An Ex for Christmas: A Love Unexpectedly Novel

Kelly has everything: a job she loves, a great shared apartment in the city, a home upstate that she spends weekends and holidays at, a good relationship with her parents and a custody-share arrangement with her best friend for a cute little cocker spaniel. Christmas break has come, and as a teacher it’s hard to see who was more excited for the holiday: her 3rd grade students or her? Planning her holiday out to the last second, Kelly is at the subway when a woman tells her that her ‘forever guy’ is someone she’s already met, and to wish her parents a happy 30th anniversary. Already prone to listen for the fates, horoscopes and make use of the many Magic 8 Balls she has scattered everywhere, she instantly decides that going through her ex-boyfriends to check for a ‘match’ will be her goal. Mark has been Kelly’s best friend since his family moved to town – indulging in her quirks, there to support her during breakups, and even sharing custody of the dog. Mark is always there with food (he’s a chef), companionship and even challenges her on her more outrageous ideas. Like an exuberant puppy, Kelly can’t wait to share the encounter with the unknown woman at the trains, and tells Mark that she’ll hunt down these men, all before Christmas, to see that the woman’s foretelling comes true. Only problem – the woman told Kelly she’d already met her soulmate – not that she’d dated him. From the first, Kelly’s exuberance and determination to be happy, celebrate every moment of the season (her favorite) and make her own new traditions. From giving her parents a cruise for the holiday, to her plans to be a sexy elf in the town’s holiday parade, she’s got almost every eventuality covered. Except for the fact that Mark has never entered into her thoughts in “that way” even as moments together are unsettling her, making her wonder. Sweet, cute and oh so frustrating when she can’t see what is right in front of her, always, the story is full of holiday moments, snowball fights, food and plenty of chick films. With a lovely last minute realize just what is there moment and big changes for both Mark and Kelly, the story is a wonderful escape for the holidays – sure to make you smile. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

After being told by a psychic that she's already met "The One" and she'll reunite with him by Christmas, Kelly is a woman on a mission to connect with her exes to figure out who the lucky man is. Mark and Kelly have been best friends since high school but he's not really into the psychics, magic 8 balls, and general reliance on fate that Kelly is. He tells her, at every chance, that this plan is ridiculous but Kelly just can't let it go. The lengths that Kelly goes to to track down her exes and ignore her growing feelings for her BFF are hilarious. This is my first Christmas book for the year and it definitely put me in a holiday mood. I couldn't really get why Kelly was so obsessed with magic 8 balls and psychics but Mark's response to all it was fantastic. He was constantly the voice of reason, the reminder of why these men were exes, and was quietly there waiting for Kelly to get a clue. I loved their friendship and laughed so much. This holiday story was sweet with some heat and the perfect start to the Christmas season. *This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

Full review appeared on Reader's Edyn on 11/09/17 I have to admit, when I read this blurb, I was expecting something different than the spectacular characters I encountered. My mind had come up with an expectation of the plot, but Ms. Layne crafted something completely different and gloriously beautiful. Best friends to lovers can go both ways, but this worked terrifically. Mark’s seriousness and Kelly’s quirky superstition blended wonderfully. Both of them complete opposites in many ways only made them that much better for one another – complimenting each other instead of highlighting their deficiencies. Kelly is a bit of a Christmas nut, and paired with her belief in the trusty Magic 8 Ball and horoscopes, she’s a bit much to take. But something about her whimsical behaviors makes her more adorable than crazy and Mark knows exactly how to handle her. Not to mention he’s a great cook with a successful restaurant – I mean if I had a list, that would be a major qualifying point for a perfect guy. I can’t even think of a complaint with this book other than the lack of depth with the supporting characters. The secondary characters were mostly surface, but they helped bring in a bit of depth that kept the story from containing solely the main characters. As support, the secondary characters served their purpose. While a couple of the Ex’s weren’t too terrible, others were gross and chauvinistic – to the point where I wondered why Kelly even bothered. If one of them had been Mr. Right --- I shudder to think it. I mean Kelly and Mark are stubborn and it takes a bit for them to have a “real” conversation. But also, I think they were afraid to explore this new side to their relationship because the fear of loss if something went wrong was stronger than wanting to take the risk initially. For Mark and Kelly, being best friends before lovers was a terrific thing for them. While they still experienced second thoughts and doubts about taking their relationship up a notch, deep down they had a connection that many relationships lack. Their characters were endearing and their story alluring. You couldn’t help but root for them. Ultimately, I am glad I went with my initial instinct and reviewed this book. Despite the holiday theme, I feel like you could read this book at ay time of year and still find it enjoyable. And for those of you who adore Love Actually and watch it several times over the season without fail (myself included), you will appreciate the references within this story. I might even go so far as to calling this a favorite read for the season that I will bring out each year in the spirit of getting the holiday feel-good rolling. You can bet I will be reading more from Ms. Layne in the future. Kindle version provided by Random House/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.