2.5 stars rounded down for GoodReads. The half star is for the kind person who made a Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist on Spotify.

I had high hopes for this book with the best friends to love trope and the promise of music playing a strong part in the narrative in a Christmas romcom.

Unfortunately, since the main characters haven't spent time together in 8 years, they all just act like high schoolers who can legally drink. Sure Nick and Noel have a great friendship and then they discover some sexual chemistry but I am not sold on them as a couple. It just felt like high school kids who go hot and heavy for a short period of time and then flame out. I don't buy that they'll be a long-term couple. I also didn't love the mean girls storyline that dragged the entire book down for way too long.

Based on the title, I expected there to be more about WHY a song, or WHAT a song evokes instead of just mentioning a title in passing. Like when someone's mom says "hang tough" as advice to Noel, and she's confused by this phrase, so the mom clarifies by saying "New Kids on the Block." Like that explains it all?

There wasn't much romance, there was absolutely no comedy, and the Christmas feels were lacking as well.

3.5 rounded up. cute little Christmas read!

I was looking forward to indulging in my guilty pleasure of Hallmark-type Christmas stories with an audiobook, but I was left crestfallen. This was a light and superficial story heavily influenced by “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” that gave me a few laughs, but ultimately really surprised me with the immaturity of the main characters (and then in like a day’s time they suddenly decided to act like adults?) and smutt! Detailed sex scenes are sprinkled throughout the latter half of this book, and while it was a relief from the female lead’s insecurities and self-created drama (which I understand is very relatable to many), it was definitely a surprise.

Ok so I’m going to start with a huge critique. If you are going to write a book about music, maybe do research into the music you feature in order to make sure you are being accurate. There is a song mentioned that they say Hunter Hayes sings when in truth it is WALKER Hayes. Like was there an editor? All in all if you want a quick little Christmas rom-com that is completely unserious despite the occasional mention of grief this is your story. Nick and Noel are great characters and even the minor characters are very fun to read. However this reads like a knock off version of some of your favorites. A good “reading goal” read, but you could also skip.

Excluding mom and dad, it's a4-star book/narration. The

rating 2.5
It was okay. For it to be a Christmas book, there was very little Christmas. It was a cute best friends to lovers but the whole point of her hating on girly things?! Just like ruined it for me and with how they pitted the two girls against each other to then have a physical fight?!? I just didn’t enjoy that part of them. But Noel and nick were cute together!