Ballet and babysitting bring two teens together in this very merry holiday rom-com from the author of the acclaimed Bookish Boyfriends series
Noelle Partridge is known for three things: being the best ballet dancer, babysitter, and person with the most Christmas spirit in her small town. But lately she’s bored by the lessons at her dance school, and her friends and father are more bah humbug than Hallmark movie marathon. So when her favorite babysitting clients ask her to accompany them on a ski trip over winter break, she packs her bags for the slopes. It helps that they’re offering double her rate—she’ll need the money for Beacon, an elite ballet academy that’s granted her an audition.
Noelle is ready to “Deck the Halls” and have fa la la la fun, until Wyatt, the older half-brother of her babysitting charges, decides to surprise his family for the holiday. He’s one of the best dancers at Beacon, and makes Noelle’s head spin faster than pirouettes. Unfortunately, she also manages to step on his toes—spoiling his surprise and complicating his secret plans. After a few missteps, Noelle and Wyatt begin to thaw toward each other and bond over the big decisions looming in each of their lives. With enough Christmas magic, Noelle might just start the New Year with lots of babysitting cash in her pocket and a chance with the pas de deux partner of her dreams.
Tiffany Schmidt is the author of acclaimed books for young readers, including the Bookish Boyfriends series, I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas, Once Upon a Crime Family duology and several others.
She’s found her happily ever after in Pennsylvania with her saintly husband, impish twin boys, and a pair of mischievous puggles.
You can find out more about her and her books at: TiffanySchmidt.com
I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas (how can you not love this title?) is a sweet YA book about the holiday spirit, crushes, friendship, and trying to put grief behind you.
Noelle Partridge (another super-adorable name for a holiday rom-com) loves Christmas. She always plans major activities for her and her best friends, and she and her father always team up to try and have the best holiday they can, because it helps them deal with the loss of her mother.
But this year, her friends are making every excuse not to do Christmas activities and her father is barely paying any attention to her or the upcoming holidays. So when one of her best babysitting clients asks her to accompany their family on a ski trip over the holidays, she jumps at the chance. The snow can awaken her spirit and she can make lots of money to help pay for Beacon, the exclusive ballet school she wants to attend.
What she doesn’t count on, however, is the arrival of Wyatt, her babysitting charges’ older stepbrother. Wyatt is a fantastic dancer at Beacon and Noelle has an enormous crush on him. Of course, things are awkward and Wyatt doesn’t understand why Noelle is there with his family, but after a while they both let their guards down and share their anxieties and sadness with each other.
This is a YA novel which definitely skews really young, so it would be perfect for younger readers. There’s none of the heavy emotional angst or mature themes you usually find in YA books. It's a cute read!
If you're looking for a YA perfect for younger readers, this delightful holiday romance is a treat. Noelle is a 14-year-old dancer who is excited about the prospect of attending a dance academy - but it might be out of the budget and out of reality with a single father whose business hasn't yet started to thrive. Noelle, in addition to dancing, is a babysitter and she's been given the chance to attend a week-long ski vacation with a client family as a means of babysitting the youngest child when he's not up for the activity. It's good money, it's time away, and even though it conflicts with all of her favorite Christmas traditions, she knows things are not going to be what they used to be before her mom died. Her dad's attention and presence has been waning, so she might as well stash some cash for potentially going to the dance academy (one hitch: she hasn't told her dad yet).
Enter Wyatt.
He's the stepson of the family Noelle is babysitting and her deep crush. He's a dancer, too, and a student at the academy. When he shows up as a surprise on the ski trip, it's with a secret: he wants to leave the dance academy. It's no longer his dream or passion. While he and Noelle are not immediately smitten, feelings do develop . . . as does Noelle's understanding of what it is SHE'S passionate about, too, and it might not be the future she once saw for herself.
This is full of heart, of holidays, and of sweet romance. It blends so many fun elements of being a high school freshman, possibilities, and what it means to make a choice about the future at such a young age. While the book tackles some heavy themes, it's ultimately a romance with a satisfying ending and feel-good vibes through and through.
What a fun cute Christmas read. I enjoyed this so much a sweet fun time. Perfect for a holiday read, full with holiday spirit and a great holiday background!
I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Chirstmas is a cute, heartwarming romance perfect for the upcoming holiday season. The book follows Noelle, a dancer who absolutely loves Christmas, and always goes overboard with the celebrations. But as her dad, the only family she has left after the death of her mother, grows withdrawn, Noelle decides to accept one of her babysitting clients' offer to spend the holidays with them at a ski lodge. From there, Noelle meets Wyatt, and a fun, sparkling romance ensues.
