Hello my bookish friends, Today I’m really excited to be part of the Love, Secret Santa S. A. Domingo blog tour with Team BKMRK. It’s also fitting that I will be also receiving my secret santa today on the last day of term.
I will be sharing my 5 star review of this wonderfully festive YA that will certainly get you in the Christmas mood. AND I have a surprise piece from the wonderful author herself. But before my review here is a little bit more about the book.
Love, Secret Santa by S.A. Domingo Published by Hodder Children's Books on October 31, 2019
Genres: Romance
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Goodreads
All I want for Christmas is . . . you! A festive clean teen romance that could melt even Scrooge's heart!
It's nearly Christmas, but Angel Green isn't celebrating - she's too busy studying for a scholarship exam. On top of that, she's organising her school's charity fundraising campaign to help a local hospice. Unfortunately, her fundraising partner is Caspar Johnson: handsome, creative and fun, but TOTALLY unreliable.
Thank goodness for her Secret Santa who keeps leaving her amazing presents, including an intriguing hand-made advent calendar! Angel is dying to find out who her secret admirer is . . .
As they spend time together planning festive events, Angel realises that Caspar has hidden depths - and a secret that he's hiding behind his easy-going facade. Her advent calendar encourages Angel to take risks and open her heart - but has she left it too late to tell Caspar how she really feels?
My Review
Angel Green just wants to revise for her scholarship exam, she didn’t intend to be part of a massive fundraiser, or have a partner like Casper Johnson, her childhood now distant friend. So when she is given her Secret Santa gifts, she begins to think that she might have a secret admirer. She begins to notice Caspar more and realise what really been going on with him, and she begins to let go herself.
The gift itself that Angel had been given just melts your heart. In a way it kind of got Angel out of her comfort zone. She is so focused on her scholarship and helping with the fundraiser that she doesn’t think about herself as well as secretly bringing her closer to her admirer. Caspar Johnson, he’s kind of my hero in this book. He is everything, loyal, caring, doting big brother, loving and above all sweet. He gets all soppy with Angel and I just love the utter cuteness of the of the whole thing. It’s making me smile just thinking about it.
Do you know what I loved most of all? The relationship between Angel and her mum. The love between them reminded me a lot of my own. Angel reminded me of a me a lot actually. How you feel when your mum starts opening up to romance after a really long time. After Angel’s father died, it’s been hard for both of them to make ends meet with day to day living let alone having an amazing Christmas. I guess out of all the bittersweet romance this was my favourite and it brought a tear to my eye.
S. A. Domingo has written a bittersweet, cute romance that is perfect read or even great stocking filler for this season. Love, Secret Santa is like a Teen version of The Holiday and I love it!!
Surprise Guest Piece from S. A. Domingo
Top Five Netflix Romantic Comedies
Since Love, Secret Santa is – in my humble opinion – the perfect fun romantic story to snuggle in and enjoy during these cold wintery nights, I thought I’d recommend some Netflix romantic comedies that might fill the void once you finish the book!
Always Be My Maybe
Ali Wong’s fabulous and genuinely hilarious rom-com features one of my favourite romantic set-ups – former childhood flames who reconnect years later and realise (eventually) that they’re meant to be! Plus, this features a frankly AMAZING cameo from my one true fantasy bae, Keanu Reeves!
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
An instant-classic Netflix romance, based on Jenny Han’s wonderful book of the same name. Lara Jean Covey manages to navigate her way out of a potentially mortifying revelation of private letters about boys she fancied, by faking a relationship (another classic set-up!) with the inimitable Peter Kavinsky. Noah Centineo became the internet’s collective boyfriend with his portrayal of this love interest!
The Incredible Jessica James
This New York-set romantic comedy stars the fantastic Jessica Williams (and her gorgeous crochet locs) as an aspiring playright who is desperately trying to get over her former flame – and wouldn’t you know it, she doesn’t see the potential for another love interest right in front of her nose!
Falling Inn Love
The pun-tastic title alone is enough to signal that there’s a slight cheese factor to this romance, but it’s also a fun, cute and light-hearted story, with a brawny Aussie love interest to boot! Naughties RnB singer Christina Milian stars as a woman who happens to win an an inn (i.e. a bed and breakfast) and does it up with help of a hammer wielding hero…
I bet you would be surprised when I say I haven’t watched any these including To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. *oops* But I think I will over my christmas holiday.
