ARC - PUBLICATION DATE 23RD OCTOBER 2025

4.5 ☆

『 tropes 』
•best friend's brother
•slow burn
•forced proximity
•forest setting
•flashbacks
•new years celebrations

『 plot 』
hattie and sam were forced together on their 14th birthday (new years eve and new years day), and since then, they've been inseparable, the best of friends and have always always celebrated their birthdays together.

it's now their 29th birthdays, Hattie is single for the first time in 9 years and is rethinking everything about her life and her wasted years on someone who never really wanted her. she makes sure that the last year of her 20s are hers and hers alone, starting with a lodge getaway in a secluded forest with a hot tub. sam is there, helping her and cheering her on, with 2 of their other best friends.

what hattie was not expecting, was freddie coming along for the getaway. freddie, sam's older brother, who is brooding, off limits and who she has secretly been crushing on since she was 14 years old.

『 my thoughts 』
the present tense of this book spans over the christmas/new year period so is the perfect easy, fast paced, cosy read for the winter season!

i really enjoyed this book, hattie and sam's friendship is just genuine and wholesome, always there for each other. sam has a particularly complicated and hard life when it comes to his family and hattie has always been there to help him. sam was the first person to show up and help hattie with her break up.

the whole friendship group are sweet and a good mix of people, i love how in this book, chloe sheds light on being an adult with a friendship group that are all at different stages in life and how it can be hard to find time for each other

i love the dynamic between hattie and freddie. there are flashbacks within this story that helps further the story and adde depth to hattie and freddie's story. the chemistry between them was excellent, the tentative back and forth flirting and the mutual pining was very enjoyable to read.

A set of rules to get over a break up, set in stone on the back of a napkin… but what if one alcohol fuelled confession in a hot tub on New Years Eve threatens to derail everything?

Hattie has spent 15 years crushing on her best friends older brother, knowing that he will forever be out of bounds due to a promise to Sam - her lifelong best friend. But when Freddie joins Hattie, Sam and their friends on a New Year weekend away in a remote house in the middle of a snow storm, temperatures start to rise and the pair question whether they should stick to their guns and stay away from each other to protect Sam, or whether the chemistry is impossible to deny.

Great writing by Chloe Ford, hugely likeable characters, wonderful scene setting, and a slow burn romance that will have you shouting at Hattie and Freddie to give in to love!
Loved the New Years Eve and birthday themes running throughout the book.

This book was very easy to read and very difficult to put down! Highly recommend to romance readers, and look forward to future books by Chloe.

Perfect for fans of:
* Best friends older brother
* Forced proximity
* Forbidden romance
* Snowed in location
* Slow burn
* New Years Eve theme

Thank you to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for reaching out to see if I would like an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Another absolutely fantastic read by Chloe. I was literally obsessed with this, desperate to keep reading on.

I loved getting to know Hattie, Freddie and the whole gang. All the characters seemed lovely, genuine and part of a friendship group I wanted to be part of.

The book flips from present to past flashbacks which I loved. It showed the story and journey the friends had been on and also Hattie and Freddie’s past attraction. The writing is so well structured and fast paced. If you like slow burn and best friends brother then you have to read this.

Overall a throughly fantastic read. Chloe is fast becoming a favourite author of mine.

This was everything I hoped for and more: cosy winter holiday vibes from the very first page. This is my second book by Chloe Ford, and I’m definately hooked!

I adored the close friendship between Hattie and Sam, and the tight-knit group of uni friends who’ve stayed besties for many years, it was such a warm, nostalgic touch. The snowy cabin setting was magical, and the group dynamic brought so much heart and humour. The slow-burn romance between Hattie and Freddie was perfectly paced, full of tension, flirtation, and emotional depth.

There were laugh-out-loud moments, but also poignant reflections on how life doesn’t always go to plan. Hattie’s journey of breaking free from a gaslighting relationship was powerful and relatable, something far too common, and handled with care and authenticity.

If you love romance with slow burn, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, forbidden love, and the best friend’s brother trope then this one’s for you!

Huge thanks to Net Galley, Aria & Aries, and of course the wonderful Chloe Ford for the ARC in exchange for this honest review. I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next!

Many thanks to Shannon at Head of Zeus for providing me with a widget, and to the team at Aria and NetGalley for the complimentary e-arc of House Party. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

This was laugh out loud funny, bursting with British wit, and was the ultimate slow-burn, when it’s your best mate’s older brother, who you’re falling for! It was the perfect Chloe Ford read!

It was honestly such an absolute delight to read, I literally haven’t stopped grinning. I’m so sad that it’s over. When I say this had me giddy, I was so giddy over Hattie and Freddie’s interactions and their banter!

Hattie was so relatable; I adored her, I just wanted to give her a big hug, and shake, because hello, Freddie, he was such a dreamboat, I LOVED him!! Gosh, he was just so perfect, so perfect for Hattie, always attentive to her over the years, never wanting to overshadow her, but couldn’t act on his feelings because she was his brother’s best friend; it made for such a delicious slow burn forbidden romance. They were just so much fun, and very much idiots in love!!

I also loved the ending, it was so perfect for them, it didn’t feel rushed and Hattie was able to do everything that she wanted, while Freddie was just happy to bask her orbit.

Tropes

Brother’s best friend
Snowy cabin setting
Forced proximity
Only one cupboard
Dual timeline
Slow burn

I adore Chloe Ford’s writing so much. She has a way to infusing humour and levity while also building deep and emotional characters. I couldn’t get enough of Freddie and Hattie’s slowburn romance. In fact, I need to steal Freddie for myself. I loved Hattie’s friend group, the growth of the characters over time through flashbacks was so well integrated and the antics of the story were hilarious. Run, don’t walk, to preorder this one. Thanks to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC!

Chloe Ford’s House Party is one of those romances that doesn’t just focus on the central love story—it thrives because of the relationships at its heart.
The premise is simple: Hattie, still recovering from heartbreak, heads to a snowy New Year’s getaway with her best friend Sam and their close-knit group. Enter Freddie, Sam’s older brother and Hattie’s long-time crush, and suddenly a weekend of friendship, laughter, and hot tubs becomes much more complicated.
What really stood out to me wasn’t just the romance (though the slow-burn tension between Hattie and Freddie is sweet and well-paced), but the friendships. Each of Hattie’s friends feels vivid and distinct—you almost feel as though you’re part of the group yourself. Ford gives them quirks, flaws, and moments of honesty that make their bond believable. It’s refreshing to see female friendships built on trust, loyalty, and honesty, while still acknowledging that nobody is perfect. That balance—between love, friendship, and personal growth—gives the novel its warmth.
As for the romance, it’s predictable in the way most rom-coms are, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t satisfying. Hattie’s inner strength, her insistence on sticking to her rules and self-discipline, makes the payoff more rewarding. Even when you know where the story is headed, you find yourself smiling as it unfolds.
Final Thoughts: House Party is a lovely, cosy, character-driven book. It’s not about dramatic twists or shock endings—it’s about believable people, messy friendships, long-time crushes, and the comfort of finding your way through both love and life. While the ending may not surprise you, it leaves you with the contented feeling that comes from spending time with characters who feel like old friends.

I am obsessed with this.

With Hattie and her best friend Sam, and how they always celebrate New Year’s Eve and their birthdays (his is on the 31st, hers on the 1st) together. With their friend group that stays strong from their uni years all the way into early career life when priorities shift and families are formed. With the cozy snowed-in feeling at the lodge that they’re renting in the present timeline, Chloe’s signature humour, and most of all with Freddie, Sam’s older brother, who should be off limits.

But those limits get blurrier and blurrier as the snow keeps piling up. Hattie and Freddie have been circling each other for a decade, which we get to witness through throwbacks to previous NYEs, and guys! The angst! The flirty tension! These two are the mayors of Yearntown, and I was eating it up.

If you’ve been obsessed with The Summer I Turned Pretty, but would like to skip the love triangle, and make it a bit more mature, you absolutely need to pick up this book. And if you don’t care about that series? Doesn’t matter, pick up this book anyway.

