An Ex for Christmas

Love Unexpectedly #5

by Lauren Layne

She’s making a list—and checking it twice. But is there a nice guy among all her naughty exes? The New York Times bestselling author of Blurred Lines returns with a charming friends-to-lovers rom-com.

When a psychic tells spunky, superstitious Kelly Byrne that she’s already met her true love, she becomes obsessed with the idea of tracking him down before Christmas. Kelly immediately writes up an “Ex List” and starts contacting old boyfriends to figure out which one is the one. When her college sweetheart rolls into town, Kelly convinces herself that they’re meant to be. The trouble is, sparks are flying with someone she’s never given a chance: her best friend, Mark.

Mark Blakely has watched the guys on Kelly’s list break her heart, and he’s not looking forward to watching them do it all over again. Mark’s always been there for her, but the timing’s never worked out for their relationship to be something more. Now, just as Mark is ready to move on, the sexual tension between them is suddenly off the charts. With Christmas morning around the corner, he just hopes Kelly will wake up and realize that everything she wants has been right in front of her all along.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Christmas, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Holiday, Adult

218 pages, ebook

First published November 7, 2017

About the author

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Hot Asset, Hard Sell, and Huge Deal in her 21 Wall Street series, as well as her Central Park Pact series. Her books have sold more than a million copies in nine languages. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, the Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.

Reviews

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****FIVE STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}



It’s strange. Kissing him feels both wonderfully new and fresh, and yet comfortable and timeless, as though we’ve been doing this –or were meant to have been doing this—forever.






This really is like the song says--”the most wonderful time of the year!” Christmas has always been my favorite holiday going back what seems like a century since I was a little girl. I know most people are annoyed that Christmas decorations, commercials, and movies seem to be coming out way too early these days but I am like a kid in my element when the Christmas movie marathon starts in October on the Hallmark channel. To say that ”AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS” is now one of my top favorite Lauren Layne stories is a HUGE understatement. This story was everything that I love about holiday romances and so much more. It’s like I was given the PERFECT early Christmas gift. This is a whimsical, sexy, angsty and heartwarming tale of two best friends who were always meant to be soul mates.





Kelly Byrne is a third-grade teacher at a posh private school in Manhattan. It’s the start of Christmas vacation and she’s looking forward to going back to her cute little house in upstate New York, to be with her cocker spaniel, Rigby, and her close friends. While waiting for her train to arrive she meets a peculiar woman who seems to have the gift for seeing into the future. The woman tells Kelly that she’s already met the ”love of her life” and that he is coming back to her before Christmas. Most people would view this lady as a mentally disturbed person who escaped Bellevue but the thing about Kelly is that she’s very spiritual, believes in superstitions, and is into astrological horoscopes, and so she takes the woman’s predictions seriously. So for the next two weeks, Kelly’s plan is to get in touch with all of her exes in order to find her one true love.







When she arrives back home in Haven, she rushes to her best friend's house, who also happens to be her neighbor, in order to pick up her dog, Rigby. Did I mention that her bestie is a drop dead gorgeous guy who is over 6 feet tall and is probably just about every woman’s fantasy? Mark Blakely and Kelly have been the best of friends since their early High School days, and throughout the years their friendship has remained strong and survived the many failed relationships they’ve each had over the past ten years. The moment we meet Mark it is painfully obvious that these two are meant to be and it just seems ridiculous that they haven’t figured this out yet. I was rooting for them to get their act together and to take that leap of faith towards their happily ever after.




It’s becomes clear when Kelly starts her mission to meet up with all of her ex-boyfriends that Mark isn’t the least bit thrilled with her plans and that Kelly has her head so far up her butt that she can’t see that what she’s so desperately searching for has been literally right in front of her face for so very long.






I knew that once the floodgates opened and when feelings were finally revealed that the passion Kelly and Mark have between them would burn white hot and I wasn’t in the least bit disappointed! WHOA!!




The story gets angsty while Kelly stubbornly tries to hold on to her trust in her silly magic 8 balls and “signs” to lead her to true love. But it’s her underlying fear of losing her best friend that seems to be holding her back from taking that scary first step towards her “HEA”.





Here are my overall ratings on the book:

Hero: 5
Heroine: 4.5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4.5
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5



AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS is currently available! If there’s only one holiday romance you read, this one should be it!



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[Nissa | Of Pens and Pages Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway at Of Pens and Pages.



Sweet, funny, and charming, An Ex for Christmas is a perfect Holiday romance read! If you're a fan of best friends to lovers romances, Hallmark movies, and Love, Actually, you'll have a hoot reading this rom-com.

Elementary school teacher Kelly Byrne loves Christmas and is as superstitious as they go. When a mysterious woman tells her she's already met The One and will be with her come Christmas, Kelly spends the two weeks before Christmas tracking her unmarried exes and checking who's naughty, nice, and The One.

While she reunites with her exes and crosses them off her list, Kelly finds herself feeling things she's never felt before for her best friend and neighbor, Mark Blakely. The chef has been her best friend since high school, and he's loved her just as long. Now that she's trying to rekindle her romance with men who broke her heart because of some old lady's prediction, he wants to do his best to make her finally look his way and see he's The One.

Kelly is endearing with her superstitious beliefs and quirks. This woman loves life and lives it with her best foot forward. She's optimistic and funny, and she loves her family. Her friendship with Mark is so easy and comfortable, and I personally understand the whole best friends to suddenly something more, so I get that she's confused on how to go next with what's happening with her and Mark. A few of her decisions frustrated me, and she could have lost Mark because of it, too.

