Yours for the Season

by Uzma Jalaluddin, Mindy Kaling (Introduction)

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.

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Holiday, Fiction, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2025

About the author

I 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!

Reviews

[Eden · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[G.G. Gleason · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Hannah Bugey]

Dnf 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.

[vlm · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 3 out of 5]

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)

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Anika (Encyclopedia BritAnika) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Cindy Feigert · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Courtney Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

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?

[kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Bree Doby · Rating 3 out of 5]

solid holiday romance! got a little repetitive at times but really enjoyed the plot overall

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[April Percia · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[Vic · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Stephanielikesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Caitlin Bogart · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Rosio · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Shana OkieCozyReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this! It is paced well and kept me interested throughout the book. I love the setting in Alaska, with all of the “rom-com” elements - small town Christmas market, sledding, fake dating.

I loved Sameera’s and Tom’s initial meeting and how their relationship developed. Tom asks her to do some live videos with him to help boost his ratings, in exchange for him introducing her to one of his friends as a client (she is a lawyer, who is struggling at her practice).

Uzma did such a nice job bringing in lots of Muslim elements and lightly explaining them. The book starts during EID, which happens to be close to Thanksgiving and goes until Christmas, so it is a fantastic holiday read.

In the author’s note, she writes that,
“The tension that can result from differing approaches to faith and spiritual practice was my initial inspiration.
…
Faith and spirituality exist on a spectrum; family relationships can be complicated as children grow into adults and forge their own way.”

Besides being a romance, it was very much about these family relationships. Sameera is fortunate to have a brother and sister who are supportive of her and good listeners. I could relate to her relationship with her parents.

“Her mother wanted her to be a perfectly poised success machine who was a credit not just to their family but to all Muslims in the country. The outside world required her only to be a producer and consumer, then to fade into the background, which was much easier to accomplish.” P152

“I’m tired of being judged and convicted without even being able to mount my own defense.” Ch 23

I think a lot of teenagers feel expectations from their parents that lead to a lot of estrangement. This book does a great job navigating that and having conversations about these complicated relationships. I appreciate this loving family, willing to work things out.

“This was a man who wore his friendliness like a razor, using it to slice inside whoever had caught his interest.” Ch 17

“…selling out Tom to work for Andy just made her want to take a shower.” Ch 23

[Bethany Ergican · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yours for the Season was absolutely adorable! I loved that the story centered on Sameera, a non-practicing Muslim, and her very loving, slightly chaotic, and hilariously unfiltered family. The family dynamics felt so real—there’s deep love there, but also past hurt, avoidance of hard conversations, and that familiar mix of tenderness and frustration. The Malik family totally won me over, especially Esa.

Sameera and Tom have such fun banter and great chemistry. And the setting? I adored the shift from Atlanta to Alaska. Take me to Alaska in any story and I’m sold! Add in the Christmas vibes and all the cozy holiday activities, and I was in heaven.

Overall, this was a cute, heartwarming Christmas romance with wonderful cultural diversity and genuinely functional, realistic family dynamics. So delightful!

[Ivette L · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️3.5⭐️

[Zoe P · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Onna DeRenzo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks amazon!

This wasn’t my cup of tea, but it wasn’t bad either! Cute story but wasn’t holding my attention.

[Jessica Quinones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly intertwining rom com energy with cultural struggles and healing from broken relationships. Worth the read for sure.

[Jessica B.]

*early work perk read*

[Rachana Hegde]

This 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!).

[Mackenzie RM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sameera and Tom meet at Sameera’s law firm’s holiday party where Tom is catering. Neither is looking for romance. They share a few laughs and discuss the finer points of making samosas before going their separate ways. Sameera’s mother invites Tom to cater their family Eid party, leading to Sameera and Tom reconnecting and creating a video for Tom’s YouTube. This post quickly goes viral with many of his followers believing their a couple. Tom and Sameera decide to use this fauxmance to benefit them both: Tom will grow his popularity while Sameera has his help in landing a wealthy client. The only problem? Their parents. Sameera’s Muslim parents meet Tom’s very not Muslim family in rural Alaska where they will all spend Christmas together, leaving Tom and Sameera with the realization that they’re not so different after all.

YOURS FOR THE SEASON is the second book I’ve read by Uzma Jalaluddin, and I know it won’t be the last. Her writing style is so accessible and nicely blends two (or sometimes more) different cultures and beliefs and shows how they can all coexist nicely.

In this novel’s case, the reader will embark upon a charming intercultural romance that sprinkles in plenty of holiday cheer and loads of family drama. I loved discovering more of the Muslim cultures, traditions, and beliefs surrounding Eid and mentions of Ramadan. It was also really cool to see this mixed with Christmas – a neat mix that highlights the beautiful dynamic created between the Malik and Cooke families.

I am always a big fan of fake dating, so I was truly delighted to find this setup here. Tom and Sameera have chemistry from their first encounter, and this only serves to spark further as they spend more time together via the meddling performed by Sameera’s mom. Sameera and Tom’s relationship progresses in a well-paced and natural manner as they spend the Christmas holiday with both of their families at Tom’s family home in rural Alaska.

As with most family gatherings around the holidays, there can be a lot of family drama that ensues. That’s no different here in YOURS FOR THE SEASON. I loved this aspect of the story, adding depth to each of the characters central to the story and giving room for growth. Esa, Sameera’s brother, is a favorite character of mine, particularly due to his many pranks and hijinks that serve to soften the tension. He’s not all trouble though, he definitely shows his love with a kind heart too.

There are some deeper topics approached within this lighthearted novel that can foster discussion, particularly surrounding religion (in terms of a family who practices their religion with one member who doesn’t), parental expectations, and resolution of past discussions/interactions that caused harm. I think that all of these topics were approached with care and tied in nicely with the rest of the story.

Altogether, a heartfelt and cozy romance that’s perfect for the winter holidays!

[EvitaReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

The book started so strong; the FMC (Sameera) and MMC (Tom) agree to fake date (her for her job and him for his work and social media). She tells her family about the situation and her parents don’t believe her because of the Sameera’s lies about her relationships in the past. So her mom self-invites her whole family to Tom’s family home in Alaska for Christmas.

I related to a certain degree while reading about the complicated family dynamics. I’m not Muslim, but I still related to Sameera’s struggles with her own identity and her relationships with her family and her faith. Something happened in Sameera’s past that caused her family to not trust her. I really did enjoy this aspect of the story.

“You’ve proven again and again that we can’t trust you, Sameera. That you are incapable of thinking clearly when a man is involved. That you still need us to save you from yourself.”

“Love isn’t a magic bullet. It just opens a door, but you both have to do the hard work to walk through it together.”

“Faith is personal,” she said quietly. “It’s a thing some people are brought up with, but at some point, you have to take it on for yourself, to make it your own.”

The reason why I gave this book a 3.5 rating was because of the repetitive scenes of Sameera’s worrying about her problems and the same problems/solutions going on in her head. And I know Sameera and Tom are “fake dating” but the author hints at some attraction. They would randomly kiss without any build up or explanation. And then the back and forth of being together/not being together. I’ve realized I do not like slow-burn romances…