To spend Christmas with the man you despise, the worst possible Christmas ever, right?

Synopsis

Two sworn enemies, snowed in over Christmas with chemistry that will melt the ice!

Nina Thompson has one Christmas wish: to avoid her brother’s obnoxiously handsome best friend, Tristan, like the plague. From the moment he humiliated her as a teenager to their escalating revenge schemes, Nina and Tristan’s relationship can only be defined as an all-out prank war! And there is yet to be a winner.

But it just so happens the ghost of Christmas present has other ideas. When Tristan unexpectedly crashes her family’s Christmas, Nina’s dreams of a peaceful holiday vanish faster than Santa up a chimney. Determined to end their rivalry for good, she braces herself for one last prank-filled showdown.

But when they find themselves snowed in, with no way of avoiding each other amongst the holiday festivities, they discover their heated exchanges have been masking a different kind of sizzle. Caught in a snow globe of holiday romance, they decide to let their fiery chemistry burn bright—but this is absolutely and unequivocally nothing more than a secret fling destined to melt with the snow, this is not a forever romance…

This Is Not a Holiday Romance is an enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend, forced proximity rom-com perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Abby Jimenez, and Lynn Painter.

My review

Nina Thompson is happy to return back to her home to celebrate Christmas. But when she hears that her brother Dylan is bringing his best friend along, her mood quickly shifts. Because Tristan is the one person that pushes her buttons all the time since being teenagers. Nina never forgot how he humiliated her years ago, and things evolved to a continuous series of pranks, one more devious than the other. Even during the festivities their pranks keep on going, testing the patience of everyone around them. But when the Christmas Spirit pulls the perfect prank, by snowing everyone in. And it’s then that Nina and Tristan discover that what sparks between them is not only rivalry, but something more passionate. But no matter how much passion there is between them now, once the snow has melted, things will melt down for them too, or won’t it?

There are a few authors that put a smile on my face by just picking up their next book. I am excited before I even know what the book will be about. And Camilla Isley is one of those lucky authors, because I had the biggest grin on my face at the start, while reading and at the end of the book!

Nina is of course a wonderful character. I liked her from the very start as she is truly a warm and kind person. And the relationship with her family, is just amazing.

She is the kind of person that values the right principles and stand by her friends in time of need.

Yet it’s also clear that her pranking Tristan has a deeper even darker source. Even if the pranks are rather innocent, her disliking Tristan comes from what happened years ago.

What perhaps for Tristan was an innocent remark, even a joke, it affected Nina deeply. And that saddened me, because Nina is just is like I said a wonderful person. We see how words, spoken without a second thought, can have a lasting impact on people.

The pranks of course are hilarious, and I am happy that I still have the trust of eating an Oreo without being afraid of putting it in my mouth! 😊

And with a person like Tristan being the victim/ culprit added more to the fun!

Tristan is the typical kind of man that seemingly hit the jackpot, he has the looks, he has the brains and doesn’t have any financial worries.

But while for Nina he for sure is a cocky person, we also see a funny man, a kind man, a generous man, but most important, also a vulnerable man.

Because behind his flamboyant persona, there is a man that has been hurt by the people that should love him the most…

I could understand that the continuous bickering between Nina and Tristan is tiring for everyone around them, but they have now this “tradition” between them and they just cannot stop. Until the moment that one prank goes a bit too far and shifts everything between them…

I loved seeing dynamics change, how suddenly Nina and Tristan comprehend each other, how much for their rivalry was in fact just a misunderstanding, or just being teenagers. There is of course a physical aspect in their spark, but it goes much deeper than just “the flesh”. While snowed in, they spend more time together, they get to know the real Nina and the real Tristan. And that was truly beautiful to read, how these strong people find someone to open up to, to show their vulnerability with.

Of course with their fling being secretive, it’s written in the stars that their secret will come out. And of course that happens in the most terrible act.

But it must also be said, while I was angry at Tristan in that aftermath, I could also understand him why he made that choice… with his background, it made perfect sense, even if it was a terrible one…

Camilla Isley wrote once again a great story, showing us a great enemies – to – lovers tale. But also a tale about how we sometimes think in the wrong way about people. And how hurtful words can be. But it’s also about finding romance and love in the most unexpected way, in the most unexpected person. And that perhaps the most unperfect person is the most perfect person for you.

I easily devoured this book, perhaps even too quickly! But I cannot wait to see what story a certain brother and a certain best friend can make! 😊