The Christmas Yes List

by Melissa Ferguson

SOON TO BE A STREAMING ORIGINAL MOVIE!

Get ready for a laugh-out-loud holiday romance that's brimming with witty banter and heartwarming cheer by the bestselling author of Meet Me in the Margins, Melissa Ferguson.

Chronic people-pleaser Chloe Hollis is determined to finally learn how to get over her fear of rejection. Her unconventional solution? She must collect ten "nos" before Christmas Day by asking strangers for the most ridiculous favors she can dream up. But her plan goes hilariously off-track when she meets James Dutton.

James, a rule-following workaholic, has decided to do the exact opposite of he's saying "yes" to every opportunity that comes his way in hopes of finally embracing life--and maybe a little Christmas spirit.

As they continue to get tangled up in each other's wild experiment, Chloe and James find themselves in a whirlwind of festive, awkward, and delightful situations. But no one is more surprised than they are to realize they're falling in love.

With sparkling humor and swoon-worthy heart, this delightful Christmas rom-com is a feel-good story about facing fear head-on, choosing growth over comfort, and finding the courage to say "yes" to the things--and the people--that truly matter.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Fiction, Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 6, 2026

About the author

Melissa Ferguson is a bestselling author of romantic comedies and cozy mystery rom-coms, including Meet Me in the Margins, How to Plot a Payback, On the Way to Christmas, and The Perfect Rom-Com. Her debut picture book, Our Friendly Farmhouse, introduced young readers to her signature warmth and charm beyond the rom-com page. Two of her novels are currently being adapted for film with Melissa serving as Executive Producer.

Come join over one million followers as she shares glimpses of farmhouse life with her husband and five children and bookish joy at @ourfriendlyfarmhouse.

Reviews

[Heather Adores Books]

Just saw this is being made into a streaming movie.
3.5⭐
Genre ~ holiday fiction
Setting ~ West Virginia
Publication date ~ October 6, 2026
Publisher ~ Thomas Nelson
Est Page Count ~ 352 (16 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 7 hours 0 minutes
Narrator ~ Karissa Vacker
POV ~ single 1st, present tense
Featuring ~ people pleaser, small town, opposites attract, miscommunication, no steamage, long chapters

Chloe has a hard time saying no until she's had enough of her boss walking all over her, so she walks out and heads back home to West Virginia. She derives a plan to try to make people say no to her, but it doesn't seem to work out great when a handsome fella named James says yes to everything, even to the most outlandish requests.

Opposites attract ~ she has trouble saying no and he has trouble saying yes, she cares what people think of her and he couldn't care less. They end up spending quite a bit of time together, and even though the book essentially takes place for about 2 weeks it still felt like a slow burn. A slow burn and yet strong feelings develop in that time. I absolutely hated the miscommunication from her, and I was hoping he'd actually run as fast as he could in his office meeting attire to the airport and hightail it outta there.

I've got to talk about her bff, Genie, for a moment. Wow, and not necessarily in a good way. She was way over the top in some of the things she did. I can see how she thought she had Chloe's best interests at heart, but whew she was exhausting. Good luck to her boyfriend, Peter.

Overall, the small town vibe was vibing, the festiveness was festive, but the chapters were super long. I did enjoy her coming up with some crazy ideas, the dinner one was a bit much, but some were fun like the snow song dance. Also, liked how he so effortlessly was along for the ride without much qualms because really you shouldn't care what people think. Gotta live the one life you're given. Lastly, how her family, and the town, welcomed him was nice.

Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the above info for reference.

[Darla]

It's a metaphorical tug-of-war in Maple Hills, WV. (Take me home, country roads.😎)

She wants him to say NO. All he seems to say is YES.

Who will win?

Our Terrific Darling Book Club chose this as a Christmas in July read. We had an excellent discussion this week. Watch for reviews from the our terrific Tina and Barbara coming soon.

Here are some things I loved about this one:

🤗Chloe has found herself to have the tendency to bend over backwards to please others without any regard for her own wellbeing. She has gone to far in giving of herself. Her determination to start saying NO more often collides with a meet cute in baggage claim.

