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The Holiday Haters
Not yet published
Expected 3 Nov 26Two train tickets, zero holiday cheer, and a pact between strangers that changes everything.
For Cleo, surviving the holidays with her family requires a serious game thwarting her mom’s relentless matchmaking, keeping up with an absurdly packed itinerary, and hiding her recent chronic illness diagnosis until the new year.
All she wants is a normal holiday before everything changes.
Enter Hardy—a bookish “Hot Viking" who makes her laugh and sparks her curiosity. For him, heading home means confronting a bitter family feud over his inheritance. He’s dreading the holidays and feels lost—until a flirty meet-cute pairs him with an empathetic journalist who asks all the right questions.
Their cozy connection inspires an idea—what if they teamed up to survive the holidays together?
The deal is No fake dating. No pressure. Just two strangers offering support through their family festivities.
But somewhere between the warm laughs and late-night talks, their simple pact gets deliciously complicated. When real feelings crash the party, surviving the season together might lead to more heartbreak… or the best gift of all.
The Holiday Haters is an emotional, sweet and spicy, slow-burn romance packed with witty banter, festive fun, and the cozy magic of finding love when you least expect it, but need it the most.
For Cleo, surviving the holidays with her family requires a serious game thwarting her mom’s relentless matchmaking, keeping up with an absurdly packed itinerary, and hiding her recent chronic illness diagnosis until the new year.
All she wants is a normal holiday before everything changes.
Enter Hardy—a bookish “Hot Viking" who makes her laugh and sparks her curiosity. For him, heading home means confronting a bitter family feud over his inheritance. He’s dreading the holidays and feels lost—until a flirty meet-cute pairs him with an empathetic journalist who asks all the right questions.
Their cozy connection inspires an idea—what if they teamed up to survive the holidays together?
The deal is No fake dating. No pressure. Just two strangers offering support through their family festivities.
But somewhere between the warm laughs and late-night talks, their simple pact gets deliciously complicated. When real feelings crash the party, surviving the season together might lead to more heartbreak… or the best gift of all.
The Holiday Haters is an emotional, sweet and spicy, slow-burn romance packed with witty banter, festive fun, and the cozy magic of finding love when you least expect it, but need it the most.
427 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 3, 2026
About the author
Jessica Sherry
14 books157 followersJessica loves stories that make her heart race, one way or another, so it’s no wonder that she writes mysteries and romances. Her novels feature broken, imperfect people, emotional plots, quirky found families, and better-ever-afters. She aches for a good story and loves building worlds where people laugh, cry, hurt, find themselves, and, of course, fall in love. When she isn’t lost in a book, she finds inspiration at the beach, on her daily park walks, thrift store shopping, and hanging out in beautiful Wilmington, NC, where she lives with her family. Connect and follow her on Instagram & TikTok @authorjessicasherry
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
After reading both "Every Chance After" and "Venus Love Trap," I can confidently say that Jessica Sherry is becoming one of my favorite authors. I love that her heroines often have real things they are dealing with and need to overcome, while still showing just how strong they are. Cleo was no exception. I also remembered her from "Venus Love Trap," so I was excited to see her step into the spotlight and get her own story.
Cleo has myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), an illness that is often misunderstood or downplayed by others. Because of that, she has gotten into the habit of keeping her diagnosis to herself, and even most of her family doesn't know what she is dealing with when the story begins. I was grateful that the author included a note about Cleo's illness because its effects are shown on the page. I thought that part of her story added a lot of emotional depth, especially as Cleo tries to balance wanting to live her life normally with recognizing that her body sometimes has other plans.
And then there is Hardy, who I absolutely loved! Their initial meeting and holiday survival pact were such a fun way to bring them together, especially because both of them are heading into family situations they would rather avoid. Hardy has his own complicated family history after being named his grandparents' heir, which created a major rift with some of his relatives. What I loved most about Cleo and Hardy was how much they helped each other without either one becoming responsible for "fixing" the other. Hardy slowly becomes someone Cleo can trust with the parts of her life she usually keeps hidden, while Cleo helps him look at his family situation and his future from a different perspective. I especially loved the way their relationship challenged Cleo's fear that her illness would make her a burden to someone she loved.
Overall, I really loved "The Holiday Haters." It had the humor, romance, and cozy holiday moments I expected, but there was also much more emotional depth than I anticipated. Cleo and Hardy were both dealing with very different circumstances, yet they somehow became exactly the kind of support the other needed. Their relationship felt like a true partnership, which made me root for them even more. Since Cleo previously appeared in "Venus Love Trap," I am crossing my fingers that this isn't the last time we see these characters. Jessica Sherry is quickly becoming an author whose next book I will automatically want to read!
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Cleo has myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), an illness that is often misunderstood or downplayed by others. Because of that, she has gotten into the habit of keeping her diagnosis to herself, and even most of her family doesn't know what she is dealing with when the story begins. I was grateful that the author included a note about Cleo's illness because its effects are shown on the page. I thought that part of her story added a lot of emotional depth, especially as Cleo tries to balance wanting to live her life normally with recognizing that her body sometimes has other plans.
And then there is Hardy, who I absolutely loved! Their initial meeting and holiday survival pact were such a fun way to bring them together, especially because both of them are heading into family situations they would rather avoid. Hardy has his own complicated family history after being named his grandparents' heir, which created a major rift with some of his relatives. What I loved most about Cleo and Hardy was how much they helped each other without either one becoming responsible for "fixing" the other. Hardy slowly becomes someone Cleo can trust with the parts of her life she usually keeps hidden, while Cleo helps him look at his family situation and his future from a different perspective. I especially loved the way their relationship challenged Cleo's fear that her illness would make her a burden to someone she loved.
Overall, I really loved "The Holiday Haters." It had the humor, romance, and cozy holiday moments I expected, but there was also much more emotional depth than I anticipated. Cleo and Hardy were both dealing with very different circumstances, yet they somehow became exactly the kind of support the other needed. Their relationship felt like a true partnership, which made me root for them even more. Since Cleo previously appeared in "Venus Love Trap," I am crossing my fingers that this isn't the last time we see these characters. Jessica Sherry is quickly becoming an author whose next book I will automatically want to read!
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really liked this one! It was warm and hopeful, and I loved the cosy holiday vibe. Cleo and Hardy were lovely together, and I enjoyed seeing them support each other through all the family drama. I also really liked how the author showed Cleo’s struggles with chronic illness and her worries about how it might affect a relationship. It felt like an important part of her story, and I thought it was handled really well 🥰
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Jessica Sherry for an ARC of this book! I became an ARC reader for Jessica a few years ago now and it has been one of my favorite experiences to date. I never expected to have direct personal contact with her, but it’s one of the things that makes this feel so special and why I will continue to be part of her ARC and/or Beta team for as long as she’ll have me.
Cleo hates the holidays. Or more specifically, she hates feeling like an outsider in her own family. She’s getting ready to head home for Thanksgiving and the only thing getting her through is knowing her sister will be there to help support her, as well as carry her secret. Hardy isn’t exactly looking forward to going home either. His grandparents left him with a hard decision to make, and the rest of the family has plenty of opinions about what he should do.
While waiting for the train home, Cleo blindly reaches into her bag looking for a Snickers, only to realize much later that the candy bar she ate actually belonged to Hardy. As a way of apologizing for the accidental candy theft, Cleo invites Hardy into her private train compartment. They decide to share the ride home and quickly discover their mutual apprehension toward the upcoming holidays. Eventually, they come up with a plan to accompany each other to their respective family obligations, complete with a code phrase they can use when one of them needs to be “saved.”
I loved how naturally Cleo and Hardy worked together from the beginning. They meet completely by chance, only to discover that their lives have actually intersected in small ways for years. And despite how quickly they start referring to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend for the sake of their plan, their actual relationship develops much more slowly. They spend time together. They talk. They genuinely get to know each other. They haven’t even kissed yet when they’re already playing boyfriend and girlfriend.
I think this especially worked for me because I happened to be reading it while pursuing a new relationship of my own that started similarly slowly, with us spending several dates talking for hours before there was even a first kiss. So there was something about watching Cleo and Hardy build that connection before anything physical happened that really resonated with me.
More often than not, I find myself falling in love with the MMC in a romance while not always feeling quite as strongly about the FMC. And of course Hardy is incredibly easy to love. The way he cares for Cleo and accommodates what she needs never feels like a burden to him. But I also really loved Cleo. I appreciated her strength and independence, even when those qualities sometimes worked against her.
Cleo has very understandable reasons for keeping her condition a secret, especially after the way other people have treated her because of it. I understood why she was so hesitant to tell Hardy, but that didn’t mean I agreed with her decision to keep it from him for as long as she did. Especially when Hardy himself talks about how much he hates the miscommunication trope. Which, by the way, same, Hardy. Same. But Cleo…girl, he told you!
There was also so much to love outside of the romance. Since I started my Jessica Sherry journey with Yes, No, Maybe, followed by Every Chance After and Venus Love Trap, it’s always fun getting to revisit characters from previous stories and see how everyone’s lives continue to overlap. And this book gave me so many side characters to love on its own.
One of my favorite moments was Hardy explaining his plans for his grandparents’ property to his family. I wasn’t expecting that scene to make me as emotional as it did. What initially feels like this huge decision hanging over Hardy becomes his way of keeping his grandparents’ legacy alive while also finding a place for everyone he loves in what comes next.
And I think that ties into what I loved most about the book as a whole. Cleo and Hardy both start out hating the holidays, not necessarily because they hate Thanksgiving or Christmas themselves, but because the holidays have a way of emphasizing how much they feel like outsiders in their own families. Somewhere along the way, they start creating their own family in each other and finding new things to love about the holidays because of it.
Also, one of my favorite lines:
“Why are the most basic things, like manners, so fucking sexy?”
A question for the ages, honestly.
The Holiday Haters is definitely one of my favorites of Jessica Sherry’s books so far. I loved Cleo and Hardy both individually and together, I loved the family they found in each other, and I loved getting to spend time with familiar characters again. Even when Cleo had me wanting to shake her and yell JUST TALK TO HIM, I was completely invested in these two finding their way to each other and figuring out how to make the holidays feel like something worth celebrating again.
Cleo hates the holidays. Or more specifically, she hates feeling like an outsider in her own family. She’s getting ready to head home for Thanksgiving and the only thing getting her through is knowing her sister will be there to help support her, as well as carry her secret. Hardy isn’t exactly looking forward to going home either. His grandparents left him with a hard decision to make, and the rest of the family has plenty of opinions about what he should do.
While waiting for the train home, Cleo blindly reaches into her bag looking for a Snickers, only to realize much later that the candy bar she ate actually belonged to Hardy. As a way of apologizing for the accidental candy theft, Cleo invites Hardy into her private train compartment. They decide to share the ride home and quickly discover their mutual apprehension toward the upcoming holidays. Eventually, they come up with a plan to accompany each other to their respective family obligations, complete with a code phrase they can use when one of them needs to be “saved.”
I loved how naturally Cleo and Hardy worked together from the beginning. They meet completely by chance, only to discover that their lives have actually intersected in small ways for years. And despite how quickly they start referring to each other as boyfriend and girlfriend for the sake of their plan, their actual relationship develops much more slowly. They spend time together. They talk. They genuinely get to know each other. They haven’t even kissed yet when they’re already playing boyfriend and girlfriend.
I think this especially worked for me because I happened to be reading it while pursuing a new relationship of my own that started similarly slowly, with us spending several dates talking for hours before there was even a first kiss. So there was something about watching Cleo and Hardy build that connection before anything physical happened that really resonated with me.
More often than not, I find myself falling in love with the MMC in a romance while not always feeling quite as strongly about the FMC. And of course Hardy is incredibly easy to love. The way he cares for Cleo and accommodates what she needs never feels like a burden to him. But I also really loved Cleo. I appreciated her strength and independence, even when those qualities sometimes worked against her.
Cleo has very understandable reasons for keeping her condition a secret, especially after the way other people have treated her because of it. I understood why she was so hesitant to tell Hardy, but that didn’t mean I agreed with her decision to keep it from him for as long as she did. Especially when Hardy himself talks about how much he hates the miscommunication trope. Which, by the way, same, Hardy. Same. But Cleo…girl, he told you!
There was also so much to love outside of the romance. Since I started my Jessica Sherry journey with Yes, No, Maybe, followed by Every Chance After and Venus Love Trap, it’s always fun getting to revisit characters from previous stories and see how everyone’s lives continue to overlap. And this book gave me so many side characters to love on its own.
One of my favorite moments was Hardy explaining his plans for his grandparents’ property to his family. I wasn’t expecting that scene to make me as emotional as it did. What initially feels like this huge decision hanging over Hardy becomes his way of keeping his grandparents’ legacy alive while also finding a place for everyone he loves in what comes next.
And I think that ties into what I loved most about the book as a whole. Cleo and Hardy both start out hating the holidays, not necessarily because they hate Thanksgiving or Christmas themselves, but because the holidays have a way of emphasizing how much they feel like outsiders in their own families. Somewhere along the way, they start creating their own family in each other and finding new things to love about the holidays because of it.
Also, one of my favorite lines:
“Why are the most basic things, like manners, so fucking sexy?”
A question for the ages, honestly.
The Holiday Haters is definitely one of my favorites of Jessica Sherry’s books so far. I loved Cleo and Hardy both individually and together, I loved the family they found in each other, and I loved getting to spend time with familiar characters again. Even when Cleo had me wanting to shake her and yell JUST TALK TO HIM, I was completely invested in these two finding their way to each other and figuring out how to make the holidays feel like something worth celebrating again.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an arc of The Holiday Haters in exchange for an honest review. This book had all of the holiday magic, witty banter and hilarious moments, amazing set of characters, and a man who is so in tune with himself and the needs of others! Hardy champions Cleo in every aspect of life and it is the sweetest thing ever! There are so many perfect moments and quotes throughout this story I will have to give this a re-read once released!
Cleo is a quick witted journalist who travels for a good story and adventure, but her ME disease can really drag her down. She has tried to hide her diagnosis and sickness, because the last person she confided in broke up with her because of it. On a train home for Thanksgiving, she has the best meet-cute with Hardy, but she isn't looking for a relationship at all! However, they bond over their disdain of the holidays and make a pact to not fake date, but be each others person during the holiday shenanigans. They are from the same town, so even though it will make their time home busier, it will alleviate the family drama having someone to endure it with.
So many green flags in this novel. The train meet-cute, he reads romance and openly loves his sister, he stands-up for those he cares for, he recognizes past mistakes and is really trying to be better. They have a 12 days of Christmas secret code to evaluate situations and need to get out! He is a caregiver, and Cleo's niece is infatuated by him! Cleo had a lot of great qualities and had so much growth throughout this novel, but I did wish she was more open and truthful with Hardy and give him the benefit of the doubt since he was nothing but sincere and honest and caring with her. There were so many opportunities for her to communicate with Hardy about her ME and future needs. All ends well, but that is the only reason I gave this a 4.5 star review.
I encourage any romance fanatic to pick up this holiday read!
Cleo is a quick witted journalist who travels for a good story and adventure, but her ME disease can really drag her down. She has tried to hide her diagnosis and sickness, because the last person she confided in broke up with her because of it. On a train home for Thanksgiving, she has the best meet-cute with Hardy, but she isn't looking for a relationship at all! However, they bond over their disdain of the holidays and make a pact to not fake date, but be each others person during the holiday shenanigans. They are from the same town, so even though it will make their time home busier, it will alleviate the family drama having someone to endure it with.
So many green flags in this novel. The train meet-cute, he reads romance and openly loves his sister, he stands-up for those he cares for, he recognizes past mistakes and is really trying to be better. They have a 12 days of Christmas secret code to evaluate situations and need to get out! He is a caregiver, and Cleo's niece is infatuated by him! Cleo had a lot of great qualities and had so much growth throughout this novel, but I did wish she was more open and truthful with Hardy and give him the benefit of the doubt since he was nothing but sincere and honest and caring with her. There were so many opportunities for her to communicate with Hardy about her ME and future needs. All ends well, but that is the only reason I gave this a 4.5 star review.
I encourage any romance fanatic to pick up this holiday read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Nothing but love for 'The Holiday Haters'!
I will read absolutely anything Jessica Sherry writes at this point! I’m such a fan of her characters because they’re never just characters; they feel like actual people. Sherry consistently creates characters that are complicated and flawed and messy, but so incredibly endearing. And Hardy? Hardy is NO exception.
This man is a walking green flag.
He is just… thoroughly decent. Kind, patient, thoughtful, and the kind of person who quietly shows up for the people he cares about. He is exactly what Cleo needs, which of course means she spends a good portion of the book trying to convince herself she absolutely does not need him.
I loved everything about this book (the bromances between Hardy and Cleo's family members, how Hardy earns Tessa's trust, the rebuilding of complicated family relationships) but that cookie-baking scene was my favourite! I loved getting those little glimpses into Hardy’s memories of his grandparents and how much those memories shaped him. There was just so much warmth in that scene, and it made me love him even more.
And honestly, that’s what got me about Hardy and Cleo is that they both have things they’re missing within themselves, and somehow they find pieces of that strength in each other. They don’t magically “fix” one another; they just make each other feel safe enough to be vulnerable, to grow, and to believe in themselves a little more.
I laughed, I swooned, I got all the warm fuzzy holiday feelings, and I fell completely in love with these two. On the top of my Christmas wish list is all the complicated, lovable characters and walking-green-flag heroes, please and thank you.
I will read absolutely anything Jessica Sherry writes at this point! I’m such a fan of her characters because they’re never just characters; they feel like actual people. Sherry consistently creates characters that are complicated and flawed and messy, but so incredibly endearing. And Hardy? Hardy is NO exception.
This man is a walking green flag.
He is just… thoroughly decent. Kind, patient, thoughtful, and the kind of person who quietly shows up for the people he cares about. He is exactly what Cleo needs, which of course means she spends a good portion of the book trying to convince herself she absolutely does not need him.
I loved everything about this book (the bromances between Hardy and Cleo's family members, how Hardy earns Tessa's trust, the rebuilding of complicated family relationships) but that cookie-baking scene was my favourite! I loved getting those little glimpses into Hardy’s memories of his grandparents and how much those memories shaped him. There was just so much warmth in that scene, and it made me love him even more.
And honestly, that’s what got me about Hardy and Cleo is that they both have things they’re missing within themselves, and somehow they find pieces of that strength in each other. They don’t magically “fix” one another; they just make each other feel safe enough to be vulnerable, to grow, and to believe in themselves a little more.
I laughed, I swooned, I got all the warm fuzzy holiday feelings, and I fell completely in love with these two. On the top of my Christmas wish list is all the complicated, lovable characters and walking-green-flag heroes, please and thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When stealing candy goes right.
The Holiday Haters is a great balance of holiday and family craziness with a beautiful love story. When two strangers meet on a train and decide to be each other's support during the holiday season they don’t realize they might become so much more. Cleo, our female main character, is a journalist with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. She is fiercely independent and struggles with telling her family about her diagnosis from fear they will be too overbearing. Our male main character, Hardy, owns a landscaping business and has some family drama to work out. Once a football star with aspirations of playing in the NFL is now a man with complicated family relationships after the passing of his grandparents who made him the sole beneficiary of their estate.
I love Cleo and Hardy's communication and the system they come up with to check in on each other while at their different gatherings. Hardy is such a sweetheart from the start. I like that he is an avid reader and is always buddy reading books with his younger sister. The references to different romance book tropes was a fun touch. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions, but I loved the ride. Heartfelt and laugh out loud moments, warm-fuzzy feelings, silliness, dorky jokes, and heartbreaking inner thoughts and conversations. Taking place from Thanksgiving to New Years, this book is a perfect fall/holiday read.
The Holiday Haters is a great balance of holiday and family craziness with a beautiful love story. When two strangers meet on a train and decide to be each other's support during the holiday season they don’t realize they might become so much more. Cleo, our female main character, is a journalist with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. She is fiercely independent and struggles with telling her family about her diagnosis from fear they will be too overbearing. Our male main character, Hardy, owns a landscaping business and has some family drama to work out. Once a football star with aspirations of playing in the NFL is now a man with complicated family relationships after the passing of his grandparents who made him the sole beneficiary of their estate.
I love Cleo and Hardy's communication and the system they come up with to check in on each other while at their different gatherings. Hardy is such a sweetheart from the start. I like that he is an avid reader and is always buddy reading books with his younger sister. The references to different romance book tropes was a fun touch. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions, but I loved the ride. Heartfelt and laugh out loud moments, warm-fuzzy feelings, silliness, dorky jokes, and heartbreaking inner thoughts and conversations. Taking place from Thanksgiving to New Years, this book is a perfect fall/holiday read.
Review of advance copy received from Author
“Plans aren’t everything,” I argue lightly. “The best stories always have a twist.” Can stealing and Almond Joy snack change Cleo’s life forever? A Hot Viking, a charming train, her crazy family and his family’s feud, an excruciating illness and five question that shows the real person behind, their true value. Cleo and Hardy’s love story is incredible.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Okayyyy, Holiday Haters was exactly the kind of holiday romance I wanted. 🎄♡
This was cute, funny, romantic, and genuinely gave me all the cozy Christmas feelings but what I loved most was that the holiday setting wasn’t doing all the heavy lifting. I actually cared about the characters and their relationship.
The chemistry and banter were SO good, and I loved getting to actually watch the relationship develop. There were plenty of sweet moments, some emotional ones, and enough tension to keep me completely invested.
And maybe this deserves extra credit after some of my recent reads, but THANK YOU for giving me characters who were funny without constantly trying to convince me how quirky they were. 😂 Apparently that has become one of my biggest book icks, and the humor here actually worked for me.
Honestly, my biggest complaint is that I wanted more. There were parts of the relationship and emotional payoff that I would've happily spent more time with, and that's really the only thing keeping this from being a full five stars.
Such a fun, cozy holiday romance and absolutely one I'd recommend adding to your Christmas TBR. 🎄📚
4.5⭐ — turns out the real Holiday Hater was NOT me. 😂
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Okayyyy, Holiday Haters was exactly the kind of holiday romance I wanted. 🎄♡
This was cute, funny, romantic, and genuinely gave me all the cozy Christmas feelings but what I loved most was that the holiday setting wasn’t doing all the heavy lifting. I actually cared about the characters and their relationship.
The chemistry and banter were SO good, and I loved getting to actually watch the relationship develop. There were plenty of sweet moments, some emotional ones, and enough tension to keep me completely invested.
And maybe this deserves extra credit after some of my recent reads, but THANK YOU for giving me characters who were funny without constantly trying to convince me how quirky they were. 😂 Apparently that has become one of my biggest book icks, and the humor here actually worked for me.
Honestly, my biggest complaint is that I wanted more. There were parts of the relationship and emotional payoff that I would've happily spent more time with, and that's really the only thing keeping this from being a full five stars.
Such a fun, cozy holiday romance and absolutely one I'd recommend adding to your Christmas TBR. 🎄📚
4.5⭐ — turns out the real Holiday Hater was NOT me. 😂
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC recieved from the Author.
I received an ARC of The Holiday Haters by Jessica Sherry, and I absolutely loved it.
This book was funny, heartfelt, and so much more emotional than I expected in the best way. Cleo is such a relatable main character. She is trying to chase her dreams while also living with a chronic illness, and I really appreciated the way the story handled the reality of wanting to do everything while knowing your body does not always cooperate.
Hardy was such a wonderful love interest. I loved his kindness, his patience, and the way he showed up for Cleo without trying to “fix” her. Their chemistry was sweet, funny, and easy to root for, but what really stood out to me was the emotional trust that grew between them.
One of my favorite things about the book was how it showed that you never really know what battles someone else is fighting. It is a romance, but it also has a lot to say about vulnerability, support, grief, and learning to let someone see the parts of you that feel hardest to share.
If you enjoy holiday romance with humor, heart, a quirky and relatable main character, and a love story built on patience and presence, this is one to add to your list.
The Holiday Haters releases November 3rd.
- Stephanie, owner of The Traveling Scroll
I received an ARC of The Holiday Haters by Jessica Sherry, and I absolutely loved it.
This book was funny, heartfelt, and so much more emotional than I expected in the best way. Cleo is such a relatable main character. She is trying to chase her dreams while also living with a chronic illness, and I really appreciated the way the story handled the reality of wanting to do everything while knowing your body does not always cooperate.
Hardy was such a wonderful love interest. I loved his kindness, his patience, and the way he showed up for Cleo without trying to “fix” her. Their chemistry was sweet, funny, and easy to root for, but what really stood out to me was the emotional trust that grew between them.
One of my favorite things about the book was how it showed that you never really know what battles someone else is fighting. It is a romance, but it also has a lot to say about vulnerability, support, grief, and learning to let someone see the parts of you that feel hardest to share.
If you enjoy holiday romance with humor, heart, a quirky and relatable main character, and a love story built on patience and presence, this is one to add to your list.
The Holiday Haters releases November 3rd.
- Stephanie, owner of The Traveling Scroll
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of ARC.
This book has all the requirements for the perfect festive read. Cleo and Hardy are the perfectly imperfect duo who help eachother along the way to a perfect Christmas.
Definitely worth a read and adding to your festive tbr.
This book has all the requirements for the perfect festive read. Cleo and Hardy are the perfectly imperfect duo who help eachother along the way to a perfect Christmas.
Definitely worth a read and adding to your festive tbr.
September 30, 2026
There was nothing to hate about The Holiday Haters! This book was perfection and the absolute journey of love between two broken characters that help put the other back together.
Cleo and Hardy were the perfect couple. Who knew an Almond Joy could bring two people together? They honestly went from strangers to friends to confidants to lovers. I loved the journey, the chemistry, and how I connected to the characters.
I want to applaud the author in her quest to accurately handle Cleo’s ME disease. While I may not battle this exact disease, as someone with an autoimmune disorder that knocks me off my feet, I loved how accurate and raw this was. It never felt like an afterthought, but it also didn’t take over the whole story. It added to the plot, and made me love Hardy even more.
Hardy…what can I say about my hot Viking man? I adore his Book Whore bag. I love how the smallest compliment from Cleo has him blushing. I don’t know how Cleo’s heart didn’t stop when her baby niece clung to Hardy and liked to play with his beard. He’s a romance reader after the heart of a girl who stole his chocolate bar at a train station. He wants to help her through the holidays, and will eventually be her savior when she has her worst flare yet. He was perfect.
I have a million more things I could talk about, but just know this book is the perfect one to pick up with you’re in a slump. I should know. Do it! You won’t regret it.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
Cleo and Hardy were the perfect couple. Who knew an Almond Joy could bring two people together? They honestly went from strangers to friends to confidants to lovers. I loved the journey, the chemistry, and how I connected to the characters.
I want to applaud the author in her quest to accurately handle Cleo’s ME disease. While I may not battle this exact disease, as someone with an autoimmune disorder that knocks me off my feet, I loved how accurate and raw this was. It never felt like an afterthought, but it also didn’t take over the whole story. It added to the plot, and made me love Hardy even more.
Hardy…what can I say about my hot Viking man? I adore his Book Whore bag. I love how the smallest compliment from Cleo has him blushing. I don’t know how Cleo’s heart didn’t stop when her baby niece clung to Hardy and liked to play with his beard. He’s a romance reader after the heart of a girl who stole his chocolate bar at a train station. He wants to help her through the holidays, and will eventually be her savior when she has her worst flare yet. He was perfect.
I have a million more things I could talk about, but just know this book is the perfect one to pick up with you’re in a slump. I should know. Do it! You won’t regret it.
*An ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A bearded MMC,Hardy, that’s not afraid to admit he enjoys reading romance and fantasy novels and a curvy Cleo that brings joy wherever she goes! After a chance meeting on a train, they decide to become one another’s partners throughout the dreaded holidays. The story develops into one of care, depth, support through chronic illness, and total hilarity with a holiday parade that won’t soon be forgotten! The secondary family characters really added to the story as well and I loved seeing the different family dynamics!
October 11, 2026
Loved this book. Grateful to Net Galley for the opportunity to read it pre-release.
The characters are complicated and adorable. Is not a moment where you’re not fighting for or with them!
The characters are complicated and adorable. Is not a moment where you’re not fighting for or with them!
October 3, 2026
Super sweet story of a meet cute turning into an unconventional arrangement of two strangers providing each other moral support during the holidays and the never ending family drama that they bring. There is an initial spark but it’s really about how they slowly build from good first meeting and interesting conversation into knowing each other on a deeper level and trusting each other to be there for the good and the bad. Despite what Cleo felt, their relationship is not one sided, and while Hardy is present for her when she needs more support, she’s also helping him navigate his family situation and reconnecting with his family in a way he needed to move forward. I enjoyed it a lot, it’s sweet and lovely and had me smiling all the way through.
*I received an ARC of this book, this is my honest opinion*
*I received an ARC of this book, this is my honest opinion*
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is such a feel good book. I love the tropes they try to avoid but fall into anyway. Hardy is a book boyfriend come true for Cleo. They were meant to meet at the time they needed each other. I know Tessa and Bry are already a couple, but there needs to be a fun side story for them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I'm pretty sure Jessica Sherry is my favorite traditional romance author. The Holiday Haters is another cute and cozy romance featuring two realistically imperfect and flawed characters. I don't think I've ever read such an accurate description in a fiction book of the mental calculus that people with chronic pain disorders have to do every day. I am not kidding; it is pretty spot on. And the golf cart parade scene.....I haven't laughed that hard while reading in a long time. I also love the subtle tie-ins to other stories Jessica has written. I think this one may be my favorite of Jessica's novels.
Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book was hard to review because I thought it was written for people who aren't feeling the joy this holiday season, but the ending was very pro-perfect Christmas. If you are snarky and want to have holiday joy, but currently aren't feeling it, this book might get you there.
Jessica Sherry begins the book with a hilarious dedication to holiday party poopers and an interesting meet cute with grumpy humans. Even in the deluxe digs, everyone is in a foul mood—either anxious about the family get together ahead, or in Tessa's case, just being rude because she can be? Grumpy and whining, Cleo and Hardy bond and agree to be each other's platonic distraction and conversational excuse, attending events together for support.
But Cleo's hiding a big secret: a chronic illness that devastates her body when she doesn't tune in and follow established, proven protocols. WHICH SHE KNOWINGLY CHOSES NOT TO DO because of a handsome train boy? I'm not buying it (explanation in the next paragraph). Cleo's crash almost kills her. Luckily for her, someone saves her life. The endless whining, complaining, and childish "I'm going to do whatever I want but reject what my body needs" focus that Cleo displays is insulting to chronically ill people. Sherry writes that her diagnosis worsens, leaving her weaker than she has ever been in her life and for what, fam? Prolonging a good night by one hour? Two? Text him from the bath, babe.
"I want to not deal with this bull$h!t at all" so she ignores taking care of her body and runs headlong into known triggers? UGH.
As someone who had a hard to diagnose chronic illness with an 11% suicide rate, zero breaks or effective medicine for almost a year, and got down to 15 BMI, this book is frustrating to read. Homegirl makes too many excuses for her lackadaisical attitude. When you have a chronic illness, you don't get to f around when you do have energy- you need to get work done and take care of your body so the next crash is pushed down the road or lessened. No one would intentionally worsen their next crash- let alone for an acquaintance.
Then there's Hardy. Legally, no one gets a say over his inheritance and the constant micromanaging and conversing over his decisions was maddening. Add on top of that the fact that Hardy let the property waste away while refusing to do the responsible, mature work? Gahhhhh. I guess the family home wasn't as cute as Cleo who is the catalyst for Hardy manning up and doing work. As a Trustee, I would be in so much legal trouble with my beneficiaries if I didn't manage the estate in a time-sensitive manner- not to mention the significant loss I would suffer as a beneficiary if I refused to invest or care for the inheritance. Gahhhhhh. The plot of this book was especially frustrating to me because I lived both sides simultaneously and did not get to be lazy. I was literally Cleo and Hardy with no one to take care of me.
Finally, if I have to read the phrase "book whore" one more time, I will educate that person 😩 26 times is too many for a factually incorrect, "funny" implication. We get it! Hardy likes books, but he's not committing sexual acts with them or with humans in exchange for books, so it's a false statement.
Tropes: Grump v. Golden retriever, meet cute, family holidays, chronic illness, pact, lgbt, snowed in, forced proximity, one bed, slow burn, HEA
Spice: 4/5
Gore: 1/5
Language: 5/5
Triggers: loss of a loved one (off page), chronic illness/ episode
Thank you to Jessica Sherry and NetGalley for this ARC.
Jessica Sherry begins the book with a hilarious dedication to holiday party poopers and an interesting meet cute with grumpy humans. Even in the deluxe digs, everyone is in a foul mood—either anxious about the family get together ahead, or in Tessa's case, just being rude because she can be? Grumpy and whining, Cleo and Hardy bond and agree to be each other's platonic distraction and conversational excuse, attending events together for support.
But Cleo's hiding a big secret: a chronic illness that devastates her body when she doesn't tune in and follow established, proven protocols. WHICH SHE KNOWINGLY CHOSES NOT TO DO because of a handsome train boy? I'm not buying it (explanation in the next paragraph). Cleo's crash almost kills her. Luckily for her, someone saves her life. The endless whining, complaining, and childish "I'm going to do whatever I want but reject what my body needs" focus that Cleo displays is insulting to chronically ill people. Sherry writes that her diagnosis worsens, leaving her weaker than she has ever been in her life and for what, fam? Prolonging a good night by one hour? Two? Text him from the bath, babe.
"I want to not deal with this bull$h!t at all" so she ignores taking care of her body and runs headlong into known triggers? UGH.
As someone who had a hard to diagnose chronic illness with an 11% suicide rate, zero breaks or effective medicine for almost a year, and got down to 15 BMI, this book is frustrating to read. Homegirl makes too many excuses for her lackadaisical attitude. When you have a chronic illness, you don't get to f around when you do have energy- you need to get work done and take care of your body so the next crash is pushed down the road or lessened. No one would intentionally worsen their next crash- let alone for an acquaintance.
Then there's Hardy. Legally, no one gets a say over his inheritance and the constant micromanaging and conversing over his decisions was maddening. Add on top of that the fact that Hardy let the property waste away while refusing to do the responsible, mature work? Gahhhhh. I guess the family home wasn't as cute as Cleo who is the catalyst for Hardy manning up and doing work. As a Trustee, I would be in so much legal trouble with my beneficiaries if I didn't manage the estate in a time-sensitive manner- not to mention the significant loss I would suffer as a beneficiary if I refused to invest or care for the inheritance. Gahhhhhh. The plot of this book was especially frustrating to me because I lived both sides simultaneously and did not get to be lazy. I was literally Cleo and Hardy with no one to take care of me.
Finally, if I have to read the phrase "book whore" one more time, I will educate that person 😩 26 times is too many for a factually incorrect, "funny" implication. We get it! Hardy likes books, but he's not committing sexual acts with them or with humans in exchange for books, so it's a false statement.
Tropes: Grump v. Golden retriever, meet cute, family holidays, chronic illness, pact, lgbt, snowed in, forced proximity, one bed, slow burn, HEA
Spice: 4/5
Gore: 1/5
Language: 5/5
Triggers: loss of a loved one (off page), chronic illness/ episode
Thank you to Jessica Sherry and NetGalley for this ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I thought this was a rom-com. While it was, it was much more emotional and sob-inducing than I was expecting. Cleo suffers from a chronic illness (ME, formerly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and her sister is the only one who knows. Cleo is a journalist writing a piece about train travel and taking the train home with her sister Tessa. When she “steals” an Almond Joy out of a fellow traveler’s bag on the train platform, she feels bad enough to invite him into their private cabin. On that 7-hour train ride, she and Hardy agree to be each other’s buffer against their families for the Thanksgiving weekend.
I understood Cleo’s desire to keep her illness to herself, especially after that tool of an ex-boyfriend’s reaction. After the train ride, she trusts Hardy enough to let him know that she might need an out from the events, and they use the 12 days of Christmas — I LOVED that! What an effective way to let your partner know your comfort level without blasting it to the whole party. Even with how much they liked each other, Cleo struggled with letting Hardy in on her secret. She said she didn’t want anyone to feel obligated to take care of her, but the truth was that she didn’t feel worthy of being taken care of. Hardy kept showing up again and again, and he turned her thinking on its head.
Cleo’s journey through her chronic illness was truly emotional, and I found myself crying more than once. I, like everyone in her life, wanted to help her and didn’t know how. Hardy was the golden retriever/cinnamon roll boyfriend she needed with just the right amount of stubbornness to keep showing up for her.
Cleo’s parents were infuriating and endearing all at once — her mom was always “business as usual,” but there was that emotional push and pull where she knew that something was wrong with Cleo but also knew not to ask because Cleo wasn’t ready to tell.
Hardy’s family was something else — he inherited his grandparents’ property when they died, and the whole family had an opinion about what he should do with it. In the end, I agree with what Hardy ended up doing with his inheritance — he’s a good dude.
Thanks so much to the author for an advance copy of this book!
I understood Cleo’s desire to keep her illness to herself, especially after that tool of an ex-boyfriend’s reaction. After the train ride, she trusts Hardy enough to let him know that she might need an out from the events, and they use the 12 days of Christmas — I LOVED that! What an effective way to let your partner know your comfort level without blasting it to the whole party. Even with how much they liked each other, Cleo struggled with letting Hardy in on her secret. She said she didn’t want anyone to feel obligated to take care of her, but the truth was that she didn’t feel worthy of being taken care of. Hardy kept showing up again and again, and he turned her thinking on its head.
Cleo’s journey through her chronic illness was truly emotional, and I found myself crying more than once. I, like everyone in her life, wanted to help her and didn’t know how. Hardy was the golden retriever/cinnamon roll boyfriend she needed with just the right amount of stubbornness to keep showing up for her.
Cleo’s parents were infuriating and endearing all at once — her mom was always “business as usual,” but there was that emotional push and pull where she knew that something was wrong with Cleo but also knew not to ask because Cleo wasn’t ready to tell.
Hardy’s family was something else — he inherited his grandparents’ property when they died, and the whole family had an opinion about what he should do with it. In the end, I agree with what Hardy ended up doing with his inheritance — he’s a good dude.
Thanks so much to the author for an advance copy of this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this book.
This started out great and I flew through the first half. Then it took a turn, and became the Cleo-won't-take-of-herself show where she refused to tell anyone what was going on with her, to the detriment of her health - not even the golden retriever/cinnamon roll of a boyfriend who came to stay and take care of her when she was at her worst. I'm sorry for anyone who lives with chronic illness but her whining did nothing to endear me to her character. And Hardy! You went more than a year without doing anything to/for the property you inherited? You just let your entire family - immediate AND extended - walk all over you and tell you what they wanted, that they legally had no right to? Yet at the end, you somehow came up with a gazillion ways to improve the property, which of course was for everyone's benefit. The whole story became a little too far-fetched for me.
This started out great and I flew through the first half. Then it took a turn, and became the Cleo-won't-take-of-herself show where she refused to tell anyone what was going on with her, to the detriment of her health - not even the golden retriever/cinnamon roll of a boyfriend who came to stay and take care of her when she was at her worst. I'm sorry for anyone who lives with chronic illness but her whining did nothing to endear me to her character. And Hardy! You went more than a year without doing anything to/for the property you inherited? You just let your entire family - immediate AND extended - walk all over you and tell you what they wanted, that they legally had no right to? Yet at the end, you somehow came up with a gazillion ways to improve the property, which of course was for everyone's benefit. The whole story became a little too far-fetched for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There's so much I loved about this book , from the cozy Christmas vibes to scenes that had me laughing out loud and teary sad moments . This book had it all . The chronic illness representation and all the emotions that Cleo goes through feel so real and well done and made you go through all the feelings with her . Overall it was the perfect combination of cosy and emotional with perfectly mixed funny moments mixed in .
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A hot Viking and a ln FMC you can’t help but love! Great mental health representation and a true feel good read with so many characters you can’t help but fall in love with or love to hate. Loved all the tropes references inside the book from the man obsessed with books and carries a bag with Book Whore written on it. Such a cute read. I hated for it to end! One that will stick with me for a long time. Great read for the holiday season.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Adorable Christmas read that begins with a train meet cute and just keeps going. I loved both of their families. It was all very realistic with the inheritance on his side, and some snobby relatives on hers. My only complaint is I felt like Hardy kind of got taken advantage of just a bit. Loved the supporting characters, her sister Tessa and her husband Bry. Also the cousins on Hardy’s side. Overall a sweet, romantic Christmas story I won’t soon forget.
October 8, 2026
Another Jessica Sherry book in the books. This was such a cute little holiday read. This book was filled with shenanigans and fun. Cleo trying to chase her dreams while living with chronic illness made her such a strong character in this book. Hardy was so perfect for her. He was so kinda, patient and always showed up for Cleo. I loved their chemistry and how perfectly they were written.
If you’re looking for a fun and heartfelt romance read to kick off the holiday season this is the perfect book!
Tropes:
❤️ Hurt/Comfort
💚 Snowed In
❤️ Festive AF
💚 Strangers On A Train
❤️ Holiday Pact
💚 Only One Bed
❤️ Slow Burn
💚 Forced Proximity
Thank you Jessica Sherry for the ARC 💚❤️
If you’re looking for a fun and heartfelt romance read to kick off the holiday season this is the perfect book!
Tropes:
❤️ Hurt/Comfort
💚 Snowed In
❤️ Festive AF
💚 Strangers On A Train
❤️ Holiday Pact
💚 Only One Bed
❤️ Slow Burn
💚 Forced Proximity
Thank you Jessica Sherry for the ARC 💚❤️
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