**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

CW: grief, death of parent, toxic relationship, infidelity, emotional abuse, gaslighting
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I’ve had this arc for over a year now as it was one of the handful that I didn’t manage to get to last year (sorry Atlantic) but I thought it best to read it at this time of year for obvious reasons. I find it even more perfect that I started and finished it within the exact time frame that the book is set albeit 24 years later.

I absolutely loved the central idea of this book and how it celebrates the family time and togetherness of the major celebrations of the 3 Abrahamic religions and while I don’t remember it myself as I was like 3 years old its cool that at the end of 2000 all were being celebrated at the same time. Pair this with all the hallmark film vibes plus a really wholesome small town setting and Jalaluddin and Stapley have thought up quite a fun story. And while it didn’t blow me away as it had its predictable and generic moments, the pair’s storytelling worked well together to create an enjoyable read perfect for this time of year.

I loved the two leads and enjoyed their individual journeys of self-actualisation alongside their own little romances. Though I’ve got to say having read all of Jalaluddin’s previous books I was a little disappointed with Maryam and Saif’s relationship because even though they worked for each other I found their on page chemistry to be a bit lacking for two individuals with a history and a newfound chance at love. They are probably the weakest couple that Jalaluddin has written for me.. Maryam’s arc of learning to put herself and her ambitions at the forefront of her life rather than taking on all of her family’s problems felt like it carried more weight than the love story side of things.
This was my first time reading anything from Stapley though and while Anna and Josh’s romance was a little cliché it was sweet and I really enjoyed following their relationship develop.

My only other gripe with the book has to come with some of the finer details with how it is set during Ramadan. Weddings during this holy period aren’t really a rare thing as I’m sure I’ve heard of people having their Nikkahs then but I just found it a bit off that there was all this talk of prep for a wedding, including a mehndi party with singing and dancing as well as talk of Bollywood movies and stuff during one of the most holy months of the Islamic calendar when the focus should be on ibadah/ prayer especially those last few days?? It’s a month about more than just fasting and I get that this is a fictional romance story so religion isn’t the focus and they’re snowed in at a small town with not much else to do but it felt sort of wrong to be giving an inadequate impression on such an important part of life as a Muslim..

That aside the central messages and themes discussed in the book were well done and I loved pretty much all of the side characters too. Truly wish I could find myself stumbling upon such a wonderful little town with a diverse community such as Snow Falls to have an impromptu, snowed-in break at.
Final Rating – 3.25/5 Stars 

I was mostly vibing through the book. Everyone needs a Dadu in their lives. My suspension in belief was stretched.

Anna and Maryam are passive in their lives but get relief in the small idyllic town of Snow Falls. There they get to explore their wants and confront their inner conflicts. My favourite part was when the rose-tinted glasses flew off and declared their inner feelings.

Overall, this book was very indulgent with the tri-holiday vibes, the quirky and kind town, with a sight touch of chaos. 

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POV: 3rd Person - Dual 

Format: Audio - Single Narrator & Ebook

Title: Three Holidays and a Wedding
Author: Uzma Jalaluddin & Marissa Stapley
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.50
Pub Date: September 23, 2023

I received a complimentary eARC from Penguin Random House Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Warm • Cheesy • Festive

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Three times the holiday magic. Three times the chaos.

As strangers and seatmates Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson fly to Toronto over the holidays—Maryam to her sister’s impromptu wedding, and Anna to meet her boyfriend’s wealthy family for the first time—neither expect that severe turbulence will scare them into confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another. At least they’ll never see each other again. And the love of Maryam’s life, Saif, wasn’t sitting two rows behind them hearing it all. Oops.

When Anna, Maryam, Saif, and Maryam’s sister’s bridal party are snowbound at a quirky inn on the outskirts of Snow Falls—a picture-perfect town where a holiday romance starring Anna’s actor-crush is being filmed—chaos ensues. But as Maryam and Anna start to feel the magic of Snow Falls—and find love better than their deepest hopes—they just might realize there’s no place they’d rather be for the holidays.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I have enjoyed several of Uzma Jalaluddin's books in the past, but have yet to read Marissa Stapley. With that said, I was intrigued after reading the premise and interested to see what this writing duo could do with a holiday rom-com. Three Holidays and a Wedding was the only holiday book I put on my TBR this year.

What I like:
• the friendship between Maryam and Anna. Their unlikely friendship was my favourite part of this book. They helped each other and I'd have been completely okay if it had been the focus of the book.
• the combination of the three holidays. I really enjoyed the tri-holiday concept. Learning about the each of the different customs of the faiths was informative and just was a good fit.
• the Canadian setting. The fictional town of Snow Falls was delightful. A little over-the-top but that's to be expected in holiday rom-coms
• the grandfather. My favourite character hands down. His wisdom and appearances always brought a smile to my face.

What I didn't like:
• the romances. There was just so much going on that it took so long to get to the actual romance. Each of the romance plotlines got equal page time, so flushing out two entire romances made the novel longer than it needed to be.
• Nick. He was just awful and I found myself skimming anytime he made an appearance.

It's hard to pin point exactly how I felt about this holiday romance. There were some things I really enjoyed, but on the other hand there was so much going on that it got a little convoluted. It needed some editing, because the writing was choppy at times. This was a different type of holiday read for me, and I would consider picking up another book if this duo teamed up again, yet I cannot say for sure.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• Hallmark Christmas movie lovers
• readers looking for diverse holiday rep

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"The world was a miracle, at all times of the year."

"'We're all broken,' Saif said. 'We just make beautiful new things with our broken pieces.'"

"When you lose someone, a 'right time' never really comes. You have to take happiness as it comes to you, while accepting that grief will always live with you, too." 

Three Holidays and a Wedding is a fun and thoughtful story of two women who meet at the airport and find themselves stuck in a sleepy town in Canada. 

 

The combination of meet cute and second chance is everything, and the mix of holiday diversity was done so well! 

 

I absolutely loved Maryam's grandfather! He adds a layer of depth to the story with his kindness, tales, and guidance. 

 

I can't wait to read more books from Uzma and Marissa!