A Very Miller Christmas

Anyone But Her #2

by Erica Lee

*A short lighthearted sequel to best seller, Anyone But Her*

It's been a year and a half since Charlie Miller and Reagan Cooper got together at the Miller Family Reunion, ruffling more than a few feathers along the way. Now, for the first time, Reagan is returning to the Miller house not as Jamie Miller's fake girlfriend, but as Charlie's very real girlfriend.

It's Christmas and the whole Miller extended family has plans to spend the holiday together. Reagan is ready to propose to Charlie and has decided there's no better place to do it than where they first met. What could possibly go wrong?

Words: 25,000; novella

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Christmas, Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, Novella, Contemporary

73 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2019

About the author

Erica Lee finished writing her first book, Dear Santa: I’m Gay, in December 2016. Erica currently lives in Pennsylvania with her wife, dog, chinchilla, and bunny. She spends her days working as an optometrist and her nights snuggled up on the couch with her furry family, binging on netflix or youtube.

Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Loek Krancher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect!

No matter how well you plan, life happens and plans changed. Despite rejecting their relationship, both are invited to the Christmas holiday, to spend 5 days at the Miller's. Of course, this is a disaster in the making and they will have to deal with emotional upheaval. I love how they tackle all the hurdles of this very memorable family gathering. This story radiates warmth and love on every page. There are a lot of hilarious moments, the characters are utterly adorable and Nana's remarks are priceless. Now I’m looking forward to reading more books by Erica Lee.

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short story that follows up the excellent Anyone But Her, with cameos from her other novels - clever. Lovely stuff!

[Yoly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice :)

[Monique S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and funny short follow up to a wonderful first book. The smile never left my face reading it.

The best part of the book? Apart from Nana? Half way through Charlie and Reagan meet two well known authors of lesbian romance at a party, who both confess to sometimes pretend to write when sitting at the computer but are actually reading. That made me laugh so hard ... because I picked this as a short break from finishig my "Dangerous Open Secrets" seems like I'm not the only one doing it:)

[Rena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read as of 10/14/2025: Better than the first time, and I am looking forward to the wedding in book 3!

3.5 stars. While not perfect, A Very Miller Christmas continues the series nicely, and I pretty much know where it's headed next. The problem is will Charlie's homophobic mother chill out in the next book???

[Alexa Steli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5
I feel so lonely, idk how they do it to make it seem relationships are just this eazy,I genuinely feel like it could be a love that could last forever and it's annoying

[Queer Quill Enthusiast · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Very Miller Christmas continues Charlie and Reagan’s story from Anyone But Her. Erica Lee is one of my favorite authors, and I’m learning that following the same couple through a series isn’t really my jam, which is not a reflection on her writing. If you enjoy that format, though, it might be yours.

Many reviews point out the focus on homophobia, and I agree it is hard to read. Consider this a warning, since it may hit too close to home for some readers. At the same time, I think books like this are important. It shows the challenges so many have had to endure, and it delivers a message that hope and authenticity are worth holding onto.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short story follow-up to Anyone but Her. I would recommend you read this after Anyone but her. 4 stars.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really a great time for reading holiday novella (though it was definitely soothing to imagine all these wonderful sub-zero temperatures and snow xD) but I just noticed that Reagan and Charlie's story had a follow-up novella and I had to, well, follow up.

This was hella cute and sweet, with some matchmaking shenanigans that made me smile and with some steamy times that made me fire up my ventilator 🔥 The only thing spoiling my fun was the ultra-conservative and queerphobic duo of Miller siblings' parents but at least that subplot ended on a somewhat positive note...somewhat.

Trigger warning: homophobic parents, growing up in homophobic family

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

So stankin cute and I hate Christmas books.

[m · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading the sheer amount of homophobia in Anyone But You, I probably should've expected the same for the sequel. I definitely understand how the parents couldn't have changed their opinions on their children's sexuality so easily, but I wanted a cute Christmas novella about a proposal, not constant homophobic comments. In addition, this seemed more for people who've read all of Lee's works and are familiar with her other characters, not casual readers. The scene where all the couples joined together at once felt awkward and disjointed to me (especially since I've only read the one other book by this author). Overall, Charlie and Raegan are an adorable couple and I loved their sweet moments, but I wish this novella was set with the non-homophobic parents instead of being subjected to even more prejudicial thoughts.

rep: lesbian mcs, f/f romance, side gay character

[XR · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet follow up... if it was longer I think it could have been better.