My initial thoughts on this book were so-so. While I understood why Noelle was so upset about everything, and why she was acting the way she did, I thought she could be unbearably self-centered at times. Her inner diologue made it difficult for me to actually get invested in the story, and I had a hard time liking her. I could definitely sympathize for her, because it's so difficult losing a parent around Christmas time, and growing apart from someone you love is terrifying, but she took all of it a bit far at times.
This did not take away my enjoyment of the book, however. Once Noelle was actually at the lodge, I was way more engaged with the story. It felt reminiscence of some of the Hallmark movies I enjoy watching, while still adding its own twist to things.
A big issue I've had with romances recently is that I simply cannot understand why the two main characters like each other, but I can happily say that this wasn't the case here. Noelle and Wyatt had a lot and common, though were different enough that they didn't immediately get along. I loved watching their journey from reluctant housemates to their budding romance. It was all very sweet.
I also particularly enjoyed Noelle's questioning of whether she should fully dedicate herself to something at only 14 years old. I was kind of in the same position as her when I was younger, but it took me a lot longer to realize that I shouldn't box myself in like that, because there are so many options out there. I think it was a good conversation to have, and it was really well done. It didn't take over the plot and dominate the story, but it was necessary to talk about, and a fantastic compromise was reached.
So, while it took me a little while to get into the story, and to begin rooting for our main character (who I will say definitely does grow throughout the story), I still really enjoyed my time with it. It was the perfect romance to read during the holiday season, and I would recommend it for those looking for something light-hearted and fun. Though there are several mentions of a death of a parent and grief, so if you're looking for all fluff, this one might not be for you. I personally liked this aspect because it added another layer and emotional depth to the story. Noelle's mom had died several years ago, but she still found herself stunned by grief from time to time, and it felt so natural and raw. I really liked that.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
My expectations for this book were basically sky high. A YA Christmas story and babysitting? It sounded so cute! I was fully intending for this to be my favorite Christmas read. However, I ended up liking it fine, but I didn’t love it the way I was expecting to. This is definitely on the (very) young end of YA. The main character Noelle is a freshman in high school and is 14-15 years old. As such, this book would be a great choice for someone who reads a lot of middle grade and is looking to transfer to YA. For me personally (someone who reads a ton of YA), this felt very young. Noelle was pretty immature and had difficulty communicating with her father. Wyatt wasn’t very kind to her for a lot of the book and I couldn’t understand why she liked him. Then suddenly he did a total 180 and was nice to her and liked her romantically. It didn’t feel natural.
My other issue with this book was the pacing. It was very slow and felt like nothing happened. Especially the beginning prior to Noelle taking this babysitting job over the Christmas holiday.
I really enjoyed the Christmas elements though. This book is full of snowman making, gingerbread house building, and other fun Christmas traditions. I thoroughly enjoyed those. I also thought Noelle had some character growth, but it came fairly late in the story and I would have liked to see more.
I totally enjoyed this young adult book and highly recommend it to any teenagers or preteens. There’s a lot of wordage about ballet so if any young ladies or guys are interested in ballet I think they would really enjoy this book. It is also a great book to read to get you into the Christmas spirit. I like the way it was set in Vermont at a ski lodge and I enjoyed Noelle and Wyatt’s interactions. I also thought the family that Noelle was babysitting for was a perfect family.
Noelle’s mother always celebrated Christmas to the Nth degree, and after her passing, her father and friends usually continued the tradition, but not this year. With her friends too busy, her home life in disarray, and a big decision regarding dance hanging over her head, Noelle was not feeling swept away by the holiday magic. Therefore, when one of her babysitting families invited her on their ski trip during the holiday break, she accepted. However, all plans went sideways when the big brother, and Noelle’s crush, showed up unexpectedly.
My previous experiences with Schmidt’s books have been great, and once again, she crafted a sweet and fun story filled with lots of relatable characters and heart. I had a fabulous time getting to know Noelle as she struggled with some big changes and choices in her life.
One aspect of this book I really appreciated was that it was geared towards the lower end of YA. Most of the YA books I read feature teens towards the end of high school or preparing to enter college. It’s refreshing to get that younger perspective sometimes, and I am glad to see an offering for teens in that age range.
I found the gentle exploration of Noelle’s grief rather lovely too. She lost her mother six years ago during the holiday season, and with her father withdrawing, she was really feeling the loss this year. My heart ached for her, and then when she talked about the snow globes! 😭 So many tears!
Schmidt did a fantastic job decking the halls and making things festive. One of my favorite things was being at the resort in Vermont and partaking in all the holiday fun. Lots of cocoa and snow along with gingerbread house building, tree lighting, and even a visit with Santa. These moments were cute and sweet but also quite comedic. I loved the rom-com antics which kept the story on the light and fluffy side, right where I like it.
I must mention the lovely group of friends Noelle was lucky enough to have too. These young women shared something special, and their love and affection for Noelle was evidenced by their actions. I thought they had a great dynamic and even when Noelle felt abandoned, they were there, making things happen behind the scenes.
This story of big choices and learning to embrace change was highlighted by an adorable romance, a fantastic friendship, and lots of fun festivities. It was an absolutely charming story that left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling.
This super well-written YA Contemporary read is the perfect book to get readers in the holiday spirit. Full of Christmas cheer, first crushes, adorable babysitting charges, and the sweetest besties. Highly recommended!
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher. This in no way impacted on my view.
For as long as she can remember, Noelle Partridge has loved everything about Christmas, and since her mam passed away, she's tried to keep the magic going, even when it's just her and her dad. But this year, her friends aren't as excited to celebrate, and her dad is spending more and more time in his office, and it's as if he's turned into the Grinch. So when her favourite babysitting family, the Kahales, ask if she would like to spend the holidays with them, extra pay, at a skiing resort, she jumps at the chance. Hopefully the extra money will help pay towards her dream of going to the prestigious Beacon ballet academy. But when her crush, Wyatt Kahale unexpectedly joins the Christmas vacation, Noelle gets off on the wrong foot, and all her experience of babysitting the younger Kahales has gone out the window. Will she be able to find her Christmas spirit again, while overcoming her feelings for Wyatt, and her anxiety over her upcoming audition?
This is a book that I wanted as soon as it was announced. I love Tiffany's books, and Christmas is definitely my favourite part of the year, so a Christmas book from Tiffany was like a dream. Noelle was a character who I immediately loved, and I could completely understand her feelings about Christmas. To her, it's the best time of the year, and when she can remember her mam the most, so it's both a joyful and poignant time. But starting high school, being busier with her babysitting, and her ballet, on top of a somewhat absentee father, has changed her feelings this year. Being away from home, and working over the holiday is something she never expected to do, but she finds she loves spending more time with Kahales, though it's not without it's ups and downs. Her babysitting mojo seems to be wearing off at times, and she's unbelievably awkward around Wyatt at first. Soon, however, they hit it off, and really open up to each other. Their romance was fresh, and new, but progressed so naturally. Okay, there were some times when it was a little cringy, but they are 15 year old kids, dealing with a lot, and they made mistakes at times. I loved the ending, and wish this wasn't a standalone because I think so much more could be explored. Tiffany has knocked it out of the park once again, and I'm really looking forward to her next book!
I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas by Tiffany Schmidt is a cute and festive romcom that is sure to put readers in the holiday spirit. This one combines ballet and babysitting as the main character spends the holidays babysitting her favourite clients at a ski resort. The characters are lovable, and the descriptions of winter activities throughout the book make for a cosy reading experience. This is a great read for those looking for something light with a touch of chaos this holiday season.
Christmas enthusiast Noelle has always made big plans for the holidays, but this year, with her dad and best friends too busy for her activities, Christmas doesn’t feel the same. However, when her favourite babysitting clients invite her on a ski trip to help out over winter break, she’s excited for the chance to get back into the holiday spirit, and the opportunity to earn some more money to put toward an elite ballet academy. That is, until the kids’ older stepbrother, who happens to be Noelle’s crush, shows up at the lodge, throwing her world into chaos.
❀ LOVABLE MAIN CHARACTER
Noelle is a lovable main character, and I enjoyed her voice. She is a talented dancer, but, since her current dance school is no longer challenging enough for her, she is looking for a way to advance her career. Wyatt happens to go to the same school Noelle dreams about, but he doesn’t see the same magic in Beacon that she does. I enjoyed the dynamic between these two characters and the way they are able to open up to each other. The kids are also so well-written, and I adored reading about the havoc they wreak.
❀ WINTER VIBES
This book also has peak winter vibes, and there are so many festive activities throughout the book. From building snowmen to decorating gingerbread houses, it is easy to become immersed in the holiday spirit. The ski lodge setting is also so cosy, making this a great read to curl up with by the fire.
❀ UPBEAT AND ENTERTAINING
I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas by Tiffany Schmidt is an upbeat and entertaining holiday read. I loved the combination of ballet, skiing, and babysitting, and the characters are each well-written. This one also contains plenty of holiday cheer, making it a great seasonal story for a younger YA audience.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas.
I get that this is supposed to be a light hearted holiday romcom and I'm definitely pulling the ultimate Scrooge, but while I could understand how this could be considered cute, I really really couldn't stand Noelle as a protagonist and it ruined the book for me. She's an extremely self centered lead and even surrounding here with children who clearly like her couldn't turn me around. While she does acknowledge some of her flaws near the book's end, it's almost always done in a way where it feels like the person she's "apologizing" to puts in more effort and in the end, she destroyed any adorableness this book's love interest and supporting cast brought to the table.
A fun YA romance perfect for cuddling up with a cup of cocoa! Noelle is a dancer, a babysitter, and a Christmas enthusiast. However, she is feeling unchallenged at the dance school in her small town and her friends and dad seem too busy to celebrate like they used to. So when she is invited by her favorite family to babysit for their Christmas vacation, she packs her bags. With the money earned, she can save up for Beacon, a prestigious dance academy. However, their vacation plans are startled when Wyatt, her charges' older half-brother surprises the family for Christmas. Wyatt is one of the best dancers at Beacon and Noelle is in awe. But she seems to be constantly stepping on his toes, when she learns of Wyatt's true reason for coming, they bond over their looming decisions in their lives. As the days pass, will Christmas magic be enough to give Noelle her dreams? This was so cute! I read it in a day! Noelle was really struggling with figuring out how she wanted to move forward with her life. After recent tragedies, she felt adrift and disconnected from most of those around her. So she decides to spend time with her favorite family, even if it means being gone for the holidays. It was fun to see her babysitting know-how, she was really experienced and the kids were so fun! Noelle has to learn to confront her problems and deal with her feelings. She learns to express herself in a way that helps solve things, instead of running away. It was so sweet to watch her strengthen and build her relationships, though I definitely was at times saddened at how she reacted to her dad! She and Wyatt were super cute together! I loved how they connected to one another and could really share their struggles. They were able to help each other see clearly their problems and the possible solutions. He was so sweet with his younger siblings and they adored him. I loved the focus on family, even that which is not by blood. Overall, I think that I'm Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas is a fun holiday read for teens and up! The book deals with grief and loss, is a clean YA romance, and involves a blended family. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.
An ideal Christmas read - cozy and festive but also full of real feelings and real problems for the characters to work through. Especially recommended for anyone into skiing and/or ballet/The Nutcracker!
(4.5 stars) This book was holiday magic perfection! If you wish to read my review and listen to the small playlist I made for this book, you can go HERE.
The only things I forgot to mention in my review are 1) this made me cry like a little baby and 2) the characters in this book are so mature for only being 14/15. I wish they acted a little more their age but also the way they are written definitely lends to this book being something that can be more universally loved.
Highly recommend this for the holiday season! Buy this for romance lovers and any young teens in your life! You won't regret it!
Great read overall. Kept going back between 3.5 and a 4 but I did really enjoy the ending. Definitely a younger young adult but I still really enjoyed the characters. There were a lot of Christmas elements as well which I loved. Wish there was more ballet but still a decent holiday read.
Meh. When I realized my school’s library was very low on holiday reads, I purchased quite a few new books to add to our shelves. I brought them home to review over the break, and this one was cute but definitely my least favorite. I know my middle school girls will love this holiday story, but it just didn’t wow me at all. At least the title is cute!
So obviously I had to read this story because I'm a teen Librarian, my boyfriend's name is Wyatt, and I love everything Christmas. This cute story did not disappoint and it put me in even more of a holiday spirit. What could be better than falling in love on Christmas? Nothing.
While I’ve had Tiffany Schmidt’s books on my TBR for years, I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas was my first book of hers, and it didn’t disappoint. This YA Christmas romcom was sweet, funny, heartfelt, and left me with a big smile.
After the death of her mother six years ago, Noelle has made sure the Christmas season is a huge extravaganza. She, her dad, and her friends plan ALL THE THINGS - carol singing, movie watching, cookie baking, ice skating, pictures with Santa, decorating, you name it. This year is different, though; her dad is so busy he’s basically forgotten she exists, and her three best friends are not only busy with their own lives, they’re also feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of Noelle’s usual Christmas activities. Feeling forgotten and disappointed, Noelle decides to take up an offer to go away for the holidays with one of the families she babysits for...and that family just happens to include her crush, who unexpectedly joins them for the holidays.
This book was so cute. Noelle was such a well-developed character and I really felt for her. The grief aspect of the book made me cry on numerous occasions; it was painful to read, but it was done so well and was incredibly relatable. Noelle’s disappointment and heartache were very real, and I sympathized with her need to be the best at everything and prove herself. I also really enjoyed all the Christmas festivities and how Noelle experienced the magical and the not-so-magical. I’ve been there myself, and I’m sure many others have too: dreaming and planning for a picture-perfect holiday season, wanting to carry on the magic and traditions that were started by someone who’s no longer with you, and having moments of joy but also moments that fizzle or flop. I loved the Kahales and all of Noelle’s adventures and misadventures with them, and how Mrs. Kahale provided that loving parental figure Noelle so desperately needed. Also, I’m not a dancer, but I’ve always been fascinated by ballet, so I enjoyed that aspect of the story too, and Noelle’s passion and dedication for ballet.
The romance was sweet and I enjoyed the progression of Noelle and Wyatt’s relationship, but I kept finding myself wishing they were a bit older for a few reasons. Noelle was given a ton of responsibility for someone barely in her teens. I’m not sure if that’s the norm these days in the world of babysitting, but I found it a bit of a stretch. I have to be honest, it was also weird rooting for a romance between kids who were so young. With me being far from the intended audience of young adult books, I tend to stay away from ones with characters who are younger than sixteen. The stories and characters often feel way too young for me and it’s unfair for adults to say the characters feel immature when that’s kind of the point. In this case, though, it was the opposite - the characters and storyline felt much more mature than what you’d expect from a book about fourteen-year-olds, and I kept thinking of the characters being at least two or three years older.
Overall, I really enjoyed I’m Dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas. It was full of true-to-life emotions with ups and downs, along with plenty of giggles, and a heaping dose of Christmas magic and fun.
*I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts are my own
I’m dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas was a perfect “Christmas in July” read for me. It’s geared towards middle years age readers, and brought me back to my babysitters club days (I loved those books!!!). I know I would have adored this book in my babysitting years. I particularly enjoyed the babysitting tips and cute quotes like, “Babysitting Tip 7: Asking questions isn’t a sign of weakness; it shows maturity. If you’re not sure, call or text the parents!” And “Babysitting Tip 18: Just because someone is little doesn’t mean their problems feel small to them. Listen.”
There was a couple of other sweet quotes that stood out to me as well: * Mom used to say, “Some days you’ve got to hit the Reset button. Get back in bed, pull up the covers, and have a do over.”
* “In our family we don’t fear failure, we fear not trying.”
Noelle is a sweet and lovable character, and her relationship with her father and her friends was dynamic and super relatable. Brought me right back to being a 14-year old kid. While my adult self didn’t fall in love with this book, and found some parts slower, I’m still giving this book 4 stars as I KNOW middle year readers will ADORE this book, and after all it is completely geared towards them. 💗 Thanks so much to #NetGalley, Amulet Books, and Tiffany Schmidt for the pleasure of reading this ARC.
I’m dreaming of a Wyatt Christmas was a perfect “Christmas in July” read for me. It’s geared towards middle years age readers, and brought me back to my babysitters club days (I loved those books!!!). I know I would have adored this book in my babysitting years. I particularly enjoyed the babysitting tips and cute quotes like, “Babysitting Tip 7: Asking questions isn’t a sign of weakness; it shows maturity. If you’re not sure, call or text the parents!” And “Babysitting Tip 18: Just because someone is little doesn’t mean their problems feel small to them. Listen.”
There was a couple of other sweet quotes that stood out to me as well: * Mom used to say, “Some days you’ve got to hit the Reset button. Get back in bed, pull up the covers, and have a do over.”
* “In our family we don’t fear failure, we fear not trying.”
Noelle is a sweet and lovable character, and her relationship with her father and her friends was dynamic and super relatable. Brought me right back to being a 14-year old kid. While my adult self didn’t fall in love with this book, I’m still giving this book 4 stars as I KNOW middle year readers will ADORE this book, and after all it is completely geared towards them. 💗 Thanks so much to #NetGalley, Amulet Books, and Tiffany Schmidt for the pleasure of reading this ARC.
Cute, Christmas-themed rom-com.. Noelle Partridge is a teenage girl who loves ballet and Christmas. She loves Christmas so much that she and her friends do Christmas-related things throughout the entire holiday season. Noelle schedules babysitting jobs and dance studio hours around all of these events. But this year, her friends seem to want to do other things and her dad is just absent, as he's been overly distracted by work lately.
When Noelle's favorite family to babysit for asks her to come with them to help with the kids on a ski trip over Christmas break, Noelle jumps at the chance. Her friends are acting like caroling is the end of the world and surely her dad won't care, since he hasn't been paying much attention to her anyway, But then HE shows up. Wyatt, the half-sibling of the kids she's babysitting. Wyatt attends the fancy dance school that Noelle wants to attend and she's been crushing on him forever through photos and videos from the Kahale family.
This one is a lot of fun, but of course predictable. Still, a good read.