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Yours for the Season
For an ambitious attorney and a rising-star chef, a cross-cultural fake romance takes an unexpected detour in a heartwarming and funny novel by the author of Much Ado About Nada and Ayesha at Last.
When Sameera Malik and Tom Cooke meet at a ho-hum holiday party, neither is looking for romance. Sameera’s working ridiculous hours at her law firm and healing from heartache while navigating a recently resolved family estrangement. Tom’s hustling to turn his social media stardom into a real career while fending off his family’s demands to give up his chef dreams and move back home. The two share a few laughs and a samosa-making lesson and go their separate ways.
But when one of Tom’s posts starts a viral rumor that they’re a couple, he suggests they keep up the ruse for a few months. It’s a good proposal, and a fauxmance will help Tom grow his popularity, and, in return, he can help Sameera land a wealthy client. The only problem? Their parents.
When Sameera’s very Muslim parents insist on meeting Tom’s very not Muslim family over Christmas in rural Alaska, the stage is set for misunderstandings, holiday hijinks, and an epic culture clash. As the Maliks and Cookes exchange holiday traditions and endless opinions on their children’s lives, Sameera and Tom realize they have a lot in common—including an attraction that’s starting to feel very real.
When Sameera Malik and Tom Cooke meet at a ho-hum holiday party, neither is looking for romance. Sameera’s working ridiculous hours at her law firm and healing from heartache while navigating a recently resolved family estrangement. Tom’s hustling to turn his social media stardom into a real career while fending off his family’s demands to give up his chef dreams and move back home. The two share a few laughs and a samosa-making lesson and go their separate ways.
But when one of Tom’s posts starts a viral rumor that they’re a couple, he suggests they keep up the ruse for a few months. It’s a good proposal, and a fauxmance will help Tom grow his popularity, and, in return, he can help Sameera land a wealthy client. The only problem? Their parents.
When Sameera’s very Muslim parents insist on meeting Tom’s very not Muslim family over Christmas in rural Alaska, the stage is set for misunderstandings, holiday hijinks, and an epic culture clash. As the Maliks and Cookes exchange holiday traditions and endless opinions on their children’s lives, Sameera and Tom realize they have a lot in common—including an attraction that’s starting to feel very real.
287 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2025
4428 people are currently reading
16562 people want to read
About the author
Uzma Jalaluddin
9 books2,679 followersI write funny, nuanced stories about Muslims, South Asians, Canadians, people. MUCH ADO ABOUT NADA (June 2023), THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING (Sept 2023), HANA KHAN CARRIES ON (2021) and AYESHA AT LAST (2019). Find out more at www.uzmajalaluddin.com and thanks for visiting!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 812 reviews
January 8, 2026
Holidays 2025 #14
Bah humbug, bitches.
I thought I hated holiday books until I read THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING, a fun novel co-written by Uzma (Muslim) and Marissa (Jewish), set in a tiny Canadian town that loves celebrating Christmas. Kitschy? Maybe. Did I love every second? Yes.
So when I saw Uzma had written another holiday book, I smashed that request button so fast. And I wasn't sorry.
This one is a little more relatable to me. Sameera is an Indian American lapsed Muslim working as a lawyer in Atlanta. While I wouldn't recommend dating a lawyer, one of my favorite books of all time, LAST TANG STANDING, features a fun but messy lawyer MC.
She meets Tom at a work holiday party where he's the caterer. Not to overuse a Taylor Swift song, but sparks fly. A FaceTime with her formerly estranged mom goes wrong and Sameera's entire family ends up at Tom's dad's Alaskan estate. What could go wrong?
Add in a dad that doesn't get it, annoying teen brother, sassy religious sister, and a whole host of other characters, and you get some generational trauma in the present day. IYKYK
rep: Indian American
tw: fetish, generational trauma, religious trauma, stereotypes
📱 Thank you to Goodreads and Mindy's Book Studio
Bah humbug, bitches.
I thought I hated holiday books until I read THREE HOLIDAYS AND A WEDDING, a fun novel co-written by Uzma (Muslim) and Marissa (Jewish), set in a tiny Canadian town that loves celebrating Christmas. Kitschy? Maybe. Did I love every second? Yes.
