In a Holidaze by Cristina Lauren is now available!
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 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.
Buy Links: https://christinalaurenbooks.com/books/in-a-holidaze/?fbclid=IwAR2wKlOxnmlLMSLZ0q_5V_uq8Fwf2ZHes0YSx66VDMVkf1mdYbb3pAkWfws
Review:
2.75-3 stars
***
I didn't completely love this book, unfortunately. In a Holidaze is Maelyn's story. Maelyn is a young woman whose family has a close "best friend family" that they have always spent Christmas with at a cabin. Mae has always had a crush on one of the sons of that family, Andrew. But this Christmas at the cabin, everything has gotten mixed up. Bad news about the cabin, kissing the wrong brother, and accidents abound. When the Christmas week is over, Maelyn makes a wish for the universe to show her what will make her happy. The family is immediately in a car accident and when Mae wakes up the week is just starting again. Thus begins a Groundhog Day like scenario, where Mae goes through the week over and over until an accident happens to make her begin again.
This book did have a cute premise. But Mae came off like a very immature and innocent, young teenage girl with a silly schoolgirl crush, instead of a woman in her late 20s. Andrew, also did not feel like a 30 year old man. For much of the book, it did not feel like a romance. There was no chemistry or depth of character. The reasons why the "Groundhog Day scenario" happens are never fully explained, nor is why the days repeating finally stops. Also, the pacing is off. Rushing in parts and slow moving in parts. The book is relatively entertaining, but it felt more like a debut novel.
Overall, I can't say I enjoyed this book very much. I have read and enjoyed Christina Lauren books in the past, but haven't enjoyed many of their newer books. The Unhoneymooners was pretty good though, so I thought I would try In a Holidaze, in hopes that they got some of their groove back. But I was disappointed as I felt this was my least favorite book of theirs to date. It wasn't bad, but it was definitely only okay for me.
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