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Under the Christmas Tree
What if the only present you want this year is a person?
Katie’s position as an obstetrics doctor has her busy on Christmas Day yet again. Her mother isn’t happy about it—she wants Katie moving home and settling down with someone, but Katie never has time for home or for anyone.
Almost anyone.
Maggie is the one person Katie has time for. The two have been best friends for years, but Maggie’s feelings have long since shifted into something more.
The Christmas season brings friends pushing them to be together and family pulling them in directions they don’t want to go, showing up unexpectedly, and interrupting all of their carefully planned time together, as well as the slow realization that they might both be feeling something more than friendship. Will they get their Christmas wish, or will fate conspire against them and leave them feeling lonely this Christmas?
Under the Christmas Tree is a friends-to-lovers, slow-burn holiday romance, featuring meddling friends, intruding families, and hopeless pining sapphics. Content warning for pushy family dynamics.
Katie’s position as an obstetrics doctor has her busy on Christmas Day yet again. Her mother isn’t happy about it—she wants Katie moving home and settling down with someone, but Katie never has time for home or for anyone.
Almost anyone.
Maggie is the one person Katie has time for. The two have been best friends for years, but Maggie’s feelings have long since shifted into something more.
The Christmas season brings friends pushing them to be together and family pulling them in directions they don’t want to go, showing up unexpectedly, and interrupting all of their carefully planned time together, as well as the slow realization that they might both be feeling something more than friendship. Will they get their Christmas wish, or will fate conspire against them and leave them feeling lonely this Christmas?
Under the Christmas Tree is a friends-to-lovers, slow-burn holiday romance, featuring meddling friends, intruding families, and hopeless pining sapphics. Content warning for pushy family dynamics.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 8, 2023
46 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 11, 2023
Two workaholic lead characters feature in this romance. Maggie is a photographer specializing in recording baby births and Katie is her favourite baby doctor at the hospital. Best friends they support and protect each other. The problem is both have feelings that have matured beyond friendship (moreso on Maggie's part). Jeez, everyone else can see their emotional connection.
I really enjoyed how the author moved the storyline - how Maggie became a birth photographer. I was somewhat frustrated by their stubbornness expressing their feelings - please, a little push from friends? Along the way there are hiccups with some family meddling/pressure but they complete each other and eventual happiness comes about thank goodness.
This is a quick warm Christmas themed romance perfect for the Season.
I really enjoyed how the author moved the storyline - how Maggie became a birth photographer. I was somewhat frustrated by their stubbornness expressing their feelings - please, a little push from friends? Along the way there are hiccups with some family meddling/pressure but they complete each other and eventual happiness comes about thank goodness.
This is a quick warm Christmas themed romance perfect for the Season.
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January 2, 2024I gave it a shot, several actually but the writing was not for me.
December 4, 2023
A Christmas Treat!
This was a wonderful, fun, loving and angsty story! The MCs are the best of friends with pining and obliviousness. The oblivious one is off relationships stating no time. In truth she has time, well time for her best friend. Her ‘friend’ that they make time for, that they go out with, that they stay in for and include snuggles and shared coffee and sleep overs. With a very pushy family, a realization and figuring out how to move forward, we have a beautifully written fairly quick read with lots of feels for the holiday season!
Thank you for the arc! I received this arc through the author and Booksprout and am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a wonderful, fun, loving and angsty story! The MCs are the best of friends with pining and obliviousness. The oblivious one is off relationships stating no time. In truth she has time, well time for her best friend. Her ‘friend’ that they make time for, that they go out with, that they stay in for and include snuggles and shared coffee and sleep overs. With a very pushy family, a realization and figuring out how to move forward, we have a beautifully written fairly quick read with lots of feels for the holiday season!
Thank you for the arc! I received this arc through the author and Booksprout and am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 4, 2024
Adorably Heartwarming Sapphic Romance
Everyone in the world seems to know best friends Katie and Maggie belong together, and this may just be the Christmas they realize it too…if their families and jobs don’t get in the way.
