The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo Hailee, March 2, 2024March 2, 2024 The Holiday Switch by Tif Marcelo Pages: 266Method: KindleRating: 3.75/5 I’m writing this as my first book review because it was the catalyst to my starting this blog. This is a cute, low-stakes, YA holiday romance that is ripe with cheesy holiday exclamations and relatable dilemmas for the younger audience. The FMC (female main character) is an 18-year-old, living in a small town, torn between the thing she loves and the thing that is expected of her. I know I can relate to that and even though I’m in my mid-20s now, the struggle of not knowing what you want is still very real. When you were 18, would you have chosen your passion or the practical alternative? What about now? Has it changed or would you still choose what you would’ve chosen when you were younger? This is my first book by this author, and it was clear that she is passionate about representation in media with both the main protagonist and the enemies-to-lovers, love interest being Filipino-American. She included pieces of culture and family dynamics that made it feel true to the characters, rather than representation just for the sake of being different. It was a short and enjoyable read but I wouldn’t have been upset by a bit more character development or a deeper dive into some of the secondary relationships and story lines. I’m not always a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, but with this one being low-stakes, it didn’t frustrate me with ridiculous miscommunication or a prolonged enemy’s phase. The “lovers” phase made me smile, giggle, and even swoon in a couple of places and the 18–19-year-old protagonists handled the conflict (if you can even call it that) with more grace and understanding than some adults I’ve seen. As I said it’s a quick read, that’s cozy, and doesn’t feel like a rollercoaster. It is holiday themed but honestly, I think that’s easy to get past unless you are a strict “Christmas is only in December” type of person. Book Reviews Romance