Book Review - A Holly Jolly Ever After by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

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Title: A Holly Jolly Ever After

Author: Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 12th October 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Kallum Lieberman is an ex-boyband member now known exclusively for hooking up with bridesmaids at weddings. He’s even considered a lucky charm: he’s such a fail-safe one-before-you-find-the-one that people have started seeking him out.

Winnie Baker’s reputation is the exact opposite: she married her childhood sweetheart and became a star of many popular – although very reserved – Hope Channel movies, while still avoiding the downfalls of adolescent fame.

Except neither of them want these lives anymore. And what better way to change their reputations and bring them both back into the spotlight than to star in a steamier-than-steamy Christmas movie, filming in none other than Christmas Notch, the cute, cosy town where it’s Christmas everyday?

But Winnie can’t act a pleasure on screen she’s never experienced in real life. When she decides some pleasure ‘research’ – purely for science and artistic authenticity, of course – is the only course of action, she realises there’s no better research partner than every bridesmaid’s favourite, Kallum himself. But suddenly Kallum’s teenage crush on Winnie is bubbling to the surface, and he’s struggling to keep this ‘research’ purely professional…

They say opposites attract, but is this holly jolly ever after really ready for its close-up?

Wow, I knew I loved my first trip to Christmas Notch, but omg I think this one is even better. 

This is the sort of book to read when you are alone in bed able to have some adult time, if you catch my drift.  The sexual chemistry is off the charts, and the sex scenes - omg, I was sizzling.  This book is hot hot hot!! 

Which is not what I tend to say about a Christmas themed book.  Prudes should stay away, this is a book for open minded people!  It's wonderful, I couldn't get enough of Winnie and Kallum. They are complete and utter opposites, with wildly different upbringings. 

In fact I don't think I've ever encountered a character such as Winnie before, who was brought up to believe most things are sins, especially when it comes to desire, love and sex.  She was originally the Hope Channel's darling with her husband for their clean living - until things went wrong and she ends up divorced and her parents no longer speaking to her. 

So the fact that she agrees to be in the Hope Channel's new enterprise - Hope After Dark film is a bit of a surprise to everyone.  I mean this is a film about a young santa sowing his wild oats.  But he is a very sexy santa! 

And Kallum is the one of the members of boyband INK, of which Noah from the first book is also a member.  So I'm really looking forward to hopefully getting to know Isaac better in a future book, as given our brief snippets of him, I know I will love him too. 

Kallum is nowadays infamous for his sex tape, he has had a crush on Winnie since he was younger and has a habit of hooking up with bridesmaids, and is the pizza king of Kansas.  But he was offered the lead in this movie and thus he and Winnie are now acting opposite each other in this film. 

And wow it's fab to be back in Christmas Notch, I love seeing so many recurring characters from the previous book, and the whole main location is just perfect!  

There are many layers to this book, and I loved discovering all of them. 

This was an incredibly pleasurable story that is bound to get the heart (if not more of your body) racing, while you read.    Once again hidden behind that is a relatively innocent looking cover.  Just fabulous! 

Thank you to HarperCollins and Netgalley this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.