It might be too early to mention the “C” word for some. But I’ve been poorly this week, so I’ve been cracking open the Christmas books. They’ve given me the warm and cosy hug that I’ve needed. They may have also been quite spicy. Okay … very spicy! 🌶️
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My reading has included “A Jingle Bell Mingle” which is the final book in the Christmas Notch series. And deals with the third ex-member of the boy band INK, Isaac Kelly. A sad and reclusive widower who can’t recover from the death of his wife and teenage sweetheart, Brooklyn.
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Enter onto the scene Sunny, a bright and bubbly ex-porn star who Isaac already has a bit of a history with (hello, threesome)! After a one night stand (second night stand?!) Sunny moves into Isaac’s huge sad boy mansion and they soon become roommates with benefits.
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I don’t know how they do it but Sierra and Julie manage to write wholesome but absolutely filthy books. Just perfect for an ill Lucy. This one packed a bit more emotional punch than the previous Christmas Notch books as it dealt strongly with grief and the guilt that comes attached with that. It touches on how hard it can be to move on with your life when it potentially means leaving the ones you’ve lost in the past
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I’ve always loved the eclectic bunch of found family in the Christmas Notch books. From Isaac’s charming, funny and caring ex-boy band members, to the group of old ladies Isaac anonymously (?) WhatsApps and the insiders of the porn star industry, every character is memorable and adorable.
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These books also ooze sex and body positivity and I’m here for that. The perfect very spicy festive read.

I have a slightly mixed relationship with this series - basically I always like the premise but whether i like the execution is a bit hit or miss. And with this, I really, really wanted Isaac to just get some counselling and talk to a professional about his grief and loss. But if he had done that there would be no tension/conflict in this because so much of the issue in the relationship are to do with his bereavement. But there is some fun banter in this and you can see why they work together as a couple even through Isaac's issues. So for me it was fun, but patchy.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for giving me the oppurtunity to read A Jingle Bell Mingle by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved it ! I love Sierra Simone's books and that was mainly my reason for requesting an ARC for this christmas-y book (apart from wanting a cozy sweet book to get me out of a reading slump), and after reading it, I can see both Sierra's and Julie's writing styles and I was so happy to read something refreshing and sweet and cozy and full blown christmas moody.
As the third installment of their Christmas Notch universe, I went in blind and loved all the characters even without knowing their previous stories. I'm sure if I had read all the previous books, I would have loved the cameos of other characters, but the fact that this book can be read as a standalone is perfect.
It had some of my favourite tropes : forced proximity, grumpy/sad boi MC x sunshine FMC ,friends with benefits ,and they were roommates
The spice you ask ? IT DELIVERED ! My personal favourite part contained creative use of gingerbread lotion AND THAT IS ALL IM GOING TO SAY !!!!
Deffinetely worth reading either as a standalone or the entire series if you prefer a good old marathon of christmas shenanigans and spicy encounters.

4⭐️ I was so excited to read this as I absolutely devoured the other books in the series. This did not disappoint, I really loved this cute and spicy romcom. I am a big fan of roommates-to-lovers trope and this was so so good in this story. I loved both Sunny and Isaac. I really enjoyed the storyline as well as the spice. This was such a fun and enjoyable read. Thank you for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a cute and spicy read, just perfect for this season! I love both authors and their writing style, and I think they work so well together. I’ve read the other books in the series as well, and enjoyed them so much so I hope there is more to come. I definitely recommend this!

I thought this was going to be a cute, cosy Christmas read but it was a lot more than that! Adored Mr Tumnus (yes, I’m a cat person) and how Isaac made such an effort with him. I hadn’t realised this was the third in a series, so I will buy those to read now, even though I’ll be reading out of order. This was like a hallmark movie but a spicy one, and I really enjoyed it! Thanks Netgalley and the publisher.

An enjoyable festive raunch-com. I hadn't read the others in the series and in fact didn't realise it was part of a series until I'd finished the book. That didn't affect my understanding or enjoyment of the book at all though. The opening chapter was quite daunting with so many characters introduced, but it would make.perfect sense to those already familiar with the characters of Christmas Notch,

Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy have certainly done it again! We return to Christmas Notch for a last time, and A Jingle Bell Mingle was filled with the same humour and heart as its two predecessors. I've been so excited to read Sunny and Isaac's story, and I was not disappointed. The still grieving former heartthrob needs a muse, and who is better to provide him one that Sunny Palmer? But Sunny doesn't want to be a muse, so she takes up the job of finding him one, all the while they circle each other.
Their crash is inevitable, and with a christmas miracle or two, this was a wonderful holiday read.

Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins for approving this ARC.

I've enjoyed all the books so far in this series which are spicy festive reads with a plus size FMC and ex boyband members who have veered off track. There is also lots of diversity and great characters that help move the plot along.

