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A review by lisaluvsliterature
This Is Not a Holiday Romance by Camilla Isley
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Camilla Isley has become one of my favorite authors, and so I always sign up for the review tours when they pop up. Of course there are several books from before I discovered her that I still need to read as well! This book was so much fun, and such a quick read too, because I couldn’t put it down!
While it is promoted as a snowed-in romance, to me it isn’t quite that, because it takes place over a whole Christmas break, and their other family come and go a few times. However, that is a bit of the supposed reason why Tristan comes to stay and can’t leave. Even if there are other things that actually are why he is there. Tristan’s back story is one that it sucks that Nina doesn’t know. And once she does learn that, it helps with their enemies to lovers/friends relationship. But oh, until they finally find a way to bridge that gap, the sparks that fly, and the pranks that are played are hilarious!
The chemistry between the two though is off the charts, even with the “hatred” between them. We have all the other family members as buffers or extra parts to move the plot along as needed, and to help make what Nina is doing seem like maybe she’s going a bit overboard. Even Tristan realizes what has always set Nina off, and tries at one point to call a truce. But eventually they figure things out enough to try to give into their attraction. However there is of course the fact that Tristan is worried about his best friend, Nina’s brother, being mad at them.
The last act break up actually was okay for me because even though I was mad about how it happened and how Tristan let it happen, the way he made it up in the end was a great grand gesture in my opinion.
Another winner from Camilla Isley, even if it is a little early for me to be reading Christmas stories! I seem to read them earlier and earlier every year.
While it is promoted as a snowed-in romance, to me it isn’t quite that, because it takes place over a whole Christmas break, and their other family come and go a few times. However, that is a bit of the supposed reason why Tristan comes to stay and can’t leave. Even if there are other things that actually are why he is there. Tristan’s back story is one that it sucks that Nina doesn’t know. And once she does learn that, it helps with their enemies to lovers/friends relationship. But oh, until they finally find a way to bridge that gap, the sparks that fly, and the pranks that are played are hilarious!
The chemistry between the two though is off the charts, even with the “hatred” between them. We have all the other family members as buffers or extra parts to move the plot along as needed, and to help make what Nina is doing seem like maybe she’s going a bit overboard. Even Tristan realizes what has always set Nina off, and tries at one point to call a truce. But eventually they figure things out enough to try to give into their attraction. However there is of course the fact that Tristan is worried about his best friend, Nina’s brother, being mad at them.
The last act break up actually was okay for me because even though I was mad about how it happened and how Tristan let it happen, the way he made it up in the end was a great grand gesture in my opinion.
Another winner from Camilla Isley, even if it is a little early for me to be reading Christmas stories! I seem to read them earlier and earlier every year.