A Princess for Christmas (Christmas in Eldovia, #1) (2025)

✔️Royal romance (duh)
✔️Hilarious
✔️Sweet and spicy
✔️Guy falls first
✔️Hallmark Christmas vibes

Enjoyed the chemistry between Marie and Leo. Marie, princess of Eldovia is full of sass, confidence and her zeal for simplistic things makes her seem endearing but also predictable. Leo, a simple yet charming guy is the real star for me in this book. His sense of humour, the way he falls for Marie and the way he's written is absolutely likable.

It was an enjoyable read but not something that wowed me. Three stars seem apt.

This book had the charm of a Hallmark Christmas movie but the steamy love scenes were definitely not something that will ever be shown on that channel. I know graphic love scenes aren't every reader's thing so I figured it's best to give you fair warning. If you are fine with all that, the story is pretty cute and worth a read.

After the death of his parents, Leo gave up on some of his dreams to take care of his little sister, Gabby. Working as a cab driver, a princess hitches a ride after speaking at the United Nations. Yeah seriously, Princess Marie of Eldovia is an actual princess even if you haven't heard of her home country. She's in NYC to help save her country's economy from going down the tubes. Princess Marie needs to get to another location ASAP and Leo is there to provide the transportation. She then offers him a job of taking her around to her other appointments while she is in town. Can you figure out where this might be headed? Probably, but it sure is nice to see how it all plays out.

I don't really want to analyze the story to death because its not meant to be some deep, thought provoking novel. It's supposed to be a fun, fairy tale romance which it certainly was for me. Leo and Princess Marie had good chemistry which is my number one requirement for romances.

If you don't mind a romance with the heat cranked up a notch or maybe a hundred notches, this book is a certainly a good pick. It looks like this is the first book in a planned series with book number 2 featuring two of the characters who played minor roles in this story.

Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with a copy! All views expressed are my honest opinion.

This was fine, but not especially remarkable tbh.

Content Notes: parental death (Leo's parents died in a car accident and Marie's mom died from breast cancer)

My three star rating means that I liked the book; it just didn't rock my socks off! Not a meh reaction. My main issue is that I'm uninterested in NYC touristy scenes, and most of the first 40% of the book features NYC touristy scenes. I became significantly more invested in the story once they packed up and traveled to Fake Genovia (I kid, I kid. Marie hails from Eldovia, a tiny watch-making country tucked between Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. As is the norm for fictional European countries ending in -via).

“Christmas is big business in Eldovia. We have an annual Cocoa Fest on Christmas Eve day. Restaurants and pubs participate, and so does the palace. We make big cauldrons of different kinds of cocoa and serve them outside on the grounds.”

“Are you kidding me?” Gabby demanded.

Marie laughed. “I am entirely in earnest. And there’s a Cocoa Ball in the evening—though that’s not for children.” She wasn’t sure why she added that qualifier. It wasn’t as if Gabby, whose eyes had grown comically wide, would be around to be told she couldn’t attend the ball.

“Oh my god, you are from a fake Hallmark country,” Leo deadpanned.

I would recommend A PRINCESS FOR CHRISTMAS if the following factors interest you:

- Hallmark/Netflix Christmas royalty movies, plus fucking and swears. This is a high compliment.

- Dutiful Royal Heir + Grumpy Commoner pairing (Oh no, he's so unsuitable and my asshole dad won't let me marry outside my station! Also my marriage to a duke's son has been arranged since birth!)

- Both Leo and Marie have parents that died near Christmas. This follows the grand tradition of Hallmark movies with tragic Christmas backstories. They better get married next Christmas, since clearly important life events can only happen in December.

- Eldovia is basically Christmas HQ, with Cocoa Balls and artisan snowglobes and gingerbread houses. Eldovia also has chocolates everywhere, and people are constantly eating them (and occasionally mistaking soap for chocolate). How do I apply for citizenship?

- A sad, asshole king who discovers he has a heart with the help of Christmas magic and his daughter Marie.

- The hero Leo is a single parent to his very adorable, precocious eleven-year-old sister. Gabby is my favorite character in the book.

- A more-than-passing discussion of the European refugee crisis and Eldovia's responsibility to help. This was surprising but welcome!

- Very silly, meta references to Hallmark movies and other things. I laughed at the celebrity name pun that's obviously a reference to Angelina Jolie.

- Sex in an abandoned cabin in the woods... what else can one ask for?

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday is a contemporary romance that is set at the Christmas holiday season. On the outside this one looks to be a sweet holiday romance however I would warn to those who would not be expecting it that things do get to be quite steamy in this one.

Leo Ricci works hard to take care of his little sister, Gabby, and would normally be happy to do anything for her. However, when Leo is off duty in his cab with Gabby in tow she sees a lady trying to hail a cab that Gabby claims looks just like a princess and wants to pick up. Leo hesitates but then decides to go ahead and give the woman a ride.

Princess Marie of Eldovia isn’t normally out trying to hail cabs on her own with the fate of her small country left in her hands so she is thankful when Leo does stop. Marie decides that what she needs is to hire Leo for the rest of her trip but what neither expected was to be attracted to one another. Before Leo knows it he and Gabby are headed to Eldovia for Christmas with the princess.

The story in A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday isn’t exactly one that is new as I have seen others that are very similar myself. This one almost felt like it could be another Hallmark movie for the most part with just some extra spice with all the nice. The characters are likable with little sis Gabby sometimes stealing the show and that made me like Leo all the more for taking care of her. In the end this is definitely an author I’d come back to in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

I really enjoyed the beginning of this!
It’s a sweet Hallmark Christmas movie- in book format- with a little spice on the side. 🎄My two biggest issues with it:
1. Halfway through the book, I felt like the story was losing its pace.
2. The smut was also so extremely awkward, it made me want to poke my eyes out. 👀

Other than that, cute story! 🤍

"Because why not? A cabdriver from the Bronx didn't have that many opportunities to spend the evening with a princess, and when he did - especially if she was a sad princess - he should probably seize the chance to kiss her hand.”

GUYS. This was delightfully sweet and a little dirty and I-loved-it.

No complaints here.

(Now I'm kind of looking forward to hearing Max the baron talk all filthy to Dani in the next book. Jenny Holiday, he better do. You hear me?)

✨Hallmark but it bangs✨

I haven’t needed to use my Ho! Ho! Ho! meter lately but oh goddamn if I don’t need a fainting couch. I could use a good faint right about now. But I need to be more dramatic about it. I’m thinking straight up face plant into the pillows coupled in the fall by only my singleness and my thimble shot size of holiday spirit. It’s been a rough and ready year but this book is a platinum mine in the ruins. The dirty talk was amazing and so unexpected.

Lord do I love me a wonderfully meddlesome manservant. And the point of view of this novel. We start out with Leo’s—not Marie’s—which I adored. You get to see the princess ogle the pauper at the ball in his dapper tux for a change. Stellar. Leo had his Cinderella moment—insert fist pump circa 1985. This book is a fairytale with the perfect amount of holiday ornamentation. It’s clearly branded as a Christmas card romance novel and rightfully so.

Okay so what’s below isn’t even a review really—just a peek inside my brain for the last hour while I’ve digested this sugary confection of a novel. Hallmark and who-ha appreciation? A bang-up Christmas cookie combo. With a stiff glass of milk.

~jazzy interlude moment because just understand that I loved this book but I’m skipping right to the end or after end, afterglow? because it’s necessary~

I know epilogues are supposed to give you more content of the original couple but SWEET FUCKING FIDDLESTICKS—Max and Dani Max and Dani Max and Dani this is how you manifest right? Please for the love of god-iva chocolate let there be a second book. I beg! I yearn!

NEVER MIND THIS IS A SERIES! I’M! UNWELL! I’M RIDING THE SWEET WAVES OF A SUGAR RUSH OMG. I DIDN’T KNOW THIS UNTIL I READ THE AUTHOR’S NOTE. BLESS THE TEN LORDS A-LEAPING. BLESS THE PEAR. BLESS THE TREE. wow okay I need to breathe. I did not know manifestation worked that fast. I’m impressed with the speed even around the holidays, I know shipping can be a pain. Anyhoo I’m calm. Now I pine!

Y’ALL I KEPT READING. JENNY HOLIDAY WAS A MINNESOTA YOUTH. I AM A MINNESOTA YOUTH. well ‘youth-adjacent’ at a fresh 22. good lord I thought I related to Holiday’s love of the em dash—I love her love—and her sense of humor, but relating to Minnesota?? I’ve transcended the mortal Midwestern plane of ‘uffda’ at this point.

This is the book I was most excited to read this Christmas and what a present it’s been—something about the cover just spoke to me. I think it’s the color pink of the coat. I’ve been looking for that exact shade of lipstick so if any of y’all could hook a girl up I’d be so lips-tickled pink.

‘A Princess for Christmas’ is THE fav of season and the holiday genre for sure. I need to make a list of my romance genre favs for the new year. I find it so satisfying to list them out and I’m so happy I can include this one.

Oh sweet Jesus I kept reading again. There’s an excerpt of the next novel. Excuse me while I keep this train a-rolling into Manifestation Station! This fake-dating ride has felled me! Felled I say! I wait with bated breath. And a freshly purchased stack of Jenny Holiday’s other books. For science.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🎅🏼🎅🏼.75/5

3.5 STARS

I was SO excited about Jenny Holiday’s Christmas romance – I’ve enjoyed Jenny’s books in the past and I always look forward to holiday books during the Christmas season. A Princess for Christmas is literally Hallmark movie level, except much more steamy, which I will never complain about. This Christmas romance between a European princess who’s trying to save her country from financial downfall and a New York City taxi cab driver who’s taking care of his orphaned younger sister is sweet, fun, and flirty. It wasn’t PERFECT for me, but I still enjoyed my time reading it. If you’re looking for a romance to pick up this holiday season, definitely give this one a try!

Leo Ricci is trying to make ends meet providing for his sister and himself after the tragic death of their parents. He drives his cab all around NYC, and as luck would have it, while driving his sister back home, the Princess Marie of Eldovia asks for a ride to an urgent meeting. Leo doesn’t have time to drive an uppity princess across the city, but he can’t resist a damsel in distress. And he can’t resist the job or the money Marie offers him in exchange for taking her around the city to meetings she needs to save her country.

The first half of this book is adorable. Leo, his sister Gabby, and Marie go on little NYC touristy adventures so that Marie can experience what the city is all about. They are the cutest little group and I really enjoyed all the banter between them. Leo is grumpy but joins in on the fun, Gabby is a pure delight, and Marie is a little awkward but once her frost has thawed out she embraces everything.

The second half of the book takes place in Eldovia, where Marie’s family reigns. I found this second half to be a bit slow and dragged out – this is the main reason I can’t quite give this four stars, even though it’s close. The book felt too long because of this drag and I wanted to fast forward through all the politics and get to the romance. But other than that, this book was still entertaining and gave me all the cozy winter vibes I was looking for. If you’ve ever imagined what a Hallmark Christmas movie would be like as a romance book, A Princess for Christmas is literally it. It almost made me wish Eldovia was a real place that I could go to during Christmas!

This was very cute, but I bogged down hard in the middle.

I was primarily engaged with Marie, which I found surprising because she's the wish-fulfillment entrée and more than a little far-fetched. Indeed, the thing Holiday does best is getting the characterization right and that starts with her. She's a princess, sure, but with a sense of perspective and a strong desire to do, and be, good. She is, in fact, charming and I just loved how willing she was to be involved with the people around her and do the hard things that she'd rather not do.

Leo was a harder sell, but his care for his sister, Gabby, was every kind of endearing so it was easy to see beyond the done-hard-by guy that he sees himself as. I was a bit impatient with his free-range self-doubt, but in all, he was nice to be around and a good guy doing the hard things that he'd rather not do.

And Holiday does a fantastic job giving them a shared background of grief that, while individually different, forms a great foundation of understanding and empathy. I loved their initial getting-to-know-you moves and seeing them begin to care for and about each other.

And then they go to the fictional "Eldovia" and things get kind of, well, unmoored. For one, it's way too soon for Marie to extend the invite and even more so for Leo to accept. I mean, you can hand-wave the weird if you have good-enough justification or motivation but I felt like there was enough hand-waving going on to change weather patterns. This feeling of being unmoored from anything recognizably reasonable plagued me through much of the middle of the story and cropped up every now and then even after it settled down a bit and the relationship started happening in earnest.

It didn't help that the characterization for Marie's dad felt random, at best. I mean, he wanders between simple grump and outright jackball with little noticeable rhyme or reason and that only served to emphasize how little actual motivation or characterization was going on in that whole section of the story.

Anyway, things got back on track, eventually, though we had to go through an unearned dark moment to get there. So this was a good read but with too much friction in the middle to justify more than three stars.

A note about politics: There isn't a ton of politics in the story, but Marie's pet issue is the refugee crisis in Europe and that's a worthy, but very complicated, cause. It's the reason she's in New York and at the heart of some of the story so it was a nice detail to have. But the format of the story didn't allow anything actually engaging or complex to come across beyond one or two mostly-surface musings on potential approaches to doing better and that bothered me a bit. I mean, I get that a lot more detail would have bogged the story down dreadfully and that the line to boredom would be hard to discern. But not getting more detail made it feel like nothing more than an adornment to make Marie look virtuous. At least to me. I mean, Marie needed something to give her a serious edge and this serves. But at the same time, she lives in Arian paradise with all the diversity of a paper towel so maybe this isn't the right route to go? I dunno. It bothered me, but I'm not sure I can pin down more explicitly why...

A note about Steamy: There are three or four explicit sex scenes putting this in the middle of my steam tolerance, but on the high side of that band. They're extremely well-done, however, and fit the emotional progression of the characters perfectly so I was glad Holiday went there even though it was a bit of a tone shift for this otherwise very hallmarky story.

A festive fairytale bursting with charm and cheer. Jenny Holiday will enchant you with this sweet Story sprinkled with sizzle and joy. Leo is a New York City cab driver who is busy working and raising is younger sister Gabby. One day while off duty and driving his sister home from school his sister insists he pulls over to pick up the princess on the side of the road. Leo thinking this must be someone in costume was surprised to find out that Marie was a real live princess. A real live princess of some country Leo had never heard of before, Eldovia. Marie is in the US to visit the UN and tend to some family business. Marie ends up hiring Leo to drive for her while she’s in New York and a friendship grows. but when sparks start igniting the two are reluctant. What can a princess and a New York cabbie possibly have in common?

This book was the steamier sassier sexier older sister of the Hallmark movie. Leo was a great guy, genuine and generous. I loved his interactions with his little sister Gabby, who was a force to be reckon with. Marie Took a while to warm up to, she was very posh and reserved. I have to admit the steamier scenes in the story were so humorous with Marie’s proper language. I really also liked that we got to spend time in both New York and the fictional country of Eldovia. there is definitely no Christmas overkill in this book the holiday was more of a backdrop to the story. Charlotte North narrated this audio both perfectly. I absolutely loved The Voice she gave to Marie it just added so much to the story. also loved the enthusiastic voice she gave to Gabby‘s effervescent character. A charming magical tale that made me smile. was glad to see that this is part of a series, it will be nice to visit these characters again.

this book in emojis 🚕 👸🏻 ⌚️ 🪄 ❄️ ☕️

*** Big thank you to Avon & Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 Hallmark holiday love story’s older, sexier sister! This one will make you both smile and blush. 😉 ⁣
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Princess Marie of Eldovia is traveling in NY and desperately trying to hail a cab in Manhattan. Off duty cabbie Leo Ricci takes pity on her and stops to give her a ride. When Marie asks him to be her driver for the rest of her visit he can’t turn down her lucrative offer.⁣
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The more time they spend together, the more sparks fly! I loved Marie and Leo together. They had such great chemistry and an easy rapport. Leo was a swoon worthy and melted my heart. He was this tough guy from the Bronx with a heart of hold, raising his little sister after the death of their parents. ⁣
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For all its sweetness & holiday cheer this one had some graphic, steamy moments! I loved how the posh, normally reserved Princess “let loose” with Leo. These two definitely knew how to fog up some mirrors together! 😉 ⁣
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If your looking for a fun holiday read with some sexy steam definitely give this one a try! ⁣Thank you Harper Collins and William Morrow books for the copy to review. ❤️
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3.5 stars - I have been hearing great things about this author, so I thought I would dip my toes in with her with one of my favorite kinds of contemporary romances... a Christmas romance. This was really fun- it reads basically like a Hallmark movie but with dirty talk. Works for me! Looking forward to more from this author

This was a fun read. I liked the characters. The plot got a little cheesy and predictable but it was entertaining. It was spicer than I was expecting which was a nice surprise. I was looking for a fun and easy read and that’s what this was.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I know everyone enjoys a Christmas movie, but this was even better for me. All of the charm but...you know...with a lot more kissing. Lol.

I also liked that the Gabby (Leo's little sister) was a fully formed character and not just a plot moppet.

What happens you mix a regular Joe with the Princess of Eldovia?
A self-aware Hallmark style book with very cringy sex scenes that reads more like bad porn.

I went into this book expecting a cutesy Hallmark type romance. It really seemed to be going that way in the beginning. Leo is a taxi driver just trying to survive as he takes care of his younger sister Gabby after their parents died. They see a woman trying to hail a cab and Gabby begs him to pick her up. It turns out she's a princess! Within just a few days of their 'meet-cute', she's taking Leo and his sister all the way home with her!
The book completely flips 180 degrees about halfway through and Leo goes from a bumbling loveable fool to a crass caveman who has the crudest and uninspiring inner thoughts. Their attraction is cute in the beginning of the book and then someone hits the gas and they're dry humping each other in the woods. Not once but TWICE! First of all, I'm no prude but the love scenes in this book were so cringy and not well written at all. Leo uses dirty talk, which is more of a rundown of what he's about to do, and the lingo is crass I'm sorry but 'pussy' is not sexy and 'pretty pussy' is even worse. Also 'I want you to give it to me!' and 'yeah you like that!' literally sounds like a man wrote these scenes while watching porn. Very uninspired. Even in his thoughts, he sounds unintelligent. An actual line "For fuck's sake, they had lain in bed and bared their god damn souls to each other". I had no connection to the characters and they're falling in love and wanting to eventually marry each other within 10 days. She even thinks of abdicating the throne so she can be with him. TEN DAYS, PEOPLE.

Anyway, this book is getting two stars instead of one because I was here for the cocoa fest and want to be served every kind of cocoa they mentioned from giant cauldrons. I was amused by the first part as well as their self awareness that it sounded like a Hallmark story. I just wish it WAS.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>

3.5 stars! I finally finished this Jenny holiday novel after putting it off for a whole year. I really thought some parts were magical and full of Christmas love but there were also some moments I just didn't vibe with. Our heroine is a princess and shes been Binging TV since she was young but when it comes to communicating what she wants sexually, she awkwardly phrases everything. Now, I know she has proper princess training but I doubt even prince William is this stiff outside of press conferences. The other things that didn't work for me was sometimes the lack of chemistry between the two characters. It felt stiff at times and forced. Overall, I liked a lot of parts and thought it was angsty/dramatic and cute.

NOTE: I mini-reviewed books 1 & 2 on my IG . I'm copying and pasting those reviews below. 💕

•𝗔 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 & 𝗗𝘂𝗸𝗲, 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆
•𝗕𝘆 𝗝𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆
•𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝟭 & 𝟮 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗹𝗱𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗮

⭐⭐⭐⭐ • 4/5 stars for both

I've been devouring the holiday reads this year! TBH I'm trying to make up for my epic flop last December, where I bought a dozen holiday books and only read like two! 🙈😂 Both of these are from my 2021 TBR, and I'm so glad I made time for them this year!

🎄𝗔 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀: This was an adorable, opposites-attract steamy Christmas rom com! It's light and fluffy but also touches on some deeper issues like grief and depression. It's Hallmark-esque, but with spice and F-Bombs. 😜 Our male MC is a cab driver from the Bronx named Leo, who is raising his little sister Gabby following the death of their parents. Princess Marie from Eldovia is visiting NYC when she asks Leo to be her driver for the trip. Sparks fly for this unlikely pair when Marie invites Leo and Gabby to Eldovia for a vacation. Will these two find their happily ever after?

🎄𝗗𝘂𝗸𝗲, 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆: This was another good one! It's a friends-to-lovers, forbidden-love, holiday-ish rom com. Dani is Leo's BFF from book one, and I am SO glad she got her own book because I loved her! Dani meets Max at a wedding. He's the Baron of Lauden and heir to the Dukedom of Aquillia.... AND he's Marie's ex. In NYC, meeting a prospective wife, Max arrives on Dani's doorstep, hoping to befriend her. The two develop a strong friendship that turns into something more... but this is a problem! Dani is newly divorced and not at all interested in a relationship. And Max is supposed to be finding a "suitable bride" before he inherits the title he really doesn't want. Charming, sexy Max and smart, sassy professor Dani have so much chemistry it's not even funny!

I do recommend reading these in order, because the backstory helps the reader connect with the characters. But they can also be read as standalones. ❤️
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Well, I wasn’t even going to admit I read this, but that would be silly.
During the month of December, 2020, I put all my current books aside and focused on reading only cozy cute and Christmasy books. Of course, that included some romance and rom-coms too. I even read and/or listened to a few past favs from Elin Hilderbrand and Nancy Thayer.

Jenny Holiday was a new author for me and my library had it available. It fit the bill for everything I wanted and plus some. Pretty Princess from a small, fictional country arrives in NYC and meets handsome, gruff Bronx ‘boy’ cab driver. He’s a peach underneath that rough exterior and wouldn’t you know it, but sparks fly.

Leo and Marie have to be good though because Marie has handlers that watch her every move, and Leo is responsible for his eleven year old sister, Gabby after their parents were killed in an accident. So we wait half the book for them to even kiss!

Ok so literature this is not, but it’s an entertaining read. It’s slow at points but who cares, I should probably rate it three stars. BUT, the romantic sensual, yes, sex scenes raise it to four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ They were so cute, because they’re both nervous and want to be careful, and then passion gets the better of them Thank goodness!
So, an adorable Christmas book. Thanks Ms. Holiday and Katie from GoodReads! 😊

Well, I must admit that I don’t often read Christmas-y books and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a hallmark movie. If those things are your jam, I think you’d love this.

I liked Marie and Leo well enough. They’re both struggling on their own for different reasons and see a kindred spirit on each other. For me, that didn’t translate to chemistry and I wanted more of a connection. Gabby was delightful and stole every scene she was in. And I’m always a sucker for a stoic staff member jumping in to help, so Mr. Benz was spot on.

Plot wise, it was a bit of a struggle and wildly clichéd. The first half of the book (aka the NY portion) was sort of bland, but once they got to Eldovia, it was more engaging. The so-called conflict didn’t really work being stretched across the entire book, but I wouldn’t say it was full fluff either.

Overall, it was a quick read that kept me interested enough to finish it. And after that second epilogue, I’m wondering if there will be a series. If it’s Dani’s story, I’ll be reading.

**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**

3.5 stars - this book was absolutely adorable and fluffy and if you like Hallmark Christmas movies and their cheesiness and predictability, this book is totally for you. The characters were lovely, the setting was ideal, and of course, the ending is soooo cute. :)

Thank you to Avon and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Title: A Princess for Christmas
Series: Standalone
Author: Jenny Holiday
Release date: October 13, 2020
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: contemporary romance, holiday romance

A Princess for Christmas was a very cute and light holiday read for when you get into the Hallmark movie/rom-com mode. I know I may get a lot of slack for this, but personally I have never been into those sugary sweet made for tv movies. The cheese factor was always a little over the top for me, but I know I'm in the minority there. Usually with this kind of storyline, the hero is the royal falling in love with a commoner, and the woman living "happily ever after" with her fairy tale prince. However, the author reversed the roles in this case which was an interesting twist from the norm.

Princess Marie of Eldovia visits New York to make a speech at the UN, and while she's there, she meets Leo Ricci and his sister Gabby. As you can imagine, these two are opposites in just about every way. They come from backgrounds that are lightyears apart, She's prim and proper, he's blunt and casual. He's grumpy, she's determined to be optimistic. She's had a privileged life, he's middle class and knows what it's like to really struggle. On the other hand, they have one big thing in common that helps them understand each other at a level a lot of others can't. They both recently lost parents and still struggle with grief and acceptance. I've been told that this tragic history is a common trope for Hallmark Christmas movies. So while there were original aspects to the story, it wasn't without its cliches.

Marie was a strong heroine. She picks up the pieces after losing her mother to cancer and steps into her father's duties-all without his support or comfort. From the stories she tells about him throughout the book, he's always been a difficult person to adjust to, but ever since losing his wife he's been flat-out unbearable. I have to say that he never did grow on me much. Not only was he selfishly uncaring about the grief his daughter was going through, he tried to manage her personal life, and was so rude to Leo and Gabby when they were his guests it makes you grit your teeth in disgust. The pure snobbery he displayed had a vicious edge to it that was bad enough towards an adult, but to treat a child like that? Yeah, I just couldn't bring myself to look past the nastiness. It was all a bit sudden in the end-too little, too late.

The story is a simple one. Marie hires Leo to be her driver while she's staying in New York and during the few days they spend together, she's able to loosen up and feel some form of happiness. Marie is far from a snob like her father is, and she revels in doing touristy, simple things with him. She has a huge load of responsibility on her shoulders, expectations about her personal life that she's not ready to accept yet, and a public image to uphold. When it's time for her to go back home, she's not quite prepared to say goodbye to the new friends she's made and invites them to her home for the holidays. The invitation is the first sign that she is pushing boundaries on family expectations and finding the strength to stand up for the things that are important to her. Duty towards her country is still top priority, but she's not willing to sacrifice her happiness for an archaic arranged marriage.

The story progresses pretty quickly from strangers to love, but this is kind of standard fare for a holiday romance. Once Leo and his sister arrive at Eldovia, the two fall into a sexual relationship and kind of tiptoe around their feelings. It all feels kind of impossible. The odds are highly stacked against them-her father, their backgrounds, the culture differences, financial differences...it's pretty substantial. But one thing I can say about these two characters is that they're honest. And they appreciate that quality in each other. There's no miscommunication, misunderstandings, or over-the-top unnecessary drama. Once they search their own heart, they won't let anything or anyone stand in the way of a future together. And yes, there is the standard big romantic gesture scene in the end as they resolve their conflict as you would expect with this genre. It was nice to get a peek into their future with the epilogue so we could see how they dealt with the challenges they faced.

There was definitely some hints that Max and Dani had something brewing between the two of them, so I'll be keeping my eye out for information on a possible book for them. Overall, this is a great read if you're looking for something light with a moderate amount of steam and a strong dose of humor. There were points I was laughing out loud-especially at Leo's bumbling, panicked attempts at parenting his sister. His internal dialogue was absolutely hilarious. Even if you're not a huge holiday romance fan like me, this could be the sweet story you've been looking for. I'm looking forward to discovering more books from this author in the future.

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'Goodness. She was like a nineteenth-century gentleman tied into knots over the sight of an unexpectedly exposed ankle.'

Jenny Holiday provided me with the Christmassy romance I desired. A Princess for Christmas has the appealing charm all Hallmark Christmas romance films have but with the added steamy love scenes. The balance of cute, romantic scenes and sexy, steamy scenes was one of the reasons why I gave this 5 stars - a lot of romances (for me) tend to have an imbalance that makes me dislike some aspects of the relationship.

Romance is probably the last thing on Leo Ricci's mind. After the death of his parents, he became the sole carer and provider of his little sister, Gabby, and making sure they have enough money for Christmas is the only thing he can think of. One night, he's driving his sister home from school in his cab when a princess in a fancy dress begs for a ride. Princess Marie of Eldovia is in NYC to help her country's economy and meet with a few important people for her father. When he only ride to her next location breaks down, Leo's taxi cab seems like the only solution as it coincidently drives by. And after Gabby tells her brother that he must help the princess out, he begrudgingly agrees. Marie offers Leo a jab of taking her around NYC for the next couple of days to her various appointments, and he accepts, thinking the money she's offering will help him afford a trip to Florida for him and Gabby. Oh, boy was he incorrect.