A fabulously well-paced rom com. I adored Hattie and her best friend Sam’s friendship as well as the slow-burn chemistry between Hattie and Freddie, Sam’s brother whom he shares a complicated relationship with.

Normally I’m not a fan of flashbacks with a second chance but it was so well-paced and helped to show just how slow their relationship has developed due to Sam’s rule that Hattie can’t get with Freddie. The sweetness and care Freddie held for the forbidden Hattie (in a horrible relationship) was just so well done.

A lot of fun. I can’t wait to read more from
Chloe Ford.

Thanks to Aria & Aries and NetGalley for the ARC.

I love a good forbidden romance story and this one delivered!

We follow Hattie and her friend group, including best friend Sam and his brother Freddie (who Hattie has had a crush on since she was a teenager) as they embark on a cosy cabin trip over the twixmas period to coincide with Hattie and Sam’s New Year birthdays (it’s been a tradition to celebrate them together for years).

Freddie has always been off-limits to Hattie, as decreed by Sam when they first met as teens, but they’ve always been drawn to eachother, which we see in flashback scenes throughout the book. We know they are going to be end game, it’s just the how and the when we are waiting for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and could clearly picture each of the main characters and side characters. The development of Hattie and Freddie’s relationship seemed natural. The angst and misunderstanding of Sam and Freddie’s relationship was sad but I was happy with how it ended up.

The setting was great, with plenty of snowy scenes and it would be perfect to read during the twixmas/New Year period.

I won't say no to Chloe Ford. Her books are exactly what we need when we want to relax and read something cute and funny. 😊

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hattie and Sam, best friends forever, a childhood pact made to always hate Sam's brother Freddie, comes into jeopardy when they join friends in a log cabin for birthday celebrations. Can Hattie keep on concealing her long=-time crush on Freddie? Rom com at its best. Perfect wet weather reading.

WOW. Just wow. I was NOT ready for the way I fell for this book, or more importantly, the MMC Freddie!
Hattie has been (secretly) lusting after her best friend Sam's brother since she was fourteen, and now fifteen years later and (slightly) more wiser, she finds herself in a luxury lodge in the woods with him (and his brother and all of her friends), and the chemistry between them is ELECTRIC.
Does Freddie feel it too? Has he always felt it? He's always cared about her, but is there more?
Over a weekend filled with too much Prosecco, emotional outbursts, snowstorms, and a very embarrassing hot tub incident, Hattie and Freddie bond, but can their relationship survive Sam's disapproval?
Could not put it down, want to read it again already. All of the secondary characters are absolutely top notch and it manages to be hilarious, spicy, poignant and fun all at the same time.

I devoured this book in a matter of hours it was SO GOOD. The angst in a dual timeline book is always delicious and this was full of it. The slow burn was so well handled and I found myself flying through the pages as I was desperate to find out when it finally ignited. Hattie and Freddie's chemistry jumped off the page and I loved it. It was funny and the side characters added so much to the story. A perfect winter read.

This swoon-worthy slow-burn romance follows Hattie, who's harboured a secret crush on her best friend Sam's gorgeous older brother Freddie for fifteen years, convinced he's never noticed the girl who became Sam's birthday twin one fateful New Year's Eve. When Hattie finds herself newly single just before the holidays, Sam, along with their 2 uni friends plan a trip to a remote cabin in the Forest of Dean for some much-needed cheering up, complete with snowy views, crackling fires, and zero cell service. But when Freddie unexpectedly joins them at the isolated cabin, Hattie discovers he's been noticing her all along, and fifteen years of longing might finally combust in one unforgettable night. This perfectly paced romance delivers all the tension and payoff of a crush that's been simmering for over a decade, proving that sometimes the best things are absolutely worth the wait.

“𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑲𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒇 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒔, 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒗𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌.”

I was a little nervous diving into this second book from Chloe because I adored Work Trip, and let’s be honest..follow-ups can be hit or miss. But House Party completely won me over from start to finish, It had me laughing out loud more times than I can count. The Bluetooth mishap? Absolutely hilarious. And that wild bacon moment? Pure comedy gold. I’m still cracking up thinking about it. Chloe’s humor shines and kept me fully entertained throughout. And even though I’m usually hesitant with the “best friend’s brother” trope and stories that use flashbacks or dual timelines, Chloe handled both with such care that they enhanced the story instead of feeling cliché or boring.

The setting of the story is vivid and cozy, making it easy to picture every scene. As for the characters, Hattie and Freddie are both likable and relatable. I loved their dynamics, especially the chemistry and forbidden romance. To be honest, I’m just grateful Chloe didn’t make me dislike Sam. Plus, I’m now super curious about Sara and Dylan. I really hope Chloe writes another book set in the same world.

You don’t need to have read Work Trip to enjoy House Party, it stands perfectly well on its own. But if you have, the cameo got me so excited I had to reread her debut book.

Overall, what I loved most is how this story balances humor, charm and heart without ever feeling heavy or overdone. It was the perfect palate cleanser for me, funny, warm and easy to get lost in.

If you enjoy slow-burn romances, forced proximity, dual timelines or the best friend’s brother trope, this is definitely a book to check out. It’s one of those stories that leaves you smiling long after you’ve finished.

House Party releases October 23, mark your calendars!

Thanks to the author, publisher Head of Zeus and Netgalley for the early copy.

*I received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.*

“𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝒘𝒆’𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒔.”

🎉 I firmly believe that there are books that choose you, rather than the other way round. Such is the case with this one for me! I can spend ages reading blurbs & picking what to read, but something about this one jumped out at me!

🍾 There was definitely a reason for that because I absolutely devoured every bit of this book & Hattie was everything!!! It was a hard relate from me with SO many things about her, as well as the fact that I just found her really cool!

🎉 I loved the flow of the story, all of the characters & the obvious chemistry & flirting between Hattie & Freddie. It was cute, spicy & totally swoonworthy.

🍾 I'd literally read this book again, if I wasn't going to go right now & get Chloe's other book! I loved her writing style & again, can't say enough about how this one got me good. I was meant to read it!

🎉 I know this is short & sweet but I'm basically just saying that you need to read it!!!

Kelly

Work Trip was a delightful rom-com that ticked every box of a 5-star read for me. I was excited to get House Party on my Kindle, as my anticipation was high for the same magical components that made Work Trip such a great read.

Sadly, House Party doesn't have anything in common with Work Trip. It's a cosy, sweet read for sure, but it's a little bland and lacking in chemistry between the love interests. I felt 15 years surely had more yearning and pining energy to be built up. Lovely energy between the friendship group and explores some of the pains of growing in life that 20-somethings hit, but the romance needed more energy, and the only sizzle was the fireworks at the new year. I didn't feel the spark between Hattie and Freddie at all, and their story just felt a bit awkward in the end.

Thank you, Aria & Aries, for granting me a Netgalley eARC of House Party by Chloe Ford in exchange for a fair and honest review. Sadly, House Party didn't strike the right chord for me like Work Trip did. I think it will take a few more books from Chloe Ford to see if she's an author I'll continue to read. One hit and one miss from me at the moment

What an absolutely brilliant rom-com!! I loved Work Trip, but House Party is even better. I was invested from the first chapter. Hattie is such a likeable FMC, and she's absolutely hilarious. Not to mention the dual timeline aspect that was so unexpected but a huge draw here. Chloe managed to create a real depth of character and establish the relationships by revisiting them over a number of previous New Year's—it was so well done! I also appreciated that this was a single POV, despite the dual timeline, it made it all the more romantic because you never really knew where Freddie's head was at. And Freddie, ah! The ultimate MMC. This book was giving me serious The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes but with that snarky, witty humour you're searching for. Honestly, I was so impressed and I absolutely adored all the characters in this book. What a guy Sam is! I cannot wait for Chloe's next book, she's definitely a new favourite.

"Fifteen years of longing. One night to change everything. This New Year's Eve, they're playing with fire."

This was a sweet and cosy read that can be easily read in a couple of sittings. I found Chloe Ford's writing was clear and easy to read and I enjoyed the dynamics between the friendship group. I found that some of the flashbacks felt unnecessary and didn't build up as much history between Freddie and Hattie as I would have liked, and Freddie himself felt quite one-dimensional. Overall, a cosy holiday read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.