Book Review
The Christmas Countdown by Holly Cassidy
Christmas Romance | Holiday | Contemporary Romance
Put up the tree and grab the hot cocoa. The newest Christmas romance from Holly Cassidy is here and it feels like a warm gingerbread and cinnamon-scented hug!
While I don’t read a lot of contemporary romance, festive romcoms are a favorite sub-genre of mine, and Cassidy has once again given us an explosion of Christmas on the page with The Christmas Countdown. When heartbroken Callie decides to skip Christmas and avoid her newly engaged ex-boyfriend, her meddling sister Anita refuses to let her stay in Grinch mode. Callie reluctantly agrees to participate in Anita’s custom Advent calendar for December, only to discover along the way that it’s not just presents being opened but maybe her outlook on life too…
I loved this book. While it took me a little bit to get into it, I blame that on the fact that I’m a seasonal reader and find it difficult to read Christmas-set books in the summer. However, once I got into the story, I couldn’t put it down.
Callie was relatable and funny, and I really loved watching her character development throughout. (Especially the work plotline!) The romance was sweet and entirely rootable (with low steam / closed door) and an utterly charming baker for our male main character. Romance is always predictable because you want that happy-ending, and this book met all those expectations.
While Callie’s sister Anita was nosy and meddlesome, I also loved the warm family dynamics throughout this story and the lengths they went to to support a heartbroken Callie. The idea of a custom advent calendar made for a fun story with lots of opportunities for holiday cheer. From sledding to ugly sweaters, cookie baking and ornaments, this book was drenched in all the cozy, Christmas feels and holiday traditions!
For those looking for a sweet, Christmas-y romance, this is a festive read to add to your December shelf or stick under the tree for a friend.
Recommended for:
Closed-door romance readers looking for a festive, holiday read!
This post contains affiliate links; as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Advance e-copy of the book provided courtesy of the author and publisher, Penguin Random House Canada. All opinions expressed are my own.
About the book:
(From the publisher): From the author of The Christmas Wager comes a charming holiday rom-com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.
She’s given up on love and Christmas…but fate has other plans.
All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She’s still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.
Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested.
As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?