My first holiday book of 2021 and the first of the holiday reviews you can expect! This was a total cover impulse for me and I do love to read YA holiday books. I think they really capture the stakes of the season. I think this book was cute, fun, festive, and as always when it comes to YA, just a tiny bit unrealistic. However, I do think it will prove effective with its target audience.

If you love Christmas, ski lodges, babysitting tips, and a sweet romance, you’ll enjoy this book.

Synopsis:
“Ballet and babysitting bring two teens together in this very merry holiday rom-com from the author of the acclaimed Bookish Boyfriends series

Noelle Partridge is known for three things: being the best ballet dancer, babysitter, and person with the most Christmas spirit in her small town. But lately she's bored by the lessons at her dance school, and her friends and father are more bah humbug than deck the halls. So when her favorite babysitting clients ask her to accompany them on a ski trip over winter break, she packs her bags for the slopes. It helps that they're offering double her rate--she'll need the money for Beacon, an elite ballet academy that has granted her an audition.

Noelle is ready to have fa la la la fun, until Wyatt, the older half-brother of her babysitting charges, decides to surprise his family for the holiday. He's one of the best dancers at Beacon, and makes Noelle's head spin faster than pirouettes. Unfortunately, she also manages to step on his toes--spoiling his surprise and complicating his secret plans. After a few missteps, Noelle and Wyatt begin to thaw toward each other and bond over the big decisions looming in each of their lives. With enough Christmas magic, Noelle might just start the New Year with lots of babysitting cash in her pocket and a chance with the pas de deux partner of her dreams.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:
The Setting—I LOVED the snowy cabin, ski mountain setting. I could totally picture everything so clearly and thought it was a fun place to spend some time.

Grief & The Holidays—Noelle is dealing with another Christmas without her mom and that theme is very strong. I think it’s refreshing and relatable to see someone who loves the holiday their loved one and instead of hating it, they try really hard to celebrate it in their honor. But being an only child, we see Noelle grapple with how things have changed in her relationship with her dad.

The Holiday Cheer—Look, I love the holiday season so I’m always happy to see someone else! I felt like this book captured the perfect amount of festiveness.

What Didn’t Work:
Parental Expectations—There were some moments that I truly didn’t think made sense when it came to Nick and Ginger Kahale, the parents Noelle is babysitting for. Without spoilers, I just don’t think adults would ask or expect somethings for the teens in their life.

Content Warnings:
Grief, loss of a parent, minor fatphobic comments/mention of dieting, strained parent/child relationships

Character Authenticity: 3.5/5 Steam Rating: N/A as it is YA Overall Rating: 3/5

I'M DREAMING OF A WYATT CHRISTMAS by Tiffany Schmidt is the perfect young adult holiday romcom! It has a huge dose of festive feels, some loving families navigating tricky situations, cute kiddos that make for some hilarious moments, and a sweet romance. It's like a Hallmark movie on the page and catered to a younger readership. I'd say this book is perfectly suitable for younger teens and upper middle graders. The main character, Noelle, is 14-years-old, and the reading level isn't too challenging. The romance is wholesome, and the story doesn't contain any dark elements, other than grief over a deceased parent and a minor skiing accident. I'M DREAMING OF A WYATT CHRISTMAS will definitely get you in the holiday spirit!

I loved the Christmas nostalgia in this book! Anyone who knows me well knows that Christmas is my absolute favourite time of the year. This book has everything that's good about Christmas.

At times I found it hard to believe that Noelle was only 14, she was quite mature for her age and the story seemed quite advanced in points for her age, which made it a little less believable. I've also read a few reviews condemning her actions and saying she made mistakes, but I found that an important element of the story. She did make mistakes, she did make some questionable choices, but she's 14 - we've all been there!

I ended up thoroughly enjoying I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas. Sure, parts required a stretch of the imagination, but all the best Christmas stories do!

OVERALL: 4/5

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was enjoyable, fast-paced and fun! It's aimed at a slightly younger age group, but anyone who enjoys fun holiday tales will certainly love this book! It's the perfect read to curl up in front of the fire with.

PLOT: 3/5

I did enjoy the plot, but it definitely wasn't the highlight of the book for me. Tiffany Schmidt has managed to capture the true essence of Christmas within the pages, and that really shone through for me. The plot was nice, but nothing spectacular when compared to the rest of the book.

CHARACTERS: 3.5/5

I liked the characters in this book. The Kahales were an amazing family and really added to the story in so many ways. I liked Noelle, and her friend group were so kind and supportive of her and her goals.

WRITING: 4/5

As I've said before, the writing really captured the spirit of magic of Christmas. It was an engaging read that I was always excited to fall into when I had the opportunity to read more!

