Audiobook, Kobo
Author: Chloe Liese
Narrators: Erin Mallon with epilogue narrated by Jacob Morgan
Gabriella Di Natale carries Christmas in her name. She loves the holidays and brings the cheer wherever she goes. She works at the perfect place: Bailey’s, an independent bookshop.
About a year ago the Baileys hired a co-manager to spruce up the administrative side of things, to bring the operation side of business to the new century so to speak . Jonathan Frost also carries his bah-humbug demeanor in his name, so we’d expect them not to mesh well… and they don’t.
But chain bookstores and online shopping are threatening the survival of Bailey’s and if things don’t turn around by end of the year, they will have to cut costs and cut payroll. Since none of them wants to step down, they make a pact: whoever outsells the other after the three months will leave voluntarily.
If all that wasn’t enough, her sneaky, deceptive ex keeps pursuing her and she just can’t seem to get rid of him and her beloved online friend proposes a break before they finally meet in person. And, unexpectedly, she starts seeing a change in Mr Frost’s frosty behavior towards her and she can’t trust that this is not a ruse so that he can win their bet/challenge.
This is an adorable holiday romance with The Shop Around The Corner/You’ve Got Mail vibes that is a perfect holiday read. I love that it’s a classic workplace, grumpy/sunshine situation and the grumpy one is not the neurodivergent character. They have amazing banter, the story is trope-y but believable and it’s a joy to read.
Narration: As always, amazing work by Erin Mallon, the Renascence woman of narration (she writes, she narrates, she can do no wrong) and you get a delightful gift at the end with an epilogue narrated by the oh-so-swoony voice of Jacob Morgan.
Homerun, Chloe Liese!
This is an #OwnVoices story for its portrayal of autism by an autistic author.
Possible Triggers and Rep: autistic heroine, heroine is demisexual, hero has T1 diabetes, stalkerish ex