🕺James is on vacation for the holidays and happy to accomodate this beautiful woman with so many demands. Is he being polite? Or is he on a self-help journey on the other side of the spectrum?

🎄Lucky us. We are along for the ride. There are many fun Christmas activities, but the tone of the book is humorous and heartwarming -- not cheesy. I thought it was pitch perfect!

😎Melissa Ferguson's writing also oozes with cultural references. Her comedic timing is spot on: Love You Forever, Elf, Titanic, and the Rockettes are just a few.

🎁And that Epilogue. What a gift. Actually this entire book was a wonderful way to enjoy Christmas in July. This is my favorite book yet from Melissa Ferguson.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Available October 6, 2026.

[Kristie]

This was a cute Christmas story. I can see how people could relate to Chloe being a people pleaser. She had great difficulty saying no and worried a lot about what people thought of her. The task of getting people to tell her "no" didn't make a lot of sense to me, though it was explained pretty well in the book. You just had to go with it.

The story was enjoyable and a quick read. It is a clean romance with just some kissing. Though, I was thrown off a bit by the sudden inclusion of some God-speak, such as "I've already got a Savior" thrown in at the end. It just seemed to come out of the blue. I don't have any qualms about reading Christian fiction and this is a Christmas story, so it would have been expected if it had been included from the beginning, but the characters didn't seem particularly religious before that so it felt thrown in to help with the conclusion.

I also didn't love Chloe's take on the "problem" in the relationship (or her best friend's "help"!). James told her some things early on and what she found out or thought she found out shouldn't have been a big deal if she actually listened to anything he said. I get that we need a problem for the couple to overcome, so this was as good as any I suppose and her best friend really stoked that fire. Again, I think you just need to go with it.

Overall, this was a sweet read and enjoyable. I loved the Christmas in a small town atmosphere. I think this may be a story well-loved by those that enjoy all the Hallmark Christmas movies.

Maybe 3.5 star

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Anahita ❀]

This was so cute!
A people-pleaser whose only wish for Christmas is rejection!!

Felt just like a fun Hallmark Christmas movie, with all the family gatherings, holiday spirit, and some crazy ideas! ·꙳⋆𖢔𖠰𖢔·꙳⋆

Spice🌶: null/clean (kissing)
Pacing: medium to fast-paced
Narrator🗣: Female—first-person POV
Tropes: opposites attract, small town
Chapter style: long & descriptive
Chemistry⚛️: 9/10
Vibes⋆꙳⋆⁺₊: cozy warm homes, hot chocolates, Christmas tree lighting, Christmas carols, family gatherings, kids, snow, toboggans, festive & decorated towns and houses, funny Christmas attire, small-town quirky characters, traditions, nothing too serious, and mostly outlandish ideas! 🦌⋆·˚ ༘ 🧤 ⊹˚꙳🧣⁺⋆🛷₊･*❅


This was my second book by this author, and I am slowly thinking she will be my go-to cozy reading pick from now on! I had the best experience listening to this audiobook. This one had me giggle, smile, laugh out loud, and audibly react until the end! The kind of Christmas romance/rom-com that I can easily recommend to anyone who wants a silly, goofy time, especially during the holidays. Can’t wait to see the movie!!

Even though we are a long way from Christmas, this book felt so easy to read/ listen to and get in the spirit! I have to say, Karissa Vacker does a great job narrating the story. I have always liked her work, and apart from liking Melissa Ferguson's previous work, she was one of the reasons I requested this audiobook on NetGalley. I especially liked how she was able to show different emotions, especially when it came to the inner monologue of the FMC! I believe it made my experience even more immersive and delightful.

I do recommend listening to this, since some characters' personalities, accents, and jokes might land better in this format! Also, I believe it would've been less enjoyable to read the long chapters physically.

。*
˛°_██_*.。./ \ .˛* .˛。.˛.*.★* *★ 。*
˛. (´• ̮•)*.。*/♫.♫\*˛.* ˛_Π_____.e ˛* ˛*
.°( . • . ) ˛°./• '♫ ' •\.˛*./______/~＼*. ˛*.。˛* ˛.*。
*(...'•'.. ) *˛╬╬╬╬╬˛°.｜田田 ｜門｜╬╬╬╬╬*˚ .˛

The MCs were both fun, with opposite traits that, in this case, helped the story gain momentum and wit.✨

❄️ Chloe: She asks the funniest and most ridiculous questions/favors of James! James, well, he says yes to the most absurd things she could ask of him!!
She struggles to say no, to disappoint people, and does not know how to handle it when people

❄️ James: A charming and handsome man who is traveling to see his family in this small town that Chloe is from! He is also trying to change his lifestyle and choices, and is trying to be more agreeable, optimistic, and open to risks! Even though here he went to extreme lengths to say yes to Chloe, and in real life probably no one ever would/could!!

Two of them start to test each other's limits and carry on playing this game of working outside their comfort zone! However, one might be a better actor or player than the other! As they continue to see each other for different activities and on different days during the holidays, they start to develop feelings for one another.

My major critique here is it might've been a bit more fun to have slightly shorter chapters and get at least 4,5 chapters in James (MMC) POV. I think this could've broken up the repetition between tasks and character styles. Additionally, at times around the 60% mark, Chloe and her thoughts about James started to annoy me a tiny bit! However, the book manages to show character growth, a deep emotional connection, that you will find your person, and that the right person will like you despite (or in spite of) your silly/ wild ideas and actions!!

Overall, a humor-heavy, fun rom-com to pick up!! #TheChristmasYesList #NetGalley

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio | Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

[aribooks]

Lord this was so funny and lovely at the same time… I know we’re in summer but here am I reading Christmas setting books, but I promise you, this was really good!!

I had so much fun reading this, and Christmas setting, small town vibe, Christmas miracle romance ? Sign me in directly.
Also sorry I laughed so much in the beginning when Chloe asked James many different things for him to reject her and he kept saying yes to everything HAHAHA…poor girl was trying to get all of her 10 rejection and still couldn’t….

I really like Chloe character so much…maybe because I could identify a lot to her, and the problem of saying NO to people, and overthinking everything…. Which is very relatable.

I loved Chloe and James relationship, for me they fit so well with each other. On one hand we have, Chloe who have a hard time saying no to people and overthinks everything and, on the other side, we have James who doesn’t care at all about what people think.
James is so perfect for her, because he, in a way helped her care less about people opinion. And Chloe helped him have more fun and try new things.

Usually I wouldn’t have liked the angst in the ending even but honestly it didn’t really bother me and I think it was necessary for them to have this “moment” I think.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

[Michaela]

No one is more upset than I am about this. While the two leads have the fantastic chemistry I've come to associate with Melissa Ferguson's books, The Christmas Yes List fell flat for me in several ways.

First, this plot is nonsensical. I truly don't understand how getting rejected by strangers in manufactured scenarios will help Chloe overcome her people-pleasing tendencies. She clearly struggles with anxiety (as do I!), but this is not the way. I wish Chloe had gotten the help she needed and that Christian publishers would like a deep look at how they frequently portray mental health in fiction. Even in silly goofy rom-coms, it matters.

Second, the "conflict" that arises between Chloe and James made no sense. I read the passage twice to see what I was missing. Chloe jumps to a wild conclusion and immediately engages in psychological warfare. I felt terrible for James. It boggles my mind because I felt Chloe was doing the same thing that she was mad at James for supposedly doing. They were both trying to grow!

Thirdly, the pacing threw me off. The chapters were all very long, but only covered a very short amount of time. I think the first three chapters covered several hours of time but amounted to 37% of the book! It was hard to believe that they grew close over such a short period of time.

Now, I don't expect every book from a Christian publisher to have faith content. Most of their fiction releases that I've read focus on no spice and no language, which is fine by me as stories can show the truth of Scripture without beating you over the head with it. However, if books *do* bring up Christianity, I take note. Throwaway lines about Bibles and "already having a Savior" irked me because never once does Chloe consider her supposed faith while going through this intense emotional crisis. What was the point of mentioning it at all?

