Book Review: Tis the Season for Revenge

It’s time for my Christmas in July read! I heard some people talking about Morgan Elizabeth’s romcom Tis the Season for Revenge during the holidays and then it came back up again recently because her 2nd book in her Revenge series just release, Cruel Summer, so I chose it for my Christmas in July read.

The book follows Abbie Keller, a makeup artist in her late 20s. She has spent the past 4 years in a relationship with a guy named Richard who is a lawyer at his grandfather’s law firm and hoping to become a partner – more out of nepotism than actual skill as a lawyer. For 4 years, he has kept her at an arm’s length and has never invited her to any company events, holiday parties, etc., but Abbie has been too focused on being a “good girlfriend” or someone “worthy” of Richard to notice how he treats her. Then on Halloween when Richard finally invites Abbie to his company Halloween party and she dresses as a bunny (not even a sexy bunny, a modest, cute one!) he yells at her for being a joke and not lawyer’s wife material and dumps her before the party.

Abbie’s best friends Cami and Kat come to the rescue and help her see all the signs she was blind to about Richard for years. They drunkenly create a dating profile for her on an app and that night she matches with a guy Abbie knows of, Damien Martinez. He’s incredibly handsome, older, successful, and the co-founder of the law firm Richard works for. Abbie decides she’s going to date and sleep with Damien, get him to bring her as his date to the infamous Christmas party at the Rainbow Room and show Richard that she is lawyer’s wife material. Richard had always told her that Damien was a jerk and the worst, but what is evident to Abbie from the very first date is that Damien is actually amazing, kind, smart, as well as extremely hot. Can she still get revenge on Richard? Will Damien forgive her when he finds out that she knew who he was from the very beginning and had a scheme?

I really liked this book and Abbie and Damien together. Damien was the perfect book boyfriend! The storyline was good and I loved the two of them getting to know each other as well as all the sweet, romantic, and spicy scenes.

Minor Spoiler Alert – I really appreciated that when the truth came out, Damien was really mature and heard Abbie out and they talked it through so it didn’t lead to a big 3rd act breakup. Sometimes I like the breakup and the makeup, but this was a nice break from all the drama!

Abbie’s older sister makes a couple appearances in the book along with her billionaire husband, Hunter, and I found out that they are from a separate series that Morgan Elizabeth wrote called the Springbrook Hills series and each book focuses on couples/characters that made cameos in Tis the Season for Revenge when Abbie went home for Thanksgiving. I need to read this series at some point!

Cruel Summer follows Cami’s love story. I do want to read it, but I’m not in a big rush since she I found her really aggravating in Tis the Season with her stubborn anti-love stance. But, of course, I’m sure her book is about her finding love and changing her mind!

Overall, this was a really enjoyable romcom. It’s not super Christmas-y at all as it starts at Halloween and just leads up to the Christmas party so if you’re looking for a holiday read that is light on the holiday, try this out!