Review by Ronny
Christmas on Fifth Avenue is fun, festive, and oh so romantic.
Favourite Quote:
We sat there for several seconds: me, shellshocked; her– I’m not sure. My hands were on her waist, and I didn’t want to let go. She felt like something that had been missing from my life.
Book Synopsis:
Evie Green’s Christmas dream turns into a nightmare when a viral video makes her the laughing stock of the internet. But then a 5 star hotel sees a PR opportunity and invites her to New York for a Christmas she’ll remember forever.
Enter Noah Sanderson, a disgraced soccer star seeking anonymity. Forced to fake a festive romance for the cameras, sparks fly – but not the twinkling Christmas kind!
As Fifth Avenue sparkles in all its holiday glory, can The City that Never Sleeps show these two frosted hearts that, maybe, the best love stories are the ones you never see coming.
Review:
I am a huge fan of Julie Caplin’s Romantic Escape series, so when I heard she was writing a new series around Christmas, I knew I needed to read the first book in it. I loved, loved, loved this book. It has everything I adore in a holiday romance: fun holiday hijinks, an unforgettable setting, and a romance as sweet and delicious as a perfect cup of hot cocoa.
First, I am going to talk about the setting. One of the many talents Julie has is her ability to bring to life any setting she places her books in. If you aren’t able to travel for whatever reason, but wish you could see and experience different countries/cities in our world, then you need to pick up one of Julie’s books. In this book, we get to explore fabulous New York City. One of my favourite places to explore, and one that I wish I could visit during the holiday season. One of the side stories in this book is a love letter to New York City and the classic movies that are set in it. Evie and her mother dreamed of visiting New York because they fell in love with the city through the movies they watched together. Unfortunately, Evie’s mother passed away before they could make that dream a reality. But after hitting rock bottom, the famous Plaza Hotel offers to bring Evie to New York for an all expenses-paid trip, so she can spend Christmas in the Big Apple. Getting to see all the famous sights with Evie and, eventually, with a reluctant Noah was fun. Evie has this child-like enthusiasm that just puts a smile on my face. I got to see why New York really comes to life during the holiday season and fell in love with the city even more.
The story was wonderful. It has it all, fun laugh-out-loud moments, tear-jerker moments, and swoony romantic moments. Everything flows wonderfully, and the story is full of lush and vivid descriptions. I love that Julie found that right balance between fun light fluff and emotional depth.
Evie’s character is a fabulous blend of fun, slightly manic pixie and someone who is still dealing with the grief of losing her mother. The first side makes it fun to hang out with her, and the second makes her feel human and relatable. We meet her at rock bottom, after she fell for a scam that has nearly destroyed her life. Watching her come to terms with her grief and emerge from it was heartwarming and made me fall in love with her character even more. Noah’s life is also rocky because he seriously hurt a fellow football or soccer player, possibly ending that player’s career and his own. This trip to New York is supposed to be one where he hides from the spotlight, but instead, he finds himself thrust into it along with Evie. His character has a really interesting backstory, and his growth in this book is coming to terms with the guilt he feels for what happened on the pitch. I really enjoyed both MCs.
The banter is fun, witty, and fast. There is chemistry between these two characters right from the beginning. At first, both Evie and Noah think they might just be getting a quick holiday fling, but that changes quickly when they realize they know each other — and not in a good way. I loved their meet-cute. I actually think it’s one of my favourites of Julie’s books. It was hilarious and was a great way to kick off the story. As the story progresses, both Evie and Noah find themselves forced to spend time together to help both of their images. They find themselves front and center for this holiday PR campaign by the Plaza Hotel. I also enjoy it when two MCs have to complete different tasks together, especially when it’s set in New York City and you get to explore the city at the same time.
Christmas on Fifth Avenue is a delightful and fun holiday romance by the talented Julie Caplin.
Thank you, Rachel Random Resources, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