All in all, I'm bummed that this book didn't work for me. I will still check out the author's future works as I enjoy her writing style. Thank you to Thomas Nelson for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Jennifer]

Review of a ARC I received from NetGalley.

This book was everything I want in a holiday romance. I absolutely loved every second of this book! From the very first chapter, I was completely hooked and found it nearly impossible to put down.

The charming small-town setting was pure Christmas magic. Between the bustling town square with its glowing Christmas tree, cozy mugs of hot chocolate, festive carols, sledding hills packed with toboggans, and magical nights spent stargazing, Melissa Ferguson created an idyllic holiday atmosphere that made me wish I could pack my bags and move there for the season.

The romance was equally delightful. I loved the opposites-attract dynamic, and watching these two characters slowly challenge and complement one another was such a joy. The humor was another standout. It wasn’t just cute or quirky—it genuinely made me laugh out loud multiple times.

The character development was fantastic across the board, especially for the FMC. She was an endearing mix of eccentric, fun, and relatable as a recovering people-pleaser who constantly overthinks everything. Watching her learn to embrace herself and take chances made her journey incredibly satisfying.

Heartwarming, hilarious, and full of festive charm, The Christmas Yes List is the kind of Christmas romance that leaves you smiling long after you’ve turned the last page. If you’re looking for a cozy, feel-good holiday read filled with laughter, swoony romance, and all the Christmas magic you could hope for, this one belongs at the top of your holiday TBR.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader]

This was such a fun holiday read. Ferguson is so talented. I would never have thought of the whole getting people to tell you No idea, but it worked out so well. I enjoyed this cute read. I can't wait to see it hit the screen. I loved the West Virgina setting.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

[Deanne Patterson]

I can't believe I haven't read this author yet with how many books she's written. Then I console myself by saying, well you can't try all the authors. I sure have fun trying though.
Grab your hot chocolate, cozy blanket and your pets, once you start this one you're not going to want to stop.
A cute and humorous rom com filled with Christmas joy.
Of all places to meet they met at the airport.
After reading a book on self-improvement she makes a pact with herself to learn how to stop being a people pleaser.
What started out as a game gets confusing when she assumes he's read the same book and is doing the same thing but learning how to say yes to things.
I loved the dialogue James and Chloe had, so much fun and humor in the story.
Great read.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Natalie]

The Christmas Yes List has such a funny premise! The main character Chloe is a chronic people pleaser who tries to break herself of the habit by asking 10 random people outlandish requests and getting 10 “nos” in response. She meets James, who ends up agreeing to her requests which she definitely isn’t expecting.

As you can imagine from the premise, there were quite a few humorous moments. I enjoyed the scene with Chloe on the plane talking to the guy in the seat next to her own, and her meeting with James was quite funny as well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find Chloe terribly relatable as a character and she could be very over the top at times. James’s reason for the way he acted was a little strange too. The book started out funny but it got a little repetitive after a while. I also had some trouble connecting to the characters which I think was due to the writing style.

This is published by Thomas Nelson, a Christian publisher, but there wasn’t very much Christian content at all other than a Bible on Chloe’s nightstand and one or two other references. I would call it more of a clean read.

Overall this was a cute Christmas read that I mostly enjoyed. The cover is adorable too!




I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Shannon Kelepolo]

This book was absolutely amazing! Like a giant hug! It was also hilarious! I loved it so much! I can’t wait to see the movie. Thank you so much NetGalley & Thomas Nelson Fiction for the early copy. I adore Melissa Ferguson so much! ❤️

[Megan Sampson]

This felt too Hallmark movie of a book in a bad way. And I say that as a girl who likes hallmark movies! This just read like a bad script. I saw that it was already adapted for a movie, and it sort of seems like the author wrote a hallmark movie and then said hold on let me turn it into a subpar book. I thought the premise was promising, but the execution was petty and lasted too long. Because of that, I couldn’t really get behind the romance. I didn’t like either of the main characters much, and so there wasn’t anything to root for with them. I’ve read other Melissa Ferguson books and enjoyed them, but this was a miss for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC!

