Title How My Neighbor Stole Christmas
Author: Meghan Quinn
Publisher: Bloom Books
Pages: 480
Genre: Christmas, Romance
My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🖤
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How My Neighbor Stole Christmas
A small town called Kringle celebrates Christmas all year round, but there is just one man who is not in the Christmas spirit. When he was only 18 he lost both of his parents and since then Christmas is not the same. He finds out that Storee Taylor is back next door to take care of her aunt Cindy, which brings back a lot of memories. But when he finds out that Storee is entering the Christmas Kringle competition, he has no other choice but o compete as well. He can’t and will not let her win.
Review
This was the last book I read in 2024. I thought I might squeeze in another one before the year ended, but finishing this book took longer than I expected. I blame the holidays and all the extra activities and chores—not the book itself, because I really enjoyed it.
There were quite a few things I loved about this story. The Christmas Kringle competition was such a fun concept, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the characters try to outdo each other. It added a lighthearted and festive vibe that kept me entertained. I also liked how each chapter began with a poem. It was a unique touch that I hadn’t seen in many books, and I appreciated that bit of creativity. Sometimes the narrator chimed in after the poems, and while I’m not sure if that was entirely necessary, it did add a humorous element at times.
Now, let’s address the “weird” parts of the book. If you’ve seen discussions about it, you’ve probably heard about the infamous candy cane scene. Let me just say—you can absolutely skip it. It was bizarre, cringe, and left me wondering where the author came up with the idea (though I’m not sure I actually want to know). The first part of the book had such charming Christmas vibes, but once the main characters had sex for the first time, it seemed like that was all they did. I found myself missing the competition and wanting to know who would win. Unfortunately, the romance and “spicy” scenes started to overshadow the fun plot, which was disappointing.
Also, can we talk about the main character’s name? Storee felt like such a strange choice. For a moment, I thought Taylor was her real name and Storee was a quirky nickname, but nope—that was her actual name. While I wouldn’t take points off for that, it did catch me off guard.
Overall, I really enjoyed the first part of the book. It had great holiday vibes and a fun premise. However, I think it would’ve been much better with fewer spicy scenes. Readers can fill in the blanks without needing every detail spelled out. And honestly? I’m not sure I’ll ever look at a candy cane the same way again. On top of that, the fake dating trope was part of the story, and while it wasn’t a deal-breaker, it’s not my favorite trope—especially since it feels like it’s everywhere these days.
If you’re a fan of festive romances and don’t mind some over-the-top spice, you might enjoy this one. For me, it was a mix of highs and lows, but I’m still glad I gave it a try.