A review by tessa_talks_books
How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

4.5

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn: 4.5 Stars 
 
Five Reasons to Read How My Neighbor Stole Christmas: 
  1. I loved 𝐑𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐑𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐀 𝐒𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐝 - It's so creative, with Dr. Seuss-inspired poetry about the story at the beginning of each chapter and various points inside the chapters, an unnamed narrator at multiple points, and each Cole's and Storee's POVs within most chapters.
  2. The enemies-to-lovers romance- a trope where two characters start as competitors but eventually fall in love - is a mainstay in romantic comedies. If you're like me, you love this trope, and it was all the fun I would have expected in this story, complete with witty banter and fun antics.
  3. The festive setting of Kringletown, Colorado, a Christmas village year-round, will immerse you in the holiday spirit. The story is set around the town's annual competition to crown the resident with the most Christmas spirit, adding a touch of magic to the narrative.
  4. The underlying theme of family and sisterhood is beautifully woven into the narrative. Nothing touches the heart like a good family theme, whether it be found family, as in Cole's case, or biological families that have lost their way and need to come back together, as in Storee's case. The family themes gave this book a layer or two of depth that I enjoyed.
  5. The spice is relatively high in this romcom. If you enjoy this in your books, you will love the open-door scenes dominating the story's second half. I'm not a lover of spice in books, but everything else in the story kept me entertained even though I sped through the spicy scenes.

What I Liked:

This book had so much to love! The creative formatting was delightfully unique, complete with Dr. Seuss-inspired poetry, an unnamed narrator, and alternating POVs. The enemies-to-lovers romance delivered all the witty banter and antics I adore, while the festive setting of Kringletown, Colorado, brought year-round Christmas magic to life. Beneath the holiday cheer, the heartfelt themes of family and sisterhood added depth, making Cole's journey with found family and Storee's reconciliation with her own even more touching. Though I'm not a fan of spicy scenes, they'll surely appeal to others, and the story kept me hooked regardless!

Why Not Five Stars:
 
My only issue is how long this book is. It could have easily streamlined many details to make it a quicker holiday read.