[Hannah]

2.5 Stars.

The vibes:
- She’s people pleaser
- He doesn’t care what anyone thinks
- Holiday / Christmas setting
- Silly / light
- Closed door (kisses only)

My thoughts:
Chloe is a people pleaser who challenges herself to get 10 rejections in the week leading up to Christmas. When she runs into James, a man who has no problem humiliating himself in public, it creates a very entertaining dynamic as Chloe keeps trying to get a rejection from James.

In the first half, I enjoyed the set up. We have both extremes of personality, but I found it both ridiculous while still being fun.

As Chloe kept making up nonsense requests, and he kept saying yes, there were definitely some festive shenanigans involved. I enjoyed the first half ok but I was really hoping we would go from silly and fun towards more depth and more emotional connection building.

Instead I felt like the plot got even more outlandish and less serious. Chloe’s antics pushed it all over the edge for me. It was giving How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days (which I love that movie but did not love that execution here).

I was asking myself who is Chloe? It almost seemed like her challenge should’ve been for herself to be saying no to things because that seemed to be the ultimate problem in a lot of situations. Right when the book is almost wrapping up, we find out about this supposed hobby that she loves so much that hasn’t really been mentioned once this entire time. And then we get another shift about her dream job. At that point, I truly felt like I had no idea who Chloe was and didn’t think any of these revelations came across organically.

Meanwhile, James is just putting up with absolute insanity. Why? He meets this woman acting insane, and somehow he has fallen for her? I really struggled with the execution her, but if you enjoy a heavy humor Christmas romcom with a fast moving relationship, you might enjoy this one!

Note / spice content: closed door (kisses only)
Release date: October 6, 2026.

Thank you so much to Melissa Ferguson, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for the gifted copy. I received this eARC from the author/publisher, but this honest review is voluntary.

[Karen]

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I can confirm that my review and comments are all my own.

Chloe Hollis is a chronic people-pleaser, a cycle she wants to break. So her goal is to collect ten rejections by Christmas Day. Flying home for Christmas to Maple Hills, Chloe unexpectedly meets James Dutton. James is the opposite of Chloe and is on his own mission to say yes to every opportunity in the hope of embracing life.

This book started off quite slowly. From landing at the airport to arriving at her family home, took up the first 40% of the book. Unfortunately the pacing never really picked up.

I liked both the main characters but there was nothing special about either, so I didn’t feel that connection with them.

I see that this book has already been picked up for a movie release. I rarely say this, but I think this would work better as a film rather than a book. It’s a shame as there is nothing wrong with the storyline or characters, but it read more like a novella so there was no real character depth or growth.

Nevertheless I did enjoy this book but it hasn’t been one of my favourites.

Tropes:

* small town charm
* zero spice (kissing)
* family
* opposites attract
* christmas traditions

[Jo|Ruth Reads]

I feel like this story kept me entertained because I listened to it on audio. I never usually listen to my books, but I think that format really added to my enjoyment of this one.

Chloe is trying to make a change in her life and stop worrying so much about what other people think. She takes on a challenge to get ten full on rejections to break her people pleasing ways. James, meanwhile, is trying to do the opposite by saying yes to life and not missing out anymore. So Chloe has met her match with James, each challenge she gets more and more creative, but he just keeps saying yes! As they spend more time together, sparks start to fly, but with both of them changing their normal responses because of their challenges, it’s hard to know what is real and what isn’t.

I liked this one a lot. A few things held it back for me, though: Some parts didn’t feel completely realistic, miscommunication was a large part of the storyline, and the (romance)pacing felt a little off for me at times.That said, this was still a great read and a really fun romance. The audio really made me enjoy the story more.

I'm excited to see this story played out on screen because I feel like it will really shine in that format!

I gave this a 4.5 rounded to a 5!

I recieved a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.

