A Christmas Road Trip by Noelle Adams, is a novella set in the Green Valley series, which can be read as a standalone. The setting is as cozy and charming as its title suggests, and is a friends-to-lovers romance set against the backdrop of festive small-town North Carolina.

27 year old Paige is a planner with to-do lists. It is only fitting that when it comes to her Christmas road trip with her boyfriend, she has carefully planned it out. The only contingency she does not plan for is to have her boyfriend back out at the last minute. Determined not to let her plans fall apart, she invites Chase Park, her childhood friend who is always around but never taken too seriously. What begins as a last-minute substitution turns into a journey of laughter, banter, and a shift in feelings, especially for Paige.

Paige and Chase are two characters who are very different from each other. While Paige likes control, lists, and knowing where she stands, Chase, in contrast, is laid-back to a fault, a man who has been labeled a slacker by others but who has a way of seeing truths Paige often overlooks. He infuriates Paige to no end in his refusal to take life seriously, but his humor and warmth also makes him impossible to ignore. Together, they balance one another in ways that have always been obvious to everyone but themselves.

As they travel from one stop to another, it is then Paige starts to see Chase differently. The easy companionship they have always shared takes on a spark, and she begins to realize that the man she has leaned on as a friend might be capable of giving her much more. The challenge lies in trusting what she feels, because Chase does not seem like the sort who can commit from her perspective. For Paige, it is a leap into uncertainty that she never planned for, something extremely hard to do for someone like herself.

What I loved most about this novella was its simplicity and charm. It is low angst (just like Chase himself) and filled with holiday atmosphere. The romance develops gradually through shared moments, laughter, and small shifts in perspective. Paige’s realization that Chase has been right there all along is satisfying, while Chase’s quiet depth adds a surprising layer to a character who might otherwise be overlooked.

If there is any drawback, it is simply that I wished it had been longer. At novella length, the story moves quickly, and I wouldn’t have minded more time with Paige and Chase as they navigate this new stage of their relationship. Furthermore, given that the story is told entirely from Paige’s perspective, a lengthier story would have given the reader more insight into what Chase feels throughout. Still, the ending delivers exactly the kind of feel-good conclusion as expected of a Christmas romance.

Recommended for: Readers who enjoy cozy, holiday-set romances, friends-to-lovers tropes, and low-angst stories that delivers warmth and charm.

Final Verdict: Festive, charming, and sweetly romantic—A Christmas Road Trip is a cozy holiday friends-to-lovers romance, with just the right touch of heat.

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