This is a basic hallmark Christmas story. The plot was well written, but the characters felt a bit underdeveloped.

It started out with an It's a Wonderful Life quote which I loved since it’s a holiday classic but then it fell flat…after 50 pages I still just could not get myself to enjoy the main character or the writing. 

The basic plot of the book is a girl gets her flight cancelled on Christmas Eve Eve and a hot pilot offers to get her to her destination in time to do something important. Sounds fun right? Wrong. 

It’s a trope that’s often done and don’t get me wrong the whole needing to get there to get her inheritance is a fun twist. But, the actual story is boring. It starts with the main character yelling at her friend on the phone. Cut to them in the car and there’s soo many pages just discussing music and music festivals with mentions of current popular songs that date when this book is written. I get that they are in a car but is there really nothing else they can talk about besides how life changing festivals are and the joys of country music ?? 

Not to mention there’s an entire page where he gives a motivational speech and countless reminders that yes he is in fact an Afghanistan war veteran. Quotes like “Trust me-dodging enemy fire teaches you how to stay calm in situations similar to this” gave me the ick. 

Then boom in casual conversation this man says the word diatribe as if that’s a casual word… just say rant. 

Don’t even get me started on the characters names. Kol Vinter and Noelle Nichols.

I guess I’m the grinch because I think you’d be better off reading trains, planes, and all the feels instead of this.

2.50 stars
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TW: Death of a parent, War, Car Accident
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Noelle is having terrible luck, her boyfriend ends things with her, she's quit her job, and she needs to get back to her hometown to deal with the aftermath of her Aunt's death. The last thing she needs is a cancelled flight. Captain Kol Vinter can't help but overhear Noelle's panic and offers to drive her where she needs to go as it's not far away from where he needs to go.

I was excited by the plot alone, but I couldn't handle our characters. They're both meant to be in their late 20s but are written very juvenile and immature. The dialogue is basic and comes off cheesy, not in the right way. At one point Kol starts calling her "Stinkerbelle" and she loves it. I would stop talking to someone if they uttered it to me. The romance plot rolls out really fast, it seems that after 12 hours together these two are in LOVE.

The entire book felt so rushed, in addition to the fast romance - Noelle seems to be making large life decisions within hours of her expressing it's not what she wants in life. Also, she uses a coin to make large life decisions.

My biggest issue was the flaws both of them have, Noelle is really accusatory towards Kol, and Kol points out her insecurities, and initiates kink play without her consent. He talks a lot about having respect for women because he has sisters, but I just don't get that vibe from him.
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I would like to thank BooksGoSocial, Evie James, and NetGalley for a copy of the Christmas Cancellation in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Christmas Cancellation was published on November 18th, 2024.

This was a good book. I like the author’s style of writing. There was trauma and grief discussed in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the chance to read Christmas Cancellation—it was the perfect cozy holiday escape for a one-day read!

While I did find Noelle and Kol’s love story a bit unrealistic, it still had that magical holiday charm that makes you want to suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. The background and story of Noelle, our FMC, really stood out for me—her journey of rediscovery in her hometown, as she navigates grief, was heartfelt and relatable. I loved her sassy, fiery personality and the emotional depth beneath her tough exterior.

That said, I wish more realism had been woven into the romance. Still, the snowstorm setting, small-town vibes, and playful holiday moments made it a fun read. Christmas Cancellation is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a festive, feel-good read to cozy up with this season. Perfect for fans of spicy holiday romance!

Thank you Netgalley for the Arc in return for my review.
I went into this book expecting quite a typical Christmas romance - and this wasn't that. Initially I found the romance quite bizarre and disliked the characters a lot - however, over the course of the story I found myself warming to them and even found parts of it moved me to tears. Even if I found the insta love bizarre and incredulous. Also, a lot more open door than I expected.
This story contains a lot about grief and mental health; I liked the way this was approached and discussed, particularly around the mental health of men.

CW/TW: death of parents (off page), mental health, suicidal ideation, grief.

This was such an unexpected holiday rom-com that I just absolutely adored. It was cheesy in the absolute best way and had so many laugh out loud moments, as well as moments where it absolutely tugged on my heartstrings. The magic in this book was truly incredible and I already know that this will be one that I reread.

Thanks to NetGalley for this copy of "Christmas Cancellation."

Author James tells us this story is inspired by "It's A Wonderful Life" with the message that every life is worth living and everyone has a reason to live.

