I love reading Christmas books and this had a wonderful twist on the Santa Claus story. Mason and Lyla were characters I fell in love with and am so happy they made it work in the end and were able to come to a compromise. The details of Yule made it seem so magical and I could imagine everything in the story. I can't wait to read the second book in the series. This book was fantastic from the first page all the way to the last page and everything in between.

Book Review: A Captivating Holiday Tale of Resilience and Transformation
In this enchanting novel, we follow Lyla, a determined young woman facing unexpected challenges after her father, the long-time CEO of a family-owned toy company, retires. Instead of inheriting the company as she anticipated, Lyla discovers that it has gone bankrupt, and her shares have been given to the notorious investor, Mason Klaus. Known for his cold demeanor, Mason becomes an unlikely partner for Lyla as they are forced to work together amidst their mutual disdain.
The story takes a delightful turn when Lyla, refusing to accept Mason's cancellation of the annual Christmas party, decides to host it herself. This bold move leads to an unexpected disaster—a fire that devastates the company. However, instead of succumbing to defeat, Mason offers Lyla a chance at redemption: she must join his family for the twelve days of Christmas.
What follows is a magical journey to a winter wonderland where the charm of the season unfolds around them. Lyla is not only determined to uncover the secrets Mason is hiding but also to reclaim her family's legacy. The tension between them ignites a captivating dynamic, and readers are drawn into their world of complex emotions and unexpected connections.
As Mason introduces Lyla as his fiancée within this secret village, the stakes rise, and the plot thickens. Lyla's struggle between her ambitions and her growing attraction to the devilishly handsome Mason adds a layer of intrigue that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
This novel beautifully captures the essence of transformation, resilience, and the spirit of the holiday season. With themes of redemption, love, and the pursuit of one's dreams, it is a heartwarming read that reminds us of the magic that can be found even in the most challenging circumstances.
Will Lyla be able to navigate her feelings for Mason while striving to reclaim her company? This delightful tale is filled with twists and turns that will leave you eager to find out. A perfect read for the holiday season, this book is sure to warm your heart and inspire you to embrace the unexpected journey of life. #netgalley

Fun and easy read. The characters weren’t quite as relatable (specifically their motives and reactions) as I would have liked. But I’d still recommend for a festive read.

This was my second Kate Callaghan book and I’ve loved both of them so far. I love her writing style. This was such a cute Christmas read!

I absolutely loved this book! If you love Christmas and hallmark movies you are going to love the story of Lyla and Mason. This romance novel has all the tropes office enemies to lovers, fake dating, forced proximity, one bed, slow burn. I couldn't stop reading, read it in a day. I was rooting for them to fall in love, there was magic, a gingerbread competition and nothing like the MMC’s old childhood friend to spice things up. I was so drawn to keep reading because I wanted to know what Mason was hiding, would he stay or would he go? Can they get past their hate for each other and let the possibility of falling in love a chance? Definitely recommend this book for your next holiday read!

It's not my first and won't be the last personally the author really impressed me, I have to say this book was perfect for the holidays season and I've read it at the end of last year 2024, just wasn't able to come sooner and review it:

All I have to say is that I really liked it, it was an amazing rom com and it was like watching a cozy christmas movie

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved loved loved the world that the author built for this story. It was a perfect read for the holidays to really put me in the Christmas spirit. Lyla and Mason were cute, but I think I loved the side characters even more and the world that they lived in was perfect. The book reads like a cute hallmark movie with some spice and thats all I could ever ask for.

This is certainly not Kate Callaghan's usual fare, so her regular readers should definitely read the description before diving in. But it's a very fun Christmas-y, low fantasy, low stakes, rom-com that I think many readers will adore. The premise here is very clever and serves as a perfect backdrop for a cast of really enjoyable characters to spend time with. Classic enemies to lovers trope. There is a third-act break up if that's something you look to avoid. But overall, I think many readers will find it a perfect Christmas read.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

A Santa Claus rom com! Wasn’t expecting that one! Santa is a young attractive CEO

Minimal spice. The main characters say some pretty terrible things to each other. Which I don’t like in a romance.

Never having read this author before, I wasnt sure what to expect, but this was a thoroughly enjoyable holiday caper!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for this e-book in exchange for an honest review. 5/5⭐

This is book one in the Yule series and let me tell you it did not disappoint. Kate Callaghan has quickly become one of my go to authors whenever she releases a new book. Normally I don't do Holiday romance books but this one was so good and with the twist that not everything was perfect. It was refreshing and more realistic. There is some spice but it is not a whole lot and I could get through it easily and it don't take away from the story.

This book will have everything you need:
🎄 Lots of Banter
🎄 Enemies to lovers
🎄Cranky boss who turns out to be Santa
🎄Fake fiancee
🎄 Magical Christmas small town

Book Synopsis
When Lyla's father retired as CEO of the toy company which has been in their family for generations, she was meant to receive his shares. Instead, she discovers the company is bankrupt and her father has given her shares to Mason Klaus, an investor known in the corporate world for his cold and callous nature. Much to Lyla's frustration, her only option is to run the company with him, despite their evident loathing for one another.
When Mason cancels the annual Christmas party, Lyla throws it anyway - only for the event of the season to result in a terrible fire. With the offices and Lyla's credibility ruined, Mason offers her a deal: he'll forget her part in the disaster, but she must join his family for the twelve days of their Christmas holidays.
Taken to a fantastical winter wonderland, Lyla hopes that she might discover some of the secrets Mr Klaus is hiding, and maybe even a way to get her company back. However, when Mason introduces her to the secret village as his fiancée, she is horrified to realise she has no choice but to go along with the pretence - because the cost of bringing an outsider to their magical land is far too high.
Can Lyla resist the devilishly handsome Mr Klaus and the enchanting village to win back her company, or will she give into temptation?

#netgalley #netgalleyreview #thenaughtyorniceclause
#katecallaghan #romcombooks #spicybooks

This was such a fun read. I adored Lyla and I loved how determined she was throughout. Mason was everything you wanted in a Christmas romance. I flew through this one and loved every moment!

Such a fun book! Truly enjoyable Christmas holiday read. Absolutely adored the town Yule and the whole setting. I just wish Mason was written a bit nicer but overall a great cozy read!

The Naughty Or Nice Clause is a cute Christmas story. It is perfect for readers who like fake dating and work rivals to lovers. Reading it would transport you to a winter wonderland with amazing side characters and a Christmas atmosphere.
The only negative thing is that I would prefer a longer version to learn more about the characters and grow to know them. It felt rushed and kind of "insta love" at the end, which I am not a big fan of.

Such a unique take on Christmas and the Santa Clause fairy tale!

Lyla and Mason won my heart fair and square. Classic tale of a Grinchy MMC becoming a swoon worthy boyfriend goal!

Lyla pretty much loathed Mason for what he was doing to her family’s company after her dad sold him his shares. Mason, or Klause, as he was called, was stone cold and cutthroat, canceling their Christmas celebration and denied everyone their typical 12 days off before Christmas.

After having thrown a Christmas party at the office that ended in a fire, Mason all but demanded Lyla cone with him back home to act as a buffer between him and his family that he had not seen in ten years. The catch though, is that his family is the Klause family, as in Santa! And she has to act like his fiance or face the wrath of the council and lose all the memories she has built in the most perfect Christmas town of Yule, and the friends she had made there.

THIS WAS THE BEST CHRISTMAS STORY I HAVE EVER READ. I can not stress enough how much I loved Yule and every one of its residents. It was a whole different world that captivated me the moment I stepped into it, taking me to the North Pole and the most awesome romance. Absolutely adorable.

The Naughty Or Nice Clause (Village of Yule # 1) by Kate Callaghan
Publisher: BooksGoSocial
Genre: Romance, Sci Fi & Fantasy
Published: November 8, 2022

The Naughty Or Nice Clause is the first book of the Village of Yule series by Kate Callaghan.

This such an awesome retelling of the Santa/North Pole story! I loved the characters and thought this book was so much fun!

This was such an amazing read! I loved it so much!!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Reasons I liked the book:
I enjoyed The Naughty or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan because the holiday-themed setting felt magical and immersive, giving it the possibility of being a perfect cozy read. Additionally, I have come to LOVE Christmas stories over the past year and I usually love a good enemies-to-lovers story line. So I had a lot of hope going in!

Reasons I didn’t particularly like the book:
I didn’t particularly enjoy either character, making it hard to connect with them. I especially wasn't a fan of how Mason treated Lyla. Then, some of the plot twists felt predictable, which made the story lose a bit of its excitement.

All in all, I would rate this three stars meaning while I didn't particularly love it, I can see how some people would give it 5 stars. Additionally, I would absolutely read another book from the author before deciding whether or not to add more of her books to my TBR list!

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this in exchange for a review.

This one was an ok read. If you want something easy, not hard to follow and sugary, then this is perfect.
It did its job with the Christmas theme, but unfortunately, it’s not going to be a memorable one.