[Jennifer]

Pure Christmas in July and some of August comfort. Very wholesome & sweet! 💚❤️

[Barbara Powell]

Ahhh! I loved this one so much! I found myself literally laughing out loud, especially in the beginning and then swooning later in the story. Yes it's still summer, but this is one you want to read now and then you'll read every year at Christmas!
The small town vibes. the Christmas setting, the sweet romance-Chloe and James worked so well together and their banter was so fun! James helped her care less about what people thought of her and that's exactly what she needed-to let go and live her life! She was so focused on being a people pleaser that she ended up needing to challenge herself to her 10 rejections by Christmas by asking people the most random things expecting that they'll say no. When she meets James randomly and he says Yes, she totally wasn't expecting everything to go out the window, in the best way possible.
The cover is cute, the story is cute and clean and it was just a feel good read from start to finish.
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review

[Michelle Lamirande]

This is killing me inside cause I love everything Christmas but this was a huge miss for me. It really just felt like I was reading a bunch of nothing. This reminds me of those Hallmark Christmas movies that’s trying to be so cute and wants so badly to get the vibe and just ends up feeling cringey and hard to watch. I think this was trying to have the vibes of The Holiday Calendar and it just didn’t make it there. Plus the way it was written and the unbearably long chapters made the book a struggle for me as well. Hopefully the movie is better than the book.

[Joanna]

4.25⭐️!

LOVED this one!! Yes I’m reading Christmas romances already, mind ya business haha😅

The Christmas Yes List was the epitome of a Hallmark movie. It was so nostalgic and made me feel like I was 12 years old again watching the newest one with my mom while drinking hot chocolate. It was so funny watching Chloe see how far she could push James before he’d give her a no😂 I almost felt bad for the guy at some points haha, but it just shows how down bad for her he was🥹 and Chloe’s dad? I think he wins my favorite side character, because he was giving some of the best advice👏🏻

A huge thank you to NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

You’ll love this if you love:
📖 strangers to lovers
📖 he falls first
📖 faith elements
📖 small town

✨TW: this book contains topics of narcissistic ex and death of a parent.
📖 Sexual Content: PG: affection is limited to kissing
🩸Violence: G: no real violence
💬 Language: no strong language; no sexual innuendos

[Barbara]

Chloe Hollis has a problem saying no to people and sets out on an experimental journey getting people to say “no” to her ridiculous requests.

James Dutton has a problem saying yes. He’s a workaholic and rarely spends time with his family or living a life outside of work.

Chloe offers James a ride from the airport, expecting him to say no. James is about to do just that when it suddenly hits him that maybe he should say yes and do something different for a change. He has no clue what is about to happen in his life! James deserves a medal for putting up with everything Chloe comes up with.

A fun holiday read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Susan Peterson]

2.5 stars….it’s hard to enjoy a romance when you really don’t like the female main character. Chloe was manipulative from the very beginning, and then she became mean and cruel on top of that. James was sweet and endearing, but I could find no reason for him to be enamored of her. My head swam with all of the frenetic self-talk, it was just so annoying. I am sorry that this was not a book that I could love. I received an advance reader copy of this book.

[Amela]

3.5 stars rounded up, this was a cute little small town romance with a silly premise of trying to get rid of your baggage around people pleasing and not being able to say no leading to a very surprising but fitting relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC!

[Kacey Rayburn]

This was such a cute, quirky, funny, festive, and heartwarming read! I loved the opposites attract vibes and the journey to self-growth and healing. I enjoyed the narration. It brought the story to life even more. Thank you at netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[lauras.always.reading]

What a snuggly little romance this is. Chloe is a people pleaser and determined to break the habit. She creates a plan where she needs to collect 10 rejections by Christmas and starts off with a stranger at the airport, James. The only flaw in the plan is that James says yes. Yes, to letting her give him a ride. Yes to silly antics. Yes to all the zany things she continues to ask of him. Set in a small town in snowy West Virginia, this book reads like a sweet Hallmark movie. Perfect for a quick escape at any time of year.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson for an ARC of this book. The opinions here are my own.

