Indie TBR Takeover Book 1

I signed up for a thing, as mentioned through my Indie Author list. I have not given Indie authors enough attention. Therefore I joined several members of the book community on tiktok and signed up for June Indie TBR takeover. Where several authors were kind enough to give us digital copies of their novels to read. I am super excited and a little overwhelmed by this. My list went from 7 to 22 so I suppose you could say my reading goal for the month is 22 books and there is a very good chance I will not make it that far. Here's to trying!

My first book completed was “Secret Santa” by Nicola Ormerod. A short romantic comedy following Jenny, a woman going through an extreme breakup in the days leading up to Christmas. Jenny hates her boss Charles, he is rude, he is demanding and all in all a real grouch to be around. So imagine her horror when she pulls his name in the company secret Santa. What present do you get someone you hate for Christmas? To make matters more interesting through a crazy turn of events Jenny ends up dating Charles, I suppose it's easier to get your enemy a Christmas gift when you just so happen to be sleeping with them. 

This novel is hilarious, adorable and sweet. While Jenny’s ex is a complete handful and needs a psych consult, the book remains lighthearted. I was going through a major reading slump and depressive episode when I read this novel and it was the perfect balm to the horrible moods I was battling.

Who doesn’t love a rom-com? I bet you anyone who says they don’t is just trying to be cool and secretly snuggles up with adorable rom-coms when no one is looking. This is a perfect light, fun and quick read. 

I loved Jenny’s reaction to Charles asking her out. Enemies to lovers anyone? I’m not sure Charles realized they were enemies, does that still count? Jenny was fully on the "Charles is the a**hole boss" train. Which made the switch between them so much more electric. 

I didn’t like Jenny hiding the relationship from her best friend. I understand they were coworkers and that could be decidedly weird, however to me the need to hide a relationship is a super big red flag and just, be proud of the person you are with. 

I was also really upset that Jenny’s “best friend” was trying to get her to hear the cheating ex out. Noooooo, can we please stop telling women to forgive men for being pigs? He slept with someone else, for a long period of time; game over dude. However if Jenny chose to take him back that’s her business. My point is that Jenny presents a very important lesson when she politely tells said friend to F off. Jenny demonstrates for us that if something is unacceptable to us in a relationship, if there is something we are very much so not okay with...no one should be able to sway us to accept less. Even a best friend. 

This book was funny and sweet and while I’m not fully out of my reading slump it has pulled me very firmly over the edge on it. 



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