How My Ex Stole New Year's

Village of Yule #3

by Kate Callaghan

Welcome to Yule, where the lights sparkle, the gossip travels fast, and second chances are harder to resist than warm gingerbread.

Mia Mulrooney has everything she could ever her thriving bakery, her cosy village, and a peaceful life free of August, the brooding guitarist who ghosted her two years ago on New Year’s Eve.

But August is back in town for a New Year’s wedding, and a fierce snowstorm traps them together for the weekend in Yule’s oldest castle. As the storm rages outside, their undeniable chemistry ignites. Amid stolen kisses beneath twinkling mistletoe and whispered confessions in the dead of night, Mia’s frozen heart begins to thaw. Yet, as midnight approaches, she must confront her can she forgive him and find the courage to let love back into her life?

✨TROPES✨
🎶 Rockstar & Baker
🎆 New Year’s Eve
🛏️ One Bed, One Night
💔 Exes-To-Lovers
💍 Wedding Weekend Drama
❄️ Snowed-In Together
🛏️ Forced Proximity
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Readers, please This is an adult low fantasy romance with mature content and is not suitable for those under 18. This is a stand-alone novella with a guaranteed HEA. No cheating, love triangle and HEA guaranteed..
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Part of the Interconnected Village of Yule Series
Each book stands alone but is connected by a magical setting, holiday romance themes, and subtle character crossovers. For the most enchanting reading experience (and to avoid spoilers), the recommended order

The Naughty or Nice Clause A fiery enemies-to-lovers romance where a stubborn CEO heiress is forced into a fake engagement with the infuriating investor who stole her company… in a magical Christmas village.’Tis the Season of Secrets A one-night stand turns into a snowstorm of family secrets when an aspiring editor discovers she’s tied to a hidden holiday village — and the man who might hold the key to her past.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Forced Proximity, Second Chance

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 16, 2025

About the author

Kate Callaghan is an Irish author who writes adult fantasy, romantic suspense, and feel-good Christmas romance. She’s the creator of the Hellish Fairytale series, blending dark magic and intrigue, as well as festive romcoms like The Naughty or Nice Clause. Whether she’s spinning tales of dangerous love or cozy holiday magic, you’ll find her in a Dublin café with an iced coffee, plotting her next twist.

Mailing List https://forms.gle/mBcib2vHhBaf5XRe9
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/katecallagh...
Tiktok 🍄 tiktok.com/@katecallaghanwriter

Reviews

[Sarah (unable to comment) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️

Two years ago, Mia was head over heels in love with August, a broody guitarist, who she thought felt the same way about her until he ghosted her. Building up walls around her broken heart, Mia runs her bakery in the magical town of Yule, happy that she’ll never see him again. But when she hitches a ride, August is there on the same sleigh, going to the same wedding she’s attending. Shocked but resolute to be indifferent, Mia tries to stay away from her handsome ex, but August has different plans, and that is to apologize for hurting her and to get her back.

This was a cute and festive novella! 🩷 The story made me smile, and I was rooting for Mia to stand her ground and not allow August back into her heart that easily. However, I wasn’t all too keen on them falling back in love with each other because of what August did. Granted, he apologized and explained why he ghosted her and all that, but honey, you did her dirty. Not even I, a sympathetic person (not really, but I’ll just go ahead and keep lying to myself 😂), would be so quick to forgive and go back with you. You can keep your abs, lip ring (ew, but that’s definitely a me-problem), and broodiness; I wouldn’t waste one more day thinking about you and the possibility of us. 😂

As with all novellas/short stories (is there a difference? I need to Google that), there wasn’t enough time for deep character development or plot progression, but the author did a good job in making sure everything was taken care of, creating a fun and festive atmosphere with great side characters, and having a happy ending. I’m a fan of HEA stories, and not HFN as much, because why the heck am I reading a romance if I don’t know they will stay together in the future? 😅🤦‍♀ Anyway, I guess the reason I had a problem with Mia going back with August so fast is that this was so short–they couldn’t go through many conflicts to build/develop their character and relationship as people should after a breakup. They should at least assemble some Ikea furniture first before they get back together.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and since the author was kind enough to leave a link to another book in the Village of Yule series, I’ll be reading that one soon for this glorious month of December! 🎄✨❤

Thank you to Kate Callaghan for sending me the arc! All opinions and statements are my own.

❗Content Warnings❗
Mentions loss of parents and a friend.
Swearing: Yes
Spice: Yes (🌶🌶🌶/5)

Side Note: This story includes a sapphic relationship. If that is something you are uncomfortable with, then there is your heads-up!

[Laura❄️📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher BooksGoSocial for providing this book for review purposes via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a very cute second chance romance festive novella, prefect for reading into the run up to Christmas to get me in the festive spirit. I really liked Mia she was very endearing and very hard working and very devoted to her twin sister Michelle. I thought August was a little bit flaky as I didn’t completely buy into his reasons for ghosting Mia but that didn’t spoil my enjoyment of this book. The town of Yule was really intriguing and I want to read some of the other books in this series, I mean who wouldn’t want to read more about a magically little town that exists outside the outside world. Mia and August have to divert a fair few disasters in the run up to Michelle and his cousin Molly’s wedding but I really enjoyed reading about them reconnecting, this book has real cosy and festive vibes and I was all for it. This book was really well written, nicely paced and it didn’t feel like we were rushing towards the ending. Overall I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Kate Callaghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey lovelies! Thank you so much for reading How My Ex Stole New Year’s. This is a crossover novel featuring August from Not Another Rockstar. If you want to learn more about his backstory and the band Brothers of Anarchy, then I'd recommend checking out Not Another Rockstar for all the drama, music, and chaos that shaped who he is today. 💔🎸

Hope you love Mia and August's story!

Happy holidays,

Kate x

[Xan · Rating 4 out of 5]

‧₊˚✧ 3.5 ✧˚₊‧
I was lucky enough to get to read this holiday themed novella as an ARC for Kate Callaghan. It definitely was the season to read this, so its release on the 16th should make a lot of 'reading in season' readers happy to get their hands on this.

This story revolves around Mia, a baker, and August, a rockstar. August ghosted Mia two years before this on new year's and they haven't seen one another since. But the wedding of Mia's sister Michelle and August's cousin Molly, brings them back together. Will their relationship rekindle or will it freeze over once more?

I love the world the author has built. I am very curious about Yule and its very peculiar rules and ways of living. This was a cute little second chance romance book. I definitely enjoyed this, but didn't get fully into the feels, hence the three and a half star rating for me personally.

So, a nice little romantic palate cleanser novella, delivered to you right before the holidays.Consider picking this up if you want something sweet, short and cute!

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank BooksGoSocial and Kate Callaghan for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3⭐ - Set in the town of Yule, we follow Mia who owns a bakery and after a bad break up with rockstar August a few years ago. She's glad to never see him again.

After Mia's twin sister and August's cousin get married, the town is hit by a snowstorm and this causes Mia and August to share a room in a very booked resort.

This is the third story in the Village of Time series, but can be read as a standalone! This is such a cute second chance romance story (think Hallmark movies) and the characters are likeable. A very cute read just before the holidays.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a fun Village of Yule x Dangerous Harmonies crossover! I never would have even considered it but what a great idea! I've really enjoyed this series and I'm glad that we've been able to go back to Yule again this year.

I say this about pretty much every novella I read, but, I wish it had been longer. It felt a bit rushed for me - especially the beginning. There were a few times when I felt things were happening a bit too fast for my liking but I do understand that novellas don't really have the word count to go into as much detail as a full length novel. I didn't love the break up aspect of the book and I think that primarily comes from it feeling rushed. It just didn't feel super realistic to me. I think this story could have been my favourite in the series had it been a bit more fleshed out but I think a novella just wasn't able to do the story justice. Regardless, I still had a fun time reading it!


Thank you to Kate Callaghan for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

EDIT: After receiving some evidence, I feel comfortable saying I no longer have any suspicion that this is AI and have raised my star rating appropriately. As I stated below, sometimes Netgalley arcs can be weird, and after seeing images of the original PDF I do believe the errors I encountered are a result of the original file converting to Netgalley's file type. This is not something I have experienced in the past but now I know! Thanks to author Kate Callaghan for providing the information I requested in my initial feedback to the publisher! I am not removing the original review, so that others can learn from my encounter as well.

Brief overview:
A cute short story about a second chance romance between Mia and August, who are forced back together when they are both standing up in the same wedding.

My thoughts:
I'm really conflicted on this. It was a cute short story, and I haven't read the rest of the series so it actually made me want to check out the other books to learn more about the cute town of Yule. BUT, there were so many spots that had me wondering if this was written by AI. Now, it is a netgalley arc, and those do sometimes have errors, but this was different. In some parts, words were written in their standard form, then in others were written oddly, such as: choco- late, grand- mother (but not grandparents?) respon- sible. This doesn't seem like a writing style choice or a file-wide error, as the same words will be written normally in other sections. I'm not saying this for sure means AI, but I am saying it took away from the story as I was constantly wondering. Other parts that made me question were sentences like "I've spent a small fortune to make sure no one mistakes me wouldn't want the for anyone's grandmother, and I groomsmen to hear you." If this was one time, sure, typo. But sentences like this happened 3-4 times through the story (that I caught) and for such a short book, it felt rather frequent.

