In a Holidaze
By: Christina Lauren
Pages: 336
Published Year: 2020
Publisher: Gallery Books
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this book.
Summary (Provided by Goodreads): It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.
Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.
First Impressions
As you should know by now if you’ve been reading my blog with any regularity, Christina Lauren is (are?) one of my favorite authors. I have absolutely adored them ever since reading Josh & Hazels Guide to Not Dating. They are on my automatic to-read list and I know that if I’m in a reading slump or a life slump, that if I pick up one of their books, all will be right with the world.
What I thought
Perfection. I loved everything about this book and it was exactly what I needed.
Every year, Maelyn and her family spend the week of Christmas with her parents’ college friends and their families. At the end of this year’s trip, however, she doesn’t feel as fulfilled as she usually does. Not only is she living back at home at 26, but she has kissed the wrong brother and found out that the cabin is being sold and the won’t be able to all come together again next year. That is, until on the drive back to the airport, Mae and her family are in a terrible accident and she wakes up on the airplane back to the cabin at the beginning of the trip. Mae is the only one who knows that this has all happened before.
When I was describing this book to a friend they said that it seemed like a Hallmark movie and that is exactly the vibe it gives off. This book could easily be made into a Hallmark Christmas movie and I would love every second of it. Mae has been in love with older brother Andrew (not her older brother) but made out with younger brother Theo in the first reality. I loved watching Mae and Andrew’s relationship evolve. The only issue I had was that the relationship with Mae and Theo was a bit underdeveloped. Apparently they were the closest of friends, though they had grown apart in years, but in the story they barely interact. It made it difficult to understand some of the difficulties they were having. I wish that the story had started maybe a day earlier with more interactions between Mae and Theo so that I understood that side of the story a bit more.
Every other side character was so much fun. I loved her “uncle” (whose name is escaping me at the moment). You could tell he really loved and cared for Mae and I loved that he was her confidant. He was a bit more active in the first few rounds of vacation that she lived through, so I do wish he hadn’t fallen by the wayside quite so much in the final reality, but I understand why he did.
I also really enjoyed Mae. I loved her take charge attitude but that she struggled with learning how to do that. I could see some people getting annoyed with her figuring stuff out, but I loved her. I found her to be very relatable and I rooted for her the whole way through.
I just overall enjoyed everything about this book. I don’t think there’s anything that I could criticize. This is the perfect book to pick up for the holiday season and to read in a cozy cabin, just like in the book. I’m so glad that I loved this book as much as I did, because I wasn’t as crazy about their last two books. Christina Lauren does it again! Love.