This book focuses on happy go lucky Sunny who hasn't really settled on any career path and widowed ex boyband member Issac, who since his wife's death 5 years ago has become a recluse with no new music being written/produced for his record label who he is still under contract with.

Sunny and Issac hooked up 2 years ago and now they are both attending their best friends getting married and end up having another one-night stand. unfortunate Sunny is staying in a grotty B&B and Issac is staying in her newly purchases Masion so he offers her a room so she can write her screenplay for an idea she sold the Hope channel regarding a new movie.

Issac and Sunny end up becoming roomies with benefits which makes things a lot more complicated as he wants her to be his muse, but he can't let himself love another person the way he did before, and Sunny can't help but feel never good enough.

I was so excited getting this. And I wasn't disappointed. The best festive read. Absolutely loved it and definitely need a copy for the festive shelf this Christmas

A unique Christmas novel - I thought it had a novel premise and I liked how the relationship developed over the course of the novel. Not my usual cosy Christmas novel but good fun nonetheless!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review

This is the perfect spicy Christmas book! I have loved this series of books by both authors and read the rest of the years during last years festive season. I am not normally into so much spice but these two just write it exactly as you want it! 100% one to read

This is very much a grumpy/sunshine romance with a gentle exploration of grief and new romance. It's the perfect ending to the series and makes sure to not disregard Isaac's grief when allowing him to explore new romance. I also thoroughly enjoyed seeing our previous couples settle in their happy ever after. Also Uncle Rays Rays storyline was the perfect secondary romance to tie everything up together. It's a perfect warming romance for the holiday season (or like me, any time of the year!)

I loved this book, I devoured it, it was so addicting

I thought there was a perfect balance of great spice, that Sierra and Julie are known for, and plot

I really enjoyed all the various plot lines - the researching of the Christmas Notch miracle, finding a new muse, finding love after loss. I thought they all came together so well and in an enjoyable way.

I love that you got to see previous couples from this series at several points and you got to see Teddy Ray Fletcher get his happy ending

- previous one night stand
- roommates with benefits
- bisexual main characters
- recluse musician
- plus sized FMC
- CW: previous death of wife (for MMC) and previous death of parents (for FMC)

Thank you to Harper Colins and NetGalley for the eARC - all opinions are my own

4⭐️
First read by Julie Murphy & Sierra Simone, it was fun, spicy, and delicious! I will of course be recommending this to my book friends and be catching up fully with the purchase of the series so far!

Thank you also NetGalley for this ARC ☺️

A Jingle Bell Mingle, a perfect story to finish A Christmas Notch series, might be my new favourite. Broody Isac and Sunny Palmer, former porn star and make up artist, bond over their artist blocks and, looking for inspiration, sequester themselves in Isaac’s mansion. Sexy shenanigans ensue while Sunny is on a mission to find a new muse for Isaac, who is helping her to research a Chrostmas story for her screenplay. A perfect blend of steamy and wholehearted fiction ensures that the book moves along quickly, sex is as usual consensual and imaginative, and the couple must go through some soul searching work before they reach their inevitable happy end. Bonus points for the Teddy Fletcher character, who’s series arc brought me a lot of joy. I am more than ready to read more from these writers, so hopefully the series won’t be their only joint venture!

Returning to Christmas Notch was dreamy and made me so excited for the holiday season! These two were the sweetest couple and I enjoyed the mystery, investigative subplot going on. Whilst carrying some heavier topics, it was a sexy, funny romance packed with so much festive fun. Sunny and Isaac did not play in this book and bought all the sappy sweet feels🥹

This book was alot of fun with some witt and spicy thrown in. But it had a dash of trauma and grief. I loved Sunny and Isaacs story alot

Back in Notch and I am loving it! Sunny and Isaac were so amazing to follow and I loved getting to see more of Notch. I hope these authors write more together!

Have I read a Christmas book in October? Yes. Do I care? Nope. Besides, although this is a Christmas related series, everything from the second book in the series has only been loosely Christmas themed and so I didn't feel like I was starting too soon.

Another steamy tale set in the smutty, yet cosy town of Christmas notch and as expected, it was a lot of fun. Out of all of the books in the series, this was probably the only one that pulled on my heart strings a bit. Isaac's plot line of struggling through his grief was sad to read, but lovely at the same time. He went on a journey of learning how to move on with his life and it was very sweet that Sunny was the person to help him with that.

I loved Sunny. She was full of fun and energy yet she did have a sensitive side to her too. Not to mention of course her very smutty side. She had her own battles aside from her bennies relationship with Isaac but of course, this is Christmas Notch, so obviously there was going to be a Christmas happy ending for her.

I've read every book in this series for the last 4 years and I'm quite sad that this is the end. Naughty Christmas tales have become a bit of a tradition for me and I don't know where I'm going to get my fix from now on.