Book Review: Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday

February 24, 2025February 4, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Jenny Holiday
Publisher: Forever Books
Release Date: January 30th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A charming and heartfelt romance about a woman who comes face to face with the fake Canadian boyfriend she made up as a teenager.

The fake Canadian boyfriend. It’s a thing. The get out of jail free card for all kinds of sticky social situations. “I can’t go to prom; I’m going to be out of town visiting my boyfriend in Canada.” It’s all over pop culture. But Aurora Evans did it first. Once upon a time she met a teenage hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. He was a boy. She may have fudged the “friend” part a little, but it wasn’t like she was ever going to see him again. It wasn’t like she hurt anyone. Until she did—years later—on both counts.

When pro hockey player and recent widower Mike Martin walks into the dance studio where Aurora Evans teaches, he’s feeling overwhelmed with the fact that his wife may not have been exactly who he thought she was and the logistics of going back to work. As one of the few people his angry, heartbroken daughter connects with, Aurora agrees to be a pseudo nanny to help him navigate the upcoming school year and hockey season. To his surprise, she turns out to be the perfect balm for him as well. Aurora gets him. The real him underneath his pro jersey. And yet, he still finds himself holding back, unable to fully trust again—especially when he finds out the secret Aurora’s been hiding from him.

SO CLOSE.

I have found myself disappointed again, and this started off so strong?! I was smitten with the plot set-up and characters. I always love a hockey aspect and this was giving me everything I was looking for…until it didn’t.

This book felt way too long. Every time I thought we were getting closer to those ending moments I would check and still have way too much time left in my book. And the third act (that came at 90%+)??? Are you kidding me??? Mike got way too upset about what happened and blew everything so out of proportion. For being so endearing for the majority of the book this was not it.

Also, WHY DID AURORA ONLY CALL HIM MIKE MARTIN? Why the entire dang book did she use his full name? Drove me nuts.

There were some good thoughts and themes I appreciated throughout. Some tough conversations and therapy positivity. I enjoyed much of this but was letdown too.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: 3+ open; moderate explicit
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a spouse (theme throughout), discussions of eating disorders, panic attacks, anxiety

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Book Review: So This is Christmas (A Princess for Christmas #3) by Jenny Holiday

October 18, 2023October 27, 2022 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Jenny Holiday
Publisher: Avon Books
Release Date: October 4th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday concludes her beloved royal Christmas series with an unforgettable romance about a confident American woman and the strait-laced royal advisor who falls hopelessly in love with her.

Matteo Benz has spent his life serving at the pleasure of the Eldovian crown. His work is his life and his life, well…he doesn’t have much of one. When he is tasked to aid a management consultant who has been flown in to help straighten out the king’s affairs, he is instantly disturbed by her brash American manner–as well by an inconvenient attraction to the brainy beauty.

Cara Delaney is in Eldovia to help clean up the king’s financial affairs, but soon finds herself at odds with the very proper Mr. Benz. As intrigued by his good looks as she is annoyed by his dedication to tradition for its own sake, she slowly begins to see the real man behind the royal throne.

As they work together to return Eldovia to its former glory during the country’s magical Christmas season, Matteo discovers he is falling hopelessly in love with the unconventional American. But a man who has devoted his life to tradition doesn’t change easily. Can he become the man Cara needs, or will their love be another sacrifice to the crown?

DULL.

There’s a reason this book has a lower rating, it is dry. I HIGHLY enjoyed books one and two in this series and recommend going to go read those and skip over this one.

I never felt any chemistry between Cara and Matteo. They had an initial enemies vibe that kind of turned into a forced proximity angle, so the tropes are there, but between them? NOTHIN’. I can barely remember much about either of them at this point too.

The plot was nothing surprising either. There’s some holiday flair and I liked how things worked out in the end for Eldovia. Sleigh rides and skiing were good wintery moments that I’ll admit, had some charm.

This wasn’t it. I don’t really have much to say because nothing happened you wouldn’t suspect from the get-go. Everything felt forced.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: 2-3 open door; med-high explicit
Trigger/Content Warnings: mentions of a parent with a gambling addiction

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Book Review: Duke, Actually (A Princess for Christmas #2) by Jenny Holiday

December 26, 2021November 23, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 384 pages
Author: Jenny Holiay
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: November 16th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

USA Today bestselling author Jenny Holiday follows A Princess for Christmas with another delightful contemporary Christmas romance between a playboy baron and a woman who has said goodbye to love.