[Lisa R Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A satisfying follow up to “Anyone But Her”. You should read that book first to fully appreciate this one. Holidays are family and surprises, this Christmas just has a few extra.

[Hsinju Chen · Rating 3 out of 5]

After being caught "coochie-handed" by Nana more than a year ago, it was no longer a family secret that the Miller twins were gay and that Charlie was dating Reagan. When Reagan decided to propose during Christmas at the Millers because that was where they first met, she already braced herself for all the homophobic comments they might have to endure. Nothing could be worse than what she had imagined, right?

This short sequel was the perfect followup to Anyone But Her. A few things worth noting were that some characters mentioned in the last book actually made cameos in this one: Jamie's ex Ethan, and Grace, the one who moved away to live with her girlfriend. I think this sequel made the story a lot more complete. I also find it really cute that Charlie's full name was Charlotte Olivia Miller since Olivia was her awesome Nana's name.

Please read Anyone But Her before reading this novella to fully enjoy the Miller drama. You won't be disappointed. Since I pretty much anticipated everything to go awry (because "Miller" is synonymous to "disaster" given the last book), it was not as uncomfortable reading about the characters facing their homophobic family. Most of the book was so funny I was sure I was grinning the whole time. There were also tender moments that had my eyes well up. And though the key event happened a bit too randomly for my taste, it certainly added to the dramatics. Overall, the plot was very sweet and fun. Though I might not reread the Miller story, I recommend checking it out. Both Anyone But Her and A Very Miller Christmas. Now, I only hope there would be another story on Charlie and Reagan's wedding!

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yasss!! More Reagan, Charlie, Jamie, and Nana goodies! It’s great having more time with Charlie and Reagan. It’s so sweet how they both wanted to propose. I liked an update on how they relationship between the twins and their parents was progressing, as well as, Reagan and The Millers interactions. I love love love Nana. The support she gives to Reagan and the fact that she is not afraid to call the Millers out on their shit. Plus I still can’t get over ‘Coochie-Handed’! That Nana she is a firecracker.
Bonus: It was fun seeing and getting an update on loved characters from previous Novellas and novels.

[Michelle Schuler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miller family sequel holiday style

Erica Lee did a great job with this short Christmas story, but it packed a punch. I love Nana. The chemistry is amazing as ever. Get to be caught up with a few other couples from other books by Erica Lee. Love, laugh out loud moments and holiday spirit all rolled into the book. It was short, but not rushed and satisfying in the overall aspect of covering the holiday season. I look forward to more by Erica Lee.

[Lorraine Rusnack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved visiting with Reagan,Charlie and Jamie again. I was surprised by the inclusion of characters from 3 other stories well done. I cried when Reagan spoke to Mr Miller and again when Charlie had her talk with him. Nana saves the day with a good laugh. She is one cool lady. I hope we get to go to their wedding. Now I need to read the other stories as well🙂

[Gina L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Continuation of a great love story!

I just love Reagan and Charlie. The Christmas continuation was just what we needed to see how this couple have moved along. It was very sentimental and surprising. Great job Erica Lee!

[Melanie Chase · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ★

this book was way better then the first one. loved reading this on christmas and new year’s eve! 🥳

honestly, i decided to finish it to reach my reading goal. but it was so much better than what i expected.

[John T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!

Life isn’t always perfect but it’s the little things that make life worth living. This story was so cute, I really hope we get to read about the wedding.

[pipsqueakreviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short sequel to the story of Reagan and Charlie and a proposal so perfectly ruined. So sweet.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vamos a la boda...

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this is a direct sequel to Anyone But Her I'm not going to avoid spoilers for the earlier book. By the time that book ends, Charlie and her brother Jamie are both out to each other and to their parents, and their parents are really not dealing well with it.

