NICK AND NOEL’S CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST is a standalone romance by Codi Hall. I loved this book! This is a classic friends-to-lovers story. Nick Winters and Noel Carter have been BFFs since forever ago. This tale is told from alternating perspectives, so readers get a better understanding of the main characters and their feelings for each other. At the opening of NICK AND NOEL’S CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST, it’s the holiday season and Nick is returning to civilian life after being in the military for a few years. He’s anxious to get back to his girlfriend Amber and cement their relationship. Unfortunately for Nick, Amber dumps him, and he reevaluates his relationships. Thankfully his good friend Noel is around to cheer him up and, after a quick kiss to make their exes jealous, they start looking at each other through new eyes.

The romantic gauntlet is thrown down early on in this story. Soon after Nick gets dumped, Noel discovers that her current partner was seeing somebody else at the same time. Things were always casual between Noel and Trip, but his dishonesty is a dealbreaker for her. When Amber and Trip wander into the same bar as Nick and Noel, parading their new flings, Noel has an epic smooch-fest with her buddy to avoid them looking like pathetic rejected lovers. What Noel didn’t expect, was the sizzle of desire that the kissing would spawn. Both friends are taken by surprise their new feelings and by the intensity. The following are more adorable than awkward, and a mix of sweet, silly, and sexy. There might be one or two misunderstandings over the course of this book, but nothing that lasts too long. Along with her chaotic feelings regarding Nick, Noel has two other big emotional issues to deal with in NICK AND NOEL’S CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST – her female best friend getting married and being forced to play nice with Amber and being forced to confront her long-buried grief over her parents’ She also death. Noel doesn’t always make the best decision when it comes to relationships in this story, but she’s dealing with a lot at once, and Codi Hall makes her a realistically flawed yet still enjoyable character. Amber is an obvious villain of the book. She’s Nick’s witchy ex, as well as a fellow friend of the bride-to-be. I would have gladly been on board for a CARRIE-esque ending and have her doused in pig’s blood.  Codi Hall does a good job of explaining why Noel is so reluctant to get into a long-term serious romantic relationship. She also superbly conveys the strength of the bond between Nick and Noel, and the million and one things that make them fall for each other.

NICK AND NOEL’S CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST is amazeballs, with great characters and a double shot of sexy and sweet. Even though their friends and family support this couple getting together, it’s amusing how often they unexpectedly show up and inadvertently put a halt to the sexy times. I look forward to reading Codi Hall’s next book.