Book Review - No Strings Attached by Christy McKellen

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Title: No Strings Attached

Author: Christy McKellen

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 23rd January 2026

Rating: 5 Stars

A revenge vacation with her hot billionaire ex-fling? Upgrade accepted ✅

Chloe Dasher has spent years saving for the honeymoon of her dreams—private hot springs, silk kimonos, and five-star room service in Kyoto. The wedding? A disaster. The groom? Gone. But she’s not giving up the trip she worked so hard for… even if she has to take it solo, with a broken heart.

What she doesn’t expect at the world's most luxurious hotel? Kit —her once-upon-a-time college fling turned maddeningly handsome, self-made billionaire—checking into the same romantic resort, also nursing a freshly broken engagement.

Neither expected a trip down memory lane with the one that got away, but old sparks ignite instantly…. So why not have a little fun and agree to enjoy a week-long holiday fling with a side order of payback on their exes! The only rule - keeping their hearts out of it. Chloe and Kit are absolutely not looking for love. Yet sometimes, the road to happily ever after starts with a no strings fling in paradise.

What are the odds that you are on what is meant to be a honeymoon, only you have been jilted, only to run into as you check into the hotel, an ex-boyfriend, who should have been on his own honeymoon, only they split not long before the wedding?

Well that is exactly the situation that Chloe and Kit find themselves in, while in a luxurious hotel in Kyoto, Japan. 

Now it was definitely the mention of Kyoto in the blurb that attracted me to this book, not a location I see pop up in my books that often, so I was hopeful of some armchair travel. And boy did it deliver.  There were some fabulous day trips in this story, as Kit and Chloe decide to spend some time together.  

I think the Samurai training experience was my favourite, as it sounded like a fun activity, especially as it was followed up by a trip to a cat cafe.  That cat cafe which doesn't just have cats, but a variety of smaller furry creatures, including a ferret that scared Kit and some Meerkats that were delightful! 

But it's when they are alone, back in the hotel that the sparks really fly, as they decide revenge sex is a great idea, and there is still fabulous chemistry between them.  I'll admit that some of those scenes didn't exactly excite me the way they should, just as I'm not into what they were doing - ie, don't just expect some vanilla spice in this, there is mixed spicy scenes! 

This was a lot of fun to read, I enjoyed learning about the breakdown of their previous relationships  and seeing how they appear to have grown since there were first together all those years ago.   

I am loving the heat level in Christy McKellen's books, which make them perfect poolside / holiday / heatwave in the garden reads! Anywhere you can just lose yourself into some pure escapism. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.