Book Review: "In a Holidaze" by Christina Lauren
“In a Holidaze” by Christina Lauren
Synopsis: 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.
Rating: 3.75
Review: What do you get when you combine an unconventional family + an idyllic location + Christmas traditions + Groundhog Day? Christina Lauren’s “In a Holidaze,” of course! If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it at least 15 times on the blog - I love a good holiday read, especially with a guaranteed happy ending. And this one gave me like seven, so win/win/win?
Maelyn (or Mae, as I called her in my head because my eyes read that as ‘Marilyn’ tbh) ‘s life is in shambles — she’s moved back in with her mom, she hates her job, she’s unlucky in love, and the best part of her year is ending forever. Her parents and their close friends have gathered in Utah at a family house for years for the holiday season, and the house is being put on the market. Not only that, her long time crush doesn’t know she’s been into him for a decade. No wonder that she makes a wish “to see what will make her happy.”
Now, this is what causes a bit of suspension of disbelief — this kicks off Mae reliving the last week of her life until she gets it right. We get to go along with this journey as she and Andrew become an item, as she confides in her family, and as she grows up. I will admit, the first few chapters of the book were rocky for me, but once we get through the first iterations of Christmas week, I began to feel a soft spot for Mae. Seeing the way Mae facing the consequences of her mistakes and her bravery to literally find her happiness and make her life continue? Absolutely amazing.
I feel like I say this all the time, but I absolutely loved the world that Christina Lauren created and the characters they inhabited it with. Honestly , it makes sense — more than ever this year, I need an escape from the real world. This escape — to a wonderful cabin in the woods, with a house full of genuinely lovely people and no risk of contracting COVID? — sounds almost too good to be true this year. I wanted to go sledding and have too many drinks with this amazing group of adult friends, and I totally understand why Mae holds this week of the year, this place, and these people as her “happy place.” For a few moments in her Groundhog Day existence, I was a little nervous I wouldn’t get my happy ending, but I should have trusted these two-friends-turned-authors.
This book ended in such a sweet and uplifting moment, I almost got a toothache from the saccharine nature of it. Honestly, though, if there was ever a moment for a pure escape — a romance with a bit of seasonal magic, this was it.
TL;DR: A little bit sweet, a little bit spicy, and just a touch of magic — honestly, this book definitely ended up on my Nice list this holiday season.
If you liked this, try these:
Anything on this fairly epic round up of holiday romances
“Maybe in Another Life” by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Bookshop | Kindle)
“The Two Lives of Lydia Bird” by Josie Silver (Bookshop | Kindle | My Review)
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