Christmas Trees & Weak Knees

by Katrina Emmel

A cozy YA holiday rom-com set on a snow-dusted Christmas tree farm, where a girl who walked away from music and a country star nursing writer’s block find themselves writing songs—and maybe falling in love—just in time for the holidays.

In my heart is a Christmas tree farm...

Paisley Morgan thought she had left the music world behind after a disastrous encounter with the band Six String Justice. Now, she's content to spend her days at her family's charming Christmas tree farm, secretly nurturing her songwriting dreams. But when a mysterious musician checks into the farm's on-site studio, her quiet life is turned upside down.

Kash "Money" Murray, fresh from a band breakup and struggling with writer's block, is sent to the farm to find inspiration. Little does he know the farm's enchanting atmosphere and its captivating caretaker, Paisley, will provide more than just a creative spark.

As the holiday season unfolds, Paisley and Kash find themselves drawn together by their shared love of music. Amidst the twinkling lights and festive cheer, they embark on a songwriting journey that could change their lives forever. But when Kash takes a bold step that threatens their budding romance, Paisley must decide if love is worth the risk. Will they find harmony together, or will their duet end before it begins?

Genres: Young Adult

304 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 27, 2026

Reviews

[BookieCookie12 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing beats a sweet holiday romcom, and it’s even better with a guitar playing cowboy! “Christmas Trees & Weak Knees,” written by Katrina Emmel has all the holiday feels, from the heartbreak blues, to caroling Christmas tunes, it has it all. After an embarrassing performance as a singer-songwriter, Paisley Morgan, refuses to sing publicly again, let alone write and perform. Until, former band member, Kash Murray, makes a deal she can’t refuse. In hopes of writing six songs before a very close, and looming deadline, Paisley and Kash form a close bond and find they may be more similar than they had thought. The novel was fast paced and the romantic connection formed pretty quickly, but besides that it was a very heartfelt story. Honestly, who doesn’t love a good holiday, cowboy romance? With country song references and a welcoming Christmas tree farm, this book should be read with a side of hot cocoa! As always, thank you to Netgalley for this reviewing opportunity, reviews will be posted on Goodreads, Fable, TikTok, and Instagram!

[candaxe reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House and Delacorte Romance for the ARC of this book.
4.5 Stars
Katrina Emmel will always be an auto-buy author for me!
She just knows how to do cute and cozy YA romances that just make you happy!
Paisley is leaving the music and song writing world and moves back to her families Christmas farm. Then comes along Kash who is struggling with writers block and gets sent to said farm for inspiration!
Their is sparks flying and happiness during the holiday season. The way their story and romance unfolds is so adorable.
You just can't help but root for them and their love story!

[Christel Nance · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I look for a Christmas book, this is exactly what I’m looking for. I want a book worthy of a Hallmark movie. Sweet, romantic, and clean.

Paisley is a songwriter who has stage freight. Kash is a singer who was kicked out of his band. He’s trying to prove his worth in the music business. Together they create music that could fix both of their problems.

Okay. I love a book I can recommend to my teenager and preteen. This is that book. It’s one I’ll buy and share with people. This author is on my radar. The characters were great and progressed well. They healed with one another.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

[Jaime Moschera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a sweet, cozy YA Christmas romance set on a charming tree farm, and it had exactly the kind of warm, festive vibe I was hoping for. I really liked the idea of two musicians finding inspiration and connection in such a quiet, magical setting, and the songwriting element added a nice layer to the story. Paisley and Kash worked well together, and their relationship felt soft and easy to follow as it developed. While it’s definitely a lighter, more wholesome read, it was still enjoyable and gave me all the cozy holiday feels.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this! Perfect for fans of country music, this book will steal your heart! I fell in love with Paisley and Kash, especially the way they pushed each other to be better and to step outside of their comfort zones. The book has a cute, cozy vibe and is absolutely perfect for a Christmastime read.

Will definitely be pulling this out around Christmas and 100% will recommend to friends!

*review on arc received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

[Ashley Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this from Netgalley in Exchange for my honest review.

Katrina is an auto-buy author for me. Trails Rides and Starry Eyes was so cute and my son's favorite book of the year.

Who doesn't love a Cozy, Christmas love story at a Christmas Tree Farm with a Cowboy?

This book was so cute and I had Christmas Tree Farm by Taylor Swift playing in my head the whole time. It was so well written and I loved the chemistry between Kash and Paisley. I am so ready for Christmas now.

[Elle · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF, 46%. I couldn’t handle the MCs anymore. The FMC was so annoying. I would’ve given it a 2, but I’m going to attribute the fact that she’s so annoying to “she’s young, she’s a teenager” and try to not hold that against her… however, that doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want to read about her anymore. The MMC seems like an asshole and an idiot (why tf haven’t you called a lawyer after everything that happened???). He’s not a teenager though, so he’s not getting a pass. Also, I’m just bored af.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Ang 🫶🏼📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little read. It gave major hallmark vibes and I loved it! I did drop it a star only because some parts felt a little ‘unfinished’ almost like it was rushed but it was still a really good book and I look forward to reading it again around Christmas!

[Janet C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just OK for me. I thought the concept was pretty cute and I thought the integration of the main plot dealing with two music artists was integrated well with the Christmas tree farm element. This book is definitely 'light' on the holiday themes, which honestly was fine. While the romance plot was fine, though forgettable, I just did not really like the structure of the chapters. By putting the dates as headers to paragraphs I felt the book didn't flow as nicely as it could have.