Noelle's flight has just been cancelled due to a winter storm. She has to get to Saratoga to sign inheritance papers, has just quit her job after her scheming boyfriend stole her ideas and got a promotion, and wishes that she'd never been born.

Captain Kol (pronounced "coal") hears her venting and ranting about the cancellation and decides to take a chance that she's not a brat. He offers to drive her to Saratoga since it's not that far from his home.

So caveat: this book is very spicy and steamy. To be honest, I skimmed through most of the love scenes and would have preferred more character development and story detail. The story and characters had so much potential if there was just a little more depth.

But I would definitely like the recipe for chocolate cherry chip cookies! They sound delicious!

A spicy romance so good for the holidays. I enjoyed the story of Noelle and Kol! I also liked that there wasn’t too much spice but just enough! ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
Holiday
Forced Proximity
One Bed
Opposites Attract
Return to Small Hometown
Blizzard
Afraid to Commit
Not Who I Thought You Were
Pilot
Horse Girl
Possessive Man
Sassy Girl

cute and hilarious book, perfect to curl up in front of the fire with a cuppa hot chocolate. I had a bit of trouble getting into the plot, but it got better up ahead

I absolutely love this story, it has everything you need, and boy does it ever put you through the wringer. There’s spice, humour, grumpy/sunshine, with a bit of insta love, as well as emotion and heartache. Truly a bit of everything.

Both Noelle and Kol have their own baggage going back and forth with misconceptions of each other at the beginning. There is a lovely forced proximity trope that brings them together to start unpacking said baggage.

I will say Noelle’s personal struggle with jumping to conclusions of Kol leaving her constantly was a bit much. I had a hard time with that. I understand mentioning it a few times for the story line, but it became too much. Other than that which I was able to get through, the story itself was great. A good spicy holiday read with lots of heart… and heat.

Thank you NetGalley & BooksGoSocial for this ARC of Christmas Cancellation!

Noelle is having some bad luck in her life! Her boyfriend just dumped her after stealing her promotion, she’s quit her job, and she has to go back to the hometown she’s avoided for four years the day before Christmas Eve, or she’ll lose her inheritance. Her flight is then cancelled and she finds herself in forced proximity with Kol who also so happens to be the grumpy pilot.

I didn't like the FMC or the MMC as I found them quite bland and had no character development to them. I also found them very immature considering they are in their late 20's. Their relationship also happened way to quickly as in less than 12 hours. If you love insta love then you are in the right place but I just can't believe that they like and trusted each other that quickly.

When Noelle Nichols‘s flight gets canceled during one of the worst moments of her life, the last thing she expects is a ride home from the handsome, brooding pilot. But she may find out that Captain Kol Vinters is everything she needs to make your Christmas wishes come true. Christmas Cancellation follows Noelle and Kol’s romance as they travel to her hometown together.

Honestly, I really wanted to like this book. And based on other reviews, there were plenty of people who enjoyed it, so if this sounds like your thing, I absolutely recommend you give it a shot. But it wasn’t for me. I took almost immediate dislike to Kol, who instantly starts calling Noelle “Stinkerbelle” on just about every page (which was honestly enough to turn me off of the book pretty quickly) and comes across as pretty selfish in the first spicy scene. Noelle an interesting backstory, but the author never really explores it deeply – it feels very secondary to her interactions with Kol. The connection to “It’s a Wonderful Life” felt forced and I generally lost interest in the plot pretty quickly. It was disappointing, because I was excited about the premise, but ultimately it just wasn’t my thing. I hope others enjoy it more!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

TW:
Grief
Death of parents and aunt off page

When she’s passed over for a promotion because of a presentation her sleazy ex stole, Noelle Nichols quits her job and is left at a crossroads. She heads to Saratoga, New York to receive her inheritance from her aunt, who recently passed away. In her journey, she gets stuck in New York City, when a blizzard hits the area. Desperate to get to Saratoga in time , she agrees to get a ride from the grumpy pilot of her flight. On their way to Saratoga, the two form a connection neither expected. When they get trapped at the house left to her in her aunt’s will, sparks begin to fly, but can those sparks be enough to keep them together?

I could not connect with Noelle. She was insufferable. I understand that she was dealt a bad hand in life, but that didn’t excuse her behavior. There was a particular scene that really rubbed me the wrong way. She instigated their first intimate encounter, but the next day she blames him for taking advantage of her even though she was the aggressor. It felt icky especially when he asked for consent.

The MMC is your standard ex-army alpha male. There was nothing about him that really made me want to swoon. He started off intriguing, but after a while you realize there isn’t much substance.

They definitely have chemistry and the spicy scenes are hot. It could’ve used more tension, though. They get together rather quickly in the story and it left me thinking now what? I would’ve loved to have seen more of Noelle coming to terms with her grief and the stipulations her aunt put in her will in order to receive her inheritance, but we get everything tied up in a neat little bow.

It was an okay read, but ultimately it wasn’t for me.

This was a pretty enjoyable holiday romance! Noelle is rushing back to her hometown to finalize things after her aunt’s passing, but her plans are derailed when her flight gets canceled due to a snowstorm. Venting her frustration on the phone with her best friend, she’s surprised when Kol, the pilot scheduled for her flight, confronts her.

When Kol realizes they’re headed in the same direction, he offers her a ride, and Noelle grudgingly accepts. The journey is anything but smooth, with treacherous conditions testing their patience. However, once they finally arrive in her hometown, the sparks between them truly begin to fly.

I loved how Noelle and Kol connected and opened up to one another. While the romance felt fast-paced, it added to the charm and kept the story captivating.

If you’re in the mood for a strangers-to-lovers, forced-proximity holiday romance, this book is definitely worth a read!

"Some things get stuck inside you. You carry them because you have to, because if you let go, your world flies apart."

Christmas Cancellation by Evie James was a little Hallmark Christmas movie, a little It's a Wonderful Life, a little cheesy at times but just the perfect cozy holiday read. I got through this in less than 24-hours and loved how well it was paced. Noelle and Kol had the best banter and the snowed in forced proximity gave me all the feels I love. Evie James did such a wonderful job of weaving together the fun and silliness of these types of insta-love stories with real depth in discussions between the characters about grief and loss. Christmas Cancellation was a wonderful time and the perfect parlay from my spooky season books into my holiday TBR.

Also, Stinkerbelle may just be my new favorite FMC nickname!

Thank you NetGalley & BooksGoSocial for this ARC of Christmas Cancellation!

I am on a streak of holiday romances, so my opinion may be a little hazy but this was not for me. The FMC was insufferable and flat out annoying throughout the book. I understand she has gone through a lot in her life, but it’s no excuse to act like an entitled, miserable human.

As for the MMC, he started off so strong but that fizzled out really fast. As a grown adult, who calls someone else “Stinkerbelle”? If someone called me that, I’d immediately stop talking to them.

Their relationship was so unrealistic too and way too intense on the first night. No one should trust anyone else enough to let what happened, happen in less than 12 hours. That completely ruined it for me.

I really tried to like this, but it just wasn’t for me!

Life was NOT on Noelle’s side. She was on her way to Saratoga to finalize paperwork for her aunt’s will — paperwork that needed to be signed 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 day. Naturally, Noelle’s flight got cancelled because of an impending snowstorm. Her life was full of constant bad luck, nothing ever went her way. Her parents passed away four years ago in a bad accident and now her aunt unexpected passed too, leaving Noelle with her estate on one condition — she had to live in Saratoga for a year before she could officially inherit everything.

Running out of options, Noelle was being her usual sassy self when the pilot of the plane happened to overhear her moaning and groaning and graciously offered to drive her to Saratoga because it was “on his way home.” We later found out that he went an hour OUT OF HIS WAY to help her. He was a literal dream.

Kol immediately saw the sass and the massive void in Noelle’s heart. He particularly hated that she said she shouldn’t have been born. His heart broke for her even though he didn’t find out until much later what she even went through. He was Noelle’s biggest cheerleader and was constantly there for her to help her through her grief and pain and in return, Noelle helped Kol through a lot of his struggles after serving in Afghanistan.

What I hoped would be a light easy read turned out to be kinda heavy in parts - the back stories of the MCs are heavy - but overall it was a nice cute-meet & kinda festive.

I know it's fiction but I prefer when the MCs don't instantly fall in love and declare forever after a week! BUT it's fiction so I'll go with it!

I loved this one! A sassy Noelle gets stranded on the airport, though she has to get to her aunt’s hometown before the day is over if she wants to receive her inheritance.

After ranting about it to her friend on the phone, she meets Kol, the pilot who puts her in her place. In the end he gives her a ride, which is going to be a bumpy ride.

I loved the way they were with each other and how easily they fell in love. Even though some traumas are happening, they are so amazing together.

Would definitely recommend, if you want a cosy but a bit sad, Christmas read!