Review: My New Crush Gave to Me - Shani Petroff

My New Crush Gave to Me
Shani Petroff
Series: n/a
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Swoon Reads
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Charlotte Charlie Donovan knows exactly what she wants for Christmas: Teo Ortiz. He s the school s star athlete, in the National Honor Society, invited to every party, contributes to the school paper (where Charlie is co-editor), and is about to be featured as One to Watch in a teen magazine basically, he's exactly the type of guy Charlie s meant to be with. The only problem he barely knows she exists.

But Charlie is determined to be Teo's date to the Christmas ball. And she has a plan: To rig the paper s Secret Santa so that she can win his heart with five perfect gifts. But to do that she needs help. Enter J.D. Ortiz Teo s cousin, and possibly the most annoying person on the planet. He s easy going, laid back, unorganized, spontaneous, and makes a joke out of everything the exact opposite of Charlie (and Teo). But he s willing to provide insight into what Teo wants, so she s stuck with him.

Yet, the more time Charlie spends with J.D., the more she starts to wonder: Does she really know what, or rather who, she wants for Christmas?

For the second time this year, I experienced this feeling:

So, I had just set aside two books that weren't working for me, and I was worried that I was falling into the dreaded reading slump 😲, and then along comes this wonderful book. Seriously, when I was done with this book, I felt so buoyant, my heart so light, that I wanted to dance atop a mountain while making a joyful noise.

Reasons why I wanted to hug this book

• Charlie was my type of girl. She was all about schedules and planning and she abhorred lateness (my personal pet peeve). I could totally related to her and her little control freak ways, but I was also pleased to see her grow and change a little over the course of the book. 
•  J.D. was probably one of my favorite things about this book. I wish I had had a boy like J.D. in my life in high school, because he was something special. He was smart, funny, a little goofy, and artistic. He was also so thoughtful and sweet. I adored his interactions with his little cousin, his parents, and his grandfather, and this boy totally won a place in my heart. 
• Charlie and Morgan had such an awesome friendship, and I was totally jealous of them. I liked how they shared so much and had each other's backs. Everyone should have a friend like that. 
• This book really put me in the holiday spirit. Christmas, Christmas everywhere! We got to share in so many holiday traditions, as well as see some old ones evolve with changing circumstances. It was also fun unwrapping all the secret santa gifts. One of my favorite things about the holidays is finding the perfect gift for someone. That was one of the things Charlie and J.D. were trying to accomplish in this book, and I was elated to get to tag along on their search.
• I always enjoy a good enemies-to-friends-to-more story, and this one did not disappoint. The initial verbal sparring between J.D. and Charlie was quite amusing, but I really liked when their  relationship grew into a true friendship, where they could confide in and rely on each other. 
• Baking! Charlie and Morgan have a little baking business, and there is a ton of wonderful baking going on in book. I really need to find me a Jim Dandy recipe, because they sound ah-mazing. 

Overall: This book was everything I was looking for and needed at the time. It oozed holiday charm, but also delivered a story filled with love, friendship, and family, which is something I associate with the holidays. I found myself with a severe case of the warm-fuzzies and a perma-smile on my face. 

**I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition?

Let us know in the comments!