Under the Christmas Tree is an adorable, heartwarming romance with two likable yet flawed characters. Katie and Maggie have a beautiful, mutually supportive friendship that shelters them through life’s stress, but they are painfully clueless about how it can be the foundation for lasting romance. Frustrating families, holiday traditions, and work tension all serve to create entertaining chaos and catalysts for the emotional spark between the two main characters, making the eventual payoff all the sweeter.
Readers who could use a cute and heartfelt holiday romance pick-me-up will be delighted with the gift that is Under the Christmas Tree.
Everyone in the world seems to know best friends Katie and Maggie belong together, and this may just be the Christmas they realize it too…if their families and jobs don’t get in the way.
Under the Christmas Tree is an adorable, heartwarming romance with two likable yet flawed characters. Katie and Maggie have a beautiful, mutually supportive friendship that shelters them through life’s stress, but they are painfully clueless about how it can be the foundation for lasting romance. Frustrating families, holiday traditions, and work tension all serve to create entertaining chaos and catalysts for the emotional spark between the two main characters, making the eventual payoff all the sweeter.
Readers who could use a cute and heartfelt holiday romance pick-me-up will be delighted with the gift that is Under the Christmas Tree.
January 4, 2024
Katie is a doctor in the maternity department of St Giles hospital, someone who loves her job, and loves seeing new life being brought into the world. She works as many hours as she possibly can, to the detriment of her personal life. Her mother Irene is not slow to point this out to her, complaining every time Katie prioritises work over her family.
Maggie is a professional photographer, and one of her biggest clientele are expectant mothers, wanting the joy and the pain, the love and the new life of a birth to be immortalised in photographs.
Maggie and Katie are best friends, and Maggie has an unfortunate crush on Katie, of which Katie seems to be unaware - but many of the hospital staff and Maggie’s best friend know all about it.
Such a lovely story that I couldn’t stop reading, and made it in one reading. There are many instances of Katie’s mother trying to control Katie, and when she doesn’t succeed, to use emotional blackmail and gaslighting on her. Finally, Katie decides that her own happiness is more important than keeping her mother happy.
This is a story about misunderstandings, about not telling the truth in case you destroy a friendship, or a family relationship. It’s about learning where the boundaries lie, being honest with yourself, and with those closest to you.
Maggie is a professional photographer, and one of her biggest clientele are expectant mothers, wanting the joy and the pain, the love and the new life of a birth to be immortalised in photographs.
Maggie and Katie are best friends, and Maggie has an unfortunate crush on Katie, of which Katie seems to be unaware - but many of the hospital staff and Maggie’s best friend know all about it.
Such a lovely story that I couldn’t stop reading, and made it in one reading. There are many instances of Katie’s mother trying to control Katie, and when she doesn’t succeed, to use emotional blackmail and gaslighting on her. Finally, Katie decides that her own happiness is more important than keeping her mother happy.
This is a story about misunderstandings, about not telling the truth in case you destroy a friendship, or a family relationship. It’s about learning where the boundaries lie, being honest with yourself, and with those closest to you.
December 24, 2023
Feel good, epic journey for these two to get together, even with friends from both sides trying to give them a shove in the right direction. Add family and Christmas and the stress levels were high en route to the HEA.
December 8, 2023
I received an ARC from the author via BookSprout and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Jacqueline Ramsden delivers a super-sweet sapphic Christmas story with Under the Christmas Tree. It has all the sweet, cozy vibes you want from a holiday romance, along with some angst and drama.
While I can’t say I’ve never read a romance about an OB-GYN, it’s still a unique career for the lead of a romance novel. Putting aside the obvious Jesus jokes with Katie having to work on Christmas in case of emergencies, I like how the story captured how hectic her schedule is, and how that is further amplified by her contentious relationship with her overbearing mother, who wants her to settle down and often goes to extreme measures, including gaslighting, to try to control her. I very much rooted for Katie to put her mother in her place, and cheered when she did.
Maggie makes for a solid romantic counterpart for Katie, also having a rather busy life with an inconsistent schedule thanks to her work as a photographer. Even without her and Katie being best friends, I like that there’s a mutual professional connection between them in addition to their personal friendship, with Maggie making her living primarily photographing expectant mothers.
The romance was sweet, although there was some initial obliviousness and misunderstandings that caused drama. However, it was handled mostly believably, even if at times I did want their friends to kindly shake them to make them see what was right in front of them.
This was such a sweet read, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for a cozy, low-heat sapphic holiday romance to read in the leadup to Christmas.
Jacqueline Ramsden delivers a super-sweet sapphic Christmas story with Under the Christmas Tree. It has all the sweet, cozy vibes you want from a holiday romance, along with some angst and drama.
While I can’t say I’ve never read a romance about an OB-GYN, it’s still a unique career for the lead of a romance novel. Putting aside the obvious Jesus jokes with Katie having to work on Christmas in case of emergencies, I like how the story captured how hectic her schedule is, and how that is further amplified by her contentious relationship with her overbearing mother, who wants her to settle down and often goes to extreme measures, including gaslighting, to try to control her. I very much rooted for Katie to put her mother in her place, and cheered when she did.
Maggie makes for a solid romantic counterpart for Katie, also having a rather busy life with an inconsistent schedule thanks to her work as a photographer. Even without her and Katie being best friends, I like that there’s a mutual professional connection between them in addition to their personal friendship, with Maggie making her living primarily photographing expectant mothers.
The romance was sweet, although there was some initial obliviousness and misunderstandings that caused drama. However, it was handled mostly believably, even if at times I did want their friends to kindly shake them to make them see what was right in front of them.
This was such a sweet read, and I’d recommend it to readers looking for a cozy, low-heat sapphic holiday romance to read in the leadup to Christmas.
December 19, 2025
to this day, scientists cannot explain the sapphic compulsion to be platonic best friends with the woman you're in love with
Katie is an obstetrician, Maggie is a birth photographer slash support person, and literally everyone in the story knows they're in love except for the two of them. classic sapphic romance prevarications like "the friendship is too important" and "she probably doesn't even feel the same way" even as they're decorating each other's apartments for Christmas and forgoing dating because they just want to spend time with each other
it's short, cute, filled with pining and a mother/adult daughter relationship which is just ever so slightly verging on toxic. it's a well intentioned toxic, but there is a point towards the end of the book where Katie would have been entirely justified in punting her mother out of a window. instead she has a calm, only slightly furious discussion with her mother about boundaries, which I guess that works as well
not even the hint of spice, which isn't a knock on the book, just that I don't often read a romance that doesn't even have the implication of doing it. instead it's just two women deeply pondering how their best friend is the most important person in the world to them and the only person they want to be with for the rest of their life but surely everyone feels that way about their best friend right
Katie is an obstetrician, Maggie is a birth photographer slash support person, and literally everyone in the story knows they're in love except for the two of them. classic sapphic romance prevarications like "the friendship is too important" and "she probably doesn't even feel the same way" even as they're decorating each other's apartments for Christmas and forgoing dating because they just want to spend time with each other
it's short, cute, filled with pining and a mother/adult daughter relationship which is just ever so slightly verging on toxic. it's a well intentioned toxic, but there is a point towards the end of the book where Katie would have been entirely justified in punting her mother out of a window. instead she has a calm, only slightly furious discussion with her mother about boundaries, which I guess that works as well
not even the hint of spice, which isn't a knock on the book, just that I don't often read a romance that doesn't even have the implication of doing it. instead it's just two women deeply pondering how their best friend is the most important person in the world to them and the only person they want to be with for the rest of their life but surely everyone feels that way about their best friend right
December 19, 2023
What are the holidays without a little magic, warm and cozy get-togethers, hot cocoa and holiday decorating -- along with hectic days and demanding family who expect your presence around the tree.
