The Twelve Loves of Christmas: An Advent Romance Collection

by Alexandria Bellefleur, Elise Bryant, Olivia Dade

Count down to Christmas with twelve sealed holiday love stories by beloved romance authors.

The Twelve Loves of Christmas is a swoon-worthy short story collection about finding love during the most magical time of the year. Including a playful forced proximity romance featuring a woman and her older brother’s grinchy (yet unexpectedly endearing) best friend, a tender love story of two neighbors who decide to skip Christmas together, a second-chance spark reignited between exes stranded at the airport, and many more festive love stories, there’s a little holiday magic waiting for every reader.

Open one sealed story each day in the lead-up to Christmas to unwrap a season full of love, warmth, and happily-ever-afters.

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

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 29, 2026

About the author

Alexandria Bellefleur is a bestselling and award-winning author of swoony contemporary romance often featuring loveable grumps and the sunshine characters who bring them to their knees. A Pacific Northwesterner at heart, Alexandria has a weakness for good coffee, Pike IPA, and Voodoo Doughnuts. Her special skills include finding the best Pad Thai in every city she visits, remembering faces but not names, falling asleep in movie theaters, and keeping cool while reading smutty books in public. Her debut novel, Written in the Stars, was a 2021 Lambda Literary Award winner and a 2020 winner of The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction.

Reviews

[aira]

so 12 short stories in one book, that sounds fun (I have the arc) 🤩

[Dab · Rating 4 out of 5]

So since it’s 12 unrelated novellas, I should write 12 reviews, which means I deserve Christmas cookies.

🍪🎅🎄🎅 🍪

1. A Merry Little Christmas, Jessica Joyce

A very cute second-chance romance. They’d broken up because of the distance, but never stopped loving each other. It was sweet, and they were both perfect 🥰

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

2. Decking His Halls, Alexis Daria

The heroine moved into the hero’s minimalistic home and started spreading Christmas decorations all over the place, even though he told her that he didn’t like clutter. Since I hate clutter too, this was a little anxiety-inducing 😬

🍪 🍪 🍪

3. Mas, Alexandria Bellefleur

Very similar to the first one; I would’ve probably liked it more if I hadn’t just read the exact same story, so it’s a bit unfortunate, but it was still a fun read.

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪 🎄

4. Someone to Hold On To, Elise Bryant

This one was a little bland. It screams “they settled” rather than “it’s the love of their lives.”

🍪 🍪 🍪

5. Ho Ho Oh No, M.A. Wardell

I love stories that remind me that we don’t have to be perfect to deserve good things in life. Also, look at me, I accidentally read a romance written by a man and liked it—yaay!

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

6. Twelve Seconds to Forever, Rebecca Jenshak
Another second chance, which seems to be the theme here. It was okay, but then he said that she didn’t have to “worry her pretty little head” over something, and that’s how a star was lost, oops!

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

7. A Solstice Kiss, Olivia Dade

I was hoping for an international love story, but the guy the American girl spotted in a Stockholm museum, guiding a tour in perfect Swedish, turned out to be American.

Swedish boys not good enough for ya?

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

8. All Roads Lead Home, Joss Richard

Joss Richard, I adore your style and your heroes. I also very much hope that you will ditch the third-act breakups one day… 😭

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

9. Skipping Christmas, Rebekah Weatherspoon

Remember Elle’s nail tech and her delivery man from Legally Blonde? You can’t write a romance about a nail tech and a delivery man and not make me think of them 🤡🤡🤡

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

10. Holiday Blackout, Susan Lee

Ohh, this one was good, a second chance, with lovable characters who finally dared to be vulnerable. I love it when brooding men get their shit together and stop brooding for a sec.

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

11. Hope This Helps, Sarah Hogle

A momzilla, an English teacher, and a You’ve Got Mail vibe. I liked it more than I thought I would, I’d love to know what happens next 👀

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪 🎄

12. Is It New Year’s Yet?, Zakiya N. Jamal

Aaaaaand another second chance. This one was also cute, and the New Year’s countdown kiss made for a nice ending.

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

Overall, a heartwarming Christmas collection. The vibe of second chances is strong, but there’s enough variety to give it a unique feel. Some of the stories are very spicy, some squeaky clean. There’s queer representation, including an m/m romance and a f/m story with bisexual characters. There’s also Black, Hispanic, and Asian representation, as well as themes of living in a foreign country. The writing was consistently engaging, and every author’s style worked for me.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book and would recommend it for a cozy, uplifting Christmas read.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[Katie’s Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

1. A Merry Little Christmas - Jessica Joyce: 4.5⭐️ A Jessica Joyce second change romance? I was sold immediately. My only complaint was that this wasn't longer

2. Decking His Halls - Alexis Daria: 3⭐️ As someone who goes absolutely crazy with Christmas decorations I thought this was fun, but I also thought the characters were a little childish

3. I'll Be Home for X-Mass - Alexandria Bellefleur: 4.5⭐️ A chance meeting in an airport on Christmas Eve, with the ex who happens to be the love of your life? Again, I wish this had been a full length story because I think there was SO much potential here

4. Someone to Hold On To - Elise Bryant: 3⭐️ This felt more like the meet-cute for a friendship than any sort of romantic relationship

5. Ho Ho Oh No - M.A. Wardell: 3⭐️ Fun but also not that memorable

6. Twelve Seconds to Forever - Rebecca Jenshak: 3⭐️This was arguably fine but the two main characters had zero chemistry. You could not convince me these two had feelings for each other let alone knew each other well

7. A Solstice Kiss - Olivia Dade: 4⭐️- This was fun! A woman asks a stranger in a Swedish museum for a Christmas kiss, in order to convince her ex- and herself- that she's spontaneous and fun. I enjoyed these two just wandering around a festive sounding Stockholm

8. All Roads Lead Home: Joss Richard: 2⭐️ A second chance meeting when a woman moves home after ten years and bumps into her childhood best friend. My issue here was that it's been ten years and these two seemed to have happily moved on with their lives- they both moved to college and lost contact after a month. A MONTH?! That's all it takes to forget your lifelong best friend and supposed soul mate?! Then they bump into each other and chat for an hour and all of a sudden... they're in love and always have been!

9. Skipping Christmas - Rebekah Weatherspoon: 3⭐️- I don't know how old these characters were supposed to be but they came across as very young

10. Holiday Blackout - Susan Lee: 4⭐️ I enjoyed this one! Two workaholics find their second chance at love when they stay late to work on Christmas Eve, only to sit out a power outage together

11. Hope This Helps - Sarah Hogle: 2⭐️ Honestly the emails back and forth were witty and cute but I just couldn't get past the absolute lack of self awareness from Audrey. The helicopter mom from hell trying to excuse her daughter's behaviour and bad grades because it "wasn't her fault". Maybe hold your child accountable instead of harassing the teachers?

12. Is It New Year’s Yet?- Zakiya N. Jamal: 3⭐️Wow second chance really is the theme of the night. I didn't like how Ben, as Win put it "wanted to have his cake and eat it too".