I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I don't usually read YA but this one was just adorable. I am getting in the mood for Christmas stories and this one hit the spot. Noelle is a babysitter and is asked to go on Christmas break with her charges. She is a ballet dancer that is trying hard to get into a coveted school, Beacon, to better her dance.
She not only wants to go to Beacon for the dance, but for a dancer. The family she babysits for has a son who dances there and she has a big crush on him. Wyatt is an amazing dancer and doesn't even know who she is, but when he shows up at the family's vacation house with a chip on his shoulder wondering who this girl is, things get a little messy.
Noelle loves her Christmas traditions, and follows them each year. They remind her of her mother who passed away. This year things have been changing and she isn't ready for it. Her dad never has time for her, her friends are outgrowing the traditons and she feels lost.
I enjoyed this story about two teens who desparately needed someone to talk to, finding each other and navigating their way through messy life.

I had to DNF this at 22% because I wasn't feeling anything towards the main character. I also kept forgetting that this mc is 14-years old, but she talks more like a 17-18 year old. Then again, I was probably the same at fourteen, so that's not really the issue. I just couldn't get into the book and found what her dad said at the end of her dance show totally off-putting, calling her a nuisance (though I'm suspecting he didn't mean it, but still).

I don't know. Maybe I'll try this book again someday, but it's just not hitting the sweet spot right now.

Thank you NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like a big warm hug. It was so cute and made me so excited for Christmas. The dance aspect of it made me so nostalgic. I remember dancing in the Nutcracker like it was yesterday. This book is perfect for those who love lighthearted romances and the holiday season.

This is the perfect book for my freshman who love a good holiday read. I liked it, but felt the main character was a bit much for me to connect with. But, any time a Christmas romance comes out its a win! Thank you netgalley for this arc.

I really enjoyed this book, but I was taken aback by the fact that the characters were so young! Toward the end of the book when Noelle and Wyatt start planning their futures rubbed me the wrong way because a lot at that age is dependant on your parents and school schedules, etc. It felt as if the story wrapped up with too perfect of a bow on top.

Overall, for a Christmas book, it gave me Hallmark vibes and I would recommend it.

It's a cute holiday rom-com that combines ballet and enemies to lovers. It's light, fluffy, and indulgent. Plenty of descriptive language that intrigued me to keep reading. Plus, that ended was very cute and the whole thing enjoyable.

I’m dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas was a perfect “Christmas in July” read for me. It’s geared towards middle years age readers, and brought me back to my babysitters club days (I loved those books!!!). I know I would have adored this book in my babysitting years. I particularly enjoyed the babysitting tips and cute quotes like, “Babysitting Tip 7: Asking questions isn’t a sign of weakness; it shows maturity. If you’re not sure, call or text the parents!” And “Babysitting Tip 18: Just because someone is little doesn’t mean their problems feel small to them. Listen.”

There was a couple of other sweet quotes that stood out to me as well:
* Mom used to say, “Some days you’ve got to hit the Reset button. Get back in bed, pull up the covers, and have a do over.”

* “In our family we don’t fear failure, we fear not trying.”

Noelle is a sweet and lovable character, and her relationship with her father and her friends was dynamic and super relatable. Brought me right back to being a 14-year old kid. While my adult self didn’t fall in love with this book, and found some parts slower, I’m still giving this book 4 stars as I KNOW middle year readers will ADORE this book, and after all it is completely geared towards them. 💗 Thanks so much to #NetGalley, Amulet Books, and Tiffany Schmidt for the pleasure of reading this ARC.

I just love Christmas in July!

It's rare that I find a great Christmas read that I'm looking forward to in the middle of summer, but this one definitely tops the charts!

Noelle loves Christmas, and she has her traditions down to the letter. But this Christmas, nothing is going as planned. And so, she decides to babysit her favourite clients on a ski trip over the Holidays, which takes a turn when their older brother shows up.

I really enjoyed the plot and characters in this one. Even though I don't ski, dance, or babysit, I loved reading about Noelle's adventures. Definitely a great read for Christmas 2021!

While I’ve had Tiffany Schmidt’s books on my TBR for years, I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas was my first book of hers, and it didn’t disappoint. This YA Christmas romcom was sweet, funny, heartfelt, and left me with a big smile.

After the death of her mother six years ago, Noelle has made sure the Christmas season is a huge extravaganza. She, her dad, and her friends plan ALL THE THINGS - carol singing, movie watching, cookie baking, ice skating, pictures with Santa, decorating, you name it. This year is different, though; her dad is so busy he’s basically forgotten she exists, and her three best friends are not only busy with their own lives, they’re also feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of Noelle’s usual Christmas activities. Feeling forgotten and disappointed, Noelle decides to take up an offer to go away for the holidays with one of the families she babysits for...and that family just happens to include her crush, who unexpectedly joins them for the holidays.

