This book is a JOURNEY!

First, the things I enjoyed. I liked the set up of this book a lot. I know it is a cliché, but snowed in at Christmas is a trope I love. I also really liked the tension between the characters. It had an edge of rivals to lovers as well as second chance romance, and those two tropes together make for a good time.

This book was a solid 4 star for me until the break up reason came out. At this point, the main man gave me such an ick I almost didn't finish because I didn't think it was possible for the author to pull it back. But that romantic ass gesture? Spectacular. He is still garbage, but at least he is romantic garbage who mas maybe grown as a person?

Overall, this book is a fun festive time, but maybe not as swoony as desired.

Thanks to NetGalley, Falon Ballard and Headline for the free e-arc. All opinions are my own etc.

I can see what the author was trying to do with this book; a kind of Inception of romance - which is a great premise but unfortunately the characters let the story down for me.
Jessica and Nick used to be together, but had a brutal breakup. They're both romance authors and he got successful whilst her modest sales don't nearly match his. When Jessica is asked to present an award to Nick at her publisher's big Xmas gala she reluctantly accepts so she doesn't get in their bad books. They get snowed in at the inn, there's only one room with only one bed... and for some unhinged reason these two idiots decide even though they basically barely speak to each other any more, they're going to start writing a romance book together.
As their story unfolds for the reader Jessica and Nick are also conducting an audit of their own broken relationship in their book draft. It's all pretty meta and honestly the amount of tired tropes crammed into this book on top of that plus the flashbacks made the whole thing a tad tedious.
Eventually we find out why they broke up - spoiler, it's all Nick's fault. Here is where I came unstuck because I had been feeling pretty beige about the whole story thus far, but honestly dear reader, I would not have forgiven him. Ballard doesn't give us much to actually like about either character - Jessica is simply a broken, sad girl after losing the love of her life and Nick is a selfish wanker. This was a second-change romance where I don't think they should have given it another whirl.

Well if this wasnt one of the cutest fluffiest christmas rom coms.

Here we have a book about 2 ex lover writers stuck together accidentally both writing a second chance romance.

And obviously this book is also a second chance romance. So we knew where this book was going.
I find Fallons books so cheesy and predictable. But I don't care as I love reading them. They are just a hug in a book. And an honest delight.

𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧…
🎄 holiday romance
🖋️ second chance
🎄 forced proximity
🖋️ rival authors

𝙨𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨…
When novelist Jess is asked to present a best-romance-author award to the man who broke her heart five years previously, Nick, a snowstorm means that she can’t avoid him like she had planned.

𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨…
This one was a cute & easy Hallmark style festive novella! It’s around 250 pages, so bordering on short-novel length - which for me is perfect for a Christmas read 🎄

This is a second chance with forced proximity, which I absolutely LOVE 🫶🏼 As it’s on the shorter side though it’s on the lighter & fluffier side, and doesn’t have the same level of angst you usually associate with these tropes - which for a holiday romance is probably a good thing?!

I really liked Jess as a character - she is fun & sassy, and pulls up her big girl panties & puts on a killer dress to see her ex for the first time in five years 👠

This book was tracking a 3.5/4★ read for me… until I found out Nick’s reasoning for the original break up five years previously! This is kept under wraps through the whole book so I was expecting something heartbreaking to be honest… but actually it’s just bad 😂 (no cheating though fyi.) Buut I definitely think Jess brushed it off far too easily and we needed more grovelling 🫠 (would I have given him another chance at all after that?! I’m really not sure 😂)

This book is definitely a cute read - it’s just a little cheesey & cliche, and I think quite forgettable! (Aside from Nick 👀 I think I’ll probably dislike him for a while 😅)

This was very cute, very Christmassy! I've really enjoyed Falon Ballard's works in the past, and while this isn't my favourite of hers, I am so happy she's done a Christmas romance. These characters were cute, and I loved the snowed-in setting and how cosy everything felt. I think I would possibly have enjoyed this even more if I had read it in one sitting, because it's fun and festive and a bit tongue-in-cheek when discussing tropes like one bed, or HEA. Jess was a bit of an annoying main character at times, but then again I did still like her a lot. I just didn't love the explanation for why he broke up with her five years previously; it was just stupid and I can't lie, I wouldn't have forgiven him for that. But overall, cute, cosy, Christmassy - and I can't wait to read Falon Ballard's next book!

4.5 stars

This was such a great read!

If youre looking for a second chance, forced proximity (with only one bed) short Christmas read this is the book for you

I love that both of them are writers and start the book in a slump and them reconnecting gets them out of the slump, it was so cute

The angst and tension that the forced proximity, only one bed, having to be civil in front of their colleagues and having to work together was so good and made me fall in love with these characters

- second chance
- both romance writers
- forced proximity - snowed in a hotel together
- only one bed
- christmas romance

Thank you to Headline Eternal and NetGalley for the eARC - all opinions are my own

This was a fantastic, short and sweet holiday read. I finished this over two days and I just didn't want it to end. I loved the festive setting, the characters were enjoyable and I enjoyed the concept of them writing a book together and I don't want to give anything away. I see this being a holiday romance favourite for many people.

"All I Want is You" is a charming rivals-to-lovers, second-chance romance that perfectly captures the magic of the holiday season. Jessica Carrington, a small-time romance writer, finds herself snowed in with her ex-boyfriend Nick Matthews, now her professional rival. Forced to share a room, their initial tension quickly evolves into something more as they confront their past and rekindle old sparks. Falon Ballard masterfully blends humor and heart, making the characters’ journey both relatable and engaging. With witty banter and cozy holiday vibes, this book is a delightful reminder that sometimes, the best stories come from unexpected situations. Perfect for cozy winter reading!

Falon ballard writes Christmas, I mean what more would you want. A fun enjoyable festive read. You will love it as much as I did

This was very short and easy to read. I absolutely loved Falon’s first 2 books but this one really lacked the depth they had and just didn’t flow very well

Holiday enemies-to-lovers romance with dual POVs, all the feels, and a nice amount of spice! Jess and Nick are both published romance authors and exes who haven’t gotten over each other. They’re thrown together in various fun forced proximity situations, including one of my favorites, the one bed at the inn!

The dual POVs in this one are an extra treat that enhances the storyline of the two writers even more. I enjoyed seeing each of their perspectives as they navigated their mixed-up feelings and miscommunications while having flashbacks to past Christmases.

I did get a bit frustrated with Nick at times, especially as the reason for the original breakup became so drawn out - I just wanted to know what happened already! - but I also liked reading how he viewed Jess, and ultimately, I found him to be really likable. He definitely made up ground with that ending! The grand gesture was everything I could have hoped for and more with two bookish lovers, and it left me feeling so satisfied and dreaming of my own fantasy HEA.

This one is perfect for anyone looking to snuggle up with a sweet, spicy contemporary holiday romance! It’s not an over-the-top holiday cheese fest, but there are fun montages of Christmas activities in NYC and lots of cozy holiday vibes tossed in throughout that keep it festive.

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Publishing for sending this DRC for review consideration.

This was such a cute and Christmassy book and I love a second chance romance! Two rivals are stuck together, and they also happen to be ex'es. This was such a easy fun read and I know I now need to find more of Ballards books!

Such a good book to read when the holiday is approaching. Jess and Nick are exes, and she hates his guts because he broke up without giving an explanation five years ago. They are both romance writers (although he only writes books without an HEA and it annoys her so much).

He is getting an award from the publishing house they both are a part of, and she happens to be the one having to present it to him. Nick is thrilled by the thought of seeing Jess again since he never really got over her. She cannot say the same.

They are trapped in the hotel because of a snowstorm lasting days, and are forced to crash at his room since the bookings were not done for her. And things slowly heats up!

Quick read that dragged me in quite quickly. I love books that have dual POV and are written in first person, so this checked all my markers. Lovely reading it!

Tropes:
# Dual POV
# Second-chance romance
# Forced proximity
# One bed

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for this book. All opinions are my own.

All I Want Is You is a very cute and swoony Christmas romance that mixes second chances, professional rivalry, and forced proximity. The festive setting and the snowstorm trap make for a cozy, romantic backdrop that pulls you into the holiday spirit. Jessica and Nick, two romance writers with very different views on love, are brought together in the most awkward way, and it’s fun to see how their history and frustrations play out.

I’m not usually a fan of the second chance trope, but it was really well done here. The slow burn between the characters keeps you on edge, but since it’s a quick read, you don’t have to wait too long for them to come together, which I appreciated. The forced proximity with the snowstorm adds a lot of excitement to the story, making it even more satisfying when they finally get together.

The characters were mostly well developed, though I found Nick to be a bit frustrating at times. He can come across as an idiot in some moments, mostly when he breaks up with Jessica in the beginning, but it fits with the tension between him and Jessica. In general, this book was a charming holiday romance with just the right amount of drama and festive warmth. A perfect read for anyone who loves Christmas and a heartwarming love story.

I am a sucker for a second chance romance and this one is very high on my list of favourites, Jessica is a romance writers who always loves writing a happy ending and Nick is her ex who is also a writer only he likes to stay away from happy endings!
They have now been split for 5 years and Jessica is asked to present an award to Nick, she isn't best pleased at this but to make matters worse when she arrives the hotel had a mix up with her reservation and she ends up having to share a room with Nick (tee hee!)

This is such a cute slow burn that left me feeling so festive, can i just mention that i adore the cover? so cute!

In this fun holiday rom-com, romance writer Jessica Carrington is stuck with her ex, Nick Matthews—her biggest rival—after they get snowed in at a remote inn before Christmas. While Jess writes happy endings, Nick’s made a career out of stories without them. Forced to share a room, their unresolved tension turns into inspiration for their writing. As old sparks reignite, Jess wonders if Nick might be exactly what she wants for Christmas after all. With sharp banter and festive charm, this enemies-to-lovers tale is a perfect holiday read!

A cosy, Christmassy second-chance, forced proximity, slow burn perfect for winter reading. The book is easy to read through and has you looking forward to winter. While I do love a slow-burn, this may have been slightly too slow for me at points but that’s not to say others will feel the same! I’d definitely recommend giving it a go

Thank you NetGalley and Headline Eternal for the ARC!

I've only read one book by Falon Ballard and it wasn't my favourite. But when I saw that she had another book set on Christmas romance with a second chance and a one-bed trope (where it actually makes sense!), I was excited. I really loved the banter between the characters. The chemistry was OOF!

'All I Want is You' is a cute and short cozy Christmas romance with likeable characters and funny moments.

Nick is a romance writer, very successful even though he doesn’t write happy endings. Jessica is a romance writer, less successful but making it work. Their publisher sets them up and here we go - snowed in - only one bed - holiday season - what’s going to happen?

I love Fallon’s other books, especially Just My Type, and this is great fun - a quick easy festive steamy read, but it didn’t completely work for me, much as I liked Jessica. I couldn’t get past how weak Nick’s reasoning was and how it took him five years - five years! - to reconnect with Jessica. And even then, it wasn't his initiative 🤯

That said, everything else is just fabulous. Enjoy the setting, Christmas cheer, plenty of banter, wonderful friends, spicy steam, delicious meta-ness about romance writing and yes, an HEA.

Thank you Falon Ballard, NetGalley, and Headline Eternal for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I can’t believe I’ve just read a Christmas romance in September but it sounded so good and it managed to exceed my expectations so I'm really glad I did. This was so much fun!!

I’m a sucker for a second chance romance. Add in forced proximity and great chemistry, and you’ve got this incredible book! Jess and Nick were so cute together and it was very clear from the beginning that they were meant to be together. I really liked the Nick was very clear about this from the start as well - he was so in love with Jess he was desperate to get her back.

I enjoyed seeing them open up to each other and communicate about what happened when they broke up. It was also nice to see Nick fight for her and eventually win her back. I really loved them together.

Another thing I really liked were Jess’s friends. I loved the way all of these characters were romance writers and lovers and her dynamic with her friends was so much fun!

Overall, this was an adorable short Christmas read and I couldn’t recommend it more, especially to lovers of second chance romances and the forced proximity trope!

A huge thank you to Headline Eternal and Netgalley for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review 💛