A Singh Family Christmas

The Singh Family #2.5

by Nisha Sharma

Bhram Singh had big plans for Christmas…

After years of tension and chemistry, Bhram has finally convinced Rafael Diaz to give him a chance. Now they are settled in a beautiful New York City apartment, getting ready for their first holiday together. And what better way to celebrate than with a proposal? Bhram is Sikh, but he knows how important Christmas is to Rafael, and he wants to make it extra special this year.

Unfortunately, nothing is going according to plan. Rafael is distracted because he receives news about a former Bharat, Inc. employee who could negatively impact the company. The ring isn’t ready for pickup. And worst of all, Bhram’s parents miss their flight...on purpose.

Between chaotic meals featuring a burnt tandoori turkey, nosey relatives gossiping about family drama, and impending wedding bells, Bhram is afraid his plan for the perfect proposal will be a flop.

But sometimes, all you need is a bit of trust, family, and love to make those holiday wishes come true.

A Singh Family Christmas is a short and sweet M/M romance novella that takes place after The Legal Affair—book two in The Singh Family trilogy. However, this book can be read as a stand-alone story.

Tropes: Big immigrant families, holidays in New York City, proposal gone awry, HEA

Genres: Romance, Novella, Christmas, Holiday, Contemporary, Fiction, Queer

98 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2022

About the author

Nisha Sharma is the critically acclaimed author of YA and adult contemporary romances including My So-Called Bollywood Life, Radha and Jai’s Recipe for Romance, The Singh Family Trilogy and the If Shakespeare was an Auntie series. Her books have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly and more. She lives in Pennsylvania with her Alaskan husband, her cat Lizzie Bennett and her dog Nancey Drew. You can find her online at Nisha-sharma.com or on TikTok and Instagram @nishawrites.

Reviews

[Samz · Rating 4 out of 5]

i devoured this within an hour, so sweet and full of heart. it made my heart happy. 💙

[lauraღ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was cute. But simultaneously... blah. The description and a bunch of reviews say that this can be read as a standalone, and, I mean, it definitely can. There's nothing super complicated for the reader to understand, and we're given all the context we need to engage with all the side characters. Nevertheless, I think you'd have the best experience with this if you already knew and cared about these characters and the surrounding cast. Which I didn't. I found the writing pretty meh. It's a simple, typical Christmas story, where Bhram is trying to create the perfect circumstances to propose to his boyfriend, but a bunch of mishaps keep getting in his way. It was cute and a little hijinksy, and I liked the huge, loud families. But this just didn't hit me in any kind of emotional way. The writing felt a little clunky and awkward overall, and there were more mistakes than I'd expect from a traditionally published book. (The rest of the series is, at least, so I'm assuming this would have been professionally edited.) Bhram and Rafael are sweet, but this didn't really feel all that romantic. The subplot connected to the rest of the series, and while it wasn't confusing or anything, it did feel like wasted page time, for someone who probably won't read the previous books, or the next books.

Still, this was objectively cute! And it was short, so I'm not mad I read it.

[Cee · Rating 4 out of 5]

So wholesome, so sweet. 🥹 I loved this and I’m so happy for the characters.

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, Cute and Fun

This is a small peek into the world of the Singh family. I enjoyed this peek at Rafael’s and Bhram’s love!

So cute how nervous Bhram was to propose!

It went smoothly after quite a few hiccups lol

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly didn't realize that this book was in the middle of a series until after I started reading it and didn't know all of the context of what was going on. I would recommend reading the previous books before delving into this one.

Other from that, this felt winter-y and Christmasy, fun book!

[Aditi]

It was cute. I thought maybe I was missing a book in the series where the characters were introduced and missing context.

I was also distracted by the mc name "Bhram" which translates to illusion or mistaken belief maybe. But overall cute and fun

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bhram Singh is going to propose to his boyfriend, Rafael Diaz, on Christmas Day. What could possibly go wrong? Well, for Bhram, many things are not going according to plan. Enjoy a short and sweet M/M holiday romance novella that is part of the Singh Family trilogy but can be read as a stand-alone.

When I picked up this book from KU, I went in blind and I did not research any of the plot beforehand because it is a short novella. I enjoyed reading Dating Dr. Dil so I knew I was in for a fun holiday treat. Nisha Sharma is able to capture your attention right away and make it believable that Bhram and Rafael are meant for each other early on. Details about their origin story is brought up at the beginning so you are not loss about their tension. I read this book all the way to the epilogue not knowing it was part of a trilogy. You don't have to read the first two books to understand the story which tells you what a great author Nisha Sharma is.

[Monet Massa-Sena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, inclusive novella that had spice, heart, and all of the happy stress that comes with the holidays — AND PROPOSING TO YOUR BOYFRIEND!

I was entirely shocked that Bhram's parents didn't wind up coming to see their son get engaged. I fully thought they would surprise him and show up, but I actually think it was important that Nisha followed through on not including them. Family isn't always there for you, or maybe the family members you expect to be there aren't, but others are. Honestly, it just felt authentic and I loved that Bhram's aunt, uncle, and cousins stepped up for him. And what I loved more than that was Rafael's family taking him in as their own without a second thought.

I haven't read any other stories in the Singh family universe, but now I'm deeply interested and may check out the other books!

[Amandatory Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick read! I love how this book is a novella from a book series I’ve never read. Yet, the story reads perfectly as a stand alone. I never felt the need to figure out who everyone was from previous books because it was explained so well in this one.

The romance itself between Brham and Rafael was sweet, but definitely in the honeymoon phase of a relationship even after a year of long distance dating. Everything was just too lovey-dovey even when the s*** hits the fan at end of book. One thing I struggle with when it comes to romance novels is dialogue that’s over the top. Do people really say “being with you has felt like an island of serenity in this chaos” during a regular conversation? I rolled my eyes a few times at the dialogue.

Overall, a fun book with interesting and loving characters.

[Morgan Rohbock · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐
R rated 🌶️

I love that Nisha Sharma came out with a self published holiday novella featuring diverse characters and all the hijinks of merging two large families! The mishaps made this book fun, but this really isn't made to read as a standalone and I'll need to go back and read the other Singh family books. As a short novella, there were spots the pacing felt rushed but I loved the proposal scene at the end so much. If you enjoy big family drama, proposals and Nisha Sharma, I'd recommend this one!

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hallmark cutness with spice

This gave me all the feels! The two culture filled families coming together brought me so many amazing memories as I too can relate to the merging of two beautiful cultures! The mission of wanting to do the perfect proposal had me on edge in the best way! Also the love declarations in this book had me teary eyed and swooned out clutching my chest in adoration. This was a wonderful read I look forward to reading more of the family and the business!

[Sukriti · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Singh Family Christmas is a heartwarming, fun story that mixes romance and family drama perfectly. It follows the Singh family as they prepare for the holidays, with lots of love, laughter, and a little bit of chaos. The main characters are charming and easy to connect with, and their chemistry feels natural. Nisha Sharma’s writing is full of humor and warmth, making the story feel cozy and real. Even though the book is short, it captures the magic of Christmas and family beautifully. It’s a sweet, feel-good read perfect for the holiday season.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was so heartwarming and genuine. It made me emotional several times knowing how some families are just awful and we push on anyway, especially cultural when it is expected. I'm so happy these two had, albeit chaotic, a very sweet HEA.

I didn't realize this was part of a series, but I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Weekend Reader_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎄

I wish the Spanish dialogue was in Spanish something about it being in English made it wonky. I don't think I realized these characters were from a series so it might help to read the series first. Overall short ans sweet.

Format: ebook
Romance tag: open door
CN: homophobia, strained parent relationship

[Harini Sivaraman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely Holiday novella!

I have been waiting to read this novella after I finished the first two books in this series! Nisha Sharma's writing is captivating and beautiful! I am excited to read future books from Nisha!

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went in blind and had no idea this was part of a series, but I still LOVED IT! It was so cute, I loved the holiday aspect and different traditions. Nisha is such an amazing story teller, I’m definitely reading this series ASAP!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay, Rafael and Bhram. My main complaint is that I want a longer book with the two of them. Otherwise, a total delight. Also LOL I figured the whole Singh family heard Bhram on speaker. The two families together were a total delight though.

[Lit Shit Podcast · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This was a cute novella. The only problem is it was written in a way where since I haven’t read the first toe full length books I was left confused frequently. The overall novella was cute and the two guys clearly love each other though.

Staci McIntyre write this review for Lit Shit.

[Staci McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

This was a cute novella. The only problem is it was written in a way where since I haven’t read the first toe full length books I was left confused frequently. The overall novella was cute and the two guys clearly love each other though.

[Lissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this story but Bhram (his name was spelled Brahm in the first book) personality seems to have changed from the super efficient, calm and in control to anxious. Maybe because everything is spinning out of his control. I found it odd.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the last Bonkers Romance Book Club downloads - and just right for the holidays.

Short, sweet, and full of proposal nerves. It ties in very heavily to book 3 of the Singh brothers series, so I SUPER SUPER hope that Nisha has that book coming out in 2023.

[Stacey Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick moving story

This story takes place over a couple of days. Passions are exposed. Love is on display. Mixing of cultures and family’s history come into play. This was a very stirring story.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a cute novella with some family drama thrown in. I wish that Bhram and Rafael could have gotten their own novel. I wanted to explore more of Bhram's family drama and dive into his psyche a little more, but I enjoyed this for what it was.

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: shitty parenting, homophobia

Have I read the main books in this series? No. Did it matter? I...am not convinced it did. I very much enjoyed this novella, and I'll probably pick up the main books at some point if only to see how the relationship between these two started out.

[Manali · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet, inclusive novella about immigrant families celebrating the American Holidays/Christmas in their own way. It had spice, heart, humour, and all of the happy stress that comes with ‘the best time of the year’

My rating: 3.5/5

[SAF · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a joy to read and I’m so excited about the next book in the Singh Family series.

[Kristin]

It was cute, but nothing exceptional. A solid 3-3.5 stars. I didn’t realize it was part of a series until later 🤦🏻‍♀️ but it can be read as a standalone

[Ramishah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[Steph Beaudoin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely positively loved this book!!!!!

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet novella. I haven't read the rest of the series but totally readable as a standalone.