The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars 

Pages: 330 pages
Published: December 2021

What a fun little Christmas read The Holiday Swap by writing duo Maggie Knox (Karma Brown and Marissa Stapley) turned out to be! I was looking for a light, fun pick-me-up for the end of the year festivities, and this book did not disappoint. It's about identical twin sisters, Charlie, who lives the seemingly glamorous life of a celebrity chef in Los Angeles and Cass, who helps run the family bakery business in their quaint, cozy hometown of Starlight Peak a couple of hours drive away from LA. When a work accident causes Charlie to lose her sense of taste and smell at the most inopportune time, Cass steps in, and the sisters do a switcheroo for the 12 days leading up to Christmas. Thrown in the mix are two handsome love interests of both sisters who each think he is dating the other sister. It sounds like it could be a recipe for disaster but turned into one for holiday rom-com fun! 

I really enjoyed the fast-pace nature of the book as I was trying to get this one in just under the 2022 wire. (I succeeded.) But I also appreciated the love and loyalty each sister had for the other. I do wonder if the authors pulled on their relationship as friends to develop such realistic and thoughtful characters. This is a feel-good book with characters that are well-developed and it has all the plot elements of a holiday Hallmark movie - romance, comedy and some tasty food treats! 

Recommendation: The synopsis on Goodreads.com says this book is perfect for fans of One Day in December by Josie Silver, and having read that one too, I have to say I agree. This could be a fun read any time of year, but it is especially touching during the holiday season. I highly recommend! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.