I tried so hard to hit my 2022 reading goal of 50 books, but I fell two short. I chalk it up to getting a Switch this summer and spending all my time playing Cozy Grove for two months. Anyways, I finished up the year with four Christmas-y reads plus a few others.
Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six by Lisa Unger • ★★☆☆☆
I fall for this setup every time: Friends meet up at a cabin, country home, island, retreat, villa or what have you for a long overdue vacation. All is not as fun and carefree as it seems, however.
But with Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six, I felt like a lot of the action happened away from the titular cabin. 90% of the story occurred before this over-the-top rental was even booked. And was that story even interesting? Not really!
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen • ★★★★☆
It took about four months to get this hold in from the library, but it was worth it! Spoilers ahead!
In Counterfeit straight-laced, one-time lawyer Ava forms an unexpected partnership with her old college roommate Winnie. The business? Knock-off designer handbags.
I absolutely loved how this book was told 90% from Ava’s perspective as she spoke to a detective. Over halfway through the book, it switches to Winnie as the storyteller and you learn that Ava’s not the reliable narrator you once thought. What I loved most, though, was that neither woman changed their ways. Instead, they vowed to get smarter and go even bigger—with diamonds this time.
Meet Me Under the Mistletoe by Jenny Bayliss • ★★★☆☆
Jenny Bayliss wrote one of my favorite Christmas rom-coms of all time: The Twelve Dates of Christmas. Since then, I pick up all her cozy holiday books (see last year’s A Season for Second Chances).
This one didn’t quite satisfy like the first ones. In Meet Me Under the Mistletoe, Nory reunites with friends for a Christmastime wedding at a country estate. Are there hiccups? Sure! A lovely wedding? Obviously! Is there a handsome gardener there? You bet! It’s cozy and comfortable and it instantly makes me wish that I had a life like this.
What I didn’t love about this read, though, was the constant mention of Nory’s body being squeezed into clothing or being larger than her friends. This is a comfy holiday read and Nory is a nice character; why do we need to bring in body issues? Yes, I am 100% for creating diverse characters of all kinds, including size. However, not everyone that’s more than 150 pounds needs to have a complex. I had this same problem with A Lullaby for Witches. This is escapist reading! Let Nory be!
Kiss Her Once for Me by Alison Cochrun • ★★★★☆
The premise of Kiss Her Once for Me, like many good rom-coms, is absolutely inconceivable. Barista and former animator Ellie drunkenly falls into a marriage pact with Andrew, a local Richie Rich. Andrew wants to get married so he can tap into his trust fund. Ellie wants to not live paycheck to paycheck.
Of course, they end up fake dating. Of course, it turns out that Ellie had a super-intense, one-day fling with Andrew’s sister Jac. And, of course, they are all spending the holidays together at the family cabin. What could go wrong?
Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan • ★★★☆☆
I don’t want to say that Jenny Colgan’s books are the equivalent of a Hallmark Christmas movie because the stories and characters are so much better. However, there are an awful lot of them and they always deliver holiday cheer, so in that regard, they are similar.
Whatever the case, I enjoyed listening to this book as I baked cookies and decorated the house. And, no, I won’t give you further details because I don’t remember anything than just taking it in beside the Christmas lights.
Christmas at the Island Hotel by Jenny Colgan • ★★★☆☆
OK, I didn’t technically finish this one until January 2, but it’s so seasonal I had to include it in my December roundup.
There were plenty of storylines going on in this one, but the one I found most charming was that of Konstantin, a Scandinavian socialite who exiles himself to the island of Mure. There he sheds his playboy ways and finds ways to delight the town (and himself). Sweet!
I am always astounded by how Jenny weaves so many characters into her stories. And I’m astounded at how she does it in such a way that I actually remember who is who. Major props!
As always, you can follow along with my progress and see what I’ve read over on Goodreads! Also, if you’re an audiobook fan, I encourage you to try Libro.fm—you can support your favorite small bookstore while downloading your next listen.
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