All I Want For Christmas is the Girl in Charge (All I Want For Christmas, #2) By Chelsea Bobulski

Dona

I read the second of the these short novels, ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS THE GIRL IN CHARGE by Chelsea Bobulski, immediately after I finished the first, and I'm glad I did it that way. This book delivers the same great formula-- basic funtional plot backed up by interesting characters and well developed themes. Additionally, I loved that the characters from the first book make a cameo, but this book still easily stands alone.

In this one, Beckett is the bad boy with a hard life-- his parents are unreliable addicts who aren't ready to change or be good to anyone. Beckett hasn't had good role models (he took the fall for a bag of drugs for his mom to keep her out of prison and put himself afoul of the law). But his Aunt and Uncle give him a second chance to complete high school in small-town Christmas, where he can complete his community service and stay out of trouble. And most importantly, stay away from his parents. He meets his match in Evelyn Waverly, the small-town girl with Christian values who also believes in second chances, but has no patience for self-pity, and is dead set on Beckett for her Mr. Darcy. No, no, I mean in the school play, which Beckett isn't sure he wants anything to do with. Or with "Waverly" herself.

But might she not be just what he needs? Will they come together despite his past catching up and what seems like endless conflict between them, being so different?

Rating: 🍪🍪🍪🍪.5 / 5 hand-sized cookies
Recommend? Absolutely!
Finished: January 8 2023
Read this book if you like:
😡🥰 Enemies to lovers trope
🪙 Second chance trope
😇 Redemption stories
👫 YA romance

Erin Phillips

I’m head over heels for these books! I loved this one even more than the first! I’m buying them all in paperbacks as a gift to my future Christmas self!

“…real love, whether in a romance, or in family, or in friendships, doesn’t ask you to give up who you are, or keep you from becoming who you’re meant to be—it comes alongside you. Supports you. Abides with you.”

Such a good exploration of how hurt people hurt, how the hidden hurts come out in bad ways but a moment of patience and compassion are what is needed in return. It’s all perspective, and choosing to find out what the only person is going through, giving them the benefit of a doubt, allowing someone to have a hard day, and being a friend in it rather than demanding they decide to be happy.

Beckett was a really raw but realistic look at kids that grow up with crappy parents who are addicts, and the hurts and abuse that kind of parent can inflict. Those families have difficult things to work through and overcome, but I love that there was hope at the end, showing the impact the church can have through recovery ministries (like Recovery Alive and Celebrate Recovery.)

Beckett is also a great example of how hurtful words imprint on our hearts, and it’s difficult to look past them, or let others in who might validate those hurtful words.

On the bright side, Beckett is the bad boy trope done RIGHT and not toxic! Color me mighty impressed.

Onto the next one!

Alissa J. Zavalianos

Well this book completely destroyed me. I’ve always had a soft spot for the misunderstood “bad boy”, but not the kind that is toxic and rude for no reason. Becket is a diamond in the rough, and Evelyn is a peach.

The parallels alone were spot on in this story, too! With Pride and Prejudice being an accurate depiction of the growing relationship between Evelyn and Beckett, gah, it was all so perfect.

But what touched me the most was the familial aspect. Bee and Bill 🥹 I love them and their love for Beckett. Beckett Hawthorne has not had an easy upbringing, and that ending? I was on the EDGE of my seat.

Also, the romance was adorable, and I was SO happy to see Graham and Piper, Jeremy and Sarah again! I love all of their characters.

It’s safe to say that I’m invested. Erin, what have you done to me? 😭😂💛

Content:
A whole lot of cute and swoon (even more than the first, including some semi-detailed kissing)
Some minor curses
Mentions of abuse and drugs/alcohol

AnnaScott

Picture a Hallmark movie, but with teens. That's what reading this book felt like. It had everything from a town-wide fundraiser to a Christmas tree farm, and I loved the small-town, nostalgic vibes that this book gave. It had such a sweet redemption narrative, and it was fun to see the nods to Pride in Prejudice throughout the story.

Evelyn and Beckett (our heroine and hero) were so sweet together, and felt like real people facing real challenges and self-doubts. I found Evelyn to be especially relatable, and Beckett's backstory helped make his character understandable (since I couldn't personally relate to being a moody teenage boy). My one complaint with them is that they were a little to effortlessly beautiful, with Beckett's perfectly formed body, and Evelyn's state of being constantly put together and having half of the male population in love with her. It was very on brand with the Hallmark vibes, but I would have personally preferred them to be a little less perfect in this way.

Overall, it made for a sweet, cozy read in preparation for Christmas.

Content warnings: There is a smattering of mild language throughout, and a few scenes where characters are kissing passionately.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own, and I am writing a voluntary review.

Gabby (gabbys.bookshelf)

“I am enamored with you,” she whispers back. “I’ve never been more aware of another human being in my entire life.”

Beckett Hawthorne is the grumpy, mysterious bad boy that likes to keep to himself. Moving from one foster family to another to escape from his drug addicted mother and abusive step-father, he’s been sent to live with his aunt and uncle in the small town of Christmas, VA to complete his community service hours.

Evelyn Waverley is the overachiever, routine-obsessed, know-it-all senior class president at Christmas High. She wants to go to an Ivy League college, but to stand out on her application, she decides to co-direct and star in her adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. After overhearing that Beckett is not interested in her, Evelyn HATES him and deems him “the enemy”.

When the role of Mr. Darcy is open, the only person that’s perfect for the role is none other than Beckett. Reluctant at first, he finally agrees to join the play. The relationship between Beckett and Evelyn is hot and cold, but slowly he begins to open up to her, even though he knows that she doesn’t belong in his not-so-perfect world.

This book will make you want to move to a small town that’s obsessed with Christmas and watch Pride & Prejudice over and over and over again!

✨READ IF YOU LIKE✨:
- dual POV
- hate to love
- opposites attract
- grumpy x sunshine
- Pride & Prejudice
- bad boy turned good
- family owned Christmas tree farm
- small town
- witty & teasing banters
- hot cocoa & gingerbread house

cw: drugs, alcoholic, child abuse

Thank you to @chelseabobulski and @wisewolfbooks for an advanced copy! All I Want for Christmas is the Girl in Charge is now available!

Angelica Bailey

This Christmas season young adult novel had the same kind of warm and cozy vibe to it that a Hallmark movie has but with teens instead of adults. Even with Beckett being s delinquent with a troubled and difficult past and home life it still made my heart so full to read this, the same kind of feeling I get from watching Hallmark movies.

For Beckett he has come to Christmas, Virginia to help at his uncle's Christmas tree farm to work off his community service hours and escape his drug addict mother and abusive stepfather. He never expected to run into someone like Evelyn.

Evelyn is close to being an exact opposite of Beckett. She is Christmas High's Senior Class President, volunteers at every Christmas charity drive, and basic overachiever. Whereas Beckett is a bad boy delinquent with a crap home life and nothing promising happening in his life.

When Evelyn has the chance to co-direct and star in her schools production of Pride and Prejudice is thrilled until the boy playing Darcy gets hurt.

Even though Beckett was a child prodigy he has no interest in the role of Darcy until his social worker pushes him to do it. The more time they spend together the more her lively and joyful attitude melts are the frozen parts of himself and he starts imagining a very different kind of future for himself. Hope, love, and family aren't are far away from his grasp as he thought.

I adored the dynamic between these two characters, and the romance that unfolds between them. This book was truly an amazing story and a great addition to the All I Want For Christmas series. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this story.

Susan Ballard

We are back in Christmas, Virginia and, honestly, I have fallen in love with this quaint little town. Chelsea Bobulski takes us on a new romantic holiday adventure with each book, pairing two unlikely but loveable characters.

Evelyn is trying not to panic. With only weeks before opening night, the high school play A Pride and Prejudice Christmas, which Evelyn is co-directing and starring as Elizabeth, has lost its Mr. Darcy.

Evelyn auditions new Mr. Darcys, and the pickings are slim except for Kyle, who may be just looking for a date. But then Beckett Hawthorne auditions. Beckett is new in town and has a bad boy image. While Beckett and Evelyn seem to clash, they soon realize they bring out the best in each other.

Drew Taylor

Why are Darcy-related books the freaking best?!

I was a fan of Chelsea’s first book in this series…but this one 😍 Woah. The tension, the P&P, the characters, the plot—all overwhelmingly delicious. I read the first 15% late last night, and devoured the rest today. I literally couldn’t stop reading.

This is a tension-filled, angsty, romantic Christmas read that you don’t want to miss out on this season. If you like Pride and Prejudice…you’ll love this read! It’s easy, flows well, and has all the story elements you love in a romance!

Content Warnings: abuse, few swear words, steamy but clean scenes, alcoholism

Sierra

* this book releases November 10th! *

Reader’s Notes:

– this is book 2 in a series, and though the characters from book one appear a lot in this story, it is not necessary to read the first to understand this one

– this book is told from both our romantic interests’ points of view (Evelyn and Beckett)

– there are about 10 total curse words

– Beckett’s mother and stepfather are not the best parents due to: drug use, physical abuse, and drinking. We don’t see much of them since he is with other family members during the story, but they do come up a few times and are shown to be affected by what they use/their need for more money. This also affects how Beckett thinks about different things and reacts to them, which is explained in the story.

Review:

GUYS!

I thought I really liked book one, but I like this one sooooo much more! (It only got better!) I loved how we didn’t find out why Beckett was doing community service until Evelyn did, we don’t generally have things kept from a reader about a character who is one of the points of view the story is being told from! I really liked how Evelyn and Beckett struggled against themselves with their feelings for each other. And how they went back and forth as the other one acted out negatively/positively around them. And I’m just going to brag on a side character for a sec here…there was another guy interested in Evelyn (totally obvious that he was to probably everyone but Evelyn). And I thought he was going to be a jerk about Evelyn and Beckett getting together, but in the end when Evelyn made her decision, he respected her and her decision. AND he encouraged her to go for it! That’s awesome for someone to do that (literary or real)!

So what is this awesome story about?

Well…we have a moody boy (Beckett) who has always wished for the picture perfect family. But like all his other hopes and dreams, they died when confronted with his lot in life. Now he doesn’t like dreaming, he prefers to be practical. Right now that means finishing his service hours so he can be free to leave when his 18th birthday comes.

We also have a girl (Evelyn) who thrives on being in the middle of something others would find hectic and being able to fix it or make it run well. In this case, Evelyn holds the reins (and if we’re being honest, the whole sleigh) to the school play. She chose to rewrite Pride and Prejudice into a Christmas play over the summer and now is being allowed to produce and star in the play. Everything is running well until her leading man does something silly that causes an injury. One that makes it so he can’t perform in the play.

Evelyn is frantic trying to find some guy, any guy, to fill in. A few guys tryout, but once Beckett tries out the lines to make a point Evelyn knows she has found the perfect Mr. Darcy. And she isn’t going to let him back out so easily. She will do whatever she can to get him to say yes. And she doesn’t know it, but she has some help from a mischievous Aunt Bee who caught on to the looks in both Beckett and Evelyn’s eyes when they see each other.

This is a perfect, wonderful, and heartfelt Christmas love story that will tug on your heartstrings and give you some laughs. ❤️

Veronica

Rating: 2.5-3 stars

I love Pride and Prejudice, cheesy Christmas movies, YA contemporaries and brooding love interests with hearts of gold, so in some ways, I was the target audience for All I Want for Christmas is the Girl in Charge. And I loved it for about the first third of the book. Admittedly, there were a few issues. Like the other books in the series, the story was rushed, and the romance seemed especially cheesy this time around since the protagonists seemed especially fond of poetic rhapsodies, but it was cute and Christmasy and had nods to P&P, so I was willing to overlook these flaws as part of the story's charm.

Then we hit the midway point where I started having more issues with the book. One of my biggest issues with Bobulski's books is the fact that the romance develops so quickly, she needs to invent reasons the couple can't be together halfway through the story and a lot of times it doesn't work. As a frequent Hallmark channel movie binge watcher, I can say that's it's a pretty common issue, but it's especially obvious in The Girl in Charge which is extra melodramatic. The big twist toward the end of Act II feels kind of senseless because there hasn't been any build-up to it. It feels a little out-of-character for There was definitely a way to incorporate it into the story better, but Bobulski didn't make it work. Plus, the sudden shift in tone with the climax made it feel a little too outrageous.

Petty points: There was this whole Twister scene that I did not need at all. I didn't realize this when I was reading it, but I guess the book is marketed as Christian (or at least "clean and wholesome romance" on Amazon)? Either way, reading about the relative location of people's crotches and pant zippers doesn't seem to fit either category (and is not something I think anyone is looking for in their YA fiction.)

TL;DR: first half of the book--cute, fun, good cheesy. Second half of the book--weird, jumbled, bad cheesy.

Meagan

A high 3.5 stars, close to 4.

I felt this book was a step up from the first in the series; the plot pacing and character development felt tighter and more on point. And, I mean, I adored the entire Jane Austen subplot (even if the Keira Knightley version got watched a few times haha! But I do agree that the cinematography in that was well done, its high point ).

Another review mentioned how the characters talked older than they actually are, and I also feel that's on point (maybe why I liked it better, they read almost like early-20s characters, haha).

The occasional language was still present, just like in the first book, and the main reason the book didn't get 4 stars from me. It just isn't something I expect or look for in a Christian read; I'd almost (_personally_) prefer it be marketed as a clean read, and find the pleasant surprise of church and God-talk being incorporated ... but you can't please everyone on everything. :) It's still a really solid read, with plenty of mic-drop moments and quite a bit of action, particularly near the end.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Jak

[ad. pr product]

Ok. Well. Chelsea Bobulski is quickly becoming one of my favourite romance authors. This is book 2 in her ‘All I Want For Christmas’ series (all standalone books) and it was wonderful and lovely. I mean, how can you go wrong with romance, Christmas and Jane Austen!! (Spoiler alert: you can’t)

Evelyn is putting on a play of Pride & Prejudice and a classic male brooding hero comes to her rescue when the guy cast as Mr Darcy breaks his leg being dumb. Cue lots of smouldering, snark and longing looks from the both when the other one isn’t paying attention. Also Beckett has a tortured backstory (obviously) which clearly adds to his mystique. So, there might be some cliches in here, and I have a bit of an annoyance that both 17 year olds talk and act older which I guess you argue away but bugged me, but despite that it’s wonderfully written and is full of characters you can’t help be care about.

It was lovely and warm and Christmassy and I didn’t want it to end.

10/10 would recommend.

Kaye

A clean, YA, contemporary Christmas romance. Evelyn Waverley is an over achiever and likes to be in control. To add more to her college applications she decides to star in and co-direct her adaptation of A Pride and Prejudice. Beckett Hawthorne, recently came to their small town of Christmas, VA to stay with a great aunt. He needs service hours for a recent police incident and being in the play will give him plenty. It doesn't hurt that he gave the best try out and is perfect for Darcy.

It is fun to see the two learn to trust each other and bring down walls. Beckett has had a hard life and but Evelyn helps him remember the prodigy he once was. This is the second is the author's All I Want for Christmas series but can easily be read alone. It takes place a year after the first book and the main couples do make an appearance. Other than Becketts Great Aunt Bea most of the side characters are filler and forgettable. This is a quick, sweet high school romance. It includes some mild violence involving a step-parent. Thank you to NetGalley and Wise Wolf Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)

Keeley

ARC received from Netgalley

RATING: 5/5⭐

"And when good people are hard to come by, we find them in books, and in the authors who had the good sense to write them."

REVIEW

I LOVED THIS BOOK. This is book two in a Christmas rom-com companion series, and I enjoyed the first one, but this one hit it on the head for me. It was perfectly Christmasy and exactly the mood I wanted.

We follow two characters (the love interests), one of them is the perfect, hardworking, Evelyn. The other character is the brooding, angry Beckett. I love this pairing in romance novels so much. I also loved that we got Easter eggs from the first novel and were updated on how the other couple was doing.

The endings of these series (so far) always take a darker turn that is very surprising in a Christmas rom-com and I love it. It ups the ante even more and makes the reward even more satisfying. I also really love Chelsea Bobulski's writing. I think it is really beautiful and perfectly descriptive. There are also some great quotes in here. The way the characters confess their love for each other is beautiful. I can not wait to finish the series!

Beckah brooks

Um okay, I completely devoured this book. Read it as fast as I could. It was everything I wanted it to be. The romance was amazing. The Christmas vibes immaculate. The back story chefs kiss.
•
Chelsea really has a way for words. The romance she creates between her characters is everything. Reading this story made me giddy, and my heart swoon. Call me a romantic, but see for yourself that the romance is top tier. Chelsea delivered on the grumpy and sunshine trope without it reading just like a trope.
•
Christmas books are a special kind of vibe, and I love them. This book definitely delivers on the Christmas vibes, in new ways. It doesn’t scream Christmas in your face, it calmly surrounds you like a snow flurry. With gingerbread building contests, a Christmas play, holiday party, and more.
•
Now the characters. I loved them so much! They all held a lot of depth that made them seem like real people. They had real emotions, reactions, histories, and I could go on and on. Beckett, the grump, was an adorable wannabe Scruge. Evelyn was full of charge and optimism. They collided in a perfect melody.
•
Definitely pick up this book, you won’t regret it.

Jill

Second book in the series, and just as fun as the first one!

Marisa

Loved this story. So much hope, innocence and love

Paige🧚‍♀️ | the notorious bookworm

AMAZING! such a cute and sweet romance. i absolutely loved the first book and i’m in love with this one as well. i loved the the dual pov in this books and i loved all the pride and prejudice mentions. i loved getting to see the characters develop and see their views of each other change. if you love holiday romance and pride and prejudice then this is definitely the book for you!

Of Pens and Swords

This book is a very loose enemies-to-lovers (it's really more mild-dislike-to-lovers) story following Evelyn, a. very driven girl who is staging a self-written stage adaptation of Pride and Prejudice featuring her as Elizabeth Bennet, and Bennett, the "bad boy" who is living with his aunt and uncle due to his mother's drug problems and his step-father's abuse, and is mostly just trying to get to age 18 and fulfill his court-mandated community service hours. He ends up being cast as Mr. Darcy due to a lack of other options and with the assurance that rehearsals will count towards his hours, and thus this adorable romance starts.

I absolutely adore Pride and Prejudice (it's one of my favorite books of all time), so I already knew I was going to love this book. The setting, revolving around rehearsing a play where the two protagonists are playing love interests and gradually realizing their feelings for each other as they do so, is a favorite rarely-used trope of mine. The characters were both very lovable; I related a lot to Evelyn (the intense scheduling, the Pride and Prejudice obsession), so I obviously enjoyed reading about her. However, I also ended up loving Beckett much more than I was expecting to, since the bad boy/troubled new boy/etc. archetype doesn't usually do much for me, though those elements did play much less of a role than I was expecting them to, and he really is just misunderstood. There was tons of chemistry between the pair throughout the book, so the romance felt much more satisfying because of that. I also enjoyed the little Pride and Prejudice parallels that Bobulski utilized in their relationship. My one criticism (which is also an issue I have with the other books in the series) is that the romance definitely felt like it got too serious too early, especially since they'd only really known each other for a few weeks.

I also really enjoyed the side characters and plot. Getting to see the characters from All I Want for Christmas Is the Girl Next Door and All I Want for Christmas Is the Boy I Can't Have was fun, and Aunt Bee and Uncle Bill's subplot was also really cute, and I was almost as invested in that storyline as in the main romance.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book, and give it an enthusiastic five stars. I would recommend it to anybody who loves Pride and Prejudice, very mild enemies-to-lovers, or is just looking for a fluffy contemporary YA holiday romance to read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ebook copy of the book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Caryn "Bookhauled"

This was an enjoyable and very quick read. The Christmas setting was wonderful and anything related to Pride and Prejudice has me hooked from the start.

I really liked both of the protagonists and I'm a big fan of the "good girl/bad boy" trope, which worked well in this story. The romance is very cute and you can't help but root for Beckett and Evelyn throughout the book.

With all that said however, I did have some issues. First, the swearing is completely unnecessary. Thankfully, it's pretty minimal - but I really don't want it in my cozy Christmas romances. Second, the writing is nice but didn't read like 17 year olds. The setting should have been college, not high school, to fit much of the dialog (both internal and external) better. Third, I'm not a fan of instalove, and it is heavily prevalent here. Last, the ANGST!!! Ugh, every other page was dripping in full blown teenage angst. 🙄 🙄🙄

But even with those caveats, I really did enjoy this book and would read more from this author.

Salam Kabbani

Rating: 2.5/5

This book was a very Hallmark-type Christmas romance novel. The story brings two characters who have instant chemistry as well as personality repulsion to work alongside each other in a high school production of a "Pride and Prejudice Christmas" aka a Jane Austen spinoff that the main character Evelyn wrote herself to impress Ivy League colleges. Unfortunately Mr. Darcy suffered an injury and this led to Beckett auditioning (against his own will) and being cast in the role, since his practice hours will qualify for his court mandated community service hours. As fate would have it, despite having hated each other at first, working together might just be the meet cute for these two hopeless romantics; however, when Beckett's step-dad comes into town to take him home and when Evelyn finds out about the real reason Beckett is doing the play things get really sticky.

I enjoyed this book. A very cheesy feel-good romcom; however, some parts were a bit peculiar. For example, I was not anticipating the physical abuse and violence acts that happened in the book. I just felt like it was all out of left field and so heavy for a Christmas romance. I surmise the author was adding depth to the story by introducing these scenes, and while that was certainly accomplished, it was a little too gruesome for my taste and felt incongruent with the beginning of the story. I also felt like sometimes the characters were confusing, because they were teenagers, but then at times it seemed like they were adults, and that could very well be the nature of the age group, but all in all, it felt like there were a few scenes and manners in which things were written where I felt like less would have been more.

I really enjoyed the twist on Jane Austen and how the author had both the male and female leads equally invested in literature and theater. I also loved a particular scene where Beckett talks about how one sentence out of someone else literally changed his entire sense of living, showing us how fragile the human condition is and how much impact we have on each other. Overall this is def a Hallmark type Christmas romance, and I think many readers, myself included, will enjoy it.

CW: strong domestic abuse scenes, emotional and verbal abuse, drug references.

Thank you to @netgaley and @wisewolfbooks for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kit

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

This book really threw me for a loop.

First of all, I feel like I should note that this is a book about a girl who basically wrote her own Pride and Prejudice fanfiction, turned it into a play, and is now directing and starring in that play at her high school. The confidence of putting your name and face on your fanfic instead of just posting it to AO3 and hoping no one finds out you wrote it is astounding.

Second of all… the main male character, Beckett, is eerily similar to me. Every single detail I came across left me flabbergasted. We have the same haircut. We both have a “cartilage piercing” (I assume Beckett also has a helix piercing. It would be kind of weird to have an industrial without a helix). We also both play violin, which was one of the crazier details I wasn’t expecting. Either way, I had to take a few quick breaks from this book to scream internally.

I will also note that Beckett is overflowing with teenage angst. He’s the type of character who believes he doesn’t deserve anything good in his life to an almost eye-rolling degree. One of the more interesting things of this book is seeing how he changes throughout the text and grows into someone who thinks he is deserving of love.

But one thing I didn’t enjoy about this book was how they don’t seem to speak like teenagers. I can best describe every character’s speaking style as “90-year-old reminiscing on what makes life worth living.” Everyone seemed to know exactly what to say and exactly how life should be lived, with perfectly thought out advice for the other characters.

I also wasn’t a fan of the quick fight the characters have about 80% through the book. It seemed like the book was trying to go for a miscommunication subplot with a detail that was communicated from the very beginning, which ended up being pretty frustrating to read. But it was quick and almost unforgettable with some of the other conflict that happened in this book…

I generally liked this book, but I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted more from it. More Christmas stuff. More details on the play and how they were getting ready for the performance, rather than a quick “they practiced” every so often. I don’t feel as ready and excited for Christmas as I thought I would by the end of this book.

Katy

All I want for Christmas is the girl in charge by Chelsea Bobulski

4 stars

Sum it up:

Evelyn is the girl that loves to be in charge, pretty much an overachiever but when the play she writes, stars in, and co-directs come to a halt after the lead boy breaks his leg she needs to find another lead.

Beckett has a troubled past with a bad childhood, he comes to live with his uncle bill. Beckett didn't plan to audition for the role but when he gets challenged he doesn't want to back down.

My thoughts:

Oh Beckett the misleading acting tough bad boy has all his walls up and needs someone to knock them down, and Evelyn strong-headed is the perfect person for the job. They make a cute team and how they get around each other. Now the one thing I couldn't stand was how strong-headed they both were and neither wanted to fully open up it was a little frustrating for me it's like your yelling at the movie the whole time just kiss her you, idiot. Watching Beckett's walls slowly go down and having him open up was extremely cute and how Evelyn brought out the good in him and he in her. Wasn't a fan of Becketts's stepfather coming back to try to take him but it definitely shows what his past was like. Love the different points of view we get to see from both of them. So far Chelseas books definitely seem like they're cute quick reads that take me to hallmark movies, which is you love you'll want to read these.

I just reviewed All I Want for Christmas is the Girl in Charge by Chelsea Bobulski. #AllIWantforChristmasistheGirlinCharge #NetGalley

Andge (Down the Rabbit Hole)

Rating: 2.5 stars

All I Want for Christmas is the Girl in Charge brings the next installment in the series, and it is written in dual POV alternating between Beckett and Evelyn. Oddly enough, I didn’t connect as well with Evelyn as I would’ve hoped. I understand with her type A personality and how much her college applications relied on the success of the play she’d written that she would be absolutely anal about everything. But that’s not really my style and it was a little stressful reading just how stressed SHE was.

Beckett, on the other hand, I liked well enough. He’s your typical misunderstood bad boy with a gooey inside. We don’t know too much about why he needs to serve some community hours – obviously something bad happened that required such punishment – but he ends up stuck with the play in the lead role of Mr. Darcy. I didn’t emotionally connect with him much better than Evelyn, but I loved seeing his interactions with his Aunt Bee and Uncle Bill (who were a big enough part of the first book).

Graham and friends make cameos in this book too, set during Christmas time the following year after Graham’s story. There’s a little less focus on Christmas than book 1 but it’s in the little pieces, like Beckett working at the Christmas tree farm.

I wish I could’ve invested more in the relationship to have made this a more enjoyable Christmas read, but it was a light read either way for this time of year.

Cassey

I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This might be one of the rare instances that I like a sequel of a series better than the first book. While each story is a standalone, reoccurring characters from the previous books do make it fun to read in order.

There are many reasons why I liked this story. I love that it has 2 POV for our main characters. It's really enjoyable being able to read from both Beckett and Evelyn's view. I thought they were very well written and had their own unique voices! Mainly I loved this story because it's an ode to Pride and Prejudice, though I wouldn't say an exact retelling. Our main character, over-achiever Evelyn is writing and directing a high school play retelling Pride and Prejudice but set at Christmas. Enter Beckett, a typical "bad boy", who needs community service hours... and he's the perfect Darcy. Evelyn recruits him, but doesn't realize that he's in it for the hours. As their relationship blossoms they have to navigate the play, his imperfect past, and her mistrust. I thought their relationship was very sweet and they had growth both together and separately. I also think that the Christmas aspect was done really well. It wasn't over the top Christmas, but had enough to feel the spirit of the season. The ending was much more dramatic and intense than I was expecting, but so good! Out of the series, I do believe this was my favorite.

Erica

This second novel in Chelsea Bobulski's series of standalone YA Christmas romances is jointly narrated by its two teenage protagonists. Evelyn is an overachiever who is writing and directing a Pride and Prejudice-based Christmas play, and she's desperate for a boy to play Darcy to her Elizabeth. Beckett is the (rightfully) resentful new kid in town whose audition proves him perfect for the role. As rehearsals progress, their chemistry intensifies. But will Evelyn's high expectations, and Beckett's defensiveness, be too high a barrier to their growing attraction?

This was an enjoyable read, fairly light despite Beckett's troubled past. I was impressed by how naturally the author brought together two very different characters.

Beckett is definitely the more interesting and better-developed lead, and I would have liked to get a bit deeper into Evelyn's narrative arc. Her primary personality trait is an obsession with Pride and Prejudice, and she frequently compares Beckett to Mr. Darcy despite their minimal commonalities. However, this was only a minor issue in an otherwise good book.

The author has two more novels in the series forthcoming - starring Evelyn's two best friends, and scheduled for release this holiday season - and I can't wait to read them!

Erin

📖My Thoughts📖

This one has to be my favorite of all the books in this series (I didn’t read them all in order, but this was the one I finished with). I loved every second of it! This one had some gripping moments towards the end. I found it very hard to put this one down. The smooshy gooey moments in this one totally melted my heart. I found myself laughing and smiling to myself as well as shedding some tears. Chelsea Bobulski has definitely found her calling as an author! She really knows how to write a good book that will keep her audience captivated from start to finish. I loved all the characters and how I felt like I was in Christmas myself, along with them. It sounds like such a perfect little place to live. If you haven’t read any of the books in this series and are looking for a wonderful heartfelt series, this series is an absolute must!
Thank you Chelsea Bobulski, Netgalley and Wise Wolf Books for the opportunity to read and review this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

⚠️ Trigger warning: drug abuse/addiction are talked about as well as mention of child abuse

Sarah Evans

Book 2 in an interconnected series of contemporary young adult romance novels with a Christmas theme. Each novel highlights the importance of understanding yourself when entering a relationship, having a supportive circle of people in your life, and that true love is bringing out the best in each partner.

Evelyn is the classic high school overachiever, full of energy and extreme organization skills. To stand out in her college applications, she has adapted Pride and Prejudice into a school Christmas play, in which she will star and direct. When her leading man breaks his leg, she asks the newly arrived Beckett to step in. Beckett is certainly no Mr. Darcy - he's a juvenile delinquent doing community service on his uncle's farm while escaping his toxic family. But like Darcy, Beckett believes the worst of most people is determined to hold them at arms length. At least until a certain girl works her way into his heart. Highly recommended for ages 12 and up.

Rose (Adventurous Bookworm)

Maybe it was just a situation of right book and right time, but I really really enjoyed this one. Despite all that is going on right now, I couldn't put it down.
The character growth was fantastic throughout the whole story. At the beginning, one is very closed off while the other is seeking 100% control over everything in her life. This slowly starts to change as the characters get to know each other.
I would have liked to see more of Beckett playing the violin (being a violinist myself) and the impact that it has on him.
The only complaint I have is the random language used throughout the book. For the most part, it didn't seem to fit the mood of the story.

Content: abusive/drug-addicted parents, language, kissing

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

Title	:	All I Want For Christmas is the Girl in Charge (All I Want For Christmas, #2)
Author	:	Chelsea Bobulski
Rating	:
ISBN	:	-
Language	:	English
Format Type	:	Kindle Edition
Number of Pages	:	244
Publication	:	Published November 10, 2021

All I Want For Christmas is the Girl in Charge (All I Want For Christmas, #2) by Chelsea Bobulski

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