Poor rich boy gets shipped off to spend Christmas with his grandparents in a tiny small town while his parents and their publicist contain the aftermath of his latest exercise in acting out. A Hallmark movie in book form ensues.

After the last book I read by Timothy Janovsky (Never Been Kissed), I kind of expected this one to also have a YA vibe but ended up happy to be proven wrong. Unlike Wren in the previous book, Matthew actually acts his age. Granted, he's fairly immature, but he's immature in a way that works with his backstory and situation. He's also absolutely hilarious in an unhinged way, especially at his low points, which makes it a lot easier to tolerate his unlikable qualities. And despite the fact he never really becomes super likable, he's still relatable throughout, particularly in terms of how his anxiety is portrayed. His arc is predictable, yet well-executed, and generally he's one of the most entertaining MCs I've encountered lately.

The romance is fairly sweet and hits all the expected tropes, though I found Hector a bit bland compared to Matthew. I've seen this billed as enemies-to-lovers, but I personally wouldn't go that far; I feel there was too little animosity even at the beginning to fulfill the trope. More like they just clashed because Matthew was frustrated with his situation and Hector retaliated, but it never felt personal. It took little time for them to start working together and seeing eye to eye, and then things got fluffy quickly.

While the book heavily leans into the "comedy" part of romcom, there are some really touching moments, in particular when it comes to Matthew's family. Not just his own relationship with his parents, but also within the parts that delve into his mother's backstory. There's that one conversation Matthew had with his grandma about his mom that really stuck with me. The writing overall flows smoothly and is easy to read, although there were a few instances of classic "as you know, Bob" that had me rolling my eyes slightly. There's something about that method of exposition that always makes me hyperaware that I'm reading a fictional story and none of this is actually happening and why am I supposed to be having emotions about any of this, anyway? :D

Another small gripe: the author definitely made attempts to discuss certain serious topics, such as class difference, but did it in a way that didn't mesh well for me with the overall "entertaining romcom" vibe/feel of the book. I would call them a big heavy-handed, and I feel like all those points would perhaps be driven home better if they weren't specifically lingered upon.

Aside from the minor flaws, this was definitely a fun read and a great way for me to start the year. Recommended to anyone who wants some holiday romance feels and a bunch of laughs.