Even when you know two characters will end up together, you don’t know the journey they will take to get there.

Which is why I’ve never minded romances like The Wake-Up Call by Beth O’Leary. There’s this common belief that stories with predictable endings are bad. It’s not true — and this book proves that.

Izzy and Lucas both work at the same family-owned quiet hotel, and both wish the other did not exist. Every shift they share together seems to end in disaster. Is their rivalry the result of a giant misunderstanding? Maybe! Does it all work out fine in the end? Of course it does! What’s a holiday romance without a happy ending?

The book takes place around the holidays; technically, you can and should read it any time of year you want. But it does put the reader in the holiday spirit. I’m about to go buy marshmallows to go with my hot chocolate and fuzzy socks.

What makes this book truly shine is that it’s fast, light fun. Every now and then you need a book that just makes you smile, root for the love interests when they draw closer to admitting their feelings, and yell at them when they mess it all up. It’s the perfect book to read when you need to escape the real world and dive into a wonderland.

You’ll love this book if you love romance. It will delight you if you’re looking for a book to spend a weekend on the couch with. I’m so sad to say goodbye to Izzy and Lucas, but I’m also glad I got to know them. I wish them all the best in their many happy years together.

Also, is it Christmas yet?

The Wake-Up Call is available now wherever books are sold.

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Meg Dowell is the creator of Brain Rush, dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words, and Not a Book Hoarder, celebrating books of all kinds. She is an editor, writer, book reviewer, podcaster, and photographer passionate about stories and how they get made.