So when I saw Uzma had written another holiday book, I smashed that request button so fast. And I wasn't sorry.
This one is a little more relatable to me. Sameera is an Indian American lapsed Muslim working as a lawyer in Atlanta. While I wouldn't recommend dating a lawyer, one of my favorite books of all time, LAST TANG STANDING, features a fun but messy lawyer MC.
She meets Tom at a work holiday party where he's the caterer. Not to overuse a Taylor Swift song, but sparks fly. A FaceTime with her formerly estranged mom goes wrong and Sameera's entire family ends up at Tom's dad's Alaskan estate. What could go wrong?
Add in a dad that doesn't get it, annoying teen brother, sassy religious sister, and a whole host of other characters, and you get some generational trauma in the present day. IYKYK
rep: Indian American
tw: fetish, generational trauma, religious trauma, stereotypes
📱 Thank you to Goodreads and Mindy's Book Studio
November 2, 2025
This book started out soooo strong! FMC and MMC agree to fake date (her for her job and him for social media/work). She TELLS her family they’re fake dating, but they don’t believe her because she’s lied about relationships before, so her mom invites their family to his family’s home in Alaska for Christmas. That’s a romcom setup if I’ve ever heard one. Where this book lost me was how repetitive it was. The FMC thought SO MUCH about her problems and just cycled through the same problems/solutions in her head over, and over, and over. I was so bored. The writing was just... off to me. The MMC and FMC would be having a conversation and then *BAM* they’d be kissing with no buildup. I’ve loved previous books by this author, but the writing in this one wasn’t for me.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.
November 20, 2025
I hate writing negative reviews, but there’s a huge problem with this book. That problem being that “Tom” is 98% borrowed/taken/plagiarized from the movie The Proposal.
Andrew in The Proposal is living on the east coast, rarely goes home, decides to fake date a woman, not tell his parents the truth, goes home to ALASKA, to a town almost fully owned by his parents, all businesses have their name on them, super rich, huge mansion home, bad relationship with his dad. Why? Because his dad wants him to move back home to Alaska and take over the family business. He has an adorable ex-gf he runs into. Why did they end things? Because he wanted to leave their small Alaskan town and she didn’t.
Sound specifically familiar??
The FMC is different. The storyline is different enough. But “Tom” is not at all an original creation.
The book itself was okay. I tried to get over this, and I couldn’t. More similarities kept popping up. I dont know how no one caught this.
Andrew in The Proposal is living on the east coast, rarely goes home, decides to fake date a woman, not tell his parents the truth, goes home to ALASKA, to a town almost fully owned by his parents, all businesses have their name on them, super rich, huge mansion home, bad relationship with his dad. Why? Because his dad wants him to move back home to Alaska and take over the family business. He has an adorable ex-gf he runs into. Why did they end things? Because he wanted to leave their small Alaskan town and she didn’t.
Sound specifically familiar??
The FMC is different. The storyline is different enough. But “Tom” is not at all an original creation.
The book itself was okay. I tried to get over this, and I couldn’t. More similarities kept popping up. I dont know how no one caught this.
Read
December 20, 2025Dnf at 48%. This book wasn’t bad I just wasn’t feeling this. I liked the culture incorporated in the book but the rest fell flat for me. The characters were bland and the book was very repetitive. I wanted to like this because of the holiday season but couldn’t get into it.
November 13, 2025
Uzma Jalaluddin delivers another warm, witty, and delightfully layered rom-com with Yours for the Season. Sameera Malik, a driven attorney trying to mend old wounds, and Tom Cooke, a charming chef chasing his culinary dreams, stumble into a viral “relationship” that neither asked for—but both might just need.
The setup—a fake romance that spirals into something real—is classic rom-com gold, but Jalaluddin brings her signature heart and humor to the mix. The cultural clash between Sameera’s traditional Muslim family and Tom’s Christmas-loving clan in small-town Alaska is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. There’s a wonderful balance of family meddling, romantic tension, and sharp social insight about identity, ambition, and belonging.
The story’s real strength lies in its emotional honesty. Both characters are more than their tropes: Sameera’s exhaustion and self-doubt feel grounded, and Tom’s struggles with expectation and purpose give his easy charm depth. Their chemistry—especially in the kitchen—is sweet, slow-burning, and full of spark.
Perfect for fans of The Holiday and The Fake Match trope meets Meet the Parents, Yours for the Season is cozy, funny, and full of heart—a holiday rom-com with real substance.
The setup—a fake romance that spirals into something real—is classic rom-com gold, but Jalaluddin brings her signature heart and humor to the mix. The cultural clash between Sameera’s traditional Muslim family and Tom’s Christmas-loving clan in small-town Alaska is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. There’s a wonderful balance of family meddling, romantic tension, and sharp social insight about identity, ambition, and belonging.
The story’s real strength lies in its emotional honesty. Both characters are more than their tropes: Sameera’s exhaustion and self-doubt feel grounded, and Tom’s struggles with expectation and purpose give his easy charm depth. Their chemistry—especially in the kitchen—is sweet, slow-burning, and full of spark.
Perfect for fans of The Holiday and The Fake Match trope meets Meet the Parents, Yours for the Season is cozy, funny, and full of heart—a holiday rom-com with real substance.
December 25, 2025
A lovely reading treat for a Saturday afternoon. Uzma Jalaluddin has written a tale that is sure to become a classic- two families of different religions drawn together because their grown children are fake-dating. I laughed a few times for sure! Many days later, I cannot get the family's Christmas gifts to each other out of my mind. Still brings a smile to my face.
Book Synopsis: The story follows Sameera Malik, a burnt-out attorney healing from heartache and job insecurity, and Tom Cooke, a rising social media chef dreaming of his own TV show while fending off family demands to give up his culinary ambitions. After meeting at a bland holiday party, a viral social media post inadvertently starts a rumour that they are a couple. Seeing a mutually beneficial opportunity, they agree to a fake relationship: it will boost Tom's popularity and help Sameera land a wealthy client. The ruse quickly escalates when Sameera's very Muslim parents insist on meeting Tom's very non-Muslim family over Christmas in rural Alaska.
Goodreads review published 13/12/25
Book Synopsis: The story follows Sameera Malik, a burnt-out attorney healing from heartache and job insecurity, and Tom Cooke, a rising social media chef dreaming of his own TV show while fending off family demands to give up his culinary ambitions. After meeting at a bland holiday party, a viral social media post inadvertently starts a rumour that they are a couple. Seeing a mutually beneficial opportunity, they agree to a fake relationship: it will boost Tom's popularity and help Sameera land a wealthy client. The ruse quickly escalates when Sameera's very Muslim parents insist on meeting Tom's very non-Muslim family over Christmas in rural Alaska.
Goodreads review published 13/12/25
December 17, 2025
There was a lot here that I genuinely enjoyed. Sameera and Tom meet at a holiday party, part ways, and then suddenly find themselves at the center of a viral rumour that they’re dating, which very quickly spirals into their families insisting on spending the holidays together in rural Alaska. It was meddling chaos, in the best way!
The Alaskan setting was dreamy, of course, and I loved how Christmas traditions through Tom’s family were blended with Muslim culture through Sameera’s family, especially in all the well-intentioned, sometimes hilariously awkward moments. The food descriptions were also amazing (Tom is a chef & I had a serious craving for samosas while reading this), and I really appreciated the strong family focus, with both Sameera and Tom navigating pressure and expectations in their own ways.
The romance itself was just ok for me, though. It wasn’t bad by any means, but the tension was quite low, and I didn’t completely feel the spark that usually keeps me invested in a fake-dating setup like this. It took some fun turns along the way, including an unexpected reveal, but overall I wasn't that emotionally invested in Sameera and Tom as a couple.
(heat level: kisses only)
The Alaskan setting was dreamy, of course, and I loved how Christmas traditions through Tom’s family were blended with Muslim culture through Sameera’s family, especially in all the well-intentioned, sometimes hilariously awkward moments. The food descriptions were also amazing (Tom is a chef & I had a serious craving for samosas while reading this), and I really appreciated the strong family focus, with both Sameera and Tom navigating pressure and expectations in their own ways.
The romance itself was just ok for me, though. It wasn’t bad by any means, but the tension was quite low, and I didn’t completely feel the spark that usually keeps me invested in a fake-dating setup like this. It took some fun turns along the way, including an unexpected reveal, but overall I wasn't that emotionally invested in Sameera and Tom as a couple.
(heat level: kisses only)
January 3, 2026
This book is set in a small town in South Central Alaska.
I am from a small town in South Central Alaska.
It does not get things even close to accurate, and it is driving me crazy. Could it be more obvious that 90% of the research the author did was watching The Proposal, an inaccurate romcom with a similar premise? No, there is no Alaskan Royalty Families. No, people are not shocked and appalled when someone moves out away to the Lower 48.
I hoped that because the author is from Canada, she would get some more things right. But even basic, Googleable facts like the temperature and amount of daylight are ignored. If you are setting your characters in December in Alaska, the cold can NEVER be ignored. It is a consideration every time you step outside.
And, no, it didn't need to be part of the story. But it's not an Alaskan setting if you don't include it. This story could be set in Seattle for all the cold and small-town vibes it captures.
Other less Googleable things, like slang and culture, were also wrong. No one would ever be surprised by a moose in their backyard, or lead with someone's tribe heritage instead of just saying "Native" when explaining it to someone from Georgia.
Thanks to Netgalley for the book. All opinions are my own.
I am from a small town in South Central Alaska.
It does not get things even close to accurate, and it is driving me crazy. Could it be more obvious that 90% of the research the author did was watching The Proposal, an inaccurate romcom with a similar premise? No, there is no Alaskan Royalty Families. No, people are not shocked and appalled when someone moves out away to the Lower 48.
I hoped that because the author is from Canada, she would get some more things right. But even basic, Googleable facts like the temperature and amount of daylight are ignored. If you are setting your characters in December in Alaska, the cold can NEVER be ignored. It is a consideration every time you step outside.
And, no, it didn't need to be part of the story. But it's not an Alaskan setting if you don't include it. This story could be set in Seattle for all the cold and small-town vibes it captures.
Other less Googleable things, like slang and culture, were also wrong. No one would ever be surprised by a moose in their backyard, or lead with someone's tribe heritage instead of just saying "Native" when explaining it to someone from Georgia.
Thanks to Netgalley for the book. All opinions are my own.
December 28, 2025
Fake dating and slow burn. It started off slow, but I finished the last 50% of the book in one sitting. It was a sweet story, that reflected on various morals and values. I also loved the many food references and now have different chais I can’t wait to try someday. ❤️
November 20, 2025
This is a Hallmark movie in the making. Two people meet during a holiday party and the fun and family intervention begins. This is also about two people who are from totally different backgrounds. So there is a serious side to the book. The characters are well written and the plot gains depth as it moves on. I think readers will enjoy this story.
January 9, 2026
Cultural Love Story
I loved the characters! The storyline was fresh and different than any others I have read. Big city boy and girl are thrown together to play fake sweethearts in a small town. Add all the parents from different cultures and religions and chaos ensues! But fun chaos. Sameera and Tom 4 ever!
I loved the characters! The storyline was fresh and different than any others I have read. Big city boy and girl are thrown together to play fake sweethearts in a small town. Add all the parents from different cultures and religions and chaos ensues! But fun chaos. Sameera and Tom 4 ever!
January 5, 2026
4.5 stars!! talk about an UNDERRATED book
December 8, 2025
Someone make this into a movie please. It had fake dating, it had complicated family dynamics, it had a very charming chef, it had a really honest and real discussion about having different level of beliefs and faith than your family. Basically a south Asian Muslim version of The Proposal and I loved it. It had such heart. And the care and respect Jalaluddin gave the FMC was everything. I am so happy I have this book.
December 13, 2025
4.5/5 stars
Yours for the Season is a fake dating holiday romance featuring Eid and Christmas. The book is set in both Atlanta and Alaska.
Twenty-eight year old Sameera is Muslim. She is also a lawyer. She meets Tom (a chef) at her firm's holiday party.
I love reading holiday romances featuring different cultures. I'm obsessed with this author's books. And I just love being immersed in Sameera and her family's culture and traditions.
Both Tom and Sameera have issues with their families. And I truly enjoyed seeing how these difficulties were handled.
I loved Sameera’s friend Bee. I loved the Alaskan setting. I liked how food is such a big part of the book. And I really adored the romance.
I really enjoyed seeing Sameera and her family’s first experience with Christmas. The book is funny. But it also showcases serious issues. Overall I really enjoyed this book. And can’t wait to read the author’s next book.
Yours for the Season is a fake dating holiday romance featuring Eid and Christmas. The book is set in both Atlanta and Alaska.
Twenty-eight year old Sameera is Muslim. She is also a lawyer. She meets Tom (a chef) at her firm's holiday party.
I love reading holiday romances featuring different cultures. I'm obsessed with this author's books. And I just love being immersed in Sameera and her family's culture and traditions.
Both Tom and Sameera have issues with their families. And I truly enjoyed seeing how these difficulties were handled.
I loved Sameera’s friend Bee. I loved the Alaskan setting. I liked how food is such a big part of the book. And I really adored the romance.
I really enjoyed seeing Sameera and her family’s first experience with Christmas. The book is funny. But it also showcases serious issues. Overall I really enjoyed this book. And can’t wait to read the author’s next book.
December 19, 2025
solid holiday romance! got a little repetitive at times but really enjoyed the plot overall
December 13, 2025
I've already read several books by Uzma Jalaluddin, and this was once again a really fun one. It starts off hilarious, with Sameera's parents inviting themselves to Tom's parents' house for Christmas, because they're convinced Sameera and Tom are dating. I thought this was such a funny premisse and it somehow put a new spin on the fake dating trope. But there's a lot of heart to the story as well. I loved the focus on family in a way that wasn't rose-coloured. There was so much growth and nuance to the family relationships, which I really appreciated.
December 12, 2025
This one had a lot of potential as a fun, multicultural holiday romance with fake dating. What could go wrong? Honestly, nothing really went wrong… but nothing really blew me away either. Sameera’s overbearing, quirky family was fun, and I enjoyed listening to all of their antics. The connection between Tom and Sameera felt strong and believable. But honestly, the whole book ended up feeling very cookie-cutter—nothing I haven’t read before, you know?
December 15, 2025
This was so wholesome and a joy to read. With focus on family, tradition, culture and love, it had everything I could want from a holiday love story.
what to expect:
- lawyer x chef
- small town alaska
- fake dating
- meddling families
what to expect:
- lawyer x chef
- small town alaska
- fake dating
- meddling families
January 3, 2026
First book of the year and first book finished on my kindle! Super cute and festive, though the ending felt a little rushed.
December 3, 2025
I really liked this author's Ayesha at Last (a modern-day take on Pride & Prejudice with Muslim characters living in Toronto), but unfortunately this Christmas rom-com about a Muslim Indian woman on a fake dating scheme with a white guy, as their families spend the holiday together in his Alaska hometown for some convoluted reasons, was a let-down for me. The characters all felt manufactured for a cheesy rom-com, rather than feeling like real people, and while I really appreciated the cross-cultural aspects, there was so much more telling than showing in the story, making it feel like a cultural lesson rather than an interesting way to explore relationship/culture/family dynamics. In general the dialogue and chemistry didn't capture me, and while I finished, I was just not invested.
November 9, 2025
heartwarming holiday tale
This story was a cross between a Hallmark holiday movie and The Proposal. I loved the characters and the writing plus the integration of different winter holidays. It was a good story to kick start the winter holiday season. Highly recommend
This story was a cross between a Hallmark holiday movie and The Proposal. I loved the characters and the writing plus the integration of different winter holidays. It was a good story to kick start the winter holiday season. Highly recommend
December 8, 2025
Needed a holiday romance and this kind of scratched that itch? It started off strong, but then dragged out and the plot was sort of lost.
January 18, 2026
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Sameera Malik has been working extremely long hours as cuts are imminent at her law firm, and she wants to ensure her retention. She is also still trying to get back into her family’s good graces after a bad breakup where she withheld a lot of information from them. Tom Cooke is a chef who wants to turn his successful social media following into a worthwhile career, but he is getting a lot of grief from his family to move back home and take part in the family business. They meet at a holiday party, and their lives take a fun new direction. A fake romance to help Tom’s social media followers climb, and Sameera gets an introduction to a “big fish” to hopefully land as a new client for her firm, cementing her continued employment.
Then their parents get involved.
I had planned to read this before Christmas, but when I couldn’t, I read it as quickly in the new year as I could, and I am so glad I did.
Tom and Sameera’s lives were easy to get invested in. They both had dreams and goals, with some roadblocks in their way. Sameera is an Indian American lapsed Muslim whose family is used to being very involved in her life, and she shut them out for years. Now they are reconnected, but her mother doesn’t trust her. She will not believe Tom and Sameera are just friends. Tom hasn’t been home to Alaska in years because he and his father always butt heads over his career choice.
We see how controlling and overbearing Sameera’s mother is when she goes behind her back and contacts Tom’s stepmother and garners an invitation for herself and the entire family to come to Alaska for Christmas, a holiday her family does not celebrate. Tom had decided to go home for the holidays, and his family all thought it was because of his new girlfriend, Sameera.
Tom’s family lives outside Anchorage in Wolf Run, population 1,786. His family is a pretty big part of the town. Cook Place was quite an estate with beautiful grounds. A true Hallmark setting for a holiday Rom-Com. A subplot regarding the small town adds a different kind of drama to the story.
I really enjoyed how Tom and Sameera’s fake dating changed throughout the story, with realistic tension and obstacles in the way. Sameera was very worried about her job, which was taking up time and focus. Tom had built walls around himself with his family, and that was his focus. Underneath it all, they started to realize their true feelings. The way they bantered back and forth was very entertaining.
I appreciated that both moms had researched the other family’s holiday traditions and wanted to honor them. It sparked some comedic moments. In fact, humor is sprinkled delightfully throughout the entire book.
Learning new things when escaping into a book always pleases me. One of the reasons I wanted to read this book was to learn more about Muslim culture. I had very little knowledge about Ramadan. Ms. Jalaluddin explains the month-long tradition of spiritual reflection, charity, fasting, and time spent with family clearly and in an easy-to-understand manner.
I found Yours for the Season to be a very enjoyable holiday read with realistic family dynamics, cultural diversity, lighthearted romance, and plenty of humor. I loved the author’s comfortable writing style and have added all of her books to my wish list.
This book was part of the Amazon Prime First Reads Program.
Sameera Malik has been working extremely long hours as cuts are imminent at her law firm, and she wants to ensure her retention. She is also still trying to get back into her family’s good graces after a bad breakup where she withheld a lot of information from them. Tom Cooke is a chef who wants to turn his successful social media following into a worthwhile career, but he is getting a lot of grief from his family to move back home and take part in the family business. They meet at a holiday party, and their lives take a fun new direction. A fake romance to help Tom’s social media followers climb, and Sameera gets an introduction to a “big fish” to hopefully land as a new client for her firm, cementing her continued employment.
Then their parents get involved.
I had planned to read this before Christmas, but when I couldn’t, I read it as quickly in the new year as I could, and I am so glad I did.
Tom and Sameera’s lives were easy to get invested in. They both had dreams and goals, with some roadblocks in their way. Sameera is an Indian American lapsed Muslim whose family is used to being very involved in her life, and she shut them out for years. Now they are reconnected, but her mother doesn’t trust her. She will not believe Tom and Sameera are just friends. Tom hasn’t been home to Alaska in years because he and his father always butt heads over his career choice.
We see how controlling and overbearing Sameera’s mother is when she goes behind her back and contacts Tom’s stepmother and garners an invitation for herself and the entire family to come to Alaska for Christmas, a holiday her family does not celebrate. Tom had decided to go home for the holidays, and his family all thought it was because of his new girlfriend, Sameera.
Tom’s family lives outside Anchorage in Wolf Run, population 1,786. His family is a pretty big part of the town. Cook Place was quite an estate with beautiful grounds. A true Hallmark setting for a holiday Rom-Com. A subplot regarding the small town adds a different kind of drama to the story.
I really enjoyed how Tom and Sameera’s fake dating changed throughout the story, with realistic tension and obstacles in the way. Sameera was very worried about her job, which was taking up time and focus. Tom had built walls around himself with his family, and that was his focus. Underneath it all, they started to realize their true feelings. The way they bantered back and forth was very entertaining.
I appreciated that both moms had researched the other family’s holiday traditions and wanted to honor them. It sparked some comedic moments. In fact, humor is sprinkled delightfully throughout the entire book.
Learning new things when escaping into a book always pleases me. One of the reasons I wanted to read this book was to learn more about Muslim culture. I had very little knowledge about Ramadan. Ms. Jalaluddin explains the month-long tradition of spiritual reflection, charity, fasting, and time spent with family clearly and in an easy-to-understand manner.
I found Yours for the Season to be a very enjoyable holiday read with realistic family dynamics, cultural diversity, lighthearted romance, and plenty of humor. I loved the author’s comfortable writing style and have added all of her books to my wish list.
This book was part of the Amazon Prime First Reads Program.
December 19, 2025
I was expecting the story to be more of a culture clash between one family's Muslim traditions and the other family's Christmas traditions. I thought that would be the primary source of conflict, but I was glad that wasn't the case because that storyline has been played out several times before in Hallmark movies. Instead, the events that unfolded were much more layered. There was still the element of fake dating-turned-real couple, but I felt like I related so much to Sameera's complicated relationship with her family. I completely understood how she felt her past mistakes were clouding her parents' view of her. She seemed to beat herself up a lot over what transpired between them, which also made me feel like I was reading about myself.
What was most refreshing to read about was a character who was Muslim, but not a stereotype. She wasn't as connected to her faith as her family, which is the case in real life for so many people. Having Tom wanting to be with Sameera without the tropes of "you can't date someone white" or "you can't be with someone who is Muslim" felt like a breath of fresh air. It was simply two people who shared a connection and worked through their respective family issues together.
What was most refreshing to read about was a character who was Muslim, but not a stereotype. She wasn't as connected to her faith as her family, which is the case in real life for so many people. Having Tom wanting to be with Sameera without the tropes of "you can't date someone white" or "you can't be with someone who is Muslim" felt like a breath of fresh air. It was simply two people who shared a connection and worked through their respective family issues together.
December 12, 2025
There's a really interesting thing happening in books with Muslim and Jewish protagonists where you see how their lives are shaped by their faiths or not faiths, but the books are clearly not meant to be Inspirational Romance. As someone who grew up Lutheran and is non-practicing as an adult, I sort of wish there was a space for those types of books with other faiths, though I absolutely see how fraught that could be in a world that treats Christian as a default.
But none of that is about this book especially (though there's a really great scene where the Muslim parents bring a cherry cordial filled chocolate cross as a housewarming gift because Christians eat the body of their savior.) And I was delighted! Thought the heroine's journey, in particular, was great. (I am confused why she couldn't prosecute her ex for stealing her identity and get out from some of the debt burden he left her with, though.) Wonderful supporting cast of characters, excellent balance between city and small town.
Hope for more from the author in the coming years.
But none of that is about this book especially (though there's a really great scene where the Muslim parents bring a cherry cordial filled chocolate cross as a housewarming gift because Christians eat the body of their savior.) And I was delighted! Thought the heroine's journey, in particular, was great. (I am confused why she couldn't prosecute her ex for stealing her identity and get out from some of the debt burden he left her with, though.) Wonderful supporting cast of characters, excellent balance between city and small town.
Hope for more from the author in the coming years.
January 11, 2026
I got this book in an Goodreads Giveaway. I enjoyed this fake dating multicultural mash up of the Proposal. Sameera is a lawyer struggling with a bad breakup, possibly losing her job, and overcoming a three-year estrangement with with her Muslim Indian parents, as she struggles through the cultural divide she feels as Muslim Indian American struggling with a lack of faith. She meets Tom at a lawyer meet and greet when he is the chef hired to cater the event. A FaceTime call gone awry convinces Sameera’s mom that Sameera and Tom are dating, and Sameera is merely lying about her relationship again, so Sameera’s mom calls Tom’s mom in Alaska and invites Sameera’s entire family to Alaska to meet Tom’s parents. Tom’s parents live in Wolf’s Run, where they own all the stores and the entire town, à la the movie the proposal. Tom asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend and Sameera’s family already believes they are dating. Hijinks ensue. This book has a very good mix of cultural info and story. Sometimes an author can go overboard educating the reader about an unfamiliar culture, but this book never felt this way. The references toward desi culture seemed to seamlessly flow with the plot and characters of the story. I enjoyed it.
did-not-finish
December 9, 2025This is a DNF for me because while the audiobook narration is good, I started noticing a lot of things that were too trope-y for my tastes. To begin, the main character works at a law firm and there's A LOT of exposition in the beginning about this job of hers and how she's stressed about getting fired. The only problem is that I've read a LOT of books at this point and I'm sick of how a lot of modern/contemporary romance novels will place their protagonist (who is also often still single at age ) in these intense corporate jobs that are exhausting and stressful. Obviously the jargon the writer uses will be specific to the job (lawyer, doctor, etc.) but the WAY in which it is described is all so similar that eventually you will not be able to recall any of the jobs these characters did even a year later. I think there are books where the job is actually memorable and/or interesting while still being 'corporate' but this has a lot to do with the skill of the writer (i.e. Abby Jimenez does a great job of this!).
I also started to get annoyed when the 'work nemesis' was introduced at the holiday party because LOL of course it's a nepo rich (white?) man who just got his job because #connections. Like yeah that is annoying and I know it happens in real life but I swear the female main character's nemesis is usually a man like this. It just gets a bit boring after awhile because we've all seen this play out dozens of times. I wish men like this didn't exist and flaunt their power so blatantly but reading is supposed to be an escape and...I was just bORed.
And finally - I felt emotionally exhausted when the book started delving into the more toxic aspects of Indian culture with regards to the main character's family. Her mother is overbearing and critical and calls her at a work party to talk at her. I don't have a problem with these things being discussed in books but as someone who comes from this culture, I've consumed a lot of commentary about this and even experienced some of it firsthand. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood for seeing it in a book I'm reading and that's just me (not the book's fault!).
I also started to get annoyed when the 'work nemesis' was introduced at the holiday party because LOL of course it's a nepo rich (white?) man who just got his job because #connections. Like yeah that is annoying and I know it happens in real life but I swear the female main character's nemesis is usually a man like this. It just gets a bit boring after awhile because we've all seen this play out dozens of times. I wish men like this didn't exist and flaunt their power so blatantly but reading is supposed to be an escape and...I was just bORed.
And finally - I felt emotionally exhausted when the book started delving into the more toxic aspects of Indian culture with regards to the main character's family. Her mother is overbearing and critical and calls her at a work party to talk at her. I don't have a problem with these things being discussed in books but as someone who comes from this culture, I've consumed a lot of commentary about this and even experienced some of it firsthand. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood for seeing it in a book I'm reading and that's just me (not the book's fault!).
December 12, 2025
A fun and funny romcom about family relationships, identity, and belonging. I enjoyed the multicultural elements and the authentic look at intergenerational challenges in second-generation immigrant families. The small-town Alaska setting was a nice addition and gave the story a nice, cozy feel. The romantic relationship between the two main characters was sweet and funny.
An enjoyable read for the holidays!
An enjoyable read for the holidays!
December 17, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ Started off strong for me, and overall I loved the non-traditional blend of cultures in this holiday story.
It did get a little sappy in the second half, and many dead horses were beat (for lack of better idiom), but I still very much enjoyed the story and thought it was a fun twist on your typical Hallmark-y Christmas read!
It did get a little sappy in the second half, and many dead horses were beat (for lack of better idiom), but I still very much enjoyed the story and thought it was a fun twist on your typical Hallmark-y Christmas read!
November 22, 2025
Great love story about bringing in two different cultures into one holiday. I laughed so much! Also there is so much talk about delicious sounding food, do not read on an empty stomach.
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