The Holiday Mix-Up

 Tell me a story... about finding where you belong

The Holiday Mix-Up by Ginny Baird

Publication date: October 10, 2023

Date read: September 24, 2023

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. 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?

When I was younger, I used to love the Sandra Bullock movie "While You Were Sleeping". If you've never seen it, it's super cute (if slightly problematic), and this book follows the plot of that movie almost to the letter. Am I complaining? Nope. I loved that movie. And I loved this book.

The main characters in this book - Katie and Juan - were super sweet and lovable. And even though the "relationship started on a lie" trope is generally my least favorite romcom trope, I didn't care as much as I usually do. I always cringe waiting for the other shoe to drop (and I still did a little), but the sweetness factor in this book was so wonderful that I didn't really mind the other stuff. 

I have a harder time reviewing romcom novels than others, because I feel like the standards are a little bit different. I'm not looking for an earth-shattering storyline or an evocative writing style as much as I am looking for a story that will make me "feel all the feels" and leave me happy at the end. This book did just that. I thought that the characters were well-written and real, and I loved the vineyard setting. Katie was a wonderful main character and I was rooting for her the entire way. As far as romcoms go, this book is a winner. 

Rating: 5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.