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I received an ARC for this book through The Smuthood. Check out their website HERE.
4 Star Book Recommendation
Release Date 10/28
Available on KindleUnlimited
Author Website
Click HERE to read the synopsis
I absolutely adored this book. I just realized this is BOOK FOUR in a series of 5 and I cannot wait to check out the previous novels. I’m actually screaming over the characters I’ll get to read about in the previous books! I’m so excited.
Some things to mention before we get to the review…
While this is a holiday romance, it is a book that can be read at any time of year. While the setting is festive, the story does not solely revolve around it, which makes it a read that you can easily read in the winter, spring, summer, or fall.
We meet Eve and Noelle, lifelong best friends who have grown up together, born on the same day to parents who are also best friends, and the girls are now in their senior year of college and about to graduate. The holidays are coming up and they decide to go on a festive trip with a group of their friends.
Eve is a confident, sure-of-herself woman who people seem to be naturally drawn to. Noelle on the other hand is more withdrawn, slightly less confident, and feels like she lives in the shadows of not only her best friend but her sister as well. Noelle has had a crush on a popular hockey player, Corey, for the last 3 years of college, but has never had the confidence to approach him about it or even discuss it with her very best friend, but is hoping that changes on their upcoming vacation. The week before their trip, the friends are all at a party and Noelle is searching for Eve only to discover her coming out of a room with Corey.
Aaron is Corey’s best friend, much like the friendship Eve and Noelle share. Aaron also fades into the shadow cast by his best friend, but unlike Noelle, he is quietly confident and doesn’t mind not being the center of attention. Also unlike Noelle, Aaron recently confided in his friend that he’s had a crush on Eve and is planning to pursue her on their holiday cabin trip. So when he ends up with Noelle to catch Corey coming out of the room at the party with Eve, their friendship hits a rocky patch right before their travels.
On the plane, Aaron and Noelle end up stuck next to each other, and despite the fact they’ve been academic rivals throughout their time at school, they end up wine-drunk and swapping stories of their recent heartbreaks. They concoct a plan and set it into action to win the hearts of their longtime crushes.
I can’t wait for you to read their story and find out how their plan plays out.
Tropes and random highlights
Academic rivals to friends to lovers
Praise kink
Forced Proximity
One bed
Mutual pining
He falls first
Top tier spice
HEA
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