I downloaded this to read and only once I started it did I realize it was the second in a series, but I went ahead and read this one having not read the first.

And I’m so glad I did.

I had such a fun time with this! A really nice and solid Christmas romcom, plus hockey, plus they knew each other in high school, plus brother’s best friend. It’s all there!!

I adore Katie Bailey's books and this one is no exception, it's a great Christmas read. I love Aaron Marino, having been introduced to him in The Quit List and I loved his story with Olivia, lots of banter and fun but with a lot of depth as well. I love how this book also connects The Quit List and Seasons Schemings with a little shout out to "I think he knows" as well. A brilliant read and one I will read again. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley for this book (read last year but didn’t realise I hadn’t reviewed)

This was an enjoyable book for the most part! It wasn’t boring by any means! The story wasn’t boring and didn’t have any parts that dragged

What I liked most is the character’s chemistry 🥵

Holiday Hostilities by Katie Bailey was a nice romance with believable characters and great pacing.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a chance to read this ARC early.

I'm not usually a fan of sports romances but I thought this one was really good. I think it may have been the holiday vibes mixed in with it that made me enjoy it more. I will 100% recommend this to my friends.

Olivia has spent years despising her brother’s best friend, Aaron, and now that she is living in the same area as them now, she has to see him way more than she wishes. While Olivia seems to hold a grudge from years ago, she also has this preconceived notion that Aaron is a straight up playboy and she hates it. While Aaron has never crossed a line with Olivia, he has harbored a crush on her and is ok with the way she treats him now, but to me Olivia didn’t really have much to stand on when it came to how she treated him. She was down right mean and cruel while Aaron sat there and took it because there is an attraction there, but for me I didn’t think it was worth the pain. Add in Aaron’s stalker getting away with so much and nothing really coming from that I was a tad disappointed, but I held out hope and in the end while I enjoyed this read I also had a hard time feeling anything but anger towards Olivia and wanting Aaron to run.

I DNF"d this book so I don't necessarily have helpful feedback. I linked it in general, but I never got hooked in by the plot and had other books I wanted to prioritize more. I also was caught off guard by some of the plot points so I think it just wasn't the book for me.

I absolutely loved this book. Just let me say that I devoured it! I was hooked from the beginning, and I couldn't put it down. It was fun and entertaining, and I loved that the guy fell first in this one. I can't wait for more from this author. I highly recommend this to the romance readers.

Thank you Net Galley, Eleventh Avenue, and Katie Bailey

I read this book so quickly, and it was exactly what I needed. It was such a fun and entertaining read, and there was NO third act break up, which I was so thankful for. And the two main characters were so funny. I also love a story where the guy falls first.

I absolutely loved this book! As someone new to the hockey genre, this story truly solidified my passion for it. Since reading this book, I have explored many other works by Katie Bailey and have become a lifelong fan. The book features such enjoyable tropes, and I really appreciated the banter between Aaron and Olivia.

Holiday Hijinks by Katie Bailey is a delightful, feel-good holiday romcom that absolutely delivers! The enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine dynamic between Olivia and Aaron is pure magic. Olivia, with her aversion to Christmas and her selfless nature, is a deeply relatable heroine, while Aaron, the cocky but sweet professional hockey player, is the ultimate swoon-worthy book boyfriend. Their chemistry is electric, and their forced proximity as roommates only fuels the tension and delicious banter between them.

Bailey’s writing shines through the heartwarming romance, swoon-worthy moments, and unforgettable gestures that will have readers swooning. The secondary characters add depth and fun to the story, bringing a found family element that feels just as heartwarming as the romance itself.

With Katie Bailey's signature charm and wit, Holiday Hijinks is a must-read for fans of the grumpy-sunshine trope and enemies-to-lovers dynamics. It's a perfect blend of tension, humor, and heart, and I’ll be recommending it for a long time to come!

Long awaited book and it did not fail to deliver. I loved Aaron's character and the relationship dynamics. The chemistry between them, absolutely amazing 👏

This is the second book in the Cyclones Christmas Series and despite not having read the first, it did not spoil my enjoyment of it at all.

Having to cope with her brother's best friend Aaron at Christmas (her least favourite time of year) is not what Olivia wants but she has no choice as she moves back to the same town as them both. Olivia's accommodation is far from perfect and despite not wanting to be in close proximity to Aaron he offers her a solution to her nightmare roommates whilst also helping him to cope with a media problem that he is going through.

If you like enemies to lovers and sports romances (hockey in this case) then you're sure to love this book and it is definitely worth a read, you won't regret it!

Holiday Hostilities is the perfect blend of festive chaos and heartwarming charm! From laugh-out-loud banter to unexpected twists, this story had me hooked from start to finish. The characters leapt off the page, and the holiday setting added a sprinkle of magic to the mayhem. If you're looking for a book that will make you smile, swoon, and maybe even shout, 'Oh no, they didn't!'—this is the one!"

Loved!!!!! Cannot go wrong with brothers best friend hockey romance!! The banter between these MC was BANTERING!!!!! 🥵

Katie is one of my auto buy authors as her worlds and characters are always something I enjoy. Loved Aaron and Olivia and their back and forth. Brothers best friend and forced proximity tropes are well represented here.

I blew through this one - it was so funny and I adored Olivia. She was feisty, funny and just a blast to be with. Aaron was not what I expected, but he made this book so good as well. I enjoyed of this one and read it so quickly. It was just as good as book 1. Bailey is on my auto-read list already.

Not enough holiday and certainly not enough hostility! Overall this was still a cute hockey romance but fell flat as a Christmas romance for me.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

I have never read anything by this author, but I will be looking out for other books they write in the future. I really enjoyed the story as well as the pacing of the story.

Oh, man. This one has just the right amount of heat and all the grinchy vibes. It was such a perfect holiday and hockey romance all rolled into one. I absolutely love the Atlanta Cyclones and all their antics...found family at its finest. I really hope Katie has more stories in this universe planned for the future because I can't get enough!

Speaking of Katie, she has shot right on up to one of my absolute favorite authors. I've only read Season's Schemings and Holiday Hostilities and I still know this to be true. I will be devouring her entire backlist in 2025 and I can't wait!

Olivia...I love a good redhead. I myself wish I had gorgeous copper locks and the spunky personality that usually comes with them. Olivia was the epitome of a fiery, but super fun redhead. I enjoyed seeing her overcome her painful past and learn the value of investing in meaningful relationships. That focus on people and time well spent with them is a wonderful part of the season, after all.

Aaron...Oh boy, I didn't think I could adore another cyclone like I did Seb, but Aaron stole my heart too. I loved reading about all of his family's Italian American traditions and seeing how he was so open about his grief over losing his dad. That transparency was so refreshing and significant, especially for a man. So often, men hide vulnerable experiences and Aaron being so open made me love him even more. I also appreciated how he paid attention to all the little things with Livie. He loved her so completely and hopelessly and I absolutely reveled in it.

Things I loved:

❤️Flight attendant FMC
❤️The absolute chaos of Olivia's roommates
❤️Jing (and all her inappropriateness😂)
❤️The banter between Olivia and Aaron
❤️"Lil Grizz" and "Livvy"
❤️Seeing all the Cyclones again (absolutely love them all!)
❤️Finding "the dress"
❤️The gala
❤️The shower 🥵
❤️Olivia's new friendships with the hockey wives and staff
❤️"Italian Stallion"
❤️Christmas tree dart board
❤️Flannel pajamas
❤️The ice skating date
❤️Those kisses 🥵
❤️Olivia's custom sweater
❤️Aaron's relationships with his mom and nonna
❤️Aaron's Christmas gift to Olivia
❤️The New Year's Eve party

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