Overall, story was cute but I could not focus past constantly wondering if this was AI written. (Edit: see above, no longer concerned that this is AI!)

Thanks to Netgalley for letting me check it out!

[er · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this as an arc.

How my ex stole New Year’s is a holiday novella, part of the Village of Yule series. It’s a second chance romance with some fantasy (can we call a magical village in the north pole fantasy? ) elements.

It follows our main character, Mia, who is a baker and lives in Yule. A few years before the start of this novella, Mia used to be in love with August, the bassist from one the biggest rock bands of the outside world. But everything changed once he ghosted her. Now, fate has them trapped together after a snowstorm hit the village and things are about to change again.

This was a very quick read, but it was also very cute. The magical elements made it different from a ton of the other holiday romances, and it really caught my interest. I didn’t really connect with the main characters unfortunately. It’s probably because everything was really fast (I mean, it’s a novella so it’s kinda expected).

[Bozena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is Mia and August's story, and like the first two books in the Christmas Village of Yule series, it's a truly magical and romantic standalone.

It's my first Christmas romance this year, and it's a fantastic start.
A beautiful, romantic, and heartwarming story.
A second-chance romance, a love story, with a wonderful HEA.

How about a wedding in a winter wonderland?
Mia's twin sister wants it to be special, in a castle, with lots of family and friends.
Mia would do anything to make her sister happy.
Yes, even put up with her ex 😳☹️

I literally devoured the book in one day.
I love Christmas stories, and this one is exactly what a perfect romance should be: exciting, action-packed, and dramatic 😉
You already know this, I love drama in my romances.

So if you love Christmas romances like I do, this book and the whole series are perfect for you.

I recommend reading all the books in the series.
They provide some character information and background that will make it easier to understand the story correctly, and I assure you, you'll love all of them.

[ashley~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ☆ — When a snowstorm traps Mia in a castle with the ex who ghosted her on New Year’s Eve, all their unresolved feelings resurface.

The pacing was solid overall, but the beginning felt too fast, like we were hit with a lot of information about the characters and their relationship at once. I do wish the Village of Yule was more developed for people who read this as a stand-alone, but I enjoyed the hints of fantasy that the world-building brought!

Mia is such a likeable and relatable character, which is why I kept wanting to read more! This novella did not disappoint, all the tropes in the description were well written in a tasteful way! I definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a short, cozy holiday read!

→ ARC received for review, and all opinions are my own.

[Sara Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Kate Callaghan, you are brilliant. I love your Yule series; I cannot get enough!! The other books in this series blew me away, and for a novella I was surprised when this did the same.

In this short book, we follow Mia and August. They dated previously, but after a series of unfortunate events in August’s life, he ends up ghosting Mia for two years. They both are Yule residents, but while Mia has chosen to stay in Yule and run a bakery, August is a rockstar in the outside world. When Mia’s sister and August’s cousin get married, both must reunite for the wedding in Yule. With a storm coming, a cake catastrophe, and an issue with having enough beds arise, what will this duo do?

I was to start by saying I loved the past, present, and future aspect. It’s hard to do a brief flashback in a novella, but Callaghan made it happen and it works!

This book was so cute but believable. Some novellas are too short for the chemistry to exist, but this 100% works.

*_An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.

[aj · Rating 1 out of 5]

for a novella this was never ending. i don’t hate a lot of books but i hated this one bc first of all why was everyone encouraging her to get back together with her ex boyfriend who GHOSTED her for 2 years. why was she not more angry when she saw him? why did she forgive him so quickly? and there was so much plot line that felt almost out of place? like it was written in like i was supposed to know exactly what happened before the events of this book took place (maybe that was a me problem bc this IS part of a series but also the info should’ve been included a little easier to read). and also i just don’t feel like he had a good enough reason to ghost her sorry not sorry

[Mira Ella Ludwig · Rating 4 out of 5]

ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕞𝕖 𝕖𝕩 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕪𝕖𝕒𝕣‘𝕤 🥂

"I don’t want promises. I want to see your love in your actions, not in your words." Mia

Welcome back, my sweet awful creatures! 🦇

We have officially entered December, the month of Christmas. 🎄 Usually, I don't read any Christmas books for December. I usually stay in my vampiresque vibe since the cold weather fits it best, but this year, I made it my goal to read six Christmas books. Today, I'm sharing my review of my first read, an ARC I received from one of my favorite authors! Let's see how it went! 💗

The story follows Mia and August's secret relationship and how it crumbles down to nothing when August leaves with his band on a world tour without a single word after promising her that they would spend Christmas together. Two years later, their paths cross again when Mia's twin sister and August's cousin invite both of them to their wedding… As ironic as it is, the resort is packed due to the snowstorm, leaving only one available room, meaning that these two have to share a room together. In this confined room, stuck together, they have no choice but to confront each other. Why did August leave her without a word? And why did he never reach out again in the last two years?

Starting this book, I was a little skeptical over the ex-boyfriend aspect, as I don't enjoy this specific trope, but the more I read, the more I realized that this ex isn’t an asshole, and this is just a miscommunication trope. Now THAT, I'll let slide.

I found the amount of romance/smut to be just right! The romance isn’t overwhelming and doesn’t suffocate while reading. The smut is young-adult level. It has detailed foreplay, but the actual act is skipped over, which I think is refreshing since many people don’t enjoy smut and have a difficult time finding romances without it.

The chemistry between Mia and August was THERE! I could totally feel their intense desire for each other through my Kindle as I read the story. Obviously, Mia didn’t engage with August after their first time seeing each other again, but August was YEARNINGGGGG!!! He is a man that yearns, and I’m here for it. He regretted every second of his life after leaving Mia, and when he came back to town, he respected her wish to be left alone until she approached him. Once she let him, he explained everything, smothered her with love, and promised to never ever hurt her again. Standards!

I have to say that I didn’t feel the Christmasy vibes so much with this one. I'm not sure if it was because of the wedding atmosphere or that Christmas wasn’t mentioned that much, but overall I still enjoyed it. I suggest reading it right before New Year's for the full experience!

Thank you for the ARC, Kate Callaghan

Until next time.

Mira 💗

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

This novella may be short in length, but it certainly doesn’t read like one. Despite its compact page count, the story feels full, rich, and wonderfully developed. In this second-chance romance, we follow Mia and August—once a couple, now estranged after August ghosted Mia one New Year’s Eve. Though she’s tucked that heartbreak away, the wound never fully healed. Both are from the secretive and magical small town of Yule, where Mia now lives year-round running her bakery, while August has become a world-famous rock star in the outside world.

As Mia’s sister’s wedding weekend kicks off, she’s reminded of the one complication she can’t avoid: August is the best man. They agree to keep things civil for their families, but fate has a mischievous way of interfering. A winter storm, a wedding cake disaster, getting locked in a wine cellar, and—of course—the classic “one room, one bed” twist all push Mia and August into forced proximity in the best possible way.

What unfolds is a heartfelt journey of rediscovering what matters most: forgiveness, communication, and rebuilding trust. I loved how the story avoids overused miscommunication tropes; instead, Mia and August face their shared past with honesty and vulnerability. Watching them rebuild their friendship—and ultimately their love—felt incredibly satisfying.

Callaghan also does a beautiful job blending her two series, the Yule Series and the Rockstar Series. While you don’t need to have read them to enjoy this novella, I highly recommend it—the added context enriches the reading experience and makes the world feel even more vibrant. The descriptions of Yule are especially wonderful, so vivid that I could picture every charming, snow-dusted detail.

I want to thank NetGalley and Booksgosocial for the opportunity to review this book.

[Hannah Lindley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Kate Callaghan is nothing if not prolific, and she’s taken us back to the irresistibly cute and cozy world of Yule with her new standalone series tie-in, How My Ex Stole New Year’s. Yule resident and successful baker Mia is head over heels with rocker August, who is from the “Outside” but has family connections in the tiny town hidden away near the North Pole. Mia is expecting a marriage proposal any day — until August ghosts her, disappearing without a trace. She heals the best she can but can hardly think of dating, especially when, two years later, she discovers with horror that her twin sister’s fiancée is August’s cousin — and that she and August are the maid of honor and best man in the wedding.
I would have never thought a story with so much substance could have fit into a novella, but I should never put such a feat past Kate. The dialogue, the found family, the humor, the spice — all of it made this book almost literally unputdownable. I can’t recommend August and Mia’s story enough. If you’re a romance reader, you can’t miss How My Ex Stole New Year’s.

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for kindly gifting me this ARC!

This was such a cute and fast-paced novella that was perfect for the holiday season! The setting was so magical and wintry without too heavily focusing on the reminder of Christmas, which I felt was perfect!

The romance was so cute, and there were so many banter-filled moments that really had me rooting for Mia and August by the end!

I really enjoyed all the side character, especially Michelle and Molly, who really tied the whole story together.

As this was a novella rather than a novel, the pacing did feel a bit rushed at times, and a full-length story would have allowed for some added depth into Mia and August’s history! However, knowing what the author managed to accomplish in such a short novella makes me very encouraged to read one of her novels to see how the pacing plays out in them!

[Linsy Gusey · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC Review*

I wasn't expecting a crossover novella, but this was great. I have loved both the Yule series and the Rockstar series so far and this short story tied those two together beautifully! You could probably get away with not reading the other stories first, but it would give a lot more context.

August was the band member that intrigued me the most. We haven't known much about him up to this point, which makes complete sense since he's from Yule. He and Mia had it all planned out and then he bailed on their dreams, and her, without any communication. Mia was left wondering what had gone wrong and had to rebuild herself. Once she sees August again, she has to decide whether he's worth the risk again. Trust is incredibly difficult to rebuild and how can he prove to Mia that they're meant to be together when he ruined it the first time? Maybe a show storm can bring them back together.

I ended up reading this during a snow storm so I felt completely wrapped up in the story. The rebuilding doesn't feel rushed despite the forced proximity. We love a respectful man.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up. How My Ex Stole New Year's is the third book in the Village of Yule series, but it is the first one I've read and I had no problem following the story. Mia Mulrooney is a talented baker who runs her own bakery in Yule. Two years earlier, she thought she and August were firmly a couple, but he ghosted her on New Years Eve. He is the bass player in a famous band, and she figured that he didn't think she would fit into his life. She returned to Yule and lived a very quiet life, no dating, and no interest in getting involved with anyone. Her twin sister, Michelle, is getting married and the last person she expected to see at the wedding was August. It turns out that Michelle's future wife, Molly, is August's cousin who he loves very much. Not only are they both in the wedding party, but there is a storm and the castle they will be staying in has to double people up in the rooms. As August and Mia were the last ones to check in, guess who's rooming together?

This was a cute story, but not what I was expecting. I didn't realize that Yule is a hidden town, that both August and Mia were from originally, so there is a bit of a fantasy aspect that I wasn't expecting. Other than that, it was a forced proximity, second chance romance. There are some hurdles to jump over in order for August and Mia to get back together, but once they get locked in the cellar together by accident, Mia listens to August explain what happened two year earlier. I liked August and could see where he has some autistic tendencies. He was an introvert, didn't like to be touched, had few friends, but was a talented musician. He felt things deeply and worried about others without talking to them. Mia just wanted to get over him, but she couldn't. There were a couple of open door scenes that I wasn't expecting, but overall, this was a cute rom-com.

[charmette.books · Rating 2 out of 5]

How My Ex Stole New Year’s is a Christmas novella by Kate Callaghan. This book is part of the Village of Yule series, and I think it would have been helpful to read more of this series prior to reading this book.

Mia and August are the central characters in this novella. I had a hard time understanding their connection or chemistry. Mia gushes about August briefly at the beginning of the story when they are together. They are not together for long before breaking up because August ghosts her. The narrator tells us these characters are head-over-heels in love, but I didn’t feel a connection between them.

A year later, Mia and August are thrown together again in Yule at Mia’s sister’s wedding. They arrive late, so are forced to share the last room at the inn, with, of course, only one bed. August is so upset and concerned about Mia at the wedding, which just does not align with his past behavior. The character’s actions were all over the place, which made it hard to follow the plot. This was unfortunately not a book I enjoyed, and I had to push myself to finish it.

Thank you to Kate Callaghan, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Mamawattto4 Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

How My Ex Stole New Year’s Eve was a cute and cozy Christmas second-chance romance that eventually won me over—but it did take a little time to get there. The beginning felt a bit slow, and it took a while for the story to really grab my attention. Once it picked up, though, the holiday charm and rekindled-romance vibes made it an enjoyable seasonal read.

I really liked the premise and the sweet chemistry between the characters, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I would’ve enjoyed it more if I’d read the first two books in the series beforehand. There were moments where the connections and backstory felt like they were building on things I had missed.

Overall, it’s a light, festive second-chance romance with plenty of holiday spirit—worth the read if you’re looking for something warm and charming, especially if you’re already familiar with the series.

[Molly Blackwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would you do if your famous guitar ex showed up in your secret Christmas town for your sister’s wedding after ghosting you and now he wants you back? Mia is preparing for the most stressful week as maid of honor and wedding cake baker for her twin sister’s big day when fate throws her for a loop. She has to hold it together but man is it difficult when the guy who broke your heart with no closure is there every day ripping open old wounds. Will the big day go off without a hitch or will their bad blood spoil the entire event?

I have been craving a good holiday romance and this one scratched that itch just right. I love when we get the emotional devastation of the break up to really stoke the fires of that incredibly uncomfortable first reunion and you feel that resentment right along with her. While I do usually prefer a little more grovel in my second chance romance, for a shorter book less is more interesting and keeps the story moving so it works well here. And when she told him that she needed him to show and not tell her his intentions when he tried to earn her trust back I wanted to give her a full standing ovation. You tell him girl.

If you’re looking for a short but sweet second chance magical small town forced proximity romance then I think you’ll enjoy this one as well. It is technically listed as book 3 in the series but I read it as a standalone with absolutely no issues.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for me.

Mia Mulrooney hates August who two years ago broke her heart and left her without any explanation.Being forced to deal with August at her sister wedding is one thing,but sharing one room with him is something else entirely.August regrets his behavior two years ago,leaving the love of his life was not easy,and he hopes Mia will forgive him.

Can those two work together to give their love ones a great wedding?

A quick second chance romance with a touch of magic.Sweet setting and those cake scenes made me craving sweets.I liked the chemistry between Mia and August,their connection and banter was cute,the ending satisfying.Now I wish to read two books before in the series,a great festive read.

Thank you netgalley and author for arc,my review is honest and my own.

[zasou.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really loved book 1 in this series, book 2 was fine, but this one was not it. First, one small note: all the names starting with M was confusing. Second, I always find it harder tonreally get into a story, especially a romance, when it's told in 3rd person, which makes it much harder to relate to the characters. Finally, what August did to Mia was horrible, I had absolutely no empathy for him, I was not rooting for him at all. His excuse for ghosting Mia was pitiful, it would've taking 1 hour for him to call and explain... And there needed to be so much more groveling. So I was not rooting for them to get back together. It was a quick read, very holiday coded, which was nice.
I received an advance review copy of this book for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️ 2.5

Cute little read. The story seemed to move too fast for me. I would have loved getting more background info and Mia shouldn't have folded so easily.

[Come_read_with_me_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

This is a beautiful christmas second chance novella.

It tells the story of Mia and August. Mia is a baker, and August is a rockstar. They were once a couple, unfortunately during their relationship August one day ghosted her out of the blue. Fast forward a few years, Mia and August end up at the same wedding, during a snowstorm, where they have to share a room together! As the wedding is between Mia's sister and August's cousin, they have to play nice as they work together.

I loved the magic, and christmas vibes this book has. It is beautifully written with a lot of beautiful scenes!
I will admit, it frustrated me a little how fast Mia and her family forgave August. That could be a me problem, haha, as I would have made him work a lot harder for my forgiveness, however this is a novella so it is difficult to get that balance.

Overall I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it.

A massive thank you to the Author, Kate Callaghan, for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚How My Ex Stole New Year's
✍🏻Kate Callaghan
Blurb:
Welcome to Yule, where the lights sparkle, the gossip travels fast, and second chances are harder to resist than warm gingerbread.

Mia Mulrooney has everything she could ever want: her thriving bakery, her cosy village, and a peaceful life free of August, the brooding guitarist who ghosted her two years ago on New Year’s Eve.
But August is back in town for a New Year’s wedding, and a fierce snowstorm traps them together for the weekend in Yule’s oldest castle. As the storm rages outside, their undeniable chemistry ignites. Amid stolen kisses beneath twinkling mistletoe and whispered confessions in the dead of night, Mia’s frozen heart begins to thaw. Yet, as midnight approaches, she must confront her feelings: can she forgive him and find the courage to let love back into her life?

✨Tropes✨

Rockstar & Baker
New Year’s Eve
One Bed, One Night

Exes To Lovers

Wedding Weekend Drama

Snowed-In Together

Forced Proximity



Readers, please note:This is an adult low fantasy romance with mature content and is not suitable for those under 18. This is a stand-alone novella with a guaranteed HEA. No cheating or love triangle, and HEA guaranteed..
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Part of the Interconnected Village of Yule Series
: Each book stands alone but is connected by a magical setting, holiday romance themes, and subtle character crossovers. For the most enchanting reading experience (and to avoid spoilers), the recommended order is:

The Naughty or Nice Clause | A fiery enemies-to-lovers romance where a stubborn CEO heiress is forced into a fake engagement with the infuriating investor who stole her company… in a magical Christmas village.

’Tis the Season of Secrets | A one-night stand turns into a snowstorm of family secrets when an aspiring editor discovers she’s tied to a hidden holiday village — and the man who might hold the key to her past.
My Thoughts:
This Holiday Novella is from the Village of Yule series. It is such a sweet romcom, perfect for fans of Hallmark Christmas Movies. Yes, it’s a little sappy and cheesy but that is why we love stories like this! It’s a fast read and I didn’t want to put it down. I love a second chance romance and August and Mia keep being thrown together by fate and mishaps until they can work out their past issues. I just love August and how genuine and heartfelt he was throughout the whole book.
The added QR code Mia & August Playlist a very nice touch
Thanks NetGalley, CallaghanWriter and Author Kate Callaghan for the advanced copy of "How My Ex Stole New Year's" I am leaving my voluntary review in appreciation.
#NetGalley
#CallaghanWriter
#KateCallaghan
#HowMyExStoleNewYear's
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️Trigger Warnings: Sexual content, Death, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

🌅Mia has spent two solid years rebuilding herself after August Hale, evidently a rock-star, 🎸heart-throb guitarist, professional brooder, and expert ghoster, vanished without explanation on the night she thought they were finally becoming something real. Since then, she’s poured every ounce of herself into her bakery🧁and the quiet rhythm of life in the magical town of Yule. She’s convinced she’s moved on… until she ends up sharing a sleigh with August on the way to a New Year’s wedding and then, thanks to a brutal snowstorm, a hotel room in the hotel/castle for the entire weekend.

The setup is classic holiday romance🥰, but the story adds a welcome layer of emotional history beneath the tinsel. Their forced proximity leads to awkward silences, sharp banter, and eventually the conversations Mia never got the chance to have. August’s apology feels sincere, even vulnerable.

What the book does exceptionally well is atmosphere: twinkling lights, enchanted winter streets, a castle🏰 that feels both cozy and grand, and a supporting cast that brings warmth and humor to every scene. The chemistry between Mia and August is sweet, playful at times, aching at others, and the romance becomes easy to root for once the story settles into its emotional core.

My biggest critique concerns the novella format. The early chapters feel rushed, and there isn’t quite enough space to fully explore why their first relationship mattered so much, or why Mia forgives him as quickly as she does. A longer story would’ve allowed their initial tension and slow thaw to develop more naturally. Still, the author makes the most of the shorter length, giving the couple enough heart, humor, and holiday charm to land a satisfying happy ending.

Overall, this is a cozy, festive second-chance romance set in a town so charming ☃️❄️ it practically begs for another visit. So nice to know that Callaghan has more in this series. Curl up with a blanket and hot cocoa 🍵 because you’ll finish it in one sitting and feel a little warmer for it. Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review. I truly appreciate the opportunity to review this work.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5/5 stars)

#BooksGoSocial #HowMyExStoleNewYears #NetGalley #bookrecomendation

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[marialetto.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐ ⊹ 1 🌶️ ⊹ 158 📖

⁀➴ Overall: This is a cute Christmas/New Year’s novella set in an equally adorable magical village. I enjoyed the characters and learning more about the village and its traditions.

⋆⟢ Tropes + Vibes:
🤍 second chance
🩷 one night, one bed
🤍 forced proximity
🩷 holiday romance
🤍 magical village
🩷 third person dual POV

⁀➴ Bookish Breakdown:
I really liked the village of Yule! I think Callaghan did a wonderful job building out the village, its traditions, and its overall lore. I think it’s the perfect locale for her series of holiday interconnected standalone stories. The magical realism definitely makes the setting more fun.

Mia, our FMC, is a very cute character. She is a baker who has lived her whole life in Yule. She has a twin sister, Michelle, who is getting married to Molly over New Year’s. Mia wants to make their day special by baking them the best cake, but on her way to the castle for the wedding, she runs into her ex (and our MMC), August. He is a rockstar who has family ties in Yule, but has always lived on the Outside. He and Mia date secretly for a while, before he royally messes up the relationship by ghosting her.

I really appreciated how much August wanted to win Mia back. I love a second chance romance, and I love to see our characters rebuild trust, communicate effectively, and get back together stronger than they were before. I thought August did a good job repeatedly showing Mia that he was sorry for how he acted, wanted to repair what he tore down, and actually showed up for her instead of just saying he’d show up.

I struggled a bit with this story when it came to a lot of the actual conversations between characters. A lot of the conversation felt very basic or stilted to me. I felt like the characters were talking to each other like they were teenagers rather than grown adults with full lives. There was also one moment in particular where Mia makes a comment about not letting August see her in nude-toned shapewear, because it would be embarrassing, but the black shapewear was okay. This really took me out of the moment. Lastly, while I appreciated the dual POV, I found it kind of hard to connect to the characters because of the third-person view.

Editing note: There are a couple of times in the book where the twin sisters’ names get mixed up, or the wrong word is used (e.g., former vs latter), including in the version published on Kindle Unlimited.

Thank you to Kate Callaghan and NetGalley for this eARC.

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you ghost me for two years and then reappear at my twin sister’s wedding, in a magical village where the gingerbread is enchanted and the gossip network works faster than WiFi, we are not reconciling. We are throwing emotional grenades across a castle corridor. Unless, apparently, we’re making out next to a centuries old tapestry. How My Ex Stole New Year’s really said healing is optional but the sexual tension is mandatory.

Mia is out here living her best baker life in Yule, thriving on sugar, sisterly devotion, and the absolute absence of a certain broody bassist. And then August, the walking heartbreak with a lip ring that screams poor decision making, rolls back into town like the universe pressed “chaos mode” by accident. He’s there for a wedding. She’s there for a wedding. The snowstorm is also there for the wedding, trapping them in proximity that should honestly be illegal.

Their chemistry lights up faster than a fire hazard Christmas tree, which is frankly rude given how hard Mia worked burying those feelings under layers of buttercream and self respect. But this is a novella, and that means the universe gives them one room, one bed, and zero buffer time for adult choices.

Now. The ghosting. Absolutely not. Mia should have made him grovel so hard he needed knee pads. His excuse boils down to “I saw you looking happy and panicked,” which is the kind of logic that gets you voted off the island emotionally. And she forgives him way too quickly. I wanted some righteous fury. A little ice queen energy. Maybe a choreographed number set to a revenge anthem. Something.

Still, the world is cozy, the vibes are sparkling, and the romance gets just enough oxygen to glow. Yule is basically a Hallmark town dipped in glitter with a spellbook hidden under the counter. Even when I was side eyeing August into another dimension, I was rooting for them to at least kiss dramatically in the snow. And they did not disappoint.

This novella is a gingerbread shot to the heart with a sprinkle of regret and a whole lot of forced proximity. Did I trust August? Absolutely not. Did I get emotional anyway when they finally talked it out? Unfortunately yes. I blame the castle aesthetic. Three stars and a fond sigh.

Merry Mayhem Prize, For Making Me Yell at a Man with a Lip Ring in a Snowstorm

And thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for the ARC, which I devoured like frosting straight from the piping bag, no shame and no survivors.

[GiovannaReads_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

How my ex stole New Years
Inglés
166 páginas
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“You’re jealous?” Mia sighed.
“Yes. And possessive. I don’t have any right to be, and you can dance and date and do whatever you want, but could you please only want to do it with me?”

Hermanas, este libro se siente como ver una de esas películas clichés navideñas que AMAMOS 😍

Les cuento rápido esta es la historia de Mia y August quienes están perdida y locamente enamorados el uno del otro, una noche de año nuevo están listos para dejar de mantenerlo en secreto ¿el problema? Él nunca llega, no responde mensajes, ni llamadas. La única manera que Mía tiene para saber que está bien son sus abuelos y el hecho de que es miembro de una banda súper popular y famosa.
Dos años después Mía sigue con el corazón roto, pero ha seguido con su pastelería y, emocionada por la boda de su hermana gemela, lo último que Mía espera es que el padrino de la novia de su hermana sea nada más y nada menos que su ex que le rompió el corazón, mucho menos espera que él esté dispuesto a recuperarla le cueste lo que le cueste.

Ambiente nevado
Vísperas de una boda
Atrapados en una misma habitación con una sola cama
Drama pastelero
Un corazón arrepentido
Un corazón desconfiado

Que bonito libro, no voy a mentir, casi nunca leo libros tan cortos porque siempre siento que se tienen que desarrollar muy rápido, pero la autora lo hizo bien, hizo que no se sintiera como una historia corta y apresurada, sino como ver una película de Hallmark, todo dulce, bonito, divertido, navideño, en fin.
Sin duda es una lectura para refrescar el alma y perfecta para estas fechas 🫶🏻

Mía y August son hermosos y la química es inexplicable, además es imposible negar lo mucho que se aman 😭

Y ustedes dirán, entonces ¿por qué tres estrellas? Buuuuueno, es que mi alma vive por el drama y los second chances, pero aquí sentí que ella lo perdonó como muy rápido, me faltó que lo hiciera sufrir un poquito más 😩

Peeeero, eso tiene más que ver con mis cabecita rara que con el libro jajaja tienen que leerlo para vivir la Yule experience 💁🏻‍♀️