A Married Little Christmas

by Abby Jimenez

Bring on the holiday cheer in this delightful collection of three feel-good novellas with bonus recipes and full-page illustrations!

Tis the season to fall in love in this three brilliant novellas from #1New York Times bestselling author of The Night We Met. Anna thought only the food would be a disaster at her Christmas dinner--until her high school ex shows up and they quickly have to hatch a fake-dating scheme to save face with their families. For Matty, the idea of sitting in a diner all day dressed as a zombie Santa after losing a bet has zero appeal. But his cute and funny server might just make him change his mind. And finally, will Lauren be able to convince her best friend that getting married after a three-day relationship is absolutely ridiculous? Or will the town called Little Christmas pull her in with its happily-ever-after magic once she meets the best man?

Within these stories, you'll find:
• The worst Christmas dinner imaginable
• A granny determined to dismantle the patriarchy
• Matching Christmas sweaters (by accident!)
• A Mission Impossible-style cat rescue (with a saxophone)
• Mouthwatering recipes from Abby for dishes like Disco Pancakes
• Full-page illustrations throughout

Because this year, you deserve the perfect holiday gift.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Short Stories, Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

272 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Abby Jimenez is a Food Network winner, #1 New York Times best selling author of Just for the Summer, and recipient of the 2022 Minnesota Book Award for her novel Life's Too Short. Her book Yours Truly was the first romance novel in the history of Book of the Month to win the coveted Dolly Award for Book of the Year. Abby founded Nadia Cakes out of her home kitchen back in 2007. The bakery has since gone on to win numerous Food Network competitions and, like her books, has amassed an international following.

Abby loves a good romance, coffee, doglets, and not leaving the house.

Reviews

[Emma Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to share how I got my hands on this ARC!

My husband and I were doing yard work one evening when a couple pulls up to our Little Free Library. The woman comes out and informs me that Abby had posted a video showing her dropping a signed copy in my library! I follow Abby and would have seen it myself but since we were doing lawn work I didn’t have my phone on me! We basically jumped for joy together and shared the excitement. She gave me her phone number and was nice enough to pass the book along to me when she was done. I am giving it back to her so she can pass it along to her friends!

On to the book, I loved it! I prefer romance books to be on the shorter side so I really enjoy romance novellas. All three stories were fun and sweet, the perfect cozy holiday book. I want to visit Little Christmas! I liked the ties between each story.

I will be trying some of the recipes too ❤️

Thank you Abby for sharing your ARCs in the community and shoutout to my neighbor for passing it along to me! A little Christmas spirit in May ☺️

[Genevieve (GenLikesToRead)]

An Abby Jimenez Christmas Novella may heal me

[Kristina Nichole]

wait.... what???

This was added under the radar...... three novellas?? I wonder if this will be the three storylines continued on from her prior works or new characters?

[Angela Hull]

Oh my gosh on my gosh oh my gosh!!!’ 🤗🤗

[alana ☁️]

So so seated

[Aisha Green]

I won a free copy through Booktrovert. I was shocked since I entered at 10:39am and they sent out the emails at 11:01am.

I didn't know what the book was about prior, all I know is it was Abby Jimenez's book and I was excited for its upcoming release.

Three Christmas novellas wrapped up in one. Abby doesn't miss a beat with intertwining the characters. The stories flowed together where it made me think about how people around us all have a different story. Each story was my new favorite and I wanted more! Matty might be my new favorite book boyfriend. Lauren and Williams story, yeah would watch that Hallmark movie!

I also just recently moved to Minnesota, does the town of Little Christmas exist?!? Immediately going! 🎄

[Katie Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three novellas that gave fantastic hallmark Christmas vibes. Zipped through them and enjoyed myself immensely. Pumped I got to read an advanced copy but disappointed I won’t get to read these for the first time next winter.

[Casey Reads 🌸]

Oooo can’t wait! 🎄

[Keshia R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advance Reader Copy- Booktrovert

Talk about Christmas in July! This collection was such a fun, cozy read. One of my favorite parts was how all of the characters were connected throughout the novellas. This made the stories feel like coming home to the same charming town. If you’re looking for lighthearted romances to get you in the holiday spirit, this is the perfect book.

🎄 Sweater Weather: I laughed throughout this entire novella! The spunky grandma completely stole the show, and every family has a “Jodie” who insisot on cooking so you knkw hou have to stop by McDonald’s before going to her house. Add in a second-chance romance, and I was hooked.

🎄 Stealing Christmas: Matty is the kind of man who stays true to his word, and that’s always attractive. Rhiannon is simply a girl who adores her cat and unexpectedly falls in love along the way. Their story was sweet, heartfelt, and easy to root for.

🎄 Marry Little Christmas: I absolutely lost it at the South Pole reference! The town, the mayor, and all of the quirky moments made this one so much fun. It proves that sometimes déjà vu really can be a good thing.

Overall, this was a heartwarming collection full of laughs, holiday charm, and lovable characters. It was the perfect way to celebrate Christmas in July!

[Just Blue Through Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for approving the NetGalley wish for an ARC of A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez.

The 3 stories featured in this book are absolutely charming and feel like whimsical Hallmark Christmas shorts (especially the callouts in the third story, Marry Little Christmas). The plots are funny and clever and each of the 6 characters shines in their own individual way. The pacing is fast and, with the short-story length, the plotting is very tight, and Jimenez makes every word work on behalf of the characters coming together in cute and hilarious ways. While each has a different couple and different tropes/vibe, they are interconnected through the characters and locations and make small popups inbetween - I especially appreciate those related to the ghosts and bees and would absolutely read a full-length novel on that whole family. It's honestly just a really fun little bit of escapism, perfect for the holiday season.

*Also just to note these are more Hallmark-y and these are not spicy in anyway - it's all more sweet/funny as characters get together.

[Larareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 4 ⭐️

This was my second book from Abby Jimenez and I've absolutely loved it. It's three short stories ( about 60 pages each) and they were all so fun. I'm actually wishing for Christmas in July after reading these

♡ Sweater Weather 2.75 ⭐️
I actually wasn't very excited about this as it has so much miscommunication. It's cute and Christmasy and the writing is so so easy to read, but the characters were actually so annoying and I hated how they couldn't talk for YEARS and when they actually did they just kissed and pretented like everything was fine.

♡ Stealing Christmas 5 ⭐️

This was honestly the best Christmas novella I ever read. It's fun, easy to read and I fell in love with the characters from the start.

♡ Marry Little Christmas 4 ⭐️

This wasn't my favorite as the story doesn't seem at all believable, but it was amazing to read and I really loved every single character!

All of these would make for an incredible whole book and I honestly hope Abby will consider this.

[BHK · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Married Little Christmas by Abby Jimenez was such a fun and cozy read that put me in the holiday mood from the very first story! I loved that each novella had its own charm, while also giving me that warm and happy holiday feeling. The characters were easy to like, and I was smiling at their funny moments and cheering them on as they found love. The pacing kept me turning the pages, and each story felt complete even though they were short. I also enjoyed all the little holiday details that made everything feel festive! By the time I finished, I had a big smile on my face and wished there were more stories to read. This was a sweet and feel good collection that I know I’ll want to revisit during future holiday seasons!

[Probably Reading Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I won a copy of this! All thoughts are my own!

I love Abby’s short stories and this did not disappoint! This is 3 interconnected stories that flow beautifully! I was laughing out loud and smiling pretty much the whole time. I loved all the characters and although this is 3 short stories, I felt like the stories were long enough. The stories were really well thought out and written beautifully. The way that Abby writes her stories, you’d think it was a full length book, with all the character development and world building.

I adore these short stories so much. Christmas in July!

[David Henkhaus · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collective. I was fortunate to receive a very early ARC and, like Abby's other books, I tore through it in about a day. The three novellas (vignettes?) all live in the same universe, and it's fun to see how they all tie together.

As these are shorter works, there is mercifully little time for your heart to be broken before Abby, reliably, puts it back together. A great way to start the 2026 holiday season.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Christmas in July for this lucky reader and the ARC I received. I read the entire thing (3 short stories) in just a couple hours, and it was so cute I cannot wait to read it again when I get my physical copy in October. Abby has such a way of dropping you in to a story and making you feel like you've known the characters for years. The settings are adorable, and the characters are fun, witty, and loveable. Thank you so much to the publisher for the ARC!

[Paige ⚔️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance reader copy received from Author

I LOVED this more than I can put into words. It's told through three interconnected novellas and is literal perfection. Matty and Rhiannon's story, which was the second story in the book, was hands down my favorite of the bunch. There's SO much humor woven through each one, it's light-hearted and genuinely left me with a warm, glowing feeling by the end. This will go down as my favorite holiday romance without question!!
❄️👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👨🏻🎄🐕

[Audrey Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get a copy from Booktrovert and it was perfection! I laughed out loud so many times! Felt like watching 3 short Hallmark shows, and I can't help but want more! I'm an avid reader because of Abby Jimenez's Part of Your World series. Hadn't picked up a book in 10 years or more and now I read 150+ per year. Thank you for letting me pre-read this Christmas gem!🎅🤶🎄 Can't wait to get my physical copy!

[Bethany C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Abby Jimenez is one of my favorite authors and I was so excited to receive an arc of her upcoming Christmas book 🥹 This was so magical and full of joy!!!! Every time I read an Abby book I just can’t get over the ideas she comes up with. She’s so funny and all of her books are so good. This one is very light compared to her others which is perfect for Christmas. I’m so excited to get my hands on the finished copy with the beautiful illustrations!!

Thank you forever for the arc!!!!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted a copy via BookTrovert. I read it in one sitting. Abby has woven her magic into these characters, as we have come to expect. Each of the three stories has characters who you fall for quickly and find yourself rooting for, laughing with, and wanting to hug by the end. I love how each story has a nod to the previous. This is a perfect holiday trio!

[Paige Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win a digital ARC of this collection and it is perfect. I read it in one afternoon because I just couldn't stop. All 3 stories can stand alone, but they connect in brilliant little ways for the reader. Thank you Abby for this early Christmas gift. Can't wait to get my physical copy to see Maya's artwork!

[Rachel Hodgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know exactly what you’re getting with an Abby Jimenez book and this was no different. I love how she writes her novellas, you fall in love with the characters so easily. I can’t wait for others to read this!

[Heather McEndree · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️ As always, the characters are real, interesting, and fun to read. Abby has a wonderful wit which shines in her naming of place and objects in the book, as well as the humorous interactions and situations.
💔 I wanted to keep reading about these characters!

[Brittany Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though these are short stories, you will immediately fall in love with all the characters in this book! It’s the perfect cozy, heartfelt read to make you smile and laugh out loud. I can’t recommend this book enough no matter what time of year you read it!

[Margret Rojas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. It’s 3 short Christmas stories that are all intertwined. It’s funny, has lots of female empowerment, screw the patriarchy, green flag men and so much more. 10/10

[Viviana]

I was gifted a copy from BookTrovert via Abby's FB group notification.

[Katie Alderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this anthology. As always, Abby's characters are funny and relatable. Anna and Jeremy were my favorite!

[Caro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I work for the publisher of the book, all opinions are my own.
This was the joy and cheer I needed. So cute and lighthearted in the way Abby does best.

[Kaitlynd The Hopeless Romantic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new Christmas tradition has just entered the villa

[Molly]

27th Oct 2026 / Changed to 20th Oct 2026