Book Review: Big Nick Energy by Kristen Bailey

October 26, 2026November 18, 2025 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 361 pages
Author: Kristen Bailey
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Release Date: October 21st, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One woman, two Nicks, and a Christmas season that’s about to get very complicated.

When librarian Kay bumps into her ex-boyfriend Nick at a Christmas market, she thinks fate is finally giving her a second chance with her first big love. But then she gets spectacularly tangled in a Christmas tree-netting machine and meets another Nick entirely. One who cuts her free, dresses her wounds, and makes her pulse race in ways that thoroughly confuse her.

Finance Nick is successful, settled, and ready to talk five-year plans. Farmer Nick makes handcrafted furniture, supports local charities, and sees the creative spirit Kay has kept hidden behind her library desk. But how is a girl to choose?

Soon she’s spending her days delivering books to children’s hospitals and care homes with farmer Nick, before dashing home to whip off her reindeer onesie and glam up for romantic dates at the ballet with finance Nick.

But the countdown to Christmas is on, and Kay can’t keep this up forever. Somehow she must navigate London’s most complicated love triangle, avoid getting any more pine needles stuck in her hair – and work out once and for all which Nick has her heart.

A laugh-out-loud festive rom-com that fans of Love Actually and The Holiday will adore.

NOT IT.

I’ve enjoyed Kristen Bailey’s previous holiday romances but this one bugged me too much to love it.

My biggest gripe was that the FMC, Kay, was incredibly frustrating. She calls herself a “special kind of idiot” when she finally clues in [at 95%] and I was like YEAH YOU HAVE BEEN GIRL. WHY WERE YOU WITH THE WRONG MAN FOR 95% OF THIS BOOK.

If the break up had come much sooner I might have gotten more on board. It just left the other side of this love triangle lacking in a lot of ways because she wasn’t technically single even though she tried to maintain that thought process throughout the book. It became increasingly frustrating.

There’s good holiday cheer and themes that I did like. But as a romance, it didn’t work.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary holiday romance
Language: mild
Romance: closed door
Violence: low

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Book Review: Five Gold Rings by Kristen Bailey

January 6, 2025November 28, 2023 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Holiday Romance
Length: 317 pages
Author: Kristen Bailey
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Release Date: October 30th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

What does Christmas look like to you? A tree rammed with homemade decorations, a mantelpiece weighed down with cards, Mum telling Dad not to put the chocolate wrappers back in the tin, a festive film on television…

It should definitely not look like a naked woman on her knees noshing off your boyfriend of three years in the shower.

It’s Christmas Eve eve, and the holidays are not off to a good start for, er, Eve.

After the surprise and shock of catching her boyfriend cheating, Eve – totally devastated – reacts by throwing the gifts she’s selflessly bought and wrapped for HIS family out of the window. But while doing so she discovers her own present from Chris under the Christmas tree: an engagement ring, bought at the jeweller’s where she works. What the jingle bells is going on? And what was he thinking?

Confused and with her Christmas plans in tatters, Eve rocks up at the jeweller’s for some tea and sympathy with her lovely employers, Mr and Mrs Caspar, who quietly put in a distress call to her colleague, Joe. Eve doesn’t know that Joe is secretly in love with her, but her bosses do, and they know he’s just the person Eve needs to comfort her in a crisis.

Joe gets the call while moonlighting as a buff butler at a Christmas-themed hen do and races across town to help console Eve. But as he learns about her heartbreak, the Caspars realise a crucial delivery has gone astray: five gold rings destined for Christmas proposals and weddings have been sent to the wrong address.

Can Eve and Joe retrieve the rings and get them to their rightful owners in time?

As they set off in Joe’s ancient mini – Joe still dressed as a sexy elf and Eve just a liiiittle bit tipsy – their adventure begins. With three proposals and two weddings to get to, it’s up to Eve and Joe to save Christmas.

An utterly hilarious novel for anyone looking for festive romance with all the feels. If you have a hot date with Love Actually every Christmas you will adore this gloriously funny and unmissable festive read.

HUMOROUS.

This was such a whacky plot idea that actually really worked in the holiday romance section. It’ll make you laugh and cringe, but ultimately enjoy the journey and all of the love that was found through returning those five rings.

The romance grew on me, but I wasn’t immediately sold. I think the timeline could have been stretched a little longer and I would have believed Eve’s turnaround a little more. Not to mention she was drunk for at least half the book and that was a little bit muddled for me too.

I loved the spirit of the season and the holiday moments. The ending was super sweet and it was just a enjoyable read. I’m glad I picked it up!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Holiday Romance
Language: strong
Romance: kisses; innuendo throughout
Trigger/Content Warnings: catching your boyfriend cheating, alcohol consumption

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Book Review: We Three Kings by Kristen Bailey

October 23, 2024October 20, 2024 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Holiday Romance
Length: 346 pages
Author: Kristen Bailey
Publisher: Storm Publishing
Release Date: October 14th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Maggie Field was looking forward to a solo Christmas in her cosy London flat – before her three workmates decided to liven things up for her.

Maggie loves her job as head of IT at a financial firm, and her three geeky but lovable work buddies. And when they invite her to stay with each of them for the holidays, she can’t resist the chance to get to know them better.

But then her boss tells her she has to make one of her beloved team redundant, and Maggie is distraught. Frank’s work is his world, Jasper’s sarcastic humour is everything, and Leo…well, he’s talented, professional, confusingly attractive, dependable, and funny… Maggie definitely doesn’t want to lose him.

With her career and her heart on the line, Maggie sets off on the Christmas adventure of a lifetime, from playing fake girlfriend at a lavish wedding, to rescuing baby foxes on a posh country estate, to chasing a very confused donkey on Christmas Day in the Lake District. She can’t ignore the sparks between her and Leo – but she also can’t avoid her dilemma.

Can she find a way to keep her work family together, and maybe even find true love under the mistletoe?

A hilarious and heartfelt celebration of friendship, workplace romance, and finding where you belong. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Beth O’Leary, this festive rom-com will have you laughing, crying, and reaching for the mince pies.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the audiobook.

UNEXPECTED.

I went into this very blind, only knowing that I liked Bailey’s Christmas romance last year. I did like the audiobook narration for this one and found it to be an easy listen. This was a bit more fiction than I was expecting but I think the heart of this story was wonderful and this was a genuinely kind book.

Maggie Field was adorable and sweet and I loved her character. And her found family work friends were the perfect group to follow around for the holidays. I loved the laugh inducing antics and the quiet, bond forming moments too. It’s a heartfelt read that was full of festive cheer. I actually really liked the way the ending came together and it was a bit of joy in my day to finish this one.

Overall audience notes: