Christmas People
By Iva-Marie Palmer
St. Martin's Griffin - Sept 2025
Contemporary Fiction
Jill Jacobs had known her happily ever after wouldn't last. So, three Christmas's ago when her boyfriend, Grant Heath had headed to New York to pursue his dreams, she had headed west to Hollywood to pursue her own of being a screenwriter. And she had. At least one. Which sat going nowhere. Now her agent wanted her to write a screenplay for the Heartfelt Channel. Everyone knew those movies. Generally speaking, they were small town, everyone knows everyone and are always willing to help out. A romance sprinkled in here and there. Often, it’s set at Christmas. A screenwriter she emulated had even started by writing for them.
This, however, was not Jill. She was not a Christmas person. This was not what she wanted to write. She was an avoid home for the holidays, and Christmas, type of person. She couldn't write that stuff.
Except she had gone home for the holidays. And now she was living that stuff.
She had gone home to her usually messy, but loving family. She had run into a high school crush who hadn't recognized her, as well as her ex Grant. She was sure things couldn't get worse until she woke up one morning in Heartfelt. Or at least her life had turned into a Heartfelt Channel movie. Complete with cliche romances wherever she looked, a cookie competition and competing love interests. And although she loved her family, they were a messy complicated family. Not this pristine ornament making (not breaking) bunch.
She had to figure her way out of this movie. She was certain it was her high school crush that she needed to find a happily ever after with to get out of here. But why was it Grant that kept making her heart go pitter pat?
Christmas People was an enjoyable romance with a heroine who was trying ever so hard to not be a Christmas Person herself. She was still mourning a broken heart. I loved the premise of Jill waking up in a Heartfelt story. All the storylines were fun, but especially seeing the Heartfelt versions of characters previously introduced in the real world, and Jill trying to navigate this different reality. I did find there to be unnecessary profanity which seemed misplaced and would pull me out of the story. This was a wonderful holiday romance for Heartfelt Channel (or other Channel) fans.
Kathy Andrico - KathysReviewCorner.com
FTC Disclaimer: I did receive a copy for review. However, this website only posts "good" reviews. If I cannot post a positive review, I notify whoever has provided me with the book/ARC/ebook.