At Least There Was No Mariah Carey

 

TITLE: The Holiday Mixtape

AUTHOR: Liberty Stowe

PUBLISHER: RupertBossier

PUBLISHING DATE: October 3, 2025

PAGES: 439   

SOURCE: Netgalley

FROM GOODREADS: When a failed pitch at her Chicago ad agency leads an idealistic dreamer to the perfect Christmas town, Erika with a "K" stumbles on a holiday mixtape at a flea market that guides her path straight to the town’s most eligible bachelor. But does he want to be eligible? 

And is Blitzen, Kentucky a Christmas town? Erika’s campaign for an old-fashioned Christmas hinges on help from the bachelor basketball coach slash Volunteer Fire Department's assistant chief in need of a new firetruck, and he’s not happy about it.

MY THOUGHTS: I won't lie.  This was completely a cover grab.  It immediately caught my attention and after reading the book, I believe it couldn't be better. Maybe it's because I always wanted a VW Beetle, who knows.

Erika with a "k" leaves Chicago for the holidays to go stay at a mysterious home in Blitzen, Kentucky left for her by an even more mysterious aunt.  She immediately meets Kourt, also with a "k" who is the local basketball coach/high school teacher.  They meet with a bang when she hits him with her aunt's stick-shift Beetle.  Even though they irritate the heck out of each other, Erika learns that the town is in desperate need of a new firetruck or their insurance rates will increase devastating the town.  

Erika vows to use her marketing knowledge to help Blitzen raise the needed funds and remember how they used to enjoy celebrating the holidays.  Throw is some great grumpy/sunshine vibes, holiday cheer, a possessed mixtape (well, not really but it does play random songs at random times), and a two side characters who I know are destined to be together eventually, and you get a wonderful book perfect for the Christmas season.

I really loved the setting as well as the characters in this book.  Blitzen, Kentucky basically becomes a character of its own I loved its small-town vibe. Erika is quirky and loveable and both she and Kourt have a backstory which the author does well to share without involving flashbacks or a dual timeline.  Also, Erika's best friend Archer and Kourt's best friend Helen are two of the strangest, but also the best characters I've met in a long time.  And yes, there is a companion book coming out in October 2026 the author teased me with at the end of this one which I may NEVER forgive her for - JK.

My only real complaint with this book is that I felt it was a tad too long and the middle part tended to drag a bit.  However, the payoff is worth it, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a bit of spicy holiday cheer!

MY RATING: 4 PAWS