A Jingle Bell Mingle is the third novel in the Christmas Notch series by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone.
Finished on: 3.4.2026
[Here are my reviews of the other books in the series.]

Plot:
Sunny Palmer has a tendency to talk a bit too much, and somehow that led to her selling a screenplay to the Hope Channel – a screenplay she has yet to write. So she sets up residence in Christmas Notch’s worst motel to chase the inspiration for her screenplay, and to get it done. Isaac Kelly is also hoping that Christmas Notch will finally inspire him to write that last album he promised the studio before his wife and muse died, and then to be free of ever having to write music again and become a full-time hermit in his mansion. Or elsewhere. When Isaac and Sunny meet again, after a very fateful threesome, at their friends‘ wedding, there is still a spark. And once Isaac gets wind of Sunny’s living conditions, he invites her to stay with him, including her almost feral cat. As purely platonic roommates, of course. If only they could keep their hands off each other.

This series has been a little hit and miss for me, but this final novel in it is definitely an ending on a high note. I really liked reading it, despite my fears that its moping male lead would not be to my taste.

I really loved the first book in the series, found the novella between book 1 and 2 ok, the second book fine until it wasn’t anymore, liked the novella betweent book 2 and 3 – and definitely liked this third novel a lot. It is funny and warm, and – in my opinion – it has the best sex scenes of all the books.

It is a tropey romance – we got grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, second chance, to name but a few. But in Murphy’s and Simone’s hands these tropes don’t feel tired. The characters are vivid enough to bring their own charm and life, and the tropes are used from a genuine sense of appreciation for them and not for a lack of ideas. That makes all the difference.

Isaac certainly was on the mopier side for me, although I thought that his quasi suicidal thoughts were handled a little lightly. Plus, I was a little taken aback when it turned out that Sunny was only the second woman he ever slept with. Not because that is a bad thing, but because I had completely misrembered that characterization from the preceding books, so it jolted me out a little. But he definitely grew on me.

Sunny, on the other hand, didn’t need much growing, I just loved her from the get-go. She and Isaac definitely had good chemistry. That this is a bi4bi romance only made it better for me. (Maybe that’s also why the sex was so good? Who knows.) Plus, her cat is great in the way that fictional pets are great.

So, all in all, this book has more going for it, than not, even if my favorite couple of the series was and will remain Teddy and Steph, who get their fair share of attention here, thankfully.

Summarizing: a very nice, breezy read.