“Single and Ready to Jingle” by Piper Rayne

Title: Single and Ready to Jingle
Author: Piper Rayne
Publisher: Self-Published
Year: 2022    
Genre(s): romance
Part of a Series: Yes

Why I read it: I wanted a Christmas romance to read.

Summary: Kenzie loves Christmas. Andrew does not. When they match on an app, it spells disaster even before they learn that Kenzie’s brother is Andrew’s best friend. However, fate throws them together when Andrew volunteers Kenzie to help plan his firm’s holiday party. Will the season work its magic on them? Or are they just too different to work?

Rating: 

Review: This one intrigues me. It had pretty good pacing and an intriguing story but then it just abruptly ended in a way that just didn’t make much sense. So there might be some spoilers because I don’t think I can completely avoid talking about it.

I did enjoy the characters for the most part. I thought both Kenzie and Andrew had good arcs and there was a good building up for their relationship. I do wish we had seen a little bit more of Kenzie’s growth, a little more of her starting to push back against her people pleasing tendencies, but it was a good start.

Kenzie and Andrew had good chemistry, even during their disastrous date. Over the course of the story, they both challenged each other but also understood the other in a way they weren’t used to – like Andrew recognizing that Kenzie’s family dynamics were messed up while her brother seemed to acknowledge but dismiss it at the same time.

You just can’t help but root for them to get together.

The book alternated between Kenzie’s and Andrew’s perspectives and was told in first person, so you had to remember who was narrating the chapter you were ready. But it wasn’t too complicated and didn’t detract from the story.

Where it did detract was when we were in Kenzie’s head at Andrew’s company party. We are told that she is drunk but we don’t really get that feeling from how it was written. So when she makes a poor decision, it doesn’t read like something caused by the alcohol because she still seems so levelheaded due to how she is written. I would’ve liked for the writing to show how the alcohol was affecting Kenzie – a definite case for show, don’t tell.

I also think they rushed the ending and had Andrew jump to a point neither were ready for, especially after a big argument. It knocked my rating for the story down. There’s nothing worse than enjoying a story and then hitting something that takes you out of the story and lessens your enjoyment of it.

Especially when it comes toward the end.

Thankfully the epilogue almost makes up for it and does its best to end on a high note.

Bottom line: A cute holiday romance that has a couple missteps.

Sex: Yes, including detailed scenes.

Moonlight Musing

Do you love Christmas or are you a Grinch?