Jenny HolidayRecensioni

Friends to lovers is my favorite sub-genre in romance, so add in the Regency era (while I was waiting for the next season of Bridgerton) and Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday was perfect.

I really appreciated how Holiday wrote about Archie, Simon, and Effie’s friendship and the way they loved each other in spite of and because of their differences. To show the softer side of men during this era (even if it was when they were away from the rest of polite society) only added to the multiple ways that the characters in the book redefined their love for each other, the men and the women. And when I am talking about love, it’s not just the hot and heavy kind (although there were a couple of steamy scenes), I mean sisterly, brotherly, confidante, etc…

There were also lots of amusing moments to help balance some of the heavier issues like Alzheimer’s and bad parents. The silk robes come instantly to mind!

I’m looking forward to reading more in this series, and we get to focus on Effie next in Manic Pixie Dream Earl, coming in Spring 2025.

I loved this book so much more than I thought I was going too. It was heartwarming, funny but also emotional at times. I loved all of the characters as well. I’m so happy it’s getting a companion novel next year.

Roughly the 1st 80% of this book was best in class. Romance where love is built on growth and where people support one another and speak the hardest truths are the best. I loved Aurora and Mike, I loved their friends and families (other than Aurora's mother for whom I mostly just felt sad) and I loved their relationships. I think the book did a great job of moving characters though complex grief. I was also a fan of the way Mike acknowledged his privilege and learned to balance his good fortune with temperance. Added fun for me, I think they got Minnesota so right. I love reading books set in places I have lived. (I lived in Fargo about 2 miles from the MN border, and worked at a college on the MN side of the border so I count it.) I do read a lot set in Atlanta and New York, and when I can find it Michigan, Taipei, Shenzhen and DC (Philly never felt like home so I skip that one.) Generally, though Minnesota-set books don't do it for me. I find authors can be mean-spirited about the culture based largely on appearing pleasant. The last Tim O'Brien book is a perfect example of that. Others go the other way and buy into the illusion of "Minnesota nice" as being consistently genuine when it is equal parts niceness, repression, and masterclass level passive-aggression. The Lager Queen of Minnesota comes to mind for that issue. Here Holiday got it right, the good and the bad, and the tater tot hotdish. I think she got the Canada part right too, I grew up in Detroit so my social circle included a lot of people from southern Ontario (mostly Windsor and London) and it felt right to me, but I note as a disclaimer that my impressions are from 40 years ago so I might be off base. Correct or not I really enjoyed the sense of place for both locations.

All of that sounds great, and it was, but then the author created this tension at the end and did a ham-fisted job of it. There was a minor omission, a long ago event that one person did not share with the other person, that blows things up in the last 20% of the book. I knew it was coming because it was teased all along. The message is that this decision not to share an embarrassing and irrelevant (if formative) life event was some big lie, which it 100% was not. The non-teller is wracked with guilt. I hoped that foreshadowing notwithstanding the author would not go in that direction. My hopes were dashed. The story proceeded as teased, and when the secret was shared it was treated as a gigantic lie and it temporarily destroyed the relationship. The reactions to this "lie" by both parties were absurd, and completely not in keeping with the characters' admirable emotional maturity, great communication, mutual respect, and general assumption that people did things for good reasons. It really tainted the whole read and eroded some of my liking for both characters. I am going with a 4. I almost went with a 3 because this made me mad, but that seemed unfair when I truly adored most of this, thought it was well written, gently sexy and loving. I found calm and joy in this reading journey and that merits a 4.

One note - This book is not about ED's per se, but there is a depiction of disordered eating inculcated and encouraged by Aurora's mother and her dance teachers. Though a few of the moments were over the top, there were conversations between Aurora and her mother about eating that felt like the author had bugged my childhood home. I felt seen in a way I rarely do when eating disorders and the corrosive environment that often leads to them are depicted in fiction. Some people may want to avoid the book for this reason, but for me it was cathartic and empowering. Sometimes it feels like I am the only one whose mother told me every day how I fell short, how people, strangers and friends alike, might not tell me but in truth they found me repulsive (my mother said exactly that when I went from a size 6 to a size 8 in 10th grade.) As my mother did, the mother here said she did this to help, and like my mother it appears she believed it. Reading this part of the book broke my heart a bit but also comforted me as it is good to know I have company and good to see Aurora find her way and stand up against this messaging in a way that I, and most people, never could.

Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday

Archibald "Archie" Fielding-Burton, the Earl of Harcourt, is set to go on his annual trip with his best friends Effie and Simon. He recieves and urgent message to rescue childhood friend Olive Morgan, who runs off to elope with a less than favorable man.

Olive's Sister Celmentine (Clemmie) is on the same mission. The five end up spending a few weeks at a Country Castle. Friendships are renewed, bonds formed, and love is in the air. This turns out to be more than just a "boys" trip for these young men.

The story moves at a steady pace with well developed (interesting) characters and true to the times dialog. Set in 1821, Clem is a woman before her times with modern thinking and ideals. Olive is as as well. Archie, Simon and Effie have differing personalities, yet some common diffuclites in life bond the men in true freindship.

Overall I found Earls Trip enjoyable, with a bit of humor and feel good moods, it was the perfect read. I look forward to the next book in the series. I highly recommend to those who enjoy regency/historical romance.

Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday
Historical romance.
Three Earls take an annual two week vacation. Archie, Simon and Effie have been friends since childhood. As a way to deal with their stress and everyday burdens, they take turns choosing a vacation spot and escape. This year, a messenger intercepts them on the way out of town, asking for Archie to rescue Olive and Clementine Morgan from a ruinous scandal. He, of course, rescues them, but returning them home would take up most of the two week planned get-away. So instead, the five travel to the remote, crumbling, and borrowed castle on the edge of Scotland, to relax and rejuvenate with strict instructions that the women remain out of the way so as to not bother or ruin the men’s escape.
Needless to say, separate areas of the castle doesn’t end up working and they all find deeper friendships in the end.

Humorous, delightful and adorable. A slow burn blooming friendship, multiple times over between the group, with Archie and Clem turning into a deeper bond of romance. Vegetarian cooking and leaking roofs add depth and color. A story you will love. I hope this is the beginning of a series as I’d love to revisit with these friends.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley

So close! Book was a solid 4 until the physical romancing began- so off-putting. MMC’s on-and-off rationale was distasteful and his final over-reaction was a final nail in his coffin. FMC’s emotional growth was, for the most part, satisfying but, WTF?!, why the hell didn’t this supposedly frank woman say she thought she met him years ago? Disappointing finish.

A story of three friends Archie, Effie and Simon who are leaving for their yearly Earl's trip-just the guys. Things change when childhood friends of Archie, sisters Clementine and Olive join the trip. Lots of fun ensues. Fan's of Bridgerton are sure to love this one.

3.5

Aurora Evans did not have a great childhood. Spending most of her time in her ballet training kept her apart from her peers, she always felt like an outsider. This wasn't helped by her mother's overly-critical view of her body and her talent. So, Aurora does what any young girl would do....she makes up a Canadian Boyfriend. Someone who's around yet inaccessible enough that Aurora can use him as an excuse when she misses prom or other teen events.

Years pass. Aurora's only interaction with dance is teaching at a local studio. What Aurora doesn't count on is meeting her pretend boyfriend as an adult in person in the form of hockey player Mike Martin.

Mike Martin is just trying to get his and his daughter's lives back on track after the death of his wife less than a year ago. The one place his daughter, Olivia, feels happy is in dance class with Miss Rory. But with the hockey season starting soon, Mike needs more help than he knows, so he asks Aurora to help with afterschool care for Olivia.

I liked the setup of this one. I mean how intriguing is it to actually meet the person you supposedly made up as your boyfriend? But what I found when I actually started reading is that this hook doesn't really land. I think the story could have been just as, or more, compelling without that setup.

Further in that regard, I didn't really feel like the romance landed either. I wasn't feeling the chemistry between Mike and Aurora beyond a strong friendship-type bond. I almost wish the story had bucked the norm and actually kept these two as friends instead of feeling like a relationship was mandated territory, or if this was the type of book to utilize the slow burn romance that could develop over multiple books in a series.

What I did like and appreciate about the story was how it dealt with grief and trauma. Showing Mike going through therapy, showing Mike coming to terms with the death of his wife and being able to look back on their relationship without blinders on was fantastic. Oftentimes we read these stories of loss and there's this idolization of the person lost and relationship past. It's put on a pedestal that no one can hope to scale. But this story takes a very real view of what moving forward means. It means the good and the bad. It means looking inward.