Maximillian von Hansburg, Baron of Laudon and heir to the Duke of Aquilla, is trapped. Under pressure from his domineering father, he must marry a suitable bride before he inherits a title that feels like a prison sentence. In New York to meet a prospective wife, he ditches his responsibilities and appears on Dani Martinez’s doorstep. He’s been intrigued by the no-nonsense professor since he met her at the Eldovian royal wedding and is determined to befriend her.

Newly single Dani is done with love—she even has a list entitled “Things I Will Never Again Do for a Man”—which is why she hits it off with notorious rake Max. He’s trying to escape relationships, and she’s resolved to avoid them at all costs. All they want from each other is friendship and a distraction from their messy lives.

As their bond begins to deepen, so does their attraction, until they end up in bed together. Falling in love was never part of the plan—Max’s family doesn’t see Dani as a perfect match, even as his heart tells him she’s the one, and Dani isn’t sure she can make it in Max’s world. Can they find the courage to live they life they desire, even if it means risking everything?

CHARMING (& BETTER THAN THE FIRST).

Pleasantly happy with this one. I had some mixed feeling over A Princess for Christmas, but holiday romances call my name every year and I couldn’t skip this one. Luckily enough, it’s my new favorite of the two.

I loved the slow build between Dani and Max. The texts, phone calls, chance meetings and forced proximity moments gave them plenty of chances to turn acquaintances into lovers. I liked this that this took over a year and there were many sides to both Dani and Max’s backgrounds. They leaned on each other in the tough times and found a connection as friends before making that last leap. I thought it might hit friends with benefits territory (which I don’t personally love), but it didn’t. The progression was perfectly suited for the book.

Max was so tender and passionate. I loved watching him reconnect with his brother and coming into his own as responsibility was thrown his way. He was incredibly sweet and respectful of Dani and all of the things he did for her had me smiling. I adored Dani as well and loved that this was a dual-POV. My favorite for romances!

I didn’t like the running away trope towards the end, but the rest of the book was stellar enough that I kept my rating. It was a great vibe of Hallmark after dark and plenty of Christmastime cheer too.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: some strong
Romance: open door
Trigger/Content Warnings: alcoholic & abusive father, loss of a parent (on page), divorce

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Book Review: A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday

August 25, 2021January 1, 2021 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Jenny Holiday
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: October 13th, 2020
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Leo Ricci’s already handling all he can, between taking care of his little sister Gabby, driving a cab, and being the super of his apartment building in the Bronx. But when Gabby spots a “princess” in a gown outside of the UN trying to hail a cab, she begs her brother to stop and help. Before he knows it, he’s got a real-life damsel in distress in the backseat of his car.

Princess Marie of Eldovia shouldn’t be hailing a cab, or even be out and about. But after her mother’s death, her father has plunged into a devastating depression and the fate of her small Alpine country has fallen on Marie’s shoulders. She’s taken aback by the gruff but devastatingly handsome driver who shows her more kindness than she’s seen in a long time.

When Marie asks Leo to be her driver for the rest of her trip, he agrees, thinking he’ll squire a rich miss around for a while and make more money than he has in months. He doesn’t expect to like and start longing for the unpredictable Marie. And when he and Gabby end up in Eldovia for Christmas, he discovers the princess who is all wrong for him is also the woman who is his perfect match.

PRETTY CUTE.

I adored this on some levels, and others maybe not so much.

What I did love was the overall story. There was plenty of Hallmark vibes and I love a good princess story. There was a fun meet cute, and I felt the connection between Leo and Gabby immediately. I was surprised that even though this is a small timeline, that things didn’t feel forced between them. Not really insta-love or anything like that, a nice change!

The love scenes were out of place. It went from Hallmark to whoa whoa whoa steamy scenes, that were long and very open door. My general issue is when those scenes don’t match up with the vibe and tone of the rest of the novel.

Without that it was cute. Leo’s little sister Gabby and his friend Dani were wonderful additions. And y’all, there was a ball at the end. I’m a sucker for a good ball in a book and this was definitely hit the mark. Totally cheesy, totally perfect.

Overall audience notes: