The Plight Before Christmas : An Un-EX-pected Sugar and Spice Christmas Romance (Holiday Hijinx Series Book 1)

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars | 17,420 ratings

Price: 4.99

Last update: 12-25-2024


About this item

From the international best-selling author of Drive and The Ravenhood Trilogy comes a heartwarming holiday romance with all of the feels.

Now an AMAZON Top #10 Best Seller!
A #1 Best Seller Holiday Romance
A #1 Best Seller in Holiday Fiction
A #1 Best Seller in Inspirational Romance
A #1 Best Seller in Romantic Comedy

Clark Griswold was onto something, at least with his annual holiday meltdown.
And since the last three weeks of my life have been riddled with humbug—another breakup, a broken toe, an office promotion I deserved and didn’t get—I’m not at all in the mood to celebrate nor have the happ, happ, happiest Christmas EVER.

When Mom insisted that we all gather at my Grandparent’s ancient cabin for an old school family Christmas, I fully intended to get into the holiday spirit with the help of the three wise men, Johnnie Walker, Jack Daniels, and Jim Beam. But those boys did absolutely nothing to offset the shock or temper the sting of seeing my EX on our doorstep the first day of our holiday soiree.

Apparently, Santa missed the memo, and this elf is pissed.

Stuck for a week with the man who obliterated my heart nearly two decades ago, I did the only thing I could do and put on my game face, thankful for the home advantage.

I knew better than to drink that last cup of eggnog.

I knew better than to get tongue tangled beneath the mistletoe with the only man to ever break my heart.

I knew better than to sleep with Satan’s wingman on the eve of the Lord’s birthday.

I could blame the nog. I could blame the deceitful light blue eyes, thick, angelic hair, and panty evaporating smirk…but mostly, I blame Eli because he always knew exactly which of my buttons to push.

I foolishly thought a family Christmas filled with nostalgia was going to turn my inner Scrooge around, but this year’s festivities went up in flames. Leave it to the ghost of my Christmas past to be the one to light the match.

Fa la la la la, la FML.

The Plight Before Christmas is a full length, second chance, Christmas themed romance and most definitely on SANTA'S NAUGHTY LIST!

From the Publisher

Romantic comedy, inspirational romance, holiday romance, new adult romance, holiday fiction
Romantic comedy, inspirational romance, holiday romance, new adult romance, holiday fiction
Romantic comedy, inspirational romance, holiday romance, new adult romance, holiday fiction

Top reviews from the United States

H Duty
5.0 out of 5 stars soo good!!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2024
This was amazing!!! Not typical Christmas cheesy but full of everything…. Emotion, laugh out loud funny moments, great plot, a second chance romance you will not want to miss!!!
Melissa Dorman
4.0 out of 5 stars ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????, ???????? ????????????.
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2024
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✍???? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? | @authorkatestewart

“???? ????????????’???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????, ???? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????.”

???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????, ???????? ????????????.
Kate Stewart’s The Plight Before Christmas is the ultimate holiday vibe—equal parts laugh-out-loud chaos, heart-melting romance, and gut-punching emotion. Whitney is barely holding it together after a streak of bad luck, and heading home for Christmas feels like the reset she desperately needs. But when her brother walks in with Eli—the guy who shattered her heart nearly two decades ago—Whitney’s holiday plans take a sharp left into emotional territory she wasn’t ready to revisit.

Let’s start with the Collins family because wow. They’re messy, loud, and over-the-top in the best way possible. They feel so real, like that one family you know (or maybe you are that family), complete with snark, holiday shenanigans, and enough love to make you teary-eyed. Stewart absolutely nails the family dynamics, and you can’t help but fall for every single one of them. It’s hilarious and heartwarming all at once, making you wish you could jump right into the story and join the chaos.

And then there’s Whitney and Eli. Oh. My. God. These two. Their chemistry is chef’s kiss—slow-burn, angsty, and so packed with unresolved feelings that you feel it in your bones. The flashbacks? Genius. They let you see why these two were perfect for each other back then, while the present shows how heartbreak and time have changed them. Eli is the perfect mix of swoony and flawed, and Whitney is sharp, funny, and so real it hurts. When their walls finally come down, it’s pure magic. And Chapter 39? Let’s just say you’re going to need a minute to collect yourself after that one.

This isn’t your typical fluffy holiday rom-com. Sure, it’s funny—I laughed so hard I had to put the book down more than once. But it also hits on deeper themes like forgiveness, family baggage, and finding love when you least expect it. It’s equal parts feel-good and gut-wrenching, and that balance makes it unforgettable.

Whether you’re here for the hilarious holiday moments, the swoony romance, or the emotional depth, The Plight Before Christmas delivers on all fronts. It’s like a holiday rom-com with soul—relatable, raw, and ridiculously charming. Trust me, this is the Christmas story you didn’t know you needed.

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Customer image
Melissa Dorman
4.0 out of 5 stars ???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????, ???????? ????????????.
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2024
???????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????
✍???? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? | @authorkatestewart

“???? ????????????’???? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ???????? ???????????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????, ???? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????????? ????????????????????????????????.”

???????? ???????? ???????? ???????? ????????, ???????? ????????????.
Kate Stewart’s The Plight Before Christmas is the ultimate holiday vibe—equal parts laugh-out-loud chaos, heart-melting romance, and gut-punching emotion. Whitney is barely holding it together after a streak of bad luck, and heading home for Christmas feels like the reset she desperately needs. But when her brother walks in with Eli—the guy who shattered her heart nearly two decades ago—Whitney’s holiday plans take a sharp left into emotional territory she wasn’t ready to revisit.

Let’s start with the Collins family because wow. They’re messy, loud, and over-the-top in the best way possible. They feel so real, like that one family you know (or maybe you are that family), complete with snark, holiday shenanigans, and enough love to make you teary-eyed. Stewart absolutely nails the family dynamics, and you can’t help but fall for every single one of them. It’s hilarious and heartwarming all at once, making you wish you could jump right into the story and join the chaos.

And then there’s Whitney and Eli. Oh. My. God. These two. Their chemistry is chef’s kiss—slow-burn, angsty, and so packed with unresolved feelings that you feel it in your bones. The flashbacks? Genius. They let you see why these two were perfect for each other back then, while the present shows how heartbreak and time have changed them. Eli is the perfect mix of swoony and flawed, and Whitney is sharp, funny, and so real it hurts. When their walls finally come down, it’s pure magic. And Chapter 39? Let’s just say you’re going to need a minute to collect yourself after that one.

This isn’t your typical fluffy holiday rom-com. Sure, it’s funny—I laughed so hard I had to put the book down more than once. But it also hits on deeper themes like forgiveness, family baggage, and finding love when you least expect it. It’s equal parts feel-good and gut-wrenching, and that balance makes it unforgettable.

Whether you’re here for the hilarious holiday moments, the swoony romance, or the emotional depth, The Plight Before Christmas delivers on all fronts. It’s like a holiday rom-com with soul—relatable, raw, and ridiculously charming. Trust me, this is the Christmas story you didn’t know you needed.

????????????????????????
???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????
???????????????????????????? ????????????????????????
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Images in this review
Customer image
Kristin Masse
5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome back to Triple Falls! 5/5 ⭐️ perfections!
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
This was perfect! Maxine & Joe as narrators are CHEFS KISS!!
I laughed so much! WELCOME BACK TO TRIPLE FALLS! Kate Stewart is perfection! I now have one book left out of all the books she’s ever written & this is one of the top ones!
SO FUNNY!
I’m in my 30’s as clarification of my age, so if I can laugh; many can as a bitter old maid status that I am.

Narrators: Maxine & Joe, is there a better duo? No, I don’t believe so! I might be biased due to them being my first ever audio book I listened to, but since listening to several more afterwards; I do not believe you’ll find a better team than them. The way both of them are able to capture emotions and voices are miraculous! They tie EVERY. SINGLE. STORY. They are in together perfectly! You can easily tell the difference between character voices as well.
Again, keep my age in mind; also know that I have an implant device in my ear to help my hearing (previously 3/4 deaf in right ear) so I’m still hard of hearing in right ear & I’m able to distinguish the voices.

Story: Christmas story, now I didn’t think I was going to get down with this right? I’m bitter about the holidays after all the grief I’ve faced through the years, & the holiday seasons have always been more challenging than most on me. I don’t ever read or listen to holiday books, but I’m determined to get through the Kate Stewart list of books (putting this one & Euro Dreams last). This story was epically hilarious. I’m talking about laughing like the Grown Ups movie funny, or Deadpool funny, just inappropriate humor, innuendos, but still life lessons to be learned (why I love Kate Stewart books).
Now is there a part where you’ll be shocked? Oh yeah! I called one part, but the other, I was crying at one am…
But also, welcome back to Triple Falls! You HAVE TO READ THE RAVENHOOD SERIES FIRST! MAJOR SPOILER!!!!!! & when you come back afterwards…. HIII SEEEAAAANN!
Brandy H
5.0 out of 5 stars It's a Hallmark book ????
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2024
Such a fun and adorable read. I absolutely fell in love with the characters especially Peyton. The Plot was beautiful. This book made my heart happy and gave me quite a few giggles!!
Jennifer
4.0 out of 5 stars Great holiday read
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2024
I loved this book. A great holiday read with laughs, sadness, family relationships, rekindled love, ace holiday tradition. Just what I needed!
Charlotte
3.0 out of 5 stars A Misogynistic Disappointment With Good Laughs
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2024
I wanted to love this book, but I couldn't get past the misogyny and failure of the men in this book. The only redeeming one was a very minor character! I rooted and hoped for him to come back.

I have two very big gripes, the brother and the terrible sexist advice Whitney gives Serena.

Brenden - what a horrible selfish narcissistic brother. He downplays any emotions any woman feels or shows and then gets mad at them for being human. He wants what he wants and that's it. It takes Eli to get through to him because clearly a woman speaking isn't as factual.

The bad sex advice -if a woman has to debase herself for her husband to give a damn, DIVORCE. Don't ever tell a woman to do that, she would have to live with that shame and still be married to that loser. Also, to keep up this outdated notion that men are just sex creatures and you have to use that to be treated well, then that's how men will act. Treat them like an adult, like women are treated, and if they can't handle that then they are not a man.

Lastly, Eli was forgiven way too easily. Her family failed her and she failed herself.

Now, the car tow guy. He was a saving grace in this book and hilarious! He should have been end goals.

Overall, I would not read it again. There were some seriously hilarious moments and a very cringe description of a body part, but the author did fail her readers with the gross misogyny.

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