Book Review: The Best Christmas Choir Ever

The Best Christmas Choir Ever by Elizabeth Hrib is the funny, steamy, heartwarming holiday romance we have been waiting for this Christmas season! This novel has funny dialogue, witty banter, and second-chance romance with dual POV.

Release date Oct 28, 2025: Pre-order on Bookshop.org.

When professional singer Charlie drops off her grandmother Doris at her assisted living center she doesn’t expect to feel ALL the feelings when she comes face-to-face with an even handsomer version of her college summer fling, Julian. Julian is the dedicated, kind activities director of the center, yet he pretends to “forget” Charlie. Charlie is mad about that, yet Julian persuades Charlie to volunteer as a music director, and later, to start a choir in order to win an arts grant/contest.

 Charlie wants to help her Gram settle into her new life and make friends, so she reluctantly agrees to help out. In the process, she hesitates to get closer to Julian, even though the sparks are sparking.

Charlie is still dealing with the death of her brother, Tom, who she often performed with, and doesn’t know how to experience music and joy without her brother, without feeling guilty.

What will Charlie do when performance opportunities come calling, tempting her away from small town life and the Christmas Choir concert? Will she run away from her feelings once again, or open herself up to love, joy, and community?

My Thoughts

The pacing of the romance was good, and in addition to Charlie’s perspective, we learned more about Julian’s life, past, and motivations, too. Both characters were well-rounded and interesting. The book is pretty short and definitely a fast read.  

The book included fun hijinks among Gram Doris, Harriet, Maggie and the other characters at Glendale assisted living center. I enjoyed how the older characters still had full-fledged personalities and emotions; they were not just caricatures of an older person, as some books or movies portray. The characters were caring, funny, mischievous individuals.

The grief and loss part of the storyline was moving, but not overly heavy for a holiday book. It was meaningful in that Charlie had to process her emotions about her brother in order to make decisions about her future career and her love life.

This novel has some open-door spice, balanced well with romance. The novel seemed to include a “he falls first” trope. Your heart will melt for Julian Guerrero!

Thank you to Harlequin Romance, Afterglow Books by Harlequin, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.