All I want for Christmas is Mark Blakely! Such a sweetheart, that man. He's gruff and acts like he doesn't like Christmas, but the guy goes along with everything his Christmas fanatic best friend wants to do. He even shares custody over Rigby the cocker spaniel just because Kelly can only stay in their hometown on weekends. This man has been steadfast in his feelings for Kelly, and gosh I could wax poetic about him. Swoon.

And that ending. Perfect. Just perfect. I was swooning and squealing and ahhhhh. Mark Blakely, you guys. I want that man in my life.

An Ex for Christmas reminded me of What's Your Number (Anna Faris, Chris Evans) and Love, Rosie (Lily Collins, Sam Claflin; the novel written by Cecilia Ahern), two of my favorite chick flicks. It's about two best friends whose timing is never right, and a story about the heroine who tries to look for her one true love in the wrong place when along he's right beside her. Insert hilarious/disastrous dates and antics between Kelly and Mark.

This story is full of Ms. Layne's signature humor, natural and easy banter between two charming characters, sexual tension, and the right build up. This book made me more excited for the holidays and honestly made me want to go on a chick flick marathon. If you're looking for a quick, fun, and adorable holiday romance, you'll enjoy reading An Ex for Christmas.

Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Holiday Romance, Childhood Friends
POV: First Person, Female POV
Standalone: Yes

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

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[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 HOLIDAY STARS



Are you a fan of those Hallmark movies that are released during the Christmas season? Well, Lauren Layne delivers her own holiday tale that was not only funny, and enjoyable, but completely ADORABLE!

Superstitious Kelly Byrne gets some cryptic information from a strange woman on her way home for the holidays. What follows is a whole bunch of fun and crazy Christmas antics. It’s a feel good story, with just the right amounts of funny, sexy, and holiday goodness.

[Kiki]

He has been in love with h for 10 years but that didn’t stop him from dating OW and sleeping with them.
In fact heroine called him out and ask him HOW is she supposed to know he’s interested if he’s in relationship with OP.
BUT because author thinks we have an attention span of a goldfish, that was soon forgotten.
She wasn’t in love with him so I don’t care who she sleeps with but he was in love with her and felt it was better to sleep around that tell her about his feelings?
Well she’s NOT a mind reader.
And he says he deserves better? For what? You couldn’t even stay faithful to your love.

[Chelsea ✨Arielle’s Nebular Ally and Team Acrux✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I meant that I’m not usually. Not before.”
"Not before…?”
I feel him smile against my neck, stubbornly refusing to answer. I smile, too, because I know what he’s not saying.
Not before me.

Anyone who has been around long enough knows that LL used to be my absolute favorite author. Without any doubts, when asked, it was LL. Fast-forward a couple years annddddd…that answer isn’t the same. It’s not that I don’t like her-I do. But, after a while, it all became a bit contrived, to me.

“Mark hates Christmas,” I inject, tired of being ignored.
Both men look at me. Mark frowns. “I do not.”
I look up at him. “Okay, you don’t hate it, but you don’t really get into it. You never get a tree, you won’t hang lights, you wouldn’t even let me put a wreath on your door last year.”
“Because it was white and had a pink bow.”
"It was flocked, and pink and white were very in that year.”

Somewhere along the way, and I’m not sure when, I lost that connection I had held steadfast to. I stopped picking up every book because I wasn’t laughing and swooning as much…and it broke my heart. But, here we are, and LL wrote a Christmas book and…well…it was Christmas. So why not?

“Where’s his snowman costume?” I call to Mark.
“Burned it.”
“I hope you didn’t put it in the washing machine—it’s hand wash only,” I say, picking up my peppermint martini and heading back into the kitchen.
“Yeah, Kelly. I hand washed a dog sweater. Sounds just like me.”

Well. I don’t know. There was just way too much that bothered me:

-Clueless heroine
-Single POV (CANNOT believe I’m saying that, but I needed to hear what Mark was thinking, frankly. She was just too much)
-Boring

I don’t know! I can’t even remember all the reasons! It just did not work for me. I eventually fell hard for Mark, but it took forever. I like gruff men, but without being in his head he just seemed flat…until when I fell for him, obviously lol. At that point, he became the thing I held onto, the guy I couldn't stop reading about...and hating Kelly for hurting. He was just...so so loyal. Ugh. Amazing.

Mark stamps out my babbling with a searing kiss. “I’ve wanted,” he says against my mouth, a little gruffly. “God, how I’ve wanted.”

And, frankly, I found the blurb a bit misleading, like…why tell us that Mark wants her to wake up and smell the roses, but then not let us be in his head to hear that? Just…odd. Odd odd odd.

“Ask me,” he orders, pinning my wrists over my head with one hand.
“Ask you what?” I say, a little breathless.
“Ask me what you asked the damn ball.”
I swallow. “Should I sleep with Mark again?”
His smile is slow and confident as he slowly lowers his body to mine. “It is certain.”

Like I said, somewhere along the way LL stopped being my ‘go-to’ contemp gal. And for real, it kills me to say that. But it is what it is and I can’t fake loving something. I loved their friendship. I loved the shared dog, backyard, etc. But when your heroine is as dumb as Kelly was-well. It’s just too much.

“You’ll never guess what happened to me at the train station,” I say, leaning forward excitedly.
“Hmm?” he asks, less excitedly.
"Okay, if I tell you, you have to not roll your eyes and tell me I’m a crackpot. Promise?”
“No.”
That’s about what I was expecting.

PS-OH! And it really sucks, it does, because I loved Kelly’s humor. She had thefunniest dialogue…I just couldn’t get past the stupidity, unfortunately.


For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 'All I Want for Christmas is Mark' Stars!
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


And again, Lauren Layne delivers another heart-warming love story! Winter is here and Christmas is around the corner so what better way to start getting into the Christmas mood than a friends to lovers love story by one of my favorite authors! I thought (at first) this story would be about exes reuniting but it is more “complicated” than that. This is about two best friends who fall in love (or have been..) with each other.

An Ex for Christmas is a standalone novel, but it belongs to the Love Unexpectedly series (all standalones). This is Lauren’s first Christmas novel and as I said it’s a friends to lovers romance. Kelly and Mark have been best friends for the longest time, Kelly is more than ready to settle down with the love of her life, but, this love is nowhere in sight (according to her..). Our lovely heroine is in fact a believer of all things “fate” so she believes everything an unknown woman tells her: that she already knows said person. A quest starts, Kelly is going though all her exes to find this love, but everything gets complicated when she discovers that she has feelings for her best friend Mark (who *swoon* has loved her from the very beginning).

Some things just weren’t meant to be questioned; they simply were.
Mark and I are one of them, I guess.

As all her other creations, Lauren Layne made An Ex for Christmas a slow burn romance that melted my heart. I found the relationship between Kelly and Mark absolutely adorable. Their friendship is so especial: they have so many fantastic moments together and their chemistry (as friends and later as lovers) is palpable on every single page. In fact, I loved Mark from the very start because he is so clearly protective of Kelly and very much in love with her! I mean, sometimes I wanted to shake Kelly so badly because she does not see that AT ALL! And I just wanted that fantastic man to be happy.

I should be freaked out—I know I should, but truthfully what’s freaking me out more isn’t how wrong this is but how absurdly right it feels. As though his mouth was made for mine, as though we should have been doing this a long time ago.

And here is maybe the only thing that I did not enjoy as much: how Kelly is not able to see what Mark feels for her (and what she feels for him!) until almost the very end of the story. Yeah, they do realize the chemistry between them earlier and the sex (as always) is beautifully written and oh-so-sexy! Lauren’s heroes always do it for me and the slow burn is to die for! But, I felt like the ending was a bit rushed: it was amazing and so sweet but a little rushed. However, I can almost forget all this because I really enjoyed the love story as a whole and because I loved these two together as a couple!

I’m in love with you.
(And don’t bother telling me I’m too late.)
(I’ll win you back. You know I will.)
All I want for Christmas. . .
Is you.

Therefore, my rating for An Ex for Christmas is 4.5 STARS because it was an adorable Christmas-themed love story that holiday lovers will definitely enjoy! If you love this festive holiday and you also happen to love Lauren Layne’s stories, you surely will enjoy this one! Mark and Kelly are great together and their happy ending will melt your heart. So yeah, I am recommending this one, especially if you are a LL and a Christmas fan!

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[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Love Right There... Are You Seeing It Stars
* * *1/2 Spoiler Free - On Sale $1.99!!!
Lauren Layne shares with the readers... This is the story she has wanted to write for a long time. Well, Fa La La, it is the time for her to use all of her cute, heart and sexy teases with the play on the Christmas Season. We get lots of close calls with past ex's for our gal...In all of this journey, she has her best friend chiding her, teasing her and always supporting her along the way.

Did I happen to mention her Best Friend Forever, Her One and Only Constant since College, The One Who has Always Been There No Matter What...is a Guy...

Yeah... a handsome, built, smart and just plain cool guy...

So our gal has this thing about Signs...Uses the Magic Eight Ball to make or confirm decisions...and close to the Christmas Holiday, she sees a Mystic Lady while waiting for the Subway Train...The woman tells her the True Love she is seeking... she already has known... and she needs to check them all out again as she will find him by Christmas...

All of this sounds too close to how she thinks as the mysterious lady used our gal's own phrases causing her to believe she must go on this Quest....

This is a sweet story of looking and not seeing what is in front of you... of being afraid to risk something you care about... and have one of two things happen...Having a relationship become even better and be the most wonderful...or losing the relationship all together.

Enjoy this tale and think of Lauren Layne's happiness in you doing so, Fa La La
Blurred Lines
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Good Girl
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Love Story (Love Unexpectedly #3)
Walk of Shame
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Yes, It is that Time of Year...
What time is that you ask....

Well, it is the time when fortunes are told...
And A Confused Wish List is made of Ex's to Revisit....

For the Psychic's Whispers told of a " True Love " out there...
Someone she has met before...

Little does she know...
He is right in front of her....
And what she doesn't need is ....

An Ex for Christmas (Love Unexpectedly #5)- November 7th 2017

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Jen (jenslostinthepages) ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a book that will put you in the perfect Christmas mood, then definitely pick up An Ex for Christmas! Not only was it fun, flirty and sexy, but I found myself humming Christmas songs for days after I finished that last page. It was impossible not to since we got to witness them decorating for the holidays, there was Christmas songs playing in the background and the story even took place in a setting that felt like a winter wonderland. An Ex for Christmas became my favorite Christmas romance, and I hope you end up loving it just as much as I did!

I turn back to Mark’s house and look up at the second floor, even though I know his bedroom window faces the opposite way. As expected, there’s nothing but still darkness, and I can’t stop the sinking sensation that things are somehow changing between us. And I don’t know why, and I don’t know how to stop it.

Kelly Byrne was a character I definitely haven't met in a book before. She used Magic 8 balls, horoscopes and tarot cards to help determine where she should go in life. I liked her quirky, friendly ways, especially since she was a huge ball of happy energy. On her way home at the train station, a woman beckoned to Kelly that she had news for her. She told Kelly that she'd already met The One, and he'd come back to her before Christmas. Taking it as the honest truth, she made a list of her exes and slowly started meeting back up with them.

