Baggage Claim by Juliana Smith

"Like the shortest winter love there ever was, we were combustible. And we only had so much time with a passion like that"

Finn, Chapter Thirty-seven, Baggage Claim by Juliana Smith

Olive Moore has been avoiding her hometown for three years now. But a phone call with her mom has her agreeing to spend the holidays back home with her family, she lets it slip she will be bringing a boyfriend with her. The only problem with that is she has no boyfriend. That is until she meets a handsome-albeit annoying-stranger on the plane who makes her an offer she can't refuse.

Finn Beckett has always had good luck, as demonstrated by the gorgeous blonde he's seated next to on a flight to Aspen. One drink too many leads to Olive spilling her problems in his lap, and he feels compelled to help. So he makes her an offer: he'll pretend to be her boyfriend to keep her family off her back and make this the best Christmas ever.

Olive and Finn spend the next two weeks going on spirit-filled Christmas dates with her family. Their ruse is working perfectly, but Finn can't help but notice Olive is holding something back. Something that could ruin everything.

Their relationship may have taken off smoothly, but with all this turbulence, will they ever make it to baggage claim?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

What a book!!!

This book had me on the brim of tears.

So we do follow Olive a young female podcast editor. The book starts when she is taking off from Florida airport to go to Apsen and meet a perfect stranger, who basically is Finn. As they share the same row, they share some alcohol and confessions and immediately Finn agreed to be her "boyfriend" while Olive stayed in with her family in Aspen.

However, what spiked my curiosity is they way Olive acted with both her sister Sarah and Sarah's husband Logan. We don't have much revelation on that part until we're like 85% through the book. Big revelation: Logan was Olive's boyfriend before he cheated on her with her own sister in her family home, therefore it kind of makes sense why Olive is so insecure about herself and so closed-up (emotionally) with people.

It does all make sense that Olive does not want to go back to Aspen, and hasn't been for the past 3 years. Or that she does not want to see the sister who betrayed her, and her now husband. The the worst part is, they married because they fell "in love"!

I would never be able to look my sister in the eye if she does this to me, there is a limit to what you can accept and seeing both your sister and boyfriend hooking up on Christmas Eve is just unbearable, the pain she must be going through is unimaginable.

Additionally, if I were her mom, I would never force her to come spend the holidays with all of my children, I do get the part that as a mom you love all of your children equally, even when they do stupid things (like here).

But, the love story between those two strangers that just happened and settled in the span of 12 days is just beautiful!

Hop on to another Christams themed book!

Love,

Manon