The Plight Before Christmas — Kate Stewart Holiday Hijinx #1

⭐ My Rating: 4/5 stars🎧 Audiobook Rating: 5/5 stars — narrated by Maxine Mitchell & Joe Arden

🎄 Vibe Check

Second chance romance · Forced proximity · Grumpy/sunshine · Family chaos · Slow burn · Spicy Hallmark movie energy · Laugh-out-loud moments that hit you right before the gut punch · Listen to this one with headphones in so nobody sees you ugly cry

The Setup

Whitney is 38, freshly dumped, passed over for a promotion, and absolutely not in the Christmas spirit. Her mum insists on a big family cabin getaway — and on day one, her brother shows up with a plus one. 

That plus one? The ghost of her Christmas past. Eli. The man who obliterated her heart nearly two decades ago. 

So yeah. Fa la la la la, FML.

My Reading Journey (aka the emotional rollercoaster I did not sign up for)

  • Going in

    I expected a fun, cosy Christmas read. Light on the angst, heavy on the festive vibes. A nice little palette cleanser.

  • By chapter two

    I was cackling. The moment Whitney started interacting with her family — especially those group emails about the cabin trip — I was obsessed. Kate Stewart writes family dynamics in a way that feels so real it's almost uncomfortable. Like, I know these people. 

  • Somewhere in the middle

    Okay, the slow burn started doing things to me. Eli is... a lot. In the best possible way. The comedy is impeccable, and the slow burn chemistry, the longing, and the emotions hit in waves. I was not prepared. 

  • The ending

    I won't say much but — the epilogue? Chef's kiss. I closed my eyes (metaphorically, I was listening) and just sat with it for a minute.

Let's Talk About the Audiobook 🎧

Okay, this is where I need to have a full moment because Joe Arden as Eli should be illegal. I listen to a lot of audiobooks and a great male narrator can genuinely make or break a second chance romance — and this one absolutely made it. The duet narration with Maxine Mitchell and Joe Arden across just under 11 hours felt like watching a really good TV show. Maxine brings Whitney's chaotic energy perfectly, and Joe... well. Joe gets it. If you're on the fence about audio vs. reading — do the audiobook. Trust me on this one. 

What I Loved

  • The family. Whitney's family is genuinely one of the best fictional families I've encountered. Chaotic, nosy, hilarious, and they clearly all love each other to death.
  • The humour is sharp. This book had me laughing, tearing up, then back to laughing, and towards the end full-on emotional. Kate Stewart earns every single feeling she puts you through. 
  • Eli's light blue eyes, angelic hair, and panty-evaporating smirk — I'm just going to leave that there. 
  • The depth. This is not just a Christmas fluff read. There's real emotion underneath it, and the second chance element actually means something here.

What Gave Me Pause

I'll be honest — the push and pull between Whitney and Eli does get a little exhausting at times. There are moments where you're screaming at them to just talk to each other. If miscommunication tropes make you want to throw your Kindle (or in this case, your phone), just... brace yourself. It pays off, but it does test your patience in the middle section. 

  • Read This If...


    ✔ You love second chance romance with actual emotional weight

    ✔ You're a sucker for a chaotic found-family Christmas setting

    ✔ You want spice and feelings (not just one or the other)

    ✔ You listen to audiobooks and appreciate a narrator who does things to you

  • Skip This If...

    ✗ Miscommunication tropes make you physically unwell

    ✗ You want a light, easy Christmas read with zero angst

    ✗ You are not prepared to fall a little bit in love with Eli

Final Thoughts

This is a spicy version of a Hallmark Christmas movie and I mean that as the highest compliment. It's funny, it's emotional, it's festive, and Eli will live rent-free in your head well past the holiday season. Add it to your Christmas re-read list now — future you will thank present you. 

4 stars for the story. 5 stars for the audiobook. 10 stars for Joe Arden's voice specifically.

If You Liked This, Try...

  • The Unhoneymooners

    by Christina Lauren (chaotic holiday energy)

  • It Happened One Summer

    by Tessa Bailey (reluctant second chance feels)

  • The Sleight Before Christmas

    by Kate Stewart (if you want to stay in Kate Stewart's spicy world)