The last thing I need when I’m trying to hunt down my exes is to start getting sexy thoughts about my BFF.

When Kelly started meeting her exes I was either a laughing, cringing, or desperately needing to cover my face kinda mess. Oh my gosh, count on being more than entertained each time she met a different ex lol. I felt bad for her because each time her hopes were so high. She was always so optimistic! But then when disaster would strike, she'd be reminded all over again why that man was definitely on her ex list. Thankfully Kelly always had a constant in her life, no matter how horrific her meet-ups were. And that was her best friend Mark Blakely.

He doesn’t meet my eyes. Not once. Not until he lowers his hand, his fingertips brushing over my lips at the very moment his gaze lifts to mine.
It feels like an electric shock.
The touch of his fingers on my lips, the heat of his gaze, the weight of his body pinning mine to the ground . . .
Somehow all of those combined is creating the most intense, unexpectedly carnal moment of my life. My eyes flutter in confusion.
No, that can’t be right. “Carnal” isn’t a word I associate with Mark.

Kelly and Mark had been best of friends for the last ten years. They shared a dog, a backyard and they were extremely comfortable around each other. Yet I couldn't help but melt during so many of their interactions. And the thing was, Kelly started to be affected during some of those moments too. Which she shouldn't be, because he was just her bff right?! Well it didn't help that gruff, sexy Mark was kinda hard to read. You see his actions, words or even eyes would come across in an ever so sexy way, but then the next second he'd go back to being just Mark. So I found myself smiling and sighing out loud a lot of the times when Mark was in the picture. I was all for Kelly taking that step to see if Mark was into her too. Yet she didn't want to risk their friendship and tumble down that path. I got it, in real life I would have acted the same way that Kelly did, but since this is a book I found myself wanting to bonk her over the head ever so lightly with her Magic 8 Ball and say go after Mark.

He steps even closer, a slight smile playing at his lips. “Kell?”
“What?”
“Shut up.”
He sets a knuckle to the bottom of my chin, tilting my face toward his.
My heart’s still pounding, although now it’s not so much about panic as . . . want.
I want nothing more at this moment than his lips on mine, his hands on my back pulling me close . . . >
Mark’s lips brush my cheek. My cheek.
He pulls back slightly, eyes locking on mine for one heated heartbeat.
And then he steps away . “Night, Kell.” His voice is rough.
“Night.”
He turns and walks into the raging blizzard, leaving me staring after him, mostly oblivious to the snow that’s getting all over my kitchen floor, soaking my borrowed pajama pants.
I’m ignoring the storm outside because I’m too aware of the storm within . . . and the startling realization that I want a do-over on that mistletoe kiss.
Because a part of me wishes it had gone very, very differently.

The way the story ended *happy screaming* awwww it was the best ever! So if you adore happy quirky females, guys that give off the gruff and sexy vibe, and a cute story line that will give you all the Christmas feels, then definitely check out this book. LL did a fabulous job writing this festive and fun Christmas story, and I'm hoping you'll love it too!

*ARC kindly provided by Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Lily (Night Owl Book Cafe) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

When a psychic tells a superstitious Kelly Byrne that she had already met her true love, she becomes obsessed with tracking him down so she isn’t alone for Christmas. Kelly makes an “Ex List” and starts contacting her old boyfriends to try and figure out which one of these guys are her true love that she has passed up on. But, Kelly never expected that this Christmas sparks might be flying with someone else.

Mark Blakely has been Kelly’s best friend forever. He has watched the guys on Kelly’s list break her heart and isn’t really looking forward watching, or experiencing that again. Plus, Mark has been sitting on the sidelines long, and is ready to move on to something more. All he has to do is convince the woman who is looking elsewhere to see what is in front of her.

YES! This is exactly the type of romance I adore and always on the look out for. Kelly and Mark were so perfect together in this book. It’s been a while since I have enjoyed or read a romance, so when I picked this one up and was unable to put down, I knew I had a winner.

I enjoyed the humor and the romance. I totally love best friends to lovers tropes, so I was sold on this right away. Plus, Layne has a way of building up romances that are both adorable, tension filled and steamy. I really liked the build up, I loved when sparks flew between the two with both became aware of each other.

I loved that they co-own a dog and how wonderful and protective their friendship/relationship was. Turning the pages both warmed my heart and made me giggle. Layne does a great job of lacing humor into her books.

If you love Christmas, this really brings romance and holiday to the table as Kelly is a complete Christmas junky.

I did like Kelly, I liked her spunk and her personality, but her belief in the Sight and superstition turns into a gospel she lives by and feels a little crippling at times. When she was starting to discover her feelings for Mark, she never took the time to sit back and think about the woman’s words, what they meant, and that maybe, just maybe she didn’t have to live by them. It was especially exasperating when she mentions that she always wanted to feel like that about someone, as she does for Mark.

Mark totally won the story for me, I wish if she author was going to put one chapter from his POV in it that maybe there would have been more. I’d really liked to get into his head and find out his thoughts on Kelly’s process and how he felt about it, because it felt like Mark had a big role in what kept happening to Kelly and her Ex’s.

There was a bit of unnecessary drama thrown into the end, I honestly did not expect Kelly to actually get through her list and I would have been fine with that, especially with the way she felt for Mark.

But this was a totally cute, totally feel good Christmas romances that just melts your heart. I think it’s perfect for the holiday season.

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

This was a fun little Christmas romance! Lauren Layne is one of my go to authors when I am in the mood for a contemporary romance. When I pick up a Lauren Layne romance, I expect to enjoy myself for a few hours with characters that just seem to fit with each other. This was a perfect example of her writing and I had a really nice time reading the story.

Kelly and Mark were great. They have been best friends for the past ten years. They live right next to each other sharing a backyard and even a dog. Seriously, they share a dog...I am not sure that it even gets more perfect than sharing a dog. There is one little problem in that Kelly is convinced that her romantic future is with one of her ex-boyfriends after a conversation with a psychic at the train station.

So this book was a little bit predictable. I knew that Kelly wasn't going to find her happily ever after with one of her loser ex-boyfriends as soon as Mark entered the story. They were just so perfect together and I thought that they had a really fun way of relating to each other. There was some definite chemistry between them as well.

This book was filled with Christmas fun. Kelly goes all out for Christmas and this is the first year that her parents are out of town for the holiday. You will get the full holiday experience with this story with tree decorating, holiday movies, a Christmas parade, and even a bit of snow. I loved the small town holiday setting and thought it added a bit of romance to the story.

I would recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. I thought that this was a well done friends to lovers story with a whole lot of holiday spirit. I can't wait to read more from Lauren Layne very soon.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley.

Initial Thoughts
Completely predictable but cute.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is purported to be part of a series, but I can detect no interaction between the stories so I think it's a marketing thing.

I wanted to like this. I really did. It was cute and endearing. For the first half. But then it dragged on. And on. And now I hate everybody and kind of want them to perish in a freak balloon animal accident. And I feel bad because many friends really liked this and I went way beyond where I wanted to stop and now it feels like I'm poking my head in a blender and daring my worst enemy to flip the switch.

At this point, Kelly is a complete moron for not putting together that, oh yeah, Mark is totally her soulmate. But no. She added the prerequisite onto the fortune teller's dramatic pronouncement that he has to be an ex as well as someone she already knows. Invented it on the spot for no reason whatsoever. So she's still hanging on to a thing that's entirely in her head even in her own screwed-up fantasy land of horoscopes and fortune tellers. So she's not even living by her own paradigm. And Mark would be just lovely only he has all the courage of a mayonnaise sandwich on a hot day (the flat stupid kind of mayonnaise) and can't be bothered to actually tell her what he wants and has to pfaff about with "well what do you want" clown droppings. So I want him to grow a spine and for her to grow a brain and for them both to actually act like best friends and be honest with each other.

Why do authors have best friend stories where they're hiding crap from each other?!? Do their best friends know that they believe best friends lie to each other literally all the time?!?

Sigh. I hate to be done with this story because I really did like them for that first half. Their friendship seemed real for that part and they were so dang cute and I just couldn't wait for them to realize that they are perfect for each other. And now I'm inventing ways that balloon animals could be turned into murder weapons. So not a complete loss...

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
Sweet and funny holiday romance written in Lauren Layne's trademark relaxed and witty, rom-com style.
After a psychic tells Kelly Byrne that she’s already met her true love, she becomes obsessed with tracking him down before Christmas. She writes up an “Ex List” and starts contacting old boyfriends to figure out which is the one. While she is busy pursuing these men it is evident that sparks are flying between her and her best friend Mark, someone she's never considered.

To be honest I got a little exasperated with Kelly's stubborness, I wanted to shake her and ask "Don't you see this kind and perfect guy right in front of you?"
Enjoyable, recommended, seasonal reading . Kelly and Mark were sweet together.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

[Dali · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazingly cute, fun and sexy romance about a girl looking for love in the wrong places when the right guy has been there all along.

Spirited, superstitious and a bit wacky Kelly Byrne believes in fate, fortune and psychics. Having been told that she’s met her true love and that she’d be with him by Christmas, she goes on the hunt. Going through her ex-boyfriends list wouldn’t be such a shore if only her heart would cooperate instead of insisting on spending time with her best friend who would never be “the one,” right?

“A snowy afternoon. With adult beverages. And Christmas movies. And my dog. And Mark. I follow after him, feet frozen, face numbt, and heart so full I don’t even know what to do with myself.”

For the past decade, Mark Blakely has loved Kelly from behind their best friend barrier because the timing between them has never been right. He’s lent his shoulder when guys break her heart, he cooks dinner for her, stays with her while she decorates her tree and even half adopted her dog, Rigby. But her ex for Christmas list is just nonsense. Can he convince her that he’s what she’s looking for?

Mark and Kelly’s relationship was absolutely addicting. I just loved the banter between them. It was fun and felt natural in a way that only a true friends can establish. It was infectiously amusing from start to finish. They were there for each other through thick and thin. Ok, it was mostly Mark grumpily but with a ton of affection helping Kelly out, but you no matter what, you felt their bond was as solid as cookies and milk.

It took a while for Kelly to clue into the incredible chemistry between them and a bit more for her to grasp that the depth of their relationship could be so much better is she only gave it a chance, because understandably their friendship was very important to her.

“I know I want you. I know that all I can think about is touching you, and having you touch me. I also know I’m scared of losing you. Of messing up the most important relationship of my life…”

Mark’s love for Kelly was incredibly endearing. Even when he suffered through watching Christmas chick flicks and helped her with her ex list, he always put her happiness first. There’s a special place in my heart for book boyfriends like him.

It took a while for these two to get their act together and there were times when I wanted to throttle Kelly’s Magic 8 ball right along with her, but I was very pleased and incredibly happy with their happily ever after.

Lauren Lane became a fixture in my bookshelf long ago because she never fails to deliver a wonderful story with a great balance between sweet affection, contagious playfulness and appealing romance that has me happily flipping pages.

Actual rating 4.5

Amazon -> http://amzn.to/2iKYZiv

An Ex for Christmas is a super cute standalone contemporary Christmas romance by Lauren Layne. It is told from the heroine’s point of view and has a happy ending.

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[Mysza · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** 5 All I want for Christmas is MARK! stars *****



Ho Ho Ho! I officially started Christmas season with this book.

Loved it. Fabulous hero and heroine. Sweet, funny, a tiny bit angsty second chance love story that you will adore.

Go, get your holiday spirit on with this one!!!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay I'm so glad I finally completed this series. All books in this series have been a solid 4 stars for me but they lacked that elated giddiness that you feel at the end of a good love story but this one had that magic.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Lauren Layne charms, she sure does charm. An Ex for Christmas is just the perfect romantic book to spend a cold winter night with, especially if you’re in need of a “lift-me-up”. It’s delightful, and just oozes joy from every page. No doubt, lovers of all things holidays and romance will devour this magical read.

On her way back home from work one evening before the holidays, Kelly meets a psychic who tells her that she’s already met the love of her life. Being the romantic and superstitious girl that she is, Kelly is convinced that one of her exes is her true love, so she goes on a mission trying to reconnect with all of them by Christmas. Watching her on the sidelines? Her best friend, Mark, who has always been there for her! I adored the setup for this book. It was so warm and lovely, and Lauren Layne does a beautiful job with it. It could easily have gotten tangled as Kelly goes through her list, all the while ignoring the man right in front of her, but LL writes her character in a way that makes her relatable. Her goals are well-intended being the romantic at hear, and she’s not out to hurt anyone. She’s obviously very stubborn, but I had to admire her determination. She’s a sweet girl, with a funny side who had me laughing at her shenanigans.

Mark is just the perfect guy for her, but of course it takes her forever to realize it! I was enamored by him from the very beginning. He’s a chef (the way to my heart – swoon!), slightly grumpy, and a hottie! He’s everything that I love in a LL hero with his sweet and supportive nature – give me all the good hot guys! I especially loved how he was constantly there for Kelly. It’s obvious that he’s 100% hopelessly in love with her, and has been for quite a while, but he’s so guarded with his feelings around her. The romance in An Ex for Christmas was too adorable for words. In between her mission, Kelly starts to realize that she just might have feelings for Mark, that he reciprocates. They dance around each other for a while, but they can’t ignore chemistry forever. The romance had me sighing in happiness, and my cold heart melting multiple times. The Christmassy elements made the book even more perfect for me. It amped up all the romantic elements, in my opinion.

An Ex For Christmas is a love letter to all those who love romance and Christmas. Do yourself a favor, grab a hot chocolate and curl up with this book under a warm fuzzy blanket. For a few hours, you’ll be in romance heaven. 😉

[DJ Sakata · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

He looks like a lumberjack version of Clark Kent, Byrne. Other men don’t exactly love their girl being besties with sexy, scruffy Superman.

I’m nothing but the half-batty sister who believes in tea leaves and kinda sort believes Hogwarts is real.

He gestures with his fork toward my boobs, and I glance down to see a glob of cheese. I sigh and get out yet another napkin and clean up the mess, although mostly I just smear oil around. “I’m usually very elegant on dates.”

My Review:

Kelly made all her important life decisions with a Magic 8 ball, actually with three Magic 8 balls, stashed strategically so she is never without coverage. She had one at home, one at work, and a small one on her keychain to consult when she was “out and about.” She was also superstitious and believed in the “woo-woo” of fortune-tellers, tarot cards, and palm readers. So when a homeless woman on a train platform beckoned to Kelly and told her that she had already met the love of her life and would reconnect with him before Christmas, Kelly takes that message to heart and generated an Ex List of her past boyfriends and began locating them to determine which one was her “One” in the few days before Christmas. This sounded like a cute and entertaining premise, and it was. Kelly was rather obtuse and thoughtless in her treatment of her best friend and neighbor, Mark, whom I adored.

I enjoyed this delightfully amusing and light holiday read and I always enjoy Ms. Layne’s clever wit. Written primarily from a first person POV, the narrative was confessional and packed with self-effacing humor with breezy asides from the sassy and self-obsessed Kelly. My favorite scene was the procuring of the Christmas tree, one of many scenes that kept me smirking.

[h o l l i s · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, you'll love AN EX FOR CHRISTMAS. It has all the cheese, Christmas, caroling, and cringey-cute moments you would expect. For me this was more cringe than cute though.

I usually love bestfriends to lovers romances. And this one was a doozy. Our leads have been friends for ten years. But it wasn't until Kelly, who believes in signs and fate and Magic 8 balls, is told she'll that her One True Love is someone she's already met that she decides to reconnect with her exes before Christmas, that the friendship that has been such a cornerstone of her life starts to change. Suddenly Mark is sending different signals, suddenly Kelly is feeling jealous, and the countdown to Christmas draws closer.

This could've ticked all my boxes.. if Kelly hadn't been so oblivious, so inconsiderate in her mad hectic ex-chasing, and hadn't been so hypocritical in her jealousies (which I get it, helped her realize her feelings, but heyooo did she ever apologize? I don't think she did). Mark's frustration was a little harsh at times but completely understandable because duh. Kelly was a bit of a nutter. I loved the bickery banter of their relationship in the early part of the book and was excited to see the sparks fly when they finally crossed the line but unfortunately their sexytimes did nothing for me. I don't know if it was rushed or just illtimed for the scenes but.. yeah. There were also really smothering and rather annoying parents, too much mistletoe, and an abundance of douchecanoe exboyfriends.

I think a lot of people will love this, not just for the perfectly timed release for the holidays but for all the magic of Christmas and finally seeing what's been there in front of you. The reliable, solid, dependable, friend who loves from afar is almost always a hit. I just wish I could've fallen for Kelly the way Mark had.

2.5 "Christmas lyric overload" stars

[Jeannine Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed this one! It was a quick, fun holiday read that ended up being very sweet 😍

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

Kelly believes in horoscopes, superstitions, and Magic 8 Ball. Her best friend, Mark, is a total opposite. But they have been pretty much in each other's pocket for a decade, knowing each other's tell very well, sharing backyard AND a custody of a fur baby. Except being in a romantic relationship... When a psychic tells Kelly that she has meet her One True Love, will she realizes that he's the one who has been there all along?

If there is one book that I think will be a PERFECT material for a romcom that I read this year, well THIS IS IT. I loved it. It has ALL the rights recipe of friends-to-lovers, a well-done opposite attracts, imbued with magical sense of CHRISTMAS season.

The chemistry and tension built towards the moment where Kelly and Mark's relationship changes from friendship to something more is believable. And I felt SO VERY delighted with the whole thing.

The only thing I slightly didn't like was the sex; because it was more steamy than sweet and I prefer sweet when it comes to my holiday read. Of course, it's a matter of preference.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC Provided by the Author***

One of the best friends to lovers romances I have ever read...because you really believe that they are friends. There is a development of that relationship in the story and there is a history between Kelly and Mark that makes them not only interesting but you want to see them work out.

Kelly is oblivious. Mark is in love with her. But, he is also her friend and he supports her. Even when her crazy scheme has her making a list and revisiting her ex-boyfriends because a psychic tells her that her true love is someone she has already met.

Yes, the story isn't necessarily original. But, and this matters, the romance genre is tough. There have to be 2 strong characters, they have to have and develop chemistry, and there is a happily ever after heading your way...so, within this formula it is the challenge of the author to find a way to make the story feel fresh and new. The beauty of this story is the characters, and the writing, as you are charmed and engaged by both, leaving you wanting to keep reading, to know what happens next, and to see how long it takes Kelly to figure out what is right in front of her.

The scenes with them, once she finally figures out what is right in front of her, are wonderful and the side of Mark, the one where he finally gets a chance at the girl, are wonderful and are some of the best I have read. There is something so compelling with reading about someone who is finally getting to have the experience (and the girl) that he has wanted forever. Yes, there are bumps and a few hurdles for them to get past, but they are so worth it to get to the end.

This is a holiday romance. I don't read them as a rule. I picked it up because it is a Lauren Layne, and I will read anything by her. I recommend it, and would read it again, because I absolutely loved it.

[~Mandi~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Ex for Christmas
Lauren Layne
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such a great Christmas romance. This should definitely become the next Hallmark Christmas movie. I loved both the main characters. Kelly is very superstitious and believes in fate. Mark is her total opposite which is great because he keeps her grounded. They are so perfect for each other but Kelly may not realize it until it’s too late.
I love Lauren Layne. She puts out such great stories. I read as many of hers as I can.
Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

[sana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. this was cute and cheesy but kelly was lowkey so annoying sometimes. mark tho <3

[Dísir · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m starting to wonder if Lauren Layne and I should start to part ways. When I’ve loved her earlier works, these days, I’ve taken more and more issues of late with her characters whom I can’t seem to like at all—and my recent lowered ratings of her books might be an unfair attempt to recapture what I’ve felt about her previous books.

The friends-to-lovers (with an unrequited element) romance is one where I tread very, very carefully, because there’re just too many entanglements and questions that tend not to be satisfactorily answered before a typical, teary grovelling session happens just a page or 2 before both parties ride off into the sunset. Romantic-comedy or not, I do like my couples evenly-paired emotionally at the very least, which means that I do need to see, while reading the romance genre, that both are on the same page when it comes to their feelings for each other, rather than a protagonist hankering after another for an extended period of time, then having the other playing catch up only in the last few pages. Where’s the satisfaction in that?

“An Ex for Christmas” was just that for me, though I was under the impression that it was more of a timing-not-right sort of thing for them, instead of one where an obtuse woman stomps on a man's heart unknowingly.

For want of a better way of putting things, Kelly seemed to bring out the latent violent tendencies in me as I found myself caught between wanting to smack her and throwing a chair at her for her steadfast refusal to see how much she’d put Mark in the friend zone. Kelly’s perky obliviousness and inability to recognise what was in front of her all along—while flaunting the plan to dates ALL of her ex-es in front of the guy who’s always loved her—was not just cringeworthy, but thoughtless and stupid, considering this came off some screwed-up, superstitious conclusion based on an old woman’s prediction.

In fact, I felt so bad for Mark and actually wished he found someone else other than a woman who’d never seemed to return his feelings beyond platonic friendship. I thought he deserved better instead of Kelly’s ‘sudden’ realisation that she ‘thought she loved’ him despite him going to bat for her—the obstinate search for her ex-es even though those tanked disastrously proved it sufficiently, and I couldn’t blame him at all for finally wanting to give up while the woman he wanted simply went off doing her own merry thing.

Obviously my sentiments lie in the minority here—unrequited love stories tend to do that for me, particularly with the one who pined for a long time—but exasperation and irritation just got the better of me for this one. So I skimmed, if only for poor Mark, feeling relieved when I got to the end, though not any happier about it still because their love affair all sat wrong with me. Like I said, maybe this is sort of the end of the road for me when it comes to Layne’s stories; never say never though, but I’m going to be taking a wide berth for now.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5, put a smile on my face, stars!!

“Sometimes the stars just have to align, and you’ve got to be quick on your feet.”

Fate. Kismet. Serendipity. Second Chances. An Ex for Christmas is the perfect feel good holiday romance that you just can’t help but swoon over.

It’s that time of year. The weather is turning cooler. The leaves are changing colors and we’re all getting out our fall must haves. And I don’t know about you guys, but this is my favorite time to dive into holiday reads. I can’t get enough of the warmth, magic and the good ol’ tug on my heart strings. And let me tell you, An Ex for Christmas certainly knocks it out of the park.

An Ex for Christmas is the 5th book in the Love Unexpectedly Series, and can be read as a stand-alone novel. An Ex for Christmas follows the story of Kelly and Mark. Kelly is what you might call superstitious. She is obsessed with all things fate related and believes that everything happens for a reason. So, when Kelly has a chance meeting with a psychic just before the holidays, she will stop at nothing to make the prophecy she was told come true….And so begins the “Ex” list. Kelly makes a list of all her ex’s hoping that she has already met the one, but you know what they say…sometimes the best things have been under your nose the whole time…

An Ex for Christmas was a total fun read. It will impossible to not get caught up in Kelly’s belief’s and antics; hoping that she will find the one. I thought Kelly was crazy in the best possible way. I loved that she was so into the fates and didn’t let others disbeliefs knock her down. I loved the relationship that Kelly and Mark had. They were the best of friends, and while I knew right away how the story was going to go, it was still a joy to watch it all unfold.

An Ex for Christmas is the kind of read that you just want to curl up by the fire with. It’s fun and entertaining. It’s sexy and frustrating and swoon worthy as ever. I loved everything about this book and it certainly made my heart full and happy. A really enjoyable read.

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via the publisher and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

An Ex for Christmas by Lauren Layne is a fun, sweet, hot and very entertaining friends to lovers read.

The storyline is well written, the plot held my interest all throughout the book and Mark and Kelly were likable, engaging characters that I easily connected with.
Watching these opposites come together had me laughing one minute, then wanting to shake them the next. It was so obvious they belonged together but the fear of losing their friendship kept them from giving into their feelings.



I loved Kelly and Mark together, I have no doubt these two would have a long and happy life together.

Lauren Layne has once again written a beautiful love story that will bring out the feels and leave you with a happy heart and a smile on your face.
An Ex for Christmas is the perfect holiday read and I highly recommend it.



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[Romance Recs · Rating 4 out of 5]

She’s making her ex list and checking it twice. When superstitious school teacher Kelly runs into a psychic who tells her she’s already met “the one”, Kelly goes in a quest to find her exes before Christmas Day and see if maybe one of them could be her soulmate.

Mark, whom Kelly has been best friends with for 10 years is her go to guy and truly just a friend. Reading this made me wonder why neither ever made a move as they were clearly meant to be.

He does seem to get annoyed with her superstitious quirks but is it because they’re pulling her away from Mark?

The Ex For Christmas is a friends to lovers Christmas small town romcom. If you’re looking for an upbeat friends to lovers Christmas romance, you’ll love this one.

[Arielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO CUTE. I had just been telling a friend that I had been craving a good holiday romance and of course Lauren Layne comes through right at the perfect time. It had memorable characters, a great friends-to-lovers romance, the right amount of steam, and the perfect touch of holiday fun. Sighhhh. Not going to lie it had me taking out my Christmas decorations (no I didn't put them up yet...just want to be ready for when the time comes lol).

HIGHLY recommend if you're looking for a quality holiday romance:) If anyone has more suggestions, feel free to let me know!

[Antonella · Rating 3 out of 5]

she doesn't deserve him...

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

As soon as I finished Made in Manhattan, I knew I wanted to read a new Lauren Layne book, so I did. I finished Made in Manhattan at like 1:30 AM I swear lmaooo but I did start the first chapter of this one and omg I knew it was going to be a hit as well. So today, in the morning, I read and I read and I finished it!

An Ex for Christmas is such a fun read! You know,,,, best friends to lovers sometimes deserves rights. I don't usually read that trope, but maybe I have to do it more often? It really gives you a lot of goodies like shared history, knowing each other for years, jealousy scenes that are just supreme to other jealousy scenes... and the list goes on. This story is about Kelly and Mark who have been besties since kids. Kelly is very superstitious so when an old woman tells her at the train station that she has already met the love of her life she thinks one of her exes is it, so she decides to revisit her exes to find out if they could be something again.

Of course, Mark isn't pleased because he has been in love with Kelly for ten years and has waited for her to realize they are meant to be!!! Like THE GUY HAS DATED PEOPLE WHENEVER KELLY DATES AND WHEN SHE BREAKS UP WITH HER BOYFRIENDS HE ALSO BREAKS UP WITH HIS GIRLFRIENDS SO THEY CAN BE SINGLE TOGETHER sobs thinking that maybe it will be the moment Kelly realizes!!! but omg Mark my mannnn I love the pining, this has so much pining my friends it's glorious. You can see from a mile away that Mark has some deep feelings for Kelly and I love how comfortable they are in their friendship and they practically are a married couple tbh they even co-parent a cute doggie.

This is also a very grumpy/sunshine dynamic!! She loves Christmas so much, she's that girl who sings Christmas songs during the holidays and cannot stop would not stop lmao he is stoic and rarely smiles, but he cares so much for Kelly and is always there for her when she needs him. He comes to cook for her, she borrows pjs from him when she doesn't bring any, they watch Christmas movies, and spend quiet nights together and this before she even realizes she likes him lmao like!!! the kind of content you want in your romance books I swear.

I'm going to continue to read more Lauren Layne books because I'm missing so many.