A review by judeinthestars
Nochebuena: a holiday novella by Stephanie Shea

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Something’s wrong with Cami and Sutton’s couple. Sutton comes home smelling of a perfume Cami knows is not hers, she goes to secret doctor’s appointments… The fact that her parents have announced their decision to get a divorce isn’t helping Cami keep her faith that everlasting love is a thing.

I missed this Christmas novella last year but Clare Ashton, who is one of my absolute favourite authors, mentioned it on social media, and then a few days ago, it was part of Jae’s Sapphic Book Advent Calendar, and it felt like fate. I apologise (once again) to all the authors whose books are on my ARC list, but I had to move things around and read Nochebuena right away. I mean, it’s December, and I need some Christmas spirit.

I think what I liked most about this novella (set in the author’s Gia, San Francisco universe) is the fact the MCs are already married. It’s very much a romance, it just takes place after they come together. They’re both very busy professional women—Cami, 28, is a family law attorney, Sutton, 33, was recently appointed director at the company she works for—and they’re struggling to find time for each other and their couple. Sparks need to be fed by more than love, and I enjoyed seeing them reconnecting to themselves, to each other, to their desires, their dreams, their priorities.

It’s a very tender book, full of humour and sweetness, with adorable MCs and loving and funny secondary characters.

Video review: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDo1-shAnm2/

Read all my reviews on my website (and please get your books from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars