Holly vs. Mr. Ivy

by Amanda P. Jones

Holly

I’m barely scraping a living off my chef’s salary after paying for Mom’s medical bills. When my boss forces me to work with the new, annoyingly handsome and all too cheerful general manager, I want to quit. Listen Rhett, no one is really that happy all the time. But if we don’t turn the restaurant around by New Year's Eve, I’ll be out of a job and a roof over my head. January can’t come fast enough. Although, as the months go on, and I see past Rhett’s facade, I’m dreading when he leaves me behind like yesterday’s scraps.

Rhett

Not everyone can commit to a long-term relationship, myself included. The last time I tried, my ex fled faster than Santa's sleigh. No one wants someone mentally broken. Instead, I hide behind my friendly (aka flirty) behavior—something the beautiful curmudgeonly chef at work loathes. Come on Holly, loosen up a little and enjoy the magic of the season. Even though my uncle doesn’t allow fraternization between staff members, my goal is to help Holly be a little more jolly since she has a way of making me feel like a precious gift instead of a misfit. But when my promotion is on the line, I'm torn between Holly and my career.

Holly vs. Mr. Ivy is a sweet with a sprinkling of heat, closed-door romantic comedy. All books in the Christmas in Connecticut series can be read as stand alones, but they are best enjoyed in order.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Rom Com, Contemporary

291 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 5, 2023

About the author

When not reading or writing (which is rare), Amanda loves to travel, camp, spend time with family and friends, and eat chocolate chip cookies—or any other excuse she can come up with to avoid doing housework. She lives in the Rocky Mountains with her husband and three children.

Reviews

[Jes Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a Christmas rom-com, but it definitely was not your mother's Hallmark-like Christmas rom-com. The characters have real struggles, and not just their jobs being on the line if they don't get their restaurant's numbers up- or fail to comply with the no-dating coworkers policy. The heroine has had a major past trauma from a professor, and is now caring for her very ill mother. The hero has abandonment issues and struggles with both depression and anxiety. Both are have suffered past family losses and are dealing with current family drama. The restaurant business is high-stress, so they are used to juggling so many tensions- but can they avoid the different kind of tension between them?

I appreciated the very real world aspect of this story and watching the characters as they process their pasts as they prepare for their future, especially the hero's mental health struggles. I also always love a good forbidden coworker romance, and this certainly delivered there!

Note to more sensitive readers: the couple are very physically attracted to each other.
I would recommend this book for romcom readers looking for their next story this December.

I received a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly is head chef at an amazing restaurant. When the owner brings in his nephew, Rhett Ivy, as a manager, they get off to a very rocky start. Holly is standoffish and tends to attack like a snake. Rhett is positive and upbeat. It's a mash up of enemies to lovers and grumpy sunshine (two of my faves.)

When they are tasked to increase revenue, they join forces to attack the goal, moving it to friends to lovers.

I absolutely loved Rhett. He was kind and vulnerable, yet strong and protective. Holly was hard to like at first but her character profession was perfect.

I absolutely loved the reference to Telestrations, my family's favorite game. We have had so many laugh out loud moments with that one and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves games.

Although Christmas is featured in this book, it's not front and center. Talks of Christmas don't hit until the book is about 2/3 in. I know for some, Christmas books out of season are off-putting but this one is definitely not Christmas heavy.

This is a sweet clean closed door romance, just swoony kisses.

This is book 3 in the Christmas in Connecticut series and stands on its own but it does spoil some plot points from book 2, Jack & Frost Bake Off, and not just the romance side of the story.

[Heather (heathers.clean.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading Christmas books all year long and I couldn’t wait to read this gem!! This was my first read by Amanda and now I need to read all the rest!! She had me laughing, swooning, and smiling from ear to ear!!

I love a good forbidden romance, especially in the workplace! Throw in witty banter, grumpy/sunshine in reverse, with plenty of swoony moments and I’m a goner!

I absolutely loved Rhett!! He was flirty, handsome, charming and always happy and teasing Holly! But on the inside he’s struggling. He deals with depression and keeps its hidden from everyone. This aspect was dealt with so well and portrayed so that the reader could fully understand all his struggles.

Holly was a hard girl to crack. She had her walls put up around her heart and didn’t have time for romance. She was a caregiver to her sick mother and never made any time for herself. But Rhett broke down those walls and helped her in so many ways.

Holly and Rhett were adorable! I loved their banter and the chemistry between them was scorching!! Lots of tender, sweet moments, as well as laugh out loud ones!! I loved everything about this sweet Christmas romance!!

Things I loved:
The Meet-Cute
Reverse Grumpy/Sunshine
Cookie baking
Morning movie date
The “Almost” kiss
Noah and Trevor
Telestrations!! (I absolutely love this game! It was fun to see it in this book!)
Sunday Brunch
Thanksgiving Day
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Witty banter
The Christmas tree
The First kiss!
And all the kisses after that!
The Epilogue!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. A positive review was not required. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jerrye Tellmeagreatstorylove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you love Christmas books in July?? I love a good Christmas read anytime and this is definitely a new favorite for me. I loved the snappy banter, the excellent MCs and the tense storyline that kept things interesting. Plus there was the addition of dealing with mental health that was so very well done. That real condition was dealt with kindly and respectfully but wasn't the driving factor of the story - which I really loved seeing. Holly and Everett are a fantastic enemies to friends to lovers and I just adored their romance. It was sweet with just the best hint of spice and took place during the most wonderful time of the year. And with the restaurant battle as their reason for forced proximity, it is definitely a story I'm happy to recommend highly. Definitely add this one to your Summer TBR, its not to be missed.

I received a complimentary ARC from the author via BookFunnel. I am not required by anyone to write a positive review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

[Jessica Mayne]

Cute story

[Michelle Angus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Amanda P. jones book that I really loved!

I read all of the books in this series, so that I would know what was going on with the rest of the characters in this book and I am so glad I did. It added another depth to the story knowing all of their backgrounds and history.

I have to say, first off, that I just LOVE Rhett! He is handsome, always smiling, always happy and always flirting. But that isn’t who he is in the inside, depression is a struggle, and I loved the very really world aspect of what this can look like from someone’s perspective who suffers from depression.

Holly was prickly and I really didn’t love her in the beginning, but after you get to know her and what she has been through and her struggles with her moms health, you really feel for her and her very relatable problems.

I think that is why I loved this book as much as I did because it was relatable. We all have struggles, and it isn’t always HEA in our real life world when our imaginary reading bubble has popped and we have to deal with the nitty gritty details of life. I appreciate that Amanda wrote about this, and brought it to life through these characters.

It was a beautiful book! Christmas didn’t show up until about 2/3 of the way through, but it does make an appearance.

[The Book Nerd's Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A holiday rom-com featuring a grumpy executive chef and her manager that she gradually grows feelings for.

Holly is doing everything she can just to get by. With the expenses that come with her mom's fight against cancer, most of Holly's time and money goes towards supporting her. She doesn't have time for a relationship. That is, until she meets Rhett Ivy, the son of the owner of the restaurant that she works for. Rhett has always struggled with his mental health. Even his last girlfriend left him because he was too much to handle. Now, Rhett has sworn of dating. But Rhett can't stop the things that he feels about Holly. Forced to work together to save the restaurant they both work at, Holly and Rhett must put aside their differences and suppress the romantic feelings that they are starting to feel for one another or risk losing their jobs.

Last December, I read the second book in this series, "Jack & Frost Bake-Off" and I wasn't all that enthused by it. It wasn't horrible, but it was just an average romance. I found "Holly vs. Mr. Ivy" to be way better, which was a nice surprise. I think this was mainly due to the fact that I liked the two main characters and I really appreciated the issues that they were both facing.

Holly's mom is fighting cancer, which is a tough thing to deal with, especially around the holidays. She is also fighting for a place in a man's world due to the fact that she is trying to hold down the position as head chef in the restaurant that she works for. Between these two burdens, Holly is crushed by a ton of stress and suppresses much of her true self to fill the roles she thinks she must play. She's also faced extreme cases of sexism and has even been molested, so Holly has some series baggage. Rhett, on the other hand, suffers from severe depression. I found his optimistic attitude to be relatable as an optimist myself. This made his battle with depression feel even closer to my heart because sometimes it can be hard for others to realize that happy people have demons that they struggle with too.

I found Holly and Rhett's banter to be super fun and lighthearted. I found myself often smiling as I read the dialogue that was present in this book. Watching Holly and Rhett grow closer to one another was real sweet, and the banter evolved quite splendidly with their relationship status. I love how they help each other cope with their stressors and how they truly bring out the best in one another. Their attempts to work together to save the restaurant was also cool, but definitely was just the plot that kept the story rolling.

The third act conflict was a bit annoying, but it wasn't too unrealistic and at least it was resolved rather quickly. The reason that Holly freaked out was understandable and the way that Rhett reacted during a bout of depression he was fighting through also made sense. I'm glad that they both realized how stupid they were being rather quickly, which allowed the story to wrap itself up quite nicely.

Overall, I was decently surprised by "Holly vs. Mr. Ivy." It was a lighthearted holiday romance that focused on the importance of family, taking care of your mental health, and coming to terms with one's true self. The banter was fun, the characters felt real, and I wasn't terribly annoyed by anything that occurred (which isn't always the case with holiday romances). This one didn't have the strongest Christmas vibes, but it was a decent way to start my holiday reading for the year. It does have some great Thanksgiving scenes in it though!

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly vs. Mr. Ivy

Reader’s Notes:

– this is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone

– this is told from Holly & Rhett’s points of view

– Holly & Rhett both deal with losing a very close family member (past events – continued/current feelings)

– Holly’s mother is battling cancer

– a character deals with having been the victim of sexual assault (past event); a side character (server) is briefly touched inappropriately while talking with a table on page however

– a character deals with depression & anxiety

– there is some innuendo

Review:

I knew I liked Rhett from what I learned about him in the previous book, but this gave me so much more to love! Rhett was so kind and caring of anyone he came across. I loved that he was the kind of person to take what people said about other people with a grain of salt before finding out all aspects of the situation(s). I also loved that Rhett followed Holly’s lead with his feelings so that she had control of deciding when/if they’d start something. I loved that Holly was also caring in her own way. Once another person got past her walls of defense, they were her person and she would want to take care of them in whatever way she could (generally meaning food). I also loved that Holly grew as a character throughout the story with some prompting from Rhett in order to create a better work environment for everyone, including her. Some of my favorite scenes/moments in this book included: watching movies, game night, Holly talking with her cousin, Rhett & Jack’s friendship, their first ‘date’, Thanksgiving, a work party, and the grand gesture that fit them perfectly.

Summary:

Holly is known as the Ice Queen at work. She tried to be herself when she first became the head chef of The Boardwalk, but her coworkers took advantage of her kindness and made her kitchen less than satisfactory in function. So Holly went in the total opposite direction in order to fix it. Things aren’t perfect, but they are better than they were. But when the restaurant’s owner tells Holly & the new manager Rhett that they must increase revenue by ten percent by New Year’s, Holly is thrown. Because if they can’t make it to the goal, Holly will be fired, and she simply can’t allow that. Not when her earnings go to paying off her mother’s treatments and caring for the both of them. She’ll try anything Rhett suggests might help them get to that goal, even if it means thawing her icy persona a bit by interacting more on a personal level with her staff.

Rhett is the complete opposite of Holly at work. He talks to anyone and everyone in order to make real and meaningful connections. But Holly wants nothing to do with his cheerful attitude. When his boss/uncle gives them the ultimatum, Rhett is ready to prove that he can make things happen. With a bit of cajoling, Rhett even makes Holly come out of her shell a bit, revealing a woman he finds highly attractive in looks and personality. Which is a bad thing to find out now. First and foremost, Rhett decided not to date again after his ex broke up with him when he was going through a hard time. But the biggest and most important reason he can’t entertain anything more than possibly friendship with Holly is his uncle’s no dating a coworker policy. What is Rhett to choose? Holding onto a love that he thinks can last or continuing on in his career like nothing is happening?

[Moni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. This is book 3 in the Christmas in Connecticut Series and can be read as a standalone, though it will spoil Jack & Frost Bake-Off if you haven't read it already. The book's blurb lets you know what to expect and do pay attention to the author's note. This is a great opposites attract first person dual pov romance.

As her mother's sole caretaker, Holly places a lot of pressure on herself. Naturally, she worries over her mother's health and being able to pay the medical bills. Those worries have left her little room to relax and take some time to find things to enjoy in her life, aside from reading. She likes having control and keeping boundaries. When she's forced to work with Rhett, who is her opposite, she attempts to keep a professional distance between them. But Rhett breaks down her walls and, as they become friends and eventually more, she begins to appreciate what was missing from her life before. What I liked about Holly was that, although she was an "ice queen" and grumpy, she genuinely cared about the people in her life and her career. However, I loved seeing her let down her walls and allow herself to have love and friendship in her life.

Working for his uncle as a general manager is just a stepping stone for Rhett to start his own business. While he may not feel the same financial pressure that Holly does, he does feel the need to prove himself and it gets to be too much at times for him. While he struggles with his anxiety and depression, he has a flirty and friendly attitude that he especially wants to use on Holly. Although he's not looking for a relationship, he is determined to be Holly's friend and help her to loosen up. As they spend time together, Holly's friendship begins to mean more to him than Holly thinks it does and he also begins to believe that a relationship is possible for him. I just wanted to give Rhett a hug and say it's okay. I could relate to his feelings so it felt nice seeing him have his good moments and be loved by Holly.

Because of each of their feelings about relationships and their working situation, their romance is a slow burn. While they were attracted to each other, they really didn't have serious thoughts about dating as they became friends. They simply enjoyed time spending time together and their feelings naturally evolved into those of like as they got to know each other. However, before they accept and act on their feelings, there is enough flirty banter and tension to keep readers satisfied. The romance is described as closed door but it goes as far as steamy kisses. Besides their working relationship, there isn't much conflict between them but rather the conflict is one that they each individually face. It doesn't overwhelm the plot or romance. It was balanced well. Aside from their romance, I liked Holly's relationship with her family and how Rhett liked spending time with them too. Overall, there is nothing I disliked about this story. It made me smile and cry and is a story that will stay with me. I believe it is the best in the series and my favorite book of Amanda's that I've read so far.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It does not matter what time of the year it is, if you put a Christmas book in front of me, I'm absolutely going to read it right away. Seriously, I just love a holiday romance and having a little extra Christmas cheer anytime throughout the year is never a bad thing. Admittedly, I may be a little Christmas obsessed anyway... but even if that's not typically your thing, don't let the cover and title of Holly Vs. Mr. Ivy fool you into thinking this is strictly a holiday read. There are definitely some great holiday centered moments...and lots of great use of mistletoe by Holly and Rhett... but they don't start until over halfway through the story. Even at that point, only a small part of the story actually continues during the holiday season. It was just enough to make my Mrs. Claus heart happy... but not enough to be off putting to any Scrooges who might happen to pick it up!

It may have been the adorable cover and title that drew me in, but it was most certainly the story that kept me reading on and unable to put it down. This book had such a good blend of both the swoon-worthy moments (oh, those kisses!!) and the laughable ones that I love in a romantic comedy... but it is also balanced with some really tough real life struggles as well. Holly is a caretaker for her mother who is battling cancer. Rhett struggles with anxiety and depression throughout the story. There is also a brief mention (no details) of a past sexual assault. These were all handled with both grace and honesty. As someone who likewise struggles with both anxiety and depression, along with some other mental health issues, I very much appreciated how Rhett's story was told. It let readers into this aspect of mental illness---where things like cleaning and taking care of yourself are often an overwhelming struggle--- without sugar coating or judgement. It also highlighted a bit about the struggles that it can bring to a relationship too. Yes, I loved the romance and the banter... but it is those real, vulnerable moments that are going to make this a story that will stick with me after 'the end'.

Holly Vs. Mr. Ivy is the third book in the Christmas in Connecticut series. Each book can be read as a standalone. I had not yet read the previous books in the series and was able to enjoy this one with no problem. That said, it does seem like perhaps there is some timeline overlap with this one and the previous book in the series, and the characters from that one do make an appearance so it still might be best to read in order to avoid any potential spoilers.

Whether you are looking for a holiday read or just a great RomCom in general, this is certainly one not to be missed any time of the year!

**I received an ARC for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story! I liked it a lot. Somehow this book manages to address some heavy topics (depression and anxiety, cancer, grief, sexual assault, etc.) while still being cute and swoony. Not the easiest feat. Compliments to the author. This is a reverse grumpy-sunshine story. Holly has been battered by life, loss, and people taking advantage of her, so she tries to keep a tight grip of control on her life. Rhett is positive, friendly, and outgoing, which all masks his struggles with mental illness. Working together to improve profits at their restaurant, Rhett pushes Holly’s boundaries and they build a friendship, even as deeper feelings develop. This is hampered by the zero-tolerance no-dating policy at their workplace. I enjoyed both characters. Holly went through a great deal of growth, having to learn that life isn’t all or nothing. Rhett was endearing and sweet. His struggles were heartbreaking and came from a personal place for the author. It was sensitively addressed.

There are many fun and cute moments and good banter. I especially loved the moments when Rhett and Holly opened up to each other emotionally and were vulnerable. Let’s also not forget the excellent moments of romantic tension. They really built over time. We had to wait awhile for a kiss (darn near-miss, ha ha), but once the kisses started, there were lots. And they were something to write home about. It’s not all sunshine and roses after they finally start kissing. Some hard times crop up, and it gets messy before it gets better. The epilogue is beautiful. I hope we see some more of Holly and Rhett in future books. I’d love to see more of what the future holds for them. I liked the secondary characters and the supportive relationships Rhett and Holly had with some of them. Jack and Rhett’s friendship was especially great to see. If I could change one thing, I do wish there had been just a little more time spent addressing the past sexual assault. It’s a difficult topic and it isn’t a focus of the story, but it also didn’t really feel like it got enough recognition, although it was in no way minimized. It added character depth, but in a surface level way because it just got mentioned and then never processed. Just one small thing. I really enjoyed this book. This book ties significantly to book two in the series as Jack is such an important person in Rhett’s life, so I recommend reading the series in order, but this book is definitely able to standalone, should you chose to read it that way. This book is closed door with slight innuendo and no harsh language.

I received a complimentary advance reader copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book. What a delightful story. If you are not a fan of reading Christmas books outside of the season, never fear because this is not really a Christmas book. More than halfway through the book there are holiday scenes, but that it is not the central focus of this plot. The focus is on Chef Holly Dewhurst and Rhett Ivy. These two characters are at completely different ends of the spectrum in personality, likes and dislikes, etc. We are talking South Pole and North Pole. Holly is serious all the time. Her workers call her the "Ice Queen" behind her back. She does not fraternize with her employees and allows no talking in her kitchen. She rules the roost with an iron fist. That is until Rhett Ivy comes to work at the restaurant as the manager. He is the nephew of the owner, and he is just using this as a stepping stone to something bigger.

Rhett is Mr. Friendly. He is always friendly and laughing, always ready to share a story or a laugh with someone, everything that Holly is not. Their worlds will collide in a big way, but they will find common ground in realizing that they are both empathetic people. They have to learn to work together in order to save both of their jobs, but as they get to know one another better, they realize that first appearances are most definitely deceiving.

I loved Rhett from the first page that he was introduced. He was so full of life, and you would have never guessed that he had personal issues with giving into his darkness at times. I could not help but like Holly as well. I felt sorry for her. She had so much on her plate, literally. She was obviously a good person. She had given up everything to move in with her mother to take care of her. I think she sheltered herself from others because if you are not friendly with anyone then no one can break your heart. I fell right into this story from the beginning chapter. It was a swoony, clean romance with a very heartfelt message about dealing with mental health issues, and also about caring for loved ones who are ill. There was also a little humor mixed in as well which broke up some of the sadder parts of the story. I have found a new author to follow and read her books. If this is the first book that you read by Amanda Jones, you will fall in love with her writing as well.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly Dewhurst, executive chef at The Boardwalk restaurant, is known as the Ice Queen among her staff. She tried being friendly when she first started the job, but after several employees took advantage of her kindness, she adopted a tougher approach to management. It's not easy for Holly knowing that her staff dislikes her, but with her mom battling cancer, she has more important things to worry about. The pressure on Holly only increases when the restaurant's owner brings in a new general manager, his nephew, Everett "Rhett" Ivy, and announces that they have until New Year's Eve to increase profits by 10%. If they don't, Holly will be fired and Rhett will lose his chance of promotion to regional sales manager for the restaurant's parent company. Their interactions are somewhat tense at first, but as they work together on a plan to increase profits, Holly and Rhett gradually come to trust and rely on each other, first as co-workers, then as friends with the possibility of more. But Rhett's uncle has a strict no-dating policy in place for his employees. Will they be able to resist their attraction until it's time for Rhett to move on?

Holly and Rhett were a very sweet, well-matched couple and I enjoyed their story very much. It dealt with some fairly heavy topics for a rom-com, but the author handled each of them with grace and sensitivity. The protagonists were likeable and three-dimensional, and I loved how much they evolved over the course of the story. Having suffered from anxiety and depression myself, Rhett's character arc felt especially realistic and relatable to me. I appreciated the author's message about not being afraid to reach out for help since that is something I still struggle with at times. Finally, Holly's interactions with her brother Trevor and her cousin Noah added the perfect touch of humor to the story. I hope to see both of them again in future installments of the series.

I'd recommend "Holly vs. Mr. Ivy" for all sweet/closed-door contemporary romance fans and look forward to whatever the author writes next.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

CW: Death of Parent; Cancer; Sexual Assault (past, off page); Depression/Anxiety

[Well Read Wanderer · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I may have cried a little bit reading this book. Holly and Rhett are such intricate and complex characters, you can’t help but like them and relate to them. I really enjoyed reading their story! Once I started, I couldn’t put it down.

Holly has a tremendous weight on her shoulders taking care of her mom and their home. She cannot afford to lose her job as executive chef. So she’s forced to work with Rhett to keep the restaurant afloat. And Rhett, while friendly and charismatic, struggles with anxiety and depression. I really appreciated the way the author treated mental health in this book. It was done very respectfully and well presented to someone suffering from depression and anxiety. Rhett had coping mechanisms to deal with his anxiety and a support system around him. Holly also struggles with mental health issues and past traumas, also done very respectfully.

Even though there is a lot of physical and romantic attraction from the beginning, the characters just really like spending time with each other and becoming friends. They really become a support system for each other. I found both characters very relatable. Especially with Rhett, as I’ve also suffered from depression, I could really understand some of the things he was going through. I loved that they were there for each other through the ups and downs. And I really liked how Rhett was always present for Holly and her mom. His interaction with her family was precious!

The only thing I didn’t like much is how they both became too codependent for the sake of their mental health. I feel like they needed to talk to a professional at certain points of the book. Especially Holly, as she carried some past trauma. But I really liked how it tackled some serious issues while keeping an overall lighthearted and fun romcom. There is plenty of fun, flirty banter between the main characters to keep you hooked. And the kisses! Swoon-worthy! Also, I love that every book in this series is centered around food, either baking or professional chefs.

Thank you to the author for the complimentary copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Nikki H. Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to start this off by saying the second book in this series (Jack & Frost Bake Off) was SO cute and I was obsessed with it!

When it came to Holly vs. Mr. Ivy (book 3), I loved the characters being forced to work together, the reverse grumpy sunshine, and the cute playfulness that often comes with sweet romcoms.

While I mostly enjoyed this book, there were a few things that rubbed me the wrong way, but please take them with a grain of salt ❤️

Liked:
- Rhett’s personality – I loved that he was the sunshine and was determined to help Holly break out of her shell. The layers to his personality and his struggle with mental health too.
- Holly’s backstory – her life is challenging, but it adds so much depth to the story to see how she interacts with her family & sick mother.
- Character chemistry – Rhett & Holly brought out the best in each other most of the time & when they finally admit to having feelings for one another, the heated tension is THERE!

Struggled With:
- Mental Health rep – I love when a book represents mental health in all of its depths, no matter how dark or shaken up it can get. But in 2023, I’m not sure how it’s possible to have a book centered so much around a character’s mental health and have there be NO talk of treatment – no therapy or medication. Nothing. His friends try to support him & he seems to be happier whenever his relationships are good – but the message this sends to readers felt very toxic to me. (It was never even a conversation.)
- Co-dependency – I liked the relationship between them, but the fact that their lives fall apart without one another felt a bit wrong. And there’s one line that said something similar to “And remember that she’s your first priority now. Above everyone else. Including yourself.” And I think we all know that you can’t help others until you take care of yourself…
- Dreams: Despite how hard Holly works throughout the book, she basically lands on her ass at the end. I wanted more for her.

[Annika · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a Christmas gift in July!

Holly Dewhurst has life planned out and structured to perfection. As executive chef of The Boardwalk and caregiver to her mother, Holly cannot afford any distractions. Especially not the distraction of the new, tall, blonde, annoyingly handsome, and overly cheery general manager.

Rhett Ivy may seem happy-go-lucky and cheery on the outside, but he has some inner turmoil that wants to come out. Fresh out of a heartbreaking relationship, and as the new general manager of The Boardwalk, Mr. Ivy has his eyes on the prize of getting a promotion. Until his eyes settle on The Ice Queen herself, Chef Dewhurst, and Rhett is determined to learn all that he can about her.

Anthony Ivy, the owner of The Boardwalk, has tasked Rhett and Holly with a big task. Improve the restaurant, or say goodbye to your job and promotion. Holly and Rhett have to work together to save themselves and the restaurant. While working together, both Holly and Rhett have their walls high and no plans to break the no dating coworkers rule, but as time goes on, a lot of changes seem to happen. Will they follow the rules or risk it all for love?

Yet another great book by author Amanda P. Jones! This book is a slow burn, reverse grumpy sunshine, that is set during the holiday season. Both main characters go through major changes throughout the novel and readers get to dive deep into Holly's family life and grief, as well as Rhett's anxiety and depression. It is refreshing to see a very real take on the struggles of grief, anxiety, and depression; you can tell Amanda has related her personal experiences to parts of the novel. Overall, this novel breaks your heart a bit but also helps build it back together along with Holly and Rhett.

[Gabby Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s Christmas in July!🎄🎆

“Sweetheart, your kisses are the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing, and we barely got started.” 😉 💕

Holly Vs. Mr. Ivy begins several months before the holiday season, so if you’re thinking, “I can wait until Christmas,” think again! The plot follows the two to the big holiday event that will determine their futures. So now is the perfect time to read this sweet, funny rom-com. 💕

Holly is an executive chef 👩🏻‍🍳 and runs a tight ship. She also has a mother with cancer and is her primary caretaker. Mr. Ivy, or Rhett, is newly hired by his uncle, Mr. Ivy no. 1, to drive sales in the restaurant by the holidays. They are immediately intrigued by each other. Rhett makes it a mission to crack Holly’s hard exterior and become friends. Why must Rhett look like the love interests in all her fantasy books, ugh! 😉

How cute?! But also, these characters are so real. I found them relatable in their ups and downs. Rhett faces depression openly to the reader. Holly is a strong person who no one would ever think has so much to worry about. They both feel overwhelmed by their current positions in life. They are real enough to connect to the reader in a deep way…

While also having a lot of funny moments as the two become friends and try to help with the other’s burdens. This is definitely one of those romances that grows and those are my favorites! I love when the reader can see the relationship develop and fall in love with the characters as they fall for each other. 💕

Thank you Amanda P. Jones for sending me your book!

[Quirky Booklover Booklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas is a season of hope when everything is cozier, more colourful, and festive. This is the time of year when you want to curl up on your couch with a book and a hot chocolate, but you can become irritated when someone interrupts your peaceful moment. Wait, it is not the holiday season. But in her most recent book, author Amanda Jones evokes the spirit of Christmas.

As the head chef of a restaurant, Holly, our FMC in this book, is a grumpy, determined, and independent lady. Being the head chef entails managing the demands, setbacks, rage, and dislikes of coworkers while also ensuring that every assignment is completed flawlessly. Holly is the kind of head chef that, while feeling damaged on the inside from her personal life, continues to work hard.

To increase the restaurant's sales, Rhett's uncle gives him the job of general manager. He is a good, compassionate, and joyful person who is just waiting to establish his worth and advance his profession. While dealing with heartbreak, panic attacks, and melancholy, he ensures that no one else feels left out. With his friendly demeanour, he slowly but surely wins Holly's icy heart. However, there is a restaurant policy that prevents them from deepening their bond.

If you love Reversegrumsunshine, enemies to lovers, office romance, forced proximity, family and friendship bonding and HEA, this book is for you. . I truly enjoyed this book and stayed up until 3 in the morning to complete it in one sitting because it contained some of my favourite tropes and the story was engaging.

[Rachel Luke Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Yeah that would pretty much sum it all up, but let me explain why. First and foremost I think that Amanda did just an amazing job of balancing that line between humor and depth in this book. I loved that it was one that made me giggle, but also had my heart strings pulled.

I loved Rhett and Holly so much and I loved how they completed each other. I love that Holly was the grump and Rhett was the sunshine, but at the same time Rhett had depth and you just wanted to cheer them both on. I love that it was a book where they both fell in love earlier on in the book so you could enjoy their love for longer before their happily ever after.

I loved the secondary characters in this book and will now definitely be going back and reading the entire series since I did read this one as a stand alone.

I also loved that this book did dealt with harder subjects with such grace and delicacy. Some of these tops were: a death of a parent, a parent battling cancer, past sexual assault, and depression and anxiety. As someone who has dealt with depression and anxiety Amanda just wrote it so well and it made it so easy to relate to that character.

If you are looking for a book that has heart, depth, fun, wit, tons of swoony kisses and just a wonderful book through and through give this one a go!

Physical Intimacy: Lvl 2 (Kissing, Making Out, Cuddling)
Zero Swearing
Dual POV
Reverse Sunshine Grump
Forced Proximity
Enemies to Lovers
Forbidden Love

[abcici_reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Merry Christmas in July!! 🎄 Rhett was my favorite side characters from Jack and Frost Bake Off and I adore his love story! Holly is a talented head chef, who is often referred to as the Ice Queen for her unfriendly exterior with her kitchen staff. Rhett and Holly have their separate reasons to avoid love and dating! When they are paired up to increase sales in Rhett’s uncles restaurant, their polar opposite personalities help each other become their best selves.
A few of my moments:

❄️ Ohhh not a great first impression with rhett 🤣🤣 poor holly

❄️ “Uh-oh. I recognize this feeling. … I was swooning” -holly

❄️ I loved the inner dialog in Hollys head! I actually thought at first I did it identify with her grumpy side! But I totally doooo after listening to her inner thoughts!

❄️ “As much as I loved football, especially on Thanksgiving, I’d choose Holly over a game any day.” I swooned and read this to my husband… he laughed and said no 🫣🤪

❄️ I loved Holly’s mom!! She had such an important role in this book! You’ll see why :)

This book is so good! The author does a great job of depicting and showing understanding of the grief that comes with parent loss & being a parent caregiver, along with the Rhett’s mental health battle.
Highly recommend!!

[elciesbooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️ Holly vs Mr. Ivy 💚


❤️ I love a good Christmas romcom, and thanks to receiving this ARC from Amanda, I got a little mid-year Christmas reading in.

💚 Due to some tragedies in Holly's life, she's become our grumpy FMC with some serious walls built around her life, especially her heart. Focused solely on taking care of her mom, and her career as a chef.

❤️ In walks Rhett, the new manager at the restaurant where Holly works. He's the warm sunshine Holly needs in her life, and even though he's sworn off love -thank goodness because there is an iron clad no dating co-workers policy at the restaurant - he's determined to be her friend.

💚 I loved the family dynamic on Holly's side. Rhett suffers from anxiety and depression, and has a strong best friend to help support him. (and vice versa) When he spirals down, nothing about it is sugar-coated, and I respect the author gave readers a glimpse into how that suffering feels.

❤️ I will say the plot and outcome was predictable, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable. Holly's character growth is great, and while I didn't see the HEA in her career that I wanted, the outcome was realistic, and still a win.

💚 Also, I want the peanut butter and jelly cake in this book. I may be trying to create that soon.

📖 If you're looking for a romcom that also has some fun holiday cheer, hot kisses under the mistletoe, and an HEA, give Holly vs Mr. Ivy a try. ❤️📚💚

[Kate (bookishkenyannerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a treat this book was! I loved it when Holly was all icy and Rhett, the new general manager, just came in with his golden retriever energy and warmed his way into her heart bit by bit. Both him and her mother showed her that sometimes you just have to let go of the control in order to live life.

When the attraction was no longer easy to ignore, they had to think through it, decide what they had to risk, whether it was worth it. Of course, chances of getting caught were high, but I loved that they always found ways to be together away from prying eyes.

Rhett struggled with anxiety and depression. It was important to him to have someone who'd be with him no matter the situation. Holly was that for him, and though for a time they were apart, the final chapters melted my heart. She understood that he needed reassurance, affirmation that he was enough, not broken just because his fight was in his mind.

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC. It's available now! I'm loving this series, and this is the third book but can be read as a standalone. Way to kick off Christmas in July!😄

[Sahana Ramnath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a wonderful workplace-but-forbidden slow-burn romance! It's has a very warm, very well-written series of events, taking sufficient time to explore both MCs individually, and the slow-burn growth of their relationship from wary (FMC) / enthusiastic (MMC) co-workers to work friends to lovers was so wholesome 😭

(Also heads up! This book is a standalone, but some of the side character arcs will make more sense if you read the previous book in this series "Jack & Frost Bake-Off"!)

I also have to hype up the way the author handled the MCs' respective mental health issues. I don't want to elaborate too much on their respective arcs (apart from TWs of course), so I'll just say that the author has written things in a really sensitive way, and has given a lovely ending where both characters support each other a lot <3

TWs - death of parent/grandparent (it's in the past, but the grief is in the present), parent with cancer (present), depression, anxiety, slurs in the workplace, sexual assault (faced by the FMC in the past)

-- ty to the author for an advanced copy!

[All You Read is Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas in July!! Reading Christmas books is one of my faves so I was super excited to get the opportunity to be an ARC reader for this book!

Holly vs Mr. Ivy by @authoramandapjones

LOVED this sweet Christmasy rom com! Rhett and Holly have such a good storyline. I loved the forbidden workplace romance in this book. This was a clean read nothing too spicy which is just perfect for a Christmas rom com. Rhett is in a Manger position amd Holly is head chef. Both characters had quite a story on their own. Rhett battle with depression and anxiety was wonderfully written. I always like when an author brings real life representation into books, it makes it so relatable. This book also represented life of helping a parent with cancer which is something that I don't see in a lot of books, so I really enjoyed that part of the story line as well.
The banter between Rhett, Holly, Holly's mom amd their friends was perfect.
I highly reccommens this book to anyone who wants a sweet holiday read any time of the year.

Thank-you for allowing me the opportunity to read this book!!!

[SIRIUSLY BOOKED · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly Dewhurst is the head chef of a big restaurant, The Boardwalk. When her boss Anthony Ivy brings in his nephew as the new general manager of his restaurant and demands that their revenue be up by ten percent by the end of the year, Rhett Ivy and Holly has to work together to figure out a way to do it in the short time given or Holly would lose her job.
When Rhett ex breaks up with him, he promises himself not to get too close to any woman. That is until he meets the beautiful head chef in his uncle's restaurant. Although the two has a rocky start they develop a really good friendship while working together.
The two MCs have entirely different personality. While Rhett is always friendly, smiling and very cheerful Holly is as grumpy as they come. But the more time they spend with each other and the more they get to know each other the more they feel the undeniable attraction they have towards one another. But the rules at the restaurant states that they aren't allowed to date Coworkers.

[Maria Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think a lot of people will think this story is cute and I think there are fun elements to it too. The characters were good and the depiction of depression was realistic.
The reason I only gave this three stars was because I got disgusted with the story line and almost chose to give up reading it. I was annoyed that these two 30+ year old adults knew the rules of the workplace and yet chose to let their hormones take over and made a conscious choice to break the rule and then lied about it as well. I was disappointed with their lack of integrity. They only needed to wait 2 months and then changes could have been made to their work situation allowing them to be together. Two months isn't that long but these two were hormone driven and that always makes me less likely to believe that their relationship will last long term. They made promises to the workplace, each other and themselves but they didn't really keep any of those promises.
Also, reading make out scenes bores me and there were a lot of them.

[dexter graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly was not looking for love. Working as an Excutive Chef and taking care of her sick mom was all she had time for except for her book boyfriends. She could always make time for them. Then her boss made her work with Rhett the sexiest thing she had ever seen outside of her fantasy romance books. Rhett was not interested in romance as his ex had broken up with him because he was suffering from not being perfect. Last I checked the only perfrct person I know is Jesus. Anyway join them with a little Christmas magic, too much testerone (Holly has men in her life looking out for her that are trying to run off Rhett) and the laughter is real. There are serious aspects in the book as well that are handled beautifully but read the book to find out about those. I got a free ARC copy of the book and my review is freely given.

[Brittany Landrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute, closed door romcom with some heavy topics throughout.


Christmas in July? Well kinda… it’s not the major plot of this book. This story focuses on Chef Holly Dewhurst aka the IceQueen and Rhett Ivy. They are polar opposites. Holly is very businesslike and doesn’t chit chat with her employees whereas Rhett does. She’s always serious and he’s the outgoing, fun loving guy. They have to learn to work together.

The story was good and while there were some hard aspects to handle, the author did so with care. I loved Rhett within the first few chapters! There were moments with him and his friend that I laughed out loud. The romance with closed doors with some great banter and swoon worthy moments.

Overall, I liked this book. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this and get to share my thoughts. Thank you for my advanced reader copy! This is my honest, voluntary opinion.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn't love Christmas in July?! This book gave me all the feels. Now I know you'll probably say it's too early to read a Christmas book - well it's not okay! LOL! This book is set around Christmas time but it doesn't actually focus on Christmas and the festivities as much as you think it would.

Rhett and Holly have this instant attraction. You can feel it jumping off the page at you, it's forbidden, they work together so it shouldn't happen but it doesn't stop them falling for each other. It was beautiful to see happen.

Both MCs have some real trials and tibulations. There is a massive emphasis on mental health in this book and I must admit it's done amazingly. Props to the author for that one.


𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘
• reverse grumpy sunshine
• workplace romance
• mental health representation
• forced proximity
• forbidden romance

[Coffeenbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a quick, enjoyable read. Holly is an executive chef at a high scale restaurant. She isn't overly happy with the job or her life in general. She spends her time either working or taking care of her mother.

One day at work, her boss brings in his nephew Rhett as the new general manager of the restaurant. He has been tasked with increasing the profitability of the restaurant. He works with Holly to come up with a plan to revamp parts of the operation that need an overhaul. He also tries to engage her in friendship, but she is not receptive. There is a strict no fraternization rule at the restaurant and Holly doesn't want to risk her position.

I love that both characters are dealing with tough situations, but that they help each other cope. This book brought so much joy to my heart.