having to go back again. Other than that it was a great Christina Lauren book.
I enjoyed this novel a great deal. I dropped right into the voice which is beautifully done as always by this author. Voice is the most difficult aspect of a novel and Lauren makes it look easy. This book is light and fun and a nice way to clear the reading pallet. For some reason the use of the Groundhog’s Day tromp is has been getting a lot of play lately. It’s a difficult story line to pull off, the repetition of the same event, in this case five days during Christmas without turning mundane. The author almost does it without boring this reader. There was one place where the author even knew the story line drug a tad when the character mentioned she too was getting tired of reliving that same day over and over.
There is a great cast of characters in the book including Ben who was one of my favorites. Andrew the unrequited love love interest turned out to be a little two dimensional. He was too perfect; the man didn’t have one flaw (hell in a different world I might have gone for him…yikes).
The number of micro conflicts the author juggles keeps the pages turning. It’s a great holiday read and I recommend it.
David Putnam Author of The Bruno Johnson Series.
I’m a sucker for a good time is repeating itself story. Most recently, I watched The Happy Death Day movies and I admit, I really enjoyed them. In a Holidaze is an engaging story about a woman, Maelyn, who is desperately in love with Andrew, who in turn only sees her as a kid sister. Or so she thinks. When she finds herself repeating the day over again, she tries to understand why she was given such a gift, and how to get that happy ever after she’s always wanted.
After the first chapter, I was a little worried this story was going to descend into a love triangle between the two brothers, which is my least favorite kind of romance, but though she cared for both men, it was clear Maelyn only loved Andrew.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There was something about the main character, how much she loved the entire extended family that I really enjoyed. And that cabin. I want that cabin in my life. Andrew and Maelyn’s romance was adorable, but not without problems. I enjoyed it all, even the inevitable conflict. I listened to the audible version of this book and the narration was well done. In a Holidaze was a great story for this time of year!
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is a laugh out loud holiday romance which is perfect timing for this time of year when we could all use some humor. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading.
It begins December 26 with the main character, 26 year old Maelyn Jones, exclaiming “call me a harlot” which sets the stage for what she describes as impulsive behavior leaving her hungover in the morning. All she remembers is a “drunk make out” with Theo Hollis who happens to be the brother of her crush, Andrew. She feels humiliated when Theo seems to ignore her in the morning.
For years Maelyn’s family has spent the holidays with her parents college friends in a cabin in Park City near Salt Lake. Lisa and Ricky Hollis stayed in Utah where they welcomed their friends to their cabin. Her parents have been divorced 3 years but still maintain this holiday tradition together traveling from CA to Salt Lake. Her mother and Lisa were college roommates while her dad lived off campus with Aaron, Ricky and Benny.
Over the years the group expanded to include Aaron’s husband Kyle Liang and their adopted twins from Manhattan. Benny remained single and eventually settled in Portland. Maelyn and her younger brother 17 year old, Miles, practically grew up with the Hollis brothers, Andrew and his younger brother Theo. Each year they anticipated the traditional schedule of playing board games and snowman contests.
Somehow Maelyn’s life goes sideways when on the way home from the holidays the family is still processing the news that the cabin was being sold. Suddenly, she sees the car swerve and crash when she opens her eyes she is totally confused to find herself on an airplane. Dazed from what she recalls was a car accident, she is stunned to see her cell phone date is December 20th! They are actually on their way to Salt Lake and not on their way home on December 26th.
She is flummoxed knowing that no one will believe her when she tries to explain that she has already experienced this week. Did she time travel what happened? She follows along and decides to avoid some of the mistakes she felt she made the first time. If only that were so easy, she has a series of mishaps of falling down stairs and having a branch fall on her only to wake up back in the plane. She found it amusing initially but soon she fears she will be stuck in this time warp forever.
What would you do if you could have a “do over” of past events? How do you think you would handle such an experience? Maelyn finds herself not taking her life for granted and wanting to make changes with courage she didn’t know she had.
Entirely too much fun and exactly the delightfully heartwarming holiday read that I needed in my life, In A Holidaze gives us a friends to lovers romance that is every bit the swoony sweetness I have come to expect from duo Christina Lauren. I was a bit nervous going in since their last book wasn’t a home run for me, but once I picked this gem up, I couldn’t put it down.
Christina Lauren absolutely delivered on the feels delivering not only a sweet romance, but an important lesson on taking action and going after what will make you happy even with the risk of failure. Maelyn starts as a fairly passive character. She isn’t happy with her lot in life but at the same time she takes no steps to change her work or romance situation. After some serious groundhog day time shifts, Maelyn’s character growth truly takes off.
A healthy dose of holiday cheer, authentic/flawed characters, all mixed with a sprinkling of secret crushes and pining for Andrew, and we have all the ingredients for a great romance. With a relatively low steam level and a comfortable level of tension between Mae and Andrew, their romance felt comfortable even though it was a relatively short read. It made this read feel like a cozy blanket.
I loved the romance between Maelyn and Andrew, but by far my favorite part was how lively and rounded every character, no matter how small a role, felt. They each had quirks and flaws that made the family feel familiar. It was like watching an old home movie rather than meeting new characters!
In A Holidaze is definitely going to be a book I revisit when I’m in the mood for an uplifting holiday read! Absolutely one of my favorite books that I’ve read this year!
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A fun premise for a Christmas story. I love that Maelyn gets an opportunity to find what truly matters and finds the courage to go after that which her heart desires. The story is told in a fun and engaging manner that brought many smiles to my face. This is a heat filled romance, so clean readers beware!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own, freely given.
I am not a romance book fan. However, In a Holidaze was more than just a romance book. It was a Groundhog Day rewind. I loved how Maelyn ends up having to figure out how to become the person she is meant to be. This is a story of self-discovery and growth. There are wonderful relationships and it was enjoyable getting to follow Maelyn as her relationship with Andrew begins to change and develop beyond the family friend one they’ve known all their lives. And I loved Uncle Benny! We all need an Uncle Benny in our lives!
The Christmas traditions were wonderful and made me wish that my family had developed those over the years. This is a heartwarming story and full of love, laughter, and wonderful characters. If you are looking for a light holiday read, this is a must read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Every year as long as Maelyn can remember her family has spent the Christmas holiday with a group of her parents’ close friends and their kids at an idyllic, snowy cabin in Utah. It’s become a cornerstone of her life. These people, and this place. Until she learns that this Christmas is the last they’ll all spend at the cabin. As she and her family drive away on their last day. Maelyn is in despair. She asks the universe to show her what will make her happy. The next thing she knows, tires are screeching, metal is crunching, and everything goes black.
Then, Maelyn wakes up on an airplane. Not just any airplane, the plane she took to Christmas festivities five days ago. Yep, apparently Maelyn is reliving the holidays. Is this the universe giving her the wish? How is she supposed to be happy when she knows what going to happen? Determined to get out of this time loop, Mae will take a look at tradition and expectation, and start taking chances on life, especially when it comes to her years-long crush on childhood friend Andrew.
I really loved the tone of this story. The holiday vibes are out in full force and I just wanted to wrap myself up in it like cozy blanket and sip hot cocoa while reading.
The whole Groundhog’s Day thing (which let’s be honest has been done before) works really well in this scenario, but I kinda wish is was more utilized. I don’t know if it’s because people already really get the idea of the Groundhog’s Day thing so the authors didn’t want to inundate us with going back to the beginning too many times, but for me, I wanted to see Mae’s growth as she continued to add on to each experience through what she’s already lived. While this does happen, I could have used maybe a couple more trips to really solidify the idea that there were still things for Mae to learn.
I did like commentary on breaking tradition which also have a way of being things people blindly do over and over again. Taking a look at those things you love to do (like having a snowman building contest, or decorating the tree a certain way), but have kind of become mechanical, you realize you’ve lost that spark for these things. Seeing them in a new way or taking the time to get a fresh perspective can not only provide other alternatives to tradition, but also give you the resources to get back to that original loving feeling. This crosses over into our everyday lives as well in how we have the same routines day after day, going to the same job that doesn’t excite us anymore (speaking in generalities here). It’s a lovely commentary on living the life you want, not the life you think you’re expected to have.
Andrew and Mae’s romance is sweet and like the perfect childhood friends to lovers story. I did feel like Andrew’s younger brother Theo’s character was not done justice. Everyone had set up Mae and Theo for eventually getting together since they are the same age. No one ever thought that she had feelings for Andrew, including Andrew. So when Mae starts reliving the holidays, she takes the opportunity to tell Andrew how she feels, which is great. But I felt like it was at the cost of her friendship with Theo. All the children have been friends for ages. Theo and Mae especially because, as I said, they are the same age. So for her to nearly cut him out felt very harsh. And I didn’t feel like we get any good kind of closure on that either. It’s the reason I took away a star in my rating.
Besides that, though, In A Holidaze is filled with the comforts of the holidays, friends, family, love. It’s a great reminder about the time of year bursting with tradition and memories, and reminds you to maybe make a few new ones this year.
Content Rating: 18+
Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Adult Fiction, Holiday
Published: October 6th, 2020, by Gallery Books
In a Holidaze will wrap you up in a warm blanket of Christmas happiness and love. I am usually not a huge fan of holiday books; however, In a Holidaze has changed my mind. Christina and Lauren have written a lovely story with fabulous characters that you will enjoy getting to known. This book has a Groundhog Day vibe, but I was thankful that it was short-lived and not throughout the whole book.
One amazing cozy cabin in Utah, a group of friends, cemented by the college experience, and their grownup children have been meeting on December 20th to spend Christmas together. You can feel the love between all these people, but this Christmas looks like it will be a bit different.
Mae, Theo, and Andrew have grown up together and are best friends. However, Mae has been in love with Andrew, or is it, Theo, since she was thirteen years old. Oh, did you think I was going to tell you who she loves and ruin all the fun? And of course, to make things interesting, Theo and Andrew are brothers.
Mae makes a silent plea to the universe: Universe.
“What am I doing with my life? Please. I want…”
“So Mae askes the universe, simply:
‘Can you show me what will make me happy?’”
Mae makes a terrible mistake, but not too worry she gets the opportunity to rectify the error twice. As Mae lives this week over two times, a remarkable change takes place. She sees what is essential in life and learns the importance of taking a chance and going after what makes her happy.
So, between boardgames and snowball fights, I was happy that the central theme of this story was Mae finding herself and finding love and not the whole groundhog theme, which, in my opinion, has been overdone. The story was cute and fun, but the characters made this book and warmed my heart. In a Holidaze turned out to have all the warm feels we have all come to expect from these two wonderful authors. If you are looking for a heartfelt, sweet, emotional read with a touch of humor, to get you into the Christmas spirit a little early, look no further; you have found your next read, In a Holidaze.
* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. *
** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Christina Lauren. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **