Book Review: A Billionaire for Christmas by Jo Lyons

I’m so pleased to be welcoming Jo Lyons to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her latest novel, A Billionaire for Christmas.

When talented chef Molly’s best friend and business partner, Ava, passes away, she leaves Molly their beloved restaurant – and a wild, impossible bucket list to complete. But thanks to a legal mix-up, Molly’s inheritance is at risk unless she ticks off every outrageous item before the Christmas Eve deadline: just twelve days away.

Determined to honour Ava’s wishes and desperate to save her dream, Molly searches for a billionaire willing to share Champagne with her in a hot tub – one of the more extravagant challenges on the bucket list. She’s in a luxurious ski resort in the French Alps so it might just be doable. But then she meets Levi. A devastatingly handsome billionaire, yes, but infuriatingly resistant to getting involved!

As the snow falls and sparks fly, Molly is entangled in a series of increasingly embarrassing escapades. With time running out, can she pull off the impossible – and maybe even find love along the way?

Hot enough to melt the Alpine snow, this romantic comedy is perfect for fans of Portia MacIntosh, Olivia Spring and Sophie Kinsella.

*****

Molly has been a ghost of herself since she lost her business partner and best friend, Ava. With the ownership of their restaurant tied up in Ava’s will, Molly finds herself needing to finish Ava’s bucket list before Christmas Eve. Not sure how to do this, especially the one including Champagne, A billionaire and a hot tub, Molly meets Levi. Maybe this list won’t be as hard to finish after all…or will it?

Having a chance to be on the blog tour for this novel was exciting for me as it would be the first chance to discover author, Jo Lyons. Plus, it’s a novel based at Christmas. I know, it’s not even the end of August but I don’t care. Haha.

This novel starts strong with the bucket list in all its glory. I looked forward to seeing how Molly was going to handle some of the tasks, especially in only 12 days. What ensued was some very hilarious moments mixed in with poignant and emotional scenes.

In my opinion, the plot moves well and has many surprises along the way. By the end, I found I had been rooting for everyone. I particularly liked how Freda was handled – a woman who, despite having been given everything, realises that she needs something else in her life and wants to make something of it. I liked Molly and Freda’s relationship.

Molly. Oh, sweet Molly. I send you a big hug. She’s lost a lot. Even though she’s trying to save her livelihood, I think she also keeps going in memory of her friend, even when those actions place her in some strange situations. The idea of soulmates being friends is one I absolutely believe.

Levi is definitely a mystery. He holds a lot of himself back and he brought up some interesting questions for me. For example, how having the money and status he has means that he can’t always trust people. Yes, the money is great but it can be a double edged sword.

This book tackles themes like family dynamics, broken hearts and grief with care.

A Billionaire For Christmas is a novel full of mishaps, heartwarming and heartbreaking moments and a big dose of life affirmation. It’s about self discovery, love and opening yourself up to new things. It reminds us that we only live once and should embrace each day as much as we can.

You have a new fan, Jo.

(Thank you to Boldwood Books, Netgalley and Rachel’s Random Resources for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review).

About Jo Lyons –

Jo Lyons is the bestselling author of six novels and was shortlisted for the prestigious Comedy Women in Print Awards in 2021.

She spent years working abroad in sunny destinations like Turkey, Spain and the south of France at a vineyard (trying her best not to drink them out of business).

Jo writes uplifting, laugh-out-loud, warm-hearted romantic comedies, including Girls Just Want to Have Sun.

Say hello to Jo on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Bookbub. Click here to sign up to her newsletter. 

A Billionaire for Christmas was released by Boldwood Books on 27th August 2025. Click to buy on Amazon and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.