[Colleen | Paperback.Portals]

I wanted to badly to enjoy this. I’ve been reading Melissa Ferguson’s books since Meet Me in the Margins. However, I did find the plot difficult, and I just wanted the main character to get the help she needed, because it seemed like so much more concerning than a bad self-help book. Additionally, the story line was repetitive and the miscommunication made it difficult to stick with it. I also would have loved a bit more chemistry and tension with the MMC.

I love a small town Christmas story with quirky characters and low stakes, but I had a hard time with this one.

[ryliekate_reads]

Review of Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing.
Publication Date: October 6, 2026

3.25 stars!
This was such a cozy, Christmasy, Hallmark-esq. book! Very insta-love with an airport “meet-cute” and a classic small town girl meets big city boy. Chloe’s people-pleasing struggles feel relatable, and her arc at the very end was quite sweet, and James was an overall great MMC. But personally, their chemistry at times felt a little difficult to find, though also really adorable at times— such as during the Christmas sweater hunt! Now, his confession to her… oh my gracious 🥰 I adored how he was honest in telling her that he didn’t need someone perfect to fit in his life because he already has a Savior, and I feel that is SUCH an important distinction in relationships. God is in whom we are complete by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. So, it was really special to see that portrayed in a novel. The family aspect was sweet too!
The premise of this book was really cute, however there were definitely some parts that, for me, felt a little uncomfortable. Chloe’s “no list” results in her almost manipulating James after she suspects him of actually being a narcissist and having his own “yes list”. She gets quite upset with him, and that whole situation felt off and a bit hypocritical (though she grows from it). Also, Chloe’s best friend, Genie, I found to be a bit toxic at times and honestly not respectful of Chloe. Though she was supposedly helping Chloe get the “nos”, she wouldn’t take a no from Chloe.
~Content~
Romance: Clean! Non-descriptive kisses and very mild innuendo (Chloe’s toxic ex— who’s now married— is obsessed with Chloe and also flirts with another woman). A very brief mention of romantic advances by Chloe’s second cousin.
Violence: Chloe almost falls from a cliff, but otherwise, none.
Other: Chloe follows advice from an internet-famous therapist to “heal” her people-pleasing tendencies, brief mention of past death, deception, mild manipulation, vomit, anxiety disorder, and panic attacks.
Christian: God and the Bible are mentioned as is praying, however certain things such as lying are fairly normalized in the book. Themes of healing, hope, family, love, and joy are present.
~Final Thoughts~
Overall, The Christmas Yes List by Melissa Ferguson is a sweet and cozy read! Did not love this one as much as I had hoped, however I still enjoyed this book. I would recommend checking it out if you enjoy stories that give that Christmasy, nostalgic Hallmark movie, insta-love, rom-com, cozy small-town feel in a book that’s also clean and has faith elements.
Happy reading :)

I received a complimentary copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Lisa]

Disclosure: I received a copy of THE CHRISTMAS YES LIST by Melissa Ferguson in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher, author, and everyone involved in this Goodreads giveaway.

Romances, rom coms, unique premises, and creative stories are fun to read. Kudos to the author for her successful film adaptations. Great cover art.

Having said that…

I get the idea of the forced proximity trope. There are plenty of rom coms where total strangers share a ride and end up in a relationship. IRL those rides can end up on an episode of Dateline. Oh no!

And TBT, maybe knowing someone who was attacked in a IRL ride-share scenario makes me a bit biased. But after all, this is an honest review.

Is the MC exhausting or endearing? Readers decide whether a MC who shares her entire life story in the first few minutes of meeting a stranger is exhausting or endearing. When this happens IRL, it feels like the boundary-violating person just threw up on me. Others might love becoming “fast friends” with people that ultimately steal their furniture. YMMV.

Even though I read it twice, I continued to struggle with the way the MC’s mental health issues were portrayed and addressed. I just couldn’t shake the feeling that a serious issue was handled in such a way, and it just didn’t sit right with me.

The MC chose to do some pretty wacky and risky stranger danger things—albeit based on less than stellar advice…and while the book’s interesting premise was unique, I wrestled with the story and having to suspend disbelief.

Despite this I read on…

I must confess that I continued to give this novel grace when the books was oh so very close to a DNF for me.

Yeah, I know it is fiction.

Consensus seems to be that the author’s other books were well received, so I will gladly give them a read.

🧐 I may watch the film adaptation of this book, however I make no promises I will feel any differently…

#reviewed

[Wildrose Reader]

“The Christmas Yes List” by Melissa Ferguson
📘 Format: Digital Book
📚 Pub Date: 10.06.26
⭐️ Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stars

“The Christmas Yes List” by Melissa Ferguson is a delightful romance full of Christmas Cheer and so much laughter!

Chloe Hollis is a perpetual people pleaser who has fled Seattle and is moving back home with almost no possessions. She believes that much of her unhappiness in life is due to her inability to say no and stand up for herself.

Her best friend, Genie, still lives in her hometown and a highlight of Chloe returning home to Maple Hills, West Virginia in time for the holiday season is that they get to spend more time together.

Chloe becomes convinced that the best way to try to break her compulsive people pleasing ways is with a popular self-help book that encourages putting yourself out there to invite rejection, which is the way to “cure” people pleasing ways. It is referred to as “Rejection Therapy”.

While undertaking this self-imposed form of therapy, Chloe mistakenly assumes some ideas as truths. This leads to all kinds of misunderstandings and misconceptions; mostly supported and encouraged by Genie.

The romance made me swoon (I so enjoy a clean romance) and the sense of humour had me laughing throughout.

I adored “The Christmas Yes List” and would highly recommend it. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book during the middle of my summer! I would ordinarily never have chosen a Christmas book to read in the middle of the summer, but I am so glad that I did! I am going to put this on my “to re-read list” during the winter as Christmas approaches.

Thank you to Melissa Ferguson, NetGalley & Thomas Nelson Fiction for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.

#TheChristmasYesList
#MelissaFerguson
#NetGalley
#ThomasNelsonFiction

[Mandi]

This was a super cute, hilarious, quirky, fun and sweet Christmas read!

I enjoyed it soooo much!
Melissa Ferguson's writing coupled with Karissa Vacker's spectacular narration was exquisite.

Karissa brings Melissa's writing to life with her stellar spunk & flair.

The only thing that kept this from getting 5 stars was the homemaking conversation, I felt like it just missed the mark for me. It's incredibly imperative that we make it known women should always have financial security for themselves, glorifying relying on a partner just irked me and it could've been written better. Too many women stay in abusive relationships because they don't have their own money. Romanticising a woman not having her own stream of income is negligent, in my opinion. If you wanted it to remain picturesque we could have had the FMC bottle her special jam or something. So that was the only starkly unenjoyable part of this book.

With that being said, I have loved all of the Melissa Ferguson books I've read in the past, including this one, apart from what I mentioned above, and look forward to reading more, especially if Karissa Vacker narrates the audiobook! 🙂

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, Thomas Nelson Fiction Audio, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Melissa Ferguson for allowing me to access the eARC & ALC in exchange for an honest review.

[shay ౨ৎ]

thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

chloe hollis is a people pleaser.
james dutton doesn’t care what people think.

this was kinda cute and super corny, which i would expect from a hallmark-esque book. colour me unsurprised that this book will be streaming as an original movie! i think it’ll be a fun one, especially with the few funny moments in the book. that being said, i think this book would perform better as an adaptation.

while the story was rather short, the chapters are quite long, which hindered the pacing of the book. it took nearly half the book for things to pick up. i never felt strongly about either of the main characters. perhaps it’s because of the miscommunication and repetition. chloe, there are other ways to deal with your feel of rejection… took her a while, but she got there in the end. i also found it funny that james spent more time with chloe than his family, despite coming back to town to spend time with his family.

by the time i got to the end, it felt rushed. the epilogue was incredibly short. the slow start already had me struggling to continue, but the flashbacks made the story feel choppy and a little chaotic. i feel like there was potential, but it wasn’t executed as well as it could’ve been.