I adored the romance between Marie and Leo - the chemistry was there from the beginning and I never lost any interest in their developing romance. It was well-paced and it didn't feel rushed in any way. I was looking for a Christmassy romance with just enough of the festivities to sate my craving for all things Christmas - and A Princess For Christmas really gave me that on a silver plater. I was going to read Duke, Actually first, but then noticed it was a sequel. I couldn't just read the sequel without reading this one - it felt like a crime. And I'm glad, in the end, that I did read this one. It was utterly perfect!

Read this because I was interested in the 2nd book, and wanted to start with book 1. Good Christmas royal romance! Quite cheesy. Deserves a better, more modern cover.

Inhaled this audiobook in two sittings, it was so much fun! It really reminded me of Netflix's Christmas movies, in the best way!!

This was fun and sweet!

Sigh. All my Christmas romance wishes came true ❤️🎄 A new absolute favorite holiday read that just raised the bar super super high ~ it’ll be tough to beat this one! Just a heads up that this is fairly steamy for the Christmas romance subgenre, so brace yourself!

Kerstmis in New York ~ Jenny Holiday
Boekerij, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ik heb een mega zwak voor voor verhalen waarin royalty uit niet bestaande landen zich onder het normale volk in andere landen begeven, helemaal als ze dan ook nog eens verliefd, en is voor mij al jaren een favoriet thema bij diverse (kerst)films.
Oke, die spicey scenes zag ik even niet aankomen! Maar dat was alleen maar bonus 😏

Ik heb echt met volle teugen genoten, en was enorm blij te ontdekken dat het een trilogie is. Nu maar hopen dat de andere 2 delen ook snel vertaald worden, want het verhaal van de hertog smeekt om meer! 🙏🏻

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Thank you to Avon Books for gifting me a copy of A Princess for Christmas by Jenny Holiday.

Holiday reads, do you enjoy them? I have to admit that I have never enjoyed them — just like I’ve not been a huge fan of the Hallmark holiday movies either. Just too much cheese. But, this year, something clicked and I have LOVED reading holiday books. I think that my brain is just happy to have something with some predictability and comfort. Because isn’t that the basis for these books - you know that two people (either strangers or friends) are going to fall in love, there will be an obstacle and then everything will work out just like a fairy tale. That predictability helps me sleep at night.

Combine a holiday read and royalty, I’m set! I’m all for that will they, won’t they - oh they are finally going to kiss moment.

But, a Princess for Christmas had the will they, won’t they — oh, they are finally going to kiss moment. But, no, wait, they are going to do WAY more than a kiss. Oh my god, my eyes! As I read this feel-good holiday book, I could feel my cheeks turning red because good grief did this book have a lot of steam.

Overall, it was a fun story that allowed me a few minutes of escape from my life, but it didn’t leave me with that overall holiday cheer. Don’t get me wrong, it was a sweet story, and I got a kick out of all the characters, but it just didn’t feel me with all that holiday happiness. I gave it 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4 on Goodreads). However, I will say that if Jenny Holiday were to write a sequel to this book, I would read it.

I recommend this if you enjoy a Hallmark holiday movie that airs on the HBO channel. It’s full of laughable moments, some royal fun, A LOT of steam, and predictability. My favorite characters were Gabby and Mr. Benz.

A Princess for Christmas was published in October and is available to order now.

This was quite literally being transported into a Hallmark Christmas movie, but with the added pleasure of a few steamy moments.

Working two jobs to make ends meet, Leo is struggling as the parental figure for his eleven-year-old sister. Luck finds him in the form of Marie, Princess of Eldovia, as Leo is hired to chauffeur Her Royal Highness around New York City. Their relationship was absolutely sweet, building from a bit of an annoyance with each other and developing into a connection they've been lacking in their personal lives. Coming from different experiences in life, I love seeing this type of relationship find their compromise.

Taking place in both New York and Eldovia, I preferred the latter half but did find myself getting uninterested in the Royal Family politics and business ventures. And although I appreciate the addition of steamy scenes, which always seems to be lacking in traditionally published holiday romances, it felt off. It transitioned from an overly sweet romance to a dirty talking, descriptive, open-door romance with little buildup. It felt a tad awkward and robotic at times, specifically from Marie.

I'd definitely still recommend this, though! It was adorable.

3.5 stars