This book was so cute. Noelle was such a well-developed character and I really felt for her. The grief aspect of the book made me cry on numerous occasions; it was painful to read, but it was done so well and was incredibly relatable. Noelle’s disappointment and heartache were very real, and I sympathized with her need to be the best at everything and prove herself. I also really enjoyed all the Christmas festivities and how Noelle experienced the magical and the not-so-magical. I’ve been there myself, and I’m sure many others have too: dreaming and planning for a picture-perfect holiday season, wanting to carry on the magic and traditions that were started by someone who’s no longer with you, and having moments of joy but also moments that fizzle or flop. I loved the Kahales and all of Noelle’s adventures and misadventures with them, and how Mrs. Kahale provided that loving parental figure Noelle so desperately needed. Also, I’m not a dancer, but I’ve always been fascinated by ballet, so I enjoyed that aspect of the story too, and Noelle’s passion and dedication for ballet.

The romance was sweet and I enjoyed the progression of Noelle and Wyatt’s relationship, but I kept finding myself wishing they were a bit older for a few reasons. Noelle was given a ton of responsibility for someone barely in her teens. I’m not sure if that’s the norm these days in the world of babysitting, but I found it a bit of a stretch. I have to be honest, it was also weird rooting for a romance between kids who were so young. With me being far from the intended audience of young adult books, I tend to stay away from ones with characters who are younger than sixteen. The stories and characters often feel way too young for me and it’s unfair for adults to say the characters feel immature when that’s kind of the point. In this case, though, it was the opposite - the characters and storyline felt much more mature than what you’d expect from a book about fourteen-year-olds, and I kept thinking of the characters being at least two or three years older.

Overall, I really enjoyed I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas. It was full of true-to-life emotions with ups and downs, along with plenty of giggles, and a heaping dose of Christmas magic and fun.

Absolutely adored this, it was very fluffy and I can’t wait to read it again at Christmas time. Was enjoyable I found the characters to be slightly annoying however it was simply a minor issue. It was an all around great read and it’ll be much better once we’re in the Christmas spirit.

I am always a sucker for Christmas romance books. This was not my favorite, but still a great simple read.

Noelle Partridge dreams of dancing at Beacon: a ballet academy that promises new challenges and an escape from both the ballet academy she's outgrown and the father who is too busy working to take part in her Christmas Extravaganza. However, an early retreat with a babysitting client that takes place over the holidays ensures lots of chaos and confusion as she runs into the crush she's never actually met in real life and tests her love of Christmas and the plans she thought she had.

As always, I was extremely impressed with the level of detail in Tiffany Schmidt's writing. I could tell she put a lot of thought into the Christmas Easter eggs that were scattered throughout the story and I absolutely adored all of them. In addition, this book is written a little young and would be suitable for older middle school readers to younger YA and anyone looking for a sweet rom-com that doubles as a festive Christmas story.

While I found this book engrossing, I will say there was something about it that didn't feel right. I put a lot of thought into it as I read and after I finished reading and even now I'm not sure I can put my finger on it, just that something felt off. I'm wondering if my feelings have something to do with our main character as I found Noelle to be annoying at times and worried about things that didn't necessarily seem important. I also felt some situations were blown way out of proportion, and again, didn't feel that pressing to me compared to the character's reactions. That being said, I still really enjoyed reading I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas and look forward to recommending it to other readers!

It was certainly a cute, light, typical YA romance novel. I enjoyed the themes of Christmas throughout, though the general storyline and character struggles seemed very standard and not necessarily unique and authentic to this book and its characters. But I suppose, since it is one of those fluffy YA novels, the book does what it was called to do.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and ABRAMS kids for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. As always, all opinions stated are entirely my own. I LOVED this story. It was just so fun! It was the perfect Christmas book that was light and fun but also had a bit of depth as well. It was full of festive puns and a cute romance. I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone looking for a super fun holiday read. In fact, I might decide to re-read it myself when it is Christmastime! I loved everything about this book from funny antics from Noelle's babysitting clients to her friendship traditions and dynamics. Wyatt was also a fun and sweet character and I found myself rooting for him, Noelle, and everyone else in this book. The characters were so well-written and loveable and made this book perfect for anyone who loves character-driven plots (myself included). All in all, I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas is a definite 5 stat read for me!!!

This was such a fun YA holiday romance. I’m such a fan of these types of books and love reading them regardless of the time of year. This was a quick read, something I could speed through in a day, and I loved the story of Noelle and Wyatt.

Noelle is a 14-year-old ballet dancer who joins the family she babysits for on a ski vacation. She isn’t expecting one of the older kids, Wyatt, a fellow ballet dancer and student at the elite dance school she wants to attend, to be there as well. It is a classic enemies-to-lovers story and I think Wyatt was just adorably written.

This book deals with more than just surface topics including grief and loss. I really love that the author gave these characters depth.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very sweet and nice book! I’m glad Noelle called out the two parents for putting so much pressure on her to rat out wyatt’s secrets. This book definitely put me in a Christmas mood!

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.