An airplane meet-cute, accidental hotel neighbors, and a missing-jewels mystery? Right up my gingerbread lane! 🎄💎 Unfortunately, the romance came with a few too many red flags for my liking.

“Christmas Assignment in Paradise” had all the ingredients for a holiday romance I’d love, including Sydney, a boss-lady FMC with a badass job and a perfectly reasonable excuse for keeping secrets. Sure, she occasionally acts a darn fool around a handsome man, but she’s a GREEN FLAG in my book!

And then there’s Asher. Billionaire? Check. Handsome as hell? Absolutely. Hypocrite? SIR. 🚩 This man had the audacity to get mad at Sydney for lying while doing THE EXACT SAME THING. And when she came clean, did he? NOPE. For someone with trust issues, he sure seems determined to give Sydney a few of her own. His aggressive reaction to discovering she was hiding something didn’t sit right with me, either. Dark orange flag, MINIMUM.

I’ll give him credit for spoiling my girl, but BUYING THE COMPANY SHE WORKS FOR?! Romantic gesture or billionaire-level possessiveness? I’m leaning toward the latter.

The missing-jewels mystery was a fun addition, although its resolution felt like it came out of nowhere. At least we got answers!

As for the narration, Emma Wilder and Benjamin Sands bring both sides of this holiday romance to life. I appreciated having two narrators to distinguish Sydney and Asher’s perspectives, especially when I had such different feelings about the characters.

Ultimately, I’m not rooting for these two long-term. Sydney deserves better! But a little winter fling in paradise? Girl, enjoy yourself. Just don’t give that man your passwords. 😂

📖 Christmas Assignment in Paradise
✍️ J.D. Carothers
🎙️ Emma Wilder & Benjamin Sands
🎁 Provided by The Author Agency
📅 11/05/26
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️