From the publisher:
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.
The writing duo known as Christina Lauren is (are?) a definite favorite. They write compelling stories with characters that spring to life on the page, with just enough sex to keep it real. It was a real joy to see their latest is a Christmas story, but not just any Christmas story, a “Groundhog Day” version.
“Groundhog Day” is one of my favorite movies, so this aspect really appealed to me. I had to laugh out loud when Mae’s confidant, Benny, points this out to her and she is just drawing a blank. This Millennial has never seen the movie! Personal note: shame on her parents for that oversight.
It did take me a bit to figure out all the characters, as there are three families sharing the Christmas holiday. They are the kind of friends who become family, and family of the best kind – the ones you pick are the ones you love best. They have traditions born of spending decades of holidays together, and Mae is the traditionalist of the bunch, always wanting everything to be exactly the same, year to year.
Except for one thing: when she turned 13, she realized that she was majorly crushing on Andrew, the elder brother of her contemporary, Theo. The families always sort of expected Theo and Mae to get together as they have been best friends all their lives. But friendship is all it is meant to be, so when one night a drunken Mae & Theo make out, it changes the relationship. But not as much as when on the way to the airport for the ride home, Mae & her family are in a car accident, or so she thinks. When she wakes up, she finds she is on the plane heading to Utah for the Christmas vacation.
As in the movie, Mae understands that something has to change to get her back to real life, whatever that turns out to be. She keeps reliving the holiday until she finally gets it right – or so she thinks. Lots of angst mellowed by a lot of laughs make this a really fun holiday read. Don’t miss it!
10/2020 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™
IN A HOLIDAZE by Christina Lauren. Gallery Books (October 6, 2020). ISBN 978-1982123949. 336 pages.
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