[Shelby Westerdahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were all so cute and really well written. Pure, fluff and sweetness, exactly what I wanted for the holiday season. I always have a hard time rating short story collections because some hit better than others and they almost always end too soon, I am constantly left wanting more. That said, this one felt pretty cohesive and the vibes matched throughout the tropes? So good. Second chance romance, friends to lovers, with a little dash of brother’s best friend and best friend‘s brother. Pretty much all my favorite in one place. It is a fast read if you want something cute to get you in the holiday mood. I am a total sucker for holiday wreaths, so this was right up my alley. Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC, I really enjoyed it! Happy reading.

[Kaitlyn]

Atria has blessed my NetGalley shelves yet again. TYSM for the e-arc!

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Twelve Loves of Christmas is an anthology of 12 Christmas novellas. The intent is to read one story per day leading up to Christmas (obviously, I didn’t do that since I read the ARC). Usually, for me, short story collections are a mixed bag; I really like some, and really dislike others. However, in this case, I really enjoyed almost all of the stories. Sarah Hogle stole the show for me, but I also really liked the stories by Jessica Joyce, Elise Bryant, Joss Richard and Alexandria Bellefleur. The stories are very diverse as well: there’s one male/male romance, a romance between a guy and a girl but both are bi, and also different stories with black, Asian, and Hispanic characters (as well as white of course). There was also a nice balance between clean and steamy stories. There’s something for everyone in this collection!

My individual ratings are below. I did rate most of the steamier stories lower than the cleaner reads. Just a personal preference for me but I felt that a lot of the steam came out of nowhere and with no buildup, since the stories were so short.

Overall this was a very fun short story collection. I had read works by 5 of the 12 authors previously but I really enjoyed some of the new authors that I read. It’s always nice to find a new author.

This will definitely be a fun collection to read at Christmas. The one story per day idea is cute.




A Merry Little Christmas (Jessica Joyce) — 4 stars

This was super cute! I wanted it to be a full-length novel for sure because the family dynamics were so fun. I loved the friendship between Naomi and Eleanor and I loved picturing the snow-covered cabin tucked away in the trees and looking like something out of a fairy tale. The romance was very cute. It’s second chance which isn’t normally my favorite but in this case it worked because they didn’t break up due to a miscommunication or misunderstanding — they were in a long distance relationship and it got to be too much for them (which is understandable as LDRs are the worst). This was a clean read, and very cute. It’s really setting a high bar for the rest of the collection.


Decking His Halls (Alexis Daria) — 3 stars

This was cute and I liked that the FMC decorated the MMCs apartment and went overboard with the decorations, but the steamy times came very quickly (which is to be expected in a novella). I would have liked to see more of a connection between them. Not clean - there were several spicy scenes.


I’ll Be Home for Ex-Mas (Alexandria Bellefleur) — 4 stars

Being snowed in at the airport is such a fun trope and this even had napcabs! I always see those in the airport but have never tried them. It was a cute second chance romance and I liked that they made the best of their situations. It was also clean.


Someone to Hold On To (Elise Bryant) — 4 stars

Not as Christmassy as some of the others, but still had plenty of festive elements. I really enjoyed the main character and the “stakeouts” she did. While short, this packed a punch and had a nice message. Very clean as well.


Ho Ho Oh No (M. A. Wardell) — 2 stars

A M/M romance between a reluctant Santa and his elf. A bit of miscommunication which I really don’t like as a trope. There was also almost no buildup to the steamy scenes. I think I’m at the point where I don’t think steam works in novellas. They’re just too short to be developed and the sex seems to come out of nowhere. Not clean - some spice.


Twelve Seconds to Forever (Rebecca Jenshak) — 3.5 stars

I’m not the biggest fan of romance stories about sports so take my review with a grain of salt. It’s a new years story about a wedding (bride is MC’s best friend) and I wished there had been more details about the winter wedding because it sounded lovely. Clean but had some language.


A Solstice Kiss (Olivia Dade) — 4 stars

This was a cute story about a woman at a crossroads. I loved the setting of Sweden at Christmastime and I want to visit that Christmas market that dates to the Middle Ages! Their connection was a bit instalovey but I didn’t really mind because they were cute together. Clean, with a few suggestive comments.


All Roads Lead Home (Joss Richard) — 4 stars

This was a cute, second-chance-friends-to-more romance about a woman returning to her hometown for the holidays for the first time in a couple of years. I liked the openness and honesty between the characters and they had a sweet connection. I loved the festiveness of the cafe and the small town as well. I haven’t read anything by this author but I’d be willing to read more.


Skipping Christmas (Rebekah Weatherspoon) — 4 stars

I’ve heard good things about this author’s writing but never read anything by her. This was a great one to start with. I loved her writing style. It was so easy to read and somehow even though this is a novella, the connection between the two never felt forced or rushed. I liked that Micah had been dating a woman with a child and when they broke up, he missed the child. I don’t think I’ve ever read that in a book before and it definitely does happen in the real world so I liked seeing it depicted in the story. I also liked that both characters were anti drama. And of course the Christmas elements! No steamy scenes but some suggestive dialogue and thoughts and one pretty heavy makeout scene.


Holiday Blackout (Susan Lee) — 3 stars

I like the “stranded in a snowstorm” trope but I didn’t love that Ian had ghosted Yoona and it wasn’t really addressed. His reasoning didn’t make much sense either. Not clean - a steamy scene.


Hope This Helps (Sarah Hogle) — 5 stars

Sarah Hogle DELIVERED. To be quite honest, she was the reason I put this anthology on my TBR to begin with. I love the main character’s interior monologue and her banter with the love interest was great. A cute backdrop of a Christmas school dance added to the festiveness. The story was quite humorous as well. I want a full length novel following these two! This one was definitely my favorite in the collection. Completely clean as well.


Is It New Year’s Yet (Zakiya N Jamal) — 3 stars

Not my favorite in the collection, but it was cute enough. I liked that the collection ended with a New Year’s Eve story. I liked the thematic NYE parties the family always threw. However, I didn’t really see the connection between the main couple. Not clean - a steamy scene.



Thank you Atria for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

Black History Month TBR

Holidays TBR

Latine Heritage Month TBR

Pride TBR

Valentine's Day TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books

[SelkieReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m pretty sure I did not ask to get edged when reading this!

I loved all the stories and all the characters and they all ended too soon!!!

[carolina]

I’m not in a Christmas mood but I’m always in a Jessica Joyce mood. I missed reading her words 😭 Jessica’s short story left me wanting more, I wish it was a full length holiday romance 🥹 I won’t read the other stories yet, but I’ll come back to this review once I read everything to give my final thoughts.

[mimi (catching up)]

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Tori Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

BR: 12 Loves of Christmas
⭐️⭐️.5
ARC - Release date : Sept. 29, 2026
Thank You Netgalley For The E-ARC!

Overall Review: I honestly was disappointed in how this turned out. The cover and description made this book sound really promising, but I was let down by more than half the stories. I did find a small handful in which I enjoyed and really liked, and I will be looking to reading more from those authors. While I understand and acknowledge that this is not the completed published version of the book and there is still some editing to be done, to me there were still way too many grammar and spelling mistakes that at times would cause me to reread a sentence MULTIPLE times in order to understand what they were saying. I also found that many of the stories were written with lower literacy levels and it made me really uncomfortable to read the content at times. I was also a little disappointed that there was only ONE LGBTQ+ story in the book... I was expecting in total at least two or three.

A Merry Little Christmas - ⭐️.5 - our FMC was way too obsessed with her ex and the story was very cringey most of the time. Cute idea, but did not execute well at all. Randomly started cussing at the end too.

Decking His Halls - DNF - I did not like the story and the way it was progressing and the writing overall was very poor. I very much HATED our FMC, and she was way too into her own boobs- like commenting on them every chance she could? This story felt like a teenager discovering wattpad for the first time and writing their first ever sexual scene…

I’ll Be Home For Ex-Mas - ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - This was really cute. I really enjoyed our FMC AND MMC. There was a good handful of awkward wording (at least in my opinion).

Someone To Hold On To - ⭐️⭐️ - Ms. Earline is WILD- love her. I feel like our FMC & MMC were having the wrong kind of conversations? They didn’t feel natural to me. Very anti-climatic. On the hunt for a cookie thief but only talk about employment...

Ho Ho Oh No - DNF - I was really excited to finally read a cute lgbt christmas story, but this missed the mark… by far. Concept was cute, but I hated the way it was executed. It was awkward and cringey, and we used twink too many times close together. The literacy level was just too grossly low for me to enjoy anything about this. Also didn’t realize the main characters name until half way through. Why are we introducing a character in the beginning that isn’t going to play any type of role. Had me VERY confused.

*side note - overall : i am very much disliking how these are very short (like ~15 pages) and we are putting in chapters. Its already so short, and personally I see no reason unless we are time jumping*

Twelve Seconds to Forever - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - This slapped. I’m obsessed. Didn’t like Alex’s cocky attitude in the beginning but their story? Love. Maybe I like second chance romances …? This was also written so well, and I found it hilarious when they got cock blocked. Throughly enjoyed this one.

*second side note - overall : can we stop with the wattpad level of explain how a character looks? “she has honey blonde hair, blue eyes, freckles that dot her cheeks, etc.” like come on, there are better ways to do this*

A Solstice Kiss - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - a lot of editing & grammar mistakes (in the beginning mainly), however I did like the writing style. I like the in-depth research done on Felix’s work/schooling. Loved our characters and their story it was super cute and endearing.

All Roads Lead Home - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Childhood Best friends to Lovers? I’m sat. I have no notes. This was perfect. Both characters were so likable and relatable and I loved watching them finally admit their feelings.

Skipping Christmas - ⭐️ - It feels like the characters are teenagers. The FMC is giving the stereotypical cheeto girl from high school and the guy is giving the weirdo goth outcast boy who thinks he is all that… the only correct thing the MMC did was open the car door for her. It felt like two cringey teenagers messing around— FMC was horny the whole time and it was just extremely unappealing.

Holiday Blackout - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 - a k-drama. I've never sat FASTER. It was pretty cheesy. The smut scene was just a tad cringey- it was more what MMC was saying than anything else, especially with their past that is explained and how the MMC personality is introduced to us.

Hope This Helps - ⭐️ - Breighdynn ?? Excuse me?? Mom is insufferable, has too much anxiety, and needs several therapists. Hate the email exchanges. If there is a love story in this. HARD pass. Deejay? Do you mean DJ??? Snigger? Do you mean snicker? FMC can’t even apologize for her behavior or actions? FMC & MMC randomly make up?? FMC didn’t even deserve how nice MMC was or deserved to be asked out either.

Is It New Years Yet? - ⭐️.5 - I like the honesty and vulnerability that MMC allows FMC to see/hear. I honestly didn’t care for this story. Not sure if it’s because it was the last one and I just wanted to be done with the book or that it truly didn’t hook and hold me.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Atria Books for the ARC!

A Merry Little Christmas by Jessica Joyce was a 5 star story for me. A lovely second chance romance.

Decking His Halls by Alexis Daria was cute and a little spicy!

I’ll Be Home for Ex-Mas by Alexandria Bellefleur was a sweet second chance romance. I loved that they found each other in an airport bar. Felt very nostalgic.

Someone to Hold On To by Elise Bryant a wholesome Christmas story about the importance of community.

Ho Ho Oh No by M.A. Wardell not what I typically read honestly.

Twelve Seconds to Forever by Rebecca Jenshak a second chance romance at their best friend / sisters Christmas wedding.

A Solstice Kiss by Olivia Dade

All Roads Lead Home by Joss Richard

Skipping Christmas by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Holiday Blackout by Susan Lee

Hope This Helps by Sarah Hogle

Is It New Year’s Yet? by Zakiya N. Jamal

[Reading in Brussels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highlighting the ones that I rated 4 stars and more:

A Merry Little Christmas - Jessica Joyce: 5 stars
I love everything JJ writes, and this short story is perfect for a quick JJ fix. It is signature Jessica Joyce, infused with lots of feels in a few pages.

I’ll Be Home for Ex-Mas - Alexandria Bellefleur: 4 stars
I really liked this one, fun!

Twelve Seconds to Forever - Rebecca Jenshak: 4 stars
Honestly would read more! Time to go and check out this author's work.

A Solstice Kiss - Olivia Dade: 4 stars
This was absolutely adorable!

Hope This Helps - Sarah Hogle: 5 stars
I kept turning the pages hoping for more! Utterly delightful, I'd read a whole novel of this!

.. and more short stories in this compilation, I think everyone will have some really lovely ones they'll enjoy!

Thank you to Atira for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

“He’s pulling me into his arms and it feels like all my favorite Christmases, like coming home.”

Short Stories Featured:
✨A Merry Little Christmas by Jessica Joyce—Eleanor & Max: exes reunited at a snowy holiday gathering must confront what they left behind.
✨Decking His Halls by Alexis Daria—Noelia & David: roommates and longtime crushes blur the line between friendship and something more.
✨I’ll Be Home for Ex-Mas by Alexandria Bellefleur—Francesca & Benji: exes reconnect during a Christmas Eve airport delay.
✨Someone to Hold On To by Elise Bryant—Simone & Henry: two strangers form an unexpected bond while navigating personal upheaval.
✨Ho Ho Oh No by M.A. Wardell—Phillip & Brad Lee: a holiday event and a snowstorm bring two opposites closer than expected.
✨Twelve Seconds to Forever by Rebecca Jenshak—Lainey & Alex: childhood connections resurface during a snowed-in reunion.
✨A Solstice Kiss by Olivia Dade—Ellie & Felix: a spontaneous kiss in Sweden sparks something life-changing.
✨All Roads Lead Home by Joss Richard—Elle & Ryan: a hometown return rekindles a long-buried connection.
✨Skipping Christmas by Rebekah Weatherspoon—Ashley & Micha: neighbors create their own version of the holidays together.
✨Holiday Blackout by Susan Lee—Yoona & Ian: workplace rivals are forced together during a Christmas Eve blackout.
✨Hope This Helps by Sarah Hogle—Audrey & Mr. Gladwin: a series of tense emails between a parent and teacher leads somewhere unexpected.
✨ Is It New Year’s Yet? By Zakiya N. Jamal—Win & Ben: lifelong friends confront the truth of their feelings at a New Year’s Eve party.