"A Very Miller Christmas" opens with Reagan planning to propose to Charlie, and planning to ask her dad's blessing for the union.

It would be easy for this to be the sort of book that's written just to give the fans exactly what they want, and this one makes some feints in that direction. There's a gathering of authors that gives me the feeling some real writers might recognize themselves in the portrayals, and there's some watching of Hallmark Christmas movies.

But it also stays true to the spirit of the original book, with love shown as real, worth fighting for, but messy and complicated. An HEA delivered, as required, but maybe not without an asterisk and a footnote. And if it gets a teensy bit preachy toward the end . . . well, 'tis the season.

I think it actually makes me like "Anyone But Her" a little more than I already did. Very highly recommended if you enjoyed that.

[Rakhya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This holiday novella is a follow up to Anyone But Her, but also features cameos by couples from Sunsets and Shades, Finding Home: A Romantic Christmas Novella, Holiday Healing : A Romantic Christmas Novella.
It is probably best enjoyed after reading Lee's previous works.

[Nessy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid follow up to the first book. This novella tied up some loose ends. We got to see the Miller parents grow in increments which gives hope that they won’t be awful forever. Jamie also got an unexpected set up for his HEA.

There was also a cross over scene with a few other books from the author. I haven’t read any of the other books yet so I don’t think I appreciated that part as much, but that is a risk that the author takes when they choose to assume you’ve read all of their books (or maybe they are hoping that those little blurbs entice readers to read their other books)

I still think there was to much sex for a novella. A scene of them bonding over something normal rather than either sex or over the top love declarations that the author gravitated towards would have been better.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a 74 page novella and is a sequel to Anyone But Her. This is a joyful Christmas gift from the author giving the reader an update on two wonderful characters roughly a year later. Charlie Miller and Reagan Cooper have been together over a year and living together for six months. Now it is time to head to Charlie's parents house for Christmas where their relationship is still not accepted. Reagan is planning to propose and wants to be traditional asking for a parental blessing.

Of course things go hilariously wrong but at the core you see a loving, committed couple. Nana has some zinger lines. And as a bonus gift there is appearances by two other couples I assume are from other books by the author. I can't wait to read those. (4.5 stars)

[Jazz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this so much. It was so nice to get to revisit these characters again and see how things have progressed since we last saw them. The proposals were beautiful and it was great to see Jamie and Ethan reconnect. Nana once again stole my heart!

I also really enjoyed seeing how the Millers are processing their kids queerness. The long complicated process theyre going through feels highly realistic, and it's frustrating and heartwarming to see how they struggle to come to terms with loving their kids, wanting to learn, and holding onto what they have always believed.

Now... are we getting a third installment to show off the wedding, after all Charlie did comment on how their other big events have gone!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Erica darling, you need to stop making homophobia the hole plot in your book.

To be fair, with a name like "A Very Miller Christmas", I don't know how I expected anything different. That being said, if you don't wanna be angry with the insane amount of homophobia in this book, don't read it. You'll find it from the beginning to the very end.

Okay okay, between all the hate, you get a lot of gay people being in love and that's sweet. Again, not worth it. The only reason I'm giving this book a 2 stars review is because of Nana. That woman was the hole reason why I wanted to finish this book, her presence was heart-warming and hilarious. I'm not even joking, I would read a whole book about this woman.

[WonderGoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Worthy Sequel

Full disclosure: I read this title via Kindle Unlimited.

I liked this short book (novellla?). It was a fun, quick read and it has more Nana, which is always fun! I highly recommend you read this if you've read "Anyone But Her." I don't know if Ms. Lee has written about the shenanigans that will undoubtedly unfold at Reagan and Charlie's wedding, but I'm looking forward to reading about it.

One complaint, I would have liked to know if Jamie and Ethan get together. Jamie deserves some happiness, too.

[Cassandra Jucha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Charlie & Reagan's love story!

Starting with "Anyone But Her" and continuing with "A Very Miller Christmas" was wonderful. It was a great story of two soul mates finding each other, dealing with obstacles to test their relationship, intercepting parents (at first), and resulting in them ultimately being stronger than ever. Thank you Erica Lee for making us love yet another couple!!