On the other side of that we have Aurora who is still dealing with some heavy issues from her days as a professional dancer. Most of those issues were imposed upon her by her mother including body image issues and problems with food, hindering her from having healthy relationships and a healthy view of herself. Aurora has removed herself from professional dancing, choosing instead to teach and hopefully have a positive impact on younger girls - something that was denied to her - but seeing her begin to pull herself out of these imposed ideals was honestly the best part of this book. To see her break out of the structures imposed upon her, to get the help she needed, was like a breath of fresh air. You could feel how stifled she was as a character almost stuck in a perpetual state of young adulthood unable to grow until she dealt with her trauma.

That was the journey I was more invested in rather than the romance aspect. I understand that being in the romance category, the story had to have certain signifiers, I just kinda wished that could have been subverted a bit. Still a strong story and there are a few secondary characters I would love to see in the spotlight should Jenny Holiday decide to continue on with the series.

Rory and Mike had a glancing encounter when she was in high school. He was older, attractive, and played hockey, so she turned him into the fake boyfriend she needed because of her having a cold, overbearing mother and a grueling dance regimen. She maintained the romance by writing letters to him that were never sent, but kept in a notebook. Fast forward ten plus years when Mike is in mourning and feeling a sense of betrayal, both coming from the death of his wife in a winter auto accident. He was left with grief, emptiness, and the challenge of raising his eleven year old step-daughter, Olivia.
When he sees how graceful, impulsive, and connected to Olivia, Rory is, it sparks his interest, not to mention the possibility that her involvement in his step-daughter's life might solve some big problems now that he's going to resume his hockey career. It's not difficult to see where this is headed early on, but it gets there smartly, with great feeling, and a pretty realistic ending. A book that will brighten any reader's day.

Aurora is teaching dance classes and fighting a panic disorder. Enter pro hockey player, Mike Martin with his daughter. She is taking dance classes from Aurora. Could it be…could this be her pretend Canadian boyfriend!

Aurora and Mike have a unique relationship. She met Mike years ago, when she was very young. She started an imaginary boyfriend from this encounter. I found YOUNG Aurora, so adorable. I enjoyed this fantasy to real life trope. It is a very unique story line.

This is more of a 3.5 star read…you round up right?!?! I love the characters and their interactions. But there are places this story is a bit wishy washy, or however you would describe it. Like, for instance, Mike does not like to be lied to. It is very important to him. But yet, he himself, turns around and lies Aurora. Just a bit too human I guess 😂😂😂.

Need a story to get lost in…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The cover for Jenny Holiday's new book, Canadian Boyfriend, promised a fun rom-com read. And it does indeed deliver that, but there was much more to Canadian Boyfriend than I had expected.

Aurora Evans met Canadian hockey player Mike Martin many years ago, when she was a sixteen year old student. She built that meeting into a fake, long distance boyfriend. I'll let you discover the 'why'. Imagine what happens when she runs into him again - thirteen years later!

Holiday gives the reader a wonderful yes, no, maybe so story line that had me hooked. I thought that the journey to the final pages would be smooth sailing. But, at a point, I realized that wasn't going to happen. Holiday tackles some bigger themes with Aurora and Mike. Love, life, grief friendships, dysfunction families, loss, mental health and many more. This added so much to the book. And all the above was thoughtfully written.

The narrative is seen and recounted through both Aurora and Mike's point of view. We as readers are privy to what each is thinking. (And yes, I did indeed talk out loud to offer my opinions and what needed to happen next!)

I quite liked the two lead characters. And the supporting crew was just as well drawn. The dialogue is quick and clever, but also thoughtful and honest.

I really enjoyed Canadian Boyfriend!

Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday
Contemporary romance. Alternating first person POV.
Rory worked at a coffee shop as a teen in the Mall of America. One afternoon she met a boy. There was something in his eyes that sparked something within her. She didn’t see that boy again, but it was a pivotal moment for her. In her busy life, with too many rules and restrictions, she decided he was going to be her boyfriend if anyone at school asked and she was going to write him letters. They wouldn’t get mailed, of course. She only knew his name. And that he played hockey.
Many years later Mike Martin brings his daughter into her tap dance class and meets the teacher, Aurora Evans. His wife has passed away and the dance class was one of the things that Olivia wanted to continue. Rory thinks he may be the same person, but she needs to teach her class and help get him away from the other dance moms. After a ride home and shared ice cream with the three of them, their outings get to be a habit and soon Rory is acting as nanny. She needs to tell him they’ve met before but it’s not the right time yet. Cue the drama card.

Ok, sure there was some drama, and I hate that she didn’t tell him earlier. She had soooo many opportunities! But it’s a romance and we don’t want it to end before it gets going! The author handled the situation well with Mike’ Martin’s self analysis and I actually agreed in the end.
Family, children, and romance troupes, all favorites and this book was sweet, adorable and a pleasure to read. All the feels.
And not knowing much about dance, I learned a few new words such as Glissades.
A quirk I found interesting - she calls him Mike Martin through the entire book. Not Mike. Mike Martin. A Canadian thing? Or a Rory thing? I don’t know but it was kind of cute.
Reading guide included at the end

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

Very cute, slightly Christmasy, friends to lovers, with enjoyable banter.

I'll probably go back sometime and read the other two in this series but this works well enough as a stand alone I think.

Daniela and Max meet when they're asked to be the best woman and man of honor for their friends' nuptials. What they don't expect is to become friends. But after a random encounter in New York City near Christmas, the two find themselves regularly exchanging texts and phone calls and updating each other on their new year resolutions (Dani wants to finally get divorced from her ex-husband and Max wants a job that isn't just being heir to a Duke). As the year goes by and the royal wedding approaches, Max and Dani are both wondering if maybe their friendship could be something more.

A highly enjoyable, slow-burn friends to lovers romance that has a healthy dose of Christmas content in the mix. Dani and Max are both really well-rounded characters who have complex backstories but are also fun to read about with plenty of banter. Also Dani has an adorable Yorkie also named Max that you can't help but love. I've really enjoyed Jenny Holiday's writing and I'll be seeking out her non-Christmas romances in the new year.

Leo Ricci is barely making enough to support himself and his younger sister, Gabby, so when he meets a literal princess who offers him a massive paycheque to drive her around New York for a few days, he can't say no. What he doesn't expect is to find he has so much in common with Princess Marie. When Marie then invites Leo and Gabby to her home country for Christmas, sparks really begin to fly. But is their romance destined to be more than just a fling?

This book is basically a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form but with better writing than even the best of that film genre and far more steam than they ever include. So basically, it was a perfect holiday read for me.

Sweet Christmas romcom fairytale

Surely there must be another way to finish a sentence without saying, “And wasn’t that interesting?” It was an enjoyable read, though, and it did highlight how death can completely change the people left behind.

Love Actually, but if Hallmark wrote the script. I kind of dig that she is older, and he is younger. It definitely shows up in their personalities.

Paradise Cove by Jenny Holiday is a sweet book following Jake and Nora.

These two are quite the pair and make for an interesting couple to follow. Their romance blossoms, twists and turns throughout this story. As Nora takes over a medical practice, she meets Jake and finds out he's nursing a bit of a broken heart. His losses are strong, but the two of them seem to be helping each other heal from their hurt.

On a personal level, the grief sections really hit me in a hurtful way. It's my own personal issues from the loss of my Father, but reading such strongly well written grief made me feel things I haven't felt in a while. That made this book super difficult to get through for me, but it makes for one beautiful story. Jenny has done such a miraculous job, and me struggling to get through these because of the realness is a good thing. It just stings a bit. So, reader beware. If you have a heart as sore as mine, be careful with the excellent writing in this book. It'll make you feel things.

Overall, this is one emotional roller coaster romance. I read Jenny years back, and man is she getting better as each book passes.

Three out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Saving the CEO was an enchanting romance novel that I need more of in my life!

This week has been busy and full of homework, work, assignments, tests and everything else that comes along with being a college student. When I finally finished my week, I wanted something nice, light and fun to read and Saving the CEO was the perfect fit.

This book follows Cassie, a Canadian university student and bartender, and Jack, a successful CEO of a successful company. These two start off with a "no strings attached" relationship, and of course things get more complicated as the story goes forward. The mixture of romance and plot in this story is perfect, being about 60:40 of romance to plot. I found the plot line of Cassie assisting with Jack's company's finances a unique and intriguing idea and I think it was done exceptionally well!

That being said, pros and cons time!

Pros:
1. This book is fast paced and kept me thoroughly addicted. I was really disappointed that I had to put the book down and wait a day to finish it, but that's life for you.
2. Lovable characters! I normally HATE the alpha male, rich guy stereotype but Jenny made me LOVE Jack. I want my own Jack now - rich, caring, handsome...
3. Lighthearted, comedic moments were everywhere in this book! I'm glad Jenny didn't take this book too seriously - she did play with some romance tropes and used silly metaphors which made this book so much better!

Cons:
1. This isn't a book con, this is a website problem. This book is listed as BDSM and New Adult on some websites - it's not. It's an adult romance with really sexy erotica in it. That might mislead people.
2. The story had a typical romance narrative, which some readers might not like. I didn't mind it at all, I quite enjoyed being able to sink my teeth into this book and escape the world.
3. Some of the plot points just magically happened at the perfect timing. That gets on my nerves a little when I read books like that, but the author had to get there somehow so I do understand WHY it happens... That doesn't mean I have to enjoy it though.
4. We are meant to not like a certain character, and I didn't hate him that much... He seemed misunderstood. I'm guessing a future novel might be in the works for him?...

Overall, this book is cute and addicting! I definitely want to read more by Jenny Holiday since I am OBSESSED with her fun, romantic writing! Hopefully I'll be able to pick up more of her books soon!

Five out of five stars

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

What a delightful end to the series! I loved watching Cara and Matteo make their way to each other while wrestling with their restlessness. We didn't get to see much of Marie, Leo and Gabby, and we didn't see Max and Dani at all. We got some Torkel at least, with hints of his own HEA with Sebastian. I will miss spending time in Eldovia.

This was utterly delightful! I loved the gender-switched Cinderella. Leo was so adorable and yet so relatable, with his need to double down on his pride every time he felt out of place. And poor Marie! Trying so hard to be everything to everybody at the expense of her happiness. Their romance, while whirlwind, (as befits a Hallmark-like story) really felt like two people finding what they needed in each other.

What really took this to the next level were the secondary characters. Gabby, Leo's sister. The mysterious Mr. Benz. Imogen and Kai (who I suspect are the couple in the last part of this trilogy). And most of all, Dani and Max. Give me witty English scholars every day. Gimme their book now! ([b:Duke, Actually|55506503|Duke, Actually|Jenny Holiday|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|86555069] isn't scheduled until this time next year. The teaser will have me explode before then!)

Max! *swoon* I want a Max. I loved him and Dani in [b:A Princess for Christmas|50496878|A Princess for Christmas|Jenny Holiday|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1585191175l/50496878._SY75_.jpg|73236159] and was waiting in great anticipation for this one. It didn't disappoint.

There was one moment where I was "come on, Max, that's obvious" and I was a little disappointed with the author that she made him dim like that but she didn't hold off the reveal for long and then Max was delightfully "of course!" that I forgave everything.

This probably won't become a Christmas movie because of the steam, which is a shame as I'd love to see it.

Really cute banter. Spicy toward the end.

Leo's cab is technically off-duty, since he's driving his little sister home from school, but the lady on the curb seems desperate. When it turns out that the lady is a princess whose car service failed to turn up before a key meeting, he gets her where she needs to go, and in return, she hires him to be her driver for the weekend. The money she offers him will be a godsend: since their parents' death, Leo has been raising his little sister while working multiple jobs just to get by. What he doesn't expect is to strike up a friendship with Princess Marie, who then invites Leo and Gabby back to her country for Christmas. Leo feels out of place at the palace in Eldovia, but he can't deny certain other feelings, as well. There's no way a princess would be allowed to have a serious relationship with a New York City cab driver -- but maybe their relationship doesn't have to be all that serious?

It's like a Hallmark movie, but spicier. If you're looking for a fun holiday romance, this is one -- and it's the start of a series, to boot. I probably won't read on right away, but I'll file this author away in my mind as a future source for holiday-themed fluff.½