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Happy Holigays
You know the tired old tale—leave the big city to return to that sleepy hometown for the holidays, discover who you truly are, and find love where you least expected. But that’s the last thing Mitch wants to do with his time off.
Living in Hell’s Kitchen he’s happy with his life—great job, nice apartment, great friends. When his boss surprises the company with a full week’s vacation for the holidays, Mitch does the opposite of the hackneyed romcom fantasy. He doesn’t want to go back to Scranton and spend the holidays with his family.
He wants to relax, stay home, go out, hook up, and have fun. He wants the gay staycation of his dreams, and he’s determined to keep it that way no matter how much his mom makes him feel bad.
His best friend David isn’t buying it. There’s got to be more to life than going out, drinking, and hooking up. As David puts it, “Instead of going home for the holidays, you want to be a homo for the holidays?” And that’s exactly what Mitch intends to do.
But sometimes that love you didn’t see is hiding in plain sight, and sometimes it’s not in the tiny, small town you already escaped once.
Even without the small town and the family drama, will Mitch find the unexpected holiday romance he didn’t even know he wanted in HAPPY HOLIGAYS, Matthew Cooper’s non-Hallmark-Holiday novella?
Living in Hell’s Kitchen he’s happy with his life—great job, nice apartment, great friends. When his boss surprises the company with a full week’s vacation for the holidays, Mitch does the opposite of the hackneyed romcom fantasy. He doesn’t want to go back to Scranton and spend the holidays with his family.
He wants to relax, stay home, go out, hook up, and have fun. He wants the gay staycation of his dreams, and he’s determined to keep it that way no matter how much his mom makes him feel bad.
His best friend David isn’t buying it. There’s got to be more to life than going out, drinking, and hooking up. As David puts it, “Instead of going home for the holidays, you want to be a homo for the holidays?” And that’s exactly what Mitch intends to do.
But sometimes that love you didn’t see is hiding in plain sight, and sometimes it’s not in the tiny, small town you already escaped once.
Even without the small town and the family drama, will Mitch find the unexpected holiday romance he didn’t even know he wanted in HAPPY HOLIGAYS, Matthew Cooper’s non-Hallmark-Holiday novella?
98 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 3, 2025
2 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 2, 2025
I saw the book on NetGalley, and since it took place in my old NYC neighborhood, I had to give it a chance. It was a spicy read, made me laugh and cringe all at the same time. Lots of truth, some silliness and exaggeration... not everyone is that hot, come on! LOL But it has a great holiday theme and gives you the expected good feels at the end.
August 9, 2025
I went into this book expecting a wholesome, holiday centred cosy romance however what I read was not quite a romance at all, rather it felt more like a contemporary fiction with elements of a romantic subplot.
Whilst there were some elements of the story which I found appealing such as the relaxed/lighthearted vibe, the book for me fell flat with uniting this with characters and emotions. Throughout the book we see Mitch maturing, realising that he does not want to deal with homophobia, politics and family drama over the holidays and reflecting in an attempt to develop his sense of self but these crucial and more intriguing elements are not given the time and development which I would have liked.
Happy Holigays is not only a very short book but also, in my experience, a quick read due to its simple language which makes it difficult for the reader to become fully invested in the characters. Many side characters aren't even given names and the main 'cast' is small yet they lack a certain depth that would allow them to build the intimacy and connections which are essential in cosy and holiday-vibe stories.
Some of the plot points were slightly predictable for my tastes which in itself is not an issue however there is a lack of emotional involvement (both with the reader and the characters) and in turn the 'romance' itself doesn't feel real, making the ending somewhat unsatisfying. We learn of Mitch's feelings for the love interest suddenly - after having him sleeping around and hooking up for over 60% of the book - and without really being able to see how he comes to this realisation whilst I believe the emotion and chemistry which felt most prominent and real was with a different character entirely.
The SA scene (which readers are not warned about in advance despite the content being potentially triggering) is not only unnecessary but poorly handled with Mitch laughing it off at first before later getting angry and defensive. It is a disappointing approach to the subject matter and adds no value whatsoever to the story or characters which leaves me to wonder why it was included at all.
Additionally, the love confession scene felt rushed as it came late in the book and was moved over quickly to a somewhat wholesome but abrupt ending. What should have been one of the biggest plot elements in a 'romance' book was not thoroughly explored, the emotions not really delved into and the arguments not quite resolved which made the ending somewhat of a jarring read.
The book seems to have potential and I can certainly see where the appeal may lay however the execution fell flat for me.
2 Stars
Whilst there were some elements of the story which I found appealing such as the relaxed/lighthearted vibe, the book for me fell flat with uniting this with characters and emotions. Throughout the book we see Mitch maturing, realising that he does not want to deal with homophobia, politics and family drama over the holidays and reflecting in an attempt to develop his sense of self but these crucial and more intriguing elements are not given the time and development which I would have liked.
Happy Holigays is not only a very short book but also, in my experience, a quick read due to its simple language which makes it difficult for the reader to become fully invested in the characters. Many side characters aren't even given names and the main 'cast' is small yet they lack a certain depth that would allow them to build the intimacy and connections which are essential in cosy and holiday-vibe stories.
Some of the plot points were slightly predictable for my tastes which in itself is not an issue however there is a lack of emotional involvement (both with the reader and the characters) and in turn the 'romance' itself doesn't feel real, making the ending somewhat unsatisfying. We learn of Mitch's feelings for the love interest suddenly - after having him sleeping around and hooking up for over 60% of the book - and without really being able to see how he comes to this realisation whilst I believe the emotion and chemistry which felt most prominent and real was with a different character entirely.
The SA scene (which readers are not warned about in advance despite the content being potentially triggering) is not only unnecessary but poorly handled with Mitch laughing it off at first before later getting angry and defensive. It is a disappointing approach to the subject matter and adds no value whatsoever to the story or characters which leaves me to wonder why it was included at all.
Additionally, the love confession scene felt rushed as it came late in the book and was moved over quickly to a somewhat wholesome but abrupt ending. What should have been one of the biggest plot elements in a 'romance' book was not thoroughly explored, the emotions not really delved into and the arguments not quite resolved which made the ending somewhat of a jarring read.
The book seems to have potential and I can certainly see where the appeal may lay however the execution fell flat for me.
2 Stars
August 26, 2025
Great book just wished it wasn’t closed door!
September 12, 2025
2.5
I had the pleasure of obtaining an ARC from the author and River Avenue Books.
This book was extremely short, and I guess it was meant to be a short story? It went really fast, was very predictable, not alot of growth with characters. It was a cute little story! I found it a little too forward with gay sex stereotypes.
Mitch and David were friends for 6 years, living in Hell’s Kitchen NY, they were both gay, and spent most of their time in a gay bar, trying to get laid, and drink their worries away.
Mitch’s main concern was going home for the holidays because of all of the arguing that happens between the family, he decided not going home to Scranton, and his very persistent mother, who he loves, I guess managed to convince him, and he surprised the family on Christmas Day. His “growth” was very rushed in my opinion, I felt like we could’ve had more understanding of the characters and their growth together. A true friends to lovers, has me yearning for everything and more, this short story, didn’t leave me feeling that way.
So to conclude, I felt like this story could’ve been longer, with more depth and growth. I didn’t get much personalities from the characters, so it fell quite flat.
I had the pleasure of obtaining an ARC from the author and River Avenue Books.
This book was extremely short, and I guess it was meant to be a short story? It went really fast, was very predictable, not alot of growth with characters. It was a cute little story! I found it a little too forward with gay sex stereotypes.
Mitch and David were friends for 6 years, living in Hell’s Kitchen NY, they were both gay, and spent most of their time in a gay bar, trying to get laid, and drink their worries away.
Mitch’s main concern was going home for the holidays because of all of the arguing that happens between the family, he decided not going home to Scranton, and his very persistent mother, who he loves, I guess managed to convince him, and he surprised the family on Christmas Day. His “growth” was very rushed in my opinion, I felt like we could’ve had more understanding of the characters and their growth together. A true friends to lovers, has me yearning for everything and more, this short story, didn’t leave me feeling that way.
So to conclude, I felt like this story could’ve been longer, with more depth and growth. I didn’t get much personalities from the characters, so it fell quite flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2025
3/5 ⭐️
This was a cute little holiday novella, and the setup definitely had me intrigued. Instead of the classic Hallmark-style “back to the small town, fall in love, live happily ever after” trope, Mitch is determined to do the opposite. No cozy family dinners, no small-town reconnections—just a week of freedom, fun, and maybe a few hookups. Honestly, I liked that twist on the usual holiday romcom formula.
The friendship at the center—Mitch and David—was sweet, and the characters were lovable in their own way. But I have to admit, they didn’t really have the depth I was hoping for. There were moments where the story could have dug deeper into their feelings, their backgrounds, or even the shift from friendship to something more. Instead, it skimmed the surface, and that made parts of it feel a little rushed.
Some of the turns the story took just didn’t vibe with me either. They weren’t bad, but they pulled me out of the flow now and then. I wanted more tension, more build-up, something that made me really root for them.
That being said, it’s short, light, and easy to read. If you want a quick holiday romance that doesn’t lean too heavily into clichés, this could be fun. But for me, it stayed in the “nice, but nothing special” zone.
This was a cute little holiday novella, and the setup definitely had me intrigued. Instead of the classic Hallmark-style “back to the small town, fall in love, live happily ever after” trope, Mitch is determined to do the opposite. No cozy family dinners, no small-town reconnections—just a week of freedom, fun, and maybe a few hookups. Honestly, I liked that twist on the usual holiday romcom formula.
The friendship at the center—Mitch and David—was sweet, and the characters were lovable in their own way. But I have to admit, they didn’t really have the depth I was hoping for. There were moments where the story could have dug deeper into their feelings, their backgrounds, or even the shift from friendship to something more. Instead, it skimmed the surface, and that made parts of it feel a little rushed.
Some of the turns the story took just didn’t vibe with me either. They weren’t bad, but they pulled me out of the flow now and then. I wanted more tension, more build-up, something that made me really root for them.
That being said, it’s short, light, and easy to read. If you want a quick holiday romance that doesn’t lean too heavily into clichés, this could be fun. But for me, it stayed in the “nice, but nothing special” zone.
September 7, 2025
Publishing date: 04.08.2025 (DD/MM/YYYY)
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverdale Avenue Books for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
TLDR: Our gym rat, barhopping, app-surfing protagonist is torn on whether or not he should visit his family for the holidays. Has an epiphany, an aha-moment, and the hallmark-yness starts showing real good.
I thought this little novella was just fine. It had some sweetness, a lot of dumbness, and a lot of being just content with your sub-par life. Not quite what I was expecting and not quite what I wanted.
Positives:
- Unexpected romance
- Hallmark-y, more fitting for christmas
- Quite sex-positive
Negatives:
- Main character seemed flip-floppy on what he wanted
- Not a lot of stuff actually happening
All in all this was an okay read. It passed the time, and rather quickly too. This was a single sitting book for me.
I can recommend this to those who wish to get into LGBTQ+ books but want something quick.
Giving this 3 stars. It was fine. I also think this is better read during the holidays and not in summer like I did.
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverdale Avenue Books for the ARC. My opinions are my own.
TLDR: Our gym rat, barhopping, app-surfing protagonist is torn on whether or not he should visit his family for the holidays. Has an epiphany, an aha-moment, and the hallmark-yness starts showing real good.
I thought this little novella was just fine. It had some sweetness, a lot of dumbness, and a lot of being just content with your sub-par life. Not quite what I was expecting and not quite what I wanted.
Positives:
- Unexpected romance
- Hallmark-y, more fitting for christmas
- Quite sex-positive
Negatives:
- Main character seemed flip-floppy on what he wanted
- Not a lot of stuff actually happening
All in all this was an okay read. It passed the time, and rather quickly too. This was a single sitting book for me.
I can recommend this to those who wish to get into LGBTQ+ books but want something quick.
Giving this 3 stars. It was fine. I also think this is better read during the holidays and not in summer like I did.
October 31, 2025
Did this novella just catfish me?
The cover? Cute.
The title? Punny.
The blurb? Sign me up!
I went in expecting to meet an MC who actually wanted to stay in the big city for the holidays and HAVE FUN doing so. What I got was a lost boy who has never even been to see the Rockefellar tree or Central Park in his SIX YEARS of living in Hell's Kitchen, and then ends up going home anyway because he misses his mommy?!
I also don't love a sexual assault in my cozy holiday reads. Closed door but the assault is discussed in some detail? Bah humbug. The main pair spend time together on page as actual best buds, then David heads home for the holidays and Mitch sad sacks around town for entirely too long before an out of the blue confession in the final act. Would have loved less grocery shopping and cooking mishaps and more of the main pair actually interacting.
This was a total miss, and also in need of a solid edit (the repetition!).
Thank you to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The cover? Cute.
The title? Punny.
The blurb? Sign me up!
I went in expecting to meet an MC who actually wanted to stay in the big city for the holidays and HAVE FUN doing so. What I got was a lost boy who has never even been to see the Rockefellar tree or Central Park in his SIX YEARS of living in Hell's Kitchen, and then ends up going home anyway because he misses his mommy?!
I also don't love a sexual assault in my cozy holiday reads. Closed door but the assault is discussed in some detail? Bah humbug. The main pair spend time together on page as actual best buds, then David heads home for the holidays and Mitch sad sacks around town for entirely too long before an out of the blue confession in the final act. Would have loved less grocery shopping and cooking mishaps and more of the main pair actually interacting.
This was a total miss, and also in need of a solid edit (the repetition!).
Thank you to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 28, 2025
Happy Holigays is a short, quick read, about a guy named Mitch who lives in New York City. It really wasn't a good story to me. All Mitch wants to do is hang out with his best friend, David, go out to eat, go to the gym, go to the bar and have hookups. He definitely doesn't want to go home for the holidays and deal with his annoying brother and bigot uncle. That part made sense. Then the author chose to throw in a SA scene and instead of defending his so-called best friend in the moment, Mitch laughs at him. That didn't sit right with me.
Mitch mopes around the city once David goes home to his family, finally sees the Rockefeller tree and then realizes he misses his mommy and he's in love with David. The love confession is rushed and the ending is abrupt. Also, I really hope this got some editing because the names were all messed up in the edition that I read and it had major continuity errors. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mitch mopes around the city once David goes home to his family, finally sees the Rockefeller tree and then realizes he misses his mommy and he's in love with David. The love confession is rushed and the ending is abrupt. Also, I really hope this got some editing because the names were all messed up in the edition that I read and it had major continuity errors. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 10, 2025
Special thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review
I was a bit confused while reading this. I never knew which couple I was supposed to be rooting for. Was is Mitch and Andy? David and (I don't even remember what that gym guy's name is. Whoops)? Mitch and David? I never really got a feel for who the main couple was meant to be until the 70% mark, and then everything just moved so quickly and came to a very rushed ending.
I didn't like that Mitch was pretty firm on not visiting his family over the holiday because outside of his mother, they're pretty homophobic and unbearable, and all his friends and acquaintances were like "but it's Christmas! They're still your family!" Like. No. Fuck that. Bad people are bad people, and they don't get a pass just because you happen to be related to them.
I was a bit confused while reading this. I never knew which couple I was supposed to be rooting for. Was is Mitch and Andy? David and (I don't even remember what that gym guy's name is. Whoops)? Mitch and David? I never really got a feel for who the main couple was meant to be until the 70% mark, and then everything just moved so quickly and came to a very rushed ending.
I didn't like that Mitch was pretty firm on not visiting his family over the holiday because outside of his mother, they're pretty homophobic and unbearable, and all his friends and acquaintances were like "but it's Christmas! They're still your family!" Like. No. Fuck that. Bad people are bad people, and they don't get a pass just because you happen to be related to them.
September 11, 2025
Merry Christmas in ….. August? To start I’m so happy the title of this book changed from “Homo for the holidays”. The new title is as cute as the cover. And I would never admit to someone I’m reading a book called “Homo for the Holidays” as I feel the word “homo” has negative connotations. That being said this story is less then 100 pages but still has unneeded parts. The SA in the book benefits nothing to the story. Also I found the romance lacking. The story focuses more on Mitch maturing that it reads as more of a fiction character piece. I also felt the story fell into a lot of the gay man cliches and stereotypes.
October 21, 2025
A very short and sweet book, this is perfect for holiday reading. Though I may have jumped ahead a little bit, this book is about Christmas and new years, I really enjoyed reading this and loved getting to know the characters. I thought that the title of the book itself is really funny, and if you're looking for something with two funny gay men being romantic with each other and others, you may want to check this out, because there's so much more than just that in this book.
Check out my full review here! Posted 10/22/2025.
https://mutatedlibrary.wordpress.com/...
Check out my full review here! Posted 10/22/2025.
https://mutatedlibrary.wordpress.com/...
August 26, 2025
NetGalley ARC. This was a quick read. Main character is pretty self-aware about his shallow life; it’s not the most engaging life to read about (bars and apps), but I appreciated the self awareness at least. I honestly though the romance was going to be with a different character as the first part of the book focused a lot on flirting with the new bartender. The end felt more like the traditional Hallmark holiday ending (in both pairing and in location) you’d expect from a title like this. Not a bad read, would probably be even better closer to Christmas.
August 15, 2025
This is a shorter read at maybe 2-3 hours. Sometimes a gay romance feels identical to a straight romance, only with the genders swapped out. This book isn't that. This book has a taste of gay bar culture in the city that would not be found in a straight romance. It will likely appeal to readers who enjoy going to big city bars. It might appeal less to people who are not interested in bar/club hopping. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.
August 17, 2025
Sweet and Spicy Holiday Novella
This was a sweet story.
And I love a missed timing trope that comes back around.
A novella is difficult to pull off because sometimes it seems as if the characters could be more developed and resolution to conflict could be more flushed out. But overall, I enjoyed the story — it was entertaining and who doesn’t love a holiday story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This was a sweet story.
And I love a missed timing trope that comes back around.
A novella is difficult to pull off because sometimes it seems as if the characters could be more developed and resolution to conflict could be more flushed out. But overall, I enjoyed the story — it was entertaining and who doesn’t love a holiday story.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 20, 2025
2 stars.
For a novella length story, I don't think I can rate this any higher than 2 stars. To be honest, this book was just the ramblings of gym rat bro. And he points out that he is a gym rat bro in the beginning, so it's not a shock or anything. Basically we are following a guy complaining about visiting his family over the holidays and decides to cancel going home so he can go bar hopping, work out at the gym, and hooking up with other guys. Not much else to talk about.
For a novella length story, I don't think I can rate this any higher than 2 stars. To be honest, this book was just the ramblings of gym rat bro. And he points out that he is a gym rat bro in the beginning, so it's not a shock or anything. Basically we are following a guy complaining about visiting his family over the holidays and decides to cancel going home so he can go bar hopping, work out at the gym, and hooking up with other guys. Not much else to talk about.
August 25, 2025
I was given the incredible opportunity to eARC this
I thought it was a cute holiday story. It was feel-good and had the making of a good plot. A little fast-paced for me, and I would have liked a bit more background. Like more on how David and Mitch met, or more about Andy. And if they just met a week or two ago, how are they all so close that Andy felt comfortable enough meddling in the relationship? Granted it all worked out and was still a cute story I'd probably read again.
I thought it was a cute holiday story. It was feel-good and had the making of a good plot. A little fast-paced for me, and I would have liked a bit more background. Like more on how David and Mitch met, or more about Andy. And if they just met a week or two ago, how are they all so close that Andy felt comfortable enough meddling in the relationship? Granted it all worked out and was still a cute story I'd probably read again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2025
I expected a wholesome, holiday cozy romance, but it turned out to be more of a somewhat contemporary fiction with just a hint of romance.
HAPPY HOLIGAYS is my second book by Mathew Cooper, also the plot sounded very good. Hence, I went into it with expectations, but I was very disappointed. I didn’t get the holiday feeling - everything felt bland. I liked the characters Mitch and David, and their connection. That’s it. 2.75 🌟
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverdale Avenue Books for the ARC.
HAPPY HOLIGAYS is my second book by Mathew Cooper, also the plot sounded very good. Hence, I went into it with expectations, but I was very disappointed. I didn’t get the holiday feeling - everything felt bland. I liked the characters Mitch and David, and their connection. That’s it. 2.75 🌟
Thank you to NetGalley and Riverdale Avenue Books for the ARC.
September 6, 2025
This was my first read by this author and I devoured this in one sitting, this is a short and sweet Christmas romance and I absolutely adored these characters so much. I could not get enough of this story and just wanted more and more from these. I definitely need to check out other books by this author.
September 15, 2025
"Happy Holigays" is a short read if you need a quick pick me up. Spicy and romantic with a good bit of self realization and even has a little comedy thrown in. It's a good book to start out the holiday season. @netgalley @riverdaleavenuebooks #mmromance #romance #glbtq #gayromance #gayinstagram🏳️🌈 #bookstagram
November 12, 2025
This is a wonderful holiday story. The characters are what makes this story as wonderful as it is. I loved getting to know Mitch and look into his world. Watching him grow and change and realize things about himself was wonderful. The author does a fantastic job of not only creating amazing MCs but the other characters are just as engaging. I will be looking forward to more from this author.
November 3, 2025
Really sweet NYC gay male slow burn romance about a guy who wants to relax and not get caught up in the holiday rush and then when he realizes what he really wants, it includes a man in his life (no spoilers).
December 9, 2025
2.5 stars
Thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.
This was fine. Less the romance I was expecting and more of a contemporary fiction story. Mitch was a bit of a frustrating character, very self absorbed and shallow. I liked parts of this but overall it didn’t quite work for me.
Thanks to Libro.fm for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.
This was fine. Less the romance I was expecting and more of a contemporary fiction story. Mitch was a bit of a frustrating character, very self absorbed and shallow. I liked parts of this but overall it didn’t quite work for me.
August 14, 2025
I loved it! This was sweet and honestly I wanted it to be longer.
The characters were great and I loved the writing.
The characters were great and I loved the writing.
September 1, 2025
Cute & Quick
This is a cute but quick story. I didn't mind the closed door aspect too much. The rest of the story was nice to read.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This is a cute but quick story. I didn't mind the closed door aspect too much. The rest of the story was nice to read.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
October 22, 2025
🎧 22.10.25
December 21, 2025
This was borderline unbearable! Unfortunately, the author wrote realistic gay characters 🤣 But it was an easy and fun read!
December 27, 2025
This book was super quick and the most real depiction of how toxic the LGBT community can be when it comes to relationships. ( I am a gay man myself so I can attest) It was good for what it was considering how small it was, so we didn’t really get to develop any relationships with any characters. HOWEVER, I did enjoy mu journey and where we got. Nothing screams Happy Holidays like gay trauma.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews