A review by the_shelfrighteous_writer
The Naughty or Nice Clause by Kate Callaghan

lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

***Thank you NetGalley and Kate Callaghan for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am a big fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope but I wonder if this really should be marked as a romance. Yes there's a little bit but most of it is her pretending to be his fiancĂ©e because he needs her to. There weren't many sparks and the actual romance in the book was very minimal. 

I adored the Santa Clause myth and how it was worked into this story. I'm a sucker for a good Clause romance. Kate Callaghan puts a very original spin on Santa and I thought she did a great job! I loved the secret village and the twists on Santa. My heart broke a little for the Klaus family as they mourned the loss of Santa himself. 

I think I would have liked a little bit of background at the beginning ... I was pretty far into the book before I even figured out they were in Ireland. And the toy company is such a big deal to Lyla but I didn't really feel like I knew anything about it or what happened before the Christmas party. 

This is a cute holiday story, though you won't find a gushy romance inside. But if you're looking for a new twist on the North Pole, this is it!