This is a really solid debut novel, and is even more impressive upon learning that the author started writing it at age 15! I thought that it did a good job of balancing the fiery, rapidly-evolving nature of a celebrity in the midst of a public scandal as well as the slowly-unfolding relationship between Aspen and Roman.

Narratively, this book has a dual-timeline. They both do a good job of keeping the reader engaged — we want to learn what happened in the past, but we are also working towards a final event in the present, so I enjoyed both timelines. The romance itself unfolded nicely; you’re able to see the history between the characters while still being treated to a relationship that isn’t necessarily rushed into.

While there are a few hiccups — for one, the main character’s level of fame was a little unclear to me throughout the first chunk of the book which led to confusion as to why her scandal was *so* publicized — I think overall this book delivers on what it is meant to be, and I enjoyed my time with it a lot.

To address the Taylor Swift-sized elephant in the room: the book genuinely does fit the song that it’s named after. I was shamelessly drawn to it because I love Taylor, evermore, and ‘tis the damn season, and I’m pleased that it lived up to the nostalgic, cozy, fall/winter homecoming energy of the song.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was awful - there is no other way to put it. It was extremely juvenile and read like a diary of a middle school child. The dialogue was forced and uncomfortable and did not flow like a real conversation would. After realizing that the author is only 16, this made a lot more sense. Still, this book needs a lot of work for it to be any good.

The characters were all over the place. Aspen was obnoxious and Roman was so lackluster. Their personalities had no depth and I was bored throughout the book. I also didn't understand their relationship in the slightest and their chemistry was non-existent. Again, I feel this has a lot to do with the author's age and lack of life experience.

There is also a random SA that comes out of left field at the end of the book so 1) there needs to be a trigger warning or 2) it needs to be removed from the book because I don't understand why it's in there.

It took everything in me to finish this book and I only did because I got an ARC of it. I don't like to give out 1 star ratings but this book should not be sold as is - there is so much work and editing and better writing that needs to be done to it.

‘Tis the Damn Season follows celebrity, Aspen, as she returns home for the holiday season to avoid the backlash of Hollywood scandal where she reconnects with her first love, Roman.

I want to start off by saying, WOW. The author writing a book this solid at such a young age is astounding!! I cant wait to see what she comes out with next.

The book was such an easy, fun read. The chapters were short which made for a quick read and the dual POV provided a lot of insight into the two love interests.

As for overall, the book seemed a bit immature at times, I was expecting a little more growth between the characters behaviors as they got older. They had good communication but never seemed to say what they actually wanted or anger was misplaced. And the ending felt a little rushed, wish it would’ve been more of a discussion between the two before pursuing a relationship again.

TW: SA

This book was really cute! I think I was expecting it to be a little more adult rom-com but I still enjoyed it. Aspen and Roman's relationship was really cute. I liked getting to see their high school romance start and then see it bloom again later in life. I also enjoyed the different songs for each chapter!

There is mention of SA and no note at the beginning of the novel which I find strange. Hopefully this can be added or is just not available in the ARC.

If you've looking for a small town, second chance romance - this is for you!

This was a fun read! It is loosely based on T-Swifts song of the same name. Swifties will really enjoy this book because there are little references to Taylor’s songs throughout the book. It’s a great opportunity for annotating! I loved the playlist to go with each chapter! This is a story of sacrifice, heartbreak, and of course, love.

Thank you NetGalley for access to the arc of this book.
For a debut novel I thought it was incredibly good and I loved waiting to see what would happen. The idea of each chapter having a song to go with it was a great idea although I’m not sure majority of the songs paired well with what happened in the chapters. It was still an incredible story and I loved every minute of it.

I enjoyed the atmosphere and some of the plot points of this romance but I felt like the dialogue was clunky/out of place a lot of the time. Definitely got me into a fall/holiday mood but I wish there was more chemistry between the main characters. Overall, would recommend as a fun, easy holiday romance especially for fans of Taylor Swift.

I am a huge Taylor Swift fan and was obviously so excited to read a book named after one of her songs. That is where my excitement ended. Unfortunately, I just did not enjoy this book. I found it incredibly juvenile and it read more like a teenagers diary than anything else. If you are looking for something that is just light and fluffy, then this book is for you, but if you prefer something of more substance than it is not worth the read.

Are you looking for a cute romance to have you giddy and kicking your feet, plus all the Taylor swift references (as well as a playlist) then get your hands on this one.

Usually I despise the dual timeline but I didn’t mind it. This book was a quick and easy read for me. Roman and Aspen are pretty adorable. After a scandal Aspen finds herself moving back home and Roman is there literally at her parents home. They connect again, and you get the story of their childhood relationship. Aspens story really shows you that fame doesn’t equal happiness. Roman (in the flashback timeline) had me giddy, as a teen I would have absolutely swooned over the things he did for Aspen. Overall it was enjoyable, quick and for the most part (tw for bullying) it was an easy read.

Such a sweet and easy read that is getting me excited for the holidays despite it only being August! I'm a sucker for hometown first loves, and this one did not disappoint - extra points for it taking place in my home state of PA!

This had all the Taylor Swift vibes. While I enjoyed that as a Swiftie, there was not any originality in the book at all. Rome was very emotional unstable and Aspen was very selfish and dramatic.

I am, however, obsessed with Mark!! Trigger warning needed for the SA that comes basically out of no where.

As a huge swiftie I absolutely loved this book. It was a cute small town romance with some complications. It was interesting and was fast paced, in my opinion. I did think that there were some unnecessary parts that I didn’t expect but I do think it added a lot to Aspen and Romans story and their characters. The playlist at the beginning of the book was one of my favourite parts because it really sets the tone of the book. I would recommend this to any swiftie and romance readers!

Aw this one was CUTE 🤩 ‘tis not really the season yet but I couldn’t resist snapping up an ARC of this 🩵 thanks NetGalley and Parson Press!

Inspired by the wonderful Taylor Swift song, this sweet and slightly festive love story follows TV-star-turned-singer Aspen Moore as she spends some time in her home town following an unfair scandal.

Some things I loved about this one:
- The male main character, Roman, was just the most adorable 🥰
- Dual timelines allowed us to really get to know the characters 🕰️
- Space for female friendships as well as a gorgeous love story 💕
- Rehearsals for a nativity play 🎄

Some plot lines weren’t explored as deeply as I would have liked, but this was a enjoyable, quick holiday read! Kimi Freeman has created a wonderful book and I adore the accompanying playlist as well 🎶 will definitely pick up whatever she writes next!

This Taylor Swift inspired read with a duel timeline and budding romance is full of potential. It does however fall short on several counts, I would’ve liked longer chapters for the flashbacks to better explore the protagonists relationship and also some of the dialogue in the modern timeline was so cringy and I had to put the book down a couple of times.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a cute romance that had me giggling and kicking my feet. I am so happy that I picked this up!

I loved that the storyline jumped between the present day and the past. It made me feel like I was watching Aspen and Rome fall in love with one another in both timelines.

Roman has to be one of my favourite male protagonists that I have read. He is so selfless and supportive. I could not think of a single red flag when it came to him. He is the definition of the perfect book boyfriend.

I loved that this book was inspired by the Taylor Swift song and I loved how sweet this story is. I also love that each chapter had a song dedicated to it.

I would’ve loved to have a chapter written from Rome’s point of view.

Overall, this was a super sweet romance that would be great for anyone who is stuck in a reading slump or just wants a cozy romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Parson Press for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If a book references Taylor Swift I will 100% read it-no questions asked. I love a good Taylor reference and boy did this one deliver!!!

The Positives:
* I do love how the song that this book is named after matches the story, about that first love that you would always be open to see again- even if its just for a weekend.
*I do feel like as a reader we got to see Aspen grow into herself more, I love a good growth moment.
*I LOVE the POC representation! Not every male lead needs to be a white man chiseled to the God's with a jawline that could cut you. So Roman was a refreshing (and just as dreamy) MMC.
*Despite issues you could clearly see between the characters- you never doubted how deeply they loved each other. I think sometimes, when there is other plots and things going on, you can kind of miss how much the characters love each other- and that was never an issue with this book.
*love a dual timeline


The Negatives:
*As much as I love a good taylor reference, some of them felt forced or like they just didn't match the situation. As far as song references via the titles- a little could have got a lot further.
* Lack of trigger warnings. Mentions of sexual assault without a forewarning can be jarring and difficult for readers.
*The writing felt really young. Parts of it weren't realistic (like aspen getting a job and such raging success so quickly), it kind of felt like I was reading a book about 20-somethings from someone who is much younger, which was frustrating at times.

When I first saw the title, I was like, "Oh, this author is definitely a Swiftie!"
So I read the synopsis and I was like… Oh my god.

The story goes back and forth between the present and seven years ago when Aspen and Roman first fell in love. They were just teenagers finishing school. Aspen is now a famous singer-actress, but her success comes with a price. She loves her career, but the media is always spreading lies and rumors about her. Roman, now her ex-boyfriend, is still a good friend. They’re still in love but not together. He wouldn't choose for himself a life with zero privacy. She also wouldn’t want to spend the rest of her life in a small town, not being able to explore her artistic side. So how could they make it work?

I like how Aspen can truly count on her parents. They’re supportive and proud of her, but also reminders that she can always come home, no matter what happens in Hollywood.

The book also shows how harsh the media can be on women. It's frustrating how they always ask about their personal lives instead of their work. The gossip websites are the worst, always trying to create drama between talented women and turning them into characters in a fake story. Everything is a competition. It's so unfair, and it was interesting to see how Aspen dealt with it.

The constant time jumps bother me a lot. I think it’s the main issue I had with this book. When I thought I had a connection with their feelings, the situation changed completely. I think I had such high expectations and for that reason I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I wanted to.

I recommend this book to Taylor Swift fans and anyone who enjoys celebrity gossip. You can find elements of the story that fit in any fandom. You might feel a little guilty... Or not.

Thanks to Parson Press for the ARC! Opinions are my own.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for providing me an E-ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Aspen is a singer living her best life in LA; until her life is turned upside down by a rumor that threatens her career. She decides to head home to lay low but runs into her ex Roman which is a complicated relationship from her past.
'Tis the Damn Season is a small town, second chance romance that is heartwarming and sweet. The story is based on a Taylor Swift song by the same name. Each chapter is represented by a song from different artists, including Taylor Swift.
I enjoyed the book. I thought that it had a cute Hallmark movie feel to it. I just needed a little more tension and conflict between Aspen and Roman! I also thought that based on the title it was going to have more of a Christmas feel to it, but it was briefly mentioned in it.
Overall I liked the book, if you are a Swifty fan, I think you will enjoy it too.

This book was SO cute! Super cute story about a Hollywood star needing a break after a PR crisis. Love how the playlist weaved throughout the book!

"Tis the Damn Season was a cute little summer read. I like that it goes back a forth from the past to the present time, broken up by chapter titles of some pretty cool songs. The main characters Aspen and Roman fit together nicely, the storyline is good as well. An endearing story of young love, hurt and healing between 2 people. A quick read that capture's ones attention and even better if you are a Taylor Swift fan.
Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this.