Review: All I Want Is You by Fallon Ballard

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

Fallon Ballard has become a treasured author of mine. Lease on Love remains one of my favorite books of all time so when I saw she had a Christmassy book coming out, I needed it in my life ASAP. I think this is one of my favorite holiday romances I’ve read recently because it felt like a normal romance novel, set at Christmas. It’s not cheesy, it’s grounded in reality, and still has cozy, festive vibes.

I also feel like it might one of Fallon’s spiciest books yet, so no Hallmark vibes here.

Synopsis:

“All Jessica has ever wanted is her own happily ever after. But until that happens, she spends her days as a small-time romance writer, penning satisfying Happily Ever Afters to soothe the heartache left by her ex-boyfriend Nick—also a romance writer and now her biggest rival—who has found success writing love stories without happy endings. It’s what he’s good at, after all . . .

So when their professional obligations bring them to a remote inn a few days before Christmas, they’re a little more than peeved, especially when they get trapped sharing a room in a snowstorm. But what’s more fitting for two romantic writers in a slump? Realizing the friction between them might be the only cure for their writer’s block, they decide to turn their frustration into fiction . . . and the pages start flying. But will Jess’s heart soar, too? Nick is the last guy on earth she should love . . . but what if he is really all she wants for Christmas?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—A cozy Christmassy hotel where two city writers are trapped cause of a snowstorm? Perfection. And there might be only one bed available.
The Pacing—This book moved in such a perfect way. There were a few flashbacks but it didn’t totally take place in alternating timelines. You can easily read this book in one sitting!
The Characters & Stakes—I believed in these characters and their struggles, truly. I felt like the reason for their break up made sense, their reasons for getting back together. It all connected in a natural, believable way. Also the grand gesture? Swoon.
The Festive Cheer—This book isn’t about Christmas, it takes place at Christmas. It’s festive without being annoying or Hallmarky.