dianaschmidty's review
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
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
4.5
This fictional couple’s made me believe in the idea of true love. They embodied the ideal partnership and I love that for them!
I also loved the random Christmas movie and song references (a forte of mine) and how Lauren put Asa’s dad in his place!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Outing, and Homophobia
Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Death of parent, and Drug abuse
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
literaryintersections's review
challenging
emotional
funny
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
The way this book wrecked me and put me back together. Alicia Thompson is a genius. Asa and Lauren were beautiful, sad, complex. Both of their parent relationships are so heartbreaking but the way that the trauma they faced molded them into different and stubborn people, but they could break down their walls for each other? GOODNESS GRACIOUS MY EYES. I had so many highlights for this book and now I wish Cold World was a real place. Just unbelievable.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Child abuse and Addiction
kdscolley's review
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Some people might not like a main character that spends a lot of her life isolating herself as w form of self-preservation, but I live for it. Lauren hasn't had an easy life, and she protects her heart/soul through whatever means she can. But, she also is out there trying things to make the world better. YES MA'AM YOU GO GIRL.
Asa is a quirky co-worker who she's "competing" against, but who also lives with her best friend.
Lauren and Asa get to know each other more and more and wouldn't you know...they're kinda the best balance of each other. Asa and his housemates show Lauren just what she can have when she opens herself up just a little.
I loved this cute little story, and I loved that it was set in a literal Christmas Attraction in FL. How fun.
Asa is a quirky co-worker who she's "competing" against, but who also lives with her best friend.
Lauren and Asa get to know each other more and more and wouldn't you know...they're kinda the best balance of each other. Asa and his housemates show Lauren just what she can have when she opens herself up just a little.
I loved this cute little story, and I loved that it was set in a literal Christmas Attraction in FL. How fun.
Content Warnings
Minor: Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Homophobia
uranaishi's review
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Homophobia, Outing, Alcohol, and Cursing
Minor: Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Abandonment, Death of parent, Grief, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Suicidal thoughts
britreadsbooks_'s review
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Biphobia
Minor: Outing, Drug abuse, Child abuse, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Death of parent
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
5.0
Out now! [Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC to review!]
Rating: 5/5 stars
Lauren and Asa are coworkers who have never gotten along—but when they’re thrown together for a work project to save their employer Cold World, things might just begin to heat up.
Alicia Thompson has written a masterpiece with this one! I intended to read this ARC months ago when I was first approved, but life happened and it got delayed, and honestly—I’m glad it did. Not only does this have the perfect Christmas-in-July vibes for this exact time of year, reading it now also means I don’t have to wait too long before everyone else can go snag a copy! And believe me, you should snag a copy.
The setting of this one—a snow-themed amusement attraction in Orlando, Florida—is absolutely wonderful, and I found myself instantly getting pulled into the story as a result. But it is the characters that really make this one special—I found myself absolutely enamored of Asa and relating too hard to Lauren, and I just want to give them both a hug. Alicia also handles deep topics (including foster care, parental abandonment, and more) with such care, and the realistic portrayals of these issues and how they influenced and affected the characters made the story feel all the more meaningful.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: somewhat character-driven romance; Christmas in July; boys with blue hair and tattoos (yes this is very specific)
CW: Biphobia/homophobia/bigotry (incl. from loved ones); foster care; loss of parent/abandonment by parents; mentions of drug addiction; brief scene of verbal sexual harassment
Rating: 5/5 stars
Lauren and Asa are coworkers who have never gotten along—but when they’re thrown together for a work project to save their employer Cold World, things might just begin to heat up.
Alicia Thompson has written a masterpiece with this one! I intended to read this ARC months ago when I was first approved, but life happened and it got delayed, and honestly—I’m glad it did. Not only does this have the perfect Christmas-in-July vibes for this exact time of year, reading it now also means I don’t have to wait too long before everyone else can go snag a copy! And believe me, you should snag a copy.
The setting of this one—a snow-themed amusement attraction in Orlando, Florida—is absolutely wonderful, and I found myself instantly getting pulled into the story as a result. But it is the characters that really make this one special—I found myself absolutely enamored of Asa and relating too hard to Lauren, and I just want to give them both a hug. Alicia also handles deep topics (including foster care, parental abandonment, and more) with such care, and the realistic portrayals of these issues and how they influenced and affected the characters made the story feel all the more meaningful.
Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: somewhat character-driven romance; Christmas in July; boys with blue hair and tattoos (yes this is very specific)
CW: Biphobia/homophobia/bigotry (incl. from loved ones); foster care; loss of parent/abandonment by parents; mentions of drug addiction; brief scene of verbal sexual harassment
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Homophobia, Child abuse, and Biphobia
Moderate: Addiction
bookishmillennial's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
disclaimer if you’ve read other reviews by me and are noticing a pattern: You’re correct that I don’t really give starred reviews, I feel like a peasant and don’t like leaving them and most often, I will only leave them if I vehemently despised a book. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not, regardless if I add stars or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
This romance is set in Orlando, Florida at a worn down amusement park called "Cold World". I never read premises before reading books because I love to be surprised. Right off the gate, the dedication "to found family" and the content warnings had me immediately SAT. *cue tiktok audio of euphora: is this fucking play about us?*
I liked this so much more than Love In The Time of Serial Killers (and I enjoyed that one a lot)! It just *hits different* and I adored my cinnamon roll love interest, Asa. Lauren is easy to root for, because we love a hardened main character who needs to unwind (hi, hello, are the burnt out millennials in the room?) & their dynamic was perfect! I would love to see this get adapted on screen as a lil 25 Days of Christmas romcom on Freeform haha.
*coming back to post my favorite quotations and a few more thoughts, but right now I'm just gushing over this sweet lil romance*
tropes:
grumpy x sunshine
forced proximity
workplace rivals to lovers
cinnamon roll love interest
found family
save-the-small-business
closed-off-main-character-believes-in-love-again
holiday/Christmas romance
cw: biphobia, bomophobia, religious bigotry, child abuse, domestic abuse, estranged relationship with parents
This romance is set in Orlando, Florida at a worn down amusement park called "Cold World". I never read premises before reading books because I love to be surprised. Right off the gate, the dedication "to found family" and the content warnings had me immediately SAT. *cue tiktok audio of euphora: is this fucking play about us?*
I liked this so much more than Love In The Time of Serial Killers (and I enjoyed that one a lot)! It just *hits different* and I adored my cinnamon roll love interest, Asa. Lauren is easy to root for, because we love a hardened main character who needs to unwind (hi, hello, are the burnt out millennials in the room?) & their dynamic was perfect! I would love to see this get adapted on screen as a lil 25 Days of Christmas romcom on Freeform haha.
*coming back to post my favorite quotations and a few more thoughts, but right now I'm just gushing over this sweet lil romance*
tropes:
grumpy x sunshine
forced proximity
workplace rivals to lovers
cinnamon roll love interest
found family
save-the-small-business
closed-off-main-character-believes-in-love-again
holiday/Christmas romance
cw: biphobia, bomophobia, religious bigotry, child abuse, domestic abuse, estranged relationship with parents
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Religious bigotry, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, and Toxic relationship
cassielaj'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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
So fun and sweet! Asa and Lauren are such lovable, complex characters, and their story is funny and entertaining. I liked the set-up of Cold World and the plans to revamp it — it gave this book almost a Hallmark-esque feel, just with a lot more depth and good writing. We get a good look at the characters’ backstories and how they can grow together as a couple. This book also has some fun side characters and a great found-family element. Would highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Religious bigotry and Biphobia
Minor: Child abuse and Domestic abuse
Depictions of the foster care system are handled well but could be triggering for some
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