Jacqueline Ramsden's Under the Christmas Tree is a good pick for times when you're in the mood for a sweet, romantic, feel good story with just enough angst to make it believable.
In this easy-reading novel, Ramsden casts Dr. Katie Smith, OB, as the inseparable best friend to professional photographer Maggie, who specializes in birth photos. Also, playing Cupid to the protagonists, are two of Katie's co-workers and friends at St. Giles Hospital -- Rea, a nurse, and Malik, a physician -- and Mariana, Maggie's closest confidante (who's not Katie).
According to their friends, Maggie and Katie are well overdue in acknowledging they're not just best friends who love each other unequivocally; they're a couple of women IN LOVE.
The two have only a few items to cross off their holiday lists before they can celebrate Christmas as girlfriends. Maggie must conquer her fear of upending the perfect friendship she has with Katie, while the good doctor has to wake up to her real feelings for Maggie and fend off her mother Irene's demands that she move back home, get married and have kids -- demands that are intensified because Irene expects Katie to be with her family for Christmas.
Under the Christmas Tree is a Christmas story that'll summon pleasant images of sugar cookies, a huge mug of cocoa with a generous shot of Bailey's, and an evening of watching It's a Wonderful Life with the love of your life.
I was an ARC reader for this story.
Jacqueline Ramsden's Under the Christmas Tree is a good pick for times when you're in the mood for a sweet, romantic, feel good story with just enough angst to make it believable.
In this easy-reading novel, Ramsden casts Dr. Katie Smith, OB, as the inseparable best friend to professional photographer Maggie, who specializes in birth photos. Also, playing Cupid to the protagonists, are two of Katie's co-workers and friends at St. Giles Hospital -- Rea, a nurse, and Malik, a physician -- and Mariana, Maggie's closest confidante (who's not Katie).
According to their friends, Maggie and Katie are well overdue in acknowledging they're not just best friends who love each other unequivocally; they're a couple of women IN LOVE.
The two have only a few items to cross off their holiday lists before they can celebrate Christmas as girlfriends. Maggie must conquer her fear of upending the perfect friendship she has with Katie, while the good doctor has to wake up to her real feelings for Maggie and fend off her mother Irene's demands that she move back home, get married and have kids -- demands that are intensified because Irene expects Katie to be with her family for Christmas.
Under the Christmas Tree is a Christmas story that'll summon pleasant images of sugar cookies, a huge mug of cocoa with a generous shot of Bailey's, and an evening of watching It's a Wonderful Life with the love of your life.
I was an ARC reader for this story.
December 9, 2023
A Sweet Holiday Read!
Jacqueline Ramsden has put together a very sweet holiday read. I love the characters individuality. Katie was a doctor, delivering and caring for patients which she loved. Katie was on call for Christmas and would be visiting her family on the 27th despite the complaints coming from her mother. Maggie is a photographer with her specialty of photography of child birth. She loved her work and wasn’t excited to be going home to a family that really didn’t get along. Katie and Maggie are best friends. But Maggie has been in love with Katie for a very long time. But this holiday is the time. There is a lot of angst pertaining to these two being thick headed. With the help or not of Katie’s family arriving at her door for Christmas. Can these two realize what was happening between them before it all falls apart?
Jacqueline Ramsden has put together a very sweet holiday read. I love the characters individuality. Katie was a doctor, delivering and caring for patients which she loved. Katie was on call for Christmas and would be visiting her family on the 27th despite the complaints coming from her mother. Maggie is a photographer with her specialty of photography of child birth. She loved her work and wasn’t excited to be going home to a family that really didn’t get along. Katie and Maggie are best friends. But Maggie has been in love with Katie for a very long time. But this holiday is the time. There is a lot of angst pertaining to these two being thick headed. With the help or not of Katie’s family arriving at her door for Christmas. Can these two realize what was happening between them before it all falls apart?
December 2, 2023
What a beautiful story of Katie, an obstetrics doctor, and her very best friend Maggie, a birth photographer. With their very busy unplanned schedules, they really didn't have much time for others. Their friends at work certainly noticed their attraction to one another way before they even did. I guess you can't see the forest through the trees!
Jacqueline wrote a very smart, cute, clean Christmas romance that would make a perfect Hallmark Christmas movie. Hey, Hallmark, do you hear that? The main ladies are so lovable and the secondary characters give plenty of meddlesome techniques to keep the reader totally engaged! Under the Christmas Tree is a perfect little gem for this holiday season!!!
Jacqueline wrote a very smart, cute, clean Christmas romance that would make a perfect Hallmark Christmas movie. Hey, Hallmark, do you hear that? The main ladies are so lovable and the secondary characters give plenty of meddlesome techniques to keep the reader totally engaged! Under the Christmas Tree is a perfect little gem for this holiday season!!!
December 12, 2023
Katie and Maggie over think!
Sound familiar? Being friends, finishing each other sentences, reading a room to make it better. O.M.G.! Over thinking can be a good thing or something never happening because you thought too much! Luckily the two women have friends who have been watching on the sidelines and lend a helping hand with a mother determined to control or not! Vanilla book but it is her first so cut her some slack! Enjoy!
Sound familiar? Being friends, finishing each other sentences, reading a room to make it better. O.M.G.! Over thinking can be a good thing or something never happening because you thought too much! Luckily the two women have friends who have been watching on the sidelines and lend a helping hand with a mother determined to control or not! Vanilla book but it is her first so cut her some slack! Enjoy!
April 26, 2024
**2.5 stars**
This was cute enough, I was invested in the start but slowly lost interest - this is more of a me problem, it takes a lot for a story this short to really pull me in. We didn't get to know the characters enough or about their relationship for me to really deeply root for them. However, If you like short sweet sapphic Christmas romance, you'll probably enjoy this - and it would make a great hallmark movie!
This was cute enough, I was invested in the start but slowly lost interest - this is more of a me problem, it takes a lot for a story this short to really pull me in. We didn't get to know the characters enough or about their relationship for me to really deeply root for them. However, If you like short sweet sapphic Christmas romance, you'll probably enjoy this - and it would make a great hallmark movie!
December 17, 2024
Under the Christmas Tree follows Maggie and Katie as they finally make the leap from best friends to lovers. It soon becomes clear that most of the supporting cast recognizes that they are already in a committed relationship. The couple’s difficulty in taking that last step does lead to some angst bordering on melodrama. Those moments aside, this is a warm-hearted holiday read with a seasonally appropriate happy ending.
December 6, 2023
“Under the Christmas Tree” is a beautifully written, low heat (no heat!) romance perfect for the holiday season. Filled with the angst and pining that Jacqueline Ramsden writes so well. This book is fun, tender and well paced. Ramsden shows that the best present anyone can give is honesty and being true to yourself. A lovely read.
December 12, 2023
Katie and Maggie’s friends are hilarious. It’s interesting when others can see you’re in love before you do. Katie’s mom was horrible, controlling, and manipulative. It was definitely triggering her and the family just showing after Katie told her she had to work. And Katie and Maggie had plans. The conversation was needed even if her mom didn’t want to hear or accept it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2023
Tension, denial, and a pushy mum.
So glad this came with a trigger warning. The empathy I have had for Katie thoughout is still lingering. Written so well that my emotions are raw and close to the surface. Last time that I was this triggered by a book, it took me weeks to pick up another.
So glad this came with a trigger warning. The empathy I have had for Katie thoughout is still lingering. Written so well that my emotions are raw and close to the surface. Last time that I was this triggered by a book, it took me weeks to pick up another.
December 18, 2024
Sweet book
A Christmas story about family trying to tell an adult child what to do. When a friend is in love with their best friend and doesn't know how to tell them. This a just a sweet story where friends become girlfriends when the other friend finally realized she is in love with her best friend.
