Review: Christmas Baggage by Deborah M. Hathaway

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

If there is one thing she has learned in England, it's that not all Englishmen are created equal.
Because this guy was turning out to be a real pill.

Tired of spending the holidays throwing up on cruises with her parents and, you know, being dumped by ex-boyfriends, Claire Frost is determined to change her luck this Christmas. Taking time off from her flower shop, she follows her friend to London, ready to enjoy all-things England. And boy, does she. The frost-covered flowers. The frozen green hills. The bright red telephone boxes. The festive Christmas markets.

Also the men. Definitely the men.

Except, of course, her friend's cousin. Liam Everhart is super attractive, super swoony, and super English. Too bad he's also a super jerk. A super jerk whom she now has to spend every minute with. What a blessed, blessed relief that his Darcy/Poldark looks are overshadowed by his Darth Vader/Malfoy personality. She had enough Christmas baggage to deal with, so why would she ever add a swoony Englishman to the mix?

This is a clean, sweet, wholesome romance set in present-day London, England that features the enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity tropes, with a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

My Review

Oh what fun! I am so excited for this series! It starts off strong with Christmas Baggage, bringing the Christmas cheer with a dose of bad first impressions and plenty of opportunities to overcome them. I appreciated that Liam and Claire are flawed, yet still likeable, especially when they allow their walls to drop and really get to know each other. It takes time for them to reconsider their first impressions, which felt realistic. The London setting is wonderful as Liam reluctantly takes Claire sightseeing, and their funny quirks begin to be endearing. Claire's bestie Melody was an interesting friend- opposite by nature, but they are loyal to each other despite their differences. With Claire's parent issues, she is the type to create her own family with those around her who don't let her down... often. It also gives her a greater tolerance for putting up with stuff. Liam has his own inner conflict with his career and grief, and I appreciated the depth their struggles brought to the story to balance out the light-hearted moments. I loved the friendship and chemistry that developed into an unexpected romance for them both!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Don't miss any of the books in the Christmas Escape series . . .