Friday, December 22, 2023

Book Review ~ THE HOLIDAY MIX-UP by Ginny Baird

The Holiday Mix-Up
by: Ginny Baird
Genre: Contemporary Christmas Romance
Release Date: October 10, 2023
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Lonely-hearted waitress Katie Smith has nowhere to go for Christmas, and a huge crush on her gorgeous diner patron Juan Martinez. So when Juan asks Katie to pose as his girlfriend for holiday festivities at his family's winery, Katie leaps at the chance… that is, until an accident lands Juan in a coma right after giving his folks the "news."

Katie knows she should tell the Martinezes the truth, but when they immediately embrace her, Katie is reluctant to let her fantasy of a family holiday go. And then there's Juan's brother, Mateo, whose smile tugs at her heartstrings just right—and who tells her perfect Juan might not be everything he seems.

Second son Mateo Martinez loves his brother, but Juan's plan to "rebrand and expand" Los Cielos Cellars has cost their family too much and put its entire tradition in jeopardy. Katie seems to understand, but she's still committed to Juan… even when Mateo starts to wish her gentle heart and beautiful smile were committed to him instead.

With the winery at stake, secrets on all sides, and Juan due to wake up any day, can Katie and Mateo follow their hearts to a Christmas miracle, or will this mix-up ruin their chances?

I will forever think of Ginny Baird as the Queen of Christmas Romance. Yes, she writes books that aren’t set around the Christmas holiday, but I have always found her Christmas romances to be just a little more special. It’s like they wrap you up in a warm blanket and you feel the merriment and wonder of the Christmas holiday where family and traditions are abundant.

The Holiday Mix-Up gives off While You Were Sleeping vibes, with a few Latin traditions. Katie Smith has all but given up on her dream of becoming an artist and traveling the world. She’s happy with her life in Castellana, California, where she still lives in the all-be-small childhood home she grew up in and works as a waitress at Daisy’s Dinner. Katie loves her customers, but it’s Juan Martinez who makes her heart flutter.

A week before Christmas, Juan makes one of Katie’s dreams come true. He invites her to spend Christmas with him and his family, as his fake girlfriend. Katie’s a little disappointed that it’s not a real date, but she’s hopeful that this could be the start of a wonderful relationship. Before the two can work out the details of their ruse, Juan gets hit by a van and placed into a coma. At the hospital, Juan’s family assumes Katie is his girlfriend because of a series of texts sent just before the accident.

With her promise to Juan to not reveal their ruse, Katie sticks with the plan. She just isn’t prepared to be welcomed into the family with open arms, enjoy being with them so much, or the rush of feelings she gets from Juan’s younger brother Mateo.

Mateo is everything his older brother isn’t. He’s thoughtful and level-headed. Mateo thinks of others before himself. Unfortunately, after the end of his engagement, Mateo has sworn off women. So while he’s surprised Juan has a girlfriend that he was going to introduce to the family, he can’t help but be curious about her and their relationship.

The Holiday Mix-Up was a fun story to read. It transported me to the fictional town of Castellana, where Ginny weaved together a romantically, charming tale of the Martinez family history. I loved watching Katie and Mateo become friends and slowly realizing their feelings ran deeper than those of just friends. The rest of the Martinez family proved to be a welcoming and loving group. The Holiday Mix-Up provided all of the love, traditions, and happy feelings I look for in a Christmas romance.

~ Favorite Quotes ~
🎁🎄 *Coming Soon * 🎁🎄

**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the author and voluntarily reviewed it.**

Rating: 4.5

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New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Ginny Baird writes wholesome contemporary stories with a dash of humor and a lot of heart. She enjoys taking walks in the park, cooking with her husband, and creating worlds where romance is a given and happily ever afters are guaranteed. After spending many years in Virginia, she returned to her home state and now lives in North Carolina with her family.

Places to find Ginny Baird:

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