A Christmas story about family trying to tell an adult child what to do. When a friend is in love with their best friend and doesn't know how to tell them. This a just a sweet story where friends become girlfriends when the other friend finally realized she is in love with her best friend.
January 2, 2025
Wholesome and sweet story about realising that the one that you want has been there beside you all along. Katie might be somewhat oblivious, and Maggie does a lot of the pining, but they really are an adorable couple who just fit so well together. It's a fun read with a little bit of angst and a wonderful ending, and like all of Ramsden's books, an easy recommendation!
December 7, 2023
A great book to get me into the Christmas Season and the joy of the holidays. A nice fun quick read. I really enjoyed it!
Always love a good friends-to-lovers story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Always love a good friends-to-lovers story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 9, 2023
Awesome Christmas Story
Cute and lovely main characters, fun and frustrated side characters, meddling mother, all combine to make this awesome Christmas story. It's perfect for the holiday season.
Cute and lovely main characters, fun and frustrated side characters, meddling mother, all combine to make this awesome Christmas story. It's perfect for the holiday season.
December 9, 2023
Katie and Maggie are best friends. Everyone knows they are in love which other. Everyone but them.
This is the kind of book you would read once and again. At every Christmas time if possible. It kind of makes you believe in magic. The magic of Christmas.
I loved it.
Highly recommended.
This is the kind of book you would read once and again. At every Christmas time if possible. It kind of makes you believe in magic. The magic of Christmas.
I loved it.
Highly recommended.
December 14, 2023
I could not stand Katie’s mom whatsoever!!!!!!!!!! It made it very hard to like this book because of that character. I did love the story between Katie and Maggie but like how did they not know they loved each other when they were so lovey-dovey already!?!?
December 16, 2023
aww
Beautiful short Christmas story. Best friends to lovers, why is one party always oblivious. But they got there in the end. So many interruptions I began to wonder if they would actually get to have that conversation. Great characters, great story.
Beautiful short Christmas story. Best friends to lovers, why is one party always oblivious. But they got there in the end. So many interruptions I began to wonder if they would actually get to have that conversation. Great characters, great story.
December 19, 2023
Sweet HEA
Their friends saw what Maggie thought she was hiding. Katie realize she not only loved her best friend but was in love. Will they actually find time to have that conversation? I guess that is what makes it a HEA. Enjoy!!
Their friends saw what Maggie thought she was hiding. Katie realize she not only loved her best friend but was in love. Will they actually find time to have that conversation? I guess that is what makes it a HEA. Enjoy!!
December 24, 2023
Feel good slow burn.
Feel good, epic journey for these two to get together, even with friends from both sides trying to give them a shove in the right direction. Add family and Christmas and the stress levels were high en route to the HEA.
Feel good, epic journey for these two to get together, even with friends from both sides trying to give them a shove in the right direction. Add family and Christmas and the stress levels were high en route to the HEA.
December 20, 2024
Lovely book.
Sweet, heartwarming Christmas best friends to lovers novel. When work is everything it is hard to find a time for love and even harder to see what can be right in front of. It was very nice to read it.
Sweet, heartwarming Christmas best friends to lovers novel. When work is everything it is hard to find a time for love and even harder to see what can be right in front of. It was very nice to read it.
December 25, 2024
Lovely romance when they got the courage, time and space to talk
When they finally realised they were in love with each other. And hot the interfering controlling mum to stop and let them love one another!
When they finally realised they were in love with each other. And hot the interfering controlling mum to stop and let them love one another!
January 2, 2025
This is a very cute, sweet Christmas story. There is the family drama that typically surrounds the holidays. See the lengths that Katie and Maggie have to go thru to navigate that mess.
Really likable characters. Christmas story.
Really likable characters. Christmas story.
December 15, 2023
Really cute
Nice story for the holidays. Typical family drama too. And an interesting take on us shy introverts & how we function in life
Nice story for the holidays. Typical family drama too. And an interesting take on us shy introverts & how we function in life
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews