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The Holiday Club: A Merry Novella
She’s lost the holidays she loved. He never wanted them in the first place. But this Christmas, everything could change.
Hollis Hartwell lives for parades on Main Street, matching pajamas, and small-town holiday magic—until a custody agreement hands every Christmas and town festival to her ex-husband. Now, with her magazine column on festive traditions looming and her heart anything but merry, Hollis is desperate for a new way to celebrate.
Enter Jay Randall. A rugged nonconformist who’d rather spend December riding a horse and buggy with his oddball best friend than decking any halls. When Hollis barges into their anti-Christmas plans hoping to prove that traditions matter, she gets more than she bargained for.
Sparks fly, beliefs are challenged, and amid beertending and unexpected pear trees, Hollis begins to wonder if the best traditions are the ones you create for yourself.
(please note, this title contains explicit language and romance)
Hollis Hartwell lives for parades on Main Street, matching pajamas, and small-town holiday magic—until a custody agreement hands every Christmas and town festival to her ex-husband. Now, with her magazine column on festive traditions looming and her heart anything but merry, Hollis is desperate for a new way to celebrate.
Enter Jay Randall. A rugged nonconformist who’d rather spend December riding a horse and buggy with his oddball best friend than decking any halls. When Hollis barges into their anti-Christmas plans hoping to prove that traditions matter, she gets more than she bargained for.
Sparks fly, beliefs are challenged, and amid beertending and unexpected pear trees, Hollis begins to wonder if the best traditions are the ones you create for yourself.
(please note, this title contains explicit language and romance)
168 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2025
305 people are currently reading
1493 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Manley
5 books457 followersGive me all the unexpected characters, snark, and gasms. Please and thank you.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 295 reviews
September 22, 2025
The most perfect Christmas novella!!!!!! 🎄
September 4, 2025
Now this is how a novella should be done! I'll read novella's occasionally, but honestly, my expectations typically reside alongside grubs, earthworms and the dead.
It's gotta be hard to pull off, to pack a full fledged story in such a pinched parcel. Shaved corners, rushed scenes, gurn-worthy-insta love, shallow characters and janky banter all vying for space and attention.
But not here. This book has likely ruined me for all future novella's. Incredible storytelling. A swoon-worthy cast with depth I imagine is difficult to attain in a short novel setting.
The MC's were fully fleshed out, as was the riotous side character, Marv, and all his wonky conspiracy theories, with his shirts firmly secured inside the waistband of his sweatpants. I mean this dude was somethin' special, lmfao!
The text convo's interspersed throughout were chef's kiss. There's even coded text (S/O to Marv again!), which I'm proud to say I figured out ~ (I mean.... once I knew they weren't just mad ravings brought to the page via Ashley bangin' & clangin' on her keyboard)! It was crazy clever and entertaining and absolutely hilarious! *(Call me if you need help with that, wink wink!)*
It truly was the perfect merry novella. Well rounded and fully balanced, if your emotions had checkboxes next to them, none would be left hanging.
Pqrsmno dmnomnt abde pqrsttupghid! (Ayo again to Marv, my good buddy, lmao!) Read. It.
Pubs 10/30!
It's gotta be hard to pull off, to pack a full fledged story in such a pinched parcel. Shaved corners, rushed scenes, gurn-worthy-insta love, shallow characters and janky banter all vying for space and attention.
But not here. This book has likely ruined me for all future novella's. Incredible storytelling. A swoon-worthy cast with depth I imagine is difficult to attain in a short novel setting.
The MC's were fully fleshed out, as was the riotous side character, Marv, and all his wonky conspiracy theories, with his shirts firmly secured inside the waistband of his sweatpants. I mean this dude was somethin' special, lmfao!
The text convo's interspersed throughout were chef's kiss. There's even coded text (S/O to Marv again!), which I'm proud to say I figured out ~ (I mean.... once I knew they weren't just mad ravings brought to the page via Ashley bangin' & clangin' on her keyboard)! It was crazy clever and entertaining and absolutely hilarious! *(Call me if you need help with that, wink wink!)*
It truly was the perfect merry novella. Well rounded and fully balanced, if your emotions had checkboxes next to them, none would be left hanging.
Pqrsmno dmnomnt abde pqrsttupghid! (Ayo again to Marv, my good buddy, lmao!) Read. It.
Pubs 10/30!
September 23, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Holiday Club, by Ashley Manley, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Hollis Hartwell loves the holidays, she does not love her ex, gets custody over the holidays. This was a nice easy read. I liked Hollis' column, she was an enjoyable honest character.
November 28, 2025
I adored this delicious gem of a novella. It was perfectly sweet and steamy but as a 40 something mom who is recently reevaluating holiday traditions and WHY I do them, this also spoke to me on a much deeper level. And I didn’t expect that. Gosh darn it, I love you Ashley Manley!!
November 28, 2025
5 BRIGHT & GLOWING STARS!!!! 🙌🏻
You can’t help but fall in love with Hollis,Jay & even crazy Marv.
So so good. 😆🥰🛸🎳🎄🎅😻🎃
As a mom who went through a divorce when my daughter was five and had to share holidays with my ex, I really connected with Hollis and understood how she was feeling.
It’s tough to pull off fully developed characters and a satisfying story in a novella, but Ashley does it like a pro. Her talent shines on every single page. I especially loved Marv and his coded text messages. He reminds me of a couple of my own family members 😆 Jay was just perfect. The chemistry and spice between him and Hollis 🙌🏻 Spot on. 🔥
If you’re looking for a holiday read that has it all…heart, humor, and heat… The Holiday Club is it! I found myself giggling throughout (one of my favorite things about Ashley’s writing). Her quirky, awkward FMC comments are just chef’s kiss. “Big gloves.” 😂🧤
Thank you Ashley for the arc.
I loved every single page. Never stop writing!!
Release date 10/30/25. Preorder the kindle version now and then buy the physical book on release day. 🙌🏻 This is certainly one you will need for your shelf.
You can’t help but fall in love with Hollis,Jay & even crazy Marv.
So so good. 😆🥰🛸🎳🎄🎅😻🎃
As a mom who went through a divorce when my daughter was five and had to share holidays with my ex, I really connected with Hollis and understood how she was feeling.
It’s tough to pull off fully developed characters and a satisfying story in a novella, but Ashley does it like a pro. Her talent shines on every single page. I especially loved Marv and his coded text messages. He reminds me of a couple of my own family members 😆 Jay was just perfect. The chemistry and spice between him and Hollis 🙌🏻 Spot on. 🔥
If you’re looking for a holiday read that has it all…heart, humor, and heat… The Holiday Club is it! I found myself giggling throughout (one of my favorite things about Ashley’s writing). Her quirky, awkward FMC comments are just chef’s kiss. “Big gloves.” 😂🧤
Thank you Ashley for the arc.
I loved every single page. Never stop writing!!
Release date 10/30/25. Preorder the kindle version now and then buy the physical book on release day. 🙌🏻 This is certainly one you will need for your shelf.
November 18, 2025
▹TL;DR Review: This was such a good holiday romance. It was sweet, a touch spicy, but it had such a good message. Even if your holidays look different this year, may you find ways to still see the beauty.
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Hollis is recently divorced from her cheating ex-husband. But when their custody battle goes in his favor, she’s finding herself without their Christmas traditions and her four children. But during a bowling alley meltdown on Halloween, she meets Jay and Marv: the sole members of “the holiday club”—for people who don’t love big holiday traditions, but don’t want to be alone during the holiday season. Intrigued, and incredibly lonely, she asks to join and finds out that even if your holidays look different this year, they can still be magical.
– FMC: Hollis. A 39-year-old writer. Mom of 4. Recent ex-wife of a piece of sh!t.
– MMC: Jay. A 40-year-old unmarried beertender. Goes after what he wants. And looks good doing it.
– Location: North Carolina
– POV: Dual first-person, with interspersed magazine articles by Hollis
– Spice: 1-2 open-door explicit spicy scenes and a few closed-door moments
– Tropes: strangers to lovers, healing after divorce, opposites attract, he has a mustache, found family
– Triggers: cheating ex (mentioned, off-page), unfavorable divorce/custody settlement
– Representation: starting over ❤️🩹
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Tis the Damn Season by Taylor Swift
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Other books by Ashley Manley, whose writing style is funny, heartwarming, and just the right amount of goofy
➼ Quirky side characters that make you break out your flip phone knowledge to crack codes
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven——✧—————————Plot Driven
Insta Love/Lust————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet———✧————————Spicy
Light/Fluffy——————✧————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This is my second book by this author and I feel like I can safely say that I thoroughly enjoy her writing. It’s unassuming, it has emotion, and I often find myself giggling.
This is a compact holiday novella that is romantic, but also has a good message about the balance of old holiday traditions and the room to accept new holiday traditions—even when they look different than what you thought they would. I also really enjoyed how the main female character, Hollis, is an author for a magazine, and those articles are interspersed throughout.
And Jay. Gosh, what I would do to meet a man like Jay. Santa, if you’re reading this random review on Goodreads, I’ll take one of him.
Please consider adding this holiday romance novella to your list if you’re looking for cozy, found-family vibes and a nontraditional view on traditions.
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★.5 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: Hollis is recently divorced from her cheating ex-husband. But when their custody battle goes in his favor, she’s finding herself without their Christmas traditions and her four children. But during a bowling alley meltdown on Halloween, she meets Jay and Marv: the sole members of “the holiday club”—for people who don’t love big holiday traditions, but don’t want to be alone during the holiday season. Intrigued, and incredibly lonely, she asks to join and finds out that even if your holidays look different this year, they can still be magical.
– FMC: Hollis. A 39-year-old writer. Mom of 4. Recent ex-wife of a piece of sh!t.
– MMC: Jay. A 40-year-old unmarried beertender. Goes after what he wants. And looks good doing it.
– Location: North Carolina
– POV: Dual first-person, with interspersed magazine articles by Hollis
– Spice: 1-2 open-door explicit spicy scenes and a few closed-door moments
– Tropes: strangers to lovers, healing after divorce, opposites attract, he has a mustache, found family
– Triggers: cheating ex (mentioned, off-page), unfavorable divorce/custody settlement
– Representation: starting over ❤️🩹
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Tis the Damn Season by Taylor Swift
╰┈➤ ❝There’s an ache in you, put there by the ache in me; but if it’s all the same to you, it’s the same to me❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Other books by Ashley Manley, whose writing style is funny, heartwarming, and just the right amount of goofy
➼ Quirky side characters that make you break out your flip phone knowledge to crack codes
─────────────────────────
⍟»This or That«⍟
Character Driven——✧—————————Plot Driven
Insta Love/Lust————————✧———Slow Burn
Sweet———✧————————Spicy
Light/Fluffy——————✧————Heavy/Emotional
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
This is my second book by this author and I feel like I can safely say that I thoroughly enjoy her writing. It’s unassuming, it has emotion, and I often find myself giggling.
This is a compact holiday novella that is romantic, but also has a good message about the balance of old holiday traditions and the room to accept new holiday traditions—even when they look different than what you thought they would. I also really enjoyed how the main female character, Hollis, is an author for a magazine, and those articles are interspersed throughout.
And Jay. Gosh, what I would do to meet a man like Jay. Santa, if you’re reading this random review on Goodreads, I’ll take one of him.
Please consider adding this holiday romance novella to your list if you’re looking for cozy, found-family vibes and a nontraditional view on traditions.
November 5, 2025
How can I love these characters so much after only 156 pages! Ashley Manley – that is how. Best holiday book I have ever read. Funny, heartwarming, just the right amount of spice, so damn relatable, and characters that I adored. I mean who doesn’t love crazy Marv.
Hollis is recently divorced from an a**hole who during the divorce settlement hits her where it hurts most and wants their four kids to spend the entire holiday season with him starting from Halloween on or else he is not going to not let her have the house. Hollis lives for tradition and the holidays and is devastated. She agrees and finds herself dressed as a cat alone in a bowling alley trying to get through Halloween alone. Little does she know, but Jay, the man that is going to change her outlook on life, is in the next lane celebrating the holidays in his own way with his quirky but lovable friend, Marv.
This novella although short in length has the biggest message. Traditions, love them or hate them, time can change them and that is okay.
“When listing off their favorite things we do together each year, they didn’t list anything big or showy. There weren’t any plays, parades, or picture-perfect moments that topped their favorite memory lists. It was little things that happened in between everything else. Quiet moments filled with laughter or eleventh-hour belly grumbles leading to poor nutritional decisions but happy faces. They weren’t traditions at all.”
Hollis is recently divorced from an a**hole who during the divorce settlement hits her where it hurts most and wants their four kids to spend the entire holiday season with him starting from Halloween on or else he is not going to not let her have the house. Hollis lives for tradition and the holidays and is devastated. She agrees and finds herself dressed as a cat alone in a bowling alley trying to get through Halloween alone. Little does she know, but Jay, the man that is going to change her outlook on life, is in the next lane celebrating the holidays in his own way with his quirky but lovable friend, Marv.
This novella although short in length has the biggest message. Traditions, love them or hate them, time can change them and that is okay.
“When listing off their favorite things we do together each year, they didn’t list anything big or showy. There weren’t any plays, parades, or picture-perfect moments that topped their favorite memory lists. It was little things that happened in between everything else. Quiet moments filled with laughter or eleventh-hour belly grumbles leading to poor nutritional decisions but happy faces. They weren’t traditions at all.”
December 10, 2025
loves this so much!!! read it all tonight. cried and laughed. as someone who LOVES "tradition" and doing things the way they've always been done - but also as someone who craves & creates margin and space (and hates the word "busy") this sweet (and kinda spicy) story was right up my alley. and the main character is a writer! I just loved it all
October 30, 2025
Happy release day, 10/30/2025!
Hollis is a newly divorced, single mom of 4, trying to figure out what the holidays mean without her family and their annual traditions. Then she meets the Holiday Club.
Loved this novella! It’s done so well that it felt like a full book. All the holiday feels with this one. Marv is by far the best character. If you're looking for a seasonal read, don't look any further!
Thank you to the author, Ashley Manley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Hollis is a newly divorced, single mom of 4, trying to figure out what the holidays mean without her family and their annual traditions. Then she meets the Holiday Club.
Loved this novella! It’s done so well that it felt like a full book. All the holiday feels with this one. Marv is by far the best character. If you're looking for a seasonal read, don't look any further!
Thank you to the author, Ashley Manley, for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 5, 2025
5.0 LOVED IT, loved it, stars! 😍 Ashley Manley brings Christmas early in this wonderful, heartwarming novella that surprisingly doesn't read like a novella. Loveable characters Hollis, Jay, and Marv. Hollis learns there's more than the traditional way to experience Christmas when she meets Jay and his friend Marv, members of "The Holiday Club." Marv is hilarious with his quirks and secret code. Hollis and Jay bring the sizzle and heat in this sweet romance. (Jay...swoon 😉).
Thoroughly delightful and the perfect read to get into the holiday mood.
Thoroughly delightful and the perfect read to get into the holiday mood.
September 6, 2025
**Thank you Ashley Manley for an arc copy of this novella in exchange for an honest review. I honestly screamed when I found out it was in my inbox, and I had to pull over in order to grab it asap!!
What a gorgeous cover, am I right?!
I have to start off completely honest when I say that I’m not usually the biggest fan of novellas. It has to be hard for authors to pack everything they want into a short story without cutting back on something. Manley is my favorite author right now, so I was nervous to finally rate one of her books less than five stars…but that was not the case here. Ashley Manley was able to keep her fascinating cast of side characters without skimping on the depth of their personalities. She was able to build a FMC who us hags can relate to whether we have gone through a divorce or not. We LOVE Hollis and root for her happiness with every page we turn.
This novella may be short, but we still get dual POV from both Hollis and our MMC, Jay. We get articles sprinkled between chapters that Hollis writes during the holiday season for her magazine where we see a change in her as she learns that holiday traditions don’t have to be strict and rigid. This was a short story, but it didn’t feel like a short story. It felt like a whole ass book that I never wanted to end. I had to put it down several times to remind myself not to finish it too fast.
The side characters added so much depth to the story. Ashley always has one fun side character, and Marv’s crazy did not disappoint. I loved his texts, and I figured out what he was saying before I figured out the code he used to avoid the government spying on him.
This was an adorable story that gave me all the feels that an Ashley Manley book normally does. I got emotional several times wiping tears while also laughing hysterically on multiple occasions. This novella may also get you thinking about why you stress out so much around the holidays to keep traditions alive that no one else really cares for. I loved this story and will recommend it again and again around the holidays!
What a gorgeous cover, am I right?!
I have to start off completely honest when I say that I’m not usually the biggest fan of novellas. It has to be hard for authors to pack everything they want into a short story without cutting back on something. Manley is my favorite author right now, so I was nervous to finally rate one of her books less than five stars…but that was not the case here. Ashley Manley was able to keep her fascinating cast of side characters without skimping on the depth of their personalities. She was able to build a FMC who us hags can relate to whether we have gone through a divorce or not. We LOVE Hollis and root for her happiness with every page we turn.
This novella may be short, but we still get dual POV from both Hollis and our MMC, Jay. We get articles sprinkled between chapters that Hollis writes during the holiday season for her magazine where we see a change in her as she learns that holiday traditions don’t have to be strict and rigid. This was a short story, but it didn’t feel like a short story. It felt like a whole ass book that I never wanted to end. I had to put it down several times to remind myself not to finish it too fast.
The side characters added so much depth to the story. Ashley always has one fun side character, and Marv’s crazy did not disappoint. I loved his texts, and I figured out what he was saying before I figured out the code he used to avoid the government spying on him.
This was an adorable story that gave me all the feels that an Ashley Manley book normally does. I got emotional several times wiping tears while also laughing hysterically on multiple occasions. This novella may also get you thinking about why you stress out so much around the holidays to keep traditions alive that no one else really cares for. I loved this story and will recommend it again and again around the holidays!
December 23, 2025
12/22/25 -
I was an early set of eyes on this book, last December. I’ve been saving this gem for this exact time, right before Christmas when the magic starts to happen.
If you’ve never read a book by my best girl Ashely Manley, I don’t know what you’re waiting for 🥰. This book is beautiful and just what you need as you settle into the Christmas season.
Eeeeek 👏🏻. Put this novella on your holiday TBR! A lovely, feel-good read 🖤
I was an early set of eyes on this book, last December. I’ve been saving this gem for this exact time, right before Christmas when the magic starts to happen.
If you’ve never read a book by my best girl Ashely Manley, I don’t know what you’re waiting for 🥰. This book is beautiful and just what you need as you settle into the Christmas season.
Eeeeek 👏🏻. Put this novella on your holiday TBR! A lovely, feel-good read 🖤
September 7, 2025
4.5 rounded up for GR!
September 5, 2025
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all things Christmas, but don’t normally read holiday books which is weird I know.
This novella however, is a must read! It didn’t feel rushed, it felt complete….and I want to be best friends with ole crazy Marv!!!
Ashley’s done it again! Her books never fail. They just feel like the best little gift to read and she leaves me eager for the next read.
Add this one to your list ASAP!!!
This novella however, is a must read! It didn’t feel rushed, it felt complete….and I want to be best friends with ole crazy Marv!!!
Ashley’s done it again! Her books never fail. They just feel like the best little gift to read and she leaves me eager for the next read.
Add this one to your list ASAP!!!
September 9, 2025
How do you even rate a book with stars when it brought so much encouragement to your life at just the perfect time? This novella hit all the high notes! I couldn’t set it down wondering what would happen next. Add this book to your holiday line up! Ashley never disappoints!
September 17, 2025
5 big holiday stars!
This book should be on everyone’s festive TBR!
It’s a novella and whilst I wish it were longer and we got to see lots more of these characters, that’s just because I loved them so much, not because the story felt rushed or incomplete.
Hollis has just finalised a nasty divorce and out of spite her ex husband will only agree to sign the paperwork if they split the holidays with their 4 kids so that he has them for every holiday one year, and then she gets them for all holidays the next year. This means she won’t get to spend any weekends in the run up to Christmas with her children, or any time around Christmas itself. My heart broke for her in the first chapter, but she soon meets Jay and Marv and invites herself in to their ‘holiday club’ which looks a little different to how she’s celebrated the festive season in the past.
This story is super festive and heart warming as we watch Hollis realise that maybe the traditions she was so upset about missing aren’t really what matters most. And maybe she can make new traditions with new people. I loved the chemistry between her and Jay, and how their relationship developed, and Marv was a fantastic, very funny character!
Highly recommend picking this one up when it releases on 30th October. Huge thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
This book should be on everyone’s festive TBR!
It’s a novella and whilst I wish it were longer and we got to see lots more of these characters, that’s just because I loved them so much, not because the story felt rushed or incomplete.
Hollis has just finalised a nasty divorce and out of spite her ex husband will only agree to sign the paperwork if they split the holidays with their 4 kids so that he has them for every holiday one year, and then she gets them for all holidays the next year. This means she won’t get to spend any weekends in the run up to Christmas with her children, or any time around Christmas itself. My heart broke for her in the first chapter, but she soon meets Jay and Marv and invites herself in to their ‘holiday club’ which looks a little different to how she’s celebrated the festive season in the past.
This story is super festive and heart warming as we watch Hollis realise that maybe the traditions she was so upset about missing aren’t really what matters most. And maybe she can make new traditions with new people. I loved the chemistry between her and Jay, and how their relationship developed, and Marv was a fantastic, very funny character!
Highly recommend picking this one up when it releases on 30th October. Huge thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC.
December 4, 2025
Cozy, sweet, romantic, festive - this has it all! I love everything I've read by Ashley, and this is no exception. Hollis and Jay were a little treat I wanted to savor. I loved their banter and how he treated her. I loved Hollis finding her way, and discovering what really mattered to her and her kids. A well-rounded great novella!
September 9, 2025
LOVED this feel good holiday novella! How could you not fall in love with the characters, but Jay especially. It made me laugh a lot and I love how quirky Marv was, his texting was a great added detail to his personality. I could have kept reading about them all much longer! A sequel??
December 13, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ Cute holiday romcom read, almost like reading a Hallmark movie with a little more spice!
September 5, 2025
I once again finished a Ashley Manley book in 24 hours. This was a perfect shorter read. Jay and Hollis oh my god 😭❤️ the Christmas theme was so cute and it was just a fun easy read. So thankful I got the early release! ❤️
September 6, 2025
Did I feel like I was targeted yet again for an Ashley Manley book?
Yes. Yes, I did.
This book hits right at the core of our maternal FOMO around holidays and traditions. We feel like every chance to create “magical joy” for our kids must be seized—because we see those picture-perfect neighbors on their $2,000 Polar Express rides in matching, custom-embroidered outfits.
But maybe the holidays mean a little bit more. Maybe the traditions that really matter are the ones that let us breathe and smile, instead of frantically planning.
If you’re looking for a little heartbreak, a little joy, and some much-needed confirmation that you can change (or ditch) any tradition or holiday whenever you want—this is it.
Full disclosure: maybe it’s just me, but I had to use AI to decode Marv’s texts. My brain simply couldn’t.
Yes. Yes, I did.
This book hits right at the core of our maternal FOMO around holidays and traditions. We feel like every chance to create “magical joy” for our kids must be seized—because we see those picture-perfect neighbors on their $2,000 Polar Express rides in matching, custom-embroidered outfits.
But maybe the holidays mean a little bit more. Maybe the traditions that really matter are the ones that let us breathe and smile, instead of frantically planning.
If you’re looking for a little heartbreak, a little joy, and some much-needed confirmation that you can change (or ditch) any tradition or holiday whenever you want—this is it.
Full disclosure: maybe it’s just me, but I had to use AI to decode Marv’s texts. My brain simply couldn’t.
September 9, 2025
No surprise to anyone who’s recently talked about books with me…Ashley Manley has done it again!
The second the ARC hit my inbox I wanted to drop everything to read it but forced myself to finish the other book I was reading. But once I started The Holiday Club, I finished it in two sittings. Now I’m bummed I have to wait until it releases on 10/30.
A novella is hard in my opinion so I was interested in seeing how she would fit her dynamic characters into less pages without loosing some quality of the story. I have no idea how she did it but you still get really great understanding of Hollis, Jay, and our favorite sandal + sock wearer, Marv.
Speaking of Marv, he only texts in code and personally I recommend decoding it as you read because some of his texts are really funny. She has a hint at the end of the book 📱.
The text conversations were really cute and funny way to start chapters. I love seeing Hollis and Jay banter.
The articles Hollis wrote throughout the book and the overall storyline of rethinking traditions were great to read because I feel a lot of pressure to do big things and then get overwhelmed and don’t do them - hopefully this year I can focus more on the fun moments and less on the pressure.
Dual POV
Text conversations
Single mom
Novella
The second the ARC hit my inbox I wanted to drop everything to read it but forced myself to finish the other book I was reading. But once I started The Holiday Club, I finished it in two sittings. Now I’m bummed I have to wait until it releases on 10/30.
A novella is hard in my opinion so I was interested in seeing how she would fit her dynamic characters into less pages without loosing some quality of the story. I have no idea how she did it but you still get really great understanding of Hollis, Jay, and our favorite sandal + sock wearer, Marv.
Speaking of Marv, he only texts in code and personally I recommend decoding it as you read because some of his texts are really funny. She has a hint at the end of the book 📱.
The text conversations were really cute and funny way to start chapters. I love seeing Hollis and Jay banter.
The articles Hollis wrote throughout the book and the overall storyline of rethinking traditions were great to read because I feel a lot of pressure to do big things and then get overwhelmed and don’t do them - hopefully this year I can focus more on the fun moments and less on the pressure.
Dual POV
Text conversations
Single mom
Novella
September 12, 2025
This one hit really close to home and it was a absolute delight. As a mom that has been divorced and spends every other Christmas without her kids, it’s sometimes hard to let go of traditions or the idea of what needs to be done every year. There were some beautiful reminders in this story that offered some great insight. Thank you once again for writing such a beautiful and relatable story. I will be buying this for my mobile bookstore so it can be shared with many more readers!
September 7, 2025
Another 5 stars from me for Ashley Manley's newest book!! I truly love every single thing she writes!! This was a cute & shorter novella, read it in one sitting in a few hours. Loved all the characters so much! Sadly I did not figure out Marv's secret texting code and I was trying REALLY HARD!! As an 80's baby, I am disappointed in myself once I read the "answer" in the acknowledgments. Anywho, Thank you Ashley Manley for an ARC of this lovely Christmas book!! 🎄❤️
November 26, 2025
Cute, a Christmas 4⭐
December 3, 2025
Super cute. I read it in a day. Got me out of a reading slump. Butterflies, swoon, motherhood, unrealistic instalove.
September 4, 2025
Wow!! This holiday love story is off the charts! Hollis, Jay and Marv are all such amazing characters. This novella made me laugh out loud, cry, and everything in between. I was only going to read the first chapter today and literally couldn’t stop reading and finished the whole thing. Heartwarming, encouraging, sexy and all around goodness exude from this book. This might just be my favorite book of 2025! I’m hoping to find my very own Jay one day…
September 5, 2025
Absolutely LOVED….. as with all of Ashley’s books, she brings the characters to life, in a way that you feel like they are sitting right there with you as you enter their world. Marv is an added bonus that you aren’t sure of in the very beginning but grows on you and the book wouldn’t be what it is without him.
Now impatiently waiting for the next book
Now impatiently waiting for the next book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 295 reviews