Holly, Jolly Ex-Mas

by Esme Brett

A horny and hilarious second chance romcom about an aspiring event planner and a pro surfer, thrown together at a wedding five years after their break up …

Kate Tripp is an over-achiever with a spreadsheet for every occasion. Five years ago, Kate planned to marry her college sweetheart but when she asked, he said no and moved to Bali. Ouch. But that's in the past, and now her bestie is getting married on Christmas Eve and she’s the wedding planner.

Nate Miller is the darling of the pro surfing circuit. The handsome and easy-going athlete always wanted to be a surfer and now he’s living his dream. Except he doesn’t speak to his only family, lives out of his suitcase, and spends way too much time thinking about his ex.

The wedding guests are gathered at a luxury estate in remote New Zealand when Nate shows up without an RSVP. He didn’t come to make waves, but damn, Katie is sexy when she’s mad.

And she’s very mad.

It’ll take a Kiwi Christmas miracle for these enemies to become lovers the second time around.

***

This is a 29,000 word, HIGH SPICE enemies-to-lovers, holiday novella. Tropes include there's Only One Bed, snowed in (it's New Zealand, so rain), and 'ride my **** like you stole it'.

It’s the Wedding Date meets the Grinch. #Grinchcore

CWs include explicit sex, alcohol consumption and depiction of generalized anxiety disorder.

Formerly published as part of the Very Kiwi Christmas anthology.

Genres: Holiday, Novella, Christmas, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Second Chance

113 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2024

About the author

Esme Brett writes spicy romcoms that are horny, heartfelt, and hilarious. She is passionate about stories that intersect humour, heat, and take-no-bs feminism. Her areas of expertise include winged eyeliner, fits that clash, books that bang, peonies, and wine that’s less than 9 dollars. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok at @esmebrettbooks.

Reviews

[Klara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure whether to give this book 4 or 5 stars. It’s cheerful but I didn’t get the full-on Christmas vibe I was hoping for. The holiday is mentioned here and there, but the festive atmosphere felt a bit understated to me—though the unique Kiwi Christmas setting does add a nice twist.

Kate’s character pulled me in right away. Her growth throughout the story was beautifully handled, and I appreciated the reminder that some things in life just take time. Nate, on the other hand, felt a bit inconsistent. His character didn’t fully come together until the final chapters, which left me wanting more depth from him earlier on. Still, the relationship between Kate and Nate is sweet and believable. Their second-chance romance is lighthearted and ends on a satisfying note, making it an easy and enjoyable read.

There are a few mildly spicy moments, which add to the emotional layers of the story. Even so, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. If you’re looking for a cozy, unconventional holiday read, this book is a solid choice. It’s perfect for curling up with during the Christmas season or your winter break without overthinking too much!

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: toxic parenting (in the past), hospitalisation of a family member

A sweet and charming novella featuring a woman who comes face to face with her ex while planning her best friend's Christmas Eve wedding. There's a dose of only one bed. There's a hefty dollop of forced proximity. The groom wears jandals. What more could you want in life?

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super fun, I love seeing what Christmas traditions are like in the Southern Hemisphere, and somehow there was enough time for me to believe in the emotional journey this second chance romance goes on. A surfing hero, a heroine desperately trying to figure out what she wants, and a summery Christmas wedding all come together in a rompy, rained in, sexy romance novella.

[Grackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute!

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Tripp, a meticulous wedding planner, has moved on from the heartbreak of proposing to her college sweetheart, Nate Miller, only for him to say no and disappear to Bali. Now, she’s focused on organizing her best friend’s Christmas Eve wedding in stunning New Zealand.

Nate, a carefree pro surfer, lives life on the road but can’t shake thoughts of the one who got away. When he unexpectedly shows up at the wedding uninvited, sparks fly—both angry and romantic.

With unresolved feelings and holiday magic, this reunion might just need a Kiwi Christmas miracle to turn old flames into lasting love.

I was quite torn between giving this book 4 or 5 stars. Although it's "holly jolly," I didn’t quite get the full Christmas vibe—Christmas is mentioned here and there, but maybe it just didn’t feel festive enough for me. However, I could be wrong, and someone else might find it very festive. Of course, the atmosphere feels a bit different since it’s a Kiwi Christmas setting.

Kate intrigued me from the start, and I really liked her character development throughout the story. I agree that some things just take time. On the other hand, Nate felt a bit odd to me—his character didn’t fully make sense, and there wasn’t much development until the very end of the book.

That said, the two of them are very sweet together and are clearly a great match. This second chance romance is light and easy to read, with a satisfying resolution.

Also, be prepared because there are a few slightly spicy moments. I love how emotional the book is, but I still feel like something is missing. I definitely recommend reading this book if you’re looking for something that’s not your typical holiday read. The book is perfect for a "read without overthinking" vibe. It’s sure to draw you in during the Christmas season, holidays, or winter break.

[Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a bummer for me because I’ve so far loved everything else this author has written. I’m still giving it 3 stars because I realize that some of what I don’t like are just my preferences and it was still well-written. The FMC, Kate, was a wobbly anxiety-ridden mouse who had zero self-respect, and the MMC, Nate, was a complete jackass who took 10 years to be able to articulate that his trauma makes it difficult for him to trust love. After years of rejection and silence and callousness he changes his mind and expects Kate to fall all over herself to welcome him back. And guess what? She does. Nope; not enough explanation for shitty behavior, not enough growth for unlikable characters, and not even CLOSE to enough groveling. Especially for Christmas.

[Alaina Raraigh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was not a fan of this book. To me it felt like it dragged.

[Adélie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!
Everything you need to know:
- Christmas in Aotearoa NZ (summer)
- For my local Wellington girlies locations include: Wairarapa, Wellington (Whitby)
- Second chance romance
- Snowed in (except it’s summer so torrential rain)
- Only one bed
- A little bit of grovelling
- It is SO New Zealand I cannot 😂

[Claire]

Very fun to read a Christmas novella from the other half of the world, where Christmas means summer! I thought the second-chance aspect was well-done, giving us enough history and why it didn't work out, and revealing why it could the second time around. The whole world and secondary characters were very well-written too.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was so great! It was short enough for me to read on a short road trip. It had me wondering what Nate’s story was to explain why he was acting the way he was. It was adorable with some a couple of spicy paragraphs thrown in.

[Dorte · Rating 4 out of 5]

For such a short amount of pages it got a lot in. It wasn’t overly Christmassy feeling, maybe it’s the wedding and the stranding during the holiday. For it then to pick back up after. But thoroughly enjoyed myself!

[Eliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it!

[Natasha M · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute

This was a cute little holiday read. It was very warm climate winter and not so much traditional holiday. It was good

[Emily Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute holiday novella

It was def a quick read. The storyline was cute too. About second chance love ! I loved the wedding scenes as well. Cute read

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute. Short, and very emotional, but cute. There were a few spelling errors throughout (figure for finger, interskate for another word, etc) but overall, it didn’t affect much.

[Alexis Nguyen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was actually delightful to read. i love second chance romance and it got me in my holiday spirit just a lil. i like the fact that it wasnt insanely cheesy… some parts were easy to predict but it was written well to where i still enjoyed it. i like the supporting characters as well. LOVE when they all turn on nate especially the gardener not giving back his shoes🤣🤣🤣

[Gabriella · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was fun but nothing to write home about