“I love you. I think I maybe always have.”

Whether you are looking for cozy, emotional depth, or spice, this fun take on an advent calendar is sure to have something for everyone’s TBR.

Thanks to all authors atriabooks and netgalley for this advanced copy set to publish September 29.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a big advocate of advent calendar books. These short stories were so great that I couldn’t help but read more than one a day. Some were better than others, of course, but I think it’s a good way to get to know many authors at once.

[Trisha]

I absolutely LOVE advent books - especially around a holiday! I can't wait to start this one! So fun!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun holiday read. 🎄

As a Christmas advent book I really enjoyed the idea of short stories. Being able to start a story and finish the story in one sitting was fun.

Twelve little stories about love during the holidays with some spicy twists (some stories spicier than others) 🤭

Overall this was a really fun book!

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Netgalley & Atria Books, thanks for the ARC!

The Twelve Loves of Christmas would make a delightful Advent calendar leading up to Christmas Day. Each story is short and sweet, with varying degrees of spice. Each story is also written by a different author and some stories had me wishing for another chapter, while others had me content with the length.

It's a challenge to create a romance in such a short number of pages without each fictional pairing having a history that the reader is given the synopsis of in order to create the illusion of elapsed time in their relationship.

[belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

this was so very cute!!! i loved all these stories! thank you, atria for sending me a widget! 🫶

[Monique Costella · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

The Twelve Loves of Christmas

An Advent Romance Collection

By: Alexandria Bellefleur, Elise Bryant, Olivia Dade, Alexis Daria, Sarah Hogle, Zakiya N. Jamal, Rebecca Jenshak, Jessica Joyce, Susan Lee, Joss Richard, M.A Wardell and Rebecca Weatherspoon

Release Date: Sept 29, 2026

🎅 Christmas Short Novellas
🤶 Second Chance Love
🎄 1 bed
❄️ Snowed In
🎁 Christmas Market



A Merry Little Christmas by Jessica Joyce

Two best friends are driving up to Tahoe to be with Naomi's family during the holidays. While they are driving up Naoli says every few years her mom, best friends and their families always celebrate Christmas together. Naomi's friend El is remembering her time spent with Max at Christmas in Boston, she feels sad but is happy to be spending the holidays with her friend. While they are hanging out someone says the Durhams have arrived. El snaps her head to the door and sees Max. Her ghost of Christmas Past is here and standing by the front door. She is now stuck spending the holidays with her college ex and his girlfriend- what could possibly go wrong?


Decking the Halls by Alexis Daria

Two days before Thanksgiving Noelia's roomate tells her she's not signing the lease renewal on their apartment. She is ranting and raving to her brother about how it will be next to impossible to find an apartment on such short notice and he calmly says stay with me. Noelia says you don't have extra room at your place. Her brother Fernando tells her he is about to propose to his girlfriend and he's been living at her place for the past few months. They both laugh at keeping this information secret as they come from an overbearing Purto Rican family. Noelia is ecstatic that she can stay in her brother's place until she figures everything out - the only downside is will David his roomate mind?


Ho Ho Oh No by M.A Wardell

Martin's real job is in HR but the last nine years he has played Santa in the Little Falls Christmas Eve Festival. Philip however works in the Little Falls logistical department that tracks inventory, manages permits and timelines. He creates contingency plans which does not include being Santa. He would prefer to play the role of a Grinch if anything - then there wouldn't have to be any acting. Unfortunately for him Martin had an accident with the ladder and is now stuck with a broken wrist. Now Philip is stuck playing Santa. The worst part is he volunteered to fill in and be Santa. He went in the back room to get changed and the suit didn't fit, the pants were too short, the jacket and belt too tight and the beard and hat itched. He wonders if playing Santa comes with an infinite supply of Benadryl. Philip ends up breaking a new record being the worst Santa in recorded history.


Twelve Seconds to Forever by Rebecca Jenshak

Lainey and Jess have been best friends for twenty years and Jess is finally getting married tomorrow. Jess asked Lainey for a favor - to check on her brother Alex. Alex is a superstar football player and apparently is flying in late tonight after playing a game across the country the night before. Alex is also a Groosman so it wasn't ideal that he missed the rehearsal dinner - hence the motivation to check on him. He is known as the hometown hero. Lainey questions Jess again and says where is my brother. Jess finally answers honestly that he blew off the rehearsal dinner to go snowboarding. Jess mom walks in and she's told that Alex is staying at the grandparents cabin and to go find him.


All Roads Lead Home by Joss Richard

Elle just flew in from Florida to be with her Dad in New York for Christmas. She starts feeling anxious about seeing her dad so she kills some time and walks into a cute café. She feels bad walking in at 6 pm on Christmas Eve but when she opens the door she sees a very familiar face. Ryan who she has known since Preschool also happens to be her childhood best friend. The last time she saw Ryan was over ten years ago when they were still teenagers. Ryan asks her if she wants her peppermint mocha for here or to go. Since she notices the shop closes in an hour she says here so she can spend more time with Ryan. They start chatting about life and what has changed. Elle goes on to say there are no publishing jobs in Orlando so she is moving into the city and moving in with her dad until she finds a place to live. Ryan and Elle reminisce about old times and the memories they have shared. Elle feels like she never left the city and she was back to chatting with her old best friend. She wonders what life would be like if she never moved away.



This book compiled of 12 short Novellas was everything I wanted and more in a Christmas book. I have ADD and a very short attention span and I found most of these stories captivating. The summaries above are from my favorite stories from this book. The short stories that involved being snowed in from snow storms were my favorite. Being stuck in a cabin, airport or office with a handsome guy. I love it. These stories were cozy and cute and eveyrthing I would want to read during the holiday season. Reading this book early in June is a bit odd but I think I will re read this December first and do the chapter a day. The idea of an advent book is so adorable and I will have to read one each year as tradition. The last story fell kind of flat for me but the majority of these stories I ate up. This book is a quick one day read if you are OK being naughty and not doing the chapter a day for the 12 days of Advent. Overall this was a fantastic Christmas read.

[Angelina Harlow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this was such a wonderful holiday read and I’m so curious how the advent style will work with this book I hope you unwrap a chapter. This also introduced me to so many new authors that I’m excited to look them up.. The collection of stories felt diverse, with a wide range of characters that offer something for everyone. Below are my thoughts on each story thank you again atria for the arc.

1. Cute, but it felt like it was missing something. I loved El and Max, especially the fake girlfriend setup to dodge questions about his love life. I understand it’s a short story, so things had to move quickly, but I would have loved more flashbacks of their relationship in Chicago and an epilogue when they reunite. Honestly, I just need this as a full book.

2. I enjoyed this one more! I’m a sucker for a brother’s best friend trope, and even more so when the brother is actively setting them up (David and Noli were adorable). The forced proximity, pop culture references, and cozy apartment movie nights made this such a fun read.
3. Frankie and Benji’s story was so emotional. two people clearly in love, but with timing working against them. Frankie stepping aside so Benji could chase his rockstar dreams was heartbreaking. A missed flight and a napped bring them back together, and it felt like such a tender, well-earned second chance.

4. Cute and cheesy in the best way. I loved the Hallmark references. I genuinely couldn’t tell if some of those movies were real that they were talking about on hallmark, but I’d absolutely watch them. really enjoyed the conclusion and the message. You can chose to look for small glimmers of excitement in the ordinary day.

5.PJ and Brad Lee’s story was such a surprise in the best way. Definitely spicier than expected, but with the “one bed” trope, I probably should have seen it coming. Snowed in, forced proximity, emotional confessions it had everything. I also loved that the ending carried into New Year’s, with that “let’s call this new beginnings” moment. A great opposites attract story.
6. Has to be my new favorite from the short stories now sorry el and max. I loved the male main characters Alex and Lainey the female. Also I really enjoyed that this could have been a sports romance, had the best friends brother troupe and if this was fleshed out more it would have been such a cute novel. Lainey’s best friend is about to get married and she has to go and find Alex that is currently MIA. Lainey gets to the cabin to find Alex and then snow falls and has them forced together for a little bit! I need more write me a novella pleaae

7. Correction this is my new favorite short story that seems to be seamlessly put together. A kiss that sparks a night of adventure did I mention in Sweden? I loved how both characters were so open with each other. This also has the most highlights so far that I’ve made in the book . Felix saw Ellie in the museum and she was it for him and she just didn’t know it yet he fell the second he met her it was already the end of the story. Ellie wanted to make someone jealous and asked Felix to help and that’s just the start of the shory…

8. 8. A love letter to family and childhood friendships. Joss Richard’s writing always blows me away and to do so in a short story is something special. She writes New York so beautifully and can describe a scene so vividly. I loved the reconnecting with your childhood best friend and a cozy cafe that’s Christmas themed, this one branches out a bit more and leans into family and reconnenection and intertwines A story of being in love with your best friend and reconnecting with those you love the most even if it’s scary. I also loved her ambition and taking a leap and moving back to a place that scared her.

9. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into this one

10. Ian and Yoona were incredibly well-developed for such a short story. Office rivals-to-lovers, stuck working late on Christmas Eve when the power goes out it’s such a great setup. I loved seeing Ian’s vulnerability and the way they both reflected on what they’d sacrificed for their careers. The small gift exchange was such a meaningful touch especially the paperweight. What didn’t seem like much is really everything.

11. Wait… you’re really not giving me an ending for Audrey and Mr. G?! This was so cute, and then it just ends with the hint of a happily ever after. I need more at least a prologue of their coffee date!

12.Win and Ben were a great way to close out the collection and “start the new year.” It did feel a bit rushed, but I still really enjoyed their storyespecially Ben finally opening up.

[Linda Dominick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to @atriabooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

All these stories are fun and will get you into the Christmas spirit.

Featured stories:

“A Merry Little Christmas” by Jessica Joyce— Eleanor & Max: exes reunited at a snowy holiday gathering must confront what they left behind.

A second chance romance that has a surprising plot twist. Tropes include second chance romance and it’s always been you.

“Decking His Halls” by Alexis Daria— Noelia & David: roommates and longtime crushes blur the line between friendship and something more.

Imagine always crushing on your brother’s best friend and end up being roommates! He likes his space clutter free and she tries her hardest to push his buttons! Very fun and festive!

“I’ll Be Home for Ex-Mas” by Alexandria Bellefleur— Francesca & Benji: exes reconnect during a Christmas Eve airport delay.

Stuck at the airport on Christmas Eve only to reunite with someone with an ex. Tropes include, snowed in, one bed, second chance romance,

“Someone to Hold On To” by Elise Bryant— Simone & Henry: two strangers form an unexpected bond while navigating personal upheaval.

The main characters meet when they show up at senior living facility to visit their respective parent. They bond over being in the same stage of life and trying to solve the mystery of the cookie thief. Tropes are: midlife main characters, forced proximity, and new beginnings.

“Ho Ho Oh No” by M.A. Wardell— Phillip & Brad Lee: a holiday event—and a snowstorm—bring two opposites closer than expected.

MMC romance where one plays Santa and the plays the elf. They are snowed in and realize mutual feelings. They celebrate Christmas and Christmas Eve together. Tropes include: MM romance, snowed in, one bed, instalove.



“Twelve Seconds to Forever” by Rebecca Jenshak— Lainey & Alex: childhood connections resurface during a snowed-in reunion.

It’s a Christmas Eve wedding and best friend’s brother is missing. The FMC goes to find him at a cabin and they realize they both still care for each other. Tropes are snowed in, second chance romance, best friends brother.

“A Solstice Kiss” by Olivia Dade— Ellie & Felix: a spontaneous kiss in Sweden sparks something life-changing.

She wants to make her ex jealous by posting some photos of herself having a good time while in Stockholm. She’s there visiting to see if it’s a place she can see herself living since she was offered a job transfer. Tropes include strangers to lovers, cinnamon roll. Two expats living in Stockholm, HEA

“All Roads Lead Home” by Joss Richard— Elle & Ryan: a hometown return rekindles a long-buried connection.

FMC is stressing about being home for the holidays. She hasn’t seen her dad in a long time and is stressing about their reunion. She is planning to stay with him while she figures out her job situation. At her first stop in town she walks into a café and sees her high school best friend and crush. Tropes are second chance romance, small town, new beginnings.

“Skipping Christmas” by Rebekah Weatherspoon— Ashley & Micah: neighbors create their own version of the holidays together.

FMC is staying away from her mom for Christmas because she doesn’t want to deal with her. So she stays home and connects with a man who lives in her building. Tropes are forced proximity and instalove

“Holiday Blackout” by Susan Lee— Yoona & Ian: workplace rivals are forced together during a Christmas Eve blackout.

Workplace rivals are the last ones in the office when there’s a blackout. Shocked to find out her rival is afraid of the dark, they have their own little Christmas with breakroom snacks. Tropes are second chance romance, forced proximity, workplace romance

“Hope This Helps” by Sarah Hogle— Audrey & Mr. Gladwin: a series of tense emails between a parent and teacher leads somewhere unexpected. Single mom is worried about her daughter’s grades. She begins to email her teacher asking for her child to retake tests. They begin a snarky back and forth and meet at a school dance. Tropes include single mom, mother/teacher, over protective mom, and humor.

“Is It New Year’s Yet?” by Zakiya N. Jamal— Win & Ben: lifelong friends confront the truth of their feelings at a New Year’s Eve party.

Family friends come together to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Best friend’s brother comes out as bi and also proclaims his love for the FMC. Tropes include best friend’s brother, family shenanigans, forced proximity, coming out, and a grand gesture.

[CapesandCovers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun anthology! Usually there’s 1-2 stories that give really low ratings in an anthology, but that’s not the case here. All of these were super readable, and I loved most of them! My favorites are marked with ✨ emoji to make it easy to find titles.

A Merry Little Christmas by Jessica Joyce - 3.5 stars
This was a cute second chance romance, though there wasn’t anything about it that really stood out to me compared to some of the other stories.

Decking His Halls by Alexis Daria - 4 stars
Decking His Halls was silly in the best way. It follows an MC who moves in with her older brother’s best friend, and flirts with/torments him by decorating the entire place with Christmas decor.

✨I’ll Be Home For Ex-Mas by Alexandria Bellefleur - 5 stars✨
Another second chance romance, and while it definitely had some parallels to Joyce’s story, I preferred Bellefleur’s. I think a little more space between the two since they were a bit similar would’ve probably helped them avoid some comparisons tbh. It follows the MC who broke up with her boyfriend turned rockstar, only to run into him again at the airport. It had a nice bit of pining and was overall just super cute.

Someone to Hold On To by Elise Bryant - 3.5 stars
This follows an MC who’s trying to figure out who’s stealing cookies from her bake stand, and the man who finds her in the bushes instead. It had some really funny moments, and a heartwarming ending. I wasn’t sold on the romance though, and it felt a bit out of place in the anthology because of the romance being on the backburner.

Ho Ho Oh No by M. A. Wardell - 3
My least favorite out of all of the stories, which is disappointing since in theory I should’ve loved a romance between a grumpy guy dressing up as Santa for his sunshine love interest. Unfortunately the chemistry between the two characters wasn’t there for me.

Twelve Seconds to Forever by Rebecca Jenshak - 4.5 stars
Yet another second chance romance. Which sounds like I’m being judgmental, but I’m not I promise! I get why it’s a popular choice since it helps lay the groundwork for a romance in such a short page count. This follows an MC tasked with finding her best friend’s brother when he doesn’t show up to her rehearsal dinner the night before her wedding.

A Solstice Kiss by Olivia Dade - 4 stars
A woman visiting Sweden has some important life decisions to make, and wants to try being spontaneous for once. I loved the use of art imagery in this! It was cute, and fun to have a different (i.e. non-USA) setting!

✨All Roads Lead Home by Joss Richard - 5 stars✨
Peak Hallmark movie vibes, where the FMC goes home to her small town and reconnects with her best friend/crush from years ago. It was cozy and cute!

Skipping Christmas by Rebekah Weatherspoon - 3.5 stars
A woman finally gets to talk to her sexy neighbor, and realizes that they may not need to spend Christmas all alone after all. Mmm this man was excellent and far too good to be true (positive). I did keep waiting for the opening plot point to come up again (it didn’t), but it was nice to see an MC who’s no contact with some of her family.

Holiday Blackout by Susan Lee - 4 stars
This was a cute and sexy workplace romance between two workaholics trapped in the office on Christmas Eve! Honestly, I’d love to have read this as a full length novel.

✨Hope This Helps by Sarah Hogle - 5 stars✨
I’m not going to lie, this is the main reason I was so excited to start this anthology lol. I was so delighted to get the email from Atria offering me an ARC, and I was not disappointed. Hogle’s writing is always hilarious, and this was no different. The story follows a single mom arguing with her daughter’s teacher over her grades via email, and my only complaint is that this wasn’t longer!

✨Is It New Year’s Yet by Zakiya N. Jamal - 5 stars✨
Sabrina title? Yes please! This was such a treat to read. It follows the MC as she tries to avoid her best friend’s brother at their family NYE party. It was pining and miscommunication for the best reasons, and it was sexy! I also really loved how Jamal captured the feeling of being a young adult where you both feel like a kid when you’re home for the holidays, but are also very much Not anymore.

[Patrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are 12 short, easy to read, stories to get you in the Christmas spirit with a little romance. There are second chance loves, unrequited love, teenage crushes to adult lust, etc. A nice variety of different tropes with superb storytelling and likable characters.

A Merry Little Christmas by Jessica Joyce
A cute second chance at love story. When Eleanor accompanies her best friend on a family and close friends' holiday at Lake Tahoe, she gets the shock of her life when the ex she has never gotten over appears....

Decking His Halls by Alexis Daria
When Noelia finds herself needing a place to live because her roommate is moving out in less than 2 weeks; her brother offers his room in an apartment he shares with his best friend. Noelia has had a crush on the best friend since middle school. Let's see how this plays out...

I'll Be Home for Ex-Mas by Alexandria Bellefleur
This is a cute second chance romance when former high school sweethearts are accidentally stranded in an airport on Christmas Eve due to a ground stop due to inclement weather.

Someone to Hold On To by Elise Bryant
When life throws you lemons; make lemonade or something like that. As long as it helps you feel like your world isn't falling apart and there is one thing you might have some control over. Two people find each other in an unusual way when trying to “solve a mystery”. Wonderful characters and warm storytelling.

Ho Ho Oh No by M.A. Wardell
A cute story of two people, who work together, that feel something for each other but haven't made those feelings clear to the other person. Then a sick “Santa” and a surprise snowstorm put them in forced proximity. What happens next is a wonderful surprise.

Twelve Seconds to Forever by Rebecca Jenshak
This is a second chance love story. The wedding of a best friend has a chance to reunite friends. It's a BFF's brother and best friend romance … or is it?

A Solstice Kiss by Olivia Dade
I loved this story. It takes place in Sweden where two lonely hearts have a chance meeting and maybe a chance at love...

All Roads Lead Home by Joss Richard
This is a wonderfully executed second chance meeting of two friends that haven't seen each other in 10 years. Elle comes home for Christmas, to upstate NY, to her father's house after having lived in Florida with her mother since she is graduating high school. Delightful.

Skipping Christmas by Rebekah Weatherspoon
A nice meet cute. After two years of seeing each other around the apartment building; Ashley and Micah are in the mail room of the complex at the same time. He was always the cute guy in 2A to Ashley and her friends; but he was living with his girlfriend and her young daughter. Now he is unattached ….

I liked the whole premise of this story, and it was told in a great way. My only negative is that there are a few typos in this story. I hope that they are corrected for the actual release.

Holiday Blackout by Susan Lee
Cute office romance. On Christmas Eve, two workaholics get stranded in their office building in NYC, when there are a blackout and a huge snowstorm.

Hope This Helps by Sarah Hogle
A recently divorced mother is feeling guilty and overwhelmed, with having main custody of her 13-year-old daughter. She's worried that maybe she's not doing enough for her daughter. She strikes up an “e-mail war” with her English teacher. A cute “oops” when the parent/teacher meet for the first time by chance while chaperoning a school event.
I felt that this story has a good, strong, different vibe. I really like the concept of the divorced mom and the unbending English teacher.

Is It New Year's Yet? By Zakiya N. Jamal
Great story, well written, wonderful characters.
Family friends have feelings for each other but don't want to jeopardize their family's friendship and their own, so they never voice their attraction. Then one New Year's Eve it all comes out....

[Aamira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.


3.75 rounded up

Overall this was a fun anthology. I rated each short story below. There were definitely some standouts for me that I would love to see as a full length novel. This was a cozy little way to pass the time.


A Merry Little Christmas - Jessica Joyce
This was sweet and hopeful. The ending was a bit abrupt. I thought we would’ve had more time between the two of them, and I would’ve loved to see that. I loved the idea of it though and think this would make a really great full length story. 3

Decking His Halls - Alexis Daria
Ooooo this was fun!!! I really enjoyed this one. Though it’s short and sweet, it felt like a more complete story for me. I loved how Noli pushed David’s buttons with all of the holiday decor. Daria packs in some cute comedic moments and the spicy times were spicy. Loved this one! 4

I’ll Be Home for Ex-mas
Alexandra Bellefleur
This was another second chance romance. I didn’t quite feel a connection to this one. It felt a bit incomplete, much more like a scene from a novel rather than a fully fleshed out short story. 3

Someone to Hold Onto
Elise Bryant
This didn’t feel like a romance at all, more women’s fiction. It was cute and had humorous moments, but it still felt incomplete. The FMC did have a nice little character arc, but overall this one left me wanting. 3

Ho Ho Oh No
M.A Wardell
This was a cozy little romance that sneaks up on you. The relationship was really cute, and I enjoyed how reassuring Brad Lee was with Phillip. He was so gentle and patient. This has a satisfying ending and felt more like a complete story compared to some of the previous stories. 4

Twelve Seconds to Forever
Rebecca Jenshak
This was a cute premise, but much like a lot of the stories in this it left me wanting more. 3

A Solstice Kiss
Olivia Dade
This one was so cute. I really enjoyed Ellie and Felix’s evening wandering through Stockholm together. The characters were sweet, and I felt that while short and with an ending that begs for a continuation, there was a completeness about it that kept me satisfied. 4

All Roads Lead Home
Joss Richard
This one was super sweet. Again, another short that feels incomplete, yet I wouldn’t mind reading more of. 4

Skipping Christmas
Rebekah Weatherspoon
Nooooo this one was so good, and then it ends right when things are about to get hot 😭. It’s still a solid read, but I wish it could’ve gone on longer. 4

Holiday Blackout
Susan Lee
I would love to see this as a full length novel, but even as a short story it was very engaging. Lee gave us complex characters with a lot of depth in such a short amount of time and a heartfelt love story. I really enjoyed this one! 5

Hope This Helps
Sarah Hogle
I loved the banter in this one, but it felt more like the start of a novel than a completed short story. 3

Is It New Year’s Yet
Zakiyah N. Jamal
Ooh this was spicy and sweet! Loved it! 5

[Kelsey reviews•books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delight! I read all over 11 days to give myself the full effect and really enjoyed it. Some definitely stood out for me over others, but there is a great mix for all.

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★ out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
I read this as an advanced copy from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for my honest review. This book comes out September 29, 2026, giving you plenty of time to get this and read it in the months, weeks, or days leading up to the holidays
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○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– About: 12 short stories by 12 different authors featuring 12 different couples and their journey to find love during the holidays.
– POV: Some in first-person, some in third-person; some single POV, some dual
– Spice: Out of the 12 stories, 4 contain at least one explicit sex scene. The other stories either have no spice or kissing at most.
– Tropes: second chance; sister’s/brother’s best friend; strangers to lovers; workplace romance; make my ex jealous; childhood friends to lovers; neighbors to lovers; single mom
– Representation: LGBTQIA+ (one story is MM, and at least one other is queer); at least three stories have BIPOC MCs; at least one story has MCs in their 40s

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🎯 My Thoughts:

I was admittedly a little nervous going into this because I haven’t read an advent-style story before, but I really enjoyed it! Some of these were more memorable to me than others, but overall this was a fun experience for this reader.

I felt like it had a great mix of diverse characters in all areas of their journey’s in life. My favorites were from Sarah Hogle, Olivia Dade, and Jessica Joyce, but it was a great opportunity to get a taste of other “new to me” authors.

I did question some of the decisions for where each story was situated in the collection, but that could be just due to personal preference. I felt that each story brought something to the entire collection.

I wish that some of the stories pushed the “holiday” aspect a little further. Being as I read this in June, there were a few stories during which I forgot I was reading a holiday novella. but overall, only 2-3 of them really felt like a “Christmas” novella to me. The others felt kind of like “Die Hard” where it’s a story that takes place over Christmas (which is not a complaint in itself, I just would have liked some of them to be more festive).

Would I Recommend?: Yes!!! I think this would be a great read for someone looking to get into the Christmas mode without being slapped in the face with the festive spirit. And I love that you can go at your own pace. This would also make an excellent gift to a book lover.

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•♥Consider following me on Instagram @kelseyreviewsbooks for more visual content and bookish discussions.♥•

[Katie 🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Atria books and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review 📕 🌟

An advent calendar AND a book? SOLD. Sign me up. I love the concept. I wish I was reading it at Christmas time but it still had a certain ✨ magic ✨. I usually have a hit or miss mentality for short story collections but the fact that this is meant to be read like an advent calendar helps that a lot. Due to it being a collection- I find it hard to rate. 5 stars would be if every story knocked it out of the park and I enjoyed every story… BUT not all hit the mark.

3.5 / 5 stars as a collection , rounded up to 4 stars on Goodreads.

There are 12 authors. I originally tried to review all of them but the review got too long. Instead, I will have a short review on the standouts (in my opinion) of this collection. I will give a star rating to all the stories that do not get a review.

1- A merry little Christmas by Jessica Joyce - excuse me!!!! Jessica, can you move to the front please? Girl stop playing with me and write a Christmas book!!! What do you mean??? You teased me with Max and Eleanor. 5/5 stars. Hell of a way to start the advent

2- Decking his halls by Alexis Daria - 3/5 stars

3-I’ll be home for ex mas by Alexandria bellefleur- Francesca and Benji. This isn’t my favorite trope in this story but I went in with an open mind. But I devoured this. I loved it. I need more 4/5 stars. One star docked because it felt short even for a short story.

4-someone to hold on to by Elise Bryant -3/5 stars

5- ho ho oh no by M.A. Wardell- Brad Lee and Phillip - I loved the lgbtq representation in this story! I loved these two together and it did feel cozy and romantic. It has a little spice and my one critique is it was not slow burn enough for me. 3.5 /5 stars

6- twelve seconds to forever by Rebecca jenshak- Lainey and Alex, loved their banter. I wanted more than this short story can give me. I’ll have to check out this authors work 4/5 stars

7- a solstice kiss by Olivia Dade, Ellie and Felix , 5/5 stars. No notes.

8- all roads lead home by joss Richard , okay 3/5 stars

9- skipping Christmas by Rebekah weatherspoon- 2/5 wasn’t my fav

10-holiday blackout by Susan Lee- yoona and Ian, 3.5/5

11-hope this helps by Sarah hogle- 3/5 , initially enjoyed but then fizzled more towards the end. I think she needed to cook on this more. I wanted more! The writing was fantastic. The story compelling but just kind of ended ? Idk I was left unsatisfied.

12- is it new years yet? By zakiya Jamal - 3/5 loved lgbtq representation though. I just wasn’t a huge fan of the story direction.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve Loves of Christmas was a fun, sweet Christmas novella collection.

I decided that even though I read this in the spring, I wanted the advent calendar experience and read one story each day, to really get in the Christmas spirit! It was nice how short the stories were; they were all feel-good and romantic. Some of them I liked better than others. There is one MM romance in this collection, but I think I was most disappointed there was no sapphic romance.

I really liked going into the stories completely blind, but I did rate them all individually, for anyone that wants a bit more information:

1. A Merry Little Christmas, by Jessica Joyce
5/5. Second chance romance. Super cute and romantic. I loved it so much I wish it was a full length novel.

2. Decking His Halls, by Alexis Daria
4/5. Forced proximity. Brothers best friend. Grumpy x sunshine. Really cute story. Lots of fun with one character that loves Christmas and the other that likes things more neat and orderly.

3. I'll be Home for Ex-mas, by Alexandria Bellefleur
4/5. Second chance romance. Forced proximity. Stuck in an airport on Christmas eve, two exes reconnect in a right person, right time situation.

4. Someone to Hold on to, by Elise Bryant
3/5. This one didn't really have any romance. Found family in an apartment complex.

5. Ho Ho Oh No, by MA Wardell
4/5. MM romance. Coworkers. Forced proximity. Grumpy x sunshine. Two coworkers, total opposites are stuck together during a snow storm and ... there's only one bed.

6. Twelve Seconds to Forever, by Rebecca Jenshak
4/5. Friends to lovers. Best friend's brother. During her best friend's wedding, our fmc reconnects with the mmc, who she has known since childhoood and ... is now the right time for them?

7. A Solstice Kiss, by Olivia Dade
2.75/5. Fake dating. Strangers to lovers. FMC is in Sweden for work and asks a stranger take social posts with her, to make her ex angry. They find they like each other for real.

8. All Roads Lead Home, by Joss Richard
5/5. Childhood best friends to lovers. FMC goes to her hometown for the holidays and runs into her former best friend and they reconnect.

9. Skipping Christmas, by Rebekah Weatherspoon
2/5. Neighbors to lovers. Did not like this story. Unnecessary drama with an ex that added absolutely nothing to the story. FMC gave 'pick-me' vibes.

10. Holiday Blackout, by Susan Lee
3/5. Coworker rivals to lovers. Forced proximity. After working late on Christmas eve, there is a blackout and they are stuck in the building. The characters have a past (which didn't really add anything).

11. Hope This Helps, by Sarah Hogle
2/5. Teacher x parent. Not really any romance. The FMC was kind of terrible and kept making excuses for her daughter. The only reason the MMC could have liked her was because he like the was she looked, because she was absolutely awful.

12. Is it New Years Yet, by Zakiya N. Jamal
4/5. Childhood friends to lovers. Second chance. Main characters have been friends since child hood, along with the MMCs sister. They realize feelings having been growing over the years.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC.

[Molly Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This festive collection leans fully into what holiday romance readers want: cozy settings, emotional payoffs, and just enough magic to make love feel inevitable. The Twelve Loves of Christmas is designed as a countdown experience, with twelve sealed short stories meant to be opened one day at a time leading up to Christmas. It’s a clever concept that turns reading into a seasonal ritual, echoing the anticipation of an Advent calendar.

The variety is one of the book’s biggest strengths. Each story explores a different romantic trope, keeping the collection fresh and engaging. You get the playful tension of forced proximity—complete with a grumpy (but secretly soft) best friend—alongside quieter, more introspective narratives like two neighbors choosing to step away from the holiday chaos together. There’s also the classic second-chance romance, where exes reconnect under less-than-ideal circumstances (being stranded at an airport), proving that timing can change everything.

Because these are short stories, the emotional arcs are necessarily condensed. Some readers may wish for deeper character development or longer resolutions, but the trade-off is a brisk, satisfying pace that fits the busy holiday season. Each story delivers a complete romantic journey, even if it’s more of a snapshot than a sweeping saga.

The tone throughout is consistently warm and uplifting. There’s a strong emphasis on connection—not just romantic love, but also healing, forgiveness, and the comfort of companionship during a time of year that can feel both joyful and complicated. The “swoon-worthy” promise is largely fulfilled, though the charm lies more in sincerity than in dramatic twists.

If there’s a drawback, it’s that not every story will resonate equally; with multiple authors and styles, some entries will naturally stand out more than others. Still, the overall experience is cohesive, tied together by the holiday theme and the sense of anticipation built into the format.

In the end, this collection works best when embraced as intended: one story at a time, savored slowly. It’s less about binge-reading and more about creating a daily moment of warmth. For fans of romance and Christmas traditions, The Twelve Loves of Christmas offers a sweet, comforting escape—like unwrapping a small gift each day in December.

[Emily Condio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

It's hard to rank a collection of novellas, because there will always be ones I like a little more than others, but overall this was a good read! I loved the Christmas theme and that you could read one a day for the holidays (I read them all at once of course).

A Merry Little Christmas (Jessica Joyce): really enjoyed this one! I thought it was a great opener and liked the second chance romance.

Decking His Halls (Alexis Daria): I do like this author's books so the vibes were familiar to me. It was a good 'brother's best friend' read. I thought the decorating was fun.

I'll Be Home for Ex-Mas (Alexandria Bellefleur): this one was ok for me. The airport pods were weird and I didn't fully get why they broke up to begin with.

Someone to Hold On To (Elise Bryant): This one was one of my least favorites only because I wasn't feeling the characters.

Ho Ho Oh No (M.A Wardell): the worst Santa in history was funny because he really was terrible. Not a bad read!

Twelve Seconds to Forever (Rebecca Jenshak): a best friend's bother read. It was fun and a snow storm situation is always good for a holiday book.

A Solstice Kiss (Olivia Dade): wasn't crazy about this one. I thought the premise was a little farfetched but liked the setting.

All Roads Lead Home (Joss Richard): another second chance romance. I liked this one a lot! Probably one of my favorites in this collection. Looking forward to reading more of her books!

Skipping Christmas (Rebekah Weatherspoon): this one was just ok. I thought the writing was a little off and wasn't really feeling it.

Holiday Blackout (Susan Lee): another ok one. I liked the second chance piece but I wanted more background about what happened the first time (it is a novella, so understandable!

Hope This Helps (Sarah Hogle): a You've Got Mail type of story. I thought the emails in this were fun and would be interested to know what happens after.

Is It New Year's Yet? (Zakiya N. Jamal): this one was my least favorite. I thought the writing was iffy and the characters didn't grab my attention.