He didn't value what he had and tossed it aside for eight years....

Charlie isn't that bright. He's very self centered and never thinks of Bea's needs and wants.
He isn't a well thought out character. He had a boner for Bea when they were neighbors, they went out and then he tossed it aside so he could move to CA and make tons of money. The only reason he is selling his company is because he has burnout and he certainly hasn't been celibate since he dumped Bea.

Bea is blindsided when she has to drive Charlie to Here from NY. He's trying to sell his company and there's some shady going on that her company caught. Bea is long suffering after being dumped by Charlie and is still single. I was frustrated for her, as there was no atonement, no acknowledgment of what a first class douche Charlie was to her.

In this second chance Xmas romance, 10 years ago, Bea and Charlie were best friends and HS sweethearts but their relationship did not survive after Charlie left their small town to go to Stanford while Bea stayed home and started working.

Because their parents are best friends, the families typically spend Xmas week and other major holidays/life events together but Bea and Charlie otherwise have no contact. Both have tried to move on with others, but neither has been able to sustain a serious relationship. However, this time, Charlie is determined to see if there might be some life still in their relationship, while Bea feels her defenses against him weakening.

There was plenty of spice, fun banter, and cozy, small town winter vibes in this romance, perfect for the season. I also loved that both Bea and Charlie were not perfect. Bea admittedly was lonely and was coming to realize that she held everyone at arms length. Charlie occasionally had strong anxiety attacks and had learned how to cope with them through therapy. Overall, a fun Xmas themed novella, perfect to put you in the holiday mood. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

This was a sweet, lighthearted and quick read. The chemistry between Charlie & Bea was amazing and I liked the forced proximity settings(exes spending eight Christmases together since they split up). The writing was great and I was rooting for Bea & Charlie to reconcile. I got how they drifted apart but him wanting to suddenly get her back after eight years confused me a bit. Still, there were definitely sparks between them and the dual pov helped me understand more about their feelings. Also, I loved how Bea & Charlie's parents were so close and I liked their family dynamics. Overall, I found this story to be quite enjoyable and if you're looking for a lively and short holiday read, then you can pick this one up! So, my rating for this one would be a solid 3.25 stars!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

The perfect second chance romance for the holiday season. I love the Hallmark vibe that this entire story has. I can picture reading this next to a cozy fire, warm blanket and cup of tea with holiday music in the background.

Two childhood friends, that became lovers, then reunite after 8 years apart on their annual family Christmas trip. Bea and Charlie are great together and have some heat to keep the cold winter away!

I loved this light-hearted romantic story. The little situations that the characters find themselves in while still trying to get to know each other again, the skiing, the wood chopping (iykyk), it all has great banter and chemistry!

Their families all have such wonderful development throughout the book and support the relationship all the way. There is no miscommunication trope, or break up that tears them back apart, which I absolutely loved.

A cute, lighthearted second chance romance- I enjoyed the story, and found relatable qualities with the characters- However it was a bit unbelievable at times. Still worth the read!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This book is a short entertaining second-chance romance. The main characters are likable enough but the story is not too believable. Apart from having still chemistry there is no real reason why -after spending a week together every year seven years in a row - Bea and Charlie should decide that now is the time for getting back together. Still a sweet and hot novella.

Cute and Llight-hearted are two key words for this second- chance novella.

Bea and Charlie broke up eight years ago, but their parents are best friends so they get to spend Christmas together every year.

But, and this is a big but, even though I enjoyed reading about it, it was a bit off that Charlie suddenly felt it was his time to get Bea back. I get the reason why they broke up, I get the explanation he gave us for drifting apart for eight years, but they still kept meeting every Christmas. This is the main thing that put me off.

All in all is a nice reading and I thank NetGalley and publisher for this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#arc #arcreview #rcreviewer #arcreader #ghostofexmaspast #lizalden #netgalley #netgalleychallenge #netgalley2024 #goodreadschallenge2024 #romance #romcom #christmasromance #novella #secondchance #closeproximity #newadult #spicy #romanticfiction #indieauthors #contemporaryromance

This was a super cute and fun read. I really liked the banter between Bea and Charlie. I literally laughed out loud a few times and I could definitely relate to Bea in many aspects. The storyline wasn’t anything new but it was an easy, fast and enjoyable read. If you are looking for a Christmas-y story, this is probably not it. It was mostly focused on Bea, Charlie and their family who just happen to be spending Christmas together. I read this in mid October so that wasn’t an issue for me.

**Ghost of Ex-mas Past: 4/5**
**Spice: 3/5**

I dove into this book without a clue—no description, just the intriguing title—thinking it would be the perfect cozy October read. Boy, was I off the mark! But hey, surprises make reading fun, right?

If you're in the mood for a heartwarming story about exes who still hold deep love for each other after eight long years, then this is your book! Set against a Christmas backdrop, it weaves a narrative about family bonds that resonate even after a breakup. While the festive vibes didn’t fully come through for me, the connection between the families was beautifully portrayed. However, I did feel like the story raced ahead a bit too quickly. Despite that, I ended up really enjoying the journey!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A cute novella but it didn't feel very festive to me and I feel if they've spent 8 christmases together, surely they would've had a second chance a lot sooner, not 8 years later?!

"Ghost of Ex-mas Past" by Liz Alden is such a fun read! It's a super spicy novella that blends that Hallmark-Christmas-in-the-cabin-vibe with fun family characters, an engaging plot, and lots of chemistry between years-ago high school sweethearts.

The two main characters, Bea and Charlie, were not only each other's first loves but also best friends and neighbors, and their parents are still best friends to this day. After a messy breakup during Charlie's first year of college, it's been hard to see each other during every holiday or major family event over the past eight years. Something changes this year, and wow, do the sparks fly!

Alden's writing style is full of humor, which makes it even more enjoyable. I had several laugh-out-loud moments! The novella's length is perfect for a cozy evening read, and the holiday setting (escape from the big city to a small quaint town) adds an extra layer of charm. I loved the dual narrative of Bea and Charlie, allowing a deeper perspective into their characters' points of view, thoughts, and feelings.

Overall, "Ghost of Ex-mas Past" was a quick, fun, and enjoyable read! I look forward to reading more of Alden's books.

Thank you, #NetGalley and #LizAlden, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #GhostofExmasPast

I thought this was super cute.I am in my holiday novella season and have been early this year so this was just what I was looking for. Bea and Charlie broke up after long distance didn't work for them in college. Charlie had it in his head that he needed to make something of himself to be able to deserve Bea and each year he saw her at their families shared Christmas and each year he didn't feel good enough. This year felt different. He thought he was going to have the money and the time to come back and finally get what he wanted, Bea.
While I thought parts were a little far fetched, I appreciated the adorableness of the story. The tension was there and palpable and it made me smile. Charlie and Bea had been with others, but it was inevitable that they would come back together and they never forgot one another. Sometimes the right person can come along at the wrong time and you just have to wait till it all falls into place. I loved her family and sisters too.
Thanks to Liz Alden and Netgalley for an early copy.

Quick and dirty second-chance romance! Bonus that it takes place during the holiday season!🎄❄️

I’ve read similar books so nothing super original but still enjoyed this one. I liked that it seemed very realistic compared to over-the-top hallmark movies. I couldn’t help rooting for Bea and Charlie.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC. Recommend to anyone who wants a spicy and lighthearted short story that takes place during Christmas time.

4.5 Stars ⭐️

I love a good second chance romance and when said romance takes place during the holidays, I am one happy camper! GHOST OF EX-MAS PAST with its Hallmark like vibes was the perfect afternoon read. I enjoyed Bea and Charlie find their way back to each other and get their Christmas themed happily ever after. This book is a keeper, I’m giving it the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR & Enjoy!

I have read so many good holiday books. My latest was Gost of Ex-Mas Past. Such a great read! Pick this one up!

"She looks like Christmas magic."

Told through the dual narratives of Charlie and Bea, this was a fast-paced, no-nonsense, straight to the point, quick read. Add in their families and Christmas traditions; this was a highly entertaining book.

Thank you to Liz Alden and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was PERFECT! It had everything from small town, cozy Christmas, forced proximity, second chance love and actual adult conversation to sort out problems! As a 30 something, this was a breath of fresh air to see characters TALK to each other and hash out problems instead of just running away from them.

For a novella, this book was very well paced. I adored seeing Bea and Charlie reconnect and even though us readers were not around for the original relationship, their back story was fleshed out enough that us as readers weren't wasting time wondering where it all went wrong or what all the hurt feelings were about.

This book would make a wonderful small screen Christmas movie!

This was a cute, light-hearted read that’s perfect for a cozy afternoon when you just want to relax. But, I have to say, two things threw me off, each costing the book a star in my rating:

First, the title and blurb promised me a holiday read bursting with Christmas vibes, but the festive season felt like a total afterthought. Honestly, I’m glad I didn’t save this one for the holidays because my disappointment would've been way worse.

Then there’s the whole exes-spending-eight-Christmases-together situation. Apparently, both their families are super close and spend the holidays together every year. But eight years of awkward holiday reunions with your ex? That’s a bit much. And don’t get me started on the company names—Rivrse and ImmUniverse? They really took me out of the story every time I read them.

As for Bea and Charlie, I couldn’t really connect with them. After eight Christmases together and still feeling chemistry, you’d think they’d either rekindle something or at least have a quick fling, but nope, nothing. It felt a bit far-fetched that he’d suddenly want a second chance after all that time, and it kept distracting me from enjoying,

In the end, it’s a decent, light read if you’re not looking for anything too deep or Christmas-focused. But, honestly, it’s not one that’s going to stick with me for long.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#GhostofExmasPast #NetGalley

Ghost of Ex-Mas Past by Liz Alden left me surprised as it made me quickly fall in love with Bea and Charlie. Second chances has always been one of my favorite tropes to read. The dad jokes were a bonus, and Bea’s dad was funny. His dry humor had me rolling my eyes throughout. The big family and the love that was written in the characters added so much warmth to the story, and I found myself loving those lighter moments as much as the swoony ones. What really made this book unputdownable was the chemistry between Bea and Charlie. By the end, I was desperate for more time with them—Bea and Charlie are a couple I’d love to see more of! If you're looking for a feel-good holiday romance that has both heart and humor, this book is perfect. The story left me with a big smile and a warm feeling in my heart.

This book brings the spice that makes a holiday enjoyable! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I enjoyed the characters and found the book well written with a great pace. It was easy to read in between heavier subjects.