Reviews

Only for the Holidays: Cuddle up with a cosy happy-ever-after this Christmas! by Abiola Bello, Abiola Bello

nolwazibookclub's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

spencer0o7's review against another edition

2.0

This book was fine. I was really hoping this book would make me like romance novels but nah. So this book just wasn’t really my thing. I also had A LOT of issues with it.


Tia really annoyed me. Like the way she talked about animals and called pet owners sensitive genuinely upset me. As a city gyal myself it just annoyed me how much of a stereotype she was in that way. I literally love animals sm and all the ppl ik that live in the city love them as well. But I understand she’s supposed to be a stereotype.

One thing that kept bothering me is the lack of queer characters.. it’s 2023 and you can’t have a single lgbt character in your book?? shame on you actually. And idc that its a small town, there were so many characters in that book that could’ve been queer. Like they could’ve made Tia’s bff in London gay. She has an incredibly small part in the book so it would’ve been perfect. But no, ofc in her first introduction she’s immediately talking abt some random dude she’s fighting over with another girl, Lame. I was really rooting for Tia’s sister to be queer. I was genuinely thinking that that’s what they were setting up the whole time. Like I thought.. hold on I genuinely forgot the main guys name

amyicable's review against another edition

funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

bdholloway256's review against another edition

3.0

 

Only for the Holidays is such a fun & festive, holiday YA book. I will definitely revisit this closer to the holidays. 

 Thank you NetGalley, Soho Press, & Soho Teen for the ARC copy of this book. 

 

maggiec09's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-paced

4.25

readwithchloev's review against another edition

1.0

DNF somewhere around 50%

I can’t believe this is marketed as enemies to lovers, did the publisher read the same book as I did?? There was genuinely not one smidge of enemies in this book. Also, the family who are on holiday end up WORKING? You’re telling me a rich family can’t find one single chef or someone who can cook? So many of their staff quit which was clearly a plot device to create drama and a storyline but honestly it just had me thinking what are you guys doing to your employees man

prettyxbookish's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

4.0

zn0wy_zat3rn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

minaaareads's review against another edition

lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

cute small town vibes, some silliness from the leads, but it was fun.  

firefox's review

3.0

(Arc)

This is such a nice Christmas read for everyone even if you aren't so fond of Christmas. Warm and cozy with great family dynamics and a story of love, 'Only for the Holidays' shines through. My only qualm and the reason I can't rate it more than okay is just because our main character just stressed me out way too many times for me to love her. I just felt annoyed by her and not in the way I like.