Format: ebook
Published: 23rd September, 2023
Age: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4/5 Stars
This was delightful and a heartwarming read no matter the time of year. In 2000, something very special happened – a rare tri-holiday season, when Christmas, Ramadan and Hanukkah fell at the same time. Maryam is flying to Toronto for her sister’s rushed wedding, and finds herself seated beside Anna, who is heading to spend Christmas with her boyfriend and his very wealthy family. However, all plans are interrupted when the plane is diverted, and lands at a small town, stranding the wedding party and Anna in Snow Falls where a holiday romance is being filmed.
Snow Falls proves to be a welcoming, diverse town complete with quirky holiday themed shops and an upcoming Holiday Hoopla. While Maryam’s sister searches for a way to get to Toronto in time for her wedding, Maryam and Anna spend time together, and discover Snow Falls might just be the perfect place to reconsider their lives, families and more.
You really need to leave your disbelief at the door for this one. This isn’t a criticism! I loved that the charming little town is surprisingly diverse, in a way the characters don’t expect when they initially land, and I appreciated the sense of community this brings. There are parts where things get a little silly, especially when it comes to Maryam and Anna’s careers, but it works with the general vibes of the book.
The focus is nicely split between the romantic interests and the budding friendship between Maryam and Anna, as they help each other in different ways throughout their time in Snow Falls. Maryam’s crush overhears her confession on the plane, and he just so happens to be in her sister’s wedding party. Anna is trying to work out what she really wants, and while her boyfriend waits for her in Toronto, she bumps into a film star and sparks fly.
I liked that both women had histories that we explore a bit through the book, and that impacts their present day actions (or lack of, too). Anna’s boyfriend is the kind of walking red flag I think most of us have dated at some point – at the start of the book, he keeps referring to Anna as perfect, and we get hints here and there that this is very much an image he wants to keep in his head, making comments to Anna about her making a big deal out of everything or just outright invalidating her emotions. We get to see this quite a bit, especially compared to Maryam’s history which is kept kind of off screen.
I liked that none of the family dynamics were straight forward, either. Maryam has a complicated relationship with her sister and parents, while Anna is still grieving her father and not in contact with her stepmother, who has remarried. It works to add depth to the characters, and I think it’s always great to see these complexities in romance.
This was really fun to read right in the middle of spring, but if you’re looking for something fun, fluffy and which encompasses holidays outside of Christmas this winter, I recommend picking up Three Holidays and a Wedding.
Reading Challenge
Musicals Reading Challenge 2026
Prompt: 1990s: The Muppets Christmas Carol – One More Sleep ‘Til Christmas – Something seasonal
Progress: 5/24, +1 Bonus
Twenty Genres in 2026
Prompt: BIPOC
Progress: 6/20
Unwrapping Words 