A Holly Jolly Ever After is a companion novel to A Merry Little Meet Cute – while it’s not necessary to read Merry Little first, I would highly recommend it as this book spoils what happens in that one, since it takes place afterwards, but following different characters!
Title: A Holly Jolly Ever After
Authors: Julie Murphy, Sierra Simone
Series: A Christmas Notch #2
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Holiday – Christmas
Goodreads Summary
Kallum Liebermanis was part of the boyband INK along with Nolan Shaw, who Merry Little Meet Cute featured, but Kallum was the “least” favorite one of the group. He opened a regional pizza chain called Slice, Slice, Baby! and is happy with that. But a sex tape of his went viral and he’s ready to be in the public eye again, starring in a sexy Santa biopic for the Hope Channel.
Winnie Baker was a child star who did everything right, until everything around her fell apart anyway. What did being a “good girl” always get her? A divorce and shamed for not being pure anymore? She doesn’t want it – so she agrees to star in a steamy Hope Channel movie.
Winnie and Kallum knew each other from back in the day but were never friends. Winnie needs some help learning how to fake pleasure for the camera, since her ex-husband never did anything for her, and who better to help teach her a think or two than her co-star Kallum.
I liked this one, but didn’t love it as much as A Merry Little Meet Cute. I will say I enjoyed catching up with some of our old favorites from the first novel, and seeing Bea and Nolan again living happily ever after. I don’t always need to see the HEA, but sometimes hearing about it in a follow up novel is rather nice.
Winnie and Kallum were both nice enough and fun. Their sex scenes together were steamy. But this had a second act conflict that I saw coming a mile away and I hated it. I’ve read many of Sierra Simone books. I know how she writes and plots she uses and I had hoped she wouldn’t use it here but alas, she did.
*SPOILER*
It’s the unexpected pregnancy troupe and I hate going into stories and not knowing there is a pregnancy. Its one of my biggest turn offs and pet peeves. I saw it coming and yet it still took me by surprise. The second part of the book focuses on that and it just didn’t work for me unfortunately. I no longer cared for these characters or the story. I still finished it out, the story was okay, but meh.
*END SPOILER*
I still plan to read the third book in this little series, following (I assume) the final member of INK, Isaac, who we saw more of in this book but is a bit of a recluse after his wife died.
There were again two narrators for this story, as with A Merry Little Meet Cute – one for Winnie and one for Kallum. I thought they both did a great job and this was enjoyable to listen to – would recommend.
My Rating:
I’m giving this 3.5 stars and rounding up to 4 stars on Goodreads. I enjoyed my time back in Christmas Notch and this is always a fun series to read during the holiday season – or whenever you want to feel a little festive. I enjoy the writing of duo Julie and Sierra and look forward to their next novel together!
Frayed Books 