Scan barcode
yfulc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
fionaburford's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I found this book a bit grating and trite. It had a plot that I thought I would enjoy but I didn't.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, and Violence
calicos's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was a delightful, warm read. It was an enjoyable listen and the audiobook was engaging with different voices for all the characters. My rating is a bit inflated because I simply had fun listening.
However I did feel at times this book tried too hard to be tooth-rottingly ✨wholesome✨ (and succeeded) in a way that veered into being corny. There were a fair number of heavy-handed life lessons that gave more of a YA vibe. There were conflicts but nothing really felt high stakes, maybe due to some lack of world building so it was a bit predictable. Still quite enjoyable but a bit flat at times due to no real danger and knowing there wouldn’t be any due to the nature of the book.
However I did feel at times this book tried too hard to be tooth-rottingly ✨wholesome✨ (and succeeded) in a way that veered into being corny. There were a fair number of heavy-handed life lessons that gave more of a YA vibe. There were conflicts but nothing really felt high stakes, maybe due to some lack of world building so it was a bit predictable. Still quite enjoyable but a bit flat at times due to no real danger and knowing there wouldn’t be any due to the nature of the book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, and Fatphobia
champagnerain's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming and Fatphobia
jessiesnoww's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Body shaming, Confinement, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Homophobia, Cannibalism, and Religious bigotry
Starts out slow but it’s worth it.crunchycrystals's review against another edition
hopeful
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Fatphobia
Moderate: Child abuse
thesunthesunthesunthesun's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.75
Sometimes you pick up a romance book that seems like a fun romp, filled with the most exquisite tropes. And you think to yourself "that cannot be as fun as it appears to be? surely this is going to be mildly disappointing?"
I am glad to say that it did not disappoint at all. This was absolutely adorable.
Was the plot predictable? yes, and delightfully so! You know the steps that a romcom must take, and you gleefully expect how and when we'll get to that part!
This book is (I say this with only adoration) all the good bits of a Christmas romcom, but now placed in a wonderful summer setting, and it has none of the excruciating miscommunications that otherwise appear in a romcom.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! The cast of characters were all nicely written, the plot was a fun "bureaucrat learns themagic of Christmas to truly live life and to open up his heart to the hot single father of six magic children". There were some delightful little twists that you get to figure out along the way, and you get to feel clever when your suspicions are confirmed. Not a "I never saw it coming" but a "aha!! I knew it!", which is nice.
The writing style of the author lends itself perfectly for this story, the dialogue was very well done, and the scene descriptions were lovely. I started writing little pencil notes halfway through that only consisted of "yes! yes!!" and "it's cause you're so gay for him" whenever Linus thought about Arthur.
Even though I had to take a multi-month break halfway through the book, I could get right back in with minimal confusion. The pacing was ideal for this story as well.
All in all, this was SUCH a fun romp. I needed this book.
And yes, I did cry a little at the expected moments. I'm a simple man; my heartstrings are easily pulled.
I am glad to say that it did not disappoint at all. This was absolutely adorable.
Was the plot predictable? yes, and delightfully so! You know the steps that a romcom must take, and you gleefully expect how and when we'll get to that part!
This book is (I say this with only adoration) all the good bits of a Christmas romcom, but now placed in a wonderful summer setting, and it has none of the excruciating miscommunications that otherwise appear in a romcom.
I thoroughly enjoyed this! The cast of characters were all nicely written, the plot was a fun "bureaucrat learns the
The writing style of the author lends itself perfectly for this story, the dialogue was very well done, and the scene descriptions were lovely. I started writing little pencil notes halfway through that only consisted of "yes! yes!!" and "it's cause you're so gay for him" whenever Linus thought about Arthur.
Even though I had to take a multi-month break halfway through the book, I could get right back in with minimal confusion. The pacing was ideal for this story as well.
All in all, this was SUCH a fun romp. I needed this book.
And yes, I did cry a little at the expected moments. I'm a simple man; my heartstrings are easily pulled.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Xenophobia, and Abandonment
Minor: Animal death, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Deportation
Most of the xenophobia warnings pertain to people being bigoted about having a magic child orphanage near them. The abuse warnings is primarily due to the children having been through the wringer of society, so to speak. The fatphobia is mostly Linus himself and some other people making weird comments about him being fat, it's not too bad,luise96's review against another edition
challenging
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
It‘s a cute little book that drives home its (rather simple) lesson. It’s somewhere between a kids book and adult book with a general lighthearted mood but also some dark undercurrents. I‘m always happy to see an author who is able to imagine a fantasy world without homophobia (although fat- and xenophobia are still striving).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fatphobia
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Death of parent
rewatchrereadrewind's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Racism, and Xenophobia
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Homophobia
haddy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was so wholesome and absolutely heartwarming. The children in the story were so sweet, and I loved the message of the book. Definitely a new favourite of mine. I could read another book just on the day to day life of that house🥹 I listened to all 12 hours of the audiobook in about 2 days, it was just so lovely.
edit: I just found out there’s a second book and I’m so excited to read it!!
edit: I just found out there’s a second book and I’m so excited to read it!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fatphobia
Minor: Child abuse