Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, Penguin Group Genres: Contempory, Fiction, Holiday, Romance
Format: ARC, eBook
Bella Ross has been tasked by her employer to travel to Maple Falls, Colorado to purchase Always Noelle, a struggling Christmas themed Shop. Always Noelle is Jesse Harrison’s grandfather’s shop. Jesse left town after his parents’ deaths and comes home after his business fails. Upon his return to Maple Falls, he found Clarence, his grandfather, is struggling with debt and needs to sell Always Noelle. Bella makes an offer on the shop, but it doesn’t go quite as planned. A wager is made, Jesse and Bella must compete in the Maple Falls Holiday Games, and the winner will decide the selling price.
Bella and Jesse are enemies to lovers in this small-town holiday book. Yes, the book is predictable, but romance books tend to be so. It is all about the journey that matters to me. The games that they had to play were interesting and fun. The small town of Maple Falls had a very charming feel and helped to add to the atmosphere in the book. Clarence was also a great and likeable character.
For me, this was an enjoyable book but didn’t quite wow me as I had hoped it would. This felt like a Hallmark movie (not a bad thing) and is light on romance. Their attraction happens fast. We get their POV’s, and things do get repetitive.
I was hoping to enjoy this one more than I did. Will I remember this book in months to come, probably not. But I did enjoy the time I spent reading it. I have to also give her props for coming up with the creative Holiday games.
Holly Cassidy is the pen name of Hannah Mary McKinnon. She usually writes suspense books and I believe this is her first foray into romance.
Well written and charming.
#TheChristmasWager #NetGalley
Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.